Monthly Archives: September 2024

Bluesky added over 2 million Brazilian users after Brazil banned Elon Musk’s X

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In a post on its own social network, Bluesky has revealed that it has added 2.6 million users over the past few days. That's a lot of growth in such a short time for a platform that only has around 8.8 million users overall. In a blog post, the company said over 85 percent of the new users are Brazilian, which works out well in excess of 2 million. 

If you'll recall, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes recently ordered the country's internet service providers to block X after the website formerly known as Twitter refused to ban specific accounts accused of spreading disinformation. 

Moraes also ordered Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores and for people caught using VPN to access the website to be fined R$50,000 ($8,900). Brazil's Supreme Court has just upheld the ban on X after its judges voted unanimously in favor of the measure, according to the BBC. X owner Elon Musk accused Moraes of destroying democracy "for political purposes." The website also created a new profile called "Alexandre Files," which it said would shine a light "on the abuses of Brazilian law committed by Alexandre de Moraes."

After X became inaccessible in Brazil, users in the country found new homes elsewhere. Bluesky experienced a huge spike in the number of unique daily likes and posters, as well as in the number of unique followers, on the last days of August. While the website isn't quite as robust as Twitter yet, it recently teased that its next major app updated will come with video features, which could help keep its new users around. 

Some other stats around Bluesky's meteroric rise show the impact of this influx of people to the platform. Comparing a 96-hour period from August 30 to September 2 to a similar period a month earlier, engineer Jaz said likes on the platform had risen from 13 million to 104.6 million, follows grew from 1.4 million to 100.8 million, and reposts increased from 1.3 million to 11 million. Bluesky developer Paul Frazee warned that users may see outages and performance issues as the platform has "never seen traffic like this."

Bluesky is a decentralized social network that was previously funded and was founded in 2019 by Twitter-founder Jack Dorsey. The website launched as an invite-only social network, but it finally opened to the public earlier this year. It also introduced new features most users would look for if they're set on leaving X, including direct messaging. While DMs only worked between two users upon launch, the website promised to roll out group messaging, media support and end-to-end encryption "down the line." Dorsey, however, exited the Bluesky board in May and later claimed that the website was "literally repeating all the mistakes" he made while running Twitter.

Update, September 4, 3:10PM ET: This story was updated after publishing. A section in the original story which inferred that the influx of users was likely Brazilian in origin was replaced with a statistic from Bluesky published on September 4 which confirmed this to be true. At the same time, further details were added to the story on the rise of follows, likes and reposts on the platform.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/bluesky-added-over-2-million-brazilian-users-after-brazil-banned-elon-musks-x-140032042.html?src=rss

Novitec Ferrari 296 GTB N-Largo Unveiled

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Novitec Ferrari 296 GTB N-Largo

Novitec, the renowned German tuning company, has unveiled the Novitec N-Largo Ferrari 296 GTB, a breathtaking limited-edition widebody version of the already impressive Ferrari 296 GTB. Designed by the talented Vittorio Strosek, this high-performance vehicle showcases extensive bodywork modifications, custom wheels, and significant performance upgrades that elevate both its aesthetic appeal and aerodynamic efficiency to […]

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Samsung Unveils Cutting Edge Energy Efficient Appliances at IFA 2024

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Samsung Energy

Samsung Electronics has once again set the bar high with its latest lineup of energy-efficient appliances, showcased at IFA 2024. The new range includes the BESPOKE AI™ Washer, the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™, and the Bespoke Dishwasher, all designed to significantly reduce energy consumption while delivering top-notch performance. These innovations are a testament to Samsung’s […]

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Noble Audio pairs dynamic and planar magnetic drivers in its first headphones

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The last time we checked in on Noble Audio, the company had developed a set of wireless earbuds with xMEMS drivers inside. Now, the company is back with its first set of wireless headphones, and it created a unique driver arrangement for this product too. The FoKus Apollo is the first set of cans to offer a hybrid speaker setup that pairs a 40mm dynamic driver alongside a 14.5mm planar magnetic driver, according to the company. The duo should offer "top-end clarity of planar with the power and body achieved by dynamic drivers," thanks to the inherent sonic capabilities of each. 

Planar magnetic drivers provide improved accuracy through better treble and mid-range performance over dynamic drivers. However, dynamic drivers have the power to move lots of air for booming bass. Noble argues putting the two of them together creates "stunningly blissful" sound that no other headphones can generate. This model supports both LDAC and aptX HD for high-quality audio over Bluetooth. 

Of course, audio quality is only part of the equation with wireless headphones, and the FoKus Apollo's spec sheet looks solid. Noble promises up to 60 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation (ANC) on, with an additional 20 hours of use if you turn it off. Multipoint Bluetooth connectivity and transparency mode are available, and you can customize the EQ via an app. The ANC setup is powered by an ADI chip and a collection of six microphones. Noble says this arrangement is enough to cancel out 35dB of environmental noise.  

Noble didn't cut corners on design either. The FoKus Apollo is built with an anodized aluminum frame, and the Alcantara headband and replaceable protein leather earpads complete the look. In addition the built-in mic for calls, the company also offers the option to use a removable boom mic and there's a 3.5mm audio jack for wired use. 

Noble's gear doesn't usually come cheap, and that's the case with the FoKus Apollo too. The headphones are $649 (£599/€699) and shipments are scheduled to begin this month. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/noble-audio-pairs-dynamic-and-planar-magnetic-drivers-in-its-first-headphones-133330144.html?src=rss

Mosaic-like stools are made from the soles of discarded rubber shoes

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The fashion industry is known for its striking designs, lavish materials, and sometimes mind-blowing forms, but it also has a dirty little secret when it comes to sustainability. Many of those materials, processes, and even ingredients have a tendency to harm the environment, especially mass-produced pieces of clothing, accessories, and footwear. Even something that sounds so innocent like the rubber soles of shoes can have a long-term negative impact on the planet’s health, especially when they’re thrown away without much thought. Although it’s not enough to make this discarded material disappear, these distinctive artistic stools help reduce their numbers while providing furniture that makes an impact in more ways than one.

Designer: BENTU Design

According to figures, 20 billion pairs of shoes are produced each year, and nearly all of those end up in landfills sooner or later. Footwear is usually made with half a dozen synthetic materials, with outsoles using plenty of rubber that takes more than a hundred years to decompose. Burning them, on the other hand, releases toxic gases, which is usually what happens in garbage disposal sites. Even though the process still uses water and energy, recycling these materials is still a significantly better way to deal with all the waste.

WU is a line of stools that does exactly that, giving new life to shoe soles that result in an even more interesting design. 90% of each stool’s raw materials are made from recycled rubber shoe materials, about 15kg of material that is equivalent to 60 rubber soles. It’s a small number compared to the amount of shoes being thrown away, but even just 10 of these stools mean 600 shoes are kept away from landfills.

The resulting design is quite intriguing as well. The raw materials are classified according to color to have a more uniform appearance, but the uniqueness still comes out in tiny bits of colors and microtextures. If some recycled plastics create a terrazzo effect, the recycled rubber soles result in finer and smaller pieces that have a grainy appearance as if painted with oils or mixed in with concrete.

The shape of the WU stool is also unusual, with a hexagon seat and a three-pointed base. This makes it easy to combine the stools into a larger form like a bench, though the connection will be superficial and perhaps a bit unstable. When placed together, these stools paint a rather eye-catching picture, almost literally, as if somebody took reality and applied a mosaic filter on it. Either way, no one will be the wiser that these were probably made from the pair of shoes they threw away years ago.

The post Mosaic-like stools are made from the soles of discarded rubber shoes first appeared on Yanko Design.

Klipsch’s latest soundbar is the first to come with Dirac Live room calibration

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Soundbars may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Klipsch, but the company has a lot of experience with the living room devices. The company already has two models in its Flexus Core lineup and now it's adding a third, flagship-level option to its stable. The Flexus Core 300 is a 5.1.2-channel soundbar that will offer more immersive sound than the 3.1.2-channel Flexus Core 200 and 2.1-channel Flexus Core 100. It will also be the company's most expensive soundbar in the current group at $999. 

Klipsch says the Flexus Core 300 will be the first soundbar that's equipped with Dirac Live room calibration tech. Dirac is an audio company based in Sweden with years of experience in room correction and headphone calibration. It even teamed up with Dolby for more immersive in-car audio systems. In the case of this soundbar, Dirac Live uses an included microphone to adjust "the magnitude and phase" of the speaker to any room in order to to provide "more transparent, balanced sound" with "tighter bass, improved staging and enhanced clarity." Klipsch also provides the Dirac Live license at no extra cost, which isn't always the case with compatible products, according to the the company. 

“Our collaboration with Klipsch on their all-new Flexus Core 300 sound bar proves that cutting-edge room correction technology is no longer just for the high-end AVR market — it’s now also for the mainstream consumer audio market,” Dirac’s Vice President of Home and Pro Audio Fredric Tapper said in a press release. 

Klipsch's Flexus Core 300 soundbar is the largest and most powerful in its current lineup.
Klipsch

Inside, 12 speakers power Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio, including four 2.25-inch front-firing drivers alongside two 2.25-inch up-firing and two 2.25-inch side-firing units. There are also four 4-inch subwoofers for the low-end tone and a dedicated center channel with Klipsch's horn-loaded tweeter tech for clear dialogue across different volumes. Like the Flexus Core 100 and 200, the 300 is powered by Onkyo electronics as both it and Klipsch (among other brands) are owned by VOXX International.  

Around back, there's an HDMI 2.1 output with 8K passthrough as well as an HDMI eARC input. An RCA jack can be used to connect a subwoofer, and both Blueooth 5.3 and WiFi connectivity are here. Standard soundbar audio features like Dialog Boost and Night Mode are on the spec sheet as well, as is compatibility with the Klipsch Connect Plus app for customization and various settings. 

The Flexus Core 300 will be available this winter for $999. Klipsch will also offer a new set of surround speakers for $399 and a new 12-inch subwoofer for $499, but nothing extra comes with the soundbar unless you add them on.  

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/klipschs-latest-soundbar-is-the-first-to-come-with-dirac-live-room-calibration-130010808.html?src=rss

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 Headphones Unveiled

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Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100

Bang & Olufsen, renowned for their commitment to exceptional audio quality and luxurious design, has unveiled their latest flagship headphones, the Beoplay H100. Building upon the success of the acclaimed Beoplay H95, the H100 takes the listening experience to new heights with significant advancements in sound quality, noise cancellation, ergonomic design, and modular construction. These […]

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Clearview faces a €30.5 million for violating the GDPR

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Clearview AI is back in hot — and expensive — water, with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) fining the company €30.5 million ($33.6 million) for violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The release explains that Clearview created "an illegal database with billions of photos of faces," including Dutch individuals, and has failed to properly inform people that it's using their data. In early 2023, Clearview's CEO claimed the company had 30 billion images. 

Clearview must immediately stop all violations or face up to €5.1 million ($5.6 million) in non-compliance penalties. "Facial recognition is a highly intrusive technology, that you cannot simply unleash on anyone in the world," Dutch DPA chairman Aleid Wolfsen stated. "If there is a photo of you on the Internet — and doesn't that apply to all of us? — then you can end up in the database of Clearview and be tracked." He adds that facial recognition can help with safety but that "competent authorities" who are "subject to strict conditions" should handle it rather than a commercial company. 

The Dutch DPA further states that since Clearview is breaking the law, using it is also illegal. Wolfsen warns that Dutch companies using Clearview could also be subject to "hefty fines." Clearview didn't issue an objection to the Dutch DPA's fine, so it is unable to launch an appeal.

This fine is far from the first time an entity has stood up against Clearview. In 2020, the LAPD banned its use, and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued Clearview, with the settlement ending sales of the biometric database to any private companies. Italy and the UK have previously fined Clearview €20 million ($22 million) and £7.55 million ($10 million), respectively, and instructed the company to delete any data of its residents. Earlier this year, the EU also barred Clearview from untargeted face scraping on the internet. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/clearview-faces-a-%E2%82%AC305-million-for-violating-the-gdpr-124549856.html?src=rss

How to Create a New Folder on Your Mac: The Easy Guide

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Create a New Folder on Mac

In this article, we will show you a range of methods that you can use to create a new folder on your Mac. Getting around your Mac’s file system is a key part of keeping your workspace tidy and organized. One of the foundational skills you’ll need to master is creating new folders. It might […]

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Valve hires key employees from Risk of Rain developer

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It sounds like Hopoo Games, the developer of cult hit and roguelike platformer Risk of Rain, is going on a hiatus. In an announcement on X/Twitter, the company has announced that its co-founders Paul Morse and Duncan Drummond, "alongside many other talented members at Hopoo Games," will now be working for Valve. The company is stopping the production of an unannounced game called Snail as a result, and it's not quite clear if it will ever pick up from where it left off in the future. Hopoo also didn't say how many of its staff members are joining Valve and how many chose to leave or had been left out of the deal. "...[F]or now — sleep tight, Hopoo Games," one of the company's tweets reads. 

As Game Developer and several posters on the Steam subreddit notes, the former Hopoo staffers could be joining Valve's development of Deadlock, an upcoming MOBA shooter that it has been testing since 2023. Deadlock attracted thousands of early players before it was even officially announced, though it remains invite only and is still in early development with no release date yet. 

Hopoo also developed a side-scrolling stealth-action game called Deadbolt, but it owes most of its success to Risk of Rain, which spawned a sequel and a remake. Risk of Rain was released in 2013, and while its 2D shooting and platforming mechanics are pretty simple, the game isn't easy. It becomes more difficult and throws stronger monsters at you the more you play, and you only get one life — you'll lose all the experience you've gained if you die and will have to start again. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/valve-hires-key-employees-from-risk-of-rain-developer-123034840.html?src=rss