Anker has released the Universal Charger, an $80 accessory that combines an international plug adapter with a multiport USB charging hub. It features slide-out Type A, Type C and Type G prongs covering use in the US, Canada, Japan, China, Europe and the UK, though it lacks a Type I prong used in Australia and New Zealand. The device can output up to 100W through its USB-C ports, with reduced wattage when multiple ports are used simultaneously.
cnet.com
· 2026-11-12
Adobe announced a partnership with Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group to let Premiere mobile users browse, search and insert up to 60 seconds of licensed tracks directly into their video edits. The music is licensed for personal, non-commercial use only, while Adobe Stock Audio remains the option for commercially licensed tracks. Adobe did not specify a launch date, whether both labels' catalogs will arrive simultaneously, or how many songs will be included.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-11-03
Adobe is partnering with Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group to bring a library of licensed music into its Premiere mobile video editing app. The update, described as 'coming soon,' will let users add up to 60 seconds of popular tracks, browse and filter music by artist or genre, use music-paired templates, and export videos directly to social platforms.
theverge.com
· 2026-11-03
Spotify plans to roll out a subscription add-on, costing $4-5 monthly on top of regular fees, that lets users remix songs with AI and upload the results to the platform, according to the Financial Times. Royalties would flow to original artists, and remix plays would count toward the source tracks' chart performance, with artists able to veto use of their music even if their label has signed on. Spotify has reportedly secured deals with Universal Music Group, Merlin and Believe, while talks continue with Sony Music and Warner Music.
techspot.com
· 2026-11-02
Ford is retooling its Louisville Assembly Plant with a $2 billion investment in a Universal EV Production System that uses fewer parts, cooling connections and wiring to cut manufacturing costs for its upcoming Fathom EV, while still including smartphone integration like CarPlay and Android Auto. Slate, a newer EV maker building its pickup from scratch, has reportedly chosen to omit that infotainment feature as part of a more stripped-down approach.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-31
A blog post challenges the common assumption that a post-scarcity, superintelligent-AI future means humans will simply 'hang out' in leisure, as depicted in sci-fi like the Culture novels. The author argues the social structures that normally bring people together—work, education, communities of practice like open-source coding—will be dissolved by AI making human collaboration unnecessary, and that AI-generated content offers an ever-improving alternative to real companionship.
borretti.me
· 2026-10-29
Ford says its upcoming Fathom electric truck, priced from $28,350, will have a built-in inverter capable of sending up to 10 kW of AC power from the vehicle's battery to a home, eliminating the need for a separate wall-mounted inverter box. The system will use the NACS plug and SAE J3068 communication protocol, and meet UL 1741 and IEEE 1547 grid-safety standards. Owners will still need to buy a Ford Home Power Station for features like outage backup and time-of-use energy management, though Ford hasn't disclosed its price.
hardware.slashdot.org
· 2026-10-27
Ford has confirmed that its upcoming Fathom electric truck, priced at $28,350 and expected to launch early next year, will come with bidirectional charging built directly into the vehicle. The truck will use its Universal EV Platform to convert battery DC power to roughly 10 kW of AC output for home use, meeting UL 1741 and IEEE 1547 grid standards, and will use the NACS plug and SAE J3068 communication protocol.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-27
In an interview, Lindsay Powell, who records as Fielded, discussed her genre-blending career and new album Some Kind of Animal, which mixes organ-driven slow jams, a Nine Inch Nails cover, and industrial funk with a guest verse from Pink Siifu. She named her Universal Audio Apollo Twin interface as her most essential recording tool and said she keeps a pirated copy of the Japanese cyberpunk film 964 Pinocchio pinned in her browser for inspiration.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-24
Spotify announced it has pulled over 50 million songs flagged as AI-generated slop or spam from its recommendation system over the past year. The company said it uses listener engagement, feedback, upload patterns, metadata, and third-party AI detection tools to identify such content, and that editors avoid programming flagged tracks. Spotify also noted it is partnering with Universal Music Group and Believe on a tool for creating AI music remixes.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-20
A commentary piece examines whether universal basic income (UBI) programs create durable shifts in recipients' behavior and motivation, rather than just short-term financial relief. The piece opens with an Einstein quote questioning whether people act well only out of fear or reward, framing the discussion of UBI's psychological effects.
yro.slashdot.org
· 2026-10-17
The International Bureau of Weights and Measures has voted to accelerate the end of leap seconds, shifting the planned retirement from 2035 to May 20, 2027. The move comes amid rising odds—estimated at 30% by 2035—that an unprecedented 'negative leap second' would be required to keep Coordinated Universal Time aligned with Earth's rotation.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-10-17
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