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As of November 1, Disney+ will restrict its Canadian users from sharing their accounts with people outside their households unless they're willing to pay more. The company sent out an email to subscribers notifying them of the change, which Disney CEO Bob Iger foreshadowed in an earnings call back in August. With this move, the company is following closely in the footsteps of Netflix, which officially began its crackdown on password sharing in the US and other countries in May.In the updated Subscriber Agreement, Disney specifies that a household includes only the collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence" and used by the people who live there. It also suggests Disney+ will introduce new fee options for users who want to add outside members to their accounts, noting that the upcoming rule applies to everyone unless otherwise permitted by your Service Tier." The details on that haven't been released yet, but Netflix has set the precedent with its $8 per extra person, per month charges.Iger previously said the company was targeting 2024 to begin clamping down on account sharing, so the bans up north are coming ahead of schedule. He also stated that addressing the significant" level of account sharing could take more than the entire next calendar year to solve. It's as yet unclear how, if at all, Disney+ will try to enforce the ban on mobile devices, and when it will come to other regions.On November 1, Disney+ users in Canada and parts of Europe will also get access to the streaming service's less costly ad-supported tier, which has been available in the US since 2022. That's likely little consolation for anyone about to get kicked off their parents' Disney+ account.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/disney-is-getting-strict-about-password-sharing-starting-in-canada-194038029.html?src=rss

Meta has just wrapped up its 2023 Connect keynote. As promised, the company had a lot more to share about its Meta Quest 3 headset. It also announced the latest pair of smart glasses it created in collaboration with Ray-Ban. In an astoundingly shocking turn of events, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also had some AI updates to discuss.Meta Quest 3 release dateMeta first showed off the Quest 3 back in June to preempt Apple's announcement of the Vision Pro. However, we had to wait a few months to get all of the details about Meta's mixed reality headset (which we've already had some hands-on time with).The Meta Quest 3 has full color passthrough and it's able to blend augmented reality elements into your physical surroundings. It's the first consumer device that runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip and Meta claims it delivers double the performance of the Quest 2. Expect higher resolution and a larger depth of field, but the refresh rate is staying the same at 90Hz.The latest model should be more comfortable for those who wear glasses (hi) and there's a dial for adjusting inter-pupillary distance. Meta has revamped the Quest controllers by adding haptic feedback and ditching the tracking rings - it says new sensors can handle tracking instead.Along with a bunch of native VR games and experiences that are on the way, the Quest 3 will gain support for Xbox Cloud Gaming in December. You can use the headset to get some work done, if you're so inclined. Microsoft 365 apps will be available on Quest by the end of the year, and you'll soon be able to access Windows on the headsets.Pre-orders for the Meta Quest 3 are open now. It starts at $500 for a version with 128GB of storage and you'll need to pony up $650 for a variant with double the storage. The 512GB model comes with a six-month trial of Meta Quest+ and, for a limited time, the company is bundling in Asgard's Wrath 2 with both versions. The headset will be available on October 10.Ray-Ban Meta smart glassesMeta had another hardware device to show off at Connect. It teamed up with Ray-Ban to whip up another set of smart glasses.The inventively titled Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses offer vastly improved specs compared with the Ray-Ban Stories. There's a 12MP wide-angle camera that can record 1080p video at 60fps. There's a 60-second time limit on video capture, but that works out quite nicely for Instagram Stories. The glasses have 32GB of storage as well.There are five mics that can capture spatial audio. The speakers are louder and leak less noise. Meanwhile, there's a second frame design option and the charging case looks just like a regular Ray-Ban protective pouch.Pre-orders for the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses open today. They start at $299 and the device will ship on October 17.AI updatesThere's no escaping AI in 2023, so of course Meta had some updates on that front. The company is starting to offer a couple dozen AI chatbot personalities voiced by a who's who (literally, in some cases) of celebrities. Its new generative AI assistant, the on-brand Meta AI, will be available on platforms including WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and the new hardware.Meanwhile, generative AI image editing is on the way to Instagram. You'll be able to switch up the looks of images by, for instance, giving them the appearance of a watercolor painting. A generative AI-powered green screen feature similar to the one YouTube just unveiled is coming soon. In addition, AI-generated stickers are coming to Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Facebook Stories.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/everything-announced-at-meta-connect-quest-3-release-date-smart-glasses-and-meta-ai-192757855.html?src=rss

Cuphead developer Studio MDHR is celebrating the indie game's sixth anniversary by giving Xbox and Windows players free behind-the-scenes content. The DLC includes high-res photos, concept art, a video player and the entire soundtrack. The developer describes the bonus content as a love letter" to fans on the game's initial platforms. It will be available on Friday, September 29.The Cuphead DLC will include over 100 behind-the-scenes photos, including never-before-seen concepts and unused art pieces" from one of gaming's most stylistic titles. Among the images is a peek at early concept art that Studio MDHR describes as akin to Microsoft Paint.With our process being so painstaking once we put pencil to paper, we often use paint tools during brainstorming sessions to communicate ideas very quickly to one another for the broad strokes of a boss attack or phase transition," said MDHR co-director Chad Moldenhauer. A few of these made their way into the photo gallery, and we think they're a fun break from tradition for the more handcrafted art we usually put out!"Studio MDHRThe bonus content also includes the entire 86-track Cuphead soundtrack for the first time. In addition, a never-before-heard MIDI demo track will play in the background as you browse the stylized DLC menus.Moldenhauer says the team wrestled with including music from The Delicious Last Course DLC as it was concerned about spoilers. After much discussion, though, we came down on the side of giving the Xbox community access to as much of Kris's great tunes as possible - especially as we feel most of the players enjoying a section like this will have experienced the full Cuphead game experience already!" said Moldenhauer. The song used over 110 musicians, more than on any tracks from the base game."We thought it would be fun to give this to our Xbox community as a gift on the game's anniversary, as our Cuphead journey really started with the release on Xbox," said Moldenhauer. In game development, plans like that don't always work out, but we were fortunate that all our testing and finalization for the update seemed to finish with enough time to launch on the game's sixth birthday!"This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cuphead-is-adding-free-behind-the-scenes-bonus-content-191723749.html?src=rss

Meta is starting to make good on its promise to bring generative AI to all of its products. At the company's Connect event, it revealed new AI image editing and sticker-creation features for Instagram.A tool called "restyle" is a bit like a supercharged generative AI filter. It allows users to remix their existing photos into different looks. Think of typing a descriptor like watercolor' or a more detailed prompt like collage from magazines and newspapers, torn edges' to describe the new look and feel of the image you want to create," the company explained.The company also previewed a new tool called backdrop," a generative AI-powered green screen feature. Users can type prompts like put me in front of a sublime aurora borealis" will create a new version of the image with the relevant background applied. The company didn't say when restyle and backdrop would be available to Instagram users, but said the tools would be arriving soon."MetaIt added that posts created using both backdrop and restyle would come with labels indicating "the use of AI to reduce the chances of people mistaking them for human-generated content." Meta didn't share what the labels will look like, but info screens saying "image generated by Meta AI" have previously been spotted in Instagram.Meta also showed off new AI-generated stickers, which will be available on Instagram, as well as WhatsApp, Messenger and Facebook Stories. The feature allows users to quickly create custom stickers for their chats and Stories via text prompts. The stickers will be rolling out to select English-language users" of the company's apps over the next month," Meta said.The features come as Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly promised that generative AI features will be coming to every Meta-owned app. The company also announced more than 25 generative AI chatbots, including several personalities based on real-life celebrities and creators.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/generative-ai-image-editing-is-coming-to-instagram-183711111.html?src=rss

Mondays rumors turned out to be true, Meta announced at its Connect event on Wednesday that it will release a line of digital personalities built on the company's freshly announced Meta AI chatbot platform. What could possibly go wrong?Meta AI is a new genAI assistant that will span the company's various properties including WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram (and arriving shortly on the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and Quest 3). User will be able to interact with it using natural language prompts. The AI is built on a custom model derived from Meta's LLaMA 2 LLM and will pull real-time information from the web using Microsoft Bing.What's more, the company is also rolling out 28 (!!!) chatbot "characters" meant to address specific niche interests, whether those are specific sports, media, or genre choices. These personalities will be voiced by a variety of modern influencers and celebrities:

We learned at last year's Meta Connect that Quest headsets would gain official support for Xbox Cloud Gaming and now we have a clearer idea of when that will happen. During this year's event, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the game streaming service will be available on Meta Quest 3 sometime in December.Using your headset, you'll be able to stream games like Halo Infinite, Starfield andForza Horizon 5to a large, virtual 2D screen. You'll need an Game Pass Ultimate subscription to use Xbox Cloud Gaming, as well as a compatible controller. A disclaimer notes that the service will only be available on Quest in select regions. It's unclear if and when Xbox Cloud Gaming will be available on Quest 2 and Quest Pro.Enthusiasts have already found ways to access Xbox Cloud Gaming on Quest headsets, but official support will make it easy for anyone to dive right in. By the time the service becomes available on Quest, Microsoft may have closed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, so you might kind of be able to play the likes of Call of Duty and Overwatch 2 in virtual reality in a few months.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-quest-3-will-gain-offical-xbox-cloud-gaming-support-in-december-181329521.html?src=rss

I haven't posted on Instagram in more than two years and I often find social media to be a bit of a chore. But after checking out its second-gen high-tech sunglasses announced today at Connect, officially called the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, it feels like Meta has transformed this line from a wacky concept for people who are terminally online into something regular folk might actually buy - even if they don't plan on sharing a ton of your content.The issue with the original Ray-Ban Stories was their somewhat clunky design and underwhelming specs. Photos topped out at five megapixels while videos were capped at a weird 1,184 x 1,184 resolution and just 30 fps. And to hold all your content, the glasses had just 4GB of onboard storage.However, with the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, you get a noticeably improved kit. In addition to a new 12-MP wide-angle camera and 32GB of storage (eight times more than before), you can also record videos at 1080p/60fps, though clips are restricted to just 60 seconds. That said, for people who want to capture longer vids, you can now livestream footage directly from the glasses to Facebook or Instagram with the help of a nearby paired device. And to my surprise, photos and videos both looked surprisingly sharp. Granted image quality isn't quite as detailed or colorful as what you'd get if you used a phone, but it's good enough for social media. The one caveat is with livestreaming, Meta's redesigned View app automatically selects video quality based on the speed of your connection and a few other factors, so clips can sometimes look fuzzy.As for audio, the smart glasses now feature five built-in mics that can record spatial audio including one receiver hidden in the nose to improve voice quality during calls. But, perhaps my biggest surprise, is simply how good the new speakers are. Meta says that not only are they 50 percent louder than before, they also leak less noise so people around you won't be able to hear what you're listening to. Regardless, they sound great with just enough bass to balance out sharper highs, while still letting ambient noises waft in from the outside world. Despite advancements with pass-through audio in recent headphones and earbuds, this is still the closest thing you can get to having a soundtrack for your life. And working in tandem with the mics, the speakers support spatial audio too, so there's an extra level of immersion when playing back previously recorded material (though it's unclear if the glasses support spatial audio in streaming services like Tidal and Apple Music).Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetYou can also use voice controls to start a livestream or even send content to contacts. At first, you'll need to explicitly designate who you're sending things to and what service to use (WhatsApp, FB Messenger, Instagram, et cetera), but after it learns your habits, Meta says the glasses can use AI to streamline and speed up sharing.I also appreciate their updated design, which despite the glasses' upgraded specs features thinner arms and a generally sleeker design while also sporting a larger touchpad that's super easy to use. To control music, you just tap once near your temple to play, tap again to pause, or double-tap to skip to the next track. Meanwhile, adjusting volume is as simple as swiping forward or back. And when you want to record something, you can press down once on the capture button to snap a pic or press and hold to take a video. And to help make its glasses easier to use, Meta says it has completely redesigned the Meta View app with a new UI and features that are more discoverable.The Headliner is the new frame style joining the line for Meta's second-gen smart glasses. Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetAnother major change is the addition of a second frame called the Headliner, which is a nice alternative to the boxier look of the classic Wayfarers. On top of the existing shiny and matte black frames, there are three new semi-transparent color options: jeans, caramel, and a smokey Rebel Black. The whole effect is that Meta's latest sunglasses kind of just look like sunglasses. That might not seem important, but for people who want their tech to blend in, this goes a long way to prevent these shades from sticking out too much. And with the option to add polarized lenses or even prescription glass, there are way more options for customizing them than before.On the privacy side, there's also a new LED indicator on the left that's brighter than before while also adding some symmetry with the camera on the right. The light turns on every time you record a picture or video, so there's no hiding when you're capturing content. But the clever thing is that Meta says that if anyone tries to cover up the light, it will block the glasses from recording altogether.The last big upgrade is with the smart glasses' case, which has gotten a makeover so that it looks almost exactly like a classic Ray-Ban protective pouch. The small difference is that there's a handy LED indicator light in front that tells you when it's charging and a USB-C port down below for topping it up. In normal use, Meta says its smart glasses should last for around six hours of mixed use (or four if you're livestreaming), with the case holding around eight additional charges (for a total of 36 hours).After using the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, my biggest takeaway is that they finally feel like a complete product. The original Ray-Ban Stories sort of felt like a concept device meant to steal the limelight from Snapchat's Spectacles than to address a specific desire. Photo quality was mediocre and even though audio was decent, it was a bit quiet.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetBut with the new model, you get way better image quality along with big mic and speaker upgrades, which makes them feel like better rivals for devices like Bose' Frames. Then you factor in the ability to livestream and now it feels like Meta has made a much more well-rounded product. And of course with Ray-Ban in charge of the updated styling, Meta's smart glasses look better than all of its rivals. So while I'm still not sure I need these in my life, Meta's second-gen sunnies could make a convincing argument to some.The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are available for pre-order today starting at $299, $329 with polarized lenses or $379 for transition lenses with official sales slated for October 17.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ray-ban-meta-hands-on-techy-sunglasses-you-might-actually-want-to-wear-180852514.html?src=rss

Developed in collaboration with Meta, on Wednesday Qualcomm announced two new Snapdragon chips designed to power the upcoming wave of next-gen headsets and smart glasses.The Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 is the more powerful of the two boasting 2.5 times better GPU performance compared to the last generation and up to eight times faster AI speeds. It's optimized to support mixed reality devices with display resolutions of up to 3,000 x 3,000 per eye while also delivering more detailed textures and higher frame rates.For headsets that can switch between VR and AR, Qualcomm says the XR2 Gen 2 allows headsets to transition to full-color passthrough vision in less than 12ms. Other capabilities include support for devices with up to 10 cameras, improved wireless speeds (up to Wi-Fi 7) and 50 percent increased GPU power efficiency.The Meta Quest 3 will be the first retail device featuring Qualcomm's new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip. QualcommAlternatively, for more lightweight devices like smartglasses, Qualcomm's Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chip offers improved on-device AI processing, better noise and echo cancellation and dual ISPs for improved image quality. The new silicon can also support devices with up to 12-MP cameras (6-MP for video) and up to eight microphones with spatial sound for richer audio recording.Notably, due to its collaboration with Meta, Qualcomm's latest XR and AR processors will be available first on the new Quest 3 and Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses, both of which go on sale in October. Qualcomm says "additional devices from other manufacturers to follow next year," which suggests that Meta will enjoy some level of limited exclusivity regarding the use of these new chips.So while Meta may have a bit of a headstart compared to some of its rivals, it will be interesting to see what other OEMs can do with these chips when devices featuring them become more widely available in 2024.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/qualcomm-announces-two-new-snapdragon-chips-for-next-gen-headsets-and-smart-glasses-180010526.html?src=rss

Last year Meta caught a bit of backlash when it released the Quest Pro. It was too expensive, it had a number of features people didn't really want, and there just weren't enough apps that fully utilized its hardware. But today at Connect, Meta is announcing the follow-up to the most popular VR headset on the market and I think the Quest 3 is exactly what people have been waiting for.Meta isn't straying too far from the Quest 2's basic template. The headset's facelift includes a new y-shaped headband that offers better support along with a fresh row of sensors in front. There are now two full-color cameras that provide sharper pass-through vision along with a depth sensor in the middle that can automatically map your room and detect nearby objects like tables and chairs. On the bottom, Meta also added a dial for adjusting IPD (inter-pupillary distance) and, for users who wear glasses, there's now a way to adjust the depth of the lenses to better accommodate the shape and size of your spectacles. You still get a USB-C port for charging, built-in speakers that support spatial audio and a headphone jack (in case you'd rather use wired headphones).On the inside, the headset is the first retail device powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip, which Meta says provides double the performance compared to the Quest 2. You also get new pancake lenses similar to the ones used in last year's Quest Pro, along with displays that offer 30 percent more resolution (2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye). All told, it's a pretty significant jump in horsepower, with its default 90Hz refresh rate being the only spec that's staying unchanged (though like the Quest 2, there is an experimental 120Hz setting). Even its field of view has grown by around 15 percent (110 degrees horizontal and 96 degrees vertical). Notably, what you don't get are eye and face tracking, which were some of the more forward-thinking features Meta included on the Quest Pro.Meta didn't forget about the Quest 3's controllers either. That's because while they're still the same basic shape and size, the tracking ring around the top is gone. The company says that the new sensors on the headset can track the controllers without needing the rings and, when the controllers move outside the camera's visible range, Meta is using AI and machine learning to better predict your hand movements. That said, the Quest 3's controllers still aren't quite as sophisticated as the Quest Pro due to their lack of built-in cameras, which means they aren't fully self-tracking. On the bright side, the controllers have what Meta is calling True Touch haptics, which do an even better job of conveying tactile feedback. And despite the increased performance and new features, battery life is expected to be about the same as the Quest 2 (between 1.5 and three hours depending on what apps you use).Now all these upgrades look great on a spec sheet, but after testing the headset out myself, they make an even better impression in person. Right away, everything just looks sharper, hand movements feel more precise and even audio sounds more immersive. You can also feel that increased performance, most noticeably when switching between VR and the pass-through cameras. Just a double-tap on the side and let me jump back into meat space with only the briefest of pauses anytime I wanted to take a drink or see what I just stepped on.But of course, without solid software, a new headset isn't all that exciting. Thankfully, the Quest 3 is backward compatible with all of the 500+ apps in the Oculus Store, with Meta claiming that there are another 100 new apps or titles with updated features on the way designed specifically for its latest headset, some of which I got to try out during my demo.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetI started with First Encounters, which is a tutorial that's kind of like an MR-version of Space Invaders that also introduces users to the Quest 3's features. Since the app takes place in mixed reality, before I could get to blastin' I had to map out the room which involved simply looking around at all the walls and objects before tracing a final boundary (in smaller rooms you might even be able to skip this step, but this was an open event space), all of which took less than 30 seconds. After that, fuzzy aliens started to appear so, naturally, I had to dispatch them. The interesting thing was that, because the headset had already mapped the room, I noticed that portals naturally formed on the walls while some critters managed to spawn behind shelves and tables, all of which added an extra dimension to the gameplay.After that I played Red Matter 2, which is an existing title that has been updated to take advantage of the Quest 3's improved performance. The difference was immediately apparent. Textures were more detailed, text was way more legible and simply moving around felt smoother. I was even able to flip a switch that simulated how the game looked on a Quest 2 and, honestly, I don't think I can go back to that. The Quest 3 is raising the bar for how things should look on a mainstream XR headset.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetThen I played some more games including a VR version of Samba de Amigo and Assassin's Creed Nexus, both of which felt really fluid. I can't remember the last time I held a real maraca, but moving virtual ones around with the headset was really intuitive. Anytime I missed a cue, I could tell I messed up, it wasn't the headset's fault. And in Assassin's Creed, I was surprised at how precise aiming a crossbow felt. I even caught myself closing one I just like would in the real world.I'm not sure this headset is doing much to entice people who aren't already interested in VR and AR. But, it feels like Meta has done a thorough job of improving almost every spec and feature. It's got everything you need without any unnecessary frills or add-ons. And sometime in the future, Meta says the Quest 3 will be able to stream console titles to the headset via Xbox Cloud Gaming starting in December, so if all the existing and upcoming apps can't hold your attention, you'll have even more games to play. And with a starting price of $500 for 128GB of storage (or $650 for 512GB), it's a lot more affordable than the Quest Pro too.The Quest 3 is available for pre-order today ahead of official sales starting on October 10.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-quest-3-hands-on-a-proper-successor-to-the-most-popular-vr-headset-173750489.html?src=rss

Sony continues its mission to release first-party titles on PC, as the critically-acclaimed PS5 sequel Horizon Forbidden West is coming to Steam and the Epic Games Store early next year. The port's being handled by Nixxes Software, a company Sony purchased back in 2021. Nixxes was behind the well-received PC ports of the Spider-Man games, so we should be in good hands here.This isn't a bare-bones port. It's the recently-announced Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition, so expect plenty of bells and whistles. There's the game itself, of course, but the update also includes the Burning Shores DLC, a digital soundtrack, a digital artbook, a comic book and more in-game items than you can shake a spear at. You can check out some in-game screen shots on the official Steam page.Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition comes to PS5 first, on October 6, and costs $70. There's no concrete release date for the PC version, other than early next year. It's also worth noting that this edition is not coming to the PS4, despite the original game being available on the now-ancient console.We praised Horizon Forbidden West when it launched last year, citing the surprisingly fun underwater traversal mechanics, new power ups and the massive scope of the world, calling it a triumph in many ways." PC players can already wishlist the port on Steam and Epic. It remains to be seen if the game will run on the Steam Deck, but we'll be sure to cross our fingers and give it a shot early next year. In any event, Marvel's Spider-Man runs pretty well.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/horizon-forbidden-west-battles-its-way-to-pcs-in-2024-172658431.html?src=rss

Live Voicemail is an iOS 17 feature that lets you read a transcription of a caller's message in real time. If what they say sounds urgent, you can pick up the call and chat while they're still on the line; if not, read along with the message without playing it back (handy for especially long-winded pals). Here's how to activate and use Live Voicemail to save time on calls and messaging.First, you'll want to make sure the feature is turned on. Navigate to Settings > Phone > Live Voicemail, and toggle it on if it isn't already. (It's on by default).Once it's activated, the feature is pretty self-explanatory to use. If you receive a call you can't or don't want to pick up, hit the voicemail button on the incoming call screen to send it there. Or you can wait for it to forward automatically.What is Live Voicemail?When the caller begins leaving a message, you'll hear a brief chime and see the live transcription on your Lock Screen. (If your phone is locked, it will prompt you to tap a button to use Face ID and unlock it before you can see the message.) Or, if you're using your phone when the message comes in, you'll see a voicemail icon in the Dynamic Island or your phone's status bar on older models. Tap that to view the message as it's spoken.AppleIn our testing, the service is reliable at transcribing American and British accents. The words appear on your phone within a second or so of the caller speaking them.If you decide to take the call after all, you can pick it up while they're leaving a message. Press the accept" button while viewing the Live Voicemail transcription, and you'll immediately jump into the call - like in the old days when people had landline answering machines.You can go back and listen to Live Voicemail messages later. They're stored in the Voicemail tab at the bottom right of the Phone app. They'll exist alongside any standard voicemails sent through your carrier. Apple says all of the transcriptions happen on-device, so you don't need to worry about your private messages leaking.How to turn off Live VoicemailIf you ever decide the feature isn't for you, you can head back to Settings > Phone > Live Voicemail and toggle it back off.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-use-ios-17s-live-voicemail-170426783.html?src=rss

The US Department of Justice sued eBay on Wednesday for its role in the sale of products that harm the environment. It accused the online retailer of selling or distributing hundreds of thousands of products that violated the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The complaint was filed in a federal court in Brooklyn, NY.The DOJ's complaint accuses eBay of selling, offering for sale or causing the sale of over 343,000 aftermarket defeat devices," which bypass vehicle emission controls. The devices, familiar to many from Volkswagen's Dieselgate" scandal, allow vehicles to cheat emissions tests, making them appear up to par on EPA standards when they aren't - all in the name of a little performance boost.Aftermarket defeat devices significantly increase pollution emissions - including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and nonmethane hydrocarbons - that harm public health and impede efforts by the EPA, states, Tribes and local agencies to plan for and attain air quality standards," the DOJ wrote today.The complaint says eBay also unlawfully distributed or sold at least 23,000 pesticide products that were unregistered, misbranded or restricted-use. The DOJ says the EPA issued a stop sale" order in 2020 (amended in 2021), after which eBay continued to violate it. Examples include a high toxicity insecticide banned in the United States, restricted use pesticides that only certified applicators may apply and products fraudulently claiming to protect users against the SARS-CoV-2 virus," the DOJ wrote.The filing adds that eBay distributed over 5,600 products violating the TSCA Methylene Chloride Rule, a banned (potentially deadly) chemical used in paint and coating removers.In a statement, eBay said it blocks and removes more than 99.9% of listings for products cited by the DOJ. And eBay has partnered closely with law enforcement, including the DOJ, for over two decades on identifying emerging risks and assisting with prevention and enforcement," the online retailer wrote. The Government's actions are entirely unprecedented and eBay intends to vigorously defend itself."The DOJ asserted that EPA standards will be enforced. Our nation's environmental laws protect public health and the environment by prohibiting the unlawful sale of defeat devices; unregistered, misbranded and restricted use pesticides; and unsafe products containing toxic chemicals such as methylene chloride," said David M. Uhlmann from the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. The complaint filed today demonstrates that EPA will hold online retailers responsible for the unlawful sale of products on their websites that can harm consumers and the environment."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/doj-sues-ebay-for-selling-environmentally-hazardous-products-165854768.html?src=rss

It seems the lure of building the Warcraft universe is irresistible for some folks. Long-time Blizzard lore chief Chris Metzen has returned to the publisher on a full-time basis to help shape the future of the franchise.Before he retired from Blizzard in 2016, Metzen worked on every Warcraft game, helping to build the story and lore. He eventually became Blizzard's senior vice president of story and franchise development and was involved in all of the studio's projects (he voices Bastion in Overwatch 2, for instance).Metzen kept himself busy after leaving Blizzard. He opened a tabletop game company called Warchief in 2018. However, he returned to Blizzard in an advisory role last year and now he's fully back in the saddle as Warcraft's executive creative director. His main focus is on "supporting our World of Warcraftleadership in crafting the next generation of adventures," the Warcraft team wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The alleged Sony data breach just got messier. On Monday, relatively new hacking group Ransomed.vc made the lofty claim that it had successfully compromised "all" of the company's systems, as reported by Cybersecurity Connect. Now a second threat actor has leaked the data believed to be in Ransomed.vc's possession, claiming the former are "scammers" trying to "chase influence." How either group obtained this data, or the extent of the breach, remain unknown but Sony has confirmed to Engadget it's investigating the situation.Ransomed.vc said it wouldn't ransom Sony, and instead would be selling the data "due to Sony not wanting to pay." It posted a sampling of files as "proof" of their claims. Ransomed.vc gave a deadline of September 28. On Tuesday, a threat actor under the name "MajorNelson," claimed that Ransomed.vc lied about the breach, and leaked the data that Ransomed.vc claimed to have, according to malware repository vx-underground. Engadget could not independently verify the claims."We are currently investigating the situation," a Sony spokesperson told Engadget.Ransomed.vc emerged as attackers and a ransomware-as-a-service organization that lets others pay to launch attacks. The group threatens victims with data protection fines under laws like the GDPR if they do not pay the ransom. In other words, pay us a few hundred thousand dollar ransom, or we'll report you to pay up a million dollar fine. MajorNelson appears to be an independent threat actor motivated by a disdain for Ransomed.vc, calling the reports about their efforts lies."RansomedVCs are scammers who are just trying to scam you and chase influence," MajorNelson wrote. "Enjoy the leak." According to MajorNelson, the leak includes credentials for internal systems, incident response policies and more.In 2011, a threat actor exposed personally identifiable information from 77 million PlayStation network accounts. Sony took the network offline for 23 days as it mitigated the damage, and in 2019, it agreed to pay a 250K fine in the UK for its failure to adequately prepare for the attack.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-investigates-the-alleged-data-breach-that-has-led-to-hacker-infighting-161559960.html?src=rss

Threads is preparing a feature that allows users to delete a Threads account without also deleting their Instagram account, as reported by TechCrunch. This comes straight from Meta's chief privacy officer Michael Protti. He stated at last week's TechCrunch Disrupt event that the feature would be ready for primetime by December.What's the holdup? This is a more difficult process than it seems to the layperson. Threads was built on top of Instagram so the two are linked like two kids in a trenchcoat pretending to be a grown up. Protti said the difficulty to separate the two accounts led the company to develop alternative tools to minimize frustration, like the ability to deactivate accounts or to set them to private. Instagram head Adam Mosseri said back in July that the company was experimenting with methods to decouple the platforms and it looks like the devs finally figured it out.Last week, web developer Alessandro Paluzzi managed to peek behind Meta's code curtain and found early versions of the forthcoming update, noting that these beta builds block users from opening a new Threads handle with the same Instagram account for 120 days after they participate in the deletion process. Things tend to change as experimental software prepares for an official release, so we don't know if that 120 days thing is set in stone.Protti also confirmed that Meta is still working on integrating Threads with the sprawling fediverse. For the uninitiated, the fediverse is a collection of social networks that, while separate, can communicate with one another. Mastodon is the most well-known example of this type of network. He says the company's trying to iron out some bugs, citing an issue where a Threads post heads to another server and is then deleted by the original author, while remaining on the secondary server.Threads certainly has some engagement issues, but Meta's been pretty consistent about pumping out updates that address user concerns. The company recently added keyword search and a robust web app, among other upgrades. Mosseri recently chronicled upcoming Threads features on an Instagram Stories post, stating that the company's working on introducing improved account recommendations, an edit button for posts and more.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/threads-will-allow-users-to-delete-accounts-separately-from-instagram-160038998.html?src=rss

Former Microsoft executive Panos Panay will be taking over as the head of Amazon's Devices and Services (D&S) division, the company confirmed. He'll start his new role at the end of October, CEO Andy Jassy said."As a strong product builder and inventor who has deep experience in both hardware and integrated services, Panos will be a great addition to our D&S organization moving forward," Jassy wrote in a memo. "I remain quite excited about the invention happening and businesses that we're building in D&S, and look forward to working with Panos."It emerged last week that Panay was leaving Microsoft after a 19-year run, most recently as the chief product officer, where he oversaw Surface devices and Windows 11 development. Rumors quickly suggested that Panay would move to Amazon to lead the Alexa and Echo teams.Panay will be taking over from outgoing D&S head Dave Limp, and the pair will work together for a couple of months to make the transition a smooth one. Limp also has a new job. He is leaving Amazon to become the CEO of Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ex-microsoft-exec-panos-panay-is-confirmed-as-the-new-head-of-amazons-devices-team-154233605.html?src=rss

Electronic Arts has pulled its FIFA games from digital storefronts such as Steam and console stores just as EA Sports FC 24arrives. As noted by X (formerly Twitter) user MauroNL, none of EA's FIFA titles are available for purchase on those storefronts anymore, including last year's title, FIFA 23.It's still possible to play some of the games through EA Play, the publisher's subscription service. You'll still be able to find physical copies of the delisted games on consoles if you really want them and, if you've already purchased a FIFA game on a digital storefront, you'll still be able to download it again.

The day is finally here: There's a self-driving car available for purchase in the US. Or, at least, there will be within the next few months. Mercedes-Benz is bringing its Drive Pilot-equipped cars to California and Nevada, and, when they're deployed, you'll not only be able to take your hands off the wheel but also take your eyes off the road.Drive Pilot is the first proper SAE Level 3 autonomy system on the road, meaning when the car is driving itself you, the driver, aren't even liable for the car's behavior. That's an impressive feat, but it's one that comes with a lot of caveats. The biggest is that it only works at up to 40 mph, and even then only in clear weather conditions. You have to be on a highway that has been mapped by Here's HD maps, and you must have a car ahead of you.There are restrictions within the car, too. You can't take a nap, can't turn around and look at the people in the back seat (at least not for long), and, perhaps most frustrating, you still can't use your phone. That's a lot of can't, sadly, but Mercedes-Benz promises this is just the beginning, with higher speeds and more flexible use-cases to come with time. What's it like today? Check out our test drive to see.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mercedes-take-the-wheel-testing-drive-pilot-l3-autonomy-in-traffic-140038217.html?src=rss

Editorial Note: Apologies for the delay in this review, earlier this year I was in a bike accident - not with this bike, I should add - that left me with a months-long concussion.I am a proud townie. I don't mind the odd nature walk, but I'm far happier striding for hours at a time through cities, coffee in hand. I loved walking from law school in the center of London back to my apartment, six miles away, through the hustle and bustle. That's possibly why I feel such a kinship with Honbike's Uni4. It's an elegant, efficient and beautifully-designed city e-bike of the future that is a joy to ride, just so long as you never think about taking it out of its comfort zone.HardwarePhoto by Daniel Cooper / EngadgetI won't lean too hard into the unique design" angle because plenty of bikes eschew the usual diamond frame template. It's undeniably eye-catching, with a crossbar running from the headset / head tube down to the rear wheel, which then appears to bleed into the chain stay. I quite like the commitment to making it look as if it's one continuous structural unit, even if it is divided by a wheel. The chunky crossbar gets much of its strength from the 432Wh worth of battery inside, which promises a top range of 100 km or 62 miles. The squared-off tube ends and built-in front light gives it a look and feel best described as VanMoof-y."The Uni4 costs $1,699 in the US and 1,799 here in the UK, less than the 2,000 you can pay for a half-decent e-bike. Honbike hasn't scrimped too obviously, with a Gates carbon belt drive with a quoted life of 10,000 km. There are Tektro Aries disc brakes on custom, six-spoke wheels that make it look like you're riding a sport bike. The front and rear fenders are included although the instructions do tell you to put the front fender on backwards. There's an integrated front light but only an aftermarket, battery-powered rear light bolted onto the seat. It's less than ideal, but the logic for why it's there is obvious: With no top tube, there's nowhere to install an integrated rear light that's high enough to be visible at night.Photo by Daniel Cooper / EngadgetIntegrated into the headset is a dot matrix display that's supremely bright and perfectly visible in bright sunshine. There's a small control unit on the left hand grip where you'll turn it on, run the lights and set your power level. On the right, a built-in throttle will activate walking assist mode and give you a tiny shot of power from a standing start.There are plenty of e-bikes costing around two grand that often feel a little phoned in, and no, I won't name names. But for every standout like the gorgeous Raleigh Trace, there are plenty that look like their manufacturer took an old road bike, added a rear wheel motor, bolted a battery onto the downtube, and called it a day. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the industry to up its game - and the big brands are getting better - in the face of better-designed competition. The Uni4 is a better-looking bike than lots of those in its price bracket and, I'd say, looks like it costs a little bit more than you'll actually pay.The bike is hewn from 7,000-series aluminum and weighs about 20 kg or 44 pounds, which is a little heftier than it may look. It's a two-handed job to lug it about, and so you probably wouldn't want to carry this up several flights of stairs on a regular basis.In UsePhoto by Daniel Cooper / EngadgetI often wonder to what extent we should judge a bike upon the merits the company itself sets for it versus a more general-purpose view. The Uni4 is marketed as a city bike, engineered to eat up the long, flat stretches of asphalt between us and our destination. It's no surprise - because I already tipped my hand here - that it's ideally-suited to that environment, comfortably cruising along the road whenever and wherever I chose to go. In fact, judged on that merit alone, if you're only ever riding this on the road (or a dedicated cycle lane) you can just order one right now. When the electric assist is off, the Uni4's essentially the world's most overbuilt single speed, and it works in that configuration, too. If you're on flat, well-paved roads, then you should feel very comfortable that you'll get where you need to go quickly and easily.It's only when we take a more general-purpose view and test the Uni4 out of its comfort zone do you see its weaknesses. Like many townies, it starts to struggle the further from civilization you get, even if you're well within the boundaries of a city. Not far from where I live, there's a path through a small wood that you can use to cut the distance between two major roads. It's a well worn path, and on sunny days it's a (mostly) flat and dry stretch that'll save you 10 minutes or more. Sadly, even the gentlest of terrain will pose a problem because there's no suspension or shock absorption, shaking your bones to a fine powder. Afterward, I took the bike to some tree-lined residential avenues, the sort where the roads are only relaid once every three or four decades. The trees have had time and opportunity to burrow across the road and make the terrain less than smooth as a consequence. Your municipality may be fine with potholes and uneven roads, but take it as read that the Uni4 is not.Photo by Daniel Cooper / EngadgetYou've noticed, too, I've mentioned flat roads a few times, because you're not going to get too much help up hills. There are only three acceleration modes, and no fine-grain control beyond to help you get more power where you need it. Here in Norwich, there's a daily savage hill that, up one side, has an incline of between 11 and 14 degrees, while its opposite hits 22.4. It's so steep that it's the site of an annual endurance cycling competition, and seemed an ideal place to test the Uni 4's gyroscopic uphill assistance. Essentially, the bike is meant to know the gradient you are cycling up, and automatically adjust the power to suit your needs. Yeah.For the gentler side, it's doable, but you can expect far less help from the bike than you might expect. The company says it'll run between nine and 12 mph on a 18 degree incline, but only if the rider's maximum weight is 90kg. Sadly, I'm a few kilos over that figure, and so I really had to work for every little bit of help, leaving me fairly sweaty by the time I'd reached the summit. For the latter, however, you'll struggle to go more than halfway up before the bike simply refuses to continue. During my testing, a pair of dudes in a panel van were hooting with sadistic glee as I tried, and failed, to motivate the Uni4 to climb any further. This isn't a dealbreaker, since there aren't too many really nasty hills in the center of most towns and cities. But you might need to plan your route to avoid anything too extreme during your morning commute.While I'm piling on, the bike is designed to look like a single piece of metal that curls into itself. The lack of a second tube means there's less of an obvious mounting point around the frame when you need to lock it to a public rack. Instead, you're forced to wrap the chain around the wheel mount and then back again to try and create something that feels secure enough to leave. You can also electronically lock" the electric assist, but that won't stop the wheels from turning, leaving an enterprising thief with at least something usable. Given the cost of one of these things, the fact so little thought had been given about safely storing one is a bugbear.Photo by Daniel Cooper / EngadgetHonbike says the 432Wh battery will squeeze out around 62 miles, or 100km in range via that 250W motor. Naturally, that's in the best possible conditions with the lightest rider and the least amount of electric assist available. Here, in the real world, you can expect that figure to fall by a fair amount, and the company has tuned the motor to emphasize a smooth, gentle ride over world-beating power. You'll pretty much find that the bike will just keep you gently cantering around at 10 mph in all but the highest power setting. You can push things to the current legal limit of 15 mph if you want, but you'd rarely need that sort of power unless you're going hard in heavy traffic and need to work your legs. But I found that - as a heavier, more power-hungry rider - that my range would be closer to 30 miles on a single charge.And here's a nice thing: Honbike may have a perfectly fine app, it's also completely inessential. The built-in display will give you most of all the information you'd need to access, including your speed and a basic battery monitor. If you want, and you splash out for a smartphone mount, then the app can show you a local map, your speed, distance and trip duration. At the end of each trip, it'll also tell you how much carbon dioxide you've saved by cycling, if you really need the boost to your eco credentials.If I have one other concern, it's about how riders will be able to keep this bike running for a very long time. An end user can buy replacement tyres and inner tubes, brake pads, pedals, fenders and the front and rear lights, from the company's online store. While brake cables that are run through the frame are an annoyance, it's a common issue on high-end bikes, and most repair stores can handle it with little bother. But, for the other key parts, including the wheels, the motor and the battery, it appears that Honbike recommends you send it in to its service center. I don't necessarily blame the company for getting nervous about user-repairs to power units, since the risk is fairly significant.Wrap-UpPhoto by Daniel Cooper / EngadgetIt's worth saying that more of this piece has been focusing on the Honbike's flaws rather than its strengths. Which is a bit of an irony, really, since riding around on this thing has been pretty much a joy from start to finish. It's just that it's very much designed to be the apex predator in a single environment, and so you need to be aware of that before you buy. But if what you want and what you need is a bike that'll get you from one end of the city to another, in an elegant and painless manner, then there's plenty of reasons to buy one. Especially when you look at other bikes in this sub-two-grand bracket and realize that, as limited as it may be, it's also a real looker.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/honbikes-e-bike-of-the-future-is-perfect-for-cities-133014272.html?src=rss

Even if you've never heard of Shure's SM7B, you've almost certainly heard the SM7B. From live radio to podcasting and streaming, the sleek, black microphone can be found hanging in front of mouths, delivering its trademark broadcast sound. Today, Shure is unveiling the latest edition - the SM7dB - to celebrate the microphone's 50th anniversary. It also happens to solve one of the mic's biggest pain points (the clue is in its name). The $499 Shure SM7dB comes with a built-in preamp that adds either 18- or 28dB of much-needed gain.The SM7B famously needs a lot of amplification which can lead to quiet audio or an undesirable hiss" on inferior preamps. To solve this, people often purchase an in-line preamp such as a FetHead or a CloudLifter - which is an additional $100 or so on top of the $399 SM7B.The SM7dB eliminates the need for additional hardware and also promises a clean" boost in volume. What's more, it does this without adding any significant size or a change in form factor. To be clear, the new microphone is a shade longer than its un-amplified counterpart. And there's a minor cosmetic change from the sleek, stealthy matte black to a slightly shinier paintjob. There's also a glossy Shure" logo now on the microphone body which makes the whole thing look a bit less cool if you ask me but you might not be so sensitive to such things.The addition of a preamp brings with it some other practical changes. The classic SM7B has two switches on its rear: a high pass filter and a mid-frequency boost. The SM7dB still has those, but there are two more switches - one for bypassing the preamp and the other for toggling between the amount of gain (the aforementioned 18- and 28-dB boosts).Photo by James Trew / EngadgetWhen bypass" is activated, the SM7dB acts as a regular dynamic microphone and won't need phantom power. Once you activate that preamp though, you'll need to supply 48v to drive the preamp. The vast majority of audio interfaces with an XLR input will also supply phantom power, so there's no issue here but if you're used to working with dynamic microphones and the mild convenience of not having to think about phantom power, just know there's a slight workflow change here.One of the main benefits of a dynamic microphone is its noise rejection -- they're much more forgiving on background noise or the sound of passing traffic, for example. Thankfully, the built-in preamp here doesn't change that as the microphone still works as a dynamic should (unlike condensor microphones that need phantom power to work and are much more sensitive).With the full 28dB of gain applied, I initially thought there was some audible noise when recording silence, but it quickly became clear that with all that extra gain and my audio interface set to record at full volume it was simply just too loud and was picking up more ambient noise - it would have been far too loud if I had started speaking into it. Once the levels were adjusted accordingly, the noise floor disappeared.Perhaps unsurprisingly, without any preamp turned on, the new SM7dB sounds near identical to its legacy sibling. I tested both via a Rodecaster Duo which has ample gain to drive these microphones on its own. However, when I tested both of the SM7dB's preamp settings (while lowering the gain on the Rodecaster accordingly) the output remained just as clear and noise free with no obvious change in character - which is exactly what Shure was going for.ShureThe obvious downside is that, the SM7dB costs about $100 more than the regular SM7B. That's a decent amount more, especially if you don't really need the preamp but are maybe hoping to future-proof your setup, or just upgrade to the newest model. On the other hand, if you were going to buy an SM7B knowing you'd also need a separate preamp then the new model costs about the same as buying both separately.Given the sheer popularity of the SM7B, the new edition should be well received. Not least because of the obvious advantage of it being louder, but for a more practical, if slightly superficial reason, too. That being that the design of the SM7B puts the XLR port facing either directly up or down on most boom arms or mic stands (rather than perpendicular) which certain inline preamps can look a little, well, ridiculous sticking out of the top of bottom. With the SM7dB, then, you can possibly eliminate one more visual distraction from your streams. Whatever your motivation for considering the new microphone, it's available starting today.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/shure-hid-a-preamp-inside-its-latest-sm7db-microphone-130009353.html?src=rss

Valve has failed to convince a court that it didn't infringe EU law by geo-blocking activation keys, according to a new ruling. The company argued that, based on copyright law, publishers had the right to charge different prices for games in different countries. However, the EU General Court confirmed that its geo-blocking actions "infringed EU competition law"and that copyright law didn't apply."Copyright is intended only to ensure for the right holders concerned protection of the right to exploit commercially the marketing or the making available of the protected subject matter, by the grant of licences in return for payment of remuneration," it wrote in a statement. "However, it does not guarantee them the opportunity to demand the highest possible remuneration or to engage in conduct such as to lead to artificial price differences between the partitioned national markets."The original charges centered around activation keys. The commission said Valve and five publishers (Bandai Namco, Capcom, Focus Home, Koch Media and ZeniMax) agreed to use geo-blocking so that activation keys sold in some countries - like Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary and Latvia - would not work in other member states. That would prevent someone in, say, Germany buying a cheaper key in Latvia, where prices are lower. However, doing so violates the EU's Digital Single Market rules, which enforces an open market across the EU.The five developers were given a reduced fine of 7.8 million (over $9.4 million at the time) for cooperating, but Valve decided to fight and faced the full 1.6 million, or more than $1.9 million penalty. In a statement back in 2021, Valve said that the charges didn't pertain to PC games sold on Steam, but that it was accused of locking keys to particular territories at the request of publishers. It added that it turned off region locks for most cases (other than local laws) in 2015 because of the EU's concerns.The court rejected the appeal and backed the original EU Commission's decision that the companies' actions had unlawfully restricted cross-border sales" of games. As a result, Valve is still subject to the original 1.6 million fine - but it has two months and ten days to appeal. Engadget has reached out to Valve for comment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/valve-fails-to-get-out-of-paying-its-eu-geo-blocking-fine-122053595.html?src=rss

Logitech has introduced a new $299 cockpit for racing simulators that wouldn't look too out of place at a backyard cookout. The accessories brand has teamed up with gaming seat maker Playseat to release the Playseat Challenge X. It's equipped with all the right parts to support your gaming wheel, but when it's not in use, it's like any other foldable chair that you can stow away.As The Verge notes, it does look almost identical to Playseat's non-Logitech-branded Challenge racing cockpit, which is $70 cheaper. This version, however, already comes with a tilting pedal bracket and a gearshift mount. While the chair doesn't include the actual accessories needed to play racing sims, it is compatible with the company's G wheels and the driving force shifters that support them. The Verge says it should work with other brand's wheels, shifters and pedals, as well, assuming they're compatible with the mounts on the chair.LogitechSpeaking of the chair itself, it uses a breathable material that can keep you cool in the heat. You can easily adjust it and find the most comfortable one among its six positions, and you can move the pedals further if you're tall and need the leg room. The maximum user height it can accommodate is around seven feet, while the maximum user weight it can support is 359 pounds. It could be a good option if you're looking for a simpler, relatively affordable chair for your racing games, and you can get it now from Amazon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/logitechs-new-racing-cockpit-is-a-299-foldable-chair-114510123.html?src=rss

Meta is gearing up for its annual event devoted to all things VR, AR and the metaverse. The company is once again showing off a new VR headset, the Meta Quest 3, as well as its next-generation smart glasses. We already know quite a bit about the Meta Quest 3, thanks to a preview from Zuckerberg earlier this year. The $499 headset has been considerably slimmed down and has redesigned controllers. It will also have better graphics, thanks to a new next-gen Qualcomm chipset, which will power new mixed-reality features similar to last year's high-end Quest Pro. This is the consumer version of VR/AR Meta hopes the wider public will embrace.MetaThe VR headset likely won't be the only Reality Labs gadget we'll hear more about at Meta Connect. As UploadVR noted last week, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth hinted at a second-generation of Meta's Ray-Ban-branded smart glasses also in the works. The new frames should have better cameras and some new features, like livestreaming.Beyond hardware, we're expecting Zuckerberg to attempt more compelling pitches on the broader idea of the metaverse itself, AI chatbots and avatars and Meta's baby metaverse, Horizon Worlds, which could do with more things to do and, honestly, more people in it.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedSAG-AFTRA video game actors vote in favor of strike action over wages and AIOlivia Rodrigo is teaming up with Sony for limited edition purple earbudsThe best October Amazon Prime Day early access deals for 2023YouTube's ad-free Premium Lite tier is going awayThe FCC plans to restore Obama-era net neutrality rulesIt could take several months, and legal challenges may lie ahead.The Federal Communications Commission plans to reinstate net neutrality protections nixed in 2018 during the Trump administration. After Anna Gomez was sworn in as the third Democratic member on the FCC's five-person panel, the agency is pushing forward with an attempt to bring back net neutrality regulations. Net neutrality rules are meant to ensure internet service providers may not block or give preference to any content.It will take quite some time to restore the previous rules. The FCC commissioners will vote on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking at their next monthly meeting on October 19. If, as seems likely, the agency votes in favor, it will start new rulemaking and seek public comments on the proposal.Continue reading.LG also made a flexible-screen laptopThe $3,700 Gram Fold is Korea-only at the moment.LGSimilar to the ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold, LG's Gram Fold is a touchscreen device that can be a massive tablet or a computer when fully unfolded. Users will get a 17-inch OLED screen with a QXGA+ (2,560 x 1,920 pixel) resolution when it's used purely as a display, and they can link it to its accompanying Bluetooth keyboard, which can rest on the lower half of the screen. It's 4.99 million won ($3,700) - not cheap, but still more affordable than HP's $5,000 Spectre Fold.Continue reading.Spotify's new Jam feature lets friends collab on party playlistsIt creates shared playlists as Turntable.fm does.Spotify is rolling out a new feature called Jam, which will give friends a way to curate a single playlist on the service and listen to it together in real time. Participants in a Jam session can contribute tracks to a shared queue, which they can access whether they're in the same room or around the world. The streaming giant is rolling out the feature to both free and Premium subscribers, but only the latter can start a session. Rival service Apple Music has teased a similar collaborative service coming to iOS 17, but it's expected to arrive later this year.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-what-to-expect-at-meta-connect-2023-111532786.html?src=rss

Apple has released a firmware update for its Studio Display to improve its contentious 12MP ultrawide webcam, it said in the release 17 notes spotted by 9to5Mac. While the company (sort of) addressed image quality issues in previous updates, users still complained about the camera's relatively high tilt that can be distracting on video calls. Now, the latest update "adds support for zoom, recenter and manual framing" to the webcam, giving users more control over how they lookThe new controls now let you zoom and pan across the image to help position yourself in the frame the way you want, and you can go back to the default settings by hitting the "recenter" button. That should be a big help for those who use the webcam in manual mode, though it also works with Center Stage to automatically frame you in the image. The update also adds "minor stability improvements" to the Studio Display. Note that the Studio Display firmware update also requires the latest macOS Sonoma release that came out yesterday.Also via the macOS Sonoma release, Apple brought the same controls over to the Continuity Camera that lets you use your iPhone for video chats on Mac. That might be a better option for many Studio Display owners, as despite all the fixes, the webcam still ain't great.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-much-maligned-studio-display-webcam-gets-manual-framing-095650027.html?src=rss

You can play the much-awaited sequel to the underground indie hit The Talos Principle in just a month's time. The Talos Principle 2 is coming out for PC (via Steam and Epic Games), the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 2, and you can get the sci-fi puzzler with a 10 percent discount if you pre-order it before its launch date. If you haven't played the original game yet, you can also get it with its Road to Gehenna DLC from Steam at 90 percent off until October 3.In The Talos Principle 2, humankind is already extinct, and robots made in our image capable of thoughts and emotions have already taken our place in the world. The machines explore a mysterious megastructure in the story, and as the player, you'd have to solve complex laser riddles to move forward while engaging with in-game dialogue about consciousness, love and the future of our species.We described the game as "warm, welcoming and slow," when we previewed it a few days ago. Unlike most other sci-fi games and media, The Talos Principle 2 offers an optimistic story, perhaps more thought-provoking than heart-racing, which you may enjoy if you feel like you need a break from the challenges of the real world.While it's good to know that the game is coming out this year, its publisher, Devolver, also recently pushed back several other titles' release to 2024. Skate Story, a stylized skateboarding game set in its version of the underworld with a demon made of glass as the main character, is one of those games. The Plucky Squire, Stick it to the Stickman, Anger Foot and Pepper Grinder had also been delayed and are now scheduled to become available next year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-talos-principle-2-will-hit-consoles-and-pc-on-november-2-083528327.html?src=rss

CMF, the budget-friendly sub-brand Nothing announced back in August, has launched its first products: A smartwatch, a pair of earbuds and a GaN charger. The $69 Watch Pro comes with a 1.96-inch AMOLED display and built-in GPS. Its battery can last for up to 13 days, and it can make and receive calls, so long as it's connected to a phone via Bluetooth, but it doesn't seem to have access to an app store. The device is largely health-focused with various features that include monitors for real-time heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, as well as sleep and stress levels. It also provides hydration and movement reminders and the ability to set personalized goals.CMFMeanwhile, CMF's new earbuds are called the Buds Pro, and they cost $49. They offer up to 45 dB of active noise cancellation and a system comprised of an algorithm and optimally positioned openings at the top of each bud to minimize sound interference caused by winds. The earbuds are also capable of eliminating background noise to ensure voice clarity in phone calls with their AI noise reduction algorithm. CMF says they can last for up to 11 hours with one charge, provided ANC remains switched off. With the power provided by its charging case, it could take up to 39 hours before users will have to plug them in.Finally, CMF has also launched a 65W GaN charger with two USB-C ports and a USB-A port. It has the capability to bring a Nothing Phone 2's battery to 50 percent in just 25 minutes, the company says. Nothing will be selling these products in limited quantities in India and the UK on September 30, though it did say that it will make the devices available for sale in other markets soon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nothings-budget-friendly-brand-cmf-debuts-a-69-smartwatch-and-49-earbuds-072924294.html?src=rss

The ARC nerve stimulation therapy system from startup Onward Medical passed another developmental milestone on Wednesday, as the company announced the first successful installation of its brainwave-driven implantable electrode array to restore function and feeling to a patient's hands and arms. The news comes just five months after the researchers implanted a similar system in a different patient to help them regain a more natural walking gait.The ARC system used differs depending on how what issue it's being applied to. The ARC-EX is an external, non-invasive stimulator array that sits on the patient's lower back and helps regulate their bladder control and blood pressure, as well as improving limb function and control. Onward's lower limb study from May employed the EX along with a BCI controller from CEA-Clinatec to create a digital bridge" spanning the gap in the patient's spinal column.The study published Wednesday instead utilized the ARC-IM, an implantable version of the company's stimulator array which is installed near the spinal cord and is controlled through wearable components and a smartwatch. Onward had previously used the IM system to enable paralyzed patients to stand and walk short distances without assistance, for which it was awarded an FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in 2020.Medical professionals led by by neurosurgeon Dr. Jocelyne Bloch, implanted the ARC-IM and the Clinatec BCI into a 46-year-old patient suffering from a C4 spinal injury, in mid-August. The BCI's hair-thin leads pick up electrical signals in the patient's brain, convert those analog signals into digital ones that machines can understand, and then transmits them to a nearby computing device where a machine learning AI interprets the patient's electrical signals and issues commands to the implanted stimulator array. The patient thinks about what they want to do and these two devices work to translate that intent into computer-controlled movement.How well that translation occurs remains to be seen while the patient learns and adapts to the new system. The implant procedures involving the Onward ARC-IM and Clinatec BCI went smoothly," Dr. Bloch said in an press release. We are now working with the patient to use this cutting-edge innovation to recover movement of his arms, hands, and fingers. We look forward to sharing more information in due course."If the therapy continues to show promise, it is possible it could reach patients by the end of the decade," Onward CEO Dave Marver said in a statement to Engadget. It is important to note that we do not expect people with spinal cord injury to wait that long for Onward to commercialize an impactful therapy - we hope to commercialize our external spinal cord stimulation solution, ARC-EX Therapy, to restore hand and arm function in the second half of 2024."Onward Medical among a quickly expanding field of BCI-based startups working to apply the fledgling technology to a variety of medical maladies. Those applications include loss of limb and self-regulatory function due to stroke, traumatic brain or spinal cord injury, physical rehabilitation from those same injuries, as well as a critical means of communication for people living with Locked-In Syndrome.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-arc-nerve-stimulation-system-could-help-quadriplegic-patients-move-their-arms-again-053027395.html?src=rss

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has voted to officially lift its strike order, over half a year since it stopped work and demanded a better contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Writers can officially go back to work after 12:01 AM PT on September 27, even though the organization has yet to hold the final ratification vote. WGA's decision comes shortly after it held a series of negotiation sessions with producers and reached a tentative agreement, with one of the key sticking points being the use of generative AI.Now, the WGA has released a summary of the terms of its new contract, and it prominently features protections against the use of generative AI in the writing process. To start with, generative AI can't be used to write or rewrite literary material, and anything it produces cannot be considered source material. Writers can choose to use AI if the company or studio consents to it, but studios can't force writers to use AI software like ChatGPT. If a studio already has materials to hand over to a writer, they have to disclose if those materials include anything generated by AI. Finally, the "exploitation of writers' material to train AI" is prohibited under the new agreement.In addition to AI-related protections, writers are also getting higher pay, increased pension and health contributions, as well as higher payment and residuals for streaming projects. Foreign streaming residuals will be based on the number of subscribers for services available globally, while some domestic projects' residuals will be based on hours streamed by subscribers in the US. The new contract will be valid for three years until May 1, 2026.While the WGA strike has now ended, SAG-AFTRA's is still ongoing. The group even voted in favor of a strike authorization for performers working in video games recently to give it added leverage in its negotiations with video game producers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-wga-strike-ends-with-protections-against-ai-set-in-place-050019363.html?src=rss

X is getting closer to releasing its long-promised alerts that will notify users about whether or not their account has been shadowbanned." Andrea Conway, a designer at X, offered a preview of the upcoming feature that Elon Musk first promised last year.Conway shared two mock-ups: an alert in the notifications tab, as well as an informational page that explains why X may limit the visibility of some accounts. We have found that your account potentially contains sensitive media - such as graphic, violent, nudity, sexual behavior, hateful symbols, or other sensitive content," it explains.We may cover your posts with a warning so people who don't want to see sensitive content can avoid it. The reach of your account and its content may also be restricted, such as being excluded from the For You and Following timelines, recommended notifications, trends, and search results."

The US' outdated electrical grid is not equipped to handle rising demands for renewable energy or the new normal" threats of extreme weather and cyberattacks. This is according to energy security watchdog, SAFE, whose Grid Security Project found that problems like blackouts and shortages are becoming increasingly common. Without updates to both policy and infrastructure, SAFE warns, these issues are only likely to get worse.In a new report, SAFE points to events like the deadly 2021 power crisis in Texas, when millions of people were left without electricity during a winter storm, and a 2022 shooting at a North Carolina substation that led to outages for more than 40,000 people. While instances like these may once have been considered rare events, they're unfortunately becoming par for the course. The report also highlights sophisticated cyberattacks abroad, like the historic hack into Ukraine's power grid in 2015, as examples of what the US grid could find itself up against.Extreme weather events, cyber espionage and domestic terror attacks, combined with increasing demand on aging infrastructure have turned the occasional power failure into alarmingly common events in cities across the United States," said Thomas Coleman, executive director of SAFE's Grid Security Project, in a statement published alongside the report.The rapid transition away from fossil fuels will only add to the strain. Electric vehicles, which draw directly from the grid, have seen exponential adoption in recent years, and the system is still limited in its capacity to deliver energy from renewable sources like wind and solar to populated areas. The current infrastructure won't be able to reliably keep up with greater energy generation and transmission needs.According to SAFE, the progeny of the infrastructure on which our great-grandparents once relied is increasingly inadequate to serve as the foundation of today's modern economy." In other words, the grid needs updating, and fast.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-us-electrical-grid-is-in-desperate-need-of-upgrades-watchdog-warns-224554416.html?src=rss

X, the company previously known as Twitter, could soon find itself in hot water with European Union officials due to the amount of misinformation on its platform. The platform has an outsize role in the spread of misinformation, according to a new EU report.The EU shared its findings in its first report on platforms' handling of mis and disinformation as part of the Digital Services Act. The sweeping law, which recently went into effect, requires major platforms to disclose details about their handling of misinformation. Dozens of companies have additionally agreed to a voluntary Code of Practice" on disinformation. X announced in May that it was pulling out of the agreement, though the company said it would adhere to the stricter disinformation policies required under the DSA.The report found that X outstripped many of its larger peers when it comes to the volume of disinformation on its platform, and the engagement such posts attract. X ... is the platform with the largest ratio of mis/disinformation posts," European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said in a statement. The report also found that X ranked the highest in discoverability of misinformation and disinformation, followed by Facebook and Instagram.X didn't respond to a request for comment. In a series of tweets from its Global Affairs account, the company disputed the framing" of the data and said it remains committed to complying with the DSA."

Ford said on Monday that it was suspending construction of a Michigan battery factory for electric vehicles. The automaker didn't specify its exact reasons for the shutdown as United Auto Workers (UAW) strikes continue. However, it stated (viaThe New York Times) that it was pausing work and limiting spending on construction on the Marshall project until we're confident about our ability to competitively operate the plant."The factory was established earlier this year to produce battery tech licensed from China's Contemporary Amperex Technology Co (CATL). It isn't yet clear if the suspension is temporary or permanent.The news came ahead of President Biden's trip to Michigan on Tuesday to protest alongside picketing workers. Ford didn't state whether its decision was related to the strikes. The UAW's walkout against the Big Three automakers expanded to 38 locations in 20 states last week.The $3.5 billion factory, scheduled to open in 2026, is slated to produce lithium-iron-phosphate batteries for EVs - supplying jobs for at least 2,500 autoworkers and spurring domestic EV battery production. However, the project has been flanked by uncertainty as the Biden Administration weighs regulations that could prevent US companies from working with select Chinese businesses.

Apple's macOS Sonoma update is now available. The Mac's big 2023 software update adds a new Game Mode for Apple Silicon devices, interactive desktop widgets, videoconferencing improvements and more.To install macOS Sonoma, you'll need a somewhat recent computer. It supports MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini models from 2018 and newer, iMac and Mac Pro devices from 2019 and later, the Mac Studio from 2022 onward and the 2017 iMac Pro.Once you've determined that your Mac is eligible, you can head to System Settings > General > Software Update to initiate the download and installation.Devindra Hardawar / EngadgetMany of macOS Sonoma's top features are under the hood, and it appears to be a largely incremental update. But Apple still added plenty of interesting new features, including high-resolution screensavers of real-world locations, an updated login screen, interactive widgets, various videoconferencing enhancements (including new effects like the balloons pictured above), Safari profiles (for keeping work and personal separate) web apps you can install in the Dock, inline predictive text and more. There's even a new Game Mode that prioritizes system resources for smoother gaming performance and improves latency for AirPods and wireless controllers.For more on Sonoma's features, you can review Engadget's in-depth preview of the latest version of macOS.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/macos-sonoma-is-now-available-195607901.html?src=rss

On October 4, Google will host an in-person event in New York City where it has promised to introduce the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel Watch 2. Thanks to many leaks, including some self-inflicted ones, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the company's latest devices. Here's everything you need to know about what Google could announce next week.Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 ProAs it did last year, Google has already acknowledged the existence of its latest phones ahead of their official launch date. Following months of leaks, on September 7 the company shared a 23-second clip showcasing the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro from nearly every angle. At the same time, it went live with dedicated landing pages for its new devices on the Google Store. The company claims the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro feature the most advanced Pixel cameras yet and Google AI to help you do more, even faster." The landing page also advertises the Magic Eraser and Live Translate capabilities of the new Pixels, though those are capabilities found on Google's older devices as well.According to leaks that have been published so far, many of them sourced by developer and Android Authoritycontributor Kamila Wojciechowska, the Pixel 8 Pro will feature a flat 6.7-inch OLED screen with 1,344 x 2,992 resolution. For comparison's sake, the Pixel 7 Pro has a curved 6.71-inch 1,440 x 3,120 display. It's unclear why Google has seemingly decided to outfit its latest flagship with a smaller screen, but the move to a flat display may have something to do with it. According to Wojciechowska, the 8 Pro's OLED panel will max out at 1,600 nits of peak brightness when displaying HDR content. It is also apparently capable of more smoothly transitioning between different refresh rates.As for the Pixel 8, it's expected to feature a 6.17-inch 1,080 x 2,400 display capable of 1,400 nits of peak brightness. Additionally, the screen will reportedly sport a 120Hz refresh rate, up from 90Hz on the Pixel 7. If that information is accurate, the Pixel 8 will be noticeably smaller than the Pixel 7, which has a 6.31-inch screen. The teaser clip Google shared earlier in the month didn't show the Pixel 8 Pro's display, but it did appear to confirm the Pixel 8 will be more compact than last year's model. As an aside, the Pixel 7a is rumored to be Google's final a-series phone, which may explain why the company has decided to shrink the Pixel 8.Internally, both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will reportedly include a new Tensor G3 processor. Most reports suggest Google's latest in-house chip won't be a substantial upgrade over the Pixel 7 line's Tensor G2 SoC, though a faster processor, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and support for hardware-based ray tracing are among the enhancements fans should expect. As for memory and internal storage, the Pixel 8 will reportedly ship with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of base UFS 3.1 storage, while the Pixel 8 Pro will offer 12GB of RAM and 128GB of space to start. In the US, Google may allow consumers to configure the 8 Pro with as much as 1TB of built-in storage.More consequentially, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are sure to pack a few photography upgrades. To start, both phones will reportedly feature main cameras with new Samsung ISOCELL GN2 sensors. The 50-megapixel GN2 is the same sensor found on the Galaxy S22 and S23. It's physically larger than the previous generation GN1 Google has used since the Pixel 6, and capable of capturing 35 percent more light than its predecessor. It also comes with a modern feature set, including the ability to capture 8K video at 30 fps and Staggered HDR photos. The latter is something Google could use to reduce the amount of time it takes to capture HDR images.

The CIA and other US intelligence agencies will soon have an AI chatbot similar to ChatGPT. The program, revealed on Tuesday by Bloomberg, will train on publicly available data and provide sources alongside its answers so agents can confirm their validity. The aim is for US spies to more easily sift through ever-growing troves of information, although the exact nature of what constitutes public data" could spark some thorny privacy issues.We've gone from newspapers and radio, to newspapers and television, to newspapers and cable television, to basic internet, to big data, and it just keeps going," Randy Nixon, the CIA's director of Open Source Enterprise, said in an interview with Bloomberg. We have to find the needles in the needle field." Nixon's division plans to distribute the AI tool to US intelligence agencies soon."Nixon says the tool will allow agents to look up information, ask follow-up questions and summarize daunting masses of data. Then you can take it to the next level and start chatting and asking questions of the machines to give you answers, also sourced," he said. Our collection can just continue to grow and grow with no limitations other than how much things cost."The CIA hasn't specified which AI tool (if any) it's using as the foundation for its chatbot. Once the tool is available, the entire 18-agency US intelligence community will have access to it. However, lawmakers and the public won't be able to use it.Nixon said the tool would follow US privacy laws. However, he didn't state how the government would safeguard it from leaking onto the internet or using information that's sketchily acquired but technically public." Federal agencies (including the Secret Service) and police forces have been caught bypassing warrants and using commercial marketplaces to buy troves of data. These have included phones' locations, which the government can technically describe as open-source.The scale of how much we collect and what we collect on has grown astronomically over the last 80-plus years, so much so that this could be daunting and at times unusable for our consumers," Nixon said. He envisions the tool allowing a scenario where the machines are pushing you the right information, one where the machine can auto-summarize, group things together."The US government's decision to move forward with the tool could be influenced by China, which has stated that it wants to surpass its rivals and become the world's de facto AI leader by 2030.The US has taken steps to counter China's influence while examining AI's domestic and economic risks. Last year, the Biden administration launched a Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, defining the White House's generative AI values. It has also pushed for an AI risk management framework and invested $140 million in creating new AI and machine learning research institutes. In July, President Biden met with leaders from AI companies, who agreed to (non-binding) statements that they would develop their products ethically.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/even-the-cia-is-developing-an-ai-chatbot-192358767.html?src=rss

The Federal Communications Commission plans to reinstate net neutrality protections that were nixed in 2018 during the Trump administration. Restoring those Obama-era rules has been on President Joe Biden's agenda for years, but a deadlocked FCC has prevented that from happening during his time in the White House so far. Now, one day after Anna Gomez was sworn in as the third Democratic member on the FCC's five-person panel, the agency is pushing forward with an attempt to bring back net neutrality regulations.When net neutrality rules are enforced, internet service providers are not allowed to block or give preference to any content. They can't throttle access to specific websites or charge the likes of streaming services for faster service. They must provide users with access to every site, content and app at the same speeds and conditions. Advocates tout net neutrality protections as the foundation of an open and equitable internet.FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, a long-term supporter of net neutrality rules, announced a plan to restore the protections on Tuesday. "This afternoon, I'm sharing with my colleagues a rulemaking that proposes to reinstate net neutrality," Rosenworcel said at an event at the National Press Club. "We will need to develop an updated record to identify the best way to restore these policies and have a uniform national open internet standard."The aim is to "largely return to the successful rules" that the FCC adopted in 2015 when President Barack Obama was in office. The proposal aims to reclassify both fixed and mobile broadband as an essential communications service under Title II of the Communications Act, akin to water, power and phone services."The Chairwoman is proposing the FCC take the first procedural steps toward reaffirming rules that would treat broadband internet service as an essential service for American life," the FCC said. "As work, healthcare, education, commerce, and so much more have moved online, no American household or business should need to function without reliable internet service."Rosenworcel noted that this is a first step in the process of reviving net neutrality. It will take quite some time until the previous rules are restored, as Bloomberg notes. The FCC commissioners will vote on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking at their next monthly meeting on October 19.If, as seems likely, the agency votes in favor, it will start a new rulemaking and then seek public comments on the proposal. After reviewing the comments, Rosenworcel will decide how to move forward. In all likelihood, the commissioners will then vote on whether to adopt the final rules. While the push to restore net neutrality rules may prove successful, the implementation could still be delayed by legal challenges."For everyone, everywhere, to enjoy the full benefits of the internet age, internet access should be more than just accessible and affordable," Rosenworcel said. "The internet needs to be open." She added that repealing net neutrality protections "put the FCC on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the law and the wrong side of the American public."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-fcc-plans-to-restore-obama-era-net-neutrality-rules-184624637.html?src=rss

While music producers typically have a favorite digital audio workstation (DAW), most creators are forced to swap between software suites to better suit different workflows and plugin options. This is easier said than done. You have to download the audio stems from one DAW and upload them to the next, and that's just the first step. There's more to worry about, like mix levels, plugin settings, virtual instruments and so much more. Industry veterans PreSonus and Bitwig have teamed up to try to solve these problems.The companies have just announced a new file format intended for easy swapping between DAWs. The DAWproject file format will only be supported by Bitwig Studio 5.0.9 and PreSonus Studio One 6.5 for now, but it could theoretically be adopted by other companies in the future. Bitwig and Presonus are calling this a DAW-agnostic platform and stress that they've taken steps to make the technology as open to other companies as possible.DAWproject files go much further than simple audio WAV data. The format keeps track of all relevant information across every track and channel in the entire project. This includes time data, audio information, automation, MIDI notes and plugin settings. All you have to do is save the song as a DAWproject file in one DAW and open it in another. That's really it. The time data and automation stuff is really interesting, as this includes fades, time warping, transposition and other chores that are really annoying to re-do over and over again.There are some limitations, as you can only transfer between Bitwig Studio and PreSonus Studio One until other software applications get on board. Also, your plugins must already be installed in both DAWs to instantly transfer settings. Luckily, both DAWs support the VST plugin format, so there shouldn't be an issue there.Apple has a limited version of this technology, as you can open up projects created in GarageBand right in Logic Pro X and maintain settings. The reverse, however, isn't true, due to Logic Pro X being a much more robust application than GarageBand. Beyond that, this is the first universal project standard, well, ever. Here's to hoping more popular DAWs like Protools, Ableton and Logic Pro X adopt this standard, or any standard, in the near future.This isn't Bitwig's first foray into the world of open-source audio. The company recently teamed-up with virtual instrument experts U-he to create CLAP, an open-source plugin format. DAWproject files are available for use starting today, so long as you use Bitwig Studio or PreSonus Studio One.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/presonus-and-bitwig-have-teamed-up-to-launch-a-universal-file-format-for-daws-183943158.html?src=rss

The Google Podcasts app is heading to a farm upstate run by Marc Maron and Sarah Koenig, as the service is shuttering next year. The app has been around since 2018, but it never approached the kind of mass adoption enjoyed by rivals Overcast, Spotify and the recently-improved Apple Podcasts. In other words, don't feel bad if you've never heard of it.The entire service is being folded into YouTube and its companion app YouTube Music. This is for good reason, as YouTube's already a popular destination for podcast fans. According to statistics provided by Edison Research and published by Variety, YouTube services 23 percent of podcast listeners in the US. Google Podcasts, on the other hand, accounts for just four percent of listeners, despite having podcasts right in the name. It's easier to pick up stakes and head to the where the fish are instead of trying to lure the fish to a random podcast app that nobody knows about.YouTube announced that 2024 will see a significant increase in its investment in the podcast experience," right after parent company Alphabet puts the kibosh on Google's dedicated app. It looks like YouTube Music will receive the lion's share of these investments, with forthcoming robust creation and analytics tools" in addition to streamlined RSS uploads for podcasters.The company promises to also expand the ability to listen to podcasts in more locations, stating they'll be available everywhere YouTube Music listeners are already consuming their favorite content - in the background, in the car, offline and more." Additionally, new YouTube-only" tools and capabilities will be coming to podcasts on YouTube Music, though Google remains cagey on the specifics.As for current Google Podcasts users, there's going to be a simple migration tool" to help with the transition to YouTube Music. You'll also be able to manually add podcast RSS feeds to your YouTube Music library. The company even announced options for adding current podcast subscriptions to rival platforms, if you just want to start fresh. Google's still gathering feedback regarding the migration process, so some of these features are liable to change before next year.This isn't the first big move YouTube Music has made this year to shore up some of those sweet, sweet podcast dollars. Back in April, the app launched the ability to watch and listen to podcasts without requiring a paid subscription, though you'll still have to suffer through endless ads for Better Help. Podcasts on YouTube Music are already full-featured, with offline downloads, background play and the ability to switch between audio and visual content on smart speakers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-podcasts-which-is-an-actual-thing-to-shut-down-next-year-172640308.html?src=rss

LinkedIn is making its platform more accessible by integrating Microsoft's Immersive Reader. The service says that, in honor of Dyslexia Awareness Month and National Disability Employment Awareness Month, it's providing users with more ways to digest articles and newsletters. That seems particularly useful at a time when LinkedIn has been embracing longer-form content.Every article and newsletter will feature the Immersive Reader icon, which provides access to several accessibility tools. A text-to-speech function can read articles out loud. LinkedIn says that "distinguishing between words that are spelled the same but pronounced differently makes it easier for auditory learners and those with visual impairments to consume and process content." The tool supports more than 60 languages. On a similar note, Immersive Reader powers real-time translation for more than 100 languages.LinkedInOther features include one called Content Isolation. This separates the main text of an article or newsletter from everything else that's on the screen to help people focus on reading. Immersive Reader is able to isolate a line or two at a time as well. It also supports a feature called Syllable Splitting. According to LinkedIn, this breaks more complex words down into smaller components to help users understand and pronounce them.Immersive Reader has been making its way into several Microsoft products and services over the last few years. It's been available in Office and Minecraft: Education Edition for some time. Bringing the tool to LinkedIn should make the platform easier to use for folks with dyslexia and other conditions.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/linkedin-adds-accessibility-features-with-the-help-of-microsofts-immersive-reader-170923659.html?src=rss

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon today in Western Washington district court, with 17 states joining the federal agency. The case isn't surprising (the FTC was reportedly nearly ready to file in late August), but its specifics weren't yet known.The FTC accuses the online retailer of monopolistic practices, including preventing merchants from offering lower prices on other platforms and forcing them to use Amazon's logistics service if they wanted to be included in customers' Prime shipping perks. Those anticompetitive practices allegedly led to higher prices and an inferior shopping experience.The suit describes Amazon's one-two punch of seller punishments and high seller fees" that forces vendors to use their inflated Amazon prices as a price floor everywhere else." The complaint reads, Amazon's punitive regime distorts basic market signals: one of the ways sellers respond to Amazon's fee hikes is by increasing their own prices off Amazon."Today's lawsuit seeks to hold Amazon to account for these monopolistic practices and restore the lost promise of free and fair competition," said FTC chair Lina Khan, according toThe New York Times.

Uber announced Tuesday that it's struck a deal with Los Angeles Yellow Cab to deploy taxi fleets across Southern California. The multi-year partnership, also extending to five other SoCal affiliates, will allow traditional yellow taxis to pick up Uber passengers. The collaboration between the strange bedfellows follows similar trials in New York City and San Francisco.Uber describes the alliance as mutually beneficial for all parties. Taxi drivers, struggling to recover from pandemic losses while competing with ridesharing, get access to Uber referrals. Meanwhile, riders could see faster pickups. (They can opt out of yellow taxis in the app if they prefer typical ridesharing cars.) And, of course, Uber gains a greater supply of rides.The partnership stretches down the SoCal coast to the Mexico border. It includes 1,200 vehicles from Los Angeles Yellow Cab, San Diego Yellow Cab, California Yellow Cab, Long Beach Yellow Cab, Fiesta Taxi Cooperative, Inc. and United Checker Cab. Onboarding for taxicab drivers in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties begins this week. Once fully onboarded, drivers can start accepting trips at UberX prices.The unusual pairing follows years of contentiousness between ridesharing and traditional taxi businesses. The two sides have often been at war since the early 2010s when Uber and Lyft's existence began threatening the taxi industry. Uber claims cab drivers who took ridesharing fares in the NYC and SF pilots raked in an extra $1,767 per month from those trips alone and earned 23.8% more on average than taxi drivers who eschewed Uber.We are thrilled to announce this partnership with Uber because it's a clear win-win for drivers and riders," said William Rouse, CEO of Yellow Cab of Los Angeles. We anticipate that this partnership will have a positive impact for our driver-owners as the pandemic recovery continues. No longer will drivers have to worry about finding a fare during off peak times or getting a street hail back into the city when in the outer suburbs."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uber-partners-with-la-taxi-companies-to-expand-its-fleet-161206363.html?src=rss

The well-reviewed Beats Studio Buds + earbuds have fallen to an all-time low price of $100, beating a previous record discount by a whopping $30. All told, that's a 40 percent discount, as the MSRP for these earbuds is $170. You can only access this deal at Amazon-owned Woot for the next five days or until the stock flies away into the loving arms of happy customers.We gave these earbuds a score of 84 in our review and a primary ding was the price increase over the previous version, which this sale more than makes up for. Otherwise, the Beats Studio Buds + earbuds are a marked improvement over the previous gen, with larger microphones, acoustic vents added to the front and side and a 16 percent increase in battery life. The control button has also been moved to limit accidental presses during use.All of these improvements combine to create a stellar pair of earbuds with top-notch sound quality and active noise canceling technology. Like many modern personal audio devices, there's also a robust transparency mode so you can adjust the level of ambient noise you hear. The company's custom acoustic platform has been designed to provide immersive sound when listening to music or when taking calls.This Beats product ships with four pairs of silicone tips to suit different ear canal sizes, all while maintaining a comfortable seal. They are IPX4 rated for sweat and water-resistance, in addition to offering Bluetooth support and the capacity for spatial audio.These earbuds are only four months old, so a refresh is still a ways off. It's practically unheard of to get a discount this steep so early in the lifespan of a product, so take advantage if you need a new pair of buds. Remember, the Woot sale ends in five days or when the stock runs out, and the latter is likely to happen before the former.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/beats-studio-buds--earbuds-fall-to-a-new-low-of-100-154451352.html?src=rss

Apple officially released iOS 17 into the wild on September 18. The latest update packs a number of new tools that make engaging with your iPhone a more personal experience. One of those features, Contact Posters, allows you to create your own digital calling card that pops up on other people's iPhones when you call them.While a Poster is visual, it's linked to your contact information, such as your phone number or email address. There's also the option to link a Medical ID through the Poster, which may be helpful for people who have allergies or serious medical conditions. If you're keen on jampacking your contact card with links to things like your Instagram profile, or if you simply are not sure how to digitally connect a Medical ID, just follow these instructions.Select your sharing settingsTo create your Poster open the Contacts app and navigate to My Card at the top of the screen, then select Contact Photo & Poster. Before editing or creating your Poster, you have the option to enable or disable sharing. If you toggle the green button to off, when you call or text a new number they won't see your Poster or associated info.Malak SalehIf you choose to keep the sharing feature on, you have two options. First, you can select to automatically share your contact photo with existing contacts only. Alternatively, you can enable the Always Ask feature, which will prompt you for approval before you share your contact with new people.Edit your photo and PosterAfter tapping Contact Photo & Poster and customizing your sharing settings, you'll be directed to a page that displays your current Poster if you had one previously set up. If not, it will be blank and prompt you to create a new one.If you choose to create a new Poster, you have several options for a lead visual. You can select a main image from your recent photos, take a new photo using the camera button or use a straightforward monogram. Alternatively, you can opt to use a Memoji - a virtual avatar that you can design to resemble yourself as a human or a cartoon animal. Once you've chosen your Poster image or created an avatar, you'll need to crop it or select a different visual for your Contact photo, which appears in the circular bubble in Messages.Malak SalehFrom there, you can insert whatever personal information you want available to your contacts. Besides the traditional options to share alternative phone numbers, emails and a home or work address, you can also add pronouns, social media profiles and personalized notes. You can also link contacts like family or loved ones to your own contact card, creating a clear digital association.Malak SalehCreate a contact card for your friends and familySimilarly, you can add or modify a contact's Poster right on the Contacts app landing page. By clicking the + button located at the top of your contacts list, you'll generate a blank card for a new contact. When you choose tap to Add Photo, you'll go through the same process you used to create your own Poster in order to complete the new contact's card. This feature becomes particularly handy if the other person either doesn't have a pre-existing Poster made or if the user does not have an iPhone with the updated iOS 17 software. Apple says Posters will also be available for third-party calling apps.Malak SalehCreate a Medical ID on your contact cardThrough the contact card, you can now create a Medical ID that links to your name and phone number. This can include your medical history, specify allergies or list medications you're currently taking. You can also report your blood type, indicate whether you're an organ donor, and link emergency contacts.This could be helpful for people dealing with chronic health issues or for those who have loved ones with chronic medical conditions. While it's unclear how beneficial this would be during an actual emergency, you have the option to automatically send your Medical ID to either an emergency contact or emergency services if you initiate a crisis call. In other words, when and if you call 911 from your iPhone, it will instantly share your vital medical information.Malak SalehThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-make-a-contact-poster-in-ios-17-153026970.html?src=rss

AIAIAI, which is best known for its headphones, is moving into new territory with a set of wireless speakers. The Unit-4 Wireless+ studio monitors use the same low-latency tech as the Danish brand's headphones. AIAIAI suggests that they will enable folks "to create and mix music with accurate sound representation and powerful performance" wherever they might happen to be.That suggests the speakers will be useful for those who like to make music while they're on the road, but would rather have studio monitors than headphones despite the extra bulk. (Even though they weigh a relatively paltry 2.5kg, the speakers will be more cumbersome than carrying around a set of cans.). The speakers may also be useful for garden DJ sets or any other environment in which latency is key and wired options are impractical. They will run you $800 for a pair.These monitors employ W+ Link wireless technology, which requires the use of an X02 transmitter (you can also use Bluetooth 5.2 or a cable to connect them to an audio source). AIAIAI says they have 16ms of latency via W+ Link and deliver uncompressed audio. The system employs dual antennas and higher bandwidth than Bluetooth can handle in an effort to maintain a robust connection. The batteries will run for up to 20 hours on a single charge, the brand claims, and it will take two hours to fully recharge them.AIAIAIAIAIAI says these speakers offer reference monitor sound. You'll be snapping up a two-way active monitor that features a four-inch high-excursion woofer and one-inch silk-dome tweeter. Thanks to a bass vent (which can also be used as a carrying handle) and tuned boosting EQ, the monitors will deliver "a clean bass extension down to 40Hz," AIAIAI claims. Since they employ a stage monitor design, you can angle the speakers horizontally to optimize the audio for your surroundings.Using the AIAIAI Unit-4 app, you'll be able to further align the sound field with the environment you're working in. There's a customizable five-band EQ and five presets. You can use the app to adjust the brightness of the LED ring too.Meanwhile, AIAIAI has designed the Unit-4 speakers with sustainability in mind. The main plastic components are made with 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic. The monitors have a glue-free design, so it should be easy to replace components such as the battery or speaker drivers when necessary. You'll be able to upgrade parts as well. On top of that, the Unit-4 is designed to be completely recyclable.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/aiaiai-unveils-portable-wireless-studio-monitors-with-low-latency-tech-150102242.html?src=rss

Xiaomi has a habit of releasing a mid-cycle flagship phone around this time of the year, mainly catering to markets outside of China. The good news with the freshly-announced Xiaomi 13T Pro is that, unlike last year's 12T Pro, this one comes with Leica's branding and photographic enhancements. This means fans in Europe will have another Leica-branded option for their next smartphone upgrade, in addition to the earlier - and more expensive - 13, 13 Pro and 13 Ultra.The 13T Pro is, in fact, the global variant of China's Redmi K60 Ultra, which looks almost identical, but lacks Leica tuning and Google services. Another key difference is that the more expensive 13T Pro packs better photography hardware in order to get Leica's approval. The 24mm-equivalent main camera, for instance, is powered by a 50-megapixel sensor with a larger-than-usual 1.22um pixel size. While this is no match to the 1.6um pixels on the real flagships' 1-inch sensors, it's still more generous than what many other handsets offer, not to mention that it can achieve a 2.44um-equivalent effect by way of pixel-binning technology.You'll also find a 50-megapixel f/1.9 telephoto camera (50mm-equivalent) and a 12-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera (15mm-equivalent) on the Leica-branded camera island. All three cameras have access to both Leica Authentic and Leica Vibrant color modes and, when in portrait mode, the telephoto camera offers a "Master-lens system" which can emulate a 35mm "Documentary" lens, a 50mm "Swirly" bokeh lens or a 90mm "Soft focus" lens. The 20-megapixel f/2.2 punch-hole selfie camera doesn't get any Leica love, but it does support night mode, portrait mode and HDR.XiaomiLike the Redmi K60 Ultra, the 13T Pro packs MediaTek's flagship Dimensity 9200+ processor, with which it apparently has a 10 percent boost in both CPU and GPU performance over the 12T Pro (which had a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, also based on a 4nm process). Xiaomi paired this with a 5,000mm^2 stainless steel vapor cooling plate - the company's biggest ever for a phone, allegedly - for improved thermal dissipation.Xiaomi made a sensible decision with the 6.67-inch screen here: it's flat rather than curved, which makes photo viewing, video playback and gaming so much more practical. It's also a nice AMOLED panel, featuring a 2,712 x 1,220 resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, a 480Hz touch sampling rate, a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, DCI-P3 color gamut and support for both Dolby Vision plus HDR10+. For those with sensitive eyes, the display's fast 2,880Hz PWM (pulse-width modulation) dimming in lower brightness should induce less eye fatigue as well. This is shielded by a piece of Gorilla Glass 5, but more importantly, the entire device is IP68-rated for dust and water resistance.Another noteworthy feature on the Xiaomi 13T Pro is its 5,000mAh battery, which supports 120W "HyperCharge." it only takes 19 minutes to go from zero to 100 percent, but if you're in a real hurry, even a mere 5-minute charge will apparently fill you up back to 36 percent. Such charging speeds aren't entirely new, of course, and likewise with Xiaomi's dual-chip system - the Surge G1 power management chipset plus Surge P1 fast-charging chipset - to ensure battery safety while prolonging its lifespan.XiaomiThe Xiaomi 13T Pro is now rolling out across Europe, starting from 799 euros (around $846) for the 12GB LPDDRX5 RAM plus 256GB UFS 4.0 storage model, with the top model maxing out at 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for a yet-to-be-disclosed price. There's also an identical-looking Xiaomi 13T which starts from 649 euros (around $687; 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage), with the only differences seemingly being the lesser Dimensity 8200-Ultra processor, slower 67W charging and lack of 8K video recording.Colors for both models include green or black which feature a glossy glass back, or "Alpine Blue" with a soft "BioComfort vegan leather" back. These dual-SIM devices run on MIUI 14 based on Android 13, and Xiaomi promises four years of Android updates along with five years of security patches. The company is also offering European customers one free screen repair within six months after purchase, and one out-of-warranty repair without labor cost within a year after purchase. It goes without saying that these freebies reflect Xiaomi's western ambitions, not to mention how it's strategically added more affordable options to its flagship lineup, in the hopes of putting up a better fight in the declining market.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xiaomis-13t-pro-brings-its-leica-goodness-to-more-western-markets-144108348.html?src=rss

Meta is gearing up for Connect, its annual event devoted to all things VR, AR and the metaverse. This year, the company is once again set to show off a new VR headset, with the Meta Quest 3, as well as its next-generation smart glasses.It's also an opportunity for Meta to showcase some of its latest AI advancements, which will reportedly come in the form of new generative AI chatbots. This year will also mark the return of an in-person component to Connect, which has been online-only since 2020. The main keynote will still be livestreamed for remote viewers, but the change will hopefully make for a more lively event than the largely pre-recorded sessions of the past few years.Here's a rundown of everything we're expecting to hear about during Mark Zuckerberg's keynote, which kicks off at 1PM ET on September 27.Meta Quest 3 and second-gen Ray-Ban Stories updateWe already know quite a bit about the Meta Quest 3, thanks to a preview from Zuckerberg earlier this year. The $499 headset has been considerably slimmed down from its predecessors and comes with redesigned controllers. It will also have better graphics and run on a new next-gen" Qualcomm chipset, which will power new mixed-reality features akin to last year's high-end Quest Pro. But with an official reveal at Connect, we should finally get a lot more details about the Quest 3 and its capabilities.The VR headset likely isn't the only Reality Labs gadget we'll hear more about. As UploadVR noted last week, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth recently hinted that a second-generation of Meta's Ray-Ban-branded smart glasses are also in the works and coming "pretty soon." The new frames are expected to come with better cameras and some new features, like livestreaming, according to Janko Roettgers of the Lowpass newsletter. It's not clear when the glasses could make an official debut - unlike the Quest 3, Meta has been fairly tight-lipped about its plans for the product - but considering Bosworth's comments and earlier reports of a possible fall launch, it seems safe to say we'll at least get an update on their plans.Meta has at least one other major piece of hardware in the works, the augmented reality glasses it's been teasing since 2020. Last year at Connect, Zuckerberg showed off a prototype for a wrist-based controller that could have AR applications, but didn't offer a look at how the glasses themselves are progressing.That could change this year. The Verge previously reported the company is readying a pair of smart glasses, which will use the wrist-based interface, for a 2025 release. Those glasses, however, would be something of a precursor to full-fledged AR glasses," which are slated for 2027. Given the timeframe, it seems more likely we'll hear about the former, wrist-controlled frames, rather than the more ambitious AR ones, but it would make sense for the company to preview more details about the project.Chatbots and AIIt looks like Meta is set to (once again) borrow a page from Snap's playbook with a generative AI assistant. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Meta is readying dozens AI chatbots with distinct personalities in a bid to attract younger users.Zuckerberg has been teasing the idea of AI personas" for Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger for some time. But it now sounds as if Meta intends for these AI personalities to play a role in its VR applications as well. According to The Journal, these bots, which have names like Alvin the Alien" and Bob the Robot," will also live in the company's metaverse apps. While many aspects of the plan sound a bit cringey - and even some Meta employees are reportedly skeptical of the bots - it offers an interesting window into how Meta is using AI to boost interest in the metaverse. Which brings us to...What about the metaverse?The company once known as Facebook has now had nearly two years to sell the public on its vision for the metaverse. So far, that's largely fallen flat. Reality Labs losses have ballooned to more than $20 billion since last year and are expected to climb further. Meta's investors have been openly skeptical, while new metaverse features, like the addition of legged avatars, have proved underwhelming.

After October 25, YouTube users paying for Premium Lite will have to pay for the more expensive full-fledged Premium tier if they don't want to see ads in their videos without resorting to ad blockers. The video hosting platform is discontinuing the subscription option, it told users in an email, where it also said that it will be developing more versions of it in line with feedback from creators and viewers.YouTube never rolled out Premium Lite to all users around the world, and access to it remained limited after it first became available in select European countries in 2021. For those who did get access to it, though, it's been a great option to remove ads from the viewing experience, which is the only thing it can do, for only 7 ($7.42) a month. The regular Premium tier removes ads and comes bundled with YouTube Music, the ability to download videos for offline viewing, as well as the capability to watch videos in the background while using other apps. However, it's double the price at $14 a month.The website is giving current subscribers a month-long regular Premium subscription at no cost even if they've trialed it in the past in a bid to win them over. They have to either cancel their subscription right now or wait for their subscription to be canceled before they can redeem the offer. But based on responses from users lamenting the Lite option's impending removal on Reddit, a lot of people are unwilling to spend twice the amount of what they've been paying when all they want is to watch videos ad-free.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtubes-ad-free-premium-lite-tier-is-going-away-121506789.html?src=rss

The Meta Connect 2023 VR showcase event starts tomorrow and there are a couple of ways to watch it. It's streaming live on Facebook, which is to be expected, but you can also access the showcase from Meta's Horizon Worlds app with a Quest VR headset. The event itself is a two-day affair, but the keynote address starts on September 27 at 1 PM ET.This should be a big one for Meta, as the Quest 3 headset is just around the corner. We'll likely get an official release date, which is currently described as sometime toward the end of the year. The original Quest 3 announcement was also light on certain hardware specs, so expect announcements on RAM, CPU, battery life, lenses and more.Here's what we already know. The Quest 3 will cost $500 and feature full-color passthrough, with Mark Zuckerberg calling it "the first mainstream headset with high-res color mixed reality." It'll also boast redesigned ergonomic controllers, a more comfortable form factor when compared to the Quest 2, and a significant reduction in both weight and size.Of course, any console is only as good as its games and experiences. We already know that the Quest 3 will be backwards compatible, so you'll have access to every single title published for the Quest 2 and the OG model, but Zuckerberg and company are sure to announce plenty of new games exclusive to the forthcoming platform. It has already revealed some cross-platform titles, like Assassin's Creed: Nexus VR and Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, so we should get information on pricing and availability. There's also a game based on the hit Netflix show Stranger Things launching sometime before the holidays.The VR wars are starting to heat up, as the Quest 3 releases just a couple of months before Apple's long-awaited Vision Pro headset. The massive price gap between the two, however, makes the Quest 3 much more affordable for regular people.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-the-meta-connect-2023-vr-showcase-120041699.html?src=rss

It's the year 2023, so anything that can get an injection of AI will get an injection of AI. However, I doubt many people had the board game Pictionary on their artificial intelligence bingo card. Mattel just surprised us all and announced a new version of the game, Pictionary Vs. AI. It's the brand's first title to incorporate AI technology" and marks the company's first major leap into the category."This isn't a video game. It's an actual analog board game with an AI-enhanced refresh. The difference between this and traditional Pictionary is that here everyone works to stump the artificial intelligence, instead of each other. You get a clue from a card, just like the regular game, and draw on the included whiteboard, just like the regular game. That's where the similarities end.The drawing is sent to a smartphone where it's analyzed by a proprietary AI. This algorithm attempts to guess what you drew. Everyone else tries to predict whether or not the AI will be successful at guessing your attempt at an ice cream sundae that really looks like a sad, melty mountain. You make your predictions after seeing the source drawings, which should lead to some hilarious situations. Mattel says that fun and laughter are sure to ensue with all drawings good and bad."Pictionary Vs. AI releases on October 2 and costs $25, which seems like a decent enough value. It ships with four whiteboards, a simple smartphone stand, a game board, game pieces, some pens and, of course, a stack of clue cards.This may be one of the first board games to incorporate AI, but there are many analog titles with a digital twist. Mattel hasn't announced if they'd be bringing this technology to other IPs in its stable, like UNO or Apples to Apples.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/because-everything-needs-ai-in-2023-mattel-added-it-to-pictionary-120009236.html?src=rss

There's never been a better time to buy Apple's 10.9-inch 2022 iPad, as the 64GB Wi-Fi model has dropped down to $379 on B&H Photo Video, near an all time low. That's a savings of $70 off the regular $449 price on the blue and silver options, or $399 for the pink version. The 256GB versions (also blue and silver) have dropped $50 to $549.The 10.9-inch iPad earned an 85 Engadget review score this past October. It looks more modern than the cheaper and smaller 10.2-inch iPad, thanks to the flatter edges, thinner bezels, Touch ID button and USB-C port - similar to what's found on the more expensive iPad Air or iPad Pro. The A14 Bionic chip isn't the latest, but is easily powerful enough for media consumption, light work and other everyday tasks, while still delivering an impressive 10 hours of battery life. Its front-facing camera is positioned along the side, which is more convenient for landscape video calls.There are a few quirks, including a display that's not quite up to the iPad Air's level. It also lacks an anti-reflective coating, so it's a little more prone to glare. It only works with the original Apple Pencil, not the vastly improved second-gen stylus. Nor does it support the same Magic Keyboard as the iPad Air or iPad Pro; instead, it uses its own accessory called the Magic Keyboard Folio that, while good, isn't as stable on your lap. It also lacks a headphone jack.As we note in our iPad buying guide, if you can afford to step up to the iPad Air, that's the best option overall. And if you just want a competent iPad for the lowest price possible, the 10.2-inch model can be a slightly better value. Still, at this price, the 10.9-inch iPad is a better value, so if you have your eye on one, now's the time to act.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-109-inch-ipad-is-379-right-now-113542418.html?src=rss