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Now that AMD has rounded out its high-performance mobile CPUs, it's turning its attention to chips for thin laptops. The company has introduced Ryzen 7040U processors that it claims can outrun the competition, particularly for gamers who may need to be content with integrated graphics. They all tout RDNA 3-based Radeon 700M GPUs that tout the enhancements seen on desktop video cards. A Ryzen 7 with the Radeon 780M runs between 30 percent to 139 percent faster than an equivalent Intel 13th-gen Core i7 P-series chip, AMD claims. That's at 1080p with low graphics settings, but it could make some games playable that weren't an option before.AMD also believes the Ryzen 7040U line offers better raw computing power than rivals. The Zen 4 architecture is said to deliver between 29 percent to 128 percent better app performance than not just the Core i7, but 5 percent to 75 percent over the M2 found in Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro. AMD is relying on synthetic benchmarks to make the claim and is testing its highest-end Ryzen 7 part, but that may be worth considering if you plan to edit videos or juggle multiple productivity apps.The new hardware also brings Ryzen AI acceleration to offload some work from the chip's main compute units. AMD also boasts of improved efficiency to provide the "longest possible time" on battery power, although it doesn't provide estimates. That's likely to vary based on the CPU model and exact laptop.The initial lineup includes four processors. The Ryzen 3 7440U is aimed at the entry level with four cores, eight processing threads, a base 3GHz clock speed (up to 4.7GHz) and 12MB of cache. At the mid-range, the Ryzen 5 7540U uses six cores, 12 threads, a baseline 3.2GHz speed (up to 4.9GHz) and 22MB of cache. The Ryzen 5 7640U is slightly faster with Ryzen AI support, a 3.5GHz clock (up to 4.9GHz). The top-end Ryzen 7 7840U includes eight cores, 16 threads, Ryzen AI, a 3.3GHz starting clock (up to 5.1GHz) and 24MB of cache. All four models have a thermal design power between 15W and 30W.We'd expect laptop manufacturers to begin using the Ryzen 7040U relatively quickly. It's too early to say if the advertised performance gains manifest in real life, but AMD is clearly confident it has some major advantages over rivals.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amds-ryzen-7040u-chips-promise-speedier-graphics-for-thin-and-light-laptops-130527019.html?src=rss

When you check the security settings of your Google account, you will now find a new section marked "Passkeys." That's because the tech giant has started rolling out support for the new authentication technology, which offers a passwordless experience across its services. I'm already seeing the option in my accounts, and activating it for my phone and laptop was almost a one-click experience.The technology uses your device biometrics — your fingerprint or your face — or its pin to confirm that it's you logging in. However, it's completely different from using your biometrics to auto-populate username and password boxes. Creating a passkey for your account generates a pair of cryptographic keys, one private and one public. The private key stays on your device, and it's what Google will use to verify your identity with the public key uploaded to its servers. Passkeys are considered more secure than current login technologies, since private keys only stay on the device where they're created and can't be stolen if a hacker breaks into Google's servers. The fact that you don't have to use a password to sign in means the technology can also protect you from phishing attempts.Google has been championing the use of passwordless logins and had added passkey support for Chrome and Android last year. That said, it will not be removing the option to sign in using passwords — or to activate two-factor authentication — which will be especially helpful if you have a device that doesn't support the newer technology yet. If you log into your account on multiple devices, you can create a passkey for each one of them, unless you have access to a service that backs up or syncs passkeys. A passkey you create on an iPhone, for instance, will sync with devices that use the same iCloud account, so it can also be available on an iPad or a MacBook.You can also use a passkey stored on your current phone to sign into a new device. Just choose "use a passkey from another device" and click through, after which Google will ask if you want to create a separate passkey for that device.In the blog post written by the Google Account Security and Safety teams, they said:"Today's launch is a big step in a cross-industry effort that we started more than 10 years ago and we are committed to passkeys as the future of secure sign-in, for everyone. We hope that other web and app developers adopt passkeys as well and are able to use our deployment as a model."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-rolls-out-support-for-passkeys-across-its-services-130003969.html?src=rss

As the buzz around ChatGPT and other generative AI increases, so has scammers’ interest in the tech. In a new report published by Meta, the company says it’s seen a sharp uptick in malware disguised as ChatGPT and similar AI software.In a statement, the company said that since March of 2023 alone, its researchers have discovered “ten malware families using ChatGPT and other similar themes to compromise accounts across the internet” and that it’s blocked more than 1,000 malicious links from its platform. According to Meta, the scams often involve mobile apps or browser extensions posing as ChatGPT tools. And while in some cases the tools do offer some ChatGPT functionality, their real purpose is to steal their users’ account credentials.In a call with reporters, Meta Chief Security Officer Guy Rosen said the scammers behind these exploits are taking advantage of the surge in interest in Generative AI. “As an industry we've seen this across other topics that are popular in their time such as crypto scams fueled by the immense interest in digital currency,” Rosen said. “So from a bad actor’s perspective, ChatGPT is the new crypto.”Meta noted that people who manage businesses on Facebook or who otherwise use the platform for work have been particular targets. Scammers will often go after users’ personal accounts in order to gain access to a connected business page or advertising account, which are more likely to have a linked credit card.To combat this, Meta said it plans to introduce a new type of account for businesses called “Meta Work” accounts. These accounts will enable users to access Facebook’s Business Manager tools without a personal Facebook account. “This will help keep business accounts more secure in cases when attackers begin with a personal account compromise,” the company said in a statement. Meta said it will start a “limited” test of the new work accounts this year and will expand it “over time.”Additionally, Meta is rolling out a new tool that will help businesses detect and remove malware. The tool “guides people step-by-step through how to identify and remove malware, including using third-party antivirus tools” to help prevent businesses from repeatedly losing access to accounts.Meta’s researchers aren’t the first to warn about fake ChatGPT tools leading to hacked accounts. Recently, researchers warned about a Chrome extension posing as ChatGPT software that led to the hacking of a number of Facebook accounts. The exploit, reported byBleeping Computer, became known as the “Lily Collins” hack because the names on victims’ accounts were changed to “Lilly Collins.”During a call with reporters, Meta’s Head of Security Policy, Nathaniel Gliecher, said these attacks also often target people connected to businesses. “What they'll want to do is to close that personal account to burn their access and prevent the legitimate user from getting back in,” he said. “One of the tactics we're now seeing is where they will take the personal account and rename it to have the name of a prominent celebrity in hopes that that gets the account taken down.” He added that the new Work Accounts would help prevent similar hacks in the future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/chatgpt-scams-are-the-new-crypto-scams-meta-warns-120006510.html?src=rss

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro woke up and chose (relative) affordability today. It's available on Amazon with a 30 percent discount dropping its cost from $450 to $315.49. This offer is the lowest price we've seen for the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro so far, dipping quite a bit below last month's $394.49.The Samsung smartwatch is a newer and relatively comprehensive option, with features like complete body composition analysis and GPS route tracking. The Pro sets itself apart from the standard Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 with improved battery life, a better bioactive sensor and an advanced sleep tracker.However, if those last bits aren't as important to you, the standard edition is a similar smartwatch that so happens to also be on sale. The Bluetooth model is 22 percent off, dropping to $219 from $280. The LTE alternative is a little more expensive, with a 25 percent off sale bringing its cost from $330 to $247.95.As far as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is concerned, the 30 percent off deal is only available in black with Bluetooth. If you're after the black or gray models with LTE, there's still a 12 percent discount, bringing the price down from $500 to $440.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/samsungs-galaxy-watch-5-pro-is-30-percent-off-right-now-113514406.html?src=rss

Apple and Google have announced a partnership to tackle unwanted tracking through the likes of AirTags and Tile devices. The companies have proposed industry standards "to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth location-tracking devices for unwanted tracking."Apple and Google submitted the draft specification to the Internet Engineering Task Force, a notable standards development organization. Over the next three months, interested parties will review the documentation and weigh in on it. Beyond Apple and Google, the proposal has received backing from Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, Anker's Eufy brand, Pebblebee, and several safety and advocacy groups.– Mat SmithThe Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.The biggest stories you might have missedHow to pick the best Apple laptopElon Musk reportedly threatened to reassign NPR's Twitter account due to inactivity Mastodon simplifies sign-ups in a bid to attract new usersSeagate's Xbox Series S/X Expansion cards fall to a new all-time low Unagi took one of the best e-scooters on the market and made it better Reason's popular DAW finally gets native Apple Silicon support The best e-readers for 2023 No Pornhub for UtahThe company behind Pornhub is challenging age verification laws.Utah's age verification law, which targets publishers distributing material deemed to be "harmful to minors on the internet," has gone into effect. As a response, MindGeek, parent company to multiple adult sites, has blocked everyone in the state from accessing its websites, including Pornhub. As Motherboard reports, if somebody with a Utah IP address accesses Pornhub, they'll now get a video of adult performer Cherie DeVille. In it, DeVille explains the company believes requiring users to submit their government IDs isn't the most effective solution to protecting its users and could even put their privacy at risk.Continue reading.Watch the first ‘Gran Turismo’ movie trailer‘Days of Thunder’ meets ‘War Games’ meets a tired-looking Orlando Bloom.SonyIf you like cars and Gran Turismo, this might be the movie for you. This is not your standard video game adaptation – it’s pretty much grounded in reality and a world obsessed with the racing sim. Even weirder? This is all based on a true story. Even weirder again? It features Geri Halliwell Horner, AKA Ginger Spice. Now you’re going to watch it out of morbid curiosity, aren’t you?Continue reading.Hollywood writers are officially on strikeStreaming services have led to a "gig economy" for writers, the union said.The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has called for a strike starting today, largely over streaming productions, saying studios are effectively creating a "gig economy" within the union. On the other side of the table, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) said the WGA was "unwilling" to compromise on key issues, like mandatory staffing. We’ll feel the effects of the breakdown in negotiations immediately, with talk shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live! already shutting down. The strike will also freeze film and TV production, affecting hubs like Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta.Continue reading.Ford's upgraded Mustang Mach-E offers more range at a lower priceMore importantly, there's actually a chance you can buy one.The crossover SUV's starting price has dropped $3,000 to $42,995 (before a $3,750 federal tax credit) for an RWD Standard Range trim, with a matching price cut for its $45,995 all-wheel drive (AWD) counterpart. Ford says it’s also scaling up Mustang Mach-E production for the second half of the year to help better meet demand.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-apple-and-google-team-up-to-combat-bluetooth-tracker-stalking-111557628.html?src=rss

If you've held out on buying a quality robot vacuum to avoid a splurge, you might find yourself finally hitting the "buy now" button. The Shark AV1010AE Robot Vacuum with a XL Self-Empty Base is 50 percent off for today only, down to $300 from $600. The half off robovac is a good mid-tier choice, with features like home mapping, voice command through Google Assistant or Alexa and multi-surface brush rolls for better floor and carpet cleaning.The vacuum connects to WiFi, meaning that you can create cleaning schedules and power it on and off through an app. It will automatically return to its port to reacharge if its running low on battery. The robovac's base also holds up to 45 days of dirt, collecting it each time it comes back to the port — and providing ample time before you need to interact with the vacuum.The Shark AV1010AE Robot Vacuum's gray model is also on sale for $300. It's a 40 percent discount, down from $500, since only available with a 30-day self-emptying base. The AV1010AE with a self-cleaning brush roll is still full price, at $549.Shark products are reliable options overall, and the AV1010AE model has many of the same benefits as the Shark AI Robot Vacuum with Base that we chose as 2023's best midrange vacuum. The AI model holds up to 60 days of debris and uses a laser scanner to map out the house. These add-ons are more accessible than usual, as the Shark AI is 25 percent off right now, down to $450. If they don't matter to you, the Shark AV1010AE robot vacuum will be half-off until the deal turns back into a pumpkin before morning.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/sharks-self-emptying-wifi-robot-vacuum-is-half-off-for-today-only-103511527.html?src=rss

Admitting that "we didn't make it easy to" share posts on other social media platforms, Reddit has announced that it's rolling out new features to fix that issue. Those include an updated "shared link" preview for text posts shared via messaging services, new sharing for Instagram Stories, one-tap screenshot sharing and more. The improvements arrive on the heels of other user-friendly features like an updated interface, improved comment searching and more.In the past, sharing a Reddit post on a messaging app like WhatsApp forced the recipient to click the link to see what was going on. Now, you get a visual preview of the content, along with the subreddit name, total upvotes and comments.Another new trick is the ability to share Reddit content directly to Instagram stories without the need to screenshot or download content to your phone. And much like with apps like Google Photos, a new custom "share sheet" pops up showing your most-used social channels, so you can quickly publish without leaving the Reddit app. There's also a one-tap screenshot sharing experience that allows you to share content without saving images to your device. That provides a direct link to the content rather than just a screenshot.Finally, Reddit has introduced a new embedding toolbox that makes it easier to embed tweets in articles or CMS platforms like WordPress. Again, that allows users to not only show Reddit content on a website, but also link to it directly. That brings it in line with other social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, which have had the capability since forever.It's hard to believe that Reddit has existed so far without these features, but the company evidently felt that it stood alone and didn't need the extra reach. The sharing follows other updates designed to make the app and websites easier to use, like the ability search within post comments, the addition of new text browsing feeds including Read and Watch, a revised, decluttered interface and more. At the same time, Reddit recently made API access a paid feature, ostensibly due to AI training concerns.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/reddit-makes-easier-to-share-and-view-linked-posts-on-social-media-sites-094608453.html?src=rss

The Biden administration wants to impose a 30 percent tax on the electricity used by cryptocurrency mining operations, and it has included the proposal in its budget for the fiscal year of 2024. In a blog post on the White House website, the administration has formally introduced the Digital Asset Mining Energy or DAME excise tax. It explained that it wants to tax cryptomining firms, because they aren't paying for the "full cost they impose on others," which include environmental pollution and high energy prices.Crypto mining has "negative spillovers on the environment," the White House continued, and the pollution it generates "falls disproportionately on low-income neighborhoods and communities of color." It added that the operations' "often volatile power consumption " can raise electricity prices for the people around them and cause service interruptions. Further, local power companies are taking a risk if they decide to upgrade their equipment to make their service more stable, since miners can easily move away to another location, even abroad.It's no secret that the process of mining cryptocurrency uses up massive amounts of electricity. In April, The New York Times published a report detailing the power used by the 34 large scale Bitcoin miners in the US that it had identified. Apparently, just those 34 operations altogether use the same amount of electricity as three million households in the country. The Times explained that most Bitcoin mining took place in China until 2021 when the country banned it, making the United State the new leader. (In the US, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation that restricts crypto mining in the state last year.) Previous reports estimated the electricity consumption related to Bitcoin alone to be more than some countries', including Argentina, Norway and the Netherlands.As Yahoo News noted, there are other industries, such as steel manufacturing, that also use large amounts of electricity but aren't taxed for their energy consumption. In its post, the administration said that cryptomining "does not generate the local and national economic benefits typically associated with businesses using similar amounts of electricity."Critics believe that the government made this proposal to go after and harm an industry it doesn't support. A Forbes report also suggested that DAME may not be the best solution for the issue, and that taxing the industry's greenhouse gas emissions might be a better alternative. That could encourage mining firms not just to minimize energy use, but also to find cleaner sources of power. It might be difficult to convince the administration to go down that route, though: In its blog post, it said that the "environmental impacts of cryptomining exist even when miners use existing clean power." Apparently, mining operations in communities with hydropower have been observed to reduce the amount of clean power available for use by others. That leads to higher prices and to even higher consumption of electricity from non-clean sources.If the proposal ever becomes a law, the government would impose the excise tax in phases. It would start by adding a 10 percent tax on miners' electricity use in the first year, 20 percent in the second and then 30 percent from the third year onwards.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/white-house-proposes-30-percent-tax-on-electricity-used-for-crypto-mining-090342986.html?src=rss

Twitter owner Elon Musk has reportedly emailed an NPR reporter to ask if the organization is returning to the website and to suggest that the company could reassign its account if it doesn't. According to NPR, Musk sent one of its reporters an unprompted email that reads: "So is NPR going to start posting on Twitter again, or should we reassign @NPR to another company?" If you'll recall, the organization quit Twitter in April after being labeled as a "state-affiliated media," along with state-run outlets, such as China's Xinhua News Agency and Russia's RT.Before NPR decided to ditch Twitter altogether, the social network changed the label to "government-funded media" after being called out. However, NPR said the updated label is still "inaccurate and misleading," as it's "a private, nonprofit company with editorial independence." The label also prompted PBS to leave the website. Twitter ultimately decided to remove the "government-funded media" label entirely, even from state-run outlets, but neither NPR nor PBS has returned to the website.Musk's surprise email turned into an exchange with the executive, wherein he reportedly wrote in one of his responses: "NPR isn't tagged as government-funded anymore, so what's the beef?" And when asked who would be taking over the NPR account on Twitter, he replied: "National Pumpkin Radio," along with a couple of emoji. We reached out Twitter for a statement, but the company doesn't have a communications team anymore.Under Twitter's policy, the company said that users can simply log in once every 30 days to keep their account active. Further, it said that accounts may be permanently removed due to inactivity, but it "cannot release inactive usernames at this time." It encourages people to find a variation if the username they want is "used by an account that seems inactive." However, NPR said that in their email exchange, Musk told the organization that Twitter's "policy is to recycle handles that are definitively dormant." He apparently added: "Same policy applies to all accounts. No special treatment for NPR." It's unclear if Twitter intends to update its official policy page for inactive accounts with that information, and if it will implement safeguards to protect former users from impersonation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/elon-musk-reportedly-threatened-to-reassign-nprs-twitter-account-due-to-inactivity-050040503.html?src=rss

US Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) reintroduced a bill today that would put the onus on social media companies to add online safeguards for children. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) was first introduced last February (sponsored by the same pair) but never made it to the Senate floor after backlash from advocacy groups. The revamped legislation “provides specific tools to stop Big Tech companies from driving toxic content at kids and to hold them accountable for putting profits over safety,” said Blumenthal. It follows a separate bill introduced last month with a similar aim.Like the original KOSA, the updated bill would require annual independent audits by “experts and academic researchers” to force regulation-averse social media companies to address the online dangers posed to children. However, the updated legislation attempts to address the concerns that led to its previous iteration’s downfall, namely that its overly broad nature could do more harm than good by requiring surveillance and censorship of young users. The EFF described the February 2022 bill as “a heavy-handed plan to force platforms to spy on young people” that “fails to properly distinguish between harmful and non-harmful content, leaving politically motivated state attorneys general with the power to define what harms children. One of the primary fears is that states could use the flimsy definitions to ban content for political gain.”The rewritten bill adds new protections for services like the National Suicide Hotline, LGBTQ+ youth centers and substance-abuse organizations to avoid being unnecessarily harmed. In addition, it would make social platforms give minors options to safeguard their information, turn off addictive features and opt out of algorithmic recommendations. (Social platforms would have to enable the strongest settings by default.) It would also give parents “new controls to help support their children and identify harmful behaviors” while offering children “a dedicated channel to report harms” on the platform. Additionally, it would specifically ban the promotion of suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation and the use of “unlawful products for minors” like gambling, drugs and alcohol. Finally, it would require social companies to provide “academic and public interest organizations” with data to help them research social media’s effects on the safety and well-being of minors.The American Psychological Association, Common Sense Media and other advocacy groups support the updated bill. It has 26 cosponsors from both parties, including lawmakers ranging from Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Blackburn told CNBC today that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is “a hundred percent behind this bill and efforts to protect kids online.”Despite the Senators’ renewed optimism about passing the bill, some organizations believe it’s still too broad to avoid a negative net impact. “The changes made to the bill do not at all address our concerns,” Evan Greer, director of digital rights advocacy group Fight For the Future, said in an emailed statement to Engadget. “If Senator Blumenthal’s office had been willing to meet with us, we could have explained why. I can see where changes were made that attempt to address the concerns, but they fail to do so. Even with the new changes, this bill will allow extreme right-wing attorneys general to dictate what content platforms can recommend to younger users.”The ACLU also opposes the resurrected bill. “KOSA’s core approach still threatens the privacy, security and free expression of both minors and adults by deputizing platforms of all stripes to police their users and censor their content under the guise of a ‘duty of care,’” ACLU Senior Policy Counsel Cody Venzke toldCNBC. “To accomplish this, the bill would legitimize platforms’ already pervasive data collection to identify which users are minors when it should be seeking to curb those data abuses. Moreover, parental guidance in minors’ online lives is critical, but KOSA would mandate surveillance tools without regard to minors’ home situations or safety. KOSA would be a step backward in making the internet a safer place for children and minors.”Blumenthal argues that the bill was “very purposely narrowed” to prevent harm. “I think we’ve met that kind of suggestion very directly and effectively,” he said at a press conference. “Obviously, our door remains open. We’re willing to hear and talk to other kinds of suggestions that are made. And we have talked to many of the groups that had great criticism and a number have actually dropped their opposition, as I think you’ll hear in response to today’s session. So I think our bill is clarified and improved in a way that meets some of the criticism. We’re not going to solve all of the problems of the world with a single bill. But we are making a measurable, very significant start.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bipartisan-senate-group-reintroduces-a-revised-kids-online-safety-act-212117992.html?src=rss

Twitter's decision to shut off its free API caused more than a few problems for public institutions that depend on the functionality, and the company is clearly ready to backtrack. The social network has restored free access to the app programming framework for verified government and publicly-owned services that use the tool for "critical purposes" such as emergency notifications, transportation updates and weather alerts.The social media giant outlined a three-tier pricing strategy for its API in March. Normally, free access is limited to bots and testers that only need to write posts. It allows just 1,500 tweets per month and one app ID, which can be limiting for creators that need frequent updates. Basic access costs $100 per month with fixed caps on tweets, while businesses have to use multiple enterprise-level tiers to meet their needs. These can cost tens of thousands of dollars per month.

Amazon's Matter support is reaching some of its older speakers. A new Alexa update turns the second-generation Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Plus into Matter controllers — you don't have to replace the old speaker in the basement just to use newer smart home devices. The fourth-generation Echo, meanwhile, can serve as a Thread border router to help you add Matter-capable Thread devices. You won't have to use Android to set up Matter gear, either, as iOS is now an option.There's also good news if you've been curious about Eve Systems' devices but didn't want to invest in Apple products to enable HomeKit support. The Matter over Thread update brings Alexa control to a range of Eve hardware. Later in May, you'll also get simplified Alexa setup for Eve Door & Window, Eve Energy and Eve Motion.Amazon originally said 17 Echo products would support Matter over WiFi by the end of 2022. It promised compatibility with a total of 30 Echo and Eero models by early this year.The Matter standard arrived last October and theoretically created a common connectivity format for smart home equipment. You no longer need to be as picky about the products you use. However, the real-world rollout has been slow — only some smart speakers, apps and household devices work with Matter as of this writing. Amazon's latest move closes some gaps, but it may take some time before you can simply assume that everything you own will interoperate.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-expands-matter-smart-home-support-to-older-echo-speakers-201150353.html?src=rss

Ever since taking the pandemic-soaked world by storm in 2020, the unique battle royale platformer Fall Guyshas added new gameplay elements and released on new platforms. Now, the developers are throwing a full-blown level editor into the mix.Fall Guys Creativelaunches on May 10th and is part of Season 4 of the viral multiplayer title. The level editor lets you create legitimate multiplayer courses (called Rounds) using a wide variety of iconic items, enemies and obstacles. Developer Mediatonic encourages players to use the tools to “finally design the Round of your dreams”.Once you make a level and test it out, you can share it with friends via a private lobby or share it on a larger scale with the entire community. The developer says they will also curate lists of its favorite player-designed levels to boost their popularity, housing them in a Playlists tab within the Show Selector.To show off what’s possible with these creation tools, Mediatonic is dropping over 50 new Rounds designed by professional creators but using the toolkit available to regular players. This seems similar to how Super Mario Maker 2 handled things with all of its many tutorial levels. You’ll get 20 levels on May 10th, with the remainder releasing at various points throughout the season.Season 4 is not just about the level editor, though that’s the primary new feature. Players will also find plenty of new costumes, like a neat-looking low polygon outfit, and new items at the store. Mediatonic is also teasing future collaborations, but has not offered any details. This likely refers to new branded costumes. The title has already featured costumes inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog, Doom, Ghost of Tsushima and other iconic titles.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fall-guys-level-creation-tools-arrive-on-may-10th-192027104.html?src=rss

At least one politician wants more transparency in the wake of an AI-generated attack ad. New York Democrat House Representative Yvette Clarke has introduced a bill, the REAL Political Ads Act, that would require political ads to disclose the use of generative AI through conspicuous audio or text. The amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act would also have the Federal Election Commission (FEC) create regulations to enforce this, although the measure would take effect January 1st, 2024 regardless of whether or not rules are in place.The proposed law would help fight misinformation. Clarke characterizes this as an urgent matter ahead of the 2024 election — generative AI can "manipulate and deceive people on a large scale," the representative says. She believes unchecked use could have a "devastating" effect on elections and national security, and that laws haven't kept up with the technology.The bill comes just days after Republicans used AI-generated visuals in a political ad speculating what might happen during a second term for President Biden. The ad does include a faint disclaimer that it's "built entirely with AI imagery," but there's a concern that future advertisers might skip disclaimers entirely or lie about past events.Politicians already hope to regulate AI. California's Rep. Ted Lieu put forward a measure that would regulate AI use on a broader scale, while the National Telecoms and Information Administration (NTIA) is asking for public input on potential AI accountability rules. Clarke's bill is more targeted and clearly meant to pass quickly.Whether or not it does isn't certain. The act has to pass a vote in a Republican-led House, and the Senate jsd to develop and pass an equivalent bill before the two bodies of Congress reconcile their work and send a law to the President's desk. Success also won't prevent unofficial attempts to fool voters. Still, this might discourage politicians and action committees from using AI to fool voters.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/house-bill-would-demand-disclosure-of-ai-generated-content-in-political-ads-190524733.html?src=rss

Ford just dropped a trail-finding app specifically for Bronco SUV owners. The appropriately-named Bronco Trail App is available for both iOS and Android mobile devices and includes a boatload of goodies for true off-roading enthusiasts. In other words, this app is not for people who use their rugged SUVs primarily to pick up coffee down the street.The app leads drivers to more than 1,200 professionally curated trails throughout the US, Canada and Mexico (with more countries coming), totaling 18,000 miles. These maps let you filter by location, length, difficulty and more, with the ability to save your favorite trails. Once you save a trail, you can add waypoints, notes and even photos to show off preferred landmarks.Of course, the deeper you trek into the wilds, the more cellular service diminishes. The app lets you download maps ahead of time in satellite or 2D topographic formats so you can view them even when in the middle of nowhere.Beyond curated maps, there are some high-tech features here. The app integrates with the SUV’s tire pressure gauge sensor and automatically adjusts the pressure to suit trail recommendations. This feature works without a cellular or cloud connection. There is also a small social media component here, as you can trade marked-up maps with other Bronco owners to share unique destinations and the like.FordOn the topic of social media, the app includes the ability to capture video, which is then shared via your preferred social network. This isn’t any ordinary video, however, as this content is automatically overlaid with all kinds of useful and nifty information, like speed, RPM, distance traveled, elevation and a lot more.The app is free, but a new Ford Bronco starts at around $42,000. It’s available for download right now and Ford says it’ll stay on top of updates, adding more trails and features in the coming months. You'll also need an up-to-date FordPass subscription, but if you own a new Bronco, you probably have that too.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fords-new-trail-finding-app-is-exclusively-for-bronco-suv-owners-182533940.html?src=rss

Five months after Marvel's Midnight Sunsarrived on PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, the game will at last land on last-gen consoles. Firaxis' turn-based RPG will hit Xbox One and PS4 on May 11th.There's a disappointing update for those who've been waiting for Marvel's Midnight Suns to come to Nintendo Switch, however. That version is "no longer planned," according to a post on the game's website. In other words, Firaxis and publisher 2K have canceled the Switch port.That may not be a huge surprise, given the extra time that Firaxis already needed to get the PS4 and Xbox One versions ready. Both of those consoles are considerably more powerful than the Switch and it may be the case that the extra work required to get the game running on Nintendo's console ultimately wasn't worthwhile. After all, despite strong reviews, the game was a "commercial flop," according to Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick.On a positive note, the Xbox One and PS4 versions will drop on the same day as the game's fourth expansion. Marvel's Midnight Suns: Blood Storm will add Storm as a playable character and introduce new missions to the ongoing vampyre storyline. All of the DLC installments will be available to PS4 and Xbox One players out of the gate, enabling them to add the likes of Deadpool, Venom and Morbius to their hero rosters.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-switch-version-of-marvels-midnight-suns-has-been-canceled-180428192.html?src=rss

Snap is bringing ads to two if its most buzzy features: its TikTok clone, Spotlight, and its OpenAI-powered chatbot “My AI.” The company announced the new ad formats during its presentation at the NewFronts advertising event.Snap began testing ads in Spotlight last year, but will now begin to roll them out globally. The addition could be a significant boost to Snap’s advertising business, which has taken a hit in recent months. Spotlight, which rewards creators for popular short-form videos, has more than 350 million monthly users according to the company.The addition of ads could also open up some interesting possibilities for creators on Spotlight – mainly, the potential for revenue sharing arrangements. Though Snap hasn’t disclosed any such plans for now, the company did recently expand other ad revenue sharing programs, so it’s not hard to imagine the company might one day consider such a move in Spotlight as well.Separately, Snap is also bringing ads to My AI, the chatbot it recently rolled out to all users. There, My AI will be able to surface sponsored links directly in chats with users. The company says the sponsored links are meant to be relevant to the conversation. For example, the chatbot, which can already provide recommendations for local restaurants based on the app’s Snap Map, may surface a sponsored post from a local restaurant or food delivery service in response to a question about where to eat dinner. Likewise, a conversation about travel or video games could bring up sponsored links from an airline or game retailer.The company describes the My AI ads as an early experiment, but the fact Snap is choosing to bring ads to the chatbot so soon after its launch is notable. The company says it’s seen high engagement with the feature, which unlike friend-to-friend chats doesn’t keep conversations private. But the company’s recent decision to put the bot at the top of everyone’s chats has also been controversial, so introducing ads at this stage could also potentially turn off some users. Regardless, the experiment will be an interesting test for how social media companies can potentially monetize generative AI features.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/snapchat-is-bringing-ads-to-spotlight-and-my-ai-170011190.html?src=rss

The next League of Legends spin-off game is only a few weeks away. Convergence: A League of Legends Story is coming to Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and PC (on Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store) on May 23rd.Convergence is a 2D action platformer from Double Stallion Games (the studio behind Speed Brawl) and Riot's publishing label Riot Forge. You'll play as Ekko, a popular LoL champion who featured in the Arcane animated series and can manipulate time, as you navigate a more colorful version of Zaun than you may be used to. There's a promise of "tight, dynamic combat," while Ekko’s ability to travel through time and space should open up some intriguing exploration.We got our first look at Convergence back in 2019, so it's taken quite some time for Double Stallion to finish it up (there was, of course, the small matter of a pandemic since then). It's one of three LoL titles that Riot Forge plans to release this year, along with The Mageseeker and Song of Nunu.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/convergence-a-league-of-legends-story-will-arrive-on-may-23rd-165600767.html?src=rss

Reason Studios (formerly Propellerhead) announced today that Reason, its popular digital audio workstation and plugin suite, now natively runs on Apple M1 / M2 chips. After installing the new Reason 12.6 update, users can skip the slower speeds from Apple’s Rosetta 2 emulator and run the DAW natively on non-Intel Macs for “50 percent better performance.”The update also applies to Reason’s Rack Extension tech. The company says all 750+ extensions will also run natively on Apple Silicon, including older extensions abandoned by third-party developers.Although the update is a bit late to the party, the (relatively small) Sweden-based studio likely had its hands full optimizing the music-creation suite for Apple Silicon, which Apple introduced in late 2020. Competitor Ableton Live didn’t launch M1 support until February 2022, and even Apple’s Logic Pro didn’t run natively on the company’s chipset until a year after the first M1 Macs’ arrival.Reason 12.6 also includes a new offline mode, which should be welcome news for frequent fliers, off-grid adventurers or anyone with sketchy internet service. After logging in with an online connection to authenticate, the software will continue working offline without requiring extra third-party software.The 12.6 update is free for owners of Reason 12 and subscribers of Reason+ (a $20 / mo. service that includes Reason, an up-to-date sound bank and the Reason rack). Finally, the company offers users running old versions an extra incentive to update by offering 40 percent off Reason 12 upgrades through May 8th when purchasing from the developer’s website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/reasons-popular-daw-finally-gets-native-apple-silicon-support-164439189.html?src=rss

Now that The Super Mario Bros. Movie is finally (almost) done racking up coins, it’s time for another video game adaptation to head into theaters. Sony’s Gran Turismo film, highlighting the esteemed racing sim, has set a release date for August 11th and dropped a first-look trailer to prove it.According to the trailer, this is not your standard video game adaptation. It doesn’t seek to adapt the “story” of Gran Turismo, but is rather set in a world obsessed with the racing sim. There's a tournament to find the best virtual racer out there (shades of The Wizard) and the winners get to race in real life (shades of The Last Starfighter).Even weirder? This is all based on a true story. The film follows current professional racer Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe), who actually was a teenage Gran Turismo obsessive. He really did win competitions and even managed to parlay that into an actual career. David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Djimon Hounsou and Geri Halliwell round out the cast.This might be an odd choice for a video game movie plot, but it’s not as if the Gran Turismo series has a deep well of lore to pull from. The film is directed by Neill Blomkamp, who made District 9 and Elysium, so this is at least worth keeping an eye on. In any event, August is just around the corner, so we don’t have long to wait.If you like your fake racing with a bit more clown-based hyper-violence, Peacock just dropped a trailer for a Twisted Metal adaptation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gran-turismo-movie-trailer-shows-a-world-obsessed-with-racing-sims-163124033.html?src=rss

LinkedIn is experimenting with a new generative AI feature for job hunters. The company is testing a new feature that will generate brief, cover letter-like messages candidates can send to hiring managers on the platform. The feature is starting to roll out now for the site's premium subscribers.With the update, users will see the option to “Let AI draft a message to the hiring team” alongside open roles on the platform’s jobs page. The feature draws on “information from your profile, the hiring manager’s profile, the job description, and the company of interest” to create a “highly personalized” message, according to the company.LinkedInIn the example provided by LinkedIn, the message reads like the opening few sentences of a cover letter. However, the AI-written message users see will likely vary based on how much information is in your LinkedIn profile. The company notes that “customization is still important,” and that users should double check and edit the text before sending it.LinkedIn, which is owned by OpenAI partner Microsoft, has experimented with other generative AI features. The platform added AI writing suggestions to profiles, and “collaborative articles” which also make use of AI-written text.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/linkedins-new-ai-will-write-messages-to-hiring-managers-162528197.html?src=rss

Ford is restarting sales of the Mustang Mach E for this year, and your patience has paid off if you missed your chance the first time around. The crossover SUV's starting price has dropped $3,000 to $42,995 (before a $3,750 federal tax credit) for an RWD Standard Range trim, with a matching price cut for its $45,995 AWD counterpart. They're also more capable vehicles — all Standard Range variants use lithium iron phosphate batteries that extend their range to 250 miles (RWD) or 226 miles (AWD) while adding 45HP. They now take a more reasonable 33 minutes to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent on a DC fast charger, and they're more likely to reach maximum capacity through AC charging at home.The hardware for BlueCruise hands-free highway driving is now standard. You'll still have to pay to unlock it, but you now get a 90-day trial that lets you activate if and when you're ready. You can still pay for three years (now $2,100 instead of $1,900) if you're already sold on the concept. BlueCruise 1.2 adds turn signal-activated lane changes and repositioning that keeps you away from semis and other vehicles that might intrude into your lane.Higher-end models also have their share of price cuts. The Premium Standard Range models are dropping by $4,000 to reach $46,995 for an RWD configuration and $49,995 for AWD. Buy a California Route 1 AWD Extended Range and you'll pay $56,995, or $1,000 less. And if you insist on the most powerful model, the GT is down $4,000 to $59,995.Crucially, there's a better chance you'll get a vehicle in the first place. Ford is scaling up Mustang Mach-E production for the second half of the year to help meet demand. The automaker doesn't say when you can expect to receive a new order, but you may not have to rush to purchase like you did before.The price cuts come just months after Ford slashed Mustang Mach-E prices up to $5,900, and reflect "lower costs" on Ford's end. The brand previously said the switch to lithium iron phosphate batteries would help it make 600,000 EVs per year by the end of 2023 by expanding capacity, lowering production costs and reducing the need for shortage-prone resources like nickel.Ford is also under pressure to drop prices, mind you. Tesla has cut prices multiple times in 2023, and the Model 3 now starts at $40,240. A cheaper, upgraded Mustang Mach-E could keep customers interested, even if it doesn't get the full $7,500 tax credit that applies to Tesla's sedan.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fords-upgraded-mustang-mach-e-offers-more-range-at-a-lower-price-161151398.html?src=rss

If you and your friends are morbidly curious to experience Redfall for yourselves, it just so happens Microsoft has your back. Starting today, current Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can gift up to five friends a free 14-day PC Game Pass trial. Provided your friend hasn’t tried the service before, you can send them a referral invite by clicking the new “Give PC Game Pass” button found on the Game Pass Home screen.If you’re curious why the offer only involves PC Game Pass, a statement Microsoft Gaming chief Phil Spencer made last fall provides the likely answer. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, he said Game Pass was, at the time, experiencing “incredible” growth on PC, with uptake on Xbox consoles slowing primarily due to saturation. “... at some point, you’ve reached everybody on console that wants to subscribe,” Spencer told the outlet. It would appear then Microsoft hopes to capitalize on that trend.The launch of the referral program comes after Microsoft last month stopped offering its Game Pass introductory offer, which allowed new users to pay $1 to try the service for a month. At the time, the company said it was “evaluating different marketing promotions” for attracting new customers to Game Pass.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-new-referral-program-lets-you-gift-14-day-pc-game-pass-trials-to-your-friends-160212904.html?src=rss

Over 18 months after YouTube pledged to demonetize climate change denial content, researchers say they found 100 videos that violate the policy and still feature ads. They said in a report that ads for brands such as Costco, Politico and Tommy Hilfiger were displayed alongside the videos, which collectively had more than 18 million views.An ad for the movie 80 For Brady appeared before a video claiming that climate change is a hoax, according to The New York Times. Jane Fonda, who stars in the film and runs a PAC focused on tackling climate change, told the publication she was "appalled" to find out an ad for one of her movies was running next to such a video.Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD), a coalition of more than 50 environmental organizations and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, said the videos it found included claims like "there is no link between CO2 and temperature” and “every single model [the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] ever have put out is wrong.” The researchers added that YouTube bans videos containing "harmful misinformation" from receiving ad revenue. This policy applies to videos that contradict "authoritative scientific consensus on the existence of and causes behind climate change."CAAD said it found another 100 videos with more than 55 million total views that didn't violate YouTube's policies but met its own definition of climate misinformation and disinformation. The group claimed that's an indication of YouTube profiting from videos that fall outside of its "narrow definition" of what constitutes climate disinformation.The researchers said that by the time they completed their research, YouTube had demonetized eight of the videos in the dataset. CAAD said the videos that were still monetized collectively had more than 71 million views.Content moderation is a complex issue and some videos that violate YouTube policies will inevitably slip through the cracks. However, some of the climate change denial videos that CAAD found were on channels with more than a million subscribers.YouTube spokesperson Michael Aciman told the Times that the platform has removed ads from many of the videos identified by the researchers, including the one with the 80 For Brady promo. Aciman said YouTube was okay with "policy debate or discussions of climate-related initiatives, but when content crosses the line to climate change denial, we remove ads from serving on those videos."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtube-still-displays-ads-on-some-climate-change-denial-videos-researchers-say-153904994.html?src=rss

Facebook has rolled out a new set of controls for Reels that give you some semblance of control on what kind of videos you want to see. When you tap the three-dot menu at the bottom of the video player, you'll now find two new options that say "Show more" and "Show less." Choosing the first will temporarily increase the ranking score of that video, so Facebook can show you more Reels similar to it. Meanwhile, choosing the other will temporarily decrease its ranking. In time, as you continue to vote using the new controls, Facebook will better understand your preferences.In addition to introducing the new personalization controls, the company has added Reels to the main navigation menu of Facebook Watch at the top of the page. That gives you quick access to the short-form videos, which the company hopes will lead you to discover new creators and content that align with your interests. Plus, you can now scroll seamlessly between Reels and longer videos on Facebook. Finally, the company has rolled out new tags for Reels to give you more context on why it's appearing on your timeline, such as if a friend had liked it.When the social media giant released its latest earnings report, company chief Mark Zuckerberg said that Reels have helped increase the time users spend on Facebook and Instagram. As the company continues to improve how it ranks Reels, which is meant to surface more relevant content, Facebook is likely hoping that users will end up spend more and more time on the apps.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/facebooks-new-reels-controls-help-fine-tune-what-videos-you-see-153044089.html?src=rss

Motorola is bringing some of its headlining smartphones to the US, and they may be welcome upgrades if you were disappointed with previous models. To start, the 2023 Moto Edge+ is a significant upgrade that addresses some of last year's shortcomings. The new phone packs a smoother 165Hz 6.7-inch OLED screen, a speedier Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and a larger 5,100mAh battery. And gone is the 2-megapixel depth sensor — instead, you'll get an actually-useful 12MP 2X telephoto camera to go alongside the 50MP standard and ultra-wide cams. A 60MP front sensor promises extra-detailed selfies.The 8GB of RAM is unspectacular, but you'll get 256GB of 512GB of (non-expandable) storage as well as 68W fast wired charging, 15W wireless charging and 5W wireless power sharing. More importantly, Motorola is promising better update support than in the past — you'll get three years of OS upgrades and four years of bi-monthly security fixes. That's not quite up to Samsung's level (four years for both), but it might last the practical life of your device.The price is also a major selling point. Where the 2022 Edge+ was priced like a flagship at $1,000, the 2023 version will be available for $800 when the unlocked version arrives May 25th at Amazon, Best Buy and Motorola. That makes it a relative bargain if you're looking for a big-screen phone with modern specs.MotorolaThere are more affordable phones coming, too. The 2023 editions of the Moto G 5G (pictured) and Moto G Stylus all more compelling if cost matters more than raw power. Both have 6.5-inch 720p displays, and you'll have to be content with either a Helio G85 (on the G Stylus) or a Snapdragon 480+ (G 5G) equipped with 4GB of RAM. You'll get up to 128GB of expandable storage, a 50MP (G Stylus) or 48MP (G 5G) main camera, a 2MP macro sensor and an 8MP front cam. As you'd expect in this class, you'll have to charge with a cable.The Moto G Stylus arrives first, shipping May 5th for $200. It will come to prepaid carriers like Cricket and Straight Talk in the months ahead. The Moto G 5G debuts May 25th for $250, and will come to AT&T, Google Fi, T-Mobile and US Cellular, among others. There's no mention of a lengthy OS update policy, so you may not want to expect the Edge model's software longevity.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/motorolas-2023-moto-edge-and-g-come-to-the-us-151532466.html?src=rss

Weber debuted its smart grilling platform in 2020 with a standalone connected device and a WiFi-equipped pellet grill. The company has continued to add new features to the app that controls both of those since launch, and today it released a massive overhaul to the software. Officially dubbed version 2.0, the new Weber Connect app now includes grill tools like an updated dashboard, temperature graphing, more recipes and the ability to monitor multiple grills — and multiple recipes — at the same time.Weber says one of the most-requested features is the ability to watch multiple recipes simultaneously inside the app. You can now do so with the new "mission-control-style" interface. The company explains that its smart grills and the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub can handle up to 12 recipes and timers at the same time. What's more, you don't have to keep all of your dishes on the same grill as the app can also keep tabs on multiple grills at once. There's a Launchpad section of the app that offers easy access to the Smokeboost feature, adjusting grill temp, adding a temperature alert, starting a timer and shutting down the grill — most of which are exclusive to the SmokeFire pellet grills.For all of the barbecue data nerds, Weber Connect now features temperature graphing. The company says these colorful live visuals are updated every second as the cook progresses. Graphs display temperature stats for the grill and up to four connected probes, so all of info is viewable in one place. The graphs also appear on the Now Grilling screen alongside start time, current temp and target temp info for each probe. Data can be shared with other users, including status updates and still images. What's more, you can create CSV files to use all of your grilling data in spreadsheets.Weber also made the app more accessible with the option to increase font size via dynamic text and the addition of voiceovers. A new dark more changes the entire interface from color to black-and-white for aspiring pitmasters who wish to reduce eye strain. With this update, Weber says the Connect app now houses over 800 recipes. 350 of those are "smart" recipes, meaning they offer step-by-step guidance with videos and detailed instructions. All of today's updates join tools like the ability to monitor and adjust temperatures remotely so you don't have to stay near the grill or Hub the entire time.Weber Connect 2.0 is available now in the Apple App Store and Google Play store. The software supports iPhone, iPad, macOS and Android devices. Additionally, iOS users can choose to have grilling notifications sent to Apple Watch. Weber is also offering a discount on the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub ahead of grilling season. The device is typically $139, but you can get one for $89 for a limited time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/webers-smart-grilling-app-now-lets-you-monitor-multiple-grills-at-the-same-time-150001446.html?src=rss

Tech companies are still withdrawing from Russia more than a year after the country invaded Ukraine. Tinder owner Match Group has revealed that it will completely withdraw its dating app brands from the Russian market by the end of June. The firm says it's "committed to protecting human rights" and is currently "taking steps" to limit access to its services before the exit.Match Group hasn't said why it's pulling out now, or what it's doing to restrict access beforehand. We've asked the company for comment. It did acknowledge damage to its European region sales in March, a month after the invasion started.Numerous tech companies exited Russia soon after the Ukraine invasion last February. Apple and Microsoft halted all sales in Russia in early March that year, while Netflix stopped streaming soon after freezing production of Russian originals. Internet giants were also quick to block Russian state media organizations RT and Sputnik. Non-technology brands like Coca-Cola and McDonald's also dropped Russia within months.Whatever the reasons behind the timing, Match might not have much choice. The invasion has faced widespread condemnation, and there are no signs of a change of heart from Russian leadership. Jeff Perkins, the executive director of shareholder Friends Fiduciary Corp, tellsReuters that Match's continued presence in Russia is "not a good look" — it's doing business in a country accused of war crimes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tinders-parent-company-is-leaving-russia-over-a-year-after-the-ukraine-invasion-141504660.html?src=rss

Apple and Google have announced a partnership to tackle the issue of unwanted tracking through the likes of AirTags and Tile devices. The companies have proposed industry standards "to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth location-tracking devices for unwanted tracking."The proposal has received backing from Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, Anker's Eufy brand and Pebblebee, as well as a number of safety and advocacy groups. The draft specification includes best practices and instructions for Bluetooth tracker manufacturers on how to implement “unauthorized tracking detection and alerts” for iOS and Android.Apple and Google submitted the draft specification to the Internet Engineering Task Force, a notable standards development organization. Over the next three months, interested parties will have a chance to review the documentation and weigh in on it. Apple and Google will address feedback from the comment period, then work together to develop a production version of the specification by the end of the year. Future versions of iOS and Android will support the tech.“Bluetooth trackers have created tremendous user benefits, but they also bring the potential of unwanted tracking, which requires industrywide action to solve,” Dave Burke, Google’s vice president of engineering for Android, said in a press release. “Android has an unwavering commitment to protecting users, and will continue to develop strong safeguards and collaborate with the industry to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth tracking devices.”“We built AirTag and the Find My network with a set of proactive features to discourage unwanted tracking — a first in the industry — and we continue to make improvements to help ensure the technology is being used as intended," Ron Huang, Apple’s vice president of sensing and connectivity, said. "This new industry specification builds upon the AirTag protections, and through collaboration with Google results in a critical step forward to help combat unwanted tracking across iOS and Android.”There have been numerouscases of Bluetooth trackers being used to stalk people over the last few years, as bad actors have planted such devices on unsuspecting victims. It's not only people that can be unwillingly tracked by Bluetooth devices. According to reports, thieves have used them to steal high-end cars.Since it debuted its AirTags in 2021, Apple has rolled out some anti-stalking features. For instance, it has updated the devices so they emit as loud a noise as possible at some point after they're separated from their owners. An Android app can also detect AirTags and other Find My-compatible trackers that may have been planted on someone.It was reported last year that Google was exploring the idea of OS-level Bluetooth tracker detection, which now seems very likely to happen in the coming months. The company plans to reveal more details about its efforts to combat unwanted tracking at I/O next week. Google is also said to be working on its own Bluetooth tracker, which it may reveal at I/O.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-and-google-team-up-to-tackle-bluetooth-tracker-stalking-140516646.html?src=rss

E-scooter company Unagi, founded by former Beats Music CEO David Hyman, has inserted itself into a corner of pop culture. Its stylish scooters are often found in the hands of celebrities and musicians, setting themselves apart from the generic rental models found on street corners. Now, the company has unveiled the Model One Voyager, a second-generation version of its existing Model One, which the company will either sell to you outright, or rent to you for $55 a month. Given the plaudits afforded to that device, it should come as no surprise that the Voyager opts not to fix what wasn’t broken, but focuses on addressing its predecessor’s (relatively few) flaws.Long-time Unagi followers may recall the company had been working on the Model Eleven, a wildly ultra-premium scooter to top off its lineup. Priced at $2,440, the Eleven would have offered GPS tracking, turn-by-turn directions and an ADAS collision sensor. Unagi killed the product, saying that the market was turning away from pricey, one-off purchases toward a service model. The majority of its customers presently pay $55 a month to rent a Model One, with the company taking care of the maintenance and insurance. And that switch in focus is likely to produce more models that look to evolve the existing concept, rather than offering something more dramatic.To avoid all of the cliches, let’s get them all out of the way in a single paragraph and be done with it. The Voyager is a polish, an evolution, a refinement on the existing Model One template, and you’ll struggle to tell them apart looking at them from a distance. It uses the same industrial design, and the same high-end materials, although the neck and fork angles have been tweaked for better stability. It remains one of the best-looking e-scooters on the market today, with a clean, elegant design and color choices which straddle the line between transport and fashion statement.Instead, the big changes are all on the inside, with a specific focus on addressing issues around range and power that existing Model One renters have grappled with. For instance, while the Model One’s quoted range tops out at a less-than-ideal 12 miles, the Voyager stretches to 25, which should be enough to get you where you need to go and back without anxiety. Now, real-world mileage will be wildly different based on your use (and your weight), but the hope is that the Voyager will eliminate range anxiety for most people.Daniel Cooper / EngadgetThe second new feature, Distance To Empty, is a system that calculates your remaining range. It’s not hugely sophisticated, since it uses a dynamic look-up table checking your weight, speed profile and hill profile against the existing battery level. But a better-educated guess about how much further you can go is likely to be a better deal than just letting you see the percentage of battery that’s still there and letting you hope for the best.As well as the attention paid to make sure you’ve got enough power in your Voyager, there’s a lot of focus on getting it back out again. The Model One could produce 26 newton meters of torque, but the Voyager will knock out 32, with both motors offering a combined peak power of 1,000W. Unagi said that you can expect to see a 25 percent improvement in acceleration and deceleration out of the motors, and that you’ll see charging times fall in half compared to the Model One. That’s before we get to the promised improvements in hill climbing, where Unagi said that riders should “prepare to magically clobber hills that seem insurmountable.”Disclaimer: I’m based in the UK, and it is presently illegal to ride an e-scooter on public roads and pavements. There is a generous exception for a series of government-approved e-scooter trials currently in place, but private scooters are all but banned. For this review, I primarily used private roads and other private spaces, where the laws do not apply, rather than in public. While the target audience for this review is primarily American, our lawyers have reminded us to say that Engadget does not condone breaking the law, and would-be UK users risk having their scooters seized, or facing criminal penalties including points on your driving license and a fine. That said, Unagi does sell the Model One to UK customers for £899, if you’re prepared to bear the risk for yourself.You won’t need to spend a lot of time inside Voyager’s companion app, which connects to the scooter over Bluetooth. You’ll see your Odometer and Distance to Empty figures, and can toggle between single- and dual-motor modes. (You’ll really mostly stick in dual-motor mode which offers better range and performance unless you’re on a flat surface and don’t need to speed up or slow down too often.) You can also activate the front light and, crucially, lock the scooter’s wheels to make it harder for a nefarious type to steal it.Daniel Cooper / EngadgetIf there’s one thing Unagi should have, but didn’t, improve upon from the original, it was the ride quality. Specifically, making an effort to help the Voyager smooth out the sometimes less than pristine asphalt on our streets. Voyager comes with the same small, hard rubber tyres as the Model One, without much in the way of suspension or shock absorption. When I can feel every bump and crack in the road, it dents my confidence as to how far I want to ride this thing.Admittedly, this is a common problem with a lot of e-scooters, but it’s one worth examining if you’re charging two or three times the cost of a run-of-the-mill Xiaomi. Sure, the monthly rent cost covers maintenance, insurance and everything else, but it’s still a premium product. It all depends if you’re living somewhere with flat, well-maintained roads, because none of this will concern you. But if your streets have more than a few cracks in them, be prepared to feel all of them in your knees.I will say, Unagi shared with me both a confidence in its puncture-proof tyres and a belief that more can be done. A representative said that improvements to both the tyres and deckpad are in the pipeline, although neither will be ready for some time. It’s not yet clear if these tweaks will be available on a future version of the Voyager, or if they’ll be held back for the next new model, the Model Two, pegged to arrive at some point in 2024.This is perhaps the one demerit I can offer, however, as everything else has seen the details sweated, and for a good cause. There’s the same set of electronic throttle and brake as found on the previous model, the latter of which I found very easy to trust. It’s a personal preference I know, but I’ve often preferred the comfort of a mechanical brake on cheaper e-scooters to give me a sense of security when it comes to stopping. Oh, I can also gripe about the milquetoast horn, which I’m sure wouldn’t send a group of slow-moving pedestrians scattering out of your way, but that really is it.Daniel Cooper / EngadgetIf you’re unfamiliar with the Model One, and you’ve been using an e-scooter with a smartphone mount, then the Voyager’s display may feel a bit minimal. There’s an old-school feel to the data on show, with a brightly-backlit speedometer that’s easily visible in strong light. That’s key, since you’ll have to take your eyes off the road to check your speed – although I will admit that I find my gut tells me how much speed I can handle based on the surrounding areas rather than trying to stick to a solid figure.Below that figure, you’ll find either the odometer or trip computer, based on your preference, and below that, the battery display. At the bottom, you’ll also be able to see which speed profile the scooter is set in, and icons telling you if you’re in single or dual-motor mode. To be honest, I don’t know how much extra data you might need on a scooter display, and I like the neat and tidy way that all of this information has been laid out.On flat, straight roads and gentle inclines, I found the Voyager to offer rather excellent balance. With some practice, I was able to get my turning circle down to the bare minimum, and it’s easy to ride at slow speeds. It’s even pretty easy to ride when you open up the throttle and try to get close to that top speed, even if I was too chicken to get it to max out. Similarly, the headlights are bright enough, although if I was riding this on roads at night, I’d be tempted to get a head or shirt-worn rear light since the deck-height brake light is a bit low.The Voyager weighs the better part of 30 pounds, and it’s a significant lump to haul around in your hands. 30 pounds may not sound like a lot, but with the scooter folded down it’s quite an unwieldy thing to carry in your hand. I pulled my back one night and, the following day, tried to carry this to a private road for testing before bailing out and throwing it in the car instead. That solidity may make it prohibitive for you to carry up every flight of stairs in your building, but it also gives you confidence that it won’t fall apart after a few weeks of use.Daniel Cooper / EngadgetIf you’re already sold on the idea of toting one of these around with you, you’ll now need to look at the figures. The Unagi Model One Voyager costs $1,190 to buy, but the company doesn’t expect many people to buy it outright. Instead, it hopes they will opt to rent their scooter via the Unagi All-Access program which includes service and, for an extra fee, theft insurance.The basic payment is $69 a month for a no-commitment rental, with theft insurance an extra $5 per month. You can also request a “guaranteed brand new scooter” for an additional $10 monthly premium. As the name implies, this will guarantee that you will get brand-new hardware both when you sign up, and also if you need a replacement. Plus, of course, you’ll need to pony up a one-time sign-up fee of $50. Adding that all up and dividing by twelve means that to have one of these in your life, your monthly outgoing will be $89 a month.Now, you’ll have to decide if you’ll get that paid back compared to, say, using the local Lime or Bird scooters in your area. The obvious benefit is that you’ll be able to ride your own scooter and you’ll never have to scrub around looking for a working model when you’re out and about. The downside is that it’s a fairly significant outlay each month so you’d better be sure that you will get your money’s worth by using the scooter as your primary mode of transportation.Meanwhile, if you’re already living inside Unagi’s scooter rental ecosystem and paying for a Model One, then you can upgrade to Voyager by switching your plan to the more expensive option and paying the one-off charge of $50.If you’ve been looking for a scooter that will hopefully last you a long while, get you to and from wherever you need to go, and look good while doing it, then this is probably a decent bet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/unagi-took-one-of-the-best-e-scooters-on-the-market-and-made-it-better-134510138.html?src=rss

With an excellent blend of power and portability, Apple's 2021 iPad Mini tablet is a popular choice — but at $500, it's not exactly an impulse buy. If you've been waiting for a deal, the 64GB model is now on sale at Amazon and Target for $400 ($99 off) in four colors, down to the lowest prices we've seen to date.With its fresh and modern design, solid performance and improved cameras, the iPad mini 2021 earned a solid 89 Engadget review score. It’s easily the smallest (7.69x5.3x0.25 inches) and lightest (0.65 pounds for the WiFi model) of any current iPad, with an 8.3-inch display that’s more comfortable to operate with a single hand.At the same time, it has similar specs to the iPhone 13, with the same speedy A15 Bionic chip that delivers a big jump in performance over the fifth-gen model. It comes with a larger 8.3-inch display with higher 2,266 x 1,488 resolution than the previous models, and eliminates the physical home button, moving the Touch ID sensor to the power button. The volume buttons, meanwhile, are at the top to make room for Apple Pencil 2 that can be attached to the side magnetically.Other features include USB-C charging and upgraded cameras with support from Apple's Center Stage feature, keeping you in the center of the frame during video calls. The main downsides are the lack of a headphone jack, limited 64GB of storage on the base model and fairly high price compared to tablets with comparable specs. Amazon and Target have certainly taken the edge off the price, but it's best to act soon before the deal ends.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-is-back-on-sale-for-400-124717156.html?src=rss

While many workers worry AI bots will take their jobs, Samsung employees are no longer allowed to use them. The company banned generative AI tools, like ChatGPT and Google Bard, after discovering staff had added sensitive code to them, Bloomberg reported. This revelation followed last month's incident in which Samsung engineers uploaded internal source code and meeting notes to ChatGPT and accidentally leaked it.Samsung isn't waiting for another mishap to take action. "HQ is reviewing security measures to create a secure environment for safely using generative AI to enhance employees' productivity and efficiency," the company said in a memo to staff. "However, until these measures are prepared, we are temporarily restricting the use of generative AI." Samsung further expressed concern that data sent to generative AI tools is stored on external servers, potentially creating difficulties around access, removal and unintentional sharing. ChatGPT, for instance, uses data for training unless users specifically opt-out.Though many companies are encouraging employees to embrace the likes of ChatGPT and Google Bard, Samsung isn't alone in taking the opposite approach. Bans are particularly popular amongst banks (clear hubs of sensitive information), with JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America and Citi Group all restricting employee access.Beyond reducing worries about being let go in favor of an inanimate tool, most of Samsung's staff likely agree with the policy, sharing similar concerns to their employer. In April, an internal survey by Samsung found 65 percent of respondents believed AI tools came with security risks. With this said, Samsung is still working on its own AI tools for employees to use for tasks like software development and translation.Employees can still use any AI tools on personal devices strictly for non-work related matters — violating this rule is a quick path to termination. The new corporate policy won't impact consumers, with generative AI tools still available across Samsung devices.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-tells-employees-not-to-use-ai-tools-like-chatgpt-and-google-bard-114004180.html?src=rss

Geoffrey Hinton, nicknamed the Godfather of AI, told The New York Times he resigned as Google VP and engineering fellow in April to freely warn of the risks associated with the technology. The researcher is concerned Google is giving up its previous restraint on public AI releases to compete with ChatGPT, Bing Chat and similar models. In the near term, Hinton says he’s worried that generative AI could lead to a wave of misinformation. You might "not be able to know what is true anymore," he says. He's also concerned it might not just eliminate "drudge work," but outright replace some jobs – which I think is a valid worry already turning into a reality. – Mat SmithThe Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.The biggest stories you might have missed'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' spoilers flood the internet'Redfall' review: Good enough for Game PassLogitech made Google's Project Starline video conferencing booth — minus holograms The best Apple Watch accessories Ninja's updated DualZone air fryer is $50 off right now The best gifts for the new grads in your lifeUS political parties’ views on Twitter have changed dramatically in two yearsSomeone posted the entire ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ on TwitterAnother nine million views, but no box office takings.Over nine million people watched The Super Mario Bros. Movie over the weekend — on Twitter. A Twitter user uploaded the entire movie to the platform – and kept it there for the weekend. A handful of copyrighted movies have repeatedly spent a few days on Twitter since Elon Musk took over, but Blue subscribers have also gained the ability to upload videos that are 60 minutes long, making it an easier task. Scrutinizing copyright for the team at Twitter is also a challenge when the company’s fired most of your safety and compliance staff…Continue reading.Apple releases its first rapid-fire security updates for iPhone, iPad and MacThe rollout hasn't been completely smooth, however.EngadgetApple promised faster turnaround times for security patches with iOS 16 and macOS Ventura, and it's now delivering on that claim. The company has released its first Rapid Security Response updates for devices running iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1 and macOS 13.3.1. As usual, they're available through Software Update but are small downloads that don't require much time to install. Engadget and others have received an error warning that iOS can't verify the update as the device is "no longer connected to the internet,” so you may have to check for the patch at another time.Continue reading.SpaceX's Starship didn't immediately respond to a self-destruct commandIt finally exploded after a 40-second delay.SpaceXSpaceX's founder, Elon Musk, shared more details about what went awry during the first fully integrated Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster launch in April. In a Twitter audio chat on Saturday, he revealed the self-destruct setting took 40 seconds to work. It should have been relatively instantaneous. The FAA has already announced it's investigating the events and will ground Starship until "determining that any system, process or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety." Even with all of that, Musk called the launch "successful" and "maybe slightly exceeding my expectations."Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-the-godfather-of-ai-leaves-google-amid-ethical-concerns-111514764.html?src=rss

Nextdoor is introducing its first generative AI feature, an in-app “assistant” that can help users rewrite “potentially unkind” posts on the neighborhood social network. The new feature is rolling out “over the next several weeks.”It’s far from the first time the company has experimented with ways to remind users to keep conversations “neighborly.” The company, which has at time struggled to fight the perception that its platform can be toxic, began using “kindness reminders” in 2019 and last year introduced pop-ups reminding users to be more “empathetic.” The app has also served up more targeted nudges to promote anti-racist language and less heated political discussions.The new “assistant” takes the approach a step further. Instead of preemptive reminders, the assistant will prompt users to “rephrase potentially unkind comments” and suggest new wording for the post. “It's great to tell people, ‘hey, be a little bit more constructive,’ or ‘you don't always have to respond,’” Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar says. “But now you're actually helping them reframe it in a way they might not have thought of.”Friar notes that the assistant-written posts are optional and that users are free to make changes to the text it suggests. “It’s saying ‘when you word things this way,’ or when you maybe just add a few more sentences or add some context or an emoji, you can help someone hear you,” Friar says. “They may not agree with you, but at least they can begin to hear you.”The assistant itself relies on the same OpenAI models used by ChatGPT, and has also been trained on “all of the data we've collected over our almost 10 years of life,” according to Friar. She says this allows the assistant to provide more tailored suggestions for other kinds of posts on the platform. In an example provided by the company, the assistant rewrites a post from a user looking for landscaping work with new phrasing the app says may “get a better response” than the original.While the assistant is Nextdoor’s first use of generative AI, it likely won’t be the last. Friar says she’s particularly interested in how generative AI can be used for recommendations to help small businesses using the platform.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nextdoor-is-using-a-generative-ai-to-encourage-users-to-rephrase-mean-posts-103007787.html?src=rss

Given the size of modern games, there's a good chance that you're getting low on space for your Xbox Series X or Series S consoles. Seagate's Expansion Card allows you to double or triple your storage with no loss of speed, and there's never been a better time to buy one. The 1TB Storage Expansion Card is on sale at an all-time low of $150 (32 percent off) and the 2TB card is available for just $280, or 30 percent off.These cards aren't cheap, but they're your only option to play Xbox Series X/S games directly from expanded storage. They're just as fast as the console's built-in SSD, and designed to easily plug in without the need to open your system. That way, you can spend your time playing games, rather than deleting and reinstalling them as your collection grows.You can also connect traditional hard drives, like Seagate's 2TB Game Drive, to the Xbox Series X and S over USB. They're useful to have around for playing games from the original Xbox, as well as the 360. And they can also be used as "cold storage" to free up space on your precious SSD. Newer games can easily move back and forth between those drives, which prevents you from having to download them again.In any case, this deal makes Seagate's Expansion Cards far more palatable, saving you a full $70 off the 1TB model and $120 off the 2TB version. As mentioned, these are the lowest prices we've seen, so if you're interested, it's best to act now.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/seagates-xbox-series-sx-expansion-cards-fall-to-a-new-all-time-lows-101025451.html?src=rss

Utah's age verification law, which targets publishers distributing material deemed to be "harmful to minors on the internet," has gone into effect. As a response, MindGeek has chosen to block everyone in the state from being able to access its websites, including Pornhub. As Motherboard reports, if somebody with a Utah IP address accesses Pornhub, they'll now be met with a video of adult performer Cherie DeVille. In it, DeVille explained that the company believes requiring users to submit their government IDs isn't the most effective solution to protecting its users and could even put their privacy at risk.She continued that "mandating age verification without proper enforcement" has driven users to other sites with fewer safety measures in states with the same law. MindGeek believes that the most effective solution to identify users is by doing so through their device. "Until a real solution is offered, we have made the difficult decision to completely disable access to our website in Utah," DeVille said, ending the video with a plea for residents in the state to contact their representatives and demand device-based verification solutions.In January, a law requiring adult websites to deploy age verification measures and ensure their visitors are 18 or older went into effect in Lousiana. Pornhub, however, didn't block all users in the state, and is currently verifying people's ages using Lousiana's digital wallet app for driver's licenses. According to Axios, Utah doesn't have a similar tool that websites like Pornhub could use, making it much difficult to comply with the law. We asked Pornhub if it would consider unblocking Utah residents if the state creates its own wallet app for driver's licenses.Laurie Schlegel, the Republication representative who spearheaded the age verification law in Lousiana, explained she championed the bill because she believes that the digital world needed adult-only zones, such as bars where patrons are asked for IDs. At least two dozen states, including Utah, followed Louisiana's example by introducing age verification legislation over the past year. So, even if Pornhub finds a way to unblock Utah residents, a lot of people elsewhere in the US might find themselves having to verify their ages on the website using a government ID.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pornhub-blocks-access-in-utah-to-challenge-age-verification-law-093949867.html?src=rss

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has called for a strike starting today largely over streaming productions, saying that studios are effectively creating a "gig economy" within the union. On the other side of the table, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) said the WGA was "unwilling" to compromise on key issues like mandatory staffing."The Board of Directors of the @WGAwest and the Council of the @WGAeast, acting upon the authority granted to them by their memberships, have voted unanimously to call a strike, effective 12:01 AM, Tuesday, May 2," the WGA wrote in a tweet. "The decision was made following six weeks of negotiating with @Netflix, @Apple, @ Disney, @wbd, @NBCUniversal, @Paramountplus and @Sony under the umbrella of the AMPTP."

After Elon Musk took over Twitter, one of the alternatives to the social media website that users flocked to was Mastodon. It's a decentralized network where people can choose from multiple servers or "instances," with each one being independently operated. At the moment, there are 12,000-plus instances people can choose from, and the Mastodon team has realized that picking one could be overwhelming for casual users. As a result, the service has rolled out a new onboarding process that makes one of the instances it operates, mastodon.social, a default sign-up option.New users can still choose from any of the available servers upon signing up, but mastodon.social now gets a special button that makes creating account much easier, as The Verge notes. Those who choose to start on the service with mastodon.social can still leave it and join another instance later on. The Mastodon team reiterated that decentralization is "at the forefront of [their] mission." They explained, however, that if the service only attracts "people who already care about decentralization," then its "ability to make decentralization mainstream becomes that much harder." By helping new users quickly get past the hurdle of choosing an instance, Mastodon believes it could better showcase what decentralized social networks can offer.In addition to announcing its new onboarding process, Mastodon has revealed that it has just surpassed a billion posts per month. It also listed some of its newer features, including the ability to quote posts and its improved content and profile search. Plus, Mastodon mentioned its continuing work to improve content and profile discovery, which could help drum up conversations on the service, to refine its moderation tools and to remove friction from its decentralized service.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mastodon-simplifies-sign-ups-to-attract-new-users-061520683.html?src=rss

Redfall is not fit for public consumption. It may not give you salmonella, but Arkane Austin’s vampire-infused world is unpolished, underpopulated and littered with glitches. From the jump, there are signs the game would’ve benefited from another delay before launch day. That’s not to say Redfall is a bad game filled with terrible ideas, but in its current form, it’s difficult to see the brilliance among the bugs.Redfall is an open-world first-person loot shooter in the vein of Borderlands, but with a bunch of vampires and cultists instead of bandits, and set in a picturesque fictional town off the coast of Massachusetts rather than an arid wasteland. It has four playable characters, each with a magical skill set powered by pesky local pharmaceutical experiments.Arkane AustinThe characters represent a bright spot in the game, so let’s start with the good stuff. I primarily played as Layla, a student whose special abilities include a glowing purple umbrella that soaks up bullets and a psychic elevator that propels friends and foes into the sky. Her final ability summons her former boyfriend, a ghostly vampire who shows up to pull focus and deal damage (typical ex behavior). I also spent some time with Remi, a support-class character with an adorable robot dog. Each character has a skill tree with a few dozen upgrade slots, plus a backpack that can be stuffed full of firearms, and three guns equipped at any time.Running in Redfall is incredibly satisfying, and this is crucial, considering a large portion of the game is spent exploring neighborhoods on foot. The run mechanic feels like gliding, providing a significant and immediate speed boost that never feels too slow.The actual town of Redfall is charming. The campaign is spread across two maps, a suburban center and a historic district, each with a distinct vibe. While this is definitely not Prey or Dishonored, Arkane’s DNA runs through Redfall, and the map contains a variety of locales sprinkled with world-building lore — abandoned churches and homes, lootable shops, spooky mansions, hiking trails, farmland, an amusement park.Missions are structured to slowly reveal new areas of the map, and along the way there are safe houses to unlock, side stories to uncover and special vampires to vanquish. A highlight is clearing vampire nests, which teleport you to twisted versions of the town, providing a welcome break from the idyllic landscapes. All told, Redfall is a neat place to explore. I just wish it didn’t feel so empty.Here’s where things start to fall apart. Redfall’s entire world feels dead, and not in the on-brand, reanimated corpse type of way. There are long stretches of road and entire neighborhoods without enemies or points of interest, and groups of cultists and vampires are often incredibly easy to spot. Combine this with shockingly dumb enemy AI and an oppressive amount of aim assist, and most basic encounters end after a smattering of bullets and little tension. There are always plenty of shinies to collect, at least.Arkane AustinI played on an Xbox Series S and PC, and experienced numerous bugs and crashes, particularly on the Xbox version. The game is limited to 30 fps at launch on both Series S and X, and suffers immensely because of it, with heavy-handed motion blur barely smoothing out the judders. Playing with a gamepad on Xbox is especially jarring — hefty aim assist mixes with a significant dead zone to create an unpleasant, weirdly imprecise shooting experience. I was able to tweak things to make it bearable, but basic gunplay in Redfall feels bad.And then there are the bugs. Prompts to talk to people or read notes often fail; environments pop in with half-loaded textures; framerate drops result in stop-motion animations; sniper rifle scopes break completely; the game fully crashes. In 15 hours with Redfall, my game crashed three times. Arkane says it’s addressing a handful of known crash areas with the game’s day 0 patch, so hopefully these are cleared up for prime time.While you can technically tackle Redfall solo, the game was clearly designed to be played with a team. Characters’ abilities dovetail cleanly, and wandering the town is way more fun with a teammate. Once I started playing with a friend, the game made more sense, with strategy talk and shared curiosity filling those long, empty stretches of road, adding intrigue to easy shots. However, co-op also introduced fresh glitches, including floating character models and choppy collision physics.As a feature-complete AAA experience with a price tag of $70, Redfall is a massive disappointment. However, that’s not how most people are going to play — Arkane is a subsidiary of Xbox Game Studios, and Redfall will be available to Game Pass subscribers on PC and console, day-one and at no extra charge. The barrier to entering Redfall is low and this might be its saving grace, allowing developers to continually update the game while thousands of playtesters provide live feedback. Hell, that might even be the plan.Right now, Redfall makes sense as an early access game. It’s a mess, but it’s still largely playable; Redfall’s core loop is actually thrilling when all the mechanics line up correctly, but the details need attention. The early access process is a crucial tool for developers, especially when it comes to online experiences, and there are pipelines for works in progress on every major platform, including Xbox. Redfall feels like a work-in-progress.But in reality, Arkane and Xbox aren’t pitching Redfall as an early access game. They’re calling it a finished product and they’re charging $70 — or at least one month of Game Pass, set to automatically renew — for the privilege of playing its glitchy, imprecise missions.It’s all reminiscent of Sea of Thieves, the original “day one on Game Pass” title. When it came out in 2018, Sea of Thieves was roundly criticized for feeling unfinished, lacking direction and being light on actual content. With years of updates and a consistent presence on Game Pass, Sea of Thieves stabilized, nurtured its player base, and eventually picked up a BAFTA award in the evolving game category in 2021. Its ninth season rolled out in March.Arkane AustinRedfall could easily follow a similar path. The game has good bones, and it could evolve into an engaging co-op shooter with plenty of room for replayability and expansions — Left 4 Dead for the Twilight generation; Borderlands meets What We Do in the Shadows; small-scale Destiny with a Stranger Things typeface. There’s room for Redfall, but only if Microsoft gives Arkane the runway to save it.Redfall is less ambitious than Sea of Thieves, and it really shouldn’t be in this poor shape: Arkane Austin has plenty of experience crafting AAA first-person shooters, and Redfall is a traditional loot shooter with online play. Nothing in this game falls outside of Arkane’s or Xbox’s capabilities, and personally, I’m interested to see how it shapes up over time.That doesn't make Redfall's launch state feel any less shady. If Xbox plans to use Game Pass as an early access hub, then the terms need to be clear. And if Xbox wants to release games that aren't ready for retail, then potential players deserve to know when they're spending $70 on potential, and potential alone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/redfall-review-good-enough-for-game-pass-000641521.html?src=rss

Amazon just announced the impending launch of Fire TV Channels, allowing customers access to a wide variety of “premium, free content” on Fire streaming sticks, streaming boxes, and, of course, Fire-branded televisions. The company promises there will be no forced sign-ups or fees associated with this content.Just like the similar offering from Roku, there looks to be plenty of free content to wade through here. There are channels for local and national news, sports, travel, cooking, music videos, old TV shows and just about everything else. Amazon announced content partnership deals with professional NHL hockey, PGA golf, gossip site TMZ, ABC News and media giant Condé Nast, among others. All told, the company says it has lined up over 400 publishing partners ready for the summer launch.This is an ad-supported service, so if you have an aversion to that dang Liberty Mutual song, look elsewhere for content. Amazon already offers some FAST (free ad-supported TV) channels, but this is a major boost for the platform. Additionally, there will be an easily accessible “Free” tab right on the home screen of all Fire devices for instant perusal. This tab breaks down into more category-specific menus.“With Fire TV Channels, we’re delivering a simple, category-based experience that makes it easy to discover what you want to watch while constantly expanding content offerings.” said Charlotte Maines, director of Fire TV advertising, monetization, and engagement.The company says that channels will feature live content, linear content and VOD content. It also says that new stuff will be added throughout each day, so binge, baby, binge. Amazon is not the only player in the FAST space. Along with the OG Roku, Google recently announced its own 800-channel offering.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-rolls-out-free-roku-like-tv-channels-for-fire-devices-230056933.html?src=rss

There's one less competitor in the robot vacuum world. Neato Robotics is shutting down as the company hasn't reached its "self-defined economic goals" for years, parent company Vorwerk Group tellsTechHive. The firm's sales haven't met expectations, in other words. Vorwerk is promising cloud and repair support to Neato customers for "at least" five years, so your robovac should continue to run for a while longer.The move will affect 98 jobs, Vorwerk says. Users started worrying weeks ago, when users noticed a broken customer sign-in page. Neato's Facebook and Twitter accounts vanished, and support staff fell silent. Vorwerk is fixing the login issues and says they're not connected to the shutdown.Neato emerged in 2005 and soon became one of the main competitors to iRobot's Roomba series. It stood out by pushing the limits of robot vacuum technology, such as by adding WiFi in 2011 and LiDAR mapping in 2020. Vorwerk bought Neato in 2017, but continued to run the brand independently. Neato ran into trouble, and restructuring efforts didn't turn the company around.The closure isn't surprising. iRobot has long dominated robovacs, and claimed 46 percent of the market in 2020 according to Statista. Neato, by comparison, had roughly 3 percent in preceding years and was already fading away by 2020. Competitors like Anker's Eufy brand, Roborock and Shark have entered the field and sometimes undercut Neato on price.A shutdown may not be good news for iRobot, though. American politicians are already concerned about the potential harm of Amazon's proposed iRobot acquisition to the competitive landscape, and European regulators are reportedly close behind. Neato's demise further reduces that competition, even if it hasn't been a heavyweight for a while.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/robot-vacuum-maker-neato-is-shutting-down-amid-stiff-competition-204959296.html?src=rss

If you were hoping to avoid spoilers before playing Nintendo's highly anticipated follow-up to Breath of the Wild, that goal just got a lot harder: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been leaked. Physical copies of the game appeared on sites over the weekend, apparently selling for up to $300 each. Now, digital copies of the game have shown up online. Some who have downloaded the pirated files have streamed footage of the game's intro and gameplay.How this all happened still isn't completely clear. According to a thread on the GamingLeaksAndRumors subreddit, players who received the physical game early posted scattered images. One person allegedly dumped the game from a physical cart to a computer and started streaming it on a Discord sever via PC emulation. Eventually, admins on that server said the files were being uploaded to filesharing websites.A leaked version of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom being played on a PC emulator.These kinds of leaks are becoming more common. Back in 2018, Kingdom Hearts 3 made it to some players six weeks before the title's planned launch. More recently, a hacker acquired a test build of the next Grand Theft Auto game and released more than an hour of footage from the build. And indeed, this has happened to Nintendo before: The Wii U version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was leaked before launch back in 2017.Nintendo hasn't commented on the situation yet, but it's likely they'll pursue legal action if they can identify the leaker. The company recently subpoenaed Discord for information on users who leaked a Tears of the Kingdom art book earlier this year. There's also the case of Gary Bowser, a hacker for Team Xecuter who developed and sold devices that enabled people to play pirated games on the Nintendo Switch — he was jailed in 2022, and has been ordered to pay 25-30% of his monthly gross income to Nintendo in restitution for the rest of his life.Curious what to expect from the new game without having to delve into leaks and spoilers? You can read Engadget's own preview of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom right here.Nintendo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-spoilers-flood-the-internet-after-pre-launch-leak-193831043.html?src=rss

Apple promised faster turnaround times for security patches with iOS 16 and macOS Ventura, and it's now delivering on that claim. The company has released its first Rapid Security Response updates for devices running iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1 and macOS 13.3.1. They're available through Software Update as usual, but are small downloads that don't require much time to install. MacRumors says the fix is deploying over the course of 48 hours, so don't be surprised if you have to wait a short while.There have been hitches so far. Engadget and others have received an error warning that iOS can't verify the update as the device is "no longer connected to the internet." We've asked Apple for comment, but you may have to be patient with this software. To date, the upgrades have only been available to beta testers.Rapid Security Response lets Apple fix vulnerabilities sooner than it would through conventional software updates. While you can disable them, they may be ideal for quickly fixing zero-day flaws that attackers can use right away. That, in turn, could prevent malware from rapidly spreading through the community — particularly among users who have automatic updates enabled.The concept of emergency security updates isn't new, of course. Apple, Microsoft and others have posted out-of-schedule patches. This just streamlines the process, and (along with recent additions like Safety Check) provides some reassurance. You're less likely to spend days worrying that your data could be up for grabs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-releases-its-first-rapid-fire-security-updates-for-iphone-ipad-and-mac-192642560.html?src=rss

Republicans’ and Democrats’ views of Twitter have moved in opposite directions since Elon Musk’s takeover last fall. A Pew Research poll published today found that Republicans are more likely to see the social platform in a positive light than two years ago, while Democrats’ views have moved on a divergent path. Although the results reflect what already appeared to be common sense — Republicans like it when the platform’s new leader amplifies far-right views while Democrats don’t — this is some of the first hard data we’ve seen to confirm that.The portion of Republican and Republican-leaning Twitter users who believe the platform is “mostly bad” for US democracy dropped significantly to 21 percent from 60 percent two years ago. Similarly, Republicans who say the platform is “mostly good” for democracy rose from 17 percent to 43 percent in those two years. Meanwhile, Democrats’ views of Twitter as being good for democracy dropped from 47 percent in 2021 to 24 percent today; their view of the site being bad for democracy also increased from 28 percent to 35 percent.However, both parties surveyed increasingly believe Twitter doesn’t affect American democracy. In 2021, 22 percent of Republicans answered that the social media platform had no impact, while 23 percent of Democrats agreed. Today, 36 percent of Republicans said it has no effect, and Democrats’ views on Twitter’s democratic irrelevance grew to 40 percent.Meanwhile, the gap in the US political parties’ views on misinformation and abuse on the platform is also widening. For example, 68 percent of Democrats surveyed say “inaccurate or misleading information” is a problem on the platform (up from 54 percent in 2021), compared to 37 percent of Republicans who believe it’s a problem (compared to 52 percent two years ago). Similarly, 65 percent of Democrats say harassment and abuse are concerns (a rise from 50 percent in 2021), while 29 percent of Republicans agree (down from 41 percent in 2021).Researchers (and anyone paying attention) have noted Musk’s increasingly conspiratorial posts and amplification of hate-mongering on the far right since the self-proclaimed centrist and free-speech absolutist took over. After he bought Twitter for $44 billion in October, researchers noted a quick rise in hate speech and misinformation. For example, in the week before the takeover, Montclair State University researchers found 84 tweets per hour using “homophobic, antisemitic and racial hate terms;” they found over 4,778 tweets fitting those criteria in the first 12 hours of Musk’s reign on October 28th.“The way that Twitter’s content moderation has changed since [Musk has] taken over has definitely skewed towards favoring the far-right,” JM Berger, a researcher on extremism in social media, toldInsider in December. “I think he’s intentionally empowering right-wing extremists. Any argument that he’s trying to empower the center is patently bullshit and should be treated as such.”Musk tweeted the transphobic and conspiratorial double whammy in December: “My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci.” Additionally, in a since-deleted tweet posted in October, he shared a link to a site spreading conspiracy theories about the assault on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, insisting there may be “more to the story.” Then, in early December, he reinstated the account of the creator of a Neo-Nazi website. And, of course, he also invited Donald Trump back to the platform in November after the former President was banned for inciting an insurrection in January 2021.“The danger here is that in the name of ‘free speech,’ Musk will turn back the clock and make Twitter into a more potent engine of hatred, divisiveness, and misinformation about elections, public health policy, and international affairs,” said Paul Barrett, deputy director of NYU’s Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, in October. “This is not going to be pretty.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/us-political-parties-views-on-twitter-have-changed-dramatically-in-two-years-183237760.html?src=rss

What looks like a bottle of sunscreen and feels like it belongs in a 1990s fever dream? Microsoft's new Xbox x OPI controller collaboration. The 'Sunkissed Vibes' OPI special edition Xbox Wireless controller is inspired by the nail polish brand's Summer Make the Rules collection. These kinds of fashion collaborations aren't new, and this particular controller doesn't have any special features you won't find in a standard gamepad, save from the fact that it's really, really ridiculously good looking.Borrowing hues from the OPI makeup collection gives the controller a distinct pop, splashing its back with a pastel blue and adorning its front with a burst of soft, but bright orange. These unique hues are what makes these kinds of collaborations so unique — you may be able to create a custom gamepad using Xbox Design Lab, but those controllers don't have access to the custom colors mixed by the nail polish brand's designers. I even tried to design a similar controller using the app, and it just didn't have the same vibes, sunkissed or otherwise.The controller's landing page doesn't say which OPI colors Microsoft borrowed for the gamepad, but at a glance, it looks like it's painted in "Dancing in Stilettos" and "Surf Naked." The polish collection has 51 whimsically named colors to choose from — just in case the bright controller inspires you to head to the beach.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xboxs-sunkissed-vibes-opi-collaboration-controller-makes-me-want-to-play-outside-180013187.html?src=rss

Since its establishment in 1914, the US Federal Trade Commission has stood as a bulwark against the fraud, deception, and shady dealings that American consumers face every day — fining brands that "review hijack" Amazon listings, making it easier to cancel magazine subscriptions and blocking exploitative ad targeting. On Monday, Michael Atleson, Attorney, FTC Division of Advertising Practices, laid out both the commission's reasoning for how emerging generative AI systems like ChatGPT, Dall-E 2 could be used to violate the FTC Act's spirit of unfairness, and what it would do to companies found in violation."Under the FTC Act, a practice is unfair if it causes more harm than good," Atleson said. "It’s unfair if it causes or is likely to cause substantial injury to consumers that is not reasonably avoidable by consumers and not outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or to competition."He notes that the new generation of chatbots like Bing, Bard and ChatGPT can be used to influence the user's, "beliefs, emotions, and behavior." We've already seen them employed as negotiators within Walmart supply network and as talk therapists, both occupations specifically geared towards influencing those around you. When combined with the common effects of automation bias, wherein users more readily the accept the word of a presumably impartial AI system, and anthropomorphism. "People could easily be led to think that they’re conversing with something that understands them and is on their side," Atleson argued.He concedes that the issues surrounding generative AI technology go far beyond the FTC's immediate purview, but reiterates that it will not tolerate unscrupulous companies from using it to take advantage of consumers. "Companies thinking about novel uses of generative AI, such as customizing ads to specific people or groups," the FTC lawyer warned, "should know that design elements that trick people into making harmful choices are a common element in FTC cases, such as recent actions relating to financial offers, in-game purchases, and attempts to cancel services."The FTC's guardrails also apply to placing ads within a generative AI application, not unlike how Google inserts ads into its search results. "People should know if an AI product’s response is steering them to a particular website, service provider, or product because of a commercial relationship," Atleson wrote. "And, certainly, people should know if they’re communicating with a real person or a machine."Finally, Atleson leveled an unsubtle warning to the tech industry. "Given these many concerns about the use of new AI tools, it’s perhaps not the best time for firms building or deploying them to remove or fire personnel devoted to ethics and responsibility for AI and engineering," he wrote. "If the FTC comes calling and you want to convince us that you adequately assessed risks and mitigated harms, these reductions might not be a good look." That's a lesson Twitter already learned the hard way.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ftc-warns-tech-companies-against-ai-shenanigans-that-harm-consumers-175851417.html?src=rss

The Biden administration is preparing to examine how companies use artificial intelligence to monitor and manage workers. According to Bloomberg, the White House will publish a blog post later today that invites American workers to share how automated tools are being used in their workplaces.“While these technologies can benefit both workers and employers in some cases, they can also create serious risks to workers,” the post states, per Bloomberg. “The constant tracking of performance can push workers to move too fast on the job, posing risks to their safety and mental health.” Citing media reports, the White House adds the technology has also been used to deter workers from organizing their workplaces and to perpetuate pay and discipline discrimination.The blog post calls for input from a variety of stakeholders, including researchers, advocacy groups and even employers. Notably, the Biden administration says it wants to know what regulations and enforcement action the federal government should implement to address the “economic, safety, physical, mental and emotional impacts” of workplace surveillance tech.The call for information comes after a handful of states passed laws against unreasonable productivity quotas. Specifically, New York’s Warehouse Worker Protection Act grants workers the right to request information on their quota at any time. It also prohibits companies from imposing productivity demands that interfere with an employee’s state-mandated meal and restroom breaks.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-white-house-is-examining-how-companies-use-ai-to-monitor-workers-174217114.html?src=rss

Days after it started offering users the option to post more than once per day, BeReal is rolling out another new feature. RealPeople is a curated timeline of "the world’s most interesting people." Sorry if you didn't make the cut. The feed includes updates from athletes, artists, activists and other notable users.As with everyone else on BeReal, users featured in the RealPeople timeline will be prompted to drop everything and take a snapshot of their lives with their phone's selfie and rear cameras when the app sends them a notification at some point during the day. This, BeReal suggests, enables RealPeople to offer "real unfiltered glimpses" into the day-to-day lives of the likes of tennis star Coco Gauff and singers Tinashe and Danny Ocean."RealPeople isn’t about influencing, amassing likes or comments or promoting brands," the company wrote in a blog post. "You won’t see perfect photoshopped pictures, product recommendations or ads disguised as posts. It’s trying to show we’re all more alike than we think."As with the Bonus BeReal feature that debuted last week, RealPeople will only be available in the UK at first before it becomes more broadly available. For now, you'll be able to react to a RealPeople post with an emoji, or hide or report it. Other ways to interact with RealPeople posts are on the way.Observers have suggested that BeReal didn't move quickly enough to capitalize on the momentum it gained in 2022. The company has said that last year was largely about stabilizing the service amid a large influx of users. It has refuted claims that its user numbers have nosedived in recent months. To help it keep folks engaged though, BeReal is finally starting to roll out new features, something the company wasn't able to do before largerrivals started copying it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bereals-latest-feature-is-a-curated-timeline-of-high-profile-users-172232299.html?src=rss

Meta is once again holding a VR gaming event, and it won't be hard to tune in. The company has announced a 40-minute Quest Gaming Showcase streaming June 1st at 1PM Eastern through Facebook, Horizon Worlds, Twitch and YouTube. You can expect the usual batches of new games and gameplay footage, but this year's presentation will include a pre-show (starting at 12:45PM ET) featuring title updates and "debut" trailers. After the fact, there will be "deep-dive" talks with developers.The tech firm is unsurprisingly quiet on specifics. However, we wouldn't count on new hardware. Meta previously noted that its next mainstream Quest headset will arrive later this year. If so, the virtual event may represent a swan song for the Quest 2 that highlights its last big games before its successor arrives.The showcase comes at an important time for Meta. It recently completed its buyout of Within, the developer of the VR fitness game Supernatural. The industry heavyweight is still struggling to pivot to the metaverse, too. Its Reality Labs unit is still losing billions of dollars each quarter, and it recently cut the price of the Quest Pro by a third to $999 to spur adoption. The gaming event isn't likely to turn things around, but it may sustain interest in Meta's VR platform ahead of new headsets.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-next-quest-games-showcase-is-june-1st-165019399.html?src=rss

The Apple Pencil has dropped back down to $89 at Amazon and Best Buy, which is a 31 percent savings over the usual $129 list price. It's the lowest the stylus has sold for since its debut, though we've seen it drop this low a few timesbefore. It's also on sale at Target, but you'll pay about a dollar more if you get it there. We think the Apple Pencil is one of the best accessories for your iPad and it's compatible with most late-model iPad Airs, minis and Pros.The second-generation Apple Pencil stores and charges magnetically at the side of your tablet, so you don't need to keep track of cables. A double tap function lets you change tools quickly and the low-lag makes it responsive for drawing and note taking. Features like pressure sensitivity and tilt capabilities make the stylus feel more like a real drawing tool, particularly when paired with a textured screen protector. I particularly enjoy using the pencil to write in text fields, a process that's surprisingly accurate and faster than tapping out words with the on-screen keyboard.The usual MSRP of $130 makes it an expensive accessory, so it's nice to see it drop to a more reasonable price. The only other caveat is compatibility. The latest generation standard iPad is still tied to the first-generation Pencil, which is on sale at Amazon for $79 and at Target for $80. So if you have that tablet, you can still save on a stylus that will work with it.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-second-gen-apple-pencil-returns-to-its-lowest-price-ever-163705136.html?src=rss