Monday, August 16, 2021

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Apple's AirPods Pro fall back to $180

Posted: 16 Aug 2021 01:58 AM PDT

Apple's AirPods Pro are back down to $180, their best deal barring Black Friday lows. That's $70 off the normal price of the popular wireless earbuds, which remain our top pick for iOS users. The Amazon deal currently lists the Pro for $190, but an extra $10 discount is automatically applied at checkout. We gave Apple's high-end earbuds an excellent 87 review score with praise for their improved audio, comfortable fit and IPX4 water resistance.

Buy AirPods Pro at Amazon - $180

They essentially offer several upgrades over the standard $150 AirPods, hence the higher price tag. Chiefly, the Pro deliver superior sound thanks to their active noise cancelation and support for spatial audio. Apple even claims the buds can customize your listening experience by using Adaptive EQ to tune music to the shape of your ear. 

They look different to the AirPods, too. The Pro have shorter stems and are a bit wider, making for a more crowdpleasing design. While the addition of silicone ear tips in different sizes results in a more comfortable fit compared to the regular AirPods. They're also better gym buddies courtesy of their sweat and water resistance.

Seeing as the Pro dropped in 2019, you may be wondering about new upgrades. Rumors indicate that new AirPods could be imminent this holiday season. Reports also claim that the next AirPods Pro will focus on fitness tracking. Of course, none of that matters if you want to upgrade right away. In which case, you can't go wrong with the current Pros, especially if you're an iPhone owner. The lower price is the icing on the cake.

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

The Switch is the first console to sweep Japan's game sales chart in 33 years

Posted: 15 Aug 2021 02:56 PM PDT

The Nintendo Switch isn't struggling to compete against the PlayStation 5 on its home turf in Japan... far from it. Game Data Library, Axios and IGN report that every game on Famitsu's August 8th weekly Top 30 chart was a Switch title, ranging from Super Mario Maker 2 in 30th place to Minecraft at the top. It's reportedly the first time a platform has swept that chart since November 1988, when Nintendo's own Famicom (the basis for the NES) dominated the list.

Nintendo has controlled the Japanese games chart with multiple platforms before. In the early 1990s, the Famicom, Super Famicom (aka Super NES) and Game Boy cemented its position. It's much harder for a single system to rule the rankings, though.

There's also a sharp contrast with the US. While the Switch has outsold rival consoles in the country and frequently thrives in game sales (Skyward Sword HD was July's best-selling game), it typically faces stiffer competition from the PlayStation and Xbox ecosystems.

There wasn't a direct explanation for the sweep, although the titles reflect both Nintendo's influence and local tastes. Most of the games are either Nintendo's (including Skyward Sword and Mario Kart 8) or come from franchises that have long been popular in Japan, such as Monster Hunter, Taiko no Tatsujin and Dragon Quest. It also helps that Japan is in the grips of its largest-ever COVID-19 pandemic wave — people may be buying Switch games to keep them and their kids entertained at home.

Whatever the reason, the feat suggests why Nintendo isn't in a rush to upgrade the Switch beyond modest revisions. Its hybrid console is still one of the hottest game systems four years after launch, even in the face of technically superior alternatives.

Google might unveil the Pixel 5a on August 17th

Posted: 15 Aug 2021 02:07 PM PDT

More evidence has surfaced that the Google Pixel 5a might be right around the corner. Android Police has obtained what it says are repair shop photos (pictured below) of Pixel 5a parts that appear to confirm rumors swirling around the budget phone, including its release date. The device really would be a spruced-up Pixel 4a 5G (above), according to the leak. You'd get a similar dual rear camera setup and size, just with a much larger 4,680mAh battery (up from 3,800mAh) and a grippier plastic shell.

The scoop also supports talk of a headphone jack. The mainboard and other components are missing, although Google is expected to rely on a Snapdragon (possibly the 765G from the Pixel 4a 5G) rather than a variant of the custom Tensor chip coming to the Pixel 6.

The source claims Google will unveil the Pixel 5a on August 17th. Past rumors have suggested the 5a might reach stores on August 26th at a $450 price, $50 lower than the Pixel 4a 5G but well above the $350 of the base 4a. If accurate, you won't have to wait long to learn full details for this mid-range phone — even if you'll have to wait a short while to get one in your hands.

Google Pixel 5a back from leaked parts
Android Police

T-Mobile investigates claims of giant customer data breach

Posted: 15 Aug 2021 01:29 PM PDT

T-Mobile is grappling with yet another reported data breach. The carrier told Motherboard in a statement that it's investigating an "underground forum" member's claims that they're selling data for over 100 million customers, including social security numbers and device IMEI numbers. While the scale of the breach hasn't yet been verified, Motherboard has confirmed the authenticity of at least some of the data.

The intruder is selling data for about 30 million customers for the equivalent of $270,000 in Bitcoin. The rest of the data is reportedly being sold through private channels.

It's not certain how the perpetrator obtained the info. T-Mobile supposedly booted the attacker out of the servers, but not before they downloaded and purportedly backed up the content.

The network has a less-than-stellar history of breaches in recent years. Hackers compromised sensitive customer info in late 2019, while a late 2020 attack scraped limited data for about 200,000 users. If the forum claims are accurate, though, this is much more serious. T-Mobile had over 104.7 million customers as of the second quarter of 2021 — this breach might affect virtually every user. While it's not certain just how much real damage has been done, you might want to watch out for suspicious activity if you're a magenta subscriber.

Huawei accused of pressuring US firm into installing a data backdoor

Posted: 15 Aug 2021 12:43 PM PDT

Huawei is once again facing claims that it's placing backdoors in networks. The Wall Street Journalreports that American contractor Business Efficiency Solutions (BES) has filed a federal lawsuit accusing Huawei of not only stealing technology, but pressuring the firm into installing a data backdoor for a law enforcement safer-cities project in Lahore, Pakistan. The system supposedly gave Huawei access to a database that helped it collect sensitive citizen and government data "important to Pakistan's national security."

BES alleged that Huawei insisted on creating a duplicate version of the Lahore network in Suzhou, China, that would provide direct access to the Pakistan data. While BES wanted permission from Pakistani officials before going forward, Huawei reportedly claimed it didn't need permission and initially threatened to cut off the deal if BES didn't move forward. The Chinese company later said it obtained permission, but apparently refused to provide evidence of this when asked.

The situation may not be clear-cut. Huawei told the WSJ there was "no evidence" it had installed backdoors in any products. In a statement from earlier in the dispute, the company acknowledged the duplicate system in China but maintained that it was strictly a test version "physically isolated" from the real network, making it impossible to extract data. An overseer for the Lahore effort, Muhammad Kamran Khan, said an investigation was underway but that there wasn't any evidence of data theft "so far."

Whoever is telling the truth, the lawsuit highlights the ongoing concerns that Huawei might be aiding China's surveillance goals. The company has long denied the allegations, and there isn't yet "smoking gun" evidence that it has used backdoors to snoop on other countries. However, that hasn't allayed suspicions that have led the US, UK and others to blacklist its technology. This case might only exacerbate Huawei's situation, even if BES' assertions don't hold up in court.

Amazon's Fire TV Cube is back on sale for $100

Posted: 15 Aug 2021 09:47 AM PDT

Now might be a good time to shop if you're looking for a do-it-all media player. Amazon has dropped the price of the Fire TV Cube to $100 (down $20) as part of a larger sale, making it a tempting option if you'd rather not spring for a separate Alexa device. This isn't the lowest price we've ever seen, but it's still a steep discount for the multi-talented box.

Buy Fire TV Cube on Amazon - $100

You'll also find significant deals on Amazon's no-frills streamers. The Fire TV Stick 4K is on sale for $38 (normally $50), while the Fire TV Stick Lite has dipped to $25 (usually $30).

The Fire TV Cube has been around for a while, but still holds up as a well-rounded product. It boasts 4K HDR output, a wide range of streaming apps and brisk performance. Alexa, of course, is the real selling point — you can control media playback or your smart home without needing a separate remote or speaker. That might save you money if you'd rather not buy an Echo just to dim the lights for movie night.

There are some quirks. The Cube may prefer some apps for tasks over others, and voice search isn't always guaranteed to work for your service of choice. If you can live with those limitations, though, Amazon's gadget might fit the bill for a long time to come.

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

Homeland Security may use companies to find extremism on social media

Posted: 15 Aug 2021 08:29 AM PDT

The Department of Homeland Security might not rely solely on in-house systems to spot extremist threats on social media. Intelligence officer and initiative leader John Cohen told the Wall Street Journal in an interview that Homeland Security is looking at hiring companies to analyze social networks for signs of impending terrorism and other extremist violence. The department had been studying social media before, but the outside partners would help "dramatically" expand these efforts, Cohen said.

Murmurs of extensive social media scanning first surfaced in May, but there were few details about how it would work. The rumors suggested Homeland Security would focus on alarming trends rather than individual targets, such as brewing extremist movements or threats against specific communities. The aim is to catch the violent rhetoric behind events like the January 6th Capitol riot, which Homeland Security didn't anticipate despite mounting social media activity.

One of the companies involved in discussions is Logically, a firm that uses a mix of AI and human analysis to track online content at a large scale. It was previously involved in a government effort to fight voting misinformation, but here could use publicly accessible social media to spot trouble.

Whether or not Homeland Security can address privacy fears is another matter. Cohen said the department wouldn't use companies to acquire information it was restricted from seeing, and WSJ sources said officials were determined to protect civil liberties. Logically chief Lyric Jain said his company couldn't share personal data for Americans without court orders.

Even so, there are concerns Homeland Security could abuse this private analysis. It could theoretically hold on to content and use the data to pursue unrelated criminal cases or target peaceful political dissent. That could chill free speech by making people afraid to talk about certain subjects in public channels, even if there are no discussions of violent intentions.
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