Category: Technology

2027 Audi RS5 first drive: Big thrills with a big battery

There's more waffling going on about the future of electric vehicles in America right now than you might expect at a Belgian breakfast buffet. Some brands like Hyundai are staying committed, some brands like Honda are dialing back, and everyone else is simply doing their damndest to provide as many propulsion options as possibleCount Audi in that last category. On the EV side, it recently launched the new Q6 E-Tron and refreshed the ballistic E-Tron GT. On the internal combustion side, it has a new A6, and there's a full-size, three-row SUV coming in the form of the Q9. The company'…

GE made a smaller version of its nugget ice maker that needs less counter space

GE is showing off prototypes of its new compact nugget ice maker at the KBIS trade show. | Image: GE GE has announced two new versions of its popular Opal nugget ice machines with smaller footprints that take up less counter space, and more affordable price tags. Like GE’s larger and pricier Opal 2.0 Ultra, the two new machines make nugget ice – frequently also referred to as chewable ice, or pellet ice – by freezing layers of ice flakes producing nuggets that are easier to chew with more surface area to cool drinks faster.Previously only available in restaurants, GE launched its first Opal…

Mastodon is testing easier ways to get you started in the fediverse

New users on the decentralized social network Mastodon could soon have an easier time getting started. Mastodon is running “onboarding experiments” to test ways to improve the new user experience, starting with default server recommendations. Now when new users join Mastodon from the mobile app, they may see a button to “join” a recommended server rather than the default “join mastodon.social” button that’s currently displayed. Unlike most other social platforms, Mastodon has hundreds of independent servers users can join, catering to different communities and niches. The addition of default…

Xenoblade Chronicles X is $20 off in time for its Switch 2 upgrade

Nintendo just released a Switch 2 upgrade for Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. The upgrade is $4.99 for owners of the Switch game, or $64.99 if you buy the Switch 2 version. Don’t buy the Switch 2 version! Instead, score a deal on the digital Switch version that’s $39.99 (originally $59.99) at GameStop and Amazon. Then, make the upgrade for another $5. The physical version is discounted, too, but buying digitally is the fastest way to jump in.Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive EditionWhere to Buy: $59.99 $39.99 at Amazon (digital) $59.99 $39.99 at GameStop (digital)Xenoblade…

Jikipedia turns Epstein’s emails into an encyclopedia of the his powerful friends

Lesley Groff, Epstein’s executive assistant. | Image: Jmail The folks behind Jmail are at it again with a clone of Wikipedia that turns the treasure trove of data in Epstein’s emails into detailed dossiers on his associates. Entries include known visits to Epstein’s properties, possible knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, and laws that they might have broken. The reports are dense, listing how many emails they exchanged with Epstein, basic biographical information, and details about how they’re connected. Beyond that, there are entries for the properties Epstein owns, detailing how they were…

Disney accuses ByteDance of ‘virtual smash-and-grab’ when using copyrighted works to train its AI

Disney is going after another generative AI tool, accusing ByteDance and its recently released Seedance 2.0 of using its copyrighted material without permission. As first reported on by Axios, the Walt Disney Company sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, claiming the Chinese company developed its Seedance tool “with a pirated library of Disney's copyrighted characters from Star Wars, Marvel, and other Disney franchises, as if Disney's coveted intellectual property were free public domain clip art.”The letter, which was obtained by Axios, included examples of Seedance videos…