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Meta has taken a step towards achieving its goal of making Horizon Worlds more accessible by bringing it to the web and to mobile devices. The company has announced that Super Rumble, the first game out of its in-house studio Ouro Interactive, is now available to a small number of mobile users through the Meta Quest app on Android. It's also making its way to the app on iOS devices in the coming weeks, while those who want to play on desktop can access it - or request access to it - through Horizon's official website.When Meta launched the first-person shooter, it said that Super Rumble would be one of the first worlds to be available when its new app comes out. It also said that the game will feature cross-platform play, so people can enjoy it with their friends, whether they're also on mobile, the web or a VR headset. It looks like Meta has stayed true to its word. The company also announced that it's rolling out more worlds over the next few months to give people a way to hang out, chat and even enjoy free concerts in the metaverse, regardless of what device they're using.Meta explained: "The metaverse should be available to everyone - no matter what device they're on. And while Quest headsets are the most immersive way to access the metaverse, we believe there should be multiple entry points. Bringing Worlds to more surfaces is a step toward delivering on that vision and opening up the experience to more people."Since each device has a different interface, though, Meta had to optimize the game's controls like mute and pause for mobile devices and computer. It's unclear how the experiences across platforms differ from each other, but Super Rumble on mobile and the web is still in the testing phase, so players could encounter bugs and other issues.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-starts-testing-horizon-worlds-on-mobile-and-the-web-114028350.html?src=rss

This week, Nintendo's Direct livestream showcased a bunch of new games for the Switch, and an awful lot of them featured the company mascot (and movie star) Mario, if not his brother Luigi,Princess Peach and moreDonkey Kong. And this is all on top of the incomingSuper Mario Wonder.To start, the company is bringing another classic Mario RPG to the Switch. The company plans to release an updated version of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Dooron the console in 2024, 20 years after the original game debuted on the GameCube. That's not the only game getting remade: Mario vs. Donkey Kong, originally a GameBoy Advance game, is on its way and we're waiting on Super Mario RPG's remake too.NintendoNintendo revealed it's also bringing back one of its oldest hits, space racer F-Zero, but with a twist. F-Zero 99 is the first new game in the series in nearly 20 years. We've had battle royale Tetris and Mario. Now, it's F-Zero. 99 cars on a single track - chaos ensues. It's available to play now for Switch Online subscribers.And if you're more a PlayStation gamer, then Sony's State of Play revealed new PS5 colors and a Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth release date - and trailer!- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedThe new COVID-19 vaccines are here for the fallFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth will hit PS5 on February 29, 2024Baby Steps inches toward a summer 2024 releaseBose debuts QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Earbuds with spatial audioYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!This is apparently an electric microscooterHonda's Motocompacto will retail for under $995' this November.HondaThis is Honda's Motocompacto, a throwback all-electric rideable inspired by the short-lived Honda Motocompo scooter of the '80s. Yes, it looks like Muji toaster or something. Honda says its aluminum frame and wheels keep it lightweight," but at 41 pounds, it's firmly in the same weight class as regular e-bikes. And with a range of up to 12 miles," it's not getting you very far either. After you've used its 12-mile range, it takes 3.5 hours to rejoice.Continue reading.How to update your iPhone to iOS 17When Monday comes around.After several months of betas, iOS 17 is about ready to launch to the public. The new software, landing Monday, September 18, includes significant upgrades to Messages, FaceTime, keyboard and more. FaceTime adds video voicemails, so you can let your friends see you as you leave them a message. iOS 17 also works with tvOS 17, so you can take FaceTime calls on Apple TV, using your iPhone or iPad as a camera. The update also includes a new StandBy mode that transforms your iPhone into a smart display when it's charging on the horizontal. Meanwhile, Contact Posters give you customizable full-screen profiles that flash on your phone's screen when friends and family call.Continue reading.Samsung's Galaxy Watch 6 reviewMore of the same.EngadgetSamsung's Galaxy Watch 6 is a modest upgrade from its predecessor, the Galaxy Watch 5. There are some health tracking improvements and a slightly sleeker design. The caveat is that the Watch 6's predecessors, dating back to the Watch 4, will have access to all these updates. So, if you have one of the previous two models, you might not need to upgrade.Continue reading.The Angels face the Marlins in MLB's first regular-season virtual ballpark gameThey just made baseball even duller.Major League Baseball is ready to test its virtual ballpark for a regular-season game. Fans can enter the digital stadium on Wednesday, September 20, to watch the Tampa Bay Rays host the Los Angeles Angels.The league debuted the digital park earlier this summer for a celebrity softball game, but next week's game will mark the first non-exhibition game to deploy the metaverse-like digital park. The entire setup sounds like something you'd eventually use with a VR or AR headset, like the Meta Quest or Apple's upcoming Vision Pro. While it may be a precursor to those more immersive experiences, you'll access this game on flat screens through a web browser.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-nintendos-direct-showcase-marks-the-return-of-a-classic-111519036.html?src=rss

X has launched government ID verification for paid X Premium subscribers, after clues emerged in August that the feature was coming, TechCrunch has reported. The service, which appears to be optional, has launched in "numerous countries" including the US, but is not available for now in the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), and the United Kingdom.In a new help center page, X said the verification is for "safety and security purposes" and to "prevent impersonation." It may also be used to screen age appropriate content in the future. Meanwhile, users will receive benefits like prioritized support, along with a visible label that shows your identity has been verified (though only if someone clicks on the blue checkmark). Down the road, X plans to expedite Premium reviews for users who verify with ID.The social network partnered with Au10tix, an Israeli-based company specializing in identity verification. X requires you to check a consent form allowing "X and Au10tix [to use] images of my ID and my selfie, including extracted biometric data, to confirm my identity and for X's related safety and security purposes, including preventing impersonation." Au10tix may store such data for up to 30 days.After Elon Musk purchased X (then Twitter), he announced that the verification program would be revamped and badges only given to paid users. The new program experienced problems from the get-go, though, thanks to issues like rampant impersonation and checkmarks being assign to scammers and bots. The program was later modified to give verification marks to large organizations and users with millions of followers.X doesn't conduct ID checks itself, apart from safeguards for verified organizations. Meanwhile, Au10tix advertises "8-second verification without even partial human involvement" and "first-of-a-kind tech detecting synthetic fraud patterns globally." The company says it has previously worked with companies like Google, PayPal and Uber.Last month X changed its policy adding the ability to capture certain user information, but it has a checkered history in terms of privacy. The FTC recently said that Elon Musk "may have jeopardized data privacy and security" at X and has reportedly been investigating the company and Musk since March.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-attempts-to-fight-impersonation-with-government-id-verification-104016771.html?src=rss

The US Senate Armed Services Committee is investigating Elon Musk's decision to not extend Starlink satellite internet coverage to enable a Ukraine attack on Russian warship near Crimea, Bloomberg has reported. "The committee is aggressively probing this issue from every angle," said chairman Jack Reed in a statement, adding that the incident exposed "serious national-security liability issues." The panel is still gathering information, and has not yet launched a formal investigation.The Ukraine Starlink incident was revealed in an Elon Musk biography by Walter Isaacson, via a disputed excerpt stating that Musk deactivated Starlink access close to the Crimean coast to prevent a Ukrainian attack on the fleet.However, Musk said that Starlink was not active in those areas because of US sanctions on Russia, so SpaceX had nothing to disable. In a recent podcast, he said would have extended Starlink to Crimea if President Biden had ordered him to do so - but he didn't receive any such order.Rather, Musk said he denied Ukraine's request to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol. "If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation," Musk wrote on X. (The disputed excerpt will be changed in future copies of the book.)Nevertheless, senators questioned why the decision was made by Musk, rather than government officials. "Neither Elon Musk, nor any private citizen, can have the last word when it comes to US national security," Reed said. At the time of Ukraine's request, SpaceX received no US payments for its Ukraine Starlink operations, but it now has Pentagon funding.The probe was announced just ahead of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to the US and meeting with President Biden, set for next week. On top of Starlink, SpaceX is a major US contractor, launching spy satellites for the Defense Department .This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-us-senate-wants-answers-over-starlinks-ukrainian-satellite-internet-denial-091047225.html?src=rss

Threads was missing a few features when it launched for the web back in August. One of those is the ability to quote other people's post, which would be the equivalent of a retweet in a pre-X world. Now, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has announced that Meta has rolled out the ability to quote posts on desktop. All they need to do is click on the familiar repost icon at the bottom of a post, and then choose the option "Quote." By doing so, they can repost someone else's thread while adding commentary of their own.In addition, Mosseri has announced that users can now follow the responses for a specific thread on mobile by turning on notifications for 24 hours. To do that, they only have to tap on the bell icon at the top-right corner of a post.Meta released Threads from the start with a bunch of missing features, at an opportune time when X users were getting frustrated by the company's attempts to make the service less useable for non-paying members. It's only earlier this month, two months after the service went live, that Meta added the ability to search keywords and find content. Even so, this latest update shows Meta is working to add the features people want, which it frankly needs to do if it's looking to get the users who've lost interest in the social network to come back.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/threads-now-lets-you-quote-posts-on-the-web-083759052.html?src=rss

Before CD Projekt Red releases Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty expansion, it will first roll out an update that brings massive changes to the action role-playing game. The developer has announced that update 2.0 will be available starting on September 21st, and it will be free for everyone who already owns the title. This patch adds new skill trees and perks that weren't previously seen in the game. It also gives the universe's police system a revamp, so that it operates on what the developer describes as "clear, simple rules."Criminal activity in the game is punished, with cops going after runners and killing individuals afflicted by cyberpsychosis with no questions asked. The game's interface will now show how likely the cops are coming after a player through a Heat system displayed on screen. Those who reach the maximum level of Heat - 5 stars - will encounter a Max Tac mini-boss experience. If they choose to run from authorities, they'll get into car chases and road blocks that they'll have to escape. In case the cops manage to catch them, they will not be able to surrender peacefully or bribe their way out. But if they manage to shake off the cops, then they'll know when they're no longer being chased when NPCs start leaving the scene.Update 2.0 also gives players new ways to take out enemies from their vehicle. They can now shoot their weapons from the back of their motorcycles and through their car's windshield or out of its side window. They can also use new mounted weapons for certain nomad cars. Meanwhile, netrunners can hack and take over their enemies' cars and make them explode. In addition to all those, the update also comes with UI and UX improvements, new loot, crafting changes and new radio stations.

The Supreme Court has temporarily halted a lower court ruling that prohibited White House officials from communicating with social media companies. The temporary stay, from Justice Samuel Alito, is the latest twist in a controversial attempt by two states to challenge content moderation policies at social media platforms.The case stems from a lawsuit, brought by the attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana, that claimed federal officials overreached in their dealings with social media companies - namely Meta, Google and Twitter - as they shaped moderation policies to handle election and COVID-19 misinformation.A lower court had previously issued an injunction that barred White House and other federal officials from communicating with social media companies. An Appeals Court decision last week eased many of the initial restrictions, but left in place a provision that banned the surgeon general, CDC and White House officials from pressuring" social media companies into making decisions. That order, as CNN reports, was set to take effect September 18.That ruling is now on hold, thanks to Alito's temporary stay, as the two sides continue to argue the case. As Bloomberg points out, the stay will be in effect until September 22, though it could be extended.In a filing ahead of the stay, the Solicitor General argued that the injunction would impose grave harms on the government and the public" and that that government officials had committed no wrongdoing in their interactions with social media companies. Rather than any pattern of coercive threats backed by sanctions, the record reflects a back-and-forth in which the government and platforms often shared goals and worked together, sometimes disagreed, and occasionally became frustrated with one another, as all parties articulated and pursued their own goals and interests during an unprecedented pandemic."While the current hold from Alito is another temporary measure, the case seems to be headed for a longer legal battle. The Justice Department is now laying the groundwork for a Supreme Court appeal, which could drag the case out even more.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/supreme-court-pauses-court-order-preventing-government-contact-with-social-media-companies-011730960.html?src=rss

The easiest way to gussy up your PlayStation 5 is to buy a customizable console cover - which PlayStation helpfully sells for $55 each. Now the company is getting ready to launch a premium option: a set of three metallic colors it's calling the "Deep Earth Collection."PlayStation is calling the three new colors Volcanic Red, Cobalt Blue and Sterling Silver, and says all three draw "inspiration from the beautiful and powerful hues found in the depths of planet Earth." A metallic finish sets the new colors apart from the other console covers available from PlayStation Direct. It may also be why they cost more: each of the new covers will sell for $59.99, a $5 premium over the regular price. DualSense controllers will also be available in the new colorway, selling for $74.99.Pre-orders for the new colors begin on October 4, with the hues themselves launching in waves: Volcanic Red and Cobalt Blue colorways will be available on November 3, with the Sterling Silver accessories arriving on January 26.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/playstations-deep-earth-collection-will-outfit-your-ps5-in-metalic-red-blue-and-silver-000418501.html?src=rss

The second installment of Square Enix's ambitious Final Fantasy VII remake saga has a release date. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will arrive on PlayStation 5 on February 29.Sony provided another look at the sequel to Final Fantasy VII Remake during its latest State of Play showcase in the form of a new trailer. The search for Sephiroth continues after Cloud, Yuffie et al escape from Midgar. They go on a globe-trotting adventure in which they tear across grassy fields on a Chocobo, explore new environments and [checks notes] cover ground on a Segway?To give you a sense of the scope we're dealing with, Square Enix will release Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on two discs. The publisher also revealed that there's nearly 100 hours of gameplay here. Even so, the game will only take players up to the midpoint of the original Final Fantasy VII.If you haven't played the previous game, you might be interested in picking up a "twin pack" of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (the upgraded version) and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Pre-orders are open now, and the bundle includes instant access to the first entry in this trilogy.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/final-fantasy-vii-rebirth-will-hit-ps5-on-february-29-2024-215911405.html?src=rss

Baby Steps, an indie game that generated a ton of buzz when it was announced in June, is coming out in summer 2024 for PC and PlayStation 5. This update is a smidgen better than the original reveal, which teased a general release window of 2024. It did so using a Death Stranding pastiche featuring a grown man in a onesie trying his hardest to put one foot in front of the other, and today's news comes alongside a new, silly video that ends in Star Wars-style font.Baby Steps comes from QWOP and Getting Over It creator Bennett Foddy, and Ape Out developers Gabe Cuzzillo and Maxi Boch. It's essentially a narrative-driven, 3D version of Foddy's original extreme walking simulator, where players control each of the main character's steps independently.Baby Steps looks just as hilarious and strange as the creators' previous works, and the new trailer highlights the various moans, groans and mumbled curse words of the main character, Nate, as he struggles to learn to walk. Apparently, those sounds all came from the developers themselves, since they're handling voice-acting duties firsthand.Here's how Boch described the recording process: "The developers themselves are handling voiceover duties, recording and experimenting until they discover the humor of each scene. This seat-of-our-pants approach comes through thanks to the unconventional editing, which leaves in giggles and breaks, as well as the playful rapport between Cuzziilo and Foddy, together lending Baby Steps a slacker-comedy feel."Baby Steps is being published by Devolver Digital.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/baby-steps-inches-toward-a-summer-2024-release-214145080.html?src=rss

It emerged last week that Robloxwould finally make its bow on PlayStation some time this October, and Sony revealed the exact date during its State of Play showcase. You'll be able to hop into the ultra-popular sandbox on PS4 and PS5 (albeit through backward compatibility) on October 10. There will be full cross-platform support, so you should be able to check out the many, many experiences Roblox has to offer with your friends, even if they access it via mobile, PC, VR or Xbox.Sony had been opposed to having Roblox on PlayStation for some time owing to safety concerns (most of Roblox's 66 million daily active users are younger players). But court documents that emerged during the recent FTC and Microsoft legal battle indicated that Sony's stance on the issue softened as of last year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/roblox-is-coming-to-playstation-on-october-10-212727224.html?src=rss

If you're a premium subscriber to the social media site X, formerly Twitter, you now can hide your likes tab from the public, the company said in a tweet.When enabled, the tab for likes is supposed to disappear completely from an X Premium user's profile. The new feature can be turned on when you change your preferences through the early access period.

Major League Baseball is ready to test its virtual ballpark for a regular-season game. Fans can enter" the digital stadium on Wednesday, September 20, to watch the Tampa Bay Rays host the Los Angeles Angels. The league debuted the digital park earlier this summer for a celebrity softball game during this year's All-Star Game activities. Next week's game will mark the first non-exhibition game to deploy the metaverse-like digital park.The game will include a 3D representation" of on-field avatars corresponding to the game's real-time action, tracked using the same Sony Hawk-Eye cameras used for the league's Statcast data. In addition, participants who prefer a traditional view can watch the game's television broadcast on the virtual park's giant Jumbotrons floating around the field and parking lot. There should be plenty to keep you occupied if the on-field play gets dull: The stadium supports spatial audio, and you can talk with nearby fans, play trivia games and take part in a scavenger hunt to win NFT collectible cards."The entire setup sounds like something you'd eventually use with a VR or AR headset like the Meta Quest or Apple's upcoming Vision Pro. While it may be a precursor to those more immersive experiences, you'll access this game on flat screens through a web browser. MLB says a desktop or laptop provides the best experience, but it recommends Safari on iOS or Chrome on Android if you want to tune in on mobile.The experience begins at 6:40PM ET on September 20. You'll need to create an MLB profile to join. After that, you can head to the park's webpage to create a custom avatar (rocking your favorite team's apparel) and start exploring.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-angels-face-the-marlins-in-mlbs-first-regular-season-virtual-ballpark-game-202934979.html?src=rss

The CEOs of leading AI companies - including Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft's Satya Nadella, Alphabet's Sundar Pichai, Tesla's Elon Musk and Open AI's Sam Altman - appeared before Congress once again on Wednesday. But instead of the normal bombast and soapboxing we see during public hearings about the dangers of unfettered AI development, this conversation reportedly took on far more muted tones.In all, more than 20 tech and civil society leaders spoke with lawmakers at Wednesday's meeting, organized by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, to discuss how AI development should be regulated moving forward. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Todd Young (R-IN) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) who were also in attendance and reportedly working with the majority leader to draft additional proposals.The word of the day: consensus. First, I asked everyone in the room, Is government needed to play a role in regulating AI?' and every single person raised their hands even though they had diverse views," Schumer told reporters Wednesday.But as Bloomberg reports, "areas of disagreement were apparent throughout the morning session" with Zuckerberg, Altman and Bill Gates all differing on the risks posed by open-source AI (three guesses as to where old Monopoly Bill came down on that issue). True to form, Elon Musk got into it with "Berkeley researcher Deb Raji for appearing to downplay concerns about AI-powered self-driving cars, according to one of the people in the room," Bloomberg reports.Some people mentioned licensing and testing and other ways of regulation ... there were various suggestions as to how to do it, but no consensus emerged yet," Schumer said following the event.That's probably the worst wedding to try to do seating for," Humane Intelligence CEO Rumman Chowdhury said of the event as an attendee. She also noted that Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg did not interact and sat at opposite ends of the room-width table - presumably to keep the two bloodthirsty cagefighting CEOs from throwing down and Royal Rumbling the esteemed proceedings.The meeting participants generally agreed that the federal government needs to help to deal with what we call transformational innovation," one unnamed participant suggested. That could entail creating a $32 billion fund that would assist with the kind of stuff that maximizes the benefits of AI," Schumer told reporters.Following the seven-hour event, Facebook released Mark Zuckerberg's official remarks. They cover the company's long-standing talking points about developing and rolling out the technology "in a responsible manner," coordinating its efforts with civil society leaders (instead of say, allegedly fomenting genocide like that one time in Myanmar) and ensuring "that America continue to lead in this area and define the technical standard that the world uses."In a departure from his rhetoric in recent years warning of perceived growing threats from China, Zuckerberg pointed to a new boogieman: "the next leading open source model ... out of Abu Dhabi." This appears to have been a thinly-veiled reference to the UAE's recent entrance into AI development.Elon Musk, famed libertarian and bloodsworn enemy of the FTC, warned reporters corralled outside of the hearing about the "civilizational risk" posed by AI. He wants a Federal Department of AI to help regulate the industry. He reportedly envisions it operating similarly to the FAA or SEC (two more agencies Musk has been variously scolded by) but did not elaborate beyond that. I think this meeting could go down in history as important to the future of civilization," he told reporters.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai-tech-leaders-make-all-the-right-noises-at-cozy-closed-door-senate-meeting-194505318.html?src=rss

Sony is hosting a State of Play livestreamed event today. Sony says the announcement will include something for everyone," focusing primarily on indie and third-party titles and promising updates on flagship games and PS VR2.The State of Play follows the Nintendo Switch Direct from earlier today. Upcoming titles revealed in that event included the Switch games Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Princess Peach: Showtime, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Dave the Diver.The PlayStation State of Play stream starts at 5PM ET today and will be available on PlayStation's YouTube, Twitch and TikTok accounts. Or you can watch the embedded video below.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-sonys-latest-state-of-play-here-at-5pm-et-193021890.html?src=rss

The Steam Deck is on sale again, for those on the fence about purchasing the ubermensch of portable gaming consoles. This is part of Steam's 20th anniversary celebration and new buyers get 10 to 20 percent off, depending on which model you choose. The bare-bones 64GB version now costs $360 instead of $400, the mid-level 256GB iteration costs $450 instead of $530 and the baddest of the bunch, the 512GB behemoth, sets you back $520 instead of $650.This matches a sale from earlier this summer for the console. Previous discounts have capped out at around ten percent, so a deep cut of 20 percent for the 512GB model is nothing to sneeze at. You'll have to wait one to two weeks to get your precious portable console, but early adopters had to stand by for months and months, so consider yourself lucky.The Steam Deck is a powerful portable console that plays AAA titles like Elden Ring and even Baldur's Gate 3, in addition to hundreds upon hundreds of unique indie games. Some of the more popular releases that excel on the platform include Hogwarts Legacy, The Witcher 3 and, of course, Vampire Survivors.Valve's anniversary sale also extends to games, with deep discounts on self-published titles like Half Life 2 and standout hits from the past 20 years, such as Counter-Strike and Left 4 Dead. Newer games are also getting in on the fun, as Resident Evil: Village, Valheim, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition and other modern classics are on sale. The discounts stop on September 19th, so grab your games or console while you can.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/valves-steam-deck-is-up-to-20-percent-off-right-now-190052126.html?src=rss

Blackmagic Design has unveiled the Cinema Camera 6K, its debut model with the L-Mount alliance and first full-frame camera. It comes with an all-new 24.6-megapixel sensor (6,048 x 4,032), shoots up to 6K and has dual native ISO for "incredible low-light performance," the company said. Instead of using Canon's EF mount as it has in the past, it will work with L-mount lenses from Panasonic, Leica, Sigma and other partners in the L-mount alliance. As with other Blackmagic Design cameras, it's designed for cinema shooting so it lacks basic features like continuous autofocus and built-in stabilization."With the new Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K, we wanted to create the most portable camera possible for high end, large format cinematography," said CEO Grant Petty. "That's why we took the Pocket Cinema Camera platform but completely re-engineered the electronics inside around a full frame sensor and L-Mount."Blackmagic DesignThe new sensor offers a number of advantages for film shooters, namely shallower depth of field and better performance in low light. To that end, the company is promising 13 stops of dynamic range and dual ISO performance up to 25,600. With the L-mount, it's also Blackmagic Design's first mirrorless style mount, with a relatively short flange distance that makes it slimmer than past models. The disadvantage to that, though, is that there's no room for the built-in ND filter found on past models.The Cinema Camera 6K can shoot in all standard resolutions and frame rates up to DCI 4K and 6K, and stills at up to 24.6 megapixels. 6K open gate (3:2) is available at up to 36fps, or 60fps at 6,048 x 2,520 (2.4:1) and 60fps at 4,096 x 2,160 (4K DCI). "Customers can even work in true anamorphic 6:5 at much higher resolutions than other cameras using anamorphic lenses in 4.8K 24fps at 4,838 x 4,032," the company said. The maximum 120fps frame rate is available in HD.Blackmagic DesignIt comes with a very bright 1,500 nit 5-inch tilting (but not fully articulating) HDR touchscreen that makes it possible to check HDR video straight from the camera, even in bright conditions. Blackmagic offers the usual shooting aids like histogram, focus peaking, levels, frame guides and more. You can also apply your own 3D LUTs for monitoring. It has the Blackmagic's touch interface that's intuitive and pleasant to use.Video is recorded in the 12-bit Blackmagic RAW (BRAW) or H.264 proxy formats, either to CFexpress B or an SSD via the USB-C port. Other features include a wide range of audio ports, including a locking XLR port, an HDMI output, NP-F570 batteries (along with a locking DC power connector) and an optional BMPCC Pro Grip. The Cinema Camera 6K is now on sale for $2,595 - making it the lowest-price full-frame cinema-specific camera out there.Blackmagic DesignAlong with the Cinema Camera 6K, Blackmagic Design debuted the Blackmagic Camera iPhone app that gives users cinema-like camera controls and looks. "Customers can adjust settings such as frame rate, shutter angle, white balance and ISO all in a single tap. Or record directly to Blackmagic Cloud in industry standard 10-bit Apple ProRes files up to 4K," the company wrote. It also works with Blackmagic Cloud, letting creators collaborate with other users. It's now available on the App Store as a free download.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/blackmagic-design-unveils-its-first-full-frame-model-the-cinema-camera-6k-185049016.html?src=rss

A new lineup of COVID-19 vaccines are now becoming available in the US. The updated shots will arrive at select pharmacies as retailers continue to receive inventory. CVS says it expects all of its pharmacies to have the new vaccines in stock by early next week, and some stores appear to already have the latest shot. Appointments at Walgreens will start opening up scheduling today, with appointments beginning for the public starting Monday.The CDC is urging most Americans to get an updated COVID-19 vaccine, however, it does not specify if at-risk populations or immunocompromised people should get priority access. The CDC does mention that vaccination will reduce chances of suffering the effects of Long COVID." This CDC recommendation comes in light of an eight percent uptick in COVID-related hospitalizations this week.Availability follows the FDA's decision to authorize Pfizer-BioNTech's Comirnaty and Moderna's Spikevax shots for emergency use earlier this week. Novovax's booster was recommended for use by the CDC, but is still awaiting emergency use authorization by the FDA. The jabs being made available are essentially updated versions of existing Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines and that have been formulated to protect against the recent omicron subvariant called the Omicron variant XBB.1.5, the current dominant strain circulating in the US.CDCThe CDC has also launched a Bridge Access Program, which earmarks $1 billion to ensure continued free coverage for COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured Americans.The FDA says the timing and number of doses to get will depend on previous COVID-19 vaccines received. The FDA anticipates that COVID-19 vaccines may need to be updated annually and will likely be revised like seasonal influenza vaccines. Side effects from the vaccine may also vary from individual to individual, however the CDC notes that the most common side effects from COVID-19 vaccination include pain at the injection site, fatigue, muscle aches and headaches.Later this week, the CDC says vaccines.gov will be updated with COVID-19 availability information as the vaccine is distributed. This government site can show which boosters are being offered at which local pharmacies using an interactive map.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-new-covid-19-vaccines-are-here-for-the-fall-184029568.html?src=rss

Thanks to an August leak, Bose's new lineup of QuietComfort headphones aren't exactly a surprise - at least in terms of their appearance. However, the key feature of the headphones and earbuds wasn't tipped until now. Today, the company officially announced the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, both of which pack in Bose's stellar active noise cancellation (ANC) but also feature the addition of the company's new Immersive Audio.Bose says Immersive Audio makes spatial sound "accessible to all." That's because the company's take on the listening format doesn't require specialized content. The QC Ultra devices rely on virtualization and can work with any streaming service to put you in the "acoustic sweet spot,' using a combination of onboard components and new digital signal processing. Immersive Audio has two modes, Still and Motion, that are designed for use when you're sitting or moving. Motion utilizes head tracking to keep the sound in front of you at all times. And of course, you can opt to turn Immersive Audio off completely for just the stock Bose sound.In a brief demo with the spatial audio tech on the QC Ultra Headphones, I was impressed with what Bose is able to do without dedicated immersive content. I experienced both Still and Motion modes in a tightly controlled demo with a live band and with a small selection of songs on a connected phone. There is a big difference in Immersive Audio and the standard Bose tuning and I'll bet most people will keep it active during movies and music. Sometimes you don't notice a major improvement with spatial sound, but with Bose's tech, everything was more dimensional and punchier with more clarity and detail. What's more, the company's robust ANC is as effective as ever, silencing simulated street noise without me ever noticing it.The company is debuting a new design on the QC Ultra Headphones, one that has elements of both previous QuietComfort models and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. The biggest change is to the headband where the company has replaced some of the placed with metal for a more premium look. This addresses a key criticism we've had of Bose products in the past, but it does so without adding unnecessary heft that sacrifices comfort.Another big change is the new volume control. In the past, Bose opted for physical buttons, but here there's a capacitive touch strip that you swipe to adjust volume levels. It's right on the edge of the earcup, easily accessible with your thumb. There's still a physical multi-function button for playback control, changing listening modes and answering calls. The 3.5mm audio jack remains for wired listening and the QC Ultra Headphones charge via USB-C (there's no audio over USB-C though).That new Immersive Audio tech does impact battery life. Bose says you can expect up 18 hours of use with it and ANC active. If you disable it, that figure jumps to 24 hours - still with active noise cancellation turned on. The company also says you can expect upgrades to call quality as the QC Ultra Headphones can pick out your voice from 360 degrees of ambient noise. The mics also help with improved ANC overall, as well as Aware Mode with ActiveSense for tuning into your surroundings.When it comes to the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, Immersive Audio is once again the headline feature. However, Bose says it also improved call quality with dynamic microphone mixing and adaptive filters. The company explains that the setup works in real time to prioritize which earbud is getting the least wind noise while also selecting from a number of noise filters to keep you sounding your best.The design of the QC Ultra Earbuds has also been slightly refreshed, with a dash of silver on the outside touch panel. Bose also redesigned the stability band (or fit wing) to wrap around the underside of each earbud. That component also locks in place now, so you'll know they're properly installed. Once again, Immersive Audio affects battery life as the QC Ultra Earbuds will last up to four hours with it on. The company says you can expect two more hours of use with that spatial sound disabled. Bose will also offer an optional wireless charging case cover with these new earbuds, but it will cost you can extra $49.Bose is also replacing the QuietComfort 45 headphones with new QuietComfort Headphones. Here, you get that classic QC design, Bose's powerful ANC, up to 24 hours of battery life and Bluetooth multi-point connectivity. These headphones, as well as both Ultra models, support Bose SimpleSync that allows you to pair them with select soundbars and speakers "for a personal listening experience."All three new models are available for pre-order today. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are $429 and the QuietComort Ultra Earbuds are $299. Both will ship in early October. The QuietComfort Headphones will be available on September 21 for $349.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bose-debuts-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-and-earbuds-with-spatial-audio-183032611.html?src=rss

TikTok and Billboard are collaborating on a pop music chart. TikTok Billboard Top 50 Chart is a new weekly roundup listing the most popular songs on the social platform in the US. The list debuts with the track SkeeYee" by Sexyy Red taking the inaugural top spot.TikTok and Billboard describe the collaboration as the first official chart in the US to provide the most accurate record" of the hottest songs on the platform. As TikTok has proven it can even revive the fortunes of four-decade-old classic rock tunes, the company says its chart combines creations, video views and user engagement by the US TikTok community to tally the top hits. The list will be updated weekly on Thursdays.Following Sexyy Red's top spot is Doja Cat, with Paint The Town Red" at number two. August" by Taylor Swift, who has six songs in the top 50, lands at number three. The list includes one startling entry: Convicted sex offender R. Kelly somehow appears at number 45 with his unfortunately titled song It Seems Like You're Ready."I am so excited that so many of my songs are charting on TikTok and Billboard's new chart," said Sexyy Red. I always knew I would be a #1 type of artist, so I want to thank all my fans on TikTok for running my music up! I'm just being me on TikTok and people love it."You can check out the weekly charts in the TikTok app by selecting the round icon on the screen's bottom corner and then tapping the Music Charts" button on the top right. Alternatively, you can view the Top 50 chart on Billboard's website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/billboards-latest-top-50-chart-pulls-the-biggest-tracks-from-tiktok-181120151.html?src=rss

Caesars Entertainment reportedly paid "tens of millions of dollars" to hackers who threatened to release company data, Bloomberg has reported. The attack was reportedly perpetrated by a group called Scattered Spider (aka UNC 3944), a group skilled at using social engineering to bypass corporate network security. It's the second notable attack of a Las Vegas casino group, following a hack that caused a cyber outage at MGM Resorts.Members of the hacking group are reportedly located in the US and UK and are as young as 19 years old. They began targeting Caesars as early as August 27th, and obtained access to an outside vendor before entering the company's network, according to the report. Caesars is expected to disclose the attack "imminently" in a regulatory filing.Scattered Spider has reportedly been activate since May of 2022, and has largely attacked telecom and business outsourcing organizations, according to Trellix. The group is known to impersonate IT personnel and uses social engineering to persuade company officials to rum remote monitoring and other tools. From there, they exploit vulnerabilities and use tools like "Stonestop" to evade security software. Security Week describes them as a "financially-motivated threat actor."The group has been implicated in the MGM Resorts cyber outage as well, though another ransomware group called ALPHV/BlackCat also took credit. ALPHV also claims to have used social engineering to get inside, saying it took just a ten minute conversation to gain access. MGM has reportedly declined to pay the demanded ransom.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/caesars-reportedly-paid-millions-to-stop-hackers-releasing-its-data-081052820.html?src=rss

Mac users who want to play Baldur's Gate III on their computers only have to wait a few more days: Larian Studios has announced that the full version of the game will be available for Mac on September 21. It has been available for the OS for quite some time, but as a limited, early access version. Fans can only play the first act of the game and can't go any further than what the developer previously described as "approximately 25 hours of self-contained content." Soon, Mac gamers will be able to continue playing until they reach the Moonrise Towers and until secrets are revealed in the third act.

Wondering what you'll be playing on your PlayStation 5 this fall? Sony has some ideas. The company announced that its next State of Play stream will take place at 5PM ET on September 14, hosted on PlayStation's YouTube, Twitch and TikTok accounts. While the stream's announcement promises to have "something for everyone," including updates on major releases and PS VR2, don't expect a lot of big reveals: Sony says that the showcase will have a strong focus on indie and third party titles, and will primarily feature updates to previously announced games.If you can't bear to wait until Thursday evening, however, you may be able to get some clues from the Nintendo Direct stream happening earlier that same day. While the Switch-focused stream won't give you any clues about PlayStation's flagship updates, there's a good chance some of the third party announcements featured on the Nintendo Direct will be at Sony's showcase, too. If nothing else, the State of Play should give us a good idea of what fans might be playing on the upcoming PlayStation Portal streaming device when it launches this fall.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/playstation-is-hosting-a-surprise-state-of-play-on-september-14-000143525.html?src=rss

Bethesda has updated Starfield with bug fixes while promising new features are on the way. The developer says features in the pipeline include native DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) support, an HDR calibration menu, a field of view slider and more.Today's update to version 1.7.29 is limited to stability fixes. Bethesda says it specifically targets Xbox Series X/S glitches and adds various performance improvements to reduce crashes and improve frame rates. In addition, it fixed several issues that could prevent players from finishing three quests (All That Money Can Buy," Into the Unknown" and Shadows in Neon"). Our priority initially is making sure any top blocker bugs or stability issues are addressed and adding quality-of-life features that many are asking for," the developer wrote in the update's notes.But the future Starfield additions Bethesda teased today are more likely to catch players' attention. DLSS support on PCs will be a welcome addition, as the technology could boost resolution and improve stability for people with NVIDIA cards. (AMD's gaming boss Frank Azor had already suggested last month that nothing is contractually stopping the developer from adding NVIDIA's rival upscaling tool.) Various community mods can already implement unofficial DLSS support, but gamers will be pleased to know official support is coming.BethesdaBethesda says other features in development include brightness and contrast controls, an HDR calibration menu, a FOV slider and 32:9 ultra-wide monitor support for more immersive exploration. It even says it's working on an eat button for in-game meals, and it may add better maps. Finally, Bethesda says it's working on adding built-in cross-platform mod support for early 2024.The developer stresses that it's working closely with" NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel on driver support and that future Starfield updates will all include stability improvements for individual hardware. That statement could be viewed as a response to a recent technical report from Digital Foundry saying the game had disproportionately poor NVIDIA and Intel performance."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/starfield-will-add-dlss-and-other-pc-features-missing-at-launch-191530723.html?src=rss

AI is just about everywhere lately, but nobody expected it to be used as a salvo in the ongoing cola wars. Coca-Cola, however, has other plans, as it just launched a new flavor co-created by artificial intelligence. The company's calling it the soda from the future" and it's available for a limited time in both regular and zero sugar varieties, as reported by CNBC.It's called Y3000, which is certainly a futuristic-sounding name, though it calls to mind Skynet and its army of evil Terminators more than a refreshing beverage. Coke hasn't released any information as to how it actually tastes, but testers describe it as resembling a raspberry slushy. The company did release info on the creation process. It all started with researchers collecting flavor preferences from consumers, looking for trends to understand what the future tastes like." Next, this data was fed into a proprietary artificial intelligence system to help create the flavor profile. Before you know it, a new baby soda was born. What a mitzvah.Doing its best Secret Invasion impression, Coke also tasked AI to help design the artwork on the slim can. The cans have a beachy, neon-purple vibe that absolutely calls to mind an image generation platform like Dall-E or Midjourney. There are also traditionally-sized bottles filled with the futuristic fluid.Y3000 is described as a limited edition flavor, but Coke hasn't said when the soda would head to the scrapheap to join other futuristic foods, like Dippin' Dots freeze-dried ice cream and the transparent (and awful) Crystal Pepsi. It should stick around through the fall, though, as Coca-Cola also announced a partnership with luxury streetwear brand Ambush to release a Y3000-themed clothing collection later in the season.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/coca-colas-ai-generated-soda-tastes-like-marketing-184556330.html?src=rss

Today, Google unveiled a range of software updates for Android Auto and vehicles equipped with Google integration. At the forefront, Google says its drivers will now be able to join WebEx or Zoom meetings, a feature it previously announced at I/O 2023. The apps will only work in an audio-only capability, which Google says will make it easy and safe" for drivers to quickly join scheduled meetings from car displays.Beyond enhancing productivity, Google is also attempting to expand its audio and visual entertainment offerings with its rollout of Prime Video on the Google Play app. This feature, which will appear on the display for parked entertainment," will only be available for select vehicles - namely Renault, Polestar and Volvo Cars. Eventually, Google says this will appear in other brands. In addition to streaming, Chrome-based internet browsing will be available starting today. Internet browsing is already available in some cars on Google Play through the standalone app, Vivaldi.GoogleWhile keeping drivers productive and entertained, Google is also expanding the functionality of the display by making the Weather Channel app available for hourly forecasts, and a follow-me alert safety feature that allows third parties to track your vehicle. A Trip View" radar will also display live maps -mainly for severe weather events.Lastly, Google's digital car key - which allows drivers to use their phones to lock and unlock their vehicles - will finally be available in select Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia models in the US and Canada for those with compatible Pixel and Samsung devices. The tech will also allow drivers to share digital keys with family and friends wirelessly. Digital keys will have already been available in several European countries.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/android-autos-latest-updates-let-you-take-zoom-and-webex-calls-on-the-road-180048081.html?src=rss

Amazon is launching a new AI tool that generates product listings for sellers. The feature uses a large language model (LLM) trained on large amounts of data" to make it faster and simpler for vendors to describe their products. The company describes the tool as distilling the significant work" of creating titles, bullet points and descriptions down to just one step."Amazon says its Generative Listing Content tool only requires sellers to provide a brief product description in a few words or sentences. From there, it will generate high-quality content for their review" - including a title, product description and bullet points - which sellers can peruse before refining or submitting as is. The company says many sellers have already tested the tool during the last few months, and their feedback indicates most of them use the generated content directly without revisions.These new capabilities will help sellers create high-quality listings with less effort and present customers with more complete, consistent, and engaging product information that will enhance their shopping experiences," Amazon VP Mary Beth Westmoreland wrote today in an announcement blog post.AmazonWith our new generative AI models, we can infer, improve, and enrich product knowledge at an unprecedented scale and with dramatic improvement in quality, performance, and efficiency," Robert Tekiela, Amazon VP of selection and catalog systems, wrote today. Our models learn to infer product information through the diverse sources of information, latent knowledge, and logical reasoning that they learn. For example, they can infer a table is round if specifications list a diameter or infer the collar style of a shirt from its image."The new tool joins Amazon's AI-generated review summaries, launched earlier this summer. That feature uses generative AI to train on a product's reviews and spit out one-paragraph recaps, including clickable keywords. The company teases that it's still getting started with incorporating generative AI into its storefront: This is just the tip of the iceberg on how we plan to use AI to help improve the seller experience and help more sellers succeed." CEO Andy Jassy said last month that, from now on, generative AI is going to be at the heart of what we do."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-is-encouraging-sellers-to-use-ai-generated-product-listings-174755381.html?src=rss

Cadillac just unveiled the 2025 CT5 luxury sedan and it ships with a tech-forward feature that's certain to annoy the back in my day, cars were for driving" crowd, a 33-inch 9K touchscreen display. The dashboard-based LED screen curves toward the driver in a single, continuous screen" that spans the entire viewing area.Like most in-car displays, this is a customizable user interface that you can access in a number of different ways. Cadillac has partnered up with Google, so many of the company's apps are built-in to the display, like Google Assistant and Google Maps. This allows for live traffic updates, podcasts, music streaming, hands-free communication and more. The inclusion of Google Play lets you shop around for all kinds of apps to help pass the time during that annoying commute.Cadillac has been teasing this display for a while, after it first showed up at CES in 2021 as part of the Lyriq EV concept car. However, the 2025 CT5 is far from a concept vehicle, as it likely releases next year. It seems as though automobile manufacturers are in a race to push out the widest and more versatile screen, with BMW recently introducing full-width displays on windscreens that are also set to launch with 2025 models.Of course, the Cadillac CT5 is also a car, and not just a big metal house for a touchscreen display. The CT5 refresh boasts a 2.0L turbo engine, upgradeable to 3.0L, with 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, along with dual exhaust tips. The company promises a quiet, smooth and effortless" ride, thanks to all-wheel drive, Super Cruise drive assistance technology, and something called the Drive Mode Selector that uses a full range of sensors to automatically adjust responses depending on the surface and weather conditions.Cadillac says the 2025 CT5 will be manufactured at GM's assembly facility in Michigan, with production beginning in the spring. We'll have to wait for pricing and availability details, however, as the company says more news will be announced in the future. In the meantime, we can all live in terror at the prospect of a child accidentally breaking that touchscreen during a particularly grueling and anxiety-inducing road trip.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cadillac-put-a-33-inch-9k-touchscreen-in-its-new-ct5-luxury-sedan-173057311.html?src=rss

Apple TV+ has some intriguing TV series on hand to keep you occupied this fall. Along with the return of The Morning Show and the debut of a show that features Godzilla, the captivating For All Mankindis about to set sail on its fourth season. New episodes of the drama, which offers an alternate perspective on the space race, will start streaming on November 10.Apple also released a teaser for the 10-episode season, which jumps forward eight years from the events of season three to 2003. Much of the action will take place on Mars, where astronauts stay busy by mining for resources. The teaser is in the form of a recruitment ad narrated by Ed Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman) that encourages people to sign up to work on the Red Planet.As it happens, Apple just announced new iPhones that will soon be available to pre-order. If you snap up one of those - or another new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch - you'll get three months of Apple TV+ access at no extra cost.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/for-all-mankind-returns-to-apple-tv-on-november-10-171532673.html?src=rss

Garmin has been pumping out high-quality fitness-based smartwatches for years and now's your chance to score one on the cheap. The company's selling a bunch of its most popular models on Amazon at a steep discount of 25 to 33 percent, depending on which device you go with. For instance, this brings the price of the well-reviewed Garmin Forerunner 745 down from $400 to $300.The sale extends from budget-friendly releases like the Garmin Approach S10 GPS golf watch, now $100 instead of $150, to flagship products like the Garmin Epix Gen 2, which costs $700 instead of $900. The deals even apply to off-the-beaten-path products like the Garmin GPSMAP 66i handheld communicator, which is basically a really fancy walkie-talkie.Other watches involved in the sale include the Forerunner 945 and the Vivoactive 4S, among others, so you can take your pick from the company's many offerings. Garmin has long been known as a manufacturer of well-regarded smartwatches that specialize in fitness tracking and data metrics. We praised the Forerunner 745, for instance, as having accurate distance tracking, advanced training feedback, integration with Garmin's payment module, a long battery life and internal storage that can fit up to 500 songs.There's no telling when Garmin and Amazon will turn off the discount spigot, so you may want to act fast, as many of these discounts nearly match record low prices for the company's line of smartwatches.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/garmin-fitness-smartwatches-are-up-to-33-percent-off-via-amazon-160043982.html?src=rss

Visual effects workers at Marvel Studios have unanimously voted to unionize in an election held by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). It's the first unit composed entirely of VFX workers to unionize with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), according to the union, which represents those who work in behind-the-scenes aspects of the entertainment industry. There were 41 eligible voters and all 32 who participated voted in favor of the union.Today, VFX workers at Marvel Studios spoke with a unanimous, collective voice, demanding fair pay for the hours they work, healthcare, a safe and sustainable working environment, and respect for the work they do," Mark Patch, a VFX organizer for IATSE said in a statement. "There could be no stronger statement highlighting the overwhelming need for us to continue our work and bring union protections and standards to all VFX workers across the industry."Recent reports have suggested that Marvel demands a lot from its visual effects workers, especially after expanding its slate from a few movies a year to include several Disney+ TV shows. One person who was offered a short-term contract at the company told Vulture in January that Marvel expected 3,000 feature-quality VFX shots to be completed for a 10-hour TV series on a much shorter timeline than would be typical for one of its superhero movies (which tend to have around 1,600 VFX shots). The worker was reportedly told that he'd have to work 18 hours a day, seven days a week for three months solid and declined the offer.Marvel, which also outsources much of its VFX work, will now have to sit down and negotiate a contract with the union's bargaining committee in good faith. IATSE notes that no negotiation dates have been scheduled as yet.Another unit of VFX workers under the Disney umbrella could soon join the Marvel employees in having IATSE representation. Walt Disney Pictures VFX workers are currently voting in their own NLRB election. The results are expected on October 2.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/marvel-studios-vfx-workers-have-unanimously-voted-to-unionize-155557679.html?src=rss

Xbox Live Gold will be no more as of tomorrow, September 14. Replacing it is a new tier of Game Pass called Xbox Game Pass Core. It's a different offering to Games with Gold in that there will be a rotating library of a few dozen games, rather than you being able to claim some titles for your collection each month. Xbox has now revealed the initial list of Game Pass Core titles, but the choices may leave some players hoping for more.The 36 titles you'll be able to play through Game Pass Core on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S at the jump are:

Creating smooth, high-quality is a challenge, with car horns and accidental pauses two of the many obstacles necessary to overcome. Adobe Premiere Pro is attempting to make these points less of a nuisance with the automatic removal of any background noise or accidental "ums" that get muttered.Adobe Premiere Pro should get rid of your "ums" and "hmms" with an update called filler word detection - an AI-based tool that does exactly what it says before deleting them from both the audio and any transcription. It can also identify and cut any long pauses you want out of the final version. Filler word detection works through Adobe's Text-Based Editing tool, which launched earlier in the year.Background noise is processed through an AI-powered tool called Enhance Speech that Adobe touts as turning any audio into the quality of being "recorded in a professional studio." Adobe claims it will automatically remove background noise while providing you with a mix slider if you want to keep any of it.These new features are launching in conjunction with the commercial release of Adobe's Firefly for Enterprise generative AI across Photoshop, Adobe Express and Illustrator -it beta launched this past March. Using the AI tool requires a "generative credits" subscription plan that should "enable customers to turn a text-based prompt into image and vector creations." It's also available as a web application with Creative Cloud paid plans.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/adobe-premiere-pro-is-getting-an-ai-tool-to-cut-your-hems-and-haws-145019681.html?src=rss

The ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group claimed responsibility for the MGM Resorts cyber outage on Tuesday, according to a post by malware archive vx-underground. The group claims to have used common social engineering tactics, or gaining trust from employees to get inside information, to try and get a ransom out of MGM Resorts, but the company reportedly refuses to pay. The conversation that granted initial access took just 10 minutes, according to the group."All ALPHV ransomware group did to compromise MGM Resorts was hop on LinkedIn, find an employee, then call the Help Desk," the organization wrote in a post on X. Those details came from ALPHV, but have not been independently confirmed by security researchers.The international resort chain started experiencing outages earlier this week, as customers noticed slot machines at casinos owned by MGM Resorts shut down on the Las Vegas strip. As of Wednesday morning, MGM Resorts still shows signs that it's experiencing downtime, like continued website disruptions. MGM Resorts has not responded to a request for comment, but said in a statement on Tuesday that "Our resorts, including dining, entertainment and gaming are currently operational."Katie Malone for EngadgetALPHV has a reputation in the cybersecurity community as being "remarkably gifted at social engineering for initial access," according to vx-underground. From there, it usually uses ransomware ploys to extort a target into paying up, and it's been going after huge corporate targets. In July, ALPHV and another threat actor Clop listed beauty giant Estee Lauder on their data leak sites.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hackers-claim-it-only-took-a-10-minute-phone-call-to-shutdown-mgm-resorts-143147493.html?src=rss

While rumors have been swirling about Nintendo showing off its next console to developers, the Switch will stick around for a while yet. There are a bunch of first-party games lined up for the current console stretching into next year, and we'll soon find out more about those and third-party titles that are on the way to the Switch. That's because the company has announced a Nintendo Direct for September 14.The showcase will start at 10AM ET and it will run for around 40 minutes. Nintendo says the stream will focus on games that are arriving this winter, though we might hear tidbits about titles that are further out, such as the new version of Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon and a fresh game starring Princess Peach, both of which are scheduled for 2024.On the more immediate horizon are the likes of Super Mario Bros. Wonder(which just got its own dedicated Direct), WarioWare Move It!, Detective Pikachu Returnsand Super Mario RPG. The last batch of Mario Kart 8 DLC courses is scheduled to arrive by the end of the year, so that could make an appearance, while there are two Pokemon Scarlet and Violet expansions for Nintendo to promote.The company typically has a few surprises up its sleeve as well, so expect the unexpected. It's been years since we heard more than a peep about Metroid Prime 4, so perhaps Nintendo will finally be ready to talk about it again sometime before the Switch's successor arrives. Then, of course, there's always the possibility of (whisper so you don't jinx it) a Hollow Knight: Silksong release date.

This week Apple introduced the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro lines which include the long-awaited switch from the company's proprietary Lightning Connector to USB-C. And while the move may have been motivated more by EU regulations than a desire to increase usability, having all the major smartphone makers finally using the same port for data and charging is a positive development. Unfortunately, Apple's transition seems to be bringing some additional confusion to the standard.Now for those of you familiar with the peculiarities of USB-C, a bit of extra complexity probably doesn't come as a big surprise. That's because the USB-C really only refers to the connector itself (as opposed to the traditional boxy USB-A plug or the smaller trapezoidal microUSB jack aka USB Micro-B), while other standards dictate things like data speeds, power delivery and more. The good news is that now that all the big OEMs are using the same port, hopefully the days of asking a friend to borrow an iPhone charging cable or an Android power cord will soon be a thing of the past.The compare tool on Apple's website really highlights the difference in data transfer speeds between the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max.AppleHowever, the way Apple is implementing USB-C on the new iPhone 15 and 15 Pro is making things trickier. The first issue is that data transfers on the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are capped at USB 2.0 speeds (480 Mbps), which is the same as what you get with a Lightning Connector. Meanwhile, Apple lists the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max with support for USB 3" data transfer of up to 10 Gbps, or around 20 times faster.That's a huge difference and I'm not sure why Apple limited the iPhone 15s to this degree - especially when you consider all the similarly priced Android phones like the Pixel 7 that feature data speeds of up to 10Gbps. To make matters worse, Apple's use of USB 3" to describe transfer rates on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro max doesn't seem quite right. USB 3.0 (which is not the same thing as USB 3) is supposed to top out at 5 Gbps, which suggests that Apple is actually using USB 3.1 Gen 2 or USB 3.2 Gen 2 on its new phones (both of which go up to 10Gbps) and just labeling it as USB 3 for the sake of simplicity. Confused yet? This is one reason why the USB-IF (the group that governs the USB spec) would prefer for companies to state the data speeds of their devices instead of citing a USB version number.AppleOn a more practical level, trying to purchase the right cables or adapters for your device might present a challenge. Currently, if you go to Apple's website, click on the Accessories tab, choose to browse by product (in this case iPhone) and select the section for Power & Cables, you won't actually find any double-sided USB-C cords on that page. There is a listing for Apple's new USB-C to Lightning Adapter, which feels a bit pricey at $29, but as for cables, you're looking at a bunch of USB to Lightning cords which are about to be outdated.In order to find a cable that you can actually use, you'll need to head over to the iPad or Mac sections where you can choose between a one-meter double-side USB-C cable for $19 or a longer two-meter option for $29. But even with this cable, things are a bit weird. That's because the one-meter cord delivers charging speeds at up to 60 watts while the two-meter cable can handle up to 240 watts. That's plenty given that all versions of the iPhone 15 top out with 27-watt charging. But, both cables only support data transfers of up to USB 2 rates" aka 480 Mbps. More annoyingly, Apple doesn't offer specs for the wire that comes with the iPhone 15 Pro and it very well might be the same one-meter USB-C Charge Cable that's capped to USB 2 speeds. That's not great for anyone buying an iPhone 15 Pro who is basically hamstringing their very expensive handset with a slow bundled cord.AppleFurthermore, in the iPhone accessories section, the cheapest first-party USB-C power adapter tops out at 20 watts, which doesn't take full advantage of the latest iPhone's charging speeds. That's a bit of a problem, because like a lot of phones these days, the iPhone 15 doesn't come with a bundled charging brick. So unless you already have an adapter from a MacBook or iPad Pro, you'll need to shell out extra for that while trying to figure out the wattage you actually need. It's also unclear if the iPhone 15 supports USB Power Delivery with PPS (programmable power supply) that allows a device and charger to dynamically adjust voltage to achieve peak speeds and efficiency.Granted, it's still early and the iPhone 15 line hasn't even gone on sale yet, so I'm sure Apple will be rolling out more options to support its latest devices. But for Apple - a company that long prided itself on making devices that just work - the debut of USB-C on the iPhone seems kind of messy.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-switch-to-usb-c-on-the-iphone-15-brings-more-cable-confusion-140030611.html?src=rss

Building your first custom mechanical keyboard can be intimidating. Between all the parts and terminology involved, it's hard to know where to start. Thankfully, it's also never been easier to jump into the hobby. For this guide, I interviewed two YouTube creators - Brian Philips of BadSeed Tech fame and Alexander Alexotos' Medeot. Between them, Philips and Medeot have built and reviewed hundreds of custom keyboards. Note that this guide isn't meant to be exhaustive; instead, it's designed to highlight features newbies should look for when shopping for their first custom keyboard.The basicsAt its most basic, building a custom keyboard involves buying a case, printed circuit board (PCB), plate, mechanical switches and keycaps, and then assembling all those parts together to make something you can type on. Depending on how ambitious you want to get, you can source all those components separately or purchase bundles that include almost everything you need. One of our recommendations even allows you to skip the entire build process and get right into experimentation.This guide won't go into the subject of modding too much, but that's another way to further customize a new board to your liking. To make things as easy as possible, I've structured this article in order of the parts you need to buy, with relevant suggestions for each.Pick a layout that works for youEvery keyboard build starts with a case. Your decision will determine the most important features of your future board, including its size, layout and mounting style. From a usability perspective, the layout of a keyboard is probably the most important decision one can make when buying a case.You have to find a layout that is serviceable for you," says Philips. If your professional life depends on owning a keyboard with a set of function keys, then your search should start and end with a tenkeyless (TKL) or 75 percent model. Both layouts come with a set of function and navigation keys, making them practical for coding and other productivity tasks. If you need to frequently input numbers, a full-sized keyboard with a numpad will be the best option.The point here is that keyboards are tools. They should reflect your needs, not what's popular at the moment. This is something Philips returned to a few times in our conversation. Don't listen to public opinion," he told me. Public opinion is worthless in the pursuit of what is important to you and what you're going to interact with on your desk every day."Aluminum keyboards aren't necessarily betterPhoto by Igor Bonifacic / EngadgetWhen most people start shopping for their first custom keyboard, they tend to gravitate to an aluminum chassis, equating the material - and its higher price point - with superior quality. So it might come as a surprise that the creators Engadget spoke to both say a plastic or polycarbonate case is often a better starting point.There are two reasons for this. The first, and more obvious, reason is that plastic cases are usually much cheaper than their aluminum counterparts. As you will see below, the most affordable aluminum case on our recommendation list will set you back at least $150. By contrast, one of the best plastic kits costs a more modest $135. The price difference between plastic and aluminum cases becomes more dramatic when comparing larger TKL and full-sized keyboards since those designs require more complex milling if the case is made from aluminum.The second reason is less obvious, but no less important: plastic cases are far more forgiving than aluminum ones. If you're set on building a keyboard that produces a deep thock" sound when you type on it, it's easier to achieve that result with a plastic case and you won't need to do much tinkering.I've had aluminum boards that required extensive modification to sound good, at price points that would shock you," Philips says. I think it's easier to tune an aluminum case, but not all aluminum cases sound good," Medeot adds. If it's not built well, an aluminum case can sound like a bell. It really resonates."The last thing to consider when buying a case is how it was designed to keep the other components that make up a keyboard in place. That's because the mounting style" of a case can make a dramatic difference in how a keyboard feels and sounds. Unfortunately, like most things in this hobby, the style that's right for you will depend on personal preference. The one piece of advice I can give is to avoid keyboards that feature integrated plates like the Drop CTRL. Typing on them tends to feel stiff and it can be tricky to make them produce a consistent sound. For most beginners, a gasket-mounted keyboard is a good starting place. Gasket I think is the most newcomer-friendly," Medeot tells me. They're just soft and firm enough in most cases."Hot-swap PCBs are the ultimate beginner-friendly componentOnce the case is sorted, the next component on the list is the PCB where you will install your switches (more on those in a moment). Thankfully, finding the right PCB for a new keyboard isn't too complicated. Most boards can only fit circuit boards specifically designed to accommodate the quirks of their mounting style and layout. Most of the boards in our recommendations come with a PCB bundled.The one complication to this is that some keyboards offer a choice of hot-swap' or solder' PCB. You may not know how to use a soldering iron, and even if you do, both Phillips and Medeot recommend beginners buy a hot-swap keyboard. It will make putting together your first keyboard a lot easier, and more importantly, it will let you try out new switches more easily.Plate material is important, but don't overcomplicate itAfter the case and circuit board, you'll have to make a decision about the plate that will sit between your keyboard's PCB and whatever switches you decide to buy. Not all mounting styles incorporate plates, but the majority do. The amount of choice here can be intimidating, with different materials producing different sound profiles, some offering more or less flexibility and others changing how it feels to bottom out a switch.To simplify things, Philips recommends going with an aluminum plate. It's not the most exciting option, but aluminum plates tend to work well with most switches and they're not too expensive. Another option is an FR4 plate. Since they're made from a fiberglass material, FR4 plates tend to produce more high-pitched sounds and they're more flexible.One switch type will not work for everyonePhoto by Igor Bonifacic / EngadgetSwitches are the defining component of any mechanical keyboard and will play a major role in how your keyboard will sound and feel. To overly simplify things, mechanical keyboard switches generally fall into one of three categories: linear, tactile or clicky. Linear variants are known for their smooth action. Tactiles, meanwhile, produce a smooth bump right before they bottom out. Clicky switches add an audible click" to the tactile bump, making them great for irritating roommates and significant others.As a general rule of thumb, linears are considered the best for gaming, while tactiles and clicky switches are thought to be better for typing. That said, since buying my first mechanical keyboard in 2020, I've exclusively used tactile switches, so don't feel like you need to stick to those guidelines. If you're completely new to the world of mechanical keyboards, your best bet is to buy a few dozen of each type to determine the kind you like the most. Once you've settled on a favorite switch type, you can then experiment with different models to find the one you enjoy the most.Since most switches on the market today reference Cherry MX switches in one way or another, start with those. They're relatively affordable and will provide you with a frame of reference for everything to follow. Companies like Drop and Keychron sell packs of 35 Cherry switches for about $22. Cherry Red, Brown and Blue switches will give you a good sense of what other linear, tactile and clicky switches offer.After that, it's all about experimentation. As you try new switches, pay attention to the materials they're made from, as that will give you a sense of what to expect from models you have yet to try. Believe it or not, a lot of switches are not full recolors of one another, but there's also not a huge amount of variance between some stuff," says Medeot. If in doubt, start small before you spend too much money on too many switches. If you're not in a position where you can drop $70, $80 or $90 every time you want to buy a set of switches, buy a few," Philips says.One thing I would advise against is turning to YouTube in search of switch reviews." There are some creators who attempt to objectively test and compare different switches, but the reality is how a specific switch will sound and feel in your new keyboard will depend on all the other factors I outline above.One last note on the subject of switches: the larger keys on a keyboard require stabilizers. These, too, come in a few different forms, but as a beginner, don't worry about them too much. Some of our recommendations come with a set of stabs in the box. If not, and the PCB supports screw-in" stabilizers, it's hard to go wrong with Durock V2s. I've also had success with Zeal's plate and screw-in stabilizers.Keycaps should be funThe final piece of kit every new keyboard build requires is a set of keycaps. The majority of keycaps sold online are made from either ABS or PBT plastic. According to Medeot, ABS keys tend to produce a higher-pitched sound, while PBT can come off as a bit duller. One disadvantage of ABS plastic is that it is prone to developing an unsightly shine over time. Another thing to look out for is if a set of keycaps are double shot" or dye-sublimated." The former is preferable as the legends, the symbols etched onto the keycap, tend to be more durable and resistant to wear. Most newcomers will want to stick to Cherry Profile" keycaps as they're the most readily available and represent a good midpoint in terms of height.Spend enough time on this hobby and you will eventually come across GMK keycaps. With their crisp legends and playful colorways, GMK keycaps are highly sought after, and a single set can easily cost upwards of $135 to $150 and involve group buys or lengthy wait times. I love the two GMK sets I own but don't feel the need to push your budget to obtain one for yourself. In 2023, there are plenty of brands that offer fun, well-made PBT keycaps that will cost you $100 or less. Retailers like NovelKeys, KBDFans and Drop offer a lot of different, high-quality keycaps.A final noteFor most people, the best keyboard is sitting right in front of them. If you're unhappy with your current setup, it's not that difficult to make it sound and feel better. Out of the box, most mechanical keyboards suffer from squeaky stabilizers that rattle when you press the Space, Shift, Enter and Backspace keys. Online retailers like Kinetic Labs sell syringes of industrial lubricant that cost less than $10. It might seem weird to use a syringe to tweak a keyboard, but what it allows you to do is smooth out the action on the stabilizers without taking them or your entire keyboard apart.Custom keyboard recommendationsA great polycarbonate case: KDBFans Tiger LiteFor one of the most affordable entryways into the custom keyboard hobby, look no further than the Tiger Lite from KBDFans. For just $25, you get a gasket-mount TKL case that sounds great with minimal modding. Best of all, KBDFans offers the Tiger Lite in a series of cheerful colorways that are reminiscent of the Nintendo 64's classic funtastic" lineup. Although KBDFans has stopped selling Tiger Lite kits, retailers like Kinetic Labs still have stock.A great polycarbonate case: NovelKeys 87 Entry EditionTwo more affordable options are the NovelKeys 87 Entry Edition and its 65 percent sibling. Availability of those keyboards is limited at the moment, but NovelKeys is promising a major restock in the coming weeks. At $135 for almost everything you need to build your first keyboard, the NK87 is a great value. It also features RGB lighting, and it comes with a bundled carrying case. Both the Tiger Lite and NK87 came highly recommended by Philips and Medeot. Of the former, Medeot says the Tiger Lite is absolutely amazing for its price point."An affordable aluminum case: CannonKeys Bakeneko65If you're set on an aluminum keyboard, consider the Bakeneko. CannonKeys sells three different versions of the Bakeneko: a 60 percent model, and two different 65 variants differentiated by their construction. The cast aluminum variant is the more affordable of the two 65 models (and comes in more colors), but can feature some visual blemishes. By contrast, the CNC aluminum model is more expensive at $195, but it feels more premium.Either way, all three versions of the Bakeneko come bundled with a hot-swap PCB, FR4 plate and clip-in stabilizers. All you need to provide are the switches and keycaps. The Bakenekos also feature a nifty o-ring" gasket mounting system that simplifies assembly and maintenance. However, one feature you won't find on them is RGB lighting.A high-end aluminum case: Mode Designs SonnetThe Mode Sonnet is for those who want a statement piece on their desk. I've been testing one for a few months now, and it's easily the best keyboard I've ever used. The construction of the Sonnet is unmatched, and it feels great to type on thanks to a top mount design that makes the keys bounce. The Sonnet's 75 percent layout also lends itself to a keyboard that is functional without taking up too much space. That said, be prepared to spend a lot to own a Sonnet, with pricing starting at about $300 (and going up from there depending on how you decide to customize it). All of that is before you factor in the cost of switches, stabilizers and keycaps.I'll note here Mode also produces the excellent Envoy. It's a smaller 65 percent keyboard with a unique lattice block" mounting system Mode claims gives the Envoy a bouncy typing feel. I haven't had a chance to test it yet, but the Envoy has enjoyed a lot of positive coverage, and it's more affordable than the Sonnet.A no-fuss option for gamers: Razer BlackWidow V4 75%I know what you're thinking: how did a Razer product make it on this list? Well, the recently announced BlackWidow V4 75% is here because it's truly a great keyboard. It has all the features I suggest beginners should look for in their first custom board, including a hot-swap PCB and gasket mounting system. It also sounds and feels great out of the box. Best of all, it costs $190 and comes with keycaps and tactile switches.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/build-custom-keyboard-130021619.html?src=rss

Amazon's Ring is mostly known for doorbell cams and consumer-grade surveillance tech, but the company's moving past humans and onto our beloved furry friends. It just announced the Ring Pet Tag to help find lost pets, as the tag attaches to a collar and allows access to a bevy of digital information about the animal, should it wander away from the yard.Here's how it works. If you happen upon a lost pet wearing the Ring Pet Tag, flip the tag backwards and scan the QR code to find out who owns the animal, where they live, their phone number and relevant health information, such as required medications and the like. You can even contact the owner through the app and engage in a two-way conversation. Of course, all of this involves coaxing a scared dog or cat into allowing you access to that QR code, which could be problematic.Though the tech on display is interesting, it's worth noting what the device doesn't feature. There's no GPS, so no way to geolocate a lost pet. The tag also lacks a camera, which is a common feature for some pet accessories. It's basically a QR code on a tag that provides the same kind of information that could simply be written onto a collar, though most collars don't boast enough room to detail medication requirements and other unique data points. So it's useful from a all of your information in one place" standpoint.The price, however, is right. The Ring Pet Tag costs just $10, which isn't that much more than a standard analog tag with no scannable QR code to speak of. Preorders start today via Amazon and Ring, with shipments starting on October 4th.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ring-announces-a-wearable-for-your-lost-pets-thats-just-a-qr-code-133036863.html?src=rss

WhatsApp's Channels came on the scene in early June and has since only made its way into ten countries. Now, Meta has announced its expanding channels to over 150 countries - quite the leap - along with adding new features and public figures.Meta claims thousands of new organizations and celebs are coming to Channels, ranging from the MLB to Olivia Rodrigo. As part of its expansion, you should now get recommendations of accounts to follow based on your location and their popularity. Other updates include the ability to provide feedback with emojis and letting channel admins to edit their Updates for the entire 30 days before WhatsApp automatically deletes them. Arguably, the most helpful new feature for community building is that any Update you forward to friends will now link back to the original channel. WhatsApp is launching its own channel, as well, to share future updates as they come.With Channels, Meta hopes to "build the most private broadcast service available." To this end, other users can't see who you follow, and your phone number isn't shared with someone simply because you follow them.Channels first made its way onto fellow Meta-owned company Instagram in February as a not-so-subtle copy of Telegram's channels feature. Its expansion to WhatsApp came as one of Meta's many attempts to make the messaging app, well, more than just a basic messaging app. Much of this has involved launching features similar to other companies, such as entering and leaving ongoing group chats (Discord) and instant video messages (Snapchat, Telegram). None of this is to knock WhatsApp specifically- it's rare that you get a totally original idea on social media these days.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/whatsapp-channels-are-expanding-to-150-countries-130143201.html?src=rss

Just seven months, and reportedly 2 billion generated images, after first incorporating the beta AI into its suite of image and video editing tools, Adobe announced on Wednesday that its Firefly for Enterprise generative AI is now commercially available in Photoshop, Illustrator and Adobe Express workflows. And with the release comesa new Firefly web application as well, available as part of the company's Creative Cloud paid plans.The new subscription plan revolves around generative credits" (GCs), which Adobe defines as, tokens that enable customers to turn a text-based prompt into image and vector creations in Photoshop, Illustrator, Express and the Firefly web application." It's a made up currency that facilitates the transmutation of your money into faster access to the Firefly AI. Once users hit their monthly allowance of GCs, they'll be able to continue using Firefly, just at a slower rate.The web application will be available through Creative Cloud, at the Express and Express Premium price points. Those users will also gain access to the full paid version of Express Premium. Per a company release. Adobe Express is a new AI first, all-in-one creativity app" designed specifically to generate commercially safe images and effects (and presumably the correct number of fingers). With it users can generate design elements, images and video, pdfs and animations in over a 100 languages, then export that content to social media and publishing platforms.For enterprise users, Firefly and Express Premium will be bundled together as an all-in-one editor.Generative AI has not exactly been greeted with the warmest of welcomes, mostly on account of it ripping off an entire internet's worth of art for its training. Then there was the whole subsequent replacing actual artists with cheap AI knockoffs after stealing their work for training purposes" issue as well.To help allay those well-founded fears, Firefly embeds Content Credentials by default in all generated works. These credentials act as a as a digital nutrition label," displaying the asset's name, creation date, creation tool and a log of any edits made to it. They're the latest measure to come out of Adobe's Content Authenticity Initiative, an industry group seeking to establish baseline ethical and transparency norms for AI development before the Feds step in and impose real regulations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/adobes-firefly-ai-is-now-commercially-available-on-photoshop-illustrator-and-express-130049419.html?src=rss

The latest software update for the PlayStation 5 adds a number of useful features to the console, starting with the ability to enjoy its 3D Audio powered by Tempest 3D AudioTech on compatible Dolby Atmos-enabled HDMI devices. Sony first made the feature available, along with the other ones we're mentioning here, as part of a beta update released back in August. Now, it's available to all PS5 users.Another notable upgrade brought by the new software is support for larger capacity M.2 SSDs. You can now use SSDs up to 8TB, double the previous limit of 4TB, so long as they meet the requirements for compatibility. And if you're playing with someone who may need help beating a particularly difficult level or boss, the console will now allow you to assign a second controller as an assist controller. By doing so, your PS5 will recognize two controllers as one device, and either can control whatever's on screen.PS5's latest update also comes with enhancements for the console's social features. When you're invited into a closed party, you won't automatically get added to the group anymore, so you don't have to interact with anyone you don't want to. And if someone is sharing a screen in the party you're joining, you'll see a preview of it even before you jump in. If you're the one inviting people, take note that you can now send both closed and open party invitations to several players at the same time. In addition, you can now see which of your friends are doing an activity you can join under the Friends tab, since the interface will now show a "joinable" icon next to them.Aside from those features, the update will give you the ability to stream PS5 or PS4 games from devices running Android TV OS 12. So far, Sony has verified that the PS Remote Play app is compatible with the 4K Chromecast with Google TV device and the BRAVIA XR A95L model smart TV. In the US and in UK, the update adds new voice commands you can use: Simply say "Hey PlayStation, help" to quickly bring up help pages or "Hey PlayStation, what's new?" to check for the latest features and the current PS Plus lineup. And if you want to game in the middle of the night and don't want anybody else hearing what you're up to, you can now mute the beep sound the console makes when you turn it on or off. Simply go to Beep Sound under System in Settings and then mute or or adjust its volume.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-big-ps5-update-adds-dolby-atmos-support-and-lets-you-turn-off-the-startup-beep-120620769.html?src=rss

September typically brings crisper weather and new iPhones, and this year is no different. Apple recently unveiled the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, and as rumors suggested, the company has finally done away with its storied Lightning port in favor of a USB-C connector. While iPhone 15 models now support the Dynamic Island and come in fun colors, the iPhone 15 Pro handsets sport titanium designs and the new A17 Pro processor. Apple also revealed the latest models of its wearable, the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, both of which sport an upgraded chipset for better performance. Here's everything you need to know about how to pre-order the new iPhone 15 and 15 Pro, along with everything else Apple announced today.Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 PlusThe latest iteration of the iPhone looks much the same as the previous model, with the biggest difference being the new USB-C charging port on its bottom edge that replaces the age-old Lightning socket. The USB-C ports support charging and data transfer, and practically, they allow users to power up most of their Apple devices - think MacBooks, iPads and now iPhone - using the same cable.Another new feature for the base iPhones is Dynamic Island, which was previous only available on the Pro handsets. The floating black-pill section at the top of the iPhones' displays hides the front-facing camera and the FaceID sensor, while also showing things like alerts and animations unique to apps you're using.Both the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have the same screen sizes as their predecessors: 6.1 and 6.7 inches, respectively, and they both have Super Retina XDR displays that can reach up to 2,000 nits of brightness. The revamped camera array includes a 48-megapixel main rear camera with a 12MP telephoto lens, plus a TrueDepth front camera. Both models run on Apple's A16 Bionic chipset, the same found in last year's iPhone 14 series, and will support an all-day battery life.Apple iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro MaxAs with the standard models, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max handsets eschew Lightning in favor of USB-C charging ports. But new for the Pro models only is a titanium design that makes both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max much lighter than their predecessors. Apple claims it managed to shrink the overall dimensions of both handsets without affecting screen size; you'll find a 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 15 Pro and a 6.7-inch screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.Another noticeable design change is the new Action button that replaces the side mute toggle switch. Apple essentially made it a more customizable tool on the iPhone, allowing users to pick the action they want associated with a button press. Muting the iPhone remains an option, but you can change it so a button press allow you to quick access to your phone's camera, flashlight, accessibility tools and more.As far as cameras go, the iPhone 15 Pro models have a 48-megapixel main camera with a larger sensor than that found on the standard iPhone 15 models, and it provides improved low-light performance and the ability to shoot higher resolution photos at different focal lengths. There's also a 12MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom capabilities, which is the most on any iPhone yet. The entire rear array can also capture spatial video, which Apple is billing as a perk for those who want to get the Vision Pro when it becomes available next year.The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max run on Apple's latest A17 Pro chipset, a new GPU and a dedicated USB controller that's not present on the standard models. The new GPU is noteworthy for its six-core design and hardware-accelerated ray-tracing capabilities, both of which should improve overall gaming experiences on the new iPhones.Apple Watch Series 9If you were expecting a lot of changes on the latest Apple Watch, you'll unfortunately be disappointed. The new Apple Watch Series 9 is almost identical to last year's version, but it runs on a new S9 SiP, which is the biggest chipset upgrade for Apple's wearable since 2020. It will provide a general performance boost and things like smoother watchOS 10 animations and quicker Siri request processing. The Series 9 also has a new four-core neural engine that should help process machine learning tasks more quickly, and enable new features like the Double Tap gesture. The Watch will also be able to ping your iPhone and help you find it with on-screen directions and haptic feedback (aka Precision Finding) thanks to the new, built-in ultra wideband chip.Otherwise, the Series 9 will be available in the familiar sizes, 41mm and 45mm, and come in pink, starlight, silver, midnight and Product Red aluminum case colors.Apple Watch Ultra 2Similarly to the Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra got an incremental update for 2023. The new model runs on the updated S9 SiP and features all of the perks of the Series 9, including on-device Siri command processing and Precision Finding for iPhone with the new, built-in ultra wideband chip. The externals are mostly the same, but Apple changed the display architecture here so the Ultra 2's screen can hit up to 3,000 nits of brightness. That should make it even easier to view watch faces, complications and more in direct sunlight.Otherwise, the Ultra 2 is the same GPS + Cellular, 49mm wearable as it was last year, with the biggest screen on any Apple Watch and the longest battery life of any Apple wearable too.Apple AirPods Pro with USB-CApple didn't spend much time talking about the newest version of its Pro earbuds, probably because the major upgrade here is USB-C. The new AirPods Pro have a charging case that now features a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, following the iPhones as another Apple gadget to ditch Lightning entirely. On top of the new connector, the upgraded earbuds will have improved dust resistance and lossless audio with Apple Vision Pro.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-pre-order-the-new-apple-iphone-15-apple-watch-series-9-120532354.html?src=rss

Farewell Lightning cable. I will miss you when I inevitably get rid of all my cables, only to forget my MacBook wireless keyboard and trackpad still need you. Yes, the iPhone is going USB-C for 2023. That's true across the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. And AirPods Pro.AppleApple hasn't changed the screen sizes of this year's iPhones. The base iPhone 15 and the Pro have 6.1-inch displays, while the Plus and Pro Max have 6.7-inch screens. All the 2023 family now get the dynamic island display cutout that debuted on last year's iPhone 14 Pro, and the iPhone 15 hardware has an all-new design with rounded edges. Apple has introduced a new camera system to the iPhone 15, which includes a 48MP main camera, but the most impressive imaging upgrades are just for the Pro phones.Touching on the most-specced out device, thePro Max differentiates itself with some heady camera upgrades I'm very excited to try. You'll get a 5x telephoto zoom lens with a 120mm focal length equivalent - a substantial jump from 3x zoom of the iPhone 15 Pro (and last year's models). Apparently, this was achieved withtetraprisms.On the side of the iPhone 15 Pro, there's a new Action button that replaces the old Mute switch. This allows users to quickly access features like the camera, flashlight, Voice Memos and more. You can also configure it to activate your own shortcuts, with a new press-and-hold gesture, featuring haptic feedback and visual cues from the Dynamic Island, to ensure you know when a command goes through.Both Pro phones will get a newA17 Pro chip, capable of ray tracing graphics, and Apple is teasing that AAA games, like Death Stranding, Resident Evil Village and Assassin's Creed Mirage (more on that one below), will come to the iPhone 15, running natively.We've got more highlights from the event below.- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedApple unveils the A17 Pro, a 3nm chip powering the iPhone 15 ProApple discontinues the iPhone 13 mini, its last small phone worth owningApple is ditching leather JackRabbit's XG e-bike adds more range, power, fun and expenseApple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 can handle Siri requests without your iPhoneThe S9 chip and neural engine provide more power and longer battery life.EngadgetApple revealedtwo new watches this year. The Series 9 features overall performance boosts and a new processor, the S9 chip, which promises 18-hour battery life. Apple has also added a gesture to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2:Double Tap. This lets you control various system functions by tapping your thumb and index finger together twice quickly. You can use Double Tap to answer or end calls, snooze alarms, play / pause music or start and stop timers.The hardware might not be entirely game-changing, but the software is shaping up to offer a more usable interface than ever before, at least according to my time so far with the beta version. The premiumApple Watch Ultra 2 offers a brighter screen (3,000 nits!) and, according to Apple, will top out at 36 hours of battery life on one charge.Continue reading.Assassin's Creed Mirage previewA throwback in the best of ways.UbisoftAssassin's Creed Mirage is blessedly billed as a return to the series' leaner early days, when Ubisoft was restricted by PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 hardware. After a few hours of hands-on time across three sections of the new game, it feels like that's the case. Mirage largely takes place in ninth-century Baghdad, a couple of centuries before the Holy Land setting of the original Assassin's Creed, but around the same time as AC Valhalla (Mirage protagonist Basim made his first appearance in that game). Assassin's Creed Mirage will arrive on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on October 5.Continue reading.iOS 17 lands as a free update on September 18If you bought an iPhone after 2018.The latest iPhone software update will be available next week, on Monday, September 18. The public preview for iOS 17 has been available since June and has already shown off a number of design refinements, which Apple recapped during its keynote. Those include user-definable outgoing call screens, so you can pick what people see when you call them, and an option to send incoming calls to voicemail and read a transcription of them instead. Users will also be able to send quick voice or video messages if someone doesn't pick up their FaceTime calls. You can see our in-depthiOS 17 preview right here.Continue reading.Intel's Thunderbolt 5 could be the cable upgrade we've been waiting forThe single PC cable dream lives on!Up to three times the bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4. Support for multiple 8K displays, as well as gaming monitors running at up to 540Hz. And 240 watts of charging power. These are key features of Thunderbolt 5, Intel's latest stab at creating the ultimate PC cable. Great, so my iPhone USB-C cable is already going to be defunct in a year or two...Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-everything-announced-at-apples-iphone-15-event-111544573.html?src=rss

After September 29th, Netflix will no longer rent DVDs by mail and will be winding down that part of its business altogether. Most people might be surprised that the streaming giant is still even renting DVDs, but if you're one of its subscribers who'll be sad to see the service go, there's now another rent-by-mail option you can use anywhere you are in the US. Scarecrow, the largest independent video store in the US, has launched its own rent-by-mail service that will send DVDs and Blu-ray discs straight to your door.The store first piloted the service back in 2019 before it started working on making its library available to people across the country during the pandemic. As The Seattle Times reports, it launched a campaign in 2021 to raise funds for an overhaul of its aging website, making it more searchable and giving it a more modern look. Now, Scarecrow's rent-by-mail website is live, with step-by-step instructions on how to avail of the service and a searchable library divided by genres.To be able to rent from Scarecrow, you'll need to sign up for an account, which will have to be verified and approved by a staff member. After that, you can start adding DVDs to your cart. Titles are priced individually, but shipping will cost you $12 for up to six discs. That's discs, not titles, which means if one movie has six discs, you can't add more to the same shipment. The rental window is 14 days, including shipping, after that you can either renew by phone or pay late fees.Scarecrow has 140,000 titles in its collection - comparably, Netflix has around 5,000 titles in its US catalog, according to CordCutting - most of which you can rent by mail. There are exceptions, however, including rare and out of print videos that require a security deposit, newly released movies and adult titles. It also doesn't mail VHS tapes and laser discs, so you'll have to go elsewhere for those formats.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/americas-largest-independent-video-store-is-taking-its-dvd-by-mail-service-nationwide-094751920.html?src=rss

Bluesky, one of the most notable alternatives to the platform formerly known as Twitter, has just hit a million users. That's admittedly tiny compared to the number of users on major social networks, but it's a big deal for a service that remains inaccessible to most people until today. Bluesky team member Rose Wang, who has announced the milestone on X, told TechCrunch that the service's app reached a million downloads in July. However, those interested in getting in on the action at Bluesky will have to secure invite codes to log in, and it's only now that enough people were able to create accounts for the social network to be able to announce that it has reached 1 million users.

In the world of console video games, Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo stand as titans. For PC gamers, however, Valve reigns supreme. Its distribution platform, Steam, may not be the only place to buy and play games on the PC, but it's easily among the largest, oldest and most iconic. Today marks Steam's 20th anniversary.Valve is celebrating by slashing prices on its self-published games, offering most of its catalog for 90 percent off, except Half-Life: Alyx. The sale's landing page doubles as a cheery retrospective of Steam's last two decades. It's a fun read that offers users the chance to buy the "Top Games" from key years in the platform's history, punctuating footnotes about the very first Steam Sale with a chance to buy the original Portal for just $0.99.Again, it's fun, but the nostalgic look back leaves out a few key details. Folks who were around when Steam first launched might remember its early days as a time of frustration. Valve built the platform as a way to easily deliver updates to its games and combat cheating in online multiplayer - but many saw it as an antagonistic force and an early attempt to impose restrictive DRM on players.Digital distribution was in its infancy in 2003, and most PC gamers bought their games at the store, installing them manually from a CD or DVD. That didn't change, but when Valve released Half-Life 2, players were surprised to find that the game required Steam - and an internet connection - to launch the single player experience. It was unheard of at the time, and people hated it.As history shows, however, we got used to it. Other publishers started selling games on Valve's platform. Users were drawn in by the convenient distribution model and the allure of the aforementioned Steam Sales. Steam added cloud save backups, a hub for player-created content, social features and more. Soon, Valve started toying with making its own hardware, first with the somewhat lackluster Steam Machines initiative, and later, the much more successful Steam Deck.Today, Steam is a household name in the gaming community, and with good reason. Go ahead, celebrate. Valve even brought back the platform's original dark green color to give the anniversary a nice, retro feel.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/steam-is-green-again-on-its-20th-anniversary-000859141.html?src=rss

Court filings have revealed new details about the FTC's investigation into Elon Musk over his handling of privacy and security issues at X. In newly public court documents, the Department of Justice says Musk fostered a chaotic environment" at Twitter, now known as X, that prevented company officials from complying with their obligations to the FTC.The FTC investigation stems from a 2022 settlement between the FTC and Twitter over the company's use of deceptive ad targeting under the leadership of Jack Dorsey. Prior to Musk's takeover, the company paid a $150 million fine and signed on to an agreement to implement specific privacy and security measures. It was those additional data protection measures that apparently fell by the wayside once Musk took control, triggering new scrutiny from the regulator.In March, the FTC began investigating the rushed rollout of Twitter Blue, which reportedly launched without the privacy and security review required under the FTC order, as well as Musk's handling of the so-called Twitter Files."In the latest court documents, the Department of Justice details new information provided by a number of former top Twitter executives. According to the DoJ, Twitter's former chief privacy officer Damien Kieran said Twitter Blue launched so quickly a security and privacy review was not conducted in accordance with the company's process for software development."It also details employee concerns over Musk's attempts to grant an outside journalist unfettered access to the company's internal systems. (The filing notes that longtime information security employees intervened" and the reporter was ultimately given access to files and systems via an intermediary.)The government also raises concerns over Musk's rearranging of company servers between data centers. The company's policy required that servers be wiped prior to being moved, but that didn't happen, according to former Twitter employees. The government also notes that Musk's rapid-fire layoffs resulted in deep cuts among the Twitter staff who could have helped the company stay in compliance with the FTC.X didn't respond to a request for comment. Musk has previously described the investigation as the weaponization of a government agency for political purposes."Ultimately, the owner of X may end up having to answer to the FTC directly on these issues. The regulator argues that Musk should be deposed, though lawyers for X have sought to prevent the deposition. Evidence the FTC uncovered during its investigation reveals that Musk has been deeply involved in the fundamental transformation' of X Corp.," the government wrote. Musk exercised granular control of X Corp., at times directing employees in a manner that may have jeopardized data privacy and security."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ftc-says-elon-musk-may-have-jeopardized-data-privacy-and-security-at-twitter-232642914.html?src=rss

Last year Devialet, the French luxury audio company known for mighty speakers with even mightier price tags, launched its first pair of earbuds. Gemini carried many of the usual Devialet features, including good design, excellent sound and noise cancellation. But it also had some quirks around fit, weird audio modes and a bulky charging case that turned off plenty of reviewers. It's those pain points that the company is addressing with its second-generation edition, the Gemini II.The first and most welcome change is to the charging case, which was awkward and bulky last time out. Now, it's a lot smaller, and uses the same pocket-friendly lozenge design you'll find with pretty much every other pair of good TWS earbuds. Inside, the company has added a new custom driver and designed a new Active Wind Reduction mode to help screen out more unwanted sound. And to resolve the issues around fit, the buds are smaller and have been redesigned to better fit any ear."You'll also spot plenty of quality-of-life improvements like wireless charging and Bluetooth 5.2. But there has been a few spec-drops compared to the last version, with promised battery life falling from 24 hours on the first model to 22 hours here. The per-charge life has also dropped, with the Gemini II pledging five hours on a single charge, down from the six on the original.This is Devialet, of course, which means you can pick up the standard version from today in black or white, each model costing $450. But you can also get an Opera de Paris edition, which adds a 24-carat PVD gold plating onto the white case and earbuds, priced at $649. That way, when you're strutting down the Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, everyone will know how classy you are.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/devialets-450-gemini-ii-earbuds-offer-improved-fit-and-a-smaller-charging-case-230141910.html?src=rss

Unity announced a new fee structure today, and developers are none too happy. We are introducing a Unity Runtime Fee that is based upon each time a qualifying game is downloaded by an end user," the company wrote in a blog post announcing the change. We chose this because each time a game is downloaded, the Unity Runtime is also installed." The new per-install fees are set to kick in on January 1, 2024.The company says developers will be charged for installations after passing both a minimum revenue threshold from the last 12 months and a minimum lifetime install count. The exact fees will vary depending on which plan they use. Unity Personal and Unity Plus subscribers will pay $0.20 per install after reaching $200,000 in revenue from the past 12 months and 200,000 lifetime installs. Meanwhile, after hitting $1 million in revenue in the last 12 months and one million lifetime installs, Unity Pro members' fees start at $0.15 per install, while Unity Enterprise fees start at $0.125 per install.Members using Unity Pro and Enterprise plans have a tiered fee structure that decreases their rates after reaching thresholds of 100,000, 500,000 and one million installs. The company claims making developers hit both marks before requiring them to pay the fee will ensure that only those who reach significant success" will be charged.Unity CEO John RiccitielloUnity TechnologiesThe gaming developer community reacted to the announcement about as positively as you'd expect. If you buy our Unity game, please don't install it," Newfangled Games designer Henry Hoffman quipped on X (formerly Twitter). This is such an abysmally catastrophic decision that it really will either (likely) be u-turned, or the engine is completely done for on all scales of the indie industry," posted gaming industry worker Ryan T. Brown on X.Axios gaming reporter Stephen Totilo wrote on X that Unity clarified several points that, if anything, make the change sound like even more of a hassle for developers. He wrote that if a player deletes and reinstalls a game, that counts for two installs and two charges. Ditto for players installing a single game on two devices. However, charity games and bundles are supposedly exempt.