Friday, February 25, 2022

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Lenovo's third-gen Legion gaming phone has an SSD RAID storage option

Posted: 25 Feb 2022 07:45 AM PST

Lenovo is no stranger to gaming phones, and it appears determined to survive the all-out specs war that defines the category. Engadget Chinese reports Lenovo has shared early details of the Legion Phone Y90, its third-generation gaming handset, and storage appears to be the company's advantage. While 'base' models come with 256GB of ordinary UFS 3.1 flash storage (paired to 12GB or 16GB of RAM), the highest-end 18GB RAM model comes with a RAID 0 storage stripe that combines a 128GB SSD with 512GB of flash, much like Xiaomi's Black Shark 4 phones. You won't have to wait long for your games to load.

The 6.9-inch 1080p AMOLED screen with a 144Hz refresh rate will be familiar to second-gen Legion owners (albeit with a high 1,300-nit brightness), and the presence of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip won't surprise anyone. Lenovo has ditched the 44MP pop-up selfie camera in favor of an above-screen 16MP unit, though. You'll still find dual fans and vapor chamber cooling, and charging won't be an issue between the 5,600mAh two-battery power pack, two USB-C ports and an included 68W GaN fast charger.

There's no mention of a release date or pricing, although those might come at Lenovo's Mobile World Congress press event on February 28th. The Legion Phone Y90 initially appears destined for mainland China, but it won't be surprising if the device reaches other markets (possibly with a different name). Just don't expect it in the US — Lenovo hasn't officially released its gaming phones in the country, and there's no evidence to suggest the company will break with tradition this time around.

'Assassin’s Creed Valhalla' is free to play this weekend

Posted: 25 Feb 2022 07:14 AM PST

If you're looking for a massive open-world game to play this weekend that isn't Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, Dying Light 2 or Cyberpunk 2077, it might be worth checking out Assassin's Creed Valhalla. The latest entry in Ubisoft's long-running series is free to play right now on Xbox, PlayStation, PC, Stadia Pro and Amazon Luna. You'll get access to the full game until February 28th.

Players can take on the guise of a Viking raider named Eivor as they explore ninth-century versions of Norway and England. You can lead raids against fortresses and enemy territories, grow your own settlement and build out a version of Eivor that suits your preferred playstyle.

The free weekend arrives ahead of a paid DLC called "Dawn of Ragnarok," which Ubisoft has described as the "most ambitious expansion" in the history of the franchise. That'll arrive on March 10th.

The trial doesn't include AC Valhalla's expansions, but given that the main story alone can take around 60 hours or so to beat, it's unlikely you'll get that far by Monday anyway. If you want to keep Eivor's adventure going after February 28th, it's worth noting AC Valhalla is currently on sale on all platforms. 

HTC Vive's metaverse vision includes safeguards for children

Posted: 25 Feb 2022 06:35 AM PST

HTC's VR strategy will extend well beyond using car rides as theme parks. The company has outlined Viverse, its vision for a metaverse, and it's promising to protect children from virtual dangers in the process. Viverse itself isn't so much a holistic space so much as an "open ecosystem" joining multiple platforms together. You could socialize in VRChat, hold business meetings in Engage, collaborate in Vive Sync and unwind with "holographic" concerts in Beatday.

HTC's day-in-the-life conceptual video suggests Viverse would also be full of plenty of metaverse buzzwords. You would exercise with AR fitness data, buy wine at a virtual tasting with cryptocurrency and browse NFT art (including the "Meowna Lisa," naturally). As UploadVRexplains, though, HTC's teaser is an unusual mix of real products with purely imagined scenarios, and no practical way to link them all besides what looks like a gateway app. The company is also optimistic about the adoption of this technology — there's no NFT backlash or cryptocurrency legal headaches in this virtual world.

The parental controls might be of more value. HTC is introducing a Vive Guardian app to protect the privacy and safety of kids (and concerned adults) in VR spaces. A "Free Mode" lets you grant access to specific apps and content that children can explore on their own terms. Choose "Broadcast," however, and you can limit young ones to specific experiences (such as apps and TV shows) beamed from the companion app on your Android phone or tablet. You can see what your children are using, and they'll need permission to download content or make purchases.

Vive Guardian will be available on Google Play and Viveport, although it wasn't listed as of this writing. It will support Vive Focus, Vive Focus Plus and Vive Flow headsets.

The existence of safeguards isn't surprising when other metaverse operators have had to restrict content. Meta introduced personal boundaries in Horizon Worlds and Venues to discourage harassment, while Microsoft shut down AltspaceVR's social hub following problems with harassers. It's just a question of whether or not HTC's efforts are enough to protect users — it's not clear that you can fence off every potential threat in a given VR environment.

Catch up on all of the news from MWC 2022 right here!

Buy Samsung's Galaxy S22 and Amazon will give you a $100 credit

Posted: 25 Feb 2022 05:59 AM PST

If you missed the Galaxy S22 pre-order window and the perks that came with it, Amazon has another offer that sweetens the deal if you go there to buy one of the handsets. For all three models — the S22 Ultra, S22+ and S22 — you can get a $100 Amazon credit if you input the promotional code on the product page when you checkout. Look for the "extra savings" banner under the price to get the appropriate promo code for the model you're buying, and you'll get an email after your order has shipped with details of the credit being added to your Amazon account.

Buy Galaxy S22 Ultra at Amazon - $1,200Buy Galaxy S22+ at Amazon - $1,000Buy Galaxy S22 at Amazon - $700

If you're picking up the Galaxy S22, Amazon also has a $100 coupon that you can clip on the product page before you add the phone to your cart. That means you can get the handset for $700 instead of $800, and get the $100 credit on top of that when adding the promo code at checkout.

We've had time to test all three of Samsung's latest smartphones and we've been mostly impressed. The Galaxy S22 Ultra earned a score of 89 from us; being the biggest and most expensive of the bunch, it has all of the advanced features you may be looking for in your next smartphone. Note lovers will like that Samsung brought over some signature elements of that lineup, including the built-in S Pen, and we liked its big, colorful Super AMOLED panel with its 120Hz refresh rate and Vision Booster. The phone's triple rear camera array took shots that could easily compete with those taken by the iPhone 13 Pro and the Pixel 6 Pro, and the phone's ability to handle pretty much any task we threw at it. Our biggest gripe was with its relatively short battery life: we got just more than 17 hours in our testing, which is a few hours less than last year's Galaxy S21 was able to last.

While the Galaxy S22+ and S22 aren't huge departures from last year's models, Samsung improved them in nearly every way. You're getting a more refined design, a brighter screen, improved performance and better low light image from the main camera. Both handsets earned a score of 87 from us — we liked the lovely display, solid performance and UWB support on the Galaxy S22+, and we liked the slick design, strong performance and relatively low starting price on the Galaxy S22.

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

Roku's Streaming Stick 4K+ drops to an all-time low of $49 at Amazon

Posted: 25 Feb 2022 05:33 AM PST

If you missed previous deals to get the Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ on Amazon at a discount, don't worry: The device is currently listed for the lowest price we've seen for it on the website. You can get the streaming stick for $49, which is 30 percent off its original retail price of $70. Roku's 4K+ stick comes bundled with the company's Voice Remote Pro that gives you the ability to do hands-free voice search and to issue verbal commands, such as "Hey Roku, where's my remote?" Asking that triggers the remote to play a sound, so you can find it even if it's lost in the depths of your couch. The rechargeable remote control alone is usually a $30 upgrade.

Buy Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ at Amazon - $49

The streaming stick that ships with the 4K+ bundle is the 2021 version of Roku's older 4K streaming device. Last year, Roku upgraded its 4K streaming stick with support for Dolby Vision HDR, giving it the capability to dynamically tweak the contrast and brightness levels for every individual frame in whatever it is you're watching. The stick also supports the HDR10+ format, which has the same ability as Dolby Vision HDR. 

In addition to adding support for those formats, Roku also designed the 2021 version of the 4K streaming stick to boot up around 30 percent faster than its predecessor. The company also said that the newer stick's wireless receiver enables WiFi speeds that are twice as fast as before. Finally, the bundle gives you a couple of ways to watch movies or shows on your own without disturbing other people in your house. You can either plug in a pair of headphones into the remote's headphone jack or pair a wireless model with the Roku mobile app. 

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

Engadget Podcast: Diving into Horizon Forbidden West, the PS VR2 and Uncharted

Posted: 25 Feb 2022 05:30 AM PST

It's a gaming heavy week! Devindra chats with Engadget Senior Editor Jessica Conditt about one of our most anticipated games of the year, Horizon Forbidden West. Plus, they dive into the lackluster Street Fighter 6 reveal, the PlayStation VR 2 and what's up with Elden Ring. Finally, we explore what went wrong with the Uncharted movie.

Listen above, 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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Topics

  • Horizon Forbidden West is here – 2:24

  • PlayStation VR2 details are finally out – 17:47

  • Street Fighter 6 was announced – 22:24

  • Intel and AMD announce powerful new chips for ultraportables – 28:08

  • A new tool on Steam will check your library for Steam Deck compatibility – 30:17 

  • Working on – 33:00

  • Pop Culture Picks – 34:29

Video livestream

Credits
Hosts: Jessica Conditt and Devindra Hardawar
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos and Luke Brooks
Graphic artists: Luke Brooks, Kyle Maack 

The Morning After: The new phones of MWC 2022

Posted: 25 Feb 2022 04:15 AM PST

This morning is brought to you by a lot of phone news. To start, we've got our detailed review of Samsung's Galaxy S22 (and S22 Plus) by the latest addition to Engadget's editorial team, Sam Rutherford. We also have a first look at Oppo's latest attempt at a flagship, the Find X5 Pro, written by yours truly, who's been here a little too long. Hah.

Oppo's new phone, a few days early, is kicking off our coverage of MWC – the world's biggest mobile show hosted in Barcelona. Due to the pandemic's ebbs and flows, we're covering all the announcements remotely, but expect more news from Samsung, Huawei, Lenovo and many others over the next few days.

The Find X5 Pro has impressive specs, a partnership with camera experts Hasselblad and a pretty-looking phone. The challenge for Oppo is getting people to consider its device as a compelling, reliable alternative to the big players like Samsung, Apple and, well, all the other companies jostling for second place. And even if you like what you see, there's no word of US availability for now.

Beyond the world of tech, we're all sadly watching the developments in Ukraine this morning. If you're looking for ways to help those affected, NPR's put together a list of organizations asking for assistance.

-Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

Twitter restores suspended accounts that tracked Russian military activity

Twitter Safety has also posted tips in Ukrainian on how to keep accounts secure.

Twitter has admitted that it mistakenly removed accounts sharing Russian military activity during its invasion of Ukraine. The deleted accounts, which have since been reinstated, included an aggregator of user-generated posts from Ukraine and accounts owned by people doing open-source intelligence (OSINT) to debunk fake news and claims.

Continue reading.

Oppo Find X5 Pro packs a new AI chip and Hasselblad branding

And I think it's a pretty device.

TMA
Engadget

Oppo's latest phone looks and sounds like an expensive, powerful flagship. With a 6.7-inch WQHD+ screen that can hit 1,300 nits of brightness, adaptive refresh rates and a new AI chip, made in-house to amp up low light camera performance – even at 4K. There are also two 50-megapixel primary camera sensors, a new (but familiar-sounding) Hasselblad collaboration and a gorgeously curvy design to help it stand out from the competition. US-based readers, however, might never see one.

Continue reading.

Samsung Galaxy S22 review

Building on solid foundations.

TMA
Engadget

After Samsung ticked the new design box with last year's S21, now the company has refined it further with the Galaxy S22 and S22+. While they might look a lot like last year's phones, there have been some notable upgrades, especially on the S22's display, performance and camera. The Galaxy S22, starting at $800, offers a boatload of premium features in an attractive chassis with excellent build quality.

Continue reading.

What connects OnlyFans and a terrorism database?

A lawsuit alleges the company is trying to squash rivals.

OnlyFans is facing a pair of lawsuits over claims it conspired with Facebook to disable adult entertainer accounts by placing their content on a terrorism database. One suit was launched earlier this week by a rival platform called FanCentro, and the other is a class action lawsuit made on behalf of three adult entertainers. Both Facebook and OnlyFans were named as defendants in the latter complaint.

Continue reading.

The new Moto Edge+ wants to be a more affordable Galaxy Note

The phone starts at $900 and features active pen support.

Back in 2020, the Moto G Stylus quickly became one of the company's most popular phones, featuring stylus input on a phone outside of Samsung's Note series. But now, Motorola is stepping up its ambitions with the new Edge+, which is essentially a more affordable take on a Galaxy Note. Unlike with Samsung's devices, Motorola's Smart Stylus is an optional extra that comes bundled with a folio cover, which addresses the phone's lack of built-in stylus storage. Prices start at $1,000 (or $900 at launch), but again, you'll pay extra for that stylus.

Continue reading.

'OlliOlli World' is a great Switch experience

Despite a few flaws.

OlliOlli World, the delightfully offbeat skateboarding platformer, launched a few weeks ago on basically every gaming console you could ask for. It's a clean break for the series, taking familiar gameplay but putting it in a totally redesigned world that allows for more exploration, competition and tricks. The original OlliOlli was released on the PS Vita handheld, meaning its appearance on the also-can-be-a-handheld Switch seems like the most appropriate home for the reboot.

Continue reading.

Instant Pot Max hits an all-time low of $75 at Amazon

Posted: 25 Feb 2022 03:55 AM PST

You can get the 6-quart Instant Pot Max for half the price on Amazon right now if you've been wanting to try the multicooker or if you've missed out on previous deals. The electric pressure cooker is currently listed for $75, or $75 off its original retail price of $150. While Instant Pots have gone on sale on the website in the past, this is the lowest price we've seen this particular model go for. 

Buy Instant Pot Max at Amazon - $75

The Instant Pot Max is capable of reaching 15 pounds per square inch (psi), which in theory means that it can cook food faster than other models that can only reach 12 psi. It has a large touchscreen display where you can set the temperature, pressure level and cooking time, can program the time for when you want the device to start cooking and can ensure the food inside stays warm. 

You also have access to multiple settings, based on what you want to cook or do: pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, soup, rice, canning, sous vide and yogurt. The Max comes with automated venting and lid-lock features, as well, and you can release steam simply by tapping "vent" on the touchscreen display and choosing either "pulse" or "quick release." 

If you're completely new to Instant Pots, you can consult the free recipe app that comes with your purchase to look up instruction videos. You can also consult our Instant Pot primer for tips on how to make the most out of the kitchen gadget.

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.

Facebook, Google and other tech firms must verify identities under proposed UK law

Posted: 25 Feb 2022 03:25 AM PST

The UK government is introducing a bill that will require Facebook, Google and other tech platforms to verify the identities of users. The measure is part of the government's Online Safety Bill announced last year and is ostensibly designed to help users block anonymous trolls online. 

"Tech firms have a responsibility to stop anonymous trolls polluting their platforms," said UK digital Minister Nadine Dorries in a statement. "People will now have more control over who can contact them and be able to stop the tidal wave of hate served up to them by rogue algorithms."

Tech firms would need to decide how to carry out the checks when users create social media accounts. Some options proposed by the government include facial recognition via profile pictures, two-factor authentication and government-issued ID. The UK's media regulator Ofcom would be in charge of laying out the rules. 

Tech firms have a responsibility to stop anonymous trolls polluting their platforms.

The government has also proposed measures that would force companies to filter out "legal but harmful" material. That would allow parents, for instance, to apply settings stopping their kids from receiving search results about certain topics, or putting "sensitivity screens" over them. 

Tech firms in violation could face fines of up to 10 percent of their global annual revenues, which could be in the billions with companies like Google and Facebook. The government could also block services from being accessed in the UK under the proposed rules, which would need to be approved by parliament to become law.  

"We are reviewing the details of the new proposed duties," a Twitter spokesperson told CNBC. "Our focus remains on a safe internet for all — whether or not someone is able to or chooses to verify themselves." It add that it sees anonymity as "a vital tool for speaking out in oppressive regimes."

The UK government said it would introduce online safety rules back in 2018, and the idea has gained impetus following recent racial abuse of Black England soccer players by anonymous trolls. On top of that, a petition in favor of the idea has gained nearly 700,000 signatures. However, critics of identity verification have said that anonymity can help protect LGBTQ+ and other oppressed minorities, whistleblowers and critics of oppressive regimes. 

HTC Vive Flow app turns car rides into moving VR theme park experiences

Posted: 25 Feb 2022 02:15 AM PST

HTC has teamed up with a company called Holoride to let you use its Vive Flow VR headset to transform your car into an amusement park — without making you carsick. The idea is that when you don the headset, you'll appear inside a roller coaster or other experience, but the motion will match up perfectly with the movement of the car. 

Holoride is backed in part by Audi with the aim of creating "an entirely new media category for passengers by connecting Extended Reality (XR) content with data points from the vehicle in real time," according to the press release. The Vive Flow, meanwhile, is a lightweight (189 gram or 0.42 pounds), $499 VR headset built specifically for entertainment and wellness. 

It's not just amusement parks you'll be able to visit virtually, but also "virtual worlds" along with 2D content on a "virtual, motion-synchronized cinema screen," Holoride notes. In other words, it sounds like it'll also let you watch movies or other content without barfing as you normally might on a regular screen. 

Holoride is not exactly reinventing the wheel here, as I had a similar experience back in 2017 with Renault's Symbioz concept EV, that drove me 80 MPH while I wore a VR headset. The experience was surprisingly seamless, even back then, as the virtual environment matched up perfectly with the vehicle's movement on the autoroute (freeway) — keeping me from feeling sick. Audi, Volvo and other automakers have also played with VR headsets that synchronize visuals with vehicle movement. We previously tested out Holoride on a larger VR headset (above).

Holoride will operate on what is perhaps a more practical and lightweight headset, though it's not exactly cheap at $499. It offers decent visuals with two 1.6K, 75 Hz displays with a 100-degree field of view. However, one downside for this purpose is that it doesn't have as many motion sensors as more classic VR headsets, so it requires a mirror-mounted dongle to help track vehicle motion. 

A headset also isn't very social, but it could be useful on long trips if you or the driver want to take a conversation break. There's no word yet on when the experience might arrive, but Holoride will be showing it off at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona from February 28th to March 3rd. 

Sony's answer to Game Pass on PlayStation could cost up to $16 a month

Posted: 25 Feb 2022 12:19 AM PST

The Xbox Game Pass rival that Sony is cooking up for the PlayStation will have three tiers that cost $10, $13 and $16 a month, according to VentureBeat's GamesBeat. Bloomberg first reported about the all-in-one game subscription service codenamed Spartacus back in December. Based on the documents the publication saw, Spartacus would merge the perks offered by PlayStation Now and PlayStation Plus and would likely be available for the PS4 and the PS5. This new report gives us more details about the service and what each tier will get you. 

Sony is reportedly calling the Spartacus tiers Essential, Extra and Premium, with the first one being PlayStation Plus in its current form. It will still cost $10, and it will give you access to games every month that you can add to your library. Meanwhile, the Extra tier will cost $13 and will include access to those monthly games, as well as to a game catalogue with hundreds of older games that you can download. That catalogue could possibly be the same as PS Now's. 

Finally, the Premium tier will set you back $16 a month and will include all the aforementioned perks, along with access to PS Now's streaming capabilities and a library of classic games. In addition, it will give you access to a feature called "game trials" that will let you download and start playing new PS games before their release. If it's similar to EA's game trials, then you can only play a title before its official launch for a set number of hours. 

At this point, it's still unclear if Sony will add new first-party exclusives to the service when it becomes available. Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan previously said that it wasn't sustainable to put new releases that cost hundreds of millions to develop in a subscription service. However, Microsoft has purchased Bethesda since then and has also recently started the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard. The tech giant is adding both developers' titles to the Xbox Game Pass, so Sony will have to think of ways to make Spartacus a more enticing option. 

Spartacus is reportedly entering the testing phase in the coming weeks. GamesBeat says Microsoft could also officially reveal the details of the subscription service in March. 

Clubhouse adds chat function for those who would rather text

Posted: 24 Feb 2022 03:45 PM PST

Social audio app Clubhouse is adding a text chat function to its voice rooms, it announced Thursday. Similar to what you see in Discord or a Zoom call, users who don't want to speak can write out their opinions in the room's chat channel. While it may seem counterintuitive for an audio-only app to also feature text, it's a change that some users have been gunning for. Especially in extra-large rooms or rooms dominated by a few celebrity speakers, an in-chat function may be the only way some people can join the discourse.

But a chat function can also be a moderation nightmare, as anyone who has spent a few minutes on Twitch can attest to. Clubhouse has laid out a few ways for creators to keep their rooms from flying off the handle. Creators can appoint mods to delete messages and kick out disruptive users from the room. You can also report messages that violate Clubhouse's user guidelines to the platform. For those who would rather keep their rooms audio-only, the in-chat room function is optional. Creators can opt-out of in-room chat when they create their room. And if you choose to record your room's audio, the written chat log will also be saved.

As social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Reddit add Clubhouse-like features, Clubhouse is starting to resemble the rest of social media. Once only available as a mobile app, Clubhouse last month rolled out a way for people to listen to conversations on their desktops. Users can also send direct messages to each other with Backchannel. As live voice chat rooms become less of a novelty, Clubhouse will likely have to get creative in order to keep up with competitors.

SEC opens investigation into Elon Musk over possible insider trading

Posted: 24 Feb 2022 01:44 PM PST

Elon Musk isn't about to catch a hoped-for break from the SEC any time soon. Sources for The Wall Street Journalclaim the SEC is investigating whether Musk and his brother Kimbal violated insider trading regulations with recent share sales. Officials are concerned Elon might have told Kimbal he planned to ask Twitter followers about selling Tesla stock, leading the brother to sell 88,500 shares just a day before the November 6th tweet. If so, the company chief might have broken rules barring employees from trading on undisclosed information.

Kimbal Musk has frequently traded Tesla stock at regular intervals under a plan. He didn't on November 5th, according to an SEC filing.

We've asked the SEC for comment. Tesla isn't available for comment as it disbanded its communications team sometime in 2020. Musk clearly isn't on friendly terms with the Commission, however, as he said a day earlier that he "will finish" a fight he believed the SEC started.

If the report is accurate, the investigation will add more tension to a years-long feud. It began in 2018, when the SEC took action against Musk over tweets about taking the company private. While Musk agreed to a settlement that included approval requirements for any financially relevant social media posts, that wasn't the end of the fight between the two. The SEC has been looking into Musk's tweets over the past few years over concerns production-related tweets weren't approved, and just days ago subpoenaed Tesla for information on the EV maker's processes for honoring the 2018 settlement.

Musk has publicly sparred with the SEC at the same time. This year, he accused the regulator of conducting a "harassment campaign" that unfairly singled him out and excluded the court from monitoring. The SEC denied the accusations. Whatever the truth behind those claims, it's safe to presume Musk won't welcome any new investigation with open arms.

iPhone Face ID repairs may soon no longer require a whole device replacement

Posted: 24 Feb 2022 01:21 PM PST

Apple reportedly told employees its stores and authorized third-party repair shops will soon be able to resolve Face ID hardware issues without having to replace an iPhone entirely. Technicians may have access to a TrueDepth camera part that includes the Face ID and front-facing camera modules. They'll be able to swap it into an iPhone, according to an internal memo obtained by MacRumors.

The company reportedly said the part may lower the number of whole-device replacements, which will help reduce the company's carbon footprint. Although Apple didn't mention pricing for such repairs in the memo, it would make sense for a new part to be less expensive than a replacement device. What's more, consumers wouldn't have to be concerned about losing or having to restore their data.

The report notes that the part will be compatible with iPhone XS and newer devices. As such, iPhone X owners might miss out.

If Apple does offer authorized technicians the part, it seems like a good move for all involved. It should bolster Apple's repairability efforts a few months after the company said it would sell iPhone and Mac parts to consumers and offer repair guides to help them resolve hardware issues by themselves.

Shortly after the iPhone 13 was released, it emerged that Face ID stopped working in some cases if the screen was replaced by a third-party repair shop. Apple seemed to have resolved that issue with the rollout of iOS 15.2 in December.

'Knockout City' is going free-to-play in June

Posted: 24 Feb 2022 12:55 PM PST

Dodgebrawl brawler Knockout City will be free-to-play on all platforms, starting with the launch of its sixth season later this year. Game developer Velan Studios will also be publishing Knockout City in-house, instead of through its original publisher, Electronic Arts. According to an announcement published today on the game's website, this will give Velan the ability to grow Knockout City's global audience and carry out its vision for the future.

"We couldn't have introduced Knockout City to the world without the incredible support of EA Originals, but now as we switch to free-to-play, the natural next step is for us to take over publishing responsibilities and work even more closely with our community. We have exciting plans for Knockout City, and bringing publishing in-house will allow us to fully realize our vision for the long-term future of this game. There's so much to look forward to, because this is just the beginning," wrote the studio, based in Troy, NY, in its announcement.

As a consequence of Velan focusing on Season 6's rollout, Knockout City fans can expect Season 5 (to released on March 1) to be a lot lighter. There will be no Brawl Pass, fewer bundles and no new cosmetics. There will also be no new map or new ball. But expect Season 6 to be packed with new features, including a new special ball and multiple maps.

Velan revealed little else about Knockout City's future, but promised there would be more announcements to come. While the multi-player dodgeball game was a knockout success after launching in May 2021 (it drew roughly 5 million new players in a month), the enthusiasm has died down a bit. Players have complained about the amount of time it takes to match with other players. Going free-to-play will likely reignite the game's popularity for some time, but players will likely have to tolerate ads or fork over for additional features. For now, Knockout City's future looks uncertain, but fans should stay tuned.

Tumblr is available ad-free for $5 per month

Posted: 24 Feb 2022 12:29 PM PST

Tumblr may have introduced ads to user blogs several years ago, but it's now happy to take them away for a price. The social media site has launched an ad-free option that removes the marketing from microblogs for $5 per month, or $40 per year. You'll have to set up the feature on your computer through your account settings, but the zero-ad experience will be available on mobile devices as well.

The offering comes less than a year after Tumblr gave bloggers the option to charge for access at prices ranging from $4 to $10 per month. At the time, Tumblr saw the addition as modernizing the site for a younger audience, particularly creators eager to get paid.

It's too soon to say how successful this will be. Tumblr is effectively asking customers to pay to remove ads that weren't necessarily there before. Tumblr's 2018 adult content ban didn't exactly help the site's popularity, either. However, this might be appealing if you're a fan of Twitter Blue and other subscriptions that let you remove at least some ads — you don't have to put up with a cluttered experience if you don't want to.

Nikola plans to ramp up production of the Tre electric semi-truck in March

Posted: 24 Feb 2022 12:01 PM PST

Nikola is "laser-focused on delivering vehicles and generating revenue," according to CEO Mark Russell. To help it reach those goals, the embattled company is preparing to ramp up production of the battery-electric Tre semi-truck. Russell said Nikola expects to start "series production of the Tre BEV on March 21." The company plans to deliver up to 500 production Tre BEVs this year, starting in the second quarter.

It delivered the first two Tre BEVs to a port trucking company in California in December as part of a three-month pilot. It says the trucks have logged more than 4,500 miles between them and hauled multiple loads per day. One completed a 204-mile trip on a single charge. Anheuser-Busch, meanwhile, is testing two fuel-cell electric variants of the Tre.

Nikola says its Coolidge, Arizona plant currently has a production capacity of 2,500 trucks per year. Work is underway on an expansion that would increase the capacity to up to 20,000 trucks per annum. Work on Phase 2 of the facility should be completed in early 2023. Meanwhile, Nikola's plant in Ulm, Germany is currently capable of producing 2,000 trucks per year, though that figure is expandable to 10,000 trucks.

In its latest earnings report, the company touched on some of the controversies that have plagued it over the last few years. It reached an agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in December to settle civil charges that it defrauded investors. The company is paying a $125 million civil penalty over two years. Nikola is seeking reimbursement from founder Trevor Milton for costs and damages it incurred in connection with government and regulatory investigations.

A grand jury indicted Milton on fraud charges last year. Nikola's former CEO and executive chairman allegedly lied to investors about "nearly all aspects of the business" in attempts to increase Nikola's share price. Milton, who has denied the charges against him, is set to go on trial in April.

Facebook turns on ‘lock profile’ tool for people in Ukraine

Posted: 24 Feb 2022 10:49 AM PST

Facebook's security team is taking new steps to protect the accounts of users in Ukraine. The company is enabling its "lock profile" tool for people in the country, and building up a "Special Operations Center" to "closely monitor" what's happening in Ukraine.

The "lock profile" tool is meant to give users "one-click" access to additional privacy and security features, said Meta'sHead of Security Policy Nathaniel Gleicher. "When their profile is locked, people who aren't their friends can't download or share their profile photo or see posts on their timeline," Gleicher said.

This isn't the first time Facebook has encouraged users in "unsafe" areas to lock their profiles. Most recently, Facebook enabled the "lock profile" tool for people in Afghanistan over the summer amid the US withdrawal from the country. And the company has noted that it can be especially helpful for journalists, activists and others who may be at a higher risk of being targeted.

The social network has also formed a dedicated team to keep an eye on what's happening in Ukraine. "In response to the unfolding military conflict in Ukraine, we have established a Special Operations Center to respond in real time," Gleicher said. "It is staffed by experts (including native speakers) so we can closely monitor the situation and act as fast as possible."

Spotify reportedly took down freshly added episodes of Alex Jones' podcast

Posted: 24 Feb 2022 10:33 AM PST

It seems Spotify has moved swiftly to remove episodes of The Alex Jones Show that were recently added to the service. Watchdog Media Matters reported on Wednesday that episodes of the eponymous far-right conspiracy theorist's podcast had emerged on Spotify on a daily basis since Sunday, though they've since vanished.

Spotify banned Jones and his InfoWars outlet in 2018 over violations of its hate speech policies. Several other platforms — including Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Twitter — booted Jones off their services around the same time. Facebook and Instagram banned him the following year. The Alex Jones Show remains on Google Podcasts.

Jones made waves in October 2020, when he made an appearance on Joe Rogan's controversial podcast — several months after Spotify secured exclusive distribution rights to The Joe Rogan Experience. As Variety notes, that episode, in which Jones reportedly made false claims about COVID-19 and vaccines, is still available on Spotify.

Engadget has contacted Spotify for comment.

Nintendo is buying close development partner SRD

Posted: 24 Feb 2022 10:10 AM PST

Nintendo is about to buy its second close ally in as many years. Eurogamerreports Nintendo is acquiring SRD, one of its longest-serving game development partners. SRD has worked with Nintendo since the NES era, and more recently helped with Switch hits like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. In that light, it's almost surprising Nintendo hadn't bought SRD sooner.

The purchases is expected to close on April 1st. Nintendo didn't say how much it paid for SRD, but the development house will become a wholly-owned subsidiary. The company bought Luigi's Mansion creator Next Level Games in January 2021.

This isn't as aggressive a move as Microsoft's Activision Blizzard buyout or Sony's acquisition of Bungie. Not that Nintendo is concerned, mind you. Company president Shuntaro Furukawa recently said investors shouldn't expect purchases of studios that lack "Nintendo DNA," and the Switch is still a hot seller. Nintendo just isn't in a rush to snap up developers, and this appears to be largely focused on securing partners while the company is flush with cash.
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