Technology News

X, formerly Twitter, is now letting blocked users see posts made by the people who blocked them.

"We're starting to launch the block function update," X's engineering team wrote yesterday. X previously said that after the change, "If your posts are set to public, accounts you have blocked will be able to view them, but they will not be able to engage (like, reply, repost, etc.)."

To justify the change, X said the block functionality could previously be "used by users to share and hide harmful or private information about those they've blocked." The change will allow people who are blocked "to see if such behavior occurs... allowing for greater transparency," X said.

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On Friday, S&P Dow Jones Indices announced that AI chipmaker Nvidia will replace Intel in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, marking a seismic shift in the semiconductor industry and ending Intel's 25-year run on the prestigious stock market index. The change takes effect on November 8.

"The index changes were initiated to ensure a more representative exposure to the semiconductors industry," wrote S&P in a press release.

Intel's stock has dropped 54 percent this year, making it the worst performer on the Dow, and the company now holds a market value of under $100 billion for the first time in three decades, Reuters reported. Analysts expect Intel to post its first annual net loss since 1986.

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If conventional wisdom were to be believed, the car we're reviewing today should not exist. Automakers are only interested in making very big, very expensive electric vehicles, leaving nothing for people with normal-sized budgets and normal-sized needs. While it's true that those oversized EVs are overrepresented among new car launches, they aren't the only game in town. As an alternative, consider the Hyundai Kona Electric, which we last sampled in pre-pandemic times.

In fact, Kona Electric has changed quite a bit since we last drove one. Last year, an all-new model went on sale in North America, and it has carried over unchanged to its model year 2025 version. The range starts at $32,875 for the Kona Electric SE, which makes do with a 133 hp (99 kW) motor driving the front wheels, but the other trims offered—the $36,875 SEL, the $38,275 N Line (tested here), and the $41,050 Limited use a more powerful 201 hp (150 kW) motor. (All four have an identical 188 lb-ft (255 Nm) torque output.)

In terms of size and weight, the Kona Electric really is a refreshing change from EVs that are often approaching three tons. With its rear wing and slightly tweaked front, the N Line is 1.1 inches longer than the other Kona Electrics at 172.6 inches (4,384 mm) long. All Kona Electrics are 71.9 inches (1,826 mm) wide and 62 inches (1,575 mm) tall, with a 104.7-inch (2,659 mm) wheelbase. Curb weight is what counts as featherweight for an EV—3,880 lbs (1,760 kg).

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When Chinese space officials unveiled the design for the country's first super heavy lift rocket nearly a decade ago, it looked like a fairly conventional booster. The rocket was fully expendable, with three stages and solid motors strapped onto its sides.

Since then, the Asian country has been revising the design of this rocket, named Long March 9, in response to the development of reusable rockets by SpaceX. As of two years ago, China had recalibrated the design to have a reusable first stage.

Now, based on information released at a major airshow in Zhuhai, China, the design has morphed again. And this time, the plan for the Long March 9 rocket looks almost exactly like a clone of SpaceX's Starship rocket.

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Introducing enhanced agency tools and new curation capabilities for managing workflows, forecasting and direct deals with publishers.Introducing enhanced agency tools and new curation capabilities for managing workflows, forecasting and direct deals with publishers.

On Friday, Perplexity launched an election information hub that relies on data from The Associated Press and Democracy Works to provide live updates and information about the 2024 US general election, which takes place on Tuesday, November 5.

"Starting Tuesday, we'll be offering live updates on elections using data from The Associated Press so you can stay informed on presidential, senate, and house races at both a state and national level," Perplexity wrote in a blog post. The site will pull data from special data sources (called APIs) hosted by the two organizations.

As of Monday, Perplexity's hub currently provides interactive information on voting requirements, poll times, and summaries about ballot measures, candidates, policy positions, and endorsements. Users can ask questions about the information similar to using a chatbot like ChatGPT.

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Lend depth and drama to your gameplay with the right gaming headset for any console or device.

Bring the gift everyone will want to win from this year's holiday party, from a desk organizer shaped like a pear to magnets they'll wish they could eat.

Tiny Circuits made an impossibly smol retro-styled TV set, with fully functional knobs and a wee remote control.

The world's richest man man has spent $118 million supporting Donald Trump's campaign. His closing argument: “Vote For PNut! For Liberty! For Freedom!”

Plans by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta to build an AI data center in the US that runs on nuclear power were thwarted in part because a rare species of bee was discovered on land earmarked for the project, according to people familiar with the matter.

Zuckerberg had planned to strike a deal with an existing nuclear power plant operator to provide emissions-free electricity for a new data center supporting his artificial intelligence ambitions.

However, the potential deal faced multiple complications including environmental and regulatory challenges, these people said.

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More and more keyboards and video game controllers employ Hall effect sensors, but what exactly is this technology? We break it down.

Apple claims its newest line of phones will let you play everything from Apple Arcade indies to AAA titles. It does, but don't expect a console-level experience.

“I try to prepare customers not to expect the same pet all over again. The new pet is not going to know who you are right off the bat.”

The United States will choose between two drastically different futures in the coming days. Here’s what you can expect from WIRED.

The weekend before the election, one Pennsylvania pastor told congregants that hosting Elon Musk weeks earlier was “phenomenal.” In Nevada, another dressed as a garbageman while urging his flock to vote Trump.

Tech companies are bracing ahead of the US presidential election, dreading the looming threat of more tariffs that could further restrict the flow of imports from China, no matter which candidate is elected.

Tariffs are a tax placed on imports and are intended to disrupt trade with foreign adversaries. While former President Donald Trump has frequently claimed that China pays for tariffs, in actuality, that tax is paid by US businesses and citizens any time they want to purchase a restricted good from China.

Used as a trade barrier, tariffs can place an economic burden on countries like China, but that burden is really only felt if businesses and consumers avoid importing goods. If companies cannot cost-effectively or practically switch suppliers—as is the case with China, which is a dominant global manufacturing hub in the tech industry—shrinking profit margins can trigger US businesses to spike prices for consumers.

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When you download a piece of pirated software, you might also be getting a piece of infostealer malware, and entering a highly complex hacking ecosystem that’s fueling some of the biggest breaches on the planet.

Over the past month, Elon Musk has put himself in position to take the credit for a Donald Trump win—or the blame for a loss.