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Epic Games is rolling out a new type of account for younger players that will require parental consent before they can do things like make purchases from Fortnite's in-game store with real money or use voice chat. Epic says these so-called "cabined accounts" will provide a "tailored experience that is safe and inclusive for younger players using the store or launcher."

In a blog post, Epic positioned cabined accounts as a "new way for kids to join the metaverse." It wrote that some companies try to provide a safe environment for kids in an online ecosystem by "by creating isolated experiences solely for their younger players, but these experiences are usually restrictive and unappealing when compared to the full game or activity and may encourage false reporting of age. Another approach has been to offer a fulsome experience for younger players, but if kids do not obtain permission from their parents, they are locked out entirely with no alternatives. Neither of these are optimal."

Starting today, players will see a one-time request for their age when they log into the Epic Games Store or the company's games. If someone indicates they are under 13 or a country's age of consent to use digital services, they will now have a cabined account. Although they'll still be able to play Fortnite, Rocket League or Fall Guys with access to previously purchased and earned in-game content, they'll need to provide a parent or guardian's email address and get consent from them to use certain features.

Several other features are disabled in cabined accounts, including any purchases with money, free text chat, making trades in Rocket League, buying or downloading Epic Games Store titles not owned by Epic, custom display names and SMS-based two-factor authentication. Without parental consent, younger players will not be able to link their Epic account to services such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitch. Developers with cabined accounts will also be prevented from accessing some Unreal Engine features.

Epic will lift the restrictions when a parent or guardian provides consent or the player turns 13 or their region's age of digital consent. In the meantime, those with such an account can still use any funds that are already in their Epic wallet to buy things in Fortnite, Rocket League, Fall Guys and other Epic-owned games.

After a parent or guardian has verified a cabined account, they can set up parental controls. Among other things, they'll be able to approve friend requests on the younger player's account, grant access to voice and text chat and track their offspring's Fortnite play time.

Meta's bitmoji-style 3D avatars have made their way to WhatsApp. As of today, you can use your digital persona either as your profile photo or as part of a 36-sticker pack that mimics popular emoji and actions. If you want to show that you love someone or aren't sure about an idea, you can now use your virtual face instead of a generic icon.

WhatsApp sees avatars both as personalization and as a privacy feature. You can represent yourself in a conversation without having to share a photo that could be misused for stalking or other sinister purposes. The avatar system works across platforms, so the character you create for WhatsApp can be used with Facebook, Instagram or VR spaces like Horizon Worlds.

The expansion to WhatsApp was expected when Meta said it would make its new avatars usable across services. If anything, the feature is overdue. Snapchat, arguably the inspiration for the avatars, has had bitmoji reactions and replies since the start of the year. Even TikTok has avatars you can use in videos. Apple's Messages, meanwhile, has offered "Memoji" for years.

Still, this could be a welcome addition. It should help WhatsApp compete for attention with those other services, of course, but it also promises a more consistent experience whether or not you use Meta's other social platforms. You won't have to give up avatars just because your friends and family depend on WhatsApp, even if they aren't always identical to the ones you use in other apps.

Orion just made its final pass around the moon on its way to Earth, and NASA has released some of the spacecraft's best photos so far. Taken by a high-resolution camera (actually a heavily modified GoPro Hero 4) mounted on the tip of Orion's solar arrays, they show the spacecraft rounding the Moon then getting a closeup shot of the far side. 

The photos Orion snapped on its first near pass to the Moon were rather grainy and blown out, likely because they were captured with Orion's Optical Navigation Camera rather than the solar array-mounted GoPros. Other GoPro shots were a touch overexposed, but NASA appears to have nailed the settings with its latest series of shots. 

Space photos were obviously not the primary goal of the Artemis I mission, but they're important for public relations, as NASA learned many moons ago. It was a bit surprising that NASA didn't show some high-resolution closeups of the Moon's surface when it passed by the first time, but better late than never.

Orion's performance so far has been "outstanding," program manager Howard Hu told reporters last week. It launched on November 15th as part of the Artemis 1 mission atop NASA's mighty Space Launch System. Days ago, the craft completed a three and a half minute engine burn (the longest on the trip so far) to set it on course for a splashdown on December 11th.

The next mission, Artemis II, is scheduled in 2024 to carry astronauts on a similar path to Artemis I without landing on the moon. Then, humans will finally set foot on the lunar surface again with Artemis III, slated for launch in 2025. 

Microsoft Teams is now useful for organizing more than just your company meetings. Microsoft has introduced a communities feature on Android and iOS that effectively offers an alternative to Facebook groups for more personal uses — think of your softball team, a carpooling group or the local parent-teacher association. You can chat and make video calls, of course, but you can also arrange events, post messages and share documents.

As on Facebook, owners can moderate communities by setting rules and removing people or content. You can create both virtual and real-world events. If someone wants to join, you can invite them through email, phone numbers or scannable QR codes.

Communities in Teams are only available on mobile for now, but Microsoft says they'll reach the desktop "soon" and that you only need the free app. In 2023, Microsoft will offer access to SignUpGenius to help you coordinate fundraisers and other good causes by helping you enlist volunteers and otherwise planning events.

The community hub expansion may seem odd, but it reflects a gradual shift away from Teams' original role as a pure workplace collaboration tool and more as a general-purpose chat and socialization app. It became free for personal use last year, and recently received casual games to help break the ice with colleagues. This newest addition ventures even farther afield — Microsoft isn't really creating a social network, but it is hoping to take over some of those duties.

Amazon's Echo Show 15 is now useful as a tiny TV. The company has released a promised free update that brings the Fire TV interface to the smart display. As on other devices, you can stream from a range of apps (including Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube) with an on-screen carousel that helps you find content and resume shows. This will be familiar to anyone who's used even a basic Fire TV Stick, but the Echo Show's design offers a few interface twists.

You can use Alexa to open apps or stream specific content, and use either a paired Alexa Voice Remote or the controls in the mobile Fire TV app to navigate without smudging the screen. However, there's also a virtual remote on the Echo Show 15 itself. You won't need a separate controller for those apps that don't recognize touch.

The Echo Show 15 normally costs $250, but Amazon is sweetening the deal to mark the Fire TV launch. A new "limited time" bundle includes both the display and an Alexa Voice Remote for $195. Existing Echo Show owners, meanwhile, can buy the remote for $10 ($20 off) through the touchscreen.

As we explained in our review, the Echo Show 15 still isn't for everyone. The camera and speakers are merely so-so, and there's still only a limited range of widgets. With that said, the Fire TV expansion may go a long way toward justifying the design. This may be a viable option for a kitchen or bedroom TV, particularly if you'd also like to see the family calendar or the weather.

The Echo Show 5 is one of Amazon's most versatile Alexa devices thanks to its 5.5-inch display, it's relatively solid sound quality and it's compact size. The online retailer discounted the smart display to $35 for the holiday shopping season, but it also has a deal on a bundle that would make a good smart-home starter kit. You can pick up the Echo Show 5 with a Blink Mini for a total of $50, which is 58 percent off the normal price of the bundle.

Amazon last updated the Echo Show 5 in 2021, giving it a 2-megapixel front camera that will slightly improve the quality of your video chats. Otherwise, not much about the Show 5 has changed since it originally came out — but that's not a bad thing. The Alexa-powered display has decent audio quality for its size, and it has onboard volume controls along with a mic-mute button and a physical camera shutter for when you need extra privacy.

The Show 5 is the smallest smart display in Amazon's lineup and it makes an excellent alarm clock thanks to its ambient light sensor, which adjusts the screen's brightness based on the light levels in the room, and its sunrise alarm feature. The latter slowly brightens the display before you're due to wake up to wake you more naturally from sleep. You can also tap to snooze your alarm, a feature that's unique to the Echo Show 5 (other Amazon smart displays don't have it).

Pairing the Show 5 with the Blink Mini can give you a better view of your home. Blink's smallest security camera may not be wireless like the rest of its gadgets, but it still records 1080p video and supports motion alerts and two-way audio. Once you plug it in, it'll watch over the inside of your home and you can use the Echo Show 5 to check out its camera feed from another part of the house. And like other Blink cameras, the Mini can also send motion alerts to your phone, so you can check in anytime from anywhere. This $50 bundle gives you both gadgets at the best prices we've seen, making it a good starter set for anyone who wants to make their home a bit smarter. If you're looking for a larger display that also provides even better sound quality, the same bundle with the Echo Show 8 and a Blink Mini is also on sale for $85.

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You can get Shark's AV2501AE AI Robot Vacuum at a deeply discounted price today at Amazon. As of this writing, you have less than 19 hours to grab the robotic vacuum for $350 only, or for 46 percent less than its retail price of $650. That's the lowest price we've seen for this particular model on the website. This vacuum uses LiDAR technology to map your house, so you can set up cleaning areas and zones it can't go to using its accompanying app. Its AI-powered navigation system also enables it to detect and avoid objects while doing row-by-row cleaning to ensure that it covers every area of your home that it can. 

The model comes with a bagless, self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days of dirt. And in UltraClean Mode, it can clean carpets better, as well as pick up more pet hair even without a special attachment for hair and fur. Plus, Shark says the machine has true HEPA filtration that can suck in allergens as small as .3 microns and trap them inside the base. 

In case you want to start vacuuming beyond the scheduled times you set or want to activate UltraClean mode, you can simply issue voice commands through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant devices. Take note that the vacuum can run for up to two hours on a single charge, after which it has to dock and charge itself before picking up where it left off. 

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GM has installed its first Level 2 charging stations in Wisconsin and Detroit as part of a community charging initiative unveiled last year. A dealership in Marshfield, Wisconsin put up stations at locations including parks, a library and a sports complex, while another installed them at a healthcare/wellness center in Owosso, Michigan. The aim is to help dealers install up to 40,000 chargers in community locations (including underserved rural and urban areas) across the US and Canada. 

"Nearly 90 percent of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a GM dealership. Our dealers are... well positioned to determine locations that expand access to EV charging, including at small businesses, entertainment venues, schools and other popular destinations,” said GM VP Hoss Hassani. 

GM originally said it would offer a mix of 11.5kW and 19.2kW chargers, but it now says it will give dealers up to ten 19.2kW chargers that deliver "the most power available to a Level 2 charger." Those can be placed at "key locations" in neighborhoods, such as apartments, colleges and businesses. Crucially, the units won't be limited to GM drivers, so EVs from other brands can use them as well.

GM selected Canadian manufacturer FLO as the charging station provider, with manufacturing to take place at FLO's Auburn Hills, Michigan facility. While not nearly as quick as fast chargers, the 19.2kW 80-amp stations could get you from a 20 to 80 percent charge in under three hours — not bad if you're spending time at a library or park, for instance. Last year, GM said the chargers would be available to buy through dealers for home use, but it didn't mention that option in its latest press release.

Earlier this year, GM also unveiled plans for a coast-to-coast fast-charging network with 2,000 350kW chargers across 500 stations. It eventually plans to expand Ultium Charge 360 access to over 100,000 charge points across North America. Its current EV lineup includes the BrightDrop electric delivery vans, Cadillac Lyric and Celestiq, GMC Hummer and Sierra EVs, Chevrolet Blazer and Equinox EVs and the Bolt lineup. In an interesting twist, GM recently revealed that it has serviced over 11,000 Tesla EVs since last year. 

Wordle topped Google's Year in Search for 2022, beating even the biggest events in the world over the past few months. Searches for the five-letter word game peaked shortly after it was acquired byThe New York Times in February, perhaps when people had to look for its new address or when those who haven't heard of it before wanted to see what the fuss was about. The second most searched term for 2022 is "India vs. England," which pertains to the countries' faceoff at the Cricket World Cup. Ukraine takes the third spot in the overall trending searches list, as well as the top of this year's trending News topics. Most people looking into the war in Ukraine searched for liveblogs to get the latest happenings and for information on casualties, refugees, donations and armed conflicts. 

"Queen Elizabeth" came in fourth for 2022, with the UK and former British colonies being responsible for most of the searches after the Queen passed away in September. The fifth most popular search term is another Cricket World Cup game, this time between India and Saudi Arabia, followed by even more cricket matches and the iPhone 14. COVID-19 is no longer at the forefront from people's minds, based on this year's list: Monkeypox and Roe v. Wade were the most searched health-related topics instead. Some of the other entries in the trending news list are pretty sobering, specifically "Texas school shooting" and Hurricane Ian. 

When it comes to the most searched people of the year, users seemed to be especially curious about celebrity happenings. Johnny Depp topped this year's list, followed by Will Smith and Amber Heard. Vladimir Putin also made it to the top five. Anna Sorokin and Simon Leviev, whose names blew up on the internet after Inventing Anna and Tinder Swindler came out, were among the most searched people, as well. 

Thor: Love and Thunder topped the list of most searched movies, but Google said "how to become a fighter pilot" trended thanks to Top Gun: Maverick. The tech giant also released the top image searches using Lens and the top song searches done by humming a tune. (Domestic short-haired cats and philodendrons seemed to have tickled most people's curiosity this year, for those wondering.) The Buckingham Palace was 2022's top cultural landmark, based on Google Maps searches, while the Dark Matter interactive installation in Berlin was the top exhibit. This year, Google also launched a local hub that can show interesting search trends across the US — New York City, for instance, had "rainbow mantis shrimp" as its top trending animal. 

You can see Google's full Year in Search for 2022 right here.