Saturday, January 29, 2022

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Epic gains support from Microsoft, 35 states in antitrust fight with Apple

Posted: 29 Jan 2022 07:30 AM PST

Epic Games has some important allies in its bid to overturn a court ruling that cleared Apple of violating antitrust laws. CNET and FOSS Patents report Microsoft, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the attorneys general of 35 states have filed briefs supporting Epic's case with the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The states argued the district court mistakenly claimed the first section of the Sherman Act (a cornerstone of US antitrust law) didn't apply to unilateral contracts like the terms Apple set for developers. The court also didn't properly weigh the damage of Apple's claimed anti-competitive behavior versus the benefits, according to the brief.

Microsoft, meanwhile, noted that it still had reason to be concerned about Apple's "extraordinary gatekeeper power" despite its size, citing its own interest in maintaining competition and innovation. This included allegedly anti-competitive behavior beyond the rules affecting Epic. Apple's effective ban on cloud gaming services in the App Store is believed to hurt Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, as an example. Microsoft also disputed the district court's view that Apple's in-app payment requirement wasn't an anti-competitive effort to tie products together.

The EFF, meanwhile, echoed the states' concerns about weighing harmful effects while offering parallels to Microsoft's interpretation of tying. The foundation also said the district court made errors when it presumed customers were fully aware of Apple's policies when they joined the company's platform.

Apple remained confident in its chances. In a statement to CNET, the company said it was "optimistic" the district court's ruling would be upheld and maintained its view that it was providing a "safe and trusted" App Store offering a "great opportunity" for creators. Epic has declined to comment.

Briefs like these won't guarantee success for Epic — the appeals court isn't obliged to consider them. This is a strong showing of support, however, and it won't be surprising if Microsoft, EFF and the states influence the decision. If Epic wins its appeal and doesn't face further challenges, Apple may have to further reform the App Store.

Recommended Reading: The soccer insider who dominates the internet

Posted: 29 Jan 2022 07:00 AM PST

Behind the curtain with soccer's prophet of the deal

Rory Smith, The New York Times

NBA fans have Adrian Wojnarowski. Soccer fans have Fabrizio Romano. When transfer season kicks into high gear, Romano dominates the internet with his deluge of insider information. In fact, he's probably tweeting right now. But at times, he has gone from being a reporter on the hot player swaps to being a participant in the proceedings. 

'Shang-Chi' VFX team on animating dragons and why movies aren't as colorful anymore

Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm

Members of the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings visual effects team discuss how every Marvel movie is unique (but also similar), how VFX companies are cast like actors and how color in movies has changed.

Searching for Susy Thunder

Claire L. Evans, The Verge

Susan Thunder worked in the dial-a-whatever scene of the late 1970s, developing an intimate knowledge of the Bell network for phone scams. "Her specialty was social engineering," Evans writes as she went searching for "the great lost female hacker of the 1980s" who didn't want to be found. 

'After Yang' explores the meaning of life through a broken android

Posted: 29 Jan 2022 06:00 AM PST

In the film After Yang, a father goes to great lengths to save his daughter's best friend. It just so happens this bestie is a humanoid robot, or technosapien, named Yang. He's practically a member of the family, but at the end of the day, he's basically an appliance. Can he be easily replaced, and what's the value of his artificial life? Like a cross between Black Mirror and Spike Jonze's Her, After Yang explores humanity and existence through the lens of technology, while director Kogonada (Columbus) crafts a vision of the future that feels truly distinct.

After a virtuoso opening sequence, where families compete in a virtual dance contest in their living rooms, Yang (Justin H. Min) malfunctions. He's not just some robotic butler; he's a culture technosapien meant to help Jake's adoptive daughter, Mika (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja), learn about her Chinese heritage. Mika has a stronger relationship with Yang, who practically raised her. And for reasons that aren't clear at the start, Jake is a bit disconnected from his family and struggling through a mid-life crisis. (Running a traditional tea shop in the future would do that to you.) Saving Yang is both an attempt to connect to Mika, and to appease his overworked wife Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith), who's concerned about her listless husband.

Stories around artificial beings and androids aren't anything new — they stretch back to early Jewish legends of golems, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and Fritz Lang's Metropolis. But these days, it feels as if it's only a matter of time until we're living alongside our own personal androids. Robotic vacuums are smarter and more affordable, we're regularly shouting voice commands at our phones and smart appliances, and even Tesla claims it's working on an AI-powered humanoid robot (though at this point, that's basically just a marketing stunt). So it's worth exploring how androids could affect our family lives, where they take on roles of childcare and companionship.

Jake's journey to fix Yang isn't much different than what we'd go through to get a computer or smartphone repaired today. He tries to contact the store he bought it from, but it's no longer in business. Yang was also refurbished, which opens the door to surprising issues (something used electronics buyers are all too familiar with).

It turns out Yang had more than one previous owner, and he basically lived a long (and somewhat tragic) life. He was also an experimental model that could record small portions of memories, similar to the small bits of videos we see in Apple's Live Photos. As Jake learns more about Yang, he realizes that he was a thinking being with a fully formed personality. He's not just a helper bot following his programming, he was also endlessly curious about the world around him.

After Yang is a quiet film, filled with contemplative silences and Farrell's forlorn eyes (not a bad thing, to be clear). Kogonada manages to build a world that feels dramatically different from our own, without the flashy holograms and special effects we see in lesser sci-fi films like the Ghost in the Shell remake. Everyone wears loose, robe-like outfits. There's a strong Japanese influence throughout all of the environments, from the Muji-esque minimalism and organic materials in their homes, to natural wood and small gardens in self-driving cars. It's a world far more advanced than ours — genetically optimized clones also appear — but it's also in harmony with nature, like near-future sci-fi through the eyes of Hayao Miyazaki.

The fusion of the natural and man-made world mirrors the way an artificial being like Yang starts to become more human. It's clear that he's driven by some sort of artificial intelligence, but the film doesn't say if his designers also managed to replicate a form of consciousness. Yang is programmed with facts about China, as well as language lessons for Mika, but he speaks more like a wise friend than a robotic teacher.

Like Blade Runner, it seems as if Yang is fully aware of his own limitations. He can show emotion and feelings towards people, but he probably doesn't have the full range of human emotion. He also chases the unknowable, like the way Farrell's character finds himself drawn to sell and explore the world of tea, even though he's not a huge tea fanatic. It's clear that both characters are searching for some meaning in their lives, but Yang has made peace with his existence in a way that Jake admires (and struggles with himself).

In a world where we actually have robotic companions, it's not hard to imagine that we'd form deep bonds and mourn them when they're gone. Losing your robot could eventually be as traumatic as losing a dear pet. But that would also reflect a world where our androids can also profoundly affect our lives. They'd be more than appliances – they'd be family.

Twitter's misinformation policy doesn't cover the 2020 elections anymore

Posted: 29 Jan 2022 05:22 AM PST

Twitter is no longer taking action on tweets spreading misinformation about the 2020 US elections, the website has revealed to CNN. Elizabeth Busby, the company's spokesperson, told the news organization that the social network hasn't been enforcing its "civic integrity policy" when it comes to content about the Presidential elections for almost a year now — since March 2021. Busby said that's because the policy was meant to be used within the duration of an event and that President Biden has already been in office for more than a year.

The website amended its civic integrity policy before the Presidential elections to add labels to tweets with "false or misleading information intended to undermine public confidence in an election or other civic process." In some cases, Twitter could remove tweets under the policy. The rules cover tweets "inciting unlawful conduct to prevent a peaceful transfer of power or orderly succession." If you'll recall, former President Trump was banned on the social network following the 2021 Capitol attack after deciding that his tweets can be used to incite violence. The rules also cover unverified information "election rigging," which the administration's opponents are echoing until this day. In fact, YouTube has just removed a copy of a TV ad by Missouri Rep. Billy Long that claims "the Democrats rigged the election" in 2020.

YouTube spokesperson Ivy Choi explained the Google-owned website made it clear that "false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches changed the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election" are prohibited on the platform. Long said YouTube's action was "un-American and straight from the communist playbook," though, and that it just proves "Big Tech certainly has and will continue to influence elections."

Joni Mitchell will remove her music from Spotify over 'lies' that cost 'people their lives'

Posted: 29 Jan 2022 01:42 AM PST

Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell has announced that she's removing all her music from Spotify. On her website, she published a short statement saying "irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives." She added that she stands with "Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue." While Mitchell didn't mention COVID-19 or Joe Rogan in particular, she linked to an open letter to Spotify from a group of scientists and doctors criticizing the host for "repeatedly spread[ing] misleading and false claims on his podcast, provoking distrust in science and medicine" throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

A few days ago, Young threatened to exit the platform and told his team that it was because "Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines." He also said that Spotify can have "[Joe] Rogan or Young. Not both." Mitchell and Young are friends and have both contracted polio as kids before the vaccine became available. Unsurprisingly, Spotify started deleting Young's catalog from the platform shortly after news about his stance came out, while also claiming that it's taking steps to remove disinformation from its service. 

The company said it pulled over 20,000 COVID-related podcast episodes since the beginning of the pandemic. Rogan's show, however, is still very much available. And that includes the controversial episode with Dr. Robert Malone, who claimed that "mass formation psychosis" led people to believe vaccines were effective in fighting COVID-19. Spotify inked an exclusive deal to host The Joe Rogan Experience in 2020 and is believed to have paid over $100 million for it. The popular show is a key element in Spotify's quest to continue dominating the podcast space, so it really doesn't come as a surprise that it was Young's music that had to find a new home. 

Fox News host Dan Bongino earned himself a Google Ads ban too

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 03:36 PM PST

Days after he was permanently banned from YouTube, Dan Bongino has also lost his ability to earn revenue from Google ads. On Friday, the Bongino Report Twitter account sent out a tweet suggesting Google had revoked the pundit's AdSense account. Later that same day, Tech Policy Press confirmed the suspension with Google. The company told the outlet Bongino's website had violated its AdSense publisher policies.

"We have strict publisher policies in place that explicitly prohibit misleading and harmful content around the COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrably false claims about our elections," a Google spokesperson told Engadget. "When publishers persistently breach our policies we stop serving Google ads on their sites. Publishers can always appeal a decision once they have addressed any violating content."

Bogino's YouTube ban came down from Google after the Fox News host attempted to evade a prior suspension related to the platform's COVID-19 misinformation policy. He posted a video to one of his accounts questioning the effectiveness of masks against the coronavirus. At that point, YouTube temporarily suspended Bogino. It then permanently banned him after he attempted to post that same video to another channel, thereby violating the platform's terms of service.

On an episode of his podcast titled "I'm Daring YouTube to Do This," Bogino said before the initial suspension he would continue to post videos about his claims on masks until the company took action. And while it appears he actively courted Google to ban him in both instances, the loss of AdSense revenue has the potential to hurt Bongino more than losing access to YouTube. On Twitter, Claire Atkin, the co-founder of Check My Ads, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting disinformation in the digital advertising industry, said the Gateway Pundit, a website that spread COVID-19 and election misinformation, lost $1.1 million in annual revenue after Google revoked its AdSense account.

Over 80 percent of NFTs minted for free on OpenSea are fake or plagiarized

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 02:00 PM PST

One of the largest online marketplaces for non-fungible tokens is once again the center of controversy. Mere months after one of its employees resigned for using insider information to profit on NFT drops, OpenSea caused a stir among its users this week when it abruptly announced it was putting a restriction on its free minting tool. The feature allows individuals to create and list an NFT without first paying a "gas price," the fee that crypto miners charge to write new data to a blockchain.

On Thursday, OpenSea said it would add a 50 item limit to the tool. Predictably, the announcement wasn't popular among OpenSea users, and the company quickly reversed course. But in doing so, it provided some context about the feature. In a Twitter thread spotted by Vice News, the company said more than 80 percent of the NFTs recently created through its free minting tool involved either plagiarized work or spam.

It's a staggering number, but one that shouldn't come as a surprise. Artists and photographers have complained for months that the company hasn't done enough to prevent scammers and bots from profiting from their work. In fact, there's an entire Twitter account dedicated to documenting NFT thefts.

"Every decision we make, we make with our creators in mind. We originally built our shared storefront contract to make it easy for creators to onboard into the space," OpenSea said on Twitter. "We didn't make this decision lightly. We made the change to address feedback we were receiving from our entire community."

OpenSea added it was working on several "solutions" it hoped would appease users while deterring bad actors. Moving forward, the company promised it would preview those changes before rolling them out broadly.

Netflix will have to face 'Queens Gambit' defamation suit, judge rules

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 01:28 PM PST

Netflix is learning that careless dialogue in its fictional shows can have serious implications. Its bid to get a recent defamation suit dismissed has been rejected, meaning it will have to face the plaintiff — Georgian chess legend Nona Gaprindashvili — in court. 

In September, Gaprindashvili filed a suit against the streaming giant, accusing the company of defamation and "false light invasion of privacy." As the world's first female grandmaster, Gaprindashvili was mentioned in Netflix's series The Queen's Gambit — a period drama about a chess prodigy. 

In one scene during a chess match, a radio commentator says in passing "The only unusual thing about her, really, is her sex. And even that's not unique in Russia. There's Nona Gaprindashvili, but she's the female world champion and has never faced men."

According to the suit, not only is the allegation that Gaprindashvili hadn't faced men at that time "manifestly false," it's also "grossly sexist and belittling." It states that "By 1968, the year in which this episode is set, she had competed against at least 59 male chess players (28 of them simultaneously in one game), including at least ten Grandmasters of that time."

Georgian chess player and women's world chess champion, Nona Gaprindashvili of the Soviet Union, pictured playing a game of chess at the International Chess Congress in London on 30th December 1964. (Photo by Stanley Sherman/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Stanley Sherman via Getty Images

The show is based on a 1983 novel by Walter Tevis that also mentions Gaprindashvili. However, the part which Netflix appears to have based this particular bit of its script on says, "The only unusual thing about her was her sex; and even that wasn't unique in Russia. There was Nona Gaprindashvili, not up to the level of this tournament, but a player who had met all these Russian Grandmasters many times before." Netflix's version is clearly different.

The streaming provider had moved to strike the case in November, saying in its filing that "the Series is a fictional work that a reasonable viewer would not construe as conveying fact." It also said that "a reasonable viewer would not draw the negative implication that Plaintiff alleges."

However, US District Judge Virginia Philips denied that motion today, writing that "the fact that the Series was a fictional work does not insulate Netflix from liability for defamation if all the elements of defamation are otherwise present."

The ruling also states that "at the very least, the line is dismissive of the accomplishments central to Plaintiff's reputation." It also points out that, when filing its motion to dismiss, "Netflix's own evidence demonstrates knowledge of the truth in its choice to deviate from the text of the Novel, which states that Plaintiff had faced the male Russian Grandmasters 'many times before.'"

Gaprindashvili is seeking damages of at least $5 million, as well as for Netflix to remove the statement that she never played men from the show. 

Neil Young was fed up with Spotify’s ‘shitty’ sound quality anyway

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 12:58 PM PST

Neil Young's frustrations with Spotify go far beyond COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. A day after his music was removed from the platform, he said he "felt better" after leaving and slammed Spotify for its sound quality compared with other streaming services.

"Amazon, Apple Music and Qobuz deliver up to 100 percent of the music [quality] today and it sounds a lot better than the shitty degraded and neutered sound of Spotify," Young wrote in the latest letter published to his website. "If you support Spotify, you are destroying an art form." He urged fans to switch to "a platform that truly cares about music quality."

Young, who claims "Spotify streams the artist's music at five percent of its quality," has long been vexed by the audio quality on some streaming platforms. He temporarily removed his music from them in 2015. Young launched his own audio player and music download platform that year, but Pono shut down in 2017.

In February 2021, Spotify said it planned to roll out a CD-quality music streaming option in some markets that year. That didn't happen. The company said earlier this month it was "excited to deliver a Spotify HiFi experience to Premium users in the future," but didn't offer a timeline.

Apple Music, Amazon Music and Tidal all started offering CD-quality music streaming as part of their standard plans last year. Deezer and Qobuz also offer hi-res streaming.

Earlier this week, Young accused Spotify of allowing Joe Rogan to share COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and gave the platform an "it's him or me" ultimatum. Spotify, which reportedly paid north of $100 million to secure the exclusive rights to Rogan's podcast and said it has taken down more than 20,000 COVID-related podcast episodes, barely flinched. The service pulled the musician's songs, though said it regretted Young's decision and hoped he'd return soon.

Meanwhile, Young wrote that he supported free speech and companies' right to choose what to profit from, "just as I can choose not to have my music support a platform that disseminates harmful information." He said he was standing "in solidarity with the frontline healthcare workers who risk their lives every day to help others" and "as an unexpected bonus, I sound better everywhere else."

US lawmakers want to make sure pandemic telehealth coverage doesn't lapse

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 12:20 PM PST

The pandemic pushed US lawmakers to provide provisions to expand medical coverage for telehealth in 2020, speeding up a process that would otherwise have taken years. Since then, there have been efforts to make the change permanent, through things like the Telehealth Expansion Act of 2021. But there is an interim period that could present some uncertainty over whether people can get crucial telehealth services while permanent legislation is drawn up. Today, a bipartisan group of 45 lawmakers, led by Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), said they're "calling for the extension of expanded coverage of telehealth services to be included in must-pass legislation in February."

The group published a letter addressing Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as their minority counterparts and notable signees include Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). 

The letter states "While Congress prepares to enact permanent telehealth legislation, we urge you to include an extension of the pandemic telehealth authorities in must-pass government funding legislation in February." 

Currently, pandemic telehealth decision-makers have temporary authority, and that's tied to the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration. As stated in today's letter, the emergency declaration is renewed in three-month increments. "Without more definitive knowledge about the duration of the pandemic and Medicare's long-term coverage of telehealth, many organizations have been hesitant to fully invest in telehealth."

In addition to providing more confidence to providers that investing in telehealth will be a sound long-term investment, adding an extension to telehealth coverage while making it permanent will also "reassure patients that their care will not end abruptly."

The lawmakers called for "An extension to maintain expanded coverage of Medicare telehealth services for a set period of time," which the letter said "would provide much-needed certainty to health care providers and patients." They believe an extension would also allow additional time for studies to be conducted on the impact of telehealth, which "could help inform Congress's next steps on permanent telehealth legislation and appropriate program integrity and beneficiary protections."

Therefore, the group is also asking to ensure that "an extension not include unnecessary statutory barriers in accessing telehealth services during this data collection and analysis period," which could prevent people from getting essential care.

Waymo sues to keep autonomous vehicle emergency protocols secret

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 11:56 AM PST

Waymo has sued the California Department of Motor Vehicles. In a case first reported by The Los Angeles Times, the Alphabet subsidiary filed a complaint with the Sacramento County Superior Court on January 21st to prevent the agency from disclosing what it believes to be trade secrets.

At the center of the lawsuit is a public records request an unidentified party made to obtain Waymo's driverless deployment application. Before sharing the requested documents, the DMV allowed the company to redact any sections it believed would reveal its trade secrets, including questions that were asked by the agency. When the DMV eventually forwarded the package to the requester, that individual or group challenged the redactions. The agency then contacted Waymo and invited the company to sue it to resolve the matter.

Some of the information Waymo wants to prevent from entering the public domain include details on how it plans to handle emergencies involving its autonomous vehicles. Another redacted section details the abilities of its Driver software to handle San Francisco's tricky one-way streets and hills. The company began offering taxi service to a limited number of customers in San Francisco in August. Those vehicles operate with a backup human driver.

The company contends it has publicly shared almost all of the information contained in its application with the DMV. According to Waymo, the redactions involve technical details that touch on how it achieves the safety performance it has detailed in other public venues. Waymo claims that information could give a competitor an edge on it. The suit's purpose here is to either forestall or completely prevent the disclosure of the requested information. As TheLos Angeles Times notes, resolution for these types of cases can take years.

"Every autonomous vehicle company has an obligation to demonstrate the safety of its technology, which is why we've transparently and consistently shared data on our safety readiness with the public," a spokesperson for Waymo told Engadget. "We will continue to work with the DMV to determine what is appropriate for us to share publicly and hope to find a resolution soon."

The DMV declined to comment on the case, but said it's currently reviewing the complaint. 

Hopper wants to challenge Airbnb with short-term vacation rentals

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 11:30 AM PST

Despite an already crowded market featuring big names like Airbnb and Vrbo, travel app Hopper is now expanding its services to include short-term home rentals.

Featuring more than two million properties spread across the world, Hopper Homes (which is available inside the Hopper app) should make it a bit easier to book airfare, car rentals and lodging (hotel or short-term) in a single place.

Hopper says users will be able to apply filters to help narrow down their options based on criteria like location, number of bedrooms, amenities and price. And over the next few months, the company says it will add support for some of its other booking features like Price Prediction and Cancel for Any Reason to the new service to help give its customers more flexibility over their travel plans.

That last part might end up being one of the biggest differentiators between Hopper Homes and its competitors. Other services such as Airbnb allow hosts to select from a range of cancellation policies including "flexible" plans that allow guests to cancel as late as 24 hours before check-in without penalty to "firm" plans that require guests to cancel at least 30 days before check-in.

By adding home rentals to its list of services, the company is hoping to attract a growing number of travelers who prefer staying in rental homes instead of hotels. Hopper claims Zoomers and millennials are especially keen, with more than four in 10 rental travelers being younger than 35.

Similar to its airfare and hotel bookings, Hopper also plans to integrate its Carrot Cash system in order to help customers save money, with credit earned from booking rentals homes able to be applied to other forms of travel.

The FAA has reached a deal with Verizon and AT&T for C-Band 5G at airports

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 11:04 AM PST

The Federal Aviation Administration says it has reached an agreement with AT&T and Verizon (Engadget's former parent company) regarding the rollout of their C-Band 5G networks at and around airports. The agency said the three sides have found common ground "on steps that will enable more aircraft to safely use key airports while also enabling more towers to deploy 5G service."

According to the FAA, the providers offered "more precise data about the exact location of wireless transmitters and supported more thorough analysis of how 5G C-Band signals interact with sensitive aircraft instruments." The agency said it used the data to "determine that it is possible to safely and more precisely map the size and shape of the areas around airports where 5G signals are mitigated, shrinking the areas where wireless operators are deferring their antenna activations. This will enable the wireless providers to safely turn on more towers as they deploy new 5G service in major markets across the United States."

The accord follows a months-long tussle between airlines and wireless providers over C-Band 5G. AT&T and Verizon voluntarily delayed the rollout for six weeks to address concerns that their services could interfere with aircraft systems and electronics, due to C-Band frequencies being close to ones used by altimeters. 

Earlier this month, the CEOs of airlines including Delta, United and Southwest claimed in a letter to the federal government that the networks could affect their planes' instruments and lead to a "catastrophic" event. 

AT&T and Verizon activated their C-Band 5G networks last week after agreeing to create temporary buffer zones around dozens of airports — they haven't switched on C-Band 5G towers within two miles of some runways. They also argued that similar networks have been deployed in 40 other countries without issue.

It's not clear when AT&T and Verizon plan to turn on C-Band 5G towers closer to airports following the FAA agreement. The providers declined to comment.  

The CTIA, a trade association for the wireless industry, was bullish about the news. "This is a positive development that highlights the considerable progress the wireless industry, aviation industry, FAA and FCC are making to ensure robust 5G service and safe flights," CTIA chief communications officer Nick Ludlum told Engadget in a statement.

Meanwhile, the FAA said it would continue discussions with helicopter operators and other stakeholders in the aviation industry "to ensure they can safely operate in areas of current and planned 5G deployment."

'NHL 22' adds women's teams for the first time

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 10:16 AM PST

A week before the Winter Olympics get underway, EA has added women's teams to its NHL games for the first time. You can now select one of 10 women's International Ice Hockey Federation national squads in NHL 22: Canada, Czech Republic (Czechia), Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Russia, Switzerland and, of course, Team USA.

EA has also introduced IIHF Men's and World Juniors teams to NHL 22. Along with competing in IIHF World Championship tournaments, the Men's and Women's teams are playable in the Play Now, Online Versus, Threes Now and Offline/Online Shootouts modes. EA announced the additions last month.

NHL 12 (which was released in 2011) was the first game in the series in which players could take to the virtual ice as a woman, as long as they created one themselves. The following year, Canadian hockey pioneer Hayley Wickenheiser and American defense player Angela Ruggiero (who could join any team in NHL 13) became the first real playable women hockey players in the franchise, but it's taken almost another decade for EA to add full women's squads.

The NHL series is following other major sports games franchises in adding women's teams. EA brought them to its FIFA games for the first time in 2015, while 2K Games introduced the WNBA to NBA 2K in 2019.

New York's Obie Awards will consider streaming theater for the first time

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 09:31 AM PST

For the first time in its storied history, New York City's annual Obie Awards will consider virtual, digital and audio productions, the event's organizer, the American Theater Wing, announced on Friday. The move comes in response to the challenges Off- and Off-Off-Broadway artists and groups have had to face through the coronavirus pandemic. Due to some of the strictest lockdown restrictions in the country, many New York theater companies turned to online streaming to survive.

"We wanted to make sure that the work that did happen was eligible," Heather Hitchens, the CEO and president of the American Theater Wing, told The New York Times. "The Obies respond to the season, and to the evolving nature and rhythms of theater."

The American Theater Wing hasn't decided on an exact date for this year's show, but Hitchens told The Times she expects it will take place sometime in November and involve an in-person presentation. In addition to expanding the mandate of the Obies to honor online productions, judges will consider projects staged between July 1st, 2020 and August 31st, 2022. That's because the most recent Obie Awards took place in 2020. The American Theater Wing is also responsible for the Tony Awards, and 2022 will mark the first year that the organization will have staged the Obies on its own.  

It's hard to say what the future will bring, particularly in the middle of a constantly changing pandemic, but the American Theater Wing's decision to consider online productions could open the door for the Obies to consider shows staged outside of New York City.

Tesla is selling a microphone for in-car karaoke, but only in China

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 09:14 AM PST

Tesla is selling a new accessory: a microphone for in-car karaoke. The TeslaMic is only available in China for the time being. The company introduced it amid the rollout of a Chinese New Year software update, which adds a karaoke platform called Leishi KTV to infotainment systems.

The microphone automatically pairs with the infotainment system, according to Tesla. The TeslaMic comes in a pack of two, so it could come in handy if you ever feel like parking somewhere with a date and belting out some duets. The pack costs around $188 but the Tesla store page is failing to load for many would-be crooners.

A Weibo post (which has been mirrored onto YouTube) shows the TeslaMic and karaoke system in action. As Elektrek notes, by adopting the Leishi KTV interface and catalog, Tesla is building on a "Caraoke" feature it introduced in 2019, which had a more limited selection of tracks.

It remains to be seen whether Tesla will sell the TeslaMic outside of China, though maybe you'll be able to buy it with Dogecoin if it ever comes to the US. In the meantime, there's an official Carpool Karaoke microphone that you can connect to your car's audio system (though you'll need to provide your own backing tracks and a display with lyrics).

Riding along in Ford’s F-150 Lightning

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 09:01 AM PST

Ahead of being able to actually drive it, Ford offered us a chance to check out a prototype of the fleet version of the upcoming F-150 Lightning. While we don't know what it's like to be behind the wheel, we did have a chance to check out the truck, some of its features and experience the EV torque as it blasted up a hill.

The F-150 Lightning, whether it be for fleets or for customers, is a huge deal in the EV world. The F-Series truck has been the number one selling vehicle in the United States for three decades. Electrifying that sales juggernaut gives the automaker a leg up in the EV truck world since it has such a large established customer base. Check out the video above for the full story. 

AirPods Pro drop to $180, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 08:45 AM PST

This week was a good one for those holding out for discounts on Apple gadgets. Most AirPods models remain on sale at Amazon, so you can grab the second-gen earbuds for only $100 or the latest AirPods Pro for $180. The 2021 Apple TV 4K is also on sale for $160, or $20 off its normal price. Elsewhere, GOG.com's New Year sale has discounted hundreds of titles and you can still pick up a few Roomba robot vacuums for hundreds of dollars less than usual. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

AirPods Pro

Apple AirPods Pro
Billy Steele / Engadget

The AirPods Pro are 28 percent off, bringing them down to $180. These updated buds have the MagSafe charging case and we liked them for their good sound quality, solid ANC and improved fit.

Buy AirPods Pro at Amazon - $180

AirPods (2nd gen)

Apple AirPods with wireless charging case
Engadget

Apple's second-generation AirPods are down to $100, and that's only $10 more than they were on Black Friday. While the third-gen buds fix some issues that these have, the original AirPods remain a good option for those on a budget. We gave them a score of 84 for their improved wireless performance, decent sound quality and good battery life.

Buy AirPods (2nd gen) at Amazon - $100

AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max
Engadget

A few colors of the high-end AirPods Max are $100 less than usual, bringing them down to $449. These cans earned a score of 84 for their excellent, balanced sound, strong ANC and good battery life.

Buy AirPods Max at Amazon - $449

Apple TV 4K

Apple TV 4K 2021 falls to an all-time low of $150 at Amazon
Engadget

The latest Apple TV 4K is on sale for $160, or $20 off its normal price. While the 2021 version isn't drastically different from the previous model, its new Siri remote is a big selling point. We gave it a score of 90 for its speedy performance, HomeKit integration and the easy of use that comes with the improved Siri remote.

Buy Apple TV 4K at Amazon - $160

iPad Air

Apple's 2020 iPad Air drops to its lowest price yet on Amazon
Engadget

A few colors of Apple's iPad Air are on sale for $539, or $60 less than usual. We gave this tablet a score of 90 for its speedy performance, fast WiFi, updated design with USB-C and healthy battery life.

Buy iPad Air at Amazon - $539

GOG.com New Year sale

Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt Red

GOG's New Year sale knocks up to 90 percent off popular titles, making it a good time to pick up a few that will help carry you through the winter months. Key among them are Cyberpunk 2077 for 50 percent off, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for 80 percent off, Control Ultimate Edition for only $12 and more.

Sho GOG.com New Year sale

iRobot Roomba j7+

The new Roomba j7+ is $250 off right now and down to $599 at both Amazon and Wellbots. The higher-end Roomba s9+ is also $250 and down to $850. The former just came out at the end of last year and has 10x the suction power of a standard Roomba plus advanced obstacle avoidance, which means it will avoid things like pet poop more easily than other models. The s9+, on the other hand, has 40x suction power and a more corner-friendly design. Both also support automatic emptying and come with clean bases, too.

Buy Roomba j7+ at Amazon - $599Buy Roomba j7+ at Wellbots - $599Buy Roomba s9+ at Amazon - $849Buy Roomba s9+ at Wellbots - $849

iRobot Roomba 694

The Roomba 694 is down to $179, or $95 off and a return to its record-low price. It earned a spot in our best budget robot vacuums guide thanks to its strong cleaning power, on-device button controls and handy companion mobile app.

Buy Roomba 694 at Amazon - $179

Fitbit Charge 5

Fitbit Charge 5 fitness tracker
Valentina Palladino / Engadget

Fitbit's Charge 5 is on sale for a record low of $120 right now. We gave the fitness tracker a score of 82 for its large, full-color display, built-in GPS, standard Fitbit Pay and long battery life. The Fitbit Sense smartwatch is also on sale for $100 less than usual, bringing the price down to $200.

Buy Charge 5 at Amazon - $120

Eero 6 WiFi packs

Eero 6 WiFi router
eero LLC

All Eero 6 WiFi packs are on sale right now, so you can one for as low as $90. The three-pack of routers is down to $244 while the three-pack with one router and two extenders has been discounted to $195. This system supports WiFi 6, up to 5,000 square feet of coverage and it has a built-in Zigbee smart home hub.

Buy Eero 6 (1 router + 2 extenders ) at Amazon - $195

Xbox Elite Wireless Series 2 controller

Microsoft's Elite Wireless Series 2 controller for Xbox remains on sale for $140, or $40 less than usual. If you want to treat yourself (or someone else) to a fancy gaming accessory, this is a good option. It comes with six thumbsticks, four paddles, two D-pads, a charging dock, a carrying case and a USB-C cable, and its battery can last up to 40 hours on a single charge.

Buy Elite Wireless Series 2 controller at Amazon - $140Buy Elite Wireless Series 2 controller at Microsoft - $140

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

The Galaxy Buds 2 are down to $100 right now, or $50 off their normal price. We gave them a score of 84 for their improve sound quality, adjustable ambient sound mode, comfortable design and support for wireless charging.

Buy Galaxy Buds 2 at Woot - $100

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE

Samsung's latest smartphone, the Galaxy S21 FE, is officially available and starting to ship and Amazon throws in a $100 gift card if you order the handset through the online retailer. We briefly tested the FE at CES 2022 and called it "last year's flagship without the frills," and it includes a 5-nanometer processor, a 120HZ display, a 32-megapixel front-facing camera, a larger battery and more.

Buy Galaxy S21 FE bundle at Amazon - $700

Samsung T7 Touch SSD

The Samsung T7 Touch SSD in 1TB is down to a record low of $140 right now. That's even better than the price it was during the holiday shopping season last year. We like the drive's compact design, fast speeds and built-in fingerprint reader for extra security.

Buy T7 Touch (1TB) at Amazon - $140

Libro.fm

Engadget readers can get a total of two free audiobooks when signing up for Libro.fm, the audiobook subscription service that supports local bookstores. Similarly to Audible, a Libro.fm membership costs $15 per month and gives you one audiobook credit per month, plus 30 percent off any audiobooks you buy á la carte.

Subscribe to Libro.fm - $15/month

New tech deals

Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro

Ultraloq's U-Bolt Pro smart lock with its WiFi bridge is $45 off when you use the code ENGADGET45 at checkout, bringing it down to $154. This model gives you six different ways to unlock your door including a fingerprint sensor, a personal numerical code, an e-key or using the companion mobile app. And with the included bridge, you can control the lock from anywhere, allowing you to remotely unlock or lock your door at any time or give digital keys to your loved ones.

Buy Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro bundle at Wellbots - $154

Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus

Through January 31, you can get 40 percent off Master & Dynamic's MW07 Plus earbuds when you use the code TAKE40 at checkout. This sale fixes one of our main gripes with these buds — their high price tag. We gave them a score of 86 for their great sound quality, reliable onboard controls and 10-hour battery life.

Buy MW07 Plus at M&D - $149

55-inch Hisense U7G Quantum Dot 4K smart TV

Hisense's 55-inch Quantum Dot 4K TV is 30 percent off and down to just under $600. It packs a lot of value into a relatively affordable TV — the set supports a 120Hz native refresh rate, Dolby Vision and Atmos, 1,000 nits of peak brightness and Game Mode Pro, the latter of which makes use of HDMI 2.1, low latency mode, variable refresh rates and more.

Buy 55-inch Hisense U7G 4K TV at Amazon - $600

Garmin wearables

A bunch of Garmin smartwatches are $50 at Wellbots when you use the code ENGADGET50 at checkout. Key among them are the Venu 2 for $350 and the Lily for $150. The former has a number of advanced features like a pulse ox sensor, Garmin Pay and a built-in GPS, while the latter is more affordable and stylish to boot.

Buy Garmin Venu 2 at Wellbots - $350Buy Garmin Lily at Wellbots - $150

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

Porsche sent its Taycan EV cross-country to claim a 'charging time' record

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 08:00 AM PST

A standard 2021 Porsche Taycan has broken the Guinness World Record for the shortest charging time to cross the United States in an electric vehicle. It only needed a cumulative charge time of 2 hours, 26 minutes and 48 seconds to cover a 2,834.5-mile drive from Los Angeles to New York. While the record it broke is highly specific, there was a previous holder: A Kia EV6, which had to be charged for 7 hours, 10 minutes and 1 second to make a similar, but just slightly longer, trip from New York to LA. 

Wayne Gerdes, known for his efficiency driving and for coining the term "hypermiling," was behind the wheel for the record-breaking journey. Hypermiling, as you may know, involves the use of adjustments and driving techniques to maximize the vehicle's fuel use. Porsche told Engadget that Gerdes drove normal speeds and sometimes even went faster, depending on the charge level, for the duration of the trip. 

As for the vehicle itself, it was equipped with the company's Performance Battery Plus, which has a higher gross capacity than the base battery option, and Adaptive Cruise Control. For the attempt to be recognized by the Guinness World Records, every mile of the journey had to be filmed and the vehicle's GPS had to be tracked.

Gerdes said that the first time he charged a Taycan on a 350KW charger, its battery levels went from 6 to 82 percent in just 22 minutes. He relied on Electrify America's CCS DC fast charging network for the trip, since the company is a partner for this attempt. Porsche first revealed the Taycan electric sedan in 2019 and started making deliveries in 2020. The automaker has released several variants since then, including the category-blurring Cross Turismo EV.

Ubisoft executive complains NFT critics just ‘don’t get it'

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 07:52 AM PST

An Ubisoft executive has responded to the backlash against the company's push to add NFTs (non-fungible tokens) to its games. In December, the publisher announced Quartz, an NFT platform that lets people buy and sell unique digital items, which it called Digits. Both employees and consumers criticized the move, with many expressing concern about the environmental impact of NFTs and one Ubisoft developer saying they're "just another way to milk money."

The backlash to Quartz was swift. Within 24 hours of Ubisoft heralding the platform in a YouTube trailer, more than 35,000 people had clicked the dislike button, with just over 1,300 liking it.

Ubisoft's first foray into NFTs hasn't exactly gone gangbusters. It gave away some to players who reached certain play time or experience levels in Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint. It offered players the chance to buy some NFTs, but sales have reportedly been very sluggish. Someone who bought one, which is a gun skin with a small, unique serial number, told Waypoint that "it didn't feel different from using any other cosmetic but the custom serial and ability to view it outside of the Ghost Recon experience really added a level of ownership that I appreciate."

Nevertheless, Nicolas Pouard, vice president of Ubisoft's Strategic Innovations Lab, suggested that players simply aren't understanding the utility of NFTs.

"I think gamers don't get what a digital secondary market can bring to them. For now, because of the current situation and context of NFTs, gamers really believe it's first destroying the planet, and second just a tool for speculation," Pouard told Finder. "But what we [at Ubisoft] are seeing first is the end game. The end game is about giving players the opportunity to resell their items once they're finished with them or they're finished playing the game itself. So, it's really, for them. It's really beneficial. But they don't get it for now."

Pouard also said that Ubisoft considered announcing Quartz without making any reference to the fact that Digits are actually NFTs, but decided against it as players would have recognized what was going on anyway. "So, we decided it would not be very smart to try to hide it," he said. "Our principle is to build a safe place and safe environment with Quartz. So, we need to be transparent on what we are doing."

NFTs are essentially a certificate of authenticity designed to live on the blockchain. The idea is that an NFT is a public record of ownership of a digital asset. In reality, it's a verified link to a file somewhere on the internet that the owner of the URL destination can alter or even delete.

Along with claims that they can be tantamount to a pyramid scheme, many critics have expressed concern about the environmental impact of NFTs. An artist who sold an NFT collection last year said the process used up more than 8,000 kWh of electricity, which is more than his studio's power consumption from the previous two years.

Ubisoft says that the Tezos system it opted for requires less power consumption than other blockchains. It claims a Digits transaction uses around as much energy as 30 seconds of video streaming. In any case, Quartz doesn't seem to offer anything different than say, the Steam marketplace, which has long allowed players to buy and sell virtual goods for real money without the downsides of NFTs.

Jabra's Elite 7 earbuds now support multipoint Bluetooth connectivity

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 07:18 AM PST

When Jabra debuted its latest flagship true wireless earbuds in August, both models were packed with premium features like adjustable active noise cancellation (ANC) and ambient sound alongside a customizable EQ and in-app fit test. Now the company has added another key feature to both the Elite 7 Pro and Elite 7 Active that may not be as flashy, but it will offer a lot more convenience. Via a firmware update, Jabra has equipped those models with multipoint Bluetooth connectivity. 

Multipoint allows you to connect to two devices at the same time over Bluetooth. This means you can be listening to music or watching a show on your laptop and the earbuds will automatically switch over to your phone when you receive a call. Other earbuds and headphones do this, including Apple's AirPods, but the handy connectivity isn't standard across the board. 

This update also gives Android users the ability to select Google Assistant as their virtual helper of choice in Jabra's Sound+ app. Before now, Alexa was the only option there, although the Elite 7 models would work just fine with your phone's built-in companion. The company says it also made improvements to the MyFit feature that helps you find the proper ear tip size for a good seal. Jabra explained that the test was "unstable" for some users and this update remedies the issue. The company also says that there were connectivity problems with some Samsung and other Android phones, another problem that's addressed in this firmware release. 

The Elite 7 Pro and Elite 7 Active carry most of the same features, like Jabra's smaller, redesigned earbud shape and eight-hour battery life. The key difference is the call quality on the Elite 7 Pro, thanks to what the company calls MultiSensor Voice. That setup uses a combination of traditional microphones with a voice pick up (VPU) unit to keep you sounding clear. On a windy day, for example, the VPU automatically activates bone conduction technology to monitor your voice via the vibrations of your jaw. The Elite 7 Active has a ShakeGrip coating to minimize slips during sweaty workouts that the Elite 7 Pro does not. Both the Active and the Pro are IP57 rated though, so either one is a capable gym and/or running partner. And the last difference is the price: the Elite 7 Pro is $200 while the Elite 7 Active is $180.

If you already own a pair of these, the firmware update is available now through the Sound+ app. 

Update 4:09PM ET: This post has been updated with more information from Jabra on the secondary updates. 

Amazon's Eero 6 mesh WiFi system is up to 37 percent off

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 05:50 AM PST

There are plenty of ways to update your home's WiFi today, but many of them are on the expensive side. And if you have a big home, outfitting every corner with a decent connection will cost you. However, you can get a good deal on Amazon's Eero 6 mesh WiFi systems right now. All of the packs have been discounted, so you can get just the router for $90, which is 30 percent off, or up to three routers for $244, which is 37 percent off its normal price. The three-pack with one router and two extenders is arguably the best for most people and that's 30 percent off and down to $195.

Buy Eero 6 (1 router + 2 extenders ) at Amazon - $195Buy Eero 6 (1 router) at Amazon - $90Buy Eero 6 (3 routers) at Amazon - $244

The three-pack will cover up to 5,000 square feet, which should be more than enough for a typical home. As the name suggests, these Eero devices support dual-band WiFi 6 and wireless speeds up to 500Mbps. You'll get speeds up to 900Mbps if you're hardwired in, but you'll only be able to do that near the router's location as its the only one out of the three to have two, built-in Ethernet ports.

The Eero 6 will come in handy if you want to add to your smart home system as it has a built-in Zigbee home hub for you to connect things like smart lights, thermostats and more. And like many Amazon products, it works with Alexa so you can use your voice to control all of the compatible smart home devices that are on your network. It may not have the advanced features that the Eero Pro 6 has, like tri-band support and gigabit speeds, but the Eero 6 system will be more than enough for most people and an upgrade for those currently relying on aging routers.

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

Podcast: What's hot at Sundance 2022 and Samsung's upcoming Unpacked

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 05:30 AM PST

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra bring you the best and worst of Sundance 2022's tech-related projects. What films coming out of the show will be worth watching when they're released? Are VR projects easily viewable? What, if anything, did they say about the metaverse? Then, our hosts go over Samsung's news on this year's first Unpacked launch event, Neil Young's fight against Spotify and what went down at the Antiwork subreddit.

Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!


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Video livestream

Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar
Producer: Ben Ellman
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos, Owen Davidoff, Luke Brooks
Graphics artists: Luke Brooks, Kyle Maack
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien

'Melting face' and 36 other emojis arrive with Apple's iOS 15.4 beta

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 05:05 AM PST

Following the release of Unicode 14, Apple is finally starting to include the new emojis on iOS with the release of the 15.4 developer beta, Apple Insider has reported. As we detailed last summer, some of the new emojis available are "heart hands," "troll," "biting lip" and "melting face." The latter could be a popular option for our troubled times, smiling as your face literally melts while a pandemic and other strife rages on.

The final version of Unicode 14 also includes multiple skin tone variations of the handshake emoji, the one character you ironically couldn't modify for different skin shades. It took the Unicode Consortium a good two years, but they've finally got a new handshake character that's available with up to 25 different skin tone combinations. 

Unicode 14.0 has already arrived on Android 12, which has now gone out to most major smartphone brands. They're only available on Apple's iOS devices with the latest 15.4 developer beta, but will appear widely once the release comes out of beta later this year. 

Google to invest up to $1 billion in India's second biggest carrier

Posted: 28 Jan 2022 04:35 AM PST

After investing $4.5 billion in India's largest carrier Jio, Google is now putting up to $1 billion in Airtel, the second largest mobile operator, Airtel announced. The partnership is focusing on "affordable access to smartphones" and is part of Google's promised $10 billion investment in the country. "Our commercial and equity investment in Airtel is a continuation of our Google for India Digitization Fund's efforts to increase access to smartphones," Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in a statement. 

The deal includes a $700 million investment to acquire a 1.28 percent ownership in Airtel, with another $300 million earmarked for potential commercial agreements. Specifically, Airtel and Google will work to expand on Airtel's Android device lineup via "innovative affordability programs." The companies didn't specify what those programs would entail, however.

Airtel also said that it would look at "larger strategic goals" with Google around 5G network standards, cloud ecosystems and more. "With our future ready network, digital platforms, last mile distribution and payments ecosystem, we look forward to working closely with Google to increase the depth and breadth of India's digital ecosystem," said Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal. 

Google previously collaborated with Jio on the low-cost $87 JioPhone Next smartphone that went on sale on November 4th price following a delay due to the global chip shortage. Jio has also received investment from Facebook and other companies. 

With a huge number of potential internet users, Alphabet, Facebook parent Meta and others have looked to India to boost growth. Both tech giants have worked to bring internet connectivity to India, Alphabet with Project Loon and Meta via Free Basics, which was later banned in India. 
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