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The HoverAir X1 Promax. | Photo by Owen Grove / The Verge

The HoverAir X1 wasn’t your traditional drone. People who have little interest in piloting, like my colleague Thomas Ricker, use the highly crash-resistant self-flying $350 camera to easily get aerial video just by pressing two buttons. But it’s not particularly high-quality video, it’s not particularly fast, and you can’t fly it far away even if you wanted to.
That’s where the new HoverAir X1 Pro and X1 Promax come in.
Zero Zero Robotics has just put both drones up for sale on Indiegogo. We briefly checked them out in person, and they sound like an improvement on the X1 in practically every way.

Photo by Owen Grove / The Verge
The new HoverAir X1 Pro and Promax, next to the original X1.

While they are slightly bigger and heavier, they’d still fit in a cargo pants pocket, and they weigh under 200 grams — meaning you shouldn’t need to register them with aviation authorities since they’re under the typical 250-gram limit.
In exchange for that size bump, they now shoot 4K60 or 8K30 footage, respectively; have a wider field of view; last 4.5 minutes longer on a charge (16 minutes total); track you nearly twice as fast (26mph); can resist higher levels of wind (10.7 m/s); support microSD storage so you can finally hold more than 32GB of footage; and offer a two-axis gimbal for increased video stability, up from just one axis previously.
In addition to 8K30 footage, the Promax model can also shoot 4K at 120 frames per second for a slow motion effect, and 4K HDR footage in 10-bit HLG at up to 60fps. Both drones also shoot 24fps video across all resolutions if you’re looking for a more cinematic look. The original X1 only offered 30fps and 60fps.
While they still don’t have GPS, they do have a new visual positioning system that lets them fly over water, snow, and cliffs — the original would get confused and slowly land, which was bad!

Photo by Owen Grove / The Verge
The new drone, flanked by a set of new ND filters, batteries, and a multi-battery charger.

And, for those who actually want to frame shots or pilot a drone themselves, Zero Zero is introducing a multi-part modular controller system called the Beacon with its own built-in 1.78-inch OLED display.

Photo by Owen Grove / The Verge
The core of the Beacon system.

By itself, the $129 Beacon should hopefully already be a much more capable way of connecting to the X1 Pro or Promax than your phone. It offers one kilometer of video transmission range (which still pales in comparison to DJI’s up to 20km drones), acts as a tracker to help the drone follow you, and has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a microphone for recording audio and some voice commands.

Image: Zero Zero Robotics
The X1 Pro’s modular controller system.

But add one of Zero Zero’s little $69 modular joystick controllers, and now you can manually aim the drone one-handed and extend the Beacon’s battery life from an hour to an hour and a half. Add two joysticks, and you get a full gamepad-style drone controller, plus a shelf for your smartphone as an extra monitor underneath.
The company’s also devised a $169 “Power Case” that gives you 2.5 drone charges (40 minutes of flight time, it claims) just by sliding the folded drone in, and my colleague Owen Grove spotted a $69 set of ND filters during his hands-on, as well as a $79 charging hub for multiple batteries.

DJI has set the bar very high for prosumer drones like these, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Zero Zero hasn’t caught up in terms of image quality, reliable connectivity, or collision avoidance quite yet. (These drones now have a time-of-flight proximity sensor and / or a camera in the rear, but it only protects that side of the drone from crashes.) DJI’s $759 Mini 4 Pro has omnidirectional avoidance, nearly triple the battery life, and vastly longer range.

But HoverAir’s advantages are that its drones are cheaper, easier, more durable, and far faster to use, and those don’t seem to be changing today. Owen launched one from his hand with no instructions whatsoever, just by hitting two buttons. These new drones will retail for $499 and $699, respectively, with discounts for Indiegogo early adopters, while the original X1 appears to be sticking around for $350.
DJI seems nearly ready to announce its own budget easy-to-launch drone around the $350 mark, too: it’s called the DJI Neo.
Zero Zero says it should start shipping its new drones in October — and unlike most Indiegogo projects, this one will come with a guarantee. Zero Zero says it’s Indiegogo’s first partner for a new Shipping Guarantee program that guarantees you a full refund if the product doesn’t ship within the promised timeframe — because Indiegogo will withhold funds so it can process those refunds if they don’t ship.
“By providing a guarantee that backers will receive their products or their money back, we are enhancing the overall crowdfunding experience and encouraging more people to support innovative projects,” writes Indiegogo CEO Becky Center in Zero Zero’s press release.
Here’s Zero Zero’s spec comparison between the HoverAir X1, X1 Pro, and X1 Promax:

The HoverAir X1 Promax. | Photo by Owen Grove / The Verge

The HoverAir X1 wasn’t your traditional drone. People who have little interest in piloting, like my colleague Thomas Ricker, use the highly crash-resistant self-flying $350 camera to easily get aerial video just by pressing two buttons. But it’s not particularly high-quality video, it’s not particularly fast, and you can’t fly it far away even if you wanted to.

That’s where the new HoverAir X1 Pro and X1 Promax come in.

Zero Zero Robotics has just put both drones up for sale on Indiegogo. We briefly checked them out in person, and they sound like an improvement on the X1 in practically every way.

Photo by Owen Grove / The Verge
The new HoverAir X1 Pro and Promax, next to the original X1.

While they are slightly bigger and heavier, they’d still fit in a cargo pants pocket, and they weigh under 200 grams — meaning you shouldn’t need to register them with aviation authorities since they’re under the typical 250-gram limit.

In exchange for that size bump, they now shoot 4K60 or 8K30 footage, respectively; have a wider field of view; last 4.5 minutes longer on a charge (16 minutes total); track you nearly twice as fast (26mph); can resist higher levels of wind (10.7 m/s); support microSD storage so you can finally hold more than 32GB of footage; and offer a two-axis gimbal for increased video stability, up from just one axis previously.

In addition to 8K30 footage, the Promax model can also shoot 4K at 120 frames per second for a slow motion effect, and 4K HDR footage in 10-bit HLG at up to 60fps. Both drones also shoot 24fps video across all resolutions if you’re looking for a more cinematic look. The original X1 only offered 30fps and 60fps.

While they still don’t have GPS, they do have a new visual positioning system that lets them fly over water, snow, and cliffs — the original would get confused and slowly land, which was bad!

Photo by Owen Grove / The Verge
The new drone, flanked by a set of new ND filters, batteries, and a multi-battery charger.

And, for those who actually want to frame shots or pilot a drone themselves, Zero Zero is introducing a multi-part modular controller system called the Beacon with its own built-in 1.78-inch OLED display.

Photo by Owen Grove / The Verge
The core of the Beacon system.

By itself, the $129 Beacon should hopefully already be a much more capable way of connecting to the X1 Pro or Promax than your phone. It offers one kilometer of video transmission range (which still pales in comparison to DJI’s up to 20km drones), acts as a tracker to help the drone follow you, and has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a microphone for recording audio and some voice commands.

Image: Zero Zero Robotics
The X1 Pro’s modular controller system.

But add one of Zero Zero’s little $69 modular joystick controllers, and now you can manually aim the drone one-handed and extend the Beacon’s battery life from an hour to an hour and a half. Add two joysticks, and you get a full gamepad-style drone controller, plus a shelf for your smartphone as an extra monitor underneath.

The company’s also devised a $169 “Power Case” that gives you 2.5 drone charges (40 minutes of flight time, it claims) just by sliding the folded drone in, and my colleague Owen Grove spotted a $69 set of ND filters during his hands-on, as well as a $79 charging hub for multiple batteries.

DJI has set the bar very high for prosumer drones like these, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Zero Zero hasn’t caught up in terms of image quality, reliable connectivity, or collision avoidance quite yet. (These drones now have a time-of-flight proximity sensor and / or a camera in the rear, but it only protects that side of the drone from crashes.) DJI’s $759 Mini 4 Pro has omnidirectional avoidance, nearly triple the battery life, and vastly longer range.

But HoverAir’s advantages are that its drones are cheaper, easier, more durable, and far faster to use, and those don’t seem to be changing today. Owen launched one from his hand with no instructions whatsoever, just by hitting two buttons. These new drones will retail for $499 and $699, respectively, with discounts for Indiegogo early adopters, while the original X1 appears to be sticking around for $350.

DJI seems nearly ready to announce its own budget easy-to-launch drone around the $350 mark, too: it’s called the DJI Neo.

Zero Zero says it should start shipping its new drones in October — and unlike most Indiegogo projects, this one will come with a guarantee. Zero Zero says it’s Indiegogo’s first partner for a new Shipping Guarantee program that guarantees you a full refund if the product doesn’t ship within the promised timeframe — because Indiegogo will withhold funds so it can process those refunds if they don’t ship.

“By providing a guarantee that backers will receive their products or their money back, we are enhancing the overall crowdfunding experience and encouraging more people to support innovative projects,” writes Indiegogo CEO Becky Center in Zero Zero’s press release.

Here’s Zero Zero’s spec comparison between the HoverAir X1, X1 Pro, and X1 Promax:

Read More 

Image: Apple

Though Ted Lasso’s season 3 finale felt like a solid place for the series to end, it might not be long before AFC Richmond’s back on our screens.
Deadline reports that Warner Bros. Television — which coproduces Ted Lasso with Universal Television for Apple — has tapped a number of the show’s core cast members to return for a not-yet-greenlit fourth season. Actors Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, and Jeremy Swift have all had their options picked up by the studio.
Cocreator Jason Sudeikis is said to be attached to the “revival” (which feels silly to say considering the season three finale only debuted last year). As Variety notes, it’s also not yet clear which actors (Waddingham, Goldstein, and Swift are all UK Equity members) with SAG-AFTRA contracts may return for the new season. Of course, nothing’s official until the studios all announce that production is up and running. But at this point, it seems very likely that there’s more Ted Lasso to come.

Image: Apple

Though Ted Lasso’s season 3 finale felt like a solid place for the series to end, it might not be long before AFC Richmond’s back on our screens.

Deadline reports that Warner Bros. Television — which coproduces Ted Lasso with Universal Television for Apple — has tapped a number of the show’s core cast members to return for a not-yet-greenlit fourth season. Actors Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, and Jeremy Swift have all had their options picked up by the studio.

Cocreator Jason Sudeikis is said to be attached to the “revival” (which feels silly to say considering the season three finale only debuted last year). As Variety notes, it’s also not yet clear which actors (Waddingham, Goldstein, and Swift are all UK Equity members) with SAG-AFTRA contracts may return for the new season. Of course, nothing’s official until the studios all announce that production is up and running. But at this point, it seems very likely that there’s more Ted Lasso to come.

Read More 

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Nintendo has added one final event to the summer game-a-palooza calendar with not one but two game showcases. Tomorrow at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET, Nintendo will host an indie world showcase, then a partner direct will immediately follow. Altogether, Nintendo says the two back-to-back events will be 40-minutes long.

Join us tomorrow, August 27 at 7am PT, for an #IndieWorld Showcase followed by a #NintendoDirect Partner Showcase! The livestream, featuring both presentations back-to-back, will be roughly 40 minutes in total.Watch here: https://t.co/SyxftK1vRR pic.twitter.com/tIs15ggQaM— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 26, 2024

Nintendo’s already had its big bang summer showcase this year. Back in June, Nintendo announced several new first party games. Among them was a new Mario & Luigi title, a new game in the Legend of Zelda series that actually stars Zelda, and the company finally announced Metroid Prime 4 would finally exit its development purgatory of nigh on 10 years sometime in 2025.
These two showcases will likely not have announcements as big as those in June but hey, Hollow Knight: Silksong by Team Cherry hasn’t been seen in years and it is technically an indie game so… y’know hope springs eternal.
Of note, the company has once again trotted out what’s become its catchphrase of late, warning viewers that, “there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during either of these presentations.” The new console is rumored for launch in Q1 2025, with promises it’ll be revealed before April 2025.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Nintendo has added one final event to the summer game-a-palooza calendar with not one but two game showcases. Tomorrow at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET, Nintendo will host an indie world showcase, then a partner direct will immediately follow. Altogether, Nintendo says the two back-to-back events will be 40-minutes long.

Nintendo’s already had its big bang summer showcase this year. Back in June, Nintendo announced several new first party games. Among them was a new Mario & Luigi title, a new game in the Legend of Zelda series that actually stars Zelda, and the company finally announced Metroid Prime 4 would finally exit its development purgatory of nigh on 10 years sometime in 2025.

These two showcases will likely not have announcements as big as those in June but hey, Hollow Knight: Silksong by Team Cherry hasn’t been seen in years and it is technically an indie game so… y’know hope springs eternal.

Of note, the company has once again trotted out what’s become its catchphrase of late, warning viewers that, “there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during either of these presentations.” The new console is rumored for launch in Q1 2025, with promises it’ll be revealed before April 2025.

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The Lenovo Legion Go from its most distinctive angle. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

It’s not clear if Lenovo’s Legion Go handheld gaming PC was a success after its initial rough start last fall and its middling experience by the time I reviewed it this spring — but Lenovo is pushing forward. Not only is it planning a successor, possibly a smaller seven-inch one, but it’s also just revealed an array of new accessories for the console.

Images: Lenovo
The Legion Go’s new dock, joystick caps, carry case, and “charging connector” gamepad wedge.

The Legion Go will get its own official $65 USB-C dock this August — and in October, a full year after launch, you’ll be able to buy a $50 wedge-shaped “Charging Connector” that lets you turn its two detachable controllers into a single gamepad, keep them charged with a 10.55 watt-hour internal battery, and plug in a single USB-C cable to charge them both at once.
In November, Lenovo will add a $10 set of swappable joystick tops and joystick caps for those controllers in an intriguing array of shapes, sizes, and colors, and in December, it’ll also add a $30 zippered carry case with a new zippered pocket for accessories and extra room to fit its power adapter inside.
A little context on all of these:

The Legion Go already came with a beefy zippered carry case, but it only fits the console; this one must be truly massive to house all that stuff.
With only a single (4K60) HDMI video output, the dock isn’t all that special — but many existing docks aren’t good fits for the beefy Legion Go, and this one does offer 100W USB-C PD input, an extra USB-C accessory port which isn’t all that common, plus two USB-A and gigabit ethernet.
The Legion Go came with pull-off detachable joystick tops from the get-go, and I’ve sometimes accidentally pulled one off when pulling it out of a bag; these could be good replacements for lost ones as well.
The charging connector wedge isn’t entirely a new idea: Nintendo offers one for the Switch (sans battery) and a few of OneXPlayer’s portable PCs have one that also gives them a wireless radio, as OneXPlayer’s detachable pads don’t have their own.

The Lenovo Legion Go from its most distinctive angle. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

It’s not clear if Lenovo’s Legion Go handheld gaming PC was a success after its initial rough start last fall and its middling experience by the time I reviewed it this spring — but Lenovo is pushing forward. Not only is it planning a successor, possibly a smaller seven-inch one, but it’s also just revealed an array of new accessories for the console.

Images: Lenovo
The Legion Go’s new dock, joystick caps, carry case, and “charging connector” gamepad wedge.

The Legion Go will get its own official $65 USB-C dock this August — and in October, a full year after launch, you’ll be able to buy a $50 wedge-shaped “Charging Connector” that lets you turn its two detachable controllers into a single gamepad, keep them charged with a 10.55 watt-hour internal battery, and plug in a single USB-C cable to charge them both at once.

In November, Lenovo will add a $10 set of swappable joystick tops and joystick caps for those controllers in an intriguing array of shapes, sizes, and colors, and in December, it’ll also add a $30 zippered carry case with a new zippered pocket for accessories and extra room to fit its power adapter inside.

A little context on all of these:

The Legion Go already came with a beefy zippered carry case, but it only fits the console; this one must be truly massive to house all that stuff.
With only a single (4K60) HDMI video output, the dock isn’t all that special — but many existing docks aren’t good fits for the beefy Legion Go, and this one does offer 100W USB-C PD input, an extra USB-C accessory port which isn’t all that common, plus two USB-A and gigabit ethernet.
The Legion Go came with pull-off detachable joystick tops from the get-go, and I’ve sometimes accidentally pulled one off when pulling it out of a bag; these could be good replacements for lost ones as well.
The charging connector wedge isn’t entirely a new idea: Nintendo offers one for the Switch (sans battery) and a few of OneXPlayer’s portable PCs have one that also gives them a wireless radio, as OneXPlayer’s detachable pads don’t have their own.

Read More 

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Uber is facing a fine of 290 million euros ($347 million USD) after improperly transferring driver data from the EU to the US in one of the largest penalties levied under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) since its inception.
The fine was imposed by the Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA), which accused Uber of failing to “properly safeguard” European drivers’ personal data while transferring it to the United States. Uber has since ceased the practice, DPA added.
“Uber did not meet the requirements of the GDPR to ensure the level of protection to the data with regard to transfers to the US,” the regulator said in a statement. “That is very serious.”
“That is very serious.”
The DPA started investigating the data transfer after 170 French Uber drivers complained to a human rights organization, which passed it along to the French DPA. Uber’s European headquarters is in the Netherlands, which allowed that country’s DPA to lead the investigation.
Uber was found to have retained “sensitive data” from drivers on US-based servers in violation of the GDPR. The data included account details and taxi licenses, as well as location data, photos, payment details, identity documents, and in some cases, even criminal and medical data of drivers, the DPA said. Uber moved the data without the use of transfer tools, without which the protection of the data was insufficient, the group added.
The General Data Protection Regulation is a rule passed by the European Union in 2016, setting new rules for how companies manage and share personal data. Since then, EU regulators have used the regulation to send a message to giant tech companies: data privacy is sacrosanct, and failure to abide by the rules will result in record-breaking fines.
The largest fine of $1.3 billion (€1.2 billion) was handed to Meta in 2023 for a similar violation. The Facebook parent company was accused of transferring data on EU citizens to the US without sufficient protections. Other companies facing large fines include TikTok, WhatsApp (which is owned by Meta), and Clearview AI.
A spokesperson for Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but in a statement to Reuters, the company said it planned to appeal the decision.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Uber is facing a fine of 290 million euros ($347 million USD) after improperly transferring driver data from the EU to the US in one of the largest penalties levied under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) since its inception.

The fine was imposed by the Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA), which accused Uber of failing to “properly safeguard” European drivers’ personal data while transferring it to the United States. Uber has since ceased the practice, DPA added.

“Uber did not meet the requirements of the GDPR to ensure the level of protection to the data with regard to transfers to the US,” the regulator said in a statement. “That is very serious.”

The DPA started investigating the data transfer after 170 French Uber drivers complained to a human rights organization, which passed it along to the French DPA. Uber’s European headquarters is in the Netherlands, which allowed that country’s DPA to lead the investigation.

Uber was found to have retained “sensitive data” from drivers on US-based servers in violation of the GDPR. The data included account details and taxi licenses, as well as location data, photos, payment details, identity documents, and in some cases, even criminal and medical data of drivers, the DPA said. Uber moved the data without the use of transfer tools, without which the protection of the data was insufficient, the group added.

The General Data Protection Regulation is a rule passed by the European Union in 2016, setting new rules for how companies manage and share personal data. Since then, EU regulators have used the regulation to send a message to giant tech companies: data privacy is sacrosanct, and failure to abide by the rules will result in record-breaking fines.

The largest fine of $1.3 billion (€1.2 billion) was handed to Meta in 2023 for a similar violation. The Facebook parent company was accused of transferring data on EU citizens to the US without sufficient protections. Other companies facing large fines include TikTok, WhatsApp (which is owned by Meta), and Clearview AI.

A spokesperson for Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but in a statement to Reuters, the company said it planned to appeal the decision.

Read More 

Dexcom first announced the Stelo earlier this year at CES 2024.

The Dexcom Stelo aims to help people with Type 2 diabetes access CGMs more affordably. As a wearables reviewer, every morning I roll over, pull out my phone, and check my sleep stats. But that’s changed in the last 14 days. Instead, I’ve been checking my glucose levels. That’s because on the underside of my left arm is a Dexcom Stelo continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Some days, I’m relieved by what I see. Other days, I wonder if I should call my doctor.
The Stelo is unique in that it’s one of three FDA-cleared over-the-counter CGMs. (The other two are from Abbott.) Typically, CGMs have been used by Type 1 diabetics — those who produce little to no insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar — to monitor their condition. The Stelo, however, is aimed at Type 2 diabetics, specifically those who don’t rely on insulin. Unlike Type 1, Type 2 diabetes develops over time as the body becomes more insulin resistant. While some Type 2 diabetics rely on insulin, the vast majority manage their blood sugar with lifestyle changes and oral medication.
The pitch of OTC CGMs like Stelo is they could theoretically help people with Type 2 get to manageable levels where they don’t have to take medication. For prediabetics, it could even help them reverse their condition. In these use cases, a CGM could be a nifty tool for learning how certain foods or exercise impact glucose levels.

The Stelo will cost $89 monthly if you subscribe, or $99 for a 30-day supply.

The catch is CGMs generally aren’t covered by health insurance if you don’t take insulin, making them too expensive for the average person. When I met with Dexcom in January, its COO Jake Leach emphasized that Stelo would be more accessible. And it is, though some folks will still find it pricy. With Stelo, you have two options. You can pay $99 for a single pack of two sensors (30 day supply). Or, you could pay a monthly $89 subscription and have two sensors delivered every month. The devices are also HSA and FSA eligible.

Stelo works similarly to Nutrisense, a CGM-based platform I tested last year for non-diabetics looking to optimize their metabolic health. There’s an app that guides you though inserting the CGM. (It’s easy and surprisingly painless.) Depending on whether you identify as a Type 2 diabetic, someone with prediabetes, or a non-diabetic, you’ll be given a recommended target glucose range. After a roughly 30 minute calibration period, you can view your real-time glucose levels in the app. Stelo also integrates with iOS and Android’s health APIs, so you can sync your exercise and sleep data. You can also manually log your meals. If your glucose spikes, you’ll get an alert sent to your phone.

Application is easy, and despite the big ole needle, it’s painless.

Overall, I found Stelo easy to use. The data is kept relatively streamlined, without much visual clutter. However, it does require a degree of vigilance. I’ve had a handful of glucose spikes in the past two weeks, but the alerts don’t come through on my phone until 20-60 minutes later. (You can watch spikes happen closer to real-time, however, if you continually monitor the app. It’s just not always practical.)
That’s not necessarily egregious, as this isn’t designed for Type 1 diabetics, but it’s not great. I also wished it was easier to log my meals. These days I’ve been tracking my macros in another app, so it would’ve been nice to just import that information into the Stelo app. Instead, I had to cross reference and manually log everything twice.
But what would’ve been most helpful is extra insight into interpreting my glucose data. (Quick note: I’ve been testing a pre-release version of the app so not everything was as it’ll be in the final product.) There’s no way to view your daily historical data long-term. If I want to show my doctor a pattern of how my glucose spikes after certain exercises, I have to take a screenshot that day. I’m also not sure whether my numbers are good. While I managed to spend about 95 percent of the time in my recommended range, my average glucose level is higher than what it was while testing Nutrisense last year. I’ve also been mildly concerned at how many glucose spikes I’ve had that don’t have an obvious explanation like high-intensity exercise or a carb-heavy meal.

I appreciate how streamlined the data presentation is, but I wished there was a bit more context.

I’ve since scheduled a doctor’s appointment to get my blood sugar tested. It’s personal for me. My dad had Type 2 diabetes and I have polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal condition that can increase insulin resistance. Ostensibly, this is the Stelo working as it should. I, a person with a higher risk of developing diabetes, saw a concerning trend in my data and now I’m proactively going to consult with a medical professional about it.
I have my quibbles with the Stelo app, but it’s still very early days and this is an emerging category. Speed bumps are to be expected. I plan to test the Stelo further, and I’m curious to see how my conversation with my doctor will go. Even so, from my time thus far, I can see how using Stelo, in concert with a doctor, could be helpful for people with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes. What’s less clear is how the rest of the market will glom onto more widely accessible CGMs. Occasionally, I see wellness influencers peddling CGM use for weight loss and to “fix” metabolic health. Several startups exist based around that premise, even though we have yet to prove whether this is a worthy use for CGMs. We’ll have to see where this goes, but at the very least, I appreciate that Dexcom has kept its focus on the people who could most benefit from this tech — and at a more accessible price.

Dexcom first announced the Stelo earlier this year at CES 2024.

The Dexcom Stelo aims to help people with Type 2 diabetes access CGMs more affordably.

As a wearables reviewer, every morning I roll over, pull out my phone, and check my sleep stats. But that’s changed in the last 14 days. Instead, I’ve been checking my glucose levels. That’s because on the underside of my left arm is a Dexcom Stelo continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Some days, I’m relieved by what I see. Other days, I wonder if I should call my doctor.

The Stelo is unique in that it’s one of three FDA-cleared over-the-counter CGMs. (The other two are from Abbott.) Typically, CGMs have been used by Type 1 diabetics — those who produce little to no insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar — to monitor their condition. The Stelo, however, is aimed at Type 2 diabetics, specifically those who don’t rely on insulin. Unlike Type 1, Type 2 diabetes develops over time as the body becomes more insulin resistant. While some Type 2 diabetics rely on insulin, the vast majority manage their blood sugar with lifestyle changes and oral medication.

The pitch of OTC CGMs like Stelo is they could theoretically help people with Type 2 get to manageable levels where they don’t have to take medication. For prediabetics, it could even help them reverse their condition. In these use cases, a CGM could be a nifty tool for learning how certain foods or exercise impact glucose levels.

The Stelo will cost $89 monthly if you subscribe, or $99 for a 30-day supply.

The catch is CGMs generally aren’t covered by health insurance if you don’t take insulin, making them too expensive for the average person. When I met with Dexcom in January, its COO Jake Leach emphasized that Stelo would be more accessible. And it is, though some folks will still find it pricy. With Stelo, you have two options. You can pay $99 for a single pack of two sensors (30 day supply). Or, you could pay a monthly $89 subscription and have two sensors delivered every month. The devices are also HSA and FSA eligible.

Stelo works similarly to Nutrisense, a CGM-based platform I tested last year for non-diabetics looking to optimize their metabolic health. There’s an app that guides you though inserting the CGM. (It’s easy and surprisingly painless.) Depending on whether you identify as a Type 2 diabetic, someone with prediabetes, or a non-diabetic, you’ll be given a recommended target glucose range. After a roughly 30 minute calibration period, you can view your real-time glucose levels in the app. Stelo also integrates with iOS and Android’s health APIs, so you can sync your exercise and sleep data. You can also manually log your meals. If your glucose spikes, you’ll get an alert sent to your phone.

Application is easy, and despite the big ole needle, it’s painless.

Overall, I found Stelo easy to use. The data is kept relatively streamlined, without much visual clutter. However, it does require a degree of vigilance. I’ve had a handful of glucose spikes in the past two weeks, but the alerts don’t come through on my phone until 20-60 minutes later. (You can watch spikes happen closer to real-time, however, if you continually monitor the app. It’s just not always practical.)

That’s not necessarily egregious, as this isn’t designed for Type 1 diabetics, but it’s not great. I also wished it was easier to log my meals. These days I’ve been tracking my macros in another app, so it would’ve been nice to just import that information into the Stelo app. Instead, I had to cross reference and manually log everything twice.

But what would’ve been most helpful is extra insight into interpreting my glucose data. (Quick note: I’ve been testing a pre-release version of the app so not everything was as it’ll be in the final product.) There’s no way to view your daily historical data long-term. If I want to show my doctor a pattern of how my glucose spikes after certain exercises, I have to take a screenshot that day. I’m also not sure whether my numbers are good. While I managed to spend about 95 percent of the time in my recommended range, my average glucose level is higher than what it was while testing Nutrisense last year. I’ve also been mildly concerned at how many glucose spikes I’ve had that don’t have an obvious explanation like high-intensity exercise or a carb-heavy meal.

I appreciate how streamlined the data presentation is, but I wished there was a bit more context.

I’ve since scheduled a doctor’s appointment to get my blood sugar tested. It’s personal for me. My dad had Type 2 diabetes and I have polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal condition that can increase insulin resistance. Ostensibly, this is the Stelo working as it should. I, a person with a higher risk of developing diabetes, saw a concerning trend in my data and now I’m proactively going to consult with a medical professional about it.

I have my quibbles with the Stelo app, but it’s still very early days and this is an emerging category. Speed bumps are to be expected. I plan to test the Stelo further, and I’m curious to see how my conversation with my doctor will go. Even so, from my time thus far, I can see how using Stelo, in concert with a doctor, could be helpful for people with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes. What’s less clear is how the rest of the market will glom onto more widely accessible CGMs. Occasionally, I see wellness influencers peddling CGM use for weight loss and to “fix” metabolic health. Several startups exist based around that premise, even though we have yet to prove whether this is a worthy use for CGMs. We’ll have to see where this goes, but at the very least, I appreciate that Dexcom has kept its focus on the people who could most benefit from this tech — and at a more accessible price.

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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov. | Getty Images

Telegram says its CEO and founder Pavel Durov has “nothing to hide” after he was arrested by French authorities outside of Paris.
“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,” the company says in an unnamed statement posted to its official channel in the Telegram app on Sunday. French officials have confirmed to multiple outlets that Durov was arrested as part of a police investigation into criminal activity taking place on the social network.
While not encrypted by default, Telegram’s largely hands-off approach to moderation means that the app is seen by many as a private, censorship-free alternative to other social networks. “Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information,” reads the company’s statement. “We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation.”
Telegram has also been a critical source of information for the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, the latter of which appears to be quite interested in what happens to Durov. The Russian Embassy in Paris says that the French government has so far not granted it access to Durov, who was born in Russia and holds citizenship in both France and the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is headquartered.
In a rare interview with Tucker Carlson in April, Durov said Telegram’s goal is to be a “neutral” platform and resist requests from governments to moderate. He said he mostly avoids traveling to “big, geopolitical” countries where there’s “too much attention” on the company. “I travel to places where I have confidence that those places are consistent with what we do and our values.”

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov. | Getty Images

Telegram says its CEO and founder Pavel Durov has “nothing to hide” after he was arrested by French authorities outside of Paris.

“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,” the company says in an unnamed statement posted to its official channel in the Telegram app on Sunday. French officials have confirmed to multiple outlets that Durov was arrested as part of a police investigation into criminal activity taking place on the social network.

While not encrypted by default, Telegram’s largely hands-off approach to moderation means that the app is seen by many as a private, censorship-free alternative to other social networks. “Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information,” reads the company’s statement. “We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation.”

Telegram has also been a critical source of information for the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, the latter of which appears to be quite interested in what happens to Durov. The Russian Embassy in Paris says that the French government has so far not granted it access to Durov, who was born in Russia and holds citizenship in both France and the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is headquartered.

In a rare interview with Tucker Carlson in April, Durov said Telegram’s goal is to be a “neutral” platform and resist requests from governments to moderate. He said he mostly avoids traveling to “big, geopolitical” countries where there’s “too much attention” on the company. “I travel to places where I have confidence that those places are consistent with what we do and our values.”

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Formula 1 racer Lando Norris in Bahrain in 2022. | Photo: Hasan Bratic / Picture Alliance via Getty Images

Formula 1 broadcast footage from the Dutch Grand Prix qualifiers at Circuit Zandvoort this weekend that was captured by a gyro camera system mounted above the helmet of the weekend’s race winner, Lando Norris.
The camera, which F1 has been testing since 2022, was conceived with an eye particularly toward accentuating exaggerated angles of banked turns at Zandvoort, but despite using it there last year, F1 wasn’t able to broadcast it, according to AutoSport.

Watch Lando Norris soar through the sand dunes (via gyro cam) as he secured pole position at Zandvoort #F1 #DutchGP @pirellisport pic.twitter.com/aa5ZPD13U6— Formula 1 (@F1) August 24, 2024

Many F1 fans on social media praised the broadcasts from Norris’ car, saying things like that it helped “really see the banking,” or that it should be on all of the cars. Others thought it ruined the perception of speed or worried that it could contribute to motion sickness.

This camera angle on Hamiltons car is wicked. It’s almost a steady cam that follows what the curvature of the track is actually like, this is exactly how this track would flow with the camber. It’s incredible #JapaneseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/2jPNwhosgB— Tim Hauraney (@timhauraney) September 22, 2023

Dino Leone, Formula 1’s head of onboard camera operations, explained in a recent video that the camera allows for on-the-fly adjustments to increase or decrease the gyroscopic effect. Formula 1 used the camera in some 2023 races, such as in Brazil and Japan, and plans to use it more often this year.

Formula 1 racer Lando Norris in Bahrain in 2022. | Photo: Hasan Bratic / Picture Alliance via Getty Images

Formula 1 broadcast footage from the Dutch Grand Prix qualifiers at Circuit Zandvoort this weekend that was captured by a gyro camera system mounted above the helmet of the weekend’s race winner, Lando Norris.

The camera, which F1 has been testing since 2022, was conceived with an eye particularly toward accentuating exaggerated angles of banked turns at Zandvoort, but despite using it there last year, F1 wasn’t able to broadcast it, according to AutoSport.

Many F1 fans on social media praised the broadcasts from Norris’ car, saying things like that it helped “really see the banking,” or that it should be on all of the cars. Others thought it ruined the perception of speed or worried that it could contribute to motion sickness.

Dino Leone, Formula 1’s head of onboard camera operations, explained in a recent video that the camera allows for on-the-fly adjustments to increase or decrease the gyroscopic effect. Formula 1 used the camera in some 2023 races, such as in Brazil and Japan, and plans to use it more often this year.

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Photo: Drew Angerer / Getty Images

Former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli must turn over his copies of The Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin album to comply with a preliminary injunction issued by federal Judge Pamela Chen in an ongoing lawsuit, ArtNet reported on Friday.
PleasrDAO, NFT collective and current owner of Shaolin claims in its lawsuit that he “improperly retained copies of data and files” from the album and plans to release them. Among other complaints, the group alleges that this violated a court order to forfeit it to the US government.
Here are the hearing’s minutes, as published on sites like CourtListener:
… the Court issued a preliminary injunction as to Defendant Shkreli: (1) enjoining him from possessing, using, disseminating, or selling any interests in the Album, including its data and files, or in any way causing further damage to Plaintiff respecting the Album through this conduct; (2) ordering him to provide an inventory and accounting of the copies of the Album that he has retained and the individuals to whom he has distributed the data and files, and any attendant revenue; and (3) ordering him to turn over to his counsel all recordings of the Album’s contents that Defendant possesses or controls. Written order to follow. In addition, the following deadlines were set: (1) by August 30, 2024, Defendant to file (A) affidavit from Defendant, under penalty of perjury, attesting that he has turned over all of his copies, in any form, of the Album or its contents to defense counsel, and no longer possesses any copies, in any form, of the Album or its contents, and (B) letter confirming that defense counsel has possession of said copies and contents; and (2) by September 30, 2024, Defendant to file an accounting, in the form of an affidavit by him, under penalty of perjury, identifying (A) all known copies, in any form, of the Album or its contents, (B) whether those copies were distributed, and if so, when, to whom, and how, and (C) the amounts, source, date, and nature of any proceeds, revenues, profits, or other financial benefits made by Defendant from his distribution or playing of the Album or its contents.
Judge Chen previously issued a restraining order against Shkreli in June, requiring him to stop distributing the album and to appear in court later to explain why he shouldn’t be forced to give up all of his copies.

Photo: Drew Angerer / Getty Images

Former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli must turn over his copies of The Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin album to comply with a preliminary injunction issued by federal Judge Pamela Chen in an ongoing lawsuit, ArtNet reported on Friday.

PleasrDAO, NFT collective and current owner of Shaolin claims in its lawsuit that he “improperly retained copies of data and files” from the album and plans to release them. Among other complaints, the group alleges that this violated a court order to forfeit it to the US government.

Here are the hearing’s minutes, as published on sites like CourtListener:

… the Court issued a preliminary injunction as to Defendant Shkreli: (1) enjoining him from possessing, using, disseminating, or selling any interests in the Album, including its data and files, or in any way causing further damage to Plaintiff respecting the Album through this conduct; (2) ordering him to provide an inventory and accounting of the copies of the Album that he has retained and the individuals to whom he has distributed the data and files, and any attendant revenue; and (3) ordering him to turn over to his counsel all recordings of the Album’s contents that Defendant possesses or controls. Written order to follow. In addition, the following deadlines were set: (1) by August 30, 2024, Defendant to file (A) affidavit from Defendant, under penalty of perjury, attesting that he has turned over all of his copies, in any form, of the Album or its contents to defense counsel, and no longer possesses any copies, in any form, of the Album or its contents, and (B) letter confirming that defense counsel has possession of said copies and contents; and (2) by September 30, 2024, Defendant to file an accounting, in the form of an affidavit by him, under penalty of perjury, identifying (A) all known copies, in any form, of the Album or its contents, (B) whether those copies were distributed, and if so, when, to whom, and how, and (C) the amounts, source, date, and nature of any proceeds, revenues, profits, or other financial benefits made by Defendant from his distribution or playing of the Album or its contents.

Judge Chen previously issued a restraining order against Shkreli in June, requiring him to stop distributing the album and to appear in court later to explain why he shouldn’t be forced to give up all of his copies.

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Adam Driver in Megalopolis. | Screenshot: YouTube

So, all those faked review quotes from the Megalopolis trailer that got pulled last week were apparently AI, after all. Not only that, but the person who was in charge of the materials for the trailer, Eddie Egan, has been removed from the movie’s marketing team.
That’s all according to Deadline, which reported on Friday that the AI-ness of it all was confirmed in an investigation after the fact. Neither Egan nor Megalopolis studio Lionsgate meant to fake the quotes, which had purported to be critical notes from contemporaneous reviews of Megalopolis director Francis Ford Coppola’s past films.
According to some of the trailer’s quotes, critics had called The Godfather a “sloppy, self-indulgent movie,” while Apocalypse Now was “an epic piece of trash.” But as Vulture noted when it first reported on the quotes’ spuriousness, the actual reviews the quotes were attributed to not only didn’t say those things, but often were actually written in praise of the movies.

It’s easy to see how this could have happened. AI’s casual, confident delivery of falsehoods is well documented at this point; even the companies that make AI products end up with factual errors in their own presentations.
That reality not being well-understood has led to people like former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s own attorney submitting court documents that referenced multiple non-existent court cases. Lawyers for a Columbian airline fell into the same trap, and Fugees rapper Pras Michél lost a federal conspiracy case when his lawyer submitted an AI-generated closing argument.

Adam Driver in Megalopolis. | Screenshot: YouTube

So, all those faked review quotes from the Megalopolis trailer that got pulled last week were apparently AI, after all. Not only that, but the person who was in charge of the materials for the trailer, Eddie Egan, has been removed from the movie’s marketing team.

That’s all according to Deadline, which reported on Friday that the AI-ness of it all was confirmed in an investigation after the fact. Neither Egan nor Megalopolis studio Lionsgate meant to fake the quotes, which had purported to be critical notes from contemporaneous reviews of Megalopolis director Francis Ford Coppola’s past films.

According to some of the trailer’s quotes, critics had called The Godfather a “sloppy, self-indulgent movie,” while Apocalypse Now was “an epic piece of trash.” But as Vulture noted when it first reported on the quotes’ spuriousness, the actual reviews the quotes were attributed to not only didn’t say those things, but often were actually written in praise of the movies.

It’s easy to see how this could have happened. AI’s casual, confident delivery of falsehoods is well documented at this point; even the companies that make AI products end up with factual errors in their own presentations.

That reality not being well-understood has led to people like former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s own attorney submitting court documents that referenced multiple non-existent court cases. Lawyers for a Columbian airline fell into the same trap, and Fugees rapper Pras Michél lost a federal conspiracy case when his lawyer submitted an AI-generated closing argument.

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