AOL ditching dial-up service, a relic of the internet in the '90s and early '00s
The company, also known by its "You've got mail" greeting and the CD trial discs — so many CDs — made the announcement on its website.
"AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet. This service will no longer be available in AOL plans," the web provider said.
Absent the wireless signals of the modern day, dial-up connected to the internet using a conventional telephone line, emitting a distinctive, high-pitched chirping sound in the process.
AOL, now part of Yahoo, said the dial-up service, along with the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, will be discontinued on Sept. 30.
America Online was famous for its free trial discs, which seemed to be everywhere in the 1990s when the internet was gaining steam in households across the United States and beyond.
It changed its name to just AOL in 2006. Verizon sold AOL and Yahoo to private equity firm Apollo Global Management for $5 billion in 2021.
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Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Albanese accused of Palestine 'mess', surprise statistic despite Coles and Woolworths crackdown, commuter horror as train crashes
Hello and welcome to Yahoo's live news blog this Thursday. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says Anthony Albanese has made "a mess" of Australia's position on the Israel-Gaza war. Her comments come after Hamas welcomed the prime minister's call to recognise a Palestinian state. Supermarket prices have risen at their highest rate in five years, new research shows. That's despite the Albanese government promising to significant action to ensure Australians can afford their weekly shop. Follow along as we bring you regular updates throughout the day. The $750k Powerball winner has missed out on The mystery punter who scored June's incredible $100 million Powerball jackpot has made a costly $750,000 mistake by failing to step forward and reveal their identity. The prize money remains unclaimed despite an intensifying search for the winner, who purchased the unregistered ticket from a Bondi Junction newsagent in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Other than that, little is known about the new multimillionaire despite several theories emerging, including that the winner could even be a tourist. It's been nine weeks since the unknown player won the hefty sum. If, theoretically, they had taken their winnings and put it in a term deposit or something similar, earning somewhere around the market rate of 4.5 per cent, they would have made an extra $750,000 in the last two months alone in pre-tax income. That's about the median price of an apartment in Sydney's notoriously expensive housing market. Read more about what lottery officials are doing to find the mystery winner here. Surprise supermarket reveal despite Albo crackdown While the Albanese government has vowed to crack down on inflated supermarket prices, putting market leaders Coles and Woolworths on notice not much has changed in the past 12 months it seems. In fact, according to Canstar Blue research, the situation is the worst its been in the past five years. Research found the average spend on weekly groceries for a household of four had increased 11 per cent in the last year to $240. 'That's the biggest annual jump recorded in the last five years, and likely no surprise to anyone who's been at the checkout lately,' Canstar Blue spokesperson Eden Radford said. Opposition Leader blasts Albanese after Hamas praise Sussan Ley says Anthony Albanese is 'making a real mess' after Hamas praised his decision to recognise Palestinian statehood. Hamas, the Islamist militants behind the October 7 attacks on Israel in 2023, overnight issued statements to Australian media saying it welcomed any support to 'help the Palestinian people achieve their national goals'. The group - a registered terrorist organisation in Australia - runs Gaza, where Israel has waged a 22-month war in a bid to wipe it out and rescue hostages taken the October 7 assault. The Opposition Leader said on Thursday the Prime Minister needed to rethink his decision. 'On the same day, a listed terror organisation calls our Prime Minister a hero, while our closest ally, the US, says that these actions are going to make peace in the region less likely,' Ms Ley told Nine's Today. 'So it's really quite extraordinary, because remember, the Prime Minister used justification for this decision by saying Hamas would not be involved. 'And I saw the Treasurer yesterday saying, oh, Hamas will have no role in a future Palestinian state. Really? As if we can control these things?' Read more from NewsWire here. Commuter chaos as train and truck collide A truck and a packed commuter train have collided in Brisbane's south, sparking major delays on South East Queensland lines. Emergency services were called to a stopping at Bonemill Rd in in Runcorn shortly after 7am on Thursday after reports the trailer section of a truck and the train collided. A Queensland Ambulance spokesperson confirmed about 300 passengers were on-board the train at the time. Only a single person was left complaining of injury, with a split lip and back pain. The drivers of both the truck and the train were uninjured. Queensland Fire Department crews attended the scene but had left shortly before 9am. The incident sparked chaos on the state's train network, with services between Kuraby and Altandi suspended and replacement buses arranged. - NewsWire Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The $750k Powerball winner has missed out on The mystery punter who scored June's incredible $100 million Powerball jackpot has made a costly $750,000 mistake by failing to step forward and reveal their identity. The prize money remains unclaimed despite an intensifying search for the winner, who purchased the unregistered ticket from a Bondi Junction newsagent in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Other than that, little is known about the new multimillionaire despite several theories emerging, including that the winner could even be a tourist. It's been nine weeks since the unknown player won the hefty sum. If, theoretically, they had taken their winnings and put it in a term deposit or something similar, earning somewhere around the market rate of 4.5 per cent, they would have made an extra $750,000 in the last two months alone in pre-tax income. That's about the median price of an apartment in Sydney's notoriously expensive housing market. Read more about what lottery officials are doing to find the mystery winner here. The mystery punter who scored June's incredible $100 million Powerball jackpot has made a costly $750,000 mistake by failing to step forward and reveal their identity. The prize money remains unclaimed despite an intensifying search for the winner, who purchased the unregistered ticket from a Bondi Junction newsagent in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Other than that, little is known about the new multimillionaire despite several theories emerging, including that the winner could even be a tourist. It's been nine weeks since the unknown player won the hefty sum. If, theoretically, they had taken their winnings and put it in a term deposit or something similar, earning somewhere around the market rate of 4.5 per cent, they would have made an extra $750,000 in the last two months alone in pre-tax income. That's about the median price of an apartment in Sydney's notoriously expensive housing market. Read more about what lottery officials are doing to find the mystery winner here. Surprise supermarket reveal despite Albo crackdown While the Albanese government has vowed to crack down on inflated supermarket prices, putting market leaders Coles and Woolworths on notice not much has changed in the past 12 months it seems. In fact, according to Canstar Blue research, the situation is the worst its been in the past five years. Research found the average spend on weekly groceries for a household of four had increased 11 per cent in the last year to $240. 'That's the biggest annual jump recorded in the last five years, and likely no surprise to anyone who's been at the checkout lately,' Canstar Blue spokesperson Eden Radford said. While the Albanese government has vowed to crack down on inflated supermarket prices, putting market leaders Coles and Woolworths on notice not much has changed in the past 12 months it seems. In fact, according to Canstar Blue research, the situation is the worst its been in the past five years. Research found the average spend on weekly groceries for a household of four had increased 11 per cent in the last year to $240. 'That's the biggest annual jump recorded in the last five years, and likely no surprise to anyone who's been at the checkout lately,' Canstar Blue spokesperson Eden Radford said. Opposition Leader blasts Albanese after Hamas praise Sussan Ley says Anthony Albanese is 'making a real mess' after Hamas praised his decision to recognise Palestinian statehood. Hamas, the Islamist militants behind the October 7 attacks on Israel in 2023, overnight issued statements to Australian media saying it welcomed any support to 'help the Palestinian people achieve their national goals'. The group - a registered terrorist organisation in Australia - runs Gaza, where Israel has waged a 22-month war in a bid to wipe it out and rescue hostages taken the October 7 assault. The Opposition Leader said on Thursday the Prime Minister needed to rethink his decision. 'On the same day, a listed terror organisation calls our Prime Minister a hero, while our closest ally, the US, says that these actions are going to make peace in the region less likely,' Ms Ley told Nine's Today. 'So it's really quite extraordinary, because remember, the Prime Minister used justification for this decision by saying Hamas would not be involved. 'And I saw the Treasurer yesterday saying, oh, Hamas will have no role in a future Palestinian state. Really? As if we can control these things?' Read more from NewsWire here. Sussan Ley says Anthony Albanese is 'making a real mess' after Hamas praised his decision to recognise Palestinian statehood. Hamas, the Islamist militants behind the October 7 attacks on Israel in 2023, overnight issued statements to Australian media saying it welcomed any support to 'help the Palestinian people achieve their national goals'. The group - a registered terrorist organisation in Australia - runs Gaza, where Israel has waged a 22-month war in a bid to wipe it out and rescue hostages taken the October 7 assault. The Opposition Leader said on Thursday the Prime Minister needed to rethink his decision. 'On the same day, a listed terror organisation calls our Prime Minister a hero, while our closest ally, the US, says that these actions are going to make peace in the region less likely,' Ms Ley told Nine's Today. 'So it's really quite extraordinary, because remember, the Prime Minister used justification for this decision by saying Hamas would not be involved. 'And I saw the Treasurer yesterday saying, oh, Hamas will have no role in a future Palestinian state. Really? As if we can control these things?' Read more from NewsWire here. Commuter chaos as train and truck collide A truck and a packed commuter train have collided in Brisbane's south, sparking major delays on South East Queensland lines. Emergency services were called to a stopping at Bonemill Rd in in Runcorn shortly after 7am on Thursday after reports the trailer section of a truck and the train collided. A Queensland Ambulance spokesperson confirmed about 300 passengers were on-board the train at the time. Only a single person was left complaining of injury, with a split lip and back pain. The drivers of both the truck and the train were uninjured. Queensland Fire Department crews attended the scene but had left shortly before 9am. The incident sparked chaos on the state's train network, with services between Kuraby and Altandi suspended and replacement buses arranged. - NewsWire A truck and a packed commuter train have collided in Brisbane's south, sparking major delays on South East Queensland lines. Emergency services were called to a stopping at Bonemill Rd in in Runcorn shortly after 7am on Thursday after reports the trailer section of a truck and the train collided. A Queensland Ambulance spokesperson confirmed about 300 passengers were on-board the train at the time. Only a single person was left complaining of injury, with a split lip and back pain. The drivers of both the truck and the train were uninjured. Queensland Fire Department crews attended the scene but had left shortly before 9am. The incident sparked chaos on the state's train network, with services between Kuraby and Altandi suspended and replacement buses arranged. - NewsWire
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Forbes
Why Blockchain Is Needed Now That AI Is Predicted To Kill The Internet
The time is coming when most people will not believe anything that lands in their inbox or shows up in a social feed. That is why some experts are warning AI could kill the Internet. I have always liked listening to Neil deGrasse Tyson because he can take something complex and make it feel easy to understand. Some of his predictions feel so far away they are less disturbing, like when he talks about the Earth and Sun being destroyed millions of years from now. His comment that AI could be the 'nail in the coffin' for the Internet is different. That is close enough to impact business in the near future. Think about how Tom Cruise imitators who look so much like him, or those obvious fake videos of world leaders dancing together that everyone knows are a joke. When the imitation is obvious, it can be entertaining. When it is not, that is when it becomes a problem. If customers cannot tell what is real online, the way companies market, sell, and communicate will have to change immediately. Blockchain could become the only way to prove a person or company is real and that their message is authentic. Why Blockchain Could Take Over If Online Trust Disappears For many people, blockchain still means cryptocurrency. In my conversation with Wolfgang Koester, who has decades of experience in currency markets, he explained how blockchain's real potential is much broader. Blockchain is simply a secure, transparent way to prove that something is genuine, whether it is a payment, a contract, or a message. If people stop trusting what they see online, they will stop opening emails, clicking ads, and buying from websites. Scams will blend in so well that they are impossible to spot. Blockchain can fix that by creating a permanent record that cannot be changed without detection. That kind of certainty will be essential before anyone buys, subscribes, or signs up for anything online. How Marketing Would Change With Blockchain If AI-generated fakes take over, blockchain-backed marketing will not be optional. Imagine an ad with a QR code that lets someone confirm in seconds that it came from the actual brand. Influencers will need to link every post to a verified identity, which will remove fake accounts and deepfakes from the picture. Brands may also move their communities into smaller, verified networks where every member is authenticated. Loyalty programs could be stored in blockchain-secured digital wallets so customers know their rewards and discounts are real. How Buying Would Change With Blockchain Right now, buying online depends on trust. People trust the site, the seller, and the payment processor. AI can create perfect copies of all three, making it nearly impossible to know if a purchase is safe. Blockchain marketplaces would ensure every product listing, payment, and delivery confirmation is verified and recorded permanently. Only verified brands could sell products, and reviews would be tied to verified buyers. Payments would confirm both sides of the transaction in real time. The Companies Building Blockchain And Verification Technology There is a small group of companies already working on this. One of them could easily become the next Amazon or Google. They are building the foundation for a verified Internet, and if they succeed, every business and individual will depend on them. Humanity Protocol, valued at over a billion dollars, uses palm scans to confirm identity so impersonation becomes almost impossible. Proof of Humanity combines video verification with community vouching to create permanent identity records that could eliminate bot-driven social media accounts. is a coalition of news organizations that uses blockchain to certify the authenticity of articles and press releases. The New York Times has experimented with verifying photo metadata to slow the spread of misinformation. If any one company becomes the go-to source for verifying every message, document, and transaction, it could control the trust layer of the Internet, which is trillion-dollar territory. When Blockchain Could Go Mainstream I wrote about QR codes almost 20 years ago when few people cared. Then the pandemic made them essential, and suddenly they were everywhere. Blockchain verification could follow that same pattern. If AI-driven misinformation keeps growing, blockchain could be the norm in five to seven years. That timeline could shrink if a massive fraud wipes out public confidence in the Internet. What It Could Cost To Deal With A Blockchain Future And Why To Start Now Costs will vary widely. A smaller business might be able to integrate blockchain verification for tens of thousands of dollars. Larger companies could spend millions to update marketing systems, e-commerce sites, and customer databases. Waiting until the crisis hits will drive costs even higher because everyone will be trying to get it done at the same time. Testing blockchain tools now, within the next year or two, gives time to adapt, train employees, and help customers get used to verification before it becomes urgent. What HR Leaders And Consultants Should Be Doing To Prepare For Blockchain HR leaders and consultants will need to prepare entire workforces for blockchain-based verification. This starts by explaining why it matters and linking it to brand reputation, recruiting, and customer trust. Employees need to understand the risks of deepfakes, impersonation scams, and AI-generated misinformation. Consultants can help identify the areas most vulnerable if trust in digital communication collapses. That might include hiring processes where AI could fake résumés or interviews, or ensuring onboarding and training materials come from verified sources. HR can also test adding verification tags to job postings, candidate communications, and internal announcements. Building partnerships with blockchain identity and security providers right now makes sense. Running a small pilot in one or two areas, such as recruiting or internal communications, will make the transition easier when verification becomes standard. The Future Of A Blockchain-Verified Internet Neil deGrasse Tyson's warning should make every organization think about how to maintain credibility in a world where seeing is no longer believing. Blockchain offers a path to rebuilding trust, but it will change how marketing, sales, and customer relationships work. Companies that prepare now by finding the right partners, training teams, and helping customers get used to verification will be the ones people turn to when authenticity becomes the most valuable currency on the Internet.
CNET
13 hours ago
- CNET
Starlink Cuts the Cost of Its Satellite Dish in Half for New Customers
One of the biggest barriers to entry for prospective Starlink customers has always been the price: $349 upfront for equipment and $120 every month for service. That's now starting to change as Starlink is offering its lowest monthly prices ever and slashing the cost of equipment in half. You can now get the Starlink standard kit for $175, down from its usual $349 price tag. Unlike previous deals, this one is available to new customers anywhere in the country. Most Starlink deals in the past have been limited to areas with fewer users. Like the plan discounts, Starlink hasn't said how long the equipment deal will last. In the past, promotions have generally been around for several months. Is Starlink your best option? Starlink has been a game changer for many people living in rural areas but I generally only recommend it as a last resort. That's partly because of its high price tag -- its standard rate of $120 per month is still far higher than the $78 average price in the US -- and partly because of its performance. According to a recent report from the speed test site Ookla, Starlink users receive median speeds of 105Mbps down and 15Mbps up. That's plenty of bandwidth for many households but it still falls short of what the Federal Communications Commission defines as broadband. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Starlink's median download speeds have nearly doubled since 2022, according to Ookla. Ookla The speeds you get from Starlink are also dependent on how many users there are in your area. One recent study from Penn State University found that Starlink's satellites can handle just 6.66 households per square mile before service starts to dip below the FCC's minimum standard. That doesn't mean you won't have enough speed to do everything you need online -- a Zoom meeting only requires about 4Mbps, for instance -- but it does give you an idea of how network congestion impacts Starlink. If there's a cable or fiber internet connection available at your address, I'm always going to recommend one of those over Starlink. They might come with their own frustrations, but they're almost always faster and cheaper than satellite providers. Read more: Choose the Best Internet Provider for Your Home With Help From an Expert To see what's available to you, enter your address on the FCC's broadband map. You'll see a list of providers, the type of technology they use and the speeds they say they can deliver.
