The worst of the global chip shortage may now (thankfully) be behind us, but the desire to get more processors manufactured in the US hasn’t gone away. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that both Apple CEO Tim Cook and POTUS himself Joe Biden saw fit to attend the launch of chip-maker TSMC’s upcoming Arizona facility. Cook confirmed that Apple plans to use chips made at the facility in iPhones and Macs. “These chips can be proudly stamped ‘Made in America,’” he said.
Speaking of tech companies playing politics, Microsoft is still trying to get its Activision Blizzard deal over the line. Its latest move is the announcement of a 10-year deal with Nintendo to bring Call of Duty to the Japanese company’s consoles, putting pressure on Sony (which is opposing the acquisition) to accept a similar deal.
Finally, if you haven’t checked out the comic we published yesterday, then I highly recommend it. It’s called “How to Replace the Sky” and it’s about... well... I’ll let you discover it for yourself.
Anyway, here’s a silly tweet:
Stay tuned, as we continue to update this list with the most important news of today: Friday, December 7th, 2022.
Dec 8, 2022, 11:50 PM UTCJennifer Pattison Tuohy
Your home security system may now be a little smarter
A new Smart Arming feature for Alarm.com systems should make it slightly harder for you to trip your alarm by mistake.
Dec 7, 2022, 11:36 PM UTCUmar Shakir
Now Telegram users don’t need a phone number — they can buy a fake one with crypto
Users — who live outside the US — can purchase an anonymous number through the Telegram founder’s Fragment blockchain, then use it to sign up for Telegram instead of using their own phone number.
Dec 7, 2022, 11:26 PM UTCMitchell Clark
Former Theranos executive Sunny Balwani is sentenced to almost 13 years in prison
The former Theranos president and COO was convicted of misleading both investors and patients.
Dec 7, 2022, 10:56 PM UTCMakena Kelly
Indiana sues TikTok for misleading users on child safety and data security
Other states have started banning the app on government devices.
Dec 7, 2022, 10:52 PM UTCMitchell Clark
Dish’s $25-a-month Boost Infinite plan is now out in beta
You may now be able to try the carrier’s flagship cell plan, but it’s not exactly what we were expecting in its current state.
Dec 7, 2022, 10:18 PM UTCAsh Parrish
Elden Ring adds new hairstyles, still forgets the Black ones
Elden Ring’s new patch also includes a PVP colosseum and some weapon balance changes.
Dec 7, 2022, 7:42 PM UTCSheena Vasani
You can save $30 on Disney Plus by signing up today before the price hike
New and returning customers can save $30 on the ad-free annual plan if they subscribe to Disney Plus before the end of December 7th.
- SI checked out a *real* self-flying drone — here’s the video.
Sorry to keep you waiting! Fresh off the presses, here’s our TikTok about the new Skydio Dock I told you about this AM.
Dec 7, 2022, 7:11 PM UTCMitchell Clark
Apple claims a new iMessage can alert you if state-sponsored spies are eavesdropping
Apple wants you to trust your most sensitive conversations to iMessage
Dec 7, 2022, 7:02 PM UTCRichard Lawler
Apple drops controversial plans for child sexual abuse imagery scanning
A plan unveiled last year for client-side scanning of iCloud Photos to detect imagery of abuse has been abandoned as Apple focuses on end-to-end encryption and other ways to protect children.
Dec 7, 2022, 6:27 PM UTCJay Peters
Apple is adding end-to-end encryption to iCloud backups
Apple is expanding its iCloud security features and introducing support for security keys for two-factor authentication.
Dec 7, 2022, 6:00 PM UTCSean Hollister
This is the dock that lets Skydio drones truly fly themselves
Humans are in the loop, but what if they weren’t?
Dec 7, 2022, 6:00 PM UTCLewis Gordon
Dwarf Fortress is no longer PC’s most inscrutable game
The subterranean settlement sim has been a cult favorite since it was first released in 2006. Now, a graphically updated version of the game is hitting Steam and Itch, the perfect entry point for the ‘Dwarf Fortress curious.’
Dec 7, 2022, 5:07 PM UTCJustine Calma
Stop burning trees for energy, scientists urge ahead of UN Biodiversity Conference
Hundreds of scientists have signed a letter calling for countries to use wind and solar instead of trees burned for electricity and heat.
Dec 7, 2022, 5:00 PM UTCJess Weatherbed
Xbox brings gaming soundscapes to Calm app for sleeping and meditation
Microsoft also highlights games that feature healthy escapism, including Stardew Valley and, uh, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.
- AWould you like to see a wookie with a lightsaber?
Disney Plus has a new trailer for the second season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch. This time the clone Clone War veterans do a heist while they continue to reckon with the super evil nature of the Empire under Palpatine.
Also, there’s a small wookie child with a lightsaber. The new season starts streaming on January 4th, 2023.
Dec 7, 2022, 3:27 PM UTCJon Porter
This year’s roundup of the top Google searches includes super local trends
If you’re in the US, Google can tell you what the biggest search terms were in your specific area.
- RNow Amazon’s Echo Show 15 has a Fire TV inside.
A few months ago, Amazon announced its wall-mountable Echo Show 15 would get a software update to add Fire TV streaming capabilities with YouTube TV, Disney Plus, Prime Video, Netflix, and more, and now it’s here.
That upgrade alone won’t address all the issues Jennifer Pattison Tuohy noted in her review, but she’s giving it another try with the Fire TV remote to see how things have evolved.
Amazon Echo Show 15 running fire TV software Image: Amazon - RGreen light.
The San Francisco government is apparently walking back its killer robot plans, Tim Cook and Joe Biden popped up in Arizona, and Call of Duty could come back to Nintendo. It’s that kind of day, but here are a few other stories you might have missed.
Now the Chrome omnibox uses @ shortcuts so you can quickly search tabs and history.
Apple’s electric car plans could have a starting price under $100k, and keep any “self-driving” features restricted to the highways.
If you want to pay a little less for Disney Plus, today might be your last chance.
Say goodbye to Gwent.
Dec 7, 2022, 2:00 PM UTCTom Warren
Microsoft Teams adds free communities feature to take on Facebook and Discord
Microsoft is taking the best parts of Teams and packaging them up for groups and communities to use freely.
Dec 7, 2022, 2:00 PM UTCJames Vincent
Companion robot ElliQ can ask users about their childhood to create a digital ‘memoir’
An upgraded ‘companion robot’ for the elderly.
Dec 7, 2022, 2:00 PM UTCDavid Pierce
Snapchat’s big new augmented reality feature is letting creators make money
Some creators will be able to make money off in-app lenses. It’s the start of a business Snap hopes will make its platform the center of an AR universe.
Dec 7, 2022, 1:00 PM UTCPatrick George
BMW thinks it can turn speed bumps into energy for its EVs
The German automaker filed a patent for a new type of suspension that allows a car to gather electricity generated from bumps in the road.
Dec 7, 2022, 11:20 AM UTCJames Vincent
San Francisco reverses plans to allow police robots to kill suspects
San Francisco u-turns on ‘killer robots’
Dec 7, 2022, 11:00 AM UTCAndrew J. Hawkins
Robotaxis are now available to hail on the Uber app in Las Vegas
For the first time, the Uber app can be used to hail an autonomous vehicle. The ridehail company has a 10-year deal with Motional, which is a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv.
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