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The Amazon Big Spring Sale might be over, but there are still plenty of deals worth shopping across the site. Anyone looking to upgrade their meals will want to check out the 20 percent discounts on Breville's Smart Ovens, including the Air Fryer Pro. Our pick for 2024's best air fryer toaster oven is down to $320 from $400 - its Black Friday low.Breville's Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro allows you to cook almost anything you want. It has 13 cooking settings, ranging from typical ones like broil, bake and warm to more specific options like cookies, proof and dehydrate. Taking up one cubic foot of space, the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is basically a second oven that can make perfectly crispy fries. In fact, it's so big you could fit a 14-pound turkey, 9x13 sheets or a Dutch Oven inside it.Worth noting: Despite having the title "Smart Oven," Breville's Air Fryer Pro, it's not smart in the way most things these days are. Breville's Joule Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is the one to go with if you want an actual "smart" device - as in one that can talk to Alexa. It will notify you when your food is done and offer guided recipes in an app, among other perks. Plus, it's also 20 percent off right now, down to $440 from $550.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/brevilles-smart-oven-air-fryer-pro-is-20-percent-off-on-amazon-151007320.html?src=rss

Microsoft is continuing on its mission to inject AI into more of its products and features. For one thing, Copilot is coming to more parts of Teams in the coming months, including the meeting chat and the chat compose box.The AI will soon be able to offer you insights and information from the meeting chat and the transcript, so if something was either written or spoken, Copilot will be able to pull from it. Microsoft says that when you open Copilot in a meeting chat, you'll have a more comprehensive and inclusive view" of what you and your collaborators discussed.As far as bringing Copilot to the message compose box goes, the AI can now help you rewrite a drafted message based on a custom prompt. So if you'd like to add a call to action or a joke, you can ask Copilot to do that. In the near future, the AI will be able to generate a new message by pulling from context in the Teams chat. That should at least give you a jumping-off point and you can tweak the suggested message as you see fit.In addition, an intelligent call recap feature is coming to Teams. This automatically generates notes and action items from within the Calls app. This will be available for both Teams Premium and Copilot next quarter.Elsewhere, Microsoft is rolling out some features aimed at improving hybrid meetings. IntelliFrame taps into CloudAI to create an individual video feed for each person who's physically attending a Teams Rooms meeting, so that everyone has a similar panel. The feature will now be enabled by default on Teams Rooms devices.On top of that, Microsoft is planning to roll out an option for IntelliFrame called automatic camera switching. This will use AI to present the best view of each person in a meeting room, whether that's from the front-of-room camera or their own laptop's webcam. If someone's obstructed in one camera view, IntelliFrame will try to switch to a clearer look at them.On a similar note, speaker recognition tech will aim to improve the accuracy of transcripts and Copilot insights. Microsoft says this feature will be available as a preview in Teams Rooms in April.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-is-bringing-more-copilot-smarts-to-teams-143058238.html?src=rss

Game Help, which provides developer-created tips and videos to help you progress without leaving the game, has been a staple of players' PlayStation 5 experience since it launched in 2020. Now, Sony has announced Community Game Help, an expansion of the feature allowing you to view hint videos of other users' gameplay across select titles.Community tips will be accessible in the same way as Game Help: click the PS button, launch the Control Center, and find an Action Card labeled "Hints Inside." Any card with gamer videos will have a Community Game Help label. In addition to using these tips, Sony encourages players to rate how helpful each tip is to inform which videos will show up in the future.You can opt-in or out of allowing Sony to use clips from your gameplay as hints for other players. If you choose to share, then Sony will automatically capture videos while you play certain parts of a game. However, any streaming or other personal info appearing on your screen won't be shown in the shared videos. You should also receive a notification if Sony shares your gameplay as a hint. Moderators will reportedly sort through all the videos and determine which should be included in the Community Game Help cards - though the feature won't be available for another few months.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-ps5s-game-help-feature-will-start-sourcing-videos-from-other-players-132115286.html?src=rss

Back when I was a kid (puts on old man glasses) we had the Casio SK-1. We'd spend all day making samples of burps and turning them into stupid little songs, but that's about as far as it went. You couldn't layer tracks or anything. Modern children, however, are about to get an actual full-featured groovebox, thanks to Playtime Engineering.The Blipblox myTRACKS is a complete music production studio, according to Playtime. It features a built-in microphone for sampling (just like the Casio SK-1) but also 50 instrument sounds and 25 pads to play them on. These sounds can be arranged into five tracks, resembling many grooveboxes intended for adults, and there are two FX processors and a range of effects. Sure, it looks like a toy and probably feels like a toy, but it's not really a toy. To that end, the announcement video shows an adult going to town on the thing once the kids are asleep.You can transform sounds and add effects via two bright purple levers on the side, which work just like typical mod wheels. You'll be able to buy sound packs online and upload them via USB-C. There's even a MIDI port. It's a groovebox, though not as high-tech as something like the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field, or the Roland MC-707.Downloading sound packs and modulating effects may be a bit too complicated for the younger kids in your life, but the myTRACKS also includes hundreds of built-in melodies and drum loops to play around with and have fun. There's also a randomization feature that the company says instantly creates new songs for unlimited fun and inspiration." These songs are likely to annoy you as you go about household chores, but it's better than a child staring at a tablet all day, right?Playtime EngineeringNow the bad news. The kid-centric groovebox is just a Kickstarter project, for now, with shipments eventually going out in November. However, this isn't Playtime Engineering's first rodeo with this type of gadget. The company has released numerous child-friendly synthesizers and music-making devices in its Blipblox line. There's the original Blipblox synth and the more recent Blipblox After Dark. We praised both of these instruments for being appropriate for children, but still enjoyable for adults. The myTRACKS Kickstarter goes live on April 9 and pricing will range from $250 to $300 for backers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-blipblox-mytracks-groovebox-is-a-complete-music-production-studio-for-kids-130046515.html?src=rss

Meta's relationship with politics and political content on its platforms has been a source of enormous controversy, with the platform routinely accused of highlighting material designed to rile up users in the name of engagement. The company has, in recent years, tried to distance itself from its reputation and is now allowing users to restrict algorithmically-suggested political content on both Threads and Instagram. Meta defines political content as "likely to mention governments, elections, or social topics that affect a group of people and/or society at large" - so, in reality, almost everything. The option to limit this far from narrow set of posts is now rolling out to users with the setting automatically set to on by default, the company confirmed to The Verge.Meta first announced the feature in February, sharing that the company wants "Instagram and Threads to be a great experience for everyone." The statement continued, "If you decide to follow accounts that post political content, we don't want to get between you and their posts, but we also don't want to proactively recommend political content from accounts you don't follow." Basically, if you turn on this feature, it will limit political content visibility through Explore, Reels, in-feed recommendations, and suggested users. Political posts from accounts you follow should appear in your feed as usual.You can check if the feature has reached your account or turn it off in Instagram's settings. Just go to suggested content, and you'll see a tab called political content. Click on that, and there will be two options: limit or don't limit political content from accounts you don't follow. However, choosing to restrict it doesn't necessarily mean a total embargo. A note under the open specifies, "You might see less political or social topics in your suggested content." Whichever you choose will apply to both Instagram and Threads.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-limits-political-content-recommendations-on-instagram-and-threads-123033533.html?src=rss

There's a huge range of Android tablets out there. Some are great for reading comics, while others can double as laptop replacements. However, with devices starting at under $200 and going up to well over $1,000, picking the right one for your needs can be kind of tricky. We've tested dozens of tablets over the years from companies like Samsung, Lenovo and Google. So to help you select a device that fits your life, we've collected our top picks for the best Android tablets across various prices and use cases.What we look for in a good Android tabletAside from cost, there are several specs and features we check out when evaluating new devices. One of the most important factors is the kind of display a tablet has. Not only its size (from less than seven inches to over 14), but also how bright it gets (ideally upwards of 400 nits) and what type of panel it uses (LCD, Mini LED, OLED, etc.). But it doesn't stop there: it's also crucial to consider things like refresh rate (the higher the better in most cases) as well as color saturation and accuracy, as those can help determine if a tablet is suitable for tasks like photo or video editing.Performance is also a major benchmark. After all, no one likes to deal with hiccups or lag, especially if you're a gamer as that can make or break your experience. That said, it takes more than a beefy chip to make a device feel truly speedy. If a tablet has sluggish storage or slow wireless connectivity, downloading files or launching apps can become a chore. Generally, we're looking for at least 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage with microSD expandability being a major bonus.Battery life is another major concern because many tablets are designed for use when traveling or working on the go. This means it's critical to consider not just the size of a device's battery, but also how fast it can recharge and if it supports bonuses like wireless power sharing or docking options.Finally, there are more-specialized features such as stylus support, dedicated desktop modes, and expandable storage that can help tailor a tablet for specific use cases like sketching or productivity. And last but not least, there are design-related factors like dust- and water-resistance that go a long way toward making a device more durable.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-android-tablet-120007530.html?src=rss

Amazon's Big Spring Sale has officially ended but a few deals are still going strong. While this latest event wasn't on the level of a Prime Day or a Black Friday sale, over the past week we found decent savings on some of the gadgets and devices we recommend. Now that the sale is done, the pickings are a little slimmer, but that doesn't mean you're out of luck completely. If you didn't take advantage of the sale while it was live, or if you've still got some shopping left to do, consider this list your last chance to reap the discounts from Amazon's latest sale. (Of course, if you miss out now, Prime Day typically comes back around in July every year.) Here are the best Amazon Spring Sale discounts on tech we love that you can still get today.Best Spring Sale deals under $50Best Spring Sale deals on Amazon devicesBest Spring Sale deals on Apple devicesBest Spring Sale deals on headphones, earbuds and speakersBest Spring Sale deals on smartphonesBest Spring Sale deals on gaming gearBest Spring Sale deals on smart home techBest Spring Sale deals on other techBest tech deals available elsewhere on the webYour Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon's Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog's car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-big-spring-sale-all-of-the-best-tech-deals-still-available-today-115547005.html?src=rss

We had the first wave of changes and tweaks to Apple, Google and other big tech companies' policies and services just before the EU's sweeping Digital Markets Act (DMA) took a harder line against monopolistic behaviors and practices. See: third-party app stores with Apple, the option to pay for Facebook (haha!), the ability to choose your own default browser, search engine, and more.But the EU isn't quite satisfied. Alphabet and Apple, says the European Commission, have not sufficiently allowed app developers to steer' consumers to offers outside the gatekeepers' app stores, free of charge."The EC says Alphabet might still be leading users to Google-owned services like Google Flights. Apple may not be allowing users meaningful choice in selecting alternatives to default iOS services or preferences, such as the ability to uninstall any preloaded app.In January, Apple announced changes to the App Store to comply with the DMA, including the ability to use alternative app marketplaces on iOS in the EU. Included in Apple's updates was a new core technology fee" of 0.50 developers will have to pay per user per year after the first million installs of an app - even if a user downloads the software from a third-party marketplace. Many of Apple's rivals aren't happy about the App Store changes. Some criticized the company's fees for third-party payments in the US too.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedSAG-AFTRA ratifies TV animation contracts with AI protections for voice actorsIt's almost time for T-Mobile customers to claim their free year of MLB.TVThe best projectors for 2024Final Fantasy XIV Online's Dawntrail expansion arrives on July 2Judge dismisses X's lawsuit against anti-hate groupYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!Florida will require parental consent for kids to join social mediaUnder-14s are completely banned.Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just signed a bill into law with far stricter rules on how kids under 16 can use and access social media. The bill requires a parent or guardian's consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to make an account or use a pre-existing account on a social media platform. The companies behind these platforms must also abide by requests to delete these accounts within five business days. Failing to do so could rack up major fines, as much as $10,000 for each violation. The bill doesn't name any specific social media platforms but suggests any service that promotes infinite scrolling" will have to follow the new rules. So yeah, the usual suspects.Continue reading.Spotify trials educational video courses in the UKYou will still have to pay for them.Spotify has teamed up with content partners BBC Maestro, PLAYvirtuoso, Thinkific Labs Inc. and Skillshare to offer content in making music, getting creative, learning business and living healthily. The test courses are available only to UK users, with free and premium subscribers receiving at least two free lessons per course. The series will range from 20 ($25) to 80 ($101), regardless of a person's subscription tier. The course content seems to be somewhere between Masterclass and LinkedIn Learning - make of that what you will.Continue reading.TikTok turns to its teenage youth council' 15 teens will advise the company.GettyLast summer, TikTok said it planned to form a youth council" of teens to advise the company as part of a broader push to beef up safety features for the app's youngest users. That group is now official, just as TikTok contends with a bill that would force parent-company ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban in the United States. While it's unclear how much influence TikTok's youth council will ultimately wield over the company's policies, it underscores just how important teens are to the platform. The company has tried to mobilize its users, many of them teens, to oppose the bill being discussed by the US government.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-the-eu-is-already-investigating-apple-meta-and-google-over-fees-and-defensive-policies-113558285.html?src=rss

Microsoft is bringing together its Windows experiences and its Windows devices teams to form one division, and it has appointed company veteran Pavan Davuluri with the task of leading it. As The Verge notes, Davuluri has been serving as head of the Surface team since last year, after Microsoft split up Windows experiences and devices following Panos Panay's departure. The company is expanding his role again after another departure, this time of former Windows experiences lead Mikhail Parakhin, who was in charge of the Bing search engine and its advertising business.In a letter written by Rajesh Jha and obtained by the publication, the company's technology chief said Parakhin "has decided to explore new roles." It's not quite clear if he's leaving Microsoft altogether or is still exploring for new opportunities within the company. But it's worth noting that he decided to vacate his role a week after Microsoft hired Deepmind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman, who apparently asked Parakhin to report to him directly. For now, Parakhin is still with Microsoft and will report to company CTO Kevin Scott during the transition period.Jha wrote in his letter that merging the two teams will enable the company to "take a holistic approach to building silicon, systems, experiences, and devices that span Windows client and cloud for this AI era." While Davuluri now heads both web experiences and devices team, the former is still required to report to Suleyman, who's in charge of Microsoft's AI efforts.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-merges-its-windows-and-surface-teams-under-one-leader-103204076.html?src=rss

The Oversight Board is urging Meta to change the way it moderates the word shaheed," an Arabic term that has led to more takedowns than any other word or phrase on the company's platforms. Meta asked the group for help crafting new rules last year after attempts to revamp it internally stalled.The Arabic word shaheed" is often translated as martyr," though the board notes that this isn't an exact definition and the word can have multiple meanings." But Meta's current rules are based only on the martyr" definition, which the company says implies praise. This has led to a blanket ban" on the word when used in conjunction with people designated as dangerous individuals" by the company.However, this policy ignores the linguistic complexity" of the word, which is often used, even with reference to dangerous individuals, in reporting and neutral commentary, academic discussion, human rights debates and even more passive ways," the Oversight Board says in its opinion. There is strong reason to believe the multiple meanings of shaheed' result in the removal of a substantial amount of material not intended as praise of terrorists or their violent actions."In their recommendations to Meta, the Oversight Board says that the company should end its blanket ban" on the word being used to reference dangerous individuals," and that posts should only be removed if there are other clear signals of violence" or if the content breaks other policies. The board also wants Meta to better explain how it uses automated systems to enforce these rules.If Meta adopts the Oversight Board's recommendations, it could have a significant impact on the platform's Arabic-speaking users. The board notes that the word, because it is so common, likely accounts for more content removals under the Community Standards than any other single word or phrase," across the company's apps.Meta has been operating under the assumption that censorship can and will improve safety, but the evidence suggests that censorship can marginalize whole populations while not improving safety at all," the board's co-chair (and former Danish prime minister) Helle Thorning-Schmidt said in a statement. The Board is especially concerned that Meta's approach impacts journalism and civic discourse because media organizations and commentators might shy away from reporting on designated entities to avoid content removals."This is hardly the first time Meta has been criticized for moderation policies that disproportionately impact Arabic-speaking users. A 2022 report commissioned by the company found that Meta's moderators were less accurate when assessing Palestinian Arabic, resulting in false strikes" on users' accounts. The company apologized last year after Instagram's automated translations began inserting the word terrorist" into the profiles of some Palestinian users.The opinion is also yet another example of how long it can take for Meta's Oversight Board to influence the social network's policies. The company first asked the board to weigh in on the rules more than a year ago (the Oversight Board said it paused" the publication of the policy after October 7 attacks in Israel to ensure its rules held up" to the extreme stress" of the conflict in Gaza). Meta will now have two months to respond to the recommendations, though actual changes to the company's policies and practices could take several more weeks or months to implement.We want people to be able to use our platforms to share their views, and have a set of policies to help them do so safely," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. We aim to apply these policies fairly but doing so at scale brings global challenges, which is why in February 2023 we sought the Oversight Board's guidance on how we treat the word shaheed' when referring to designated individuals or organizations. We will review the Board's feedback and respond within 60 days."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-oversight-board-weighs-in-on-metas-most-moderated-word-100003625.html?src=rss

If you're in North America, a Tesla staff member will show you how the automaker's Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology works before you can take your car home, according to Bloomberg. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly issued a memo that requires Tesla stores in the region to install and activate its latest Full Self-Driving software and then take customers on a short test ride before handing over a vehicle. He added that "almost no one actually realizes how well (supervised) FSD actually works" and that he's making the demonstration a "hard requirement," even though he knows it will slow down delivery.

T-Mobile's annual deal for baseball fans is back. From Tuesday through Sunday, the carrier's customers can claim a free yearlong subscription to MLB.TV for live and on-demand streaming access to the entire Major League Baseball season.This is the ninth straight year T-Mobile has offered the deal, which the companies have extended through 2028. MLB.TV lets you watch all out-of-market regular-season games and select Spring Training games. (Unfortunately, blackout restrictions, universally loathed by everyone not profiting from them, apply to in-market games.) They stream in HD, and the service supports DVR and in-game playback controls.The streaming package usually costs $150 for the season or $30 per month, so this is a nice perk for baseball fans. You can claim the offer in the T Life (formerly T-Mobile Tuesdays) app (iOS and Android) from tomorrow through Sunday only, so don't forget to claim it during that short window.As a promotional gimmick to help plug the deal, T-Mobile is introducing a Secret Baseball Button." The Bluetooth device connects to your computer and can be set to discreetly switch from baseball to work' with the literal click of a button." (It's the same idea as the March Madness Boss Button, only in physical form.) If you care about such things, you can enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win one.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/its-almost-time-for-t-mobile-customers-to-claim-their-free-year-of-mlbtv-204327276.html?src=rss

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just signed into law a bill named HB 3 that creates much stricter guidelines about how kids under 16 can use and access social media. To that end, the law completely bans children younger than 14 from participating in these platforms.The bill requires parent or guardian consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to make an account or use a pre-existing account on a social media platform. Additionally, the companies behind these platforms must abide by requests to delete these accounts within five business days. Failing to do so could rack up major fines, as much as $10,000 for each violation. These penalties increase to $50,000 per instance if it is ruled that the company participated in a knowing or reckless" violation of the law.As previously mentioned, anyone under the age of 14 will no longer be able to create or use social media accounts in Florida. The platforms must delete pre-existing accounts and any associated personal information. The bill doesn't name any specific social media platforms, but suggests that any service that promotes infinite scrolling" will have to follow these new rules, as will those that feature display reaction metrics, live-streaming and auto-play videos. Email platforms are exempt.This isn't just going to change the online habits of kids. There's also a mandated age verification component, though that only kicks in if the website or app contains a substantial portion of material" deemed harmful to users under 18. Under the language of this law, Floridians visiting a porn site, for instance, will have to verify their age via a proprietary platform on the site itself or use a third party system. News agencies are exempt from this part of the bill, even if they meet the materials threshold.Obviously, that brings up some very real privacy concerns. Nobody wants to enter their private information to look at, ahem, adult content. There's a provision that gives websites the option to route users to an anonymous age verification" system, which is defined as a third party that isn't allowed to retain identifying information. Once again, any platform that doesn't abide by this restriction could be subject to a $50,000 civil penalty for each instance.This follows DeSantis vetoing a similar bill earlier this month. That law would have banned teens under 16 from using social media apps and there was no option for parental consent.NetChoice, a trade association that represents social media platforms, has come out against the law, calling it unconstitutional. The group says that HB 3 will essentially impose an ID for the internet", arguing that the age verification component will have to widen to adequately track whether or not children under 14 are signing up for social media apps. NetChoice says this level of data collection will put Floridians' privacy and security at risk."Paul Renner, the state's Republican House Speaker, said at a press conference for the bill signing that a child in their brain development doesn't have the ability to know that they're being sucked in to these addictive technologies, and to see the harm, and step away from it. And because of that, we have to step in for them."The new law goes into effect on January 1, but it could face some legal challenges. Renner said he expects social media companies to sue the second after this is signed" and DeSantis acknowledged that the law will likely be challenged on First Amendment issues, according to Associated Press.Florida isn't the first state to try to separate kids from their screens. In Arkansas, a federal judge recently blocked enforcement of a law that required parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts. The same thing happened in California. A similar law passed in Utah, but was hit with a pair of lawsuits that forced state reps back to the drawing board. On the federal side of things, the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act would require parental consent for kids under 18 to use social media and, yeah, there's that whole TikTok ban thing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ron-desantis-signs-bill-requiring-parental-consent-for-kids-to-join-social-media-platforms-in-florida-192116891.html?src=rss

Night City is looking for new residents - even if they're only temporary ones who happen to be in the neighborhood for a few hours. CD Projekt Red is offering PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S players the chance to check out Cyberpunk 2077 for free over the Easter weekend.You'll be able to play up to five hours of the sprawling first-person RPG at no extra cost between 11AM ET on March 28 and 2:59AM ET on April 1. PlayStation Plus Premium members also have access to a five-hour trial of the base game, but CDPR notes that no subscription is necessary to hop in this weekend.

A judge has dismissed a lawsuit from X against the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a nonprofit that researches hate speech on the Elon Musk-owned platform. In the decision, the judge said that the lawsuit was an attempt to punish" the organization for criticizing the company.X sued the CCDH last summer, accusing the group of scraping" its platform as part of a scare campaign" to hurt its advertising business. The group had published research claiming X was failing to act on reports of hate speech, and was in some cases boosting such content.In a ruling, federal judge Charles Breyer said that this case is about punishing" CCDH for publishing unflattering research. It is clear to the Court that if X Corp. was indeed motived to spend money in response to CCDH's scraping in 2023, it was not because of the harm such scraping posed to the X platform, but because of the harm it posed to X Corp.'s image," Breyer wrote. X Corp.'s motivation in bringing this case is evident. X Corp. has brought this case in order to punish CCDH for CCDH publications that criticized X Corp.-and perhaps in order to dissuade others."X said it planned to appeal the decision.In a statement, CCDH CEO Imram Ahmed said that the ruling affirmed our fundamental right to research, to speak, to advocate, and to hold accountable social media companies for decisions they make behind closed doors." He added that it is now abundantly clear that we need federal transparency laws" that would require online platforms to make data available to independent researchers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/judge-dismisses-xs-lawsuit-against-anti-hate-group-173048754.html?src=rss

It's a busy spell for fans of Final Fantasy, and fantasy RPGs in general. Many folks are still working through Baldur's Gate 3 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but Dragon's Dogma 2 just dropped and Elden Ring expansion Shadow of the Erdtree arrives in June. The second Final Fantasy XVI DLC, The Rising Tide, will drop on April 18. On top of all that, Square Enix has revealed that Dawntrail, the fifth expansion for Final Fantasy XIV Online, will arrive on July 2. Phew.Dawntrail arrives just over 19 months after the last major expansion, Endwalker. You'll be able to check out a new storyline, try two fresh classes or jobs (Pictomancer and Viper) and tackle more dungeons. Square Enix is also increasing the level cap to 100 and there are several other additions to delve into.Pre-orders for the $40 expansion open on Tuesday. Those who buy it in advance will be able to check out Dawntrail several days early, likely starting on June 28. Digital and physical collector's editions will also be available. Snap up either of those and you'll get access to several in-game items, including an Ark mount based on the eidolon from Final Fantasy IX. All editions include access to the previous expansions, Shadowbringers and Endwalker.Meanwhile, a crossover questline with Final Fantasy XVI will run from April 2 until May 8. Those who complete quests in The Path Infernal will receive several Final Fantasy XVI-themed in-game rewards.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/final-fantasy-xiv-onlines-dawntrail-expansion-arrives-on-july-2-170227638.html?src=rss

Today marks the end of the Amazon Big Spring Sale and there are still a few tech deals still worth checking out, including this bundle of an Echo Show 8 paired with an Amazon Basics smart bulb. If you bought them at full price and separately, you'd pay $163, but now the set is down to $100. That amounts to a 38 percent discount. If you want the smart display on its own, it's the same $100. That's about $10 more than its record low price and a 33 percent savings.If you're just starting on the path towards smart home grandeur, you can think of the set as a starter kit, as the Echo Show gives you voice and routine control over your new bulb. We named the previous generation of the Echo Show 8 the best Amazon display in our guide. It strikes a good balance between not taking up too much space and offering a sizable enough viewing area with its 8-inch screen. We also liked how adept it is at handling video calls.We were able to get a look at this latest version of the display at a demo during Amazon's hardware event last fall. It has a new edge-to-edge glass front and a more refined design overall. But perhaps the most interesting update is the introduction of the adaptive content feature. Depending on where you are in the room, the display will show different content: large-font time and weather info when you're far away, and more personalized calendar and news articles when you get closer.The bulb lets you change its brightness and color just by talking to your smart display. You can also use the Alexa app to set up routines that will, for example, turn off the light when you say "goodnight" or turn it on an hour before sunset.Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon's Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog's car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pick-up-the-2023-echo-show-8-with-a-free-smart-bulb-for-100-in-the-amazon-spring-sale-160940079.html?src=rss

Amazon is selling a two-pack of SanDisk microSD cards for $25 as part of the company's Big Spring Sale. Each card is 128GB, totaling 256GB of sweet, sweet game storage. These are drives that have been designed and pre-formatted for Nintendo Switch systems, though they'll work with just about any microSD reader. This deal, however, is only for Prime members.The Nintendo Switch is notoriously stingy when it comes to integrated storage, offering just 32GB, so microSD cards are an absolute must for AAA titles. Nintendo may be wizards when it comes to compressing its games, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is only 16GB, but that space is still gonna fill up fast.As a Switch-friendly bonus, each card comes emblazoned with a Mario-esque mushroom logo. We've always liked these SanDisk drives and gave them a call out in our list of the best microSD cards. They come with a lifetime warranty and boast read/write speeds that are, more or less, comparable to rival products. The max write speed is 90MB/s and the max read speed is 100MB/s. This isn't as fast as something like the Samsung Pro Ultimate, but it's a whole lot cheaper.Looking for more than 128GB of storage? The above deal is part of a larger sale on SanDisk and Western Digital products. There are microSD drives up to 1TB, plenty of USB stick drives and external storage solutions. Also, if Mushroom Kingdom iconography is not your bag, you can pick up a 1TB SanDisk card that has been stamped with the Triforce from Zelda for $95.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/prime-members-can-get-two-switch-ready-sandisk-microsd-cards-for-25-in-the-amazon-spring-sale-151356052.html?src=rss

The Amazon Big Spring Sale isn't over yet, and new deals are still popping up all over the site on everything from outdoor cameras to smartwatches-including our favorite budget Apple Watch for 2024. The second-generation Apple Watch SE is 24 percent off, dropping to $189 from $249. It's not the device's record-low price, but the $60 off brings it pretty close.The second-gen Apple Watch SE garnered an 89 in our review thanks to the comprehensive features it offers for much less money than the company's alternatives. The smartwatch has all the usual options, like heart-rate monitoring, crash detection, and emergency calling. The retina display offers up to 1,000 nits brightness, and the battery lasts 18 hours.If you're considering buying an Apple Watch SE, one thing to keep in mind is that it's not IPX6 rated for dust resistance like the Series 8 and Ultra. However, it is water resistant up to 50 meters.Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon's Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog's car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-watch-se-is-back-on-sale-for-189-during-the-amazon-spring-sale-144728862.html?src=rss

Amazon's Big Spring Sale is nearly over and if you're interested in saving on tech, you've come to the right place. This sale event may not have been a boon for discounts on laptops, tablets, wearables and the like, but we were able to dig up a number of decent tech deals available right now. While most of these prices are not the same as those we saw during the Black Friday time period, some get pretty close (as a general rule of thumb, a good price in March isn't necessarily the same thing as a good price in November). As a reminder, the Big Spring Sale comes to a close at the end of the day March 25, so you have limited time left to shop these deals. Here are the best Amazon Spring Sale discounts on tech we love that you can get before the event ends.Best Spring Sale deals under $50Best Spring Sale deals on Amazon devicesBest Spring Sale deals on Apple devicesBest Spring Sale deals on headphones, earbuds and speakersBest Spring Sale deals on smartphonesBest Spring Sale deals on gaming gearBest Spring Sale deals on smart home techBest Spring Sale deals on other techBest tech deals available elsewhere on the webYour Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon's Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog's car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-big-spring-sale-its-the-last-day-to-save-up-to-50-percent-on-tech-from-apple-anker-sony-and-others-151518432.html?src=rss

There was once a time when you went to one place for music, another for education, and so on, but many companies are now attempting to turn themselves into a jack of all trades to compete for survival. The latest example is Spotify, which has announced a test for video-based learning courses. The new feature joins the platform's music, podcasts and audiobooks lineup.Spotify has teamed up with a range of content partners: BBC Maestro, PLAYvirtuoso, Thinkific Labs Inc. and Skillshare. They offer content in four main categories: making music, getting creative, learning business and healthy living. "With this offer, we are exploring a potential opportunity to provide educational creators with a new audience who can access their video content, reaching a bigger potential swath of engaged Spotify users while expanding our catalog," Spotify stated in the announcement. The platform claims that around half of users have "engaged" in self-help or educational podcasts.The test courses are available only to UK users, with free and premium subscribers receiving at least two free lessons per course. The series will range in price from 20 ($25) to 80 ($101), regardless of a person's subscription tier. Users can access them on mobile or desktop. Exact pricing and availability might change if the feature moves past the test phase.This forays into video-based courses follows shortly after Spotify introduced music videos in beta. They're available on select tracks and, like the classes, aren't available to US subscribers (the UK is among the 11 countries with access).This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-launches-educational-video-courses-in-the-uk-131559272.html?src=rss

Last summer, TikTok said it planned to form a youth council" of teens to advise the company as part of a broader push to beef up safety features for the app's youngest users. That group is now official, and they have already started meeting with the company, including CEO Shou Chew, the company announced.The announcement comes as TikTok is fighting a bill that would force parent company ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban in the United States. As part of that effort, the company has tried to mobilize its users, many of them teens, to oppose the measure. TikTok's critics often cite youth safety as one of the most significant risks posed by the app.It's not clear if the newly-formed youth council will do much to counter that perception. But the company says the group has already influenced an upcoming media literacy campaign in the US that will focus on misinformation, AI-generated content, and more." The council, made up of 15 teens from the US, UK, Brazil, Indonesia, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, and Morocco, has also weighed in on the app's youth portal" feature, which provides in-app privacy and security resources.According to TikTok, the council is meant to advise on the safety policies and issues that often impact teens. The group also collaborates with UK online safety organization Praesidio Safeguarding, which helped select the council's teenage members, all of whom are paid, according to TikTok. The company notes that CEO Shou Chew attended the most recent meeting in February, when the youth council asked TikTok to share more details about how reporting and blocking work in the app.While it's not yet clear how much, if any, influence TikTok's youth council will ultimately wield over the company's policies, it underscores just how important teens are to the platform. TikTok is one of the most dominant apps among teens in the US, currently the company's largest market. The company has also leaned on them to oppose the bill that could lead to a ban of the app, though those efforts may have backfired.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-turns-to-teenage-youth-council-as-part-of-its-latest-safety-push-130005305.html?src=rss

Uh oh. Apple, Meta and Google could be in hot water in Europe over their attempts to stand within the letter, if not exactly the spirit, of the bloc's sweeping new Digital Markets Act (DMA).Core to the probe are concerns Google parent Alphabet and Apple have not given sufficiently allowed "app developers to steer" consumers to offers outside the gatekeepers' app stores, free of charge," according to the European Commission (the European Union's executive arm). As things currently stand, the new rules from these tech companies may "constrain ... developers' ability to freely communicate and promote offers and directly conclude contracts, including by imposing various charges."The European Commission said it also believes Alphabet's search may still engage in self-preferencing of Google-owned services, like Google Flights. Apple, it said, may not be allowing users meaningful choice in selecting alternatives to default iOS services or preferences - the ability to uninstall any pre-loaded app, for instance. Also caught up in the probe is Meta, in relation to its new EU scheme wherein users can opt out of ads, but only for a price.The European Commission had, in the lead up to these probes, been hinting at a possible investigation into Apple and Google. In January, Apple announced a raft of App Store changes to comply with the DMA, which required it to (among other things) enable alternative app marketplaces on iOS in the EU and to let developers direct users to third-party payment systems. Included in Apple's updates was a new "core technology fee" of 0.50 that developers will have to pay per user per year after the first 1 million installs of an app - even if a user downloads the software from a third-party marketplace. Google is also charging developers fees in the EU if they bypass the Play Store.Many of Apple's rivals slammed the App Store changes. Some criticized the company's fees for third-party payments in the US too.The EU, perhaps unsurprisingly, is keeping a close eye on how companies subject to DMA rules are complying (or not) with them. "There are things that we take a keen interest in, for instance, if the new Apple fee structure will de facto not make it in any way attractive to use the benefits of the DMA," antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager told Reuters on March 19. "That kind of thing is what we will be investigating."Today's announcement also hints that Apple's "new fee structure" for alternative app stores may still be on the docket for future intervention, along with, apparently, Amazon's possible self-preferencing in its digital storefront.In statements to press Apple has said it's "confident our plan complies with the DMA" while Alphabet has said it will "continue to defend our approach in the coming months." A Meta spokesperson called its paid, ad-free option "a well-established business model across many industries."News of the sweeping probe comes soon after the US Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. The government and more than a dozen states accused Apple of fostering a mobile app monopoly, claiming the company makes it too difficult for rivals to compete with its own products and services.It might be a while before we learn the outcome of the EU probes. According to Bloomberg, EC investigators try to reach a final decision within a year of starting a formal investigation. If officials determine that these companies aren't complying with the DMA, they face hefty penalties.Under the law, the EU can fine a company up to 10 percent of its total annual revenue, and up to 20 percent for repeated violations. Such penalties could make the $2 billion that the EU recently fined Apple for allegedly suppressing iTunes and Apple Music competitors like Spotify look like pocket change.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-eu-is-investigating-apple-meta-and-google-over-fees-and-self-preferencing-124147179.html?src=rss

According to Rabbit, the first batch of US pre-orders will ship on March 31. But stay patient, as it'll take a few weeks for the devices to get to their destinations. The company estimates the first R1 orders will be in customers' hands around April 24."The Rabbit R1 generated equal amounts of hype and questions regarding next-gen AI hardware and whether it can deliver on the heady demos and press releases. I will say, though, the R1, co-designed by Teenage Engineering, is a pretty piece of tech.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedStudio Ghibli Fest will bring 14 movies back to theaters this year, so start planningThe 4 best air fryers for 2024, tested and reviewedChina bans Intel and AMD processors in government computersSennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 reviewYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!Apple Silicon has a hardware-level exploit that could leak private dataThe odds are fairly low that you'll have to worry about it.University security researchers found a chip-level exploit in Apple Silicon-powered Macs. The group says the flaw can bypass the computer's encryption and access its security keys. However, hackers would need to circumvent Apple's Gatekeeper protections, install a malicious app and let the software run for 10 hours - in addition to other complex conditions. As long as you have Apple's Gatekeeper turned on (the default), you won't be able to install such malicious apps anyway.Continue reading.Senators ask intelligence officials to declassify details about TikTok and ByteDanceLawmakers have participated in classified briefings about the app.As the Senate considers a bill that would force the sale or ban of TikTok, lawmakers have heard directly from intelligence officials about the app's alleged national security threat. Now, two senators are asking the office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify and make public what the agency has shared.Continue reading.Instagram porn bots' new low-effort tactic worksPosting ass and... insect'?REUTERS / ReutersInstead of a suggestive tease, spam bots in the Instagram universe are now more likely to post a single, inoffensive, completely irrelevant-to-the-subject word, sometimes accompanied by an emoji or two. That's partially because Instagram's word filters won't catch them, but it's simply a numbers game. Cheyenne MacDonald takes a closer look.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-the-rabbit-r1-starts-shipping-next-week-111518284.html?src=rss

China has introduced guidelines that bar the the use of US processors from AMD and Intel in government computers and servers, The Financial Times has reported. The new rules also block Microsoft Windows and foreign database products in favor of domestic solutions, marking the latest move in a long-running tech trade war between the two countries.Government agencies must now use "safe and reliable" domestic replacements for AMD and Intel chips. The list includes 18 approved processors, including chips from Huawei and the state-backed company Phytium - both of which are banned in the US.The new rules - introduced in December and quietly implemented recently - could have a significant impact on Intel and AMD. China accounted for 27 percent of Intel's $54 billion in sales last year and 15 percent of AMD's revenue of $23 billion, according to the FT. It's not clear how many chips are used in government versus the private sector, however.The moves are China's most aggressive yet to restrict the use of US-built technology. Last year, Beijing prohibited domestic firms from using Micron chips in critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, the US has banned a wide range of Chinese companies ranging from chip manufacturers to aerospace firms. The Biden administration has also blocked US companies like NVIDIA from selling AI and other chips to China.The US, Japan and the Netherlands have dominated the manufacturing of cutting-edge processors, and those nations recently agreed to tighten export controls on lithography machines from ASL, Nikon and Tokyo Electron. However, Chinese companies, including Baidu, Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo have already started designing their own semiconductors to prepare for a future wherein they could longer import chips from the US and other countries.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/china-bans-intel-and-amd-processors-in-government-computers-065859238.html?src=rss

GKIDS and Fathom Events have announced the lineup for Studio Ghibli Fest 2024, and it's absolutely stacked with gems. This year's run includes 14 films and isn't limited only to the works of Hayao Miyazaki, also featuring movies directed by Isao Takahata, Yoshifumi Kondo, Hiroyuki Morita and Hiromasa Yonebayashi. Studio Ghibli Fest 2024 will start with Spirited Away on April 27 and continue through December, when it ends with My Neighbor Totoro. The movies are playing in select AMC and Regal theaters across the US, with a few dates for each title in both Japanese and English dubbed.The full list is: Spirited Away (April 27-May 1), Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (May 19 and 21), Castle in the Sky (May 20 and 22), The Secret World of Arrietty (June 9 and 11), When Marnie Was There (June 10 and 12), Princess Mononoke (July 13-17), Ponyo (August 3-7), Whisper of the Heart (August 25 and 27), The Cat Returns (August 26 and 28), Howl's Moving Castle (September 26-October 3), Kiki's Delivery Service (October 26-30), Pom Poko (November 24 and 26), The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (November 25 and 27), and My Neighbor Totoro (December 7-11).I'm already crying thinking about watching Nausicaa and Princess Kaguya on the big screen. Actually, you can apply that sentiment to pretty much all of these titles. It's going to be great. According to the announcement, there will also be surprise special extra content."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/studio-ghibli-fest-will-bring-14-movies-back-to-theaters-this-year-so-start-planning-201908784.html?src=rss

The newly independent game studio Toys for Bob, which announced last month that it was splitting from Microsoft-owned Activision, has entered an agreement with Xbox for a new game, according to Windows Central. The deal was reportedly mentioned during a recent town hall meeting. Toys for Bob developed 2018's Spyro Reignited Trilogy and was behind Crash Bandicoot 4, along with the Nintendo Switch port for the N. Sane Trilogy.There are no real details yet as to what the new title might be, aside from a comment by Xbox's Matt Booty that it will be in line with the kind of games Toys for Bob has become known for, according to sources cited by Windows Central. Toys for Bob also led the development of the early Skylanders toys-to-life games. Though it only recently departed from the Activision Blizzard/Microsoft family, the studio indicated leading up to the news of its deal with Xbox that it would remain open to working with its former employer on future projects.In February, Toys for Bob said it was exploring a possible partnership between our new studio and Microsoft," and that it was confident that we will continue to work closely together" with Activision and Microsoft. So, keep your horns on and your eyes out for more news," the studio wrote.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/studio-behind-spyro-remakes-and-crash-bandicoot-4-is-reportedly-working-with-xbox-on-a-new-game-173738945.html?src=rss

Sonos is readying the release of its followup to 2021's Roam speaker, and it should be here in time for all your outdoor summer excursions. In the Power On newsletter this week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Sonos is planning a June release for the Roam 2 speaker. The first-generation Roam was Sonos' second attempt at a portable speaker, with a slim, triangular build that weighs less than a pound but produces impressive sound.According to Gurman, this version of the Roam will feature the same touch-sensitive control panel seen in some of the company's other speakers, like the Era 100. Sonos is also reportedly working on a new app to pair with its devices, starting with the Roam 2 and an upcoming set of premium headphones that are positioned as an AirPods Max rival. Those headphones will cost $450, Gurman reports, and are also expected to be released in June a bit behind their original schedule.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonos-roam-2-portable-speaker-may-arrive-just-in-time-for-summer-152535125.html?src=rss

SAG-AFTRA has ratified new contracts for voice actors working in TV animation after members' votes came in at over 95 percent in favor of the terms. The three-year agreements put into place new protections around the use of AI, including a requirement that producers obtain an actor's consent before using their name as a prompt to create an AI-generated voice. SAG-AFTRA announced the contracts' approval on Friday night. They'll be effective through June 30, 2026.Per the new contracts, the term voice actor' only includes humans." The contracts also outline voice actors' rights around studios' use of their digital replicas, and require producers to notify and bargain with the union any time they use AI-generated voices instead of voice actors. This is the first SAG-AFTRA animation voiceover contract with protections against the misuse of artificial intelligence," TV Animation Negotiating Committee Co-Chairs Bob Bergen and David Jolliffe said in a statement.SAG-AFTRA's Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said the agreement represents a meaningful step forward in expanding our A.I. protections," along with providing important new terms in the areas of foreign residuals, high-budget SVOD [subscription video-on-demand] productions, late payments and much more." The contracts establish a series of wage increases, starting with a 7 percent increase dated back to July 1, 2023, which actors will receive retroactive payments for. That will be followed by a 4 percent increase July 1 of this year, and a 3.5 percent increase the following year.The union earlier this year announced that it had reached a deal with the AI voice generation company Replica Studios to give voice actors a way to safely" license their digital voice replicas for video games. AI protection were also a crucial component of the strike-ending deal SAG-AFTRA reached with Hollywood studios late last year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sag-aftra-ratifies-tv-animation-contracts-that-establish-ai-protections-for-voice-actors-190911363.html?src=rss

The bright orange Rabbit R1 is easily one of the most memorable devices to have debuted this year, and if you're among the lucky few who were able to put in an order before the first batch sold out, yours will soon be on its way to you. According to Rabbit, the first batch of US pre-orders will ship out on March 31 (Easter Sunday). It'll take a few weeks for the devices to get to their destinations, though. The company estimates the first R1 orders will be in customers' hands around April 24."Rabbit is also hosting a pickup party in New York City on April 23 that it says is open to all buyers, not just batch one. It plans to release more information on the party and the first deliveries next week.The company's Rabbit R1 demo, which came in parallel to CES, sparked a lot of hype and a lot more questions about the purpose of dedicated AI hardware in the era of smartphones. It's positioned as a more useful AI assistant that can go with you anywhere, powered in large part by San Francisco startup Perplexity's LLM. Co-designed by Teenage Engineering, the Rabbit R1 features a physical scroll wheel and a rotating camera, plus an adorable animated bunny that serves as its mascot.

Good morning. I hope you're having a good weekend so far. Unfortunately, our recording schedule meant I didn't get to shoehorn in the fact that the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple - it'll pop up again and again for the next six months - but we do have Apple striking a possible deal with Google to use its Gemini AI in future iPhones. Yes, I didn't see that coming, either.If you're one of our money-to-spend readers, prepare for Dyson's next-gen robot vacuum, which is finally debuting in the US. It's a mere $1,200. Sorry, $1,199.This week's stories:The first human Neuralink patient controlling a computer with his thoughtsDyson enters the US robot vacuum market with the 360 Vis NavApple wants to bring Google's Gemini AI to iPhonesAnd read this:Just read as Engadget Editor (and Doctor Who critic) Daniel Cooper punches Disney+ in the solar plexus with its awful global release strategy for the next series featuring the timelord. The first two hour-long episodes land on May 11 and will then air on BBC One later that day in prime time. But that initial online launch is midnight if you're in the UK. Dan lives in the UK. Daniel is not happy.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-neuralinks-first-human-patient-plays-chess-with-his-mind-150031220.html?src=rss

Federal authorities in the US asked Google for the names, addresses, telephone numbers and user activity of the accounts that watched certain YouTube videos between January 1 and 8, 2023, according to unsealed court documents viewed by Forbes. People who watched those videos while they weren't logged into an account weren't safe either, because the government also asked for their IP addresses. The investigators reportedly ordered Google to hand over the information as part of an investigation into someone who uses the name "elonmuskwhm" online.Authorities suspect that elonmuskwhm is selling bitcoin for cash and is, thus, breaking money laundering laws, as well as running an unlicensed money transmitting business. Undercover agents reportedly sent the suspect links to videos of YouTube tutorials for mapping via drones and augmented reality software in their conversations back in early January. Those videos, however, weren't private and had been collectively viewed by over 30,000 times, which means the government was potentially asking Google for private information on quite a large number of users. "There is reason to believe that these records would be relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation, including by providing identification information about the perpetrators," authorities reportedly told the company.Based on the documents Forbes had seen, the court granted the order but had asked Google to keep it under wraps. It's also unclear if Google handed over the data the authorities were asking for. In another incident, authorities asked the company for a list of accounts that "viewed and/or interacted" with eight YouTube livestreams. Cops requested for that information after learning that they were being watched through a stream while they were searching an area following a report that an explosive was placed inside a trashcan. One of those video livestreams was posted by the Boston and Maine Live account, which has over 130,000 subscribers.A Google spokesperson told Forbes that the company follows a "rigorous process" to protect the privacy of its users. But critics and privacy advocates are still concerned that government agencies are overstepping and are using their power to obtain sensitive information on people who just happened to watch specific YouTube videos and aren't in any way doing anything illegal."What we watch online can reveal deeply sensitive information about us-our politics, our passions, our religious beliefs, and much more," John Davisson, senior counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, told Forbes. "It's fair to expect that law enforcement won't have access to that information without probable cause. This order turns that assumption on its head."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/authorities-reportedly-ordered-google-to-reveal-the-identities-of-some-youtube-videos-viewers-140018019.html?src=rss

If you're in the US, you might see a new shaded section at the top of your Google Search results with a summary answering your inquiry, along with links for more information. That section, generated by Google's generative AI technology, used to appear only if you've opted into the Search Generative Experience (SGE) in the Search Labs platform. Now, according to Search Engine Land, Google has started adding the experience on a "subset of queries, on a small percentage of search traffic in the US." And that is why you could be getting Google's experimental AI-generated section even if you haven't switched it on.The company introduced SGE at its I/O developer conference in May last year, shortly after it opened up access to its ChatGPT rival Bard, now called Gemini. By November, it had rolled out the feature to 120 countries with more languages other than English, but it still remained opt in. Search Engine Land says Google will start showing you the experience even if you haven't opted in if you look up complex queries or if it thinks you could benefit from getting information from multiple websites. "How do I get marks off painted walls," is apparently one example.Google told the publication that for these tests, it will only show AI overviews if it has confidence that they will show information better than what Search results might surface. Apparently, the company is conducting these tests, because it wants to get feedback from more people, specifically from those who didn't choose to activate the feature. That way it can have a better idea of how generative AI can serve those who may not be tech-savvy or those who couldn't care less about generative AI.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-will-start-showing-ai-powered-search-results-to-users-who-didnt-opt-in-093036257.html?src=rss

The Amazon Big Spring Sale is in full swing. While not as heavy on tech deals as regular Prime Day is, there are some good Amazon deals available on tech we recommend, including a number of Apple devices. In truth, the pickings are pretty slim - and most of these discounts are not explicitly tied to the spring sale - but they're still worth noting as some of the best tech deals we found amongst all of the clothing, home goods and outdoor gear on sale at Amazon right now. Here are the best Apple deals we could find in the Amazon Spring Sale. As a reminder, this sale will run through March 25 and isn't exclusive to Prime subscribers.A quick PSA on iPad dealsMost people should hold off on buying a new iPad right now. Apple is widely expected to announce new tablets in the coming weeks, with past reports suggesting that we'll see two new iPad Pros, a refreshed iPad Air and an all-new Air model with a 12.9-inch display. That said, neither the 10th-gen iPad nor the iPad mini are expected to be updated until later in 2024, so if one of those slates suit your needs and you absolutely must buy a new tablet today, both should be a little safer to buy than the iPad Air or iPad Pro. (Or the older 10.2-inch iPad, which is likely to be discontinued with the next round of refreshes.) We'll highlight a couple of decent prices on those devices below.Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon's Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog's car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-amazon-big-spring-sale-tech-deals-on-airpods-apple-watches-macbooks-ipads-and-more-110027642.html?src=rss

The social network Threads is going to start showing live sports scores, starting with NBA basketball. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the initiative and wrote that it'll be adding more leagues in the near future.Here's how it works. During a game, just search for the teams and you'll see an up-to-date score. If the game is over, a search will bring up the final score. You can also find out when a game will start by searching for it ahead of time. This obviously resembles how X does things, as the platform began showing live sports scores back in 2017, when it was called Twitter.Each score is accompanied by the two team logos. Tapping on these logos redirects users to a conversation about that team. Threads, along with Instagram, recently decided to stop recommending political content, so emphasizing sports is a decent way to capture the real time" vibe of a hip and happening social network.To that end, Instagram head Adam Mosseri has been, sigh, courting NBA diehards for months, calling the community of basketball fans on Threads a great example of the kind of thing we hoped to see" on the app. A Threads spokesperson told Engadget that basketball has become one of the most popular topics" and that NBA Threads has become one of the app's most active sports communities."This makes sense, as NBA discourse is also huge on X. NBA Twitter, as it's still called in sports media, regularly drives coverage and conversation about the pro basketball league. It sure seems like Meta hopes to siphon away some of that influence. Apple also recently announced its own sports-related initiative. The first-party Sports iPhone app offers real-time stats for a number of major leagues, including the NBA, and throws up live score data on the lock screen during a game.Threads is all over the place this week. The platform introduced a new algorithm-tuning feature that works by swiping left and right on posts and announced a beta test that lets users share content to Mastodon and other fediverse services. The live scores feature is also in its testing phase.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/threads-is-getting-into-live-sports-scores-starting-with-the-nba-185616086.html?src=rss

Porn bots are more or less ingrained in the social media experience, despite platforms' best efforts to stamp them out. We've grown accustomed to seeing them flooding the comments sections of memes and celebrities' posts, and, if you have a public account, you've probably noticed them watching and liking your stories. But their behavior keeps changing ever so slightly to stay ahead of automated filters, and now things are starting to get weird.While porn bots at one time mostly tried to lure people in with suggestive or even overtly raunchy hook lines (like the ever-popular, DON'T LOOK at my STORY, if you don't want to MASTURBATE!"), the approach these days is a little more abstract. It's become common to see bot accounts posting a single, inoffensive, completely-irrelevant-to-the-subject word, sometimes accompanied by an emoji or two. On one post I stumbled across recently, five separate spam accounts all using the same profile picture - a closeup of a person in a red thong spreading their asscheeks - commented, Pristine ," Music ," Sapphire ," Serenity " and Faith ."Another bot - its profile picture a headless frontal shot of someone's lingerie-clad body - commented on the same meme post, Michigan ." Once you've noticed them, it's hard not to start keeping a mental log of the most ridiculous instances. agriculture" one bot wrote. On another post: terror " and insect." The bizarre one-word comments are everywhere; the porn bots, it seems, have completely lost it.Really, what we're seeing is the emergence of another avoidance maneuver scammers use to help their bots slip by Meta's detection technology. That, and they might be getting a little lazy.Screenshots by Engadget They just want to get into the conversation, so having to craft a coherent sentence probably doesn't make sense for them," Satnam Narang, a research engineer for the cybersecurity company Tenable, told Engadget. Once scammers get their bots into the mix, they can have other bots pile likes onto those comments to further elevate them, explains Narang, who has been investigating social media scams since the MySpace days.Using random words helps scammers fly under the radar of moderators who may be looking for particular keywords. In the past, they've tried methods like putting spaces or special characters between every letter of words that might be flagged by the system. You can't necessarily ban an account or take an account down if they just comment the word insect' or terror,' because it's very benign," Narang said. But if they're like, Check my story,' or something... that might flag their systems. It's an evasion technique and clearly it's working if you're seeing them on these big name accounts. It's just a part of that dance."That dance is one social media platforms and bots have been doing for years, seemingly to no end. Meta has said it stops millions of fake accounts from being created on a daily basis across its suite of apps, and catches millions more, often within minutes after creation." Yet spam accounts are still prevalent enough to show up in droves on high traffic posts and slip into the story views of even users with small followings.The company's most recent transparency report, which includes stats on fake accounts it's removed, shows Facebook nixed over a billion fake accounts last year alone, but currently offers no data for Instagram. Spammers use every platform available to them to deceive and manipulate people across the internet and constantly adapt their tactics to evade enforcement," a Meta spokesperson said. That is why we invest heavily in our enforcement and review teams, and have specialized detection tools to identify spam."Screenshot by EngadgetLast December, Instagram rolled out a slew of tools aimed at giving users more visibility into how it's handling spam bots and giving content creators more control over their interactions with these profiles. Account holders can now, for example, bulk-delete follow requests from profiles flagged as potential spam. Instagram users may also have noticed the more frequent appearance of the hidden comments" section at the bottom of some posts, where comments flagged as offensive or spam can be relegated to minimize encounters with them.It's a game of whack-a-mole," said Narang, and scammers are winning. You think you've got it, but then it just pops up somewhere else." Scammers, he says, are very adept at figuring out why they got banned and finding new ways to skirt detection accordingly.One might assume social media users today would be too savvy to fall for obviously bot-written comments like Michigan ," but according to Narang, scammers' success doesn't necessarily rely on tricking hapless victims into handing over their money. They're often participating in affiliate programs, and all they need is to get people to visit a website - usually branded as an adult dating service" or the like - and sign up for free. The bots' link in bio" typically directs to an intermediary site hosting a handful of URLs that may promise XXX chats or photos and lead to the service in question.Scammers can get a small amount of money, say a dollar or so, for every real user who makes an account. In the off chance that someone signs up with a credit card, the kickback would be much higher. Even if one percent of [the target demographic] signs up, you're making some money," Narang said. And if you're running multiple, different accounts and you have different profiles pushing these links out, you're probably making a decent chunk of change." Instagram scammers are likely to have spam bots on TikTok, X and other sites too, Narang said. It all adds up."Screenshot by EngadgetThe harms from spam bots go beyond whatever headaches they may ultimately cause the few who have been duped into signing up for a sketchy service. Porn bots primarily use real people's photos that they've stolen from public profiles, which can be embarrassing once the spam account starts friend requesting everyone the depicted person knows (speaking from personal experience here). The process of getting Meta to remove these cloned accounts can be a draining effort.Their presence also adds to the challenges that real content creators in the sex and sex-related industries face on social media, which many rely on as an avenue to connect with wider audiences but must constantly fight with to keep from being deplatformed. Imposter Instagram accounts can rack up thousands of followers, funneling potential visitors away from the real accounts and casting doubt on their legitimacy. And real accounts sometimes get flagged as spam in Meta's hunt for bots, putting those with racy content even more at risk of account suspension and bans.Unfortunately, the bot problem isn't one that has any easy solution. They're just continuously finding new ways around [moderation], coming up with new schemes," Narang said. Scammers will always follow the money and, to that end, the crowd. While porn bots on Instagram have evolved to the point of posting nonsense to avoid moderators, more sophisticated bots chasing a younger demographic on TikTok are posting somewhat believable commentary on Taylor Swift videos, Narang says.The next big thing in social media will inevitably emerge sooner or later, and they'll go there too. As long as there's money to be made," Narang said, there's going to be incentives for these scammers."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/instagram-porn-bots-latest-tactic-is-ridiculously-low-effort-but-its-working-181130528.html?src=rss

As the Senate considers the bill that would force a sale or ban of TikTok, lawmakers have heard directly from intelligence officials about the alleged national security threat posed by the app. Now, two prominent senators are asking the office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify and make public what they have shared.We are deeply troubled by the information and concerns raised by the intelligence community in recent classified briefings to Congress," Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn write. It is critically important that the American people, especially TikTok users, understand the national security issues at stake."The exact nature of the intelligence community's concerns about the app has long been a source of debate. Lawmakers in the House received a similar briefing just ahead of their vote on the bill. But while the briefing seemed to bolster support for the measure, some members said they left unconvinced, with one lawmaker saying that not a single thing that we heard ... was unique to TikTok."According to Axios, some senators described their briefing as shocking," though the group isn't exactly known for their particularly nuanced understanding of the tech industry. (Blumenthal, for example, once pressed Facebook executives on whether they would commit to ending finsta.") In its report, Axios says that one lawmaker said they were told TikTok is able to spy on the microphone on users' devices, track keystrokes and determine what the users are doing on other apps." That may sound alarming, but it's also a description of the kinds of app permissions social media services have been requesting for more than a decade.TikTok has long denied that its relationship with parent company ByteDance would enable Chinese government officials to interfere with its service or spy on Americans. And so far, there is no public evidence that TikTok has ever been used in this way. If US intelligence officials do have evidence that is more than hypothetical, it would be a major bombshell in the long-running debate surrounding the app.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/senators-ask-intelligence-officials-to-declassify-details-about-tiktok-and-bytedance-180655697.html?src=rss

A team of university security researchers has found a chip-level exploit in Apple Silicon Macs. The group says the flaw can bypass the computer's encryption and access its security keys, exposing the Mac's private data to hackers. The silver lining is the exploit would require you to circumvent Apple's Gatekeeper protections, install a malicious app and then let the software run for as long as 10 hours (along with a host of other complex conditions), which reduces the odds you'll have to worry about the threat in the real world.The exploit originates in a part of Apple's M-series chips called Data Memory-Dependent Prefetchers (DMPs). DMPs make the processors more efficient by preemptively caching data. The DMPs treat data patterns as directions, using them to guess what information they need to access next. This reduces turnarounds and helps lead to reactions like seriously fast," often used to describe Apple Silicon.The researchers discovered that attackers can use the DMP to bypass encryption. Through new reverse engineering, we find that the DMP activates on behalf of potentially any program, and attempts to dereference any data brought into cache that resembles a pointer," the researchers wrote. (Pointers" are addresses or directions signaling where to find specific data.) This behavior places a significant amount of program data at risk."This paper shows that the security threat from DMPs is significantly worse than previously thought and demonstrates the first end-to-end attacks on security-critical software using the Apple m-series DMP," the group wrote.The researchers named the attack GoFetch, and they created an app that can access a Mac's secure data without even requiring root access. Ars Technica Security Editor Dan Goodin explains, M-series chips are divided into what are known as clusters. The M1, for example, has two clusters: one containing four efficiency cores and the other four performance cores. As long as the GoFetch app and the targeted cryptography app are running on the same performance cluster-even when on separate cores within that cluster - GoFetch can mine enough secrets to leak a secret key."The details are highly technical, but Ars Technica's write-up is worth a read if you want to venture much further into the weeds.But there are two key takeaways for the layperson: Apple can't do much to fix existing chips with software updates (at least without significantly slowing down Apple Silicon's trademark performance), and as long as you have Apple's Gatekeeper turned on (the default), you won't likely install malicious apps in the first place. Gatekeeper only allows apps from the Mac App Store and non-App Store installations from Apple registered developers. (You may want to be extra cautious when manually approving apps from unregistered developers in macOS security settings.) If you don't install malicious apps outside those confines, the odds appear quite low this will ever affect your M-series Mac.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-silicon-has-a-hardware-level-exploit-that-could-leak-private-data-174741269.html?src=rss

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthdropped only a few weeks ago, but fans of the series won't have to wait long at all to play a new addition to another recent entry. The Rising Tide, the second paid expansion for Final Fantasy XVI, will arrive on April 18.The release date was revealed at a PAX East panel, where it was announced that The Rising Tide will cost $20. However, if you haven't already picked up the previous paid DLC, Echoes of the Fallen, you can snap up both for $25 through a discounted expansion pass.The Rising Tide will see Clive and his cohorts travel to the hidden land of Mysidia. They'll "uncover the tragic history of a forgotten people" as they look for the dominant of Leviathan, a long-lost Eikon of water. As with Echoes of the Fallen, the action takes place before the ending of the main game.As the title and description suggest, you'll get to wield an array of water-based attacks, including a "sea-spitting serpent." The PlayStation Blog also teases that Clive will find another power on his journey. Meanwhile, the trailer shows off the battle with Leviathan, which takes place on the surface of a lake.Those who beat The Rising Tide and the main game will gain access to a new endgame mode called Kairos Gate. You'll battle through 20 levels of increasing difficulty, taking down one wave of enemies after another. You can earn new materials and weapons for Clive through this mode.On top of all that, Square Enix will release a free update for Final Fantasy XVI on April 18 that includes a string of quality-of-life upgrades. For one thing, you'll be able to instantly return to the NPC who gave you a quest with the Quick Complete option. A Skill Set feature will let you save up to five Feat and Ability loadouts. In a positive update for accessibility, you'll be able to remap the controls as you see fit.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-second-final-fantasy-xvi-dlc-the-rising-tide-will-arrive-on-april-18-174232733.html?src=rss

Iconic singer Joni Mitchell has put her music back on Spotify more than two years after she left the platform as a protest against it hosting misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, typically spread by beefy podcast bad boy Joe Rogan. This happens just a week after fellow protestor Neil Young rejoined the streaming service.Mitchell has made no comment about her music returning to Spotify. Back in 2022, Mitchell wrote in a statement that irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives. I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue" of the COVID vaccine, as published by Pitchfork.Young returned to Spotify on the grounds that Joe Rogan's podcast is no longer exclusive to the platform, as it now appears on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music. "My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I had opposed at Spotify," he wrote in a blog post that may have been deleted since being published. The singer also noted that fans would have nowhere to go if he pulled his music from each of the above platforms.Beyond the obvious reasons, Young and Mitchell had a personal stake in combating medical misinformation. Both musicians were victims of polio, a disease that was wiped out in North America thanks to vaccines.Joni Mitchell has been experiencing something of a career resurgence in the past few years. She started playing live again in 2022, after an aneurysm in 2015 left her unable to perform. The singer even performed at this year's Grammys. As for Rogan, he recently signed a new $250 million deal with Spotify to continue his various podcast ventures.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/joni-mitchell-joins-neil-young-and-returns-to-spotify-170655527.html?src=rss

Samsung announced pricing and availability details for its 2024 TV lineup on Thursday, and it's rolled out a fairly unique deal to entice pre-orders: If you order one of its latest sets between now and April 11, it'll throw in a bonus 65-inch 4K TV for no extra cost. The offer applies to the company's new OLED TVs (the S90D and S95D), 4K LED TVs (the QN85D and QN90D), 8K LED TVs (the QN800D and QN900D) and Frame TVs. It's available at several retailers, including Samsung.com, though you can get an extra $100 off each set at Amazon if you're a Prime member or Best Buy if you subscribe to that shop's My Best Buy Plus service. At the former, the deal comes as part of the retailer's wider Big Spring Sale event.As for what's new with these sets, Samsung says the high-end S95D OLED TV uses anti-glare technology to hold up better in brightly-lit rooms, while the step-down S90D can reach higher brightness levels than last year's model. The aesthetics-focused Frame TV can now drop to a lower 60Hz refresh rate to conserve energy while displaying artwork, and the QN90D has an updated processor. And while most people don't need to splurge for an 8K TV, both the QN800D and top-end QN900D promise a few upscaling and motion-enhancing features based on AI.It's an appealing promo, but there are some caveats to keep in mind before you buy. The bonus TV in question is the Samsung TU690T, an entry-level model from 2022. Though we haven't tested it ourselves, other reviews say that it can't get very bright and provides a mostly basic image. It lacks a local dimming feature to improve contrast, it's limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and it only has two HDMI ports, neither of which are HDMI 2.1. As of this writing, the 65-inch model is available for $480 at Best Buy.It's also worth remembering how the pricing cycle of the TV market usually works. We'll have to wait for reviews to see just how improved Samsung's newest TVs are, but for the most part, they don't look to be massive upgrades over their predecessors from last year. The S95D's anti-glare tech may be the most meaningful change in practice.Most of those 2023 TVs, meanwhile, are still available for significantly lower prices. Last year's excellent S90C OLED, for example, is now going for $1,298, which is $700 less than its 2024 equivalent. The new Frame TVs are an exception right now, though we've seen multiple discounts on last year's model in recent months. In general, the best times to buy a TV are still the holiday sales period and right about now, when new models are introduced and still-great older TVs fall in price until they're discontinued.We highlight last year's S90C and QN90C TVs in our gaming TV buying guide, and we've previously recommended the Frame TV for those who are willing to trade some picture quality for a classier design.With all of that said, a free TV is a free TV. If you're dead-set on getting one of Samsung's latest and just want a large screen for, say, a guest room or office, this deal should sweeten the pot.Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon's Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog's car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-is-throwing-in-a-free-65-inch-4k-tv-when-you-pre-order-one-of-its-new-2024-tvs-164301225.html?src=rss

Companies don't need to make huge updates to their wireless earbuds across generations. Sometimes, making a great set more reliable and adding features that extend their lifespan are upgrades enough. That's what Sennheiser has done for the Momentum True Wireless 4 ($300). The company's fourth-generation earbuds retain the excellent sound quality I've come to expect from Sennheiser along with rebuilt Bluetooth tech, higher-resolution sound, support for Bluetooth LE Audio and a tool for battery longevity. But, not everyone will reap all of the benefits I encountered during my Momentum True Wireless 4 review.Momentum True Wireless 4: DesignThe Momentum True Wireless 4 is identical in appearance to the Momentum True Wireless 3, with the only difference being a new copper/black color option alongside the existing silver/black and silver/white versions. Also, you'll now get a fourth, extra-small, set of ear tips and the company still includes three sizes of stabilizer arcs to help you get an ideal fit. Sennheiser's Smart Control app has a fit test too, so you've got help there. The company has also upgraded the dust and moisture protection here with an IP54 rating, so they now withstand fine debris in addition to water spray.There are, however, some important changes inside the Momentum True Wireless 4. That includes an update to Qualcomm's S5 Sound Gen 2 platform with Snapdragon Sound. Part of the Bluetooth overhaul I mentioned is a redesigned antenna, which makes this fourth-gen set of wireless earbuds more reliable. Users had reported issues with dropouts and the companion app failing to recognize the Momentum True Wireless 3, so Sennheiser is clearly addressing those issues here.Software and featuresLike with recent Sennheiser audio gear, the company's Sound Control app is where you access all of the settings and customization options for the Momentum True Wireless 4. The main interface gives you quick access to battery percentages, Bluetooth connections, personalized sound, ANC settings, transparency level, reconfiguring touch controls, fit test and Sound Zones. That last feature allows you to automate changes to audio settings like ANC and transparency on your location. You can set up to 20 of these zones" for places like home, work and the gym. Of course, you have to give the app permission to monitor your whereabouts to use this.Sennheiser has taken steps to future-proof these flagship earbuds - ensuring they last for the next few years, at least. First, they support Bluetooth 5.4, which is ready for LE Audio and Auracast. Those items aren't available on the Momentum True Wireless 4 just yet, but Sennheiser is planning an update this spring that will deliver features like broadcast audio, audio sharing and assisted listening.If you have a recent premium Android phone, the inclusion of Snapdragon Sound will come in handy for increased audio quality. The Qualcomm processor in those devices can muster what Sennheiser calls flawless" lossless audio when streaming from a compatible music service. There are two settings here: high resolution at 24-bit/96kHz via aptX Adaptive and lossless at 16-bit/44.1kHz with aptX Lossless.The final quality-of-life update concerns the battery. In order to maintain better performance over time, Sennheiser added a battery protection mode that stops the buds from charging past 80 percent. This is important since earbud batteries are almost never replaceable and preventing them from overcharging will extend its lifespan. It's nice to see the company making a product last longer, which will also have environmental impacts.Momentum True Wireless 4: Sound qualityPhoto by Billy Steele/EngadgetSennheiser has a longstanding reputation for great sound quality and the Momentum True Wireless 4 continues that tradition. I couldn't detect a huge difference between the Momentum True Wireless 4 and its predecessor, though, despite the company saying this year's model has evolved tuning" that includes things like smoother treble response, extensive bass and effortless midrange." And that's just fine because the Momentum True Wireless 3 already sounded amazing.There's still great detail and clarity here, combined with a warm, inviting sound profile that's enjoyable for hours on end. Even though the bass is boomy and punchy when a song like Incendiary's Lie of Liberty" demands it, the low-end tone never overpowers. And you can easily hear the texture of the distorted guitars, clanging hits on the ride cymbal and other subtleties on that bombastic hardcore track. Shift over to something more mellow like Charles Wesley Godwin's Apple Music Sessions and the level of detail envelopes you even more. Those songs are also available in Dolby Atmos, so they really allow the Momentum True Wireless 4 to shine.If the stock tuning doesn't suit you, you can adjust a 5-band EQ and save any custom presets. The app also offers Sound Personalization, which tunes the audio to your listening preference via a quick test. The Momentum True Wireless 4 sounded great out of the box and I left the tuning untouched except for a bit of due diligence.Android users can take advantage of the increased audio quality I mentioned earlier. There is a noticeable difference in the sound, especially in the finer details, but whether it's better" depends on your preferences. Of course, that higher-resolution playback will impact battery life and you'll need a specific streaming plan (like Tidal's Hi-Fi or Hi-Fi Plus options) or locally stored files to use what Snapdragon Sound offers in the first place.iPhone owners shouldn't feel left out as Apple's AAC streaming also sounds great on the Momentum True Wireless 4. It's aided by the fact that Apple Music's audio quality is superior to other services, especially if the tunes are available in Dolby Atmos.ANC performancePhoto by Billy Steele/EngadgetLike its predecessor, the Momentum True Wireless 4 has an adaptive ANC setup that automatically adjusts to changes in your environment for a more immersive listening experience." Sennheiser didn't point out any differences in its noise-canceling setup on this new model and I didn't notice any discernible improvement or decline. The ANC works just fine in most settings, but like most earbuds and headphones, it struggles with sounds like human voices. I also found that it's not as robust as the best buds from Bose and Sony with some sources of constant noise, like white noise machines and noisy fans.Call qualitySennheiser uses six microphones to handle calls on the Momentum True Wireless 4. Overall quality is good, but not pristine, as long as you're in a quiet spot. Constant noise like a raucous fan comes across as a nondescript hum, but it's still noticeable. Transparency mode helps a bit during calls, if only to let you be aware of your surroundings. It has a natural sound compared to other earbuds, but doesn't pipe in your voice, so the end result isn't as good as Apple's AirPods Pro.Momentum True Wireless 4: Battery lifeThe Momentum True Wireless 4's battery is rated to last seven hours with ANC on, but you can extend that 30 minutes by disabling it. During my tests, which consisted of mostly ANC listening at around 70-percent volume with a few calls using transparency mode, I easily hit the seven-hour mark. Factor in the case, which supports wireless charging, and you can expect up to 30 hours of playback on the go. There's also a wireless quick-charge feature with the battery protection mode that gives you an hour of use in just eight minutes.The competitionThe leader of the pack is still Sony's WF-1000XM5. While the Momentum True Wireless 4 has the edge in terms of sound quality, Sony's earbuds offer better noise-canceling and a host of handy features. Tools like Speak-to-Chat automatic pausing and DSEE Extreme audio upscaling cannot be overlooked. Sony also provides the ability to automatically change sound settings based on your location like Sennheiser does, so you don't have to sacrifice that feature. The WF-1000XM5 debuted last July, which means you can find them on sale often. They're currently going for $278, $22 less than the Momentum True Wireless 4.Wrap-upNo new design? No problem. Sennheiser has made enough upgrades to the Momentum True Wireless 4 to make it a compelling entry in a growing line of stellar-sounding earbuds. Sound quality is great as always, and that's the biggest selling point for me. Combine that with the higher-resolution audio on Android, forward-facing features and solid battery life, and this model checks a lot of boxes for a flagship set of buds. Sure, ANC could be better and some folks will yearn for spatial audio, but just because the Momentum True Wireless 4 is superb in some areas doesn't mean it's perfect.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sennheiser-momentum-true-wireless-4-review-stellar-sound-forward-looking-features-153004419.html?src=rss

Qualcomm is said to have new Arm-based laptops of its own in the pipeline, while consumer versions of the new Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 that run on the Snapdragon X Elite chipset are believed to be on the way. While that in the past would have meant the makers of x86- and x64-based Windows software needing to port their apps, Qualcomm sought to assure game developers that their titles will run just fine out of the box on any unannounced Snapdragon X Elite systems that just happen to be coming up.At the Game Developers Conference, Qualcomm engineer Issam Khalil told the audience that the computers will use emulation to run many x86 and x64 games at nearly full speed without the need to tweak the code or change any assets. According to The Verge, Khalil explained that games are typically bottlenecked by the graphics processing unit, and emulation doesn't impact GPU performance. As such (save for some CPU cost when a block of code in a game runs through its emulation process for the first time), Qualcomm suggests many titles will perform just fine.There are some caveats. Certain games simply won't work through emulation, particularly those using kernel-level anti-cheat tech. However, Qualcomm has been testing its emulation with the top games on Steam and appears convinced that its tech should be able to handle most games.Otherwise, Khalil told developers that they have two other options for running their games on Snapdragon-based Windows machines. They can fully port their titles to native ARM64 for optimal CPU performance and power usage. Alternatively, Qualcomm will support hybrid ARM64EC apps, in which Windows libraries and Qualcomm's drivers run natively, but the other parts of the software are emulated. This is said to deliver near-native" performance.If Qualcomm can actually pull off this emulation trick as promised, it'll be an impressive move, and it could ultimately help Arm-based Windows laptops offer a blend of strong performance and better power efficiency than x86 Intel-based machines. However, the proof is in the pudding. Qualcomm hasn't had a terrific track record of x86/x64 emulation thus far. In fact, senior editor Devindra Hardawar criticized the Arm-based Surface Pro 9 for its poor Windows emulation.So far, Apple has arguably been the most successful company at emulating x86 software on its Arm-based M-series chips with the help of its Rosetta 2 translation layer. One key point to bear in mind here is that Apple has total control over the entire ecosystem, as PC Gamer notes, including the hardware and operating system. As such, Apple can perhaps better optimize the emulation process than other companies that provide fewer parts of the equation, such as Qualcomm with its GPUs and CPUs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/qualcomm-says-most-windows-games-will-work-on-its-latest-arm-laptop-chipset-152540577.html?src=rss

Microsoft finally announced the Surface Pro 10 and Laptop 6 this week, but you won't find them in any retail stores. You can only buy them on Microsoft's website and through enterprise resellers. This week, Cherlynn and Devindra discuss why Microsoft is positioning these computers for businesses, and what it could mean for the future of the Surface lineup. The company is hinting that it'll have consumer devices soon - likely the Pro 10 and Laptop 6 without as much corporate baggage. But there may also be room for an entirely new form of Surface. Perhaps it's time for a true Surface foldable? (Or maybe not, after seeing how the Duo performed.)Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!Topics

Fans of Dear Esther, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, make sure to mark June 18 on your calendar. On that day, you'll be able to buy a copy of Still Wakes the Deep for the PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), the Xbox Series X|S and the PS5, though you can also play it with Game Pass for Xbox and PC. It's the latest first-person narrative horror game from The Chinese Room, the developer behind the aforementioned titles in the same genre.Just a warning if the title itself isn't clear enough: Still Wakes the Deep probably isn't for you if you have thalassophobia. It's set in 1975 and puts you in the shoes of an offshore oil rig worker stationed in North Sea waters. A "terrifying, unrelenting foe" has come onboard, and you'll have to fight for your life while helping what remains of your crew survive in the midst of storms and freezing temperatures. "All lines of communication have been severed. All exits are gone," the game's description says, because horror stories are no fun if you can easily call for help. You'll have no access to weapons, as well - you'll have to use your wits and what you find from your environment to face the "unknowable horror" and escape the rig altogether.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/still-wakes-the-deep-will-pit-you-against-unknown-nautical-horrors-starting-on-june-18-121529077.html?src=rss

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is concerned that the merger Three and Vodafone announced last year could lead to "substantial lessening of competition" and might conduct an in-depth investigation into the deal. Three years after Virgin Media's merger with O2, Three and Vodafone revealed their intention to enter a joint venture agreement that would knock off a standalone mobile network from consumers' choices in the region. goApparently, CMA regulators launched a preliminary investigation into their proposed deal back in January and had identified potential issues that could come with combining two of the four remaining mobile network operators in the UK. Those issues include the possibility of the merger leading to higher prices and lower quality of service, since competition typically helps keep prices low and compels operators to make investments meant to improve their network quality. In addition, the CMA is worried that having fewer networks could affect mobile virtual network operators' ability to negotiate for the best deals possible for their customers.When the two companies announced the merger in 2023, they said that together, they will "have the scale needed to deliver a best-in-class 5G network" and open up "new opportunities for businesses across the length and breadth of the UK." But CMA regulators say their claims "need more detailed assessment." They've now given the companies five working days to respond to their concerns with "meaningful solutions," otherwise they'll proceed towards conducting a more in-depth investigation.In 2015, Three also made an attempt to purchase O2 for 10.25 billion ($12.9 billion), but the CMA and the European Commission blocked the purchase after concluding that it would reduce competition and lead to higher prices. The CMA approved the joint agreement between O2 and Virgin Media, a landline, cable and broadband operator, however, after it found those very same concerns to be unfounded.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uk-regulators-want-to-investigate-three-and-vodafones-blockbuster-merger-120058606.html?src=rss

The Department of Justice and more than a dozen states have filed a lawsuit against Apple in the US federal court, accusing the company of violating antitrust laws. It says Apple's hardware and software products are largely inaccessible to competitors, making it difficult for rivals to compete and for customers to switch to other companies' products.The lawsuit comes after the European Commission fined Apple 1.8 billion ($1.95 billion) for stopping music-streaming developers from informing iOS users about alternative and cheaper music subscription services available" outside the App Store. And all this while US lawmakers chase another tech company, TikTok, with a lot of enthusiasm.The DOJ suggests Apple used its control over iOS to block innovative apps and cloud streaming services from the public. (Look at cloud gaming services, like Google's now-gone Stadia and Microsoft's xCloud). The suit also suggests Apple has obstructed rival payment platforms, made it harder for Android messages to appear on iPhones and restricted how competing smartphones integrated with iOS devices.You could compare Apple's antitrust suit to Microsoft's antitrust suit brought against Windows in the late '90s - even Attorney General Merrick Garland noted those in the suit. But Microsoft truly dominated PC software back then, with over 90 percent of all PCs running some flavor of Windows.The DOJ says Apple claims 70 percent of all smartphones, which is already less. Step outside the US, which is a bit academic here, and Apple has the same market share as Samsung, with many other phone makers jostling for a percentage point or two. It's not quite the same grip as Microsoft had on PCs.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedOur hilariously timed piece on how the iPhone changed tech overnightThe case against the TikTok ban billSamsung's Music Frame speaker is now available for pre-order for $400You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!Microsoft's Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 are not for youThey're for serious business people and professionals.MicrosoftTwo devices conspicuously missing from Microsoft's Surface and AI event last fall are finally here - and they're what we expected and a bit surprising. Today, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, sporting the same designs as the previous models but now with the AI smarts of Intel's new Core Ultra CPU. Alas, both have the foreboding words for business" attached to their names, so you'll only be able to buy them from Microsoft's website or commercial resellers. But why? We don't really know.Continue reading.DoorDash is testing a drone delivery feature in VirginiaIt's in partnership with Alphabet's Wing.DoorDash just announced the launch of a new drone delivery pilot program in Christiansburg, Virginia, with an approximate population of 22,000. The company says orders should arrive in 30 minutes or less, making high-flying drones about as fast as a standard pizza delivery. However, it's limited to only eligible items." And, alas, only items from fast-food chain Wendy's.Wendy's? Wendy's.Continue reading.Reddit is now a publicly traded companyThe social media stalwart wants to raise around $631 million in its IPO.Nearly two decades after its debut, Reddit is now a publicly traded company. It was listed on the New York Stock Exchange as RDDT on Thursday, with mascot Snoo on hand to ring the opening bell. One interesting aspect of Reddit going public is it offered shares at the IPO pricing to long-term users of good standing over the last few weeks. It's not all good news for Reddit, though. It recently signed a deal with Google, reportedly worth $60 million a year, to train the latter's AI models on user-generated content. The Federal Trade Commission is looking into that arrangement.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-justice-department-files-antitrust-lawsuit-against-apple-111507688.html?src=rss

WhatsApp has just made it easier to take note of more important messages from within a conversation. Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg and WhatsApp head Will Cathcart have both announced on their respective WhatsApp channels that you'll now be able to pin up to three messages to the top of a chat, allowing you quick access to any information you want. As TechCrunch notes, you could only pin one message from the time the feature launched in December up until now. But with this update, you may no longer have to save, say, addresses or recipes you get from friends in separate note files.The Meta-owned messaging app has also updated its Help Center to reflect the new three-message rule. You can pin not just text messages, but also images and polls, and they'll stay at the top of the chat for 24 hours, 7 days or a whole month. If you pin just one message, it'll show up as the chat banner. But if you pin more, the banner shows how many messages are pinned, with the most recent one appearing first when you tap on it.To pin a message, you only have to press on it, select "pin" and choose the duration you want. You can unpin messages the same way if you don't want to see it at the top of your chat anymore before the deadline you set comes up. Back in December WhatsApp also introduced voice messages that self-destruct for those that want an extra layer of security and privacy. And if an unconfirmed report that went out earlier this year is true, then we could expect the service to launch an AirDrop-like file sharing capability in the future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/you-can-now-pin-up-to-three-important-messages-in-whatsapp-chats-085430104.html?src=rss

The Mozilla Foundation and dozens of other research and advocacy groups are pushing back on Meta's decisions to shut down its research tool, CrowdTangle, later this year. In an open letter, the group calls on Meta to keep CrowdTangle online until after 2024 elections, saying that it will harm their ability to track election misinformation in a year where approximately half the world's population" are slated to vote.The letter, published by the Mozilla Foundation and signed by 90 groups as well as the former CEO of CrowdTangle, comes one week after Meta confirmed it would shut down the tool in August 2024. Meta's decision will effectively prohibit the outside world, including election integrity experts, from seeing what's happening on Facebook and Instagram - during the biggest election year on record," the letter writers say.This means almost all outside efforts to identify and prevent political disinformation, incitements to violence, and online harassment of women and minorities will be silenced. It's a direct threat to our ability to safeguard the integrity of elections." The group asks Meta to keep CrowdTangle online until January 2025, and to rapidly onboard" election researchers onto its latest tools.CrowdTangle has long been a source of frustration for Meta. It allows researchers, journalists and other groups to track how content is spreading across Facebook and Instagram. It's also often cited by journalists in unflattering stories about Facebook and Instagram. For example, Engadget relied on CrowdTangle in an investigation into why Facebook Gaming was overrun with spam and pirated content in 2022. CrowdTangle was also the source for Facebook's Top 10," a (now defunct) Twitter bot that posted daily updates on the most-interacted withFacebook posts containing links. The project, created by a New York Times reporter, regularly showed far-right and conservative pages over-performing, leading Facebook executives to argue the data wasn't an accurate representation of what was actually popular on the platform.With CrowdTangle set to shut down, Meta is instead highlighting a new program called the Meta Content Library, which provides researchers with new tools to access publicly-accessible data in a streamlined way. The company has said it's more powerful than what CrowdTangle enabled, but it's also much more strictly controlled. Researchers from nonprofits and academic institutions must apply, and be approved, in order to access it. And since the vast majority of newsrooms are for-profit entities, most journalists will be automatically ineligible for access (it's not clear if Meta would allow reporters at nonprofit newsrooms to use the Content Library.)The other issue, according to Brandon Silverman, CrowdTangle's former CEO who left Meta in 2021 is that the Meta Content Library isn't currently powerful enough to be a full CrowdTangle replacement. There are some areas where the MCL has way more data than CrowdTangle ever had, including reach and comments in particular," Brandon Silverman, CrowdTangle's former CEO who left Meta in 2021 wrote in a post on Substack last week. But there are also some huge gaps in the tool, both for academics and civil society, and simply arguing that it has more data isn't a claim that regulators or the press should take seriously."In a statement on X, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said that academic and nonprofit institutions pursuing scientific or public interest research can apply for access" to the Meta Content Library, including nonprofit election experts. The Meta Content Library is designed to contain more comprehensive data than CrowdTangle."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/researchers-ask-meta-to-keep-crowdtangle-online-until-after-2024-elections-211527731.html?src=rss