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Facebook will require its US office workforce to be vaccinated

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 02:58 PM PDT

Facebook will require that its workers get immunized against the coronavirus before they can return to its Menlo Park headquarters and other offices across the US. "As our offices reopen, we will be requiring anyone coming to work at any of our US campuses to be vaccinated," Lori Goler, Facebook vice president of people, said on Wednesday. "We continue to work with experts to ensure our return to office plans prioritize everyone's health and safety."  

Much like Google, which announced a similar policy earlier in the day, the company said it would have a process in place for workers that can't get inoculated for medical and "other" reasons. It also says how it implements the requirement in different areas around the world will depend on local conditions and regulations.

In June, Facebook announced it was on track to reopen most of its US offices at 50 percent capacity by early September. Earlier in the year, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said employees could apply for permanent remote work positions. In the same post, he noted that within the next five to 10 years, up to half of the company's workforce could be made up of remote workers.

Mark Zuckerberg says video accounts for almost half the time spent on Facebook

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 02:43 PM PDT

Facebook users are spending a lot more time watching video, and short-form video like Instagram Reels is growing fast. Speaking during the company's second-quarter earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that "video now accounts for almost half of all time spent on Facebook." And on Instagram, TikTok competitor Reels is the "largest contributor to engagement growth."

Though he stopped short of sharing more specific stats, the new details suggest Instagram's Reels may be gaining more traction as the company vies for creator talent. Zuckerberg also noted that the company's focus on creators and shopping would also help it reach its longer term goal of becoming a "metaverse company."

Facebook revealed earlier this week that it was tapping an Instagram exec to start a new team focused on creating a metaverse. "You can kind of think about this as an embodied internet that you're inside of rather than just looking at," Zuckerberg said. "You're basically gonna be able to do everything that you can on the internet today, as well as some things that don't make sense on the internet today like dancing."

Zuckerberg's comments come as the company reported some of its strongest growth in years, with revenue of more than $29 billion, an increase of 56 percent from last year. The company also reported more than 3.5 billion "monthly active people," though user growth in the US once again remained flat.

Despite the strong numbers this quarter, the company warned that the rest of 2021 could look very different. Facebook expects revenue and growth to "decelerate significantly" in the second half of the year, said CFO Dave Wehner. He also noted that Apple's iOS 14.5 update, which allows users to opt out of the social network's ad tracking, would have a "greater impact" next quarter.

This robot made a 100,000-domino 'Super Mario Bros.' mural in 24 hours

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 02:11 PM PDT

A new robot known as the Dominator has set a Guinness World Record for placing 100,000 dominos in just over 24 hours. Created by YouTuber and former NASA engineer Mark Rober, the Dominator is the result of more than five years of work. Rober had help from two freshmen from Stanford University and a Bay Area software engineer in creating the googly-eyed robot. The group programmed more than 14,000 lines of code, and outfitted it with components like omnidirectional wheels and 3D-printed funnels to create what Rober says is a "friendly robot that's super good at only one thing: setting up a butt-ton of dominos really, really fast."

Up against professional domino artist Lily Hevesh, the Dominator used its ability to lay down 300 tiles all at once to work about 10 times faster than a human. It took the robot about two hours to put down over 9,000 dominos.

While the Dominator is the face of the project, a lot of its efficiency comes from a separate sorting mechanism that consists of a Kuka robotic arm and almost three miles of Hot Wheels tracks. A series of conveyor belts ferry the dominions by color before the Kuka arm deposits them in the appropriate chute. When the Dominator visits the station for a refill, the lower platform slides away, instantly loading its 3D-printed funnels with all the dominos it needs to lay down 300 at once. In this way, downtime is kept at a minimum.

To put its final achievement in context, it would take a team of seven skilled domino builders about a full week to make the Super Mario Bros.-like mural the Dominator needed a little more than a day to complete.

The NBA is working with iHeartMedia to produce over 20 basketball podcasts

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 12:37 PM PDT

The National Basketball Association is teaming up with iHeartMedia for a significant new push into the podcast market. In all, the two organizations plan to co-produce more than 20 shows together as part of a new multi-year partnership, with the first one to debut sometime this fall. 

In addition to content devoted to the latest news from the league, analysis and player commentary, it sounds like iHeart and the NBA want to replicate the success of projects like The Last Dance. They say they'll use material from the NBA archives to retell stories of "some of the greatest moments in sports history." What exactly they have planned on that front, we don't know yet, though iHeart and the NBA promised to share more information soon.

"The partnership provides the NBA and its teams access to iHeartMedia's massive reach across multiple audio platforms including podcasts, streaming and broadcast radio, as well as the opportunity to develop a new slate of groundbreaking shows each year," iHeart said.

Podcasts, in particular ones related to sports, have become big business in recent months. At the end of April, DraftKings spent $50 million to secure distribution rights to The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.

FDA clears Synchron's brain-computer interface device for human trials

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 12:02 PM PDT

A company that makes an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) has been given the go-ahead by the Food and Drug Administration to run a clinical trial with human patients. Synchron plans to start an early feasibility study of its Stentrode implant later this year at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York with six subjects. The company said it will assess the device's "safety and efficacy in patients with severe paralysis."

Synchron received the FDA's green light ahead of competitors like Elon Musk's Neuralink. Before such companies can sell BCIs commercially in the US, they need to prove that the devices work and are safe. The FDA will provide guidance for trials of BCI devices for patients with paralysis or amputation during a webinar on Thursday.

Another clinical trial of Stentrode is underway in Australia. Four patients have received the implant, which is being used "for data transfer from motor cortex to control digital devices," Synchron said. According to data published in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, two of the patients were able to control their computer with their thoughts. They completed work-related tasks, sent text messages and emails and did online banking and shopping.

It takes around two hours to implant a Stentrode device with a minimally invasive procedure, according to Synchron. The device is implanted through a blood vessel at the bottom of the neck and maneuvered into the brain. Synchron CEO Thomas Oxley told Bloomberg the device could be available to buy within three to five years.

Google will require coronavirus vaccines for returning office employees

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 11:10 AM PDT

Google will require its employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus before they're allowed to return to the company's offices. "Anyone coming to work on our campuses will need to be vaccinated," CEO Sundar Pichai said in an internal email the company shared on Wednesday. "Getting vaccinated is one of the most important ways to keep ourselves and our communities healthy in the months ahead."

Google will implement the policy in the US in the "coming weeks," with other regions to follow in the months to come. The requirement won't apply in an area until vaccines are widely accessible there, and the company says there will be an exception process in place for employees who can't get immunized for medical or "other protected reasons." Google hasn't said what percentage of its employees are already vaccinated, but Pichai notes in the letter it's been "encouraging to see very high vaccination rates for our Google community in areas where vaccines are widely available."

In the same email, Pichai also announced Google is pushing back its return-to-office date. The company now hopes to have employees on a hybrid workweek by October 18th instead of September as previously planned. The announcement follows a similar decision from Apple in light of increasing COVID-19 caseloads in the US and many other parts of the world due to the spread of the more contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus. "This extension will allow us time to ramp back into work while providing flexibility for those who need it," Pichai said. "We'll continue watching the data carefully and let you know at least 30 days in advance before transitioning into our full return to office plans."

State attorneys general will appeal dismissal of Facebook antitrust suit

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 10:46 AM PDT

The antitrust lawsuit brought by 48 attorneys general against Facebook isn't dead yet. A federal judge dismissed the suit last month, but the AGs have filed a notice of plan to appeal.

"We filed this notice of appeal because we disagree with the court's decision and must hold Facebook accountable for stifling competition, reducing innovation, and cutting privacy protections," New York's attorney general Letitia James said, according to The New York Times. "We can no longer allow Facebook to profit off of exploiting consumer data."

The suit, which was filed in December, alleged that Facebook created a monopoly and illegally stifled competition through its acquisitions of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014. Judge James E. Boasberg of the US District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that too much time had gone by since the mergers were approved for the case to proceed.

On the same day he dismissed the AGs' suit, Boasberg tossed a similar case from the Federal Trade Commission. The agency is expected to file an amended suit next month.

The FTC lawsuit was initially filed in December while Trump administration appointee Joseph Simons led the agency. Big Tech critic Lina Khan was appointed FTC chair last month. Facebook has asked the agency to recuse her from antitrust decisions involving the company.

Facebook has argued against both suits, claiming much of the evidence in the cases was submitted to the FTC before the purchases of Instagram and WhatsApp were rubberstamped. It also claims it doesn't have a monopoly, partly due to competition from the likes of Snap and Twitter, as well as messaging apps.

Activision Blizzard CEO says response to harassment lawsuit was 'tone deaf'

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 10:25 AM PDT

Following nearly a week of internal unrest, Activision Blizzard has published a letter from CEO Bobby Kotick addressing the company's original response to the sexual harassment lawsuit brought against it by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) on July 20th. "Our initial responses to the issues we face together, and to your concerns, were, quite frankly, tone deaf," Kotick says in the letter addressed to Activision Blizzard employees. "It is imperative that we acknowledge all perspectives and experiences and respect the feelings of those who have been mistreated in any way. I am sorry that we did not provide the right empathy and understanding."

Kotick claims Blizzard Activision is taking "swift action" to ensure a safe, respectful and inclusive working environment for women and other minority groups. The company has hired law firm WilmerHale to review its policies, and Kotick says Activision Blizzard will implement changes to its hiring practices. It also plans to make personnel tweaks and remove content from its games employees and players have said is "inappropriate" in light of the allegations against the company. On Tuesday, the World of Warcraft development team said it would remove specific references from the MMO. While the team didn't elaborate, those references may involve items and non-playable characters named after Alex Afrasiabi, one of the former Blizzard employees singled out in the DFEH lawsuit for repeated inappropriate behavior.

Notably, the letter doesn't make mention of forced arbitration, saying only the company "will continue to investigate each and every claim and will not hesitate to take decisive action," nor does it promise greater transparency when it comes to employee compensation. Those are two issues Activision Blizzard employees who are staging a walkout to protest for better working conditions highlighted in a statement of intent they shared on Tuesday.

In its initial public response to the lawsuit, Activision Blizzard said the allegations from DFEH included "distorted, and in many cases false, descriptions of Blizzard's past." In a separate email to employees, Frances Townsend, executive vice president of corporate affairs at the company, claimed the lawsuit presents "a distorted and untrue picture of our company, including factually incorrect, old and out of context stories — some from more than a decade ago."

James Bond's iconic Aston Martin is coming to 'Rocket League'

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 10:00 AM PDT

Yet another iconic car is coming to Rocket League, and it's one that'll be nigh-on impossible to drive without humming a certain theme tune. James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 will arrive in the Item Shop on July 29th. 

Until August 4th, you'll be able to snag the 1963 model of the car, along with a DB5 paint finish (which is designed to look like Aston Martin's signature Silver Birch color), engine audio, wheels and decal. Given the Bond movies' focus on gadgetry, something about firing up the rocket boosters to score a goal with the DB5 seems just right. 

This won't be a one-and-done deal for James Bond in Rocket League, either. More content related to the legendary superspy is in the pipeline. Developer Psyonix struck a multi-year deal with MGM and Aston Martin.

James Bond's 1963 Aston Martin DB5 in Rocket League
Psyonix

This is the latest in a long line of crossovers between Rocket League and pop culture tentpoles. The DeLorean from Back to the Future and Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters have made their way to the arena. More recently, three vehicles from the Fast and Furious franchise rolled into the game.

Meanwhile, the latest Bond movie, No Time to Die, is scheduled to finally hit theaters on September 30th in the UK and October 8th in the US. The impact of COVID-19 forced distributors MGM and Universal to delay it several times.

How to watch Rocket Lab's US Space Force satellite launch

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:34 AM PDT

The US Space Force is gearing up to launch a research and development satellite on Thursday with the help of Rocket Lab. The company's Electron rocket is scheduled to launch from a site in New Zealand sometime between 2AM and 4AM ET (6PM-8PM local time) to take the Monolith satellite into low Earth orbit.

The aim of the mission, which is called "It's a Little Chile Up Here" (a reference to the green chile from the Space Test Program's New Mexico home), is to test small satellites for the Department of Defense. Monolith will help determine whether it's large deployable sensors are feasible. Such sensors account for a significant proportion of a spacecraft's total mass. Since the sensor may alter the spacecraft's dynamic properties, the mission will examine whether it's possible to maintain altitude control after the sensor has been deployed.

"Analysis from the use of a deployable sensor aims to enable the use of smaller satellite buses when building future deployable sensors such as weather satellites, thereby reducing the cost, complexity, and development timelines," Rocket Lab wrote in a statement. "The satellite will also provide a platform to test future space protection capabilities."

You can watch the launch as it happens on the Rocket Lab website. A stream may also be available on Rocket Lab's YouTube channel.

Google begins showing what its new Play Store safety listings will look like

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:00 AM PDT

There's still half a year to go before you start seeing Google Play's new safety section, which will show you an Android app's privacy information, in listings within the store. Google announced the upcoming feature that's similar to the Apple App Store's nutrition labels back in May. In a new post on the Android Developer blog, though, Google has given us a glimpse of what that section may look like. 

Within a listing, you will see a summary from the developer on what kind of data an app collects, so you can make a decision whether to install it or not. You'll also see safety details the developer chooses to highlight, such as whether an app encrypts your data, whether it's suitable for children and families and whether it's been independently validated against a global security standard.

Google
Google

Further, you can tap the summary to see more details about the type of data an app collects and how it's used. It can show you whether an app collects location and contact data, personal information such as name and email address, as well as financial information. The section can also tell you whether the app uses your data for its features, for personalization or for other purposes. In addition, it can let you know whether you can opt out of getting your data collected or if giving an app access to your information really is necessary to be able to use it.

Google says the details might still change before the feature goes live, but all developers are required to provide a privacy policy for their apps and must provide accurate information for the safety section. Developers can start declaring privacy information in October and have until April 2022 to do so, but you'll start seeing the section pop up on Google Play sometime within the first quarter of next year. 

Twitter tests new shopping features for businesses

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 08:00 AM PDT

Twitter is the latest social media platform to experiment with new shopping features. The company is allowing a handful of brands to place a "Shop Module" at the top of their profiles that links to products their followers can buy.

While it's not the first time Twitter has tried out shopping features, it's the first time the company has incorporated shopping directly into the profile. With the change, businesses can highlight a handful of products in a carousel in between the main profile info and their timeline. The feature is limited to only a few brands, including GameStop and bag-maker Arden Cove, in the US for now.

While up until now Twitter hasn't pursued shopping as aggressively as some other platforms, the company has recently signaled that could soon change. A "shop" button for tweets has also been spotted, and the company recently introduced new "business profiles." Shopping features could also have interesting implications for creators, a demographic Twitter has also made a recent push to pursue with new money-making features. Allowing creators to showcase their existing merch shop from their profile could provide an additional boost, and help the company compete with Facebook's creator shops.

Sony has sold 10 million PS5 consoles

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:47 AM PDT

The PlayStation 5 just crossed a significant milestone. Sony has revealed that it has sold 10 million PS5 consoles as of July 18th, eight months after the system's November 12th debut. The company considered that no mean feat between the pandemic and ongoing chip shortages that reportedly held sales back. It's now Sony's fastest-selling console to date, outpacing the PS4 by nearly a month.

Sales have slowed down since launch. Sony racked up 4.5 million PS5 sales in 2020, but sold 3.3 million in the first quarter of 2021 — it took another four months to add 2.2 million to the tally. That's not surprising between supply constraints and the usual mid-year slump, but you might not see sales climb until the holidays.

PlayStation chief Jim Ryan told GamesIndustry.biz in an interview that it was "too early to tell" which markets were the hottest given widespread demand, but pointed out that China was a pleasant surprise. The company sold out its PS5 launch stock "very, very quickly" despite a local market focused on mobile games and the free-to-play model.

The PS5 doesn't have an easy road ahead. Even if Sony could quickly overcome hardware shortages, it still has a dearth of PS5-exclusive titles outside of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Returnal. The biggest games tend to be enhanced versions of games available for the PS4, like Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and even upcoming blockbusters like Horizon Forbidden West will have PS4 releases. While demand still appears to be brisk, there might not be much added incentive to buy a PS5 until Gran Turismo 7 and other system exclusives arrive in force.

Tesla will reportedly move stores out of high-end malls and use remote fleets

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:28 AM PDT

The days of seeing Tesla stores in fancy malls and retail centers may be over, according to a report from Electrek. Sources tell the site that Tesla will instead focus on finding cheaper spaces, like parking lots and warehouses, that will house a remote fleet of cars. The company also won't be firing its retail staff (it's actually in the middle of a hiring spree). Instead of being tied to individual stores, those workers will help to manage Tesla testing and purchases from those remote locations.

If this news sounds familiar, it's because Tesla previously said it was going to close most of its stores in 2019 before quickly reversing course. This new strategy, if it ends up being implemented, seems to be a smarter implementation of that plan. Most Tesla customers already buy their cars online, so there's less of a need to have pricey mall stores around. The cheaper locations will also be better for holding more vehicles, which should help to satisfy increased demand for purchases and test drives. 

 

Uber is moving into flower deliveries

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:10 AM PDT

The next time you open Uber Eats, you might see a new delivery option: a way to have flowers dropped off at your door swiftly with just a few taps. Uber has teamed up with flower industry stalwart FTD for its first nationwide florist partnership as part of its latest on-demand delivery venture.

Folks in New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami and some other locations can now order flower arrangements from FTD's ProFlowers locations. Uber expects to roll out the option nationwide by early 2022, so it should be available almost everywhere by Mother's Day next May. You can see the available options by tapping the flower icons in the Uber Eats app and selecting a ProFlowers location. Uber Pass and Eats Pass subscribers will get discounts and no-free deliveries on eligible orders of at least $15.

Deliveries have become an increasingly important part of Uber's business over the last couple of years. One key reason is that far fewer people took rides amid COVID-19 restrictions. The company recently doubled its grocery delivery markets to more than 400 US towns and cities, and it just started delivering Costco orders in Texas.

Hulu will livestream Lollapalooza 2021 this weekend

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:00 AM PDT

Lollapalooza is once again an in-person festival after a switch to a streaming-only gig in 2020, but that's not the only big change for fans. Hulu has become the exclusive streaming partner for Lollapalooza 2021, and will stream the Chicago event to on-demand subscribers between July 29th and August 1st starting at 2PM Eastern (1PM Central). Yes, that means what you think it does — Lollapalooza won't be streaming on YouTube like it has in recent years.

There's no extra charge, and you can watch if you sign up for a free trial. The Lollapalooza 2021 lineup includes plenty of big names, including Illenium (July 29th), Tyler, the Creator (July 30th), Post Malone (July 31st) and Foo Fighters (August 1st).

Hulu has streamed concerts before, including a Black History Month show in February and a Summer of Soul tribute on Juneteenth. However, this is the service's first exclusive live event. It's a big bet that livestreams like this can translate to more customers, not to mention draw attention away from free services like YouTube.

Whether or not music fans follow is another matter. YouTube is still a go-to destination for live festivals like Coachella, and that may be what virtual concertgoers are expecting. There's a real possibility that many would-be viewers will just skip Lollapalooza altogether rather than sign up for Hulu, no matter how easily they can cancel service afterward.

Snapchat’s map now helps you keep track of where you’ve been

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:00 AM PDT

Snapchat is updating its in-app map to help users keep track of places they've visited, and where they may want to go next. An update rolling out today adds a new "Places" section to the map, with educated sections for recommendations, locations you've visited and "favorites" to remember.

The idea is similar to Foursquare (the original check-in based iteration), except "checking in" in this case consists of tagging a specific location in a Snap. Places you've tagged are automatically saved in your "visited" tab, but you can also manually add establishments to your "favorites" list. Interestingly, Snap is also using the new feature to generate recommendations. The "popular" section of the map will surface a list of personalized suggestions based on places you've been and what's popular in your area.

Though the Snap Map has been around for years the company has been working to make it more useful — and more visible — within the app. The company gave the feature more prominent placement in a redesign last year, and plans to add Map Layers, a feature that allows third-parties like Ticketmaster to incorporate events and other content directly into the map.

Nura's latest wireless earbuds sound truly unique

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 07:00 AM PDT

Nura might be a relatively new name in headphones, but the personalized-audio specialist is already revealing its third model: the Nuratrue. As the name suggests, the latest member of the family is a true wireless set (and the company's first model without a wired option). As you might expect, Nura's flagship automatic hearing test (for sound tailored to your hearing) is here, along with many other features the company has already made synonymous with its brand. But with a smaller form factor, are compromises inevitable?

The Nuratrue ($199/£199) is a simplified version of the Nuraphone over-ears and the Nuraloop wireless (but tethered) sports buds. As mentioned, the audio customization feature is present, as is the "ambient" mode — which Nura calls "social mode." There's even Active Noise Cancelling and "immersion" mode, which simulates the feeling of being at a live event. The last two are a little simplified compared to their bigger siblings, though.

The original Nuraphone's immersion mode delivers tactile bass with transducers creating a sensation of volume and presence similar to being in front of a large speaker. On the Nuratrue, it feels more like a bass "boost" feature you might find on an equalizer. Active Noise Cancellation on the Nuratrue works pretty well, but is tied to the social mode feature which means they are activated as a pair. This makes no real functional difference, but something to bear in mind. Battery life is estimated at six hours here and seems accurate, which can be extended to around 24 hours via the charging case.

Nuratrue hands-on.
James Trew / Engadget

If you were a fan of the Nuraloop, you might have expected the Nuratrue to be broadly the same, minus the connecting cable. But you'd be wrong. The new buds barely share any visual or physical DNA with their cabled sibling. Instead the Nuratrue has a much larger, circular body which sorta looks like you're wearing "plugs," but in the middle of your ear. This extra size might sound like a negative, but it makes them easier to touch (for controls) and likely helps keep them wirelessly connected to each other.

That "touchability" is important, as, like most TWS earphones, it's how you'll interact with them — in particular, for activating things like immersion or social mode. (ANC can only be toggled via the app it seems, and as mentioned disables social mode with it). In my testing with them the touch was more responsive than most other TWS headphones I've tried, especially the tricky double-tap which I find often requires a few attempts to register correctly. As with all Nura headphones you can easily assign different tasks to either side for both single and double taps, making it easy to have the controls you use the most at hand (or finger, technically).

Obviously, the main selling point here is Nura's proprietary audio personalization. The ability to create personal hearing profiles is kinda Nura's whole thing. It's a feature you see on other brands, too, but Nura's is the simplest and, in my experience, the most reliable. Mostly, because it doesn't involve any subjectivity. Just pop the buds in your ears, walk through the profile creation process in the app and the headphones do everything else. Most other similar "tests" require you to tell the app how well/if you heard something. As someone who's done more than their fair share of hearing tests, I always start imagining phantom sounds and worry that affects my results.

Nuratrue hands-on.
James Trew / Engadget

Cool features are… cool and all, but you probably just want to know how they sound? I guess the smart answer is, that will depend on your ears. The slightly more helpful answer is that, for me, the personalized audio definitely puts the Nuratrue above most of the TWS headphones I have tried. It's not that they have better bass or polished treble, although those would be fair statements, it's more that they feel neutral and balanced.

Whereas "unpersonalized" buds may be technically balanced on a graph, I know that my hearing isn't perfect and thus might be slightly worse at certain frequencies. With Nura's personalized tuning, it's hard to know what frequency curve I am getting, or even if that's what my hearing really "needs" but what I do know is that I like it!

Now, I guess I should also say that I am never sure just how effective Nura's hearing test really is. The company claims that it uses otoacoustic emissions to determine the characteristics of your hearing. The same test is sometimes used to determine cochlear hearing loss in newborns. That said, every time I've been to an audiologist (which is more times than I would like) I have asked them about using OAE tests for headphones, and all of them have been skeptical it can be done on hardware at this price. When I asked Nura about this, they gave the following reply:

"The OAE signal produced by a person's ears is indeed faint - much like the signals of GPS satellites are faint by the time they reach the Earth's surface. That's why GPS-enabled devices of 20-15 years ago were much larger, less accurate, and took longer to acquire a signal than today's smartphones or even smartwatches. Similar advances in signal processing have enabled the huge improvement in GPS device performance and the quick & reliable measurements of OAEs in devices as small as Nuratrue."

In short, the company claims that advances in technology have allowed for the test to be practical in small, consumer devices.

Nuratrue hands-on.
James Trew / Engadget

Back to the physical design briefly. It might not be for everyone, but it feels very much in keeping with Nura's apparent mission to do things a little bit differently. I've never really found a TWS design that I think has fully cracked it (although Jabra's Elite 75t comes close?), and that's true here. But, as mentioned earlier, I do appreciate the large surface area for controlling playback or activating/deactivating the extra features. Extended wear remains comfortable, and the fit works well for my ears.

If I had one minor gripe, it'd be the maximum volume. It's not low. In fact, for me, it's more or less ideal for comfortable, extended use. It's just that, "comfortable" is the maximum, so when a song comes on that I really love and I decide that, heck, I can crank this one up a bit before going back to normal levels… there's nowhere to go. Again, this might not be an issue for you. I'll be the first to admit I probably haven't done my ears any favors over the years, but it was something I noticed fairly quickly in my time with the Nuratrue.

In an ocean of true wireless headphones, it's hard to stand out. But Nura's personalized audio is certainly enough to do just that. Of all the "customizable" headphones I've tried, Nura's are still the ones to beat. And with the Nuratrue priced at least $80 cheaper than the flagship models from Sony, Sennheiser and Bose, that's just another easy way for the company to garner attention.

The Nuratrue is available starting today.

Archived WhatsApp chats will no longer come back to haunt you

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 06:16 AM PDT

Your archived WhatsApp chats will no longer resurrect themselves — unless you let them. The messaging giant is rolling out a settings change that will keep those conversation threads tucked away in the Archived Chats folder by default, even if someone sends a new message. You'll have to remove a thread from the archives if you want to make it active again.

If you prefer the old behavior, you can restore it through the relevant settings in the Chats tab.

This could prove frustrating if someone wants to bring back a discussion you wouldn't mind revisiting, such as a classmate chat or a party planning session. However, it could easily be worthwhile if it prevents someone from dredging up bad memories or otherwise hijacking control of archives you'd rather keep hidden.

Krispy Kreme has created official Xbox-branded doughnuts

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 05:26 AM PDT

Gaming promos are getting zanier all the time. The days of grabbing a Mountain Dew or a pack of Doritos for a chance to win an Xbox One are long gone. In our attention-zapped world, it has to be new or else it's DOA. With that in mind, Krispy Kreme has come up with the "Nexus Level" doughnut as part of a new Xbox cross promotion in the UK and Ireland. That's it above in all its icing-covered glory.

Buy a box of the Xbox-branded doughnuts between August 2nd and 22nd for a chance of winning an Xbox Series S and a month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (if you're a new subscriber). To check if you've snagged the console, you need to scan the QR code on the box and enter your unique code. 

It's not as madcap as the Destiny toaster or KFC's bucket-shaped gaming PC, or even the Xbox Mini Fridge. But, you can't actually eat any of those. Krispy Kreme is clearly in on the joke. An accompanying video features actors as the team behind the doughnut, with corporate titles like "product innovator" and "quality assurance guru," touting its "revolutionary design" and "ergonomic form." 

The Morning After: iPhone sales are up 50 percent year over year

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 04:15 AM PDT

The curse of buying new tech at the wrong time will get us all. In the last year, I've seen fellow Engadget employees buy a Nintendo Switch just before the OLED model broke cover, take the plunge with the iPhone SE just before the iPhone 12 mini was unveiled and make several more shopping missteps. Now, I might have done the same.

I picked up Sony's vlogging camera, the ZV-1, earlier this month. I was looking for an agile video setup for the occasional time I have to record footage at Engadget without a skilled member of our video team. It's very easy to make it work, with great face tracking capabilities and even a product showcase mode that helps me really show off whatever gadget I'm handling and I was happy with it. 

For a couple of weeks.

Sony mirrorless ZV-E10
Sony

Then I heard the rumors that Sony was about to expand its vlogging camera family, and my heart sank. Here it is, then. The ZV E-10, a new vlogging camera that fuses the tiny frame of the ZV-1 with interchangeable lenses. 

The two major improvements seem to be a larger 24-megapixel sensor and an interchangeable mirrorless mount. The latter means you can use one of the 60-plus E-mount lenses, while that larger sensor should offer improved light sensitivity and a shallower depth of field. The ZV-E10 will launch by the end of August and will cost $700 for the body or $800 in a bundle with one of Sony's power zoom lens. The price is roughly level with how much I paid for the ZV-1 earlier this month. It's probably too late to ask for a refund, right? 

— Mat Smith


iPhone sales were up 50 percent year over year

Another record-breaking quarter for Apple.

Despite the pandemic, Apple has spent most of the last two years relentlessly upgrading its product lineup, and its moves are definitely paying off. During its fiscal year third quarter, all of its product segments (the iPhone, Mac, iPad, services and wearables/home/accessories) increased in revenue year over year, leading to total revenue of $81.4 billion. iPhone revenue of $39.6 billion made up almost half of that figure, likely thanks to an unusual four devices making up the iPhone 12 lineup. Continue reading.

Tesla pushes back Semi truck release to 2022

The company delayed its launch due to battery cell shortage and supply chain issues.

Tesla
Tesla

Tesla has revealed during its most recent earnings call that it has pushed back the truck's arrival — yet again — to 2022, three years after its original launch target in 2019. Last year, the company announced it had to delay the vehicle's release to 2021 but didn't elaborate on why. Now, the company has told shareholders the delay is due to the limited availability of battery cells and global supply chain challenges. Continue reading.

Nothing's Ear 1 wireless earbuds arrive on August 17th

A limited-edition online drop will take place on July 31st.

Nothing Ear 1
Nothing

The new hardware startup from the co-founder of OnePlus is almost ready to show off its first product — and I hope you like wireless earbuds. Taking a leaf out of Carl Pei's former company, the dripfeed for Nothing's Ear 1 hasn't left much to reveal, although we've gleaned an eventual US launch date, mid-August, and some battery estimates. Rumor has it, we'll have some first-hand impressions on these see-thru wireless buds very soon. Stay tuned. Continue reading.

Activision Blizzard employees walk out today after harassment lawsuit response

They're demanding the company improve working conditions.

After sharing an open letter decrying the company's "abhorrent and insulting" response to a harassment lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), Activision Blizzard employees plan to hold a walkout.

According to Kotaku, at least 50 employees will protest the company's recent actions in person and call on it to improve working conditions for women by at least temporarily leaving their posts today. In the open letter, the employees call on Activision Blizzard to end the use of forced arbitration for all current and future employees, adopt new hiring policies designed to increase representation across the company, publish transparency data on compensation and hire a third-party firm to conduct a review of the studio's HR department and executive staff. Continue reading.

But wait, there's more...

'The Simpsons' gets a home arcade cabinet for its 30th birthday

Discord finally adds threaded messaging

Microsoft's profits skyrocketed by 47 percent in Q4

Waze will warn you about traffic jams and detours before you drive

Netflix turned a Twitter account into an animated show

Google parent Alphabet made a whopping $61.9 billion last quarter

Facebook recalls Quest 2 foam inserts over skin irritation issues

US government sells 'Pharma Bro' Martin Shkreli's one-off Wu-Tang Clan album

AZIO's colorful IZO collection looks great (and that's about it)

The first 'Halo Infinite' multiplayer beta will open on July 29th

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 04:05 AM PDT

After a series of setbacks, a small batch of beta testers will be among the first to play Halo Infinite. From tomorrow, July 29th, until August 1st, a bunch of Halo Insiders will get to try the sequel's multiplayer preview. The invite-only test will see players sample gameplay including bot slaying in four-player teams across three maps, with the action growing fraught as players wipe out more enemies. 

Bots aren't the only first in the new Halo. Beta testers will also sample the new Academy experience at a firing range, where they'll try out a dozen weapons on strafing bots. As a taster of the customization on offer, players will be get a set amount of in-game credits to spend on items. This is so they can get accustomed with the Battle Passes, check their Challenges, use the Store, and apply their changes in the Armor Hall. However, these items won't carry over into the full game. 

Finally, chosen Insiders will also go hands-on with the Halo Waypoint web and mobile app experiences on iOS and Android. Offering some more insight into the invite process, 343 Industries' Brian Jarrard said the developer is targeting a large number of testers across platforms (including Xbox One, Series X/S, and different PC configurations). 

To meet that goal, preference may also be given to Insiders with valid profiles, those opted in to comms and the DXDIAG diagnostics tool, he added. The developer is also looking at tenure, with preference for long-standing Insiders. You can still sign up to the Halo Insider program. Though it may be too late to jump on this test, more Halo previews are planned in the lead-up to the game's launch this fall.

Spotify added more paying customers than free ones last quarter

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 03:35 AM PDT

Three months ago, Spotify predicted that user growth would start declining, because COVID-19 had prompted so many people to sign up than expected. Today, the audio giant was proved right, as new signups fell to nine million new users in the most recent quarter. That said, slower growth isn't always a bad thing. Of that nine million figure, seven million users signed up for Premium, versus just two million who went ad-supported. It means that Spotify was also able to announce a second successive quarter of profitability after a long period of losses.

The total number of Spotify users now stands at 365 million, of which 165 million are paying for Premium, while the remaining 210 are ad-supported. Converting more of Spotify's vast ad-supported user base into Premium users is one way to ensure the company remains profitable. Another, of course, is to boost its growing advertising business, which has been bolstered by Spotify's numerous podcast offerings. The company said that it saw "triple digit" year-on-year gain in ad-sales for the company's owned podcast outlets, including The Ringer, Parcast and Gimlet.

The last three months has seen Spotify intensify work to push users toward cheaper forms of audio content than music. It says that Joe Rogan's podcast has performed "above expectations," while shows out of The Ringer saw big bumps in listenership as the NBA headed into the playoff season. No mention this month of how many people are tuning in to listen to former President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen hang out, which was the second biggest podcast on the platform from the start of the year.

As for the future, Spotify says that it's hoping to add at least 12 million more users in total, and at least another five million more paying customers. It is still expecting to reach the coveted 400 million user figure by the end of the year, although given the uncertainties still present with COVID-19, you never can be sure.

Watch Cassie the bipedal robot run a 5K

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 02:30 AM PDT

Cassie, a bipedal robot that's all legs, has successfully run five kilometers on a single charge, all without having a tether. The machine serves as the basis for Agility Robotics' delivery robot Digit, as TechCrunch notes, though you may also remember it for "blindly" navigating a set of stairs. Oregon State University engineers were able to train Cassie in a simulator to enable it to go up and down a flight of stairs without the use of cameras or LIDAR. Now, engineers from the same team were able to train Cassie to run using a deep reinforcement learning algorithm.

According to the team, Cassie teaching itself using the technique gave it the capability to stay upright without a tether by shifting its balance while running. The robot had to learn to make infinite subtle adjustments to be able to accomplish the feat. Yesh Godse, an undergrad from the OSU Dynamic Robotics Laboratory, explained: "Deep reinforcement learning is a powerful method in AI that opens up skills like running, skipping and walking up and down stairs."

The team first tested Cassie's capability by having it run on turn for five kilometers, which it finished with a time of 43 minutes and 49 seconds. Cassie finished its run across the OSU campus in 53:03. It took a bit longer because it included six and a half minutes of dealing with technical issues. The robot fell once due to a computer overheating and then again after it executed a turn too quickly. But Jeremy Dao, another team member from the lab, said they were able to "reach the limits of the hardware and show what it can do." The work the team does will help expand the understanding of legged locomotion and could help make bipedal robots become more common in the future.

LG will reportedly sell iPhones in its South Korean stores

Posted: 28 Jul 2021 01:15 AM PDT

Rumors swirled last week that LG would start selling iPhones in some of its South Korean stores, since it has stopped producing its own smartphones,. Now, LG has confirmed that it will start selling iPhones and other Apple products next month, ZDNet has reported. 

LG and Samsung agreed in 2018 to only sell their own smartphones at their respective stores so they wouldn't compete with smaller phone distributors. As such, when LG started to consider selling iPhones, it reportedly faced resistance from a smartphone reseller trade organization. Now that it has stopped making its own phones, however, that group has reportedly signed a new contract that allows LG to sell phones from other manufacturers. 

On top of selling iPhones starting next month, LG will reportedly sell the Watch and other Apple products. The company has 400 stores in South Korea, so the move could provide a significant boost to Apple. It could be to the detriment of Apple's arch-rival Samsung, though, which has essentially had the local smartphone market to itself since LG dropped out. 

Apple supposedly started negotiating with LG to sell phones in its retail spaces after the Korean company announced it would end production of its own devices. Both Samsung and Apple have been offering to pay LG smartphone owners up to 150,000 won ($135) to trade in their phones. 
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