Latest News - Page 983

Rockstar's beloved Red Dead renegade cowboy franchise has sold over 70 million copies worldwide, Take-Two Interactive reveals in its Q2'23 earnings brief.

The Red Dead Redemption series is Rockstar's second most-popular video game franchise with over 70 million units sold across two games and two console generations. The latest numbers from publisher Take-Two Interactive confirm Red Dead's sales split as 24 million for Red Dead Redemption, and a whopping 46 million for Red Dead Redemption 2.

The franchise managed to sell 2 million copies from June 30 to September 30, 2022, and surprisingly enough, the numbers indicate that both Red Dead Redemption on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and Red Dead Redemption 2 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One managed to sell 1 million copies each. That's quite surprising given the age of the original game--RDR1 was launched in 2010, more than 12 years ago.

German automaker Mercedes-Benz has its Sprinter Cargo Van that looks like a typical van - well, that was until family-owned Bossi Van Conversions tricked out a 2021 Mercedes Sprinter 170 4x4 van.

An Agile Off Road RIP (Ride Improvement Package) was installed on the demo van, designed to increase stability and comfort - and maximize the vehicle's usable suspension capability. Artemis included a heat and hot water system, solar panels, multiple batteries, solar panels, and a roof vent fan.

The inside of the van showcases custom cabinetry that is practical, while the wall panels and flooring were also custom upholstered.

The fourth generation of the Pilot series has yielded Honda's most powerful SUV they've ever built. Five different Honda Pilot trim levels will be available: Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, and Elite. The 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport is rugged and designed to help drivers go off-road - and will ship as off-road capable straight from the factory.

Honda included all-terrain tires, steel skid plates, suspension tuned for off-roading, and higher ground clearance for the TrailSport. Although we know there is a 1-inch suspension lift, the Japanese automaker didn't disclose official ground clearance.

There is a 9-inch HD touchscreen infotainment display inside the TrailSport, with support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. In addition to USB charging available to the driver and front-seat passenger, both backseat rows have access to USB charging ports.

Honda teased the 2023 Accord in late October and didn't take very long to deliver. Honda is extremely dedicated to the sedan market, with the Accord and refreshed Civic models - as the industry shows additional attention to crossovers.

The latest midsize sedan from the Japanese company will arrive in six different trim levels: turbocharged LX and EX, hybrid Sport EX-L, Sport-L, and Touring trims.

As promoted by Mamadou Diallo, VP of Auto Sales at American Honda, in a press statement: "The all-new 11th-generation Accord is essential to our lineup as a critical driver of brand loyalty, and with hybrid models representing 50% of sales, a key part of Honda's electrification strategy. This is our best Accord ever, a true benchmark in its class, offering an unbeatable combination of style, efficiency, performance and connectivity."

NASA has taken to its blog to share an image that showcases a beautiful side-by-side comparison between the James Webb Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope's Infrared Array Camera.

NASA has posted a new blog where it details images of a dwarf galaxy called WLM, which is quite close to our Milky Way galaxy at approximately 3 million light-years from Earth.

NASA spoke with Kristen McQuinn of Rutgers University, one of the lead scientists on Webb Early Release Science (ERS) program that focusses on stellar populations, who explained that WLM is a prime candidate for scientists to test theory theories of galaxy formation as WLM is believed to be barely influenced by other galaxies.

US Senator Ed Markey has sent a letter to Twitter owner Elon Musk demanding answers for the process of giving a blue verification check mark.

The letter was written after Markey discovered that a reporter for The Washington Post created a new Twitter account impersonating Markey and then purchased Twitter Blue, giving the unauthentic account the once-verified blue check mark. The US Senator demands that Musk explains in detail the verification process and that the company must provide a comparison between the previous process and the one that's currently being used.

Markey further asked Musk to explain how Twitter was going to prevent fake accounts from being created and then becoming "verified" by simply purchasing Twitter Blue. The senator went on to accuse Musk of implementing a series of "haphazard" changes that impact the quality of safeguards on disinformation being present across the platform, with Markey describing Musk's changes as turning Twitter into the "Wild West of social media".

Amazon has taken to its website to unveil the newest addition to its warehouse automation process - introducing Sparrow, Amazon's new artificial intelligence-driven robot.

Sparrow is Amazon's latest warehouse robot that is designed to manage specific inventory. According to the company, Sparrow is its very first robotic system in our warehouse that "can detect, select, and handle individual products in our inventory." Amazon explains that Sparrow leverages an artificial intelligence system that has been fed millions of items giving it the ability to recognize these items, pick them up, and place them into the desired location.

Amazon writes that by introducing more robots into its warehouses, it's able to perform operations in a much more efficient manner as well as much more safely. Furthermore, the company said that employing robots its been able to create more than 700 new job categories at the company.

NASA has taken to its blog and social channels to update the public on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and its Artemis 1 mission.

NASA explains via an update on its website that teams have conducted an assessment of the rocket while it remains upright at Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and according to the agency, it can confirm that was no significant impacts to either the rocket or the Orion capsule from Hurricane Nicole. Notably, Hurricane Nicole made landfall approximately 70 miles from the space center, and NASA"s teams used the launch pads sensors and high-resolution cameras to perform the inspection.

Furthermore, Space Launch System engineers have conducted an analysis of the rocket to determine if the high-speed winds it endured won't impact its overall structural strength, and they found no such effect. NASA notes that all of the recorded peak winds during the height of the storm remained below 75% of the SLS design limitations, hence NASA's prior decision to leave the rocket out on the launch pad before the storm made landfall as it believed the rocket could easily weather it. The space agency does report some minor damage with loose caulk and weather coverings, which are both being repaired.

Elon Musk has jumped into the meltdown of FTX, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange, after it was revealed FTX's founder wanted to give Musk money to help him buy Twitter.

In the space of a week, the cryptocurrency exchange platform FTX, created by former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, collapsed after experiencing the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank run. Here's what happened. It was revealed that FTX held the majority of its cash reserves in its own native token, FTT, which sparked concern that if a large portion of people tried to withdraw their assets, the platform wouldn't have sufficient capital. Competing platform Binance revealed its position in FTT and said it would be selling its position over the coming months to reduce the impact on FTX.

However, Binance CEO Changpeng "CZ" Zhao announced on Sunday night that Binance would be liquidating all of its remaining FTT, dumping more than $500 million worth of FTT onto the open market, causing the overall price of FTT to plummet. The massive reduction in FTT's price caused FTX investors to panic about their holdings in the exchange, which resulted in users rushing to the exchange to withdraw holdings. FTX was forced to pause withdrawals, which only further amplified the panic. FTX has since filed for bankruptcy.

The 2023 Kia EV6 car has made some serious changes compared to previous models and will start at $49,795. There will be Wind, GT-Line, and GT trims available for interested buyers to choose from. Both Wind and GT-Line trims have two different options to choose from, based on drivetrain picks.

The $49, 795 2023 EV6 Wind rear-wheel drive vehicle offers 225hp and 258 lb-ft. of torque, with a 77.4 kWh battery supporting up to 310 miles of driving range. Kia's 2023 EV6 Wind (e-AWD) has 320hp and 446 lb-ft. of torque - with a 77.4 kWh battery supporting up to 282 miles driving range.

The 2023 EV6 GT-Line is $58,695 and is an e-AWD with 320hp and 446 lb-ft. of torque - with the 77.4 kWh battery supporting up to 252 miles range. The 2023 EV6 GT-Line rear-wheel drive has 225 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque - with the 77.4 kWh battery supporting up to 310 miles of range. The starting price point will be $53,995.

A new report from The New York Times claims Elon Musk demanded Twitter audit its payroll to make sure everyone that was on it was a real person.

Within the two weeks that Musk has been the owner of Twitter, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has created a rollercoaster of emotion at the company and on the online platform. The New York Times reported on Friday that throughout the process of Musk laying off approximately half of Twitter staff (3,600 employees), the Tesla CEO demanded a payroll audit be conducted to determine if Twitter employees were "real humans" before giving them their regularly scheduled bonuses.

The report goes on to claim that Musk wanted to lay off employees before they received their regular bonuses, with the Twitter owner even going as far as to delay them being sent out after he discovered the overall price tag. The Times reports that Musk was concerned that Twitter's books contained "ghost employees" that would receive money when he decided to lay off swaths of staff. Three individuals close to the matter informed the Times that when Musk took over on October 27, he immediately indicated to Twitter's HR department that he wanted to let go large portions of hired staff.

In response to the downfall of the second-largest cryptocurrency exchange FTX, Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has made a new pledge to its users.

According to Binance co-founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao, the cryptocurrency platform will be working toward being more transparent about its cash reserves and what assets its wealth is stored in. A report from Bloomberg revealed that Binance holds approximately $74.7 billion across several different assets, with 40% of its total reserves being in its own native cryptocurrency and stablecoin - Binance USD (BUSD) holdings $23 billion and Binancecoin holdings being $6.4 billion.

The cryptocurrency exchange also holds about 10.5% and 9.8% of its total reserves in Bitcoin and Ethereum, respectively. The announcement from Binance's CEO comes only days after rival cryptocurrency exchange FTX filed bankruptcy over the crashing of its native token FTT which was caused by Binance selling off large portions of its holdings. The sales caused FTX's token value to plummet, which caused more market panic among holders, further amplifying the selling pressure. This mass panic led to FTX having to pause withdrawals from the exchange.

Auto buyers interested in purchasing an electric vehicle don't have a shortage of options. There are models from numerous companies, with price points across the spectrum. US automaker Fisker is finally preparing to produce cars, with the Ocean SUV EV customers waiting anxiously.

The all-electric vehicle features bidirectional charging so the SUV can transfer energy back to the power grid. Fisker also has the SolarSky Roof, a full-length solar roof as a premium option. This gives Ocean the ability to collect solar energy - and can provide up to 1,500 miles of travel each year.

The Fisker Ocean Sport starts at $37,499, while the Ocean Ultra starts at $49,999 - with the Fisker Ocean Extreme ($68,999) and limited-edition Fisker Ocean One ($68,999) rocking higher starting MSRP. The 5,000 Ocean One models are expected to leave the assembly line sometime before the year ends.

The US Air Force and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions recently tested the XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned aircraft. Kratos says the tactical unmanned aerial system (UAS) mixes long-range, high-speed, and maneuverability in a single platform - operating in the low-cost attritable aircraft technology (LCAAT) project.

The unmanned system is 30 ft. in length, with a total wingspan of 27 ft. - and has a dry weight of 2,500 lb. It'll cost $2-$3 million per aircraft, according to Kratos, with the price depending on the number of units ordered.

Kratos said the successful test flight is important as part of the US Air Force Research Laboratory's Autonomous Collaborative Enabling Technologies (ACET) portfolio. It was able to successfully land inside a designated target zone, despite a simulated loss of communications - demonstrating effective autonomous capability.

Automakers could sell up to 400 million more gas and diesel vehicles than what allows for global heating to remain under 1.5°C. It shouldn't come as a big surprise some of the largest automakers will be responsible for overshooting the projected target.

Japanese automaker Toyota will miss the mark by 63 million, German company Volkswagen will be 63 million over, and Korean company Hyundai will be 39 million over - and that has ramifications for global climate efforts, Greenpeace recently warned.

As noted by Benjamin Stephan, climate campaigner at Greenpeace Germany, in a press statement:

Electric automaker Fisker will reportedly prioritize production - and deliveries - of its Ocean electric vehicle over software that provides owners with some expected features. Production will begin Thursday, October 17 at a factory in Austria. The US company wants to reach 42,000 units manufactured in 2023, which will make a serious dent in the company's closed reservation list.

As Fisker plans to get production underway for its Ocean SUV, the automaker already has 62,000 reservations for the EV.

The first Ocean One units fresh from the factory won't have software features like lane assistance, automatic high beams, and blind spot monitoring just yet - Fisker should issue updates sometime in early 2023. Features such as lane centering, cruise control, and traffic avoidance functionality shouldn't be expected until late 2023, at the earliest.

General Motors continues to find ways for the safe deployment of its advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) - and the effort is expanding to more vehicles. GM hopes its Super Cruise, marketed as the first actual hands-free advanced driver assistance platform, will give the US automaker a step up over competing solutions.

Select vehicles will have up to 400,000 miles of roads supported in the Super Cruise road network - double the amount previously supported. Ultra Cruise is GM's next generation of Super Cruise ADAS technology, and Qualcomm will develop the custom SoC design - the software controlling sensors and data collected from the driving experience.

Full-size SUVs built October 3, 2022, or later - with deliveries beginning mid-November - and will be supported by the following models/trims:

Kevin Conroy, the voice actor known for portraying Batman in dozens of shows, films, and games, has passed away at the age of 66.

Kevin Conroy has passed away, leaving behind one of the most immortal legacies of any voice actor on the planet. Over the span of multiple decades, Conroy delighted fans as the definitive voice of the Caped Crusader. Some would argue that he was Batman and no one else could come close.

Across his career, Conroy lent his voice to an absolutely incredible volume of works. Although he's best known for Batman, the truth is that Conroy was very prolific in theater in the 70s and 80s and starred in multiple TV shows, including the 1980s soap series Another World, as well as the war-themed Tour of Duty. Conroy was also a talented singer.

Nintendo has made nearly $63 billion from its Nintendo Switch platform since March 2017, company filings reveal.

Every quarter, Nintendo delivers updates on its total net sales revenues on a platform level. Out of curiosity, I wanted to know how much the Nintendo Switch has made in its lifetime so far. The answer is...a lot.

According to our findings, which were converted from quarterly yen values into USD using foreign exchange rates published in Nintendo's earnings briefs, the Nintendo Switch platform has generated $62.26 billion since launch to present. This includes hardware, digital and physical software, subscriptions, and add-on content sold through the eShop platform.

Twitter has officially suspended sign-ups of its controversial Twitter Blue subscription following a disastrous launch that has caused significant reputational damage to advertisers.

Following a $44 billion buyout of the social media giant, Elon Musk had a vision for Twitter: Everyone and anyone could be verified if they paid $8 a month via Twitter Blue for the privilege. This idea wasn't so easy to implement, especially with all the existing verified users. Twitter has gone back and forth between having two verified badges--one denoting an official institution, company, brand, or person, and another separate one saying the user is verified.

Chaos ensued when users signed up to Twitter Blue and used their new check marks to impersonate public figures like the President of the United States, or even former President George W. Bush, O.J. Simpson, and major billion-dollar advertisers like Nintendo, who happens to be one of the most litigious companies on the planet. Even Elon Musk's own company Tesla wasn't exempt from the parodies. Brands have had to outright apologize to their followers, including Eli Lilly and Company, who had to tell followers that no, they were not offering free insulin as an impersonator had promised. The damage has been done on a wide scale and advertisers are reportedly pulling out en masse.