Wednesday, August 4, 2021

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T-Mobile to shut Sprint's LTE network by June 30, 2022

Posted: 04 Aug 2021 03:10 AM PDT

T-Mobile has finally confirmed when it will shut down Sprint's LTE network as part of its assimilation of the carrier it acquired in April of last year. It told Light Reading that it will shutter the service by June 30, 2022. Since completing the $26 billion merger, T-Mobile has been busy using Sprint's spectrum to expand the rollout of its 5G network. 

But, the transition hasn't been completely smooth. With the deal raising competition concerns, antitrust regulators set out a number of conditions to get it across the line. The goal was to make Dish Network the nation's new fourth carrier. To get it there, T-mobile was ordered to hand over spectrum, the Boost prepaid mobile brand — and the 9 million customers signed up to it — and to act as Dish's network provider for up to seven years. 

However, the partnership turned sour when T-Mobile announced that it would shut down Sprint's CDMA network by January 2022, which a majority of those 9 million customers use. Dish put T-Mobile on blast over the decision in a letter to the FCC earlier this year, accusing it of anti-competitive behavior. Just weeks ago, Dish decided to hop from T-Mobile's network onto AT&T's as part of a new 10-year agreement.

Facebook disables accounts of NYU team looking into political ad targeting

Posted: 04 Aug 2021 02:10 AM PDT

Before the US election last year, a team of researchers from New York University's engineering school launched a project to gather more data on political ads. In particular, the team wanted to know how political advertisers choose the demographic their ads target and don't target. Shortly after the project called the NYU Ad Observatory went live, however, Facebook notified the researchers that their efforts violate its terms of service related to bulk data collection. Now, the social network has announced that it has "disabled the accounts, apps, Pages and platform access associated with NYU's Ad Observatory Project and its operators..."

The researchers created a browser extension to collect data on the political ads the website shows the thousands of people who volunteered to be part of the initiative. Facebook says, however, that the plug-in was made to avoid its detection system and calls what it can do "unauthorized scraping." The extension "scrape[d] data such as usernames, ads, links to user profiles and 'Why am I seeing this ad?' information," Facebook wrote in its announcement. It also said that the extension collected data about Facebook users who didn't install it and didn't consent to take part in the project.

The company wrote that it made "repeated attempts to bring [the team's] research into compliance with [its] Terms." That apparently included inviting the researchers to access its US 2020 Elections ad targeting data through FORT's Researcher Platform. Facebook said the data set on the platform could offer more comprehensive information than what the extension can collect, but the researchers declined its invitation. 

As The Wall Street Journal mentioned in its report last year, Facebook has an archive of advertisements on its platform, which includes data on who paid for an ad, when it ran and the location of the people who saw it. However, it doesn't contain targeting information, such as how it's determined who sees the ad. On its website, Ad Observer researchers wrote: "We think it's important to democracy to be able to check who is trying to influence the public and how." 

Facebook is adamant that it disabled the project's access to its platform because it knowingly violated the website's terms against scraping. It blocked the team's access to its platform, it said, in order to "stop unauthorized scraping and protect people's privacy in line with [its] privacy program." After the Cambridge Analytica scandal, it agreed to an updated policy with the FTC, which pushed the social network to limit third-party access to its data. We asked the Ad Observer team for a statement and will update this post if we hear back. 

Apple restores the dedicated 'Store' tab to its website

Posted: 04 Aug 2021 12:12 AM PDT

After going down briefly earlier today, Apple's website has returned with a new design that reintroduces a "Store" tab not unlike the one it removed nearly six years ago, MacRumors has reported. That leads to a dedicated buying section where customers can select from its product lineup, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. With the new tweaks, you'll no longer need to visit each product page and track down the "buy" button to see options or make a purchase. 

Along with a horizontal list of products, the Store page shows the latest products, promotions, accessories and more. It now more closely resembles the Apple Store app, as MacRumors pointed out. 

Clicking on a category like "iPhone" in the Store tab takes you to a carousel that shows all the current models available, like the iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12, iPhone SE and iPhone XR. Once you select a specific model like the iPhone 12 Pro, it takes you to the buy page for that item where you can start to select color, storage and other options. Previously, you would have needed to click on the iPhone product page, scroll down to find a specific model and click on the "buy" button. 

Apple's website had a Store tab before the 2015 redesign, but it essentially shunted you to a completely different domain. The new design works differently: You still remain on the Apple.com site, and the Store tab simply gives you a different way of navigating to the buying section. A subtle change, but significant considering the enormous worldwide traffic to Apple's website. 

Nissan's Leaf S is now the cheapest EV in the US at $27,400

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 10:39 PM PDT

Nissan has unveiled its 2022 Leaf with more standard features and a lower base price tag that makes it the cheapest EV in the US, the company announced. The most basic model, the Leaf S with a 40 kWh battery, now costs $27,400 or $28,375 including the destination charge — or $20,875 if you qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit. That means it's less than the $29,900 Mini SE and can go farther, too, with 149 miles of range versus 114. 

The 40 kWh Leaf SV drops from $34,935 to $28,800, while the longer-range 62 kWh Leaf SV Plus is now $32,400 compared to $38,245 (all prices exclude destination charges and federal incentives). The S and SV models deliver 147 horsepower, 236 pound feet of torque and up to 149 miles of EPA range, while the S Plus offers more powerful 160 kW motor that produces 214 horsepower, 250 pound feet of torque and 226 miles of range. 

Nissan's Leaf S is now the cheapest EV in the US at $27,400
Nissan

The $4,245 price drop for the basic S Leaf compared to the 2021 model, and even more dramatic $6,135 decrease for the SV model, sounds like a lot. However, the new prices essentially match what buyers were paying for Leafs last year if you count buyer incentives, as Motor Trend reported. And of course, the Leaf has essentially become passé as Nissan prepares to sell the Ariya early in 2022. 

Still, the new prices will help buyers compare prices without having to jump through hoops. And the new models do have some useful improvements. The main thing is that all Leaf models now include a CHAdeMo quick charge port, ProPilot assist and Nissan's "Intelligent Around View" monitor as standard.

The Leaf isn't as fun, nor as attractive, as a lot of other EVs out there. But $20,875 for the base model, (including federal incentives and destination charge) is the lowest number we've seen next to a brand new EV with decent range in the US, ever. 

Google leak gave us a glimpse of its upcoming Nest cameras and doorbells

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 08:57 PM PDT

Perhaps Google has started preparing for the launch of its upcoming Nest camera products, which is why they showed up on the company's store for a very brief period. While the listings are no longer available as of this writing, The Verge was able to catch a glimpse before they disappeared. Apparently, the tech giant will launch a battery-powered Nest camera good for indoors and outdoors, another camera that comes with floodlights and a wired camera for indoors. There's a battery-powered Nest doorbell among the leaked products, as well.

Nest
Google (screenshots courtesy of The Verge)

Unfortunately, the listings didn't link to individual product pages and only took curious users back to the main Google Store page. We'll have to wait for official information to know more about the devices. By releasing a battery-powered Nest doorbell and a floodlight-equipped camera, however, Google will finally be able to offer a veritable rival to Amazon's security devices. When the tech giant first announced that it'll launch a new Nest lineup back in January, it didn't say when the products will be available. It did say, however, that the lineup is for 2021, so they'll most likely be out for purchase in the coming months.

Oppo's latest under-screen camera may finally be capable of good photos

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 08:00 PM PDT

Until recently, there was only one smartphone on the market equipped with an under-screen camera: last year's ZTE Axon 20 5G. Other players such as Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi had also been testing this futuristic tech, but given the subpar image quality back then, it's no wonder that phone makers largely stuck with punch-hole cameras for selfies.

Despite much criticism of its first under-screen camera, ZTE worked what it claims to be an improved version into its new Axon 30 5G, which launched in China last week. Coincidentally, today Oppo unveiled its third-gen under-screen camera which, based on a sample shot it provided, appears to be surprisingly promising — no noticeable haziness nor glare. But that was just one photo, of course, so I'll obviously reserve my final judgement until I get to play with one. Even so, the AI tricks and display circuitry that made this possible are intriguing.

Oppo's next-gen under-screen camera
Oppo

In a nutshell, nothing has changed in terms of how the under-screen camera sees through the screen. Its performance is limited by how much light can travel through the gaps between each OLED pixel. Therefore, AI compensation is still a must. For its latest under-screen camera, Oppo says it trained its own AI engine "using tens of thousands of photos" in order to achieve more accurate corrections on diffraction, white balance and HDR. Hence the surprisingly natural-looking sample shot.

Oppo's next-gen under-screen camera
Oppo

Another noteworthy improvement here lies within the display panel's consistency. The earlier designs chose to lower the pixel density in the area above the camera, in order to let sufficient light into the sensor. This resulted in a noticeable patch above the camera, which would have been a major turn-off when you watched videos or read fine text on that screen.

But now, Oppo — or the display panel maker, which could be Samsung — figured out a way to boost light transmittance by slightly shrinking each pixel's geometry above the camera. In order words, we get to keep the same 400-ppi pixel density as the rest of the screen, thus creating a more consistent look.

Oppo's next-gen under-screen camera
Oppo

Oppo added that this is further enhanced by a transparent wiring material, as well as a one-to-one pixel-circuit-to-pixel architecture (instead of two-to-one like before) in the screen area above the camera. The latter promises more precise image control and greater sharpness, with the bonus being a 50-percent longer panel lifespan due to better burn-in prevention.

Oppo didn't say when or if consumers will get to use its next-gen under-screen camera, but given the timing, I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be the same solution on the ZTE Axon 30 5G. In any case, it would be nice if the industry eventually agreed to dump punch-hole cameras in favor of invisible ones.

'Diablo Immortal' has been postponed until 2022

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 03:54 PM PDT

Diablo Immortal may be a game for tiny screens, but that doesn't mean it's a small feat of development. For precisely this reason, Activision Blizzard has delayed the release of Diablo Immortal to early 2022. 

The action RPG was originally supposed to hit iOS and Android devices this year, but developers need more time to fine-tune PvP content, improve PvE experiences and implement additional accessibility options, according to Blizzard. Here's how developers put it in their blog post:

Following feedback provided by test participants of the Closed Alpha, our team has been tuning core and endgame features. For example, we're iterating on PvP content like the Cycle of Strife to make it more accessible, alongside late-game PvE content like the Helliquary to make it more engaging. We're also working to provide controller support for those who want to play our game in a different way. However, these changes and additional opportunities to improve our gameplay experience will not be realized in the 2021 timeframe we had previously communicated. So, the game is now planned for release in the first half of 2022, which will allow us to add substantial improvements to the whole game.

Blizzard goes on to describe specific features it'll focus on, such as adding PvE Raids, adjusting Bounties and making Challenge Rifts more exciting. In terms of PvP adjustments, Blizzard will work on improving matchmaking, earning rankings, class balance, time to kill and other elements of the Battleground system, plus it'll spit-shine the Cycle of Strife endgame content. All of this joins a raft of changes to progression and XP caps.

It seems developers are still in the early stages when it comes to getting Diablo Immortal to play nice with gamepads.

"We're still working through the challenges of adapting the touch screen controls to a controller seamlessly," the blog reads. "Making our game more accessible is top of mind, and we'll share more progress on this front as we approach the beta in the future."

Blizzard has other things on its plate right now, too. Activision Blizzard is facing a sexual harassment and gender discrimination lawsuit from the state of California, and Blizzard president J. Allen Brack left the company today amid allegations that he overlooked abuse in the workplace for years. Blizzard's head of HR, Jesse Meschuk, also left the studio this week. A second lawsuit was filed by shareholders today, claiming Activision Blizzard failed to disclose potential regulatory issues related to the company's discriminatory, frat-house-style culture.

WhatsApp adds disappearing ‘view once’ photos to its app

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 03:38 PM PDT

WhatsApp is adding disappearing photo messages to its app. Called "view once" photos, the new feature allows users to send photos and videos in chats that can only be viewed a single time before disappearing.

The Snapchat-like feature is similar to Instagram and Messenger's disappearing photo features. When snapping a picture in WhatsApp, users can select the timer icon to set the photo to "view once." Unlike regular photo or video messages, the "view once" images won't preview in the chat and can't be downloaded to your device.

Facebook is billing the feature as one for "private moments" or for sending potentially sensitive information like Wi-Fi passwords. As always, people should be wary of just how "private" these kinds of messages really are. In a help article, the company notes that the recipient can still take a screenshot or record their screen while opening a "view once" photo and, unlike Snapchat, WhatsApp won't let the sender know when a screenshot has been taken. The company also points out that "view once" photos that are reported will be made visible to WhatsApp.

Activision Blizzard faces an investor lawsuit stemming from its discrimination case

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 02:01 PM PDT

A harassment and discrimination lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) isn't the only legal battle Activision Blizzard has to worry about anymore. Ahead of the company's Q2 earnings call on Tuesday, a firm called Rosen Law filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of investors who traded in Activision Blizzard securities between August 4th, 2016 and July 27th, 2021.

The firm, the same one that's behind a similar lawsuit against CD Projekt RED over the disastrous launch of Cyberpunk 2077, accuses Activision Blizzard of intentionally failing to disclose its ongoing problems with sexual harassment and discrimination. In doing so, Rosen Law alleges the company put itself at greater risk of regulatory legal scrutiny and enforcement. The suit names Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, as well as several other executives, as defendants and seeks to recover damages for investors under federal securities laws.

The suit comes on the same day the company announced J. Allen Brack was "stepping down" from his role as president of Blizzard Entertainment. In its lawsuit, the State of California accuses Brack of taking "no effective remedial measures" to curb the "bro culture" that enabled individuals like Alex Afrasiabi to harass the company's female employees. Taking his place are Jen Oneal and former Xbox executive Mike Ybarra, who will oversee the studio as co-leaders.

Apple's digital student IDs are coming to Canada and more US schools

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 12:58 PM PDT

With the start of a new school year quickly approaching, Apple is once again expanding the availability of its contactless student IDs. Following an initial rollout in 2018 and subsequent expansions since, the software is making its way to Canada for the first time.

In 2021, the University of New Brunswick and Sheridan College outside of Toronto will allow students to add their ID cards to Apple Wallet and use their iPhones and Apple Watches to access facilities and pay for food and other items and services across campus. In the US, "many more" schools, including Auburn University, Northern Arizona University, University of Maine and New Mexico State University, will adopt the software this fall.

It will likely take many more years before every school offers digital student ID cards, but the technology is clearly becoming more ubiquitous. In April, Apple said it saw more students use their mobile IDs to make purchases and access campus facilities than their plastic counterparts for the first time since it launched the software. In the fall, the University of Alabama, one of the early adopters of the tech, will exclusively issue mobile IDs to students with the necessary hardware, marking a first for the platform.

Facebook will host a paid movie premiere this month

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 12:30 PM PDT

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many film festivals have shifted to online-only or hybrid formats. Later this month, another movie will premiere as a paid online event. This time around, you'll be able to watch it on Facebook.

Users in any country where Facebook's paid online events are available (which now number more than 100) can watch the premiere of The Outsider, a behind-the-scenes documentary about the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City. A virtual ticket costs $4, and the film will debut on August 19th at 8PM ET. It'll be available for 12 hours.

As Axios reports, a Facebook Live panel discussion will follow the premiere of The Outsider. The doc will hit select theaters and other streaming platforms in September.

Facebook will run some promos for the event, which is being run by distributor Abramorama, but it won't take a cut of ticket sales. The company is waiving commissions on creators' revenue through 2022.

The film has already caused controversy. Officials at the museum asked the filmmakers to cut 18 "defamatory" scenes from The Outsider, but directors Pamela Yoder and Steven Rosenbaum said they wouldn't back down. Michael Shulan, the museum's former creative director and a central figure in the film, reportedly claims in the movie that the museum represents the "Disneyfication" of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Film distribution is a tough nut to crack for indie studios and filmmakers, especially when they try to release movies in a number of markets. Much like others have had success in hosting online classes or livestreaming gameplay on Facebook, they could harness the platform's enormous reach to find an audience.

It remains to be seen whether other filmmakers and distributors premiere their movies on Facebook. Still, with the company having its fingers in an ever-increasing number of pies, it's not hard to imagine Facebook being interested in hosting similar events in the future.

Netflix is making a documentary about SpaceX's upcoming Inspiration4 civilian flight

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 11:59 AM PDT

When Inspiration4, SpaceX's first all-civilian flight, takes off next month, Netflix will chronicle the historic mission with a documentary series. Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space will stream in five parts, with the first two episodes debuting on September 6th. In that way, it will be the first docuseries from the streaming giant to chronicle an event in near real-time.

Early episodes will detail, among other things, the astronaut training Inspiration4 commander Jared Isaacman and his crewmates had to undertake ahead of the flight. Meanwhile, the final feature-length episode will recount the mission's flight to space and eventual return to Earth and include footage from inside the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The finale doesn't have a release date yet, but Netflix expects to start streaming it sometime in late September.

The production involves parts of the team behind ESPN's The Last Dance Michael Jordan documentary, including director Jason Hehir. Alongside the series, Netflix will release A StoryBots Space Adventure, a hybrid live-action and animation special that will feature the Inspiration4 crew answering questions from kids about their flight. The special will debut on September 14th, one day before the Inspiration4 mission is scheduled to lift off.

Facebook is reportedly trying to analyze encrypted data without deciphering it

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 10:57 AM PDT

Facebook is reportedly looking into analyzing the content of encrypted data without having to decrypt it. The company is recruiting artificial intelligence researchers to study the matter, according to The Information. Their research could pave the way for Facebook to target ads based on encrypted WhatsApp messages. Facebook could also use the findings to encrypt user data without affecting its ad targeting approaches.

This area of research is called "homomorphic encryption," which relies heavily on mathematics. Microsoft, Amazon and Google are also working on the approach. The aim of homomorphic encryption is to allow companies to read and analyze data while keeping it encrypted to protect information from cybersecurity dangers and to maintain privacy.

Facebook told The Information it's "too early for us to consider homomorphic encryption for WhatsApp at this time." Facebook could benefit from the tech in a number of ways. Protecting data without impacting the effectiveness of ad targeting could allow Facebook to both meet its business goals and satisfy regulators who have expressed concern about how the company handles user information. Facebook could be years away from harnessing homomorphic encryption, however.

In 2019, Facebook revealed plans to roll out end-to-end encryption across all of its messaging services: Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp. Later that year, the US, UK and Australia sent a joint letter to Facebook, urging it not to push forward with the project "without ensuring there will be no reduction in the safety of Facebook users and others, and without providing law enforcement court-authorized access to the content of communications to protect the public, particularly child users." However you slice it, encryption is a thorny issue for Facebook, whether or not it's able to analyze the data.

Bipartisan infrastructure bill could require cars to include anti-drunk driving technology

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 10:37 AM PDT

Nestled in President Biden's sprawling 2,702-page Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a provision that could one day require vehicles sold in the US to come with a feature that detects when someone gets behind the wheel of their car drunk. First spotted by Reuters, the clause orders the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to study the feasibility of various alcohol-detection systems and establish a final set of rules within three years. After that period, automakers would have 24 months to comply with the new regulation.

The provision doesn't lay out the exact technologies NHTSA should explore other than to say the final product should "passively monitor" a driver to "accurately identify" whether they can drive their car safely. If the agency doesn't finalize a set of rules within 10 years, it will have to detail the hurdles it encountered in a report to Congress.

An anti-drunk driving technology isn't the only new safety feature the bill could require automakers to implement in their vehicles. Per Bloomberg, other parts of the legislation would mandate automatic emergency braking, the inclusion of crash avoidance systems in new cars and alerts that would remind drivers to check the back seats of their vehicle after exiting it. That last feature would ideally help prevent parents from leaving their kids in a car on a hot day.

The push to use technology to address drunk driving isn't surprising. According to a 2020 report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, cars with built-in alcohol-detection systems could save as many as 9,000 lives in the US every year. Over the past decade, drunk driving played a part in 30 percent of all roadway deaths.

Boeing and NASA delay Starliner launch due to unexpected valve problem

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 09:52 AM PDT

Boeing will have to wait yet again to prove the worth of its Starliner spacecraft. The company and NASA had planned to launch the capsule on Tuesday on top of an Atlas V rocket at 1:20PM ET, but that's not happening anymore. 

"We're standing down from today's #Starliner Orbital Flight Test-2 launch," Boeing said on Twitter. The company attributed the delay to "unexpected valve position indications in the propulsion system" engineers spotted during pre-launch preparations. It's currently unclear if the issue is related to Starliner or the Atlas V rocket that was supposed to carry the vessel to space. Boeing and NASA said they will provide an update on the situation on Wednesday, August 4th.     

"We're disappointed with today's outcome and the need to reschedule our Starliner launch," John Vollmer, vice president and program manager for Boeing's Commercial Crew Program, said. "Human spaceflight is a complex, precise and unforgiving endeavor, and Boeing and NASA teams will take the time they need to ensure the safety and integrity of the spacecraft and the achievement of our mission objectives."

After its first test flight went awry, Starliner was supposed to return to space on July 30th. However, NASA delayed the flight after the new Russian ISS Nauka module unexpectedly fired its thrusters, tiling the station outside of its typical orientation.

Crime alert app Citizen will connect users to safety agents for $20 a month

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 09:40 AM PDT

Controversial crime alert app Citizen has opened up its $20-a-month subscription service to everyone in the US. The Protect plan, which almost 100,000 users have beta tested, offers around-the-clock access to "Citizen's team of highly trained Protect Agents," CEO Andrew Frame wrote in a blog post.

Those agents can call 911 for you if you're in a situation in which contacting emergency services directly might not be safe. "If you share your location with Citizen Protect, Agents can live monitor your location, provide first responders, and help them arrive more quickly by guiding them to your exact location," Frame wrote. "Protect Agents will always continue to monitor you while you wait for help to arrive."

The agents can notify your emergency contacts and keep them updated if you're in trouble. Frame said they can also guide you to a safe place or help nearby when needed, or chat with you for peace of mind. The service can also alert other Citizen users in the area if your scenario warrants doing so. "Harnessing the power of Citizen's safety network through Protect-generated alerts has helped dozens of families reunite with their missing loved ones and pets," Frame wrote.

Users can connect to a Protect agent and chat via video, audio or text after tapping a button on the Citizen app's home screen. The iOS version of the app includes an optional Protect Mode, which offers other ways to link up with an agent (Citizen plans to bring "additional functionality" to Android soon). You can switch on a feature that displays a prompt to connect to an agent when you shake your device a couple of times.

If you opt to use the Distress Detection feature, Citizen will monitor your device's audio with "AI-powered technology which identifies sounds that indicate trouble, like a scream for example." If the app picks up an audible distress signal, it'll ask if you'd like to be connected to an agent. If 10 seconds pass without you responding to the prompt, Citizen will connect you to an agent automatically.

Citizen started out in 2016 as an app called Vigilante that aimed to alert users about crimes and emergencies. Apple swiftly kicked it from the App Store over vigilantism concerns. Vigilante was rebranded a few months later with a deeper focus on safety.

The app hit headlines again in May, when Citizen offered a $30,000 reward for information that led to the arrest of a person who it claimed started a wildfire. Citizen identified the wrong person, and police arrested someone else in connection with the alleged crime.

The same month, a Citizen-branded security vehicle was spotted in Los Angeles amid reports that the company was testing an on-demand private security force. The company later said it wouldn't start its own such service, but it didn't rule out partnerships with private security companies.

Having swift access to support agents isn't inherently a bad idea, but Citizen's history might dissuade some from taking out a Protect subscription. It's worth noting there are other ways to discreetly call 911 and send a message with location updates to your emergency contacts, such as the iPhone's Emergency SOS function. 

I tried the Krispy Kreme Xbox doughnut

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 09:30 AM PDT

I'm ambivalent about cross-brand synergy — typically hollow business deals borne from some misguided belief that yes, these two things work together and will sell more... something. Microsoft — more specifically, Xbox — loves to tie its onyx consoles to food companies, soft drinks and the rest. While promoting the Xbox One X in the US alone, there were collaborations with Taco Bell, Doritos, Mountain Dew and, er, Totino's pizza rolls.

On the other hand, I also like doughnuts.

Krispy Kreme's Xbox doughnut
Engadget, Mat Smith

In the UK, American doughnut company Krispy Kreme is celebrating the Xbox's 20th anniversary with an iced donut decorated to look like the console's nexus symbol. If you're willing to buy a box of 12, you'll also get a code with a chance to win a Series X. However, I live alone and have poor self-control, so I bought a box of three — for the photos, of course.

I don't think green is a particularly appetizing color for pastry treats, but it sells Xbox the brand — sort of? The color seems closer to Krispy Kreme's shade of green, and not quite as vivid as the almost-lime Xbox logo. The thin layer of green icing doesn't have a flavor, and there's a dusting of powdered sugar to indicate the collaboration. Otherwise, yes, it's a filled Krispy Kreme, puffy delicious yeast-raised donut. I'm not here to debate cake versus yeast donuts — please take it out on me over on Twitter.

Then I bit in deeper. Maybe it's the Mountain Dew tie-ins with video gaming's past, but I feared some sort of aggressive citrus jam/jelly or neon fondant nonsense. Thankfully, instead: thick, rich chocolate brownie fondant that's pretty delicious but not excessively cloying. 

The limited-edition doughnuts are on sale in the UK until August 22nd.

YouTube starts paying Shorts creators from its $100 million fund

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 09:00 AM PDT

In the last few years, many of the biggest social media companies have been throwing money at creators, trying to get them to embrace their platforms and bring loyal audiences to their apps. Earlier this year, YouTube announced a $100 million fund specifically to pay creators who use the platform's new Shorts format, which just came out of beta and rolled out to 100 countries last month. That fund is now live as of today, so the company is dropping more details on how you can get paid.

As YouTube announced earlier this year, the company plans to invite "thousands of eligible creators" to claim a payment from the program from now through 2022; YouTube is offering from $100 to $10,000, depending on how many people watch the Short as well as some other engagement metrics. Anyone posting shorts is theoretically eligible to get picked for a payment, not just creators who participate in the YouTube Partner Program (that's the program YouTube launched 14 years ago so that users could get paid for their content).

Naturally, there are a number of standards that these Shorts need to meet to be eligible. Most of them are pretty straightforward, like abiding by YouTube's community guidelines and copyright policies. YouTube also doesn't want people just re-uploading content they created for Snapchat or TikTok, so any Shorts with watermarks or logos from other social networks won't qualify. YouTube says it'll be awarding payments on a monthly basis so interested creators will be incentivized to keep making new Shorts.

While YouTube Shorts is a relatively new platform, TikTok has had a similar fund for its creators since 2020. It was announced as a $200 million fund, double what YouTube currently has budgeted for its Shorts fund, and those interested would have to submit their best work. But while TikTok's fund may be larger than this Shorts program, YouTube notes that it has nine other ways for its creators to monetize their content.

While YouTube Shorts is a relatively new platform, TikTok has had a similar fund for its creators since 2020. It was announced as a $200 million fund, double what YouTube currently has budgeted for its Shorts fund, and those interested would have to submit their best work. But while TikTok's fund may be larger than this Shorts program, YouTube notes that it has nine other ways for its creators to monetize their content.

Not to be outdone, Facebook recently launched its own $1 billion program to lure creators to Instagram as well as its main service. Perhaps more significantly than the sheer dollar value is the fact that Facebook isn't going to collect a cut of creators' revenue through 2022, making a focus on the platform even more potentially lucrative. The size of this move is an admission from Facebook that it's a little behind the curve here; Instagram didn't offer any kind of revenue share until last year, in fact. 

Between TikTok's massive influence and Facebook's massive war chest aimed at creators, YouTube is going to need to keep offering its users more ways to make cash — and the company knows it. Indeed, it said in today's news that the $100 million fund is the "first step" in its plans to monetize Shorts.

Google Maps for iOS gets dark mode and new location sharing features

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 09:00 AM PDT

In the past year, Google Maps has received tons of new features to help you get around, pay for parking and keep abreast of new services in your vicinity. With its latest iOS update, Google is breaking out more of its most-used functions to help you access them faster. It's also adding a dark mode to lower the strain on your eyes and a new live location option for iMessage that can help you track friends and loved ones. 

The latter lets you share your real-time location while texting by tapping the Google Maps button. Though the feature is active for one hour by default, you can choose to extend it to up to three days or disable it by pressing the stop button. Live location recalls the safety features built into ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft.

If you frequently use Google Maps to check traffic conditions, you can now put that info directly on your home screen with a new widget. The same goes for the search bar, which lets you look up places to visit or find frequent destinations with a tap. Of course, the quick access features are made possible thanks to Apple's introduction of iPhone widgets with iOS 14 last fall.

Dark mode is self-explanatory and you can turn it on via settings. It's just odd that it took so long for the otherwise ubiquitous feature to reach Maps on iOS.

Apple's new Mac Pro GPUs promise a huge performance boost

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 08:42 AM PDT

Apple might be focused on Macs with in-house silicon, but that doesn't mean it's completely neglecting the Intel-based models. The tech firm has updated the Mac Pro with new high-end GPU options that promise big strides forward for graphics- and compute-intensive apps. AMD's Radeon Pro W6800X, W6800X Duo (shown here) and W6900X cards tout 50 percent improved performance per watt over their Vega II predecessors, Apple claimed, and that translates to significant speed boosts in relevant apps.

You can expect up to 84 percent better performance in the Octane X rendering app, Apple said. The 26 percent and 23 percent claimed jumps in Cinema 4D and DaVinci Resolve aren't quite so impressive-sounding, but they're still meaningful if you're either buying a new Mac Pro or upgrading from one of the more modest GPUs.

Apple isn't shy about the origins — these are workstation-oriented parallels to the Radeon RX 6800 and 6900 series consumer boards. The biggest differences, as you might guess, are tweaks to cater to the pro market. All of them include four Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2 connector, and they support an Infinity Fabric Link that lets up to four GPUs (such as two W6800X Duo modules) talk to each other five times faster than PCIe. Both individual GPUs include 32GB of GDDR6 memory, while the W6800X Duo unsurprisingly includes 64GB.

These GPUs are replacing the Vega II and Vega II Duo cards in the lineup, and they're priced accordingly. It will cost you $2,400 extra to configure a new Mac Pro with the W6800X inside, $4,600 for the W6800X Duo, and $5,600 for the W6900X. Go all-out and you can spend $9,600 on two W6800X Duos or a staggering $11,600 on two W6900X modules.

The Mac Pro has otherwise gone untouched with this update, and it won't be surprising if this is the only hardware refresh for Apple's pro tower in 2021. There are rumors of Apple giving the Intel-based Mac Pro one last hurrah with an Ice Lake Xeon update, but that wouldn't happen until 2022. It might not happen at all when there's also talk of a 40-core Apple Silicon model that same year. It's safe to say that you'll want to strongly consider a W6000-equipped Mac Pro if you absolutely depend on high-end x86 apps or just need the kind of macOS performance that only the Pro can currently deliver.

Senate report warns of glaring cybersecurity holes at federal agencies

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 08:34 AM PDT

Several US federal agencies are unprepared to protect the personal information of everyday Americans should they become the target of a cyberattack, according to a new report put together by the Senate Homeland Security Committee. The panel found that out of eight federal bodies, including the departments of State, Transportation and Education, only Homeland Security complied with the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA), an Obama-era law Congress passed to enable the US government to better respond to online threats.

"All agencies failed to comply with statutory requirements to certify to Congress they have implemented certain key cybersecurity requirements including encryption of sensitive data, least privilege and multi-factor authentication," the report said.

As The Record points out, one of the more glaring oversights the panel found was that the State Department left thousands of employee accounts on its classified and unclassified networks active even after those individuals left the agency. In another particularly worrisome example, the Department of Agriculture had vulnerabilities on its websites that it wasn't aware of. What's more, at least seven of the eight agencies the panel audited were using outdated and unsupported IT systems, leaving them vulnerable to attacks. "It is clear that the data entrusted to these eight agencies remains at risk," the report said.

"From SolarWinds to recent ransomware attacks against critical infrastructure, it's clear that cyberattacks are going to keep coming," Senator Rob Portman, the panel's top Republican, said on Twitter. "It is unacceptable that our own federal agencies are not doing everything possible to safeguard America's data. I am concerned that many of these vulnerabilities have been outstanding for the better part of a decade — the American people deserve better."

Among other recommendations, the report highlights the need for a single agency to oversee federal cybersecurity. To that end, the panel suggests Congress update the Federal Information Security Modernization Act to make the law better reflect current cybersecurity practices and establish the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as the federal lead for those types of issues. It also recommends amending FISMA to require agencies to notify both CISA and, in some instances, Congress when they become entangled in a major incident.

Watch Boeing's Starliner test flight to the ISS at 1:20PM ET (update: not happening today after all)

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 08:30 AM PDT

Boeing finally has a chance to redeem itself after its first Starliner test flight went awry, and you can watch as it happens. NASA is launching Starliner Orbital Flight Test-2 from Cape Canaveral today (August 3rd) at 1:20PM Eastern, with a livestream available from NASA's YouTube channel (below) starting at 12:30PM ET. If successful, the unoccupied spacecraft will deliver over 400lbs of cargo to the International Space Station before returning to Earth with 550lbs of material.

Starliner will start an orbital insertion burn about 30 minutes after launch. You'll have to be patient after that, though. The capsule isn't expected expected to dock with the ISS until August 4th at 1:37PM ET, and will touch down in the western US after its "daylong" mission.

The vessel was originally supposed to launch on July 30th, but was delayed after the new Russian ISS module Nauka accidentally activated and forced a correction.

Much depends on a successful flight. Boeing and NASA will follow a successful test with six crew rotation missions. For Boeing, this is also about pride. SpaceX beat Boeing to the punch by successfully launching a crewed capsule in 2020, and is already performing crewed operational flights. The sooner Starliner is cleared to launch with people aboard, the sooner Boeing can catch up and play a key role in the privatization of spaceflight.

Update: Boeing has announced that the launch won't happen today after all, due to "unexpected valve position indications in the propulsion system."

The Magic Keyboard with Touch ID is now available separately for $149

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 07:37 AM PDT

A few months after it introduced new Touch ID-enabled Magic Keyboards along with M1 Macs, Apple is now selling the peripheral separately. The Magic Keyboard with Touch ID costs $149, while a version with a number pad can be all yours for $179. It's worth noting the Touch ID functions only work on M1-powered Macs.

Along with helping you log in to your Mac without having to punch in a password, you can use Touch ID to verify Apple Pay transactions. For now, the standalone version of the Magic Keyboard is only available in the standard silver and white color scheme. You won't be able to snag it in one of those funky M1 iMac-inspired designs without shelling out for a new computer. 

Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Number Pad
Apple

Apple has also refreshed several other Magic accessories. The standard $99 Magic Keyboard now has keys for Spotlight, dictation, do not disturb and emoji, as do the Touch ID-equipped models. The $129 Magic Trackpad, meanwhile, has a tweaked shape to match the Magic Keyboard. 

All of these accessories, as well as the $79 Magic Mouse, now come with a braided USB-C to Lightning cable rather than the old Lightning to USB-A one. Apple says the accessories can run for around a month, if not longer, on a single charge.

Blizzard president 'steps down' amid sexual discrimination and harassment lawsuit

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 06:35 AM PDT

Blizzard Entertainment's leadership is in upheaval following a California lawsuit over sexual discrimination and harassment. Studio president J. Allen Brack, who was named in the lawsuit, is "stepping down" from his role. Executive development VP Jen Oneal and GM Mike Ybarra (also a former Xbox executive) will take his place as co-leaders.

The company didn't formally explain the exit, but indicated a desire to change company culture. It said that Oneal and Ybarra would strive to make Blizzard the "most welcoming workplace possible" and help with "rebuilding your trust."

Brack previously said in a company email (shared by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier) that he was against harassment and "bro culture." As Massively Overpowerednoted, though, California accused Brack of taking "no effective remedial measures" to curb sexual harassment at the company. The executive allegedly held multiple conversations with employee Alex Afrasiabi about his drinking and harassment of women, but didn't offer much more than counselling in an attempt to correct the behavior.

There was certainly pressure on Blizzard to change leadership. Workers balked at the developer's dismissive initial response to the lawsuit, prompting a walkout protest. Activision Blizzard chief Bobby Kotick even labeled the early reaction as "tone deaf" and promised quick action to improve company culture. In that light, Brack's departure isn't surprising at all — it's one of the fastest and easiest actions the company could take.

Update 5:05PM ET: Activision Blizzard's top HR executive, Jesse Meschuk, also left the company this week, as first reported by Bloomberg.

Waze adds Halo's Master Chief as a navigation voice for a limited time

Posted: 03 Aug 2021 06:00 AM PDT

Didn't get an invite from Microsoft to the Halo Infinite technical preview? That's okay. The company has a consolation prize for you. Microsoft and 343 Industries have partnered with Waze to bring the Master Chief and Escharum, his Banished foil in Infinite's upcoming story campaign, to the navigation app. For a limited time, you can give Waze a Halo makeover.

As part of the experience, you can have the voice of either Master Chief or Escharum provide you with directions. It's also possible to change your car's live map icon to either a Warthog or Ghost and update your profile "mood" to feature the visage of the Spartan or alien war chief. Waze didn't say how long the experience will run, but you can enable it by navigating to the "My Waze" section of the app and selecting the Halo banner.
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