Go Here to Read this Fast! NYT Mini Crossword today: puzzle answers for Thursday, December 5
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NYT Mini Crossword today: puzzle answers for Thursday, December 5
Go Here to Read this Fast! NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Thursday, December 5
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NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Thursday, December 5
Go Here to Read this Fast! NYT Connections: hints and answers for Thursday, December 5
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NYT Connections: hints and answers for Thursday, December 5
Go Here to Read this Fast! Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for December 5
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Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for December 5
Telegram is taking a significant step to reduce child sexual abuse material (CSAM), partnering with the International Watch Foundation (IWF) four months after the former’s founder and CEO Pavel Durov was arrested. The French authorities issued 12 charges against Durov in August, including complicity in “distributing, offering or making available pornographic images of minors, in an organized group” and “possessing pornographic images of minors.”
The UK-based IWF works with social media platforms, tech companies, governments and more to prevent the spread of CSAM. Telegram’s membership to the IWF grants it access to the organization’s tools that block links to CSAM content and “non-photographic depictions,” including AI-created images. It also provides Telegram with hashes of known CSAM content and any harmful content the organization detects. The IWF reports having found thousands of confirmed instances of CSAM on Telegram since 2022.
Telegram has previously refused to join any programs that could help limit CSAM. In a release, Telegram’s Head of Press and Media Relations Remi Vaughn claimed the platform “removes hundreds of thousands of child abuse materials each month” through reports and moderation through AI, hash-matching and more. Though Vaughn conceded IWF’s support will strengthen the company’s ability to delete CSAM before it reaches anyone.
Telegram has taken other steps since Durov’s arrest, announcing in September that it would hand over IP addresses and phone numbers in legal requests — something it fought in the past. Durov must remain in France for the foreseeable future.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/telegram-finally-takes-action-to-remove-csam-from-its-platform-134514444.html?src=rss
Go Here to Read this Fast! Telegram finally takes action to remove CSAM from its platform
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Telegram finally takes action to remove CSAM from its platform
Its universally derided AI pin was a flop, so Humane now pivoting to software. The company just released a video showing how its CosmOS software could work in other devices like a car, TV and smart speaker as “an AI operating system built for a universe of connected devices.” The only problem is that the software was a big part of what made the AI pin bad, and much of what Humane shows are “simulated experiences” for “illustrative purposes” rather than the AI in actual use.
The video starts out with a person talking to CosmOS in a car (with the brand blurred out), asking for takeout restaurant suggestions and when guests are coming over, and commanding it to turn up the thermostat. Once at home, the user asks an unknown smart speaker (again, blurred out) for a recipe and a soccer player’s scoring stats from their smart TV. “I didn’t have to specify the player,” the person states. “CosmOS is just using the context of what’s on the screen to answer.”
Then, this AI-empowered individual notes that he has CosmOS on his phone, and asks it to read an email and tell him if he needs to follow up with anything. After some to-and-fro, the AI finds space on the user’s calendar and schedules an appointment with an RSVP.
Humane notes that CosmOS is device and LLM agnostic, so it can work on cars, mobile devices, PCs, wearables and more. “And as we get closer to releasing our SDK to the public, developers and enterprise will easily be able to add and integrate their agents data and services to CosmOS, leveraging the powerful ecosystem to provide even more utility to all types of devices and platforms,” according to the voiceover.
If Humane is selling its OS as an AI option for third -party devices, it has some stiff competition. As Cherlynn Low noted in our Engadget review, its AI pin wasn’t much better than a Google search for information and was slower. Though it did have some useful features like context for follow-up questions, that’s the least of things for any AI assistant in 2024. With all that, it seems that any company building the devices it shows (cars, TVs, phones, etc.) are more likely to consider OpenAI, Gemini, or other far more credible players for an AI assistant.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/humane-cosmos-kinda-turns-everything-into-a-pin-133018127.html?src=rss
Go Here to Read this Fast! Humane CosmOS kinda turns everything into a Pin
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Humane CosmOS kinda turns everything into a Pin
After nearly a decade, Master & Dynamic has updated a classic. The company’s new ME05 wired earphones take the familiar formula from the original, like an elegant brass design with audiophile sound. But the new model is more compatible with today’s (headphone-jack-less) mobile devices with a bundled USB-C adapter (with DAC). Fortunately, the 2024 model costs the same $199 as its now-discontinued 2015 predecessor.
The updated ME05 has the same solid brass design and in-line volume remote as the old version. But Master & Dynamic says the new model has an “updated dynamic sound,” thanks to “acoustic refinements.” Some of that comes from a switch from 8mm titanium drivers in the 2015 original to high-excursion 8mm bio-cellulose in the 2024 model.
Maybe the most notable change in this generation is the inclusion of a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter with a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) for listening on modern mobile devices. The bundled DAC supports up to 32-bit / 384kHz resolution, which — unless you have Daredevil-esque super-hearing — should be way beyond what your ears can perceive.
The new ME05 comes with two sizes of foam ear tips and five sizes of silicone ones. Master & Dynamic says the tips provide an “impeccable fit and seal for a wide range of ear shapes.”
Another welcome update for our modern technology is an improved microphone setup. The company also promises clear calls, even in windy environments.
The 2024 Master & Dynamic ME05 is available to order today in a gold and black version from the company website. Two more colors (gunmetal / black and palladium / black) are up for pre-order today, too. The wired earphones cost the same $199 / €219 / £169 as their 2015 namesake.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/master–dynamic-updates-its-decade-old-me05-earphones-for-the-modern-world-130040878.html?src=rss
Uber is rebranding its local delivery service, formerly Uber Connect, in time for the holidays. Launched in 2020, it now has a name that better clarifies its purpose: Uber Courier.
The service launched with support for sending and receiving items to and from local addresses. Since then, it’s expanded to include pickups of pre-purchased items from local stores. So, if traffic is a nightmare, you’re on a tight schedule and you can spare an extra expense, tap the Courier button in the Uber app and have an Uber delivery person head to, for example, the Best Buy pickup counter to grab something you ordered online and bring it to you (or take it to someone else).
Uber Courier can also pick up and deliver your packages to the post office. That may be worth the cost to avoid the existential dread of standing in a long line of impatient people under fluorescent lighting, waiting for burned-out and underpaid government employees to weigh your package and ring you up.
Those traveling with little ones have more options for Uber rides this holiday season. The rideshare company is expanding its Uber Car Seat service, which already covered New York City, Los Angeles and Orlando. Starting today, you can also use it in Washington, DC, Atlanta, Miami and San Francisco. When you reserve an Uber Car Seat in advance, your driver will come equipped with a Nuna Rava convertible car seat for your baby or toddler.
Uber is running a promotion for Uber Car Seat until January 2. The code FESTIVESEAT10 lets you save “up to $20” on two Car Seat rides.
The company is also rolling out services that dive into the deep end of holiday traditions. These include the delivery of Christmas trees or Hanukkah bushes, on-demand carolers equipped with booze and… Macaulay Culkin (naturally).
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-rebrands-its-courier-service-and-expands-on-demand-car-seats-to-four-more-cities-130040912.html?src=rss
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Uber rebrands its courier service and expands on-demand car seats to four more cities
A $16 deck of cards based on the Balatro design is up for pre-order on Fangamer, and it’s expected to ship in March. The mockups show subtly pixelated cards that mimic the art style of the game. They have a red design on the rear — the red deck is the default set in the game.
But what of the jokers, the cards that make Balatro a lot more than a poker spin-off? You only get four: Joker, Juggler, Blueprint and Gros Michel. One of those is the popular banana card, at least. It’s a little frustrating they’re not available to buy now. For other people, I mean, for the holiday. Yes. For me? No.
— Mat Smith
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Picking the right white elephant gift means toeing a fine line: The goal isn’t simply to buy something terrible and make someone take it home. Rather, it should be just useful or amusing enough that it won’t immediately get tossed into the trash. And yes, there’s some Secret Santa gold in this list.
Max is testing streamable channels in the US, with a selection of 24/7 feeds of HBO programming, including HBO and HBO 2 simulcasts. Other channels will showcase prestige drama, comedy and classic shows. Rival streamers have their own linear channels, including Disney+, Paramount+ and Peacock. And if you didn’t think that was dragging us back to the cable era, bundles are back. One gets you Max, Disney+ and Hulu for $30 per month, while Comcast offers a package of Netflix, Peacock and Apple TV+ for $15 per month.
The beleaguered fitness company’s new strength-training app is called Peloton Strength+. The iOS-only app will give current and future Peloton subscribers access to audio-guided gym-based strength workouts. It includes a tool for generating new workouts based on how much time you have, your experience level or available equipment. There will also be instructional how-to videos and “in-ear coaching” to keep you on track while you’re working out. Peloton Strength+ will be available for a limited time at $1 per month for the first six months. After that, a Strength+ subscription will cost $9.99 per month. Peloton All Access, Guide and App+ subscribers will get it bundled into their existing service.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-you-can-buy-a-deck-of-balatro-cards-121523094.html?src=rss
Go Here to Read this Fast! The Morning After: You can buy a deck of Balatro cards
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The Morning After: You can buy a deck of Balatro cards
They (regulators) said it couldn’t be done (originally) but Three is finally approved for a merger. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has given the go ahead for a merger between Three and Vodafone, first proposed by the companies in June 2023. The decision follows an independent inquiry group’s investigation into the move’s impact.
CMA is allowing the deal to proceed as long as “both companies sign binding commitments to invest billions to roll out a combined 5G network across the UK,” a release states. “The network commitment would be supported by shorter term customer protections which would require the merged company to cap certain mobile tariffs and offer preset contractual terms to mobile virtual network operators, for a period of three years.” CMA and UK communication services regulator Ofcom will both oversee these commitments and the merged company must produce an annual implementation report.
Chair of the independent inquiry group, Stuart McIntosh, explained, “We believe the merger is likely to boost competition in the UK mobile sector and should be allowed to proceed — but only if Vodafone and Three agree to implement our proposed measures.”
Three tried to merge with O2 in 2015, but the European Commission (yes, this was pre-Brexit) blocked it a year later. Then European Commissioner for competition Margrethe Vestager, stated that the concessions Three offered wouldn’t offset the deal’s potential to limit competition and bring higher prices. CMA concurred but, in 2021, allowed O2 to merge with Virgin Media, determining that it would not have a “substantial” impact on competition due to the nature of their combined offerings.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/three-and-vodafone-will-merge-in-the-uk-120007936.html?src=rss
Go Here to Read this Fast! Three and Vodafone will merge in the UK
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Three and Vodafone will merge in the UK