Monday, December 6, 2021

Engadget RSS Feed

Engadget RSS Feed

Toyota will build its $1.29 billion battery plant in North Carolina

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 12:24 PM PST

Toyota has selected a site for its proposed $1.29 billion US battery manufacturing facility. On Monday, the automaker said it would build the plant on the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite, a tract of land located in Randolph County in central North Carolina. When the facility is complete sometime in 2025, it will consist of four production lines, each capable of producing batteries for 200,000 vehicles per year. Toyota plans to eventually expand the facility to produce enough power cells to support up to 1.2 million cars annually.

The plant is part of a broader $3.4 billion investment the automaker has earmarked to expand its battery production capabilities in the US. When Toyota first announced the $1.29 billion facility, it said it would create approximately 1,750 jobs. The company notes it picked Greensboro-Randolph Megasite for a handful of reasons. One of the more notable ones is that it's a location with access to renewable energy. Toyota says it's "committed" to using 100 percent clean energy to produce batteries at the facility.

The scale of the project is an acknowledgment by the automaker that it needs to diversify its electrification strategy. More so than any other automaker, Toyota invested significantly into fuel cell technology. So far, it has little to show for its efforts. Outside of California, you can't buy its Mirai fuel-cell sedan. However, the company's latest plan is to offer 70 different electric models, including 15 battery electric vehicles, by 2025.

DoorDash tests 15-minute grocery deliveries in New York City

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 12:07 PM PST

DoorDash is piloting an ultra-fast grocery delivery service in Manhattan, with the goal of delivering items to customers in less than 15 minutes. The service will initially be available at a new DashMart outlet in Chelsea, and DoorDash plans to expand ultra-fast deliveries to more locations and partners over the coming months.

The company opened its first DashMarts last year to provide a central location for shoppers to find fresh and frozen groceries, household items and goods from local merchants. The company says DashMart offers more than 2,000 items. The Chelsea location will be open between 7AM and 2AM for orders within a small radius, and excess produce will be donated to a local food bank.

In addition, DoorDash notes that the ultra-fast service will require a different operating model than its typical approach of using gig workers to fulfill orders. A team of full-time employees will handle those deliveries. The company says the workers will be on regular schedules, have wages starting at $15/hour plus tips and receive benefits. 

The company says 90 percent of its couriers (or Dashers) in the US want to stay as contractors and have greater flexibility over their schedule. DoorDash has been at odds with the city and other jurisdictions, including California, on worker classification and other fronts. NYC lawmakers passed a series of bills in September that, among other things, set minimum pay for gig economy and food delivery workers. In addition, DoorDash, along with Uber Eats and Grubhub, recently sued New York City over limits on the delivery fees they're allowed to charge restaurants.

DoorDash will be competing against other companies that offer ultra-fast deliveries in the city, including Gorillas, Buyk, Gopuff and Jokr. However, it's a well-known brand that could potentially carve out a significant slice of the market.

Firefox 95 enhances the browser's protection against malicious code

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 11:07 AM PST

Mozilla is introducing a new security feature it claims will make Firefox the most secure browser available to consumers. Dubbed RLBox and available through today's Firefox 95 update, it's a new sandboxing tool the company developed in collaboration with the University of California San Diego and the University of Texas.

All modern browsers use sandboxing to protect users against malicious code. The problem is that many of the most advanced exploits chain together two vulnerabilities to bypass those protections. With RLBox, Firefox will compile a process into WebAssembly and then convert it into native code. According to Mozilla, this approach presents two significant advantages. It prevents code from jumping between different parts of a program and limits access to specific areas of your system's memory.

With today's release, Mozilla will use RLBox to isolate five components of Firefox, including the browser's Graphite font rendering engine and Ogg multimedia module. If the system works as expected, the company says "even a zero-day vulnerability in any of [the five components] should pose no threat to Firefox."

Mozilla is quick to note it won't be able to use RLBox to protect every component of Firefox. For instance, it's not suitable for modules that depend on sharing memory with the rest of the program to function. However, the company is hopeful that other developers will use the technology to make their software safer. In the meantime, RLBox is now rolling out to all desktop and mobile versions of Firefox.

YouTube says most disputed copyright claims are resolved in the uploader's favor

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 10:48 AM PST

YouTube is shedding more light on the tidal wave of copyright claims it receives in its first copyright transparency report. It notes that more than 2.2 million (around 60 percent) of disputed claims were resolved in favor of the uploader, versus just under 1.5 million in the claimant's favor.

Over 99 percent (722.7 million) of all copyright claims between January and June emerged through Content ID, which automatically monitors YouTube for potential copyright issues. Only 0.5 percent of these were disputed.

Other copyright claims were submitted via webforms and the Copyright Match tool. YouTube says claims that are filed manually are twice as likely to be disputed than automated ones. That indicates creators are perhaps more reluctant to appeal against Content ID claims, even though most disputes are resolved in their favor.

Copyright owners can opt to have a video that's deemed to violate their rights deleted, track viewership stats and/or receive revenue it generates. Earlier this year, YouTube started offering creators a way to check for potential copyright violations when they upload a video. The platform offers creators a way to remove sections of a video that cause issues.

YouTubers have long criticized how the platform handles copyright claims, as The Verge notes. They can lose money or even face having their channel banned as a result of claims, many of which are evidently incorrect. While the report provides more insight into how big an issue copyright claims are, YouTube acknowledges "no system is perfect" and that it's "impossible for matching technology to take into account complex legal considerations like fair use or fair dealing."

Ford's Mustang Mach-E is coming to 'Rocket League' this week

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 10:00 AM PST

Psyonix is bringing a couple more Ford vehicles to Rocket League this week, and whether players are more interested in brand-new cars or classics, there should be something to catch their interest. On December 9th, the Ford Mustang Mach-E EV will land in the Item Shop. Perhaps to underscore that this is an electric vehicle, you'll see a visual lightning effect when it goes supersonic.

Joining the Mach-E in the store this week is the classic 1965 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R. Each car is part of a bundle that includes themed decals, wheels, a player banner and engine audio. You can buy each bundle for 1,100 Credits or both for 2,000 Credits. The bundles will be available until December 22nd.

The addition of the Mach-E and GT350R builds on the partnership between Psyonix and Ford. The F-150 arrived in the game earlier this year. The automaker is also sponsoring the Rocket League Championship Series Fall Major, an in-person tournament that takes place in Stockholm this week.

Facebook Gaming streamers and viewers can play 'Pac-Man' together

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 10:00 AM PST

Facebook Gaming is about to become more interactive. Two features are rolling out today that should help creators and their fans seamlessly play games together, and give viewers other ways to get involved with streams.

Play With Streamer is self-explanatory. There will be a button on livestreams that lets viewers play Pac-Man Community (a version of Pac-Man developed in partnership with Genvid and Bandai Namco) with streamers and other community members. Pac-Man Community includes a four-player co-op mode, a mobile-optimized maze creator, rankings and community challenges.

Facebook Interactives, meanwhile, are interactive layers viewers will see on top of livestreams. When Pac-Man Community's Watch Mode is enabled, they can help or hamper an AI-controlled Pac-Man or the ghosts through the in-game video player. Facebook says these features form some of the first steps of its vision for the metaverse.

Other platforms have long had ways for players to interact directly with streams. On Twitch, viewers can control Pokémon and other games by entering commands in the chat. There are also extensions that let viewers impact the game the streamer is playing by, for instance, granting them extra items or even instantly killing their character. With Stadia's Crowd Play feature, viewers can play with a streamer who's broadcasting their gameplay on YouTube, as long as they also own the game and have a sufficient setup.

Google TV makes it easier to watch free, live streaming channels

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 10:00 AM PST

Google TV is placing a bigger focus on things users can watch for free. The platform has teamed up with Pluto TV to highlight more than 300 ad-supported channels folks in the US can check out through the Live tab. Free live TV recommendations will also appear in the For You tab. The Pluto TV integration is coming to all Google TV devices in the coming weeks.

There are other ways users can find free stuff to watch on Google TV. In the YouTube app's Movies & Shows tab, for instance, they can find thousands of ad-supported movies to watch. The platform's Apps tab, meanwhile, includes a row of Free Movies & TV apps to download, including Tubi and Xumo.

What's more, for a limited time, those who activate a Google TV or Android TV OS device in the US will get six months of access to Peacock Premium at no extra cost. Peacock Premium usually costs $5/month and, along with ad-free viewing, it includes much more content than the free tier, such as Peacock Originals, a ton of live sports and a host of WWE content. Google noted it will offer more ways for TV users to watch shows, movies and other content for free in 2022 as well.

Google Pixel update delivers time-saving improvements on new and older models

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 10:00 AM PST

Google has rolled out a number of updates that will help owners of both older Pixel and the latest Pixel 6 devices. To start with, the Pixel 6 Pro is getting UWB (Ultra-wideband) capability, letting you quickly share photos and other files using the Nearby Share function. As we mentioned earlier, Pixel 6 and 6 Pro users will also get the digital car key function that lets you unlock and start select BMW models. 

Other features will appeal to a wider group. The Quick Tap to Snap feature lets Pixel 4a 5G and higher users access Snapchat directly from their lock screens by double tapping the back of the phones, to start with. Until now, the feature has only been available on the Pixel 6. 

Pixel 3 or newer smartphones, meanwhile, will now be able to adjust how long they hold the power button to activate Google Assistant. This feature makes it possible to avoid activating the Assistant by mistake when you're just trying to, say, turn off the phone. Another key feature for Pixel 3 (and up) owners is the Bass Slider that allows you to double the bass range available for Pixel Buds A-series earphones, now from -1 to +4.

Google is expanding car crash detection to Taiwan, Italy and France, letting you automatically send your location and details to emergency responders when a car crash is detected. It's also added the "Now Playing" feature that lets you detect a song and quickly add it to your favorites. Finally, Google has added new languages, including Japanese, French and German, that can be transcribed in the recorder app. All of these features are now rolling out to Pixel devices. 

The Xbox Windows app will make it easier to know if a game will run well on your PC

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 09:52 AM PST

With so many different ways to build a computer, one of the trickiest aspects of PC gaming is knowing whether a game you're about to install will play well on your machine. Microsoft is testing a feature that could make that easier. As spotted by The Verge, the Xbox app on Windows now includes a label that will tell you if a game will "play great" on your PC.

Xbox Windows PC app
Tom Warren/The Verge

Since there are some titles where the app says "performance check not available yet," it doesn't appear Microsoft is comparing the listed system requirements against the components in your PC. Instead, it would seem the company is building a database where it tests a game against various different machines. If you want to test the labels, you can do so by downloading the Xbox Insider app and opting into the Windows gaming preview. 

If the system works well, it could solve a common pain point for PC gamers. In recent years, we've seen some developers share more granular system requirements for their games, telling you not just the minimum and recommended spec but also hardware that will deliver the best experience at Full HD, QHD and 4K respectively. Unfortunately, there hasn't been anything close to standardization across the industry, and that's even before you consider the fact some developers list overly optimistic requirements for their games.

'The Matrix Awakens' is an Unreal Engine 5 demo you can preload today

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 08:55 AM PST

On December 9th, Epic Games will release The Matrix Awakens, an interactive tie-in to The Matrix Resurrections. You can preload the demo to your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S console ahead of its debut at The Game Awards. Epic built the experience using Unreal Engine 5, and you can see what the next-generation engine is capable of in a teaser the company shared today. "How do we know what is real?" asks a life-like Keanu Reeves partway through the clip.

It's a rare movie experience that's any good, but that might not matter with The Matrix Awakens. For most people, this will be their first chance to see UE5 in action. Epic previewed the latest iteration of its popular game engine part way through last year with a stunning PS5 demo that showed off what it could do. In May, the company released an early access version of UE5 to PC, but the system requirements meant most people couldn't experience the Valley of the Ancient demo with the hardware they had.

Designers hope hydrogen-powered plane will fly halfway around the world without refueling

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 08:31 AM PST

One of the toughest nuts to crack when it comes to developing carbon-free transportation is flying. Commercial electric planes won't be feasible until batteries become more powerful and lightweight. Hydrogen-powered flight is another possible way forward, and a research group has revealed what such a plane could look like.

The FlyZero project, which is led by the Aerospace Technology Institute and funded by the UK government, came up with a concept for a liquid hydrogen-powered midsize aircraft. It said the plane would be able to fly 279 passengers non-stop from London to San Francisco, or from London to Auckland, New Zealand with one stop for refueling. The aircraft, which has a 54-meter wingspan with two turbofan engines, would offer the "same speed and comfort as today's aircraft" but with zero carbon emissions. 

The ATI says its concept plane would have cryogenic fuel tanks in the rear fuselage, which would store hydrogen at -250 degrees Celsius (-418 degrees Farenheit). Two smaller "cheek" tanks along the forward fuselage would keep the plane balanced as fuel is used.

We're years away from commercial hydrogen aircraft becoming a reality, though. The refueling infrastructure doesn't exist yet and hydrogen is more expensive and difficult to store onboard than kerosene-based fuel. Those types of planes might not be too much of a pipe dream, however.

The ATI expects that, by the middle of the 2030s, efficient hydrogen planes might be a more economical option than current planes. That's partly because other sectors are shifting toward hydrogen, which is likely to reduce supply costs. 

The FlyZero project plans to publish more detailed findings early next year, including concepts for regional, narrowbody and midsize aircraft, economic and market reports, roadmaps for the required tech and a sustainability assessment.

Toshiba's flagship Fire TV set has hands-free Alexa

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 06:00 AM PST

Toshiba has launched a new flagship smart TV with built-in Fire TV just in time for the holidays. The LED 4K UHD model has hands-free Alexa capabilities similar to Amazon's own Omni TVs, so you can issue voice commands from across the room. Toshiba also claims that it's the first Fire TV with local dimming, which improves the display's contrast ratio by dimming dark areas of the screen when needed. 

Model M550KU has a bezel-less design, with a 4K screen that has a 120Hz refresh rate. It supports Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, and it has a live view-in-view feature that can show feed from compatible smart doorbells or security cameras. To be able to hear and respond to voice commands, Toshiba embedded microphones into the device, allowing you to launch apps, play music and control smart home devices without the need for a remote control.

When the Omni lineup was announced, there were reports that Toshiba was designing TVs with a microphone array for far-field Alexa and was planning to release them next year. It's unclear if this model was one of those, but you don't have to wait until 2022 to be able to get it. The new model will be available starting early this month in three sizes on Best Buy and Amazon. You can get the 55-inch version for $800, the 65-inch for $1,000 and the 75-inch for $1,200.

William Shatner's space voyage is becoming an Amazon documentary

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 05:45 AM PST

Earlier this year William Shatner became the oldest person to ever fly to space, and his trip is now set to become an Amazon Prime documentary called Shatner in Space. The Star Trek actor revealed the news himself during a virtual panel for the pop culture conference CCXP Worlds, Deadline reported.

"The Shat" was one of four crew members on Blue Origin's second manned NS-18 mission that flew to an altitude of 66 miles aboard New Shepherd, crossing the so called Kármán line into space (though not orbiting the Earth). At 90 years old, he edged out 82-year-old Wally Funk, who set the previous age record for space flight just months earlier.

The documentary will give a look at what happened before, during and after the trip. The flight also included Blue Origin VP Audrey Powers, Planet Labs co-founder Dr. Chris Boshuizen and Glen de Vries, Medidata co-creator. This is the second of three crewed missions Blue Origin has planned for 2021, with the third (NS-19) set for December 9th. That flight will include Alan Shepard's daughter Laura Shepard Churchley and GMA co-anchor Michael Strahan, along with four paying customers.

"My time in space was the most profound experience I could have ever imagined," Shatner told Deadline in a statement. "This special documenting my journey gives a dramatic view of that experience, and my hope is that it inspires the world to see we must go to space to save Earth." The documentary is set to air on Amazon Prime in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand on December 15th, and in other territories in 2022. 

Apple's AirPods Pro drop back down to $170 on Amazon

Posted: 06 Dec 2021 05:29 AM PST

Update 2:45pm ET: The AirPods Pro have gone back up to $190 at Amazon.

The AirPods Pro remain the best sounding of Apple's earbuds and a good gift idea for the iPhone user in your life. If you missed them during the Black Friday sale rush, you have another opportunity to grab them on a good deal. Amazon has the earbuds for $170, or roughly $80 off their normal price. That's not the lowest we've seen them — they hit $159 on Black Friday proper — but it is one of the better prices of the season. Also, you can still get these before the holidays because, at the time of publishing this, Amazon estimates delivery by December 18.

Buy AirPods Pro at Amazon - $170

These buds earned a score of 87 from us for their better fitting design, good audio quality and strong active noise cancellation. Their interchangeable ear tips give you more control over how they fit in your ears and they're IPX4-rated, so they'll survive even your sweatiest workouts. You'll be able to block out a significant amount of environmental noise with ANC enabled, and Transparency mode lets you easily jump in an out of conversations that you need to hear.

But the advantage that the Pros have over other earbuds, even some of our favorites like Sony's WF-1000XM4, is the H1 chip inside that allow them to pair with iOS devices easily as well as switch between them depending on what you're doing. That means you can go from taking a call on your iPhone to listening to music on your MacBook without any hiccups. The chip also enables features like hands-free Siri access, too.

While the earbuds themselves haven't really changed since launch, the "new" AirPods Pro have a MagSafe case. They were capable of wireless charging before, but now you can use them with any magnetic chargers you may have that also work with the latest iPhones. Overall, the Pros remain a solid choice if you or someone you love needs a convenient pair of all-purpose wireless earbuds that have extra perks for iPhone users.

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

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)