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Don't expect to see many Waymo-powered autonomous big rigs in the near future. Waymo now plans to "push back" its driverless trucking efforts and shift its attention toward its One ride-hailing service. The move will help the company concentrate on making these self-driving taxis a "commercial success," according to co-CEOs Dmitri Dolgov and Tekedra Mawakana.Waymo justified the decision by pointing to "significant" growth in demand for its robotaxis in Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco. It also noted rapid upgrades to Driver, the AI system that handles its autonomous cars. There's "tremendous momentum" in One, the co-chiefs say, and the new strategy will help make the most of this trend.The Alphabet-owned brand still intends to work with Daimler on self-driving semi trucks. It's shifting most of its technical development toward Waymo One, but believes work on Driver (particularly for highway driving) will indirectly benefit trucking. There's no updated timeline for when trucks may reach the roads, but TechCrunchunderstands only a handful of workers will lose jobs as a result of the transition. Most have taken other positions at Waymo.Waymo started testing autonomous big rig trucks in 2017, with rapid expansions in 2019 and 2020 that included the launch of its Via cargo transportation division. The firm won the attention of major partners, including UPS and former rival Uber Freight. However, there's no doubt that Waymo One was the star and won the most interest. Uber even expects to offer Waymo rides and deliveries in Phoenix later this year.The change isn't guaranteed to pan out. While Waymo is closer to offering paid rides in multiple markets, it's still facing opposition from officials who are concerned about safety issues. Driverless cars have blocked traffic, interfered with first responder vehicles and otherwise caused problems, and there's a call for regulators to limit just where and when robotaxis can operate.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/waymo-pushes-back-its-self-driving-truck-efforts-to-focus-on-ride-hailing-211355559.html?src=rss

Amid its rebranding to X, Twitter is reportedly hardballing advertisers in an effort to increase its bottom line. Reports earlier this month suggested that Twitter's revenue had dropped by a staggering 50 percent. The company's latest strategy to increase revenue, according to The Wall Street Journal, is asking brands to spend at least $1,000 per month on ads in order to maintain their verified status on the platform.Responding to a tweet about The Wall Street Journal's report, Musk says that the "moderately high" cost is a preventative measure to help reduce the number of scammers creating "millions of accounts" on the platform. Musk added that brands could instead choose to pay $1,000 per month for the company's verified organization badge.It's clear that Twitter is looking for ways to reduce its losses, and the company's main source of revenue is advertising. The Wall Street Journal also reports that Twitter is slashing prices on some of its advertising slots. For example, Twitter is giving all new bookings a 50 percent discount through July 31st. The company claims that the point of these discounts is to allow advertisers to "gain reach during crucial moments" such as sporting events.While the $1,000 monthly rate is unlikely to be an issue for larger brands, the new change could hurt smaller businesses that don't want to or don't have the extra budget to commit.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-tells-advertisers-to-spend-1000-per-month-or-risk-losing-verification-status-201528621.html?src=rss

Elon Musk's rebranding of Twitter as X is... not going according to plan. Indonesia has temporarily blocked X.com due to the country's laws forbidding gambling and porn. Officials don't think the site is suddenly going downhill, though. Rather, it's that the web domain's previous owners broke the country's content laws. In other words, X didn't check to see if the the predecessors had done anything leading to national bans.The impasse likely won't last long. Information director general Usman Kansong tells the press that X has already been in touch about the issue, and is sending a letter to indicate that Twitter is taking ownership of X.com. This is more a formality than a major legal hurdle.Still, this is another indicator of just how unplanned the Twitter-to-X transition was. Meta, Microsoft and numerous other companies already own trademarks on X, opening the door to lawsuits. X may have trouble registering and protecting trademarks, too. The company has even had problems changing its signage - a crew pulling down the Twitter sign in San Francisco had to stop over permit issues, leaving the "er" and old bird logo intact.Musk announced the sudden transition as part of a broader plan to turn Twitter into a "super app" like China's WeChat. In theory, you could use X for payments, messaging and other tasks that go well beyond social media. The service has also lately tried to steer users toward $8 per month Blue subscriptions by both offering perks (such as much longer posts) and limiting existing features.The momentary Indonesia ban isn't a major roadblock. However, it still means that roughly 24 million users can't even try X.com at the moment. That may be welcome news for competitors that don't face similar restrictions, including Meta's recently launched Threads (already available in Indonesia).This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/indonesia-is-blocking-elon-musks-x-domain-for-its-gambling-and-porn-history-195551771.html?src=rss

In a move to prevent public companies from delaying news about cyberattacks, the US Security and Exchange Commission has set a four-day deadline to disclose "material cybersecurity incidents." A US attorney general could potentially delay that disclosure if doing so would lead to "substantial risk to national security or public safety." Otherwise, the rules will serve as a stiff new guidepost - albeit, one that's slightly less restrictive than the EU's GDPR cyberattack deadline of just three days.The news comes after Microsoft was criticized by security experts for taking weeks to confirm an attack against Outlook and other online services. We really have no way to measure the impact [of the attack] if Microsoft doesn't provide that info," Jake Williams, a cybersecurity researcher and former NSA hacker, told the AP in June.While GDPR rules are more about protecting the public, the SEC appears to be more focused on investors: Currently, many public companies provide cybersecurity disclosure to investors," SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in a statement. "I think companies and investors alike, however, would benefit if this disclosure were made in a more consistent, comparable, and decision-useful way."Technology companies have pushed against the SECs rules since they were initially announced last year, which ultimately led to the inclusion of a delay clause, Bloomberg reports. Additionally, the Information Technology Industry Council argued that the four-day deadline is too short, since companies may not know enough about the cyberattack by then.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sec-public-companies-must-report-cyberattacks-within-four-days-193713534.html?src=rss

Deconstructeam announced today that its upcoming divination-based game, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, arrives on August 16th. The player-choice-driven narrative adventure will be available for PC and Nintendo Switch. In addition, a new launch trailer gives us a closer glimpse at the title's tarot deck building and weighty decision-making.In The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, you assume the role of Fortuna, a witch imprisoned for 1,000 years on a remote asteroid after foretelling an unwelcome prediction of doom. (You join her 200 years into her sentence, although the game includes plenty of pre-exile flashbacks.) However, Fortuna's stay isn't as lonely as you may expect: She's accompanied by Abramar, a god summoned by Fortuna to help her escape and serve cold revenge on the coven. You'll also receive a surprising number of visitors for someone floating on a space rock in the middle of nowhere.Following Deconstructeam's Gods Will Be Watching and The Red Strings Club, its latest entry expands on the studio's tendencies toward philosophical and narrative experiences in dystopian settings. Much of the gameplay revolves around the narrative forks you choose (primarily through dialog trees) and the building and deployment of tarot decks, presented intricately in vibrant pixel art. You can customize the cards' backgrounds, symbols and supporting elements, crafting a magical repertoire that feels distinctly yours. (However, you can keep the deck-creation process relatively simple if you prefer a more straightforward playthrough.) At its core, Cosmic Wheel is a visual novel with narrative paths dictated by the player's choices," Jessica Conditt wrote in Engadget's April preview.The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood will cost $18 when it launches on August 16th for Switch and PC. You can pre-order it on Steam and wish-list it on GOG ahead of its arrival. (Nintendo hasn't yet published its product listing.)This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/witchy-narrative-adventure-the-cosmic-wheel-sisterhood-hits-pc-and-switch-on-august-16th-184513016.html?src=rss

Sony has revealed the PlayStation Plus monthly games lineup for August. There's no clear headliner here, but a trio of nifty titles are about to drop, including the incredible Zelda-ish adventure Death's Door and a little-known golf sim called PGA Tour 2K23. Also in the lineup is Media Molecule's long-running game-making platformDreams.Dreams is a community-focused app that builds upon the level-creation tools first debuted in the LittleBigPlanet series. Players have used the system to make just about anything you can imagine, from VR experiences to full-fledged CGI movies. Sony even allowed some of the more popular creators to sell their works.Unfortunately, Sony is winding down Dreams, as the company recently announced it will stop releasing updates later this year. The launch on PS Plus, however, will provide users with one last hurrah, especially given the final game on this month's list of releases, which is another Media Molecule title. Tren is a train-based adventure game that was entirely built in Dreams and only accessible within the title. Sony calls it a nostalgic adventure that puts you in the driving seat of a remarkable toy train, and tells a personal tale about growing up - and the transformative power of play."These titles are all available on August 1st and you have until the final day of July to scoop up expiring games like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Alan Wake Remastered and Endling - Extinction is Forever.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/augusts-playstation-plus-monthly-games-include-deaths-door-and-dreams-182331045.html?src=rss

Microsoft isn't done refining the interface on your Xbox console. The company is rolling out an updated home screen for Xbox Series/X and One users that theoretically puts games within closer reach while giving you more room to customize the experience. There's now a quick access menu that helps you jump to your collection, Game Pass, the Microsoft Store and common functions like search and settings. You can pin favorite games and groups, and there are curated lists of games to help discover titles. The update should reach everyone within a few weeks.At the same time, a simpler layout creates more room for your custom background. An option can change the background to match the game you've selected in your recently played list, somewhat like PlayStation's carousel. A refreshed community row helps show what friends are doing, while media spotlights and lists help you find new content to see or hear.It's easier to buy games, too. At the same time, PayPal has revealed that you can "soon" use Venmo to buy games, apps and subscriptions in the Microsoft Store on Xbox in the US. This will help you make use of spare Venmo funds, of course, but it will also give you a way to split payments if you can't justify an up-front purchase.The rethink comes eight months after Microsoft began publicly experimenting with a new Xbox interface. The company has a history of frequent UI redesigns and tweaks, particularly in the Xbox One era. Sony, in contrast, is relatively conservative and rarely makes major changes to the PlayStation front end in the middle of a console cycle. Microsoft's iteration may be frustrating if you're hoping for a consistent experience, but it does suggest the company is responding to gamers' feedback and hoping to stand out in the market.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-home-screen-revamp-provides-quicker-access-to-games-173010398.html?src=rss

Seven major automakers have banded together to create a new charging network in North America, with an eventual target of 30,000 high-powered charge points near urban and highway locations. The companies involved with the venture include BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes and Stellantis. The venture issued a statement on the move, saying they are trying to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles" and make zero-emission driving even more attractive."The goal of this venture is 30,000 new charging points, and the companies say they will leverage public and private funds" to get there. After all, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates that the country will need around 182,000 fast chargers to accommodate the massive influx of EVs hitting the roads by 2030. This venture represents a good portion of these needs.These stations will use the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard and the North American Charging Standard (NACS). It's worth mentioning that Tesla's superchargers use the NACS charging type and the company recently opened up the technology to other EV manufacturers.This new joint program will formally begin operations sometime this year, assuming it clears regulatory approval conditions, and it plans on opening up its first stations next summer. Each site will boast multiple chargers and plenty of amenities, like canopies, restaurants, restrooms and integrated brick-and-mortar retail stores.EV sales are expected to contribute to more than 50 percent of total automobile sales by 2030, so the more charging stations available, the better. To that end, some of the companies involved in this venture are also striking out on their own to build more charging stations. GM, for instance, promises to build 40,000 charging stations at car dealerships throughout the US and Canada.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/major-automakers-team-up-to-create-new-north-american-ev-charging-network-171532385.html?src=rss

NASA and DARPA have chosen aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin to develop a spacecraft with a nuclear thermal rocket engine. Announced in January, the initiative - in which BWX Technologies will provide the reactor and fuel - is dubbed the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO). The agencies aim to showcase the tech no later than 2027 with an eye toward future Mars missions.Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) has several advantages over chemically propelled rockets. First, it's two to five times more efficient, allowing ships to travel faster and farther with greater agility. In addition, its reduced propellant needs leave more room on the spaceship for storing scientific equipment and other essentials. It also provides more options for abort scenarios, as the nuclear engines make it easier to alter the ship's trajectory for a quicker-than-expected return trip. These factors combine to make NTP (perhaps) the ideal Mars travel method.These more powerful and efficient nuclear thermal propulsion systems can provide faster transit times between destinations," said Kirk Shireman, VP of Lunar Exploration Campaigns for Lockheed Martin. Reducing transit time is vital for human missions to Mars to limit a crew's exposure to radiation."NASA / DARPAThe NTP system will use a nuclear reactor to heat hydrogen propellant rapidly to extremely high temperatures. That gas is funneled through the engine's nozzle, creating the ship's thrust. This nuclear thermal propulsion system is designed to be extremely safe and reliable, using High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel to rapidly heat a super-cold gas, such as liquid hydrogen," BWX said today. As the gas is heated, it expands quickly and creates thrust to move the spacecraft more efficiently than typical chemical combustion engines."To help quell concerns about radioactive leaks in the Earth's atmosphere, NASA and DARPA plan not to power up the reactor until the ship has reached a nuclear safe orbit," where any tragedies would occur outside the zone where it would affect Earth. The agencies aim for a nuclear spacecraft demonstration by 2027, launched from a conventional rocket until it reaches an appropriate location above low earth orbit."Nuclear reactors will also likely play a key role in powering future Martian habitats, with NASA testing small and portable versions of the tech as far back as 2018.Before NTP propels the first humans to Mars, it could find use on much shorter flights, as nuclear-powered spacecraft could also make transporting material to the Moon more efficient. A safe, reusable nuclear tug spacecraft would revolutionize cislunar operations," said Shireman. With more speed, agility and maneuverability, nuclear thermal propulsion also has many national security applications for cislunar space."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nasa-picks-lockheed-martin-to-build-the-nuclear-rocket-thatll-take-us-to-mars-170035659.html?src=rss

The Overture Maps Foundation, a group founded by Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and TomTom, has released an initial open dataset that will help developers build mapping apps and other location-based tools. The "alpha" set includes worldwide info for over 59 million places, 780 million unique buildings, road data from OpenStreetMap and borders.The map layers are packaged in a recently-launched Overture map format that's meant to be standardized and interoperable between platforms. The group is mainly sharing the data at this stage to get public feedback, rather than to support complete products.The foundation was formed in December last year by a range of companies that include geospatial and mapping firms in addition to tech giants. While open map data isn't a new concept, Overture believes the collective effort is necessary to deliver accurate, up-to-date info that's no longer practical for any one organization to provide. Ideally, a newcomer won't have to worry about supplying outdated or incomplete directions.Overture is quick to warn that there's still a lot of work left before its material is truly ready. Upcoming releases will include more open data, greater interoperability and the use of a stable ID system that will help map builders consistently add content. You might not see apps relying much (if at all) on the alpha dataset, but it serves as a starting point that gives app creators an idea of what's possible.Google has historically dominated the mobile navigation app market, with Google Maps and Waze together claiming a clear majority of use in recent years. Apple Maps, meanwhile, tends to get nearly all the remaining share. There's not much room for challengers, and they normally need massive resources just to be competitive. Overture's open data could make it much easier to produce viable alternatives, even if they're unlikely to unseat Apple or Google any time soon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-microsoft-led-group-shares-data-for-open-alternative-to-google-maps-160001416.html?src=rss

Samsung didn't only have new phones to show off at its Unpacked event. The company took the opportunity to reveal the Galaxy Watch 6 too. The latest wearable starts at $300, but Amazon is sweetening the deal. If you lock in a pre-order there, you'll get a $50 Amazon gift card. Note that the offer only applies to the Bluetooth models, and not the LTE or Watch 6 Classic variants. You'll get a free fabric watch band as well. The Watch 6 will be available starting on August 11th.The Bluetooth model does not, unfortunately, feature the return of the rotating bezel (you'll need to plump for the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic for that), but there are still some other interesting updates. During our hands-on time with it, we found that a new one-click mechanism makes it much easier to swap between certain bands.The standard Watch 6 is available in sizes of 40mm and 44mm. The screen is much sharper and brighter this time around. It has a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits, so you shouldn't have much trouble seeing the display on a sunny day. Samsung has also upgraded the processor and added a larger battery. The company claims you'll get up to eight hours of use after eight minutes of fast charging.The sleep-tracking and coaching features have seemingly been upgraded, while there's a new Personalized Heart Rate Zone feature that aims to help you attain the fitness results you're looking for. Meanwhile, Samsung Wallet has replaced Samsung Pay to make the device compatible with digital IDs, boarding passes and event tickets.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/pre-order-a-samsung-galaxy-watch-6-on-amazon-and-get-a-free-50-gift-card-153132435.html?src=rss

Samsung has only just unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Galaxy Z Flip 5, but there are already deals to be had if you lock in a pre-order on Amazon. Those who pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will get a $200 Amazon gift card as well as a free storage upgrade from 256GB to 512GB. That should somewhat make up for the foldable's high base price of $1,800.We've had some hands-on time with the Z Fold 5. There's a new hinge that all but eliminates the gap between the two halves of the screen and it reduces the device's overall thickness to 13.5mm. The Flex Hinge still has IPX8 water resistance, according to Samsung.The Galaxy Z Fold 5 runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform chipset and it has 12GB of RAM. The 6.2-inch OLED cover screen and main 7.6-inch display both have 120Hz refresh rates. The camera array includes a 50MP main lens, a 12MP ultra-wide and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom.So far, we feel that the Z Fold 5 has improved multitasking, but rivals such as Google and Oppo are catching up to Samsung on the foldables front. The high price doesn't help, but at least the Amazon pre-order deal takes the sting out of that a bit. The Z Fold 5 will ship on August 11th.Meanwhile, you'll get a $150 Amazon gift card when you pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. A free storage upgrade to 512GB can be all yours too. The Z Flip 5 starts at $1,000 and it will also be broadly available on August 11th.Samsung's latest clamshell foldable has a 3.4-inch external screen, which is nearly four times the size of the one on the previous model. It also boasts a Flex Hinge to minimize the crease between the two halves of the 6.7-inch, 120Hz AMOLED main screen.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/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-5-pre-orders-on-amazon-include-a-200-gift-card-142351976.html?src=rss

This year's summer edition of Samsung Unpacked was busy, to put it mildly. The company not only introduced its latest wave of foldable phones, but major updates to its smartwatch and tablet lineups. But don't worry if that's a lot to take in - here's everything Samsung introduced at its event.Watch the highlights of Galaxy Unpacked summer 2023If 7AM Eastern was too early for you to watch live, don't worry. We've cut down Samsung's summer Unpacked presentation to a more reasonable nine minutes. You can watch the highlights of the keynote here, including all the major product introductions.Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetIn a slight twist, the highlight of the foldable phones this year was the "entry" clamshell device, the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The new model has a much larger 3.4-inch external display than its predecessor, letting you reply to messages, use Wallet and otherwise handle tasks that previously required opening the phone. A new hinge design also eliminates the gap when the handset is closed. You can also expect a speedier custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and double the storage. It starts at $999, and is available for pre-order through Samsung and Amazon ahead of its August 11th release.The Galaxy Z Fold 5, meanwhile, is an iterative (if still welcome) update. The book-style foldable delivers a thinner, gapless design with a brighter primary display, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and improved multitasking abilities. It ships August 11th starting at $1,799, and you can pre-order it now through Samsung and Amazon.Galaxy Watch 6Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetThe biggest update at summer Unpacked was arguably for Samsung's smallest computing device. The company unveiled a Galaxy Watch 6 family that makes some much-requested improvements to the Wear OS timepieces. Most notably, the rotating bezel is back - buy a Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and you can scroll through apps and widgets with a tactile feel. Both watches offer larger, brighter displays, upgraded processors, larger batteries and a "one-click" strap swapping system.The Galaxy Watch 6 line arrives August 11th. You can pre-order through Samsung and Amazon starting at $300 for the base model and $400 for the Classic.Galaxy Tab S9Photo by Mat Smith/EngadgetSamsung catered to fans of high-end Android tablets at unpacked by introducing the Galaxy Tab S9 range. While the design hasn't changed much (mainly slimmer bezels), it's still a significant upgrade with dynamic refresh rate AMOLED screens, the custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, more powerful speakers and even IP68 water and dust resistance for both the tablet and included S Pen.The series goes on sale August 11th, with pre-orders open at Samsung and Amazon. The 11-inch Galaxy Tab S9 starts at $800, while the 12.4-inch Tab S9+ begins at $1,000. The enormous 14.6-inch Tab S9 Ultra costs at least $1,200.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/summer-samsung-unpacked-2023-everything-announced-at-the-event-134721886.html?src=rss

Seven years after Bumble launched Bumble BFF, the company is finally giving users their own app for making friends. Bumble has announced the release of Bumble For Friends, an app dedicated solely to finding friends in your area. The company started testing the app earlier this year in the United Kingdom and select regions of Asia, Mashable reported.Bumble For Friends will function almost exactly like Bumble BFF (which makes up 15 percent of Bumble's monthly active users, a Bumble spokesperson told TechCrunch). However, there will be no need to download a dating app - something coupled-up users will likely be happy about. Like a dating app, though, you create a profile with a mix of photos, information about yourself and responses to prompts. It can include things like if you drink, your political affiliation, your relationship status and why you're looking to make friends. Your Bumble For Friends profile will also have space to share some of your interests, like dogs or dancing - one of the things Bumble uses to help match you with potential friends.There is one new feature on Bumble For Friends: the option to create a group chat. Basically, if you think any of your matches would also get along, you can add two or more of them to a group chat. To use this option, go into the conversations tab and pick a Bumble-suggested activity or add your own. You can also just give the group chat a name (which you can edit later on) if you don't want to pick what to do. From there, you can invite matches and get talking. Invitees will receive a notification about the chat showing them your chosen title or the potential activity.Bumble For Friends is free to download on Apple's App Store or the Google Play Store. You can create a new account or log into your existing one and have your profile and matches transferred over. At that point, your Bumble BFF account will disappear from the original app, but you can still use Date or Bizz modes. Bumble doesn't seem to be forcing anyone to switch to the new app, so you can still keep all your accounts in one place if you prefer.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bumble-spins-its-bff-friend-finding-feature-off-into-a-standalone-app-130040779.html?src=rss

Robotics engineer Ken Pillonel, known for creating a makeshift USB-C iPhone and AirPods, has revealed his next project. The modding wunderkind has deconstructed Apple's AirPods Pro case and built a custom repairable version. Pillonel is sharing the design for free, allowing enterprising self-repair enthusiasts with a knack for engineering to make their own.Pillonel has already tackled the AirPods Pro with a custom replaceable printed circuit board (PCB). However, his new project attempts to dissect the earbuds' entire case, offering a complete blueprint for others to do the same - with 3D-printed sections and a few (cheap) afterparty parts. Most gadgets are designed without repairability in mind, unlike the durable technology of the past that seemed built to last," Pillonel wrote, noting that iFixit gave the second-gen AirPods Pro a dismal zero repairability score. It is troubling to see design choices like non-replaceable batteries, glued-in components, and a lack of transparency in public information leading to the rise of fast electronics.'"In response, the engineer took on this latest project to demonstrate how one of the most popular gadgets today - Apple's AirPods Pro - could have been easily made repairable with minimal effort." His stated goal is to inspire consumers and multi-billion-dollar corporations (ahem, Apple) to treat technology less like a locked-down disposable commodity and more like something one can tinker with, learn from and - with the right skills - repair themselves. Of course, a central component is using screws and nuts instead of adhesives to create a makeshift case you can crack open and fix down the road.Ken Pillonel / Exploring the SimulationPillonel says this was one of his most challenging custom projects yet, as he had to create precise scans of the case's every component. As he explains in the video below from his YouTube channel, some of the case's parts proved especially difficult with complex curves that a simple caliper and basic 2D scans couldn't quite nail down. He even detailed his quest for finding the right spring-loaded contact pins to charge the buds and an affordable 3D scanner to capture some of the more oddly shaped parts. I recommend a quick watch to anyone curious about sustainability and the nuts and bolts behind iconic consumer tech gadgets. (Remember that such tinkering will void your warranty, and you should probably only give it a shot if you're experienced with electronics repairs.)I am thrilled to make these repairable designs available to the public at no cost, encouraging individuals and manufacturers alike to prioritize repairability in their product development," Pillonel wrote today. Together, we can work towards a circular economy that not only minimizes electronic waste but also fosters a culture of conscious consumption and responsible tech innovation." You can peruse Pillonel's designs and storefront for replacement parts on his website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-man-behind-the-usb-c-iphone-rebuilt-the-airpods-pro-case-to-make-it-repairable-130008565.html?src=rss

Samsung has finally announced its next generation of foldable smartphones, and a whole lot more. The company hosted its first ever Galaxy Unpacked event from its hometown of Seoul, South Korea overnight, and, in addition to the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5, we also saw a new Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Tab Ultra.

It's no secret that AI development brings a lot of security risks. While governing bodies are working to put forth regulations, for now, it's mostly up to the companies themselves to take precautions. The latest show of self-supervision comes with Anthropic, Google, Microsoft and Open AI's joint creation of the Frontier Model Forum, an industry-led body concentrating on safe, careful AI development. It considers frontier models to be any "large-scale machine-learning models" that go beyond current capabilities and have a vast range of abilities.The Forum plans to establish an advisory committee, charter and funding. It has laid out for core pillars it intends to focus on furthering AI safety research, determining best practices, working closely with policymakers, academics, civil society and companies, and encouraging efforts to build AI that "can help meet society's greatest challenges."Members will reportedly work on the first three objectives over the next year. Speaking of membership, the announcement outlines the necessary qualifications to join, such as producing frontier models and showing a clear commitment to making them safe. "It is vital that AI companies-especially those working on the most powerful models-align on common ground and advance thoughtful and adaptable safety practices to ensure powerful AI tools have the broadest benefit possible," Anna Makanju, OpenAI's vice president of global affairs, said in a statement. "This is urgent work and this forum is well-positioned to act quickly to advance the state of AI safety."The creation of the Forum follows a recent safety agreement between the White House and top AI companies, including those responsible for this new venture. Safety measures committed to included tests for bad behavior by external experts and putting a watermark on content AI created.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/anthropic-google-microsoft-and-openai-form-an-ai-safety-group-122032326.html?src=rss

Amazon has teamed up with Boost Infinite, a wireless carrier owned by Dish Wireless, and has launched a storefront to make the latter's SIM kits more accessible. While Amazon sells SIM cards from a variety of providers, this is a genuine tie-up that automatically pre-qualifies Prime members for the carrier's $25-per-month postpaid wireless plan. Subscribers can purchase Boost Infinite's Unlimited $25 SIM kit from the Amazon store with a 20 percent discount. And if they do, they're also getting a $25 bill credit that will go towards their first month of service, provided that they've activated their SIM within 30 days of receiving it.Dish first introduced Boost Infinite in mid-2022 with a plan that offers "unlimited data, talk and text." The plan also provides users with 5G internet, which uses AT&T's, T-Mobile's and Dish's own network, though it will get throttled after the first 30GB of the month. Subscribers can add up to five lines per account, as well. Boost Infinite promises a wireless service with no surprise, or even planned, price hikes. It says members can expect to pay $25 a month for as long as they're active.Customers who purchase a SIM kit from Amazon don't have to walk into a store to activate their account. They simply need to complete their registration via the carrier's app, after which it will pair them up with a customer support rep - a "real person," the company emphasizes - to help them with setup and activation. To note, new subscribers can bring in their (unlocked) phones or get a new one from Boost Infinite, and they can keep or change their number. Boost Infinite's network is compatible with both unlocked iPhones and Android devices, and it also comes with eSIM support for Apple's mobile phones.Steve Downer, Vice President of Consumer Electronics at Amazon, said:"Amazon has always been about providing convenience, value, and selection to customers. Part of that is making it easier for customers to access wireless plans that are compatible with a variety of devices and can be set up from home. The Boost Infinite Unlimited SIM kit gives Prime members an exclusive deal to access affordable postpaid wireless service on one of the top networks in the U.S. at a great value."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-members-can-now-get-pre-approved-for-new-boost-infinite-plans-120058552.html?src=rss

Samsung has taken the wraps off its latest clamshell-style foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The new handset's biggest change is a 3.4-inch cover display that is significantly larger than the 1.9-inch outer panel on last year's Galaxy Z Flip 4. This should generally make the device more convenient when it's folded up, as there's now more space to reply to texts, check notifications, take selfies and the like. Other upgrades include a faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and a redesigned hinge that makes the whole package slimmer when folded.The larger external display brings the Galaxy Z Flip 5 much more in line with the Moto Razr+, another flip-style foldable that arrived earlier this year. To assist anyone deciding between the two devices, we've laid out how the two devices compare on the spec sheet below. Raw specs can't tell the whole story, of course: Our Razr+ review found that phone's camera performance to lag behind its peers, and Samsung and Motorola are taking different approaches to how Android works on the outer display. Still, if you're thinking of dropping $1,000 on one of these devices, here's a quick look at the hardware that money will get you. For more details on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, check out our hands-on preview.Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5Motorola Razr+Pricing (MSRP)$999.99$999.99DimensionsUnfolded: 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9mm (6.5 x 2.83 x .27 inches)Folded: 85.1 x 71.9 x 15.1mm (3.35 x 2.83 x .59 inches)Unfolded: 170.83 x 73.95 x 6.99mm (6.73 x 2.91 x .28 inches)Folded: 88.42 x 73.95 x 15.1mm (3.48 x 2.81 x .59 inches)Weight187g (6.6oz)184.5g (6.51oz)Magenta model: 188.5g (6.65oz)Display sizeUnfolded: 6.7 inchesExternal cover: 3.4 inchesUnfolded: 6.9 inchesExternal cover: 3.6 inchesDisplay resolutionUnfolded: 2,640 x 1,080 (426ppi)External cover: 720 x 748 (306ppi)Unfolded: 2,640 x 1,080 (413ppi)External cover: 1,066 x 1,056 (413ppi)Display typeMain: Dynamic AMOLED 2X (120Hz)External cover: Super AMOLED (60Hz)Main: pOLED (165Hz)External cover: pOLED (144Hz)Battery3,700mAh3,800mAhStorage256GB, 512GB (not expandable)256GB (not expandable)Rear camera(s)Main: 12MP, f/1.8, 1.8mUltrawide: 12MP, f/2.2, 1.12mMain: 12MP, f/1.5, 1.4mUltrawide: 13MP, f/2.2, 1.12m4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60fps videoFront camera(s)10MP, f/2.2, 1.22m32MP, f/2.4, 0.7m4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60fps videoSoCSnapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for GalaxyOcta-core CPUAdreno 740 GPUSnapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile PlatformOcta-core CPUAdreno 730 GPURAM8GB8GBWiFiWiFi 6EWiFi 6EBluetoothv5.3v5.3OSAndroid 13One UI 5.1.1Android 13ColorsMint, Graphite, Cream, LavenderSamsung.com exclusive: Gray, Blue, Green, YellowInfinite Black, Glacier Blue, Viva MagentaOther featuresIPX8 water resistance, 25W wired charging, 15W wireless chargingIP52 water resistance, 30W wired charging, 5W wireless chargingThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-5-vs-moto-razr-a-clamshell-comparison-114506038.html?src=rss

Samsung followed through on its promise to reveal its two latest foldables during its Unpacked event in Seoul today. We now know that the new flagship foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, indeed uses a new Flex Hinge to narrow the gap between the two halves of the screen, shaving more than two millimeters off the folded thickness. The new model also employs the second-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 processor and the internal screen got a brightness boost.As our reviewer Sam Rutherford notes in his hands-on, that's where the big differences end. The Z Fold 4 and 5 have the same cameras, same screen sizes and resolutions, and the same batteries - though the new processing tricks and more efficient chipset may allow this year's model to make better use of that hardware. The new phone also carries the same $1,800 MSRP, so if you're deliberating between this model or the previous one, you may as well go for the latest.But how does the latest Z Fold compare to Google's Pixel Fold? For a long time, Samsung was the only major player on the foldable pitch, until Google released its entrant and brought some serious competition. Both phones have the same size internal screen, but Samsung's orientation is taller and skinnier than Google's. The Z Fold 5 has a little bit bigger battery and three of the five cameras boast more megapixels than the ones on the Pixel Fold.Here are the specs for Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google's Pixel Fold side-by-side so you can see which one makes the most sense for you. We also included specs for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 so you can see what changed (and what didn't) this year.Galaxy Z Fold 5Pixel FoldGalaxy Z Fold 4PricingStarts at $1,800Starts at $1,799Starts at $1,800Release dateAugust 2023June 2023August 2022Open Dimensions(H x W x D)6.1 x 5.1 x 0.24 in(154.9 x 129.8 x 6.1 mm)5.5 x 6.2 x 0.23 in(139.7 x 158.7 x 5.8 mm)6.1 x 5.1 x 0.25 in(155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3 mm)Folded dimensions(H x W x D)6.1 x 2.6 x 0.53 in(154.9 x 67.1 x 13.5 mm)5.5 x 3.1 x 0.47 in(139.7 x 79.5 x 12.1 mm)6.1 x 2.6 x 0.62 in(155.1 x 67.1 x 15.8mm)Weight8.9 oz(253 g)10 oz(283 g)9.3 oz(263 g)Screen size (internal)7.6 in(193 mm)7.6 in(193 mm)7.6 in(193 mm)Screen size (external)6.2 in(157 mm)5.8 in(146.7 mm)6.2 in(157 mm)Screen resolution (internal)2176 x 1812 at 374ppi2208 x 1840 at 380ppi2176 x 1812 at 374 ppiScreen resolution (external)2316 x 904 at 402ppi2092 x 1080 at 408ppi2316 x 904 at 402 ppiScreen type (internal)Dynamic AMOLED (120Hz)OLED (120Hz)Dynamic AMOLED (120Hz)Screen type (external)Dynamic AMOLED (120Hz)OLED (120Hz)Dynamic AMOLED (120Hz)ProcessorSnapdragon 8 Gen 2Google Tensor G2Snapdragon 8 Gen 1Battery4,400 mAh4,821 mAh4,400 mAhRAM12GB12GB12GBInternal storage256GB, 512GB or 1TB256GB or 512GB256GB, 512GB or 1TBRear camerasThree cameras:Main: 50MP, f/1.8 apertureUltra wide: 12MP, f/2.2 apertureTelephoto: 10MP, f/2.4 aperture, 3X optical zoomThree cameras:Main: 48MP, f/1.7 apertureUltra wide: 10.8MP, f/2.2 apertureTelephoto: 10.8MP, f/3.05 aperture, 5x optical zoomThree cameras:Main: 50MP, f/1.8 apertureUltra wide: 12MP, f/2.2 apertureTelephoto: 10MP, f/2.4 aperture, 3X optical zoomFront Camera10MP, f/2.2 aperture9.5MP, f/2.2 aperture10MP, f/2.2 apertureInternal camera4MP, f/1.8 aperture8MP, f/2.0 aperture4MP, f/1.8 apertureWater resistanceIPX8IPX8IPX8Connectivity5G, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.35G, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.35G, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2Charging25W fast charging12W wireless30W fast charging7.5W wireless25W fast charging12W wirelessColorsIcy Blue, Phantom Black, Gray, Blue or Samsung-exclusive CreamObsidian or PorcelainGraygreen, Phantom Black, Beige or Samsung-exclusive BurgundyThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-galaxy-z-fold-5-vs-pixel-fold-did-samsung-rise-to-googles-challenge-113709671.html?src=rss

It looks like the big entertainment powers are digging in for a long battle with striking actors and writers. Not that they don't have money to use. Here's an example: Netflix's recent job posting for a machine learning platform product manager, with a heady annual salary of $300,000 to $900,000 (that's a range). That's compared to many actors who make around $200 a day, according to this SAG-AFTRA contract. AI's role in creating future entertainment is a key item of debate for both striking parties.The job listing indicates AI will be used to create great content" and not just develop new algorithms to recommend shows and movies. The posting also alludes to integrating artificial intelligence in all areas of the business." The first tentative steps have already been made: Netflix currently airs a Spanish reality dating series called Deep Fake Love, which scans contestants' faces to create AI-generated deepfakes, while its gaming studio employs generative AI to compose narratives and dialogue.- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedThe best password managers for 2023 The Arc personalized web browser is now available to everyone How to watch this week's Congressional UFO hearing Elon Musk is taking his SEC fight to the Supreme Court The EU Chips Act just received its final approvalChatGPT app is now available for Android Orange Amps' portable Bluetooth speaker shines by sticking to the basicsDJI Air 3 drone reviewA high-quality zoom adds new creative options.EngadgetDJI is one of the most innovative gadget companies out there, constantly trying new things with its drones, like a triple-camera setup on the Mavic 3 Pro. With the launch of the midsized Air 3 camera drone, the company has introduced a new trick called dual primary cameras. That means the telephoto camera has the same specs as the main one, rather than being relegated to lesser quality like it was on the Mavic 3. That opens up new possibilities for pilots, giving them two ways to create cinematic shots. Further highlights include long battery life, reliable obstacle protection and an extensive feature set. Image quality might not be good enough for some pros when compared to the $2,200 Mavic 3 Pro, but at $1,100, it's considerably cheaper.Continue reading.Threads adds the chronological feed we all wantedAnd a bunch of features.Threads is about to get vastly more useful as Meta rolls out chronological feeds of posts from the people you actually follow. Many observers said this was a key feature Threads needed to truly compete with Twitter, long a vital source of real-time information. And hopefully bury all the celebrities and brands spamming my feed. Meta has added a few other features to Threads. In the Activity tab, you can now filter notifications by follows, replies, mentions, quoted posts, reposts and interactions from verified accounts (or just opt to view all your notifications together).Continue reading.Spotify grew far more than expected, but is still losing moneyThe company blames its losses on podcasts and restructuring.Spotify saw its million monthly active users (MAU) climb to 551 million after welcoming 36 million new listeners in the last quarter. Despite the massive influx, Spotify still lost a significant amount of money. Its total revenue for the period is $3.5 billion (3.2 billion), 11 percent larger than last year's. However, it also posted an adjusted operating loss of $123.7 million (112 million). Spotify blamed those losses on the shutdown of its podcast shows, as well as on excess real estate and severance for employees laid off due to company restructuring.Continue reading.GM's next-gen Chevy Bolt is on the wayThe company is ending production on the original model amid a shift to its Ultium battery system.General Motors isn't quite done with the Chevrolet Bolt. The company said it would end production of the popular, wallet-friendly EV and EUV this year, largely because it relies on old battery cell tech and the factory where it's made is being refitted. However, there's some positive news: GM has confirmed a new version of the Bolt is on the way. The company hasn't revealed many details about it - you'll need to wait until later this year for that - but the next-gen model will use GM's Ultium battery system as well as its Ultifi software platform.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-netflix-lists-900000-ai-job-to-help-create-great-content-111516278.html?src=rss

After I reviewed the Motorola Razr+ earlier this year, I grew besotted with its external screen. Not only was its 3.6-inch outer panel larger than the 1.9-inch version on Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 4, it was also more useful. Since then, I'd been hoping that Samsung would adopt a bigger outer display on its next-gen Flip foldable, and today, my wish has been granted. The Galaxy Z Flip 5, which the company launched today, sports a 3.4-inch window on the outside that's 3.78 times larger than before.It also has a new Flex Hinge" that allows the device to fold shut without leaving a gap between the two halves of the internal screen. Throw in the typical processor upgrades, double the base storage and some software enhancements, and the Z Flip 5 appears to be a small, but meaningful step up for the same $999 starting price as last year.A larger external screen with lots of potentialThe highlight of the Z Flip 5 is clearly its larger external display, which Samsung has infuriatingly decided to rename the Flex Window. I don't know why, since this panel doesn't fold and the old name of Cover" screen still makes sense. Confusing name aside, it's easy to see why the bigger panel is more useful. Widgets like Calendar or Weather can show data for multiple events and days. Buttons are larger, so you can more easily skip songs in the media player, start or stop timers and more.With more room, Samsung was able to squeeze two additional shortcut buttons in the Quick Settings drawer that appears when you swipe down from the home screen. Dragging up opens Samsung Wallet, so you can quickly pay for your morning coffee.To be clear, the Flip 5's 3.4-inch panel doesn't stretch across the entire back half of the phone. It's shaped like a file folder, sort of like a rectangle that's been awkwardly cut to avoid the pair of cameras at the bottom right. This makes for a very strange aspect ratio that many apps might struggle with, but for the most part, the software sees the screen as a rectangle. The little tab at the bottom left is largely ignored and is devoted to a Samsung Pay shortcut or a space for any ongoing activities to show their progress. If you have a timer running or a song playing, for example, a small progress bar appears there.Because Samsung now supports more widgets on the cover, getting through all of them can become a slog. I saw about a dozen of them on the demo unit, and having to swipe 10 times to get to the one I want would suck. Thankfully, the company introduced a new gesture that lets you pinch out to access Multi Widgets view, and from there you can quickly jump to the tile you want. Don't confuse this with the All Apps page on Android - it may look similar, but it only shows you the widgets that Samsung has made available on One UI 5 for the Flip 5.Photo by Sam RutherfordAnother thing that may have you thinking the Flex Window can give you the full Android experience is that it supports a handful of apps like Message, YouTube, Google Maps, WhatsApp and Netflix. In countries like Korea, you'll also find popular options like Kakao Talk. These aren't widgets - they run like the full-fledged versions of themselves on the outside screen. I watched some YouTube videos, drafted messages and looked up restaurants in the area on the smaller panel and found them to be pretty much identical to the larger versions.Though the practicality of using full Android on the external display is debatable, I still find it questionable that Samsung limits what apps can run natively on the Flex Window. That's not to say you can't find a workaround. The company itself offers an app called Good Lock that will let you run any Android app on the tiny panel. Still, it's different from the Moto Razr+, which basically runs Google's whole operating system up front.Samsung's approach is meant to ensure that only users who are invested enough to install a separate app to mimic the full Android experience on the Flex Window can. This way, if things break or look weird, you only have yourself to blame.Another area where Moto and Samsung differ on the cover screen is the QWERTY keyboard. Both companies let you respond to messages and notifications with a full-sized keyboard, and Moto takes up the entire canvas to give you bigger buttons. Meanwhile, Samsung only uses about the bottom two thirds of the space, while retaining the message or input field at the top so you can see what you're entering or responding to.I like having larger keys, but Moto's layout adds a step where, after typing your reply, you have to back out of the keyboard to the app and hit the submit button. On the Flip 5, the Send button is right above the keyboard and you can tap it when you're done. I'll have to spend more time with a review unit to better evaluate the two approaches and see which I prefer.Cameras and Flex ModeOne of the best things about having a larger cover screen is how much more useful it is as a viewfinder. Most foldable phones let you use the secondary display to preview shots you take with the rear cameras, which are almost always superior to the interior sensors. On the Z Flip 4's tiny sliver of a panel, it was hard to see what I was recording. This year, you'll actually be able to view your entire shot before taking it. Like before, you can also swipe to change modes and lenses, as well as pinch to zoom in on your subjects.The camera hardware hasn't really changed. Samsung applied a different coating to the primary lens and tweaked some of the software to enable greater digital zoom. But on paper the Flip 5 has the same pair of 12-megapixel main and ultra-wide cameras as its predecessor. Inside, the 10-megapixel selfie camera has a slightly larger aperture of f/2.2 (compared to last year's f/2.4), which should make for brighter, clearer shots. Without a side by side comparison, though, it's tough to tell how noticeable of a difference it will make.It's not like you'll want to use the internal camera much, since you can easily frame up shots with the outside sensors now. But it could come in handy for video calls or livestreams, in which case you might find it handy to prop the phone up by folding it at a 90-degree angle and sitting it up on a table.When you fold the Flip 5 but don't completely shut it, Flex Mode kicks in (on compatible apps). We've seen this on older models - apps like YouTube, Camera and Gallery will adapt their layouts by presenting content on the top half and controls on the bottom. This year, though, Samsung added more shortcuts to the Flex panel that appears on the lower half (if you enable the feature). When the Flip 5 is flexed, a small icon shows up on the bottom left that will bring up the navigational panel and move the rest of the app to the top portion of the screen.Photo by Sam RutherfordHere, you can have settings that make one-handed use slightly easier. You can press a button to bring down the notifications shade instead of having to reach your thumb all the way to the top. You can also take a screenshot using a shortcut or bring up a touchpad for exploring the top half of the screen with a cursor. I didn't get to spend a lot of time with the updated Flex Mode at the hands-on session, but I know I was less than impressed when I reviewed the Flip 4 last year, after initially being excited about the feature. This time around, I won't be so easily fooled (I hope).New hinge, old creaseOne of the more significant changes to the Z Flip line is Samsung's new Flex Hinge." I'm still a little miffed about the obsession with calling everything Flex" this and Flex" that and honestly Flex Hinge" sounds like a dating app exclusively for people showing off their biceps. But it's just a marketing name for Samsung's redesigned hinge with a dual-rail structure that is supposed to help diffuse impact.Putting aside my distaste for the name (once more), I have to admit the new mechanism seems solid. The phone closes, without a noticeable gap like the Flip 4. It still felt as sturdy as older models, holding itself up at various angles from about 20 degrees to 160 degrees or so. Those of you who found the gap irritating should be relieved.Photo by Sam RutherfordPeople who hated the crease in the middle of the internal screen, though, will be disappointed. When I held up the Flip 5 next to a Flip 4 that I brought, the degree to which their flexible displays wrinkled was pretty much identical. But in my years of testing foldable phones, creases have never been anything more troublesome than an aesthetic quirk. It won't get in the way of actually using the device.Processor, storage and other specsIn fact, you'll probably enjoy the Flip 5's internal screen, which is a 6.7-inch Full HD AMOLED panel that refreshes at 120Hz. The 22:9 aspect ratio is slightly taller than your average smartphone, but most apps run fine. Powering everything this year is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset that's also in the Galaxy S23 series. Samsung doubled the storage for the Flip 5, so the base model gets 256GB (instead of last year's 128GB) while costing the same. That's a nice touch, and might even make me forgive the company's overuse of the word Flex.Also in Samsung's favor is this year's selection of colors. You can choose from the standard black (graphite), cream, lavender or this generation's signature color - mint. It's a similar shade of green to the one Apple used for the iPhone 12, which is still one of my favorite colors ever used on a handset. Plus, I was beginning to find the Flip 4's Bora Purple a little dated.Photo by Sam RutherfordPretty much everything else about the Flip 5 is the same as its predecessor. The battery size is the same at 3,700mAh, and it recharges at the same rate as well. That's a little disappointing, considering the Flip 4 already struggled to last an entire day. But, perhaps the new larger cover screen is useful enough that you can conserve battery life by using the internal display less.The Flip 5 also retains the same IPX8 water-resistance rating as the Flip 4, though it uses the newer Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covering on the outside. The handsets didn't feel very different to me, so any changes here are pretty subtle.Frankly, the biggest difference to the Flip 5 is its Flex Window, followed by its Flex Hinge. Some tweaks to Flex Mode round up the set of upgrades Samsung is bringing to its smaller foldable this year. Though I'm a fan of roomier screens on the outside of flip-style foldables, I can't help but wonder: is Samsung limiting the Flip 5's potential with its reluctance to run full Android on the small display?That's a question I can only answer after spending more time with a review unit and evaluating things like camera quality, battery life and real-world performance. For now, Samsung has brought us hardware that holds a lot of promise. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 starts at $999 and is available for pre-order at Samsung and Amazon starting today.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-5-hands-on-a-larger-external-display-holds-promise-110059050.html?src=rss

Though CD Projekt Red has a few games in the pipeline, the company behind the Witcher video game series apparently doesn't have enough work for all its employees. As a result, CD Projekt Red has announced it's cutting about 100 jobs or around nine percent of its workforce. This news follows layoffs in May and June when 29 people were let go from The Molasses Flood (owned by CD Projekt Red), followed by 30 people who worked on a Witcher card game that was scaled back."To meet our own high expectations and ambitions to create the best role-playing games, we not only want to have the best people but also the right teams," CD Projekt Red CEO Adam Kiciski said in the announcement. "There's no easy way to say this, but today we are overstaffed. We have talented people on board who are finishing their tasks and - based on current and expected project needs - we already know we don't have other opportunities for them in the next year." The company will notify all impacted employees now, but layoffs will be staggered, with some not taking effect until the beginning of 2024.CD Projekt Red had a rough last few years - especially with the mess that was the Cyberpunk 2077 launch. Sony Interactive Entertainment pulled the game from its PlayStation Store at the end of 2020 - only one week after it was released - due to widespread glitches. Customers were offered a refund, and CD Projekt Red's stock tumbled by over 20 percent, a drop of $1.8 billion. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, its follow-up starring Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba, will hopefully have a smoother launch when it comes out on September 26th.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cd-projekt-red-is-laying-off-nine-percent-of-its-staff-103509519.html?src=rss

Twitter has changed its official handle from @Twitter to @X. If you attempt to access @Twitter, it now states: "This account is no longer active. Follow @X for updates." All past @Twitter tweets, (or X's, or whatever they're now called), are henceforth available in the @X account.That's not all. The Twitter Blue subscription service is now called @XBlue (Blue subscription) in the main description page. That means the majority of older official Twitter handles have dumped the Twitter name or replaced it with X. For instance, @TwitterSupport, @TwitterDev and @TwitterAPI are now @Support, @Xdevelopers, and @API.

Honda's E electric car went on sale in the summer of 2020 in Europe and Japan, offering those who want a cute and compact vehicle a zero-emission option. The retro-styled EV could be the only model in its line, though, because the automaker apparently has no plans to produce more cars of the same size. At the launch event of e:Ny1, Honda's new electric SUV, Honda UK executive Rebecca Adamson told Autocar: "There won't be more cars the size of the Honda E. I can say that confidently."Adamson also said that Honda chose to focus on electric SUVs, because that's where the market demand in the UK is. "It's a market-led product line-up. As long as that's where the market is, we will continue to be SUV driven," the executive said. Indeed, the car has several SUVs in its current lineup, which will soon include the e:Ny1. At a business briefing in April, Honda also said that it's building a mid-to-large-size EV based on its e:Architecture platform that will go on sale in North America in 2025. As another clue that Honda was going to put its focus on electric SUVs, it said it was further developing its vehicle OS for use with mid-to-large-size EVs.The Honda E was relatively well-received for its stylish looks, but it has a small battery and has a pretty short range at 137 miles. It was meant for city and suburban use only, not for long stretches of road with no charging stations in sight. As for the e:Ny1, it's a compact SUV with a range of 256 miles and a fast charging capability that enables it to go from 10 to 80 percent in 45 minutes. It's only the brand's second pure EV after Honda E meant for release in the European market.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-honda-e-compact-electric-car-might-not-get-a-follow-up-051431133.html?src=rss

Twitter's rebrand to X is well underway. The name and iconic bird logo have been (mostly) stripped from the company's San Francisco headquarters, and an X" has replaced the blue bird atop twitter.com. Elon Musk has said the change is about more than just the name. He wants to turn the service formerly known as Twitter into an everything app" that also encompasses banking and financial services.But the rebrand could pose significant legal and financial challenges to the company, which has struggled since an advertiser exodus cut the company's ad revenue by more than 50 percent. To start, there are hundreds of companies, including Microsoft and Meta, that own trademarks for variations of X." That could open the door to lawsuits and other legal headaches for Musk.Shubha Ghosh, a law professor at Syracuse University, says that lawsuits are quite common" when major companies rebrand and change their names and logos. I'm kind of surprised he picked X because it's not that distinctive," he says. It's problematic in the sense that it's not something you can just suddenly do without anybody noticing and possibly suing."Trademark attorney Josh Gerben told Reuters that he counted almost 900 other companies with trademarks on X." And while not all of them will be able to credibly claim that the company formerly known as Twitter is interfering with their brand, it makes X an easy target.There is about a 100% probability that Twitter/X will be sued by both opportunistic and legitimate plaintiffs over the new name," Gerben tweeted. The company could easily spend tens of millions (if not $100+ million) in legal fees and settlement costs attempting to acquire trademark registrations for X' and in dealing with the litigation that is likely to result from the rebrand."For the same reasons, Twitter's new X branding could also prove difficult to defend, especially internationally. The chance that @elonmusk will be able to successfully register a trademark for X' for all the services he intends to provide, in every country he wants to provide them in, is very low," Gerben wrote.Even if Twitter is able to fend off legal challenges, there are serious business risks to doing away with a brand as globally recognizable as Twitter's. Bloombergreported that some analysts have estimated the name change could wipe out billions of dollars in value from a brand that's already been damaged by Musk.Ari Lightman, a professor of digital media marketing at Carnegie Mellon University, says Twitter's problems go far beyond potential legal headaches brought on by its rebrand. There's a lot going on that is diminishing the value, the utility, the uniqueness, that Twitter, now X, has in the space," he says pointing to the rise of Threads and other Twitter competitors. Tweets are synonymous with this idea of blogging, or microblogging, it's going to be very difficult to resocialize a concept with the global population."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitters-rebrand-to-x-could-worsen-its-legal-and-financial-problems-233914973.html?src=rss

Samsung Unpacked 2023While Samsung already revealed its flagship Galaxy S23 phones earlier this year, summer is reserved for its foldable devices. This year, that event is taking place in South Korea, with the company teasing not just the latest Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 devices, but smartwatches and tablets as well - for more, check out our preview and video on what to expect. You'll have a couple of ways to follow along, so keep reading to find out more.When is Samsung Unpacked 2023?Unpacked 2023 takes place in Samsung's home country of South Korea for the first time, and will be streamed live on July 26th at 7AM ET.How to watch Samsung Unpacked 2023If you can get up that early, Samsung is streaming the event on its website and YouTube channel and we've embedded the livestream above. If you'd rather have some in-depth commentary (or both), Engadget will be liveblogging the event starting at 7AM ET / 4AM PT / 11AM BST, and we have a reporter on the ground in South Korea. Follow all the activities by bookmarking our liveblog here, which will go live tomorrow morning.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-unpacked-july-2023-how-to-watch-220014632.html?src=rss

Amazon has the company's Kindle Kids e-reader on sale for 33 percent off right now. Its $80 price (usually $120) is nearly as low as it was on Prime Day, making it an ideal time to surprise your little one(s) with the gift of distraction-free reading. The device is an Engadget recommendation in our Best Educational Toys guide.The discounted Kindle Kids model is the latest (2022) version. It includes a cover, bundled with your purchase, available in three designs resembling children's book art: space whale, ocean explorer and unicorn valley.The e-reader's internal tech is identical to the standard 2022 Kindle, one of our picks for the best e-reader. Its specs include a high-res (300 ppi) display, 16GB storage, six weeks of battery life, USB-C charging and an adjustable front light. Each purchase comes with a year's subscription to Amazon Kids+, including a library of thousands of kid-appropriate books and hundreds of audiobooks. (The membership will renew at $5 a month after that, so be sure to cancel before then if you only want the free year.)Although the standard Kindle Kids is our top recommendation, you can also save on the Kindle Paperwhite Kids if you don't mind spending more on an upgraded model. Compared to the cheaper Kindle Kids model, the child-focused Paperwhite has a larger screen (6.8 inches vs. 6 inches), more LEDs for better front-lit reading and an adjustable warm light that's easier on the eyes. Amazon's sale has the Kindle Paperwhite Kids for $114 (typically $170), only $10 higher than its Prime Day discount.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/amazons-kindle-kids-e-reader-is-40-off-right-now-192011410.html?src=rss

Will this pair of Hollywood strikes ever end? It looks like the big corporations are digging in for a long battle, illustrated by Netflix's recent job posting for a machine learning platform product manager. The position pays an annual salary of $300,000 to $900,000 at a time when many actors make around $200 a day, according to this SAG-AFTRA contract. The role AI will play in creating future entertainment is a key item of debate for both striking parties.The job listing indicates that the AI will be used to create great content" and not just develop new algorithms to recommend shows and movies. The posting also alludes to a far-reaching effort by the streaming giant to integrate artificial intelligence in all areas of the business." A separate section on the company's website goes on to say that Netflix uses AI to optimize the production of original movies and TV shows."That's not the company's only AI-heavy job posting promising a giant payday. Netflix is also hiring a technical director for generative AI at its burgeoning gaming studio that pays an annual salary of up to $650,000, as reported by The Intercept.These efforts are already bearing fruit, as Netflix currently airs a Spanish reality dating series called Deep Fake Love that scans contestant's faces to create AI-generated deepfakes" and its gaming studio employs generative AI to compose narratives and dialogue.This all comes after striking actors rejected a proposal from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) that generously offered workers a one-time $200 day rate for performers to get scanned for future use as AI-enhanced CGI simulacrums forever, until the end of time. SAG-AFTRA says the company would own that scan, their image, their likeness, and be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-lists-900000-ai-job-as-actors-and-writers-continue-to-strike-190037630.html?src=rss

If you're looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker that puts natural-sounding analog audio at the forefront, then you'll enjoy the Orange Box. As long as you don't have too many other requirements, that is. Orange has been making guitar amps since the 1960s and it's apparently not changing the formula to compete against commonplace plastic Bluetooth speakers with all the mod cons. I've personally come to enjoy the bohemian design and bright orange exterior, which is a refreshing change from what you'd usually find. You do have to deal with losing some useful features and it's less rugged than some other portables, but the audio quality is a standout.HardwareThe hardware elements and iconography from the company's long history of amps and speakers have been merged into this portable battery powered version. The orange Tolex (vinyl) exterior, logo badge, speaker mesh, wood framing, dials, toggle switches, indicator lights and other details are a perfect match with the brand's existing stable of products. The mechanical thunk' of the on/off toggle is satisfying, while the domed orange power light seems pleasantly retro.Photo by Jon Turi / EngadgetThere are manual volume and EQ dials on the top panel. The bass and treble start out flat in the 12-o'clock position, letting you boost or lower those levels as desired. The dial positions are a little hard to read, though, unless you're standing directly above them since the position dot on the dial is near the bottom. The Bluetooth control has a blue light that flashes when it's in pairing mode and does double-duty as a pause/play control. You'll also find an orange overload indicator light, which could become a common sight if you like to play your music loudly, especially with heavy bass.Aside from that, there's a 3.5mm minijack on the top and an DC charging port on the back. You can charge the 2,600mAh battery for up to around 15-hours of playback or you can just run it while it's plugged in. Next to the domed power indicator is a battery level light that's red as it's charging, green when it's full and flashes red if the battery is at 10 percent or lower, with nothing in between. Like any speaker, if you're planning a long outing, you should keep the power cable handy. I tested the speaker at a relatively high volume for an hour, plus 10 hours at medium and two overnight stretches powered off. This got me to the 10-percent warning and seems par for the course in regards to battery life.Photo by Jon Turi / EngadgetIf you plan to travel with your speaker, you may want to consider getting the $60 Gigbag carrying case since there's no IP rating or waterproofing for the device. You'll just have to trust Orange Amps' build quality. Although we haven't seen the bag in person, I expect it should at least help keep the speaker dry and clean when you're not using it. There's a shoulder strap option as well, and while the Orange Box is portable, it's still over 6.5 pounds. You could always save some money though, since it does fit into a backpack easily enough.SoundThe best part about the Orange Box is its warm and bright output. There's both digital Class D and A/B analog amps that deliver crisp and punchy front-facing sound from the 4-inch sub and dual 2-inch high frequency drivers. There's a relatively wide frequency range from 35Hz to 20kHz and aptX support is a huge plus, especially if you have access to hi-res streaming. Most styles of music sound good on the Orange Box, but the speaker really shines with songs that have live instrumentation or anything that can benefit from an analog touch. Some types of modern digital music didn't come across quite as well here, so it's worth testing your types of tunes before buying.The 50-watt speaker puts out enough volume to work well as a personal boombox in the park or around the house. It's fairly loud for its size and can handle small outdoor get togethers well if you just need background music. The output has decent bass that does reverberate through its case, especially if you're near to it. Although when testing on a large windy rooftop area, it didn't project as much if you're 15-20 feet away.I didn't notice any distortion when pushing it to the max, but that overload light is a subtle hint to always check your levels. You'll see the light flashing quite often if you enjoy loud music. It's only when you have the overload light on constantly that you could get distortion and potentially damage the drivers. If that does happen, you do have the benefit of contacting an authorized repair center instead of having to cut your losses.FeaturesSome features that many have grown used to using aren't available on the Orange Box and if you just want something to play tunes, it's not a big deal. However, there's no app for the speaker and it doesn't support multipoint or pairing with a second Orange Box for more sound. It won't go to sleep even if you've disconnected Bluetooth, so the battery may slowly drain if you leave it on all night without charging. And if you're used to watching the battery levels, it will be a bit of a mystery until you're at 10 percent power. Plus, since there's no USB charging, you'll want to keep track of the power cable that came with the device.On the plus side, there's obviously the analog amps on board and aptX support sweetens the deal. The Bluetooth 5.0 range is as good or better than some other speakers in this category. Also, if you need a tiny DJ monitor, there's no processing delay when using the 3.5mm input jack, so you can mix by ear if needed. For eco-conscious consumers, the authorized service centers and replacement parts on offer until 2030 means you can actually repair the speaker if something happens to it. It's a proper piece of equipment that you should be able to enjoy for a long time.Photo by Jon Turi / EngadgetWrap-upWhile I wouldn't quite call it an audiophile speaker, it's certainly for analog or Orange Amp enthusiasts. I know the design isn't new since the Orange Amps style has hardly changed since the 60s, but for me it feels like a refreshing change of pace. I can imagine lots of people with those turntables in luggage cases hooking up the speaker (although make sure you have good needles people). Sure, it's a bit chunky, you shouldn't leave it out on the porch in the rain and you'll need to keep track of the specific charging cable, but that's doable.It's hard to say if the sound or style will appeal to everyone, but it's great to have another option available, especially one that's built and sold by a brand with a legacy. At $299 the Orange Box isn't terribly expensive and it feels less disposable than many of the products out there. The Orange Box, its $60 Gigbag carrying case and the slightly larger non-portable sibling the Orange Box-L ($345) are all currently available from the Orange Amps website. Oh, and you can also get them in black if that's your preference. I know Furry Vince Noir would.

A Congressional subcommittee is set to hold a hearing into UFOs, which are also referred to as unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). The panel will hear "firsthand accounts" of UAP and "assess the federal government's transparency and accountability" regarding possible threats to national security. You'll be able to watch the hearing below on July 26th at 10AM ET.The hearing - conducted by the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border and Foreign Affairs - will also focus on drives for legislation to "bring transparency to UAPs." The subcommittee wants to force the federal government to provide US residents with "information about potential risks to public safety and national security" as well. According to Rep. Tim Burchett, The Pentagon and Washington bureaucrats have kept this information hidden for decades and we're finally going to shed some light on it."The federal government has placed more of an onus on UAPs over the last few years (publicly, at least). In 2021, the Pentagon set up a task force to look into UAP sightings while NASA has established a separate panel to investigate the phenomena. The Department of Defense also created its own UAP investigative body, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), in 2022.Among the three witnesses who will testify during the hearing is David Grusch. The former intelligence official recently claimed that the US government has been recovering alien spacecraft and the bodies of UAP pilots for decades. Grusch, who until July 2022 was the co-lead for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's UAP analysis, also said there was evidence of "malevolent activity" by UFOs. His claims, for which he has not provided any physical evidence, led to the hearing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-this-weeks-congressional-ufo-hearing-164546251.html?src=rss

OpenAI was true to its word. As promised, the company has released a ChatGPT app for Android. Like the iOS version, you can talk to the generative AI to get advice, answers and other (hopefully) helpful responses. You can make voice requests using OpenAI's in-house speech recognition, sync your chat history across devices and export data - you'll mainly miss out on plugins.ChatGPT Plus subscribers can also switch between standard (GPT-3.5) and GPT-4 language models at will. Regardless of the tier you're using, you'll need at least Android 6.0 to use the app.The app could make ChatGPT more accessible, particularly in countries where Android dominates or PCs are less common. The software has been available for iPhone users since May, and was updated with iPad support afterward.As with Bing Chat (based on GPT-4), Bard and other conversational AI systems, you won't want to completely rely on the results. The technology is prone to "hallucinations" that can lead to false claims, poor contextual logic and other output that isn't trustworthy. ChatGPT is sometimes more useful as a starting point for a task than obtaining definitive answers, and can help with creative duties where accuracy isn't as essential.OpenAI helped popularize generative AI through tools like ChatGPT, but it also led to pushback from the industry as well as political attention. Experts are concerned technologies like this might take control or promote misinformation, and OpenAI itself is hoping to mitigate the risks of intelligent AI. American actors are on strike in part over worries studios might use AI to stiff them on pay. Politicians, meanwhile, are pressing for responsible development and possible regulation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-chatgpt-app-is-now-available-for-android-163607202.html?src=rss

Doomscrolling through Twitter's dumpster fire descent into x-crazed madness may be fun, but it likely isn't the best option for your overall mental state. That's where meditation-focused apps like Headspace come in. To commemorate these uncertain times, Headspace has lowered the price of its annual subscription plan from $70 to $49, a reduction of 30 percent. This only lasts for the first year, at which point you'll get upped to the original price (unless you cancel.)The sale is live right now and is available for new users and previous Headspace devotees, if you took a break and want to get back on the mindfulness horse. There's no discount when paying monthly, so it's the full year or bust.What exactly is Headspace? This all-in-one meditation app offers mindfulness sessions, sleep guides, stress relief tools, workouts and more. There's video and audio options and plenty of search fields to narrow down the offerings to your exact liking. There's even dedicated programs for when you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. There's a reason, after all, why Headspace is so well-reviewed.On the fitness side, it has yoga, guided jogs, cardio courses and just about anything else. Headspace has been around for 12 years and amassed 70 million users, so they must be doing something right. Now you can try it for yourself and save a few bucks in the process.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/headspace-annual-plans-are-30-percent-off-right-now-162605255.html?src=rss

Elon Musk is taking his battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to the highest court in the country. Attorney Alex Spiro has confirmed that Musk will ask the Supreme Court to decide whether the SEC went too far with a consent decree determining what Musk can say about Tesla's financials on Twitter (now X). He's challenging a May 15th appeals court decision dismissing allegations the SEC abused the decree to harass him with investigations over Twitter usage.The new appeal comes a day after a judicial panel denied Musk's request that judges reexamine the case. The entrepreneur previously claimed he was pushed into the decree, and had to give up his right to contest the constitutionality of the SEC's terms if he wanted to pursue the eventual settlement. The truce saw a total of $40 million in fines between Musk and Tesla, and required that Musk both step down as board chairman and seek legal approval when posting about company financials.Musk drew the SEC's attention in August 2018, when he tweeted that he was considering taking Tesla private and had "funding secured" with "investor support." The deal never went through, and shareholders pinned ensuing losses on Musk's posts. The Commission sued Musk over the tweets, arguing that they could be considered fraud.During a shareholder trial, Musk contended that people didn't necessarily believe or respond to his tweets the way you'd expect. He pointed to one example where Tesla's stock price surged despite a tweet saying the value was too high. At the same time, he acknowledged that he has ignored requests to stop tweeting over delicate subjects, such as when he accused a Thai cave rescue diver of being a "pedo guy."There's no certainty the Supreme Court will take the case or overturn the outcome. Either way, the court's response should have a significant impact on Musk's social media posting, either forcing him to honor the SEC's decisions or giving him more flexibility in what he says online.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/elon-musk-is-taking-his-sec-fight-to-the-supreme-court-161255874.html?src=rss

Threads is about to get vastly more useful as Meta has started rolling out the option to see a chronological feed of posts from the people you follow. Many observers said this was a key feature Threads needed to truly compete with Twitter, long a vital source of real-time information. But as Twitter (sorry, X) owner Elon Musk continues to reduce his app to rubble, Threads is looking like a more viable destination for up-to-the-minute news and updates.You'll need to update to the latest version of Threads to see the chronological feed, but it might not appear for you immediately. To switch between the For You and Following feed, tap the Threads logo or the home icon and you can swipe from one to the other.Mark Zuckerberg announced the rollout of the chronological feed on his Instagram broadcast channel (Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, said a while back that such an option was on the way). The Meta CEO added that Threads has gained another vitally important feature in the form of translations. When you see a post in a language you don't understand, you can tap the bottom right corner to translate it.Meta has added a few other features to Threads. In the Activity tab, you can now filter notifications by follows, replies, mentions, quoted posts, reposts and interactions from verified accounts (or just opt to view all your notifications together). The Threads team is also introducing a new follow button to make it easier to follow people back and a way to approve all your follow requests at once if your account is private.Zuckerberg said there was more to come, hopefully including the ability to post to Threads from the web, direct messages, improved accessibility, better search and a TweetDeck-like way to keep tabs on Threads posts. Giving users what they ask for is one way to keep them coming back.Update 7/25 1:22PM ET: Added more details about the new features.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/threads-adds-a-chronological-feed-as-twitter-burns-to-the-ground-152817251.html?src=rss

General Motors isn't quite done with the Chevrolet Bolt. Back in April, it emerged the company will end production of the popular, wallet-friendly EV and EUV this year, largely because it relies on old battery cell tech and the factory where it's made is being refitted. However, there's some positive news for fans of the EV as GM has confirmed a new version of the Bolt is on the way.The company hasn't revealed many details about the new Bolt - you'll need to wait until later this year for that. Unsurprisingly, though, the next-gen model will use GM's Ultium battery system as well as its Ultifi software platform. The company says that, by harnessing these technologies, it will be able to bring the Bolt back to market on an accelerated timeline," but didn't give an indication of when that might be.GM made the Bolt announcement during its quarterly earnings call. The company said it saw its strongest Bolt EV and EUV sales to date in the first half of 2023. It posted quarterly revenue of $44.7 billion, up 25 percent year-over-year, but noted there was a $792 million charge related to a new partnership with LG. The charge reflects the conscious decision GM made during the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV recall to serve customers in ways that go beyond traditional remedies," GM said.The company built around 50,000 EVs in North America in the first six months of 2023. It's doubling that target for the second half of the year. It aims to reach a capacity of 1 million EVs in the continent by 2025.In the meantime, Chevy has three other EVs on the way this year: the Silverado, the Blazer and the Equinox. The brand will reveal its first full-size electric SUV, the Escalade IQ, on August 9th.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gm-says-a-next-gen-chevy-bolt-is-on-the-way-144518735.html?src=rss

If you've wanted to customize (or simply deface) the websites you visit, you'll now have an easy time of it. The Browser Company has released its Arc 1.0 browser for the Mac, no waitlist required. The finished version includes a few features that have popped up in recent weeks, including an optional toolbar, a site "control center" and picture-in-picture support for Google Meet video calls. The software should be leaner and faster than previous versions, too.As before, Arc rethinks some of the fundamentals of web browsers. You can personalize the look and layout of a website using Boosts that let you change colors, replace fonts and even "zap" sections you don't want to see. While this doesn't work perfectly for every website, you can share many customizations with other users. You can use coding and scripts to create Boosts, but they don't require that know-how.Tabs are still present. However, you primarily organize browsing around switchable virtual spaces (effectively tab groups) that help you focus on a given task, such as work or your social media catch-up. You can pin sites you use often, and there's a command bar that courts power users.A Windows version of Arc is coming "soon," the company says. This probably won't supplant Chrome, Edge or Safari if you're a fan of those browsers. They still cover common tasks well, and the familiar interfaces may well be enough. However, Arc may be what you're looking for if you wish you could reshape the web to your liking.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-arc-personalized-web-browser-is-now-available-to-everyone-140015020.html?src=rss

DJI is one of the most innovative gadget companies out there, constantly trying new things with its drones like a triple-camera setup on the Mavic 3 Pro. With the launch of the mid-sized Air 3 camera drone, the company has introduced a new trick called dual primary cameras. That means the telephoto camera has the same specs as the main camera, rather than being relegated to lesser quality like it was on the Mavic 3. That opens up new possibilities for pilots, giving them two ways to create cinematic shots.It also has numerous improvements over the Air 2 and Air 2S. It uses DJI's new O4 transmission system that greatly increases range, while bringing the Waypoint feature to Air drones for the first time. It also has much improved battery life and is considerably quieter. Otherwise, it matches the Mavic 3 Pro feature for feature, with obstacle detection all around, focus tracking, Hyperlapse and more.Some buyers might see the 1/1.3-inch sensors as a downgrade compared to the 1-inch sensor on the Air 2S, however. How does it stack up against that model, and how does it fit in with the Mavic 3 Pro and Mini 3 Pro models? I took it flying in France's Loire valley with my drone pilot friend to find out.Design and performanceWith a dual-camera module up front and similar design, the Air 3 (no more Mavic in the name) looks more like the Mavic 3 than the Air 2 and Air 2S. It has the same frog-like design, and folds up exactly like the Mavic 3, collapsing into a compact size for travel. The body has omnidirectional sensors all around for obstacle detection. For storage, it comes with the usual microSD storage slot and has 8GB internally that's really for emergency use only. It's also considerably heavier than the Air 2S, tipping the scales at 720 grams compared to 595.At the same time, it has borrowed some aerodynamic tricks from the Mini 3 Pro, particularly the larger propellers that reduce noise down to 81 decibels - making it near-inaudible when flying at over 100 feet or so. The body is also more aerodynamic, giving it better range in forward flight and the ability to handle stronger winds than past models.Much of the extra weight comes from the new 4,241 mAh batteries that weigh 267 grams more than an entire Mini 3 Pro. They have nearly the capacity of the Mavic 3 Pro's batteries, greatly boosting the Air 3's range to 46 minutes, up from 34 minutes on the Air 2S.In real-world use, we saw flight times of around 35 minutes before the return-to-home warning went off, depending on flying style and winds. That generally allowed us to fly for a full day with three charged batteries. DJI also introduced a new charging feature with the updated battery hub, letting you transfer power from two weaker batteries to the most charged at the touch of a button. Doing so allows for longer flights if you're in a location with no charging available. The one drawback of the higher-capacity batteries is that charging speeds are relatively slow.Steve Dent for EngadgetAnother key feature is the next-gen O4 video transmission system that boosts range from 15 to 20 km (9.3 to 12.4 miles). Drone range can be a big problem in Europe, because laws significantly reduce transmission power compared to the US. To help compensate for that, DJI added a new 5.1GHz frequency in Europe that appears to have a large impact on range and transmission dropouts in tricky terrain, from what we saw in our tests in France.In terms of maneuverability and speed, the Air 3 offers a good compromise between stability of the Mavic 3 Pro and the agility of the Mini 3 Pro. The latter makes it great for following fast-moving subjects like mountain bikers and vehicles, but it's also steady in stiff breezes. At the same time, if a subject is moving through trees, obstacle avoidance with APAS 5.0 is outstanding, with less risk of crashing than the Mini 3 Pro thanks to the extra sensors - particularly from the side and rear.All of DJI's tentpole features like Active Track, Master Shots, Quickshots and Timelapse are available on the Air 3 and work on both cameras. Active Track, used to lock onto and follow subjects, works about the same on both cameras. As with DJI's other drones, it's generally reliable, but if you're chasing a mountain biker through the trees, it can lag a bit and the tracking can switch off without warning.Steve Dent for EngadgetQuickshots features like Dronie and Rocket are more interesting with the addition of the tele camera that can add extra intimacy and drama. The obstacle detection is handy there as well. Because the drone flies automatically once you hit go," it's easy to misjudge boundaries, so it's good to know it'll abort if it gets too close to something.On top of those flight modes, DJI has brought the Mavic 3's Waypoint flight mode over to the Air series for the first time. It lets you plan flight and camera moves in advance, letting you repeat a flight precisely for multiple takes, Timelapse videos and more. It requires some time to learn and set up, but it delivers consistent results. It also opens up creative possibilities, like doing a Timelapse during the day and at night, then seamlessly blending them together.Along with the Air 3, DJI has introduced the new RC-2, DJI's third screen controller after the RC and the RC Pro. It's a good compromise between the two, as it's significantly cheaper than the $1,200 RC Pro. At the same time, it has a brighter screen, more substantial feel and more precise controls than the RC. It's available either separately or in a bundle with the Air 3 Fly More kit. DJI also announced another new controller, the RC-N2, effectively a refresh of the RC-N1, with the main benefit being the new O4 transmission system.CamerasThe big idea with the Air 3 is that the quality of the two cameras is the same. As such, it comes with a 1/1.3-inch 24mm (35mm equivalent) f/1.7 main and 70mm f/2.8 telephoto camera. Those focal lengths match the two primary cameras on the Mavic 3 Pro, with the sensor size being the same as the Mini 3 Pro and the tele camera on the Mavic 3 Pro.The 70mm lens is particularly good for action or hero shots, adding excitement and a more natural perspective. With a perfect portrait focal length, it's great for people shots at weddings, for example. It also lets you stay a greater distance from subjects for safety or other reasons, while compressing the space between them. As usual, the main wide camera can be used for establishing, overhead, follow and other shots. And with identical sensors, it's easy to match footage from the two cameras while editing.The sensors have dual native ISO support for improved light sensitivity, and deliver 4K 60p in HDR or 4K at up to 100 fps with slo-mo only playback. 1080p can be shot at 200 fps with slo-mo playback as well. The camera module can be tilted down 90 degrees and up 60, and it's the first Air series drone supporting 2.7K vertical 9:16 video.Both cameras support 10-bit 4:2:0 D-Log M and HLG HDR for improved dynamic range and reduced banding, something that can be an issue when shooting skies. DJI's regular D-Log mode, which offers even more dynamic range, is not available on the Air 3, though. It also lacks a variable aperture found on the Mavic 3, so the optional ND filter kit (available in the Fly More combo) is desirable for sunny day flying to allow for lower shutter speeds and thus smoother video.With the same 1/1.3-inch dual native ISO sensor and resolution as the Mini 3 Pro, image quality is similar - but there are some improvements on the Air 3. D-Log M offers better dynamic range, particularly in challenging contrasty shooting conditions. It also offers mildly better low-light capability, with less noise in shadows for nighttime cityscapes, for example.The Air 3 delivers as good or even better video and photo quality than the larger sensor on the Air 2S, likely because the size difference is slight and the Air 3 has higher resolution. That said, it'll be interesting to see if DJI releases an Air 3S, possibly with a larger sensor.Wrap-upSteve Dent for EngadgetDJI has another winner with the Air 3 thanks to the dual cameras. By elevating the tele to the same importance as the main camera, it opens up new cinematic shooting options. It should prove popular with event and wedding pros who are willing to pay a few hundred dollars more than the Mini 3 Pro. In return, they get additional creative options, plus a more stable and secure camera drone.Image quality might not be good enough for some pros when compared to the $2,200 Mavic 3 Pro, But at $1,100, it's considerably cheaper, more maneuverable, and offers the same features (including Waypoints) and level of obstacle protection. At the same time, it has a leg up on the Mini 3 Pro in terms of image quality thanks to the D-Log M option.At $1,100 with the non-screen RC-N2 controller, the Air 3 is $330 more than the DJI Mini 3 Pro with the same controller. That goes up to $1,550 with the RC 2 Fly More kit, compared to $1,253 for the Mini 3 Pro in a similar kit. At those prices, its main competition is Autel's similarly priced 6K EVO Lite+ and the Mini 3 Pro itself. In any case, it's a great new option for drone buyers who might like the idea of two primary cameras and can't quite afford a Mavic 3 Pro.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/dji-air-3-review-a-high-quality-zoom-adds-new-creative-options-130020261.html?src=rss

Quests are now available to everyone with a Quest - a Meta Quest VR headset, that is. Meta is rolling out quests and rewards to every user on Horizon Worlds, its virtual reality live-interactive experience. Meta started testing quests over the spring with a game called Giant Paddle Mini Golf and added two more: Arena Clash and Bad Roommates. Rewards include things like new clothing options for your avatar.Meta clearly designed many of the quests (and rewards) to encourage users to interact more with their avatar - an area of its business that has seen billions of dollars lost. Main quests include "try on a clothing avatar reward you've earned" and "open your backpack and change your emote" - not exactly a Frodo traveling to Mordor-level quest, but some could be engaging. Quests are available in the Worlds Menu, each stating how much of a reward you'll receive for completing it. Meta claims it will add more as time goes on.Meta Horizon Worlds' update also includes a new quick actions menu that can pause your gameplay and lets you mute, follow or block people you encounter. While Meta fixed some bugs, anytime you discover one, you can now report them by clicking the home button four times in a row or holding down AB/XY.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-adds-quests-to-horizon-worlds-to-keep-users-returning-to-the-metaverse-123100954.html?src=rss

In the second quarter of 2023, Spotify saw its million monthly active users (MAU) climb to 551 million after welcoming 36 million new listeners. That represents a 27 percent increase in MAUs and is an all-time high for the streaming giant, which has just published its earnings report. While not all new users signed up for a Premium account, Spotify also had a record-breaking second quarter when it comes to Premium subscriber numbers. It welcomed 10 million paying users - 3 million larger than guidance - and grew its subscriber base by 17 percent year over year. That's not an all-time high, but it's also apparently the best Q2 Spotify has ever had in that regard.Despite the massive influx of new users, Spotify still lost a significant amount of money. Its total revenue for the period is $3.5 billion (3.2 billion), 11 percent larger than last year's. However, it also posted an adjusted operating loss of $123.7 million (112 million). Spotify blamed those losses on the shutdown of its podcast shows, as well as on excess real estate and severance for employees laid off due to company restructuring. If you'll recall, the audio streaming giant recently made big changes to its podcast strategy and axed several original productions.According to The Wall Street Journal, Spotify previously told investors that it would be raising prices in order to turn a profit. Indeed, the company just added $1 on top of the old subscription rate, meaning users in the US now have to pay at least $11 a month. Spotify also plans to implement price hikes across markets, including the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. The company anticipates a slowdown in premium subscription signups due to its higher prices for the third quarter of the year. From having 10 million new paying users in the second quarter, it expects to add 4 million Premium subscribers in Q3. Even so, it believes the price increases will "have a minimal impact on total revenue" and is still expecting to earn $3.65 billion (3.3 billion) this quarter.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-grew-far-more-than-expected-but-is-still-losing-money-121553523.html?src=rss

Governing bodies worldwide have taken steps in recent years to boost local chip manufacturing, such as tax incentives and funding. For instance, the European Union just approved the Chips Act, regulations meant to improve its member states' semiconductor production capacity. First announced in February 2022, the Chips Act aims to use 43 billion ($47.5 billion) in investments to increase the EU's cut of microchip production to 20 percent in 2030 - it currently sits at about 10 percent. The Council of the European Union also hopes it will "attract investment, promote research and innovation and prepare Europe for any future chip supply crisis." The semiconductor industry is projected to be worth $1 trillion by 2030, led by smartphones, servers, data centers, and storage applications.In approving the Chips Act, the EU might remove some of its reliance on foreign entities, like China, to produce semiconductors. "With the Chips Act, Europe will be a frontrunner in the world semiconductors race," Hector Gomez Hernandez, Spanish Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, said about the development. "We can already see it in action: new production plants, new investments, new research projects. And in the long run, this will also contribute to the renaissance of our industry and the reduction of our foreign dependencies."The EU's final approval of the Chips Act follows President Biden signing the CHIPS and Science Act into law in 2022. It made $52 billion in funding and tax credits available to the United States' semiconductor industry, with $39 billion of it set aside for semiconductor manufacturing initiatives - applications for funding first opened in Spring 2023.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-eu-chips-act-just-received-its-final-approval-114524113.html?src=rss

Over the years of true wireless earbuds, Sony has consistently kept its place among the best with its 1000X series. Just when it seems like others may gain ground through software tricks or beefed-up noise-cancellation, the company adds new features or improves audio quality to ensure it continues to dominate.EngadgetWith this year's WF-1000XM5 true wireless earbuds, there's a notable caveat: At $300, these are the most expensive earbuds yet from Sony - and a chunk of change above rival headphones. These earbuds are undoubtedly the company's best and most comfortable design in its premium model so far, which was one of the few remaining riddles Sony needed to solve - aside from the complicated, unmemorable name, the WF-1000XM5. Not exactly AirPods, is it? If you can afford them, the buds launch on August 4th and are available to pre-order now. And check out the full review right here.- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedShark robot vacuums are up to 45 percent off on AmazonMy Netflix' puts your downloads and in-progress shows firstThe best midrange smartphones for 2023Astrophysicist who claimed to find alien tech may have done the science wrong Microsoft made a pizza-scented Xbox controllerI think I was a little sick in my mouth.MicrosoftMicrosoft is promoting the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem movie by giving away a limited batch of pizza-scented Xbox controllers. Apart from the built-in scent diffuser, though, these are otherwise stock Xbox controllers with TMNT style, in four variants that reflect the four ninja turtles. To win one - they won't go on sale - you'll have to follow Xbox Game Pass on Twitter X and retweet a post before August 13th. If you absolutely must operate a pizza-scented controller, these will be out and about at Microsoft's Experience Center on New York's Fifth Avenue for an August 2nd promo event.Continue reading.Twitter CEO teases banking and payment plans in memo about X rebrandIt's long been rumored Musk is keen to bring fintech features to Twitter.Twitter's rebrand to X is officially underway, and CEO Linda Yaccarino has offered some new clues about what it may mean for the company. In a memo reported by CNBC, Yaccarino suggested payments and banking features could feature prominently in Elon Musk's new vision. Back in January, the Financial Times reported he wanted to offer fintech services such as peer-to-peer transactions, savings accounts and debit cards" to users.Continue reading.The best e-ink tablets for 2023Scribble to your heart's content.Is it time to replace your notebook with something high-tech? There's been a boom in e-ink tablets to replace your myriad notebooks with something that can connect to the internet, detect your handwriting and more. We tested a bunch of the most popular e-ink tablets available - and we have recommendations.Continue reading.Spotify raises the price of its Premium plansA Premium Single subscription is going from $10 to $11 a month.Hot on the heels of price bumps at Peacock, Apple Music and YouTube, Spotify is the latest to inch up the prices of its services. Spotify has announced it's raising the price of all its Premium plans. In the United States, this means a Premium Single subscription is going from $10 a month to $11 a month - its first increase since Spotify launched over a decade ago. Its Premium Family and Student plans are also going up by a dollar, now costing $17 and $6 per month, respectively. Premium Duo has the largest bump, going up two dollars per month from $13 to $15.Continue reading.Apple Vision Pro developer kits are available nowYou aren't guaranteed to get one, however.EngadgetApple is now making its Vision Pro developer kits available. If you qualify, you'll get a loaned mixed reality headset as well as help with setup, expert "check-ins" and extra support requests beyond what developers normally get. You're submitting an application, not buying a product like the old Apple Silicon Developer Transition Kit, so you'll need to detail your existing apps and overall team talent. The company will favor creators whose app "takes advantage" of the Vision Pro's features. Apple also demands developers keep the Vision Pro in a secure workspace only authorized team members can access.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-our-verdict-on-sonys-newest-noise-canceling-earbuds-111504008.html?src=rss

Samsung's refreshed M8 Smart Monitor is currently on sale at $100 less than retail, and you can get one right now for $600 if you're looking for a multi-functional display. It's the new version of the monitor Samsung launched at CES in 2022, which comes with both smart TV and internet of things (IoT) features. Like its predecessor, you can use the new M8 to stream content like you would on any other smart TV from services like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.But you can also use it to edit documents, browse the web and do other things you'd do on a computer without needing to plug it into a separate PC, since it comes with Microsoft 365 programs. The upgraded Workmode feature lets use the monitor to access other computers, as well, in case the documents or programs you need are on another PC. And if you have a Samsung phone or tablet, you can use Samsung DeX on the display to link to them as well.Unlike most of Samsung's other smart TVs, though, the M8 comes with an IoT hub that will let you control your smart home products with SmartThings. You can switch off the lights or set the thermostat temperature right from the display. The M8 monitor ships with a detachable SlimFit Cam, which captures images in full HD and can track and focus your face to follow you around during video calls. Finally, the product comes with built-in Alexa support, so you can issue voice commands from across the room.When Samsung launched the new M8 in May, Hoon Chung, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics, said: "We are raising the bar for Smart Monitors globally with our new lineup and especially our enhanced M8 model. Within a single monitor, users can enjoy the best of entertainment and gaming, productivity, design and personalized convenience and comfort."Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-refreshed-smart-monitor-m8-gets-a-100-discount-104153448.html?src=rss

Microsoft's Bing Chat is no longer exclusive to the Edge browser, as it's now rolling out to Chrome and Safari, The Verge reported. "We are flighting access to Bing Chat in Safari and Chrome to select users as part of our testing on other browsers," a Microsoft spokesperson told The Verge. "We are excited to expand access to even more users once our standard testing procedures are complete."It seems to be more than a small test, as a number of users (including myself on Chrome but not Safari) have gained access. There are a few limitations, though. You have to be logged into your Microsoft account, and prompts are limited to 2,000 characters compared to 4,000 on Edge. Conversations reset after five queries rather than 30, and it constantly prompts you to download Edge (never change, Microsoft).Bing Chat is powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT-4, giving users access to the latter's features without the need to pay. There are some differences, though, as Bing Chat has access to Bing Search while ChatGPT-4 by itself doesn't, so can provide more up-to-date information and sources for responses. However, OpenAI's chat generally provides more detailed responses. Recently, a paper came out claiming that ChatGPT-4's capabilities have declined, but some experts have downplayed the conclusions.On top of releasing it for other browsers, Microsoft also introduced a dark mode for Bing Chat. To use it, click on the hamburger menu at the top right and select "Appearance/Dark." That function may not yet be available for all users.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bing-chat-powered-by-openai-tech-is-rolling-out-to-chrome-and-safari-035228266.html?src=rss

The humble sedan isn't seeing much love these days. Most are being put out of production, clearing factory manufacturing lines to make room for ever-more SUVs. But, for Mercedes-Benz, luxury sedans are life, and the E-Class is one of their longest-running.For the 2024 E-Class, Mercedes-Benz hasn't radically reinvented this stoic sedan, giving it a refreshed look and some new, more efficient engines with hybrid power. But more interestingly, the new E is loaded with interesting tech tricks and toys that, for now at least, are only found on Mercedes' mid-tier option.The E-Class is Mercedes' first car with a selfie camera and the first car in the world that offers TikTok, WebEx, and Zoom right there in the dashboard. All that, paired with some advanced driver assistance on the highway plus all the luxuries you've come to expect from a Mercedes, creates a sedan that's perhaps a bit too steady for some, but will be right on the money for many. Watch the video below for the full story.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-new-mercedes-benz-e-class-puts-tiktok-on-the-road-220017398.html?src=rss

Last month, theoretical physicist Avi Loeb made headlines with the sensational claim that tiny spherules recovered from the bottom of the ocean were probably of alien origin. It's most likely a technological gadget with artificial intelligence," he said to The New York Times, which published a story today about the Harvard professor's contentious claims. Although the biggest scientific breakthroughs often start with a bold hypothesis, Loeb's peers believe the decorated astrophysicist's assertions can be called many things - but good science" isn't one of them.Loeb's proclamations stem from an object that US government sensors logged on January 8th, 2014: a fireball from space that blazed into the western Pacific Ocean off the northeastern coast of Papua New Guinea. Highlighting its logged speed and direction as an anomaly, Loeb and undergraduate assistant Amir Siraj targeted the otherwise inconsequential planetary entry as an object worthy of further investigation.Fast-forward to last month, when Loeb led a voyage - funded by a crypto entrepreneur - to recover evidence from the fireball's calculated crash path. Dragging a magnetic sled attached to the expedition boat across the ocean floor, the team recovered a series of tiny spherical objects which Loeb says appear under a microscope as beautiful metallic marbles." Preliminary analysis indicated that the sub-millimeter orbs were 84 percent iron, with silicon, magnesium and trace elements comprising the rest. Loeb believes that as a result of being exposed to the fireball's heat, the surface of the object likely disintegrated into tiny spherules, similar in number per unit area to those recovered by the expedition."Avi Loeb / MediumNot one to exercise much caution with public pronouncements, Loeb wrote in a Medium post, Their discovery opens a new frontier in astronomy, where what lay outside the solar system is studied through a microscope rather than a telescope." He summarized, in an equally dramatic manner, The discovery of spherules felt like a miracle." Soon after, CBS News picked up on his excitement and published an attention-grabbing article titled, Harvard professor Avi Loeb believes he's found fragments of alien technology." Loeb has sent the mysterious spheres to Harvard University, the University of California, Berkeley and the Bruker Corporation in Germany for more in-depth analysis.It has material strength that is tougher than all space rock that were seen before, and catalogued by NASA," CBS Newsreported Loeb as saying earlier this month. We calculated its speed outside the solar system. It was 60 km per second, faster than 95% of all stars in the vicinity of the sun. The fact that it was made of materials tougher than even iron meteorites, and moving faster than 95% of all stars in the vicinity of the sun, suggested potentially it could be a spacecraft from another civilization or some technological gadget."It all sounds fascinating, especially with the resurgent interest in UFOs and the quest to discover signs of alien life. But there's one problem: The scientific community, by and large, believes Loeb is, if not entirely full of it, practicing something far outside what they'd call science.Peter Brown, a meteor physicist at Western University in Ontario, said that several percent" of detected events appear interstellar at first but almost always end up chalked up to a measurement error. Steve Desch, an astrophysicist at Arizona State University, argued at a recent conference that if the object were traveling as fast as the data suggests - one of the points Loeb uses to indicate its origin was from outside our solar system - it would have been wholly incinerated entering the Earth's atmosphere. Brown and other scientists also highlight Loeb's lack of engagement with peers who study similar unidentified fireballs.Brown recently presented data (accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal) demonstrating that NASA's recordings in cases like these often end up being proven untrustworthy. He believes the fireball likely impacted at a slower speed than the recorded data suggested. If the speed was overestimated, then the object becomes, more or less, within the realm of what we see in terms of other bound solar system objects," he said. (Loeb retorted by citing an unbendable trust in government data: They are responsible for national security. I think they know what they are doing.") The New York Times adds that the government is unlikely to declassify the data that would allow the scientific community to learn how precise (or not) it is.Avi Loeb / MediumRegardless of the spherules' origins, researchers are alarmed by Loeb's penchant for venturing outside science to make bold (and highly publicized) claims - with his scientific background boosting their perceived legitimacy. The gist of their alarm is that becoming a Harvard-employed astrophysicist doesn't grant you the wizard-like ability to know the answers to questions the scientific method hasn't yet confirmed. On the contrary, it's supposed to mean your peers respect you for exercising restraint and doing quite the opposite. [Loeb's claims are] a real breakdown of the peer review process and the scientific method," Desch said to The New York Times. And it's so demoralizing and tiring."Loeb's views about his peers' harsh response can be summarized in his cited quote from philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer from a recent blog post. All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed; second, it is violently opposed; and third, it is accepted as self-evident." Notably, Loeb seemingly refers to his conclusions about the preliminary findings - with plenty of question marks still intact - as truth."The Oxford English Dictionary defines confirmation bias as the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories." Loeb's words and excited tone suggest he knows the answer and that his peers' criticism stems from their resistance to the new frontier he's discovered. However, their criticism seems only partially about his specific conclusions; it's paired with a larger concern about an esteemed cohort jumping to conclusions that fall far outside of the scientific method. What the public is seeing in Loeb is not how science works," remarked Desch. And they shouldn't go away thinking that."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/astrophysicist-who-claimed-to-find-alien-tech-may-have-done-the-science-wrong-214008434.html?src=rss

Dall-E and Stable Diffusion were only the beginning. As generative AI systems proliferate and companies work to differentiate their offerings from those of their competitors, chatbots across the internet are gaining the power to edit images - as well as create them - with the likes of Shutterstock and Adobe leading the way. But with those new AI-empowered capabilities come familiar pitfalls, like the unauthorized manipulation of, or outright theft of, existing online artwork and images. Watermarking techniques can help mitigate the latter, while the new "PhotoGuard" technique developed by MIT CSAIL could help prevent the former.PhotoGuard works by altering select pixels in an image such that they will disrupt an AI's ability to understand what the image is. Those "perturbations," as the research team refers to them, are invisible to the human eye but easily readable by machines. The "encoder" attack method of introducing these artifacts targets the algorithmic model's latent representation of the target image - the complex mathematics that describes the position and color of every pixel in an image - essentially preventing the AI from understanding what it is looking at.The more advanced, and computationally intensive, "diffusion" attack method camouflages an image as a different image in the eyes of the AI. It will define a target image and optimize the perturbations in its image so as to resemble its target. Any edits that an AI tries to make on these "immunized" images will be applies to the fake "target" images resulting in an unrealistic looking generated image.""The encoder attack makes the model think that the input image (to be edited) is some other image (e.g. a gray image)," MIT doctorate student and lead author of the paper, Hadi Salman, told Engadget. "Whereas the diffusion attack forces the diffusion model to make edits towards some target image (which can also be some grey or random image)." The technique isn't foolproof, malicious actors could work to reverse engineer the protected image potentially by adding digital noise, cropping or flipping the picture.A collaborative approach involving model developers, social media platforms, and policymakers presents a robust defense against unauthorized image manipulation. Working on this pressing issue is of paramount importance today," Salman said in a release. And while I am glad to contribute towards this solution, much work is needed to make this protection practical. Companies that develop these models need to invest in engineering robust immunizations against the possible threats posed by these AI tools."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mits-photoguard-protects-your-images-from-malicious-ai-edits-213036912.html?src=rss

How do you create a large audience for a game's spiritual sequel? Make sure everyone has played the original. Sega and Amplitude Studios have made Dungeon of the Endlessavailable for free on Steam before its follow-up, Endless Dungeon, arrives on October 19th. You have until July 27th to grab the freebie. You can also download both DLC packs through the community hub "while supplies last," according to the developers. The older game is available for both Mac and PC, although it won't work with Macs running macOS Catalina or newer.Dungeon of the Endless drew attention by mashing up multiple game genres, including roguelikes (a brutal crawl through dynamically generated dungeons), classic role-playing, squad tactics and tower defense. You lead a team that has to defend its crashed spaceship against a horde of enemies while exploring an ever-larger dungeon. No one element is particularly complicated, but juggling them all can be challenging.Endless Dungeon is still a hybrid game, but it's now more of a twin-stick shooter and has a gentler "roguelite" progression that lets you keep some of what you earn each time you fail. It's also built from the ground up for multiplayer. While you still lead a squad in solo play, you can invite two friends to join in. While it's more accessible, our early play session suggested it was still difficult. It'll be available on PC, PS4, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, with a closed beta available in September to Last Wish Edition pre-order customers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hit-roguelike-dungeon-of-the-endless-is-now-free-on-steam-210029777.html?src=rss

Mastodon has gained popularity over the past year as Twitter users looked for alternatives following Elon Musk's takeover. Part of its appeal is its decentralized nature that insulates it against the whims of billionaires who speak before they think. Unsurprisingly, though, what makes it so appealing has also proven to be a headache, making content moderation all but impossible.A study from Stanford found 112 matches of known child sexual abuse material (CSAM) over a two-day period, with almost 2,000 posts using common hashtags related to abusive material. Researcher David Thiel says, We got more photoDNA hits in a two-day period than we've probably had in the entire history of our organization of doing any kind of social media analysis, and it's not even close." We've reached out to Mastodon for comment and will update this story once we've heard back.Of course, the big problem with unfederated social media platforms such as Mastodon is that no one company or entity controls everything on the platform. Every instance has its own administrators, and they are the ones who are ultimately responsible. However, those admins cannot control and moderate what goes on in other instances or servers.This isn't uniquely a Mastodon problem, either. Meta's popular Threads is also built around the decentralized model. While it's not supported just yet, Threads plans on being interoperable with ActivityPub. This means Threads users will be able to follow, reply and repost content from Mastodon, and vice versa.This creates a unique problem for Meta, which can't control the entire moderation flow like it could with Facebook or Instagram. Even then, the company struggles to keep up with moderation. Presumably, larger instances on Mastodon and other platforms such as Threads could outright block access to problematic instances. Of course, that wouldn't solve" the problem. The content would still exist. It would just be siloed and left to the moderators of that specific instance to remove it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mastodons-decentralized-social-network-has-a-major-csam-problem-202519000.html?src=rss

If Apple is going to make the Vision Pro a success, it's going to need compelling apps - and that means giving developers hardware ahead of time. Accordingly, the company is now making Vision Pro developer kits available. If you qualify, you'll get a loaned mixed reality headset as well as help with setup, expert "check-ins" and extra support requests beyond what developers normally get.The operative term, as you might guess, is "if." You're submitting an application, not buying a product like the old Apple Silicon Developer Transition Kit. In addition to being part of the Apple Developer Program, you'll need to detail your existing apps and overall team talent. The company will favor creators whose app "takes advantage" of the Vision Pro's features. You can't just assume you'll get a headset, then, and you're less likely to get one if you're a newcomer or simply porting an iPad app. You'll have to be content with the visionOS beta software if you don't make the cut.You also can't use the wearable for bragging rights. Apple requires that developers keep the Vision Pro in a secure workspace that only authorized team members can access. The company can also request a unit return at any time. Don't expect many leaked details, in other words.The current kit may only end up in the hands of larger developers as a result. However, the launch shows how Apple intends to court app creators, and what titles you're likely to see when Vision Pro arrives early next year. The focus is on polished experiences that help sell the concept, rather than a huge catalog. That's not surprising when the Vision Pro is a $3,499 device aimed at professionals and enthusiasts, but you may have to wait a while before small studios release apps based on real-world testing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-vision-pro-developer-kits-are-available-now-181026904.html?src=rss