Tesla’s robo-taxis are needed more than ever.

The company lost $702 million in the first three months of the year and the EV maker doesn’t expect to be profitable again until the second half of the year, according to first quarter earnings results reported Wednesday. Revenue was lower than expected at $4.5 billion.

CEO Elon Musk had braced for a losing quarter back in February when he announced the $35,000 base price for the Model 3, but he still sounded disappointed on Wednesday’s investor call to discuss the sluggish numbers. 

“The brand is losing steam,” Jessica Caldwell, executive director of industry analysis at Edmunds, said in an email. Read more…

More about Tesla, Elon Musk, Earnings, Model 3, and Electric Vehicles

Another one bites the dust. Probably. 

The dark-web marketplace Wallstreet Market has for some time now been an online place to buy drugs, stolen data sets, and other illicit goods and services with cryptocurrency. Now, with the market supposedly down “for maintenance,” users are crying exit scam and accusing those who ran the site of making off with their funds. 

A visit to the site, accessible via the Tor browser, provides worried vendors and past customers with a claim that it will return April 25. 

“We irregularly do maintenance, to provide a flawless and comfortable platform for our users (buyers as well as vendors) at any time,” reads a notice plastered across the site’s front page. “To make this possible, we need to work on our servers instantly from time to time. The maintenance is usually done pretty fast.” Read more…

More about Bitcoin, Dark Web, Tech, and Cryptocurrency Blockchain

The NSA spying program could soon come to an end — if the White House listens to the NSA’s recommendation.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the National Security Agency is recommending that the White House abandon the agency’s metadata surveillance program, which was first brought to light by the leaks released by former contractor Edward Snowden in 2013.

The program allowed for the bulk collection of data such as phone numbers and timestamps of calls and texts, but did not collect the actual content of these communications.

More about Nsa, Surveillance, Edward Snowden, Spying, and National Security Agency

It is my somber duty to inform you that The Snap has reached Google. 

On Wednesday, Google Search rolled out a surprise Thanos-inspired Easter egg for Marvel fans eagerly awaiting the Friday premiere of Avengers: Endgame.

Users looking up “Thanos” on desktop or mobile web will be met with an Infinity Gauntlet in the top right corner of the Thanos information box that, when clicked/tapped, will cut the available search results — wait for it — in half. 

You can watch as various search results get dusted, leaving behind trails of untethered pixels.

More about Entertainment, Google, Marvel, Snap, and Avengers Infinity War

If Amazon product returns weren’t easy enough already, they are about to get even easier for U.S. customers thanks to a new, or rather, an expanded deal with retail chain Kohl’s.

As The Verge reports, from July, every Kohl’s store across the U.S. will start accepting your Amazon returns. According to Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass, “80 percent of America lives within 10 miles of a Kohl’s” thanks to the company operating more than 1,150 locations, making it a nice extra option for a lot of people.

Amazon and Kohl’s have been working together since 2017 when the returns program was introduced and expanded to 100 locations spread across Los Angeles, Chicago, and Milwaukee. It’s a desirable returns option for customers as the products can be brought in without need of a box or label and is completely free. Kohl’s handles the packaging and shipping for you. Read more…

More about Amazon, Kohls, Tech, Big Tech Companies, and Consumer Tech

Read more…More about Airpods, Mashable Reels, Xfyro, Tech, and Consumer Tech

We now know just how high Facebook’s “record-setting” FTC fine could be.

Facebook expects to pay between $3 billion and $5 billion to the FTC as the result of an investigation into its privacy policies. The company disclosed the potential fine to investors in its first quarter earnings report. 

It was previously reported to be a “record-setting” fine by the Washington Post, which recently reported the agency is also seeking to hold Mark Zuckerberg personally accountable for Facebook’s privacy violations. Facebook’s Q1 disclosure marks the first time the company has commented publicly on the amount of the fine. Read more…

More about Tech, Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Tech, and Social Media Companies

Game recognizes game.

Sometimes, a musician’s style is so well known and specific that it’s only a matter of time before they get lovingly roasted. Popular “how to make an X song” videos have musicians trying to recreate the sound of their favorite artists, with varying levels of parody and sincerity. 

Normally the original artists don’t respond to the appreciative jest, either because of their status or just that they’re card-carrying members of the NFL (the No Fun League.) 

But this time, an artist truly recognized that a parody was hilarious. And also, pretty accurate. 

More about Twitter, Music, Culture, Viral Video, and Tyler The Creator

Slack’s latest feature is one you might not expect: email. 

A new feature, announced during the company’s Frontiers conference, allows Slack users to message coworkers via email in an update designed to “bridge” the gap between Slack and email.

The feature, which will be rolling out over the next couple months, is meant to give people who don’t use Slack a way to keep up with conversations their coworkers are having inside the messaging app. 

“When they’re mentioned by username in channels or sent a direct message, Slack will route those messages into their email inbox so they don’t miss out on important information while they’re getting themselves set up,” Slack writes in a blog post. Read more…

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Some pictures are worth a thousand words. For other pictures, there are no words.  

A cursed image of well, of something, has been making the rounds on Twitter recently. Upon first glance, it seems to be a hodgepodge of items. Stare at it for more than a couple of seconds, though, and it quickly descends into murkier territory. 

The caption is a simple challenge: “Name one thing in this photo.” Except it’s not easy. It’s a game that sets you up to fail.  Read more…

More about Twitter, Weird, Cursed Images, Culture, and Web Culture