Kalakshar US

TikToksaid last year that it reached one billion monthly active users worldwide, so whatever it’s doing is clearly working. That hasn’t stopped the ByteDance-owned company from testing and introducing new features, though, including those that put it in direct competition with YouTube. Case in point, its latest experiment that gives select users worldwide access to a horizontal full screen mode for videos they watch on their phones. 

The company has confirmed to TechCrunch that users chosen to be part of this test will see a button on square or rectangle videos in their feed. If they tap on that button, the video will expand horizontally to take up the whole screen. TikToks are famous for being short vertical videos, and creators still have to put a “turn your phone” message at the beginning of theirs if they filmed in landscape mode. If the company does launch this feature, they wouldn’t have to do that anymore, and other creators might be more inclined to film landscape videos. Of course, a wide release depends on testers’ response to the feature, among other factors. 

This is but the latest move the company has made in an effort to capture audiences who might like YouTube’s format better. Earlier this year, for instance, TikTok extended its maximum video length from three minutes to ten minutes. That said, it’s not exactly lagging behind the Google-owned video platform: According to a previous TechCrunch report, kids and teens have been spending more time on TikTok than YouTube since the middle of 2020. 

 

Just ahead of the holidays, Nintendo and Sony have unveiled their 2022 year in review tools for PlayStation and Switch, letting you see stats, a summary of your favorite games and more. As in previous years, you’ll not only be able to see a resume of your year in gaming, but share highlights with friends and see how you compare with other players around the world. 

On PlayStation, you’ll see trophy totals, the number of games played, total hours across PS4 and PS5 games and the number of PlayStation Plus games downloaded if you’re a member. You’ll also see stats achieved collectively by the global PlayStation community, like total miles driven in Gran Turismo 7 and the number of axes thrown in God of War Ragnarok. At the end of the experience, you’ll receive a summary card (below) that can be shared with other players. 

Nintendo has a similar tool for the Switch, with a report showing which games you played the most and for how long. You can also see which titles you were playing on a month by month basis, and share images of the report on social media. You’ll also see an overall year in review showing which games were played most and for how long in 2022. 

To access the stats, you’ll need to visit Nintendo and Sony‘s dedicated sites, then log into your account. If you’re like us, though, you may have spent inordinate amounts of time on Elden Ring, God of War Ragnarok, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

 

According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, Apple’s software and services teams are redesigning the platform to “open up key elements.” That could lead to the company giving iPhone and iPad users the option to download third-party apps without going through the App Store. Developers could then avoid the company’s infamous 30- and 15-percent commission on payments.

This could be to prepare for the European Union’s Digital Markets and Services Act. The act calls for interoperability between messaging platforms and equal access for outside developers to core operating system features, as well as allowing for sideloading – the ability to install on a device outside official app stores. Apple maintains this will be a security and privacy risk. US lawmakers are considering similar legislation to the Digital Markets Act, but their version, the Open App Markets Act, has yet to pass.

Messaging, too, could be an uphill struggle. RCS integration in iMessage is currently not on the table. Google has pushed the messaging protocol for years, going so far as to criticize Apple for not adopting it. Apple’s responses in the past have even included telling a reporter to buy their mom an iPhone.

– Mat Smith

The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.

The biggest stories you might have missed

‘Hogwarts Legacy’ delayed for Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One

‘Westworld’ and ‘The Nevers’ will soon be pulled from HBO Max

Apple releases iOS 16.2 with always-on display changes and tighter security

Apple’s 512GB Mac mini M1 drops to a record low of $750

How to watch the FTX Congressional hearings

Boom finds a new design partner for its supersonic jet engine

Audio from a Martian dust devil captured for the first time

Jack Dorsey responds to Twitter Files: There were no ‘hidden agendas’

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ is the first great high frame rate movie

But the HFR technology remains divisive.

As a sequel to the highest-grossing film ever – the original Avatar was criticized for its formulaic story (and the small impact it had on pop culture) – the new movie is, according to Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar, a genuine surprise. It’s a sweeping epic that avoids the wobbly dialogue of the first film. From a technical perspective, James Cameron has arguably made the best high frame rate (HFR) movie yet. Certain scenes play back at 48 frames per second, giving them a smoother and more realistic sheen compared to the standard 24 fps. That leads to incredibly immersive 3D action scenes in the three hour and twelve minute runtime.

Continue reading.

Scientists achieve fusion ignition, a major milestone in clean energy production

It’s a breakthrough, but the technology is still years from deployment.

A team at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has created the first known fusion reaction with a net energy gain – that is, it produced more energy than it consumed and resulted in ignition. On December 5th, the researchers achieved the feat when they used 192 lasers at the National Ignition Facility to blast a cylinder containing frozen hydrogen surrounded by diamond.

The reaction, which generated a flurry of X-rays, struck a fuel pellet of deuterium and tritium with 2.05 megajoules of energy. That led to a wave of neutron particles and 3.15 megajoules of output. The gain was ‘only’ equivalent to about 1.5 pounds of TNT, but it was enough to meet the criteria for fusion ignition.

Continue reading.

Amazon Prime Gaming offers ‘Dishonored 2’ for free this month

There are a few more games, too.

Amazon will offer Prime Gaming members a batch of PC games later this month at no extra cost. Along with a few Metal Slug titles, SNK 40th Anniversary Collection and a few others, you can snap up Arkane Studios’ Dishonored 2 between December 27th and January 3rd.

It’s not yet clear whether Amazon will offer the title through Steam, the Epic Games Store or the Amazon Games app. However, it’s worth noting Steam Deck doesn’t support this game, if that was your plan. And if you’ve got a Netflix sub, the streaming service is also offering a few free games as well.

Continue reading.

Congress introduces bill to ban TikTok over spying fears

Measures in the House and Senate would also block other social apps from China and Russia.

Members of the House and Senate have introduced matching bills to block transactions from any social media company in or influenced by China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea or Venezuela. The ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act (Averting the National Threat of Internet Surveillance, Oppressive Censorship and Influence, and Algorithmic Learning by the Chinese Communist Party – pithy) wants to shutter access to TikTok and other apps that could theoretically funnel American user data to oppressive governments, censor news or otherwise manipulate the public.

Continue reading.

 

ARM won’t sell its latest Neoverse V series chips to Chinese tech giant Alibaba after concluding that the US and UK would not approve licenses to export them, according to The Financial Times. The decision follows new US government rules restricting China and Russia exports of powerful chips that could be repurposed for military use. 

Softbank-owned ARM reportedly believes that Neoverse V would fall into the category of high-performance processors affected by the new rules. While it could apply for a license, it would likely be turned down, according to FT‘s sources with knowledge of the sale process. It may be the first time that ARM has decided not to sell it’s most advanced chip designs to China.

ARM designs the advanced RISC architecture for chips used in products ranging from smartwatches to advanced supercomputers. It doesn’t build the processors itself, but sells the designs to manufacturers like TSMC and Samsung. Its latest Neoverse V2 core has the highest performance to date, with a design said to have originated in the US. 

The Biden administration is also reportedly set to put Chinese chip manufacturer YMTC on its entity list as early as next week, according to a separate FT article. The company reportedly violated US export controls by supplying Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei with NAND memory chips. 

The US government had YMTC on an “unverified” entity list, meaning it was unable carry out checks to confirming that domestic technology wasn’t being used illegally. Thirty Chinese companies including YMTC had 60 days to comply to avoid being placed on an entity list that severely restricts exports. The Chinese government now allows such checks, but not all companies are necessarily cooperating. 

The US unveiled sweeping tech export controls in October. “This includes preventing China’s acquisition and use of US technology in the context of its military-civil fusion program to fuel its military modernization efforts, conduct human rights abuses, and enable other malign activities,” it said at the time. When the rules were announced, analysts said that memory chipmakers like YMTC would be most affected.

China filed a dispute with the World Trade Organization earlier this week over those export controls. The US government considers YMTC to be a “national champion” in China, so the latest move is likely to be met with a strong reaction. 

 

Back in February, Tesla chief Elon Musk revealed on Twitter that the automaker is working to bring Steam to its vehicles. Now, the company is officially rolling out Steam integration for the latest versions of its Model S and X cars as part of its holiday update. In its promo video of the feature, you’ll see Tesla’s infotainment system running Steam Beta and even graphically demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077. 

By “new” Model S and X vehicles, Tesla likely means their “Plaid” versions, which started deliveries last year. Both models’ infotainment systems use AMD’s RDNA 2 GPUs, which are also the technology behind PlayStation 5, and AMD’s Ryzen chips. Tesla has been building its library of in-vehicle games over the past few years and has added titles such as Cuphead, PUBG Mobile and Fallout Shelter to its offerings. By bringing Steam to its vehicles, though, Tesla is adding more than just a game or two to the growing list. The automaker said in its announcement that the integration will bring thousands of games to the aforementioned cars. 

Tesla previously got into trouble with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for allowing people to play games even while driving. It disabled the capability following the agency’s investigation, however, so people most likely can’t play Steam games while the vehicles are in motion. 

In addition to Steam integration, Tesla’s holiday update also gives owners access to Apple Music integration for their infotainment systems. It gives them the ability to schedule Light Shows on multiple vehicles simultaneously, as well, and to view their cabin camera from the Tesla app while in Dog Mode or Sentry Mode. 

 

Jack Dorsey has waded into the Twitter Files discourse. Writing in a newsletter, Dorsey lightly criticizes the manner the files have been released, and condemned attacks on former Twitter executives.

“I continue to believe there was no ill intent or hidden agendas, and everyone acted according to the best information we had at the time,” Dorsey wrote. “As for the files, I wish they were released Wikileaks-style, with many more eyes and interpretations to consider. There’s nothing to hide…only a lot to learn from.”

The response is the first time the former CEO has addressed the “Twitter Files” in detail. The disclosures detail some of the company’s internal deliberations surrounding controversial decisions, like Donald Trump’s suspension and Twitter’s handling of a New York Post story about Hunter Biden’s laptop. However, the “files” have only been made available to a handful of individuals, who have only published snippets of Slack messages, emails, and screenshots from Twitter’s internal tools. The underlying documents have not been released widely, or provided to other media outlets.

Notably, Dorsey also addressed the ongoing harassment of former Twitter executives. “The current attacks on my former colleagues could be dangerous and doesn’t solve anything,” he wrote. “If you want to blame, direct it at me and my actions, or lack thereof.” CNNreported Monday that Yoel Roth, Twitter’s former Trust & Safety head, had “fled his home” after a surge in violent threats against him.

Interestingly, Dorsey doesn’t mention Musk by name in his lengthy post. Dorsey had once said that “Elon is the singular solution I trust” for Twitter, though it’s unclear if he still feels that way. Dorsey, whose personal email was made public in the original installment of the Twitter Files, didn’t respond when asked if he stands by the statement.

As with other recent statements from Dorsey, he also shares lots of ideas about how content moderation should work — namely that algorithms should be used in favor of “a centralized system — and his hopes for an “open protocol” that could “make social media a native part of the internet.” And he revealed that he intends to give messaging app Signal $1 million a year as part of an effort to fund companies working on such protocols.

You can read Dorsey’s entire post here.

 

Honda is joining the ranks of automakers embracing Google’s services. As teased last year, the company has announced that the 2023 Accord sedan’s high-end Touring trim will be the brand’s first car with Google built-in as standard. You’ll have out-of-the-dealership access to Google Assistant, Google Maps and the Play Store on the vehicle’s 12.3-inch infotainment display. You can tweak the climate control, navigate or download a favorite music app without relying on your phone.

There’s no mention of pricing for the Google features. GM offers three free years of Google built-in access for vehicles like the GMC Yukon, but requires a $15 monthly subscription after that. You won’t lose all functionality after that, though. The Accord Touring will also support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with a 15W wireless charger to keep your phone running.

Honda hasn’t said which other cars will adopt the functionality. It won’t be surprising if the Prologue EV and other future models use the technology, however. A handful of rivals already use some form of Google built-in, including Volvo, its Polestar offshoot, GM’s brands and Renault. Ford will also use the platform starting in 2023.

Google has strong incentives to bring its apps to as many cars as possible — to an extent, it’s racing against time. Amazon Alexa is already available in some cars, and manufacturers are gaining more control over it thanks to Custom Assistant. Apple doesn’t (currently) have a standalone platform for cars, but its new generation of CarPlay can effectively take over your dash. If Google doesn’t win enough partners, it risks losing influence in the automotive world.

Not everyone is happy about expansions like these. Senator Elizabeth Warren has called on the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department to investigate Big Tech’s expansion to cars. She’s concerned Google and others might stifle competition by requiring service bundles and otherwise discouraging the use of third-party apps. Honda won’t be affected by this political pressure in the near term, but it may get more control over app selection if regulators decide to act.

 

NASA announced today that the Perseverance rover has captured audio from a Martian dust devil for the first time. But the clip not only treats us to the novelty of hearing an extraterrestrial vortex; it could also help scientists better understand how dust might affect future Mars missions.

The rover’s microphones picked up the dust devil on September 27th, 2021. To the casual ear, it sounds similar to a microphone picking up a wind gust on Earth, but scientists can learn much more. “As the dust devil passed over Perseverance we could actually hear individual impacts of grains on the rover,” Naomi Murdoch, planetary scientist and the author of new report, toldThe Washington Post. “We could actually count them.”

Dust is a significant factor in planning for Mars missions. It can erode a spacecraft’s heat shields, damage scientific instruments, incapacitate parachutes and smother solar panels.

Scientists estimate the recorded whirlwind measured about 82 feet wide by 387 feet high. (Although that may sound intimidating, this relatively minor storm didn’t damage the rover.) As you can hear below (via Science News), the clip includes a brief pause in the turbulence as the dust devil’s eye passes over the rover.

Perseverance also captured images (also included in the recording) of the approaching storm. Scientists had to coordinate their instruments to boost the odds of recording a storm. The rover only records sound snippets lasting under three minutes and only does so eight times per month. That meant timing them for when dust devils are most likely to hit while pointing its cameras where they’re most likely to approach. In this case, that preparation — and no small degree of luck — paid off.

“I can’t think of a previous case where so much data from so many instruments contributed to characterizing a single dust devil,” said John Edward Moores, a planetary scientist at York University. “Had the [camera] been pointing in a different direction or the microphone observation been scheduled just a few seconds later, key pieces of the story would be missing. Sometimes it helps to be lucky in science!”

The roughly 10-ft.-long Perseverance rover launched on July 30th, 2020 and touched Martian soil on February 18th, 2021. NASA uses the vehicle to explore the Jezero crater and search for signs of ancient microbial life as part of the Mars 2020 mission.

 

In one of his first all-hands meetings after taking over the company in October, Elon Musk told Twitter employees the website’s financial position was dire, warning bankruptcy was “not out of question.” Since then, it appears the situation at Twitter has become more fraught.

The New York Times reports the company is taking drastic steps to cut costs. In recent “weeks,” Twitter has reportedly not paid rent for its main headquarters in San Francisco and satellite offices in other countries. According to court documents obtained by The Times, the company has also refused to pay a $197,725 bill for charter flights Musk took during his first week at Twitter. Simultaneously, the social media website has continued to cut staff – despite Musk having recently told employees the company was done with layoffs. Among the most recent casualties include Nelson Abramson, the company’s global head of infrastructure. On Monday, the company disbanded its Trust and Safety Council of external advisors.

According to The Times, Musk and other executives have also talked about the potential consequences of denying severance payments to the thousands of people who were let go from the company in recent weeks. When he first took ownership of Twitter, Musk reportedly considered dismissing many of the employees who were subsequently laid off without any severance. However, he eventually decided to give US employees at least one month of severance pay, a move that ensured the company was in compliance with state and federal labor laws.

Amid those cost-cutting efforts, Musk has reshaped Twitter’s legal team in anticipation of the legal battles the company is likely to face in the near future. He recently dismissed Alex Spiro. The criminal defense lawyer was one of Musk’s close personal allies. In 2019, he successfully defended the billionaire in his infamous “pedo guy” defamation case. Musk had charged Spiro with leading the company’s legal and policy teams but reportedly became displeased with his personal lawyer after finding out he had kept James Baker on as Twitter’s deputy general counsel. Musk fired Baker after finding out the former FBI attorney had been responsible for reviewing the company’s decision to restrict posts related to a 2020 article The New York Post published about Hunter Biden’s laptop.

Since then, Musk has reportedly brought over “more than half a dozen” lawyers from SpaceX to fill the void left by Spiro and Baker. Among those who are now advising Twitter include SpaceX’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel Tim Hughes. Anticipating potential litigation, Musk has also told employees not to pay travel invoices and other vendors the company owes money to for their services.

 

American politicians aren’t just restricting access to TikTok — they now hope to ban it outright. Members of the House and Senate have introduced matching bills that would block transactions from any social media company in or influenced by China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea or Venezuela. The ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act (Averting the National Threat of Internet Surveillance, Oppressive Censorship and Influence, and Algorithmic Learning by the Chinese Communist Party) is meant to shut down access to TikTok and other apps that could theoretically funnel American user data to oppressive governments, censor news or otherwise manipulate the public.

The rationale echoes what US political leaders have argued for years. While TikTok has taken efforts to distance its international operations from those in China, such as by storing US data domestically, critics have argued that parent company ByteDance is ultimately at the mercy of the Chinese government. TikTok could potentially profile government workers and otherwise surveil Americans, according to the often-repeated claims.

Republican bill co-sponsors Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Mike Gallagher tried to draw links between some ByteDance leadership and the Chinese Communist Party in an opinion piece in The Washington Post this November. At the time, 23 directors had previously worked for state-backed media, and “at least” 15 employees still did. The bill is also sponsored by House Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi.

In a statement, a TikTok spokesperson said it was “troubling” that members of Congress were putting forward legislation to ban the app rather than waiting for a national security review to wind down. The bills will “do nothing to advance” national security, according to the company. The firm added that it would “continue to brief” Congress on plans developed under the watch of security officials. The social network has consistently denied plans to track American users or otherwise deliberately assist Chinese surveillance efforts in the country.

TikTok already faces some legal action. The states of Maryland and South Dakota have banned TikTok on government devices over security concerns. Indiana, meanwhile, sued TikTok for allegedly deceiving users about China’s data access and child safety violations. That lawsuit would fine TikTok and demand changes to the service’s info handling and marketing claims.

Whether or not the bills become legislation isn’t certain. President Biden revoked former President Trump’s orders to ban TikTok downloads, and instead required a fresh national security review. He’s not expected to override his own order. And while the bill sponsors characterize the measure as bipartisan, it’s not clear the call for a TikTok ban has enough support to clinch the necessary votes and reach Biden’s desk. To some degree, the ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act is more a signal of intent than a practical attempt to block TikTok.