Tag Archives: language|en-US

Most US TikTok users aren’t following political accounts, study says

Posted on by

As TikTok faces the possibility of a ban in the United States, a new study sheds light on the type of accounts US adults follow on the platform. According to the report, published by Pew Research, political content and news are only a small fraction of the accounts US adults follow in the app.

The report is based on an analysis of 227,946 accounts followed by 664 TikTok users who participated in the study. Of those accounts, less than one percent were “politicians, civic actors or traditional media outlets and journalists,” Pew found, noting that “the typical U.S. adult on TikTok follows no accounts in each of these categories.”

Instead, people were more likely to follow accounts that posted about entertainment and pop culture, humor and viral dance clips. “To the extent Americans’ followed accounts discuss politics, it tends to be mixed with other topics,” Pew writes. “Some 43% of all followed accounts that discussed politics or current events during the study period also discussed entertainment and pop culture.”

Pew's findings show that news and political accounts are a tiny fraction of what US adults follow on TikTok.
Pew Research Center

The content of users' following feeds doesn't offer a complete picture of what people see on TikTok. The app defaults to the algorithmic “for you” feed, which is made up mainly of recommendations. And even though most users may not choose to follow explicitly political accounts, previous research from Pew found that 45 percent of US TikTok users report seeing “at least some” content about politics or political issues in the app.

The question of what US users see on TikTok has been more closely scrutinized over the last year. Some lawmakers stepped up calls for a ban of the app last fall after TikTok critics used hashtag data to suggest that the app was disproportionately recommending pro-Palestinian content. The company said such takes were the result of “unsound analysis.” TikTok stopped showing view counts for specific hashtags earlier this year.

While Pew’s report doesn’t touch on TikTok’s algorithmic recommendations, the authors note that follows are an important signal for the app. “User interactions with posts from the accounts they follow play a nontrivial role in shaping their For You page,’” the report says. “And studying these followed accounts can give us a better understanding on the content that users actively choose to look for on the platform.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/most-us-tiktok-users-arent-following-political-accounts-study-says-140053492.html?src=rss

The best Prime Day Kindle deals take up to 25 percent off the Scribe and Paperwhite models

Posted on by

In these final hours of Amazon's October Prime Day sale, we're down to just two Kindle models on sale (or, really available at all) on Amazon's site. Why are there just two active listing for Kindles right now? It's almost certainly because Amazon is going to announce new models soon. We have no hard evidence to back that up. But consider that the newest option, the Scribe, is two years old. Consider that Amazon has no color ereaders in its lineup (while it's rivals do). Then add in the fact that models are missing from one of Amazon's biggest sales of the year. It's a good bet that new models are on the way.  

So why would you want to bother with the Kindle sales that are happening. Some won't. But others may prefer a tried-and-true model over the latest thing. The good news is that an ereader isn't meant to do everything a tablet can. They should display crisp, 300 dpi text, have weeks of battery live, be comfortable to hold and have a soft front light for low-light reading. Both of these models do just that (plus the Scribe adds in note-taking). Here are the best Prime Day Kindle deals (all two of them). 

Amazon's latest Kindle Paperwhite e-reader, which was released at the end of October 2021.
Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Amazon Kindles dominate the ereader market, and right now there are just two models to choose from. Of course, a new Kindle is likely on the horizon — rumors suggest as much and the last entry in the lineup came over two years ago. But since ereaders aren't as tech-heavy as a tablet, the generational bump may not make as much difference. 

  • Amazon Kindle Paperwhite for $125 ($25 off): The Paperwhite is an upgraded Kindle, adding a larger display, an adjustable warm light and a waterproof build. The flush-front screen makes page turns easier and a faster processor makes that action speedier, too.

  • Amazon Kindle Scribe for $255 ($85 off): You can write as well as read with this tablet. It has a large 10.2-inch display, auto-adjusting warm front light and an auto-rotating display. It comes with the Basic pen so you can use the notebook feature that even converts handwriting to text.

  • Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Case for $20 ($15 off): If you already have the latest (11th generation) Paperwhite, here's a deal on a case. It not only adds a little protection, opening or closing the cover also wakes or sleeps your device. 

  • Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle for $135 ($70 off): If you want a case and are picking up the Paperwhite ereader for the first time, go for this bundle that includes the device, the cover and a power adapter for just $10 more than the sale price of the Paperwhite on its own. 

October Prime Day 2024 Kindle Kids deals

Kindles geared towards kids are basically the same thing as their “adult” counterparts, but these come with a cover, extended warranty and a free trial of Amazon Kids+ that lets youngsters access kid-friendly audiobooks, stories and more. Plus they don’t have ads on the lock screen (Amazon makes you pay $20 for that concession on the standard devices).

  • Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids for $115 ($55 off): The kids edition of the upgraded Paperwhite ereader has a flush-front design, waterproof build and warm front lights for late-night reading. It comes with a cover, a two-year warranty and a year of the kids subscription.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-prime-day-kindle-deals-take-up-to-25-percent-off-the-scribe-and-paperwhite-models-080333490.html?src=rss

SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts are leaving the ISS on October 13

Posted on by

NASA and SpaceX are looking to undock the Crew-8 mission vehicle from the ISS on October 13, 3:05AM Eastern time. Crew-8's astronauts were originally scheduled to start making their way back to Earth on October 7, but since their spacecraft is going to splash down off the coast of Florida, NASA and SpaceX had decided to push it back "due to weather conditions and potential impacts from Hurricane Milton." They will hold another briefing on the situation on October 11 and could delay the mission's return further for the safety of everyone involved. 

The Crew-8 mission launched on March 4 this year with four members: NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut, Alexander Grebenkin. They conducted several experiments while on the International Space Station, such as sequencing the DNA of any antibiotic-resistant organism they could find on the ISS to look into how they adapted to the conditions out there. They also studied human brain organoids created with stem cells to look into Parkinson's disease and into how extended spaceflight affects the human brain. They printed human tissues, studied how microgravity affects drug manufacturing and worked with an Astrobee robot. NASA will most likely cover their flight back on a livestream. 

While Crew-8 has yet to leave the space station, SpaceX's Crew-9 mission astronauts have been on board since September 29. That mission only flew with two crew members, because it will be coming back home with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams who originally flew to the ISS on the Boeing Starliner. NASA said Wilmore and Williams have already tried on and tested their SpaceX Intravehicular Activity spacesuits and have completed all the work required to fly back to Earth with the Crew-9 vehicle. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/spacex-crew-8-astronauts-are-leaving-the-iss-on-october-13-133027531.html?src=rss

Meta Quest 3S hands-on: A $300 VR headset without major compromises

Posted on by

Instead of cramming more technology into its Quest VR headsets, which would inevitably escalate their price, Meta has taken the opposite approach with the Quest 3S. It's a slightly bulkier, slightly less sharp version of the Quest 3 starting at $300, almost half off that headset's $500 launch price. The Quest 3S pitch is clear for consumers and developers alike: It's a more powerful and feature-rich budget device than the now defunct Quest 2, and since it has the same processor and GPU as the Quest 3, developers don't have to worry as much about supporting older headsets either.

Based on my brief hands-on time with the Quest 3S (our full review is in the works), it's easy to see how this could be another hit for Meta. Despite its lower price, it doesn't look or feel inferior to the Quest 3 at first. The only noticeable external difference is that it uses a triangular array of sensors up front, instead of three pill-shaped modules. While it's a bit larger than the Quest 3, it still sits comfortably on my face, and is easily adjustable via its rear and top straps.

I winced when I noticed it no longer had a 3.5mm jack, leaving you to use wireless headphones or a USB-C dongle instead, but its absence makes sense for a cheaper product. I'd wager the people who care most about a headphone jack would also opt for the Quest 3, instead.

Meta cut corners all over the place to drive the Quest 3S's price down. There are only three lens adjustment positions to match your pupillary distance, whereas the Quest 3 has finer controls. And instead of pancake lenses, the Quest 3S uses Fresnel lenses which can lead to additional glare or other artifacts. Those also pair together with lower quality displays, which offer 1,832 by 1,920 pixels per eye (like the Quest 2), instead of the Quest 3's 2,064 by 2,208 resolution.

Meta Quest 3S hands-on
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

What's more important for consumers is what Meta does include in the Quest 3S. It sports the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor and 8GB of RAM, and uses the same updated touch controllers. So while the Quest 3S might look a bit fuzzier than the Quest 3, it should perform the same.

That's something I immediately noticed upon booting up the Quest 3S. Navigating its main menu and the Quest store felt effortless and snappy, with little lag between screens or apps loading. The touch controllers still feel very responsive, too, something I confirmed with a few Beat Saber sessions. While it does get a bit warm, like its pricier sibling, the Quest 3S trucked along without any noticeable slowdown while I was installing several large games. The mixed reality experience was also similar to that on the Quest 3 — it's far from lifelike, but it's clear enough to read text on your monitor or phone in a pinch.

Based on a few hours of testing, the Quest 3S clearly manages to deliver an immersive VR experience at a lower price point. But we’ll have to spend a bit more time in virtual reality to determine how, exactly, it differs from the Quest 3.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-quest-3s-hands-on-a-300-vr-headset-without-major-compromises-133012786.html?src=rss

Machine learning pioneers, including the ‘Godfather of AI,’ are awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics

Posted on by

Two scientists have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics “for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks.” John Hopfield, an emeritus professor of Princeton University, devised an associative memory that's able to store and reconstruct images and other types of patterns in data. Geoffrey Hinton, who has been dubbed the "Godfather of AI," pioneered a way to autonomously find properties in data, leading to the ability to identify certain elements in pictures.

"This year’s physics laureates’ breakthroughs stand on the foundations of physical science. They have showed a completely new way for us to use computers to aid and to guide us to tackle many of the challenges our society face," the committee wrote on X. "Thanks to their work humanity now has a new item in its toolbox, which we can choose to use for good purposes. Machine learning based on artificial neural networks is currently revolutionizing science, engineering and daily life."

However, Hinton has grown concerned about machine learning and its potential impact on society. He was part of Google's deep-learning artificial intelligence team (Google Brain, which merged with DeepMind last year) for many years before resigning in May 2023 so he could "freely speak out about the risks of AI." At the time, he expressed concern about generative AI spurring a tsunami of misinformation and having the potential to wipe out jobs, along with the possibility of fully autonomous weapons emerging.

Although Hinton acknowledged the likelihood that machine learning and AI will improve health care, "it’s going to exceed people in intellectual ability. We have no experience of what it’s like to have things smarter than us,” he told reporters, according to The New York Times. That said, Hinton, a Turing Award winner and professor of computer science at the University of Toronto, was “flabbergasted” to learn that he had become a Nobel Prize laureate.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/machine-learning-pioneers-including-the-godfather-of-ai-are-awarded-the-nobel-prize-in-physics-132124417.html?src=rss

Google Docs adds tabs to help you stay organized

Posted on by

Google has released a new feature for Docs that will make it easier to break down — and, later, to find and access — information into separate sections. It's adding tabs to Docs, so that you can "build content in a way that makes it possible for you to find what you’re looking for quickly." Instead of creating multiple Doc files or merely using headings to organize information, you can write down whatever you want into distinct tabs, which will be much quicker to parse than a lengthy document. Tabs could also make collaborating with classmates or co-workers less chaotic. 

In its announcement, Google enumerated several examples of how tabs could help people. "A project manager," the company wrote, "can create a tab for budget, roles and responsibilities, goals, and key dates so that their working team can stay on track." In addition to Google's examples, we could also see the feature being useful to authors, who can use separate tabs for their outline, character profiles, plot plans, scenario details and other important notes. 

Document tabs will take up the left-hand section of the Google Docs interface. You can create several subtabs under each tab if you want to break down the information that's supposed to go into that section each further. If you edit a tab's name, you'll also be able to set an emoji to best represent what it's about, which will then replace the default article icon. The new feature has already started rolling out and will be making its way to all Google Workspace users, as well as everyone with personal Gmail accounts, over the next 15 days. 

tabs in Google Docs.
Google

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/google-docs-adds-tabs-to-help-you-stay-organized-130016429.html?src=rss

Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is $85 off for Prime Day

Posted on by

The Kindle that lets you take handwritten notes is on sale for Amazon Prime Day. The 16GB model of the Kindle Scribe is currently $85 off and down to $255 instead of the usual $340. That's not an all-time low — the ereader hit $240 as recently as July's Prime Day — but this is the lowest price we've tracked since then. And, while there's likely a new Kindle or two on the horizon, nothing is confirmed just yet. 

The Kindle Scribe is our pick for the best E Ink tablet that's also an ereader. The latency is next to nothing when it comes to drawing and handwriting notes, and we like that the basic stylus is included in the price (instead of coming as a separate purchase like with some E Ink slabs). You also get a number of brush types to choose from, like fountain pen, marker and pencil, and it's easy to create and manage notebooks in which you can put those stroke styles to work. 

We gave the device a score of 85 in our full review of the Kindle Scribe, again praising the writing experience as well as the premium build and ample screen size. One caveat is the lack of support for writing in the margins on most Kindle ebooks. While there's a small library of titles that allow you to scribble directly on the page, they're mostly crosswords and planner titles. For most ebooks, you'll make notes in a pop-up window linked to the text. 

As an ereader, the Scribe has a few abilities other ereaders don't, such as letting you read two pages side-by-side when the screen is in landscape orientation. It also has a flush-front display and auto-adjusting warm front lights. We also like how easy it is to read borrowed library books on a Kindle. Plus a recent update enabled handwriting-to-text conversions that you can email to your contacts.  

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-kindle-scribe-is-85-off-for-prime-day-120059393.html?src=rss

Ooni pizza ovens are up to $280 off for Amazon Prime Day

Posted on by

Amazon Prime Day deals are here, flooding the internet with all kinds of wild discounts. Even Ooni pizza ovens are available at remarkable prices. For instance, the Karu 16 is now $519, which is $281 off the usual price. That’s quite a sale. The Karu 16 is the company’s largest multi-fuel model, meaning you can choose between wood, charcoal and gas. There’s a hinged glass door for peeping in on your pies and a digital thermometer for zeroing in on the absolute correct temperature. To that end, the oven can reach a crust-charring 950F.

The “16” in the name refers to the size of the interior, which translates to larger pizza pies when compared to rival ovens. This also means that the oven can accommodate pans and large cast iron cookware, so it can whip up stuff other than pizza. However, pizza rules and other types of food drool.

The major downside here is regarding the price. The typical cost is $800, which is a massive splurge for a pizza oven. This sale alleviates much of that frustration. However, the Karu 16 requires a gas burner for that type of cook, and these burners are sold separately.

Today’s discounts aren't just for the Karu 16. The company’s Volt 12 electric pizza oven is also on sale for $720, which is a discount of $180. As the name suggests, this is an indoor appliance that runs on good ole electricity. It can actually reach a maximum temperature of 850 F, which is a fantastic metric for an indoor oven.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ooni-pizza-ovens-are-up-to-280-off-for-amazon-prime-day-114521277.html?src=rss

October Prime Day is over but these SSD deals are still available

Posted on by

The latest Amazon Prime Day sale is over, but you can still get some decent savings on storage gear right now. If you’re looking to add more space to a camera, tablet or gaming console ahead of Black Friday, we’ve rounded up the best discounts we could find on internal and external SSDs, microSD cards, thumb drives and other storage equipment that you can still get post Amazon October Prime Day.

The Kingston XS1000 against a light blue background.
The Kingston XS1000 portable SSD.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

  • SK Hynix Platinum P41 (1TB) for $76 ($19 off MSRP): This matches the lowest price we’ve seen in a year for SK Hynix’s speedy PCIe 4.0 internal SSD. It’s a fine option for PCs or the PlayStation 5 — just note that it doesn’t come with a heatsink.

  • WD Black SN850X (2TB) for $143 ($47 off): If you want a similar performing drive but need more capacity, this deal should fit the bill. The SN850X is the top PCIe 4.0 pick in our guide to the best SSDs. This discount isn’t an all-time low, but it’s about $10 to $15 below the 2TB model’s usual going rate over the past several months. The 4TB model is about $45 off at $264 as well, though we've seen that one go for much less in the past.

  • Crucial P310 (2TB) for $177 ($88 off): The P310 is a small-size SSD for more compact devices like the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally. It uses cheaper QLC memory, not the more performant TLC, but reviews suggest it'll still run well in something like the Deck. This is the lowest price we've seen for the 2TB variant. 

  • Crucial X9 Pro portable SSD (1TB) for $85 ($10 off): The X9 Pro is the top pick in our guide to the best portable SSDs, combining dependable performance with a rugged compact design. We've seen this 1TB model go for much less in previous sales, but it's sat in the $90 to $100 range for almost all of the past year. This discount marks the lowest price we've tracked since January.

  • Kingston XS1000 portable SSD (2TB) for $100 ($40 off): The diminutive Kingston XS1000 is the runner up pick in our guide, and this deal takes about $20 off the 2TB drive's average street price as of late.

  • Lexar SL500 portable SSD (1TB) for $85 ($45 off): This is another USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 model, so most people can safely skip it for a cheaper USB 3.2 Gen 2 SSD or, if you need more performance, a faster USB4 drive. If the SL500 fits into your setup, though, this discount is about $5 to $10 less than the 1TB model’s usual street price.

A silver and black Lexar Professional 1066x microSD card and its black SD card adapter rest on top of a brown wooden shelf above a white window sill.
The Lexar Professional 1066x microSD card.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

  • Samsung 990 Pro w/ heatsink (4TB) for $266 ($214 off): The Samsung 990 Pro is widely rated as one of the fastest PCIe 4.0 drives on the market. This variant comes with a heatsink, so it’s PS5-ready from the jump, though it’s probably overkill for more casual tasks, and it’s always possible to save cash by adding your own heatsink to a cheaper SSD. That said, if you don’t want to bother with that and you need a ton of space, this is an all-time low.

  • Crucial T705 (2TB) for $228 ($172 off): Most people don’t need to pay extra for an ultrafast PCIe 5.0 drive like the T705, but if you have heavy-duty performance needs and you own a compatible motherboard, this is about $45 off the 2TB model’s average going rate.

  • SK Hynix Beetle X31 portable SSD (1TB) for $65 ($70 off): The similarly pocketable Beetle X31 should do the job if you only need 1TB of space. This deal comes within a couple bucks of the lowest price we’ve seen and takes about $25 off the drive’s usual street price.

  • Crucial X10 Pro portable SSD (2TB) for $147 ($43 off): You need a device that supports USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 to take full advantage of it, but the X10 Pro is essentially a faster version of the X9 Pro above. Again, this discount isn’t an all-time low, but the 2TB model has typically retailed around $190 in recent months.

  • SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch (128GB, 2-pack) for $28 ($12 off): SanDisk’s Switch-branded microSD card isn’t the fastest we’ve used, but it’s perfectly suitable for most use cases, and this is a solid value for a two-pack.

  • SanDisk Ultra microSD card (1.5TB) for $89 ($61 off): If you don’t care about performance so much and just want a big chunk of space for as little cash as possible, this deal should work. You’ll have to deal with slower transfer speeds, but the discount takes roughly $20 off this 1.5TB card’s typical going rate in recent months.

  • WD Black C50 Xbox Expansion Card (1TB) for $121 ($37 off): It’s a pain in the neck, but the only way to fully expand the storage of an Xbox Series X/S is to use a proprietary expansion card such as the C50. This deal isn’t an all-time low, but it’s $10 to $20 cheaper than the typical street prices we’ve seen over the last several months.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/october-prime-day-is-over-but-these-ssd-deals-are-still-available-074908512.html?src=rss

The Morning After: The best deals we found on Amazon’s Prime Day 2024

Posted on by

Didn’t we already have a Prime Day? Yes, but that was Amazon’s July Prime Day — this one is in October. While it typically doesn’t offer the same breadth of deals (or deep discounts) as the OG day, if you’ve been keeping your eye on a certain pair of AirPods, Kindle tablet or, randomly this year, a lot of Lego, then you might be in luck.

Some highlights include $154 off AirPods Max (both Lightning and the recent USB-C version), the recently launched Ring pan-and-tilt security camera for $50 and Anker’s travel-friendly MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Station that can charge an Apple Watch, AirPods and smartphone all at once down to $88. Sony’s best headphones, another perennial Prime Day attendee, are on sale too: The WH-1000XM5 are on sale for $298, that’s $101 off.

If you’re shopping for a phone, though, no iPhones are discounted. Boo. However, the Pixel 8a is $100 cheaper ($399) and the OnePlus 12 is down to $650. We’ll be pulling the best deals into a single place, right here.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

TMA
Anadolu via Getty Images

If you’re using Meta’s Threads, then you’ve probably encountered some engagement bait in your for you feed — if it’s not completely clogging it up. Now, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri says the company is “working to get it under control” after yet another spike in posts. Because the app defaults to the algorithmic for you feed, these engagement bait-style posts that attract a lot of replies often go viral on the app, even if it’s the type of content many don’t want to see. And are low quality. And dumb. And repetitive.

Addressing the issue could be tricky because engagement bait takes many forms. It could be rage-bait, AskReddit-style questions, Facebook copy-paste and more. Mosseri and Meta haven’t explained why it’s proved so easy to game Threads’ algorithm to go viral, either, but it seems the social network prioritizes replies.

Continue reading.

US District Judge James Donato issued a permanent injunction forcing Google to open its storefront to competitors for three years and make Android apps available in alternate stores. The ruling stems from Google’s four-year antitrust battle with Epic Games. Billing changes will also emerge from the injunction. Google can’t require developers to use its own billing system, nor can it stop devs from notifying users about less expensive payment options. Google said it will appeal the injunction.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111630224.html?src=rss