Month: April 2025

Yesterday, OpenAI counter-sued Elon Musk, alleging that Musk's "sham" bid to buy OpenAI was intentionally timed to maximally disrupt and potentially even frighten off investments from honest bidders.

Slamming Musk for attempting to become an "AGI dictator," OpenAI said that if Musk's allegedly "relentless" yearslong campaign of "harassment" isn’t stopped, Musk could end up taking over OpenAI and tanking its revenue the same way he did with Twitter.

In its filing, OpenAI argued that Musk and the other investors who joined his bid completely fabricated the $97.375 billion offer. It was allegedly not based on OpenAI's projections or historical performance, like Musk claimed, but instead appeared to be "a comedic reference to Musk’s favorite sci-fi" novel, Iain Banks' Look to Windward. Musk and others also provided "no evidence of financing to pay the nearly $100 billion purchase price," OpenAI said.

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For its third incarnation, the Mini Countryman now comes in an all-electric variant. The Countryman is Mini's take on the family car, a compact crossover with bold design both inside and out. At time when far too many automakers are supersizing their vehicles, Mini's offerings are still right-sized, even if the Countryman is a bit bigger than the model it replaces. But at times, you might be left feeling that style took preference over substance.

The previous Countryman was available with the brand's only plug-in hybrid powertrain, but Mini now only offers the Countryman with either an internal combustion engine or as a full battery electric vehicle. Consequently, the Countryman SE is a fair bit more expensive now, starting at $45,200 before any tariffs are taken into account.

Much of that money has gone to more lithium-ion—66.5 kWh in total (64.7 kWh useable), coupled to a pair of electric motors with a combined output of 308 hp (230 kW) and 364 lb-ft (494 Nm). That's sufficient for an EPA range estimate of 212 miles (341 km), although that might be a little on the conservative side. Based on the past few hundred miles, the test car we spent a week with averaged 3.4 miles/kWh (18.3 miles/kWh), which should allow for 220 miles (354 km) on a single charge, at least in good weather.

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For its third incarnation, the Mini Countryman now comes in an all-electric variant. The Countryman is Mini's take on the family car, a compact crossover with bold design both inside and out. At time when far too many automakers are supersizing their vehicles, Mini's offerings are still right-sized, even if the Countryman is a bit bigger than the model it replaces. But at times, you might be left feeling that style took preference over substance.

The previous Countryman was available with the brand's only plug-in hybrid powertrain, but Mini now only offers the Countryman with either an internal combustion engine or as a full battery electric vehicle. Consequently, the Countryman SE is a fair bit more expensive now, starting at $45,200 before any tariffs are taken into account.

Much of that money has gone to more lithium-ion—66.5 kWh in total (64.7 kWh useable), coupled to a pair of electric motors with a combined output of 308 hp (230 kW) and 364 lb-ft (494 Nm). That's sufficient for an EPA range estimate of 212 miles (341 km), although that might be a little on the conservative side. Based on the past few hundred miles, the test car we spent a week with averaged 3.4 miles/kWh (18.3 miles/kWh), which should allow for 220 miles (354 km) on a single charge, at least in good weather.

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Framework is opening US preorders for its new Laptop 12 today, a couple of months after announcing the system at an event in February. Framework's DIY edition of the laptop, which is missing RAM, an SSD, a USB-C charger, and an OS and requires some assembly, will start at $549. A fully assembled pre-built version with 8GB of RAM, a 500GB SSD, a 60 W charger, and Windows 11 Home starts at $799.

All preorders placed on Framework's site require a $100 deposit, and almost all configurations begin shipping in July. A first batch of systems is slated to ship in June, but this requires a $250 donation to Hack Club; Framework says the donation will be used to buy Framework 12 laptops for high school students.

The Laptop 12 was built to be a more budget-friendly system, which is reflected in its specs, screen size, and its mostly plastic construction. But like the Laptop 13, the Laptop 12 prioritizes upgradeability and repairability and retains the USB-C-based Expansion Card system that was the Laptop 13's biggest innovation when it was introduced. Each Laptop 12 has four Expansion Card bays plus a headphone jack, allowing the installation of USB-C, USB-A, DisplayPort, and HDMI ports, as well as the other Expansion Cards Framework offers.

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Framework is opening US preorders for its new Laptop 12 today, a couple of months after announcing the system at an event in February. Framework's DIY edition of the laptop, which is missing RAM, an SSD, a USB-C charger, and an OS and requires some assembly, will start at $549. A fully assembled pre-built version with 8GB of RAM, a 500GB SSD, a 60 W charger, and Windows 11 Home starts at $799.

All preorders placed on Framework's site require a $100 deposit, and almost all configurations begin shipping in July. A first batch of systems is slated to ship in June, but this requires a $250 donation to Hack Club; Framework says the donation will be used to buy Framework 12 laptops for high school students.

The Laptop 12 was built to be a more budget-friendly system, which is reflected in its specs, screen size, and its mostly plastic construction. But like the Laptop 13, the Laptop 12 prioritizes upgradeability and repairability and retains the USB-C-based Expansion Card system that was the Laptop 13's biggest innovation when it was introduced. Each Laptop 12 has four Expansion Card bays plus a headphone jack, allowing the installation of USB-C, USB-A, DisplayPort, and HDMI ports, as well as the other Expansion Cards Framework offers.

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In Tim Höttges' Interpretation gibt es bei der Bundesnetzagentur Kleingedrucktes, das die Netzbetreiber zwinge, selbst den dunkelsten Wald mit 300 MBit/s auszuleuchten. Doch das ist nicht wahr. Von Achim Sawall (Timotheus Höttges, Telekom)

Die ADAC-Pannenstatistik zeigt die Zuverlässigkeit verschiedener Fahrzeugtypen auf deutschen Straßen. Auch hier haben E-Autos ihre Vorteile. (Elektromobilität, Elektroauto)

Die geringe Nachfrage ist ein primärer Grund, warum Sony wie viele andere Hersteller keine 8K-TVs mehr bringen wird. (8K, Sony)

Akkuspeicher an der eigenen Solaranlage könnte das deutsche Stromnetz gezielt entlasten. Dafür müssten die Hersteller kaum etwas ändern. (Energiewende, GreenIT)

Das USB-C-Kabel mit LED-Display von Ocetea lädt fast alle tragbaren Geräte. Amazon verkauft es für kurze Zeit zum Tiefstpreis. (Technik/Hardware, Amazon)