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Amazon is joining the generative AI fray. Bedrock is the company’s new API for Amazon Web Services (AWS) that lets developers use and customize AI tools that generate text or images. Think of it as a cloud-based and configurable alternative to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and DALL-E 2 aimed at businesses and developers.AWS customers can use Bedrock to write, build chatbots, summarize text, classify images and more based on text prompts. It gives its users a choice of Amazon’s Titan foundation model (FM) and several startups’ models, including Anthropic’s Claude (a Google-backed ChatGPT rival from former OpenAI employees), AI21’s Jurassic-2 (a language model specializing in Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian and Dutch) and Stable Diffusion (a popular open-source image generator). Additionally, businesses and developers can customize how the models work based on input — which Amazon says won’t be used for training the models, according toCNBC. That should (theoretically) address a crucial privacy concern for businesses entering sensitive data.Amazon views the range of AI models on offer as a way of providing flexibility to customers. The company’s description reads, “With Bedrock’s serverless experience, you can get started quickly, privately customize FMs with your own data, and easily integrate and deploy them into your applications using the AWS tools and capabilities you are familiar with (including integrations with Amazon SageMaker ML features like Experiments to test different models and Pipelines to manage your FMs at scale) without having to manage any infrastructure.”“Most companies want to use these large language models, but the really good ones take billions of dollars to train and many years and most companies don’t want to go through that,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy toldCNBC on Thursday. “So what they want to do is they want to work off of a foundational model that’s big and great already and then have the ability to customize it for their own purposes. And that’s what Bedrock is.”Amazon says C3.ai, Pegasystems, Accenture and Deloitte are some early businesses lined up to try Bedrock. The company hasn’t yet announced pricing for the AWS toolset, and it’s currently opening access through a waitlist. You can read more and apply for admission at the project’s website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-introduces-bedrock-a-cloud-service-for-ai-generated-text-and-images-204556563.html?src=rss

Twitter creators who want to make money on the platform will now turn to Subscriptions, not Super Follows, in a rebrand announced by Elon Musk. Twitter originally introduced Super Follows in 2021 as a way for creators to charge for exclusive tweets. Now, subscriptions also include long-form content (thanks to those extra-long tweets) as well as “hours long videos,” according to Musk.But the details of the program seem to be largely unchanged from Super Follows. Creators can charge $2.99, $4.99 or $9.99 a month, with exclusive content including subscriber-only chats in Twitter Spaces, as well as special badges for paid subscribers. Interestingly, as The Verge, points out, a help page says that “we hope to include newsletters and other Twitter features as potential bonus content.” That’s notable given Musk’s recent feud with Substack as well as because he shut down Revue, the newsletter platform Twitter acquired in 2021, soon after taking over as CEO.

It'll be quite a while before you can help take out the Justice League. As recent reports suggested, Warner Bros. Games and Rocksteady Studios have delayed Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League once again following a brutal reaction to a showcase of the game. Rather than arriving on May 26th, the title now has a release date of February 2nd, 2024. That's yet another delay after Warner Bros. Games pushed back the game from an initial 2022 release window to sometime this spring."We have made the tough but necessary decision to take the time needed to work on getting the game to be the best quality experience for players," a statement on the Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Twitter account reads. "Thank you to our amazing community for the continued support, patience and understanding. There is much more to share in the months ahead and we look forward to seeing you in Metropolis next year."

Meta has open-sourced an artificial intelligence project that lets anyone bring their doodles to life. The company hopes that by offering Animated Drawings as an open-source project other developers will be able to create new, richer experiences.The Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) team originally released a web-based version of the tool in 2021. It asks users to upload a drawing of a single human-like character or to select a demo figure. If you use your own doodle, you'll see a consent form that asks if Meta can use your drawing to help train its models. You don't need to provide consent to keep using the tool.Next, you'll need to resize a capture box so it fits snugly around your creation. The tool gives you a pen and eraser to tweak the drawing before adjusting where the joints should be. After all that, you'll see an animated version of your sketch. You can pick from a variety of preset animations from four categories: dance, funny, jumping and walking.Animated Drawings harnesses object detection models, pose estimation models and image processing-based segmentation methods to capture a digital version of a drawing. It then uses traditional computer graphics techniques to deform and animate the image.Within a few months of the demo going live, users had granted Meta permission to use more than 1.6 million images for training purposes. Some folks uploaded images of company logos, anime characters, fish and stuffed animals, despite the tool stipulating that only human figures would work.Along with requests for a more in-depth toolset that includes sound effects and text overlays, the array of images that people uploaded to the tool suggested there was broad interest in more extensive drawing-to-animation experiences. That, in part, led to Meta open sourcing the project with a dataset of around 180,000 drawings. "By releasing the models and code as open source, the project provides a starting point for developers to build on and extend the project, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration within the open source community," Meta wrote in a blog post.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-has-open-sourced-an-ai-project-that-turns-your-doodles-into-animations-183807106.html?src=rss

Desta: The Memories Between is officially coming to the Nintendo Switch and PC on April 26th. If you haven’t gotten a chance to play the well-regarded roguelike, it's likely because it was previously tied to Netflix as an exclusive title for its burgeoning gaming platform.Desta was developed by the company ustwo, which also created the mega-popular mobile title Monument Valley and its sequel. Beyond some slight graphical similarities, however, Desta is its own beast. The title combines a roguelike gameplay style with turn-based mechanics, with plenty of quirky surprises. The story involves a twentysomething returning home after their dad’s death. You help neighbors deal with pressing issues by solving puzzles and, well, playing a whole lot of dodgeball. The dodgeball challenges change from run to run, which is why this title is sometimes compared to games like Hades and Into the Breach.This is the Dream Team Edition of Desta: The Memories Between, so it includes every content update that came down the pike since the original launch last year. This includes new story scenarios, updated abilities and a range of difficulty settings. You can also play as three new characters, including Alba from Alba: A Wild Adventure, another ustwo title.Purchasing this game for Switch or PC also nets you a digital soundtrack and a 52-page digital artbook. Both the art style and the music are singled-out as positives in reviews, so these perks are likely to draw in pre-existing players. It costs around $20 to pick up on the Nintendo eShop or the Steam Store.“We’ve packed this bundle with so many new abilities, characters, game modes and more – I can’t wait for our community to get their hands on it,” wrote Lead Designer Joel Beardshaw in a press release when the port was officially announced in January.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/desta-the-memories-between-comes-to-switch-and-pc-later-this-month-175037612.html?src=rss

A studio full of video game veterans is about to release its first big project. Ascendant Studios and EA have confirmed they're releasing the magic first person shooter Immortals of Aveum on July 20th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PCs. You play a new battlemage who's thrust into a never-ending war for control of the world's magic.This isn't Call of Duty with spells, though, or even a revival of classic fantasy shooters like Heretic. Immortals revolves around a combination system that rewards mixing up different magic types to defeat enemies. You can also draw on magical abilities to create shields or turn the environment against your foes. Ascendant is also promising a narrative-focused experience with an extensive backstory, not to mention recognizable voices like Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever) and Gina Torres (Firefly).Ascendant is part of a wave of indie studios formed by departing leaders at major game developers. It's helmed by Bret Robbins, the creative director from the original Dead Space, who formed Ascendant in 2018 with Immortals in mind. The team also includes former Telltale Games workers as well as people behind well-known games like Spider-Man and Tomb Raider. Like other well-known exiles, Robbins and crew are effectively trying to regain creative control — even if they're still publishing through major brands.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eas-magic-shooter-immortals-of-aveum-arrives-july-20th-172003619.html?src=rss

Researchers have used machine learning to tighten up a previously released image of a black hole. As a result, the portrait of the black hole at the center of the galaxy Messier 87, over 53 million light years away from Earth, shows a thinner ring of light and matter surrounding its center in a report published today in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.The original images were captured in 2017 by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a network of radio telescopes around Earth that combine to act as a planet-sized super-imaging tool. The initial picture looked like a “fuzzy donut,” as described by NPR, but researchers used a new method called PRIMO to reconstruct a more accurate image. PRIMO is “a novel dictionary-learning-based algorithm” that learns to “recover high-fidelity images even in the presence of sparse coverage” by training on generated simulations of over 30,000 black holes. In other words, it uses machine learning data based on what we know about the universe’s physical laws — and black holes specifically — to produce a better-looking and more accurate shot from the raw data captured in 2017.Black holes are mysterious and strange regions of space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape. They form when dying stars collapse onto themselves under their gravity. As a result, the collapse squeezes the star’s mass into a tiny space. The boundary between the black hole and its surrounding mass is called the event horizon, a point of no return where anything that crosses it (whether light, matter or Matthew McConaughey) won’t be coming back.“What we really do is we learn the correlations between different parts of the image. And so we do this by analyzing tens of thousands of high-resolution images that are created from simulations,” the astrophysicist and author of the paper Lia Medeiros of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ, told NPR. “If you have an image, the pixels close to any given pixel are not completely uncorrelated. It’s not that each pixel is doing completely independent things.”The researchers say the new image is consistent with Albert Einstein’s predictions. However, they expect further research in machine learning and telescope hardware to lead to additional revisions. “In 20 years, the image might not be the image I’m showing you today,” said Medeiros. “It might be even better.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/researchers-used-machine-learning-to-improve-the-first-photo-of-a-black-hole-170722614.html?src=rss

NPR isn't the only public broadcaster to stop tweeting after Twitter applied a "government-funded media" label to its account. PBS has halted its use of the platform too. The organization hasn't posted on its Twitter account since April 8th.Both PBS and NPR claim the label, which previously read "state-affiliated media," doesn't represent them accurately. Twitter previously reserved such labels for state-run outlets like China's Xinhua News Agency and Russia's RT and Sputnik.“PBS stopped tweeting from our account when we learned of the change and we have no plans to resume at this time,” a PBS spokesperson told Variety. “We are continuing to monitor the ever-changing situation closely.”Federal funding accounts for around 15 percent of public television system revenue, PBS says. The biggest chunk of revenue, 31 percent, comes from donations from individuals. NPR, meanwhile, says federal funding makes up less than one percent of its average annual budget. The broadcaster says it stopped using Twitter in large part to protect its credibility, suggesting the label implies that the government has editorial influence over it. NPR says it's "a private, nonprofit company with editorial independence."Twitter also applied the label to the BBC's account. That organization also pushed back against the "government-funded media" descriptor. Following an interview that a BBC reporter conducted with Twitter owner Elon Musk this week, the company updated the label to read “publicly funded media,” a more accurate description of the broadcaster's license fee-based budget.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pbs-has-also-quit-twitter-over-its-government-funded-media-label-164843803.html?src=rss

It’s been a long time coming, as it was first announced more than a year ago, but Ubisoft’s premium subscription service has finally arrived on Xbox consoles. Ubisoft+ gives players instant access to a large portion of the company's library, and heavy hitters like Far Cry 6, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Immortals Fenyx Rising are all in attendance. Ubisoft says subscribers will get day-one access to new releases moving forward. Browse the full list here.Ubisoft+ has multiple tiers, and it's making the premium option, called Ubisoft+ Multi Access, available to Xbox owners. Once you subscribe, you can play on any platform that offers support. For instance, users can swap back and forth between the Xbox and PC without losing a save state. The service is also available for Amazon Luna, but PlayStation consoles are still out in the cold, though it is coming at some point. If you have a Sony console, you can sign up for a bare-bones version of the service called Ubisoft+ Classics.Ubisoft+ Multi Access offers more than just the basic versions of games. You get access to any available DLC and various in-game perks. You also get ten percent off any in-game purchases, if you're into that sort of thing.The service is not yet available worldwide, but it's currently accessible in nearly 100 countries, the United States included. Subscribing to the plan costs $18 each month, and it auto-renews until canceled.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ubisoft-game-subscription-service-officially-launches-on-xbox-163018760.html?src=rss

Police have arrested a suspect in the killing of Cash App founder and former Square executive Bob Lee. Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin has confirmed to The San Francisco Chronicle that someone is in custody in connection with the April 4th stabbing of the 43-year-old in San Francisco.This might not have been a mugging or random murder. Mission Localsources claim the suspect is Nima Momeni, the Emeryville-based owner of outsourcing firm Expand IT. Lee reportedly knew Momeni and was a passenger in a car belonging to the suspect, the insiders say. A confrontation supposedly erupted in the car, and may have continued after Lee stepped out.We've asked the San Francisco Police Department for comment. Lee was most recently the chief product officer of crypto startup MobileCoin. Before his time with Square, he helped create Android's early core library. He was also an investor in tech startups and helped develop the World Health Organization's mobile app during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.If accurate, the report would explain why Lee was killed in a section of San Francisco that rarely sees pedestrian traffic in the early morning. It would also make the death a historical rarity. While there are certainly personal feuds in tech, they seldom escalate to violence.Update 4/13 3:43PM ET: The SFPD has confirmed in a press conference that it arrested Momeni for Lee's murder. It's not sharing more details as there's an ongoing investigation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/police-arrest-suspect-in-killing-of-cash-app-founder-bob-lee-160204361.html?src=rss

Turning a radio show or any other live broadcast into a podcast isn't quite as simple as uploading the exact same file somewhere else. Downloading an episode from a radio platform, yanking ads, dropping in ad markers, making other edits and uploading it as a podcast typically takes up to an hour, Spotify said. To take some of the sting out of that process, the company has released a tool that can automatically create podcast episodes from existing broadcasts.Spotify is using tech from Whooshkaa, a company it bought in 2021, to power the tool. Users of Megaphone, Spotify's podcasting platform for businesses, will have access to it. Several publishers are already using Megaphone to convert radio broadcasts into podcasts, including Fox News Audio. The tech can identify existing ad marker locations, and publishers can replace or reposition them before the podcast episode goes live.According to data from Pew Research that Spotify cited in its announcement, Gen Z folks prefer to get news through digital mediums, such as podcasts. As such, radio publishers could use this kind of tech to reach new audiences without adding too much more to their workload. Spotify says more than half of Gen Z and millennials in the US use the platform, while it has more than 500 million users globally.For consumers, the tool will likely bring an even wider selection of podcasts to Spotify. It could give YouTubers and Twitch streamers who host live podcasts an easy way to make their discussions available on Spotify too.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotifys-latest-publishing-tool-can-swiftly-turn-broadcasts-into-podcasts-153853714.html?src=rss

Nintendo has shared one last trailer before The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom arrives on May 12th, and this one is worth watching if you're looking for some insight into the story. The rather lengthy clip showcases not only a large and varied world (including the floating islands above Hyrule), but Link's allies. As Zelda makes clear, "you are not alone." There's even a moment where Link offers a wagon ride.The plot appears familiar — surprise, you'll have to find Zelda and defeat Ganon. Instead, it's the gameplay mechanics that promise to help Tears of the Kingdom set itself apart from Breath of the Wild. The skyborne islands factor play a large role, of course, but the reliance on fused-together weapons and vehicles is clearer in this new trailer. You can even build a 'robot' to take on Bokoblins that have their own battle platform.The game is arriving alongside Tears-themed Pro Controller ($75) and Carrying Case ($25) accessories. You can also buy a special edition OLED Switch on April 28th for $350 if you're new to the platform or itching to upgrade from an early-model console. As the hardware and flurry of trailers suggests, Nintendo wants to be sure you're paying attention to the company's most important game of the year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/new-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-trailer-shows-links-allies-144943398.html?src=rss

Those who've been in the market for a video doorbell to add to their array of smart home devices may want to check out a sale on some options from Google Nest. A sale has dropped the prices of Nest video doorbells by 28 percent. That means the second-gen Nest Doorbell Wired has dropped to $130, which is a record low for that model.The latest iteration of the device can continuously record footage for up to 10 days at a time if you have a Nest Aware Plus subscription. A Nest Aware subscription includes 30 days of event video history and a familiar face detection function.Otherwise, Nest offers a free three-hour event history of video clips of up to five minutes in length, plus two-second previews. The device can detect motion, people, packages, animals and vehicles and provide you with intelligent alerts without the need for a subscription, Google says. You'll be able to chat with whoever's at your door or use pre-recorded messages.There's the option to view a live video feed of what your doorbell's camera can see via Google Assistant- and Amazon Alexa-compatible devices. You'll be able to use compatible Nest and Alexa speakers as a doorbell chime — the Nest Doorbell Wired requires a chime and transformer to work. Oddly, this model does not support the Nest app or website. You'll need to use the Google Home app (or a compatible voice assistant) to manage it instead.Meanwhile, the battery-powered Nest Doorbell is also on sale for $130, though that's $10 more than the all-time-low price. That version does not support continuous recording, but it does offer live video streaming with HDR and night vision (it captures footage in 720p resolution).You'll still have the option to hook this device up to your existing doorbell wires. if you opt to stick with battery power and you suffer an outage or the WiFi cuts out, the doorbell will store up to 1 hour of recorded events.In addition to the doorbells, the Nest Cam with Floodlight is also on sale. It's down from $280 to $220, which is the lowest price we've seen for it so far this year. It can capture footage at 1080p, including up to 10 days of around-the-clock recording for Nest Aware Plus members. The floodlight will activate automatically when the camera detects important activity. You'll be able to control the brightness of the lights through the Google Home app.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/googles-nest-doorbells-are-28-percent-off-right-now-144508315.html?src=rss

The following article discusses Star Trek: Picard, Season Three, Episode 9, “Võx”I’ve always found accusations that I hate Star Trek weird, since I make my love of Trek clear enough every time I write one of these reviews. Every time I watch a nü-Trek episode that I’m fortunate enough to do as part of my day job, I hope that I can genuinely talk about it with a sense of love. And so I am delighted to say “Võx” is the best episode of Star Trek: Picard ever made. It is not by any means perfect, but it’s such a leap from what’s gone before I’ve almost got whiplash.One of the reasons that “Võx” pops is that Picard’s quality ceiling has been relentlessly low over the last three seasons. The other is that the narrative’s brakes are off, allowing events to move at something faster than a snail’s pace. If I was in a less-generous mood, I’d say a lot of this stuff could have happened earlier in the run to improve the overall pacing. One of the biggest issues I’ve had is the very visible stretching of a thin, mystery-box story over a studio-mandated ten-episode running order.By comparison, this feels like the first free meal after two 500-calorie-only days on the 5:2 fast diet. You devour a 12-inch pizza and, since you’ve starved yourself for the last 48 hours, you feel you deserve to go out for tacos afterward. In this episode, we learn that Jack is, as Reddit clocked weeks back, the product of a union ‘twixt Dr. Crusher and Picard’s Borgified sperm. We also get a whopping retcon to the plot hole in First Contact, where Picard could hear the Borg and knew the location of the cube’s weak spot despite not being connected to the collective.Jack decides to go off and tackle the Borg Queen (voiced by Alice Krige!) herself, while Geordi, Data and Beverley start examining the conspiracy. The Queen has already picked a Borgified name for Jack — Võx — to commence his Locutus-like transformation as part of the collective, too. The Borg and Changelings are working together – I’d love to see how that meeting went – to undermine the Federation. They’ve set up every transporter in the fleet to re-write the genetic code of the under ‘25s who pass through it, seeding them with Bio-Borg DNA. When Frontier Day happens, the collective activates its new army of drones, who also turn the newly-connected fleet into an armada.Fleeing a Titan similarly overrun with Bio-Borgs, the TNG crew get into a shuttle while Seven and Raffi guard Shaw, who takes a phaser to the chest. He even gets a nice valediction, finally using Seven’s chosen name to put a button on his much-discussed arc. Not long after, we get the first laugh-out-loud-on-purpose moment in the series when Geordi asks Data to be more optimistic. There’s a simple, glorious pleasure in letting the endlessly-talented Brent Spiner show off his natural comedic flair in the midst of all this darkness.The gang race back to the Fleet Museum where, again Reddit called this a month or more back, the Enterprise D has been quietly rebuilt in secret by Geordi. There’s some moments of winking at the camera as the production team head off the obvious questions. How? They pulled the saucer section from Veridian to avoid breaking the Prime Directive and cobbled together other parts from other Galaxy Class ships. Why not the E? Blame Worf, now shut up and watch with a smile plastered on your face as they sit in their old chairs. Hell, they’ve even got Majel Barrett Roddenberry’s voice for the Enterprise D computer.We need to be careful here, because I’ve slammed this series time and again for its empty, paraphilic use of nostalgia. There are plenty of reasons why this makes no logical sense if you take the time to interrogate things. Maybe it’s because the episode moves at such a clip that there’s no time to overthink things before something else happens. Maybe it’s just the thrill of seeing these actors on this bridge, on this carpet, that the bulk of my critical thinking has been bypassed.If I have concerns, it’s still about what Picard is trying to say. Relegating the cyberpunk elements of the Borg to make their assimilation more biological could be seen as an anti-vaccination screed. It’s hard to watch yet another TNG side character brutally die – Ro in “Imposters” and Admiral Elizabeth Shelby, captain of the new Enterprise F, taking two in the chest mere moments later here. There’s an argument that leaving Seven and Raffi on the Titan also sidelines the series’ two queer characters. And this subtextual mistrust of youth which was discussed a few episodes back has now been rendered very much part of Picard’s text.But I will withhold my judgments about that until next week, when we see how those points are handled. For now, I’m going to bask in the very brief glow of my monitor, and how glorious it was when the lights on the Enterprise D bridge raised to old-school TV levels and we could actually see what was going on. The lights went up and so did the mood, and after all this time, it comes as sweet relief. Now, onward to the finale.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/star-trek-picard-309-vox-review-140046969.html?src=rss

Apple is promising more eco-friendly batteries ahead of Earth Day. The company has committed to using 100 percent recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries by 2025. It also expects to use completely recycled rare earth elements in its magnets by that point, and all in-house circuit board designs will use fully recycled gold plating and tin soldering.Only 25 percent of the cobalt Apple used last year was recycled. While thats's up from 13 percent in 2021, that makes the new target more ambitious than others. Apple already uses 73 percent recycled rare earth elements and 38 percent recycled tin. Apple has custom battery designs in most of its portable products, including the iPhone, iPad and MacBook lines.The company eventually hopes to make all products exclusively with recycled and renewable materials. It expects its products to be carbon neutral by 2030. As of 2022, just 20 percent of the material in Apple hardware was recycled or renewed.Yes, this is partly about burnishing the company's image. You may be more likely to buy an iPhone or Apple Watch if you believe it's relatively gentle on the planet. However, the cobalt goal may be more significant than most. Cobalt is widely used in batteries, including in electric vehicles, but it also has significant environmental and social problems. The mining process contaminates the air, earth and water, and can lead to health issues for both miners and the general population. There are also concerns about miner exploitation in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo.Companies have been developing cobalt-free batteries that could lessen the environmental impact across the tech industry. For now, though, efforts like Apple's could reduce the demand for additional cobalt and the associated mining.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-batteries-will-use-100-percent-recycled-cobalt-by-2025-132837439.html?src=rss

WhatsApp has begun rolling out a handful of new security features. The most notable sees the company doing more to protect users against SIM jacking and other social engineering attacks that could compromise your account. The next time you download WhatsApp on a new device, you may be asked to use your old device to confirm you want to move your account to a new phone.If you’re worried about the potential of being locked out of your account, a WhatsApp spokesperson told Engadget Account Protect will only activate if the company detects a suspicious registration attempt. Moreover, if you don’t have access to your old device, you can request the company send you a second one-time passcode.Whether or not you decide to switch devices anytime soon, your WhatsApp account will be safer, thanks to the new introduction of new background checks. You won’t need to directly interact with the verification features WhatsApp is adding. Nonetheless, the company says they will help secure your account against malware, and better protect you if your WhatsApp is ever compromised.Separately, WhatsApp is also making it easier for users to verify their connection with someone is encrypted. Right now, verifying your connection with someone involves either scanning a QR code or comparing a 60-digit number, both of which you can find by tapping the Encryption tab under a contact’s info sheet. Moving forward, tapping the tab will automatically verify whether your connection is secure.The new features will roll out to all WhatsApp users in the coming months. In the meantime, if you want to do the most you can to secure your account, WhatsApp parent company Meta recommends you enable two-factor authentication and encrypted backups.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/whatsapp-makes-it-harder-for-scammers-to-steal-your-account-130054789.html?src=rss

DJI unveiled its latest high-end drone for professional filmmakers today. The Inspire 3 is a full-frame 8K cinema drone in a “highly portable form factor” that can be yours this summer for a mere $16,499.The DJI Inspire 3 has a Zenmuse X9-8K Air Gimbal Camera with a wide range of dynamic colors and compatibility with various lenses. Its camera system has dual native ISO for clear low-light footage while covering over 14 stops of dynamic range to help capture highlights and shadows in sunrises and sunsets. It has a Tilt Boost and 360-degree Pan structures. Its FPV camera, visual sensors, positioning antennas and storage slot are “seamlessly integrated into the airframe for a minimalist look and modern industrial aesthetics.” It can capture video in various formats, including CinemaDNG and Apple ProRes RAW.The drone supports RTK-powered Waypoint Pro and omnidirectional sensing for precise flight paths and improved safety. The drone has nine sensors to help detect and avoid obstacles and protect your $16.5K purchase. In addition, you can toggle horizontal, upward and downward obstacle-sensing independently and manually set its obstacle-alert range if the automatic function doesn’t suit your needs. (With active avoidance turned off, the display will still show incoming obstacles and sound an alert if it’s within a set range.) It also has hot-swappable TB51 intelligent dual batteries for up to 28 minutes of flight time and up to 58.4 mph speeds.DJIIt uses DJI’s O3 Pro transmission and control system with a range of up to around 9.2 miles with one controller and up to 7.5 miles in dual-control mode (where one person pilots the drone and a second pilot controls the gimbal). It includes a first-person view (FPV) camera with an ultra-wide 161-degree field of view and night vision. The pilot’s feed has a latency of 90ms in 1080p / 60 fps mode. Additionally, it supports 4K / 30 fps feeds, although that mode reduces the drone’s range to an estimated 3.1 miles.The DJI Inspire 3 will be available “by the end of June.” If you’re a pro filmmaker with over $16,000 to spare, you’ll get Zenmuse X9-8K Air Gimbal Camera, RC Plus remote controller and other accessories. The company’s DJI Care Pro accidental protection plans are also available for an additional cost.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/djis-newest-drone-is-a-16k-model-for-pro-filmmakers-130047974.html?src=rss

The 2023 edition of Coachella gets underway this weekend and, along with having the option to catch livestreams of every stage on YouTube, you can take part in the fun remotely in another way thanks to Fortnite. The festival has once again teamed up with Epic Games to celebrate Coachella.Features this time around include emotes that have music from headliner Bad Bunny and fellow performer Burna Boy, as well as returning and new Coachella-related outfits that you'll see in the Item Shop starting at 8PM ET this evening. You'll also be able to listen to songs from artists who are performing this weekend on the in-game Icon Radio.Epic Games/Alliance StudiosYou'll be able to experience Coachella in other ways in Fortnite this year. Starting at 3PM ET today, you can dive into Coachella Island from the Epic’s Picks Discover row in the game mode browser or by entering the island code 5449-4207-12803.The music-reactive island takes inspiration from Coachella's California desert setting, so you can expect to see mountains, polo fields and palm trees. In the Art Park section, you'll be able to check out replicas of art installations found at the real-life version of Coachella. On top of that, you can try some team-based minigames centered around dancing and parkour.Players will have the chance to scoop up Coachella-inspired outfits and in-game items from a merch tent. There's a music element here as well of course, as you'll be able to hear tracks from Coachella performer Porter Robinson while you're on the island (or by clicking the play button below, because why not).This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/coachella-is-coming-back-to-fortnite-in-a-bigger-way-this-year-130021748.html?src=rss

With last year's ROG Phone 6, ASUS got our attention with the world's first "wireless" clip-on Peltier cooler, in the sense that it didn't require plugging into a power bank. That, along with a handful of dedicated gaming features — especially the customizable ultrasonic "AirTriggers" — already made it a seemingly solid gaming phone. While some of the competition struggled to keep up, ASUS attempts to keep mobile gamers interested with its brand new ROG Phone 7 series which, for the first time, incorporates AI for automatic gaming capture. The company also managed to throw in a surprise for the new clip-on cooler: it now doubles as a subwoofer to take full advantage of the ROG Phone's already excellent stereo speakers.The aforementioned AI feature can be found in the phone's "Game Genie" dashboard. Dubbed "X Capture," this tool is based on ASUS' very own AI pattern recognition system, and it's supposedly able to detect key events such as a "kill, death, victory moment, etc." in supported games. Another new tool, "X Sense," uses the same algorithm and pop-up notifications to help the player with in-game decision making. The catch is that both AI features only support Arena of Valor for now, and only in "tier one" markets like Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. That said, the product team is apparently already working on supporting more titles, which will no doubt come in handy for gamers who like to show off.You'll also find two more new gaming features: "vibration mapping" lets you add tactile feedback to your desired virtual buttons, and "background mode" — though already introduced to recent models via an update last year — lets games run in the background when you need to perform certain automatic boring tasks.ASUSNaturally, the core specs here offer the latest and greatest that the market has to offer right now. The ROG Phone 7 series pack Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage — a more efficient offering than the earlier UFS 3.1, with at least twice the speed. You still get a generous 6,000mAh dual-cell battery with 65W fast-charging, which now offers a slightly shorter charging time of 42 minutes. The 6.78-inch Samsung AMOLED display features the same 2,448 x 1,080 resolution, 165Hz refresh rate and 720Hz touch-sampling rate as before, but its peak brightness has been bumped up from 1,200 nits to 1,500 nits for better viewing.As with previous generations, the ASUS ROG Phone 7 series comes with improved thermal design. This time it's all about the bigger rapid-cycle vapor chamber design, and it has two nerdy features: the special trident-shaped wick columns on the long edges vastly increase the surface area for better heat dissipation, and the six liquid-return channels act as highways for cooled water to flow back to the processor. ASUS claims this design increases heat dissipation efficiency "by up to 168%." This is complemented with the Boron Nitride thermal compound on the other side of the CPU, as well as bigger graphite sheets covering the mainboard and RF board.ASUSThen there's the new AeroActive Cooler 7 which continues to offer Peltier thermoelectric cooling, and without the need of external power. Similar to its predecessor, this attachment can apparently lower the surface temperature by as much as 25 degrees Celsius, as well as the touch panel temperature by as much as eight degrees Celsius. As with last year's Ultimate variant, the more premium ROG Phone 7 Ultimate comes with the "AeroActive Portal" which, when used with the AeroActive Cooler 7, allows cool air to be blown straight into the phone's body. As a bonus, both the regular and Ultimate models are now IP54-certified (so both dust- and splash-resistant), despite the latter's air vent.According to ASUS' own hour-long tests using Genshin Impact, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate (in "X Mode+" performance) equipped with the attachment (in "frosty" cooling mode) was at least 6.4 degrees Celsius cooler than the competition — namely the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra — on the back. Keeping the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate cool allowed the game to sustain an impressive frame rate of around 60 fps, which should avoid interruptions in an intense fight.The AeroActive Cooler 7 also comes with a set of four extra mappable buttons and, for the first time, a subwoofer as well. So yes, together with the enlarged speakers on the ROG Phone 7, you're getting a 2.1-channel audio system tuned by Dirac. You can also stick to your 3.5mm headphones and take advantage of the "Dirac Virtuo For Headphone" spatial sound feature, or go wireless with Snapdragon Sound's super-low-latency Bluetooth.There's nothing too exciting on the photography side. The rear cameras remain unchanged: you get a 50-megapixel main camera (Sony's IMX766 sensor), a 13-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera (125 degrees) and a not-so-useful 5-megapixel macro camera. That said, ASUS claims that the cameras here will benefit from an improved light trail mode for artistic captures. The selfie camera on the other side, however, has been upgraded with a new 32-megapixel OmniVision OV32C sensor.ASUSFor those who are in Taiwan and Europe, select models in the ROG Phone 7 series will be available for pre-order starting today. The regular model starts from €999, but if you're going for the Ultimate version for its AeroActive Portal and customizable ROG Vision screen on the back, it starts from €1,399 — you'll get a €110 AeroActive Cooler 7 for free. (All euro prices are inclusive of VAT.)As for the rest of us, ASUS has confirmed that the ROG Phone 7 series will eventually be launched in the US, but we'll have to wait a bit longer for a date and pricing, so stay tuned.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/asus-rog-phone-7-ultimate-gaming-phone-pricing-availability-123037730.html?src=rss

Twitter is teaming up with eToro, a social trading network, to expand financial information available on the site and make it easier for users to buy stocks and crypto. As CNBC reports, the existing $Cashtag format, which previously allowed finance-inclined users to click a financial hashtag of sorts to see more data on particular stocks, will be expanded to show more real-time data. That data will continue to be provided by TradingView, a market tracker and existing eToro partner.The updated search also brings an eToro button under the live price charts, taking users away from Twitter to get more information and potentially invest. Anyone can look through the stats, but eToro will prompt visitors to create an account before being able to part with their money.Twitter is openly trying to diversify its offerings, with "additional market insights and greater access to investment capabilities," Chris Riedy, VP of Global Sales & Marketing at Twitter, said in a statement. According to Twitter, the first quarter of 2023 saw 498 million tweets revolving around finance or business.Since Elon Musk took over as CEO, 80 percent of the company's workforce have been let go in a bid to cut costs. An updated subscription model was launched soon after, promising Blue ticks, fewer ads and increased tweet visibility for $8 per month, while developers were forced to begin paying for a basic API or lose access to the company's firehose. This came after over 500 advertisers reportedly paused spending on Twitter.While eToro isn’t directly integrated into the social media platform, the tie-in could potentially benefit Twitter financially in the form of referral bonuses.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitter-teams-up-with-etoro-to-make-it-easier-to-buy-stocks-and-crypto-121154473.html?src=rss

The Library of Congress has announced the latest batch of 25 recordings joining the National Recording Registry. Alongside songs like “Like a Virgin,” "All I Want For Christmas Is You" and "Stairway To Heaven," Koji Kondo's Super Mario Bros. theme becomes the first piece of video game music to enter the registry. According to the Library of Congress, the Mario overworld music, officially titled "Ground Theme," is "perhaps the most recognizable video game theme in history."“The amount of data that we could use for music and sound effects was extremely small, so I really had to be very innovative and make full use of the musical and programming ingenuity that we had at the time,” Kondo told the Library of Congress. He apparently drew from Japanese jazz fusion and Latin music to create the melody on the Nintendo Entertainment System's five-channel sound chip. And now there’s a (second) Hollywood movie featuring his work.– Mat SmithThe Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.The biggest stories you might have missedNVIDIA RTX 4070 review: The new 1440p gaming leader The best VR headsets for 2023April's PS Plus Extra and Premium games include 'Doom Eternal' and 'Kena: Bridge of Spirits' The best wireless earbuds for 2023 Sony investment will put AI chips inside Raspberry Pi boards Philips' new Ultra Efficient LED bulbs use 40 percent less energyThe bulbs may even outlive you.SignifySignify has announced its Philips Ultra Efficient LED bulbs that, as the name implies, use 40 percent less energy than the brand's usual LEDs. The "advanced" LEDs and optics reduce the yearly energy cost to between 55 cents and $1.03 per bulb, and Signify claims the Ultra Efficient line has an average lifespan of 50 years, or more than three times of Philips' standard LED bulbs. The range is available now as a Walmart exclusive, starting at $10 for a 60W-equivalent A19 bulb.Continue reading.Intel is working to become an ARM chip manufacturerMerged companies will tweak Intel's 18A fabrication process for use with ARM designs.Intel and ARM, arguably two of the most important players in modern chipmaking, are joining forces. The companies announced a “multigeneration” agreement to optimize Intel’s upcoming 18A fabrication process for use with ARM designs and intellectual property. To clarify, the deal won’t mean Intel’s Foundry Services produces chipsets for ARM, but the likes of Qualcomm and MediaTek will be able to tap Intel to make its ARM-based chips in the future.Continue reading.Report: Amazon responsible for half of all 'serious' US warehouse injuries last yearThe retailer disputes the analysis of federal labor data.Nearly two years after Jeff Bezos said Amazon would spend $300 million to improve workplace safety, a coalition of labor unions claims the company was responsible for a heady 53 percent of all serious warehouse injuries recorded in the US last year. A report from the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC)t said data from US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) showed Amazon warehouse workers were injured more frequently than their non-Amazon counterparts – and they were often injured worse. Amazon disputes the Strategic Organizing Center’s interpretation of the data – specifically with SOC’s use of “serious injury rate,” noting it’s not an official OSHA metric.Continue reading.NPR is ditching Twitter over 'government-funded media' label on its main accountThe broadcaster says the label is 'inaccurate and misleading.'After a week-long tussle with Twitter and owner Elon Musk over labels the company applied to its accounts, NPR said it’ll no longer use the platform at all. The organization criticized Twitter over a "state-affiliated media" label placed on its main account last week. NPR said the latest incarnation of the label is "inaccurate and misleading," pointing out that federal funding accounts for less than one percent of its $300 million annual budget. NPR CEO John Lansing said, as a result of the label, the broadcaster is abandoning Twitter to protect its credibility.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-the-mario-theme-joins-your-old-tweets-in-the-library-of-congress-111541366.html?src=rss

If you've been putting off any spring cleaning — who hasn't? — now might be the time to consider a helper. Robot vacuums have been popping up everywhere and, though they can be pricier than a do-it-yourself option, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuum is currently making a play for your home with a 43 percent off sale. It's still not an impulse buy in the check out lane, but, at $400 versus $700, it's the best deal we've seen since it launched.This 2-in-1 model uses smart home mapping to clean in a precise grid, empties itself and has improved suction power. Shark also claims the mops can scrub floors 100 times per minute. Plus, like most robot vacuums, it's controlled through an app.Shark has produced a few different robovacs in recent years, alongside impressive competitors like iRobot and Anker. This sale makes the 2-in-1 model cheaper than Shark's standard AI Ultra vacuum — even with its price currently down from $600 to $485. The standard model doesn't differ too much from the 2-in-1 model and made the list of our best robot vacuums of the year. But, it is missing a few features, such as the water reservoir, reusable mopping pads and improved suction.If you don't care too much about your robovac self-emptying, the Shark RV2410WD IQ 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop is a cheaper option, on sale at $295 versus $380.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/sharks-new-2-in-1-robot-vacuum-and-mop-is-cheaper-than-its-ever-been-101059636.html?src=rss

IK Multimedia has a launched a new audio interface with features designed specifically for guitar and bass players. Like the brand’s other products in the category, this model, the AXE I/O ONE, is portable and affordable: It’s currently available from the company’s online store and from authorized retailers for $130.Users can change a guitar’s input from a tighter and sharper tone to a thicker and bolder one using AXE I/O ONE’s Z-TONE input circuit. The audio interface also comes with JFET input that enables warm, tube-like sounds. An external volume pedal gives users access to hands-free control, so they don’t have to stop playing to navigate the accompanying software. There’s also a dedicated Amp Out port, which among other things, allow users to have a hybrid setup with a real and a virtual guitar.In addition, the AXE I/O ONE comes bundled with thousands of AmpliTube 5 SE presets and TONEX SE tone models. TONEX SE also gives users a way to convert a real rig into a plug-in, so they can have even more rigs to use within their programs. Finally, this audio interface only needs to be plugged in via USB-C and doesn’t need an external power supply. Since the AXE I/O ONE has a compact design and is compatible with the latest iPads, as well, it sounds like IK Multimedia created it for especially for people who need or prefer to record on the go.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ik-multimedias-axe-io-one-is-an-affordable-audio-interface-for-guitar-and-bass-players-090631338.html?src=rss

Google is updating Maps with more detailed information about national parks in the US to make them easier to navigate and potentially prevent from getting lost. When you search for a particular park on Android or iOS, you’ll now see photos and videos of its key attractions — say the Old Faithful or the Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone — taken by others who’d been there before.Maps will now also highlight an entire trail from beginning to end when you search for it instead of just dropping a pin on its general location. You’ll even find details regarding its difficulty, along with information on whether it’s more suitable for walking, running or cycling. To make it even more informative, Google will show other people’s reviews of parks and trails, along with other useful details, such as where to find the nearest public bathroom.Since national parks are huge and are often confusing, Google will start highlighting park entrances later this month, as well, with Maps pointing you right to the trailhead. Finally, Google will make it possible to download offline maps for parks so that you don’t have to worry about not being able to find your way if you suddenly lose access to the internet. Downloadable maps will also available later this month.These features will initially roll out for national parks in the US, but Google plans to make Maps more useful to hikers around the world and will add more detailed information for national parks in other countries later this month. If you want to virtually explore a park first, though, you can hit up Google Street View where you can find imagery for dozens of national parks.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-maps-will-help-you-navigate-us-national-parks-061725188.html?src=rss

Looking forward to playing Endless Dungeon next month? Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait half a year longer to play the roguelite twin-stick shooter, because Amplitude Studios and Sega have pushed back its release date to October 19th. It was previously slated for a 2022 debut, but the developer ultimately announced a May 18th, 2023 launch date for the PC (Steam and Epic), Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. In a post announcing their decision, the team said they believe it’s important to spend extra time working on the game after all the feedback they received across all their OpenDev sessions. They also promised to announce a release date for the Nintendo Switch at a later date.In addition to fixing the bugs and issues the testers had unearthed, the developers are planning to use the extra time to improve some of the game’s key elements. They’re working to make player progression feel less random and more organic, and they’re tweaking the economy so that all three resources — namely, science, food and industry — feel important to the game. “The scarcity of resources is important so that your decision of what to invest in feels impactful,” they explained. They’re also incorporating smaller changes, such as differentiating the districts from each other more and improving certain aspects of the game’s multiplayer mode.If you decide to wait instead of canceling your pre-order, you can get three additional free skins for Comrade, Fassie and Shroom. They’ll also be available at no additional cost for early buyers upon the game’s release for a limited time. Take note that since the Endless Dungeon‘s release has been delayed, its planned Closed Beta, which you’ll be able to access if you purchase the Last Wish Edition, will also be pushed back to September.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/endless-dungeon-release-has-been-pushed-back-to-october-19th-030202242.html?src=rss

Easily one of the most fascinating devices I've had the pleasure of reviewing is the Polyend Tracker. It's hard to overstate what a unique piece of hardware it is. The company followed up last year with the Play, another sample-based groovebox that took a more immediate approach to music creation. Now the company is back, yet again, taking its undeniable sampling prowess mobile with the Tracker Mini.The Mini takes the core workflow of the original Tracker and shrinks it down to something under one pound, and just 6.7 by 5.1 inches. That's not the smallest groovebox in the world, but quite a bit smaller than something like the SP-404 MKII. It retains full compatibility with the Tracker though, so you can start a song in the studio and finish it on the go, or vice versa.The Tracker Mini does lack the satisfying jog wheel, versatile pads and FM radio, but it does gain a microphone and a built-in battery. What's more, it actually has more memory and a faster CPU, so the Mini can hold up to eight minutes of mono samples in its pool, up from just two. Plus it supports audio over USB, stereo sampling and even comes with it's own hard case — a must have for protecting your music making gear on the go.The 4310 mAh batter should last up to eight hours on a charge, though that will largely depend on how you're using the device, obviously. The mechanical keyboard style controls and jog wheel are replaced with gamepad style buttons. It may make navigating the interface slightly more difficult, but many of the shortcut and function keys made the transition. So creating a track shouldn't require to much menu diving or gratuitous button presses.Most importantly, though, it has eight tracks of audio and / or MIDI, all the same sample editing tools, effects, beat slicing features, granular and wavetable synthesizers. It is easily capable of not just sketching out an idea, but building an entire song or even album. It looks likely to be one of the most powerful and interesting portable grooveboxes on the market when it starts shipping in July. You can preorder one now directly from Polyend or through retailers like Perfect Circuit for $699.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-polyend-tracker-mini-is-a-powerful-and-portable-studio-in-a-box-001656705.html?src=rss

Arkansas has become the second state to pass a law requiring social media platforms to verify the ages of their users. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has signed the “Social Media Safety Act” into law, which requires companies verify the ages of users under 18 and to gain parental consent before minors create new accounts.Utah recently passed similar measures, which also impose strict rules on how social media platforms handle the accounts of their youngest users, including an age verification requirement. The laws are part of a growing movement to enforce age verification measures and other age-based restrictions for social media companies. At least three other states are currently considering similar legislation.The laws are also controversial. While lawmakers have for years called for more protections for teens on social media, privacy advocates and civil rights groups have opposed age verification mandates. Likewise, some child safety groups have argued that comprehensive privacy legislation would be a more effective way to protect children.Under the Arkansas law, slated to take effect in September, companies are required to check the ages of their users via government-issued IDs like a driver’s license or “any commercially reasonable age verification method.” But, as CNNnotes, it’s not entirely clear which companies will be forced to comply with the law. The legislation includes a number of exemptions that would seem to excuse some prominent platforms.For example, it states that platforms focused on “professional networking” and “career development” are exempt, which would seem to be a direct reference to LinkedIn. It also has exceptions for gaming-focused companies, as well as companies that allow “a user to generate short video clips of dancing, voice overs, or other acts of entertainment in which the primary purpose is not educational or informative,” which could be interpreted as excluding TikTok.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/arkansas-passes-social-media-law-requiring-age-verification-230716388.html?src=rss

The New York Attorney General has announced that its youth vaping lawsuit against Juul is over, ending with an agreement that distribute a $462 million settlement between six states and Washington DC. “JUUL lit a nationwide public health crisis by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them that it’s harmless," Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. "Today they are paying the price for the harm they caused.” The settlement will be split among the states of New York, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico and the District of Columbia.The 2019 lawsuit alleged that Juul engaging in deceptive marketing and illegally sold products to minors by glamorizing vaping with ads that featured "young models using fruity, sweet and minty flavors that appealed to youth." In addition to the monetary penalty, the settlement includes strict restrictions to keep Juul from marketing its products that way in the future, including a ban on showing persons under 35 years of age using its products and rules that would keep Juul product placement from appearing in movies, tv shows, video games and even virtual reality.This is the largest multi-state settlement Juul has made yet, but it's only a small part of the total the company has paid so far. In 2022, the company agreed to pay $1.2 billion, collectively settling thousands of personal and government lawsuits.Juul will have 8 years to pay out the $462 million settlement, and it might need it. According to a 2022 valuation based on Cigarette maker Altria's investment in the company, Juul's worth has dropped dramatically since 2018. Despite the settlement, Juul is attempting to remain optimistic. "With this settlement, we are nearing total resolution of the company's historical legal challenges and securing certainty for our future," the company told ABC News. "Since our company-wide reset in the fall of 2019, underage use of JUUL products has declined by 95% based on the National Youth Tobacco Survey."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/juul-will-pay-462-million-to-6-states-in-underage-vaping-settlement-211701541.html?src=rss

There are many things I think of when I hear the name "Max." There's Max Headroom, the '80s AI icon that's been on my mind a lot lately. Mad Max! Max Payne! Every friend I've ever had named Max (whose names I've always been jealous of). Even Homer Simpson's alternate persona, Max Power. But there's no universe where I associate "Max" with HBO, even though we've been living with "HBO Max" for years. "HBO" was always the dominant part of that name, whereas "Max" felt like a vestigial remnant from its sister network Cinemax.Warner Bros. DiscoverySo I'm sure that many viewers will be surprised to learn that HBO Max will be rebranded as "Max" on May 23rd. Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav, who spearheaded the $43 billion merger between WB and his previous company Discovery, announced the new service during a media event this morning. It's been a year since Zaslav finalized that merger and announced his intentions to combine each network's content. And, given the increasingly volatile world of streaming media, he likely had to move quickly. But the rebranding seems like a missed opportunity to align the new service with something people already know and love.Now, to be clear, Zaslav's desire to build something new makes sense. HBO Max's May 2020 launch was notoriously rocky, so much so that it led to a round of executive firings. HBO Max was a blatant attempt to catch up with Disney+, which hit 10 million subscribers just a day after its debut. But it couldn't compete with Disney's seemingly limitless library of content. A month after HBO Max arrived, AT&T (TimeWarner's owner at the time) said the service only had 4.1 million active users. The company tried to make it seem more popular by saying it had 23.6 million "wholesale" subscribers, but those were mostly existing HBO customers who had never touched the HBO Max app.As a relatively new Warner Bros. leader, Zaslav likely wanted to make a mark with a service of his very own. (Media executives just can't help themselves, remember Jeffrey Katzenberg's Quibi?) So long HBO Max, hello something that combines HBO's prestigious content with Discovery's vast library of unscripted reality shows. During today's media event, Warner Bros. executives stressed that the company wanted to highlight HBO's world-renowned branding — "HBO is not TV, HBO is HBO!" someone proclaimed boldly. But they also hinted that the company didn't want to stuff too much into "HBO" as a concept.I also bet that Zaslav and crew talked to plenty of advisors and focus groups who made it clear that HBO would never be considered as family-friendly as Disney. A cautious parent may not want to subscribe to an HBO service, even if it was the only way to watch a new Discovery series for kids. As one WB executive pointed out, the company used to see double-digit shares of kids programming across their many networks, but that's "virtually disappeared" in the streaming era.With the Max refresh, Warner Bros. is trying to fix many of HBO Max's underlying problems. The company says it's aiming to increase engagement (having a ton of new content helps!), enhance retention, strengthen performance and optimize monetization. A carousel of personalized recommendations should help to surface content users may ignore, and WB says Max will also be able to alert people if their subscription payments fail. These are basic features for any modern subscription service, so it's shocking to learn that HBO Max couldn't manage them on its own.Of course, WB is also trying to "optimize monetization" by raising the subscription cost for 4K viewers. If you want to see Game of Thrones or the upcoming Flash movie in 4K, you'll need to spend $4 more for Max's "Ultimate tier." That's similar to Netflix's 4K strategy, so it's not entirely surprising, but it's still annoying.Let me be truly cynical: It doesn't really matter what Max is called. We're awash in terribly-named streaming services, like Peacock and Paramount+. It would have been nice to see WB highlight one of its most prominent properties, but lopping off the first half of HBO Max probably makes more sense than trying to hype up another ridiculous media name (Hulu somehow made it work, but Quibi will forever sound dumb).No matter what it's called, we'll still rush to Max to catch the latest episode of Succession or The Last of Us. In this era of streaming networks dumping mountains of content on us, it's somewhat refreshing to have premium shows airing weekly. That gives us time to truly absorb major events (like the most recent Succession shocker), and space to anticipate what comes next. Ultimately, that's HBO's superpower, and Zaslav knows it. When combined with the onslaught of cheap and addictive content from Discovery, he might be able to turn Max into a true Disney+ competitor.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/max-hbo-max-rebrand-analysis-194800553.html?src=rss

LED light bulbs are already supposed to be energy-efficient, but Signifiy thinks it can improve on the formula. The company has released Philips Ultra Efficient LED bulbs that, as the name implies, use 40 percent less energy than the brand's usual LED options. The "advanced" LEDs and optics reduce the yearly energy cost to between 55 cents and $1.03 per bulb, Signify claims. For context, a Philips Ultra Definition 60W bulb uses an estimated 97 cents each year.The new lights might also be helpful if you're trying to minimize waste. Signify estimates that the Ultra Efficient line has an average lifespan of 50 years, or more than three times the usage of Philips' standard LED bulbs. There's a real chance this lighting might outlive you.The Philips range is available now as a Walmart exclusive. It starts at $10 for a 60W-equivalent A19 bulb ($17 for two) in soft white and daylight variants. A 65W BR30 bulb costs $11, while a 100W A21 light is $15. You're paying considerably more than you would for standard LEDs — a four-pack of Philips Ultra Definition 60W bulbs costs $14. However, Signify is clearly betting that the lower energy costs and increased longevity will ultimately save you money on top of being kinder to the environment.The catch, of course, is that these aren't smart bulbs. You'll need to live with higher energy consumption if you insist on Philips Hue and don't want to use smart plugs. If that isn't an obstacle, though, you may see your energy bills shrink if you replace enough bulbs around your home.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/philips-new-ultra-efficient-led-bulbs-use-40-percent-less-energy-193033312.html?src=rss

Nearly two years after Jeff Bezos said Amazon would spend $300 million to improve workplace safety, a coalition of labor unions claims the company was responsible for 53 percent of all serious warehouse injuries recorded in the US last year. In a report released on Wednesday (PDF link), the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC) said data collected by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) shows Amazon warehouse workers continue to suffer injuries more frequently than their non-Amazon counterparts. It also claims those injuries were often more severe.In 2022, Amazon reported a total of 38,609 recordable injuries. Per the SOC, those are incidents that require a worker to either take time off from their regular job or seek medical treatment beyond first aid. Of those injuries, 95 percent were those the organization considers serious either because Amazon had to temporarily reassign the worker to a less strenuous role or give them time off to recover.After crunching the data, the SOC found Amazon’s total injury rate in 2022 was 6.9 injuries per 100 workers. Comparatively, that’s a better rate than the 7.9 injuries per 100 workers the company recorded last year, and the staggering nine injuries per 100 workers the SOC says Amazon managed in 2019, but the organization contends the data shows Amazon “failed to make meaningful progress on worker safety.” Specifically, the SOC points to the rate at which Amazon workers suffered “serious” injuries. At 6.6 per 100 workers, the organization says Amazon’s 2022 serious injury rate is 12 percent higher than the one the company recorded in 2020 and more than double the rate seen at non-Amazon warehouses last year.Put another way, the SOC claims more than half of all serious US warehouse injuries in 2022 occured at Amazon, despite the company only employing 36 percent of all US warehouse workers last year. “For a corporation that prides itself on moving quickly and decisively informed by sophisticated data analysis, Amazon’s ongoing failure to provide safe working conditions raises major questions about whether the company’s management is serious about becoming ‘earth’s safest place to work,’ or whether it continues to put profits before the safety of the very people responsible for its success,” the report states.Amazon disputes the Strategic Organizing Center’s interpretation of the data it shared with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Specifically, it takes issue with SOC’s use of “serious injury rate,” noting it’s not an official OSHA metric. The agency does track when a workplace injury requires a worker to either change roles or take time off. However, Amazon contends that metric – known as DART or “days away, restricted, or transferred rates” – is not shorthand for a serious injury. It claims DART metrics often incorporate “relatively minor” injuries. Instead, the company says critics should look at its recordable injuries and how long workers have taken off to recover from workplace incidents. When you look at those numbers, Amazon says the data shows it has made significant progress in recent years.“The safety and health of our employees is, and always will be, our top priority, and any claim otherwise is inaccurate. It’s unsurprising that a self-interested group like this would work to twist the facts to paint an inaccurate picture. While we know we have more work to do, the truth is clearly outlined in our safety report and we encourage anyone to both tour our facilities and read our safety report,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Natel told Engadget. “That report shows that since 2019, the recordable injury rate across our network has dropped more than 23 percent and the lost time injury rate has dropped more than 53 percent. We’re proud the progress made by our team and we’ll continue working hard together to keep getting better every day.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-was-responsible-for-more-than-half-of-all-serious-us-warehouse-injuries-last-year-report-finds-191753314.html?src=rss

At the end of March, the Italian Data Protection Authority (the "Garante"), announced that OpenAI's fancy new ChatGPT software would imminently be blocked from use within the European nation over concerns that ChatGPT's training and function violate the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). On Wednesday, the Garante published a list of necessary steps OpenAI will have to take by the end of April if Italy is to lift its temporary limitation on the processing of its user data."OpenAI will have to draft and make available, on its website, an information notice describing the arrangements and logic of the data processing required for the operation of ChatGPT along with the rights afforded to data subjects," the Garante announced. Additionally, Italian users must be shown said notice and will have to declare that they are over the age of 18 prior to the completion of their registrations. What's more, the company will be required to age gate the site to filter out users under the age of 18 by the end of September.The Garante is also demanding that the company enact "easily accessible tools to allow non-users to exercise their right to object to the processing of their personal data," per Wednesday's release. "The same right will have to be afforded to users if legitimate interest is chosen as the legal basis for processing their data."Finally, OpenAI must by May, 31st run "through radio, TV, newspapers and the Internet" an ad campaign informing the public about their data collection methods and how Italians' personal information will be used to train the company's algorithms. In all, OpenAI has just 18 days to get all of its regulatory ducks in a row before the regulator implements additional penalties.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-italian-data-protection-agency-gives-openai-a-chance-to-avoid-being-banned-185638918.html?src=rss

Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ) released the full schedule for its return to in-person activities for 2023. The charity speed-running event takes place in Minneapolis from May 28th to June 4th. This year, the organizers added a slew of Zelda runs in honor of the upcoming Tears of the Kingdom, which gamers will spend countless hours exploring beginning next month. Of course, the event will stream live on Twitch for those who can’t make it to Minnesota.The full schedule starts with a pre-show followed by a Sonic Frontiers run on May 28th and wraps up with a Super Metroid run and an unknown finale on June 3rd. The last day also includes Elden Ring and a blindfolded run of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Sightless speed runs have been a popular GDQ mainstay, with previous years including memorable blindfolded play-throughs of Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! and Super Mario 64.Other Zelda games in the SGDQ 2023 lineup include The Minish Cap (Switch) on May 28th, A Link Between Worlds (3DS) on May 29th, Majora’s Mask (Nintendo 64) on May 31st, Twilight Princess (GameCube) on June 1st and Four Swords (Game Boy Advance) on June 2nd. The Zelda franchise should be frontmost on the minds of many gamers during this year’s event as the latest installment, Tears of the Kingdom, launches on May 12th.NintendoIf big-name series aren’t your thing, the 2023 event will include plenty of cult-classic and oddball runs. For example, you can tune into Hobo Cat Adventures on June 1st, Choo-Choo Charles on May 31st and the NES adventure Maniac Mansion on May 30th. (And you won’t want to miss Give Me Toilet Paper! on June 1st.) You can read the full schedule for many more runs, including Hitman 3, GTA: San Andreas and Super Mario Odyssey.It should be lighthearted fun for a terrific cause, as 100 percent of all donations go to Doctors Without Borders. The event typically raises millions of dollars for the charity, which provides medical and humanitarian care to people in over 70 countries affected by crises like war, natural disasters and epidemics. In its return as an in-person event, attendees must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and wear a KN95 / N95 / KF94 mask. You can register to attend on the organization’s website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/summer-games-done-quick-2023-will-speed-run-zelda-for-charity-184223865.html?src=rss

Microsoft is rolling out a new Xbox system update with an emphasis on the search experience. The company has completely redesigned the console's search page, giving it a “sleek new look” complete with gallery-style results, easily identifiable filter categories and an updated navigation interface that relies on the left and right bumpers.These improvements to search extend beyond simply perusing your game library or even looking for new titles to buy. There is now an option to search on YouTube within the Movies and TV tab, among other new ways to find stuff to watch. Once updated, you can access the refined search experience by tapping the search button on top of the dashboard or by pressing Y on your controller within the console UI.The system update also brings a new power-saving mode to better integrate with the recently launched ‘carbon aware’ feature. You can now adjust power settings at any time within the settings menu and adjust the active hours, which means the hours you are most likely to be using the console. If you set your active hours to begin at 10AM, for instance, the console will be ready to wake up at that time. Otherwise, it will fully shut down to draw just 0.5 watts instead of 10 to 15 watts.During active hours, the console will be ready to boot and will be accessible for remote game installs and the like. Once you update, the mode is set to “always active” so make changes to suit your preferences and schedule. The system update is rolling out now to all users.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-system-update-includes-a-refined-search-experience-180417827.html?src=rss

Soon, when you go to stream Succession or The Last of Us, you'll no longer be looking for an app called HBO Max. As has been rumored, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is changing the name of the streaming service to simply "Max." The company is folding content from Discovery+ into the platform to make it more of a one-stop shop, though Discovery+ will remain as a standalone service in the US.The big switch will take place on May 23rd in the US — almost exactly three years after HBO Max debuted. WBD previously said it would combine the streaming services sometime this spring. WBD will announce global rollout plans later this year.WBD CEO David Zaslav suggested during a press event that, in the coming months, Max will fold in sports and other live content. The company plans to add an average of more than 40 new titles and TV show seasons each month.For many users, the HBO Max will automatically update to Max on May 23rd. Other folks may be prompted to download the new app manually. The Max app will feature a new video playback experience, more personalization and a default kids profile with parental controls for new subscribers. In addition, WBD claims the app will have more streamlined navigation, including hubs for each brand (HBO, TLC, Discovery and so on).All your data, preferences and account info will migrate over seamlessly to Max, WBD says. The company added that current subscribers will have access to the features of their current plan for at least six months after Max launches. It's worth noting that current plans include 4K streaming, but newcomers will have to pay extra for that privilege.There will be three pricing tiers. An ad supported plan will cost $10 per month or $100 per year. It will allow users to stream HD video on two devices simultaneously.The ad-free plan won't have an immediate price hike either, as it will remain $16 per month (or $150 per year) for the time being. WBD raised the price of that plan for the first time back in January. That also supports HD streaming on two devices simultaneously with up to 30 offline downloads.There will also be a new "ultimate ad-free" plan that costs $20 per month or $200 per year. That's the option you'll need to plump for it you want to stream shows and movies in 4K. It supports Dolby Atmos-supported streams on up to four devices at once with up to 100 downloads for offline viewing.WBD's presentation highlighted much of the content that's coming to Max, including a first look at The Penguin, an eight-episode miniseries that ties into The Batman. That show will arrive in 2024. An It prequel called Welcome to Derry is on the way next year too.Additionally, a show set in The Conjuring universe and a Big Bang Theory spin-off are in the pipeline. The company also offered a look at Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, an animated series set long before the events of the Gremlins movies. You'll be able to watch that starting on May 23rd.There's plenty original HBO programming on the horizon as well. WBD highlighted a new installment of its True Detective anthology series (this time starring Jodie Foster), a Kate Winslet-led limited series called The Regime (previously known as The Palace) and Park Chan-wook's adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel The Sympathizer.On top of that, HBO has just greenlit another Game of Thrones spinoff called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Night. A rumored Harry Potter show has been confirmed too. WBD says it'll take a decade to retell those stories in "a faithful adaptation" of the novels.Elsewhere, content that was in the works for Discovery+ will move over to Max, such as reality programming featuring Robert Downey Jr. and all-time great snowboarder and skateboarder Shaun White. A docuseries featuring Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes as they tour the US with a live version of their podcast, SmartLess, will drop on Max's launch day. Also coming to the platform on May 23rd is Shazam! Fury of the Gods.There's some logical reasoning behind shortening the name to Max. It's now about more than HBO and nods toward a more expansive array of shows, movies and other content that's on offer. Executives were reportedly concerned that keeping HBO in the platform's name could weaken that brand if consumers associate it with all the content on the platform, such as the impending influx of reality shows from Discovery+.However, the rebranding strips away the name value of HBO and the implied level of quality that has been associated with that brand for decades. Max is a bad, soulless name with zero identity of its own.Since WBD was formed as a result of a merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery last year, the company's leadership has overhauled its streaming strategy in a bid to cut costs and improve the bottom line. Executives swung the ax on an array of HBO Max exclusives, reportedly in favor of tax breaks. WBD also removed several shows and many episodes of popular series from HBO Max. The company has started licensing out some of its programming to other platforms to add some extra revenue streams.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hbo-max-will-just-be-called-max-when-it-folds-in-discovery-171611258.html?src=rss

You can now watch The Office in VR, as NBC Universal’s Peacock app is now available for the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro virtual reality headsets. In addition, the companies are partnering to give new Quest owners a free year of the streaming service.The app brings content like Poker Face, Vanderpump Rules and (coming April 14th) Cocaine Bear to a giant screen in VR. Of course, live sports, including NFL and Major League Baseball games, are also included. Additionally, the app supports multitasking with multiple screens, and you can resize the content window — stretching all the way up to theater-sized.The app launch and deal are part of a three-year partnership between Meta and NBC Universal, announced in October. Meta says it will also bring “experiences across a variety of NBCU IP, including Universal Monsters, Halloween Horror Nights and The Office to immersive environments like Horizon Worlds and Avatars Store.” For example, Meta’s Horizon Worlds (the company’s metaverse home base) will let you interact with virtual content from The Office later this year.As for the deal, if you buy a new Meta Quest 2 or Meta Quest Pro headset between now and April 11, 2024, you can redeem a code for 12 months of Peacock Premium (usually $5 per month). Or, if you bought one of those headsets before April 11th, you’ll receive an offer for three free months. However, Peacock Premium still includes full ads; you’ll need Peacock Premium Plus, which costs an extra $5 monthly, for a plan with “fewer ads.” Quest owners with eligible accounts (at least 18 years old and living in the US or its territories) can watch for an email with a promo code and redemption link.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/you-can-now-stream-peacock-shows-on-meta-quest-vr-headsets-171018405.html?src=rss

The Library of Congress has announced the latest batch of 25 recordings that are joining the National Recording Registry. There are many notable songs among the lineup, including “Like a Virgin,” "All I Want For Christmas Is You," "Stairway To Heaven," and “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." Carl Sagan's reading of his book, Pale Blue Dot, is also being inducted. But there's one particular composition that's making its own slice of history, as Koji Kondo's Super Mario Bros. theme becomes the first piece of video game music to enter the registry.The Mario overworld music, which is officially titled "Ground Theme," is "perhaps the most recognizable video game theme in history," according to the Library of Congress. It's hard to argue with that. Kondo (pictured above left) took inspiration from Japanese jazz fusion band T-Square and Latin music to create magic on the Nintendo Entertainment System's five-channel sound chip for the original 1985 game.

You no longer have to be a developer to see the benefit of an Android 14 preview. Google has released the first Android 14 beta, and there are a few slight but meaningful improvements for early adopters. Apps can now add custom actions and shortcuts to Android's share sheets. In other words, cross-app functionality should be considerably more powerful once enough software takes advantage of the feature.You'll also see a "more prominent" back arrow in the gesture-based navigation interface. The arrow also complements your device theme or wallpaper. It's a minor touch, but it theoretically helps users understand how gestures work.Additional upgrades are behind the scenes. Apps can now limit accessibility services' ability to see sensitive data. This prevents malicious services from peeking at information, and reduces the chances of performing critical actions by mistake. Android 14 Beta 1 also supports new vector-based visual effects in apps, such as interpolation and morphing.Earlier Android 14 previews improved accessibility, battery life and security. There's also stronger support for foldable phones and tablets as well as regional personalization on a per-app basis.You'll still need either Android Studio's emulator or a recent-enough Pixel device (the Pixel 4a and newer) to try the Android 14 beta. It's easier to install, however, as you now just have to enroll your Pixel in the Android Beta Program to download this and future updates. We still wouldn't use the beta on a mission-critical phone, but it's now reliable enough that you might want to try it on a secondary handset where glitches are tolerable.Google may not have revealed everything there is to know about Android 14. It typically waits until its I/O conference in the spring to share the major feature sets for upcoming Android launches, and you won't see the first release candidates until June. The completed OS is likely to arrive late in the summer. Think of this as Google slowly drawing a curtain open — it's not quite ready for the full reveal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-first-android-14-beta-lets-apps-add-custom-sharing-features-170027699.html?src=rss

This may be a good time to be a fan of Bethesda's game lineup. Sony has detailed the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium game catalog additions for April, and more than a few of them come from Bethesda studios like id Software and Arkane. Most notably, you'll find Doom Eternal and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. These are no longer fresh games, but they're still some of the better-known first-person shooters in recent memory.Other Bethesda titles bundled with the subscriptions include Wolfenstein: The Old Blood and the horror game The Evil Within. Not that you're stuck playing one publisher's games. The Pixar-like Kena: Bridge of Spirits is now available, as is the card battler/roguelike hybrid Slay the Spire and Ubisoft's extreme sports title Riders Republic. Sackboy: A Big Adventure is part of the package as well, although it's also available to Essential members.PS Plus Premium members mostly get access to Bethesda classics. The first three Doom games and Doom 64 are included, as is Dishonored: Definitive Edition.It's not all good news, unfortunately. Sony warns that Spider-Man, Resident Evil and NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 are some of the games departing the catalog by May 15th. As much as PS Plus' library of games has expanded since Extra and Premium became available, the additions aren't always permanent.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/aprils-ps-plus-extra-and-premium-games-include-doom-eternal-and-kena-bridge-of-spirits-165022648.html?src=rss

Intel and ARM, arguably two of the most important players in modern chipmaking, are joining forces. On Wednesday, the companies announced a “multigeneration” agreement to optimize Intel’s upcoming 18A fabrication process for use with ARM designs and intellectual property. The deal won’t see Intel’s Foundry Services division produce chipsets for ARM. Instead, it will make it easier for ARM licensees, including the likes of Qualcomm and MediaTek, to hire Intel to make chips in the future.To start, the firms plan to focus on optimizing Intel 18A for mobile system-on-a-chip designs. In the future, Intel and ARM say their partnership could extend to silicon designed for use in cars, Internet of Things devices and data centers. Additionally, the support Intel will offer ARM licensees will extend beyond wafer production to include “packaging, software and chiplets,” suggesting Intel envisions itself acting as a one-stop shop for companies that want it to produce their ARM designs.Naturally, Intel is also quick to allude to the geopolitical ramifications of the agreement. “This collaboration will enable a more balanced global supply chain for foundry customers working in mobile SoC design on Arm-based CPU cores,” the company said. According to an estimate Counterpoint Research published last July, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) produces nearly 70 percent of all the chipsets that are critical to modern smartphones. On Monday, China concluded a three-day military exercise that involved the encirclement of Taiwan. The drills heightened fears of an impending war on the island.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/intel-is-optimizing-its-fabs-to-become-an-arm-chip-manufacturer-164008043.html?src=rss

Sony has officially set its latest State of Play showcase for Thursday, April 13th. The stream will be available at 5PM ET on PlayStation’s various social media channels, including Twitch and YouTube. You can also check out the stream via the embedded video below, so keep this tab open.The company announced that Final Fantasy XVI will be the guest of honor, with 20 minutes of new footage of the forthcoming Square Enix RPG. The game was announced back in 2020 and has suffered from a COVID-19 delay but it finally drops on June 22nd for PlayStation 5. So far, we’ve only seen trailers with minimal gameplay, so 20 minutes of footage is a real treat for anyone looking to get their Chocobo fix.This is great news for action RPG fans, but it looks like Final Fantasy XVI will be the only game streamed during the event. Sony has given no mention of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Death Stranding 2 or even new titles for that just-released PlayStation VR 2.Though the actual gameplay of Final Fantasy XVI remains somewhat mysterious, trailers have highlighted the plot, which involves humans waking up massive monsters called Eikons and all of the fun that follows. The last mainline entry in the series was 2016’s Final Fantasy XV.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/final-fantasy-xi-is-the-focus-of-a-state-of-play-event-this-thursday-161303072.html?src=rss

Don't expect a blistering frame rate on your Xbox when Redfall arrives on May 2nd. Arkane Studios has revealed that the vampire-slaying shooter will be limited to the 30 frames per second "Quality" mode on Xbox Series X and S at launch. You'll have to wait for an update at an unspecified point in time to use a 60 fps "Performance" option.The developers haven't explained why the 60 fps mode will have to wait. We've asked Arkane and Bethesda for comment. The 30 fps mode runs at 4K on Xbox Series X, and 1440p on Series S. PC players' frame rates are dictated by their hardware.

After a week-long tussle with Twitter and owner Elon Musk over labels that the company applied to its accounts, NPR said it will no longer use the platform at all. The organization criticized Twitter over a "state-affiliated media" label that was placed on its main account last week. Twitter later updated the text to read “government-funded media.”However, NPR said the latest incarnation of the label is "inaccurate and misleading," as it's "a private, nonprofit company with editorial independence." The organization pointed out that federal funding accounts for less than one percent of its $300 million annual budget.NPR CEO John Lansing said that, as a result of the label, the broadcaster is abandoning Twitter in order to protect its credibility. Until recently, Twitter typically reserved the "state-affiliated media" tag for government-run outlets like Russia's RT and Sputnik and China's Xinhua News Agency."At this point I have lost my faith in the decision-making at Twitter," Lansing said. "I would need some time to understand whether Twitter can be trusted again." The NPR chief also said that "degradation in the culture of Twitter" also played a role in the organization's decision to pause its use of the platform.Going forward, NPR will no longer "post fresh content" on any of its 52 official feeds. NPR is giving workers who handle its Twitter accounts a two-week grace period to rework their social media strategies. For one thing, they've directed NPR's Twitter followers toward the broadcaster's newsletters and accounts on other social media platforms. The company is leaving it up to staff to decide whether to keep using their personal Twitter accounts.Twitter has also applied the "government-funded media" label to the BBC's Twitter account, a move that organization has also objected to. In a BBC interview on Wednesday, Musk said the company will tweak the BBC label so that it reads "publicly funded." That would be a more accurate description of how the BBC is funded. Still, Lansing claimed even if Twitter were to backtrack and remove the label from NPR's account, the organization won't start tweeting again right away.Meanwhile, Musk has revealed how he decides which organizations should have the contentious labels. He's consulting Wikipedia's publicly-funded broadcasters category page. As it happens, several organizations listed on that page — including Canada's CBC, Japan's NHK and the UK's Channel 4 — do not have such labels on their Twitter accounts.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/npr-is-ditching-twitter-over-government-funded-media-label-on-its-main-account-155556726.html?src=rss

Microsoft is planning a change to the default function of the Print Screen button for Windows 11 users. Typically, pressing the button sends a snapshot of what's on your monitor to the clipboard. In the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview builds, however, pressing the button launches the more versatile Snipping Tool instead.The Snipping Tool enables users to capture a section of their screen, rather than the entire display (although that's still an option). You can capture everything in a single window or just a portion of what you see, thanks to the rectangular and freeform modes.While the Snipping Tool has more utility than Print Screen's traditional function, power users may not benefit much from the switch. The Print Screen button is out of the way on most keyboards and, for many people, it may be easier to continue using the existing Snipping Tool shortcut (Win key + Shift + S). The Xbox Game Bar app can instantly save a screenshot without any extra steps, though you'll still need to move your hand over to the Print Screen button (the shortcut combo is Win key + Alt + Print Screen).As BetaNews notes, those who aren't happy with the change will be able to revert the Print Screen button's role to the same thing it's been doing for decades through their system's accessibility settings. Moreover, if you've already assigned a custom function to the key, Windows 11 won't automatically change that.Microsoft is testing the change at the minute and, depending on user feedback, it may reverse course and keep the Print Screen's function as is in retail builds of Windows 11. Still, expanding what the key can do may make it more useful for many folks.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-is-testing-a-way-to-make-the-print-screen-button-more-useful-143011706.html?src=rss

Don't worry if you were put off by the initially high price of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Amazon is running a sale on Samsung's latest flagship phones, and the base S23 Ultra with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is down to $1,000, or $200 off. You'll find a comparable discount for the upgraded version with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, too, and the savings apply regardless of color.You don't have to buy the Ultra to find some good bargains. The 512GB Galaxy S23+ has dropped to $970 (normally $1,120), while the standard S23 with 256GB is available for $760. Lower-capacity editions are also on sale. The discounts may be very helpful if you're planning to take plenty of springtime photos, or just need extra space for your apps and media.The Galaxy S23 Ultra is ultimately a refinement of its predecessor, but the improvements are in areas that count — this remains the best Android phone you can buy. The 200MP main sensor allows for exceptional detail in some scenarios, and there are upgrades to selfies and video recording. The customized Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip is speedier, and the battery life is strong enough to last all day even in heavy use. While $1,000 still isn't trivial, you're getting a lot for your money.The Galaxy S23+ and S23 are subtler updates, but that still makes them fine choices if you're replacing a years-old phone. They boast improved battery life and tangibly faster performance than their predecessors. They just don't offer major camera upgrades — the Ultra and rivals like the Pixel 7 series are better at low-light photography, for instance. If you're just looking for Samsung's fastest hardware at the lowest possible price, you'll be happy.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-galaxy-s23-ultra-is-down-to-1000-right-now-133014062.html?src=rss

LinkedIn is making it easier to prove you are who you say you are on your profile. The platform is adding new identity verification features that will allow users to confirm their name and employer, and it doesn’t involve paid subscriptions or blue checkmarks.With the update, LinkedIn is rolling out three ways its members can confirm their identity. The company is partnering with CLEAR — yes, the same CLEAR that can get you to the front of security lines at airports and other venues — to check that the name on your ID is the same as the one on your profile. The process is free but does require sharing a U.S phone number and government-issued I.D.LinkedIn is also offering a feature for verifying where you work that’s a slightly less involved process. To confirm your employer, you’ll need to enter a verification code sent to your company email address. In both cases, once the verification is complete, a “verification” field will appear on your LinkedIn profile that states what details have been verified.Alternatively, some users will be able to verify both their identity and employer at once via a partnership with Microsoft Entra, which creates workplace IDs for companies that enroll its program. LinkedIn says the Entra partnership will be rolling out at the end of the month to employees of the “dozens” of companies currently in the program.LinkedIn previously added phone number and email verification features last year, but those checks were only visible if you tapped into a slightly hidden “about this profile” field. The latest changes add a prominent “verifications” section that will appear directly under a user’s profile details.Notably, the company is orienting its verification around confirming its members identities, rather than checkmarks or other specialized features. And, unlike Meta and Twitter, LinkedIn is opting to keep verification separate from its paid subscriptions. That also means that having a verified profile doesn’t come with any additional advantages, at least for now. But it could offer an extra layer of protection for those wary of fake accounts, impersonators or other scammers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/linkedin-teams-up-with-clear-on-verification-features-130029062.html?src=rss

Slowly, but surely, NVIDIA is making its 40-series GPUs more affordable. Now it's down to $599 with the new RTX 4070, a mid-range card focused on 1440p gaming. While it's $100 more than its predecessor's launch price, the fabulous RTX 3070, that card typically sold for more than $1,000 due to the supply chain crunch, scalpers and insatiable crypto bros. Based on what we've seen from the 4070 Ti, NVIDIA's new cards are actually staying close to their retail price, which is great news for anyone itching for an upgrade.Judging from Valve's Steam hardware statistics, I'd wager many gamers are waiting on the eventual RTX 4060 before giving up their old cards, especially if it ends up selling closer to $400. But based on my testing, the 4070 is still a solid choice for practical gamers who may wan to splurge a bit. It's fast enough to deliver excellent 1440p performance with ray tracing enabled, and it can even deliver solid 4K gaming in a pinch too. Even though it's noticeably slower than the $799 RTX 4070 Ti in most benchmarks, that may not matter much when you're actually in the heat of battle. (Just think of all you could do with that extra $200!)The RTX 4070 features NVIDIA's new Ada Lovelace architecture, sporting 5,888 CUDA cores, a base clock speed of 1,920 MHz (boost to 2,475 MHz) and 16GB of GDDR6X RAM. The 3070, meanwhile, had the same amount of CUDA cores, but it was based on NVIDIA's older Ampere architecture. It could only reach up to 1,725 MHz and had 8GB of slower GDDR6 memory. Despite those differences, the 3070 still holds up well, so I wouldn't rush out to replace it anytime soon. But if you're still holding onto an RTX 20-series GPU or something older, the 4070 may be the GPU you've been waiting for.Photo by Devindra Hardawar/EngadgetWe received the RTX 4070 Founder's Edition card from NVIDIA, which basically looks like a shrunken down version of the 4080 and 4090. It feels like a premium card, with a sleek metal case, a bevy of heatsink fins and two large fans to deal with heat. It's also a two-slot GPU, like the 4070 Ti, allowing it to fit inside of smaller cases far better than the enormous 4080 and 4090. Port-wise, there are three DisplayPort connections and a single HDMI. As with all of NVIDIA's recent cards, it also includes an adapter to connect two 8-pin PCIe power cables (a single PCIe Gen 5 cable will also work).3DMark TimeSpy ExtremePort Royal (Ray Tracing)CyberpunkBlenderNVIDIA RTX 40708,61011,195/52 fps1440p RT DLSS: 120 fps6,020NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti10,62414,163/66 fps1440p RT DLSS : 135 fps7,247NVIDIA RTX 30706,2268,032/37 fpsN/A3,500AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT11,68813,247/61 fps1440p FSRT RT: 114 fps3,516Once I started benching and playing games with the RTX 4070, it performed just as I expected: Somewhere between the RTX 3080 (which launched at $699) and the 3080 Ti ($1,119). The difference, though, is that it supports NVIDIA's DLSS 3 technology, which can help speed up ray tracing performance by inserting AI-generated frames. I was particularly impressed by how well it handled Cyberpunk 2077: in 1440p with maxed out graphics and "ultra" ray tracing settings, it delivered a smooth 120 fps. The RTX 3070, in comparison, struggled to hold 75 fps with the same settings using the older DLSS 2, which doesn't use frame generation.Control, an older title that only supports DLSS 2, had a less dramatic performance bump with the 4070. While playing in 1440p with maxed graphics and all of its ray tracing settings flipped on, it reached 106 fps, compared to 90 fps with the 3070. Still, it's a bit of a shock to see a mid-range card scoring triple digit frame rates with all of the game's ray tracing features enabled (which includes reflections, shadows and debris). Not too long ago, Control used to humble the mightiest video cards.NVIDIA is clearly positioning the 4070 as a 1440p-focused card, but it can still handle some 4K scenarios, so long as you're not too demanding. It hovered at 70 fps in Cyberpunk with maxed graphics and "ultra" ray tracing settings — that's certainly better than you'd see on any modern game console. Control, meanwhile, hit 56 fps on average. If you're only dabbling in 4K occasionally, perhaps for a lazy Sunday session on your TV, that's not too bad.As with all of NVIDIA's new hardware, the RTX 4070 is also a useful tool for streamers and media creators thanks to its hardware-based AV1 encoder. The company claims it's around 40 percent more efficient than the previous generation H.264 encoder — that means it'll take less bandwidth to deliver clear streams, a boon for anyone who wants to show off 1440p or 4K streams. The popular broadcast software OBS will soon be updated to support AV1 streaming to YouTube, which offers some dramatic clarity boons, according to PCWorld. When it comes to typical H.264 encoding, the 4070 converted 4K test clip to 1080p in 33 seconds, three seconds longer than the 4070 Ti.Photo by Devindra Hardawar/EngadgetThanks to the 4070's excellent cooling setup and relatively modest power demands (it requires a 650W PSU), its temperature never climb above 70 Celsius during my testing. I could only hear its two fans when I spent more than 30 minutes in a game using ray tracing. But really, it's not anything that'll distract you during gameplay.Now that we've seen NVIDIA's RTX 4070 in action, is it actually worth $599? For anyone with a GPU older than the RTX 30-series, I'd say so. (Though if you can spare an extra $200, the 4070 Ti is noticeably better.) A few years ago, we were hoping and praying for GPU prices to come back down to Earth. We've seen 4070 Ti cards stick close to its initial $799 launch price, so there's a good chance you'll actually be able to find a 4070 this year without overpaying too much. To be smart, it's worth waiting a few months for the 4060 to drop before you make any decisions.But if you've been hankering for better framerates and playable ray tracing, go with the gaming gods. The RTX 4070 is the new king of mid-range GPUs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidia-rtx-4070-review-the-new-1440p-gaming-leader-130010874.html?src=rss

True to the leaks, NVIDIA has unveiled the standard GeForce RTX 4070 — and it might hit the sweet spot, provided you're willing to accept the price hikes that have defined the RTX 40 lineup. The $599 desktop GPU is considered a successor to the RTX 3070 Ti and offers a similar 5,888 CUDA cores, but adds more RAM (12GB instead of 8GB), higher clock speeds (1.92GHz base versus 1.58GHz), more level 2 cache (36MB compared to 4MB) and greater floating point computing power (29 teraflops versus 22). At the same time, it reduces the typical gaming power consumption from 290W to 200W. Some games quickly ran into the 8GB ceiling of RTX 3070 variants, so the extra memory alone may have a significant effect.NVIDIA pitches the RTX 4070 as ideal for 1440p gaming at over 100 frames per second with ray tracing turned on, although you'll have to enable DLSS3 upscaling to hit that target. While many games don't support the feature yet (over 50 do so far), this might make it feasible to play big titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Spider-Man: Miles Morales at maximum visual detail without compromising on frame rates.The RTX 4070 will be available tomorrow, April 13th, and will include a Founders Edition card from NVIDIA itself. In other words, the $599 price is more likely to reflect what you can actually buy. You might not have to pay extra for a vendor's factory-overclocked board or otherwise accept artificial markups.Whether or not the new GPU is a good deal depends on your perspective. NVIDIA sees the RTX 4070 as an upgrade path for users coming from a GTX 1080 or RTX 2070. You're paying similar money for a major leap in performance. It's also decidedly more affordable than the $799 RTX 4070 Ti. However, the new model still costs $100 more than the base 3070. Like it or not, the days of sub-$500 upper mid-range cards appear to be over in NVIDIA's world.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidias-geforce-rtx-4070-comes-with-12gb-of-ram-for-599-130002404.html?src=rss

The Biden-Harris administration has proposed stricter pollution standards across the auto industry as part of their goal to increase EV production and slow climate change. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new guidelines would mean that, by 2032, 67 percent of new light-duty vehicles, such as sedans and light trucks, and 46 percent of new medium-duty vehicles sold will be EVs. The proposed changes could also lead to almost 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions to be avoided through 2055 — about double the US's 2022 emissions.Details on the proposed emissions standards aren’t fully clear, but are set to include targets for EV sales and new rules that punish automakers who exceed CO2 standards within the next five to ten years. "Specifically, EPA is proposing stronger CO2 standards for MY 2027 HD vehicles that go beyond the current standards that apply under the HD Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas program," the agency said in a statement. "EPA is also is proposing an additional set of CO2 standards for HD vehicles that would begin to apply in MY 2028, with progressively lower standards each model year through 2032."This year has already seen continued progress for EV manufacturing and sales. Tesla reported increased first quarter sales that were 36 percent higher than the same period in 2022, and four percent higher than the last quarter. Volkswagen pledged $193 billion dollars towards EV technology, including batteries and raw materials, over the next five years.EV purchases are clearly heading in the direction the Biden administration hopes: EV sales accounted for 5.6 percent in 2022, compared to 1.8 percent in 2020. In California, EVs made up almost 19 percent of yearly new car sales. That upswing is set to continue in 2023 with 225,000 EVs sold in the first quarter — about seven percent of all new vehicles. The same period saw used EV purchases increase by almost a third, thanks potentially to their prices decreasing.At the same time, cost is still a huge barrier for making EVs mainstream. Last year, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, providing EV buyers subsidies up to $7,500 for SUVs, trucks, and vans under $80,000 and cars under $55,000. Even used EV purchases could get up to $4,000. Recent updated guidance from the US Treasury Department, however, limited how many EVs would qualify for a subsidy.Another issue is making sure people have somewhere to charge all these EVs while they're on the go. Currently, there are 130,000 public charging stations across the United States, with President Biden aiming to tackle demand by building another 500,000 by 2030. Part of this plan entails teaming with local officials to build them in widely accessible spaces, with regional governments needing to apply for funds by May 30th. If all goes well, no one would live farther than 50 miles from a charger.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-environmental-protection-agency-proposes-stricter-vehicle-emission-rules-123026451.html?src=rss

ChatGPT, Bard and Bing AI: You can’t escape the AI models and chatbot evolution and headlines. Now, the US government is trying to get a handle on things. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is asking for public comments on possible regulations to hold AI creators accountable. The measures will ideally help the Biden administration ensure these models work as promised "without causing harm," the NTIA says. Hopefully, they’ll also speak to experts, too, and not just rely on the anonymous internet public.ChatGPT and similar generative AI models have already been tied to sensitive data leaks and copyright violations and have prompted fears of automated disinformation and malware campaigns – and that’s in addition to basic concerns about accuracy and bias.– Mat SmithThe Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.The biggest stories you might have missedIKEA's latest idea is an online design-a-room serviceYouTube's NFL Sunday Ticket packages start at $249The best air fryers for 2023Judge rejects Elizabeth Holmes’ bid for freedom while awaiting appealGoogle Bard's new 'experiment updates' page tells you what's newIt's a move in the right direction for AI transparency.GoogleTo be more open about Bard's development, Google has created a new experiment updates page where anyone can find information on recent updates to Bard, including new features and bug fixes.So far, the updates include a "what" and a "why." For the updates page itself, Google says it was created so "people will have an easy place to see the latest Bard updates for them to test and provide feedback." The information is still pretty short and vague, but it's definitely a step in the right direction.Continue reading.The Polestar 4 will be the company's fastest production carIt'll debut at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 18th.PolestarPolestar has confirmed its latest – and fastest production – EV, the Polestar 4, will debut at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 18. The new generation joins the Polestar 3 and an updated Polestar 2, with the new model's design expected to fall somewhere between the two. The Polestar 4 is slightly smaller than the Polestar 3 and a bit higher off the ground than the Polestar 2 and is expected to have a battery that should run for about 373 miles. Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO, emphasized it is not a modified version of its first SUV: "Instead, we reconsidered the entire design to create a new breed of SUV coupé."Continue reading.The best VPNs for 2023Don’t fall for the hyped-up, overly marketed options.VPNs are having a moment. And they are important. But deciding the best option for browsing means digging through claims of attributes that aren’t always accurate. It makes it harder to figure out which one to subscribe to, or if you really need to use one at all. We tested nine top VPN services available now to help you choose the best one for your needs.Continue reading.Former Twitter execs sue company over unpaid legal feesThey allege Twitter owes them more than $1 million in unreimbursed legal fees.Twitter faces yet another lawsuit over unpaid bills. In a complaint filed with the Delaware Chancery Court, former CEO Parag Agrawal, former CFO Ned Segal and former chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde allege Twitter owes them more than $1 million in unreimbursed legal fees.Elon Musk fired all three execs after taking control of the company last fall. The former executives allege Twitter spent months ignoring letters they sent asking it to honor a reimbursement agreement they had in place before their termination. According to the complaint, Twitter finally acknowledged the letters last month but did little else.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-biden-administration-wants-help-making-rules-for-ai-models-like-chatgpt-111529761.html?src=rss