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Google's Gemini chatbot, which was formerly called Bard, has the capability to whip up AI-generated illustrations based on a user's text description. You can ask it to create pictures of happy couples, for instance, or people in period clothing walking modern streets. As the BBC notes, however, some users are criticizing Google for depicting specific white figures or historically white groups of people as racially diverse individuals. Now, Google has issued a statement, saying that it's aware Gemini "is offering inaccuracies in some historical image generation depictions" and that it's going to fix things immediately.

Intel's relatively new Foundry division - formerly known as Intel Foundry Services until earlier today - has just landed a notable order from a big name. According to Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that his company will be tapping into Intel's latest 18A (1.8nm) fabrication process for an upcoming in-house chip design. But given Intel's process roadmap, this means we likely won't be seeing Microsoft's new chip until 2025.While neither company disclosed the nature of said silicon, Microsoft did unveil its custom-made Azure Maia AI Accelerator and Azure Cobalt 100 CPU server chips last November, with an expected rollout some time "early" this year to bolster its own AI services. The Cobalt 100 is based on Arm architecture, and it just so happens that Intel has been optimizing its 18A process for Arm designs since April last year (it even became an Arm investor later), so there's a good chance that this collaboration may lead to the next-gen Cobalt CPU.In addition to the usual efficiency improvements as node size decreases, Intel 18A also offers "the industry's first backside power solution" which, according to IEEE's Spectrum, separates the power interconnect layer from the data interconnect layer at the top, and moves the former to beneath the silicon substrate - as implied by the name. This apparently allows for improved voltage regulation and lower resistance, which in turn enable faster logic and lower power consumption, especially when applied to 3D stacking.IntelIn Intel's Q4 earnings call, CEO Pat Gelsinger confirmed that "18A is expected to achieve manufacturing readiness in second half '24." Given that Intel's very own 18A-based processors - "Clearwater Forest" for servers and "Panther Lake" for clients - won't arrive until 2025, chances are it'll be a similar time frame for Microsoft's next chip.At Intel's event earlier today, the exec shared an extended Intel Foundry process technology roadmap, which features a new 14A (1.4nm) node enabled by ASML's "High-NA EUV" (high-numerical aperture extreme ultraviolet) lithography system. According to AnandTech, this 14A leap may help Intel play catchup after its late EUV adoption for its Intel 4 (7nm) node, though risk production won't take place until the end of 2026.Intel Foundry is the brainchild of Gelsinger, who launched this department right after he assumed the CEO role in February 2021, as part of his ambitious plan to put Intel up against the likes of TSMC and Samsung in the contract chip-making market. Before Microsoft, Intel Foundry's list of clients already include MediaTek, Qualcomm and Amazon. The company still aims to become "the second largest external foundry by 2030" in terms of manufacturing revenue, which it believes is achievable as early as this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-upcoming-custom-chip-will-be-made-by-intel-063323035.html?src=rss

Samsung said Wednesday that the Galaxy S24's AI features will arrive on last year's phones (including foldables) and tablets in late March. In January, Engadget's Sam Rutherford reported that the AI suite would soon be available on the Galaxy S23 series, Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5 and Tab S9. Today's announcement makes that device list official while adding the more specific arrival window of late March 2024.That group of 2023 devices will receive a software update next month with the AI features from the S24 series. Those include communication-based AI tricks like Chat Assist (adjusts message tone and translates messages), Live Translate (real-time voice and text translations) and Interpreter (split-screen translation for in-person conversations).They'll also get the productivity-based AI features Circle to Search (search for anything on your screen by drawing a ring around it), Note Assist (formatting, summaries and translations of notes), Browsing Assist (summaries of news articles) and Transcript Assist (transcribe and summarize meeting recordings).Finally, image-based AI features coming to those devices include Generative Edit (reframe shots, move subjects around or delete and replace them), Edit Suggestion (recommended image tweaks), and Instant Slow-Mo (generate extra frames to transform a standard video into a slow-motion one).Photo by Sam Rutherford / EngadgetThe full list of devices receiving the update starting in March includes the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Tab S9. But Samsung says you can expect more devices to join them later. This is only the beginning of Galaxy AI, as we plan to bring the experience to over 100 million Galaxy users within 2024 and continue to innovate ways to harness the unlimited possibilities of mobile AI," Samsung President TM Roh wrote in a press release.We were mostly impressed with the AI features in our Galaxy S24 Ultra review. While harnessing AI might not be a super exciting development now that everyone and their grandmother is trying to shoehorn it into everything, it does make the S24 Ultra a more powerful and well-rounded handset," Engadget's Sam Rutherford wrote in January.Although he noticed a few hiccups in the AI tools at launch, he found most of them to be a genuinely helpful complement to the phone's high-end hardware. Samsung finally has an answer to the sophisticated features that were previously only available from the Pixel family," he wrote. Sure, the S24's tools aren't quite as polished as Google's offerings, but they get you 80 to 90 percent of the way there."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/your-older-s23-phone-will-get-samsungs-galaxy-ai-suite-in-late-march-030016691.html?src=rss

Electric car maker Rivian announced on Wednesday that it's laying off 10 percent of its salaried workforce to cut costs after facing a quarterly loss. The Amazon-backed company reported that it lost $1.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023 and said that it expects to build 57,000 electric vehicles in 2024, the same number it built last year.

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday issued a safety communication warning people to stay way from smartwatches and smart rings that claim to measure blood sugar levels without pricking the skin. The FDA has not authorized, cleared, or approved any smartwatch or smart ring that is intended to measure or estimate blood glucose values on its own," the agency wrote in the communication, and asked consumers, patients, and caregivers to stay away from such devices.

Despite quickly amassing more than 100 million users, Meta's Threads hasn't exactly broken through to the zeitgeist the way its main rival, X/Twitter, did. It's arguably still awaiting its plane-on-the-Hudson moment. Nevertheless, Meta is doing what it can to bring attention to and keep eyes on the text-based platform, including by displaying popular threads on Facebook and Instagram.Its latest test is out of a previous playbook too. The company is toying with letting users cross post from Facebook to Threads with ease. That could eventually make it easier for heavy Facebook users and/or content creators to share their thoughts, videos and photos on Threads without much more effort. As it stands, some users can share text and link posts from Facebook to Threads. There's no guarantee that Meta will deploy the feature in the long term or expand it to include images.It makes sense for Meta to at least try this. Users have long been able to post stories and Reels to Facebook and Instagram simultaneously, so adding Threads to the mix is a logical step. Meta confirmed to TechCrunch that it's running the test, which is limited to iOS and isn't available in the EU.The opt-in approach is far more sensible than automatically sharing a user's Threads posts on Facebook, which Meta was doing for a while to boost awareness of the former. People often have different identities on Facebook and Instagram/Threads, even if they're tied to the same account. They might not want a highly political Threads post or dirty joke to show up in their friends' and family's Facebook feeds. At least this way they'll have the option to share a post on both platforms.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-is-testing-cross-posts-from-facebook-to-threads-193038834.html?src=rss

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concluded Elon Musk ordered Twitter (now X) employees to take actions that would have violated an FTC consent decree regarding consumers' data privacy and security. The investigation arose from the late 2022 episode informally known as The Twitter Files," where Musk ordered staff to let outside writers access internal documents from the company's systems. However, the FTC says Twitter security veterans took appropriate measures to protect consumers' private information," likely sparing Musk's company from government repercussions by ignoring his directive.FTC Chair Lina Khan discussed the conclusions in a public letter sent Tuesday to House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, as reported by The Washington Post. Jordan and his Republican colleagues have tried to turn the FTC's investigation into a political wedge issue, framing the inquiry as a free speech violation - perhaps to shore up GOP support from Musk's legion of rabid supporters. Jordan and his peers previously described the investigation as attempts to harass, intimidate, and target an American business."Khan's response to Jordan adopts a tone resembling that of a patient teacher explaining the nuance of a complicated situation to a child who insists on seeing simplistic absolutes. FTC staff efforts to ensure Twitter was in compliance with the Order were appropriate and necessary, especially given Twitter's history of privacy and security lapses and the fact that it had previously violated the 2011 FTC Order," Khan wrote.When a firm has a history of repeat offenses, the FTC takes particular care to ensure compliance with its orders," she continued.House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH)Tom Williams via Getty ImagesThe FTC's investigation stemmed from allegations that Musk, newly minted as Twitter's owner, ordered staff to give outside writers full access to everything" in late 2022. Had staff obeyed Musk's directive, the company likely would have violated a settlement with the FTC (originally from 2011 but updated in 2022) requiring the company to tightly restrict access to consumer data.In November 2022, the FTC said publicly it was monitoring Twitter's developments following Musk's acquisition with deep concern." That followed the resignation of chief information security officer Lea Kissner and other members of the company's data governance committee. They expressed concerns that Musk's launch of a new account verification system didn't give them adequate time to deploy security reviews required by the FTC.Ultimately, Twitter security veterans ignored Musk's full access to everything" order. Longtime information security employees at Twitter intervened and implemented safeguards to mitigate the risks," Khan wrote in the letter. The FTC's investigation confirmed that staff was right to be concerned, given that Twitter's new CEO had directed employees to take actions that would have violated the FTC's Order."FTC Chair Lina KhanSlaven Vlasic via Getty ImagesRather than supplying outside writers with the full access" Musk wanted them to have, Twitter employees accessed the systems and relayed select information to the group of outsiders. Ultimately the third-party individuals did not receive direct access to Twitter's systems, but instead worked with other company employees who accessed the systems on the individuals' behalf," Khan wrote.The FTC says it will continue to monitor X's adherence to the order. When we heard credible public reports of potential violations of protections for Twitter users' data, we moved swiftly to investigate," FTC spokesman Douglas Farrar said in a statement to The Washington Post. The order remains in place and the FTC continues to deploy the order's tools to protect Twitter users' data and ensure the company remains in compliance."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ftc-concludes-twitter-didnt-violate-data-security-rules-in-spite-of-musks-orders-191917132.html?src=rss

One of the worst-kept secrets in gaming is now official. Former Xbox exclusive Hi-Fi Rush is coming to PS5 on March 19. Many expected the announcement to come during Wednesday's Nintendo Direct, which focused on third-party games, but Bethesda confirmed the news a few hours later.It emerged during the Direct that Pentiment and Grounded were Switch-bound. Both titles are also coming to PS4 and PS5 on February 22 and April 16, respectively. Grounded will have cross-play support between Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and PC.Meanwhile, Microsoft revealed that the fourth game making the jump to other platforms is Sea of Thieves, which is coming to PS5 on April 30. It will support cross-play between PS5, Xbox and PC.Hi-Fi Rush debuted in early 2023 when Microsoft announced and released the game on Xbox and PC on the same day. The rhythm-based beat-'em-up quickly found a fan base in large part thanks to its killer visuals and soundtrack - the fact it was immediately available on Game Pass at no extra cost helped too.The PS5 version will include all content, including the two extra modes from the Arcade Challenge update. A digital deluxe edition will include more cosmetics and grant you additional Gears to splurge on upgrades.Microsoft is looking to improve the bottom line of its gaming division. In recent months, the company has carried out mass layoffs and folded in Activision Blizzard revenue to help it do that.Perhaps in line with that strategy, Xbox leaders recently confirmed rumors that they were going to release some more first party games on "the other consoles." They revealed earlier this month that four games would cross the great divide but declined to mention their titles, other than to confirm Starfield and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle would not be among them.The four games have all been out on Xbox and PC for at least a year and have reached their "full potential" on those platforms, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said. Two (Grounded and Sea of Thieves) are community-driven/multiplayer games. The others are "smaller games that were never really meant to be built as kind of platform exclusives." Hi-Fi Rush fits in the latter category, given that it was in development long before Microsoft bought ZeniMax Media, the parent of both studio Tango Gameworks and publisher Bethesda Softworks.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xboxs-hi-fi-rush-is-coming-to-ps5-on-march-19-182218568.html?src=rss

There's a Borderlands movie coming out, and now we have our very first teaser trailer. This footage gives us a glimpse of all of the major characters, most of which are sourced from the game, and the tone that director Eli Roth is going for.There's a definite Guardians of the Galaxy vibe running throughout. Maybe it's the heavy use of an iconic Electric Light Orchestra song, or maybe it's the ragtag group of adventurers or the mix of action and humor. In any event, director Eli Roth seems to be channeling his best James Gunn. All things considered, that seems to be the right tone for a Borderlands movie. Color us cautiously optimistic.Now onto the cast and the characters that franchise fans know and love. Cate Blanchett plays the famously short-tempered Lilith and the actress certainly looks the part. Just look at that hair and outfit. The film follows Blanchett as she looks for a mysterious vault rumored to be stuffed to the brim with sweet, sweet loot. It's just like the game!Jamie Lee Curtis plays the scientist Dr. Tannis, an NPC in all three of the mainline Borderlands games. Comedian Kevin Hart portrays the mercenary Roland, a playable soldier in many of the games. Jack Black, following his turn as Bowser in the Super Mario Bros. Movie, plays the robot Claptrap. The well-meaning robot is considered a mascot for the franchise and often acts as comic relief. Black seems well-suited to the role. The cast is rounded out by Ariana Greenblatt as the demolitionist Tiny Tina, star of the spinoff game Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, and Florian Munteanu as her enforcer Krieg.Of course, it remains to be seen if Roth can pull off this kind of big-budget adventure spectacle. The director's mostly known for horror films. One thing's for certain, however, the trailer actually looks and feels like Borderlands. The big and bright color palette recalls the cel-shaded aesthetic from the games. The movie hits theaters on August 9.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-borderlands-movie-trailer-has-all-the-nuance-of-a-borderlands-game-181156113.html?src=rss

We often recommend Logitech gear in our guides and right now, a number of the brand's keyboards, webcams and mice are discounted up to 25 percent. The sale puts the Pebble 2 Combo keyboard and mouse at $50, which is $10 off and matches its all time low. You can get the deal from Amazon or directly from Logitech. The Pebble mouse is the newer model of a recommendation in our guide to productivity mice and the keyboard is the next generation of a callout from our MacBook accessories article. Both Bluetooth accessories are compact, portable and quickly swap between devices with a button press. Plus this new generation is made from around 50 percent recycled plastic.Elsewhere in the Logitech sale, the Brio 301 webcam is down to $45, which is a 25 percent discount and matches the low it hit a few times over the past few months. We named it a less-expensive alternative to our overall pick in our guide to webcams. It shoots 1080p video, has a noise cancelling mic and uses auto light correction to make up for a dimly lit room. It doesn't support HDR or have an adjustable field of view, but at just $45, it offers a lot of features at a low price.The Signature M650 mouse, which we recommend in our gift guide, is down to $35 (instead of the $40 list price) for a few different configurations, including a left-handed version. Logitech is running the same sale price. The mouse is lightweight, made from recycled materials, and has a SmartWheel that lets you swap between precision and super fast scrolling, depending on what you're working on. And it'll run for two years on a single AA battery.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/logitech-keyboards-mice-and-webcams-are-up-to-25-percent-off-165536053.html?src=rss

Elden Ring fans who have been itching for a reason to return to the Lands Between (y'know, other than it being one of the best-received games in recent memory) will soon have one. Publisher Bandai Namco and studio FromSoftware revealed in a gameplay trailer that the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion will arrive on PC, PlayStation and Xbox on June 21. The studio announced the DLC one year ago.The three-minute trailer is suitably epic in scope. It features new locales and more devious bosses to take down. One looks like a giant burning Wicker Man, while another has a horn-headed, lion-esque visage and lightning powers. We also got a look at a gross, worm-like enemy that can almost swallow the player character.It seems there will be new hand-to-hand combat options as the protagonist is shown attacking an enemy with a combination of kicks. At the end of the clip, our hero sprouts wings for what appears to be an aerial attack.According to Bandai Namco, players will be entering "the Land of Shadow to explore a new adventure full of mysteries and danger," where they'll "unravel the dark side of the Elden Ring story." Pre-orders for the $40 expansion are open and newcomers will be able to pick up a bundle that includes the base game. Various special editions include extras such as an artbook, soundtrack and a figure of Messmer the Impaler, who appears to be the expansion's big bad.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/elden-ring-expansion-shadow-of-the-erdtree-arrives-on-june-21-160953368.html?src=rss

During today's Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, several Rare more titles were revealed for Switch Online. NES titles Snake Rattle 'n' Roll and R.C. Pro-Am are coming to the base tier today, along with SNES games Battletoads in Battlemaniacs and classic beat-'em-up Killer Instinct. Switch Online + Expansion Pack members will also get access to Nintendo 64 game Blast Corps.However, there was a more interesting Switch Online announcement for those in Japan: Mother 3. The game debuted on the Game Boy Advance in 2006 at the end of that console's lifespan and as Nintendo was turning its attention to the DS. The company never released the sequel to Mother (aka EarthBound Beginnings) and Mother 2 (EarthBound) outside of Japan, despite Western fans of the series long yearning to play it.

Google doesn't have the best track record for naming its products, especially when it comes to messaging and video chat apps, and it looks like that trend is continuing into its AI apps. After announcing its new lightweight AI model Gemma earlier today, Google is also revealing that its Duet AI for enterprises using Workspace has also been rebranded to Gemini. If you'll recall, that's the next-generation AI model Google announced late last year, a name which also ended up being used for its Bard AI chatbot too. What's next, an AI model for smartwatches called Gem?Businesses will have two Gemini for Workspace plans to choose from: Gemini Business, a new option for $20 a month that's available to organizations of all sizes, and Gemini Enterprise, a $30 a month offering for larger companies and "heavy uses of generative AI." Just like before, consumers will also have access to the AI features in Workspace apps by subscribing to a Google One AI Premium plan, which starts at $20 a month.Consumers and businesses subscribed to these plans will also be able to use the Gemini chat experience at gemini.google.com. The company says it has "enterprise-grade data protections" and copyright indemnification, so it won't use your conversations for ads, AI training or data sharing. "By leveraging Gemini 1.0 Ultra, one of our largest AI models, we are able to provide insighul and expert responses to help people at work," Aparna Pappu, General Manager and Vice President of Google Workspace, said in a blog post. "Now, diverse teams in SMBs to large enterprises can use Gemini in more sophisticated ways with confidence that their interactions can be kept private."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-duet-ai-for-businesses-is-now-called-gemini-too-150030242.html?src=rss

Thanks to today's Nintendo Direct focused on third-party games, we now know the identity of two of the four Xbox titles that Microsoft pledged to release on "the other consoles." One of them is Pentiment, which is coming to Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PS5 on February 22 (i.e. tomorrow). Physical copies will be available. The other is multiplayer title Grounded, which will arrive on those three consoles on April 16.Pentiment debuted on Xbox, PC and Xbox Cloud Gaming in late 2022, and it was well received by critics. The RPG has an eye-catching historical art style that fits the story a small team at Obsidian wanted to tell. Still, it's a bit of a niche game and one that game director Josh Sawyer admits would never have been possible without Game Pass."The old mentality of publishers and developers is generally focused on larger investments with higher [return on investment], and that's not the point in this environment, in this ecosystem," Sawyer told Waypoint Radio, as noted by Eurogamer. "[Game Pass] is the only way in which I conceive of [Pentiment] being viable."That makes it particularly intriguing that Xbox picked Pentiment as one of the four games it's bringing to other consoles (it's worth noting that the number of Game Pass subscribers hasn't actually grown much over the last couple of years). Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said earlier this month the titles in question had all been on Xbox and PC for at least a year and that they had reached their "full potential" on those platforms.Two of the games are community-driven (i.e. multiplayer titles), and Grounded is clearly one of those. The Honey, I Shrunk The Kids-inspired survival game has been around for a few years. It debuted in early access in July 2020 before its full release in September 2022.The other two games crossing the great divide are "smaller games that were never really meant to be built as kind of platform exclusives and all the fanfare that goes around that, but games that our teams really wanted to go build," Spencer said. Pentiment more or less falls into that category and had been rumored as one of the games to hit Switch and/or PlayStation.Microsoft confirmed later on Wednesday that Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves are coming to PlayStation 5.Update 2/21 1:28PM ET: Noting that Pentiment and Grounded are also coming to PlayStation, along with Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/former-xbox-exclusive-pentiment-is-coming-to-switch-on-february-22-143345195.html?src=rss

Nintendo's about to kick off its first event of the year with the Direct Partner Showcase focused on upcoming third-party games for Switch. We could see the first news about Xbox titles like Pentiment coming to other platforms and maybe, hopefully more about the much-delayed Hollow Knight sequel, Silksong. The 25-minute presentation kicks off at 9AM ET today (February 21) and you can watch it below.As mentioned, today's Direct could be more significant than a typical showcase. Last week, Microsoft announced that it would begin bringing some of its exclusive titles to "other consoles," likely meaning the Switch and Sony's PlayStation 5.Microsoft didn't elaborate much more than that, but rumors cite Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, Sea of Thieves and Grounded as likely first titles moving to other platforms. The only thing we know for certain, though, is that Starfield and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will remain Xbox exclusives for now.Apart from that, there are a few upcoming third-party games without release dates including Contra: Operation Galuga and Penny's Big Breakaway, so Nintendo might give us more info about those. We're also hoping to hear about Hollow Knight: Silksong which, last we heard in May 2023, was delayed and had no updated release window.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-the-first-nintendo-direct-of-2024-here-at-9am-et-133026295.html?src=rss

Apple has today announced Sports, a new iPhone app offering real-time stats for a number of major leagues. Once installed, users can set their favorite team and get a trove of data on their lock screen in the live activities box when the team is playing. Available free from today in the US, Canada and the UK, the app presently supports Basketball, Hockey and Soccer Football. The company added that other sports, including Baseball and American Football will debut for their upcoming seasons.There are plenty of reasons you might not be able to watch your team of choice play live. You may have a prior engagement, the game may not be televised, or Todd Boehly has done so much damage to the club you can't bear to look at it any more. In those situations, push alerts from major sports apps has been a lifeline, but it's not always entirely reliable.Now, it has been possible to get this working since iOS 16, if you fancied messing around in the depths of the Apple TV app. And some third-party platforms, like MLB's homegrown app, would put this data in your lock screen or Dynamic Island. But Apple says that its own setup offers a simple and fast way to stay up to speed on the teams and leagues they love." The setup will also sync up with any sports preferences already stored in the Apple TV or Apple News apps.Of more concern is that Sports will also offer up live betting odds for the games as they're in play. It's worth noting it will be possible to deactivate the live odds feature in settings, but it seems like it would have been smarter and less potentially harmful to make that opt-in, rather than opt-out.Apple Sports is available to download right now, with support for English, while French and Spanish are supported where available.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-sports-puts-real-time-scores-on-your-iphone-lock-screen-140050382.html?src=rss

An appeals court has blocked a $1 billion copyright verdict from 2019 against US internet service provider Cox Communications and ordered a retrial, Arts Technica has reported. A three-judge panel ruled unanimously that Cox didn't profit directly from its users' piracy, rebutting claims from Sony, Universal and Warner.The judges did affirm the original jury's finding of willful contributory infringement from the trial, first announced back in 2018. To that effect, they ordered a new damages trial that may reduce the size of the award."We reverse the vicarious liability verdict and remand for a new trial on damages because Cox did not profit from its subscribers' acts of infringement, a legal prerequisite for vicarious liability," the panel wrote. It added that "no reasonable jury could find that Cox received a direct financial benefit from its subscribers' infringement of Plaintiffs' copyrights."Cox allegedly refused to take "reasonable measures" to fight piracy, according to the original allegations. Internet providers are supposed to terminate the accounts of offending users, but the ISP only conducted temporary disconnections and warned some users more than 100 times. The labels claimed it even instituted a cap on accepted copyright complaints and cut back on anti-piracy staffers.However, the judges said that Sony offered no causal connection between infringement and higher revenues for Cox. "No evidence suggest that customers chose Cox's Internet service, as opposed to a competitor's, because of any knowledge or expectation about Cox's lenient response to infringement."Under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and EU rules, ISPs enjoy "safe harbor" protections that shield them from liability for user actions. However, that only holds if they comply with specific requirements and address copyright violations promptly - and in this case, Cox didn't do that, the judges said."The jury saw evidence that Cox knew of specific instances of repeat copyright infringement occurring on its network, that Cox traced those instances to specific users, and that Cox chose to continue providing monthly Internet access to those users... because it wanted to avoid losing revenue," the ruling states. The case is now headed back to a US District court.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/appeals-court-overturns-1-billion-copyright-lawsuit-against-cox-130810427.html?src=rss

Google has released an open AI model called Gemma, which it says is created using the same research and technology that was used to build its Gemini AI models. The company says Gemma is its contribution to the open community and is meant to help developers "in building AI responsibly." As such, it also introduced the Responsible Generative AI Toolkit alongside Gemma. It contains a debugging tool, as well as a guide with best practices for AI development based on Google's experience.The company has made Gemma available in two different sizes - Gemma 2B and Gemma 7B - which both come with pre-trained and instruction-tuned variants and are both lightweight enough to run directly on a developer's laptop or desktop computer. Google says Gemma surpasses much larger models when it comes to key benchmarks and that both model sizes outperform other open models out there.In addition to being powerful, the Gemma models were trained to be safe. Google used automated techniques to strip personal information from the data it used to train the models, and it used reinforcement learning based on human feedback to ensure Gemma's instruction-tuned variants show responsible behaviors. Companies and independent developers could use Gemma to create AI-powered applications, especially if none of the currently available open models are powerful enough for what they want to build.Google has plans to introduce even more Gemma variants in the future for an even more diverse range of applications. That said, those who want to start working with the models right now can access them through data science platform Kaggle, the company's Colab notebooks or through Google Cloud.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-introduces-a-lightweight-open-ai-model-called-gemma-130053289.html?src=rss

Fujifilm's X100V was, for some reason, a huge hit on TikTok. This made it hard to buy, despite its tiny form factor and retro Fuji appeal. Fortunately, the company is here to make money offer an improved update, the 40.2-megapixel X100 VI. While keeping the same retro form, it has much faster shooting speeds, in-body stabilization, 6.2K 30p video and more. Video-wise, it can also capture at 4K at 60 fps and 1080p at 240fps.FujifilmFujifilm's X100VI is now on pre-order for $1,600 in silver or black, with shipping slated for early March 2024. Money to burn? Desperate for the TikTok cachet? The company is also offering a special edition version engraved with the corporate brand logo from Fujifilm's founding in 1934" for $2,000.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedOnePlus rejoins the smartwatch scene with the promise of a 100-hour battery lifeApple Music debuts a monthly version of its annual Replay featureTinder is bringing its advanced ID verification system to the US and UKYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!Dr. Garmin will see you nowCan a smartwatch free up doctors' time?A project in the UK has explored if a Garmin Venu 2 wearable (and dedicated companion app) could free up doctors and nurses, six minutes at a time. The six-minute walk test (6MWT) can diagnose and monitor a number of cardiovascular maladies. This includes conditions, like pulmonary hypertension, which, if untreated, are eventually fatal. This project, however, crunches the test down to a simpler one minute.Because the research was funded by a charity, the British Heart Foundation, the watch had to offer good value for money, and Garmin, with its established health research division, gave the team confidence in the accuracy of the sensors." The study suggests cutting the test to one minute has no detrimental effect on its outcome or accuracy, and patients are far more likely to run the test regularly if they can do so at home.Continue reading.Walmart is buying smart TV maker Vizio for $2.3 billionThe retailer plans to boost its ad business with Vizio's TV systems.Walmart is buying Smart TV manufacturer Vizio for $2.3 billion, the retail giant announced as part of its latest earnings report. While Walmart has long been one of the major sellers of Vizio TVs, the company says the acquisition enables a profitable advertising business that is rapidly scaling" via the company's SmartCast OS. The companies plan to combine their ad businesses, with Vizio increasing Walmart's access to more consumer info, like viewing data. The deal is subject to regulatory approval.Continue reading.Apple says the iPhone 15's battery has double the promised lifespanAll four models can retain 80 percent of their original charge after 1,000 cycles.EngadgetApple announced on Tuesday that its latest iPhones can retain 80 percent of their original charging capacity after 1,000 cycles - double the company's previous estimate - without new hardware or software updates. And because timing is everything, the change will arrive in time for upcoming EU regulations that will assign an energy grade for phones' battery longevity.Continue reading.Twitch is increasing channel subscription prices for the first timeSome tiers will soon be more expensive in the UK, Canada, Australia and Turkey.After laying off around 500 workers and reducing how much streamers make from Prime subscriptions, Twitch is increasing the price of its subscriptions for the first time. The service says it's updating prices in several countries to help streamer revenue keep pace with rising costs and reflect local currency fluctuations." The first markets to feel the impact of those changes are the UK, Canada, Australia and Turkey. On the plus side, streamers will have the same revenue share, so they'll earn more from subscriptions in those regions.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-fujifilm-updates-its-tiktok-famous-compact-camera-121509964.html?src=rss

Following its autonomous food delivery launch in Miami and Fairfax, Virginia, Uber Eats will soon be offering the same robotic service in Japan - its first outside the US. It is once again collaborating with Google alum startup Cartken, with local compliance help from Mitsubishi Electric, to bring a fleet of Model C sidewalk delivery robots to select areas in Tokyo in March. Uber Eats Japan CEO Shintaro Nakagawa says the autonomous delivery service will solve the local labor shortage issue, while complementing the existing human delivery methods "by bicycle, motorbike, light cargo, and on foot."Cartken's six-wheeled Model C uses six cameras and advanced AI models for autonomous driving plus obstacle detection, and remote control mode is available when needed. With guidance from Mitsubishi, the robot has been modified to suit local needs in Japan. For one, its speed is capped at 5.4 km/h or about 3.36 mph as per local regulation, which is a lot slower than the 6 mph top speed it's actually capable of. The loading capacity has also been reduced from 1.5 cubic feet to about 0.95 cubic feet (27 liters), likely due to the extra thermal insulation in the compartment. Uber Eats adds that for the sake of privacy, people's faces are automatically masked in footage captured by the robots.While this is Uber Eats' robotic delivery debut in Japan, Cartken already has a presence there thanks to Mitsubishi. Since early 2022, the duo has worked with Starbucks, local e-commerce giant Rakuten and supermarket chain Seiyu in some parts of Japan. In the US, Cartken also has a partnership with Grubhub to provide autonomous food delivery service on college campuses, including the Ohio State University and the University of Arizona.Even though Uber Eats has yet to share which Tokyo restaurants will be tapping into its robotic delivery service, it should have no problem seeking partnership given Cartken's prior local experience. That said, I highly doubt that the pair would risk trialing their robots through a crowd of drunkards in Shibuya just yet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uber-eats-expands-its-autonomous-food-delivery-service-to-japan-092727592.html?src=rss

FuboTV, a streaming platform dedicated to live sports, has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, accusing the companies of staging "a years-long campaign" to hamper its business. The company's lawsuit comes shortly Disney-owned ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery announced that they're launching a sports streaming service in the fall of 2024, which will give subscribers access to sporting events from the networks they own. FuboTV's complaint argued that the companies are stealing its playbook and that the launch of their joint venture will destroy competition and lead to price inflation for consumers.Further, FuboTV alleged that the launch of the defendants' streaming service is but "the latest coordinated step" in their "campaign to eliminate competition in the sports-first streaming market" and in their effort to block its business. The streaming service said the defendants charge it content licensing rates that are 30 to 50 percent higher than the rates they charge other distributors. They also allegedly force FuboTV to bundle "dozens of expensive non-sports channels" that "customers do not want" with their sports offerings as a condition of licensing their content. All these increase the costs FuboTV must pass onto its customers, the company explained.FuboTV also claimed that the companies in question have prevented it from being able to offer streaming products subscribers would like, including content available on Hulu. Plus, the defendants allegedly impose a limitation on how many subscribers can buy their content package, ensuring that FuboTV can't make a dent in the market."Each of these companies has consistently engaged in anticompetitive practices that aim to monopolize the market, stifle any form of competition, create higher pricing for subscribers and cheat consumers from deserved choice," FuboTV CEO David Gandler said in a statement. "By joining together to exclusively reserve the rights to distribute a specialized live sports package, we believe these corporations are erecting insurmountable barriers that will effectively block any new competitors from entering the market. This strategy ensures that consumers desiring a dedicated sports channel lineup are left with no alternative but to subscribe to the Defendants' joint venture."Engadget has reached out to all three defendants: ESPN has declined to comment, while Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery have yet to get back to us. FuboTV is asking the court to prohibit the joint venture's launch or to impose restrictions, such as economic parity of licensing terms, on the defendants.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fubotv-accuses-disney-fox-and-warner-bros-of-antitrust-practices-over-joint-streaming-service-064140676.html?src=rss

Instant messaging app Signal is best known for its privacy-related settings, though with phone numbers being the heart of the platform since its inception, there was no way to fully hide your own number until now. Earlier today, Signal announced that you'll soon be able to create a unique username (not to be mistaken with your profile name), which you can share with others via a link or QR code - as opposed to sharing your number. You'll be able to change your unique username as often as you want, but it needs to contain two or more numbers at the end, as part of Signal's anti-spoofing efforts. You can even delete your username entirely, as it is an optional feature.Naturally, you'll still need a phone number to sign up for Signal, but note that with the new default, your number will no longer be visible to everyone (you can change this setting manually, if needed). There will also be a new option which prevents people from finding you by your number; they will need to have your exact unique username to do so. In other words, people who already have your number won't necessarily know that you are also on Signal, which is a good thing if you prefer to stay anonymous in this platform's public groups.As is the case with any new feature, the likes of spammers and scammers will eventually find a way to abuse usernames, as you won't be able to verify their numbers instantly. Pro tip: when you see new contacts that appear to be your acquaintances, always double check with them through other means - preferably in person, or at least via a phone call. You may look out for these new Signal features in a few weeks' time, or you can get an early taste in the beta release.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/signal-usernames-will-keep-your-phone-number-private-050008243.html?src=rss

Apple has updated the iPhone 15's battery lifespan. The company said on Tuesday its latest iPhones can retain 80 percent of their original charging capacity after 1,000 cycles -double the company's previous estimate -without any new hardware or software updates. Not so coincidentally, the change will arrive in time for upcoming EU regulations that will assign an energy grade for phones' battery longevity.Before today, Apple's online support documents quoted iPhone batteries as maintaining 80 percent of their original full charge after 500 cycles. But after the company retested long-term battery health in its 2023 smartphones - iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max -it found they can retain 80 percent capacity after at least 1,000 cycles. The company said its support documents will be updated on Tuesday to reflect the new estimate.Apple says its testing involved charging and draining the batteries 1,000 times under specific conditions and a suite of tests reflecting common uses. As for how the estimate doubled without any physical or software changes, the company attributes the upgrade to continual improvements to its battery components and iOS power management.For older (pre-2023) iPhones, the original estimate of retaining 80 percent capacity after 500 charge cycles still stands -at least for now. Apple said it's looking into whether older models' estimates need to be updated.AppleStarting in June 2025, smartphone and tablet manufacturers doing business in the EU will be assigned a grade (A to G) indicating their energy efficiency, battery longevity, protection from dust and water and resistance to accidental drops. The battery longevity portion of the grade requires at least 800 charging cycles while retaining at least 80 percent of their original capacity, helping explain why Apple began retesting its devices' long-term health.For ideal battery longevity, Apple recommends keeping your phone in temperatures between 62 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit when possible. You'll also want to avoid charging or leaving your handset in hot environments (95 degrees or warmer) while trying to avoid much direct sun exposure. In addition, if you're storing an old iPhone long-term, it's best to leave it half-charged.In addition, Apple will soon move one of your phone's most essential battery metrics to a different part of iOS settings. Beginning in iOS 17.4, currently in beta, the battery cycle count will move from Settings > General > About to a more logical home under Battery Health (under Settings > Battery). Apple introduced the battery cycle count to its mobile software in iOS 17, which was launched last fall.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-says-the-iphone-15s-battery-has-double-the-promised-lifespan-213736866.html?src=rss

Acer unveiled a pair of AMD Ryzen 8040 series laptops on Tuesday. Unsurprisingly, given their chips' dedicated neural processing units (NPU), the company is marketing the 2024 Acer Swift Edge 16 and Swift Go 14 as AI workhorses. The Windows 11 machines support OLED displays, Radeon 780M graphics and 32GB of RAM.The Ryzen 8040 chip series, revealed in December, has a dedicated AI Engine that AMD claims makes it up to 1.4 times faster than its predecessors in Llama 2 and AI vision model performance. Acer says the Swift Edge 16 and Swift Go 14 will deploy the NPU for AI-related tasks like PurifiedVoice (remove background noise in calls and recordings) and PurifiedView (blurring backgrounds in images and correcting your eyes' positioning on video calls).AcerLike most new Windows machines (including Acer's models launched at CES 2024), the laptops have a dedicated Microsoft Copilot button on their keyboards for quick ChatGPT-like AI queries. (Copilot taps into Microsoft and OpenAI's servers through the cloud rather than using the machines' on-device NPU.)Both machines' AMD chips include Microsoft's Pluton security co-processor. Introduced in 2020 through a partnership with AMD and Intel, it bakes security directly into the processor, helping protect your credentials, encryption keys and personal data from hackers.Acer Swift Edge 16AcerAcer markets the Acer Swift Edge 16 as optimizing performance without sacrificing portability. All device variants have a 16-inch OLED panel with WQXGA (3200 x 2000) resolution and a 120Hz frame rate with less than a 0.2ms response time. It supports 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification for (what should be) accurate and nuanced visuals.The laptop's Ryzen 7 8840U processor is joined by AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics. The notebook has up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD storage. Depending on your configuration, it supports Wi-Fi 7 or Wi-Fi 6E.The Swift Edge 16 weighs 2.71 lbs and is 12.95mm tall. It's encased in a magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis and has a 54 Wh battery. It includes two USB-C ports (with USB4 speeds of up to 40Gbps), two USB-A, one HDMI 2.1 and a microSD slot.Acer Swift Go 14AcerThe smaller of the pair, the Acer Swift Go 14, has up to an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS octa-core processor with AMD Radeon 780M graphics. (Cheaper configurations will trade that for a Ryzen 7 8845HS or Ryzen 5 8645HS.) The machine maxes out at 32GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD.The top-shelf 14-inch variant will have a WQXGA (2880x1800) OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. Another version will swap that for a 1920 x 1200 IPS panel with touchscreen capabilities. The device's hinge can extend to 180 degrees, and its glass trackpad is 44 percent larger than the previous model's. It supports Wi-Fi 6E.Thanks to its smaller footprint, Acer markets the Swift Go 14 as the more portable version. However, it's about seven percent heavier than its 16-inch counterpart - at 2.91 lbs. It ships in configurations with either a 65 or 50 Wh battery.Both models have 1440p QHD webcams, although only the Swift Go 14 is listed as having a privacy shutter. The smaller model is lighter on ports than the 16-inch model, forgoing the pair of USB-A connections in the larger one. The Swift Go 14 has two USB-C ports (both supporting USB4 speeds), an HDMI 2.1 connector and a microSD slot.Pricing and availabilityThe Swift Edge 16 launches in March in North America, starting at $1,300. Meanwhile, the Swift Go 14 follows in April, starting at $700. Apart from their entry-level models, Acer hasn't yet detailed how pricing will break down across various configurations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/acers-latest-swift-laptops-have-amd-8040-chips-with-ryzen-ai-support-182942352.html?src=rss

Amazon has been looking to bolster Twitch's bottom line for a while. After laying off around 500 workers and reducing how much streamers make from Prime subscriptions, the streaming service is increasing the price of its subscriptions for the first time.Twitch says it's "updating prices in several countries to help streamer revenue keep pace with rising costs and reflect local currency fluctuations." The first markets to feel the impact of those changes are the UK, Canada, Australia and Turkey.As of March 28, Tier 1 subscriptions and gift subs will be more expensive in the UK, Canada and Australia. A base/gift sub is going up from 5 to 6 in the UK, $7 CAD to $8 in Canada and $8 AUD to $9 in Australia. Tier 2 and 3 prices will remain the same in those countries.In Turkey, Twitch is significantly increasing the price of all three tiers. For instance, a Tier 1 sub will soon cost 43.90 lira ($1.42) instead of 9.90 (32 cents) - the value of the Turkish lira has plummeted over the last 15 years.These price changes only apply to subscriptions bought on the web. Twitch says it will update prices on its mobile apps in the coming months. It's currently more expensive to buy a sub on the Twitch iOS app. The service also expects to update pricing in other countries later this year.On the plus side, streamers will have the same revenue share, so they'll earn more from subscriptions in the UK, Canada, Australia and Turkey. Twitch recently announced changes to streamer payouts from Prime subscriptions. They'll soon earn a (generally lower) fixed amount for each Prime sub, dispensing on the subscriber's location. Meanwhile, it'll soon be easier for smaller streamers to qualify for the Partner Plus program and benefit from a better subscription revenue split.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitch-is-increasing-channel-subscription-prices-for-the-first-time-181202078.html?src=rss

The Pokemon Company is hosting a morning livestream on February 27 at 9AM ET to share exciting Pokemon news" on its official YouTube channel. The yearly stream, appropriately named Pokemon Presents, will provide a bunch of info about what's coming down the pike throughout 2024.The company does this stream every year, but this one could be special. After all, it happens to fall exactly on the totally not made-up holiday Pokemon Day, which celebrates the original Japanese release of Pokemon Red and Pokemon Green back in 1996.We don't know exactly what will be shown, but we have some informed guesses. Given previous Pokemon Presents streams, we'll likely get updates on live-service hits like Pokemon Go, the MOBA Pokemon Unite and the recently-released tracking app Pokemon Sleep.Dollars to doughnuts, we'll also get something more substantial to chew on. Most of these streams feature the announcement of an actual Pokemon RPG. Chronologically speaking, it's too soon to expect a reveal for the true next-gen Pokemon game, as Scarlet and Violet just launched in 2022. The mainline entries typically follow a three-year release cycle.That leaves remakes and spinoffs. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl released in 2021 so it's high-time for remakes of the beloved Pokemon Black and White fifth-gen titles. This is just a guess, but it's not like the Pokemon Company is gonna skip a generation in its remake-a-palooza. It's Black and White's turn to shine.There's also a chance we'll get a new Let's Go title set in another region of the Poke-verse. We could even get a new action RPG like Pokemon Legends: Arceus. There's always going to be some oddball announcements, like a new Pokemon Mystery Dungeon or even a new Pokemon Art Academy that integrates the Switch's touchscreen.

After months of rumors, OnePlus has announced its second smartwatch. It will formally debut the OnePlus Watch 2 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this month. The company is notorious for drip feeding details about its products and while it has yet to reveal some key information about the wearable, OnePlus has offered up a few juicy morsels.For one thing, the company has made the lofty claim that the OnePlus Watch 2 will run for up to 100 hours on a single charge. That's with full Smart Mode" enabled rather than a battery saver mode, according to OnePlus.Obviously, we'll need to see how well the OnePlus Watch 2 actually fares in the wild, but that purported battery life far exceeds that of most mainstream smartwatches, such as the Apple Watch Series 9 (18 hours) and Pixel Watch 2 (24 hours with always-on display enabled). OnePlus president Kinder Liu says the company's goal for the device is to "win the title of the Best Flagship Smartwatch of the year with its market-beating battery life."

Tinder has announced it's bringing an advanced ID verification system to the US, UK, Brazil and Mexico. This is part of an ongoing effort to reduce the number of catfish swimming around the old dating pool. The new system requires that users take a video selfie and upload a valid driver's license or passport.Tinder has long required users to take photos or video selfies as part of its verification process, which would provide a blue checkmark to illustrate authenticity. So the passport and driver's license stuff is new. Once you upload the ID, Tinder will check to see if it lines up with your video selfie and the photos on your profile. It'll also look at the date of birth on the license or passport to confirm your age.If the idea of uploading your ID to a dating app gives you an icky feeling, you can still get verified with just a video selfie. However, your profile will get a blue camera icon badge, and not a blue checkmark.Tinder started testing this system last year in New Zealand and Australia, and it must have worked out just fine, given the broader roll-out. The updated verification tool is coming to the UK and Brazil by spring and the US and Mexico by summer. In other words, catfish only have a few more months left to do their thing. That includes you, AI catfish.This shouldn't be confused with Tinder's recently-abandoned background check feature, which was powered by the non-profit Garbo. Tinder and Garbo paired up to provide a robust background check tool on the app in 2019, to check users for histories of violence.Garbo ended up breaking it off with Tinder's parent company, Match Group, after disagreements over payments and how to best use the tool. Garbo's CEO said she'd rather leave the partnership instead of allowing "the vision of Garbo to be compromised and relegated to a piece of big corporations' marketing goals."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tinder-is-bringing-its-advanced-id-verification-system-to-the-us-and-uk-164353306.html?src=rss

If you're a content creator or YouTuber, camera companies increasingly want your business. Last year was no exception, with several new vlogging-specific models released by Canon, Sony, DJI and others. That means there are now over a dozen on sale, alongside regular mirrorless cameras that also do the job well.

There's a reason smartwatches haven't replaced clinically validated gear when you visit the hospital - accuracy and reliability are paramount when the data informs medical procedures. Even so, researchers are looking for ways in which these devices can be meaningfully used in a clinical setting. One project in the UK has explored if a Garmin Venu 2 and dedicated companion app could be used to free up doctors and nurses, six minutes at a time.The Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is used to diagnose and monitor a number of cardiovascular maladies. This includes conditions like Pulmonary Hypertension that, if left untreated, are eventually fatal. [The test has been] a cornerstone of hospital practice and clinical trials for decades all around the world as [...] a marker of how well the heart and lungs are working," project leader Dr. Joseph Newman told Engadget. While a change in a blood test marker might be clinically relevant, he said it's probably more important to someone that they can walk to the shop and back."The test requires a patient walk on a flat, hard surface for six minutes straight, which stresses the heart enough to measure its capacity. A professional tests the patient's heart rate and blood oxygen levels at the start and end. While it's simple and reliable, "it's not perfect," according to Dr. Newman. This is why we've looked to change it in two important ways," he said, "can we make it shorter [...] and digitize it for remote use?"After all, six minutes is a lifetime in a clinical setting, and patients dislike having to schlep all the way to their hospital just to walk up and down a corridor. It's why Newman and Lucy Robertson - both researchers at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge - began looking for ways to revolutionize the test. They wanted to see if the test could be shortened to a single minute, and also if it could be carried out by a patient at home using a Venu 2.The watch was connected to a secure and dedicated clinical trial platform built by Aparito - a Wrexham-based developer - for testing. This was then sent out to patients who were instructed to wear the watch and walk outdoors to complete their own tests. They're asked to walk on flat, even, dry, relatively straight roads rather than in laps or circuits," Dr. Newman said, with patients walking at their own natural pace.We carried out a product appraisal early on in the research process and were open-minded as to the brand or model," said Dr. Newman. Garmin came out on top for a few reasons; we can access raw data as well as Garmin's algorithmically-derived variables," he said. Because the research was being funded by a charity, the British Heart Foundation, the watch had to offer good value for money. It helped that Garmin, with its established health research division, gave the team confidence in the accuracy of the sensors," not to mention the fact that Aparito feels that the Garmin SDK is relatively easy to work with," he added.But while Garmin is in use right now, there's no reason this setup couldn't eventually work with a number of other brands. As long as the technology works, it's accurate, reliable and patients accept it, then we're not tied to any brand," he said.There are several benefits in giving patients the ability to run the tests at home: it's more representative of the demands of their actual life, and patients can retake the test at regular intervals, making it easier to track that person's health over time. We can see real value in providing patients with pulmonary hypertension with an app and smartwatch to monitor their progress," Dr. Newman said. It's unlikely to ever fully replace the need for in-person hospital reviews, but it will likely reduce their frequency."The results of the study right now suggest cutting the test to one minute has no detrimental effect on its outcome or accuracy, and that patients are far more likely to run the test regularly if they're able to do so at home. It's likely that the upfront costs of wearables [to a hospital] may be offset by the longer term reduction in hospital visits," Dr. Newman said. If that turns out to be right, it means clinicians can better focus their time and efforts where their expertise is more valuable.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/dr-garmin-will-see-you-now-160013340.html?src=rss

The PlayStation Portal has turned out to be a bit of a surprise hit for Sony. The portable peripheral is often out of stock and hard to come by, even though it does just one thing: stream games from your own PlayStation 5. The device does not run games locally - unless you find a way to modify it to do so.Two Google engineers claim to have done just that by getting PPSSPP, a PlayStation Portable emulator, to work natively on the Portal. A photo shows Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories running on the system. Andy Nguyen, one of the engineers, says that no hardware modifications were required to make the emulator run and that the project took more than a month of hard work" to see through.

International law enforcement, led by the UK's National Crime Agency, have disrupted ransomware gang Lockbit's operation. The group behind notable hacks against aircraft manufacturer Boeing, chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, sandwich chain Subway and thousands more had its site taken offline on Monday while authorities arrested major players behind the gang. "This site if now under the control of law enforcement," the website reads. According to malware repository Vx-underground, law enforcement took down at least 22 Lockbit-affiliated Tor sites."Through our close collaboration, we have hacked the hackers; taken control of their infrastructure, seized their source code, and obtained keys that will help victims decrypt their systems," National Crime Agency Director General, Graeme Biggar, said in a statement. As of today, LockBit are locked out. We have damaged the capability and most notably, the credibility of a group that depended on secrecy and anonymity."Lockbit admitted defeat, too. In a statement to Vx-underground, the group said "FBI pwned me." Operation Cronos, the name law enforcement used for their efforts, also resulted in the seizure of source code and other useful data related to Lockbit's operations. At the same time, authorities in Poland, Ukraine and the US arrested key members of the ransomware operation. There are sanctions out for two more Lockbit affiliates in Russia.There's more good news for Lockbit victims, too: The operation obtained keys from Lockbit to create a decryption tool for victims to get their data back, according to US Attorney General Merrick Garland. The free decryptors can be found via the No More Ransom project.Since 2019 when Lockbit first entered the scene, it's squeezed victims for more than $120 million in ransomware payments, according to acting assistant AG Nicole Argentieri.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/members-of-ransomware-gang-lockbit-arrested-by-law-enforcement-144245076.html?src=rss

Apple Music is building on its annual Replay feature by offering a monthly version. The annual Replay playlist will still be available, but the monthly option should offer a more granular look at your listening history.Simply visit replay.music.apple.com and sign in with the same Apple ID you use for Apple Music. You'll be able to view your top songs, albums and artists, as well as your personal milestones for each month. Apple will archive these stats as well, so you can revisit them later.I don't exactly need Apple to tell me that I spent much of the last few weeks listening to Deacon Blue, Charlotte Cardin and Gang of Youths' blistering cover of LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends" on repeat. Still, being able to revisit my February 2024 replay years from now should provide a nice little reminder as to what I was absorbing in this period of my life.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-music-debuts-a-monthly-version-of-its-annual-replay-feature-140042667.html?src=rss

Samsung has announced a variety of updates designed to give its devices' audio capabilities a boost, starting with a Galaxy Buds' capability that could make it easier to communicate in another language. The company launched a new feature called Live Translate with its Galaxy S24 series, which people can use as an interpreter for phone calls to, say, a restaurant in a foreign country they're visiting. Soon, Galaxy S24 owners will be able use their phones as a real-time translation tool for in-person conversations if they pair their devices with their updated Galaxy Buds.When users listen to the other person through their earbuds, they'll hear the words translated into their own language. Meanwhile, the other person can hear them in their language through the phone speaker. The user can also swap the order of speech during the conversation by tapping on their Galaxy Buds. Samsung says this eliminates the need to pass a phone back and forth when trying to converse in two different languages. When we tested out Live Translate on the Galaxy S24 with a phone call, though, we experienced a noticeable lag before Samsung's computerized system interpreted our words. Still, this could be a valuable tool for travelers visiting foreign countries.The company has also revealed that it's expanding Auracast support to its phones and tables, including the Galaxy S24 series. Auracast is a Bluetooth technology that allows users to broadcast audio from devices, such as phones and TVs, to an unlimited number of nearby headphones, speakers and earbuds. Samsung initially made the technology available for its smart TVs only. With this Galaxy Buds update, owners will be able to use Auracast to transmit audio from their mobile devices to multiple earbuds.In addition, Galaxy Buds2 Pro and Buds2 users will be able to enjoy 360 Audio if they pair their earbuds with certain Samsung Neo QLED, QLED and OLED TV models. By doing so, their earbuds will be able to track their head movements for an immersive watching or listening experience. Finally, Galaxy Buds2 Pro users will be able to use Samsung's Auto Switch feature to automatically switch their connection between the company's tablets, Galaxy Books and TVs and its phones if they need to take a phone call. These features are making their way to Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Buds2 and Buds FE users starting in late February.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-is-upgrading-a-bunch-of-audio-capabilities-on-its-phones-tablets-and-earbuds-133533584.html?src=rss

Walmart is buying Smart TV manufacturer Vizio for $2.3 billion, the retail giant announced as part of its latest earnings report. While Walmart has long been one of the major sellers of Vizio TVs, the company says the acquisition "enables a profitable advertising business that is rapidly scaling" via the company's SmartCast OS. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval.Vizio sells solid mid-range TVs, most equipped with its SmartCast operating system that supports free ad-supported content. The company recently refreshed its lineup with a more intuitive user interface and faster startups and app switching.Walmart, meanwhile, prominently features the brand on its shelves (along with TCL), as anyone who has gone there lately has probably noticed. The retailer already has its own TV house brand, ONN, but those sets are very much on the low end, usually selling for under $500.More importantly, the companies plan to combine their respective ad businesses. Walmart already has a $2.7 billion ad business, but Vizio would increase its access to key consumer info like viewership data. It would also effectively give Walmart more eyeballs for its ads - for instance, companies that sell goods at Walmart could also run ads on Vizio TVs, all of which could be tracked by the retailer."We believe the combination of these two businesses would be impactful as we redefine the intersection of retail and entertainment," said Walmart VP Seth Dallaire. "Our technology will help bring a scaled, connected TV advertising platform to Walmart Connect," added Vizio CEO William Wang.The acquisition may also be a counter to Amazon's in-house Fire TV business, both in terms of television retailing and advertising, as The Wall Street Journal reported last week. Amazon has one of the largest ad businesses in the US behind Alphabet and Meta, and smart TVs help it gather personalized consumer data for targeted advertising.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/walmart-is-buying-smart-tv-maker-vizio-for-23-billion-130725953.html?src=rss

Nintendo's Switch 2 (not its official name) was widely expected to arrive sometime this year, but that may not happen. Now, the company is reportedly telling publishers the next-gen console is slated for release in the first quarter of 2025.If that did happen, it would mimic the release of the original Switch, which was announced in October 2016 and came out in March 2017.What can you expect from Nintendo's next console? We don't know much yet, including the name. Rumors suggest it'll have backward compatibility with Switch, along with 4K capabilities and visual quality similar to that of the PS5 and Series X. It could use NVIDIA's DLSS upscaling tech to ramp up the graphics of older games, too.In the interim, there's a Nintendo Direct tomorrow that will focus on new third-party games.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedThe world's thinnest foldable phone gets a Porsche Design makeoverThe 12 best things on sale for Presidents' DayWednesday's Nintendo Direct will focus on upcoming third-party releasesYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The EU opens a wide-ranging probe into TikTokIt's looking into addictive algorithms, harmful content, privacy and more.TikTok is in the EU's crosshairs over potential Digital Services Act (DSA) breaches around the safety of minors and other matters. The formal proceedings will focus on addictive algorithms, the rabbit-hole effect, age verification issues and default privacy settings. It's getting into it: The European Commission will also probe ad transparency and data access for researchers.The safety of young users seems to be a major driver: It will force the social media site to ensure high levels of privacy, safety and security for minors with default privacy settings - like it did for Meta's Instagram and Facebook.Continue reading.Sony A9 III camera reviewThe future of cameras is fast.EngadgetSony laid down a gauntlet with the 24.6-megapixel A9 III. It's the world's first mirrorless camera with a global shutter, a much-awaited holy grail feature. It completely eliminates rolling shutter distortion found on CMOS cameras by reading the entire sensor at once. It also boosts speed and removes the need for a mechanical shutter. However, as the first of its kind for Sony cameras, it's expensive ($6,000) and has a reduction in still image quality, due to the nature of a global shutter. But the benefits far outweigh those - this is one fast, accurate camera. Check out the full review.Continue reading.The UK moves another step closer to banning phones in schoolsFrance and Italy already restrict phones during class.Experts and regulators have expressed concerns about children's wellbeing and distraction due to their phones while at school. The UK government has become the latest to announce guidance for banning the use of phones during school. It follows other European countries, like France and Italy, which prohibit phones in classrooms.Some schools in the UK already have no-phone policies in place, but these guidelines could bring widespread adoption and uniformity. This is about achieving clarity and consistency in practice, backing headteachers and leaders and giving staff confidence to act," Gillian Keegan, the UK's secretary of state for education, said in a press release.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-nintendos-next-console-may-not-arrive-until-2025-121556644.html?src=rss

Anker has an ongoing sale for Presidents' Day at Amazon, and you can grab a bunch of charging accessories you may need at a discount. If you want a 20,000mAh portable charger that's noticeably smaller, slimmer and easier to carry than its peers with the same capacity, there's the Anker Power Bank Battery Pack with a built-in USB-C cord that doubles as a carrying strap. The power bank measures 4.5 x 2.8 x 1.2 inches and isn't only available in black and white, but also in green, pink and purple. It has a 22.5W output, can charge a phone three to four times - or charge up to three devices at once - and even has an integrated phone stand for when you want to watch videos while charging. The model originally sells for $45, but you can get it for $33.74 from this sale.Need a wall charger that's fast and compact? You can get the Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger for only $68 instead of $87. It has two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, and you can use up to two of them with a max output of 100 watts. The model is less than half the size of a MacBook charger, making it easier to pack and carry for your laptop, though you can also use it to charge your phones and tablets. If you don't need a GaN charger with a 100W output, you can get the Anker Nano 65W GaN II Charger instead. It has a smaller output and only one USB-port, but it's also much cheaper: You can get it from the sale for $28, down 44 percent from its $50 retail price. Like the Prime 100W, you can use the Nano 65W for your laptops, tablets and phones.Anker also has a 100W MacBook charger on sale. It works even with a 16-inch MacBook Pro, but you can also use it to power various devices. While it's built like a typical MacBook charger, it's smaller, has a foldable plug and comes with a 5-foot USB-C-to-USB-C cable. This model typically sells for $38, but you can grab one from the sale for only $25.49.If what you need is a charger with multiple ports, though, you may want to take a look at Anker's 240W 4-Port GaN Charger. It has three USB-C ports and one USB-A port, so you can plug in multiple devices at once. One of those USB-C ports can provide an output of 140W, while the other three ports share a 100W output. While Anker's 4-Port GaN charger typically costs $200, you can get it right now for only $130. And in case all you need is a new iPhone charging cable, you can take this chance to grab a two-pack at a discount. Anker is selling its two-pack six-foot USB-A-to-Lightning cables that use premium nylon material for only $17.09 instead of $20.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/anker-battery-packs-and-charging-accessories-are-up-to-44-percent-off-113301650.html?src=rss

Fujifilm's X100V was the toy to have over the last couple of years (thanks, TikTok) and the company has now released its successor, the 40.2-megapixel X100 VI, with large improvements across the board. While keeping the same retro form, it offers much faster shooting speeds, in-body stabilization, 6.2K 30p video and more.The X100VI looks identical to the previous model, with the same styling and control positions. The series was conceived as a street photography camera, borrowing a lot of styling cues from Leica's famous rangefinder cameras. As such, it doesn't have the world's great ergonomics, but is light at 521 grams, discreet for shooting and can slide into a jacket pocket.FujifilmFujifilm elected to go with the same 40.2-megapixel (MP) APS-C sensor as the much bigger X-H2, significantly boosting resolution over the X100V. I think that's a wise choice as it gives the camera - which has a wide-angle fixed 23mmm f/2.0 lens (35mm full-frame equivalent) - more cropping options. The price for that is likely a small drop in low-light sensitivity.Another big new feature on the X100VI is built-in 5-axis stabilization with up to 6 stops of shake reduction. Given the X100VI's small body, it's an unexpected but welcome feature, and will be a big help to street photographers taking candid shots on the fly.The X100V keeps the same 3.69-million dot hybrid optical viewfinder and 1.62-million dot LCD display, but the latter now tilts downward an extra 15 degrees to make shooting from above easier. It retains the same battery as before (CIPA rated for 300 shots), and unfortunately, the same slow UHS-I card slot.FujifilmThe X100VI still shoots at 11fps with the mechanical shutter and 20fps in electronic mode, but autofocus is quicker and more capable, according to Fujifilm. It now offers the company's latest tracking and face/eye detection, along with animal/vehicle and other types of subject detection.Image quality should be improved as well with the extra resolution and a lower native 125 ISO. And since a lot of the newfound social media popularity of this camera is based on the film simulation modes, the camera comes with 20 built-in, including a new one called Reala Ace, designed to offer "faithful color reproduction and contrast tonality."FujifilmFinally, one usually doesn't think of video when it comes to this series, but the X100VI is surprisingly capable for a tiny compact. It can shoot 6.2K video at up to 30fps, 4K at 60 fps and 1080p at 240fps. You also get 10-bit F-log and F-Log2 recording, shockingly good for a small, photo-centric camera with a fixed lens. The only downside is relatively low data rates (200Mbps max) due to the slow cards, but you can capture ProRes to an external recorder.Fujifilm's X100VI is now on pre-order for $1,600 in silver or black, with shipping slated for early March 2024. The company is also offering a special edition version "engraved with the corporate brand logo from Fujifilm's founding in 1934" for $2,000. It has vowed to reduce the long lead times of the previous model by manufacturing it in China like other recent models.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fujifilms-x100vi-is-a-big-step-forward-for-the-tiktok-famous-compact-camera-100918040.html?src=rss

The next Nintendo Direct is scheduled for this Wednesday, the company just announced. It's being billed as a "partner showcase," with Nintendo saying it'll show off Switch games coming in the first half of this year from "our publishing and development partners." It'll kick off on February 21, bright and early at 9AM ET.While Nintendo holds these showcases on a regular basis, this one is potentially more significant than usual. Last week, Microsoft made an expected but still surprising announcement that it would begin bringing some of its titles to "other consoles," a phrase that's hard not to interpret as games coming to the Switch (and Sony's PlayStation 5 as well).Nintendo says it'll be a 25-minute presentation, so there's a chance we'll hear about some games from other developers, as well. But we're all expecting to see some news about what games Microsoft is going to bring over to the Switch. Microsoft only said that it would be bringing four games to other platforms but didn't name them; the latest rumors cite Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, Halo and Gears of War as likely options to make the move.This comes at a time when Nintendo doesn't have a lot of its own first-party games scheduled for the platform (that we know of, anyway). There's also the looming specter of a Switch 2 console; reports just said that the hardware is getting pushed back to 2025 after an expected launch at some point this year.

The Biden administration is granting $1.5 billion in funding to GlobalFoundries to bolster semiconductor production under the CHIPS Act. The company, which spun out from AMD in 2009 and also has access to $1.6 billion in loans from the CHIPS Program Office, will split the cash between three projects.First, GlobalFoundries will build a new fabrication facility in Malta, New York, where it aims to produce "high value technologies not currently available in the US," the Department of Commerce said in a statement. GlobalFoundries says it will use the facility to build chips for a range of industries and applications, including the automotive, aerospace, defense and AI spaces. Construction is expected to start in 2025.Secondly, GlobalFoundries plans to expand its existing facility in Malta by incorporating tech from its Singapore and Germany plants with the aim of making more semiconductors for use in cars and trucks. This expansion, combined with the new fab, will enable GlobalFoundries to triple the capacity of its Malta campus over the next decade or so. Once all phases of both projects are complete, GlobalFoundries expects to increase wafer production to 1 million per year across the plants.Last but not least, the remaining funding will go toward modernizing an existing fab in Burlington, Vermont. The aim is to build the first US plant capable of high-volume manufacturing of next-generation gallium nitride on silicon semiconductors for electric vehicles, smartphones, the power grid and other key technologies. The plant will use entirely carbon-free energy, while an on-site solar system will provide up to nine percent of annual power needs.Through public-private partnerships, GlobalFoundries plans to invest more than $12 billion into the sites over the next 10-plus years. New York is also supporting the Malta projects with $575 million in performance-based Green CHIPS tax credits, while the New York Power Authority is investing at least $30 million.The Department of Commerce says the three projects are expected to create 1,500 manufacturing positions and around 9,000 construction jobs over the next 10 years. The positions are slated to pay fair wages and offer benefits including childcare.Aligned with the broader aims of the CHIPS Act, the investment is designed to improve domestic semiconductor supply chains. GlobalFoundries says that there are only four companies that can deliver "current and mature foundry capabilities" at its scale outside of China, and it's the only one of those based in the US.Last year, the company reached a direct supply agreement with GM to provide the automaker with US-built processors and help it avoid the kinds of chip shortages that caused a significant slowdown in car manufacturing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. GlobalFoundries agreed to create an exclusive capacity corridor for GM chips. GlobalFoundries struck a chip deal with Ford in 2021 as well.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/globalfoundries-secures-15-billion-in-chips-act-funding-for-us-expansion-172754429.html?src=rss

It's rarely a bad idea to have an extra controller on hand. Being able to switch to another gamepad when the battery runs out is always welcome, and you don't want to be caught short when a buddy wants to hop into a local multiplayer game with you. Being able to toss an extra controller and a phone clip into your bag for cloud gaming is useful too. So you may be pleased to find out that the official Xbox Wireless Controller is on sale. It's down to $44 in its white, black and red variants, and it's available in other colorways for $49.The price hasn't quite hit the previous record low of $39, but it's still a decent deal. The peripheral usually retails for $60.The latest version of the controller is designed for the Xbox Series X/S. It retains the layout that Xbox fans have become used to over the last two decades. The face buttons and triggers are responsive and the joysticks are smooth. While it doesn't have the adaptive triggers and immersive haptics of Sony's PS5 gamepad, the Xbox Controller's d-pad is clickier than the one on the DualSense.The peripheral also pairs easily with Windows PC, phones and tablets via Bluetooth, while the dedicated Share button for capturing screenshots and gameplay clips is handy. One thing worth bearing in mind is that the Xbox controller runs on AA batteries. So, unless you want to be regularly swapping out batteries, it may be worth picking up a set of rechargeable AAs or a rechargeable battery pack.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-official-xbox-controller-is-on-sale-for-44-160020348.html?src=rss

While most of the Presidents' Day sales happening today are more focused on appliances and home goods than tech, we've still found a few gadget deals worth noting. If you need a new set of headphones, for example, the excellent Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds are on sale for $59, while Apple's noise-canceling AirPods Max are $69 off at $480. An Xbox Series S console bundle is $30 off, while the ASUS ROG Ally is down to a low of $600 for those interested in a more portable gaming machine. We're also seeing deals on Samsung OLED TVs, the Apple Pencil and 8BitDo's Retro Mechanical Keyboard. Here are all of the best Presidents' Day 2024 sales on tech we could find, updated for the holiday itself.Best Presidents' Day sales on headphonesBest Presidents' Day sales on TVsBest Presidents' Day sales on gaming gearBest Presidents' Day sales on other techFollow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-14-best-presidents-day-sales-at-amazon-best-buy-target-and-others-to-shop-this-weekend-170018799.html?src=rss

Mobile phone ownership has become standard for people of most ages, and, while there's a convenience argument, experts and regulators alike have expressed concerns about children's well-being and distraction while learning. To that end, the UK government has become the latest to announce guidance for banning the use of phones during school. It follows other European countries like France and Italy, which prohibit phones in classrooms.Some schools in the UK already have no-phone policies in place, but these guidelines could bring widespread adoption and uniformity. "This is about achieving clarity and consistency in practice, backing headteachers and leaders and giving staff confidence to act," Gillian Keegan, the UK's secretary of state for education, said in a release. "Today's children are growing up in an increasingly complex world, living their lives on and offline. This presents many exciting opportunities - but also challenges. By prohibiting mobile phones, schools can create safe and calm environments free from distraction so all pupils can receive the education they deserve."While the UK government encourages schools to create their own policies, it outlines a few overarching options. The first - and most extreme - is a complete ban on mobile phones from school premises. However, the guidance acknowledges that this could create complications or risks for children when traveling to and from school. The next option takes care of that problem while still taking phones away. It suggests having students hand in their phones when arriving at school.Then there's the locker route, where phones are kept strictly in students' lockers or whatever personal storage they get at school. While this allows students to keep possession of their device, it still wouldn't be usable at any point in the day, even when accessing the locker during breaks. The final option aligns with what many schools do - let students keep their phones in their bags, but they should be turned off and never accessed.The guidance also recommends teaching students about the mobile phone's potentially harmful impact on young people. Study after study has found that social media, in particular, can negatively impact young people's mental health. The UK government argues that, in addition to combating the social media issue, restricting phone use can increase students' concentration, time being active and spending time with peers face-to-face.Parents are encouraged to contact the school directly rather than through a private phone if they need to get in touch with their child. The guidance also encourages parents to discuss the rules at home and, once again, the risks of phones and the internet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-uk-moves-another-step-closer-to-banning-phones-in-schools-132518091.html?src=rss

TikTok is in the EU's crosshairs over potential Digital Services Act (DSA) breaches around the safety of minors and other matters. The formal proceedings will focus on addictive algorithms, the "rabbit hole effect," age verification issues and default privacy settings. The European Commission is also probing ad transparency and data access for researchers, it said in a press release.The probe is focusing on the privacy and safety of minors. The Commission will look at the potentially negative aspects of TikTok's design and algorithms, including addictive behavior and "rabbit hole effects" that can lead to harmful content. The assessment aims to "counter potential risks for the exercise of the fundamental right to the person's physical and mental well-being [and] the respect of the rights of the child," the EC wrote.As part of that, it's also examining TikTok's age verification tools that are supposed to prevent access by minors to inappropriate content. At the same time, it will force the social media site to ensure high levels of privacy, safety and security for minors with regard to default privacy settings - much as it did for Meta's Instagram and Facebook.

After letting rival camera companies catch up for the last few years, Sony laid down a gauntlet with the 24.6-megapixel A9 III. It's the world's first mirrorless camera with a global shutter, a much-awaited holy grail feature. It completely eliminates rolling shutter distortion found on CMOS cameras by reading the entire sensor at once. It also boosts speed and removes the need for a mechanical shutter.As a pioneering product, it's not cheap at $6,000, but you can expect the technology to come down in price in the future. And there is a downside: Image quality is reduced compared to regular cameras, due to the nature of a global shutter.Is it worth trading off image quality for extra speed and lack of distortion, especially compared to stacked sensor cameras that are already pretty quick? To find out, me and my pro photographer friends put a final production model through a variety of shooting scenarios.Body and handlingThe A9 III is Sony's best handling-camera yet, borrowing all the latest features of recent models like the A7R V. It's very light for a full-frame camera at just 617 grams. And the redesigned grip is more comfortable and secure, which is a big help to working pros, especially with heavy lenses. By comparison, Sony's A1 can be hard on one's hands over a full day, according to my photographer pals.There are three top control dials, making it easy to find primary settings in fully manual mode. It has a pair of dual dials, with one for video, photos and S&Q plus shooting modes, and the other controlling burst along with autofocus. You also get a rear joystick, control dial and no less than 5 custom buttons.With everything well-placed, it's a cinch to shoot manually. When you do need to delve into the menus, those are also well laid out. Settings are divided logically into categories, while the home menu shows key options (shutter speed, white balance, etc.) at a glance. Everything can be customized, and you can back up your settings to a memory card.The high-resolution two million dot rear display is of course touch sensitive for focus and menu control. It flips out and tilts up or down to please both photographers and creators. The viewfinder is the best on any camera, with 9.44 million dots at 120Hz, or half that at 240Hz. That level of sharpness makes it easy to check focus and colors. Again, this is Sony flexing its tech muscles as the primary camera EVF supplier.Battery life is a solid 500 shots, but you can double that with a new $400 vertical grip, which also gives you a better hold of the camera. It has a dual-card slot setup with both SD UHS II and CFexpress. As usual with Sony, the latter is the slower Type A variety, though. Those are less than half the speed of CFexpress type A, but their smaller size allows Sony to do the dual slot setup.Other key features include headphone and mic ports, with the option to add Sony brand microphones or audio accessories to the hotshoe. There's also a full-sized HDMI port, USB-C charging port, ethernet, live-streaming capability and more.PerformanceWith the global shutter, dual Bionz processors and the same dedicated AI processor found on the A7R V,, Sony's A9 III is the fastest full-frame camera in the world. Compressed RAW bursts can be shot at an incredible 120 fps with autofocus and auto-exposure, or you can dial that down to 60 fps or 30 fps.Steve Dent for EngadgetA big caveat is that the 120 fps mode only works with supported Sony lenses, while third-party lenses are all limited to 15 fps. Hopefully the company will address that in a future firmware update.The buffer holds 200 RAW frames, so it fills up in less than two seconds at maximum speed. It takes longer to clear the buffer than it should due to the CFexpress Type A cards. If you use SD UHS II cards instead, it takes about twice as long to clear.In any case, shooting at 120 fps is major overkill most of the time unless you like wading through thousands of photos later on. Sony does have a solution, though. You can shoot at, say, a still-very-fast 30 fps, then press the C5 button to enable the top speed at key moments. That way, you'll get the shot you want without wasting frames.The A9 III is also the first Sony camera to use a pre-capture mode that saves a second of photos when you half-press the shutter button. After you fully press it, those photos are saved along with any taken after.Nathanael CharpentierYour photos will usually be sharp, too. The 759 phase-detect focus points allow for extremely rapid and accurate autofocus in most situations. For regular continuous AF, it can keep up with even the fastest action.The AI-powered subject detection shines too. Face tracking works with subjects farther away and it follows someone tenaciously, even when they duck behind obstacles. Human tracking is fast and fluid, and you can easily see if it's locked onto eyes, face or body.It can detect birds, animals (or both), along with insects, cars and trains. You can also select any distinctive object and the system will usually track it reliably.The bottom line is that it rarely misses focus, so it's great for professional sports, wildlife, weddings and more. Of course it's not infallible and can mix up subjects, but is better than any camera I've tried to date.Nathanael CharpentierThe A9 III has no need for a mechanical shutter because there's no rolling shutter distortion, meaning you can shoot in complete silence at all times. With that, it's perfect for sports like golf, as you can shoot a player in mid-swing without disturbing them, and a club in motion won't be distorted.It also allows for extremely fast shutter speeds up to 1/80,000th and it can sync with supported flashes all the way up to that speed. It also eliminates the flicker and banding from venue lights, another big aid for sports photographers.Sony has also improved its in-body stabilization significantly, boosting it to 8 stops with supported lenses. That allows shots down to a quarter second or less, matching Canon's EOS R3 and besting the Nikon Z9 and Sony's own A1.Image qualityAs mentioned, the primary issue with this camera is image quality. So is how much does it fall below regular CMOS cameras? To test that, I shot in situations including gymnasiums, night scenes, bird shooting, an airport and more.There's no question that dynamic range is reduced compared to Sony cameras like the A1, at least by a stop. The reason is that the sensor has less light capacity due to the space taken up by the extra electronics.It also has a smaller ISO range, both on the high and low end. Minimum ISO is not great at 250 and at the high end, ISO is limited to 25,600, half that of the A9 II.In general, there's more noise and less dynamic range at any given ISO setting than the A9 II. At the same time, the resolution is lower than rivals like the Nikon Z9 and Sony's own A7R V and A1. So for landscapes, portraits and other types of photography where dynamic range and resolution is important (and speed isn't), the A9 III isn't the best choice.That said, you'd need to pixel peep to notice any major difference in image quality between rival 24-megapixel cameras up to about ISO 6400. For the intended audience of sports, action and wildlife shooters, it's more than sufficient.Beyond that, images are noisier, but still usable up to the maximum ISO 25,600 with noise reduction (Sony appears to have more aggressive noise reduction for JPEG images at higher ISOs). I had no difficulty extracting good shots in dark scenes at ISO 6400 or even ISO 12,800. And as mentioned, you have more control with a flash than any other camera on the market - so that's a solid option in low light.Otherwise, images are typical for Sony, with accurate colors and skin tones. The 14-bit RAW files are easy to work with and allow some pushing and pulling, particularly in highlights.VideoSteve Dent for EngadgetSony took advantage of the global shutter to make the A9 III its most capable mirrorless camera for video. 4K at up to 60 fps is supersampled using the full 6K sensor width, while 4K at 120 fps can also be shot using the full sensor, albeit with pixel binning. That mode supports full 120 fps playback as well, or slower playback modes via the slow and quick (S&Q) setting.RAW 4K capture at 60 fps is also possible using an external recorder. All of those modes are available with 10-bit S-Log 3 recording to expand dynamic range in challenging lighting conditions.That's just the start of the A9 III's video powers. Autofocus is as fast and accurate in video as stills mode and has all the same AI features. That means you'll be sure to keep even fast-moving subjects sharp, whether they're people, birds, animals or vehicles.Those who prefer to shoot manually can employ Sony's handy focus map feature. It has the auto-framing seen on previous Sony models like the ZV-E1 that lets YouTubers move around while filming themselves. You also get the digital zoom feature that reduces focus breathing for supported lenses, with some loss of quality.Steve DentAirplane propeller distortion in video is a telltale sign of a rolling shutter camera, so naturally we had to test the A9 III at an airport against Sony's stacked sensor A1. Our findings? While the A1 still produces bendy propellers, they're of course dead straight on the A9 III. That trivial test has large implications. You can shoot things like whip pans or a fast moving train that you'd never try with a rolling shutter sensor. And since everything is exposed at once like a film camera, it's more cinematic.The A9 III does have some video competition, as RED just launched a pair of full-frame global shutter cinema cameras last month.It has the same excellent video stabilization capabilities as the ZV-E1. Regular optical stabilization is good for handheld shots without much movement, or you can kick in the dynamic active mode for walking. That provides near gimbal levels of smoothness, though there's a considerable zoom and loss of sharpness.Much as with photos, video quality isn't quite up to other full-frame cameras, with more noise in general. I shot in S-Log3 most of the time to maximize dynamic range and was satisfied with the results. In low light, I was forced to use some noise reduction.Quality is still better than any APS-C mirrorless or cinema camera. I think the global shutter advantages, particularly the elimination of rolling shutter, will be worth the tradeoff in quality for a large number of videographers.Wrap-upSteve Dent for EngadgetSony launched its first full-frame mirrorless camera, the A7, years before rivals, and was first to market with backside illuminated and stacked sensors. Lately though, rivals (especially Canon) have been catching up and the field has leveled. With the first global shutter camera, Sony has taken a leap ahead once again.Image quality has held global sensor cameras back, but Sony clearly felt that the time was finally right. It was a wise calculation - the A9 III is far better than I expected for a first-gen product. It offers mind-blowing speeds and incredible video capabilities, with a relatively small cost in image quality..Its primary rivals are the $4,800 Canon R3, Sony's own $6,500 A1, the $5,650 Nikon Z9 and $3,800 Z8, all stacked sensor cameras. The latter three offer much higher resolution and better picture quality, plus shooting speeds that are still darn fast. They all have some rolling shutter, though, along with flicker and flash sync issues that don't exist on the A9 III.Whether it's worth risking that kind of money on new and unproven stacked sensor tech depends on the buyer. Action photographers and videographers won't blink at the cost if they advantages of global shutter will help them make money. Unless you really need those benefits, though, Nikon's Z9 and Z8, along with Sony's A1, are more versatile cameras - and the Z8 is significantly cheaper.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-a9-iii-review-the-future-of-cameras-is-fast-130057924.html?src=rss

NASA wants volunteers for its second year-long simulated Mars mission, the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA 2). For the mission's duration, starting spring 2025, the four selected crew members will live in a 1,700-square-foot 3D-printed habitat in Houston. It's paid, but we don't know how much. At least living costs will be nil.The Mars Dune Alpha habitat at NASA's Johnson Space Center simulates life for future explorers on the red planet, where the environment is harsh and resources limited.Applicants must be US citizens aged 30 to 55, speak English proficiently and have a master's degree in a STEM field, plus at least two years of professional experience, a minimum of one thousand hours piloting an aircraft. Or two years of work toward a STEM doctoral program.I barely qualify for two of those requirements - good luck to the rest of you.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedThe best VR headsetsEpic plans to launch its own iOS storefront in the EU this yearMicrosoft should exit the console businessEngadget is looking for experienced writersYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The EU is reportedly hitting Apple with a $539 million fine in antitrust probeIt's been investigating Apple's App Store rules since a 2019 complaint from Spotify.Apple may be facing a fine of roughly $539 million (500 million) from the EU and a ban on its alleged anti-competitive App Store practices for music streaming services, according to The Financial Times. The publication cites five unnamed sources and says the European Commission will announce its ruling early next month.The investigation was prompted by a 2019 antitrust complaint filed by Spotify and focuses on App Store rules that, at the time, prevented developers from directing customers to alternative subscriptions outside the app, which could be notably cheaper as they didn't have to include Apple's 30 percent fee.Continue reading.Reddit reportedly signed a multi-million content licensing deal with an AI companyThe company will use Reddit content to train its AI models.Anadolu via Getty ImagesYour dank memes, confessional posts and excessively strong feelings on Baldur's Gate 3 couplings will soon train an artificial intelligence company's models, according to Bloomberg. The website reportedly signed a deal worth about $60 million on an annual basis" earlier this year.When Reddit started charging companies for API access in April 2023, it said pricing would split in tiers so even smaller clientele could afford to pay. Companies need that API access to train their chatbots on posts and comments. This is likely the top tier of all that.Continue reading.Intuitive Machines' moon lander sent home its first imagesThe landing attempt is scheduled for February 22.Intuitive MachinesIntuitive Machines' own attempt at the first-ever commercial Moon landing is off to a good start. After launching without a hitch on Thursday, it snapped a few incredible images of Earth. The team posted a series of updates on X at the end of the week, confirming the lander has passed some key milestones, including engine firing, ahead of its touchdown.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-want-to-live-in-nasas-mars-simulation-for-a-year-121543499.html?src=rss

Amazon is ringing in Presidents' Day with big sales on its Echo devices, including its fourth-generation Amazon Echo. The smart speaker is currently down to $55 from $100 - a 45 percent discount. Though released in 2020, Amazon's 4th-gen Echo is still its latest iteration and has held its weight over the years. We even named it 2024's best smart speaker under $100.So, what makes the 4th-gen Amazon Echo so great? It stands above its competitors like the Google Nest Audio and HomePod mini thanks to features like two 0.8-inch tweeters combined with a three-inch woofer. It does a nice job of filling the room and has a solid bass thump while playing music. The 4th-gen Amazon Echo also supports lossless HD audio, allows you to call other people with an Echo device and offers voice control for lights, sensors and locks.While the 4th-gen Amazon Echo is a solid buy, there are a few Echo devices also on sale that have a bit more oomph. Take the Echo Studio, which is back to its all-time low of $155, down from $200. This speaker is a great option for anyone wanting excellent sound quality. It has a subwoofer, stereo speakers and room adaptation.Anyone who prefers a screen to just the speaker can enjoy the Echo Show 15's 29 percent discount. Down to $200 from $280, the 15.6-inch smart display is just $15 more than its record-low price. It has Amazon's Fire TV built-in and can be mounted to the wall for an easy viewing experience, whether in the kitchen or a playroom. Plus, it can provide recipes, space for to-do lists and a view of the home when everyone's away.Then there's the third-generation Echo Show 10, on sale in charcoal for $195 from $250. The 10.1-inch HD device also has a screen but is still more of a speaker than a TV - though it is compatible with platforms like Netflix and Hulu. As for sound quality, the Echo Show 10 has two one-inch tweeters and a three-inch woofer. It offers many of the same things as the Echo Show 15, like a built-in camera (13MP compared to the 15's 5MP) and home monitoring.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-echo-speaker-falls-to-55-in-presidents-day-sale-114002696.html?src=rss

Apple's second-generation Pencil aimed at artists and creators is on sale at close to the lowest price we've seen. You can now grab one for $79, a full 39 percent ($30) off the regular price. That makes it an easy buy if you have a compatible tablet and are looking for Apple's Pencil model with the widest array of features.Apple designed the second-generation Pencil specifically to work with the iPad, and it's the best stylus you can snap up for the company's tablets. It offer low latency, along with a double-tap feature that you can customize to switch between preferred tools. Other features include tilt sensitivity, pressure sensitivity and what Apple claims is "pixel-perfect precision."One big advantage that the second-gen Apple Pencil has over its two siblings is wireless charging, as it attaches magnetically to the side of a compatible iPad while it recharges. You'll need a relatively recent iPad Air, iPad mini or iPad Pro, but the magnetic charger on the side of those tablets gives you an easy way to stow your stylus while powering it. You don't have to think about cables, or buy a case with a pen slot.If you don't need all the second-gen model's features and want to spend a bit less, Apple's Pencil (USB-C) is also on sale for $70 (11 percent off), near it's all-time-low price. It offers the same precision and magnetic mount, but lacks pressure sensitivity, wireless charging and the double tap drawing tool feature.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-second-generation-pencil-is-just-79-right-now-112551674.html?src=rss

When Honor's Magic V2 first showed up some seven months ago, we were left impressed with its sub-1cm folded thickness. The company has since picked up where Huawei left off and joined forces with Porsche Design, with the first result being a special edition foldable phone, the "Magic V2 RSR" ("RSR" stands for "RennSport Rennwagen," which translates to "racing sport racing car"). Porsche fans may recognize several attributes here that pay homage to the automotive brand, including the iconic agate gray along with a flyline running down the middle of the body - supposedly resembling the Porsche 911's hood. The rear camera island has also been upgraded with a dark titanium frame to go with its bolder trapezoidal redesign.The Magic V2 RSR retains the same dimensions, measuring 9.9mm thick when folded and 4.7mm when opened, ensuring it remains the world's thinnest foldable phone. The extra decoration adds 3 grams over the base model, reaching 234 grams (about 8.25 oz) which still beats the likes of the OnePlus Open, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google's Pixel Fold, largely thanks to Honor's mix of titanium alloy and proprietary steel in its hinge design - this is apparently certified to last for at least 400,000 folds. As a bonus, the Magic V2 line's 5,000mAh battery capacity is larger than the competition, thanks to its more energy-dense silicon-carbon cells. The trade-off here is the missing wireless charging, but you do get 66W of wired fast charging, which takes around 50 minutes to go from zero to 100 percent.The Magic V2 RSR is still powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, but with storage option limited to just 1TB to go with the 16GB of RAM. The rest of the spec sheet is identical for both Magic V2 variants. For displays, you get a 7.92-inch 2,344 x 2,156 foldable OLED screen (with a barely-noticeable crease) and a 6.43-inch 2,376 x 1,060 exterior OLED display, with their brightness going up to 1,600 nits and 2,500 nits, respectively. For audio, this Android phone comes equipped with "IMAX Enhanced" stereo speakers, whereas phone calls leverage the device's three-mic system for better voice reception. As is the case with most foldables, the fingerprint reader is integrated into the side-mounted power button.The rear "Falcon Camera System" consists of a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide shooter and a 20-megapixel telephoto camera (2.5x zoom), whereas a 16-megapixel punch-hole selfie camera sits at the top of both screens. Both the rear and front cameras support up to 4K resolution for video recording.It should come as no surprise that the Magic V2 RSR boxset packs some extra goodies, namely an active stylus, its own carrying case and a spare 66W charger. The special protection case is wrapped in a stitched dark gray vegan leather, though compared to the normal version, it's missing out on a kickstand - a feature I struggle to live without when it comes to foldable phones.Photo by Richard Lai / EngadgetLike the base model, the Magic V2 RSR will also be headed to global markets, though the prices are under wraps until MWC later this month. For reference, the Magic V2 RSR retails for 15,999 yuan or about $2,220 in China, but expect a huge bump for international pricing. The regular Magic V2 - only available in 512GB flavor for international markets - is priced at 1,700 ($2,140) in the UK and 1,999 ($2,150) in Europe, but the China version and Hong Kong version (also international firmware) cost around $1,400 only. It's no wonder that some savvy consumers would rather import smartphones from overseas, despite the lack of local warranty services.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-worlds-thinnest-foldable-phone-gets-a-porsche-design-makeover-104537565.html?src=rss

Nintendo's "Switch 2" was widely expected to arrive sometime this year, but a new rumor is putting that timeline into question. Now, the company is telling publishers that the next-gen console is slated for release in the first quarter of 2025, according to VGC, Eurogamer and other sources. That would line up with the release of the original Switch, which was announced in October 2016 but came out in March 2017.Publishers were reportedly briefed recently on the launch date change from late 2024 to early 2025. Several sources said they were working on Switch 2 games with releases planned for early 2025. One key title could be the long-delayed Metroid Prime 4, which is still on Nintendo's release schedule but has no specific date attached.Earlier this month, Nintendo slightly bumped its fiscal 2024 Switch sales forecast from 15 million to 15.5 million, compared to 18 million and 23 million in 2022 and 2021. Nintendo's stock slid today based on the release delay rumors, according to Reuters.Not much is known about the future device, including the name. Rumors suggest it will have backward compatibility with Switch, along with 4K capabilities and visual quality similar to that of the PS5 and Series X. In any case, this year is bound to be a busy one for the company - if the new console does launch in Q1 2025, it'll likely be announced at a Nintendo Direct showcase later this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nintendos-switch-2-may-not-arrive-until-2025-090934042.html?src=rss