Apple's 10.9-inch 2022 iPads are improved in almost every way, including the design, performance, battery life, front facing camera and more. One of the biggest knocks is the price, so if you've been holding out for a deal, Amazon now has them on sale at prices matching all-time lows. You can grab the 64GB model in silver for just $399 and the 256GB version in multiple colors for $549, saving $50 on both.Despite a few caveats, the 2022 iPad scored a solid 85 score in our Engadget review. Apple redesigned its entry-level tablet to give it thinner bezels, a bigger display and USB-C charging. It’s also the first iPad to include a landscape-oriented front-facing camera, a feature that makes the tablet more useful for video chatting. The 2022 model’s A14 Bionic processor is also a highlight. Other notable features include USB-C charging and a keyboard folio with function keys.The main downsides revolve around the price, as this tablet is a full $120 more expensive than its 9th-generation predecessor, the keyboard folio is also expensive and it only supports the first-generation Apple Pencil. However, Amazon's sale helps ease the pricing issues, making this a very solid buy.Shop 2022 iPads at AmazonFollow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-109-inch-ipad-is-50-off-right-now-093646112.html?src=rss
We were left impressed with Oppo's Find X5 Pro last year, so naturally, we have high expectations for its successor. As announced earlier, the upcoming Find X6 Pro meets the basic requirements you'd expect from a 2023 flagship: Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, Sony's IMX989 "1-inch" sensor for the main camera, a bright 6.82-inch 3,168 x 1,440 AMOLED screen, a generous 5,000mAh battery, an IP68 ruggedness rating and up to 16GB of RAM plus 512GB of storage. As a bonus, Oppo also brought back a periscopic telephoto camera — a missing feature since the Find X2 Pro from 2020 — to make full use of its photopgrahy partnership with Hasselblad, as well as its very own MariSilicon X imaging neural processor.The Find X6 Pro features what's arguably the largest external redesign since the Find X3 Pro, with the three rear cameras — all with a 50-megapixel resolution plus optical stabilization — residing within a large circular island. The glass-covered upper part houses the main camera (23mm equivalent), the ultra-wide camera (15mm equivalent), the LED flash and Hasselblad's logo, while the lower part features the periscopic camera with 3x optical zoom (65mm equivalent) or 6x "in-sensor" zoom — we'll get to that later. As for video recording, you can get up to 4K at 60fps, though the 32-megapixel punch-hole selfie camera (21mm equivalent) on the other side is limited to 1080p at 30fps.Richard Lai/EngadgetWhile the 3x optical zoom on this new periscopic camera may sound less exciting than the 5x counterpart on the Find X2 Pro, it does offer a 6x "in-sensor" zoom. This is thanks to the relatively large Sony IMX890 sensor (1/1.56-inch), which still offers a good amount of pixels even when cropped natively. With a pre-release firmware, I was able to capture impressively clean and sharp shots even at 6x. Of course, any other 10x optical zoom camera would beat this hybrid solution, but this is still a viable alternative, especially given how handy the 3x optical zoom comes in for food photography and the new Hasselblad Portrait Mode — the latter claiming to simulate "the colors and depth of field of Hasselblad’s classic XCD30 and XCD80 lenses."As for the ultra-wide camera, it also uses an IMX890 sensor, which is apparently the largest offering to date in this category. Like before, this camera packs a freeform surface lens to minimize distortion, along with a relatively large f/2.2 aperture.Of course, there are plenty other non-photography goodies on the Find X6 Pro. The 5,000mAh battery is now paired with a new 100W SuperVOOC fast charging, which goes from zero to 100-percent charge in just 28 minutes. Or you can go with 50W AirVOOC wireless charging, which takes 52 minutes to reach a full charge. Oppo also claims to double the battery lifespan with its Battery Health Engine from last year.In addition to the usual stereo speakers, Oppo implemented a design dubbed "Active Privacy Protection for Voice Calls" to the earpiece, which is apparently "capable of improving sound insulation by up to a factor of 3.5 to reduce audio leakage." In other words, people stood around you are less likely to eavesdrop on your calls.Last but not least, while not all flagship phones come with an infrared remote control, some may still appreciate this feature on the Oppo Find X6 Pro to control things like TVs, air conditioners and lights.Richard Lai/EngadgetThe Oppo Find X6 Pro will be available in China from March 24th, with design options including a dual-tone brown (glass plus vegan leather), black (glass) and green (glass). Prices range from 5,999 yuan or about $873 (12GB RAM with 256GB storage) to 6,999 yuan or about $1,018 (16GB RAM with 512GB storage).There's also a similar-looking but more affordable Find X6, which swaps out the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip with MediaTek's Dimensity 9200. Also, its main camera uses an IMX890 instead of the 1-inch IMX989, whereas its ultra-wide camera uses a Samsung JN1 sensor and, sadly, lacks a freeform lens. That said, this phone still packs a generous 4,800mAh battery with 80W fast charging, and it comes with an IP64 ruggedness rating. It'll be offered in green, gold and black, with prices going from 4,499 yuan or around $654 (12GB RAM with 256GB storage) to 4,999 yuan or about $727 (16GB RAM with 512GB storage).We'll be keeping an eye out for international availability, even though it'll likely be limited to Europe for the west. Stay tuned.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/oppos-find-x6-pro-packs-a-1-inch-sensor-and-a-periscopic-camera-083210934.html?src=rss
You most likely know Duolingo as an app you can fire up when you want to learn a new language or at least familiarize yourself with the local tongue of a place you're visiting. It has ventured into other subject matters over the years, though, and now it looks like the company is also hoping to be the one people turn to when they want to learn about music. According to a job posting (seen by TechCrunch), Duolingo has a small team that's currently working to build an app for teaching music.The job ad is for an "expert in music education who combines both theoretical knowledge of relevant learning science research and hands-on teaching experience." Whoever gets the job will be in charge of making sure that the app is "well-grounded in learning science." They have to translate "research findings into concrete ideas" that can be used for "learning by doing" activities that Duolingo is known for. They also have to take the lead on curriculum development, which signifies that the app is still in its very early stages.If and when Duolingo's Music app comes out, it will join the company's growing list of learning applications that include its ABC app, which teaches kids how to read and write. It also has an English Test app for language certification and a Math app that uses colorful animations and interactive exercises to help people learn multiplication, division, fractions, geometry and measurements. As TechCrunch notes, the company is most likely diversifying to ensure its survival and income growth in the future. And its plan seems to be working so far: In its earnings report (PDF) for the fourth quarter of 2022, Duolingo revealed that it enjoyed a 67 percent increase in paid subscribers from the year before.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/duolingo-is-building-a-music-learning-app-065408671.html?src=rss
Microsoft is preparing to launch an Xbox store on iOS and Android as early as next year, according to Phil Spencer. The head of the company’s gaming division shared the timeline in a Financial Times interview published on Monday, noting the plan is dependent on regulators approving Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.“We want to be in a position to offer Xbox and content from both us and our third-party partners across any screen where somebody would want to play,” Spencer told the outlet. “Today, we can’t do that on mobile devices but we want to build towards a world that we think will be coming where those devices are opened up.”Microsoft first revealed it was working on an Xbox store for mobile devices in regulatory documents the company filed with the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) last year. At the time, the tech giant didn’t provide a timeline for the plan, noting only its proposed merger with Activision Blizzard would play a critical role. Spencer was more direct on Monday. “The Digital Markets Act that’s coming — those are the kinds of things that we are planning for,” he said. “I think it’s a huge opportunity.”Under the Digital Markets Acts (DMA), major platforms the European Union designates as “gatekeepers” will be required to open their devices to competing app stores. Last fall, a Bloomberg report said Apple was already at work preparing to make iOS compliant with the legislation ahead of its March 2024 deadline. The EU will allow companies it labels as gatekeepers to appeal the designation, a carveout that could delay enforcement of the law. Additionally, with challenges from the Federal Trade Commission and CMA, there’s no guarantee Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard will close before the new rules apply to Apple and Google, a fact Spencer seemed to acknowledge when interviewed by the Financial Times. However, he said it would be “pretty trivial” for Microsoft to adapt its existing Xbox and Game Pass apps to sell games and subscriptions through mobile devices.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-head-says-microsofts-mobile-game-store-could-arrive-next-year-180007168.html?src=rss
You no longer need to pass on 8BitDo's gamepads if you use Apple products. 8BitDo has confirmed that its controllers now officially support iPhones, iPads and Macs thanks to both firmware upgrades and Apple's recent iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, tvOS 16.3 and macOS 13.2 updates. The compatibility is limited to the Lite SE, Pro, Pro 2, SN30 Pro+, SN30 Pro for Android and Ultimate Controller 2.4g, but more models are "incoming."The company's offerings are already some of our favorite mobile gaming controllers, and for good reason. They promise good ergonomics, substantial customization and (in some cases) a tinge of nostalgia. It's relatively easy to switch between your Apple devices and other hardware, such as consoles and PCs. That makes them particularly handy if you're playing action games away from home, or just don't want to poke at a touchscreen.These aren't the only strong options for mobile controllers. SteelSeries' Nimbus and Stratus models are well-suited to enthusiasts who want an Xbox-style pad. And if you want a makeshift Switch or Steam Deck, the Razer Kishi is your pick. Still, it's good to have more choices for Apple-friendly input — particularly if you like 8BitDo's priorities.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/8bitdo-controllers-now-work-with-apple-devices-163657954.html?src=rss
LG announced pricing and availability today for its sleek 2023 Gram Style laptops announced at CES. The Windows-running ultra-portables are available now, ranging from $1,499 to $1,999.The 14-inch LG Gram Style costs $1,499 for 512GB storage and 16GB memory; you’ll pay $1,799 to make it a 1TB SSD and 32GB of RAM. Meanwhile, the larger 16-inch variant costs $1,799 for 1TB and 16GB RAM, while $1,999 will stick with 1TB but move up to 32GB RAM. In addition, LG is currently offering a deal that will get you a 32GB memory model for the price of a 16GB one (with the same screen size) if you order from LG’s website between now and April 16th.We were intrigued by LG’s stylish new notebook during our CES demo. Its lid and keyboard deck are made with iridescent Gorilla Glass 3 (with a nano-magnesium alloy base). It has a vanishing trackpad that visually and tactilely blends into the keyboard base when you aren’t using it. They’re light, too: Even the larger model weighs a mere 2.7 lbs (Engadget’s Cherlynn Low had no problem doing a bunch of bicep curls with it). However, we were less sure about its build quality, as the 16-inch model yielded a bit during our lifting tests on the CES floor — and we've run into build-quality issues with past LG Gram models.The LG Gram Style has a 3,200 x 2,000 OLED with a 120HZ refresh rate for the 16-inch model and a 2,880 x 1,800 OLED at 90Hz for the 14-inch variant. It runs on Intel’s latest 13-generation Core processors.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lgs-iridescent-2023-gram-style-laptops-start-at-1499-162230620.html?src=rss
Amazon may be widening the scope of its layoffs. Amazon chief Andy Jassy has sent a memo to staff indicating the company will cut another 9,000 jobs in the "next few weeks." The reductions will primarily affect Twitch, advertising and cloud computing divisions like Amazon Web Services, according to the message. The CEO also warns that the final cuts aren't likely to be finalized until mid-to-late April, and that Amazon won't inform affected workers until that point.Jassy says the expanded layoffs follow a "second phase" of operational planning focused on trimming costs. Some teams weren't ready for the initial round of layoff announcements in November, and the company wanted to announce decisions early to provide information "as soon as possible," Jassy adds. The online retailer is promising severance pay, transitional health insurance coverage and help finding jobs elsewhere.Amazon confirmed the memo's existence to Engadget following a report by CNBC. As before, Jassy attributes the cutbacks to an "uncertain economy" and lingering doubts about near-future performance. The firm wants to be "more streamlined" while still having the resources to invest in better experiences, the executive claims.Rumors surfaced the company would lay off 10,000 employees last fall, but the company announced it would eliminate 18,000 jobs in January. At the time, most of the cuts focused on retail and recruiting. Last year, Amazon shuttered some of its physical stores and wound down some business units. While the brand benefited from the shift to online shopping at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it faced turbulence as people returned to pre-pandemic habits.Amazon isn't the only big tech company announcing layoffs this year, or even the only one planning deeper cuts. Meta said this month it would let go of another 10,000 workers after slashing 11,000 positions in the fall. However, Amazon is now cutting more aggressively than many others. It's also notable that Twitch is part of the layoffs. The livestreaming service thrived during the early pandemic, but Streamlabs and Stream Hatchet estimate that viewership has been on a steady decline since spring 2021. Simply speaking, there isn't as much demand for Twitch as there was when people were stuck at home.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-will-lay-off-another-9000-employees-in-the-coming-weeks-152653190.html?src=rss
Amazon's Echo Show 8 is our pick for the best smart display for Alexa users, and it's now on sale for $75 at various retailers. While we've seen this deal before, it's still about $20 below the 8-inch display's typical street price and $55 off Amazon's list price. For reference, the device's all-time low is $70.We gave the Echo Show 8 a review score of 87 when it launched a couple of years ago, and we currently recommend it in our guides to the best smart displays and best smart home devices. It generally offers the best blend of price and performance within Amazon's smart display lineup; the Echo Show 5 is a bit too small for general-purpose use, while the Echo Show 10 and its rotating display are much pricier and bulkier. The 8-inch, 1,280 x 800 resolution display here, on the other hand, is sizable enough to make video calls and photo viewing comfortable but not so large that it'll look out of place in a kitchen or bedroom. Its built-in speakers are capable of filling a room, and the whole thing is powerful enough to pull up the weather, control your smart home gear, stream video and do other Alexa tasks without much sluggishness. And while no smart speaker or display is really ideal for those protective of their privacy, the Echo Show 8 has a physical camera shutter and mic mute button for when it's not in use.Like all Echo devices, the Echo Show 8 will work best if you've already invested in other gadgets that work with Alexa. If you're not in that ecosystem but still want a smart display, the 7-inch Google Nest Hub might be a better buy in this price range, as it integrates better with common Google services like Gmail, Google Calendar and YouTube. (The latter only works through a web browser on the Echo Show.) It lacks a camera for video calls, though that might be a good thing for the more privacy-conscious. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer an Alexa-based smart display, this is a decent deal.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/amazon-echo-show-8-drops-back-to-75-144524742.html?src=rss
This is a good moment to snag Apple's wireless earbuds for your springtime excursions. Amazon is once again selling the third-generation AirPods for $150. That's near the all-time low price, and could make them a safe choice if you're looking for easy-to-use buds for casual listening and calls. Just be prepared to wait a little while. As of this writing, Amazon is estimating delivery in roughly three weeks.The third-gen AirPods are clearly Apple's best "default" wireless earbuds to date. As we noted in our review, they sound much better than their predecessors while delivering extra battery life and a comfier fit. Toss in spatial audio support and they're a reliable pick if you're an iPhone owner and want no-nonsense audio for your daily commute. They integrate well with the Apple ecosystem, and you may even prefer them over higher-end options if you want to hear some of the outside world.They're not as ideal if you're an Android user, of course. More importantly, though, you may want to consider Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro — they're currently on sale for $200, and worth the extra outlay if you want active noise cancellation, a more secure fit or gym-friendly water resistance. With that said, there's no need to pay for more than the base AirPods if you're listening to podcasts or otherwise aren't fussy about sound.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-3rd-gen-airpods-are-back-on-sale-for-150-141513741.html?src=rss
Netflix has no plans to slow down its gaming ambitions any time soon, as it wants to make sure it has at least one game that each of its more than 230 million subscribers can enjoy. The company's library of mobile games now has 55 titles following the recent additions of Valiant Hearts: Coming Home and the spellbindingly dystopian Highwater. There's much more to come in 2023, as Netflix plans to add around 40 more games throughout the year.The company has revealed a few of those titles, including reverse city-builder Terra Nil (March 28th) and Paper Trail, which will see you folding parts of the world to solve puzzles. Netflix has also struck a deal with Ubisoft for three exclusive games. The second of those, following Valiant Hearts: Coming Home, will arrive on April 18th in the form of Mighty Quest: Rogue Palace. It's a roguelite set in the same universe as The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot. It's said to have an improved formula, a more in-depth story and souped-up gameplay.Also on the way later this year is a follow-up to one of Netflix's most-played games to date, Too Hot to Handle: Love is a Game, which is based on the hit reality show, Too Hot to Handle. Netflix says weekly content drops have kept players coming back and it's working with developer Nanobit on the follow-up.Looking further ahead, the Monument Valley series is coming to Netflix Games. Monument Valley and Monument Valley 2 will be available to Netflix subscribers at no extra cost in 2024.Versions of the classic mobile puzzle titles are currently available on Apple Arcade. A Netflix spokesperson told Engadget that the games should remain on other services after next year. Meanwhile, developer Ustwo (which is behind last year's Desta: The Memories Between, also available on Netflix) has hinted that another Monument Valley game is on the way as part of its Netflix deal.Also in the pipeline is a game based on an unannounced upcoming Netflix IP. Vainglory developer Super Evil Megacorp is working on the exclusive title, which it says will build on the studio's expertise in team-based combat. You can expect to learn more about this project later this year. Netflix vice-president of external games Leanne Loombe recently told reporters that this game is part of a "big bet" and a "transmedia play" for the company.All told, Netflix has 70 games in development with its partners and 16 in the works at its internal studios. Most of the games Netflix's own teams are making are still in the very early stages, though Night School Studio's Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is slated to arrive later this year. Netflix is promising to release new games every month for the rest of 2023, including "indie darlings, award-winning hits, RPGs, narrative adventures [and] puzzle games."Loombe said that since Netflix started offering games in 2021, it has found that players are largely drawn to three types of experiences: recognizable titles from elsewhere, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge and Immortality; ones that encourage daily play, including Solitaire and Knittens; and games based on its own shows and movies, like Stranger Things.Given Netflix's designs on becoming a world-class game publisher, I hope it doesn't focus on those areas exclusively. In any case, it's off to a strong start. For instance, Poinpy, a vertical platformer that doesn't fall neatly into any of those three categories, was my favorite game of 2022.Netflix has said it's looking into cloud gaming, so you may eventually get to play its library on computers, smart TVs and even consoles. But its focus is primarily on mobile. Making sure more people are aware they can play some great games as part of their subscription will be key to Netflix Games' growth plan too.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-plans-to-add-roughly-40-more-titles-to-its-mobile-game-library-this-year-140014333.html?src=rss
Anyone looking to keep track of all their devices is in for a little treat. Apple's AirTag four-pack is currently on sale for $90. It equates to a 9 percent discount, knocking off a bit, but the lowest we've seen was $80. Still not a bad deal now, though, if you've been hesitant to spring for the four-pack. A single AirTag is available for $29, making the four-pack sale almost into a buy three, get the fourth free affair.AirTags are one of the best Bluetooth trackers on the market, seamlessly pairing to your iPhone and clearly visible in the Find My app. Newer phones provide detailed directions to your lost items, and everyone has the ability to make an AirTag chime.AirTags are small at about an inch and a quarter in length and width. A slight downside to them is their lack of a keyring area, which many rival devices offer by default. You'll have to buy a pouch or accessory if you want to hook one to your keys, but AirTags can easily slip into a suitcase or bag with ease.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/apple-airtag-4-pack-sale-134557134.html?src=rss
Ceramic kamado-style grills have been some of the best grilling gear available for backyard cooks for a long time. However, it takes practice to master lighting them and maintaining proper temperatures. Kamado Joe aims to get rid of those frustrations with its latest smart grill. The Konnected Joe is equipped with a push-button charcoal igniter and a digitally controlled fan system. The former gets the grill going and while the latter keeps the heat level where you need it.The Konnected Joe is a true kamado grill at its core. The ceramic chamber has trademark Kamado Joe design features like an Air Lift hinge that raises the lid with ease, two-tier cooking inside, side shelves and a slide-out ash drawer for quick cleaning. The 18-inch diameter cooking surface offers 250 square inches of grilling space. The company says this is enough room for 13 burgers, four whole chickens or two pork butts. In the bottom of the cooking chamber, Kamado Joe has added a so-called Automatic Fire Starter that ignites charcoal with a simple button press. The company says this tool can have your grill ready to use in less than 15 minutes.Kamado JoeThe smart grilling features center around Kamado Joe's Kontrol System. This setup includes the Kontrol Board digital display, the Kontrol Fan that maintains temperature and the Kontrol Tower vent up top. The entire system is controlled from the Kamado Joe app where you can adjust and monitor grill temps, keep tabs on food temperatures (up to three probes at once) and check in on cook times. Plus, you can do all of this without being near the grill. The Konnected Joe has a temperature range of 200-700 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can expect to do low-and-slow smoking, high-heat searing and everything in between. An Automatic Cook Mode puts step-by-step guidance on the grill's display and a Classic Cook Mode allows you to do everything manually.The Konnected Joe is $1,699, $300 less than the WiFi-equipped Pellet Joe that debuted in 2020. Pre-orders start today at the company's website, The Home Depot and other retailers. Kamado Joe says the grill will begin shipping in June.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/kamado-joe-konnected-joe-grill-price-specs-133020818.html?src=rss
Samsung is finally offering more than one OLED TV series. The company is expanding its Quantum Dot OLED range to add a more affordable S90C family (pictured above). You'll have to settle for a scaled-back version of object-tracking sound and won't get the S95C's near-flush wall mounting or external connection box. You'll still get a punchy QD-OLED image, AI-based HDR mapping, Dolby Atmos audio and syncing with Samsung soundbars.The S90C starts at $1,899 for a 55-inch model and scales up to $3,599 for a 77-inch version. A 65-inch set is "coming soon." Conveniently, those prices match what LG is asking for equivalent C3 TVs — Samsung is clearly eager to upstage its main rival, although it still doesn't offer Dolby Vision HDR.You'll also have more options if you're willing to spend extra on the S95C. In addition to the already-shipping $4,499 77-inch model, Samsung is adding more reasonable 55-inch ($2,499) and 65-inch ($3,299) screens. Those prices are higher than last year's models, but match the prices of LG's G3 line. Samsung claims a slightly brighter 2,000-nit output and a 144Hz refresh rate for compatible PC games.Both the S90C and S95C are rolling out today. It's too soon to say if Samsung or LG has the best OLED TV family this year, but it may come down to differences like Dolby Vision support or a brighter picture. However, it's safe to say Samsung is now fully invested in OLED TVs after avoiding them for years. The extra competition may be good news if it leads to more aggressive pricing and feature upgrades.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-expanded-oled-tv-lineup-includes-a-new-lower-priced-series-130035154.html?src=rss
Agility Robotics announced an updated version today of its bipedal Digits warehouse robot. Designed to take on repetitive or injury-risking tasks, the new version adds a head (with LED animated eyes) and hands, and it can handle a wider variety of demanding workloads than its predecessor.The new Digits robot can “reach higher, carry more, last longer, charge faster and convey intent” better than the previous model. In addition, it’s better at manipulating its surroundings, and it has keener perception and is better at human-robot interactions. The machine is 5’9” tall and weighs around 140 lbs, including newly designed “end effectors” (hands) that help it reach high or low spaces and pick up or place plastic totes or other objects found in shipping warehouses.“Warehouse work includes many process-automated, repetitive tasks that all too often lead to injury and high turnover, leaving costly gaps in the workforce that snarl supply chains,” explains the company in a press release. “While automation can help fill those gaps, existing automation solutions are typically single purpose, meaning companies have to onboard and maintain dozens of different solutions for different tasks, or they require expensive customization to the workspace.” The idea is that a humanoid robot can best replicate the tasks typically assigned to humans.Agility RoboticsAlthough automation can spare human workers from the most grueling activities, it isn’t always that tidy: Machines are as likely to erase human jobs altogether. Moreover, with wealth disparity already astronomically high, the robot arrives as the world’s largest corporations have been laying off thousands of employees; it’s hard not to view these machines with as much cynicism as awe.Agility Robotics will perform fully autonomous live demos of Digits at ProMat Chicago this week (March 20th to 23rd). The company is also opening applications for spots in its Agility Partner Program (APP), which will be the only place to purchase them initially. Pricing has yet to be announced, and the first units are expected to ship to APP participants in early 2024. The company is aiming for 2025 for general availability.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-next-gen-digits-robot-gets-a-head-and-hands-120001329.html?src=rss
After 15 years in space, NASA’s AIM mission is ending. The agency said it was ending operational support for the spacecraft due to a battery power failure. NASA first noticed issues with AIM’s battery in 2019, but the probe was still sending a “significant amount of data” back to Earth. Following another recent decline in battery power, NASA says AIM has become unresponsive.NASA launched the AIM – Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere – mission in 2007 to study noctilucent or night-shining clouds, which can last hundreds of years in the Earth's upper atmosphere. It was only meant to operate up in the skies for two years, but it’s provided data for multiple groundbreaking studies, including a recent 2018 study that found methane emissions (and the climate change effects) are causing night-shining clouds to form more frequently.– 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 missedHitting the Books: During World War II, even our pigeons joined the fight Amazon faces lawsuit over alleged biometric tracking at Go stores in New York Microsoft is making it easier to set default apps in Windows 11The ‘Diablo IV’ beta has some rough queue times‘We are aware some have experienced longer than expected wait times.’Diablo IV’s early access weekend hasn’t gone as smoothly as Blizzard likely hoped it would. Shortly after the beta went live on Friday, many players found themselves in lengthy login queues – including Engadget editor Igor Bonifacic, who had to wait nearly two hours before he got to play the game for… 15 minutes before being disconnected. Blizzard addressed the issue after players complained on social media and the official Diablo IV forums. “The team is working through some issues behind the scenes that have been affecting players and causing them to be disconnected from the servers,” Blizzard said in its initial post on the wait times.Continue reading.Google Pixel 7 phones are cheaper than ever right nowThe entire lineup, including every storage variant and colorway, is $150 off.EngadgetArguably the best Android phones out there, the entire Pixel family is on sale,, including the flagship 7 Pro. At both Amazon and the Google Store, you can get the Pixel 7 Pro for $150 off, across all colorways and storage variants, meaning the 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models are $749, $849 and $949 at the moment. The more affordable Pixel 7 is also $150 off, again in all three colorways and both storage variants.Continue reading.Disco Elysium’s new Mode allows you to write new dialogueBut it's really just a photo mode.Disco Elysium, one of the best releases of 2019 and 2021, finally has a dedicated photo mode, but it’s not like the one you find in most games. Its new Collage Mode grants you full access to all the characters, environments and props in the RPG. As you might imagine, you can use that power to pose your favorite NPCs in “a range of silly and sensible poses.” Collage Mode gives you the freedom to write your own dialogue for Disco Elysium, and makes it look like it came directly from the game.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-nasas-aim-spacecraft-goes-silent-after-a-15-year-run-112207847.html?src=rss
Acer is making a serious left turn in its product offerings with today's announcement of the ebii e-bike. The Taiwanese company — typically known for its PCs, laptops and accessories — touts ebii as a bike designed for cities, with AI features used to learn riders' personal preferences and change gears depending on road conditions. Weight wise, it's about 35 pounds, making it lighter than most e-bikes. Acer claims it has a maximum assist speed of 20 MPH and can go just under 70 miles on one charge.The bike takes about two and a half hours to reach full battery life. In this area, Acer connects back to its roots, as the power brick can also be used as a portable charger for your laptop or phone. Riders must download the ebiiGO app for information on battery life, recommended routes, speed checks and to lock and unlock the bike. However, ebii will also auto-lock anytime the linked phone leaves the immediate area. Plus, it has an anti-theft alarm.Additional features of the ebii include collision detection sensors, lights in every direction and airless tires to avoid a flat.Acer hasn't specified how much the ebii costs or when it will be released. It's hard to make an estimated guess as e-bikes can range tremendously in price, from the $800 Lectric XP Lite to Audi's new electric mountain bike at over $10,000.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/acer-is-making-an-e-bike-104525560.html?src=rss
Apple's Mac Mini M2 is the cheapest way to get the company's latest processors, and now Amazon is offering the more desirable model at the best price we've seen. You can buy the 512MB Mini M2 for $700, or $100 (12 percent) off the regular price. The one caveat is that the shipping date is set for April 12th, but if you're not in a huge hurry, it's the best deal to date.In our review, we gave the Mac Mini a solid score of 86, lauding the performance and classic aluminum design. It's tiny but mighty, with the M2 model easily powerful enough for productivity chores and multitasking. The chip combines computing operations, like CPU, GPU, input/output interfaces and certain memory processes into one "system on a chip," allowing for faster processing speeds.On top of that, you get killer connectivity, with two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C connections, HDMI 2.0 (with 4K 240Hz and 8K 60Hz output), two USB-A ports, a headphone jack and gigabit Ethernet (upgradeable to 10 gigabit). The M2 Pro model adds two additional USB-C ports, making it even more useful for creatives with a ton of accessories.The Mac Mini M2 won't replace your gaming machine, but it can handle nearly everything else you throw at it. We wouldn't recommend the overpriced storage or RAM upgrades either, as the M2 is much more efficient with RAM than typical PCs. Still, if you're looking for a cheap but powerful Mac, this is the way to go.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-512gb-mac-mini-m2-is-99-off-right-now-093619032.html?src=rss
When Google began rolling out Android’s March security patch earlier this week, the company addressed a “High” severity vulnerability involving the Pixel’s Markup screenshot tool. Over the weekend, Simon Aarons and David Buchanan, the reverse engineers who discovered CVE-2023-21036, shared more information about the security flaw, revealing Pixel users are still at risk of their older images being compromised due to the nature of Google’s oversight.In short, the “aCropalypse” flaw allowed someone to take a PNG screenshot cropped in Markup and undo at least some of the edits in the image. It’s easy to imagine scenarios where a bad actor could abuse that capability. For instance, if a Pixel owner used Markup to redact an image that included sensitive information about themselves, someone could exploit the flaw to reveal that information. You can find the technical details on Buchanan’s blog.
US law enforcement authorities this week arrested the person allegedly responsible for hacking the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2021. As reported by Krebs on Security (via The Verge), FBI agents on Wednesday arrested Conor Brian Fitzpatrick on suspicion of running BreachForums. As Brian Krebs notes, the website’s administrator, “Pompompurin,” is responsible for or connected to some of the most high-profile hacks in recent memory, including multiple incidents involving the FBI.In 2021, Pompompurin took credit for compromising the agency’s email servers and sending thousands of fake cybersecurity warnings. Pompompurin is also linked to the 2022 breach of the FBI’s InfraGard network, an incident that saw the contact information of its more than 80,000 members go on sale. Separately, Pompompurin is connected to the 2021 Robinhood hack that saw the data of 7 million users compromised, and the 2022 Twitter data leak.In a sworn affidavit, one of the FBI agents involved in the arrest claims Fitzpatrick identified himself as Pompompurin and admitted to being the owner of BreachForums. The forum rose from the ashes of RaidForums, which the FBI raided and shut down last year. For the moment, BreachForums is still up and running. "I think it's safe to assume [Pompompurin] won't be coming back, so I'll be taking ownership of the forum," said a user named Baphomet. "I have most, if not all the access necessary to protect BF infrastructure and users." Fitzpatrick will appear before a federal court on March 24th.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/us-authorities-arrest-alleged-breachforums-owner-and-fbi-hacker-pompompurin-170009266.html?src=rss
If you’re in the market for a new Android phone, now is a good time to pick up one of the best at a significant discount. Google has reduced the price of the entire Pixel family, including the flagship 7 Pro. On both Amazon and the Google Store, you can get the Pixel 7 Pro for $150 off. That includes all colorways and storage variants, meaning the 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models are priced at $749, $849 and $949 at the moment. The more affordable Pixel 7 is also $150 off. Once again, all three colorways are included in the sale, as are both storage variants. As a result, you can get the 128GB model for $449 and the 256GB one for $549. When they’re not on sale, those two will set you back $599 and $699, respectively. Last but not least, the Pixel 6a is likewise $150 off, making it $299.Between the Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7 and Pixel 6a, there isn’t a bad choice between them. All three phones are found in Engadget’s smartphone buying guide. If you want a simple, affordable and easy-to-use device, the Pixel 6a is a great choice. It features a bright and vivid 6.1-inch OLED display, IP67-certified water and dust proofing, 6GB of RAM and Google’s in-house Tensor chip. Best of all, like all the other Pixels, the 6a comes with Google’s excellent photo processing software. One thing to note is Google is likely to announce the Pixel 6a’s successor soon. The company is widely expected to debut the phone at I/O 2023 on May 10th.If you have a bigger budget, both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are compelling options too. Of the two, the latter is the one to go for if you love snapping photos. It features a 5x telephoto camera that’s ideal for capturing images of faraway subjects. Additionally, the wide-angle camera can capture macro shots, making it great for getting up close to small subjects like flowers and bugs.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/google-pixel-7-phones-are-cheaper-than-ever-right-now-145246252.html?src=rss
Disco Elysium, one of the best releases of 2019 and 2021, finally has a dedicated photo mode, but it’s not like the one you find in most games. Announced this week, the game’s new Collage Mode grants players full access to all the characters, environments and props found within the RPG. As you might imagine, you can use that power to pose your favorite NPCs in “a range of silly and sensible poses.” You’re then free to add filters and change the time of day to alter the mood of your capture.But most interesting of all, Collage Mode gives you the freedom to write your own dialogue for Disco Elysium, and make it look like it came directly from the game. “Fabricate completely new dramas from unforgivable punch-ups to fruity yet forbidden kisses,” developer ZA/UM Studio suggests. “Corroborate your fan fiction with screenshots directly from the game.” Disco Elysium fan fiction will never be the same.As Eurogamer notes, Collage Mode arrives amid an ongoing public dispute between ZA/UM and a handful of the studio’s former employees. The disagreement dates back to 2022 when three members of the Disco Elysium team – Robert Kurvitz, Helen Hindpere and Aleksander Rostov – said they were fired from their jobs following the studio’s takeover by a pair of Estonian businessmen in 2021. Kurvitz and Rostov went on to accuse ZA/UM’s new owners of fraudulently obtaining control of the company. On Tuesday, ZA/UM published a press release announcing the legal proceedings Kurvitz and Rostov had brought against it had been resolved after a court dropped the case. The two later told Eurogamer the announcement was "wrong and misleading in several respects," and that they would continue pursuing other legal options against their former employer.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/disco-elysiums-collage-mode-allows-you-to-write-new-dialogue-220437086.html?src=rss
Since its release in 2021, one of the most consistent criticisms of Windows 11 has been Microsoft’s handling of app defaults. Compared to Windows 10, the newer OS makes it more complicated for users to move away from the company’s first-party offerings. For example, if you don’t want Edge to open every time you click on a webpage or PDF, you’re forced to launch Windows 11’s Settings menu and change the default app by file and link type. It’s an unnecessarily long process that makes customizing Windows 11 convoluted.Microsoft is finally addressing some of those criticisms. In a blog post published Friday (via Bleeping Computer), the company said it was “reaffirming our long-standing approach to put people in control of their Windows PC experience.” Microsoft announced a feature it said would ensure Windows 11 users are in control of changes to their app defaults. Later this year, the company will introduce a new deep link uniform resource identifier (URI) that will allow developers to send users to the correct section of the Settings menu when they want to change how Windows 11 responds to specific links and file types.MicrosoftMicrosoft says it will also give users more control over what apps get pinned to their desktop, start menu and taskbar with a new public API that will display a prompt asking you to grant programs permission before they show up on those interface elements. Both features will first roll out to PCs enrolled in the Windows Insider Dev Channel in the coming months before arriving in the public release of Windows 11. Notably, Microsoft says it will “lead by example” and release updates for Edge that will see the browser add support for those features as they become available.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-is-making-it-easier-to-set-default-apps-in-windows-11-202940444.html?src=rss
It’s safe to say Diablo IV’s early access weekend hasn’t gone as smoothly as Blizzard likely hoped it would. Shortly after the beta went live on Friday, many players found themselves in lengthy login queues. In my case, I had to wait nearly two hours before I got a chance to play the game, only to be quickly disconnected after about 15 minutes.Blizzard addressed the issue after players took to social media and the official Diablo IV forums to complain. “The team is working through some issues behind the scenes that have been affecting players and causing them to be disconnected from the servers,” Blizzard said in its initial post on the subject. “This is done so we can ensure stability amongst players who get into the game after the queue process.”
After 15 years in space, NASA’s AIM mission is ending. In a brief blog post spotted by Gizmodo, the agency said Thursday it was ending operational support for the spacecraft due to a battery power failure. NASA first noticed issues with AIM’s battery in 2019, but the probe was still sending a “significant amount of data” back to Earth. Following another recent decline in battery power, NASA says AIM has become unresponsive. The AIM team will monitor the spacecraft for another two weeks in case it reboots, but judging from the tone of NASA’s post, the agency isn’t holding its breath.NASA launched the AIM – Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere – mission in 2007 to study noctilucent or night-shining clouds, which are sometimes known as fossilized clouds due to the fact they can last hundreds of years in the Earth's upper atmosphere. From its vantage point 370 miles above the planet's surface, the spacecraft proved invaluable to scientists, with data collected by AIM appearing in 379 peer-reviewed papers, including a recent 2018 study that found methane emissions from human-driven climate change are causing night-shining clouds to form more frequently. Pretty good for a mission NASA initially expected to operate for only two years. AIM’s demise follows that of another long-serving NASA spacecraft. At the start of the year, the agency deorbited the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite following a nearly four-decade run collecting ozone and atmospheric measurements.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nasas-aim-spacecraft-goes-silent-after-a-15-year-run-studying-the-earths-oldest-clouds-162853411.html?src=rss
Back in 2021, a law took effect in New York City that requires businesses to post conspicuous signs if they're collecting customers' biometric information, such as their facial scans and fingerprints. Now, Amazon is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit that accuses the company of failing to inform customers at its Go cashierless stores that it was collecting their biometrics.In the lawsuit (PDF), filed by Alfredo Alberto Rodriguez Perez, the plaintiff argues that Go stores constantly use customers' biometrics "by scanning [their palms] to identify them and by applying computer vision, deep learning algorithms, and sensor fusion that measure the shape and size of each customer’s body to identify customers, track where they move in the stores, and determine what they have purchased." It said the company only put up signs about its biometric tracking activities over a year after the law went into effect.Amazon's Go stores give shoppers the option to take whatever product they have off shelves and walk out without the need to check out. To be able to enter these stores, customers will need to scan a code from the Amazon app with a connected credit card. However, some locations offer Amazon One, the e-commerce giant's palm-based identity and payment service, as an entry option. The plaintiff's complaint said the sign informs customers that Amazon will not be collecting their biometrics unless they choose to sign up for Amazon One. However, "Amazon Go stores do collect biometric identifier information on every single customer, including information on the size and shape of every customers body," the complaint argues.In a statement sent to NBC News, an Amazon spokesperson defended the company's practices and technologies. They explained that Amazon does not use facial recognition, and any system it uses to identify shoppers inside its Go stores don't constitute biometric tech. "Only shoppers who choose to enroll in Amazon One and choose to be identified by hovering their palm over the Amazon One device have their palm-biometric data securely collected," they insisted, "and these individuals are provided the appropriate privacy disclosures during the enrollment process."The lawsuit's outcome could then depend on whether the court sees someone's body shape and size as biometric information. In the complaint, the plaintiff quotes NYC Admin Code 22-1201's definition of a biometric identifier in context of the law as "a physiological or biological characteristic that is used by or on behalf of a commercial establishment, singly or in combination, to identify, or assist in identifying, an individual, including, but not limited to: (i) a retina or iris scan, (ii) a fingerprint or voiceprint, (iii) a scan of hand or face geometry, or any other identifying characteristic."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-faces-lawsuit-over-alleged-biometric-tracking-at-go-stores-in-new-york-144429703.html?src=rss
Discord is finally giving you the power to customize its desktop app's interface with various themes for its latest beta test. The messaging app has introduced Themes — one of its most requested features — with 16 pre-made options to choose from. The not-so-good news? You'll only be able to apply them if you're paying for Nitro, its most expensive subscription option.Nitro does have other perks, including a bigger file-sharing limit, 4K and 60fps streaming, as well as the ability to send messages up to 4,000 characters in length. But if you don't really need any of them, it's a matter of deciding whether it's worth paying $10 a month or $100 a year for the subscription tier just to be able to access Discord's themes.In case you have been waiting for the feature to drop and do decide to pay for Nitro, you can choose from the available color schemes by going to Appearance under Settings. You'll now see a new Color section under the existing Light and Dark themes, where you can find the main 16 choices. There's apparently another hidden color scheme you can see when you click on the Preview Themes button to test out each option before applying one. Thankfully, Discord is allowing you to use the preview button even if you don't have an existing Nitro subscription, so you can at least check out what's available before you make a purchase.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/discord-themes-nitro-subscription-100135630.html?src=rss
Trombone Champ is a blast to watch, but a beast to play even compared to some other rhythm games — you try nailing a slide during the "William Tell Overture." Thankfully, developer Holy Wow Studios is putting the game within reach of more players. It's introducing an "Autotoot" option that takes away the need to press buttons. If you have hand-mobility issues, you'll have a better chance of squonking your way to an S rank. Your score is halved to prevent leaderboard cheating, but you can advance the story.The update is also more streamer-friendly, with icons warning when a tune might be muted on services like Twitch. It's faster to restart a track when your performance goes askew, and you'll see your character in the points screen.Trombone Champ quickly became a viral sensation after its debut last September. Anyone who's familiar with Guitar Hero or Rock Band will grasp the basic mechanics, but the laugh-'til-you-cry hilarity of playing trombone over classic pieces can't be overstated — this is one of those precious games where messing up is almost more entertaining than a perfect score. And that's before you throw in unofficial songs that put brass where it clearly doesn't belong.Autotoot is also part of a larger trend of improving accessibility in games. Titles like The Last of Us now make accommodations for a wide range of mobility, hearing and vision abilities. Input devices like Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller and Sony's Project Leonardo are also making many games viable for people who can't use conventional gamepads.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/trombone-champs-autotoot-makes-the-ridiculous-music-game-more-accessible-192059126.html?src=rss
Researchers at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, have developed a flexible 3D bioprinter that can layer organic material directly onto organs or tissue. Unlike other bioprinting approaches, this system would only be minimally invasive, perhaps helping to avoid major surgeries or the removal of organs. It sounds like the future — at least in theory — but the research team warns it’s still five to seven years away from human testing.The printer, dubbed F3DB, has a soft robotic arm that can assemble biomaterials with living cells onto damaged internal organs or tissues. Its snake-like flexible body would enter the body through the mouth or anus, with a pilot / surgeon guiding it toward the injured area using hand gestures. In addition, it has jets that can spray water onto the target area, and its printing nozzle can double as an electric scalpel. The team hopes its multifunctional approach could someday be an all-in-one tool (incising, cleaning and printing) for minimally invasive operations.The F3DB’s robotic arm uses three soft-fabric-bellow actuators using a hydraulic system composed of “DC-motor-driven syringes that pump water to the actuators,” as summarized by IEEE Spectrum. Its arm and flexible printing head can each move in three degrees of freedom (DOFs), similar to desktop 3D printers. In addition, it includes a flexible miniature camera to let the operator view the task in real time.The research team ran its first lab tests on the device using non-biomaterials: chocolate and liquid silicone. They later tested it on a pig’s kidney before finally moving onto biomaterials printed onto a glass surface in an artificial colon. “We saw the cells grow every day and increase by four times on day seven, the last day of the experiment,” said Thanh Nho Do, co-leader of the team and Senior Lecturer at UNSW’s Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering. “The results show the F3DB has strong potential to be developed into an all-in-one endoscopic tool for endoscopic submucosal dissection procedures.”The team believes the device is brimming with potential, but further testing will be necessary to bring it into the real world. The next steps would include studying its use on animals and, eventually, humans; Do believes that’s about five to seven years away. But, according to Ibrahim Ozbolat, professor of engineering science and mechanics at Pennsylvania State University, “commercialization can only be a matter of time.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/this-insertable-3d-printer-will-repair-tissue-damage-from-the-inside-185147733.html?src=rss
Bloober Team has provided an in-depth look at its reimagined Layers of Fear collection. It comprises the original Layers of Fear, Layers of Fear 2, all the expansions for both and a fresh chapter that promises to give fans "a new perspective" on the first game's story. All the series' events will be connected with the help of a new character called The Writer, who is the focus of the 11-minute gameplay video.The footage shows The Writer exploring a gloomy lighthouse. It doesn't take too long before spooky things start to happen. Your lantern is an important defensive tool against things that go bump in the night. You'll also need it to solve puzzles and reveal secrets.Bloober Team has reworked the Layers of Fear games in Unreal Engine 5. Based on this evidence, it seems the game has atmospheric visuals that are as pretty as they are eerie. The studio used tools such as the Lumen system, ray-tracing, HDR and volumetric lighting in an attempt to make the game look as lifelike as possible.You'll be able to explore Layers of Fear and take in all its creepy visuals when it hits PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in June. Meanwhile, Bloober Team is also working on a Silent Hill 2 remake.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/layers-of-fear-gameplay-footage-takes-you-on-a-tour-of-a-gorgeous-creepy-lighthouse-172058956.html?src=rss
Standalone sequencers are something of a luxury in the modern music-making landscape. These days, even the cheapest synths and samplers have at least rudimentary sequencing capabilities. And while many MIDI controllers have on-board sequencers, they’re usually meant to back up live performance rather than replace it. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this rule (Arturia’s BeatStep Pro remains incredibly popular even eight years after it was introduced), but you have to start looking into the complex and often intimidating world of Eurorack and modular synths to regularly come across devices whose sole purpose is playing back strings of notes for you.Eventide, best known for its high-end effects units like the H90 and TimeFactor, is not an obvious candidate to delve into the world of Eurorack. But that’s exactly what it decided to do with Misha, its first sequencer. Now, nobody would have blamed the company for playing it safe with its first foray into the space. Instead, it decided to chuck the usual conventions out the window and make something unique that is equal parts fun and confounding, especially if you’re deeply entrenched in traditional music theory and keyboard-based composition.I am not an adept pianist. Nor do I have a particularly deep knowledge of Western music theory. And even still I initially struggled to wrap my head around Misha. That’s because the buttons on its face don’t play specific notes. Instead they play intervals related to the last note played within a scale.Terrence O'Brien / EngadgetThe easiest way to explain this is through an example. Let’s say we’ve set the Misha to play a C Major scale. Below the screen, which shows you the key and scale, are nine colored buttons labeled -4 through +4. If you press 0, you get a C right off the bat, because that is the root note and it is zero intervals away from the start of the scale. If you press the +1, instead of getting a C#, you’ll get a D, the next note in the scale.So far, so good, right? But if you press the +1 again, you won’t get a second D, and instead you’ll get an E, one interval higher in the scale. To get a second D note, you’d have to press 0. And if you wanted to go back to C, you’d have to press -1. It’s not complicated necessarily, but it breaks a basic expectation that any musician would understandably have – that if you do the same thing, you should get the same note. If I play the fifth fret on the low E of a guitar, I expect to get an A every time. If the notes continued to climb by five steps, without moving my hands, I would have a much harder time playing anything.But this is the core concept of the Misha. It’s not built around absolute pitch and instead forces you to compose based purely on the relationships between notes in a scale. If that idea sends you running for the hills, then this probably isn’t the sequencer for you. If, however, you’re like me and intrigued by Misha’s unique approach, hang around and let’s dig a little deeper.HardwareTerrence O'Brien / EngadgetBefore we go too far down the rabbit hole of scales, modes and sequencing, let’s take a step back and look at the hardware. While my unit came with a dedicated pod for housing the Misha, it’s ostensibly designed to live in a Eurorack setup. At 28hp wide, it’s a relatively large module, but it’s quite shallow at just 19mm deep, meaning it should fit in even the most portable skiffs. That width is kind of necessary, though. The 17 buttons, two knobs, microUSB port, microSD slot and and 16 ¼” jacks for MIDI, audio and control voltage would feel impossibly cramped on anything smaller.The layout feels just spacious enough to be viable as a performance tool, without completely dominating a smaller Eurorack setup. The nine interval buttons are well-spaced, the screen is large enough to deliver all the necessary information and the knobs are sturdy. My only issue hardware-wise is that the shift buttons have a hollow spring to them that feels a bit cheap and they make an audible popping sound.The 12 CV (control voltage) jacks are split across three tracks, with three pairs of gate and CV outputs as well as two inputs each. This gives you a decent amount of options for controlling multiple synth voices or modulating the Misha’s sequencer. There’s also MIDI in and out jacks, as well as stereo out and a clock in. The microUSB port can also be connected to a computer keyboard for use with custom keymappings. You’re not gonna be wanting for connectivity options here.Terrence O'Brien / EngadgetThe screen in the dead center gives you all the info you need about navigating Misha’s interface, though it can take a bit to figure out how it all works. I highly recommend reading the manual. It’s not long and can save you lots of time and frustration. Once you come to grips with how the Misha works, it’s almost deceptively simple. In fact, I frequently felt like I had to be missing something. That, for sure, this module, with all its buttons and knobs and 1-inch screen, was hiding features from me.Definitely take time to customize those four user buttons, though. While the default functions of up and down one octave (button one and two), and up and down one chromatic step (three and four) are useful enough, they can offer a lot of performance power when mapped to meet your specific needs. Personally I like swapping in “move pitch” for the chromatic steps, and setting it to a fifth. That adds a bit more spice than a simple octave, but generally still works well musically with whatever else is going on.One last thing worth noting is that Misha has a built-in oscillator that you can turn on in the settings. But, beyond providing a simple sound source for auditioning melodies and generally getting a feel for the sequencer, it’s practically useless. In fact, it’s not even mentioned in the manual.ComposingTerrence O'Brien / EngadgetMisha ships with 100 preloaded scales ranging from basic (Melodic Minor), to exotic (Enigmatic), to microtonal insanity (48 note equal-tempered). And, if somehow that’s not enough for you, there are 100 user slots for loading your own scala files. Between the various scales, modes and keys, the musical options baked into Misha are seemingly endless.The most immediate way to start exploring them is to select a scale and then start pressing the interval buttons. This is actually a pretty satisfying way of playing an instrument, too. I don’t have a big rig to stick this in, but I paired it with Cre8Audio’s East Beast and West Pest, as well as the Moog Subharmonicon and Elektron Digitone all to wonderful effect.This is not the sort of process you go to when you want to translate a melody you hear in your head to the real world. Perhaps someone could train themselves to think in intervals to use Misha that way, but it would take a lot of work. Instead this can create happy accidents. You just have to pay especially close attention to what you play to make sure you can recreate anything that catches your ear.Now, yes, there are ways to lock a controller to a specific scale, similar to the Misha – basically making it impossible to play out of tune. But there’s something about playing intervals instead of notes that feels both intuitive and surprising, in a way a keyboard never could. Crafting melodies becomes a rewarding exploration where I’m basically forced to cede control, rather than a frustrating attempt to use my limited theory knowledge to turn ideas into reality.Terrence O'Brien / EngadgetOne of the few things I have to decide beforehand is how many octaves I want to play around in. Setting the note range to two octaves, for instance, means, once I climb beyond that cap, the intervals will swing back around to two octaves below my root note. It’s probably best to try and avoid going all the way around, though. Jumping down two octaves can sound a tad harsh.The octave limits also apply when using Misha as a sequencer, so you can play a melody line spread out over four octaves worth of a scale before starting over. The sequencer, though, is where things get a little dicey. It’s built around the idea of a “tone row,” a device used in serial composition where all twelve notes in the chromatic scale are played, without repetition, to create a motif. The innovation here is that this concept of a tone row can be applied to any scale, not just a twelve-note, Western chromatic one.This method of composition definitely falls on the experimental end of the spectrum and with certain scales it can come off a little awkward. This also means that the number of steps in a sequence is dependent on which scale you’re using. A single octave sequence in a minor pentatonic scale will only have five steps, while two octaves of the quarter tone scale will have 48 steps. While I appreciate the novel approach, part of me really wishes that the tone row was a mode you could turn on and off. I’d love to see Eventide add a more traditional sequencer through a firmware update where notes can be repeated.There is also a chord mode that allows you to send three-notes out over MIDI or divided between the three CV outs. If you have a Eurorack setup with multiple synth voices, this is a great way to create some complexity and variation, especially if you have other utilities that can further modulate what the Misha puts out. For example, you can send the root note through a simple arpeggiator for the bass while using the other notes to play leads or pads. Unfortunately, there is no onboard way to sequence chord voicings. You can manually change it while performing, but it’s kind of a pain. Alternatively, you could use another sequencer to send MIDI CCs to Misha and change chord voicings, which seems like overkill.Terrence O'Brien / EngadgetEasily the best way to use the Misha is as a performance tool paired with an external MIDI controller. Here, the white keys give you an even broader range of interval jumps (nine in either direct) as well as quick access to the root note, while the black keys can repeat a note, play a random scale note or move chromatically up and down one step at a time. And, of course, you can still hit the four user programmable buttons on the front of the module or even map other notes on the keyboard to put more variables at your fingertips.Wrap-upTerrence O'Brien / EngadgetAt $599, Misha is not cheap. And that jumps to $699 if you need a Eurorack pod and power adapter. But it’s also truly unique. If the allure of interval based performance or tone row sequencing is what you’re after, well, this is the only game in town (at least that I’m aware of). I’m sure that there are ways of getting a similar effect using software, but when it comes to hardware, this is it.I do wish that Eventide made a few more concessions to traditional composition, though. I want to be able to repeat notes or program passages that are an arbitrary length, rather than be limited to the number of notes in a scale. Maybe those will be added in a future firmware update, at which point it might be harder to come up with reasons not to buy one. For now, Misha is a pricey, niche tool that’s also undeniably playful and creative.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eventide-misha-review-a-playful-sequencer-that-says-to-hell-with-tradition-170058588.html?src=rss
It's Friday, which means today we put together the best deals in tech we saw this week. It's also St. Patrick's day and we could make a dumb joke about "saving some green" — but we won't. Instead, we'll just note that the Apple Watch SE dropped to its lowest price yet and the Beats Fit Pro are getting a steep $55 discount at Woot. Wellbots is also taking $55 off of a pair of earbuds, dropping Google's Pixel Buds Pro down to $145 when you use the Engadget coupon. And speaking of vouchers, the 2022 iPad Air is $99 off at Amazon when you add click on the extra discount at checkout. Meanwhile, the very excellent (and previously tough to find) Steam Deck got its first discount ever, taking 10 percent off the portable gaming system. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.Apple Watch SEYou can snag Apple's most affordable smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE, for its lowest price yet. It's on sale for $219, after a 12 percent discount, which matches the steepest discount we've seen since its debut. We gave it a review score of 89, calling it the best smartwatch $250 can buy. There's no always-on display and it doesn't have blood oxygen sensors, skin temperature readings or ECG monitoring like the Series 8. The screen isn't quite as robust either. But for $219 you'll get a fully featured smartwatch with excellent app integration and plenty of health-tracking features.Beats Fit ProBeats Fit Pro are premium earbuds that usually come at a premium price, but right now Woot has them for 28 percent off. That brings them to $145, which is the lowest we've ever seen them go for. We gave them an 87 in our review, praising the excellent active noise cancellation, powerful sound and punchy bass. They also happen to fit a wide range of ear shapes thanks to the "fit wing" that's comfortable while keeping the buds securely in place.The Beats audio brand is owned by Apple, so they take on some of the more helpful iOS compatibility features like good Siri integration and support for spatial audio. Despite that, they'll also pair up with Android devices. Though if you're an Android person, you might check out the deal on Pixel Buds Pro, below.Google Pixel Buds ProIf you use an Android phone, the Pixel Buds Pro are what we recommend. Right now, a discount code at Wellbots will knock $55 off the list price, bringing them down to just $145. Enter ENGTGOOGLE at checkout to get the deal. In our review of the Pixel Buds Pro, we appreciated the responsive touch controls, excellent bass and solid noise cancellation. They've got an excellent 11-hour battery life if you're not using active noise cancellation. Turn the feature off — and drop the buds in the charging case — and you'll get a full 20 hours on a charge. One of our complaints was a lack of quality in handling phone calls, but if you're more of a texter anyway, perhaps that won't matter as much. Our other concern was the price. But with $55 off, that's less of an issue.The same code will also give you $55 off on the Google Pixel Watch. You can read our review of Google's latest wearable here.Apple Watch Series 8The Apple Watch 8 with GPS connectivity in the 41mm size usually goes for $399, but Amazon is selling it for $329 right now, which matches the lowest price we've seen it drop to a few times before. The sale only covers the Product Red and Midnight colorways, and doesn't extend to the larger 45mm case size. Still, it's a nice, $70 savings on a wearable we think is one of best smartwatches on the market right now.It's got tons of health integrations including blood oxygen sensors, ECG abilities, temperature monitoring, crash detection and of course all of Apple's fitness tracking and coaching. It's only designed to work for iPhone users, so if you're an Android person, you might want to check out our other recommended smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 5, which is on sale for 21 percent off, or just $220.Steam DeckTo celebrate a the one-year birthday of their very excellent Steam Deck, Valve is knocking ten percent off the list price of all there configurations of the gaming handheld. The sale brings the 64GB model to $359.10, and the 256GB variant to $476.10. The 512GB version, which includes premium anti-glare glass and a carrying case, is selling for $584.10.Delivery is expected to take one to two weeks, and in the meantime, you can stock up on games to play on your system once it arrives. Hundreds of titles are discounted, including many of the top 100 most-played. Discounts range from 10 to 75 percent off, making it a very good time to get started with a more portable way of accessing many of the best games in your Steam library.SAMSUNG T7 1TB SSDCan you have too much storage? Probably not. Right now you can get a terabyte of portable SSD storage in Samsung's T7 drive for 20 percent off. That makes the SSD $80 instead of $100, which is its lowest price to date. It's our current pick for best portable SSD thanks to the fast reads speeds of up to 1,050MB/s. For those who need to store even more, the 2TB size is 53 percent off, but only in grey. If you need a red one, you'll save a little less, as that colorway is only 47 percent off.Smaller Samsung drives are on sale too, including the 128GB EVO Select card. It's going for the lowest price we've seen yet of just $12.49.Blink Video DoorbellIf you want to keep tabs on your front door, here's a chance to do it for an extremely low price. Amazon-owned Blink is already one of the most competitively priced brands in the smart home market, but a sale on some of their more popular devices are making them even more affordable. The Blink Video Doorbell is 30 percent off, or $35 dollars, which matches the product's all-time low price. Of course, you'll have to weigh the benefits of keeping an eye on your doorstep against privacy concerns surrounding these types of products from Amazon.You can add cameras to your exterior video coverage with a 43 percent discount on at two-pack of Blink Outdoor cams. If you'd rather go with a smart home brand that's not Amazon, Arlo's Essential Video Doorbell is our pick for best smart doorbell in our guide and it's 51 percent off right now, bringing the usually pricy device down to a more affordable $99.Apple 2022 iPad AirThe iPad we recommend for most people is currently $99 off at Amazon — after you apply the coupon at checkout. That makes 2022's M1 iPad Air in the 64GB configuration $500 instead of $599 and the 256GB model $650 instead of $749. The deal applies to the purple, pink and starlight colors — the space gray variants are only getting a standard seven or nine percent discount, depending on the size, and aren't currently offering the coupon.We gave the tablet a top-notch score of 90 in our review, calling it a future-proof iPad. The M1 chip makes it speedy enough for content creation and gaming while easily handling more intensive workflows. The battery life is great and the front camera is far improved over the previous model — though it's still on the top of the portrait edge, which can make you seem off-centered in video calls if you have it in landscape orientation. It also doesn't use that great camera to take advantage of Face ID, you'll still need to use a fingerprint on the button or tap in your unlock code.Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)We keep a close eye on the price for Apple's AirPods Pro. They're undoubtedly great earbuds (I'm wearing some now as I type this) but they're not cheap (I'm indefinitely borrowing my set from my mother). They've once again dropped back to their lowest price, making them $250 instead of $200. We saw the same sale back in February, so if you missed that, now's your chance.They're our current favorite option for iPhone users, according to our guide to wireless earbuds. They've got Apple's new H2 chip to deliver better noise cancellation and an impressive transparency mode. The battery life isn't as long as some competitors — you'll only get about six hours on a charge, though the case delivers an extra three charges before you need to plug in again. Check out our full review here.JBL Flip 6A few of our favorite Bluetooth speakers from JBL are up to 38 percent off at Amazon right now. That includes the Flip 6, which $30 off, bringing the waterproof speaker down to $100. We named the Flip 6 one of our favorite portable wireless speakers in our guide. It's got great sound quality for its relatively small size (just over a pound, and only seven inches long) and it's plenty durable.The biggest discount goes to the JBL GO2 with a 38 percent discount making it just $25. It's got five hours of battery life, a waterproof rating and is just three inches tall. That one didn't make it into our top picks, but a similarly diminutive speaker that did, the Tribit StormBox Micro 2, is also on sale with a 21 percent discount.The Charge 5, which we also recommend in our Bluetooth speaker guide is on sale for 22 percent off. That's not an all-time low, but takes $40 off the usual list price. JBL's Charge 4 is a little cheaper to begin with and has roughly the same specs, including a two-pound size and 20 hour battery life. It's on sale for 25 percent off, bringing it down to $113. And if you'd rather buy direct from JBL, many of the same deals can be found on their site as well.Echo Show 15Falling between a home hub and a smart TV, Amazon's Echo Show 15 can control your smart home and play your favorite shows. It's seeing a $55 discount this week, bringing it down to $195. If you want to include a remote for a more TV-like experience, that bundle is $55 off too, or $225. After we reviewed the 15 when it first came out, Amazon added the Fire TV component, giving a little more utility to what could be seen as a niche display. It's wall-mountable so you could use it in the kitchen as a family bulletin board, one that's also capable of implementing all of your Alexa-based requests and playing a cooking show while you heat up leftovers.Fire TV Stick 4KAs part of a larger sale, Amazon is discounting the Fire TV Stick 4K to $30. That's a 40 percent discount and only $5 more than the all-time low it dropped to for the holidays last November. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which supports WiFi 6 and comes with a little more RAM, is 36 percent off, making it $35 instead of $55. If you don't have a TV that'll support 4K images anyway, you may as well save a little money and go with the standard Fire TV Stick. It's down to $27 after taking 33 percent off. All three will turn any set into a smart TV, letting you add and organize apps through Amazon's Fire TV OS, while also giving you control over your Alexa-enabled smart home devices.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-watch-se-drops-to-its-lowest-price-yet-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-164528358.html?src=rss
Rivian is issuing a recall for airbag-related issues for the second time in the last few weeks. The EV automaker is notifying affected owners of the R1S SUV (2022-23) about potentially faulty side-curtain airbags.The recall says one or more of the models’ side-curtain airbags (left or right side) may not have been properly fastened. A report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says the affected models were manufactured at the company’s Normal, IL plant between October 28th, 2022 and January 21st, 2023. Rivian began contacting customers on March 2nd to schedule an inspection and secure them properly. In addition, the company says it will reimburse any owners who already paid for the repair elsewhere.Although the latest recall only affects 30 vehicles, it’s the second time the automaker has issued an airbag-related recall in less than a month. A March 1st one was much broader, affecting over 12,000 R1T pickups and R1S SUVs (2022) over an airbag deployment issue. In that case, a supplier’s faulty seatbelt sensors, which prevented the front passenger airbags from deploying, were the culprit. However, the vast majority in that group won’t likely have the flaw, as Rivian estimated only one percent of the recalled vehicles were affected.Although the recalls won’t likely hurt Rivian’s finances significantly, it still isn’t a great look for the young automaker — especially when it recently laid off six percent of its workforce for the second time in less than a year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rivian-issues-its-second-airbag-recall-in-less-than-a-month-163154213.html?src=rss
Google is facing pushback from some of its 12,000 laid-off employees. CNBC has learned that over 100 ex-staffers have formed a "Laid off on Leave" group asking Google to pay for the full leaves they were approved to take before the January 20th layoff announcement, including parental, medical and caregiver leave. While the company said in early 2022 that it was extending all parental leave to 18 weeks for full-time staff (24 weeks for birth parents), it told terminated employees that they'd get 16 weeks of severance pay plus two weeks for every added year of employment, with paid time off included.The group members say the approach has not only impacted their parenting plans (including those who had recently given birth), but has also disrupted healthcare. Some former workers tell CNBC they lost access to Google's in-house medical care the day they received their layoff notices, denying them access to ongoing in-person treatment. Google has offered virtual doctor's appointments, but has otherwise asked affected people to find alternatives.In a statement to Engadget, Google repeated its 16-week severance pay plan and noted that outgoing employees would be eligible for regular salary and stocks for their "60+ day" notice window. Google claims its accommodations for people on leave compare "favorably" with those of other companies.The affected people are demanding that CEO Sundar Pichai and other management quickly clarify the leave policy. Google is poised to finalize severance terms as soon as March 31st.Google is far from alone in creating potential issues for workers laid off while on leave. Numerous tech giants have announced mass layoffs in the past several months as they grapple with a tough economy. However, the uproar at Google highlights one of the problems these companies face: they previously promised extensive benefits to attract would-be hires, but now have to reconsider those perks as they cut costs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-wont-pay-remaining-parental-or-medial-leave-for-laid-off-employees-161713912.html?src=rss
Meta's paid verification program is available in the US starting today, CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote on his Instagram channel. Those who sign up for Meta Verified will get a blue verification badge on Facebook and Instagram, "proactive impersonation protection" and direct access to customer support, Zuckerberg said.It costs $12 per month via the web and $15 per month if you become a Meta Verified member through iOS or Android to account for those platform's cuts of in-app payments. You'll also get some stars each month (which you can use to tip Facebook creators) and extra stickers for Stories and Reels.Unlike in Australia and New Zealand, Verified subscribers in the US won't gain increased visibility in some parts of the apps just yet. "We heard feedback that how this piece of the offering worked was causing confusion, so we’re taking the time to further explore its value and learn before we consider expanding this component outside Australia and New Zealand," a Meta spokesperson told Engadget. The company says it will look into adding other features to Verified while it continues to test the program.Meta debuted the program in Australia and New Zealand last month. Verified differs from Twitter Blue, through which folks can pay for a blue check mark and other perks, as it requires Instagram and Facebook users to provide Meta with a piece of government ID that matches the name and photo on their account. They'll need to meet some other eligibility requirements, such as being 18 or older and having two-factor authentication enabled.Meta Verified subscribers can't change their profile name or photo, username or date of birth unless they're willing to go through the verification process again. Any notable Instagram or Facebook account that was previously verified will keep their blue check.Update 3/17 12:20PM ET: Added some clarification from Meta.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-paid-verification-program-goes-live-in-the-us-152337732.html?src=rss
YouTube is the latest internet giant to restore former President Donald Trump's accounts. The Google-owned video service has lifted a ban on video uploads from Trump's channel. YouTube says it made the decision after weighing the "continued risk" of violence versus the opportunity to hear from major political candidates. Trump will still be subject to the same policies as other users, the company says.YouTube blocked uploads on Trump's channel days after the January 6th, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by supporters hoping to overturn presidential election results. The site also deleted certain videos. It didn't scrub the channel outright, however. Meta and Twitter were stricter, banning Trump entirely over concerns his statements might incite violent acts.
New Zealand has joined the growing list of countries and jurisdictions that have banned TikTok from certain government devices. Unlike elsewhere, the restriction doesn't apply to all government employees. It's limited to devices that have access to New Zealand's parliamentary network, though the country's defense force and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they've banned TikTok on work devices too.The ban will come into force by the end of March. However, there may be exceptions for those who need access to TikTok to carry out their jobs.Officials made the move in the wake of advice from cybersecurity experts and talks between people in the government and with other countries. "Based on this information, the Service has determined that the risks are not acceptable in the current New Zealand Parliamentary environment,” parliamentary service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero told Reuters.Chris Hipkins, New Zealand's prime minister, shed some light on why the country limited the ban to devices linked to the parliamentary network. "Departments and agencies follow the advice of the (Government Communications Security Bureau) in terms of IT and cybersecurity policies ... we don't have a blanket across the public sector approach," he said.Earlier this week, the UK announced an immediate TikTok ban on government devices. It said users of such devices would only be able to use third-party apps that are on an approved list. Over the last few months, the US, dozens of states, Canada and the European Commission have also banned TikTok on devices they own.As with those other jurisdictions, New Zealand is limiting government access to TikTok due to security fears. Officials in many countries have expressed concern that TikTok's parent company ByteDance (which is based in Beijing) may be compelled to share sensitive user information, such as location data, with China for purported national security reasons.ByteDance has said it wouldn't share user data with China, but US officials have claimed the company would legally have to comply if the government demanded the information. TikTok has tried to assuage privacy worries in the US and Europe by routing traffic from each territory to domestic servers and conducting third-party security and data audits.TikTok's troubles don't end with bans from government devices. This week, the company said that the US told ByteDance to sell the app or TikTok could face a nationwide ban. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has argued that, were ByteDance to divest his company, that wouldn't resolve politicians' security concerns and that data protection projects the company has set up in the US and Europe "are the real solutions." A whistleblower has claimed, however, that there are flaws in the US plan that could allow China to theoretically access data of American TikTok users anyway.Meanwhile, reports suggested this week that the FBI and the Department of Justice are investigating ByteDance after four employees used TikTok to snoop on the locations of two US journalists. ByteDance fired the four people (two of whom were based in China and the others in the US) in December and said the individuals were trying to locate the sources of leaks to the reporters.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/new-zealand-is-the-latest-country-to-ban-tiktok-from-government-devices-143539571.html?src=rss
The downfall of Silicon Valley bank affects the entire technology industry. This week, we chat with Alex Wilhelm, editor in chief at TechCrunch+, about why SVB failed and what it means for the broader ecosystem. Where were the regulations? And why were VCs so quick to abandon it? Also, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into the latest AI news from Google, Microsoft and the launch of OpenAI’s GPT4. Like we’ve said before, the AI news will never end!Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!Subscribe!
A new group of Phantom Thieves will be stealing hearts in Tokyo. Black Wings Game Studio, the developer owned by Chinese company Perfect World Games, has unveiled a new mobile game set in the Persona 5 universe. The previous spinoffs of the title, Persona 5 Strikers and Dancing in Starlight, feature the original gang, but this one comes with a brand new cast of characters. While it wasn't created by Atlus itself, Persona: Phantom of the Night (or Persona 5: The Phantom X, shortened as P5X) had SEGA's blessing. It was also developed under the supervision of P-Studio, the team behind the mainline Persona games.So far, its trailers show us a red-haired protagonist who's juggling high school life and Metaverse thievery, a brown-haired girl reminiscent of P4's Chie and a talking owl who, like Morgana, can transform into a getaway vehicle. The developer has also released character artwork for another female character with long black hair and another for Igor's new assistant in the Velvet Room.According to the game's announcement, franchise character designer Shigenori Soejima created the game's protagonist and exclusive Persona. And if you watch the trailer below, you'll see that Black Wings was able to capture the look and feel of the original Persona 5 game quite well. It uses the same gameplay and battle effects, and it features the same victory close-ups, as well as the popular P5 battle soundtrack Wake Up, Get up, Get Out There.Unlike the original Persona 5 game, P5X will be free to play, which means it will have in-app purchases. It will be available to beta testers on Android, iOS and Windows (as a port) starting on March 29th, but only in China. The developer has yet to announce if it will be released outside the region.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/free-to-play-persona-5-mobile-game-114009191.html?src=rss
In December, ByteDance confirmed it fired four employees who used TikTok to spy on the locations of two journalists. Now, Forbes reports the FBI and the Department of Justice have been investigating the incident. This investigation couldn’t come at a worse time, as ByteDance faces mounting pressure to sell its stake in TikTok.Critics in Congress have previously raised questions about the app’s surveillance tactics, particularly in light of ByteDance’s acknowledgment that employees had inappropriately accessed US user data. "We have strongly condemned the actions of the individuals found to have been involved, and they are no longer employed at ByteDance,” a spokesperson said. “Our internal investigation is still ongoing, and we will cooperate with any official investigations when brought to us."The incident late last year involved employees accessing the data of several TikTok users in the US, including journalists, to locate the sources of leaks. Forbes reported ByteDance tracked three of its reporters who previously worked for BuzzFeed News. These publications have all run reports on TikTok, with many focusing on alleged ties to the Chinese government.– 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 missedYouTube TV raises prices to an outrageous $73 per monthAmazon no longer sells print and Kindle magazines How to clean and organize your PC'Resident Evil 4' remake reviewA half-step backward for Capcom remakesCapcom2005’s Resident Evil 4 set the standard for action-horror games when it came out, and the remake shines when it embraces the innovations of the original: over-the-shoulder precision shooting and an atmosphere blending combat and terror. However, the remake loses focus quickly, and it feels like much of Capcom’s effort was poured into upgrading enemies and environments. The RE4 remake introduces new boss fights and also allows Leon to parry powerful attacks. Sometimes. When the prompt does pop up, it’s easily interrupted by environmental nudges, the actions of other enemies and Leon’s own animations. Like most of Leon’s movements, the parry ability is simply too inconsistent to be satisfying.Continue reading.Valve's Steam Deck is on sale for the first timeA 10 percent discount coincides with the Steam spring sale.Valve's terrific portable gaming system is on sale for the first time. The 64GB model is currently $359.10 ($40 off). The 256GB variant has dropped from $529 to $476.10. The 512GB Steam Deck, which has a screen with anti-glare glass and the fastest storage of the bunch, is $65 off at $584.10. The discount will apply in all regions where the Deck ships until 1 PM ET on March 23rd, when the Steam spring sale ends.Continue reading.IKEA just launched a $15 waterproof Bluetooth speakerIt’s cute, and it probably goes in your shower.IKEA's Vappeby lineup continues to grow with a new waterproof Bluetooth speaker for the shower at just $15 – undercutting all but the cheapest no-name devices. "The fundamental goal with the new product was to offer quality sound in a versatile product that can really be used anywhere," said product design developer Stjepan Begic. It offers a surprising 80 hours of battery life at 50 percent volume and is IP67 rated for water and dust resistance. It’s on sale now.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-tiktoks-parent-company-reportedly-under-fbi-investigation-113010206.html?src=rss
Nearly two decades before Facebook and others were talking about the metaverse, Second Life was letting millions of users partake in virtual worlds. Now, all this time later, developer Linden Labs has announced that it's developing a mobile version of the game, Ars Technica has reported. A beta version is expected to launch later this year.In a YouTube video posted to Second Life's community forum, the publisher detailed some details about the mobile app. It's being built using Unity, mainly so it'll be easy to build and distribute the game on both iOS and Android phones/tablets. It also shows some footage of characters and environments, and how Linden Labs will try to make it as much like the desktop game as possible.Facebook has struggled to get the metaverse off the ground, but over 73 million accounts have been created for Second Life to date, and the number of active users hit 900,000 during the pandemic — 17 years after the game launched. Typical virtual events include "live music performances, shopping fairs, fan fiction conventions, book and poetry readings, academic lectures, fashion shows, and art exhibitions," the company told Vice in 2020.Linden Labs had been working on a VR version of the game called Sansar, but ended up stopping development and selling off the rights in 2020. The company said it did so to become "cash-positive," while noting that VR headset adoption didn't come as fast as it hoped. To that end, a pivot to mobile makes sense, but it remains to be seen if people will still be interested in Second Life after all this time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-20-year-old-metaverse-game-second-life-is-getting-a-mobile-app-110254437.html?src=rss
Now is a good time to purchase a 2022 Apple M1-equipped iPad Air, as they've dropped back down to all-time low prices. The 64GB WiFi model is now on sale for just $500, or $99 (17 percent) off, while the 256GB model is available for $650, also $99 off the regular $749 price. Note that the savings are applied via voucher that activates when you check out.The M1 chip gives the 2022 iPad Air a substantial performance boost over the previous model, so it's a solid choice for content creation, gaming and other demanding apps. Throughput is also boosted thanks to the 10Gbps USB-C ports that have double the bandwidth of the last model. At the same time, battery life remains unchanged at an excellent 10 hours. All of those things make the 2022 iPad Air future-proof and helped it garner a top-notch 90 score in our Engadget review.It has more than speed going for it. You get a 10.9-inch liquid Retina LCD display with Apple’s True Tone feature for optimizing the screen’s color temperature based on ambient light, to start with. It also comes with an improved 12-megapixel ultra wide front camera and supports the same accessories as the last model (keyboard cases, Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil). The main downside is a lack of Face ID.The 64GB iPad Air hits that $500 price (in all colors but blue) thanks to a 7 percent discount and $59 checkout voucher (applied when you click through to checkout). Meanwhile, the 256GB model is marked down to $650 thanks to different combinations of checkout vouchers and discounts.Shop 2022 Apple iPad Air at AmazonFollow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-2022-ipad-air-is-100-off-right-now-100538907.html?src=rss
You can no longer buy either print or Kindle Newsstand magazine and newspaper subscriptions from Amazon, as the company appears to implement yet another cost-cutting measure. The e-commerce giant announced that it was halting Newsstand subscriptions on March 9th (via The Verge) and that the change was going to take effect that very day. If you have an annual subscription, it will not be renewed, as well.You can continue managing your subscriptions — such as changing your delivery address — through Amazon until June 5th at 11:59PM PST. But after that, you'd have to get in touch with the publisher for any inquiry. Finally, Amazon will only be sending you the latest issues for your magazines and newspapers until September 4th. The good news is that you'll still be able to access all the digital issues that have already been delivered, and Amazon will send you a pro-rated refund for any undelivered issue.In a statement, Amazon spokesperson Julia Lee told The Verge that the company looks at each of its businesses to see what it should change as part of its annual operating planning review process. Lee explained: "Following an assessment of our magazine and newspaper subscriptions and single-issue sales, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue these services. We don't take these decisions lightly and are winding down these offerings in a phased manner over several months. We will continue to support customers, sellers and publishers during that time."Based on Lee's statement, the company wasn't making money from subscriptions, and they likely became a casualty that could be attributed to its cost-cutting efforts. Back in January, Amazon expanded its planned job cuts to cover 18,000 roles in the company after hiring thousands of new people to keep up with the heightened demand during the previous years' COVID lockdowns. Amazon also paused construction on its second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia and shut down several cashierless Go stores over the past few months.If you want to keep receiving the newest issues of your magazines and newspapers, you'll have to look at alternative subscription options from their publishers. Some of them, however, will still be available as part of Amazon's Kindle Unlimited service.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-no-longer-sells-print-kindle-magazines-092833960.html?src=rss
Bandcamp has always been known as an artist-friendly alternative to streaming services like Spotify, where you can buy music directly from the musicians themselves. Now, workers at the Epic-owned online audio distributor want to ensure that they're treated as well as its creators by forming a union called Bandcamp United. According to Rolling Stone and TechCrunch, a majority of workers are in favor of unionizing, and all 62 of its non-managerial and non-supervisory personnel in the US will make up its bargaining unit. Those 62 workers are composed of support staff, designers, engineers, writers and other roles within the platform.Apparently, Bandcamp's personnel have been quietly working on their organizing efforts since last summer. They ultimately decided to join Tech Workers Union Local 1010 of the Office and Professional Employees International Union, which is the same group that helped full-time Kickstarter employees organize back in 2020. Based on the mission statement written on Bandcamp United's website, the group aims to fix pay disparities and promote "equitable conditions and economic stability." They want to make sure workers have access to paid time off and that their salaries "will grow to meet economic necessity."Rolling Stone says they're also looking to address management's lack of transparency after Epic's takeover last year. Workers were reportedly asked to sign new employment contracts when the Fortnite developer acquired the platform, and they were given a limited amount of time to review its terms with no room for negotiations.Ethan Diamond, Bandcamp's CEO, told the publications that management is "aware that some... employees are seeking to organize a union and [is] reviewing the petition to understand their concerns." Bandcamp United has already filed for a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to administer a union election and will hold one to make things official once it gets approved.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bandcamp-workers-forming-a-union-075803951.html?src=rss
The Resident Evil 4 remake starts out strong. Updated aiming mechanics and a fresh infusion of processing power make this the most exciting version of RE4 Capcom has ever delivered, and Leon Kennedy looks better than ever, even with his new chin implant. The remake performs well for the first few hours, as Leon shoots and stabs his way through the misty Spanish village where las plagas has transformed the locals into murderous tentacle monsters. These early scenes, set among crooked wooden buildings and the shores of a twisting cave system, establish the game’s blood-soaked tone and provide a satisfying balance of asset management, puzzle solving and modern third-person shooting.As the game grows in complexity, it becomes clumsy. Capcom’s approach to modernizing RE4 is to add more enemies, cramped environments and fewer ammo drops – all of which could result in a high-tension action experience, if its controls were consistent. As it stands, the RE4 remake is plagued by sluggish animations and frustrating combat sequences. Leon constantly feels underpowered, unable to evade basic attacks or reliably land a shot.Resident Evil 4 set the standard for action-horror games when it came out in 2005, and the remake shines when it embraces the innovations of the original: over-the-shoulder precision shooting and an atmosphere blending combat and terror. However, the remake loses focus quickly, and it feels like much of Capcom’s effort was poured into upgrading enemies and environments, leaving Leon in the GameCube-era dust.The RE4 remake introduces new boss fights and head-bursting enemies, and it also allows Leon to parry powerful attacks. Sometimes. The parry ability is only available if Leon has a knife on standby, and when the prompt does pop up, it’s easily interrupted by environmental nudges, the actions of other enemies, and Leon’s own animations. Like most of Leon’s movements, the parry ability is simply too inconsistent to be satisfying, and it generally does nothing to heighten the tension of combat scenes.The remake often places Leon at the center of a swarm of enemies, without the option to quickly dodge incoming attacks. He has to shoot or press his way through the horde – but he runs as if he’s knee-deep in sludge, and even a bullet to the head doesn’t always stop a rushing cultist. Meanwhile, enemy attacks always interrupt Leon. Sluggish movement is authentic to the experience of the original four Resident Evil games, and it’s something that the RE2 and RE3 remakes specifically address, offering updated controls and environments that feel at home on modern hardware. In comparison to those games, RE4 feels unfinished, or at least un-finessed.CapcomOne boss fight that Capcom reimagined for the remake is against Méndez, the mutant priest with the extra long spine. In the original, Méndez slings a repetitive series of attacks from the rafters of a burning slaughterhouse. In the remake, Méndez drops back to hurl flaming logs and explosive oil drums at Leon, before rushing forward for close-quarters fighting and alternating these positions a few times. Even though the environment in the remake is larger, it’s cramped with flames that interrupt Leon’s actions any time he touches them. Méndez moves quickly and so do the objects he throws, while Leon has a sluggish run ability, no way to quickly dodge, and lethargic animations for reloading, retrieving items, touching fire and knifing enemies. Méndez seems like a fully remade character here; Leon, not so much. This results in a frustrating boss fight.I died a few times while trying to defeat Méndez – and that’s when Capcom pranked me. I was playing on Standard, and during my Méndez death screens, the game started prompting me to turn on Assisted mode, the lowest difficulty setting. I generally don’t do this during reviews, but a dozen infuriating attempts later and I relented, pressing OK without reading the fine print. Assisted mode makes the game incredibly forgiving, and I easily defeated Méndez in the following run.And then I was unable to change my difficulty settings at all. Keep this in mind: Assisted mode is permanent in RE4.I played a few more minutes on the lowest difficulty setting, but it truly felt like a different game than the Standard version, devoid of tension or risk. Luckily, I was on PlayStation 5, which only syncs cloud saves when you exit a game. I turned off the console’s internet connection, closed the game and then downloaded the old save file from before I switched settings. Then I defeated Méndez the old-fashioned way, on Standard difficulty, and carried on with a newfound fear of accidentally switching to Assisted mode in my soul.Permanent downward mode-switching is a standard feature in Resident Evil games, but I find it to be baffling. It’s especially confusing as RE4 actively encourages Standard players to try Assisted mode in loading screens and death menus. I asked Capcom why the team designed RE4 this way, and a spokesperson said, “The difficulty mode a player completes the game on has ramifications for in-game achievements and trophies.” This doesn’t fully answer the question for me: Plenty of action games have dynamic difficulty settings without disrupting achievements, and this response doesn’t address my perception that Capcom is prioritizing trophy integrity over accessibility.CapcomWhile we’re in the complaints department, I also want to encourage all PS5 players to turn off controller sounds in the audio settings. This goes for RE4 and literally every other game with this feature. Why is the volume on the DualSense so loud, all the time? Please, someone, make it stop.This is what the RE4 remake has reduced me to: a pleading mess of unfulfilled nostalgia and frustration. It’s not a terrible game, but it isn’t seamless, either. It adds enemy variety and fresh environments, but Leon’s bullets routinely hit their targets without dealing damage, his movements are clumsy and his new parry ability is only semi-functional. The game clearly establishes combat strategies for each scene, but then its mechanics get in the way, punishing the player in the process. Overall, the word for the RE4 remake is inconsistent.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/resident-evil-4-review-a-half-step-backward-for-capcom-remakes-070100973.html?src=rss
Qualcomm has unveiled its latest chipset that will power a wealth of mid-range phones starting later this month. Redmi and Realme are among the brands that will use the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 chipset.As you might expect, the chipset isn't quite as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but it appears to offer a notable upgrade over the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. Qualcomm says the CPU will deliver a performance improvement of over 50 percent, with speeds of up to 2.91GHz. The company claims the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 will offer improvements in GPU performance (by two times) and power efficiency (by 13 percent) as well. Moreover, Qualcomm says that "on-device AI is integrated across the entire platform."You can expect over twice the AI performance compared with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 and 40 percent better per-watt performance, Qualcomm says. AI Super Resolution is said to be capable of upscaling game visuals and photos from 1080p to 4K resolution.Other gaming features include volumetric rendering, which adds particle graphics such as fog and smoke. Auto variable rate shading should help to boost performance and power by rendering content that's in focus at full resolution and limiting the background of a scene to a lower resolution, according to Qualcomm. The company claims that Snapdragon Sound with Qualcomm aptX will deliver lossless music streaming and lag-free gaming audio too.The chipset supports photo captures up to 200MP, along with HDR video capture with triple exposure from two cameras at the same time. Thanks to 18-bit Triple ISP support, it could be easier to capture better images in very low light. Qualcomm says devices using the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 can capture 30 images and blend the best parts of them into a single shot to provide you with brighter, clearer and more colorful photos.On the connectivity front, there's support for 4G and 5G dual SIMs, along with download speeds of up to 4.4 Gbps over a data network thanks to the new X62 5G modem. As for WiFi, Qualcomm says the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 will enable download speeds of up to 3.6 Gbps.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/qualcomms-snapdragon-7-gen-2-will-debut-in-mid-range-phones-this-month-060023883.html?src=rss
IKEA's Vappeby lineup continues to grow with a new waterproof Bluetooth speaker designed for the shower and priced at just $15 — undercutting all but the cheapest no-name devices. "The fundamental goal with the new product was to offer quality sound in a versatile product that can really be used anywhere," said product design developer Stjepan Begic in a press release.It's silicone-coated and just three inches square by two inches thick. It comes with a lanyard-style cord, so you can easily hang one in the shower or carry it around. It comes in yellow, black or red and can be used as a stereo pair if you splurge another $15 for a second one. It offers a surprising 80 hours of battery life at 50 percent volume, and is IP67 rated for water and dust resistance.IKEA launched its Vappeby lineup with an outdoor LED lamp that doubles as a Spotify-enabled Bluetooth speaker. That model has an IP65 dust/splash rating and delivers 360 sound. The Swedish retail giant also offers the Symfonisk lineup of Sonos speakers, with a bookshelf speaker, floor lamp/speaker and a wall art/speaker combo.The only thing lacking on the new Vappeby waterproof model is a USB-C charger, but you probably have a few of those lying around. Given the ridiculously low price, shower-friendly design and crazy-long battery life, it should fly off the shelves — though I wouldn't expect great sound quality. It's on sale now for $15.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ikea-just-launched-a-15-waterproof-bluetooth-speaker-051134013.html?src=rss
In December, ByteDance confirmed that it fired four employees who had used TikTok to spy on the locations of two journalists. Now, Forbesreports that the FBI and the Department of Justice have been investigating the incident.News of the investigation comes at a moment when ByteDance is facing mounting pressure to sell its stake in TikTok. The company confirmed that US officials have said that TikTok will face a possible ban in the United States if ByteDance doesn’t separate itself from the video app.TikTok critics in Congress have previously raised questions about the app’s surveillance tactics, particularly in light of ByteDance’s acknowledgement that employees had inappropriately accessed the data of US users.The full extent of law enforcement’s investigation into the incident is unclear but, according to Forbes, ByteDance has received subpoenas from the DoJ. The FBI has also conducted interviews related to the matter, though it’s not clear if the two are part of the same investigation."We have strongly condemned the actions of the individuals found to have been involved, and they are no longer employed at ByteDance,” a ByteDance spokesperson said in a statement. “Our internal investigation is still ongoing, and we will cooperate with any official investigations when brought to us."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bytedance-is-reportedly-under-investigation-for-surveillance-of-us-journalists-224223010.html?src=rss
If you take pride in people bookmarking your social media posts, Twitter is ready to feed your ego. The social network has added a bookmark counter to its iOS app. Similar to the counts for likes, quotes and retweets, you'll know just how many people saved a given tweet for later reference. The company hasn't mentioned when the feature might come to Android or the web.Twitter stresses that bookmarks are still private. Users may know if their tweets are popular, but they won't know just who bookmarked a given post.
Disney is pushing out new Tron merchandise despite the 13 years since the last movie (not to mention the four decades since the original). Although another sequel — this one with Jared Leto — may be in the works, the toys coincide with the Disney World opening of Tron Lightcycle / Run, the high-speed ride that debuted at Shanghai Disneyland in 2016. The action figures are customized using the park’s Tron Identity Program to display your scanned face on an LCD hidden behind the figure’s visor.The Tron Identity Program will digitize visitors’ facial features, including six lines of recorded dialogue. The LCD on the resulting figure will show your scanned face, and pressing a button on the chest will play back your recorded lines. Your custom identity is stored on a memory card that you can swap into other Tron toys that Disney hopes you’ll buy.Custom action figures are about as old as modern 3D printing, but the holographic approach has the advantage of much quicker turnaround times. Since it doesn’t require plastic molding, Disney World visitors can have their toy in hand in around 16 minutes. By comparison, Hasbro’s Selfie Series can take 45 to 60 days to ship to you, although you don’t have to visit Florida to get one of those.If you have a Disney World trip planned, you can reserve a time with the Tron Identity Program beginning on March 21st. A custom figure will cost $90, which is $30 more than Hasbro’s (non-LCD, non-Florida) custom figures.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/disney-world-will-put-your-holographic-face-on-a-tron-action-figure-for-90-203028966.html?src=rss
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