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- The Morning After: NASA's air taxi testing
- Volkswagen's ID.Life is an urban EV that will enter production by 2025
- BMW's 'recyclable' i Vision Circular Concept EV has a weird crystal interface
- Smart's Mini-like EV concept shows off its larger vehicle ambitions
- House representatives sent a letter to Yahoo's CEO... from 2017
- Mercedes' latest EVs include a G-Class concept and the EQE sedan
- Pixel 3 owners say their phones are bricking without warning
- The next iPhone's rumored satellite calls might only work in certain areas
- 'Horizon Forbidden West' PS4 buyers will get a free PS5 upgrade after all
| The Morning After: NASA's air taxi testing Posted: 06 Sep 2021 04:17 AM PDT Good morning! I hope all our US readers are having a great Labor Day weekend, but you know how it is: Tech news doesn't stop. But before we get into NASA and air taxis... Over the weekend, a group of 11 House Republicans sent letters to the leaders of 13 tech companies, threatening legal action if they comply with a request for records related to the January 6th Capitol attack. However, the letter they sent to Yahoo (Engadget's new parent company) is addressed to Marissa Mayer, who hasn't been CEO of the company since 2017. The ups-and-downs of Yahoo aside, it's a reminder that Congress' general lack of tech knowledge creates problems, whether it's a letter to a long-gone CEO or law change proposals that could produce easily foreseen complications. Note that none of the letters went to Telegram, Reddit, TikTok and other influential tech companies and platforms. — Mat Smith NASA starts flight testing with Joby's electric air taxiThe dry runs could help rethink the future of airspace.NASA's air taxi tests are moving forward with Joby Aviation's electric VTOL aircraft to help model and simulate a future that might involve flying cars. The dry run began quietly, on August 30th, and will last through September 10th. The effort includes noise checks using 50 microphones to gauge the "acoustic profile" of the air taxi throughout a flight. An 'Alan Wake' remaster may be coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X in OctoberThe classic thriller won't be an Xbox console exclusive.Remedy Entertainment Those longstanding murmurs of an Alan Wake revival might just have some merit. Well-known sleuth Wario64 has spotted Rakuten listings for an Alan Wake Remastered title that would launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on October 5th. Study says Europe is 21 years behind its emissions reduction goalsThe continent's largest utility wants officials to pick up the pace.Europe's largest utility company, Enel, doesn't think EU officials are moving quickly enough to tackle reducing emissions. Its study warns that Europe could be late on reducing greenhouse gas emissions if it continues at its "current pace." The European Union wants to reduce those emissions by 55 percent by 2030, Enel said, but it reportedly won't reach that target until 2051 without substantial changes. Apple is delaying its child safety featuresThe CSAM detection tools were supposed to arrive with iOS 15.Apple says it's delaying the rollout of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) detection tools "to make improvements" following pushback from critics. The features include one that analyzes iCloud Photos for known CSAM, which has caused concern among privacy advocates. Apple claimed the approach would provide "privacy benefits over existing techniques since Apple only learns about users' photos if they have a collection of known CSAM in their iCloud Photos account." However, privacy advocates have suggested that CSAM photo scanning could lead to law enforcement or governments pushing Apple to look for other types of images to perhaps, for instance, clamp down on dissidents. Segway's robot mower uses GPS to stay on your lawnThere's no need to install a perimeter wire with the Navimow.Segway Segway is moving into the robot mower market with the Navimow — and it doesn't need boundary wire. Instead, Navimow uses GPS and other sensors to stay within the perimeter of your lawn. Its Exact Fusion Locating System can maintain Navimow's position accurately to within two centimeters, according to Segway. If the GPS signal ever dips, the company says the device's array of sensors and data ensure it will still work. You can tell Navimow where to mow, define the boundaries and instruct it to avoid certain parts of your garden via an app. Smart's Mini-like EV concept shows off its larger vehicle ambitionsIt's designed by Daimler and built on Volvo-owned Geely's EV platform.Smart Mercedes teamed up with Volvo automaker Geely to transform Smart into an EV-only brand a few years ago, with new vehicles to arrive in 2022. We're starting to see the fruits of this collaboration with the unveiling of Smart's Concept #1. Given Smart's past, the Concept#1 appears relatively large. Designed by Mercedes, the four-seater has roughly the same dimensions (and kind of a similar look, to be honest) as Mini's largest vehicle, the Countryman. Smart and its Daimler/Geely parents are planning to turn this concept into a production vehicle. The aim is to make multiple versions, including a long-range model, while offering the "highest level of dynamic handling" for enthusiasts. The biggest news stories you might have missedPixel 3 owners say their phones are bricking without warning The next iPhone's rumored satellite calls might only work in certain areas 'Horizon Forbidden West' PS4 buyers will get a free PS5 upgrade after all Hitting the Books: What exactly did Jodi Foster hear in 'Contact'? ICYMI: How does the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 perform in the real world? |
| Volkswagen's ID.Life is an urban EV that will enter production by 2025 Posted: 06 Sep 2021 03:37 AM PDT Volkswagen has added another piece to its EV puzzle with the launch of the ID.Life concept, a front-wheel drive EV aimed at city-dwellers, the company announced at IAA Mobility 2021 in Munich. The small crossover shares the MEB platform and battery with the ID.3, and VW plans to launch it in Europe (not the US) by 2025. Volkswagen The ID.Life is powered by a 231-horsepower motor and 57.0-kWh battery pack that's considerably larger than the 35-kWh battery on the Honda E city car. Like the rear-wheel-drive ID.3, also available only in Europe, it should go around 250 miles on a charge via Europe's generous WLTP cycle. Like other EVs we're seeing in Munich, the ID.Life concept is meant to show how VW can create more sustainable vehicles. Wood chips are used as a natural coloring agent in the clear-coat paint, while the air chamber textile for the roof is made from 100 percent recycled PET bottles. Other materials include wood in the dashboard and ArtVelours Eco seats, along with natural rubber, bio-oil and rice husks in the tires. Volkswagen Taking advantage of the wide-open MEB platform, the interior can be transformed by folding down the front and/or the rear bench seats. "This enables a range of different possibilities, from cinema seating, to a bed measuring around two meters in length, to a cargo version that maximizes luggage volume," VW says. The interior is stripped back, with a digital screen inserted into the hexagonal steering wheel in place of a traditional touchscreen display. Your smartphone can also be plugged in and used to operate the navigation, audio systems and more. It also has a built-in video game console and a projector, no less, with a projection screen that extends from the dash panel when needed. Volkswagen Some, all or none of these eclectic concept features may come to the production car, which is set to arrive in Europe by 2025. Volkswagen suggested that it'll have a price starting at around 20,000 euros (about $23,700). With this EV, the ID.3 and others, it aims to increase its share of all-electric sales in Europe to "at least 70 percent" by 2030. In the US, it aims to have a 50 percent EV mix. |
| BMW's 'recyclable' i Vision Circular Concept EV has a weird crystal interface Posted: 06 Sep 2021 01:52 AM PDT Concept cars are often a way for automakers to present upcoming production vehicles, but at the IAA Mobility 2021 conference, BMW is taking a more eccentric path. The automaker's i Vision Circular EV hatch is a highly futuristic vehicle both inside and out, and a preview of BMW's dream of sustainable vehicles way ahead in the year 2040. The i Vision Circular is relatively small on the outside at 157 inches (smaller than a 2-series), but spacious inside thanks to the EV platform and a smaller and lighter solid state battery. The body looks relatively aerodynamic but has a blunt grill along with geometric edges and embedded shapes rather than rounded contours. The concept comes with a light gold anodized finish that shifts to a heat-treated blue toward the back. BMW More important is how it's built. BMW avoided using composite materials and bonded connections to make the EV easier to break down at the end of its life. Rather, it's built mostly with recycled aluminum and uses quick-release fasteners, press studs and cords so recyclers will be able to take it apart easily. As a result, the i Vision Circular is 100 percent recyclable, according to BMW. BMW If you think the outside is far-fetched, wait until you get a load of the interior. The seats use a recycled, crushed-velvet like material with a pink-violet color and light mint green for the door panels and dash. Apart from the rear quarter panels, the cabin is nearly all glass including the highly sloped windshield and roof. That brings us to the V-shaped dashboard, which looks like someone splashed blue liquid metal onto it. In fact, it's a 3D-printed crystal sculpture that uses lighting to simulate the vehicle "thinking," according to BMW. Meanwhile, driver information appears on a heads-up display along the entire width of the windshield, while control comes via a pair of steering-wheel mounted touchpads with the same crystal appearance. Each seat has its own "dedicated sound zone" that allows passengers to listen to their own music — a techie, but rather antisocial touch. BMW While the design is fairly bonkers, the i Vision Circular concept does offer some practical ideas. BMW aims to show how it can boost the amount of recycled materials in cars from 30 percent today to 50 percent and higher down the road. That's an application that might appear in the nearer future, even if the crystal interior is still a long way off. |
| Smart's Mini-like EV concept shows off its larger vehicle ambitions Posted: 06 Sep 2021 12:27 AM PDT In 2019, Mercedes teamed up with Volvo automaker Geely to transform Smart into an EV-only brand with new vehicles to arrive in 2022. We're starting to see the fruits of this collaboration with the unveiling of Smart's "Concept #1" at the IAA Mobility 2021 motor show in Munich. Smart If you're familiar with Smart's tiny mobility vehicles, the first thing that stands out with the concept is its relatively large size. Designed by Mercedes, the four-seater has roughly the same dimensions (and kind of a similar look, to be honest) as Mini's largest vehicle, the Countryman. It also features smooth aerodynamic styling, a huge glass roof and a gold-tinted, tech-adorned interior that looks like it was designed by Chanel (it wasn't). Some other notable features include a rear scissor door that would allow for easy entry and makes for a cool look when all four doors are open. As they're highly impractical, don't expect to see them on a production version, though. It has a large, Telsa Model 3-like 12.8-inch touchscreen, 21-inch wheels and LED lightbars at the front and back. Smart As for the EV aspect, it's built on Geely's Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) designed to be used across Geely's nine automotive brands, including Volvo, Polestar, Smart and Lotus. It should also support fast-charging tech and over-the-air updates. And yes, Smart and its Daimler/Geely parents are planning to turn this concept into a production vehicle. The aim is to make multiple versions, including a long-range model, while offering the "highest level of dynamic handling" for enthusiasts. It will be made in China and go on sale there next year, but Smart has plans to bring it to Europe, as well. |
| House representatives sent a letter to Yahoo's CEO... from 2017 Posted: 05 Sep 2021 02:15 PM PDT A tip to members of Congress: if you're going to send an angrily-worded letter to a technology CEO, make sure they're still working at the company. A group of 11 House Republicans has sent letters to the leaders of 13 tech companies threatening legal action if they comply with a request for records related to the January 6th Capitol attack. However, there's one major problem. The letter to Yahoo (Engadget's parent company) is addressed to Marissa Mayer, who hasn't been CEO of the company since 2017. That's four years ago, folks — she's not exactly a recent departure. The representatives' other letters appear to have been free of snafus on their way to Amazon, AOL (which Apollo acquired alongside Yahoo), Apple, AT&T, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Snap, T-Mobile, Twitter, US Cellular and Verizon (Engadget's former parent). However, the congresspeople appear to be slightly behind the times as well. None of the letters went to Reddit, Telegram, TikTok and other key firms asked to produce records. The list appears to be a who's-who of tech from several years ago. We laugh, but the slip-up is also a reminder that Congress' general lack of tech knowledge creates problems, whether it's a letter to a long-gone CEO or proposed law changes that could produce easily foreseen complications. The next mistake could cost a lot more than embarrassment and wasted paper, and that unfortunately won't change any time soon.
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| Mercedes' latest EVs include a G-Class concept and the EQE sedan Posted: 05 Sep 2021 10:52 AM PDT Mercedes' growing electric car plans include a rethink of one of its most iconic vehicles. The brand has kicked off Germany's IAA show by introducing a slew of new concept and production EVs, highlighted by the Concept EQG (above). As you might guess, this is a electric take on the G-Class SUV, mating an "uncompromising" (and boxy) off-road design with an eco-friendly electric powertrain. The company hasn't detailed the battery, motor system or even the interior. There are no mentions of when it might ship. However, it said this was a "near-production" design that would go through the same Schöckl mountain torture test as its ancestors. The instant torque and low center of gravity inherent to EVs should work in the EQG's favor when climbing hills and rough terrain, Mercedes said. Daimler There are EVs closer on the horizon, of course. Mercedes has finally detailed the EQE (second from top), its electric equivalent to the E-Class. It appears at first blush to be a shrunken version of the EQS luxury sedan, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. You're still getting a highly aerodynamic design and long range (a claimed 410 miles on the not-quite-realistic WLTP cycle), just in a smaller, CLS-sized design that should be easier to navigate around town. The EQE 350 launch model will include a rear motor, a 90kW battery and reach 60MPH in a claimed 5.6 seconds. Performance versions are in the pipeline, according to Mercedes. However, the EQS' signature dash-length "Hyperscreen" is strictly optional here — you'll normally get a more conventional 12.8-inch OLED infotainment display. The EQE will have a "staggered" worldwide launch starting in mid-2022. Mercedes hasn't divulged pricing, although we'd expect it to cost more than the $54,250 of the combustion engine E-Class. Daimler And yes, there are already ultra-luxurious and high-performance versions of the EQS. A Mercedes-Maybach Concept EQS (second from bottom) offers an electric SUV for customers who'd rather have a chauffeur for their eco-friendly transportation. Another near-production vehicle, it takes on the signature two-tone styling and other cues of a Maybach along with lounge-like rear seating and a Maybach-oriented Hyperscreen up front. Mercedes was once again shy on performance and release dates, although it noted the related EQS SUV is expected to net around a 373-mile range and go into production in 2022. If you're more inclined to take the helm, the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ (bottom) is the brand's first AMG-badged EV and includes custom motors that promise up to 761HP, 742lb/ft of torque and a 0-60MPH time of 3.4 seconds — brisk for a large luxury sedan. You'll also find an AMG GT-derived air suspension and rear-wheel steering. You won't see too many visual differences, although the unique rims and optional carbon ceramic rotors will make your go-fast intentions clear. Mercedes hasn't outlined pricing or release dates here, either, although it's safe to presume this will make the regular EQS line seem frugal. Daimler |
| Pixel 3 owners say their phones are bricking without warning Posted: 05 Sep 2021 09:30 AM PDT More and more Pixel 3 owners are grappling with a problem that can render their phones useless. According to Ars Technica, growing numbers of Pixel 3 and 3 XL users on Google's IssueTracker, the company's support forums and Reddit say their phones are 'bricking' (that is, becoming completely unresponsive) with little to no warning. The devices enter a Qualcomm "Emergency Download mode" (EDL) that won't even let you recover by installing new firmware through regular methods — you can't get to the bootloader to try. It's not certain what causes the issue, how common it is, or whether there's practical solution short of replacing a given phone. We've asked Google for comment. Ars speculates about the possibility of a hardware issue like LG's bootlooping, although there isn't enough evidence to definitively point to a physical flaw. Either way, the reports of bricking aren't great news for Pixel 3 owners. Many of those phones are either out of warranty or close to losing coverage. You may have to pay for repairs or a new device through no fault of your own. Google did extend some Pixel 4 warranties to cover known issues with those handsets, though, so there's a chance the company might do the same here and provide free solutions. |
| The next iPhone's rumored satellite calls might only work in certain areas Posted: 05 Sep 2021 08:21 AM PDT You may have to temper your expectations for the next iPhone's rumored satellite communications. As 9to5Macreports, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims in his "Power On" newsletter that emergency satellite calls and messages on the future iPhone (potentially named iPhone 13) will only work in "select markets," and then only in places without cellular coverage. This likely won't serve as a backup when cell service is spotty in your area, then. Apple reportedly wants to launch its own satellites to provide more data coverage, but any plans for that are "years away," Gurman said. You also won't get to make non-emergency calls any time soon. The limitations wouldn't be completely surprising. The new iPhone is rumored to use a modified Qualcomm X60 modem for satellite service — it might not be ready to serve as a full-featured satellite phone. Gurman added that costs and carrier objections might prevent Apple from offering a true satellite phone that bypasses conventional networks. As it stands, there are other reasons to moderate your hopes for Apple's next event. Gurman also says display issues could limit availability for the Apple Watch Series 7. While the wristwear will reportedly debut alongside the next iPhone, some versions of it may be available "late or in small quantities." Your preferred case and band combo may take a while to ship. While this isn't as bad as the delays that stalled the iPhone 12 and other Apple products last year, it could be a far cry from the smooth launches in the pre-pandemic era. |
| 'Horizon Forbidden West' PS4 buyers will get a free PS5 upgrade after all Posted: 05 Sep 2021 07:12 AM PDT Sony won't make you pay to upgrade Horizon Forbidden West after all. The company's Interactive Entertainment chief Jim Ryan announced that Forbidden West PS4 players will get to upgrade to the PS5 version for free, as Sony promised last September. The tech giant "missed the mark" and will stand by its original pledge, Ryan said. The change of heart comes after Sony and Guerilla told customers they'd be limited to the version of the game they bought. If you started on PS4, in other words, you'd have to buy another copy to take advantage of PS5 features. Don't expect a similar concession for other PS4-to-PS5 upgrades. Ryan made clear that all first-party cross-generation exclusives "moving forward" would include a $10 upgrade option for the PS5 edition. If you pick up the next God of War for your PS4, you'll still have to pay for the PS5 release — you just won't have to pay nearly as much. This pricing won't affect third-party studios, some of which have offered free PS5 updates (such as for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order). However, it does set expectations. Sony clearly wants gamers to cover the costs of PS5 updates, and releases like Forbidden West are the exceptions to that rule. |
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