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After 38 years, Microsoft is updating its Paint App with support for image transparency and layers. For most of us, MS Paint brings waves of nostalgia and memories of spending hours trying to be Picasso. Back then, you had a pencil, brushes, a handful of colors and not much else. Now, it seems Microsoft is beefing up its app to make it more useful for slightly more advanced image editing. In a blog post, Dave Grochocki, Principal Product Manager for Windows Inbox Apps, announced the new features and "exciting" new possibilities."When you combine layers, transparency, and other tools in Paint, you can create exciting new images and artwork! For example, when combined with the new background removal feature, you can quickly create interesting layered compositions," Grochocki said.To get started, you'll need to click on the new layer option in the toolbar and that will open a panel on the side of the canvas. From there, you can hide, duplicate, merge or delete layers - much like you can do in other, more robust photo editing software. As of right now, the update is only available to users who are signed up to receive Windows Insider software builds. The features are not currently available to all Windows users, but are likely to be rolled out soon.While it isn't the most groundbreaking thing, people who are still using MS Paint will find these features useful. And it's likely Microsoft will continue to update its Paint app, since the company has made it clear: MS Paint is here to stay.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ms-paint-just-got-two-killer-features-for-a-90s-graphics-editor-202341195.html?src=rss

The newly upgraded particle accelerator at the DoE's Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) has produced its first X-rays. The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) upgrade, LCLS-II, can emit up to a million X-ray pulses per second (8,000 times more than the original) and an almost continuous beam 10,000 times brighter than its predecessor. Researchers believe it will enable unprecedented research into atomic-scale, ultrafast phenomena" and shed new light on quantum computing, communications, clean energy and medicine.One of the keys to the accelerator's powerful upgrade is its cooling abilities. The original LCLS, which went online in 2009, was capped at 120 pulses per second because of the natural limits of how many electrons could simultaneously travel through the accelerator's room-temperature copper pipes. But the updated version includes 37 cryogenic modules cooled to negative 456 degrees Fahrenheit (colder than outer space), allowing it to boost electrons to high energies with nearly zero energy loss." The new accelerator will work in parallel with the existing copper one.SLAC researchers say the new capabilities will allow them to examine details of quantum materials with unprecedented resolution while enabling new forms of quantum computing and reveal unpredictable and fleeting chemical events" to help advance clean energy tech. In addition, they say it could help scientists develop new pharmaceuticals by studying how biological molecules work on an unprecedented scale. Finally, they stated that its unmatched 8,000 flashes per second will open up entirely new fields of scientific investigation."SLACSLAC researchers began envisioning upgrades to the original LCLS in 2010. The project has since gone through $1.1 billion and has involved thousands of scientists, engineers, and technicians across DOE, as well as numerous institutional partners." It required numerous cutting-edge components," including a new electron source, two cryoplants to produce refrigerant and two new undulators to generate X-rays from the beam. Multiple institutions contributed to the endeavor, including five US national labs (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory, among others) and Cornell University.Experiments in each of these areas are set to begin in the coming weeks and months, attracting thousands of researchers from across the nation and around the world," said LCLS Director Mike Dunne. DOE user facilities such as LCLS are provided at no cost to the users - we select on the basis of the most important and impactful science. LCLS-II is going to drive a revolution across many academic and industrial sectors. I look forward to the onslaught of new ideas - this is the essence of why national labs exist."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/stanfords-upgraded-x-ray-laser-is-up-and-running-192326869.html?src=rss

Agility Robotics, the creator of the bipedal robot Digit, is opening a manufacturing plant in Salem, Oregon that will give the company the capacity to produce more than 10,000 humanoid robots a year. The 70,000 square foot factory coined RoboFab" is set to open later this year and will employ upwards of 500 workers in Salem.Agility Robotics says its facility will also employ its very own Digits, the iconic humanoid robot, in the new factory. The Digits will help move, load and unload warehouse goods.The company says some customers can expect delivery of the first Digits in 2024, with general market availability in 2025. In a statement, Damion Shelton, Agility Robotics' co-founder and CEO says that the ultimate goal of creating Digits is to Solve difficult problems in today's workforce like injuries, burnout, high turnover and unfillable labor gaps."The manufacturing of bipedal robots is something we have seen teased by competitors like Boston Dynamics' Atlas and Tesla's Optimus robot prototype. However, none have matured to the extent of being able to churn out thousands of robots like that being seen in this effort by Agility Robotics. Still, until these robots are actually in production, it's too soon to say if Agility Robotics' warehouse robots, which are designed to fill a gap in the logistics and distribution industry, will actually surpass its competitors in this newly burgeoning market.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/agility-robotics-is-building-its-first-bipedal-robot-factory-in-oregon-184436386.html?src=rss

It didn't take long to learn Panos Panay's new home. The industry veteran, instrumental in developing Windows 11 and the Microsoft Surface line of 2-in-1s and laptops, has reportedly been hired by Amazon, according toBloomberg. Microsoft's former chief product officer will lead Amazon's division responsible for Alexa and Echo smart devices.Panay will replace Dave Limp, the Amazon executive previously in charge of Alexa and Echo, who announced his retirement last month. Panay's move from one Seattle-based tech giant to another will have him overseeing a division hit by layoffs last year. Ironically, Amazon and Microsoft each have fall hardware events scheduled this week.Microsoft brought on Panay in 2004 as a group program manager. He oversaw the development of Surface devices during their formative years, where he became an event mainstay with his passionate and detailed product launch keynotes. He was promoted in 2018 to chief product officer before landing his last Microsoft position as executive vice president in 2021. Panay said he decided to turn the page and write the next chapter." Yusuf Mehdi will replace him as Microsoft's head of Windows and Surface teams.We reached out to Amazon for comment and confirmation, and we'll update this article when we hear something.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/panos-panay-is-reportedly-heading-to-amazon-after-leaving-microsoft-175017471.html?src=rss

It's a big day for Apple users as the company is rolling out major operating system updates for most of its devices (Mac users need to wait a bit longer). Just ahead of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 arriving later this week, the company has released watchOS 10. If you have an Apple Watch Series 4 or above, you can install it now.The biggest change is the introduction of widgets (which are a bit like Glances from Apple's original wearable) for every watch face, which include two new ones. You'll be able to use the Digital Crown to cycle through your widgets and see access features like timers, stopwatches and podcasts when those are active.The World Clock app should make it easier to understand the time of day in different parts of the world at a glimpse thanks to the addition of dynamic background colors. for various timezones. In the Activity app, you'll be able to rotate the crown to see more data via corner shortcuts. There's the option to connect to Bluetook bike sensors to help cyclists track more data too. The Compass, Mindfulness and Medications apps are all getting updates as well.Perhaps two of the biggest updates for most people are related to FaceTime. You can view a FaceTime video message on your Watch and join Group FaceTime audio calls.The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will get some exclusive features powered by the new S9 SiP, including Siri requests that are processed on-device rather than through Apple's servers. They also support a new Double Tap feature Apple designed to make it easier to carry out the main action in each app. Both devices will be available on September 22.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watchos-10-has-arrived-bringing-widgets-back-to-the-apple-watch-171753537.html?src=rss

iPadOS 17 is available now. The annual update lacks a single headline-grabbing feature, but the sum of its smaller changes enhances the experience of using Apple's tablet. Changes include Stage Manager refinements, along with Lock Screen additions and interactive widgets to match the iPhone's new features from a year ago.You can install iPadOS 17 on recent models. It supports the iPad Pro 12.9 (2nd-gen or later), iPad Pro 10.5, iPad Pro 11 (1st-gen or later), iPad Air (3rd gen or later), standard iPad (6th gen or later) and iPad mini (5th gen or later). If you don't know which device you have, you can navigate to Settings > General > About > Model Name to determine which one it is.Once you know your device is eligible, you can head to Settings > General > About > Software Update to manually initiate the download and installation. If you had auto-updates turned on, it would install eventually, but perhaps not until later in the week.iPadOS 17 catches up on a couple of iOS 16 features that didn't make it to the iPad last year, including a revamped and more customizable Lock Screen (including an easier and more robust wallpaper picker) and interactive widgets. In addition, the Health app makes its way to the bigger screen and you can more easily adjust Stage Manager to fit your needs. Finally, iOS 17's FaceTime and Messaging updates are included on the tablet software as well. You can read more about iPadOS 17's features in Engadget's full preview.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ipados-17-is-ready-to-download-171507612.html?src=rss

iOS 17 is here. Apple has made the annual update available to all users on eligible devices, meaning you can install it right now without bothering with beta programs. The 2023 iPhone software update includes significant updates to Messages, FaceTime, the keyboard and more.You can install iOS 17 on any iPhone from 2018 or later. Once you know your device is eligible, you can head to Settings > General > About > Software Update to manually initiate the download and installation.This year's iOS upgrade includes audio message transcriptions and a rethinking of the Messages app. (iMessage apps and other tools now live behind a plus button next to the text entry field.) FaceTime adds video voicemails, and you can even take calls on an Apple TV, using an iPhone or iPad as the camera. StandBy mode is a new feature that turns your handset into a smart display when it's charging and positioned horizontally. Meanwhile, NameDrop lets you quickly exchange contact info with new friends by tapping your devices together, and a new inline predictive text feature lets the keyboard predict and (optionally) finish your sentences for you.You can read more about the new features in Engadget's full iOS 17 preview. For more details on installing the update, you can read our tutorial.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ios-17-is-now-available-171458248.html?src=rss

Last week, MGM Resorts disclosed a massive systems issue that reportedly rendered slot machines, room keys and other critical devices inoperable. What elaborate methods were required to crack a nearly $34 billion casino and hotel empire? According to the hackers themselves (and seemingly confirmed by a source speaking with Bloomberg), all it took was a ten minute phone call.The alleged hackers behind the MGM issue, by all appearances, gained access through one of the most ubiquitous and low-tech vectors: a social engineering attack. Social engineering psychologically manipulates a target into doing what the attacker wants, or giving up information that they shouldn't - in this case, apparently, by pulling a fast one on an unsuspecting IT help desk worker. The consequences range from taking down global corporations to devastating the personal finances of unfortunate individual victims. But what makes social engineering attacks so effective, and why are they so hard to prevent?It seems counterintuitive to hand over sensitive information to a complete stranger, but attackers have developed ways to trick you into feeling comfortable doing just that. Those could include building trust over time, gathering information about you to seem like they know you or using a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly without thinking through what you're giving up. That's why common personality traits among cyber victims include being extroverted, agreeable and open to new experiences, according to Erik Huffman, a researcher who studies the psychology behind cybersecurity trends.Fear is an attack vector. Helpfulness is an attack vector," Huffman said. The more comfortable you are, the more hackable you become."Plus, digital environments have fewer social cues versus being face to face, so a potential victim is not as good at sensing potentially suspicious signs, Huffman said. We read messages in our own voice, projecting our own good will onto them, which normally doesn't happen in person. There's less information like social cues or body language to guide us or give us a gut feeling that something's off.A social engineering attack could be as simple as a faux-urgent phone call from a scammer to get your credit card information for low level theft. But there are increasingly complicated Rube Goldberg attacks" that layer multiple approaches to fool you, according to Sophos X-Ops principal researcher Andrew Brandt. In an example of such an attack, Brandt observed scammers first operating over the phone to get a target to click an email also sent by the scammer. Once clicked, the email would activate an attack chain that included malware and remote access software.More likely, you'll encounter it on a much simpler level. You might get a text from someone pretending to be your boss asking for gift cards or be tricked into clicking a malicious link that phishes your credentials. But one way or another you'll probably run into it eventually, as an estimated 98 percent of cyberattacks rely to some extent on social engineering tactics, according to research from Splunk.There are some other warning signs people can look out for. Having to download an unusually big file, a password protected zip file that can't be scanned for malware or a suspicious shortcut file are all signs of a potential attack, according to Brandt. But a lot of it's a gut feeling - and taking time to step back before proceeding to consider what could go wrong.It is a practice that takes repetition and rehearsal over and over again to reflexively distrust what people say to you who you don't know," Brandt said.Huffman said people can try to avoid falling victim by acknowledging the limitations of a digital environment, and asking questions like: Does it make sense for this person to reach out to me? Does this person behave in a trustworthy manner? Does this person have the authority or position of power to give these directions? Does this person truly understand the topic we're discussing?Social engineering attacks happen constantly, to huge corporations as well as everyday people. Knowing that our good-natured traits can be our greatest weakness when faced with this variety of bad actors, it can be tempting to stop being nice altogether for safety's sake. The key is balancing our social instincts with healthy skepticism. You can be helpful," said Huffman, "but be cautious."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-social-engineering-takes-advantage-of-your-kindness-170043531.html?src=rss

GE Health says it plans to develop an AI-assisted ultrasound imaging tool that is so easy to use, that even healthcare providers without specialized training will be able to operate it. The device's research and development will be funded by a $44 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has historically invested in the roll-out of new technologies in resource-poor settings to address gaps in healthcare access.GE says the AI-powered imaging technology has been designed to be dispersed to low-and-middle income countries where the services of healthcare providers may be stretched thin. The ultrasound tool will be more effective at providing clear readings of lung and ultrasound scans across maternal and fetal care as well as pediatric lung health. These areas of medicine are particularly notable because maternal and child mortality is mostly preventable if medical intervention occurs early. Proper medical imaging is key to achieving timely diagnosis, guides treatment decisions and can improve treatment outcomes.GE's $3 billion ultrasound business, has recently focused on the development pipeline of AI software with the acquisition of med tech companies like Caption Health, which will help design this particular ultrasound device. The company appears committed to a strategy of increasing spending on AI-related projects both now and in the near future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ge-is-working-on-ai-powered-ultrasounds-to-combat-pediatric-and-maternal-mortality-rates-034020572.html?src=rss

Modern tech journalism would likely look far differently today, if not for the efforts of Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson and a host of other trailblazing female reporters who staffed the Science Service throughout the publication's history. These journalists were among the very first science communicators, making sense of the newfangled technological wonders of the 1920s through 1950s and bringing that understanding to their readers - often in spite of the personalities and institutions they were covering.In Writing for Their Lives: America's Pioneering Female Science Journalists, historian Marcel Chotkowski Lafollette highlights not just the important work that these women performed but examines how their diverse the excerpt below recounts the hectic days and weeks in the outlets newsroom following America's use of a terrifying new "atom" bomb.MIT PressExcerpted from Writing for Their Lives: America's Pioneering Female Science Journalists, by Marcel Chotkowski LaFollette. Published by The MIT Press. Copyright (C) 2023 MIT. All rights reserved.Team SpiritIn the weeks following the August 1945 dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Science Service staff frequently apologized for their tardy responses to any correspondence that had arrived that month. Just about the time that your letter arrived here, we were completely showered with debris from the atom bombs," Martha Morrow wrote somewhat facetiously. This note of appreciation would have gotten off sooner if we had not had atomic bombs and peace crashing down on us," Jane Stafford told another scientist. The journalists' internal memos, however, exuded a sense of accomplishment. They had risen to the challenge of covering extraordinary breaking news; they had collaborated, cooperated, and served their readers well.Because Watson Davis happened to be traveling in South America during the first week of August 1945, the five editorial writers remaining in Washington worked as a team, with each person applying a different interpretative frame to explaining the development and use of an atomic bomb. Morrow focused on the physics; Stafford looked at radiation and physiology; Marjorie Van de Water concentrated on the psychological and social implications; Helen Davis explored the chemistry of explosions; and Frank Thone focused on the biological impacts. Van de Water later recalled the electric atmosphere:

Panos Panay is leaving Microsoft after 19 years with the company, as confirmed via an official tweet. He's been operating as the chief product officer with Microsoft, heading up Windows 11 development and the company's Surface line. Rajesh Jha, Microsoft's vice president of experience and devices, broke the news in an email to employees, as reported by The Verge.Panay was hired on by Microsoft back in 2004 as a group program manager, overseeing a number of premium products. After heading the development of the initial Surface line of tablets and hybrid laptops, he was named the company's chief product officer in 2018. His rise continued in 2021 when he was promoted to executive vice president after a successful Windows 11 launch, eventually becoming involved in a leadership team that directly advised CEO Satya Nadella.There's been no actual reason given by either party, but Panay says he has decided to turn the page and write the next chapter." The timing here is a bit suspicious, as Microsoft's conducting a livestream event on Thursday that will almost certainly be dedicated to new Surface products. We reached out to the company for clarification as to why Panay left his position and what that means moving forward. We'll update this post when we hear more.As for what's next, Microsoft has already said that Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft's current corporate vice president of modern life, search and devices, will take Panay's place as the head of the Windows and Surface divisions. The company also still seems committed to two areas of the business that Panay consistently championed: integrating AI into Windows 11 and mixed-reality. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement released to TechCrunch that the company remains steadfast and convicted in our strategy." We'll have to see how this unfolds Thursday during Microsoft's Surface-centric event.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-panos-panay-leaves-company-after-nearly-20-years-153513258.html?src=rss

It's almost time for Amazon's annual fall hardware event, where the company typically announces a bunch of upcoming devices, including new entries for its ereader and smart speaker lines. On September 20, the company will stage Devices at its second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Amazon will not be streaming it to the public, but Engadget will be there to liveblog so you can follow along and read about its new products as soon as they're announced, starting at 11AM ET.Last year, one of the event's main reveals was the Kindle Scribe, a 10.2-inch ereader that comes with a pen that you can use to jot down notes on its 300 ppi display. It was launched with a retail price of $340 - and it still costs that much - but it's been on sale since. The company also announced a redesigned Echo Studio that features a new spatial audio processor, as well as a new Echo Dot with a larger driver, at the event. Plus, Amazon revealed a "no-contact" sleep tracker called the Halo Rise and a refresh of the Fire TV Cube.In the security department, the company announced two new cameras from Ring, along with the Spotlight Cam Pro and Spotlight Cam Plus. While those aren't quite out of the ordinary, Amazon is known to reveal more exciting devices at the event from time to time. In 2021, it introduced an Alexa-powered robot named Astro that can patrol your home, while it revealed a Ring drone that can fly around your house the year before that.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-and-follow-amazons-2023-devices-event-153059840.html?src=rss

Just like X (formerly Twitter), would-be competitor T2 Social has a new name, and it's one that might ring a bell. Starting today, the service is called Pebble. And no, it's not a revival of the e-ink smartwatch company of yore.Pebble said in an email to users that T2, which is run by former X/Twitter employees, was a placeholder name. It opted for Pebble after reviewing more than 60 options. The team plumped for that one because a tiny stone can cause ripples across a whole pond. Just like sharing your stories and insights can create waves in our community."It's certainly an interesting choice. Pebble (the smartwatch) blew up on Kickstarter, only to go out of business a few short years later. Fitbit snapped up its intellectual property and Google later bought that business. That certainly doesn't seem ominous for the prospects of Pebble (the social media platform).The latest entity to go by Pebble hasn't taken off in the same way as Bluesky (which recently passed a million users), Post (440,000 registered users as of June) or Threads (more than 100 million users in less than a week). Pebble has somewhere north of 15,000 registered users. In fairness, the service limited signups and opted for an invite system, which is also changing today as anyone with an X account can now join.In addition, Pebble has rolled out a new tab called Ideas. Here, you can see a list of AI-generated suggestions for your next post or reply. Pebble CEO Gabor Cselle suggested this will help foster a kinder, safer and more enjoyable environment for everyone, though some might suggest that could lead to a more boring experience all around. As Wired, which first reported on the GAI feature, put it, "the Ideas feature's sometimes peppy or stilted prose could easily leave one's social feed feeling artificial and dull."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/would-be-x-competitor-t2-social-is-now-called-pebble-no-not-that-pebble-150021871.html?src=rss

We're entering the season of long scenic drives and holiday parties, which means lots of time using your devices away from home and needing a quick recharge wherever you are. Currently, this is doable for a much lower cost, with Amazon running a sale on Anker's power banks and fast-charging plug-ins. The deals include Anker's 511 Power Bank, available for 50 percent off, dropping from $40 to $20. It's one of our favorite portable chargers, thanks to its slim size and ability to juice up an Android smartphone to 75 percent in just over an hour. Plus, it has a built-in plug that can act as a wall adapter if you have a spare cable handy.Amazon's Anker deals also includes two new releases: The MagSafe 3-in-1 Charging Cube is 20 percent off, bringing its price down from $150 to $120. We're currently testing the 3-in-1 device, and, so far, it's a solid upgrade compared to previous Anker multi-use chargers. It has 15W max charging and works with the iPhone 13 to 15, the Apple Watch models Ultra and one through eight and the AirPods 2, 3 and Pro. Then there's the Anker 315 67W USB-C Charger, which has dropped from $34 to $24 - a 29 percent discount. It's a great high-speed option for juicing up everything from your MacBook Pro to your new iPhone 15.Items like the 12-in-1 Docking Station, touting a 42 percent discount and dropping from $120 to $69 are also part of the sale. If you don't plan on giving up your older iPhone anytime soon, there's the USB-C to Lightning Bio-Braided Cable, down from $22 to $12 - a 45 percent discount.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/anker-charging-gear-and-power-banks-are-up-to-50-percent-off-right-now-140338603.html?src=rss

When Apple previews the upcoming version of iOS at WWDC, we expect to see all of the new features that will improve the iPhone. However, it's not guaranteed that the company will take that opportunity to also update its popular wireless earbuds. But, alongside the arrival of iOS 17, a firmware update adds a few new features to the second-gen AirPods Pro, most of which will automatically adjust to your environment or activity so you don't have to touch the earbuds or reach for your phone.The headline addition is Adaptive Audio, a tool that automatically and dynamically" blends transparency mode and active noise cancellation (ANC) based on your surroundings. Apple says it will change the noise control settings continuously throughout the day, making the proper adjustments as you move to different settings. Thanks to the H2 chip in the AirPods Pro, the earbuds use a combination of computational audio and machine learning algorithms that can discern between consistent and transitory noise. The technology inside of the earbuds also accounts for whether you're stationary or in motion, and if you're listening to music or taking a call when making its automatic adjustments.The whole idea is for this to happen without you really noticing. When there's a change in your surroundings, Adaptive Audio gradually starts tweaking the blend of ANC and transparency. So if you enter a loud coffee shop or sit near a noisy A/C unit, AirPods Pro gently increases the level of noise cancellation to combat the clamor. The point is to smooth the transition, so the change in cancellation level doesn't become a distraction itself.Indeed, unless you're really listening for the fluctuations or you encounter loud noise, you won't notice them. It gradually increased ANC when I was washing dishes at the sink or grinding coffee to keep the audio where I could hear it clearly. But it also swung back to the transparency mode I previously had active when I ventured into a quieter spot. It works very well and it's not jarring at all thanks to the gentle, but still quick, transition.Photo by Billy Steele/EngadgetBefore, you could switch between transparency mode and ANC by pressing and holding the AirPods Pro stem. You could also reconfigure one of those to just turn noise control completely off. Apple will allow you to swap one of the options that are accessible on the earbuds with Adaptive Audio, but the company is keeping it to only two settings via the on-board controls. As you might expect, Adaptive Audio is accessible through the Control Center where the AirPods options have been re-organized. There's a noise control section that expands to give you access to transparency, Adaptive Audio, ANC and off just below the volume slider.The next new feature is Personalized Volume. This uses machine learning to understand environmental conditions and listening preferences over time to automatically fine-tune the media experience," according to Apple. It's another layer of hands-off adjustment that AirPods Pro will do when you move from one place to the next. However, the over time" part means I haven't used it long enough to really notice a difference. After only a few days of testing, I can't say I've encountered a time where the adjustment was obvious. Maybe the feature needs more time to learn my preferences or maybe Apple's claims that you'll barely notice the difference are true. Either way, I'm not comfortable weighing the merits just yet. Personalized Volume is enabled via the AirPods Pro settings menu, just above the option for Loud Sound Reduction.A handy new tool that I can see quickly becoming popular is Conversation Awareness. When you start talking, this feature automatically lowers the volume or pauses, focuses on voices in front of you and reduces background noise. It's similar to Sony's Speak-to-Chat, only that it completely pauses media when it detects your voice. Here, Apple reduces volume when you're listening to music and pauses things like podcasts and audiobooks. The main issue with Sony's version is it's easily triggered by light coughs or clearing your throat. After a few days of testing, Conversation Awareness is less susceptible to false positives, unless you're really hacking. And if you find you don't like it, you can disable it entirely in the AirPod Pro settings.I was skeptical at first, but I quickly got on board with Apple's decision to reduce volume rather than stop a song completely. It's certainly less jarring, and the feature returns to your previous volume about three seconds after it no longer senses your voice or the person you're speaking to. I'm sure there are some users who'd prefer a complete pause for all media, those who don't want to talk over something in the background. But this is meant for quick convos rather than extended chats, and for that reason I'm OK with Apple's implementation.The only issue currently with Conversation Awareness is volume reduces on podcasts first when you start talking and pauses a few seconds after. It's a bit clunky, and I think it would be smoother to just gently decrease the volume to zero. Thankfully, it works outside of Apple Podcasts with apps like Pocket Casts so you don't have to worry if you're not 100 percent in Apple's ecosystem.All of the features so far are exclusive to the second-generation AirPods Pro with the H2 chip. However, Apple is making improvements to other models too. For both versions of the AirPods Pro, third-gen AirPods and the AirPods Max, Apple improved automatic switching between the company's various devices. This means faster and more reliable changeover between listening to music on your Mac and taking a call on your iPhone, for example. This update also requires iPadOS 17 and/or macOS Sonoma, depending on your stable of devices, for you to notice the difference. I do not have an iPad or Mac running those yet, so I was unable to test Apple's claims here.Photo by Billy Steele/EngadgetApple also added a mute function to the most recent AirPods, both models of AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. Simply press the stem or the Digital Crown on AirPods Max to mute or unmute yourself during calls. It's straightforward, but it's also a welcome update. You'll see a banner and hear a chime every time you change the microphone state, so Apple will make it clear which setting you're on via two cues on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Developers working on video- and voice-calling apps will be able to implement this functionality as well through CallKit on iOS. So in addition to being able to press to mute with Phone and FaceTime, you will be able to do so on other popular apps like Skype, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and WeChat. Apple says a Mute API will be available for macOS apps as well.Apple doesn't typically offer such a robust update to AirPods alongside the annual iOS refresh. However, the additions of Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume and Conversation Awareness expand the toolset of the most recent AirPods Pro so that you spend even less time physically pressing buttons to interact with them. And you can decide whether or not you even want to use them at all. I'll bet you will though, especially at times when your hands are full or you might've stepped away from your phone.The new AirPods Pro features are now available in the iOS 17 public beta. If you're okay waiting, the official release of the AirPods Pro firmware update will be available later today.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/airpods-pro-adaptive-audio-preview-automatically-adjusting-to-your-day-130051605.html?src=rss

These days when we talk about what's next for chip design, we focus on things like cramming in more cores, increasing clock speeds, shrinking transistors and 3D stacking. We rarely think about the package substrate, which holds and connects those components. Today Intel, in the midst of its reinvention as a foundry company, has announced it's made a major breakthrough in substrate materials-and it's all about glass.The company says its new glass substrate, which is set to arrive in advanced chip designs later this decade, will be stronger and more efficient than existing organic materials. Glass will also allow the company to cram more chiplets and other components next to each other, something that could lead to flexing and instability with an existing silicon package using organic materials."Glass substrates can tolerate higher temperatures, offer 50% less pattern distortion, and have ultra-low flatness for improved depth of focus for lithography, and have the dimensional stability needed for extremely tight layer-to-layer interconnect overlay," Intel said in a press release. With these capabilities, the company claims glass substrates will also lead to a ten-fold increase in interconnect density, as well as allow for "ultra-large form-factor packages with very high assembly yields."IntelWe're slowly beginning to see what Intel's future chips could actually look like. Two years ago, the company announced its "gate-all-around" transistor design, RibbonFET, as well as PowerVia, which would let Intel move power delivery to the rear of a chip wafer. At the same time, Intel also announced it would be building chips for Qualcomm and Amazon's AWS service.Intel says we'll see chips using glass substrates in areas in high performance areas first, like AI, graphics and data centers. The glass breakthrough is another sign that Intel is ramping up its advanced packaging capabilities for its US foundries, as well. That's something TSMC is reportedly stumbling on with its Phoenix, Arizona plant, which will require shipping chip materials back to Taiwan for advanced packaging.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/intel-seems-pretty-excited-about-glass-substrates-130016423.html?src=rss

Apple is prepping a software update for the three-year-old iPhone 12s after French regulators alleged the phone exceeds proper radiation levels. France stopped selling the smartphone after recommendations from the country's radiation watchdog (ANFR).The software update won't adjust radiation levels but will accommodate the protocol used by French regulators." (I am not sure how that works, either.) Apple believes the software patch will be enough to allow the iPhone 12s to sail through future radiation tests, saying it looks forward to the iPhone 12 continuing to be available in France."Belgium and Denmark don't have the same worries as France. Belgian minister for digitalization, Mathieu Michel, said local tests were reassuring" and recommended against a suspension on sales. Denmark's Safety Authority followed suit, suggesting it had no concerns regarding the iPhone 12's radiation levels.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedThe first-ever party-based RPG is getting a serious faceliftApple isn't perfect on environmental issues, but it's depressingly ahead of its peersThe best gaming mouse in 2023Amazon's Echo Pop smart speaker drops to $23The Morning After: The iPhone 15 kills off Lightning. Plus, AI-generated CokeThe week's biggest news meets Engadget's lens.Our spin-off video series continues to let Mat do his thing, whether that's throwing his iPhone at the camera, complaining about '00s movies or writing about himself in third person. Our short-but-sweet edition this week covers iPhone 15, the return of movie rentals (kind of), and Sony's Aibo dogs getting a second chance. There's a new video every Saturday morning.Watch it here.Spider-Man 2 is following Sony's sequel playbookA two-hour demo showed off new tricks.SonyHow do you outdo a well-received open-world game with its sequel? Engadget's Nathan Ingraham played two hours of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 at a press event earlier this week, and it seems the answer is go bigger. That's the same tactic used by Sony's cadre of development teams for The Last of Us, Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War.Because the world of New York in this game is almost twice as big as the original, with the addition of Brooklyn and Queens, finding new ways for players to get around was a major focus for developer Insomniac. Enter the web wings, a tool for gliding around the city, catching wind tunnels and updrafts that sling you at high speed. It's not meant to replace the core web-slinging mechanic but augment it. And gliding seems to be the new having a horse in video game trends.Continue reading.Meta starts testing Horizon Worlds on mobile and the webA small number of mobile and web users can now access Meta's metaverse.Meta has announced Super Rumble, the first game out of its in-house studio Ouro Interactive, is now available to a small number of mobile users through the Meta Quest app on Android. It's also making its way to the app on iOS devices in the coming weeks. When Meta launched the first-person shooter, it said Super Rumble would be one of the first worlds available when its new app came out. It also said the game will feature cross-platform play on mobile, the web or a VR headset.Continue reading.Engadget Podcast: iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9 hands-onWe also dive into our review of Samsung's Galaxy Watch 6.This week, Cherlynn gives us her on-the-ground thoughts from Apple's iPhone 15 launch event. It turns out the iPhone 15 Pro's titanium case is noticeably lighter. (Which we hope was the point.) Engadget's Malak Saleh also joins to discuss her review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Dyson's ridiculous Zone air filter mask/headphones.Listen hereThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-apple-preps-software-update-to-address-iphone-12-radiation-concerns-111610283.html?src=rss

Amazon is having a second sale this fall exclusively for Prime members as it did last year, and though we knew it was happening in October, we didn't yet have an exact date. Now, Amazon has announced that the sale will happen on October 10 and 11, and even gave it a new name: Prime Big Deal Days.As ever, Prime Day gives members access to thousands of deals, so many folks wait for the sale to get the best possible deals on pricey products like laptops, phones, memory cards, cameras and more. Knowing that, Amazon uses the event as a way to boost sales and, more importantly, Prime subscriber numbers. At the same time, some select deals are available to non-Prime members as well.Amazon detailed a few early deals on Amazon devices and more. You can save up to 65 per cent on a three-pack of eero Pro Mesh Wi-Fi, select Fire TV devices, Kindles and more. Amazon is promising a $15 credit to Prime members who download its Photos app and upload their first photo, between now and October 7. You'll also find deals on Prime Video, a longer free trial of Amazon Music and more.Last year's October Prime Day saw a plethora of deals on devices ranging from Sony's WH-1000XM5 ANC headphones to the MacBook Air to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 to Roomba 694 robot vacuum. It's also a good way to grab some Christmas presents cheap and avoid the rush.Besides electronics, the sale is likely to cover clothes, shoes, household items, appliances. If you're looking for some savings, it's best to get ready by making lists and bookmarking a price tracker. For more on how to prepare for Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, check out our post on the subject.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-will-hold-its-prime-big-deal-days-sale-on-october-10-and-11-105533193.html?src=rss

Last week, Unity dropped a bomb on developers with a new runtime fee on its game engine that would be charged each time a title is installed - summed up by one developer as an "abysmally catastrophic decision." Now, the company appears to be backtracking, promising changes to the policy that will be revealed shortly."We have heard you. We apologize for the confusion and angst the runtime fee policy we announced on Tuesday caused," the company said in a post on X. "We are listening, talking to our team members, community, customers, and partners, and will be making changes to the policy. We will share an update in a couple of days. Thank you for your honest and critical feedback."

It's always good to see companies delivering updates and new features to devices long after they've launched. And Roland's TR-8S and TR-6S were already pretty capable to begin with. But with the latest firmware updates they're picking up two huge new additions, including one that that I'm personally quite excited about.TR-8S 3.0 and TR-6S 2.0 add an ACB model of the CR-78 CompuRhythm and a chromatic TR-808 mode for building basslines. The ability to play an 808 kick chromatically greatly expands the flexibility of the two drum machines. While you could tune drum hits and samples on the to create some melodic elements it wasn't exactly an easy or pleasant experience. This opens up the 8S and 6S well beyond strictly percussion, but does so in a way that seems natural. The 808 emulation was already part of their feature sets. And, especially in the world of hip hop, it's a staple for creating basslines, not just drum grooves.The CR-78 emulation is another huge addition. It was the world's first programable drum machine and my personal favorite of Roland's classic rhythm boxes. In fact, I called out the lack of a CR-78 model in my review of the TR-6S as its one glaring omission. (I'd like to believe I had something to do with the decision, but I know better.) All of the sounds from the hardware are represented, as are most of the original preset rhythms, plus a few new ones. But what's particular exciting is the ability to use the more modern programming features and sound design tools available on the TR-6S and TR-8S to tweak the CR-78 for more modern productions.In addition to the two new sound engines, the TR-Editor app on Mac and PC is getting an update with some usability tweaks and new compact UI for easier use on small displays. All these updates are available now for free directly from Roland.com.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/roland-adds-cr-78-percussion-and-808-bass-to-the-tr-8s-and-tr-6s-drum-machines-195628859.html?src=rss

Bill Willingham, the creator of the comic book series Fables, says you now own his work, fully and for all time. Willingham has released his work, which served as the basis for Telltale Games' The Wolf Among Us, to public domain - mostly because he can't afford to sue DC Comics. In a lengthy post on his Substack page, the artist went pretty in depth in explaining his beef with the publisher. He said the people he negotiated with 20 years ago had already been replaced by people "of no measurable integrity, who now choose to interpret every facet of [their] contract in ways that only benefit DC Comics and its owner companies."Based on Willingham's account of what happened, DC would routinely overlook his input on things like artists for covers or formatting for new collections. That's pretty innocuous compared to his other allegations, though, including getting royalties late or DC under-reporting royalties so as not to pay him what he's owed. But the artist said that the company recently went beyond these "mere annoyances" and tried to forcibly take Fables' ownership from him.He mentioned Telltale Games in particular, when he talked about how DC execs allegedly admitted that they believe they could do anything with the property. That's including not protecting the integrity of its stories and characters from third parties - Telltale Games, in other words - that want to radically alter them. Further, he apparently gets no money from DC licensing his work to third parties.While Willingham knows that he's still bound by his contract with DC and cannot release anything Fables related without the company's consent, he argued in his post that you're not. "[Y]ou have the rights to make your Fables movies, and cartoons, and publish your Fables books, and manufacture your Fables toys, and do anything you want with your property, because it's your property," he said.DC, however, has disagreed with Willingham and his interpretation of their contract and copyright law. "The Fables comic books and graphic novels published by DC, and the storylines, characters, and elements therein, are owned by DC and protected under the copyright laws of the United States and throughout the world in accordance with applicable law and are not in the public domain," the company told CBRin a statement. "DC reserves all rights and will take such action as DC deems necessary or appropriate to protect its intellectual property rights."It's unclear if this development will have any effect on Telltale's The Wolf Among Us 2, which is scheduled for release in 2024. The game was supposed to be available this year, but the developer chose to push back its launch, because it needed time to switch from using Unreal Engine 4 to 5 and that involved changes to personnel and the development process.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/creator-of-the-wolf-among-us-universe-releases-it-to-public-domain-130010929.html?src=rss

Google will pay $93 million in a settlement it reached with California Attorney General Rob Bonta, resolving allegations that the company's location-privacy practices violated the state's consumer protection laws. The California Department of Justice claimed that Google was collecting, storing, and using their location data" for consumer advertising purposes without informed consent.The complaint alleges that Google continued to collect consumer data related to a user's location even when a user turned the location history" feature off. The company settled similar lawsuits in Arizona and Washington last year for illegally tracking consumers.In addition to paying $93 million, Google agreed to deter future misconduct." This settlement, which won't really hurt Google's deep pockets, is important because the tech giant generates the majority of its revenue from advertising and location-based advertising is a critical feature of its advertising platform."Consistent with improvements we've made in recent years, we have settled this matter, which was based on outdated product policies that we changed years ago," Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda told Engadget.Moving forward, the California AG is asking Google to provide additional transparency about location tracking by providing users with detailed information about location data it collects. The company must also provide disclaimers to users that their location information may be used for ad personalization.Update, September 16, 2023, 2:26 AM ET: This story has been updated to add Google's statement.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-settles-california-lawsuit-over-its-location-privacy-practices-190859183.html?src=rss

Apple is prepping a software update to address alleged radiation concerns regarding the three-year-old iPhone 12s after French regulators alleged that the phone exceeds proper radiation levels. France stopped selling the smartphones after recommendations from the country's radiation watchdog (ANFR), but Cupertino denies the allegations and seems to place the onus on the European nation's testing protocols, as reported by Reuters.To that end, Apple has reiterated that this isn't a safety concern and notes that the phone was certified by multiple international bodies as compliant with global radiation standards. The software update won't adjust radiation levels, as that would be a hardware issue, but it will accommodate the protocol used by French regulators." So it looks like Apple thinks the software patch will be enough to allow the iPhone 12s to sail through future radiation tests, saying it looks forward to the iPhone 12 continuing to be available in France."France did change its regulations back in 2020. It added consideration for extremities, like hands, when testing for radiation levels and the rate of radio-frequency energy absorbed by the body by using a particular piece of equipment. This is called the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR.) During the country's recently-instituted SAR tests, regulators found that the iPhone 12s exceeded normal levels of energy absorption when holding the phone, despite acing the test when considering the head and body.Belgium and Denmark have both come to Apple's aid here, with Belgian minister for digitalization, Mathieu Michel, saying that local tests were reassuring" and recommending against a suspension on sales. Denmark's Safety Authority followed suit, suggesting it had no concerns regarding iPhone 12s radiation levels. Industry experts have also weighed in, stating that the findings indicated no risk of burns or heatstroke emanating from the phone's radiation.France says Apple's software fix should be adequate and that they'll resume testing as soon as it arrives, which was spelled out in a French press release unearthed by TechCrunch. Apple regularly drops software updates for its iPhones, so it should show up in the near future. In the meantime, the company's focusing its energy away from the three-year-old iPhone 12 and onto the new hotness that is the iPhone 15.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-will-release-software-update-to-address-iphone-12-radiation-concerns-173345891.html?src=rss

Amazon Prime members can save big on security cameras today. The retailer has a bundle including the Blink Video Doorbell and three Blink Outdoor 4 security cameras for 61 percent off. Usually $424.95, you can pick up the four-camera collection for $164.98.You can connect the Blink Video Doorbell to your existing in-home chime or use it wirelessly. The device records in 1080p during the day and infrared at night. It supports two-way audio so you can hear and talk with whoever shows up on your front step.Meanwhile, wireless Blink Outdoor cameras can alert you to motion or people in your yard, allowing you to check in from your phone or Alexa devices. The outdoor cameras have a 143-degree field of view and on-device computer vision to help with nighttime recording. The Outdoor 4 also supports two-way audio.Each camera in the bundle uses two AA batteries (included), which Amazon estimates will last up to two years. The collection also ships with four mounting kits and the Sync Module 2, a hub that connects the cameras to your Wi-Fi network. You can bring your own USB drive for local storage or subscribe to a Blink Subscription Plan ($3/month or $30/year) for cloud storage. You can choose between black or white options for the cameras, although there's no mixing and matching colors within the bundle: It's all one or the other.The deal only lasts through the end of today, wrapping up at midnight PST. Remember that you'll need a Prime membership to take advantage of the deal. If you don't have one already, you can subscribe for $15/month or $139 / year.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-members-can-save-61-percent-on-a-blink-camera-bundle-170504326.html?src=rss

Apple may have dominated this week's tech news cycle, but our featured tech deal of the week comes courtesy of Valve: The company has discounted its Steam Deck handheld by up to 20 percent, matching the all-time low for what we consider the best portable gaming PC for most people. Elsewhere, the Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5 is $200 off with $50 gift card, severalAnkeraccessories are cheaper than usual and both Disney+ and Paramount+ are running special offers for new subscribers. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.Valve Steam DeckTo celebrate Steam's 20th birthday, Valve has discounted its Steam Deck handheld by up to 20 percent. The entry-level model with 64GB of eMMC storage is down to $359, while the 256GB and 512GB versions with faster NVMe SSDs are on sale for $450 and $519, respectively. Each deal represents an all-time low. This is only the third discount we've seen for the Steam Deck since it arrived in February 2022, so this is a rare chance to save. Valve says this offer will last through September 21.We gave the Steam Deck a review score of 81 at launch, and we currently call it the best portable gaming PC for most people in our gaming handheld buying guide. It's chunky, and some newer AAA games are starting to push its technical limits, but it offers far more power on the go than a Nintendo Switch, and its SteamOS software makes it much simpler to pick up and play than competing Windows devices. If you'd like to connect it to a TV, Valve's official Steam Deck Docking Station is also 20 percent off at $71.Steam game dealsBeyond the Deck, a handful of sales have brought several games we like down to lows or near-lows on Steam and other platforms. From our list of the best couch co-op games, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is down to $10, the platformer It Takes Two is down to $14, while the puzzler Portal 2 is down to a dollar. From our best PC games guide, the stylish roguelike Hades is available for $12, the VR shooter Half-Life: Alyx is available for $20, the sci-fi action game Control is available for $10 and the oddly zen driving sim Euro Truck Simulator 2 is available for $5. Other standouts include the Resident Evil 4 remake for $40 and the classic FPS Titanfall 2 for $3. Elsewhere, the action-RPG Final Fantasy XVI is down to $50 at Amazon, a $20 drop for a PS5 exclusive that arrived in June.Anker accessory dealsA few notable chargers and USB-C hubs from Anker are also discounted this week. The Anker 621 Magnetic Battery, which snaps onto the back of a MagSafe-compatible iPhone wirelessly and delivers a 7.5W charge, is down to a low of $30. The Anker 321 MagGo Battery is a bit thicker and slower to recharge, but it has the same 5,000mAh capacity, and it's down to $21 with a 15 percent coupon. The 715 wall charger, a compact option with a 65W USB-C port, is available for $30 with a 40 percent coupon. That's about $20 below its usual price. If you need to add more ports to a computer, the 7-in-1 Anker 341 USB-C Hub is $11 off at $24. The 5-in-1 Anker 332 hub, meanwhile, is down to $16 with an on-page coupon. That's $9 below its typical street price, though the deal is only available to Prime members.Disney+ (3-month)New and returning subscribers can still grab three months of Disney+ for $6 total. That's a 75 percent discount. The catch is that this offer only applies to the service's "Basic" tier, so you'll have to deal with ads. Your subscription will also be set to auto-renew by default, so you'll have to remember to cancel if you don't want to pay beyond the discounted period. Still, if you've been meaning to check out Ahsoka, Andor or just old Simpsons episodes (again), this deal lets you do so on the cheap.Paramount+ (1-year)Along those lines, new users can take 50 percent off an annual Paramount+ subscription. The deal applies to both the ad-supported Essential plan, which is down to $30 with this deal, and the ad-free "Paramount+ with Showtime" plan, which is down to $60. As its name implies, the latter includes Showtime content, plus support for offline downloads and the ability to stream your local CBS station live. If you don't see the discount right away, use the code FALL at checkout. In general, Paramount+ isn't the most vital streaming platform, but its library is decent, with Champions League soccer, originals like Star Trek: Lower Decksand a bunch of shows from CBS, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and other Paramount networks. Again, just remember that the service will auto-renew unless you cancel.Logitech G203 LightsyncThe black version of the Logitech G203 Lightsync is down to $21 at Amazon, which is about $9 off its typical street price. Just clip the $5 coupon to see the full discount at checkout. The G203 is the budget pick in our guide to the best gaming mice, as it offers a relatively sturdy design, accurate enough tracking, responsive main buttons and tasteful RGB lighting. It's on the smaller side, its scroll wheel feels a bit mushy and its rubbery cable isn't detachable - but at this price, it's hard to do better if you just want something competent for as little money as possible.Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5Best Buy is bundling the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 with a $50 gift card for $800. That's $200 off the foldable phone's list price. If stock runs dry, Amazon has the same discount without the gift card. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 only went on sale last month; we gave it a review score of 88, and we now call it the "best foldable for selfies" in our guide to the best smartphones. The big upgrade is a larger cover display, which makes the phone more useful for checking notifications, using apps and, yes, taking selfies when it's folded. You'll still have to be delicate with it, and its camera performance isn't on par with the best flagships, but the rest of the hardware is impressive. If you want a flip-style foldable, it's your best bet.Samsung Galaxy Tab S9In other Samsung deals, the 256GB version of the Galaxy Tab S9 is also down to $800 at various retailers. That's a price we've seen for most of the last month or so, but now you can get this model with a $100 Amazon credit for no extra cost. Just use the code PDHMT3LPAACC at checkout. At Best Buy, meanwhile, the tablet is available with a $100 digital gift card. This upgraded SKU also includes 12GB of RAM; for reference, the base model comes with 8GB of memory and half the storage.The Galaxy Tab S9 series is the top Android pick in our guide to the best tablets. Like the larger (and pricier) Tab S9+ and Tab S9 Ultra, the 11-inch Tab S9 offers a gorgeous AMOLED display, IP68 water resistance, S Pen stylus support and excellent performance thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. It's still expensive, and Android remains less optimized for larger screens than iPadOS. Nevertheless, this is a luxurious piece of hardware for those who want a high-end tablet but want to avoid Apple land.SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL WirelessThe SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless is on sale for $200, which is $50 off its usual going rate and only $10 more than its all-time low. This is a feature-rich, tenkeyless gaming keyboard we plan on recommending in a future buying guide. Its linear switches use magnetic Hall effect sensors, which let you adjust the actuation point of individual keys. That means you can make the keys faster and more responsive while gaming, then set them to be less sensitive while typing. A "rapid trigger" feature lets you re-actuate a switch mid-press, so you can repeat presses faster - handy for online shootouts where you're strafing back and forth. You can also bind two actions to one key based on how far it's pressed. For instance, you could lightly press Ctrl to crouch, then hold it down to go prone.SteelSeries isn't the only keyboard maker to implement features like these, and clearly, not everyone will need them. Plus, while the overall build quality of the Apex Pro TKL Wireless is good - with PBT keycaps, an aluminum top plate, a useful multifunction OLED display and multiple connection options - there are nicer typing experiences available for less. But some of these tricks can be genuinely useful if you spend lots of time in competitive-minded games, and this is one of the few wireless models to include them. The device also comes with a magnetic wrist rest.Garmin Forerunner 745The Garmin Forerunner 745 is available for $300, which is about $80 off its usual going rate. This is the "best for triathletes" pick in our guide to the best GPS running watches: It's a few years old, and its UI generally isn't as intuitive as Apple's watchOS, but it's easy to wear, it tracks distance accurately and it has a host of useful coaching and training features.Jabra Elite 3The lilac version of the Jabra Elite 3 is on sale for $49 at Amazon, which is a $20 or so drop from its typical street price in recent months. We highlight this pair in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, and we gave it a review score of 88 back in 2021. Its modestly bass-boosted sound still impresses for the money, while its compact design and snug fit make it a nice companion for workouts. The downside is that it's fairly basic in terms of features, as it lacks wireless charging, multi-device pairing, wear detection and active noise cancellation. If you don't like the lilac finish, the dark grey model is available for $60, but that's not as strong a deal.Amazon Echo PopThe teal and lavender versions of the Amazon Echo Pop are down to $23. That's $5 more than the discount we saw during Amazon's Prime Day event in July but still $17 off the semi-circular speaker's list price. This is the new entry-level model in Amazon's smart speaker lineup. It doesn't sound as full as the spherical Echo Dot, and it lacks that device's motion and temperature sensors, so it's not as useful for pausing music by hand or controlling smart thermostats. However, if you just want the cheapest route into Alexa possible - and you can't wait for Amazon's next big sale - it still gets you most of the way there at a lower price.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-steam-deck-returns-to-an-all-time-low-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-164403780.html?src=rss

Ascendant Studios, the developer of the first-person-shooter-but-with-magic title Immortals of Aveum, is laying off nearly half of its team only a few weeks after releasing the game. CEO Bret Robbins confirmed that the company would be letting go of around 45 percent of its workers. According to Polygon, which first reported the news, that's around 40 people."This was a painfully difficult, but necessary decision that was not made lightly; nevertheless, we have to make this adjustment now that Immortals of Aveum has shipped," Robbins wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Ascendant will offer the laid-off workers severance packages and help with finding a job elsewhere. The remaining team members will continue to support the game for the time being.

During its iPhone 15 event this week, Apple released a sketch where CEO Tim Cook and VP Lisa Jackson bragged about the company's environmental goals with Mother Nature, played by Octavia Spencer. It was a flex to help bolster the marketing around the Apple Watch Series 9, some versions of which are sold as carbon neutral. It's the first product to carry the branding, but others will follow as Apple pushes toward its goal of becoming entirely carbon neutral by 2030. It was after the event, however, that I wondered how much of this was Apple smugly congratulating itself for work that it's meant to be doing.There are plenty of companies in the mobile space, and none are as adept at making regular decisions look pious as Apple. So, I figured I'd read all the companies' sustainability reports from the last year to see if that bluster was worth puncturing. But, much as we may want to sneer at Apple, it turns out no major manufacturer is close to matching its claims. In fact, I've had a fairly miserable few days learning how little, even now, some of the biggest names in the space are doing.Apple's goals are aggressive, and they are matched by some of its domestic rivals, although they have far smaller hardware businesses. Facebook owner Meta, at one extreme, which is primarily a services company, achieved net zero in its global operations in 2020, and wants to reach net zero across its entire value chain by 2030. Microsoft's goals are even bigger, as it pledges to become a carbon negative company by 2030. Google, meanwhile, is hoping to reach carbon-free energy in every place it operates by 2030 but it believes it'll only halve its emissions by that same deadline. And Amazon, which has been the highest-profile laggard in addressing sustainability, has pledged to reach net zero by 2040.Before we dig in, it's worth noting there's no guarantee of consistency between different companies' reports and the figures aren't always comprehensive. And we can't ignore the big financial disparity between Apple and its largest competitor in mobile, Samsung. Similarly, the financial gap between Samsung and the lower-end players in the market is stark, and caring about the environment costs money. But, even so, the limp pledges made by these companies aren't even as good as they appear to be. (Earlier this year, the New Climate Institute gave Samsung's climate pledges a failing grade for transparency and integrity, and called out the paucity of its ambition.)I won't bore you with every statistic - although I really could - but Apple is standing head and shoulders above pretty much everyone. Take e-waste, where Apple claimed to direct more than 40,000 tons of disused gadgets to recycling rather than landfill. It doesn't get into specifics of how much was recovered from that, but it's a fairly standout figure nevertheless. Samsung seems to have collected about a quarter of that figure, and by my wonky math, recovers around 80 percent from that to be reused.Meanwhile, Xiaomi, the third biggest mobile player in 2022, proudly reported that it had directed 4,500 tons of e-waste to recycling. That figure looks good compared to Oppo, the world number four, which managed to do the same for just 195 tons. Transsion, the parent company of TECNO and Infinix, has merely pledged to run recycling programs. It's worth remembering that the WEEE Forum predicted, across 2022, that up to 5.3 billion mobile devices would fall out of use, essentially becoming trash.I was surprised at Apple's willingness to even mention emissions from supplier factories since it contracts out its manufacturing. It would have been easy enough to launder its dirty emissions onto other companies' balance sheets and point to its corporate usage alone. Instead, it has received commitments from many suppliers pledging to use 100 percent renewable energy. Apple says its supply chain now has 13.7GW of renewable energy, with a further 6.3GW due in the near future. Samsung, meanwhile, says that it's looking to move to 100 percent renewable energy at all of its business sites by 2027, and that it already uses green power for 31 percent of its needs. Xiaomi doesn't appear to have made a commitment to making a firm transition to renewable energy, while Oppo believes that it's not yet hit its carbon emissions peak until next year.If there's one place that Apple still lags alongside the rest of the industry, at least for right now, it's in repair. Until we know how easy it is for an end-user to replace common components on the iPhone 15, at least, then Apple remains as bad as everyone else. Its self-service repair platform remains frustratingly complex, and it's still overcharging for basic repairs. (Or just refusing to repair devices as a precursor to getting buyers to replace their devices.) Samsung made a fairly big deal about repairability in its own report, pointing to the Galaxy S23 as an example. It's worth noting that the gurus at iFixit rated the S23 a 4/10 for repairability, given that while the battery is replaceable, it's also glued into place.NIC COURY via Getty ImagesFor its part, Apple is making some fairly bold claims about how the Watch Series 9 deserves its classification. It says the device comprises 30 percent recycled or renewable materials, including a case made out of 100 percent recycled aluminum. The watch was created in factories using 100 percent renewable energy and at least half of them are shipped by sea, rather than air. The company added it's not just paying for clean energy for its devices to be made, but has also invested in power generation equal to what users may consume while charging it, too.The company said that its baseline for the timepiece's manufacturing emissions was 36.7kg based on its own metrics. From there, it's managed to reduce the emissions cost from energy altogether, as well as reducing the materials and process emissions. The Series 9, as far as Apple is concerned, only emits 8.1kg into the atmosphere, which is then offset with carbon credits.In its materials, the company cites the Restore Fund, a project Apple founded, which invests in high-quality, nature-based carbon removal projects." Restore Fund is operated in partnership with Conservation International, Goldman Sachs and HSBC, but it isn't entirely philanthropic. Goldman's own website describes the fund as designed to be profit-bearing, offering a future potential financial return from harvesting activities and the sale of properties."It's worth being cynical about offset purchasing, especially since the industry isn't as clean as you may hope. Earlier this year, The Guardian published an investigation into Verra, the body which verifies carbon offset programs run by a wide variety of big corporations. It found many of the credits bought by companies to reduce their emissions did not translate to real-world action at all. The report suggested that of the 94.9 million carbon credits purchased, there were only real emissions reductions of 5.5 million MTCO2e (metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent). Verra disputed these findings.It's worth reiterating that Apple is in something of a privileged position here, given it has a staggering amount of cash on hand. It can use that power to make the sorts of headline grabbing investments in renewable energy its competitors may not have. But its wealth is also a target for progressive critics, including bodies like Population Matters, who point out the company's annual marketing budget alone could bring clean water to the UN's 46 least developed countries.But, from a general view, there's only one company in the mobile devices space that can stand head and shoulders above Apple in the green stakes: Fairphone. It's still a relatively niche player, but has made building an ethically and environmentally responsible device its guiding mission. The big question is how long it'll take for all of the biggest players to catch up to where this one small company is right now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-isnt-perfect-on-environment-isues-but-its-depressingly-ahead-of-its-peers-160051378.html?src=rss

Wizardry took the gaming world by storm when it was released for the Apple II back in, gulp, 1981, and now it's coming back to enthrall new generations of RPG fans. Developer Digital Eclipse is remaking the turn-based title, which is now called Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord.The remake is a modernized version of the 1981 RPG and its built right on top of the original Apple II code, so you can easily swap from the old-school interface to the brand-new graphics, similar to how the 'Halo 2: Anniversary' edition handled things, or the just-announced Tomb Raider remasters for the Nintendo Switch.Modern visuals are nice, but Wizardry is over 40 years old, so the gameplay's likely a bit dated. To that end, the developers promise a number of quality-of-life improvements, including a revamped party management system, new spellcasting options and navigation tools, among other minor upgrades.Wizardry is generally considered to be the first party-based RPG ever released for computers or consoles and inspired countless modern franchises, including Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. It's not the first Dungeons & Dragons style RPG to grace computers, but it did invent many mechanics that are still active in JRPGs to this day. It was an instant hit when it launched for the Apple II and was ported over to numerous other systems including the Mac, C64 and even the NES and Game Boy Color.This is not Digital Eclipse's first remake rodeo. The team has helmed a number of retro compilations, including Atari 50 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, among others.Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is available today as an early access build via Steam and GOG. The game costs $30, but the developers say that price will likely increase as we get closer to an official release.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-first-ever-party-based-rpg-is-getting-a-serious-facelift-153737569.html?src=rss

Spider-Man is easily one of the most recognizable fictional characters of the last 50-plus years, appearing in countless iterations across comics, movies, cartoons, video games and other media I am surely forgetting. Fans will argue about the best iteration - but for my money, the Spider-universe Insomniac Games introduced in 2018 on the PS4 with Marvel's Spider-Man is an all-time great. It spent no time rehashing Peter Parker's origins, throwing the player into a vibrant and massive rendering of Manhattan. The city felt alive, with tons to do investigate and a horde of Spider-Man's most famous villains to contend with. It also skillfully introduced a world in which Parker would eventually fight side-by-side with a second Spider-Man, Miles Morales.But, most importantly, Marvel's Spider-Man was an absolute delight to play. Insomniac nailed the mechanics of swinging around the city and fighting bad guys to such a degree that I think web-slinging around Manhattan is up there with my all-time favorite game mechanics.As I've contemplated with other single-player, story-drive masterpieces from Sony like The Last of Us,Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War: What the helldo you dofor an encore? I played about two hours of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 at a press event earlier this week, and it seems the answer is go bigger." That's the same tactic used for the sequels to those three games I mentioned earlier, and the results were always impressive, if not a bit overstuffed. Of course, it's too early to say whether Insomniac got the balance right, because we've seen plenty of open-world games that simply try and do too much. But based on Insomniac's history and the excellent ingredients it has to work with, I have high hopes for the latest spider-adventure.Insomniac GamesMy demo started well into the game's narrative - which I won't spend too much time on, as I didn't get the whole picture of what was going on. I do know that classic villain Kraven is hunting another iconic Spider-Man bad guy, Dr. Curt Conners (better known as the Lizard), and Peter and Miles are both trying to defend the city from Kraven's hunters while also finding a cure to turn the Lizard back into his mild-mannered human form.In a demo like this, getting a feel for the gameplay is a lot more important than digging into story beats, and Spider-Man 2 had plenty to show me. Because the world in this game is almost twice as big as the original, with the addition of Brooklyn and Queens, finding new ways for players to get around was a major focus for Insomniac. Enter the web wings, a tool that allows you to glide around the city, catching wind tunnels and updrafts that sling you around at high speed. It's not meant to replace the core web-slinging mechanic, but augment it. Given how amazing swinging around Manhattan felt in the original games (and still feels here), that's a tall order. But it didn't take me long to get the hang of gliding through long stretches of the city, and mixing in web-swings to regain height.Insomniac GamesThe web wings are also particularly useful in places like Central Park or Queens, where there aren't nearly as many tall buildings to swing from. Getting around Central Park always felt a little awkward in the first game, so this is a welcome addition that makes traversing different terrain much easier. It's also great for getting across rivers - or doing battle on them. Gameplay footage revealed earlier this year showed both Spider-Men chasing the Lizard down a river while also being chased by Kraven's hunters (both on the river and in the sky), and the web wings were crucial for catching up and dispatching the massive crew of baddies.Another side mission saw me controlling Miles as he chased down one of Kraven's drones - to keep up with it, you had to use the web wings to draft behind it while downloading data from it. Once you got all the data downloaded, you could take it down, but getting all that data takes a while. So you need to stay right on its tail, twisting and turning throughout the city. There's definitely a learning curve to making tight turns and quick ascensions with the web wings, and I bounced off numerous buildings that slowed me down enough that the drone made its escape.I got the hang of it after a few tries, but even then I was on the edge of my seat trying to keep pace - it almost had the feeling of a racing game. Challenges like this are a smart way of introducing these new mechanics and schooling players on how to best use them, though.Unsurprisingly, combat has also gotten a few tweaks, though anyone who played the previous Insomniac games can jump right in here and start beating up the countless goons roaming New York City. Both Parker and Morales have four special moves that correspond to the four face buttons on the controller - holding L1 and pressing one of those buttons activates a special attack. When I was playing as Peter, they all involved the symbiote suit going wild, while Miles had variations on the electrical attacks introduced in his game. They charge up as you fight, and you have to wait for them to replenish; I assume you can also learn and slot new ones as the game progresses.Insomniac GamesIn the first games, mashing the circle button to dodge was a big part of combat, but Insomniac mixed things up here. Now, there are some enemies whose attacks you have to parry by pressing the block button at just the right moment - dodging won't keep you safe. Other attacks require a dodge, as they can break through any parry or block you try. These different attacks are represented by a color flash above the enemy, indicating when it's the right time to throw up a block or dodge away. Dealing with these attacks threw a wrench into the familiar gameplay, as it took me a while to remember that my old habits from prior games weren't going to be enough to keep me alive here.The gadgets both Spider-Men carry got a big improvement over the older games, too. Before, you could hold down R1 and switch from your standard web-shooters to various other hardware to help you in battle. But now, R1 defaults to web-shooters, always, a change I appreciated. From there, you can hold R1 and select a face button to activate a specific gadget.This gives you immediate access to as many as four gadgets at once, plus your web shooter. Truth be told, I didn't dive into the menus to find out much about the tools at my disposal, but they're things like web bombs that wrap up multiple enemies or shock traps that zap everyone around you. Naturally, all these abilities can be leveled up with skill points you accumulate through the game, and there are the expected skill trees here as well.It's going to take more than just a few hours of playing to see just how well these new additions fit into the core game, but one thing was undeniable from the start: Spider-Man 2 is a visual feast. It's the first game of the series developed exclusively for the PS5, and it shows in everything from the sunsets and water on the river to the details of the different spider-suits I tried on. Character models also look impressive, perhaps none more so than the Lizard himself, with glistening fangs and incredibly textured green skin. The amount of detail in that model was stunning, but Peter's symbiote suit is a close second. When it gets hurt, it writhes in pain and truly feels like a living creature. Even when it's just serving as a Spider-Man suit, the variety of textures and details is impressive - it's a lot more than just a black outfit.Insomniac GamesPerhaps the most exciting thing about this sequel, though, is the fact that you can control both Peter Parker and Miles Morales. When you're in the open world and not directly in a main story quest, you can swap between the two Spider-Men at will by going to your communicator and holding down a button, GTA V style. Each character has their own main quests, and the game will move you back and forth between the two depending on what's next on the docket, but there's plenty of freedom to pick your character and explore NYC.There are also parts of the story that'll bounce you between both characters as things progress. We saw a look at this in the aforementioned gameplay preview a few months ago, but I got to play it out this time. The battle started with me playing as Peter, beating up some thugs in a Queens neighborhood, but then it switches to Miles across the city so you can get the jump on more hunters before they track the Lizard down. Peter eventually joins you, all hell breaks loose, and then you're flying down the river taking out hunters on jet skis as Miles and bringing down a massive chopper as Peter.All these changes were fluid and natural (but also very scripted) and the basic experience of controlling both Spiders-Man is similar enough that it didn't throw me off. I am hoping that there are missions where you can decide which character you want to use, or flip between both depending on what play style you're feeling at the moment. Regardless, having missions where you play as both significantly expanded the scope of this epic set piece.Insomniac GamesThe preview ended with Peter uncharacteristically going off on his own to track the Lizard down after he escapes into the sewers - he's clearly showing some symbiote-inspired darkness that Miles says is totally out of character for him. But the demo didn't stop, and I instead was treated to the only true boss battle" of the demo, with Peter squaring off against Conners. This was a positively huge, multi-stage showdown that required me to use all the skills I picked up over the prior two hours, including a lot of well-timed dodging and all the special attacks I had at my disposal.As with the big battles in prior Spider-Man games, there were multiple tricks I needed to figure out to make the Lizard vulnerable - just trying my standard set of attacks wasn't going to be enough. I died a handful of times trying to get the hang of it, but fortunately these deaths didn't feel cheap. Usually, it was a case of me not recognizing the need to dodge rather than block, or some other variation on me not executing a skill the game had taught me. Once I got the hang of things, I made semi-quick work of the Lizard. At least, I thought I did, until the demo ended on a big old cliffhanger that made me think Peter might pay a bit of a price for going rogue.Fortunately, I won't have to wait long to find out how things turn out - Spider-Man 2 will be out on the PS5 on October 20. We'll have to wait to do a full review before we can give it a full recommendation, but I think anyone who enjoyed the first games will want to check this one out. And if you haven't tried them before, you should be able to jump right into this new one without much trouble. While I enjoy the stories Insomniac has crafted for the two Spider-Men, the delight of swinging and fighting around NYC is still one of my favorite gaming experiences out there, and it's one that doesn't require an encyclopedic knowledge of Spider-Man's history.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spider-man-2-following-sony-150058057.html?src=rss

These days, you don't need to break the bank to add a smart speaker to your home setup. Thanks to one of Amazon's current deals, you can snap up such a device for less than usual too. The Echo Pop, Amazon's latest addition to its lineup of Alexa-powered audio devices, has dropped from $40 to $23 as long as you opt for the teal or lavender color options. While that's not quite the lowest price we've seen for it yet (it dipped to $18 for Prime Day), it's a solid discount all the same.The Echo Pop is now Amazon's entry-level smart speaker. At the standard price, it's $10 less than the $50 Echo Dot. It has a half-globe look and borrows two key features from the most recent Echo Dot: a AZ2 Neural Edge processor that can handle machine learning tasks on-device and the ability to act as a WiFi extender for those with an Eero mesh router system. Amazon says the Echo Pop can extend the range of your home network by as much as 1,000 square feet. There's Bluetooth connectivity too.Of course, you can ask Alexa to play audio from a range of services on the Echo Dot, including Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora and Sirius XM. You'll be able to ask Alexa for information and use it to control your smart home devices. There's a blue light bar on top of the Echo Dot that only turns on when Alexa is listening, which is a good visual indicator of whether the voice assistant is paying attention to you. There's also the option to switch off the speaker's microphone.The Echo Pop could be an intriguing option for anyone looking to dip their toes into the world of smart speakers or those who are interested in expanding their current setup with low-cost devices. Thanks to this discount, you'll be able to add the Echo Pop to your home for less than usual, which could make the decision whether to pick one up somewhat easier.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-echo-pop-smart-speaker-drops-to-23-143951155.html?src=rss

This week, Cherlynn gives us her on-the-ground thoughts from Apple's iPhone 15 launch event. It turns out the iPhone 15 Pro's titanium case is actually noticeably lighter! We're all also intrigued by Apple's new double-tap gesture in the Watch Series 9. (Don't be surprised if it ends up training us how to use the Vision Pro's gesture commands!)Also, Engadget reporter Malek Saleh joins to discuss her review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, as well as Dyson's ridiculous Zone air filter mask/headphones.Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!Subscribe!

You can take a screenshot on your iPhone, your MacBook, your iPad, you name it. But what about your Apple Watch? If there's an alert you want to keep safe, or you want to show off your personalized watch face to a friend, you can easily do that without whipping out your iPhone to take a picture of your watch. The Apple Watch has a built in way that makes taking a screenshot more accessible - it just takes a few steps to enable. Here's how to take a screenshot on an Apple Watch.How to set up the screenshot feature on an Apple WatchTo take a screenshot on an Apple Watch, you first have to enable the feature, which you can do directly from your wearable. Just go into the Watch's settings and select general, then scroll to screenshots. Toggle on the enable screenshots option.Photo by Julia Mercado / EngadgetHow to set up the screenshot feature from an iPhoneYou can also use your iPhone to set up the screenshot feature for your Watch. Go into the Watch app, select general and scroll down to toggle the enable screenshots option.Photo by Julia Mercado / EngadgetHow to take a screenshot on the Apple WatchTo take a screenshot on the Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown and the side button simultaneously. They will go right to your Photos library.How to view Apple Watch screenshotsYou can find Apple Watch screenshots in the Photos app on your iPhone under media types in the screenshots folder. If you would like to see those screenshots on the Watch itself, you can sync the album from your iPhone to show them on your watch. To enable this, go to your Watch app, tap Photos and select photo syncing then tap sync album to link the album of your choice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-apple-watch-120036396.html?src=rss

European authorities have found that Twitter had violated General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules when it comes to how it processes its younger users' personal data. Along with its decision, the regulator has revealed that it has slapped the social network with a 345 million ($368 million) fine. As the regulating body where TikTok is headquartered and where its first data center is located, the Irish Data Protection Commission investigated whether TikTok adhered to its privacy protection obligations for users between 13 and 17 years old between July 31 and December 31, 2020.The regulator said it found that TikTok set child users' - or users that fall within the aforementioned age bracket - profiles to public by default. That means their information was easily accessible, especially since the videos they posted were also made public by default and anybody could comment. Further, TikTok didn't make Duet and Stitch opt in features for their accounts, so anybody could take parts of their videos to create new ones.In addition, the regulator found that TikTok allowed child users' accounts to be paired with adult users', without verifying whether that person is their parent or guardian. It even allowed that adult user to enable direct messaging for both of them, when the feature shouldn't be available for the underage user.The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) fined TikTok 12.7 million ($15.75 million) earlier this year for misusing children's data, as well. To be exact, it found that the service allowed 1.4 million UK children to sign up even when they were under the age of 13. The Irish Data Protection Commission didn't establish whether TikTok had violated GDPR rules with regards to letting kids under 13 sign up. However, it did find that TikTok was in violation of GDPR for not implementing the proper measures and allowing anybody, regardless of their age and including kids 12 and below, to view content on its platform.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/european-regulators-fine-tiktok-368-million-over-failing-to-protect-the-data-of-young-users-120008357.html?src=rss

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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