Новости за 08.12.2021

Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday outlining a sweeping plan for the federal government to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Under the plan, the government would spend billions of dollars to purchase electric vehicles, upgrade federal buildings, and leverage the power of the government to shift to cleaner forms of electricity.

Illustration by Ana Kova

Over 40 million people in the United States had their personal health information exposed in data breaches this year, a significant jump from 2020 and a continuation of a trend toward more and more health data hacks and leaks.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Language generation is the hottest thing in AI right now, with a class of systems known as “large language models” (or LLMs) being used for everything from improving Google’s search engine to creating text-based fantasy games. But these programs also have serious problems, including regurgitating sexist and racist language and failing tests of logical reasoning. One big question is: can these weaknesses be improved by simply adding more data and computing power... Читать дальше...

Turning on professional mode lets creators earn money for their Reels. | Photo by Facebook

Facebook is rolling out professional mode for profiles, letting creators take advantage of additional monetization tools. The new mode also gives creators access to features that help track the growth of their audience, something that was previously only available with Pages.

You could play Sky Force Reloaded while driving — but you shouldn't. | Image: The Verge

Tesla updated its software allowing vehicle occupants to play video games on the center touchscreen while in motion, raising questions about safety and driver distraction. Previously, video games were only playable while the vehicle was in park.

Image: Nintendo

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is finally complete. After launching in 2018 with a roster that included every single character from the series’ long history, it has since been steadily updated with new fighters, culminating in the addition of Sora from Kingdom Hearts in October. The game’s last major update came on December 1st.

Image: Rockstar Games

Rockstar Games is releasing new story content for GTA Online featuring Franklin Clinton, one of the key characters from Grand Theft Auto V. In lieu of releasing standalone single-player expansions, the company is weaving new story-focused missions into its massive online mode on December 15th. Despite what sounds like a more low-key approach, Rockstar seems to be going big with this one, including Dr. Dre’s likeness, as well as new, unreleased music from the legendary rapper. Читать дальше...

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

On Wednesday afternoon, head of Instagram Adam Mosseri will appear before a Senate Commerce subcommittee to answer questions about whether the photo-sharing app is harmful to children’s health. It’s Mosseri’s first appearance before Congress and the first hearing to specifically address Instagram separately from Facebook.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Roku has reached a deal with Google to continue distributing the YouTube and YouTube TV apps on its platform. The two had been at odds over a contract extension, sparring over what Roku described as onerous demands by Google for more data and more prominent placement on its devices.

(From L to R) Yusaku Maezawa, Alexander Misurkin, and Yozo Hirano  | Photo by SHAMIL ZHUMATOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Three new spacefarers launched to the International Space Station this morning, a crew consisting of a Russian cosmonaut and two Japanese space tourists. One of the tourists on board was Yusaku Maezawa, a Japanese billionaire who announced his intention a few years back to fly around the Moon on SpaceX’s future Starship rocket one day.

You can use the Alexa app to control Amazon’s Smart Thermostat, which is currently enjoying its first discount. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

Even without a discount attached to it, Amazon’s surprisingly great Smart Thermostat is a good deal in itself. After our reviewer spent a decade testing almost every smart thermostat since the launch of the Nest Learning Thermostat, she found it to be one of the best yet. That’s saying a lot, and it’s pretty impressive given this is an affordable smart thermostat. Читать дальше...

Illustration by Ori Toor

You can’t keep Twitter out of your data completely, but you can lessen the damage

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

NFTs have been a cultural phenomenon throughout 2021, constantly making headlines as celebrities dabble in the space and as shenanigans, scams, and legal fights ensue. With some creators making millions off NFTs, though, it’s understandable why you’d want to try your hand at it or play around with the tech to get a better feel for it.

Background: A group of Sonos wireless speakers, including Arc, Sub, Move and One models taken on September 28, 2020. | Photo by Neil Godwin/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Sonos announced plans today to make its speakers and other products last longer and use less energy. It’s part of the company’s larger plan to make itself more sustainable, with a focus on minimizing e-waste and the pollution that drives climate change.

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

A scattershot day in court