Saturday, July 3, 2021

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Cop tried to use a Taylor Swift song to keep protestor video off YouTube

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 08:45 PM PDT

It seems more and more law enforcement agents are trying to use online platforms' copyright-takedown measures to prevent videos that show them in a bad light from being shared online. A California police officer has tried to use the tactic on a BLM protestor at the Alameda Country courthouse by playing Taylor Swift's Blank Space, as reported by The Washington Post and Variety. His attempt failed, though, and it even backfired spectacularly: The video has almost 800,000 views on Twitter as of this writing, as well as 300,000 views on YouTube. 

The protestor was at the courthouse for the pretrial hearing of Jason Fletcher, the police officer charged with voluntary manslaughter for killing Steven Taylor, a Black man, inside a Walmart. In the video posted by the Anti Police-Terror Project, you'll hear the officer admit that he played the popular Swift song so that it gets a copyright strike on Google's video platform. "You can record all you want, I just know it can't be posted on YouTube," he said. 

When asked if there's an administrative regulation telling cops to play copyrighted music to prevent videos from being shared, the officer replied: "Not that I know of." Alameda County sheriff's office spokesperson Sgt. Ray Kelly told The Post that there's no policy barring what the officer did in the video, but that the office does not "condone" his behavior.

Back in February, several police officers in Beverly Hills had also been caught on video seemingly trying to get a prominent LA activist banned from Instagram by triggering is copyright filters. They kept playing songs while being filmed, including Sublime's Santeria and The Beatles' Yesterday. 

Chessie Thacher, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union Northern California, told The Post that the tactic "does seem to be a trend right now." Thacher added: "People have the right to film the police, and efforts by the police to infringe on this right are unconstitutional. So if they're using copyright laws to prevent people from exercising their right — and amplifying what they're seeing — then that's a real problem."

The Blue Screen of Death in Windows 11 is going black

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 04:14 PM PDT

The start menu may not end up the only element of Microsoft's desktop operating system that gets a visual overhaul in Windows 11. According to The Verge, Windows 11 will feature a Black Screen of Death, instead of the current blue one we all know and dread. It will be the first major tweak to that part of the Windows interface since Microsoft added QR codes to it in 2016.

Microsoft hasn't enabled the new BSOD in Windows 11 yet, primarily because the OS is in preview and Insider builds have featured a Green Screen of Death since 2016. As Gizmodo notes, there's a way to enable the new BSOD in the current preview build, but it involves editing your Windows registry and definitely not worth doing for something you don't want to see anyway.

It's unclear why Microsoft is changing the color of the Blue Screen of Death. However, The Verge suggests it could be because the company is already tweaking other parts of the Windows interface to make the OS feel more modern. At the very least, there's no new acronym to learn. We'll also point out a lot could change between now and when Microsoft ships Windows 11 in the fall.  

Western Digital won’t fix a vulnerability found in older My Cloud OS3 storage devices

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 02:28 PM PDT

Owners of Western Digital network attached storage (NAS) devices may have yet another security headache on the horizon. Following the two flaws hackers exploited to wipe My Book Live devices remotely, security journalist Brian Krebs has published a report on another zero-day vulnerability that affects Western Digital products running the company's My Cloud OS3 software. What's more, it doesn't appear there will be an official fix for those who don't upgrade to a newer storage solution.

Earlier in the year, security researchers Radek Domanski and Pedro Ribeiro discovered a series of weaknesses that allow a malicious actor to remotely update a My Cloud OS3 device to add a backdoor. The two say they never heard back from the company when they tried to contact it about the vulnerability. Western Digital attributes its response (or lack thereof) to one of its previous policies.

"The communication that came our way confirmed the research team involved planned to release details of the vulnerability and asked us to contact them with any questions," a spokesperson for the company told Krebs. "We didn't have any questions so we didn't respond. Since then, we have updated our process and respond to every report in order to avoid any miscommunication like this again."

While the flaw isn't present in Western Digital's new My Cloud OS 5, it's unclear if the company ever went back to address it in My Cloud OS3. What's more, it no longer plans to support the older software. "We will not provide any further security updates to the My Cloud OS3 firmware," Western Digital says in a support page dated to March 12th, 2021. "We strongly encourage moving to the My Cloud OS 5 firmware. If your device is not eligible for upgrade to My Cloud OS 5, we recommend that you upgrade to one of our other My Cloud offerings that support My Cloud OS 5."

When Engadget reached out to Western Digital, a spokesperson for the company told us "there is a fix for this vulnerability — we 'patched' OS3 with OS 5." They added: "My Cloud OS 5 is a major security release that provides an architectural revamp of our older My Cloud firmware. All My Cloud products currently under active support are eligible for the My Cloud OS 5 upgrade and we recommend that all users upgrade as soon as possible to benefit from the latest security fixes."

If you own a device that you can't update to My Cloud OS 5, you can download a patch Domanski and Ribiro developed. One thing to note is you'll need to reapply it each time you reboot your device. You can also protect your My Cloud NAS drive by limiting its access to the internet.

Update 6:35PM ET: Added comment from Western Digital. 

Bird pilots electric wheelchair and mobility scooter rentals in New York City

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 12:55 PM PDT

While Bird is best known for its electric scooters, it recently expanded into the bikeshare market and is now also moving into the accessibility space. With help from Scootaround, a company that specializes in wheelchair and mobility scooter rentals, the startup is piloting a new program. It's adding a dedicated interface within its app that allows those with mobility issues to reserve and rent one of three different electric vehicles.

Rentals can vary between one and 14 days in length, and you can decide where you want to pick up your ride and drop it off. With each rental, Bird will provide an in-person tutorial to answer any questions you might have about the EV you're about to rent. The company will also have a toll-free number customers can call to ask about the entire process.

One of the vehicles Bird will allow people to drive is the Whill Model Ci2 (pictured above). We got a chance to test the first Ci variant back at CES 2018, driving it across the Vegas show floor at a brisk five miles per hour. The program will come first to New York City, with other cities to follow throughout 2021 depending on how the pilot pans out.

iPadOS 15 beta preview: Widgets and Quick Notes make for a new experience

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 12:15 PM PDT

iPadOS 15 is arriving at a crucial time for the iPad. Ever since the well-designed and overly powerful 2018 iPad Pro arrived, people have increasingly asked Apple to make its tablet software as flexible and impressive as its hardware. This year's iPadOS update isn't going to satisfy those who want the iPad to work more like a Mac — it still feels like an iPad, for better or worse.

That said, Apple has made a handful of significant changes and a host of smaller ones, all of which add up to an experience that makes the iPad more customizable and flexible than before while still retaining (and improving upon) the basic iPad experience. There are a lot of new features to unpack, and the just-released iPadOS 15 public beta is still a work in progress, but here are some of the most significant changes to look forward to when the final software arrives this fall.

Should you install iPadOS 15?

But first, a note about that beta status. Apple's public betas are generally pretty reliable, and that's true here, too. I've generally been able to use my 11-inch iPad Pro without any issues, but apps occasionally crash and throw me to the Home Screen; interacting with notifications doesn't always work; and there are various other hiccups here and there. (Examples: my cursor doesn't always move to the search field when I summon it, and the last few letters of my messages are sometimes cut off when using the app in Slide Over.) It's nothing deal-breaking, but it's noticeable, particularly when I use my iPad for multiple hours at a time. Unless you're extremely curious, I'd wait for a few more beta versions to be released before giving it a shot, unless you can put it on a back-up iPad.

Widgets and Home Screen updates

With that out of the way, let's dig into the new features. The most obvious change in iPadOS 15 is that widgets have come to the Home Screen. As with last year's iOS 14, iPad users can now pin widgets anywhere they want. You can also select which apps you want to show on the Home Screen and stash the rest in the App Library, an auto-organized place to find everything you've installed on your iPad. Both widgets and the App Library came to the iPhone last year, and it was surprising that they didn't arrive on the iPad until now.

iPadOS 15
My "work" home screen.

I'm glad Apple did this, because it makes your iPad's home screens far more customizable than before, something sorely needed on a big-screen device. It took a little work, but I've now hidden the apps I don't use as much in the App Library and now have five home screens curated for work, entertainment, games and so forth. For example, my work screen only has six app shortcuts (Drive, Docs, Sheet, Trello, Slack and LastPass), but the variety of widgets I have installed provides glanceable info and easy access to a lot of tools. I have a widget showing recent notes in the "work" folder, another with Reminders (also specifically from my work group), an Apple News widget showing the latest tech news, and widgets for Google Calendar and Gmail. All that, plus the apps in my dock, make this the prime place to go when I need to get things done.

Quick Notes

The other new feature that could fundamentally change the iPad experience is Quick Notes. As Apple's Craig Federighi said during last month's WWDC keynote, Notes are now a "system-wide" feature. Swiping in from the lower right corner summons a new note that floats above whatever apps you're using. You can quickly type or write down (with the Apple Pencil) whatever comes to mind and then swipe the note away when you're done. Depending on your settings, you can start a new note every time you access Quick Notes, or just keep adding to the same one. Finally, you can swipe between Quick Notes you've started if you want to get to a specific document.

iPadOS 15 Quick Notes
At the top of this Quick Note is a button that automatically appears to let you save a link to the page you're visiting.

The iPad's Slide Over multitasking feature offered an approximation of this experience, but Quick Notes is far more flexible. For starters, you can move a Quick Note anywhere on the screen you want, making it feel like a true "window" reminiscent of something you would use on Windows or macOS. If you're going to jump in and out of the same note frequently, you can dismiss it to the side of the iPad screen where a little arrow shows that you can summon it back quickly.

Apple's Quick Note demos mostly focused on using the Apple Pencil to quickly jot things down, but it works just as well with a keyboard. When I'm doing work, it's almost always with the Magic Keyboard attached, and being able to quickly summon a persistent document to take notes in, regardless of what else I was doing, makes the iPad feel significantly more versatile. It's a great tool when doing research, especially since you can add links to web pages in Safari or destinations in Maps with one tap. My only real complaint is that the "swipe in from the bottom right" gesture is a little awkward, especially when using the iPad docked to a keyboard. It's much with the Apple Pencil.

Multitasking

Multitasking was a major focus at WWDC, as well. While Apple did make some useful changes here, the fundamental iPad multitasking experience is still the same. Apps can take up the whole screen, or share the display with a second app in Split View. There's also the Slide Over area, which lets you quickly summon a floating window containing another app. Apple has made major improvements to these features over the years, but they're the same fundamental multitasking options we've had since iOS 9 back in 2015.

iPadOS 15 multitasking menu
The tiny multitasking menu can be handy, once you know how to use it.

If you've been hoping for a true windowed multitasking experience, this isn't it. But Apple has made it easier to work with the multitasking features it does offer. Now, there's a tiny three-dot menu at the top of every app you use that lets you move the app between full screen, slide over and split view. As I compose this sentence, I'm typing in the Notes app, full screen. If I want to take Notes into Split View and share the screen with Safari, I just tap the multitasking menu and hit the Split View icon. This gives me a full view of my Home Screen, which then lets me pick anything I want to go alongside Notes.

Being able to quickly choose from any app on your Home Screen when setting up a multitasking view is a big improvement; before, you primarily had to use search to find the app you want, or drag one of the apps available in your dock. The menu also makes it a lot easier to move apps between Split View, Slide Over and full-screen views. Previously, you had to be aware of a variety of gestures, but a few minutes of playing with the multitasking menu makes the behavior pretty clear.

Safari

The last major change I'll cover at this early stage is Safari. It's one of the most important apps on the iPad, and it's gotten a lot better in the last few years. But for iPadOS 15, Apple has made what I predict will be a polarizing design decision. In an effort to slim down the top menu bar, Apple crammed the URL bar and open tabs into one row. Essentially, a tab and its URL bar are now represented by a single visual cue.

This means that the location of the URL bar moves. If you're looking at the right-most tab you have open, for instance, the URL bar is all the way to the right. It definitely takes some time to get used to, since most of us are used to it always being right in the center of whatever browser we're using. This also makes it harder to see all your tabs; besides the "active" tab, I can currently see eight others. The rest are hidden off to the left and right of my active tab. To see them, you'll have to scroll either direction to find what you're looking for.

iPadOS 15 Safari menu bar
Because my active tab is the one furthest to the right, the URL bar in my window is also far to the right.
iPadOS 15 Safari menu bar
In this case, my active tab is to the far left, and so is the URL bar.

Apple's menu bar cleanup also means it removed the button that zooms out to show you a preview of every tab you have open. I used that constantly, so I hate this change. And unlike on the Mac, you can't customize the Safari menu on the iPad at all. Now, you either have to use a keyboard shortcut or pull up the new sidebar, which contains all the open tabs in a window along with your bookmarks, reading list, history and links shared in Messages.

Safari on the iPad already did a great job of hiding the menu bar once you started scrolling through a site, so this change feels unnecessary to me. I'll be curious to see what kind of feedback Apple gets during the beta, because I wager plenty of other people will prefer the old layout.

iPadOS 15 Safari sidebar
Safari's new sidebar holds your tab groups as well as usual items like bookmarks and your reading list.

There is at least one good thing about the new Safari: tab groups. They're handled elegantly, with a button in the sidebar letting you open either a new "blank" group for you to populate or taking all your current tabs and saving them as a group. You can swap between groups in the sidebar, and access any groups you've created in any open Safari window you have. Groups will also sync across your other devices, assuming you've upgraded to iOS 15 or macOS Monterey. Having different tab groups for different tasks has already proven useful to me, and I'll probably use them even more as I get used to incorporating them into my workflow.

More to come

There are plenty of other significant changes to iPadOS 15, things like the new Focus system and notifications revamp, improvements to FaceTime and Messages, the new Universal Control system that works between a Mac, iPhone andiPad, and plenty more. (You can read about some of these changes in our previews of iOS 15 and macOS Monterey.) We'll be doing a proper review of all the new software in its final form this fall, but in the meantime I'm going to keep digging into the future beta releases to see how iPadOS 15 changes between now and its wider release.

The DOJ is investigating troubled EV startup Lordstown Motors

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 11:46 AM PDT

The Justice Department is investigating Lordstown Motors, according to The Wall Street Journal. It's unclear what the DOJ is examining, but the US Attorney's office leading the investigation often handles fraud allegations. At the moment, Lordstown is also the subject of an SEC inquiry into claims the company made about pre-orders for its upcoming Endurance electric pickup truck. In both instances, the startup says it's working with investigators.

"Lordstown Motors is committed to cooperating with any regulatory or governmental investigations and inquiries," a spokesperson for the company told The Verge. "We look forward to closing this chapter so that our new leadership – and entire dedicated team – can focus solely on producing the first and best full-size all-electric pickup truck, the Lordstown Endurance."

Lordstown was one of several EV startups that went public last year through what's known as a special acquisitions company or SPAC. The maneuver helped the company raise $675 million, but it has been embattled ever since. Its problems started in March when Hindenburg Research published a report accusing the company of misleading investors about the demand for its Endurance truck. In a later SEC filing, the company warned it didn't have enough money to start manufacturing its first EV. With today's news, it also becomes the second high-profile electric vehicle startup to come under scrutiny from both the DOJ and SEC.

Riot Games releases an album of royalty-free music for Twitch streamers

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 10:16 AM PDT

Riot Games is no stranger to making music. With K/DA, the studio has one of the world's most popular virtual bands, but it's latest musical project is different. On Friday, Riot released Sessions: Vi, a 37-track album of instrumental beats with contributions from artists like Chromonicci and Junior State. What makes the release special is that streamers and content creators can use all the songs from Sessions: Vi for free.

Riot hopes the album and future ones like it will help ease some of the copyright headaches Twitch streamers have had to deal with for much of the past year. At the start of last June, Twitch got a "sudden influx" of DMCA takedown notices. The majority of those targeted archived broadcasts that had been up on the platform for years. The company has tried in a variety of ways to prevent more takedown notifications from coming in, but those efforts don't seem to have addressed the problem. That's because in May Twitch said it received another batch of approximately 1,000 individual DMCA notifications. For some streamers, those notices represent a potential ban from the service.

You can stream Sessions: Vi on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube. 

‘Zelda: Skyward Sword HD’ puts Fi on mute

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 09:12 AM PDT

When The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD comes out on July 16th, it will address many of the more annoying design choices found in the original game. As you can see from the trailer Nintendo shared today, the remaster will feature several "quality of life improvements," including the ability to skip cutscenes, tutorials and dialogue. What's more, Skyward Sword HD will render at a smoother 60 frames per second, and include optional button controls.

But the biggest change is more of an addition by subtraction. Players can choose to ask Fi for advice, instead of the spirit offering it incessantly on their own. Nintendo explains Fi will only appear in cutscenes and when absolutely necessary. Otherwise, Link's sword will glow when Fi has something to say, and you can choose to hear them out or not.

In much the same way, Nintendo has also streamlined how players interact with items. The first time you pick a new one up, the game will explain what it does, but won't subject you to that same explanation every subsequent time you find that same item.

Skyward Sword HD also includes a new fast travel system, but you'll need to pick up a $25 Loftwing amiibo Nintendo will release on the same day as the remaster to get access to that feature.

Tesla delivers 200,000 cars a quarter for the first time

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 07:51 AM PDT

Tesla has once again topped its delivery record, and this time it reached a symbolic milestone. As CNBCnotes, the EV maker delivered an all-time high of 201,250 vehicles in the second quarter of 2021 — the first time it has ever shipped more than 200,000 cars to customers in a given quarter. It delivered 184,800 machines in the first quarter of the year.

The Model 3 and Model Y represented nearly all of the deliveries. Tesla delivered just 1,890 Model S and Model X units, although that wasn't helped by the wait for the Model S Plaid. The first deliveries for the upscale electric sedan officially started on June 10th.

The achievement came despite "many challenges," founder Elon Musk said. He didn't elaborate on what those were, but he'd previously mentioned "major" supply chain price issues as a factor. Raw materials were a particular sore point, Musk added. The automotive industry as a whole has also reeled from chip shortages, making it difficult for some companies to manufacture enough cars to meet demand.

The number isn't as large as what some analysts were hoping for. Estimates ranged as high as 231,000. Even so, it's notable that Tesla is besting its own results despite cooling momentum and a less-than-forgiving market. The bigger challenges lie ahead — it has to face stiffer competition as EVs become mainstream, particularly from potential blockbuster hits like Ford's F-150 Lightning.

GM deal will reduce the environmental impact (and cost) of its EV batteries

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 06:58 AM PDT

GM isn't just leaning on technical prowess to sell you on its EV battery technology — it's hoping eco-friendliness (and frugality) will play a role, too. The automaker has struck a deal with Controlled Thermal Resources to obtain more environmentally responsible lithium. The team-up will source lithium from California made using a process that generates lower CO2 emissions than the usual pit mines or evaporation pods.

CTR's project, Hell's Kitchen, will use a closed-loop system that extracts lithium directly from geothermal brine. GM's arrangement gives it "first rights" to lithium from the first stage of Hell's Kitchen, plus an option for a multi-year partnership.

The approach should not only reduce the overall environmental footprint of GM's EVs, but secure "low-cost" lithium that could lower prices.

The initial Hell's Kitchen stage isn't expected to produce lithium until 2024. However, GM sees this collaboration as important to its goal of dropping combustion engine cars by 2035. If the automaker can both improve the value of its EVs and make a stronger case for their green credentials, it might boost sales and have an easier time transitioning away from gas and diesel.

The best July 4th tech deals we could find

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 05:45 AM PDT

As the holiday weekend approaches, deals on the latest gadgets have been popping up across the web. Apple's 10.2-inch iPad is $30 off right now and Solo Stove, the maker of compact, stainless steel fire pits, has knocked $120 off most of its devices. We even have a few holdouts from Amazon Prime Day still available, like deals on Anker's Eufy RoboVac 11S and a two-pack Nest WiFi system. Here are the best July 4th tech deals we could find.

10.2-inch iPad

The 10.2-inch iPad remains on sale for $299, or $30 off its normal price. It's arguably the best tablet for new tablet owners and we liked its improved performance, familiar design and support for the first-generation Apple Pencil.

Buy 10.2-inch iPad at Amazon - $299

MacBook Air M1

Apple's MacBook Air M1 has dropped to $899, which is the best price we've seen it. If you're looking to upgrade your notebook, this is one of the best options for most people right now. The Air M1 earned a score of 94 from us for its incredibly fast performance, excellent keyboard and trackpad, good battery life and lack of fan noise.

Buy MacBook Air M1 at Amazon - $899

24-inch iMac M1

Apple's colorful iMacs with 8-core GPUs are $50 off right now at Amazon, bringing them down to $1,450. We gave this desktop a score of 89 for its remarkable performance thanks to the M1 chip, lovely 24-inch Retina Display and its thin-and-light design.

Buy 24-inch iMac at Amazon - $1,450

Solo Stove Bonfire

Solo Stove
Engadget

Solo Stove's Bonfire is $120 off for the company's July 4th sale, bringing it down to $230. That's the best price we've seen, and the other models are also $120 off for a limited time, too. These are smokeless, portable fire pits that we've recommended in the past as an easy way to upgrade your backyard setup.

Buy Bonfire at Solo Stove - $230

ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4

ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4
Engadget

On the heels of the new Thermapen One announcement, the Thermapen Mk4 has been discounted to $69. It's the best instant-read thermometer we've used so far —the backlit display makes it easy to read in almost any situation and the display rotates depending on how you're holding the pen. Plus, you never have to remember to turn it off because the pen automatically turns on when you pick it up and will shut off after some time of no use.

ThermoWorks is also running an Independence Day sale that knocks up to 20 percent off remote BBQ alarm thermometers.

Buy Thermapen Mk4 at ThermoWorks - $69Shop ThermoWorks Independence Day sale

Apple Watch Series 6 Product Red Edition

Apple Watch Series 6
Apple

The GPS + Cellular models of the Apple Watch Series 6 Product Red Edition are $100 off at Amazon. The 40mm is down to $399, or close to a record low, while the 44mm version has hit an all-time low of $429. We gave the Series 6 a score of 89 for its speedier performance, quicker charging and slightly improved battery life.

Buy Apple Watch Series 6 (40mm, GPS + Cellular) at Amazon - $399Buy Apple Watch Series 6 (44mm, GPS + Cellular) at Amazon - $429

GameStop Independence Day sale

Ubisoft / Nintendo

Through Sunday, July 4, GameStop is running a holiday sale that includes a "buy two, get one free" promo on a number of titles including Marios + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The sale also includes discounts on pre-owned games as well as $30 in extra credit when you trade in a PS4, XB1, Nintendo Switch or another console.

Shop GameStop's Independence Day sale

Samsung Galaxy Buds+

Samsung Galaxy Buds+
Billy Steele / Engadget

Both Amazon and Microsoft have the Galaxy Buds+ for $100, or $50 off their normal price. We gave them a score of 83 for their improved audio quality, longer battery life, deeper iOS integration and better call quality.

Buy Galaxy Buds+ at Amazon - $100Buy Galaxy Buds+ at Microsoft - $100

Anker Eufy RoboVac 11S

One of our favorite budget robot vacuums, the Anker Eufy RoboVac 11S, has dropped to $140. That's $90 off its normal price and close to its record-low. Not only is this one of the slimmest robo-vacs we've tried, but it cleans hard floors and carpets thoroughly and it comes with a remote that you can use to manually direct the vacuum, set schedules and more.

Buy RoboVac 11S at Amazon - $140

Google Nest WiFi (2 pack)

The Nest WiFi pack with one router and one extension point is down to $189, or $80 off. We gave this mesh system a score of 84 for its unobtrusive design, simple installation process and built-in smart speaker capabilities.

Buy Nest WiFi (2 pack) at Walmart - $189

55-inch LG C1 OLED 4K smart TV

LG's 2021 C1 OLED 4K TVs have dropped in price, so you can grab the 55-inch for $1,497, or about $300 off its normal price. The C1 is the mid-tier lineup that includes the company's latest processor, HDMI 2.1 support and NVIDIA G-SYNC and FreeSync compatibility.

Buy 55-inch LG C1 OLED at Amazon - $1,497Buy 55-inch LG C1 OLED at Best Buy - $1,500

48-inch LG CX OLED 4K smart TV

My Best Buy members can get the 48-inch LG CX OLED 4K smart TV for $1,250, or $250 off its normal price. It's free to sign up for My Best Buy and it's worth it to get a bit of extra money off all of the retailer's current sales. This OLED set has LG's a9 Gen 3 processor, support for Dolby Vision, Atmos, HDR10 and HLG plus Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa integration.

Buy 48-inch LG CX OLED at Best Buy - $1,250

Beats Solo Pro

The Beats Solo Pro are still discounted to a record-low of $149. We liked these on-ear cans for their excellent sound quality, good ANC and hands-free Siri capabilities.

Buy Beats Solo Pro at Walmart - $149

Omaze gaming PC giveaway

An african guy talks on a video link with his friends in a computer club.
fpphotobank via Getty Images

Omaze is giving away another $20,000 to build your ultimate gaming PC. This sweepstakes is free to enter, but funds donated with purchased entries will benefit Schools on Wheels, an organization that provides free tutoring and mentoring services to children experiencing homelessness across Southern California. Through July 2, you can use the code RADNESS150 at checkout to get an additional 150 bonus entries.

Enter to win at Omaze

Pricing and availability is subject to change. No donation or payment necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes.See official rules on Omaze.

New tech deals

55-inch Sony A8H Bravia OLED smart TV

Amazon knocked about $600 off Sony's 55-inch A8H Bravia OLED smart TV. It includes the company's X1 Ultimate processor, Game Mode for a smoother, more responsive experience, the Android TV operating system and support for the Google Assistant, Amazon's Alexa and even Apple's AirPlay 2.

Buy 55-inch Sony A8H Bravia OLED at Amazon - $1,298

MagSafe charger

Apple's MagSafe charger is down to $34 at Amazon, or $6 off its normal price. While not a huge discount, it's a good opportunity to get a first-party accessory for less. This thin disk magnetically attaches to the back of the latest iPhones to power them up.

Buy MagSage charger at Amazon - $34

Twelve South 4th of July sale

The accessory maker Twelve South is running a 4th of July sale through July 5th that knocks up to 60 percent off of many products. Of note are the AirFly Bluetooth transmitter for as low as $25, the Compass Pro adjustable iPad stand for $50 and the HiRise Lightning Stand for $25.

Shop Twelve South 4th of July sale

Casetify July 4th sale

Casetify's holiday sale gets you 15 percent off most items through July 5th when you use the code 4JULY21 at checkout. The company makes colorful cases and protective gear for numerous mobile devices including iPhones, Galaxy handsets, AirPods and more. They also make great gifts thanks to Casetify's extensive library of customizable accessories.

Shop Casetify's July 4th sale

Speck Independence Day sale

Through July 4th, you can get 30 percent off sitewide at Speck. In addition to iPhones and Android device cases, Speck has gear for AirPods, MacBooks, Kindles, Chromebooks and others. If you want a case for your smartphone that will both look good and keep your gadget safe, Speck accessories are good options.

Shop Speck's Independence Day sale

Aukey PowerZeus 500 portable power station

Aukey's PowerZeus 500 portable power station is on sale for $367 when you use the code AUKEYPLUS at checkout. This 518Wh station can easily come with you on a camping trip to provide juice to all your devices, or act as a backup battery during power outages.

Buy PowerZeus 500 at Aukey - $367

NordVPN

One of our recommended VPNs is running a good sale on a two-year subscription. You can sign up for NordVPN for only $89 for the first two years, which comes out to $44.50 per year. We like NordVPN for its speed, its no-logs policy, the thousands of servers it has to choose from and that one account supports up to six connected devices.

Sign up for NordVPN (two years) - $89

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

Engadget Podcast: Samsung, MWC and our hot gadget summer

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 05:30 AM PDT

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra are joined by Gizmodo's Sam Rutherford to chat about Samsung's smartwatch updates and the few tidbits of news from Mobile World Congress. Also, they dive into the newly released previews for iOS 15, macOS Monterey and Windows 11. It's the rare year where both Mac and Windows are getting some major updates.

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

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Topics

Video livestream

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

Amazon will stream the final Evangelion 'Rebuild' movie globally on August 13th

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 04:55 AM PDT

Amazon has opened a new front in its streaming battle with Netflix. The company is bringing the anime hit Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon A Time to Prime Video globally, barring Japan, on August 13th, according to Deadline. Together with a revised version released last month, the fourth and final chapter in the movie saga has raked in more than $86 million at Japanese theaters, making it the biggest earner of the year. For those who missed the previous entries, the good news is they're also coming to Prime Video, including Evangelion: 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone, Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance and Evangelion: 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo.

Blending mech action with intimate teenage drama, the Evangelion franchise became a pop culture behemoth in Japan and a revered cult classic overseas. Netflix ran the original series back in 2019 along with two films — Evangelion: Death True² and The End of Evangelion — as part of its push into Japanese animation. Though it probably helped to expand the show's reach, some legacy fans were upset that Netflix chose to go with a new voice cast for its English dub instead of the original players. More recently, the streamer announced that it's launching around 40 anime shows and movies in a bid to capture subscribers in Asia.

Amazon, on the other hand, has dabbled in anime in the past, most notably through its Blade of the Immortal adaptation in 2019. Evangelion is a big get for the company and success could prompt it to wade further into the genre.

The Morning After: Is Instagram no longer a photo-sharing app?

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 04:20 AM PDT

Vinyl has been on a resurgence, and it seems like the pandemic has accelerated that. When Amazon launches a record of the month club to capitalize on it, you know it's reached a tipping point. All this means many of us are looking to upgrade from a cheap turntable and build our first HiFi system. While there are many parts to that, perhaps most important are the speakers. If your speakers don't sound good, what's the point?

Passive Bookshelf Speaker Guide
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

In a bid to help, we've assessed some of the best passive speakers under $600. These will need an amplifier, yes, but offer greater flexibility to your HiFi setup. And if you've been living with built-in speakers or all-in-one setups, we explain exactly what you might need. I promise you — it's a beginner-friendly guide for recent vinyl addicts.

— Mat Smith

Instagram boss says the app is 'no longer a photo-sharing app'

Instead, it's a platform where people go 'to be entertained.'

Instagram doesn't see itself as a platform where people go to share photos anymore. That's the main takeaway from a series of comments made by the head of the company, Adam Mosseri. "Let's be honest, there's some really serious competition right now," Mosseri said. "TikTok is huge, YouTube is even bigger and there are a lot of other upstarts as well." To stay competitive, Mosseri said Instagram has to embrace that aspect of itself, and that will mean changes. One way the app will change is with Instagram handing out more recommendations. He also said Instagram plans to embrace video more broadly, focusing on full-screen and immersive content. Continue reading.

Android adds support for virtual COVID-19 vaccine cards

Its API update will make it easier for organizations to create digital vaccine cards.

Google
Google

Google has updated its Pay app's Passes API to simplify storing and displaying a digital card on Android to show a users' COVID-19 test and vaccination details. The tech giant has given access to the API to healthcare organizations, government agencies and organizations authorized to distribute COVID vaccines. That means their developers can easily create digital COVID vaccine and test cards that users can store on their device. Continue reading.

Porsche may soon recall the Taycan EV over a sudden power-loss issue

The issue prompted an investigation by the US regulators.

Porsche is reportedly planning a Taycan EV recall over sudden power loss
Engadget

Porsche is planning a worldwide recall of its Taycan EV over a software issue that can cause sudden power loss. The action follows an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which started in May following reports of cars switching to emergency mode. There have been no reports of accidents or injuries, according to sources familiar with the situation, but the NHTSA has also reached out to Volkswagen (Porshe's parent company) regarding the Audi e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT, both of which use a similar powertrain to the Taycan. Continue reading.

macOS Monterey preview

All about FaceTime and Safari

macOS Monterey
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

With all of the changes that came to macOS Big Sur last year, we didn't expect Apple to deliver much with this year's update. It seems like iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 got the bulk of the upgrades this time around. But with major changes to Safari, FaceTime and new SharePlay features, the update is worth your attention. Devindra Hardwar gives it a test drive. Continue reading.

Sony buys a studio known for porting games to PC

Nixxes is Sony's second studio purchase in a week.

Sony has just bought another studio, and, no, it's not Bluepoint Games. On Thursday, the company announced the acquisition of Nixxes Software, a Dutch developer best known for supporting Crystal Dynamics, IO Interactive and Eidos Montreal in porting some of their games over to PC. The deal suggests Sony may step up its efforts to bring more of its exclusives to Windows. The company released Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone to Steam and the Epic Games Store, and Sony president Jim Ryan has said that more of the company's first-party games would make their way to the PC. Continue reading.

But wait, there's more...

'Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut' comes to PS4 and PS5 on August 20th

Aviation pioneer Wally Funk will join Blue Origin's first crewed space flight

Virgin Galactic plans to send Richard Branson to space on July 11th

Facebook, Google, TikTok and Twitter pledge to improve women's safety online

T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon have taken steps to reduce spoofed scam calls

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic leak suggests a more familiar design

Prime Gaming members can claim a trio of Lucasfilm Games classics this summer

The first three 'Final Fantasy' pixel remasters arrive on July 28th

Engadget Deals: The Product Red Apple Watch Series 6 with LTE is $100 off at Amazon

'Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart' gets a performance boost on 120Hz displays

Sony's $1,300 Xperia 1 III is now available to pre-order in the US

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 04:05 AM PDT

We had a feeling Sony's tricked-out Xperia 1 III smartphone would be expensive. Turns out, we were right. Sony has revealed that the new handset (pcitured above), which packs a pro-grade camera, is available to pre-order for a cool $1,300 ahead of its August 19th release date. That means the new flagship is $100 more expensive than its predecessor, the Sony Xperia 1 ii, and fellow high-enders like the $1,200 Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, the $1,099 Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max and the $969 OnePlus 9 Pro. 

As you'd expect at that price, the Xperia 1 III has some killer specs that should appeal to photography buffs. The 12-megapixel, 24mm equivalent Exmor RS sensor is accompanied by a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a time-of-flight sensor that gathers depth data. Sony says the flagship is the first phone in the world with "true" optical zoom, which is achieved by actually moving the telephoto lens elements inside the phone. While the burst mode captures photos as fast as 20 times per second. 

Sony also claims that the phone's 6.5-inch OLED display is the world's first mobile 4K screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. Inside, there's Qualcomm's powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset combined with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, along with a 4,500mAh battery that supports wireless charging.

Sony Xperia 5 III
Sony Xperia 5 III

If you find paying upwards of $1,000 is too steep, Sony is also releasing the cheaper Xperia 5 III (pictured above) a month later in September for £899 in the UK — we've reached out for US pricing. Here, you'll get a 6.1-inch Full HD OLED screen, slightly less RAM at 8GB and either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. Sony also cut back on some of the camera software tricks available on its big brother like real-time object tracking and the time-of-flight sensor. Plus, you don't get support for wireless charging. Otherwise, it packs the same chipset, pro-grade camera setup, 3D Reality audio support and battery, making it more of a crowdpleaser compared to its pricey sibling.

To sweeten the deal, both phones will ship with Sony wireless headphones: the Xperia 1 III comes with the WF-1000XM3 earbuds and the Xperia 5 III with the WH-H910N over-ear headphones. Purchasing the flagship also gets you 43,200 Call of Duty: Mobile CP Points worth $540.

Intel and Apple may be first to use TSMC's 3-nanometer chips

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 03:06 AM PDT

Apple and Intel are reportedly testing chip designs with TSMC's 3-nanometer process and could be first to market with the technology, according to Nikkei. Intel may be planning to use the chips in next-gen notebooks and data centers, while Apple could be first to market with a 3-nanometer processor in future iPad models. Taiwan-based TSMC will reportedly start manufacturing processors for both companies as early as next year.

TSMC is currently manufacturing 5-nanometer chips for Apple's iPhone 12, and in 2022 will build next-gen AMD Zen 4 chips. It has targeted 3-nanometer volume production for the second half of 2022 with products likely coming along in 2023.

TSMC expects the new tech to deliver 10-15 percent greater performance at the same power levels, or reduce power 25 to 30 percent at the same transistor speeds over 5-nanometer tech. The company also has a 4-nanometer N4 process set to arrive in 2022, offering an evolution over 5-nanometer with minimal changes required by chip designers.

Apple's iPad will reportedly be the first devices powered by 3-nanometer chips, according to Nikkei's sources. The next generation of iPhones rolling out next year will supposedly use 4-nanometer tech for scheduling reasons. 

Currently the chip volume planned for Intel is more than that for Apple's iPad using the 3-nanometer process.

The situation with Intel is perhaps more interesting. Intel confirmed to Nikkei that it would work with TSMC for its 2023 product lineup and has previously said that it would subcontract some chip manufacturing out to the Taiwan-based company, though it didn't say which technology it would use. 

As it stands now, Intel has only just started rolling out its 10-nanometer chips (which are broadly equivalent to chips made with TSMC's 7-nanometer process), and has delayed 7-nanometer production until 2023.

According to Nikkei, TSMC will produce more chips for Intel than Apple. "Currently the chip volume planned for Intel is more than that for Apple's iPad using the 3-nanometer process," a source said. Intel plans to use TSMC to build processors for notebook and data servers "in an attempt to regain market share it has lost to Advanced Micro Devices and NVIDIA over the past few years," the story reads.

If the rumors prove accurate, Intel could possibly beat AMD to 3-nanometer tech, as AMD plans to use 5-nanometer chips for its next-gen Zen 4 processors. AMD now relies on TSMC for its processor and GPU chips, as its previous supplier GlobalFoundries decided not to manufacture 7-nanometer or smaller chips back in 2018. 

TSMC is building a $12 billion chip fab plant in Arizona and plans to use its current 5-nanometer manufacturing technology. Intel, meanwhile, plans to invest $20 billion in two Arizona factories.

Sony will keep selling PSP games on PS3 and PS Vita stores

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 11:58 PM PDT

You're not losing access to digital games for the PSP just yet. When Sony reversed its decision to close the PS3 and the PS Vita storefronts back in April, it also said that the "PSP commerce functionality will retire on July 2nd, 2021 as planned." While that could be interpreted as Sony pulling the plug on all PSP downloads, new language that has popped up on both the US and the UK PlayStation websites (as spotted by Kotaku) shows that's not the case. 

The PSP game store shut down way back in 2016, but you can still get games for the console through the PS3 and the PS Vita stores. Now that those storefronts aren't shutting down, you'll still be able to download PSP games through them, though there will be some limitations going forward. Starting on July 6th, you will no longer be able to search for games on the PSP itself or make any in-game purchases. Kotaku says the information first appeared on the UK website on June 28th, and it makes no mention of the previous July 2nd timeline.

When Sony backtracked on its plans to shutdown the PS3 and Vita stores, Sony Interactive Entertainment's CEO Jim Ryan said that it was clear the company "made the wrong decision." It's unclear if limiting PSP users' capability to search for titles or make in-game purchases is what Sony had in mind when it said that it will retire the console's "commerce functionality," or if it also changed its decision like it did with the PS3 and PS Vita stores' closure. Either way, what matters is that the PSP's digital library will continue being available for now.

Virgin Galactic plans to send Richard Branson to space on July 11th

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 08:14 PM PDT

Sir Richard Branson might get to visit outer space before Jeff Bezos does. Virgin Galactic has announced that it's opening the flight window for SpaceShipTwo Unity's next rocket-powered test flight on July 11th, over a week before Blue Origin's first tourist flight is scheduled to launch on July 20th with Bezos onboard. The Unity 22 mission will be the company's fourth crewed flight, but it will be the first to carry a full crew with two pilots and four mission specialists in the cabin. One of those passengers is company founder Richard Branson, who'll be assessing the private astronaut experience Virgin Galactic plans to offer paying customers.

The company concluded that it was ready to launch Unity 22 after it finished analyzing data from its May 22nd test flight, according to Chief Executive Officer Michael Colglazier. The company completed the rocket-powered flight in May — the first human spaceflight out of Virgin's New Mexico-based Spaceport America — after months of delay. It was originally scheduled to blast off in December 2020, but the launch didn't take place because SpaceShipTwo's rocket motor failed to ignite. 

Now, the company believes it's ready to take another step towards offering commercial flights. The upcoming mission will focus on evaluating the spacecraft's cabin environment, seat comfort, the weightless experience and the views of Earth that it can offer paying passengers. It will also demonstrate the conditions for conducting human-tended research experiments.

In addition to Branson and the two pilots, the other passengers are made up of Virgin Galactic personnel. Virgin's Chief Astronaut Instructor Beth Moses will oversee the execution of the test flight objectives, while Lead Operations Engineer Colin Bennett will be evaluating cabin equipment, procedures and experience. Finally, Sirisha Bandla, VP of Government Affairs and Research Operations, will be in charge of conducting the human-tended experiments onboard. 

Virgin will broadcast a livestream of the spaceflight on its website, as well as on its Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages. The livestream will begin at 9AM on the day of the flight, which could still be delayed, depending on weather and technical conditions. If the mission succeeds, the company intends to restart ticket sales soon and to conduct two additional flights before it starts its paid flights next year. 

Google promotes YouTube TV's new 4K add-on with a free Chromecast

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 04:23 PM PDT

At the start of the week, Google announced it was finally adding support for 4K streaming to YouTube TV. Now the company is attempting to entice existing YouTube TV subscribers to sign up for the pricey $20 monthly add-on with a promotion that dangles a free Chromecast with Google TV.

A YouTube TV subscriber detailed the offer in a forum post spotted by Droid Life. "To ensure our loyal YouTube TV members have a great viewing experience (including the ability to watch 4K content on our optional, new add-on service), we would like to offer you a free Chromecast with Google TV device," the company says in an email it sent out to some customers.

Taking advantage of the promo involves visiting the Google Store to "purchase" the streaming device at no cost. As you might have guessed, supplies are limited, and the code is only valid for the white model. The email's fine print also states only those in the US with an active YouTube TV subscription are eligible. What's more, you'll need to have made at least one payment to Google. If you find the email in your inbox, you'll need to redeem it before the end of the month. And if you already own a Chromecast with Google TV, the code is not transferable.

EA will host four ‘Spotlight’ panels ahead of Play Live event on July 22nd

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 03:35 PM PDT

Before it hosts its Play Live event on the 22nd, EA will stream a series of "Spotlight" panels throughout the month of July. In all, fans can look forward to four such panels. The series will start on July 8th with an event devoted to Battlefield 2042, Apex Legends and first-person shooters more broadly. The panel will feature contributions from both Dice and Respawn Entertainment.

The next one falls on July 13th. It will consist of a conversation on indie games that EA promises will be "spirited." Given that Josef Fares of It Takes Two and A Way Out developer Hazelight Studios is taking part, we believe it. Then, it's an EA Sports double-header, with back-to-back panels scheduled for July 19th and 20th.

The first will offer a detailed look at Madden NFL 22 and how fan input has shaped the game's updated franchise mode. EA is also promising a look at a new scouting feature that it hopes to release in September. When it comes to the July 20th panel, meanwhile, EA is being tight-lipped. "Look, we're not allowed to tell you much about this one yet, sorry," the company said. "But we can say this Spotlight will highlight an extremely cool new addition to an extremely popular and long-running EA Sports franchise."

Part of the reason EA plans to host these panels is so that it can make games the "unwavering" focus of its July 22nd event. From start to finish, the publisher says its main showcase should clock in at about 40 minutes. Outside of more details on upcoming titles like Battlefield 2042, EA will reportedly show off a Dead Space remake at the event. 

Facebook test warns users who may have seen 'harmful extremist content'

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 02:32 PM PDT

Facebook is testing new prompts to reach users who may be "becoming an extremist." The in-app messages, which Facebook has confirmed is a test, direct users to resources aimed at combating extremism.

CNN first reported the new prompts, which have been spotted by Twitter users in recent days. One version is aimed at people who may know someone falling into extremism. "Are you concerned that someone you know is becoming an extremist," it reads. 

Another prompt appears to warn users who may have encountered extremist content on the platform. "Violent groups try to manipulate your anger and disappointment," it says. "You can take action now to protect yourself and others."

Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone confirmed the messages are "part of our ongoing Redirect Initiative work." The initiative is part of a broader effort by Facebook to fight extremism on its platform by working with groups like Life After Hate, which helps people leave extremist groups. The prompts will send users to Life After Hate or other resources, according to CNN.

It's not clear how Facebook is determining which users may be most likely to be affected by extremism, but the issue has become a hot-button topic for Facebook. The company was widely criticized for not doing enough to prevent QAnon and other fringe groups from using its platform to grow their followings. Facebook has also been accused of downplaying its role in enabling the events of January 6th. And when the Oversight Board recommended the company conduct its own inquiry into the issue, the company said investigations should remain in the hands of law enforcement and elected officials.

Humble Bundle moves forward with charitable donation caps on purchases

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 01:44 PM PDT

In mid-July, Humble Bundle will move forward with its previous decision to cap charitable donations. Back in April, the company announced a plan to introduce a new storefront that was set to do away with its signature sliders and limit how much of their purchase customers could direct to charity. Following vocal backlash from its community, Humble Bundle said it would take time to re-evaluate that plan.

As of today, the company plans to move forward with a version of its storefront that affords consumers some amount of choice over where their money goes, but still takes away the option to donate everything they spend on charity. "While splits on each bundle will vary, on average there will be a minimum amount for Humble Bundle between 15 to 30 percent," the company said in a blog post spotted by Kotaku. "Sliders will clearly indicate any minimums to customers and the flexibility to adjust donations will be available in every purchase of a bundle."

Humble Bundle says its latest decision reflects shifts in the "PC storefront landscape," adding "the change to sliders lets us continue to invest in more exciting content so we can keep growing the Humble community which will ultimately drive more donations for charitable causes." Media conglomerate IGN acquired Humble Bundle in 2017 for an undisclosed amount. In 2019, co-founders Jeff Rosen and John Graham left the company.

As with its initial announcement, the reaction to today's news hasn't been positive. "Yeah, the multi-billion dollar company needs the money more than my local animal shelter," said one Twitter user, referencing the estimated $1.9 billion net worth of IGN and Humble Bundle parent company Ziff Davis.

Twitter considers letting you tweet to 'trusted friends' only

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 01:00 PM PDT

Twitter is thinking about new ways to share tweets with specific groups of people. The company showed off two concepts for new features that would allow users to target tweets toward specific audiences without having to switch accounts or change privacy settings.

The first would enable people to designate "trusted friends" so some tweets would only be visible to that group. The idea is similar to Instagram's "close friends" feature for Stories. According to an image shared by Twitter designer Andrew Courter, Twitter's version would allow users to toggle the audience much like the way you can choose who is able to reply to you.

He added that "perhaps you could also see trusted friends' Tweets first" in your timeline, which would offer another alternative to the chronological or algorithmic "home" timelines Twitter currently offers.

Twitter

Another feature would allow people to take on different personas or "facets" from the same account. For example, a user could have a professional identity, where they tweet about work-related topics, and a personal one that's meant more for friends and family. According to the images, users could have the option of making any one persona public or private, and new followers would be able to choose which "facet" they want to see tweets from.

Finally, Courter showed off a new concept for filtering replies that would allow users to choose specific words or phrases "they prefer not to see." Then, if a user who is replying or mentioning the user tries to use one of those words or phrases, Twitter will let them know the words go against that person's preference.

Twitter is thinking about new ways to set
Twitter

According to the images shared by Courter, the feature wouldn't prevent anyone from sending a tweet using the offending words, but it would make it less visible to the person on the receiving end. The idea is similar to other kinds of anti-bullying nudges Twitter has employed in the past, but would go a step further as each user could set their own conversational "boundaries."

All these features are still just ideas — Courter noted that "we're not building these yet" — so they may never actually launch. But the company is looking for feedback on the designs, so they could inform future tools Twitter does decide to build. At the very least, it sheds some light on how Twitter is thinking about issues like identity.

EA is reportedly developing a 'Dead Space' remake

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 12:05 PM PDT

EA is reportedly working on a remake of Dead Space. You read that right. After more than eight years of the franchise collecting dust, VentureBeat reports EA has tasked its Motive studio to develop a Resident Evil 2-style remake of the first game in the series. According to writer Jeff Grubb, fans should expect an experience that uses the original game as a "strong foundation," but features modern visuals and gameplay tweaks introduced in later Dead Space games.

Grubb first hinted at the possibility of the series coming back during an episode of the GamesBeat Decides podcast, saying EA would announce a revival at its upcoming Play event on July 22nd. Eurogamer and Gematsu later corroborated his claims, noting they had heard similar information. It's also worth noting Grubb was the first person to report that EA was working on Mass Effect Legendary Edition. And while it's always good to be skeptical, there have been other tantalizing hints that EA will resurrect Dead Space. Just yesterday, someone noticed the company had updated the official Dead Space YouTube page following years of inactivity to change the channel's profile picture. With EA Play a mere three weeks away, we won't have to wait long to see if the rumors are true. 

'Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart' gets a performance boost on 120Hz displays

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 11:44 AM PDT

Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart should now look smoother and feel more responsive if you play Sony's latest PS5 exclusive in fidelity mode on a 120Hz display. The latest patch bumps up the framerate from 30 fps to 40 fps in that mode.

The update slightly makes up for the lack of variable refresh rate (VRR) support on PS5 as things stand, though Sony plans to enable that through an update in the future. The fidelity mode prioritizes visuals over performance, offering ray tracing and up to 4K resolution, but the framerate was capped at 30 fps. The performance and performance RT modes have lower resolution, but run the game at 60 fps.

Aiming for 40 fps might seem like an odd number when we're so used to having 60Hz and 120 Hz displays. Because 40 divides neatly into 120, a 120Hz screen will show a new frame on every three refreshes. As The Verge notes, that will help ensure Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart looks smooth if you have a compatible display. It'll certainly seem slicker than a framerate that doesn't match up with how often a screen refreshes, which could cause screen tearing.

The framerate issue should become less complicated for PS5 developers once the VRR update arrives. Xbox Series X/S and many PC GPUs currently have VRR support, and more 120Hz+ monitors and TVs are hitting the market.

Meanwhile, Insomniac rolled out an update for its other PS5 blockbuster, Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The patch improved the quality of ray-traced reflections while using the Performance RT mode, according to the studio.
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