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Larry Magid: Pixel 8 Pro a feature-packed phone at a premium price

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:00:38 GMT

I usually review products soon after I get my hands on them, but in the case of Google’s Pixel 8 Pro, which I’ve had since early October, I decided to wait. There’s nothing like living with a device for a few months when it comes to getting to know its pros and cons.Related ArticlesBusiness | Magid: Tech New Year’s resolutions for 2024 Business | Magid: Meta, Ray-Ban release second-generation smart glasses Business | Larry Magid: 2023 has been a tumultuous year for tech Business | Magid: Turning ordinary small appliances into smart ones For the past three months I’ve used the Pixel 8 Pro for pictures, web searching, email texting, keeping track of my health and fitness, making travel reservations, watching videos, checking my calendar, transferring funds between accounts, ordering products, reading news and much more. I even use its Magnifier app to zoom in on things and its Thermometer app to determine the surfac...

BART investigation yields some details on East Bay train derailment

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:00:38 GMT

ORINDA – The section of track near the Orinda BART station where an eight-car train partially derailed on New Year’s Day had been recently replaced and was in “good operating order” when the incident occurred, according to the transit agency.That detail and others were included in a Wednesday update to BART’s investigation into the incident, which left nine riders injured.Related ArticlesTransportation | BART service through Concord recovering after delays due to disabled train Transportation | BART resumes normal service after train derailment near Orinda injures nine, causes massive delays Transportation | BART train derails near Orinda, injuring nine, forcing station closures and delays Transportation | Bay Area transit agencies running extended, mostly free services on New Year’s Eve Transportation | The top 10 Bay Area stories of 2023 — and what they mean for 2024 Around 8:45 a.m. Monday, the ...

California man fired 71 shots, caused over $100,000 in damage at Las Vegas hotel on New Years Eve, police say

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:00:38 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KPTV) — A man fired more than 70 shots from a hotel balcony near the Las Vegas Strip on New Years Eve and caused more than $100,000 damages to the MGM hotel, according to police.Jon Letzkus, 45, made his first appearance in court on Wednesday, where a judge set bail at $500,000.An arrest record states that at around 5:55 a.m. on New Year’s Eve, Las Vegas Metro officers responded to a report about an explosion close to the MGM Signature Tower on 135 E. Harmon Ave.After receiving reports from several witnesses about “explosions” in the vicinity, responding law enforcement officials concluded that the sounds came from the upper levels of the MGM Signature Hotel. When the police arrived, they heard gunshots in the vicinity, and they started looking for the perpetrator within the hotel.Jon Roger Letzkus, center, who was arrested for firing a gun from a high rise on New Year's Eve morning, speaks to Dallas Anselmo, right, a deputy public defender, an attorney for Letzkus, as he...

All-Bay Area News Group high school football 2023: Quarterbacks

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:00:38 GMT

ALL-BAY AREA NEWS GROUP FOOTBALL 2023QUARTERBACKSFirst teamMarley Alcantara, Pittsburg, 5-10, 180, juniorBay Valley offensive player of the year. Led Pittsburg to NCS Division I title, Threw for 2,675 yards and 37 TDs and ran for 251 yards and two TDs.Luke Baker, San Ramon Valley, 5-11, 185, seniorEBAL Mountain offensive MVP and Sacramento State signee. Led the Wolves to a runner-up finish in the NCS Division I playoffs, throwing for 3,437 yards and 37 TDs and rushing for 476 yards and four TDs.Maealiuaki Smith, Serra, 6-4, 205, seniorWCAL quarterback of the year bound for Oklahoma State. Helped the Padres win league and CCS Open titles. Threw for two TDs and ran for one in CCS final against Wilcox. Second teamSully Bailey, Acalanes, 6-1, 185, seniorFirst-team all-DAL Foothill. Led Dons to Division 3-AA state title, throwing for 3,289 yards and 37 touchdowns and ran for 357 yards and 12 TDs.  Michael Mitchell Jr., Archbishop Riordan, 5-10, 160, sophomoreHelped the San Francisco scho...

China spent over $5.5 million at Trump properties while he was in office, documents show

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:00:38 GMT

By Zachary Cohen and Kara Scannell | CNNThe Chinese government and its state-controlled entities spent over $5.5 million at properties owned by Donald Trump while he was in office, the largest total of payments made by any single foreign country known to date, according to financial documents cited in a report from House Democrats released Thursday.Those payments collectively included millions of dollars from China’s Embassy in the United States, a state-owned Chinese bank accused by the US Justice Department of helping North Korea evade sanctions and a state-owned Chinese air transit company. Accounting records from Trump’s former accounting firm, Mazars USA, were obtained by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.In a report, the House Democrats say that China is one of 20 countries that made at least $7.8 million in total payments to Trump-owned businesses and properties during the former president’s stint in the White House, including his hotels in Washington DC, New York an...

England forward Sancho on verge of Borussia Dortmund return, report says

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:00:38 GMT

DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — England forward Jadon Sancho is reportedly on the verge of returning to Borussia Dortmund from Manchester United.German tabloid Bild reported on Thursday that the clubs agreed on a loan deal for the 23-year-old Sancho to the end of the season, with just minor outstanding details to be finalized.Bild reported Dortmund was to pay around 3 million euros ($3.3 million) for the loan.Sancho fell out of favor with United coach Erik ten Haag and has made only three league appearances as a substitute this season. He hasn’t played since August.Sancho joined United from Dortmund for 85 million euros (the $100 million) in 2021. He has nine goals in 59 English Premier League appearances.Sancho previously starred in a four-year spell at Dortmund, scoring 50 goals in 137 competitive games. He joined the German club from Manchester City in 2017.Dortmund is inconsistent this season, arguably overachieving in the Champions League by finishing top in a group with Paris Saint-G...

The largest male specimen of the world’s most venomous spider has been found in Australia

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:00:38 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — With fangs that could pierce a human fingernail, the largest male specimen of the world’s most venomous arachnid has found a new home at the Australian Reptile Park where it will help save lives after a member of the public discovered it by chance.The deadly Sydney funnel-web spider dubbed “Hercules” was found on the Central Coast, about 50 miles north of Sydney, and was initially given to a local hospital, the Australian Reptile Park said in a statement Thursday.Spider experts from the nearby park retrieved it and soon realized it was the largest male specimen ever received from the public in Australia. The spider measured 7.9 centimeters (3.1 inches) from foot to foot, surpassing the park’s previous record-holder from 2018, the male funnel-web named “Colossus”. Sydney funnel-web spiders usually range in length from one to five centimeters, with females being generally larger than their male counterparts but not as deadly. They are predominantly found in f...

Policía investiga tiroteo con posible atacante armado en una escuela secundaria en Iowa

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:00:38 GMT

PERRY, IOWA – La policía de Perry, Iowa informa que hubo un tiroteo el jueves en la escuela secundaria de la ciudad.Una mujer que contestó el teléfono del Departamento de Policía de Perry confirmó el tiroteo en la escuela secundaria de Perry, pero no proporcionó más información.La escuela secundaria es parte del Distrito Escolar Comunitario Perry de 1,785 estudiantes. El jueves fue el primer día de regreso a la escuela para los estudiantes después de las vacaciones. Revelan escalofriantes llamadas al 911 durante el tiroteo masivo en una universidad de Las Vegas Atacante armado en Ohio pudo haberse inspirado en una ideología racista, según el FBI Los mensajes telefónicos dejados con el presidente y el vicepresidente de la Junta Escolar de Perry, y un mensaje de correo electrónico dejado con el superintendente Clark Wicks, no fueron respondidos de inmediato.Al momento, una conferencia de prensa está prevista para las 11 a.m. ...

China gastó más de US$ 5,5 millones en propiedades de Trump mientras él fue presidente, según muestran documentos

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:00:38 GMT

(CNN) — El gobierno chino y sus entidades controladas por el estado gastaron más de US$ 5,5 millones en propiedades de Donald Trump mientras él estuvo en el cargo, el total de pagos más alto realizado por cualquier país extranjero conocido hasta la fecha, según documentos financieros citados en un informe de la Cámara de Representantes que los demócratas dieron a conocer este jueves.Esos pagos en conjunto incluyeron millones de dólares de la Embajada de China en Estados Unidos, un banco chino de propiedad estatal acusado por el Departamento de Justicia de Estados Unidos de ayudar a Corea del Norte a evadir sanciones y una empresa de tránsito aéreo china de propiedad estatal. Los demócratas del Comité de Supervisión de la Cámara de Representantes obtuvieron los registros contables de la antigua firma de contabilidad de Trump, Mazars USA.ANÁLISIS | Las apelaciones de Trump para anular su eliminación de las boletas electorales plantean argumentos constitucionales existencialesEn ...

Bowser aprueba el aumento en fondos de SNAP para residentes de DC

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:00:38 GMT

La alcaldesa Muriel Bowser otorgará fondos adicionales a los beneficios del Programa de Asistencia Nutricional Suplementaria (SNAP, en inglés), evitando un enfrentamiento con el Concejo de DC y una posible demanda.Aproximadamente 140,000 personas en el Distrito reciben beneficios de SNAP, a menudo llamados cupones para alimentos. En marzo pasado, hubo una disminución de fondos después de que se agotaron los fondos federales de ayuda para la pandemia.Para llenar ese vacío, el Concejo del DC aprobó una legislación que requiere que la alcaldesa use alrededor de $38 millones para aumentar esos beneficios durante nueve meses si el Distrito tuviera un superávit presupuestario. El Distrito terminó el último año fiscal con superávit, pero Bowser no había aceptado hacerlo hasta el miércoles por la noche.La directora Laura Zeilinger del Departamento de Servicios Humanos del DC (DHS, en inglés) confirmó el aumento temporal y dijo en parte: “Aunque todavía existen presiones fiscales y adm...