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Many of the emails released by the Department of Justice from its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein are full of garbled symbols like:
Or:
The scrambled text is so ubiquitous that it's spurred conspiracy theories that it could be some kind of code. But as believable as it might be that a cabal of elite sex traffickers would communicate in a secret language, the reality is probably more...
This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more news about video game industry's pushback against generative AI, follow Jay Peters. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here.
How it started
Long before the generative AI explosion, video game developers made games that could generate...
Lesley Groff, Epstein’s executive assistant. | Image: Jmail
The folks behind Jmail are at it again with a clone of Wikipedia that turns the treasure trove of data in Epstein's emails into detailed dossiers on his associates. Entries include known visits to Epstein's properties, possible knowledge of Epstein's crimes, and laws that they might have broken. The reports are dense, listing how...
Buying a pre-assembled gaming desktop makes sense for some. It can save you time and money, too, compared to buying PC components piecemeal. If you’re weighing your options, consider some Presidents Day offers on iBuyPower’s pre-built desktops, including the $1,899 RDY Element 9 Pro R07 and the $2,099.99 Slate — both of which are stocked with high-end AMD processors and GPUs that can tear...
There’s a playable henge of fiddles. | Image: Georgia Tech / The Verge
Georgia Tech has announced the finalists in its annual Guthman Musical Instrument Competition. Every year, for the last 28 years, the school invites inventors from around the world to submit new instruments of their own design to compete for $10,000 in prizes. Past finalists have included founding members of Teenage...
My ongoing quest to turn my iPhone into one of my favorite consoles of all time has led me to a curiously named controller. GameSir's Pocket Taco is only barely pocketable, and distinctly lacking in taco fillings, but for $35, it's an excellent and easy way to turn your phone into a Game Boy-inspired handheld for playing retro games that don't require a pair of thumbsticks.
Unlike the...
In an eyewitness video analyzed frame by frame by The New York Times, Alex Pretti raises one hand and holds a phone in the other. Federal agents tackle him, and one appears to find and remove a gun holstered on his hip. Then, an agent shoots - and a second follows. They appear to fire nine more shots as Pretti lies on the ground.
The Trump administration has claimed Pretti was shot because...
Phoebe Callas, 30, is not real, but she was an AI companion I went on a speed date with.
Hopping over a pile of dirty snow, I arrived on a frigid February evening at a wine bar in midtown, a purple neon sign reading "EVA AI cafe." Inside, several people were seated at tables and booths, staring at phones. Servers milled about, placing mini potato croquettes and nonalcoholic spritzers on...
Colonialism is not merely about occupying nations. It's a project of mass violence, part of which involves total erasure and the widespread theft of some of the most culturally significant artifacts in the world. Even today, colonizing nations proudly display stolen artifacts, acting as peacocking robbers under the guise of tourism. See, for example, the British Museum's continual hold of...
Monday, February 16th, is Presidents Day, and there are plenty of good deals happening on tech in the run-up to the holiday. Even if you don’t snag any huge upgrades, though, you likely already own multiple gadgets that you need to recharge each and every day. It would sure be nice to be able to charge two devices at once, and you can do just that with Anker’s braided, two-headed USB-C...