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Lawyers find grooming claims against YouTube co-host baseless

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Lawyers find grooming claims against YouTube co-host baseless

Lawyers hired by MrBeast to investigate claims that his former co-host groomed a teenager have concluded that the allegations were “without basis”, the star YouTuber has said.

Ava Kris Tyson stopped working with MrBeast in July after other YouTubers accused her of sending inappropriate messages to a minor, reportedly then 13, when she was 20.

At the time, Tyson apologised for her “past actions”, but said her behaviour never “extended beyond bad edgy jokes” and denied ever grooming anyone.

The alleged victim – who was named online – also defended her, saying the claims were “massive lies” and that they had never been “exploited or taken advantage of”.

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MrBeast, 26, real name Jimmy Donaldson, hosts the largest channel on YouTube, with 325m subscribers, and is known for making videos of stunts, challenges and acts of philanthropy.

Tyson, 28, who last year came out as transgender, has appeared regularly on the channel since it was launched in 2012.

After the initial claims in July, MrBeast said he was “disgusted” by the “serious allegations of Ava Tyson’s behaviour online” and “opposed to such unacceptable acts”.

On Friday, he shared a letter on X from Quinn Emanuel Urqhart & Sullivan LLP, the law firm he hired to conduct an investigation into the claims.

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The letter said the firm had conducted 39 interviews with current and former employees of MrBeast’s company and reviewed over 4.5m documents collected from mobile phones, e-mails, and a variety of messaging platforms.

“Allegations of sexual misconduct… between company employees and minors are without basis. The allegations were soundly rejected, including by alleged victims,” it said.

It added that allegations the company had knowingly employed “individuals with proclivities or histories towards illegal… conduct” were “similarly without basis”.

The letter said some “isolated instances of workplace harassment and misconduct were identified” and that, once informed about them, the company had taken “swift and appropriate actions”.

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Following the publication of the letter, the alleged victim of Tyson’s behaviour said again that the claims were “completely false”.

“People used my name to make very serious allegations and claims without ever speaking to me,” they said.

“It was incredibly difficult having my name thrown around in a public forum without being given the opportunity to share the truth.

“The private investigators reviewed all my [direct messages] and interactions with Kris.

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“I was not groomed. These were false allegations made up by other people with my name thrown in them.”

Responding to the initial allegations in July, Tyson apologised for her “unacceptable social media posts, past actions, and to those who may feel betrayed by how I used to act online”, but added: “I never groomed anyone”.

“To lump these two factors together to create a narrative that my behavior extended beyond bad edgy jokes is disgusting and did not happen,” she said.

“I have learned that my old humor is not acceptable. I cannot change who I was, but I can continue to work on myself.”

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Will my phone change for daylight saving time automatically?

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Will my phone change for daylight saving time automatically?

It’s that time of year once again. The leaves are changing, the weather is getting colder, and it’s just about time to set your clocks back an hour. That’s right! On Sunday, November 3, daylight saving time officially ends, and you’ll need to set your clocks back an hour.

However, it’s important to know whether your phone will automatically change to daylight saving time or if you need to do it manually. It’s a question that applies regardless of which phone you have. Whether you’re rocking an iPhone 16, Google Pixel 9, Samsung Galaxy S24, or any other smartphone, it’s essential to know whether or not you need to change it for the new time.

Before the advent of smart devices, we manually changed the clocks to adjust for either daylight saving time or standard time. However, some clocks, such as wall clocks, oven clocks, and car clocks, are still non-internet-connected and require manual adjustment.

If your smartphone’s software is up to date, its clock should automatically adjust. But if you had previously customized the date or time settings, you might have to update your clock manually to ensure it’s ready.

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When is daylight saving time?

This year, standard time begins at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, November 3, 2024. It marks the end of daylight saving time, which started on March 10 earlier this year.

Right before your phone clock hits 2 a.m. on Sunday, it should automatically update and “fall back” to 1 a.m. However, in some rare cases, it may not be updated. If that’s the case, you’ll find instructions below on how to fix it.

How to update your iPhone when daylight saving begins

Open Settings, tap General, tap Date & Time, tap toggle for Set Automatically

First, let’s look at how to update the time on the iPhone. If you have an iPhone, like the iPhone 16 Pro, go to the Settings app, select General, then Date & Time, and toggle on Set Automatically.

Once that’s done, your iPhone time will automatically update — no extra work from you is required! When daylight saving begins, your iPhone won’t skip a beat.

How to update your Android phone when daylight saving begins

Open Settings, tap System, tap Date & Time, tap toggle for Set Automatically
Digital Trends

The process for Android is mostly the same, though it follows a slightly different process. On an Android phone like the Google Pixel 9 Pro, go to Settings > System >Date & Time, and toggle on Set Automatically.

Open Settings, tap General Management, tap Date & Time, tap toggle for Set Automatically
Digital Trends

On a Samsung phone, like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, you’ll need to follow a slightly different path. Go to Settings > General Management > Date and Time, and make sure Automatic Date and Time is turned on.

With these settings configured, your Android phone is prepped and ready to automatically change the time once daylight saving time begins for another year.

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Other daylight saving phone tips

The iPhone 14 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra's screens.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Although the above steps should be all you need to worry about, there are some other things you can do to be extra sure your phone changes when it should for daylight saving time.

If you haven’t updated your phone in a while, ensure it’s running the latest available software. Open the Settings app on an iPhone, tap General, and then Software Update. If you have an Android phone, go to the Settings app, scroll down the page, and tap on Software update or System update (the wording will be slightly different depending on which Android phone you have).

Outdated software shouldn’t impact your phone automatically changing for standard time, but installing an update if one is available doesn’t hurt. If you have any alarms set on your phone, they’ll also automatically update to the new time without any extra work required from you.



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Mint Mobile launches a new kids-focused plan for $15

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Mint Mobile launches a new kids-focused plan for $15

Mint Mobile, now owned by T-Mobile and with Ryan Reynolds as its most prominent public face, has launched a new kids-focused plan. The company touts it as an ideal, easy-to-manage plan for parents. However, there are still some questions about what makes it so ideal for little ones.

Mint Mobile’s kids plan includes 5GB of mobile data

Mint Mobile’s new kids plan offers 5GB of data quota so your kids can stay connected and in touch when they need it and there’s no WiFi available. The plan has an introductory offer of $15 a month, though you have to pay three months upfront if you want to sign up ($45). After that period, you’ll have to pay the equivalent of $25 a month for the three-month plan.

You have the option to subscribe for either six months at $20 per month or for twelve months at the initial price of $15 per month, with quarterly payments. Yes, the plan seems designed for parents to opt for the year-long option. Aside from the 5GB of mobile data, the kids plan is pretty similar to Mint’s standard plans in terms of features, including hotspot support. Once they go over the 5GB data limit, kids will still be able to stay connected through the T-Mobile network, but at 2G speeds.

Parents will receive email communications, announcements, and advertising from Mint Mobile. The carrier also states that parents can “monitor child’s data usage.” However, beyond that, the plan doesn’t appear to offer any additional options or features specifically designed for children. For example, there isn’t a dedicated app with additional parental control and monitoring options, or anything like that.

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Other plans offer better value for money

Mint Mobile already offers other plans that, for a similar price, offer a much higher data quota. Therefore, if you’re seeking an affordable plan for kids that doesn’t necessitate heavy mobile data usage, other options appear to be more suitable. The carrier should provide more details about all the features that are actually available in the plan and what makes it so special for children.

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Atari 50’s console-war expansion adds 19 more games on November 8

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Atari 50's console-war expansion adds 19 more games on November 8

Atari and developer Digital Eclipse have announced details of the next paid expansion for Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, a remarkable collection that’s both a compilation of many of the publisher’s games and a documentary about its half-century history. This second DLC is called The First Console War and it highlights the rivalry with Mattel’s Intellivision, Atari’s first real competitor in the console market.

The bundle includes 19 more games and eight video segments that delve into the rivalry, as well as what eventually led to Mattel making games for Atari systems. Atari and Digital Eclipse say the DLC includes more The First Console War DLC features additional interviews, vintage ads and never-before-seen historical artifacts that help tell the story of the battle between Atari and Mattel. As it happens, it was a war Atari ended up decisively winning, as it bought the Intellivision brand earlier this year.

The DLC includes prototypes and other games that never saw the light of day until now. The full list is as follows:

  • Air Raiders — 2600 M Network

  • Antbear — 2600 M Network (unreleased, based on Stern IP)

  • Armor Ambush — 2600 M Network

  • Astroblast — 2600 M Network

  • Frogs & Flies — 2600 M Network

  • International Soccer — 2600 M Network

  • Dark Cavern — 2600 M Network

  • Star Strike — 2600 M Network

  • Super Challenge Baseball — 2600 M Network

  • Super Challenge Football — 2600 M Network

  • Swordfight — 2600 M Network (rare, unreleased)

  • Sea Battle — 2600 M Network (rare, unreleased)

  • Tower of Mystery (unreleased prototype, recently rescued)

  • Video Pinball — 2600

  • Basketball — 2600

  • Hardball — Atari 8-bit (XE)

  • Final Legacy (prototype) — 5200

  • Xari Arena — Atari 8—bit

  • Desert Falcon — 7800

The Last Console War follows a previous DLC called The Wider World of Atari that arrived in September and added another 19 games to the collection. Factoring in the two expansions, Atari 50 will have around 130 games in total.

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Those who already have Atari 50 on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 and PS5 will be able to snap up The Last Console War on November 8. If you have the game on Atari VCS, you’ll get the DLC as a free update early next year.

If you’re interested in picking up a bundle of the base game and both expansions, you can do just that with Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Expanded Edition. That’ll be available on November 8 as well. The physical edition for Switch and PS5 costs $40. A steelbook for the Switch includes Atari 2600 art cards and other goodies and will run you $50.

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Runway goes 3D with new AI video camera controls

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Runway goes 3D with new AI video camera controls

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As the AI video wars continue to wage with new, realistic video generating models being released on a near weekly basis, early leader Runway isn’t ceding any ground in terms of capabilities.

Rather, the New York City-based startup — funded to the tune of $100M+ by Google and Nvidia, among others — is actually deploying even new features that help set it apart. Today, for instance, it launched a powerful new set of advanced AI camera controls for its Gen-3 Alpha Turbo video generation model.

Now, when users generate a new video from text prompts, uploaded images, or their own video, the user can also control how the AI generated effects and scenes play out much more granularly than with a random “roll of the dice.”

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Instead, as Runway shows in a thread of example videos uploaded to its X account, the user can actually zoom in and out of their scene and subjects, preserving even the AI generated character forms and setting behind them, realistically putting them and their viewers into a fully realized, seemingly 3D world — like they are on a real movie set or on location.

As Runway CEO Crisóbal Valenzuela wrote on X, “Who said 3D?”

This is a big leap forward in capabilities. Even though other AI video generators and Runway itself previously offered camera controls, they were relatively blunt and the way in which they generated a resulting new video was often seemingly random and limited — trying to pan up or down or around a subject could sometimes deform it or turn it 2D or result in strange deformations and glitches.

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What you can do with Runway’s new Gen-3 Alpha Turbo Advanced Camera Controls

The Advanced Camera Controls include options for setting both the direction and intensity of movements, providing users with nuanced capabilities to shape their visual projects. Among the highlights, creators can use horizontal movements to arc smoothly around subjects or explore locations from different vantage points, enhancing the sense of immersion and perspective.

For those looking to experiment with motion dynamics, the toolset allows for the combination of various camera moves with speed ramps.

This feature is particularly useful for generating visually engaging loops or transitions, offering greater creative potential. Users can also perform dramatic zoom-ins, navigating deeper into scenes with cinematic flair, or execute quick zoom-outs to introduce new context, shifting the narrative focus and providing audiences with a fresh perspective.

The update also includes options for slow trucking movements, which let the camera glide steadily across scenes. This provides a controlled and intentional viewing experience, ideal for emphasizing detail or building suspense. Runway’s integration of these diverse options aims to transform the way users think about digital camera work, allowing for seamless transitions and enhanced scene composition.

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These capabilities are now available for creators using the Gen-3 Alpha Turbo model. To explore the full range of Advanced Camera Control features, users can visit Runway’s platform at runwayml.com.

While we haven’t yet tried the new Runway Gen-3 Alpha Turbo model, the videos showing its capabilities indicate a much higher level of precision in control and should help AI filmmakers — including those from major legacy Hollywood studios such as Lionsgate, with whom Runway recently partnered — to realize major motion picture quality scenes more quickly, affordably, and seamlessly than ever before.

Asked by VentureBeat over Direct Message on X if Runway had developed a 3D AI scene generation model — something currently being pursued by other rivals from China and the U.S. such as Midjourney — Valenzuela responded: “world models :-).”

Runway first mentioned it was building AI models designed to simulate the physical world back in December 2023, nearly a year ago, when co-founder and chief technology officer (CTO) Anastasis Germanidis posted on the Runway website about the concept, stating:

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A world model is an AI system that builds an internal representation of an environment, and uses it to simulate future events within that environment. Research in world models has so far been focused on very limited and controlled settings, either in toy simulated worlds (like those of video games) or narrow contexts (such as developing world models for driving). The aim of general world models will be to represent and simulate a wide range of situations and interactions, like those encountered in the real world.

As evidenced in the new camera controls unveiled today, Runway is well along on its journey to build such models and deploy them to users.


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Bose is taking up to 40 percent off headphones ahead of Black Friday

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Bose is taking up to 40 percent off headphones ahead of Black Friday

Well, the early Black Friday deals took less than a day to begin. Amazon, Best Buy, Lowe’s, and a number of other major retailers have officially begun running their holiday promotions in anticipation of the annual shopping event, though few of them are offering discounts as steep as Bose. For a limited time, you can grab the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for an all-time low of $329 ($100 off) or the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds for $229 ($100 off) via the same retailers (Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy).

Unsurprisingly, the QC Ultra Headphones and QC Ultra Earbuds are incredibly similar, form factor notwithstanding. Both offer exceptional comfort and best-in-class noise cancellation, allowing you to eliminate the cacophony of daily life with ease and rendering either a terrific pick for travel. They also support Bose’s “immersive audio” mode — the company’s take on spatial audio — and AptX Adaptive Bluetooth, the latter of which allows for improved audio fidelity on Android devices. Plus, thanks to a recent software update that rolled out over the summer, they both support multipoint, so you can pair them with two devices simultaneously.

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Microsoft could be about to rebrand its AI into Windows Intelligence rather than Copilot

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Copilot imagery from Microsoft

Microsoft has made Copilot the name and style of its AI assistant and other AI services for more than a year, but it seems the company might have a rebranding project underway with a transparent origin. In references shared on X from the appprivacy.adml file, it looks like AI-powered features in Windows 11 will be collected under the umbrella name “Windows Intelligence.” While positioning AI centrally in the operating system is certainly not a surprise, the name is either a deliberate attempt to leverage Apple’s “Apple Intelligence” branding or the biggest coincidence since Mark Zuckerberg started a company with the same name as Harvard’s digital yearbook.

Of course, you can’t copyright the term Intelligence, but the possible decision to join Apple‘s branding choice suggests Microsoft sees it as a way to align the idea of an AI-fueled operating system in the minds of customers. Microsoft has used Windows Intelligence as a term before, but it is usually used for cybersecurity upgrades. Also, to be fair, it’s not just a name. Microsoft wants AI, regardless of the name, to be built into everything it offers, including the basics of Windows like Notepad and the whole Microsoft 365 suite. In fact, Windows Intelligence could likely supersede Copilot, turning the AI assistant into a product of Windows Intelligence rather than an independent tool.

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