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The Chase Bliss Habit helped me enjoy making music again

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 06:45 AM PDT

I've been stuck in something of a creative rut for the last year or so. I've been sitting on two (or maybe three) tracks for an EP since last January, unable to push through. It's gotten to the point where, honestly, I haven't even been enjoying making music these last several months.

I tell you this because, in a post detailing the difference between the Blooper, Mood and Habit pedals (which are all built around a similar core), Chase Bliss founder Joel Korte brags that the Habit "could get anyone out of a creative rut." And if you only have one takeaway from this review, it should be that Joel is probably right.

Now, I'm not going to say that the Chase Bliss Habit is for everyone. It's pricey, it's weird and it can be complicated. But it's also wholly unique and surprisingly versatile. It is, at its core, a delay pedal – a rather crisp and clean digital delay. And you can certainly treat it as such and get great results. It has tap tempo, MIDI capabilities and can handle everything from short slapback echo to Frippertronics-esque slowly degrading loops. But, if that's all you use it for you won't get your $399 worth.

Chase Bliss prefers to call Habit a "musical sketchpad," and while that's an apt description, it might confuse some people. This isn't a looper in the traditional sense, so don't expect to lay down a four-chord backing track and start writing melodies over it. Instead this is more of a happy accident machine where you might stumble into an inspiring idea.

Those are the two extremes, however. There's a world of sounds in between for you to explore on the Habit, from tape-like warbles, to complex multitap delays and glitchy stutters. The trick here is that Habit is always recording incoming audio to a three-minute digital "tape" loop. And then you can add effects, harmonize with yourself, scan through what you played one minute ago or just emulate a casino full of slot machines.

Hardware

Chase Bliss Habit
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

What's impressive is that Chase Bliss manages to cram so much range into a standard-size guitar pedal. Part of that is down to the company's extensive, but standardized control scheme. Basically, every Chase Bliss pedal (save for its Automatone series) is built around the same core platform that features six knobs, four three-way switches, a pair of foot switches and 16 dip switches on the back. It's a lot of variables crammed into a very small space, and it can be quite intimidating.

But the manual for the Habit is comprehensive, easy to understand, fun and, dare I say, beautiful? It's filled with illustrations and examples that help make what is a reasonably complicated device seem approachable. And it's presented in a Field Notes-style booklet with a cardboard cover. It's probably a silly thing to highlight, but this might be the best product manual ever.

Chase Bliss Habit

The hardware itself is likewise a step ahead of the competition. Now, there's not a ton of ways to stand out in the pedal game if you're sticking to standard sized metal enclosures, but Chase Bliss opts for knurled metal knobs and the LEDs are nestled inside tiny metal calderas. They're small touches that elevate a Chase Bliss pedal above other players in the market, which is important when you're charging this much.

The two primary knocks against it on the hardware front are a lack of stereo outs and a nonstandard ¼-inch MIDI connection. Frankly, I don't think the former is a major issue. I have a small handful of stereo pedals in my collection, and I almost never actually use them in stereo. The MIDI port on the other hand is a bit of a downer, especially now that ⅛-inch TRS MIDI is a widely adopted standard. Instead you need a special adapter box or a custom wired cable to connect other MIDI gear to Habit.

Also, because Chase Bliss has to make room for the dip switches all the jacks are on the sides of the pedal. This is hardly dealbreaker, but connecting audio, power and expression does eat up a little more real estate on your pedalboard than if the jacks were on the top.

Modifiers

Those complaints are minor nitpicks, though, and they almost don't matter once you start playing. Even when using it as a relatively straightforward delay pedal the Habit shines, especially once you start exploring the modifiers you select using the three-way switches across the middle. (The fourth switch just above the foot switches is used for selecting and saving a pair of presets, and we're just going to ignore that.) The middle switch changes between the two banks or turns the modifiers off, while the left switch selects which specific modifier you're using and the knob above it dials in the amount and style of said modifier.

Chase Bliss Habit
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

Each modifier has two different variations, depending on which way you turn the knob. For example, modifier A-1 is a stepped speed change quantized to fifths and octaves. To the right of 12 o'clock plays the repeats forward, while to the left plays them in reverse. This means that even if you don't touch any of the other controls you have seven distinct delays at your fingertips.

The other modifiers include tape-like lo-fi effects, smooth pitch changes and a multimode filter. But the two most interesting are probably the trimmer and the dropper. Trimmer slices bits of audio off the start or end of a note and can be used to create complex stuttering rhythms. Meanwhile Dropper causes your signal to drop out, appropriately enough. Turn the Modify knob to the right and you'll find rhythmic patterns; to the left and the echoes will randomly disappear. Crank that and you get heavily degraded, almost granular effects (which you can really lean into with the Spread and Scan knobs, but more on that later).

Controls

Chase Bliss Habit
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

The controls across the top are, more or less, what you'd expect on a standard delay pedal. There's level, repeats (feedback) and size (time). One important thing to note is that, as you increase or decrease the size, there is no change in pitch. The ones below it though are where the interesting things happen. We've already mentioned the modifier knob, but next to that are the Spread and Scan controls. Spread controls a second playback head which allows you to get standard multitap echoes at lower settings, but as you start to increase it, it reaches further and further back into the past. It's less of a delay and more of a sonic time machine. If used smartly, you can create cascading counter melodies as you play along with yourself from 30 seconds ago.

Scan has two modes: auto (default) and manual (controlled by one of those dip switches on the back). In auto mode it introduces random snippets of old audio. The Scan and Spread knobs interact, so as Scan starts rummaging through the past, it drags that secondary Spread playhead with it. This is important because, as you crank up the Scan, you're making Spread all the more unpredictable. This can be fun if you're looking for glitchy chaos, or frustrating if you're trying to lock into a groove with yourself.

If you set Scan to manual, you're picking out the moment of your choice from the last three minutes. This is particularly handy if you're using the Habit as a musical sketchpad, since you can record three minutes of noodling and then go back and find the bits you really want to savor.

Chase Bliss Habit
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

There is a middle ground, which is my preferred method of using Scan. If you press and hold the left foot switch it momentarily sets Scan to maximum and then snaps back to where you have it when you let go. If you use this with Scan set to zero, you're able to insert controlled bits of chaos exactly when you want to. And since both Spread and Scan are linked to Size everything stays in sync pretty nicely.

Then there's the three-way switch on the far right labeled In-Out-Feed. This is probably the most powerful control on the entire pedal. In the middle, or out, position you get a predictable sound where every echo sounds exactly the same. When switched to in, each echo is fed through the modifier circuit again. This can give you sparkling chimes that climb in pitch until they send your dog running for cover. Or echoes that crumble more with each repeat. Or, notes that get shorter and shorter as the Trimmer modifier shaves more and more off.

To the right is Feed mode, which sends the output of the Habit right back through the input creating echoes of echoes and accumulating modifier effects off into infinity. This is where things can get really wild. This can get you metallic, almost reverb-like drones. But it also means that, if you start turning knobs, those changes are printed to the internal "tape loop" because what's coming out is coming right back in again and getting recorded. This becomes even more powerful when combined with the Collect dip switch on the top.

Collect

Chase Bliss Habit

By default, Habit is always recording to a three-minute loop, but it overwrites what happened three-minutes ago. If you turn on Collect, then the loop is never erased and you're able to overdub. This is where you can start building sketches of songs and then, by turning on Feed, record what happens as you tweak knobs and dramatically transform what you played.

Now, I'll be honest: I haven't had a lot of success using this to make an actual song. The quirks of Habit also mean that this mode is best suited for particular styles of music. You can create odd stuttering and loping guitar pieces, or ambient washes, but probably nothing with a traditional song structure. But, it's still quite enjoyable and meditative to sit and slowly build up a composition by recording three minute passes of music. And that is one other thing to keep in mind: The internal loop is three minutes and there is no way to shorten it if you only want to record 30 seconds, so using Collect requires patience. This is a great way to find interesting sounds for sampling, though. Running an instrument into the Habit, and then running the results into the SP-404 has been incredibly fun.

That's the other big takeaway you should have, by the way. The Habit is fun. Despite its complexity and occasional unpredictability, it's easy to get lost in the joy of creating new and bizarre sounds.

Dip switches

Chase Bliss Habit

The thing that lends Habit its greatest sense of complexity is definitely dip switches on the top. They're one of the defining features of a Chase Bliss pedal. They basically come in two flavors: expression and customization. You can, for instance, flip the Dry Kill switch to get rid of your unaffected tone. While there is some lag introduced by the pedal, it's still useful for getting synth-like arpeggios or processing audio that you're not playing live. This is also how you enable things like Collect, Manual Scan and latch. Normally, if you hold the left footswitch momentarily it automatically maxes out the Scan parameter, while holding the right loops the last echo. With latching on those will continue until you hold down the footswitch again.

The Expression and Ramping switches add movement or allow you to control specific parameters. For example, if you connect an expression pedal and then flip the Size switch, you can quickly increase or decrease the echo time with your foot while playing. But, all Chase Bliss pedals also have an LFO which the company calls Ramp or Bounce. Ramp can be one-shot or looping (Bounce), and can be a triangle wave, square or random. So you could, for instance, set the Modify parameter to increase and decrease pitch over time to create arpeggios, or randomly change the amount of Spread to sprinkle in bits of the past.

Chase Bliss Habit
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

Ramp and expression can be in either rise or fall mode. Meaning, that either it sweeps a parameter up from the minimum to where you've set the knob, or down from the maximum to the knob setting.

One thing to note: When you enable Ramp the level knob changes the speed of the Ramp, rather than volume of the effect. So, set your levels first before you start messing with the dip switches. Oh, and if you connect an expression pedal without flipping any parameter switches on the back, it controls the level. This is handy if you want to fade in the delay only occasionally while playing.

The competition

Chase Bliss Mood and Blooper
Chase Bliss

Obviously, if you don't need or want all these crazy features and are just looking for a straightforward delay pedal, don't get a Habit. It can do typical delay stuff, but you don't need to spend $400 on a "typical delay."

There are delay pedals out there that cover some similar ground. For instance, the $299 Red Panda Raster 2. It's a digital delay with pitch and frequency shifting, plus internal modulation. But it doesn't really have equivalents of the Scan, Spread and Collect features, which are pretty unique to Habit.

The more likely choice you're trying to make is between three different Chase Bliss pedals: the Mood, Blooper and Habit. All three are related, but their strengths lie in specific areas.

Like Habit, Blooper is a collaboration with YouTuber Knobs (which has since joined Chase Bliss) and its focus is on looping. It starts with the same core conceit of any looper: record audio and then play it back. Its unique features are in how you mangle that loop by overdubbing and applying modifiers. It's probably the most complex of the three, and even has a browser-based interface where you can export loops and swap in different modifiers. I'd actually say "musical sketchpad" is a better fit for Blooper.

Mood grew out of the development of Blooper. It's a more straightforward affair. It has an always-on recorder, similar to Habit, but it plays shorter "microloops" and includes reverb for added ambience. If you want spacey granular effects without having to search too long for sweet spots, then Mood is your better bet.

Chase Bliss Habit

Wrap-up

Habit, on the other hand, is focused on delay and freeform looping. Its strengths are in creating complex rhythmic echoes and unpredictable melodic interplay. It's just as at home on a pedalboard supported by other effects as it is on a desktop being manipulated like an instrument in its own right. It has many of the same strengths as the Blooper and Mood, but it's also probably the most experimental of the bunch. It's also more difficult to tame – Habit is clearly chaotic neutral. It doesn't care about rules or tradition, it wants only to be free to wreak musical havoc. And that makes it an undeniable blast.

Xbox and Bethesda will hold a games showcase on June 12th

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 06:24 AM PDT

Although there's no E3 this year, you can still expect a ton of gaming news to emerge in the coming weeks. Microsoft has announced an Xbox and Bethesda games showcase, which will take place on June 12th (yes, that's a Sunday) at 1PM ET.

The event will include information on games from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda and some of Microsoft's partners. It sounds as if it'll be pretty comprehensive, with the promise of details on "everything you need to know about the diverse lineup of games coming soon to the Xbox ecosystem." That includes projects on the way to Game Pass for both Xbox and PC.

As for what to expect, it's a safe bet that we'll get a fresh look at Starfield. I'm hoping to hear more about Redfall, a vampire shooter Bethesda showed off last summer and hasn't said a whole lot about since. There will surely be trailers and teasers for previously unannounced games too.

The event will be broadcast in 30 languages (including American Sign Language) on platforms including YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok. 

In terms of other gaming events, Summer Game Fest will return this year. THQ Nordic has also set a showcase for August 12th.

Solo Stove's spring sale knocks up to $325 off fire pits

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 06:15 AM PDT

You're probably looking forward to spending more time outside now that the weather is getting nicer, and there are ways you can spruce up your backyard setup to it even more comfortable. Solo Stove's fire pits can cut the chill of spring nights without filling your spot with smoke like traditional fire pits would. Now, thanks to the company's spring sale, you can pick up any of its three fire pits for much less than usual. The smallest in the lineup, the Ranger, is $100 off and down to $200, while the mid-sized Bonfire is down to $240. The biggest of them all, the Yukon, is a whopping $325 off and down to $425.

Buy Ranger at Solo Stove - $200Buy Bonfire at Solo Stove - $240Buy Yukon at Solo Stove - $425

We've recommended Solo Stove devices in a few outdoor guides, most recently in our fall gear guide, but these fire pits can be used all year round. The biggest perk they have in comparison to cheaper fire pits is that they channel smoke away from you using their double-walled design that pulls air through vent holes and back into the fire. This helps keep the flames hot, reduce smoke and create fine ash.

All three Solo Stove fire pits have solid, one-piece, stainless steel designs, which makes them easy to set up, clean and even transport. The 15-pound Ranger and the 20-pound Bonfire are the most portable of the bunch, while the 38-pound Yukon is probably best left in a permanent spot in your backyard. The smaller two fire pits come with a carry case, and while you can position them correctly on the ground or a concrete patio, we recommend picking up a bundle that includes a stand so you'll have more placement options. In addition to the stand, the "backyard bundle" also includes a shield, which keeps pops and embers from escaping, along with a weather-resistant shelter bag.

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

Call of Duty games now prevent cheaters from seeing opponents

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 06:02 AM PDT

Call of Duty developers are turning to increasingly creative ways to discourage cheaters in online matches. Eurogamernotes Activision is rolling out its kernel-level RICOCHET anti-cheat system to Call of Duty: Vanguard, and has simultaneously revealed that the countermeasure punishes cheaters with "Cloaking." Any detected cheaters will find themselves unable to see or hear opponents, even down to incoming bullets. They'll be the ones at a disadvantage — and, hopefully, frustrated enough to leave the game.

Cloaking joins other "mitigations" for cheaters that include Damage Shield, which prevents cheaters from landing critical damage on rivals. Activision also made clear that anyone banned for cheating will be removed from the leaderboard for a given game, and that it bans users both daily and in waves. Its most recent crackdown culled 54,000 accounts.

RICOCHET reached the multiplayer-only Warzone in 2021. Unlike the anti-cheat technology in Valorant, the kernel-level driver for Call of Duty titles is only active while those games are running. That theoretically minimizes vulnerabilities and potential problems with other software. 

Anti-cheating measures like Cloaking aren't guaranteed to work. Provided RICOCHET spots a cheater in the first place, it also assumes their hacks can't auto-detect enemies. This nonetheless makes it harder for cheaters to prosper, and might be enough to discourage all but the most determined spoil-sports.

Amazon permanently allows workers to carry phones following warehouse collapse

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 05:45 AM PDT

Amazon will permanently allow warehouse employees to keep their cellphones with them at work after temporarily permitting them during the pandemic, Vice has reported. "We recognize the desire for employees to keep their mobile phones with them inside facilities, and the last two years have demonstrated that we can safely do so," an internal message seen by Motherboard stated. "Therefore, we are making the temporary phone policy permanent worldwide, in all of our operations facilities."

Amazon planned to reinstate the mobile device ban following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, when its Edwardsville, Illinois warehouse collapsed in a tornado, killing six people, angry associates demanded permanent cellphone access for safety reasons. They delivered a petition to six Amazon warehouses in December, saying "taking our phones away isn't about safety, it's about controlling us." Workers who voted to unionize at Amazon's Staten Island facility also made cell phone access a key demand. 

Amazon subsequently backtracked on the idea "until further notice," and has now permanently removed the ban. Meanwhile, 1,500 workers at another Staten Island warehouse are voting on whether or not to unionize, with the vote counting set to start on May 2nd. Amazon avoided penalties in the warehouse collapse, but the US safety watchdog OSHA asked the company to review its procedures after discovering issues with its Emergency Action Plan (EAP).

Twitter admits it accidentally overstated user numbers between 2019 and 2021

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 05:39 AM PDT

As it prepares itself for the possibility of becoming wholly owned by Elon Musk, Twitter is today revealing that it previously overstated its user figures between 2019 and 2021. In its newest financial reports, the platform says that users with multiple accounts were inadvertently counted as multiple people. The difference in the figures was never more than 2 million either way, but it reflects the even more limited nature of Twitter's growth.

In terms of revenue, Twitter pulled in $1.20 billion across the first quarter, of which $1.11 billion was made through advertising. A further $94 million was added through "subscription and other revenue," which includes data sales and other business-to-business services. A cash injection also came from Twitter's sale of MoPub, its mobile ad platform, which it handed off to AppLovin for $1.05 billion in an all-cash deal. Despite this, the company posted an operating loss of $128 million compared to a modest gain of $52 million in the same quarter last year.

Twitter defines its user figures through the term "average monetizable Daily Usage (mDAU)," which means the number of people using the platform it can actually make money from. In the first quarter of 2022, that figure was 39.6 million for the US, and 189.4 million for the rest of the world, a significant increase compared to these figures last year. Twitter, as part of its user correction, published updated figures for Q4 2021, saying that it had 37.5 million mDAU in the US and 177.3 million internationally.

The company, as per the rules, couldn't give guidance on its future performance given a deal to take it private is looming in the near future. But it's interesting to wonder just how much value can be extracted from a platform that, despite seeing modest if healthy user growth, still managed to lose $128 million in a quarter. Financial-types believe that Musk will saddle the newly-private Twitter with at least $13 billion in debt (it currently owes around $5 billion), meaning that it needs to make more than a billion in pure profit each year just to satisfy its interest payments.

The 2022 Apple iPad Air is $40 off right now

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 05:15 AM PDT

You can grab the newly launched 2022 Apple iPad Air for just $559 right now. While the device dropped to as low as $550 on Amazon for a grand total of eight hours last week, this latest deal shaves $40 off its retail price of $599. That's a decent discount for a device that only became available in March. The catch is that only the purple version is on sale for $559, though you can still get the other colors for $20 less than retail at $570. 

Buy 2022 Apple iPad Air at Amazon - $559

The 2022 iPad Air gets a huge performance boost over its predecessor from its M1 chip, which also powers the tech giant's Mac computers and the considerably more expensive iPad Pro. We gave it a score of 90 in our review, mostly thanks to how significantly faster it is at both single- and multi-core tasks than the previous versions of the tablet when we ran Geekbench 5 on it. 

We also praised the device for having an excellent battery life despite the chip upgrade — it even lasted close to 12 hours during our test instead of just 10 like the company's claim. Apple also upgraded its front cam and gave it a 12-megapixel ultra wide angle camera that enables Center Stage. That's the tech giant's feature designed to follow you around and keep you in the frame during video calls. 

The version that's currently on sale for $559 is the WiFi-only variant, but you also have the chance to grab its 5G-capable counterpart at a discount. Its purple version has been available for $700 at Amazon over the past week: That's $49 less its retail price and the lowest we've seen for the 2022 cellular Apple iPad Air so far.

Buy 2022 Apple iPad Air (WiFi + Cellular) at Amazon - $700

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

Google will allow users to limit ads about parenting, weight loss and dating

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 05:00 AM PDT

YouTube and Gmail ads are about to get a little less annoying for some. Google today is adding parenting and pregnancy, weight loss and dating to its list of "sensitive categories" on user ad controls. Users will be able to restrict ads from these categories on both YouTube and Google Display. The ad filters won't apply to Google search results or Google Shopping, but a spokesperson confirmed that this could happen in the future.

"Providing transparency and control has always been a priority for us so we're expanding our tools, enabling the choice to see fewer pregnancy and parenting, dating, and weight loss ads. We'll continue to listen to user feedback and study which categories to expand this feature to in the future," said Karin Hennessy, group product manager for ad privacy at Google in a statement.

Targeted ads have come under fire for being particularly intrusive and even harmful for certain users. For example, alcoholics or gambling addicts could be triggered by ads for tequila and online casinos. Those who suffer from eating disorders or body dysmorphia could experience something similar with weight loss ads, and so platforms are trying to strike a delicate balance that keeps their users happy while not alienating their advertisers.

In response to accusations of discriminatory ads, Meta this year removed the ability for advertisers to target users based on sensitive topics, such as health, race or ethnicity, political affiliation, religion or sexual orientation. Twitter has also banned political ads and climate change denial ads from its platform. Both Facebook and Instagram block ads featuring weight loss products and cosmetic surgery targeted to minors. Instagram users can set their ad topic preferences so they'll see fewer ads from certain categories. Google has already blocked targeted ads for users below the age of 18 years old, and in 2020 allowed users to limit how many ads they would encounter on the topics of gambling or alcohol. 

Given the sizable share of the online ad market it currently holds, Google's decision to let users opt out of additional sensitive ad categories means those who might be harmed (or just annoyed) by them will hopefully be exposed to them less frequently.

The Morning After: Apple's repair-it-yourself iPhone service and toolkits launch in the US

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 04:15 AM PDT

Apple's Self Service Repair program is now available in the US. If you have an iPhone 12, iPhone 13 or third-generation iPhone SE, you can buy replacement batteries, cameras and displays from a dedicated store and use the company's official repair manuals to fix it yourself. You can even spend $49 to rent a toolkit for a week if you'd rather not buy tools.

The program will expand to other regions later this year, starting in Europe. If you're looking to repair your Mac, you'll have to wait a little longer. Like iPhones, currently only the very latest models — powered by Apple Silicon — will be self-repair friendly.

Conveniently, for Apple, it timed the launch alongside a new white paper, which says the company has "nearly doubled" the size of its repair network, and eight out of 10 of its American customers live within 20 minutes of an authorized repair provider. The company also outlined the rationales, again, behind its design and repair decisions, including its emphasis on using official parts — to protect your privacy and security.

It's not a flawless repair scheme. To buy a part, you need to enter your iPhone's serial number at checkout and get that part activated through a pairing software tool.

As iFixit points out, other parts will come with an "unable to verify" warning, which could limit (or put off) people thinking of repairing their device.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

Sony is building a game preservation team

The revamped PlayStation Plus service will include hundreds of games from older generations.

TMA
Kim Kyung Hoon / reuters

Talking of preservation, Sony is trying to ensure games from decades ago will live on. When Sony's expanded PlayStation Plus service starts rolling out next month, it'll fold in PlayStation Now, which offers access to hundreds of games from older console generations. Sony has hired at least one engineer to work on a new game preservation team.

Sony has struggled to preserve games over console iterations. Many PS1 games worked on PS2, and the original PS3 models could run many PS1 and PS2 games, but you were unable to play discs from older generations on PS4.

Continue reading.

Amazon avoids fines and other penalties in Illinois warehouse collapse

It's still facing multiple lawsuits and a House Oversight committee probe.

CNBC reports Amazon won't face fines and other penalties following the collapse of an Illinois warehouse that killed six workers during a tornado. However, the US Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) asked Amazon to review its procedures after discovering issues with its Emergency Action Plan. Despite tornado warnings from the National Weather Service 36 hours ahead of the event, Amazon continued to operate the Edwardsville, Illinois, warehouse. It was in the middle of a shift change when the tornado touched down with wind speeds up to 150 MPH, destroying the south side of the building.

While Amazon avoided penalties from OSHA, it's facing a separate probe in Congress and multiple lawsuits.

Continue reading.

Twitch is reconsidering how it pays top streamers

Because many jumped to YouTube.

Bloombergsources say Twitch is considering multiple proposals to rethink payment structures, including one that would cut top streamers' share of subscriptions from 70 percent to the usual 50 percent. Another would establish multiple pay tiers with different requirements.

The reported proposals come after Twitch implemented multiple efforts to boost long-term profits and satisfy its parent company, Amazon. The service recently introduced a program that motivates frequent streamers to run more ads.

Continue reading.

'Disney Dreamlight Valley' looks like Animal Crossing with Wall-E and Moana

You can go fishing with Goofy and help Anna and Elsa restore their memories.

TMA
Disney

Disney's latest video game, Dreamlight Valley, appears to be a blend of a life sim and an adventure game packed with Disney and Pixar characters. In metaverse style, you'll be able to customize your character with T-shirts, dresses, hats and other gear you design yourself. There's also the option of kitting them out with Mickey Mouse streetwear or a ballgown inspired by a Disney princess. (Why not both?)

Disney Dreamlight Valley will be available on PC, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. It'll formally launch in 2023 as a free-to-play game.

Continue reading.

Amazon one-day PC accessory sale offers savings of up to 48 percent

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 03:55 AM PDT

For anyone building a PC or looking for accessories like monitors, storage or keyboards, Amazon is having a one-day sale that might be of strong interest. A host of desirable items are significantly marked down, including keyboards, headsets, power supplies, displays, cases and storage, with discounts as high as 48 percent. 

Buy PC accessories at Amazon

There are a few standout deals, but lots of other choice as well. First on the list is the 31.5-inch 2,560 x 1,440 Acer Nitro XV322QU IPS gaming display, with features like DisplayHDR 400, AMD FreeSync, up to a 170Hz refresh rate, 0.5 millisecond lag and 90 percent DCI-P3 color accuracy. With a large size and extreme speed, it's a highly desirable model and is at or near an all-time low of $299, for a savings of 45 percent or $250. 

Amazon one-day PC and accessory sale offers savings of up to 45 percent
Razer

Speaking of speed, Razer's Huntsman V2 TKS Tenkeyless gaming keyboard (above) offers that in spades, with the "fastest linear optical switches with sound dampeners and an 8,000Hz polling rate," the company says. In other words, it's fast and quiet while offering great durability thanks to the Doubleshot PBT keycaps. It's now on sale for $100, saving you $60 or 38 percent over the regular price. 

Finally, you'll appreciate this deal if you're a PC builder. Corsair's HX850 platinum-certified, fully modular power supply is on sale for $120, for a savings of 35 percent of $65. That 850-watt category is the sweet spot for most enthusiasts, and the $65 savings might let you upgrade your CPU or RAM. 

There are numerous other items, including a Toshiba N300 14TB NAS drive for $265 (37 percent off), be quiet!'s 1,500W BN647 power supply for $300 (33 percent off) and Sennheiser's GSX 1000 Gaming Audio Amplifier at $120 (48 percent off). Finally, while it's not a PC accessory, the best deal in the sale is on Samsung's 10.5-inch 256GB Galaxy Tab S6 for $300, a full 59 percent off. It's best to act soon, though, as the sale ends in less than a day. 

CNN+ is shutting down earlier than planned

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 03:23 AM PDT

CNN is pulling the plug on its streaming service today, April 28th, instead of on April 30th like previously reported. The company has sent out emails to subscribers, and as Digital Trends reports, it clearly states that CNN+ streaming "will come to an end on April 28th." The service launched just a month ago on March 29th, but it was only pulling in 10,000 daily users who were willing to pay $6 a month for live and on-demand news programming, according to CNBC. New CNN president Chris Licht was reportedly the one who recommended its closure, which might come with hundreds of job cuts. 

CNN invested hundreds of millions of dollars into the project and recruited talent from other networks to host shows for the platform. While the service was short-lived, CNN itself reported that the network is committed to finding new roles for the hosts of its shows.

Discovery CEO Jean-Briac Perrette informed employees about the closure in a meeting where he said that the situation was avoidable, but that "prior leadership decided to just keep going" with its planned March debut despite the impending merger between his company and CNN owner WarnerMedia. The merged company, Warner Bros. Discovery, had a different strategy in mind — it's also billions in debt as a result of the merging process. 

In addition to informing subscribers in an email about the earlier-than-expected closure, CNN has also updated the service's help page. The company stated in the page that all subscribers will receive a full refund. It didn't say why CNN+ is shutting down a couple of days earlier than announced, but Digital Trends notes that it might be because subscriptions are about to renew. Some early adopters were able to sign up on March 28th, a day before the service's official launch date. Whatever the reason is, subscribers can say goodbye to CNN+ today and expect to get their refund on May 28th.

Elon Musk must continue to have his Tesla tweets checked before posting

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 01:55 AM PDT

Elon Musk won't be able to get out of his agreement requiring oversight of his tweets about the company, Bloomberg reported. A judge has rejected his request to drop the 2018 deal made with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that required a company lawyer approve any Tesla-related tweets. The judge also denied Musk's request to block an SEC subpoena related to possible insider trading. 

"Musk cannot now seek to retract the agreement he knowingly and willingly entered by simply bemoaning that he felt like he had to agree to it at the time but now — once the specter of the litigation is a distant memory and his company has become, in his estimation, all but invincible — wishes that he had not," US District Judge Lewis Liman wrote.

Musk may wish it were otherwise, but he remains subject to the same enforcement authority — and has the same means to challenge the exercise of that authority — as any other citizen.

After Musk tweeted in 2018 that he had "funding secured" to take Tesla private at $420, the SEC sued saying that Musk had misled investors. The parties eventually settled, with Musk and Tesla agreeing to pay $20 million each and require lawyers to review Musk's Tesla-related tweets. 

However, last month Musk asked a federal court to terminate the deal, saying he felt "forced" to sign the consent decree during a period when Tesla's financial health was at risk. A self-described "free speech absolutist," he also claimed through his lawyer that the deal impinged on his his First Amendment rights. 

The judge also denied Musk's request to quash an SEC subpoena related to a Twitter poll he conducted asking users whether he should sell Tesla shares or not. Officials were concerned he might have told his brother Kimbal about the poll, leading the brother to sell 88,500 shares just a day before the November 6th, 2021 tweet. In response, Musk said that the Twitter poll in question was just meant to gather input and not a disclosure of information he'd have to report to the SEC.

"Musk may wish it were otherwise, but he remains subject to the same enforcement authority — and has the same means to challenge the exercise of that authority — as any other citizen," Liman wrote. "Indeed, to conclude otherwise would be to hold that a serial violator of the securities laws or a recidivist would enjoy greater protection against SEC enforcement than a person who had never even been accused of a securities law violation."

In response, Musk's lawyer Alex Spiro said that the court's ruling still means he can address SEC subpoenas on a case-by-case basis. "The court is simply saying we can move to quash these subpoenas when they are compelled," he told Bloomberg. "Nothing will ever change the truth, which is that Elon Musk was considering taking Tesla private and could have — all that's left some half decade later is remnant litigation which will make that truth clearer and clearer."

Dell's XPS 13 Plus ultraportable is now available for $1,299

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 11:48 PM PDT

Dell's latest flagship ultraportable is now available for purchase. The Dell XPS 13 Plus is powered by Intel's 28-watt 12th-gen processors and features a clean, minimalist design. Its keyboard has no borders and no space in between its large keys that makes it ideal for touch-typing. The laptop's haptic touchpad blends into its palm rest and the function buttons at the top of the keyboard aren't buttons at all — they're displayed on a touch panel similar to Mac's Touch Bar.

It's a beautiful device that gives the illusion of being carved out of a single piece of metal, but it doesn't come without drawbacks. The biggest one of all? It doesn't have a headphone jack. You'd have to use Bluetooth headsets with it, and the process of connecting a pair to a Windows laptop isn't quite as seamless as connecting one to a phone. In addition, we had some trouble using the touchpad when we tested the laptop at CES earlier this year, because the lack of borders means you can't see its edges. That said, it might be something you get used to the more time you spend with the notebook. 

The XPS 13 Plus will set you back at least $1,299 and comes with either an OLED touch or an LCD display. You can also get the Developer Edition, which ships pre-installed with Ubuntu instead of Windows, for at least $1,249. It's still showing on Dell's site as coming soon, but it should be available shortly.

Samsung reports steep rise in profit for the first quarter of 2022

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 09:46 PM PDT

Samsung has reported a massive rise in operating profit for the first three months of 2022, thanks in part to the robust demand for its memory chips and the strong sales of its new Galaxy flagship devices. The Korean tech giant has posted an operating profit of KRW 14.12 trillion ($11.12 billion), which is 51 percent higher than the same period last year, and a record consolidated revenue of KRW 77.78 trillion ($61.2 billion). 

As usual, Samsung's memory division was a standout performer, exceeding market forecasts because memory prices didn't drop as much as analysts had expected. It posted a consolidated revenue of KRW 26.87 trillion ($21.14 billion), and while it saw a slight decline in profit due to incentives and seasonality, demand for PC and server chips remained solid. The company's foundry business also contributed to the division's performance by achieving its highest ever first quarter sales. Samsung is optimistic for the division's prospects going forward, but it also expects component shortages to persist through the second half of the year and will constantly monitor the situation. 

While overall demand for mobile was down due to seasonality and "geopolitical uncertainties," Samsung posted higher profit (KRW 3.82 trillion or $3 billion) and revenue (KRW 32.37 trillion or $25.5 billion) for the division this quarter compared to the last. The strong sales of its new flagship phones, particularly the Galaxy S22 Ultra, as well as of its mass market 5G phones contributed to both profit and revenue growth. Despite the allegations that a preinstalled app on S22 phones is throttling the performance of several applications, the company previously said that demand for the flagship is 20 percent higher than of its predecessor's. Samsung expects component shortages for mobile to continue, as well, but it also expects the availability of component supplies for the S22 to improve. That's why it plans to focus on maintaining strong sales for its flagships in the next quarter.

The tech giant reports a rise in mobile display earnings due to solid demand for premium products, as well. For larger displays, it says its QD monitors were well-received. It debuted its QD-OLED technology, which differs from standard OLED in that it only uses blue organic light-emitting diodes for a brighter output, at CES earlier this year. Samsung's TV business lagged behind its other divisions, though, and saw a decline in demand following strong sales in the end of 2021 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In early March, Samsung halted its product shipments to Russia, where it has a TV plant and where it's known as the top smartphone brand. 

Elon Musk is already at risk of violating a key provision of his deal with Twitter

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 03:46 PM PDT

Elon Musk may have already broken a key provision of the deal he made with Twitter. One day after Twitter disclosed the terms of its deal with Musk, the Tesla CEO is already raising questions about his willingness to adhere to a non-disparagement clause.

According to an SEC filing shared by twitter on Tuesday, Musk is "permitted to issue Tweets about the Merger or the transactions contemplated hereby so long as such Tweets do not disparage the Company or any of its Representatives." In other words, Musk can tweet about the deal all he wants, but he can't denigrate Twitter or its employees.

But once again Musk seems unwilling to moderate himself, and has done so at the expense of a top Twitter executive.

On Tuesday night, Musk replied to a tweet about an earlier Politico story that reported Twitter's top policy exec, Vijaya Gadde, had cried during a meeting with staff discussing Musk's buyout. The original tweet also noted Gadde's role in Twitter's handling of the Hunter Biden laptop story in 2020. (The company quickly reversed course after initially trying to limit the story, citing its policy on hacked materials.)

"Suspending the Twitter account of a major news organization for publishing a truthful story was obviously incredibly inappropriate," Musk responded. On Wednesday, Musk targeted Gadde again, tweeting a meme based on her appearance on a 2019 episode of Joe Rogan's podcast.

The tweets, which have prompted a wave of harassment directed at Gadde, have prompted two former Twitter CEOs to come to her defense. Twitter co-founder and former CEO EV Williams wrote that Gadde is "one of the most thoughtful, principled people I know."

Former CEO Dick Costolo was more pointed. "You're making an executive at the company you just bought the target of harassment and threats," hesaid. "Bullying is not leadership," he wrote in a separate tweet. "I'm just saying Twitter needs to be politically neutral," Musk responded.

Notably, neither Jack Dorsey — who recently enthusiastically endorsed Musk's takeover —or current CEO Parag Agrawal has commented directly. Agrawl tweeted Wednesday that he was "proud of our people who continue to do the work with focus and urgency despite the noise."

Twitter didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Regardless, this kind of "noise" from Musk is not likely to sit well with Twitter employees, many of whom are already apprehensive about the direction Musk will take the platform.

Musk has claimed that he wants Twitter to be "politically neutral," which in his estimation "effectively means upsetting the far right and the far left equally." Early reports looking at changes in follower counts for high-profile accounts suggest that far-right politicians are seeing a sharp uptick in followers. 

Amazon makes advocacy group's list of most dangerous US workplaces, again

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 02:20 PM PDT

Amazon has made a list for the most dangerous workplaces in the US for a third time. The advocacy group National COSH (Council for Occupational Safety and Health) has included Amazon in a "Dirty Dozen" list meant to shame what it sees as the least safe American workplaces of 2022. The internet retailer earned the less-than-flattering distinction for an injury rate more than double the industry average, including six deaths at a Bessemer, Alabama warehouse since it opened in 2020.

National COSH noted that one of the workers who died was reportedly forced to work while ill as he didn't have enough unpaid time off. It also pointed to worker Jennifer Bates' concerns that the "pace of work" and overall strain contributed to injuries. The advocates also pointed to Amazon firing Staten Island warehouse worker Gerald Bryson after a 2020 protest over a lack of COVID-19 safety measures. A judge recently ordered Amazon to reinstate Bryson after determining that he'd been fired in retaliation for his criticism.

We've asked Amazon for comment. It has historically denied putting workers at undue risk, and maintains that Bryson was fired for violating company language policies despite a lack of evidence. Amazon also made the list in 2019 and 2020. Other companies on the 2022 list include Dollar General, Hilton Hotels and Starbucks.

National COSH's list won't have any direct repercussions for Amazon. However, it's not a good look for the tech firm after a string of allegations and incidents beyond the ones that helped it reach the list. The company has been chastised for running an Illinois warehouse during a tornado that killed six staffers in December. Workers' rights proponents have also accused Amazon of misusing a charity work program to hide its true injury rates, and Bryson wasn't the first supposedly fired for criticizing labor practices. We wouldn't count on Amazon avoiding the 2023 list, even if it is trying to improve safety. 

Soundboks Go: A portable boombox with a wireless focus

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 02:20 PM PDT

I've spent plenty of time in the past DJing, throwing small parties and going to events, so that's put me in the mindset of looking for the biggest sound systems with the least amount of hassle. There are plenty of Bluetooth options these days that would make my younger self excited. The Soundboks Go is the latest of the bunch, packing a respectable boom from this relatively small package (18 x 12 x 10 inches). This 20-pound speaker is half the size of the Soundboks Gen 3 and nearly half the price at $699. It still has a thumping bass output, clear, long-throw mids and highs and wireless TeamUP expansion, but its physical connectivity is limited to a single 3.5mm aux input.

There's a lot to like here for people who are looking for big sound in a format you can lug around without too much effort using its integrated handle or $59 shoulder strap accessory. With Soundboks' SKAA wireless connectivity (TeamUP), it's also easy to expand the setup with other speakers from the brand by setting one speaker to Host and the others to Join. This would let you quickly cobble together an event PA or dancefloor, but that's no small financial feat considering the price.

The Go and the Gen 3 have a lot in common, both in sound quality and build. Both use the same swappable BatteryBoks, include a top hat (or pole) mount and offer a big, bright output (40Hz - 20kHz) with little to no distortion at the loudest volume. These Bluetooth 5.0 speakers work with the Soundboks app so you can adjust the EQ, custom sound profiles, volume, stereo positioning, set Bluetooth signal locks and download the latest firmware updates.

The onboard controls are fairly basic, providing a volume control that doubles as the power button, alongside the manual Solo, Host and Join button. The Join indicator shows the connection status, which you can read about further in the manual. For deeper controls, you'll have to head to the app.

The Soundboks Go portable Bluetooth speaker seen on the front steps of a Brooklyn brownstone.
Jon Turi / Engadget

As for its build, the Soundboks brand has made a name for itself making rugged portable Bluetooth speakers and the Go follows suit. It has an IP65 rating so it can handle inclement weather well, just don't dunk it in the water. On the exterior, there's a solid ABS and polycarbonate cabinet and grille with silicone bumpers and a TPE rubber handle similar to the one on the UE Hyperboom. There's strapping with loops that run around the center, which is used for connecting the shoulder strap. While the Go is easy enough to carry around by the handle, I'd recommend going all in and getting the strap as well if you plan to walk around with it for more than a few blocks. Sometimes even 20 pounds can seem heavier after a while.

The audio design for the Go has just one 10-inch woofer (96dB), a 1-inch horn-mounted tweeter (102dB) and you'll find the bass ports around the woofer in a front-facing position. This limits the reflectivity of the bass from that of the Gen 3, making it generally better for outdoor settings. 

That's fine, since this is a speaker that works best when unlimbered at higher volumes and provides bass you can feel even at 20 feet away (most effectively in Bass+ mode). While that's the ideal, you can use it indoors at a lower volume (50% or less on Indoor mode) to good effect, but again the output is very directional and can seem a bit big for smaller rooms. It is marketed as an "outdoor" speaker after all.

Still, you can shuffle through the custom profiles to get the ideal output for your particular environment. Bass+ mode provides the chunkiest and thumping bass output, but will tax the battery life. Power mode is still very loud, with plenty of bass and should give you 10 hours of playtime at full volume or 40 hours at medium. Indoors mode is a much thinner sound, but won't disturb the neighbors as much and still sounds fine. There's also a custom setting, so you can adjust the EQ as you see fit. However, if you're thinking of just keeping the battery plugged in and charging the whole time while you play, keep in mind that you shouldn't go past 50 percent volume or risk damaging the device.

One big changeup with the Soundboks Go is the focus on wireless connectivity over practical wired inputs and outputs. The single 3.5mm aux input is all you get, so even though it's more portable, musicians and singers looking to amplify their craft on the road will have to try and make do — or upgrade to the Gen 3.

While the Soundboks Go is a high-end device, it can still fall victim to the capricious nature of Bluetooth signals. Using TeamUP to connect multiple speakers also has some range limitations, although raising the speakers up on top hats to maximize line-of-sight and having structures for the radio signals to bounce off of will help optimize connectivity. In my testing with the Bluetooth source being my pocketed phone and connecting a Soundboks Go and Gen 3 together via TeamUP they started to have a little bit of connection drop while about 40 feet away from each other in an area off a busy road with no walls of any sort nearby.

Having more than one speaker placed within 30 feet or less of each other or in clusters would seem to be the way to go here if you have them. If you're planning an event, you may want to consider getting a SKAA transmitter to bridge your source and connect to the speakers for a more stable connection than Bluetooth. For the most reliable connection, you'll want to stick with wired input, although the Soundboks Go's 3.5mm port isn't a standard for professional use.

The Soundboks Go portable Bluetooth speaker seen on the front steps of a Brooklyn brownstone.
Jon Turi / Engadget

Overall, the $699 Soundboks Go is definitely a more portable alternative to the $999 Gen 3 model, but loses most of the wired connections, aligning it more with the Bluetooth mainstream. If you want to use a pair as a Bluetooth loudspeaker alternative, it's doable considering the up to 10 hour runtime at full volume in Power mode. But for larger (and louder) event applications, especially in Bass+, the runtime limit becomes an issue. As a personal standalone device, it's powerful, portable and durable. The JBL PartyBox series (110 or 310) speakers are close competitors, but in portability, perhaps the JBL Boombox 2 is closer. That kicks out some volume, but doesn't have the long throw like you'll find with the Soundboks Go.

The price is a bit steep, but the audio quality doesn't disappoint, especially in its size range. It can also be a great complement to another Go or a Gen 3 speaker, but it's a less capable pro-level competitors. If you're on the fence, there's a 100-day return policy and a respectable two-year warranty (plus one more if you register the device). The Soundboks Go is now available to purchase for $699 on the company's website.

'FIFA 22' headlines May's PlayStation Plus games

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 01:07 PM PDT

Sony has revealed the three games that PlayStation Plus subscribers can snag in May at no extra cost. The headliner is a big one: FIFA 22. It was the 12th best-selling game of 2021 overall, according to NPD, and the most-downloaded title on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in Europe last year.

You'll be able to claim both the PS4 and PS5 versions of FIFA 22 starting on May 3rd. PS Plus subscribers can also snag a special FIFA Ultimate Team pack that includes 11 players rated 82 or above as well as an Icon Moments Loan Player Pick. You'll be able to add one of three legendary players to your squad for five games.

Also in the PS Plus lineup for May is survival and action-RPG hybrid Tribes of Midgard for PS4 and PS5. Rounding out the trifecta of sort-of freebies is temple-plundering roguelike Curse of the Dead Gods for PS4.

If you haven't claimed them yet, you have until May 2nd to snap up April's games: Hood: Outlaws & Legends, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated and Slay the Spire. Sony also says Persona 5 will be removed from the PS Plus Collection on May 11. As long as you claim any of those before they're rotated out, you'll still be able to download and play them as long as you're a PS Plus member.

This is one of the last monthly PS Plus drops before Sony revamps the service. It's folding PlayStation Now into PS Plus and creating a three-tier system. The new-look PS Plus will roll out gradually and it's expected to hit the US on June 13th.

Withings' ScanWatch Horizon will finally arrive in the US on May 17th

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 12:50 PM PDT

At long last, Withings is releasing the ScanWatch Horizon in the US — several months after its debut. The diving watch-inspired hybrid wearable will be available in the country on May 17th for $500 with either a blue or green dial. Withings didn't explain the reason for the long wait (it also missed an early 2022 target), but it initially had to hold for FDA clearance for the signature ECG feature.

The ScanWatch Horizon is Withings' bid to court watch buyers who want smart features without giving up the artisanship of an upscale (if not truly luxurious) conventional timepiece. You'll get the previously mentioned ECG sensor as well as activity, blood oxygen, heart rate and sleep tracking, all of which is tucked into a tiny display on an otherwise traditional-looking watch face.

However, design is everything here. You'll find a tasteful steel case and scratch-resistant sapphire glass that look they'd belong on the wrist of a yacht enthusiast. And yes, the Horizon could serve as a real diver's watch with a 10 ATM (100m, or 328ft) water rating. No one will mistake it for a Rolex or Patek Philippe, but you could wear it on formal occasions without receiving disapproving glances. Think of it as decidedly more affordable, if feature-limited. alternative to TAG Heuer's Connected watches.

Bethesda PC Launcher users can now start migrating to Steam

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 12:35 PM PDT

The time has come to say farewell to Bethesda's PC games launcher. Starting today, players can transfer their games library, as well as DLC, virtual currency, in-game items and their friends list to their Steam account. Users still have until May 11th to play their heart out on the Bethesda PC launcher. On that date, the PC launcher will no longer allow access to any games. But users can still access their Bethesda.net accounts and transfer their games over to Steam after May 11th.

Players who are ready to migrate should make sure to read the detailed instructions on Bethesda's website first. Any games users already own or purchases they've made will be available free on Steam. But keep in mind that the transferring process could get a bit hairy. While most game saves will automatically transfer, some will require players to manually transfer them over to Steam. For example, DOOM Eternal players will have to manually copy their saved files to their Steam folder. Bethesda has some updated instructions for DOOM Eternal players here. Fallout 76 players should note that there's a special tool available to help make the migration easier, as well as an extensive FAQ they should read first. Wolfenstein: Youngblood at present isn't available for transfer, so players won't be able to carry over their progression on that game to Steam. But in-game skins and DLCs should transfer normally.

While migrating your library may seem annoying, Bethesda is sweetening the pot by making a number of new games available on Steam for the first time. These include The Elder Scrolls Arena, The Elder Scrolls Daggerfall, Creation Kit for Fallout 4 and Skyrim Special Edition, and Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory. Fallout 76's Public Test Server is now available on Steam as well.

'Disney Dreamlight Valley' looks like Animal Crossing with Wall-E and Moana

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 12:15 PM PDT

If you've had your fill of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and want to check out a new game with a similar flavor, it might be worth taking a gander at Disney Dreamlight Valley when it arrives. It's a blend of a life sim and an adventure game that's packed with Disney and Pixar characters.

You'll be able to customize your character with T-shirts, dresses, hats and other gear you design yourself. There's also the option of kitting them out with streetwear adorned with Mickey Mouse or a ballgown inspired by a Disney princess. Your home and village (which will have several biomes including snow-capped mountains and the Peaceful Meadow) can be decorated and upgraded as well.

As they explore, players will meet and befriend the likes of Buzz Lightyear, Moana, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Simba, Anna, Elsa and Belle. It seems like there's plenty to do. For instance, you can cook with Remy from Ratatouille, go fishing with Goofy and tend to Wall-E's vegetable patch.

Disney Dreamlight Valley
Gameloft Montreal/Disney

There's a story-driven campaign at the heart of Disney Dreamlight Valley. After a mysterious event called The Forgetting, the village is full of Night Thorns. You'll clear the thorns and help the residents restore their memories by completing tasks. More areas can be unlocked as well. Developer Gameloft Montreal is promising regular updates, including activities linked to new Disney and Pixar movies and events.

Disney Dreamlight Valley will be available on PC, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Although it will formally launch in 2023 as a free-to-play game, you'll be able to gain early access this summer via Xbox Game Pass or by buying a founder's pack. Gameloft Montreal says the early access period will have exclusive rewards that can carry over to the officially released version.

Meta's newest AI discovers stronger and greener concrete formulas

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 12:00 PM PDT

They may not be able to shout "Eureka!" like their human colleagues but AI/ML system have shown immense potential in the field of compound discovery — whether that's sifting through reams of data to find new therapeutic compounds or imagining new recipes using the ingredients' flavor profiles. Now a team from Meta AI, working with researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, have created an AI that can devise and refine formulas for increasingly high-strength, low-carbon concrete.

Traditional methods for creating concrete, of which we produce billions of tons every year, are far from ecologically friendly. In fact, they generate an estimated 8 percent of the annual global carbon dioxide emission total. Advances have been made in recent years to reduce the concrete industry's carbon footprint (as well as in make the material more rugged, more resilient and even capable of charging EVs) but overall its production remains among the most carbon intensive in modern construction.

Reducing the amount of carbon that goes into concrete could be as simple as changing the ingredients that go into concrete. The material is made from four basic components: cement, aggregate, water and admixture (which act as doping agents). Cement is far and away the most carbon-intensive ingredient of the four so research has been made into reducing the amount of cement needed by supplementing it with lower-carbon materials like fly ash, slag, or ground glass. 

Similarly, aggregate materials like gravel, crushed stone, sand might be replaced with recycled concrete. The problem is that there are dozens of potential ingredient materials that could be used and the ratio of their amounts all interact to influence the structural profile of the resulting concrete. In short, there are a whole slew of possible combinations for researchers to test, select, and refine; and working through those myriad options sequentially, at human speed, is going to take forever. So the Meta folks trained an AI to do it, much faster.

Working with Prof. Lav Varshney, electrical and computer engineering department, and Prof. Nishant Garg, civil engineering department, both of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the team first trained the model using the Concrete Compressive Strength data set. This set includes more than 1,000 concrete formulas as well as their structural attributes, including seven-day and 28-day compressive strength data. The team determined the resulting concrete mixture's carbon footprint using the Cement Sustainability Initiative's Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) tool. 

Of the generated list of potential formulas, the research team then selected the five most promising options and iteratively refined them until they met or exceeded the 7- and 28-day strength metrics while dropping carbon requirements by at least 40 percent. The refinement process took mere weeks and ended up generating a concrete formula that exceeded all of those requirements while replacing as much as 50 percent of the required cement with fly ash and slag. Meta then teamed with concrete company Ozinga, the folks who recently built Meta's newest datacenter in Illinois, to further refine the formula and conduct real world testing. 

Looking ahead, the Meta team hopes to further improve the formula's 3- and 5-day strength profiles (basically ensuring it dries faster so the rest of the construction can move ahead sooner) and get a better understanding of how it cures under varying weather conditions like wind or high humidity. 

You can now ask Google to remove phone numbers from search results

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 11:38 AM PDT

Google has long accepted requests to remove some personal information from search results, but now that option should be considerably more useful. Google has expanded the policy to let you ask for the removal of contact info like phone numbers, email addresses and physical addresses. You can also have Google remove login credentials if they pop up in queries.

The company's previous stance limited requests to special instances, such as doxxing campaigns, as well as conspicuous fraud targets like bank and credit card details. Google will still review requests to be sure they're honest — it won't scrub references that are a matter of public record, for instance. A politician couldn't simply ask to have their office phone number removed.

The expansion follows other recent efforts to curb the spread of sensitive info. As of last year, Google users under 18 can request the removal of their photos from image searches. However, this might be one of the more important developments. While the widened policy isn't guaranteed to protect your privacy, it could thwart doxxers, harassers and stalkers who are counting on a quick Google search to reach their targets.

Alexa can tell you when your security camera detects a person or package

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 10:54 AM PDT

Amazon is rolling out a feature that will allow Alexa to tell you when a supported security camera or video doorbell detects a person or a package. If you activate the announcements, you can receive an alert from the Alexa mobile app, hear a notification from an Echo speaker and/or view a live video feed on Echo Show, Fire TV or a Fire tablet.

The feature is compatible with Alexa routines. So, when your camera or doorbell spots a package or a person, you can automatically turn on a floodlight, activate a smart lock or trigger a custom Alexa greeting. It's worth noting that person and package detection are only available on Ring devices if you have a Ring Protect subscription, which starts at $3 per month.

Alexa person detection alerts are available starting today on all Ring video doorbells and cameras that have Work with Alexa support. Abode Iota and Outdoor cameras will be supported in the near future. Amazon says the feature is even coming soon to some Google devices. It'll work with the battery-powered Google Nest Cam (whether outdoor or indoor), the wired indoor Nest Cam, Nest Cam with floodlight and the battery-powered Nest Doorbell.

As for package detection announcements, those are now available for Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 and the 2020 model of the Ring Video Doorbell. Abode Iota and Outdoor cameras will support the feature soon. Amazon also announced an Object Detection Sensor API so developers can enable person or package detection Alexa announcements for other compatible cameras.

If you have a supported Ring device and want to use these features, you'll need to switch on Smart Alerts in the Ring app and Camera Events in the Alexa app. You an set up routines and custom voice announcements in the Alexa app as well.

Rivian teases off-road Sand Mode and a pet-friendly HVAC feature

Posted: 27 Apr 2022 09:56 AM PDT

Folks who ordered a Rivian R1T truck or R1S SUV with an Ocean Coast trim may need to wait a bit longer than expected for their EV to arrive. The company told customers in an email that "the light wood in Ocean Coast is more challenging to produce." As such, Rivian is focusing on getting models with Black Mountain and Forest Edge interiors to customers sooner. It will start deliveries of EVs with the Ocean Coast trim in the fall.

"Building in few build combinations reduces complexity with our suppliers and in the plant and allows us to build a greater number of vehicles," Rivian wrote in the email, which was obtained by Elektrek. "This updated approach also means we'll see Adventure Package vehicles rolling off the line alongside Launch Edition vehicles over the next few months." The company said it will send new delivery estimates to all preorder holders in the coming weeks.

Perhaps to offset the disappointment of another delay, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe showed off a feature that will be available to all customers as standard following a future software update. It's called Sand Mode and could come in useful for those who want to go off-road. A slow-motion clip shows the R1S handling some sandy terrain.

Also on the way are a pet mode for the HVAC system and dashcam support for the Gear Guard security feature. Scaringe said those are coming soon.
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