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The New York Times Tech Guild asked the publication's readers not to play its games, including Wordle and Connections, in solidarity when it announced that it was going on strike on November 4. Now, the guild has released its own versions of the The Times' games so that readers can still play without crossing its digital picket line. Of course, the workers' versions won't be able to keep your Wordle streak running, but they're pretty much the same games you've been playing on the publication's website. The guild is made up of over 600 unionized tech workers that include software engineers, product managers, data analysts and designers the people behind the publication's games, as well as The Times' Cooking app. In the guild's GoFundMe for the strike, it said it's been bargaining for its first contract over the past two years, but the The Times' management "dragged its feet" and even allegedly committed unfair labor practices by implementing return-to-office mandates without bargaining and trying to intimidate members who were going on strike. The guild explained that it's pushing for The Times to address racial disparities in its workers' pay and to ensure real job security. Apparently, the publication's management had fired someone days before a major brain surgery in the past and had used performance review plans as a pretense to fire employees. The guild is also accusing management of disproportionately targeting women and POCs with its "arbitrary disciplinary process." PLAYING GAMES: In the great tradition of strike publications, we offer our tech-worker version.https://t.co/L46DXTrDspNow you can play and not be a scab. We also want to thank the multitude of @nytimes subscribers who have stopped playing and honored our digital picket line. New York Times Tech Guild (@NYTGuildTech) November 6, 2024 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/nyt-tech-workers-on-strike-made-their-own-versions-of-wordle-and-connections-130047922.html?src=rss
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The latest version of Matter, the open smart home standard that largely hasnt yet lived up to its lofty promises for seamless device-agnostic integration, is now available. Hardware makers and platforms can integrate Matter 1.4 into their products on Thursday. The new versions biggest feature may be Enhanced Multi-Admin, which aims to improve interoperability between different device ecosystems. The Connectivity Standards Alliance, which manages Matter, describes version 1.4 as a significant step forward in the Matter ecosystem. It says the update resulted from the coalitions hundreds of member companies (including Apple, Amazon, Google and Samsung) working with thousands of engineers and product experts. Given the platforms struggles to deliver on its promise of a smooth and headache-free smart home, it could use all the help it can get. One of the new highlights, Enhanced Multi-Admin, strives for less setup when connecting to multiple ecosystems (like Apple HomeKit, Google Home or Alexa). Matter 1.4 only requires user consent once. After that (at least in theory), new and existing devices will connect to multiple ecosystems without making you approve the same device for each additional platform. If hardware manufacturers implement the feature without issues (again, a big ask based on Matters rocky first two years), this could improve on a big pain point and move the platforms big promises of seamless integration closer to reality. The update also opens the door to Matter-certified routers and access points that securely store your Thread protocol credentials. The Alliance says the networking hardware will provide the foundational infrastructure of smart homes by combining both a Wi-Fi access point and a Thread Border Router, ensuring these ubiquitous devices have the necessary infrastructure for Matter products using either of these technologies. Following the addition of basic energy management features in version 1.3, Matter 1.4 expands on that with support for new device types. Solar panels, batteries (including battery walls, storage units and Battery Energy Storage Systems), heat pumps and water heaters can now work with the standard. In addition, it now covers Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). So, EV owners can use the management features to specify when they want their car to be charged, choosing times based on convenience or cost. Matter 1.4 also adds protocols to lengthen battery life for low-powered devices like switches, buttons and sensors that only connect intermittently. More flexible automation options for products like in-wall switches that control lights, fans and other non-smart appliances are also on the menu. This addresses yet another pain point in previous versions, which treated all of these device types as lights.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/matters-latest-version-will-try-to-smooth-out-the-smart-home-platforms-rough-edges-130003372.html?src=rss
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Sonys new beastly console is a niche product for PlayStation gamers who want the most premium experience. The PlayStation 5 Pro is the console equivalent of the iPhone Pro Max or the Kindle Signature but still cheaper than a PC gaming rig. It has a more powerful GPU, capable of offering 4K and 60 fps gaming, an AI upscaler to polish up textures, new ray tracing and a substantial 2TB SSD to store all your games. (No disc drive, however.) And, as youll read in our full review, the PS5s back catalog has never looked better. There are good arguments for not buying the PlayStation 5 Pro its a beefed up midcycle console with base performance for $700 but if you havent jumped on the PS5 bandwagon yet, it gives a solid no-compromise experience. Mat Smith Get this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The biggest tech stories you missed Sega apparently has a new Virtua Fighter game in the works The best retro gaming gifts for the 2024 holidays The EU is looking into Corning for alleged anti-competitive practices Canada orders TikTok to shut down its business operations in the country Due to national security risks. Canada has ordered TikTok to shut down its operations in the country, citing unspecified national security risks posed by the company and its parent, ByteDance. Canadas crackdown on TikTok follows a multi-step national security review process by its intelligence agencies, the government said in a statement. TikTok will be forced to wind up all business in the country, though the app wont be banned. Continue reading. Microsoft Notepad is getting infused with AI It doesnt stop. Microsoft A new AI feature, called Rewrite, is coming to Microsofts Notepad. It can rewrite sentences, change the tone and alter the length of text in Notepad if youre a Windows Insider. Even the Paint app is getting its own AI features: Generative Fill and Generative Erase. The new fill feature can edit and add visual features to your photos and drawings. You draw a box and input text to describe the image. Continue reading. Google accidentally leaked a preview of its Jarvis AI that can take over computers It appeared only briefly. Googles new AI prototype accidentally found its way to the public through the Chrome Web Store. Its a little different to the Siris, Alexas and Geminis of this world, though. The store page described the Jarvis prototype as a helpful companion that surfs the web for you using web browsers to take care of common tasks, such as buying groceries, booking flights and researching topics. Googles new AI can steer your browser for you, completing these simple tasks without manual human input. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-our-verdict-on-the-ps5-pro-121836720.html?src=rss
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