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Amazon Prime Day 2023 is a few hours out, but you can still snag some early deals before the two-day shopping event begins in earnest. We've rounded up the best early Prime Day deals we can find below. Remember that you'll need to subscribe to Prime to take advantage of many (but not all) of the offers, and that there's always a chance that prices drop lower during the event itself. For those with no interest in Prime, we've also included a few of the best tech deals that aren't explicitly tied to the event.Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K MaxAmazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped to $25 for Prime members before Prime Day, which is more than half off its regular price and ties its all-time low. This the most powerful streaming dongle Amazon makes, with a superior processor than the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, plus support for WiFi 6, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos audio. While Amazon's Fire TV OS can be messy compared to other platforms from Roku, Google and Apple, it still gets you access to just about all of the major streaming apps. A few other Fire streaming devices have been discounted as well, including the latest Fire TV Cube, which Prime members can pick up for $110.Fire TV Stick LiteAmazon's Fire TV Stick Lite is half off and down to only $15. It was slightly cheaper last Prime Day when it was on sale for $12, but nevertheless, this is a great sale on Amazon's most affordable streaming dongle. With its support for 1080p video and WiFi 5 connectivity, it's arguably best for those on tight budgets who just want to upgrade an old TV with basic streaming chops.Amazon Fire HD 8If you're on an ultra-tight budget and need a new tablet, the Fire HD 8 is worth considering at its current deal price of $55, which matches its lowest price to date. Normally, the device retails around $90. This tablet has a smaller (8-inch) and lower-resolution (1,280x800) display than the Fire HD 10, and it isn't as quick in day-to-day use. Like all Fire tablets, its app support lags well behind iPadOS, which is most noticeable in its lack of Google apps. But it has just enough power for the basics, it gets a solid 10-ish hours of battery life and it's light in the hand. You can expand its 32GB of storage with a microSD card, too. If all you want is a competent tablet for casual reading and streaming for as little as possible, it should do the job.Amazon Fire Max 11Amazon's recently released Fire Max 11 tablet is on sale for $150 for Prime Day. It's the best discount we've seen since Amazon's most powerful tablet launched in May. The slab has an 11-inch 2000 x 1200 touchscreen, an octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, up to 128GB of built-in storage and up to 14 hours of battery life. It can also work with a detachable keyboard and stylus, so you could use it like a 2-in-1 laptop.Amazon Echo Buds (2023)The latest Echo Buds just arrived in May yet they're already 30 percent off at Amazon for Prime members. You can get them for $35, which is $15 off and ties the lowest price we've seen. We recommended the Echo Buds to those who prefer an open design in our best budget wireless earbuds guide. They lack active noise cancellation and don't completely seal off the ear canal, but their sound quality is decent for the price, and they come with features we don't often see in cheap earbuds, such as multipoint connectivity, auto-pausing and a customizable EQ tool. Naturally, they also work well with Alexa. If you hate the feeling of in-ear headphones, they'll be a good value.Amazon eGift Card + $5 promo creditAmazon is giving Prime members a $5 promotional credit when they buy an eGift card valued at $50 or more before July 10th. You'll need to use the promo credit by August 25, 2023, but the only things it won't apply to are items sold by third-party merchants and e-books.Blink MiniPrime members can get a two-pack of Blink Mini security cameras for $34 right now. Single cameras are also on sale for $18. While these Blink cameras are wired, they have most of the same features as the standard wireless models, including 1080p video recording, motion alerts and support for two-way talk. Several other Blink wireless cameras are on sale as well.Ring Battery Doorbell PlusThe new Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is down to a new low of $130 for Prime members. This model just came out this year and it's powered by a quick-release, rechargeable battery that you can easily remove when the device needs more power. It also supports some of the latest Ring Doorbell features including 156p video recording, color night vision, two-way talk, Quick Replies and customizable motion zones.Amazon Kindle Unlimited 3-month membershipIf you're a Prime member who has never subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, you can get a three-month trial to Amazon's e-book service for no extra cost. Normally, the subscription goes for $12 a month after a 30-day free trial. Just note that the membership will be set to auto-renew by default. As a refresher, Kindle Unlimited makes a selection of e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines accessible on-demand. It doesn't include every e-book in the Kindle library, but it may still be worthwhile if you're a particularly avid reader. If nothing else, this deal makes it easier to figure out if it's worth paying for.Audible Premium Plus 3-month membershipSimilar to that Kindle Unlimited offer, Prime members who are new to Audible Premium Plus can get three months of the audiobook service for free. This membership usually costs $14.95 a month after a 30-day free trial, so you're saving about $30. Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: Like the less expensive Audible Plus, it provides an assortment of audiobooks, podcasts and other audio content you can access on-demand. The main difference is that it also includes a monthly credit that you can use to buy any book in the Audible store permanently. As with Kindle Unlimited, Premium Plus will be most worth it if you burn through audiobooks and podcasts quickly, but this extended trial is a comfier way to see if it's useful. Again, be aware that the subscription will be set to auto-renew by default.Amazon Echo DotAmazon has knocked the latest Echo Dot down to $23, which is roughly half off its typical street price, and is throwing in a Sengled color smart bulb for no extra cost. We consider the Echo Dot the best smart speaker you can get for less than $50 thanks to its compact design, surprisingly good sound quality for its size and handy Alexa integration. The newest Echo Dots can also act as Eero WiFi boosters, adding up to 1,000 square feet of coverage to your existing Eero system.Amazon EchoAmazon has discounted several other Echo speakers as well. The base Echo, for one, is down to $55, which is $5 more than its all-time low but still $35 off its typical going rate. This is the top pick for less than $100 in our smart speaker buying guide, as it represents a clear step-up from the Echo Dot in terms of sound quality. If you aren't tied to Apple or Google, we generally found it to outperform the HomePod Mini and Nest Audio as well.If you're looking for something more affordable than the Echo Dot, the unidirectional Echo Pop doesn't sound as nice, but it offers most of the same Alexa capabilities and is currently on sale for $18. The Echo Dot with Clock, meanwhile, has similar hardware to the standard Dot, but adds an LED display that can show the time and basic weather and music info. That one is down to a new low of $30. And while the larger Echo Studio can't top something like the Sonos Era 100, it's still the best-sounding Echo, and it could be a decent value at its current price of $155 if you already own several other Alexa speakers and want to save some cash. That deal also matches the lowest price we've tracked.Amazon Echo Show 5The latest Echo Show 5 is half off and down to a record low of $45. We've previously recommended the Show 5 to those who prefer Alexa over the Google Assistant and want a smart display that won't take up much space. It's particularly useful as a smart alarm clock, as it has a gentle sunrise alarm feature and a tap-to-snooze function. This new model has a faster processor, a slightly larger speaker and an extra mic for better Alexa performance.Amazon Echo Show 8If you don't need something so compact, the Echo Show 8 is our favorite Amazon smart display overall and is currently on sale for $60. That's a new all-time low and roughly $45 off the device's average street price. Compared to the 5.5-inch panel on the Echo Show 5, the 8-inch touchscreen here is much better suited for making video calls or viewing photos. You get a vastly superior camera, more powerful speakers and a faster processor as well. As with the Show 5, there's also a physical camera shutter and mic mute button.The more spacious Echo Show 10 and Echo Show 15 are also down to new lows at $163 and $182, respectively. Neither of those devices are outright bad, but our reviews found them to be less universally appealing than their smaller and more affordable siblings.Ring Video Doorbell + Echo Show 5Amazon's sweeping early Prime Day sale on Ring devices includes a bundle that gives you the Ring Video Doorbell plus an Echo Show 5 for only $65. Considering the Video Doorbell alone is going for $55 as an early Prime Day deal, that means you'll only spend $10 on the Show 5 if you opt for the bundle. The Video Doorbell itself is a fairly basic 1080p option, but it's easy to install and generally accurate at delivering motion alertsAmazon Kindle Paperwhite KidsThe 16GB version of Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite Kids is down to $105, which is $65 off and a new low. While this e-reader is marketed toward children, it features the same hardware as the standard Paperwhite, with a lightweight and waterproof design, 6.8-inch 300 ppi display, 10-week battery life and extensive e-book library. Here, though, you also get a cover case, a longer two-year warranty and a year of Amazon's Kids+ service (which you can ignore if you aren't buying for a little one). We gave the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition a review score of 97 back in 2021. The Kids edition lacks that model's ad-free lock screen (when you aren't using a child account, at least), upgraded front light, wireless charging and 32GB of storage, but the two devices are otherwise similar.Motorola Razr+The foldable Moto Razr+ only just arrived last month, but it's already received a 15 percent discount for Prime Day, albeit in a roundabout way. You'll need to be a Prime member and request an invite first, after which you'll be able to buy the phone on Prime Day for the discounted price. While jumping through Amazon's hoops is annoying, doing so will get you an unlocked Razr+ for $850 instead of $1,000.We spent some time with the new foldable before it came out last month and gave it a full review upon its debut. The verdict? Samsung's Galaxy foldables have some serious competition. The Razr+ has a 6.9-inch screen when open and offers a 3.6-inch screen when folded, which is much larger than the 1.9-inch exterior screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The foldable design unlocks different uses, as it can act as its own tripod in addition to taking up less space in your pocket.Eero Pro routersA number of Eero and Eero Pro WiFi router packs have been discounted for Prime members ahead of the shopping event. You can pick up one Eero router for as low as $45, or an Eero Pro router for $70. We recommend going for the Eero Pro if you can, since it's a tri-band system that supports speeds up to 1Gbps and covers slightly more square feet than the standard Eero does. Just keep in mind that these are not the latest Eero systems; for WiFi 6 support, you'll have to shell out a bit more money for an Eero 6 set.Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro are back on sale for $200, which is $50 off their usual rate and a record low. These remain the best true wireless earbuds for Apple lovers, even though the company didn't drastically overhaul the design with this latest model. Most of the new features are under the hood, with Apple noticeably improving the pair's sound quality, noise cancellation and transparency mode.Samsung Pro Plus microSD cardThe 256GB version of Samsung's latest Pro Plus microSD card is down to a new low of $20. That's $10 off its MSRP. If you need more space, the 512GB model is within a couple dollars of its best price at $43.52. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards, as it finished at or near the top of all of our sequential and random speed tests. It's also backed by a 10-year warranty.Samsung 980 ProThe 2TB version of Samsung's 980 Pro is down to a new low of $100. We've seen this SSD steadily drop in price over the course of the year, but this deal marks a roughly $35 drop from the device's average street price in recent months. The 980 Pro isn't Samsung's fastest SSD - that would be the 990 Pro, the 1TB model of which is down to $70 - but it still meets Sony's requirements for expanding the PS5's storage. You'll just need to add a heatsink for a few bucks more to go along with it. If you aren't buying for a PS5 specifically, a speedy PCIe 4.0 drive like this may be overkill but will provide fast storage all the same.Both this and the Evo Plus microSD card deal come as part of a wider sale on Samsung storage devices. This includes the Fit Plus, a tiny flash drive we recommend in our best SSDs guide, down to $22, and the T7 Shield, a ruggedized version of one of our favorite portable SSDs, back down to $75. Both deals match the lowest prices we've tracked, and nothing in the sale is exclusive to Prime subscribers.Apple iPad (9th gen)The 64GB model of Apple's 9th-gen iPad is down to $250 at Amazon, matching the lowest price we've tracked. You'll see the price listed as $279 and an additional $29 discount will apply at checkout. Apple normally sells the device for $329, though we've seen it retail closer to $275 in recent months. This is the budget pick in our iPad buying guide: It lacks the accessory support, thinner bezels and laminated display of the iPad Air, but it's by far the most affordable route into iPadOS, and it remains fast and comfortable enough for casual reading, streaming and gaming. It's also the only current iPad with a headphone jack.Samsung Galaxy Watch 5The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is down to $199 for a 40mm model and $229 for a 44mm model. We gave the Galaxy Watch 5 a score of 85 last year, and it's currently the "best for Android users" pick in our smartwatch buying guide. While its battery life could be better, its design is durable and attractive, its OS is easy to navigate and its health tracking is relatively comprehensive. Samsung is expected to announce a Galaxy Watch 6 in the coming weeks, however, so it may be worth waiting to see how that model stacks up if you don't need a new smartwatch right this instant.Google Pixel 7aGoogle's Pixel 7a is $50 off and down to a new low of $449 right now. It's currently the best midrange phone you can get thanks to its fast Tensor G2 chipset, smooth 90Hz display, IP67 water resistance, fantastic cameras and support for wireless charging. If you're willing to spend an extra $50, you can spend $500 and upgrade to the Pixel 7.Elgato Stream Deck +Elgato's Stream Deck + is 10 percent off right now and down to $180 in one of the first real discounts we've seen on the gaming accessory. In addition to eight customizable buttons, the Deck+ also has a touch bar and four knobs that make it easier to control things like lighting and sound during a stream. The Deck+ also supports plugins for Camera Hub, Elgato Wave Link, Spotify, Twitch and more.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know, and hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-prime-day-early-amazon-deals-2023-040014747.html?src=rss

Tumblr could be the latest platform to borrow from TikTok's playbook. The company is planning a major revamp of its platform that will bring algorithmic recommendations to users' feeds, according to a memo published on the Tumblr Staff blog.The memo is notably frank about the reasons for the upcoming changes and what it describes as Tumblr's current shortcomings. The underlying problem is that Tumblr is not easy to use," the company writes. Being a 15-year-old brand is tough because the brand carries the baggage of a person's preconceived impressions of Tumblr."While Tumblr doesn't provide exact details about new features, it offers some pretty big hints about what's to come. The company says that one of its primary goals will be to deliver great content each time the app is opened" and refers to its current following" feed as outdated."To address this, the Automattic-owned platform says it's working to improve our algorithmic ranking capabilities across all feeds" and make it easier for users to understand where the vibrant communities on Tumblr are." The company also notes that building more creator-friendly features, including improvements to the way replies and reblogs work, will also be key to attracting new users.Being a new creator on Tumblr can be intimidating, with a high likelihood of leaving or disappointment upon sharing creations without receiving engagement or feedback," the company writes. The lack of feedback stems from the outdated decision to only show content from followed blogs on the main dashboard feed (Following"), perpetuating a cycle where popular blogs continue to gain more visibility at the expense of helping new creators."Taken together, the changes Tumblr is describing sound a lot like TikTok (or even Instagram): algorithmic recommendations in users' primary feeds, creator-friendly features that encourage sharing, and more streamlined commenting and conversation tools. As a strategy, that all may sound pretty straightforward in 2023, when users increasingly expect these kinds of features from social platforms anyway. But considering Tumblr's core interface hasn't changed that much in its decade and a half of existence, the new direction could bring significant changes to the overall dynamics of the platform.The coming redesign isn't the only way Automatic has tried to breathe new life into the platform it acquired in 2019. The company has also experimented with subscriptions and other paid features, introducing Post+ in 2021, though there was some backlash against the feature from longtime users. More recently, the company began selling completely useless" checkmarks to users soon after Elon Musk's botched rollout of Twitter's new paid verification.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tumblrs-building-a-tiktok-inspired-feed-in-bid-to-grow-its-user-base-220929704.html?src=rss

Nearly three years after a 2020 court decision threatened to grind transatlantic e-commerce to a halt, the European Union has adopted a plan that will allow US tech giants to continue storing data about European users on American soil. In a decision announced Monday, the European Commission approved the Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework. Under the terms of the deal, the US will establish a court Europeans can engage with if they feel a US tech platform violated their data privacy rights. President Joe Biden announced the creation of the Data Protection Review Court in an executive order he signed last fall. The court can order the deletion of user data and impose other remedial measures. The framework also limits access to European user data by US intelligence agencies.The Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework is the latest chapter in a saga that is now more than a decade in the making. It was only earlier this year the EU fined Meta a record-breaking 1.2 billion after it found that Facebook's practice of moving EU user data to US servers violated the bloc's digital privacy laws. The EU also ordered Meta to delete the data it already had stored on its US servers if the company didn't have a legal way to keep that information there by the fall. As TheWall Street Journal notes, Monday's agreement should allow Meta to avoid the need to delete any data, but the company may end up still paying the fine.Even with a new agreement in place, it probably won't be smooth sailing just yet for the companies that depend the most on cross-border data flows. Max Schrems, the lawyer who successfully challenged the previous Safe Harbor and Privacy Shield agreements that governed transatlantic data transfers before today, told The Journal he plans to challenge the new framework. "We would need changes in US surveillance law to make this work and we simply don't have it," he said. For what it's worth, the European Commission says it's confident it can defend its new framework in court.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/new-privacy-deal-allows-us-tech-giants-to-continue-storing-european-user-data-on-american-servers-214347975.html?src=rss

Peacock launched a live-action Twisted Metal trailer today that provides a much clearer glimpse of the upcoming series than its teaser from earlier this year. Set to the beat of DMX's Party Up (Up In Here)," the campy clip has high-speed chases, guns and carjackings along with ample wisecracks and one maniacal clown - everything you'd expect from a live-action adaptation of the over-the-top franchise.The two-minute trailer begins with star Anthony Mackie (The Falcon and The Winter Soldier) setting the tone as protagonist John Doe. 20 years ago, the world fell to shit," he explains. Cities put up walls to protect themselves and threw the criminals out so they could fight over what was left. But there are humble motherfuckers like me delivering cargo from one walled city to another. That's where the cars and guns come in." The series, which Peacock describes as a high-octane action comedy," appears to have a self-aware tone that relishes in the game's extravagance with knowing winks to the audience (metaphorical or otherwise). Think Deadpool-style humor in a Mad Max post-apocalyptic wasteland.In addition to Mackie, the series stars Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) as a carjacking outlaw who hitches a ride with Mackie's Doe at gunpoint. We also get a peek at Neve Campbell as Raven, who promises Doe a great reward to deliver a package, Thomas Haden Church (Sideways) as Agent Stone and wrestler Samoa Joe (performing movement) and Will Arnett (voice) as the killer clown Sweet Tooth. The series is written and developed by Michael Jonathan Smith.Twisted Metal will include ten half-hour episodes. It premieres on July 27th, streaming exclusively on Peacock.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twisted-metal-trailer-basks-in-post-apocalyptic-extravagance-211534351.html?src=rss

The constant pressure to treat TikTok as a national security threat appears to be working, albeit only on some people. A Pew Research Center survey indicates that 59 percent of American adults see TikTok as a danger, but that this perception varies based on whether or not someone uses the service. Only nine percent of TikTok users see the social network as a major threat, while 36 percent of non-users feel the same. In all, 42 percent of users see the service as any kind of risk where 65 percent of outsiders are worried.It won't surprise you to hear that age plays a significant role in the perception of TikTok. Only 49 percent of users under 30 see TikTok as any threat (just 13 percent as a major threat), but those figures climb higher with older demographics. About 65 percent of those over 65 are nervous about TikTok, and 46 percent of that group sees it as a critical threat. Politics are also a factor. A whopping 76 percent of conservatives are concerned where 49 percent of liberals share that sentiment.Roughly 64 percent of American adults are at least somewhat worried about TikTok's data handling practices, Pew adds. Again, the figures change based on age. Only 54 percent of people under 30 feel that way, while 75 percent of those over 65 are concerned.The study was taken just as Montana enacted a law banning TikTok in the state, and long after politicians from both major US parties called for national bans. The platform is already banned on most federal devices. The reasoning is frequently similar. Officials are concerned that ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, might feed American users' data to the Chinese government or influence algorithms to spread pro-China propaganda.TikTok has repeatedly denied Chinese government influence, and has taken a number of steps to reassure US politicians. It's storing US data domestically, offering transparency into its code and firing staff that improperly access sensitive data. However, those measures haven't done much to assuage government representatives - and the Pew data suggests the public is similarly wary.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/people-who-dont-use-tiktok-think-its-a-national-security-threat-203921153.html?src=rss

Workers at Sega of America have voted to unionize. In a union representation election with the National Labor Relations Board, the workers voted 91-26 in favor of their unit, which is called the Allied Employees Guild Improving Sega (AEGIS-CWA). Nineteen ballots were challenged, while three were void. As a result, the group has now officially organized with the Communication Workers of America.The unit comprises more than 200 workers in various departments across the company, including the brand marketing, games as a service, localization, marketing services, product development, sales and quality assurance teams. While it's hardlythe first games union in North America, the workers say it's "the largest multi-department union of organized workers in the entire gaming industry." However, ZeniMax Workers United/CWA includes around 300 quality assurance workers at ZeniMax Studios.

The Massachusetts state legislature is considering a bill that would ban the sale of users' phone location data. If passed, the Location Shield Act would be the first such law in the nation as Congress stalls on comprehensive user privacy solutions on a national scale. The state's proposed legislation would also require a warrant for law enforcement to access user location data from data brokers.Today, The Wall Street Journalpublished a report with numerous details on the proposed legislation, following earlier discussions at the state house (as reported byThe Athol Daily News). Of course, the bill wouldn't prevent Massachusetts residents from using their phone's location services for things that directly benefit them - like Google Maps navigation, DoorDash deliveries or hailing an Uber. However, it would bar tech companies and data vendors from selling that data to third parties - a practice without any clear consumer benefit.The Location Shield Act is backed by the ACLU and various progressive and pro-choice groups, who see a greater urgency to block the dissemination of user location in a post-Dobbs world. As red states increasingly criminalize abortion, concerns have grown over the transfer of user data to catch women traveling out of state to undergo the procedure or access medication. In addition, the bill's backers raise concerns about national security and digital-stalking implications.Opposing the legislation is the State Privacy & Security Coalition, a trade association representing the tech industry. The definition of sale is extremely broad," said Andrew Kingman, an association lawyer. He says the group supports heightened protections but would prefer giving consumers the ability to opt-out of sale," as other state laws have done, rather than imposing an outright ban. Of course, making it optional rather than a complete ban would likely be much better for data brokers' bottom lines.Requiring law enforcement to provide a warrant to access user location data could also help curtail the rising trend of law enforcement buying that information commercially. A 2022 ACLU investigation found that the Department of Homeland Security bought over 336,000 data points to essentially bypass the Fourth Amendment requirement for a search warrant. Although the US Supreme Court has said a warrant is usually needed for agencies to access location data from carriers, purchasing the data from private companies has served as a loophole.The Massachusetts legislative session runs through next year, and the bill's backers show optimism that it will pass. I have every reason to be optimistic that something will be happening in this session," MA Senate Majority Leader Cindy Creem (D), the bill's sponsor, told the WSJ.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/massachusetts-weighs-outright-ban-on-selling-user-location-data-191637974.html?src=rss

Animation is big business for Hulu, as the streamer's roster of cartoons regularly rank in the top ten for hours watched on the platform, thanks to shows like Bob's Burgers, Futurama, King of the Hill and many more. Seeking to capitalize on the popularity of adult animation, Hulu's launching a sub-brand to house all of its animated and anime-based content, as originally reported by Variety. Animayhemis now the home for legacy content like the above titles and original content like Solar Opposites and Koala Man.All told, the hub/sub-brand allows access to 2,600 episodes of traditional animated programming, spread across 46 series, and a whopping 18,400 episodes of anime, spread across 435 series. That's over 20,000 episodes of cartoon goodness, for those keeping count. As such, Hulu is advertising the platform as the streamer's Animation Destination."The surprise-launch of Animayhem comes just two weeks before the latest Futurama reboot, and that's just the start of the streamer's plans for animation domination. Hulu's ordered new episodes of Mike Judge's King of the Hill and it plans on having a heavy presence at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, promising an immersive experience called Hulu Animayhem: Into the Second Dimension."In the meantime, the hub's already available as part of the standard Hulu subscription, so go ahead and binge Archer, Family Guy and all the hundreds upon hundreds of available anime series like One Piece and Naruto.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hulu-debuts-hub-for-adult-animation-and-anime-182929897.html?src=rss

Sarah Silverman is suing OpenAI. On Friday, the comedian and author, alongside novelists Christopher Golden and Richard Kadrey, filed a pair of complaints against OpenAI and Meta (via Gizmodo). The group alleges the firms trained their large language models on copyrighted materials, including works they published, without obtaining consent.The complaints center around the datasets OpenAI and Meta allegedly used to train ChatGPT and LLaMA. In the case of OpenAI, while it's "Books1" dataset conforms approximately to the size of Project Gutenberg - a well known copyright-free book repository - lawyers for the plaintiffs argue that the Books2" datasets is too large to have derived from anywhere other than so-called "shadow libraries" of illegally available copyrighted material, such as Library Genesis and Sci-Hub. Everyday pirates can access these materials through direct downloads, but perhaps more usefully for those generating large language models, many shadow libraries also make written material available in bulk torrent packages. One exhibit from Silverman's lawsuit involves an exchange between the comedian's lawyers and ChatGPT. Silverman's legal team asked the chatbot to summarize The Bedwetter, a memoir she published in 2010. The chatbot was not only able to outline entire parts of the book, but some passages it relayed appear to have been reproduced verbatim.Silverman, Golden and Kadrey aren't the first authors to sue OpenAI over copyright infringement. In fact, the firm faces a host of legal challenges over how it went about training ChatGPT. In June alone, the company was served with two separate complaints. One is a sweeping class action suit that alleges OpenAI violated federal and state privacy laws by scraping data to train the large language models behind ChatGPT and DALL-E.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sarah-silverman-sues-openai-and-meta-over-copyright-infringement-175322447.html?src=rss

If you've ever wanted to point that ole' growth ray at your childhood toys, UK-based The Little Car Company has got you covered. The organization has built an adult-sized version of the Tamiya Wild One RC car that took the kid world by storm back in the 1980s, as reported by Car and Driver. This is a fully electric vehicle with eight swappable battery packs that add up to an advertised 124 miles of range.The Wild One Max has got plenty of get-up-and-go, with a top speed of 62 mph. However, the main draw is just how closely this full-size vehicle resembles its fun-size cousin. Just look at this thing. Even cooler? The EV makes its public debut next weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England, which is where many manufacturers unveil wacky automobile concept designs.This is more than just a concept car, though, as it's going to be street legal and available for purchase, with an estimated cost of around $45,000. You won't be able to cruise the hills of Virginia with this beast, however, as it's only launching in the UK due to US-based federal vehicle standards.The Tamiya Wild One Max was originally announced back in 2021, but the design has changed significantly since then. It's bigger, more powerful and, of course, more expensive, as the original design was set to cost around $8,500. The new design also features a revised front suspension system, an interior that fits two occupants and an overall weight of 1,100 pounds.Interestingly, manufacturer The Little Car Company is better known for shrinking classic cars into smaller-sized collectibles and not the other way around. It looks like the company has gone from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids to Honey, I Blew Up the Kid. More power to em.If you're in Europe with cash to burn, you can purchase an optional Road Pack along with the EV that includes a windscreen, a pair of tiny wipers, mirrors, mudguards and detachable lights. Though this vehicle qualifies as a quadricycle in Europe, thus allowing it to be registered for road use, you won't be able to take this thing on highways.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/this-ev-is-basically-an-rc-car-hit-with-a-growth-ray-170737868.html?src=rss

Marvel and Electronic Arts have revealed the second game they're making together as part of a deal between the two sides. A new Seattle-based Electronic Arts studio called Cliffhanger Games is developing a single-player Black Panther title.It will be an action-adventure game with a third-person perspective, suggesting it'll share some similarities with the likes of Insomniac's Spider-Man titles. According to Marvel, Cliffhanger aims to build an expansive and reactive world that empowers players to experience what it is like to take on the mantle of Wakanda's protector, the Black Panther."Cliffhanger says it and Marvel Games will collaborate "to ensure that we craft every aspect of Wakanda, its technology, its heroes and our own original story with the attention to detail and authenticity that the world of Black Panther deserves." However, Marvel and EA are staying tight-lipped on further details for now.

If you regularly play video games, there's a good chance you've dealt with stick drift. You may be lining up a shot in Apex Legends or surveying the land in Tears of the Kingdom, and suddenly, you notice your cursor slowly dragging to one side on its own. This, to put it nicely, sucks. It takes you out of the game, and you quickly realize that your state-of-the-art $70 controller is now a degraded hunk of plastic.The Switch's Joy-Cons are infamous for developing drift, but PlayStation and Xbox controllers aren't immune to it either. Over the past year or so, however, there's been a mini-resurgence in controllers that use magnets and Hall effect" sensors in their joysticks instead of traditional potentiometers, making them less susceptible to wear over time. A few months back, I grabbed 8BitDo's Ultimate Bluetooth Controller, which costs $70, works with Switch and PC and has these Hall effect sticks.Let's take a step back. Most game controllers use analog joysticks with potentiometers, little electromechanical components that measure the stick's position by sliding a contact arm (or wiper") against a sensor to read its resistance. This is generally precise, but because the wiper has to make repeated physical contact with the resistor, the mechanism will eventually wear down, increasing the likelihood of unreliable readings. Hall effect setups, meanwhile, use magnets and an electrical conductor that don't physically touch. As the former moves in relation to the latter, the resulting change in voltage generated by the magnetic field is converted to positional data for the joystick.This tech isn't new, and Hall effect sticks still aren't totally immune to drift. Everything breaks down eventually, and it's always possible to get a defective unit. If made right, though, Hall effect joysticks should last for several years. They also won't be as vulnerable to dust and grime.Photo by Jeff Dunn / EngadgetHow does all of this feel in practice with 8BitDo's controller? Well...normal. There's little immediate difference between the sticks on the Ultimate Bluetooth Controller and those on a DualSense or Switch Pro Controller, which is a good thing. You can customize the controller's dead zone - something many controllers use to mask eventual drift issues - through 8BitDo's Ultimate Software app, but by default, the joysticks feel smooth and responsive. The real benefit here is their long-term durability. It's hard to predict the future, but I've waited six months to make this recommendation, and so far, so good.There are other Hall effect controllers from brands like NYXI and GuliKit (the company that makes the joysticks used here), but 8BitDo has built several quality accessories over the years, many of which we've recommended. (It sells a couple of cheaper variants of this controller as well, but those lack the higher-quality joysticks.) I had already used the company's SN30 Pro gamepad and GBros. Adapter for a few years prior to picking up the Ultimate Controller and have had no troubles with reliability.The Hall effect sticks are the Ultimate Bluetooth Controller's major selling point, but most of its other aspects are commendable as well. I've always found asymmetrical joysticks more natural than a side-by-side layout, so I appreciate that the general design is shaped like an Xbox controller. The whole thing is a little smaller than a Series X/S controller, but not to the point of discomfort for my relatively large hands. The face buttons are crisp and well-spaced (albeit not quite as large as the Switch Pro Controller), the bumpers are ample-sized and the analog triggers have a pleasing amount of travel.On the back are two paddles that sit almost flush against the grips, right where my fingers naturally rest. As a racing game aficionado, I appreciate having back buttons when I'm too lazy to hook up my wheel: in F1 23, for instance, being able to manually shift gears without taking my thumb off the steering input gives me better control over the car. The d-pad, while on the stiffer side, has been consistently accurate for rapidly moving pieces during my semi-regular Tetris (or TETR.IO) binges, too.Photo by Jeff Dunn / EngadgetI also appreciate that the controller is so customizable. 8BitDo's Ultimate Software app lets me remap just about any button, assign macros, and create up to three settings profiles, which save to the pad itself. It's also possible to adjust the sensitivity of the vibration, joysticks and triggers. Do I constantly use all of these tweaks? No, because the default experience is pretty good. But if something ever does feel off, I can more easily address it. I have a profile for shooters like Overwatch 2, for example, that raises the sensitivity of the triggers so my shots register faster.The Ultimate Bluetooth Controller costs $70, the same as a Switch Pro Controller or a DualSense. Here, though, you also get a slick-looking charging dock, which powers up via USB-C and stores the included USB wireless dongle. On the whole, the pad can connect over the dongle, Bluetooth or a USB-C cable. A switch on the back swaps between Bluetooth or WiFi, but confusingly, the former only works on Switch. I almost always use a 2.4GHz connection anyway since Bluetooth can add latency, but if I lost the dongle, I'd have to use a wire on PC. Pairing is simple, though; you just have to turn on the Switch's Pro Controller Wired Communication" setting before using the dongle with that system's dock.There are other minor issues. The 20-ish hours of battery life isn't bad, but it's well short of the 40+ hours of the Switch Pro Controller. The Switch-style face button layout is inverted on PC, so B is usually A." Like most third-party Switch controllers, the 8BitDo pad doesn't work with the console's HD Rumble" feature, nor does it have an NFC reader for scanning Amiibos (if you're into that). It is one of the few non-Nintendo pads that can wake the Switch from sleep mode - but you have to awkwardly shake the controller to do so, and the feature only works over Bluetooth. And while the gyro controls work fine most of the time, they can be thrown off when the controller vibrates.Those aren't dealbreakers, though. I immediately turn off most forms of motion control anyway and I'm not starting an Amiibo collection anytime soon. So far, the Ultimate Bluetooth Controller has proven to be a comfortable and versatile pro-style pad that should stay alive over the long haul. After many hours of play, I think I can safely call it my endgame controller for both Switch and PC.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/what-we-bought-the-last-gamepad-ill-need-to-buy-for-switch-and-pc-140047518.html?src=rss

If you've been eying Google's midrange phone but felt it was a tad too expensive, now's the time to act. Amazon is selling the Google Pixel 7a at a new low price of $449, or $50 off. The savings apply regardless of color. The discount makes it a considerably better value, and puts it on par with rivals like Samsung's Galaxy A54.The Pixel 7a remains our favorite midrange Android smartphone for a good reason. It's as fast as its higher-end counterparts thanks to the Tensor G2 chip. Moreover, it delivers features that aren't always easy to find in this price class, including a 90Hz display, wireless charging and IP67 water resistance. Combine that with Google's usual top-tier photography and this might be all the phone you need.There is one reason for pause. Google's standard Pixel 7 is down to $499 as of this writing, and it still offers a few advantages over the 7a. It packs a slightly larger and higher-quality screen, more advanced camera sensors and faster wireless charging. You also have the option of 256GB of storage if the 7a's 128GB isn't enough. You may prefer the 7a's smaller screen, though, and the $50 you save could be rolled into accessories like a case and earbuds.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-pixel-7a-drops-to-a-new-low-of-449-130509079.html?src=rss

It didn't take long for the downsides of a generative AI-empowered newsroom to make themselves obvious, between CNet's secret chatbot reviews editor last November and Buzzfeed's subsequent mass layoffs of human staff in favor of AI-generated content" creators. The specter of being replaced by a good enough AI" looms large in many a journalist's mind these days with as many as a third of the nation's newsrooms expected to shutter by the middle of the decade.But AI doesn't have to necessarily be an existential threat to the field. As six research teams showed at NYU Media Lab's AI & Local News Initiative demo day in late June, the technology may also be the key to foundationally transforming the way local news is gathered and produced.Now in its second year, the initiative is tasked with helping local news organizations to harness the power of artificial intelligence to drive success." It's backed as part of a larger $3 million grant from the Knight Foundation which is funding four such programs in total in partnership with the Associated Press, Brown Institute's Local News Lab, NYC Media Lab and the Partnership on AI.This year's cohort included a mix of teams from academia and private industry, coming together over the course of the 12-week development course to build AI applications for local news to empower journalists, support the sustainability of news organizations and provide quality information for local news audiences," NYU Tandon's news service reported.There's value in being able to bring together people who are working on these problems from a lot of different angles," Matt Macvey, Community and Project Lead for the initiative, told Engadget, and that that's what we've tried to facilitate."It also creates an opportunity because ... if these news organizations that are out there doing good work are able to keep communicating their value and maintain trust with their readers," he continued. I think we could get an information ecosystem where a trusted news source becomes even more valued when it becomes easier [for anyone] to make low-quality [AI generated] content."The six teams include Bangla AI, which is developing a web platform that surfaces and translates relevant news stories into the Bengali language for journalists and New York City's sizable Bangladeshi immigrant community.More than 200,000 legal Bangladeshi immigrants live in the United States, half of them in New York City," Bangla team member, MD Ashraful Goni, told reporters during the demo day. Only half of the population are fluent in English," depriving the other half of easy access to the day's news through mainstream media outlets like the New York Times or the Associated Press.Bangla AI will search for information relevant to the people of the Bengali community that has been published in mainstream media ... then it will translate for them. So when journalists use Bangla AI, they will see the information in Bengali rather than in English." The system will also generate summaries of mainstream media posts both in English and Bengali, freeing up local journalists to cover more important news than rewriting wire copy.Similarly, the team from Chequeado, a non-profit organization fighting disinformation in the public discourse showed off the latest developments of its Chequeabot platform, Monitorio. It leverages AI and natural language processing capabilities to streamline fact-checking efforts in Spanish-language media. Its dashboard continually monitors social media in search of trending misinformation and alerts fact checkers so they can blunt the piece's virality.One of the greatest promises of things like this and Bangla AI," Chequeado team member Marcos Barroso said during the demo, is the ability for this kind of technology to go to an under-resourced newsroom and improve their capacity, and allow them to be more efficient."The Newsroom AI team from Cornell University hope that their writing assistant platform will help do for journalists what Copilot did for coders - eliminate drudge work. Newsroom can automate a number of common tasks including transcription and information organization, image and headline generation, and SEO implementation. The system will reportedly even write articles in a journalist's personal style if fed enough training examples.On the audio side, New York public radio WNYC's team spent its time developing and prototyping a speech-to-text model that will generate real-time captioning and transcription for its live broadcasts. WNYC is the largest public media station in New York, reaching 2 million visitors monthly through its news website.Our live broadcast doesn't have a meaningful entry point right now for deaf or hard of hearing audiences," WNYC team member, Sam Guzik, said during the demo. So, we really want to think about as we're looking to the future is, how can we make our audio more accessible to those folks who can't hear?'"Utilizing AI to perform the speech-to-text transformation alleviates one of the biggest sticking points of modern closed-captioning: that it's expensive and resource-intensive to turn around quickly when you have humans do it. Speech-to-text models are relatively low cost," Guzik continued. They can operate at scale and they support an API driven architecture that would tie into our experiences."The result is a proof-of-concept audio player for the WNYC website that generates accurate closed captioning of whatever clip is currently being played. The system can go a step further by summarizing the contents of that clip in a few bullet points, simply by clicking a button on the audio player.This is a meaningful improvement, both for folks who can't hear," Guznik said. But also for folks who are just not in the space where they can listen, and this is a really great tool if you're in a place where you don't have headphones and you want to follow along with what's being said.On the back end, NOBL Media has developed an ad tech product that, allows programmatic advertisers to reach publishers' content in service of smaller audiences that can be targeted by geography or demography," while the Graham Media Group created an automated natural language text prompter to nudge the comments sections of local news articles closer towards civility.The comment-bot posts the first comment on stories to guide conversations and hopefully grow participation and drive users deeper into our engagement funnels," GMG team member Dustin Block said during the demo. This solves two significant challenges that human comment moderation faces: preventing the loudest voices from dominating the discussion and providing form and structure to the conversation, he explained."The bot scans and understands news articles using the GPT 3.5 Turbo API. It generates thought-provoking starters and then it encourages discussions," he continued. It's crafted to be friendly."Whether the AI revolution remains friendly to the journalists it's presumably augmenting remains to be seen, though Macvey isn't worried. Most news organizations, especially local news organizations, are so tight on resources and staff that there's more happening out there than they can cover," he said. So I think tools like AI and [the automations seen during the demo day] enable the journalists and editorial staff more bandwidth."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-ai-could-help-local-newsrooms-remain-afloat-in-a-sea-of-misinformation-130023064.html?src=rss

In just four days of the app going live on Wednesday evening, Threads already has more than 100 million users, according to Quiver Quantitative's Threads Tracker. Thread is a sibling app to Instagram, making it easy for that platform's existing billion-plus users to sign up - unless they live in the European Union.It's a huge audience already, but it's still very, very early days for Threads. You can only search for usernames, there are no hashtags and, seemingly specific to me, I can't upload videos or images.The worst part of early Threads, however, is the lack of a chronological feed. Instead, its algorithmic feed is bloated with brands, influencers and celebrities - none of which I care about. And if someone you do follow replies to those accounts, that appears in your feed. It's already making my finger hover dangerously close to the mute and unfollow for several Engadget colleagues who will remain nameless. For now.We've covered our questions about Threads here, but how's your experience so far?- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedSonic the Hedgehog co-creator Yuji Naka receives suspended prison sentence for insider trading Xbox Game Pass Ultimate $1 deal is back for new usersThe best early Prime Day deals for 2023ChatGPT saw its first-ever user decline in JuneApple will stream the first episode of 'Foundation' on YouTube, for freeScientists make ibuprofen and other common painkillers from paper industry wasteThe secret is... turpentine?According to one study by The Conversation, drug companies produce more carbon dioxide equivalents per million dollars than the automotive industry. In short, drug companies need to reduce their carbon emissions. Here's a step in the right direction: Scientists from the University of Bath in the UK may have found a way of converting -pinene, a component in turpentine, into pharmaceutical precursors used to synthesize paracetamol and ibuprofen. What's notable is that the paper industry produces 350,000 metric tons of turpentine by-product per year.Continue reading.Jony Ive's first post-Apple hardware project is a $60,000 turntableA turntable that already exists.LinnJony Ive's design agency, LoveFrom, has worked on typefaces, a charity clown nose and the future of Airbnb." But there hasn't been any hardware since Ive departed Apple, until now. Now, it's redesigned Linn's Sondek LP12 to celebrate the modular turntable's 50th anniversary. Ive told Fast Company that the LoveFrom team's admiration for Linn made it a very gentle and modest project." Perhaps because of that, LoveFrom carried out the work pro bono. Don't mention Bono.Continue reading.Hayao Miyazaki's final film will be Studio Ghibli's first IMAX releaseHow Do You Live?' heads to Japanese theaters next week.Hayao Miyazaki's final film, How Do You Live?, is coming to IMAX theaters. The milestone marks a first for Miyazaki and his animation studios. Past Studio Ghibli films did not receive the IMAX treatment during their original theatrical runs. The movie is also supposed to be Miyazaki's swan song (again), but details have been sparse until now. Studio Ghibli has not released a trailer for the film or bought any TV spots. The only promotion it has done so far is the single poster the studio shared last month. It doesn't even have an international release date yet.Continue reading.Casetify's Evangelion' series lets you put AirPods in the robotYou can also order iPhone cases and chargers celebrating the beloved anime.CasetifyCasetify is launching a new series of Apple-device accessories based on Neon Genesis Evangelion. The Project-CSTF: Protection from Impact collection lets you drape your iPhone, AirPods or Apple Watch in cases that show off your love of the acclaimed mid-'90s anime series. Like this hulking AirPods Pro case, which is definitely not pocketable.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-metas-threads-tops-100-million-users-in-under-a-week-111515756.html?src=rss

Prime Day is almost upon us and we're seeing some early gadget deals, including Apple's sixth-generation iPad Mini back on sale for $400. This discount takes 20 percent off its sticker price of $500 and marks the latest instance of the iPad Mini hitting this all-time low since Apple released it in late 2021. Right now the deal only applies to the iPad Mini's 64GB Space Gray and Pink models.The iPad Mini is small but mighty, with an A15 Bionic chip, a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera and up to 10 hours of active use per charge. Its 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display also features P3 wide color, an anti-reflective coating and True Tone. Plus, the iPad Mini is compatible with the second-generation Apple Pencil.Apple's 64GB 10th-generation iPad is also on sale for $400, and it's a good option if you're looking for something with a bit of a larger screen. The 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display model is 11 percent off, down from $450, in Pink, Silver and Yellow. It has many of the same features as the iPad Mini, such as a 12MP Wide camera, 4K video, a USB-C connector and 5G connectivity. It falls behind in terms of only working with the first generation Apple Pencil, using an A14 Bionic chip, and having an sRGB color display - meaning colors aren't as accurately shown. However, a lot of these features, like 4K video and an A14 Bionic chip, are improvements from the ninth-generation iPad.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-ipad-mini-falls-back-to-400-at-amazon-105528952.html?src=rss

Google is already testing its Med-PaLM 2 AI chat technology at at the Mayo Clinic and other hospitals, The Wall Street Journal has reported. It's based on the company's PaLM 2 large language model (LLM) that underpins Bard, Google's ChatGPT rival - and was launched just months ago at Google I/O.Unlike the base model, Med-PaLM-2 has been trained on questions and answer from medical licensing exams, along with a curated set of medical expert demonstrations. That gives it expertise in answering health-related questions, and it can also do labor-intensive tasks like summarizing documents and organizing research data, according to the report.During I/O, Google released a paper detailing its work on Med-PaLM2. On the positive side, it demonstrated features like "alignment with medical consensus," reasoning ability, and even the ability to generate answers that were preferred by respondents over physician-generated responses. More negatively, it showed the same accuracy problems we've seen on other Chat AI models.Microsoft is also developing medical AI chat tech based on OpenAI's ChatGPT, having teamed up with the healthcare software company Epic. Google is also working on using its AI for ultrasound diagnosis and cancer therapy, it revealed in March. Both companies have promised to keep patient information confidential, saying they don't train their models on patient data. Last month, Microsoft expressed alarm about its ChatGPT technology being used by doctors to improve communications with patients.In an internal email seen by the WSJ, Google said it believes the updated model could "be of tremendous value in countries that have more limited access to doctors." Still, Google has admitted that the technology is still in its early stages. "I don't feel that this kind of technology is yet at a place where I would want it in my family's healthcare journey," said Google senior research director Greg Corrado. However, he added that the tech "takes the places in healthcare where AI can be beneficial and expands them by 10-fold."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-is-testing-its-medical-ai-chatbot-at-the-mayo-clinic-102055669.html?src=rss

If you're looking to up your streaming game this summer, now might be the time to do it. Elgato's Stream Deck + is down from $200 to $180 - a ten percent discount. This deal is one of the first real sales on the Stream Deck + since it came out last year.The Stream Deck + comes with eight customizable LCD keys that automate actions like going live, playing music and changing scenes. It includes a touch bar and four knobs to control parts of your stream, such as audio, lighting and video. The Stream Deck + also has plugins for Camera Hub, Elgato Wave Link, Spotify, Twitch and more.Its counterparts, Elgato's Stream Deck Mini and Stream Deck Classic, are on sale, too, if you're looking for something a bit cheaper. The Stream Deck Mini is 13 percent off, down from $80 to $69.90, making it the most affordable option in the lineup. It offers six customizable LCD keys and includes integrations like YouTube and Twitch. The main differences here are that the Stream Deck Mini allows you to automate fewer actions at a time, and it doesn't have the control knobs to manage features like audio and lighting.The Stream Deck Classic falls somewhere between its siblings - so it might be your Goldilocks option. It has 15 customizable LCD keys and integrations like Discord and Spotify but no control knobs. The Classic is on sale for $120, down from $150, giving it the largest discount of the three at 20 percent.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/elgatos-stream-deck-gets-its-first-discount-at-amazon-093537440.html?src=rss

Meta's Twitter competitor is off to a flying start. In under five days of the app going live, Threads already has more than 100 million users according Quiver Quantitative's Threads Tracker. It helps that Thread is a sibling app to Instagram and it's easy for the image-sharing platform's billion-plus users to sign up - unless they live in the European Union, where it's not yet available.Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, has provided several updates on Threads' user numbers. The app had 10 million users in the first seven hours and more than 30 million by Thursday morning. Around 24 hours later, that figure had more than doubled.It's very, very early days for Threads, as the app is missing basic features that many users see as essential. It has minimal accessibility options at the minute, with no way to append alt text to an image for those who use screen readers. Search is limited to usernames, there's no hashtag support and you can't post to Threads from the web.Quiver QuantitativePerhaps most gallingly of all for folks used to Twitter, Threads doesn't yet have a chronological feed of posts. The algorithmic feed is full of brands, influencers and celebrities, making it difficult for users to keep up with what friends and family are posting. A chronological feed is on the way, but Twitter may still be many people's app of choice for up-to-the-minute news."Politics and hard news are inevitably going to show up on Threads - they have on Instagram as well to some extent - but we're not going to do anything to encourage those verticals," Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote, noting that the aim of Threads isn't to replace Twitter."Politics and hard news are important, I don't want to imply otherwise," Mosseri added. "But my take is, from a platform's perspective, any incremental engagement or revenue they might drive is not at all worth the scrutiny, negativity (let's be honest), or integrity risks that come along with them. There are more than enough amazing communities - sports, music, fashion, beauty, entertainment, etc - to make a vibrant platform without needing to get into politics or hard news."Quiver Quantitative's Threads Tracker uses data taken from Instagram users' profiles, according to the person who built the tool, co-founder Christopher Kardatzke. "By viewing the profiles of people who joined the platform, I can see where they were in line and get a general idea of how many users have signed up," he said. He added that the estimates appear to line up with Zuckerberg's Threads posts about user milestones.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-threads-races-to-100-million-users-in-under-a-week-070740016.html?src=rss

We all need to mature someday, and for Lotus, that time is now. Welcome to the Eletre, the company's first production SUV. An electric one at that, with comfortable seating for four or een five. Lotus has been historically known for producing cars that typified the bare minimum needed for enjoyable driving.The Eletre? Well, it's a lot. It weighs a lot, at about 5,500 pounds. Its styling certainly extends to a point of excess, and that interior is nothing if not dazzling. This thing won't be for everybody, in fact I'm not sure who it is for, but it's easily the highest quality, and most comprehensive, interior that Lotus has ever produced. And, with an Unreal Engine-based infotainment system sitting on top of not one but two Qualcomm SoCs, plus four separate LIDAR arrays, there's no shortage of tech cred.What is missing? The emotionality of all the cars Lotus has produced until now and, frankly, a clear sense of purpose. After a few days behind the wheel I'm not convinced many folks will truly love this thing, but Lotus simply had to evolve to survive, and this is an impressive first effort. Watch the video below for the full story.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lotus-eletre-suv-shows-the-company-has-finally-grown-up-070031949.html?src=rss

Evernote has axed most of its workforce. In a statement shared with SFGate, Bending Spoons, the Milan-based app developer that bought the company last November, said Friday it had laid off nearly all of Evernote's employees in the US and Chile. Bending Spoons plans to move most of the company's remaining operations to Europe. The layoffs come less than six months after the firm cut 129 positions at Evernote because the app had been "unprofitable for years." Bending Spoons didn't share exactly how many employees were affected by this latest round of layoffs. A scan of LinkedIn reveals some software engineers that had been with Evernote for a few years lost their jobs on Friday."Our plans for Evernote are as ambitious as ever: Going forward, a growing, dedicated team based in Europe will continue to assume ownership of the Evernote product," Bending Spoons CEO Luca Ferrari told SFGate. "This team will also be in an ideal position to leverage the extensive expertise and strength of the 400-plus workforce at Bending Spoons, many of whom have been working on Evernote full-time since the acquisition." Ferrari added Bending Spoons would provide affected employees with 16 weeks of salary, a prorated performance bonus and up to one year of health insurance.How the company plans to make Evernote successful in a market crowded with competitors like Notion and Obsidian Ferrari did not say. Whatever Bending Spoons has planned for Evernote, there's no denying this marks another low point for what was once one of the more popular note-taking apps you could download and an early darling of the App Store boom. Evernote enjoyed a valuation of $1 billion at its height, but a lack of focus and buggy software left the company a shell of itself in recent years.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/evernote-is-relocating-to-europe-after-laying-off-most-of-its-us-workforce-205012133.html?src=rss

It's probably fair to say that when most people conjure images of the pharmaceutical industry, it's not often there's an association between the production of life-saving drugs and environmental decline. But according to one 2019 study by The Conversation, drug companies produce more tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per million dollars than the automotive industry. "By our calculations, the pharma market is 28 percent smaller yet 13 percent more polluting than the automotive sector," the outlet said of the state of the pharmaceutical industry in 2015. Put another way: drug companies need to reduce their carbon emissions for the health of the planet and everyone living on it.Thankfully, a group of scientists from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom may have found a way for the industry to do exactly that. In a study published in the journal ChemSusChem, the team describes a process they created for converting -pinene, a component found in turpentine, into pharmaceutical precursors that they then used to synthesize paracetamol and ibuprofen. Right now, most companies producing those painkillers use chemical precursors derived from crude oil. Turpentine, meanwhile, is a waste by-product the paper industry makes at a scale of more than 350,000 metric tonnes per year. The researchers say they also successfully used turpentine to synthesize 4-HAP, a precursor for beta-blockers, the asthma inhaler drug salbutamol and a range of household cleaners.In addition to being more sustainable, the team's "bio-refinery" process could lead to more consistent drug costs for consumers since turpentine isn't subject to the same geopolitical pressures that can send energy and oil prices skyrocketing. However, a significant pitfall of the process in its current form is that it costs more to produce drugs with turpentine than crude oil. The team suggests consumers may be willing to pay slightly higher prices for more sustainable drugs, but let's be honest, when someone is sick or in pain, paying more for relief is the last thing most people want to do.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/scientists-make-ibuprofen-and-other-common-painkillers-from-paper-industry-waste-182758699.html?src=rss

After a meteoric rise in popularity late last year and into early 2023, it looks like OpenAI's chatbot is beginning to lose some steam. According to data internet analytics firm Similarweb shared with The Washington Post, last month mobile and desktop traffic to ChatGPT's website fell by 9.7 percent globally. If Similarweb's data is accurate, the drop marks the first time the chatbot has seen a user decline. In June, app tracker Sensor Tower also saw downloads of ChatGPT's iOS client fall off after peaking earlier in the month. OpenAI did not immediately respond to Engadget's comment request.Waning interest in ChatGPT appears to be part of an industry trend. Similarweb's numbers show fewer people visiting the desktop and mobile websites for Microsoft Bing, Google Bard and Character.AI in recent months. Microsoft, for instance, saw traffic to its search engine surge between February and March when Bing AI became available in public preview. Since then, monthly traffic to the website has steadily declined, returning nearly to the levels it was before Microsoft retooled Bing around GPT-4. Separately, Similarweb says it saw a drop in ChatGPT engagement, with user minutes down by 8.5 percent as of May 2023.As for what could be causing the decline, ThePost suggests the end of the school year may have something to do with it. With most college students on summer break, it speculates not as many young adults are using ChatGPT to write their papers. Another reason could be that companies like Samsung are prohibiting employees from using AI chatbots over the very real fear of a potential data leak. Whatever the reason for the decline, you can bet no one at OpenAI is panicking. If anything, the research lab is probably happy to see fewer people use the public version of ChatGPT. CEO Sam Altman has said the service costs OpenAI an eye-watering" amount to operate.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/chatgpt-saw-its-first-ever-user-decline-in-june-163043304.html?src=rss

When it comes to online merchandizing, nobody is bigger than Amazon. The same can be said for Walmart's utter domination of physical retail. But for a brief time in 2016, the two behemoths sought to get all up in each other's lanes. The resulting multi-year fracas would shake the world of commerce to its foundations with every above-board strategy and under-handed trick made available to crush the competition. In Winner Sells All, journalist Jason Del Rey recounts the business battles both between and within these titans of industry as both corporations sought to further entrench their market positions. In the excerpt below, we see some of said underhanded tricks.Harper CollinsExcerpted from Winner Sells All: Amazon, Walmart and the Battle for Our Wallets by Jason Del Rey . Published by Harper Business. Copyright (C) 2023 by Jason Del Rey. All rights reserved.In the late 2010s, the power and valuations that Amazon and other titans of the technology industry were accumulating incited a new movement in antitrust circles, catalyzed by a law school paper written by a then-unknown law student named Lina Khan. In her seminal paper, Amazon's Antitrust Paradox," published in the Yale Law Journal, Khan argued that our interpretation of antitrust laws was outdated in light of a new digital economy, and there was a need to return to the days when merely having low prices or providing free services wasn't enough to avoid scrutiny for anticompetitive behavior.Amazon doesn't just want to dominate markets; it wants to own the infrastructure that underpins those markets," said Stacy Mitchell, the longtime critic of both Amazon and Walmart who runs a left-leaning think tank called the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR). And that's an order of magnitude difference of a monopoly ambition than Walmart's." Mitchell had spent many years agitating for the government to step in to slow down Walmart during its go-go Supercenter growth years and she is still clear today that she finds the company's power problematic.But in her view, and that of many Big Tech critics in her circles, Amazon poses an altogether different threat to business competition. It's not just the retail platform, but it's AWS [Amazon Web Services], it's the logistics piece, it's [Alexa] and being the interface for how we interact with the web, and all the devices and everything that are connected to the smart home," she said. It enables Amazon to favor its own goods and services in those markets, to levy a kind of tax on all the businesses that rely on that infrastructure, and to surveil all of that activity and use that intelligence to its own advantage."As the pressure from Washington, DC, increased, Amazon leaders were becoming heated. In one key annual meeting of Bezos's senior leaders in early 2020, Jassy, the then-CEO of AWS, digested the content of a memo sitting in front of him. It laid out Amazon's plans for messaging in response to accusations that it was too big or too powerful and engaged in anticompetitive behavior. As Bezos listened in by phone, Jassy pointedly asked those before him why the messaging didn't argue that Walmart, and AWS rival Microsoft, should be investigated. Other top company officials tried to explain that each of those companies had already been scrutinized years ago and their time had passed. But Jassy's reaction left a lasting impression on those in attendance.It was very clear from his comments that we shouldn't let our foot off the gas," someone in attendance told me years later. In subsequent years, especially in the part of the company that focused on so-called competition issues, there wasn't a day that Walmart didn't come up." The fact that Walmart, with more annual revenue than Amazon, was not being scrutinized by policy makers drove executives like Jassy crazy. It didn't help when Amazon executives discovered that Walmart was indirectly funding a nonprofit front group called Free and Fair Markets, which was bombarding reporters and social media with anti-Amazon accusations. For some time, Amazon leaders suspected that a competitor, or group of competitors, was funding the operation but couldn't prove it. One of Amazon's longtime spokesmen, Drew Herdener, grew frustrated every time the group placed an op-ed or social media message that got traction.How does the press not know this is a front group?" he would lament. As a result, an Amazon communications staffer named Doug Stone spent upward of a year trying to help reporters uncover the group's funders. Finally, in the fall of 2019, the Wall Street Journal pulled back the veil in an expose titled A Grass Roots' Campaign to Take Down Amazon Is Funded by Amazon's Biggest Rivals." A Walmart spokesperson denied funding the group to the newspaper-the article had stated that Walmart used an intermediary to pass along funds to FFM, so the company's defense might have been a matter of semantics- but said that Walmart share[s] concerns about issues" that the group was publicizing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hitting-the-books-winner-sells-all-jason-del-rey-harper-business-143059940.html?src=rss

Earlier this week, Twitter began migrating users to the "new" version of TweetDeck after its decision to limit how many tweets people could view temporarily broke the previous iteration of its list aggregator. For many, the change was a downgrade due to the new version missing some of the features found within its predecessor. If you want to go back to using the previous release of TweetDeck, now you can, but almost certainly only for a limited time.As noted by The Verge, overnight some Twitter users noticed that the old TweetDeck was back without so much as an official announcement from Elon Musk, Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino or any of the company's official social accounts. Additionally, a handful of developers, including Harpy creator Roberto Doering, noticed Twitter's legacy API was working again, allowing their third-party clients to work once more. Again, how long that will remain true is hard to say."Please note that this doesn't mean that Harpy will be maintained again, seeing as Twitter will most likely shut down access to their legacy API (again) soon and third-party apps are still against their [terms of service]," Doering wrote on Harpy's GitHub page. When Twitter began forcing users to migrate to the new Tweetdeck, the company said users will need to be verified to continue using the tool, meaning most people will need to subscribe to Twitter Blue if they want continued access.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-old-good-version-of-tweetdeck-is-back-222423088.html?src=rss

Hayao Miyazaki's final film, the tentatively titled How Do You Live?, is coming to IMAX theaters. The milestone marks a first for Miyazaki and the animation studio he co-founded nearly four decades ago. According to Anime News Network, the film will also screen in Dolby Atmos, Dolby Cinema and DTS:X when it arrives in Japan on July 14th.As Gizmodo notes, past Studio Ghibli films did not receive the IMAX treatment during their original theatrical runs. When you add that to the fact How Do You Live? is supposed to be Miyazaki's swan song(or so the auteur claims), you have the makings of a must-see movie event. However, one potential hitch is that the film doesn't have an international release date yet, and it's unclear if a North American distributor could secure IMAX screens for How Do You Live? when and if it arrives outside of Japan. In recent weeks, the availability of IMAX screens has been a contentious issue in Hollywood, with Tom Cruise reportedly calling some theaters to convince them to screen Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One instead of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.Details on How Do You Live? are sparse. Studio Ghibli has not released a trailer for the film or bought any TV spots. In fact, the only promotion it has done so far for How Do You Live? is the single poster the studio released last month. The film is an original work but is named after the 1937 novel of the same name by Genzaburo Yoshino. In interviews, Miyazaki has said the book plays an influential role in the life of his film's protagonist.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hayao-miyazakis-final-film-will-be-studio-ghiblis-first-imax-release-195624834.html?src=rss

Late last month, Apple uploaded the debut episode of Siloto Twitter to promote the show's season one finale. Now it's doing the same with its other tentpole sci-fi series. Starting Monday, you can watch Foundation's first episode on YouTube ahead of season two'sJuly 14th premiere.Apple's live-action adaptation of Issac Asimov's classic novel series of the same name premiered in 2021 following a pandemic-related production delay. As 9to5Mac notes, you can already watch the first episode of the series for free on Apple TV, but that requires access to the app and not everyone might want to install Apple's streaming service on their smart TV. Season two of Foundation sees some of season one's original cast, including Lee Pace and Jared Harris, return. Filming of season three is rumored to be already underway. In the meantime, you can watch the show's first episode on Monday at 2PM ET, followed by a live Q&A with showrunner David Goyer.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-will-stream-the-first-episode-of-foundation-on-youtube-175203218.html?src=rss

It's probably safe to say no one could have predicted that LinkedIn would add Stories before Twitch, but here we are. Nearly eight years after Instagram lifted the feature from Snapchat, Twitch announced Saturday that its own users will be able to begin recording Stories starting later this year. At its TwitchCon Paris event, Twitch said it plans to roll out the ephemeral media format in October. Once they arrive, Stories will live on the Following page of the Twitch mobile app, where they'll be subject to Twitch's Community Guidelines and automated safety systems. Additionally, creators will have the option to limit the visibility of their Stories to only those who follow them.Stories is one of a handful of features Twitch announced on Saturday. In the fall, the company said it plans to introduce a new Discovery Feed it promises will make it easier for creators to grow their audiences, even when they're not streaming. Like Stories, the Discovery Feed will live on the company's mobile app and include live and recorded content.Because Twitch is all about live, interactive channels, it's not our goal for viewers to spend hours in a Clips feed," Twitch said. Our investment in Clips is to help viewers discover your channel so they join you and your community when you stream." Twitch plans to conduct limited testing of the Discovery Feed before rolling out the feature to the broader Twitch user base in late 2023. Other features the company said it was working on include improvements to the platform's built-in clip editor. Come late next month, the tool will allow creators to export vertical videos directly to TikTok.On Saturday, Twitch said it would also give creators more control over when ad breaks play during their streams. A new chat countdown timer will display exactly when an ad is about to play. Streamers can delay an advertisement if it's about to disrupt an exciting bit of gameplay or a conversation with their community. The feature comes after Twitch last month backpedaled on a proposed ad policy that would have restricted the kinds of branded content creators had the ability to include in their streams.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitch-is-finally-adding-stories-and-a-feed-for-discovering-new-streamers-to-watch-163846190.html?src=rss

The James Webb space telescope has given scientists the capability to discover celestial objects they wouldn't have been able to otherwise, such as ancient galaxies that theoretically shouldn't exist. Now, as part of the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) Survey, researchers have discovered the most distant active supermassive black hole we've seen to date.Thanks to the near- and mid-infrared images James Webb has taken, researchers were able to find a supermassive black hole in the galaxy they've dubbed CEERS 1019. They were also able to determine that the black hole has existed merely 570 million years after the Big Bang and that it's around 9 million solar masses. In addition, the data provided by the telescope allowed them to come to the conclusion that the black hole is eating up a lot of gas and churning out new stars. "A galaxy merger could be partly responsible for fueling the activity in this galaxy's black hole, and that could also lead to increased star formation," CEERS team member Jeyhan Kartaltepe of the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York explained. In the image below, you can see CEERS 1019 appearing as three bright clumps.NASA, ESA, CSA, Leah Hustak (STScI)At 9 million solar masses, this black hole is much smaller than other active supermassive black holes previously discovered. Those celestial objects typically contain more than 1 billion times the mass of the sun, which makes them much brighter and easier to detect. The CEERS 1019 black hole is more similar to the one in the center of our galaxy, which is around 4.6 million times the mass of the sun. NASA said scientists have long known that smaller black holes must have existed earlier in the universe, but it wasn't until James Webb became operational that they were able to confirm their presence.In fact, the CEERS Survey team also found two other ancient but small black holes through their data. The CEERS 746 black hole existed 1 billion years after the Big Bang, while the CEERS 2782 black hole has been around since 1.1 billion years after the event. When viewed through other instruments, these black holes appear as ordinary star-forming galaxies. Astronomers are also reviewing other more distant black holes found using James Webb's data at the moment, so CEERS 1019 might lose the record sooner rather than later.CEERS team lead Steven Finkelstein from the University of Texas at Austin said: "Until now, research about objects in the early universe was largely theoretical. With Webb, not only can we see black holes and galaxies at extreme distances, we can now start to accurately measure them. That's the tremendous power of this telescope."Scientists still find it difficult to explain how this black hole formed so soon after the universe began. But in the future, Webb's data could give them the information they need to be able to figure out how early black holes are formed.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/james-webb-telescope-captures-the-most-distant-active-supermassive-black-hole-yet-150244921.html?src=rss

The well-reviewed Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) is now available for just $55 via a Wellbots code. That's a discount of $45, as the smart display normally retails for $100. All you have to do is order the product from Wellbots and put in the promo code of 45HUBENG." You'll be well on your way to owning a smart display that's been praised for its loud speakers, sleep tracking capabilities and seamless access to Google Assistant.Wellbots and Google have paired up for even more deals, as the Pixel Watch is available for $75 off with the code 75WATCHENG" and you can pick up a pair of Pixel Buds Pro earbuds for $55 less than the original retail price, via the code 55PIXENG."The second-generation Google Nest Hub is already over two years old, so the company could be prepping a third-generation model for the near future, but it definitely won't be $55. Also, the company recently released a version with a larger screen, called the Nest Hub Max, which clocks in at $220.In the meantime, if you want a smart display with plenty of high-tech features like automatic dimming, a snazzy visual interface and smart home controls, plunk down that $55 and purchase a Nest Hub.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/pick-up-a-google-nest-hub-2nd-gen-for-just-55-163938367.html?src=rss

Google has expanded an existing feature for Calendar to give users an easy way to let their co-workers know where they can be reached at different times of the day. The company first launched "working locations," allows users to indicate where they're working through their schedules, back in 2021. But now, they can set their working locations in Calendar for specific portions of the day in order to more accurately reflect their availability.As Google said in its announcement, working from different locations is common for those with hybrid work environments. This feature could make it easier for co-workers to figure out if they can meet for in-person collaboration or if they have to schedule a video conference instead. To use the feature, they can create an event and choose Working Location before selecting a time frame and indicating their location for those hours. The upgraded Working Location feature is now available for all Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade and Nonprofit users.GoogleThe tech giant is also making Google Docs more creator-friendly. When users fire up the app and open a Docs file on an Android device, it will now start in edit mode. There's no need to tap on the edit button anymore - they can now go straight into document and immediately start typing or changing things up. Tapping on the open document will instantly bring up the on-screen keyboard unless they have a physical keyboard connected to their device.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-calendar-allows-users-to-indicate-their-location-at-specific-times-of-the-day-130114707.html?src=rss

A disgruntled Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Seige gamer who called in a fake emergency to Ubisoft's Montreal office was sentenced this week to three years of community service, according to The Montreal Gazette. Yanni Ouahioune, 22, was handed the sentence on Monday in Paris following his call to authorities about a fake hostage situation in November 2020.Police say Ouahioune called in the hoax because he was angry he had been banned several times from Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. In response to the bogus call, a heavily armed squad of police officers surrounded the building. The officers secured the headquarters - and closed several nearby streets - before confirming there wasn't an active threat. Ouahioune allegedly called from his parents' house using Russian servers to mask his identity (unsuccessfully). After being charged, La Pressereported (viaPolygon) that Ouahioune pleaded for Ubisoft to unban his account. Can you say that I am kindly asking the Ubisoft team to unban' my account please," Ouahioune said. I have put over $1,500 in cosmetic enhancements in my profile."The sentencing also includes Ouahioune's alleged part in a DDoS attack against a French government office and making threats against Minecraft developers. The convicted hoaxer will reportedly be required to compensate victims, undergo treatment for a mental health problem and either work or undergo training" in addition to the community service.Magali Valence, Ubisoft director of external communication for Ubisoft Montreal, told The Montreal Gazette in an email that it acknowledges the court's decision. In this trial we were committed to representing the interests of our employees who were affected by this false hostage-taking alert at our Montreal studio. It was important for us to denounce this violent and unacceptable incident. Out of respect for our employees who were affected by this event, we will not comment further."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/miffed-rainbow-six-seige-player-sentenced-for-swatting-ubisoft-montreals-offices-201200746.html?src=rss

Microsoft might be raising the price of Xbox subscriptions in most countries, but it's sweetening the deal for newcomers. The company is once more running a promo that offers the first month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $1. The PC Game Pass is also discounted to $1. You'll have to pay the usual monthly rate afterward ($17 for Ultimate on console, $11 for PC), but the introductory price could help you get a feel for the services without making a full commitment.Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes a catalog of "hundreds" of games you can play on console, PC and through cloud gaming. First-party titles arrive as soon as they launch, and there are member-only perks that include discounts, in-game DLC and a handful of EA games. PC Game Pass doesn't include streaming or the EA selection but is otherwise similar.This comes just weeks after Microsoft raised the price of Game Pass Ultimate for new subscribers from $15 to $17. This is the first time the price has gone up since Ultimate debuted in 2017. Microsoft pins the increase on changing "competitive conditions," but it's also a reflection of an evolving strategy. Both Microsoft and its rival Sony are increasingly dependent on subscriptions for revenue, and the Game Pass Ultimate hike could help on that front.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-game-pass-ultimate-1-deal-is-back-for-new-users-194212213.html?src=rss

Android users can soon get a sneak peek at upcoming features for Meta Threads, the new Twitter rival that may already have Elon Musk feeling the heat. A Meta engineer announced on the platform that Android users who love to live on the cutting edge" can sign up for a beta version of the app, which launched this week and already attracted over 30 million sign-ups by Thursday morning. There isn't yet any mention of an iOS beta program.Although no beta builds of the Android app appear to be available yet, the program could be enticing since the platform still lacks a long list of requested features. These include hashtags, direct messages, a full web version, chronological feeds, a following" feed, and the ability to delete your profile without also wiping your Instagram account.Of course, beta software often comes with bugs - so only proceed if you're comfortable with the associated risks. As Meta's @0xjessel advised, New features and bug fixes will come on here first, but you'll also have to accept an increased risk of a more unstable build since [it's] earlier." In addition, Meta will harvest your data - perhaps more than usual. Certain data on your use of the app will be collected and shared with the developer to help improve the app," the invitation reads.If you're feeling adventurous, you can sign up for beta access. Fortunately, there's no waitlist: Anyone with an Android device can enter the program and try out future builds as they become available.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-launches-a-threads-beta-program-for-android-191600004.html?src=rss

A Canadian judge has ruled that the popular thumbs-up" emoji not only can be used as a contract agreement, but is just as valid as an actual signature. The Saskatchewan-based judge made the ruling on the grounds that the courts must adapt to the new reality" of how people communicate, as originally reported by The Guardian.The case involved a grain buyer sending out a mass text to drum up clients and a farmer agreeing to sell 86 tons of flax for around $13 per bushel. The buyer texted a contract agreement to the farmer and asked for the farmer to confirm" receiving the contract. He issued a thumb's up emoji as receipt of the document, but backed out of the deal after flax prices increased.The buyer sued the farmer, arguing that the thumb's up represented more than just receipt of the contract. It represented an agreement to the conditions of the contract, and a judge agreed, ordering the farmer to cough up nearly $62,000, likely causing a string of puke emojis.The farmer, Chris Achter, said in an affidavit that he did not have time to review" the contract and the thumb's up was just acknowledgment of receipt. Justice Timothy Keene relied on Dictionary.com's definition of the emoji which notes the image is used to express assent, approval, or encouragement in digital communications, especially in Western cultures," ultimately siding with the grain buyer.This court readily acknowledges that a emoji is a non-traditional means to sign' a document but nevertheless under these circumstances this was a valid way to convey the two purposes of a signature'," Justice Keene wrote.The defense argued that giving this type of power to an emoji would open the floodgates" to enhanced interpretations of other emojis. While the justice dismissed this line of reasoning, anyone who regularly texts the LOL emoji without actually laughing out loud is likely quaking in their boots right now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/canadian-judge-rules-the-thumbs-up-emoji-counts-as-a-contract-agreement-190026176.html?src=rss

BMW is expanding its electric motorcycle lineup - well, really, its electric scooter lineup. The new CE 02 is smaller than the recently available CE 04 and targets a younger buyer.In fact, BMW doesn't even want to call it a scooter. Instead, it's calling it a eParkourer. Yes it's a mouthful and yes it's mostly just marketing shenanigans, but the CE 02 looks like a classier version of the Honda Rukus with an EV powertrain inside.BMW says it has a range of over 55 miles for the 11kW version and a top speed of about 59 miles per hour. So it's definitely built as an around-town source of transportation. It starts at $7,599 before destination costs. The larger, most powerful, and longer-range CE 04 starts at $12,700 just to help set some expectations.BMW also showed off Motorrad companion smartglasses that display speed, speed limit, gear (for gas bikes), and turn-turn-directions. The glasses work with any of the company's current crop of bikes that use the Motorrad app, and again don't have a price yet.The CE 02 will be available in the spring of 2024, while the smart glasses will be available this summer. Watch the video below for the full story.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bmws-ce-02-electric-scooter-sets-sights-on-urban-mobility-184009798.html?src=rss

Casetify is launching a new series of accessories for Apple devices based on Neon Genesis Evangelion. The Project-CSTF: Protection from Impact" collection lets you drape your iPhone, AirPods or Apple Watch in cases that show off your love of the acclaimed mid-90s anime series.The likely highlight of the series is the limited-edition AirPods Pro case based on Evangelion's Unit-01, transforming your Apple earphones case into a purple mecha head. Although it appears too big and unwieldy to slip into a pocket, Casetify says the outer case is for ornamental purpose and not for harsh impact, scrapes or vigorous activities." (In other words, it's meant more for desktop display than everyday protection.) However, it also appears to include a standard on-the-go AirPods case (including an EVA-01" logo) that fits inside the Unit-01 head. The Test Type-01 case will be available in AirPods Pro / AirPods 2 variants and will retail for $122 - nearly half the cost of the Apple's latest true wireless earphones.The lineup also includes MagSafe-compatible iPhone cases featuring Evangelion mechs (and $52 MagSafe chargers styled like the series' Umbilical Cables) along with iPhone cases displaying the pilots' likenesses. You can even order a limited-edition $122 wireless charging dock (including the MagSafe Umbilical Cable) that looks like the anime series' ejection stands. Finally, the series will include Apple Watch bands emblazoned with the series' logo.The accessories officially arrive on July 20th at midnight Pacific Time. In the meantime, you can join a waitlist to order the new products. Meanwhile, those near Tokyo can visit an outdoor exhibit from July 20th to 25th (from 11:00-19:00 Japan Time) in Shinjuku Kabukicho Cine City Square.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/casetifys-evangelion-series-lets-you-put-airpods-in-the-robot-174954995.html?src=rss

Yuji Naka likely won't face prison time over his insider trading. Tokyo judge Madoka Hiruta has given the Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator a suspended 2.5-year prison sentence, deferred for four years, as well as two fines worth the equivalent of $1.1 million and $14,000. Naka's actions hurt the "fairness and soundness" of the stock market while wounding investors' trust, Hirtua says.Naka pleaded guilty in March to violating Japan's Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. While working at Square Enix, he bought shares in the game studio Aiming before its partnership with on Dragon Quest Tact became public knowledge. He made about $150,000 in profit after selling his shares. The developer also faced insider trading charges for buying shares in Ateam, the developer of the short-lived mobile battle royale game Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier.Two other former workers, Taisuke Sasaki and Fumiaki Suzuki, were also arrested for buying Aiming shares. Square Enix previously said it was cooperating with investigators and had instituted safeguards to prevent insider trading.This kind of activity isn't new in the technology space. It's rare in the gaming world, however. and surprising when it involves a successful developer like Naka. While this won't necessarily hurt the Sonic franchise, it certainly doesn't help his reputation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonic-the-hedgehog-co-creator-yuji-naka-receives-suspended-prison-sentence-for-insider-trading-173010653.html?src=rss

Another European car manufacturer is adopting Tesla's charging technology. Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that it will use the North American Charging Standard (NACS) on new North American EVs starting in 2025. Drivers will initially get access to the Tesla Supercharger network before through a CCS-to-NACS adapter arriving in 2024.This won't affect Mercedes' plans to deploy a high-speed charging network of its own starting this fall, according to the company. The company expects to build over 400 "Charging Hubs" in North America by 2030, with a total of 2,500 chargers available. The first installations are now set to include both CCS and NACS connectors, and will be open to non-Mercedes EVs.Executives are clear about the reasoning. This expansion makes sure drivers have "fast, convenient and reliable" charging that improves the overall EV experience, Mercedes board chairman Ola Kallenius says. Supercharger support provides access to many more charging points (over 12,000 Superchargers) - you're more likely to buy an EQB or EQS if you know you can travel cross-country and minimize charging times.Mercedes is the first German automaker to adopt NACS, and the third European badge following Volvo and its sibling Polestar. Volkswagen is considering a switch, but hasn't committed to the idea apart from adding NACS to Electrify America chargers. In the US, companies like Ford, GM and Rivian have pledged support for Tesla's technology. The mobility association SAE is producing a standardized version of the plug that could help other vendors use the format.This isn't a worldwide transition, and Mercedes' upscale focus will limit its reach compared to more affordable makes like Ford and GM. The switch to NACS increases pressure on VW and other rivals still using CCS in North America, though. They risk clinging to a less common EV plug that might hurt long-distance driving and, by extension, car sales.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mercedes-will-use-teslas-ev-charging-standard-on-north-american-cars-161547427.html?src=rss

When you think of true surround sound stereo systems, you imagine cumbersome multi-speaker affairs that take all day to set up. Sony may have just upended that notion with its HT-AX7 portable theater system, complete with 360 spatial sound mapping. The hook here is that the speakers are detachable and the whole system can easily be moved from room to room without a trip to the chiropractor.The system uses the company's proprietary spatial sound mapping technology to create phantom speakers at the front, rear and overhead. These audio sources integrate with three detachable and fully portable speakers, enveloping listeners in a bubble-like sphere" of spatial sound. The system is designed so anyone can set it up, so there's no need for a special installation of any kind.Beyond the portable form factor, the HT-AX7 system uses a real-time algorithm to upscale stereo sound into 3D surround sound. You can also disengage this feature for garden variety room-filling sound." All of the associated speakers are wireless and automatically pair with one another, further easing the installation process. This is a stereo system released in the year 2023, so there's also an app for making adjustments to the sound and to the spatial field.As for other bells and whistles, the wireless speakers get 30 hours of use per charge and boast quick-charging capabilities. These are Bluetooth-enabled speakers, so you aren't tied to the TV, which is traditional with home theater setups.Sony's HT-AX7 home theater system costs $500 and is available for preorder right now. The units begin shipping on July 18. That price is fairly decent if you're looking to build a budget-friendly home theater system. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-new-spatial-sound-system-is-actually-portable-170008725.html?src=rss

Japanese drugmaker Eisai and US-based Biogen have been working together on advancing research in the space of Alzheimer's for nearly a decade. Finally, the FDA, granted the fruits of that labor, Leqembi, its blessing for intravenous use. This marks the first approved treatment that can slow the progression of Alzheimer's.Leqembi received a preliminary approval in January that allowed it to be used in a limited capacity. That approval was conditioned on the two drug makers conducting a confirmatory study to verify the drug's clinical benefit.Though Leqembi slows Alzihmer's progression, it is not a cure. Instead, it addresses the underlying biology that spurs Alzheimer's advancement. The drug works by reducing amyloid plaques, or "misfolded" proteins that form in the brain of a person with Alzheimer's.Leqembi isn't the only drug targeting beta-amyloid plaque buildup to treat Alzheimer's. Aduhelm received approval under the same accelerated pathway in 2021, but it's still not fully FDA-approved. But what sets Leqembi apart from its predecessor is that the drug demonstrated actual clinical benefit in addition to simply reducing the buildup of the aforementioned proteins.Besides needing a medical prescription, taking the drug will require professional administration in a hospital or infusion center every two weeks. The company, though it may not be its sole responsibility, recognizes its need to boost accessibility. In a public statement, Christopher Viehbacher, the CEO of Biogen, said the company's main focus now is to work with Eisai to make Leqembi accessible to eligible patients as soon as possible."The drug's hefty price tag of $26,500 will unfortunately make it inaccessible to most. Current rules mean that it's unlikely to be covered by Medicare. According to the Alzheimer's Association, those on Medicaid only should be able to get coverage of the FDA-approved drug in most cases. But, even if Medicaid does cover it, patients would be responsible for a 20 percent copay - or about $5,300. Experts predict the total cost of Leqembi treatment can run upward of $90,000 a year, if you take infusions and laboratory tests into account.An expensive treatment program is something to consider for the one in nine Americans who are over the age of 65 that have Alzheimer's dementia. That number is expected to grow as the nation's aging population continues to grow. The number of Americans 65 and older is projected to climb from 58 million in 2021 to 88 million by 2050. This has led to an increased focus on treatments and diagnostics for Alzheimer's, like blood tests that can detect the disease.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-first-drug-that-slows-alzheimers-has-finally-received-fda-approval-165058452.html?src=rss

Meta's Threads has blown up this week, with more than 70 million registered accounts being registered within around 40 hours of the app going live. One of those users is a particular thorn in the side of Elon Musk as they're posting what the Twitter owner once referred to as "basically assassination coordinates" for him.In reality, the person behind Elonjet, Jack Sweeney, is using publicly available flight data to share the whereabouts of Musk's private jet in near-real-time. Sweeney used to post that information on Twitter, which bothered Musk long before he bought the company. Musk offered Sweeney $5,000 to delete the account, but the offer was rejected (a counteroffer of $50,000 or an internship at one of Musk's companies never panned out).In December, a couple months after Musk bought Twitter, the Elonjet account was permanently suspended. Twitter updated its private information rules around the same time to limit users to sharing "publicly available location information after a reasonable time has elapsed, so that the individual is no longer at risk for physical harm."Sweeney created a new Twitter account that shows the location of Musk's jet on a 24-hour delay, which was A-OK under the tweaked policy. Elonjet accounts on other platforms display more up-to-date information, including Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Mastodon and Bluesky.A subreddit is tracking the plane too.Elonjet never truly went away for long, but there's something quite fitting about it showing up on Threads. The new app is a blatant competitor to Twitter. So much so, Twitter has threatened Meta with legal action after accusing it of using former employees and trade secrets to build the Threads. Meanwhile, those planning to use Threads to closely keep tabs on Musk's jet will have to keep an eye on Elonjet's profile - Threads bafflingly doesn't yet have a chronological feed of posts.That said, Elonjet didn't quite escape the wrath of seemingly zealous Threads moderators. According to Engadget alum Saqib Shah, Meta removed the account from the app "in error" but later restored it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/elonjet-is-now-posting-elon-musks-assassination-coordinates-on-twitter-rival-threads-164026053.html?src=rss

Jony Ive has been busy since leaving Apple, with his design agency working on things like a typeface, a charity clown nose and the future of Airbnb." LoveFrom's latest project takes Ive back to his hardware days - it's a new model of a modular turntable that's been around for half a century.LoveFrom helped refine Linn's Sondek LP12 for a 50th anniversary edition. Ive told Fast Company it was a very gentle and modest project" for LoveFrom that stems from his team's admiration for Linn. Perhaps as a result of that, LoveFrom carried out the work pro bono. "There are many things that I've always wanted to be able to do purely for the love of doing them," Ive noted.The design firm approached Linn about working together, in part because Ive is a long-time fan of the brand. The two teams examined every aspect of the LP12 but couldn't change the turntable very much owing to concerns over impact to the sound quality. Still, LoveFrom "saw a number of areas where there could be small improvements and gentle evolutions of the current design," Ive said.The exterior of the special-edition Sondek LP12-50 looks largely the same as the standard LP12, though the tweaks include rounded off corners for some components rather than squared-off edges. There's a circular aluminum power button instead of a plastic rocker, while a new hinge seemingly enables the dust cover to easily remain open at any angle.If you're interested in owning the first post-Apple hardware that Ive worked on, you'll have to dig deep into your pockets. The Sondek LP12-50 costs $60,000 and Linn is only making 250 of them.At least for this project, Ive has moved on from digital audio hardware to an analog product. He played an instrumental role in the likes of the iPod, the iPhone and AirPods during his tenure at Apple as he helped the company reach extraordinary heights. We may see arguably more ambitious works from the LoveFrom camp in the next few years, as the firm is collaborating with Ferrari and its holding company Exor on several creative projects.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jony-ives-first-post-apple-hardware-project-is-a-60000-turntable-163040450.html?src=rss

Threads, Meta's text-based Twitter rival, is finally out in the world (most of it, anyway). Compared with other would-be Twitter challengers, Threads has absolutely exploded. By the morning after its launch, the Instagram offshoot had already attracted more than 30 million new sign-ups, according to Mark Zuckerberg.The momentum seems to have spooked Elon Musk, whose personal lawyer has reportedly threatened to sue Meta over unspecified trade secrets." But while the Meta vs. Twitter rivalry continues to play out, there are still some major questions about the new platform and how Meta intends to run it.Why the relentless focus on brands and influencers?It's no secret that Meta began testing Threads with a relatively small group of creators and celebrities ahead of its official launch. The group provided some early feedback to the company, and helped ensure that when the floodgates did eventually open, new users were greeted with more than an empty feed.The ploy worked. New Threads users found a lively feed filled with posts upon joining. But it's also led to the main feed feeling a bit... underwhelming. Finding posts from friends, particularly recent posts, can be difficult as the current feed algorithm seems to heavily favor influencers, celebrities, brands and other higher profile accounts. Which leads us to..What about a non-algorithmic feed?If you know anything about Twitter, it's that the original, reverse chronological feed is sacred to many longtime users. The same is true in some corners of Instagram, which brought back its chronological feed last year following a five-year hiatus.So it can feel a bit jarring that Threads currently has a single algorithmic feed that seems to lean quite heavily on recommended posts from accounts you're not already following. Not only is there no chronological feed, but there's no way to view a feed of posts from only accounts you follow (though some have devised a workaround by messing with the app's notification settings.)Both Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Zuckerberg have since said that a following" feed - that is a feed dedicated solely to accounts you follow - is in the works. Mosseri also confirmed there would be a chronological option. That should help address the garbage hose" problem, as Slate's Alex Kirshner described the current algorithmic feed.How will Threads tie into the broader Fediverse?One of the more intriguing aspects of Threads is Meta's promise to integrate ActivityPub, the open-source protocol that powers Mastodon and other decentralized platforms that make up the Fediverse."Mosseri told The Verge that Threads launched without ActivityPub due to the complexity involved. It requires a bunch more work," he said. But the company seems committed to the idea.In its announcement, the company suggested it was all-in on the open standard, and what it represents for the future of social networks. Our vision is that people using compatible apps will be able to follow and interact with people on Threads without having a Threads account, and vice versa, ushering in a new era of diverse and interconnected networks," Meta wrote.But the prospect of eventual Fediverse integration raises all kinds of new questions as well. How will the app, which is currently an offshoot of Instagram, handle interoperability with other federated platforms? Right now, Threads requires an Instagram account, which is neither decentralized or open-source, much less compatible with ActivityPub. Users can't even delete their Threads account without also deleting their Instagram. So how will Threads users take their audience with them if they decide to leave? (Even on Mastodon, the process is far from simple.)How will people on the thousands of Mastodon servers view and interact with posts on Threads? Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko has suggested it will be up to individual server admins to enable compatibility, but it's still far from clear how this functionality would work. And that doesn't address what might be possible on other platforms that pledged to support ActivityPub, like Tumblr and Flipboard, which may be less enthused about their platforms' content being accessible a Meta-owned service.Fediverse support also raises all kinds of questions about content moderation. Officially, Threads has the same community guidelines as Instagram, but federated platforms are free to set their own standards and norms. How will Meta keep content from other platforms that goes against its rules from Threads once posts are interoperable?What about content moderation?Speaking of content moderation, Meta hasn't really addressed how it plans to scale its content moderation operation to handle the sudden influx of new users to a brand new platform. Up to now, the company has been clear that Instagram's existing community guidelines apply on Threads and that it's hoping to foster a more positive" environment.But it's unclear how the company is handling enforcement internally. And as much as Meta execs try to emphasize the good vibes, history has taught us that where there are millions of users there will inevitably be bad actors spreading hate speech, misinformation and all the familiar ills of giant social media platforms.For now, it seems like Threads is largely relying on Instagram's moderation infrastructure. For example, the app will warn you before attempting to follow a user that's repeatedly shared misinformation. The company is also pushing users to carry over their block, restrict and word filtering settings from Instagram. But with more than 95 million posts on its first day of existence, Threads will at some point likely need its own moderation resources.Where are all the... other features?More immediately, the most pressing question for most Threads users is when Meta will start adding a bunch of basic features that could make Threads more functionally like Twitter and other services. For now, many have raised the absence of a number of basic capabilities.Direct Messages: Unlike Twitter and Instagram, Threads has no private messaging. And so far, it's unclear if that could change. Mosseri seems cautious about the idea, telling The Verge he was hesitant to contribute to inbox fatigue."Web interface: For a lot of Twitter power users, one of the more frustrating aspects of Threads is the lack of a proper web interface. For now, you can manually view Threads posts by navigating to user's public profiles, but there's no way to view your feed or interact with posts. Here, again, Mosseri says that's in the works. The priority is the mobile apps, but we are working on www," he wrote.Search and hashtags: While Threads makes it easy enough to find people from your existing social graph, Threads doesn't allow you to search posts or even use basic filtering tools like hashtags.Accessibility: Unfortunately, as with so many other new platforms, Threads so far has ignored some basic accessibility features. There's no support for alt text for photos, for example, which feels like a pretty glaring omission given Threads ties to Instagram.Ads: Most users (brands, aside) probably aren't clamoring for ads in their new feeds. But the launch of Threads has prompted questions about what Meta's eventual plan for advertising is. According to Zuckerberg, the ads won't be coming any time soon. Our approach will be the same as all our other products: make the product work well first, then see if we can get it on a clear path to 1 billion people, and only then think about monetization at that point," he wrote on Threads.While we don't know exactly which features Meta is prioritizing first, it seems safe to say we won't have to wait too long for at least some of these features. One advantage Threads has over many of its upstart competitors is that Meta has infinitely more engineers it can dedicate to these issues. And new features will be key if the company wants Threads to be a long term success and not just a novelty.Update July 7th, 2023, 9:05 AM PT: This story has been updated to note Adam Mosseri confirmed the company is working on a chronological feed for Threads.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/all-the-questions-we-still-have-about-threads-153059430.html?src=rss

2K announced today that NBA 2K24 will arrive on September 8th. The 25th-anniversary installment in the long-running basketball sim adds crossplay between PS5 and Xbox Series X/S -a first for the series - while celebrating one of the league's greatest all-time shooting guards.The game focuses heavily on the likeness of Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, who died tragically in a helicopter crash in 2020 at age 41. Not only does Bryant appear on the upcoming game's cover, but 2K added a Mamba Moments" mode that's a Kobe-fied version of NBA 2K23's Jordan Challenge. Similar to the previous installment's MJ mode, you'll recreate some of Kobe's most captivating performances and progress through his transcendent journey from a young phenom to one of the greatest players of all time," according to the developer.NBA 2K24 also adds a new technical feature called ProPlay for current-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles that translates real-world NBA footage into the game engine. It delivers animations and movements via on-court NBA action for a generational leap in authenticity on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S," the description reads. 2K says it will tell us more about ProPlay and Mamba Moments later this summer."The title will ship in three variants: the Kobe Bryant Edition (the standard version), the Black Mamba Edition and a 25th Anniversary Edition. The Kobe Bryant Edition will cost $70 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S and $60 for Switch, PC, PS4 and Xbox One. The Black Mamba Edition adds virtual currency and a long list of digital collectibles for $100. Meanwhile, the $150 25th Anniversary Edition (only available through September 10th) adds everything from the Black Mamba Edition along with a 12-month subscription to NBA League Pass and other in-game collectibles and boosts.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nba-2k24-arrives-on-september-8th-with-ps5-xbox-crossplay-140046497.html?src=rss

Volkswagen is no stranger to testing self-driving cars, but now it's finally bringing those experiments stateside. The car maker is rolling out its first US fleet of autonomous test vehicles in Austin this month. The 10 modified ID.Buzz electric vans will use longtime partner Mobileye's Level 4 self-driving system (that is, full autonomy in some conditions) to collect driving data that will "validate and refine" technology. These early machines will include safety drivers.The German brand plans to both expand its Austin fleet and grow testing to "at least" four more US cities. If all goes well, VW will launch commercial self-driving service in Austin by 2026. It will court third parties, too, by offering fleets of driverless ID.Buzz EVs to other mobility and transportation companies. The company also expects to employ people who previously worked with the defunct autonomous driving startup Argo AI.The deployment isn't surprising. Although Ford shuttered Argo to focus on semi-autonomous features in the short term, full self-driving remains a hot category in the US. GM's Cruise is bringing its robotaxis to more cities, and Waymo is rapidly expanding its service areas. American testing is vital if VW expects to compete with these robotaxi rivals.The emphasis on self-driving tech also reflects VW's ongoing transformation into an all-encompassing mobility company. It's adapting to an era where ridesharing and robotaxis will reduce the need for personal car ownership. Ride hailing and fleet deals could help VW thrive even if its car sales decline over time. Of course, that depends on driverless tech being ready in a timely fashion. Level 3 autonomy (hands-off motoring where the driver must be ready to take control) is only just reaching passenger cars in the US, and then only in limited circumstances. It could be a while before these platforms are advanced enough that autonomous taxis are practical on a large scale.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/vw-will-start-testing-self-driving-cars-in-the-us-this-month-135125310.html?src=rss

Apple is planning to roll out its $3,500 Vision Pro headset gradually, starting in the US with appointments for demos in designated Apple Store areas, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The gradual rollout is in line with the "niche and complex nature" of the mixed reality headset, and resembles what Apple originally did with the Watch when it launched in 2015.Apple will require appointments to try and buy the Vision Pro, much as it did with the Apple Watch, according to people with knowledge of the matter. It will also ask potential buyers to provide their eyeglass prescriptions. Special areas will be created in stores that offer demo Vision Pro devices, seating and tools to size accessories.The primary aim is to make sure that customers leave with a headset that fits correctly and gives them a clear view. It has even developed an iPhone app and physical machine that will scan your head to ensure a tight seal that keeps light out. Apple may also be working on a second strap that will make the headset more comfortable for people with smaller heads.Vision Pro demo spaces will only be available at Stores in major US markets like New York and Los Angeles to start with, before eventually rolling out across the US. It will come to other countries at the end of 2024, possible starting with the UK and Canada, followed by Europe and Asia soon after.The Vision Pro is Apple's most important product in years, but also one of the most complex devices it has ever built. It's also much more expensive than other consumer VR headsets. To that end, Apple is no doubt counting on the Vision Pro to get mainstream consumers excited about the idea of mixed reality.In our hands-on preview, we found that the device delivered an awesome experience, offering an "unparalleled sense of immersion, with displays sharp enough to read text on websites, plus an intuitive gesture-based user interface," according to Engadet's Devindra Hardawar. He also had concerns, though, about the solitary nature of using mixed reality headsets, particularly for socially-oriented activities like movie watching.Apple has reportedly had manufacturing issues as well, and only expected to sell a 900,000 units in the headset's first year. However, even that modest target has reportedly been slashed by over half to 400,000 units due to the tiny and costly OLED displays, the Financial Times reported yesterday.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-may-launch-the-vision-pro-headset-with-appointment-only-sales-124119032.html?src=rss

While Twitter encountered many self-inflicted wounds this week, users jumped to Blue Sky and Mastodon. Then Meta decided it was a fine time to drop its Twitter copycat, Threads. In this episode, Cherlynn and Devindra chat with Engadget's Karissa Bell about where all of these services are headed. Will Threads be the clear winner, thanks to Instagram's social graph? Or will the future lie with fully decentralized platforms like Mastodon?Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!Subscribe!

This is a great time to grab a 2022 Apple iPad from Amazon, where it's currently on sale for just $1 more than its all-time low. The 10.9-inch tablet will set you back $400 on the website, or $49 lower than its retail price of $449. That price applies to the blue, pink and yellow color options of the WiFi-only 64GB version of the 10th generation iPad. We gave the tablet a score of 85 in our review and praised it for having an updated modern design, which makes it look more like the iPad Air than the previous versions of Apple's basic tablet. It still costs more than the previous iPad, but it is larger than its predecessor, and this price cut makes it a more affordable and enticing option.In addition to giving the 2022 iPad flatter edges and thinner bezels, Apple also give it a USB-C port like its more expensive siblings. Underneath the hood, you'll find an A14 Bionic chip - it's an older model that debuted with the iPhone 12, but it still represents upgraded performance for the tablet. The iPad has a solid battery life, as well. When we tested it out, we found that it could last up to 11 hours and 45 minutes while playing back a movie purchased from the iTunes Store.But the best upgrade if you use your iPad for video conferences is perhaps its front facing camera that's now installed on the landscape edge of the device. The camera is no longer awkwardly placed to the side when you put the tablet on landscape mode, and your face will now finally be centered when you take a video call. Take note that while the silver version of the iPad isn't listed at the same price, you can get still get it for $428 on the e-commerce website.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-109-inch-ipad-falls-back-to-400-120534541.html?src=rss

Are you on Threads yet? Meta's Twitter rival pulls your existing Instagram handle and follows to create a pretty busy timeline, despite only launching over 24 hours ago. It's already got over 30 million users - which is insane - and speaks to the ease of converting your Instagram account to a Threads account.Twitter probably isn't happy, as beyond its own problems, Threads is doing a decent job (in these early days) of replicating Elon Musk's social network. Now that's legally true: Twitter has threatened legal action against Meta, accusing it of poaching former employees and unlawful misappropriation of trade secrets and intellectual property.Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights, and demands that Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information," Alex Spiro, Elon Musk's personal lawyer, wrote in a letter to Meta. Spiro, who is acting on behalf of Twitter parent X Corp., claims Meta has hired dozens of ex-Twitter employees over the last year. (Surely, they have to get jobs somewhere.)Meta has refuted Spiro's claims. No one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee - that's just not a thing," Meta communications director Andy Stone wrote on... Threads.- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedThe best gaming laptops for 2023 The best VPN services The Super Mario Bros. Movie' is coming to Peacock on August 3rdFrench Assembly passes bill allowing police to remotely activate phone camerasPolice could tap into cameras and mics for surveillance.Lawmakers in France's National Assembly have passed a bill that lets police surveil suspects by remotely activating cameras, microphones and GPS location systems on phones and other devices. A judge will have to approve use of the powers, and the recently amended bill forbids use by journalists, lawyers and other "sensitive professions," according to Le Monde.But civil liberties advocates are alarmed. The digital rights group La Quadrature du Net previously pointed out the potential for abuse. As the bill isn't clear about what constitutes a serious crime, there are fears the French government might use this to target environmental activists and others who aren't grave threats.Continue reading.Dine like it's 2013 at New York's Angry Birds cafeYes, it's still a thing.RovioTo give you an idea how old Angry Birds is, it arrived on iOS, webOS and something called Maemo 5 (you don't remember Maemo?) before it even came to Android, according to our 2010 review. It's still around, over 13 years later, and Sega is buying its developer, Rovio, for around $776 million. Now we're getting the first Angry Birds-themed restaurant, called iSwii by Angry Birds, in the food court at the new Tangram mall in Flushing, Queens, NY. I prefer the Kirby Cafe.Continue reading.The best Windows laptops for 2023We've got recommendations for almost every size and situation.We all know this, but there are so many Windows laptops now. If there's a specific feature (like a touchscreen or stylus input) you really need, there's a great chance there's a notebook for you. However, that abundance of choice can also make it difficult to know where to start shopping. If your main focus is on general productivity, a sleek ultraportable is all you need. But if you edit photos and videos or play AAA games, you may want a bigger system with discrete graphics. We lay out the most crucial specs, our top-rated devices and our best budget picks too.Continue reading.Pokemon Sleep' is coming later this monthAnd there's a gameplay trailer to prove it.PokemonIt's now been four years since Pokemon Sleep was announced, in the wake of the Pokemon Company's success with Pokemon Go. Finally, there's a brand-new gameplay trailer and an approximate release date of late July. Can you call it gameplay, though? Because, really, it's a sleep-tracking app wearing a Pokemon jacket.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-twitter-says-meta-stole-trade-secrets-to-build-threads-111503761.html?src=rss