On Tuesday, the Senate passed a massive foreign aid package that included an ultimatum for TikTok: Divest or be banned from operating within the US. The package was approved by the House of Representatives on Saturday, and President Joe Biden said that he intends to sign the bill on Wednesday. “Even as our social media… Continue reading This Is the Beginning of the End of TikTok
Author: Wired Magazine
Noncompetes Are Dead—and Tech Workers Are Free to Roam
More US workers will soon be free to leave their employers to work for rivals, thanks to a new federal rule that will block the long-standing practice of locking in workers with noncompete agreements. The US Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday issued a final rule that bans most noncompetes nationwide. The agency estimated that by… Continue reading Noncompetes Are Dead—and Tech Workers Are Free to Roam
Tesla Promises ‘More Affordable Models’ and a ‘Cybercab’
Tesla is accelerating plans for a lineup of new electric vehicles, including “more affordable models,” the automaker said in a memo to investors Tuesday. New models previously slated to start production in the second half of 2025 will now launch before then, the company said, implying production will start much earlier. It’s unclear whether the… Continue reading Tesla Promises ‘More Affordable Models’ and a ‘Cybercab’
Plant-Based Meat Boomed. Here Comes the Bust
Over the past three years, the plant-based meat industry has experienced a major reversal in vibes. Sales boomed in the early months of the pandemic, as slaughterhouse shutdowns disrupted conventional meat supply chains and shoppers started trying out meatless burgers, sausages, and seafood instead. Between 2018 and 2021, total sales of plant-based foods in the… Continue reading Plant-Based Meat Boomed. Here Comes the Bust
The Next US President Will Have Troubling New Surveillance Powers
The ability of the United States to intercept and store Americans’ text messages, calls, and emails in pursuit of foreign intelligence was not only extended but enhanced over the weekend in ways likely to remain enigmatic to the public for years to come. On Saturday, US president Joe Biden signed a controversial bill extending the… Continue reading The Next US President Will Have Troubling New Surveillance Powers
GaeaStar’s 3D-Printed Clay Coffee Cups Are Disposable, but Can They Save Us From Microplastics?
It’s sort of like seeing a fingerprint in a handmade ceramic mug. Toolmarks tell the story of its manufacture, and while the tools utilized here are new, the process is the same. You take wet clay from the earth, dry it, grind it into powder, then reintroduce water until it achieves the consistency you’re looking… Continue reading GaeaStar’s 3D-Printed Clay Coffee Cups Are Disposable, but Can They Save Us From Microplastics?
Olive Union Olive Max Hearing Aids: For Mild Hearing Loss
You don’t have to be nearly deaf to use a hearing aid. Many doctors urge patients to get started with the devices early, before hearing loss becomes critical. Olive Union’s Olive Max is the first hearing aid I’ve encountered designed for this specific purpose, built for users with “mild to moderate” hearing loss, which the… Continue reading Olive Union Olive Max Hearing Aids: For Mild Hearing Loss
What Is 5G Home Internet? Here’s Everything You Need to Know (2024)
Sick of slow, expensive, or unreliable internet service? You probably are. Internet service providers (ISPs) came second to last in a study of customer satisfaction by industry in the US last year. For most folks, internet service comes into the house via cable, and choices are limited. But with mobile carriers rolling out fast, low-latency… Continue reading What Is 5G Home Internet? Here’s Everything You Need to Know (2024)
The House Passes a TikTok Ban Bill That’s on the Fast Track
A TikTok ban is back on the table after the House approved a new bill on Saturday addressing the issues that stalled it out in the Senate. The bill would allow the Biden administration to ban TikTok nationwide if it doesn’t divest from its China-based owner, Bytedance, within a year. It’s different from a similar… Continue reading The House Passes a TikTok Ban Bill That’s on the Fast Track
Meta Is Already Training a More Powerful Successor to Llama 3
Zuckerberg took to Instagram today to explain that Meta would incorporate the new Meta AI assistant, powered by Llama 3, into products that include Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. Meta said in its blog post announcing Llama 3 that it had focused heavily on improving the training data used to develop the model. It was… Continue reading Meta Is Already Training a More Powerful Successor to Llama 3