Tech News Now

CNET Tech News Now is on hiatus. To hear more news from CNET simply search for CNET on your smart home device, or your favorite podcast app.

In today's top stories, Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen lead Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness​ to the second biggest box office smash of the pandemic era. In other news, a new report says 1.5 million apps on Google and Apple's app stores haven't been updated in two years and could face repercussions.

In today's top stories, Meta has turned off augmented reality filters for Facebook and Instagram in Texas and Illinois due to facial recognition and privacy laws in those states. In other news, Disney Plus grew to 137.7 million subscribers as of April 2, coming on the heels of Netflix's first reported subscriber loss in years.

In today's top stories, Apple could ditch its signature Lightning port on the iPhone 15 in 2023, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts and Netflix could roll out an ad-supported tier by the end of the year.

In today's top stories, Apple announced Tuesday that the iPod Touch, released in 2007, will no longer be available after all its supplies run out. In other news, Amazon recently fired workers and managers at a Staten Island warehouse that voted to unionize -- dismissals that come as a labor regulator found merit in allegations the e-commerce giant's anti-union tactics broke the law.

In today's top stories, Instagram's foray into NFTs begins this week and NASA's Ingenuity helicopter temporarily lost contact with the Perseverance rover as the Martian winter looms.

In today's top stories, you'll be able to interact with Florida's Walt Disney World in a whole new way this summer and Duolingo is rolling out a revamped version to iOS users this month..

In today's top stories, Canadian astronauts won't be exempt from their country's laws while on the moon and Google is scaling back performance reviews to once a year, following criticism from employees.

In today's top stories, Twitter is currently free to use for individuals, governments and companies, but incoming new owner Elon Musk has now hinted at change. In other news, an asteroid rumored to hit Earth will, in fact, sail right by us.

In today's top stories, a new government order will force virtual private networks in India to store user data for five years or longer. In other news, Avatar 2's trailer is showing before Marvel's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but isn't available online yet.

In today's top stories, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, plans to release four more VR headsets between now and 2024, according to a report Monday from The Information. In other news, The Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that owns Wikipedia, said it will no longer accept cryptocurrency as a means of donating.

In today's top stories, Wristcam, an Apple Watch Accessory Wristband Camera, Is Adding a Video Calling Feature. In other news, Snapchat creators will soon have a host of new camera and video editing tools at their fingertips with Director Mode.

In today's top stories, Amazon's profits fell during the first quarter of 2022 in the wake of increasing costs and Netflix laid off workers at its Tudum fan website Thursday, a culling that comes less than five months after the streaming service launched the site.

In today's top stories, Snapchat has a new way for people to capture photos and videos: a flying camera drone called Pixy that fits in the palm of your hand. In other news, a fresh look at fossils uncovered decades ago is helping to fill out paleontologists' understanding of massive ocean-dwelling animals that thrived over 200 million years ago.

In today's top stories, a federal judge denied Elon Musk's request to undo part of his 2018 settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission that required oversight of some of his social media posts about Tesla. In other news, a trademark filing confirmed that the Google smartwatch will be the Pixel Watch.

In today's top stories, Nike bought virtual sneaker designer RTFKT in December. Now over $10 million has been spent on its Dunk Genesis Cryptokicks. In other news, researchers found male spiders that catapult away to escape sexual cannibalism.

In today's top stories, following lots of speculation and suspense, Twitter has accepted Tesla Chief Elon Musk's bid to buy the social media giant for $44 billion. In other news, Apple sent out warnings to developers recently, asking them to update their App Store apps or risk having them removed in the next month.

In today's top stories, Elon Musk vowed to deliver on his promise of a Tesla robotaxi by 2024 and Amazon revealed a new way that Prime members in US will be able to take advantage of fast shipping and free returns, even beyond the retail giant's own site.

In today's top stories, the sun unleashed a powerful side flare - a possible signal of what's to come in the 2020s. In other news, NASA projects 2030 for when the first Martian steps will be taken and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk recently tweeted a simple "2029" to signal his more optimistic outlook.

In today's top stories, The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has reportedly been meeting with multiple firms in search of financing Twitter bid and Netflix loses 200,000, citing password-sharing as a contributing factor.

In today's top stories, In October, NASA used holoportation to bring NASA flight surgeon Dr. Josef Schmid onto the International Space Station while he was safely planted on our planet. In other news, researchers at Stanford modified commercially available solar panels to generate a small amount of electricity at night.

In today's top stories, Twitter has another potential suitor as it mulls whether to accept Elon Musk's offer to buy the company. In other news, Three Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Intuit CEO Sasan K. Goodarzi on Monday seeking answers about its TurboTax software and business practices.

In today's top stories, Peloton's subscription price is going up for the first time in eight years and YouTube will stream 15 MLB games during the 2022 season.

In today's top stories, Google says it's important to invest in office, even as it embraces hybrid work and a child advocacy group says pro-eating disorder content could be reaching 20 million Instagram users.

In today's top stories, a Twitter shareholder files a lawsuit against Elon Musk and a study found Amazon workers were injured twice as much as other warehouse workers last year.

In today's top stories, Tesla reopened its Roadster reservations page once again, and you can give the company $5,000 of your hard-earned dollars via credit card to get a spot on the Roadster waiting list. In other news, Etsy sellers are criticizing the company for increasing fees that they must pay with each sale.

In today's top stories, Elon Musk won't join Twitter's board of directors and NASA will test out SpinLaunch, a company specializing in slingshotting payloads to space as an alternative to conventional rockets for reaching beyond Earth's atmosphere

In today's top stories, Disney has set aside 80 acres to build an affordable housing community would include 1,300 units. In other news, Mario Golf is the next N64 title coming to the Nintendo Switch Online plus Expansion Pack service.

In today's top stories, scientists have spotted exoplanets so hot, they vaporize metals and the number of new spider species has now reached 50,000.

In today's top stories, Twitter finally announced an Edit feature and Uber has struck a deal with local taxi companies in San Francisco allowing taxis to pick up Uber customers.

In today's top stories, Apple's developer conference has been held entirely online over the past two years. Apple will stick with that again this year. In other news, scientists used data from NASA's Perseverance Rover to calculate the speed of sound on Mars and describe the soundscape on the red planet.

In today's top stories, Elon Musk took a 9.2% stake in Twitter, worth about $2.89 billion, making him the company largest stakeholder. In other news, The State Department on Monday launched a new cybersecurity bureau in an effort to make digital security a part of US foreign policy.

In today's top stories, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3, won't take place this June. This year's event was to be digital-only again, like the previous two years, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In other news, Samsung is launching a program to send out parts, tools and step-by-step guides for Samsung device owners to repair their own phones and tablets.

In today's top stories, Blue Origin successfully completed its fourth crewed flight to the edge of space and back on Thursday, rocketing six new civilian astronauts to experience weightlessness and a life-changing view over the course of a 10-minute flight. In more space news, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captures an image of the Ingenuity Mars helicopter on Mars.

In today's top stories, the FTC is suing Intuit over its TurboxTax software, alleging millions can't use the free program. In other news, some Verizon customers are getting spam texts from their own numbers, in which they're encouraged to click an obscure link to receive a gift.

In today's top stories, The US Food and Drug Administration authorized a second COVID-19 booster for adults age 50 and older, as well as a second booster for people 12 and up who are immunocompromised. In other news, PlayStation Plus will add Premium, Extra and Essential tiers in June, giving you access to a catalog of hundreds of games spanning from the original PlayStation to the PS5.

In today's top stories, Apple's film CODA won the Academy Award for best picture Sunday, beating powerhouse Netflix to become first streaming service to conquer Hollywood's most coveted film prize. In other news, SpaceX has ended production of new Crew Dragon capsules, the spacecrafts that transport astronauts back and forth from the International Space Station (ISS), according to a Reuters report Monday.

In today's top stories, Apple reportedly might implement a subscription model for future hardware products including iPhones. In other news, Electrify America wants to change the EV charging experience for the better

In today's top stories, Google and Spotify struck a deal that allows subscribers to use the streaming service's payment system, a major break in the way app stores have run. In other news, Using a supercomputer, astrophysicists have been able to reconcile two of the major theories for the sun's 'coronal heating problem.'

In today's top stories, Apple opens its Digital Driver's License and State ID program and Moderna seeks FDA authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine for children under six.

In today's top stories, Okta, the authentication giant that provides identity services to more than 15,000 companies, suffered a data breach attempt in January, Okta CEO Todd McKinnon confirmed Tuesday. In other news, NASA JPL announced a cosmic milestone on Monday with the confirmed discovery of more than 5,000 exoplanets. A new batch of 65 planets located outside our solar system joined the NASA Exoplanet Archive.

In today's top stories, after being on the market for nearly five years, the Apple Watch Series 3 is rumored to be discontinued later this year. In other news, NASA's Perseverance is heading to an enthralling river delta region on Mars and it's going at breakneck speed.

In today's top stories, using models of ocean currents and simulations of floating microplastics, researchers sought to determine where the particles originated. In other news, Tile launched a new antistalking safety feature called Scan and Secure for its line of item trackers, the company announced Thursday.

In today's top stories, after a barrage of social media attacks on ex-wife Kim Kardashian, her current partner Pete Davidson and now Daily Show host Trevor Noah, rapper and producer Kanye West has received a 24-hour ban from Instagram, according to representatives of the social network's parent company Meta. In other news, Netflix unveiled a new feature to crack down on people who don't live together using the same account. So if you've been sharing your Netflix password with all your friends and family, those days may be numbered.

In today's top stories, after pausing production on Monday due to a local spike in COVID-19 cases, Apple supplier Foxconn is partially reopening its two campuses in Shenzhen, China. In other news, US Senate has unanimously passed a bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent across the nation. The Sunshine Protection Act still has to face a vote in the House, but if it's eventually passed that would mean an end to changing the clocks twice a year.

In today's top stories, Samsung is bringing its latest Galaxy technology to a wider range of devices starting with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. In other news, NASA is giving a shoutout to the 1970s through the use of its classic "worm" logo on the jumbo-sized Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft capsule for the Artemis I around-the-moon mission.

In today's top stories, the Transportation Security Administration's mandate that requires people to wear masks in airports and while flying has been extended one month, to April 18. In other news, a Florida restaurant group has sued Google for allegedly prioritizing food delivery apps over directing users to an establishment's own website.

In other news, Netflix is raising prices for all its streaming plans in the UK and Ireland for the second time in less than 18 months. In other news, Google introduced a swathe of new Android updates on Thursday. As well as paying for parking by using voice command and a whole bunch of Messages updates including iPhone-like reactions, Android also updated Google TV, Photos, Widgets, Gboard and Nearby Share.

In today's top stories, Amazon Web Services reported it has detected numerous instances of malware targeting charities, NGOs and other aid organizations providing relief to Ukraine. In some of the worst cases, the malware has targeted medical supply, food and clothing relief efforts, according to an AWS blog post. In other news, a team of scientists has found that ants can use their keen sense of smell to detect cancerous cells. Ants could be a less invasive, less expensive way of detecting cancer.

In today's top stories, a bipartisan group of US lawmakers asked the Justice Department to investigate Amazon over a potentially criminal obstruction of Congress. In other news, a company that repairs ice cream machines is suing McDonald's for $900 million, alleging defamation and disparaging practices.

In today's top stories, At its Peek Performance event, Apple introduces the latest version of its more affordable iPhone, a 5G iPad Air and the Mac Studio.

In today's top stories, Elon Musk over the weekend pushed for greater oil and gas output and urged Europe to turn toward nuclear power for its energy needs. The Tesla chief's tweets came as US gasoline prices rose and a Ukrainian nuclear plant was seized amid Russia's war in Ukraine. In other news, a team of researchers has come up with a translator of sorts for pigs. It's a computer algorithm that interprets all those different pig grunts as emotions.

In today's top stories, Verizon revealed its plan to try to manage that chaos, debuting a service it calls Plus Play. From Netflix and the Disney bundle to Peloton and The Athletic, Verizon's new Plus Play will cover many services. In other news, Amazon will say goodbye to its bookstores, along with its 4-star and Pop Up stores in the US and the UK, the company confirmed Wednesday. The closures won't affect grocery stores and the dates the stores will stop operating vary.

In today's top stories, There won't be any people flying around the moon on NASA's Artemis I mission, but there will be a whole lot of names on board. You can add yourself to the list by getting a "boarding pass." In other news, Verizon is continuing to make progress on its rollout of a faster 5G network. At its annual investor day on Thursday, the company announced an update on its build plans, revealing that it now plans to cover 175 million people with its faster flavors of 5G.

In today's top stories, Apple stops selling products in Russia amid Ukraine invasion. The company also limited Apple Pay transactions in Russia, and disabled some features of Apple Maps in Ukraine to protect civilians. In other news, the Felicity Ace, a cargo ship containing multitudes of Volkswagen Group vehicles, which ended up lost at sea and also on fire, has sunk off the Azores archipelago.

In today's top stories, NASA's Curiosity rover snapped a gorgeous, delicate formation on Mars that looks like it could be a branching piece of ocean coral. It's not coral, but it's worth contemplating how we see familiar Earth objects in random shapes on Mars. In other news, the Canadian Space Agency tweeted a satellite view of the Cape Breton Highlands in Nova Scotia in an attempt to highlight the region's geology and history. Instead, CSA managed to highlight how much the area looks like a cat.

In today's top stories, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said Saturday that the company's Starlink satellite internet service is active in Ukraine and that more terminals are being sent as invading Russian troops disrupt internet access. In other news, Google Maps temporarily disabled tools offering live information about traffic conditions and how busy stores and restaurants are in Ukraine, after Russian forces invaded the eastern European country last Thursday.

In today's top tech stories, Jeep stops it sales of the 2022 Grand Cherokee due to a bricking issue, report says. In other news, Reddit has created the Discover Tab that aims to make easier to find new content - it's the first update of its kind released in more than two years.

In today's top stories, Google will no longer mandate COVID-19 vaccines as a condition of employment for US workers and won't require already vaccinated workers to wear masks, get tested or socially distance while working in most offices. In other news, the surface of the Greenland ice sheet is melting, creating a network of ephemeral rivers and waterfalls that scientists say produces more hydropower than the collective output of the 10 largest hydroelectric stations on the planet.

In today's top stories, Meta, formerly Facebook, unveiled a new project that aims to improve AI assistants. Called Project CAIRaoke, the effort could also help Meta build better assistants in augmented reality glasses and virtual reality headsets. In other news, Amazon has filed lawsuits against two companies in its latest attempt to limit the proliferation of misleading product reviews.

In today's top stories, the cargo ship Felicity Ace caught fire on a trip from Germany to the US last week, reportedly carrying a number of Volkswagen Group vehicles with Bentley, Porsche and Volkswagen badges. In other news, Sony gave a first look at the next-gen PlayStation VR2 headset and acknowledged that it was "inspired by the look of the PS5 family of products."

In today's top stories, Trump's social media app, Truth Social, is now available in Apple's App Store, but with some technical difficulties. In other news, after facing backlash over privacy concerns, the IRS allows taxpayers to sign up without facial recognition.

In today's top stories, If you're expecting a refund check through the mail this tax season, monitor it using the USPS Informed Delivery App to know when it's coming. In other news, a new study shows the southwest is experiencing its worst drought in over 1,200 years.

In today's top stories, YouTube, the world's largest online video platform, outlines plans to stop the spread of misinformation. In other news, A newly discovered dinosaur may have had the face of a crocodile. The 125-year-old dino could be a relative of the spinosaurus.

In today's top stories, a bipartisan bill in the US Senate aims to hold social media platforms responsible for protecting minors age 16 and younger. The Kids Online Safety Act would require platforms to offer settings that would limit minors' use of the platforms and restrict use of their personal data. In other news, Disney has unveiled its latest project, and it's targeted at adults: Storyliving by Disney is a new community of neighborhoods.

In today's top stories, Virgin Galactic is opening up spaceflight ticket reservations to the general public starting Wednesday. In other news, Wordle, the latest take on Wordle, gives players six chances to name a country based on its shape and nearby nations.

In today's top stories, Apple reportedly filed three new Mac computers in the Eurasian Economic Database, and these could be items unveiled to the public at a rumored event in March. In other news, the object predicted to crash into the moon in March is likely not a SpaceX rocket after all. Rather, it's a rocket stage that launched China's Chang'e 5-T1 mission to the moon in 2014.

In today's top stories, Apple adds new privacy warnings, sound alerts to AirTags to help fight unwanted tracking. In other news, Tinder introduces 'virtual blind date' feature, where members have the chance to chat before their pictures and profiles are unlocked.

In today's top stories, NASA says SpaceX Starlink satellites could cause problems with future missions. In other news, Tesla is recalling 575,000 EVs to address concerns over Boombox function could interfere with the pedestrian warning system.

In today's top stories, Amazon Care's in-person services are coming to 20 more cities, offering rgent and primary care resources including COVID-19 testing, vaccinations and prescription requests and refills. In other news, IRS scraps plans to use facial recognition following privacy concerns.

In today's top stories, an Alien figure' captured by NASA Mars rover is, unfortunately, a rock. In other news, you can stay in Bluey's house from the hit Disney Plus show through Airbnb.

In today's top stories, Elon Musk to update the world on SpaceX's Starship for first time since 2019. In other news, Delta airlines wants Justice Department to put unruly passengers on national 'no fly' list, report says.

In today's top stories, Amazon is raising Prime membership costs, despite the company's profits doubling. The company said increasing logistics costs and investment in Prime Video are behind the price hike. In other news, Google is launching a program to help US schools repair Chromebooks, affordable devices used by many students.

In today's top stories, Ram is recalling nearly 172,000 trucks over windshield wiper concerns. Luckily, the fix is simple: the automaker just needs to retighten the wiper arm nuts. In other news, Mars Curiosity rover's wheels look all beat up. And finally, Melinda French Gates is moving most of her wealth away from the Gates Foundation, report says.

In today's top stories, you can now order a Starlink Premium internet plan for $500 per month, notably higher than the $99 a month for the base Starlink service. In other news, Meta's crypto project Diem to shut down after pushback from regulators. And finally, NASA pushes Artemis I moon mission launch back again.

In today's top stories, an Amazon manager pleads guilty to stealing over $273K in merchandise. In other news, Leonardo Da Vinci's 530-year-old helicopter design is finally brought to life in working drone. And finally, according to a new study from Cars.com, 41% of survey respondents say they plan to preorder their next vehicle.

In today's top stories, Spotify is likely to keep Joe Rogan podcast until bigger artists speak out about COVID-19 misinformation on the show. In other news, Sony bolsters PlayStation, buying Destiny game maker Bungie for $3.6 billion. And finally, Moderna's COVID vaccine wins full FDA approval.

In today's top stories, Spotify CEO addresses Joe Rogan podcast controversy and the company's content policies after musician Neil Young pulled his music from the streaming service. In other news, an old SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is about to crash into the moon. And finally, the FTC says scams initiated on social media more than doubled in 2021.

In today's top stories, Elon Musk says Tesla won't produce its Cybertruck until next year. In fact, Tesla isn't planning on producing any new models in 2022. In more auto news, Volkswagen releases more ID Buzz photos ahead of March debut. And finally, Astronomers spy powerful deep-space object unlike anything seen before.

In today's top stories, US government warns that electronics chip supply crunch remains dire, with the DOC faulting factories that produce the chips. In other news, Intel's $1.2B antitrust fine issued in 2009 is overturned by a European court. And finally, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer reportedly plans to retire after 27 years on the bench.

In today's top stories, NASA's James Webb Space Telecope reaches final destination after million-mile journey. In other news, Meta has a giant new AI supercomputer to shape the metaverse. And finally, Nvidia may abandon its $40 billion Arm acquisition after struggling to obtain regulatory approval, report says.

In today's top stories, Google is being sued by multiple states over how it handles location data. The lawsuits allege Google makes it "nearly impossible" for people to stop their location from being tracked. In other news, Apple is reportedly preparing for its 'widest array' of new products this fall. And finally, Coinbase unveils new tax support features as IRS increases crypto scrutiny.

In today's top stories, the US Air Force contracts SpaceX to deliver military supplies around the world as part of the Air Force Research Laboratory's rocket cargo program. In other news, Peloton is temporarily halting production of more products including the Bike and Tread treadmill. And finally, Apple reportedly removes education discount verification from its site.

In today's top stories, there could be an ocean inside Saturn's moon. In other news, electric cars outsell diesels for first time in Europe, dethroning decades-long standard. And finally, NASA will chase down the smallest asteroid ever visited by a spacecraft as part of its Artemis I mission.

In today's top stories, the Biden administration plans to distribute 400 million N95 masks, report says. In other news, major international airlines cancel some US fights amid 5G rollout. And finally, Netflix is raising prices again by $1 to $2 for every plan.

In today's top stories, Microsoft expands gaming and Xbox further, buying Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. In other news, SpaceX set to launch 2,000th Starlink satellite in three years, but researchers say the impact of Starlink satellites on astronomical observations is clear. And finally, Australia and 21 other countries added to US travel advisory list as the omicron variant continues to spread rapidly across the globe.

In today's top stories, Army vaccine could protect against array of COVID-19 variant. In other news, 5G's next big launch could make its improved speed promises a reality. And finally, Amazon reverses decision to stop accepting UK-issued Visa credit cards.

In today's top stories, Microsoft identifies malware on Ukranian government networks. The malware, designed to make computers inoperable if activated by an attacker, targets multiple organizations in Ukraine. In other news, Microsoft confirms they stopped building Xbox One consoles over a year ago. And finally, NASA Perseverance rover team is devising a multi-step plan to fix rock sampling system.

In today's top stories, student loan company Navient will pay out a $1.86B settlement. The deal was reached with a coalition of 39 state attorneys general. In other news, Biden will send military medical teams to struggling hospitals in 6 states. And finally, your local GameStop might be hosting an in-store PS5 restock today.

In today's top stories, a new union election at an Amazon warehouse in Bessamer, Alabama begins Feb. 4. The first election, which rejected the union, was thrown out by an NLRB official who found Amazon illegally interfered with the process. In other news, Toyota wants to 'refurbish' cars like phones and make them like-new. And finally, Surgeons transplant pig's heart into human for first time.