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• Sens. Sanders and Warren urge investigation into Amazon's 'no-fault' attendance policy
• Netflix launches its first interactive daily quiz show on April 1st
• ICANN says it won't kick Russia off the internet
• A 'molecular drinks printer' claims to make anything from iced coffee to cocktails
• Russia's RT moves to Rumble after being deplatformed elsewhere
• Twitter will bring workers back into the office on March 15th
• Twitch will ban streamers who frequently share misinformation
• Razer's latest Huntsman Mini brings analog sensitivity to tiny keyboards
• Senate committee advances FCC nominee Gigi Sohn
• Reddit bans links to Russian state media across the entire site
• Bowers & Wilkins' $999 Panorama 3 is its first Dolby Atmos soundbar
• OSOM’s OV1 looks to pick up where the Essential Phone left off
• Rivian reverses price hike for R1T and R1S pre-orders following backlash
• Volvo is testing wireless EV charging tech in Sweden
• CNN+ streaming service arrives this spring for $6 per month
• CD Projekt Red will no longer sell games in Russia and Belarus
• The best GPS running watches you can buy
• As the Nintendo Switch turns five, a look back at our favorite games
• Sennheiser will debut a more affordable Ambeo soundbar this year
• Nintendo's $50 eShop gift card is 10 percent off at Amazon
• Watch SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket take 47 Starlink satellites into orbit
• Twitter expands its Birdwatch fact-checking pilot in the US
• Amazon's Eero Pro 6 mesh WiFi system is $80 off for Prime members
• Netflix will let Pamela Anderson 'tell the real story' in new documentary
• The Morning After: Apple’s next event could mark the return of the iPhone SE

Sens. Sanders and Warren urge investigation into Amazon's 'no-fault' attendance policy Posted: 03 Mar 2022 02:43 PM PST A group of Democratic lawmakers led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) want regulators to take a closer look at Amazon's points-based attendance policy, which they believe may be punishing workers for taking legally protected time off. First reported by Vice, the letter to the Department of Labor and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission focuses on Amazon's "no-fault" approach to absences, which adds points every time an employee misses work without giving advance notice, regardless of the reason. If workers reach a certain number of points, they are automatically reviewed for termination. Under the company's attendance policy, an employee whose child has suddenly fallen ill or who suffers a medical emergency would still be penalized. Employees who don't report absences at least 16 hours before the start of shift receive two points on their record. If they give notice less than two hours before a shift, they receive two points and an "absence submission infraction". If workers receive three absence submission infractions and eight attendance points, Amazon will consider firing them. Lawmakers believe that Amazon's attendance policy could violate current laws that allow workers to take sick, family, medical and pregnancy leave without advance notice. For example, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees eligible workers unpaid leave for a variety of circumstances, including pregnancy or the need to take care of a sick family member. "We field numerous calls from Amazon employees; while many workers know about Amazon's punitive attendance policies, they describe never receiving information about the federal, state, and local laws that entitle them to legally protected time off—much less understanding how such laws apply in practice in their own lives," noted labor rights group Better Balance in a letter to Congress. Other companies with "no-fault" attendance policies have run into legal troubles in the past. Back in 2011, Verizon was ordered to pay $20 million after the EEOC found that the company's no-fault attendance policy made no exceptions for disabled workers.  Many warehouse workers have complained that Amazon neglected to inform them of their rights under FMLA or disability laws. The company has had a poor track record with how it treats workers at its many warehouses and fulfillment centers. A number of warehouses, in response to poor working conditions at the e-commerce giant, are currently pushing to unionize.

Netflix launches its first interactive daily quiz show on April 1st Posted: 03 Mar 2022 01:40 PM PST Netflix's move into interactive shows is extending beyond the occasional single-episode project. The streaming firm is launching its first interactive daily quiz show, Trivia Quest, on April 1st (no, it's not an April Fools gag). The Trivia Crack-inspired series will present 24 multiple-choice questions around topics like art and science while weaving a narrative into the experience. You're meant to help the hero Willy save the people of Trivia Land from a villain bent on hoarding knowledge — contrived, maybe, but it's more than a pure competition. Trivia Quest doesn't offer any real-world prizes, but you can replay an episode to earn more points and make progress toward a "definitive ending." The title will be available on all devices that support interactive Netflix material, including most modern browsers, mobile devices, smart TVs and streaming hardware. The company is quick to bill Trivia Quest as an "experiment," and hasn't committed to more shows like it. With that said, it wouldn't be shocking if there were similarly ambitious interactive shows in the future. On top of adding variety, they give you a reason to keep coming back to Netflix where you might turn to other services.

ICANN says it won't kick Russia off the internet Posted: 03 Mar 2022 01:23 PM PST Even as governments and corporations around the globe squeeze the Russian economy through increasingly stringent financial sanctions for the country's invasion of its neighbor, Ukraine, some within the aggrieved nation have sought to punish Russia further, by kicking it off the internet entirely.  On Monday, a pair of Ukrainian officials petitioned ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) as well as the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC), to revoke the domains ".ru", ".рф" and ".su." They also asked that root servers in Moscow and St. Petersburg be shut down — potentially knocking websites unde those domains offline. On Thursday, ICANN responded to the request with a hard pass citing that doing so is not within the scope of ICANN's mission and that it's not really feasible to do in the first place. "As you know, the Internet is a decentralized system. No one actor has the ability to control it or shut it down," ICANN CEO Göran Marby, wrote in his response to ICANN representative for Ukraine, Andrii Nabok, and deputy prime minister and digital transformation minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, on Thursday.  "Our mission does not extend to taking punitive actions, issuing sanctions, or restricting access against segments of the Internet — regardless of the provocations," he continued. "Essentially, ICANN has been built to ensure that the Internet works, not for its coordination role to be used to stop it from working."

A 'molecular drinks printer' claims to make anything from iced coffee to cocktails Posted: 03 Mar 2022 12:47 PM PST A company called Cana has revealed what it's calling the planet's first "molecular beverage printer." The idea is that, using a single cartridge of flavorings, the machine can mix one of thousands of different beverages, including juice, soft drinks, iced coffee, sports drinks, wine and cocktails. With Cana One, which is designed to sit on a kitchen countertop, you'll be able to select a drink from a wide range of beverage types and brands using a touchscreen. You can customize the levels of alcohol, caffeine and sugar (alcoholic and caffeinated drinks can be locked behind a PIN). Cana has teamed up with beverage brands from around the world and created its own concoctions. A team of scientists spent three years studying popular beverages at the molecular level, Cana says. The researchers seemingly isolated the trace compounds behind flavor and aroma, and used those to create a set of ingredients that can deliver a large variety of drinks. Cana The system uses a "novel microfluidic liquid dispense technology" to mix the beverages. Cana says at least 90 percent of what we drink is water with flavorings, sugar and alcohol added in. The company claims Cana One can reduce waste and associated emissions by helping people avoid bottled and canned drinks. Cana also says it can reduce water waste that's needed to grow ingredients for things like orange juice and wine. Cana will automatically replace ingredient cartridges (which should each last around a month) as needed at no cost. However, you'll pay for the device's concoctions on a per-drink basis. Each will cost between 29 cents and $3, though Cana claims the average price will be lower than bottled beverages at retailers. The system also requires sugar and spirits cartridges — both of which are replaced automatically — and a CO2 cylinder. Cana It remains to be seen how well the company's claims hold up in practice, though you can reserve a Cana One now. You'll need to plunk down $99, which is a refundable credit toward the full price. Cana One will cost $499 for the first 10,000 orders, rising to $799 after that. The company expects to start shipping the machine in early 2023.

Russia's RT moves to Rumble after being deplatformed elsewhere Posted: 03 Mar 2022 12:46 PM PST Russia's RT is facing numerous bans and restrictions following the country's invasion of Ukraine, and it's using a familiar tactic to get around them: move to a laissez-faire service. The state-supported media company has made its around-the-clock livestream available on the "free speech" platform Rumble. This will theoretically let devotees tune in when its broadcasts and social media posts aren't accessible elsewhere. The move may be more of a hedge than a necessity, although that situation could change. RT's English livestream was still available on YouTube as of Thursday. However, CNN said it obtained a memo indicating that RT America's production company T&R Productions was laying off all staff due to "unforeseen business interruption events." Rumble, like Gab and Parler, has lately served as a haven for right-wing personalities who've been kicked off other platforms or feel their content is restricted elsewhere. Fox News host Ban Bongino, for instance, moved to Rumble after YouTube banned him over COVID-19 misinformation. As a Russian state-backed media firm, RT has been accused of serving as a propaganda mouthpiece and either heavily restricted on some sites or banned outright. An EU ban on RT has led to action at multiple sites. Facebook has demoted RT content, Twitter has halted ads and recommendations (on top of labels warning of RT's ties) and YouTube has denied ad revenue. Most recently, Reddit banned all links to Russian state media. This is on top of bans from conventional TV providers like DirecTV. As with other moves to alternative services, though, the Rumble shift might not help RT recover its lost exposure. Rumble is relatively small compared to mainstream social media sites, streaming providers and conventional broadcasters. RT's viewership is likely to take a steep hit regardless — Rumble is more of a consolation prize than a solution.

Twitter will bring workers back into the office on March 15th Posted: 03 Mar 2022 12:29 PM PST Twitter will resume business travel and open up its offices all around the world on March 15th, according to a tweet by Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal. While some Twitter staff began working out of the company's San Francisco and New York City offices last fall, most offices have remained closed since the beginning of the pandemic. But unlike many companies who are returning to in-person operations, Twitter is not requiring employees to come back. Early into the pandemic, Twitter granted employees the option of working from home indefinitely. Agrawal noted that a workforce where a large fraction will either be 100 percent remote or switching between the office and home will have its unique challenges. "In 2020 we adjusted quickly to working virtually with resilience and agility, but almost all of us were working from home. Distributed working will be much, much harder. Anyone who has joined a meeting remotely while others are in a conference room knows this pain. There will be lots of challenges in the coming months, and we'll need to be proactive, intentional, learn and adapt," wrote Agrawal.  Both Twitter and Slack have adopted "work from home forever" policies during the pandemic, but other tech companies are being more strict. Facebook employees have the option to request to work from home permanently, but some roles are not eligible for this privilege. Google is mandating that all employees return to work by April 4th for at least three days a week, though employees can request extensions or apply to work from home permanently.

Twitch will ban streamers who frequently share misinformation Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:25 AM PST Twitch has updated its misinformation policies and says it will ban those who frequently share falsehoods. Under the new rules, the platform will block "harmful misinformation superspreaders who persistently share misinformation on or off of Twitch," as The New York Times first reported. "Every day, people come together on Twitch to build communities that celebrate a variety of interests, passions, and talents," Twitch wrote in a blog post. "We're proud that Twitch can bring people together — but we do not believe that individuals who use online services to spread false, harmful information, have a place in our community. While these individuals are not prevalent on Twitch, they could cause significant harm if allowed on our service." Fewer than 100 channels will be affected by the policy at the outset, Twitch said. It sees these primarily as precautionary measures. For the platform to take action under these rules, channels must meet several criteria. "We seek to remove users whose online presence is dedicated to persistently sharing widely disproven and broadly shared harmful misinformation topics," the policy reads. The "Harmful Misinformation Actors" rules cover lies about COVID-19 vaccines and election fraud, as well as conspiracy theories related to dangerous medical treatments. The policy also means that those who peddle "misinformation promoted by conspiracy networks tied to violence and/or promoting violence" or share falsehoods that could put public safety at risk during emergencies risk being booted off of the platform. Twitch says it works with independent misinformation experts like the Global Disinformation Index, along with election boards and congressional certification to assess civic misinformation claims, such as election fraud and ballot tampering. The platform also noted to The Times that the policy applies to Russian state-run media channels that are spreading lies, though it has only spotted one of those to date. Other platforms — such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Spotify and Reddit — have banned, labeled or limited the spread of content from Russian state media outlets over the last week amid the country's invasion of Ukraine. It's notable that the policy covers actions carried out by creators outside of their Twitch streams. If you learn about a streamer who may be violating the away from Twitch, you can report them by email. Last year, the service said it would ban users for serious misconduct that took place offline or on other platforms.

Razer's latest Huntsman Mini brings analog sensitivity to tiny keyboards Posted: 03 Mar 2022 10:59 AM PST Want a smaller Razer keyboard than the Huntsman, but don't want to give up the analog feel from some of the company's other models? You now have a viable option. Razer has introduced a Huntsman Mini Analog keyboard that preserves the ultra-compact 60 percent design of the regular Huntsman Mini, but uses "analog optical" switches. The finer-grained key action will help you dial in your preferred sensitivity, as you might guess, but you can also use it to replace analog controls in some games (such as the accelerator in a racing sim) or even assign two functions to the same key depending on force. The RGB-lit keyboard is billed as durable between its aluminum body and double-shot PBT key caps. The USB-C cable is fully detachable to make this micro-Huntsman easier to carry. Razer is selling the Huntsman Mini Analog today for $150. That's no small amount, especially if you're used to full-size keyboards, but it might be easy to justify if you're a fan of the brand or want truly flexible analog input.

Senate committee advances FCC nominee Gigi Sohn Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:48 AM PST The Senate will vote on the nominations of Gigi Sohn to the Federal Communications Commission and Alvaro Bedoya to the Federal Trade Commission, respectively. The Senate Commerce Committee moved forward their nominations, though the 14-14 tie means there will be an additional procedural step for each before a full Senate vote. Democrats and Republicans each have 50 senators though Vice President Kamala Harris has a tie-breaker vote. Should Sohn and Bedoya be confirmed as commissioners, the Democrats will hold a majority in both the FCC and FTC. The committee delayed a vote on the nominations after Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) suffered a stroke in January. Luján, whose vote was needed for Democrats to move the nominations forward, has since returned to work. President Biden nominated Sohn at the same time he put forward Jessica Rosenworcel as FCC chair in October. While the Senate approved Rosenworcel's permanent appointment in December, Sohn's appointment has taken longer. As such, the FCC has been deadlocked at 2-2 along party lines, leaving Rosenworcel unable to, among other things, advance a net neutrality policy. Opposition to the nomination of Sohn, a longtime advocate for net neutrality, has come from a number of quarters, including the Directors Guild of America. The group urged senators to vote down Sohn's nomination due to her "hostility towards copyright law." Sohn was previously on the board of Locast, a defunct service that rebroadcast over-the-air TV broadcast signals via the internet. She said she'd recuse herself from issues concerning retransmission consent and broadcast copyright. In confirmation hearings, Republicans portrayed Sohn as an extreme partisan. She hit back at those assertions, arguing that she had been subject to "unrelenting, unfair and outright false criticism and scrutiny." The FTC, meanwhile, is in the process of reviewing some significant proposed mergers. According to reports, those include Amazon's planned buyout of MGM and Microsoft's bid to acquire Activision Blizzard. Reports suggest the FTC is mulling an antitrust challenge to block the Amazon-MGM deal, though it would need a majority vote to proceed with a lawsuit.

Reddit bans links to Russian state media across the entire site Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:31 AM PST Reddit isn't done clamping down on misinformation following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The social hub has banned links to state-supported Russian media outlets across the entire site, and for all users worldwide. While numerous subreddits already banned links to outlets like RT and Sputnik, this will make it harder to share the content anywhere. The site has also barred ads that either originate from Russia or target the country. Reddit recently quarantined the r/Russia subreddit, keeping it out of searches and recommendations while prompting a warning to visitors. Reddit characterized the move as showing support for Ukraine. It also suggested this was part of a broader effort to curb misinformation, arguing that quarantines and similar practices made it difficult for "coordinated disinformation attempts" to take root. This won't prevent determined users from sharing Russian state media content, as they can use proxy sites or republish articles in their posts. It might also complicate attempts to counter Russia's official message while using state-supported articles as reference points. It's not surprising that Reddit would limit links, though. Between an EU ban on these outlets and crackdowns from tech industry leaders like Google and Meta, Reddit faces extensive pressure to take action.

Bowers & Wilkins' $999 Panorama 3 is its first Dolby Atmos soundbar Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:00 AM PST Bowers & Wilkins is no stranger to soundbars, but the company's lineup over the years was missing one key feature: Dolby Atmos. Across two Panorama models and the Formation Bar, the immersive audio format wasn't yet supported by the company's soundbars. It's changing that today with the Panorama 3: a $999 all-in-one model that features up-firing drivers for Atmos alongside a host of other handy features for music and movies.  Inside the low-profile angular design, a collection of 13 drivers harness 400 watts of total output in 3.1.2-channel configuration. That includes three tweeters, six mid-range, two subwoofers and two up-firing units. The company says that this combination allows the Panorama 3 to function as a standalone setup with "room-filling sound." In other words, Bowers & Wilkins doesn't think you'll need a dedicated wireless subwoofer parked adjacent to the soundbar, similarly to how Sennheiser designed its pricey Ambeo model.  Bowers & Wilkins The Panorama 3 connects to your TV via a single HDMI eARC jack, or for older displays, there's an optical port as well. An Ethernet connection provides wired internet while AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect offer wireless control for music via your phone or other devices. The Panorama 3 supports aptX Adaptive, AAC and SBC codecs when it comes to Bluetooth audio and the company's app pipes in tunes from Deezer, Last.fm, Qobuz, Soundcloud, Tidal and TuneIn. Support for more streaming services is on the way, according to Bowers & Wilkins.  The company also says multi-room audio will arrive "shortly after launch" which will allow you to use the Panorama 3 in unison with other Bowers & Wilkins speakers around your home. This soundbar has Alexa built-in for voice control or you can reach for the "hidden until lit" capacitive touch buttons on the top of the speaker itself if the remote (or your phone) isn't nearby. The Panorama 3 is available starting today for $999. That may seem like a lot, and it is certainly a big investment, but that price is a few hundred less than the current flagship Atmos soundbar from Sony.

OSOM’s OV1 looks to pick up where the Essential Phone left off Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:00 AM PST Unless you religiously follow Android blogs, there's a good chance you haven't heard of OSOM Privacy. It's a startup made up of former Essential employees who worked on the PH-1 before the company became mired in controversy on account of founder Andy Rubin. OSOM was founded in 2020, the same year that Essential went out of business, by its former head of R&D, Jason Keats. When Keats first shared details on the OV1 late last year in an interview with Android Police, he said it would stand out from other Android phones thanks to its focus on privacy. At the time, he also had a few things to say about the phone's specs – noting, for instance, it would ship with a Qualcomm chipset. Today, OSOM shared more information about the OV1 before its release later this year. OSOM Privacy In an email to Engadget, the company said the phone would ship with a Snapdragon 8 series chipset. Notably, OSOM didn't say the OV1 would include Qualcomm's current flagship chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Take that as you will. If you had a chance to use an Essential Phone, you know it didn't have a great camera. It didn't take great photos in less than ideal light, and its camera app was slow to fire up. OSOM claims the OV1 won't suffer from similar issues. The phone will feature a dual-camera system consisting of 48-megapixel and 12-megapixel sensors. "Unlike at Essential, OSOM has enlisted the help of the best teams in the world to bring a truly flagship camera experience to our users," the company told us. As you can see from the photos OSOM sent over, the design of the device is reminiscent of the Essential Phone. The company says the OV1 is "noticeably" bigger than its predecessor to allow for better antenna performance and the inclusion of a bigger battery. The housing is made from stainless steel and titanium, while the back of the phone is made from zirconia. Meanwhile, the front display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. Like the iPhone, it will include a UWB antenna, though OSOM didn't say what kind of functionality it plans to build out around that feature. The phone will also come with a dual SIM slot and a secure data cable. OSOM Privacy The company didn't say what the cable does, but if we had to take a guess, you can flip the built-in switch to prevent it from transferring data. That's something that could help you protect your phone if you ever need to plug it in to charge at a public USB port, such as the ones you'll find in a plane. That's all we know for now. But we'll likely find out more about the OV1 when it ships sometime in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Rivian reverses price hike for R1T and R1S pre-orders following backlash Posted: 03 Mar 2022 08:49 AM PST Rivian is quickly backtracking on its steep EV price hikes. The Vergereports Rivian has reversed the price increases for R1T pickup and R1S SUV pre-order customers. Anyone who ordered one of the vehicles before March 1st will pay the original prices, and those who cancelled orders in response can reinstate their orders without affecting their prices or delivery timing. Orders for affected configurations made from March 1st onward will still cost more. Company chief RJ Scaringe said the higher prices "broke the trust" of customers, and that the automaker didn't properly communicate the reasons for the hikes. While the new prices were meant to reflect higher manufacturing costs (hence maintaining prices for new buyers), Rivian "wrongly" applied those increases to existing customers, according to Scaringe. It also incorrectly presumed customers wouldn't mind buying the lower-end dual-motor and standard battery models if the quad-motor option was suddenly too expensive. The price change angered more than a few customers. Quad-motor buyers faced prices between $12,000 to $20,000 above what they'd expected. Some accused Rivian of bait-and-switch tactics, while others cancelled (or threatened to cancel) orders in response. Tesla, a key competitor, has historically honored pre-order prices regardless of any changes between the order and delivery. The incident is poorly timed, at least. Rivian is still in the early stages of ramping up R1T deliveries, and has yet to fulfill R1S orders. The automaker's reputation is still young and delicate — it risks driving business to Tesla, Ford and others with comparable EVs. While reversing the price hike will likely be painful to Rivian, it might be worthwhile if it fosters goodwill and leads to more sales in the long run.

Volvo is testing wireless EV charging tech in Sweden Posted: 03 Mar 2022 08:21 AM PST Volvo will put a wireless EV charging system through its paces as part of a program to test alternative charging options. A small fleet of electric Volvo XC40 Recharge cars will be used as taxis in Gothenburg, Sweden in a three-year pilot. The cars are equipped with a wireless charging system from Momentum Dynamics. Charging pads will be embedded in the ground at two taxi ranks. Volvo will use 360-degree cameras to help drivers put the cars in the correct position and when they're in the right spot, the taxis' batteries will automatically topped up. An image shared by Momentum Dynamics showed an EV charging at a rate of 41kW.  The EVs will be on the road for more than 12 hours a day and are expected to be driven for upwards of 100,000 km (62,000 miles) per year. Volvo says this is the first durability test of its electric EVs in a commercial setting. Momentum Dynamics has also teamed up with Jaguar to test wireless charging in electric taxis in Norway. The concept of building charging tech into roads is hardlynew, but it hasn't exactly taken off yet. Still, researchers and engineers are working on other ways to charge EVs as they drive, so at some point in the future, drivers may never need to visit a typical charging station. Momentum Dynamics Corporation

CNN+ streaming service arrives this spring for $6 per month Posted: 03 Mar 2022 07:34 AM PST CNN is starting to narrow down the launch details for its CNN+ streaming service. The online-only offering is now slated to debut this spring at a price of $6 per month. You'll have a strong incentive to sign up quickly, though — CNN will offer lifetime monthly subscriptions at 50 percent off for anyone who signs up within the first four weeks. The company also outlined how you'll access the service. A unified CNN app will provide access to CNN+ as well as live and on-demand content for conventional TV subscribers. This will encourage everyday CNN users to subscribe to CNN+, of course, but you also won't have to switch apps to view the content you want. CNN+ is banking on a combination of recognizable hosts and shows to pull you in. Former Fox News host Chris Wallace will provide live daily news, for instance, while other hosts range from CNN veterans (such as Anderson Cooper and Poppy Harlow) through to outside talent like cook and writer Alison Roman. You can expect some on-demand material, including the Big Tech-focused The Land of the Giants to back catalog releases like Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. Whether or not the pricing is right, there's little doubt CNN+ faces some competition. There are direct rivals such as Fox Nation, but services like NBCUniversal's Peacock and Paramount+ mix live news and sports with plenty of on-demand entertainment. The success of CNN+ isn't guaranteed, particularly when subscription fatigue might make it harder to justify yet another outlay.

CD Projekt Red will no longer sell games in Russia and Belarus Posted: 03 Mar 2022 07:18 AM PST CD Projekt Red says it will stop selling its games until further notice in Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine. People in those two countries will no longer be able to buy the publisher's own games — such as Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — or any title from CD Projekt's GOG store. pic.twitter.com/C2TMk7m2KC — CD PROJEKT RED (@CDPROJEKTRED) March 3, 2022 "Today, we begin working with our partners to suspend digital sales and cease physical stock deliveries of CD PROJEKT Group products, as well as all games distributed on the GOG platform, to the territories of Russia and Belarus," CDPR wrote in a statement on Twitter. The publisher's games are sold on several digital platforms, including the Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch stores, as well as Steam, Epic Games Store and Google Stadia. In a note to investors, CD Projekt said that Russia and Belarus accounted for around 5.4 percent of revenue from its own games and 3.7 percent of GOG sales over the last 12-month period. CDPR said it "stands firm with the people of Ukraine." The day after the invasion started, CD Projekt donated approximately $242,000 to a humanitarian group in support of the conflict's victims. "While we are not a political entity capable of directly influencing state matters, and don't aspire to be one, we do believe that commercial entities, when united, have the power to inspire global change in the hearts and minds of ordinary people," CDPR said. It acknowledged the decision will impact gamers in Russia and Belarus who aren't involved in the invasion and perhaps oppose it, "but with this action we wish to further galvanize the global community to speak about what is going on in the heart of Europe." Bloober Team, the developer of games such as The Medium and Blair Witch, is blocking sales of its titles in Belarus and Russia on all platforms too. "We want to be a part of a world that doesn't turn a blind eye to warmongering. And we won't stay neutral when human lives are at stake," the studio said. Like CD Projekt, Bloober Team is based in Poland, which borders Ukraine. The moves by CDPR and Bloober Team follow a request from Ukraine's vice prime minister for gaming companies to temporarily block player accounts in Russia and Belarus. EA Sports said on Wednesday it's removing Russian and Belarusian teams from FIFA and NHL games. Update 3/3 12:56PM ET: Added details about Bloober Team removing its games from sale.

The best GPS running watches you can buy Posted: 03 Mar 2022 07:15 AM PST Because I'm the editor of Engadget by day and a volunteer coach in my free time, I often get asked which GPS watch to buy. (People also ask what I'm wearing and the answer is: All of them. I am testing all of them.) For my part, the best running watches are quick to lock in a GPS signal, offer accurate distance and pace tracking, last a long time on a charge, are comfortable to wear and easy to use. Advanced stats like VO2 Max, or maximum oxygen intake during workouts with increasing intensity, are also nice to have, along with training assessments to keep your workload in check and make sure you're getting in effective aerobic and anaerobic workouts. It's also a plus when a watch supports other sports, like cycling and swimming, which all of these do to varying extents. As for features like smartphone notifications and NFC payments, they're not necessary for most people, especially considering they drive up the asking price. Without further ado, I bring you capsule reviews of four running watches, each of which I ultimately recommend, none of which is perfect. And keep in mind, when it comes time to make a decision of your own, there are no wrong answers here: I like Apple and Garmin enough, for instance, that I switch back and forth between them in my own training. The best running watch that's also a smartwatch: Apple Watch Series 7 Engadget What you get: A jack-of-all-trades GPS watch that also happens to be our favorite smartwatch. Pros: Stylish design; a great all-around smartwatch you'll want to use even when you're not exercising; automatic workout detection; heart-rate and blood oxygen monitoring; support for lots of third-party health platforms; auto-pause feels faster than on Garmin watches; zippy performance and fast re-charging; optional LTE is nice to have. Cons: For iPhone users only; shorter battery life than the competition might concern endurance athletes; fewer performance metrics and settings than what you'd find on a purpose-built sports watch. Buy Apple Watch Series 7 at Amazon - $399 Don't think of the Apple Watch as a running watch. Think of it as a smartwatch that happens to have a running mode. Almost seven years after the original Watch made its debut, Apple has successfully transformed its wearable from an overpriced curiosity to an actually useful companion device for the masses. But being a gadget for the masses means that when it comes to running, the Apple Watch has never been as feature rich as competing devices built specifically for that purpose. Before I get to that, a few words on why I like it. The Apple Watch is the only one of these watches I'd want to wear every day. (And I do: After reviewing Apple Watches for years, I finally purchased one in fall 2021.) The Series 7 is stylish, or at least as stylish as a wrist-worn computer can be, and certainly more so than any running watch I've encountered. The aluminum, water-resistant body and neutral Sport band go with most outfits and will continue to look fresh after all your sweaty workouts and jaunts through the rain. And the always-on display is easy to read in direct sunlight. The battery life is 18 hours, according to Apple. Indeed, I never have a problem making it through the day. I'm often able to put the watch back on after a night of forgetting to charge it and still have some juice left. If you do forget, even a few minutes of charging in the morning can go a long way – Apple claims you can go from zero to 80 percent in 45 minutes, and that the Series 7 charges up to 33 percent faster than the Series 6. That said, it's worth noting that other running watches claim longer usage time — between 30 and 40 hours in some cases. When it comes to workouts specifically, Apple rates the battery life with GPS at up to seven hours. Given that, I would trust the Series 7 to last through a short run or even a half marathon, but I'm not sure how it would fare in one of my slow, five-hour-plus marathons. The built-in Activity app is simple and addictive: I feel motivated to fill in my "move" (active calorie), exercise and stand rings each day. I enjoy earning award badges, even though they mean nothing. I'm grateful that the Apple Health app can pull in workouts from Garmin and every other brand featured here, and then count that toward my daily exercise and stand goals (but not my move goal, curiously). My one complaint is that the sensors don't always track standing time accurately. I have failed to receive credit when standing for long periods in front of a stove, but occasionally I've been rewarded for doing absolutely nothing. As for running specifically, you're getting the basics and not much else. You can see your distance, calorie burn, heart rate, average pace and also rolling pace, which is your pace over the past mile at any given moment. You can also set pace alerts — a warning that you're going faster than you meant to, for example. Like earlier Apple Watches, you can also stream music or podcasts, if you have the cellular-enabled LTE model. Because the watch has a GPS sensor, you can leave your phone at home while running. Of course, no two brands of running watches will offer exactly the same distance readout on a run. That said, though Apple never explicitly claimed the Series 7 offers improved accurate distance tracking, the readouts here do feel more accurate than the Series 6, which itself felt more on-point than earlier models. It's possible that Apple is making ongoing improvements under the hood that have added up to more accurate tracking performance. For indoor runners, the Apple watch integrates with some treadmills and other exercise equipment, thanks to a two-way pairing process that essentially trades notes between the device and gym gear, formulating a more accurate estimate of your distance and effort using that shared data. In my experience starting with the Series 6, the watch usually agrees with the treadmill on how far I ran, which is not always the case with other wearables. Cherlynn Low / Engadget I also particularly appreciate that the Apple Watch automatically detects workouts after a certain period of time. I use this feature daily as I walk to and from the subway and around my neighborhood. After 10 minutes, the familiar vibrating tick, with a message asking if I want to record an outdoor walk. The answer is always yes, and the watch thankfully includes the previous 10 minutes in which I forgot to initiate a workout. Regardless of the workout type, all of your stats are listed on a series of pages, which you swipe through from left to right. In my early days using the watch, it was tempting to use the Digital Crown as a stopwatch button, similar to how I use other running watches. This urge has mostly subsided as I've gotten more comfortable with the user interface. Like many of its competitors, the Series 7 has an auto-pause option, which I often use in start-and-stop workouts. I also found in side-by-side comparisons (one watch on each wrist), that auto-pause on the Apple Watch reacts faster than on Garmin models. Conveniently, the Apple Watch can export workouts to MyFitnessPal so you get credit for your calorie burn there. Of note, the watch has all of the health features that the Series 5 did, including a built-in ECG test for cardiac arrhythmias, along with fall detection, a blood oxygen test, emergency calls and menstrual tracking. New in the Series 7 is overnight respiratory tracking. Like previous models, there's also a built-in compass and international emergency calling. Unfortunately, the stats themselves are fairly limited, without much room for customization. There's no mode for interval workouts, either by time or distance. There's also not much of an attempt to quantify your level of fitness, your progress or the strenuousness of your workouts or training load. None of this should be a dealbreaker for more casual runners. For more detailed tracking, your best bet is to experiment with third-party running apps for the iPhone, like Strava, RunKeeper, MapMyRun, Nike Run Club and others. It's through trial and error that I finally found an app with Watch support and timed intervals. But at the end of the day, it's easier to wear a purpose-built running watch when I'm running outdoors, sync my data to Apple Health, get my exercise and standing-time credit, and then put the Apple Watch back on the first chance I get. But if you can only afford one smartwatch for training and life, there's a strong case for choosing this one. The best watch for triathletes: Garmin Forerunner 745 Garmin What you get: Myriad training and recovery features for serious runners and cyclists. Pros: Accurate distance tracking; long battery life; advanced fitness and training feedback; stores up to 500 songs; works with Garmin Pay. Cons: Garmin's auto-pause feature feels slower than Apple's; more advanced features can sometimes mean the on-device UI is tricky to navigate; features like Garmin Pay drive up the price but may feel superfluous. Buy Forerunner 745 at Garmin - $500 If the Apple Watch is for people who want a smartwatch that also has some workout features, the $500 Garmin Forerunner 745 is for athletes in training who want a purpose-built device to help prepare for races. The various sensors inside can track your heart rate, VO2 Max and blood oxygen (with the option to track all-day and in-sleep, as opposed to just spot checking). On the software side, you get daily workout suggestions, a rating that summarizes your performance condition, animated on screen workouts, a cycling power rating, a sleep score and menstruation tracking. You can also create round-trip courses as well as find popular routes though Garmin's Trendline populating routing feature. Like other Garmin watches, even the entry-level ones, you also get feedback on your training load and training status (unproductive, maintaining, productive, peaking, overreaching, detraining and recovery), a "Body Battery" energy rating, recommended recovery time, plus Garmin Coach and a race time predictor. And you can analyze "running dynamics" if you also have a compatible accessory. The slight downside to having all of these features is that the settings menu can be trickier to navigate than on a simpler device like the entry-level Forerunner 45. Fortunately, at least, a homescreen update released back in fall 2020 makes it so that you can see more data points on the 1.2-inch screen with less scrolling required. Speaking of the screen, the watch, available in four colors, is easy to read in direct sunlight, and weighs a not-too-heavy 47g. That light weight, combined with the soft silicone band, makes it comfortable to wear for long stretches. Garmin rates the battery life at up to seven days, or up to 16 hours with GPS in use. (That figure drops to six hours when you combine GPS tracking with music playback.) In my testing, I was still at 88 percent after three hours of GPS usage. Most of my weekday runs are around 35 minutes and that, it turns out, only puts a roughly two- or three-percent dent in the battery capacity. In practice, the watch also seemed quicker than my older Forerunner 645 Music to latch onto a GPS signal, even in notoriously difficult spots with trees and cover from tall buildings. As always, distance tracking is accurate, especially if you start out with a locked-in signal, which you always should. Like I said earlier, though, I did find in a side-by-side test, Garmin's auto-pause feature seems sluggish compared to Apple's. Aside from some advanced running and cycling features, what makes the 745 one of the more expensive models in Garmin's line are its smartwatch features. That includes Garmin Pay, the company's contactless payments system, and the ability to store up to 500 music tracks on the device. You can also mirror your smartphone notifications and use calendar and weather widgets. Just know you can enjoy that even on Garmin's entry-level model (more on that below). I can see there being two schools of thought here: if someone plans to wear this watch for many hours a week working out, it may as well get as close as possible to a less sporty smartwatch. Then there's my thinking: You're probably better off stepping down to a model that's nearly as capable on the fitness front, but that doesn't pretend as hard to be a proper smartwatch. For those people, there's another mid-range model in Garmin's Forerunner line that's cheaper and serves many of the same people who will be looking at the 745. The $300 245 offers many of the same training features. It also mostly matches the 745 on pool swimming, but you do appear to lose a bunch of cycling features, so you might want to pore over this comparison chart before buying if you're a multisport athlete. What you give is Garmin Pay; the option of all-day blood oxygen tracking; the sleep score; a gyroscope and barometric altimeter; floors climbed; heat and altitude acclimation; yoga and pilates workouts; training load focus; the Trendline feature; round-trip course creation, Garmin and Strava live segments; and lactate threshold tracking (and for this you would need an additional accessory amway). At the opposite end of the spectrum (for people who actually wish the 745 could do more), there's the $650 Forerunner 945 LTE which, true to its name, adds built-in LTE connectivity. This model also holds 1,000 songs, up from 500 on the 745, and adds niceties like preloaded maps and a host of golfing features, iif golf is also your jam. The best running watch for most people: Garmin Forerunner 45S Garmin What you get: An affordable watch that offers everything you need to start tracking your runs, along with some basic smartwatch features to boot. Pros: Accurate distance tracking, long battery life, heart rate monitoring and interval training at a reasonable price; lightweight design; offered in a variety of colors; smartphone notifications feel limited, but could be better than nothing. Cons: Garmin's auto-pause feature feels slower than Apple's. Buy Garmin Forerunner 45S at Amazon - $150 I purposefully tested the $500 Garmin Forerunner 745 first, so that I could start off with an understanding of the brand's more advanced tech. Testing the $150 Forerunner 45S, then, was an exercise in subtraction: If I pared down the feature set, would I miss the bells and whistles? And would other runners? It turns out, mostly not. As an entry-level watch, the 45S offers everything beginners (and even some intermediate) runners could want, including distance tracking, basic fitness tracking (steps, calories), heart rate monitoring and a blood oxygen test. Also, as much as the 45S is aimed at new runners, you'll also find modes for indoor and outdoor cycling, elliptical machines, stair climbers and yoga. Coming from the 745, I was especially pleased to see that many of Garmin's best training and recovery features carry down even to the base-level model. That includes training status, training load, training effect, Garmin Coach, Body Battery, stress tracking, a race time predictor and running dynamics analysis (again, an additional accessory is required). Like other Garmin watches, you can enable incident detection, with the caveat that you'll need your smartphone nearby for it to work. It even functions as a perfunctory smartwatch, with smartphone notifications, music playback controls, calendar and weather widgets, and a duo of "find my phone" and "find my watch" features. Although I've criticized Garmin's smartwatch features in the past for feeling like half-baked add-ons, I was still pleasantly surprised to find them on what's marketed as a running watch for novices. As for the hardware, the watch feels lightweight, at 32 grams for the 39mm model (36g for the 42mm). It's available in five colors, slightly more than Garmin's more serious models. The 1.04-inch screen was easy to glance at mid-workout, even in direct sunlight. The battery, which is rated for seven days (or 13 hours in GPS mode) does not need to be charged every day. In fact, if it really is beginners using this, their short runs should barely put a dent in the overall capacity. As with the Forerunner 745, my complaint is never with the battery life, just the fact that you have to use a proprietary charging cable. And, while this watch wasn't made for competitive swimmers, you can use it in the pool without breaking it. The 5 ATM water resistance rating means it can survive the equivalent of 50 meters of water pressure, which surely includes showering and shallow-water activities. For what it's worth, Garmin sells a similar model, the Forerunner 55, which for $50 more adds respiration rate tracking, menstrual tracking, an updated recovery time advisor and pacing strategies. The best watch under $100: Amazfit Bip S Dana Wollman/Engadget What you get: An inexpensive sports watch from an upstart brand with more features than you'd expect at such a low price. Pros: Lightweight design; long battery life; accurate GPS tracking; built-in heart rate monitor; water resistant; basic smartwatch features. Cons: Crude user interface; limited support for third-party apps; can't customize how workout stats are displayed on the screen; pausing workouts feels labored (which is a shame because you'll be doing it often). Buy Amazfit Bip S at Amazon - $70 I kept my expectations low when I began testing the Bip S. This $70 watch comes from Amazfit, a lesser known brand here in the US that seems to specialize in lower-priced gadgets. Although I didn't know much about Amazfit or its parent company Huami, I was intrigued by the specs it offered at this price, most notably a built-in heart monitor — not something you typically see in a device this cheap. As you might expect, a device this inexpensive has some trade-offs, and I'll get to those in a minute. But there's actually a lot to like. The watch itself is lightweight and water resistant, with a low-power color display that's easy to read in direct sunlight. That low-power design also means the battery lasts a long time — up to 40 hours on a charge. Perhaps most importantly, it excels in the area that matters most: as a sports watch. In my testing the built-in GPS allowed for accurate distance and pace tracking. If you're not a runner, or you just prefer a multi-sport life, the watch features nine other modes covering most common activities, including walking, yoga, cycling, pool and open-water swimming and free weights. And did I mention the heart rate monitor? These readings are also seemingly accurate. What you lose by settling for a watch this cheap is mainly the sort of polished user experience you'd get with a device from a tier-one company like Apple or even Garmin (not that Garmin's app has ever been my favorite either). In my review, I noticed various goofs, including odd grammar and punctuation choices and a confusingly laid-out app. I was also bummed to learn you could barely export your data to any third-party apps, other than Strava and Apple Health. You also can't customize the way data is displayed on-screen during a workout, while your goals don't auto-adjust the way they might on other platforms. Fortunately, at least, these are all issues that can be addressed after the fact via software updates — hopefully sooner rather than later.

As the Nintendo Switch turns five, a look back at our favorite games Posted: 03 Mar 2022 07:00 AM PST Console generations are generally thought to last about half a decade, which is what makes today's Switch anniversary so momentous. Nintendo's hybrid home-handheld console turns five today, and it shows no signs of slowing down: Though rumors persist, there's no announced plans for a new console on the horizon. The most we've gotten are two redesigns — the Switch Lite and the OLED Switch — and the expansion of Nintendo Switch Online to include more classic console games. But while it's certainly fun to revisit old favorites like Super Mario Bros., Kirby's Adventure and Earthbound, it's the games made for the Switch that have captured the hearts of the Engadget crew, along with a few other titles that made their debuts elsewhere but really shined on Nintendo's portable system. Animal Crossing: New Horizons Regular Engadget readers know there's no way I would let a "favorite Switch games" post pass without even one Animal Crossing: New Horizons mention. I've been a huge fan since the game launched way back in March 2020, and the big update from last fall really rejuvenated my love for it by introducing a boatload of new features — enough for an entirely new game, if Nintendo has decided to go that route. But no, this was entirely free and new players are sure to get more than their money's worth as they work through it all. The game certainly benefited from launching at the start of the pandemic, leaving millions stuck indoors with nothing to do. Animal Crossing's bright colors and relaxed pace were exactly what people needed in stressful times. But in another reality, would New Horizons still have been a big hit? I'd say yes: The series has always been a big seller and New Horizons was a huge, accessible improvement on previous installments. Once I achieve the basic in-game goals I always tended in drift off in previous Animal Crossing titles, but New Horizons is interesting enough that I still play it regularly two years after its release. — Kris Naudus, Commerce Writer Fire Emblem: Three Houses Three Houses is an almost-perfect Fire Emblem game. I'd been a fan of the series since its English-language debut on the Game Boy Advance, but like many, it was the 3DS games that really made it a firm favorite. 2013's Awakening was more accessible than anything that came before, softening the sometimes brutal difficulty curve, and expanding the support/ship system in clever ways. Fates in 2016 was a truly massive game that attempted to expand on everything Awakening did, but in doing so made the general experience weaker. There was a sense that the developers had ambitions that just couldn't be achieved on the 3DS. Through the 3DS era, there was a growing schism inside the Fire Emblem series where the various mechanics and tones didn't quite gel. The move to the Switch for Fire Emblem: Three Houses restructures the game for the better. Centering things around "castle life" integrates relationship building, recruitment and battling in a way that just feels natural. And the way the game's multiple plot paths are handled is so, so, so much better than in Fates. The battles themselves are probably the area with the most room for improvement. Generally there are only a handful of maps that require you to carefully think about your approach, and the difficulty is only softened by the ability to rewind moves if you mess up. It's rare that you actually encounter the series' signature permadeath mechanic, which on one hand means you really love all the characters by the time one of them dies, but on the other takes away a lot of the tension. But yet, I pumped 215 hours into this game through 2019, driven by the cast of characters and the genuinely divergent story paths you can take. My final playthrough also introduced me to my favorite map in the game — the different paths actually have some genuinely different levels. At this point I think I've experienced everything the game has to offer, but after replaying Awakening and Fates during the various coronavirus lockdowns, just writing this has made me realize it's time to start Three Houses all over again. — Aaron Souppouris, Executive Editor The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles Playing DS back in the early 2000s was probably my peak gaming era, not just because I was working at a gaming company (Pokémon) but also because it was around then that I was introduced to various franchises and genres that would become lifetime interests for me. One was Animal Crossing, another was the Ace Attorney series. The DS wasn't where the series first appeared, but it is where it was first released in the United States. I've played every installment since and am now a big fan of visual novels as a genre. However, I was disappointed when I heard the prequel series, Dai Gyakuten Saiban, was unlikely to get an American release due to the difficulty of localization. Well, until last year when they went and released it anyway as The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles. And, while it doesn't feature familiar faces and some gameplay techniques introduced in the previous titles, it still has plenty of new tricks and charm to offer both new and returning players. Instead of hiding the game's Japanese origins, Great Ace Attorney embraces them fully, and the resulting experience is as rich as it is fulfilling. The story somehow has even more twists and turns than previous installments, and I like how everything weaves together into a cohesive whole by the end. I only wish I had time to play it last year so I could have included it among Engadget's favorite games list of 2021. — K.N. Hollow Knight Hollow Knight wasn't a Switch exclusive, but after spending dozens of hours exploring the murky depths of Hollownest, I'll always feel like it's inextricably tied to Nintendo's handheld. It stands out from the crowded field of Metroidvanias (and the subset with Dark Souls elements), with its elegantly atmospheric aesthetic, gorgeous sprites and a soundtrack that evokes the melancholy of exploring a lost kingdom. It's tough, but unlike the Souls games, it never feels overtly punishing. (Can't beat a boss? Try exploring another corner of the map, collect some charms and upgrade your trusty Nail.) What truly hooked me, though, was being able to take the experience of Hollow Knight anywhere. I played it on my couch when I should have been working, during flights across the world and while I was stuck with a newborn sleeping in my arms (a fun balancing act, for sure). While I could have played Hollow Knight earlier on my computer, or on vastly more powerful systems, the Switch ended up giving me a level of freedom I didn't know I wanted. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Reporter The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild It's worth acknowledging that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild didn't invent the open world genre. But, it did bring the format to a series that was beginning to get too reliant on its formula of "explore a dungeon, use this item to beat dungeon boss, repeat." Breath of the Wild instead offers players the ability to explore literally any corner of the world they can see in any order they choose. Even the short intro section on Hyrule's Great Plateau offers very little in the way of guidance. Zelda games have always encouraged exploration, despite the linear dungeon-based format, but Breath of the Wild took this to new heights. Hyrule is positively massive, on a scale unlike any prior game in the series, and the lack of traditional guidance means every player will have an entirely different experience with the game. I poured dozens of hours into Breath of the Wild when it came out and eventually beat the game's main goal, but I've gone back to it on and off in the years since to keep finding more dungeons and challenges. I don't think I'll ever be done exploring this exquisitely rendered version of Hyrule. — Nathan Ingraham, Deputy Editor Metroid Dread Metroid Dread faced a tall order when it launched in late 2021. It was the first all-new Metroid game since 2010's disappointing Metroid: Other M, and the first new mainline, side-scrolling game in the series since Metroid Fusion way back in 2002. Fortunately for Metroid fans, Nintendo pulled it off. Dread works just as well whether you've played all of Samus Aran's earlier adventures or if it's your first time giving the series a shot. Developer MercurySteam kept the familiar Metroid loop of exploration that leads to new weapons that opens up new areas that were previously inaccessible, but it also added a major stealth element this time out. Some areas you explore are populated by an E.M.M.I. robot that you'll need to avoid until you find the appropriate power-up to defeat it, and those robots can kill you in one hit. So sneaking around is key, but the game mercifully gives you plenty of opportunities to retreat to safe ground and reconsider your strategy. It adds a whole new wrinkle to Metroid Dread — but the game's focus isn't solely on stealth. There are plenty of monsters to battle, caverns to explore and huge bosses to take down. It's the complete Metroid package, whether you're new to the series or not. — N.I. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Super Mario Odyssey may be the Mario title that got the most attention in the last five years — but don't sleep on the awkwardly titled New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. If, like me, you grew up worshiping at the altar of Super Mario World, U Deluxe is the best side-scrolling Mario game Nintendo has released in decades. It's right up there with all-time greats World and Super Mario Bros. 3. The game was originally released for the Wii U, a system that got no traction in sales, so plenty of Switch owners had never experienced its joys when the game was released in 2019. And, while it'll feel familiar if you've played any side-scrolling Mario game before, the level designs are fresh, the challenges are just the right amount of hard and the world looks just gorgeous. It doesn't exactly break new ground, but New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe shows that the original Mario format still has a place in 2022. — N.I. Sayonara Wild Hearts Sayonara Wild Hearts was once described as "Give Carly Rae Jepsen a Sword: the Game." If that alone doesn't sell you on this gem, I don't know what will. It's an ultra-stylish fever dream of an arcade game tied to a killer pop soundtrack. It should take just over an hour to propel through the 23 levels, which are packed with slick visuals and clever gameplay ideas that'll keep you on your toes. There's so much to take in that, if you're anything like me, you'll replay the whole thing at least a few times over (especially if you want to complete the Zodiac Riddle objectives). There are some tricky sections, but Sayonara Wild Hearts is a forgiving game with a ton of checkpoints and an option to skip parts you might struggle with. The developers are determined to help you reach the emotional finale and find out whether the protagonist can repair her broken heart. It's absolutely a worthwhile journey. — Kris Holt, Contributing Reporter Super Mario Maker 2 Super Mario Maker 2 did what Breath of the Wild couldn't. It convinced me to buy a Switch. As a lifelong Mario fan who didn't buy a Wii U to play the original Super Mario Maker, I wasn't going to miss out this time around. I love knowing that, at any moment, I can pick up my Switch and play a Mario level I've never seen before. I might even be the first person (other than the creator) to try it. Sure, there are a ton of garbage stages filled with too many Bowsers, but it doesn't usually take long before I play one that puts a smile on my face. I've dabbled in making levels, though there's only one I liked enough to share. It's a puzzle stage inspired by, of all things Marie Kondo. That's kind of fitting, given how many times Super Mario Maker 2 has sparked joy for me. — K.H. Stardew Valley Of all the Switch games I've played, Stardew Valley is one of the very few that I continuously go back to — particularly when I need some "me" time. Growing up, I spent a lot of time playing games like Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, so Stardew fills that hole for me now as an adult. I love the repetitive humdrum of building my farm up from nothing, cultivating a pleasant little green space where my character and all their chickens, rabbits, cows and goats can flourish. Harvesting pumpkins, strawberries and corn has never been more satisfying, and I'm always eager for the change of seasons when I can kick the dirt up on all of my plots and start fresh with a plethora of new veggie and fruit seeds. There are a ton of side storylines and quests to complete, and I love that I can do them on my own time, or not at all. Maybe I spent too much time tending to my cows and sheep and missed the deadline to deliver a bunch of leeks to Evelyn. It's OK, she won't hold it against me… too much. And when I feel the urge to get a little dangerous, there are plenty of mine levels to explore with treasure to discover, monsters to defeat and prismatic shards to desperately search for. However, Stardew doesn't have the highest of stakes, and sometimes I'm in the mood for tougher battles and the possibility of death (preferably by Lynels). But nothing beats going back to the farm that you built from scratch and picking up where you left off once again. After all, there's always something more to do. — Valentina Palladino, Commerce Editor

Sennheiser will debut a more affordable Ambeo soundbar this year Posted: 03 Mar 2022 06:37 AM PST Sennheiser's Ambeo soundbar is a big and impressive all-in-one Dolby Atmos option, but it also carries a $2,500 price tag. That's almost double compared to most other flagship Atmos models from the competition. However, the company says it's working on more affordable Ambeo soundbars that offer similar performance. At an event this week primarily focused on its new IE 600 in-ears and overall strategy under Sonova, the new owner of Sennheiser's consumer business, the company teased new Ambeo soundbars that should debut later this year.  "Our plan in the future is to bring this technology into those price points here the competition is playing," Sennheiser's director of portfolio management Stefan Krämer explained. Reading between the lines, this would likely mean at least one new Ambeo model should clock in around $1,000 as that's where much of the Dolby Atmos-equipped competition resides. He also said we can "expect a very similar experience" to the model that debuted in 2019. The company says it's also working on a third-generation version of its flagship Momentum True Wireless earbuds. Details are scarce here, but we won't have to wait long to get more info. Krämer said that model will debut next month during this week's event. It should offer most, if not all, of the bells and whistles you expect in a set of premium true wireless earbuds. The company did say that there will be a new design and "next level ANC" (active noise cancellation) in addition to great audio performance. Previous Momentum True Wireless models debuted at $300, but offered some of the best sound quality of any buds we've tested.

Nintendo's $50 eShop gift card is 10 percent off at Amazon Posted: 03 Mar 2022 06:31 AM PST Now might be a good time to snap up a Switch game that caught your eye. Amazon is selling the $50 Nintendo eShop digital gift card for $45, or 10 percent off. That's enough of a discount to effectively grab a classic or indie game for free, or at least to take the sting out of buying a full-price blockbuster title. Buy $50 eShop Gift Card at Amazon - $45 The timing might be ideal. The Switch game of the season, Pokémon Legends Arceus is still relatively fresh and unlikely to go on sale any time soon. Indies like OlliOlli World are worth your time, too. There are also major games on the horizon, like Kirby and the Forgotten Land (March 25th) and Nintendo Switch Sports (April 29th). It might be worth buying a Nintendo eShop card now to have funds on hand, even if you don't intend to buy anything in the immediate future. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Watch SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket take 47 Starlink satellites into orbit Posted: 03 Mar 2022 06:15 AM PST A set of 47 Starlink internet satellites might soon be making its way low Earth orbit: SpaceX is targeting a March 3rd launch for the upcoming additions to its Starlink constellation. It's the third launch since the company lost 40 satellites in February to a geomagnetic storm, which caused atmospheric drag to increase and hinder the satellites' movement. As a result, the satellites deorbited and re-entered the atmosphere, where they burned up completely and left no debris. SpaceX launched 46 satellites on February 21st and another 50 on February 25th since that event, so it's safe to say that it has already replaced the 40 it had lost. The company has launched over 2,000 Starlink satellites to date and currently has permission to send up to 10,000 more. This particular set will blast off on top of a Falcon 9 rocket with a first stage booster that previously flew with GPS III-3, Turksat-5A, Transporter 2 and seven Starlink missions. The reusable booster, which has quite the flight history, will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship in the Atlantic Ocean after separation — and will most likely fly on future missions if everything goes according to plan.  Today's instantaneous launch window is at 9:35AM EST, and you can watch its live webcast starting at 9:15AM below. In case the conditions aren't quite right for a liftoff or if technical issues arise, SpaceX will attempt another launch tomorrow, March 4th, at 9:10AM EST.

Twitter expands its Birdwatch fact-checking pilot in the US Posted: 03 Mar 2022 06:00 AM PST Twitter is today announcing an expansion to its Birdwatch scheme, which sees volunteer fact-checkers vet potentially-misleading tweets. The company said that, as of right now, a small randomized group of US-based users will see fact-checking notes appended to controversial missives. Rather than a full rollout, however, Twitter says that this is more an expansion in the "visibility of the pilot." Its intention is to help gain more feedback from a broader number of users rather than anything more wide-ranging. Birdwatch works by allowing these unpaid fact-checkers to attach contextual notes which, until now, have only been visible on a separate Birdwatch site. These notes won't, however, reach general users during this expanded trial unless enough other Birdwatch volunteers vote on them positively. And these votes will need to come from a users with a broad number of "different perspectives," which Twitter defines as having voted in opposition to their fellow volunteers. (Birdwatch has been criticized previously for the partisan slant to its fact-checking and subsequently moved to make its contributors anonymous.)  The move comes just 48 hours after The Washington Post posted a report criticizing Twitter for failing to get Birdwatch rolled out to its global user base. Birdwatch is described as being "invisible to ordinary Twitter users," and cited figures saying that, before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, less than 50 tweets per day were being flagged and appended by volunteers. (That figure has since risen to more than 150 tweets per day, although that's still nothing compared to what Twitter pumps out each day.)

Amazon's Eero Pro 6 mesh WiFi system is $80 off for Prime members Posted: 03 Mar 2022 05:55 AM PST If you're looking for a way to improve your home WiFi setup, Amazon's Eero mesh systems could do the trick. The most advanced version you can get right now is the Eero Pro 6, which covers up to 2,000 square feet with one router and supports gigabit internet. Prime members can get a two-pack for $80 off, bringing the final price down to $319. It's not the record low that we saw during the holiday shopping season ($299), but it's the best price we've seen in the new year. Buy Eero Pro 6 (2 pack) at Amazon - $319 Only the two-pack has this discount, but it should be enough for even large homes. With the router and the access point, you'll get up to 3,500 square feet of coverage, with gigabit speeds and support for WiFi 6. Setting up the Eero Pro 6 should be quite simple — you only need to download the companion mobile app, plug the system in, and follow the prompts. In addition to improving your WiFi setup, the device also has a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, meaning you can connect compatible devices like lights, locks and more to it without buying a separate hub. And if they are Alexa-enabled gadgets, you'll be able to control them with your voice, too. If you already have a smart home system in place, the Zigbee feature many not be that appealing, but it will be handy for those that are just starting to bring IoT gadgets into their home. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Netflix will let Pamela Anderson 'tell the real story' in new documentary Posted: 03 Mar 2022 05:05 AM PST Netflix has announced that it'll serve as home to a definitive documentary on Pamela Anderson's life, a month after the limited series Pam & Tommy debuted on Hulu. According to Entertainment Weekly, Anderson vowed never to watch the Hulu series, which focuses on the actress' short marriage with Tommy Lee and the theft and illegal distribution of their sex tape, or even its trailer. While the Hulu series was created without the involvement or even the permission of the actress, Anderson herself promoted the Netflix documentary on Instagram.  "Not a victim, but a survivor and alive to tell the real story," she said in a handwritten note she posted on the app. The documentary film will feature interviews with Anderson, along with previously unreleased archival footage and journals. Netflix promises that the pop culture icon will "set the record straight" and that the movie, directed by Ryan White (The Keepers), will paint an "intimate portrait" of her. In comparison, the Hulu series was based on a 2014 Rolling Stone article and fictionalized some parts of the actual events.  Anderson's camp also reportedly took issue with the fact that the Hulu series used clips from the actual sex tape, which became one of the first ever viral sex videos. As The Washington Post reports, that tape demonstrated how powerful the internet is, even during its early days, as a platform for the sex industry and content distribution as a whole.  While Anderson's sex tape debacle went down in the '90s, the rivalry between streaming giants prompt them to find new ways to get into current discussions and events. Netflix and Hulu each released their own Fyre Festival documentaries in the past, for instance, as well as their own takes on Britney Spears' life and career. Pamela Anderson is ready to tell her story in a new documentary. The film, which has been in the making for several years, will feature the pop culture icon setting the record straight as she looks back on her professional path and her personal journey. pic.twitter.com/vSNvsQPE48 — Netflix (@netflix) March 2, 2022

The Morning After: Apple’s next event could mark the return of the iPhone SE Posted: 03 Mar 2022 04:15 AM PST It's another cryptic graphic from Apple for fans to obsess over. Yep, it's time for more new products from Apple, and rumors suggest an updated iPhone SE could be on the horizon. The text accompanying the invite, "Peek performance," could mean more news from Apple's silicon arm. Maybe we'll get a glimpse at its M2 processor for future Macs. The iPhone SE deserves a refresh to bring it in line with the rest of Apple's phone lineup. It still has a home button! In 2022! This year's model may get Face ID and 5G support, with a design similar to 2018's iPhone XR. As Apple's cheapest iPhone, the most interesting part will be where the price lands. How much cheaper than the iPhone mini? — Mat Smith The biggest stories you might have missed Rivian hikes the base price of its quad-motor R1T pickup by $12,000 AMD, ARM and Intel back a universal standard for chiplets Bungie will ban 'Destiny 2' players who run the game from a Steam Deck Twitter may soon add a dedicated tab for podcasts US soccer matches are coming to HBO Max What do economic sanctions mean for Russia's space program What about the ISS? Shamil Zhumatov / Reuters Following economic sanctions and financial constraints from the US, EU and the UK, Russia issued retaliatory sanctions of its own against Western companies. On Wednesday, Roscosmos announced it will not launch the next round of 36 OneWeb internet satellites scheduled for liftoff on March 4th from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, NASA remains optimistic the sanctions will not adversely impact ongoing collaborative space programs, like the running of the ISS, which has been a joint US–Russian effort from the start. But that could change. Continue reading. Biden wants to ban advertising aimed at kids 'It's time to demand tech companies stop collecting personal data on our children.' In his first State of the Union address, President Biden asked Congress to implement new laws to increase child safety on Facebook, TikTok and other social media platforms. Much of the motivation for change appears to have come from the Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, who attended the address as a guest of Jill Biden. Haugen recently testified before Congress, accusing Facebook parent, Meta, of disregarding child safety on the platform. The White House will ask for funding to study the question of child safety on social media. Continue reading. UN starts working towards a global plan to curb plastic pollution The treaty could end up being as important as the Paris Climate Accord. After a week of negotiations in Nairobi, the United Nations has agreed to start working on the first-ever global plastic pollution treaty. It's not likely to be ready before 2024, but according to the UN, it could end up being as important as the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. In 2019, the organization found plastic pollution is 10 times worse than it was in 1980. Continue reading. Polestar's second concept car is a convertible With a drone inside. Polestar Capturing the spirit of '80s and '90s kids' toys, Polestar's new concept car is the O2. "Polestar O2 is our vision of a new era for sports cars," Polestar's Head of Design, Maximilian Missoni, said in a press statement. "By mixing the joy of open-top driving with the purity of electric mobility, it unlocks a new mix of emotions in a car." Drivers will also be able to film their top-down adventures with the O2's integrated cinematography drone. Developed in collaboration with Hoco Flow, this autonomous camera drone rides in an area of negative pressure generated from an airfoil. The drone can follow along at speeds up to 56MPH, and owners can edit and share the captured footage from the central infotainment system. Continue reading. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ review Truly the best Android tablet? The Galaxy Tab S8+ has a brilliant OLED display, class-leading performance, a speedy fingerprint sensor and a premium design. Throw in an S-Pen and Samsung's recipe makes for a high-end Android tablet that's hard to beat. And there aren't many rivals around to beat it. In his review, Sam Rutherford puts it best: "There are two kinds of Android tablets: Samsung's Galaxy Tab S line and everything else." Continue reading. Ford splits business into separate EV and combustion units The EV part is getting increasingly more important. Ford is splitting its car manufacturing business into separate EV-only and internal combustion engine (ICE) divisions to help it fight both "new EV competitors" and conventional challengers. Its electric part, Model e, is meant to speed up large-scale development of EVs while producing connected vehicle technology for all of Ford's vehicles. Continue reading. Aloy is a little less obsessed with her stash in 'Horizon Forbidden West' The latest patch is here to save a bit of your sanity. Guerrilla Games' new patch for Horizon Forbidden West addresses a number of issues that have been part of the game since launch. This includes a major bug that prevented players from completing the "Reach for the Stars" main quest. For instance, Aloy's ally Varl won't get stuck swimming anymore. But perhaps the best improvement is Aloy won't mention her stash as frequently. Until now, any time she picked up resources she couldn't carry, they'd be spirited away to her stash box, and she would let you know. Almost. Every. Darn. Time. Continue reading.

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