TikTok's future in the United States is looking more uncertain than ever. With a potential ban just days away, angry TikTok users are looking for alternativesand they're not all turning to American-based platforms like Instagram.Instead, these users, who dub themselves "TikTok refugees," are looking to stick it to the U.S. government, who is trying to ban their favorite app over issues of national security. TikTok's parent company is ByteDance, which is based in China. As such, the TikTok refugees are largely targeting social media platforms that are also run by companies based in China. An app called RedNote is one of the most prominent options getting attention. Perhaps that's an understatement: As of this writing, RedNote is the number one app on both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.What is RedNote?RedNote's Chinese name is Xiaohongshu, which translates to "Little Red Book." (Also the name of the collection of writings of Chinese political revolutionary Mao Zedong.) It's a popular social media app in its native country, created in 2013 by developer Xingyin Information Technology. It is similar to, but not an exact replica of TikTok. Like TikTok, RedNote hosts short-form videos you can scroll through endlessly. But in addition to videos, the app also lets you create collaborative "boards," and even shop in its in-app marketplacethough I'm not sure what the shipping costs would be to buy used furniture from across the world. At the end of the day, it's a social media experience, one that the U.S. government probably didn't anticipate would play host to disgruntled Americans. Of course, what's drawing the crowds are RedNote's TikTok-like short videos. I downloaded the app to see what the hullabaloo is all about. What data RedNote asks for when you install itAs far as privacy and security goes, the app will scrape your device ID, and developer Xingin can potentially use that to track you across other apps and websites. That's not great, but it's also not unusual: For context, TikTok also tracks your device ID, as well as your email address and phone numbertwo data points RedNote does not track. RedNote also collects other data points that are linked directly to you, including your purchases, search history, user ID, and contacts. Finally, the app takes a number of data points that are not directly linked to you, including your advertising data, product interaction, coarse location, product interaction, precise location, physical address, name, phone number, photos or videos, audio data, customer support info, user content, crash data, and performance data. It's worth noting again that plenty of apps ask for data points like this, both linked and not linked to your identity. It's your choice what you're comfortable with offering up, and there are always steps to take to prevent certain data from leaking from your device to the app. For example, you can use a VPN to mask your location and device ID, or disable your location settings for the app altogether; create an account through Apple and use Hide My Email to shield your email address from the app; disable photos and videos access for the app, except for specific pictures and clips you choose to share; and block the app from accessing your contacts, if you'd rather find your friends there one-by-one. What it's like using RedNote as an English speakerAs I scroll through the app, it largely looks like TikTok meets the Instagram Explore page. Indeed, RedNote's main feed is called "Explore," a grid layout of different videos you can check out. Tap one, and it plays. Scroll down, and you can watch another video. If you've used a short-form video platform before, you'll get the gist pretty quick. In fact, there's a dedicated "Trending" tab, that is your basic short-form video experience. Of course, there are some feature unique to RedNote: Pinch in, and you clear the UI, to focus on the video at hand. Long-press, and you'll find a series of extra options, including "Auto scroll," if scrolling by hand gets to be too much.In most respects, this is a short-form video app that anyone who has watched TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts can understand quicklyperhaps minus actually reading a lot of the writing in it. Not only is the developer of this app based in China, the primary language of the app itself is reportedly Mandarin, which means most of the discourse on it is not in English. If you, like me, do not know a word of Chinese, you may miss out on things as you scroll through comments and captions in a language you don't understand. Of course, there are ways to translate elements of your display, but you might not have to: Part of the quirk of so many English-speaking American users flooding the app is that the Chinese-speaking users are now posting in English as well. Users from both countries have even been chatting and joking with one another: Chinese-based users are posting in English, saying that they're happy to see Americans, as their jobs as their "Chinese spies" will be saved. (Others are asking Americans for help with their English homework.) In general, users from both countries seem to be having a good time getting to know one another. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. As much buzz as RedNote is getting this week, it's obviously nowhere near as popular as TikTok, even in China: The former has 300 million active users, compared to TikTok's one billion. But should TikTok be banned in the U.S. next week, the app may lose its 170 million American usersat least the ones that don't use workarounds to keep the app alive. It will be interesting to see how RedNote continues to grow, and whether that growth will in turn inspire the U.S. government to try to ban it as well. If the TikTok ban is successful, it's not hard to see a RedNote ban become a reality, too.

Sonos is continuing to clean house as the company recovers from the hits it took following a disastrous mobile app redesign last year. Just a day after CEO Patrick Spence departed the company, chief product officer Maxime Bouvat-Merlin is also leaving. He will act as an advisor to interim CEO Tom Conrad during the leadership transition before fully exiting Sonos.Conrad informed Sonos employees about the latest leadership change in a company-wide email today. The CPO role is being made redundant, with Sonos' product team reporting directly to Conrad for the time being.Sonos has been in a tailspin since releasing a mobile app update in May that contained many bugs and was missing key features. The company's financial results took a dive, and it laid off about 100 employees in August. Sonos has made several efforts to keep customers aware of its plans to recover from the app launch, and the decision to replace top leadership seems like the latest move to win back public trust in the business.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/sonos-chief-product-officer-is-also-leaving-the-company-223256031.html?src=rss

Amazon plans an AI revamp for Alexa.

The SEC on Tuesday filed a suit against Elon Musk, alleging the billionaire violated securities law by acquiring Twitter shares at "artificially low prices."

President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed an ambitious executive order on artificial intelligence that seeks to ensure the infrastructure needed for advanced AI operations, such as large-scale data centers and new clean-power facilities, can be built quickly and at scale in the United States.The executive order directs federal agencies to accelerate large-scale AI infrastructure development at government sites, while imposing requirements and safeguards on the developers building on those locations. It also directs certain agencies to make federal sites available for AI data centers and new clean power facilities. Those agencies will help facilitate the infrastructures interconnection to the electric grid and help speed up the permitting process.While the tech industry has long relied on data centers to run online services, from email and social media to financial transactions, new AI technology behind popular chatbots and other generative AI tools requires even more powerful computation to build and operate.A report released by the Department of Energy last month estimated that the electricity needed for data centers in the U.S. tripled over the past decade and is projected to double or triple again by 2028, when it could consume up to 12% of the nations electricity.In a statement, Biden said AI will have profound implications for national security and enormous potential to improve Americans lives if harnessed responsibly, from helping cure disease to keeping communities safe by mitigating the effects of climate change.However, we cannot take our lead for granted, the Democratic president said. We will not let America be out-built when it comes to the technology that will define the future, nor should we sacrifice critical environmental standards and our shared efforts to protect clean air and clean water.Under the new rules, the departments of Defense and Energy will each identify at least three sites where the private sector can build AI data centers. The agencies will run competitive solicitations from private companies to build AI data centers on those federal sites, senior administration officials said.Developers building on those sites will be required, among other things, to pay for the construction of those facilities and to bring sufficient clean power generation to match the full capacity needs of their data centers. Although the U.S. government will be leasing land to a company, that company would own the materials it creates there, officials said.With less than a week before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, a big question is whether the incoming administration will keep or rescind the new order. Much of the orders focus is on reducing the bottlenecks of getting energy-hungry data centers connected to new sources of electricity including renewable sources such as wind and solar.It has to be a priority because otherwise youre going to have blackouts, youre going to have citizens or businesses being affected by this, said computer scientist Sasha Luccioni, climate lead at the AI company Hugging Face. Making it easier to facilitate interconnection of infrastructure to the electric grid is kind of a no brainer that would be useful for the next administration, no matter what their priorities are in terms of sustainability or climate.Biden said the efforts are designed to accelerate the clean energy transition in a way that is responsible and respectful to local communities and does not add costs to the average American. Developers selected to build on government sites will be required to pay all costs of building and operating AI infrastructure so that development does not raise electricity prices for consumers, the administration said.The orders also direct construction of AI data centers on federal sites to be done with public labor agreements. Some of the sites are reserved for small and medium-sized AI companies, according to government officials.Government agencies will also complete a study on the effects of all AI data centers on electricity prices, and the Energy Department will provide technical assistance to state public utility commissions regarding electricity tariff designs that can support connecting new large customers with clean energy.As part of the order, the Interior Department will identify lands it manages that are suitable for clean energy development and can support data centers on government sites, administration officials said.The volumes of computing power, electricity needed to train and operate frontier models are increasing rapidly and set to surge even more, said Tarun Chhabra, deputy assistant to the president and coordinator for technology and national security. By around 2028, we expect that leading AI developers will be seeking to operate data centers with as much as five gigawatts of capacity for training AI models.Deploying AI systems at scale also requires a broader network of data centers across different parts of the country, he said.From a national security standpoint, its really critical to find a pathway for building the data centers and power infrastructure to support frontier AI operations here in the United States, he said, adding that building data centers in the U.S. will prevent adversaries from accessing these powerful systems to the detriment of our military and our national security.That type of investment will also prevent the U.S. from growing dependent on other countries to access AI tools, Chhabra said.The executive order comes on the heels of the Biden administrations proposed new restrictions on exports of artificial intelligence chips, an attempt to balance national security concerns about the technology with the economic interests of producers and other countries. That proposal raised concerns of chip industry executives as well as officials from the European Union over export restrictions that would affect 120 countries.Missing from the order is how to manage the water consumption of AI data centers. There is a growing concern in states with multiple data centers over how to balance the economic development they bring with their impact on water resources as they use vast amounts of water for cooling, said J. Alan Roberson, executive director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators.Across the country, everyone is trying to get a better idea of the impact of data centers on water use now and in the future, he said.The executive order could have instructed federal agencies to collect information about how much water data centers use to help state and local officials making zoning decisions about whether to allow them, but it did not, he added.Sarah Parvini, AP technology writerAP writers Matt OBrien and Jennifer McDermott contributed to this report.

The latest edition of our Dezeen Debate newsletter features a portable e-motor that transforms a regular bike into an e-bike without the need for tools. Subscribe to Dezeen Debate now.CLIP is a compact e-motor device that allows users to seamlessly switch from a traditional mechanical bike to an electric bike without making any alterations to the bike.Readers shared their thoughts on the device, with one calling it the "simple yet genius design ideas we need." Another, expressing interest, asked, "Where can I buy one?"O'Donnell + Tuomey drew on Stratford's industrial past for London dance theatreOther stories in this week's newsletter that fired up the comments section included Sadler's Wells East in London by O'Donnell + Tuomey, the first "no-plug" solar electric vehicle by Aptera and a concrete woodland house outside Buenos Aires by Gonzalo Bardach Arquitectura.Dezeen DebateDezeen Debate is sent every Tuesday and features a selection of the best reader comments and most talked-about stories. Read the latest edition of Dezeen Debate or subscribe here.You can also subscribe to our other newsletters; Dezeen Agenda is sent every Tuesday containing a selection of the most important news highlights from the week, Dezeen Daily is our daily bulletin that contains every story published in the preceding 24 hours and Dezeen In Depth is sent on the last Friday of every month and delves deeper into the major stories shaping architecture and design.The post Dezeen Debate features "the simple yet genius design ideas we need" appeared first on Dezeen.

Omegas legacy of combining precision timekeeping with striking design continues with the Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite watches. Introduced as part of the brands 2025 lineup, these timepieces capture the allure of lunar exploration while offering innovative craftsmanship. Lets dive into the unique design details and technical features that set these watches apart in Omegas storied Speedmaster collection.Designer: OmegaThe Meteorite Dial: A Celestial TouchThe defining feature of the Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite watches lies in their meteorite dials, which are prized by collectors for their rarity and unique patterns formed over millions of years. These dials offer a connection to celestial origins but also ensure that no two watches are ever identical. Available in two versionsblack and graythe dials are crafted from iron meteorite, giving each piece a one-of-a-kind texture and pattern. This celestial material is complemented by the moonphase sub-dial at 6 oclock, where Northern and Southern Hemisphere lunar phases are depicted using actual lunar meteorite cabochons. The starry background on the moonphase sub-dial replicates the night sky over Biel, Switzerland, on the historic night of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.The black dial version features a black PVD-coated meteorite surface paired with 18K white gold hands and indices. For the gray version, Omega uses a galvanic gray meteorite coating, accented by blue PVD-coated hands and a matching bezel. The result is a subtle yet striking contrast that evokes the mysterious beauty of space.A Redesigned Case and BraceletThe 43mm stainless steel case is designed for modern wearability while preserving the Speedmasters iconic silhouette. The case thickness is reduced to 13.6mm, aided by the new manual-winding caliber 9914 movement. This updated dimension ensures a more streamlined fit on the wrist compared to earlier Moonphase models.Omega pairs the watch with its stainless steel Nixon bracelet, a five-row design featuring polished and brushed links. This bracelet stands out for its ergonomic design, offering a balanced combination of durability and comfort. Its easy-adjustment system ensures a snug fit, making it an excellent choice for daily wear and long-lasting reliability. The bracelet includes an easy-adjustment system within the folding clasp, allowing wearers to tweak the fit for maximum comfort. This thoughtful addition ensures that the Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite is as functional as it is visually stunning.The Movement: Master Chronometer Caliber 9914At the heart of these watches lies Omegas in-house caliber 9914, a manual-winding chronograph movement certified as a Master Chronometer by METAS. This certification ensures exceptional precision, antimagnetic performance up to 15,000 gauss, and reliability under stringent conditions, setting a high benchmark in horological standards.Operating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, the caliber 9914 has a 60-hour power reserve, making it ideal for extended wear. The column-wheel mechanism ensures smooth chronograph operation, while the Co-Axial escapement reduces friction for enhanced accuracy and durability over time.The movements aesthetics are equally impressive, featuring Geneva waves in Arabesque on rhodium-plated bridges. Its blackened balance wheel, polished screws, and barrels add a layer of sophistication visible through the sapphire case back. This meticulous decoration embodies Omegas dedication to merging artistry with engineering. Additionally, the hand-wound design contributes to a slimmer case profile, enhancing the overall wearability of the Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite watches.Functional Aesthetics and LegacyThe ceramic bezel insert features a tachymeter scale rendered in white enamel, a nod to the Speedmasters racing heritage. In addition to the chronograph and moonphase functions, the watch includes a pointer date sub-dial at 9 oclock and chronograph hour and minute counters at 3 oclock. Despite its complexity, the layout remains clean and legible, adhering to Omegas emphasis on usability.The Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite watches also celebrate Omegas deep ties to space exploration. From the meteorite dials to the lunar cabochons, every element reflects the brands dedication to preserving its Moonwatch legacy while innovating for the future. The gray-dial version channels the aesthetic of the Silver Snoopy Award 50th Anniversary model, offering a touch of nostalgia for collectors.These celestial timepieces come with a premium price tag, retailing at 19,000 (including VAT) / $17,100 (excluding tax) / CHF 15,000 (excluding tax). This pricing places them in the upper tier of luxury watches, aligning with other high-end models like the Rolex Daytona or Vacheron Constantin Overseas, which command similar attention for their craftsmanship and exclusivity. While the cost reflects the rare materials and craftsmanship involved, the Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite remains a highly collectible addition to Omegas lineup.Ultimately, the Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite watches exemplify the brands ability to blend technical mastery with artistic innovation. Whether youre drawn to the black meteorite dial or the gray version with blue accents, these timepieces offer a timeless connection to the mysteries of space. They serve as a reminder of humanitys enduring fascination with the moon and the craftsmanship that brings such visions to life.The post Exploring the Design of the Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite Watches first appeared on Yanko Design.

Dont cancel therapy just yet, but these portable, at-home massagers might be the hack you need after stressful days.

Regulators filed a lawsuit in federal court stemming from Mr. Musks $44 billion purchase of the social media company now called X.

MacworldWhen iOS 18 launched last fall, we got an all-new Calculator app. Its got some great features, including Math Notes, which lets you scribble down calculations to solve, and unit conversions, which converts things like currency and weight without heading to Safari. It even arrived on the iPad for the first time, with has a full set of features and a brand-new unified interface across platforms.But one of the most useful features of the old iOS calculator app didnt make it to the new iOS 18 version: repeating operations. On the old Calculator, like most calculators, you were able to perform an operation, say 22, and press the equal sign to get 4. Then if you pressed the equal sign again, it would repeat the last operation (x2), and youd get 8. Then again to get 16, and so on.It was a useful way to compute compounding interest or a long series of repeating additions, but for some reason, Apple took it away in iOS 18 and macOS 15. Maybe you didnt notice, but many users did and have expressed frustration over the past few months that it was gone.In the iOS/iPadOS 18.3 and macOS 15.3 betas, the feature is back, and you can once again mash the equals key over and over and repeat the last operation to your hearts content. Apple is expected to release the new updates in late January or early February, so you wont have too long to wait.