Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Formula 1 may do its preseason tests right before the new schedule of races begins, but Formula E holds its trials months before the first E-Prix. The official action starts in Mexico City in January, but last week the all-electric series took to the turns of Valencia for its annual preseason test. 2024's Season 10 will be the second for the ultra-efficient Gen3 car, following a debut that delivered lots of wheel-to-wheel racing and a hard-fought driver's championship that was decided in the final two races. While there isn't a new car this year, there's still plenty to know before the lights go out in Mexico.A battery fire cut testing shortTeams lost a considerable amount of track time after a battery fire following the Tuesday morning session. The Race reports that the incident occurred in a pit stall occupied by WAE, the all-electric series' battery supplier. The fire reportedly started from a battery that had been removed from the DS Penske driven by rookie Robert Shwartzman for three separate stints. Shwartzman had to stop on track due to an issue and once the car was back in the pit lane, the battery was removed and taken to WAE for inspection. Motorsport.com reports that the automatic battery safety system was activated causing the driver to stop. According to The Race, witnesses say there was a small audible explosion about 90 minutes after the car came to a halt on the circuit.Formula E canceled the Tuesday afternoon and both Wednesday sessions while it looked into the cause of the fire. One person was taken to the hospital as a precaution but was released without any treatment. The series' governing body, the FIA, deemed conditions safe to resume testing on Thursday afternoon following investigations and findings provided by the technical suppliers," Formula E explained.As The Race notes, there has never been a traction battery fire at an E-Prix in nearly 10 years of events. There were incidents in 2015 and 2017, but those affected the smaller 12-volt battery. This was also unrelated to the new Attack Charge as Shwartzman had yet to demo that infrastructure. Formula E only had eight units for 11 teams and DS Penske didn't have one at the time, The Race reports.The first female driver in a Gen3 carGabriela Jilkova drives the TAG Heuer PorscheSimon GallowayDuring the preseason test in Valencia, teams were required to put rookie drivers in their cars for three of the 18 scheduled hours of running. The lineup included former F2 driver Robert Shwartzman (DS Penske) and current F2 drivers Victor Martins (Nissan) and Zane Maloney (Andretti), among others. The rookie test saw the first female driver in a Gen3 Formula E car as well. LMP3 and GT4 driver Gabriela Jilkova got behind the wheel of the Porsche team's EVs, completing a 46-lap run. Formula E previously held rookie tests ahead of the Berlin E-Prix and during an extra practice session in Rome, both happening earlier this year.The first test of Attack ChargeDuring a 10-hour session last Friday, Formula E held a simulated race, giving teams a 27-lap trial to test setups, run through safety car periods and demo the upcoming Attack Charge pit stops. The series had planned to introduce the stops last season, but supply-chain issues meant the technology would only be ready for the final few races. By then, Formula E felt it would be too late and decided to postpone the debut of Attack Charge to this season.

Nearly two years after its prototype debut and eight months after its public beta, Sony's GT Sophy racing AI for Gran Turismo 7 is back, and going by Gran Turismo Sophy 2.0 now. It will be available to all PlayStation 5 users as part of the GT7 Spec II Update (Patch Update 1.40) being released on Wednesday, November 2 at 2 a.m. ET.We got our first look at the Sophy system back in February 2022. At that point it was already handily beating professional Gran Turismo players. Gran Turismo Sophy is a significant development in AI whose purpose is not simply to be better than human players, but to offer players a stimulating opponent that can accelerate and elevate the players' techniques and creativity to the next level," Sony AI CEO, Hiroaki Kitano, said at the time. In addition to making contributions to the gaming community, we believe this breakthrough presents new opportunities in areas such as autonomous racing, autonomous driving, high-speed robotics and control."The system's public beta this past February saw the AI competing against a small subset of the game's user base in the Gran Turismo Sophy Race Together" event. Players who had already progressed sufficiently through the game were granted access to the special race, where they faced off against four AI-controlled opponents in a limited number of tracks.The difference [between racers] is that, it's essentially the power you have versus the other cars on the track," Sony AI's COO, Michael Spranger, told Engadget in February. You have different levels of performance. In the beginning level, you have a much more powerful vehicle - still within the same class, but you're much faster [than your competition]." That advantage shrank as players advanced through the race rounds and Sophy gained access to increasingly capable vehicles. In September, Sophy learned to drift.We have evolved GT Sophy from a research project tackling the grand challenge of creating an AI agent that could outperform top drivers in a top simulation racing game, to a functional game feature that provides all game players a formidable, human-like opponent that enhances the overall racing experience," Spranger said in a press statement released Wednesday.With Wednesday's announcement, the number of vehicles Sophy can pilot rises from the meager four models available during the beta event, to 340 (yes, three hundred and forty) vehicles across nine unique tracks. Per Sony, that means Sophy can drive 95 percent of the playable in-game models and will select its car for the race based on what the player has available in their garage (that way they're not randomly facing down a 918 in a Nissan Versa or are otherwise disadvantaged). The five percent of models it can't drive are the handful of hyper-spec specialty cars like the karts or Dodge SRT Tomahawk VGT.Players can match against Sophy in Quick Race mode (formerly "Arcade") regardless of their advancement through the game or current skill level. As long as you have a PS5, a network connection and the latest update patch installed, you too can get Toretto'ed by a stack of algorithmic processes. Good luck.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-gt-sophy-racing-ai-gran-turismo-7-ps5-130057992.html?src=rss

If you ask Psync Labs, it'll tell you the problem with smart security cameras is that they don't know what they're seeing. Those motion pings you get with other products? Defined by how light shifts in front of its sensor, treating an approaching figure or low-flying bird with equal alarm. So, Psync's focus is to improve machine vision, but to also go one step further and pair this vision with GPT-enabled generative AI to help it, and you, understand what it can see. Its first product, the Genie S, is a security camera that'll send you a written description of what (it thinks) is going on.On paper, the Genie S has a similar feature set to plenty of other affordable home security units I could mention. There's a powered pan-tilt base, five megapixel camera (outputting 2K Video), four LEDs, a microphone and speaker. But there are differences, like the fact it's in the shape of a cube that, when it's not activated, points the lens toward the base. Psync says it's the most compact camera in its class, but probably not by as big a margin as the company hopes. Setup is easy enough - put it on a table, or use the screw mount to place it somewhere more esoteric, plug in the six foot long USB-C cable, and you're on your way.Psync says that a smarter camera will be better-equipped to capture what's going on at home, but that's not its best use case. VP of marketing Echo Wong says that the hardware is able to record those memorable moments that fly by quicker than we can pull out our phones." But I don't think you would want to buy this on the off-chance it catches junior's first word or steps. The more prosaic sales line, the one that probably wouldn't fly as well, is that it's a security camera with the added promise of not bugging you with needless pings because of the promise of AI smarts.Buy one of these, and you'll get the choice of a unit with 32GB built-in storage for $35 or 64GB for $40. I mention this up-front because we're very much in you get what you pay for" territory in terms of the picture and sound quality. It shoots vertically-oriented 2K video but the clips are pretty fuzzy, even if you can zoom in to get some halfway useful detail if required. It doesn't like too much light, so if it's pointed at a window (and/or anything reflective) then chunks of the image will get blown out. Similarly, the sound quality is something of a throwback to an earlier age of crunchy, over-compressed streams. You'll get similarly crunchy audio using the talk feature, which has similarly walkie-talkie" vibes that you won't find on pricier hardware.Psync Labs Of course, that's not what anyone is here for, but to see what this new company - of which little is known -has cooked up with AI. ViewSay is Psync's transcription tool which uses GPT, a form of generative AI, to essentially let the camera describe in text what it's seeing. ViewSay, which currently costs 99 cents a month, promises to identify objects, sort events that triggered the recording in a visual timeline, let you search through the clips with text and, of course, the aforementioned written pings. Pay, your fee, set this up, and your phone will ping when it spots something interesting, and give you the best description of what is going on that it can manage. Users can also set specific categories, like "Person," "Vehicle," "Pet" and will eventually be able to craft tailored alerts, like "a dog jumps on the couch" for alerts.Oh, but there is a catch - because that fairly reasonable 99 cents a month is just a limited-time trial, before leaping up to $7 a month. Which, we can all agree, is more than a little bit too much to spend on a product like this, especially in this economic climate.ViewSay is currently in beta, and while the app splash to get you to sign up promises plenty, the company is keen to keep expectations low. My impression so far is that while Psync has the bones of a workable idea here in theory, the nitty-gritty of practice isn't. I pointed the camera at a neutral corner in my office and play-acted in front of it to see what it would do. My fake phone-call, where I learned that my (fictional) wife had discovered the secret to perpetual motion, went unremarked upon and undocumented. Well, kinda - the camera pinged my phone to say that A man is sitting in a chair in a room, looking at his reflection in a mirror."Actually, I'm being unfair - since the system can also make fairly accurate guesses at other times. Like, while I was setting the hardware up late one evening, I got a ping to tell me that a man is sitting on the floor, holding a cell phone in his hand." A few days later, I pointed the camera at a TV which was turned off, and the Echo Show that was in front of it. I then turned back to use my laptop - which I think was only really visible in the reflection on the TV's screen. Not long after, the app pinged to say it could see a A man is sitting in front of a laptop, looking at the screen, and possibly using it for work or entertainment purposes." Now, this was either a massively-lucky guess, a false positive or a sign of how accurate this will be in future.Photo by Daniel Cooper / Engadget.When it detects something going on in this manner, the system records a 12-second clip to its local storage. These clips are retained for at least 14 days, and when you've looked at them in the app, you're also able to save them to your phone. I understand you'll also be able to take longer clips when motion is detected but that feature doesn't yet appear to be available. You'll also be able to share a live feed of your camera, using WebRTC, to up to four viewers - through a browser - for up to 30 minutes at a time. You might be wondering about how secure all of this is, and what exactly is happening to your data. Psync told me that its AI model is based on an AWS instance, and the footage is protected using 256-bit AES encryption. The footage recorded will be stored on the device locally, but the initial frame of the video is sent to the cloud for further analysis.As something of an AI skeptic, and someone who isn't thrilled at wiring up every corner of my home with a camera, I'm by default hostile to Psync's plan here. But I can at least see where Psync is looking to add value to the standard security camera proposition. If you're out and about, and you get a ping saying there's a person in your living room, when there shouldn't be, then that's pretty helpful. Especially if you can just tune into the live feed and see for yourself what's going on and if you need to do something about it. As much as the macro story is scary, I can understand the logic someone would apply to buy one or two of these.But it's worth saying too that what I just described isn't yet what Psync is selling, only what it is gesturing toward. The system will require more training, and plenty more data from a broader user base, until it can start offering you more concrete descriptions. Now, I'm sure that in a year or two that will be the case, but until then, you're essentially buying into an ecosystem where you're paying for the privilege of being a beta tester.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/psyncs-genie-s-security-camera-uses-gpt-to-describe-what-it-sees-130043520.html?src=rss

YouTube is no longer preventing just a small subset of its userbase from accessing its videos if they have an ad blocker. The platform has gone all out in its fight against the use of add-ons, extensions and programs that prevent it from serving ads to viewers around the world, it confirmed to Engadget. "The use of ad blockers violate YouTube's Terms of Service," a spokesperson told us. "We've launched a global effort to urge viewers with ad blockers enabled to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium for an ad free experience. Ads support a diverse ecosystem of creators globally and allow billions to access their favorite content on YouTube."YouTube started cracking down on the use of ad blockers earlier this year. It initially showed pop-ups to users telling them that it's against the website's TOS, and then it put a timer on those notifications to make sure people read it. By June, it took on a more aggressive approach and warned viewers that they wouldn't be able to play more than three videos unless they disable their ad blockers. That was a "small experiment" meant to urge users to enable ads or to try YouTube Premium, which the website has now expanded to its entire userbase. Some people can't even play videos on Microsoft Edge and Firefox browsers even if they don't have ad blockers, according to Android Police, but we weren't able to replicate that behavior.People are unsurprisingly unhappy about the development and have taken to social networks like Reddit to air their grievances. If they don't want to enable ads, after all, the only way they can watch videos with no interruptions is to pay for a YouTube Premium subscription. Indeed, the notification viewers get heavily promotes the subscription service. "Ads allow YouTube to stay free for billions of users worldwide," it says. But with YouTube Premium, viewers can go ad-free, and "creators can still get paid from [their] subscription."The website raised Premium's rates to $14 a month in July from $12 before that. YouTube Premium also gives users access to offline viewing, background playback and higher-quality 1080p streaming, but it could be too expensive for those who just want an ad-free experience. The platform used to offer a more affordable option called Premium Lite in certain European regions, and it only cost 7 ($7.42) a month to remove advertisements from videos. However, it never made Lite available worldwide and ultimately killed that option by the end of October.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtube-is-taking-its-fight-against-ad-blockers-global-122041223.html?src=rss

LinkedIn is adding a new, AI-powered perk for its premium subscribers: a built-in job coach that uses AI and LinkedIn data to help job seekers find, research and apply for roles. The new feature arrives as the company announced its user base has grown to 1 billion members as it looks to ramp up its investment in AI-driven features.The Microsoft-owned company has increasingly been experimenting with AI features for its paying members. Earlier this year, it introduced the ability to use generative AI to write better profile descriptions and messages to hiring managers. But the latest AI perks aim to provide an even more personalized experience.For now, the most prominent feature for job seekers will be AI-generated insights alongside each job posting. The tool can help summarize lengthy job descriptions and weigh in on whether the role is a good fit for a user based on the contents of their LinkedIn profile. For example, it can highlight specific work experiences users' may want to emphasize in their application and provide tips on how to improve their LinkedIn profile to look more attractive to hiring managers.LinkedInBecause LinkedIn is able to draw on its vast trove of career data, the tips it's able to provide are much more personalized than what you'd likely get if you were to ask other generative AI services for tips, says LinkedIn product manager Rohan Rajiv. This is made possible by generative AI, but also the datasets that bring all of this together," Rajiv tells Engadget. It's your profile, your connections, and all of this that essentially can help you move your job search forward."For now, it's still early days for the feature which is launching in beta to a limited set of LinkedIn Premium subscribers. But the company has signaled it intends to make AI a central part of its service going forward. Today marks the beginning of a new journey, one where the power of AI is your ally in every career question and decision," LinkedIn's Chief Product Officer, Tomer Cohen, wrote in a blog post.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/linkedins-latest-premium-perk-is-an-ai-job-coach-120044855.html?src=rss

Following President Joe Biden's sweeping executive order regarding AI development last week, at the UK AI Safety Summit yesterday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced even more machine learning initiatives, as well as the establishment of the United States AI Safety Institute. In cooperation with the Department of Commerce, the Biden administration will establish the United States AI Safety Institute (US AISI) within the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology). It will be responsible for creating and publishing guidelines, benchmark tests, best practices and more, for evaluating potentially dangerous AI systems. Tests may even include the red-team exercises President Biden mentioned in his executive order last week.The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) - it's an acronym-heavy morning - will release the administration's first draft policy guidance on government AI use later this week.- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedThe Google Pixel 7a is cheaper than ever at $374 in this early Black Friday dealApple's Scary Fast Mac event: Everything announced about the M3 MacBook Pro and M3 iMacThe best wireless earbudsSamsung credits strong smartphone and mobile display sales for income growthThe best iPhone cases Microsoft's Windows 11 2023 update brings Copilot AI to more usersSurface Laptop Studio 2 reviewThe ultimate all-rounder?EngadgetMicrosoft's Surface Laptop Studio packs a unique blend of performance and adaptability - even among 2-in-1 PCs. Thanks to refreshed specs plus a USB-A port and a microSD card reader, it seems like Microsoft's second-gen mobile workstation has pretty much everything it needs. Unfortunately, with a high starting price and costly upgrades, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 is still difficult to recommend to everyone.Continue reading.Chrome for iOS now lets you move the address bar to the bottomPerfect for those iPhone Pro Max owners.Google's new feature for Chrome on iOS doesn't massively change the browser, but it could be helpful if you find tapping the top of your iPhone screen a bit of a stretch. The company has rolled out the ability to move the browser's address bar to the bottom of the screen from the top, a la Safari. Oddly, this isn't yet a feature in Android's Chrome app.Continue reading.Tesla's Autopilot was not to blame for fatal 2019 Model 3 crashThe crash killed the car's 37-year-old driver and severely injured two passengers.Tesla was not at fault for a fatal 2019 crash that allegedly involved its Autopilot system, according to a jury in California. It's the first US trial for a case claiming its software directly caused a death, with the car's driver killed in the crash. The lawsuit alleged Tesla knowingly shipped cars with a defective Autopilot system. The jury ultimately found there was no defect, and Tesla was cleared on Tuesday.Continue reading.Ayaneo's Kun is an even more powerful gaming handheldThis powerful handheld could also be your favorite laptop.EngadgetThe Ayaneo Kun is the highest-spec gaming machine the company has ever made, and after using it for a couple of weeks, Engadget's James Trew says it's both a fantastic gaming handheld and (if you want) a decent portable general-use PC. But it feels, he said, that the Kun is just a placeholder for the Kun 2, or the Kun 1S, Kun Pro or... whatever they call the next upgraded handheld. Notable specs include a huge 75Wh battery and the ability to play games at 1600p resolution - a substantial nudge above the usual 1200p max of other Ayaneo devices. Read on for the full breakdown.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-us-government-announces-ai-safety-institute-111551804.html?src=rss

A bunch of Sony headphones, earbuds and other audio devices are on sale at Amazon, including the Sony WH-CH720N headset, which is currently selling for the lowest price we've seen for it on the website. You can get the noise canceling wireless headphones for $98, down 35 percent from their original list price of $150. They have a lightweight, over-ear design with ample space around your ears so that they'd be comfortable to use. And while you can completely block out outside noise for full immersion, you can also switch on their Adjustable Ambient Sound mode that comes with 20 levels for when you want to be aware of your surroundings.You can pair the WH-CH720N with two Bluetooth devices at the same time, and you can easily switch between them at the touch of a button. Plus, the model supports both Alexa and Google's voice assistants, and Sony says it can last for up to 35 hours on a single charge.The most deeply discounted product among the ones currently on sale, however, are the Sony WH-XB910N wireless headphones. They have the power to enhance low-end frequencies for extra bass with their "dedicated bass duct on the headphone housing" and "increased airtightness between the driver units and eardrums." The headphones use dual noise cancelation technology to keep ambient sounds out, and like the WH-CH720N, you can quickly switch between two connected Bluetooth devices. You can get the Sony WH-XB910N headphones right now for $118, which isn't quite a record-low for the model but is still 53 percent lower than its original price.If you're looking for earbuds instead of headphones, you can also grab a pair of Sony LinkBuds S with noise canceling capabilities for $128 (36 percent off) from the sale. Want earbuds designed to let ambient sounds in? The Sony LinkBuds earbuds with an open-ring design now also cost $128, or 29 percent less than their original list price. Finally, you can find deals on subwoofers and sound bars from Amazon, as well, if those are what you've been eyeing for the upcoming holiday season.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/sony-anc-headphones-are-up-to-53-percent-off-at-amazon-095038076.html?src=rss

Just days after President Joe Biden unveiled a sweeping executive order retasking the federal government with regards to AI development, Vice President Kamala Harris announced at the UK AI Safety Summit on Tuesday a half dozen more machine learning initiatives that the administration is undertaking. Among the highlights: the establishment of the United States AI Safety Institute, the first release of draft policy guidance on the federal government's use of AI and a declaration on the responsible military applications for the emerging technology."President Biden and I believe that all leaders, from government, civil society, and the private sector have a moral, ethical, and societal duty to make sure AI is adopted and advanced in a way that protects the public from potential harm and ensures that everyone is able to enjoy its benefits," Harris said in her prepared remarks."Just as AI has the potential to do profound good, it also has the potential to cause profound harm, from AI-enabled cyber-attacks at a scale beyond anything we have seen before to AI-formulated bioweapons that could endanger the lives of millions," she said. The existential threats that generative AI systems present was a central theme of the summit."To define AI safety we must consider and address the full spectrum of AI risk - threats to humanity as a whole, threats to individuals, to our communities and to our institutions, and threats to our most vulnerable populations," she continued. "To make sure AI is safe, we must manage all these dangers."To that end, Harris announced Wednesday that the White House, in cooperation with the Department of Commerce, is establishing the United States AI Safety Institute (US AISI) within the NIST. It will be responsible for actually creating and publishing the all of the guidelines, benchmark tests, best practices and such for testing and evaluating potentially dangerous AI systems.These tests could include the red-team exercises that President Biden had mentioned in his EO. The AISI would also be tasked in providing technical guidance to lawmakers and law enforcement on a wide range of AI-related topics, including identifying generated content, authenticating live-recorded content, mitigating AI-driven discrimination, and ensuring transparency in its use.Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is set to release for public comment the administration's first draft policy guidance on government AI use later this week. Like the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights that it builds upon, the draft policy guidance outlines steps that the national government can take to "advance responsible AI innovation" while maintaining transparency and protecting federal workers from increased surveillance and job displacement. This draft guidance will eventually be used to establish safeguards for the use of AI in a broad swath of public sector applications including transportation, immigration, health and education so it is being made available for public comment at ai.gov/input.Harris also announced during her remarks that the Political Declaration on the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy the US issued in February has collected 30 signatories to date, all of whom have agreed to a set of norms for responsible development and deployment of military AI systems. Just 165 nations to go! The administration is also launching a a virtual hackathon in efforts to blunt the harm AI-empowered phone and internet scammers can inflict. Hackathon participants will work to build AI models that can counter robocalls and robotexts, especially those targeting elderly folks with generated voice scams.Content authentication is a growing focus of the Biden-Harris administration. President Biden's EO explained that the Commerce Department will be spearheading efforts to validate content produced by the White House through a collaboration with the C2PA and other industry advocacy groups. They'll work to establish industry norms, such as the voluntary commitments previously extracted from 15 of the largest AI firms in Silicon Valley. In her remarks, Harris extended that call internationally, asking for support from all nations in developing global standards in authenticating government-produced content.These voluntary [company] commitments are an initial step toward a safer AI future, with more to come," she said. "As history has shown in the absence of regulation and strong government oversight, some technology companies choose to prioritize profit over: The wellbeing of their customers; the security of our communities; and the stability of our democracies.""One important way to address these challenges - in addition to the work we have already done - is through legislation - legislation that strengthens AI safety without stifling innovation," Harris continued.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/kamala-harris-announces-ai-safety-institute-to-protect-american-consumers-060011065.html?src=rss

Your EV may go a long way between charges, but can it carry dozens of passengers? GreenPower can boast both of those things with its latest electric school bus called "Mega Beast," it announced in a press release spotted by Electrek. A massive 387 kWh battery supplies nearly 300 miles of range and it can carry up to 90 people - around three classrooms full of kids.The long wheelbase Type D model features "the longest range and has the biggest battery pack in the school bus market," GreenPower said. It uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP)battery pack that offers high energy density and a longer life span, but a higher initial cost.Mega Beast is a souped up version of GreenPower's regular 140 mile range, 197.3 kWh Beast ("Beast" stands for "battery electric automotive school transportation"). Along with double the battery size, it offers better hill-climbing power, the company wrote.Why the need for so much range, when buses usually do just two runs per day? This version is designed for longer range routes at rural schools, for example, or school districts that can't necessarily charge a bus at mid-day. It's also aimed at regions with "extreme weather conditions and schools that also use the all-electric bus for extra-curricular activities."Large electric school buses with around 100 miles of range can cost $300,000 to $400,000, up to four times the price of a diesel-powered school bus. However, maintenance costs are lower and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently launched the Clean School Bus Program providing $5 billion over five years to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models. Other companies building electric buses include Daimler via its Thomas-Built Buses division, along with Blue Bird.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/this-90-passenger-school-bus-has-nearly-300-miles-of-range-044741117.html?src=rss

The antitrust lawsuit Epic Games and Match Group have filed against Google was supposed to go to trial on November 6, but now it looks like the video game developer might go at it alone. Google and Match, the parent company of Tinder, OkCupid and Hinge, have reached an agreement and have agreed to drop all claims against each other. According to Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, Google has agreed to return the $40 million Match had place in escrow to cover the service fees it would supposedly owe the Alphabet unit while the dispute is ongoing.Match also announced in its earning report that its apps will be using Google's User Choice Billing program starting on March 31, 2024. Under the program, users will have the option to choose between Google's and the developer's billing systems when purchasing an app or paying for a subscription. If they choose to use Google's system, then Match will have to pay Google 15 percent for recurring subscriptions and 30 percent for one-off payments. Google's cut is reduced to 11 percent and 26 percent, respectively, for payments that go through the developer's provided alternative. The dating services provider said that the terms they agreed on will offset the additional costs its apps will incur implementing the User Choice Billing program over three years starting in 2024.Tinder's parent company originally sued Google in 2022, accusing it of violating federal and state antitrust laws. Match said that Google previously assured it that it could use its own payment system. However, when it announced a new policy that would require all Android developers to process payments through the Play Store billing system, Google allegedly threatened to remove its apps from the store if it didn't comply. Match also claimed that the company had been rejecting app updates that maintained the payment system it was using.Later that year, Match had joined up with Epic Games, and the two consolidated their antitrust lawsuit against their common foe. They even expanded their allegations and accused Google of paying major developers hundreds of millions of dollars to keep their apps in the Play Store. Bloomberg says Epic is now scheduled to face Google in court alone on November 2, and the judge is waiting for both parties to decide whether they want a jury to make the decision for their case. Epic had also sued Apple over the same issue, but in Google's case, the court has to acknowledge that Android users can sideload applications to their devices. The video game developer hasn't dropped any hints that it's also hashing out an agreement with the bigger company, but we'll know for sure if the trial still pushes through on November 2.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-and-match-group-settle-antitrust-case-before-it-goes-to-trial-041158809.html?src=rss

A California jury has found that Tesla was not at fault for a fatal 2019 crash that allegedly involved its Autopilot system, in the first US trial yet for a case claiming its software directly caused a death. The lawsuit alleged Tesla knowingly shipped out cars with a defective Autopilot system, leading to a crash that killed a Model 3 owner and severely injured two passengers, Reuters reports.Per the lawsuit, 37-year-old Micah Lee was driving his Tesla Model 3 on a highway outside of Los Angeles at 65 miles per hour when it turned sharply off the road and slammed into a palm tree before catching fire. Lee died in the crash. The company was sued for $400 million plus punitive damages by Lee's estate and the two surviving victims, including a boy who was 8 years old at the time and was disemboweled in the accident, according to an earlier report from Reuters.Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that Tesla sold Lee defective, experimental" software when he bought a Model 3 in 2019 that was billed to have full self-driving capability. The FSD system was and still is in beta. In his opening statement, their attorney Jonathan Michaels also said that the excessive steering command is a known issue at Tesla."Tesla's defense argued that there was no such defect, and that an analysis cited by the plaintiffs' lawyers identifying a steering issue was actually looking for problems that were theoretically possible. A fix to prevent it from ever happening was engineered as a result of that analysis, according to the company. Tesla blamed human error for the crash, pointing to tests that showed Lee had consumed alcohol before getting in the car, and argued that there's no certainty Autopilot was in use at the time.The jury ultimately found there was no defect, and Tesla was cleared on Tuesday. Tesla has faced lawsuits over its Autopilot system in the past, but this is the first involving a fatality. It's scheduled to go on trial for several others in the coming months, and today's ruling is likely to set the tone for those ahead.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/teslas-autopilot-was-not-to-blame-for-fatal-2019-model-3-crash-jury-finds-210643301.html?src=rss

Atari has agreed to buy developer Digital Eclipse. The acquisition, which is expected to close in the coming days, will be worth up to $20 million based on the performance of Digital Eclipse over the next decade. Atari says that by bringing Digital Eclipse under its wing, it "will be able to further support its retro-focused growth strategy."Over the last several years, Digital Eclipse has become well-known for its expertise in remastering older titles and releasing them as collections. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion Kingand the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection are among its more notable projects.Digital Eclipse caught the attention of many last year with Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection. That well-regarded compilation pulled together dozens of games from across Atari's 50-year history and placed them in context with the help of marketing and development documents, archival footage and new interviews with former Atari employees. Digital Eclipse built on the "interactive documentary" format with this year's release of The Making of Karateka.It plans to continue with this Gold Master Series preservation project under Atari's umbrella. It will still have the ability to work with third-party developers and publishers, and there are several non-Atari projects in the works that it has yet to announce.Atari seems to be on a mission to become a powerhouse in retro gaming and game preservation. It also bought Nightdive Studios, a developer that specializes in remasters, and AtariAge (a community and news site that focuses on Atari) this year. In addition, Atari has been snapping up many gaming franchises from the 1980s and 1990s.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/atari-is-buying-retro-game-specialist-digital-eclipse-195419696.html?src=rss

Therabody's Theragun Mini 2.0 massage device is on sale as part of Target's Black Friday sale for $170. That's $30 off the MSRP of $200 and matches a previous record-low for the massage gun, so this early Black Friday deal could be your best chance to snag a muscle-soothing percussive therapy gadget on the cheap.To that end, the deal's only accessible today and requires a Target Circle membership. Don't worry. It's free to sign up, and once you do you'll get a coupon code you can clip directly on the product page.This is the second-generation Theragun Mini, with three massage speeds that offer up to 2,400 percussions per minute. It also ships with a trio of attachments designed for different muscle groups and the Mini boasts a rechargeable battery that gets two hours of use per charge. This massage gun actually made our list of the best fitness devices for college students, but you don't need your head in a text book to appreciate vibration-based pain relief.Despite being a smaller and more budget-friendly version of Therabody's other products, we found that the Mini works nearly as well as its larger counterparts when it comes to easing tight muscles. We appreciated its one-handed design, decreased noise level during use and powerful motor.This is a battery-powered wireless massage gun that gets around two hours of use per charge. It also connects to a proprietary app via Bluetooth that helps you create custom routines to treat specific ailments. It's also worth noting that the Mini is also around 30 percent lighter than the company's other massage guns, which helps with that whole one-handed use aspect. Now you'll never have to admit weakness by asking someone else to help with muscle tightness.Target is actually selling a few Therabody products at steep discounts, all of which return to their normal prices once Halloween is over. Beyond the Mini in black or tan, you can snag the company's eye mask massaging device for 15 percent off.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/the-theragun-mini-20-drops-to-a-record-low-price-in-early-target-black-friday-deal-183342874.html?src=rss

Google's budget Pixel 7a was already a more affordable alternative to the flagship Pixel, but with a 25 percent discount on Amazon right now, it's an absolute steal. The Pixel 7a is down to just $374 from its original price of $500. It's the lowest we've seen it drop yet, beating even the October Prime Day price by $25. The discounted Pixel 7a is unlocked for all carriers, and available in the colors Charcoal, Sea and Snow.While it may not have everything you'd get in a flagship, the Pixel 7a is still a really solid smartphone. It has a smooth 90Hz display and a Tensor G2 chip, plus 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The battery life is great, too. In our review, where it earned a score of 90, we found the Pixel 7a's 4,385mAh battery kept it going for an impressive 17 hours and 41 minutes. The Pixel 7a is also the first in Google's A series to support wireless charging. It's not groundbreaking, capping out at 7.5 watts, but it's still a nice convenience.The Pixel 7a holds up in just about every category, and we ranked it as the best midrange Android smartphone in 2023. It boasts a 64MP camera on the back which does a great job of preserving detail, and shots taken in Night Sight mode even beat Samsung's Galaxy S23 when comparing white balance. The selfie camera is crisp as well, and now capable of shooting video in 4K.Designwise, the 7a looks a lot like the flagship Pixel 7, though it's slightly bulkier and has plastic backing. It's got a 6.1 OLED screen and a water resistance rating of IP67. It'll also get years of updates, with at least three OS upgrades and five years of security updates. There are some things it's missing, being a budget phone - like a dedicated zoom lens - but at only $374, that may not be a dealbreaker.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/the-google-pixel-7a-is-cheaper-than-ever-at-374-in-this-early-black-friday-deal-173045009.html?src=rss

Skating video games are always a good time, especially when paired with high-octane action and violence. Rollerdrome is no exception, allowing players to complete death-defying roller-skating tricks and death-inducing headshots all at the same time. The game's been an absolute hit since originally releasing for PS4, PS5 and Steam back in August of last year. Now, it's coming to Xbox as a day one Game Pass title.Rollerdrome releases for Xbox Series X/S via Game Pass on November 28. It's also launching as a standalone Windows PC title, which will be available for purchase on the Microsoft Store for $30. As previously mentioned, it's already playable on PC via Steam, but additional purchase options are never a bad thing.If you're unfamiliar with the game, here's a quick primer. Rollerdrome was developed by Roll7, the same team behind the uber-popular skateboarding sim OlliOlli World. The game has all of the tricks and speedy movement you'd expect from a roller-skating simulation, but with a heavy emphasis on action. We called the game endlessly replayable" and gave it a spot on our list of the best video games of 2022, emphasizing the challenge mode and online leaderboards. We also liked the dystopian vibes, making gameplay resemble the 1970s cult classic dystopian film Rollerball. This was likely intentional on the part of the developers.The graphics on this third-person skater/shooter are also on-point, with bright, comic-book style visuals. There are plenty of environments to skate through, like an abandoned mall and a desert canyon. Each play area is littered with ramps, gaps and breakable windows, all of which can be leveraged for tricks. There's also plenty of baddies to murder with weapons ranging from shotguns to grenade launchers.This is a busy November for Game Pass. In addition to Rollerdrome, the subscription service gets the Yakuza-adjacent Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name on November 9, along with the creature-hunting sim Wild Hearts. The Stardew-alike life sim Spirittea releases on November 13 with another farming sim, Coral Island, coming on November 14.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/skatingmurder-sim-rollerdrome-is-coming-to-xbox-game-pass-171355085.html?src=rss

Today Microsoft has begun rolling out its Windows 11 2023 update (also know as version 23H2), which adds some minor features on top of Copilot and its other AI-powered apps announced in September. Now, you may be asking yourself, "Didn't Microsoft just release a major Windows 11 update?" And you would be correct. But it turns out that release, which launched on September 26th, was basically just an AI preview meant for last year's Windows 11 22H2 update. Consequently, Copilot didn't actually reach most Windows users over the past few weeks (I eventually got it in a test laptop, but my home desktop is still Copilot-less).It's fair to be confused, because Microsoft's handling of Copilot has been baffling from the start. We first heard it was arriving as "Windows Copilot" back in May, where it essentially put the AI features we saw on the Edge Copilot and similar tools right into the heart of Windows. Copilot ended up being the star of Microsoft's most recent Surface event, where the actual hardware took second place to the company's AI ambitions.So if you've been dying to get your hands on Copilot, be sure to start refreshing Windows Update. Additionally, the Windows 11 2023 update transforms the built-in Chat app into Microsoft Teams, which will sit in your task bar by default. You'll also be able to find Windows 11 components under a new "System" label in the Start menu's "All apps" section (something I rarely visit these days). Those System Components will also be under a new page in the Settings app under the System section.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-windows-11-2023-update-rolls-out-bringing-copilot-ai-to-more-users-170049845.html?src=rss

Google's new feature for Chrome on iOS doesn't massively change the browser, but it could be helpful if you find having to stretch your fingers to reach the address bar disruptive to your workflow. The company has rolled out the ability to move the browser's address bar to the bottom of the screen from the top - and to put it back to its original location, if you want. MacRumors' contributing writer Steve Moser spotted the feature in the TestFlight version of Chrome for iOS back in August, but now it's making its way to the public version of the browser for the mobile platform.The idea is to make it easier to reach the address bar with your thumbs, like you could on Safari and Opera on mobile, which both allow you to relocate the element on your screen. All you have to do is long press on the URL bar and then choose "Move address bar to bottom" in the options that pop up. You could do the same thing to move it back to the top of the screen, though you could also find the new feature in the Settings menu.We asked Google if the feature is also coming to Android devices, and we'll let you know when we hear back. The company tested a Chrome Home interface that had the URL bar at the bottom way back in 2019, but it didn't make its way out of the experimental phase.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/chrome-for-ios-now-lets-you-move-the-address-bar-to-the-bottom-160021166.html?src=rss

iRobot's Roomba 694 isn't the most feature-rich robot vacuum on the block, but it certainly gets the job done. Now, it can get that job done for cheaper, as the Roomba 694 is on sale for $159 as part of an early Black Friday deal on Amazon. This is a record-low price for the gadget, with the discount slashing $115 off the MSRP. That's more than 40 percent off the usual price of $275.If you've been curious about hiring a robot helper to sweep the floors, but were waiting for a good deal, now might be a great time to jump on board. After all, the Roomba 694 sits at the top of our list of the best budget robot vacuums in the world. This little jobby might be low in price, but it's high in functionality.The cleaning power is on point and the affiliated mobile app is both useful and easy to operate. The 694 boasts a sleek all-black design, giving it an aesthetic similar to its more expensive siblings. It can spot clean or do more intensive jobs throughout the home. The app lets you control the vacuum manually or set cleaning schedules. Amazon now owns Roomba, so you can even use that famous wisecracker Alexa to set up cleaning times.The vacuum includes an edge-sweeping brush for corners and adaptive navigation capabilities, so it won't careen down the stairs like a little kid on Christmas morning. These navigation sensors also allow the vacuum to clean under furniture. You don't get any replacement brushes or filters with this unit, so you'll have to buy those on your own when the time comes.It cleans for 90 minutes before requiring a charge, but it'll automatically head to the dock when the power's running low, which is a staple of most modern robo-vacs. The Roomba 694 features a three-stage cleaning system that excels on both carpets and hard floors, but you won't be able to use this little bot to mop. That's a feature reserved for the pricier models.Speaking of pricier vacuums, Roomba is running a sale on multiple models right now. You can snag the flagship J9+ for $600 instead of $1,000, or the J7+ vacuum/mop hybrid for $700 instead of $1,000. Even the mop-focused Braava Jet M6 is on sale for $300. In other words, it's a mighty good day to be very, very lazy.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/irobots-roomba-694-drops-to-a-record-low-price-of-159-154512793.html?src=rss

It's perhaps The Addams Family's favorite time of year, but Apple's pre-Halloween Scary Fast" event was neither mysterious nor spooky. Thanks to M3 chip leaks and rumors, all of the company's announcements were largely expected. And though the showcase inexplicably took place in the evening, it's hard to imagine Tim Cook ever cutting a ghostly figure.Anyway, Apple had a bunch of product refreshes to discuss, namely in the new MacBook Pro and iMac lineups. The event anchored around a trio of new chipsets that, unsurprisingly, Apple is touting as its most powerful yet.M3 chipsetsAppleApple unveiled a trio of M3 chips at Scary Fast: the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max. While they're certainly going to be faster than the previous M2 chipsets, the company not-so-subtly hammered home the notion that they're far more powerful than their M1 equivalents, just in case folks who are using devices with first-generation Apple silicon chips are starting to yearn for an upgrade.Notably, these are the first three-nanometer chips for PCs. On the GPU side, Apple has factored in hardware-accelerated ray-tracing and mesh shading to offer more realistic lighting and better geometry handling.The base M3 has an eight-core CPU (four performance cores and a quartet of efficiency cores) and a 10-core GPU, with support for up to 24GB of unified memory. The M3 Pro has six performance and six efficiency cores for a 12-core CPU, along with an 18-core GPU. The mid-range chipset can support up to 36GB of RAM.As for the M3 Max, that's up to 80 percent faster than the M1 Max, according to Apple. The company's current most powerful chipset features a 16-core GPU (with 12 performance and four efficiency cores), a 40-core GPU and support for a whopping 128GB of RAM, in case you're feeling flush or need a lot of memory.The chips should be major upgrades for anyone making the switch from an M1-powered device or an Intel-powered Mac. That means better performance for productivity, creativity and even gaming as high-profile titles such as Death Stranding Director's Cut make their way to Apple's ecosystem.M3 MacBook ProAppleOf course, those fancy chips aren't going to be very useful unless they're plugged into some capable hardware. As such, Apple showed off some upgraded MacBooks of the Pro variety that run on M3 chips.There are new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros for you to get your hands on. The 14-inch variant starts at $1,599 for a model with a base M3 chip. That's the lowest ever price for a new 14-inch MacBook Pro. There wasn't a version with a base M2 chip. Instead, you would have had to shell out $1,999 for an M2 Pro-powered unit if you wanted to go with that form factor. You can now opt for a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro, which will likewise run you $1,999.On a similar note, the 16-inch MBP starts at $2,499 for a model with an M3 Pro. An M2 Pro-powered model started at $2,499 as well.Don't expect major hardware changes elsewhere on the latest models. This is by and large a spec bump. One notable tweak, however, means that the laptops' Liquid Retina XDR displays are now able to display SDR content with 20 percent more brightness, up to 600 nits.Perhaps the best thing about the new MBPs is that Space Black chassis. I'm more tempted than ever to make the switch from Windows to Mac for that colorway alone. The extra power that the M3 chips offer seems like a bonus - though the Space Black option isn't available for the base 14-inch MacBook Pro, unfortunately.However, not everything about the refreshed MacBook Pros is a Halloween treat. The base 14-inch model has a paltry 8GB of RAM, which maybe doesn't quite align with Apple's promise of significantly better performance in the new MBPs.Pre-orders for the new MacBook Pro models are now open. Apple will start shipping them on November 7.M3 iMacAppleThe new 24-inch iMac is pretty much the same as the last 24-inch iMac, save for a new chipset and a few other tweaks. Apple says the M3-powered system is up to twice as fast as the previous version, which ran on the M1 chipset.The company claims that Safari and productivity apps like Microsoft Excel will run up to 30 percent faster than on the M1 iMac. There will be support for up to 12 video streams in 4K resolution, three times as many as on the last iMac. Image processing and video-editing apps will be up to twice as fast too, according to Apple.There are some minor upgrades on the connectivity front too. The M3 iMac supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, which improve on the previous model's Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.The M3 iMac starts at $1,299 for a model with an eight-core GPU and eight-core CPU. Unfortunately, Apple's only offering 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage with that configuration, so you may want to bump those up a bit. Pre-orders for the M3 iMac are open now and the revamped desktop will arrive next week.Everything elseOther than the M3 chips, new MacBook Pros and refreshed iMac, Scary Fast was notable for what Apple didn't talk about. First, you had to read between the lines to realize that the company has ditched the 13-inch MacBook Pro. That means we're waving farewell to the much-loved and much-loathed Touch Bar, at least for the time being.It was widely expected that Apple would update several of its accessories to include USB-C ports as it shifts away from Lightning to a common charger. That wasn't the case at Scary Fast. For the time being, you'll still need a Lightning cable on hand at least for your Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse.Although we couldn't really shake the notion that Apple would reveal an M3-powered iPad or two, the company declined to do so on Monday. As such, you'll need to wait a while longer for tablets with its new chips.Follow all of the news from Apple's "Scary Fast" October event right here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-scary-fast-mac-event-everything-announced-about-m3-macbook-pro-and-m3-imac-153056716.html?src=rss

The latest version of Apple's AirPods Pro is back on sale for $190 at Amazon and Target, which is only a dollar more than the lowest price we've tracked. We've seen this new model briefly fall this low a few times since arriving in September, and there's at least some chance it could drop farther by Black Friday, but the discount is still $60 less than Apple's usual price. It also beats the deal we saw over the weekend by $10.As a refresher, this variant of the AirPods Pro comes with a USB-C charging case to match the latest crop of iPhones. It technically has a higher IP54 dust-resistance rating and will support lossless audio with the upcoming Vision Pro headset as well. Other than that, though, it's essentially the same as the Lightning-based model that Apple launched last year.That's not a bad thing: We gave that pair a review score of 88 at launch for its effective active noise cancellation (ANC), pleasantly warm sound, superb transparency mode and easy pairing with other Apple devices. You really need to be a dedicated Apple user to get the most out of it but, if so, perks like Find My tracking and hands-free Siri can also be useful. A software update last month added a few new helpful features as well, including an "Adaptive Audio" mode that blends the ANC and transparency modes based on your surroundings and can automatically lower the volume when you start speaking to somebody else.We wouldn't call the AirPods Pro the best wireless earbuds overall: Their six-ish hours of battery life is just average, there's no way to customize the EQ and the touch controls take some getting used to. If you want a similar pair that's more suitable for the gym, the Beats Fit Pro (which is also on sale) would be a better choice. But the AirPods Pro remain a compelling option for those firmly planted in Apple Land, which is why they're the "best for iOS" pick in our wireless earbuds buying guide.The only small caveat here is a Bloomberg report from last week that detailed Apple's plans to revamp its entire AirPods lineup starting next year. According to the report, this refresh will include a version of the standard AirPods with ANC and a redesigned AirPods Pro that may include new hearing health features. Bloomberg says most of those headphones won't arrive until late 2024, however, while the new AirPods Pro won't release until 2025.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/apples-airpods-pro-with-usb-c-are-back-on-sale-for-190-142414109.html?src=rss

During its Scary Fast product event last night, Apple officially debuted its new M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. The company is positioning the M3 chips as major upgrades over its M1 hardware - if you bought an M2 system, you're probably not itching for a replacement just yet.The M3's GPU is the biggest leap forward, delivering new features, like hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, enabling more realistic lighting and better geometry handling. If you're into chip architecture and other fun endeavors, the M3 chips are also notable for being the first PC chips built on a three-nanometer process - both the M1 and M2 families are based on a 5nm process. This means more transistors packed into the same space, which helps with power efficiency, as well as providing better overall performance. The M3 series will feature in the revamped MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch (more on those below), as well as the 24-inch iMac.That new chip will make the new iMac up to twice as fast as its predecessor, but there aren't too many upgrades elsewhere in the latest Mac. Apple is sticking with a 4.5K Retina display, for instance. There are some handy changes on the connectivity front, now with support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 The new iMac starts at $1,299 and ships on November 7.- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedSweeping White House executive order takes aim at AI's toughest challengesSony's WH-1000XM5 ANC headphones drop to $330The best cheap phones for 2023Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora's adventurous spirit might just win you overApple kills off the 13-inch MacBook ProBut it has new 14- and 16-inch models, don't worry.AppleApple's updated line of 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros features a range of new M3 chips and a new Space Black chassis. Was that the spooky part of Apple's event?The 14-inch MBP with a base M3 processor will cost $1,599 - the first time the 14-inch laptop has hit that low of a price. The M3 Pro iteration will still cost you $1,999, and prices go up from there for M3 Max options. Meanwhile, a base 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro chip will have the same $2,499 starting price as its M2 Pro predecessor. Alas, the 13-inch version is no more. Farewell, Touch Bar.Continue reading.Lenovo Smart Paper reviewA solid e-ink tablet spoiled by the cost.EngadgetIn the last few years, we've seen Amazon get into e-ink scribes, while startups like ReMarkable have carved out their own niche with capable hardware for a reasonable price. Lenovo, having dabbled with e-ink on devices like the Yoga Book, has joined the fray with a dedicated device, the Smart Paper. While the product hasn't yet launched in the US, the Smart Paper has launched elsewhere, including the UK. At around $400 (or 500 in the UK), it's expensive. The hardware is impressive (and useful), but it's all tainted by a subscription service that demands even more money.Continue reading.X won't pay creators for tweets that get fact checked with community notesThe slight change' is the latest attempt to address misinformation.X will no longer pay creators for tweets promoting misinformation. Elon Musk said the company is making a slight change" to its monetization program, and tweets fact-checked via community notes will no longer be eligible for payouts.The latest change comes as researchers, fact-checkers and journalists have raised the alarm about the amount of viral misinformation spreading on X amid the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza. Recent analysis from NewsGuard, a nonprofit that tracks the spread of misinformation, found 74 percent of the most viral posts on X advancing misinformation about the Israel-Hamas war are being pushed by verified' X accounts."Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-apple-reveals-a-new-macbook-pros-m3-chips-and-a-new-imac-111552483.html?src=rss

Calling all Beats fans - or anyone considering an earbud upgrade, really - the Apple-owned tech brand has major sales going right now across its lineup. Notably, a 20 percent discount on the Beats Fit Pro brings the noise-canceling earbuds back down to their all-time low price for newer colors, coral pink, volt yellow and tidal blue. The earbuds have dropped to $160 from $200, a deal last seen on October Prime Day.When the Beats Fit Pro launched in 2021, we were impressed with its comfortable fit and inclusion of spatial audio, hands-free Siri and solid noise-canceling abilities. The earbuds work on Apple's H1 Platform, come with dynamic head tracking and can hold up to seven hours of battery without noise canceling, 30 hours with the case.The Beats Studio Buds + are also $40 off, down to $130 from $170. They don't have all of the Fit Pro's features - the Studio Buds + use the company's Proprietary Platform and don't offer dynamic head tracking, ANC that adapts to external noise or bright colors. However, they do have a better battery life, lasting for nine hours when noise canceling is off and 36 hours with the case.If you're more of a headphone person, the last - and best - deal is for you. The Beats Studio Pro headphones are down to $200 from $350 - a 43 percent discount. These headphones offer ANC and transparency modes, lossless audio and a range of on-ear controls. Plus, they have the longest battery life, lasting up to 40 hours and offering a 10-minute Fast Fuel charge for another four hours of listening time.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/the-beats-fit-pro-earbuds-drop-back-down-to-a-record-low-ahead-of-black-friday-101752253.html?src=rss

We're still a few weeks away from Black Friday, but if you're looking to get a new electric toothbrush, you can get a deal on one of Oral-B's models as early as today. The Oral-B iO Series 7 electric toothbrush that comes with two brush heads is currently on sale at Amazon for $150, which is a record low for the device that typically sells for $200. Even better, you can get it for $140 if you apply the website's $10 coupon, so don't forget to tick that little box right next to it.We named the Oral-B iO Series 7 as our best overall smart electric toothbrush for the year because its price sits right in the middle of the category's price spectrum. With this discount, it's become an even more appealing option. The device is equipped with an internal gyroscope and accelerometer, giving it the capability to detect its position inside your mouth while you brush. If you switch on guided brushing in the app, you'll see a 3D illustration of your teeth turn blue as you brush - the app can even tell you if you've missed specific areas by the end of the two-minute session.The app tracks unguided brushing sessions, as well, taking note of their time and durations. On the toothbrush itself, you'll see a built-in LED screen that displays a time and the mode you've chosen, so you don't always need to have the app open nearby. Take note that the device comes with five cleaning modes, including one you can use if you have sensitive teeth. And if you tend to press down on your toothbrush, one useful feature is that the ring of light at the base of the brush flashes red if you push too hard and glows green when you exert just the right amount of pressure.As we mentioned in our best electric toothbrush list, the Oral-B iO Series 7 is nearly identical to the higher-tier iO Series 9. The only difference is that the latter comes with extra modes, a full color screen and an even more detailed app-guided brushing. Still, if you want give the Oral-B iO Series 9 a try, it's also currently on sale at Amazon for $250, which could go as low as $230 with its clippable coupon.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/our-favorite-smart-electric-toothbrush-is-cheaper-than-ever-in-an-early-amazon-black-friday-deal-074549994.html?src=rss

Samsung has been reporting steep profit declines and record-breaking losses over the past quarters, and while it has yet to go back to its previous numbers, it sounds optimistic for the future in its latest earnings report. The company credited the strong sales of its mobile flagship devices and its premium displays for doing better the past three months than the previous quarters. Samsung also said that its Device Solutions (DS) division, which includes its memory and foundry businesses, has narrowed its losses. It even expects demand for memory chips to recover gradually with the rise in popularity of artificial intelligence.The company has posted a consolidated revenue of KRW 67.40 trillion ($49.9 billion) for the third quarter of 2023, which shows a respectable 12 percent increase from the previous quarter's. It reported KRW 2.43 trillion ($1.80 billion) in profit, as well, and while that's a third of what it earned in the same period of 2022 - KRW 10.85 trillion or $7.6 billion - that figure still much better than the $527 million profit it reported for the second quarter.For its mobile and network business, in particular, it reported KRW 30 trillion ($22.17 billion) in consolidated revenue, as well as KRW 3.30 trillion ($2.44 billion) in operating profit. There was a higher demand in the third quarter compared to the second, Samsung said, thanks to the global smartphone market showing signs of recovery. If you'll recall, the company mostly blamed its drop in revenue for the second quarter to a decline in smartphone shipments. For this period, it says the Galaxy S23 series has maintained "solid sales momentum," while its foldables, tablets and wearables recorded strong sales. It expects smartphones sales to grow next quarter due to the holiday season and for the market to bounce back next year "as consumer sentiment stabilizes in anticipation of a global economic recovery."Another segment that did well in the third quarter is Samsung's mobile panel business, which "reported a significant increase in earnings on the back of new flagship model releases by major customers." As Bloomberg notes, those new flagship model releases could include Apple's iPhone 15. Samsung intends to continue focusing on OLED panels for its mobile display business and plans to establish a supply chain catering to the augmented and virtual reality market.Finally, the company's semiconductor division posted KRW 3.75 trillion ($2.77 billion) in operating losses for the quarter, which is slightly better than its KRW 4.36 trillion ($3.23 billion) losses in the previous one. Samsung expects the demand for PCs and mobile devices to improve next period, and it's anticipating strong server demand from cloud service providers thanks to generative AI applications.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-credits-strong-smartphone-and-mobile-display-sales-for-income-growth-053947279.html?src=rss

Apple's "Scary Fast" event is in the books, and a new set of Macs have arrived in its wake. The company unveiled three new computers on Monday, including refreshed versions of the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro and an updated 24-inch iMac. Each device is mostly a spec bump, but all of them run on one of Apple's new 3nm M3 chips, which the company claims will deliver "dramatically increased" CPU and (especially) GPU performance compared to past Apple silicon. We'll have to put the new hardware through its paces to verify just how true that is, but if you're already sold on Apple's latest, here's where you can pre-order the M3 MacBook Pros and iMac.Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch)As noted above, the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros' biggest upgrades come on the inside. Apple is introducing three new M3 chips alongside the notebooks: the standard M3, the M3 Pro and the M3 Max. The 14-inch Pro will be available with all three, with prices starting at $1,599 for the base M3 configuration and rising all the way up to $6,899 for a fully specced-out M3 Max model. The notebook is available to order now at Apple's online store. The company says the M3 and M3 Pro models will begin shipping on November 7, while the M3 Max models will start later in November. Other retailers such as Amazon, B&H Photo and Best Buy have the notebooks up for pre-order as well.Here's an overview of the configurations available for the new notebook at Apple's store:

Apple's Scary Fast event was an unexpected but welcome treat for Mac fans this season. And in true Halloween slasher movie fashion, Apple has officially ended the life of one of its most controversial laptops: the 13-inch MacBook Pro. For years, this model was an absolute star with its Pro-level specs and impressive build quality. However, as Apple updated and released newer laptops, the 13-inch MacBook Pro started looking less appealing, especially when Apple's own chips made their way into the Mac. At this point, Apple's move to discontinue the 13-inch MacBook Pro doesn't come as a surprise.The laptop hit a rough patch in 2016 with the introduction of the Touch Bar, which came as a part of a major redesign. The new look also included a thinner chassis, changes to the keyboard, a larger trackpad, Touch ID and the removal of all ports except the Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack. As you may remember, the Touch Bar was a total hit or miss among the masses. Some people loved the innovation and the "magical" Touch Bar while others found it clumsy and not very useful. Apple eventually removed the Touch Bar by introducing the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, but kept it on the 13-inch MacBook Pro.Beck Diefenbach / ReutersIn 2023, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is a good laptop but it's just not worth the investment anymore. The base model comes with Apple's M2 chip, which has given a nice little boost. It has an 8-core CPU, a 10-core GPU and comes standard with 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage, both of which can be bumped up for an additional cost. For day-to-day tasks and light work, it still performs well enough but well enough just doesn't cut it anymore for a "Pro" laptop. Especially when the new MacBook Air offers so much more and the 14-inch MacBook Pro has a better screen and more ports pro users actually need. Even so, Apple claimed for years that the 13-inch MacBook Pro remains one of its best-selling models. This likely has more to do with its lower price point.Apple probably kept the model around as a budget-friendly Pro option, starting at $1,299, while the cheapest 14-inch model was $1,999. But with tonight's introduction of the M3 14-inch MacBook Pro for $1,599, the 13-inch simply no longer makes sense - which would explain Apple's decision to move away from this one.Follow all of the news from Apple's "Scary Fast" October event right here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-finally-kills-off-the-13-inch-touch-bar-macbook-pro-004008890.html?src=rss

At Monday's Apple Event, dubbed Scary Fast," Apple announced an updated line of 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros featuring a range of new M3 chips and Space Black chassis.Apple now offers the 14-inch model with a base M3 processor for $1,599, the first time the 14-inch laptop has hit that low of a price. Previously, the older13-inch MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar came with the M2, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro started at $1,999 with the M2 Pro chip. The M3 Pro will still cost you $1,999, and prices go up from there for configurations with the M3 Max processors. Meanwhile, a base 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro chip will have the same $2,499 starting price as its M2 Pro-equipped predecessor.The fresh Space Black color option-which looks more like a matte charcoal gray in person-will be available on both 14- and 16-inch systems with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips and helps hide fingerprints better than the classic silver models. The rest of the laptops' hardware will remain largely the same including features such as Apple's 1080p FaceTime cameras and six-speaker sound systems. The one small change is that the Liquid Retina XDR displays on the new M3 MacBook Pros can now display SDR content 20 percent brighter than before with peaks of 600 nits (up from 500 nits on the previous generation).AppleThat said, thanks to the new M3 chips, these refreshed MBPs should have some very notable boosts in performance. In general use, Apple claims a 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro is 60 percent faster than a 13-inch M1 model while still offering up to 22 hours of battery life. And if you move up to a laptop with an M3 Pro chip, you're looking at 40 percent faster performance than an equivalent M1 Pro MBP. Finally, 14- and 16-inch M3 Max systems will support up to a massive 128GB of unified memory for improved workflows in apps like MATLAB, DaVinci Resolve and others. However, the most stunning figure is that when compared to the fastest Intel-based MacBook Pros (which date back to 2021), Apple is touting 11x faster performance for systems equipped with M3 Max chips.Another important upgrade on the M3 chips is that they support hardware acceleration for both ray tracing and mesh shading. This could prove to be a massive improvement for gamers or people like animators and 3D modelers, who will be able to take advantage of the M3's more efficient on-chip processing power in supported apps.The new Space Black color on Apple's refreshed MacBook Pros should hide fingerprints better than traditional silver models.ApplePre-orders for all the new M3 MacBook Pro models go live today with M3 and M3 Pro systems shipping as soon as next week on November 7, with M3 Max configs slated to arrive slightly later next month. The 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro will start at $1,599 ($1,499 for education) or $1,999 for one with an M3 Pro ($1,849 for education) while the 16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro will start at $2,499 ($2,299 for education).Apple also introduced a new 24-inch iMac with the M3 processor, which you can read all about here.Follow all of the news from Apple's "Scary Fast" October event right here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-updates-its-14-inch-and-16-inch-macbook-pros-with-new-m3-chips-specs-price-003015893.html?src=rss

Apple had a bit of a Halloween treat for Mac desktop aficionados at its "Scary Fast" event. As expected, the 24-inch iMac is getting more oomph thanks to Apple's new M3 chipset. According to the presentation in tonight's Apple Event, the latest model will be up to twice as fast as the last iMac, which has an M1 chipset. Those making the switch from an Intel-based iMac will find that the new model is up to 2.5 times faster than some of the most popular 27-inch models.The M3 has an eight-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU. The graphics cores support hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray-tracing. The chipset has a 16-core Neural Engine and support for up to 24GB of unified memory too.Compared with the M1 iMac from 2021, the M3-powered version will deliver up to a 30 percent speed boost in Safari and productivity apps such as Microsoft Excel, Apple says. The company notes that games will run at up to 50 percent improved frame rates too. Creatives will be able to edit and play back up to 12 4K video streams, three times as many as before. Apple also says that processing images in apps such as Adobe Photoshop and tackling video projects in Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro will be up to twice as fast.AppleThere aren't too many upgrades elsewhere in the latest Mac. Apple is sticking with a 4.5K Retina display, for instance. There are some handy changes on the connectivity front. The latest iMac supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 - the M1 iMac had Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. Still, the M3 iMac might be worth the upgrade for those who have been clinging onto an older model.Orders for the M3 iMac open today and it will ship on November 7. The base model comes with an eight-core GPU, two Thunderbolt ports, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Mouse. However, it once again has a paltry 256GB of SSD storage and 8GB of unified memory. This variant will run you $1,299 (or $1,249 for education). It's available in green, pink, blue and silver.If you'd like an M3 iMac that has a 10-core GPU, that starts at $1,499 ($1,399 for education). Other upgrades include two additional USB 3 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port and Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. However, the base storage and RAM remain the same at 256GB and 8GB, respectively. This model is available in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue and silver.If you're more of a laptop fan, Apple also announced 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max chipsets - you can get all the details on those here.Follow all of the news from Apple's "Scary Fast" October event right here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-24-inch-m3-imac-starts-at-1299-and-ships-on-november-7-003010226.html?src=rss

There's nothing truly spooky about Apple's new M3 chips - except, perhaps, for how scared they'll make Intel, AMD and Qualcomm. During its "Scary Fast" Halloween Eve product event (at 8PM Eastern Apple, really?) the company officially debuted its new M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. As featured in tonight's Apple Evet, the M3 series will be featured in the revamped MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch, as well as the 24-inch iMac, which never got an M2 refresh.Apple is mainly positioning the M3 chips as major upgrades over its M1 hardware - if you bought an M2 system, you're probably not itching for a replacement just yet. The M3's GPU is the biggest leap forward, delivering new features like hardware-accelerated raytracing and mesh shading, which will enable more realistic lighting and better geometry handling. Apple claims the M3's GPU is 1.8 times faster than the M2 and 2.5 times faster than the M1 in "Pro apps" - as usual, the company didn't reveal its testing criteria. You can also expect better power efficiency, as the M3's GPU can hit the M1's performance level while using half the power.Here's how Apple's new hardware breaks down: The plain M3 features an 8-core CPU (made up of four performance cores and four efficiency cores) and a 10-core GPU. Apple claims it's up to 35 percent faster than the M1, and it can also support up to 24GB of unified RAM. The M3 Pro ups the ante with a 12-core CPU (six performance, six efficiency) and an 18-core GPU. It can squeeze in up to 36GB of memory, and Apple says that it's single-threaded performance is up to 30 percent faster than the M1 Pro.AppleAnd then there's the M3 Max, featuring a 16-core CPU (12 performance, four efficiency, a 40-core GPU and support for up to 128GB of RAM. Apple claims it's up to 80 percent faster than the M1 Max. It also sports two ProRes engines to satisfy even the most demanding video professionals.The M3 chips are also notable for being the first PC chips built on a 3 nanometer process, rather than the M1 and M2's 5nm process. The increased transistor density helps with power efficiency, as well as providing better overall performance. According to Apple, the M3's performance cores are 15 percent faster than the M2's, while the efficiency cores are 30 percent faster.Given that Apple just debuted the 3nm A17 Pro for the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro, it's not too surprising that the M3 has been similarly shrunken down. In comparison, AMD debuted its 4nm Ryzen 7040 chip this year, and Intel plans to launch its Core Ultra Meteor Lake laptop chips in December, which is built on the "Intel 4" platform (using a 7nm process). The differences between architectures, some of which rely on newer tech like 3D stacking, makes it difficult to directly compare processing node sizes. But for now, Apple can lord its 3nm figure over the rest of the PC world.When it comes to other upgrades, Apple says the M3's Neural Engine, which handles AI tasks, is up to 60 percent faster than M1 chips. The M3 also sport a media engine with hardware acceleration for H.264, HEVC, ProRes (both standard and RAW). That engine also finally supports AV1 video decoding, which should make streaming AV1 content more power efficient.Like most chip makers, it makes sense for Apple to follow up a major release like the M1 with a minor refresh like the M2. The M3 needs to prove itself to be the substantial upgrade over the M1 that Apple claims. And with the addition of ray tracing and better graphics, it may finally make Macs more enticing for developers and gamers alike. (Just in time for major titles like Death Stranding and Resident Evil Village to hit the App Store.)Follow all of the news from Apple's "Scary Fast" October event right here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-m3-chips-pro-max-003004080.html?src=rss

A UK-based software company called Threads Software Limited is threatening legal action against Meta over its use of the name Threads. The company, which says it's owned the Threads" trademark since 2012, makes an intelligent message hub" that uses AI to help businesses keep track of phone calls, emails and other messages.Threads Software Limited claims that Meta lawyers made four separate attempts, beginning in April 2023, to buy the software company's threads.app domain, and eventually shut down its Facebook account. Every offer was declined," the company said in a statement. It was made clear to Meta's Instagram that the domain was not for sale. In July 2023, Meta's Instagram announced its threads' social media platform and removed Threads Software Limited from its Facebook platform."The software company said that it's giving Meta 30 days to stop using the Threads name" and that it will seek an injunction from the UK courts" if the social media company declines to do so. In a statement, Threads Software's CEO John Yardley said it was not an easy decision" to take on Meta, but that the business now faces a serious threat from one of the largest technology companies in the world."Meta didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. It's not clear how much money Meta may have offered for threads.app, but Yardley's statements offer a rare look at the kind of backroom negotiations that can happen in order to secure a sought-after domain or username.It's also worth noting that the software maker wasn't the only company using the Threads name at the time Meta launched its Twitter competitor. Fashion retailer American Threads controlled the @Threads handle on Instagram at the time of the service's launch. The company jokingly responded to commenters at the time, and posted on the new Threads service about people mixing up the clothing brand with the Meta-owned service. Meta used @threadsapp on Instagram and threadsapp.net on Threads, at the time of the service's launch.Screenshot by Karissa Bell via InstagramA month later, the retailer's Instagram account changed handles to @americanthreads (and americanthreads.net on Threads) without explanation, while Meta took control of the @Threads handle. Representatives for the clothing brand didn't immediately respond to a request for comment, but the circumstances are strikingly similar to how Meta quietly gained control of the @Meta handle on Instagram more than a year ago. That username was also controlled by a separate entity - an independent motorcycle publication called META - but the account was later subsumed by the social network without explanation.Representatives of Meta, the magazine, never commented directly on how their account changed hands, but wrote about their dismay in learning of Facebook's name change. With the flip of a switch our identity was suddenly watered down, and we watched our name circle the drain and wash away with something we had no control over," the magazine's cofounder wrote in a blog post that's since been deleted. The magazine now uses the name Vahna.For now, it appears Threads Software Limited is hoping for a different outcome. Over the last 10 years, we have made a large investment in the Threads name and we did not want to potentially have to write-off this investment simply because Meta happened to like the name we had already coined for a messaging service," it wrote in a blog post. For us to change the service name simply to avoid confusion with Meta's product could well set back the service enough for us to lose that technological lead."If you have been offered money in exchange for your domain name or handle from Meta or another social media company, reach out to me at karissa.bell [at] engadget.com or on Signal at +1.628.231.0063.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-software-company-called-threads-says-meta-tried-to-buy-its-domain-and-kicked-it-off-facebook-221928864.html?src=rss

NYU is launching a project to spur the development of immersive 3D video for dance education - and perhaps other areas. Boosted by a $1.2 million four-year grant from the National Science Foundation, the undertaking will try to make Point-Cloud Video (PCV) tech viable for streaming.A point cloud is a set of data points in a 3D space representing the surface of a subject or environment. NYU says Point-Cloud Video, which strings together point-cloud frames into a moving scene, has been under development for the last decade. However, it's typically too data-intensive for practical purposes, requiring bandwidth far beyond the capabilities of today's connected devices.The researchers plan to address those obstacles by reducing bandwidth consumption and delivery latency, and increasing power consumption efficiency so that PCVs can be streamed far more easily," according to an NYU Engineering blog post published Monday. Project leader Yong Liu, an NYU electrical and computer engineering professor, believes modern breakthroughs make that possible. With recent advances in the key enabling technologies, we are now at the verge of completing the puzzle of teleporting holograms of real-world humans, creatures and objects through the global Internet," Liu wrote on Monday.ChatGPT maker OpenAI launched a model last year that can create 3D point clouds from text prompts. Engadget reached out to the project leader to clarify whether it or other generative AI tools are part of the process, and we'll update this article if we hear back.The team will test the technology with the NYU Tisch School of the Arts and the Mark Morris Dance Group's Dance Center. Dancers from both organizations will perform on a volumetric capture stage. The team will stream their movements live and on-demand, offering educational content for aspiring dancers looking to study from high-level performers -and allowing engineers to test and tweak their PCV technology.The researchers envision the work opening doors to more advanced VR and mixed reality streaming content. The success of the proposed research will contribute towards wide deployment of high quality and robust PCV streaming systems that facilitate immersive augmented, virtual and mixed reality experience and create new opportunities in many domains, including education, business, healthcare and entertainment," Liu said.Point-Cloud Video holds tremendous potential to transform a range of industries, and I'm excited that the research team at NYU Tandon prioritized dance education to reap those benefits early," said Jelena Kovaevi, NYU Tandon Dean.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nyu-is-developing-3d-streaming-video-tech-with-the-help-of-its-dance-department-211947160.html?src=rss

Bungie has reportedly laid off an unknown number of staffers and delayed two highly anticipated games. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reports that the studio's CEO, Pete Parsons, warned staffers they would hear some news today" while announcing a team meeting later on Monday to discuss today's events."Meanwhile, the studio has reportedly delayed the Destiny 2 expansion, The Final Shape, and the studio's next game, Marathon. Sony completed its deal last year to buy Bungie for $3.6 billion.

I am fully encased in a bundle of spider's silk, only my eyeballs still visible as I wait for my turn to be devoured. I've failed to save the city from the insatiable arachnidian Old God, and now myself and all the inhabitants of Shiokawa, Japan are caught in its web. I'd come so far this time, solved all of the mysteries tacked to my bulletin board, but in the end, I couldn't escape the doom that had been closing in on me.If World of Horror could be reduced to a single word, it'd be dread." It's a point-and-click cosmic horror game created by Polish developer and dentist, Pawel Kozminski (also known as Panstasz). And after spending years in early access, Ysbryd Games finally released it to the public this month on Steam, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Nintendo Switch. It was well worth the wait.World of Horror is heavily text-based, and plays like a choose your own adventure story - one in which most of your options are bad ones that will inevitably lead you to a gruesome death or irrevocable insanity. Players must solve five mysteries that are tormenting the townspeople, gathering information and fighting off the monstrous entities that attempt to get in your way. A slippery, boil-covered former teacher here, a woman with shards of broken ribs jammed into her gaping hole of a face, there.All the while, you'll be working to stave off whichever Old God has set its sights on Shiokawa for that run, and must keep an eye on the ever-ticking Doom meter to know how close you are to being overcome. Only after you've obtained five keys by solving each of the five mysteries can you unlock the town's lighthouse, where you can banish the Old God. That is, if you're able to make it through the trials on the way to the top. It's a roguelite, too, so prepare to start from the beginning every time you make a fatal misstep.The horror-manga-style RPG doesn't hide its Junji Ito and HP Lovecraft influences. It's so disquieting that you'll find yourself jumpy and on edge even when nothing's happening, which in some investigations is most of the time. The evil may not be coming for you right that moment, but there's the sense that it could at any turn.Ysbryd GamesWhen those little jump scares do come - a particularly revolting attacker or a booming sound that cuts through the chiptune score - they're made all the more jarring by the high-contrast 1- or 2-bit visuals (you can choose at the beginning) that were created, incredibly, in MS Paint. It nails the often hard to stomach Ito-esque gore, and there are a few scenes I had to force myself not to turn away from (a certain DIY eyeball operation comes to mind).You're given a few options for approaching the game, in terms of difficulty and complexity. Its short tutorial, Spine-Chilling Story of School Scissors," is a straightforward introduction. And in the beginner-level main story mode, Extracurricular Activities," you'll start with one mystery already solved.Players also have the choice of a Quick Play" mode, in which elements like your character, Old God and backstory are randomly selected, or a fully customized playthrough where you choose your own character and story elements. That last one is the most challenging route. You can also choose from a slew of color palettes at the start of each game, if you want to mix it up.Ysbryd GamesWhile the turn-based combat is nothing revolutionary, I found it to be engaging enough. There's no guarantee all of your hits will land, and relying on spiritual attacks when going up against a ghost-type foe is a stressful game of guess the right combo." It keeps things interesting, albeit a bit frustrating. Since the runs are relatively short - about an hour, give or take 30 minutes - it doesn't feel soul crushing every time you die and have to start fresh. If anything, it becomes an addicting cycle.Where World of Horror truly excels is in its attention to horrifying detail. A TV playing in your home runs grisly newscasts nonstop, including one about a dentist who replaced his human patients' teeth with dogs' teeth. (Remember, the developer is also a dentist). Look through the peephole of your apartment door and you might see a shadow man down the hall, or the quickly retreating face of someone lurking around the corner, or just an empty corridor. Twisted ghouls wait behind dead-end classroom doors.Things are rarely the same when you come back to them. Each mystery has multiple endings and multiple ways to get you there, so you can't quite predict what's going to happen next even if you just played 10 runs in a row. Some stories are more involved than others, better thought through. But each has at least one ghastly element that justifies its place among the rest. If World of Horror is anything, it's effective, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/world-of-horror-is-a-skin-crawling-dread-machine-that-does-its-inspirations-proud-183000816.html?src=rss

Meta's Oversight Board announced today it has upheld the company's decision to leave up two posts detailing a Thai woman's fruit juice-only diet. However, the board recommended the company restrict the monetization of similar extreme and harmful diet-related content" on Facebook as researchers continue to wrestle with the concerning relationship between social media and eating disorders.The Oversight Board's decision describes the videos, posted in late 2022 and 2023 by the same account - and flagged by users as harmful. The clips detailed content on life, culture and food in Thailand." In both problematic videos, a man interviews a woman in Italian about her experience with a diet consisting only of fruit juice."The decision illustrates the videos' concerning influence. In the first video, the woman says she has experienced increased mental focus, improved skin and bowel movement, happiness and a feeling of lightness' since starting the diet, while she also shares that she previously suffered from skin problems and swollen legs," the board's summary reads. She brings up the issue of anorexia but states her weight has normalized, after she initially lost more than 10 kilograms (22 pounds) due to her dietary changes."The second video, posted around five months later, follows up on the woman's story, asking how she feels nearly a year into her dangerous diet. She responds by saying she looks young for her age, that she has not lost any more weight except for four kilos of impurities,' and she encourages him to try the diet." Making matters worse, she told the interviewer she planned to become a fruitarian" after wrapping up the fast, adding that she may start a pranic journey," which she describes as living on energy' in place of eating or drinking regularly."Meta's oversight boardMetaThe videos have been viewed over two million times and have over 15,000 comments. The posts also shared details about the woman's Facebook page, which received a significant uptick in engagement after the second post. Based on research commissioned by the Board, the woman's Facebook page has 17,000 followers and features content about the lifestyle of the woman, including her diet," the board wrote. Both the content creator and the woman's Facebook page were part of Meta's Partner Monetization Program, allowing them to profit from the potentially harmful advice.After users reported the videos, Meta's human reviewers determined the posts didn't violate Facebook's Suicide and Self-Injury Community Standard. They remained visible on Facebook. Separate users for each video then appealed the decision to Meta's Oversight Board.The board's decision not to remove the videos was more about the lack of specific violations of the Suicide and Self-Injury Community Standard than a belief that the content was harmless. Specifically, the videos don't provide instructions for drastic and unhealthy weight loss when shared together with terms associated with eating disorders," nor do they promote, encourage, coordinate, or provide instructions for eating disorders." Even the woman's mention of an energy-only pranic journey" was determined to be descriptive in nature" without mention of weight loss.The board recommended Meta adjust its monetization policies to better meet its human rights responsibilities" related to harmful diet-related content." Most of the board considers the current authorization of this content a conspicuous and concerning one."With health and communications experts noting the ability of influencers to use first-hand narration styles to secure high engagement with their content - coupled with the ubiquity of wellness influencers - it is important that Meta should not provide financial benefits to create this type of content," the board wrote.Some board members believed demonetization of this type of content was a bridge too far. For a minority of the Board, since demonetization may negatively impact expression on these issues, Meta should explore whether demonetization is the least intrusive means of respecting the rights of vulnerable users," the board wrote. Meanwhile, another minority believed demonetization doesn't go far enough. For a separate minority of Board Members, demonetization is necessary but not sufficient; they find that Meta should additionally restrict extreme and harmful diet-related content to adults over the age of 18, and explore other measures such as putting a label on the content, to include reliable information on the health risks of eating disorders."Meta says that because the board upheld Meta's decision to leave up both posts, it will take no further action related to this bundle or the content." The company adds that it will review the demonetization recommendation. A Meta spokesperson told Engadget it will respond to their full recommendations in our Transparency Center" within 60 days.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-oversight-board-dangerous-diet-videos-can-remain-but-please-demonetize-them-175404574.html?src=rss

X will no longer pay creators for tweets promoting misinformation. Elon Musk said the company is making a slight change" to its monetization program and that tweets that are fact-checked via community notes will no longer be eligible for payouts as part of X's revenue-sharing program.The update appears to be an attempt to remove incentives for high-profile accounts to spread viral misinformation. The idea is to maximize the incentive for accuracy over sensationalism," Musk said. X also recently started to require community notes contributors to cite their sources in fact checks.The latest change comes as researchers, fact checkers and journalists have raised the alarm about the amount of viral misinformation spreading on X amid the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza. European Union officials have opened an investigation into the company's handling of misinformation related to the war.Following Musk's takeover of Twitter a year ago, the company laid off teams responsible for curating and promoting reputable tweets about breaking news events and removed tools for reporting misinformation in the app. Instead, the company has relied on its crowd-sourced fact checking tool, community notes.But critics have said that community notes are subject to manipulation and that the user-contributed fact checks are often unable to keep up with the sheer amount of viral falsehoods, particularly those promoted by verified accounts. A recent analysis from NewsGuard, a nonprofit that tracks the spread of misinformation, found that 74 percent of the most viral posts on X advancing misinformation about the Israel-Hamas War are being pushed by verified' X accounts."As BBC researcher Shayan Sardarizadeh pointed out, the change to make tweets with community notes ineligible for payments has already been criticized by a number of high-profile accounts whose tweets are often community noted." Musk added that any attempts to weaponize @CommunityNotes to demonetize people will be immediately obvious," but didn't say how the company would deal with attempts at manipulation. X didn't respond to a request for comment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-wont-pay-creators-for-tweets-that-get-fact-checked-with-community-notes-174206477.html?src=rss

I've always dreamed of revisiting classic RPGs with my kids - I wanted them to jump across time with me in Chrono Trigger, or pretend to be sky pirates in Skies of Arcadia. It's not that tough to transform a well-told RPG into an interactive storybook for children (though I may have to shield their eyes from the more gruesome bits of Final Fantasy VII). I've been planning my "intro to RPGs" playlist for years, waiting for the moment my daughter Sophia began to look beyond the storytelling stylings of Peppa Pig.But one night she saw me playing Sea of Stars, the recent Chrono-inspired retro RPG from Sabotage Studio, and she was hooked. I didn't need to entice her like I originally thought. The game's gorgeous 2D pixel art, catchy music (including some tunes from Chrono Trigger composer Yasunori Mitsuda) and epic story were more than enough to captivate her. While I held the Switch, she kept an eye out for enemies and treasure chests, and she stayed engaged with the story as I broke it down for her. She also clapped whenever I hit the action button at just the right time to deliver an extra hit, or to block an enemy's blow (a nifty feature taken from Super Mario RPG).Sabotage StudioSophia loved the two leads - Valere and Zale, who she calls Moon Girl and Sun Boy - and their colorful companions. She teared up when a major character sacrificed themself to defeat the Big Bad (that was a long conversation). And she held tight as we took on the final boss, setting the two leads up for a larger adventure once we defeated them. Now, we're mopping up additional side quests and working towards the "true" ending. Sophia doesn't want to stop until we've seen everything the game has to offer, a sign that she's going to be quite the completionist when she's ready to play on her own.Don't judge me, but games have become an integral part of my daughter's wind-down time at night. They help her to calm down and relax before bathtime, a sort of pre-storytime before we read some actual books before bed. We're not playing anything fast-paced or loud, and the games offer plenty of teachable moments when it comes to spelling words, counting and complex moral choices. From what I can gather, watching a screen at night (which I keep distant from her and a bit dim) hasn't affected her ability to fall asleep on schedule either. (Yes, I know it's not recommended. I also waited until Sophia was over four years old before we started nightly gaming - I'm sure it would have been more troublesome if I started earlier.)Before Sea of Stars, we also played around 20 hours of Dave the Diver, another recent release with a glorious pixel art aesthetic. Recently, we've also spent some time with the delightful Super Mario Bros. Wonder. But after playing a few levels of that, Sophia almost always wants to play Sea of Stars instead. Now she can tell the difference between a platformer like Mario, a game with a variety of experiences like Dave the Diver and an RPG (she calls them "adventure games," officially settling that debate). I'm sure she'll appreciate the mechanics of other genres more once she learns how to both run and jump at the same time in Mario. For now, she leans towards story.Sabotage StudioOnce it was clear that Sophia was truly into RPGs as a concept, I introduced her to Chrono Trigger. For whatever reason, Square Enix hasn't re-released it yet on the Switch, and I wanted to play it on a more portable system than the Steam Deck. That left me with the iPhone port of the game, which looks pretty great on my iPhone 15 Pro Max. While there's no option to use the game's original graphics - a perk of the Steam release - the iOS version of Chrono Trigger still has all of the charm and whimsy that made me fall in love with the SNES version. (And as a nice bonus, there's an auto button to speed through minor fights!)Sophia immediately noticed the many (many!) similarities between Sea of Stars and Chrono Trigger. The overworld map is framed similarly, they both feature some of the best pixel art of their time and they both ultimately weave an epic story. Playing both games back-to-back reveals some of Sea of Star's weaker elements - it takes a while to truly get going and the writing is a bit more simplistic. But it also makes me really want to play a proper Chrono sequel with Sea of Stars' battle system.Within 15 minutes of starting Chrono Trigger, Sophia and I were thrown back 400 years into the past. We were looking for Marle, the princess-in-hiding, who vanished soon after we found her. Then I had to explain the potential consequences of timeline interference to a 5 year old. And Sophia immediately understood what was happening: We had to save Marle's ancestor before Marle ceased to exist! Just try competing with that, Peppa!Sabotage StudioTo be clear, this isn't really Sophia's first rodeo with complex storytelling. She's devoured almost all of Miyazaki's films (we're holding off on Princess Mononoke because it may be too scary, and she's probably not ready for the mature exploration of death and art in The Wind Rises), and I've guided her through Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. So I shouldn't be surprised that she's fully embracing the power of RPGs. After envisioning this moment for years, I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts.It won't be too long before she'll be regaling me with stories of her own RPG adventures. And when she's ready, I'm going to blow her mind with a one-two punch of Xenogears and Neon Genesis Evangelion. She'll thank me later.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/i-taught-my-daughter-to-love-rpgs-by-playing-sea-of-stars-170038097.html?src=rss

Sony has revealed when you'll be able to snap up the only two wireless audio devices that will work with its PlayStation Portal handheld any time soon. The $200 Pulse Explore earbuds will hit markets including the US, UK, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand on December 6. The $150 Pulse Elite headset will arrive in most markets startingon February21, Sony says.Pre-orders for both products, as well as extra PlayStation Link USB adapters, will open on November 9. You can lock in an order for the earbuds, headset or adapter on PlayStation Direct or at other select retailers.PlayStation Link, you may recall, is Sony's own wireless audio tech. The company claims it will deliver low latency, lossless audio. Sony says it'll be easy to switch between PlayStation Link devices, such as the PlayStation Portal and your PS5 (which can only connect to the Pulse Explore or Pulse Elite with the help of a USB adapter).Sony Interactive EntertainmentThe earbuds and headset both include Bluetooth. Multipoint support means you can connect them to your PS5 or Portal and your phone at the same time, so you can answer a call while playing the likes of Marvel's Spider-Man 2. However, there's no Bluetooth option on the PlayStation Portal, Sony's PS5 remote play handheld that's arriving on November 15. As such, you'll need to either use the device's speakers, plug a wired headset into the 3.5mm jack or connect a Pulse Explore or Pulse Elite.For the time being, those are the only two devices that will support PlayStation Link. According to IGN, Sony eventually plans to allow third-party makers of audio devices to use the standard in their products.Low-latency, lossless wireless audio is certainly nothing to sniff at. However, Sony's decision to refrain from offering Bluetooth support in the Portal and instead nudge consumers toward an expensive headset and earbuds that use its proprietary tech is disappointing, if not surprising.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-200-pulse-explore-earbuds-will-be-available-on-december-6-165017764.html?src=rss

Amazon's flagship Fire Max 11 tablet just dropped to a record-low price of $150, representing a savings of $80 from the MSRP of $230. That's 35 percent off, for you math-heads out there. This deal is for the standard tablet and doesn't include a stylus, keyboard or any other accessories. Being as this is an Amazon tablet, you also get those ads on the lockscreen, but they are fairly unobtrusive.This is the most powerful Fire tablet out there, with an 11-inch LCD screen, a slim aluminum frame and Alexa-powered smart home controls. You get a fingerprint sensor in the power button, WiFi 6 support and split-screen/picture-in-picture features. We were impressed by the inherent value of the tablet at its full price, so we are 35 percent more impressed now.The Fire Max 11 is also light, weighing around a pound, and is designed around multi-tasking, with an octa-core MediaTek processor that is nearly twice as fast as any other Amazon-branded tablet. In other words, this is a far cry from the kinds of affordable, kid-friendly tablets the company typically releases.There's a keyboard and stylus available for this device, but you'll pay extra for the added functionality. There are bundles that include these accessories that are also on sale, ranging from $185 to $275.Speaking of sales, this is part of a larger early Black Friday event that includes many other Amazon tablets. You can snag the Fire HD 10 for $75, which is half off, or the Fire 7 Kids edition for just $55. The Fire 10 Plus and the Fire 10 Kids Pro tablets are also both on sale for a limited time.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/amazons-fire-max-11-tablet-just-dropped-to-a-record-low-price-of-150-163018884.html?src=rss

Google's Pixel Tablet is one of the more compelling options for those in the market for an Android tablet, as it's designed to double as a smart display when you aren't holding it. If you've been thinking of picking one up, now looks like a good time to do so: The 11-inch slate is on sale for $399 at multiple retailers, including Amazon, Target, Best Buy and Google's own online store. While there's always a chance we see a better offer on Black Friday, this $100 discount marks a new all-time low. It's also $10 less than the previous low we saw during Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale earlier this month. This price applies to the base models with 128GB of storage; if you need more space, the 256GB versions are also $100 off at $499. Google says the offer will run through November 5.We gave the Pixel Tablet a score of 85 in our review this past June, and we highlight it in our guide to the best tablets. While we don't think it's better purely as a tablet than our top Android pick, the vibrant Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, it's a good ways cheaper, and it's still more than competent for streaming video, playing games and doing most of the other casual things people do with a tablet. Its 2,560 x 1,600 LCD is crisp and punchy, its Tensor G2 chip is fast enough, its 5,000mAh battery should last a full day and the hardware doesn't feel cheap. This is still an Android tablet, so some apps aren't as optimized for this large display as they are on an iPad, but Google at least promises to supply the device with OS and security updates through June 2026 and June 2028, respectively.That smart display functionality is the Pixel Tablet's big selling point, though. Included with the device is a dock that both charges the device and provides a dedicated speaker - plop the Pixel Tablet on, and the slate becomes something like a detachable Nest Hub Max. You can use it to control and monitor smart home devices, access the Google Assistant, cast video from your phone, display photos, stream music and so on.There are still issues: There's no headphone jack, the display is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and we had a few software quirks with the tablet's "Hub Mode" during the review process. Generally speaking, though, the Pixel Tablet is a clever melding of two useful devices. A few other Google devices are also on sale this week, including the unlocked Pixel 7a for $374, the Pixel Buds Pro for $119 and the indoor Nest Cam for $70, among others.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/googles-pixel-tablet-is-on-sale-for-a-new-low-of-399-161521267.html?src=rss

After 30 minutes or so with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, I was fully invested. A broad grin crept across my mug as my Na'vi bounded from platform to platform up a mountain in the sky. The rousing music, lush vegetation and minimal user interface pulled me into Ubisoft's take on Pandora. Having ikran, the distant moon's answer to dragons, swooping around during my ascent helped me feel like I was actually exploring this alien environment.The journey up to the ikran rookery was the highlight of my two hours or so with the game, closely followed by having the chance to explore Pandora from the skies after bonding with my new companion. Calling your new irkan flying friend to swoop in and rescue you in mid-air is thrilling, and your sidekick can land pretty much anywhere.Ubisoft/Massive EntertainmentAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora is an open-world adventure game from Ubisoft studio Massive Entertainment. It's a canonical part of James Cameron's fictional universe and it's set shortly before the events of Avatar: The Way of Water, the sequel to the original 2009 film. Frontiers of Pandora was initially supposed to arrive at around the same time as The Way of Water, but Ubisoft pushed it back to this year.As massively successful as the Avatar movies have been at the box office, they've hardly made much of a lasting cultural impact. I saw Avatar three times in theaters because of its absorbing spectacle, but had forgotten almost everything within a year and had to rewatch it before checking out the long-delayed sequel. I appreciate the technical wizardry and astonishing visuals of the films, as well as their salient points about environmentalism and colonialism, but the plots are largely rudimentary.With more time and scope, the game has a chance to tell a richer narrative. Your character and some other Na'vi were kidnapped at a young age and were trained to serve under the RDA, a human military operation that's harvesting resources from Pandora. Something goes wrong and the protagonist is put into emergency cryosleep. After waking up 15 years later, you're effectively an outsider and need to relearn the ways of the Na'vi.That's a setup that effectively draws the player in as someone who needs to gradually understand how everything works. Naturally, as one of the Na'vi, you'll square off against the RDA and try to drive them from Pandora.My demo started with a modest fetch mission. I had to harvest some nectar needed for a ritual. After taking a few minutes to drink in the unusual flora and get my bearings, I made my way over to a mangrove hive. Harvesting the nectar involves a minigame that I'm sure will become annoying after having to do it a few times. You need to use a thumbstick to find the correct angle to pull an item from a plant or tree. Thankfully, Ubisoft offers the option to turn off this special interaction, much like you can skip the irritating pickpocketing minigame in Assassin's Creed Mirage.The publisher's most recent open-world title is a blast. That was largely helped by Ubisoft showing restraint and avoiding much of the bloat for which it's become notorious over the last several years. I was worried that Ubisoft would revert back to its old habits and stuff too many things into Frontiers of Pandora; it's difficult to say whether that's the case, based on a relatively brief look at an early sectionBetween side missions, looting, crafting and exploring, there's certainly going to be lots to keep you busy outside of the main quests. You'll be able to experiment with cooking by combining ingredients and seeing what happens (a familiar task to anyone who has played a recent Zelda game). This doesn't seem too complex as you can only cook with two ingredients at once. Eating food can be helpful as meals can provide temporary boosts to things like base health and damage delivered while in stealth. It can also help you recover health. There are the expected multiple skill trees to juggle too, focused on survival, combat, hunting, crafting and ikran riding.Most of these features seem additive rather than things that will pull you too far from the main story. On that note, it's too early to say whether the narrative of the game will be much better than the humdrum narratives of either Avatar film (I'm still not over the rare mineral humans were mining from Pandora being called "unobtainium").Ubisoft/Massive EntertainmentAfter learning how to use your ikran, you'll need to disable some aerial devices that are disrupting a Na'vi clan and then take out an enemy base. Destroying those floating beacons isn't too difficult. You'll need to use your hacking tools to disable the device before blowing it up. This section gave me a chance to try out aerial combat as RDA aircraft hover around the beacons to protect them. Playing on normal mode, I found that it was pretty easy to take down the flying machines with an automatic rifle (your Na'vi is pretty comfortable with guns after their RDA training).Defeating mechs and human opponents is relatively straightforward too - unless you get overeager and rush headlong into an RDA base, only to get overwhelmed by enemies. I did just that a couple of times and died on each attempt. Taking a stealthy approach was both more successful and satisfying. Your Na'vi is powerful, so their bows are effective against humans and mechs alike. Taking out a soldier from a long distance with the longbow and thunking large arrows into mechs using the heavy bow helps to thin out the numbers without causing too much of a ruckus.I deftly snuck between tunnels and pipes as I disabled drill towers and generators. When the enemies eventually discovered me, I made good use of my rifle as well as the staffsling to hurl explosives at them. Frontiers of Pandora affords you a lot of freedom when it comes to combat, and I enjoyed figuring out the best approach to various encounters.The side missions I was able to try add some flavor too. One will see you taking out RDA installations and outposts to reduce pollution. Elsewhere, you'll free animals that the military operation has captured.Some aspects of the demo were unintuitive, however. I spent a few minutes figuring out how to ascend a steep cliff face before realizing I had to shoot a plant with my bow so it would drop a climbable vine. That was a little frustrating, as was not immediately knowing how to use the hacking tool - you need to apply just enough pressure to the controller's trigger to line up two circles.Overall, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is showing a lot of promise. I went into the demo with low expectations after a gameplay showcase in June left me underwhelmed, much like the two Avatar movies did. But now I can't wait to jump back in and once again soar through the skies on my own ikran.Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora will hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Amazon Luna on December 7.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/avatar-frontiers-of-pandoras-adventurous-spirit-might-just-win-you-over-160024430.html?src=rss

Amazon Fire TV streaming sticks and related devices are up to half off right now, starting at just $18. Some of these prices match record lows found during recent Prime Day events. All told, there are five devices on sale, from the entry-level Fire TV Stick Lite to the powerful Fire TV Cube.The Fire TV Stick Lite is on sale for $18 and the standard Fire TV Stick comes in at $20. The Fire TV Stick 4K costs $30, while the beefier TV Stick Max clocks in at $45. Finally, the Borg-like TV Cube will set you back $110, a savings of over 20 percent. This is the latest Cube, with a 2GHz octa-core processor and an HDMI input connection to plug in your cable box, which lets you use voice commands to watch regular cable TV.The Fire Stick TV Max, typically $60, is the company's most powerful streaming stick, with 40 percent more power than the Fire TV Stick 4K. To that end, you get 4K streams, fast app boot times and fluid menu navigation. This stick integrates with WiFi 6, Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos audio. Of course, you can use Alexa voice commands to do just about anything via the included voice remote.The Fire TV Stick 4K is no slouch, offering support for WiFi 6 and 4K streams. It also ships with an Alexa remote and a 6-month subscription to one of Amazon's many streaming platforms, MGM+. That's the one with the Harold Perrineau-led supernatural thriller From. The standard Fire TV stick and the Lite don't offer 4K streams, but they do ship with a voice remote.This sale is part of an early Black Friday event and it remains unseen when prices will balloon up back to the original MSRPs. So if you're looking to get a capable streaming stick, or cube, on the cheap you should probably be quick about it.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/amazon-fire-tv-streaming-devices-are-up-to-half-off-right-now-152416126.html?src=rss

Meta has confirmed it will start offering Facebook and Instagram users in Europe an ad-free subscription option in November. Those in the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland will be able to use both platforms without ads for a monthly fee of 10 ($10.61) if they sign up on the web or 13 ($13.79) if they take out a subscription through iOS and Android apps. The difference is to account for the cut of in-app payments that Apple and Google take.Meta says that subscribers' data will not be used for advertising purposes. For the time being, the subscription will cover all linked accounts in a user's Accounts Center. Starting on March 1 next year, users will need to pay an extra 6 on the web and 8 more on iOS and Android for each linked account on which they want to have an ad-free experience.Users will still have the choice to use Facebook and Instagram for free but with ads in their feeds. Meta says it will "continue to offer people free access to our personalized products and services regardless of income."The company claims it's starting to offer the ad-free plan to comply with evolving European regulations" such as the Digital Markets Act and stricter interpretations of the General Data Protection Regulation. Privacy regulators in the EU have pressured Meta to seek explicit consent from users before showing them targeted ads based on their activity. The company offered to oblige with that request but reportedly suggested to regulators that it should be able to charge users who opt out, likely in an attempt to make up for any shortfall in revenue. It says the Court of Justice of the European Union stipulated in a ruling "that a subscription model, like the one we are announcing, is a valid form of consent for an ads funded service."Reports over the last couple of months have suggested Meta would start offering ad-free plans in Europe as part of an effort to sate EU regulators, who haven't shied away from penalizing the company. In May, the bloc fined Meta $1.3 billion for moving EU citizens' data to servers in the US. It was previously reported that the ad-free plans could cost as much as $17 per month, but that isn't quite the case.Meanwhile, as part of its shifting ad strategy in Europe, Meta will temporarily stop showing any ads to users aged under 18 in areas where the ad-free subscription is available, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal. This will come into effect on November 6. Earlier this year, Meta placed stricter limits on the data that advertisers can use to show teens targeted ads.This is the first time that Meta has offered an ad-free subscription option. Confirmation of the plans follows X (formerly Twitter) starting to offer two additional Premium (formerly Twitter Blue) tiers last week. The more expensive one of these allows users to get rid of ads for $16 per month.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/facebook-and-instagram-will-start-offering-ad-free-plans-in-europe-in-november-141650104.html?src=rss

Microsoft is putting its foot down when it comes to unauthorized controller use. The company has begun banning any third-party Xbox controllers and accessories that aren't part of the "designed for Xbox" hardware partner program. A gamer posted the news to Restera after plugging in an Xbox-compatible controller and receiving a notification about the ban.The error code is explained in detail on Microsoft's support blog: "From the moment you connect an unauthorized accessory and receive error code 0x82d60002, you'll have two weeks to use the accessory, after which time it will then be blocked from use with the console." Microsoft's advice? Get in touch with the company you bought the controller from and return it - a bit savage, but very clear.Microsoft's motivation for the crackdown could stem, in part, from a desire to block cheat devices like Cronus Zen. Fellow gaming companies have been working hard to ban their use during gameplay. Of course, Microsoft's decision could also stem from a probable increase in sales of their own controllers and accessories.Brook Gaming, one of the companies with impacted products, released a statement assuring customers that it would "spare no effort in identifying potential solutions" to this new policy. In the meantime, there's likely to be a drop in sales for its and other third-party manufacturers' Xbox products.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-bans-unauthorized-third-party-xbox-controllers-and-accessories-124703807.html?src=rss

A few of the Echo Show devices are touting major sales right now, dropping to their all-time-low prices. The 2023 third-generation Echo Show 5 has fallen to $40 from $90 - a 56 percent discount. The Echo Show 8 is marked down nearly as much, with a 54 percent discount bringing its price to $60 from $130.The third-gen Echo Show 5 is a great option if you're looking for a simple smart home device that does all the basics your family needs. Its 5.5-inch 960 x 480 resolution display is perfect for checking the weather, picking a song or displaying your favorite photos. It also has a 2MP camera for making video calls or checking in on your home while you're away. Listen to Prime Video, Spotify and more through its 1.7-inch speaker.While there's a newer Echo Show 8 available, there's still a lot to love about the second-gen model (and not just that it comes without a $150 price tag). The eight-inch screen has a 1,200 x 800 resolution display that can do all the same things the Echo Show 5 can, just in better quality - plus, it can stream Netflix, while its counterpart can't. The Echo Show 8 also comes with a 13MP camera with auto-framing to look your best while on video calls.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/amazons-echo-show-smart-displays-fall-back-to-all-time-lows-114005160.html?src=rss

Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro, a limited-edition foldable that pays homage to the SGH-E700 (AKA the SGH-E715 in the US), which came out 20 years ago in 2003. It has the same indigo blue and silver color combo as the original and a few special widgets, but it's otherwise the same foldable flip phone from earlier this year. This special edition will go on sale in Korea and several countries in Europe, but not the US.SamsungThe SGH-E700 was Samsung's first mobile phone with an integrated antenna and became a certified hit, selling more than 10 million units. Weirdly, this isn't even the first time Samsung has tugged at nostalgia strings with this phone: in 2007, Samsung effectively reissued the same phone with new radios as a nostalgia play, even though it was only four years old at the time.- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedHow to customize the double tap gesture on Apple WatchThe best gadgets for your petsIs streaming video even still worth it?What the evolution of our own brains can tell us about the future of AIWhat we got right (and wrong) about Elon Musk's takeover of TwitterOne year later, it's X.Getty ImagesExactly one year has passed since Elon Musk, fresh off a months-long legal battle that forced him to buy the company, strolled into Twitter headquarters carrying a sink. We weren't entirely sure what to expect. But there was no shortage of predictions about just how messy and chaotic Twitter might become under Musk's leadership. The biggest twist, however, might be Meta making its Twitter rival, Threads, into a viable (if flawed) alternative. Karissa Bell walks through what did (and didn't) happen when Musk took charge.Continue reading.Threads is working on an API for developersThreads aims to be the place for public conversations online.Threads was missing a lot of features users would expect from a service similar to Twitter (now X) when it launched. But over the past few months, it has added more new features, but as it still doesn't have an API, third-party developers can't create features with hooks into their services. For example, local transport agencies can't automatically post service alerts when a train is delayed.According to Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, though, Threads is working on an API for developers - he just has some reservations. He's concerned the API's launch could mean a lot more publisher content and not much more creator content." Mosseri may be hinting at the early days of Threads, where people's feeds were dominated by brands and accounts with (presumably) social media staffers posting up a storm.Continue reading.Google's default search engine status cost it $26 billion in 2021The figure was revealed in the DOJ's antitrust trial against the search giant.Google VP Prabhakar Raghavan testified the company paid $26.3 billion in 2021 for maintaining default search engine status and acquiring traffic. Most of that likely went to Apple, in order to remain the default search option on iPhone, iPad and Mac.Raghavan, who was testifying as part of the DOJ's ongoing antitrust suit against the company, said Google's search advertising made $146.4 billion in revenue in 2021, which puts the $26 billion it paid for default status in perspective. The executive added that default status made up the lion's share of what it pays to acquire traffic.Continue reading.How to watch Apple's Scary Fast eventThe night time is the right time for new iMacs and laptops.Apple's holding another streaming event today, Monday October 30, at 8PM ET. Yes, that's in the dead of night, and you can watch the stream on YouTube, on Apple's website and on Apple TV devices. Here's what you can expect to see.Watch here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-samsung-pays-tribute-to-its-flip-phone-past-with-limited-edition-foldable-111618806.html?src=rss

While there are plenty of good headphones on the market, Sony's WH-1000XM5 ANC model is really in a league of its own. Now, the temptation to pick up our favorite wireless headphones of the year has spiked thanks to an 18 percent discount, dropping Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones to $330 from $400. This deal brings them just $2 short of their Prime Day all-time-low $328.So what makes the WH-1000XM5 headphones so great even a year and a half after Sony released them? The headphones have an unmatched mix of features, including a remarkable sound quality that is crisp and clear while providing a punchy bass during 30 hours of battery life. The M5 comes with eight ANC mics - double that of its predecessor. Plus, the wireless headphones have an updated fit that makes the 0.55-pound device feel light and remarkably comfortable. It's no surprise we gave them a 95 in our initial review.Sony's top-tier headphones also have all the controls you need without having to pick up your phone. You can use physical and touch control buttons to change the song, make a call or change the noise mode (which can also change automatically as you move throughout the day). The Speak-to-Chat feature will even pause your audio as soon as you start talking.If you're more of an earbuds person, Sony's WF-1000XM5 buds are down to a record-low price of $250. These just came out this summer and they feature a ton of improvements like upgraded drivers, new chips and a big bump in sound quality. The WF-1000XM5 are more comfortable than their predecessors, and they support advanced features like adaptive sound and Speak-to-Chat.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/sonys-wh-1000xm5-anc-headphones-drop-to-330-100824048.html?src=rss

The Biden Administration unveiled its ambitious next steps in addressing and regulating artificial intelligence development on Monday. Its expansive new executive order (EO) seeks to establish further protections for the public as well as improve best practices for federal agencies and their contractors."The President several months ago directed his team to pull every lever," a senior administration official told reporters on a recent press call. "That's what this order does, bringing the power of the federal government to bear in a wide range of areas to manage AI's risk and harness its benefits ... It stands up for consumers and workers, promotes innovation and competition, advances American leadership around the world and like all executive orders, this one has the force of law."These actions will be introduced over the next year with smaller safety and security changes happening in around 90 days and with more involved reporting and data transparency schemes requiring nine to 12 months to fully deploy. The administration is also creating an AI council," chaired by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Bruce Reed, who will meet with federal agency heads to ensure that the actions are being executed on schedule.ASSOCIATED PRESSPublic safety"In response to the President's leadership on the subject, 15 major American technology companies have begun their voluntary commitments to ensure that AI technology is safe, secure and trustworthy before releasing it to the public," the senior administration official said. "That is not enough."The EO directs the establishment of new standards for AI safety and security, including reporting requirements for developers whose foundation models might impact national or economic security. Those requirements will also apply in developing AI tools to autonomously implement security fixes on critical software infrastructure.By leveraging the Defense Production Act, this EO will "require that companies developing any foundation model that poses a serious risk to national security, national economic security, or national public health and safety must notify the federal government when training the model, and must share the results of all red-team safety tests," per a White House press release. That information must be shared prior to the model being made available to to the public, which could help reduce the rate at which companies unleash half-baked and potentially deadly machine learning products.In addition to the sharing of red team test results, the EO also requires disclosure of the system's training runs (essentially, its iterative development history). What that does is that creates a space prior to the release... to verify that the system is safe and secure," officials said.Administration officials were quick to point out that this reporting requirement will not impact any AI models currently available on the market, nor will it impact independent or small- to medium-size AI companies moving forward, as the threshold for enforcement is quite high. It's geared specifically for the next generation of AI systems that the likes of Google, Meta and OpenAI are already working on with enforcement on models starting at 10^26 petaflops, a capacity currently beyond the limits of existing AI models. "This is not going to catch AI systems trained by graduate students, or even professors," the administration official said.What's more, the EO will encourage the Departments of Energy and Homeland Security to address AI threats "to critical infrastructure, as well as chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and cybersecurity risks," per the release. "Agencies that fund life-science projects will establish these standards as a condition of federal funding, creating powerful incentives to ensure appropriate screening and manage risks potentially made worse by AI." In short, any developers found in violation of the EO can likely expect a prompt and unpleasant visit from the DoE, FDA, EPA or other applicable regulatory agency, regardless of their AI model's age or processing speed.In an effort to proactively address the decrepit state of America's digital infrastructure, the order also seeks to establish a cybersecurity program, based loosely on the administration's existing AI Cyber Challenge, to develop AI tools that can autonomously root out and shore up security vulnerabilities in critical software infrastructure. It remains to be seen whether those systems will be able to address the concerns of misbehaving models that SEC head Gary Gensler recently raised.AI watermarking and cryptographic validationWe're already seeing the normalization of deepfake trickery and AI-empowered disinformation on the campaign trail. So, the White House is taking steps to ensure that the public can trust the text, audio and video content that it publishes on its official channels. The public must be able to easily validate whether the content they see is AI-generated or not, argued White House officials on the press call.AdobeThe Department of Commerce is in charge of the latter effort and is expected to work closely with existing industry advocacy groups like the C2PA and its sister organization, the CAI, to develop and implement a watermarking system for federal agencies. We aim to support and facilitate and help standardize that work [by the C2PA]," administration officials said. We see ourselves as plugging into that ecosystem."Officials further explained that the government is supporting the underlying technical standards and practices that will lead to digital watermarking' wider adoption - similar to the work it did around developing the HTTPS ecosystem and in getting both developers and the public on-board with it. This will help federal officials achieve their other goal of ensuring that the government's official messaging can be relied upon.Civil rights and consumer protectionsThe first Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights that the White House released last October directed agencies to combat algorithmic discrimination while enforcing existing authorities to protect people's rights and safety," the administration official said. But there's more to do."The new EO will require guidance be extended to landlords, federal benefits programs and federal contractors" to prevent AI systems from exacerbating discrimination within their spheres of influence. It will also direct the Department of Justice to develop best practices for investigating and prosecuting civil rights violations related to AI, as well as, according to the announcement, the use of AI in sentencing, parole and probation, pretrial release and detention, risk assessments, surveillance, crime forecasting and predictive policing, and forensic analysis."Additionally, the EO calls for prioritizing federal support to accelerate development of privacy-preserving techniques that would enable future large language models to be trained on large datasets without the current risk of leaking personal details that those datasets might contain. These solutions could include cryptographic tools that preserve individuals' privacy," developed with assistance from the Research Coordination Network and National Science Foundation. The executive order also reiterates its calls for bipartisan legislation from Congress addressing the broader privacy issues that AI systems present for consumers.In terms of healthcare, the EO states that the Department of Health and Human Services will establish a safety program that tracks and remedies unsafe, AI-based medical practices. Educators will also see support from the federal government in using AI-based educational tools like personalized chatbot tutoring.Worker protectionsThe Biden administration concedes that while the AI revolution is a decided boon for business, its capabilities make it a threat to worker security through job displacement and intrusive workplace surveillance. The EO seeks to address these issues with the development of principles and employer best practices that mitigate the harms and maximize the benefit of AI for workers," an administration official said. We encourage federal agencies to adopt these guidelines in the administration of their programs."Richard Shotwell/Invision/APThe EO will also direct the Department of Labor and the Council of Economic Advisors to both study how AI might impact the labor market and how the federal government might better support workers facing labor disruption" moving forward. Administration officials also pointed to the potential benefits that AI might bring to the federal bureaucracy including cutting costs, and increasing cybersecurity efficacy. There's a lot of opportunity here, but we have to to ensure the responsible government development and deployment of AI," an administration official said.To that end, the administration is launching on Monday a new federal jobs portal, AI.gov, which will offer information and guidance on available fellowship programs for folks looking for work with the federal government. We're trying to get more AI talent across the board," an administration official said. Programs like the US Digital Service, the Presidential Innovation Fellowship and USA jobs - doing as much as we can to get talent in the door." The White House is also looking to expand existing immigration rules to streamline visa criteria, interviews and reviews for folks trying to move to and work in the US in these advanced industries.The White House reportedly did not brief the industry on this particular swath of radical policy changes, though administration officials did note that they had already been collaborating extensively with AI companies on many of these issues. The Senate held its second AI Insight Forum event last week on Capitol Hill, while Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to speak at the UK Summit on AI Safety, hosted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday.Chip Somodevilla via Getty ImagesAt an event hosted by The Washington Post on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was already arguing that the executive order did not go far enough and could not be considered an effective replacement for congressional action, which to date, has been slow in coming.There's probably a limit to what you can do by executive order," Schumer told WaPo, They [the Biden Administration] are concerned, and they're doing a lot regulatorily, but everyone admits the only real answer is legislative."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sweeping-white-house-ai-executive-order-takes-aim-at-the-technologys-toughest-challenges-090008655.html?src=rss