Tuesday, January 4, 2022

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Oral-B’s new flagship iO toothbrush puts your brushing stats on its charging base

Posted: 04 Jan 2022 02:25 AM PST

Oral-B's iO has marked itself out as the smartest and fanciest of all the fancy smart electric toothbrushes on the market. With a pressure sensor, OLED display and smartphone coaching, the iO Series 9 is, or was, the most luxurious way to clean your teeth. Today, however, the company has decided to broaden out the range of iO toothbrushes with both an even higher-end flagship above, and some more affordable models below.

The new flagship is the iO10 with iOSense, which the company is calling the "ultimate oral health coach," which eliminates one of the biggest problems with the iO9. With the existing model, the pressure warning light — which tells you if you're pressing too hard on your teeth — and countdown timer is on the brush itself. That makes it very hard to tell when you're done unless you're staring intently at yourself in a mirror.

The iO10, meanwhile, duplicates that information on its new beefier charging base, with a digital countdown timer, pressure warnings and even a ring of lights that correspond to the six areas of our mouths. That means you don't have to open your phone every single time you brush in order to check all of your teeth are getting an equal amount of attention. Of course, it does mean that you'll need to have your charger plugged in your bathroom at all times, which might be an issue for some.

There's no price for the iO10 as it stands, just an invitation to sign up for the waitlist for whenever this particular product is available for sale.

At the same time, the company is launching the iO4 and iO5, which are scaled-down versions of the iO model for various budget buyers. Both come with the smart pressure sensor and the same high-end rotating head as the flagship. But the iO4 only has four brushing modes, and no digital display, while the iO5 has a fifth mode and the benefit of on-board AI and access to live coaching via the app. Those models will be priced at under $100, and will be made available nationwide at some point in 2022.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Facebook suspends Marjorie Taylor Greene's account for a day

Posted: 04 Jan 2022 01:08 AM PST

Marjorie Taylor Greene says she also lost access to Facebook, a day after Twitter banned her personal account. Unlike Twitter's suspension, which is permanent, Facebook's penalty will only last for 24 hours. According to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NBC News and other sources, Greene shared a screenshot on Telegram and Gettr (a social media platform for conservatives) showing a Facebook notification telling her that can't post or comment on the website for 24 hours. 

A spokesperson has confirmed to the publications that the social network removed one of her posts for violating its policies, but that "removing her account for this violation is beyond the scope of [its] policies." In particular, her post violated the Meta-owned platform's COVID-19 misinformation rules. It's worth noting that Facebook and Twitter have only suspended her personal accounts. Her verified government accounts remain active.

Greene reportedly posted about "extremely high amounts of COVID vaccine deaths" with unverified raw data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS. The system is a government database managed by the CDC and the FDA, but it relies on individuals to send in reports of their experience. VAERS' website states that it's "not designed to determine if a vaccine caused a health problem" and that "additional work and evaluation [of its data] is necessary to further assess a possible safety concern." Facebook started taking a tougher stance against misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccines in general in early 2021.

Greene is known for questioning the public health measures put into place to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. In addition to opposing vaccine mandates, she also famously refuses to wear a mask on the House floor and has racked up tens of thousands of dollars in fines. Talking about her Facebook suspension on Telegram and Gettr, Greene wrote:

"Facebook has joined Twitter in censoring me... Who appointed Twitter and Facebook to be the authorities of information and misinformation? When Big Tech decides what political speech of elected Members is accepted and what's not then they are working against our government and against the interest of our people."

Conservative politicians have long complained about being censored by the biggest social media platforms. Back in October, former President Donald Trump announced that he's planning to launch his own social network this year as part of his camp's efforts to fight back against "the Big Tech companies of Silicon Valley, which have used their unilateral power to silence opposing voices in America." 

AT&T and Verizon will delay 5G expansion over aircraft interference concerns

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 10:18 PM PST

AT&T and Verizon won't start rolling out their C-band 5G service on January 5th after all. The carriers have agreed to comply with a request from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Department to push back their 5G expansion by two more weeks. Authorities asked the companies for extra time to investigate concerns regarding possible interference with aircraft systems and electronics. 

Both AT&T and Verizon were supposed to to roll out their potentially faster C-band service using newly purchased frequencies back in December, but they held off on the expansion as requested by the Federal Aviation Administration. Airlines and aircraft manufacturers are worried that the new frequencies are too close to those used by airplanes' radar altimeter, which provides data on the distance between the plane and the ground. Interferences could then lead to unsafe landings. Wireless industry giants argue, however, that the C-band service's powers are low enough and that the gap in frequencies is large enough to prevent interference. 

Shortly before the supposed January 5th rollout, the agencies asked the carriers for a delay of two more weeks to look into the issue. They initially rejected the authorities' call for an additional delay, issuing a joint letter that says honoring the request would be to the "detriment" of customers. The carriers tried to negotiate a compromise instead and told authorities that they're open to a six-month pause in deployment near some airports.

It's unclear what changed the companies' minds, but both have agreed to put a pause on their plans for now.

A Verizon spokesperson told Engadget in a statement:

"We've agreed to a two-week delay which promises the certainty of bringing this nation our game-changing 5G network in January, delivered over America's best and most reliable wireless network."

An AT&T spokesperson sent us a similar response:

"At Secretary Buttigieg's request, we have voluntarily agreed to one additional two-week delay of our deployment of C-Band 5G services. We also remain committed to the six-month protection zone mitigations we outlined in our letter. We know aviation safety and 5G can co-exist and we are confident further collaboration and technical assessment will allay any issues."

LG's C2 OLED TV line will include its brighter 'evo' panels in 2022

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 06:00 PM PST

As is something of an annual tradition for the company, LG is using CES as a venue to share the first details on its 2022 TV lineup. Much like last year, the company is touting improved brightness as one of the main reasons to buy its 2022 sets. That's because this year LG's more affordable C2 lineup will also include the "evo" panel technology the company debuted in 2021. Additionally, LG claims its new Alpha 9 Gen 5 AI processors will help further increase luminance through a smarter algorithm and better heat dissipation. Those chips will also improve upscaling performance and offer virtual 7.1.2 surround sound up-mixing, according to LG.

The new OLEDs will ship with the latest version of LG's webOS operating system. The updated software adds support for individual profiles, allowing you to customize the menu for quick access to your favorite streaming services. By creating a profile, you'll also get personalized content recommendations and notifications related to your favorite sports teams. 

LG G2 Gallery OLED
LG

Another new webOS feature allows you to mirror what you're watching to a second LG TV. In that way, the company says you watch cable and satellite content on two television sets without an extra set-top box. It's hard to say how useful that feature will prove since if you have more than one TV in your home, there's a good chance it's because your family can't agree on what to watch in the first place.

Out of the box, LG's 2022 TV lineup will support the smart home industry's new Matter standard, allowing you to control devices lights and thermostats from the TVs. LG also promises a better gaming experience thanks to its updated Game Optimizer. The company is adding additional feature and preset toggles to the menu to make it easier to access those when you need them. As before, all G2 and C2 sets will support G-Sync, FreeSync and variable refresh rates. HDMI 2.1 also comes standard across the lineup.

LG has yet to share pricing, but what we do is that the G2 series will consist of 55-, 65- 75-inch models. The company will also offer two new 83- and 97-inch sets. The more affordable C2 series will consist of six models total, including a new 42-inch size LG says is a great fit for console and PC gaming. The rest of the C2 lineup consists of 48-, 55-, 65-, 77- and 83-inch sets. LG also plans to expand its QNED TV lineup for 2022. Those sets will include the company's Quantum Dot NanoCell technology and offer 100 percent color volume.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Galaxy S21 FE hands-on: Last year’s flagship without the frills

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 06:00 PM PST

At CES 2022 today, Samsung has finally unveiled the Galaxy S21 FE (or "Fan Edition") phone. This is basically a tweaked version of last year's S21 that the company is selling for $700 starting January 11th. That's $100 less than the regular S21, and for the price this year's model offers the same 5nm processors, same 120Hz refresh rate (in a slightly bigger screen) and a similar triple camera system. The S21 FE has a larger battery, though, and comes with Android 12. We'll have a full review coming soon, but based on our brief hands-on with a test unit, the S21 FE appears to be a well-rounded device.

At first glance, the S21 FE isn't as eye-catching as last year's flagship. While it features a similar bump on the top left corner for its camera module, its housing doesn't have a shiny finish like the original S21. I prefer the previous style — this one's kind of bland. But the S21 FE feels sturdy and its matte finish helps it resist fingerprints, too

The S21 FE is also available in a different set of colors than the original: This time, you get to choose from lavender, olive, silver or black (which is the color of my sample unit).

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE in black held in mid-air with its right side facing the camera.
Cherlynn Low / Engadget

At 177 grams (or 6.2 ounces), the S21 FE is slightly heavier than the S21, which is reasonable given the newer model's bigger 6.4-inch screen. The display still runs at Full HD+, and looks bright and sharp. But don't expect S Pen support here like you'd get on the S21+ and Ultra. Like the S21, the Fan Edition doesn't support Samsung's stylus.

Aside from size, the biggest difference between the S21 FE and the original model lie in their rear cameras. While both versions have a similar 12-megapixel main camera with a f/1.8 aperture, the FE's ultra-wide lens has a slightly wider field of view of 123 degrees. Also, the FE's telephoto camera uses an 8-megapixel sensor while the S21's is 64 megapixels, though they both offer 30x Space Zoom.

During my hands-on period with the S21 FE, I haven't really put its cameras through rigorous testing and so far I haven't noticed any major issues with picture quality. Images came out colorful and clear. Oddly, the FE's front camera is 32 megapixels sharp while the original's is just 10 megapixels. The selfies I've shot with it so far were indeed tack sharp and individual strands of my damaged hair were painfully clear.

A close up of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE's triple camera system on its back..
Cherlynn Low / Engadget

These tweaks are similar to how the S20 FE varied from the S20. Samsung said it sold 10 million units of the S20 FE in just over a year since the phone's launch in Q4 2020, making that model one of the best-selling Galaxy smartphones over the past year.

Since this is just a brief hands-on and not our full review, I can't yet tell how the S21 FE will stack up to other phones in this price range. But already it faces stiff competition from the Pixel 6, which offers excellent cameras and software at the same cost, although it has a polarizing design.

Though the combination of features for the relatively lower price might make the S21 FE an appealing phone to many Samsung fans, the company picked an awkward time to release this device. With next-gen flagships presumably on the horizon, Galaxy shoppers might be inclined to wait and see what the company might bring at that launch. Even if you're dying to buy a new Galaxy S series handset already though, at least wait till we can test the S21 FE out more comprehensively before spending your money.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Withings' Body Scan scale can measure the composition of different parts of your body

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 05:00 PM PST

Over five years after the release of the Body Cardio (and one flirtation with Nokia later), French company Withings has released its far most technologically advanced connected scale yet, the Body Scan. The big change over the last model is the addition of a handle with four stainless steel electrodes that allows it to measure ECG, segmented body composition (fat/water in your arms, legs and torso) and even esoteric things like nerve activity. All of these features will also make it one of the most expensive scales yet when it arrives to market. 

Withings says it's the number one US smart scale manufacturer and created the Body Scan "because users are demanding more and more medical and health data and information," Withings CEO Mathieu Letombe told Engadget in French. 

Withings Body Scan scale
Withings

The new scale is certainly designed to deliver that. Though the design and high-strength tempered glass construction are similar to the previous Body Cardio, it's loaded with extra sensors that can tell you more than ever about your body. That includes four weight sensors, 14 ITO (Indium tin oxide) electrodes within the platform and four stainless steel electrodes on the new handle. The battery can now go for a year between charges compared to nine months before and it packs a larger, higher-resolution 3.2-inch LCD color display.

The handle allows safe, low-level electrical signals to pass through your entire body, not just your feet — much as you may have seen on some advanced gym scales. To start with, that enables a new 6-lead ECG that can detect heart arrhythmias via two sets of electrodes on each side of the handle and one within the base of the sale. That compares to a single lead on smartwatches, so the Body Scan can deliver more specific results "that can easily be ready by a cardiologist," said Letombe. 

An embedded algorithm can detect heart patterns associated with atrial fibrillation, showing the results on the display or Withings' Health Mate app. Those can be stored to show trends or "shared with medical professionals from the app," according to Withings. "Each time you weigh yourself, the scale can deliver that information, thanks to the new handle." 

Withings Body Scan can also record your ECG and assess nerve activity

In terms of your weight, Withings claims the Body Scan is accurate to within 0.1 pounds (50 grams) or double the previous model, but that's just the start of showing your body makeup. It uses multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to measure whole-body fat and water percentage, visceral fat, muscle and bone mass and extracellular and intracellular water. It can even provide readings for individual body parts, including your torso, arms and legs. All of that allows you to spot things used by health experts and sports professionals like dangerous localized fat or muscle imbalance, Withings said. 

Working with a French company called Impeto Medical, Withings also developed a feature to assess nerve activity. It can track sweat gland activity in the feet (sudomotor function) using a small direct current via the electrodes located in the plate. Impaired function in that regard could show signs of degeneration of small nerve fibers, something that can be corrected with regular activity and a healthy diet. 

"It's a useful function, because there are a lot of chronic health issues like obesity associated with poor nerve function," Letombe told me. "Impeto creates devices used by neurologists and others doctors that can cost upwards of 10,000 euros, and the Body Scan is a consumer product that, again, does that every time you weigh yourself." At the same time, Withings will be able to collect nerve activity data from millions of users that could be useful for medical research and patient care.

Withings' Body Scan scale has a handle that can measure fat in different parts of your body
Withings

Along with the scale, Withings is also introducing (yep) a subscription service, with the price yet to be announced. It will "allow users to connect with medical specialists for advice and consultation while providing clinical teams with data in real-time," Withings said. It'll also offer personalized health plans, videos and more covering topics like nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management to help users with their health goals. 

With the Body Scan, Withings will be offering consumers one of the more advanced health, sports and medical home devices out there — at a price. It's expected to cost $300 when it arrives to the US and Europe in the second half of 2022 following FDA clearance, or $100 more than the Body Scan's launch price. That will include three free months of the subscription service, but it's still big chunk of change for a scale. 

A lot will depend on whether it delivers on all the promised features with reasonable accuracy and if it receives its FDA clearance in a timely manner. That's not necessarily a given, as it took Withings well over a year to get its ScanWatch cleared by the FDA after it was first released. The company also had issues with its Pulse Wave Velocity (PVW) heart health feature, and pulled it in some regions over regulatory concerns. 

Given all that, it's fairly bold on Withings' part to introduce a scale with even more advanced medical and health functionality. "We think that's how we can advance a user's health, not by asking an extra effort, but delivering more targeted information on a product they use every day," said Letombe.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Moen's latest faucet can be controlled entirely with gestures

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 05:00 PM PST

Moen has pulled back the curtain on its latest faucet, and it's one that you can control without touching at all. The Smart Faucet with Motion Control allows users to adjust both the temperature and flow using gestures. There are a variety of styles to fit in with homeowners' design preferences and so confident is Moen about the tech that there are even versions without a handle.

Selecting hot, cold or warm water is as simple as swiping one's hand across a sensor. Default temperatures and a preferred gesture scheme can be set on the Moen Smart Water App. The faucet is available in a variety of styles to fit in with homeowners' design preferences.

The Smart Faucet with Motion Control incorporates all of the features from Moen's previous faucet, including Alexa and Google Assistant voice control. There are options to dispense precise quantities of water with exact temperatures (which could be great for bakers). There's also a "wash hands" command, which pauses the water flow for 20 seconds while you scrub your fingers and palms. In addition, you can monitor water consumption through the app.

Moen Smart Water Network products, including Smart Faucet, Smart Leak Detector, Smart Sump Pump Monitor, Flo Smart Water Monitor and Shutoff, and Smart Shower.
Moen

This year, the app will offer integration with Moen's other products as part of the Smart Water Network, which comprises the faucet, a leak detector, Flo Smart Water Monitor and Shutoff, sump pump monitor and smart shower. According to Moen, the system will help provide protection against issues like extreme cold temperatures. The system will be able to automatically take action when it detects risks, such as notifying the homeowner and shutting off water.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Netgear expands WiFi 6E router lineup with two new options for 2022

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 05:00 PM PST

January has arrived, and with it, new entries to Netgear's long list of wireless routers for both gamers and professionals. This year, the major talking point is likely to be the new Nighthawk RAXE300, which sits a little below the flagship RAXE500 in the company's high-end line. The RAXE300 offers a combined top WiFi speed of 7.8Gbps, plus the benefit of being able to leverage the 6GHz band for faster connectivity. Netgear promises that you'll get around 2,500 square feet of coverage from the device, plus enough gigabit ethernet ports to connect the rest of your smart home to.

At the same time, Netgear wanted to take the opportunity to remind the world of the Orbi 5G WiFi 6 Mesh NBK752, which was released late last year. It's the first 5G tri-band mesh system, which can leverage the 5G modem inside for always-on mobile broadband or as a backup should a standard wired connection fail. Not to mention that, as like many of Netgear's tri-band products, the backhaul network between the router and its satellite(s) should ensure a stronger, more reliable connection.

Rounding out the list is the Orbi Pro, SXK50, the company's new mid-range device for small businesses and professional types working from home. It's a little behind the top-tier SK80, with a cap of 75 concurrent devices, down from 100 for the flagship, as well as a slightly slower WiFi 6 speed, but it's likely to be an ideal option for some businesses looking for faster and more reliable connectivity.

Promotional image for Netgear's new Game Booster add-on
Netgear

Rounding out the announcements for this year is Game Booster, a paid-for add-on service for Orbi users so that they cam get the same lag-banishing features found in the Nighthawk routers. That includes the ability to track pings and pick the fastest server for specific online games, as well as a built-in ad-and-tracking blocker. Unfortunately, such features will set you back $50 per year after a 30-day free trial, and only if you currently own the Orbi series 750, 850 and 960.

The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 will be available in the first quarter of 2022, and will set you back $400, while the Orbi 5G is already available, priced at $1,099.99. The Orbi Pro SXK50, meanwhile, will be available in the US at some point in January 2022, and can be pre-ordered now for $450.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Y-Brush shows off a concept for its second-generation, uh, Y-shaped toothbrush

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 05:00 PM PST

It's been the better part of two years since Y-Brush started shipping, offering people a different way to clean their teeth. The retainer-shaped device is filled with nylon bristles which you put into your mouth, promising to sanitize your chompers in just 10 seconds. Now, at CES 2022, the company is showing off the concept for its second-generation device that'll offer a lot more than its predecessor ever did.

The new Y-Brush concept has bristles on both sides of the retainer, meaning that users don't need to pull the device out and flip it over to do the bottom half of their mouths. Instead, you'll just need to move it to the sides a bit to ensure perfect coverage. More importantly, however, is that rather than just one program, this proposed new model will offer six vibration modes, including Gum Care, Whitening and Polishing.

A beefier base both enables inductive charging and helps reduce toppling while sat on the countertop, while a companion app will help you set different programs based on your brushing habits. Although given that the whole point of this thing is to shove in your mouth and not do much at all, we're not sure how useful that would be.

For now, this second-generation Y-Brush is little more than a concept that the company wants to show off here at CES. But the thought is that this initial idea can be refined ready for the second-generation Brush, whenever that turns up.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

The OnePlus 10 Pro is the first new phone of 2022

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 05:00 PM PST

First out of the gates in 2022, OnePlus has a new flagship for anyone already looking for a smartphone refresh. The company is holding back from revealing absolutely everything (well, most things), but that hasn't stopped leaks and rumors of a 6.7-inch display with high refresh rates, and the very latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor

We're intrigued to hear more about the camera array, which will combine three camera sensors. Also, written on the fourth element of the camera unit, what does P2D 50T mean? 

The big challenge could be balancing price, specs and features so that it offers enough go up against the high-end phones of Apple and Samsung. At the same time, it has to offer tangibly more than its cheaper Nord phone series.

The OnePlus 10 Pro will launch first in China on Tuesday January 11th. With that timescale in mind, expect to hear all the other details very soon.

OnePlus 10 Pro
OnePlus

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is found guilty of defrauding investors

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 04:17 PM PST

Elizabeth Homes, the former CEO and founder of Theranos, has been found guilty on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Holmes faces up to 20 years in prison for defrauding investors in her blood testing startup. The verdict comes after a months-long trial, and more than three years after she was first charged and forced to step down as CEO in 2018.

Of the 11 total charges, Holmes was found guilty on four: conspiracy to defraud investors and three counts of wire fraud against individual investors. She was found not guilty on four additional charges, including one count of conspiracy to defraud patients, two counts of fraud against investors, and one count of wire fraud stemming from ads Theranos ran in Arizona. The jury was deadlocked on three other counts of wire fraud and returned no verdict on those charges. 

During the trial, Holmes' lawyers tried to portray her as a young and inexperienced entrepreneur. "Elizabeth Holmes worked herself to the bone for 15 years trying to make lab testing more affordable," one of Holmes' attorneys said in opening arguments. "She failed … but failure is not a crime."

Holmes, who testified during the trial, said she hadn't intended to mislead the public or investors, and had been advised to protect the company's "trade secrets." As The New York Times pointed out, she "spent much of her testimony arguing that others at Theranos were responsible for the company's shortcomings."

The prosecution alleged that Holmes knew about serious flaws in the company's technology and hid the issues from investors. Former patients who had received inaccurate blood tests also testified, including an Arizona woman who received an incorrect result for an HIV test, and a woman who was misdiagnosed with a miscarriage.

Holmes' story has been a source of widespread fascination even for those outside of Silicon Valley. At its peak, Theranos was valued at more than $9 billion, and had a board of directors filled with former high-ranking government officials, including two former Secretaries of State, Henry Kissinger and George Shultz. Holmes, who had dropped out of Stanford to start the company, regularly appeared on magazine covers and was often compared to Steve Jobs and other iconic founders. (Holmes herself was reportedly infatuated with Jobs and adopted his signature black turtlenecks.)

Former Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou was the first to report on issues with Theranos' technology in 2015, and his coverage prompted multiple investigations and lawsuits that ultimately resulted in criminal charges for Holmes and former COO Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani. On the stand, Holmes testified that her romantic relationship with Balwani had been abusive. Balwani's trial is scheduled to begin in February.

There has been no shortage of pop culture depictions of Holmes. After Carreyrou's best seller, Bad Blood, there was an HBO documentary and several podcasts about Theranos' rise and ultimate downfall. Hulu is set to debut a new miniseries about the saga, with Amanda Seyfried starring as Holmes, in March. And Apple recently nabbed the Jennifer Lawrence-led film adaptation of Bad Blood.

Holmes, who will likely appeal the charges, could face up to 20 years in prison, though it's not yet clear when she will be sentenced. Following the verdict, the judge in the case said Holmes would be allowed to remain free on bail for the time being, though a new hearing "to discuss any change in the conditions of Holmes' liberty" could come as soon as next week, according to Mercury News reporter Ethan Baron. Prosecutors also asked for Holmes bail conditions to be changed, which would require her "to put up cash or property, rather than just her signature, to cover her $500,000 bail."

The judge also declared a mistrial on the three wire fraud charges that had left the jury deadlocked. The mistrial leaves open the possibility of a new trial, though the prosecutors haven't said whether they would pursue such an action.

Targus made a backpack with a built-in Find My tracker

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 03:00 PM PST

Apple's Find My tech is making its way into more products, including a backpack from Targus. The Cypress Hero Backpack has a built-in location tracker that could help its rightful owner find it through the Find My network if it goes missing. Conversely, if you misplace your iPhone, you can press a button on the backpack to ping your phone, as long as you've set things up in the Targus app.

Targus says the tracker is "highly integrated" into the backpack, which should offer some additional anti-theft protection. You can set up geofencing alerts, so if the backpack moves out of a certain area, you'll receive an alert. The tracker also has a built-in sound alert (which will likely be around as loud as an AirTag) that you can trigger remotely.

The tracker has a replaceable battery that you can top up via USB, though Targus says it will run for around a year before you need to recharge it. Targus crafted the backpack with sustainability in mind, as it's made with 26 recycled water bottles. The Cypress Hero Backpack, which has an IPX3 water resistance rating, should be available sometime in the spring or summer. It costs $150.

Targus DOCK720 docking station.
Targus

On top of that, Targus announced the DOCK720, a docking station that supports a single 8K monitor or up to four 4K monitors. The company says it's the "first biometric device and docking solution in one" — in other words, it has a fingerprint reader. You can expect an array of ports too, including USB-A, USB-C, Ethernet, HDMI and a combo audio jack. The dock will be available this month for $443.

The Targus Docking Display, meanwhile, is a 24-inch 1080p LCD monitor with a built-in 2MP webcam, microphone, speakers and USB-C docking station. You can daisy chain it to a second monitor and power both displays from your computer. The Docking Display will ship in February. The primary monitor costs $400 and the secondary monitor (which doesn't have a webcam) is $180.

In addition, Targus is expanding its lineup of antimicrobial products, which now includes backpacks, shoulder bags and protective sleeves for laptops. The company claims its DefenseGuard Antimicrobial Protection effectively prevents the growth of 99.9% of germ-causing microorganisms.

It will also release the UV-C LED Disinfection Light next month after debuting it at CES 2021. For five minutes every hour, the $300 device will bathe a surface (or, more likely, a keyboard and mouse) in ultraviolet light to effectively kill 99 percent of pathogens.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Arlo's Security System has a keypad you can activate with a tap of your phone

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 12:12 PM PST

Many security systems come with sensors you can attach to your home's windows and doors to monitor for break-ins. One of the limitations of those devices is that they typically only include one monitoring function. In the long run, that's something that can cost you extra money if you move and end up with too many of one sensor and not enough of another. Security camera maker Arlo may have an elegant solution for that problem.

At CES 2022, the company introduced a security system that includes an all-in-one multi-sensor with eight monitoring functions. It can detect motion (including door and window openings), water leaks, light and temperature changes, as well as sounds made by T3 and T4 smoke alarms. Each sensor is about an inch wide and connects to a modular hub that includes a backlit keypad and NFC connectivity so that you can use your phone to activate and disarm the system. The hub is also compatible with Arlo's various security cameras and its Secure subscription service.

The Arlo Security System will go on sale sometime in the first half of 2022, according to a statement the company shared with The Verge. It promised to disclose more information, including details on pricing, closer to release. The company didn't have anything to say about the Security System's smart home integrations today, but it did announce that it will support the Matter standard moving forward. At its simplest, the promise of Matter is that you'll be able to buy a device and use it with the voice assistant of your choice and easily connect it to your existing home network.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

EVs made up 65 percent of car sales in Norway last year

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 10:55 AM PST

Electric vehicles accounted for nearly two-thirds of all new car sales in Norway this past year, according to newly published data from the country's Road Federation. In 2021, Norwegian dealerships sold 176,276 cars, 65 percent of which were EVs. That's an 11 percentage point increase from the year prior when they accounted for 54 percent of all new car sales. 

The Tesla Model 3 was the most popular choice among new buyers followed by Toyota's hybrid RAV4, the only car with an internal combustion engine to make the country's top-ten best-selling list. Other notable cars to make the list include the Volkswagen ID.4 in third place and the Polestar 2 in the number 10 spot.

The Norwegian EV Association told Reuters electric vehicle sales could make up as much as 80 percent of the country's total car market by 2022 — as long as chip shortages don't cause further shipping delays. As in 2020, much of what's driving EV adoption in Norway is the country's generous subsidies. Car buyers don't have to pay taxes imposed on traditional internal combustion engine vehicles when they buy an EV. In 2021, the country's federal government missed out on approximately $3.41 billion in tax revenue to push forward on its plan to end all gasoline-powered car sales by 2025.

Mercedes-Benz boasts 620-mile range for its latest EV concept

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 10:37 AM PST

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a concept electric vehicle it claims would be able to run for more than 620 miles before needing to recharge. Should it come to fruition and live up to that promise, the Vision EQXX would beat the range of the Lucid Air Dream Edition by more than 100 miles and the Tesla Model S Long Range Plus by around 220 miles.

"The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX is how we imagine the future of electric cars," Mercedes-Benz head Ola Källenius said.

Based on the automaker's simulations, the Vision EQXX would use less than 10 kWh to travel 62 miles on public roads, delivering an efficiency of more than 6 miles per kWh. Converted into fossil fuel consumption, Mercedes says that's around the "golden figure" of 1 liter of gasoline per 62 miles.

The battery is half the size of and 30 percent lighter than the one in the EQS. However, it still has a capacity of almost 100 kWh. What's more, there are ultra-thin solar panels on the roof that can add up to 25 km (15.5 miles) of range.

The Vision EQXX is a lightweight car (1,750 kg or 3,858 lbs) that has been aerodynamically optimized. The automaker says that, with a drag coefficient of cd 0.17, the EV is more aerodynamic than a football (which has a cd of 0.18 to 0.2). What's more, Mercedes claims that 95 percent of battery energy is directed to the wheels.

Teams from Mercedes' research and development centers worked with its Formula 1 and Formula E engineers on the concept. They harnessed digital tools to reduce waste and weight by cutting out excess material — the wheels are made with magnesium and the brake discs are built with aluminum alloy. The Vision EQXX uses recycled and plant-based materials too. 

As for the interior, the Vision EQXX's infotainment system has a single 47.5-inch, mini-LED 8K screen. Like the Hyperscreen in the EQS, it spans almost the entire width of the cabin, though this is a one-piece display. The automaker worked with NAVIS Automotive Systems on a navigation system with zoom and scroll functions that include a satellite view. The "Hey Mercedes" voice assistant is integrated into the infotainment system too.

Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX interior and infotainment system.
Mercedes-Benz

Even if Mercedes doesn't bring the Vision EQXX to show floors, developing the stylish concept has proven a valuable endeavor. It's already integrating many of the EV's features and developments into production. Some are being used in the next generation of the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture for compact and medium-sized cars.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

T-Mobile and Verizon discontinue iPad rebate program that caused customer headaches

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 09:40 AM PST

T-Mobile and Verizon have discontinued an iPad rebate program they offered in partnership with Apple. In a change spotted by MacRumors, the company's website no longer lists a promotion that previously allowed customers to save up to $200 by activating a cellular iPad through either of the two carriers.

The program and similar ones Apple offered for iPhone and Apple Watch purchases was the subject of a story Bloomberg's Mark Gurman published in December. The article recounts the lengthy process he had to follow to claim a $100 rebate on an Apple Watch 7. His initial request was denied by T-Mobile, and it was only after "multiple hourlong" phones calls and an eventual escalation that the problem was resolved.

"While my difficulties were with T-Mobile, Verizon users have been reporting similar problems, particularly around iPad rebates," Gurman wrote at the time. In fact, you'll find several people recounting their own frustrations with the program in his Twitter mentions. In short, it seems T-Mobile and Verizon were denying some rebate requests without providing much of an explanation for their actions. The terms of the promotion were also presented in a way that made them seem much simpler than they were in practice. 

However, it's not clear if those complaints were what prompted Apple, T-Mobile and Verizon to discontinue the program. "The iPad rebate with Apple was a limited time offer which has been in market since April 2021 and ended in December 31," a spokesperson for T-Mobile told Engadget. "We're always looking for opportunities to give our customers the best deals on devices." 

We've also reached out to Apple and Verizon for comment. We'll update this article when we hear back from them. 

Update 1:05PM ET: Added comment from T-Mobile. 

Eve's $250 HomeKit-exclusive outdoor camera arrives on April 5th

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 09:25 AM PST

Following its HomeKit-only indoor camera, Eve has announced a model for the outside of your home. The company claims the Outdoor Cam is the first floodlight camera created exclusively for HomeKit.

The Outdoor Cam uses HomeKit Secure Video and when it detects activity, you'll receive an iPhone notification. It taps into the on-device intelligence of Apple TV or HomePod to automatically record movements, and it can tell the difference between people, vehicles, pets, and packages.

Eve says that, like its other products, the camera was designed with data security in mind. Recordings are stored on iCloud and you can view them for up to 10 days via the Home app on iPhone, iPad and Mac. There's end-to-end encryption, so only the owner can see live video and recordings.

The camera can record 1080p video at 24 frames per second. It has a 157-degree field of view and two-way voice communication. The Outdoor Cam can detect motion up to 30 feet away through infrared night vision.

It's not the only outdoor camera that works with HomeKit Secure Video. The Netatmo Outdoor Camera does so as well. Still, it's interesting to see a smart security camera that requires Apple devices to operate.

You can pick up the Eve Outdoor Cam on April 5th from Eve and Amazon. Apple will sell the $250 camera at a later date.

In addition, Eve announced that its Matter-ready motors for blinds and shades are now available from a number of retailers. MotionBlinds require an iPhone or iPad equipped with the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

L’Oréal reveals its first at-home hair color device

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 09:00 AM PST

At CES, L'Oréal is showing off its first hair color device that can be used at home. The handheld Colorsonic can mix and apply product evenly, according to the company. If it works as promised, Colorsonic should help users get consistent hair color results without having to go to the salon.

L'Oréal developed and refined the device over the course of five years with the help of its customers. Colorsonic's mixer mechanism uses a mess-free process to blend exact volumes of developer and formula from colorant cartridges to create the hair color. The machine applies the product through a nozzle of bristles that oscillates in a zigzag pattern for even distribution.

L’OrĂ©al Colorsonic at-home hair color device and colorant cartridge.
L'Oréal

At-home dyeing and coloring kits have been around for decades. Still, the consistent results that L'Oréal is promising with Colorsonic could make the device worth checking out.

L'Oréal has become something of a mainstay at CES over the last several years. In 2019, it announced a sensor developed with wearable pioneer Professor John Rogers that measures skin hydration levels. The following year, it unveiled a smart dispenser that blends skincare product, taking into account factors like wrinkles, pore visibility, temperature and pollen levels. In 2021, L'Oréal's YSL brand revealed an at-home lipstick maker based on the Perso Smart Skincare system.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Acer's new Chromebook Spin 513 channels the Pixelbook's tall screen

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 09:00 AM PST

It wouldn't be CES without new Chromebooks, and Acer has a new trio to announce — though two of them aren't expected to arrive until June of 2022. The most intriguing of them is a new version of the Chromebook Spin 513 (pictured above), one of Acer's mid-range options. While the company already sells a few different configurations of the Spin 513, this new model has a somewhat unusual processor on board. It's using MediaTek's eight-core Kompanio 1380 processor, coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. In the past, I've been reluctant to recommend Chromebooks without Intel processors, but I won't write this one off without testing it first. 

Assuming the processor holds up, there are some other things to like about the Chromebook Spin 513. This year's model has a 13.5-inch touchscreen with a 2,256 x 1,504 resolution; that's a 3:2 aspect ratio like the Chromebook Spin 713 I reviewed last year. The Spin 713 is an expensive Chromebook at $699, but the Spin 513 is priced at $599. That's not cheap, but I'm glad to see Acer put this 3:2 display on a less expensive option. As the name suggests, the Flip 513 has a 360-degree hinge so the laptop can be flipped around into tablet mode as well as "tent" mode for watching video. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until June for this laptop to go on sale.

The other two new Acer Chromebooks are budget options, both priced at $299. The 2022 Chromebook 315 is a 15.6-inch laptop, and its large 1080p panel (touchscreen optional) is the main selling point here. Other specs are pretty standard for this price range: Intel Celeron or Pentium Silver processors, up to 8GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of storage and about 10 hours of battery life. The Chromebook 314, on the other hand, is essentially the same as the 315, it just has a smaller, 14-inch 1080p screen. The Chromebook 315 will be on sale this month in the US, but the 314 won't be available until June.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Kohler's fog-emitting smart 'Stillness Bath' is yours for $8,000

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 07:58 AM PST

Kohler has revealed when you'll be able to snag the Stillness Bath it unveiled at CES 2021, as well as a number of other smart home products. The bath, which takes inspiration from Japanese forest bathing, aims to replicate a spa experience with the help of light, fog and aromas. All aspects of the experience can be controlled through Kohler's Konnect app. The Soak Freestanding Bath model will cost around $8,000 and you'll be able to order it by the end of March.

Kohler's Stillness Bath takes inspiration from Japanese forest bathing and aims to replicate a spa experience with the help of light, fog, and aromas.
Kohler

Another model offers voice control and another, called the Infinity Experience, fills from the bottom and water overflows into the wood base. Those will be available in Q3 this year. Pricing will be announced later.

Also at CES 2021, the company revealed the Touchless Residential Bathroom Faucet. The device will turn or off with a wave of your hand, though you'll still need to use a physical handle to set your preferred temperature. The faucet will automatically switch off after two minutes and when you set it to Vacation Mode, users can be assured it won't turn on accidentally while they're away. The device will ship later this year and cost $199.

The control panel for Kohler's PerfectFill system, which allows owners to control the depth and temperature of their bath water without monitoring it manually.
Kohler

Elsewhere, Kohler has announced pricing and availability for its PerfectFill smart bathing tech. The system allows you to fill your bath to a specified depth and temperature through a voice command, control panel or the Konnect app. You can have up to 10 presets, and you'll be able to drain the bath using a voice command too. The system — which pairs with a Kohler digital valve, shout and compatible bath — will be available to buy in May, and it starts at $2,700.

Later this month, Kohler will start shipping home water monitors that it developed with the help of Phyn. The H2Wise systems can monitor water use on every home fixture. Along with alerting homeowners immediately when they detect a leak, the systems will offer detailed insights about home water use. They also use pressure sensing to look for crystals forming in pipes, so they can alert users before pipes freeze and burst.

Kohler H2Wise water monitoring system connected to pipes
Kohler

The DIY version (H2Wise) can be installed under a single sink, while the pro model, H2Wise+, is attached to the home's main valve and can shut off water throughout the residence if it detects a leak. As well as the Kohler app, you can connect the units to voice assistants. The DIY model costs approximately $400, and Kohler says the pro version (which can also be used outdoors) will be an estimated $666.70.

Among the other products Kohler will release this year is the Power Reserve Energy Storage System, which can pair with solar panel systems to store energy they produce. The battery can act as a backup for outages or to power the home using stored solar energy and reduce dependence on utility power. You can also prioritize the use of stored energy during peak usage times to lower the cost of your utility bills.

There could be a benefit for homes that don't have solar panels, as the system can store energy from the power grid at times of lower electricity usage. Kohler Power Reserve will start at around $13,325 for a system with a 10 kWh battery capacity, though you can have up to 20 kWh.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Apple's AirTag is the cheapest it's ever been at Amazon

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 07:38 AM PST

Apple's AirTags can be a good way to keep track of that new backpack or wallet you were gifted during the holidays, and now you can grab one of the trackers for less. Amazon has a single AirTag for $24, which is $5 less than usual and a new record-low. The only time we've seen AirTags for less than this was during a Woot sale on a four-pack. This, however, is the best price we've seen if you want just one of the trackers — and while it's a relatively small discount, it's a good deal on an accessory that rarely goes on sale.

Buy AirTag at Amazon - $24

AirTags are designed to work with iPhones, which means you'll get a pretty seamless experience from the moment you take the coin-sized tracker out of the box. The Find My app will immediately recognize the AirTag and you can label it with the name of whatever it's attached to. Since there's no keyhole on the AirTag, you will need some sort of case or holder if you want to secure the tracker to your keys, but you can find affordable AirTag accessories easily across the web. Given how small AirTags are, they'll easily slip into a pocket of your bag or a fold in your wallet without trouble.

Once set up, you can return to the Find My app to locate your missing things and you can force the AirTag to emit a chime so you can more easily find your stuff if you're still relatively close to it. Plus, if you have an iPhone that supports ultra-wideband, the AirTag's Precision Finding feature can lead you directly to your stuff with directions on your handset's screen. You may have to wait a bit to get the AirTag as Amazon's estimated delivery time is at the end of January, but now's a good opportunity to add an AirTag to your Apple setup and save a bit of money while doing so.

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

Jabra's workout-ready Elite 4 Active earbuds are now available for $120

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 07:29 AM PST

Back in August, Jabra debuted its ultra affordable Elite 3 earbuds. That model offers all of the core features you'd expect from a set of true wireless earbuds with good sound quality, solid battery life and a comfy fit. And all of that only costs you $80. There were some omissions — most notably the lack of active noise cancellation (ANC) — but the company is officially debuting a new option at CES that checks even more boxes while keeping the price low: the Elite 4 Active.

While these earbuds made an early appearance in the UK last week, Jabra has now officially announced the new set for the US. The Elite 4 Active features a similar design to the range of new earbuds the company began announcing last year. This means the buds should be comfy due to their smaller size and recently redesigned shape. As the name implies, the Elite 4 Active is built to withstand sweaty workouts with an IP57 waterproof rating. 

In terms of audio, the Elite 4 Active houses 6mm drivers and you can tweak the EQ via Jabra's app. This new model also features ANC, which the more affordable Elite 3 does not. The only caveat is that it's not adjustable like the noise cancellation on the flagship Elite 7 Pro earbuds. Jabra's transparency mode, HearThrough, is available on the Elite 4 Active to allow you to hear your surroundings when needed. Four mesh covered microphones assist with calls and Jabra says their design will reduce wind noise. 

Like the Elite 3, you can expect up to seven hours of battery life with an additional three charges in the case. Jabra has also included features like the ability to use either earbud solo, Google Fast Pair, Alexa built-in and Spotify Tap playback. The best part? They're available starting today for $120 from Amazon and Jabra

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Google's second-gen Nest Hub drops to $60 in New Year's sale

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 06:48 AM PST

Most of Google's Nest devices went on sale for the holiday shopping season and, while those deep discounts have come and gone, we're already seeing new sales pop up across the web. Both Best Buy and Adorama have the second-generation Google Nest Hub for $60, which is $40 off its normal price and only $10 more than it was on Black Friday. The Nest Hub Max is also on sale for $190, while the Nest Audio and Nest Mini are down to $75 and $25, respectively.

Shop Google sale at Best BuyShop Google sale at AdoramaBuy Nest Hub (2nd gen) at Best Buy - $60Buy Nest Hub (2nd gen) at Adorama - $60

Our favorites of the bunch for most people are the Nest Hub and the Nest Audio. The former is Google's most recent smart display and it earned a score of 89 from us. It has a minimalist design, a lovely 7-inch display, clearer and louder audio than its predecessor and faster performance as well. It's just the right size to fit into any room without taking up too much space, and you can even place it on your nightstand and it will track your sleep. The feature was a bit finicky when we tested it, but as long as it's place precisely, you should get data on your sleep duration, quality, schedule and even snoring information.

The Nest Audio is Google's $100 smart speaker that competes with Amazon's Echo and Apple's HomePod mini. It holds its own against both of those devices and it earned a score of 87 from us for its solid audio quality, charming design, good Google Assistant performance and stereo mode when two of the speakers are paired. It's the smart speaker to get if you care at all about audio quality and already rely on the Google Assistant a lot. The Nest Mini may seem like an attractive option at $25, but you get what you pay for. Like its Amazon counterpart, the Echo Dot, the Nest Mini is an affordable way to get the Google Assistant into a small place but you'll sacrifice quite a bit on sound quality.

The Nest Hub Max is for those who want to go all in on both sound and Google smart devices. It has the best audio quality of them all plus a 10-inch display, gesture controls and the ability to double as a Nest Cam. It would make a good home-base smart display, one that sits in your living room or kitchen so everyone in your family has access to it when necessary.

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

Nintendo's 'Ring Fit Adventure' is back on sale for $55

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 05:57 AM PST

If you're looking for a more engaging way to work out in the new year, Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure could do the trick. The game forces you to do things like squat, jog in place and more to move your character through a fantasy world, making it a more interesting way to work out at home, especially during the winter months. Amazon has the pack for $55, or $25 off its usual price, and it's currently in stock as of writing this, so you can get your hands on it fairly quickly. The price only appears on the product page if you're a Prime subscriber, but it's available for all and it will show up once you have the game in your cart.

Buy Ring Fit Adventure at Amazon - $55

Designed to work with the Nintendo Switch, Ring Fit Adventure tracks motion using the console's Joy-Cons. One straps to the provided ring while the other attaches to a leg strap so it can keep track of both upper- and lower-body movements. Like regular games that don't have a sneaky exercise component, you'll design your character when you first boot up the title and they'll immediately be plopped into a new world that's ready to be explored. Only here, you'll do so by running in place and completing exercises like leg lifts and crunches to defeat enemies.

The Ring Fit Adventure won't replicate a treadmill run or even a strength-training workout video you can follow along, but that's ultimately the point of an exercise-based game like this. It's designed to provide a unique workout that doesn't feel like a regular fitness routine. We also appreciate that the game targets all part of the body with the moves it asks you to do, and you can customize it a bit by choosing the exercises you want to run through. There's also a handy "quiet mode" that removes actions like jumping up and down and instead focuses on lower-impact moves.

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

The Morning After: Tech that helps with those New Year’s resolutions

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 04:15 AM PST

Welcome to the new year. How are those resolutions coming along? (Don't worry, we can help.)

Contrary to my expectations, CES 2022 is still happening. However, the organizers have announced that the tech show will be cut short by a day, as COVID-19 cases continue to surge. It's also kind of started early, with some big announcements from Samsung already, including putting NFTs into its TVs, and an upgraded eco TV remote that sips on your WiFi waves for energy.

Expect a week of hardware announcements, even if chances to play with and assess these new devices are a little limited without attendance in person.

-Mat Smith

Alienware's Concept Nyx is like a Plex server for your PC games

But will it appeal to anyone beyond PC gaming fanatics?

Alienware's newest concept can be boiled down to a gaming server that runs on your home network. You could conceivably run two games at once on your television, as Engadget saw during a recent demo in NYC. Since all of the rendering and network processing is happening in your home, Nyx would also be a lower latency experience than traditional cloud gaming.

Continue reading.

This is a shiatsu hand massager for gamers

A hand warmer setting may help you get good.

TMA
Bauhutte

To help soothe their weary mitts, Japanese company Bauhutte has created a hand massager for gamers. The device works on either hand and has a 15-layer airbag for each finger and a shiatsu plate for the palm. There are two main options: a Shiatsu mode for the entire hand, and one that focuses on stretching fingers.

Continue reading.

The next AirPods Pro might support lossless audio

You might have an easier time finding your case, too.

Now that the third-generation AirPods offer some of the same features as the AirPods Pro, how will Apple's higher-end wireless earbuds stand out? Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple is launching its second-generation Pro earbuds in the fall with support for Apple Lossless (ALAC) audio. Kuo expects the updated headphones will offer a "new form factor design" and that the new buds will supposedly include a charging case that can make sounds, much like AirTags, to help find it behind your couch cushions.

Continue reading.

Samsung's latest remote turns router radio waves into energy

The 2022 Eco Remote has a white option to match Samsung's lifestyle TVs.

TMA
Samsung

Samsung has revamped the solar-charging remote it debuted at last year's CES. Along with using light to top up the battery, Samsung says the latest Eco Remote can convert routers' radio waves into energy to stay fully charged. There's still a solar panel on the rear of the remote, which is also made with recycled materials. 

Continue reading.

Twitter bans Marjorie Taylor Greene's personal account

Due to repeatedly spreading COVID-19 misinformation.

Twitter has banned Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's personal account after a fifth "strike" for spreading COVID-19 misinformation. A fifth strike means it's a permanent ban.

In the past year, she claimed in July that COVID-19 wasn't dangerous unless you were over 65 or obese, and in August said vaccines were "failing" against the new coronavirus' Delta variant. Both statements were untrue. The posts respectively led to 12-hour and one-week suspensions. Her official account is still active as of this writing because it hasn't run afoul of Twitter's rules. Beyond that, she may have to wait around for TRUTH Social to finally launch.

Continue reading.

 

 

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Sunday, January 2, 2022

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AT&T and Verizon might delay 5G expansion again over FAA concerns

Posted: 01 Jan 2022 02:45 PM PST

For the past month, AT&T and Verizon have been holding off on rolling out potentially faster C-band 5G service, due to safety concerns from the Federal Aviation Administration. Now, it looks like an additional delay could be in store, once again over FAA concerns. The two major carriers had been scheduled on December 5 to use newly purchased frequencies to roll out C-band service, but delayed the launch to January 5 after the Department of Transportation raised concerns related to possible interference. According to a letter obtained by Reuters, the Transportation Department and FAA are now asking for up to two more weeks to study the issue.

In the letter, sent by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Steve Dickson to the CEOs of AT&T and Verizon, the pair asked for a delay of "no more than two weeks." The two framed the request as part of a "proposal as a near-term solution for advancing the co-existence of 5G deployment in the C-Band and safe flight operations," according to Reuters

At issue until now has been the possibility that pilots will use poor-weather safety system that could conflict with this new C-band 5G technology. The FAA would ultimately like to enact regulations that bar pilots from using such systems, The Wall Street Journal reported in November. Aviation officials have claimed that C-band 5G has the potential to interfere with flights in and around the nearly four dozen cities where C-band towers are located. Telecoms have claimed there is no evidence that C-band 5G will jeopardize flight safety.

In the framework that Reuters describes in its report, the FAA would designate "priority" airports where "a buffer zone would permit aviation operations to continue safely while the FAA completes its assessments of the interference potential."

Reuters says that both companies say they have received the letter. But they have so far stopped short of agreeing to an additional two-week delay. Needless to say, this postponement would come as unwelcome news to both carriers. Reuters reports that on Friday, the companies accused the aviation industry of holding the C-band expansion "hostage until the wireless industry agrees to cover the costs of upgrading any obsolete altimeters."

And in a statement to Insider on Saturday, a Verizon spokesperson said: "If the airlines are so concerned about flight cancellations related to 5G, they should really look at their track record over the past two weeks," referring to a wave of recent cancellations amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. "This industry which got a $54 billion taxpayer-funded, government bail out over the past couple years clearly has much bigger issues to worry about."

As frustrated as executives from the two carriers might be, however, as Reuters notes the companies agreed to six months of precautionary measures when they purchased the C-band spectrum in early 2021.

United States extends ISS operations through 2030

Posted: 01 Jan 2022 11:30 AM PST

The United States is extending its operations aboard the International Space Station through 2030, NASA confirmed Friday in a blog post. "The International Space Station is a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. 

Though it was never in doubt that the US would continue its near-term commitment to the ISS, NASA's announcement comes amid heightened tensions with Russia, one of several nations sharing access to the Space Station. 2021 also saw Russia deepen its cooperation in space with China, another US adversary, as The New York Timesnoted in June.

Fall 2021 saw multiple emergencies aboard the ISS, both of which the US blamed on Russia. In October, surprise test fire from a docked Russian spacecraft caused the ISS to tilt out of its normal position, leading personnel on board to briefly evacuate. (A fun footnote: The spacecraft that caused the incident had been in space so that a Russian crew could film the first feature film aboard the Space Station.) Then, in November, satellite debris forced ISS astronauts to seek shelter on the day as a Russian missile attack. The US condemned Russia for the attack. Russia did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. 

Later that month, in an unrelated episode, Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, left the door open for possible criminal charges related to a 2018 incident involving a hole in one of its spacecraft, which Russian media insinuated could have been the result of US sabotage. "These attacks are false and lack any credibility," Nelson told Ars Technica in November.

In its statement on Friday, NASA highlighted among its continuing projects sending humans to Mars, as well as Project Artemis, an effort to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon. Indeed, NASA underwent a reorganization in September that seemed to specifically reflect its priorities around the Moon and Mars.

Apple's AirPods Pro are back down to $180 on Amazon

Posted: 01 Jan 2022 09:15 AM PST

If you still haven't pulled the trigger on a pair of Apple's AirPods Pro, Amazon has them on sale for the first time since Christmas, as far as we can tell. You can currently get them for $180, down from their normal price of $250. That's not as good as the $159 price advertised for Black Friday, but considering the price spiked to $197 around Christmas, $180 is still an improvement over recent listings. 

Among Apple's AirPods lineup, the AirPods Pro offer the best audio quality. That, plus active noise cancelation and a better fitting design earned it a strong score of 87 in our 2019 review. iPhone and Mac owners in particular will appreciate the buds' H1 chip, which allows for easy pairing, hands-free Siri access and the seamless transfer of audio between iOS and macOS devices. Included in the box, too, as you can see in that top photo, is Apple's MagSafe charging case. 

Buy AirPods Pro at Amazon - $180

Microsoft's Xbox Elite Series 2 controller is $40 off right now

Posted: 01 Jan 2022 07:30 AM PST

If you're still in the mood for some post-holiday gifts-to-self, Microsoft has cut the price on its high-end Xbox Elite Series 2 controller to $140. That's almost as low as the Black Friday price of $135, in case you missed out on that sale in late November. Normally $180, the highly customizable Elite Series 2 is positioned as an upgrade for avid gamers, with a slew of premium features including a set of six adjustable-tension thumbsticks, four paddles, two d-pads, shorter hair trigger locks, rubberized wraparound grips, a carrying case and up to three custom profiles — a handy thing if your attention is typically divided between several titles. 

As for battery life, the controller is rated for 40 hours of wireless play time, and there's also a charging dock in the package in addition to the charging case. In addition to wireless connectivity via Bluetooth, there's also the option of plugging in a USB-C cable. Either way, the controller is compatible not just with Xbox games, but PC titles too.

If you've been eyeing the Series 2, it's worth noting we don't see it on sale that often. In fact, stock itself seems to be low right now — as of this writing, Amazon doesn't even have inventory of the Series 2, so the fact that Microsoft has it at all, let alone at a close-to-Black Friday price, seems notable.

Buy Elite Series 2 at Microsoft - $140

Tech that can help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions

Posted: 01 Jan 2022 06:34 AM PST

Regardless of how 2021 went for you, 2022 is another chance for all of us to make the new year better than those that came before it. We set New Year's resolutions with the best of intentions, but it's no wonder that so many people fail after just a few weeks – old habits die hard. Just as it's important to have a supportive group of people cheering you on during those particularly hard days, it's also important to have tools that make it easier to achieve your goals. Whether you're trying to get healthy, be more organized, or read more, there are tech tools that can make your journey a bit easier (and maybe even more enjoyable).

Fitness tracker

Fitbit Inspire 2 fitness tracker
Fitbit

A fitness tracker can help kickstart your exercise journey by passively monitoring your wins and showing you daily data about your steps, sleep patterns and more. Fitbit's Inspire 2 is an all-around good option, not only because it's fairly affordable at $100, but because it does pretty much everything a beginner would need a fitness tracker to do. It tracks daily steps, calories, heart rate, sleep and more, and it comes with 20 goal-based exercises that you can manually track or let the device's automatic SmartTrack feature monitor for you. It also has 10-day battery life, so you rarely have to take it off to charge it. And with built-in Tile functionality, you'll be able to more easily find the device if you do misplace it.

Smartwatch

Apple Watch SE
Cherlynn Low / Engadget

If you'd rather invest in an all-purpose wearable that also has serious fitness chops, the Apple Watch SE is a good choice. While it doesn't include some of the bells and whistles that the Series 7 does, it still fferes the same core experience as any Apple Watch. It tracks all-day activity and heart rate, and watchOS finally does basic sleep tracking, too. In addition to built-in GPS for outdoor workouts, it supports dozens of trackable exercises along with fall detection and high and low heart rate notifications. The Apple Watch also excels over basic fitness trackers when it comes to table-stakes smartwatch features: You'll be able to send and receive text messages from the device, as well as control music playback, smart home devices and more.

Workout classes

Smiling sportswoman crouching, taking a break, and using phone after running in nature.
millann via Getty Images

If running isn't your thing, or it's just inconvenient to do it where you live, finding exercise classes that you enjoy can make working out a habit you're more likely to stick with for the long haul. You may prefer to do this through your local gym — that push to get out of the house and into a dedicated exercise space can be really effective for some — but there are plenty of online fitness classes as well that you can participate in from the comfort of your living room. I've tried my fair share of these services and my favorite has been Peloton. No, you don't need one of the company's expensive bikes or treadmills to take advantage of their classes. Access to the app-only version of the subscription costs $13 per month and it lets you take HIIT, strength, yoga and even outdoor running classes, many of which require little to no equipment at all.

If you can't afford another monthly subscription fee, the internet has tons of free exercise resources — you just have to work a little harder to find the ones you jive with most. I highly recommend Fitness Blender, a free website where you can watch hundreds of workout videos and even set a schedule for yourself, assigning videos to specific days of the week. I like the quality and consistency of their videos, but you may connect more to YouTube workout videos if they're taught by instructors you like; Heather Robertson and Move with Nicole are two personal favorites.

Habit tracker

Forest app
Forest

At least in the beginning, keeping track of new habits you're trying to build can help you stick to them. While you can get deep into this subject if you wander down the bullet-journal rabbit hole, a habit-tracking app is probably the easier option. Done and Strides are two iOS options that let you log when you've completed a new habit you're trying to build or when you avoided a bad habit that you're trying to break. You can get pretty granular, customizing how often you want to do a task, setting reminders to log, reviewing stats and more. However, both apps have paid tiers to which you'll be asked to subscribe after you create a few trackable habits.

If you'd rather avoid yet another subscription, consider an app like Streaks, which can be all yours for a one-time fee of $5. As for Android, Grow is a free app that takes a similar approach to habit tracking that Forest takes with time management. Plant a virtual tree for each new habit tracked and watch it grow every time you log a completion. There's also Habitica, which turns habit tracking to an 8-bit RPG game in which your custom avatar levels up every time you log a task.

To-do and note-taking apps

Things 3
Things 3

The new year provides an opportunity to get back on track, and one way to do that is by finding organizational tools that work for you — and making sure those tools are as uncomplicated as possible. The worst thing that could happen is that your to-do list or note-taking system ends up being so cumbersome that you avoid using it. Keeping all of your necessary tasks in your head may work on easy days, but it can quickly get overwhelming when you have a million things to handle in both your personal and professional life. I'm a fan of Things for iOS and macOS because it's detailed enough for big work projects, but simple enough for casual personal tasks. I also love the Today view, which shows me everything across all of my projects that requires immediate attention.

However, you'll spend $80 to get Things for iOS, iPadOS and macOS — and it's only available for Apple devices. Microsoft's To Do is an alternative that, while less involved than Things 3, is free and works on almost every platform including iOS, Android and Windows, among others. You can keep it simple and just have a task list and a grocery list, or you can go deeper and add due dates, sub-tasks and even share lists with family members. And if you don't want to bother with an extraneous app, you can always opt for the reminders app that (most likely) came preinstalled on your phone. That would be Reminders for iOS users and Google Keep for Android users.

Google Keep also doubles as a note-taking app, which will be a better solution if you've been constantly jotting down ideas for new projects on Post-It notes or scraps of paper that you eventually lose. Apple Notes is the default option for this on iOS devices, and there are plenty of other note-taking apps out there as well. I'm partial to Evernote simply because it's become my digital file box of sorts. I take notes in it almost every day, but tons of things like online order receipts, messages from my doctor's office and e-signed contracts all come to me through my email and eventually get saved and tagged in Evernote so I can easily find them in the future.

Password manager

1Password password manager app.
1Password

If you're looking to up your organization game in the new year, a password manager is a great place to start. I'm partial to 1Password, but there are plenty of other options including LastPass (which has a free version), Bitwarden and Dashlane. After saving all of your passwords for various accounts, you only need to remember one (hence the name) to log in to your 1Password account and access all of the others. The service has browser extensions Chrome, Edge and others that will let you seamlessly log in with the proper credentials with just a few clicks, and 1Password has apps for most platforms including iOS and Android, so you can use it on all of your devices.

I also appreciate the Password Generator feature, which helps you create a new, secure password whenever one of yours has expired. LassPass has this too, and Dashlane even has a free tool that anyone can use to make more secure passwords. Not only does this take the onus of coming up with a strong key off your shoulders, but it also makes it easy to override old credentials with new ones.

Travel tech organizer

Bellroy Desk Pouch
Bellroy

One of the consequences of the past two is the dual-office life. Many of us now work both from home and from an office, and the last thing you want to do when you arrive in either place is rummage around your backpack only to realize that you've left your mouse, charging cable or dongle at your other desk.

An organizer bag can prevent this before it happens – we're partial to BagSmart tech organizers thanks to their utilitarian, water-repellent designs and their multiple pockets and dividers. They also come in different sizes, so you can pick the best one for your commuter bag. If you want something a bit more elevated, Bellroy's Desk Pouch is a good option. It's pricier but for the money you get a more elegant design, with a higher-quality material (recycled nylon, weave or ripstop, depending on the color you choose) and a structured base that keeps the bag upright on your desk.

Computer docking station

CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 dock
CalDigit

It's all too easy for your work-from-home setup to get really messy really quickly. When you're going through your busiest times at work, the last thing you're thinking about is cable management, but dedicating a bit more effort into tidying up your workspace can make your day to day more efficient and more enjoyable.

We recommend some sort of docking station to keep your laptop, monitors, accessories and the like in check. A couple good options are CalDigit's TS3 Plus and Plugable's Universal Docking Station. The former has a compact, rectangular design with a total of 16 different ports on it, including a Gigabit Ethernet jack, five USB-A connections, two Thunderbolt 3 sockets and analog audio in/out ports. The latter stands up vertically on your desk and has 13 connectors, including HDMI and DVI ports, six USB-A connections and a Gigabit Ethernet jack. That DVI port may be a deciding factor for you depending on which monitor you have, and Plugable's device comes with both DVI to HDMI and DVI to VGA adapters.

While both of those options are stationary, there are plenty of adapters out there that can give you similar organization while on the go, albeit in a less elegant package. Anker's USB-C hub is an affordable solution that includes an HDMI port, microSD and SD card readers, two USB-C connections and two USB-A ports. It also supports 100W power pass-through, so you can charge your laptop through the hub while using it.

Instant Pot

Instant Pot Smart WiFi
Instant Pot / Best Buy

Eating healthier — or even just avoiding takeout multiple times a week — can be challenging in part because it usually means cooking more at home. Not only is that hard to do when you're starting from zero, but it's especially tough because it takes more time than ordering in from your phone. But tools like an Instant Pot can make the process easier because it cuts your active cooking time down drastically. You can find a plethora of recipes in which you simply throw a bunch of ingredients into the pot, set it and forget it until it's time to eat.

We recommend the Instant Pot Duo for beginners because it's relatively affordable and combines seven different cooking methods into one appliance, including rice cooking, steaming, pressure cooking, slow cooking and more. If you're primarily cooking for yourself and a partner, the three-quart model will serve you just fine, but we recommend the six-quart model if you're routinely cooking for four or more. If the thought of cooking at home actually excites you rather than fills you with anxiety, consider the Instant Pot Ultra, which includes a few extra modes like cake maker and egg cooker, or the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, which includes an air-fry lid.

Recipe organization

A woman prepares a healthy meal in her kitchen, using a scale to portion the ingredients.
RichLegg via Getty Images

One of the best things about cooking at home is finding recipes that you love so much that you want to make over and over again. You'll want to keep those recipes safe and readily available so you can refer to them when you need a quick weeknight meal or a dish to bring to your next family reunion. Recipe cards are a great way to do this, and you'll build up your rolodex of delicious meals over time. If you'd rather have a cookbook of sorts that you fill in yourself over time, opt for a recipe book instead.

If you'd rather keep your arsenal of recipes accessible at any time, anywhere from your phone, Paprika's recipe management app is the best solution I've tried. The $5 app basically acts as your digital recipe box, allowing you to enter recipes of your own as well as download them from the internet. You know those hundreds of words that precede online recipes, in which the author divulges their entire life story before telling you their secret to making deliciously moist cornbread? Paprika strips all of those unnecessary bits out and only saves the ingredient list and the instructions. You can also make grocery lists and keep track of pantry staples in the app, so don't be surprised if it quickly becomes one of your most-used kitchen tools.

Reading app

Scribd
Scribd

Don't take your habit of doom-scrolling on Twitter for hours every day into the new year. You could instead use the internet to find other things to read and the free Libby app is a good place to start. Powered by Overdrive, it connects you with your local library's digital collection, allowing you to borrow and download all kinds of e-books, audiobooks, magazines, graphic novels and more. Libby also has a tag system that you can use to "save" titles for later without actually putting a hold on them (although you can do that in the app, too). If you find a bunch of audiobooks you eventually want to get to, you can give them all a "TBR" tag so you can quickly find them and borrow one when you need new reading/listening material.

As someone who uses Libby on a regular basis, I love how easy it is to borrow from my local library without leaving my home. However, there have been numerous times in which my library doesn't have a title I'm looking for. If that happens to you often, you may want to consider a subscription service like Kindle Unlimited or Scribd, both of which give you unlimited access to a wide library of e-books for $10 per month. And for audiobook lovers, your options are Amazon's Audible or Libro.fm, the latter of which lets you choose the local bookstore you want to support with your purchases.

E-reader

Amazon's latest Kindle Paperwhite e-reader, which was released at the end of October 2021.
Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

E-readers are still around because so many people recognize how much better it can be to read e-books on a dedicated device — especially one with an e-paper display. Sure, you could read on your smartphone or a tablet, but staring at those screens all day long can be tiring for your eyes. An e-reader like Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite or Kobo's Clara HD is a better choice not only for its more comfortable display, but also because it focuses your attention on reading. (If you've ever picked up your smartphone intending to finish a chapter only to be distracted by email or Twitter, you know how crucial this is.)

The new Kindle Paperwhite has a 6.8-inch display with adjustable warm lights, 20 percent faster page turns and weeks of battery life. The Clara HD is similar, with a 6-inch E-Ink display, adjustable brightness and color temperature, along with weeks of battery life. If you already get most of your e-books through Amazon, the Paperwhite is the best option. You can listen to Audible audiobooks, too, if you connect a pair of wireless earbuds to the e-reader. Kobo's device primarily gets books via the Kobo Store, but it also supports various file types like EPUB, PDF and MOBI. Plus, it has on-device integration with Overdrive, allowing you to borrow library books directly from the e-reader.

Hyundai built an air purifier out of recycled Ioniq 5 EV parts

Posted: 31 Dec 2021 06:00 PM PST

Every car is the result of a long development process in which automakers build many pre-production vehicles that never see the light of day. Rather than scrapping one of its Ioniq 5 test vehicles entirely, Hyundai repurposed the car's parts to make an air purifier.

According to a YouTube video description, the model "went through numerous tests to ensure our safety." The video notes that, over the course of a year, the vehicle was used to test the likes of the Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System, pass-by noise regulation and wind tunnel noise.

The video shows Hyundai engineers stripping the Ioniq 5 to its bones, then designing a completely different product using the components. Among other parts, they used the cooling fan, door panels, LED tail lamp, infotainment unit and, of course, the filter unit. The engineers put a 20-inch alloy wheel on the top of the case (so the purifier is probably pretty large), while the car's emblem adds some professional branding.

Although many car parts are already recyclable, including batteries, this is a neat experiment. It suggests there are other sustainable ways to repurpose a car that's otherwise outlived its usefulness. Meanwhile, Hyundai started deliveries of the Ioniq 5 in the US this month.

Netflix will be required to stream 20 state TV channels in Russia

Posted: 31 Dec 2021 03:00 PM PST

Starting in March, Netflix will have to stream 20 state television channels in Russia. Roskomnadzor, the country's media watchdog, registered the platform as an "audiovisual service" this week. Among the channels Netflix will have to carry are the flagship Channel One, entertainment network NTV and a Russian Orthodox Church channel called Spas (which means "Saved").

Streaming services with more than 100,000 daily users in Russia are included on the register, which was established late last year. Not only must registered platforms offer state TV channels, they need to set up a Russian company, according to The Moscow Times.

Companies on the register also have to abide by Russian laws. For one thing, Netflix will not be allowed to promote "extremism." Critics claim that provision has been wielded against those who support the Kremlin's opponents.

Other video services in the country reportedly argued that Netflix should be added to the register to level the playing field, since it meets the requirements. The Russian version of Netflix is operated by Entertainment Online Service, a subsidiary of National Media Group, which has a stake in Channel One.

Engadget has contacted Netflix for comment.

In November, it emerged Russia was investigating a complaint over LGBTQIA+ content on Netflix. The company told Engadget such content was rated appropriately. That same month, Russia ordered several tech giants (including Apple, Google, Meta, TikTok and Twitter) to set up offices within its borders by the end of this year.