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• macOS Ventura preview: Stage Manager is the star of the show
• Apple's iOS 16, macOS Ventura and watchOS 9 public betas are ready to download
• Sony's new portable speakers are waterproof and better with calls
• WhatsApp now lets you use any emoji as a reaction
• The best dorm room essentials for college students
• Sony's LinkBuds S are cheaper than ever ahead of Prime Day
• Amazon makes 'Mass Effect Legendary Edition' and over 30 other games free for Prime Day
• The best laptops for college students
• Apple's 11-inch iPad Pro drops to a record low of $699 at Amazon
• The Apple TV 4K falls to a new all-time low of $120
• The Morning After: 'Uber Files' leak reveals company's aggressive expansion tactics
• Google's Pixel 6 Pro is $200 off in early Prime Day deal
• Amazon's Echo Show 8 hits new record low of $75 for Prime Day
• President Biden will reveal the first James Webb Space Telescope image today at 5PM ET
• Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick reportedly saw violence against drivers as a tool for growth
• Asteroid NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission landed on had a surface like a ‘pit of plastic balls’
• Hitman 3's free Ambrose Island DLC arrives on July 26th
• Apple's 10.2-inch iPad is back on sale for $299
• Hitting the Books: Modern social media has made misinformation so, so much worse
• The Chromecast with Google TV is on sale for $40 right now

macOS Ventura preview: Stage Manager is the star of the show Posted: 11 Jul 2022 10:30 AM PDT It's rare for Apple to reshape the way people work on Macs, but that's precisely what the company is trying to do with Stage Manager in macOS Ventura. At first glance, it's just a quick visual way to swap between your recently used applications. But after testing the first Ventura public beta over the past week, I think it may also solve window management issues that have plagued Macs since OS X debuted 21 years ago. Or, maybe, I've just always hated Apple's Dock. On top of Stage Manager, Ventura also has plenty of upgrades that should make life a bit easier for Apple users. Mail gets the biggest overhaul, but there's also better collaboration with Safari's Tab Groups, as well as much-needed features in Messages. At the very least, it's a far more expansive update than last year's Monterey. Apple Stage Manager: Making sense of the Mac madness In my nearly two decades of using Macs — as a college student, IT support worker and tech journalist — I've never found OS X's Dock to be very useful. Sure, when it was first released, it was a huge visual upgrade over the simplistic taskbars in Windows and Linux. (I remember marveling at the fact that a Dock icon could show a running video.) But on its own, the Dock is a confusing mishmash of shortcuts and running application indicators, something reviews at the time also criticized. If you want to find a specific Safari window, for example, you have to press Control, click on the Dock icon and then select it from the dropdown. In comparison, the far uglier Windows XP let me zero in on specific apps (and their sub-windows) with a single click on the task bar. Perhaps aware of this usability quirk, Apple introduced Exposé in 2003 as an easy way to see everything you're running all at once. Since then, I've religiously assigned hot corners on every Mac I've used to trigger specific Exposé functions (one corner shows everything that's open, another shows me windows just for my current app, while another brings me right to the desktop). Who needs a confusing Dock when you can get a God's-eye view of your entire system? Fast-forward almost twenty years, and we have Stage Manager, yet another on-screen tool for jumping between your apps. But while it may just seem like additional screen clutter, its main function is to help you focus by actually decluttering your screen. When you select a recent app from Stage Manager, it centers that app on your screen and makes other windows disappear. Hit the app shortcut again, and you'll cycle through open windows. While it seems restrictive at first, like an attempt at bringing an iPad-esque workflow onto Macs, Stage Manager also lets you group apps together and, crucially, remembers exactly where you position your windows. While writing this preview, I kept Safari and Evernote grouped together, so I could write and research without worrying about pings from Slack or WhatsApp. You could do something similar with Apple's Spaces virtual desktops feature, but I always found that hard to manage. Stage Manager makes it as easy as hitting a single icon on your screen. If you're a Mac pro-user already set in your ways, you can ignore Stage Manager entirely (it can be turned on and off from the Title Bar, and disabled in System Preferences). But as someone who's struggled with Apple's attempts at window management over the years, I'm finding it to be a refreshing way to make sense of macOS. You can also automatically hide Stage Manager until you need to use it, just like the Dock. (Personally, I've found it to be most useful when I hide the Dock and leave Stage Manager running on the side.) Apple Other updates: Mail, Messages and more I haven't used a desktop email application in years — it's just easier to hop into multiple Gmail accounts in a browser — but those who do will appreciate Apple's Mail updates in Ventura. For one, the search function has been entirely reworked, so it should be easier to locate a specific message. It's also finally getting some much-needed features, like scheduled send, undo sending, rich-text link embedding and alerts about missing attachments and recipients. Those are the sorts of features that have kept me glued to Gmail's web interface for years, so it's nice to see them finally make their way to the desktop. (But really, I'd love to know what took Apple so long.) Similarly, I think everyone would appreciate the changes coming to Messages. That includes the ability to edit texts, delete them entirely, and mark them as unread. I wasn't able to test these features much, since they require your friends and colleagues to be running Monterey as well, but we're not expecting any major surprises with how they work. Monterey also treats older versions of macOS similar to Android users — when I edited a message to an iMessage group, my friends received a separate text notifying them of the changes. For me, it just appeared as an edit within the existing message. Apple Here are a few other notable changes in Monterey to look out for: Continuity Camera: It lets you use your iPhone as a high-quality webcam. I haven't been able to get this feature working properly yet, but on paper it's a compelling way to beef up your video chats without investing in a more expensive webcam. Shared Tab Groups in Safari: An easy way to collaborate with friends when planning for a trip, or any other group activity. Passkeys in Safari: Instead of passwords, Passkey is a biometric way to authenticate with websites, and it's tied to your iCloud account. I wasn't able to test this yet, but theoretically it's far more secure than traditional passwords. Strong password editing in Safari: Finally, there's a way to tweak Safari's auto-generated passwords to meet requirements from certain sites. Collaboration through Messages: This will let you join up with friends to work together in Notes, Keynote and other Apple software, as well as some third-party apps. Apple's Freeform app for collaboration: This isn't available to test yet, but it looks like an intriguing Apple spin on a whiteboard app.

Apple's iOS 16, macOS Ventura and watchOS 9 public betas are ready to download Posted: 11 Jul 2022 10:17 AM PDT We're a couple of months out from Apple officially rolling out the next major versions of its various operating systems. However, you can try out iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9 and macOS Ventura right now. Apple has released a public beta, a few weeks after it offered up the first developer betas. To access them, you'll need to sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program and follow the directions. Bear in mind that there may be some bugs that Apple hasn't detected and resolved. Be sure to back up your data before installing any beta (though backing up regularly is always a good practice). You'll have the option to remove your device from the public beta program and revert it to an older version of its OS. You can get to grips with some of the new features in iOS 16. Among those are a revamped lock screen with more layout and customization options, such as dynamic wallpapers. Notifications and Focus Mode have been revamped too, while you'll be able to keep on top of things like sports scores and transit rides with Live Activities. Face ID will finally work in landscape orientation and you'll no longer need an Apple Watch to use the Fitness app. Apple Also new are the option to edit missives after you send them in Messages, a way to report spam text messages, a Pay Later function in Wallet and an email scheduling option in the Mail app. There's much more on the way too, including updates for Apple Maps, CarPlay and Family Sharing. Looking further ahead, an "extreme" security option for high-profile users will be available this fall. As for iPadOS 16, improved multitasking options will grant you more control over how to resize apps with, for instance, overlapping windows. Some of the features are limited to M1-powered iPads, however. Elsewhere, there's support for external displays, Google Drive-style document collaboration and (later this year) SharePlay features in Game Center. Apple has made multitasking a key focus for macOS Ventura as well. The Stage Manager tool can group windows on the side of your screen and organize them by app. There will be an undo send option in the Mail app, along with the option to share tab groups in Safari and a new security function called passkeys, which will use Face ID and Touch ID for authentication. You'll also be able to use an iPhone as a webcam for your Mac. In watchOS 9, Apple is giving the fitness features a significant upgrade. You'll have access to distance and time intervals for workouts. There will also be a way to view which heart rate zones you're in during workouts and sleep. In addition, Apple is promising improved sleep tracking as well as medication reminders. When it comes to tvOS 16, the updates are light compared with some of the other devices. One key update is the addition of full support for the Matter smart home standard. As seems to be the case on iOS 16, tvOS will support Nintendo's Joy-Con and Switch Pro controllers. Apple is ending support for some older devices with this year's OS updates. To use iOS 16, for instance, you'll need an iPhone 8 or later.

Sony's new portable speakers are waterproof and better with calls Posted: 11 Jul 2022 08:00 AM PDT As it does every year around this time, Sony has introduced new entries in its wireless speaker lineup. The company debuted three new models today, all of which are designed to be used outside thanks to both portable sizing and the proper dust and moisture protections (IP67). The trio is also a part of Sony's X-Series, which features non-circular "X-Balanced" speakers for more sound pressure and less distortion. First, the largest option in the group is the SRS-XG300. The combination of a tapered cylinder shape and a retractable handle give this speaker more of a boombox-like design in a much smaller package. To give you multiple sound options, the XG300 packs a Mega Bass feature that boosts the low-end response, ClearAudio+ for "the most balanced sound" and Live Sound Mode that simulates the effect of being at a venue. Plus, Sony's Music Center app gives you the ability to adjust the EQ how you see fit and the option of connecting multiple speakers for Party Connect or Stereo Pair modes  Inside, two X-Balanced speakers, two tweeters and two passive radiators handle the audio while the company's trademark customizable light rings shine on either end. Sony says the XG300 will last up to 25 hours on a charge and you can get up to 70 minutes of use after plugging in for 10 minutes. The company has also included Echo Noise Cancelling for more natural sounding calls should you need the speaker for that purpose. This technology allows two people to talk at the same time without cutting each other off. The XG300 will be available July 15th in gray and black color options for $350.  Sony SRS-XE300 Sony Next up is the SRS-XE300. Sony opted for a pentagon shape for this mid-size model, or as the company describes it, an ergonomic "grab and go" design. The XE300 is equipped with what Sony calls a line-shape diffuser that gives the speaker a wider listening area for those X-Balanced drivers by blasting sound more evenly. Sony's Party Connect and Stereo Pair features allows you to sync multiple speakers for more sound and the on-board controls include a microphone mute button for calls. Echo Noise cancelling is onboard, too. In addition to the dust and waterproof IP67 rating, this speaker is also shockproof, adding another later of protection against drops. This speaker gives you up to 24 hours of battery life on a charge and plugging in for 10 minutes will give you 70 minutes of listening time. The XG300 will be available July 15th in gray, black and blue color options for $200. Lastly, the most compact option of the three is the SRS-XE200. It's smaller than the XE300, but features the same shape and overall design. The only aesthetic difference is the XE200 has an attached carrying strap. Like the XE300, this model packs in a line-shape diffuser for a larger listening area and it's also shockproof in addition to its IP67 protections. You can link up multiple speakers via the company's Party Connect and Stereo Pair setups. Sony says you can expect up to 16 hours of listening and, once again, a 10-minute charge offers 70 minutes of use. For calls, Echo Noise Cancelling is here too, as is a handy mute button among the other on-board controls. The XG300 will be available July 15th in gray, black, blue and orange color options for $130. All three speakers are available for pre-order now from Sony.

WhatsApp now lets you use any emoji as a reaction Posted: 11 Jul 2022 07:44 AM PDT WhatsApp launched emoji reactions with six options just a few months ago, but it just boosted that number to the entire emoji lexicon. "We're rolling out the ability to use any emoji as a reaction on WhatsApp," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote, while declaring the 🏄‍♂️, 🍟, 👊 and 💯 as some of this favorites.  Emoji reactions are a nice way to keep communications succinct or quickly indicate to a message sender that you found their joke funny (or not), for example. To use any emoji as a reaction, long press on a message and tap the + button to the right to get a full list. Then, select the one you want and it should appear in the usual way under a message.  The update puts WhatsApp on par with Messenger in terms of emoji reactions, and works exactly the same way on mobile. Telegram recently unveiled expanded emoji and animated reactions as well, but you have to subscribe to its new $5/month premium service. The new WhatsApp feature is now live, but it may take a few days to arrive to your region.

The best dorm room essentials for college students Posted: 11 Jul 2022 07:31 AM PDT College will be back in session soon enough, which also means a new batch of freshmen will start living the dorm life. If that applies to you, we think it's a good idea to stock up on a few essentials for your new tiny abode before you get there, especially if this is your first time away from home. We've got tech recommendations, of course, but not everything on this list is a gadget. That's because we also wanted to cover the other items that will bring you the comforts of home to your dorm and hopefully make student life less stressful. Hario V60 Electric Kettle Hario Whatever your morning drink of choice, an electric kettle makes it that much easier to get hot water ready quickly. The Hario V60 Electric Kettle is especially useful for those who love pour-over coffee, as its thin gooseneck spout allows for a slow and steady pour. But it also works great for tea, hot chocolate or instant ramen. We also like its stainless steel design, which makes it easy to clean. The biggest knock against it is its lack of variable temperature settings – something tea snobs may find necessary. If that's a must-have, we recommend the Cuisinart CPK-17, which has six preset heat settings for different varieties of tea. Buy Hario V60 at Amazon - $77Buy Cuisinart CPK-17 kettle at Amazon - $100 Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 Will Lipman Photography for Engadget College life isn't all about studying – you'll want to party and blast your favorite music, and for that you'll need a speaker more powerful than the one inside your smartphone. A portable Bluetooth speaker like the UE Wonderboom 2 is the best way to do that, as it offers better audio quality than your phone and the battery lasts up to 13 hours. We also like the Wonderboom 2 because it delivers big sound in a compact package that's both cute and easy to carry around. And no worries about dropping it either, as it's durable enough to survive a five-foot drop. It's also IP67-rated to be dustproof and waterproof, so feel free to bring it to the beach, too. Buy Wonderboom 2 at Amazon - $100 Yamazaki Home desk organizer Yamazaki You might not have a large desk in your dorm room, which makes a desk organizer all the more essential. We recommend this one from Yamazaki Home because it has a simple base tray for items like keys and coins plus a compartment for pens, pencils, sunglasses and more. You can also prop your phone against the frame, turning it into a makeshift phone stand, and hang your watch and jewelry on the arm. Its use of vertical space is particularly handy since you probably don't have a ton of extra room to space on your small dorm desk. We also like its minimalist design, which will go well with however you style your space. Buy desk organizer at Amazon - $36 Stasher bowls and bags Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Snacks are a necessity, whether it's for late-night study sessions or binge-watching the latest Netflix show. We like these reusable silicone bags and bowls from Stasher because you can use them to store your favorite snacks. They're also microwave safe so you can use them to heat up meals or even make popcorn. They come in a bunch of different sizes, so you can get a few that will fit your favorite snacks or even meals, if you're into food prepping. And they're not just for food, either. You can use them to store makeup, jewelry, small accessories and more, making them good options for travel as well. Shop Stasher bags at Amazon AFROG LED desk lamp Engadget Don't rely on the glow from your laptop if you're up late studying. We recommend investing in a quality desk lamp to minimize eye strain and fatigue. The AFROG multifunctional LED desk lamp is an especially useful one because it's so versatile. It has five lighting modes and seven levels of brightness so you can dial it to your preference. There's a 30- or 60-minute auto off timer so you can fall asleep and it'll turn off by itself. It has a wireless charging base plus a USB charging port so you can charge your devices at the same time. Buy AFROG desk lamp at Amazon - $40 Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 wireless charger Will Lipman Photography for Engadget If you own multiple Apple products and you're constantly detangling charging cables, we highly recommend a 3-in-1 wireless charger like the Belkin BoostCharge Pro. It has a 15W MagSafe charging base for your iPhone and charging spaces for your Apple Watch and AirPods as well. The horizontal layout lets you charge any Qi-capable phone, though at reduced speeds, or other compatible earbuds and accessories. On top of that, the flat pad format means you can easily pack it in your bag the next time you go on a trip. Buy Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 charger at Amazon - $150 Fully Cora standing desk converter Fully Sitting for long hours is bad for your health, but getting a standing desk on a student's budget is probably out of the question. One good solution: a standing desk converter like Fully's Cora. It works on any surface, and you can tuck it away when not in use. Simply press the side levers to raise the work surface from a slim 1.3 inches to a fully extended 15.7 inches. No need to worry about damaging your furniture's surface either, as it has non-skid pads underneath. Buy Cora at Fully - $179 Sony WH-CH710N headphones Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Dorm life can be fun, but it can also be pretty noisy, especially if you have a roommate. If you're the kind of person who needs peace and quiet to focus on your work, consider a pair of noise-canceling headphones. We've reviewed tons of them at various price points, and it can be easy to think that you need the top of the line model to get adequate silence. But that's not always the case: Sony's WH-CH710N is a solid choice because they're fairly affordable and they deliver plenty of sound-blocking power thanks to the company's dual noise sensor technology. It even has an ambient-sound option, which you can toggle on to hear what's going on around you. We also appreciate their 35-hour battery life – depending on how often you use them, you'll get through a bunch of study sessions before they need a power up. Buy Sony WH-CH710N at Amazon - $150 Linenspa shredded foam pillow Linenspa Comfort is key to dorm living, which is why we recommend an oversized reading pillow like this one from Linenspa. It helps change up your seating position so you're not in your desk chair all the time, and it's definitely a lot more comfortable than just piling up bed pillows against the wall. The pillow is filled with shredded memory foam so it won't put a lot of stress on your back, plus it comes with a soft velour cover. That posture support makes it great for reading, playing games or watching TV. As a bonus, there's also a handle on the top that makes it easy to carry around. Buy Linenspa pillow at Amazon - $40 Pure Green 100% Natural Latex mattress topper Pure Green Chances are, the bed in your dorm room isn't very comfortable. It's also probably not easy (or cost effective) to change the mattress. That's why we recommend getting a mattress topper: It's the one way to control how your bed feels without spending a lot of money. We prefer a natural latex option like this one from Pure Green because it delivers comfort and support without the sinking feeling of memory foam. It also won't absorb much body heat, which helps keep you cool throughout the night. Pure Green sells its mattress topper in three different thicknesses — from one inch to three — to fit your particular needs. Opt for the 1- or 2-inch if you want firm or medium-firm, or spring for the 3-inch model if you prefer a something softer. Buy mattress pad at Amazon - $120 Lunya Sleep Mask Lunya Roommate pulling an all-nighter with the lights on? Want to catch some z's in the afternoon in between classes? Or maybe you're just particularly sensitive to light? If you can relate to any of this, we recommend getting a sleep mask to make it easier for you to drift off into dreamland. This one from Lunya is one of our personal favorites because it completely blocks out light and feels comfortable to boot; it's like wearing pillows on your eyes. We tend to prefer this model over masks with eye cups because it's not quite as bulky. The Lunya's wide elasticized band will fit most people and it even covers the ears, which helps reduce noise. It's also machine washable, so you can easily keep it clean. Buy sleep mask at Lunya - $48 Anyday cookware Anyday You're probably not allowed to have an Instant Pot in your dorm room, but one kitchen appliance that almost always gets the thumbs up is a microwave. Sure, you can use it to heat up frozen dinners, but why not try it to cook actual dishes as well? Anyday's line of microwave cookware lets you do exactly that. Everything is microwave safe, including the stainless steel rim (its smooth and curved shape prevents electrical arcing). Its primary feature is its lid, which has a knob that can vent excess steam when it is lifted. Thanks to this innovation, you can make everything from mac and cheese to a breakfast burrito using only your microwave. For college students, we recommend the medium dish set — they're sized just right for solo diners. Shop Anyday cookware Black + Decker 20V Max handheld vacuum Engadget One of the first lessons you'll likely learn as a college student is that you'll have no one to clean up after you. That means doing your own laundry and yes, cleaning your own room. The easiest way to do so is with a handheld vacuum, like the Black+Decker 20V Max. It only weighs three pounds so it's lightweight enough for you to clean your whole room without a lot of fuss. It has a pivoting nozzle which makes it ideal for getting around tight corners and hard-to-reach shelves. Its high-performance motor provides plenty of suction and its 15-ounce capacity is large enough for most dorm rooms. The bowl and filter are removable so you can give them a good wash in between uses. It's also overall easy to use and fairly affordable, two things you can't often say about fancy, expensive vacuums. Buy Black + Decker vacuum at Amazon - $90 Codenames Engadget Playing casual board games is a great way to socialize at gatherings without the need to engage in small talk. A really popular one is called Codenames, a party game that pits two teams of spies against each other. Each "spymaster" has to get their teammates to guess hidden words (which are plotted out on a grid) using only one-word clues and a number. For example, if you wanted your team to guess the words "costume," "web," and "spider," you might say "Peter, 3" to indicate that there are three clues on the board that match that word. There are also clues you have to avoid, which makes the game a little harder. The game is easy to explain and it encourages communication, which helps break the ice. Buy Codenames at Amazon - $20 Herd Mentality Herd Mentality If you want a game that's more light-hearted, we recommend Herd Mentality. It accommodates four to 20 players, which makes it perfect for parties. In it, you simply take turns flipping over a question and trying to write down what you think everyone else will answer as well. For example, if the question is "What is the best way to cook an egg?" you write "scrambled" and it turns out that is what most other players answered as well, you will get points. But beware of giving the answer that's the odd one out, because you'll get the dreaded Pink Cow and be in danger of losing the game – unless you can somehow trick someone else into getting it instead. Buy Herd Mentality at Amazon - $20

Sony's LinkBuds S are cheaper than ever ahead of Prime Day Posted: 11 Jul 2022 07:10 AM PDT Sony released its LinkBuds S less than two months ago, but you can already pick up the true wireless earbuds for a solid discount on Amazon. Just ahead of Prime Day, they're down to $157. That's a drop of 22 percent from the regular price of $200. It's the lowest price we've seen to date for LinkBuds S and the discount applies to both the white and black variants. Buy Sony LinkBuds S at Amazon - $157 The LinkBuds S have a more regular closed design rather than the open wear format of the standard LinkBuds that Sony unleashed earlier this year. The company claims the more recent model is smaller and lighter than other earbuds that have active noise cancellation (though it admits the ANC isn't as sturdy as on its WF-1000XM4 model). The earbuds have a passthrough/transparency mode too, so you can hear "natural" ambient sound. With the Adaptive Sound Control feature, Sony says the LinkBuds S can learn your preferences over time and automatically tweak the sound settings based on your location or activity. They have 5mm drivers that provide what Sony claims are "powerful bass and stunningly clear vocals." With the Integrated Processor V1, which is also found on Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones, the company aims to bolster sound quality, mitigate distortion and boost ANC. There's support for high-resolution audio as well, powered by Sony's LDAC codec and DSEE Extreme upscaling. In addition, LinkBuds S have Sony's Speak-to-Chat feature. The idea is that the earbuds will be able to automatically detect your voice. They will pause the audio and switch on the passthrough mode when you start talking. There's a feature called Auto Play as well. This allows LinkBuds S to play or resume audio based on your activity when you put them in or end a call. However, the functionality is somewhat limited for now — it currently works with Spotify and Endel. Elsewhere, the earbuds have an IPX4 water resistance rating, so they should be able to withstand bad weather and workouts. There's built-in Alexa functionality too. Sony says LinkBuds S have a battery life of six hours if ANC is switched on. You'll get another 14 hours of ANC listening time thanks to the charging case. Through a quick-charge function, you'll get up to an hour of extra use after five minutes of charging time. Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

Amazon makes 'Mass Effect Legendary Edition' and over 30 other games free for Prime Day Posted: 11 Jul 2022 07:00 AM PDT Amazon's free Prime Gaming downloads for Prime Day this year include some pretty well-known titles, though this round's heavy hitter is BioWare's Mass Effect Legendary Edition. The compilation bundles all the single-player base games of the original Mass Effect trilogy, remastered with improved graphics optimized for 4K Ultra HD and with adjusted gameplay. It also comes with over 40 items of downloadable content, such as promo weapons and armor.  Free Amazon Prime Gaming titles for Prime Day 2022 BioWare tweaked the elements that made us not want to replay the original games, including their clunky gunplay and the Mako all-terrain vehicle that's hard to navigate in certain terrains. As we noted in our review, the remastered games feature refined handling and aiming, as well as a less erratic cover mechanic. Levels and across-the-galaxy jumps also load more quickly than in the original games.  In addition to Mass Effect Legendary Edition, the 30-plus free titles for Prime Day also include Grid Legends, the Grid franchise entry released in 2021. The racing game will give you access to more than 100 vehicles from the start and has over 250 events you can participate in. If you're a racing game fan, you can also get Need for Speed Heat, which was released in 2019 and was the first EA title to offer cross-play between gaming systems. Finally, if you're a shooting game fan, take note that the list also includes three Star Wars games, namely Jedi Knight — Jedi Academy,Jedi Knight II — Jedi Outcast and Republic Commando. You can download all the aforementioned games for free if you're a Prime subscriber. Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

The best laptops for college students Posted: 11 Jul 2022 06:15 AM PDT We're all contending with a return to normalcy, and going back to school likely feels strange yet exciting. Whether you're heading to a physical campus, taking classes online or a mix of both, a laptop is sure to be the control center for your studies. And things have changed quitWhether you're heading to a physical campus, taking classes online or a mix of both, a laptop is sure to be the control center for your studies. Getting a new machine can better help you stay on top of your schedule and handle your furious multitasking with dozens of tabs devoted to research while you write your essays. Given we're still dealing with ongoing inflation and the global chip supply shortage, you might be concerned about rising prices or what might be in stock. The good news is, companies are still making a ton of new laptops, and there are plenty of models for you to consider. We compiled this guide to help you make the right choice, alongside a list of this year's best laptops. What to expect Since the introduction of Apple's M1-powered MacBooks and Windows 11 last year, not much has changed significantly. Apple unveiled its new M2 system-on-chip (SoC), alongside two laptops that are equipped with it, including a redesigned MacBook Air. Meanwhile, new PCs keep getting announced, with models this year typically powered by 12th-gen Intel processors or the latest AMD Ryzen chips. Though the shift to ARM-based systems has been successful for Apple, the PC industry is still struggling to keep up, and Windows on ARM is still tough to recommend. Snapdragon laptops may look and feel sleek, offer excellent battery life and built-in cellular radios, but they're typically quite expensive, especially considering their limited app compatibility. Speaking of, most laptops with top-of-the-line specs can cost you around $1,800 to $2,000 these days. For most students, though, a midrange machine might be enough. Depending on your field of study, you could get by with an Intel Core i3 processor or equivalent, with at least 6GB of RAM. If you need to run specialized software for design or programming, consider upgrading to a beefier system with more memory. On the other hand, if you do most of your coursework online or in a browser, getting a Chromebook could save you a lot of money. You'll also want to pay attention to a device's weight. There are a lot of premium ultraportables in the 13-inch category, with chips like Intel's Core i3 or i5, that cost around $1,000. And if that's too expensive, you'll still have respectable options in the $600 to $800 range, but they might be heavier and use older, slower processors. I've included our favorite budget-friendly model in this roundup but we also have a complete guide to more-affordable laptops that you can check out as well. With some laptop makers deciding to get rid of headphone jacks this year, it's important to check specs lists when you're shopping for newer machines. If you don't have wireless headphones or use equipment that plugs into the 3.5mm jack, you'll want to steer clear of devices like Dell's new XPS 13 Plus. Finally, while most laptops in 2022 offer WiFi 6 or 6E and Bluetooth 5.0 or later, the compatible routers or other devices that would enable those faster connections aren't very prevalent yet. Chances are, your campus WiFi might still be stuck on an older setup, so it's not crucial that you get a system with the latest standards yet. Of course, it doesn't hurt to get a laptop that's future-proof, but just know that of all the things to look out for, WiFi 6E shouldn't be a dealbreaker in your decision-making process. Engadget Picks Best Apple: MacBook Air M1 Apple Though Apple just released the new MacBook Air with M2, we have yet to fully test its performance and battery life. Plus, it costs $200 more than the M1 model, which is still retailing for $999. In fact, even though it's older, the M1 MacBook Air is a solid machine, outperforming many PCs while maintaining a fanless design, which is why we're recommending it over the new model. You'll still get a great keyboard and excellent battery life, along with a nice Retina display. Of course, it uses a 720p webcam, while the new model has a sharper 1080p setup housed in a notch. The latter also has thinner display bezels that make it look more modern, as well as a Magsafe port that lets you keep charging while still having access to the device's two USB-C ports. But if you're already living a largely wireless life and don't mind a not-so-great camera, you might find the M1 MacBook Air is a better deal. If you can wait a little longer and can spare the extra $200, the new MacBook Air could be worth considering. It also comes in a fresh Midnight shade which could set you apart from the sea of silver or gray in your lecture hall. Buy MacBook Air M1 at Amazon - $999Buy MacBook Air M2 at Amazon - $1,199 Best Windows: Dell XPS 13 Plus Engadget The best PC has long been Dell's well-rounded XPS 13 series and I still recommend it to anyone that doesn't want a Mac. Yes, the new XPS 13 Plus lacks a headphone jack, and we haven't got one in to test yet. But the XPS 13 is a well-rounded machine and reliable workhorse that will get you through classes and late-night writing sessions without breaking a sweat. Like its predecessors, the XPS 13 Plus offers a lovely OLED screen with impressively thin bezels and packs a roomy, comfortable keyboard. It also features a new minimalist design that looks more modern. I'm not sure about the row of capacitive keys at the top in lieu of traditional function keys, but from our time with an early sample, they at least worked. If you don't like the changes Dell has made to the XPS 13, or if you definitely need a headphone jack, the older generations are still solid options. There's also the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro series, which feature beautiful OLED screens and sharper webcams in thin and light frames. I also like Microsoft's Surface Laptops, and the most recent edition offers great performance and battery life, albeit in an outdated design. Buy XPs 13 Plus at Dell - $1,275 Best for gaming: Razer Blade 15 Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Just because your laptop might primarily be for school or work doesn't mean you can't use it for fun. Those looking to game on their machines should prioritize responsive screens and ample ports for their favorite accessories that can best help them defeat their virtual enemies. If you're considering a gaming-first machine that you can use for school, check out our guide to buying a gaming laptop. It covers details about different CPUs and GPUs, minimum specs and more. Our favorite gaming laptop is the Razer Blade 15, which has an Intel Core i7 processor, and an NVIDIA RTX 3070 graphics for $2,500. It's the most expensive item on this list, but you also get a 15-inch quad HD screen that refreshes at 240Hz. Different configurations are available, depending on your preference, including a Full HD 360Hz and a 4K 144Hz version. The Blade series is also one of the most polished gaming laptops around. Those looking for something cheaper and more portable should consider the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, which was our favorite model last year. The main reason it got bumped down a notch is because the 2022 refresh is almost $600 more expensive. It's still a solid gaming laptop though, with an excellent display, roomy trackpad and plenty of ports in spite of its thin profile. Buy Blade 15 at Razer - $2,500 Best Chromebook: Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook Will Lipman Photography for Engadget If you can do most of your schoolwork through web-based apps, a Chromebook is worth considering. Sure they don't generally look fancy, nor have high-end specs. But they're often more affordable and have longer battery life. Our favorite Chromebook is Lenovo's Flex 5 Chromebook, which Engadget's resident Chrome OS aficionado Nathan Ingraham described as "a tremendous value." This laptop nails the basics, with a 13-inch Full HD touchscreen, a fantastic keyboard and a 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor. The 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage may sound meager, but in our testing the Flex 5 held up in spite of this constraint. It's also nice to see one USB-A and two USB-C ports, eight-hour battery life and a 360-degree hinge that makes it easy to use the Flex 5 as a tablet. That's a bonus, especially now that Chrome OS supports Android apps. Though the Flex 5 is almost two years old by now, it's a solid device for around $400. In fact, you can sometimes find it on sale for as little as $300, making it a great option for someone looking for a basic browser-based machine on a tight budget. Buy Flex 5 Chromebook at Amazon - $430 Best budget: HP Pavilion Aero 13 Daniel Cooper / Engadget If you're looking for something under $800, your best bet is the HP Pavilion Aero 13. For $750, you'll get a Full HD screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio and surprisingly thin bezels, as well as a comfortable keyboard and spacious trackpad. Importantly, the Aero 13 provides relatively powerful components compared to others in this price range, with an AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor and Radeon graphics. Plus, it has a generous array of ports and enough juice to last you the entire work day and then some. Buy Pavilion Aero 13 at HP - $799 Best Convertible: Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Will Lipman Photography for Engadget For those who need their laptops to occasionally double as tablets, the Surface Pro series is a no-brainer. Compared to notebooks with rotating hinges, tablets with kickstands are often much slimmer and lighter. The Surface Pro 8 is the most recent model and it features Microsoft's sleek new design with a thinner profile and minimal bezels. The Pro 8 also has a 120Hz display that makes scrolling long documents or spreadsheets feel much faster, and you can drop the refresh rate down to 60Hz if you want to conserve battery life. We also like Microsoft's Type Covers, though it's worth noting that they'll cost you an additional $100 to $180. Those who want to doodle or sketch on the display may appreciate the Surface Slim Pen 2's haptic feedback. Unless you're bent on sticking to Apple's ecosystem, in which case an iPad Pro would suit you best, the Surface Pro 8 is arguably the best convertible laptop around. Buy Surface Pro 8 at Amazon - $1,099

Apple's 11-inch iPad Pro drops to a record low of $699 at Amazon Posted: 11 Jul 2022 05:28 AM PDT If you've been waiting for a good deal on Apple's latest iPad Pro, you're in luck. Amazon dropped the price of the 11-inch space gray model to $699, which is $100 off its usual rate and the best price we've seen. That's how much you'll spend for the base, 128GB model, but you'll find decent sales on those with higher storage capacities, too. The 512GB version is also $100 off and down to $999, while the 1TB model is $250 off and down to $1,250. Buy 11-inch iPad Pro at Amazon - $699 Apple didn't change too much about the iPad Pros' designs when it upgraded the tablets last year. That's because most of the improvements are internal — both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch models run on Apple's M1 chipset, making them the most powerful iPads the company has made to date. Apple also added things like 5G support and a USB-C port that doubles as a Thunderbolt connector with USB 4.0 compatibility to make the slabs more capable as laptop alternatives. With the right accessories, these iPad Pros could replace your aging laptop if you want something a bit more lightweight that still powerful enough to be your daily driver. Both sizes of iPad Pro also have the new Center Stage camera system, which will keep you in frame during FaceTime calls. Ultimately, the biggest difference between the 11-inch and the 12.9-inch, other than overall size, is that the 12.9-inch iPad Pros have Apple's Liquid Retina XDR display. It's certainly a nice perk if you will use the tablet to watch a lot of videos, or even edit some of your own, but that doesn't mean you're getting a lackluster screen on the 11-inch version. On the contrary, the 2,388 x 1668 resolution Liquid Retina panel with True Tone and ProMotion is one of the best screens you'll find on a high-end tablet today. Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

The Apple TV 4K falls to a new all-time low of $120 Posted: 11 Jul 2022 04:35 AM PDT If you've been holding out for a Prime Day deal on the Apple TV 4K, there's no need to wait — the 32GB model has just dropped to $120 or 33 percent ($59) off the regular price. That's the cheapest we've seen yet on Apple's streaming device that offers features like 4K HDR, gaming, the Siri Remote and more.  Buy Apple TV 4K at Amazon - $120 The latest Apple TV 4K model garnered a 90 score in our Engadget review. It's more refined that ever, thanks to the updated Siri Remote and a more powerful A12 Bionic chip that delivers HDR video at up to 60 fps, while also offering improved gaming performance.  Though it's not the cheapest streaming box out there, it's the best premium device and a top choice for Apple users. Siri handles voice commands with aplomb, and it's equally easy to operate the remote manually. You can use AirPlay to share video, photos and more from your other Apple devices to your TV. There's the option to see a live feed of HomeKit-enabled cameras and to control smart home devices through Apple TV 4K, and, if you have the relevant subscription, an ever-growing library of games available through Apple Arcade. Naturally, it also supports all manner of streaming content including Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon prime Video, Disney+, Hulu and more. As mentioned, the biggest drawback is the price, but the $59 discount makes it a very competitive option.  Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

The Morning After: 'Uber Files' leak reveals company's aggressive expansion tactics Posted: 11 Jul 2022 04:16 AM PDT A trove of leaked documents has shed an unfavorable light on the early days of Uber. Dubbed the Uber Files, the leak covers 2013 to 2017 and includes roughly 124,000 internal company documents and 83,000 emails. In 2016, Kalanick reportedly ordered French employees to encourage local Uber drivers to counter-protest the taxi strikes in Paris at the time. When one executive warned Kalanick that "extreme right thugs" were part of the protest, the former CEO pushed back. He said: "Violence guarantee[s] success. And these guys must be resisted, no?" In a statement published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Travis Kalanick's spokesperson said any suggestion that the former executive "directed, engaged in, or was involved" in "illegal or improper conduct" is "completely false." There's an awful lot more coming to the surface, expect even more bad headlines for Uber. — Mat Smith The biggest stories you might have missed Ford recalls 100,000 hybrid vehicles over fire risk Rogers restores service following Canada-wide internet outage Great, there's a buy now, pay later service for NFTs Hitman 3's free Ambrose Island DLC arrives on July 26th Apple's 10.2-inch iPad is back on sale for $299 Hitting the Books: Modern social media has made misinformation so, so much worse Elon Musk is officially trying to kill his Twitter takeover Twitter's board said it was prepared to take Musk to court to keep the deal in place. Elon Musk is officially trying to pull the plug on the $44 billion deal to buy Twitter. In an SEC filing, Musk's lawyers said the Tesla CEO wishes to terminate the agreement because of "false and misleading representations" made by Twitter. It's not clear what happens next, but it seems Musk and Twitter are likely heading toward a lengthy legal battle. Continue reading. Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 headphones review A lot of upgrades at no extra cost. Engadget Bowers & Wilkins might be a name many associate with high-end home audio gear, but the company has been steadily chugging along with headphones, too. Its latest model, the Px7 S2 ($399), is a completely overhauled version of the PX that debuted in 2019. Bowers & Wilkins tweaked the design while enhancing the active noise cancellation (ANC). There are a few gripes, but on ANC performance and sound quality, the Px7 S2 rivals the best headphones you can buy right now. Continue reading. NASA's OSIRIS-REx landed on an asteroid with a surface like a 'pit of plastic balls' The spacecraft left a 26-foot-wide crater. NASA Nearly two years ago, NASA made history when its OSIRIS-REx spacecraft briefly tagged the asteroid known as 101955 Bennu to collect a regolith sample. While the mission won't return to Earth until late next year, NASA shared new information about the celestial body. "It turns out that the particles making up Bennu's exterior are so loosely packed and lightly bound to each other that if a person were to step on to Bennu they would feel very little resistance, as if stepping into a pit of plastic balls that are popular play areas for kids," NASA said. Continue reading. New York law requires gun permit applicants to submit social media accounts for review To show they have the 'character and conduct' to be trusted with a firearm. As of September 1st, New York residents who want to carry concealed handguns will need to submit their social media accounts as part of their permit application. They'll need to provide details of active and inactive accounts from the previous three years, along with at least four references. Critics have taken issue with the social media provision of the legislation. It's unclear how the state will address concerns over privacy and free speech. Continue reading. EU will require all new cars to include anti-speeding tech by 2024 This will cover every new car sold. The EU regulation (part of the broader General Vehicle Safety Regulation) goes into effect today and states that all new models and types of cars introduced to the European market must include an ISA (intelligent speed assistance) system. The European Commission said in a press release: "The roll out of ISA is a huge step forward for road safety and has the potential to dramatically reduce road traffic injuries and fatalities." According to a projection by the EU-funded PROSPER, if ISA became mandated, it could reduce fatalities by between 26 and 50 percent. Continue reading.

Google's Pixel 6 Pro is $200 off in early Prime Day deal Posted: 11 Jul 2022 03:45 AM PDT Amazon Prime Day is tomorrow, but we're already seeing outstanding deals on a couple of desirable smartphones. Google's Pixel 6 Pro is on sale starting at $699 for the 128GB model and $799 for the 256GB version, or $200 off those models. On top of that, you can grab a Pixel 6 starting at $499 ($100) off, or just $50 more than the upcoming Pixel 6a.  Buy Pixel 6 Pro 128GB at Amazon - $699Buy Pixel 6 Pro 256GB at Amazon - $799 The Pixel 7 is set to arrive in the fall, but the discounts make the Pixel 6 a great value if you need a smartphone right now. First off, the Pixel 6 Pro earned a 91 Engadget score, one of the highest for an Android phone of late. It comes with a unique two-toned design with a horizontal camera bar, along with a 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED display. It runs on Google's Tensor Processing Unit that provides excellent performance, and at the same time, it delivers over 17 hours of battery use. The Pixel lineup is best known for its strong cameras, though. The Pixel 6 Pro is the most advanced yet, with a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel (MP) wide-angle lens and a 48MP telephoto shooter with a 4X optical zoom, along with an 11MP, 4K front camera. Those offer excellent video and photo capabilities on part with the iPhone 13 Pro, while bringing handy computational photography features like Magic Eraser, Face Unblur, Long Exposure and more. Buy Pixel 6 128GB at Amazon - $499Buy Pixel 6 256GB at Amazon - $600 The Pixel 6 has a smaller 6.4-inch, 1080p 90Hz OLED screen that may suit you better if you don't like big phones. Its camera array is similar to the Pixel 6 Pro, but it lacks the 48MP telephoto lens and has an 8-megapixel 1080p selfie camera. Otherwise, it offers similar performance and can go even longer (20 hours) on a charge.  Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

Amazon's Echo Show 8 hits new record low of $75 for Prime Day Posted: 11 Jul 2022 02:10 AM PDT Aside from Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day is the best time of year to pick up an Echo device since most of them are deeply discounted. Amazon didn't disappoint this year — all of its Echo Show smart displays are on sale for Prime Day, key among them being the Echo Show 8 for $75. That's $55 off its usual price and a new record low, and we're calling it out at the top because it's one of the better choices for most people. Also on sale are the Echo Show 5 for only $35, the swiveling Echo Show 10 for $180 and the Echo Show 15 for $180 as well. Buy Echo Show 8 at Amazon - $75Buy Echo Show 5 at Amazon - $35Buy Echo Show 10 at Amazon - $180Buy Echo Show 15 at Amazon - $180Shop Echo deals at Amazon It's the second-generation Show 8 that you can get for $75, and we gave it a score of 87 when it came out last year. We like its 8-inch, 1,280 x 800-resolution touchscreen, minimalist design and solid sound quality. Since it's larger than the Echo Show 5, you'll get strong sound overall with surprisingly powerful bass and volume. This version of the Echo Show 8 only differs from the first-generation device in a couple of ways, with the most important being its updated video camera. The 13-megapixel camera digitally pans and zooms to keep you in frame when you're video chatting with apps like Zoom. It's a relatively small feature (which is why you could safely go for the first-gen Echo Show 8 to save some money), but it'll be useful for those who constantly use their smart display as a stationary video-chatting device. While the Show 8 could make a good kitchen or office device, the Echo Show 5 is one of the best "smart alarm clocks" you can get right now. We like its compact size, tap-to-snooze feature and its decent sound quality. Despite being the latest generation Show 5, this one doesn't have the advanced video chatting features that the Echo Show 8 has, but you'll still be able to use it for basic video calls. If you prefer big screens, the Echo Show 10 or the Show 15 will be good options. The former automatically swivels to follow you when you're on video calls, so you're always in frame and you can also always see the screen. It also has the auto-framing features that the Echo Show 8 has, making it one of the best options for those who video chat often. We also like that the Show 10 has a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, letting you connect things like smart lights, locks and more directly to the display without needing an extra hub to make everything work. The Echo Show 15 is the most niche of the bunch, by far. It's a wall-mountable, Alexa-enabled touchscreen, allowing you to use it almost like a digital cork board of sorts. You can customize it to have notes, to-do lists and more on widgets on the display, or use it to watch recipe videos or even shows and movies on Netflix, Prime Video and more. It also uses a "visual and voice ID" feature to recognize who's looking at the screen or who's giving an Alexa command, so it can then display the most relevant information to that person on the screen. Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

President Biden will reveal the first James Webb Space Telescope image today at 5PM ET Posted: 11 Jul 2022 01:15 AM PDT NASA has decided to reveal the first James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) image today rather than waiting until tomorrow as planned, it announced in a tweet. President Joe Biden will do the honor at 5PM ET, with a live stream of the event available on NASA TV and images available simultaneously on NASA's website.  We can't contain the excitement for @NASAWebb's first full-color images! On Monday, July 11 at 5pm ET (21:00 UTC), President Biden will unveil one of the space telescope's first images of deep space as a preview of what's ahead: https://t.co/kP5JdQEpVzpic.twitter.com/1wFZGkqrx8 — NASA (@NASA) July 11, 2022 Anticipation has been building for the first images, to say the least. NASA stoked that on Friday by announcing the targets to be shown, including the Carina and Southern Ring Nebulae, the gas exoplanet WASP-96b and a deep field view of the SMACS 0723 galaxy clusters. Only a select group of scientists and administrators have viewed the images so far. "What I have seen moved me, as a scientist, as an engineer, and as a human being," said NASA deputy administrator Pam Melroy. It appears that just a single image will be revealed today, but NASA didn't say which one. The rest are still slated to arrive tomorrow, starting at 9:45 with remarks by NASA and Webb leadership. That'll be followed by live coverage of the image release slated for 10:30 AM ET on NASA TV, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and Daily Motion.

Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick reportedly saw violence against drivers as a tool for growth Posted: 10 Jul 2022 03:11 PM PDT A new trove of leaked documents has shed an unfavorable light on the early days of Uber. Dubbed the Uber Files, the leak consists of approximately 124,000 internal company documents, including more than 83,000 emails and text messages exchanged between former CEO Travis Kalanick and other executives, that date to a period between 2013 and 2017. The latter marks the year Kalanick stepped down as CEO of Uber amid mounting controversy. Working with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), The Guardian shared the trove with 180 journalists at 40 outlets across 29 countries. The documents show a company willing to do things many of its own executives thought were "f***ing illegal."  In 2016, for instance, Kalanick reportedly ordered French employees to encourage local Uber drivers to counter-protest the taxi strikes that were underway in Paris at the time. When one executive warned Kalanick that "extreme right thugs" were part of the protest, the former CEO pushed back. "I think it's worth it," he said. "Violence guarantee[s] success. And these guys must be resisted, no?" One former senior executive told The Guardian that Kalanick's response was consistent with a strategy of "weaponizing" drivers and a playbook the company returned to in other countries. Another selection of documents details the lengths the company went to escape regulatory scrutiny. In at least 12 instances, Uber ordered staff at local offices in six countries, including France, the Netherlands and India, to employ the "kill switch," an internal tool the company developed to protect its data. "Please hit the kill switch ASAP," Kalanick wrote in one email shared by The Washington Post. "Access must be shut down in AMS," he added, referring to the company's Amsterdam office. In two cases involving Uber's Montreal office, authorities entered the building only to see all the computers and tablets before them resetting at the same time. The company told The Post "such software should never have been used to thwart legitimate regulatory actions," and that it stopped using the system in 2017. "We have not and will not make excuses for past behavior that is clearly not in line with our present values," said Jill Hazelbaker, Uber's senior vice president of marketing and public affairs, in a statement the company issued after The Guardian published its findings on the Uber Files. "Instead, we ask the public to judge us by what we've done over the last five years and what we will do in the years to come." In a statement published by the ICIJ, Travis Kalanick's spokesperson said any suggestion the former executive "directed, engaged in, or was involved" in "illegal or improper conduct" is "completely false." "The reality was that Uber's expansion initiatives were led by over a hundred leaders in dozens of countries around the world and at all times under the direct oversight and with the full approval of Uber's robust legal, policy, and compliance groups," they added.

Asteroid NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission landed on had a surface like a ‘pit of plastic balls’ Posted: 10 Jul 2022 11:47 AM PDT Nearly two years ago, NASA made history when its OSIRIS-REx spacecraft briefly "tagged" 101955 Bennu to collect a regolith sample from the surface of the asteroid. While the mission won't return to Earth until late next year, NASA shared new information about the celestial body. In an update published this week (via Mashable), the agency revealed OSIRIS-REx would have sunk into Bennu had the spacecraft not immediately fired its thrusters after touching the asteroid's surface. "It turns out that the particles making up Bennu's exterior are so loosely packed and lightly bound to each other that if a person were to step onto Bennu they would feel very little resistance, as if stepping into a pit of plastic balls that are popular play areas for kids," NASA said. #OSIRISREx data gathered during sample collection show that asteroid Bennu's exterior is made up of loosely packed & lightly bound rock. So, standing on its surface would feel like being in a plastic ball pit. Ready, set, jump! https://t.co/xX75KDjAFWpic.twitter.com/P0xxIte2jN — NASA 360 (@NASA360) July 8, 2022 That's not what scientists thought they would find on Bennu. Observing the asteroid from Earth, the expectation was that its surface would be covered in smooth, sandy beach-like material. Bennu's reaction to OSIRIS-REx's touchdown also had scientists puzzled. After briefly interacting with the asteroid, the spacecraft left a 26-foot (8-meter) wide crater. In lab testing, the pickup procedure "barely made a divot."  After analyzing data from the spacecraft, they found it encountered the same amount of resistance a person on Earth would feel while squeezing the plunger on a French press coffee carafe. "By the time we fired our thrusters to leave the surface, we were still plunging into the asteroid," said Ron Ballouz, a scientist with the OSIRIS-REx team. According to NASA, its findings on Bennu could help scientists better interpret remote observations of other asteroids. In turn, that could help the agency design future asteroid missions. "I think we're still at the beginning of understanding what these bodies are, because they behave in very counterintuitive ways," said OSIRIS-REx team member Patrick Michel.

Hitman 3's free Ambrose Island DLC arrives on July 26th Posted: 10 Jul 2022 09:43 AM PDT Ambrose Island, Hitman 3's first new level since release, will arrive on July 26th. IO Interactive detailed the DLC on Friday when it published the game's latest monthly roadmap. The studio promised to share more information about the new locale closer to release but on Friday IO said Ambrose Island would introduce new challenges for players to complete. Fans can also look forward to new rewards to unlock and targets to assassinate. As The Verge points out, IO first previewed Ambrose Island at the start of the year as part of Hitman 3's year two reveal. At the time, all the company had to share was a single screenshot of the tropical locale. With Friday's announcement, IO said the DLC would take players to a pirate stronghold located in the Andaman Sea, and reunite protagonist Agent 47 with an "old friend." Check out the trailer for the DLC below. Welcome to Ambrose Island.https://t.co/7zWlhYSE6Wpic.twitter.com/ejuLvRk590 — IO Interactive (@IOInteractive) July 8, 2022

Apple's 10.2-inch iPad is back on sale for $299 Posted: 10 Jul 2022 08:21 AM PDT Amazon's annual Prime Day sale may not begin until next week, but you can already find a handful of deals on electronics like the 10.2-inch iPad. This weekend, the retailer has discounted both the 64GB and 256GB variants of Apple's entry-level tablet. You can now buy the base model 10.2-inch iPad – in both silver and space gray – for $299. A $30 discount off may not seem like much, but it effectively returns the iPad to its lowest price. As for the 256GB model, it's currently $429, or $50 off its usual $479 price. Buy Apple iPad at Amazon - $299 Engadget deputy editor Nathan Ingraham awarded Apple's ninth-generation iPad a score of 86 in 2021. The 10.2-inch iPad is a solid entry-level tablet. With the company's A13 Bionic chip inside, the 2021 model is fast, and you can expect to get about 10 to 14 hours from the battery. The new model also features a much-improved 12-megapixel front-facing camera with Apple's Center Stage technology. The feature helps keep you in the middle of the frame during video calls. Aside from looking stale, there are some practical downsides to the iPad's dated design. If you want to use an Apple Pencil with the tablet, your only option is the first-generation model. Unfortunately, that means you must connect the stylus to your iPad's Lightning Part anytime you need to charge it. The 10.2-inch model also doesn't have the best screen. If you can get past those flaws, the ninth-generation iPad is a solid entry point into Apple's ecosystem. Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

Hitting the Books: Modern social media has made misinformation so, so much worse Posted: 10 Jul 2022 08:00 AM PDT It's not just that one uncle who's not allowed at Thanksgiving anymore who's been spreading misinformation online. The practice began long before the rise of social media — governments around the world have been doing it for centuries. But it wasn't until the modern era, one fueled by algorithmic recommendation engines built to infinitely increase engagement, that nation-states have managed to weaponize disinformation to such a high degree. In his new book Tyrants on Twitter: Protecting Democracies from Information Warfare, David Sloss, Professor of Law at Santa Clara University, explores how social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have become platforms for political operations that have very real, and very dire, consequences for democracy while arguing for governments to unite in creating a global framework to regulate and protect these networks from information warfare. David Sloss Excerpted from Tyrants on Twitter: Protecting Democracies from Information Warfare, by David L. Sloss, published by Stanford University Press, ©2022 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All Rights Reserved. Social Media, Misinformation, and Democratic Governance Governments were practicing disinformation long before the advent of social media. However, social media accelerates the spread of false information by enabling people to reach a large audience at low cost. Social media accelerates the spread of both misinformation and disinformation. "Misinformation" includes any false or misleading information. "Disinformation" is false or misleading information that is purposefully crafted or strategically placed to achieve a political goal.  The political objectives of a disinformation campaign could be either foreign or domestic. Prior chapters focused on foreign affairs. Here, let us consider domestic disinformation campaigns. The "Pizzagate" story is a good example. In fall 2016, a Twitter post alleged that Hillary Clinton was "the kingpin of an international child enslavement and sex ring." The story quickly spread on social media, leading to the creation of a discussion board on Reddit with the title "Pizzagate." As various contributors embellished the story, they identified a specific pizza parlor in Washington, DC, Comet Ping Pong, as the base of operations for the child sex operation. "These bizarre and evidence-free allegations soon spread beyond the dark underbelly of the internet to relatively mainstream right-wing media such as the Drudge Report and Infowars." Alex Jones, the creator of Infowars, "has more than 2 million follows on YouTube and 730,000 followers on Twitter; by spreading the rumors, Jones vastly increased their reach." (Jones has since been banned from most major social media platforms.) Ultimately, a young man who believed the story arrived at Comet Ping Pong with "an AR- 15 semiautomatic rifle... and opened fire, unloading multiple rounds." Although the story was debunked, "pollsters found that more than a quarter of adults surveyed were either certain that Clinton was connected to the child sex ring or that some part of the story must have been true." Several features of the current information environment accelerate the spread of misinformation. Before the rise of the internet, major media companies like CBS and the New York Times had the capacity to distribute stories to millions of people. However, they were generally bound by professional standards of journalistic ethics so that they would not deliberately spread false stories. They were far from perfect, but they did help prevent widespread dissemination of false information. The internet effectively removed the filtering function of large media organizations, enabling anyone with a social media account — and a basic working knowledge of how messages go viral on social media — to spread misinformation to a very large audience very quickly.  The digital age has given rise to automated accounts known as "bots." A bot is "a software tool that performs specific actions on computers connected in a network without the intervention of human users." Political operatives with a moderate degree of technical sophistication can utilize bots to accelerate the spread of messages on social media. Moreover, social media platforms facilitate the use of microtargeting: "the process of preparing and delivering customized messages to voters or consumers." In summer 2017, political activists in the United Kingdom built a bot to disseminate messages on Tinder, a dating app, that were designed to attract new supporters for the Labour Party. "The bot accounts sent between thirty thousand and forty thousand messages in all, targeting eighteen- to twenty-five-year-olds in constituencies where the Labour candidates needed help." In the ensuing election, "the Labour Party either won or successfully defended some of these targeted districts by just a few votes. In celebrating their victory over Twitter, campaign managers thanked... their team of bots." There is no evidence in this case that the bots were spreading false information, but unethical political operatives can also use bots and microtargeting to spread false messages quickly via social media.  In the past two decades, we have seen the growth of an entire industry of paid political consultants who have developed expertise in utilizing social media to influence political outcomes. The Polish firm discussed earlier in this chapter is one example. Philip Howard, a leading expert on misinformation, claims: "It is safe to say that every country in the world has some homegrown political consulting firm that specializes in marketing political misinformation." Political consultants work with data mining companies that have accumulated huge amounts of information about individuals by collecting data from a variety of sources, including social media platforms, and aggregating that information in proprietary databases. The data mining industry "supplies the information that campaign managers need to make strategic decisions about whom to target, where, when, with what message, and over which device and platform." Political consulting firms use both bots and human-operated "fake accounts" to disseminate messages via social media. (A "fake account" is a social media account operated by someone who adopts a false identity for the purpose of misleading other social media users about the identity of the person operating the account.) They take advantage of data from the data mining industry and the technical features of social media platforms to engage in very sophisticated microtargeting, sending customized messages to select groups of voters to shape public opinion and/or influence political outcomes. "Social media algorithms allow for the constant testing and refinement of campaign messages, so that the most advanced techniques of behavioral science can sharpen the message in time for those strategically crucial final days" before an important vote. Many such messages are undoubtedly truthful, but there are several well-documented cases where paid political consultants have deliberately spread false information in service of some political objective. For example, Howard has documented the strategic use of disinformation by the Vote Leave campaign in the final weeks before the UK referendum on Brexit.  It bears emphasis that disinformation does not have to be believed to erode the foundations of our democratic institutions. Disinformation "does not necessarily succeed by changing minds but by sowing confusion, undermining trust in information and institutions, and eroding shared reference points." For democracy to function effectively, we need shared reference points. An authoritarian government can require citizens to wear masks and practice social distancing during a pandemic by instilling fear that leads to obedience. In a democratic society, by contrast, governments must persuade a large majority of citizens that scientific evidence demonstrates that wearing masks and practicing social distancing saves lives. Unfortunately, misinformation spread on social media undermines trust in both government and scientific authority. Without that trust, it becomes increasingly difficult for government leaders to build the consensus needed to formulate and implement effective policies to address pressing social problems, such as slowing the spread of a pandemic.

The Chromecast with Google TV is on sale for $40 right now Posted: 10 Jul 2022 06:30 AM PDT Early Prime Day deals keep popping up as we get close to the two-day shopping event, and this time they discount the Chromecast with Google TV by $10. You can pick up the streaming device for $40 right now, which is a return to its record low. Not only does this gadget give you access to services like Netflix, YouTube TV and others, but it also supports classic casting from your smartphone and other devices. Buy Chromecast with Google TV at Amazon - $40 The latest Chromecast came out in 2020, but it remains a great option for those who already rely on the Google Assistant or those who prefer the Android TV ecosystem. Like most streaming devices in this price range, it supports 4K HDR content as well as Dolby Vision and Atmos. It's just as easy to install as other streaming dongles, but one of the best things about it is its voice remote. That makes it much easier to navigate the Android TV interface, and it has a voice button that you can press when you want to search for content using voice commands. When you're not binge-watching your favorite show, you can also use the Chromecast with Google TV to turn your set into something like a huge smart display (sans touch capabilities). Using Assistant commands, you can ask the Chromecast to display forecasts on your TV, show live feeds from compatible security cameras and control smart lights and other accessories. We also like that it supports Ambient Mode, which lets you display Google Photos on your TV when you're not actively using it. Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

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