Google acknowledges it ‘missed the mark’ with onerous demands for Pixel 9 influencers
If you thought Google might be taking a break after unveiling new Pixel 9 devices at its Made By Google event this week, you would be mistaken. A recent post on Threads appears to show part of the sign-up form to receive Pixel devices, and the language in question mandates…
OpenAI shut down an Iranian influence op that used ChatGPT to generate bogus news articles
OpenAI said on Friday that it thwarted an Iranian influence campaign that used ChatGPT to generate fake news stories and social posts aimed at Americans. The company said it identified and banned accounts generating content for five websites (in English and Spanish) pretending to be news outlets, spreading “polarizing messages”…
Microsoft boosts Windows’ FAT32 partition size limit after nearly three decades
Microsoft righted an age-old “wrong” (at least for those who geek out on disk formatting) earlier this week. With its latest Windows 11 Insider Canary Preview Build (via The Verge), the company increased the maximum FAT32 partition size limit from 32GB to 2TB when using the command line. The boost…
Steam reviews are now a little more useful but a little less fun
Steam reviews tend to be a medley of serious, helpful, jokey and meme-y, but Valve is looking to switch that vibe up a bit. The company has started publicly testing a new “helpfulness” system that will bring useful reviews to the top and effectively demote the fun ones, depending on…
Instagram is failing to act on abuse targeting women lawmakers on both sides of the aisle
Instagram is failing to enforce its own rules and allowing some of its most high-profile accounts to be targeted with abusive comments “with impunity,” according to a new report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate. The anti-hate group claims that Meta failed to remove 93 percent of comments it…
Proton VPN’s browser extension is now free for all users
You can now get and use Proton VPN’s browser extension even if you’re not a paying user. The extension used to only be accessible if you’re on one of the service’s paid plans, but now you can install it as long as you’re on a Firefox- or a Chromium-based browser….
The best iPhones for 2024: Which model should you buy?
“Which iPhone should I buy?” It’s a question as old as time, or at least the last 15 years or so. In most cases, the answer is simple: the best one you can afford. And if you’re still happy with your phone today, there’s no need to upgrade at all….
The pixelated cyberpunk platformer Replaced has been pushed back to 2025
Sad Cat Studios announced on X that it is delaying its highly anticipated cyberpunk action game Replaced to next year. The studio says in its online statement that its expectations for the Xbox and PC exclusive are high since they first announced the game at E3 in 2021. It wants…
Halloween’s Michael Myers and Ash vs. Evil Dead’s Ash Williams are getting their own throwback games
Michael Myers may be dead and Ash Williams may be flung far into the future, but they aren’t done slashing up the screen here and now. Boss Level Games announced the upcoming release of two new retro style games under its RetroRealms banner based on the classic slasher flick Halloween…
The best Bluetooth speaker for 2024: 16 portable options for every price range
Choosing the best portable Bluetooth speaker can be a daunting task with the amount of options available today. Whether you’re gearing up for a camping trip, a beach outing, or a backyard barbecue, finding the right speaker that delivers on sound quality, durability, and portability is crucial. We’ve tested dozens…