This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. Your boss is watching Working todaywhether in an office, a warehouse, or your carcan mean constant electronic surveillance with little transparency, and potentially with livelihood-ending consequences if your productivity flags. But what matters even more than the effects of this ubiquitous monitoring on privacy may be how all that data is shifting the relationships between workers and managers, companies and their workforce. We are in the midst of a shift in work and workplace relationships as significant as the Second Industrial Revolution of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. And new policies and protections may be necessary to correct the balance of power. Read the full story. Rebecca Ackermann One option for electric vehicle fires? Let them burn. Although there isnt solid data on the frequency of EV battery fires, its no secret that these fires are happening. Despite that, manufacturers offer no standardized steps on how to fight them or avoid them in the first place. Whats more, with EVs, its never entirely clear whether the fire is truly out. Cars may ignite, or reignite, weeks or even months after the battery is damaged or a battery fire is initially suppressed.Patrick Durham, the owner of one of a growing number of private companies helping first responders learn how to deal with lithium-ion battery safety, has a solution. He believes that the best way to manage EV fires right now is to let them burn. But such an approach not only goes against firefighters instinctsitd require a significant cultural shift. Read the full story. Maya L. Kapoor These stories are from the next edition of our print magazine, which is all about relationships. Subscribe now to read it and get a copy of the magazine when it lands on February 26! The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Elon Musk is forcing US government workers to justify their jobs Employees have to respond to an email by 11:59pm ET tonight or resign. (Wired $)+ The new administration is targeting government foreign interference experts. (NYT $)+ Its also waging war on what it deems woke DEI research. (Undark)+ A US government shutdown could be on the cards as soon as this month. (NY Mag $)2 Grok was temporarily blocked from telling the truth about Trump and MuskAn xAI employee got it to ignore sources that say the pair spread misinformation. (The Verge)+ An xAI engineering lead said the move wasnt in line with the companys values. (TechCrunch)3 The race to dominate satellite internet is heating upStarlink has some major competition. (Reuters)+ Chinese rocket firm Deep Blue Aerospace is eyeing an IPO. (WSJ $)+ The worlds next big environmental problem could come from space. (MIT Technology Review)4 Apple has pulled its data security tool from the UK After the UK government demanded backdoor access. (BBC)+ Other encrypted Apple services are still available, though. (WP $)5 How AI is changing coding The outlook for software developers is more likely to be evolution than extinction. (NYT $)+ AI coding assistants arent always all theyre cracked up to be. (TechCrunch)+ The second wave of AI coding is here. (MIT Technology Review) 6 Inside Facebooks plans to become cool again Unfortunately for the social network, you cant buy cultural cachet. (The Information $)+ How Facebook got addicted to spreading misinformation. (MIT Technology Review)7 The internet is disappearingDigital decay is setting in. What will survive of us?(Vox) + The race to save our online lives from a digital dark age. (MIT Technology Review)8 Where are all the Apple Vision Pro apps? The number of apps made for the headset has declined every month since it went on sale. (CNBC)9 How the internet warped the meaning of lore From ancient myths to oversharing on TikTok. (Fast Company $)10 Not everything needs to be tracked Knowledge isnt always power when it comes to your home appliances. (The Guardian)Quote of the day Were trying to do creative work, and AI is just pushing perfection. Lo Kalani, a Brooklyn-based hair stylist, explains to the Washington Post why she has banned clients from presenting her with AI-generated inspirational images. The big story How one mine could unlock billions in EV subsidies January 2024 On a pine farm north of the tiny town of Tamarack, Minnesota, Talon Metals has uncovered one of Americas densest nickel depositsand now it wants to begin extracting it.If regulators approve the mine, it could mark the starting point in what the company claims would become the countrys first complete domestic nickel supply chain, running from the bedrock beneath the Minnesota earth to the batteries in electric vehicles across the nation.MIT Technology Review wanted to provide a clearer sense of the laws on-the-ground impact by zeroing in on a single project and examining how these rich subsidies could be unlocked at each point along the supply chain. Take a look at what we found out.James Temple We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.) + The best way to learn absolutely anything more quickly? Thatll be the Feynman technique.+ Heres how to use lemongrass like a pro.+ I didnt know it was possible to make a recorder sing like this, but there you go.+ Vampire couples forever!

In the fall of 2024, a trucking company in Falls Township, Pennsylvania, temporarily stored a storm-damaged Tesla at its yard. A few weeks later, the car burst into flames that grew out of control within seconds, some shooting out 30 feet. A local fire company tried in vain to squelch the blaze, spraying more than 2,000 gallons of water on the vehicle. Eventually, the firefighters requested help from a fire company in neighboring Bristol Township, led by volunteer fire chief Howard McGoldrick. Hed been fighting fires since 1989, but this conflagration was unusual: It was a chemical fire in a lithium-ion battery, meaning it provided its own heat, fuel, and oxygen. And it was incredibly challenging to extinguish. McGoldrick was encountering fires like this more and more often. The previous year, he says, several rowhouses were badly burned after overcharged lithium-ion batteries in racing drones ignited inside. In another nearby incident, old lithium-ion biomedical devices at a scrapyard got soaked in a rainstorm and combusted. The Tesla fire felt like a breaking point. We were like, Okay, this is just too many incidents in a short amount of time, McGoldrick recalls. He went in search of someone who could help his company get better at responding to fires in lithium-ion batteries. He found Patrick Durham. Durham is the owner of (and mustache behind) StacheD Training, one of a growing number of private companies helping first responders learn how to deal with lithium-ion battery safety, including electric-vehicle fires. Although there isnt solid data on the frequency of EV battery fires, its no secret to EV makers that these fires are happening. Yet the manufacturers offer no standardized steps on how to fight them or avoid them in the first place, leaving first responders scrambling to search through each cars emergency response guidesomething thats hard to do when youre standing in front of an immolating vehicle. In this void, Durham offers a wealth of resources to first responders, from easy-to-follow video tutorials to hours-long in-person workshops. In 2024 alone, Durham says he trained approximately 2,000 first responders around the country. As more people buy EVs, in part to help address climate change, the need for this training has only grown; in less than two years, Durhams YouTube channel has attracted almost 30,000 subscribers. (The US doesnt currently collect data on the frequency or causes of EV fires, but this year the US Fire Administration and the Fire Safety Research Institute are rolling out a new data collection system for fire departments.) A circumspect man with a shaved head, brown eyes, and a thick horseshoe mustache framing his mouth, Durham previously worked as a mechanical engineer developing battery boxes for EVs. He is also a volunteer firefighter, and in 2020 he offered his first training on fires in lithium-ion batteries to his local department. From there, his reputation spread by word of mouth. Today, StacheD Training is Durhams full-time work. Hes also the captain of his local volunteer fire department in Troy, Michigan. As more EVs hit the road, what worries Durham most isnt just the growing likelihood of battery firesits their intensity. The severity of the fire is significant compared to a regular vehicle fire, he says. The traditional car fires that you and I grew up withthe majority of those always start in the engine compartment, says Jim Stevenson, a fire chief from rural Michigan who has taken Durhams training. So we basically get there, we pop the car hood, and then we put out the fire from there, and if it gets into the inner compartment of the car? Not a big deal. You spray it down with the hose, and its out in no time. With EV fires, Stevenson says, its just a completely different monster. SHAWN HAZEN An EV battery is essentially a tightly packed array of thousands of cells, each of which ranges from approximately the size and shape of an AA battery to the size of a legal envelope, depending on the battery model. If a single cell gets damagedsuch as by getting crushed, overcharged, or waterloggedthat cell can heat uncontrollably in a process called thermal runaway. It will release so much heat and flammable gas that it generates its own fire, which spreads to the other cells. Older lithium-ion battery packs exploded like a pipe bomb when that happened, Durham says; todays battery packs have release valves so that during thermal runaway they avoid an explosion by instead spewing flames in what Durham describes as essentially a blowtorch. The location of an EVs batteryunderneath the car, between its axles, within a protective casecomplicates things further. The batteries are much safer from collision damage than they would be under the hood, but they are also much harder to reach and douse if they ignite. The result? Fires such as one at an Illinois Rivian plant in 2024, where one EV caught fire and approximately 50 cars parked nearby ended up burning. Or one in Hollywood, Florida, in 2023, where a Tesla was accidentally driven off a dock and burst into flames even though it was underwater. Durham worries that if an EV battery catches fire in a high-speed crash, it will burn so intensely that first responders wont be able to save anyone inside the vehicle. Putting out a fire in an internal-combustion car might take as little as 30 minutes and a few hundred gallons of water, he notes, while an electric car battery fire could take upwards of 4,000 gallons of water and many hours to extinguishand much more for commercial trucks. Indeed, when a Tesla Semi drove off Interstate 80 in Northern California in 2024 and burst into flames, first responders had to douse it with 50,000 gallons of water and close the highway for 15 hours. Whats more, with EVs, its never entirely clear whether the fire is truly out. Cars may ignite, or reignite, weeks or even months after the battery is damaged or a battery fire is initially suppressed. Durham points to one salvaged Tesla in California that burst into flames 308 days after it had flooded in a Florida hurricane. The vehicle hadnt initially ignited, but saltwater intrusion into the battery pack eventually corroded it enough to produce a chemical fire leading to thermal runaway. According to Durham, the simple truth is that the best way to manage EV fires right now is to let them burnwhile making sure to protect the surrounding area, including other vehicles and peoples homes. Allowing the fire to run its course will ideally also destroy any cells that might otherwise ignite later. This goes against firefighters instincts. When they respond to EV fires, they will spray water because they want to do something to fix the problem, he says. [But] its not really doing anything. Stevenson worries about how bystanders will perceive first responders waiting out a blaze. Its going to be ugly, he says, because the publics going to see us standing on the side [of the] road just watching it burn, which looks bad for us. But at the same time, he adds, we dont have [an] actual way of getting to the battery to knock it out. For now, Durhams training focuses on the options that first responders do have with EV fires. An important if simple one is using a fire blanket to cover a vehicle and prevent the blaze from spreading as it burns out. Although they hadnt yet received Durhams training, thats exactly what McGoldrick and his crew did when they responded to the burning Tesla last fall: After the facility used a forklift to move the burning car to an isolated part of the yard, first responders covered it with a fire blanket. The car reignited several times over the next few days, McGoldrick says, but it was contained. We just put it in the middle of an open lot and basically let it go. Its a significant cultural shift that first responders need to make, Durham says, and theres another one, too: being extra-vigilant about the personal protective equipment they wear from the first moment they arrive at a burning EV. There isnt yet enough information to compare the toxicity of EV fires and those in gas-powered cars, but Durham warns that first responders could inhale high levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and heavy metals from burning EVs. Overall, Durham says, he is not against EVs, but he thinks there needs to be a change in attitude to handle them safely. When an EV battery catches fire, he says, until that battery has been removed from the vehicle and shredded and fully recycled, its always going be a hazard. Maya L. Kapoor is an award-winning freelance journalist who writes about climate change, biodiversity, and environmental justice.

Insulation firm Siderise is challenging a decision by Kensington and Chelsea council to ban it from working in the borough because of its involvement with the Grenfell Tower refurbishment.Siderise Insulation Ltd manufactured some of the cavity barriers used on Grenfell Towers refurbishment in 2015-16.It was banned from working for the council at the end of last year after several other firms who worked on the refurbishment, including Rydon and Kingspan, were prohibited in 2021. The fire claimed 72 lives when it caught fire in June 2017.Source: ShutterstockThe fire in 2017 claimed the lives of 72 peopleBut Siderise is challenging the decision, made two weeks before Christmas, with a judicial review.It said: As a market leader in external passive fire protection, Siderise has led the industry in adopting new standards to help ensure that such tragedies do not recur. It is clear from the Grenfell Inquiry Reports that Siderise does not meet Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelseas [RBKC] criteria for excluding companies.> Also read:Government promises to stop Grenfell firms from future public sector work> Also read:Product manufacturers come out fighting after Grenfell Inquirys damning verdictRBKC decided to take measures against companies whose incompetence, dishonesty or misleading behaviour had contributed to the Grenfell Tower fire or its spread, or which were not candid before the Grenfell Inquiry.While Siderise products were used in the Grenfell refurbishment, the Grenfell Inquiry Report is clear that neither Siderise nor its products contributed to the tragic fire or its spread, and there is no suggestion that Siderise was not candid before the Inquiry, and therefore this exclusion is unwarranted.It added: The RBKC decision is therefore without foundation or justification. Siderise is acting to protect its reputation as a British manufacturer which supplies its products globally.The RBKC decision is therefore without foundation or justification. Siderise is acting to protect its reputation as a British manufacturer which supplies its products globally.The final report of the Grenfell Tower inquiry, published last year, said: Although there is no evidence to suggest that, unlike Arconic, Kingspan and Celotex, Siderise set out in its marketing literature deliberately to mislead, it was suggested that its datasheet was in fact misleading because it suggested that its cavity barriers were effective when used in rainscreen cladding systems of all kinds, when the tests it had carried out did not support that claim.We think that the datasheet should have described more fully the nature of the tests it had carried out. The unqualified statement that the horizontal cavity barrier fully closes the ventilated air gap in the event of a fire tended to suggest that it would do so regardless of the nature of the rainscreen panel against which it was to form a seal. On the face of it, that was misleading, because no test had been carried out in conjunction with any recognised form of rainscreen panel.However, it is unlikely that any competent designer reading the datasheet would have been misled about the suitability of the product for particular rainscreen applications.Siderise added: Given there is no suggestion in the Grenfell Inquiry Reports of dishonesty on the part of Siderise or any deficiencies in its products, the company should therefore not have been included in the RBKC decision.Siderise said thatcriticism of its marketing literature was not that it stated something incorrectly but that it did not state further information that would have been helpful.In a statement, the council said it stood by its decision but declined to comment further.Meanwhile, Kingspan has given an updated response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry in its latest annual results which were published at the end of last week.It said: While the Groups subsidiary had no role in the design of the cladding system on Grenfell Tower, the Groups K15 product (constituting approximately 5% of the insulation on the tower) was misused without the Groups knowledge in an unsafe and non-compliant cladding system on the exterior of the building.Although not found by the Inquiry to be causative of the tragedy, the Group has acknowledged certain historical failings that occurred in part of the business of the relevant subsidiary, which the Group has since comprehensively addressed. There can be no assurance that the findings of the Inquiry, negative press or industry sentiment following the Inquiry, will not negatively impact the Group or lead to the Group being the subject of additional investigations, litigation, regulatory responses or other legal proceedings.It added: The Group has not recognised a provision for any liabilities that may arise on the basis that a present obligation does not exist. Any potential liabilities cannot be measured with sufficient reliability, and it would not be practicable to do so.Kingspan said turnover last year was up 6% to 8.4bn (7bn) with pre-tax profit up 5% to 832m (689m).

Major shake-up of the way public bodies purchase goods and services starts todayThe Procurement Act 2023 has come into force today, shaking up the way more than 400bn a year is spent by public bodies on goods and services.The legislation, which aims to create a simpler and more transparent system to replace European Union rules post-Brexit, introduces several measures with key implications for the built environment sector.The act establishes a single digital platform for supplier registration in a bid to enshrine objectives for public procurement including delivering value for money, maximising public benefit, treating suppliers equally and acting with integrity.Source: ShutterstockThe new rules will see sweeping changes to the way contracts are procuredUnder the new system, buyers are required to have regard to the governments National Procurement Policy Statement which sets out priorities for public procurement.The bill also introduces new exclusion rules to tackle unacceptable behaviour and poor performance and arrangements to allow public authorities to buy at pace if necessary to protect life, health, public order or safety.The act introduces open frameworks, which unlike the closed frameworks in procurement law to date, would allow new suppliers to join after the framework has been set up. These frameworks can be for up to eight years and must be reopened during this time at least once.Procurers are required to base their bids on the most advantageous tenders (MAT) rather than the previous most economically advantageous tender (MEAT). The aim is to encourage bids for work from firms to consider a broader view of what can be counted as value for money, including social vale.The act also requires projects in excess of 5m to set at least three key performance indicators, which must be published in the contract details notice and then the suppliers performance against those KPIs published at least every 12 months.

Apple's newest phone, the $599 iPhone 16E, breaks with the company's usual September launch timeline and instead will be released on Friday, Feb. 28. In fact, you can preorder the 16E right now. The new iPhone offers a unique appeal: Get some of the iPhone 16's best features (a 48-megapixel camera, iOS 18 and an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence) for $200 less than the $799 iPhone 16. That makes the iPhone 16E basically a scaled-down version of the iPhone 16 that lacks certain features, like MagSafe charging and a second rear camera to keep the price low.But the iPhone 16E isn't the only phone Apple will release this year. We expect the iPhone 17 to launch in September. Rumors indicate that it might get a new ultra-thin design. So that begs the question: Should you buy an iPhone 16E now or wait six months for the iPhone 17?Unfortunately, the answer is: it depends.Preorder the iPhone 16E Watch this: The iPhone 16E Has Arrived 05:08 iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 17: today The iPhone 16E is meant to be a slightly more affordable version of the iPhone 16. Apple/CNETThe iPhone 16E has the distinction of being Apple's most affordable phone (before carrier discounts and deals) despite costing $170 more than the company's previous cheap phone, the iPhone SE from 2022. The 16E is aimed at those who want to get the newest cheapest iPhone with all the Apple perks they expect, like a good camera, services like iMessage and FaceTime, and years' worth of software upgrades.The iPhone 16E carries the iPhone SE's old mantle and uses parts of old iPhones to create an affordable one. For example, the 16E's screen and body are similar to the iPhone 14 and it has the same processor that the iPhone 16 has. On paper, the 16E is an upgrade in nearly every way to the last iPhone SE. The iPhone 16E releases at the end of February. But if you want the iPhone 17, you're going to have to wait because it doesn't exist.Apple hasn't announced the iPhone 17, and you can't preorder it yet. The next iPhone is just a bunch of rumors that paint the picture of a mythical newer phone that's better than what's available now. But the chances are high that Apple will release an iPhone 17 in September, half a year from now. For me, I haven't encountered a phone that is worth waiting six months for, so I wouldn't wait for the 17.iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 17: September 2025 The iPhone 17 hasn't been announced yet. In this picture, we used an iPhone 16 Pro and put the number 17 behind it since there aren't any photos from Apple of its unreleased phone. Apple/Viva Tung/CNETWhat will the iPhone 17 have that the new iPhone 16E doesn't? I have no idea because Apple hasn't announced anything yet.But we can look at some of the many iPhone 17 rumors and postulate why it may or may not be worth waiting six months for. The biggest rumor is that Apple might debut a new iPhone model with an extremely thin design, as reported by The Information. Nicknamed the iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim, it would have the usual year-to-year additions, like a new processor and new software, but its main appeal will likely be its new design.Every phone Apple has launched since 2020 has looked similar to the iPhone 12 and had flat sides, except for the iPhone SE. That same iPhone 12 design can seen in the iPhone 16 series including the new iPhone 16E. And while many Apple enthusiasts want an iPhone with a truly new design, there is logic to Apple keeping what works for its large base of iPhone users.The iPhone 17 Air's thin design could have a large 6.6-inch display that slots in-between the 6.1-inch screens on the iPhone 16 and 16 E and the 6.9-inch display on the 16 Pro Max. The iPhone 17 Air is also expected to have Apple's C1 5G modem, the same one that debuted in the iPhone 16E according to noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.But even if the iPhone 17 were out today, it's meant for a different person compared with the affordable iPhone 16E. Apple's New iPhone 16E in 8 Photos See all photos iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 17: Budget or flagship? The iPhone 16E is the only phone Apple sells that has a single rear camera. Apple/Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNETThe true complicating factor between deciding between Apple's brand-new cheap iPhone and its next unannounced flagship model is just that: Do you want a budget-version of the iPhone 16? Or do you want one of Apple's more expensive premium models? And if so the real question should be do you want an iPhone 16 or wait for an iPhone 17?Even though the only things we know about the iPhone 17 series are based on rumors, it will likely have a regular base model that starts around $800 and a more premium Pro model that starts at $1,000. Like the iPhone 16, the iPhone 17 has a different value proposition and will likely be aimed at a different user than the iPhone 16E.It's also unclear if Apple will release an affordable version of the iPhone 17 in 2026 -- maybe the 17E? The iPhone SE series got updates every two to three years compared with the annual updates that Apple's flagship line gets.Buy a phone when you need it The iPhone 16E will no doubt be the most affordable way to get an iPhone before carrier discounts and deals. Apple/CNETUltimately, if your current phone is broken or has a cracked screen and you need to buy a phone now, then do so. Apple's regular iPhone 16 is an amazing option and, while we haven't tested the iPhone 16E yet, on paper it looks like it will be a solid budget phone for most people.If you are due for an upgrade from your carrier, then things get more tricky. Six months is a long time to wait, especially for a phone Apple hasn't even announced or told us about. But if your current phone is working fine, hold onto that upgrade until September and reevaluate your situation then.Apple iPhone 16E Specs vs. iPhone 16, iPhone SE (2022), iPhone 15 Apple iPhone 16EiPhone 16iPhone SE (2022)iPhone 15Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate 6.1-inch OLED display; 2,532x1,170 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate6.1-inch OLED display; 2,556x1,179 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate4.7-inch LCD; 1,334x750 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate6.1-inch OLED; 2,556x1,179 pixels; 60hz refresh ratePixel density 460ppi460ppi326ppi460ppiDimensions (inches) 5.78x2.82x0.315.81x2.82x0.315.45x2.65x0.292.82x5.81x0.31Dimensions (millimeters) 146.7x71.5x7.8147.6x71.6x7.8138.4x67.3x7.371.6x147.6x7.8Weight 167 grams (5.88 ounces)170g (6oz)144g (5.09oz)171g (6.02oz)Mobile software iOS 18iOS 18iOS 15iOS 17Camera 48 megapixel (wide)48 megapixel (wide), 12 megapixel (ultrawide)12 megapixel (wide)48 megapixel (wide), 12 megapixel (ultrawide)Front-facing camera 12 megapixel12 megapixel7 megapixel12 megapixelVideo capture 4K4K4K4KProcessor Apple A18Apple A18Apple A15 BionicApple A16 BionicRAM/storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB128GB, 256GB, 512GB64GB, 128GB, 256GB128GB, 256GB, 512GBExpandable storage NoneNoneNoneNoneBattery Up to 26 hours video playback, 21 hours streamed video playback, 90 hours of audio playback. 20W wired charging, 7.5W Qi wireless chargingUp to 22 hours video playback; up to 18 hours video playback (streamed). 20W wired charging. MagSafe wireless charging up to 25W with 30W adapter or higher; Qi2 up to 15WBattery size not disclosed (charger not included; supports wireless charging)Undisclosed; Apple says up to 20 hours of video playback (16 hours streamed)Fingerprint sensor None (Face ID)None (Face ID)Home buttonNone (Face ID)Connector USB-CUSB-CLightningUSB-CHeadphone jack NoneNoneNoneNoneSpecial features Action button, Apple C1 5G modem, Apple Intelligence, Ceramic Shield, Emergency SOS, satellite connectivity, IP68 resistanceApple Intelligence, Action button, Camera Control button, Dynamic Island, 1 to 2,000 nits display brightness range, IP68 resistance. Colors: black, white, pink, teal, ultramarine.5G-enabled; supports 25W wired fast charging; Water resistant (IP67); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless chargingDynamic Island; 5G (mmw/Sub6); MagSafe; water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; eSIM; satellite connectivityUS price starts at $599 (128GB), $699 (256GB), $899 (512GB)$799 (128GB), $899 (256GB), $1,099 (512GB)$399 (64GB), $449 (128GB), $549 (256GB)$799 (128GB), $899 (256GB), $1,099 (512GB)UK price starts at 599 (128GB), 699 (256GB), 899 (512GB)799 (128GB), 899 (256GB), 1,099 (512GB)419 (64GB), 469 (128GB), 569 (256GB)799 (128GB), 899 (256GB), 1,099 (512GB)Australia price starts at AU$999 (128GB), AU$1,199 (256GB), AU$1,549 (512GB)AU$1,399 (128GB), AU$1,599 (256GB), AU$1,949 (512GB)AU$749 (64GB), AU$829 (128GB), AU$999 (256GB)AU$1,499 (128GB), AU$1,699 (256GB), AU$2,049 (512GB)

The iPhone 16 Pro is already capable of taking stunning still images while offering pro-level video production. But Bloomberg's Mark Gurman -- an Apple commentator with a reliable track record -- writes that for the iPhone 17 Pro line, Apple "will stress improvements to video recording" in a bid to "get the vlogging community away from stand alone cameras." As a YouTube creator, I'm intrigued.Sadly, Gurman hasn't offered any details on what these video improvements might be. And to be fair to Apple, it's already leading the way with some of its production capabilities. The combination of ProRes recording and Log color profiles on the last couple of iPhone Pro models has made them not just great video cameras for everyday vloggers, but powerful enough to be the primary cameras for Hollywood films. Samsung clearly took note of Apple's video dominance in the creative space as it equipped the recent S25 Ultra with Log color, too.Given the already top-end video skills of the iPhones, it's difficult to know exactly what Apple might do to make its devices even more appealing to content creators. I produce videos for CNET, but I also operate a YouTube channel and so I spend a lot of my time shooting video and vlogging on a variety of equipment from mirrorless cameras like my Canon R5 and BlackMagic Cinema Camera to more mobile options like the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. Yet I rarely use my iPhone 16 Pro as part of my production. So, why not? The compact and powerful DJI Osmo Pocket 3 remains my go-to camera for YouTube vlogging. Andrew Lanxon/CNETIn all honesty, there's no specific reason beyond that I feel I have my bases adequately covered by what's already available. When I want cinematic production quality, I use my main cameras. When I want a lightweight mobile setup for photowalk vlogging, I use my Osmo. So I'm left wondering what Apple would need to do to make me leave my Osmo at home and head out to shoot my YouTube videos using just my phone. I do have a couple of thoughts. My professional camera setup includes a Canon R5 and a wealth of accessories to help me produce the best possible quality. Andrew Lanxon/CNETFirst, it needs to make the main camera app easier to use with Bluetooth microphones. While the iPhone's built-in microphones are decent enough in quiet environments, external mics can offer more professional sound quality with better wind resistance. They allow you to stand further away from your camera while capturing crystal clear sound.While it's possible to pair the DJI Mic 2 with the iPhone, I've only been able to get it to work when using the BlackMagic Camera app, but not in the iPhone's default camera app. It's possible that Apple will try to push the AirPods Pro 2 as the better option for creators, but I don't like wearing headphones when vlogging, so this isn't a workaround I'd be happy with.I also want to see Apple offer more editing options for its Log footage on the phone. Log video looks grey and low contrast by default as you typically take that footage into editing software like Adobe Premiere or DaVinci Resolve and adjust the colors and contrast to suit -- a process called color grading. But that adds a lot of time and effort.If Apple wants its high-level video skills to appeal to fast-paced YouTubers and social media creators, adding color presets (often called LUTs) to the iPhone's video editing workflow would be a welcome addition.I'm definitely excited to see what Apple has in store for the iPhone 17's cameras. As someone who spends a lot of time producing videos, I'm keen to see whether its new updates will be enough to tempt me away from my own tried-and-tested setup.

February 23, 2025Measles Outbreaks, Asteroid Risks and Fish FriendsIn this weeks news roundup, we cover activity from the black hole at our galaxys center and a troubling measles outbreak in Texas. Anaissa Ruiz Tejada/Scientific AmericanSUBSCRIBE TO Science Quickly[CLIP: Theme music]Happy Monday, listeners. For Scientific Americans Science Quickly, this is Allison Parshall filling in for Rachel Feltman. Lets get the week started by catching up on some of the latest science news.[CLIP: Without Further Ado by Jon Bjrk]On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.First, a quick update on our favorite ominous asteroid. The rock dubbed 2024 YR4 briefly had an even higher probability of hitting Earth than the last time we mentioned it. Early last week, NASA pegged the rocks chances of smashing into us in 2032 at more than 3%. That was the highest impact probability ever recorded for an asteroid of its size or larger. But you can relax because as of last Thursday, that estimate had fallen back down to a reassuring 1.5%.Its totally understandable if you find all this wishy-washyness a bit disconcerting. But rest assured that things are playing out more or less exactly the way scientists have told us to expect. For more information on 2024 YR4and why its chances of hitting us keep changing so rapidlycheck out our February 12 episode.[CLIP: Sound transition]And speaking of space: new observations from the James Webb Space Telescope suggest that the black hole at the center of our galaxy is having something of a constant cosmic rager.Sagittarius A*, which is the black hole that sits at the center of the Milky Way, our galaxy, is apparently emitting flares of light pretty much all the time. The black holes accretion disk, which is that swirl of gas and dust that surrounds it, seems to be always bubbling with random bursts of activity, from like the brieest of faint flickers to bright daily eruptions. And based on observations taken in 2023 and 2024, the black hole doesnt ever seem to settle into a steady state, according to the researchs lead author. The scientists hope to continue studying Sagittarius A* with JWST so they can learn more.[CLIP: Sound transition]In other space news, for the first time, an astronaut candidate with a physical disability has been cleared to go to the International Space Station. John McFall had his right leg amputated above the knee following a motorcycle accident when he was 19. He's a Paralympic medalist and an orthopedic surgeon, and in 2022 he joined the European Space Agency, or ESAs reserve astronaut corps.The ESA conducted an extensive feasibility study to prove there were no medical or technical reasons to keep McFall from going into orbit. He isnt guaranteed to get assigned to an ISS mission. But he told the Guardian that thanks to the detailed and methodical nature of the ESAs study, the agencys international partners have accepted his eligibility to fly.[CLIP: Sound transition][CLIP: It Doesnt End Here (Instrumental), by Nehemiah Pratt]Now lets catch up on some health stories. A troubling measles outbreak continues to grow in West Texas, with some 58 cases identified as of last Tuesday, according to the state health department. Measles is highly contagious and can be fatal. And in this outbreak, most of the cases have been reported in children and young adults.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says 95 percent of children in kindergarten should be protected with two doses of the MMR vaccine to prevent measles outbreaks. In Gaines County, which is the epicenter of the Texas outbreak, nearly 20 percent of incoming kindergarten students for the 2023-2024 school year were unvaccinated. The U.S. as a whole has fallen short of the 95 percent vaccination threshold for several years now.[CLIP: None of my Business by Arthur Benson]Lets wrap things up with some fascinating animal research.First, a recent study could help explain why humans have such unique powers of speech. In a paper published last Tuesday in Nature Communications, scientists reported that a gene variant specific to modern humans may have played a role in the development of language.Modern humans have a unique variant of a gene called NOVA1, compared to Neanderthals and Denisovans. Previous research has suggested that this variant can impact brain development.In the new study, researchers used CRISPR gene editing to swap the NOVA1 gene typically found in mice with the modern human variant. When the mice with the swapped gene vocalized, they made slightly different sounds than their counterparts.While the development of human speech is probably tied to many different genes, researchers say that they hope this study will help us better understand the evolution of languageand perhaps allow us to improve our detection of and intervention in human speech-development issues.Meanwhile, a study published last Tuesday in Biology Letters suggests that fish really can be our friends. Researchers diving in the Mediterranean Sea have noticed that local fish seem to pick up on which scientists carry food to use as experimental rewards. The fish apparently have a tendency to follow divers whove previously offered snacks while ignoring their colleagues, so scientists decided to try and figure out whether wild fish can actually recognize individual humans.The researchers started by training fish to follow one diver in particular. She initially wore a bright-red vest during her dives and offered just tons of snacks. Eventually, even wearing plain diving gear, hiding the food and only feeding fish after they followed her for 50 meters [roughly 164 feet], she had about 20 saddled sea bream and black sea bream that knew her and swarmed her once she hit the water.Then, to make a long story short, the scientists demonstrated that fish could learn to distinguish her from a colleagueat least when they were wearing distinctive gear. That suggests some fish at least can pick up on visual cues to tell humans apart.So if youre certain that your goldfish adores you specifically, dont let anyone tell you otherwise.Thats all for this weeks news roundup. Rachel will be back on Wednesday to tell you all about an unsung hero in our quest to understand the cosmos.[CLIP: Theme music]Science Quickly is produced by me, Allison Parshall, Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg, Naeem Amarsy and Jeff DelViscio. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check our show. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Subscribe to Scientific American for more up-to-date and in-depth science news.For Scientific American, this is Allison Parshall filling in for Rachel Feltman. Have a great week!

Former Amazon Games boss explains why it couldn't compete with Valve's Steam: "Goliath lost""We underestimated the power of existing user habits."Image credit: Valve / Amazon / Eurogamer News by Ed Nightingale Deputy News Editor Published on Feb. 24, 2025 A former boss of Amazon Games has detailed why the company couldn't compete with Valve's Steam platform for PC sales.Ethan Evans was VP of Prime Gaming at Amazon until September 2020, and in a recent post on LinkedIn he detailed how Amazon "failed multiple times to disrupt the game platform Steam"."We were at least 250 times bigger, and we tried everything," he wrote. "But ultimately, Goliath lost."Xbox currently has more first-party games coming to PlayStation 5 this year than Sony.Watch on YouTubeAmazon tried three times to enter the "online-game-store market", said Evans. The first was by acquiring the small PC games store Reflexive Entertainment and trying to scale it, but this "went nowhere".The second, after Amazon bought Twitch, was to create its own PC games store and utilise the Twitch audience for sales. "Our assumption was that gamers would naturally buy from us because they were already using Twitch," said Evans. "Wrong."The third effort from Amazon was its Luna streaming service, which competed with Google's own ill-fated Stadia - that shut down in January 2023. Luna remains live, but Evans admitted neither Amazon nor Google's efforts "gained significant traction". "The whole time, Steam dominated despite being a relatively small company (compared to Amazon and Google)," he said.So what went wrong? "The mistake was that we underestimated what made consumers use Steam," said Evans. "It was a store, a social network, a library, and a trophy case all in one. And it worked well."He continued: "At Amazon, we assumed that size and visibility would be enough to attract customers, but we underestimated the power of existing user habits. We never validated our core assumptions before investing heavily in solutions. The truth is that gamers already had the solution to their problems, and they weren't going to switch platforms just because a new one was available."We needed to build something dramatically better, but we failed to do so. And we needed to validate our assumptions about our customers before starting to build. But we never really did that either."Just because you are big enough to build something doesn't mean people will use it."Amazon still has its Prime Gaming subscription, which this month includes BioShock 2 Remastered and Deus Ex: Human Revolution.And after publishing multiple MMORPGs, Amazon Games' next release will be King of Meat from ex-Lionhead and Media Molecule developers.Steam, meanwhile, has just seen its concurrent player numbers peak once again this month, hitting 39.92 million online users.Steam's other big competitor, the Epic Games Store, also now has more players than ever.

Avowed director hints at a future for the franchise"Now that we've built this wonderful world..."Image credit: Obsidian / Eurogamer News by Tom Phillips Editor-in-Chief Published on Feb. 24, 2025 Obsidian's fun and colourful Avowed doesn't sound like a one-and-done effort by the developer behind The Outer Worlds and Fallout: New Vegas. Avowed arrived last week to a positive reception, and now a Bloomberg interview with the game's director Carrie Patel includes the suggestion we'll see more of the franchise from Obsidian.Asked whether Patel's next project would be something new, the director said that work on more Avowed content - be that for this game, or sequels - was more likely.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Eurogamer's Avowed review - Obsidian's role-player is one of this year's most pleasant surprises. Watch on YouTube"Now that we've built this wonderful world, and also built this team strength and muscle memory around the content and gameplay in this world, I'd love to see us do more with it," Patel said.Obsidian has invested more than six years in Avowed, and longer in its Pillars of Eternity universe. Development on the project began in 2018, two years prior to the company's acquisition by Microsoft. Initially planned as a multiplayer version of Skyrim with a massive open world, Obsidian ditched the game's online component relatively early on. After Patel came on board to lead the game in 2021, the decision was then made to also switch the game's map from open world to multiple large open zones. The game also ended up leaning further into the Pillars of Eternity universe's lore than initially planned, too."With any game you think, 'OK, we can't climb every mountain - which ones are really worth the effort for us?'" Patel said. "We knew from The Outer Worlds that we could build a really great game with open zones, and that also adds some advantages in terms of letting you really theme your areas more distinctly and intentionally, and provide a sense of progression as the player's going from one environment to the next.""What Avowed lacks in gloss it makes up for with charm, depth and a playful heart," our Bertie wrote in Eurogamer's Avowed review. "It's one of this year's most pleasant surprises."Earlier this month, Obsidian said it was planning to still be open for its 100th anniversary - in another 78 years - by staying "lean and invested".

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide A newly discovered Fortnite glitch in the newly released Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 update has been discovered. As players rush to unlock Sub-Zero and rampage through Vault Heists, theyve also uncovered a way to drop the one item players cant get rid of: their pickaxe.Amidst the buffed grenades and the brand-new map changes, players have found an easy way to drop their pickaxe in Fortnite. Heres how:Fortnite Pickaxe Glitch how to drop your pickaxeIf you want to drop your pickaxe in Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2, youll have to first make sure your settings are correct. In the settings menu, make sure you turn on the Hold to Swap function before you make your way into a game. Save Up to $1,200 on the Samsung Galaxy S25! Pre-order now and save big with trade-in and Samsung credit. Limited time only! *Includes trade-in value + $300 Samsung credit. After that simply follow these steps to drop your pickaxe in any game. Well, at least until they patch it.Safely land in a location with an empty inventoryLocate a weapon or equipable item (the glitch works with most items but there may be some that dont work)Switch to your pickaxe and hold to swap on an itemIts really that easy! If you do this successfully, you will drop your pickaxe on the ground, and itll show as a default pickaxe skin. (Check a look right here.) Additionally, if you drop your trusty mining tool and another player picks it up, itll be completely gone for the remainder of the match. Must-Listen: Publishing Manor Lords w/ Joe Robinson VideoGamer Podcast Listen Now While some players have found some ways of getting their pickaxes back mid-game, its a lot easier to get rid of the tool than to get it back again. However, playing Fortnite without access to your last resort weapon and handy building-smashing tool is one hell of a challenge. Nevertheless, it is extremely fun.For more Fortnite coverage, read about the leaked Mortal Kombat Fatality coming to the game or check out the free Captain America: Brave New World cosmetics for the game. The film sucks, but at least you can get some nifty treats for it.FortnitePlatform(s):Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Massively Multiplayer, Shooter9VideoGamerRelated TopicsSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share