Tuesday, December 14, 2021

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Amazon reportedly plans to expand its grocery delivery business

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 04:13 PM PST

Amazon may soon more directly compete with Instacart. According to The Information, the company has spent much of the last year trialing a product known internally as Amazon Fresh Marketplace. The service allows UK Prime subscribers to order groceries from two major supermarket brands, with same-day delivery fulfilled by the company's Flex drivers. In 2022, Amazon reportedly plans to bring the service to the US and the majority of Europe.

Amazon declined to comment on the specifics of its plans but did share a statement with Engadget. "Our focus is on providing Amazon customers the best possible experience when it comes to grocery delivery whether that is from Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, or one of our local stores like Bartell's in Seattle, Morrison's in London, or Monoprix in Paris," a spokesperson for the company said. "Partnerships with other grocers enable more customers to shop online and allow us to provide Amazon Prime members with more choice, value and convenience while our partners benefit from increased visibility for their selection and service."

If the service does come to the US, it wouldn't be Amazon's first foray into the grocery delivery market. Since 2020, the company has offered a Whole Foods delivery service through its Flex program. The company has also more broadly experimented with food delivery. The most notable example was in 2015 when it launched Amazon Restaurants, allowing Prime members to order food from their favorite local spots. In 2019, Amazon shut down both its Restaurants business and Daily Dish, a workplace lunch delivery service it had operated for two years.

Hyundai's Ioniq 5 EV crossover will start at $39,700 when it arrives

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 03:15 PM PST

Hyundai finally announced pricing for its hotly anticipated Ioniq 5 crossover EV, which is scheduled to hit select dealer show floors later this month. Depending on the battery size and drive type, prospective buyers should expect to pay between $39,700 and $54,500 for one of their own.

The Ioniq 5 will be available in three trim levels — SE, SEL, and Limited — and come with either a 77.4kWh pack, which is rated for 303 miles of range using RWD (256 miles with AWD), or a smaller 58-kWh battery with 220 miles of range. 

Don't expect to see any of the smaller battery models on US roads to start. Hyundai is initially focusing on producing units with the larger battery pack and saving the 220 mile, 168 HP SE Standard Range until spring 2022. The 303-mile, 225HP rear motor SE starts at $43,650 ($47,150 for the 320 HP, AWD version, the RWD SEL will cost $45,900 ($49,500 for AWD) and the top of the line Limited will go for $50,600 as an RWD ($54,500 for AWD). Optional features and a $1,225 freight charges are of course extra. 

Hyundai's pricing point puts the Ioniq 5 on par with the 2021 Kia Niro EV, which starts at $39,090, and the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 with its $39,995 MSRP — even if you splurge for the Ioniq's higher trim levels, you'll only begin to stray into, say, the Mach-E's introductory price range ($42,895 for the base, $48,100 for Premium, and a smooth $60k for a GT). 

Will the Ioniq 5's performance live up to the hype? Will its features overdeliver given its surprisingly affordable price tag? Find out later this week when our First Look at Hyundai's newest EV goes live. Stay tuned!  

 

Assassin's Creed crossover brings together two characters separated by 1,300 years

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 02:35 PM PST

With a narrative that has spanned the course of history, Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise has frequently seen some of its characters overlap with one another. In Assassin's Creed Rogue, for instance, we saw protagonist Shay Cormac run into Adéwalé of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Haytham Kenway of Assassin's Creed III. But those characters were all contemporaries of one another, and Ubisoft is now doing something different.

As part of the franchise's first crossover event, the publisher is adding new story missions to Odyssey and Valhalla that will see protagonists Kassandra and Eivor come face-to-face. What's an ancient Greek doing in 9th century England? We don't know, but presumably, the Animus has something to do with it, and the event may even be a hint of what we can expect from the franchise's rumored online entry. The first story, "Those Who Are Treasured," will take place in Odyssey, while the second, "A Fated Encounter," will debut in Valhalla. Both will be available once the 1.4.1 and 1.5.6 title updates for their respective games launch on December 14th. By completing the stories, you'll earn new equipment for your character.

On Monday, Ubisoft also announced Dawn of Ragnarök, the newest DLC for Valhalla. The publisher is billing the release as its most ambitious Assassin's Creed expansion to date. It will add approximately 35 hours of additional gameplay that will explore more of Eivor's connection to Odin. Ubisoft plans to release the DLC on March 10th, 2022.

Amazon's casualties in Illinois aren't an isolated incident

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 02:04 PM PST

Tornadoes ripped through six states on Friday, killing dozens. Among the dead were six workers at an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, IL, which collapsed while they sheltered inside. The incident is now the subject of an OSHA investigation.

The mass casualty event is likely Kentucky's "deadliest tornado system in state history," according to ABC. The twisters also touched down in December, well outside the normal tornado season. While this may have been an unusually extreme weather event for many reasons, Amazon's decision to schedule its workers during potentially deadly conditions isn't. Reportedly, at the time the cyclone touched down in warehouse's parking lot — producing winds estimated at 155 miles per hour — the facility was not only operating, but undergoing a shift change. 

Amazon operates a staggering number of fulfillment, sortation and delivery centers across the country, and as a result, some of them are bound to be taken by surprise by the forces of nature. Excessive snow on the roof of one warehouse in Pennsylvania resulted in an evacuation when workers noticed the it buckling. Two contractors were killed by a collapsing wall when a tornado touched down without warning in Baltimore. 

But the National Weather Service had been warning of possible tornadoes 36 hours ahead of the deaths in Edwardsville; the morning before the storms it cautioned of the "likely threat" of "damaging winds in excess of 60 mph." Edwardsville is in what FEMA categorizes as Wind Zone IV, the part of the country at the greatest risk of tornadoes. 

Amazon is perhaps better known in media coverage for its punishing productivitygoals. But its operating standards have produced a pattern of incidents where workers were expected to clock in during extreme weather events. Warehouses stayed open during tropical depression Ida in September, the torrential rains of which caused widespread flooding and led to 14 deaths in New York. Some of Amazon's drivers told me they were delivering packages through the floodwaters of hurricane Irma back in 2017.

The Camp Fire of 2018 was the deadliest and costliest wildfire in California's history. Smoke from the destruction also briefly made Sacramento the most polluted city on earth. Despite air quality warnings being issued for the city on November 8th, an Amazon warehouse there did not send its workers home until the afternoon of the 10th. 

By far, however, the most pervasive issue across Amazon's warehouses has been extreme heat. Workers in the Pacific Northwest were expected to report for duty during a historic heatwave this past summer which was eventually deemed a mass casualty event. Specifically, a worker complained that some areas of a warehouse in Kent lacked fans, and estimated temperature inside hit 90 degrees. New York warehouse workers also reported fainting and excessive heat around the same time. In May of this year, excessive heat led to a death inside the company's Bessemer, Alabama warehouse. 

These are only some of the most recent examples. Workers have been lodging similar complaints for at least a decade about dangerous temperatures inside Amazon's facilities in Chicago, Portland and Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, among others. Even when immediate symptoms like fainting, vomiting or heat stroke are not present, long term heat exposure can exacerbate existing health problems such as heart conditions and asthma. 

None of this speaks to criticisms of Amazon's safety measures related to COVID-19, or its objectively sky-high injury rate compared to other warehousing operations.

What's concerning is that, according to the overwhelming majority of the scientific community, severe winds, rain and heat are likely to get worse due to man-made climate change. Amazon, however, has not offered a satisfactory explanation for why it continues to schedule shifts during potentially deadly weather, nor would it provide Engadget with any details of the extreme weather plan in effect at the Edwardsville facility. 

"We're deeply saddened by the news that members of our Amazon family passed away as a result of the storm in Edwardsville, IL," an Amazon spokesperson told Engadget. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their loved ones, and everyone impacted by the tornado. We also want to thank all the first responders for their ongoing efforts on scene. We're continuing to provide support to our employees and partners in the area."

If you're an employee or contractor for Amazon and would like to discuss workplace issues confidentially, you can reach me on Signal at 646.983.9846

Poland is investigating Apple's cross-app tracking policy over antitrust concerns

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 12:58 PM PST

Poland's Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has opened an investigation into Apple's App Tracking Transparency feature. Introduced with iOS 14.5, it's a prompt developers had to add to their apps to ask iOS users for their permission to track them across apps. Apple announced the feature at WWDC 2020. It was initially scheduled to launch alongside iOS 14, but the company subsequently delayed it to give developers more time for implementation.

The feature was almost immediately controversial with advertisers. In particular, Meta, then known as Facebook, said it would have potentially dire effects on its ad network. Now, Poland's competition watchdog is investigating ATT, in part due to antitrust concerns. The regulator contends it "does not mean that users' information is no longer being collected and that they do not receive personalized ads." At the same time, it says it has concerns Apple may have introduced the feature to promote Apple Search Ads.

"During the course of our investigation, we want to examine whether Apple's actions may be aimed at eliminating competitors in the market for personalized advertising services, the objective being to better sell their own service," said Tomasz Chróstny, the President of UOKiK.

We've reached out to Apple for comment.

As noted by TechCrunch, the probe follows a recent study from adblocker Lockdown Privacy that questioned the effectiveness of the App Tracking Transparency feature. The study claims the feature only creates "the illusion of privacy." While the vast majority of iPhone owners have used the feature to opt out of app tracking, researchers found ATT "made no difference" in the total number of active third-party trackers.

Apple delays macOS Universal Control until spring 2022

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 12:27 PM PST

All the way back at WWDC, Apple showed off a feature called Universal Control, which will let users control multiple Macs and iPads with a single mouse and keyboard or trackpad. When it released macOS Monterey in October, Apple said that feature and SharePlay would arrive on Macs later in the fall. Although SharePlay is now available on Mac, you'll need to wait a bit longer for Universal Control.

Apple quietly updated its website to state that Universal Control won't be available until spring 2022. The delay, which was spotted by 9to5 Mac, might come as a disappointment to those who were hoping for more seamless connectivity between their devices in the near future. Still, it's better to make sure the feature is working correctly instead of releasing a potentially buggy version.

When it does arrive, the feature will be available on MacBook and Macbook Pro (2016 and later), the 2019 Mac Pro, MacBook Air (2018 and later), iMac (2017 and later) and the 5K Retina 27-inch iMac from late 2015. As for supported tablets, you'll be able to use iPad Pro, iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad (6th generation and later) and iPad mini (5th generation and later) with Universal Control.

You'll need to be logged into iCloud with the same Apple ID on all devices. You can connect them over USB, or you can use Universal Control wirelessly as long as the devices are within 30 feet of each other.

Apple releases Tracker Detect to protect Android users from AirTags stalkers

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 11:38 AM PST

Apple has released Tracker Detect, a new Android app designed to help those without an iOS device to find out if someone is using an AirTag or other Find My-compatible device to snoop their location. When the software finds a nearby AirTag that's been separated from its owner, it will flag it as an "Unknown AirTag." If it then follows you for 10 minutes, you can use the app to tell the tracker to play a sound, making it easier to find. At that point, you can tap the device with your NFC-compatible phone and you'll get instructions on how to remove its battery or otherwise disable it.

You don't need an Apple account to use the app. As mentioned above, it can also detect Find My-compatible trackers like the Chipolo One Spot. "AirTag provides industry-leading privacy and security features and today we are extending new capabilities to Android devices. Tracker Detect gives Android users the ability to scan for an AirTag or supported Find My enabled item trackers that might be traveling with them without their knowledge," an Apple spokesperson told Engadget. "We are raising the bar on privacy for our users and the industry, and hope others will follow."

The release of Tracker Detect comes following multiple incidents of bad actors abusing AirTags to stalk people. In Canada, for example, police recently warned of thieves using the $29 device to steal expensive cars. In June, Apple, in a separate effort to limit abuse, updated its trackers to play a sound between eight and 24 hours after they're separated from their owner, instead of after three days as was the case at launch.

How much good Tracker Detect does to protect people will depend on how many people download it. Unlike with iOS, which sends proactive warnings when it detects errant AirTags, this is an app you need to install to your Android device. Its protections aren't built into Android, at least not yet. 

Apple brings SharePlay to macOS Monterey

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 11:21 AM PST

It's a big firmware day for Apple. Not only is the company rolling out updates for iPhone, iPad and HomePod, macOS Monterey‌ 12.1 is now available. Perhaps the most notable new feature is SharePlay, which allows up to 32 people to enjoy the same TV shows, movies, music and livestreams and more in sync with each other on FaceTime calls.

Along with Apple services like TV+, Apple Music and Fitness+, a bunch of third-party apps support SharePlay, including Paramount+, TikTok, Twitch and NBA. Anyone on the call can pause, play, fast forward or rewind the content and Apple will automatically lower the volume of the music or video when someone speaks. You'll be able to share your screen through SharePlay as well.

Apple released SharePlay on iPhone and iPad in October. The company rolled out macOS Monterey on the same day, and said it would bring SharePlay to desktops later in the fall.

Many features Apple brought to iPhone and iPad today have landed on macOS Monterey too. They include support for the $5 per month voice-only plan for Apple Music and a safety setting that warns children when they send or receive an image containing nudity in Messages. The Digital Legacy program lets users denote a trusted contact who can access their iCloud account and personal information when they die, while iCloud+ subscribers can generate unique, random email addresses with the Hide My Email feature in the Mail app.

Elsewhere, Apple has redesigned the memories feature in the Photos app with a new interface, fresh transitions and animations and "multiple image collages." There are more memory types as well, such as extra international holidays, trends over time, ones centered around kids and improved memories for pets.

The company also squished some bugs in macOS Monterey 12.1. It said that, previously, "HDR video playback on YouTube.com could cause 2021 MacBook Pro computers to panic." That shouldn't be a problem anymore. An issue that prevented external displays from charging some MacBook Pro and MacBook Air systems via a Thunderbolt or USB-C connection should be resolved too, while some menu bar options will no longer be obscured by the dreaded notch on the latest MacBook Pro.

Apple Music's Siri-only plan is now available as iOS 15.2 rolls out

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 10:34 AM PST

Apple has released its latest firmware updates for iPhone and iPad. One of the more notable features Apple is adding in iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2 is the Voice Plan for Apple Music. For $5 per month, subscribers can access the full library of songs, playlists and radio stations via Siri. 

On iPhone and iPad, you'll be able to access an App Privacy Report, which provides details of the data that Apple and third-party apps accessed during the previous seven days. The report shows how often apps use things like location, photos, camera, microphone and contacts, as well as their network activity.

Also new is Apple's Digital Legacy feature. You can designate contacts who can access your personal information and your iCloud account when you die.

Elsewhere, there's another safety setting for Messages. It will provide children with warnings and helpful resources when they receive or send photos containing nudity. Apple announced this feature alongside CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) detection tools in August. It planned to release the updates as part of iOS 15, but delayed them following a backlash.

Other iPhone and iPad updates include a way to browse, buy, and rent movies and TV shows in one place in the TV app; a macro photo option for the ultra wide lens on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max; an enhanced city map in Apple Maps on CarPlay; and the Hide My Email tool for iCloud+ subscribers in the Mail app.

HomePod OS 15.2 is rolling out too. The original HomePod and HomePod mini now support the Apple Music Voice plan, as well as Siri voice recognition for additional languages. 

Apple also released macOS Monterey today. Along with the new Apple Music plan, SharePlay is available on supported Macs.

GTA Online's next update will add a music station hosted by Latin Grammy winner Rosalía

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 10:03 AM PST

When Grand Theft Auto Online's "The Contract" expansion arrives later this week, Dr. Dre won't be the only musician joining the game. The DLC will also add a new station hosted by Rosalía and Arca, Rockstar Games announced on Monday. Motomami Los Santos will see the frequent collaborators play music from the likes of Popcaan, Daddy Yankee and Caroline Polachek of Chairlift fame.

The station will also play "La Fama," the first single off of Rosalía's upcoming third album, Motomami. While they're not household names, both Rosalía and Arca have found a lot of success in their respective genres. Rosalía, in particular, has won eight Latin Grammy Awards, including an album of the year award for her sophomore release, El Mal Querer.

In addition to Motomami Los Santos, The Contract will include updates for two existing in-game stations. Radio Los Santos will add new tracks from Hit-Boy, Freddie Gibbs, Future and Tyler, The Creator, while West Coast Classics will host a new segment dedicated to Dr. Dre. It will feature career-defining collaborations the rapper recorded with 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Nas and others.

Rockstar Games will release The Contract on December 15th. After the 16th, GTA Online will only be available on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Adobe's Creative Cloud Express is a multimedia creation suite for web and mobile

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 09:42 AM PST

Adobe has rebranded its Spark multimedia creation suite as Creative Cloud Express and created a standalone version. The idea is to help folks create rich visual content like social media posts, stories, flyers and banners using a straightforward drag-and-drop interface. Along with a fairly generous free plan, there's a $10 per month or $99 a year premium option.

The free version includes thousands of templates, fonts and design assets as well as some royalty-free photos. You'll have access to some basic editing tools and photo effects on the web and mobile, including background removal and animation. You'll get 2 GB of cloud storage too.

While that might be enough for more casual users, professionals might find the premium plan more suitable. Along with everything from the free tier, they'll get access to all premium design assets and templates (around 50,000, according to a demo), more than 20,000 fonts and all of Adobe's 160 million+ royalty-free stock images.

A brand manager will allow paid users to include their logo, branding, colors and fonts with a single tap, which could be a major time saver and help maintain a consistent design language. There are more in-depth editing features, such as graphic groups, resizing and refine cutout. You'll be able to import and export PDFs and other file types.

There's integration with Creative Cloud Libraries. All Express assets and templates can be edited and managed across other Creative Cloud apps. You'll also get 100 GB of storage. In addition, the premium plan includes access to features from other Adobe apps. They include video capture and editing on mobile and desktop (Premiere Rush); combining photos and creating collages (Photoshop Express); video slideshows (Spark Video); and building web pages from text and images (Spark Page).

Creative Cloud Express uses Adobe Sensei, the same artificial intelligence and machine learning tech behind the company's core apps, such as Photoshop and Premiere. The framework powers features like the ability to turn videos into GIFs and merging videos. There are also plans to integrate ContentCal, which automates social media publishing and reporting, into Express. Adobe announced an agreement to buy ContentCal last week.

Until now, Express had only been available with Creative Cloud plans. A standalone version could help Adobe better compete with the likes of Canva, Prezi and Picsart, especially given that there's a free option.

Express is included with Creative Cloud All Apps and flagship single-app plans costing at least $20. The suite is free for K-12 as well. Creative Cloud Express is available now on the web and as an app from the Microsoft Store, Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Versions for Enterprise and Teams will arrive next year.

Dremel's first smart rotary tool comes with Bluetooth and a brushless motor

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 09:03 AM PST

Dremel is the standard when it comes to rotary tools. DIY enthusiasts use them for everything from standing down a dog's nails to cutting through steel. If you fall into that category, the company's latest release, the 8260, is interesting for a few reasons. 

To start, it's Dremel's first brushless rotary tool. Thanks to its more modern motor design, Dremel claims the 8260 outputs 20 percent more power than the 4300, its most powerful corded model. Moreover, it features double the battery life of the 8220, its previous flagship cordless model. It's also 20 percent faster than the 8220.  

It's also Dremel's first smart tool. The addition of Bluetooth connectivity allows you to connect the 8260 to your phone through Dremel's mobile app. One of the niftier features here is an interactive guide that will tell you what accessory and RPM you need to use to cut through specific materials. It will also send you battery notifications and warnings if the tool is about to stall or overheat. An LED light on the 8260 will also warn you if you're about to run into those problems.  

The 8260 is available today through the Home Depot for $169. The kit comes with three wheels for cutting metal and one designed for plastic, a battery, charger and a carrying case.    

Analogue Pocket first look: Handheld gaming as good as it ever was

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 08:00 AM PST

Far too long ago (for our impatient souls), boutique console maker, Analogue, teased something exciting. A retro handheld that mimicked multiple classic systems, including: All the Game Boys, the Sega Game Gear, the Neo Geo Pocket and the Atari Lynx. Oh and more recently announced: the TurboExpress, too. In other good news, Analogue also just announced that orders for the Pocket will open again on December 14th (tomorrow). The slightly less good news is that at $220, it'll cost $20 more than originally planned, but you can blame the virus for that and its impact on supply chains.

Finally, it's here and it's… still just as exciting. So much so that the short time I've had with the Pocket isn't enough to give it the deep dive review it deserves. You have to remember, this thing not only plays old games from original cartridges. It does so using a party trick called field-programmable gate arrays (or FPGA). All you need to know is that FPGAs effectively mimic old consoles at the hardware level. When you plug in a game, it thinks it's in an original Game Boy (or whichever system for the relevant adapter you might be using). Couple that with a display custom-designed to replicate vintage screens, quirks and all, and this has all the ingredients to be the most authentic retro handheld you can find. Our early testing with Game Boy (original) and Game Boy Advance games indicates this really is one of the most authentic experiences you can find.

Pretty much the moment you pick this thing up you know you're in for a treat. If the original Game Boy had been released today with a Scandinavian design, this is what it would look like. The clean lines and monochrome aesthetic tell you this is all about the game; there are no garish colors of cliche nods to the '90s here. Just one dash of color on the left-hand side for the power button and that's as flashy as things get.

The general layout broadly matches the first-gen and Game Boy color, with the screen up top and controls underneath. Though there are four thumb buttons instead of two as you'll be able to create games for this yourself either with GB Studio or via the spare FPGA core Analogue added just for developers. There are shoulder buttons, too, as per the Game Boy advance.

Fortunately, the display is thoroughly modern and not like the squinty, if much loved, one from back in 1989. It's also handily 10 times the resolution on both axes so it can serve up pixel-perfect renditions of your favorite original Game Boy titles. The way it reproduces original Game Boy games is quite remarkable.

Turn the Pocket on and the minimalist interface leads you straight to the good stuff: Playing games.

I won't lie, firing up Tetris for the first time and changing the Pockets display mode to the original green-and-black game boy mode was quite the dash of nostalgia. I've played Game Boy games on several "modern" handhelds and none of them looked like this. Even the pixel grid of the original is here, the motion blur (if you want it), the sound. Everything felt just as it did all those years ago.

The same goes for Game Boy Advance games. If you ever owned the first model of GBA, you'll (painfully) remember that it still didn't have a lit screen. The Pocket does, but everything else matches, including a preset for that slight washed-out look that comes with just colors on a non-illuminated LCD. You can, of course, choose a more modern display mode if you like, but purists are going to love the attention to detail here.

The authenticity doesn't stop at the fidelity of the games. The "link" port on the Pocket happens to be the same as the one found on the Game Boy Color and onwards. That means if you have the original hardware (or another Pocket) you can play with friends just like you would have back in the proverbial day. I do have the original hardware, and we're testing those features right now which you'll see in our full review.

In terms of compatibility, so far the only glitch we've had is with a very unofficial Game Boy Advance multicart, everything else has worked a charm — including fund stuff like the Game Boy Camera. The same goes for Game Gear titles, which is the only other platform we can try right now.

There's so much more to cover here we kinda can't wait to show you it all. There's the dock accessory for playing on a TV with real controllers, there's the aforementioned music-making app, there's Analogue's own operating system which hides more than a few perks and then there are the adapters for all the other consoles.

For now, we're excited to say that the Pocket appears to deliver on its key promises. The hardware feels fantastic and we keep going back for more Tetris even when it's way past our bedtime. You'll just have to wait a few more days for our comprehensive review.

Rihanna, Migos and more are getting official metaverse avatars

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 07:58 AM PST

Universal Music Group is hitching its wagon more firmly to the metaverse hype train. The record company teamed up with avatar company Genies to create digital versions of its artists, as well as non-fungible token (NFT) outfits and accessories, for use in virtual worlds.

The idea is to give Universal's artists official virtual identities for the metaverse. Some of the roster, including Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes, had already asked Genies to make avatars of them. Now, the plan is for Rihanna, Migos et al to be able to take those facsimiles into various metaverses, or use the avatars across social platforms. In the coming months, through an NFT marketplace run by Genies, fans will be able to buy and sell virtual merchandise for the avatars.

This isn't Universal Music Group's first foray into the metaverse. Last month, it announced a virtual band comprising four characters from the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection, a bit like Gorillaz.

Other prominent brands are looking to make waves in the metaverse, including Adidas, which seems to be working on its own NFTs, and Nike, which built a virtual playspace and a store for digital goods inside Roblox. That platform is one of several in the gaming space (including Fortnite) that helped pave the way for other companies and brands to venture into the metaverse.

GOG offers steep discounts on Disco Elysium, Cyberpunk 2077 and more

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 06:23 AM PST

CD Projekt's GOG storefront has launched its Winter Sale with big savings on popular PC games. Starting today, you can pick up titles like Disco Elysium - The Final Cut, Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 GOTY and get savings of up to 80 percent. 

A couple of deals in particular stand out. Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is marked down 55 percent from its regular $40 price to just $18. That's a good choice if you have an older computers, as developer ZA/UM introduced an update last year that lets you run it on decade old PCs. A couple of other solid picks include Cyberpunk 2077, which is just $30 for a savings of 50 percent, and Metro Exodus - Gold Edition — now on sale for a mere $14.80, or 63 percent off. 

You can also pick up Kingdom Come: Deliverance Royal Edition for just $13.59, for a savings of 66 percent over the regular price. As a reminder, that title is an RPG similar to series like The Witcher and Elder Scrolls, but grounded in "historical accuracy" rather than fantasy. Another good option is Control Ultimate Edition, a supernatural action game about forces overtaking a secretive government building called the Federal Bureau of Control. That game can now be found for $12, or 70 percent off the regular $40 price. 

That's far from all, as GOG also has Divinity: Original Sin 2, The Riftbreaker, Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous, Blade Runner, Mortal Shell and other titles at big savings. For a complete list, check out GOG's Winter Sale right here. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Square Enix’s ‘Forspoken’ mixes magical parkour with an unforgiving world

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 06:00 AM PST

Judging from all the teaser videos released so far, Forspoken is promising a swathe of visually stunning elemental spells and a heroine that can dash, glide and traverse a fantasy world quicker than any Assassin's Creed protagonist.

But aside from magic parkour, what else is Forspoken's Frey Holland capable of? How is the rest of the game shaping up?

At a hands-off briefing, Square Enix offered a closer look at the characters, world-building and capabilities of the bangle-wielding Frey, who fell through a magical portal from New York to the land of Athia. We also got to see a lot more of the battle systems and spells you'll be able to wield, all running on an early version of the game.

This is the first title from Square Enix's new studio, Luminous Productions. Forspoken runs on the studio's proprietary graphics engine, Luminous Engine. A streamed video call on Zoom isn't the best place to marvel at graphics, but judging from the higher-resolution trailers, there seems to be a focus on fluidity. And flinging around a lot of spells.

Beyond elemental attacks of varying scales, magical powers include the aforementioned magic parkour, where the hero can dash at speed, jump again mid-air, dodge attacks and more. Running on the studio's proprietary Luminous Engine, the team is aiming to run the game at 2K 60 FPS and 4K 30 FPS, with ray-tracing graphical options too.

The new studio is taking different approaches to the story, too. Instead of in-house writers, Luminous Productions tapped Allison Rymer (who wrote for the TV series Shadowhunters) and Todd Stashwick as lead writers. The development team, which had last worked on the divisive Final Fantasy XV, said they were looking to create a game with more "universal appeal", promising a narrative-led action-adventure RPG. However, judging by this early look, Forspoken may not stray too far from the video-game trope of messianic-outsider-saves-mystical-lands.

There is a focus on both the female lead, voiced and mo-capped by actor Ella Balinsk, and several female antagonists – mad sorceresses called Tantas. The world of Athia has a matriarchal society, ensuring, rightly, that the most important players are women. Still, the preview didn't really help us get much of a bead on where the story of Forspoken will take Frey. The team is also promising post-launch DLC content, called In Tanta We Trust, which will function as a prequel to the main title.

We do know that encroaching darkness has trapped what's left of humanity within the walls of a single city, Cipaul. The rest of the world is now covered in this sinister fog, "The Break", that warps and absorbs life.

Forspoken

Some of the citizens of Cipaul view Frey as a demon – a threat – because she's able to survive the Break outside of the city, not to mention the magical freerunning and elemental arsenal that comes with her cuff of magical bangles. There are RPG-style upgrades to unlock, too. Frey will be able to upgrade her cloak and nail art (!) to improve stamina and increase spell strength, which is a modern twist on magical jewels and runes.

In the tradition of Destiny's Ghost, and er, Ratchet and Clank's Clank, the cuff has a British accent and a sassy disposition. It will banter with Frey and respond to how she fights. It's hard to tell from the early preview, but it seems like the cuffs (called Cuff?) will even offer up battle insights and fight-style advice. A Square Enix spokesperson said the team was "still in the process of adjusting the exact frequency, content and volume" of their interactions. That's a good sign, because Frey seems to cuss a lot and there are diminishing returns to exclaiming "Shit!" every time a monster attacks. See: Devil May Cry.

The preview teased stealth spells, magical land mines and using your cloak as a sort-of grappling hook. Even while moving at a high pace, Forspoken will slow things down when you're aiming at crucial ledges, which seems like a thankfully forgiving touch.

I'm most interested in how Forspoken will actually play and how fights will feel. With battle spells, Frey can choose different effects and spells from rings, holding several in as shortcut spots for easy (repeated) use, but it's hard to tell how intuitive this will feel.

Forspoken
Square Enix, Luminous Productions

At the end of my 30-minute briefing, the developers show off Breakstorms, random supernatural events that spawn monsters and a bigger beast, a skeletal giraffe kind of thing with one eye that shoots energy beams. Frey casts multiple high-level spells, stacking effects and mixing up strategies for both crowd control and escaping the wrath of the boss monster at the center of it all. In this instance, she doesn't quite make it, falling to the monster's attacks, but the first thing I thought was – I want to play this myself, and best this cyclops giraffe. Hopefully, Square Enix is able to ensure these fights feel as fluid as Frey's magical parkour dashes.

Forspoken launches on ​​PS5 and PC on May 24th, 2022.

Apple's Mac Mini M1 hits new low of $570 on Amazon

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 05:55 AM PST

Apple's latest Mac Mini is the most cost-effective way to get an M1 machine, and now you can get the desktop for even less. The base 256GB model is going for $570 on Amazon right now, which is a new record low. You'll get this price thanks to a $50 discount plus an additional coupon that knocks another $79 off at checkout. The 512GB version has also been discounted to $750, which is a price we've seen a handful of times in the past but remains a good deal.

Buy Mac Mini M1 (256GB) at Amazon - $570Buy Mac Mini M1 (512GB) at Amazon - $750

The Mac Mini is the best option if a desktop fits better into your lifestyle than a laptop, and if you don't have a ton to spare a new computer. It packs a good amount of power into a compact device thanks to Apple's M1 chipset. While we haven't put the Mac Mini through its paces, we have tested out the MacBook Air M1 and the previous MacBook Pro M1 — both of which impressed us with their overall smooth performance and remarkable speed. It sports an eight-core CPU and an eight-core GPU, plus a 16-core Neural Engine that handles machine learning tasks. While the 256GB model is probably sufficient for most people, you'll future-proof the device a bit if you spring for the version with extra storage because you won't run out of space as quickly.

With all of the improvements being internal, the latest Mac Mini looks much the same as the previous version. The silver box has a seamless appearance on most sides, save for its back edge which holds all of its connectivity options including two Thunderbolt ports, two USB-A connectors, an HDMI port, an Ethernet port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Since we didn't get an updated Mac Mini this fall, there's currently no telling when Apple may introduce a new version of its small desktop. That makes a sale like this one a great opportunity to upgrade your home's computer without spending too much money. If you plan on gifting the device, just keep in mind that it may arrive after Christmas depending on which model you choose.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Sony will begin selling official PlayStation 5 covers next month

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 05:43 AM PST

After shutting down third-party PS5 console covers with legal threats, Sony has launched its own official $55 PlayStation five colors, the company announced. Those will go along with the DualSense controls it launched earlier this year, and introduce three new colors in the same galaxy-inspired theme.

The console covers (and matching controllers) will come in Midnight Black, Cosmic Red, Nova Pink, Starlight Blue and Galactic Purple. "Simply remove your original white PS5 console covers and click your new ones into place," the company said. "The PS5 console covers will be available for both the PS5 with the Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive and the PS5 Digital Edition." 

The Midnight Black and Cosmic Red PS5 console covers will be available starting in January 2022 in specific regions, including the USA, Canada, UK, France, Australia and China. The Nova Pink, Galactic Purple, and Starlight Blue models will launch in those same locations during the first half of 2022.

As you may remember, Sony recently launched new DualSense wireless controllers in Cosmic Red and Midnight Black. Now, it will also release new controllers in the other three colors (Nova Pink, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple) for $75 globally in January 2022 at participating retailers. 

As a reminder, last year a company called PlateStation unveiled replacement PS5 covers in colors like cherry red, black and jungle camo. However, the company subsequently announced on Twitter that it would be canceling all orders and processing refunds "due to patent and intellectual property issues" with Sony.

Now we can see why Sony asserted its IP rights so strongly. Given that it can't sell as many PS5 consoles as it would like due to semiconductor shortages, accessories like this will provide another revenue stream. Yes, console color and design aren't that important, but the new covers are a good option for the many folks who aren't that keen on white. Pre-orders are now open for the new controller colors ($75) and first two console covers ($55) — if you're planning to get one, let us know below. 

The Morning After: Peloton's unfortunate cameo in the 'Sex and the City' reboot

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 04:15 AM PST

Warning: If you're planning to watch the Sex and the City revival, And Just Like That, avert your eyes for this intro — spoilers are incoming. Peloton probably wished everyone did just that.

Yes, the ubiquitous, expensive exercise bike featured in a major plotline in the first episode of the new series, which itself isn't particularly shocking. The shock came when Carrie's husband, Mr. Big, died of a heart attack after he finished a 45-minute Peloton class on the company's Bike (with real instructor Jess King in a fictional role as… a Peloton instructor).

The plotline hit Peloton's stock price over the weekend — something the company has seen over the last year as many folks head back to their gyms or perhaps, like me, just don't want to stay in their homes to exercise anymore.

Peloton was also caught unawares — the company knew HBO would feature a Peloton in the episode and that King would portray an instructor, but "confidentiality reasons" prevented it from learning it would kill off a character.

It released a statement saying that Big's death was probably due to his "extravagant lifestyle" — the guy was smoking a cigar earlier in the episode and had previously suffered a heart attack.

I doubt the result of Peloton's appearance on the show will be a net negative — it's arguably the most talked-about twist from the premiere of a highly anticipated TV show. It's definitely a test of the adage: Is any publicity good publicity?

— Mat Smith


NASA's new sleeping bags could prevent eyeball 'squashing' on the ISS

It sucks fluid out of astronaut's heads and toward their feet.

More than half of NASA astronauts that went to the International Space Station (ISS) for more than six months have developed vision problems. Researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a sleeping bag that could prevent or reduce those problems.

Fluids tend to accumulate in the head when you sleep, but on Earth, gravity pulls them back down into the body when you get up. In the low gravity of space, though, that fluid collects, applying pressure on the eyeball, leading to vision impairment. The researchers have made a sleeping bag that effectively sucks fluid out of astronauts' heads.

Continue reading.

Someone 'briefly compromised' the Indian prime minister's Twitter account

It's the latest attempt to hijack a major politician's social media profile.

An intruder temporarily seized control of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Twitter account over the weekend. The attacker tweeted a claim that India had adopted Bitcoin as legal tender and pointed users to a (broken) scam website. For followers of Modi's account — or anyone familiar with his stance on cryptocurrency — it was obvious something had gone wrong.

Continue reading.

Amazon explains outage that took out a large chunk of the internet

The company also promised an easier way to track failures in the future.

Amazon has explained the Web Services outage that knocked parts of the internet offline last week. As CNBC reports, Amazon revealed an automated capacity scaling feature led to "unexpected behavior" from internal network clients. Devices connecting that internal network to AWS were swamped, stalling communications. The AWS division has temporarily disabled the scaling that led to the problem and won't switch it back on until there are solutions in place. A fix for the glitch is coming within two weeks, Amazon said.

Continue reading.

How a VR startup took users' money and ran to the metaverse

And it's still going on.

The tech word of 2021 is definitely "metaverse," crowbarred into the collective conscious when Mark Zuckerberg revealed Facebook's new name, Meta.

Metaworld founder Dedric Reid has been selling his interpretation of the metaverse for the past five years. His vision is a decentralized space, a "10,000-square-mile vast-scale simulation, owned by community and run by community," according to Reid.

But the story of Metaworld is one of patchy crowdfunding, communication silence, fake promotional assets and some understandably angry backers. To borrow from The Matrix, read Senior Editor Jessica Conditt's full report to see how deep the rabbit hole goes.

Continue reading.

LG's design-focused OLED Evo TV has a motorized cover

It's meant to blend in with high-end furniture and works of art. 

TMA
LG

I mean, I like how it looks, but I'd prefer the Bang and Olufsen set with wings…

Continue reading.

The biggest news stories you might have missed


New IBM and Samsung transistors could be key to super-efficient chips

'Halo Infinite' adds a dedicated Slayer playlist on December 14th

Recommended Reading: The real cost of the global chip shortage

The FAA will give Bezos and Branson its last astronaut wings

Sony reportedly planned to bring PlayStation Now to phones

NVIDIA's Shield TV Pro streamer drops back to $180

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 03:57 AM PST

NVIDIA's Shield TV Pro is a multi-talented Android TV device that can not just stream Netflix, but also work as a Plex Server and run NVIDIA's GeForce Now cloud gaming service. The biggest drawback is the $200 price, and it rarely goes on sale. Luckily, you can pick one up today for $180 at Amazon and Best Buy, matching one of the lowest prices we've ever seen. 

Buy NVIDIA Shield TV Pro at Amazon - $180Buy NVIDIA Shield TV Pro at Best Buy - $180

The Shield TV Pro is one of the best streaming devices out there, with support for Chromecast streaming, 4K HDR Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio support. You also get the fast Tegra X1+ processor that can do 4K upscaling while ensuring that GeForce Now gaming works smoothly. It also comes with a comfortable triangular remote with support for voice control via Google Assistant and other services. Finally, it comes with 16GB of expandable storage so that you can stream your own content. 

If the Shield TV Pro is still too much, NVIDIA's regular Shield TV is also on sale for $130 at both Best Buy and Amazon. That model can't work as a Plex server, but it otherwise offers the same features as the Shield TV Pro, like 4K HDR Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, along with the voice-controlled remote. Other features include a gigabit ethernet port and a microSD card slot for storage expansion.

Buy NVIDIA Shield TV at Amazon - $130Buy NVIDIA Shield TV at Best Buy - $130

Both of those products are great all-around streamers, but if you're in the Apple ecosystem, the 2021 Apple TV 4K is still on sale for $150. As mentioned before, it's one of the best high-end streaming boxes available thanks to the A12 Bionic processor that delivers faster performance than ever. It also supports Dolby Atmos sound, 60 fps Dolby Vision, AirPlay 3, screen mirroring and HomeKit.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Apple's 24-inch 8-core iMac M1 falls to a new all-time low at Amazon

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 03:18 AM PST

Apple brought some design chops back to the iMac lineup with the 24-inch 2021 M1 models, and a pretty good dose of extra performance, too. If you've been looking at getting an 8-core model for productivity or creative chores but found the $1,500 price a tad much, there's good news. The 8GB version with 256GB of storage is now available at Amazon for $1,400, the lowest price we've seen yet. 

Buy Apple iMac M1 at Amazon - $1,400

The 2021 iMac M1 received an excellent Engadget review score for a variety of reason. With a new M1 chip also found on Apple's MacBooks, it delivers formidable performance for activities ranging from spreadsheets to video editing to gaming. It even loads quickly, waking up almost instantly from sleep mode and getting to the desktop in around 25 seconds from a cold start. On top of that, it's 50 percent quieter than past models.

It's also got a fresh new design, with slimmer bezels and a more refined look. The new 24-inch, 4.5K Retina display is also excellent, thanks to the full DCI-P3 color gamut coverage and 500-nit brightness. Another nice upgrade is the new 1080p FaceTime Camera with larger image sensors and AI tricks that improve exposure, color and noise levels. 

The drawbacks are few, but they include a lack of HDR on the display, a port selection limited to USB-C and the Magic Mouse and Keyboard that can be uncomfortable to use. Also, if you were hoping to pick up a colorful version of the iMac, only the silver model is on sale, alas. Still, it's a nice little saving for deal hunters on a model we haven't seen discounted very often. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

MGM lets potential employees try out jobs in VR before signing on

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 02:17 AM PST

MGM Resorts is letting applicants try out casino and hotel jobs in virtual reality (VR) before signing on, Business Insider has reported. It's part of a new effort to reduce employee attrition during the "great resignation" that has caused labor shortages in the US and elsewhere during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The casino and resort group is using headsets from a VR company called Strivr that specializes in virtual training for industry health and safety, customer service and more. The idea is to let employees experience typical job activities so that they know what to expect. "It can be very difficult just to verbally explain the types of positions or show a video," MGM Resorts' chief HR officer Laura Lee told BI. Using VR, by contrast, lets applicants "throw a headset on and really experience the job."

MGM plans to use the headsets at its offices and possibly career fairs, starting in January. The idea is to let potential customer service employees experience key aspects of the job, both positive and negative. For instance, the MGM Resorts VR module would include interactions with difficult guests, something that has reportedly become more common with COVID.

The negative interactions could discourage some candidates, but MGM expects that it would also allow for better hiring decisions. The use of the tech "might've resolved some turnover we experienced when people accepted positions and then realized it wasn't quite what they thought it would be," said Lee.

MGM plans to use the tech for its proposed $9.1 billion hotel, resort and casino in Osaka, Japan. It would be the first casino in the nation, so potential employees may not be familiar with typical jobs. As such, the VR option could be offered to candidates (it won't be required) to show them customer-oriented functions like hotel check-ins and gaming operations.

VR might not be the hit everyone expected in the consumer space, but it's certainly caught on with enterprises, particularly for training. MGM also uses Strivr's tech for customer-interaction training with new employees, saying it allows them to fail without consequences while learning a role. "Virtual Reality gives employees the opportunity to think and correct themselves without getting stressed or worried that they did something wrong," Lee said in a Strivr webinar. 

NASA's new sleeping bags could prevent eyeball 'squashing' on the ISS

Posted: 13 Dec 2021 12:39 AM PST

Becoming an astronaut requires perfect 20/20 vision, but unfortunately, the effects of space can cause astronauts to return to Earth with degraded eyesight. Now, researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a sleeping bag that that could prevent or reduce those problems by effectively sucking fluid out of astronauts' heads.

More than half of NASA astronauts that went to the International Space Station (ISS) for more than six months have developed vision problems to varying degrees. In one case, astronaut John Philips returned from a six month stint about the ISS in 2005 with his vision reduced from 20/20 to 20/100, as the BBC reported. 

For multi-year trips to Mars, for example, this could become an issue. "It would be a disaster if astronauts had such severe impairments that they couldn't see what they're doing and it compromised the mission," lead researcher Dr. Benjamin Levine told the BBC.

Optical Disc Edema SANS
UT Southwestern/NASA

Fluids tend to accumulate in the head when you sleep, but on Earth, gravity pulls them back down into the body when you get up. In the low gravity of space, though, more than a half gallon of fluid collects in the head. That in turn applies pressure to the eyeball, causing flattening that can lead to vision impairment — a disorder called spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome, or SANS. (Dr. Levine discovered SANS by flying cancer patients aboard zero-G parabolic flights. They still had ports in their heads to receive chemotherapy, which gave researchers an access point to measure pressure within their brains.)

To combat SANS, researchers collaborated with outdoor gear manufacturer REI to develop a sleeping bag that fits around the waist, enclosing the lower body. A vacuum cleaner-like suction device is then activated that draws fluid toward the feet, preventing it from accumulating in the head.  

Around a dozen people volunteered to test the technology, and the results were positive. Some questions need to be answered before NASA brings the technology aboard the ISS, including the optimal amount of time astronauts should spend in the sleeping bag each day. They also need to determine if every astronaut should use one, or just those at risk of developing SANS.

Still, Dr. Levine is hopeful that SANS will no longer be an issue by the time NASA is ready to go to Mars. "This is perhaps one of the most mission-critical medical issues that has been discovered in the last decade for the space program," he said in a statement. 

Apple's AirTag drops to $25 for Amazon Prime members at Woot

Posted: 12 Dec 2021 01:59 PM PST

It's now that much more affordable to scoop up an AirTag and track your keys or bag from your iPhone. Woot is selling single units of Apple's item tracker for $25 to Amazon Prime Members, and $27 for everyone else. The sale runs either until the end of 2021 or supplies run out, so this might be ideal for last-minute gifts or post-holiday splurging. Just be aware that Woot's return policy isn't the same as Amazon's, although you will have until January 31st to return anything purchased by December 31st.

Buy AirTag on Woot - $25

The AirTag has a handful of tricks to help it stand out from other find-my-stuff devices. The NFC-based pairing makes it easy to set up with iPhones, but the real star of the show is ultra-wideband support that helps you find tags with high precision. So long as you have a UWB-equipped Apple handset (the iPhone 11 or newer), you may know the exact spot where you lost your goods — helpful if something fell between the couch cushions.

The main catch, as is often the case with Apple gear, revolves around the ecosystem. While you can use an Android phone to help return an AirTag-equipped device or (soon) spot nearby tags, you'll need an iPhone to set up those tags and track them from afar. You'll also need accessories if you want to clip a tag to a keychain or backpack. The batteries are replaceable, though, and the simple design might be appealing if you think the alternatives are unwieldy or dull.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Someone 'briefly compromised' the Indian Prime Minister's Twitter account

Posted: 12 Dec 2021 12:59 PM PST

People aren't done hijacking major politicians' Twitter accounts for financial gain. TechCrunch reports an intruder temporarily seized control of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Twitter account on December 12th in local time. The attacker tweeted a bogus claim that India had adopted Bitcoin as legal tender and pointed users to a (thankfully broken) scam website. The post was at odds with India's well-known disdain for cryptocurrency.

The Prime Minister's office didn't say much about the incident. It acknowledged that Modi's account had been "briefly compromised," but that it contacted Twitter and "immediately secured" the politician's profile. Twitter told TechCrunch something similar.

It's not certain just who's responsible, or how they hijacked the account (some speculated the attackers exploited a website flaw). This wasn't a large-scale campaign like the one that defaced the Twitter accounts of Joe Biden, Elon Musk and other major figures, though. It's chiefly concerning that someone breached Modi's account in the first place — world leaders are expected to have strict security, and Twitter even has a system for protecting high-profile users against attacks. While those measures aren't foolproof, they theoretically reduce the chances of incidents like this.
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