Month: August 2022

Categories
Technology

Samsung’s Latest Earbuds Ask You to Correct Your Posture – Review Geek

Samsung's Latest Earbuds Ask You to Correct Your Posture – Review Geek

Someone wearing the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro while reading.
Samsung

Are you hunching over your phone like a creepy little goblin? Samsung’s latest earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, could help you break that habit with “neck stretch reminders.” It’s a weird feature, but hey, anything’s better than neck or back pain.

The “neck stretch reminders” were discovered by @MilesAboveTech in Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 Pro settings. When this feature is enabled, Galaxy Buds 2 Pro will track your head movements and notify you if your head is bent downward for 10 minutes. (These earbuds include head tracking for 360-degree “spatial audio,” which emulates a real-world surround sound setup.)

And oddly enough, the earbud settings include instructions for stretching your neck. This is the kind of thing we’d expect to see in an Apple product (the Apple Watch reminds you to breathe), so we’re surprised to find it in Samsung’s earbuds.

But this feature is probably Exclusive to Samsung smartphone users. The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro’s “spatial audio” feature only works on Samsung Galaxy devices, and @MilesAboveTech has only shared screenshots of “neck stretch reminders” on a Galaxy Z Fold 4.

Either way, we’re excited to see Samsung go the extra mile for such a niche, bizarre, and helpful feature. It’s clear that the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are very unique, though it seems that only Samsung Galaxy smartphones can fully take advantage of these buds.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

Samsung’s new top-of-the-line true wireless earbuds support higher quality sound and active noise cancellation (ANC), but you only get all the features when using them with a Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet.

Source: @MilesAboveTech

Categories
Entertainment

Alan Carr discusses the breakdown of his marriage to estranged husband Paul Drayton

Heartbreak: Alan Carr said on Thursday's edition of Good Morning Britain that his split from husband Paul Drayton was still very 'raw'

Alan Carr has admitted his split from husband Paul Drayton is still very ‘raw’.

The comedian, 46, and his party planner partner, 50, who had been together for 13 years – announced their separation in January after three years of marriage.

Alan spoke about the split on Thursday’s edition of Good Morning Britain while promoting his new TV show and his recent tour.

Heartbreak: Alan Carr said on Thursday's edition of Good Morning Britain that his split from husband Paul Drayton was still very 'raw'

Heartbreak: Alan Carr said on Thursday’s edition of Good Morning Britain that his split from husband Paul Drayton was still very ‘raw’

Chatting with presenters Charlotte Hawkins and Adil Ray, the Chatty Man star explained how he found his therapeutic tour as his split from Paul was understandably still quite raw.

Dates from his tour had been postponed from 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic and summarized this year with Alan re-writing his material following the breakup.

Speaking about his Regional Trinket tour, he said: ‘This show had to be rescheduled because of Covid; I just really didn’t want to cancel. My marriage broke down in lockdown. No, it’s fine – people’s head tilt when you’ve got bad news.’

All over: The comedian and his party planner partner husband who had been together for 13 years announced their separation in January after three years of marriage (pictured in 2019)

All over: The comedian and his party planner partner husband who had been together for 13 years announced their separation in January after three years of marriage (pictured in 2019)

As Charlotte apologized for her reaction to him mentioning his marriage split, he assured her he was comfortable carrying on with the topic and added: ‘I wrote the tour and then it just didn’t make sense when I came out of lockdown because the marriage had broken down.

‘I was writing fresh and on the go, so it’s very personal and very raw, but it’s going down well.’

However, he has found being on stage quite ‘therapeutic’.

‘It does make it therapeutic. There were people that were like, oh are you going to cancel the tour? and I was like, not I need it. I get the impression people just want to laugh and I do see it as therapy and just get on with it,’ he admitted.

Help: Alan said he found being on stage quite 'therapeutic' as he dealt with the split

Help: Alan said he found being on stage quite ‘therapeutic’ as he dealt with the split

The pair confirmed their split back in January with a joint statement.

It read: ‘After 13 years as a couple and three years of marriage, Alan Carr and Paul Drayton would like to announce they are separating.

‘They have jointly and amicably made the difficult decision to divorce and go their separate ways. We request that their privacy is respected at this sensitive time.’

Paul then posted on Instagram that he is currently in rehab for alcoholism, after a ‘challenging couple of years’ which saw him plead guilty last November to a drink-driving charge.

New show: Dates from his tour had been postponed from 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic and summarized this year with Alan re-writing them all following their breakup

New show: Dates from his tour had been postponed from 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic and summarized this year with Alan re-writing them all following their breakup

He explained he had ‘proactively’ checked himself into rehab at the beginning of the year to seek help for his ongoing battle with the illness.

‘It is with great sadness that I share the news that Alan and I have jointly decided to end our marriage,’ he wrote under a sunset photo with a heart drawn on top..

‘This decision has been very difficult for us both and we part ways with great memories and continued love and friendship for each other as we go our separate ways.

‘As part of my own journey, I proactively checked myself into a rehabilitation facility at the turn of the new year in order to get the help and support I need during this challenging time.’

‘This was not an easy step to take, but I know it is the right one going forward. These last couple of years have been challenging to say the least, as they have been for so many others. But I remain deeply committed to my journey of sobriety and strength.

‘We ask for privacy during this challenging time, but I thank you all for your kindness and support. Peace and love.’ He ended the post by sharing the hashtags: ‘#sobriety #sometimesthehardestdecisionsaretherightones #newchapters #looktothefuture.’

Candid: Chatting with presenters Charlotte Hawkins and Adil Ray, Alan explained how he found the therapeutic tour as his split from Paul was understandably still quite raw

Candid: Chatting with presenters Charlotte Hawkins and Adil Ray, Alan explained how he found the therapeutic tour as his split from Paul was understandably still quite raw

A court case in November saw Paul plead guilty at Brighton Magistrates to a drink-driving charge after getting behind the wheel while four times over the legal limit.

He was warned that he faces jail by a judge who told him it was a ‘miracle’ no one was killed.

Paul was accused of drink-driving after he reversed into a police car, narrowly missing a mother pushing a pram, while in his Mitsubishi 4×4 in West Sussex, just three miles from the £2.7 million home he shares with Alan.

In August 2021, Paul shared a photo of himself with a black eye on Instagram and told a fan ‘we had a bad row,’ before removing it within an hour.

The next day he insisted the comedian ‘has never hit me,’ writing on social media: ‘I’m feeling very fragile at the minute and would like to say that Alan would not and has never hit me. And I’m devastated that he has to deal with this today.’

Alan confirmed in a statement shortly after his husband posted the black eye image the injury was a result of him ‘being back on the wagon’ and he had not been involved in the incident.

Split: Alan Carr and his husband Paul Drayton are separating after 13 years together and three years of marriage (Paul and Alan pictured in 2019)

Split: Alan Carr and his husband Paul Drayton are separating after 13 years together and three years of marriage (Paul and Alan pictured in 2019)

Alan said he was trying to get his husband the ‘help he needs’ after he started drinking again.

The comedian told how his significant other ‘fell off the wagon’ while Alan was away filming in Wales, but that he was working with Paul to help him.

The chat show host said: ‘While I was away filming on location the past few weeks, Paul fell off the wagon and started drinking again. When I arrived back home from Wales, Paul was covered in scratches and bruises from a drinking binge.

'Sobriety': Paul shared his own statement on Instagram, explaining that he 'proactively' checked himself into rehab at the beginning of 2022 to seek help for alcoholism

‘Sobriety’: Paul shared his own statement on Instagram, explaining that he ‘proactively’ checked himself into rehab at the beginning of 2022 to seek help for alcoholism

‘We are now working together to get the help he needs to get better which is our number one priority right now.’

An insider has told MailOnline that the couple’s relationship never recovered after the incident.

Alan is said to have believed Paul’s Instagram post risked ruining his career and close friends of the chat show host felt that it was the ‘final straw’ in their rocky relationship which strained due to Paul’s booze problems.

Television star Alan and Paul were married by Adele at her Californian home in 2018, with the singer paying for their special day as a gift.

Wedding: Adele paid for their wedding, which took place at the singer's California home and the star got ordained for the occasion, sharing a photo of herself in front of a huge flower wall

Wedding: Adele paid for their wedding, which took place at the singer’s California home and the star got ordained for the occasion, sharing a photo of herself in front of a huge flower wall

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Categories
Australia

Australian GPs say access to bulk billing is on the wane, even for most vulnerable patients because the Medicare rebate isn’t covering rising costs

Australian GPs say access to bulk billing is on the wane, even for most vulnerable patients because the Medicare rebate isn't covering rising costs

“We now have a system where universalism is at risk, and patients paying more in out-of-pocket costs for a basic GP visit than the rebate. This is just going to lead to more people not getting the care they need.”

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners warned this week that inadequate Medicare rebates were leading an increasing number of GPs who had previously bulk billed all consultations, to start charging patients.

Melbourne GP Anita Munoz, who chairs the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ Victorian faculty, said the rebate given to doctors had not increased in real terms for many years, and that many GPs could not afford to continue bulk billing without charging a gap fee .

“The cost of delivering care has so far outstripped the contribution from Medicare that not charging a gap is no longer feasible,” she said.

Medicare patient rebates for GP consultations were frozen from 2013 to 2019, and received a small boost earlier this year, of 1.6 per cent. Munoz said no other industry could continue under such circumstances. “And our industry is now showing that it will collapse under that weight unless something changes.”

GPs want Canberra to raise the Medicare rebate by 10 per cent for doctor visits between 20 and 40 minutes, and to also introduce a new rebate for one-hour consultations for patients requiring complex care. The call is included in an advocacy plan put out by the RACGP this week.

Education service HealthEd recently released a poll of almost 500 GPs that found 22 per cent had recently changed their billing model, meaning patients faced higher out-of-pocket costs to see a GP. A third of those that changed their billing model moved from bulk billing to mixed billing (a combination of bulk billing and private billing), while 67 per cent changed from mixed billing to completely private billing.

Kathy Barr has two daughters, aged 24 and 19, and for the past five years the family has visited a local clinic. “They bulk billed, and we initially went to them when money was tight because we also found a really good doctor in the practice,” says Barr, 60, who lives in Stanmore, in Sydney’s inner west.

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In April, the practice stopped bulk billing. Barr caught pneumonia in 2019, and then in late 2021 she had treatment for a benign brain tumor, which still requires monitoring, and has required constant access to specialists – most of whom require her to see a GP for a referral.

“Because I have to get multiple prescriptions, it’s often a double appointment, which is $160,” she said. About $80 of that is refunded via Medicare. Barr said she could cover it. “I’ve got a professional career, but that’s still a lot of money. So I hesitate to see a doctor when I should, due to the cost.”

And Ms Barr said the charges had all but stopped her daughters going unless it was absolutely vital.

“Once bulk billing finished, it made it almost impossible. When you have a complex medical condition, on top of what happened during the pandemic, and then not having access to bulk billing – it means really serious impacts on the individual.”

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Categories
Entertainment

Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown reveals perils of fame: ‘It’s hard to be hated’

Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown reveals perils of fame: 'It's hard to be hated'

She’s still just a teenager, but Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown is already one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood.

It’s no surprise considering she started her career at eight and landed the role of Eleven on the smash Netflix show at the age of only 10.

But she said there had been a downside to fame.

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Categories
Technology

Audi S8 2023: facelifted luxury sedan priced at $273K in Australia

Audi S8 2023: facelifted luxury sedan priced at $273K in Australia

The Audi S8 has been priced for Australia. Wearing a triple-digit price tag, this traditional fast sedan packs over 400kW of power from its petrol V8

The 2023 Audi S8 has landed in Australia priced from $273,400 before on-road costs and options.

The S8 is Audi’s flagship sedan and represents a blend of luxury, speed and a hint of old-school class arguably not offered by SUVs.

2022 Audi S8
Audi’s S8 executive express has been priced from Australia

Arriving in facelifted form, Audi’s new luxury sedan has had a mild makeover. There is a broader ‘single frame’ grille, new Matrix LED headlights, 21-inch alloy wheelswith red brake calipers and a black styling pack fitted as standard.

Audi offers the new S8 in nine exterior colors with three upholstery options – including cream and black ‘Valcona’ leather – to tailor this luxury sedan to your liking.

Audi’s S8 is a rival for the BMW 750i ($277,900 before on-road costs), new Mercedes-Benz S580 L ($335,100) and Lexus LS500 F Sport ($195,830).

2022 Audi S8
With a $273K price tag the S8 won’t be for everyone

In Australia, only the S8 is available to order now, with Audi yet to announce pricing of A8 50TDI and long wheelbase 50TDI L grades. If you want about the S8’s size but more sporting, Audi will sell you an RS6 Avant or RS7 liftback.

Is there anything new inside the S8?

The S8’s cabin has matured, but not changed massively since the fourth-generation ‘D5’ A8 was introduced globally in 2017.

Just like in the latest RS6, the S8 scores a pair of 10.1-inch touch screens in the centre; one to wake care of music and infotainment functions, and the lower to look after HVAC controls.

2022 Audi S8
Inside the S8 has been blinged up in its latest iteration

A customizable 12.3-inch digital driver’s display returns for the new S8 with navigation, live traffic and satellite imagery. There’s also a 23-speaker, 1920-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system fitted as standard.

The S8 is a car intended to indulge rear seat passengers. As such, electrically-adjustable outboard rear seats feature, as do electric sunblinds and a panoramic sunroof.

Those in the front of an S8 won’t be left wanting, with power front seats that feature heating, ventilation and massage function, as well as a heated steering wheel.

What’s under the S8’s bonnet?

The S8 is powered by the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 as the RS6. In S8 trim, the V8 produces slightly less power (420kW vs 441kW) but the same 800Nm torque figure. An eight-speed automatic sourced from ZF is the only transmission.

2022 Audi S8
The S8 is available to order now

With AWD fitted and an electronically controlled ‘Quattro Sport’ limited slip differential as standard, the S8 is capable of hitting 100km/h in 3.8 seconds.

The new S8 features a revamped 48 volt mild-hybrid system that allows longer stop-start operation at traffic lights and the ability to ‘coast’ down hills on the motorway.

Audi says the S8s clever fuel-saving tech saves 0.8L/100km, resulting in a combined ADR consumption figure of 10.5L/100km for the new S8.

There’s also active air suspension – Audi’s terminology is ‘predictive active suspension – that uses cameras and other onboard sensors to rapidly adjust the S8’s chassis based on the road ahead.

Audi S8 2023: pricing in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.


Categories
Entertainment

The ‘Peach Dad’ meme that’s dividing the internet.

The 'Peach Dad' meme that's dividing the internet.

Starr’s work went viral as many users began sharing and editing her original peach illustration, adding comments like: “Divorcing my husband because he has the audacity to eat the food in our house.”

Initially, Starr responded by creating an ‘eat the damn peach’ illustration to highlight she was well aware of her own martyrdom.

But the Twitter response to the ‘peach husband’ meme quickly went from observational humor about marriages to personal attacks and death threats.

Thousands of Momlife_Comics followers have added supportive comment’s on Starr’s statement, such as Joanna Goddard, fellow mum and founder of lifestyle website ‘Cup of Jo’.

“It is very, very lonely to feel a certain way while assuming you’re the only one,” Jo wrote on Instagram under Starr’s post.

“And your comics make us feel like a community! A life force! Not alone at all!!! And putting words to these feelings can help change minds and change ingrained patterns and change marriages and change lives. You do important work.”

Writing for the DailyDotJournalist Gavia Baker-Whitelaw believes that the intended audience is everything.

“Momlife presents a depressingly negative view of marriage and parenthood, which is why it went viral on both Twitter and Instagram. But the two audiences came at it from different angles.”

Starr agrees, saying that her intention has always been to build a community of like-minded people on Instagram and that context is everything.

“The community that we have built here is about making each other feel seen and less alone in the challenging parts of motherhood. I don’t go on and on about the amazing parts of being a wife and mother because among us mums, those are a given. OF COURSE we love our children (and our husbands) more than we could ever put into words. OF COURSE we wouldn’t trade our lives for anything in the world. And yet many of us also feel unsupported, unseen, and /or under-appreciated by our society and in some cases, our partners.

“Let’s refocus our attention on the importance of online communities like this one in making mothers feel supported, understood, heard, and seen.

“Hopefully, this will also make it clear to anyone who visits this page that it is not about husband-bashing but about pointing out the mental load of motherhood and the unequal expectations for mums vs. dads in our culture.”

Readmore:

Laura Jackel is Mamamia’s Family Writer. For links to her de ella articles and to see photos of her outfits and kids, follow her de ella on Instagram and
TikTok.

Feature Image: Instagram @Momlife_Comics

Looking forward to a brighter future? Complete this survey now and go in the running to win one of six $100 gift vouchers!

Categories
Technology

Elden Ring One-Shot Boss Kills Show Faith Builds Are Strong AF

Elden Ring One-Shot Boss Kills Show Faith Builds Are Strong AF

Elden Ring‘s faith stat is pretty flexible to build around, particularly because developer FromSoftware baked so many incantations and spells into the game. Still, it tends to see very little use at high levels, as YouTuber Your Average Gamer put it in an email to Kotaku DotCom, folks claim it’s not as good as other in-game stats like the health-defining vigor. In an effort to prove the masses wrong, Your Average Gamer took their ardent belief in faith and put it to the test. Not only did they take on the hardest difficulty possible, they also absolutely demolished a variety of bosses, including ones like Radagon and the Elden Beast, in a single attack. It’s nuts!

Matthew “Your Average Gamer” Farnkopf is a YouTuber dedicated to putting together “crazy Elden Ring builds.” They’ve got a video on destroying Malenia in 90 seconds, another breaking down the effectiveness of Godrick the Grafted’s Great Axe, and a different one on the ultimate status effect build. In short, Matt has spent a lot of time with Elden Ring since it dropped on February 25. And yet, it’s still notable they were able to find a one-shot build powerful enough to take out two of the game’s hardest bosses, Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast, with an assortment of equipment and incantations on New Game Plus Seven, the highest difficulty option Elden Ring currently has to offer. Every round of new game plus retains all your gear and stats while increasing the overall damage output and health pool of the enemies around you, meaning Your Average Gamer’s run is some seriously gnarly shit.

It looks like Matt’s just throwing things to be throwing things during the fight, but there’s actually an order to the madness. As they explained in a short video detailing what they’ve dubbed the “ultimate PvE build,” Matt first casts the Howl of Shabriri and Golden Vow incantations for some initial status effects, like madness buildup for attack power and attack negation, respectively. They then poison themselves to increase their intelligence stat and temporarily boost lightning attack damage, the latter is especially important when paired with the sole attack spell Ancient Dragons’ Lightning Strike, a late-game ability you find in the labyrinthine legacy dungeon Crumbling Farum Azula. After a quick buffing session, Matt turns to their gear for even more buffs — the Gravel Stone Seal to up the damage of Dragon Cult/lightning-related incantations, the Jellyfish Shield for 20% increased damage for 30 seconds, and the Kindred of Rot’s Exultation Talisman to raise attack power by 20% for 20 seconds when there’s poisoning or rot nearby, among others — before entering the battle arena to show the final bosses what’s up.

It was curtains once Matt stepped in front of Radagon. They cast the Ancient Dragons’ Lightning Strike, a multi-hitting attack that sends down several bolts of lightning to strike in a determined area, and watched as the hammer-wielding god’s health bar melted away in seconds. The same thing happened to the colossal Elden Beast, and y’all, I’m gagging RN.

ReadMore: Elden Ring Fans Rejoice As Dreaded Bloodhound Step Nerfed In Enormous Gameplay Update

matt canopy Kotaku over email that they wanted to dispel the myth permeating the game’s community that “faith [builds aren’t] nearly as good as magic.” It took them “nearly 20 hours of trial and error” to find the right combination of gear and incantations to do the necessary damage to slay Radagon and the Elden Beast in one shot, and the results were stunning.

“I was primarily inspired to prove that something that many said couldn’t be done could actually be done…even on the hardest difficulty,” Matt said. “When I pulled this off on Journey Three, that gave me hope that it was technically possible. Once again to prove how powerful faith can be!”

Matt, to put it plainly, loves faith. It’s one of their favorite stats to construct characters around, and a central theme to the game overall. Still, getting things just right to accomplish this feat was quite the headache, something that forced them to “quit two separate times” because of how time-consuming it was becoming. Regardless of the frustrations, Matt said they were “glad [to have] stuck it out” in the end.

“So I’m physically disabled,” Matt said. “I have ongoing day-to-day stomach issues that can get/have gotten severe at times. I had just gotten over a flare-up of Colitis that I had to go to the ER for. After failing so many times throughout several hours, I found myself possibly going back into another flare-up. So I relaxed, calmed myself down, and spaced out my time. From then on I set hours I would do it and took the pressure entirely off myself. The moment I said ‘OK, if someone else does it that’s fine,’ I was able to relax. Shortly after, I was able to achieve it anyway!”

Doing a one-shot kill in Elden Ring is impressive but not entirely new. There was one Redditor back in April who killed the notorious Tree Sentinel in one hit and another speedrunner that created a glass-cannon build to bonk bosses with a single swing of their hammer in May. While it may not be that fresh, slaying FromSoftware’s infamously challenging enemies in one hit is still a cool sight to see. I wish I were patient enough to do this.

While Matt’s Beaten Elden Ring several times now, he’s not done with the game. They’re hoping FromSoftware adds new content in the form of “very challenging bosses, much like Dark Souls 3‘s DLC” or “another late game spike that would test us yet again.” Until then, Matt is trekking through the Lands Between once more looking for new builds to experiment with.

“I’ve retired the lightning build/character,” Matt said. “He’s kind of a legacy to me now. I’m starting a new build fresh, and I’m going to focus on exploring and the next cool build I can come up with. Elden Ring is a fantastic game, and the community is amazing! And remember ‘Seek Lightning!’”

It’s worth noting that while FromSoftware dropped patch 1.06 for the game, Matt said their ultimate PvE build is still effective against the game’s bosses. If you want to try out Matt’s full build for yourself, here you go:

  • Gravel Stone Seal or Golden Order Seal
  • Jellyfish Shield
  • Mushroom Crown
  • Fetid Pots
  • Neutralizing Boluses
  • Blood Sword for Health Damage
  • Godfrey Icon
  • Lightning Scorpion Charm
  • Kindred of Roy’s Exultation
  • Red-Feathered Branchsword
  • Ancient Prayer book (for the incantation)
  • Lightning-Shrouding Cracked Tear
  • Intelligence-knot Crystal Tear
  • Howl of Shabriri Incantation
  • Golden Vow Incantation

Categories
Technology

“This Will Be Mars One Day”

"This Will Be Mars One Day"

'This Will Be Mars One Day': Elon Musk Tweets Prophetic Launch Pad Pic

Elon Musk shared a picture of a spacecraft on Twitter with the caption, “This will be Mars one day.”

SpaceX founder Elon Musk is known for his ambitious projects with his goal to colonize Mars being the most prominent one. The tech billionaire has, on various occasions, talked about taking humans to the Red Planet saying that it has a “great potential”. He once even proposed the idea of ​​becoming a “multi-planetary species” by building a city on Mars.

In the latest from Mr Musk on his Mars obsession, he has envisioned the day when a rocket successfully lands on the Martian surface. He shared a picture of a spacecraft on Twitter with the caption, “This will be Mars one day.”

The rocket seen in the photo is SpaceX’s Starship project, a reusable rocket system that the company is currently working on. SpaceX recently conducted a static engine fire test of a Starship booster at its Starbase site in South Texas, US. According to SpaceX, the rocket system has been designed to “carry both crew and cargo on long-duration interplanetary flights, and help humanity return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and beyond.”

Elon Musk has not just imagined the possibility of colonizing Mars but seems pretty confident about it. In a recent tweet, he wrote that “Mars may be a fixer upper of a planet, but it has a great potential!”

Responding to this, a user asked him about the estimated timeframe for humans to create a civilization on Mars. He asked, “Elon, What do you think is the estimated timeframe for creating a self-sustaining civilization on Mars? 20 years? Self-sustaining meaning not relying/dependant on Earth for supplies.”

Replying to the user, Elon Musk said that it would take two to three decades from the first human landing on Mars to set up a colony on the planet. “20 to 30 years from first human landing if launch rate growth is exponential,” Mr Musk wrote.

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Categories
Sports

Aaron Gate’s team-mates unaware he had ridden his way to fourth gold medal

Aaron Gate's team-mates unaware he had ridden his way to fourth gold medal

Aaron Gate’s team-mates had no idea he had ridden his way to a record-breaking fourth gold medal until more than eight minutes after he had crossed the finish line.

The 31-year-old cyclist created history as the first New Zealand athlete to win four gold medals at the same Commonwealth Games when he sprinted to victory in the men’s road race.

Gate was part of a 15-man breakaway that included former Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas, but with no race radios allowed to be used during the road race, the riders in the peloton had no idea how the race had played out in front of them.

Jack Bauer, who was part of a small chase group that had unsuccessfully tried to make it across to the leaders, was the next New Zealand rider across the line, 8 minutes and 17 seconds behind Gate.

Patrick Bevin, Shane Archbold, Campbell Stewart and Dion Smith followed in the main bunch a further 22 seconds later.

Gate did not have time to hang around and wait for his team-mates as he had to go and get ready for the medal ceremony.

He said he was getting changed into his tracksuit when Bevin ran in to congratulate Gate on the biggest win of his career.

“Jack even said to me after the race that he spent the last few laps in that move at the front of the peloton thinking of the excuses that he was going to come up with about what they did wrong and how the day hadn’t worked. out,” Gate said.

Aaron Gate raises his hands in celebration after winning the men's road race.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Aaron Gate raises his hands in celebration after winning the men’s road race.

“I had been rushed away to a room to get changed before the podium presentation and Paddy came rushing in and gave me a hug and just about tackled me to the group so it was cool to have the other guys so elated as well.”

Without access to race radios that are commonplace in most professional bike races, Gate said he was unaware how far behind him the peloton was or that a small group of six riders containing Bauer was trying to bridge the gap.

“We had no race radios or anything, which made it more of an honest race I suppose because you didn’t really know what was going on and the information was really limited,” he said.

“It was only lap five [of 10] that I saw a board that made me realize what the gap to the peloton was and that there was a group in between.

“I had to ask around the other riders that had been back to their cars and found out that Jack was at 55 seconds behind us.

“I was trying to slow the pace down every time I hit the front to try and get Jack across but it turned out that it was their last ditch attempt earlier and they were trying to catch us but had lost their momentum.

Chasing 15 [riders] is a hard ask.”

Gate has returned home to Girona in Spain following a whirlwind fortnight which saw him win gold medals in the road race, team pursuit, individual pursuit and road race.

He said he was still coming to terms with the magnitude of his achievements.

“I was trying to take a moment to reflect when I was out training today but it still hasn’t really sunk in,” he said.

“Still thinking back, how that road race panned out, I finished the race and thought there wasn’t anything I could have done better and the result reflected that.

“It was nice to be 100% tactically and physically on a race day that counts.”

Categories
Business

Google fined $60 million for misleading Australian Android users

Google has been fined $60 million for misleading Australian Android users about how it used their location data.

The internet giant was taken to court by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in 2019, who alleged that Android phone settings were misleading.

The ACCC accused Google of keeping the location data of some users even if they had “Location History” turned off.

Android phone (AAP)
Google has been fined $60 million for misleading Australian Android users about how it used their location data. (APA)

Another setting titled “Web & App Activity” also allowed location data to be shared with Google, the ACCC said.

“This significant penalty imposed by the court today sends a strong message to digital platforms and other businesses, large and small, that they must not mislead consumers about how their data is being collected and used,” ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

“Companies need to be transparent about the types of data that they are collecting and how the data is collected and may be used, so that consumers can make informed decisions about who they share that data with,” Cass-Gottlieb said.

“This is the first public enforcement outcome arising out of the ACCC’s Digital Platforms Inquiry.”

The setting was enabled by default from 2017-2018 on phones running on the Android operating system.

Left: The Location History and Web & App Activity settings shown to consumers setting up a Google account on their Android mobile device between April 30, 2018 and December 19, 2018. Centre: The statement shown to consumers who used their Android mobile device to turn off (or “pause”) the Location History setting between early 2017 and late 2018. Right: A statement shown to consumers who used their Android mobile device to access the Web & App Activity setting between early 2017 and late 2018. (ACCC)

At least 1.3 million people may have viewed the settings page during this time.

A Google spokesperson confirmed the penalty, emphasizing that the issue was rectified before the court proceedings were initiated.

“We’ve invested heavily in making location information simple to manage and easy to understand with industry-first tools like auto-delete controls, while significantly minimizing the amount of data stored,” Google said.

“As we’ve demonstrated, we’re committed to making ongoing updates that give users control and transparency, while providing the most helpful products possible.”