Netflix made a major movie deal with Sony Pictures

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It's Friday, April 09, 2021.

We’ve seen people and animals control computers with their minds before, but it’s still slightly unsettling to watch the latest video from Elon Musk’s Neuralink. A nine-year-old Macaque is shown playing Pong, without using a joystick. Neuralink says that he’s controlling the paddle via its N1 Link neural recording and data transmission device.

The company says that this is different from the technology that’s come before, because it can connect over 1,000 electrodes, and interface with a computer wirelessly without requiring a physical connector through the skin. It’s not ready for testing on humans just yet, but Elon Musk is already tweeting about how future versions will be able to make paraplegics walk again. Perhaps that’s true, but let’s see you defeat the scourge of controller drift first.

— Richard Lawler

Netflix will get exclusive streaming rights to future Sony films

That includes future Marvel movies about characters like Venom and Spider-Man.

Beginning in 2022, new Sony movies will go exclusively to Netflix following their theatrical release and the home entertainment window when they’re on sale via VOD and Blu-ray.

Reportedly worth $1 billion over five years, the deal will cover upcoming blockbusters like Morbius and Uncharted, as well as the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and “future installments of Venom and Spider-Man.” (2021 releases like Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Spider-Man: No Way Home are not a part of this agreement.)
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The best baby monitors for your home nursery

Which features do you really need?

There are a lot of options for baby monitors these days. So Amber Bouman spent the last several weeks testing a variety of smart video-enabled models and strapping wearables onto her twins to see what the hardware is capable of, and what features the software offers.
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We're entombing the Earth in an impenetrable shell of dead satellites

Time to clean up the space trash.

“Astronomers – and casual viewers of the night sky – must expect a future in which the low Earth orbit population includes tens of thousands of relatively large satellites,” Jonathan McDowell at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics warned in a 2020 study. “The impacts will be significant for certain types of observation, certain observatories and at certain times of year.”
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Verizon recalled 2.5 million Ellipsis Jetpack mobile hotspots

Affected units were sold from April 2017 through March 2021.

If you have an Ellipsis Jetpack mobile hotspot from Verizon (the owner of Engadget's parent company), you may want to check it right now. The carrier has issued a recall for 2.5 million Jetpack mobile hotspots after receiving 15 reports of instances wherein the device overheated. In six of those, the device caused fire damage to bedding or flooring, while it caused minor burn injuries in two of the instances reported.

You can still use it if you absolutely need to, but the carrier has listed a number of steps you should follow for your own safety. First, you should plug it in after switching it on to receive two over-the-air software updates, which enable its identifying number to be displayed on the screen and prevent it from charging while it's plugged in and powered on

Verizon will replace your device for free, but you have to contact the carrier to get one and to get a return envelope for your old hotspot. You can call 855-205-2627 from 8 AM to 10 PM ET to process the return or do it online through the carrier's official Ellipsis Jetpack recall page.
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Lenovo's new gaming phone has a 720Hz touch response rate

Plus dual batteries and two USB-C ports.

The new Legion Phone Duel 2 retains the original's focus on landscape use, but doubles down on controls by adding a total of eight virtual keys to bring it closer to the feel of a gamepad.

Its "octa-triggers" include four ultrasonic shoulder keys, two rear and two in-display touchpoints, along with a center-mounted CBU and dual fans to keep heat away from your hands while you’re gaming.

These are paired with a 720Hz touch sampling rate (more than double the responsiveness and accuracy offered by the ASUS ROG Phone 5 and the Nubia Red Magic 6). Lenovo says the setup is designed to match a gamer's natural grip when held horizontally, allowing you to perform more actions in battle when speed counts.
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MacBook and iPad production could face delays due to global chip shortage

Crucial components are in short supply.

According to Nikkei Asia, Apple has delayed the production of some MacBook and iPad models due to the global chip shortage affecting the electronics and automotive industries. Nikkei says the chip shortage hasn't shown a discernible impact on product availability for consumers yet and remains a supply chain problem.

Apple's iPhone production hasn't been affected by the semiconductor shortages, though Tim Cook told Reuters way back in January that the iPhone 12 Pro model ran into supply constraints. Nikkei's sources echoed what the chief executive said, telling the publication that the supply for some iPhone parts is "quite tight."
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