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WEDNESDAY, 15 APRIL 2026, 23:31

Science/Tech

Plantwatch: the cactus that lures bats with its fuzzy acoustic hat

Today at 07:00 AM, via The Guardian

In eastern Brazil, coleocephalocereus goebelianus towers above surrounding plants, making its beacon even clearer

Some flowers lure bats into pollinating them by stinking like fermenting fruit, cabbage, garlic and even urine. But one cactus flower tempts bats by turning into an acoustic beacon.

Bats make high-pitched squeaks, too high for humans to hear, and use the echoes when the sounds...

Sony Is Removing Many Popular Features From Its Free OTA TV Options

Today at 05:30 AM, via Slashdot

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Cord Cutters News: Sony has notified owners of its recent BRAVIA television models that significant changes to the built-in TV Guide for its OTA TV antenna users and related menu features will take effect starting in late May 2026. The update affects a range of premium sets released between 2023 and 2025, marking another instance of feature adjustments...

FCC Grants Netgear Conditional Approval For Routers

Today at 01:06 AM, via Slashdot

The FCC has granted (PDF) Netgear the first exemption from its foreign-made router ban, allowing the company to keep selling new consumer router models made outside the U.S. through Oct. 1, 2027. PCMag reports: The Defense Department reviewed Netgear’s application for an exemption and found that its products “do not pose risks to US national security.” The FCC’s order doesn’t elaborate on why....

Microsoft Reveals Major Price Increase For All Surface PCs

Today at 00:00 AM, via Slashdot

Microsoft has sharply raised prices across its Surface lineup as RAM and component costs keep climbing. “Both its midrange and flagship Surface lines are now significantly more expensive than they were just a few weeks ago, with the flagship Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 now starting at $500 more than they launched at in 2024,” reports Windows Central. From the report: The Surface Pro...

California Ghost-Gun Bill Wants 3D Printers To Play Cop, EFF Says

Yesterday at 23:00 PM, via Slashdot

A proposed California bill would require 3D printer makers to use state-certified software to detect and block files for gun parts, but advocates at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) say it would be easy to evade and could lead to widespread surveillance of users’ printing activity. The Register reports: The bill in question is AB 2047, the scope of which, on paper, appears strict. The...

Audit Finds Google, Microsoft, and Meta Still Tracking Users After Opt-Out

Yesterday at 22:00 PM, via Slashdot

alternative_right shares a report from 404 Media: An independent privacy audit of Microsoft, Meta, and Google web traffic in California found that the companies may be violating state regulations and racking up billions in fines. According to the audit from privacy search engine webXray, 55 percent of the sites it checked set ad cookies in a user’s browser even if they opted out of tracking....

Chrome Now Lets You Turn AI Prompts Into Repeatable ‘Skills’

Yesterday at 21:00 PM, via Slashdot

Google is rolling out a Chrome feature called “Skills” that lets users save Gemini prompts as reusable one-click workflows they can run across multiple tabs. The feature also includes preset Skills from Google. It’s launching first for Chrome desktop users set to US English. The Verge reports: Once you have access to the feature, it can be managed by typing a forward slash ( / ) in Gemini and...

Thousands of Rare Concert Recordings Are Landing On the Internet Archive

Yesterday at 20:00 PM, via Slashdot

A Chicago concert superfan Aadam Jacobs who has recorded more than 10,000 shows since the 1980s is working with Internet Archive volunteers to digitize the collection before the cassettes deteriorate. “So far, about 2,500 of these tapes have been posted on the Internet Archive, including some rare gems like a Nirvana performance from 1989,” reports TechCrunch. From the report: For many of these...

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