Saturday, April 23, 2022

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Raven Studio game testers can vote to form a union, NLRB rules

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 05:43 PM PDT

A group of 21 quality assurance testers at Raven Software have received the blessing of the National Labor Relations Board to conduct a union vote, per a 27-page ruling from the agency released Friday. Raven's parent company — Activision Blizzard —did not respond in time to a request for voluntary recognition for the new union, the Game Workers Alliance, back in January. 

Tensions within the company came to a head last December, when approximately a third of the group's QA testers were suddenly laid off — after several months of promises to improve compensation. Raven workers began organizing shortly thereafter, and engaged in a weeks-long strike. 

Once they returned to work, however, they were informed their unit would be broken up. "Our QA colleagues will embed directly within various teams across the studio," was how Raven Studio head Brian Raffel put it at the time, a move the seemed intended to stymie unionization efforts. 

Since then, Activision tried to convince the NLRB that the dispersed nature of the QA team should be grounds to dismiss the vote. But as per today's ruling, the agency didn't sign on to that view. According to Jennifer Hadsall, a regional director of the agency, there is "no evidence that Q.A. testers are being eliminated or that their role would fundamentally change with the embed process." Activision also tried (and failed) to convince the NLRB that the entirety of Raven Studio's estimated 230 employees would need to be included in the vote.

"We are pleased that after reviewing the evidence, the National Labor Relations Board rejected Raven Software management's attempts to undermine our efforts to form a union," a group of Game Workers Alliance organizers told Engadget over email. "It's now time for Raven management to stop trying to prevent us from exercising our rights. We are looking forward to voting for - and winning - our union."

According to a statement from Activision, the company is "disappointed that a decision that could significantly impact the future of our entire studio will be made by fewer than 10 percent of our employees." The company is also seeking avenues to appeal the NLRB's ruling. 

Raven software was founded over 30 years ago and had a hand in producing some beloved games like Heretic and Hexen during the golden age of first-person shooters. Since its acquisition by Activision in 1997, it's role has largely been reduced to maintaining the Call of Duty franchise. 

Tensions between Raven and its owners have mirrored those within Activision Blizzard at large, where sexual misconduct claims, allegedly covered up by the company's top brass have roiled rank-and-file workers. Employees staged a walkout last November in disgust, to voice dissent against the corporate culture in general and CEO Bobby Kotick in specific. Earlier this week it was reported that on two separate occasions, Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg used her influence to allegedly quash negative stories about Kotick, her then-boyfriend, that were in the works at British tabloid The Daily Mail. 

The NLRB will begin mailing out ballots to eligible part-time and full-time QA workers, who will have until May 20 to cast; a vote count is presently schedule to take place on May 23. 

Are you an Activision Blizzard worker with a tip to share? You can reach me confidentially on Signal messengered at 646 983 9846.

'Borderlands 3' will finally add PlayStation cross-play support this spring

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 02:07 PM PDT

Sure, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands supports cross-play on all platforms, but what about that promised Borderlands 3 update? Don't worry, it's coming. Gearbox has confirmedBorderlands 3 will add cross-play support for PlayStation sometime later this spring. PS4 and PS5 owners will finally get to join the adventures of their PC, Stadia and Xbox counterparts.

Gearbox first added cross-play to Borderlands 3 in 2021, but PlayStation owners were conspicuously left out. Pitchford revealed that Sony blocked full cross-platform support. It later came to light in the Epic vs. Apple lawsuit that Sony asked for royalty fees for any game with cross-play, determining them based on the popularity and financial success of the PlayStation version. It's not certain if that arrangement applied here.

Sony used to be adamantly against cross-play for PlayStation. Former SIE America CEO Shawn Layden said in 2018 that any inter-platform gameplay would only work if it was "supporting our business," but many critics saw it as a cash grab — Sony didn't like that you might buy content on a rival platform and get to use it on your PS4. The company gradually relented, though, and allowed the feature in games like Fortnite and Rocket League. Borderlands 3 is a latecomer in that regard, but the support remains a welcome sign of thawing relations between Sony and the rest of the gaming world.

Judge dismisses most claims in Sony gender discrimination lawsuit

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 01:40 PM PDT

A gender discrimination lawsuit against Sony has run into significant hurdles. Axios has learned that judge Laurel Beeler dismissed 10 of plaintiff Emma Majo's 13 claims due to multiple issues. Majo didn't provide enough evidence to make a case in some instances, Beeler said, while in others she incorrectly asserted that promotions and demotions constituted harassment.

Majo first sued Sony in November over allegations of institutional discrimination. The former PlayStation security analyst accused Sony of firing her for discussing sexism she reportedly encountered at the company. Sony tried to have the suit tossed out due to both vague details and a lack of corroborating claims, but the case gathered momentum in March when eight other women joined in and raised the potential for class action status.

The judge will still allow three claims surrounding wrongful termination and violations of whistleblower protections, however, and she rejected Sony's attempt to block any chance of class action status. As the other claims were dismissed without prejudice, Majo is free to revisit them if and when she can better support them.

Sony denied Majo's discrimination allegations, but it also said in March that it would take the women's complaints "seriously." As it stands, the partial dismissal clearly isn't what the company wanted — it still has to face potentially grave implications, and may be pressured to join companies like Activision Blizzard in reforming its internal culture.

Tesla can now insure your EV in Colorado, Oregon and Virginia

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 01:02 PM PDT

Tesla's in-house insurance is now available in three more states. As Forbesnotes, Tesla revealed during its latest earnings call that its "real-time" insurance has reached Colorado, Oregon and Virginia. The automaker has also filed paperwork in Nevada with plans to offer insurance as early as June, although nothing has been announced so far.

As in some other states, the insurance determines your premiums based on driving behavior rather than standard criteria like age and credit. Tesla examines the safety scores from its EVs and looks for signs of aggressive habits that might lead to incidents, such as collision warnings, hard braking and tailgating. This rewards better driving — and, of course, keeps you buying Tesla vehicles.

The company eventually plans to offer insurance across the entire US. Whether or not that goes smoothly is unclear. Tesla offers insurance in California, but it's still seeking permission to use real-time info. It could be a while before the insurance and its signature feature are consistently available.

Twitter bans climate change denial ads

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 12:24 PM PDT

On Earth Day, Twitter announced a ban on ads that promote climate change denial. It said misleading advertising that contradicts scientific consensus on the crisis won't be permitted on the platform under its policy on inappropriate content.

"We believe that climate denialism shouldn't be monetized on Twitter, and that misrepresentative ads shouldn't detract from important conversations about the climate crisis," leaders from the company's sustainability team wrote in a blog post. "We recognize that misleading information about climate change can undermine efforts to protect the planet."

Twitter says it will assess whether climate change ads break the rules based on reports from authoritative sources, such as the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The company added that, in the months ahead, it will share more details about its "work to add reliable, authoritative context to the climate conversations happening on Twitter."

This move builds on some other measures Twitter is taking to address climate change. By the end of 2022, Twitter aims to only be using carbon-neutral power sourcing at its data centers. It also joined the EU climate pact earlier this year. Among other things, Twitter committed to switch to renewable electricity at its leased operations in the bloc and to increase its investments in carbon-removal tech.

Instagram tests user-created Templates feature for Reels videos

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 12:08 PM PDT

Instagram is experimenting with a new Templates feature for Reels that will let users copy video formats from other Reels videos, reportedBusiness Insider. Templates are already an incredibly popular feature we've seen on TikTok, and are often the basis for viral challenges and trends on the platform. The Templates feature on Reels is still in beta testing mode, with only a small number of influencers able to access it. 

Meta confirmed the news to TechCrunch. "We are always working on new ways to make Reels simpler to create. We are testing the ability for you to make a reel using an existing Template from another reel," a Meta spokesperson toldTechCrunch in an email.

As influencer Josephine Hill describes in the tweet below, Templates gives users the option to select "Use as template" on any Reels video in order to replace video clips with your own. While the current version of Templates on Reels gives users a number of preset options, the new feature appears to give the option of using any Reels video as a template.

Instagram has rolled out many TikTok-like features on Reels in the past in an effort to keep up with the reigning Gen Z app of choice. Some recent examples include a Remix feature, the ability to collaborate on videos, new music features and visual replies. Given that Instagram head Adam Mosseri last year said the platform would double-down on video in 2022, we'll likely see even more new innovations in the months to follow.

Energy Department challenges students to wring more efficiency from EVs

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 11:44 AM PDT

Your future electric car might benefit from some schoolwork. The Energy Department has teamed with GM and MathWorks to launch an EcoCAR Electric Vehicle Challenge that asks student groups at 15 North American universities to develop more efficient EV technology. The will have students tinker with a Cadillac Lyriq over four years as they develop automation, connectivity and propulsion tech, and they can will win annual prizes based on their progress.

The teams are also expected to use a mix of connected car and sensor tech to enable sharing EV battery power with homes, "recreational uses" (think camping) and the electrical grid. GM is supplying the cars as part of a broader $6 million investment in the challenge.

EcoCAR kicks off this fall. The American universities are spread across the country and include major institutions like Ohio State University, the University of California Riverside and Virginia Tech. Canada's McMaster University and the University of Waterloo (BlackBerry's home turf) will also take part.

The challenge won't guarantee longer-range EVs. However, it does reflect the Biden administration's determination to make electric transportation viable, including support for American automakers, setting EV adoption targets and improving access to charging stations. If all goes well, EcoCAR might help ease the transition away from gas-powered cars.

The revamped PlayStation Plus should hit the US on June 13th

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 11:00 AM PDT

Sony Interactive Entertainment has revealed its rollout plan for the overhauled PlayStation Plus service. It's targeting a launch date of May 23rd in select markets in Asia before expanding to Japan on June 1st. The new tiers are then expected to arrive in the Americas on June 13th, followed by Europe on June 22nd.

In addition, SIE is opening up access to cloud streaming in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Republic of Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Folks in those countries and the 19 others where PlayStation Now is currently available will be able to sign up for the Premium tier of PS Plus at launch.

Sony announced the long-rumored PS Plus restructuring in March. The current version of PS Plus will soon be the lowest tier of the updated service. As is more or less the case now, PS Plus Essential will offer online multiplayer access, cloud storage, PSN Store discounts and two claimable games per month (down from the usual three).

The middle tier is PlayStation Plus Extra, which adds a library of 400 PS4 and PS5 games that players can download to their console. At the outset, those are expected to include the likes of Death Stranding, God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Mortal Kombat 11 and PS5 exclusive Returnal.

At the highest end is PlayStation Plus Premium, which includes access to another 340 games from PlayStation, PS2 and PSP titles that you can stream or download. PS3 games will be available through cloud streaming. Premium will also offer limited-time game trials and cloud gaming on PC.

In countries where cloud streaming isn't available yet, Sony will offer a Premium tier replacement called PS Plus Deluxe. This will be a bit less expensive than Premium and include downloadable PS1, PS2 and PSP games as well as everything from the Essential and Extra tiers.

US pricing starts at $10 per month, $25 per quarter or $60 per year for PS Plus Essential. Extra costs $15 per month, $40 per quarter or $100 annually. As for Premium, you'll need to pay $18 per month, $50 per quarter or $120 for a year of access. PlayStation Now will be folded into the new PS Plus, and subscribers of that service will be moved to the Premium tier.

Unlike with Microsoft's Game Pass, none of the tiers will offer access to first-party PlayStation games on their release day. However, a year of access to PS Plus Premium costs $60 less than 12 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at the standard price.

Paradox outlines a revenue-sharing plan for Vampire: The Masquerade fan games

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 09:48 AM PDT

Many publishers and developers are very protective of their intellectual property (what's up, Nintendo?). But Paradox Interactive and World of Darkness are taking things in a slightly different direction. As part of the Unbound project, they'll let anyone make a Vampire: The Masquerade fan game as long as they abide by certain rules.

Developers need to get their games approved by Paradox and can only offer them through the Itch.io storefront. They can charge for their creations if they want, but they'll need to give Paradox a 33 percent cut of revenue.

The developers will own all game assets that don't use World of Darkness intellectual property and can sell them in art books, soundtracks and so on. They can't run crowdfunding campaigns for their project, however, and aren't able to use science fiction, steampunk or cyberpunk settings. Beyond those (and a few other restrictions), developers can let their imaginations run wild.

The Unbound program stems from a successful game jam that took place in 2021. "Following the Vampire Jam last year, we realized how passionate our community is about creating Vampire: The Masquerade games," World of Darkness community developer Martyna Zych said in a statement. "While we could only award one grand prize to Heartless Lullaby, we knew we had to create a platform that empowered our community to work on the projects they love while giving them the support they need to be successful."

Developers created more than 80 games during Vampire Jam and six of those are available through Unbound at the outset. They include survival horror game Descent, puzzle project The Chantry Trials and strategic card title The Game of Elders. There's a first-person shooter called The Autumn People. You can also check out point-and-click adventure Prodigal as well as 4x strategy and roleplaying game Praxis. All are free to download.

It's neat to see a publisher and transmedia brand approve fan-made games. The fact that all of those six titles are in different genres is fascinating as well, since it shows the breadth of what developers can do when they have the freedom to be creative with a notable IP. 

As it happens, these titles might be the only way for fans to play a new Vampire: The Masquerade game for a while. Last year, Paradox parted ways with Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 studio Hardsuit Labs and delayed the game indefinitely. The publisher said in November it was happy with the progress made by the game's new, unnamed developer, but the release window remains unknown.

Twitter is experimenting with a status update feature

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 09:30 AM PDT

Twitter might soon take a page from Instagram's defunct Threads app — not to mention other messaging apps you used in the past two decades. As The Vergereports, code sleuth Jane Manchun Wong has discovered that Twitter is developing a "Vibe" feature that would let you set status updates akin to Threads and the many, many IM clients at the turn of the century. You could set status at the profile level, but you could also attach them to specific tweets to indicate what you were doing at a specific moment.

Wong's examples only showed generic presets like eating, listening to music and shopping. It's not clear if you have the option of writing your own updates, or if third-party apps could hook into the feature (say, for music and videos).

The concept of a Twitter status update isn't completely new, either. The social network was testing another form of status update back in 2018, although it didn't work the same way and never reached everyday users.

We've asked Twitter for comment. There are no guarantees Vibe will reach the broader public or even enter testing. We wouldn't be surprised if it does, however. Twitter has long had messaging features that could benefit from status updates (such as letting others know you're busy), and it's increasingly relying on live features like Spaces audio sessions where you might want to share what you're doing.

Motorola’s endless rehashes will only make it less relevant

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 08:30 AM PDT

While Motorola might not have the same clout in the smartphone space as Apple and Samsung, the company holds an outsized influence on the US market. By the numbers, Motorola is the third most popular smartphone maker overall, the second largest maker of prepaid phones and the biggest seller of unlocked handsets.

The problem is that, as part of the company's attempt to gobble up more of the market following the demise of LG Mobile, Motorola has been churning out too many phones too quickly while offering little in the way of long-term support. And even though the Moto G family of phones has earned a reputation for providing great value in recent years, that legacy is starting to deteriorate as things like camera quality and support for basic features like NFC have stagnated. In short, Motorola needs to slow down and shape up.

Just look at the dizzying number of Moto G handsets that have been released in the last two years. At CES 2021, Motorola launched four new phones including the second-gen Moto G Stylus, the revived Moto G Play, the Moto G Power and the Moto One 5G Ace – the latter of which is merely a rebranded version of the Moto G 5G from 2020. Then in the summer, Motorola released another Moto G Stylus (this time with 5G) followed by the Moto G Pure last fall.

The Moto G Stylus 5G
At the pace Motorola has been releasing new G-series phones, it's become incredibly difficult to keep track of them all and the minor differences between them.
Chris Velazco/Engadget

More recently in February, Moto decided to update the G family with yet another version of Moto G Stylus, and just this week Motorola returned to announce two more additions in the Moto G Stylus 5G and the Moto G 5G. And this isn't counting stuff like the Moto G Power 2022, which was actually released in November 2021. At this point, if you're confused by the vomit of new Moto G phones, just rest assured you're not the only one. It's like some twisted smartphone version of Cap'n Crunch's Oops! All Berries, except that instead of tasty fruit-flavored treats, it's an endless string of non-descript plastic handsets.

Meanwhile, some of Motorola's most interesting phones like the 2020 Razr have been languishing waiting for an update, only getting a half-hearted refresh that added a slightly faster chip and support for 5G. Quite often, it feels like Moto has been releasing budget phones without 5G, just so the company can push out a "new" model six months later. Even then, it's typically just sub-6GHz 5G, which only serves to increase customer confusion regarding current cellular standards. And while Moto has been idling, Samsung has dominated the foldable phone market with devices like the Galaxy Z Flip 3, which is not only cheaper than the Razr, it has a better screen and cameras too.

Motorola Edge Plus review photos
When Motorola made its first flagship phone in years with the 2020 Edge+, our lasting impression was that it was merely OK.
Chris Velazco/Engadget

Another big issue with Motorola's recent phones is paltry software support. Last year, Samsung announced that it would provide four years of security updates for a wide range of Galaxy devices, including older phones and tablets such as the S10 and Tab S6. Then, just a couple of months ago, Samsung bolstered its software support again by giving four generations of Android upgrades to all of its 2021 and 2022 flagship phones. And over in Pixel land, Google also stepped up its efforts by promising five years of security updates for the Pixel 6 (though you'll still only get three years of OS upgrades). And all of this still pales in comparison to iPhones, with Apple providing at least five years of OS and security updates for its handsets.

Then we come to Motorola, which even on its most recent flagship – the 2022 Edge+ – is only offering two major OS updates and three years of bi-monthly security patches. And if you move down to its more affordable handsets, things get even worse. The newly announced Moto G Stylus 5G and Moto G 5G, for instance, will only get a single OS upgrade. This isn't a one-off situation either, because during a briefing about those phones, a Motorola representative confirmed that the general policy for the entire G family typically only covers one major Android OS update.

Despite a $1,000 price, the 2022 Edge+ does really deliver a flagship-level experience.
Mewanwhile, this year's Edge+ fell far short of living up to its $1,000 price.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Even worse is that, during the same briefing, a Motorola exec seemed to be making an excuse for the poor update policy by recounting a conversation they had with a car service driver. The driver owned a Moto G device and lamented that their device seemed like it was constantly prompting them to install some sort of update. Now I can certainly empathize, sometimes it feels like everything you own constantly needs to be patched. But that's not a good reason to drop support for a gadget after a year or two. If an owner doesn't want to install an update for whatever reason, that's their choice, but they should at least have the option.

Perhaps my biggest concern about Motorola's direction is a general lack of innovation and support for basic features. Take for example the Moto G Stylus, which doesn't have NFC. I mean come on, it's 2022. Basically every place supports some sort of contactless payment nowadays, which requires NFC. But if you buy a budget Moto phone, too bad. And it's not just the Moto G Stylus, because the Moto G 5G announced this week doesn't have NFC either. The company also routinely fails to equip its handsets with substantial water resistance, often doing just enough to protect against splashes but falling far short of the IP67 or IP68 ratings you get on competing devices. 

Additionally, when I reviewed the Moto Edge+ back in March, I was kind of appalled with its cameras. This is a $1,000 phone that produces low-light photos that look like they come from a $500 phone at best. I even noted in my review that it seems like Motorola is going backwards, delivering a device with a lower-resolution main camera than its predecessor, while lacking a dedicated telephoto lens. 

In low light, Motorola's Night Vision mode really struggled to compete with Samsung's Night Mode.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Motorola tells me that it puts macro cams in its phones instead because of demand from customers who like taking close-ups. And that may be true. But I also know that it costs more to put telephoto cameras on phones, and I have a sneaking suspicion that may be the bigger driving force. While Apple, Google and Samsung are making large strides when it comes to low-light performance and computational photography, what I've seen from Moto's latest pseudo-flagship is second-tier at best.

The sad thing is that it doesn't have to be like this. There are a number of things I still appreciate about Moto devices. They have near stock builds of Android and Moto Action gestures like double chopping to turn on a phone's flashlight are often quite handy. But those small perks are easily overshadowed by the concerning trend of too many rehashes while returning too little value.

However, it's not too late to reverse all this. Sure, it will take some strong leadership and willpower for the company to forgo short-term sales in order to focus on long-term growth and development. Improving mobile photography isn't easy. Just ask OnePlus' Pete Lau, who has been very vocal about his desire to bring the photography on the company's phones up to speed. But unless Motorola wants to become the next HTC, it needs to reduce the churn and concentrate on releasing a smaller number of higher-quality devices with the software support its customers deserve.

What we bought: How a portable monitor made working from home a lot easier

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 07:30 AM PDT

Even for someone like me who likes working from home, the pandemic has made things a challenge – especially in my small 1,000 square-foot two-bedroom apartment. You see, when my wife and I welcomed our first child last year, dedicated working spaces became scarce. So I addressed the situation the best way I know how: with tech. In this case an ASUS ROG Strix XG17AHP portable monitor.

Before my son arrived, we actually had a pretty good setup going. I used our second bedroom as an office and very occasional guest room. And when all the office buildings closed in early 2019 due to Covid-19, we managed to find room for another desk in our bedroom. It wasn't ideal because, even though I'm a gadget nerd, we try to keep the bedroom free of unnecessary screens and distractions. But we each had our own dedicated working space with dual monitors, and enough room between our desks that we could jump on video calls without disturbing one another. It was awkward but acceptable.

The included monitor stand lets you position the Asus ROG Strix XG17AHP above your laptop's display, instead of off to the side.
The Asus ROG Strix XG17AHP included stand means you can position it above your laptop's display, which does a ton to help prevent neck strain. NOTE: For the photos, I swapped my 13-inch MacBook Pro work laptop in for my wife's machine for privacy.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But then our little bundle of joy threw a drool-covered wrench into those plans. Now just to be clear, I don't begrudge him one bit. Parents often have to make sacrifices for kids, and more often than not, we're happy to do so. But I think it's fair to say that an office/nursery just isn't a good combo. So after my son outgrew his bassinet and stopped sleeping in our room, I had to move my gear out (well most of it anyway) so he could have a real bedroom of his own.

What made this a bit more challenging is that my main computer at home is a desktop. I've always been a big PC person, and I love the speed and flexibility you get with a custom-built rig. (Side note: With work from home becoming a more permanent thing, I feel like there are a lot of people that would benefit from switching to a desktop. Assuming you have the space for it, of course). The downside of this is that I'm pretty limited in where I could put my PC. Big shock I know, but a desktop sort of necessitates having a desk. Thankfully, my wife graciously offered to let me use the one in our bedroom (which I honestly can't appreciate enough), while she moved her workspace out to our dining table in the living room.

Here's the Asus ROG Strix XG17AHP on its own.
While the Asus ROG Strix XG17AHP does look seem of puny compared to regular monitors, its much easier to pack up and move when you need that space for other stuff.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

At this point, you're probably envisioning a host of issues. Since we eat dinner there, setting up dual monitors isn't really an option. This meant my wife was completely reliant on her 13-inch MacBook Pro, which doesn't offer a lot of screen space and messes with her posture. Looking down at a laptop screen for eight (or more) hours a day is a surefire recipe for chronic neck and back pain.

That's where the ASUS' ROG Strix XG17AHP portable monitor comes in. At first glance, it seems like overkill for general productivity, and it is. It has a 240Hz refresh rate and support for AMD FreeSync, which are great for gaming but don't do much when you're looking at spreadsheets. There's even a built-in 7,800 mAh battery so you can use it completely untethered for four to five hours. And with a price of $600, the ROG Strix XG17AHP is two to three times more expensive than a lot of competitors, particularly the traditional business-oriented ones.

The Asus ROG Strix XG17AHP has a wealth of ports including two USB-C, micro HDMI and a headphone jack.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But honestly, I feel like that money has been well spent. My personal philosophy is that for something you're going to use a lot, it's better to spend a little extra than pinch pennies and end up with an unsatisfactory device. Unlike most of its rivals, the ROG Strix XG17AHP comes with a stand, and I'm not talking about a simple kickstand. It's a full-on detachable tripod, which means you can position the screen so it sits above your laptop's display, instead of off to the side. No need to crane your neck. Important apps live up top on the portable monitor, while less critical stuff like Slack live down below.

The ROG Strix XG17AHP also measures 17.3-inches across, which makes it one of the largest portable monitors you can buy. Most enterprise-focused alternatives top out at 14 or 15 inches, and while we probably would have gone even larger if we could, there aren't really any 19-inch or larger portable monitors that offer the same level of specs and features. Sure, the monitor's brightness of 300 nits could be better, but its matte coating makes it easy to look at all day – even in sunny rooms with lots of reflections.

The ROG logo on the back of the Strix XG17AHP even lights up.
The ROG logo even lights up, if you're into that sort of thing.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Meanwhile, thanks to support for video and power delivery over USB-C, setting up the monitor only requires a single cable. This makes it super easy to break down and pack away when friends or family come over. And during the week when we're too lazy to do that, the whole kit is slim enough we can just push it to the side and still have plenty of room for food.

I also want to give ASUS props for including a bunch of useful accessories. The monitor comes with a carrying bag and a foldable screen protector that doubles as a kickstand, along with a USB-C cable, a USB-C to USB-A adapter, a power brick, and even an HDMI to micro HDMI cable – in case your PC doesn't support video over USB. My only gripe is that the locking mechanism for its height adjustment isn't super secure. So if I press hard, even when it's locked, the monitor still moves up and down.

The Asus ROG Strix XG17AHP's kit includes a carrying back, extra USB-C and HDMI to micro HDMI cables, a removable stand, power brick and a USB-C to USB-A adapter.
One of the best things about the Asus ROG Strix XG17AHP are all the included accessories.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But this one demerit doesn't really detract from all its positives. That's because while the ROG Strix XG17AHP isn't as good as a regular monitor, it's way more than simply adequate. It's flexible and it fits in my life (and on my table) in a way that a regular desktop display can't. It even has a lot of potential as a handy companion for my Switch while traveling. Though due to the pandemic, I haven't had a chance to test that out yet. And while my wife and I are thinking about getting a bigger place, with the housing market the way it is, moving isn't in our immediate future. So until we upgrade to a larger home, ASUS' portable gaming monitor is filling an important role when it comes to making a cramped work from home situation a lot more tolerable.

iRobot's Roomba 694 drops to $180, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 07:00 AM PDT

Mother's Day is quickly approaching and if you're looking to get mom a piece of new tech, you can do so right now while saving some money in the process. Apple's latest AirPods remain on sale for $150 and you can pick up the Apple Watch Series 7 for as low as $330, depending on the color you choose. A few robot vacuums have been discounted, including the already affordable Roomba 694, plus Ninja's 10-in-1 multicooker is still $70 off and down to $130. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

Roomba 694

iRobot Roomba 694
Valentina Palladino / Engadget

iRobot's affordable Roomba 694 is still on sale for $180 right now, which is a record low. This is one of our favorite budget-friendly robot vacuums thanks to its easy to use mobile app, good cleaning power and sleek design.

Buy Roomba 694 at Amazon - $180

AirPods (3rd gen)

Apple's newest earbuds are close to their record-low price right now. You can grab the third-gen AirPods for $150, or $30 off their normal rate. We gave them a score of 88 for their improved design, much better audio quality and longer battery life.

Buy AirPods (3rd gen) at Amazon - $150

AirPods Pro

Apple's AirPods Pro are back on sale for $174, which is 30 percent off their normal price. We gave them a score of 87 for their improved fit, good audio quality and solid ANC.

Buy AirPods Pro at Amazon - $174

Apple Watch Series 7

Many color options of the 41mm Apple Watch Series 7 are down to $330, or $70 off their normal price. We gave the wearable a score of 90 for its bigger screen, faster charging and handy watchOS 8 features.

Buy Apple Watch Series 7 at Amazon - $330

10.2-inch iPad

Both Amazon and Walmart have the entry-level iPad for $309 right now, or $20 off its normal price. We gave the slab a score of 86 for its improved performance, excellent battery life and Center Stage-capable front cameras.

Buy 10.2-inch iPad at Amazon - $309Buy 10.2-inch iPad at Walmart - $309

AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max
Engadget

A couple of colors of the AirPods Max are $100 off and down to $450. We gave the premium headphones a score of 84 for their excellent sound quality, solid ANC and reliable onboard controls.

Buy AirPods Max at Amazon - $450

Roomba j7+

iRobot Roomba j7+
Valentina Palladino / Engadget

The Roomba j7+ robo-vac and the Roomba s9+ are both $200 off right now and down to $599 and $799, respectively. These are both advanced machines from iRobot, with the j7+ sporting a pet poop detection feature, while the s9+ has the strongest suction power of all of the company's robot vacuums. Both also come with clean bases, so you won't have to empty their dustbins manually after each cleaning job.

Buy Roomba j7+ at Amazon - $599Buy Roomba s9+ at Amazon - $799

Eero 6 routers

Eero 6 WiFi router
eero LLC

A bunch of Eero 6 router packs are on sale right now, including a three-pack of the Eero 6 Pro, which is $120 off and down to $479. You save spend a bit less money and opt for the two-pack, which is $80 off and down to $319. These are the latest WiFi 6 systems from the Amazon-owned brand, and many of the come with built-in Zigbee smart home hubs.

Shop Eero 6 sale at Amazon

Fitbit Charge 5

Fitbit Charge 5 fitness tracker
Valentina Palladino / Engadget

The Fitbit Charge 5 tracker is down to $130, which is only $10 more than its record-low price. We gave the device a score of 82 for its accurate onboard GPS, slim design, standard Fitbit Pay and long battery life.

Buy Fitbit Charge 5 at Amazon - $130

Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 multicooker

Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 pressure cooker and air fryer
Ninja

Ninja's 10-in-1 multicooker is $70 off and down to $130, which is close to its all-time-low price. This is a solid alternative to an Instant Pot as it has a bunch of cooking modes including pressure cook, slow cook, steam, yogurt and even air fry.

Buy Ninja 10-in-1 multicooker at Amazon - $130

Google Nest Video Doorbell Battery

Battery-powered Google Nest Cam and Doorbell
Google

A handful of Google smart home devices are on sale right now, including the Nest Video Doorbell Battery, which is $30 off and down to $150. This gadget will let you keep an eye on what's going on outside your door from your phone, and there are no wires to fuss with when you install it. You can also pick up the Nest Cam Indoor and Outdoor for less, coming in at $80 and $150, respectively.

Buy Nest Cam Indoor at Adorama - $80Buy Nest Cam Outdoor at Adorama - $150Buy Nest Cam Outdoor at B&H - $150Buy Nest Video Doorbell Battery at Adorama - $150Buy Nest Video Doorbell Battery at B&H - $150

Amazon smart thermostat

Amazon's smart thermostat is back on sale for $48, which is 20 percent off its regular price. The Energy Star-certified device uses Honeywell's Home Thermostat tech to help you save on energy costs — and, like other Amazon devices, it works with Alexa so you can use voice commands to control the temperature in your home.

Buy smart thermostat at Amazon - $48

Google Nest thermostats

Both Google's standard Nest Thermostat and the more advanced Learning model remain discounted right now. You can pick up the regular version for $100, while the Learning Thermostat is still on sale for $200. They share most of the same features, but you'll get a slicker design, a higher-res display and the ability to connect with Nest Temperature Sensors with the Learning model.

Buy Nest Thermostat at Amazon - $100Buy Nest Learning Thermostat at Amazon - $200

New tech deals

NordVPN

NordVPN's latest deal lets you save 51 percent off the price of a two-year subscription, so you'll pay only $96 for that time period. After the first two years, the price goes up to $99 per year. NordVPN is one of our favorites thanks to its speed, its no-logs policy, the thousands of servers it has to choose from and that one account supports up to six connected devices

Subscribe to NordVPN (2 years) - $96

JBL Xtreme 3

This midrange Bluetooth speaker is $80 off and down to $300, which is the cheapest we've seen it. It earned a spot in our portable Bluetooth speaker guide for its dynamic yet balanced sound quality, IP67-rated design and relatively compact size.

Buy JBL Xtreme 3 at Amazon - $300

83-inch Sony A90J Bravia XR OLED smart TV

This massive OLED TV from Sony is $500 less than usual, bringing it down to $5,500. It's the 2021 model and it supports XR Motion Clarity, the Google TV interface, voice commands with Alexa, HDMI 2.1 and more.

Buy 83-inch Sony A90J OLED at Amazon - $5,500

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

‘Splatoon 3’ hits Nintendo Switch on September 9th

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 06:47 AM PDT

Although the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has slipped to 2023, Nintendo still has a bunch of major exclusives lined up for Switch this year. We now know exactly when another one of those will arrive, as Splatoon 3 has a release date of September 9th.

A new gameplay clip shows off a full round of the classic Turf War mode. It looks as slick, chaotic and colorful as ever. Two teams for four are tasked with covering as much of an arena in their squad's paint color as possible. You can temporarily take out a rival Inkling or Octoling by splatting them. 

Players will have a variety of weapons and special abilities in their tool belt. At one point, a player jumps into a mech that has a high rate of fire.

Splatoon 3 will also have a new single-player campaign as well as the co-op Salmon Run mode. The latest game in the series will cost $60.

Alongside the release date announcement, Nintendo revealed a new perk for Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers. Splatoon 2 players can now snag the Octo Expansion DLC from 2018 at no extra cost. Expansion Pack members also just got access to three more Sega Genesis games: Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball, Space Harrier II and Shining Force II.

Amazon's Eero Pro mesh routers are up to 25 percent off

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 06:12 AM PDT

Does your lone WiFi router not quite cover your home? This might be a good time to upgrade. Amazon is running a sale on Eero mesh routers that includes particularly steep discounts for higher-end Eero Pro models. The Eero Pro 6 represents one of the better values, and is down to $319 (20 percent off) for a two-pack and $479 (also 20 percent off) for a three-pack. And if you're happy with WiFi 5, the earlier Eero Pro is down to a record-low $336, or 25 percent off — it'll even dip to $314 if you have Amazon Prime.

Buy Eero Pro 6 (2-pack) - $319Buy Eero Pro (3-pack) - $336

The allure of Eero Pro routers is simple: they provide a compact, straightforward way to blanket your home in wireless networking with more coverage than you'd get from regular Eero models — a three-pack will cover an enormous 6,000 square feet. They're unsurprisingly well-suited to anyone steeped in Amazon's ecosystem, with streamlined setup (if you have an Amazon account), Alexa voice control and a Zigbee hub for compatible smart home devices.

These might not be the best choices if you're more interested in Apple or Google's smart home frameworks. However, future-proofing is another concern. Amazon recently introduced the Eero Pro 6E with (you guessed it) 1.3Gbps WiFi 6E support. If you use internet service beyond a gigabit (or expect to upgrade soon), you might want the newer router to make the most of that connection. However, the Pro 6E is also much more expensive at $499 for a two-pack. The 'old' Pro 6 offers the same long range and most of the performance for a lot less.

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

'F1 22' launches July 1st with VR support

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 05:40 AM PDT

EA's Formula 1 sim F1 22 will be released worldwide on July 1st, 2022 with the FIA's all-new hybrid cars and updated rules unveiled this season, EA and Codemaster announced. The game will supposedly be more "competitive and unpredictable" thanks to the major overhaul of F1 cars that happened in the real-world, and includes new features like PC VR support.

New Broadcast and Immersive modes will let players choose between more realistic or cinematic modes for formation laps, safety car periods and pit stops. Multiplayer racing will use either two-player splitscreen and online modes, or you can drive in VR on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets.  

Meanwhile, a new feature called F1 Life lets players "step into the glamorous world of Formula 1" via a customizable hub to show off supercars, clothing and accessories earned during gameplay or purchased at the in-game store. The other new feature is an Adaptive AI mode that lets less experienced player compete with AI racers matched in skill.

Career Mode was a popular update last year and it's back again with "fresh new features," though EA didn't say which. The "My Team" feature also returns, letting players choose a starting budget based on Newcomer, Challenger and Front Runner entry points. It also includes track updates to reflect the real-world updates in Australia, Spain and Abu Dabhi. As mentioned, F1 2022 will go on sale around the world on July 1st. 

Engadget Podcast: We love the Playdate and BTS dance lessons on Apple Fitness+

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 05:30 AM PDT

This week, Cherlynn is joined by guest co-host Jessica Conditt to take a closer look at the Playdate — the cute little gaming console with a crank. The two go on to rave about Samsung's new Pokémon-themed Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Apple's BTS dance lessons on Fitness+, before questioning why anyone would want electric chopsticks that make food taste saltier.

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


Subscribe!


Topics

  • The Playdate is an adorable indie game machine – 1:28

  • Samsung's Pokemon-themed Galaxy Z Flip 3 is delightful – 17:48

  • Apple Fitness+: Now featuring BTS dance workouts – 20:11

  • Netflix announces that it lost subscribers for the first time in a decade – 26:53

  • There's going to be a Netflix series based on "Exploding Kittens" – 33:04

  • WhatsApp is testing an option to hide its "last seen" feature – 37:57

  • Researchers in Japan invented electric chopsticks to make food taste saltier – 40:56

  • Working on – 45:33

  • Pop culture picks – 48:30

Video livestream

Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Jessica Conditt
Producer: Ben Ellman
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos, Luke Brooks
Graphics artists: Luke Brooks, Brian Oh
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien

The Large Hadron Collider is smashing protons again after a three-year hiatus

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 05:21 AM PDT

The Large Hadron Collider, the particle accelerator that enabled the discovery of the Higgs boson, is back in action after over three years in hiatus. CERN shut the accelerator down for maintenance and upgrade work that was extended due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it's ready to smash particles for various research projects throughout its third run that's scheduled to last until 2026. In fact, two beams of protons had already circulated in opposite directions around the 27-kilometer collider as of April 22nd at 12:16 CEST (6:16AM Eastern Time). 

It's just a start, however: The beams contained a relatively small number of protons and circulated at 450 billion electronvolts. The LHC team will ramp up the energy and intensity of the beams until the accelerator can perform collisions at a record energy of 13.6 trillion electronvolts.

Mike Lamont, CERN's Director for Accelerators and Technology, said:

"The machines and facilities underwent major upgrades during the second long shutdown of CERN's accelerator complex. The LHC itself has undergone an extensive consolidation programme and will now operate at an even higher energy and, thanks to major improvements in the injector complex, it will deliver significantly more data to the upgraded LHC experiments."

Research teams using the accelerator for their studies are expecting to be able to perform a lot more collisions — one, in particular, is expecting a 50 times increase — thanks to the upgrade. The more powerful LHC will allow scientists to study the Higgs boson more closely and to resume their hunt for a particle that proves the existence of dark matter with a more capable tool at hand. 

At the moment, dark matter is but a hypothetical form of matter that's believed to be five times more prevalent than its ordinary counterpart. It's invisible, doesn't reflect or emit light, and all attempts at looking for it have so far been unsuccessful. LHC researchers have narrowed down the regions where the particle may be hidden, though, and the upgraded accelerator could bring us closer to its discovery. To note, CERN previously approved plans to build a more powerful $23 billion super-collider that's 100 km in circumference, but its construction isn't expected to begin until 2038. 

The Morning After: CNN+ is shutting down

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 04:15 AM PDT

CNN+, the streaming service launched by the Cable News Network just three weeks ago, is shutting down on April 30th. The closure comes after reports that the high-profile project had reached just 10,000 daily users. It didn't help that WarnerMedia is merging with Discovery with the explicit aim of consolidating their streaming services into one cohesive whole.

The service, which reportedly cost around $100 million to launch, will have survived for just 32 days, stealing Quibi's title for most notorious and swift closure. CNN said at-risk employees will receive 90 days salary and benefits and get opportunities to move elsewhere within the Warner Bros. Discovery empire.

On one hand, it always seemed like a stretch to ask people to pay Netflix-level prices for even premium cable news. With the exception of blue-chip brands like NYT and WSJ, or the mega billionaire-backed Washington Post, paid-for journalism has been totally undermined. On the other hand, it's a shame to see something bold and potentially paradigm-shifting "do a Quibi" so quickly.

— Dan Cooper

The biggest stories you might have missed

Buy with Prime' lets third-party retailers use Amazon's shipping service

Amazon will share its logistics power with others, for a price.

Amazon has launched Buy with Prime, a service that enables rival online retailers to leverage Prime's speedy shipping. It means any e-commerce platform can add a Prime button to its page and make items available for next-or two-day delivery. The program will begin with sellers that already use Amazon's fulfillment service before rolling out to merchants who have no presence on Amazon whatsoever. This is another neat way Amazon can both fold its competitors under its own umbrella but, given the SEC is investigating how Amazon uses the data it collects about third-party sellers, one that may deserve extra scrutiny.

Continue Reading.

Elon Musk says he has the financial backing for his proposed Twitter takeover

The Boring Company also received fresh funding.

Concept image for how Prufrock, TBC's new TBM, will operate.
The Boring Company

What's Elon been up to over the last 24 hours, you ask?

Well, in a fresh SEC filing, the billionaire has said he's received backing to make his hostile-ish bid for Twitter. That includes $13 billion in debt financing from lenders like Morgan Stanley and a further $12.5 billion in loans leveraged against Musk's Tesla shareholding. It's thought the remainder of the cash will come from Musk himself, although we wouldn't bet that even someone who loves posting as much as ol' Elon would spend north of $21 billion to do so.

The Boring Company, meanwhile, has raised fresh funding to the tune of $675 million, valuing the company at $5.7 billion. That cash will go toward hiring more engineers who can build more of the company's signature taxis-in-a-tunnel Loop projects. At the same time, the company said its second-generation tunnel boring machine can carve out up to a mile of tunnel a week. It also made the unbelievable claim that its third-generation hardware will be able to crunch up to seven miles of bedrock per day.

Continue Reading.

FAA revokes YouTuber's pilot license, saying he deliberately crashed his plane

Was it that much of a surprise given the video was titled I Crashed My Plane.

Image taken from the video 'I Crashed My Plane.'
Trevor Jacob / YouTube

Trevor Jacob is a former Olympic snowboarder-turned-YouTuber who, in December 2021, published a well-shot video titled I Crashed My Plane. The beautifully shot clip, with multiple cameras set up on the pilot side wing and tail, sees the plane apparently stall out in mid air. Jacob then climbs out of the cabin and parachutes to the ground. Unfortunately for him, the FAA accused Jacob of intentionally crashing the plane for online clout and revoked his pilot's license. If Jacob doesn't hand it back to officials, he'll be liable for a daily fine of up to $1,644.

Continue Reading.

FAA blamed after parachute show leads to Congress evacuation

Whoops.

The FAA was also in the news yesterday for accidentally causing an emergency evacuation of Congress. FAA officials reportedly failed to notify the Capitol police and security services about a planned parachute demonstration by the US Army Golden Knights over Nationals Stadium. Nobody was hurt, and the Golden Knights followed proper procedure, avoiding restricted airspace and communicating with air traffic control at all times. But that didn't stop House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from saying the FAA's failure to communicate was "outrageous and inexcusable."

Continue Reading.

Massive DNA study of human cancers offers new clues about their causes

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 04:03 AM PDT

A team of UK scientists has analyzed the complete genetic makeup of 12,000 tumors from NHS patients and discovered 58 new mutations that provide clues about their potential causes. The team, composed of scientists from Cambridge University Hospitals and the University of Cambridge, used data from the 100,000 Genomes Project. That's a British initiative to sequence the whole genomes of patients with cancers and rare diseases. 

Team leader Professor Serena Nik-Zainal said this is the largest study of its kind and that the vast amount of data her team worked with allowed them to detect patterns in the genetic alterations or "mutational signatures" found in the tumors. By comparing their results with other studies, they were able to confirm that 58 of the mutational signatures they found were previously unknown. Some of them are pretty common, while some are rare.

"The reason it is important to identify mutational signatures is because they are like fingerprints at a crime scene — they help to pinpoint cancer culprits," Nik-Zainal explained. Some signatures could show that past exposure to environmental causes such as smoking or UV light had triggered the cancer, while others could have treatment implications. They could, for instance, pinpoint genetic abnormalities that could be targeted by specific drugs. 

Professor Matt Brown, chief scientific officer of Genomics England said: "Mutational signatures are an example of using the full potential of [whole genome sequencing]. We hope to use the mutational clues seen in this study and apply them back into our patient population, with the ultimate aim of improving diagnosis and management of cancer patients."

In addition to conducting DNA analysis and publishing its results in Science, the team also developed an algorithm called FitMS that will give clinicians easy access to the new information they discovered. FitMS looks for both common and rare signatures in the results of a patient's whole genome sequencing test. Doctors can use the algorithm to find out if their patients exhibit any of the newly discovered mutations for a more accurate diagnosis and for personalized treatments. 

Google is banning third-party call recording apps from the Play Store

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 02:32 AM PDT

Google is introducing a new Play Store policy that will effectively block third-party call recording apps from the Play Store by May 11th, according to a Reddit post seen by 9to5Google. Such apps currently use the Accessibility API (designed for people with disabilities) to gain access to the audio functions on Android devices. 

"Apps with a core functionality intended to directly support people with disabilities are eligible to use the IsAccessibilityTool," the policy states. "Apps not eligible for IsAccessibilityTool may not use the flag and must meet prominent disclosure and consent requirements. The Accessibility API is not designed and cannot be requested for remote call audio recording. " 

Google has gradually been trying to eliminate call recording on Android, mainly due to privacy concerns. It was largely blocked on Android 6, and the use of the microphone for call recording was eliminated in Android 10. The last resort for call recording apps was to use the Accessibility API. 

Google addressed the issue in a webinar video, saying that "remote in this context refers to call audio recording where the person on the other end is unaware of the recording is taking place." It added that dialer apps like Google Phone and Mi Dialer with native call recording functionality will be unaffected by the change.

 "If the app is the default dialer on the phone and also pre-loaded, accessibility capability is not required to get access to the incoming audio stream," said Google content global operations lead Moun Choi. "Hence would not be in violation. Since this is a clarification to an existing policy, the new language will apply to all apps starting on May 11th." It's not clear if the new policy means existing call recorder apps will be pulled from the Play Store.

Amazon accused of using charity work scheme to conceal warehouse incident rates

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 01:35 AM PDT

Amazon is pursuing the "aggressive geographic and use case expansion" of a scheme that sends injured warehouse workers to non-profits for light duty, according to The Financial Times. Under the scheme that's officially called Amazon Community Together, workers get their full salary instead of compensation benefits that typically only cover a portion of their usual pay. While the program sounds beneficial for both workers and local non-profits, workers' rights advocates argue that it's a tool Amazon uses to hide the real number of serious injuries at its warehouses. 

Participants in the Community Together program are sent to charities like Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity to do whatever work they're capable of with their injuries. Over 10,000 workers have been placed at non-profits since it the program launched in 2016, but Amazon had to scale back its operations during the pandemic. Amazon spokesperson Lisa Campos said the program is voluntary and that the company gets "overwhelmingly positive" feedback from participants and partner non-profits. Indeed, the workers The Times talked to said they're treated well at their placements, and partner non-profits are thankful for the "amazing amount of work" the workers do for them. 

As the publication points out, though, it also gives Amazon a way to reduce its Lost Time Incident Rate (LTIR), which is a standard OSHA metric that gives authorities concrete data on the number of severe incidents in a facility. Based on figures from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Amazon's rate of injury is more than double that of the national warehousing industry average. And according to Strategic Organizing Center (SOC), a coalition of North American labor unions, there were 34,001 serious injuries at Amazon's US facilities last year, up 36 percent from 2020. (Company CEO Andy Jassy blamed that high injury rate to new workers in a letter to shareholders and in an interview with CNBC.)

Amazon published its own report (PDF) in January that claims a 49 percent drop in LTIR in the US and a 43 percent drop worldwide in 2020. It didn't, however, mention the growing number of Community Together placements, which had reportedly gone up by 22 percent over the same period. Eric Frumin from SOC said the program "can create a good social environment for people," but "it can be highly abusive because the job could be contributing to the recurrence of the injury, or preventing recovery."

HBO and HBO Max gained 3 million subscribers before splitting from AT&T

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 12:43 AM PDT

HBO Max and HBO picked up 3 million subscribers in the same quarter that Netflix lost 200,000 of them for the first time in years, Variety reported. The streaming/cable service reported earnings under former parent AT&T for the last time, as it's set to become part of the new Warner Bros. Discovery media conglomerate.

The lion's share of new HBO/HBO Max subs were in the US (1.8 mllion), and the services now count 48.6 million subscribers domestically and 76.8 million worldwide. That's up 12.8 million over last year, showing solid growth. (HBO Max costs $15 per month ad-free or $10 with ads, and HBO on cable is $15 per month.)

However, it was still a drag on parent AT&T (for the last time). WarnerMedia revenue was down 32.7 percent over last year to $1.3 billion due to investments in HBO Max and the failed launch of CNN+.

That's essentially why AT&T decided to divest WarnerMedia and focus strictly on its core telecom business. To wit, the company announced its largest gain in post-paid phone net additions in more than a decade. Excluding WarnerMedia and other divested businesses, AT&T revenue was $29.7 billion, up 2.5 percent over the same quarter last year.

With WarnerMedia and Discovery divested, AT&T plans to invest any free cash in 5G and fiber deployments (it still has $169 billion in debt, despite the $43 billion dollar deal to sell WarnerMedia.) "AT&T has entered a new era," said CEO John Stankey in a prepared statement during the company's earnings call.

A new 'Tales from the Borderlands' game is coming this year

Posted: 21 Apr 2022 10:09 PM PDT

2022 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Borderlands fans. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has announced at PAX East that the developer will be releasing a new entry in the Tales from the Borderlands series this year. While it's technically a sequel to the first Tales game, it will feature all new characters in a brand new story and adventure. 

According to Kotaku, the game will be created "in-house" by Gearbox, unlike the first title that was developed by the now-defunct Telltale Games. It will also be published by 2K, which is the same publisher behind the main Borderlands titles. Pitchford's announcement kept details about the game to a minimum, so we've yet to know what kind of adventure we can expect. 

The first title was an interactive graphic adventure game with five episodes released over the course of a year. In it, players can make choices that significantly impact the story. It centers around Hyperion employee Rhys and a con-artist named Fiona who worked together to accomplish a common goal, but the new game having all new characters means we may not be seeing more of them.

Gearbox released the Borderlands spin-off Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, a first-person shooter, in March. The Borderlands movie, which finished filming in 2021 and features a star-studded cast that includes Cate Blanchett and Jack Black, is also expected to hit theatres this year. Gearbox doesn't have an exact release date for the new Tales from the Borderlands game yet, but it promises to make a full announcement for it this summer. 

Twitter will recommend third-party apps for preventing harassment

Posted: 21 Apr 2022 05:29 PM PDT

Twitter is turning to outside developers for help in preventing harassment on its platform. Under a new experiment, the company will recommend third-party moderation apps as an additional measure users can take on top of the app's built-in tools,

With the update, which was first reported by TechCrunch, Twitter will surface recommendations for a series of third-party apps when a user blocks or mutes another person. For now, the apps include Block Party, a tool that allows people to automatically block accounts likely to be the source of harassment; Bodyguard, which can automatically moderate replies; and Moderate, which helps users manage their mentions.

These tools have already been available, but Twitter users previously had to seek out these services to get them set up. Now, the company will recommend them in its app and website alongside its own blocking and muting tools.

Twitter is recommending third party moderation apps alongside its blocking and muting tools.
Twitter

As TechCrunch notes, the change is also the latest sign that Twitter is, once again, making inroads among third-party developers with whom it has sometimes had a tumultuous relationship. The moderation apps are just a handful of a broader set of third-party services Twitter is promoting as part of its revamped developer platform. Eventually, Twitter could recommend other specialized apps in various parts of its service, the company told TechCrunch, though it didn't offer details.
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