Apple, Google, and Microsoft have launched a joint effort to kill the password and replace it with the passkey standard. The passkey standard allows users to log in to apps and websites through an authentication request sent to the user's phone. It will use Bluetooth to verify physical proximity. Passkeys can be backed up to cloud services to make it easy to authenticate new devices and sync passkeys across devices. Users can set up multiple devices as authenticators.
Google is planning to launch a high-end version of its Pixel Buds. The Pixel Buds Pro will come in four colors and will likely feature Adaptive Sound, a feature that adjusts volume level depending on a user's surroundings. More details about the earbuds could be announced at Google I/O next week.
Scientists from Zhejiang University in China have tested swarms of drones that can autonomously navigate through complex environments. The drones can fly through dense bamboo forests while avoiding other drones. There are many applications for autonomous drone swarms, such as mapping areas that humans can't reach during disasters or lifting and delivering heavy objects. There are also military applications. The technology will likely be deployed in real-life work within a few years. A video of the drones flying through a bamboo forest is available.
Starlink has launched a new Portability feature that will allow Starlink subscribers to take their terminals anywhere on their home continent that provides active internet coverage. Users will need 60-70W to power the terminals. The Portability service will be offered on a best effort basis, with users at registered addresses receiving priority for network resources. Portability can be added to existing Starlink subscriptions for $25 a month.
All code contributors on GitHub will need to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on their accounts by the end of 2023. Developer accounts are frequent targets for social engineering and account takeover. Only around 16.5% of active users currently enable 2FA on their accounts. GitHub recently trialed mandatory use of 2FA with contributors to the 100 most popular NPM packages. It plans to make 2FA mandatory for contributors to the top 500 packages by the end of May.
Most developers don't use any CSS declaration organization techniques. That can result in a lot of time wasted trying to figure out someone else's code. Some code editors can automatically order properties alphabetically, but this can cause issues as the ordering of properties in CSS matters. This article presents cases where using automatic ordering can result in issues to better understand the inner workings of CSS.
Fortnite is now available to play for free via the Xbox Cloud Gaming service. Anyone with a Microsoft account can play the game on any device through the internet on a web browser in the 26 countries where it's available. Microsoft plans to bring more free-to-play titles to the cloud. Fortnite will continue to be available on Nvidia's GeForce Now game streaming platform.
Elon Musk is expected to serve as temporary Twitter CEO for a few months after the completion of his takeover. Musk has secured approximately $7.14 billion in equity commitments from investors to buy Twitter. Twitter recently hit 229 million monetizable daily active users. Musk told investors that he felt Twitter's earnings were too low and that he would make the company a magnet for talent.
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