As someone whos been using Satechi products for years, Ive always admired their sleek designs and focus on functionality. At this years Pepcom event, I had a chance to go hands-on with their latest OntheGo collection a lineup of premium travel chargers that make staying powered up on the move easier than ever. From power banks with built-in stands to versatile wireless chargers, Satechi continues to deliver practical, beautifully crafted tech accessories.Heres everything you need to know about the new OntheGo lineup:OntheGO Power BankSatechis OntheGo Power Banks (available in 10,000mAh and 5,000mAh capacities) are designed to keep your devices charged no matter where you are.Key features include: Wireless and wired Charging: Supports 15W fast wireless charging for iPhones, AirPods, and Android devices via a magnetic connection. Simultaneous charging: Charge two devices at once using both the wireless pad and the USB-C port. Pass-Through charging: Keep devices powered up even while the power bank itself is charging ideal for long video calls or binge sessions. Built-in adjustable stand: A premium vegan-leather stand offers up to 120 viewing angles for both portrait and landscape modes, perfect for StandBy mode or media playback.OntheGO Qi2 Wireless ChargersSatechis OntheGo Wireless Chargers are designed for travelers who need to power multiple devices at once without compromising on style.Available in 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 configurations, these chargers offer: Qi2 technology for faster, more reliable wireless charging. 15W charging for iPhone and 5W for AirPods. 3-in-1 model includes Apple Watch fast charging (for Series 7 and later). Single cable solution to reduce clutter.These chargers feature a lightweight circular design with premium vegan-leather accents and easily fit into a pocket or carry-on. Adjustable functionality supports StandBy mode, Nightstand mode, and more.Hands-On impressionsAt Pepcom, I had a chance to see these chargers in action, and they feel every bit as premium as youd expect from Satechi. The built-in stands are sturdy and convenient, especially when using features like StandBy mode on iOS. I was particularly impressed by how lightweight and portable the chargers are, making them perfect for frequent travelers. The vegan-leather details give the products a polished, modern look that matches Satechis reputation for stylish accessories.Pricing & availability The OntheGo collection will be available in Q2 2025 on Satechi.net, with prices ranging from $69.99 to $99.99. Customers can sign up for email alerts to be notified once the products are available.Satechis OntheGo collection is shaping up to be a must-have for anyone who needs a reliable, travel-friendly charging solution. Whether youre working remotely or simply want to keep your devices powered up during a long day out, these chargers deliver performance, style, and convenience.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Apple has a wave of new beta software ready. Beta 2 is rolling out now for visionOS 2.3, tvOS 18.3, watchOS 11.3, and more. Beta 2 arrives today for Apples winter releasesApple shipped its last wave of big software updates in mid-December, and followed it up with a fresh array of betas.Now, following a brief hiatus over the holiday break, Apple has released developer beta 2 for many of its platforms. These include:visionOS 2.3tvOS 18.3watchOS 11.3HomePod 18.3plus iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS 15.3If you have a developer account, you can find each beta 2 update inside your devices Software Update screen in Settings.The first betas for these updates were particularly light on new features.Outside of Genmoji coming to the Mac, the main addition is robot vacuum support inside the Home app.This will ultimately, when compatible devices ship, make it possible to control your robot vacuum not only inside Apples Home app but also via Siri across platforms like HomePod, Apple TV 4K, and more.Heres hoping Apple has some new additions for todays beta 2 releases, whether thats in visionOS 2.3, tvOS 18.3, or the other updates. Well be sure to keep you posted on anything and everything new we discover.Have you installed todays beta 2 updates? Found anything new? Let us know in the comments.Best Apple TV and Home accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

After a three-week break for the holidays, Apple has kickstarted the iOS 18.3 beta train once more. iOS 18.3 beta 2 is now available to developer beta testers ahead of its expected release later this month. iOS 18.3 beta 2 features the build number 22D5040d. Apple hasnt yet released a new public beta, but were expecting that to change as soon as later today.There werent many new features or changes in iOS 18.3 beta 1, and I wouldnt expect iOS 18.3 beta 2 to be any different. The update focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements and includes no new Apple Intelligence features.Robot vacuum support in the Home appTweaked icon for the Image Playground appBug fixes for the Writing Tools API and GenmojiYou can now log in to the Feedback app using Face ID or Touch IDThe icon for the Camera Control menu in the Accessibility page of Settings now supports dark modeIf you spot anything new in iOS 18.3 beta 2, let us know in the comments below, onTwitter @9to5MacandThreads @9to5Mac. Stay tuned for our full hands-on coverage with the new releases right here at9to5Mactoday and throughout the rest of the week.My favorite iPhone accessories: Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

In an astonishing feat of laziness, Amazon Prime Video service has adorned the iconic 1922 horror film "Nosferatu" with a slapdash poster that was obviously generated using AI.The poster first discovered by eagle-eyed netizens last falland resurfaced as Robert Eggers' remake of the beloved classic wows critics in theaters turns the vampire Count Orlok's monstrous visage into a yassified rendition with a strangely slender body, his harrowing appearance replaced with an aesthetic straight out of a "Twilight" movie.To add suck further blood out of the original's legacy, its iconic use of typography was exchanged for a font that closely resembles Papyrus, a typeface so widely hated that it spawned its own series of "Saturday Night Live" sketches.In other words, it's exactly the kind of uninspired slop you'd expect an AI image generator to spit out. It's a sign of the times highlighting a worrying trend as companies like Amazon continue to undermine the work of human artists by leaning into cheapo AI.The online reaction to the insipid art was resoundingly negative."A horrible one-two punch of anti-art sentiment," tweeted podcast host Danny Vegito."Amazon Prime is using generative AI to replace movie posters for iconic films that already exist and already have posters they could use," artist Jon Neimeister, who worked on the hit video game "Hearthstone," wrote in a Bluesky post earlier this week. "Not only are we forced to see this shit everywhere, but they're overwriting art history with it."Other users pointed out that despite years of technological advancements in the generative AI space, the image is riddled with conspicuous technical issues."God, that looks horrible," another Bluesky user responded. "His finger is melting into his clothing. Three years of hype and it still CAN'T DO FINGERS."Other users pointed out that the oversized Moon in the background mysteriously blocks the clouds behind it.A stark line that runs vertically through the background also suggests a lazy Photoshop job unbefitting for a movie of such repute.Worse yet, as plenty of others argued, the 1922 classic has its own highly creative and original marketing material that could've been used or adapted instead.There's a good chance Amazon was trying to cash in on the hype surrounding the most recent interpretation of "Nosferatu," which stars Bill Skarsgrd as Count Orlok. A quick scan on an Amazon Prime section titled "Horror movies" shows the sloppy poster featured prominently, suggesting the tech giant was attempting to fit the vintage movie in with B-level drivelor trick users into thinking they were looking at the new version.The kerfuffle is particularly ironic considering that the original 1922 film was itself accused of being an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel "Dracula." The minor changes, such as renaming Count Dracula to Count Orlok, were glaring to the point that Stoker's widow sued the makers of the 1922 movie for copyright violation.But in spite of efforts to destroy remaining prints, the movie's eerie qualities were undeniable, and it became a classic in its own right (like "Dracula" before it, the film fell into the public domain several years ago.)One thing's for sure: Amazon's tacky poster is unlikely to ever attain the cachet of "Nosferatu" and its iconic imagery unless it's reappropriated by future screenings in a mocking fashion, that is.As the use of generative AI continues to encroach on virtually every aspect of our daily lives, we should expect to encounter more bargain-basement reskins like this one at least until consumers rebel at human creativity being buried under a deluge of AI slop.More on generative AI: Facebook Planning to Flood Platform with AI-Powered UsersShare This Article

"No wonder this algorithm is so messed up."FUbarIn a run-of-the-mill fight on social media you know, the type that the ultra-wealthy used to remain aloof from Elon Musk deployed an appalling slur against disabled people."F u r*tard," the 53-year-old billionaire quipped on X-formerly-Twitter after a user accused him of spreading disinformation on the platform he owns.That childish retort is, it seems, one of the Donald Trump advisor's favorite words. A quick analysis of Musk's tweets reveals that over the past year, he's repeatedly used the disability-denigrating slur. He seemed particularly in its thrall in Decemeber, when he dished it out at least six times half of which came on a single day, December 18.Derived from the antiquated "mental retardation" terminology to describe people with intellectual disabilities, the so-called "r-word" has increased in popularity over the past few years as right-wing, fascist rhetoric has gained a greater foothold both online and in real life.Along with Musk, folks that populate what used to be known as the "alt-right" like fellow traveler Laura Loomer have also embraced the term as a catch-all for those who support ideas they oppose. Last year, for instance, the "proud Islamophobe" directed it at "Thrift Shop" artist Macklemore after he released a video supporting Palestine, calling him a "straight-up r*tard."Positivity, PleaseBeyond the ableist term's gross resurgence, it's also ironic that Musk has lobbed it so repeatedly given that in recent weeks, the site's owner has called for less "negative" rhetoric and even announced that he plans to change X's algorithm to promote "positivity."After first issuing his plea for pleasantry on December 30, folks on the platform and its increasingly popular competitor, Bluesky, clowned on Musk for failing to embody his own newfound ideal. With his penchant for slur usage once again going on main, those jabs only continued."No wonder this algorithm is so messed up," tweeted one observer."So does this come under 'positive', or 'informative'?" pondered another, quote-tweeting Musk's "F u" tweet.For all his terrible rhetoric, flinging this horrendous slur is yet another jarring mask-off moment for Musk that reminds us who he really is. When it comes to negativity on X, the call is clearly coming from inside the house.More on Muskian missives: Elon Musk Endorses Nazi-Linked German Party, Even Though It Opposed Teslas GigafactoryShare This Article

Shane Snider, Senior Writer, InformationWeekJanuary 7, 20252 Min ReadBorka Kiss via Alamy Stock The United Kingdoms antitrust watchdog on Tuesday said it would launch investigations into three areas of digital activity as the new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act comes into full force -- giving regulatory power over major players like Apple and Google.While the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) did not specify which companies would be investigated, under its strict strategic market status (SMS) designation, only the largest tech firms would be considered.The announcement says two investigations would begin immediately and a third would begin in about six months. Once a company receives SMS designation, the CMA would have the authority to curtail practices like using access to customer data to gain unfair advantage, make it easier for consumers to switch providers, and more.A CMA report released in November called out Apple and Googles dominant market positions in mobile as potential investigation targets, saying a revenue-sharing agreement between the two companies stifled competition.We are committed to implementing the regime in a way that is predictable and proportionate, moving at pace whilst respecting fair process, CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell said in a statement. The process for designing any interventions will also be participative and transparent, with the aim of keeping innovation-led markets open and bringing firms on the journey with us.Related:The investigations will be complete within the statutory limit of nine months, the CMA said. Significant fines -- up to 10% of the companys global turnover -- could be levied if the CMA finds a breach in consumer protection law.US tech firms are facing increasing scrutiny from regulators abroad. The EUs Digital Markets Act is also taking aim at antitrust concerns, with probes targeting Apple, Google, and Amazon in March. Possible fines could also reach 10% of those companies global turnover, potentially costing the companies billions of dollars.CMAs Impact on M&A, and US Firm FocusIn a blog post, lawyers with Morgan Lewis said the UKs new rules could have a profound impact on potential mergers and acquisitions for the worlds leading tech companies.The UK CMA has gained a reputation in recent years as an aggressive and impactful antitrust enforcer, lawyers Joshua Goodman, Omar Shah, R. Ryan Hoak, and Jack Ashfield wrote. The UK DMCC only bolsters its powers and as such it is more relevant that ever to consider the role of and approach to the UK SMA as part of the global merger review process.Related:Critics of newly granted antitrust regulation powers like DMCC say the rules discriminate against US firms and jeopardize investment and cooperation between countries. Given that the United Kingdoms digital sector accounted for nearly 1.9 million jobs in 2022 and contributed over [$174 billion] to the UK economy in 2020, the UK government should tread carefully, writes Meredith Broadbent, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, in a post.InformationWeek has reached out to Google and Apple for comment and will update with any response.Read more about:RegulationAntitrustAbout the AuthorShane SniderSenior Writer, InformationWeekShane Snider is a veteran journalist with more than 20 years of industry experience. He started his career as a general assignment reporter and has covered government, business, education, technology and much more. He was a reporter for the Triangle Business Journal, Raleigh News and Observer and most recently a tech reporter for CRN. He was also a top wedding photographer for many years, traveling across the country and around the world. He lives in Raleigh with his wife and two children.See more from Shane SniderNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports

Are you sitting down? You should be sitting down for this. Make sure youre sitting down.1975 is now 50 years ago.To put this in perspective, when the biggest film of1975 a humble little horror thriller about a shark that gets hunted down by a trio of alcoholics because the poor fish committed the unforgivable crime of being very hungry initially opened in theaters, the big movie from 50 yearsago was Charlie ChaplinsThe Gold Rush.Thats right.Jawsis as old now as silent movies were whenJaws came out. (I told you you should be sitting down for this.)If you were alive for 1975 or even if you just remember watching the movies of 1975 as a kid in the 1980s or 90s this can be a very tough pill to swallow. But we have no choice. We have to accept it. Time marches on.And for the 25 movies below, which run the gamut from huge blockbusters to arty classicsto big awards movies to the tiny indie debuts of some of the 20th centurysbiggest filmmakers,time has marched on to such a degree that they are now all half a century old. Every single one. Old old old. Sigh.Still sitting down?The movies that came out in the year 2000 are now 25 years old. 2000 was a quarter century ago.None of this makes any sense.Regardless, here are 25 movies turning 50 years old in 2025.25 Movies Turning 50 in 20251975 was a big year for movies all of which are now 50 years old.READ MORE: 10 70s Movies That Could Never Be Made TodayThe Most Anticipated Movies of 202520 movies we cant wait to see in 25.

Time zones: CST (UTC -6), MST (UTC -7), PST (UTC -8)What drives you? Working on something you believe in? At Discogs, we believe in sharing music with the world. Our technical teams build a product that opens the doors to discovery for millions of music lovers. The Senior Full Stack Software Engineer for the Marketplace - Inventory Management team will be responsible for building a robust inventory management system using modern React, Python, and GraphQL.LocationThis is a remote position. Open to candidates located in OR, WA, CA, CO, TX, ILCompensationStarting Base Salary Range: $125,000 - $132,000 yearlyWho Were Looking ForThe Senior Full Stack Engineer acts as a senior member of a group of passionate engineers to help us create software and services for the Discogs product. As a technical subject matter expert, this role is instrumental in driving our technology vision forward and evangelizing development and testing practices that drives Discogs transformation and growth strategies. Requires great ability to multi-task across projects as well as to adapt to different areas of the code where previous knowledge, skills, and experience may not exist. This role provides strong technical leadership and mentorship to develop the capabilities of other team members. This role motivates and fosters collaboration across the teams.What Youll AccomplishReasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.Plan, develop, and deploy server-side and client-side software in sprint cycles.Observe, debug and optimize production systems with thousands of concurrent users.Research new frontiers, prototype implementations and share knowledge.Communicate openly and collaborate frequently with Product and Engineering teams to quickly deliver high quality products that maximize value to the Discogs ecosystem.Take responsibility over large, complex features from concept to design to delivery with no guidance.Maintain, rebuild and adapt legacy codebases alongside modernizing our stack.Assists team with estimation and prioritization of development efforts.Coaches and mentors other engineers by providing recommendations, technical oversight, code reviews and feedback.Other duties as assigned.What Youll ContributeMinimum Experience and EducationMust Have:5+ years of experience developing software solutionsBuilding, operating, troubleshooting and optimizing production systems under load.Delivered software using Python and JavaScript with frameworks.Interface with relational databases using SQL.Using Git and conducting code reviews within a sprint SDLC.Familiarity with Build systems, DevOps and CI/CD procedures.Familiarity with cloud services.Possess advanced knowledge in your specialization to be able to guide and mentor team members.Experience designing and leading a software project from requirements to delivery with no guidance.Experience completing a significant refactor of an existing software project.Experience independently researching and leading technical discussions with peers.Thoroughly understands the business vision, mission, and strategy and how their code supports and affects business outcomes.Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from key stakeholders and decision makers.Working knowledge of taking a large complex project, breaking it down into sub-tasks, and completing those tasks as required.Shows initiative and seeks evidence in data to support ideas.Bachelor's degree (BA/BS) from four-year college or university in math\computer science related field, or equivalent work experience.Great to have:eCommerce experienceCompleted large-scale systems migrations.Use of containerization and orchestration technologies, Docker and Kubernetes.FastAPI, Adriane, React, GraphQL, Kafka, React Native, Flask, Gherkin, PlaywrightAWS, DataDog, Sentry, CloudflareServerless functions, distributed/edge systems and event driven architectures.ADA / WCAG Compliance

Meta is shutting down its third-party fact-checking program on Instagram and Facebook, the company said on Tuesday, and will instead rely on Community Notes, a user-driven moderation system similar to that used by X. It's also removing restrictions on topics such as gender and immigration."It's time to get back to our roots around free expression on Facebook and Instagram," Zuckerberg said in a video, referencing his 2019 Georgetown University speech advocating freedom of expression.Going back roughly a decade, including during the first Trump administration, Meta implemented complex content moderation systems in response to societal and political pressures. Zuckerberg said in the video that it didn't always work out as desired: "The problem with complex systems is that they make mistakes. Even if they accidentally censor just 1% of posts, that's millions of people. We've reached a point where there's too many mistakes and too much censorship."Citing as a "cultural tipping point" the 2024 US elections, in which Donald Trump won a second term as president, Zuckerberg said the company will prioritize speech by simplifying policies, reducing mistakes and restoring free expression.These changes come two weeks ahead of Trump's inauguration and as Meta faces ongoing criticism for its handling of misinformation; allegations of political bias; and criticism regarding the broader societal impact of its platforms.One of the biggest challenges for social media companies over the last decade has been decision-making about what content is allowed on their platforms, and what to remove, including political and medical misinformation and hate speech. Critics have long charged that what social networks, especially Facebook, Twitter (now X) and YouTube, have been doing is censoring speech. Others, however, have said some sort of oversight has been crucial in the face of a deadly pandemic and a rising tide of disinformation.Introducing Community NotesIn the US, Meta will now implement Community Notes, where users write and rate notes to provide context for potentially misleading posts. In a blog post, Joel Kaplan, Meta's chief global affairs officer, highlighted the system's safeguards, noting it requires agreement from people with diverse perspectives to help prevent bias. Users can sign up as contributors starting today.Meta also plans to adjust how it enforces policies to reduce censorship errors. Severe violations, like those involving terrorism and child exploitation, will still rely on automation, but less severe issues will require human reporting before action is taken.Kaplan echoed Zuckerberg, emphasizing a "more personalized approach to political content" that lets users control how much they see."Meta's platforms are built to be places where people can express themselves freely," he wrote. "That can be messy. ... But that's free expression."Additionally, Meta will personalize how users see political and civic content, reversing its 2021 reduction in such posts. Kaplan called that approach "blunt." Content from followed Pages and people will now be ranked like any other post, based on likes and views. Kaplan said that the fact-checking program, launched in 2016 to combat misinformation, evolved into a tool that sometimes stifled legitimate political debate."Over time we ended up with too much content being fact checked that people would understand to be legitimate political speech and debate," he wrote. "Our system then attached real consequences in the form of intrusive labels and reduced distribution. A program intended to inform too often became a tool to censor."Zuckerberg said it will take time to get the new approach right, and that there is still a good deal of illegal material to figure out how best to remove. "These are complex systems; they are never going to be perfect," he said.

It's basically a portable power stationwith a difference. There are a lot of portable power stations on the show floors of CES 2025, but this one is designed to disappear seamlessly behind your refrigerator or onto a wall. Because the BioLite backup battery isn't built to be portable.The idea behind the BioLite battery is to provide a simple way to back up key parts of your home without relying on the complicated and expensive processes of installing a big whole-home battery.These batteries aren't built to be moved around like the typical power station, but that means it's very easy to imagine how to put them to use. Can solar panels save you money? Interested in understanding the impact solar can have on your home? Enter some basic information below, and well instantly provide a free estimate of your energy savings. CES 2025: The Coolest Gadgets and Concepts We've Seen So Far See all photos Small but powerfulThe BioLite Core battery packs 1.5kWh of storage capacity in a unit that also includes an inverter, but the BioLite Complete package also comes with a second unit, the same size and shape, with another 1.5 kWh of storage. That total of 3 kWh is important -- it's the minimum size for a home battery to qualify for the 30% federal tax credit. The Core has a retail price of $1,999, while the Complete retails for $2,999 -- or $2,099 after the credit.If you want more than 3 kWh, you can add more battery modules -- up to 10.5 kWh.The battery units themselves are slim -- just 2.8 inches wide -- and are flat, at 13 inches by 29 inches. Contrast that with the usual blocky portable power stations that are built to be hauled around with you on camping trips or elsewhere. A BioLite module is designed to hide in the nooks and crannies of your home, like the space behind or above your fridge or mounted flat on an out-of-the-way wall.Easy to connect and installThe BioLite batteries can connect to a standard 120-volt outlet without an electrician's help because they don't integrate with your home's electrical panel or broader electrical system. Instead, they work like a battery-connected power strip or a big uninterruptible power supply. You plug the BioLite into the outlet so it can charge from the wall, and you plug your refrigerator or whatever else you want to back up into the BioLite or its connected power strip. BioLite's backup battery is slim enough to fit behind your refrigerator and powerful enough to keep it running for a couple of days. BioLiteHome battery systems that are capable of backing up your entire home have to connect behind the electrical panel, and that kind of work is typically not suited for DIY. A battery system that can push power back to the grid would likely require permitting with your power company. Because the BioLite doesn't do any of that, you don't have to pay the thousands of dollars that you'd expect to pay a battery installer or electrician.The system works similarly to an uninterruptible power supply or UPS, but it's worth noting the switchover time is not as instantaneous as it is with a UPS. Your fridge probably won't notice the change from grid power to backup power when the lights go out, but a desktop computer might restart.More than just backup powerBioLite reps told me the batteries can do more than just keep your refrigerator running when the power goes out. Like truly portable power stations, they can be charged via solar panels, and the company plans to have those ready for release this year as well. That can keep your appliances on even longer than the dozens of hours one of these systems can run a refrigerator.Another tool is that the batteries can be used to shift your energy usage around expensive time-of-use utility rates. You can run your appliances off of the battery when electricity is most expensive and recharge the battery at times when it's cheapest. These settings are handled in the app.BioLite expects to ship the batteries later this year, but you can reserve a unit now.