Twitter may have a looser stance on bans under Elon Musk, but it's still willing to flag content that runs afoul of its rules. The social network will label tweets it believes are violating its Hateful Conduct policy. You'll see a notice that Twitter is limiting the "visibility" of the problematic post with an opportunity to learn more.

The labels will cover more types of policy violations in the months ahead. Users can initially provide "feedback" on a label if they feel it was in error, but they'll have to wait until sometime in the future to formally appeal decisions. The company stresses that the labels only apply to individual tweets, not an entire account.

Twitter sees this as a reflection of its Musk-era "freedom of speech, not freedom of reach" philosophy where it more often shies away from outright bans in favor of limiting exposure to content. Theoretically, this prevents offensive speech from spreading without completely silencing users on the platform. It also promises greater transparency to address concerns of "shadow bans" that limit reach without someone's knowledge. Musk has lifted bans on a number of high-profile accounts, including former President Trump's, although it was willing to temporarily suspend Ye despite lifting a permanent ban in November.

The move might not please some. Advocacy groups have criticized Twitter for not doing enough to protect frequent targets of hate, such as the LGBTQ community. While offenders can still face bans if they're "bad actors" or violate the law, they're more likely to stay on the service. This also isn't certain to satisfy advertisers leaving Twitter over concerns their ads may run alongside objectionable material. And while it will address concerns over possible censorship, it won't necessarily please those who see labels as tarnishing a post's worth.

VW has finally revealed its ID.7 sedan in earnest, and it's clear long-distance driving is the main draw. The "upper mid-size" electric car combines a new, more powerful and efficient 210kW (282HP) motor with an optional 86kWh battery and a highly aerodynamic design (the drag coefficient is 0.23) to deliver a claimed 435 miles of range on the WLTP test cycle. We'd expect more conservative numbers from US regulators (WLTP tends to be 22 percent higher), but this might just rival some Mercedes EQS models at a lower price. It's certainly longer than the 275-mile EPA range of the ID.4.

This also represents VW's first significant shakeup of its interior design and technology since launching the ID line. The ID.7 includes an augmented reality heads-up display, a 15-inch infotainment display and interface changes like a new air conditioning system and customizable favorites buttons. You can use an "Ida" voice assistant to control a number of cabin features, such as a sunroof with smart glass. A 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and adaptive climate control seats (a first in a VW) also make this the brand's most luxurious EV to date.

As with the revamped ID.3, the ID.7 offers a number of driver aids. Travel Assist can use crowdsourced data to help navigation even on backroads, and performs highway lane changes. You can also have the car park itself, even if you're standing outside.

VW hasn't divulged pricing for the ID.7. It goes on sale in Europe and China in fall 2023, while North American buyers will have to wait until sometime in 2024. The EV may be a tough sell in North America, where crossovers and SUVs dominate. However, the range may help its chances. It's difficult to find this kind of endurance in any EV outside of higher-end luxury options. It may be worth choosing if you're determined to minimize charging stops during a long-distance jaunt and aren't concerned about trunk space.

Apple is launching its high-yield savings account for Card owners in the US after a months-long wait. Sign up for the 4.15 percent annual percentage yield offering and you can either transfer money (from your Apple Cash balance or a linked bank account) or automatically deposit your Daily Cash from purchases. There are no fees, balance requirements or minimum deposit amounts, and you can withdraw money at any time.

Like with Apple Card itself, Goldman Sachs provides the savings account. The concept is somewhat similar to Goldman's "Marcus" account, which offers a 2.15 percent yield with comparable flexibility. Both Marcus and Apple's account are built for mobile users who aren't keen on setting foot inside a bank. The difference, of course, is that Apple's is tied to the iPhone's Wallet app.

The savings account requires at least iOS 16.4. There are also a few limitations. You can't have more than $250,000 in the account, and transfers to or from Apple Cash have to range between $1 and $10,000. You also can't transfer more than $20,000 per week.

The debut comes just weeks after the company introduced Apple Pay Later to help American users split online purchases into interest-free payments. As with that service, the Apple Card savings account is believed to be part of a larger strategy that brings more financial services in-house. These not only let Apple control more of its customer experience, but help it keep users in the ecosystem. You may stick to iPhones knowing you can easily build funds.

After many delays and a last-minute approval, SpaceX appears ready to conduct Starship's first orbital test flight. The next-generation rocket is now expected to launch from Boca Chica, Texas at 9:20AM Eastern with a livestream already available through the company's YouTube channel (below). While conditions are generally favorable, there are backup launch windows on Tuesday and Wednesday.

This is the first time SpaceX is launching a fully integrated Starship system with a Super Heavy booster underneath to get the main vehicle into orbit. The combination is about 394 feet tall, or taller than the Saturn V rocket. While both Starship and the booster are designed to be reusable, both will splash into the sea during the test.

There's no guarantee of success. In a Twitter Spaces chat on Sunday, Elon Musk told fans to "set your expectations low." Don't be surprised if something goes awry, in other words. Instead, this test is more about collecting data to improve future boosted Starship flights.

A successful test is crucial both for SpaceX's long-term plans, including lunar tourism, as well as NASA's exploration plans. The Artemis Moon landings beginning in December 2025 will use Starship to take crews from an orbiting Gateway station to the lunar surface. While those won't depend on a booster, NASA needs to know that Starship is reliable before these crewed missions can go forward.

Months after Ye dropped his bid, Parler has a new owner... and is out of commission for the time being. Starboard, the owner of pro-conservative news outlets like American Wire News, has shut down Parler on a temporary but indefinite basis after completing its acquisition of the social network from Parlement Technologies. The buyer says it will conduct a "strategic assessment" of the platform during the downtime, and hopes to integrate Parler's audience into all its existing channels.

Starboard isn't shy about its strategy. While it still sees a market for communities that believe they've been censored or marginalized, it considers a Parler revamp virtually necessary. "No reasonable person believes that a Twitter clone just for conservatives is a viable business any more," the company says.

Parler launched in 2018 as a self-proclaimed free speech alternative to Twitter, which some conservatives claim is biased against right-wing views. It had few rules or moderation controls. Like Gab, though, it also became a haven for people with extreme views. Parler drew flak in January 2021 after word that people involved in the Capitol attack used the social platform to coordinate. Apple and Google kicked Parler off their respective app stores until it improved moderation and kept out users inciting violence.

Ye offered to buy Parler from Parlement in late 2022 after being banned from Twitter for antisemitic posts, but called off the deal in mid-November through a mutual agreement that cited the star's "business difficulties" as a factor. Soon after, Parlement laid off most of its staff. The firm is pivoting to cloud services for businesses that believe they could be knocked offline for their content.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Starboard chief Ryan Coyne says he expects to keep users on Parler despite rivalries with other sites, such as former President Trump's Truth Social. However, the absence of a revival date doesn't leave members many options. For now, they'll have to use other platforms to express themselves.

Accused classified document leaker Jack Teixeira may be learning first-hand about the ease of tracking people's digital lives. The federal government has charged Teixeira with illegally taking national defense info and classified items after a quick investigation focused on his digital trail. As The New York Times' Christiaan Triebert explains, his investigative journalism team identified Teixeira by finding an Instagram account mentioned in his Steam profile. That, in turn, showed photos of the granite kitchen countertop and floor tiles visible in the leaks.

The suspect hasn't yet entered a plea and will face a hearing on April 19th. The two charges against him carry a maximum combined sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

Teixeira, an Air National Guardsman in Massachusetts, allegedly began sharing the documents on a Minecraft-oriented Discord server in late 2022. He initially transcribed them himself but later posted photos of the raw material. He supposedly didn't intend to act as a whistleblower (he was trying to impress his gaming friends), but the content eventually reached other Discord servers as well as 4chan and Telegram.

The documents include large volumes of information about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including Ukraine's strategy as well as Russia's bids to secure weapons from Egypt and Turkey. The files also show how the US spies on allies and otherwise monitors their activity, such as interest in UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The FBI arrested Teixeira the afternoon of April 13th. The case has raised questions about the ease of access to classified material in the US military. Teixeira is an Airman First Class who serves as a Cyber Transport Systems Journeyman — effectively, technical support. The Washington Post notes Teixeira could nonetheless use the Pentagon's Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System, granting him access to top secret intelligence like that from the leak.

You can technically run Windows on gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck, but it's not really designed for small-screened devices and their specialized hardware. However, there's at least one person at Microsoft who would like to improve the situation. Developer and Reddit user AndrewMT has confirmed that a Walking Cat video leak represents a hackathon project meant to optimize Windows 11 for Steam Deck-style devices. The proposal from September would have not only improved driver support, but fine-tuned the interface and introduced tools to help you quickly launch and exit games regardless of which service they came from.

The project was spurred by the desire to use multiple non-Steam services (such as Xbox Game Pass and GOG) and Windows' support for game mods and trainers, AndrewMT says. He also notes that The Verge isn't right in suggesting that this is an ongoing initiative. The handheld Windows proposal "didn't go much of anywhere," the developer explains. While Xbox head Phil Spencer offered contact with people who could help, they were occupied at the time. AndrewMT is hopeful the publicity will help pitch the idea a second time.

Numerous gaming handhelds, including the new ASUS ROG Ally as well as portables from Ayaneo and GPD, already run Windows out of the box. However, their creators typically load custom front-ends to make up for Windows' lack of optimization. And while you can technically use Xbox Cloud Gaming on a Steam Deck thanks to the web, Valve's system is ultimately a Linux machine built to run Steam games.

A project like AndrewMT's would theoretically encourage manufacturers to build Windows-powered handhelds. They wouldn't have to pour as much work into software, and could expect games from a wide range of stores to run smoothly. Any official commitment would take a while to pan out, however. While Microsoft senior user experience designer Dorothy Feng has already explored a prototype handheld interface, there's considerably more work necessary to make this proposal a practical reality.

A studio full of video game veterans is about to release its first big project. Ascendant Studios and EA have confirmed they're releasing the magic first person shooter Immortals of Aveum on July 20th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PCs. You play a new battlemage who's thrust into a never-ending war for control of the world's magic.

This isn't Call of Duty with spells, though, or even a revival of classic fantasy shooters like Heretic. Immortals revolves around a combination system that rewards mixing up different magic types to defeat enemies. You can also draw on magical abilities to create shields or turn the environment against your foes. Ascendant is also promising a narrative-focused experience with an extensive backstory, not to mention recognizable voices like Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever) and Gina Torres (Firefly).

Ascendant is part of a wave of indie studios formed by departing leaders at major game developers. It's helmed by Bret Robbins, the creative director from the original Dead Space, who formed Ascendant in 2018 with Immortals in mind. The team also includes former Telltale Games workers as well as people behind well-known games like Spider-Man and Tomb Raider. Like other well-known exiles, Robbins and crew are effectively trying to regain creative control — even if they're still publishing through major brands.

Police have arrested a suspect in the killing of Cash App founder and former Square executive Bob Lee. Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin has confirmed to The San Francisco Chronicle that someone is in custody in connection with the April 4th stabbing of the 43-year-old in San Francisco.

This might not have been a mugging or random murder. Mission Localsources claim the suspect is Nima Momeni, the Emeryville-based owner of outsourcing firm Expand IT. Lee reportedly knew Momeni and was a passenger in a car belonging to the suspect, the insiders say. A confrontation supposedly erupted in the car, and may have continued after Lee stepped out.

We've asked the San Francisco Police Department for comment. Lee was most recently the chief product officer of crypto startup MobileCoin. Before his time with Square, he helped create Android's early core library. He was also an investor in tech startups and helped develop the World Health Organization's mobile app during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If accurate, the report would explain why Lee was killed in a section of San Francisco that rarely sees pedestrian traffic in the early morning. It would also make the death a historical rarity. While there are certainly personal feuds in tech, they seldom escalate to violence.

Nintendo has shared one last trailer before The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom arrives on May 12th, and this one is worth watching if you're looking for some insight into the story. The rather lengthy clip showcases not only a large and varied world (including the floating islands above Hyrule), but Link's allies. As Zelda makes clear, "you are not alone." There's even a moment where Link offers a wagon ride.

The plot appears familiar — surprise, you'll have to find Zelda and defeat Ganon. Instead, it's the gameplay mechanics that promise to help Tears of the Kingdom set itself apart from Breath of the Wild. The skyborne islands factor play a large role, of course, but the reliance on fused-together weapons and vehicles is clearer in this new trailer. You can even build a 'robot' to take on Bokoblins that have their own battle platform.

The game is arriving alongside Tears-themed Pro Controller ($75) and Carrying Case ($25) accessories. You can also buy a special edition OLED Switch on April 28th for $350 if you're new to the platform or itching to upgrade from an early-model console. As the hardware and flurry of trailers suggests, Nintendo wants to be sure you're paying attention to the company's most important game of the year.