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Coming soon to a Windows 11 PC near you: A dedicated keyboard key for Microsoft's Copilot AI. The company calls this "the first significant change to the Windows PC keyboard in nearly three decades" in a blog post ahead of CES 2024 in Las Vegas. Just like how the Windows key serves as a quick way to open up the Windows Start menu, the Copilot key immediately summons Microsoft's AI companion to do your bidding.

While it's not a huge surprise to see Copilot manifest itself in the real world, especially given just how much Microsoft has been pushing AI over the past year, it's a bit of a shock to see it happen so quickly. The company claims the Copilot key is "another transformative moment in our journey with Windows where Copilot will be the entry point into the world of AI on the PC." Sure, let's go with that.

Microsoft says the Copilot key will appear in new PCs coming this Spring (expect to hear more about them during CES 2024), as well as in future Surface devices. Symbolically, the key is yet another sign that Microsoft thinks of Copilot as an essential element of Windows' future. At this point, it's just as important as the Start Menu to the company — it's not hard to imagine a future where the Start Menu fuses with Copilot entirely. But for now, baby steps. 

Now here's a video of someone hitting a key:

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has filed a complaint against SpaceX, accusing it of unlawfully firing eight employees involved in writing a letter that called Elon Musk's behavior on social media "a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment." According to the filing, the company committed an unfair labor practice when it fired the workers for "engaging in protected concerted activity at work." It also accused SpaceX of interrogating at least one employee about the letter, as well as about the identities of their colleagues and the nature of their "concerted protected activity."

In addition, the complaint said SpaceX created an "impression of surveillance" by showing an employee screenshots of a Signal group chat several employees were a part of. The open letter at the center of this case was calling out Musk's "harmful Twitter behavior" before he acquired the website now known as X. In particular, the employees raised concerns about the crude jokes he made on X about the sexual misconduct accusations against him, which SpaceX settled for $250,000. The letter asked the company to hold leadership accountable for their actions and to condemn harmful behavior.

The employees involved in writing the letter circulated it within the company in mid-2022. According to The New York Times, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell reprimanded them within a few hours of sending it out and told them to "stop flooding employee communication channels immediately." Five employees were reportedly fired the next day, and four others were fired over July and August. Only one of them didn't take part in filing the unfair labor practice complaint. "At SpaceX the rockets may be reusable, but the people who build them are treated as expendable," Paige Holland-Thielen, one of the fired employees, told The Times. "I am hopeful these charges will hold SpaceX and its leadership accountable for their long history of mistreating workers and stifling discourse."

The case is slated to go before an administrative judge on March 5, though the company could settle before it takes place. If the NLRB decides that the company has violated labor laws, it can order SpaceX to reinstate workers and to give them appropriate backpay. SpaceX could appeal the decision to the board and then to a federal court, though, so it could be a long journey for the employees involved. 

Musk has been at odds with the NLRB for years through his other companies. The board previously accused X of illegally firing an employee who pushed back against his return-to-office policy. Meanwhile, Tesla has dealt with several NLRB complaints, including one accusing the automaker of illegally terminating employees in retaliation for union activity.

It's almost time for CES, which means that, among many other things, there'll soon be a heap of new monitors vying for your attention. Dell is hoping that its new UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor will stand out from the pack. Announced days before CES 2024 is set to kick off, this model is the "first 40-inch 5K monitor certified for five-star eye comfort," Dell claims.

Five-star eye comfort is a new industry standard stemming from TUV Rheinland. The aim is to highlight displays that help reduce signs of eye fatigue. Dell says it did three things to achieve this certification with the latest UltraSharp monitors. First, it doubled the refresh rate to 120Hz for smoother visuals. It incorporated an ambient light sensor, which allows the monitors to automatically adjust screen brightness and color temperature to match the light conditions. Dell cites studies suggesting this can help reduce the frequency of eye fatigue signs by up to 17 percent.

Dell

Last but not least, Dell says it upgraded its ComfortView Plus tech with the help of an advanced LED backlight to reduce blue light exposure from 50 percent to under 35 percent. This, too, can help reduce signs of eye fatigue.

None of that should diminish the monitor's performance. Dell says the UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt Hub has a 99 percent DCI-P3 / Display P3 color space and 1.07 billion colors. It's VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified and features IPS Black Panel tech and a 2,000:1 contrast ratio.

On the connectivity front, there's Thunderbolt 4 support with up to 140W power delivery. An Ethernet connection allows for speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps, while there are HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1 ports. Dell notes that pop-out front-facing USB-A and USB-C ports should make it easy to connect and charge your devices.

Dell

If the 40-inch model is perhaps too much real estate for your needs, you might want to consider Dell's 34-inch variant. The UltraSharp 34 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor also features TUV Rheinland five-star eye comfort certification, IPS Black technology and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. It's not a 5K monitor, however, as it has a WQHD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440.

Both monitors will be available globally starting on February 27. The UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor starts at $2,400 in the US and $3,290 CAD in Canada. The 34-inch model will run you $1,020 in the US and $1,400 CAD north of the border.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

LG just announced that it will bring a brand-new 27-inch 480Hz QHD OLED gaming display to CES 2024 in Las Vegas, which the company is calling an industry first and a “new era of OLEDS.” This panel was developed by LG Display, so it won’t actually be available for purchase. Rather, the tech will be sold to other companies for use in forthcoming gaming monitors.

480Hz is a blazingly fast refresh rate, and may also be something of a bummer if you bought into last year’s 240Hz displays. This latest OLED monitor boasts QHD (2560x1440) resolution and a response time of just 0.03ms, which LG says is the quickest of “any panel on the market today.”

LG also promises enhanced image quality via the company’s proprietary META technology, not to be confused with that other Meta. This tech incorporates a micro lens array to maximize the emission of light from the OLED panel and minimize external reflections. This should be especially helpful when navigating darker-than-average gameplay environments.

The company says this display emits the “lowest level of blue light in the industry”, at around half the amount emitted by standard LCDs. This is useful to minimize eye fatigue, of course, but also works to reduce flicker.

LG Display says this panel will begin showing up in products during the first half of the year, though partner companies have yet to be announced. This isn’t the only 480Hz panel that LG is showing off at this year’s CES. There’s a new monitor that runs at 480Hz in HD and 240Hz in 4K.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

If you’re active on Facebook or Instagram, you might have noticed prompts about a setting called “link history.” The feature allows users to keep track of all of the links they visit via Facebook and Instagram’s in-app browsers.

According to Meta, the feature allows users to ensure they “never lose” a link. “Easily get back to recent links you’ve visited with your Facebook browsing activity now saved in one place,” an in-app notification about the feature says.

But, as Gizmodo points out, the feature also gives Meta a convenient way to improve its targeted advertising, which has taken a hit following Apple’s crackdown on app tracking. “Keep in mind that when link history is on, we may use link history information from Facebook’s Mobile Browser to improve your ads across Meta technologies,” the company notes in a support article.

Instagram has a similar feature, which keeps tabs on links users visit via the app’s browser. Though it seems many users are just now discovering the settings, a Meta spokesperson confirmed the features began rolling out last summer.

Though link history is not enabled by default, it’s the kind of setting many people may opt into without giving much thought, especially because the company markets it as a way to avoid “losing” links. That’s sparked concern among some privacy advocates who worry Meta is using increasingly sneaky ways to gather data about users’ online activity.

The good news, however, is that it’s easy to double check if you have link history enabled, and opt-out if you do.

On Facebook, users will need to open a link from within the app and tap on … menu to open the settings from the in-app browser. Then, look for the “link history” toggle. If it’s on, you’ll need to turn it off, and then confirm via the pop-up that you want it disabled.

Screenshots via Facebook

The process on Instagram is pretty much the same: Head to the in-app browser’s settings, look for “link history” and confirm your choice.

Of note, though both apps will immediately delete your link history from their respective apps, Meta says it can take up to 90 days “to complete the deletion process.” This means your previous browsing activity could still play a role in your targeted ads for several weeks after you’ve disabled link tracking.

Of course, the company still has numerous other ways of tracking your online activity, so opting out of link history alone won’t be enough to fully take back control of your data. Privacy conscious ad-haters who live in the European Union, however, do have another option, though it may be even less appealing. Meta recently began offering the ability for EU users to opt out of Facebook and Instagram ads entirely, in exchange for a rather hefty monthly fee.

JLab has a proven track record with its headphones and earbuds for solid audio quality at extremely affordable prices. At CES 2024, the company is debuting its first premium headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC), but it's keeping the price low at just $80. Despite the affordable investment, JLab didn't cut too many features as the JBuds Lux ANC Wireless Headphones pack long battery life, multipoint Bluetooth, customizable EQ, spatial audio, Google Fast Pair and a quick-charge feature. 

JLab says the JBuds Lux have the same size drivers, 40mm, as flagship headphones from the likes of Bose, Sony and others. The company further explains that these components are capable of 20-20kHz frequency response, the most common rage for headphones, and promises "exceptional audio quality" as a result. In terms of ANC, the JBuds Lux can reduce noise by up to 25dB with the option to turn it off or employ Be Aware (transparency) mode, and levels are customizable via the JLab App. You can fully configure the EQ with that software or choose from one of three audio presets. The JBuds Lux also support spatial and Bluetooth LE audio. 

The company touts over 40 hours of use with noise canceling on, with that figure extending to over 70 hours with it disabled. Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint connectivity adds convenience, as does Google Fast Pair and a 10-minute quick-charge feature that gives you four hours of playback. JLab opted for a folding design for easy storage, with cushiony ear pads and physical playback controls. 

The JBuds Lux ANC headphones are available for preorder now from JLab. White, gray and green color options are scheduled to ship in late February while the purple version will arrive in March.

JLab

Before the party officially begins in Las Vegas, JLab also revealed a new set of budget earbuds. The third-gen JBuds ANC ($60) can manage seven hours of use with noise cancellation turned on with nearly four full charges in the case. With ANC off, you can expect up to nine hours from the earbuds and another 33 in the case. As JLab has done on previous models, the charging case here is still about the size of a flash drive, and an attached USB-C cord tucks away for storage. 

Onboard touch controls handle both playback and calls, plus JLab says they're customizable inside of its app. Sound profiles can also be tailored to your preferences by either tweaking the EQ or using an audio preset. The company has included a Safe Listening Mode that keeps the maximum volume within the limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Bluetooth multipoint is here as well, with an IP55-rated design that can withstand workouts, a low-latency Movie Mode for streaming and Google Fast Pair. 

The JBuds ANC 3 wireless earbuds are available now, but they only come in black. 

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

Twitch has revised its nudity policies yet again. The latest change bars streamers from pretending to be “fully or partially nude,” wrote Angela Hession, Twitch’s VP of Trust and Safety, in a blog post. The change comes several weeks after the company said creators could post “properly labeled” sexual content, only to flip-flop two days later.

The company added the new language to its community guidelines (reported by The Verge) in response to streamers “implying” nudity with carefully placed objects, censor bars or camera angles. The update to Twitch’s terms goes into effect today.

The revised terms also ban see-through clothing, clarifying that apparel must be fully opaque on bodily areas that require coverings. Hession also emphasized the importance of categorizing content correctly, including when streaming from near a pool, beach, or hot tub, where the “full coverage of the buttocks” requirement is loosened.

Twitch plans to eventually blur thumbnails for streams labeled as having sexual themes. “While most streamers have labeled this content appropriately with the Sexual Themes label and are wearing clothing behind the object or outside the camera frame, for many users, the thumbnails of this content can be disruptive to their experience on Twitch,” Hession wrote. Twitch says it will also update its settings to allow users to control the content they see based on how it’s labeled.

As it stands now, Twitch requires streamers to cover their buttocks, genitals and (for female-presenting streamers) the nipples and underbust areas. Visible outlines of genitals are also prohibited, but cleavage is fine as long as it’s clear the streamer is clothed. But you may want to check back soon: At the pace we’re going, Twitch may have revised its policies again by next week.

Tetris is one of the most popular and enduring video games of all time, with versions on just about every console, computer and gadget. Many of these iterations have endings baked into story modes and the like, but the original endless mode was considered unbeatable by humans, until now. A 13-year-old boy has become the first person to ‘beat’ the NES version of Tetris, 34 years after it originally released back in 1989, as announced by YouTuber aGameScout.

The reason we put ‘beat’ in quotes is due to the nature of the achievement. Oklahoma teenager Willis Gibson, also known as Blue Scuti on YouTube, didn’t access an authorized ending, as there isn’t one. Instead, he played the game so perfectly for so long that it forced a kill screen that crashed the game. These kill screens are usually caused by an overflow error that occurs when you speed the game up so much that the software can’t keep up.

The teen achieved this feat after 38 minutes of gameplay and captured the moment on video. He’s the first person to do this, but not the first, uh, entity. An AI program called StackRabbit forced a kill screen with the NES Tetris back in 2021. Score one for the humans!

This was done by incorporating a gameplay style called the rolling technique, which has players glide their fingers along the bottom of an NES controller and use that momentum to roll the controller into the other hand. When done correctly, you can hit the D-pad up to 20 times per second. The method revolutionized competitive Tetris play a couple of years back. Prior to this achievement, the 13-year-old had already broken the game’s high score record, level achieved record and the total number of lines cleared by using the rolling technique.

Gibson, aka Blue Scudi, told another YouTuber that he’s dedicating the achievement to his late father, who recently passed away in December. He also said that the gameplay session was so frantic that he couldn’t feel his fingers afterwards.

Achieving the mythical kill screen is something of a rite of passage for old-school games. If you’ve seen the documentary King of Kong, involving the arcade cabinet Donkey Kong, you know just how competitive it can be to snag those bragging rights. Players have hit the kill screen on Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Duck Hunt, and many others.

Jack Black is reportedly set to play Minecraft Steve. Deadline wrote on Tuesday that the School of Rock actor will play the game’s blocky protagonist alongside Jason Momoa in the game’s long-delayed film adaptation.

The Minecraft adaptation has been in development since 2014. It’s cycled through at least three previous directors (Shawn Levy, Rob McElhenney and Peter Sollett) and two missed release windows (2019 and 2022). Its current target date is April 4, 2025.

The writers for the project’s current iteration haven’t yet been revealed. However, adapting the sandbox building game into a plot-driven Hollywood blockbuster will allow for (and probably require) ample creativity from its scribes. A plot synopsis published in 2019 (which may or may not still apply) describes the film as following “a teenage girl and her unlikely group of adventurers. After the malevolent Ender Dragon sets out on a path of destruction, they must save their beautiful, blocky Overworld.”

Mojang / Microsoft

Black is fresh off a beloved performance as Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, where he showed the effectiveness of his larger-than-life comedic presence in gaming adaptations. IGN even noted that both of Black’s gaming roles — Bowser and Steve — appeared in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Napoleon Dynamite creator (and Black collaborator on Nacho Libre) Jared Hess will direct. Deadline says production will start soon on the film, which hails from Warner Bros, Vertigo, Legendary, Mojang / Microsoft and On the Roam. Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks and Sebastian Eugene Hansen have signed on to join Black and Momoa in the cast.