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Engadget

Prominent editor of Russian Wikipedia pages detained in Belarus

Posted: 12 Mar 2022 02:41 AM PST

Authorities in Belarus have arrested and detained Mark Bernstein, one of the top editors of Russian Wikipedia, according to local publication Zerkalo. Bernstein was reportedly accused of violating the "fake news" law Russia passed in early March by editing the Wikipedia article about the invasion of Ukraine. Under the new law, anybody found guilty of what the country deems as false information about the Ukraine invasion — remember, the Kremlin calls it a "special military operation" — could be imprisoned for up to 15 years.

It was the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption of Belarus (GUBOPiK) that had arrested Bernstein, The Verge reports. The publication says his social media accounts, Wikipedia handle and workplace were shared on GUBOPiK's public Telegram channel before he was taken in. A video of his arrest was also posted on the channel, along with a photo that accuses him of "distributing fake anti-Russian information." Belarus played a key role in the invasion of Ukraine by hosting Russian troops, which deployed from the country when the attacks began. 

As The Verge notes, it's unclear what exactly Bernstein is being charged with and which of his edits broke Russia's fake news law. Bernstein has over 200,000 Wikipedia edits under what's believed to be his account, which has now been blocked indefinitely. 

Russia has been scrambling to suppress sources of information that goes against its official narrative regarding the war in Ukraine, and its new law had forced local independent media outlets to shut down. Dmitri A. Muratov, the editor-in-chief of Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, told The New York Times that "[e]verything that's not propaganda is being eliminated."

Uber adds fuel surcharge due to spike in gas prices

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 06:00 PM PST

Unusually high gas prices throughout the US and Canada has led to Uber tacking on a fuel surcharge to rides and deliveries, according to a blog post on the company's website. This likely won't surprise anyone who's gotten behind the wheel recently. A rapid spike in crude oil and gas prices due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine has made paying anywhere from $50 to $80 to fill a tank the norm.

"We know that prices have been going up across the economy, so we've done our best to help drivers and couriers without placing too much additional burden on consumers. Over the coming weeks we plan to listen closely to feedback from consumers, couriers and drivers. We'll also continue to track gas price movements to determine if we need to make additional changes," wrote Uber spokesperson Liza Winship on the company's website.

Uber's fuel surcharge will vary by state and by the amount of miles driven. For Uber rides, the fuel surcharge will be anywhere between $0.45 to $0.55 per trip. For Uber Eats deliveries, the fee will be between $0.35 to $0.45 per trip. The company says the additional fee will go straight to Uber drivers, who pay for mileage out of their own pockets. The policy won't apply at all in New York City, where drivers have a pay floor and the majority of delivery drivers are on bikes.

Interestingly enough, riders will have to pay the fuel surcharge even if they're riding in an EV. According to The Verge, Uber hopes this will be an additional incentive for drivers to switch to electric vehicles. But given that Uber already charges passengers an additional $1 for its Uber Green option — which only deploys hybrid or electric vehicles— this could lead to some Uber Green customers opting for cheaper ride options.

High gas prices have led to some Uber drivers working for below minimum wage, especially in California, where the average price of a gallon of regular gas on Friday was $5.802, significantly higher than the national average. Some Uber drivers have opted to not work at all due to the price of gas.

Uber's fuel surcharge will go into effect on March 16th, 2021, after which the company will re-evaluate the policy.

Meta employees say goodbye to perks like on-site laundry

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 03:48 PM PST

Meta employees scheduled to return to the office on March 28th will have to find another place to take their dirty laundry. Facebook's parent company is cutting its free laundry and dry-cleaning service and pushing back dinnertime to a later hour, reported the New York Times. It's a change in response to the new hybrid work schedule at Meta, where most employees will still be working from home at least a few days of week. Fewer time in the office equals fewer office perks, or at least that's the logic of Meta leadership. But for many employees at Facebook, Instagram, Reality Labs and other Meta companies, it's an unwelcome hassle at what is normally a grueling work environment.

"As we return to the office, we've adjusted on-site services and amenities to better reflect the needs of our hybrid workforce," a Meta spokesperson wrote in a statement to the Times.

Meta will also begin serving dinner at 6:30 pm PT, a full half-hour after the last shuttle departs campus. Meaning that employees will have to choose between a free meal or a free ride home. Decisions, decisions! While some Meta employees interviewed by NYT are unhappy about the change, many others have seen such perks as a ploy to keep employees working long hours. 

Tech companies are famous for providing incredible office perks to compensate for a strenuous workload, such as free meals, laundry, fitness classes, backup childcare and more. But a shift to a hybrid work environment means fewer employees will be in need of these things. To Meta's credit, the company is fattening up annual employee wellness stipends — from $700 to $3000 per year — to account for the change.

At least for Meta's Mountain View employees, free, unlimited food was already a thing of the past. After Google and Meta's free, round-the-clock food service for employees left local businesses in the dust, the city passed an ordinance that banned tech companies from offering unlimited free food. But Facebook's other Bay Area offices have access to free meals, as well as an unlimited snack larder if you get hungry between mealtimes. According to Eater, Facebook's Bay Area office routinely stores about $300,000 worth of food in its snack pantry.

Russian TikTok creators have reportedly been paid to share propaganda

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 01:50 PM PST

The White House isn't the only one trying to steer discussion of Ukraine on TikTok. Vice News has discovered that Russian TikTok influencers are reportedly being paid to share videos promoting the Putin government's narrative surrounding the invasion. An anonymous operator in a Telegram channel has been telling creators what and when to post, what goals they must meet and otherwise dictating their content. At least some of the followers have over a million followers.

It's unclear who is behind the campaign, but the operator claims to be a journalist and has looked for posters for additional pro-government content (such as supporting Russian athletes in the Olympics) and private companies. However, TikTok's ban on new videos from Russia apparently isn't an obstacle. The channel administrator tells influencers how to dodge the ban, and at least some producers have posted videos after the ban took effect.

The channel suddenly shut down on March 9th as Vice conducted its investigation. Most of the videos have since been removed, but the campaign team reportedly asked them to do this. Others remain, and it's not certain how many similar initiatives might be underway. It's also unclear if the propaganda was effective.

TikTok hasn't commented on the pro-Kremlin campaign and told Vice about its general efforts to spot "emerging threats" and "harmful misinformation" surrounding Russia's war against Ukraine.

Whether or not the Russian government was involved with this TikTok effort, there's little doubt the country has tried to control the online narrative on Ukraine. It has blocked social networks like Instagram, posted misinformation through its embassies' accounts, circumvented bans on its state news outlets and criminalized media reports that contradict the official stance on the war. TikTok's large user base may be a tempting target if Russia hopes to sway more of the internet to its side.

Spotify subscriptions can now be bundled with Soundtrap's audio creation tool

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 01:31 PM PST

If you're a podcaster or a musician, it's likely you've heard of Soundtrap, an online tool that lets you record, edit and collaborate on the fly. Spotify—which acquired Soundtrap back in 2017— is now offering a bundle with Spotify Premium and Soundtrap for $16.99 a month. The bundle includes Soundtrap for Music Makers Supreme (the highest tier service for musicians) and Soundtrap for Storytellers, which is geared towards podcasters. Given that Spotify Premium is $9.99 a month and both Soundtrap plans cost $11.99 per month each, this is a solid deal for those who subscribe to both.

The bundle will give creators access to unlimited projects, more than 19,000 loops, sound effects, live transcripts and autotune. Podcasters also have the ability to publish their podcasts from Soundtrap directly to Spotify, instead of using a podcast hosting service like Buzzsprout or Podbean. The live transcript can serve as a guide for editing, which is likely to be a timesaver. 

But there's a big drawback to Soundtrap if you're planning on also publishing on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or another podcasting service. Soundtrap won't generate an RSS feed for each episode, which you will need to publish your podcast outside of Spotify. If you want to do that, you'll need to download each podcast episode as an audio file and then re-upload them onto a third-party podcast hosting service.

All told, Soundtrap's suite of podcasting and music editing tools is ideal for creators who need an easy, simplified option for making music and podcasts. If you're looking for more advanced editing options or the ability to distribute to multiple podcast services, you may find better options elsewhere. But if Spotify is your audio streaming service of choice (as well as your primary source of distribution), this bundle could be worth checking out. 

NHTSA greenlights self-driving cars without manual controls

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 12:40 PM PST

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened the door for self-driving vehicles to operate without manual controls under updated Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. While fully autonomous vehicles are likely several years away from going on sale, the new rule paves the way for automakers to remove the steering wheel and pedals.

"Through the 2020s, an important part of [the Department of Transportation's] safety mission will be to ensure safety standards keep pace with the development of automated driving and driver assistance systems," transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg said. "This new rule is an important step, establishing robust safety standards for [Automated Driving Systems]-equipped vehicles."

The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards regulate all elements of production cars, as Roadshow notes. The latest rule stipulates that whether or not they have a steering wheel and pedals, vehicles with automated driving systems need to offer the same level of protection to drivers and passengers as other cars.

Fully autonomous (Level 5) cars aren't on the market yet. Teslas are at Level 2 (they have some autonomy, but a human driver needs to be ready to take control). Volkswagen is making a Level 4 version of its ID.Buzz EV, while pilot projects for robotaxis and self-driving shuttles are underway. At CES 2022, Cadillac showed off a luxury concept EV without a steering wheel or pedals.

NHTSA acknowledged uncertainty about the development and deployment of vehicles equipped with ADS. "Nevertheless, NHTSA believes it is appropriate to finalize this action at this time in anticipation of emerging ADS vehicle designs that NHTSA has seen in prototype form," the agency said.

'Dead Space' remake arrives early 2023

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 12:25 PM PST

Motive and EA finally have a release window for their Dead Space remake. The two have revealed their re-do of the sci-fi horror game will be available in early 2023 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. While there hasn't been much discussion just how much the game will improve on the original, Motive has provided a "deep dive" on audio improvements and teased a similar exploration of art in May.

The audio system is much smarter than what you saw in 2008. Most notably, adrenaline, fatigue and other vital stats will influence the protagonist Isaac's breathing, heart rate and even dialogue. Run for a long time and Isaac may be panting when speaks, while serious injuries may lead him to wince as he navigates hallways.

There's a lot riding on the Dead Space revival. The game succeeded through a combination of clever gameplay touches (such as severing limbs and doing away with common interface elements) and a foreboding, oppressively lonely atmosphere. Motive may have to strike a careful balance as it caters to longstanding fans while appealing to newcomers who know little about the 14-year-old classic.

Niantic is shutting down Pokémon Go in Russia and Belarus

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 12:09 PM PST

Following a plea from Ukrainian vice prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov for gaming companies to cease operations in Russia and Belarus last week, Niantic announced it would be shutting down support for Pokémon Go in those countries. 

Niantic says downloads of Pokémon Go have already been disabled in those regions, with gameplay set to be suspended "shortly". The move by Niantic comes amidst a wave of similar decisions from fellow gaming companies that have decided to suspend business or services in those countries after Russia's invasion of Ukraine late last month. 

Sony has already suspended sales of both games and consoles in Russia, with Microsoft halting all sales in the country. Last weekend, Nintendo turned off sales of digital games on its eShop after disabling transactions in rubles, and more recently, announced that it would stop shipping products including the Switch to the country.

And while some game publishers like Bungie continue to provide limited service for its titles by continuing to support the free base version of Destiny 2, players in Russia no longer have the ability to buy DLC content, cosmetics, or Silver (Destiny 2's in-game currency). Meanwhile, other gaming companies including Epic, Ubisoft, CD Projekt Red, Take-Two, EA and others have stopped selling their games there entirely. 

Currently, it's unclear how long Niantic's suspension of service in the region will last. But with the company making this decision to encourage a "rapid resolution to the violence and suffering in Ukraine," there won't be any online monster catching happening via Pokémon Go in Russia or Belarus until some kind of peace agreement can be brokered.

White House briefed TikTok influencers on Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 11:34 AM PST

It's not just journalists receiving White House briefings on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Washington Post has learned Press Secretary Jen Psaki and National Security Council adviser Matt Miller helped virtually brief 30 TikTok influencers, including Khalil Greene and Jules Terpak, on the US approach to the war. They outlined the US' strategic objectives in the area and answered creators' questions on subjects ranging from relief efforts to a theoretical response if Russia used nuclear weapons.

White House digital strategy director Rob Flaherty characterized the briefing as both an effort to provide reliable information from an "authoritative source" and an acknowledgment TikTok is a "critically important" source for updates on Ukraine. It's hoping to fight misinformation by reaching millions of TikTok followers, in other words.

There were concerns the briefing didn't tackle hard questions. Jules Suzdaltsev, the operator of TikTok account Good Morning Bad News, said it felt like a press event "for kindergarteners." Another TikTok news provider, Marcus DiPaola, also saw this as selective messaging — the White House didn't address its involvement in other invasions, he said.

However helpful the presentation might have been, it's not surprising the Biden administration would reach out to TikTok creators. Many younger internet users get at least some of their news from social networks like TikTok, and those outlets have been struggling to curb misinformation. TikTok halted video uploads and streams in Russia on March 6th, and only recently started labelling state-backed media outlets. Briefings like this will theoretically counter misinformation and get the official US strategy to people who would otherwise remain unaware. 

Hulu's live TV plan will include unlimited cloud DVR at no extra charge

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 11:00 AM PST

Hulu may have hiked the prices of its live TV plans last fall, but you'll at least get more for your money this spring. The streaming service now plans to give all Hulu + Live TV subscribers unlimited cloud DVR storage starting April 13th. If you've been paying for an Enhanced Cloud DVR add-on ($10 or $15 per month), you'll see your bill shrink accordingly. Recordings with the new Unlimited DVR feature last for up to nine months.

Regular Hulu + Live TV subscriptions used to include 50 hours of 'free' DVR space with unskippable ads, while buying the Enhanced Cloud DVR feature expanded that to 200 hours without the ads. While that was enough to help you replay a must-see event, it wasn't much help if you frequently recorded live programming. Now, it's just a matter of finding the time to watch whatever you save.

The company isn't offering unlimited DVR use out of pure generosity, as you might imagine. Notably, this puts Hulu + Live TV's DVR functionality on par with YouTube TV and makes the pricing far more competitive, at $70 per month versus the $80 you needed to roughly match the feature set. There are still reasons you might pick YouTube's offering over Hulu's (a slightly lower $65 price and some sports networks), but the gap is now considerably narrower.

YouTube is blocking Russian state media channels worldwide

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 10:46 AM PST

YouTube says it will now block channels linked to Russia-backed media outlets worldwide. Last week, it blocked channels from the likes of RT and Sputnik in Europe following an EU directive. The updated policy takes effect immediately, though YouTube's systems will take a little time to fully block the channels.

The service also said "denying, minimizing or trivializing well-documented violent events" is not allowed under its Community Guidelines. YouTube is taking down videos about the conflict in Ukraine that violate the rule. On Thursday, Twitter and Facebook removed posts from Russia's embassy in the UK that denied the bombing of a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine.

YouTube has also deleted more than 1,000 channels and over 15,000 videos related to Russia's invasion ok Ukraine for violating various policies, such as those on hate speech, misinformation and graphic content. Google stopped all ad sales in Russia last week and it has now paused all YouTube monetization and payments in the country.

YouTube says it may take further action in Russia as the conflict continues. In addition, it's directing users to trusted sources of news regarding the invasion.

Ford F-150 Lightning owners in California can use the EV to power homes

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 10:05 AM PST

Power outages aren't exactly rare in Northern California. In the coming months, residents who own a compatible electric vehicle — such as the Ford F-150 Lightning — will effectively be able to use it as a backup generator.

Ford has teamed up with PG&E, the main energy provider in the region, for a bidirectional electric vehicle charging project. The companies claim the F-150 Lightning can power a home for up to 10 days (depending on energy needs) in the event of an outage. Sunrun, another of the automaker's partners, will start installing Ford's Intelligent Backup Power system in Northern California this spring. 

GM announced a similar pilot with PG&E earlier this week. If initial testing goes well, they'll enable vehicle-to-grid charging for a small number of people with Ultium-powered EVs before expanding the trial more broadly later this year.

Russia will cut off access to Instagram

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 09:47 AM PST

Instagram will soon be inaccessible in Russia, according to regulator Roskomnadzor. The latest ban is in response to Facebook "temporarily" changing its rules to allows for calls for violence against Russian soldiers and Vladimir Putin.

Though Facebook has been "restricted" in the country for more than a week, the ban didn't extend to Instagram. State news agency TASS reported earlier that Russian lawmakers had called for that to change, though, in response to the company's updated policy. The state prosecutor also reportedly asked for Facebook-owner Meta to be labeled an "extremist organization" and the Russian government opened a criminal investigation into the company, according toCNBC.  

Now, the state regulator Roskomnadzor says that it will move to cut off access to the photo sharing app on March 14th. "Messages are circulating on the Instagram social network encouraging and provoking violent acts against Russians, in connection with which the Russian Prosecutor General's Office demanded that Roskomnadzor restrict access to this social network," Roskomnadzor posted on its Telegram account. "Roskomnadzor decided to complete the procedure for imposing restrictions on access to Instagram at 00:00 on March 14, providing users with an additional 48 hours of transition period."

Facebook didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. A company spokesperson said Thursday that it had changed its rules around violent speech in order to allow for more "forms of political expression."

In a statement, Meta's President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg didn't address the impending ban of Instagram, but did address the recent rule change, calling it "a temporary decision taken in extraordinary and unprecedented circumstances." 

"The fact is, if we applied our standard content policies without any adjustments we would now be removing content from ordinary Ukrainians expressing their resistance and fury at the invading military forces, which would rightly be viewed as unacceptable," Clegg wrote. "There is no change at all in our policies on hate speech as far as the Russian people are concerned." 

Update 3/11 6:50pm ET: Instagram's top executive, Adam Mosseri, also weighed in on the ban, calling it "wrong" to cut off 80 million users in the country.

Intel NUC 12 Extreme review: A powerful DIY mini-desktop for creators and gamers alike

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 09:15 AM PST

Intel's quest to deliver the perfect mini-desktop continues with the NUC 12 Extreme, its latest "next unit of computing" DIY kit. Code-named "Dragon Canyon," it's basically a slightly upgraded version of last year's NUC 11 Extreme, which was notable for being the first of its kind that could fit a full-sized desktop graphics card. Now it has Intel's hybrid 12th-gen desktop processors, which promise to be a huge upgrade over last year's CPUs. While this latest kit is still a bit cramped – and it can easily get expensive once you add your own RAM, SSD and GPU – the NUC 12 Extreme proves that Intel is clearly committed to the world of tiny desktops. And with Apple's Mac Studio coming soon, it may be more compelling than ever for PC creators.

Given how much effort Intel put into developing a large NUC case last year, it's not too surprising that the NUC 12 Extreme shares the same 8-liter housing. It's large enough to fit in a 12-inch graphics card, but the rest of its interior is tightly packed with its power supply and Compute Unit, a removable card that houses its CPU, three NVMe SSD connections and two RAM slots. It's clearly a case meant for gaming enthusiasts, with the telltale sign being the RGB LED skull up front and additional lighting underneath. The NUC 12 Extreme is basically the PC equivalent to a Honda Civic souped up for street racing: It can't exist without a bit of bling.

Despite its small stature, the NUC's case has just about all the connectivity you'd want from a desktop. Up front, there's a USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB 3.1 Type-A socket, an SDXC card slot and a headphone jack. And on the back of the Compute Card, there are two more Thunderbolt 4 USB-C connections, six USB Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.0b socket and two Ethernet jacks (10GbE and 2.5Gb). We reviewed the NUC12EDBi9 kit, which included the Core i9-12900 processor, but there's also another kit with an i7-12700 available.

Typically, Intel sends out pre-built NUC kits for review so we can get straight to benchmarking. This year, however, the company issued the same DIY kit consumers would get, which only includes the case, PSU and Compute Card. That meant I had to roll up my sleeves and prepare for scraped knuckles – it was PC building time! I scrounged up 16GB of RAM and a one-terabyte Samsung SSD from the previous NUC Extreme, along with a spare NVIDIA RTX 3080 card and got down to business.

Intel NUC 12 Extreme Compute Card opened, showing the CPU block, RAM slots and SSD.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Getting into the NUC Extreme is pretty simple: You just have to remove a few screws from the rear, open up the portion of the case blocking the PCI slot screws and remove a side panel to expose its innards. Thankfully, I was able to add in the RAM and SSD without removing the Compute Card. But if you'd like to take that out, perhaps to upgrade to a newer model down the line, you just have to hit a latch to unlock the three large top fans, pull those back, and yank the card out like any other PCI card. You'll have to be careful when removing its antenna cables and power connectors, but it's easy enough if you've already got PC building experience. Given the delicate nature of that process, it's not something I'd recommend doing unless you absolutely have to, though.

Intel NUC 12 Extreme side profile
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

The RTX 3080 easily fit into the NUC Extreme's PCIe slot, but I wish there was a bit more internal space to deal with all of its power cables. As with most powerful GPUs, the RTX 3080 requires two 8-pin PSU connections, which are attached to the card by a dongle. It was a challenge stuffing all of those cables into the NUC, and I was constantly worried they'd be clipped by the GPU's fan blades. I also had a hard time accessing the PCIe latch to remove the 3080 after I installed it. I was eventually able to unlock it with a flat-edge screwdriver, as I typically do in tight PC builds, but the latch flew off as soon as I removed the card. Clearly, there's room for better build quality.

Once I plugged everything in (and soothed my poor knuckles from being jammed into sharp edges and cables), I booted up the NUC and installed Windows 11 via a flash drive. Then, I rewarded myself the way every PC builder must: I started gaming. I averaged around 100fps while playing Halo Infinite in my monitor's ultrawide (3,440 by 1,440) resolution with all of the graphics settings cranked to maximum. That's impressive, but pretty much what I'd expect from any system powered by an RTX 3080. More notable, I'd say, is that the NUC was able to play games for hours without overheating. I typically see CPU temperatures between 80 and 85 Celsius under load, while the GPU never surpassed 82C. Not bad for a system with severely limited airflow and no room for any sort of liquid cooling.

None

PCMark 10

3DMark (TimeSpy Extreme)

Geekbench 5 CPU

Intel NUC 12 Extreme (Intel Core i9-12900, NVIDIA RTX 3080)

7,914

8,217

1,762/13,371

Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Intel Core i9-11900KB, NVIDIA RTX 3060)

7,167

4,143

1,684/9,345

Alienware x14 (Intel Core i7-12700H, NVIDIA RTX 3060)

7,073

3,362

1,529/13,315

Intel NUC 9 Extreme (Core i9-9980HK. NVIDIA RTX 2070)

6,469

4,057

1,312/7,464

Benchmarking the NUC 12 Extreme also made it clear that Intel's 12th-gen processors are a serious upgrade. Its GeekBench 5 CPU score was the highest we've seen on any system; the closest match was the Alienware x14, powered by the 12th-gen Core i7-12700H, followed by Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 Max. The NUC's multi-core score was also around 4,000 points higher than last year's model, which makes it an even better choice for creators doing serious rendering work. It also achieved the highest PCMark 10 score we've seen yet, though that's partially influenced by GPU power.

Intel NUC 12 Extreme rear ports
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

While these benchmarks don't tell the entire story, they indicate that the NUC 12 Extreme could be a solid workhorse that'll serve you well for years. Of course, its overall performance depends on all of the other hardware you configure it with. But at least you're free to upgrade the RAM, SSD and GPU down the line, something you can't do with a competitor like Apple's Mac Studio.

When I started testing this NUC kit, I was concerned it was going to be another overly expensive curiosity like its predecessors. Why spend thousands more than a standard mid-tower or mini-ITX desktop system just to have a slightly smaller box on your desk? It's still pretty pricey: The Core i7 Kit starts at $1,150, while the Core i9 model we're reviewing sells for $1,450, and then you'll have to add around $1,000 for a GPU, memory, SSD and OS. But you know what? Apple's Mac Studio also starts at $2,000, and while it includes a hefty 32GB of RAM, you'll probably want to add a 1TB or 2TB SSD for an additional $200 or $400. Basically, if you want tiny desktop power, be prepared to pay.

Intel NUC 12 Extreme compute card
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

If anything, Intel was just ahead of the current mini-desktop moment. If you're in the market for one, and you enjoy getting down and dirty with PC hardware, then the NUC 12 Extreme will serve you well. While the Mac Studio is sleeker and doesn't require any scraped knuckles, macOS also doesn't have nearly the same level of gaming support as a Windows PC, so it's mainly meant for work. Apple Arcade titles are nice and all, but they're no replacement for having a tiny box that'll play Elden Ring.

Sony's WH-1000XM4 headphones drop to $278, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 08:45 AM PST

You can pick up everything from headphones to video games to smartwatches on sale this week. Sony's WH-1000XM4 ANC headphones are $72 off and down to $278, while the Apple Watch Series 7 is up to $50 off at Amazon. Nintendo celebrated Mar10 Day this week by discounting a bunch of Switch games, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Luigi's Mansion 3 and others. Plus, you can still get a handful of Fire TV devices for less right now, including the Fire TV Cube, which is down to a record low of $70. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

Sony WH-1000XM4

Sony WH-1000XM4
Engadget

Our current favorite pair of ANC headphones, Sony's WH-1000XM4, are down to $278 right now. That's $72 off their usual price and close to an all-time low. They earned a score of 94 from us for their powerful ANC, immersive sound quality and multi-device connectivity.

Buy WH-1000XM4 at Amazon - $278

'Mar10 Day' Nintendo Switch deals

Mario with a tennis racket
Nintendo

Nintendo's annual 'Mar10 Day' celebration of the happy little plumber has knocked up to 83 percent off Switch games. Titles including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Luigi's Mansion 3,Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury and Yoshi's Crafted World are all 33 percent off and down to $40, while you can snag Mario + Rabbits Kingdom Battle for only $10 at Nintendo's eShop.

Buy Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at Amazon - $40Buy New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe at Amazon - $40Buy Luigi's Mansion 3 at Amazon - $40Buy Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle at Nintendo - $10

Apple Watch Series 7

Certain colors of the Apple Watch Series 7 are down to $349, or $50 off their normal price. Apple's latest flagship smartwatch earned a score of 90 from us for its slightly larger display, faster charging and handy watchOS8 features.

Buy Apple Watch Series 7 at Amazon - $349

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
Nintendo

Both the Mario and Luigi sets of Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit are 40 percent off and down to $60 on Amazon. These toys work with the Nintendo Switch and let you build your own raceway in your home.

Buy Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit at Amazon - $60

Bose QuietComfort 45

The Bose QC45 headphones are on sale for $279, which is their all-time-low price that we saw last Black Friday. We gave the cans a score of 86 for their excellent sound quality, strong ANC and comfortable fit.

Buy QuietComfort 45 at Amazon - $279

Amazon Fire TV 4K

Fire TV
Amazon

The Fire TV Stick 4K is down to only $30, which is 40 percent off its usual rate. It's a handy streaming device to get if you don't want to spend a ton of money but want a device that supports 4K content with Dolby Vision and HDR, and that comes with an Alexa Voice Remote.

Buy Fire TV Stick 4K at Amazon - $30

Amazon Fire TV Cube

Amazon Fire TV Cube
Nicole Lee/Engadget

The Fire TV Cube is back down to a record low of $70, or 42 percent off its normal price. We gave it a score of 84 when it came out for its 4K streaming with Dolby Vision and HDR+, speedy performance and hands-free Alexa controls.

Buy Fire TV Cube at Amazon - $70

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 LTE

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 in green
Samsung

The 44mm LTE version of Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4 is down to a record low of $225, making it cheaper than its WiFi-only counterparts. We consider this smartwatch to be the best available right now for Android users and it earned a score of 85 from us for its bright, crisp display, comprehensive health tracking features and improved third-party app support.

Buy Galaxy Watch 4 (44mm, LTE) at Woot - $225

Google Nest WiFi

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Daniel Cooper/Engadget

A two-pack of the Google Nest WiFi system is on sale for $189 across the web. That's only $10 more than the pack was during the holiday shopping season last year, so this is a solid sale. We gave the mesh WiFi system a score of 84 for its minimalist design, simple installation process and built-in Google Assistant smart speaker.

Buy Google Nest WiFi at Best Buy - $189Buy Google Nest WiFi at Adorama - $189Buy Google Nest WiFi at B&H - $189

Samsung T7 Touch (1TB)

The T7 Touch portable SSD in 1TB is on sale for $140 right now. This palm-sized drive works with most devices thanks to the duo of cables it comes with, and it supports 1,050 MB/s read speeds, 1,000 MB/s write speeds, AES 256-bit encryption and Dynamic Thermal Guard.

Buy Samsung T7 Touch (1TB) at Amazon - $140

Samsung 980 Pro SSD (2TB)

Samsung's 980 Pro internal drive in 2TB is 35 percent off and down to $280 — a great price for a powerful SSD that works with the PS5 (provided you have a heatsink). It has read speeds up to 7,000 MB/s, advanced thermal controls and works with Samsung's Magician Software, which lets you check its health and optimize settings as you'd like.

Buy Samsung 980 Pro (2TB) at Amazon - $280

OnePlus 9 Pro

The OnePlus 9 Pro smartphone is $270 off and down to $799 right now. We gave the handset a score of 88 for its fantastic display, great performance and much-improved main camera.

Buy OnePlus 9 Pro at Amazon - $799

New tech deals

Beats Studio Buds

The Beats Studio Buds are 20 percent off and down to $120. We gave these true wireless earbuds a score of 84 for their tiny, comfortable design, good sound quality and quick-pairing on both Android and iOS.

Buy Beats Studio Buds at Amazon - $120

Apple AirTags

Woot has Apple's AirTags for up to 7 percent off right now: you can get a single pack for $27 or a four-pack for $95. These accessories provide a handy way to keep track of your belongings using Apple's Find My network. Just make sure you pick up a case or holder if you plan on attaching the AirTag to your keys or bag.

Buy AirTags at Woot starting at $27

55-inch Sony A90J Bravia XR OLED 4K TV

Sony's 55-inch Bravia XR OLED set is $600 off right now, bringing it down to $2,200. In addition to deep blacks and the improved contrast that comes with OLED TVs, this set also supports XR Motion Clarity, HDMI 2.1, Acoustic Surface Audio+ and Alexa voice commands.

Buy 55-inch Sony A90J Bravia XR OLED at Amazon - $2,200

Jabra Elite 7 Pro

Jabra's Elite 7 Pro earbuds are on sale for $180, which is $20 off their normal price. These buds have 6mm custom speakers and MultiSensor Voice technology to improve call quality, plus an eight-hour battery life and a charging case that gives you up to 30 hours of usage.

Buy Jabra Elite 7 Pro at Amazon - $180

UK deals

Fitbit Sense

Fitbit's most advanced smartwatch, the Sense, is down to £189 right now. That's not a record low, but it's still 37 percent off its usual rate. We gave it a score of 82 for its comprehensive health tracking features and big, bold display.

Buy Fitbit Sense at Amazon - £189

Jabra Elite 75t earbuds

John Lewis has the Elite 75ts for £79, which is nearly half off their usual rate. We gave the buds a score of 87 when they first came out for their good audio quality, long battery life and small, comfortable design.

Buy Jabra Elite 75t at John Lewis - £79

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Instagram Live creators can now bring in moderators to handle trolls

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 08:42 AM PST

Instagram is trying to tackle the problem of unsavory comments that pop up during Live streams with its latest feature. Starting today, Live users can assign someone to be a moderator for their broadcasts. Moderators can report comments, switch off comments from a particular user and boot troublesome viewers from the stream.

Creators can add a moderator by tapping the menu icon on the comment bar. They can search for a specific person or choose a user from a list suggested by Instagram.

Instagram is rolling out the feature to help broadcasters focus on engaging in positive discussions instead of spending time addressing unwanted interactions. It's a welcome move that should help to cut down on toxic comments during Lives.

The app is following in the footsteps of Twitch, which has allowed streamers to have moderators for years. Having reliable, effective mods who can handle trolls and deal with distasteful comments or messages swiftly can foster a safer environment for both creators and their audiences.

Classic Dungeons & Dragons 'Gold Box' games are coming to Steam

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 07:30 AM PST

If you played PC role-playing games in the previous century, there's a good chance you have fond memories of SSI's Dungeons & Dragons "Gold Box" titles — and now you'll have an easy way to play many of them beyond sites like GOG. SNEG is bringing multiple Gold Box Classics collections to Steam on March 29th. Most are themed around their D&D franchises, and they all include a special game launcher, "enhanced" DOSBox emulator support and utilities to help you transfer parties, map dungeons and otherwise manage your RPGs.

There are three Forgotten Realms collections, including one for the Eye of the Beholder series, another for the Pool of Radiance and Savage Frontier titles and a third for Dungeon Hack and Menzoberranzan. DragonLance fans will find a bundle for the Krynn trilogy, while Dark Sun and Ravenloft enthusiasts have their own packs. Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse and D&D Stronghold: Kingdom Simulator are available individually.

This might not satisfy you if you're a completist. The catalog doesn't include DragonStrike, Spelljammer and other games that don't fit neatly into the stereotypical Gold Box format. These aren't remasters, either, so they'll be just as low-resolution as you remember. Still, this might be appealing if you want a nostalgic computer RPG experience without the hassles of swapping floppy disks.

CNN+ will start streaming on March 29th

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 07:17 AM PST

CNN has revealed exactly when its dedicated streaming service will debut. CNN+, which costs $6 per month or $60 per year, will arrive on March 29th. Those who sign up in the first four weeks and maintain their subscription will get 50 percent off the monthly plan for life (that works out to $36 per year for the foreseeable future).

The service will deliver live, on-demand and interactive news-driven programming. Subscribers of CNN's linear service can watch cable broadcasts and on-demand content through the app too.

CNN hired away Chris Wallace from Fox News to host a CNN+ show. Other daily launch programming includes shows anchored by Wolf Blitzer, Kate Bolduan, Sara Sidner and Bianca Nobilo, as well as a weekday edition of Reliable Sources. Viewers can also expect Anderson Cooper Full Circle to be available on CNN+, as well as a book-focused show with Jake Tapper, a show from Christiane Amanpour and much more.

Cameo CEO favorably compares Web3 boom to the colonization of the Americas

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 06:00 AM PST

Last Thursday to celebrate the closing of a new $400 million round, the venture capital firm M13 held an invite-only schmoozing opportunity in the former offices of Musical.ly, opening with a introductory chat on "the future of crypto, the decentralized web, and creators." Curiously, one of the guests was Cameo's Steven Galanis who, according to audio provided to Engadget by an attendee, took the opportunity to share a metaphor he apparently has deployed before: that the rampant speculation around Web3 is akin to the colonization of the Americas by Europeans. To be clear, he seems to think of both as good things.

Cameo, the service that hit unicorn status last May and allows anyone to book a short, custom video message from celebrities and pseudo-celebrities like Fran Drescher, Gilbert Gottfried or the guy who played Hagrid, is not a Web3 business in any sense — not that "Web3" itself is a particularly meaningful or well-defined piece of terminology. 

But Galanis seems to have become something of a booster for these loosely conjoined elements of emergent tech. His Twitter profile picture is of toga- and 3D glasses-wearing Bored Ape NFT, for which he seems to have paid 100 ETH — the equivalent of around $300,000 at the time. He steered Cameo toward minting its own set of NFTs (called "Cameo Pass") last month with the promise that proceeds would be reinvested into, among other things,"exploration of further Web3 projects focused on fan/talent interactions." 

Presumably this enthusiasm — a contrast to the oftenchilly reception towards NFTs at other tech companies — helped land Galanis on stage for M13's shindig, along with Lightning Labs's Liz Stark. But in the course of his enthusiastic boosterism he shared "the analogy that I like to give people" about Web3, which we've edited for clarity (emphasis ours):

"I actually think right now it's like 1493. Columbus has just gotten back from the New World. And he's going to the King of Spain and the Queen of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella, and he's like 'there's a whole world over there that like, there's literally just gold coming out of rivers.' And then the King of France hears about it, the Kingdom of England hears about it. And what does everybody decide? We need to start building boats. So right now we're in this age where everybody's building boats. Everybody's trying to go to this New World. [...] So everybody's going over, there's gonna mutinies on some boats. Somebody's gonna hit an iceberg. [...] But somebody is gonna end up on Manhattan, like in the digital world, and they're gonna pull a bunch of beads out of their pocket, and they're going to make the best real estate transaction of all time."

It boggles the mind that anyone could be aware of the colonization and systematic genocide of native peoples, and conclude that the moral is to not miss out on the opportunity to kill, steal and swindle again for personal gain. Or that if someone were to sincerely believe something quite so awful, they would at least have the good sense not to share that opinion, apparently, on multiple occasions.

Beyond the blunt insensitivity of the remarks, Galanis seems to have little to no grasp of the events he references. "Everybody is building boats!!!? This is a sort of 20th [century] arms race point of view," William Fowler, a professor emeritus of history at Northeastern, told Engadget via email. "England sent Cabot (1497) West, but that did not result in much. Not until Jamestown, 1607, did England, through a private company, establish a permanent colony in America. 

As for their naval power, England barely made it through the Armada, 1588, and did not have a first class navy until [the] mid 17th [century] ... France sent Cartier (1534), but it would be almost one hundred years before they got serious in Canada." All of this is to say nothing of the fact that Columbus was far from the first European to stumble onto the Americas (that distinction likely goes to the Vikings) or that he "went to his grave (1506) believing he had found a route to the Indies," according to Fowler.

The tale of Manhattan's land rights being bought out from under native people by the Dutch for baubles is, at best, highly exaggerated. Unlike Staten Island or other areas of land, the contract between the Dutch and native peoples for Manhattan is either lost or never existed, and according to the Gotham Center's Richard Howe "the extant evidence for the Dutch purchase of Manhattan is scant, indirect and circumstantial." 

While a letter claiming a transfer occurred, dated November 7 1626, does survive, it's both inconclusive and in no way mentions "beads" — rather that the land had been purchased "for the value of 60 guilders" (which is something like $1,000 in today's dollars.) Whether native tribes shared the same understanding of property, or could be said to have freely entered into these types of contracts is unresolved. Nor is it known if the people who allegedly signed over the deed were even the tribe primarily occupying Manhattan at the time.

Whatever the case, this "investment" was short-lived, and New Amsterdam was "taken easily by the British," according to Fowler, in 1664, less than 20 years after the rights were supposedly sold for a song. Let's not even get into how the metaphor fails on a structural level in that Web3 isn't a valuable resource simply awaiting discovery and exploitation. Its illusion of riches shares more in common with El Dorado than the "New World."

It might appear unfair to expect Galanis to have studied history, rather than basing offensive flights of fancy on colonialist myths. Then again, history was the man's area of study at Duke. Engadget made several attempts to contact Cameo to allow Galanis to explain precisely what he might have meant by this analogy, and have yet to hear back. "Trying to apply 21st [century] criteria to ages past should be done with great care," professor Fowler wrote, "[Galanis] may have something to say, but it is hard to dig through the rhetoric to get to his point, if he has any."

Have a tip to share? Download Signal messenger for iOS or Android and text me confidentially at 646 983 9846.

Feast your eyes on the new green iPhone 13 and 13 Pro

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 06:00 AM PST

It's Apple pre-order day, and not just for the M1-powered iPad Air or the latest iPhone SE. At its "Peek Performance" event this week, Apple unveiled new green versions of the iPhone 13 series, bringing the total number of colors for the non-Pro models to six. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are now available in five shades, and you can now pre-order this new "Alpine Green" version on Apple's website.

While the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13's new hues look earthier and closer to a leafy green, the Pro flagships come with a sort of frosted finish that helps them better reject smudges. It also makes the color a little paler and adds a metallic sheen.

There's nothing else different about these new iPhones. They're last year's iPhone 13s, but green. Intrigued? Then take a look at these pictures I took of the new gadgets under different lighting conditions. 

I have included photos of the two new iPhone 13s alongside other green phones like the sage Pixel 5 and the Pixel 5a. The latter's official color is called "Mostly Black," but it definitely feels more like "Off Green." My favorite is still the pastel green iPhone 12, which will reign in my heart as the best verdant gadget. At least, until someone comes up with a Matcha-colored (or flavored) phone. Or lime. Or pandan. You're welcome for the color inspiration, phone makers.

Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4 LTE falls to an all-time low price at Woot

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 05:49 AM PST

Now's a good moment to get a cellular Galaxy Watch 4. Woot is offering the 44m LTE version in green at an all-time low price of $225. That's better than we saw in February, and a whopping $105 below the official sticker. It's substantially less expensive than its non-cellular counterpart, in fact. Just remember that Woot's return policy isn't the same as its parent Amazon, and that inventory might run out.

Buy Galaxy Watch 4 (44m LTE) at Woot - $225

The Galaxy Watch 4 rejuvenated Samsung's smartwatch lineup. The switch from Tizen to Wear OS gave it a more robust app ecosystem, and the improved health tracking (including continuous blood oxygen detection) will help with your fitness regimen. Add the attractive display, a newer processor and a touch-based rotating bezel and you'll have a watch that should be appealing all day round, whether you're working out or streaming from Spotify.

There are some limits. We found the battery life to be short, and the body mass scans weren't consistent at review time. And unlike some Wear OS watches, it's a no-go if you're an iPhone user. Provided those aren't obstacles, though, the Galaxy Watch 4 remains one of the best values in Android-friendly smartwatches — especially at this price.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Engadget Podcast: Apple goes Super Ultra

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 05:30 AM PST

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into all of the news from Apple's first 2022 event. What's so great about the revamped iPhone SE? Is the new iPad Air better than the iPad Mini? And who really needs the Mac Studio anyway? Also, we chat about Android 12L and other Google news, the recently announced Magic Leap 2 and our fond memories of illicit filesharing services.

Listen above, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!


Subscribe!


Topics

  • Apple announces iPhone SE (Gen 3) – 2:52

  • The iPad Air now has an M1 chip – 12:26

  • Apple's next step in processing power, the M1 Ultra – 20:07

  • Mac Studio announcement – 25:43

  • Apple Studio Display – 29:05

  • Android 12L coming to larger screens later this year – 35:52

  • Google promises Chrome 99 will be faster on Android and Macs – 39:57

  • New Pixel update brings Samsung exclusives to Pixel – 41:18

  • Magic Leap 2 announced – 45:17

  • Limewire is now…an NFT marketplace?? – 50:51

  • Carl Pei's Nothing to announce 2022 roadmap – 55:20

  • Working On – 57:06

  • Picks – 1:02:29

  • Interview with Upload creator Greg Daniels – 1:11:13

Video livestream

Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos and Luke Brooks
Graphic artists: Luke Brooks and Brian Oh

UK's financial regulator orders shutdown of all Bitcoin ATMs

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 04:58 AM PST

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned operators of cryptocurrency ATMs in the UK to shut down their machines or else face enforcement action. In its announcement, the financial watchdog said that it hasn't granted any of the crypto firms registered with it the permission to operate ATM services. That means all crypto ATMs in the UK are illegal. 

"Crypto ATMs offering cryptoasset exchange services in the UK must be registered with us and comply with UK Money Laundering Regulations," the regulator wrote. As The Telegraph reports, there are around 81 functional crypto ATMs in Britain based on data from the Coin ATM Radar tracker, located mostly inside supermarkets and convenience stores.

These ATMs allow users to deposit cash in exchange for cryptocurrency, which they can then transfer to their digital wallets. The regulator previously raised concerns that the machines could be used for money laundering, because they require minimal background checks, especially for small deposits. 

Gidiplus, a Bitcoin ATM operator, tried to overturn the FCA's refusal to grant it a license. The regulator argued that bad actors could take advantage of its machines' weak identity checks on people depositing less than £250. Money launderers and illegal businesses could potentially use multiple "mules" to do small transactions in order to avoid getting noticed by authorities. The UK's Upper Tribunal ruled against Gidiplus, which has since sold its ATMs to an Eastern European buyer. 

The regulator ended its announcement with a warning that cryptocurrency is high-risk and that people could lost their money if something goes wrong:

"We regularly warn consumers that cryptoassets are unregulated and high-risk which means people are very unlikely to have any protection if things go wrong, so people should be prepared to lose all their money if they choose to invest in them."

The Morning After: Nintendo’s Super Mario theme park is coming to the US

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 04:15 AM PST

The Nintendo theme park experience is headed to the US. Universal Studios Hollywood announced Super Nintendo World — a ride and interactive area in the style of the Super Mario game series — will debut at the California theme park in 2023.

Nintendo's debut park in Osaka was delayed by nearly a year due to the pandemic, opening to limited numbers in March 2021.

For the US spin, fans can expect an interactive area, a special themed ride and themed shopping and dining — because the park has to make money, right? Like the Osaka iteration, Super Nintendo World will be an expansion of the current Universal Studios Hollywood, marking the first major expansion of the Hollywood park since the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was added in 2016. If your heart is still set on seeing the Japanese original, it will be getting a Donkey Kong expansion in 2024.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

'Call of Duty: Warzone' is coming to mobile

Activision is currently hiring for new roles to build the game.

Call of Duty: Warzone, the free-to-play battle royale, will soon have a mobile version. In a tweet, the game's publisher, Activision, announced it was hiring for a slate of new mobile roles. It's not the first CoD title adapted for mobile — Activision released the kinda-OK Call of Duty: Mobile in 2019.

Continue reading.

Ford's 2022 Maverick pickup is perfect for nerds

Low cost, 3D printing and customization.

TMA
Engadget

The only problem is that EVs are pricey. So why not embrace a hybrid that also happens to be a small truck with a very impressive starting price? The 2022 Ford Maverick starts at $20,000 and ships with a hybrid powertrain that delivers up to 42 MPG. In addition to being a truck, it has a bed built for customization. Plus, thanks to makers like Robert Trapp, the FITS (Ford Integrated Tether System) already has 3D designs for printing or manipulation. It's relatively cheap, customizable and a hybrid. Roberto Baldwin gives it a test drive.

Continue reading.

NVIDIA's high-end GeForce Now streaming tier is available on a monthly plan

It costs $20 per month or $100 for six months.

There's finally a month-to-month payment option for GeForce Now RTX 3080. Before, NVIDIA only offered six months of access for $100. Now, it costs $20 per month to try that tier. That lowers the barrier to entry, though you'll save more in the long run with the six-month plan. Expect 1440p resolution gaming with ray-tracing at up to 120 fps on Mac and PC and 4K HDR resolution at 60 fps on NVIDIA Shield.

Continue reading.

Red Rocks Amphitheater will no longer use Amazon's palm-scanning tech

Activists and artists pressured Denver Arts and Venues to stop using the system.

Red Rocks Amphitheater, one of the most recognizable concert venues in the US, no longer plans to use Amazon's palm scanning technology for ticketless entry. Activists and artists including Fight for the Future, Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) and Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill) pressured Denver Arts and Venues to refrain from using Amazon One at the venues it manages.

Those who signed an open letter cited concerns about Amazon sharing palmprint data with government agencies that seek to track marginalized people and activists.

Continue reading.

Samsung adds performance throttling controls to the Galaxy S22

They're only available in South Korea for now.

Users on Samsung's Korean community forums are receiving an update for the Galaxy S22 series that adds a "Game Performance Management Mode" to Game Booster. The release should let users override the throttling feature and wring more speed out of the flagship phones, at least so long as they're willing to accept reduced battery life.

Continue reading.

DuckDuckGo reverses course, will demote Russian propaganda in search results

The founder said he is "sickened" by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The search engine DuckDuckGo will down-rank sites that spread Russian propaganda and disinformation. Founder and CEO Gabriel Weinberg tweeted that the privacy-focused search engine would be releasing updates to ensure Russian disinformation sites rank further down in search results. Earlier this month, DuckDuckGo announced it would pause its relationship with Russian-state-owned search engine Yandex.

Continue reading.

Razer's Seiren lapel mic works over Bluetooth

It's made for streamers on the move.

TMA
Razer

Razer's Seiren Bluetooth lapel microphone packs an omnidirectional mic and AI-based noise suppression. The lapel mic includes a 3.5mm jack for monitoring through headphones, and you can customize it through the Razer Streaming App to tweak the noise suppression level, making for a pretty compelling mobile mic experience, at least on paper.

The Seiren Bluetooth is available for $100 and should work with "all" phones as well as common streaming apps like Streamlabs, Twitch and YouTube.

Continue reading.

EU and UK are investigating whether Google and Meta colluded over ads

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 03:32 AM PST

The European Commission and UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have launched an antitrust investigation into the advertising deal between Google and Meta (formerly Facebook) codenamed "Jedi Blue." In particular, the organizations are looking into whether the tech giants colluded to hinder competition "in markets for online display advertising." The US Justice Department, backed by several states, is also investigating the deal between the two companies.

As the commission explains, Google provides an ad technology service that auctions off online display advertising space on websites and apps as part of its Open Bidding program. Meanwhile, Meta's Audience Network participates in those kinds of auctions for ad spaces facilitated by Google and rival services. CMA Chief Executive Andrea Coscelli said the organization is "concerned that Google may have teamed up with Meta to put obstacles in the way of competitors who provide important online display advertising services to publishers."

Margrethe Vestager, the European Commissioner for Competition, told The Financial Times that the commission suspects there may have been an agreement between the companies to "only to use Google services and not competing services." Vestager also told the publication, however, that the commission is investigating the possibility that Meta was unaware of the agreement's repercussions and that Google acted alone. "We have not concluded yet if it's a Google thing alone or if they were in it together. It's not a given that Meta was conscious of the effects of the deal and that's what we have to investigate," the commissioner said.

In addition to opening a probe into the Jedi Blue deal, the CMA is also scrutinizing Google's conduct as a whole in relation to ad bidding. The watchdog is investigating whether the tech giant abused its dominant position to gain an advantage over competitors offering bidding services. 

Google previously denied that it colluded with Meta in a court filing, and a spokesperson echoed that in a statement sent to Engadget:

"The allegations made about this agreement are false. This is a publicly documented, procompetitive agreement that enables Facebook Audience Network (FAN) to participate in our Open Bidding program, along with dozens of other companies. FAN's involvement is not exclusive and they don't receive advantages that help them win auctions. The goal of this program is to work with a range of ad networks and exchanges to increase demand for publishers' ad space, which helps those publishers earn more revenue. Facebook's participation helps that. We're happy to answer any questions the Commission or the CMA have."

A Meta spokesperson also told us that the deal with Google is non-exclusive: 

"Meta's non-exclusive bidding agreement with Google and the similar agreements we have with other bidding platforms, have helped to increase competition for ad placements. These business relationships enable Meta to deliver more value to advertisers and publishers, resulting in better outcomes for all. We will cooperate with both inquiries."

If the CMA finds that the companies had violated competition law, they could be slapped with fines equivalent to 10 percent of their global revenues. As The Financial Times notes, though, the process could take years to complete.
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