Friday, October 8, 2021

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AMD vows to fix Ryzen processor slowdowns on Windows 11

Posted: 08 Oct 2021 03:05 AM PDT

Installing Windows 11 might make the apps on your AMD-powered computer slower, the chipmaker has warned. AMD has published documentation on a couple of Windows 11 bugs affecting its Ryzen processors, one of which can slow down its CPUs by up to 15 percent. That particular bug can increase L3 cache latency by three times, which in turn can affect apps that need quick access to memory. 

Most affected applications could slow down by three to five percent. If you play games "commonly used for eSports," though, you might be feeling the bug's impact a lot more, since it could slow down those games by around 10 to 15 percent. The second bug, as Ars Technica explains, is related to the "preferred core" feature that allows a system to use the fastest individual CPU cores in a processor. AMD didn't mention any particular percentage for the second bug, but the company said its impact is more noticeable in chips with more than eight cores and with 65W Thermal Design Power (TDP) or higher. That includes many of the high-end desktop chips released over the past few years, but suggests popular lines like the 3600X and 5600X should be minimally affected, and AMD-powered laptops aren't likely to be particularly troubled either. 

In its announcement, AMD assured that it's investigating the issues with Microsoft and that they're working on a fix for them. A patch for the first bug will be released as Windows update, while a fix for the second will roll out as a software update sometime this month. For the latter, it could mean having to check AMD's website for the update and having to install new drivers manually.

Apple's 2020 iPad Air has never been cheaper on Amazon

Posted: 08 Oct 2021 02:26 AM PDT

Apple's 2020 iPad Air was a big improvement over the previous year's model, thanks to the nicer iPad Pro-like design, great performance and strong battery life. The main problem with it was the $599 price that's creeping up into iPad Pro territory. Now, you can pick up the 64GB and 256GB models at Amazon for the lowest prices we've seen yet, $489 and $639 respectively — $110 off the regular prices. 

Buy 64GB 2020 iPad Air at Amazon - $489Buy 256GB 2020 iPad Air at Amazon - $639

In our Engadget review, we called the 2020 iPad Air "the best tablet for almost everyone," and even the best high-end tablet. Apple transformed the design considerably with the flat edges used on the iPad Pro, while adding a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display, USB-C charging port and a side button with TouchID technology. 

With the latest A14 Bionic chip, WiFi 6 technology and a16-core Neural Engine, it's delivers both strong performance and healthy battery life (10-12 hours). It also supports Apple's second-gen Pencil and accessories that essentially transform it into a laptop replacement, though those will obviously jot up the price. 

The iPad Pro does offer some features not found on the iPad Air, like the M1 chipset and 120Hz screen that's slightly brighter (500 nits versus 600). If you've been taking a look at the Air model, though, act soon because the sale is on for today only. As a reminder, Amazon has several other deals on Apple products this week, particularly the Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro wireless earbuds — the latter are discounted 28 percent to $179. 

Apple opens its Detroit Developer Academy to 100 students

Posted: 08 Oct 2021 01:07 AM PDT

Apple has opened its Developer Academy in Detroit, first announced early this year as part of its Racial Equity and Justice initiative. The project, done in collaboration with Michigan State University (MSU), has welcomed its first 100 students aged 18 to 60 for a 10-month "comprehensive app development and entrepreneurial training" program, Apple wrote in a newsroom post. 

The custom-designed space is located in the First National Building in downtown Detroit. Apple noted that enrollment is free and that students don't need any previous coding experience. "Students in this year's class bring a breadth of personal, professional and academic experience to the program," it said. 

The Academy will run two courses. The first is a 30-day introductory program, and the main, 10-month course teaches iOS app development and associated fields, such as design and marketing. Technically, it actually opened a bit earlier this fall for a four-week basic coding course run for a "smaller cohort of community partners," Apple said. The academy expects roughly 1,000 people to complete the courses annually. 

Tesla is moving its headquarters to Texas from California

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 08:07 PM PDT

Turns out Tesla isn't just building a factory in Austin, Texas — it's also moving its headquarters to the city from California. Elon Musk has announced the move at the company's most recent annual shareholder meeting, where he also clarified that Tesla still plans to expand production at its California plant by 50 percent. He explained, however, that there's "a limit to how big you can scale in the Bay Area," because house prices are sky high, which means long commutes for workers who have to live elsewhere. 

The move doesn't come entirely as a surprise: Musk previously threatened to move Tesla's headquarters out of California after coronavirus lockdowns forced the company to suspend production in the state. He even called the lockdown orders "fascist" during an earnings call in 2020 and then personally relocated from LA to Austin a few months later. That said, it's worth noting that Tesla is now based in a state where it can't sell its cars to buyers directly, which has been its approach from the beginning, due to pro-dealership laws.

As CNBC notes, Musk moving to Texas means he'd be paying less taxes. The state has no personal income tax, whereas California has some of the largest income tax rates in the country. Further, the state has been offering companies tax breaks to build facilities in the state under the Texas Economic Development Act.

During the meeting, shareholders also voted on proposals to improve company governance. The New York Times said they agreed on most of the proposals aside from a couple that the company opposed, one of which would require the company to publish reports on its efforts to diversify its workplace. Tesla said in a report (PDF) last year that its leadership in the US is still mostly white and male, while its workforce is 79 percent male and 34 percent white overall. Just a few days ago, the company was ordered to pay $137 million in damages to a former Black worker. The plaintiff accused the automaker of turning a blind eye to discrimination and racial abuse while he was working at its plant in Fremont, California. 

Panasonic's BS1H is a box-style camera with a full-frame sensor

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 03:23 PM PDT

In 2020, Panasonic announced the BGH1, its first-ever box-style camera. The company took the internals of its well-liked Micro Four ThirdsGH5S and rehoused them in a body better suited for video production workloads. Almost exactly one year later, Panasonic has announced the DC-BS1H. Like its predecessor, this latest release from the company takes an existing Panasonic camera, the full-frame S1H, and puts it in a new body.

At the heart of the BS1H is a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor that can capture footage at up to a 6K resolution. Specifically, it's capable of recording 6K video at up to 24 frames per second, 5.4K at 30 frames per second with a 3:2 crop and 5.9K at 30 frames per second with a 16:9 framing. Panasonic claims the BS1H's sensor features more than 14 stops of dynamic range and the inclusion of both an optical low pass filter a Dual Native ISO feature help reduce moire and digital noise.

But if you're looking at a box-style camera for yourself, you want one for the added connectivity options the format promises. On the front, the BS1H is no slouch. Notably, it includes a USB 3.1 Type-C connection, an HDMI Type-A port and a 3G serial digital interface. It's also possible to connect 12 BS1H cameras together to create a multi-camera setup. Additionally, you'll find the usual assortment of 3.5mm and XLR microphone connections, on top of a LAN port. Oh, and it comes with dual SD card slots for worry-free redundancy.

Panasonic will sell the DC-BS1H for $3,500 when it becomes available in November.

YouTube blocks ads on climate change denial videos

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 02:32 PM PDT

YouTube's reduced tolerance for misinformation now extends to climate science. The Google service has enacted a new policy barring ads and monetization for content that contradicts the "well-established scientific consensus" surrounding climate change, including videos that claim climate change is a hoax or reject the human link to global warming. YouTube will start enforcing the policy in November.

The company stressed that it would allow ads for videos discussing those bogus claims as well as other climate-related subjects, such as the exact degree of human impact or debates on climate policy. YouTube is basing its judgments on "authoritative" expertise, including contributors to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The firm wasn't shy about the reasoning for the move: advertisers just don't want their ads linked to climate change denial material, and creators don't want those ads on their pages. YouTube is concerned it could lose business, and dropping monetization for bogus science is an easy way to prevent that loss.

This effort stops short of banning climate change denial, although that's not surprising. Unlike anti-vaccine misinformation, climate change denial doesn't carry the risk of short-term harm. YouTube can keep the content visible for the sake of debate and expression without worrying that it will directly lead to illness. This won't stop science deniers from moving to other platforms or using their videos to peddle products like books, but it might discourage 'casual' attempts to profit from climate misinformation.

Claire Foy will star as Sheryl Sandberg in TV series about Facebook

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 02:03 PM PDT

More than a decade after Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher dramatized the rise of Facebook with The Social Network, a new TV series will attempt to tell the story of the company's more recent history. Per Deadline, production companies Anonymous Content and Wiip, best known for their work on Mr. Robot and Dickinson, are working on a show titled Doomsday Machine that will star two-time Emmy winner Claire Foy as COO Sheryl Sandberg.

Based in part on AnUgly Truth: Inside Facebook's Battle for Domination, Deadline reports the series will cover everything from Facebook's actions during the 2016 presidential election up to more recent revelations about its business. That includes recent reporting from The Wall Street Journal that showed Facebook has for years ran a program called XCheck, which has allowed high-profile users, including former President Donald Trump, to skirt its content moderation rules.

The timing of the announcement comes as Facebook faces increasing scrutiny from federal lawmakers. On Wednesday, whistleblower Frances Haugen told the Senate Commerce Committee Congress should regulate the social media giant. It also comes after the company went through an hours-long outage on October 4th that left people unable to access Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. In the aftermath of that event, there have been renewed calls from American lawmakers, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to break the company up into smaller entities.

YouTube's accessibility upgrades include multiple audio tracks

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 01:01 PM PDT

YouTube is improving video accessibility for both viewers with sight issues and those beyond the English-speaking world. To start, the company is testing the option of adding multiple audio tracks to videos. This will help with international viewers, of course, but it should also enable descriptive audio for people with little to no vision. This arrives sometime in the "coming quarters," YouTube said.

Automatic captions should also be far more commonplace. YouTube now permits live automatic captions for any livestream in English, not just those with 1,000 or more subscribers. These live captions will be available for all 13 supported auto-captioning languages in the "coming months," according to the company. Auto-translated captions will also reach supported languages on Android and iOS later in 2021, so you won't have to turn to your PC to make sense of a video you don't understand.

An experiment later in 2021 will let you search transcripts on your phone, YouTube added. A previously promised subtitle editor is still on track to launch in the "coming months," giving creators the chance to delegate subtitle creation to someone they trust.

The upgrades make sense. YouTube is increasingly dependent on a global audience for views, particularly with the growth of livestreaming. These tweaks ensure more people can watch, even if a creator doesn't have the resources to add subtitles themselves.

The Geneva International Motor Show is canceled for a third straight year

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 12:05 PM PDT

The 2022 Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) won't go forward due to the coronavirus pandemic. Following cancellations in 2020 and 2021, the trade show was supposed to return on February 19th, 2022, but that's no longer happening. Organizers are billing the move not as a cancellation but as a postponement that will see GIMS come back as a "more impactful" event in 2023.

"The decision to cancel GIMS 2022 was made with the best interests of both car manufacturers and automotive fans in mind," said the Committee and Council of the Foundation "Salon International de l'Automobile," which is responsible for organizing the auto show. The group blamed the impact COVID-19 has had both on travel and event restrictions and automakers through the global semiconductor supply for the decision.

We've seen plenty of other auto shows get canceled in 2021, but the way GIMS continues to struggle is not a good sign for the industry. Pre-pandemic, it was one of the largest car shows in the world. It would usually attract more than 600,000 visitors, including some 10,000 journalists, to Swizterland. Beyond its sheer size and scale, the show was particularly known for all the new and wild concepts cars that would debut on its floor.

Eidos' Quebec game studios shift to a four-day work week

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 11:45 AM PDT

Eidos is joining the ranks of game developers pushing back against crunch time. The Square Enix-owned studio has announced that its Quebec locations (Montreal and Sherbrooke) are shifting to a four-day, Monday-to-Thursday work week sometime in the "next few weeks." Salaries and working conditions will remain the same, the Deus Ex and Tomb Raider developer said.

The hope, as you might expect, is to improve the quality of working hours. Eidos is accordingly encouraging teams to redefine work conditions and improve efficiency, such as by cutting meeting times. The company had already implemented some quality-of-life changes during the pandemic, such as rest periods and compensation for mental and physical health costs — this is ostensibly a logical extension of that strategy.

Eidos isn't the first studio to adopt a four-day week. Bugsnax developer Young Horses made that switch in September. It's very rare for a large studio to make this move, though, and it might prompt similar moves by other developers if the strategy proves successful.

"If" is the operative term, however. Eidos was eager to tout past tests with shortened work weeks, like with Iceland's civil service, but it's not yet clear if that translates to the game industry. Developers are notorious for rushing games to make the holiday season, even if that leads to extremely buggy results. Eidos will have to make a hard choice: does it stick to the four-day schedule and risk delaying games, or demand extra hours to be sure a title is ready? This shortened week could pay off with happier developers, but it could also cause problems if teams take months more to finish projects.

The Internet Archive's 'Wayforward Machine' paints a grim future for the web

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 10:59 AM PDT

The Internet Archive is marking its 25th anniversary by peering into the future to predict what the web might look like a quarter of a century from now. The non-profit took the opportunity to rail against internet regulation by offering a grim vision of what lies ahead.

Punch a URL into the Wayforward Machine and you'll see a version of that page covered in pop-ups. The messages include one reading "Classified content. The website you are trying to access features information that the owner(s) have opted to restrict to users that have not shared their personal information." Another reads "This site contains information that is currently classified as Thought Crime in your region."

The way things are going, the Internet Archive suggests, free and open access to knowledge on the web may become far more limited. A Wayforward subsite includes a timeline of things that might go awry in the coming years, starting with the repeal of section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects websites and internet platforms from being liable for things that users post. A repeal could have enormous consequences for the web, though some, such as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, have proposed that the provision should be reformed.

The timeline includes some other wild-but-not-inconceivable suggestions, such as a law allowing corporations to copyright facts, forcing Wikipedia to move to the Dark Web, and more countries introducing their own versions of China's Great Firewall. The Internet Archive teamed up with several digital rights organizations for this project, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Fight for the Future and the Wikimedia Foundation. The subsite includes resources on how to help protect freely available information.

The Wayforward Machine is, of course, a satirical version of the Wayback Machine, which has archived hundreds of billions of web pages over the last two and a half decades. It's an important resource for helping preserve the history of the internet, including things like Flash games and animations, so it's probably worth paying attention to the Internet Archive's vision of the future.

Disney is reportedly developing a 'WandaVision' spin-off starring Kathryn Hahn

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 10:10 AM PDT

Marvel Studios is reportedly developing a new Disney+ series that will see WandaVision's Kathryn Hahn reprise her role as Agatha Harkness, according to Variety. If the project moves forward, Jac Schaeffer, the lead writer of WandaVision, is expected to return to write the new series. She's also likely to produce the show. Other than the fact it's supposed to be a dark comedy, plot details are limited at the moment.

Marvel Studios did not comment on the possibility of a WandaVision spinoff when Variety reached out to the subsidiary, but there's a chance we could learn more about the project when Disney holds its first-ever Disney+ Day on November 12th. The company said the event would include a "look toward the future" of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Either way, Marvel fans would likely welcome the chance to see Hahn in her own series. Agatha was one of the show's more memorable characters, and Hahn even earned an Emmy nomination for the performance. The spinoff likely won't debut before sometime in 2022 at the earliest. Until then, there's Hawkeye, which will premiere on November 24th.   

YouTube cancels its much-maligned Rewind once and for all

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 09:58 AM PDT

YouTube scrapped its Rewind 2020 video due to COVID-19 and social unrest, but it's not coming back now that the turmoil is (partly) calming down. As Tubefilter first confirmed, YouTube is cancelling its year-end Rewind videos once and for all. The service insists it's not due to the blowback from Rewind 2018, however. Rather, YouTube is reportedly so large that it would be impractical to summarize the site with a yearly video.

The Google-owned brand will instead trust creators like MrBeast and Slayy Point to produce end-of-year videos, and promote them through social networks. You'll also see annual trend lists, awards shows and a currently mysterious "interactive experience."

Rewind debuted in 2010 and was popular for most of its history as a snapshot of the online zeitgeist. That all fell apart with Rewind 2018, however. Many felt the video both ignored major creators like Pewdiepie and had more than a few cringe-worthy moments (Will Smith's "oh, that's hot" haunts people to this day). When YouTube returned with Rewind 2019, it abdicated editorial control and let the statistics guide the content to the frustration of viewers. Even if YouTube is right about the site becoming too large for Rewind, the demand just isn't what it used to be — a revival might not have much of an impact.

'Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City' trailer is full of zombies

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 09:49 AM PDT

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, a reboot of the movie series, will hit theaters on November 24th, and Sony Pictures has provided a taste of what's in store with the first trailer. Writer and director Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down) indicated earlier this year that he was taking things back to the franchise's horror roots and the trailer offers some positive signs that he's achieved his goal.

The film is based on the first two games in the classic series and it's a complete reset following the six (6) Paul W.S. Anderson movies. In case there was any ambiguity about Roberts starting over, the trailer's opening voiceover puts that firmly to bed. "Every story has a beginning," one character, perhaps Claire Redfield, says. "Discover the origin of evil."

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is set in 1998, and we see the first game's creepy mansion as well as some of the city where the sequel takes place. The trailer hits a lot of the right beats and it includes some memorable moments from the games. There's a nod to the opening scene of Resident Evil 2, in which an infected truck driver plows his tanker into Raccoon City. Despite a couple of iffy CGI shots, there's some solid creature design too, including zombie dogs and even a licker. Add in some jump scares, and it's a promising first look.

If you're craving more Resident Evil until the movie arrives, you can check out a virtual-reality version of Resident Evil 4 on Oculus Quest 2 later this month. Elsewhere, a live-action show based on the franchise is coming to Netflix. The delayed multiplayer game Resident Evil Re:Verse will arrive next year, and Capcom is working on DLC for Resident Evil Village.

Arcade 2.0 has actual playable instruments and an AI-powered sample processor

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 09:15 AM PDT

Output first made a name for itself with meticulously sampled software instruments like Analog Brass & Winds and Exhale, that made use of Native Instruments' Kontakt Player. The company even got into the furniture game with what is possibly the sexiest studio desk for under $1,000. But its undeniable flagship is Arcade, a subscription-based sample mangler that's constantly serving up new sounds to mess with. Today the company is launching version 2.0 that includes a number of upgrades, but the biggest is the addition of "Note Kits" — which are simply playable chromatic instruments.

In the original version of Arcade you had what are now called Sampler Kits. Here you get 15 samples laid out across a keyboard on the white keys, while the black keys resequence, stretch, reverse or stutter the sounds. But Note Kits are just like any other soft synth, and the keyboard is just a keyboard so you can use Arcade to play melodies and chords more traditionally.

In the main UI you'll now find recommended Note Kits as well as Sampler Kits, and each line of sound packs is neatly divided into two, with sections for each. The main interface for the Note Kits isn't much different than the Sampler Kits. There's a keyboard at the bottom of the screen and four macro controls in the middle for modifying a sound and adding effects (though, they often use vague terms like space and breath).

The core conceit of Arcades — to be as approachable as possible — hasn't changed either. Those four macros offer a good amount of control for shaping of your sound. But, if you really want to get detailed you can click the "tweak" button at the top. Here is where you'll find the heart of Arcade's synth engine. Similar to Kontakt Arcade is sample based. You can combine up to three different sounds then choose start, end and loop points. There are also separate amp, pitch and filter envelopes for each sample; a multimode filter with two different high- and low-pass options as well as drive; a modulation section with an ADSR envelope, an LFO and two 32-step sequencers; plus a number of built in effects like reverb, delay and chorus.

Despite the fairly comprehensive set of sound design tools, Arcade is incredibly simple to use. While the interface pushes you to simply download a preset and start making music, it's very easy to start creating unique instruments of your own. The one issue is that, while you can start from scratch to build your own note kit, it's not prominently featured in the UI. And, as far as I can tell, there's no way to import your own sounds to a Note Kit, only a Sampler.

The custom kit creator for samples has gotten a serious upgrade for version 2.0, though. The Kit Generator takes any sound from your own personal collection — whether you recorded it yourself or downloaded it from Splice — and then using AI spits out multiple variations, and pairs it with effects for further manipulation.

My one minor complaint is that you can't tweak the sample variations until after you've saved the automatically generated kit as a preset. All you can do is select what predetermined set of effects macros you want to pair with it. And if you're not happy with the results, it doesn't appear you can delete custom kits. Only remove ones you've downloaded from Output.

The app has gotten a mild facelift too, with better visual feedback and simplified navigation. Though, a single view for all the Kits you've downloaded would be handy.

The combination of instant results and decently deep sound design tools makes Arcade incredibly fun to use. It doesn't necessarily make sounds that other instruments or even your DAW's stock plugins aren't capable of. But it's less tedious.

You can try Arcade 2.0 for free for 30 days, after which it's $10 a month.

Microsoft made a translucent controller for the Xbox's 20th birthday

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 09:07 AM PDT

On November 15th, 2001, Microsoft released the original Xbox, in the process, it changed the console landscape forever. Twenty years later, the company plans to celebrate the birthday of its first-ever home system by putting out a handful of translucent accessories, including the Xbox Series X/S controller you see above.

According to Microsoft, the translucent design is a reference to the see-through controllers it shipped with the original Xbox debug kit — though I imagine for most people it's more likely to remind them of the N64's iconic Atomic Purple controller, and that's a good thing. A nifty touch here is that Microsoft made the internal components silver to make them easier to see. The brand's signature green color is used for accent details, including the rear grips. Outside of those visual flourishes, it's functionally the same as any other Xbox Wireless controller you can buy from Microsoft. Expect Bluetooth for PC and mobile pairing, support for button mapping and a better d-pad than found on controllers from past Xbox generations. 

Xbox Stereo headset
Microsoft

You can pre-order the 20th Anniversary Special Edition controller for $69.99 starting today through the Microsoft Store. Come November 15th, it will also be available through various retailers. If you can't justify adding another controller to your collection, Microsoft also plans to release a 20th Anniversary Special Edition Stereo Headset that will retail for $69.99. Unfortunately, it doesn't lean into the translucent aesthetic quite as much as its counterpart but still looks like it would be a decent showpiece.

Courtney Barnett's web app lets you remix her latest singles

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 08:57 AM PDT

You don't have to be a Kanye fan (or buy a gadget) to remix a new album. MusicTechnotes that Courtney Barnett has shared a free, web-based stem mixer that lets you chop up three singles from the Australian rocker's upcoming Things Take Time, Take Time. You can isolate or highlight elements like percussion and guitars, and there's even a simple loop generator with start and end points. You aren't about to produce a drum-and-bass mix of "Before You Gotta Go," but you might get closer than you think.

This is a promo for the album, of course, and it's notable that you can't (officially) save your compositions. This might teach you a thing or two about layering in music, though. And it's free — you won't need more than your computer and some headphones to experiment with Barnett's tracks. Don't be surprised if other artists follow suit, even if they're unlikely to pull a Nine Inch Nails and release the raw track files.

AMC Theaters now lets you buy digital gift cards with Dogecoin

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 08:30 AM PDT

AMC is leaning into its relatively newfound status as a meme stonk by letting people buy gift cards with Dogecoin. The theater chain already had plans to accept bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash payments later this year.

CEO Adam Aron said that while AMC is working on enabling crypto payments for movie tickets, you can use a BitPay Wallet to buy up to $200 worth of gift cards per day with Dogecoin and other cryptocurrencies. Aron noted customers can pay with digital cash on the AMC website and mobile app, as well as in theatres.

In a Twitter poll last month, Aron asked if the company should accept Dogecoin. Just over two thirds of the 140,000 voters opted for the "yes, for sure do it" option.

AMC and Dogecoin have been two of 2021's wildest success stories. Their respective valuations skyrocketed toward the moon early this year. In AMC's case, it was part of a run on the stock market initiated by Reddit users, while Tesla technoking Elon Musk boosted Dogecoin's price by promoting the cryptocurrency.

Lyft now lets you pay for your Tinder date's ride

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 08:04 AM PDT

Now that in-person dating is making a comeback, Lyft and Tinder want to encourage more of those face-to-face encounters. As teased in March, the Tinder app now includes an Explore hub that lets you buy a Lyft ride for your date. You don't have to exchange addresses or locations — you just send a credit (with a set destination, if you prefer) and your date does the rest.

The credit is only useful for dropoffs within a half-mile of a set destination, and you'll get a refund for any unused credit. You don't have to worry that your would-be beau will travel to the other end of town, in other words.

The motivations are fairly obvious here. This gives Lyft drivers more business, and encourages Tinder users to do more than message each other and watch videos. It might be difficult to complain about a free ride to the restaurant, mind you, and you might just land a relationship in the bargain.

Motorola expands its budget-friendly phone lineup with the $160 Moto G Pure

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 07:21 AM PDT

Motorola is expanding the Moto G lineup with another budget-friendly device. The $160 Moto G Pure runs on the MediaTek Helio G25 octa-core processor, rather than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 seen in the slightly more expensive Moto G Play.

The G Pure has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (expandable by up to 512GB via microSD). The IPS TFT LCD 6.5-inch screen only has a 720p resolution, which might be helping Motorola keep costs down.

Motorola says you'll get up to two days of use with the 4000mAh battery. It's promising rapid charging through the USB Type-C port. The handset is water repellent, with an IP52 rating, meaning it should be able to withstand spills, splashes and light rain. There are also fingerprint and face unlock sensors, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The rear camera setup includes a 13MP camera, 2MP depth sensor and LED flash. On the front, there's a 5MP selfie camera. Motorola says you can capture video on both sides in full HD at 30 fps.

There's no NFC or 5G support, unfortunately. Motorola says the device will run on Android 11 out of the box, not Android 12.

Pre-orders for the unlocked Moto G Pure will open on October 14th. On the same date, Verizon (Engadget's former parent company) will offer it at no extra cost to folks who sign up for a new smartphone line. The Moto G Pure will be available through other providers and in Canada in the coming months.

Your iPhone could eventually control your car's climate and seats

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 06:37 AM PDT

Your iPhone could soon be useful for more in a car than answering calls and spicing up the music selection. Bloombergsources claim Apple is developing a technology codenamed "IronHeart" that would let you use your iPhone to control the climate system, radio, seats and even the instrument clusters. You wouldn't have to switch between CarPlay and your car's (likely clunky) infotainment software just to turn up the heat.

IronHeart is still early in development, according to the tipsters, and would require partnerships with car brands. Apple has declined to comment.

An initiative like this could extend Apple's presence in cars far beyond limited technologies like CarPlay or its more recent CarKey feature. While it's not necessarily part of the company's long-rumored electric car strategy, it could give the company experience with more aspects of cars and help with any in-house vehicle development.

Whether or not automakers embrace the concept is another matter. Apple would effectively bypass a car's native interface for many common tasks. It's easy to see manufacturers balking after pouring extensive work into their own car interfaces and companion apps, particularly if they have any services that compete with Apple offerings. If IronHeart ships, it may be limited to a handful of makes and models unless there's an enthusiastic response from car buyers.

Owlet Smart Sock Plus review: An update for the fans

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 06:05 AM PDT

Here's something I didn't know until I became a NICU parent: In the United States, one in 10 babies are born prematurely. Many preterm babies require a NICU stay, with the average length being 13.5 days. Though I had little idea of what I was doing when I brought home my twins from the NICU, I did know that I was going to continue to monitor their vitals stats using an Owlet sock. My partner and I had become accustomed to checking their heart rate and pulse ox levels on a hospital monitor, and being able to get that information at home helped us build confidence in our role as non-professional caretakers to two very tiny humans.

In both the NICU and online parenting forums, multiple people recommended the Owlet. It's specifically these fans the brand was responding to with the recent release of $359 Smart Sock Plus, a larger sock with an updated algorithm that can be used on children up to five years old or 55 pounds. That's a decent leap from the previous 18-month/30-pound cut-off that my kids just passed. The company claims that 72 percent of the parents it polled said they'd like to use their Smart Socks for longer, and that certainly included me.

Hardware

The third-generation Owlet monitoring system featured a redesigned "butterfly" style sensor that fit into an updated fabric sock, and it's more of the same with the Plus. You'll find the same removable sensor with a protruding button that attaches to the Base Station for wireless charging when not in use, along with the same winged, Velcro attachments for switching it between socks.

It's also still lightweight, easy to remove and replace, and fast charging. Owlet says a full charge takes an hour and a half, and you can get eight hours worth of use with only 20 minutes of charging. That bore out in testing when I was able to grab a full night's worth of battery life in the time it took to finish our bedtime routine with the kids. The compact, more subtle Base Station is also the same as the one found on the smaller smart sock model.

The new sock has a similar construction, too, including a soft, flexible fabric strip that fastens around the ball of the foot to keep the sensor at the outside of the little toe. And there's an ankle band to secure the whole thing in place. The Smart Sock Plus comes with the same four initial sock sizes: left and right for under 12 pounds; and left and right for 12 to 30 pounds; plus an expansion pack of left and right socks for 30 to 55 pounds. It's worth noting that currently the Smart Sock Plus is only available in the classic Mint Green shade, and not the Deep Sea Green or Dusty Rose colors.

Owlet Smart Sock Plus
Amber Bouman/Engadget

I had issues with the fit on the last sock, and was pleased to find that the Plus version for larger kids (30-plus-pound) seemed less prone to unintentional slippage. I say unintentional because my kids have just learned to work Velcro so they can, very purposefully, take the sock off. While they were proud of themselves for their accomplishment, this underscores the challenge in offering a sock for older children: It might be a fight to get them to keep it on.

One of the user reviews I read for the original Owlet sock recommended putting a regular sock on over the smart one to keep it from sliding around. I tried that and found that it worked well for my son, but less so with my daughter who has better dexterity. That's unlikely to solve the issue for the length of the sensor's life, though I'd expect older children can be taught to wear the sock to sleep. I asked Owlet what they recommend to keep the sock in place in these instances, and they, too, suggest using a regular sock or footie pajamas. They also claim some parents wait until their kids are asleep to put the Smart Sock on, but those folks are braver than I.

Because the sock fits better, I had fewer disconnection error alerts. In fact, the only time I received alerts due to a misaligned sock were times when my kids had actually removed it. Given that frequent unexplained alerts were one of my pain points with the last version, it was nice to see that had improved. I got consistent readings when they were in fabric socks or footie pajamas, and also when they were under a blanket. What's more, I had no problem keeping the Base Station in my office, next door to my kid's room; it was still easily able to keep everything connected.

Owlet Smart Sock Plus worn underneath a fabric sock
Amber Bouman/Engadget

I will say that the sock still seemed to run out of battery quicker than the second-generation one did, but it was comparable to the third gen. While the sock could reliably make it through an evening of monitoring (roughly 7pm to 7am), I occasionally saw low-battery warnings in the morning. However, these warnings indicated that I had less than four hours of runtime, which seems like plenty of time.

Software

Every time I set up an Owlet device, I hit a snag. This time, instead of connecting to the Owlet in my WiFi settings, I was instructed to go through the Privacy settings and toggle on the Local Network option. But the Owlet app kept telling me to check the permissions, even after I'd turned them on. And off. And on again. And closed and restarted the app.

Although this is the first time I had to call Owlet support for a resolution, I was able to easily get through to a live person and resolve the problem in a little over five minutes (thanks again, Jill!). I haven't had any problems since.

As with the rest of the Plus experience, the app remains largely unchanged. The difference here are the updated algorithms that Owlet is using to calculate data for kids in the 18-month to five-year range. Because the sock can now fit more kids, the algorithm has to accommodate for physical changes over time. Owlet says a good example is heart rate, which changes as a child gets older.

Owlet app
Owlet

Aside from that, you still get a dashboard to access each child's profile, which contains their live heart rate and pulse ox data, the battery life of the sock and WiFi connection status. If you're also using the Owlet Cam as a video monitor, you'll see the feed here. Previous days' data can be found under History, which includes an overview and info graphs. This has always been one of the most useful portions of the app for me, as it showed me the trends on when my twins were — and were not — doing well sleeping.

As I mentioned, I haven't yet had any false alerts, though I'm not sure what to chalk that up to — faster internet at my new house? A better fit on the sock? Upgraded algorithms? Either way, it's nice to report on a better experience, especially given the price difference between the $359 Plus and the $299 third-gen sock.

The competition

There aren't a ton of products out there similar to Owlet's sock. The company has seemingly cornered the market on baby wearables that measure pulse ox and heart rate, but there are a few other noteworthy devices in this space. One of them is the Nanit system, which pairs a camera with an item of the company's Breathing Wear clothing to monitor respiration and sleep as well as provide a video feed. The Complete Monitoring System, which includes app subscription extras like two days of video history, comes in at $379. In testing, the Breathing Wear worked as advertised and the camera offered an impressively clear 1080p HD feed. I've also used the Pampers Lumi, a solid $187 camera-slash-wearable that only tracks diaper changes and sleep patterns. However, it looks like the sensor is hard to come by right now — we've reached out to Pampers to see if the Lumi sensor and companion diapers are still widely available.

Owlet Smart Sock Plus
Owlet

Wrap-up

The Owlet Smart Sock Plus fills a need for people who are already on the Owlet bandwagon: It allows parents to continue using a product they like and are comfortable with for a longer period of time. Other than better algorithms and a larger sock, there's not much difference between the Plus and the third-gen device — which was absolutely an improvement over the version that came before it. I'd expect the $69 expansion pack to sell well, as it provides what current customers will need to upgrade to the next sock level, but $359 is a high barrier to entry for a baby monitoring system that may not work for your sleep routine. That said, if you're an Owlet customer who is happy with your current smart sock, it's unlikely you'll regret snagging an expansion pack when your kiddo has gotten big enough.

‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ is ready to let its ensign heroes rank up

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 06:00 AM PDT

The following contains minor spoilers for season two, episode nine of 'Star Trek: Lower Decks.'

Throughout the history of Star Trek, it's generally accepted that a member of Starfleet will spend about three years as an ensign, the lowest officer rank in the fleet. It's the position given to new Starfleet Academy graduates, and the status of the four protagonists on Lower Decks. However, as the show wraps up its second season and prepares for a third, it does bring the character's status as "lowly ensigns" into doubt. This week's episode touches on, though doesn't solve, the problem by exploring the universal concept of a "lower decker."

In "wej Duj" (the first full Klingon language episode title in the entire franchise), the USS Cerritos is in transit between missions, giving the crew some much-needed downtime. Mariner, Rutherford and Tendi use their day off to spend some personal time with senior officers, which sends the bridge-crew-friendless Boimler into a panic since he notes that this will give them an edge when it comes to getting promoted. He spends most of the episode trying and failing to get buddy-buddy with various officers. If this all feels like C-plot level shenanigans, well, it is. But as a result the show takes its biggest leap yet to fill out its narrative in this episode.

CBS

"wej Duj" is Klingon for "three ships," and we get to see the crew of the Klingon vessel Che'Ta, where a very ambitious Boimler-esque Klingon is trying to get in good with the current captain of his ship. Old school fans will remember that authority on Klingon ships is assigned by force, with an officer assuming command by killing the previous captain. This young Klingon isn't quite that ambitious, but he's perfectly happy to walk the captain's pet targ if it helps him become first officer.

The episode also shows us the happenings on a nearby Vulcan craft called Sh'Vhal, where a lower decker named T'Lin there has been messing with the sensors and as a result, notices some strange readings in the area that she takes to the captain to investigate. The captain agrees to the search, but he also reprimands her for undertaking such unnecessary adjustments to the ship.

CBS

The entire episode could have been played as a "slice of life," with the three plot lines never intersecting and it still would have been a fairly successful installment of the series. This isn't our first look at the internal life of a Klingon ship, but it is our first look at a Vulcan crew, and playing those distinct societies against Starfleet culture is a great bit of world building. Star Trek has never been good about showing life outside Starfleet, only lightly touching on the grander world in more recent shows like Picard and Prodigy. And even those still have tenuous Starfleet connections. Lower Decks has relished showing us the larger universe that the characters exist in, and here we now get that same sense of expansion without the Starfleet worldview intruding.

That doesn't mean the storylines stand apart, far from it. All three ships and their plot lines come together in the end, not only pulling the episode into one cohesive narrative, but also continuing — and starting to resolve — a plot line that has lingered since the end of season one, namely the Pakleds. We finally find out why they suddenly became a huge threat in the Alpha Quadrant, thanks to a series of machinations reminiscent of storylines on The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. Not everything is revolved by the end, presumably leading into a big finale next week. It's fair to say that seasons one and two basically comprise one full story arc, with season three possibly presenting a fresh slate.

CBS

And it's just in time, too. Each season has represented a year on the Cerritos. Next season will mark three years on the Cerritos for Boimler, Tendi and Rutherford, placing them in line for a promotion. And unlike Mariner's purposeful self-sabotage, her friends have all shown themselves to be competent, trustworthy officers. There's no reason they shouldn't be promoted — and technically Brad Boimler already was at the end of last season, having only been demoted and sent back to the Cerritos because of a transporter accident on the USS Titan.

While it's unlikely (though not impossible) that the characters will get promoted in the season finale, it will have to happen some time next year for the show to maintain its verisimilitude in Star Trek canon. The Cerritos doesn't have the luxury of being trapped in the Delta Quadrant as an excuse to keep its ensign an ensign (poor Harry Kim). But there's hope, given what happens to our Klingon and Vulcan lower deckers by the end of "wej Duj." Those outcomes, alongside the episode wrapping on Brad giving sage advice to a young crewman, seem to hint that the show is comfortable with letting our protagonists move on when it's time.

Adobe Elements 2022 will use AI for reframing, pet photo fixes and more

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 06:00 AM PDT

The Adobe Max 2021 conference is happening this month and, as usual, that means updates across its product lineup. Adobe Elements is first on the list, with plenty of Adobe's Sensei AI-based changes that make it easier to fix photos or videos, extend backgrounds, add animations and more. 

First up, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2022 introduces a bunch of new art filters that let you make a photo look like a painting by Da Vinci, Van Gogh and other artists. Another fun (but also easy to overdo) feature is moving overlays that let you add animated snowflakes, sparkles and the like to photos, then export as an MP4 to share on social networks. 

Adobe Elements gains new AI smarts for auto re-framing, pet photo fixes and more
Adobe

More practically, Photoshop Elements 2022's "Guided Edits" feature has new options that let you easily make adjustments. Some of those include a pet photo adjustment that lets you remove leashes and collars, adjust lighting and colors, refine fur and more. You can also extend or replace photo backgrounds, create arty double-exposures (above), remove distracting elements from a photo and adjust shadows and highlights. 

Premiere Elements, meanwhile, uses Sensei AI to automatically re-frame videos to fit in social-friendly aspect ratios for TikTok, Instagram and other apps — while still retaining important content. It also comes with two new Guided Edits options: the ability to add animated overlays and adjust shadows and highlights. Other new features include new slideshow styles, and GIF playback in the Organizer.

Adobe Elements gains new AI smarts for auto re-framing, pet photo fixes and more
Adobe

Both apps now support automatic updates, so novice users have "no need to deal with dialog boxes," according to Adobe (this would be a non-starter for most professional users). They also feature a refreshed look and feel with a somewhat cleaner, less cluttered interface. Both apps are now available as a one-time purchase for $100 each, or $150 in a bundle — students and teachers can get both for $80. 

US Justice Department forms a cryptocurrency enforcement team

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 05:21 AM PDT

The United States Department of Justice has formed a team of investigators to look into the use of cryptocurrency for criminal purposes. To be specific, the group, called National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), will tackle cases committed by virtual currency exchanges and groups and individuals involved in money laundering. Members will also investigate mixing and tumbling services, which charge customers a fee to send cryptocurrency to an address while also concealing the source of the funds. In addition, they'll work on tracing and recovering assets lost to fraud or ransomware extortion demands. 

According to the DOJ's announcement, the team will combine the expertise of its money laundering and asset recovery section with its computer crime and intellectual property section. It will also include experts from US Attorneys' Offices. The group will be under the supervision of Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr., though the Justice Department is still looking for an individual to lead it. DOJ is looking for someone "with experience with complex criminal investigations and prosecutions, as well as the technology underpinning cryptocurrencies and the blockchain," in particular. 

The hope is that NCET can provide the whole department and other government agencies with the expertise in cryptocurrency and blockchain needed to investigate and prosecute the growing number of cases related to the technology today. There's been a rise in cybercrime cases these past years, including ransomware attacks wherein bad actors target companies across industries to hold their networks hostage in exchange for payment via cryptocurrency. 

Some of them have had real-world consequences. The attack on Colonial Pipeline caused fuel shortage in the East Coast, for instance, while the various attacks on hospitals around the world put people's lives in danger. The Biden administration is even hosting a meeting with 30 countries later this month to discuss the threat of ransomware attacks to global economy and national security.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said in a statement:

"Today we are launching the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team to draw on the Department's cyber and money laundering expertise to strengthen our capacity to dismantle the financial entities that enable criminal actors to flourish — and quite frankly to profit — from abusing cryptocurrency platforms. As the technology advances, so too must the Department evolve with it so that we're poised to root out abuse on these platforms and ensure user confidence in these systems."
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