To put it simply: Allegro Non Troppo is the raunchiest Disney satire you’ve ever seen (discounting actual, Disney-inspired pornography). It’s also an excellent animated film on its own merits, and to celebrate the 50th anniversary, film distributor GKIDS is bringing a new 2K restoration to North America, starting with a weekend-long run at the Metrograph in New York City.
The season finale, “The Morrow,” is different. It reverses Martin’s story in one significant way. That tweak may not seem like much, since it doesn’t radically affect where the characters go or what they do — yet. It’s a change designed to set up conflict in season 2, rather than to alter the action in season 1. And yet this one alternation changes everything about the series’ characters and their dynamic, and as a fan of Martin’s work, I hate it. I hate it so much. Like, full-on Muppet Show flaily-arm steam-coming-out-of-my ears hate. I’m used to movie and TV adaptations of books making big changes, but this one really cuts to the heart — or cuts out the heart — of a story I love.
For eight months, a 35-year-old man in India was bothered by his left eye. It was red and blurry. When he finally visited an ophthalmology clinic, it didn't take long for doctors to unearth the cause.
In a case report in the New England Journal of Medicine, doctors report that they first noted that the eye was bloodshot and inflamed, and the pupil was dilated and fixed. The man's vision in the eye was 20/80. A quick look inside his eye revealed it was all due to a small worm, which they watched "moving sluggishly" in the back of his eyeball.
To gouge out the parasitic pillager, the doctors performed a pars plana vitrectomy—a procedure that involves sucking out some of the jelly-like vitreous inside the eye. This procedure can be used in the treatment of a variety of eye conditions, but using it to hoover up worms is rare. In order to get in, the doctors make tiny incisions in the white parts of the eye (the sclera) and use a hollow needle-like device with suction. They replace extracted eye jelly with things like saline.
Microsoft’s Copilot advertising has been criticized by an industry watchdog for its productivity claims and confusing use of Copilot branding. The BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD) has reviewed Microsoft’s Copilot advertising, and recommended that the software giant discontinues or modifies productivity claims about Microsoft 365 Copilot and more clearly disclose the limitations of its Business Chat feature.
Microsoft has been claiming that Copilot has productivity and return on investment (ROI) benefits for businesses that adopt the AI assistant, including that “67%, 70%, and 75% of users say they are more productive” after a certain amount of Copilot usage. “NAD found that although the study demonstrates a perception of productivity, it does not provide a good fit for the objective claim at issue,” says the watchdog in its review. “As a result, NAD recommended the claim be discontinued or modified to disclose the basis for the claim.”
Alongside the recommended productivity advertising changes, NAD also suggests that users of Copilot could be confused by Microsoft’s wide use of the Copilot branding across multiple products — including Business Chat. “NAD concluded, based on the context of the claims and universal use of the product description as ‘Copilot,‘ that consumers would not necessarily understand the differences.” NAD has recommended that Microsoft now “modify its advertising to clearly and conspicuously disclose any material limitations related to how Business Chat assists users.”
Microsoft has had years of confusing branding for Copilot. Microsoft relaunched its Copilot for business with free AI chat and pay-as-you-go agents earlier this year, in an attempt to simplify some of its branding woes. Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat as it’s known now, started off as Bing Chat Enterprise before Microsoft then rebranded it, confusingly, to just Copilot. Somewhere in the middle of all this rebranding, Business Chat — which was originally a chatbot in Teams — is now Business Chat for Microsoft 365 Copilot.
As I wrote in Notepad almost a year ago, Microsoft has been rebranding Copilot in the most Microsoft way possible. It’s all part of trying to make businesses use Copilot more, and then pay extra for the Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription.
Microsoft says it disagrees with NAD’s conclusions, but that it “will follow NAD’s recommendations for clarifying its claims.” Hopefully that means that Copilot branding is going to be clearer in the future.
Update, June 17th: Article updated to clarify NAD’s affiliation.
Roku “announced” its Pro-tier series of TVs back at CES but provided little in the way of details at the time. But now, we’ve firmly entered the season when 2024 TVs begin actually shipping, so today, the company is sharing more on what sets these models apart from its self-branded budget TVs released last year — and the many Roku TVs available from other manufacturers.
Like Roku’s other products, the appeal all boils down to simplicity and ease of use. These TVs will automatically adjust and optimize their picture (and brightness) from scene to scene based on what content is being displayed. Roku calls its version “Smart Picture Max” and says its picture quality engineers have obsessed over performance. A less advanced version, Roku...
Cybertruck owners might still get sued by Tesla if they decide to flip their vehicle within the first year of purchase.
Initially, the clause listed in Tesla's purchase agreement stated that if a Cybertruck customer attempts to resell the vehicle, the company claims that it makes “seek injunction relief” preventing the transfer of the title. The amount may be upwards of $50,000 USD (about $69,000 CAD) or “the value received as consideration for the sale or transfer, whichever is greater,” Tesla stated at the time. In addition, Tesla may refuse to sell any future vehicle to the customer.
Soon after, reports regarding the clause went live on several media publications. Subsequently, Tesla quietly removed the clause.
Now, as pointed out by Electrek, the clause is back.
The clause was spotted when customers tried to order the fully-loaded Cybertruck ‘Foundation Series.' It's also currently unclear whether the rule will extend to other Cybertruck variants or future buyers.
Some Tesla 'fans' may be willing to accept the rule as a trade-off for owning a unique and innovative vehicle that can't be scalped and sold for more price. However, others may want to think twice before signing the purchase agreement, as they may lose the freedom to sell their Cybertruck if they change their mind or encounter financial difficulties.
The original lawsuit, filed in June, claimed that Amazon had tricked millions into unwittingly subscribing to Prime through buttons that were presented prominently during checkout. The FTC added new details to back up its claims on Wednesday, including internal messages and the names of three senior Amazon leaders who allegedly “played a key role” in the scheme.
The executives include two of Amazon’s most senior leaders at the time, Neil Lindsay — the senior vice president who oversaw Prime — and Russell Grandinetti, Amazon’s senior vice...
An effort by United States lawmakers to prevent government agencies from domestically tracking citizens without a search warrant is facing opposition internally from one of its largest intelligence services.
Republican and Democratic aides familiar with ongoing defense-spending negotiations in Congress say officials at the National Security Agency (NSA) have approached lawmakers charged with its oversight about opposing an amendment that would prevent it from paying companies for location data instead of obtaining a warrant in court.
Introduced by US representatives Warren Davidson and Sara Jacobs, the amendment, first reported by WIRED, would prohibit US military agencies from “purchasing data that would otherwise require a warrant, court order, or subpoena” to obtain. The ban would cover more than half of the US intelligence community, including the NSA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the newly formed National Space Intelligence Center, among others.
Taiwan-based semiconductor company MediaTek, which makes chipsets for several companies, including Samsung's entry-level devices, OnePlus, ASUS, Redmi and more, is set to launch its own phone-to-satellite communication system at this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain next week.
The technology can enable two-way satellite communication on smartphones by using a standalone chipset from MediaTek that can be added to any 4G or 5G phone. The company's move is a response to Qualcomm's and Apple's satellite technologies, and the semiconductor company is confident that its technology will work seamlessly with any network that complies with the 3GPP Non-Terrestrial Network standard.
According to Engadget, at the MWC event, MediaTek will show off two satellite smartphones, namely, the Motorola defy 2 and CAT S75, alongside a Bluetooth accessory with a MediaTek chip. MediaTek's technology can receive messages sent via satellite connection, not just send them, as it connects to Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit satellites instead of satellites in Low Earth Orbit. For reference, Apple's Emergency SOS feature can only send messages and not can't receive them.
The Motorola defy 2 smartphone and defy Bluetooth accessory will be released in the second quarter of the year in North America, Latin America, and Canada, and they will be the first devices to offer MediaTek's satellite capabilities.
By: Lester Bueller As the media throws up yet another hissy fit over Doug Ford and Stephen Lecce using the Notwithstanding Clause yet again I just have to say: I don’t care. Ford and Lecce can trample every single Charter right under the sun as long as it means my kids are in school and […]
Game company 2K on Thursday warned users to remain on the lookout for suspicious activity across their accounts following a breach last month that allowed a threat actor to obtain email addresses, names, and other sensitive information provided to 2K's support team.
The breach occurred on September 19, when the threat actor illegally obtained system credentials belonging to a vendor 2K uses to run its help desk platform. 2K warned users a day later that the threat actor used unauthorized access to send some users emails that contained malicious links. The company warned users not to open any emails sent by its online support address or click on any links in them. If users already clicked on links, 2K urged them to change all passwords stored in their browsers.
On Thursday, after an outside party completed a forensic investigation, 2K sent an unknown number of users an email warning them that the threat actor was able to obtain some of the personal information they supplied to help desk personnel. The email stated:
Enlarge / The Pixel 7 Pro colors. The gold one on the end is called "hazel." (credit: Google)
The Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have been officially unveiled. While these phones were technically officially announced forever ago, Google came clean about all the details today. The big news is that the prices aren't changing: It's $599 for the Pixel 7 and $899 for the Pixel 7 Pro, which still makes both phones a very good deal. The devices ship on October 13, and Google is also doing a little better with the device's country distribution.
First, though, the phones. The Pixel 7 is an evolution of the Pixel 6, with the same sizes, prices, and basic design. That's actually a first for Google. The company's hardware division has dramatically changed phone hardware year to year, which often wasn't by choice since it would bounce from one manufacturer to another. Now, though, Google Hardware has matured to the point where operations are stable enough to make an iterative flagship, and that's probably going to be the story of the Pixel 7.
So what changes are there over the Pixel 6? The headline feature is the new aluminum camera bar, which replaces the old glass and plastic camera bar from the Pixel 6. The Pixel 6's one big sheet of glass over the camera lenses could lead to some light glare across your photos, so these smaller, more isolated lenses seem designed to prevent that. Google says the 7 Pro camera bar is polished aluminum, while the base model Pixel 7 has a sandblasted matte finish.
That premium price could have something to do with the keyboard’s mechanical switches, which are Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile tactile switches. Forget the merely low-profile switches that Cherry debuted in 2018 that were 11.9mm thick (compared to 18.5mm for a standard MX switch); these ultra low-profile switches are just 3.5mm...
Back in March, we warned of the risk of Apple’s disaster scenario: Chinese takeover of Taiwan. Yesterday, the heads of both US and UK security services gave an “unprecedented” warning that this is not only possible but that China has been taking steps to prepare for this.
If it happened, it would lead to the almost total disruption to the vast bulk of Apple’s manufacturing resources …
Earlier this week, eBay rolled out the latest expansion to its Refurbished Program. Growing the cast of retailers and listings even further from last November’s refresh, we’re taking a hands-on look at just what to expect by buying a refurbished iPhone 12 from eBay. Detailing the unboxing experience, cosmetic conditions, and more, head below for a closer look.
Chen San-yuan, the Taiwanese “Pokémon Go grandpa,” has evolved his bike into a new form: a peacock-esque contraption with 64 smartphones mounted on the front.
San-yuan originally went viral in 2018 after an image was shown of him playing Pokémon Go with 11 phones attached to his bike. Over the last two years, this iconic gamer has added more phones to his arsenal. In 2019, he was using 45 smartphones concurrently as he biked around trying to catch ‘em all.
In a 2018 interview, San-yuan explained that he started playing Pokémon Go after learning about it from his grandson. He said he only plays the game to catch and upgrade rare Pokemon and rarely participates in raids or gym battles.
Okay, so I won’t lie: this is pure genius. But I do...
Three Dewalt blades. They're on clearance. They're called framing blades. As a very basic home DIYer, I think they can be used for wood work. Construction 7-1/4-in 24-Tooth Circular Saw Blade ---Tougher tungsten carbide stays sharper longer ---Specially formulated anti-stick coating minimizes friction and gum-up for smoother cuts ---Thin kerf for fast and smooth cutting action ---Ribbed heat vents allow blade to run cooler, reducing blade flexing and binding ---Independently certified to meet applicable standards
Statistics: Posted by iris' dad — Jun 15th, 2020 10:20 pm
When the 2018 iPad Pro came out, its radically fresh redesign inevitably brought with it an Apple hardware scandal. A portion of users noticed that their iPad was slightly bent out of the box, and the name #BendGate was coined. Apple ultimately released a support article that quietened most of the outrage, saying that some slight bend was within operating tolerances.
It was also observed that the iPad’s design meant it was easily bent in half with just a little amount of force. Some people reported that the iPad was getting bent just being carried around in a backpack. Now, we have a new iPad Pro, featuring the same thin aluminum enclosure, so did Apple do anything to reinforce the iPad’s structure? It doesn’t seem like it.
Around a week ago, the professional video game streamer Natalia Mogollon — better known by her handle Alinity Divine — ignited a conflagration that’s burned up most of the recent conversations around Twitch. During one of her live streams, Mogollon became annoyed with one of her two cats and then appeared to throw it over her shoulders and onto the ground behind her chair. The clip went immediately viral, and people around the internet have been calling for Mogollon to be banned permanently from Twitch over claims of animal abuse on her stream. (Twitch has previously banned one streamer, Kneecoleslaw, for abusing her cat on stream; they unbanned her shortly afterward.) It’s turned into a targeted campaign of harassment, largely by men,...
The CRTC has granted the Competition Bureau’s procedural request for more information concerning the review on the wireless market in Canada.
After reviewing the bureau’s request again, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved the commissioner’s request, a letter from the CRTC read.
“We are pleased that the CRTC ruled in favour of our request. Today’s decision is an important first step towards a more competitive wireless market for Canadians. With this additional data, the Competition Bureau will be able to provide the CRTC with more informed advice, grounded in objective evidence,” the bureau’s commissioner, Matthew Boswell, said in an email.
“In any event, the Commission is of the view that the benefits to having the additional information on the record outweigh any additional burden placed on parties in providing the information. While the Commission recognizes that smaller WSPs have fewer resources available, they would also have less data to compile,” the CRTC wrote in its letter.
The deadline to provide “granular information” from wireless service providers has been extended from June 5th to June 19th.
The bureau will be studying and helping the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) review the scope of mobile wireless services in Canada. That review was announced in February and a hearing is set to take place in January 2020.
Boswell had sent a letter previously to ask for more detail to conduct an economic analysis to determine competition in the market.
The CRTC replied asking to clarify how this type of information would be relevant and to elaborate regarding the specifics of the request. Bell and Rogers both pushed back and complained that the volume of information requested was too large and argued that “it could derail the CRTC proceeding.”
The CRTC also called for responses from others in the industry, including Telus, Shaw, SaskTel and Tbaytel, which all expressed concern regarding the amount of information the bureau was asking for.
Companies that will provide more information include: Bell, Bragg Communications, Brooke Telecom, Execulink Telecom, Hay Communications, Huron Telecommunications, Mornington Communications, Quadro Communications, Rogers, SaskTel, Shaw, SSi Micro, TBayTel, Telus, Videotron, Ice Wireless, and Wightman Telecom.
Super hot deal on the just released 3A / 3A XL. Only shows up for me when logged in. Seems like it should also stack with the $120 in bill credits over 12 months.
Time Magazine put the iPhone X to the test with these stunning New York Halloween portraits that show the camera's true capabilities.
For the quirky, the cheeky, and the eccentric, Halloween is the best time of the year. For the curious, the cutting edge, and the tech fans, it also tends to mean the release of Apple's latest iPhone. (Josh Raab, Time Magazine)
What better way to test out the true capabilities of the iPhone X's stunning new camera then taking to the streets of New York and capturing the year's most colorful display of eccentricness and weirdness?!
Halloween 2017 was the perfect time for Time Magazine photographer Delphine Diallo to head to the village and capture photos and videos of all the October 31st her iPhone X could handle.
The iPhone X's wide-angle and telephoto lenses both shoot 12 megapixel images. The wide angle lens will allow for an f/1.8 aperture, while the telephoto lens will have an f/2.4 aperture. Dual optical image optimization, meanwhile, will reduce motion blur. (Josh Raab, Time Magazine)
The iPhone X also comes with new improvements to Apple's Portrait Mode, which isolates a picture's subject and artificially blurs the background, mimicking high-end cameras. A new feature called Portrait Lighting imitates studio lighting setups, with options for contour lighting, stage lighting and more. The lighting effects can be applied either while taking an image or after the fact. (Josh Raab, Time Magazine)
What do you think?
Are you impressed with the snapshots taken with the iPhone X? Do you have any epic photos that you've snapped so far with your iPhone X?
Enlarge / Apple Watch Series 2. (credit: Valentina Palladino)
CUPERTINO—Apple revealed details about watchOS 4, its newest update to the Apple Watch's operating system, back at June's WWDC keynote. Now we know when the update will be pushed to the public: September 19. This news comes on the heels of Apple announcing the Apple Watch Series 3 model with standalone LTE service at the company's event today.
WatchOS 4 will change the look and feel of the Apple Watch slightly with aesthetic updates, a new vertical app dock, and a few redesigned apps. The Music app has an entirely new look in watchOS 4, the Workout app has a new color scheme and "tap and go" button options, and the News app can now be used to receive headlines on your wrist and save articles for later reading.
WatchOS 4 will also bring the new Siri watch face to the device, which proactively gives you information on your wrist based on where you are, the time of day, upcoming calendar events, and more. The Apple Watch already has Siri capabilities, but Siri's AI and machine learning technology is used in this watch face to provide more personalized information to those who use it. Other new watch faces include a "kaleidoscope" design and designs for Toy Story characters Woody, Jessie, and Buzz.
Image: Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft
Image: 林嘉雯 / Facebook
Image: Paramount Pictures via Polygon
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
