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AOL Pulls the Plug on Dial-Up Internet Today, 34 Years After Its Launch

Like TV screen static, a VHS tape rewinding, or a butter churn, the grating sound of AOL dial-up Internet will also soon be a thing of the past. As the company announced in August on its support website, "Dial-up Internet to be discontinued." As of Sept. 30, the site notes, "this service and the associated software, the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, which are optimized for older operating systems and dial-up internet connections, will be discontinued." That's not good news for th

Imgur pulls out of UK after data regulator warns of fines

Imgur, one of the web’s most popular image sharing and hosting platforms, has shut off access to its site to users in the United Kingdom, following a notice of a fine by the country’s data protection watchdog. According to reports on social media, users attempting to load Imgur from the U.K. are met with an error message that says: “Content not available in your region.” The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in March had launched an investigation into various social media platforms, incl

Can't hear TV dialogue? This portable soundbar solved my audio problems for cheap

Creative Stage Pro soundbar ZDNET's key takeaways The Creative Stage Pro soundbar is available on Amazon for $170. This cost-effective soundbar excels at producing clear dialogue. The Stage Pro subwoofer won't blow you away, but it does add some depth to voices. View now at Amazon Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. This space-saving soundbar/subwoofer combo from Creative might not meet the lofty demands of an audiophile, but for anyone who wants more sound from their movie

I was struggling to hear TV dialogue until this soundbar fixed everything for cheap

Creative Stage Pro soundbar ZDNET's key takeaways The Creative Stage Pro soundbar is available on Amazon for $170. This cost-effective soundbar excels at producing clear dialogue. The Stage Pro subwoofer won't blow you away, but it does add some depth to voices. View now at Amazon Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. This space-saving soundbar/subwoofer combo from Creative might not meet the lofty demands of an audiophile, but for anyone who wants more sound from their movie

This app takes my Nothing Phone’s Glyph lights to the next level

Ryan Haines / Android Authority When Nothing first switched from its original Glyph Interface to the new Glyph Matrix on the Phone 3, I have to say I was underwhelmed. Sure, the LED-filled circle looks cool and promises a new way to interact with your phone, but I couldn’t shake the fact that it felt more like a gimmick than the light-up strips. It packed more toys than tools, and I couldn’t make myself use it enough. But now, I’ve found an app that changes things. It’s called Glyphify, and it

Myocardial infarction may be an infectious disease

According to the recently published research, an infection may trigger myocardial infarction. Using a range of advanced methodologies, the research found that, in coronary artery disease, atherosclerotic plaques containing cholesterol may harbour a gelatinous, asymptomatic biofilm formed by bacteria over years or even decades. Dormant bacteria within the biofilm remain shielded from both the patient’s immune system and antibiotics because they cannot penetrate the biofilm matrix. A viral infect

Heart attacks may be triggered by bacteria

According to the recently published research, an infection may trigger myocardial infarction. Using a range of advanced methodologies, the research found that, in coronary artery disease, atherosclerotic plaques containing cholesterol may harbour a gelatinous, asymptomatic biofilm formed by bacteria over years or even decades. Dormant bacteria within the biofilm remain shielded from both the patient’s immune system and antibiotics because they cannot penetrate the biofilm matrix. A viral infect

Can't hear TV dialogue? This soundbar fixed my audio problems for cheap

Creative Stage Pro soundbar ZDNET's key takeaways The Creative Stage Pro soundbar is available on Amazon for $170. This cost-effective soundbar excels at producing clear dialogue. The Stage Pro subwoofer won't blow you away, but it does add some depth to voices. $169.99 at B&H Photo-Video $169.99 at Amazon more buying choices Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. This space-saving soundbar/subwoofer combo from Creative might not meet the lofty demands of an audiophile, but fo

Exploding Primordial Black Holes Could ‘Rewrite the History of the Universe’

It’s been a fantastic week for Stephen Hawking’s black hole theories. Yesterday, LIGO confirmed the famed physicist’s prediction about black hole mergers. Now, another team believes they’ve found a way to observe primordial black holes—cosmic behemoths that emerged not from the ashes of dying stars but from the chaos of the early universe. In a paper published September 9 in Physical Review Letters, a team of physicists make the bold prediction that, within the next decade, we will be able to w

The FDA approves human trials for pig kidney transplants

Despite how it sounds, a xenotransplant isn't something from the latest Alien movie. It's an increasingly credible science: the transplantation of animal organs into humans. The field took one of its biggest leaps forward on Monday. The FDA approved the biotech company eGenesis to begin human trials of pig-to-human kidney transplants. eGenesis provides pigs with CRISPR-modified genes. These genetic changes reduce the chances of organ rejection in human recipients. The FDA approved the company f

Imgur's community was in revolt

The front page of Imgur, a popular image hosting and social media site, is full of pictures of John Oliver raising his middle finger and telling MediaLab AI, the site’s parent company, “fuck you.” Imgurians, as the site’s users call themselves, telling their business daddy to go to hell is the end result of a years-long degradation of the website. The Imgur story is one a classic case of enshitification , Imgur began life in 2009 when Ohio University student Alan Schaaf got tired of how hard it

Imgur's Community Is in Full Revolt Against Its Owner

The front page of Imgur, a popular image hosting and social media site, is full of pictures of John Oliver raising his middle finger and telling MediaLab AI, the site’s parent company, “fuck you.” Imgurians, as the site’s users call themselves, telling their business daddy to go to hell is the end result of a years-long degradation of the website. The Imgur story is one a classic case of enshitification , Imgur began life in 2009 when Ohio University student Alan Schaaf got tired of how hard it

Poll: Do you like the new Google dialer?

Joe Maring / Android Authority Google has been rolling out a major visual and functional refresh to its Phone app, and people aren’t shy about sharing how they feel. Between the Material 3 Expressive makeover and the flashy new Calling Cards feature, the humble Google dialer has suddenly become one of the most talked-about Google apps of the year. Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our lat

Imgur protest covers the front page in anti-MediaLab memes

Despite all the division and controversy rife in the modern era, sometimes the Internet does manage to collectively agree on something. Right now, they agree that they hate Imgur parent company MediaLab. After being acquired by MediaLab in 2021, the once famously open-to-anything image-sharing service began placing restrictions on content in 2023. More recently, the site has experienced service issues, including problems with notifications. Many members of the Imgur community have claimed that

DaVita says ransomware gang stole data of nearly 2.7 million people

Kidney dialysis firm DaVita has confirmed that a ransomware gang that breached its network stole the personal and health information of nearly 2.7 million individuals. DaVita serves over 265,400 patients across 3,113 outpatient dialysis centers, 2,660 in the United States, and 453 centers in 13 other countries worldwide. The company reported revenues of over $12 billion in 2024 and of $3.3 billion for the second quarter of 2025. In April, the healthcare provider revealed in a filing with the U

Dicing an Onion, the Mathematically Optimal Way

This is a project about onions and math. Why? Because tens of millions of people are curious about how to properly dice an onion, according to YouTube. In 2021, chef and food writer J. Kenji López-Alt broke out some math to get optimal uniform piece sizes. But there is more than one way to dice an onion… This is an onion. (Well, a simplified cross-section of one.) We’ve cut it in half lengthwise, using a sharp knife to reduce the chance of injury and onion-induced crying. From here, what’s the

Google Play Store Bans Wallets That Don't Have Banking License

Google Play Store has introduced a policy that requires any software wallet developer to obtain a license before publishing cryptocurrency wallet apps to the Google Play Store "to ensure a safe and compliant ecosystem for users." The policy targets 15 jurisdictions, including the European Union and the United States, laying out which regulations Google Play Store expects software wallet developers to comply with. This includes being a registered Money Service Business with FinCEN in the US, as

AOL Will Shut Down Dial-Up Internet Access in September

After decades of connecting US subscribers to its online service and the internet through telephone lines, AOL recently announced it is finally shutting down its dial-up modem service on September 30, 2025. The announcement marks the end of a technology that served as the primary gateway to the web for millions of users throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. AOL confirmed the shutdown date in a help message to customers: "AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to disco

AOL announces September shutdown for dial-up Internet access

After decades of connecting Americans to its online service and the Internet through telephone lines, AOL recently announced it is finally shutting down its dial-up modem service on September 30, 2025. The announcement marks the end of a technology that served as the primary gateway to the World Wide Web for millions of users throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. AOL confirmed the shutdown date in a help message to customers: "AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to

AOL pulls the plug on dial-up - a reminder that 'dead' tech has a long expiration date

AOL / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET ZDNET's key takeaways Generation X says goodbye to the past. Old technology can linger long after you thought it was dead and done. AOL, once a technology giant, is now little more than a footnote. For millions of people who first heard "You've got mail" over crackling phone lines, an iconic chapter in digital history is coming to a close. AOL, also known as America Online, has announced it will shut down its dial-up internet service on Sept. 30, 2025, eff

AOL pulls the plug on dial-up after 30+ years - feeling old yet?

AOL / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET ZDNET's key takeaways Generation X says goodbye to the past. Old technology can linger long after you thought it was dead and done. AOL, once a technology giant, is now little more than a footnote. For millions of people who first heard "You've got mail" over crackling phone lines, an iconic chapter in digital history is coming to a close. AOL, also known as America Online, has announced it will shut down its dial-up internet service on September 30, 2025,

AOL ends dial-up service after more than 30 years

AOL ends dial-up service after more than 30 years AOL is shutting down the dial-up service that introduced homes across the US to the internet. The firm's dial-up offering connects to the internet via a phone line and currently only exists in the US and Canada. Launched more than 30 years ago, AOL dial-up was known for its chirpy whirring start-up sound, but it has long since been replaced by faster alternatives. Fewer than 300,000 people in the US reported having only a dial-up internet con

AOL announces September shutdown for dial-up Internet after 34 years

After 34 years of connecting Americans to the Internet through phone lines, AOL recently announced it is shutting down its dial-up modem service on September 30, 2025. The announcement marks the end of a technology that served as the primary gateway to the World Wide Web for millions of users throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. AOL confirmed the shutdown date in a help message to customers: "AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet. Thi

After 34 Years of Booop-Beep-Beep-Beep-Krsssh-Eee-Brrrrrrr, AOL’s Dial-Up Service Is Finally Shutting Down

It’s the end of an era. After 34 years, AOL is pulling the plug on its dial-up internet service. It’s hard to believe that In 2025, with 5G, Wi-Fi, and fiber-optic broadband seemingly everywhere, AOL’s classic dial-up service is still operating. Sadly, for the thousands of people still relying on the old school internet service, the company recently announced that it’s discontinuing it on Sept. 30. “AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Intern

AOL Will Pull the Plug on Dial-Up Internet, 34 Years After Its Launch

Like TV screen static, a VHS tape rewinding, or a butter churn, the grating sound of AOL dial-up Internet will also soon be a thing of the past. As simply stated on its support website, "Dial-up Internet to be discontinued." The service will end Sept. 30 2025, at which point, "this service and the associated software, the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, which are optimized for older operating systems and dial-up internet connections, will be discontinued." That's not good news for

AOL to discontinue dial-up internet

AOL announced that its dial-up internet service will be discontinued next month. If this is how you learned that AOL’s dial-up still exists — presumably you read this on a broadband internet connection — you’re not alone. The service, seen by many as a relic of the early days of the internet, will be discontinued Sept. 30 along with its associated software, the company said. AOL made the announcement quietly via a statement on its help portal on Friday: “AOL routinely evaluates its products an

AOL is finally shutting down dial-up

As a septuagenarian, my father’s story was typical of long-time AOL dial-up subscribers. His subscription was a security blanket. He was sure he didn’t need the dial-up component, but he didn’t want to risk losing access to his stock portfolio, investor forums, and email. His setup worked, and he could afford to keep paying the subscription he had dutifully paid for over a decade. With my help, we were able to migrate everything he used on AOL to the ad-supported and open internet that was alre

AOL's dial-up internet still exists, but not for much longer

It may have been decades since you last heard the crunching screeches of connecting with dial-up Internet, but AOL said it will discontinue its dial-up service on September 30, officially marking the end of an era in Internet history. As first spotted by PC Gamer, AOL made the surprising announcement in a post buried in its AOL Help pages. Along with the dial-up service, AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser will also be discontinued by the end of September. It may come as a shock to most

Dial-up Internet to be discontinued

AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet. This service will no longer be available in AOL plans. As a result, on September 30, 2025 this service and the associated software, the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, which are optimized for older operating systems and dial-up internet connections, will be discontinued. This change will not affect any other benefits in your AOL plan, which you can access any time on your AOL plan dash

Secretive, Peter Thiel-Founded ‘Tech Bilderberg” Group Is Moving Up in the World

A secretive group founded by Palantir mogul Peter Thiel is planning to expand its influence in Washington, D.C., according to a report from Axios. The group, called Dialog, wants to establish a permanent physical campus in the capital, where it can carry on its invite-only meetings involving major power players. Working off information provided by a source with knowledge of the group’s activities, Axios claims that Dialog—which it says is “often compared to a tech-era Bilderberg”—has plans for