Tuesday, April 12, 2022

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Anker chargers and accessories are up to 44 percent off today at Amazon

Posted: 12 Apr 2022 02:14 AM PDT

You can grab a few Anker accessories at a discount today as part of Amazon's one-day sale. The discounted items include an assortment of powerbanks, chargers and cables, with prices marked down for up to 44 percent off. If you're looking for something to help tame all the wires in your home or office, one of the items you can get from the sale is Anker's power strip surge protector that's currently available for $44. That's 37 percent off its usual price of $70 and is the lowest price we've seen for the power strip on the website. It has three outlets on one side, as well as three USB ports and one 45W PowerIQ 3.0 USB-C port on the other. The USB-C port supports fast charging and can power even a 12" MacBook and other similar devices. 

Buy Anker chargers and accessories at Amazon

The Anker Nano Pro USB-C charger is also on sale for $30, which is $10 lower than its retail price. It was designed specifically for the iPhone and can provide full-speed 20 watt charging for the iPhone 13. The charger has the capability to adjust power output, ensuring the safety of the device that's plugged in, and comes with a three-feet USB-C to Lightning cable.

But if you're just looking for a UBS-C to USB-C cable for your devices, Anker also has 3.3-feet 100-watt cables on sale in packages of two. The cables support fast charging for up to 100 watts when used with a compatible charger and work with any USB-C device, including MacBook Pros, iPads and Samsung Galaxy phones. You can get the two-pack cables for $15, or $12 less than their usual price of $27. 

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

Honda plans to invest $40 billion on EVs and launch 30 models by 2030

Posted: 11 Apr 2022 11:32 PM PDT

Last year, Honda revealed that it intends to shift all its car sales to electric and fuel cell vehicles by 2040. To make phasing out gas-powered cars feasible, it has to release a wide selection of zero-emission vehicles that customers can choose from. Now, the automaker has announced that it's spending 5 trillion yen or around $40 billion on its electrification efforts over the next 10 years. 

In a live briefing, the company also said that it plans to launch 30 EV models by 2030 with a production volume of 2 million vehicles a year. The aim is for electric vehicles to make up 40 percent of its fleet by the end of the decade,

As TechCrunch reports, Honda plans to get the ball rolling in Japan by introducing an ultra-cheap mini EV model that costs around $8,000 by 2024. It will also release the Prologue and Acura electric vehicles, both being co-developed with GM, in North America in the same year. In early April, Honda and GM announced that they're working together to co-develop a series of affordable EVs based on a global architecture and GM's Ultium battery technology. 

Honda has plans that don't involve GM, however, and is using part of its $40 billion budget to develop its own electrification platform. It's also exploring the possibility of teaming up with other companies for battery production. In addition, it's investing 43 billion yen ($343 million) into building a demonstration line for solid-state batteries by 2024.

Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe has also reiterated that a big part of its electrification efforts is making sure it has a solid presence in China, which is currently the world's biggest EV market. Like the company announced in the past, Mibe said Honda will launch 10 new models in China under its e:N Series branding by 2027. The company will also build plants in Guagzhou and Wuhan to manufacture its electric vehicles for the country.

Season 3 of ‘For All Mankind’ is coming to Apple TV+ on June 10th

Posted: 11 Apr 2022 06:06 PM PDT

The alt-history space race drama For All Mankind is headed to Mars for its third season. Apple unveiled a trailer today for the upcoming season, set to debut on June 10th. While the second season depicted a turf war on the moon between the US and the Soviets set in the eighties, the newest season fast-forwards to 1995. The US is vying to be the first country on Earth to colonize Mars.

Fans of the show can expect to see a mix of familiar faces and new ones. Last season's finale depicted the untimely demise of Gordo Stevens (Michael Dorman) and Tracy Stevens (Sarah Jones). Sonya Walger is returning as Molly Cobb, despite being exposed to (at least what seemed) like a fatal dose of radiation during her walk on the Moon. Returning cast members include Joel Kinnaman (Ed Baldin), Shantel VanSanten (Karen Baldwin), Jodi Balfour (Ellen Wilson) and Cynthy Wu (Kelly Baldwin). Also due back are Coral Peña as Aleida Rosales and Casey W. Johnson as Danny Stevens.

You can watch the new (albeit, frustratingly brief) teaser below.

Etsy sellers go on strike over fee hikes

Posted: 11 Apr 2022 03:20 PM PDT

Etsy sellers are acting on their promise to go on strike. The Wall Street Journalnotes some crafters are protesting the marketplace's latest fee increase by putting their shops into "vacation mode" for a week ending April 18th. Organizer Kristi Cassidy and others are also asking customers to boycott Etsy for the same period. It's unclear just how many sellers have taken action, but a petition to CEO Josh Silverman has nearly 54,000 signatures as of this writing.

The catalyst is a transaction fee hike from 5 percent to 6.5 percent. While that might not sound like much, Cassidy noted that this essential fee will have "more than doubled" in under four years. She and other sellers have also complained about a sometimes-mandatory Offsite Ads program that charges extra fees for items sold through that system, and a Star Seller program that pressures shops into meeting sometimes unrealistic shipping and support goals.

There are also complaints of hypocrisy in Etsy's expectations. While the company wants shopkeepers to respond within 24 hours, as publisher Bella Stander said, Cassidy observed that it sometimes takes "weeks or months" for Etsy to answer urgent support requests. She also argued that Etsy's AI sometimes shuts down honest sellers while letting resellers of "sweatshop-produced junk" go unchecked.

The striking sellers have called on Etsy to revoke the fee increase, cancel Star Seller, let everyone opt out of Offsite Ads and clamp down on dodgy resellers. They also want an "automatic fast track" for appeals to AI decisions that limit their ability to do business.

Etsy has so far defended the fee hike by claiming that it would roll the extra money into the business rather than boosting profit margins. These contributions would help "maintain the human touch," according to operating chief Raina Moskowitz. However, Cassidy and supporters don't buy this — they see Etsy as "one of the most profitable" tech companies. They've also cast the strike as the first step in a greater show of solidarity they hope will give them more negotiating power.

Meta tests letting creators sell digital goods in virtual reality

Posted: 11 Apr 2022 03:00 PM PDT

Meta has begun testing user monetization tools within Horizon Worlds, the company announced on Monday. Starting today, a select group of creators can begin creating digital items and effects they can then sell directly within the virtual social space. With the rollout of today's test, only users over the age of 18 in the US and Canada can purchase those goods. Creators can begin making items they want to sell by tapping the Commerce tab and gizmo within the app's Create mode.

"While we're launching this today as a test with a handful of creators to get their feedback, these types of tools are steps toward our long-term vision for the metaverse where creators can earn a living and people can purchase digital goods, services and experiences," the company said.

According to Meta, creators participating in its monetization program will need to follow the guidelines outlined in its Prohibited Content Policy. As with Facebook and Instagram, the company is leaving moderation partly up to users. "If you see something that appears to violate our policies, you can submit a report for us to review," it said.

With today's announcement, Meta has also begun testing a bonus program with creators who live in the US. Those involved can earn additional revenue by making progress on monthly goals put forward by the company. Meta won't collect fees on those bonuses and promises to pay out in full at the end of each month.

The tools Meta announced today effectively see the company putting in place the building blocks for the vision of the metaverse CEO Zuckerberg presented at Connect 2021. But it's also easy to see how those tools could feed into the company's ambitions around NFTs. "If you imagine what some future metaverse [at] some point down the line [would look like], clearly the ability to sell virtual goods and take them with you from one world to another is going to be an important part of it," Zuckerberg said in a recent interview, conducted, where else, but in Horizon Worlds.

Biden administration cracks down on 3D-printed 'ghost guns'

Posted: 11 Apr 2022 01:08 PM PDT

The Biden administration is taking new measures that would limit the spread of 3D-printed guns. The Justice Department has issued a final rule with multiple measures restricting the sale and distribution of "ghost guns," including a requirement for federally licensed dealers and gunsmiths to serialize any unmarked firearm (such as a 3D-printed gun) before selling it to a customer. You couldn't print a gun at home and sell it to a store without some ability to trace its origins.

The rule also includes several other restrictions that aren't aimed at 3D-printed weapons, including an effective ban on unserialized "buy build shoot" kits by treating them as firearms subject to strict licensing and background check requirements. The DOJ will also treat guns with split receivers as subject to regulations, and demands that licensed dealers keep "key records" until they shut down, not just for 20 years.

The move is the latest in a back-and-forth fight over attempts to regulate 3D-printed guns. After a case over Defense Distributed's 3D-printed pistol bounced through courts (including the Supreme Court), the Trump administration's State Department reached a settlement that legally allowed these homemade weapons. States sued the administration over alleged constitutional and procedural violations, earning a ban on the technology (albeit one with a claimed loophole). A judge determined that the Defense Distributed settlement violated procedural law, but the Trump administration tried to override that by transferring regulation to the Commerce Department and making it difficult to implement substantial limits. State attorneys general sued over the rule change.

A rule like this won't stop individuals or black market operators from making and trading 3D-printed guns. It might, however, discourage licensed dealers from letting those guns enter their shops. If nothing else, it signals a reversal from the previous administration's stance — the current White House sees untraceable 3D-printed firearms as significant threats.

Activision Blizzard recruits a new chief diversity officer amid harassment scandal

Posted: 11 Apr 2022 12:50 PM PDT

Activision Blizzard has recruited a new chief diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officer. Kristen Hines will join the company and its senior leadership team on April 25th. She will report to Julie Hodges, the company's chief people officer. Hines most recently led the Global DEI practice at Accenture, where she helped other organizations bolster their DEI strategies and capabilities.

One of Hines' key responsibilities will be to help Activision Blizzard meet its commitment to increase the percentage of women and non-binary people in the workforce by 50 percent over the next five years. In its representation data document for 2021, the company said women made up 24 percent of its workforce. Hines will also work with Activision Blizzard's gaming teams "to ensure diverse and inclusive perspectives are included in game design, including storylines, character development, gameplay and community interaction."

"In an industry with historical underrepresentation, I'm looking forward to leading the company's efforts to further build a workplace that values transparency, equity and inclusivity," Hines said in a statement. "Gaming has amazing potential to connect communities around the world and showcase heroes from all backgrounds. I am looking forward to playing a part in expanding the landscape of talent who brings these compelling experiences to a broad base of players."

Hines will be tasked with helping improve the workplace culture of Activision Blizzard, which has been under intense scrutiny since last summer. The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing sued the company in July. It accused Activision Blizzard of fostering a "frat boy culture" and alleged there was discrimination against female employees. A wrongful death suit was filed against the publisher last month, as was a sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit from an individual plaintiff.

Also in March, a judge approved a proposal by Activision Blizzard, which is the subject of a pending $68.7 billion takeover from Microsoft, to set up an $18 million fund to settle a federal lawsuit. The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's suit accused the company of enabling a sexist and discriminatory workplace environment.
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