Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The Ethereum network has been on a years-long path to switch its energy-hungry proof-of-work blockchain to a more efficient proof-of-stake system, and now its developers are suggesting a date to make the switch. It’s not final yet, but on a call streamed via the Ethereum Foundation’s YouTube page,…
Monthly Archives: August 2022
There were 33 Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) proceedings (all inter partes reviews [IPRs]), with just 42 new district court patent filings this week. That, coupled with 67 terminations, suggests that either it’s the summer doldrums, or the Western District of Texas/Waco reshuffling order is having an immediate impact on filings, as would-be plaintiffs…
Enlarge (credit: Meta) Meta’s Portal displays have always felt pretty niche. The 10- to 14-inch screens were heavily marketed as video-calling devices for apps like Facebook Messenger and Zoom. Even with the addition of music apps like Spotify and productivity apps like Microsoft Teams and a calendar, the products struggled to become something that felt…
Meta currently only offers default end-to-end encryption for WhatsApp. Getty Earlier this week, Motherboard published documents detailing private data Meta provided to Nebraska law enforcement. The information release, which included direct messages between a 17-year-old teen and her mother, resulted in a search warrant and subsequent misdemeanor and felony charges relating to an at-home abortion…
In March 2022, parts of an ice shelf in the East Antarctic ice sheet started to disintegrate. NASA The chance to keep the massive East Antarctic ice sheet (EAIS) from disappearing is rapidly slipping away. Also called the “sleeping giant,” this ice sheet, made up of glacial ice accumulated over land, is the largest in…
Apple has inked a deal with Futuro Studios to develop original podcasts, a Bloomberg report states. Apple’s TV studio reportedly led the investment, which will support the Pulitzer Prize-winning, non-profit media company in exchange for first dibs on any on-screen adaptations of new shows. Existing Futuro podcasts like “Suave” and “La Brega” use investigative journalism and…
The world of crypto venture has had a whirlwind few years, with powerful new players inspiring furious catch-up among traditional VC firms aiming to make a name for themselves in the sector. All the while, the corporate venture fund has been reshaped by plenty of the top crypto startups, now capitalizing on historic revenues to…
Climate change and the industrial food complex are intrinsically linked. As that sinks in to the public consciousness, more and more people ask the question “What can I do to help reduce my impact?” The answer is pretty obvious: waste less, eat more local, eat seasonally, and watch what’s on your plate. You don’t have…
Happy unofficial foldables week! An increasingly rare bright spot in the broadly struggling smartphone space, manufacturers are looking toward the emerging form factor to help kickstart them out of the doldrums. Following announcements by Xiaomi and category-leader Samsung, Motorola returned this week with the latest version of the revived Razr brand. The latest version of…
Amazon has been fined again for breaching labor laws in Catalonia, Spain. The ecommerce giant has been under investigation by regional labor authorities over its subcontracting practices for a number of years. According to local press reports, the latest fine for Amazon — of €3.2 million — follows a penalty of over €800,000 it received…