Alongside grinding and dosing by weight, the steam wand likewise allows for a bit of added control, with settings from mild to strong. “Strong” means strong, for big cappuccino froth: Heed the warning and keep your milk level low in the frothing cup, or you’ll probably have cleanup. But especially, the steam wand offers an… Continue reading Meraki Espresso Machine Review: Fine Grind, Loose Fit
Author: Wired Magazine
Tesla Proposes a Trillion-Dollar Bet That It’s More Than Just Cars
Tesla launched a limited robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, earlier this summer, but it’s unclear whether the vehicles driving around the city are technologically advanced enough to count toward that 1 million robotaxi goal. (The proposal specifies that the robotaxis must not have a “human driver,” and the vehicles in Texas have safety monitors sitting… Continue reading Tesla Proposes a Trillion-Dollar Bet That It’s More Than Just Cars
Defense Department Scrambles to Pretend It’s Called the War Department
The Pentagon’s website and social media channels were overhauled Friday at President Donald Trump’s behest to reflect the United States Defense Department’s new “Department of War” persona, shifting from Defense.gov to War.gov—a symbolic rebranding that highlights the administration’s preference for projecting strength through the language of war rather than the idiom of defense. Trump on… Continue reading Defense Department Scrambles to Pretend It’s Called the War Department
Anthropic Agrees to Pay Authors at Least $1.5 Billion in AI Copyright Settlement
Anthropic has agreed to pay at least $1.5 billion to settle a lawsuit brought by a group of book authors alleging copyright infringement, an estimated $3,000 per work. In a court motion on Friday, the plaintiffs emphasized that the terms of the settlement are “critical victories” and that going to trial would have been an… Continue reading Anthropic Agrees to Pay Authors at Least $1.5 Billion in AI Copyright Settlement
The Doomers Who Insist AI Will Kill Us All
The subtitle of the doom bible to be published by AI extinction prophets Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares later this month is “Why superhuman AI would kill us all.” But it really should be “Why superhuman AI WILL kill us all,” because even the coauthors don’t believe that the world will take the necessary measures… Continue reading The Doomers Who Insist AI Will Kill Us All
Tech CEOs Praise Donald Trump at White House Dinner
The scene opens confusingly. The camera zooms too close to the president’s face; the table at which the tech executives are seated seems far too long. Mark Zuckerberg is there, and Bill Gates and Tim Cook and Satya Nadella and Sam Altman and on and on, a baker’s dozen or so of Silicon Valley’s most… Continue reading Tech CEOs Praise Donald Trump at White House Dinner
Our Favorite Smart Lock for Your Front Door Is Just $164 Right Now
Is your current smart lock frustrating you endlessly, like mine is? The Yale Approach Smart Lock (8/10, WIRED Review) is currently marked down to just $164 on Amazon, a healthy 32% discount on our editors’ top pick for smart locks. This sale comes at a perfect time, because I was just complaining about the fingerprint… Continue reading Our Favorite Smart Lock for Your Front Door Is Just $164 Right Now
US Congressman’s Brother Lands No-Bid Contract to Train DHS Snipers
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this month quietly awarded a $30,000 no-bid contract for sniper and combat training to a Virginia firm run by Dan LaLota, the brother of US representative Nick LaLota, a second-term Republican from New York. Finalized on September 2, the award went to Target Down Group of Mechanicsville, Virginia,… Continue reading US Congressman’s Brother Lands No-Bid Contract to Train DHS Snipers
Should AI Get Legal Rights?
In one paper Eleos AI published, the nonprofit argues for evaluating AI consciousness using a “computational functionalism” approach. A similar idea was once championed by none other than Putnam, though he criticized it later in his career. The theory suggests that human minds can be thought of as specific kinds of computational systems. From there,… Continue reading Should AI Get Legal Rights?
Anti-Vaxxers Rejoice at Florida’s Scheme to End Vaccine Mandates for Kids and Everyone Else
On Wednesday afternoon, Florida surgeon general Joseph Ladapo announced that he would advocate for ending all vaccine mandates in the state. This would include, among other things, the end of vaccine requirements for children in school. Within minutes of Ladapo’s announcement, members of a private anti-vaccine Facebook group called “The Vaccine Free Child” were rejoicing.… Continue reading Anti-Vaxxers Rejoice at Florida’s Scheme to End Vaccine Mandates for Kids and Everyone Else