Wednesday, August 11, 2021

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Microsoft protests Amazon's $10 billion government cloud computing contract

Posted: 11 Aug 2021 02:48 AM PDT

It's the same old story: Government hands out a multi-billion contract to one tech giant, only to see another tech giant complain about the process. But no sooner had we put the JEDI contract out of our minds and Amazon and Microsoft are, once again, at each other's throats. Washington Technology, (via The Verge) reports that Microsoft has filed a complaint after the NSA awarded a $10 billion contract to Amazon Web Services. The project, codenamed WildAndStormy, of which details are not widely available, but apparently involves the provision of cloud computing technology to the wider intelligence community.

Microsoft has lodged a complaint with the Government Accountability Office, reportedly claiming that AWS' product was not properly evaluated. The Windows giant feels that in a side-by-side comparison of its tech versus that of Amazon's, it would win, and feels the process here wasn't very fair. The GAO has until October 29th to respond to Microsoft's complaint, and it's likely that this will not be the end of the pair's war of digital attrition. As reported by NextGov, an NSA spokesperson said that any response will be "in accordance with appropriate federal regulations."

Apple drops its lawsuit against maker of iPhone emulation software

Posted: 11 Aug 2021 01:21 AM PDT

Apple has settled its 2019 lawsuit with Corellium, a company that build virtual iOS devices used security researchers to find bugs in iPhones and other iOS devices, the Washington Post has reported. The terms of the settlement weren't disclosed, but the agreement comes after Apple suffered a major court loss in the dispute in late 2020.

Corellium's software allows users to run virtual iPhones on a computer browser, giving them deep access to iOS without the need for a physical device. In addition to accusing Corellium of infringing on its copyright, Apple said the company was selling its product indiscriminately, thereby compromising the platform's security.

Specifically, Apple accused the company of selling its products to governments that could have probed its products for flaws. When he was employed by another company, Corellium co-founder David Wang helped the FBI unlock an iPhone used by a terrorist responsible for the San Bernardino attacks. 

However, a judge dismissed the copyright claims, calling them "puzzling, if not disingenuous." He wrote in his ruling that "the Court finds that Corellium has met its burden of establishing fair use," adding that its use of iOS in that context was permissible. 

Corellium started offering its platform to individual subscribers earlier this year, after previously only making it available to enterprise users. Each request for access is vetted individually so that it won't fall into the wrong hands for malicious purposes, according to the company. 

T-Mobile is selling fiber internet in a 'very limited' pilot program

Posted: 11 Aug 2021 12:25 AM PDT

T-Mobile has launched a pilot offering fiber optic home internet service in New York City, according to a report from T-Mo confirmed by The Verge. It's testing the service in select Manhattan residential buildings, offering 940Mbps upload and download speeds along with a WiFi 6 router, according to the company's new fiber product page. 

It's using a third-party provider's fiber rather than its own lines and running the program on a "very limited pilot," the company told The Verge. It added that it would offer more information "when and if" it rolls out more widely. 

The fiber service is being marketed alongside T-Mobile's 5G wireless home internet launched in April. T-Mobile said that service would deliver average download speeds greater than 100Mbps for most new customers, with a minimum 50Mbps speeds. The service is available for around $60 per month to 30 million Americans across 49 states (not including Alaska), and the company recently told investors it was on track to sign 500,000 customers by the end of 2021. 

The fiber offering is a new twist, though it's not clear how widespread T-Mobile plans to go with it. We've also yet to learn pricing, but rival Verizon charges around $80 per month for similar speeds with its Fios service. 

Instagram's new anti-hate feature lets you limit comments and requests on popular posts

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 11:04 PM PDT

Instagram has introduced new features called Limits and Hidden Words designed to reduce hate and abuse on trending posts, the company announced. The update is designed to protect its users, particularly creators and public features, from seeing harassing, racist, homophobic and sexist content in comments and DM requests. 

The new Limits feature, available starting today, will allow all users to hide comments and DM requests from users who either don't follow them or only recently started following them. On top of that, the app will issue "an even stronger warning" and halt posting immediately if someone tries to publish an offensive content — rather than waiting for a repeat offense as before. 

"Creators also tell us they don't want to switch off comments and messages completely; they still want to hear from their community and build those relationships," said Instagram head Adam Mosseri in a blog post. "Limits allows you to hear from your long-standing followers, while limiting contact from people who might only be coming to your account to target you." 

Instagram said that it developed the features following racist abuse directed at UK footballers in their direct messages. "Our research shows that a lot of negativity towards public figures comes from people who don't actually follow them, or who have only recently followed them, and who simply pile on in the moment," said Mosseri. 

We saw this after the recent Euro 2020 final, which resulted in a significant — and unacceptable — spike in racist abuse towards players.

The other new feature, Hidden Words, allows users to filter abusive messages in DM requests. If a request contains any filter word you've chosen, it's automatically placed in a hidden folder that you can choose to never open — though it's not completely deleted.

The update, available starting today, arrives after Facebook announced that it would make Instagram safer and more private for teens. Changes introduced last month include automatically making accounts private for teens under 16, limiting the ability of advertisers to target personal information like "interests" and using AI to detect a users' age. 

The changes also come as Facebook explores creating a version of Instagram for kids under 13. While it's still in the early stages, the idea has drawn attention from Democratic lawmakers who've asked the company to detail exactly how it would work "given Facebook's past failures to protect children," they wrote. It is opposed by 44 state attorneys general, who wrote that "this is a dangerous idea that risks the safety of our children and puts them directly in harm's way."  

Audi's Skysphere concept EV roadster can transform into a grand tourer

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 10:03 PM PDT

Audi has just come out with a pretty wild EV concept: A convertible roadster that extends its wheelbase to transform into a grand tourer (GT). With the touch of a button, the Audi Skysphere's entire front end can extend or retract 9.8-inches (and drop 0.4 inches). 

The Skysphere is meant to show Audi's design chops as well as its technical prowess. It took inspiration from the company's 1931 Horch 853, a long, low roadster with a pushed-back cabin and rear-wheel drive. The modern concept retains those primary features, in spades, with the long snout and low, laid-back cockpit giving it a mild resemblance to rear-drive GTs like the Ferrari 812 Superfast. 

Audi's Skysphere concept EV roadster can transform into a grand tourer
Audi

In place of the straight-8 gas guzzler on the Horch, the concept car has a 623-horsepower electric motor and an 80-kWh battery, with much of it behind the rear bulkhead. That makes for a Porsche 911-like rear weight bias of 60-40, meaning it would be easy to get the Skysphere sideways if it was ever built. It also delivers 553 foot-pounds of torque, enough to take it to 60 MPH in around 4 seconds. At the same time, it will go around 310 miles on the Euro WLPT cycle, or less in EPA terms. 

The interior is meant to evoke 1930s Art Deco architecture (matching the period of the Horch), with modern electronic conveniences. It has a full dashboard screen like the Honda E, along with large touchscreens at the armrest locations. The sharply angled, minimalist interior is designed for a Level 4 autonomous operation, so you can relax in GT mode and take control when you want to have some roadster-powered fun.

Audi Skysphere
Roadster sport mode
Audi
Audi Skysphere
Grander tourer (GT) mode
Audi

The most unique (though perhaps highly unrealistic) feature of the Skysphere is the variable wheelbase (above). Electric motors drive a telescoping structure that takes it from a long-wheelbase grand touring EV to a considerably shorter and lower roadster. It also uses active aerodynamics that are closed in GT mode and open in roadster form. When activated, they would duct air under the car for extra downforce.

The interior also transforms, pushing the steering wheel and pedals forward and the passenger seat rearward in roadster mode, while the dash moves forward to become a more driver-centric instrument panel. Despite the sporty nature of the EV, it has space for custom luggage and two golf club sets.  

All told, the Skysphere concept is a fun take on an EV that could be two cars at once, offering both driver fun and some autonomy if you wanted to relax. Don't expect to see one on a road near you, but some of the ideas may one day come to Audi EVs. The automaker also announced that it will unveil two other concepts, the Grandsphere and Urbansphere, in the coming months. 

'Diablo II: Resurrected' open beta begins on August 20th

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 02:42 PM PDT

In the midst of a sexual harassment lawsuit that has engulfed the company in turmoil, Blizzard will give Diablo II fans the chance to play the game's upcoming remaster during two separate early access weekends. The first of those will begin on August 13th at 1PM ET. It will be open to those who pre-ordered Diablo II: Resurrected or the Diablo Prime Evil Collection, which includes both the remaster and Diablo 3, on PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5 and PS4.

Diablo II Resurrected beta timing
Blizzard Entertainment

If you fall into that camp, you'll have until August 17th at 1PM ET to play through Act I and II of the story as the Amazon, Barbarian, Druid, Paladin or Sorceress. What's more, this time around, Blizzard will allow you to play with up to seven other players, with support for cross-progression enabled. Just note that during the early access weekend, that feature will only work on platforms where you've pre-ordered the game.

One week later, starting on August 20th at 1PM ET, Blizzard will open the beta to anyone who wants to take part. At that point, you'll have until the 23rd to see the work the studio has done to update its beloved action RPG. Unfortunately, neither beta will be available to check out on the Nintendo Switch. And if you want to see how the Assassin and Necromancer play in the remaster, you will also have to wait until the game's September 23rd release date.

Idris Elba will play Knuckles in 'Sonic the Hedgehog 2'

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 01:47 PM PDT

Well, we knew the next Sonic the Hedgehog movie would include Knuckles, but we must admit never in our wildest dreams did we think Idris Elba would voice the red echidna. Yet here we are with the famed actor announcing on Tuesday that he's been cast to the role.

All of this is another surprising development in one of the most unusual Hollywood success stories in recent memory. After a nightmare-inducing first trailer, we were almost sure the first Sonic the Hedgehog would be a complete trainwreck. And yet, it turned out decent and was one of the last box office hits before the pandemic shut down theaters globally. None of that is to say the series will catch lightning in the bottle twice. After all, Elba has burned through some of his goodwill, attaching his name to projects like Cats. However, at the very least, we're curious to see how this one turns out.

'The Green Knight' will be available to stream August 18th for one night only

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 12:42 PM PDT

The Green Knight, one of the best movies of the year, is currently only available to watch in theaters. However, there's some good news if you can't make it out to your local cinema. Distributor A24 plans to stream the film for one night only on August 18th, and you can purchase the $20 ticket to see The Green Knight starting today through the company's Screening Room website.

Once you buy a ticket, you'll have three ways to stream the movie. You can watch it on a web browser, via A24's Apple TV app or through the Roku app. Starting at 9PM, you'll have four hours to finish the film. We will also note that A24 only plans to stream The Green Knight on the 18th in the US.

The topic of simultaneous theatrical and online releases has been a complicated subject in Hollywood recently, with Disney's Black Window generating $60 million in streaming revenue for the company while at the same time leading to a legal spat with star Scarlett Johansson. With no foreseeable conclusion to the pandemic, we're likely to see more companies like A24 try out different distribution strategies.

Niantic buys LiDAR scanning app Scaniverse to create a 3D map of the world

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 11:33 AM PDT

Pokémon Go developer Niantic Labs has acquired Scaniverse, the company announced on Tuesday. According to creator Keith Ito, the iOS 3D scanning app will remain available on the App Store, with all the features previously part of its $17 annual subscription now included for free. What's more, Niantic will continue to support the software with future feature updates.

Much like its other recent acquisition, it sounds like Niantic hopes Scaniverse will help in its goal to build a 3D map of the world. As part of the deal, Ito will join the company's augmented reality engineering team. "Together, we plan on taking 3D scanning to new heights by combining Niantic's dynamic mapping with Scaniverse's LiDAR reconstruction," he said.

Meanwhile, the company notes, "Scaniverse will make multi-OS scanning easier and more accessible to the Niantic Explorer community who contribute to this effort every day." It says that will allow it to create more immersive AR experiences in Pokémon Go, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite and its upcoming games.

Facebook caught a marketing firm paying influencers to criticize COVID-19 vaccines

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 11:10 AM PDT

Facebook has banned a marketing firm for its involvement in a disinformation campaign that used influencers and fake accounts to undermine COVID-19 vaccines. The company removed 65 Facebook accounts and 243 Instagram accounts associated with a campaign, which also recruited unwitting influencers to boost its message.

According to Facebook, the network "originated in Russia," but was linked to Fazze, a subsidiary of a UK-registered marketing firm that operates from Russia. The accounts primarily targeted India and Latin America, though the United States was also targeted "to a much lesser extent." The campaign came in "two distinct waves," according to Facebook.

"First, in November and December 2020, the network posted memes and comments claiming that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine would turn people into chimpanzees," the company wrote in a report. "Five months later, in May 2021, it questioned the safety of the Pfizer vaccine by posting an allegedly hacked and leaked AstraZeneca document." Facebook didn't speculate on who hired Fazze or what their motive was, but Ben Nimmo, the company's Global Threat Intelligence Lead for Influence Operations, noted that the activity "coincided roughly with times when regulators and some of the target countries were discussing emergency authorization for each vaccine."

Ultimately, the campaign was "sloppy" with "quite low" engagement, according to Nimmo. The exception was the paid posts from legitimate influencers who got caught up in the campaign, as those posts "attracted some limited attention." However, it was influencers who exposed the campaign, after a handful publicly disclosed that Fazze had offered to pay them to "claim that Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine is deadly," according to The New York Times.

While Facebook regularly publishes details around inauthentic behavior and foreign interference on its platform, this is one of the first that centered around COVID-19 vaccines. The topic has become a thorny issue for Facebook, as officials have blamed social media for not doing enough to prevent vaccine disinformation from spreading.

In a call with reporters, Facebook's Head of Security Policy, Nathaniel Gleicher. said that the effort, though unsuccessful, highlights how disinformation campaigns are evolving. "Influence operations increasingly span many platforms and target influential voices because running successful campaigns with large numbers of fake accounts on a single network has become harder and harder," he said.

Hyundai's Motional will start testing its robotaxi in Los Angeles this month

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 10:53 AM PDT

Motional, a joint autonomous vehicle venture between Aptiv and Hyundai, is expanding its operations in California. The company plans to start public road mapping and testing of its robotaxi in Los Angeles this month. Motional is currently testing the AV in Boston, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas (including driverless tests) and Singapore.

The company and partner Lyft plan to start a robotaxi service in several US markets in 2023. Extensive road mapping and testing are essential precursors for that to happen. Motional's initial LA tests will take place in and around Santa Monica with a safety driver at the wheel, TechCrunch notes.

Los Angeles notoriously has some of the worst traffic in the US, so Motional's robotaxi will likely be put through its paces there. Waymo started mapping the streets of Los Angeles in 2019, but its AV testing has largely been contained to the Phoenix area.

Motional is also boosting its LA research and development facility and opening an operations center there. The company opened its Santa Monica offices in 2016 and key members of Motional's machine learning and hardware teams are based at that location. Meanwhile, Motional has opened its first office in the San Francisco Bay Area, where its compute design team is based.

Nintendo's next indie game showcase takes place on August 11th

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 09:34 AM PDT

Nintendo is gearing up for its next indie-centric event. The company has announced an Indie World Showcase for August 11th, starting at noon ET.

The stream will run for around 20 minutes and focus on second- and third-party games. While it's unlikely Nintendo will surprise everyone with any details about the The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel or the next Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighter, it'll probably be worth tuning in. 

During a previous showcase in April, Nintendo announced the arrival of indie classic Fez on Switch, showed off the House of the Dead remake and confirmed a sequel to Oxenfree is on the way. You can watch Nintendo's latest Indie World Showcase below.

NYPD secretly spent $159 million on surveillance tech

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 08:50 AM PDT

The New York City Police Department has spent over $159 million on surveillance systems and maintenance since 2007 without public oversight, according to newly released documents. The Legal Aid Society (LAS) and the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP) obtained the documents from the NYPD, which include contracts with vendors. They show that the NYPD has spent millions on facial recognition, predictive policing tech and other surveillance systems.

The NYPD made the purchases through a Special Expenses Fund. It didn't need to gain the approval of the NYC Council or other city officials before signing the contracts, as Wired reports. 

STOP and other privacy groups lobbied for the Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology (POST) Act, which passed last year and requires the NYPD to disclose details about its public surveillance infrastructure. The Special Expenses Fund was shut down after the legislation passed. LAS and STOP threatened legal action if the NYPD didn't detail its surveillance practices. 

Among the documents are contracts for Palantir, American Science and Engineering (which provides x-ray vans that can detect weapons in vehicles 1,500 feet away) and Idemia Solutions, which provides biometric services such as facial recognition.

The NYPD also signed a contract with KeyW Corporation for Stingray cell tower simulators. Stingrays, also known as international mobile subscriber identity catchers, spoof cell towers to lure mobile phones into connecting to them. The devices can then collect data sent by a phone, such as its location. The NYPD previously admitted it used Stingrays on more than a thousand occasions between 2008 and 2015.

"For years, the NYPD has hidden its surveillance slush fund from the public, not to protect us, but to protect its bottom line," STOP executive director Albert Fox Cahn said in a statement. "These technologies are expensive, invasive, and just don't work. But the NYPD isn't just wasting millions on unproven technologies, it's putting Black and Brown communities at risk. High tech errors are often just the first step to false arrest, wrongful imprisonment, and being torn away from your family because of a faulty algorithm."

"No police department or federal agency has gone to the level of depth and transparency on law enforcement tools used in the field that the NYPD did in its POST Act disclosures," an NYPD spokesperson told Wired in a statement.

Twitch offers slightly more information about suspensions

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 08:16 AM PDT

Twitch has announced that it will offer slightly more detail to users when it hands down suspensions for violating its content rules. As The Verge notes, the Amazon-owned platform can still be frustratingly vague when justifying why a users account has been suspended. The new update will see users informed of the name of the offending stream, the date that it aired, and the rule that it broke, but nothing more.

Opaque moderation has been a problem for Twitch before, and as we reported last year, the site still has a problem with context. In 2020, the platform suspended a professional Valorant player when their young child appeared on the stream while the player was answering the door. There are common-sense reasons to ban minors from streaming, but this was clearly an accident rather than intentional.

A similar incident took place when Twitch, without warning, suddenly demonetized a number of high-profile accounts during the Hot Tub Meta. At the time, it said that it should have "alerted affected streamers to this change before it happened — it was a mistake not to do so." As we wrote in 2020 the site needs to make much more of an effort to explain why it's doing what it's doing or else see the relationship with its community deteriorate even further.

AMC theaters will start accepting Bitcoin this year

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 07:38 AM PDT

Wondering what to do with your Bitcoin stash now that you can't buy a Tesla? It might be time to catch a big-screen flick. According to CNN, AMC has announced that it plans to accept Bitcoin as payment for tickets and snacks at all US theaters by the end of 2021. Company chief Adam Aron didn't say how you'd make those payments, but he did hint that AMC was also researching other ways it could join the "burgeoning cryptocurrency universe."

American theaters should also support Apple Pay and Google Pay for online purchases by the end of the year, Aron said.

The executive explained the decision as a result of his stint on the board of Centricus Acquisition Corp, a contractor for the blockchain company Arquit. And yes, the Reddit meme stock frenzy played a role —Aron is aware that many of AMC's recently added shareholders are "quite enthusiastic" about cryptocurrencies. He's hoping the tech enthusiasts who pumped up his company's stock value will be frequent customers, to put it another way.

Whether or not this is a sustainable idea is another matter. Gizmodonotes that crypto transaction fees can be steep, and you might pay a premium for that already expensive soda. The volatility of cryptocurrency remains a problem, too. The Bitcoin you spend on tickets one day could be worth enough to rent a whole theater just a few months later. AMC would have to figure out how to ride that uncertainty without damaging its bottom line.

Apple's Mac Mini M1 is back down to $600 at Amazon

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 07:33 AM PDT

If the Mac Mini with Apple's M1 chip has been on your radar as your next desktop machine, it's worth checking out the latest deal on the system. The base model with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM is once again available for $600 on Amazon. That's $100 off the regular price. The discount includes a $49 coupon that's automatically applied at checkout.

Buy Apple Mac Mini (256GB) at Amazon - $600

The Mac Mini is perhaps the most cost-effective way to get your hands on an M1-powered system at the minute. The M1 is a powerful chip designed by Apple that can handle most day-to-day tasks with ease and speed. The chip boasts an eight-core CPU (with four performance and four efficiency cores) and an eight-core GPU. There's also an 16-core Neural Engine to handle machine learning tasks.

The system runs on macOS Big Sur and you'll be able to upgrade to the latest version of the operating system, Monterey. On the connectivity front, there are two Thunderbolt ports and a pair of USB-A ports, along with HDMI 2.0, WiFi 6 and gigabit Ethernet support. There's a 3.5mm headphone jack too.

Unlike with an M1 MacBook or iMac, you'll need to connect your own display, keyboard and mouse, which might not leave a lot of space among those ports for other peripherals. You won't be able to upgrade the storage or RAM either. However, the base Mac Mini should still be capable enough for many users.

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

Oh hey, Xiaomi has its own creepy robot dog now

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 07:11 AM PDT

Xiaomi has today announced the CyberDog, an open-source quadruped robot intended for developers to "build upon" and create applications for. The machine, which resembles a beefier version of Boston Dynamics' Spot, is a showcase for Xiaomi's engineering know-how, including its proprietary servo motors.

Xiaomi CyberDog
Xiaomi

Running the show is a version of NVIDIA's Jetson Xavier NX, which has been dubbed the world's smallest AI supercomputer. In terms of being able to experience the world, CyberDog has 11 sensors over its body, including touch and ultrasonic sensors, cameras and GPS to help it "interact with its environment."

Xiaomi says that this technology is good enough to enable CyberDog to follow its owner and navigate around obstacles. It is also capable of identifying posture and tracking human faces, enabling it to pick out and track individuals in a group.

Render of the Xiaomi CyberDog in all of its terrifying glory.
Xiaomi

Rather than selling this as a general-sale product, the company is for now going to release 1,000 of these things to "Xiaomi fans, engineers and robotics enthusiasts to jointly explore the immense possibility of CyberDog." This will be facilitated by an open-source community, hosted by Xiaomi, which may be followed by the construction of a robotics laboratory to lay a pathway for "future innovations."

Of course, this thing isn't cheap, and those folks willing to get involved will need to shell out 9,999 yuan or around $1,540 to get one of these for themselves.

Venmo credit card users can turn their cash back rewards into cryptocurrency

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 07:00 AM PDT

Most credit cards these days offer some kind of reward to users, whether it's a percentage of your spending in cash back, airline miles or some other perk. Venmo launched its own credit card last fall, and while it offers up to three percent cash back, the company is now letting users do something relatively unique with that refund. As of today, Venmo credit card users can automatically get that cash back in cryptocurrency.

Once you opt in, you can choose one of four cryptocurrencies to purchase with your cash back: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash. There are no transaction fees for the purchase, and the transfer happens automatically. From there, you can turn that crypto back into cash at any time, or change what currency you get each month from your cash back. 

This feature builds on the cryptocurrency features that Venmo added to its app earlier this year. Since April, Venmo users have been able to buy those same four cryptocurrencies directly in the app, so a feature to easily turn cash back into crypto might make it easier for more people to dip their toes into the Bitcoin world. 

Amazon knocks $120 off Lenovo's excellent Flex 5 Chromebook

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 06:55 AM PDT

Ever since we first reviewed it last year, Lenovo's Flex 5 Chromebook has been our favorite device in the Chrome OS realm. It may not be the most high-powered Chromebook out there, but it has essential features that most users need at a price well under $500. At launch, the Flex 5 came in at $430, but it often went on sale and could be found for $330 on rare occasions. But Amazon has it for even less right now — only $310 — which is $120 off and the best price we've seen.

Buy Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook at Amazon - $310

When you get to the $300 mark in the Chromebook space, you're often asked to sacrifice when it comes to power. That's not the case with the Flex 5 — it runs on a 10th-gen Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Those specs should be more than enough for most people, especially considering a majority of Chromebook work will be done in a browser. We found the Flex 5 was more than capable of running numerous Chrome tabs at once with few hiccups. We also appreciated its ability to do so for at least eight hours before needing to be recharged.

When it comes to design, the Flex 5 doesn't take too many risks and that's ok. It's not the slimmest or the lightest laptop, but at 0.66-inches thick and three pounds, it won't be hard to shuffle from room to room in your home or tote with you to school. It's also a convertible, which gives you more flexibility in how you use it. The 13-inch 1080p touchscreen will serve most people well, be it for work or entertainment purposes, and we especially liked its backlight keyboard.

Overall, it's hard to find a Chromebook that ticks so many boxes at this price point. Sure, Lenovo made some sacrifices when it comes to RAM and storage capacity, but those are to be expected when you're looking at sub-$500 Chromebooks. The Flex 5 combines a solid 2-in-1 design with a good amount of power at a wallet-friendly price point, and that's more than we can say for other Chromebooks coming in at $300.

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

Xiaomi's Mi Mix 4 packs an under-screen camera in a ceramic body

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 06:36 AM PDT

Just days after Oppo unveiled its latest under-screen camera solution, Xiaomi is now launching a new flagship phone with a similar, if not the same, feature. The Mi Mix 4 is the Chinese company's slimmest ceramic unibody smartphone yet, featuring a 6.67-inch 2,400 x 1,080 screen that stealthily hides a 20-megapixel selfie camera underneath a near-indistinguishable patch of pixels — it's the same 400ppi density as the rest of the panel, albeit with smaller pixels and transparent circuitry thanks to advancements in AMOLED production.

If the selfie photos on the Mi Mix 4 turn out to be just as good, if not better, than Oppo's samples from last week, then it's no surprise that Xiaomi went with this under-screen camera tech. The Mix series has always been about pushing the boundary of form factor design, with the firsttwo models — both designed by Philippe Starck — offering super slim screen bezels along three sides. They were some of the first ceramic smartphones, too. 

With the Mi Mix 3, Xiaomi finally got rid of the chin by moving the selfie camera to a slide-up module. I wasn't a fan of that design, though, as it felt more fragile.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 4
Xiaomi

Now that the under-screen camera is seemingly reaching maturity, it serves as a sensible evolution path to the Mi Mix 4. Still, CEO Lei Jun added that if you really care about your selfies, you should stick to phones with punch-hole cameras; but for him, the under-screen camera is good enough.

The screen itself is otherwise very much the same as what many other recent flagships are offering: 10-bit color, P3 gamut, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 120Hz refresh rate and 480Hz touch sampling rate. It's protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass Victus. Like many recent Xiaomi phones, the Mi Mix 4 provides stereo sound tuned by Harman/Kardon, which should go well with that vibrant screen.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 heat sink
Xiaomi

The Mi Mix 4 also happens to be the first smartphone sporting Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 888+ 5G processor, taking the clock speed up to 3GHz while being cooled by several layers of graphene and graphite. LPDDR5 RAM options range from 8GB to 12GB, whereas UFS 3.1 storage goes from 128GB to 512GB.

Much like the iPhone 12 series, the Mi Mix 4 also packs UWB (ultra-wide band), but instead of tracking tags, Xiaomi is using this for a feature dubbed "Point to Connect." Simply point your Mi Mix 4 to a compatible Xiaomi smart device like a TV, smart speaker (like the freshly-announced Xiaomi Sound) or air conditioner, and the relevant app will show up. 

The company will also offer a small UWB hub for existing TVs, and this will launch via a beta program in China on August 20th. But if you prefer the old-school way, this Android phone also has an infrared remote feature — as is the case with some Chinese smartphones these days.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 4
Xiaomi

The rear cameras are impressive on paper. There's a 108-megapixel main camera (HMX sensor with optical stabilization), an 8-megapixel 5x optical zoom camera (with optical stabilization) and a 13-megapixel 120-degree ultra-wide camera (with free-form lens). Still, Lei admitted on stage that he's saving the better camera components for his main flagship line.

The Mi Mix 4 houses a 4,500mAh which is relatively standard these days, but it supports 120W wired charging, which goes from zero to 100 percent in 21 minutes by default, or in just 15 minutes if you enable "Boost Mode." There's also 50W wireless charging, which normally takes 45 minutes for a full charge, or just 28 minutes in "Boost Mode."

Xiaomi Mi Mix 4
Xiaomi

Xiaomi will be selling the Mi Mix 4 in China starting from August 16th, with colors including white, black and a new gray option. Prices start from 4,999 yuan or around $770 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model, and capping at 6,299 yuan or about $970 for the 12GB RAM + 512GB storage option. We'll have to stay tuned for international availability, but we'd be surprised if the world's second largest phone maker doesn't plan on taking the Mi Mix 4 outside of China.

Twitter's AI bounty program reveals bias toward young, pretty white people

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 06:32 AM PDT

Twitter's first bounty program for AI bias has wrapped up, and there are already some glaring issues the company wants to address. CNETreports that grad student Bogdan Kulynych has discovered that photo beauty filters skew the Twitter saliency (importance) algorithm's scoring system in favor of slimmer, younger and lighter-skinned (or warmer-toned) people. The findings show that algorithms can "amplify real-world biases" and conventional beauty expectations, Twitter said.

This wasn't the only issue. Halt AI learned that Twitter's saliency algorithm "perpetuated marginalization" by cropping out the elderly and people with disabilities. Researcher Roya Pakzad, meanwhile, found that the saliency algorithm prefers cropping Latin writing over Arabic. Another researcher spotted a bias toward light-skinned emojis, while an anonymous contributor found that almost-invisible pixels could manipulate the algorithm's preferences

Twitter has published the code for winning entries.

The company didn't say how soon it might address algorithmic bias. However, this comes as part of a mounting backlash to beauty filters over their tendency to create or reinforce unrealistic standards. Google, for instance, turned off automatic selfie retouching on Pixel phones and stopped referring to the processes as beauty filters. It wouldn't be surprising if Twitter's algorithm took a more neutral stance on content in the near future.

Retro Games is making a mini version of the Amiga 500

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 06:15 AM PDT

Commodore's Amiga 500 was one of the most popular home computers in the era just before the PC swallowed the world. Now, thirty years and change since its heyday, Retro Games is making a "mini" version of the computer and games console. Much like Retro Games' last machine, a "mini" version of the Commodore 64 that can't use the Commodore name, this will be branded as THEA500 Mini.

Retro Games has said that the console will include 25 titles from the vast (and excellent) Amiga library including Another World, Worms, Simon the Sorcerer and The Chaos Engine. The full list of titles hasn't been released, but if Bart vs. The Space Mutants and Dalek Attack aren't on there, I will cry.

Much like pretty much every other retro console, a glossy software layer will smooth out the rougher edges of this software. Users will be able to save and resume titles part-way through play, and you'll be able to side-load titles you (ahem) own over the included USB port.

Rather than simply emulating the vanilla Amiga 500, the hardware will also run the Enhanced Chip Set (ECS) layers found in the Amiga 500 Plus, a short-lived revision released in 1991. You'll also be able to harness the advanced graphics architecture (AGA) of the much-pricier flagship model, the Amiga 1200.

Looks more like a CD controller to me.
Retro Games / Koch Media

Hardware-wise, it's likely to be a similar sort of moulded-plastic-around-a-mini-board situation as found in THEC64 Mini. But on the accessories front, it'll ship with the Amiga's famous two-button mouse, and a joypad that, to my eyes, seems to be based on the Amiga CD32's gamepad rather than the 500's (which, to be fair, was more famously a joystick-led machine).

Image of Retro Games' THEA500 Mouse
Retro Games / Koch Media

THEA500 Mini will launch at some point in early 2022, and is expected to cost $140 (£120, €130) when it arrives. The only misgivings I have at this point is that Retro Games' previous work with the THEC64 Mini made that a hard product to love in several ways. Hopefully, however, many of those issues have been resolved for the new model, which was the object of lust for many people soon be knocking on 40.

Oh, and here's the greatest advert for a computer ever made:

Google's new safety measures are designed to protect kids on YouTube, Search and more

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 06:00 AM PDT

Google has announced changes to YouTube, Search and its other apps designed to make them safer for kids. The latest updates will make YouTube videos created by kids private by default, allow minors or their parents to request the removal of their images from Google Image results, turn SafeSearch on by default and more. The move is part of a recent push by Google to protect kids and give parents more control over what they see.

Many of the updates are dedicated to YouTube and YouTube Kids. The key change is aimed at young creators aged 13 to 17, changing the default upload setting to the most private option available. That means by default, the video can only be seen by select users unless the creator changes it to public. "We want to help younger users... make an intentional choice if they'd like to make their content public," Google wrote. 

Google is also expanding its so-called digital well-being tools for YouTube. It'll turn on break and bedtime reminders by default for all kids aged 13 to 17 while turning off autoplay by default. At the same time, it's adding an autoplay option on YouTube Kids while, at the same time, turning it off by default in the app. Parents will also be able to choose a "locked" default autoplay setting.  

Knowing the accurate age of our users across multiple products and surfaces, while at the same time respecting their privacy and ensuring that our services remain accessible, is a complex challenge.

Finally, Google said it will be removing "overly commercial content" from YouTube Kids, like a video that "only focuses on product packaging or directly encourages children to spend money." It also updated the disclosures that appear on "made for kids" content when a creator identifies a video as containing paid promotions.

On Search, Google promised to give minors "more control over their digital footprint." To that end, it's introducing a new policy allowing anyone under 18, or their parents or guardians, to request the removal of their images from Google Image search results. That change is designed to "help give young people more control of their image online," Google wrote. It will also turn SafeSearch on for all existing users under 18 and make it the default for teens setting up new accounts. Currently, it's just turned on for teen accounts managed by Family Link.

In other apps, Google will disable location history for all users under 18 without the ability to turn it on. It's launching a safety section in Play that will show parents which apps follow Google's Families policies and disclose how they use the data they collect in greater detail. On the advertising side, it will "block ad targeting based on the age, gender, or interests of people under 18," the company wrote. 

Google stressed that it wants to work with "kids and teens, parents, governments, industry leaders, and experts in the fields of privacy, child safety, wellbeing and education to design better, safer products for kids and teens." Taken as a whole, the new changes should help prevent young people from seeing harmful content while blocking exploitive ads. In practice, however, it may take some time to shake out any bugs and ensure that advertisers are following the rules — so as always, it's best to keep a close eye on your kids' digital habits. 

HP's latest detachable Chromebook uses the Snapdragon 7c chipset

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 06:00 AM PDT

HP has announced another batch of Chrome OS devices. Perhaps the most notable addition to the lineup is the latest Chromebook x2. The keyboard is detachable, so you can use the system as a tablet. HP says it's the first detachable Chromebook to use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7c chipset. There aren't too many Snapdragon 7c-powered Chromebooks around in any case. Acer has releaseda few Chrome OS laptops with the chipset, but they're still relatively rare.

The Chromebook x2 11 is Universal Stylus Input-compatible. It'll work with any pen that supports that standard, though the HP Wireless Rechargeable USI Certified Pen is bundled in.

HP Chromebook x2
HP

This Chromebook has an 11-inch, 2K-resolution screen, with a 3:2 aspect ratio and 400 nits of brightness. The Adreno 618 GPU supports a maximum resolution of 2560x1440 on an external display with a 60Hz refresh rate. The system has a 5MP front-facing, wide-vision camera and an 8MP real-facing camera, as well as Bang & Olufsen speakers.

On the connectivity front, there's an optional 4G LTE module (which supports AT&T and T-Mobile in the US), as well as WiFi 5 compatibility and two SuperSpeed USB-C ports. HP claims you'll get up to 11 hours of use from a single charge.

The device weighs 2.57 lb. It comes with 8GB of LPDDR4x-2133 MHz RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. There are microSD and fingerprint readers, as well as a kickstand that allows for 170-degree positioning.

The HP Chromebook x2 11 and USI pen bundle starts at $600. It should be available sometime this month from Best Buy. All going well, HP will start selling it directly through its website in October.

HP Chromebase 21.5 inch All-in-One
HP

Alongside the Chromebook, HP revealed its Chromebase 21.5 inch All-in-One, a Chrome OS-powered desktop. It has a rotating full HD display that can tilt 20 degrees upwards and switch from horizontal to vertical orientation. The system uses Intel Core processors with up to 256GB of SSD storage and up to 16GB of DRAM memory. It includes dual 5W speakers from B&O and a five-megapixel camera with a privacy switch, which also turns off the microphone.

The Chromebase desktop starts at $600. It should be available this month from HP's website and other retailers.

In addition, HP has added another monitor to its lineup. The M24fd can connect to and power any compatible laptop over USB-C, though it was designed with Chromebooks in mind. The 23.8-inch, full HD display also harnesses HP's Eye Ease with Eyesafe tech, which aims to reduce blue light without impacting color accuracy. The $250 monitor should be available in October.

HP M24fd monitor
HP

The latest Apple TV HD drops to a record low of $130 at Amazon

Posted: 10 Aug 2021 05:53 AM PDT

While the Apple TV 4K tends to get all of the attention, the standard Apple TV remains a solid option if you want a set-top box that plays nicely with the rest of your iPhone, iPad and other devices. It'll normally set you back $150, but Amazon is having a sale right now that knocks $20 off the Apple TV HD, bringing it down to $130. That's the best price we've seen since the streamer came out a few months ago, plus it includes the updated Siri remote — arguably our favorite thing about the Apple TV experience as of late.

Buy Apple TV HD at Amazon - $130

Despite recent updates, the Apple TV looks familiar. It's still a little black box capable of streaming 1080p video from a variety of sources including Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney+ and others. It runs on Apple's A8 processor, comes with 32GB of onboard storage and the back edge houses a power port, one USB-C port, one HDMI connector and an Ethernet port. These specs make it a good basic set-top box, but it has some Apple-ecosystem features that set it apart. It supports AirPlay and HomeKit-enabled viewing of camera feeds, plus you'll be able to listen privately using AirPods.

The update earlier this year brought the latest Siri remote to the Apple TV HD. This is a big deal because the previous Siri remote just wasn't that great to use, and Apple finally fixed some of its major problems. The new remote is larger and has a revamped directional pad that makes controlling the set-top box much easier. The pad is also touch-sensitive, making scrolling through carousels of content much smoother. There's even a power button on the remote now that lets you turn on and off your TV.

While a slick new remote probably isn't enough to warrant buying a whole new streaming device, the new Siri remote certainly sweetens this deal on the Apple TV HD. If you can live without 4K HDR streaming and want a cheaper way to get tvOS onto your tube, this sale on the standard Apple TV is one to consider.

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