Wednesday, October 27, 2021

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The Morning After: Best Buy and Home Depot pull several Chinese-made security cameras

Posted: 27 Oct 2021 04:20 AM PDT

Two US-China stories seemed to occur independently of each other yesterday. First up, Best Buy and Home Depot pulled security cameras made by some Chinese companies linked to Uyghur surveillance. Both US retail giants have stopped selling products from Lorex and Ezviz, while Lowe's no longer carries products by the former.

The US government added parent companies Dahua and Hikvision to its economic blacklist in 2019 for their role in the mass surveillance of Uyghur Muslims in the province of Xinjiang. Human rights groups believe over a million Uyghurs are being detained in internment camps, but China continues to deny the allegations. Home Depot told TechCrunch that it's "committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical sourcing and [it] immediately stopped selling products from Lorex when this was brought to [the company's] attention."

Within the same 24 hours, the FCC then revoked China Telecom's ability to operate in the US. Following proceedings that involved the Justice Department, the FCC found that China Telecom was likely to comply with requests from the Chinese government, and the commission believes there is the chance of the country affecting and disrupting US communications.

"Promoting national security is an integral part of the Commission's responsibility to advance the public interest," the FCC said in a statement. This follows the commission's actions regarding networking infrastructure from Huawei and ZTE, two companies that bore the brunt of accusations of being threats to national security. The one-time Huawei subsidiary, phone maker Honor, is still waiting to see if it's going to be labeled similarly. Officials at four federal agencies voted last month whether to place the company on the Commerce Department's entity list. It was a tie.

China Telecom has 60 days to comply with the order.

-Mat Smith

Adobe brings Photoshop and Illustrator to the web

You'll be able to do basic edits and collaborate with others.

Adobe has announced "a major step forward for collaboration" by bringing its Photoshop and Illustrator apps to the web, though it's pretty limited to start with. The idea is not to let you do complex work from a web page, but to allow collaborators to open and view your work from a browser to provide comments and feedback. Think of it as Google Docs, but for graphics.

You should be able to review and add comments to files without needing to have a Creative Cloud account.

Continue reading.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review

This is the best e-reader.

The Morning After
Engadget

The 2021 Kindle Paperwhite improves on its predecessor in a number of key ways, most significantly its larger and more responsive display. The Signature Edition also adds a few "nice to have" features like wireless charging and more storage space, but the standard Kindle Paperwhite remains the e-reader for most people — this edition is expensive.

Continue reading.

'Dune: Part Two' arrives October 20th, 2023

Unlikely to be a streaming debut, however.

The Morning After
Dune

Legendary Pictures has confirmed plans to release Dune: Part Two, saying it was "excited to continue the journey." The studio expects the movie to premiere October 20th, 2023. The first movie only covered half of Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic.

Continue reading.

Niantic's 'Pikmin Bloom' mobile game starts rolling out

Ready for a new obsession?

The Morning After
Niantic

The creators of Pokémon Go have begun to roll out Pikmin Bloom worldwide, starting with Singapore and Australia. Similar to Pokémon Go, you'll have to go out and interact with the real world to enjoy the game. However, it's likely to be a little more chill. Niantic CEO John Hanke said in the game's video announcement that the flowers the Pikmin make can be viewed by other players, so you can create shared gardens with your neighbors. Oh and there are no battles.

Pikmin is another iconic gaming franchise from Nintendo, but the appeal is likely to be a little limited in comparison to Pokémon.

Continue reading.

Artists can bake verification into their NFTs using Photoshop

Buyers will know digital art is authentic.

In further proof that NFTs are going nowhere, Adobe is updating Photoshop with a beta Content Credentials feature that helps to establish the authenticity of NFTs. Once artists link their crypto wallets and social media accounts to Content Credentials, buyers can check that the wallet used to produce artwork is the same wallet that minted it.

Beyond NFTs, an opt-in Photoshop feature attaches edits and identity info to images, adding transparency and should allay some concerns about deception.

Continue reading.

The biggest news stories you might have missed


Oura's updated smart ring has continuous heart-rate tracking

Volvo's 2022 C40 Recharge adds fastback style to the XC40

Photoshop update lets you simply hover over an object to select it

Master & Dynamic put its headphone expertise into a $450 gaming headset

FCC revokes China Telecom's ability to offer services in the US

Palm pivots to audio (for some reason) with $129 ANC true wireless earbuds

Yubico's latest security offers USB-C and NFC authentication for $29

Google now lets users ask for images of minors to be removed from Search

Posted: 27 Oct 2021 04:06 AM PDT

Google has activated a safety feature that lets minors under 18 request that images of themselves be removed from search results, The Verge has reported. Google first announced the option back in August as part of a slate of new safety measures for kids, but it's now rolling out widely to users. 

Google said it will remove any images of minors "with the exception of case of compelling public interest or newsworthiness." The requests can be made by minors, their parents, guardians or other legal representatives. 

To do so, you'll need to supply the URLs you want removed, the name and age of the minor and the name of the person acting on their behalf. Google notes that "web URLs (pages with both text and images) are not eligible for removal under this policy, which seeks to limit the presence of images in Google search results." 

To that end, it also can't remove images from websites hosting them, so "you might wish to contact the site's webmaster and ask them to remove the content," Google said. To aid in that, it linked a guide on how to contact a site's webmaster. 

Until Google starts to actively remove images, we won't see what criteria it applies for "public interest or newsworthiness." In general, though, it seems like most images will likely get pulled if a minor or their guardian asks. However, it doesn't appear that you'll be able to demand the removal of images of yourself below 18 unless you're currently under that age, as The Verge has noted. 

Google Stadia introduces free trials with its own 'Hello Engineer' game

Posted: 27 Oct 2021 02:25 AM PDT

On top of announcing a Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot and a Doom Eternal update yesterday, Stadia appears to have added support for free game trials starting with its own exclusive title, 9to5Google has reported. Spotted by YouTuber Gem, the feature allows users on the free tier to get access to a 30-minute trial for Hello Engineer, before deciding whether to spend $20 buying it. 

Hello Engineer is a new free game for Pro tier subscribers, but it costs $20 if you're on the free tier. Below buy/claim with Pro options, however, is a a new "Free trial" button that allows for 30 minutes of free play. Once launched, it starts a countdown timer from when you start the trial, rather than active playtime. At the end, Google asks if you'd like to purchase the game while saving your current progress, according to 9to5Google. 

Google has yet to officially mention the new option and there's no word on whether it may expand to other games. You could, of course, trial any game available for free on the Pro tier with Google's 30-minute free trial of Stadia Pro. It would be nice, though, for all users to be able to try any game before deciding to buy it. 

Netflix's new 'Cowboy Bebop' trailer shows first footage from the show

Posted: 27 Oct 2021 01:41 AM PDT

Netflix has previously given us glimpses of its live-action adaptation of the classic anime Cowboy Bebop. Its latest trailer, however, shows actual footage from the series for the first time. You'll see scenes of the crew in action, from the time they met and decided to team up to the time they start hunting criminals in exchange for bounty. It shows fight scenes with Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir) and Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda), their spaceship (the Bebop) and their corgi Ein. No Ed yet, unfortunately.

The streaming giant first announced its live-action adaptation way back in 2018, but it wasn't until earlier this year that production wrapped for season one. While the cast and crew have been shooting since 2019, production was paused after Cho got injured on set, and the coronavirus pandemic delayed things even further. Since then, Netflix has been preparing for its debut. In addition to releasing teasers for the show, the company has added all 26 episodes of the anime to its catalogue, so you can marathon all things Cowboy Bebop without having to hop services. (The anime is also available on Hulu.) 

Netflix's live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop will start streaming on November 19th.

Niantic's 'Pikmin Bloom' mobile game starts rolling out

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 10:24 PM PDT

Pokémon Go's creator has a new augmented reality mobile game, and this time, it's all about Pikmin. Niantic is now rolling out Pikmin Bloom worldwide, starting with Singapore and Australia where it's already live. Similar to Pokémon Go, you'll have to go out and interact with the real world enjoy the game. It's really more of a fun and colorful companion for daily walks or hikes, though, since it doesn't have battles and doesn't have the incentive of catching rare monsters like Pokémon Go does. 

In Pikmin Bloom, you'll find seedlings when you walk that you can pick up and grow into plant-like creatures that'll follow you around. The more you walk, the more Pikmin you can pluck and the more Pikmin will follow you around. Onscreen, you're depicted as a Mii avatar, with a bunch of creatures walking behind you and making more flowers bloom along your path. You'll also be able to collect items on your walks, including clothes Pikmin can wear and fruit you can feed your creatures to make flowers bloom on their heads.

Niantic CEO John Hanke said in the game's video announcement that the flowers the Pikmin make can be viewed by other players, so you can create shared gardens with your neighbors. Pikmin Bloom is now live for Android and iOS in Singapore and Australia, and it will be arriving in more countries and regions "shortly."

The 2022 Range Rover will come with both 'mild' and plug-in hybrid powertrains

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 02:33 PM PDT

Land Rover executives unveiled the latest iteration of the company's renowned flagship on Tuesday, showing off a strikingly well-appointed 5th generation SUV that's also surprisingly friendly to the environment, if not your budget.

The company's emphasis on modernism is on full display with the 2023 Range Rover's exterior. A gently sloping roofline contrasted against a rising sill line as well as other classic design details are joined by state-of-the-art amenities like retractable exterior door handles to help improve the vehicle's aerodynamic performance by nearly 12 percent compared to its previous iterations. The entire vehicle is built on Land Rover's new MLA-Flex architecture allowing for 11.6 inches of ground clearance and fording through more than 35 inches of water. 

2023 Range Rover
Land Rover

An electronic air suspension, which debuted on the Range Rover back in 1992, will keep random road divots from detracting from the drive while the new Dynamic Response Pro system will electronically negate body roll during high speed cornering. Coolest of all, the 2023 Range Rover will offer 4-wheel steering, enabling the rear wheels to turn up to 7 degrees to help maintain stability while cornering as well as reducing the Range Rover's low-speed turning radius to rival that of a Honda Civic.

In terms of powertrains, the new Range Rover offers a slew of options. The base models will come with a 48V mild-hybrid 3.0L Turbocharged I6 — turning out 395 hp and 406 ft-lbs of torque — standard. Above that, a 523 hp (553 ft-lbs of torque) 4.4L Twin Turbo V8 is available as well. By the time the Range Rover hits US shores in 2023, Land Rover expects to offer it with an optional 434 hp plug-in hybrid engine capable of travelling up to 62 miles on electric power alone using its 38.2 kWh battery. And, come 2024, Land Rover has announced plans to offer its flagship with an all-electric drivetrain. 

But the luxury shown off during Tuesday's livestream comes at a price. A very steep price. The entry level P400 SE starts at $104,000 ($110,000 if you opt for the 7 seater variant) and climes to a whopping $163,500 for the P530 First Edition with the long wheelbase. Preorders for the new Range Rover are already open and deliveries are expected to begin next spring.

Snap, TikTok and YouTube need to do more to protect children, lawmakers say

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 01:48 PM PDT

The Senate Commerce Committee just wrapped up another three-hour hearing about social media's effect on children and teens. But the latest hearing was different from previous ones in an important way: it featured representatives from TikTok, Youtube and Snap.

Though the three apps are some of the most popular apps among teens and younger users, all three have gotten less attention from lawmakers than Facebook and even Twitter. It was the first time TikTok and Snap had appeared at such a hearing. All three companies tried to head off criticism by drawing distinctions between their platforms and Facebook, which has recently drawn comparisons to tobacco companies. And each company promised new features to ramp up parental controls and other child protections on their service.

YouTube VP Leslie Miller said the company was working on a new feature that would allow parents to "choose a locked default autoplay setting" in the YouTube Kids app, in addition to other new parental controls. She didn't provide further detail, but said it would launch "in the coming months."

Snap also said it was working on new features for parents, with Jennifer Stout, the company's VP of Global Public Policy, saying the features would be "rolling out very soon." She said the update would allow parents to view information about how their children are using Snapchat, such as who they spend the most time chatting with and what their privacy and location settings are.

TikTok said it would add additional controls to allow parents and children to better customize their feeds, but was light on specifics. "We're investing in new ways for our community to enjoy content based on age appropriateness or family comfort," said Michael Beckerman, the company's VP of Public Policy, "We're developing more features that empower people to shape and customize their experience in the app."

But the senators of the Commerce Committee seemed unimpressed by these promises. Throughout the hearing, they pushed the companies on issues like algorithmically-boosted content about eating disorders and self harm on YouTube and TikTok. Snap's Stout was pushed on what the company is doing to stop drug dealers on its platform.

Several Republican senators also pushed Beckerman on TikTok's ties to Chinese parent company ByteDance, and how it handles US user data. In one particularly memorable exchange, Senator Ted Cruz said Beckerman was dodging questions about TikTok's affiliation with a company called Beijing ByteDance Technology, which reportedly has links to the Chinese government. Beckerman also deflected questions about what data TikTok collects by saying Facebook and Instagram collect more data about users than TikTok does.

Though Facebook wasn't officially part of the hearing, disclosures from whistleblower Frances Haugen were referenced several times. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who at a previous hearing said Facebook and other companies were facing a "big tobacco moment," said that "tech is not irredeemably bad like big tobacco."

But he said that the companies need to do much more than prove they are "different" from Facebook. "I understand from your testimony that your defense is 'we're not Facebook,'" he said. "Being different from Facebook is not a defense. That bar is in the gutter. It's not a defense to say that you are different."

GM will install as many as 40,000 community EV charging stations

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 01:12 PM PDT

GM is close to launching a new wave of electric vehicles, and it's making sure the charging infrastructure is in place to keep those EVs on the road. The automaker has launched a community charging initiative that will install as many as 40,000 Level 2 charging stations across North America. The program will give dealers up to 10 chargers they can place at "key locations" in their neighborhoods, such as apartments, colleges and businesses. The units won't be limited to GM EV drivers.

These chargers will also be available to buy directly both through dealerships and online. GM ultimately plans three chargers, including a basic 11.5kW/48-amp model, a "premium" version of that charger (with touchscreen and camera) and a more powerful 19.2kW/80-amp model. The community effort starts in 2022 and is part of a larger $750 million investment through Ultium Charge 360.

Level 2 charging isn't very fast. This is more like a wall charger you'd buy for your home (where overnight charging is fine) than a speedy option like a Tesla Supercharger or Electrify America's fast stations. The distribution also isn't quite as good as it sounds. Dealers may want to install multiple stations in one location to minimize queuing.

This could still be welcome news. Many charging network expansions focus on high-powered chargers intended for long-distance trips. GM's community program caters more to daily driving, where you might just need top-ups. It could be particularly useful for some apartments, though. Residents in those buildings rarely have options to recharge at home, and this might make EVs practical without foisting expenses on building owners and tenants.

WhatsApp's iOS-to-Android history transfer tool rolls out to Pixel devices

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 12:55 PM PDT

After debuting on Samsung Galaxy devices at the start of September, WhatsApp's cross-platform chat history transfer feature is now rolling out to the wider Android ecosystem. Starting today, you can move your entire message history, including any voice memos, photos and videos, from an iPhone to an Android device.

However, unlike with Samsung phones, where the feature is available on devices running Android 10 and above, here it's limited to phones with Android 12. Effectively, that means it's only accessible to those with Pixel devices at the moment, but Google says it will also soon come to new smartphones that launch with its latest mobile OS. As before, the process also isn't as straightforward as other chat apps offer. You'll need a Lightning to USB-C cable to connect your two phones together. What's more, it involves a QR code you need to scan when first setting up your new Android phone.

Blizzard cancels BlizzConline 2022 amid sexual harassment scandal

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 12:20 PM PDT

Blizzard won't host a BlizzConline event in early 2022 as it previously said it would. Back at the end of May, when it canceled BlizzCon 2021, the studio said its plan was to put on a global event at the start of 2022 that would feature both in-person and online components. Now that won't happen.

"Any BlizzCon event takes every single one of us to make happen, an entire-company effort, fueled by our desire to share what we create with the community we care about so much," the company said. "At this time, we feel the energy it would take to put on a show like this is best directed towards supporting our teams and progressing development of our games and experiences."

Without directly referencing the sexual harassment scandal that has rocked the studio in recent months, Blizzard notes it plans to take time to "reimagine" BlizzCon. "Whatever the event looks like in the future, we also need to ensure that it feels as safe, welcoming, and inclusive as possible," it said.

It's no surprise Blizzard wants to rework the event. One of the most serious allegations made by California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing involved BlizzCon. According to the agency, the annual show was the site of the infamous "Cosby Suite" where Blizzard employees, including former World of Warcraft creative director Alex Afrasiabi, allegedly sexually harassed women.

'Dune: Part Two' arrives October 20th, 2023

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 11:44 AM PDT

It didn't take long to greenlight a follow-up to Denis Villeneuve's Dune. Legendary Pictures has confirmed plans to release Dune: Part Two, saying it was "excited to the continue the journey." The studio expects the movie to premiere October 20th, 2023, and it's safe to presume Part Two will cover the back half of Frank Herbert's classic novel.

The move isn't shocking. Villeneuve clearly wanted to finish telling Paul Atreides' story, but the movie also fared better than expected. Deadlinenoted that Dune racked up $41 million at the domestic box office during its opening weekend. That's not as strong as movies like Shang-Chi ($71.4 million) and a far cry from pre-pandemic openings, but it's the best opening for a Warner Bros. movie with simultaneous theatrical and HBO Max releases this year.

It's not yet clear how much the HBO Max launch helped (or hindered) Dune's theatrical premiere. However, Villeneuve won't have to worry about a simultaneous streaming release for Part Two. Warner Bros. is returning to theater-first openings starting in 2022. Like it or not, you'll have to brave the crowds and buy tickets if you insist on watching the follow-up as soon as possible.

FCC revokes China Telecom's ability to offer services in the US

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 11:40 AM PDT

The Federal Communications Commission has revoked the ability of China Telecom Americas to operate in the US. Citing national security concerns, the agency voted unanimously in favor of a proposal it had been considering since the end of 2020. With today's order, the company, a subsidiary of China's largest state-owned carrier, has 60 days to discontinue telecom services in the US.

Following a proceeding that involved input from the Justice Department, the FCC found that China Telecom is likely to comply with requests from the Chinese government, affording the country the opportunity to access, store, disrupt and misroute US communications. "Promoting national security is an integral part of the Commission's responsibility to advance the public interest, and today's action carries out that mission to safeguard the nation's telecommunications infrastructure from potential security threats," the FCC said.

Over the last year, the FCC has taken similar actions against other Chinese telecoms and equipment manufacturers. Most notably, it labeled both Huawei and ZTE as national security threats and ordered US carriers to replace any networking equipment from the two companies.

We've reached out to China Telecom Americas for comment.

Valve reveals dates for Steam's Halloween, autumn and winter sales

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 10:16 AM PDT

Even though Valve usually keeps the dates of Steam sales close to the chest until almost the time they go live, the details usually end up leaking anyway. This time, though, Valve is getting ahead of the curve. It confirmed when the next three sales will take place.

As spotted by Eurogamer, the Steamworks Documentation page notes that the Steam Halloween sale is this weekend and it runs between October 28th and November 1st. The autumn sale will take place from November 24th-30th. As for the Steam winter sale, one of the platform's two biggest sales of the year alongside the summer edition, you'll be able to score discounts on a ton of games between December 22nd and January 5th.

It's not a bad idea to reveal the dates well in advance. Steam connoisseurs know the sales are coming anyway and the dates are less important than announcing which games will be included beforehand. If a player knows that a game they want to buy will likely get a hefty discount in a couple of months, they'll be less inclined to buy it now. In any case, Steam users now know when they'll be able to stockpile games for their Steam Deck.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 695 brings faster 5G to low-cost phones

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 10:01 AM PDT

Now that 5G phones are more affordable, Qualcomm wants to make those low-cost devices more desirable. The company has introduced three new systems-on-chip that all promise improved performance for budget 5G hardware. The star is easily the Snapdragon 695. This 6nm-based sequel to the 690 adds much faster millimeter wave 5G (important for carriers like AT&T and Verizon) while delivering up to 30 percent faster graphics and 15 percent speedier CPU tasks. Your next mid-range phone might be that much better-suited to gaming and giant downloads.

The Snapdragon 480 Plus and 778G Plus, meanwhile, are iterations of the 480 and 778G that deliver minor gains to CPU and GPU performance through increased clock speeds. Think of them as tune-ups for entry-level and upper-mid-range phones, respectively — you won't have to make do with a chip several months old.

There's also a lone LTE chip, the Snapdragon 680, that shares the 695's 6nm process without the added costs of 5G. It's aimed at markets where 5G service is either limited or too expensive.

All four parts are due to reach shipping products before the end of 2021. Honor, Motorola, Nokia (that is, HMD Global), Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi all expect to use one or more of the new Snapdragons in their phones.

There's a pragmatism at work. The 6nm parts (including the 778G Plus) help Qualcomm continue to serve a large chunk of the smartphone market despite limited supplies of 5nm parts like the 780G. It doesn't have to rely on truly old process lStill, it's notable that the chip maker is launching so many speed-bumped chips in the first place — the company is clearly determined to fend off heavyweights like MediaTek that thrive on budget and mid-range hardware.

Yubico's latest security offers USB-C and NFC authentication for $29

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 09:40 AM PDT

After introducing the $80 YubiKey Bio and $85 YubiKey C Bio at the start of the month, Yubico's latest physical security is for those who want a no-frills option. At $29 or €29, the Security Key C NFC comes with almost everything you could want from a security key at a decent price. As the name suggests, it's a USB-C key with NFC support built-in. Out of the box, it works with FIDO-compatible websites and services. That includes major platforms like Google, Twitter and Facebook. Yubico also claims it's the most durable security key on the market. What you won't find here is support for legacy authentication platforms, but for most consumers that shouldn't matter too much. 

If you're not familiar with physical security keys, they're one of the most effective ways to protect your privacy and security when used to add two-factor authentication to your online accounts. In 2018, Google reduced successful phishing attacks on its 85,000 employees to zero thanks to a policy that mandated their use. The Security Key C NFC is available to buy today from Yubico's website. The company also offers a USB-A version that costs $25.

Arturia's MicroFreak gets a custom wavetable synth mode

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 09:21 AM PDT

One of my favorite budget synths just keeps gettingbetter. After adding three new amazing oscillators earlier this year, Arturia is bringing custom wavetables to the MicroFreak as a free firmware update. 

The MicroFreak already had a wavetable engine built in, so this isn't a huge stretch. But being able to import your own wavetables opens up a the ability to really build your own unique sounds. There are countless sources fo free wavetables out there ranging from classic analog tones, to icy atmospheres, to blasts of noise. But you can basically use any sound file you want. Hum into your phone, or capture audio of the stray cats in your neighborhood fighting, then upload it to the MicroFreak and turn it into a synthesizer. 

Adding custom wavetables is easy enough using Arturia's MIDI Control Center desktop app. There's a dedicated tab for them at the top of the interface once you connect your Microfreak. You can only have 16 custom tables at a time, and the format can be a little tricky to nail if you're concerned about perfectly smooth sounding waves — 32 cycles consisting of 256 samples per cycle. But, if you just embrace its quirks, the WaveUser engine is capable of strange, wild and abrasive sounds that speak to the MicroFreak's strengths. 

To show off the new WaveUser engine, of course there are 64 new presets. But, let's be honest, factory presets with Arturia provided wavetables kinda defeats the whole purpose here.

The new 4.0 firmware has a few other minor improvements as well. Including a faster scrolling speed option for the oscillator controls and the ability to use Unison and Chord modes can now be applied to every note, wether they're being played live, coming from sequencer or an external source.

MicroFreak 4.0 is available as a free update now on Arturia's website and through MIDI Control Centre. 

'A Quiet Place' is being adapted into a video game

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 09:12 AM PDT

No one in their right mind would actually want to live in the world of A Quiet Place, where denizens walk around barefoot and move as silently as possible to avoid incurring the wrath of highly noise-sensitive aliens. But, if you'd like to find out how well you might cope in that universe, you can test your nerves in the franchise's first video game, which is scheduled to arrive next year.

Publisher Saber Interactive has announced that a single-player, story-driven horror adventure is in development by iLLOGIKA and EP1T0ME. The iLLOGIKA team includes developers who have worked on the Rainbow Six and Far Cry franchises, and the studio helped with the development of games including Hyper Scape and Cuphead.

There aren't many other details about A Quiet Place just yet, such as the platforms on which it will be available. However, it will have an original story and "gameplay that captures the compelling suspense, emotion and drama for which the series is famous," according to a press release. Saber plans to reveal more information about the game by the end of the year.

White House picks Jessica Rosenworcel as first female FCC chair

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 08:49 AM PDT

The FCC might soon have its first permanent woman leader. President Biden has nominated current acting chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to a permanent position, making her the first female to lead the commission if confirmed. The nomination isn't be a surprising move given her existing title, broad support and alignment with White House policies on issues like net neutrality, but it still represents a milestone for the agency.

Biden has also nominated Gigi Sohn for an unoccupied commissioner position. She was counselor to former FCC chair Tom Wheeler and has been an outspoken advocate of "open, affordable and democratic" communications, according to the White House.

Whether or not Rosenworcel clears the necessary hurdles is another matter. The Senate must confirm Rosenworcel to make her appointment official, and she could face staunch opposition from Republicans who are both historically anti-regulation and eager to reclaim FCC control. The party could retake the majority in the commission if Rosenworcel and the empty commissioner position aren't confirmed by the end of 2021.

If Rosenworcel does pass the Senate, though, she would contrast sharply with the last permanent FCC chair, Ajit Pai. While much of Rosenworcel's work as acting chairwoman has focused on easy-to-pass rules on issues like robocalls, she has been a strong proponent of net neutrality and other efforts to keep big telecoms in check. That's largely the opposite of Pai, who dismantled neutrality and generally sided with incumbent telcos. Don't be surprised if Rosenworcel used a permanent appointment to undo more of Pai's work, at least so long as she has the votes.

'Returnal' players can finally save their game (sort of)

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 08:21 AM PDT

One of the main complaints players had about Returnal, aside from the high level of difficulty, is that, until now, there was no real way to save your game in the middle of a run. Sure, you could leave your PS5 on or put it in rest mode, but if there was a power outage or an overnight automatic system software update, you'd lose all of your progress. Given that runs can last several hours, not having any kind of save state option wasn't great.

Housemarque, now a PlayStation-owned studio, has finally attempted to remedy that problem in Returnal's 2.0 patch. With the Suspend Cycle option, you can pause your run, create a suspend point and close the game without worrying too much about losing progress. 

There are some caveats, though. You'll only be able to resume your run from any suspend point one time. So, don't expect to return to that point if (or more likely when) Selene dies. It's a smart way to introduce a save system and let players take a break without disrupting the game's start-over-when-you-die roguelite structure.

You won't be able to create a suspend point in certain scenarios either. If you're in the midst of a boss battle, intense combat sequence, cinematic or first-person section, you'll need to see it through, one way or another. "We felt there are certain moments in Returnal that are best experienced unfragmented to preserve the intended challenge and flow," game director Harry Krueger wrote in a PlayStation blog post.

As deadly as the biomes of Atropos are, they're often gorgeous too. To help you capture the sights, another feature that Returnal players have been clamoring for is now in the game — Photo Mode. Other than in certain situations (such as first-person sections), you can pause the PS5 exclusive and enter Photo Mode.

You have a selection of tools at your disposal, including settings like focal distance, aperture, color gradient, saturation and contrast, as well as a way to change the scene's lighting. There are also filters, effects, frames, coloring options and other ways to jazz up your image before you capture it.

Meanwhile, Sony is set to host its next State of Play stream on Wednesday. The showcase will run for around 20 minutes and primarily focus on third-party games, but don't be surprised if Sony sneaks a first-party game or two in there.

Volvo’s 2022 C40 Recharge adds fastback style to the XC40

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 08:00 AM PDT

The 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is the automaker's first EV-only vehicle. Of course, it shares most of its design and all of its powertrain with the XC40 Recharge. But it sets itself apart with a fastback design that makes it both a more distinct vehicle and more efficient than the XC40 Recharge.

Starting at $58,750, the C40 Recharge has a range of 225 miles and includes the new Range Assistant feature. The question, is whether it's worth the extra $3,500 over the price of the XC40 Recharge? We had a chance to drive the new C40 in Belgium to find out.

Artists can bake verification into their NFTs using Photoshop

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 07:57 AM PDT

If you're going to buy NFT art, it's important to know that you're buying the real thing — and Adobe thinks it can help. It's updating Photoshop on the desktop with a beta Content Credentials feature that, among other upgrades, helps you establish the authenticity of your NFTs. Once artists link their crypto wallets and social media accounts to Content Credentials, buyers can check that the wallet used to produce artwork is the same wallet that minted it.

Adobe has partnered with a handful of NFT marketplaces to enable the feature, including KnownOrigin, OpenSea, Rarible and SuperRare. There's no mention of whether or not other marketplaces will participate in the future.

Content Credentials can be helpful even if you're uninterested in NFTs. An opt-in Photoshop feature attaches edits and identity info to images, adding transparency and (hopefully) quashing concerns about deception. Adobe Stock assets now include credentials, and they'll be visible in Behance. Adobe also hopes to release an open source developer kit that lets anyone fold Content Credentials into their products, expanding its use well beyond Creative Cloud users.

There's little doubt Adobe wants to become a mainstay of the NFT world with this move. All the same, it could be genuinely important if the technology continues to grow. The value of NFT art is highly dependent on its authenticity. The Photoshop addition could help more artists 'stamp' their projects, not to mention save time.

Amazon’s Clubhouse competitor may let you DJ your own radio show

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 07:25 AM PDT

Amazon is said to be working on a live audio app that sounds like it will let anyone be the DJ of their own radio show — including music. Project Mic, as the app is currently known, will reportedly focus on the US market at first, though the launch timeline is not clear.

Creators will be able to play songs from the vast Amazon Music library, according to The Verge. Along with music, it seems programming will include pop culture, sports and comedy. Amazon is said to be looking at bringing in celebrities and influencers to host shows. You'll be able to search for shows by name, topic or music, and it appears Amazon will highlight live content, including trending topics and certain creators.

The presentation showed that in addition to the app, creators will be able to broadcast shows on Amazon Music, Twitch, Audible and Alexa-enabled devices. With the latter, listeners will reportedly get to interact with the shows, even from their car.

The report doesn't mention whether listeners will need to be Amazon Music subscribers, but given the breadth of platforms on which the shows will be available, that seems unlikely. Engadget has contacted Amazon for more details.

It's not the first time we've heard about Amazon working on such an app. Axiosreported on its existence this summer, but this latest report provides more details about what Project Mic entails.

Twitter, Facebook, Spotify and Discord have all joined the live audio space over the last year after Clubhouse exploded in popularity. Those apps tend to focus on live conversations, though, rather than songs. 

Spotify does have a morning show called The Get Up that blends chat and personalized music, and it seems the most likely contender to offer a similar feature to what Amazon has in mind. Elsewhere, Clubhouse recently started offering musicians a high-quality audio option for better livestreamed concerts.

Verizon partners with Amazon to offer satellite internet in rural areas

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 06:33 AM PDT

Amazon's internet satellites will be put to work expanding rural broadband coverage. CNBCreports Verizon is teaming with Amazon to improve fixed wireless internet access in rural areas in the US. The alliance will initially concentrate on expanding Verizon's LTE and 5G service using Amazon's Project Kuiper for "backhaul," boosting coverage in areas with little or no high-speed data.

Amazon and Verizon later hope to offer unified internet access for industries worldwide, including smart farms and transportation. For now, they're establishing technical requirements for rural broadband using Project Kuiper antenna tech already in development.

The two didn't provide a timeline for this satellite-augmented service. Amazon recently lined up rocket launches for Project Kuiper, but it doesn't expect to have half its satellites in low Earth orbit until 2026. The full constellation is expected no later than July 2029.

There's an enemy-of-my-enemy aspect to this deal. Amazon and Verizon are racing to compete with SpaceX's rapidly developing Starlink service — they both risk losing customers if Starlink claims too strong a foothold, including corporate clients like Google. All the same, Americans might not mind if this brings fast internet access to more parts of the country. Rural internet coverage is still far from complete, even with the FCC investing billions in 5G — this could fill in the gaps without having to wire as much of the countryside as before.

Photoshop update lets you simply hover over an object to select it

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 06:00 AM PDT

Adobe has unveiled its latest Photoshop update on desktop and iPad for its Adobe Max 2021 event, and as with the last few versions, the most interesting features are powered by AI. Chief among those is the "Hover Auto-masking Object Selection Tool" that allows you to select a scene object simply by hovering your mouse over it. 

The feature is really as simple as that, as Adobe's Sensei AI kicks in to determine the edges of an object and select it automatically with a single click. Adobe has promised that selections made either with the hover or other object selection tools "are now more accurate and preserve more details in the edges of a selection," helping users save time. 

Adobe photoshop updates max 2021
Adobe

The tool can detect most but not all objects in a scene, and Adobe said it's constantly improving it to include additional object categories. If an object is not detected or only partially detected, you can drag a marquee over the areas you'd like to select, which is how the tool worked previously. 

Along the same lines is another new feature called "mask all objects." Also powered by Sensei AI, it simply scans the scene and automatically selects and masks every object in the scene. It can then create masks or objects without the need to do a lick of tedious masking work.

Adobe's latest Photoshop lets you simply hover over an object to select it
Adobe

Last year, Adobe introduced Neural Filters that let you do things like smooth skin or make a photo look like a Van Gogh painting. For 2021, it has introduced more of those filters in beta, most notably the Landscape Mixer, Color Transfer and Harmonization. Landscape Mixer can essentially blend multiple landscape to create a new scene with desert elements replacing a seaside coastal scene, for example. 

The most useful one, however, sounds like Color Transfer. It lets you take the colors, contrast and other elements from a photo you like and apply it to another photo, or "make this image look like that," as Adobe puts it. That would remove a lot of the tedium or trying to match a photographer's style, or at least give you a starting point toward the look you're aiming for. 

Adobe's latest Photoshop lets you simply hover over an object to select it
Adobe

The last one, the Harmonization neural filter, makes it easier to composite two images. It overlays a foreground image onto a background, while automatically adjusting the hue and luminosity of the foreground image to match. Adobe also improved the existing neural filters, adding more realistic blurs to Depth Blur, while also improving the Superzoom, Style Transfer and Colorize filters.

Other new updates improved gradients, color management and HDR capabilities. Finally, Adobe has improved interoperability between Photoshop and Illustrator, letting you copy vector shapes from Illustrator and paste them into Photoshop, "all while maintaining editable attributes in Photoshop like fill, stroke, blend mode and opacity." And when Photoshop can't maintain editability from Illustrator because it doesn't support a feature, "we try to maintain visual fidelity." 

Adobe brings Photoshop and Illustrator to the web

Posted: 26 Oct 2021 06:00 AM PDT

Adobe has announced that it's taken "a major step forward for collaboration" by bringing its Photoshop and Illustrator apps to the web. The idea is not to do let you do complex work from a web page, but allow collaborators to open and view your work from a browser to provide comments and feedback — much as you can with a Google Doc. 

It's currently possible to store your work in Adobe's Creative Cloud and let anyone open it from anywhere, but they need to have the desktop or iPad app. Now with Photoshop or Illustrator, your colleagues "can review and add comments right in the browser without having to download apps or have a Creative Cloud subscription," Adobe notes. That means you could show your work directly to ad agency or other clients who don't need or want Adobe's products. 

Photoshop and Illustrator come to the web for basic edits and collaboration
Adobe

On top of the basic collaboration tools, Adobe is preview some basic browser editing tools that would allow you to make "minor tweaks and quick edits" without having to launch the full Illustrator or Photoshop apps. Those include things like selection, minor color correction and more. 

Taking a page from Microsoft Teams, Klaxoon and similar apps, Adobe is also launching "Creative Cloud Spaces" that allows creative teams to bring "content, context and people together to one place," according to Adobe. That's essentially a whiteboard available to project members, showing documents, images and whatever else is required. 

You can start sharing Photoshop and Illustrator work via the web, for the purpose of commenting and feedback, simply by updating the latest versions of the apps dropping today. If you want to try the basic editing capabilities, they're available via beta for Photoshop (within the Creative Cloud app) or as a private beta for Illustrator. You can request access for the latter here. 
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