Friday, November 5, 2021

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Researchers are working on giving robots social skills

Posted: 05 Nov 2021 03:55 AM PDT

Movie robots are known for helping (or hindering) humans, but in the real world, they have pretty limited social skills. MIT's CSAIL computer science researchers are trying to fix that by teaching robots how to interact with other robots to to further their own goals, according to a new paper. The research could lead to improved human-robot interactions in assisted living facilities, for instance, and even help psychologists better measure social interactions between humans. 

To study these interactions, the researchers created a simulated 2D environment that allowed virtual robots to pursue both social and physical goals. For instance, a physical goal might be to navigate to a tree at a certain point on a grid, while a social goal is guessing what another robot is trying to do and then acting based on that, "like helping another robot water the tree," according to CSAIL.

The robot is rewarded for actions that get it closer to its goals, with a matching reward for helping and an opposite reward for hindering it. The team created three types of robots: The first has only physical goals, the second has physical and social goals, but assumes all robots only have physical goals. The third one assumes the others all have social and physical goals, so it can take more advanced actions like joining with others to achieve a goal. 

Even young infants seem to understand social interactions like helping and hindering, but we don't yet have machines that can perform this reasoning at anything like human-level flexibility.

The team created 98 different scenarios with all three types of robots. Twelve humans watched nearly 200 video clips of the robots interacting, and then had to estimate the physical and social goals. "In most instance, their model agreed with what the humans thought about the social interactions that were occurring in each frame," the researchers said. 

The researchers hope that the results will act as a "benchmark" that allows others to work on similar social interactions. Next, they plan to create more complex environment with 3D agents that allows more types of interactions. The eventual aim is to not just teach robots how to interact better socially, but "dig deeper into the human aspect of this," said senior author Andrei Barbu. "Can we make an objective test for your ability to recognize social interactions? Maybe there is a way to teach people to recognize these social interactions and improve their abilities."

Meta is reportedly planning physical stores to showcase its products

Posted: 05 Nov 2021 03:18 AM PDT

The company formerly known as Facebook has been discussing the possibility of opening retail stores way before it rebranded itself as Meta, according to The New York Times. Apparently, discussions about opening brick-and-mortar shops started last year, though nothing has been finalized, and the project could still end up being scrapped. If Meta does open physical outlets, however, they will reportedly be more like experience stores introducing people to devices developed by its Reality Labs division rather than outright retail shops.

Those devices include the Oculus Quest (soon to be Meta Quest) virtual reality headsets and the Portal gadgets, which were designed primarily for video calling. The stores could also showcase the augmented reality smart glasses called Stories that Facebook developed with Ray-Ban. Based on the documents The Times saw, Meta's goal is to spark "curiosity" and "closeness" with its stores, as well as provide customers with a welcoming atmosphere where they can have a "judgment free journey" while experimenting with headsets.

Those same documents show that Meta envisions shops with a modern, minimalist aesthetic and subtle branding placement. The company considered a lot of possible names, such as Facebook Hub, Facebook Commons, Facebook Innovations, Facebook Reality Store and From Facebook. It eventually settled on Facebook Store, but that will mostly likely change now that the company has been renamed.

If Meta does push through with this plan, its first retail/experience store will be located in Burlingame, California, where there's a Reality Labs office. The Times says the project could eventually span the world, though, with locations in various countries and regions.

Shure launches its first hook-free wireless earbuds

Posted: 05 Nov 2021 01:34 AM PDT

At least year's CES, Shure presented its first true wireless earbuds called Aonic 215 — it even released the model's second-gen version this September. Both pairs, however, comes with earhooks. Now, the company has launched a new true wireless earbud model with a more "traditional" design you'd now associate with the product category. It's called the Aionic Free, and while it may be larger than its rivals on the market, it is indeed hook-free. 

The Aionic Free blocks noise from entering your ears with its foam buds and its angled design. It can last for up to seven hours of listening, while its carrying case can provide up to two full charges for a total of 21 hours of battery life. The earbuds also have a fast charge feature that enables an hour of playback within 15 minutes in the case.

You can control volume and playback, as well as take calls with a single press on either earbud. If you want to customize button functions, you can do so using the company's app. The app will also let you personalize how much noise you want to let in when Environment Mode is switched on, customize notifications and let you play standard and hires music files. Shure's Aionic Free is now available from retailers and the company's website for $199.

Twitter will let anyone listen to Spaces audio without having to log in

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 11:01 PM PDT

Twitter wants to expand Spaces' potential audiences, so it's making audio conversations available to anyone — even those who'd rather not sign up for an account. Now, hosts and listeners can send anybody a direct link to a Spaces audio broadcast, and those with no Twitter accounts can listen to it on the web without having to log in. They won't be able to participate, but it could still lead to more listeners and a wider reach.

The website has been adding more and more features to make Spaces easier to share and discover ever since it launched live audio conversations. In July, it allowed users to compose new tweets directly from the Space, which will link to the audio chat and any accompanying hashtags. It introduced a Spaces tab on iOS in October, giving users a way to find audio shows in one place. Then, it opened up hosting duties to everyone, which potentially means more audio shows people can listen to.

Since not everyone can tune it to live broadcasts, Twitter also rolled out the ability to record Spaces audio to a limited number of iOS hosts. By recording their sessions, hosts will be able to link to it and share it for 30 days, and listeners on the platform can watch it right on their timeline. 

DJI's Mavic 3 packs dual Four Thirds and telephoto cameras

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 07:30 PM PDT

DJI is best known for drones, but it's possibly the most inventive camera company right now. After unveiling the outrageous full-frame Ronin 4K camera/gimbal last month, it has now launched the $2,200 Mavic 3 drone with not just one, but two innovative camera systems.

As rumored, there are two models in the Mavic 3 family, the Standard and Cine models, along with a "Fly More" combo that bundles more accessories. The main difference is that the Mavic 3 Cine has a built-in 1TB SSD and supports Apple ProRes 422 HQ video recording — highly desirable for professional film productions. The latter is also considerably more expensive, as I'll discuss shortly. 

DJI's Mavic 3 drone fits in a Four Thirds and 28x hybrid zoom camera
Steve Dent/Engadget

The Mavic 3's main 24mm (35mm-equivalent) f/2.8 - f/11 Hasselblad-branded camera has a Four Thirds sensor that's considerably larger than the 1-inch sensor on the current Air 2S model. And yet, the camera module doesn't look much bigger and the Mavic 3 weighs slightly less than the Mavic 2 (895g compared to 907g). 

Four Thirds is the same size as the Micro Four Thirds sensor on Panasonic's BGH1 box camera, for example, so it should allow for more cinematic video and photos. The variable aperture, along with optional ND filters, will make it easier to shoot in a variety of lighting conditions. It also comes with a new autofocus system called Vision Detection that supposedly optimizes focusing speeds.

With the main camera, it now shoots 5.1K video at 50fps, or 4K at 120 fps — up from 5.4K 30fps and 4K/60p video on the Air 2S. DJI claims a native dynamic range of 12.8 stops, thanks to the 10-bit D-Log color profile. As for still images, it can shoot 20-megapixel photos in 12-bit RAW.

If you need to get in much, much closer, DJI has squeezed in a second camera directly above the main camera. This one has a half-inch 12-megapixel sensor and 162mm tele lens (35mm equivalent), which is around a 4X zoom, or claimed 28X hybrid zoom. The aperture is fixed at f/4.4, and it offers strictly automatic, rather than manual exposure control. It can capture 4K video at up to 30 fps. 

DJI has confirmed that the Mavic 3 will have up to 46 minutes of autonomy in ideal conditions (40 minutes of hover), as leaks had suggested. That's up pretty massively from the Mavic 2 Pro or Air 2S, both of which offer 31 minutes of flying time. It can also fly a bit faster too, at 47 MPH compared to 45 MPH. Those capabilities were enabled by a higher-capacity battery, more energy-efficient motors/propellers and a more streamlined shape on the Mavic 3's arms, body and gimbal. "Wind tunnel testing shows Mavic 3 produces 35 percent less drag than previous generations," DJI wrote. 

DJI's Mavic 3 drone fits in a Four Thirds and 28x hybrid zoom camera
Steve Dent/Engadget

The Mavic 3 also offers enhanced flight safety thanks to its updated APAS 5.0 system that uses inputs from six fish-eye vision sensor and two wide-angle sensors to detect and avoid obstacles. Meanwhile, the ActiveTrack 5.0 system has new options for tracking subjects no matter which way they're moving, and it can even continue to track a subject if it moves out of frame and pick it back up when it reappears. All of that allows "more fluid and diverse drone and camera movement," DJI said. 

It also comes with an improved RTH (Return to Home) system that works by automatically calculating the shortest, safest and most energy-efficient route to land back at its home point. It can take into account wind speed and power when calculating the path, giving users a bit more flying time before triggering the RTH action. Another updated feature is O3+ signal loss prevention that allows for a maximum control range of 15 km. Mavic 3 is also DJI's first drone with a 1080p 60fps transmission speed on the live feed, meaning "the camera view is displayed at a resolution close to what the camera actually records," DJI notes. 

DJI's Mavic 3 drone fits in a Four Thirds and 28x hybrid zoom camera
Steve Dent/Engadget

Along with the drone, DJI introduced a number of new accessories, including a new DJI RC Pro smart controller, a 65W Portable Charger that's compatible with notebooks and smartphones and allows for fast charging (around 96 minutes), a wide-angle lens and two sets of ND filters (ND4/8/16/32 and ND64/128/256/512) that allow for shooting in bright sunlight. It also introduced a carrying bag that converts into a backpack that can fit the drone, a laptop and other accessories. 

Engadget received the drone just yesterday, so we haven't had a chance to fly it yet — stay tuned for a full review. However, I'm impressed so far by the design and small details like the storage cover that protects the camera, gimbals and propeller (below). It's also clear that DJI has put a lot of thought into the new charging system and batteries that should make operation more practical. Even the carrying bag/backpack is well conceived, with pockets and sleeves for the batteries, ND filters and more.

DJI's Mavic 3 drone fits in a Four Thirds and 28x hybrid zoom camera
Steve Dent/Engadget

As you may have noticed, the drawback with the Mavic 3 is the relatively high price. Rather than $1,600 as was rumored, the Mavic 3 starts at $2,200 for the Standard model, which includes the Mavic 3 drone, storage cover, one battery and charger, the RC-N1 remote control "and other essential items." The $3,000 Mavic 3 Fly More Combo adds two extra batteries (three total), a three-battery charging hub, the ND4/8/16/32 filter set and the fancy bag/backpack.

Finally, the $5,000 Mavic 3 Cine Premium Combo gives you all that plus the aforementioned 1TB SSD and Apple ProRes 422 HQ recording (arriving in January 2022). It adds a few more accessories to the Fly More Combo as well, including the RC Pro remote, ND64/128/256/512 filters and the DJI 10Gbps data cable. Five grand is obviously lot of money, but the Cine model is aimed more at professional film producers. All three drones are now available to order from DJI's website, Amazon and other authorized partners. 

Alexa now allows you to move music among different devices with your voice

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 03:41 PM PDT

Every month, Amazon pushes a slate of updates to its Alexa-enabled devices. One of the more noteworthy features Amazon added this month is the ability to move music between Echo devices using your voice. If you want to do so between different speakers in your home, say "Alexa, pause" to the one currently playing music, and then say "Alexa, resume music here" to the device where you want to move your tunes to. The feature also works with Echo Buds and Echo Auto, allowing you to take your music on the go.

If you're a football fan with an Echo Show, another new feature allows you to ask Alexa to play the Two-Minute drill, an NFL pregame show that will offer expert analysis on the next match your favorite team is about to play. Amazon will release new episodes two days before a game.

Meanwhile, Fire TV device owners now have access to TikTok. You can say "Alexa, play TikTok" to open the app. Lastly, Amazon has added a new automotive hub within the Alexa app that will detail how you can use the digital assistant in your car. Available in the US, the interface allows you to see if your car can work with Alexa. Additionally, it will point you to automotive skills. All told, they're minor additions individually but should make Alexa more helpful to those who use the digital assistant every day.

A former Rivian executive sues the automaker for gender discrimination

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 02:38 PM PDT

Electric transport startup Rivian has been sued by one of its former employees. Per The Wall Street Journal, Laura Schwab, an executive who was a vice president of sales and marketing at the automaker until last month, filed a gender discrimination complaint with the California Superior Court in Orange County on Thursday. In the lawsuit, Schwab alleges she was fired by Rivian after she complained of a "toxic 'bro culture'" that saw other executives exclude her from meetings and ignore her advice.

"The culture at Rivian was actually the worst I've experienced in over 20 years in the automotive industry," Schwab told The Journal. A veteran of the automotive industry, Schwab held executive posts at Aston Martin Lagonda and Jaguar Land Rover before she joined Rivian in November 2020.

According to the outlet, Schwab tried to push the company to address numerous concerns while she was there. In one instance, she allegedly tried to tell the other executives on Rivian's leadership team that the company had underpriced its vehicles. In yet another situation, she tried to raise concerns about the quality of the automaker's manufacturing process. In the former case, the company allegedly initially dismissed her advice only to later follow through on it after a male executive raised the same issue.

The suit comes ahead of Rivian's planned IPO next week where the company will seek to raise as much as $9.6 billion in additional investment. It also recently started producing R1T trucks for customers. More broadly, the suit comes as several other companies in the tech space face scrutiny over their gender equality practices. Most notably, there's Activision Blizzard, which was sued by California's fair employment regulator in July for fostering what it described as a sexist "frat boy" workplace culture. The fallout from that lawsuit has been far-reaching. Following months of pressure from employees, the company ended its policy of forced arbitration in cases involving sexual harassment and discrimination and put in place a zero-tolerance stance toward harassment.

Citing the quiet period ahead of its IPO, Rivian declined to comment on the complaint.  

Apple is reportedly lifting mask requirements at some US stores tomorrow

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 01:52 PM PDT

Apple might loosen its mask requirements at some stores after months of taking a cautious approach. Bloombergclaimed to have an Apple memo outlining plans to lift mask requirements at more than 100 of the iPhone maker's roughly 270 US stores. The policy will reportedly apply to stores in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey and New York before spreading to other states and shops. Apple has declined to comment.

The company is lifting the requirements due to declining COVID-19 case numbers and improving vaccination rates, according to the memo. The policy will apply regardless of a customer's vaccination status, although retail staff will still have to wear masks due to longer interactions and closer contact. Stores will still require masks for everyone in areas where the local government demands the safety measure, such as in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.

The company has frequently changed its retail policies as the pandemic has evolved. It has closed and reopened stores based on case levels, for instance. It scrapped the mask requirement in many US stores in June only to bring them back a month later.

Provided the leak is accurate, it's far too soon to say whether or not this policy shift will stick. The pandemic hasn't been entirely predictable, to put it mildly. However, a change in mask requirements would certainly reflect Apple's hopes of returning to pre-pandemic conditions as soon as possible, both in stores and in the office.

Hyundai teases a concept vehicle ahead of planned Ioniq SUV launch

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 01:45 PM PDT

Hyundai has shared a handful of teaser images of the Seven, a new all-electric SUV the automaker plans to debut at the AutoMobility LA show later this month. The company notes the concept "hints at a new SUV model coming to the Ioniq family."

Hyundai Seven
Hyundai

Concept vehicles rarely make it to production without substantial changes, so treat the images accordingly. We probably won't see the Seven's successor come with an array of pixel lights or a lounge-like interior. Of the interior, Hyundai says it's made from sustainable and eco-friendly materials.

Hyundai Seven
Hyundai

In the US, Hyundai's EV family includes the recently launched Ioniq 5. The base model of the crossover features a 72.6-kWh battery that allows it to travel up to 300 miles on a single charge. Hyundai will debut the Seven on November 17th at 12:55PM ET. Afterward, it will stay on display at the LA Auto Show until November 28th, giving the public a chance to see the EV in person.

Porsche 'digital twin' can predict when your car will need service

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 01:21 PM PDT

Wouldn't it be better if your car could recommend service based on when you're likely to need it, not just a fixed schedule? It just might. Porsche is developing a "digital twin" (that is, a virtual copy) that helps predict service requirements based on driving styles. Algorithms can parse a combination of sensor data and "big data" to recommend service based on your driving style. You may need early work on your suspension if you take your car to the track, or the engine if you have a long highway commute.

The system can even anticipate faults before they happen. That will please mechanics, of course, but it could also keep you safe (and spare you additional repair costs) by scheduling maintenance long before there's a crisis.

Porsche doesn't officially launch its first digital twin until 2022, and then only using sensor data. Field testing is already underway however — about half of Taycan owners have volunteered for a pilot that anonymously monitors the EV's air suspension for body acceleration. If the car ventures past certain thresholds, the vehicle tells the driver they may need to visit a repair shop.

The twin system would let automakers ditch fixed maintenance schedules in favor of driver-specific recommendations. Porsche also envisions the algorithms helping even when your car is running flawlessly. You'd have a digital record that could both suggest an accurate selling price for a used car as well as greater transparency for would-be buyers. Car brands could even pitch extended warranties based on the status of your car. So long as companies take privacy into account, though, this could save you more than a little stress (and moments of sheer panic) on the road.

Square makes its Cash App available for teen use

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 12:50 PM PDT

Square is now allowing all teenagers to use Cash App, after restricting it to adults until now. Those aged 13 to 17 will need permission from a parent or guardian to use the app, however.

Users can send money to each other and receive discounts on some purchases. Teens can also use a Visa debit card called Cash Card to pay for goods. They can add the Cash Card to Apple Pay or Google Pay, and they'll receive a physical version of the card too. The card is customizable — you can choose a color and stamps, draw on it or make it glow in the dark. Changing the design costs $5 and there might be ATM withdrawal fees too.

There are some restrictions on accounts for those aged 13 to 17. Those users' parents or guardians will have access to their transaction records, including transfers, and they can shut down a teen's account and Cash Card at any time. Parents and guardians will be the legal owners of teens' accounts (13- to 17-year-olds will be classified as authorized users).

Under 18s will be locked out of some parts of the app too. They won't be able to trade bitcoin or access the Investing, Borrow, Check Deposit, Paper Money Deposit or Cross-Border Payments features. They can't use their Cash Card at certain businesses either, including bars, car rental places or hotels.

To request access to the app, teens will need to enter their parent or guardian's information when they're signing up for a card or sending a peer-to-peer payment form their balance. Cash App will then contact the teen's parent or guardian for approval.

Alphabet's Isomorphic Labs is a new company focused on AI-driven drug discovery

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 12:35 PM PDT

Last year, Alphabet's DeepMind announced its AlphaFold 2 AI showed it could predict how certain proteins would fold in a way that was competitive with experimental data. The news was met with enthusiasm by the scientific community, but it wasn't clear at the time what the breakthrough would mean in practical terms. Now we have a better idea with Alphabet announcing the creation of a new subsidiary called Isomorphic Labs.

The company states its goal is to "reimagine" the process of developing new drugs with an AI-first approach. "We believe that the foundational use of cutting edge computational and AI methods can help scientists take their work to the next level, and massively accelerate the drug discovery process," Demis Hassabis, the founder and CEO of Isomorphic Labs said. Hassabis, who's also the CEO of DeepMind, will serve as the chief executive of the startup while it builds out and hires additional employees.

Isomorphic Labs isn't the first or only company to say it plans to streamline drug development with the help of AI. Since 2012, a startup out of the University of Toronto called Atomwise has had a similar vision. They're both trying to address the problem of skyrocketing drug development costs. A recent 2020 study found that it costs on average $1.3 billion to create a new pharmaceutical. A lot of that has to do with the process itself. As things stand today, researchers physically synthesize each and every promising compound and then test to see if it's safe for human use. And as they have tried to develop treatments for more complicated diseases, fewer drugs are passing human trials.

Riot brings 'League of Legends,' Valorant' and other titles to Epic Games Store

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 11:28 AM PDT

Riot Games is taking its PC titles into new territory as League of Legends, Valorant, Teamfight Tactics and Legends of Runeterra are all now available on the Epic Games Store. The move could get the four free-to-play titles in front of a wider audience.

You'll need to install the new Riot Client (which debuted earlier this month), but you can fire up the games from Epic's app or a desktop shortcut. If you already play any of those games, you'll still be able to sign in with your account and access your existing friends list.

The partnership between Riot and Epic extends to the latter's titles too. League of Legends champion Jinx is dropping into Fortnite, marking the first appearance of a LoL character in a non-Riot game.

The collaboration forms part of Riot's month-long campaign to promote Arcane, the League of Legends animated series that premieres at 10PM ET on November 6th on Netflix. Elsewhere, Riot has also teamed up with Amazon to offer Prime Gaming members some in-game goodies over the next year.

Zero’s 2022 SR electric motorcycle uses in-app purchases for upgrades

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 11:18 AM PDT

For as long as motorcycles have existed, enthusiasts have been upgrading their rides with new components. Taking that idea to the 21st century, the new 2022 SR from Zero Motorcycles allows you to push its capabilities with software updates instead. The motorcycle will ship with the company's Cypher III+ operating system, which includes the Cypher Store. And if you plan to get the most out of the 2022 SR, you'll need to spend money at the marketplace. Post-purchase "DLC" is something we've seen the automotive industry show increasing interest in recent years.

At first, the Cypher Store will offer a mix of performance and comfort upgrades. It will later expand to sell purchases that enable features like a park mode, heated grips and faster charging. How much you'll need to pay for those extras will depend on the model you own.

Zero Motorcycles 2022 SR
Zero Motorcycles

In the case of the 2022 SR, it comes standard with a 14.4 kWh battery. You can upgrade its capacity to 15.6 kWh and then 17.3 kWh. In 2022, Zero Motorcycles will start selling an optional tank accessory that further increases the amount of power the motorcycle's ZF 75-10 electric motor can access. With every possible upgrade, battery capacity increases to 20.9 kWh. At that point, Zero claims you can expect approximately 227 miles of range when driving in a city and about 113 miles at a more consistent 70 miles per hour clip. For charging, the 2022 SR features a standard J1772 connection, which even Tesla sells now.

By default, the 2022 SR's motor outputs 122 lb-ft of torque and 74 horsepower. It can hit a top speed of 104 miles per hour. As you might have guessed, you can pay extra to unlock better performance from the motor. With a $1,795 in-app purchase, power output increases to 113 horsepower, allowing the 2022 SR to go as fast as 124 miles per hour.

The 2022 SR will start at $17,995 when it debuts at dealerships in the first quarter of 2022.

Muoverti says its tilting stationary bike feels like real cycling

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 11:00 AM PDT

While nothing can truly match the real thing, a number of stationary bike companies have tried to replicate the outdoor riding experience. A startup called Muoverti is the latest to take a swing with its TiltBikes.

As the name suggests, the machine can swing from side to side while you're standing and you can lean to turn a virtual corner. "You can balance and steer, accelerate and brake and fully engage legs, core and upper body," a narrator notes in an announcement video.

The on-pedal feel is said to mirror the physical forces of a real bike, such as gravity, incline and inertia. The electromagnetic resistance is controlled by an algorithm that updates a thousand times per second. This, according to the company, enables simulations of factors including drafting, angular wind speed and rolling resistance in real time.

TiltBikes are compatible with training apps including Zwift, RGT and Trainer Road. What's more, there are built-in gaming controls, so you can connect the bike to an Xbox and perhaps squeeze in some Riders Republic as you're getting a workout. The bike can pair with a smartphone, tablet or PC via Bluetooth too.

The thumbstick control on a Muoverti TiltBike.
Muoverti

The frame is swappable, you can switch it out if you have different handlebar or pedal preferences to someone you share a TiltBike with, or go from a time trial setup to a mountain bike one. You'll also be able to monitor your workouts through a companion app that tracks more than 20 stats in real time.

These aren't exactly the first tilting stationary bikes on the market. Bowflex's Velocore, for instance, can stay locked in place or switch to leaning mode. Alternatively, you can put a bike on rocker plates for that side-to-side motion.

It appears Muoverti's goal is to bring together elements from other bikes and to elevate the experience. As it stands, some features that serious cyclists will be looking for don't seem to be available, such as vertical climb simulation, so it might be a better fit for more casual riders. Still, with its stylish frames, TiltBikes look a bit more like actual bikes than rival models.

Muoverti hasn't announced pricing for TiltBikes as yet, though given that some configurations don't include a display, they could prove less expensive than some other models. The company plans to ship the stationary bikes in 2022, giving you some time to find a decent wind machine to get the full outdoor riding effect.

A rider on a Muoverti TiltBike using a virtual training experience that's displayed on a TV.
Muoverti

'League of Legends' champion Jinx arrives in 'Fortnite'

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 10:44 AM PDT

Game marketing is creating more strange bedfellows. Epic Games is addingLeague of Legends champion Jinx to Fortnite today (November 4th) at 8PM Eastern, just ahead of her debut in the Netflix series Arcane on November 6th. She'll be available in the battle royale shooter's Item Shop alongside themed gear like a pickaxe, spray, Back Bling, a lobby soundtrack and loading screens.

It's not a one-way partnership, either. Riot Games is bringing League of Legends, Runeterra, Teamfight Tactics and Valorantto the Epic Games Store. This won't matter much if you're a fan (you probably downloaded those games a long time ago), but it might expose some Fortnite players to Riot's titles.

Epic has been rapidly expanding its gaming-themed expansions in recent months. It just added two Resident Evil heroes in late October, and previous updates have added characters from the likes of God of War, Halo and Street Fighter. However, the League of Legends update is unique as a tie-in for a streaming TV series — it's about as convenient a promotional tool as you can get.

Spider-Man will hit 'Marvel's Avengers' on November 30th, but only on PS4 and PS5

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 10:33 AM PDT

At long last, Crystal Dynamics has revealed exactly when Spider-Man will arrive in Marvel's Avengers. The iconic superhero will join the PS4 and PS5 versions of the game on November 30th as a PlayStation exclusive.

There will be a hero event to accompany Spidey's debut. After discovering AIM's plan to make its Synthoid army unstoppable, Spider-Man teams up with the Avengers to tackle the threat. Crystal Dynamics hasn't offered a proper look at its take look on the hero yet, unfortunately.

The studio initially said it would add Spider-Man early this year, but that obviously didn't pan out. Kate Bishop and Clint Barton (both of whom have been known as Hawkeye) also arrived in Marvel's Avengers later than planned.

Along with Spider-Man, an update later this month will add more cosmetic items (including outfits inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe), a new type of enemy called Echoes and a Klaw raid. The resource and gear upgrade systems will also be reworked and the power level cap will be increased.

The Spider-Man announcement follows an especially rough week for the game. In its annual report, Square Enix called Marvel's Avengers "an ambitious title for us in that we took on the GaaS (Games as a Service) model," though the game had "unfortunately not proven as successful as we would have liked." The report also notes that "the new challenge that we tackled with this title produced a disappointing outcome." Yikes. Crystal Dynamics also removed the widely reviled XP and resource booster microtransactions on Tuesday.

The initial sales of Marvel's Avengers were lower than Square Enix expected, and the company posted a loss of around $67 million for the quarter in which it was released. There's been a bit of a turnaround since then, though. The Black Panther expansion was well received and the game recently landed on Xbox Game Pass. However, Xbox players won't be able to swing into battle with Peter Parker.

AT&T and Verizon will delay 5G expansion over aircraft safety issues

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 09:45 AM PDT

You may have to wait a while to take advantage of C-band 5G's potentially higher speeds. The Wall Street Journal has learned that AT&T and Verizon are delaying their C-band rollouts by at least a month to help the Federal Aviation Administration address aircraft interference concerns. They had originally planned to use the newly available frequencies on December 5th, but AT&T said it was pushing its launch to January 5th after the Transportation Department requested a delay.

Verizon hasn't formally confirmed its delay, but it will reportedly move the C-band 5G deployment by "about a month" in step with its rival. We've asked the carrier for comment.

The FAA wants to issue requirements that bar pilots from using some automated poor-weather safety systems that might conflict with the new 5G technology, according to The Journal's sources. Air transport industry figures are worried this could play havoc with flights, but telecoms claim there's no evidence to suggest the expanded 5G will create problems.

Both wireless networks have a strong incentive to keep any delays to a minimum. The C-band slice they're using (between 3.7GHz and 3.98GHz) represents a sweet spot for 5G service with more bandwidth than low- or mid-band 5G, but without nearly as much interference as millimeter wave frequencies. It could alleviate congestion in other frequency bands, too. The expansion promises a more substantial improvement over LTE that could drive subscriptions, not to mention more upgrades to 5G phones.

Google is testing an easier way to search for files in Drive

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 09:13 AM PDT

If you use Google Drive frequently, there's a good chance the included search tool has not been helpful to you at times. Simply typing in what you might think will lead you to the file you're looking for can instead generate overly broad results that don't go anywhere. Drawing inspiration from Gmail, Google hopes to fix that problem by introducing a new set of filters below the search bar that allow users to quickly and easily refine any query. As you can see from the GIF the company shared, you can limit results by file type, modification date, location and more.

Google Drive search chips
Google

Google Drive already offers a way to filter files, but the company has hidden that feature behind a sub-menu you access by tapping the right-most icon on the search bar. So it's safe to say most people probably don't know it even exists. By contrast, the new "search chips" are impossible to miss. If you want to check them out in their beta form, there's a sign-up form. When the search chips are ready, they'll be available to all Workspace users.

Facebook is adding monetization features to groups

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 09:00 AM PDT

Facebook is bringing monetization features into yet another part of its service: groups. The social network is testing new tools that allow group admins to make money, with new shopping, fundraising and subscription features.

The company announced the updates at its annual Communities Summit event, where it said the new features will help people who run groups "sustain" the communities they have built. With the changes, Facebook is group admins three ways to monetize their communities. The first two, community shops and fundraisers, mirror features elsewhere on the platform. Community shops is an extension of Facebook's existing features, and allows group admins to sell themed merch or other goods. Likewise, fundraisers will enable admins to crowdfund specific projects or otherwise "offset the costs of running the group."

But the third feature is entirely new: paid subgroups. Subgroups are essentially smaller groups-within-a-group where members pay a monthly fee to participate. While Facebook is also allowing group admins to set up free subgroups, the paid version of the feature is the company's latest effort to create subscription-based products. Elsewhere, Facebook has been hyping subscriptions as a way for creators to make money, either via newsletters or fan subscriptions for streamers. In the context of groups, subscriptions are meant to enable access to exclusive or specialized content like "coaching or networking or deeper conversations."

facebook is enabling group admins to make money.
Facebook

Maria Smith, Facebook's VP of Communities says that Facebook doesn't expect all groups will want or need paid features, but that many groups already sell their own merch or organize fundraisers. So bringing the tools directly to them could be useful. On the other hand, groups have also been home to Facebook's most toxic and divisive content, and the company has at times struggled to keep problematic groups in check.

Given Facebook's track record here, it feels almost inevitable that some groups will find a way to misuse these tools (Facebook is planning a slow rollout, so most groups won't have access to these features right away.) Smith notes that subgroups will have the same moderation tools as the wider group and that it could in some cases make it easier for admin to handle. "It's going to classify the discussions in the different subgroups and then they can manage them more efficiently," she said. She added that groups and subgroups will also be required to follow the company's commerce guidelines and fundraising rules.

As much as groups have been maligned, the feature is also the one that Facebook frequently points to as proof that its platform can bring people together and be a force for good. Facebook has also indicated that groups will play an important role in its plan to build a metaverse. "We're focused on building bridges from our apps on 2D screens into more immersive virtual experiences," Mark Zuckerberg said at the start of Thursday's event. "Facebook, and your groups, are going to be central to this."

Zuckerberg is still explaining what a Metaverse means for the social network and the company now known as Meta. But it's not hard to imagine that today's Facebook groups could one day inhabit virtual spaces within the metaverse, though that vision is still "a ways off," says Smith.

In addition to the new monetization features, Facebook announced several other updates for groups, including:

  • New customization features that allow admins to change background colors, font styles and other aspects of the way groups look

  • Community chats to make it easier for admins and group moderators to reach each other

  • A new "featured" section so group admins can pin content that stays at the top of the group

  • Facebook also plans to start testing a new set of features that will streamline the groups and Pages experience for admins who manage both a group and a corresponding page. It's still not totally clear exactly how this will work, but Facebook says the goal is to bring some group-specific features, like moderation tools, into Pages while also giving admins the ability to "use an official voice when interacting with their community."

Blue Origin loses lawsuit over NASA's SpaceX lunar lander contract (updated)

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 08:11 AM PDT

Blue Origin has failed in its lawsuit against NASA over SpaceX's lunar lander contract. CNBCreports the Federal Court of Claims has ruled against Blue Origin, dismissing the company's claims. While the opinion is currently sealed, Blue Origin's case had revolved around accusations NASA ignored "key flight safety requirements" when handing the Human Landing System to SpaceX.

The opinion will be publicly available sometime after November 18th, when both sides of the lawsuit are expected to supply redactions. NASA put SpaceX's work on hold following the lawsuit, but efforts should resume November 8th.

Blue Origin previously challenged the contract through the Government Accountability Office only to be rejected in July, leading Jeff Bezos' outfit to respond with a lawsuit. The firm even tried drastically undercutting SpaceX with a $2 billion bid, arguing at the time that NASA has historically awarded contracts to multiple partners to make sure a mission launches on time.

The outcome isn't surprising given NASA's own skepticism. The agency believed Blue Origin was gambling with its initial $5.9 billion proposal on flawed assumptions that NASA would both haggle down the price and receive the funding needed to cover a more expensive bid. Blue Origin disagreed with the assessment and felt it made a good offer, but that still suggests NASA preferred SpaceX for its lower pricing instead of any unfair criteria.

In a statement, Blue Origin portrayed the ruling as a partial victory. The case allegedly "highlighted the important safety issues" in HLS procurement. and showed the need for an "unprejudiced" process that spurred competition and included backup systems. The company was also keen to tout its continued involvement with the Artemis program, including development of lunar resource systems, robotics and sensors. It's not clear if Blue Origin will challenge the outcome (we've asked about this), but we wouldn't be shocked if there was an appeal. You can read the full statement below.

Our lawsuit with the Court of Federal Claims highlighted the important safety issues with the Human Landing System procurement process that must still be addressed. Returning astronauts safely to the Moon through NASA's public-private partnership model requires an unprejudiced procurement process alongside sound policy that incorporates redundant systems and promotes competition. Blue Origin remains deeply committed to the success of the Artemis program, and we have a broad base of activity on multiple contracts with NASA to achieve the United States' goal to return to the Moon to stay. We are fully engaged with NASA to mature sustainable lander designs, conduct a wide variety of technology risk reductions, and provide Commercial Lunar Payload Services. We are also under contract with NASA to develop in-situ resource utilization technology, lunar space robotics, and lunar landing sensor collaboration including testing on New Shepard. We look forward to hearing from NASA on next steps in the HLS procurement process.

In a tweet, Bezos said: "Not the decision we wanted, but we respect the court's judgment, and wish full success for NASA and SpaceX on the contract."

Update 11/4, 1:50PM ET:NASA said it would resume work with SpaceX "as soon as possible" following the decision. It added that it was working with multiple companies on Artemis projects, such as a 2022 request for recurring lunar landing services.

'Sociable Soccer' comes to PC and consoles in spring 2022

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 07:47 AM PDT

It took several years, but the Sensible Soccer sequel is finally close to launching on PCs and consoles. Tower Studios and KPL have revealed that Sociable Soccer will reach PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X/S and Steam in the second quarter (aka spring) of 2022. The developer isn't yet ready to show the game in action, but it's promising improved gameplay, sharper graphics and better matchmaking than the Apple Arcade version you see here.

If you bought the Early Access release on Steam in 2017, you won't have to pay again. Tower is promising a new code when Sociable Soccer is available through Valve's store.

As you'd expect, Sociable Soccer is practically the antithesis of 'realistic' soccer games like FIFA 22. It's meant to be fast, easy to grasp and whimsical. You can send emojis to your rival, for starters. It won't appeal to diehards who demand real teams and players, but it might fit the bill if you're looking for a quick footie fix.

The best gifts for the aspiring influencer in your life

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 07:30 AM PDT

Thankfully, you don't have to understand the world of social media in order to buy gifts for the TikTokers, Instagrammers, YouTubers and live streamers in your life. The basics of content creation are relatively simple — lights, camera, action — and the rest is all about personal style. And hashtags, of course. If your holiday list is filled with folks who live online, these are the gifts that are sure to make them.

Elgato Stream Deck MK.2

Items for the Engadget 2021 Holiday Gift Guide.
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

Being a social media influencer is a busy business, and nothing helps organize all of those apps like Elgato's Stream Deck MK.2. The Stream Deck features 15 customizable LCD buttons that can be used to easily launch and manage all sorts of crucial programs, such as YouTube, Spotify, PhotoShop and OBS. You can usually find the MK.2 for around $150, and it's sold alongside seven faceplates that make it look cute even when it's just sitting there, available for $10 each. — Jessica Conditt, Senior Editor

Buy Elgato Stream Deck at Amazon - $150

Fujifilm X-T4

Items for the Engadget 2021 Holiday Gift Guide.
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

If you're going all-in this holiday season, you might as well get the best. When it comes to APS-C cameras, it's hard to beat Fujifilm's X-T4. It captures incredibly sharp images with color-accurate results, plus it shoots video in 4K. It has the essential flip-out display and excellent image stabilization, and all-around, it's considered among the best. If it helps, think of this one as an investment in your loved one's small social media business. — J.C.

Buy Fujifilm X-T4 at B&H - $1,700

Illuminated Dreamz Custom TikTok sign

Items for the Engadget 2021 Holiday Gift Guide.
Illuminated Dreamz

Most of us will never be professional social media stars, but a custom LED-lit sign with your TikTok handle is cool enough you might just feel like one. The signs allow you to illuminate your handle in color-changing LEDs, alongside the TikTok logo, of course. And if your social media platform of choice isn't TikTok, there are YouTube and Twitch options available, too. The sign even comes with a remote control so you can change up the lighting colors and settings to suit your mood — or your stream. — Karissa Bell, Senior Editor

Buy custom sign at Etsy - $95

Kawaii Cat Ring Light

Items for the Engadget 2021 Holiday Gift Guide.
Kawaii Lighting

You've probably seen your share of ring lights, but you probably haven't seen one with built in cat ears. Is it a little extra? Yes. Is it the cutest ring light you've ever seen? Also yes. But besides being cute, Kawaii Lighting's cat ring light is also a really solid ring light. At 65W with 10 levels of dimming, it can go from super-bright to just-bright-enough, and the included remote control should make it easy to change things up. It also comes with a 68-inch adjustable stand and three phone mounts built in so you can get the perfect angle (or angles) with each shot. — K.B.

Buy ring light at Kawaii Lighting - $199

Lightsmoon Line Lamp

Items for the Engadget 2021 Holiday Gift Guide.
Lightsmoon

Here's where that personal style comes into play. The Line Lamp by Lightsmoon is an elegant, minimalist light that creates instant vibes. The Line Lamp is designed to fit in the corner of a room or near a wall, where its 150cm-tall bar glows against the surface, reflecting light all around. It supports a near-infinite range of colors and has more than 300 lighting effects, while the frame itself comes in black or white. — J.C.

Buy Line Lamp at Lightsmoon - $120

Neewer Green Screen

Items for the Engadget 2021 Holiday Gift Guide.
Neewer

A green screen is the ideal way for a streamer or YouTuber to start stepping up their content. Having a physical green screen gives you way more flexibility to play with your background or just to get rid of anything distracting in your surroundings. This one is great because at about 60 inches wide and 78 inches tall, you'll have plenty of space to work without feeling cramped. And, when you're done, it folds up neatly into an easily portable aluminum case. — K.B.

Buy green screen at Amazon - $162

Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition

Items for the Engadget 2021 Holiday Gift Guide.
Razer

Don't ask about the cat ears — just support the person in your life who wants to wear them. Razer is an iconic gaming brand, making the Kraken BT Kitty Edition perfect for the live streamer or e-girl influencer in your life. The headset supports Bluetooth 5.0 (that's what the "BT" stands for, though there's also a black wired version for $150), it's pink and it has two light-up cat ears right on top. The Kraken BT Kitty Edition uses Razer Chroma RGB to power the lights on the ears — both feline and the actual ear cups — meaning it's all customizable as well. — J.C.

Buy Kraken BT Kitty Edition at Amazon - $100

SoJourner Holographic Rave Fanny Pack

Items for the Engadget 2021 Holiday Gift Guide.
SoJourner

It takes a lot of accessories, gadgets and gear to manage a successful social presence, and the Holographic Rave Fanny Pack from SoJourner is the perfect way to keep it all contained in a trendy bag. The pack comes in a range of colorways to fit your loved one's unique style, with three pockets and an adjustable waistband. Best of all, it's only around $20. — J.C.

Buy fanny pack at Amazon - $17

What Do You Meme TikTok Edition

Items for the Engadget 2021 Holiday Gift Guide.
What Do You Meme

What better gift for the social-obsessed than the TikTok edition of What Do You Meme. Like other iterations of the game, it borrows meme-worthy moments from IRL (in this case, TikToK) and players compete to come up with the funniest captions. The game itself is simple enough that even those with zero knowledge of TikTok can play, but should still have enough Easter eggs to keep the real fans engaged. As an added bonus, the TikTok version of the game also has QR codes on the back that will take you straight to the corresponding video on each card. — K.B.

Buy What Do You Meme at Amazon - $25

T-Mobile offers subscribers a year of free Paramount+

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 07:09 AM PDT

T-Mobile is offering its customers another perk. Folks with a new or existing T-Mobile or Sprint postpaid cell or home internet plan can snag a year of access to Paramount+ Essential at no extra cost starting on November 9th. T-Mobile also offers subscribers on eligible plans free access to Apple TV+ and Netflix.

Paramount+ Essential is the lower tier of the streaming service and it typically costs $5/month or $50/year. There are some ads and although you won't be able to stream your local CBS station, you can catch live NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League games. The offer is also open to current Paramount+ subscribers.

Even though it won't cost T-Mobile subscribers anything extra for a year, they'll still need a credit card to sign up for Paramount+. If you don't cancel your plan before the year is up, Paramount+ will start charging for a monthly subscription. So it's probably worth setting a reminder to cancel if you don't plan to keep using the service after 12 months — Paramount+ won't send you a reminder that your free access is running out. 

Along with live sports, Paramount+ offers a wide selection of shows from CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and other Viacom networks, as well as Paramount movies such as A Quiet Place Part II and PAW Patrol: The Movie. Paramount+ has originals as well, of course, including severalStar Trek shows, Evil, South Park movies and the terrific The Good Fight. 

Google lets Android apps use third-party payments in South Korea

Posted: 04 Nov 2021 06:42 AM PDT

Google is honoring South Korea's law requiring support for third-party payments, but not quite in the way you might have expected. The Wall Street Journalreports Google will allow the use of alternative payment systems for Play Store apps in South Korea. Check out with a supporting app and you'll have the choice of billing methods for the transaction. However, this won't let developers duck Google's fees.

The company stressed that it would still charge service fees, but would cut that cost by four percent to help offset costs from running a separate billing system. E-book and music streaming app developers would pay Google a six percent cut instead of the previous 10 percent, for instance, while most creators will pay 11 percent instead of 15 percent. Some very popular developers won't see much change at all, though, dropping from 30 percent to 26 percent. More implementation details are coming in the "weeks and months" ahead. 

Senior public policy director Wilson White argued that Google still needed to take a cut to "continue to invest" in Android and the Play Store. The fees help keep those platforms free, White said. They also fund the advancement of Android, developer tools and security.

Whether or not Korean regulators will accept Google's approach isn't clear. The new law doesn't bar Google from taking a slice of in-app purchases, but the small drop in fees might not be enough to offset the costs of third-party systems. The law was meant to open up app stores and foster competition — that won't happen if it's too cost-prohibitive to use third-party payments. While this might stop Google from suing developers who offer alternatives, it may still discourage those developers from considering alternatives in the first place.
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