Tech Wrap

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This hoverboard is being recalled after a fire that killed two children

The Jetson Rogue hoverboard is being recalled due to fire risk, as the lithium-ion battery packs can overheat. There have been multiple reports of the recalled hoverboards burning, sparking, or melting, and a fire that killed two children was determined to have originated from a Jetson Rogue. Customers are urged to stop using and charging their hoverboards and to contact Jetson for a refund. The recall affects about 53,000 units sold by Target and Jetson's website from 2018 to 2021.

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A judge dismissed Phhhoto’s antitrust suit against Meta

A U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of New York dismissed a lawsuit against Meta filed by now-defunct social app Phhhoto that alleged Meta violated federal antitrust law by copying its core features with the Instagram-adjacent video looping app Boomerang. The judge dismissed the complaint due to time-limits imposed by the relevant statutes of limitations. Meta was pleased with the outcome, maintaining that the suit was "meritless."

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Twitter’s $1,000 checkmark will be free for the 10,000 most-followed companies

Twitter is reportedly giving a free pass to its top advertisers and organizations with the most followers, exempting them from paying the $1,000 monthly fee for Twitter Verification for Organizations. The move is said to be part of Twitter's major changes to its verification process, which will wind down the legacy verified program in April. Twitter's decision to offer a free pass to select organizations is seen as an olive branch to advertisers whose relationship with Twitter has been strained of late. However, companies that don’t get the free pass could rack up a big Twitter bill.

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The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog is a new, real, and free game you can play right now

Sega has released a new Sonic the Hedgehog game called "The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog" for PC and Mac. The free murder mystery game is available on Steam and puts players in the midst of a murder mystery party aboard the Mirage Express to celebrate Amy Rose's birthday. However, the game takes a dark turn when Sonic is found dead on the floor. Despite the bizarre concept, the game has received praise for its lighthearted and experimental approach.

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Twitter takes its algorithm ‘open-source,’ as Musk promised

Twitter has released the code for its recommendation pipeline to GitHub, following CEO Elon Musk's promise to make the algorithm open-source. The pipeline consists of three stages: gathering tweets from different sources, ranking them with a machine learning model, and filtering out blocked or previously seen tweets. Musk has warned users that the code is "overly complex & not fully understood internally" and that they will "discover many silly things," but promised to fix issues as they arise. Twitter will need to figure out governance systems to decide which pull requests to approve and how to prevent bad actors from sabotaging the code. The move towards transparency comes amid criticism from Musk and others about Twitter's moderation and recommendation practices, and potential competition from decentralized social networks like Mastodon and Bluesky.

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What’s going on with the TikTok ban?

As the U.S. ban of TikTok looms, there is uncertainty surrounding the future of the popular video sharing app. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress last week, addressing concerns over national security and issues such as eating disorder content and social media addiction prevention tools. While the hearing is unlikely to impact TikTok's domestic fate, it serves as a barometer for the challenges the company faces. The effort to ban TikTok in the U.S. began during the Trump administration and has been picked up by the Biden White House.

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GM is cutting off access to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for its future EVs

General Motors' upcoming lineup of electric vehicles will not support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, instead opting for a native Google infotainment system. The decision is aimed at providing a seamless experience with Google Maps, Google Assistant, Audible, Spotify, and more. The move will also help GM capture more data on its customers' driving, listening, and charging habits to inform future subscription products. The decision is a reversal from GM's position several years ago when the automaker first announced its deal with Google. However, GM's gas-powered vehicles will continue to allow CarPlay and Android Auto use.

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Amazon to adapt Aaron Foley’s Boys Come First as a new series

Amazon is developing an adaptation of Aaron Foley's debut novel Boys Come First, which centers around three Black, gay thirty-somethings in Detroit who are navigating their friendship and personal growth during a time of rapid change in the city. Ted Lasso's Chuck Hayward will write the pilot and serve as showrunner, with Will Graham and Hailey Wierengo's production company Field Trip producing as part of Graham's first-look deal with Amazon. No further details have been announced.

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Fewer EVs will qualify for the federal $7,500 tax credit under updated rules

The Biden administration has updated the rules governing which electric vehicles (EVs) are eligible for a tax credit, with the new rules addressing issues related to the source of critical minerals contained within an EV battery. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, only EVs with battery materials sourced from the US and its approved trading partners will qualify for the $7,500 credit, which represents a serious challenge to most automakers and customers interested in buying an EV. The new criteria will take effect on 18 April, and a list of qualifying models is expected to be published.

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Google’s last-gen Pixel 6 Pro is half off right now at Woot

Sony is offering up to 75% off on a number of PlayStation games, including The Last of Us Part I, Horizon Forbidden West, The Quarry, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe is on sale for $127.49 at Belkin when using promo code SS23 at checkout. Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses are available starting at $209.30 ($90 off) at Amazon. The Pixel 6 Pro is on sale at Woot in an unlocked black configuration with 128GB of storage for $469.99.

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