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Arm has taken its feud with Qualcomm to the next level, two years after filing a lawsuit against its former close partner. According to Bloomberg, the British semiconductor company has canceled the architecture license allowing Qualcomm to use its intellectual property and standards for chip design. As the news organization notes, Qualcomm, like many other chipmakers, uses Arm's computer code that chips need to run software, such as operating systems. Arm has reportedly sent Qualcomm a 60-day notice of cancelation - if they don't get to an agreement by then, it could have a huge impact on both companies' finances and on Qualcomm's operations.The SoftBank-backed chipmaker sued Qualcomm in 2022 after the latter purchased a company called Nuvia, which is one of its other licensees. Arm argued that the US company didn't obtain the necessary permits to transfer Nuvia's licenses. As such, Nuvia breached their contract and it had terminated its licenses, Arm explained in its lawsuit. Qualcomm has been using Nuvia-developed technology in the chips designed for AI PCs, such as those from Microsoft and HP. But Arm wants the company to stop using Nuvia-developed tech and to destroy any Arm-based technology developed prior to the acquisition.Qualcomm will have to stop selling most of the chips that account for its $39 billion in revenue, Bloomberg says, if the companies don't resolve the issue within the next 60 days. It seems the US chipmaker believes this is a tactic by Arm to threaten its business and to get higher royalties, because its spokesperson told Bloomberg and the Financial Times: "This is more of the same from Arm - more unfounded threats designed to strong-arm a longtime partner, interfere with our performance-leading CPUs, and increase royalty rates regardless of the broad rights under our architecture license." Qualcomm also accused Arm of attempting to disrupt the legal process, called its grounds for licensing termination "completely baseless" and said that it's confident its "rights under its agreement with Arm will be affirmed."Meanwhile, an Arm spokesperson told us: "Following Qualcomm's repeated material breaches of Arm's license agreement, Arm is left with no choice but to take formal action requiring Qualcomm to remedy its breach or face termination of the agreement. This is necessary to protect the unparalleled ecosystem that Arm and its highly valued partners have built over more than 30 years. Arm is fully prepared for the trial in December and remains confident that the Court will find in Arm's favor."Update, October 23, 2024, 11:33PM ET: This story has been updated to add Arm's statement.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/arm-cancels-qualcomms-license-to-use-its-chip-design-standards-123031968.html?src=rss

Roblox has adopted several new policies designed to give parents control over how their children use the sprawling online game platform. Bloomberg reported that the company has created a new type of parental account so that a guardian can oversee their kids' online activities and friends. Roblox is also now requiring parent permission for users under age 13 to access certain features. Users age 9 and younger will also need permission in order to access game modes with moderate violence or crude humor. The publication said these changes are slated to go into effect next month.Concerns about safety for young players have been a recurring issue for Roblox. The platform faced a lawsuit claiming exploitation of a minor in 2022. Sony was reluctant to host the game on its hardware over questions of whether Roblox exposed children to inappropriate sexual content, and the same justification led to a ban in Turkey earlier this year. Hindenburg Research recently released an expose about predatory behavior as well as misleading financial activity at Roblox (although that source has a shaky reputation of its own). An investigation by Bloomberg Businessweek found that at least two dozen people have been arrested by US law enforcement since 2018 for abusing or abducting child victims they met on Roblox.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/roblox-to-launch-new-child-safety-protocols-next-month-225552516.html?src=rss

One of Tesla's biggest downsides has always been the upfront cost of its electric vehicles versus gas models. The cheapest car it currently sells is $42,490 before subsidies, and the average Kelley Blue Book starting price of its 2024 models is just over $63,000.Tesla wrote in its third-quarter disclosure report that it's making preparations" to offer new vehicles with more affordable models." The EV maker's cost of goods sold per vehicle also came down to its lowest level ever" at $35,1000.Plans for new vehicles, including more affordable models, remain on track for start of production in the first half of 2025," the report reads. These vehicles will utilize aspects of the next generation platform as well as aspects of our current platforms and will be able to be produced on the same manufacturing lines as our current vehicle line-up."Tesla also says it plans to begin launching" its cheaper EV models in the first half of 2025." That wording is still fairly loose, so there's no guarantee that a new model will ship the same year.The other surprise in Tesla's report came from the numbers. It turns out that despite setbacks like the Cybertruck's fifth recall and a federal investigation into its EVs' Full Self-Driving feature, Tesla had a fairly robust third quarter. The carmaker's net income rose by 8 percent to $2.51 billion and sales rose by 2 percent year-over-year. The news also ends its four-quarter streak of missed earnings targets.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-says-it-will-begin-launching-new-and-more-affordable-evs-next-year-215038050.html?src=rss

For Minecraft players, virtual and mixed reality will soon go the way of a hissing creeper. Developer Mojang announced last month that March 2025 would be the last update for the game on PlayStation VR. Yesterday's patch notes for the Bedrock edition of the game use similar language, stating that "Our ability to support VR/MR devices has come to an end, and will no longer be supported in updates after March of 2025."All is not lost for the block builders who have been enjoying Minecraft in virtual reality. After the final March 2025 update, the patch notes clarify that "you can keep building in your worlds, and your Marketplace purchases (including Minecoins) will continue to be available on a non-VR/MR graphics device such as a computer monitor." It's a sad development for a game that was such a good match for the VR experience. And with the huge sales figures Minecraft continues to put up year after year, it's also a bit discouraging for the broader virtual reality and mixed reality ecosystem to lose such an iconic title.There is a silver lining for the Minecraft community, however. After a very long wait, the game finally has a native edition available for the PlayStation 5. Sony's latest console generation has been relegated to using the PS4 version until now, but going forward the game will have 4K resolution and 60 fps even at a longer draw distance. If you're a PS5 owner who already has the PS4 version of Minecraft, you can claim the new update for free in the PlayStation Store. And with the Bundles of Bravery update rolling out yesterday, it's a promising time to start a new blocky adventure.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/minecraft-is-ending-all-virtual-reality-support-next-spring-212953347.html?src=rss

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Warcraft gaming universe but there's not going to be a BlizzCon gathering to celebrate it. So Blizzard is doing the next-best thing by holding a live streaming event.Blizzard announced that its special Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct stream will start at 1PM ET on Wednesday, November 13. The broadcast will run on Blizzard's official streaming channels for Twitch, YouTube and TikTok.There aren't many details available about what Warcraft fans can expect to see during the livestream except for a special concert celebrating World of Warcraft's 20th anniversary. Following the stream, Blizzard will broadcast a live concert called World of Warcraft: 20 Years of Music from Switzerland. The 21st Century Orchestra and the choirs Tales of Fantasy, Ardito and the Madrijazz Gospel will perform selected songs from the MMORPG's iconic soundtrack.Activision Blizzard announced back in April that it wouldn't be holding a BlizzCon gathering this year despite WoW's momentous milestone. Maybe that's because things have been a little rocky for the game company in the past few years. Microsoft included Activision Blizzard in its round of 1,900 layoffs alongside ZeniMax at the beginning of the year, and in the months after the studio formed the largest wall-to-wall union in the industry.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzard-announces-warcraft-30th-anniversary-stream-next-month-210021972.html?src=rss

The FCC has fixed its watchful eye on the often lousy customer service we get from telecom providers. The agency said on Wednesday it's opening a formal proceeding to review the customer support from cable, broadband, satellite TV and home voice service providers.The review will cover customers' friction points when contacting telecom industry providers. These include hard-to-cancel subscriptions, getting stuck in doom loops" when trying to reach a human, sneaky automatic renewals and shoddy accessibility options for folks with disabilities.We can and should expect consistent, transparent, and helpful customer service from the communications companies that provide so many services that are so vital in our day-to-day lives," FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wrote in a press release announcing the inquiry. No one should get stuck in a doom loop trying to cancel a subscription or just get a human being to help resolve their service problems."The FCC wants to simplify customer cancelation options, requiring providers to offer more choices and transparent disclosures at the point of sale and on bills. In addition, it hopes to mandate explicit customer consent before automatically renewing services and helping customers get easier access to live reps without bouncing through endless phone trees. It also aims to improve the accessibility of customer service resources for people with disabilities.Other finer points on the agenda include extending current regulations for cable operator installation, outage and service call rules to include satellite TV, voice and broadband services. Finally, it wants current cable operator customer service requirements to reflect marketplace and technology changes."The Commission adopted the Notice of Inquiry with a 3-2 vote with the majority highlighting the importance of customer support." For starters, the FCC will build a public record of where these customer service points stand today and what specific regulations it could adopt to make things smoother for families and businesses.The inquiry is part of a larger effort to crack down on everyday headaches that waste time and money. Earlier this month, the FCC launched an inquiry into the broadband industry's nonsensical, profit-grabbing data caps. This summer, Verizon paid a $1 million fine to settle an investigation into a 2022 outage that prevented hundreds of emergency calls from going through. Meanwhile, the FTC recently ratified its click-to-cancel" rule, making ending subscriptions easier.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-fcc-will-review-the-broadband-industrys-lousy-customer-support-204329886.html?src=rss

Amazon has a great deal running now on the M2 MacBook Air, where you can get the slimline laptop for just $700. The main deal price is $849, which is nice at 15 percent off the regular cost. But you can also apply a coupon to the space gray model for an additional discount, bringing the price down even further. For now, you can also nab the silver and starlight colors for $700 without adding in a coupon. This is the 2022 model of the MacBook Air, and it's some of the best we've seen out of Apple laptops. The M2 chip is a big factor in what takes this laptop from a lightweight to a powerhouse. By using Apple's own silicon, the computer reaches pretty high standards in performance, with 10 GPU cores and a 35 percent boost to the speeds of the previous M1 chip. It's also got a gorgeous Liquid Retina display. The model currently on sale has 8GB RAM and 256GB of solid state drive storage. And once Apple Intelligence starts rolling out next week, the M2 Air is prepared to handle the extra workload of those AI-driven tasks. The Air is also Engadget's pick for your best budget Apple laptop. In other words, this is a good deal on the model that's already a good deal. It's very possible that Amazon's supply will be snapped up quickly, so if this catches your eye, we suggest you act fast. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m2-macbook-air-drops-to-a-new-low-of-700-195147706.html?src=rss

The Apple Card has landed Apple and Goldman Sachs in hot water. In a press release spotted by The Verge, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) said it was fining the two companies a combined $89 million over practices involving the Apple Card.The CFPB says Apple failed to send tens of thousands" of disputed card transactions to Goldman Sachs. When it finally sent the transactions to the investment bank, Goldman Sachs failed to follow numerous federal requirements for investigating the disputes," according to the CFPB's announcement.Apple and Goldman are also accused of misleading customers about the Apple Card. Some consumers believed they could make interest-free payments to purchase an Apple device with the credit card but interest charges still showed up on their bill because they were not automatically enrolled as expected."Apple is also accused of keeping its interest-free payment option off of its website if the customer wasn't using a Safari browser. The CFPB also says Goldman Sachs misled customers about the application of some refunds that racked up additional interest charges.The CFPB has ordered Goldman Sachs to pay at least $19.8 million in redress funds and a $45 million civil money penalty. The company is also required to present a credible plan" to comply with laws before launching any new credit card product. Apple also received a $25 million civil money penalty that will go to the CFPB's victims relief fund.Apple and Goldman Sachs introduced the Apple Card in 2019, advertising it as a product that could help customers lead a healthier financial life.". Four years later, a report from the Wall Street Journal said that Goldman Sachs was starting to have doubts about the consumer lending industry and thought the venture may have been a mistake.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-goldman-sachs-fined-89-million-for-misleading-apple-card-customers-192538650.html?src=rss

Ubisoft has disbanded the team behind the recently-released platformer Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, according to a reputable French journalist. The alleged reason for disbanding the team is a simple one. The game didn't meet sales expectations and Ubisoft needed more hands to help on other projects that had a better sales potential." This is according to a translation published on Reset Era."Most of the team members who worked on Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown have shifted to other projects that will benefit from their expertise," Abdelhak Elguess, a senior producer on the game, told Eurogamer.Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown sold around 300,000 copies during its first few weeks of availability, totaling $15 million in revenue, as indicated by a report by Insider Gaming. These sales figures allegedly sealed the fate" of the game and its dev team. Ubisoft staffers reportedly pushed higher ups for a sequel, or more DLC, but were allegedly denied.Oddly, the company's executives reportedly refused to greenlight a sequel on the grounds that it would cannibalize sales of the original. I'm not sure that's how sequels work, especially when they come out years after the first game, but whatever.This is sad for a number of reasons. First of all, the game was great. The Metacritic aggregate review score sits at 86, while user reviews hover at around 8.5 out of ten. I played it and found it to be a fantastic Metroidvania that could easily sit next to some of the classics of the genre, like Hollow Knight and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.It's also a bummer because gamers constantly complain that Ubisoft doesn't try anything new, instead relying on iterative improvements of its core franchises or applying tried-and-true gameplay mechanics to pre-existing IPs. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a retro-style throwback, sure, but it's not another lifeless open world map filled with fetch quests and stealth missions.By all accounts, it also looks to have been a positive development experience. The French journalist who broke this story, Gautoz, said he heard from multiple employees that it was the best game production experience in their lives. It was seen as a beacon of hope" for people that were burnt out by" the endless development cycle of Beyond Good and Evil 2.Why did it underperform? There's no hard data, but this was a 2D sidescroller that cost a whopping $60. That could be one reason. Only Nintendo can get away with charging full price for retro-style titles.It's also worth noting that this was just one of two sidescrolling Prince of Persia games to release this year, which could have injected some confusion into the market. Evil Empire, the team behind Dead Cells, also soft-launched The Rogue Prince of Persia back in May as an early access title. This is a roguelite spin on the traditional franchise games.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ubisoft-has-disbanded-the-team-behind-prince-of-persia-the-lost-crown-185408301.html?src=rss

A children's hospital in Scotland now has a gamer-in-residence in what's said to be a first in the UK and Ireland. Steven Mair, the first person to take on the full-time role, will play games with kids at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.As with other gaming-related charitable efforts at children's hospitals, the aim is to help patients relax and minimize feelings of boredom and isolation, while offering them a sense of escapism. Studies have indicated that playing games can help reduce the procedural pain and anxiety of pediatric patients, as well as their caregivers' anxiety.Mair is also organizing gaming events at the facility, fundraising for new gaming equipment and managing gaming volunteers for the Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity. The charity established the gamer-in-residence position with the help of partners Devolver Digital and Neonhive after raising over 100,000 ($129,000) last year through efforts such as a Scottish Games Sale on Steam for a campaign called Games for the Weans ("weans" is a Scottish word for "kids"). Meanwhile, a $12,000 donation from Child's Play earlier this year will help fund the replacement of older Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems with hospital-adapted consoles.Children in Jace's ward can have long stays and intense treatment plans. This can include physical pain and a lot of new emotions. Often, parents can feel helpless at times. For my son Jace in particular, he is an experienced gamer. His blood disorder prevented him from going outside or starting school," Catherine Reid, the mother of seven-year-old Jace, said in a statement that I could barely get all the way through without welling up.When the gamer-in-residence came round to play Mario on the Nintendo, he immediately lit up and smiled. It was an instant energy boost for him mentally and physically. In reality, I think often what kids want is some quality time and gaming with new friends."This is a fantastic idea. Hospital stays can be tough for anyone, but especially so for kids and their families. You can help support the gaming-in-residence program and other charitable efforts that help young hospital patients through gaming by donating to the likes of the Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity and Child's Play.Meanwhile, Extra Life's Game Day, an event during which gamers and communities raise funds for children's hospitals, takes place on November 2. You can sign up to take part or make a donation over at the Extra Life website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-scottish-childrens-hospital-now-has-a-gamer-in-residence-to-play-games-with-kids-182303354.html?src=rss

The beloved 7-in-1 Ninja Creami ice cream maker is $40 off right now directly from the company with the coupon code CREAMI40." This brings the price down to $160, which is close to a record low. This isn't your average ice cream maker, as we detailed in our Ninja Creami review. The design is based on machines found in restaurants, allowing for uniquely high-end frozen treats. This technology wasn't available to consumers until the last few years, as the machine was under a strict patent. Once that patent expired, Ninja took a look at the design and a sensation was born. It doesn't work in the same way as rival machines. The Creami uses a drill-like mechanism that blends everything together. Just freeze a base liquid for 24 hours and let the drill work its magic. The end result resembles soft serve ice cream. Of course, this machine can also be used to make sorbets, yogurt and plant-based alternatives. We love the Creami and it easily made our list of the best kitchen appliances. Of course, no ice cream machine is perfect, except for maybe whatever technology resides in a Mister Softee truck. The Ninja Creami can get pretty loud during use, though the drill only takes a few minutes to do its thing. Also, the finished product melts quickly. It is, after all, soft serve. You'll have to pull a President Biden and slurp it down ASAP or pop it in the freezer. The aforementioned deal is for the standard 7-in-1 Ninja Creami. The extra-large 11-in-1 model is also on sale for $200, with the coupon code CREAMI30." This is a record-low price for this version. In addition to ice cream, it can also make Italian ice and other frozen treats. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-ninja-creami-is-up-to-40-off-right-now-173045379.html?src=rss

The Apple Intelligence rollout has been slow, staggered and steady since the company first unveiled its take on AI at WWDC this year. It continues today with the release of the latest developer betas for iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia. The updates in iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia (15.2) bring long-awaited features like Genmoji, Image Playground, Visual Intelligence and ChatGPT integration for those running the preview software, as well as Image Wand for iPads and more writing tools.This follows the announcement that iOS 18.1 would be available as a stable release to the public next week, which would bring things like writing tools, notification summaries and Apple's hearing test to the masses.That represents the first time for people who haven't opted into beta software to check out Apple Intelligence, which the company has widely touted as the headline feature for the devices it launched this year. The iPhone 16 series, for example, were billed as phones designed for Apple Intelligence, though they launched without those features.Now that the next set of tools is ready for developers to test, it seems like we're weeks away from them arriving to the public. For those already on the developer beta, the update will land automatically. As always, a word of caution: If you're not already familiar, beta software is meant for users to test new features and often to check for compatibility or problems. They can be buggy, so always back up your data before installing previews. In this case, you'll also need to have an Apple developer account to get access.Genmoji is arriving todayToday's updates brings Genmoji, which lets you create custom emoji from your keyboard. You'll go to the emoji keyboard, tap the Genmoji button next to the description or search input field, then enter what you want to create. Apple Intelligence will generate a few options, which you can swipe and select one to send. You'll be able to use them as tapback reactions to other people's messages too. Plus, you can make Genmoji based on pictures of your friends, creating more-accurate Memoji of them. Since these are all presented in emoji style, there won't be the risk of mistaking them for real pictures.Apple is also releasing a Genmoji API today so third-party messaging apps can read and render Genmoji, and folks you text on WhatsApp or Telegram can see your hot new gym rat emoji.Other previously announced features like Image Playground and Image Wand are also available today. The former is both a standalone app and something you can access from the Messages app via the Plus button. If you go through Messages, the system will quickly generate some suggestions based on your conversations. You can also type descriptions or select photos from your gallery as a reference, and the system will serve up an image which you can then tweak. To prevent confusion, only some art styles are available: Animation or Illustration. You won't be able to render photorealistic pictures of people.Image Wand will also be arriving today as an update to the Apple Pencil tool palette, helping to turn your cruddy sketches into more-polished works of art.ChatGPT integration for Siri and Writing ToolsAs announced at WWDC, Apple is bringing ChatGPT to Siri and Writing Tools, and each time your request might be well-served by OpenAI's tools, the system will suggest heading there. For example, if you ask Siri to generate an itinerary, a workout routine or even a meal plan, the assistant might say it needs to use ChatGPT to do so and ask for your permission. You can choose to have the system ask you each time it goes to GPT or surface these requests less often.It's worth reiterating that you don't need a ChatGPT account to use these tools, and Apple has its own agreement with OpenAI so that when you use the latter's services, your data like your IP address won't be stored or used to train models. However, if you do connect your ChatGPT account, your content will be covered by OpenAI's policies.Elsewhere, Apple Intelligence will also show that you can compose with ChatGPT within Writing Tools, which is where you'll find things like Rewrite, Summarize and Proofread. It's also another area that's getting an update with the developer beta - a new tool called "Describe your change." This is basically a command bar that lets you tell Apple exactly what it is you want to do to your writing. "Make it sound more enthusiastic," for example, or "Check this for grammar errors." Basically, it'll make getting the AI to edit your work a bit easier, since you won't have to go to the individual sections for Proofread or Summarize, for example. You can also get it to do things lke "Turn this into a poem."Visual Intelligence cometh for iPhone 16 ownersFinally, if you have an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro and are running the developer beta, you'll be able to try out Visual Intelligence. That lets you point your camera at things around you and get answers for things like math problems in your textbook or the menu of a restaurant you pass on your commute. It can tap third-party services like Google and ChatGPT, too.Outside of the iPhone 16 series, you'll need a compatible device to check out any Apple Intelligence features. That means an iPhone 15 Pro and newer or an M-series iPad or MacBook.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-intelligence-expands-in-ios-182-developer-beta-adding-genmoji-visual-intelligence-and-chatgpt-170920932.html?src=rss

Two weeks before the US presidential election, the Oversight Board says it has serious concerns" about Meta's content moderation systems in electoral contexts," and that the company risks the excessive removal of political speech" when it over-enforces its rules. The admonishment came as the board weighed in on a case involving a satirical image of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.Meta originally removed the post, shared on Facebook in August, that showed an edited version of a movie poster from Dumb and Dumber. The original 1994 movie poster shows the two main characters grabbing each other's nipples through their shirts. In the altered version, the actors' faces were replaced by Harris and Walz.According to the Oversight Board, Meta cited its bullying and harassment rules, which includes a provision barring derogatory sexualized photoshop or drawings." The social network later restored the post after it drew attention from the Oversight Board, and the company acknowledged the satirical image didn't break its rules because it didn't depict sexual activity.Despite Meta's reversal, the board says the case suggests larger issues in how Meta handles posts dealing with election-related content. This post is nothing more than a commonplace satirical image of prominent politicians and is instantly recognizable as such," the board wrote. Nonetheless, the company's failure to recognize the nature of this post and treat it accordingly raises serious concerns about the systems and resources Meta has in place to effectively make content determinations in such electoral contexts."In response to the Oversight Board's take on the situation, a Meta spokesperson gave the following brief statement: "We mistakenly removed this post but restored it after the issue was brought to our attention."It's unusually direct criticism from the Oversight Board, which released its analysis of the case in a summary decision, which comes without the group's typical laundry list of recommendations for the social media company. The board has previously pushed Meta to clarify its rules around satirical content.The latest case highlights another issue that many of the company's users have also complained about: over-enforcing its rules.In this case, however, the Board highlights the overenforcement of Meta's Bullying and Harassment policy with respect to satire and political speech in the form of a non-sexualized derogatory depiction of political figures," the board wrote. It also points to the dangers that overenforcing the Bullying and Harassment policy can have, especially in the context of an election, as it may lead to the excessive removal of political speech and undermine the ability to criticize government officials and political candidates, including in a sarcastic manner."Update, October 23 2024, 1:00PM ET: This story has been updated to include a statement from Meta.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/oversight-board-says-metas-handling-of-a-satirical-image-of-harris-and-walz-raises-serious-concerns-100046800.html?src=rss

One of the biggest games on the not-too-distant horizon is Monster Hunter Wilds. While the next edition of Capcom's blockbuster series has a February 28 release date, you'll be able to get a taste of it in an open beta test that's taking place next week.PlayStation Plus subscribers will be the first to check out this beta starting at 11PM ET on Monday, October 28. That test will run for 48 hours. Capcom will then open up the servers to all PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC players on Halloween, also at 11PM. The open beta will end at 9:59PM on Sunday. November 3.You can create both your character and your cat-like Palico companion in the beta. Along with being able to transfer your character creation data over to the full game, you'll get a virtual pendant and a few other goodies for taking part in the beta. The beta's story trial includes two hunts, one with basic tutorials and the other offering the chance to explore the environment on a Seikret animal mount. You can take on both quests in online multiplayer (Monster Hunter Wilds supports cross-play) or get some assistance from computer-controlled support hunters.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/you-can-try-monster-hunter-wilds-next-week-months-before-its-february-28-release-date-154421037.html?src=rss

Delta Air Lines is no stranger to CES, one of the largest tech events in the world. Today, the company announced that Delta CEO Ed Bastian will be a keynote speaker at CES 2025, which takes place from January 7 to January 10, 2025, in Las Vegas. Most notable is where this is happening - Bastian's keynote will take place at Sphere, the immersive entertainment venue that has so far played host to acts like U2, The Eagles and Phish as well as a film by director Darren Aranofsky.Bastian said that Delta intends to leverage three next-gen technologies at the Sphere venue in Las Vegas. The first is Exosphere, the world's biggest LED screen, while the second is an interior display plane, an LED screen with the world's highest resolution. The third technology is Sphere Immersive Sound, the most advanced of its kind and powered by HOLOPLOT. All three are Sphere technologies designed to connect with key audiences, leveraging next-generation technologies to boldly deliver a one-of-a-kind experience and amplify their message," as President and COO of Sphere Jennifer Koester said.This will be Delta's third CES appearance, following appearances in 2020 and 2023. The 2020 event showed off some intriguing new technology like opt-in Parallel Reality displays" that can show custom messages to multiple travelers simultaneously. The Delta keynote speech is scheduled for 5PM PT/8AM ET on January 7. Those who wish to hear it in person must register for CES 2025, and the keynote also has a separate ticket.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-ces-2025-keynote-speech-will-take-place-at-sphere-with-delta-ceo-ed-bastian-154024275.html?src=rss

Dolby Atmos has integrated into spaces like movies, home theaters, and headphones over the decade plus since it launched in 2012. Now, its entering the live theater space for the first time since thanks to Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company's take on King Lear. It has been used for live events before, however, like concerts at the Dolby Live in the Park MGM Las Vegas.Kenneth Branagh, who stars in the production, has previously used Dolby Atmos as a director of films like Belfast. "Kenneth Branagh's brilliant implementations of Dolby Atmos in film, like for his Oscar-winning Belfast, demonstrate the power artists have to immerse audiences in ways never before possible," said Jed Harmsen, Head of Cinema and Group Entertainment at Dolby. He added that the "collaboration with Dolby will break ground in bringing Dolby Atmos to the world of stage performance and use intentional sound design to plunge audiences into the play's universe."King Lear will run for nearly two months from October 26 to December 15 at The Shed's Griffin Theater in New York City. Dolby Atmos will create audio effects and music around the audience and above the actors.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/dolby-atmos-is-making-its-live-theater-debut-144150814.html?src=rss

After a lengthy break due in part to last year's Hollywood strikes, the hit Apple TV+ sci-fi/thriller series Severance is returning for its second season on January 17. The streaming service has released a teaser trailer that doesn't give much away, but has just enough in the way of intrigue and confusion to keep fans on their toes.(Light spoilers for season one are ahead.)Severance, you may recall, focuses on a group of people who undertook a brain procedure to entirely separate their work and non-work memories. Four workers at Lumon Industries (with their office selves known as "innies") eventually carry out an escape plan of sorts. They find a way to blur the lines between the two sets of memories, with three of them learning some world-shattering revelations about their "outie" lives in the first season finale.Apple says that, in the second season, "Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe." The teaser shows a panicked Mark S. (Adam Scott) back at Lumon Industries, running through the building's oppressive corridors. In similar fashion to the previous teaser, sound bites from the first season are included alongside some eyebrow-raising visuals, including a troubling watermelon version of Irving's (John Turturro) head.Mark halts in his tracks when he reaches an office area and encounters three new co-workers instead of his regular cohorts. A moment later, supervisor Milchick (Tramell Tillman) arrives to welcome the formerly displaced worker back while carrying a bunch of balloons with Mark's face on them. You might think of it as the planet's most terrifying return-to-work policy being enacted.The teaser works well as a first proper look at the new season. While the first season's excellent finale gave the innies and the audience some much-needed and truly shocking answers, the clip raises some major new questions. It's likely that we'll need to endure plenty of tension in the 10-episode second season before getting more clarity as to what's going on at this bizarro workplace.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/severance-season-two-teaser-trailer-shows-the-worlds-worst-return-to-office-policy-in-action-142930296.html?src=rss

Adobe Fresco is Adobe's painting app, designed to compete with apps like Clip Studio Paint and Procreate. It launched almost five years ago for $10 a year, which was reasonable, but Procreate's one-time $13 purchase came with many powerful features, which made it the go-to option for artists who wanted to draw on iPad. But now, Adobe is making Fresco completely free to use, letting everyone use functions that used to be locked behind a paywall.By looking at this Adobe Fresco FAQs page, we can see what the paid plans back then offered. Fresco did have a free plan from the beginning, but those who didn't pay are missing out on more than a thousand brushes, premium shapes and the ability to import custom brushes. Now, all of these features are free to use for all users.For the uninitiated, Adobe Fresco is available on iPhone, iPad, Windows PCs and Windows tablets. Not every model will run the app, but you can check this list to see if your device is compatible. Most recent devices should be able to use it, though -support goes all the way back to iPhones and iPads Apple released nearly 10 years ago, including the iPhone 6 and every iPad Pro.By making Fresco completely free, Adobe may be attempting to fight against the competition now that those apps cost more money. Fresco has unique functions like motion presets to instantly animate drawings and artwork mirroring, as mentioned by The Verge. Now that you can download it for free, those interested can grab it from the Apple App Store or the Adobe website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/adobe-frescos-previously-paywalled-features-are-now-free-for-everyone-141956420.html?src=rss

Some folks have properties too vast to be covered by the fanciest of mesh Wi-Fi sets, especially if they've got vast tracts of land. It's an issue Eero is looking to tackle with the Outdoor 7, an add-on to its Eero 7 series of mesh Wi-Fi nodes that's built to live outdoors. The hardware is IP66 rated and the company says it'll keep working in temperatures ranging from -40F to 130F, no matter the weather. With a range of 15,000 square feet, Eero says the Outdoor 7 should suit everyone from cafe owners with patios to land owners looking to keep their security cameras connected. Each unit supports Wi-Fi 7 with speeds up to 2.1Gbps, works with Thread, Zigbee and Matter devices, and has a 2.5Gb ethernet port with support for Power Over Ethernet. You'll also get a mounting kit that'll help you screw it into stucco, vinyl, wood or fiber cement walls. The Eero Outdoor 7 will be available to buy in the US on November 13 for $350, or for $400 when bundled with the company's 30W outdoor Power Over Ethernet adapter. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/eero-launches-a-weatherproof-extender-for-outdoor-wi-fi-140010463.html?src=rss

A few days ago, Deadline reported that several key personnel behind Amazon's upcoming live-action God of War adaptation have left the project. But the series' production will still push through, and according to the publication, Ronald D. Moore will now serve as its showrunner, as well as one of its writers and executive producers. He's replacing original showrunner Rafe Judkins (Wheel of Time) and EPs Mark Fergus and Hawk Otsby (Children of Men and Iron Man). It'll be Moore's first project with Sony TV after returning to the studio with a multi-year deal in June.Moore is known for developing and producing the Battlestar Galactica reboot and for writing dozens of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine episodes. His writing credits also include several Star Trek movies, Mission Impossible II, and Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams for Amazon. He worked with the studio for a decade, developing shows that include Outlander for Starz and For All Mankind for Apple TV+, before departing in 2020.Judkins, Ferus and Otsby had already written multiple scripts for the show, but Amazon reportedly wanted to move in a different creative direction. Deadline previously reported that in addition to hiring someone new to lead the production, Amazon was also looking to put a new writers' room together. Several EPs from Santa Monica Studio (the game's developer) and PlayStation Production who had been involved from the start are still with the project.The God of War series will be based on 2018 game that's inspired by Norse mythology. It will focus on Kratos, as he embarks on a journey with his son to spread the ashes of his late wife from the highest peak. They battled gods, monsters and other entities before they reached their destination, and they unearthed secrets about each other and the realm they live in along the way.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/amazons-god-of-war-series-hires-ronald-d-moore-as-showrunner-133004763.html?src=rss

There is no greater advertisement for the virtues of patience than No Man's Sky. The game was an underwhelming fart when it first released back in 2016. Now it's one of the best titles around, thanks to continuing support by developer Hello Games. The company just dropped a surprise Halloween-themed update and it's pretty darned cool.The latest release is called The Cursed and it's filled to the brim with creepy stuff to experience. There's a whole new twilight universe" where players will fight to keep a grip on reality while haunted by visions and voices from another dimension." Time can shift unexpectedly and players could encounter spectral anomalies." There's also no FTL in this twisted realm, forcing players to strategically use the ancient portal network.This kind of reality-bending nonsense seems plucked straight out of the Gamecube classic Eternal Darkness or, more recently, the horror fishing sim Dredge. I'm very much here for it.To navigate this cursed space, there's a new ship to pilot. The Boundary Herald Starship is a legitimate flying saucer, made from a Giger-esque coil of tubes, pipeworks and engines." It's a real beauty and the developer's first attempt at designing a retro-style spaceship. The update also includes bioluminescent pets and a new exosuit.Hello Games This is a limited-time event, as players will only have around three weeks to explore this twilight universe. However, the glow-in-the-dark pets, updated exosuit and, thankfully, the flying saucer are here to stay.This is just the latest gameplay update for No Man's Sky. So far, there have been over 35 major named updates and many more medium-sized patches and the like. In recent months, the developers added the ability to fish and integrated new weather systems.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/no-mans-sky-just-got-a-creepy-lovecraftian-update-in-time-for-halloween-130020444.html?src=rss

Chipmaking giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) halted semiconductor shipments to a client that may have illegally sent the chips on to Huawei, according to Bloomberg. That follows reports that TSMC had informed the US government that its chips appeared in one of Huawei's AI accelerators. There's no confirmation on whether the company was acting on Huawei's behalf or where it's based.TSMC cut off shipments to the entity in mid-October after it noticed that the same chips had appeared in Huawei products. It notified the US and Taiwanese governments of this latest development and is further probing the matter, Bloomberg's sources said. They asked not to be identified given the sensitive nature of the matter.Yesterday, Bloomberg and The Financial Times reported that Canadian research firm TechInsights had spotted TSMC chips in a Huawei AI accelerator, a clear violation of US sanctions. That brought into question how Huawei had obtained those chips, with a third-party company being a strong possibility.In 2020, the US Commerce Department implemented trade restrictions against Huawei that barred the company from obtaining chips made by foreign firms. Earlier this year, the US government further tightened restrictions by revoking its licenses with Intel and Qualcomm to produce chips for its devices.In a previous statement provided to the Commerce Department, TSMC denied any working relationship with Huawei since mid-September of 2020. TSMC also told Bloomberg that it hasn't produced any chips for Huawei due to the amended restrictions. For its part, Huawei said in a statement yesterday that it hasn't used any chips sourced from TSMC since the 2020 restrictions were enacted.Rather than using TSMC, Huawei was supposedly obtaining chips from a local partner, China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) - including a 7-nanometer processor for Huawei smartphones. However, US officials doubted that SMIC could build such chips at sufficient scale to meet market demand.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/tsmc-has-reportedly-cut-off-a-company-that-sent-its-chips-to-huawei-124900342.html?src=rss

The Apple Vision Pro has experienced a few new perks since its February release, and the latest comes via Vimeo. The video platform has launched an app for Apple's Vision Pro that allows users to view, create and share spatial videos. "The launch of our Apple Vision Pro app marks a significant milestone in our ongoing mission to push the boundaries of video experiences," said Vimeo CEO Philip Moyer. "This kind of spatial content is the future of storytelling, and we're proud to be at the forefront of this revolution." Content can be sent privately or shared publicly from the iOS and visionOS apps or Vimeo's website.Users can also capture spatial videos with Vimeo on the iPhone 16 series, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple is also planning to introduce a Final Cut Pro update by the end of 2024 that lets users edit spatial videos on their Macs.We had very mixed feelings when Apple released the Vision Pro. We gave it a 74 in our original review as its immersive video and and micro-OLED screens were very impressive, but its weight and lack of native apps, among other issues, led to us calling it, "a beta product aimed at developers." Two months and a few updates later and we were more impressed thanks to features like Spatial Personas, which makes it feel like avatars are right in your home. Plus, it offers some 3D films for Apple TV+ subscribers and more games.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/vimeo-brings-spatial-videos-to-the-apple-vision-pro-123046749.html?src=rss

An Intelsat communication satellite built by Boeing has exploded and broken up in geostationary orbit. Intelsat confirmed the news in a press release, declaring the satellite a "total loss." The US Space Force said it is tracking around 20 associated pieces but "has observed no immediate threats" to other satellites so far (Roscosmos said it was tracking 80 fragments). The cause of the explosion is not yet known, but the news is another blow for Boeing following Starliner's failed crew test flight, problems with the 737 Max and delays to the 777x.Intelsat said it's working to move customers to its other satellites or third party spacecraft. "A Failure Review Board has convened to complete a comprehensive analysis of the cause," the company wrote. The satellite was uninsured, a spokesperson told SpaceNews.The explosion fragments could still pose a risk to other satellites. "The problem is that there is a lot of uncertainty regarding the orbits of these fragments at the moment," said a spokesperson for Spaceflux, a UK company that tracks objects in orbit. "They can be potentially dangerous for other satellites but we do not know that yet."Intelsat 33e is one of six "EpicNG" satellites built by Boeing, and uses the latter's 720MP satellite platform equipped with 16 hydrazine-powered engines built by Aerojet Rocketdyne. The type is widely used for telephone, internet and satellite TV/radio broadcast services.It entered service three months late due to an issue with its primary thruster, and another propulsion issue reduced its service life by 3.5 years. The first EpicNG satellite, Intelsat 29e, was declared a total loss in 2019 after just three years in service, reportedly due to a meteoroid impact or wiring flaw.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/intelsats-boeing-made-satellite-explodes-and-breaks-up-in-orbit-120036468.html?src=rss

For me, the iPad Mini is one of those devices I know I should like but can never quite bring myself to actually appreciate. Apple must feel similarly, given it only sporadically updates its smallest tablet, knowing its target market probably isn't in need of blazing speed. But, with Apple Intelligence looming, Apple has launched the seventh-generation Mini. Naturally, we handed our review unit to tablet expert Nathan Ingraham for his opinion. Is the iPad Mini 7 worth the price?On paper, Apple didn't do a lot beyond cramming in a chip, the A17 Pro, capable of running the company's new AI bells and whistles. But Nathan found that plenty of pain points from the older Minis - including the dreaded jelly scrolling - have been airbrushed out of the picture. You'll also get support for the Apple Pencil Pro, helpfully streamlining the company's presently messy stylus lineup. Ironically, what sold him on this device was neither of those features but that he found the iPad Mini the perfect device for Balatro. If you don't know what that is, click through.- Dan CooperGet this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest tech stories you missed

Netflix announced the next addition to its gaming roster, and it's a collaboration with the TED nonprofit. TED Tumblewords is a daily puzzle game where you slide rows of letters around to make words. There will be three puzzles available each day, and you can play rounds against friends, other online players or the TED bot. In addition to the daily word challenges, which are designed to improve critical thinking and vocabulary, players will see interesting facts from the TED library. The game will be available to play on Netflix and TED.com on November 19.Since it began offering mobile games, Netflix has amassed a lot of high-quality titles in its lineup. The collection is a mix of licensed indie game projects, such as Hades and Kentucky Route Zero, alongside in-house creations centered on its popular shows, like the retro-styled Stranger Things game. However, the streaming service just today shut down its in-house AAA game studio before the team ever released or even announced a single project. While we wait for TED Tumblewords to arrive, here are some other excellent choices for your daily online gaming fix.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflix-and-ted-are-hopping-on-the-daily-word-game-bandwagon-230014184.html?src=rss

Amazon may be working on a secondary online sales platform that would compete with the absurdly low prices of Chinese retailer Temu. The Information reported that it has seen internal information sent to Amazon merchants that detail some of the price caps for this new storefront.The outlet claims the upper limit of prices are set at $8 for jewelry, $9 for bedding, $13 for guitars and $20 for sofas that are shipped from its fulfillment center in Guangdong, China under this new "Low-Cost Store." According to the site's sources, orders from this storefront would have slower shipping timelines of nine to 11 days, but would also charge lower fulfillment fees to sellers. A seller would be charged between $1.77 and $2.05 to ship a 4-8 ounce item through the Low-Cost Store, compared with a $2.67 to $4.16 charge for an item of that weight shipped under Fulfillment by Amazon from a domestic warehouse, according to The Information.Amazon has not set price limits on its eponymous online storefront, so this new platform will be a markedly different strategy from its usual approach. It's more in line with the pricing policy followed by Temu, which launched in 2022. In just two years, the bargain basement ecommerce platform has garnered a reputation for selling items of dubious quality as well as questions about relying on "forced" labor.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-is-reportedly-working-on-a-low-cost-storefront-to-rival-temu-225049485.html?src=rss

A Canadian research firm called TechInsights took a deep dive on one of Huawei's artificial intelligence accelerators and found a chip manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Bloomberg spoke with several people familiar with the investigation who asked to remain anonymous since TechInsights' report has been released to the public.The anonymous sources says TechInsights' investigation found an Ascend 910B chip made by TSMC in one of Huawei's AI accelerators. The company that conducted the investigation declined to comment.Reuters reports that TechInsights informed TSMC of its findings before publishing its report. This prompted TSMC to notify the US Commerce Department earlier this month. The Financial Times reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that TSMC told the department that a customer had placed orders for a chip similar to Huawei's Ascend 910B. One of the FT's sources said that TSMC "had spoken both to the customer involved and to the commerce department" after recieving the suspicious order.The US Commerce Department implemented additional trade restrictions against Huawei that barred the electronics company from obtaining chips made by foreign firms. Earlier this year, the US government tightened its restrictions even further by revoking its licenses with Intel and Qualcomm to produce chips for its devices.TSMC denied that it had a working relationship with Huawei since mid-September of 2020 in a statement provided to the Commerce Department. TSMC also told Bloomberg that it hasn't produced any chips for Huawei due to the amended restrictions. Huawei denied that it had ever launched the 910B chip."This isn't the first time Huawei has been caught trying to subvert US sanctions and trade restrictions. Bloomberg also uncovered in May that Huawei funded secret research in the US at universities including Harvard by funneling the money through a Washington-based scientific research foundation called Optica. The foundation said it decided to return the money in June and chief executive officers Elizabeth Rogen and Chad Stark stepped down the following August.Update, October 22, 7:10PM ET: This story was updated after publish with more details from the Financial Times' reporting on the matter.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/huawei-appears-to-still-be-using-tsmc-chips-despite-us-sanctions-222617636.html?src=rss

Car manufacturers will be able to develop new AI voice assistants for their cars thanks to a new partnership with Qualcomm and Google. Qualcomm announced earlier today that it's working with Google on a new AI development system for carmakers.The new version is based on Android Automotive OS (AAOS), Google's infotainment platform for cars. Qualcomm is offering its Snapdragon Digital Chassis with Google Cloud and AAOS to generate new AI-powered digital cockpits for cars. Qualcomm also unveiled two new chips for powering driving systems including the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite for dashboards and the Snapdragon Ride Elite for self-driving features.The new interface will allow car drivers and passengers to interact with custom voice assistants, immersive maps and real-time driving updates. Carmakers can use the new system to create their own unique and marketable AI voice assistants that don't require a connection to a smartphone.Other carmakers have taken steps to try to integrate AI systems in its vehicles. Volkswagen announced plans at CES 2024 that it would integrate ChatGPT in its cars' voice assistants across a range of newer models. After a slow start, AAOS now underpins vehicles from several manufacturers including Chevrolet, Honda, Volvo and Rivian.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/qualcomm-and-google-team-up-to-help-carmakers-create-ai-voice-systems-211510693.html?src=rss

Ecobee is integrating smart locks into its app. The company doesn't make smart locks of its own, but you can now control Wi-Fi-enabled ones from Yale and August using the Ecobee app. The feature could prevent you from switching apps to let someone who rings your smart doorbell in. However, it's locked behind a subscription, so user convenience isn't the only motive here. The integration adds an unlock" button from the Ecobee app's live view. So, you can let visitors in from the same screen where you confirm it's someone you want coming inside. (Handy!) The Ecobee app also allows you to lock your doors automatically when you arm your security system. (Also handy!) Less handy: You'll need to pay up to enjoy these perks because the feature is locked (ahem) behind Ecobee's Smart Security system. The premium service costs $5 monthly or $50 annually. And as The Verge notes, it won't let you unlock your August or Yale devices from Ecobee's smart thermostats. This could be a convenient perk if you're already paying for Ecobee's subscription service. If not, you'll have to ask yourself if it's worth a premium to avoid the oh-so-grueling task of pulling up your phone's app switcher to jump to another smart-home app. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ecobee-smart-home-users-can-now-unlock-yale-and-august-smart-locks-from-its-app-201700926.html?src=rss

NASA showed off a telescope prototype for a new gravitational wave detection mission in space. The telescope is part of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission led by the European Space Agency (NSA) in partnership with NASA.The goal of the LISA mission is to position three spacecraft in a triangular orbit measuring nearly 1.6 million miles on each side. The three spacecraft will follow the Earth's orbit around the Sun. Each spacecraft will carry two telescopes to track their siblings using infrared laser beams. Those beams can measure distances down to a trillionth of a meter.Gravitational waves are created during a collision between two black holes. They were first theorized by Albert Einstein in 1916 and detected almost a century later by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Scientific Collaboration from the National Science Foundation, Caltech and MIT. A gravitational wave is detected when the three spacecraft shift from their characteristic pattern.The LISA mission is scheduled to launch in the mid-2030s. The detection of gravitational waves could provide enormous potential" to better our understanding of the universe, including events like black holes and the Big Bang that are difficult to study through other means, according to the official mission website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasas-newest-telescope-can-detect-gravitational-waves-from-colliding-black-holes-194527272.html?src=rss

OpenAI and Microsoft are funding projects to bring more AI tools into the newsroom. The duo will give grants of up to $10 million to Chicago Public Media, the Minnesota Star Tribune, Newsday (in Long Island, NY), The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Seattle Times. Each of the publications will hire a two-year AI fellow to develop projects for implementing the technology and improving business sustainability. Three more outlets are expected to receive fellowship grants in a second round.OpenAI and Microsoft are each contributing $2.5 million in direct funding as well as $2.5 million in software and enterprise credits. The Lenfest Institute of Journalism is collaborating with OpenAI and Microsoft on the project, and announced the news today.To date, the ties between journalism and AI have mostly ranged from suspicious to litigious. OpenAI and Microsoft have been sued by the Center for Investigative Reporting, The New York Times, The Intercept, Raw Story and AlterNet. Some publications accused ChatGPT of plagiarizing their articles, and other suits centered on scraping web content for AI model training without permission or compensation. Other media outlets have opted to negotiate; Conde Nast was one of the latest to ink a deal with OpenAI for rights to their content.In a separate development, OpenAI has hired Aaron Chatterji as its first chief economist. Chatterji is a professor at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, and he also served on President Barack Obama's Council of Economic Advisers as well as in President Joe Biden's Commerce Department.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-and-microsoft-are-funding-10-million-in-grants-for-ai-powered-journalism-193042213.html?src=rss

Be warned, online merchants who see no issue in publishing phony reviews from made-up customers: that practice is no longer allowed. A federal ban on fake online reviews has taken effect.The Federal Trade Commission issued a final rule on the purchase and sale of online reviews back in August and it came into force 60 days after it was published in the Federal Register. The agency's commissioners voted unanimously in favor of the regulation.The rule bans businesses from creating, buying or selling reviews and testimonials attributed to people who don't exist, including those that are AI generated. False celebrity endorsements aren't allowed and companies can't pay or otherwise incentivize genuine customers to leave positive or negative reviews.Certain reviews and testimonials written by people who have close ties with a company without a disclaimer is a no-no. There are restrictions on soliciting reviews from close relatives of employees too.The rule includes limitations on the suppression of negative reviews from customers. It also prohibits people from knowingly selling or buying fake followers and views to inflate the influence or importance of social media accounts for commercial purposes.Fines for violating these measures could prove extremely costly. The maximum civil penalty for each infraction is currently $51,744.Fake reviews not only waste people's time and money, but also pollute the marketplace and divert business away from honest competitors," FTC Chair Lina Khan said when the rule was finalized. By strengthening the FTC's toolkit to fight deceptive advertising, the final rule will protect Americans from getting cheated, put businesses that unlawfully game the system on notice, and promote markets that are fair, honest and competitive."The rule is a positive move for consumers, with the idea that reviews should be more trustworthy in the future. In a separate victory for consumer rights, the FTC recently issued a final rule to make it as easy for people to cancel a subscription as it is to sign up for one.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/a-federal-ban-on-fake-online-reviews-is-now-in-effect-191746690.html?src=rss

Google just announced a spate of safety features coming to Messages. There's enhanced scam detection centered around texts that could lead to fraud. The company says the update provides improved analysis of scammy texts." For now, this tool will prioritize scams involving package deliveries and job offers.When Google Messages suspects a scam, it'll move the message to the spam folder or issue a warning. The app uses on-device machine learning models to detect these scams, meaning that conversations will remain private. This enhancement is rolling out now to beta users who have spam protection enabled.Google's also set to broadly roll out intelligent warnings, a feature that's been in the pilot stage for a while. This tool warns users when they get a link from an unknown sender and automatically blocks messages with links from suspicious senders." The updated safety tools also include new sensitive content warnings that automatically blurs images that may contain nudity. This is an opt-in feature and also keeps everything on the device. It'll show up in the next few months.Finally, there's a forthcoming tool that'll let people turn off messages from unknown international senders, thus cutting the scam spigot off at the source. This will automatically hide messages from international senders who aren't already in the contacts list. This feature is entering a pilot program in Singapore later this year before expanding to more countries.In addition to the above tools, Google says it's currently working on a contact verifying feature for Android. This should help put the kibosh on scammers trying to impersonate one of your contacts. The company has stated that this feature will be available sometime next year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/google-messages-adds-enhanced-scam-detection-tools-190009890.html?src=rss

Stable Diffusion, an open-source alternative to AI image generators like Midjourney and DALL-E, has been updated to version 3.5. The new model tries to right some of the wrongs (which may be an understatement) of the widely panned Stable Diffusion 3 Medium. Stability AI says the 3.5 model adheres to prompts better than other image generators and competes with much larger models in output quality. In addition, it's tuned for a greater diversity of styles, skin tones and features without needing to be prompted to do so explicitly.The new model comes in three flavors. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large is the most powerful of the trio, with the highest quality of the bunch, while leading the industry in prompt adherence. Stability AI says the model is suitable for professional uses at 1 MP resolution.Meanwhile, Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large Turbo is a distilled" version of the larger model, focusing more on efficiency than maximum quality. Stability AI says the Turbo variant still produces high-quality images with exceptional prompt adherence" in four steps.Finally, Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium (2.5 billion parameters) is designed to run on consumer hardware, balancing quality with simplicity. With its greater ease of customization, the model can generate images between 0.25 and 2 megapixel resolution. However, unlike the first two models, which are available now, Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium doesn't arrive until October 29.The new trio follows the botched Stable Diffusion 3 Medium in June. The company admitted that the release didn't fully meet our standards or our communities' expectations," as it produced some laughably grotesque body horror in response to prompts that asked for no such thing. Stability AI's repeated mentions of exceptional prompt adherence in today's announcement are likely no coincidence.Although Stability AI only briefly mentioned it in its announcement blog post, the 3.5 series has new filters to better reflect human diversity. The company describes the new models' human outputs as representative of the world, not just one type of person, with different skin tones and features, without the need for extensive prompting."Let's hope it's sophisticated enough to account for subtleties and historical sensitivities, unlike Google's debacle from earlier this year. Unprompted to do so, Gemini produced collections of egregiously inaccurate historical photos," like ethnically diverse Nazis and US Founding Fathers. The backlash was so intense that Google didn't reincorporate human generations until six months later.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/stable-diffusion-35-follows-your-prompts-more-closely-and-generates-more-diverse-people-184022965.html?src=rss

Anthropic's latest development gives its Claude AI assistant the ability to control a PC, reportedly just like a person would. The feature, dubbed 'computer use,' entered public beta today. With computer use, Claude can be directed to execute tasks such as "looking at a screen, moving a cursor, clicking buttons, and typing text," according to the company's announcement.

If you're a word and game lover like me, then prepare to join me in excitement - and, eventual frustration - as there's a new daily word puzzle of sorts. New York-based art collective MSCHF has introduced an AOL-style chatroom called Redact-A-Chat that censors a word each time someone uses it. Josh Wardle, creator of Wordle, recently worked at MSCHF there for a few years.So, how does it work? There's a main chatroom where you can write anything, but if a word gets repeated, then it's covered with a blue blurry line and unavailable for the rest of the day. I got to try it out early, and it seems duplicated words in sentences also lead to the second mention being blurred out. All words become fair game again at midnight. Announcements about newly censored words and when the time starts again come from three one-eyed safety pins reminiscent of the Microsoft Word safety pin.In a statement, MSCHF said Redact-A-Chat "forces creative communication. You must constantly keep ahead of the censor in order to continue your conversation. On the other hand, you can be that a**hole who starts working their way through the dictionary to deprive everyone else of language."If you're unsure about participating in the main room, you can start a chat just for your friends. You just click the create a chat room button, give it a name and it will appear. You can then invite other people to the group with a unique code.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/redact-a-chat-is-an-old-style-chatroom-that-censors-words-after-one-use-180014370.html?src=rss

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood, literature and music have issued a warning to the artificial intelligence industry. The Washington Post reports that more than 10,500 artists have signed an open protest letter objecting to AI developers' unlicensed use" of artists' work to train their models.The unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works, and must not be permitted," the one sentence letter reads.The letter has support from some huge names across the film, television, music and publishing industries. Some of the more famous signatures include actors Julianne Moore, Rosario Dawson, Kevin Bacon and F. Murray Abraham, as well as former Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon, author James Patterson and Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke.The unauthorized use of their work to train AI models has been an area of major concern among creatives. The SAG-AFTRA union and Writers Guild of America recently held industry-wide strikes demanding better protections for their work and livelihood against the use of AI in studio projects.There are also several lawsuits currently in courts accusing some AI developers of using copyrighted content without permission or proper compensation.On Monday, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post sued Perplexity AI for violating their copyright protections. Music labels like Universal, Warner and Sony sued the makers of the Suno and Uido AI music makers back in June for violating its copyright protections on a massive scale."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/more-than-10500-artists-sign-open-letter-protesting-unlicensed-ai-training-174544491.html?src=rss

The return of Metal Slug is almost upon us. It's been three years since spin-off Metal Slug Tactics was unveiled. After some delays, the game finally has a firm release date of November 5.Rather than the classic run-and-gun gameplay of the original games, Metal Slug Tactics takes a more methodical approach to the action. As the name suggests, it's a tactical RPG. It does retain the pixel art look of the old games, though. Metal Slug Tactics is billed as both an homage to its predecessors and a new spin on the series, with some roguelite elements designed to boost replayability.In their latest trailer, developer Leikir Studio and publisher Dotemu provide a fresh look at the game. It reveals three additional characters who appeared in earlier games from original publisher SNK in Clark Still, Ralf Jones and Leona Heidern.The last new mainline game, Metal Slug 7, debuted in 2008. Since Metal Slug Tactics was announced, a couple of other spin-offs have arrived in the form of mobile titles Metal Slug: Commander and Metal Slug: Awakening, which later came to PC. However, this one is bound for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/metal-slug-tactics-finally-arrives-on-november-5-171012984.html?src=rss

In an update spotted by 9to5Google, Samsung Health now lets users view their medical records. Samsung is working with b.well Connected Health, a platform designed to provide people with access to their health data, to make these changes happen. They can access previous medical records, including vaccinations, prescriptions and specific medical tests.Not only does Samsung Health provide information from the past. It can also provide recommendations for next steps and actions, as well as prompt users to seek medical attention.Since the end of last year, Samsung Health has had a medication tracking feature. Now, Samsung says the feature is coming to South Korea and India, and it is collaborating with healthcare providers in those countries as needed.One final notable update involves food intake monitoring. Samsung Health now has a barcode scanner to more easily record food products. The company is partnering with fatsecret, a provider of verified food and nutrition data. As a result, you can scan a barcode to get nutritional information instantly. This feature is coming first to the US and some EU countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. There are plans to expand it to other regions in the future.Samsung isn't only working to improve people's health with the Samsung Health app. The FDA greenlit a sleep detection feature for Galaxy Watch this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/medical-record-tracking-comes-to-samsung-health-170011090.html?src=rss

Only six months after iRobot launched its budget-friendly Essential robot vacuums, the lineup already has two new models. The Roomba Combo 2 Essential and Roomba Vac 2 Essential double the cleaning power" of their predecessors and bring self-emptying dust bins to the series for the first time. The Roomba Combo 2 Essential ($425) combines vacuuming and mopping capabilities, while the Vac 2 Essential ($400) is a vacuuming-only model for those without tile or hardwood floors. Both have 100 percent stronger suction than the first Essential vacs. The latter already had 20 times the suction power of the Roomba 600 series it replaced on the low end of iRobot's product line. Both machines have self-emptying capabilities, spitting dirt and debris into self-sealing bags inside the docking station. The bags can hold up to 60 days of dirt before you need to change them. The vacuums have four levels of suction power, a multi-surface bristle brush and an edge-sweeping brush. iRobot The Roomba Combo 2 Essential has the cheaper model's vacuuming capabilities while adding mopping with three levels of water dispensing. For only $25 over the vacuum-only model, this one seems like the obvious choice unless your home is fully carpeted. One thing higher-end models offer that these don't is advanced navigation with LiDAR. Instead, budget models like these move in simple (but still effective) neat rows. The Roomba Combo 2 Essential is now available in North America for $425 on iRobot's website and at third-party retailers. The vacuum-only Vac 2 Essential costs $400 and is sold at select retailers. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/the-next-gen-roomba-essential-robovacs-have-self-emptying-docks-and-double-the-suction-164014213.html?src=rss

Meta and GoFundMe have partnered up to simplify the process by which folks use social media to donate to charitable causes. GoFundMe links will still be shared via social media, but now they'll boast a suite of improvements. This integration impacts both Instagram and Facebook.The companies say the new GoFundMe links create an interactive experience for potential donors." To that end, there's a big and bold new donate button that jettisons users to the official GoFundMe page to complete the transaction. The social media posts are also now dynamic, meaning they change in real time as the amount of money raised and the number of donors fluctuates.GoFundMeThere's also new seamless" integration with Instagram Stories, which is handy. GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan said in a press release that this move was intended to give organizations the tools to inspire a new generation of supporters to make a difference for the causes they care about."These new features will soon be available in the US, Australia, Ireland, Canada and the UK. Beyond GoFundMe integration, social media sites have always experimented with different ways to streamline charitable giving. Instagram gave users the ability to create group fundraisers back in 2021 and added donation stickers before that.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-and-gofundme-team-up-to-streamline-social-media-donations-163042446.html?src=rss

FAO bargain hunters: in case you happened to miss this deal when it was previously available, the Ring Stick Up Cam has dropped back down to a record-low price at Amazon. The camera is available for $55, which is $45 off of the $100 list price. The device fell to this price a couple of times in recent months, including in the lead up to the October edition of Prime Day. The camera's name doesn't have anything to do with an old-fashioned heist. Instead, the "stick up" part refers to the fact you can position the camera just about anywhere. This is a model with a rechargeable battery, so you won't have to worry about figuring out how to hook it up to a power outlet. You can keep an eye on the live 1080p camera feed using the Ring app or a compatible Echo device, such as the Echo Show. Two-way communication is available through those too. You'll get real-time notifications when the Stick Up Cam detects movement. There's the option to set up privacy zones for which the camera won't record or enable motion detection. In addition, there's a night vision mode. To store footage in the cloud, you'll need to subscribe to the Ring Protect Plan. This costs between $5 and $20 per month. The latest Ring Battery Doorbell is on sale as well. This model only debuted in August but it has already dropped from $100 to a record low of $60. Amazon says this iteration has a 23 percent improvement in battery life compared with the prior version. There's a pin-push mount that's said to make installation easier as well, while there's support for the Head-to-Toe HD video mode seen on other Ring cameras. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-ring-stick-up-cam-is-back-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-154035881.html?src=rss

The Roborock Q5 DuoRoller+ robot vacuum is on sale via Amazon for just $300. That's 33 percent off and a record low, as the regular price is $450. This is a limited time deal, for those who tend to mull things over for significant periods of time. No judgment. I do that too. In any event, this model actually made our list of the best budget robot vacuums. We loved the suction power, the precision LiDAR mapping and the robust app and voice controls. The DuoRoller+ is actually an updated version of the original Q5 with a bevy of upgrades. The suction power has gone up to 5500 Pa, the dustbin grew to 770ml and there's a self-emptying base. This model also comes with dual brushes, thus the name, which helps deal with ornery pet hair and the like. It's worth noting that Roborock's app has come a long way in recent years, if you had trouble navigating the UI back in the day. It's still not the most polished app, but it gets the job done. The battery allows for 240 minutes of continuous use on a single charge. This translates to around 3,700 square feet of cleaning per charge. The only major downside here is that the Q5 is a traditional robovac. It can't mop. You can't beat that $300 price tag though. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-budget-robot-vacuums-is-33-percent-off-right-now-152526989.html?src=rss

Microsoft has just announced its new Xbox Wireless Headset, and it now comes with a free Dolby Atmos license. Previous iterations of the headset required owners to purchase a license separately. That's typically a $15 purchase, which covers up to 10 Windows or Xbox devices. Another notable upgrade is its battery life, which, according to Microsoft, has increased to 20 hours of playtime. Microsoft Regarding the Dolby Atmos license, Microsoft once posted that it had an exclusivity window with Dolby for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. This was later proven untrue as the company clarified that the post was published in error. However, the fact that this headset comes with a license saves users some cash and could help more people try out the technology. Our best gaming headset list also contains some headsets that come with Dolby Atmos licenses, like the Audeze Maxwell. The new Xbox Wireless Headset model doesn't only have audio improvements. The microphone now has voice isolation and an improved auto-mute to prevent outside noises from garbling your audio output. Clear communication is important when communicating with the team to win, after all. Besides having Dolby Atmos support, this new headset works with Windows Sonic and DTS Headphone:X. Windows Sonic is a spatial sound solution found on Windows computers. DTS Headphone:X is another 3D sound solution also for Windows, but requires a free download from the Microsoft Store. All three are designed to help enhance game audio and make it more immersive for the player. If the sound isn't good enough for your tastes, you can adjust it using the Xbox Accessories app. To reduce latency, the Xbox Wireless Headset comes with a Qualcomm S5 Gen 2 chipset. It also has Bluetooth 5.3 support. Currently, the Xbox Wireless Headset is available for purchase for $110. While Microsoft hasn't mentioned which regions have it in stock, it's available in select regions both online and from retailers. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/the-xbox-wireless-headset-receives-microphone-and-battery-life-upgrades-151455182.html?src=rss

It's now harder to know where celebrities are flying to and their carbon emissions, with Meta shutting down Instagram and Threads accounts devoted to tracking private jets, TechCrunch reports. "Given the risk of physical harm to individuals, and in keeping with the independent Oversight Board's recommendation, we've disabled these accounts for violating our privacy policy," Meta told the publication. Deleted accounts include those tracking the flights of Taylor Swift, Bill Gates and, the head of Meta himself, Mark Zuckerberg.Jack Sweeney, a college student in his early 20s who runs the accounts, confirmed the news on his personal account. It's the latest in a line of pushback he has faced in the past. In Late 2022, Elon Musk suspended Sweeney's @ElonJet account - which tracked Musk's flights - on X (then Twitter). He soon made an account with the handle @ElonJetNextDay to post Musk's flights with a one day delay. Then, one year later, Taylor Swift's lawyers sent Sweeney a cease-and-desist letter stating, "While this may be a game to you, or an avenue that you hope will earn you wealth or fame, it is a life-or-death matter for our Client."In May, Sweeney's job became a little bit harder, with the Biden administration allowing anyone with a private aircraft to keep their registration data anonymous. However, Sweeney said tips and other research make it still doable.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-bans-private-jet-tracking-accounts-on-instagram-and-threads-140429820.html?src=rss

If you're a game developer or animator, chances are you frequent sites like the Unreal Engine Marketplace, Quixel, ArtStation Marketplace and Sketchfab Store. The days of buying assets from each of these stores separately are over, as Epic Games just launched Fab, its new marketplace merging all of the sites mentioned above.While the Fab website is live, Unreal Engine 5 Editor users can also access it in the app directly when the update is live. Unreal Editor for Fortnite also has Fab integration, which is currently down for maintenance.Fab's content includes animations, VFX, environments, characters, plug-ins and much more. These assets may have either a Creative Commons license or Standard License; the latter comes in Personal and Professional tiers. Epic Games says that both tiers of the Fab Standard License allow assets to be used in any game engine you want. However, the Creative Commons license only allows assets to be used on Unreal Engine. 3D assets can also be viewed in real time before purchasing to ensure developers only get the products they need.Epic GamesThe entire Quixel Megascans library is available for free now until the end of this year, and the contents are free to use in all engines and creation tools. There are 17,000 assets from the original library, along with 10 packs accompanying Fab's launch.Epic Games also mentioned some future goals for Fab, including Roblox and Minecraft assets, access to MetaHumans and more. There will also be a portion of Fab's Megascans content made free next year in the form of a starter pack.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/epic-games-launches-a-new-unified-game-development-assets-marketplace-fab-135335228.html?src=rss

WhatsApp just announced that it'll soon let users add contacts from any device, and not just a primary phone, thus solving one of life's little annoyances. A forthcoming update will let people add and manage contacts via the web client, on a Windows PC and eventually other linked devices."Users will also be able to save a contact exclusively to WhatsApp without syncing to a phone, which is useful when sharing a handset with others or for those who manage both work and personal WhatsApp accounts on the same device. Meta says that this will also solve the problem of people losing all of their contacts when they misplace a phone, as the contacts will be fully restorable.Even better? The company says this is the first step toward what many consider the holy grail" of potential improvements. WhatsApp is getting usernames, so you won't have to save someone's information via a phone number. Meta says this will add an extra degree of privacy" since you can share a username without sharing a phone number.The multi-device contacts tool is rolling out gradually over the coming weeks and months." There's no ETA on dedicated usernames. WhatsApp has been busy lately, in light of crossing an audience retention milestone. The app recently unveiled enhanced video calling and passkey support on iOS.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/whatsapp-will-soon-let-users-add-contacts-from-any-device-130047546.html?src=rss