Weekend Tech Roundup January 06, 2024

Google Just Disabled Cookies for 30 Million Chrome Users. Heres How to Tell If Youre One of Them. Today marks the first of many upcoming moments of silence inGoogles years-long plan to kill cookies. Photo: VIAVAL TOURS / Shutterstock.com (Shutterstock) / Photo: Michael Reynolds (Getty Images) / Photo: Mikki Ansin (Getty Images) / Photo: Ethan Miller (Getty Images) / Image: Atari Games / Screenshot: Chaos Computer Club / Photo: Poetra.RH (Shutterstock) / Photo: Victor J....

January 6, 2024 · 2 min · 238 words · Kyle Macdonald

What to Know About the New Rocket Launching a Major Moon Mission on Monday

The 202-foot-tall (61.6-meter) Vulcan Centaur is set to launch from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral. Vulcan Centaurs developmental journey was significantly influenced by both geopolitical events and competitive pressures in the aerospace industry. Its a highly versatile rocket, equipped with the capability to launch multiple payloads simultaneously. ULA’s Vulcan Centaur standing on the Florida launch pad.Photo: ULA These Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM) 63XL Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) are provided by Northrop Grumman....

January 6, 2024 · 1 min · 183 words · Andrea Bean

A Mountain of Used Clothes Appeared in Chile’s Desert. Then It Went Up in Flames

This story was originally published byGrist. This story was produced by Grist and co-published withEl Pais. A Spanish-language versioncan be read here. An aerial view of piles of used clothing.Photo: Antonio Cossio (AP) Reporting was supported by theJoan Konner Program in the Journalism of Ideas. They headed toward a mountain of sand known as El Paso de la Mula. Astudillo stopped the car and texted the academics behind her. It looks like its on fire....

January 5, 2024 · 6 min · 1257 words · Breanna Summers

A Single Dose of Psychedelic Ibogaine Might Help People With Traumatic Brain Injuries

The psychedelic drug ibogaine may be able to give brain injury sufferers some much needed help. Ibogaine is derived from the root of the iboga plant (Tabernanthe iboga), native to Central Africa. Even today, the drugs hallucinogenic effects are used by people in the area as part ofritualistic ceremonies. Image: Emily C. McCormick (Shutterstock) But more recently, some people have also started to take it for therapeutic reasons. Eventually, these stories made him and his team curious enough to dig deeper....

January 5, 2024 · 1 min · 146 words · Austin Lindsey

A Trip to Proxima Centauri and Other Far-Out Ideas NASA Is Exploring

These projects highlight the important role that NIAC plays in pioneering space exploration technologies. The chosen teams will now have access to the agencys resources and expert advice to further develop their concepts. Although these projects are not yet official NASA missions, the potential for future adoption remains. Artist’s depiction of Mars Aerial and Ground Global Intelligent Explorer (MAGGIE).Image: Ge-Cheng Zha/NASA His team envisions acoordinated fleet of miniature spacecraft setting off for Proxima Centauriwithin this century....

January 5, 2024 · 1 min · 118 words · Samuel Krueger

Google Wrote a ‘Robot Constitution’ So Its Machines Won’t Kill You… Hopefully

First among them: A robot may not injure a human being. The Robot Constitution comes from Google DeepMind, the tech giants main AI research wing. The news comes amid a larger announcement about Googles robot plans. Gif: Google Thats the same kind of technology that runs ChatGPT, Googles Bard, and other chatbots. In fact, Google already has these little robot buddies running around its campuses in a test capacity. The machines handled jobs like wipe down the countertop with a sponge and knock over the coke can....

January 5, 2024 · 1 min · 167 words · Charles Nelson

Hey Siri, Does ChatGPT Have Code to Replace You in Its New Update?

ChatGPTgained the ability tolisten and talk backin September, allowing users to speak with generative AI. Soon, ChatGPT could replace digital assistants like Siri and Google Assistant altogether. However, OpenAIs latest update shows that ChatGPT may actually replace Siri and Google Assistant sooner than we thought. OpenAI did not immediately respond to Gizmodos request for comment. There are already several AI hardware products in the works. TheHumane AI Pinuses voice technology as a key part of its operating system....

January 5, 2024 · 1 min · 119 words · Noah Gill

How Maya’s Powers Became One ofEcho’sBiggest Mysteries

In the comics, theres a reason why Maya Lopez is named Echo. Its becauseher main superpower is the abilityto copy and recreate any physical action she sees. An echo, if you must. Maya Lopez goes home in Echo.Image: Marvel Studios Its not a mystery that Maya will have powers. Nor is it, after the shows very first scene, a mystery where they come from. Watch a video below or read more after....

January 5, 2024 · 1 min · 151 words · Keith Walker

In 2024, AI Will Spark an Indie Video Game Renaissance (and Nightmare)

If youve ever used an AI image generator, youve seen a preview of the coming tidal wave. All you need is AI tools built for that purpose. What you may not realize is theyre already here. Gif: PixelChoice (Getty Images) Lets say you want to make a sci-fi first-person shooter. Video games are about to have their SoundCloud moment. Assistant even works in multiple languages including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, and Spanish....

January 5, 2024 · 2 min · 411 words · Jason Porter

Kohler’s Newest Bidet Finally Brings Alexa and Google to Your Butt

It also features voice activation via Amazons Alexa or the Google Assistant. Ahhh, nice and warm. The SpaViva hand shower is another new release. “Hey, Google, warm up my toilet.”Image: Kohler Its a microbubble shower spray that offers a deeper clean with its micro-size water spouts. It also purports to retain water heat, which should reel in the people who love hot showers. The vent can help manage humidity and improve air quality....

January 5, 2024 · 1 min · 120 words · Ryan Lambert

Margot Robbie Is Still DC’s Harley Quinn if She Wants to Be, Which She Probably Doesn’t

Margot Robbie was already a massive starwhen she first took on the roleof Harley Quinn. But Id love to work with her again as Harley or someone else. So will Robbie swing Harleys bat ever again? Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.Image: Warner Bros. Thats the biggest no-brainer ever. Gunn even says hed be open to her playing someone else in the universe. Ultimately though, thatll be her decision....

January 5, 2024 · 1 min · 86 words · Laura Webb

Patrick Stewart Says a PicardStar TrekMovie Is in the Works

And Ive been told to expect to receive it within a week or so. Want more io9 news? News from the future, delivered to your present. Image: Paramount Pacific Rims TV Show Drifts to Prime Video Good news for giant robot fans.

January 5, 2024 · 1 min · 42 words · Jasmine Johnson

Razer’s Newest Laptops Include a 16-inch 240Hz OLED and Return of the Ginormous Blade 18

This years version of the Razer Blade 16 boasts a 240Hz refresh rate has a 0.2ms pixel response time. Dont expect 4K, but it does offer a QHD+, 25601600 resolution. Otherwise, Razer said the screen is VESA-certified ClearMR11000 and DisplayHDR True Black 500. The 16-inch Razer Blade now has an OLED screen boasting a 240Hz refresh rate. The 18-inch has been bumped to 4K resolution.Image: Razer This should offer good sharpness and color vibrancy, but well have to see for ourselves in time....

January 5, 2024 · 2 min · 214 words · Timothy Jackson