Thursday, June 16, 2022

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Tesla hikes prices across all of its models by up to $6,000

Posted: 16 Jun 2022 01:40 AM PDT

Tesla has significantly boosted prices across its EV lineup, according to changes in its online configurator spotted by Electrek. Most of the models affected are long-range versions, with the Model X AWD Long Range jumping the most, up $6,000 from $114,990 to $120,990. It's the latest in a series of price hikes for Tesla EVs this year. 

The AWD Long Range Model S price also increased significantly by $5,000 from $99,990 to $104,990. The Model Y Long Range and Performance prices went up by $3,000 and $2,000 to $65,990 and $67,990 respectively. Just one Model 3 version was effected, the Long Range, jumping $2,500 from $54,490 to $57,990.

The Elon Musk-owned company didn't explain the changes, but high inflation, electronics shortages and other issues could be to blame. Last week, CEO Elon Musk reportedly said he might reduce Tesla's workforce due to to high inflation. Other EV manufacturers like Rivian and Lucid have also boosted prices recently. (GM, however, significantly lowered the price of its Bolt EV last week to $26,595.) 

The Boring Company will build a 34-mile tunnel network underneath Las Vegas

Posted: 16 Jun 2022 01:05 AM PDT

The Boring Company's underground transportation system will be more expansive than what it originally planned. It has just received approval from the city to bring its underground transportation system called the Vegas Loop to city limits. When Clark County Commissioners first approved the Vegas Loop, it was supposed to be a 29-mile tunnel network connecting 51 stations. Now, the network will span 34 miles and have a total of 55 stations, including ones that will serve the Harry Reid International Airport and the Allegiant Stadium.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Boring Co. President Steve Davis said tunneling in downtown Las Vegas could begin in 2023: "This is step two and there are eight steps for us to be opening. There's a long way to go and a lot of work to do. But if I were to guess on the spot I would guess we'd have machines in (the ground) next calendar year." According to the publication, the downtown stations include the Strat, Fremont Street Experience, the Slotzilla attraction, the Garage Mahal at the Circa Resort and the Plaza Hotel. Boring could add other stations in the future, as well, with each one costing anything in between $1.5 to $20 million to build. 

Davis also said a ride from Fremont Street Experience downtown to Reid International would cost about $12 and take around eight or nine minutes. Before Boring's monorail system could shuttle people to and from downtown Las Vegas, though, it has to secure a bunch of permits and design approvals first. As The Verge notes, only 1.7 miles of the Vegas Loop are operational at the moment underneath the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). That said, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill said he expects more portions serving parts of the Resort Corridor to be operational sometime in 2023.

Samsung merges Pay and Pass into a single Wallet app

Posted: 16 Jun 2022 12:00 AM PDT

Samsung is making it easier to store your credit card information and other digital data on your phone. On Wednesday, the company announced the merging of its Pay and Pass apps into a single Wallet platform. With the change, you won't have to use two different apps to manage your digital identity. Instead, the company's new Wallet app will let you store your debit and credit card information for mobile payments, in addition to your login credentials for websites and apps.

Samsung says you can also use the software to store digital car keys from brands like BMW, Genesis, Hyundai and Kia, as well as airline boarding passes, starting with Korea Air. And just in time for crypto winter, there's support for monitoring your cryptocurrencies across a variety of exchanges.

Later this year, the app will allow you to store digital IDs, including student cards and driver's licenses, from participating institutions and state governments. There's also integration with Samsung's SmartThings platform. Everything is stored securely on your device with protection from Samsung's Knox platform.

Samsung Wallet is available to download starting today in the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK. If you already have the Pay and Pass apps installed on your phone, you'll be prompted to migrate to the new software the next time you open them. A fleshed out Wallet app has been a long-time coming for Samsung, particularly after the company added support for digital car keys last year.

Amazon Prime Day kicks off July 12th this year

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 10:08 PM PDT

Amazon has officially announced the dates for its next annual shopping event. Prime Day 2022 will be on July 12th and 13th this year — the event will begin at 12AM PT/3AM ET on Tuesday, July 12th, and conclude at the end of the day on Wednesday, July 13th. As it has been for the past few years, Prime Day will actually be a two-day event during which Prime members can snag deals on everything from electronics to fashion to Amazon's own devices.

The past two years saw Prime Day in different seasons, mostly due to COVID-19 repercussions. In 2020, Amazon had to delay Prime Day until October, and it rebounded a bit last year by having Prime Day in June. Now, it seems Amazon has returned to its roots by having its shopping event in July, the month in which most Prime Days past have been.

And if you didn't already know, Amazon Prime Day brings exclusive deals for Prime subscribers. Not only is the shopping event a way for Amazon to produce a spike in sales, but it's also a way for the company to encourage people to sign up for Prime. But that might be a harder sell this year than others since the company raised the price of Prime to $139 back in February.

If you do plan on putting that Prime membership to use next month, you can turn to Engadget to find the tech deals worth your month during the two-day event. Unsurprisingly, Amazon Prime Day is one of the best times of the year to get Amazon devices, since most of them will likely be down to all-time-low prices. But we also expect to see worthwhile sales on headphones, robot vacuums, laptops, SSDs and much more. You can also follow Engadget Deals on Twitter for the latest news during Prime Day, and sign up for the new Engadget Deals newsletter to get the best deals delivered right to your inbox.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

PS5 update adds a TikTok-like editor to its game clips editor

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 05:17 PM PDT

Sony unveiled a new quick editing mode for PS5's Share Factory Studio today that will allow users to create shortform gameplay videos with pre-set, Tik-Tok-like formats. In a blog post, Sony explained the new editing feature — which it has deemed "Bits"— lets gamers choose a curated Bit style for their gameplay clip, or customize their footage even further with the "Quick Edit" mode. Players can expect new Bits styles to roll out every week. Bits themes will be based on special events, holidays, seasons and trending content.

"Our goal with Bits is to make it super easy and fun for PlayStation gamers to create and share short-form gameplay videos for sharing cool achievements, jokes, stunts, and any other type of eye-catching content," wrote the company in the official PlayStation blog.

For those who aren't familiar, Share Factory Studio is PlayStation's free editing app that lets players capture and edit gameplay footage right on their consoles and share to social media. The app is packed with advanced video and audio editing features, including support for HDR video and the ability to add animation, stickers, filters and voice effects. But for those who are overwhelmed by Share Factory Studio's many options, Bits seems to be an easy way to churn out social media-friendly gameplay clips.

For a preview of what Bits looks like, check out the short trailer below.

Facebook is planning a major redesign to help it compete with TikTok

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 03:19 PM PDT

Mark Zuckerberg and other Meta executives have made it clear for some time that competing with TikTok is their top priority. Now, we have additional details about how they plan to completely overhaul the Facebook app to accomplish that.

The social network is working on a major redesign of Facebook's main feed that would heavily emphasize recommended content from pages, creators and people you don't already follow, according to a memo from a Facebook executive that was published by The Verge.

The memo, from Tom Alison who heads up the Facebook app at Meta, states that the goal is to shift Facebook into a "Discovery Engine," which would heavily rely on recommendations, similar to TikTok's "For You" feed. Recommendations would mainly come from "unconnected" content, including Reels, and users would see fewer posts from friends and family in their feeds. The plan would also bring Messenger's inbox back into the Facebook app in an effort to encourage users to share more content from said "Discovery Engine."

It's not clear how long it will take Meta to implement these changes, some of which mirror changes already happening at Instagram. But it's not the first time Meta executives have hinted at big changes to come in Facebook's app, or even the first time we've heard about an upcoming pivot from social network to "Discovery Engine." Zuckerberg said in April that the company was in the midst of a "major shift" that would change the dynamics of feeds to emphasize AI-driven recommendations over users' social graphs.

Still, the memo from Alison makes clear just how important the new priorities are for the company, which is desperately trying to catch up to TikTok.

But the shift to more recommendations could also be problematic for the company. The company's current recommendation algorithms have been blamed for exploiting divisiveness and promoting misinformation. While Alison told The Verge that there would be stricter rules for recommended content, the company has often struggled to enforce its own rules. And, notably, in his memo Alison states that the company is changing the way it views its obligation to reduce "negative experiences."

"'Reducing negative experiences' has been removed as a product priority since it's more aptly tied to the product culture we are trying to build throughout our approach of being 'Trustworthy,' 'People-Centric,' and 'Unified,'" Alison wrote. "Our focus is doing this holistically across all of our products as a permanent part of our culture as opposed to a short-term priority."

Disney+ will stream a live musical special from Epcot hosted by Idina Menzel

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 12:45 PM PDT

Disney+ is continuing its experiment with live events, this time with a special from one of its own theme parks. The platform will livestream Harmonious Live!, a musical special that will be hosted by Idina Menzel and performed at the Epcot theme park in Walt Disney World, reportedVariety. The live orchestra performance will feature a repertoire of songs from a number of classical Disney films, including Moana, Aladdin, Coco, The Lion King, Mulan and others.

The choice to air Harmonious Live! will no doubt please Disney fans of all ages, especially those who haven't been back to a theme park in a while. After a nearly two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Disney resumed live entertainment at its theme parks again this year. And unlike live shows performed at the park, fans will be able to watch re-watch Harmonious Live! on the Disney+ platform at any time they like.

Disney+ subscribers can expect even more live offerings this year. The upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars will air on the platform, likely in September 2022. Meanwhile, Harmonious Live! will air on June 21 at 6 p.m. PT/9 ET in the US and Canada. You can watch a preview below.

In-person Apple Camp creative sessions return June 20th

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 12:30 PM PDT

In-person Apple Camp creative sessions for kids have been on hold for the past two years due to the pandemic, but Apple is bringing them back now that it's safer to get together. The company will hold in-store sessions worldwide between June 20th and August 31st, and it's launching a new, two-hour format built for families. Staff will lead a comic book creation activity where children between the ages of 8 and 12 use an iPad Pro to draw, take photos outside and otherwise tell a tale about protecting the environment.

There are still options if you'd rather stay at home. You can download an Apple Camp "Field Guide" with 20 iPad-oriented activities for kids, such as creating a podcast, designing a maze or using code to plan an Earth-saving tool.

Apple has been gradually easing back into pre-pandemic activities at its stores. It dropped mask requirements at many US stores in February, and resumed Today at Apple instructional classes in March. While some of the company's corporate employees are still eager to work from home, it's clear the retail team is ready to get back to (relative) normal.

Netflix and Mo'Nique settle lawsuit over alleged discrimination

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 12:11 PM PDT

Netflix has settled a lawsuit from comedian and actor Mo'Nique that accused the company of racial and gender bias. Both parties this week moved to dismiss the suit, which was filed in 2019. "The matter has been amicably resolved," a representative for Mo'Nique told The Hollywood Reporter.

The two sides started talks over a comedy special in 2017, but Mo'Nique claimed the company low-balled her with an opening offer of $500,000 for a one-hour show to which Netflix would own the rights. The Oscar-winning performer called for a boycott of Netflix and said the offer was discriminatory, given the eight-figure deals some other comics (such as Chris Rock and Amy Schumer) reportedly received for their Netflix specials.

Netflix walked away from the discussions after Mo'Nique's assertions. "Once Mo'Nique engaged in protected conduct by protesting the discriminatory offer, Netflix shut down any further negotiations and refused to negotiate in good-faith consistent with its standard practices," the suit stated. Netflix argued there were no legal grounds to support the claim that a company declining to negotiate in good faith equates to discrimination or retaliation.

However, the judge presiding over the case determined in 2020 that Mo'Nique may have had a point. "Mo'Nique plausibly alleges that, after she spoke out and called her initial offer discriminatory, Netflix retaliated against her by shutting down its standard practice of negotiating in good faith that typically results in increased monetary compensation beyond the 'opening offer' and denying her increased compensation as a result," Judge Andre Birotte Jr. wrote in a ruling that rejected an attempt by Netflix to dismiss the case.

Engadget has contacted Netflix for comment.

Facebook's advertising tools are tracking people seeking abortion services, report says

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 11:52 AM PDT

Facebook is collecting data about people who visit the websites of pregnancy crisis centers, according to a report from Reveal. The findings raise questions about how that data could be misused, and Meta's ability to enforce its advertising rules.

In an investigation conducted with The Markup, Reveal found that hundreds of crisis pregnancy centers were using the Meta Pixel on their websites. The Meta Pixel allows companies to keep tabs on who visits their websites so they can create targeted ads on Facebook. As the report notes, so-called crisis pregnancy centers typically aren't licensed medical establishments and are not bound by HIPAA and other privacy regulations. Instead, they are "mostly run by religiously aligned organizations whose mission is to persuade people to choose an option other than abortion." 

Under Meta's rules, the Meta Pixel is supposed to filter out "sensitive" health data, like much of what Reveal found was being collected. "In many cases, the information was extremely sensitive – for example, whether a person was considering abortion or looking to get a pregnancy test or emergency contraceptives," Reveal reports. In some cases, the social network also received data about specific appointments that were requested. The report also found that third-party anti-abortion marketing companies were able to gain access to data collected by the Meta Pixel, even though their websites had not been visited.

In a statement provided to Reveal, Meta said that "It is against our policies for websites and apps to send sensitive information about people through our Business Tools," referring to the Meta Pixel. "Our system is designed to filter out potentially sensitive data it detects, and we work to educate advertisers on how to properly set up our Business Tools."

The issue of online platforms collecting data from people seeking abortion services has taken on a new urgency in recent weeks following a leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. Privacy advocates have warned that the information could be used to prosecute people seeking abortions in areas where it's been outlawed. Lawmakers have also raised concerns about the issue, calling on Apple, Google and other platforms to bar apps that collect data targeting people seeking abortion services.

I’ve fallen for Chrono Trigger’s text adventure pseudo-sequel

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 11:29 AM PDT

I've been haunted by Radical Dreamers since I was a nerdy, RPG-loving teenager. In 1996, I heard internet whispers about a pseudo-sequel to the SNES masterpiece Chrono Trigger, which remains my favorite game to this day. But Radical Dreamers wasn't your ordinary title: It was a text adventure released solely in Japan for Nintendo's Sattelaview, a satellite peripheral that let you download games to the SNES. Unfortunately, that device never made it to the US. And the game's director, Masato Kato, reportedly felt there wasn't enough demand to include it with the Nintendo DS re-release of Chrono Trigger.

So, for the past few decades, the only way to play a translated version of Radical Dreamers was through an unofficial ROM hack. For whatever reason — maybe it was the daily struggle to survive as an adult, or working like crazy to get into the prestigious world of tech reporting — I never got around to playing it. Now with the Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers Edition, I finally have an easy way to catch up on both of Chrono Trigger's follow-ups.

It's somewhat fitting that Radical Dreamers finds me now, when I'm juggling family life with a toddler and a newborn. I haven't had much time to play any games since the birth of my son three months ago. But it turns out I can still make room for a text adventure title on the Switch – it's something I can play while my daughter is busy with her Lego creations, or while I pray for my son to stay asleep at night.

It also helps that Radical Dreamers is relatively simple. You play as Serge, a young thief working together with his rambunctious companion Kid and a mysterious cloaked mage named Magil. Like your typical text adventure, the game involves lots of reading, creating a mental map of your travels and making a few choices (like the direction you're moving, or deciding to attack or dodge in battle). Some gorgeous artwork helps to paint a picture of your journey, while Yasunori Mitsuda's music once again envelopes you in a unique atmosphere. (It was a surprise to find that some of Chrono Cross's sweeping melodies first appeared in this simple text-only title.)

Radical Dreamers

While it's far from Chrono Trigger's epic time-hopping journey, I found myself instantly vibing with Radical Dreamers. It feels more like reading an adventurer's journal than playing an actual game, but I ended up caring for these characters quite a bit. In many ways, it was the escape I needed from dealing with a colicky infant all day.

Playing Radical Dreamers also made me excited to give Chrono Cross another chance. That's a game I was eager to play when it was originally released in 2000, but I never quite clicked with it because it was so dramatically different from my beloved Chrono Trigger.

Over the past few decades though, as I've fruitlessly attempted to recreate the highs of that RPG experience (Xenogears came close), I've come to terms with the fact that it's impossible. After seeing so many projects try and fail to tap into our nostalgia for the past, doing so just seems like a fool's errand. You'll never be able to recreate your childhood experiences. But sometimes you'll find something that evokes a feeling you once had, like an echo through time.

NHTSA: 'Self-driving' cars were linked to 392 crashes in 10 months

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 10:26 AM PDT

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released its first batch of data for semi-autonomous driving technology. As The New York Timesexplains, the agency linked 392 crashes to partial self-driving and driver assistance systems in the 10 months between July 1st, 2021 and May 15th, 2022. About 70 percent of those, 273, were Tesla vehicles using Autopilot or the Full Self-Driving beta. Honda cars were tied to 90 incidents, while Subaru models were involved in 10. Other makes, including Ford, GM, VW and Toyota, had five incidents or less.

Out of the 98 crashes with injury reports, 11 resulted in serious injuries. Five of the Tesla incidents were fatal. The 130 total crashes for self-driving systems included 108 with other cars and 11 with "vulnerable" road users like cyclists and pedestrians.

The findings are a response to a Standing General Order requiring that car manufacturers and operators report crashes to the NHTSA when Level 2 or higher autonomy is active at the time of the incident. The transportation agency hopes the info will support a "more data-driven approach" to safely rolling out self-driving tech, including regulation and education.

As administration head Steven Cliff told the press, the data doesn't offer any conclusions by itself. There are roughly 830,000 Autopilot-equipped Tesla vehicles in the US, for instance — they may dominate incident reports simply because they're some of the most common semi-autonomous cars. Ford, GM and others have equivalents, but they're frequently optional (Autopilot is standard on Teslas) and simply rarer on the road.

The statistics nonetheless draw attention to multiple investigations into crashes like these, including from the National Transportation Safety Board. One Tesla driver in California is also facing felony charges from state prosecutors over a deadly 2019 incident. While companies like Tesla have long argued that their driver assists are safer than exclusively human control, the NHTSA, NTSB and other bodies clearly want a better understanding of real-world safety issues before they embrace autonomous driving in earnest.

A Gran Turismo movie will arrive in 2023

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 10:20 AM PDT

Sony has confirmed a Gran Turismo movie is in the works and it's slated to arrive sooner than many folks may have expected. Its Columbia Pictures imprint will release the film on August 11th, 2023. District 9's Neill Blomkamp, who is far from a stranger to the world of video games, is directing. American Sniper scribe Jason Hall wrote the screenplay.

The movie is based on a true story, as Deadline reports. It will tell the tale of a Gran Turismo player who gets a shot at becoming a professional racecar driver. For several years, players had a path to real-life motorsport through the GT Academy.

This is the latest example of Sony adapting its gaming franchises for the big and small screen. That's become a bigger priority for the company over the last few years under its PlayStation Productions banner.

Shows based on The Last of Us and Twisted Metal have been in the works for a while, and Sony recently revealed Horizon and God of War adaptations are coming to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video respectively. The company at long last released the Uncharted movie earlier this year, while a Ghost of Tsushima movie is in the pipeline. Sony also mentioned that a Gran Turismo TV show is in development, but it's unclear whether that's still going ahead after the movie announcement.
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