The Morning After: Tesla revamped the Model S and Model X

Tesla notched its first full year of profitability and said it delivered nearly 500,000 cars, but right now, I’m going to talk about that steering wheel. As previously seen on prototypes for the Cybertruck and Roadster, Tesla is rolling out a “steering yoke” in the interiors of its refreshed Model X and Model S. Adorned with touch controls for the lights, signals, horn and wipers, it looks like something out of an aircraft or F1 car.

While that style of control might work in limited situations, I’m curious whether drivers will miss the top part of the steering wheel when they’re trying to navigate a crowded parking lot while managing backseat arguments.

The oddly shaped wheel is almost enough to obscure a new infotainment system that Tesla says has 10 teraflops of power and will be able to run Cyberpunk 2077 — although how well the game runs may depend on which patches roll out before the new EVs start shipping in the spring.

— Richard Lawler

Discord bans Reddit’s WallStreetBets for hate speech as scrutiny intensifies

The controversial subreddit is struggling under an influx of new users.

Discord has banned the server for subreddit WallStreetBets, citing hate speech issues. The subreddit, which dates back to 2012, has been credited with pushing GameStop’s stock to record highs in a move that has cost hedge funds billions. In a statement, Discord added: “To be clear, we did not ban this server due to financial fraud related to GameStop or other stocks.”

There’s been huge debate about the legality of what’s gone on in r/WallStreetBets and what, if anything, regulators should do about it. The SEC put out a statement saying it was “actively monitoring the ongoing market volatility.” 
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Facebook predicts ‘uncertainty' in 2021, blames upcoming iOS 14 update

The threat of new regulation could hurt its business.

Business has boomed for Facebook during the coronavirus pandemic, but 2021 might prove more difficult. In its latest earnings report, the company said that new privacy features in Apple’s iOS 14 update could contribute to a slowdown in advertising revenue.

Facebook CFO Dave Wehner warned of “the impact of platform changes, notably iOS 14.” He also expected some pandemic trends, such as massive growth in online shopping that has benefited Facebook, to subside in the near future. The company reported $28 billion in revenue for the quarter and grew to 1.84 billion daily active users and 2.8 billion monthly active users.
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There are now more than 1 billion active iPhone users in the world

Apple had a record earnings quarter.

Apple’s earning report claims a total of $111.4 billion in revenue this quarter, marking growth of more than 20 percent year-over-year and an all-time high for the company. It wasn’t just thanks to new iPhones (all four of them), but included growth in iPad and Mac sales. Apple saw growth in its subscription services — Fitness+, TV+, Music and the rest — and now has more than 620 million paid subscriptions on the books.
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Virgin Hyperloop’s concept video imagines journeys in 2030

It looks a lot more like a train.

Virgin Hyperloop has released a new concept video, explaining how would-be passengers will travel in its proposed system of vacuum tubes. Passengers board at a subway-esque platform, called a podbay. All the capsules are in a vacuum, reducing the need to airlock every capsule before it begins moving. An overhead bogie collects the pod and pulls it into the main tube with several other pods — almost like a set of train carriages.

The capsule’s cabin, too, looks a lot like a train carriage, with its rows of seating in a 2–1 layout — and an in-capsule bathroom. The capacity in this render is 17, although the company has designed the pods to seat up to 28.

Virgin Hyperloop made the world’s first crewed Hyperloop journey late last year, but expect traditional passenger services to take a while to come to fruition: The company is aiming for 2030.
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Fujifilm’s GFX 100S crams a huge 102-megapixel sensor into a compact body

It's Fuji's most capable medium-format camera for 4K video.

Fujifilm’s new medium-format GFX 100S is actually smaller than Panasonic’s full-frame S1R and just a bit heavier than the Canon R5 and Sony’s A7R IV. That said, it still has more features than Fujifilm has ever packed into a GFX camera, including in-body stabilization, improved autofocus and impressive 4K capabilities.

Unveiled with the newly designed X-E4, the GFX 100S packs a back-illuminated large-format 102-megapixel sensor, and with Fujifilm’s latest X-Processor, it can shoot at up to 5 fps — impressive considering the enormous image sizes. It’ll arrive in March 2021 for $6,000 for the body only.
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But wait, there’s more...

EVs with Google Maps will make it easier to plan trips around recharging

BMW tries to get ahead of its supply curve using quantum computing

HBO Max didn't expect to have this many subscribers for another two years

Garmin's daintiest watch ever is ideal for small wrists

Ring launches its cheapest connected doorbell yet

’The Medium’ review: 2021's first big Xbox exclusive is just OK

Walmart will use robots to turn stores into automated fulfillment centers

Super Bowl TV deals 2021: sales from Amazon, Best Buy and more

‘Tomb Raider’ and ‘Skull Island’ anime series are headed to Netflix

Nintendo is releasing an ornate limited-edition Monster Hunter Switch

'Control: Ultimate Edition' headlines February's batch of PS Plus freebies