Tuesday, August 10, 2021

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Twitter is now said to be complying with India's new IT laws

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 04:40 AM PDT

Twitter is now in compliance with India's new rules which govern IT companies, government lawyers have reportedly told a New Delhi Court. The move, as reported by TechCrunch, may bring to an end a months long battle between the government there and the messaging platform. This has seen the company hire a domestic compliance officer and an executive who can handle grievances from the authorities. The new rules are, broadly, designed to get social media platforms to delete content that officials deem unlawful within 36 hours of being reported and to aid in any subsequent police investigations.

India and Twitter's relationship has been strained for much of this year, after Twitter refused to block critics of the Modi government. In April, the government threatened to jail Twitter employees unless they removed so-called inflammatory content around the so-called Farmer's Protests. Shortly after, India successfully got the company to suppress tweets that criticized the company's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Things got worse in May when, as reported by The New York Times, a spokesperson for India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tweeted an image purporting to be a leaked document from (rival party) the Indian National Congress. This image, which depicted a plan for opposition leaders to destabilize the government, was widely-retweeted by major political figures. Of course, the image was a fake, and Twitter added a label to the original tweet saying that contained "manipulated media."

In June, India threatened Twitter with the loss of its legal immunity (similar to Section 230 in the US) from being responsible for the content its users post. In July, those protections were finally withdrawn and Indian officials were quick to file lawsuits — in one example, targeting Twitter's Indian head, Manish Maheswari, over publication of a map that displayed the disputed territory of Kashmir as a separate country.

The Morning After: Sony now owns anime streaming service Crunchyroll

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 04:15 AM PDT

Sony officially owns both Crunchyroll and Funimation. Its Sony Pictures division completed the $1.175 billion acquisition yesterday and the plan now, according to CEO Tony Vinciquerra, is to "create a unified anime subscription experience as soon as possible."

For anime fans, it might be a relief that Sony's purchase has gone through. Funimation pulled most of its content from Crunchyroll when Sony acquired a majority stake. This move should mean all this content can happily coexist on the same service (again). 

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Sony might have made a smart purchase. In an era of streaming services everywhere, it gets a dedicated audience that continues to grow. When Sony first announced the acquisition, Crunchyroll had 3 million subscribers. Less than a year later, there are 5 million paying for the service and 120 million registered users. 

-Mat Smith

'Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice' gets a surprise Xbox Series X/S patch

The update adds a ray-tracing mode and a chapter select screen.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Ninja Theory

A surprise Xbox Series X/S optimization patch for Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice has appeared, three years after the action-adventure game arrived on Xbox One. Along with enhanced visuals, you can take advantage of ray-tracing on your next playthrough. A PC update is also in the works, although no word on a PS5 upgrade. Lest we forget, Ninja Theory is now a Microsoft studio. Continue reading.

Facebook adds Photobucket and Google Calendar to its data portability options

Can I move those birthdays across?

Facebook has added two new destinations for when you want to move your data from the social network. In a blog post, the company said that users will be able to move their images to Photobucket and event listings to Google Calendar. It also promises a simpler and more intuitive process to move your data across. Continue reading.

UN report says most climate change effects are 'unprecedented' and 'irreversible'

Drastic reductions to greenhouse gas emissions are needed to avoid even more warming.

Firefighters extinguish spot fires along Route 89 Dixie Fire in Moccasin, now over 200,000 acres, California, U.S., July 28, 2021. REUTERS/David Swanson TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
David Swanson / reuters

According to a new report from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it's no longer possible to prevent the planet from heating over the next 20 to 30 years. Since the mid-19th century, the planet's temperature has increased by 1.1 degrees Celsius, or 2 degrees Fahrenheit, as a direct result of greenhouse gas emissions related to humans burning coal, oil and other fossil fuels for energy. "We can expect a significant jump in extreme weather over the next 20 or 30 years," climate scientist Piers Forster told The New York Times. "Things are unfortunately likely to get worse than they are today." Continue reading.

Microsoft will host a Gamescom Xbox event on August 24th

Ahead of the all-digital gaming event.

Before Gamescom 2021 gets officially underway on August 25th, Microsoft will kick off the all-digital event with a livestream of its own. The company will share an update on its holiday Xbox lineup on August 24th at 1PM ET/10AM PT. "Holiday lineup" will probably translate to more details on two of its biggest upcoming games, Starfield and Halo Infinite. Continue reading.

But that's not all

Roku will release most of Quibi's remaining library on August 13th

SpaceX is buying an Internet of Things smallsat company

Record labels sue Charter over copyright infringement claims

Engadget Deals: Beats Studio Buds drop to a new record low of $130

Engadget Deals: Apple's AirPods with the wireless charging case are on sale for $130

What we’ve been watching: The ‘DuckTales’ reboot

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 04:01 AM PDT

As an '80s and '90s kid, I have a special affinity for Disney Television's animation lineup of the time, packaged as the "Disney Afternoon" on my local station (WPIX, aka PIX 11). My favorite was Gargoyles. I have a special place in my heart for TaleSpin, but DuckTales was the undisputed king of the lineup. One hundred episodes and a movie with plenty of race cars, lasers, airplanes, robots, super suits, caveducks and, of course, Scrooge's Lucky Number One Dime.

Plenty of cartoons from the '80s have seen reboots in the past decade, but few have failed to outshine the original or gain a real fandom. So when a DuckTales reboot was announced, I was admittedly a bit wary, though the cast announcement certainly was enough to get my jaded self at least a little excited, with David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck and Beck Bennett as Launchpad McQuack.

The show debuted in July 2017 and I have to say they nailed it. It straddled the line between giving fans all the little in-jokes and callbacks to the original show they loved, but also introducing new characters (like tech mogul Mark Beaks) and plotlines to make the show feel fresh and modern. Huey, Dewey and Louie were given different color-coded outfit designs, distinct personalities and separate character arcs. Mrs. Beakley was upgraded from Scrooge's housekeeper to also being a former secret agent he used to work with. And Webby was aged up and made more adventurous, so she could hold her own on any journey and even make a few friends along the way.

The show's biggest strength was how heavily it drew from its source material, not just the original series but the original Carl Barks comics that inspired it in the first place. DuckTales (2017) marks the first animated appearance of Huey, Dewey and Louie's mother (and Donald's sister) Della. She was also modernized, made into an adventuring pilot with a short temper, not unlike her brother's. The show also referenced other Disney Afternoon shows like TaleSpin, Chip 'N' Dale's Rescue Rangers and Goof Troop. It was truly a love letter to fans, but one with a solid plot and some wicked humor that today's kids could still enjoy.

The show came to an end earlier this year, with the third season hitting Disney+ back in March. While the first season dealt with Magica DeSpell and season two was all about the Moon, season three pit Clan McDuck against the evil agency F.O.W.L. The creators knew this would be the last season, so it also pulls double duty on tying up stray plotlines and checking off their bucket list. That included bringing back Darkwing Duck and setting up a possible spinoff show, telling us the story of how Scrooge met Donald and Della, and even giving us a pseudo-sequel to TaleSpin.

Family was also a constant theme in the last season, with the show delving into Della's newfound parenthood as well as where Webby ultimately sits within the family. I didn't quite cry during the finale, but I came close. One thing that kept me going in the end was the knowledge that the story would continue in some form, not just in comics but in a weekly podcast featuring all the original voice actors. Seven episodes of This Duckburg Life are available (yes, it is a parody of Ira Glass), and a nice thing about the program is that it contains no spoilers for the cartoon so you can check it out even before you binge the show on Disney+. The episodes are fairly short, less than 15 minutes, which is fine because DuckTales has always been good at packing a lot of adventure into its 22-minute runtime.

Google’s One Plan VPN is now available outside the US

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 03:15 AM PDT

If you subscribe to the 2TB / $10-per month (or higher) Google One plan, then you get a little something extra over those who do not: Access to Google's mobile VPN. This feature has, until now, been limited to customers in the US, but now Google is letting a far greater number of countries get their hands on the goodies. As of today, the Google One VPN is available to Android users in Mexico, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy.

This particular product is designed to encrypt all of your mobile traffic when you're out and about to prevent sniffers from getting access to your personal data. The VPN itself is baked into the Google One app, and the company says it will encrypt and protect you no matter what app you're using. Plus, if you're unsure how exactly to get connected, you can schedule a Pro Session for an expert to coach you through the basics.

At the same time, Google is reminding folks that the VPN has seen a number of feature upgrades since its launch, including the ability to block internet traffic when the VPN is inactive. You can also bypass the VPN in specific situations or with specific mobile apps, and set timed controls for when you need to be free from its protective embrace. Google added that the VPN has been independently audited and found to be robust enough for most folks to trust it. 

Google simplifies its Titan security key lineup

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 02:40 AM PDT

Google has announced that it is retiring the Bluetooth version of its Titan security key in order to streamline its security product line. The search giant will now only offer two editions; one with USB-A and USB-C, both of which will pack NFC to enable it to be used by most mobile devices. That should reduce any confusion that would-be purchasers had with the current lineup, where some models packed the Near Field standard, and others did not. Google's Christiaan Brand said that the company was going to focus on the "easier and more widely available NFC capability" going forward, although support and warranties for the existing Bluetooth keys would be "honored per their terms." The new keys are now available on the Google Store.

Titan keys were initially launched in 2018 as Google's take on the sort of hardware security key made by Yubikey and others. They're designed to be far more secure than standard methods of two-factor authentication and, when implemented, Google said that their use had completely eliminated internal phishing attacks. In the run-up to the 2020 US elections, Google even pledged to hand out Titan keys to political groups to help them secure their campaign data.

Amazon will soon directly address claims over faulty marketplace products

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 02:05 AM PDT

Amazon is updating its return policy to make it easier for customers to file complaints over defective products from third party marketplace sellers. Starting September 1st, you'll be able to contact Amazon directly with a property damage or personal injury claim, and then Amazon will connect you with the seller. If it determines a complaint is valid, Amazon will directly pay out any claims under $1,000, the company wrote in a blog post. 

"Claims under $1,000 account for more than 80 percent of cases in our store, and Amazon will bear these costs and not seek reimbursement from sellers who abide by our policies and hold valid insurance," the company wrote. "Sellers will be kept informed at every step so they can continue to ensure their products are safe." 

Amazon noted that it may also step in for claim over $1,000 if the seller is unresponsive. It may also address customer concerns if a claim is rejected by the seller, though "sellers will continue to have the opportunity to defend their product against the claim," it said. The company will vet the claims using independent insurance fraud experts and its own fraud and abuse detection systems.

Currently, Amazon encourages customers to contact third-party sellers directly with complaints about products. That left users to fend mostly for themselves following accidents caused by faulty or dangerous products. A short list of those includes defective carbon monoxide detectors, hair dryers without required shock protection and flammable clothing for kids, according to a complaint from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The new policy comes after complaints from lawmakers and consumer organizations about the proliferation of counterfeit, faulty and even dangerous products sold on Amazon's sprawling third-party marketplace. Last month, the CPSC sued Amazon to force it to recall faulty items that posed safety risks. Regulators said they had warned Amazon about the hazardous items on its site, but deemed its response insufficient.

Barry’s latest fitness app supports on-camera workouts

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 10:45 PM PDT

Most gyms and fitness clubs turned to Zoom and online classes to make it through the early stages of the pandemic. That's something Barry's did with its At Home program, and now it's building on that work with the release of a new app called Barry's X. Much like Apple Fitness+, Peloton and Daily Burn, you can use the software to access live and on-demand workouts. But in trying to replicate the in-person experience it's known for, you can also turn on your phone's camera and a built-in "Red Room" filter during a class. Barry's says the feature will allow its instructors to offer personalized attention. 

In-app privacy settings allow you to control who sees you when you're on camera. You can set it so only your instructor can access your feed. It's also possible to include your friends in the mix. And if you're the type of person who wants to show off, you can let the whole class see you. The company says it will also cap class sizes to ensure instructors can help every participant.

Outside of the camera feature, the app includes a "FitFam" social media component where you can add friends to see their schedules and stats, as well as invite them to classes you want to try. Pricing will depend on how much you plan to use the app. Monthly memberships start at $39. The entry-level package includes access to four classes every 30 days. If you already pay for an in-studio membership, you can buy a $20 add-on that gives you access to the app's on-demand content. Another option is to pay for classes individually, though that will set you back $20 per session.

Samsung's new 5-nanometer chip is designed for smartwatches

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 10:03 PM PDT

Samsung has unveiled the Exynos W920, a new processor designed specifically for smartphones and wearables. It has an integrated LTE modem and is the first chip designed for wearables to be built on a 5-nanometer EUV (extreme ultra-violet) process, according to Samsung. 

The new chip features dual Cortex-A55 cores, a Mali-G68 GPU and a Cortex-M55 processor dedicated to always-on displays that's designed to reduce power consumption. The company claims that it offers a 20 percent improvement in CPU performance and tenfold GPU boost over its last wearable chip. It's also the "smallest package currently available in the market for wearables," it said.

In its press release, Samsung explicitly wrote that "the Exynos W920 supports a new unified wearable platform Samsung built jointly with Google, and will be first applied to the upcoming Galaxy Watch model." That's no doubt going to be the Galaxy Watch 4 that leaked out last month and is expected to be announced tomorrow at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event. 

Samsung will likely also reveal its latest smartwatch software that marries Tizen and Wear OS, developed jointly with Google. We're expecting to see navigation changes, new Tiles for third-party apps, improved battery efficiency, improved health and fitness tracking and a more open interface. 

Substack signs a slate of big-name comics creators

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 09:23 PM PDT

After jumping into comics earlier this year, Substack is entering in a bigger way by signing several major creators to its platform, the New York Times has reported. The new slate of writers includes Saladin Ahmed, Jonathan Hickman, Molly Ostertag, Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV, with other writers and artists to be announced at a later date. 

As with other Substack writers, comics creators will send their work out in a newsletter format and charge subscribers directly for their work. During the first year, they'll be paid by Substack which will take most of the subscription revenue, and after that, the platform will take a 10 percent cut. Creators will retain ownership of all their materials.

Tynion IV, who recently won the Eisner award for his work on DC's Batman and other titles, said he'll work on Substack exclusively. "This wasn't an easy decision," he told the NY Times. "In order to invest my time in new material, I needed to choose. I could not do both."

DC had presented me with a three-year renewal of my exclusive contract, with the intent of me working on Batman for the bulk of that time. I was grateful of the offer, but I couldn't help but look at the success of my original, creator owned titles and wonder if it was the right choice.

Substack first got into comics back in June when it signed Marvel's Amazing Spider-Man writer Nick Spencer. Spencer reportedly spearheaded the idea and was the liaison between Substack and newly signed creators. On top of comic book stories, they'll publish, essays, how-to guides and other content on the platform.

Until recently, Substack has mostly focused on newsletters covering politics, technology and more. Comics, meanwhile, have been around forever on the web, but have largely been funded by ads and merchandise sales. By joining with Substack, creators will be able to engage directly with readers in a model that more closely resembles comic book sales. 

In his Substack launch post, Tynion said that he effectively turned down a three-year renewal of his DC Batman contract when Substack signed him "to create a new slate of original comic book properties directly on their platform, that my co-creators and I would own completely," he wrote. "I'm going to dedicate my whole brain to building a bunch of really cool stuff on my own terms, without having to get permission from any publisher to make it."

Parallels 17 promises better M1 Mac performance and Windows 11 support

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 09:01 PM PDT

Parallels, the company best know for its virtualization software that lets you run Windows and Linux directly on your Mac, has had a busy year. In addition to building a version of Parallels that can run on Chrome OS for the first time, the company also had to figure out how to quickly make its software work with the new, ARM-based M1 Macs that arrived last fall. Now, Parallels Desktop 17 is being released with improved performance on M1 Macs, as well as full support for the upcoming macOS Monterey and Windows 11 operating systems. 

Before getting into these improvements, though, it's worth taking a moment to talk compatibility. Apple moving the Mac to ARM architecture means there are now two classes of Macs for Parallels to support. As of today, the only versions of Windows that Parallels can run on an M1 Mac are the Insider Previews for Windows 10 and Windows 11 — because those versions of the OS are able to run on ARM-based hardware. But, Parallels unequivocally says that when the full version of Windows 11 is released to the public, it'll run on Parallels 17.

On an Intel-baed Mac, however, users can still run a host of virtual machines, including Windows support all the way back to XP and Windows 2000, and macOS all the way back to 2011's OS X Lion. It can also run eight different Linux distros; M1 Macs can only virtualize four right now, including Ubuntu and Fedora.

So while Intel Macs still offer the broadest compatibility, Parallels has found that the raw power of the M1 chip means users likely aren't giving anything up running the Windows 10 or 11 Insider Previews. Microsoft's built-in emulation for Windows means that Windows 10 Insider Preview can run almost any 32-bit x86 app as well as "many" 64-bit x86 apps, and the M1's power helps to make up for speed lost due to emulation. 

As for what's new, Parallels has speed improvements across the board, whether you're running Intel or M1. Regardless of which system you're using, Parallels 17 resumes Windows and Linux up to 38 percent faster, while OpenGL graphics run up to six times faster than the previous version. M1-specific speed improvements include 20 percent faster disk performance when using Windows 10 Insider preview, while DirectX graphics should perform up to 28 percent better. These tests are all run by Parallels, and we can't verify them yet, but improving performance has long been a focus for the company. 

There are a handful of new features on board, as well. Parallels improved its "Coherence" mode, where you can run a Windows app without launching into the full Windows UI. Now, things like shutdowns, updates and sign-in screens are windowed as well, making them easier to pop into the background. The ability to drag and drop between Windows and Mac apps has been improved, as well — for example, you can now highlight and drop text and images between Mac and Windows apps, and it'll work with the new Quick Note feature coming to macOS Monterey. 

Parallels 17 also contains a virtual TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chip, which lets the system use BitLocker and Secure Boot when running Windows 10 and Windows 11. There's an added layer of intrigue to this feature: Microsoft originally said that a computer with a TPM chip was a requirement for Windows 11 before backtracking (at least for the testing period). It's not clear yet if the final version of Windows 11 will require a TPM chip, but this virtualization should let Parallels users get around this requirement. 

As with most software these days, Parallels Desktop 17 is being sold as a subscription. The standard edition is $79.99 per year, and the pro edition costs $99.99 per year. If you're on a subscription, you'll get Parallels updates as long as the subscription is active. If you prefer, though, you can get a perpetual license of the standard edition Parallels 17 for $99.99; people who have purchased a past perpetual license can upgrade for $49.99.

Sony closes $1.175 billion deal to buy Crunchyroll from AT&T

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 03:09 PM PDT

It's official. Sony now owns both Crunchyroll and Funimation. The company's Sony Pictures division completed the $1.175 billion acquisition on Monday. And with the deal now closed, Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra said the company's goal is to "create a unified anime subscription experience as soon as possible."

Sony didn't say how soon we could see that happen and what form that "experience" will take. For the time being, Funimation and Crunchyroll will continue to exist as separate streaming platforms, with few details on what the deal means for subscribers.

"With the addition of Crunchyroll, we have an unprecedented opportunity to serve anime fans like never before and deliver the anime experience across any platform they choose, from theatrical, events, home entertainment, games, streaming, linear TV — everywhere and every way fans want to experience their anime," Vinciquerra said.

Sony first announced it was acquiring Crunchyroll from AT&T at the end of 2020. At the time, the service said it had 3 million subscribers and over 90 million registered users across more than 200 countries. Less than a year later, Crunchyroll notes those numbers have increased to 5 million and 120 million, respectively.

Amazon and GoPro file joint lawsuit against Chinese counterfeiters

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 01:46 PM PDT

Amazon and GoPro have filed a joint lawsuit against a group of Chinese nationals and businesses they allege sold counterfeit GroPro products on Amazon. In newly unsealed court documents, the two companies say the fraudsters made knockoffs of some of GoPro's most popular accessories that blatantly used its branding to try and trick potential buyers.

Among the products the counterfeiters saw to pass off as authentic include GoPro's signature "3-Way" and "The Handler" grips. The knockoffs were often hard to spot, with subtle differences between them and their real GoPro counterparts. For instance, some had foam handles that were a slightly different color from the one you'll find on tripods from the company.

"When counterfeiters attempt to sell in our store, they not only violate the intellectual property rights of companies like GoPro, they also mislead consumers and harm Amazon's reputation as a place to buy authentic goods," said Kebharu Smith, director of Amazon's recently formed Counterfeit Crimes Unit.

Amazon and GoPro aren't the first companies to take legal action against fraudsters using the platform to sell counterfeit goods. Back in 2016, Apple alleged that about 90 percent of the Lightning cables and chargers marked "Fulfilled by Amazon" were fake.

However, Amazon contends the problem isn't widespread. In 2020, the company says less than 0.01 percent of all products sold on its marketplace were the subject of a counterfeit complaint from customers. As The Verge points out, what we don't know is how many items the company sold last year.

At the scale Amazon does business, 0.01 percent could represent tens of thousands of complaints. It's also not clear how many people bought a counterfeit product, and either didn't think to contact the company about their purchase or were none the wiser about what they had in their possession. Either way, the issue of fake GoPro products was pressing enough for Amazon to team up with the company to take it on.

UN report says most climate change effects are 'unprecedented' and 'irreversible'

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 11:22 AM PDT

It's no longer possible to prevent the planet from heating over the next 20 to 30 years, and some of the changes global warming is bringing about are now impossible to undo in the short term, according to a new report from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The document represents the most comprehensive analysis of the physical science behind climate change ever amassed in human history. The 284 scientists who worked on the project spent eight years examing data from more than 14,000 studies. They say human activity is "unequivocally" behind the Earth's rapidly changing climate.

Since the mid-19th century, the planet's temperature has increased by 1.1 degrees Celsius, or 2 degrees Fahrenheit, as a direct result of greenhouse gas emissions related to humans burning coal, oil and other fossil fuels for energy. We've already seen the effects a warmer planet can have on humans. It was only earlier this summer that parts of Canada and the US Pacific Northwest suffered through a sweltering and unprecedented heatwave that melted power cables, buckled roads and killed people.

"Many of the changes observed in the climate are unprecedented in thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of years, and some of the changes already set in motion — such as continued sea level rise — are irreversible over hundreds to thousands of years," the IPCC said.

Unless governments commit to reducing emissions sharply, limiting warming to the targets established in the Paris Climate Agreement will be "beyond reach," the report warns. With a 1.5 degree Celsius increase in global temperatures, there will be more frequent and life-threatening heat waves, droughts that leave millions struggling to find water and continued sea level rise that will displace coastal communities across the globe.

"We can expect a significant jump in extreme weather over the next 20 or 30 years," Piers Forster, one of the climate scientists who contributed to the report, told The New York Times. "Things are unfortunately likely to get worse than they are today."

Reiterating past UN reports, the IPCC also warned a 3 degree or even 4 degree Celsius increase in global temperatures would be catastrophic. With every additional degree of warming, there's a greater risk of the planet passing specific tipping points that could lead to even more dramatic changes to the climate. According to the IPCC, drastic reductions in emissions can limit the worse effects of climate change and keep warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, it could take between 20 to 80 years to see global temperatures stabilize.

The report will be front and center when diplomats travel to Glasgow, Scotland, to attend the UN's COP26 summit on climate change. As one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases globally, the US can play a significant role in what happens next. After rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, President Biden pledged America would cut its greenhouse emissions in half by 2030. Now more than ever, it's time to take action.

'Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice' gets a surprise Xbox Series X/S patch

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 09:20 AM PDT

Ninja Theory has released an Xbox Series X/S optimization patch for Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, three years after the action-adventure game arrived on Xbox One. Along with enhanced visuals, you can take advantage of DirectX ray-tracing on your next playthrough. A PC update is also in the works, but there are no current plans for a PlayStation 5 performance patch.

The performance mode supports a dynamic resolution of up to 1080p with a maximum framerate of 120 on Xbox Series X, and full HD at 60 frames per second on Xbox Series S. The resolution mode offers up to 4K dynamic visuals on Series X at 60 fps, and up to 1440p at 30 fps on Series S. The enriched mode enables ray-tracing on both consoles at 30fps, with a dynamic resolution of up to 4K on Series X and full HD on Series S. Ninja Theory says it has updated details, materials and particles, and there's now a chapter select option.

The patch arrives ahead of Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, which will be exclusive to Xbox and PC. The original game debuted on PC and PlayStation 4 in 2017 before hitting Xbox One the following March. Microsoft added Ninja Theory to the Xbox Game Studios portfolio in 2018.

There's no confirmed release window for the sequel as yet. Microsoft is promising updates on some Xbox Game Studios titles during its Gamescom event later this month, so perhaps we'll find out more details then.

SpaceX is buying an Internet of Things smallsat company

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 09:00 AM PDT

SpaceX just dipped its toes into the Internet of Things. SpaceNewsreports that SpaceX has acquired Swarm Technologies, a startup best known for smallsats that power IoT services. The two companies aren't shy about how this will help Swarm — this gives the younger company the resources it needs to take on other smallsat operators, no to mention "synergies" that come with a company used to designing and launching satellites.

Swarm's commercial mini-satellite network just went live in February of this year, but it already had enough funding to finish rolling out an array of 150 satellites. It's a small company with roughly 30 employees as of March.

It's not clear if or how SpaceX will alter its strategy as a result of the deal, although an FCC filing suggested Elon Musk's outfit would primarily benefit from Swarm's "intellectual property and expertise." In other words, this might be an acquihire rather than an expansion of SpaceX's strategy.

There are areas where the businesses might mesh well. SpaceX is busy deploying a giant constellation of relatively small Starlink internet satellites. The firm also recently began launching rideshare missions full of cubesats and other small payloads. Swarm would at least serve as a customer for those rideshare missions. It might also help SpaceX refine or expand its smallsat efforts, no matter how much IoT plays a role.

Microsoft will host a Gamescom Xbox event on August 24th

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 08:40 AM PDT

Before Gamescom 2021 gets officially underway on August 25th, Microsoft will kick off the all-digital event with a livestream of its own. The company will share an update on its holiday Xbox lineup on August 24th at 1PM ET/10AM PT. We don't expect Microsoft to announce too many new titles. Instead, it sounds like we'll see more of the games it highlighted at its E3 2021 presentation, including Starfield and Halo Infinite.

"You'll get in-depth updates from some of our previously announced Xbox Game Studios titles alongside some of our third-party partners, including some of the incredible titles coming to Xbox this holiday, upcoming releases to our monthly subscription service, Xbox Game Pass and much more," the company said.

Microsoft will stream the presentation to YouTube, Twitch, Facebook Gaming and Twitter. It also said today it would have more information to share about Xbox FanFest at a later date. As always, if you can't watch the livestream, we will have you covered after the event with coverage of all the biggest announcements.   

Roku will release most of Quibi’s remaining library on August 13th

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 07:45 AM PDT

Roku is still busy giving Quibi shows a second life as Roku Originals. The media device maker has revealed that 23 more shows will come to the free Roku Channel on August 13th, including a few that might just catch your attention thanks to their critical acclaim or star power. Memory Hole has Will Arnett revisiting the poorly-aged elements of pop culture, while Mapleworth Murders is an Emmy-nominated spoof of the mystery genre (such as the sheer body count in shows like Murder, She Wrote).

Other picks include Skrrt with Offset (a car enthusiast show starring its namesake rapper), the Reese Witherspoon-hosted nature documentary Fierce Queens and the celebrity stunt show Elba vs. Block.

As before, Roku is focused on filling the gaps Netflix, Amazon and other streaming heavyweights tend to leave in their catalogs. Quibi's shows not only didn't get much exposure during their ill-fated initial run, but offer short (roughly 10 minutes per episode) bites that you're unlikely to find on rival services.These new offerings may be easy choices if you're either pressed for time or just want an alternative when you run out of things to watch on paid services.

Anova's Nano sous-vide cooker drops to $99 at Amazon and Best Buy

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 07:33 AM PDT

Home chefs looking to experiment more should give sous vide cooking a try, but that's easier said than done if you're starting from scratch. Many sous vide machines cost hundreds of dollars, but those looking to give the method a go don't have to spend that much now thanks to a new sale on Anova's Precision Cooker Nano. Both Amazon and Best Buy have the device for $99, which is $30 off and a return to the best price we've seen all year.

Buy Anova Precision Cooker Nano at Amazon - $99Buy Anova Precision Cooker Nano at Best Buy - $99

A machine like the Nano is the most important piece of equipment you'll need for sous vide cooking that you probably don't already have in your kitchen. The method involves cooking food in a sealable bag that's submerged in heated water. The Precision Cooker Nano and other devices like it constantly circulate the water and keep it at the right temperature, ensuring your food is never over- or undercooked.

The Nano is the entry-level machine in Anova's lineup, making it the right pick for sous vide newbies. It uses 750 watts of power to heat up water and it'll run for up to 3,000 hours before it needs to be recharged. With that amount of power, you'll be able to easily cook meals for up to four people.

Aside from wattage and battery capacity, it differs from the more advanced devices in Anova's lineup in its clamp and connectivity. It has a fixed clamp, rather than a removable and adjustable one, that you'll use to secure the machine to your cooking pot. It also connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth rather than WiFi, but that still gives you access to the customizable controls in the Anova mobile app. You can set the cooking time and keep track of your cook while it's cooking in the app, plus the app gives you access to a bunch of recipes you can try, too. While it may be tempting to spring for the standard, $199 Precision Cooker for it extra power and battery life, the Nano is arguably the best choice for home cooks who want to give a new method a try without spending too much money upfront.

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Renault and China's Geely will form a hybrid-focused joint venture in Asia

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 07:21 AM PDT

Renault is looking to revive flagging sales in China. It has agreed to set up a joint venture with a major auto manufacturer in the country. Renault will share tech and resources with Geely (which owns Volvo and Polestar) to bring Renault-branded hybrid vehicles to China.

The companies plan to take advantage of Geely's supply chain and manufacturing capabilities. Renault will focus on sales and marketing.

Along with China, the companies are eyeing South Korea as a key market for their joint venture. They plan to sell localized versions of hybrids from Geely's Lynk & Co brand.

The joint venture will likely expand to other Asian markets in the future, according to Reuters, which reported that Renault and Geely are considering making fully electric vehicles as well. Renault recently announced an ambitious timeline for electrifying its vehicles. It forecasts that 65 percent of its lineup will be electric by 2025.

Having a partnership in China seems important for Renault, which has struggled to sell cars under its own name in the country. It sold just 2,324 Renault-branded cars there in 2020, a drop of 89 percent from the previous year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the global semiconductor shortage. In comparison, Jinbei and Huasong, brands owned by a joint venture between Renault and Brilliance Auto, sold 154,049 vehicles in China last year.

Amazon's Alexa device sale includes a $55 Echo Show 5

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 07:02 AM PDT

Want a smart alarm clock to help you get back to work (or school) now that September is fast approaching? Amazon might help. The internet giant is running a sale on Echo devices, and the latest Echo Show 5 is on sale for only $55, or an even $30 below its official price. You'll get a similar discount on the Echo Show 5 Kids model, which sells for $65 (down from $95) with a year of Amazon Kids+ service thrown in. Both prices are much lower than we saw just a few weeks ago.

Buy Echo Show 5 at Amazon - $55

Buy Echo Show 5 Kids at Amazon - $65

If you'd prefer something larger, the current-generation Echo Show 8 has dipped to $100, a $30 savings. That's only $5 higher than Amazon's Prime Day sale price for the previous-generation model. And if you prefer Alexa on your face, the second-generation Echo Frames are down to an all-time low price of $180 (versus the usual $250).

Buy Echo Show 8 at Amazon - $100

Buy Echo Frames at Amazon - $180

The Echo Show 5 and 8 screens are subtle updates, but that's not necessarily a problem. The Show 5 remains a handy nightstand companion, with solid sound quality for the money and a 2MP camera for video chats with family (there's a physical privacy shutter). The Show 8, meanwhile, has both strong sound quality and a 13MP wide-angle camera that can track you as you walk around. It may hit the sweet spot if you're looking for a kitchen display that will help you chat with friends while you cook dinner.

The same catches remain. The on-screen interface for the Echo Show family isn't quite as intuitive as with Google's Nest Hub devices, and you'll miss out on streaming services like Disney+ and HBO Max. The Echo Show isn't for you if you want to revisit Loki or Hacks. Amazon still has a very robust smart home ecosystem, though, and the wide range of Alexa skills could be helpful if you ever need a specialized voice app.

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The Beats Studio Buds drop to a new record low of $130

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 06:35 AM PDT

While leaks somewhat spoiled their launch, Beats' Studio Buds impressed us with their comfortable new design, balanced sound and seamless pairing with both Android and iOS devices. They were priced right, too, coming in at $150. But now the buds are on sale for the first time since they came out in June, so you can grab them for only $130 from Amazon. All three colors have been discounted, so you can choose your favorite and save $20.

Buy Beats Studio Buds at Amazon - $130

We gave the Beats Studio Buds a score of 84 and we consider them to be the best pair of Beats buds for most people. They have a smaller, more comfortable design that some past Beats earbuds and their IPX4 water-resistant housing will keep them safe even during your sweatiest workouts. The buds pump out good sound with punchy bass and they work with Apple's Spatial Audio feature, too. You're also getting noise-cancellation that uses adaptive gain control to adjust in real time, blocking out distracting noises like that from dishwashers, wind and more. As far as battery life goes, the Studio Buds should get five to eight hours on a single charge, depending on your ANC use.

You may think that because these are Beats earbuds that they're designed with Apple users in mind, first and foremost. However, Beats added a number of new features that make these buds better for Android users, too. They still have the H1 chip inside, so you'll get fast pairing and switching between Apple devices. But Android users also have a Fast Pair feature now, too, which allows Android devices to immediately recognize the buds during the initial setup. The Studio Buds work with Android's Find My Device feature, so you can use that to see the last known location of your buds.

There's a lot to like about the Beats Studio Buds, especially at this $130 sale price. However, they lack a few key features: wireless charging, onboard volume controls and sound customizations. We also weren't impressed with their call quality either. But if you're willing to sacrifice in those areas, the Studio Buds remain solid options for both Android and iOS users who want a reliable, comfortable pair of wireless earbuds that won't break the bank.

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

Apple's AirPods with the wireless charging case are on sale for $130

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 05:43 AM PDT

If you're an Apple user and somehow haven't gotten your hands on a pair of AirPods yet, now's a good time to grab them. Amazon has the standard AirPods with their wireless charging case for $130, which is an all-time-low price that we haven't seen often in the past. However, shipping times are delayed (likely due to the rarity of this deal) so you'll have to wait until the beginning of September to receive them.

Buy AirPods (wireless charging case) at Amazon - $130Buy AirPods at Amazon - $114Buy AirPods Pro at Amazon - $190

If you don't want to wait, you can skip the wireless charging case and get the regular model for $114 — not a record low, but $45 less than their normal price. It's also worth noting that the AirPods Pro remain $60 off, bringing them down to $190.

Even if you haven't used AirPods before, you're probably quite familiar with them, especially if you use a lot of Apple products. They're the company's true wireless earbuds that, thanks to the H1 chipset inside, pair and switch seamlessly between iPhone, iPad and other Apple devices. It makes the initial setup quick and easy, and it allows you to go from taking a call on your iPhone to listening to music from your Mac with little delay. The H1 chip also improved upon the AirPods' connection range, and it enables hands-free Siri access, too.

Convenience alone is reason enough for some to invest in AirPods, but they're also a solid pair of wireless earbuds as well. Sound quality is decent (we prefer the AirPods Pro if you want the best sound quality Apple earbuds can offer) and they'll last for about five hours on a single charge. And with the wireless charging case, you can set the AirPods on any Qi-compatible pad you have in your home when you need extra juice.

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The Morning After: Tesla delays another vehicle to 2022

Posted: 09 Aug 2021 04:15 AM PDT

Tesla's electric pickup isn't going anywhere this year. The company has quietly pushed the release of the electric pickup to next year. That's according to its configuration page, telling you that you'll get to customize your truck when "production nears in 2022." This applies regardless of model — single-motor trucks were always going to arrive later, but a new 2022 launch seems to for the dual- and tri-motor machines, too.

Tesla delivering on its promises has been a rare feat recently. Just last month, its semi truck was also pushed back to 2022, due to supply constraints, both in sourcing batteries and the general mayhem that is COVID-19. Oh, and then there's the Tesla Roadster, delayed until, yep, 2022.

Elon Musk said in January that there would only be a "few deliveries" of Cybertrucks in 2021, and that volume production was set for 2022. While the company stuck to that claim in its July quarterly report, the company only recently finished the engineering design for the EV, which would have made for an extremely tight production schedule.

-Mat Smith

Razer's high-tech face mask needs beta testers

Its face mask is no longer a project.

Project Hazel is now the Razer Zephyr and you can sign up to test the device ahead of its launch later this year. Since we first saw the mask at CES 2021, Razer has added internal lighting and a silicon face seal. However, we still don't know how much it'll cost.

Continue reading.

Spotify 'clarifies' that its iOS app will support AirPlay 2 streaming

It claims there was a mixup over the music streaming feature.

No, no, no, it was all just a misunderstanding.

Continue reading.

Rocket Lab will launch its first Moon mission in late 2021

Take off from New Zealand.

The private spaceflight firm has revealed that its CAPSTONE mission will lift off from the company's original launch complex in New Zealand sometime in the fourth quarter of 2021. The mission was originally slated to launch in early 2021. However, the launch will represent a technical breakthrough for Rocket Lab. While the Electron rocket will serve a familiar role in carrying the mission into space, this will be the first time the company uses its Photon platform to put a satellite on a lunar trajectory.

Continue reading.

Microsoft starts publicly testing an Xbox night mode

Even your controller can dim for late-night game sessions.

Microsoft has started publicly testing an Xbox night mode that should make it more comfortable to play after dark. The feature can dim the screen, power button and even your controller light. An optional blue light filter theoretically helps reduce eye strain, and you can disable HDR to avoid extra bright images. The mode is currently limited to testers in the very early Alpha Skip-Ahead ring.

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Even a social network for doctors is struggling with vaccine misinformation

Doximity has trouble in its comments sections.

CNBChas found a deluge of bogus anti-vaccine claims on Doximity, an industry networking tool for doctors. While shared stories are from well-established news outlets and scientific publications, the comments are apparently rife with misinformation on vaccine safety, mask effectiveness and natural immunity. Doximity told CNBC it had rules barring material that contradicts public health guidelines, adding that it had a "rigorous" comment review process where physicians screened content. The company didn't explain the glut of anti-vaccine comments, however, or say when it might remove them.

Continue reading.

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