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- 60 companies say Facebook unfairly rejected their ads for women's health products
- Cyberattack hits Ukraine government websites amid tensions with Russia
- Nintendo's 'Ring Fit Adventure' falls to $55, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals
- Facebook's video speed-dating service is shutting down January 20th
- Khadas' Tea DAC is a compelling MagSafe accessory
- Jabra Elite 4 Active review: Checking a lot boxes for $120
- 'Final Fantasy XIV' will go back on sale on January 25th
- Microsoft opens a third-party review into its harassment and discrimination policies
- Withings' Body+ smart scale is 41 percent off for today only
- The Morning After: What is Sony’s smartphone plan?
- Block is officially building an 'open Bitcoin mining system,' says founder Jack Dorsey
- Tesla now accepts Dogecoin payments for some of its merch
| 60 companies say Facebook unfairly rejected their ads for women's health products Posted: 14 Jan 2022 10:14 AM PST Five dozen companies specializing in women's health products and services say Facebook has frequently rejected their ads over objections they contain "adult content," according to a report the Center for Intimacy Justice published this week. Facebook's advertising policies prohibit reproductive health products or services that focus on sexual pleasure, but anecdotes from the companies the Center for Intimacy Justice either interviewed or surveyed paint the picture of a platform that enforces those guidelines in a way that's seemingly arbitrary and sexist. The 60 companies that took part in the report have all had advertisements rejected by Facebook at one point or another. About half said they've also had their accounts suspended by the social media giant. One such company is Joylux. It offers vFit Gold, a product women can use to strengthen their pelvic floor. "Because of the nature of our product, the look of it," Joylux CEO Colette Courtion told The New York Times Facebook and other companies believe it's "pornographic" in nature. Since 2017, Joylux claims Facebook has shut down its advertising account twice. It says the company never provided a reason for those actions. It also claims Facebook has automatically denied ads that include "vagina." That's something Meta, Facebook's parent company, disputes. A spokesperson for the company told Engadget it doesn't enforce a blanket ban on keywords like "vagina" and "menopause." Instead, it says it considers "how each ad is positioned." Center for Intimacy Justice With help from an agency specializing in appealing ad rejections, Joylux has managed to get its ads up on Facebook in recent years. However, the company has had to change its copy to the point where those advertisements aren't helpful to consumers. "We can't show what the product looks like and we can't say what it does," Joylux told The New York Times. A spokesperson for Meta told Engadget its enforcement isn't perfect and that sometimes it makes mistakes. The company also noted it has its current policy in place in part because it strives to take into account what people from different countries and cultures will take away from ads that promote adult products. "We welcome ads for sexual wellness products but we prohibit nudity and have specific rules about how these products can be marketed on our platform," the spokesperson said. "We have provided detail to advertisers about what kinds of products and descriptions we allow in ads." What makes Facebook's actions in these instances frustrating for the 60 companies that took part in the report is that they believe Meta hasn't applied the same standards to ads targeting men. "Right now, it's arbitrary where they'll say a product is or isn't allowed in a way that we think has really sexist undertones and a lack of understanding about health," Jackie Rotman, the founder of the Center for Intimacy Justice, told The Times. To that point, the organization found an ad promoting an erectile dysfunction pill that promised a "wet hot American summer." Another, promoting a lubricant, said the lotion was "made just for men's alone time." |
| Cyberattack hits Ukraine government websites amid tensions with Russia Posted: 14 Jan 2022 09:01 AM PST Hackers have hit around 70 Ukraine government department websites, forcing many of them offline. A message in Ukrainian, Russian and Polish on the country's foreign ministry site reportedly read "Ukrainians! All your personal data has been uploaded to the public network. All data on the computer is destroyed, it is impossible to restore them." The page referenced "historical land" and featured crossed-out versions of Ukraine map and flag. "All information about you has become public, be afraid and wait for the worst. This is for you for your past, present and future," the message is said to have read. Along with the foreign ministry site, the state emergency service, state treasury and the ministries of education, foreign affairs, sport, energy, agrarian policy, veterans and environment were reportedly targeted. However, Ukraine's security service told CNN that personal data was not affected. It noted that most services have been restored. According to the Ukrainian Information Ministry, early indications suggest the Russian Federation carried out the attack. "This is not the first time or even the second time that Ukrainian Internet resources have been attacked since the beginning of the Russian military aggression," the ministry said in a statement. The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy suggested that references to Ukrainian ultra-nationalist groups in the message were an attempt by hackers to mask the "Russian footprint." The ministry added that "It is obvious that this was done on purpose to cast a shadow over the hacker attack on Poland: Russia and its proxies have been working for a long time to create the quarrel between two friendly neighboring countries." Hackers believed to be from Russia have targeted other parts of Ukraine's infrastructure in recent years. In 2015, an attack took out parts of the power grid. Since then, Russia was also blamed for attacks on Ukraine's weapon supply and the Kiev airport. The NotPetya cyberattack, for which the US charged Russian hackers in 2020, impacted the Ukrainian government and banking system, a state power distributor and an airport, as well as entities in Russia and the US. The latest attack took place as Russia mobilizes 100,000 troops to Ukraine's border. Western allies fear Russia will again invade Ukraine, following its annexation of Crimea in 2014. Attempts by the US, NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to de-escalate the situation in talks with Russia this week haven't proven successful. Russia's lead envoy said the discussions hit a dead end. Although Russia has denied plans to attack Ukraine, it said it may take action if its demands aren't met. Among those is an assurance that Ukraine and Georgia won't join NATO. Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, condemned the cyberattack on Ukraine. He said NATO has been working with the country for years to bolster its cyber defenses and that the two sides will sign an agreement on enhanced cyber cooperation in the coming days. As part of that, the country will gain access to NATO's malware information sharing platform. |
| Nintendo's 'Ring Fit Adventure' falls to $55, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals Posted: 14 Jan 2022 08:45 AM PST This week brought deals on Apple devices, gaming gear and more. The Mac Mini M1 remains on sale for $600 while the 3rd-generation AirPods are back down to a record low of $140. Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure is back in stock and $25 off, while you can still get a one-year Switch Online family membership plus a microSD card for 50 percent off. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today. Nintendo Ring Fit AdventureDevindra Hardawar / Engadget The Ring Fit Adventure is back on sale for $55, or $25 off its normal price. It's a good option for Switch owners who want to work out more in the new year but don't want to go outside to do it. Joy-Cons strap to the included ring and leg strap so the game can record your movements as it has you doing things like squats and crunches to progress through a fantasy world, defeat enemies and more. Buy Ring Fit Adventure at Amazon - $55AirPods (3rd gen)Billy Steele/Engadget Apple's latest AirPods are on sale for $140 right now, or 22 percent off their normal price. These are the company's newest earbuds and we gave them a score of 88 for their improved design, better audio quality and long battery life. Buy AirPods (3rd gen) at Amazon - $1402020 MacBook Pro M1Devindra Hardawar / Engadget The 2020 MacBook Pro M1 remains $150 off, bringing the model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage down to $1,150. It's not the latest MacBook Pro with the higher-end CPUs that Apple recently came out with, but it's still a viable option. We gave it a score of 84 for its speedy performance, lovely display and its long, 16.5-hour battery life. Buy 2020 MacBook Pro M1 at Amazon - $1,150Mac Mini M1Engadget The base Mac Mini M1 is $100 off thanks to a sale and an additional coupon, bringing it down to $600. This model runs on the M1 chipset along with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. This is Apple's most affordable M1 machine, making it a good option if you're in need of an upgraded desktop. Buy Mac Mini at Amazon - $600Nintendo Switch Online bundleSanDisk Amazon still has a bundle that includes a one-year Switch Online family membership and a 128GB SanDisk microSD card for $35. You're essentially getting the microSD card for free here, and the family-plan subscription gives up to eight people access to online play, cloud data storage and a library of NES and SNES games to play whenever you want. Buy Switch Online bundle at Amazon - $35Samsung Galaxy Buds 2Billy Steele/Engadget 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 - $100Samsung Galaxy S21 FEEngadget 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 - $700Google Nest Audio The Nest Audio smart speaker is down to $75, which is $25 off its regular price. While not as good as its Black Friday price, it's still a good discount on one of our favorite smart speakers. It earned a score of 87 from us for its excellent audio quality, stereo mode and minimalist design. You can also pick up the Nest Mini for only $25. Buy Nest Audio at Best Buy - $75Google News Hub (2nd gen) The second-generation Nest Hub has been discounted to $60, or $40 off its normal price. That's also only $10 more than it was during the holiday shopping season. We gave it a score of 89 for its nice 7-inch display, improved performance and audio quality plus its new sleep tracking feature. Buy Nest Hub (2nd gen) at Best Buy - $60Withings Body+ smart scaleWithings Withings' Body+ smart scale is 41 percent off for today only as part of a daily deal on Amazon that includes a number of other similar scales. Withings' gadget connects to WiFi and tracks things like your weight change, body fat and water percentage, muscle and bone mass and more. Buy Body+ smart scale at Amazon - $59Libro.fmLibro.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/monthNew tech dealsEcho Show 5The second-generation Echo Show 5 is on sale for $45, or 47 percent off its normal price. Not much has changed from the first to the second generation, but that's ok. We gave the latest model a score of 85 for its good sound quality, tap-to-snooze feature and quaint design. Buy Echo Show 5 (2nd gen) at Amazon - $45Wyze Cam v3The Wyze Cam v3 with spotlight kit is 32 percent off, knocking it down to $36. This is one of the easiest smart home security cameras to use, and one of the most affordable, and the spotlight kit will make it more useful as an outside cam at night. Buy Wyze Cam v3 at Amazon - $36HBO MaxHBO Max is having a sale through January 25th that knocks 20 percent off its monthly plans. That means you can get the service with ads for $8 per month or the ad-free tier for $12 per month, with both discounted rates lasting for one year. Current HBO Max subscribers cannot take advantage of the deal, but if you recently cancelled and wanted to come back, you should be able to get the discount. Subscribe to HBO Max starting at $8/monthFollow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. |
| Facebook's video speed-dating service is shutting down January 20th Posted: 14 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST Facebook's New Product Experimentation (NPE) team is often quick to abandon apps that don't find traction, and a video speed-dating service it has tested over the last nine months is next for the chopping block. The company told Sparked users the experiment will shut down on January 20th. "We started building Sparked in late 2020 to help people find love through an experience rooted in kindness. Since then, thanks to regular input and feedback from you, we improved where we could, learned a ton, and made connections between people," Facebook wrote in the email, which TechCrunch obtained. "Like many good ideas, some take off and others, like Sparked, must come to an end." Users will be able to download their data before January 20th. After that date, Facebook will wipe their Sparked accounts. Sparked was a blend of Chatroulette, the video chats other dating apps have introduced over the last few years and a speed dating event. At a predetermined time, users from a certain area or demographic would take part in dating events (there were a few global events too). They'd have four minutes to chat with a potential match, and if they both wanted to spend more time with each other, they could set up a second, 10-minute date and/or exchange contact details. Although users needed a Facebook account to use Sparked, the service was distinct from both Facebook and Facebook Dating. It had no public profiles, messaging or matching features, like swiping on Tinder. Facebook initially described Sparked as a small beta test to learn about video dating, so it might not truly have intended for the service to blow up in popularity. Both Sparked and Facebook Dating added audio chat features last year. Sparked is joining a long list of NPE projects that Facebook has shut down, including Pinterest-style app for hobbyists Hobbi, TikTok clone Lasso and selfie app MSQRD. A few NPE apps remain on the App Store in the US: TikTok-esque app for rappers called BARS, an app for couples called Tuned and collaborative music video app Collab. Facebook said this week that Collab is also closing down on March 12th. |
| Khadas' Tea DAC is a compelling MagSafe accessory Posted: 14 Jan 2022 06:30 AM PST As more music streaming services introduce lossless or high-definition audio to their offerings, interest in DACs (digital-to-analog converters, or "headphone amplifiers") has picked up pace — so much so we created this guide. What was once the reserve of audiophiles is slowly becoming a go-to gadget for those who want more than what their phone and AirPods can deliver. But they're not without caveats. For one, they're often expensive, and sometimes they aren't much smaller than the phone you're attaching them to. Enter the Tea DAC by Khadas. Khadas started out making media-friendly single board computers (SBC - think… media-specific Raspberry Pi type things) before moving on to desktop DACs. Tea is the company's first mobile DAC and it appears to be primarily targeted at iPhone users – though it's also compatible with Android. The reason I suggest it's more apt for Apple's phones is that it's MagSafe compatible. Combine that with the slim, iPhone-esque all-metal design and it solves one of the main problems with mobile DACs: Having something heavy hanging out the back of your phone. With the Tea, it sticks to the back of your phone and the low profile makes it only a little more noticeable than Apple's own MagSafe wallets. You can, of course, find MagSafe capable cases for Android, but your phone and budget will be a factor. Beyond the slick form factor, the Tea doesn't scrimp on its codec support. Over USB/Lightning, the Tea can handle audio right up to 32bit/384kHz. Given that most mainstream music services don't offer anything above 192kHz, streamers will be more than covered. Similarly, the Tea can decode MQA (Tidal) along with DSD, AAC, FLAC, APE, OGG and all the standard formats (WAV/MP3 etc.). If you prefer to go wireless, the Tea also supports LDAC and AptX HD over Bluetooth. James Trew / Engadget Here I should mention that, for all its iPhone friendliness, Apple doesn't offer either LDAC or AptX HD support in its flagship phones. You can still use the Bluetooth functionality in Tea, but you won't be able to enjoy the higher-quality formats. Though it does at least mean you can charge your phone while still using the DAC or you can wander around with the smaller Tea connected to your headphones rather than your mobile. There are plenty of Android phones that do support LDAC/AptX HD, but you'll need to check the manufacturer website to confirm (most Pixels, Samsung flagships and OnePlus phones offer LDAC/AptX HD decoding). There are a few things you won't find here, but most of those fall into the higher end of audio. For example, there's only a regular 3.5mm headphone jack – no option for 2.5 or 4.4mm balanced cans at this point (though rumor has it that a "Pro" version with that might be on the way). There's also limited feedback about what codec/audio quality you're currently receiving, with just a simple color-changing LED indicating the format, which you can't see unless the phone is face down. Inputs are limited to USB-C, so it'll work with your phone and PC, but no line in. This puts the Tea in an interesting category. It's perfectly capable for people that want the most out of their streaming service and even should appeal to audiophiles looking for a discreet option that covers most bases. But at $199 it's a reasonable spend. Perhaps its most obvious competitor is the BTR5 from Fiio. That's also a portable DAC with high-res Bluetooth support along with a similar selection of cabled formats (also up to 32bit/384kHz with MQA support). Oh, and the Fiio offers a balanced headphone option, too (2.5mm). When you factor in that the BTR5 also typically retails for $159, you have to really want that slim, MagSafe design. That's not to undersell it though. I tested the BTR5 and the Tea side by side, and the sheer convenience of the Tea was obvious. With the Fiio, your phone feels tethered, almost weighed down by the DAC. With the Tea, it's similar to using one of those iPhone cases with a battery in it – a little more thickness, but you can still operate the phone as you normally would. The Tea also has a much bigger battery capacity – 1,160 mAh compared to the Fiio's 550 mAh. This obviously isn't an audio benefit, but it soon becomes one if you plan on listening for extended periods or being away from a charging option for more than a few hours. Which, given the mobile nature of these devices feels like a reasonable possibility. James Trew / Engadget I am, however, not a huge fan of the user interface. The Tea has three buttons: One on the left and two on the right. The single button works as a power switch or to summon your virtual assistant. The two buttons on the other side will either control volume or skip tracks. You toggle between volume and skip mode with a dual press of the power button and the top button on the other side. It works… fine, but it's not very elegant. Also, if you leave it in track skip mode and go to adjust the volume, you're going to be on the next track before you know it. A minor, but frustrating thing. In wired mode, the Tea pumps out robust, loud, clear audio. It's maybe not quite as loud as some other DACs. Even the diminutive Firefly gives the Tea a run for its money there. But, the sound you do get is clean and full of gain, and that's the goal here: Take a good signal and let it be heard without colorization. Beyond its primary function as a DAC, it also won't get in the way of taking calls. A pair of mics on the base of the Tea allow you to talk without having to fall back to the mic on your phone. What's more, the mics on the Tea are several leagues better than the one on the iPhone, especially when speaking to it while it's resting on the desk. You can also set the Tea to charge via your phone if you're running low on juice, or disable this feature to not tax the battery on your handset if you prefer. All in all, the Tea is a welcome addition to a growing category. At $199 it's not the cheapest for the feature set, but its well-thought-out design and aesthetic also make it pretty convenient and discreet. Unfortunately, if this all sounds up your alley, then you'll have to wait a little longer. While Khadas clearly is production-ready, the company is choosing to go the Indiegogo route, with the campaign slated to go live in the coming weeks. |
| Jabra Elite 4 Active review: Checking a lot boxes for $120 Posted: 14 Jan 2022 06:00 AM PST I review a lot of true wireless earbuds, so I'm always curious what the next trends will be when companies offer their annual refresh for new products. Over the last few years, smaller sizes, better battery life and hands-free features have become the norm, but there's only so much you can do on such a tiny device. In 2021, Jabra set the new standard for affordable wireless earbuds with the Elite 3. At $80, it covers most of the basics quite well.Now the company is improving its mid-range option with the Elite 4 Active. It's a more workout-focused model, complete with active noise cancellation (ANC) and enough moisture protection for the sweatiest of sessions. Like it did last year, Jabra is seeking to not only make its true wireless lineup compelling in terms of features and performance, but to also make the price more competitive. This $120 model delivers a lot of options that we typically see on earbuds that go for $150-$180. The Elite 4 Active carries Jabra's new design that debuted on the Elite 3, Elite 7 Active and Elite 7 Pro last year. Instead of a mostly circular earbud with an elbow that holds the microphones, the company switched to a rounded triangle shape that offers a cleaner look. Most importantly, all of Jabra's latest earbuds are significantly smaller than their predecessors and the Elite 4 Active continues that trend. The smaller size not only means these buds don't stick out from your ears as much, but they're also lighter and more comfy. I wouldn't blame you for mistaking the Elite 4 Active for the Elite 3. Aesthetically, the main difference is the outer panel on the 3 is one big button, while that area on the 4 Active is seamless. The button is there, but it's sealed off. Jabra increased the water resistance to IP57 for this model, and the onboard controls are one area where it had to increase protection. Of course, Jabra has always designed its earbuds with the Active label for workouts. Better sweat protection is usually part of that formula. Billy Steele/Engadget The lack of a defined panel or button proved to be an issue for me when accessing the controls. I had to train myself to remember to press in the middle of the earbud as getting too far to the top or bottom wouldn't register my actions. The outer surface of the Elite 4 Active is completely smooth, without so much as a raised dot to indicate you're in the right place. Over time I might get used to this, but after a couple weeks of testing, I'm still not nailing it consistently. Like every other Jabra model, you can tailor the Elite 4 Active to your needs via the company's Sound+ app. Since this set is Jabra's mid-range option, you get more features than the entry-level Elite 3, but not quite as much as the Elite 7 Pro or Elite 7 Active. First, there's ANC and it's customizable. Notice I didn't say adjustable. Specifically, the app lets you set a level of noise cancellation during initial setup. You can also tweak the balance if you need more on one side than the other. Jabra will allow you to repeat this process if you need to, but there's no easily accessible slider like the Elite 7 models. The company's transparency mode, HearThrough, can be controlled in the app via a slider. In fact, you can even set what the on-board control for sound mode does (single press on the left side). You can have it cycle through HearThrough and ANC, HearThrough and off or HearThrough, ANC and off. The app also allows you to turn on and off Sidetone, which lets you hear your voice when you're on a call. Unlike some Jabra models, it isn't adjustable – just all or nothing. Still, being able to hear yourself so you're a bit less shouty over Zoom is better for everyone. The company's own Find My feature returns as well, helping you locate a misplaced earbud if you're willing to give it the proper permissions. And on Android, you can opt for one-touch access to Spotify if that's your preferred streaming service. Billy Steele/Engadget For a $120 set of earbuds, I wouldn't blame you for not expecting too much in the sound department. However, Jabra has a track record of solid audio across its true wireless lineup. With the Elite 4 Active, the company maintains its reputation for buds that sound good, but not great. There's decent clarity and nice detail, but they lack the wider soundstage and depth pricier models from the likes of Sony and Sennheiser offer. The Elite 4 Active has pretty good sonic range, but big bombastic tracks like Run The Jewels "Mean Demeanor" and Gojira's "Another World" sound overly compressed. The bass is solid and not muddy, so keeping the energy up during workouts with hip hop, EDM, or isn't a problem. It's just that on the whole, songs lack the dimensional punch you can find with a bigger investment. For $120 though, the Elite 4 Active gets the job done in most cases. If you find yourself yearning to tweak the EQ, you can do that in the Sound+ app via a set of sliders. If one-tap audio changes are more your style, Jabra also offers a collection of presets for quick customization. It's not the most robust set of options for dialing in the sound, but it's more than you get on the ultra affordable Elite 3. One advantage the Elite 4 Active has over the Elite 3 is active noise cancellation. As I mentioned, you can customize the feature to a degree, but it's not as powerful as what's on Jabra's pricer earbuds. Still, the ANC here will help block out some distractions, just don't expect it to do a lot of heavy lifting. The Elite 4 Active has four microphones for calls. Jabra says they're covered with a "special mesh" to reduce wind noise when you're outdoors. Typically, mileage varies greatly on call quality with true wireless earbuds. Most of the time you just end up sounding like you're on speakerphone. With the Elite 4 Active, the call quality is slightly better, but still not as good as if you had a microphone closer to your mouth – or even pointed more towards your face. Background noise is reduced when you're talking, but any environmental roar is distracting when you're not. Jabra says you can expect up to seven hours of battery life on the Elite 4 Active, with three additional charges in the case for a total of 28 hours. The company doesn't specify whether or not that's with ANC on, but in my tests I managed seven and a half hours with noise canceling active. It's by no means the best battery life you'll find in true wireless earbuds, but it's certainly enough to get you through a workday if you take a break or two. If you run out of juice before you head out the door, a quick charge feature gives you an hour of use in 10 minutes. At $120, Jabra is offering solid mid-range specs at the same price as some companies' budget models. What's more, most of those don't offer ANC, let alone a transparency mode or customizable sound. Samsung put noise canceling inside of its cheapest true wireless model with the Galaxy Buds 2. These earbuds are tiny and comfy and wireless charging is included, but the ANC performance is just okay. Plus, the Galaxy Buds 2 are only IPX2 rated, so you'll want to be careful about how wet you get them. Full price they're $150, but we've seen them as low as $100. If you're looking to maximize your dollars, I'd suggest looking into Anker's Soundcore line. You can find a lot of value, and features, for well under $100 there. Plus, the company's top-of-the-line flagship ANC model, the Liberty 3 Pro, is only $170. And if you're good with passive noise isolation, Jabra's own Elite 3 can get the job done for $60. If Jabra's new mission is to deliver the same overall quality as its previous earbuds at more affordable prices, I'm here for it. With the Elite 4 Active, as it did with the Elite 3, the company has managed to offer a compelling set of features at a great price. It hasn't cut corners to do so, improving details like design and fit while maintaining its standard for sound quality. There are some omissions, but all the basics are covered and for the most part done well. Once again, we have more evidence that you don't need to spend over $150 in order to get a set of good true wireless earbuds. |
| 'Final Fantasy XIV' will go back on sale on January 25th Posted: 14 Jan 2022 05:31 AM PST New players will be able to purchase digital copies of Final Fantasy XIV again starting on January 25th, the game's director and producer Naoki Yoshida has announced in a lengthy post. Square Enix suspended the game's physical and digital sales in mid-December last year, because it was doing too well for what the company could handle at the time. People have had to wait hours to get in when they try to play at peak times, because the "dense concentration of play hours... far exceed [the game's] server capacity." Unfortunately, the developer wasn't able to add more servers before the Endwalker expansion was released due to the global semiconductor shortage. In his post, Yoshida explained the steps the company is taking to address the game's high levels of congestion. To start with, Square Enix is bringing its Oceanian Data Center online also on January 25th and opening five new Worlds from the start so that everyone in Oceania can transfer over for a better experience. The world transfer service is currently suspended, but it will resume on January 26th — further, those transferring to the new Oceanian Worlds will be able to do so for free. Yoshida has also revealed that Square Enix has been working on expanding its Japanese, European and North American data centers. The company explained that due to the global semiconductor shortage, it took some time to procure the needed components to be able to bring them online. In fact, it has to establish the new data centers in phases, because it's still having a tough time securing the necessary server equipment. For North America, the first phase of the expansion will happen sometime in August 2022, and it will see four new Worlds go online. The second phase will be implemented in the summer of 2023 and will open four more Worlds. For Japan, the developer plans to add one more logical data center to the current three in order to lower the number of Worlds for each of them. The European expansion will also happen in two phases, the first of which is scheduled for July 2022 and will bring four new Worlds online. In the summer of 2023, Square Enix will establish one new logical data center with eight new Worlds in Europe. "Once again, I wish to apologize for the delays to server expansion caused by the global semiconductor shortage," Yoshida wrote. He also asked for players' understanding in resuming sales of the game, even though some may consider the decision to be premature. Square Enix will monitor server stability following the resumption of sales and could restart free trials if everything goes well. However, in case servers "continue to experience extreme levels of congestion" despite all the steps it's taking, the developer may consider suspending digital sales once again. |
| Microsoft opens a third-party review into its harassment and discrimination policies Posted: 14 Jan 2022 05:20 AM PST Microsoft has hired a third -party law firm to review its policies on sexual harassment and gender discrimination policies, The Verge has reported. As part of that, the final report will summarize the results of sexual harassment investigations against the company's senior leadership and board of directors, including former CEO Bill Gates. The report will "lead to the public release of a transparency report assessing the effectiveness of the company's workplace sexual harassment and gender discrimination policies, training, and related policies," Microsoft said in a press release. It will also "assess the steps that have been taken to hold employees, including executives, accountable for sexual harassment or gender discrimination," and include the number of sexual harassment cases investigated and their resolution.
Microsoft had been planning to disclose how it implements sexual harassment and gender discrimination policies, with a key request being the disclosure of executive-level investigations. However, late last year, Microsoft shareholders forced the company to write up an annual report detailing how it handles sexual harassment cases within the company. The review will be conducted by the law firm Arent Fox and will look at allegations of discrimination and harassment arising from an internal Microsoft email chain back in 2019. In over 90 pages of emails, female employees alleged that they were harassed and denied promotions and pay raises, among other issues. They further complained that managers and the company's HR department took no action in many cases. Microsoft was also accused of 238 cases of gender discrimination or sexual harassment in 2018. While the board will assess the previous investigation against Gates, it won't reinvestigate the affair that happened in 2000. Gates resigned from Microsoft's board in early March of 2020, reportedly before the investigation was complete. "We're committed not just to reviewing the report but learning from the assessment so we can continue to improve the experiences of our employees," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement. "I embrace this comprehensive review as an opportunity to continue to get better." |
| Withings' Body+ smart scale is 41 percent off for today only Posted: 14 Jan 2022 04:50 AM PST If you're seriously sticking to your New Year's resolution this time around to live a healthier lifestyle and want a digital scale to monitor the changes to your body, Withings has one on sale. The Withings Body+ smart scale is currently available for $58.50 on Amazon. That's not quite its all-time low for the device, but it is 41 percent off its retail price of $100. Buy Withings Body+ Digital Wi-Fi Smart Scale at Amazon - $58.50The Withings Body+ connects to the internet via WiFi and automatically syncs your information with the Health Mate app. While it can't measure your heart rate like the the brand's latest scale can, the Body+ is capable of almost all the things you'd expect from a smart scale. It can monitor your weight in pounds, kilograms or stones, measure your body fat and water percentage and determine your muscle and bone mass. Withings says its weight measurements are accurate to within 100 grams. You can also share the scale with your whole household, and maybe even some houseguests, since it monitor data for up to eight people. The scale can apparently identify each user, and each one can access their personal histories. And yes, the scale can track healthy weight gain for pregnant individuals, has a baby mode for the youngest members of the family and an Athlete mode, presumably for those extra serious about achieving their goals. Finally, the Health Mate app can also help you manage your daily calories and let you access your data using voice control through Alexa. You can only get the Body+ scale at a discount within the day, and there's less than 20 hours left for the deal as of this writing. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. |
| The Morning After: What is Sony’s smartphone plan? Posted: 14 Jan 2022 04:30 AM PST I'm not sure what's in Sony's playbook when it comes to selling its phones in the US. Take the Xperia 5 III. After launching in other regions last year, the phone is only now available stateside for $1,000. This is its middle-ish high-end phone, with the flagship Xperia 1 series of smartphones (seen above) both bigger and pricier. Sony For that price, this Xperia does have things to offer. The autofocus tricks, courtesy of Sony's camera arm, are often impressive. The Xperia 5 III can also record 4K video at up to 120 fps; it's a camera-first smartphone designed for folks who are really into photography or video. But, well, that's true of all of Sony's recent phones. And if you're dying for truly cutting-edge smartphone photography, perhaps the Xperia Pro-I, with a 1-inch camera sensor, would fulfill the brief more clearly. It's... only $800 more — further evidence of Sony's smartphone prices feeling entirely separate from its competitors. — Mat Smith Sony A7 IV camera reviewA powerhouse of a hybrid cameraEngadget Sony's A7 IV is a successful followup to its popular mainstream A7 III. Resolution is up considerably to 33 megapixels, and image quality is much improved overall. Video is now on par with rivals with 4K at up to 60p with 10 bit 4:2:2 quality. Autofocus is incredible for both video and stills, and the in-body stabilization does a good job. The biggest drawbacks are the relatively high price and the rolling shutter that limits use of the electronic shutter. Steve Dent puts the newest, best Sony camera to the test. (And I guest star as a voice-over talent.) Comcast tests the first multigigabit cable modemBut will you get full use of that bandwidth?Comcast has successfully tested the first 10G modem capable of multigigabit speeds. The Broadcom-built prototype can provide download and upload bandwidth topping 4Gbps. At those speeds, downloading all 61 gigs of Call of Duty: Vanguard for PC would take just over two minutes. 'Baby Shark' is the first YouTube video to reach 10 billion viewsSorry, everyone.YouTube Doop doop doop doop doop doop. Times 10 billion. This is the beginning of the end for the Xbox OneMicrosoft is no longer making the consoles.We learned in July 2020 that Microsoft had discontinued the Xbox One X and Xbox One S Digital Edition. Now, it has emerged the company also quietly stopped making the Xbox One S by the end of that year, "to focus on the production of Xbox Series X/S," according to Xbox's senior director of console product marketing. Woman sentenced to prison for stealing 3,000 iPods intended for studentsThe employee also filed fraudulent tax returns to try to cover up her actions.Kristy Stock was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for her role in a scheme to steal and resell more than 3,000 iPods intended for Native American students. The charges against Stock included both tax fraud and transportation of stolen goods. Stock was supposed to use federal grant money to buy iPods to distribute to students. However, thanks to help from other conspirators James Bender and Saurabh Chawla, the group ended up shipping the stolen iPods to Maryland where they were listed on eBay before being sold at a "substantial" markup. Facebook, Google, Twitter and Reddit subpoenaed over January 6th insurrectionCompany responses so far have been 'inadequate,' according to the committee.Facebook owner Meta, Google, Twitter and Reddit have been subpoenaed by the Congressional select committee investigating the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol. Two key questions for the select committee are how the spread of misinformation and violent extremism contributed to the violent attack on our democracy, and what steps — if any — social media companies took to prevent their platforms from being breeding grounds for radicalizing people to violence," committee chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS) said.
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| Block is officially building an 'open Bitcoin mining system,' says founder Jack Dorsey Posted: 14 Jan 2022 03:40 AM PST Block founder Jack Dorsey has announced on Twitter that the company is officially building an open bitcoin mining system. Dorsey first announced in October last year that the digital payments provider, then known as Square, was considering working on the project even before it rebranded itself. If you'll recall, Square changed its name to Block to tie its services together and to better represent the future of its business in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies.
Now, Block's general manager for hardware, Templeton Thomas, has revealed more details on the company's initial discussions regarding the project. On Twitter, Thomas said that Block aims to "make mining more distributed and efficient in every way, from buying, to set up, to maintenance, to mining." As such, Block has identified the pain points and the technical challenges of the process, starting with availability, since rigs are hard to find and and are expensive. Block has to find a way to make them more accessible to be able to meet its objective. The company also wants to build a reliable system that addresses current rigs' usual issues with heat dissipation and dust. Plus, Block is looking into striking the right balance between performance and other factors, such as making sure the rig is efficient while having low power consumption. Thomas said Block is also thinking of which partners to consider for the project and has already started building out a core engineering team to working on solutions and answer for all its questions. Dorsey is a big believer in cryptocurrency and even once said that he believes bitcoin will replace the dollar one day. Block had invested heavily in cryptocurrency and reportedly holds 8,027 bitcoins or around US$338 million, based on current value. |
| Tesla now accepts Dogecoin payments for some of its merch Posted: 14 Jan 2022 03:08 AM PST Tesla is allowing customers to buy select merchandise items using Dogecoin, according to the website and a tweet from CEO Elon Musk. You can now pick up the Cyberwhistle for 300 doge ($58), Giga Texas Belt Buckle for 835 doge ($161) and the Cyberquad for Kids at 12,020 doge or $2,320. According to the store, Dogecoin is now the only way to buy those items as a cash option is no longer showing.
Musk has been interested in Dogecoin of late, having discussed in May the potential "efficiency" of the cryptocurrency compared to Bitcoin. Then in December, he tweeted that the company would "make some merch buyable with Doge & see how it goes." Following Musk's announcement today, Dogecoin has gone up around 14 percent over the last 24 hours. Tesla accepted Bitcoin as payment for its cars in February 2021, but halted the initiative less than two months later citing Bitcoin's environmental impact. "Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels... but this cannot come at a great cost to the environment," Musk said on Twitter at the time. Dogecoin uses less power to mine, mainly because it's worth less than Bitcoin. Musk said last year that he was working with Dogecoin's devs to improve its efficiency, though there's no clear way yet to do that without decreasing its value. That said, Block's CEO Jack Dorsey just announced plans to build an open Bitcoin mining system that makes that particular cryptocurrency "more distributed and efficient." |
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