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An Intelsat communication satellite built by Boeing has exploded and broken up in geostationary orbit. Intelsat confirmed the news in a press release, declaring the satellite a “total loss.” The US Space Force said it is tracking around 20 associated pieces but “has observed no immediate threats” to other satellites so far (Roscosmos said it was tracking 80 fragments). The cause of the explosion is not yet known, but the news is another blow for Boeing following Starliner’s failed crew test flight, problems with the 737 Max and delays to the 777x. 
Intelsat said it’s working to move customers to its other satellites or third party spacecraft. “A Failure Review Board has convened to complete a comprehensive analysis of the cause,” the company wrote. The satellite was uninsured, a spokesperson told SpaceNews. 
The explosion fragments could still pose a risk to other satellites. “The problem is that there is a lot of uncertainty regarding the orbits of these fragments at the moment,” said a spokesperson for Spaceflux, a UK company that tracks objects in orbit. “They can be potentially dangerous for other satellites but we do not know that yet.” 
Intelsat 33e is one of six “EpicNG” satellites built by Boeing, and uses the latter’s 720MP satellite platform equipped with 16 hydrazine-powered engines built by Aerojet Rocketdyne. The type is widely used for telephone, internet and satellite TV/radio broadcast services. 
It entered service three months late due to an issue with its primary thruster, and another propulsion issue reduced its service life by 3.5 years. The first EpicNG satellite, Intelsat 29e, was declared a total loss in 2019 after just three years in service, reportedly due to a meteoroid impact or wiring flaw. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/intelsats-boeing-made-satellite-explodes-and-breaks-up-in-orbit-120036468.html?src=rss

An Intelsat communication satellite built by Boeing has exploded and broken up in geostationary orbit. Intelsat confirmed the news in a press release, declaring the satellite a “total loss.” The US Space Force said it is tracking around 20 associated pieces but “has observed no immediate threats” to other satellites so far (Roscosmos said it was tracking 80 fragments). The cause of the explosion is not yet known, but the news is another blow for Boeing following Starliner’s failed crew test flight, problems with the 737 Max and delays to the 777x. 

Intelsat said it’s working to move customers to its other satellites or third party spacecraft. “A Failure Review Board has convened to complete a comprehensive analysis of the cause,” the company wrote. The satellite was uninsured, a spokesperson told SpaceNews. 

The explosion fragments could still pose a risk to other satellites. “The problem is that there is a lot of uncertainty regarding the orbits of these fragments at the moment,” said a spokesperson for Spaceflux, a UK company that tracks objects in orbit. “They can be potentially dangerous for other satellites but we do not know that yet.” 

Intelsat 33e is one of six “EpicNG” satellites built by Boeing, and uses the latter’s 720MP satellite platform equipped with 16 hydrazine-powered engines built by Aerojet Rocketdyne. The type is widely used for telephone, internet and satellite TV/radio broadcast services. 

It entered service three months late due to an issue with its primary thruster, and another propulsion issue reduced its service life by 3.5 years. The first EpicNG satellite, Intelsat 29e, was declared a total loss in 2019 after just three years in service, reportedly due to a meteoroid impact or wiring flaw. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/intelsats-boeing-made-satellite-explodes-and-breaks-up-in-orbit-120036468.html?src=rss

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For me, the iPad Mini is one of those devices I know I should like but can never quite bring myself to actually appreciate. Apple must feel similarly, given it only sporadically updates its smallest tablet, knowing its target market probably isn’t in need of blazing speed. But, with Apple Intelligence looming, Apple has launched the seventh-generation Mini. Naturally, we handed our review unit to tablet expert Nathan Ingraham for his opinion. Is the iPad Mini 7 worth the price?
On paper, Apple didn’t do a lot beyond cramming in a chip, the A17 Pro, capable of running the company’s new AI bells and whistles. But Nathan found that plenty of pain points from the older Minis — including the dreaded jelly scrolling — have been airbrushed out of the picture. You’ll also get support for the Apple Pencil Pro, helpfully streamlining the company’s presently messy stylus lineup. Ironically, what sold him on this device was neither of those features but that he found the iPad Mini the perfect device for Balatro. If you don’t know what that is, click through.
— Dan Cooper
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The biggest tech stories you missed

Qualcomm and Google team up to help carmakers create AI voice systems
WhatsApp will soon let users add contacts from any device
Netflix has closed its AAA gaming studio
A federal ban on fake online reviews is now in effect
Meta and GoFundMe team up to streamline social media donations

Amazon is reportedly working on a low-cost storefront to rival Temu
Hope you like crap!

Online junk stores offering ludicrous discounts for badly made tat shipped directly from China is not a new phenomenon on the internet. After all, it was only a few years ago everyone in the US was wringing their hands about the threat Wish posted to traditional retailers. Bear that in mind when you learn Amazon, nervous about Temu’s success, is considering its own low-cost online retailer.
Continue Reading.
Huawei appears to still be using TSMC chips despite US sanctions
TSMC says it alerted the US to the potential breach.

Despite being drowned in sanctions, Huawei may still be using chips made by TSMC for some of its products. A series of blockbuster reports suggests the Ascend 910B chip in a new AI accelerator was made by the Taiwanese chip giant. All we have right now are a lot of denials and pointed fingers, but this story is likely going to rattle on for a while until we know what happened.
Continue Reading.
NASA’s newest telescope can detect gravitational waves from colliding black holes
Cool.
NASA / Dennis Henry
NASA has shown off a prototype telescope that can detect gravitational waves to help better understand the building blocks of the universe. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is expected to launch in the mid-2030s, with three linked satellites orbiting Earth. The trio will keep track of each other’s precise location, monitoring when gravitational waves shift from their expected pattern. If successful, it could offer useful insights into black holes and the Big Bang, which are difficult to study using other means.
Continue Reading.
Meta bans private jet tracking accounts on Instagram and Threads
No more following TayTay’s jet across the skies.

Meta has shut down accounts tracking the movements of prominent public figures’ private jets, saying they risk the privacy and safety of those concerned. Accounts following the whereabouts of Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg himself have all been axed.
Continue Reading.
Blade Runner 2049 producer sues Elon Musk for image used in Cybercab launch
The images are pretty similar if we’re honest.
Tesla
They say the only two certainties in life are death and taxes, but, if you’re Elon Musk, that list has swelled to include lawsuits. Alcon Entertainment, which produced Blade Runner 2049, is suing Tesla after it used a Blade Runner 2049-esque image during the Cybercab launch. You could dismiss this as mere coincidence, but Alcon added it had previously denied a request by Tesla to use clips from the film during the event.
Continue Reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-our-verdict-on-the-ipad-mini-7-111546869.html?src=rss

For me, the iPad Mini is one of those devices I know I should like but can never quite bring myself to actually appreciate. Apple must feel similarly, given it only sporadically updates its smallest tablet, knowing its target market probably isn’t in need of blazing speed. But, with Apple Intelligence looming, Apple has launched the seventh-generation Mini. Naturally, we handed our review unit to tablet expert Nathan Ingraham for his opinion. Is the iPad Mini 7 worth the price?

On paper, Apple didn’t do a lot beyond cramming in a chip, the A17 Pro, capable of running the company’s new AI bells and whistles. But Nathan found that plenty of pain points from the older Minis — including the dreaded jelly scrolling — have been airbrushed out of the picture. You’ll also get support for the Apple Pencil Pro, helpfully streamlining the company’s presently messy stylus lineup. Ironically, what sold him on this device was neither of those features but that he found the iPad Mini the perfect device for Balatro. If you don’t know what that is, click through.

— Dan Cooper

Get this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

The biggest tech stories you missed

Qualcomm and Google team up to help carmakers create AI voice systems

WhatsApp will soon let users add contacts from any device

Netflix has closed its AAA gaming studio

A federal ban on fake online reviews is now in effect

Meta and GoFundMe team up to streamline social media donations

Amazon is reportedly working on a low-cost storefront to rival Temu

Hope you like crap!

Online junk stores offering ludicrous discounts for badly made tat shipped directly from China is not a new phenomenon on the internet. After all, it was only a few years ago everyone in the US was wringing their hands about the threat Wish posted to traditional retailers. Bear that in mind when you learn Amazon, nervous about Temu’s success, is considering its own low-cost online retailer.

Continue Reading.

Huawei appears to still be using TSMC chips despite US sanctions

TSMC says it alerted the US to the potential breach.

Despite being drowned in sanctions, Huawei may still be using chips made by TSMC for some of its products. A series of blockbuster reports suggests the Ascend 910B chip in a new AI accelerator was made by the Taiwanese chip giant. All we have right now are a lot of denials and pointed fingers, but this story is likely going to rattle on for a while until we know what happened.

Continue Reading.

NASA’s newest telescope can detect gravitational waves from colliding black holes

Cool.

NASA has shown off a prototype telescope that can detect gravitational waves to help better understand the building blocks of the universe. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is expected to launch in the mid-2030s, with three linked satellites orbiting Earth. The trio will keep track of each other’s precise location, monitoring when gravitational waves shift from their expected pattern. If successful, it could offer useful insights into black holes and the Big Bang, which are difficult to study using other means.

Continue Reading.

Meta bans private jet tracking accounts on Instagram and Threads

No more following TayTay’s jet across the skies.

Meta has shut down accounts tracking the movements of prominent public figures’ private jets, saying they risk the privacy and safety of those concerned. Accounts following the whereabouts of Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg himself have all been axed.

Continue Reading.

Blade Runner 2049 producer sues Elon Musk for image used in Cybercab launch

The images are pretty similar if we’re honest.

They say the only two certainties in life are death and taxes, but, if you’re Elon Musk, that list has swelled to include lawsuits. Alcon Entertainment, which produced Blade Runner 2049, is suing Tesla after it used a Blade Runner 2049-esque image during the Cybercab launch. You could dismiss this as mere coincidence, but Alcon added it had previously denied a request by Tesla to use clips from the film during the event.

Continue Reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-our-verdict-on-the-ipad-mini-7-111546869.html?src=rss

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Two weeks before the US presidential election, the Oversight Board says it has “serious concerns” about Meta’s content moderation systems in “electoral contexts,” and that the company risks the “excessive removal of political speech” when it over-enforces its rules. The admonishment came as the board weighed in on a case involving a satirical image of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Meta originally removed the post, shared on Facebook in August, that showed an edited version of a movie poster from Dumb and Dumber. The original 1994 movie poster shows the two main characters grabbing each other’s nipples through their shirts. In the altered version, the actors’ faces were replaced by Harris and Walz.
According to the Oversight Board, Meta cited its bullying and harassment rules, which includes a provision barring “derogatory sexualized photoshop or drawings.” The social network later restored the post after it drew attention from the Oversight Board, and the company acknowledged the satirical image didn’t break its rules because it didn’t depict sexual activity.
Despite Meta’s reversal, the board says the case suggests larger issues in how Meta handles posts dealing with election-related content. “This post is nothing more than a commonplace satirical image of prominent politicians and is instantly recognizable as such,” the board wrote. “Nonetheless, the company’s failure to recognize the nature of this post and treat it accordingly raises serious concerns about the systems and resources Meta has in place to effectively make content determinations in such electoral contexts.”
It’s unusually direct criticism from the Oversight Board, which released its analysis of the case in a summary decision, which comes without the group’s typical laundry list of recommendations for the social media company. The board has previously pushed Meta to clarify its rules around satirical content.The latest case highlights another issue that many of the company’s users have also complained about: over-enforcing its rules.
“In this case, however, the Board highlights the overenforcement of Meta’s Bullying and Harassment policy with respect to satire and political speech in the form of a non-sexualized derogatory depiction of political figures,” the board wrote. “It also points to the dangers that overenforcing the Bullying and Harassment policy can have, especially in the context of an election, as it may lead to the excessive removal of political speech and undermine the ability to criticize government officials and political candidates, including in a sarcastic manner.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/oversight-board-says-metas-handling-of-a-satirical-image-of-harris-and-walz-raises-serious-concerns-100046800.html?src=rss

Two weeks before the US presidential election, the Oversight Board says it has “serious concerns” about Meta’s content moderation systems in “electoral contexts,” and that the company risks the “excessive removal of political speech” when it over-enforces its rules. The admonishment came as the board weighed in on a case involving a satirical image of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

Meta originally removed the post, shared on Facebook in August, that showed an edited version of a movie poster from Dumb and Dumber. The original 1994 movie poster shows the two main characters grabbing each other’s nipples through their shirts. In the altered version, the actors’ faces were replaced by Harris and Walz.

According to the Oversight Board, Meta cited its bullying and harassment rules, which includes a provision barring “derogatory sexualized photoshop or drawings.” The social network later restored the post after it drew attention from the Oversight Board, and the company acknowledged the satirical image didn’t break its rules because it didn’t depict sexual activity.

Despite Meta’s reversal, the board says the case suggests larger issues in how Meta handles posts dealing with election-related content. “This post is nothing more than a commonplace satirical image of prominent politicians and is instantly recognizable as such,” the board wrote. “Nonetheless, the company’s failure to recognize the nature of this post and treat it accordingly raises serious concerns about the systems and resources Meta has in place to effectively make content determinations in such electoral contexts.”

It’s unusually direct criticism from the Oversight Board, which released its analysis of the case in a summary decision, which comes without the group’s typical laundry list of recommendations for the social media company. The board has previously pushed Meta to clarify its rules around satirical content.The latest case highlights another issue that many of the company’s users have also complained about: over-enforcing its rules.

“In this case, however, the Board highlights the overenforcement of Meta’s Bullying and Harassment policy with respect to satire and political speech in the form of a non-sexualized derogatory depiction of political figures,” the board wrote. “It also points to the dangers that overenforcing the Bullying and Harassment policy can have, especially in the context of an election, as it may lead to the excessive removal of political speech and undermine the ability to criticize government officials and political candidates, including in a sarcastic manner.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/oversight-board-says-metas-handling-of-a-satirical-image-of-harris-and-walz-raises-serious-concerns-100046800.html?src=rss

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Netflix announced the next addition to its gaming roster, and it’s a collaboration with the TED nonprofit. TED Tumblewords is a daily puzzle game where you slide rows of letters around to make words. There will be three puzzles available each day, and you can play rounds against friends, other online players or the TED bot. In addition to the daily word challenges, which are designed to improve critical thinking and vocabulary, players will see interesting facts from the TED library. The game will be available to play on Netflix and TED.com on November 19.
Since it began offering mobile games, Netflix has amassed a lot of high-quality titles in its lineup. The collection is a mix of licensed indie game projects, such as Hades and Kentucky Route Zero, alongside in-house creations centered on its popular shows, like the retro-styled Stranger Things game. However, the streaming service just today shut down its in-house AAA game studio before the team ever released or even announced a single project. While we wait for TED Tumblewords to arrive, here are some other excellent choices for your daily online gaming fix.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflix-and-ted-are-hopping-on-the-daily-word-game-bandwagon-230014184.html?src=rss

Netflix announced the next addition to its gaming roster, and it’s a collaboration with the TED nonprofit. TED Tumblewords is a daily puzzle game where you slide rows of letters around to make words. There will be three puzzles available each day, and you can play rounds against friends, other online players or the TED bot. In addition to the daily word challenges, which are designed to improve critical thinking and vocabulary, players will see interesting facts from the TED library. The game will be available to play on Netflix and TED.com on November 19.

Since it began offering mobile games, Netflix has amassed a lot of high-quality titles in its lineup. The collection is a mix of licensed indie game projects, such as Hades and Kentucky Route Zero, alongside in-house creations centered on its popular shows, like the retro-styled Stranger Things game. However, the streaming service just today shut down its in-house AAA game studio before the team ever released or even announced a single project. While we wait for TED Tumblewords to arrive, here are some other excellent choices for your daily online gaming fix.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflix-and-ted-are-hopping-on-the-daily-word-game-bandwagon-230014184.html?src=rss

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Amazon may be working on a secondary online sales platform that would compete with the absurdly low prices of Chinese retailer Temu. The Information reported that it has seen internal information sent to Amazon merchants that detail some of the price caps for this new storefront.
The outlet claims the upper limit of prices are set at $8 for jewelry, $9 for bedding, $13 for guitars and $20 for sofas that are shipped from its fulfillment center in Guangdong, China under this new “Low-Cost Store.” According to the site’s sources, orders from this storefront would have slower shipping timelines of nine to 11 days, but would also charge lower fulfillment fees to sellers. A seller would be charged between $1.77 and $2.05 to ship a 4-8 ounce item through the Low-Cost Store, compared with a $2.67 to $4.16 charge for an item of that weight shipped under Fulfillment by Amazon from a domestic warehouse, according to The Information.
Amazon has not set price limits on its eponymous online storefront, so this new platform will be a markedly different strategy from its usual approach. It’s more in line with the pricing policy followed by Temu, which launched in 2022. In just two years, the bargain basement ecommerce platform has garnered a reputation for selling items of dubious quality as well as questions about relying on “forced” labor.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-is-reportedly-working-on-a-low-cost-storefront-to-rival-temu-225049485.html?src=rss

Amazon may be working on a secondary online sales platform that would compete with the absurdly low prices of Chinese retailer Temu. The Information reported that it has seen internal information sent to Amazon merchants that detail some of the price caps for this new storefront.

The outlet claims the upper limit of prices are set at $8 for jewelry, $9 for bedding, $13 for guitars and $20 for sofas that are shipped from its fulfillment center in Guangdong, China under this new “Low-Cost Store.” According to the site’s sources, orders from this storefront would have slower shipping timelines of nine to 11 days, but would also charge lower fulfillment fees to sellers. A seller would be charged between $1.77 and $2.05 to ship a 4-8 ounce item through the Low-Cost Store, compared with a $2.67 to $4.16 charge for an item of that weight shipped under Fulfillment by Amazon from a domestic warehouse, according to The Information.

Amazon has not set price limits on its eponymous online storefront, so this new platform will be a markedly different strategy from its usual approach. It’s more in line with the pricing policy followed by Temu, which launched in 2022. In just two years, the bargain basement ecommerce platform has garnered a reputation for selling items of dubious quality as well as questions about relying on “forced” labor.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-is-reportedly-working-on-a-low-cost-storefront-to-rival-temu-225049485.html?src=rss

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A Canadian research firm called TechInsights took a deep dive on one of Huawei’s artificial intelligence accelerators and found a chip manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Bloomberg spoke with several people familiar with the investigation who asked to remain anonymous since TechInsights’ report has been released to the public.
The anonymous sources says TechInsights’ investigation found an Ascend 910B chip made by TSMC in one of Huawei’s AI accelerators. The company that conducted the investigation declined to comment.
The US Commerce Department implemented additional trade restrictions against Huawei that barred the electronics company from obtaining chips made by foreign firms. Earlier this year, the US government tightened its restrictions even further by revoking its licenses with Intel and Qualcomm to produce chips for its devices.
TSMC denied that it had a working relationship with Huawei since mid-September of 2020 in a statement provided to the Commerce Department. TSMC also told Bloomberg that it hasn’t produced any chips for Huawei due to the amended restrictions. Huawei denied that it had ever “launched the 910B chip.”
This isn’t the first time Huawei has been caught trying to subvert US sanctions and trade restrictions. Bloomberg also uncovered in May that Huawei funded secret research in the US at universities including Harvard by funneling the money through a Washington-based scientific research foundation called Optica. The foundation said it decided to return the money in June and chief executive officers Elizabeth Rogen and Chad Stark stepped down the following August.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/huawei-appears-to-still-be-using-tsmc-chips-despite-us-sanctions-222617636.html?src=rss

A Canadian research firm called TechInsights took a deep dive on one of Huawei’s artificial intelligence accelerators and found a chip manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Bloomberg spoke with several people familiar with the investigation who asked to remain anonymous since TechInsights’ report has been released to the public.

The anonymous sources says TechInsights’ investigation found an Ascend 910B chip made by TSMC in one of Huawei’s AI accelerators. The company that conducted the investigation declined to comment.

The US Commerce Department implemented additional trade restrictions against Huawei that barred the electronics company from obtaining chips made by foreign firms. Earlier this year, the US government tightened its restrictions even further by revoking its licenses with Intel and Qualcomm to produce chips for its devices.

TSMC denied that it had a working relationship with Huawei since mid-September of 2020 in a statement provided to the Commerce Department. TSMC also told Bloomberg that it hasn’t produced any chips for Huawei due to the amended restrictions. Huawei denied that it had ever “launched the 910B chip.”

This isn’t the first time Huawei has been caught trying to subvert US sanctions and trade restrictions. Bloomberg also uncovered in May that Huawei funded secret research in the US at universities including Harvard by funneling the money through a Washington-based scientific research foundation called Optica. The foundation said it decided to return the money in June and chief executive officers Elizabeth Rogen and Chad Stark stepped down the following August.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/huawei-appears-to-still-be-using-tsmc-chips-despite-us-sanctions-222617636.html?src=rss

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Car manufacturers will be able to develop new AI voice assistants for their cars thanks to a new partnership with Qualcomm and Google. Qualcomm announced earlier today that it’s working with Google on a new AI development system for carmakers.
The new version is based on Android Automotive OS (AAOS), Google’s infotainment platform for cars. Qualcomm is offering its Snapdragon Digital Chassis with Google Cloud and AAOS to generate new AI-powered digital cockpits for cars. Qualcomm also unveiled two new chips for powering driving systems including the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite for dashboards and the Snapdragon Ride Elite for self-driving features.
The new interface will allow car drivers and passengers to interact with custom voice assistants, immersive maps and real-time driving updates. Carmakers can use the new system to create their own unique and marketable AI voice assistants that don’t require a connection to a smartphone.
Other carmakers have taken steps to try to integrate AI systems in its vehicles. Volkswagen announced plans at CES 2024 that it would integrate ChatGPT in its cars’ voice assistants across a range of newer models. After a slow start, AAOS now underpins vehicles from several manufacturers including Chevrolet, Honda, Volvo and Rivian.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/qualcomm-and-google-team-up-to-help-carmakers-create-ai-voice-systems-211510693.html?src=rss

Car manufacturers will be able to develop new AI voice assistants for their cars thanks to a new partnership with Qualcomm and Google. Qualcomm announced earlier today that it’s working with Google on a new AI development system for carmakers.

The new version is based on Android Automotive OS (AAOS), Google’s infotainment platform for cars. Qualcomm is offering its Snapdragon Digital Chassis with Google Cloud and AAOS to generate new AI-powered digital cockpits for cars. Qualcomm also unveiled two new chips for powering driving systems including the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite for dashboards and the Snapdragon Ride Elite for self-driving features.

The new interface will allow car drivers and passengers to interact with custom voice assistants, immersive maps and real-time driving updates. Carmakers can use the new system to create their own unique and marketable AI voice assistants that don’t require a connection to a smartphone.

Other carmakers have taken steps to try to integrate AI systems in its vehicles. Volkswagen announced plans at CES 2024 that it would integrate ChatGPT in its cars’ voice assistants across a range of newer models. After a slow start, AAOS now underpins vehicles from several manufacturers including Chevrolet, Honda, Volvo and Rivian.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/qualcomm-and-google-team-up-to-help-carmakers-create-ai-voice-systems-211510693.html?src=rss

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Ecobee is integrating smart locks into its app. The company doesn’t make smart locks of its own, but you can now control Wi-Fi-enabled ones from Yale and August using the Ecobee app. The feature could prevent you from switching apps to let someone who rings your smart doorbell in. However, it’s locked behind a subscription, so user convenience isn’t the only motive here.
The integration adds an “unlock” button from the Ecobee app’s live view. So, you can let visitors in from the same screen where you confirm it’s someone you want coming inside. (Handy!) The Ecobee app also allows you to lock your doors automatically when you arm your security system. (Also handy!)
Less handy: You’ll need to pay up to enjoy these perks because the feature is locked (ahem) behind Ecobee’s Smart Security system. The premium service costs $5 monthly or $50 annually. And as The Verge notes, it won’t let you unlock your August or Yale devices from Ecobee’s smart thermostats.
This could be a convenient perk if you’re already paying for Ecobee’s subscription service. If not, you’ll have to ask yourself if it’s worth a premium to avoid the oh-so-grueling task of pulling up your phone’s app switcher to jump to another smart-home app.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ecobee-smart-home-users-can-now-unlock-yale-and-august-smart-locks-from-its-app-201700926.html?src=rss

Ecobee is integrating smart locks into its app. The company doesn’t make smart locks of its own, but you can now control Wi-Fi-enabled ones from Yale and August using the Ecobee app. The feature could prevent you from switching apps to let someone who rings your smart doorbell in. However, it’s locked behind a subscription, so user convenience isn’t the only motive here.

The integration adds an “unlock” button from the Ecobee app’s live view. So, you can let visitors in from the same screen where you confirm it’s someone you want coming inside. (Handy!) The Ecobee app also allows you to lock your doors automatically when you arm your security system. (Also handy!)

Less handy: You’ll need to pay up to enjoy these perks because the feature is locked (ahem) behind Ecobee’s Smart Security system. The premium service costs $5 monthly or $50 annually. And as The Verge notes, it won’t let you unlock your August or Yale devices from Ecobee’s smart thermostats.

This could be a convenient perk if you’re already paying for Ecobee’s subscription service. If not, you’ll have to ask yourself if it’s worth a premium to avoid the oh-so-grueling task of pulling up your phone’s app switcher to jump to another smart-home app.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ecobee-smart-home-users-can-now-unlock-yale-and-august-smart-locks-from-its-app-201700926.html?src=rss

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NASA showed off a telescope prototype for a new gravitational wave detection mission in space. The telescope is part of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission led by the European Space Agency (NSA) in partnership with NASA.
The goal of the LISA mission is to position three spacecraft in a triangular orbit measuring nearly 1.6 million miles on each side. The three spacecraft will follow the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Each spacecraft will carry two telescopes to track their siblings using infrared laser beams. Those beams can measure distances down to a trillionth of a meter.
Gravitational waves are created during a collision between two black holes. They were first theorized by Albert Einstein in 1916 and detected almost a century later by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Scientific Collaboration from the National Science Foundation, Caltech and MIT. A gravitational wave is detected when the three spacecraft shift from their characteristic pattern.
The LISA mission is scheduled to launch in the mid-2030s. The detection of gravitational waves could provide “enormous potential” to better our understanding of the universe, including events like black holes and the Big Bang that are difficult to study through other means, according to the official mission website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasas-newest-telescope-can-detect-gravitational-waves-from-colliding-black-holes-194527272.html?src=rss

NASA showed off a telescope prototype for a new gravitational wave detection mission in space. The telescope is part of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission led by the European Space Agency (NSA) in partnership with NASA.

The goal of the LISA mission is to position three spacecraft in a triangular orbit measuring nearly 1.6 million miles on each side. The three spacecraft will follow the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Each spacecraft will carry two telescopes to track their siblings using infrared laser beams. Those beams can measure distances down to a trillionth of a meter.

Gravitational waves are created during a collision between two black holes. They were first theorized by Albert Einstein in 1916 and detected almost a century later by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Scientific Collaboration from the National Science Foundation, Caltech and MIT. A gravitational wave is detected when the three spacecraft shift from their characteristic pattern.

The LISA mission is scheduled to launch in the mid-2030s. The detection of gravitational waves could provide “enormous potential” to better our understanding of the universe, including events like black holes and the Big Bang that are difficult to study through other means, according to the official mission website.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasas-newest-telescope-can-detect-gravitational-waves-from-colliding-black-holes-194527272.html?src=rss

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OpenAI and Microsoft are funding projects to bring more AI tools into the newsroom. The duo will give grants of up to $10 million to Chicago Public Media, the Minnesota Star Tribune, Newsday (in Long Island, NY), The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Seattle Times. Each of the publications will hire a two-year AI fellow to develop projects for implementing the technology and improving business sustainability. Three more outlets are expected to receive fellowship grants in a second round.
OpenAI and Microsoft are each contributing $2.5 million in direct funding as well as $2.5 million in software and enterprise credits. The Lenfest Institute of Journalism is collaborating with OpenAI and Microsoft on the project, and announced the news today.
To date, the ties between journalism and AI have mostly ranged from suspicious to litigious. OpenAI and Microsoft have been sued by the Center for Investigative Reporting, The New York Times, The Intercept, Raw Story and AlterNet. Some publications accused ChatGPT of plagiarizing their articles, and other suits centered on scraping web content for AI model training without permission or compensation. Other media outlets have opted to negotiate; Condé Nast was one of the latest to ink a deal with OpenAI for rights to their content.
In a separate development, OpenAI has hired Aaron Chatterji as its first chief economist. Chatterji is a professor at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and he also served on President Barack Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers as well as in President Joe Biden’s Commerce Department.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-and-microsoft-are-funding-10-million-in-grants-for-ai-powered-journalism-193042213.html?src=rss

OpenAI and Microsoft are funding projects to bring more AI tools into the newsroom. The duo will give grants of up to $10 million to Chicago Public Media, the Minnesota Star Tribune, Newsday (in Long Island, NY), The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Seattle Times. Each of the publications will hire a two-year AI fellow to develop projects for implementing the technology and improving business sustainability. Three more outlets are expected to receive fellowship grants in a second round.

OpenAI and Microsoft are each contributing $2.5 million in direct funding as well as $2.5 million in software and enterprise credits. The Lenfest Institute of Journalism is collaborating with OpenAI and Microsoft on the project, and announced the news today.

To date, the ties between journalism and AI have mostly ranged from suspicious to litigious. OpenAI and Microsoft have been sued by the Center for Investigative Reporting, The New York Times, The Intercept, Raw Story and AlterNet. Some publications accused ChatGPT of plagiarizing their articles, and other suits centered on scraping web content for AI model training without permission or compensation. Other media outlets have opted to negotiate; Condé Nast was one of the latest to ink a deal with OpenAI for rights to their content.

In a separate development, OpenAI has hired Aaron Chatterji as its first chief economist. Chatterji is a professor at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and he also served on President Barack Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers as well as in President Joe Biden’s Commerce Department.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-and-microsoft-are-funding-10-million-in-grants-for-ai-powered-journalism-193042213.html?src=rss

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