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If you dread having to vacuum — who doesn't? — you may want to consider investing in a robot model to do it for you. While many options come with a high price tag, the self-emptying Shark RV1001AE IQ Robot is currently half off, down from $600 to $300. The steep price drop makes a big difference if you've been on the fence about investing in a robovac.Here's what you need to know if you're considering taking the plunge. The vacuum works with the Shark app or through your Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. You can schedule cleanings or tell the Shark IQ Robot which areas to clean in the moment. It maps each room while moving through your home to give you the option to select specific spaces to be vacuumed.The self-cleaning vacuum goes row by row in each room, ensuring it hits every spot. It's equipped to handle hair (human or pet) without it getting wrapped around the suction, and works on carpets or floors. It also has a self-emptying base that holds 45 days of dirt and whatever else it cleans up.Once done cleaning, the vacuum brings itself back to its dock and starts recharging. All you need to do is put your feet up when it comes nearby and let it do its work.If you're looking for something with a longer capacity, the Shark AV2511AE AI Ultra Robot Vacuum holds up to 60 days worth of debris. It's currently discounted 17 percent, from $600 to $500. While many previous Shark robot vacuum sales have lasted only a day, it's not clear how long these discounts will be available.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-robot-vacuum-is-50-percent-off-094546971.html?src=rss

By the end of this week, 1,300 people who work for Lucid Motors will have known that they're going to lose their jobs. The luxury electric vehicle maker has notified (PDF) the US Securities and Exchange Commission in a filing that it's reducing its current workforce by approximately 18 percent. Lucid said it's cutting jobs to reduce operating expenses "in response to evolving business needs and productivity improvements" and that it intends to complete this restructuring plan by the end of the second quarter this year.Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson told employees in a memo that the job cuts will affect both employees and contractors. In the US, nearly every division will be hit by reductions, and some executives are even included in the list of personnel the company is laying off. The EV-maker implemented other cost-cutting measures, such as reviewing its non-critical spending, after announcing its 2022 earnings results in February. But apparently, those measures weren't enough for the company to achieve its objectives.While Lucid experienced a sharp increase in revenue year-over-year — it had only just started the Air sedan's production in late 2021 — it still fell short of analyst forecasts. In addition, although its production goal (14,000 EVs) for 2023 is double last year's figures, it's much lower than the 21,000 units experts had expected. As Reuters previously reported, price cuts by Tesla and the availability of affordable EVs from traditional automakers had lessened demand for vehicles from startups like Lucid. Rivian, another EV startup, is similarly affected and announced that it was going to reduce its workforce by six percent in February.Lucid said in its filing that the layoffs will cost the company $24 million to $30 million, which will be spent on severance payments, company-paid health insurance and stock-based compensation for the affected workers. Despite its cost-cutting measures, Lucid still intends to expand globally and to continue developing more models, including the three-row Gravity electric SUV that it plans to release in 2024.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lucid-motors-is-laying-off-1300-workers-to-reduce-expenses-090908953.html?src=rss

Lenovo carved out a niche with its Legion line of gaming smartphones featuring impressive specs and gimmicks like SSD RAID storage and pop-out cameras. Now, the company is exiting the gaming phone business completely, it told Android Authority."Lenovo is discontinuing its Android-based Legion mobile gaming phones as part of a wider business transformation and gaming portfolio consolidation. As a leader in gaming devices and solutions, Lenovo is committed to advancing the gaming category across form factors, as well as focusing on where it can bring the most value to the global gaming community," a spokesperson said.Lenovo's gaming smartphone woes likely sprung from the fact that it failed to establish the Legion brand outside of China. It poached a number of employees from the ASUS ROG team at the beginning, so it was clearly committed to mobile gaming early on. Its last Legion-branded phone was the slightly lower-end Y70 announced last August, but the final flagship Y90 was released over a year ago in February 2022.With Lenovo out, that leaves just ASUS with its ROG gaming smartphone lineup, along with the Nubia Red Magic and Xiaomi's Black Shark — though the latter recently laid off a large chunk of its workforce. Lenovo will likely now focus on its Moto line along with special models like the ThinkPhone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lenovo-has-shut-down-its-legion-gaming-phone-business-082028564.html?src=rss

A federal judge has ruled that Google violated a court order requiring it to preserve employee chat messages relevant to Epic's antitrust case, according to Bloomberg and CNBC. San Francisco US District Judge James Donato said the tech giant "adopted a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy for keeping messages, at the expense of its preservation duties," and must be sanctioned for its actions. Donato has yet to decide on what sanctions and penalties Google should face, but he ordered the company to cover Epic's attorney's fees related to this particular issue.Donato said in his decision that Google gave almost 360 employees the complete freedom to decide whether or not to preserve chat histories. In a separate filing by the Department of Justice over the same complaint, the agency explained that the tech giant's internal chatroom, which is used to discuss "substantive and sensitive business," is set to delete chat messages within 24 hours by default. The agency expected Google to change its chat history setting in 2019 when it "reasonably anticipated [the] litigation," but it still allegedly left the decision to individual employees.Epic Games, to support its case, recently submitted exhibits to show how Google employees tend to switch off chat history. In one example from 2021, Google CEO Sundar Pichai allegedly wrote: "...also can we change the setting of this group to history off." He attempted to delete that message a few seconds later, according to the filing. Google employees also reportedly switch off chat histories when discussing topics, such as revenue sharing and mobile app distribution agreements, as well as a project that involves changing commission rates for Google Play.In a statement, a Google spokesperson said the company has worked with Epic and investigators over the years and has handed over millions of documents: "Our teams have conscientiously worked, for years, to respond to Epic and the state AGs’ discovery requests and we have produced over three million documents, including thousands of chats. We'll continue to show the court how choice, security, and openness are built into Android and Google Play," they said.The judge will hold further proceedings to finalize the sanctions Google must face. Donato said he'd like to see the evidence available "at the end of fact discovery," so that Epic would be better positioned to "tell the Court what might have been lost in the Chat communications."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-found-to-have-violated-order-to-save-chat-evidence-in-epic-antitrust-case-052711779.html?src=rss

Spotify already offers a host of personalized playlists, and now the company is giving users even more control over the generation of those mixes. Building on the mood, decades and genre playlists the platform debuted in 2021, Spotify today introduced Niche Mixes, a feature the company says combines all of its personalized playlists “in a playful way.”In short, you can now prompt Spotify to create an algorithmically generated mix for almost any mood or genre. To do so, navigate over to Spotify’s search bar and type the activity you want the app to soundtrack for you and add “mix” to the end. You can get pretty creative. I asked Spotify to create a witch house playlist for me, followed by one featuring relaxing videogame soundtracks. In both cases, Spotify obliged and did a pretty good job of selecting appropriate tracks. That said, you'll sometimes run into situations where Spotify won't produce an exact match for the mix you want. For example, I asked it to create a "dubstep work mix," only to get a workout playlist instead.As with the company’s other personalized mixes, you can expect each playlist to feature a mixture of familiar songs alongside tracks ones you may not have heard before. Niche mixes are available to today to free and Premium users who search in English.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotifys-niche-mixes-let-you-generate-personalized-playlists-for-almost-anything-220006705.html?src=rss

You now know when you can continue following the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike. Paramount+ has revealed that the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will premiere June 15th, with new episodes appearing each Thursday. While the streaming service isn't saying much about the plot apart from a Star Trek: Lower Decks crossover, it's promising a 10-episode run and has already renewed the show for a third season.Animation fans in the US, meanwhile, can expect Lower Decks season four in August and a fifth season in the pipeline. The new episodes have the crew of the USS Ceritos dodging "malevolent computers," getting trapped in caves and running into aliens from across the galaxy.The second season of kids' animated series Star Trek: Prodigy is now slated to debut this winter. The fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery was already poised to arrive in early 2024.The two confirmed renewals aren't surprising. While Paramount+ is now popular for more than Star Trek, the sci-fi franchise remain one of the service's main attractions. Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks in particular have enjoyed a strong reception. With Picard winding down this April, the remaining productions will have to carry extra weight.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-premieres-june-15th-210101079.html?src=rss

If humanity is going to have a long-term presence on the Moon, it's going to need reliable communications — and Lockheed Martin thinks it can provide that link. The company has created a spinoff devoted to lunar infrastructure, Crescent Space, whose first project is a Moon-to-Earth satellite network. Parsec, as it's called, uses a constellation of small lunar satellites to provide a non-stop connection between astronauts, their equipment and the people back home. The system will also provide navigation help.The technology should help explorers keep in touch, and assist with spacecraft course changes. As Lockheed Martin explains, though, it could prove vital to those on lunar soil. Parsec's nodes create a lunar equivalent to GPS, giving astronauts their exact positions and directions back to base. A rover crew might know how to return home without driving into a dangerous crater, for instance.Crescent's first Parsec nodes should be operational by 2025, with Lockheed Martin providing the satellites. And before you ask: yes, the company is clearly hoping for some big customers. CEO Joe Landon (formerly a Lockheed Martin Space VP) claims Crescent is "well positioned" to support NASA's Artemis Moon landings and other exploratory missions.The startup may seem premature when NASA's Artemis program won't even conduct a lunar flyby until late 2024, and a landing at the end of 2025. However, there's already a clear race to the Moon that includes national efforts from the US and China as well as private projects like SpaceX's lunar tourism. Crescent could help Lockheed Martin profit from that rush without disrupting its existing businesses.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lockheed-martin-is-building-a-moon-to-earth-satellite-communications-network-204507410.html?src=rss

Microsoft is working on a new “modern” version of Windows with better security and faster updates, according toWindows Central. The initiative, called CorePC, would allow Windows to scale better for different devices while still supporting legacy apps.CorePC would aim for many of the same goals as the scrapped Windows Core OS (including the also canceled Windows 10X), which Microsoft billed as a modular modernization of its OS. CorePC would use “state separation” and split Windows into multiple partitions, similar to iOS and Android. This could make it harder for malware to infect the system while making updates faster.“The current version of Windows is not a state-separated platform, meaning the entire system is installed into a single writable partition,” explains Windows Central. “System files, user data, and program files are all stored in the same place. CorePC splits up the OS into multiple partitions, which is key to enabling faster OS updates. State separation also enables faster and more reliable system reset functionality, which is important for Chromebook compete devices in the education sector.”CorePC would let Microsoft offer various editions of Windows for different hardware, supporting specific features and apps for each. For example, one educationally focused variant could have a light footprint like ChromeOS, running only the Edge browser, web apps, Office and emulated Android apps. Conversely, CorePC could also offer full-fledged versions of Windows that support all the current features and capabilities of the modern Windows 11 desktop. (A “Neon” compatibility layer would let the OS support legacy Windows apps.)The company is also reportedly working on a version of CorePC to rival Apple Silicon, which the iPhone maker began shipping in new Macs more than two years ago. Microsoft’s “silicon-optimized” variant would enhance the operating system’s performance and capabilities when tied to specific hardware (like, theoretically, Surface devices running a particular class of chips).Finally, Microsoft is (unsurprisingly) baking AI into the new project. Its plans include using artificial intelligence to analyze on-screen content and provide appropriate contextual cues. It sounds like a system-wide extension of the AI capabilities in upcoming versions of Office.As for when you can get your hands on it, Microsoft is reportedly aiming to use CorePC for the next major version of Windows (presumably “Windows 12”), scheduled for 2024. But, of course, the company’s alleged plans could change between now and then.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-to-reportedly-focus-on-security-and-ai-in-next-version-of-windows-201316103.html?src=rss

OverDrive, the service you can use to borrow ebooks, audiobooks and other digital media from your local library, school or university, is shutting down. In a blog post spotted by TechCrunch, OverDrive announced last week it would shutter the app on May 1st, 2023. The company first shared it was planning to sunset OverDrive in 2021, revealing at the time that it would delist the service from app stores in February 2022.The shutdown represents an effort by OverDrive to move the majority of its users over to its newer Libby app. The two services have existed alongside one another since Overdrive introduced Libby in 2017, though there’s little reason to use the older app. Libby offers a handful of features that aren’t available on OverDrive, including, most notably, support for multiple library cards, a unified bookshelf for all your loans and holds and Apple CarPlay support.If you use OverDrive to enjoy books on your e-reader, you’re probably wondering how the shutdown will affect your Kindle or Kobo. Amazon did not immediately respond to Engadget’s request for information on how it plans to handle the transition. However, most signs point to the shutdown being a minor inconvenience for users who haven’t already moved to Libby. In the US, you can send most books you find on Libby to your Kindle device. Moreover, if you’re still using OverDrive, you can sync your wish lists to Libby. As for Kobo devices, a Rakuten spokesperson said the company would have more information to share on the transition in the future. In either case, Engadget will update this article once there’s more to know.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/e-book-library-app-overdrive-is-shutting-down-on-may-1st-194807737.html?src=rss

Nintendo might be making it harder to play its older games on official hardware, but there are other options if you know where to look. One of them is about to be a lot easier to find: Dolphin, a popular emulator that runs most GameCube and Wii titles, will be launching on Steam later this year. Dolphin is already available for free, but launching on Steam could make using the emulator more straightforward on devices like the Steam Deck, where dropping to desktop mode and manually installing programs can be a little cumbersome.That doesn't mean downloading Dolphin from the Steam store will give you instant access to classic Nintendo games, however. Dolphin's store page is quick to point out that the "app does not come with games. You must own an original copy of any game you want to use with Dolphin." If you've dabbled in retro game emulation at all, that should sound pretty familiar — emulating console games is a bit of a legal gray area.That's probably why the Dolphin Steam page is reluctant to even identify what, exactly, it does — instead choosing to say it plays "classics from the Big N's cube-shaped and motion-controlled consoles." The emulator's website is a bit more explicit, specifically stating that "downloading commercial games is illegal" and encouraging users use homebrew tools to make backups of game discs they legally own.Dolphin is expected to launch on Steam Early Access by the end of Q2 2023, with a full launch planned by the end of the year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/dolphin-is-releasing-its-gamecube-and-wii-emulator-on-steam-193356400.html?src=rss

Google already provides some context around search results to help you understand the news, and now it's adding more tools to make sure you see the broader picture. To start, there's a new Perspectives carousel that provides viewpoints from experts, journalists and "other relevant voices" for a given news topic. You may see actors and critics' takes after the Oscars, for instance. Perspectives will be available soon in the US for English users.You can also learn more about the writers behind news stories. An "About this author" feature tucked inside "About this result" will show creators' backgrounds and encourage the use of trustworthy sources. Google is rolling out the author info worldwide in English, and you'll also find it in the Perspectives carousel.The company is simultaneously upgrading some of its existing features. "About this result" will be available for all search languages in the days ahead. Advisories for rapidly developing stories are coming to French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese users, too. And if you put an organization's web address into a search, you'll now get "About this page" info toward the top. You'll have a better sense of whether or not that organization's site is worth visiting.The extra features help flesh out Google's larger bid to fight misinformation and promote news literacy through education, fact-checking and supplemental info. Ideally, searchers will both look for more reliable info and escape media bubbles that reinforce biases. It's not clear how well the additions will help in practice (it requires a desire to double-check content, after all), and this won't fend off bias accusations against Google itself. However, they may be especially useful to students wanting to verify the quality of their sources for essays and research papers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-searches-now-provide-more-context-and-viewpoints-for-news-stories-191545815.html?src=rss

It’s been three years since Google and security firm ADT announced a partnership to develop Nest-integrated products, and we’re finally seeing the fruits of this team-up. ADT just announced a DIY-friendly suite of security tools under the ADT Self Setup umbrella, and each of these products boasts deep integration with the Google Nest platform.The ADT Self Setup system includes components from both companies. On the ADT side, they just announced a slew of compatible products like door and window sensors, standalone motion sensors, smoke detectors, temperature sensors, flooding sensors and a keypad to make adjustments. Additionally, ADT will soon offer a keychain remote for even more control options.All of these products connect via a centralized hub with a built-in keyboard, a siren, and full battery backup in the case of a power outage. Each of the above components offers full integration with nearly every Google Nest device, including the battery-powered Nest Doorbell, the Nest Learning Thermostat, the Nest WiFi Router and various indoor and outdoor cameras. Smart displays like the Nest Hub Max are also supported.ADTWhat does this mean exactly? You can make adjustments to the Nest devices via the ADT+ app, simplifying your setup, and you will receive specialized notifications from Nest cameras and doorbells whenever they detect activity. These notifications will even alert you to the type of activity, such as a person rooting around or a neighborhood dog giving your porch a good sniff.Customers can also use the app to create unique routines and automations that combine the features of both Nest and ADT security products. ADT says these routines will be useful for setting doors to lock on a schedule and lights to turn on or off, among other functions.Users can receive more benefits by opting into ADT’s smart monitoring system, which is priced at $25 each month. The subscription gets you video verification, in which ADT representatives analyze footage when an alarm is tripped, and 24/7 monitoring. We reached out to ADT and they said the products can be used without a paid monitoring plan, though not all features will be available. As such, the company "strongly recommends customers subscribe in order to get the best protection and experience from their system."In the meantime, the system is available for purchase starting today. A bare-bones pack including just the control hub costs $180, while a starter package that includes the hub, a Nest Doorbell, and several related sensors clocks in at $480. Finally, an ultra-premium package at $580 ships with everything mentioned above, plus a second-generation Nest Hub.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-and-adt-team-up-for-new-nest-integrated-security-tools-185037191.html?src=rss

We now know why Twitter’s algorithm seems to recommend some users’ tweets so often. Newsletter Platformer reports that the company has a secret VIP list of a few dozen accounts “it monitors and offers increased visibility” in its recommendation algorithm. The accounts include Elon Musk, as well as a handful of other prominent Twitter users.The revelation comes as Musk has repeatedlypromised to make Twitter’s recommendation algorithms open source. He also recently stated that soon only paid subscribers to Twitter Blue would be eligible to have their tweets displayed in the algorithmic “For You” feed. It’s not clear if that change would also affect the VIP list of users who regularly get a boost in the feed. Some of the accounts on the list, like President Joe Biden and YouTuber Mr Beast, are currently verified but don’t pay for Twitter Blue. Twitter no longer has a communications team to respond to questions.According to Platformer, the VIP list was “originally created to monitor the engagement received by Twitter power users” as the company has tried to allay suspicions that its “shadowbans” certain users to reduce their visibility on the platform. “Our ‘algorithm’ is overly complex & not fully understood internally,” Musk recently tweeted.But the list, which reportedly is only 35 accounts in addition to Musk, is also telling about who Musk believes should benefit from Twitter’s algorithm. Platformer didn’t publish the entire list, which includes LeBron James, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, venture capitalist Marc Andreesen, Tesla fan account @teslaownerssv and conservative personality Ben Shapiro. It also includes @catturd2, an account recently described by Rolling Stone as the “Sh-tposting King of MAGA Twitter.”It’s also not the first time that a report has surfaced about how Musk has tweaked Twitter’s algorithm to boost his own tweets. Last month, Musk said the company was fixing an issue that caused users’ For You feeds to be overwhelmed with dozens of Musk tweets. Platformer later reported that Twitter employees had changed its algorithm to favor Musk after the CEO was mad that his Super Bowl tweet didn’t receive as much engagement as Biden’s. Musk reportedly fired an engineer who suggested the lack of engagement was due to declining interest in his tweets.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitters-secret-vip-list-is-the-reason-you-see-elon-musks-tweets-so-often-181735784.html?src=rss

We don't always think about it, but sound can be as important to identifying a brand as any graphical logo. Netflix's 'ta-dum' instantly brings the streaming service's logo to mind. Apple's startup chime feels like a warm greeting from your computer. Now, Wikipedia has an iconic audio mark of its own: a fluttering of book pages, keyboard clicks and synthesize tones it calls "The Sound of All Human Knowledge."In true Wikipedia fashion, the four second audio clip was sourced from the community. The Wikimedia Foundation hosted a contest to find an audio logo for "projects when visual logos are not an option." Over 3,000 submissions later, they landed on a series of warm, happy notes preceded by book and keyboard noises, created by Thaddeus Osborne.Osborne, a Nuclear Scientist by day, will be awarded $2,500 for creating the winning sound. Wikimedia will also be flying him to a professional recording studio to help produce a finalized version of the audio logo. The foundation says it hopes to have the final sound ready to use by June of this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wikipedia-says-it-has-found-the-sound-of-all-human-knowledge-with-new-audio-logo-181059089.html?src=rss

Amazon has begun displaying a warning about frequently returned items as the company tightens its belt in response to shaky finances and an uncertain economy. Industry-wide e-commerce returns skyrocketed during pandemic lockdowns. Although they’ve declined, they’re still well above pre-pandemic numbers.The retailer’s new badge reads, “Frequently returned item: Check the product details and customer reviews to learn more about this item.” However, it doesn’t appear visible to everyone (my Amazon account doesn’t show it when viewing the record player and dresses that The Informationreported on). That may suggest Amazon is deploying a gradual rollout or a limited test. In addition, the tagged products all appear to be from third-party vendors fulfilled by Amazon.Amazon / The VergeProduct returns and exchanges are a convenience businesses use to help customers shop confidently, but they can also be expensive. Return-related costs include shipping, processing the returned inventory and other miscellaneous expenses. The company likely hopes the label will nudge sellers to modify their listings or products, as a prominent alert could seriously damage an item’s sales. Of course, retailers factor returns into their pricing, but with rates higher than usual as companies cut spending (Amazon has announced layoffs for 27,000 employees this year), it makes sense it would crack down.Some sellers have said their customers return items at a higher clip on Amazon than when bought from other outlets, a discrepancy they chalk up to Amazon’s easy checkout process and fast Prime shipping. The retailer has already passed on some of the extra expenses to vendors, as it raised fees for “Fulfilled by Amazon” sellers earlier this year.“We’re currently showing return rate information on some product detail pages to help our customers make more informed purchase decisions,” Amazon spokesperson Betsy Harden confirmed to The Information this week. It isn’t the first time Amazon has highlighted sales data publicly: The company recently began displaying a badge showing how many sales a product made (for example, “100K+ bought in past month”).In December, the National Retail Foundation (NRF) reported that online return rates rose to 18 percent in 2020 — when customers tallied $428 billion in returned merchandise — from a mere 8.1 percent in 2019. They only dropped slightly to 16.5 percent last year. Unfortunately, bogus returns are another concern: The NRF says retailers lose $10.40 to return fraud for every $100 in returned merchandise.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-begins-flagging-frequently-returned-products-180013338.html?src=rss

Clearview AI, the controversial facial recognition software used by at least 3,100 law enforcement agencies across the US, has scrapped more than 30 billion images from social media platforms like Facebook. CEO Hoan Ton-That shared the statistic in a recent interview with BBC News (via Gizmodo) where he also said the company had run nearly 1 million searches for US police.Last March, Clearview disclosed its database featured more than 20 billion “publicly available” images, meaning the platform has grown by a staggering 50 percent over the past year. While Engadget cannot confirm those figures, they suggest the company, despite recent setbacks at the hands of groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and legal threats from platform holders, has found no shortage of interest for its services.In a rare admission, the Miami Police Department revealed it uses Clearview AI to investigate all manner of crimes, including everything from theft to murder. Assistant Chief of Police Armando Aguilar said the force has used the technology about 450 times per year. “We don’t make an arrest because an algorithm tells us to,” he told BBC News. "We either put that name in a photographic line-up or we go about solving the case through traditional means."Ton-That told BBC News he was not aware of any cases where Clearview mistakenly identified someone. Verifying that claim is difficult due to a lack of data and transparency around the use of facial recognition technology. For instance, in the recent wrongful arrest of Randal Reid, a Black man who was falsely accused of stealing in a state he had never visited, it’s unclear if police obtained the false match that led to the arrest using Clearview AI or MorphoTrak, a competing facial recognition system. Ton-That said wrongful arrests are the result of "poor policing.”A handful of US cities, including Boston and San Francisco, have passed legislation restricting police and government use of facial recognition technologies. Federal action on the subject has been slow. In 2021, a group of 20 lawmakers led by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced the Fourth Amendment is Not For Sale Act, a bill that seeks to ban law enforcement and intelligence agencies from buying data from Clearview. The legislation has yet to pass, however.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/clearview-ceo-claims-companys-database-of-scraped-images-is-now-30-billion-strong-174921576.html?src=rss

Humanity took another step towards its Ghost in the Shell future on Tuesday with Microsoft's unveiling of the new Security Copilot AI at its inaugural Microsoft Secure event. The automated enterprise-grade security system is powered by OpenAI's GPT-4, runs on the Azure infrastructure and promises admins the ability "to move at the speed and scale of AI."Security Copilot is similar to the large language model (LLM) that drives the Bing Copilot feature, but with a training geared heavily towards network security rather than general conversational knowledge and web search optimization. "This security-specific model in turn incorporates a growing set of security-specific skills and is informed by Microsoft’s unique global threat intelligence and more than 65 trillion daily signals," Vasu Jakkal, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Security, Compliance, Identity, and Management, wrote Tuesday.“Just since the pandemic, we’ve seen an incredible proliferation [in corporate hacking incidents],"Jakkal told Bloomberg. For example, “it takes one hour and 12 minutes on average for an attacker to get full access to your inbox once a user has clicked on a phishing link. It used to be months or weeks for someone to get access.”Security Copilot should serve as a force multiplier for overworked and under-supported network admins, a filed which Microsoft estimates has more than 3 million open positions. "Our cyber-trained model adds a learning system to create and tune new skills," Jakkal explained. "Security Copilot then can help catch what other approaches might miss and augment an analyst’s work. In a typical incident, this boost translates into gains in the quality of detection, speed of response and ability to strengthen security posture."Jakkal anticipates these new capabilities enabling Copilot-assisted admins to respond within minutes to emerging security threats, rather than days or weeks after the exploit is discovered. Being a brand new, untested AI system, Security Copilot is not meant to operate fully autonomously, a human admin needs to remain in the loop. “This is going to be a learning system,” she said. “It’s also a paradigm shift: Now humans become the verifiers, and AI is giving us the data.”To more fully protect the sensitive trade secrets and internal business documents Security Copilot is designed to protect, Microsoft has also committed to never use its customers data to train future Copilot iterations. Users will also be able to dictate their privacy settings and decide how much of their data (or the insights gleaned from it) will be shared. The company has not revealed if, or when, such security features will become available for individual users as well.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-new-security-copilot-will-help-network-admins-respond-to-threats-in-minutes-not-days-174252645.html?src=rss

If you want to catch a (somewhat) rare planetary alignment in the night sky, find a clear area without much light pollution and set your gaze to the west right after sunset this evening. There, you’ll see five of our neighbors — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus — lined up in an orderly fashion.The alignment will be visible at the same time this entire week, but this evening should provide the best view from the US. The planets will range from the horizon line to around halfway up the sky. However, you won’t want to wait long because the row of planets will only be visible for about half an hour after sunset.You won’t necessarily need binoculars to spot the planets, but they may make your job easier — ditto for augmented reality stargazing apps like Night Sky (iOS) or Sky Map (Android). NASA astronomer Bill Cooke told the Associated Press this week that Jupiter, Venus and Mars will be the brightest and easiest to spot. He added that the alignment happens “when the planets’ orbits line them up on one side of the sun from Earth’s perspective.”Although this cosmic convergence is a somewhat rare occurrence, it just happened only last summer. In addition, if you miss this week’s show, you’ll get another chance in June (albeit with a slightly different breakdown). Be sure to scout a dark spot without tall trees or buildings nearby for the best view.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-see-five-planets-aligned-in-the-night-sky-this-week-163001255.html?src=rss

It took nearly a year, but Apple's pay-over-time system is here. The company has launched Apple Pay Later for US customers in a "prerelease" version that requires an invitation. If you're included, you can split your online Apple Pay purchases (made with an iPhone or iPad) into as many as four payments spread over six weeks. You can't apply for loans larger than $1,000 and have to link a debit card, but there are no fees or interest payments. This also won't hurt your credit score, and Apple says it won't share data with third-party marketers.Apple Pay Later is part of the Wallet app in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, and includes a calendar to help you track your next instalment. You'll also get app-based and email notifications for looming payments to be sure you're on time.The feature should reach every eligible user in the "coming months," Apple says. Businesses that use Apple Pay don't need to do anything on their end due to a Mastercard partnership — if you can use Pay Later, you'll see the option during checkout either on the web or in apps. Apple will report Pay Later loans to American credit bureaus starting in the fall, and hopes they'll "promote responsible lending" for both borrowers and lenders.Apple first previewed Pay Later at WWDC 2022, and was rumored to be working on the option in 2021. It was supposed to arrive alongside iOS 16 in September, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman heard that it was pushed back due to technical challenges. The company hasn't officially explained the wait.Staggered payment systems aren't new, of course. Companies like Affirm and Klarna have been operating for a while, and they aren't tied to specific platforms. However, Pay Later represents a significant expansion of Apple's financial ambitions. It already offers a credit card (managed by Goldman Sachs) and money transfers, and plans to provide savings accounts. Now, the company is making lending decisions. While Apple is still far from a bank, it can easily play a large role in your financial life.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-pay-later-is-finally-available-in-the-us-but-only-with-an-invite-161503288.html?src=rss

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (aka SBF) now faces a total of 13 criminal charges. Per Reuters, a newly unsealed indictment accuses the disgraced entrepreneur of conspiring to pay a $40 million bribe to Chinese government officials. Federal prosecutors allege Bankman-Fried ordered Alameda Research, FTX’s sister company, to transfer the funds to a private wallet, in hopes of convincing Chinese authorities to unfreeze Alameda accounts with more than $1 billion in crypto assets. It is illegal for US citizens to bribe foreign government officials in order to obtain business.The new charge adds even more pressure on the 31-year-old Bankman-Fried. It was only last month that federal prosecutors added four charges to his then 8-count indictment, accusing SBF of fraudulent activity involving FTX and Alameda Research and violating federal campaign finance laws by making secret donations. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to eight of the 13 criminal charges he faces. He has yet to be arraigned on the remaining ones. Separately, the former entrepreneur faces civil lawsuits from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).SBF has acknowledged FTX employed inadequate risk management. However, he maintains he's not criminally liable for the crypto exchange’s downfall. A trio of former FTX executives – Caroline Ellison, Zixiao "Gary” Wang and Nishad Singh – have pleaded guilty to their own fraud and conspiracy charges, and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. According to Reuters, SBF is expected to be arraigned on the new charge on Thursday. That same day, Judge Lewis Kaplan will also consider tweaks to Bankman-Fried’s $250 bail package, including a provision that could limit him to using a dumb phone while he waits for the outcome of his trial.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ftx-co-founder-sam-bankman-fried-accused-of-bribing-chinese-officials-160918751.html?src=rss

Nintendo had more than just gameplay to show during its Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom stream. The company has revealed that a special edition Tears of the Kingdom OLED Switch will be available April 28th for $360. There's no included game, alas, but you will get ornate artwork on the system, the Joy-Cons and the dock.The Switch is functionally the same as regular OLED models. That means a 7-inch screen (versus the original's 6.2 inches), a more capable kickstand and 64GB of expandable storage. You might not rush to replace the 2019 LCD Switch, but it might be worth an upgrade if you have a launch-era console and want longer battery life on top of the improved display and other tweaks.

You might not want to hold on to that vintage gaming PC for much longer. Valve has warned that Steam will no longer support Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 as of January 1st, 2024. The game client's latest features use an embedded version of Google's Chrome browser, which dropped support for those operating systems in February. Incoming versions of Steam for Windows will also require OS updates that are only available in Windows 10 and newer releases, Valve adds.As PC Gamerpoints out, this won't affect most Steam users. Just under 1.9 percent of the software's audience is using one of the relevant Windows versions, according to Valve's latest survey. That still affects a significant number of people, though, and may leave them no choice but to either upgrade their OS or buy a PC with a supported platform. The end of support could be particularly troublesome if you need an older version of Windows for work or a retro gaming system.There has been plenty of pressure elsewhere to move on. Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 7 in January 2020, and Windows 8.1 at the start of 2023. Epic Games no longer supports those platforms if you want to run Fortnite, for that matter. It's becoming harder and harder to use an ancient Windows machine in general — Steam's compatibility change may just be the tipping point that pushes you toward an upgrade.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/steam-will-drop-support-for-windows-7-and-windows-8-on-january-1st-2024-152437694.html?src=rss

As promised, Nintendo has showcased 10 minutes of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of Kingdom gameplay — and it's a useful preview if you're wondering just how the developers will improve on Breath of the Wild's formula. Most notably, producer Eiji Aonuma notes that fusing objects plays an important role in the game. You can build stronger weapons, and even craft vehicles like powered boats and hovercraft. Enemies can use fused weapons too, though, so you can't assume that a favorite combat strategy will work.The demo video also shows a way to reach the floating islands above Hyrule (by using a recall ability on an elevator stone), and what happens if you fall or jump off. You have full control all the way down, so you can glide to distant areas or plunge quickly toward the ground. Many mechanics appear familiar, so you won't have to relearn the fundamentals.And yes, Nintendo plans to cater to Legend of Zelda devotees with special edition hardware. The company is releasing a Tears of the KingdomOLED Switch (shown below) for $360 on April 28th, weeks ahead of the game's May 12th launch. You won't get a copy of Tears, unfortunately, but you will get lavish artwork on the Switch itself, the Joy-Con controllers and the dock. If you already have a Switch, you can also buy Tears-edition Pro Controller ($75) or carrying case ($25).NintendoThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-10-minutes-of-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-gameplay-145613610.html?src=rss

Apple is once again facing accusations of cracking down on union organizers. The Communications Workers of America union (CWA) has filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) asserting that Apple illegally intimidated and fired workers at Houston and Kansas City, Missouri stores in retaliation for their labor organization efforts. The ex-employees in Kansas City were ostensibly cut loose for being slightly late, calling out from work or even making typos in timesheets, but were also made to sign a "release of all claims" to get their severance pay. They couldn't challenge Apple's practices once they left, in other words.In Houston, Apple allegedly questioned workers individually about their union support and offered improved conditions if they dropped their labor support. Those that persisted in pro-union activity were disciplined and threatened with deteriorating conditions, the CWA claims.Only two US stores, in Oklahoma City and Towson, Maryland, unionized in 2022. Abroad, a store in Glasgow became the third. Other employees, such as those in St. Louis, Missouri, have filed for union elections. Staff in Atlanta called off a vote last spring after accusing Apple of intimidation tactics.We've asked Apple for comment. The company has historically opposed unionization efforts, reportedly holding mandatory anti-union meetings. Apple is also said to have withheld benefits from unionized workers at the Towson store while claiming that they needed to strike a collective bargaining agreement. The firm has tried to head off labor movements by raising wages, expanding benefits and relaxing schedules.Fights between tech giants and their rank-and-file workers aren't new. Labor organization in tech reached a fever pitch in 2022, with workers at companies like Activision Blizzard, Amazon and Microsoft either unionizing or making their displeasure known. Those brands, meanwhile, have frequently tried to block unionization attempts. The CWA's charges suggest those battles are continuing well into the new year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-accused-of-illegally-firing-pro-union-workers-140058541.html?src=rss

Now that systems with NVIDIA's 40-series mobile GPUs are finally hitting the market, there's a fresh generation of gaming laptops promising even more bombastic performance. And with the 2023 version of ASUS' ROG Zephyrus M16 packing a 13th-gen Intel CPU and an RTX 4090, we should be in for unmatched gaming prowess. This year, ASUS also upgraded the laptop's display to a stunning new Mini LED panel, and by bringing over the AniMe Matrix lid, the notebook looks better too despite the rest of its chassis being largely unchanged. But the big question is that with our fully loaded review unit costing a whopping $3,500, is this system really delivering the same value back?DesignFeaturing a relatively slim matte black chassis that weighs just over five pounds, the Zephyrus M16 does a great job at retaining a bit of portability alongside all that performance. And while it looks almost exactly the same as last year's model, the AniMe Matrix LED lid (which we first saw on the Zephyrus G14 line) adds a bit of extra style without screaming about your power level. That's because when you prefer to be more discreet, you can easily turn off the lights using ASUS's Armoury Crate app and then just flip them back on when you want to surprise some nosy Saiyans.Inside, the Zephyrus features RGB backlit keys and stereo speakers on the left and right. Typing feels good, though I wish the actuation felt a tiny bit stiffer, and it would have been nice if the deck was a little better at resisting fingerprints. I would have also liked to see a finger scanner integrated into the power button. It's a feature widely available on non-gaming laptops, including those from ASUS, but for some reason, manufacturers think gamers don't care as much about the convenience and security a built-in sensor provides.And when it comes to connectivity, the M16 has plenty of ports including multiple USB jacks (both Type-A and Type-C), a full-size HDMI socket and even a microSD card slot. The one port ASUS didn't keep from last year's model is an Ethernet jack, which might be a deal breaker for some, but in 2023, I'm not that bothered.DisplayPhoto by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetAs for visuals, the M16's 2560 x 1600 screen is arguably a more important upgrade than its new CPU and GPU. Not only has the refresh rate been bumped up to 240Hz, because it's a Mini LED panel, you also get way more dimming zones which help cut down on blooming. Its brightness is way better too. In normal use, the display tops out at around 600 nits, but thanks to its VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification, things look even better when you're playing games or watching movies. It's an absolute treat.My one gripe, and this is something that applies to all laptops with Nvidia's Optimus tech, is that when switching between integrated graphics and the discrete GPU, the screen flashes and blacks out, which is just kind of clunky. On top of that, depending on your specific settings, when it changes modes you may need to reenable things like HDR or specific color profiles. This can get kind of tedious after a while, especially if you have Optimus set to switch automatically depending on if you're plugged in or running on battery. So in the end, I set it to stay connected to the GPU all the time and never touched it again.Performance and thermalsPhoto by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetWhile the M16's performance is anything but slow, ASUS stopped just short of delivering truly top-notch performance. That's because instead of an HX-series chip, you get a slightly slower Intel Core i9-13900H CPU. Meanwhile, ASUS limits the RTX 4090 in the M16 to 145 watts (or 150 watts according to the NVIDIA control panel), which is less than the 175-watt cards you get in some competitors like the Razer Blade 16.Granted, this may feel a bit nitpicky because it's not like the M16 is sluggish, particularly when you factor in its 32GB of RAM and speedy 2TB SSD. But when you're spending this much on a laptop, it's weird to see ASUS leave a little bit of extra performance on the table. In PCMark 10, the M16 posted a score of 8,624, which is more than 20 percent higher than what we got from last year's Razer Blade 15 (i7-12800H/RTX 3080 Ti). That's a pretty significant jump, though we're still waiting for a wider range of systems to arrive so we can get a more thorough comparison for 2023.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetBut more importantly, the M16 solidly beat the Blade 15 in games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider when it hit 144 fps at 1920 x 1080 on highest settings compared to just 124 fps for the Razer. Additionally, in Metro Exodus the M16 exhibited a similar lead when it hit 101 fps on Ultra at full HD versus 86 for the Blade 15. Furthermore, if you want to enjoy the Zephyrus' native 2560 x 1600 resolution, the laptop has more than enough oomph to maintain a rock solid 120 fps with all the graphical bells and whistles turned on in Far Cry 6.One downside of putting all this power in a relatively thin chassis (0.9 inches) though is that this thing runs hot. Temps don't go into the danger zone, but you're definitely not going to want to be doing any gaming on your lap, even casual titles. Heck, just resting your hands on the deck can make them sweaty after 10 or 15 minutes. Furthermore, the M16's fans are pretty loud, and in performance mode, there's simply no ignoring them. Thankfully, ASUS also gave the Zephyrus some rather beefy speakers so it's pretty easy to drown out the fans, that is if you don't mind making a ruckus for anyone else in the room (or possibly the next room over). And if you're OK with a bit of reduced performance, there's also a silent performance mode in the Armoury Crate app when you want to be less rambunctious.Battery LifePhoto by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetThe other con with a system this brawny is very mediocre battery life. When using the less power-hungry integrated graphics (which is what the system defaults to when Nvidia's Optimus tech is set to automatic), the M16 lasted just 5:18 on our local video rundown test. That's a bit better than something like the MSI's Stealth 15m's time of 4:15, but slightly worse than the 2022 Blade 15's mark of 5:42. And to little surprise, things are even worse when you rely entirely on the discrete GPU, with the M16 conking out after less than three hours (2:50).Wrap-upAll told, while it doesn't look much different from last year's system and its battery life is far from ideal, there's a lot to like about the Zephryus M16 too. It's got a slick and surprisingly understated design with a bit of hidden flash, and its new 240Hz Mini LED display looks awesome. It also has plenty of ports and, in a very welcome upgrade to general quality of life, ASUS even increased the resolution of its webcam to full HD. With the system supporting a 13th-gen Core i9 chip and up to RTX 4090 GPUs, practically anything you do runs super smooth. I just wish ASUS hadn't stopped short of including the most beastly versions of Intel and NVIDIA's top-specced mobile silicon. When you're already paying $3,500 for a fully loaded model, you might as well toss a couple hundred more to ensure there aren't any compromises on performance.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetThat said, for my money, I'd rather go with one of the M16's more affordable configs, which starts at $1,950 for an i9 chip and an RTX 4070 card. You still get that brilliant Mini LED screen and AniMe Matrix lid along with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. This way you'll have a system that won't bust your budget or make your back sore if you decide to carry it around, without putting a damper on your ability to game in style either.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/asus-rog-zephyrus-m16-2023-review-big-performance-with-a-brilliant-display-134540091.html?src=rss

One of the biggest criticisms of DJI's otherwise excellent Avata FPV drone was around the Goggles 2, which lacked comfort and forced you to tether to a battery. Now, DJI has unveiled the Goggles Integra, a new model designed for the Avata that offers an integrated battery, improved ergonomics and new flight control features. The company also announced the RC Motion 2 controller with an upgraded joystick and controls.The Goggles Integra use a new integrated design that merges the headband and battery, eliminating the annoying connecting cable on the last model. At the same time, DJI promises that the headband is "light, balanced and incredibly comfortable," while offering up to two hours of connecting time. It uses DJI's OcuSync O3+, that provides a 50Mbps video feed with up to 6.2 miles of range and 30-millisecond latency. It has a built-in GPS that lets you fly with no need to connect to a smartphone.DJIUnfortunately, the Goggles Integra lack the built-in diopter range found on the Goggles 2, and are too small to accommodate eyeglasses. Instead, they come with interchangeable lenses, meaning they're less flexible for users who need eye correction than the Goggles 2. And as before, when you take them off to see the drone, you'll need to put your glasses back on. With the battery cable gone, though, it's less awkward to put the headset on and take it off.Another key difference with the Goggles 2 is that there's no Bluetooth or WiFi communication. That means you won't be able to transmit the visuals you see in the goggles to a smartphone, as you can on the previous model.Along with the new headset, DJI introduced the RC Motion 2 as an update to the original RC Motion controller. It uses the same motion-sensing tech, but comes with an improved joystick that protrudes (rather than being flush as before) for more traditional operation.DJIIt also has an updated accelerator with a reverse function to support multidirectional flight. That includes vertical, backward and sideways motion, "making it easier to adjust the direction or choose a suitable place to land," DJI wrote. On the side is a new Fn dial (replacing the tilt switch) that lets you adjust the camera's ISO, shutter and other parameters without the to interact with the goggles.The new products show that DJI is being responsive to users, but it's unfortunate that the Goggles Integra lacks several key features from the $649 Goggles 2 — even though it's $150 cheaper. The Goggles Integra and RC Motion 2 are now available for $499 and $239 respectively. You can also get them in the Avata Explorer Combo that includes the Goggles Integra, DJI RC Motion 2, and DJI Avata for $1,278. If you need the diopter adjustment range and WiFi/Bluetooth features, the Pro-View Combo with the Goggles 2, DJI RC Motion 2, and DJI Avata is available for $1,428.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/djis-goggles-integra-has-an-integrated-battery-for-improved-ergonomics-130036871.html?src=rss

Now that Lenovo has introduced its mid-tier LOQ gaming laptops, it's revising its more portable Slim and Yoga lines. The headlining Slim Pro 9i (shown above) has the option of a mini-LED 3K display on both 14.5- and 16-inch models. You'll get improved contrast, of course, but Lenovo also touts 100 percent coverage of the DCI-P3, sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces, a 165Hz refresh rate and a 1,200-nit brightness that helps with HDR visuals and outdoor work. And yes, it's a viable option for gaming and other GPU-heavy tasks — you can use up to GeForce RTX 4070 graphics.Both Slim Pro 9i sizes support up to a 13th-gen Intel Core i9 H-series processor, 64GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. You can also expect Dolby Atmos-capable speakers and a healthy port selection that includes Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, a headphone jack and HDMI, although you'll have to spring for the larger machine to get a full-size SD card reader.Lenovo expects the Slim Pro 9i family to ship in May starting at $1,700 for the 14.5-inch model and $1,800 for the 16-inch equivalent. You won't get mini-LED at that price and will have to 'settle' for RTX 4050 video, but that still makes the base version viable if you want to strike a balance between raw speed and a reasonably portable chassis.LenovoYou have options if you don't need as much power. An updated Slim Pro 7 (pictured at middle) includes a larger battery and better cooling while offering the obligatory performance upgrades to Ryzen 7000HS-series CPUs. You won't get more than RTX 4050 graphics, 1TB storage or 16GB of RAM, but the 14.5-inch laptop still offers up to a 3K LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate. There's also a refreshed 14-inch Slim 7i with 13th-gen Intel Core processors. Both ranges arrive in April, beginning at $1,180 for the Slim 7i and $1,200 for the Slim Pro 7.The new Yoga models are straightforward spec bumps. The Intel-based Yoga 7i now uses 13th-gen Core chips in its 14- and 16-inch guises, while the AMD-powered Yoga 7 relies on Ryzen 7000 CPUs. You can use up to a 2.8K OLED display. Both Yoga updates start at $800 ($850 for the 14-inch 7i). The 7i appears in April, while you'll have to wait until May for the Ryzen edition.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lenovos-new-slim-pro-9i-laptop-includes-a-mini-led-display-and-rtx-4070-graphics-130025162.html?src=rss

Last year, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (then Chancellor of the Exchequer) announced that the Royal Mint would issue an official NFT (non-fungible token) as a "forward-looking approach" toward crypto. Now, with the shine well off the technology, the Treasury has announced that it's "not proceeding with the launch" after all, the BBC reported.NFTs were still the crypto trend du jour when the government said it would create a "dynamic regulatory landscape," to nurture a bustling industry. It also planned legislation to introduce stablecoins into the country's payment infrastructure, while considering the legal status of exchanges and investment funds based around cryptocurrency.The Treasury isn't as enthusiastic now, though, as Select Committee chair Harriet Baldwin expressed in a juicy quote: "We have not yet seen a lot of evidence that our constituents should be putting their money in these speculative tokens unless they are prepared to lose all their money. So perhaps that is why the Royal Mint has made this decision in conjunction with the Treasury."The rejection follows a reported drop in the NFT market to the tune of 83 percent in sales in a single year. It also coincides with the failure of key crypto exchanges, particularly FTX — which saw untold sums of investor money go up in smoke.While aware of the potential for scams, bubbles and environmental harms, UK's economic secretary at the time, John Glen, saw the NFT project as an opportunity to "get in on the ground floor" of a potential crypto industry boom. And despite the recent collapse, current economy secretary Andrew Griffiths said the department is still keeping a government backed NFT "under review."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-uk-government-wont-make-an-nft-after-all-125018638.html?src=rss

I’ve been excited about the prospect of augmented reality on ski goggles since Oakley first tried it more than a decade ago with its short-lived Airwave headset. Unfortunately, its foray into AR left a lot to be desired: the Airwave was comically large and required a wrist-worn controller. Plus, at around $600, they were prohibitively expensive for what felt like an experimental product.But display tech has evolved a lot since then. And I’ve been patiently waiting for another company to come along with a better version that actually works. So I was excited to discover Rekkie, an independent manufacturer that launched its first pair of goggles with a built-in heads-up display last year.At $349, Rekkie’s offering is still pricey, but much closer to what you’d pay for high-end, non-smart ski goggles. More importantly, after several days snowboarding with Rekkie’s goggles, I’ve found that AR has advanced enough that headsets like this finally feel useful.The gogglesAt first glance, Rekkies almost look like a pair of standard ski goggles. The most noticeable difference, though, is a box on the right side of the strap that holds the power supply, as well as the Bluetooth and long distance radios. On the outside of the pack is a button for navigating the goggles’ interface.At about 4 inches long and an inch thick, the pack is extremely bulky, and it’s one of the few drawbacks of using the goggles. Weighing 253 grams, the Rekkies are more than twice as heavy as my usual pair, but didn't feel like much when I wore a helmet. And, if your helmet is black, it may even (sort of) blend in. But if your headgear is white or light colored it will stick out. Practically, this doesn’t matter much, but it does look a bit silly. It also means you can’t wear the goggles under your helmet, if that’s your preference. Neither of these was a dealbreaker for me, though, and I found I could easily hide the battery pack with an over-helmet mask.Karissa Bell / EngadgetBut the aesthetic drawbacks are vastly outweighed by what the Rekkie goggles can do. Their signature feature is a dashboard that shows your current elevation, speed and a compass. If you’re skiing with friends who also have a pair, you can see how far away they are and use the accompanying app to view their location on the mountain. The goggles can also control music and show your notifications and daily stats.The actual display is a small, roughly 1-inch panel that sits in the middle of the frames near the bridge of your nose. This setup means you can swap out the lenses for varying light conditions (a silver set is included, and the company sells additional colors). But Rekkie’s lenses are slightly different from those made by other goggle companies. The upper third of each lens has a reflective coating on the inside in order to make the display more visible.This means that if you look up, towards the display, the lenses are darker than when you’re looking straight ahead. The difference didn’t bother me, but some people might find it distracting. Rekkie said it is considering tweaks that would make the effect more subtle.Karissa Bell / EngadgetMore importantly, I found that the screen was easy to see in almost all lighting conditions. The dashboard and menus were clearly visible in bright sunlight and on cloudier days. The display is also positioned in such a way that it’s not directly in your line of sight when you’re cruising down the mountain so the overlays aren't distracting.All that may sound complicated, but the interface is extremely easy to navigate. Tap and hold the side button on the battery pack to bring up the main menu, then glance up, down, left or right to select a function. Up is your stats, where you can view how many runs you’ve done and how much elevation you’ve covered. Left is “texts,” which is a bit of a misnomer because it shows recent notifications from all apps (on iOS, you need to have notification previews enabled); right is “music” for controlling media playback, and down is the live dashboard. From the latter, you can also tap the button to hide everything but the time.I tended to switch to this “clock-only” mode often, especially once I gained some speed. It might sound weird, but the clock was one of my favorite features. I don’t wear a watch, and repeatedly checking your phone on a cold day can quickly take a toll on its battery (and your fingers).Likewise, being able to control my music and podcasts from the goggles was very useful. I usually wear AirPods while I board, and reaching under my helmet or stupidly shouting “Hey Siri” into my ski mask always gives me a bit of anxiety. So I was more than happy to be able to rely on my goggles for those tasks.As much as I’ve complained about the size of the battery pack, the goggles’ runtime is actually impressive. The company says the device should last about 10 hours, though it could go longer depending on how heavily you’re using it. I never managed to drain the battery during a full day of snowboarding, even in snowy 10-degree (Fahrenheit) conditions. The goggles even lasted two consecutive days without charging.Karissa Bell / EngadgetI was initially concerned that the uncovered charging port on the underside of the battery pack would leave it exposed to the elements. I boarded in more than one storm with heavy snowfall where no part of the goggles was able to stay perfectly dry, and wondered if I might be inadvertently damaging them. But it turns out the device was more water resistant than I had anticipated.Rekkie said the goggles aren’t technically waterproof, but were designed to withstand the kind of moisture you’d expect to encounter during a typical day of skiing. I (unintentionally) put this to the test one stormy day in Park City when I managed to fill the Rekkies with snow after I went down in a pile of powder. Snow froze to the display and they were temporarily unusable. But I dried them out at the end of the day and was able to charge them like nothing had happened.Friend trackingRekkie’s googles get even more useful if you ski with a friend who also has them. Once you form a “group” within the app, you’ll be able to see how far away you are from each other. There's no limit to how many people can be in a group, but the dashboard will only show the two who are closest to you (though you can view everyone from the app). You can also compare stats with your group from the stats menu in the goggles.The system uses your phone’s cellular signal and the goggles’ onboard radios to track each other. That means that if you have service, you can see how far away they are in both the dashboard view and the Rekkie app. If one or both people don’t have service, the device’s radios have an approximately 2,000-foot range, so you should be able to see if someone is on the same run as you, but not if they’re, say, on the other side of the resort.In practice, I found the friend-tracking feature most useful when my husband, who also was wearing a pair, was on the same trail as me. I tend to race down runs much faster than he does, so we often lose sight of each other. Seeing the number tick down as he approached was both reassuring and good for my impatience.I could see the feature being even more helpful if you go off-piste or into the backcountry. It’s easier to lose friends in the trees, so having an idea of how far away they are could help make sure no one is left behind.But while the app is useful for seeing your friends’ locations, it unfortunately doesn’t do much else. For example, there’s no way to use the app to check out the stats your googles tracked while you were on the mountain. As a longtime user of ski-tracking apps like Slopes, which map out all your runs and record your statistics throughout the day, I’m bummed Rekkie doesn’t offer this.The founders told me that there are plans to incorporate stats into the app, as well as several other capabilities. They’re also working on new safety features, like one that will automatically switch off the live dashboard once you hit speeds of 15mph or faster, as well as ways to communicate with resorts’ ski patrols if you get into trouble.New features will be available via app and firmware updates, so if you buy a pair now, there’s a good chance you’ll see their capabilities expand over time. That’s a good thing when you’re investing $350 in eyewear you’ll only use a few months of the year.Overall, I was impressed by just how useful the Rekkies are. While I was initially excited for a pair of goggles that could track my stats and project my real-time speed and location, I underestimated the added convenience of features like friend tracking, media controls and an always-on clock. We’re at a moment when a lot of big tech companies have made ambitious promises about the future of augmented reality. But those promises, like the all-encompassing augmented reality glasses Meta and others have hinted at, are likely still years away. Rekkie’s smart goggles may be a more niche product, but they show that we don’t need to wait years for useful, non-gimmicky applications for AR.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rekkies-smart-snow-goggles-prove-that-ar-is-useful-right-now-120054157.html?src=rss

A decade ago, buying a gaming or creative workstation laptop meant sacrificing portability for power. Not anymore. These days machines with top specs can be had in relatively thin and light chassis — and HP just announced its latest laptop for this category: the Omen Transcend 16.HP calls the Transcend 16 a "hybrid device" designed for lifestyle gamers, but don't let the phrasing confuse you — this laptop is thin and portable at just 19.9mm thick, but it isn't a 2-in-1 convertible. The Transcend 16 may not fold over into a tablet mode, but it still has a pretty impressive screen: HP says the mini-LED 2560 x 1600 HDR1000 display is the brightest of any Omen device. Paired with a 13th generation Intel Core i9-12900HX CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 graphics, the new gaming laptop should offer more than enough power for both gaming and work. The Omen Transcend 16 will launch this Spring, starting at $1670.If you're looking for a machine focused more on high-end leisure, HP is also rolling out some updates for Omen 16 laptops. Unlike the Transcend 16, this machine offers a choice of processor: buyers can pick between an Intel Core i9-13900HX or an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS — and both models can be paired with GeForce RTX 4080 graphics and up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM and 2TB of SSD storage. Pricing will start at $1300 when the Omen 16 hits stores, also in Spring.Both the Omen 16 and the Transcend 16 also come with 1-month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and support intuitive audio pairing when bundled with HyperX Cloud II Core Wireless Gaming Headsets.Finally, HP has announced the new line-up of nine Omen gaming monitors in a variety of sizes. Almost all of the monitors hit a gaming-friendly 165hz refresh rate, but there are a few standouts: The Omen 27s and 27qs both boast a faster 240Hz refresh rate, while the 27K steps down to 144hz in exchange for a higher resolution 4K display. HP is also offering a new 21:9 ultrawide with the Omen 34c. All nine monitors are slated for a Spring launch and are priced between $200 and $480.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hps-omen-transcend-16-laptop-caters-to-both-creators-and-gamers-120051043.html?src=rss

Google is making it easier for people with reading challenges, such as dyslexia, to be able to make out articles and text posts online. The tech giant has launched "reader mode" for Chrome, which takes a site's primary content and puts it into the sidebar to reduce clutter and distractions. Users will also be able to change the text's typeface, font size and spacing, as well as its color and background color, to find the combination that works best for them.Reader mode is but one of the new features and updates Google has rolled out for education users. Another new feature for Google Classroom gives educators the ability to add interactive questions to YouTube videos. That will allow students to answer them and get immediate feedback, giving teachers an insight on how well they understand the subject matter.Google is also giving teachers a way to share practice sets with other verified educators in their domain, so that they can expand the availability of materials their students have access to. For particularly difficult mathematical and scientific concepts, for instance, more examples mean more opportunity to better understand them. The company has released a new web player for Screencast on Chrome OS, as well, allowing users to watch casts in any browser on any platform. Plus, it has expanded language options for Screencast closed captions and for practice sets.Classes using Meet for online lectures will also find a new and useful feature: Hand raise gesture detection powered by AI. Apparently, when a student raises a hand in real life, the video conferencing app can now automatically activate its Hand Raise icon. In addition, two teachers can now also manage slides concurrently on Meet and co-present lectures together. Google has been growing and improving its education-related tools for years, though it has perhaps kicked things up a notch after schools shut down during the pandemic. It released a slew of updates to make virtual classrooms more usable since then, and it looks like it hasn't forgotten online-based education even though schools have mostly gone back to in-person learning.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-new-classroom-tools-include-a-reader-mode-for-people-with-dyslexia-120046174.html?src=rss

Sonos has focused most of its efforts on two categories: portable speakers and home theater products, like its soundbars. The company’s main pair of music-focused speakers, the One and Five, have been getting a little old. The Sonos Era 100 and Era 300 aim to refresh that lineup.The $250 Era 100 is a complete redesign of the Sonos One, introduced in 2017. It’s a mono speaker, just like the One and the Play:1 before it. But don’t let that simple description deceive you. The improvements over the One are immediately obvious in sound quality and new features, like line-in, Bluetooth and easier Trueplay setup. The Era 100 isn’t the most exciting speaker Engadget editor Nathan Ingraham’s ever listened to, but it provides impressive performance at a reasonable price.The $450 Era 300 has a slightly strange place in the Sonos portfolio. Its higher price means it won’t be as broadly appealing as the Era 100. It’s closer to the $550 Sonos Five, arguably a superior speaker, but it still sounds notably better than the Era 100.– 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 missedSamsung Galaxy S23 phones drop to record low prices at AmazonNintendo's eShop closures are putting generations of games out of reachGoogle upgrades its NBA Pixel Arena app just in time for the playoffsMicrosoft’s redesigned Teams app is faster and less of a memory hogNintendo will show 10 minutes of 'Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' gameplay todayYou'll see how the 'Breath of the Wild' sequel plays.NintendoNintendo and series producer Eiji Aonuma will showcase 10 minutes of Tears gameplay in a live premiere on YouTube at 10 AM ET or 7 AM PT. It's not clear what you'll see, but it's safe to presume the demo will feature new mechanics and less of a focus on worldbuilding or story.We’re expecting the same open-world experience that made Breath of the Wild a hit, but with a new airborne environment (the floating islands above Hyrule) and an abundance of new ways to traverse the landscape. You can fly on a giant hoverboard and even grind rails.Continue reading.iOS 16.4 is out with bug fixes and a ton of new emojiUpdates for the Mac, iPad and Apple Watch are also live.Apple has officially released updates for each of its major platforms. The MacOS 13.3, iOS / iPadOS 16.4 and WatchOS 9.4 updates include 21 new emoji, improved voice isolation for calls and a smattering of minor bug fixes. Emoji additions include five new animals, two new hand gestures, three colored hearts and objects, including a folding fan, maracas and a flute.Cellular calls now have Voice Isolation, designed to block out ambient noise. The Duplicates album in Photos will now cross check with images stored in the iCloud Shared Photo Library to keep your albums clean. There's even a new accessibility feature that helpfully dims the screen when it detects flashing lights or strobe effects in video content.Continue reading.Acer Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition reviewSadly, glasses-free 3D is just pointless.Photo by Devindra Hardawar / EngadgetAcer's Predator Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition has the company's glasses-free 3D screen in one last bid to make 3D content happen. It's meant to unlock an entirely new dimension of gameplay in titles like God of War and Forza Horizon 5 – and it does, to a degree. But it's also obscenely expensive, starting at $3,499, and the 3D means you miss out on higher refresh rates and a better quality screen.Continue reading.Biden administration bans federal agencies from using commercial spywareThe order is likely to affect known government spyware makers like NSO Group.In an executive order signed Monday, President Biden barred federal agencies from using commercial spyware that threatens US national security or carries a risk of improper use by foreign governments and individuals. The order applies to all departments, including those involved in law enforcement, defense and intelligence. It also prohibits the use of spyware that, in the past, was used to disclose non-public information about the US government.As TechCrunch reported, security researchers have long warned of the dangers posed by commercial spyware. With NSO Group’s infamous Pegasus spyware, it exploited a vulnerability in iOS that allowed the program to infect an iPhone without the victim needing to tap anything. While many governments claim to use spyware sparingly to investigate serious crimes, that hasn’t stopped some from using the software for domestic surveillance and to target political dissidents.Continue reading.Ubisoft has pulled out of E3 2023The publisher will host its own show instead.You can add Ubisoft to the list of companies not attending the first in-person E3 in four years. Before this week, it was one of the few major publishers to come out supporting the revamped event. On Monday, however, Ubisoft told VGC it would not be at the tradeshow and would instead host its own event at around the same time: “While we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we’ve made the subsequent decision to move in a different direction and will be holding a Ubisoft Forward Live event on 12th June in Los Angeles.” You’ll have to wait, then, for your Skull and Bones update…Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-our-verdict-on-sonos-era-300-and-era-100-speakers-111545315.html?src=rss

Disney has shut down its metaverse division and laid off all of the team's 50 or so members as part of a broader restructuring process, according to The Wall Street Journal. It was just over a year ago when former Disney CEO Bob Chapek tapped company veteran Mike White to lead the team in its task of finding interactive ways to tell Disney's stories using new technologies. While the rest of team has lost their jobs, White will remain at the company, though it's unclear what role he's taking on going forward.The executive's plan to launch an Amazon Prime-like subscription service for Disney has reportedly also been scrapped. It would've created a single user experience for Disney+, the company's retail operations and its apps that people use to purchase food and merchandise at Disney theme parks.Chapek was hopeful and optimistic about Disney's future when it came to the metaverse and previously said that the company should excel at "blending... the physical and digital experiences." He called the metaverse "the next great storytelling frontier." The division's closure doesn't necessarily mean that Disney is abandoning its metaverse ambitions for good, though. As The Journal notes, Bob Iger, who returned as CEO to replace Chapek in November 2022, showed that he also sees a future in the metaverse when he joined the board of an animated avatar startup.While Iger may have another strategy in mind, it may take some before we hear about it. Disney has been under pressure from investors to implement serious cost-cutting measures, and it previously announced that it was going to lay off 7,000 employees. According to TechCrunch, it will have three rounds of layoffs, with the first one taking place this week. The metaverse team might simply be one of the first teams impacted by Disney's significant restructuring efforts. In the note TechCrunch obtained, Iger said the company will send a larger round of layoff notifications in April and will notify the last affected employees before the beginning of summer.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/disney-reportedly-shuts-down-its-metaverse-division-103151157.html?src=rss

Apple Music Classical is now available for download globally with more than 5 million tracks. Offered as part of an Apple Music subscription, it's designed to make it easier to find things unique to classical music, including orchestras, conductors, musicians and more.The app sprung from Primephonic, the streaming service Apple acquired in 2021. It was originally slated to be released at the end of 2022, but earlier this month, Apple revealed a firm release date of March 28th.The app is available on iPhones running iOS 15.4 or later, with an Android version "coming soon." As you'd hope, it offers 192KHz/24-bit high-resolution lossless audio quality, with "thousands" of recordings offered in spatial audio as well. It also lets classical enthusiasts browse composer biographies, descriptions of key works, "deep-dive" guides and more. The search feature has been rewritten for classical music queries and lets you choose from over 700 curated playlists.There are few things missing from the main Apple Music app, though. Apple Music Voice Plan subscribers can't use Classical, there's no native iPad app yet and you can't download music for offline listening. The navigation bar has just four buttons (Listen Now, Browse, Library and Search), as there's no Radio shortcut. Apart from that, it should appeal to classical music lovers seeking things specific to the genre, especially those hard-to-locate performances.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-music-classical-is-now-available-globally-082516950.html?src=rss

In mid-March, Virgin Orbit went into an "operational pause" and put most of its 750 employees in an unpaid leave due to financial issues. Reports have come out that the satellite launch company was in talks with potential new investors since then, but it sounds like it has yet to clinch a deal that would fund its operations going forward. According to CNBC and Reuters, Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart has told employees via email that the company will extend unpaid furlough for majority of its workforce."Our investment discussions have been very dynamic over the past few days, they are ongoing, and not yet at a stage where we can provide a fulsome update," he reportedly wrote. Sources told the news organizations that Virgin Orbit's late-stage discussions with Texas-based investor Matthew Brown broke down and was officially called off late last week.Brown was going to put in $200 million into the company, which would've given the investor a controlling stake. Talks with a different potential buyer, CNBC said, also came to a halt on Sunday night. CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter recently reported that Sir Richard Branson, which currently has the largest stake in the company at 75 percent, doesn't want to own the business anymore. Branson's Virgin Group has apparently been rushing to find funding for the company in an effort to avoid bankruptcy.A small team of Virgin Orbit employees already returned to work last week as part of its expected "incremental resumption of operations." While the company's future remains unclear, it has to start preparing for its next planned rocket launches. One of the missions it's aiming to accomplish this year is its second orbital launch attempt from UK soil. If you'll recall, what was supposed to be Virgin Orbit's first orbital UK launch took off from Spaceport Cornwall on January 9th, but it failed to reach orbit due to a dislodged fuel filter.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/virgin-orbit-extends-employee-furlough-as-it-continues-to-seek-funding-072232194.html?src=rss

In a couple of weeks, all the tweets you see on the For You feed will come from Twitter Blue users. Twitter boss Elon Musk has announced that the website will only display tweets from verified accounts in For You's recommendations starting on April 15th going forward.Musk explained that the company is making the move to combat AI bots and that it's the "only realistic way" to prevent "advanced AI bot swarms" from taking over. He also said that Twitter is fighting a "hopeless losing battle" otherwise if it doesn't implement the change. In a follow-up tweet, Musk clarified that AI bots can pay for verification (and presumably be shown in the For You timeline), as long as they don't impersonate a human.Twitter's For You interface shows not just tweets from the accounts a user follows, but also content based on previous tweets they've liked or other people in their network have liked. The feature debuted on iOS back in January as an alternative to the Following tab before making its way to other platforms. Not everybody liked it, and Twitter released an update so that its web and mobile apps will default to the timeline tab users last had open after it came out. But displaying only verified users could potentially mean that those who choose to view it would see a lot more promotional tweets.After all, pretty soon the only verified accounts on the social media site will be Twitter Blue subscribers. Twitter previously announced that it's killing legacy checkmarks on April 1st, stripping public personalities, companies, government and non-government organizations and the like of their verified status unless they pay for it.

When Rode released the original Wireless GO, it was an instant success. The ease of use, audio quality and reasonable price made wireless microphones much more accessible. In fact it was so successful that it spawned a number of copycat products from rivals. After releasing the Wireless GO II ($299) with dual mics, the company is back with a more affordable option - the $149 Wireless ME. There’s also a new video app called Rode Capture aimed at creators which offers tight integration with the Wireless ME and other products from the company.If you’re thinking “more affordable” means fewer features, then you’d be right. But also you might be surprised. Even though there initially appears to be just one transmitter (mic) and one receiver, the latter also has a mic built-in so you can still record two speakers at the same time with their own separate audio files. That said, Rode is calling the second mic the “ME mic” and describes it as a “narrator” microphone because you can’t use it wirelessly (it’s the one that plugs into your recording device) so it can only really be used by someone off camera. That obviously is no problem if you’re not recording video, but worth knowing if you are.There are, of course, other minor compromises. For one, the receiver doesn’t have any type of display, so visual feedback for connectivity is limited to a pair of LEDs. There doesn’t appear to be any feedback for gain levels at all. There’s also no onboard storage for recording away from a camera, computer or a phone. This also means there’s no option to record a safety track at a lower gain level which, given the lack of a way to see levels means you’ll have to really be sure you have everything set right up front. As a reminder, though, the ME is half the price of the GO II.Photo by James Trew / EngadgetThere are tools to help, though. The Wireless ME comes with a feature called GainAssist which internally monitors the signal and sets levels automatically depending on your environment and the volume of the subject. This definitely helps keep things from clipping, but you can still go into the red with it. It appears to be using either a limiter or compression (or both) but you can still make it go into the red. There’s a “dynamic” mode too for when recording things with a more consistent volume than speech.In terms of range, you can expect about 100 meters / 328 feet (line of sight) but in practice this can vary a little in either direction depending on the conditions. This is a shorter range than the Wireless GO II (200 meters / 656 feet) and DJI’s Mic (250 meters / 820 feet) but likely ample for most scenarios. As for battery life, it’s a respectable seven hours but there’s no charging case as with DJI or Anker’s solutions.With no way to change settings directly on the device, you’ll want to get familiar with the Rode Central app. It’s here where you’ll be able to turn the receiver’s microphone on or off if you want to use it, change whether it records to one or two separate files (if using both mics) and adjust the gain settings. There are versions for both desktop and mobile (Android/iOS) so you can change modes on the go, even if it’s a bit more involved than doing it on the receiver as with DJI and Anker’s products.Given that the narrator-guest setup isn’t ideal for recording two speakers on camera at the same time it's a shame that the receiver doesn't have the option to plug an external 3.5mm lav mic into it. This would mean you could theoretically run one with a longer cable and have two on camera hosts. You can still use 3.5mm mics with the main transmitter though. Alternatively, if you have access to another transmitter, such as a Wireless GO II, you can pair it with the ME’s receiver and record up to three people at the same time – though two of them will have to share an audio channel in case having separate files for all speakers is important to you.RodeThe interoperability between the Wireless GO II and the ME shows that Rode is thinking about how these products can work together, meaning creators can collaborate seamlessly with their own gear or continue using older products even as new ones come around. Expect to see more interoperability with other wireless devices in the future.Along with the new microphone kit is the aforementioned Capture app. It’s a dedicated video app with a twist: direct access to the settings of compatible Rode microphones. Most video apps don’t even let you know what mic you’re using which can cause anxiety when you’re not sure it’s working with the one you plugged in. Having this assurance alone is useful and the direct access to microphone settings is always going to be a welcome bonus for creators. The app is entirely free and doesn’t require a Rode product to work but will need one of Rode's compatible products if you wish to access its settings.The Wireless ME is available for $149 starting today.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rodes-wireless-me-squeezes-a-second-mic-into-its-receiver-230032706.html?src=rss

More than a decade into its life, Lyft is bringing on a new chief executive officer. On Monday afternoon, the company announced current CEO and co-founder Logan Green would hand day-to-day operations of Lyft to David Risher, a former Amazon executive, on April 17th. That same day, Green will take over as chair of Lyft’s board of directors. The announcement is part of a larger executive shuffle that will also see Lyft president and co-founder John Zimmer move to the company’s board where he will serve as its vice chair. Zimmer’s last day as president will be June 30th.Green and Zimmer founded Lyft in 2012 and successfully took the company public in 2019. Since its IPO, however, the value of Lyft’s stock has dropped dramatically. Following an initial high of $78.29 per share in 2019, the stock hit a record low of $9.60 per share earlier today. On February 9th, the day Lyft announced its Q4 2022 results, the stock shed 36 percent of its value after Green delivered what was widely considered one of the worst earnings calls in recent memory, telling investors the company would need to increase spending to stay competitive with Uber. To say Lyft’s new CEO has his work cut out for him would be an understatement. The company has never reported a profit, and, barring a surprise breakthrough in autonomous driving, it has a difficult path ahead due to the economics of ride-sharing. Still, Risher is definitely qualified to turn Lyft around having previously served as Amazon’s first head of product and head of US retail.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lyft-co-founder-logan-green-is-stepping-down-as-ceo-221928157.html?src=rss

In February, Fitbit announced it would sunset open groups, adventures and challenges on March 27th. That day has arrived, and if you didn’t download your trophies before today, I’m sorry to say you missed your chance to do so. Last month, Fitbit said it was removing those features due to “limited use.”If you’re a longtime Fitbit user, the demise of open groups, adventures and challenges is likely to come as a shame, particularly since two of them made the platform more social and were widely copied by the company’s competitors. Challenges, for instance, made it possible to motivate your friends and family to hit their daily step count. Meanwhile, open groups were a great way to meet other like-minded users, and there were some groups with hundreds of thousands of active users. Now those are gone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fitbit-challenges-adventures-and-open-groups-join-the-google-graveyard-today-204519144.html?src=rss

Apple's long-expected Martin Scorsese movie has a release date — for theaters, that is. The company has revealed that Killers of the Flower Moon will get a wide theatrical release on October 20th following a "limited" run starting October 6th. The company hasn't said when the film will be available to Apple TV+ users, but the streaming launch will come after the theater exclusivity period ends. This is Apple's first movie to get a widescale big-screen debut before going online.Killers of the Flower Moon is an adaptation of David Grann's namesake book. It covers the fledgling FBI's investigation of murders of Osage Nation members in the early 1920s after the tribe won rights to oil profits on its land. Scorsese both directed the movie and co-wrote it alongside Eric Roth (of Dune and Mank fame). The cast includes more than a few big-name stars and Scorsese favorites, including Robert DeNiro, Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone.Scorsese struck a multi-year deal with Apple in spring 2020 that covered both movie and television projects. While the exact terms aren't clear, Killers reportedly has a budget topping $180 million. The pact came just months after Netflix's Scorsese film, The Irishman, received a massive audience but failed to win any Oscars.The strategy of releasing a movie in theaters first isn't new. Industry awards like the Oscars frequently require movies to show in theaters before they qualify, and it's no secret that streaming giants like Apple, Amazon and Netflix chase after these awards for the publicity they bring. Apple's CODA was the first streamer to win a Best Picture Oscar, for instance. The scope of this premiere is new to Apple, though, and the company is clearly willing to spend on A-list talent to potentially clinch some statuettes and boost its credibility in Hollywood.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-martin-scorsese-movie-hits-theaters-in-october-before-its-tv-debut-201029107.html?src=rss

China’s Chang’e 5 rover has found tiny glass beads containing water in an impact crater on the Moon. Samples collected from a 2020 mission found beads with water content as high as 2,000 parts per million (PPM). Given the prevalence of these glass spheres on the lunar surface, there may be enough to provide 71 trillion gallons of water.Some beads formed when asteroids collided with the Moon millions of years ago, while others came from ancient volcanoes. Scientists believe the water originated from a chemical reaction when hydrogen ions emitted from the sun — transported to the lunar surface from solar winds — combined with oxygen atoms inside the beads. The water-filled beads are tiny, ranging from “tens of micrometers to a few millimeters.” Still, there are enough on the Moon’s surface to (theoretically) supply an estimated 270 trillion kilograms of water — enough to fill 100 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.However, scientists haven’t yet figured out how to collect them, and they would need to heat them to around 212 degrees Fahrenheit to extract water. Still, they could be a resource for future lunar settlements, where astronauts could use water for drinking, bathing, cooking, cleaning and even producing rocket fuel.Scientists believe other moons in our Solar System may have similar beads. “Our direct measurements of this surface reservoir of lunar water show that impact glass beads can store substantial quantities of solar wind-derived water on the moon and suggest that impact glass may be water reservoirs on other airless bodies,” the study’s authors wrote. “The presence of water, stored in impact glass beads, is consistent with the remote detection of water at lower-latitude regions of the Moon, Vesta and Mercury. Our findings indicate that the impact glasses on the surface of Solar System airless bodies are capable of storing solar wind-derived water and releasing it to space.”The glass beads aren’t our first glimpse at water on the Moon. In 2009, NASA crashed a probe into the Cabeus crater that led to water detection; in 2018, NASA found direct evidence of ice deposits in the Moon’s permanently shadowed craters on its north and south poles. NASA and China / Russia plan to put lunar bases at the Moon’s South Pole within the next decade; the competing initiatives both hope to have inhabitable bases ready by the early-to-mid-2030s.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/water-trapped-in-tiny-glass-beads-on-the-moon-could-hydrate-future-settlements-200030344.html?src=rss

You can add Ubisoft to the list of companies that won’t be attending the first in-person E3 in four years. Before this week, it was one of the few major publishers to come out in support of the revamped event. On Monday, however, Ubisoft told VGC it would not be at the tradeshow, and would instead host its own event at around the same time.“E3 has fostered unforgettable moments across the industry throughout the years,” a Ubisoft spokesperson said. “While we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we’ve made the subsequent decision to move in a different direction, and will be holding a Ubisoft Forward Live event on 12th June in Los Angeles. We look forward to sharing more details with our players very soon.”There are no two ways about it, Ubisoft’s withdrawal from E3, particularly less than three months before the show is set to return on June 13th, raises serious questions about its near and long-term prospects. Earlier this month, Microsoft said it would not have a presence on the E3 show floor. Before that, Nintendo confirmed it would not attend the event at all. Sony has yet to state whether it will be at E3 2023. Based on its recent attendance record, the company is likely to be a no-show at this year’s conference.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ubisoft-has-pulled-out-of-e3-2023-193658243.html?src=rss

In an executive order signed Monday, President Biden barred federal agencies from using commercial spyware that threatens US national security or carries a risk of improper use by foreign governments and individuals. The order applies to all departments, including those involved in law enforcement, defense and intelligence. It also prohibits the use of spyware that in the past was used to disclose non-public information about the US government.The executive order the Biden administration published on the White House website doesn’t include a list of affected spyware vendors. Per TechCrunch, government officials declined to name specific firms when asked by reporters. However, the administration said the order includes US and foreign-made spyware. Judging from the criteria laid out in the order, known government spyware makers like Isreal’s NSO Group and Macedonia’s Cytrox are likely affected.As TechCrunch notes, security researchers have long warned of the dangers posed by commercial spyware. Such programs frequently target previously undisclosed vulnerabilities that make entire software ecosystems unsafe. In the case of NSO Group’s infamous Pegasus spyware, the firm exploited a CoreGraphics vulnerability in iOS that allowed the program to infect an iPhone without the victim needing to tap anything. Moreover, while many governments claim to use spyware sparingly to investigate serious crimes, that hasn’t stopped some from using the software for domestic surveillance and to target political dissidents.“We are very concerned about the threat of digital authoritarianism and practices around the world but we are also very cognizant that the misuse of technology can occur in any state,” a White House official told The Hill. “So, we are taking steps to make sure that the way that we would like technology to be used is aligned with human rights and democratic principles all around the world.”On Monday, the Biden administration said at least 50 US federal employees in 10 countries are either suspected or confirmed of having had their devices compromised by spyware. In one recent example, an unknown assailant used the Pegasus spyware to infect iPhones belonging to at least nine US State Department officials stationed in Uganda or whose work involved the East African country. The order follows questions about the US government’s alleged use of commercial spyware. Last fall, The New York Times reported that the FBI had considered using Pegasus in criminal investigations. Between late 2020 and early 2021, agency officials were reportedly in the “advanced” stages of developing plans to brief FBI leadership on the software.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/biden-administration-bans-federal-agencies-from-using-commercial-spyware-182812610.html?src=rss

If you own an Apple device, check your notifications: Apple has officially released updates for each of its major Platforms. The MacOS 13.3, and iOS / iPadOS 16.4 and WatchOS 9.4 updates include 21 new emoji, improved voice isolation for calls and a smattering of minor bug fixes.To start, the emoji keyboard is five new animals, two new hand gestures, three new colored hearts and a handful of household objects such as a folding fan, a flute and maracas. When you're not spamming friends with the new goose emoji, you'll be enjoying the benefits of the more subtle updates. Cellular calls now have Voice Isolation, designed to block out ambient noise. The Duplicates album in Photos will now cross check with images stored in the iCloud Shared Photo Library to keep your albums clean. There's even a new accessibility feature that helpfully dims the screen when it detects flashing lights or strobe effects in video content — all on top of a series of bug fixes that address issues with content management for parents, accidental alarm muting and more.Apple is also reintroducing the new HomeKit architecture it pulled from iOS 16.2 and MacOS Ventura 13.1 last year. At the time, users were reporting that certain Siri commands weren't working correctly and that smart home devices weren't showing up correctly in the Home App. Not only have those issues apparently been addressed, but Apple also notes that a pairing issue with Matter-compatible has also been resolved.Ready to send some new Emoji? You can try the latest OS for yourself by navigating to your device's settings app to update.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ios-164-is-out-with-bug-fixes-and-a-ton-of-new-emoji-181331049.html?src=rss

The NBA’s regular season ends in just a couple of weeks, but Google just surprise-dropped a major overhaul of its popular Pixel Arena feature. The original Pixel Arena was advertised as a virtual space for fans to fully experience the NBA, but there wasn’t much to do other than play trivia and watch 3D shot recaps. The new Pixel Arena, however, is chock-full of activities for the discerning basketball fan, according to an official blog post.The biggest change is that users can now roam freely around the space, so the emphasis on menu-diving has been reduced in favor of natural exploration. As you roam about the virtual arena, you want to look your best for onlookers, so the avatar creation process has also been significantly overhauled. The updated avatar builder now takes more natural skin tones into consideration, with adherence to the 10-shade Monk Skin Tone (MST) scale.Google was also not shy about adding new virtual fashion and accessory options, saying there are now over a “trillion style combos inspired by futuristic streetwear and basketball culture.” Of course, each avatar comes with a fake Pixel 7 Pro because brand synergy. Additionally, the highlight clips tool has been updated, allowing users to remix 3D highlights by spotlighting specific viewing angles and the like.Google and the NBA have added some new mini-games to the roster, though they continue to be trivia-based. Still, the app is loaded with machine learning algorithms that automatically populate new trivia questions based on recent events. For instance, if a player scores a career high, you will likely encounter a relevant question sooner rather than later. All of those modes are available in single-player or multiplayer. If trivia isn’t your bag, try Niantic’s AR streetball app.Google’s Pixel Arena is part of the official NBA app. Just sign-in with your NBA ID and head to the Discover tab and give it a go. New highlights will continue to be added as the season winds down and the playoffs begin. Despite being a Google offering, Pixel Arena is available for both Android and iOS phones.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-upgrades-its-nba-pixel-arena-app-just-in-time-for-the-playoffs-175600395.html?src=rss

There's a vast gulf between the dreamy notion of glasses-free 3D – extra visual depth without any clunky eye-wear! – and the reality: fuzzy imagery, buggy execution, and headaches. Oh, the headaches. So it goes with Acer's Predator Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition, equipped with the company's glasses-free 3D screen. It's meant to unlock an entirely new dimension of gameplay in titles like God of War and Forza Horizon 5 – and it does, to a degree. But it's also obscenely expensive, starting at $3,499, and its 3D functionality isn't worth losing the higher refresh rates and better quality screens you find on most other gaming laptops.When I've demoed glasses-free 3D in the past, it's always seemed like a potentially useful feature for deep-pocketed professionals, people who may want to check out their 3D models without slapping on a VR headset. That could very well be true, but the Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition convinced me that it serves practically no purpose in the gaming world, where players are often aiming to inject as many frames in their eyeballs as possible.That's just not possible with this computer, since it's limited to a 15.6-inch 4K panel (which scales down to 1080p per eye in 3D mode) running at 60Hz. So at best, this gaming laptop is restricted to 60fps at a time when even budget machines can deliver enough power to fill 120Hz and 144Hz screens. The tradeoff for glasses-free 3D, ultimately, is responsiveness while gaming. The higher the refresh rate, the more silky smooth a game can appear. And when it comes to fast-paced shooters, it could make all the difference between a clutch headshot and digital oblivion.Now if Acer's 3D technology was truly groundbreaking, perhaps that wouldn't matter so much. But while it can look good, it's a mere curiosity. Acer's TrueGame app lets you play a select handful of games in two different modes: 3D+, which shifts depth buffer pixels to deliver a vague depth effect, and 3D Ultra, which uses a virtual second camera to create a far more immersive sense of space. Eye tracking sensors above the screen help to direct two different sets of images to your eyes, a technique that's typical for glasses-free 3D displays, but that also means only one person can actually use the 3D feature. As for game support, there are only 9 games using 3D Ultra at the moment, including God of War, Psychonauts 2 and A Plague Tale: Innocence. Acer says around 65 titles, mostly older games, work with 3D+.Competitive online shooters aren't supported at all – Acer claims their anti-cheat software prevents its 3D technology from being applied. That's a shame if you were hoping a bit of depth would make your Warzone or Apex Legends matches more rewarding. Honestly, you wouldn't want to play those in 3D either, as the technology generally makes games look less sharp. You can blame the slightly lower resolution for that, as well as the inherent haziness from having your eyes adjust to a 3D screen on the fly.PCMark 103DMark (TimeSpy Extreme)Geekbench 5Cinebench R23Acer Predator Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition (2022, Intel i9-12900H, NVIDIA RTX 3080)7,4415 ,9961,800/13,0981,896/16,272Acer Predator Triton 500 SE (2022, Intel i9-12900H, NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti)6,7794,8871,736/11,3821,774/17,329Razer Blade 15 (2022, Intel i7-12800H, NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti)7,0854,7981,795/9,5291661/10,464ASUS Zephyrus G14 (2022, AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS, Radeon RX 6800S)7,1703,8211,543/9,8391,521/12,212Playing Forza Horizon 5 in 3D+ was almost like looking at a Magic Eye puzzle – I had to be in just the right spot to detect any depth. And if my eyes shifted a bit, I would sometimes lose the effect entirely. God of War fared better in 3D Ultra Mode, with a convincing sense of immersion similar to what you'd expect from a 3D film. Throwing Kratos's axe had the uncanny effect of going beyond the screen in my office, and at times the Helios 300 SL felt like a portal into another world.Still, playing God of War in 3D almost instantly made my eyes tired. 3D Ultra relies on your brain constantly making sense of two different camera views. I sometimes felt motion sick while I was walking around the game, especially if I glanced over to my unmoving, clutter-filled desk. It was almost like playing the game in VR, sans the bulky headset. I found myself resting my eyes every 30 minutes or so, just like I do with VR headsets.You could, of course, play any PC title in 2D on the Helios 300 SL, but why would you buy a $3,500 glass-free 3D laptop for that? Our review unit was equipped with an RTX 3080 and Intel Core i9-12900H CPU (an updated model with a 40-series GPU is coming in a few months). It was certainly beefy enough for any game I threw at it, especially since the display is limited to 60Hz. But playing Halo Infinite or Overwatch 2 just didn't feel nearly as smooth as it did on the Acer Predator Triton 500 SE I reviewed last year. That $2,300 machine featured a gorgeous 240Hz 1,440p screen, which helped me line up sniper shots with ease.Beyond its unique screen, the Predator Helios 300 SL looks like a typical Acer gaming laptop. Its matte metal case feels sturdy, and aside from a small lightbar up front, and per-key RGB lighting, there's none of the obnoxious bling we've seen on some high-end gaming PC. There's almost every port imaginable spread around the machine: Two USB 3.2 Type-A connections on the right side; with another Type A USB-port on the left side, beside a gigabit Ethernet and a headphone jack. On the rear, there's a USB-C Thunderbolt 4 connection, MiniDisplayport, HDMI and a DC power port.Acer probably just wanted to keep the Helios 300 SL low-key, but with a unique feature like glasses-free 3D, it would have been nice to set its design apart from the sea of other black gaming laptops out there. It's also clear that the screen was the major priority: Its keyboard feels a bit too mushy for extended typing (though I appreciated the wide layout), and the trackpad isn't very responsive. I often had to click on icons several times before the trackpad responded.If it had a better keyboard and trackpad, as well as a higher refresh rate screen, the Helios 300 SL could have been a potential option for professionals working with 3D models. Unfortunately, it's focused on gamers, and it's not nearly compelling enough for that crowd. Its mediocre battery life – 6 hours and 15 minutes, according to PCMark 10's office productivity benchmark – didn't help matters much either.Photo by Devindra Hardawar/EngadgetIf, for some reason, glasses-free 3D is still compelling to you, there are few other options. Acer also sells a standalone 15.6-inch SpatialLabs screen for $1,100 – but I don't need to tell you that's a bad idea. The company's ConceptD 7 laptop also had that screen, but it’s no longer available. There's also ASUS's upcoming spin on glasses-free 3D with its ProArt StudioBook 16, which looked compelling during our CES preview.Barring a miraculous advancement in holographics sometime soon, I'm ready to give up on the entire notion of glasses-free 3D. It just doesn’t make sense to spend $3,500 on the Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition. While there's a chance the technology could eventually help a certain subsection of professionals, those folks would likely be served better with VR headsets, and potentially AR devices like the Magic Leap 2 in the future. Either option would deliver a better dose of 3D without the headaches of glasses-free tech.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/acer-predator-helios-300-spatiallabs-edition-review-173058399.html?src=rss

Add Binance to the list of crypto heavyweights facing serious legal trouble. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has charged Binance, founder Changpeng Zhao and former compliance chief Samuel Lim with allegedly violating both the agency's regulations and the Commodity Exchange Act. The company supposedly offered unregistered crypto derivatives, didn't ask users for mandatory identity verification, structured itself to avoid US regulation and even told customers how to dodge its own compliance system for US-based customers.Zhao directed much of the rulebreaking himself, the CFTC claims, and there are reportedly chats and emails as evidence. Lim, who left Binance in 2022, is accused of knowingly aiding in the scheme. Among other things, he purportedly encouraged American users to mask trades through a VPN and even create new accounts through shell companies. The activity indicates that Binance's compliance mechanisms "have been a sham," CFTC chief counsel Gretchen Lowe says.The Commission hopes to permanently ban Binance's registration and trading. It also hopes to levy fines and make the firm disgorge its gains. There's no estimated financial penalty.We've asked Binance for comment and will let you know if we hear back. The company has historically defended itself against accusations. Zhao's brand is also facing a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation over its BNB token, and a long-running probe has looked into possible insider trading. Senator Elizabeth Warren recently sent Zhao a letter accusing him of creating a "hotbed of illegal financial activity" that enables crooks and sanction-dodgers.The charges come in the wake of multiple scandals rocking the crypto industry. The fraud charges levelled against FTX and its founder Sam Bankman-Fried are the most notable examples, but there are also allegations and investigations targeting Celsius' former CEO, Coinbase and Terraform Labs, among others. Binance is the largest crypto exchange left, and a US ban could significantly affect the industry as customers are forced to move to smaller outfits.The CFTC is also staking out territory with this move. Both it and the SEC have argued that they should regulate crypto in the absence of laws outlining their roles. With these charges, the CFTC is signalling that it wants to be the de facto regulator for crypto trading. House and Senate members may limit the Commission's authority if they pass legislation, but the agency clearly isn't willing to wait before cracking down.Updated 3/27 2:45PM ET: Binance tells Engadget it finds the charges "unexpected and disappointing," as it says it has been collaborating with the CFTC for over two years. It also points to a large investment in keeping Americans off its platform over that time, including a surge in its compliance headcount (from 100 to 750). It doesn't directly address allegations of helping customers bypass those restrictions.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/crypto-giant-binance-charged-with-violating-us-trading-and-derivatives-laws-170817954.html?src=rss

Microsoft is overhauling Teams to make it faster and easier to use. In a blog post published Monday, the company said Teams users can look forward to a redesigned app that is up to two times faster than the current release, with tasks like launching the program and joining video calls taking half as much time. The overhauled app also offers smoother scrolling while avoiding the use of placeholder assets. At the same time, Microsoft says the new Teams uses 50 percent less memory.Separately, the company has redesigned the interface to reduce the number of clicks it takes to do things like manage your notifications, search for information and organize channels. It has also added more robust authentication, synchronization and notification systems to make jumping between different accounts and tenants easier.Naturally, the new Teams will support AI features, starting with the intelligent recap and Copilot ones Microsoft announced earlier this year, and with more to come in the future. “We will use AI to take the work out of working together by getting you up to speed on what happened before you joined a meeting or chat and answering your questions all in the flow of the discussion,” the company said. “We’re only just beginning to see the potential of AI inside of Teams, and we will have lots more to share in the future.”Not mentioned in Microsoft's blog post are the 3D avatars the company has been testing for more than a year. The company recently said it anticipates those will become publicly available sometime in May, so expect them to be part of the new Teams experience too.A public preview of the new Teams is rolling out on Windows today, with general availability to follow sometime later this year. A Mac preview should arrive before the end of 2023 as well. If your organization uses Teams, your IT department will need to enroll you in the preview before you can try out the new experience. Notably, the redesigned app will ship with a toggle at the top that will allow you to switch between the two versions of Teams.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-redesigned-teams-app-is-faster-and-less-of-a-memory-hog-162949623.html?src=rss

You don't have to settle for trailers if you're curious to know how The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will play. Nintendo and series producer Eiji Aonuma will showcase 10 minutes of Tears gameplay in a live premiere on the company's YouTube channel. It's not clear just what you'll see, but it's safe to presume the demo will feature new mechanics and steer clear of major plot spoilers.The new title shares the open-world experience that made Breath of the Wild a hit when the Switch launched, but adds both a new environment (the floating islands above Hyrule) and an abundance of new ways to traverse the landscape. You can fly on a giant hoverboard, cross the ground in a motorized chariot and even grind rails. While Nintendo hasn't revealed everything there is to know about Tears of the Kingdom, we'd expect numerous other gameplay tweaks.

The Nintendo eShop for the Wii U and 3DS game consoles officially closed for business on March 27th, 2023, permanently disabling all new purchases on the platforms. We knew this was coming. Nintendo quietly announced the eShop's closure over a year ago, asserting that it was the "natural life cycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time." That's true. It's even a reasonable business justification. That doesn't make it any less of a loss for Nintendo fans, because legally playing some of these console’s best games is now not only harder, but in some cases, nearly impossible.The time to argue that Nintendo should keep this aging digital storefront open has long since passed (though yes, they should have). The eShop is closed, but it's worth reflecting on what consumers are losing with it: one of the last affordable, convenient and legal options for buying a vast library of games. And not just Nintendo's retro library of "Virtual Console" titles from its classic era, either. Between the 3DS and Wii U eShop's closure, consumers have lost easy access to modern and classic games from a dozen platforms — from more recent systems like the Wii U and 3DS, to the original Wii, the DS and DSi, three flavors of Game Boy handhelds (Advance, Color and original), the Sega Game Gear, the TurboGraphix-16, as well as the Nintendo 64, Super Nintendo and original Nintendo Entertainment System. Losing these libraries now is especially painful, as it's becoming harder than ever to find and play older games.It used to be easy. Unless you were looking for something rare, building a modest library of classic and recent games was fun and affordable. Recently, that changed. Prices for used games shot up dramatically since March of 2020 — a 2021 analysis from Pricecharting.com found that retro game prices shot up 33% in just a year — and prices have remained high. To make matters worse, the retro market has also been flooded with bootleg cartridges, which often aren't properly labeled as reproductions.Digital storefronts like the Nintendo eShop offered an affordable alternative. Let's say you wanted to play Metroid Prime, for example. You could pick up Metroid Prime Remastered on the Nintendo Switch for $40 and enjoy the updated visuals and new features, but if you wanted to play the other two games in the series, you'd have to find a copy of Metroid Prime Trilogy for the Wii. According to PriceCharting.com, that'll set you back between $80 and $90 — $117 if you want it in the original case. The Wii U eShop, on the other hand, sold a digital copy for just $19.99.There are countless similar examples. Game & Wario sells for between $30 and $80 on eBay, but it could have been had for $30 on the eShop. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD, which still hasn't been ported to the Switch, goes for between $30 and $100 used — but the eShop let you play it for just $20. If you are itching to play the 3DS versions of Dragon Quest VII and VIII, you'd have to pay in the ballpark of $100 each on the secondhand market, but the 3DS eShop sold them for $49.99, their original retail price.The eShop was also home to a lot of exclusives we may never see again, like Pushmo, Attack of the Friday Monsters, Dr. Luigi and more. All gone, now that consumers no longer have convenient, legal access to the eShop’s library. In the past, Nintendo has pointed to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription as the future home for classic games, but the service's current offerings are a paltry sampling of was available before. Not only is this solution limited, and only available if you’re subscribed to a service, but it offers only a modest selection of nostalgic classics, without the depth of the eShop’s back catalog of retail games. Players looking for affordable ways to play hard to find Wii, Wii U and 3DS games are now just out of luck.Not that accessing those games was remotely easy. The Wii U and 3DS digital libraries (not to mention Sony’s counterparts for the PS3 and PS Vita) may be vast archives containing multiple generations of playable gaming history, but each of these storefronts is chained to an aging platform. As Nintendo Fans dusted off their old consoles before the eShop’s closure, some found that their Wii U consoles were suffering from memory corruption, potentially the fallout of having sat unused for so long. Even accessing these stores on a healthy device presented a fair share of hurdles: all of these platforms have disabled native payment options, forcing users to add funds through other consoles, web portals or by redeeming retail points cards.