Google is already testing its Med-PaLM 2 AI chat technology at at the Mayo Clinic and other hospitals, The Wall Street Journal has reported. It's based on the company's PaLM 2 large language model (LLM) that underpins Bard, Google's ChatGPT rival - and was launched just months ago at Google I/O.Unlike the base model, Med-PaLM-2 has been trained on questions and answer from medical licensing exams, along with a curated set of medical expert demonstrations. That gives it expertise in answering health-related questions, and it can also do labor-intensive tasks like summarizing documents and organizing research data, according to the report.During I/O, Google released a paper detailing its work on Med-PaLM2. On the positive side, it demonstrated features like "alignment with medical consensus," reasoning ability, and even the ability to generate answers that were preferred by respondents over physician-generated responses. More negatively, it showed the same accuracy problems we've seen on other Chat AI models.Microsoft is also developing medical AI chat tech based on OpenAI's ChatGPT, having teamed up with the healthcare software company Epic. Google is also working on using its AI for ultrasound diagnosis and cancer therapy, it revealed in March. Both companies have promised to keep patient information confidential, saying they don't train their models on patient data. Last month, Microsoft expressed alarm about its ChatGPT technology being used by doctors to improve communications with patients.In an internal email seen by the WSJ, Google said it believes the updated model could "be of tremendous value in countries that have more limited access to doctors." Still, Google has admitted that the technology is still in its early stages. "I don't feel that this kind of technology is yet at a place where I would want it in my family's healthcare journey," said Google senior research director Greg Corrado. However, he added that the tech "takes the places in healthcare where AI can be beneficial and expands them by 10-fold."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-is-testing-its-medical-ai-chatbot-at-the-mayo-clinic-102055669.html?src=rss
If you're looking to up your streaming game this summer, now might be the time to do it. Elgato's Stream Deck + is down from $200 to $180 - a ten percent discount. This deal is one of the first real sales on the Stream Deck + since it came out last year.The Stream Deck + comes with eight customizable LCD keys that automate actions like going live, playing music and changing scenes. It includes a touch bar and four knobs to control parts of your stream, such as audio, lighting and video. The Stream Deck + also has plugins for Camera Hub, Elgato Wave Link, Spotify, Twitch and more.Its counterparts, Elgato's Stream Deck Mini and Stream Deck Classic, are on sale, too, if you're looking for something a bit cheaper. The Stream Deck Mini is 13 percent off, down from $80 to $69.90, making it the most affordable option in the lineup. It offers six customizable LCD keys and includes integrations like YouTube and Twitch. The main differences here are that the Stream Deck Mini allows you to automate fewer actions at a time, and it doesn't have the control knobs to manage features like audio and lighting.The Stream Deck Classic falls somewhere between its siblings - so it might be your Goldilocks option. It has 15 customizable LCD keys and integrations like Discord and Spotify but no control knobs. The Classic is on sale for $120, down from $150, giving it the largest discount of the three at 20 percent.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/elgatos-stream-deck-gets-its-first-discount-at-amazon-093537440.html?src=rss
Meta's Twitter competitor is off to a flying start. In under five days of the app going live, Threads already has more than 100 million users according Quiver Quantitative's Threads Tracker. It helps that Thread is a sibling app to Instagram and it's easy for the image-sharing platform's billion-plus users to sign up - unless they live in the European Union, where it's not yet available.Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, has provided several updates on Threads' user numbers. The app had 10 million users in the first seven hours and more than 30 million by Thursday morning. Around 24 hours later, that figure had more than doubled.It's very, very early days for Threads, as the app is missing basic features that many users see as essential. It has minimal accessibility options at the minute, with no way to append alt text to an image for those who use screen readers. Search is limited to usernames, there's no hashtag support and you can't post to Threads from the web.Quiver QuantitativePerhaps most gallingly of all for folks used to Twitter, Threads doesn't yet have a chronological feed of posts. The algorithmic feed is full of brands, influencers and celebrities, making it difficult for users to keep up with what friends and family are posting. A chronological feed is on the way, but Twitter may still be many people's app of choice for up-to-the-minute news."Politics and hard news are inevitably going to show up on Threads - they have on Instagram as well to some extent - but we're not going to do anything to encourage those verticals," Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote, noting that the aim of Threads isn't to replace Twitter."Politics and hard news are important, I don't want to imply otherwise," Mosseri added. "But my take is, from a platform's perspective, any incremental engagement or revenue they might drive is not at all worth the scrutiny, negativity (let's be honest), or integrity risks that come along with them. There are more than enough amazing communities - sports, music, fashion, beauty, entertainment, etc - to make a vibrant platform without needing to get into politics or hard news."Quiver Quantitative's Threads Tracker uses data taken from Instagram users' profiles, according to the person who built the tool, co-founder Christopher Kardatzke. "By viewing the profiles of people who joined the platform, I can see where they were in line and get a general idea of how many users have signed up," he said. He added that the estimates appear to line up with Zuckerberg's Threads posts about user milestones.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-threads-races-to-100-million-users-in-under-a-week-070740016.html?src=rss
We all need to mature someday, and for Lotus, that time is now. Welcome to the Eletre, the company's first production SUV. An electric one at that, with comfortable seating for four or een five. Lotus has been historically known for producing cars that typified the bare minimum needed for enjoyable driving.The Eletre? Well, it's a lot. It weighs a lot, at about 5,500 pounds. Its styling certainly extends to a point of excess, and that interior is nothing if not dazzling. This thing won't be for everybody, in fact I'm not sure who it is for, but it's easily the highest quality, and most comprehensive, interior that Lotus has ever produced. And, with an Unreal Engine-based infotainment system sitting on top of not one but two Qualcomm SoCs, plus four separate LIDAR arrays, there's no shortage of tech cred.What is missing? The emotionality of all the cars Lotus has produced until now and, frankly, a clear sense of purpose. After a few days behind the wheel I'm not convinced many folks will truly love this thing, but Lotus simply had to evolve to survive, and this is an impressive first effort. Watch the video below for the full story.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lotus-eletre-suv-shows-the-company-has-finally-grown-up-070031949.html?src=rss
Evernote has axed most of its workforce. In a statement shared with SFGate, Bending Spoons, the Milan-based app developer that bought the company last November, said Friday it had laid off nearly all of Evernote's employees in the US and Chile. Bending Spoons plans to move most of the company's remaining operations to Europe. The layoffs come less than six months after the firm cut 129 positions at Evernote because the app had been "unprofitable for years." Bending Spoons didn't share exactly how many employees were affected by this latest round of layoffs. A scan of LinkedIn reveals some software engineers that had been with Evernote for a few years lost their jobs on Friday."Our plans for Evernote are as ambitious as ever: Going forward, a growing, dedicated team based in Europe will continue to assume ownership of the Evernote product," Bending Spoons CEO Luca Ferrari told SFGate. "This team will also be in an ideal position to leverage the extensive expertise and strength of the 400-plus workforce at Bending Spoons, many of whom have been working on Evernote full-time since the acquisition." Ferrari added Bending Spoons would provide affected employees with 16 weeks of salary, a prorated performance bonus and up to one year of health insurance.How the company plans to make Evernote successful in a market crowded with competitors like Notion and Obsidian Ferrari did not say. Whatever Bending Spoons has planned for Evernote, there's no denying this marks another low point for what was once one of the more popular note-taking apps you could download and an early darling of the App Store boom. Evernote enjoyed a valuation of $1 billion at its height, but a lack of focus and buggy software left the company a shell of itself in recent years.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/evernote-is-relocating-to-europe-after-laying-off-most-of-its-us-workforce-205012133.html?src=rss
It's probably fair to say that when most people conjure images of the pharmaceutical industry, it's not often there's an association between the production of life-saving drugs and environmental decline. But according to one 2019 study by The Conversation, drug companies produce more tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per million dollars than the automotive industry. "By our calculations, the pharma market is 28 percent smaller yet 13 percent more polluting than the automotive sector," the outlet said of the state of the pharmaceutical industry in 2015. Put another way: drug companies need to reduce their carbon emissions for the health of the planet and everyone living on it.Thankfully, a group of scientists from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom may have found a way for the industry to do exactly that. In a study published in the journal ChemSusChem, the team describes a process they created for converting -pinene, a component found in turpentine, into pharmaceutical precursors that they then used to synthesize paracetamol and ibuprofen. Right now, most companies producing those painkillers use chemical precursors derived from crude oil. Turpentine, meanwhile, is a waste by-product the paper industry makes at a scale of more than 350,000 metric tonnes per year. The researchers say they also successfully used turpentine to synthesize 4-HAP, a precursor for beta-blockers, the asthma inhaler drug salbutamol and a range of household cleaners.In addition to being more sustainable, the team's "bio-refinery" process could lead to more consistent drug costs for consumers since turpentine isn't subject to the same geopolitical pressures that can send energy and oil prices skyrocketing. However, a significant pitfall of the process in its current form is that it costs more to produce drugs with turpentine than crude oil. The team suggests consumers may be willing to pay slightly higher prices for more sustainable drugs, but let's be honest, when someone is sick or in pain, paying more for relief is the last thing most people want to do.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/scientists-make-ibuprofen-and-other-common-painkillers-from-paper-industry-waste-182758699.html?src=rss
After a meteoric rise in popularity late last year and into early 2023, it looks like OpenAI's chatbot is beginning to lose some steam. According to data internet analytics firm Similarweb shared with The Washington Post, last month mobile and desktop traffic to ChatGPT's website fell by 9.7 percent globally. If Similarweb's data is accurate, the drop marks the first time the chatbot has seen a user decline. In June, app tracker Sensor Tower also saw downloads of ChatGPT's iOS client fall off after peaking earlier in the month. OpenAI did not immediately respond to Engadget's comment request.Waning interest in ChatGPT appears to be part of an industry trend. Similarweb's numbers show fewer people visiting the desktop and mobile websites for Microsoft Bing, Google Bard and Character.AI in recent months. Microsoft, for instance, saw traffic to its search engine surge between February and March when Bing AI became available in public preview. Since then, monthly traffic to the website has steadily declined, returning nearly to the levels it was before Microsoft retooled Bing around GPT-4. Separately, Similarweb says it saw a drop in ChatGPT engagement, with user minutes down by 8.5 percent as of May 2023.As for what could be causing the decline, ThePost suggests the end of the school year may have something to do with it. With most college students on summer break, it speculates not as many young adults are using ChatGPT to write their papers. Another reason could be that companies like Samsung are prohibiting employees from using AI chatbots over the very real fear of a potential data leak. Whatever the reason for the decline, you can bet no one at OpenAI is panicking. If anything, the research lab is probably happy to see fewer people use the public version of ChatGPT. CEO Sam Altman has said the service costs OpenAI an eye-watering" amount to operate.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/chatgpt-saw-its-first-ever-user-decline-in-june-163043304.html?src=rss
When it comes to online merchandizing, nobody is bigger than Amazon. The same can be said for Walmart's utter domination of physical retail. But for a brief time in 2016, the two behemoths sought to get all up in each other's lanes. The resulting multi-year fracas would shake the world of commerce to its foundations with every above-board strategy and under-handed trick made available to crush the competition. In Winner Sells All, journalist Jason Del Rey recounts the business battles both between and within these titans of industry as both corporations sought to further entrench their market positions. In the excerpt below, we see some of said underhanded tricks.Harper CollinsExcerpted from Winner Sells All: Amazon, Walmart and the Battle for Our Wallets by Jason Del Rey . Published by Harper Business. Copyright (C) 2023 by Jason Del Rey. All rights reserved.In the late 2010s, the power and valuations that Amazon and other titans of the technology industry were accumulating incited a new movement in antitrust circles, catalyzed by a law school paper written by a then-unknown law student named Lina Khan. In her seminal paper, Amazon's Antitrust Paradox," published in the Yale Law Journal, Khan argued that our interpretation of antitrust laws was outdated in light of a new digital economy, and there was a need to return to the days when merely having low prices or providing free services wasn't enough to avoid scrutiny for anticompetitive behavior.Amazon doesn't just want to dominate markets; it wants to own the infrastructure that underpins those markets," said Stacy Mitchell, the longtime critic of both Amazon and Walmart who runs a left-leaning think tank called the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR). And that's an order of magnitude difference of a monopoly ambition than Walmart's." Mitchell had spent many years agitating for the government to step in to slow down Walmart during its go-go Supercenter growth years and she is still clear today that she finds the company's power problematic.But in her view, and that of many Big Tech critics in her circles, Amazon poses an altogether different threat to business competition. It's not just the retail platform, but it's AWS [Amazon Web Services], it's the logistics piece, it's [Alexa] and being the interface for how we interact with the web, and all the devices and everything that are connected to the smart home," she said. It enables Amazon to favor its own goods and services in those markets, to levy a kind of tax on all the businesses that rely on that infrastructure, and to surveil all of that activity and use that intelligence to its own advantage."As the pressure from Washington, DC, increased, Amazon leaders were becoming heated. In one key annual meeting of Bezos's senior leaders in early 2020, Jassy, the then-CEO of AWS, digested the content of a memo sitting in front of him. It laid out Amazon's plans for messaging in response to accusations that it was too big or too powerful and engaged in anticompetitive behavior. As Bezos listened in by phone, Jassy pointedly asked those before him why the messaging didn't argue that Walmart, and AWS rival Microsoft, should be investigated. Other top company officials tried to explain that each of those companies had already been scrutinized years ago and their time had passed. But Jassy's reaction left a lasting impression on those in attendance.It was very clear from his comments that we shouldn't let our foot off the gas," someone in attendance told me years later. In subsequent years, especially in the part of the company that focused on so-called competition issues, there wasn't a day that Walmart didn't come up." The fact that Walmart, with more annual revenue than Amazon, was not being scrutinized by policy makers drove executives like Jassy crazy. It didn't help when Amazon executives discovered that Walmart was indirectly funding a nonprofit front group called Free and Fair Markets, which was bombarding reporters and social media with anti-Amazon accusations. For some time, Amazon leaders suspected that a competitor, or group of competitors, was funding the operation but couldn't prove it. One of Amazon's longtime spokesmen, Drew Herdener, grew frustrated every time the group placed an op-ed or social media message that got traction.How does the press not know this is a front group?" he would lament. As a result, an Amazon communications staffer named Doug Stone spent upward of a year trying to help reporters uncover the group's funders. Finally, in the fall of 2019, the Wall Street Journal pulled back the veil in an expose titled A Grass Roots' Campaign to Take Down Amazon Is Funded by Amazon's Biggest Rivals." A Walmart spokesperson denied funding the group to the newspaper-the article had stated that Walmart used an intermediary to pass along funds to FFM, so the company's defense might have been a matter of semantics- but said that Walmart share[s] concerns about issues" that the group was publicizing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hitting-the-books-winner-sells-all-jason-del-rey-harper-business-143059940.html?src=rss
Earlier this week, Twitter began migrating users to the "new" version of TweetDeck after its decision to limit how many tweets people could view temporarily broke the previous iteration of its list aggregator. For many, the change was a downgrade due to the new version missing some of the features found within its predecessor. If you want to go back to using the previous release of TweetDeck, now you can, but almost certainly only for a limited time.As noted by The Verge, overnight some Twitter users noticed that the old TweetDeck was back without so much as an official announcement from Elon Musk, Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino or any of the company's official social accounts. Additionally, a handful of developers, including Harpy creator Roberto Doering, noticed Twitter's legacy API was working again, allowing their third-party clients to work once more. Again, how long that will remain true is hard to say."Please note that this doesn't mean that Harpy will be maintained again, seeing as Twitter will most likely shut down access to their legacy API (again) soon and third-party apps are still against their [terms of service]," Doering wrote on Harpy's GitHub page. When Twitter began forcing users to migrate to the new Tweetdeck, the company said users will need to be verified to continue using the tool, meaning most people will need to subscribe to Twitter Blue if they want continued access.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-old-good-version-of-tweetdeck-is-back-222423088.html?src=rss
Hayao Miyazaki's final film, the tentatively titled How Do You Live?, is coming to IMAX theaters. The milestone marks a first for Miyazaki and the animation studio he co-founded nearly four decades ago. According to Anime News Network, the film will also screen in Dolby Atmos, Dolby Cinema and DTS:X when it arrives in Japan on July 14th.As Gizmodo notes, past Studio Ghibli films did not receive the IMAX treatment during their original theatrical runs. When you add that to the fact How Do You Live? is supposed to be Miyazaki's swan song(or so the auteur claims), you have the makings of a must-see movie event. However, one potential hitch is that the film doesn't have an international release date yet, and it's unclear if a North American distributor could secure IMAX screens for How Do You Live? when and if it arrives outside of Japan. In recent weeks, the availability of IMAX screens has been a contentious issue in Hollywood, with Tom Cruise reportedly calling some theaters to convince them to screen Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One instead of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.Details on How Do You Live? are sparse. Studio Ghibli has not released a trailer for the film or bought any TV spots. In fact, the only promotion it has done so far for How Do You Live? is the single poster the studio released last month. The film is an original work but is named after the 1937 novel of the same name by Genzaburo Yoshino. In interviews, Miyazaki has said the book plays an influential role in the life of his film's protagonist.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hayao-miyazakis-final-film-will-be-studio-ghiblis-first-imax-release-195624834.html?src=rss
Late last month, Apple uploaded the debut episode of Siloto Twitter to promote the show's season one finale. Now it's doing the same with its other tentpole sci-fi series. Starting Monday, you can watch Foundation's first episode on YouTube ahead of season two'sJuly 14th premiere.Apple's live-action adaptation of Issac Asimov's classic novel series of the same name premiered in 2021 following a pandemic-related production delay. As 9to5Mac notes, you can already watch the first episode of the series for free on Apple TV, but that requires access to the app and not everyone might want to install Apple's streaming service on their smart TV. Season two of Foundation sees some of season one's original cast, including Lee Pace and Jared Harris, return. Filming of season three is rumored to be already underway. In the meantime, you can watch the show's first episode on Monday at 2PM ET, followed by a live Q&A with showrunner David Goyer.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-will-stream-the-first-episode-of-foundation-on-youtube-175203218.html?src=rss
It's probably safe to say no one could have predicted that LinkedIn would add Stories before Twitch, but here we are. Nearly eight years after Instagram lifted the feature from Snapchat, Twitch announced Saturday that its own users will be able to begin recording Stories starting later this year. At its TwitchCon Paris event, Twitch said it plans to roll out the ephemeral media format in October. Once they arrive, Stories will live on the Following page of the Twitch mobile app, where they'll be subject to Twitch's Community Guidelines and automated safety systems. Additionally, creators will have the option to limit the visibility of their Stories to only those who follow them.Stories is one of a handful of features Twitch announced on Saturday. In the fall, the company said it plans to introduce a new Discovery Feed it promises will make it easier for creators to grow their audiences, even when they're not streaming. Like Stories, the Discovery Feed will live on the company's mobile app and include live and recorded content.Because Twitch is all about live, interactive channels, it's not our goal for viewers to spend hours in a Clips feed," Twitch said. Our investment in Clips is to help viewers discover your channel so they join you and your community when you stream." Twitch plans to conduct limited testing of the Discovery Feed before rolling out the feature to the broader Twitch user base in late 2023. Other features the company said it was working on include improvements to the platform's built-in clip editor. Come late next month, the tool will allow creators to export vertical videos directly to TikTok.On Saturday, Twitch said it would also give creators more control over when ad breaks play during their streams. A new chat countdown timer will display exactly when an ad is about to play. Streamers can delay an advertisement if it's about to disrupt an exciting bit of gameplay or a conversation with their community. The feature comes after Twitch last month backpedaled on a proposed ad policy that would have restricted the kinds of branded content creators had the ability to include in their streams.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitch-is-finally-adding-stories-and-a-feed-for-discovering-new-streamers-to-watch-163846190.html?src=rss
The James Webb space telescope has given scientists the capability to discover celestial objects they wouldn't have been able to otherwise, such as ancient galaxies that theoretically shouldn't exist. Now, as part of the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) Survey, researchers have discovered the most distant active supermassive black hole we've seen to date.Thanks to the near- and mid-infrared images James Webb has taken, researchers were able to find a supermassive black hole in the galaxy they've dubbed CEERS 1019. They were also able to determine that the black hole has existed merely 570 million years after the Big Bang and that it's around 9 million solar masses. In addition, the data provided by the telescope allowed them to come to the conclusion that the black hole is eating up a lot of gas and churning out new stars. "A galaxy merger could be partly responsible for fueling the activity in this galaxy's black hole, and that could also lead to increased star formation," CEERS team member Jeyhan Kartaltepe of the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York explained. In the image below, you can see CEERS 1019 appearing as three bright clumps.NASA, ESA, CSA, Leah Hustak (STScI)At 9 million solar masses, this black hole is much smaller than other active supermassive black holes previously discovered. Those celestial objects typically contain more than 1 billion times the mass of the sun, which makes them much brighter and easier to detect. The CEERS 1019 black hole is more similar to the one in the center of our galaxy, which is around 4.6 million times the mass of the sun. NASA said scientists have long known that smaller black holes must have existed earlier in the universe, but it wasn't until James Webb became operational that they were able to confirm their presence.In fact, the CEERS Survey team also found two other ancient but small black holes through their data. The CEERS 746 black hole existed 1 billion years after the Big Bang, while the CEERS 2782 black hole has been around since 1.1 billion years after the event. When viewed through other instruments, these black holes appear as ordinary star-forming galaxies. Astronomers are also reviewing other more distant black holes found using James Webb's data at the moment, so CEERS 1019 might lose the record sooner rather than later.CEERS team lead Steven Finkelstein from the University of Texas at Austin said: "Until now, research about objects in the early universe was largely theoretical. With Webb, not only can we see black holes and galaxies at extreme distances, we can now start to accurately measure them. That's the tremendous power of this telescope."Scientists still find it difficult to explain how this black hole formed so soon after the universe began. But in the future, Webb's data could give them the information they need to be able to figure out how early black holes are formed.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/james-webb-telescope-captures-the-most-distant-active-supermassive-black-hole-yet-150244921.html?src=rss
The well-reviewed Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) is now available for just $55 via a Wellbots code. That's a discount of $45, as the smart display normally retails for $100. All you have to do is order the product from Wellbots and put in the promo code of 45HUBENG." You'll be well on your way to owning a smart display that's been praised for its loud speakers, sleep tracking capabilities and seamless access to Google Assistant.Wellbots and Google have paired up for even more deals, as the Pixel Watch is available for $75 off with the code 75WATCHENG" and you can pick up a pair of Pixel Buds Pro earbuds for $55 less than the original retail price, via the code 55PIXENG."The second-generation Google Nest Hub is already over two years old, so the company could be prepping a third-generation model for the near future, but it definitely won't be $55. Also, the company recently released a version with a larger screen, called the Nest Hub Max, which clocks in at $220.In the meantime, if you want a smart display with plenty of high-tech features like automatic dimming, a snazzy visual interface and smart home controls, plunk down that $55 and purchase a Nest Hub.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/pick-up-a-google-nest-hub-2nd-gen-for-just-55-163938367.html?src=rss
Google has expanded an existing feature for Calendar to give users an easy way to let their co-workers know where they can be reached at different times of the day. The company first launched "working locations," allows users to indicate where they're working through their schedules, back in 2021. But now, they can set their working locations in Calendar for specific portions of the day in order to more accurately reflect their availability.As Google said in its announcement, working from different locations is common for those with hybrid work environments. This feature could make it easier for co-workers to figure out if they can meet for in-person collaboration or if they have to schedule a video conference instead. To use the feature, they can create an event and choose Working Location before selecting a time frame and indicating their location for those hours. The upgraded Working Location feature is now available for all Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade and Nonprofit users.GoogleThe tech giant is also making Google Docs more creator-friendly. When users fire up the app and open a Docs file on an Android device, it will now start in edit mode. There's no need to tap on the edit button anymore - they can now go straight into document and immediately start typing or changing things up. Tapping on the open document will instantly bring up the on-screen keyboard unless they have a physical keyboard connected to their device.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-calendar-allows-users-to-indicate-their-location-at-specific-times-of-the-day-130114707.html?src=rss
A disgruntled Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Seige gamer who called in a fake emergency to Ubisoft's Montreal office was sentenced this week to three years of community service, according to The Montreal Gazette. Yanni Ouahioune, 22, was handed the sentence on Monday in Paris following his call to authorities about a fake hostage situation in November 2020.Police say Ouahioune called in the hoax because he was angry he had been banned several times from Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. In response to the bogus call, a heavily armed squad of police officers surrounded the building. The officers secured the headquarters - and closed several nearby streets - before confirming there wasn't an active threat. Ouahioune allegedly called from his parents' house using Russian servers to mask his identity (unsuccessfully). After being charged, La Pressereported (viaPolygon) that Ouahioune pleaded for Ubisoft to unban his account. Can you say that I am kindly asking the Ubisoft team to unban' my account please," Ouahioune said. I have put over $1,500 in cosmetic enhancements in my profile."The sentencing also includes Ouahioune's alleged part in a DDoS attack against a French government office and making threats against Minecraft developers. The convicted hoaxer will reportedly be required to compensate victims, undergo treatment for a mental health problem and either work or undergo training" in addition to the community service.Magali Valence, Ubisoft director of external communication for Ubisoft Montreal, told The Montreal Gazette in an email that it acknowledges the court's decision. In this trial we were committed to representing the interests of our employees who were affected by this false hostage-taking alert at our Montreal studio. It was important for us to denounce this violent and unacceptable incident. Out of respect for our employees who were affected by this event, we will not comment further."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/miffed-rainbow-six-seige-player-sentenced-for-swatting-ubisoft-montreals-offices-201200746.html?src=rss
Microsoft might be raising the price of Xbox subscriptions in most countries, but it's sweetening the deal for newcomers. The company is once more running a promo that offers the first month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $1. The PC Game Pass is also discounted to $1. You'll have to pay the usual monthly rate afterward ($17 for Ultimate on console, $11 for PC), but the introductory price could help you get a feel for the services without making a full commitment.Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes a catalog of "hundreds" of games you can play on console, PC and through cloud gaming. First-party titles arrive as soon as they launch, and there are member-only perks that include discounts, in-game DLC and a handful of EA games. PC Game Pass doesn't include streaming or the EA selection but is otherwise similar.This comes just weeks after Microsoft raised the price of Game Pass Ultimate for new subscribers from $15 to $17. This is the first time the price has gone up since Ultimate debuted in 2017. Microsoft pins the increase on changing "competitive conditions," but it's also a reflection of an evolving strategy. Both Microsoft and its rival Sony are increasingly dependent on subscriptions for revenue, and the Game Pass Ultimate hike could help on that front.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-game-pass-ultimate-1-deal-is-back-for-new-users-194212213.html?src=rss
Android users can soon get a sneak peek at upcoming features for Meta Threads, the new Twitter rival that may already have Elon Musk feeling the heat. A Meta engineer announced on the platform that Android users who love to live on the cutting edge" can sign up for a beta version of the app, which launched this week and already attracted over 30 million sign-ups by Thursday morning. There isn't yet any mention of an iOS beta program.Although no beta builds of the Android app appear to be available yet, the program could be enticing since the platform still lacks a long list of requested features. These include hashtags, direct messages, a full web version, chronological feeds, a following" feed, and the ability to delete your profile without also wiping your Instagram account.Of course, beta software often comes with bugs - so only proceed if you're comfortable with the associated risks. As Meta's @0xjessel advised, New features and bug fixes will come on here first, but you'll also have to accept an increased risk of a more unstable build since [it's] earlier." In addition, Meta will harvest your data - perhaps more than usual. Certain data on your use of the app will be collected and shared with the developer to help improve the app," the invitation reads.If you're feeling adventurous, you can sign up for beta access. Fortunately, there's no waitlist: Anyone with an Android device can enter the program and try out future builds as they become available.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-launches-a-threads-beta-program-for-android-191600004.html?src=rss
A Canadian judge has ruled that the popular thumbs-up" emoji not only can be used as a contract agreement, but is just as valid as an actual signature. The Saskatchewan-based judge made the ruling on the grounds that the courts must adapt to the new reality" of how people communicate, as originally reported by The Guardian.The case involved a grain buyer sending out a mass text to drum up clients and a farmer agreeing to sell 86 tons of flax for around $13 per bushel. The buyer texted a contract agreement to the farmer and asked for the farmer to confirm" receiving the contract. He issued a thumb's up emoji as receipt of the document, but backed out of the deal after flax prices increased.The buyer sued the farmer, arguing that the thumb's up represented more than just receipt of the contract. It represented an agreement to the conditions of the contract, and a judge agreed, ordering the farmer to cough up nearly $62,000, likely causing a string of puke emojis.The farmer, Chris Achter, said in an affidavit that he did not have time to review" the contract and the thumb's up was just acknowledgment of receipt. Justice Timothy Keene relied on Dictionary.com's definition of the emoji which notes the image is used to express assent, approval, or encouragement in digital communications, especially in Western cultures," ultimately siding with the grain buyer.This court readily acknowledges that a emoji is a non-traditional means to sign' a document but nevertheless under these circumstances this was a valid way to convey the two purposes of a signature'," Justice Keene wrote.The defense argued that giving this type of power to an emoji would open the floodgates" to enhanced interpretations of other emojis. While the justice dismissed this line of reasoning, anyone who regularly texts the LOL emoji without actually laughing out loud is likely quaking in their boots right now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/canadian-judge-rules-the-thumbs-up-emoji-counts-as-a-contract-agreement-190026176.html?src=rss
BMW is expanding its electric motorcycle lineup - well, really, its electric scooter lineup. The new CE 02 is smaller than the recently available CE 04 and targets a younger buyer.In fact, BMW doesn't even want to call it a scooter. Instead, it's calling it a eParkourer. Yes it's a mouthful and yes it's mostly just marketing shenanigans, but the CE 02 looks like a classier version of the Honda Rukus with an EV powertrain inside.BMW says it has a range of over 55 miles for the 11kW version and a top speed of about 59 miles per hour. So it's definitely built as an around-town source of transportation. It starts at $7,599 before destination costs. The larger, most powerful, and longer-range CE 04 starts at $12,700 just to help set some expectations.BMW also showed off Motorrad companion smartglasses that display speed, speed limit, gear (for gas bikes), and turn-turn-directions. The glasses work with any of the company's current crop of bikes that use the Motorrad app, and again don't have a price yet.The CE 02 will be available in the spring of 2024, while the smart glasses will be available this summer. Watch the video below for the full story.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bmws-ce-02-electric-scooter-sets-sights-on-urban-mobility-184009798.html?src=rss
Casetify is launching a new series of accessories for Apple devices based on Neon Genesis Evangelion. The Project-CSTF: Protection from Impact" collection lets you drape your iPhone, AirPods or Apple Watch in cases that show off your love of the acclaimed mid-90s anime series.The likely highlight of the series is the limited-edition AirPods Pro case based on Evangelion's Unit-01, transforming your Apple earphones case into a purple mecha head. Although it appears too big and unwieldy to slip into a pocket, Casetify says the outer case is for ornamental purpose and not for harsh impact, scrapes or vigorous activities." (In other words, it's meant more for desktop display than everyday protection.) However, it also appears to include a standard on-the-go AirPods case (including an EVA-01" logo) that fits inside the Unit-01 head. The Test Type-01 case will be available in AirPods Pro / AirPods 2 variants and will retail for $122 - nearly half the cost of the Apple's latest true wireless earphones.The lineup also includes MagSafe-compatible iPhone cases featuring Evangelion mechs (and $52 MagSafe chargers styled like the series' Umbilical Cables) along with iPhone cases displaying the pilots' likenesses. You can even order a limited-edition $122 wireless charging dock (including the MagSafe Umbilical Cable) that looks like the anime series' ejection stands. Finally, the series will include Apple Watch bands emblazoned with the series' logo.The accessories officially arrive on July 20th at midnight Pacific Time. In the meantime, you can join a waitlist to order the new products. Meanwhile, those near Tokyo can visit an outdoor exhibit from July 20th to 25th (from 11:00-19:00 Japan Time) in Shinjuku Kabukicho Cine City Square.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/casetifys-evangelion-series-lets-you-put-airpods-in-the-robot-174954995.html?src=rss
Yuji Naka likely won't face prison time over his insider trading. Tokyo judge Madoka Hiruta has given the Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator a suspended 2.5-year prison sentence, deferred for four years, as well as two fines worth the equivalent of $1.1 million and $14,000. Naka's actions hurt the "fairness and soundness" of the stock market while wounding investors' trust, Hirtua says.Naka pleaded guilty in March to violating Japan's Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. While working at Square Enix, he bought shares in the game studio Aiming before its partnership with on Dragon Quest Tact became public knowledge. He made about $150,000 in profit after selling his shares. The developer also faced insider trading charges for buying shares in Ateam, the developer of the short-lived mobile battle royale game Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier.Two other former workers, Taisuke Sasaki and Fumiaki Suzuki, were also arrested for buying Aiming shares. Square Enix previously said it was cooperating with investigators and had instituted safeguards to prevent insider trading.This kind of activity isn't new in the technology space. It's rare in the gaming world, however. and surprising when it involves a successful developer like Naka. While this won't necessarily hurt the Sonic franchise, it certainly doesn't help his reputation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonic-the-hedgehog-co-creator-yuji-naka-receives-suspended-prison-sentence-for-insider-trading-173010653.html?src=rss
Another European car manufacturer is adopting Tesla's charging technology. Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that it will use the North American Charging Standard (NACS) on new North American EVs starting in 2025. Drivers will initially get access to the Tesla Supercharger network before through a CCS-to-NACS adapter arriving in 2024.This won't affect Mercedes' plans to deploy a high-speed charging network of its own starting this fall, according to the company. The company expects to build over 400 "Charging Hubs" in North America by 2030, with a total of 2,500 chargers available. The first installations are now set to include both CCS and NACS connectors, and will be open to non-Mercedes EVs.Executives are clear about the reasoning. This expansion makes sure drivers have "fast, convenient and reliable" charging that improves the overall EV experience, Mercedes board chairman Ola Kallenius says. Supercharger support provides access to many more charging points (over 12,000 Superchargers) - you're more likely to buy an EQB or EQS if you know you can travel cross-country and minimize charging times.Mercedes is the first German automaker to adopt NACS, and the third European badge following Volvo and its sibling Polestar. Volkswagen is considering a switch, but hasn't committed to the idea apart from adding NACS to Electrify America chargers. In the US, companies like Ford, GM and Rivian have pledged support for Tesla's technology. The mobility association SAE is producing a standardized version of the plug that could help other vendors use the format.This isn't a worldwide transition, and Mercedes' upscale focus will limit its reach compared to more affordable makes like Ford and GM. The switch to NACS increases pressure on VW and other rivals still using CCS in North America, though. They risk clinging to a less common EV plug that might hurt long-distance driving and, by extension, car sales.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mercedes-will-use-teslas-ev-charging-standard-on-north-american-cars-161547427.html?src=rss
When you think of true surround sound stereo systems, you imagine cumbersome multi-speaker affairs that take all day to set up. Sony may have just upended that notion with its HT-AX7 portable theater system, complete with 360 spatial sound mapping. The hook here is that the speakers are detachable and the whole system can easily be moved from room to room without a trip to the chiropractor.The system uses the company's proprietary spatial sound mapping technology to create phantom speakers at the front, rear and overhead. These audio sources integrate with three detachable and fully portable speakers, enveloping listeners in a bubble-like sphere" of spatial sound. The system is designed so anyone can set it up, so there's no need for a special installation of any kind.Beyond the portable form factor, the HT-AX7 system uses a real-time algorithm to upscale stereo sound into 3D surround sound. You can also disengage this feature for garden variety room-filling sound." All of the associated speakers are wireless and automatically pair with one another, further easing the installation process. This is a stereo system released in the year 2023, so there's also an app for making adjustments to the sound and to the spatial field.As for other bells and whistles, the wireless speakers get 30 hours of use per charge and boast quick-charging capabilities. These are Bluetooth-enabled speakers, so you aren't tied to the TV, which is traditional with home theater setups.Sony's HT-AX7 home theater system costs $500 and is available for preorder right now. The units begin shipping on July 18. That price is fairly decent if you're looking to build a budget-friendly home theater system. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-new-spatial-sound-system-is-actually-portable-170008725.html?src=rss
Japanese drugmaker Eisai and US-based Biogen have been working together on advancing research in the space of Alzheimer's for nearly a decade. Finally, the FDA, granted the fruits of that labor, Leqembi, its blessing for intravenous use. This marks the first approved treatment that can slow the progression of Alzheimer's.Leqembi received a preliminary approval in January that allowed it to be used in a limited capacity. That approval was conditioned on the two drug makers conducting a confirmatory study to verify the drug's clinical benefit.Though Leqembi slows Alzihmer's progression, it is not a cure. Instead, it addresses the underlying biology that spurs Alzheimer's advancement. The drug works by reducing amyloid plaques, or "misfolded" proteins that form in the brain of a person with Alzheimer's.Leqembi isn't the only drug targeting beta-amyloid plaque buildup to treat Alzheimer's. Aduhelm received approval under the same accelerated pathway in 2021, but it's still not fully FDA-approved. But what sets Leqembi apart from its predecessor is that the drug demonstrated actual clinical benefit in addition to simply reducing the buildup of the aforementioned proteins.Besides needing a medical prescription, taking the drug will require professional administration in a hospital or infusion center every two weeks. The company, though it may not be its sole responsibility, recognizes its need to boost accessibility. In a public statement, Christopher Viehbacher, the CEO of Biogen, said the company's main focus now is to work with Eisai to make Leqembi accessible to eligible patients as soon as possible."The drug's hefty price tag of $26,500 will unfortunately make it inaccessible to most. Current rules mean that it's unlikely to be covered by Medicare. According to the Alzheimer's Association, those on Medicaid only should be able to get coverage of the FDA-approved drug in most cases. But, even if Medicaid does cover it, patients would be responsible for a 20 percent copay - or about $5,300. Experts predict the total cost of Leqembi treatment can run upward of $90,000 a year, if you take infusions and laboratory tests into account.An expensive treatment program is something to consider for the one in nine Americans who are over the age of 65 that have Alzheimer's dementia. That number is expected to grow as the nation's aging population continues to grow. The number of Americans 65 and older is projected to climb from 58 million in 2021 to 88 million by 2050. This has led to an increased focus on treatments and diagnostics for Alzheimer's, like blood tests that can detect the disease.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-first-drug-that-slows-alzheimers-has-finally-received-fda-approval-165058452.html?src=rss
Meta's Threads has blown up this week, with more than 70 million registered accounts being registered within around 40 hours of the app going live. One of those users is a particular thorn in the side of Elon Musk as they're posting what the Twitter owner once referred to as "basically assassination coordinates" for him.In reality, the person behind Elonjet, Jack Sweeney, is using publicly available flight data to share the whereabouts of Musk's private jet in near-real-time. Sweeney used to post that information on Twitter, which bothered Musk long before he bought the company. Musk offered Sweeney $5,000 to delete the account, but the offer was rejected (a counteroffer of $50,000 or an internship at one of Musk's companies never panned out).In December, a couple months after Musk bought Twitter, the Elonjet account was permanently suspended. Twitter updated its private information rules around the same time to limit users to sharing "publicly available location information after a reasonable time has elapsed, so that the individual is no longer at risk for physical harm."Sweeney created a new Twitter account that shows the location of Musk's jet on a 24-hour delay, which was A-OK under the tweaked policy. Elonjet accounts on other platforms display more up-to-date information, including Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Mastodon and Bluesky.A subreddit is tracking the plane too.Elonjet never truly went away for long, but there's something quite fitting about it showing up on Threads. The new app is a blatant competitor to Twitter. So much so, Twitter has threatened Meta with legal action after accusing it of using former employees and trade secrets to build the Threads. Meanwhile, those planning to use Threads to closely keep tabs on Musk's jet will have to keep an eye on Elonjet's profile - Threads bafflingly doesn't yet have a chronological feed of posts.That said, Elonjet didn't quite escape the wrath of seemingly zealous Threads moderators. According to Engadget alum Saqib Shah, Meta removed the account from the app "in error" but later restored it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/elonjet-is-now-posting-elon-musks-assassination-coordinates-on-twitter-rival-threads-164026053.html?src=rss
Jony Ive has been busy since leaving Apple, with his design agency working on things like a typeface, a charity clown nose and the future of Airbnb." LoveFrom's latest project takes Ive back to his hardware days - it's a new model of a modular turntable that's been around for half a century.LoveFrom helped refine Linn's Sondek LP12 for a 50th anniversary edition. Ive told Fast Company it was a very gentle and modest project" for LoveFrom that stems from his team's admiration for Linn. Perhaps as a result of that, LoveFrom carried out the work pro bono. "There are many things that I've always wanted to be able to do purely for the love of doing them," Ive noted.The design firm approached Linn about working together, in part because Ive is a long-time fan of the brand. The two teams examined every aspect of the LP12 but couldn't change the turntable very much owing to concerns over impact to the sound quality. Still, LoveFrom "saw a number of areas where there could be small improvements and gentle evolutions of the current design," Ive said.The exterior of the special-edition Sondek LP12-50 looks largely the same as the standard LP12, though the tweaks include rounded off corners for some components rather than squared-off edges. There's a circular aluminum power button instead of a plastic rocker, while a new hinge seemingly enables the dust cover to easily remain open at any angle.If you're interested in owning the first post-Apple hardware that Ive worked on, you'll have to dig deep into your pockets. The Sondek LP12-50 costs $60,000 and Linn is only making 250 of them.At least for this project, Ive has moved on from digital audio hardware to an analog product. He played an instrumental role in the likes of the iPod, the iPhone and AirPods during his tenure at Apple as he helped the company reach extraordinary heights. We may see arguably more ambitious works from the LoveFrom camp in the next few years, as the firm is collaborating with Ferrari and its holding company Exor on several creative projects.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jony-ives-first-post-apple-hardware-project-is-a-60000-turntable-163040450.html?src=rss
Threads, Meta's text-based Twitter rival, is finally out in the world (most of it, anyway). Compared with other would-be Twitter challengers, Threads has absolutely exploded. By the morning after its launch, the Instagram offshoot had already attracted more than 30 million new sign-ups, according to Mark Zuckerberg.The momentum seems to have spooked Elon Musk, whose personal lawyer has reportedly threatened to sue Meta over unspecified trade secrets." But while the Meta vs. Twitter rivalry continues to play out, there are still some major questions about the new platform and how Meta intends to run it.Why the relentless focus on brands and influencers?It's no secret that Meta began testing Threads with a relatively small group of creators and celebrities ahead of its official launch. The group provided some early feedback to the company, and helped ensure that when the floodgates did eventually open, new users were greeted with more than an empty feed.The ploy worked. New Threads users found a lively feed filled with posts upon joining. But it's also led to the main feed feeling a bit... underwhelming. Finding posts from friends, particularly recent posts, can be difficult as the current feed algorithm seems to heavily favor influencers, celebrities, brands and other higher profile accounts. Which leads us to..What about a non-algorithmic feed?If you know anything about Twitter, it's that the original, reverse chronological feed is sacred to many longtime users. The same is true in some corners of Instagram, which brought back its chronological feed last year following a five-year hiatus.So it can feel a bit jarring that Threads currently has a single algorithmic feed that seems to lean quite heavily on recommended posts from accounts you're not already following. Not only is there no chronological feed, but there's no way to view a feed of posts from only accounts you follow (though some have devised a workaround by messing with the app's notification settings.)Both Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Zuckerberg have since said that a following" feed - that is a feed dedicated solely to accounts you follow - is in the works. Mosseri also confirmed there would be a chronological option. That should help address the garbage hose" problem, as Slate's Alex Kirshner described the current algorithmic feed.How will Threads tie into the broader Fediverse?One of the more intriguing aspects of Threads is Meta's promise to integrate ActivityPub, the open-source protocol that powers Mastodon and other decentralized platforms that make up the Fediverse."Mosseri told The Verge that Threads launched without ActivityPub due to the complexity involved. It requires a bunch more work," he said. But the company seems committed to the idea.In its announcement, the company suggested it was all-in on the open standard, and what it represents for the future of social networks. Our vision is that people using compatible apps will be able to follow and interact with people on Threads without having a Threads account, and vice versa, ushering in a new era of diverse and interconnected networks," Meta wrote.But the prospect of eventual Fediverse integration raises all kinds of new questions as well. How will the app, which is currently an offshoot of Instagram, handle interoperability with other federated platforms? Right now, Threads requires an Instagram account, which is neither decentralized or open-source, much less compatible with ActivityPub. Users can't even delete their Threads account without also deleting their Instagram. So how will Threads users take their audience with them if they decide to leave? (Even on Mastodon, the process is far from simple.)How will people on the thousands of Mastodon servers view and interact with posts on Threads? Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko has suggested it will be up to individual server admins to enable compatibility, but it's still far from clear how this functionality would work. And that doesn't address what might be possible on other platforms that pledged to support ActivityPub, like Tumblr and Flipboard, which may be less enthused about their platforms' content being accessible a Meta-owned service.Fediverse support also raises all kinds of questions about content moderation. Officially, Threads has the same community guidelines as Instagram, but federated platforms are free to set their own standards and norms. How will Meta keep content from other platforms that goes against its rules from Threads once posts are interoperable?What about content moderation?Speaking of content moderation, Meta hasn't really addressed how it plans to scale its content moderation operation to handle the sudden influx of new users to a brand new platform. Up to now, the company has been clear that Instagram's existing community guidelines apply on Threads and that it's hoping to foster a more positive" environment.But it's unclear how the company is handling enforcement internally. And as much as Meta execs try to emphasize the good vibes, history has taught us that where there are millions of users there will inevitably be bad actors spreading hate speech, misinformation and all the familiar ills of giant social media platforms.For now, it seems like Threads is largely relying on Instagram's moderation infrastructure. For example, the app will warn you before attempting to follow a user that's repeatedly shared misinformation. The company is also pushing users to carry over their block, restrict and word filtering settings from Instagram. But with more than 95 million posts on its first day of existence, Threads will at some point likely need its own moderation resources.Where are all the... other features?More immediately, the most pressing question for most Threads users is when Meta will start adding a bunch of basic features that could make Threads more functionally like Twitter and other services. For now, many have raised the absence of a number of basic capabilities.Direct Messages: Unlike Twitter and Instagram, Threads has no private messaging. And so far, it's unclear if that could change. Mosseri seems cautious about the idea, telling The Verge he was hesitant to contribute to inbox fatigue."Web interface: For a lot of Twitter power users, one of the more frustrating aspects of Threads is the lack of a proper web interface. For now, you can manually view Threads posts by navigating to user's public profiles, but there's no way to view your feed or interact with posts. Here, again, Mosseri says that's in the works. The priority is the mobile apps, but we are working on www," he wrote.Search and hashtags: While Threads makes it easy enough to find people from your existing social graph, Threads doesn't allow you to search posts or even use basic filtering tools like hashtags.Accessibility: Unfortunately, as with so many other new platforms, Threads so far has ignored some basic accessibility features. There's no support for alt text for photos, for example, which feels like a pretty glaring omission given Threads ties to Instagram.Ads: Most users (brands, aside) probably aren't clamoring for ads in their new feeds. But the launch of Threads has prompted questions about what Meta's eventual plan for advertising is. According to Zuckerberg, the ads won't be coming any time soon. Our approach will be the same as all our other products: make the product work well first, then see if we can get it on a clear path to 1 billion people, and only then think about monetization at that point," he wrote on Threads.While we don't know exactly which features Meta is prioritizing first, it seems safe to say we won't have to wait too long for at least some of these features. One advantage Threads has over many of its upstart competitors is that Meta has infinitely more engineers it can dedicate to these issues. And new features will be key if the company wants Threads to be a long term success and not just a novelty.Update July 7th, 2023, 9:05 AM PT: This story has been updated to note Adam Mosseri confirmed the company is working on a chronological feed for Threads.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/all-the-questions-we-still-have-about-threads-153059430.html?src=rss
2K announced today that NBA 2K24 will arrive on September 8th. The 25th-anniversary installment in the long-running basketball sim adds crossplay between PS5 and Xbox Series X/S -a first for the series - while celebrating one of the league's greatest all-time shooting guards.The game focuses heavily on the likeness of Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, who died tragically in a helicopter crash in 2020 at age 41. Not only does Bryant appear on the upcoming game's cover, but 2K added a Mamba Moments" mode that's a Kobe-fied version of NBA 2K23's Jordan Challenge. Similar to the previous installment's MJ mode, you'll recreate some of Kobe's most captivating performances and progress through his transcendent journey from a young phenom to one of the greatest players of all time," according to the developer.NBA 2K24 also adds a new technical feature called ProPlay for current-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles that translates real-world NBA footage into the game engine. It delivers animations and movements via on-court NBA action for a generational leap in authenticity on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S," the description reads. 2K says it will tell us more about ProPlay and Mamba Moments later this summer."The title will ship in three variants: the Kobe Bryant Edition (the standard version), the Black Mamba Edition and a 25th Anniversary Edition. The Kobe Bryant Edition will cost $70 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S and $60 for Switch, PC, PS4 and Xbox One. The Black Mamba Edition adds virtual currency and a long list of digital collectibles for $100. Meanwhile, the $150 25th Anniversary Edition (only available through September 10th) adds everything from the Black Mamba Edition along with a 12-month subscription to NBA League Pass and other in-game collectibles and boosts.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nba-2k24-arrives-on-september-8th-with-ps5-xbox-crossplay-140046497.html?src=rss
Volkswagen is no stranger to testing self-driving cars, but now it's finally bringing those experiments stateside. The car maker is rolling out its first US fleet of autonomous test vehicles in Austin this month. The 10 modified ID.Buzz electric vans will use longtime partner Mobileye's Level 4 self-driving system (that is, full autonomy in some conditions) to collect driving data that will "validate and refine" technology. These early machines will include safety drivers.The German brand plans to both expand its Austin fleet and grow testing to "at least" four more US cities. If all goes well, VW will launch commercial self-driving service in Austin by 2026. It will court third parties, too, by offering fleets of driverless ID.Buzz EVs to other mobility and transportation companies. The company also expects to employ people who previously worked with the defunct autonomous driving startup Argo AI.The deployment isn't surprising. Although Ford shuttered Argo to focus on semi-autonomous features in the short term, full self-driving remains a hot category in the US. GM's Cruise is bringing its robotaxis to more cities, and Waymo is rapidly expanding its service areas. American testing is vital if VW expects to compete with these robotaxi rivals.The emphasis on self-driving tech also reflects VW's ongoing transformation into an all-encompassing mobility company. It's adapting to an era where ridesharing and robotaxis will reduce the need for personal car ownership. Ride hailing and fleet deals could help VW thrive even if its car sales decline over time. Of course, that depends on driverless tech being ready in a timely fashion. Level 3 autonomy (hands-off motoring where the driver must be ready to take control) is only just reaching passenger cars in the US, and then only in limited circumstances. It could be a while before these platforms are advanced enough that autonomous taxis are practical on a large scale.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/vw-will-start-testing-self-driving-cars-in-the-us-this-month-135125310.html?src=rss
Apple is planning to roll out its $3,500 Vision Pro headset gradually, starting in the US with appointments for demos in designated Apple Store areas, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The gradual rollout is in line with the "niche and complex nature" of the mixed reality headset, and resembles what Apple originally did with the Watch when it launched in 2015.Apple will require appointments to try and buy the Vision Pro, much as it did with the Apple Watch, according to people with knowledge of the matter. It will also ask potential buyers to provide their eyeglass prescriptions. Special areas will be created in stores that offer demo Vision Pro devices, seating and tools to size accessories.The primary aim is to make sure that customers leave with a headset that fits correctly and gives them a clear view. It has even developed an iPhone app and physical machine that will scan your head to ensure a tight seal that keeps light out. Apple may also be working on a second strap that will make the headset more comfortable for people with smaller heads.Vision Pro demo spaces will only be available at Stores in major US markets like New York and Los Angeles to start with, before eventually rolling out across the US. It will come to other countries at the end of 2024, possible starting with the UK and Canada, followed by Europe and Asia soon after.The Vision Pro is Apple's most important product in years, but also one of the most complex devices it has ever built. It's also much more expensive than other consumer VR headsets. To that end, Apple is no doubt counting on the Vision Pro to get mainstream consumers excited about the idea of mixed reality.In our hands-on preview, we found that the device delivered an awesome experience, offering an "unparalleled sense of immersion, with displays sharp enough to read text on websites, plus an intuitive gesture-based user interface," according to Engadet's Devindra Hardawar. He also had concerns, though, about the solitary nature of using mixed reality headsets, particularly for socially-oriented activities like movie watching.Apple has reportedly had manufacturing issues as well, and only expected to sell a 900,000 units in the headset's first year. However, even that modest target has reportedly been slashed by over half to 400,000 units due to the tiny and costly OLED displays, the Financial Times reported yesterday.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-may-launch-the-vision-pro-headset-with-appointment-only-sales-124119032.html?src=rss
While Twitter encountered many self-inflicted wounds this week, users jumped to Blue Sky and Mastodon. Then Meta decided it was a fine time to drop its Twitter copycat, Threads. In this episode, Cherlynn and Devindra chat with Engadget's Karissa Bell about where all of these services are headed. Will Threads be the clear winner, thanks to Instagram's social graph? Or will the future lie with fully decentralized platforms like Mastodon?Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!Subscribe!
This is a great time to grab a 2022 Apple iPad from Amazon, where it's currently on sale for just $1 more than its all-time low. The 10.9-inch tablet will set you back $400 on the website, or $49 lower than its retail price of $449. That price applies to the blue, pink and yellow color options of the WiFi-only 64GB version of the 10th generation iPad. We gave the tablet a score of 85 in our review and praised it for having an updated modern design, which makes it look more like the iPad Air than the previous versions of Apple's basic tablet. It still costs more than the previous iPad, but it is larger than its predecessor, and this price cut makes it a more affordable and enticing option.In addition to giving the 2022 iPad flatter edges and thinner bezels, Apple also give it a USB-C port like its more expensive siblings. Underneath the hood, you'll find an A14 Bionic chip - it's an older model that debuted with the iPhone 12, but it still represents upgraded performance for the tablet. The iPad has a solid battery life, as well. When we tested it out, we found that it could last up to 11 hours and 45 minutes while playing back a movie purchased from the iTunes Store.But the best upgrade if you use your iPad for video conferences is perhaps its front facing camera that's now installed on the landscape edge of the device. The camera is no longer awkwardly placed to the side when you put the tablet on landscape mode, and your face will now finally be centered when you take a video call. Take note that while the silver version of the iPad isn't listed at the same price, you can get still get it for $428 on the e-commerce website.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-109-inch-ipad-falls-back-to-400-120534541.html?src=rss
Are you on Threads yet? Meta's Twitter rival pulls your existing Instagram handle and follows to create a pretty busy timeline, despite only launching over 24 hours ago. It's already got over 30 million users - which is insane - and speaks to the ease of converting your Instagram account to a Threads account.Twitter probably isn't happy, as beyond its own problems, Threads is doing a decent job (in these early days) of replicating Elon Musk's social network. Now that's legally true: Twitter has threatened legal action against Meta, accusing it of poaching former employees and unlawful misappropriation of trade secrets and intellectual property.Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights, and demands that Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information," Alex Spiro, Elon Musk's personal lawyer, wrote in a letter to Meta. Spiro, who is acting on behalf of Twitter parent X Corp., claims Meta has hired dozens of ex-Twitter employees over the last year. (Surely, they have to get jobs somewhere.)Meta has refuted Spiro's claims. No one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee - that's just not a thing," Meta communications director Andy Stone wrote on... Threads.- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedThe best gaming laptops for 2023 The best VPN services The Super Mario Bros. Movie' is coming to Peacock on August 3rdFrench Assembly passes bill allowing police to remotely activate phone camerasPolice could tap into cameras and mics for surveillance.Lawmakers in France's National Assembly have passed a bill that lets police surveil suspects by remotely activating cameras, microphones and GPS location systems on phones and other devices. A judge will have to approve use of the powers, and the recently amended bill forbids use by journalists, lawyers and other "sensitive professions," according to Le Monde.But civil liberties advocates are alarmed. The digital rights group La Quadrature du Net previously pointed out the potential for abuse. As the bill isn't clear about what constitutes a serious crime, there are fears the French government might use this to target environmental activists and others who aren't grave threats.Continue reading.Dine like it's 2013 at New York's Angry Birds cafeYes, it's still a thing.RovioTo give you an idea how old Angry Birds is, it arrived on iOS, webOS and something called Maemo 5 (you don't remember Maemo?) before it even came to Android, according to our 2010 review. It's still around, over 13 years later, and Sega is buying its developer, Rovio, for around $776 million. Now we're getting the first Angry Birds-themed restaurant, called iSwii by Angry Birds, in the food court at the new Tangram mall in Flushing, Queens, NY. I prefer the Kirby Cafe.Continue reading.The best Windows laptops for 2023We've got recommendations for almost every size and situation.We all know this, but there are so many Windows laptops now. If there's a specific feature (like a touchscreen or stylus input) you really need, there's a great chance there's a notebook for you. However, that abundance of choice can also make it difficult to know where to start shopping. If your main focus is on general productivity, a sleek ultraportable is all you need. But if you edit photos and videos or play AAA games, you may want a bigger system with discrete graphics. We lay out the most crucial specs, our top-rated devices and our best budget picks too.Continue reading.Pokemon Sleep' is coming later this monthAnd there's a gameplay trailer to prove it.PokemonIt's now been four years since Pokemon Sleep was announced, in the wake of the Pokemon Company's success with Pokemon Go. Finally, there's a brand-new gameplay trailer and an approximate release date of late July. Can you call it gameplay, though? Because, really, it's a sleep-tracking app wearing a Pokemon jacket.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-twitter-says-meta-stole-trade-secrets-to-build-threads-111503761.html?src=rss
Uber, DoorDash and Grubhub are suing for an injunction to stop New York City's new $18 minimum wage law for food delivery app workers, The Washington Post has reported. The app delivery platforms are asking for a temporary restraining order against the new rules, set to be implemented on July 12th. "We will not stand by and let the harmful impacts of this earnings standard on New York City customers, merchants, and the delivery workers it was intended to support go unchecked," a DoorDash spokesperson told CNN.The Worker's Justice Project that backed the survey decried the new lawsuit. "This latest legal maneuver to prop up their business model comes at the expense of workers who can barely survive in a city facing a massive affordability crisis," director Ligia Guallpa told the Post.New York became the first US city to mandate a minimum wage for food delivery workers, ordering platforms to pay workers $17.96 per hour, plus tips, by July 12th. The minimum wage in the city is $15 per hour, but the extra amount accounts for the fact that delivery workers are usually paid as contractors, so have higher taxes and must pay work-related expenses out of pocket. According to an estimate from the DCWP (NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection), NYC has more than 60,000 food delivery workers who earn an average of $7.09 per hour.However, DoorDash and GrubHub argued that the earnings estimate was based on flawed methodology. Workers surveyed were told up front that the aim was to help raise the pay of delivery workers and suggested "correct" answers, according to the lawsuit.Grubhub also expressed concern about the increased difficulty in monitoring workers. Uber said, in a separate lawsuit, that the higher minimum wage would inflate food order prices, in turn hurting local restaurants.App services like Uber have fought for years against regulations against the "gig worker" economy. Earlier this year, a court ruled that Uber and Lyft could keep treating drivers as contractors, rather than reclassifying them as salaried employees.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uber-doordash-and-grubhub-sue-new-york-city-over-18-minimum-wage-law-103531552.html?src=rss
So, you signed up for a Threads account, because you wanted to see what the fuss was about with Meta's Twitter rival. If you decide that the new social network isn't for you or if you want to start fresh, deleting your Threads profile may not be the way to go - as The Verge notes, doing so will also erase your entire Instagram account. When you open a Threads account, you can use your Instagram credentials to sign up if you want to bring over your profile and your circles from the photo-sharing app. But by doing so, your accounts on both platforms become inextricably linked.In a post on Threads, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, said Meta is aware of the issue and is currently looking for a way to allow you to delete your Threads account separately. The company is also working on features that are still missing from the app, including the following tab, hashtags, fediverse support and messaging. For now, you can deactivate your Threads account to hide your profile and content. You can also set your profile to private or simply just delete individual threads. To note, you can also sign up for a Threads account with an email or a phone number not linked to your Instagram account, so you can keep the two platforms completely separate.Meta couldn't have launched Threads at a better time. Twitter recently made changes that frustrated even the most avid users. It first prevented people who aren't logged in from seeing tweets - though it quietly backtracked on requiring users to log in - and then put a strict cap on how many posts users can see per day. Around 10 million users signed up for a Threads account within its first seven hours, and in the first morning after it became available, the app already had 30 million users. Shortly after Threads launched, Twitter threatened to sue Meta, accusing it of poaching former employees and misappropriating trade secrets and intellectual property. In a response to a tweet about the potential lawsuit, Elon Musk replied: "Competition is fine, cheating is not."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-is-working-to-stop-deleted-threads-accounts-from-nuking-instagram-too-094423213.html?src=rss
Amazon's $1.7 billion acquisition of Roomba manufacturer iRobot is under scrutiny not only in the US, but also in Europe. The European Commission has revealed that it has opened an in-depth investigation into the purchase out of concerns that the merger would restrict competition for robotic vacuum cleaners. In particular, the commission is concerned that Amazon might prevent iRobot's rivals from selling their robot vacuums on its marketplace. Amazon might favor iRobot's products in both paid and unpaid search results or charge competing products more to advertise their offerings, the commission said.In addition, authorities are worried about the possibility of Amazon preventing iRobot rivals from accessing future Alexa APIs and from getting the "Works with Alexa" certification, since voice control with the assistant is one of the most important selling points for robot vacuums. Finally, the commission has raised concerns about Amazon obtaining access to iRobot users' data, which it believes could provide the e-commerce giant "an important advantage." Amazon could, for instance, use that information to better personalize and target advertisements. Bottom line is that the "transaction may raise barriers to entry and expansion for Amazon's competitors to the detriment of consumers."The commission will now look into these concerns in cooperation with other competition authorities and has until November 15th to finalize its results. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission launched a probe into the acquisition last year after politicians from both parties asked it to oppose the purchase.An Amazon spokesperson told Reuters that the company will "continue to work through the process with the European Commission and [is] focused on addressing its questions and any identified concerns at this stage." They also told the news organization that Amazon could "offer a company like iRobot the resources to accelerate innovation and invest in critical features while lowering prices for consumers."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-irobot-purchase-is-under-investigation-by-european-authorities-054857108.html?src=rss
French law enforcement may soon have far-reaching authority to snoop on alleged criminals. Lawmakers in France's National Assembly have passed a bill that lets police surveil suspects by remotely activating cameras, microphones and GPS location systems on phones and other devices. A judge will have to approve use of the powers, and the recently amended bill forbids use against journalists, lawyers and other "sensitive professions," according to Le Monde. The measure is also meant to limit use to serious cases, and only for a maximum of six months. Geolocation would be limited to crimes that are punishable by at least five years in prison.An earlier version of the bill passed the Senate, but the amendment will require that legislative body's approval before it can become law.Civil liberties advocates are alarmed. The digital rights group La Quadrature du Net previously pointed out the potential for abuse. As the bill isn't clear about what constitutes a serious crime, there are fears the French government might use this to target environmental activists and others who aren't grave threats. The organization also notes that worrying security policies have a habit of expanding to less serious crimes. Genetic registration was only used for sex offenders at first, La Quadrature says, but is now being used for most crimes.The group further notes that the remote access may depend on security vulnerabilities. Police would be exploiting security holes instead of telling manufacturers how to patch those holes, La Quadrature says.Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti says the powers would only be used for "dozens" of cases per year, and that this was "far away" from the surveillance state of Orwell's 1984. It will save lives, the politician argues.The legislation comes as concerns about government device surveillance are growing. There's been a backlash against NSO Group, whose Pegasus spyware has allegedly been misused to spy on dissidents, activists and even politicians. While the French bill is more focused, it's not exactly reassuring to those worried about government overreach.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/french-assembly-passes-bill-allowing-police-to-remotely-activate-phone-cameras-and-microphones-for-surveillance-210539401.html?src=rss
Twitter isn't exactly happy about Meta's Threads app, a new text-based Instagram sibling. As Semafor reports, Twitter has threatened legal action against Meta, accusing it of poaching former employees and unlawfully misappropriating trade secrets and intellectual property.Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights, and demands that Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information," Alex Spiro, Elon Musk's personal lawyer, wrote in a letter to Meta. Twitter reserves all rights, including, but not limited to, the right to seek both civil remedies and injunctive relief without further notice to prevent any further retention, disclosure, or use of its intellectual property by Meta."Spiro, who is acting on behalf of Twitter parent X Corp, claims that Meta has hired dozens of ex-Twitter employees over the last year. He claimed the company "deliberately assigned" them to work on Threads "with the specific intent that they use Twitter's trade secrets and other intellectual property in order to accelerate development of Meta's competing app." He argued this violates state and federal laws as well as those employees' obligations to their former employer. In addition, Spiro said Meta is prohibited from scraping Twitter data relating to who people follow.Meta has refuted Spiro's claims. No one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee - that's just not a thing," Meta communications director Andy Stone wrote on (where else?) Threads.For the time being, Threads users need to sign up for the app with their Instagram profile. It's an easy process that helped Meta quickly sign up tens of millions of users. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that 30 million people had joined Threads by Thursday morning, just over 12 hours after the app went live.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitter-threatens-to-sue-meta-over-the-new-threads-app-191141961.html?src=rss
The Super Mario Bros. Movie has been available for digital purchase and download from various sources for a little while now. The film will be available to rent starting July 11th on services such as Apple TV and Amazon Video. It was even available to watch through Twitter for a short period of time. But for those who prefer (or already subscribed to a ton of) streaming services, the movie will be hitting Peacock on August 3rd, according to Deadline.Despite some earlier mixed reviews, most fans seemed to like it overall. The Super Mario Bros. Movie even broke box office records. When we checked the movie out, our reviewer Devindra Hardwar thought that it was great for all ages with endless references that didn't take you out of the movie if you're not a diehard Nintendo fan. Its A-List cast includes Jack Black as Bowser, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad and Chris Pratt as the lovable Mario. The movie follows the Mario Bros struggling to get their Brooklyn-based plumbing business off the ground. Somehow, someway (you'll have to watch the movie to find out) the duo falls into the Mushroom Kingdom and ultimately have to battle it out with the one and only Bowser.The success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie hopefully sets a precedent for more films from Nintendo. It's long been rumored that Nintendo is working on a Legend of Zelda movie or TV series, and the success of Mario might give them reason to finally do it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-super-mario-bros-movie-is-coming-to-peacock-on-august-3rd-184942554.html?src=rss
It's been a whopping four years since Pokemon Sleep was announced, in the wake of the Pokemon Company's success with Pokemon Go. For a while everyone thought the bizarre sleep tracking app would disappear into the dustbin of vaporware history, but there's a brand-new gameplay' trailer and an approximate release date of late July.We put gameplay in italics because this isn't a game. It's a sleep-tracking app with a Pokemon skin. The app pairs you with the snooze-loving Snorlax. You increase your bond with the giant oaf by, you'll never guess, sleeping. Getting a good night's sleep increases your score and allows Snorlax to siphon drowsy power" from your poor, lifeless husk. In return, more tired Pokemon visit and gift you rare sleep styles. Rinse and repeat until your Sleep Style Dex" is filled to the brim. Gotta catch 'em all.You can also moderately increase your bond with Snorlax by feeding it berries and specialized drinks, but that won't bring exhausted Pokemon like Slowpoke and Diglett to your sleep island." That requires rest and accurate sleep tracking.To that end, the sleep tracking capabilities seem fairly robust, leveraging your phone's microphone and accelerometer sensors to see how much you toss and turn or if you snore. Your personal sleep style seems to inform which pocket monsters come to visit. For instance, if you toss and turn all night, expect Togepi to impart its Rocking Sleep" style. If you snore, Jigglypuff will offer a song via its signature Singing Sleep" style. The company hasn't noted which Pokemon comes to visit if you lay in bed all night staring at your phone surrounded by potato chips, nor have they stated why a sleep tracker took over four years to develop.The app is a walled-garden and doesn't integrate with any fitness tracking or sleep tracking apps. It does, however, pair up with the Pokemon Go Plus bracelet, letting users begin sleep tracking by pushing a button on the device. Using the bracelet also encourages a rare visit from a nightcap-wearing Pikachu. A bracelet costs around $30 and the forthcoming Pokemon Sleep is a free app.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pokemon-sleep-is-coming-later-this-month-and-theres-a-gameplay-trailer-to-prove-it-182444048.html?src=rss
All of the the world's governments will, at least officially, be out of the chemical weapons business. The US Army tellsThe New York Times it should finish destroying the world's last declared chemical weapons stockpile as soon as tomorrow, July 7th. The US and most other nations agreed to completely eliminate their arsenals within 10 years after the Chemical Weapons Convention took effect in 1997, but the sheer size of the American collection (many of the warheads are several decades old) and the complexity of safe disposal left the country running late.The current method relies on robots that puncture, drain and wash the chemical-laden artillery shells and rockets, which are then baked to render them harmless. The drained gas is diluted in hot water and neutralized either with bacteria (for mustard gas) or caustic soda (for nerve agents). The remaining liquid is then incinerated. Teams use X-rays to check for leaks before destruction starts, and they remotely monitor robots to minimize contact with hazardous material.The Army initially wanted to dispose of the weapons by sinking them on ships, as it had quietly done before, but faced a public backlash over the potential environmental impact. Proposals to incinerate chemical agents in the 1980s also met with objections, although the military ultimately destroyed a large chunk of the stockpile that way.The US last used chemical weapons in World War I, but kept producing them for decades as a deterrent. Attention to the program first spiked in 1968, when strange sheep deaths led to revelations that the Army was storing chemical weapons across the US and even testing them in the open.This measure will only wipe out confirmed stockpiles. Russia has been accused of secretly making nerve gas despite insisting that it destroyed its last chemical weapons in 2017. Pro-government Syrian military forces and ISIS extremists used the weapons throughout much of the 2010s. This won't stop hostile countries and terrorists from using the toxins.Even so, this is a major milestone. In addition to wiping out an entire category of weapons of mass destruction, it represents another step toward reduced lethality in war. Drones reduce the exposure for their operators (though not the targets), and experts like AI researcher Geoffrey Hinton envision an era when robots fight each other. While humanity would ideally end war altogether, efforts like these at least reduce the casualties.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-us-is-destroying-the-worlds-last-known-chemical-weapons-stockpile-181026211.html?src=rss
Generally, the game-creation process begins with a mechanic. There tends to be an input method that developers want to explore, or maybe even a storyline that they think will be particularly powerful in an interactive setting. There's usually a central theme grounded in a genre like first-person shooter" or isometric roguelike," and the game comes together within this framework, its details and proper nouns crystalizing along the way.In the case of Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Simogo started with the name.There wasn't a single a-ha moment," Simogo co-founder Simon Flesser told Engadget. We had the title which we really liked, and from there we have been trying to figure out what laser eyes are."SimogoLorelei and the Laser Eyes is the ninth major game from Simogo, the acclaimed Swedish studio that's responsible for Device 6, Year Walk and Sayonara Wild Hearts. Simogo revealed Loreleiin June 2022 with a noir-inspired trailer promising a murder mystery, a maze of deceptions and a palace of memories. A smartly dressed woman moves languidly behind the trailer's text, eyes glowing red as she navigates the monochromatic grounds of a large estate.Simogo didn't divulge a ton of detail about Lorelei at its debut, and it hasn't provided much clarity in the year since. The game's latest trailer includes the years 1847, 1963 and 2014, and it hints at international espionage with a paranormal twist, emphasizing the player's ability to recognize patterns and solve puzzles. Do you remember the maze?" the trailer asks, over and over again.So, here are some basic details about Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, directly from Flesser:
Now's the time to get a smart speaker with a little flourish. Amazon is running an early Prime Day sale on Echo devices that includes steep discounts on fifth-generation Echo Dot bundles with Star Wars stands. The best deal is for a bundle featuring The Mandalorian's ever-so-adorable Baby Grogu for $46, or 41 percent off - that's less than the normal price of the speaker by itself. You can also buy a Darth Vader bundle for $63 (30 percent off), and a Stormtrooper kit for the same price. Just remember that you'll need to be a Prime subscriber to take advantage of these discounts.You'll also find bargains for the latest Echo Show displays, the higher-end Echo Studio and the entry-level Echo Pop. Fourth-gen Echo Dot bundles are also on sale.The fifth-gen Echo Dot is ultimately a refinement of the previous model, but that's not a bad thing. You're getting surprisingly powerful sound for a budget speaker, an eye-catching design and the robust Alexa smart home ecosystem. This newest model ups the audio quality and adds a temperature sensor that can help check indoor conditions. This may be helpful if you want to keep a child's room cool during the summer, for instance.The current Echo Dot doesn't have a 3.5mm jack like its predecessor, so it's not your pick if you're just looking to enhance a conventional speaker system. Likewise, there are still more capable speakers if audio quality is a priority. For the money, though, it's difficult to find better.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/echo-dot-star-wars-bundles-are-up-to-41-percent-off-132748818.html?src=rss
To give you an idea how old Angry Birds is, it arrived on iOS, webOS and something called Maemo 5 (?) before it even came to Android, according to our 2010 review. Not only is it still around over 13 years later, but developer Rovio is being purchased by Sega for around $776 million. And on top of all that, Rovio is opening the first Angry Birds-themed restaurant on Friday (July 8th). Called "iSwii by Angry birds," it'll be located within the Food Court at Tangram's new mall in Flushing, Queens, NY - ready to fling cakes, pastries and other treats into your mouth.Partnering with construction outfit SCG America, Rovio promises "endless culinary treats, bright visuals, newest Angry Birds Games and interactive technology." Its decorated with "Instagrammable" NYC-themed statue installations outside the entrance, a ceiling mural, terrazzo counter and flooring that looks like dessert sprinkles. You'll also see "nest-like wicker and hanging chairs, bird paradise graphic wall coverings, and tropical plants on the shelving units where hatchlings, the baby birds wander around."No menu was shown, but the press release mentions "yummy seasonal holiday cakes and pastries," and the provided photo shows mostly deserts, candies and other sweets. It's also hosting private parties in "nests" or "rooms that will offer Angry Birds VR games & treats, including customizable Angry Birds-themed gift bags for party goers.We're not sure if people will embrace a restaurant based on a game that peaked around 2015 with the Angry Birds Movie. In any case, Sega's purchase for three-quarters of a billion dollars shows the IP still has value, and the app has over 5 billion downloads to date - plus, the restaurant has a 2013 vibe that could make it a big nostalgia draw.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/new-york-is-getting-the-first-ever-angry-birds-cafe-130421618.html?src=rss
As teased, Meta's launched its Twitter rival, timed perfectly to capitalize on the latter's recent struggles and contractions. Threads has started rolling out worldwide, though it won't be available in the European Union until the company addresses potential regulatory concerns.Some basic features are missing - the sort of thing Twitter (and normal Instagram) is already capable of. That includes hashtags (!), account switching on the same device and post editing. The company described Threads as a separate space for real-time updates and public conversations," which relies on users' Instagram credentials but will eventually be compatible with a wider swath of decentralized services like Mastodon.If you haven't tried it already, you log in to Threads with your existing Instagram account - or make a new one. Usernames and verification status carry over, although you can tweak your bio and profile if you want to change it up from your Instagram one. It's all very old Twitter in style, with support for text posts up to 500 characters, as well as photos and videos. Threads will also support reposts - its version of a retweet - as well as quote posts. Users can limit their replies and block and report other users, thankfully.At this early stage, Threads is a reminder for all the users on Instagram that I muted long ago. Remember, just because you can post something to Threads, you don't have to. (But we all know I did anyway.)- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedAudi's updated Q8 E-Tron focuses on luxury over performance The best wireless earbuds for 2023The modular Fairphone 4 arrives in the US for the first timeSpotify stops accepting payments set up through Apple's App Store OnePlus Nord 3 delivers a 120Hz screen and 80W fast charging Samsung will unveil its new foldables on July 26thPrepare for an early morning live stream.SamsungSamsung has confirmed the date of its latest Unpacked product launch. The event will take place on July 26th at 7 AM ET, the company announced today. The early start is because Samsung will stream from Seoul, South Korea - home territory. When Samsung began teasing Unpacked last month, it promised the event would feature its latest generation of foldable devices. In other words, expect new iterations of the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip. Because it's Samsung, though, don't be surprised to see more wearables or even a tablet. Even if you didn't ask for either.Continue reading.
Meta's Twitter rival Threads just went live and has already exceeded 10 million signups within the first seven hours, according to (a Thread by) CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Then, as the west coast was waking up, Zuckerberg noted that the app already has more than 30 million sign-ups "as of this morning." The app is now available globally (except in Europe), with the rapid signup pace showing Meta's enormous ability to scale up compared to other Twitter rivals like Bluesky - which still requires invite codes.To, er, mark the occasion, Zuckerberg tweeted for the first time in over a decade with the classic Spider-Man standoff picture (showing that unlike Elon Musk, he actually knows how memes work). "10 million signups in seven hours," he added on Threads.
The Jack Dorsey-backed decentralized social network Bluesky has launched a paid domain service in partnership with Namecheap as a way for users to verify their identity. In a post discussing its plans to make Bluesky sustainable, the team said "users become the product" when a company relies on ads. Since Bluesky set out to "build a protocol where users can own their data," it chose to explore "other avenues of monetization" instead. It's worth noting that the social app started as a project funded by Twitter, but it has lost its connection to the website after Elon Musk took over.Since earning by ads isn't an option, the team thought of offering paid services, starting with domain names. Users can already set up custom domain names to use with Bluesky, but they have to go through a separate process with a domain registrar first. This integration will supposedly allow them to do so in under a few minutes. They can simply log into their account, search for a domain name to use as a handle and then pay for it all within Bluesky's interface. For a Twitter competitor that doesn't have a centralized verification system, using a domain name is the best way for a user to verify that they are who they say they are. US Senators, for instance, have apparently been using the senate.gov domain to verify their identities.Users who use the integrated service will be able to manage their domain settings and configurations within Bluesky, and they can forward emails sent to their domains to an address of their choice. They can also choose to redirect their domain to their Bluesky profile or any URL they want. And in the event they decide to leave the platform or to use another registrar, they can transfer their domain away.Based on Bluesky's announcement, domain integration is just the first in what could be several paid services available on the platform. It says it's exploring other services it "can bundle to users to provide a more seamless experience." That said, Bluesky is still in private beta, and those interested will have to join a waitlist before they can get in.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bluesky-begins-offering-custom-domains-in-its-bid-to-remain-ad-free-071922355.html?src=rss
We knew it was coming but Samsung has confirmed the date of its latest Unpacked. The event will take place on July 26th at 7AM ET, the company announced today. The early start time is due to the fact Samsung plans to host the showcase from its home base of Seoul, South Korea. When Samsung first began teasing Unpacked last month, it promised the event would feature its latest generation of foldable devices. In other words, expect new iterations of the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip. Thanks to pre-release leaks, we have a pretty good idea of what Samsung has planned for those devices. In the case of the former, all signs point to a refined hinge mechanism that allows the Z Fold 5 to close flat, while the most significant change with the Z Flip 5 looks to be a larger front-facing cover display.Ahead of the 26th, Samsung is offering a $50 reservation credit for those who decide they want to pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold 5 or Galaxy Z Flip 5 sight unseen. If you want to take advantage of the promotion, all you need to do is visit the company's website and provide your name and email. If you later change your mind, thankfully it's a no-commitment offer.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-will-unveil-its-new-foldables-on-july-26th-230053235.html?src=rss
Threads, Meta's text-based app to challenge Twitter, is now official. Mark Zuckerberg announced the new service one day ahead of the July 6th launch date that appeared in app stores earlier this week. Meta has begun rolling out the new service around the world, though it won't be available within the European Union until the company addresses potential regulatory concerns.In a blog post announcing the Twitter rival, the company described Threads as a separate space for real-time updates and public conversations" that relies on users' Instagram credentials but will eventually be compatible with a wider swath of decentralized services like Mastodon. For now though, Threads users log into the app and website with their existing Instagram account. The company will carry over" existing usernames and verification status to Threads, though users have the option to further customize their profiles.Like on Instagram, the company will rely heavily on recommendations to help people discover new accounts to follow. And Meta has been quietly testing the service with a small group of celebrities and creators, as well as its own employees, so new users won't be greeted with an empty social network.The service itself looks remarkably similar to Twitter though its design will feel familiar to Instagram users. It supports text posts up to 500 characters, as well as photos and videos up to five minutes. Threads will also support reposts - its version of a retweet - as well as quote posts. Users can also limit their replies, block and report other users. And posts from Threads can be easily shared to users' Instagram Story for added visibility.MetaThe launch comes at a particularly chaotic moment for Twitter, just days after Elon Musk announced strict rate limits that severely restricted the number of posts many users could view on the platform. The company also stopped showing tweets to logged-out users, before quietly backtracking. Musk, who has complained about AI companies training their platforms on Twitter data, blamed both unpopular moves on data scraping."With Threads, Meta is challenging not just Twitter but the growing wave of Twitter alternatives like Mastodon. The company is planning to make Threads compatible with ActivityPub, the open source protocol that powers Mastodon and other decentralized services sometimes collectively referred to as the Fediverse."Our plan is to work with ActivityPub to provide you the option to stop using Threads and transfer your content to another service," the company wrote in a blog post. Our vision is that people using compatible apps will be able to follow and interact with people on Threads without having a Threads account, and vice versa, ushering in a new era of diverse and interconnected networks."As Meta explains, this means that users from Mastodon and other services that support ActivityPub will be able to follow and interact with public-facing posts on Threads. (Private accounts on threads will still be able to manually approve new followers from other services.) And other developers could one day create their own Threads-compatible features and services.For now, it's not clear how long it will take for Meta to fully integrate ActivityPub into Threads. In an early post on the service that was briefly viewable ahead of its official launch, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said the company was committed" to the protocol, but didn't provide a timeline. It's also not clear how ActivityPub integration could affect content moderation and other safety issues. While Meta's Threads app has the same content moderation policies as Instagram, services built by other developers are able to set their own standards and policies just as different instances on Mastodon have their own guidelines and norms. Meta notes that this will give users the freedom to choose spaces that align with their values."At the moment, the biggest question facing Threads, though, is whether it has a chance at becoming a viable Twitter alternative. Since Musk took over the company last year, Twitter users have flocked to alternative platforms like Mastodon, Bluesky, T2, and others. But so far none have achieved anything close to the scale of Twitter, much less Meta. But, with more than 1 billion Instagram users, Zuckerberg and Meta are clearly hoping that they can gather momentum much more quickly than other decentralized upstarts."It'll take some time, but I think there should be a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it," Zuckerberg write in a post on Threads shortly after its launch. "Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn't nailed it. Hopefully we will."Update July 5th, 2023, 5:15 PM PT: This story has been updated to quote a post from Mark Zuckerberg's Threads account.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-threads-app-is-here-to-challenge-twitter-230039730.html?src=rss
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