Wednesday, September 8, 2021

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Microsoft issues Windows attack warning that utilizes malicious Office files

Posted: 08 Sep 2021 03:50 AM PDT

Attackers are actively exploiting a Microsoft remote code execution vulnerability using malicious Office files, the tech giant has warned. The vulnerability known as CVE-2021-40444 affects Windows Servers from version 2008 and Windows 7 through 10. What attackers are doing is sending potential victims an Office file and tricking them into opening it. That file automatically opens Internet Explorer to load the bad actor's web page, which has an ActiveX control that downloads malware onto the victim's computer.

Several security researchers reported the zero-day attacks to Microsoft. One of them, Haifei Li of EXPMON, told BleepingComputer that the method is 100 percent reliable — all it would take to infect a system is for the victim to open the malicious file. In Li's case, the attack they came across used a .DOCX document. Microsoft has yet to roll out a security patch for the vulnerability, but it has published mitigation methods to prevent infection. 

The tech giant says Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint can both detect the vulnerability and prevent infection, so users need to keep them updated and running. Further, it advises disabling all ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer to render it inactive for all websites. Microsoft's security warning contains information how to do that, which involves updating IE's registry and rebooting the computer.

Amazon's cashierless 'Just Walk Out' tech is coming to Whole Foods stores

Posted: 08 Sep 2021 03:10 AM PDT

After launching it in Go stores and then bringing it to larger Fresh supermarkets, Amazon's cashierless "Just Walk Out" tech will soon arrive in two Whole Foods locations. The service, which lets you pick up goods from shelves and (yep) just walk out, is coming to new stores in Washington DC and Sherman Oaks, California next year, the company announced. 

"By collaborating with Amazon to introduce Just Walk Out shopping at these two Whole Foods Market stores, our customers will be able to... save time by skipping the checkout line," said Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey. 

As we've detailed previously, Just Walk Out uses computer vision, sensors and AI to let you walk into a store, sign in with an app, fill up your bags and leave without the need to join a checkout line. On top of using the tech in its own Go and Fresh stores, Amazon signed a deal last year to license its technology to third-party retailers. 

The technology will work the same at Whole Foods, which is owned by Amazon. Shoppers can opt to use the tech when they enter the store by scanning an app, inserting a debit card linked to their Amazon account, or by placing their palm over the Amazon One palm-scanning system. 

Unions have proclaimed that Amazon's cashierless tech will cost workers jobs, but Amazon said the new Whole Foods locations will "employ a comparable number of team members as existing Whole Foods stores of similar sizes." Rather, employees will be able to "spend even more time interacting with customers and delivering a great shopping experience," Amazon said in a press release. 

LG claims its new 'Real Folding Window' display material is as hard as glass

Posted: 08 Sep 2021 02:35 AM PDT

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 devices did very well in their home country, and market research groups like Counterpoint believe foldable shipments are bound to grow in the coming years. Foldable devices might soon no longer be niche products, and LG has developed a new material that could help make that a reality. LG Chem has designed a new type of cover window — that is, the outermost pre-installed part of displays protecting them from impact — that it says is as hard as glass while also having the capability to prevent fold impressions on the connecting part of a device. 

The company calls the material "Real Folding Window," and it's made of PET film coated on both sides with a new coating technology it developed. A spokesperson explained: "Unlike existing polyimide films and tempered glass-type materials, the cover window that applied LG Chem's new coating technologies will maximize flexibility, while also providing optimized solutions for foldable phones such as making improvements to chronic issues like fold impressions on the connecting part of the screen."

In addition, the Real Folding Window can be folded both outwards and inwards unlike current counterparts that are optimized to be bent one way. LG Chem says it's thinner than tempered glass, is priced competitively and has been tested to be able to endure being folded over 200,000 times. 

While the coating on both sides is only a few micrometers thick, the company is developing another type of Real Folding Window that doesn't use PET film. The idea is to create a very thin cover window for use in devices like foldable phones and rollable displays. LG Chem is planning to start mass producing the Real Folding Window in 2022 and to start selling them the year after that. 

HBO Max arrives in Europe on October 26th

Posted: 08 Sep 2021 02:00 AM PDT

HBO Max is heading to Europe. Back in June, the streaming service finally became available outside the US when it expanded to 39 territories across Latin America and the Caribbean. Now, the WarnerMedia-owned platform is making its debut in Europe on October 26th, starting with six countries in particular: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Spain and Andorra. 

As part of the service's phased rollout, 14 other European regions will get access to it next year, namely Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. WarnerMedia is also planning more territory launches for 2022, though it didn't say whether it's making the streaming service available in more continents. 

Johannes Larcher, Head of HBO Max International, said in a statement:

"This is a historic moment as HBO Max lands in Europe. WarnerMedia movies and series like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and The Big Bang Theory are passionately consumed by fans all across Europe, and HBO Max has been created to provide them with the most intuitive and convenient viewing experience to watch these and a diverse range of other amazing titles."

HBO Max typically offers two types of plans: Standard and Mobile. In the US, there's also an ad-supported tier that costs $10 a month instead of $15. As always, its subscription prices in Europe will vary per region, though it will likely be around that much, as well. WarnerMedia will reveal more details, including the service's prices and content offering in Europe, at a virtual launch event in October.

PayPal acquires buy now, pay later provider Paidy

Posted: 08 Sep 2021 01:22 AM PDT

PayPal is continuing its push into buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services with the acquisition of Japanese company Paidy for 300 billion yen ($2.7 billion), Bloomberg has reported. That represents its second largest acquisition to date after the $4 billion dollar purchase of online coupon aggregator Honey. 

BNPL services let users divide purchases into multiple payments with paying any interest. Instead, PayPal and other providers make money by charging fees to merchants when a consumer buys a product, much as credit card providers do. PayPal's move follows Jack Dorsey's Square much larger acquisition of Australian BNPL firm AfterPay for $29 billion. 

Paidy differs from other BNPL firms in that it allows Japanese consumers to purchase items online and then pay them off in person at local convenience stores. PayPal doesn't currently offer a BNPL service in Japan, so the acquisition will help it break into that market. 

"Paidy pioneered buy-now-pay-later solutions tailored to the Japanese market," said PayPal Japan chief Peter Kenevan. "Combining Paidy's brand, capabilities and talented team with PayPal's expertise, resources and global scale will create a strong foundation to accelerate our momentum in this strategically important market."

Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is an ultralight laptop with an OLED display

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 11:25 PM PDT

Lenovo has announced a new lineup of PCs, tablets and monitors at Tech World 2021. The most notable of the bunch is the IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon — a 14-inch Windows 11 laptop that weighs 2.37 lbs and is equipped with an OLED display made by Samsung. As its name implies, the device's chassis is made of carbon fiber and magnesium alloy for lightness and strength. Its display has a QHD+ resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio, with features that include a 90Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision and true black certification. Customers can also opt to get a touchscreen version that's strengthened with Gorilla Glass. 

Lenovo
Lenovo

The device is powered by AMD's Ryzen 7 5800U Series Mobile Processors (up to 8-core) with AMD Radeon Graphics, and customers can get the NVIDIA GeForce MX450 graphics card as an optional install. Buyers can also equip the laptop with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage. Other features include up to 14.5 hours of battery life, WiFi 6 and built-in Alexa support with an Alexa Show experience. It will be available in Cloud Grey starting in October 2021 with prices starting at $1,290.

Another notable device in the brand's new lineup is the Chromebook Duet 5. It's a 2-in-1 laptop-tablet hybrid running Chrome OS with access to Google Play. The device has a laptop-grade keyboard that can be detached from its 13.3-inch OLED display and is powered by the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 SoC. It comes with 256GB of SSD storage and up to 8GB of memory. The Duet 5 will also be available in October in Storm Grey or Abyss Blue for at least $430.

Those who prefer a larger laptop could get the ldeaPad Slim 7 Pro instead. It's a 16-inch Windows 11 laptop with a QHD IPS screen, powered by AMD's Ryzen 7 5800H Mobile Processors. The device can be equipped with NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU and can have up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage. It will be out in October for at least $1,449.

Microsoft snaps up in-browser video editing software startup Clipchamp

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 09:08 PM PDT

Microsoft's latest acquisition could add an easy-to-use video editing experience to its software suite. The tech giant has purchased a startup called Clipchamp, which is known for its in-browser video creation and editing tool. In its announcement, Microsoft says Clipchamp's approach combines "the simplicity of a web app with the ability to process video using the full computing power of a PC with graphics processing unit (GPU) acceleration," which is "something that was formerly limited to traditional video applications."

Clipchamp specifically targets non-professionals and non-creatives — people who don't have or know how to use specialized software for videos, in other words. "Our mission is to empower anyone to tell stories worth sharing and millions of people around the world... We will continue to make video creation even easier, more accessible and fun," company CEO Alexander Dreiling wrote in a post announcing the acquisition. 

Neither party has disclosed the terms of their agreement, but as CNBC notes, Clipchamp said in July that it has 17 million registered users with an adoption rate that's up 54 percent year over year. The service saw huge growth in 9:16 aspect ratio exports, in particular, which are commonly used for TikTok and Instagram or Facebook Stories. Microsoft was one of its clients before the acquisition, along with Google. While Microsoft has yet to announce how it will offer Clipchamp to its customers, it called the tool a "natural fit" for its cloud-powered productivity experiences in Microsoft 365. A spokesperson also told CNBC that the tech giant will eventually introduce a process to convert existing Clipchamp users to Microsoft subscribers.

The latest animated Pokémon movie is coming to Netflix on October 8th

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 04:00 PM PDT

After making its debut in Japan last year, the Pokémon franchise's 23rd animated movie is making its way to Netflix. Outside of Japan, China and Korea, Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle will debut globally on the streaming platform on October 8th. The premiere will mark the film's international debut.

The film is essentially Pokémon's take on the tale of Tarzan. When Ash and Pikachu go to explore the forest of Okoya, they discover a boy named Koko. Thanks to an upbringing at the hands of a Pokémon named Dada Zarude, Koko believes he too is a Pokémon. Ash and Pikachu's arrival in his forest home leads him to question everything he thought was true about his existence.

Ahead of the movie's release, you can add Dada Zarude and a shiny Celebi to your Pokémon Sword and Shield roster by signing up for the Trainer's Club newsletter by September 25th. The Pokémon Company, Niantic and Netflix also plan a special Pokémon Go event tied to the film's release. They promised to share more information on that front soon. 

Twitter web test lets you remove followers without blocking them

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 02:00 PM PDT

Twitter has launched its second feature test in one day, and this one could be particularly helpful if you've ever been subjected to online abuse. A newly available web test lets you remove followers without blocking them. You'll disappear from their feed without notifications that might spark harassment and threats.

The social network hasn't said if or when it might roll out follower removals. This is coming alongside a string of anti-harassment and privacy-related projects, though, including a "Safety Mode" test and an experimental option to automatically archive tweets. It might be just a matter of time before tighter follower control is available to a wider audience.

This test may be particularly useful in fighting abuse. Until now, Twitter users have typically had to either report offending accounts (and hope Twitter takes action) or block them and risk retaliation. This won't prevent creeps from following your activity if you have a public account, but it could lessen the chance of immediate outrage.

Apple loses automotive executive Doug Field to Ford

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 01:45 PM PDT

Add another wrinkle to Apple's oft-rumored efforts to build its own electric vehicle. On Tuesday, Ford announced the hire of Doug Field. The former Tesla executive, known for his involvement in the development of the Model 3, most recently held the position of vice president of special projects at Apple. It's believed Field oversaw Project Titan.

In his new position of chief advanced technology and embedded systems officer, Field will report to Ford CEO and president Jim Farley. He will oversee Ford's Embedded Software and Hardware division, which will see him lead development on the automaker's Blue Oval intelligence stack. It's expected he will have a say in everything from vehicle controls to enterprise connectivity features and driver assistance technology. For Field, this is something of a return to where everything started. He began his career at Ford back in 1987.

What's unclear is what this means for Apple's automotive ambitions. Bloomberg reporter and Apple insider Mark Gurman says it's bad news for the company. "This is probably the largest setback in a history filled with setbacks for Apple's car project," he tweeted. "As I wrote in January, there is no Apple Car launching anytime soon, not 2024, not 2025. Further out now, if ever." Apple does have executives who could take over Field's role. For instance, the company recently hired Ulrich Kranz, a former BMW executive who led the development of the i3. All the same, it's never a good sign when a high-profile executive leaves a company. 

Continental's eco-friendly concept tire includes a renewable tread

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 01:10 PM PDT

Many efforts are underway to reduce the environmental impact of cars, but what about the tires those cars ride on? Continental thinks it might help. Roadshowreports the company has introduced the Conti GreenConcept (yes, a concept tire) where more than half of the materials are "traceable, renewable and recycled." You can even renew the natural rubber tread with little trouble — not a completely new idea, but refreshable treads have generally been reserved for large commercial trucks. Three renewals would be enough to ensure the material used for casing is cut in half relative to the total mileage.

About 35 percent of the materials are renewables, including dandelion rubber, silicate made from rice husk ash and a string of vegetable oils and resins. Another 17 percent is polyester yarn made from recycled PET bottles, reclaimed steel and recovered carbon black.

The design should improve the efficiency of the cars themselves, Continental added. New casing, sidewall and tread patterns make the GreenConcept about 40 percent lighter than a conventional tire at about 16.5lbs, That, in turn, leads to 25 percent lower rolling resistance than the highest-rated tires in the EU. Continental estimates you'd get six percent more range from an electric vehicle.

While you might not outfit your car with these exact tires any time soon, this is more than just a thought exercise. Continental plans to gradually deploy its recycling technology starting in 2022, including the production of tires using recycled bottles. 

Efforts like the Conti GreenConcept are partly meant to burnish Continental's public image. It wants to be the most environmentally responsible tire company by 2030, and become completely carbon-neutral by 2050 "at the latest." However, it also hints at a more holistic approach to eco-friendly cars where many components, not just the powertrain, are kinder to the planet.

Latest 'Call of Duty: Vanguard' trailer offers a first look at multiplayer

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 12:55 PM PDT

With Vanguard, Activision's Call of Duty franchise is returning to the Second World War for the first time since 2017's WWII. We already had a chance to take in the new single-player story lead developer Sledgehammer Games plans to tell, but we've only seen a few glimpses of the title's multiplayer offering outside of its Champion Hill mode. That changed on Tuesday when the studio broadcast a nearly 30-minute multiplayer deep dive and shared a new trailer.

Vanguard looks to attract new players to the series with a feature called Combat Pacing that allows you to decide how hectic you want matches to play out. Three filters — Tactical, Assualt and Blitz — determine the number of players in a match. Tactical, for instance, limits things to a 12-person match, while in Blitz there can be as many as 24 players on each team. 

Vanguard also introduces a new game mode called Patrol. It's a fresh take on Domination that sees a capture zone slowly move across the map. It's joined by classics like Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, Domination and Search and Destroy. Returning from previous Call of Duty titles is Gunsmith. It's a feature that allows you to customize your weapons with various accessories.

If you want to see more of Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer before the game comes out on November 5th, the game's multiplayer beta starts later this week. Provided you pre-ordered Vanguard on PlayStation, you can see what's new before anyone else. The beta will open up to all PlayStation users on September 16th. That same day, those who pre-ordered the game for Xbox and PC can also see what's on offer. For everyone else, the beta opens up on September 18th and runs through to the 20th.

A Chinese EV startup wants to build a ridable robot unicorn for kids

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 12:30 PM PDT

Never mind buying a robot dog for your kids — you might just get them a mythical creature instead. Chinese EV maker Xpeng has teased a robot unicorn meant for children to ride. As SCMPnotes, the quadruped will take advantage of Xpeng's experiences with autonomous driving and other AI tasks to navigate multiple terrain types, recognize objects and provide "emotional interaction."

The company is shy on most other details, although the design looks and trots like a cuter, more kid-friendly version of Boston Robotics' Spot. It's appropriately about as tall as a child. Sorry, folks, you won't prance your way to work.

This robot unicorn is just about as mythical as the 'real' thing, too. Xpeng hasn't revealed when it expects to deliver its robotic horse-with-a-horn, let alone pricing or availability. It might not cost as much as a $75,000 Spot, but we'd expect something this sophisticated to cost more than the $2,900 Aibo from 2019.

To some extent, profit is beside the point. Xpeng chief He Xiaopeng said the unicorn was part of a broader move into the robotics space by taking advantage of the company's existing technology. Think of this as a first step. What Xpeng learns from its unicorn could lead to more sophisticated (and hopefully adult-oriented) robots you're more likely to buy.

Netflix is releasing an interactive WWE horror movie on October 5th

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 11:59 AM PDT

Netflix and WWE have been working together for quite a while, and their next project is a little spookier than usual. Escape the Undertaker is an interactive horror movie that's coming to Netflix on October 5th — just in time for Halloween.

The flick stars the legendary Undertaker, along with Big E, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston, who comprise The New Day, one of WWE's most popular acts of the last decade. The film sees the trio visit The Undertaker's mansion, which turns out to be "an extreme haunted house, packed to the brim with supernatural challenges," according to Bloody Disgusting. You'll decide the fate of The New Day as the group tries to "survive the wrath of The Undertaker."

Other WWE-related fictional projects have landed on Netflix over the last few years, including a sitcom called The Big Show Show and The Main Event, a movie in which a kid becomes a wrestler after finding a magical mask. The latest offering will add to Netflix's growing library of interactive content, which includes the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt finale, a Carmen Sandiego special, a mindfulness experience and, more recently, video games.

WWE actually has a long history of making horror movies through its WWE Studios arm, including an ill-fated reboot of the Leprechaun series. It has had a hand in some fine horror flicks, such as Oculus and Mohawk, so Escape the Undertaker could turn out to be pretty solid. Just try to keep The New Day out of The Undertaker's boiler room.

Twitter's latest test gives iOS users a larger, edge-to-edge view of photos

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 11:11 AM PDT

Twitter is an increasingly visual social network, and it's accordingly giving your media some more breathing room. The company has started testing an "edge-to-edge" timeline on iOS that gives you a much larger, borderless view for photos and videos.. You won't have to tap on a picture just to make full use of your big smartphone screen, to put it another way.

The firm didn't say how soon the feature might move beyond the experimental stage, but did vow to "iterate" on the test. We've asked about the possibility of (and timing for) Android and web tests.

The test is a bid to "bring more focus to the content" as more Twitter users share media. We'd add that it could also help Twitter counter Instagram, TikTok and other imagery-driven social networks. You may have a stronger incentive to post on Twitter if you know people are more likely to see (and appreciate) your snapshots.

'The Matrix Resurrections' teasers keep changing with different clips from the film

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 11:00 AM PDT

Ahead of September 9th, when it plans to share the first full trailer from The Matrix Resurrections, Warner Bros. has launched a teaser for the upcoming film. The website, whatisthematrix.com, offers a first look at Neo's latest adventure. 

In a call back to the first film, you'll see a red and blue pill on the screen when you first visit the website. Choose the former and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will narrate the clip that follows, while the latter will treat you to the voice of Neil Patrick Harris. Each will present a different interpretation of what follows and a different series of cuts from the movie. 

What's more, each time you refresh the website and watch the clips again, you'll see a different set of scenes from the movie, as well as a mention of the current time — you know, to break the fourth wall. There aren't an infinite number of variations of each teaser, but you can piece together quite a few different scenes together if you watch each one multiple times.  

Either way, it's a fun way to build up excitement for the film before the first official trailer drops later this week. Of course, if you want to go into The Matrix Resurrections blind, then it's best to wait until December to see it on your own terms. 

Hulu's basic and ad-free plans are increasing by a dollar per month

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 10:42 AM PDT

Disney is jacking up the prices of two Hulu plans. As of October 8th, the standard plan is increasing from $6 to $7 per month, and the ad-free option is also jumping up by a dollar a month to $13. As Deadline notes, the Hulu + Live TV and Disney Bundle prices are staying the same.

The cost of Disney+, ESPN+ and Disney Bundle plans have increased in recent months, so it's not exactly shocking that Hulu has followed suit. It's the first change to on-demand Hulu plans since the basic option actually dropped by $2/month in February 2019. Disney bumped up the live TV subscription price by $10/month last December.

Technics made a black version of its SL-1200 turntable you can actually buy

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 10:20 AM PDT

After dipping its toes in the world of Bluetooth earbuds last year, Technics is back to releasing new turntables and audiophile equipment. The company announced a raft of new products on Monday. The SB-G90M2 leads the company's fall lineup. Like the SB-G90, the M2 is a three-way bass reflex speaker pair. It features a two-way coaxial driver that combines a 25mm dome with a 160mm aluminum midrange cone and two 160mm subwoofers. The SB-GM90M2 will go on sale in October, with each one costing $2,699. 

For those who don't have nearly $3,000 to spend on a single speaker, Technics also announced its new SB-C600 bookshelf speakers. You'll pay $999 for a pair of them. They went through much of the same design process as the SB-GM90M2 to reduce distortion and vibrations. Each one features a 15cm woofer paired with a 25mm aluminum dome tweeter. You can buy them starting in November.

Technics SU-G700M2
Technics / Panasonic

Alongside the two speakers systems, Technics announced an updated version of its SU-G700 amplifier. The mark two model borrows features from the company's reference-level SU-R100 amp. Among other features, it includes its JENO anti-jitter and distortion technology. In designing the SU-G700M2, Technics sourced new semiconductor parts, including some made from gallium nitride, to improve power delivery. The company says the new model is more efficient and reactive than its predecessor and better at driving a variety of speakers. There's also a Phono Input Phase selector to improve playback when you listen to older vinyl albums that were recorded with the inverted phase. The SU-G700M2 goes on sale in October for $2,699. It will be available in both black and silver versions, with the former including an extra "-K" in its model designation.

Lastly, Technics announced a new version of its direct-drive SL-1200 turntable. If the SL-1210G looks familiar, it's because the company released a limited edition black model of the SL-1200G, known as the SL-1210GAE, back in June 2020. A spokesperson for Technics told What Hi-Fi the SL-1210GAE sold out almost immediately. The SL-1210G then gives those who missed the GAE another chance to get the company's historic turntable in black. The GAE will cost $3,999 when it goes on sale next month.

The fight to study what happens on Facebook

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 10:00 AM PDT

Facebook recently added a new report to its transparency center. The "widely viewed content" report was ostensibly meant to shed light on what's been a long-running debate: What is the most popular content on Facebook?

The 20-page report raised more questions than answers. For example, it showed that the most viewed URL was a seemingly obscure website associated with former Green Bay Packers players. It boasted nearly 90 million views even though its official Facebook page has just a few thousand followers. The report also included URLs for e-commerce sites that seemed at least somewhat spammy, like online stores for CBD products and Bible-themed t-shirts. There was also a low-res cat GIF and several bland memes that asked people to respond with foods they like or don't like or items they had recently purchased.

Notably absent from the report were the right-wing figures who regularly dominate the unofficial "Facebook Top 10" Twitter account, which ranks content by engagement. In fact, there wasn't very much political content at all, a point Facebook has long been eager to prove. For Facebook, its latest attempt at "transparency" was evidence that most users' feeds aren't polarizing, disinformation-laced swamps but something much more mundane.

Days later, The New York Times reported that the company had prepped an earlier version of the report, but opted not to publish it. The top URL from thatreport was a story from the Chicago Sun Timesthat suggested the death of a doctor may have been linked to the COVID-19 vaccine. Though the story was from a credible news source, it's also the kind of story that's often used to fuel anti-vaccine narratives.

Almost as soon as the initial report was published, researchers raised other issues. Ethan Zuckerman, an associate professor of public policy and communication at University of Massachusetts at Amherst, called it "transparency theatre." It was, he said, "a chance for FB to tell critics that they're moving in the direction of transparency without releasing any of the data a researcher would need to answer a question like 'Is extreme right-wing content disproportionately popular on Facebook?'"

The promise of 'transparency'

For researchers studying how information travels on Facebook, it's a familiar tactic: provide enough data to claim "transparency," but not enough to actually be useful. "The findings of the report are debatable," says Alice Marwick, principal researcher at the Center for Information Technology and Public Life at University of North Carolina. "The results just didn't hold up, they don't hold up to scrutiny. They don't map to any of the ways that people actually share information."

Marwick and other researchers have suggested that this may be because Facebook opted to slice its data in an unusual way. They have suggested that Facebook only looked for URLs that were actually in the body of a post, rather than the link previews typically shared. Or perhaps Facebook just has a really bad spam problem. Or maybe it's a combination of the two. "There's no way for us to independently verify them … because we have no access to data compared to what Facebook has," Marwick told Engadget.

Those concerns were echoed by Laura Edelson, a researcher at New York University. "No one else can replicate or verify the findings in this report," she wrote in a tweet. "We just have to trust Facebook." Notably, Edelson has her own experience running into the limits of Facebook's push for "transparency."

The company recently shut down her personal Facebook account, as well as those of several NYU colleagues, in response to their research on political ad targeting on the platform. Since Facebook doesn't make targeting data available in its ad library, the researchers recruited volunteers to install a browser extension that could scoop up advertising info based on their feeds.

Facebook called it "unauthorized scraping," saying it ran afoul of their privacy policies. In doing so, it cited its obligation to the FTC, which the agency later said was "misleading." Outside groups had vetted the project and confirmed it was only gathering data about advertisers, not users' personal data. Guy Rosen, the company's VP of Integrity, later said that even though the research was "well-intentioned" it posed too great a privacy risk. Edelson and others said Facebook was trying to silence research that could make the company look bad."If this episode demonstrates anything it is that Facebook should not have veto power over who is allowed to study them," she wrote in a statement.

Rosen and other Facebook execs have said that Facebook does want to make more data available to researchers, but that they need to go through the company's official channels to ensure the data is made available in a "privacy protected" way. The company has a platform called FORT (Facebook Open Research and Transparency), which allows academics to request access to some types of Facebook data, including election ads from 2020. Earlier this year, the company said it would expand the program to make more info available to researchers studying "fringe" groups on the platform.

But while Facebook has billed FORT as yet another step in its efforts to provide "transparency," those who have used FORT have cited shortcomings. A group of researchers at Princeton hoping to study election ads ultimately pulled the project, citing Facebook's restrictive terms. They said Facebook pushed a "strictly non-negotiable" agreement that required them to submit their research to Facebook for review prior to publishing. Even more straightforward questions about how they were permitted to analyze the data were left unanswered.

"Our experience dealing with Facebook highlights their long running pattern of misdirection and doublespeak to dodge meaningful scrutiny of their actions," they wrote in a statement describing their experience.

A Facebook spokesperson said the company only checks for personally identifiable information, and that it's never rejected a research paper.

"We support hundreds of academic researchers at more than 100 institutions through the Facebook Open Research and Transparency project," Facebook's Chaya Nayak, who heads up FORT at Facebook, said in a statement. "Through this effort, we make massive amounts of privacy-protected data available to academics so they can study Facebook's impact on the world. We also pro-actively seek feedback from the research community about what steps will help them advance research most effectively going forward."

Data access affects researchers' ability to study Facebook's biggest problems. And the pandemic has further highlighted just how significant that work can be. Facebook's unwillingness to share more data about vaccine misinformation has been repeatedly called out by researchers and public health officials. It's all the more vexing because Facebook employs a small army of its own researchers and data scientists. Yet much of their work is never made public. "They have a really solid research team, but virtually everything that research team does is kept only within Facebook, and we never see any of it," says Marwick, the UNC professor.

But much of Facebook's internal research could help those outside the platform who are trying to understand the same questions, she says. "I want more of the analysis and research that's going on within Facebook to be communicated to the larger scholarly community, especially stuff around polarization [and] news sharing. I have a fairly strong sense that there's research questions that are actively being debated in my research community that Facebook knows the answer to, but they can't communicate it to us."

The rise of 'data donation'

To get around this lack of access, researchers are increasingly looking to "data donation" programs. Like the browser extension used by the NYU researchers, these projects recruit volunteers to "donate" some of their own data for research.

NYU's Ad Observer, for example, collected data about ads on Facebook and YouTube, with the goal of helping them understand the platform's ad targeting at amore granular level. Similarly, Mozilla, maker of the Firefox browser, has a browser add-on called Rally that helps researchers study a range of issues from COVID-19 misinformation to local news. The Markup, a nonprofit news organization, has also created Citizen Browser, a customized browser that aids journalists' investigations into Facebook and YouTube. (Unlike Mozilla and NYU's browser-based projects, The Markup pays users who participate in Citizen Browser.)

"The biggest single problem in our research community is the lack of access to private proprietary data," says Marwick. "Data donation programs are one of the tactics that people in my community are using to try to get access to data, given that we know the platform's aren't going to give it to us."

Crucially, it's also data that's collected independently, and that may be the best way to ensure true transparency, says Rebecca Weiss, who leads Mozilla's Rally project. "We keep getting these good faith transparency efforts from these companies but it's clear that transparency also means some form of independence," Weiss tells Engadget.

For participants, these programs offer social media users a way to make sure some of their data, which is constantly being scooped up by mega-platforms like Facebook, can also be used in a way that is within their control: to aid in research. Weiss says that, ultimately, it's not that different from market research or other public science projects. "This idea of donating your time to a good faith effort — these are familiar concepts."

Researchers also point out that there are significant benefits to gaining a better understanding of how the most influential and powerful platforms operate. The study of election ads, for example, can expose bad actors trying to manipulate elections. Knowing more about how health misinformation spreads can help public health officials understand how to combat vaccine hesitancy. Weiss notes that having a better understanding of why we see the ads we do — political or otherwise — can go a long way toward demystifying how social media platforms operate.

"This affects our lives on a daily basis and there's not a lot of ways that we as consumers can prepare ourselves for the world that exists with these increasingly more powerful ad networks that have no transparency."

Microsoft rolls out a personalized news feed called Start

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 09:45 AM PDT

Microsoft is rolling out a revamped personalized news service called Start. The feed will be baked into the Windows 10 taskbar and the Windows 11 widgets section. You can also access it via the web, iOS and Android apps and the new tab page in Microsoft Edge.

Start draws from Microsoft's artificial intelligence and machine learning expertise (as well as human curation) to create a news feed featuring up-to-date info tailored to your interests. It curates news from more than 1,000 publishers around the world.

The more you use Start and indicate what you're interested in, the closer the feed will hew to the things you prefer to read about. You can tell the app when you see a publisher or story you're not keen on, or hit the Personalize button to refine the feed whenever you like. Your preferences are linked to your Microsoft account, so the service should offer the same experience on all platforms where you're logged in.

Microsoft Start
Microsoft

Start includes information cards for certain key topics, such as weather, traffic, sports and finance. You can decide which cards you want to pop up for at-a-glance information.

Although MSN isn't going anywhere, Start is replacing Microsoft News. The icon and name for that app will change to Start branding the next time users update it. Those who visit the Microsoft News website will be redirected to the Start home page as well.

The name of the feed might cause a little confusion for Windows users, given the prominence of the Start button in the operating system over the last couple of decades (that menu is getting an overhaul in Windows 11). Still, Microsoft Start looks like a polished experience, and it could be a solid way to keep tabs on the news in which you're interested.

El Salvador starts accepting Bitcoin as legal currency

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 09:24 AM PDT

El Salvador is officially the first country in the world to accept Bitcoin as legal currency. CNBCreports the Central American nation's Bitcoin law took effect on September 7th, letting Salvadorans use the cryptocurrency in physical and online shops. Accordingly, locals can use a Chivo wallet app on their phones to make purchases and manage their funds.

The government has been eager to give itself a good start. President Nayib Bukele revealed El Salvador had bought 550 Bitcoin as of this writing (about $26 million), and the country's Congress passed a law last week establishing a $150 million fund to aid conversions from Bitcoin to US dollars (also accepted in El Salvador).

Bukele previously claimed the move would not only foster investment, tourism and overall economic development, but would make El Salvador's financial system more inclusive by courting the 70 percent of residents who don't have bank accounts. It's also an acknowledgment of the financial reality of the country. Its economy relies in part on remittances from migrants, and Bitcoin theoretically streamlines those transfers.

Not everyone is thrilled with the decision, though. Cointelegraphnoted that some Salvadorans have protested the adoption of Bitcoin, arguing that politicians didn't consult with the public. They're also worried cryptocurrency's volatility could pose a serious risk next to the relative stability of the US dollar. Reutersadded that police briefly held an outspoken critic of the Bitcoin law, Mario Gomez. Officials said it was related to a financial fraud investigation, but supporters were concerned this was an act of intimidation meant to silence political opposition.

We wouldn't count on other countries rushing to join El Salvador. Countries like the US are exploring central bank cryptocurrencies, potentially more stable and easily regulated than Bitcoin. Other countries are hostile. China banned many companies and institutions from handling cryptocurrency, and India has looked into banning private currencies. There's also the simple matter of varying economic conditions. Successful Bitcoin adoption in El Salvador wouldn't guarantee success elsewhere — other countries might gain little if anything from embracing digital money.

Apple will hold its iPhone 13 event on September 14th

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 09:11 AM PDT

You won't have to wait long to learn more about the iPhone 13 — and more. Apple has announced a "California Streaming" event on September 14th at 1PM Eastern. The invitation doesn't offer many clues, but there are plenty of rumors as to what you can expect for the new iPhone and other devices that might make an appearance during the presentation.

The iPhone 13 (or whatever it might be called) is poised to be a subtle evolution of the iPhone 12. It will reportedly include a smaller notch and an always-on display that can ramp up to a smooth 120Hz. You might also see improved cameras across the line, with improved ultra-wide sensors and more stabilization. It would include the seemingly obligatory chip upgrade (A15?) and a slightly larger battery, although the rumored satellite call support might be limited to emergency use in certain areas.

As for the rest? An Apple Watch Series 7 might debut alongside the new iPhone, sporting redesigned cases and larger screens as well as improved performance and wireless tech. You might also see updated iPads, including a possible iPad mini redesign. New AirPods might arrive as well. Don't count on seeing new Macs, though — while new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models might be in the pipeline this fall, they might not appear until a later event.

Bose's high-end Smart Soundbar 900 includes Dolby Atmos support

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 07:44 AM PDT

Bose has announced a new soundbar that replaces the Smart Soundbar 700 at the higher end of its lineup. Unlike the previous model, the Smart Soundbar 900 has Dolby Atmos support.

The company claims the Soundbar 900 goes beyond the overhead spatial audio offered by most Atmos soundbars. It says Bose PhaseGuide tech can create horizontal audio effects as well. The Soundbar 900 blends Bose's spatial audio knowhow with custom arrays, dipole transducers and low-profile transducers to create "a layer of realism," according to the company. Even if the show or movie you're watching doesn't support Dolby Atmos, Bose says its tech can still create effective spatial audio effects by remixing signals.

Bose is promising strong bass performance with almost no distortion with the help of its QuietPort tech. The Adaptiq feature, meanwhile, calibrates audio for your space.

The speaker includes decent connectivity, including HDMI eARC for hooking it up to your TV, as well as WiFi, Bluetooth, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2 support. You can link the device to other Bose smart speakers, including as part of a multi-room system, and expand your home theater setup with a subwoofer or rear satellite speakers. The Soundbar 900 is also compatible with the company's new QuietComfort 45 headphones.

The device has rounded corners and it's 2.3 inches tall, a little over four inches deep and 41 inches long (a couple of inches longer than the Soundbar 700). It's designed primarily for 50-inch and larger TVs; it might look out of place below a smaller screen.

The Smart Soundbar 900 costs $900. Pre-orders open today, and the speaker will be available on September 23rd.

How to make the most of that Instant Pot you just bought

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 07:30 AM PDT

Few kitchen appliances have reached the same cult status as the Instant Pot. With 1.9 million members on the official Instant Pot Facebook group, more than 100 fan-created online groups, around 30,000 reviews on Amazon and accolades from the likes of TheNew York Times, it's no question that this kitchen marvel is a hit.

It's a winner with the Engadget staff, too; not only have a few of us bought it for ourselves, we've recommended it in past gift guides. Sure, it's not a tech gadget per se (although there is a "smart" edition with an app and Google Assistant), but it does have a lot of crossover appeal thanks to its promise of all-in-one efficiency.

But what do you do when you get one? With so many recipes on the internet and so many different things you can do with it, where do you even start? In this guide, I'll attempt to give you a primer on the first steps you should take when you get one, some tips and tricks on how to use it and a few favorite recipes and source links. A lot of this comes from personal experience; I've been an Instant Pot owner for a few years. I'll also note that the listed recipes lean toward my own taste, but hopefully this guide will provide a good start for your own culinary adventures.

How Instant Pots work

Should you own multiple Instant Pots? These women do

If you're reading this, you probably already know what an Instant Pot is, but just in case you don't, here's a brief introduction. The Instant Pot is an "all-in-one" kitchen gadget that promises to replace a rice cooker, a yogurt maker and a slow cooker; it also lets you sauté and steam foods. But the real reason the Instant Pot has risen to fame is that it's also a very good electric pressure cooker. This lets you cook food at an accelerated rate; imagine pulled pork in an hour instead of five or a chicken curry done in 10 minutes. And because it's electric, you just press a few buttons and walk away. Unlike a stovetop pressure cooker, there's no need to keep a constant eye on it.

There are a bunch of Instant Pot models to choose from. Some of the lower-end ones lack the yogurt-maker, and a couple of the higher-end models have extra features like sous-vide cooking and canning, but all have the electric pressure cooker function, so much of this guide will focus on that. The Instant Pot comes in 3-, 6- and 8-quart sizes. Unless you're only cooking for yourself or you have a large family, I think the 6-quart model should work for most people.

Buy Instant Pot Duo at Amazon - $89

A brief word on other Instant Pot models: 

  • The Duo Plus (starting at $100) is an upgraded version of the Duo Series. It has two additional functions: sous vide (for temperature-controlled cooking) and sterilizer (a steam shortcut for sterilizing items like baby bottles). There's also a cooking progress status bar plus an anti-spin design that keeps the inner pot in place when you're sauteing.

  • The Pro (starting at $115) is designed for the serious cooking enthusiast, with plenty of upgrades over existing Instant Pots. The inner pot has an extra thick bottom that can go on the stove, plus it has handles so it's easier to lift. It comes with 28 customizable programs for different foods, and there are five favorites buttons that you can assign to frequently cooked meals. The steam release switch has been upgraded to reduce noise and splatter, and there are even steam release reminder alerts with 5- and 10-minute pre-sets. The Pro is also one of a few Instant Pots compatible with an optional QuickCool lid that helps you release pressure faster.

  • The Duo Crisp + Air Fryer ($180) is basically an Instant Pot that comes with an additional Air Fryer Lid, which adds dry-heat cooking methods like baking, broiling, dehydrating and of course air-frying. There's also a Pro version of this Instant Pot ($200) that pairs the air fryer lid with the Pro model mentioned above.

  • The Star Wars Instant Pots ($100) are a great choice for the Star Wars enthusiast or just anyone who wants a fun and unique kitchen appliance. They're really just rebranded versions of the Duo, with the same exact functionalities and features. They come in five iterations: Little Bounty, Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, BB-8, and R2-D2.

Which Instant Pot model is right for you?

  • The 6-quart Instant Pot is ideal for most people, but if you're a singleton or a student, then the 3-quart model is best. For large families, or simply those who like to make a lot of food, then the 8-quart model is a good choice.

  • If you're interested in diving into sous vide but don't want to make an investment in a separate machine just for that, then the Instant Pot Smart WiFi, Ultra, Duo Crisp or the Duo Plus are good choices.

  • If you're really into pressure-canning and preserving foods, then the Instant Pot Max is the one for you. It's the only one that's capable of reaching 15 PSI, which is needed for pressure-canning.

  • Making yogurt with the Instant Pot is really easy because it can maintain the same temperature for hours. Models that have this feature include the Duo, Duo Nova, Smart WiFi, Ultra and Duo Plus.


Getting started

With any appliance, I would suggest reading the instructions to get a full idea of how to use it, but here's a brief primer.

The Instant Pot has three parts: the housing with the cooking element at the bottom; the stainless steel inner pot; and the lid, which comes with a sealing ring plus a steam-release valve. Setup is as easy as putting the inner pot inside the housing and plugging it in. You'll also want to attach a tiny condensation collector on the back if the instructions call for it.

Instant Pot Super Bowl cookoff

The first thing to do is a "water test," which not only helps familiarize you with the basic pressure-cooker features but will confirm your appliance is in proper working order.

To do a water test, put three cups of water in the pot, twist the lid on — it'll make a sound when it's locked in place — and set the pressure cooker on high for two minutes. The way to do this varies from model to model; on the Duo machines, you'll have to press Manual, select High, then dial down the time to two minutes. On something like the Ultra, you just need to go to the Pressure Cooker menu, dial it to two minutes and select High.

Then make sure your valve is set to "Sealing" so that the Instant Pot can build pressure. On the Duo machines, this means rotating it so the arrow points up, while on the Ultra, the valve will automatically be set to Sealing.

Then press "Start." From there, the Instant Pot will build up that pressure to High, maintain it for the set two minutes, and then stop. In some cases, you'll hear hissing and see steam coming out of the Instant Pot. This is totally normal. You'll know the Instant Pot is under pressure when the float valve pops up and the hissing quiets down.

The lid cannot be opened when the Instant Pot is under pressure. You must depressurize it first. Once the cooking is done, you can let the pot naturally depressurize (also known as "Natural Release"), which simply means leaving it alone for 20 or so minutes until the float valve comes down.

Or you can do a manual release (also known as "Quick Release") by switching that aforementioned valve to "Venting." To do that on the Duo models, you rotate the valve, while on the Ultra, you'll press a steam release button on the top. This method will release a lot of steam, so I suggest doing this under a range hood if you have one. Again, once the float valve comes back down, you'll know the Instant Pot has been depressurized.

Doing the water test teaches you the basics of sealing the Instant Pot, setting it and depressurizing it. Plus, if anything goes wrong along the way — especially if it doesn't seal the pressure — you can call the retailer or manufacturer to troubleshoot or ask about a return or exchange. It's a step that many people skip, but I recommend it, especially if you're a beginner.

Instant Pot accessories

Instant Pot accessories

The Instant Pot is ready to use right out of the box, but if you want to get even more functionality out of it, then you might want to consider some accessories. The following are just a few suggestions that we think will elevate your Instant Pot experience.

Tempered glass lid

The main reason to get an Instant Pot is to use it as a pressure cooker, but it has other functions too. If you want to use it as a slow cooker or you simply want to keep your food warm, then you'll want to invest in a tempered glass lid. This lid will also keep your food covered if you want to transfer the inner pot to the table or the fridge. 

Buy glass lid at Amazon - $15

Steamers/PIP

Steaming food in the Instant Pot is quick and easy, but you'll want specific equipment to get the job done right. Instant Pot makes two styles of silicone steamers; one is a stacking model that you can use for dumplings or fish, and another is a collapsible one that is ideal for batch-cooking vegetables. If you need even more capacity, we recommend this Hatrigo mesh steamer basket. 

Along your Instant Pot discovery journey, you might come across a phrase called "PIP cooking." This stands for Pot-in-Pot and involves putting another vessel inside the Instant Pot. This method is great if you're cooking foods that don't contain liquid (such as cheesecake) or you simply want to cook in smaller quantities. One of our favorite accessories for this is the Aozita Stackable Steamer, which not only acts as a steamer, but also contains tiered containers so that you could cook multiple foods at once. 

Buy stackable steamer basket at Amazon - $10Buy steamer basket at Amazon - $15Buy Hatrigo steamer basket at Amazon - $18Buy Aozita stackable steamers at Amazon - $30

Sealing ring

If you use your Instant Pot for both savory and sweet applications, then we suggest getting extra sealing rings so that the odor of one doesn't affect the other. You don't really want your cheesecake to smell like pulled pork or vice versa. 

Buy sealing rings at Amazon - $12

Air fryer lid

As the name suggests, the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid essentially turns your Instant Pot into an air fryer. It's a good option if you don't want two appliances taking up space on your kitchen counter, and this add-on does a decent job of "air frying" foods. 

Yet, after using it for a few months, I don't quite recommend it if you plan on cooking a lot of meals this way. The non-stick coating on the fry basket can flake off if placed in the dishwasher, and as I've discovered, it accumulates a sticky film that is almost impossible to wash off. Plus, as I said in an earlier hands-on, the Lid really only works for small batches as well as smaller pieces of food. Even a hot dog is too large to fit inside the air fryer basket. 

If you're going to use the air-fryer lid to add roasting and broiling capabilities to the Instant Pot — so you can brown a roast chicken or melt the cheese on a lasagna, for example — then it's not a bad option. But as far as air-frying goes, I'd probably save up and invest in an actual convection toaster oven rather than settle for the lid.

Tips and tricks

Instant Pot with Air Fryer Lid

Let's go over a few tips and tricks on how to best use the Instant Pot. This is not an exhaustive list, as different people might have different takeaways from their usage of the Instant Pot, but these insights are what I found works best for me.

Don't worry about all the buttons

When you first get the Instant Pot, you might be overwhelmed by all of the different buttons on the front of it. There are ones that say "Meat/Stew," "Chili/Beans," "Multigrain," "Egg" and even "Cake." With the exception of a few, most of these are simply shortcuts that Instant Pot programmed ahead of time. You might never need to use them.

The most important buttons to know are "Sauté," which (as you might expect) lets you sauté things in the pot, and the aforementioned "Manual" or "Pressure Cooker" function. The rest are pretty superfluous, with the exception of "Keep Warm," "Cancel" and non-pressure cooker functions like the "Slow Cooker" or "Yogurt" (which helps maintain the cultured milk at a specific temperature).

Add at least half a cup of liquid, and don't go over the maximum

One of the things you'll learn about pressure cooking is that you don't need to add as much liquid like you would in regular recipes. But you'll still need to add some liquid because the pressure cooker requires some moisture to build that pressure. Otherwise, the Instant Pot could overheat and show an "OvHT" error on the display. On the other hand, you shouldn't fill it up beyond two-thirds capacity, which is handily marked on the inside of the inner pot. The Instant Pot probably won't explode on you — it has a lot of safety features to prevent that — but you probably shouldn't test its boundaries.

Cooking times aren't always accurate

Setting the pressure cooker timer for two minutes doesn't mean the entire cooking time is two minutes. You have to take into account the amount of time the Instant Pot needs to come to pressure and the time it'll need to depressurize. The more stuff you have in the pot (and the colder it is), the longer it'll take. Because of that, a "five-minute" chicken curry could really be more like 10 or 15 minutes from start to finish.

Clean it carefully and frequently

The inner pot is dishwasher safe, which is great, but the rest has to be cleaned by hand. Also, don't make the same mistake I did and accidentally spill something hot directly on the cooking element. The outer shell is hard to clean because you can't put it in the sink — electricity and water don't mix, after all — and you risk damaging the appliance. As for the lid, hand wash it after every use. You'll also notice after a while that the sealing ring — the rubber/silicone gasket on the inside of the lid — might develop an odd smell as it absorbs the scent of the food you're cooking. I recommend soaking it in a vinegar solution, or you could also put it on the top rack of your dishwasher for a couple of cycles.

Consider a separate sealing ring

If you find yourself cooking desserts in addition to savory meals — it's great for making cheesecakes and puddings — I recommend a separate sealing ring just for that. You probably don't want your cheesecake to smell like pulled pork, unless you're into that sort of thing.

You can't cook everything with it

Sure, you can cook everything from dog food to jam in the Instant Pot, but it's not a miracle worker. You can't deep fry in it. You can't bake a pie in it. Don't be ridiculous.

Recipes and guides

This is a wide angle photograph of an African American father in his 40s preparing food for cooking dinner with his 17 year old daughter in their home kitchen in Miami, Florida.

Now you're all ready to cook, and you're probably dying to know what to make in your newfangled machine. Due to the popularity of the Instant Pot, you'll find no shortage of cookbooks and recipe tutorials online. That aforementioned Facebook group is a good place to start, and there are numerous YouTube videos that are helpful as well. Here are just a few of my favorites:

Pressure Cook Recipes

Amy and Jacky are part of the OG Instant Pot community, and their site is great for beginners. Not only will you get the low-down on the aforementioned water test, but you'll also get great recipes for bone broth, "fail-proof" rice, yogurt, cheesecake and more.

Nom Nom Paleo

Whether or not you're into the "paleo" lifestyle, you'll like Michelle Tam's list of Instant Pot recipes. Pressure cookers are great for shortening the amount of time for cooking braised meats, and she has a lot of recipes that cater to your inner carnivore. Her Instant Pot pulled pork recipe is still my go-to, and the short ribs are great as well.

Serious Eats

My personal favorite site for pressure-cooker recipes is probably Serious Eats. All of these recipes are fantastic. I've tried the chicken stock, the mushroom risotto, the chicken pho, the chicken and chickpea masala, and they've all been outstanding.

The New York Times

Another personal favorite is The New York Times cooking section, which has a list of wonderful pressure-cooker-friendly recipes. My favorites are from Melissa Clark, who has written two Instant Pot cookbooks: Dinner In an Instant and Comfort in an Instant. There's a recipe in Comfort in an Instant for spaghetti and meatballs that I was hugely skeptical of but turned out to be one of the most amazing things I've ever made. I also love the recipes for chicken korma and shrimp biryani.

Tiller & Hatch

If you're at a complete loss with what to do with your Instant Pot, then we recommend trying out products from Tiller & Hatch, a company that specializes in pressure cooker-ready frozen meals. Simply unload the contents of a bag into your Instant Pot, follow the instructions and you'll have dinner in minutes. Some of the meals are better than others — I prefer the minestrone soup over the gnocchi — but on the whole I think they're a pretty good value. Each bag costs around $16 and has four servings each. You can sign up for a subscription plan on the website, or pick up individual meals from select Wal-Mart and Target locations.

Other sources

Here are a few other guides that I found very useful in my own Instant Pot journey, and they contain links to many more recipes and sites than I have space for here:

With all of this information in your arsenal, you should have no fear in picking up an Instant Pot. Thankfully, not only is the base model pretty affordable at less than $100, Amazon frequently puts it on sale either on Prime Day or on Black Friday. So if you haven't bought one just yet, it's not a bad idea to wait until one of those times of year to get one at a deep discount. And when you do, come on back here, read through the guide once more and venture off on your own pressure-filled culinary adventures.

Images: Detroit Free Press via Getty Images (First Instapot); Portland Press Herald via Getty Images (Instapot / chopping board); Boogich via Getty Images (cooking)

Apple's iPad Air drops to $500 at Amazon

Posted: 07 Sep 2021 06:15 AM PDT

While Apple's entry-level iPad is ideal for those with strict budgets, we consider the iPad Air to be the best tablet in the company's lineup for most people. Those on the fence about shelling out $800 or more for an iPad Pro may find all their needs met by the $599 iPad Air. And now, thanks to a sale on Amazon, the tablet is cheaper than ever before. All five color options of the iPad Air are down to $500, or $100 off their normal price. We've seen this discount before a couple of times, but it's rare to see all colors on sale at once. While some like the rose gold model have the $100 discount outright, others like the silver and blue models are priced at $539, but an automatically applied coupon will bring the final price down to $500.

Buy iPad Air at Amazon - $500

The iPad Air earned a score of 90 from us when it came out in October last year. Apple revamped the design to make it look more like the iPad Pros, featuring flat edges, a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display, a USB-C port for charging and a side button with TouchID technology built in. Inside is Apple's A14 Bionic chipset, which includes a six-core CPU and a four-core GPU, as well as WiFi 6 technology. Both of these things help the iPad Air feel much zippier than previous models, and you'll be able to reap the benefits for a long time each day as the Air's battery lasted between 10 and 12 hours in our testing.

Like the iPad Pro, the Air is compatible with the second-generation Apple Pencil and the Magic Keyboard. While those accessories drive the price of your whole system up, it also means that you could use the Air as a laptop replacement if you wish. However, there are some notable differences between the Air and the latest iPad Pros, namely the M1 chipset found in the latter. If you're going to push your machine to its limits on a regular basis, or just want a device that's slightly more future-proof, one of the new iPad Pros may be the way to go (the base 12.9-inch model is $100 off right now, too). But most people will find that the iPad Air hits a sweet spot — it's speedy, lightweight and versatile, with just the right number of pro-level features for the price.

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