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The Morning After: Touring Mercedes' very luxurious EV
The S-Class of EVs is here.
This “S-Class of EVs” is the first full-electric car from Mercedes to come to the US, combining a low drag coefficient with a large battery pack for a range of 478 miles, using Europe’s WLTP estimate. Tesla, Porsche and Audi already have electric luxury sedans, but this looks like an interesting and extremely classy competitor.
Roberto Baldwin is ready to walk us through the features and its futuristic interior, which includes a biometric sensor for logging in with voice or fingerprint. There’s no word on how much it will cost, and we haven’t taken it on the road yet, but I’m already digging its unique taillights and fastback hatch.
— Richard Lawler
DJI’s new Air 2S drone has superior photo and video features
Thanks to a new 20-megapixel sensor.
It’s barely been a month since DJI unveiled a new drone, and the company already has another to show. This time, it’s the Air 2S, the latest iteration of its medium-sized camera drone. The Air 2S looks nearly identical to its predecessor, bar a few smoother lines and an extra pair of front obstacle-avoidance cameras.
But what’s important here is the camera: The Air 2S offers a larger (1-inch) sensor that shoots up to 20-megapixel photos or 5.4K video at 30 fps (or 4K at 60 fps and 150Mbps). There’s also a new MasterShot feature, which combines pre-programmed flight paths with intelligent automatic editing — a sort of fire-and-forget mode to create automatic edits from whatever path you tell it. The Air 2S is on sale now for $999. Continue reading.
Google makes it easy to jump back to the search box by pressing '/'
The new shortcut makes it easier to refine your search results.
Google’s new Search shortcut helps to speed up your search process. Now, when you're on a results page, you can simply press "/" to expand the search field and add more words or modifiers. This feature joins the tab accessibility shortcut, which highlights links so you can open websites without relying on a mouse or a trackpad. Continue reading.
Ferrari's CEO promises an EV in 2025
But first it’s building an SUV next year.
Ferrari has already made cars with hybrid powertrains, but during its Annual General Meeting this week, acting CEO John Elkann told investors in prepared remarks (PDF) that the carmaker will unveil "the first all-electric Ferrari" in 2025. Hopefully, that plan will hold even after the company confirms a new CEO — over the past decade execs have said Ferrari will never build an EV, will be the first with an electric supercar and that an electric Ferrari will not arrive until after 2025.
Amazon just added a feature Kindles should have had all along
Make the cover of the book you’re reading your lock screen.
As long as you have a non-ad device, Display Cover is available on the 8th and 10th generation Kindle, 7th and 10th generation Paperwhite, 8th, 9th and 10th generation Oasis and 7th generation Voyage. If you're unsure whether your Kindle is compatible, Amazon has a handy list on its website. Either way, you'll find the new option in your Kindle's settings menu, with a Show Cover toggle enabling the feature.
It makes sense for book-loving e-reader owners, and for Amazon, gives one more reason for you to pay $20 to upgrade from ad-supported to no-ads. Continue reading.
Jeff Bezos says Amazon has to treat its employees better
The company plans to use algorithms to help with the issue.
Alongside announcing 200 million Prime subscribers, Jeff Bezos’ farewell letter to shareholders also outlined what the company plans to do to address its perception as a tough workplace. A significant portion of the letter includes Bezos reflecting on the failed attempt by workers at the company's BHM1 fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama, to unionize. Bezos writes, "I think we need to do a better job for our employees. While the voting results were lopsided and our direct relationship with employees is strong, it's clear to me that we need a better vision for how we create value for employees — a vision for their success." Continue reading.
US expels Russian diplomats in response to SolarWinds hack
The move is also retaliation for alleged election interference.
President Biden has expelled 10 Russian diplomats from Washington, DC, including members of intelligence services, in response to actions that include the SolarWinds hack. The White House imposed sanctions on 32 "entities and individuals" as an answer to reported 2020 election interference attempts.
Biden formally blamed the Russia-backed cyberattack group Cozy Bear (aka APT29) as the culprit behind the SolarWinds breach. The FBI, NSA and CISA also issued a joint cybersecurity advisory warning on vulnerabilities that Russian intelligence used to compromise networks. Continue reading.
But wait, there’s more...
Xwing completes first autonomous gate-to-gate commercial cargo flight
'Resident Evil Village' demo is coming soon, sooner on PS4 and PS5
Netflix's 'Resident Evil' series premieres in July
'Days Gone' hits Steam and Epic Games Store on May 19th
'Skate City' heads to Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and PC on May 6th
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra gets eSIM support for T-Mobile in the US
FBI director: Social media is 'key amplifier' of domestic extremism
Apple starts $200 million fund to remove CO2 by restoring forests
Facebook reaches its target of using 100 percent renewable energy
Google Earth's biggest update in years adds free 3D timelapse videos
IFA is planning a 'full-scale return' with an in-person event in September
