ArduinoMania

According to a report from The Washington Post, Musk has told prospective investors he plans to axe 75 percent of Twitter's 7,500-member staff upon completion of the deal, a move that would likely kneecap its ability to moderate content and ensure users' security. Internal documents obtained by The Post reveal that, prior to the Musk deal, current company leadership planned to "pare the company's payroll" by around $800 million, a relatively modest 25 percent reduction. The company’s General Counsel Sean Edgett told staff that discussions about cost savings happened earlier this year, and they stopped "once the merger agreement was signed." Edgett added there have been no plans for company-wide layoffs since then.

– Mat Smith

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The biggest stories you might have missed

• Google Messages updates bring iOS reactions and YouTube embeds

• GM officially reveals its $107,000 electrified 2024 GMC Sierra Denali

• Google fined $161.9 million in India over 'anti-competitive' Android policies

• The best streaming devices you can buy in 2022

• Blackmagic's powerful DaVinci Resolve video editor is coming to iPad

VanMoof's new A5 and S5 e-bikes are harder to steal and smoother to ride

You might barely feel the upgraded gear-shifting technology.

Engadget

VanMoof’s latest generation of premium e-bikes ushers in changes across the board. The company has tried to make most of the parts on its newest e-bikes. The most significant change might be the removal of the tube-based display of the company’s older bikes, swapping it for a duo of Halo Rings near the buttons on each side. The anti-theft technology in the S5 and A5 (both $3,498) includes an improved kick lock on the rear wheel. In addition, the bikes will automatically unlock if they detect the user’s phone nearby. And if you’re willing to pay an extra $398 for three years of coverage, your VanMoof ride will have support from a retinue of bike hunters – which still sounds cool.

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Amazon faces $1 billion lawsuit over claims it 'tricks' UK customers into paying more

The company is accused of using the Buy Box to favor its own logistics network.

The Guardian reports lawyers are filing a class action lawsuit with the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal over claims Amazon’s Buy Box "tricks" shoppers into paying more than they should. Consumer advocate Julie Hunter says the section favors either Amazon's own products or sellers who use the company's logistics, not the best price or quality of service.

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James Webb telescope captures 'knot' of galaxies in the early universe

The cluster could help scientists understand cosmic expansion.

NASA

Scientists have discovered a tightly packed "knot" of at least three galaxies forming around a quasar 11.5 billion years ago, just over two billion years after the Big Bang. The telescope's near-infrared spectrograph shows this is one of the densest known areas of early galaxy formation. The density is unusually high enough that lead researcher Dominika Wylezalek suggested there may even be two "halos" of dark matter merging.

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Apple Fitness+ comes to iPhone on October 24th

You won’t need an Apple Watch to use the service.

Apple’s Fitness+ will come to the iPhone, without the need for the company’s wearable, on October 24th. It’ll arrive alongside the iOS 16.1 update. You'll need the handset to sign up, but it will also be accessible through the iPad and Apple TV. You'll have access to the full range of workouts and meditations through the Fitness app. The main limitation is accuracy. Where Apple Watch owners can rely on constant heart rate monitoring to determine their calorie burn, iPhone users have to trust estimates.

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Adobe is working on a new feature that makes it possible to create composite images with just a few clicks. During its latest round of sneak peaks for experimental features, Adobe has showed off Project Clever Composites that uses AI and automation to quickly combine two images together. If you want a picture showing you standing in front of a tourist spot like the Eiffel Tower or the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you'd have to cut your photo out of an image and trim its edges. Then, after you paste it in front of the background you want, you still need to adjust the lighting, scale and color to make it blend seamlessly. Clever Composites can do all that on its own. 

Its AI can identify objects that can be used for composites, and it can automatically cut it out, as well as adjust its color and size, when you click the "Auto Compose" button. The AI can also automatically generate shadows for the object based on the background's lighting. There are also options to remove its "Auto Scale" and "Add Shadow" capabilities, though, if you want to do those on you own.

Another notable experimental feature is Project Blink, which can save you precious time when you're editing videos. The tool uses AI to make videos searchable using their transcripts, allowing you to look for "specific words, objects, sounds or even types of activities." After choosing the portion of the video you want to use, its AI will automatically create a new clip of that section. Blink is already in beta, and you can request for access on Adobe's website if you'd like to test it out. 

Meanwhile, Project All Of Me "un-crops" images by using AI to generate portions of the photo that aren't actually there. It simplifies creating bigger images out of smaller ones or generating the same photo from another angle. Adobe has also introduced a bunch of other features under development for videos and immersive content, including Project Artistic Scenes that uses AI to turn 2D artwork into 3D scenes. You can read about all of them on Adobe's blog or watch its MAX Sneaks event right here.

TikTok said it does not collect precise GPS location information from users in the US, which means it cannot be used to monitor people "in the way [Forbes] suggested." The app's communications team has tweeted that in response to a Forbes article claiming that a China-based team from its parent company, ByteDance, had planned to use the app to track "the personal location of some specific American citizens." It's unclear if information about those individuals had actually been collected.

Forbes reported that the team behind the monitoring project is part of ByteDance's Internal Audit and Risk Control department. The division is typically in charge of looking into potential misconduct by current and former company employees. But the publication said that the group intended to use TikTok to collect data about the location of a US citizen that had never been employed by the company in at least two cases. 

TikTok has fired back against the publication's allegations, accusing Forbes of omitting the part of its statement where it said that it doesn't collect precise GPS location. That portion "disproved the feasibility of [the piece's] core allegation," it explained. In addition, TikTok stressed that it has never been used to target members of the US government, public figures, activists and journalists and that it doesn't serve them content different from other users. In its report, Forbes wrote that TikTok "did not answer questions" about whether the internal audit team at ByteDance targeted members of those groups. 

As Forbes notes, TikTok previously made promises to American authorities and lawmakers in an effort to assuage their concerns that China could use the app against US citizens. In June, TikTok announced that it "changed the default storage location of US user data" to "Oracle cloud servers located in the US." The service made the announcement just as BuzzFeed News published a report about China-based ByteDance employees repeatedly accessing nonpublic data on TikTok users in the US. That report was based on hours of internal meetings that were leaked to the publication. 

A couple of weeks later, TikTok detailed its plans on how to ensure the security of US users' data in a letter sent to to lawmakers. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew assured them that the company will "delete US users' protected data from [its] own systems and fully pivot to Oracle cloud servers located in the US." Forbes talked to an Oracle spokesperson who said that while TikTok is currently using its cloud services, Oracle has no insight on what it's doing and that the service still has full control of all its information.

Twitter is gearing up for layoffs no matter whether Elon Musk purchases the company, which could happen as soon as this Friday, according to a report from The Washington Post.

On one hand, Musk has told prospective investors that he plans to axe 75 percent of the Twitter's 7,500-member staff upon completion of the deal, a move that would likely cripple the site's operations and kneecap its ability to moderate content and ensure users' security. On the other hand, internal documents obtained by The Post reveal that, prior to the Musk deal, current company leadership planned to "pare the company's payroll" by around $800 million, a relatively modest 25 percent reduction in the workforce that would only see around 1,900 people left unemployed, along with "major" infrastructure cuts and data center closures.

Musk's cuts would be "unimaginable" Edwin Chen, a data scientist formerly in charge of Twitter’s spam and health metrics, told The Post. “It would be a cascading effect,” he said, “where you’d have services going down and the people remaining not having the institutional knowledge to get them back up, and being completely demoralized and wanting to leave themselves.”

When asked about potential layoffs at a Twitter Town Hall meeting in June, Musk came out in favor of staffing cuts, arguing that he didn't see why low-performing workers should remain employed. Musk has also advocated for loosening content moderation restrictions and allowing formerly banned accounts to be reactivated.  

If you subscribe to a YouTube Premium family plan, you may want to check your email: Google is notifying users that the monthly cost of the service will be going up by $5 a month.

Starting in November, most users will start paying $22.99 per month for YouTube Premium — though there seems to be some leeway. While the main announcement says that the price increase starts on the next billing cycle on or after November 21st, some legacy subscribers won't see their bill jump for several months. One Engadget staffer was informed that their price would not increase until April due to their status as a "long-standing and valued member."

With the new price structure, the family plan is less of a bargain for smaller groups. At $17.99, buying into the family plan for just two users offered a significant savings over individual accounts. Now, a two-user family will save only $1 a month. For now, however, single-user prices remain the same: $11.99 a month for individual accounts and $6.99 for students. The benefits haven't changed either, with Premium still offering users an ad-free YouTube experience, the ability to download videos for offline viewing, access to YouTube Music, and the ability to continue to play music and videos in the background or with your phone screen off.

At least you still don't need to subscribe to Premium to watch videos in 4K.

GM's goal to sell nothing but EVs by 2035 is well on its way with massive demand already for the GMC Hummer EV and the Chevy Silverado. The automaker took to social media on Thursday to unveil its third electrified offering and the burly-looking Sierra Denali EV that the company revealed does not disappoint.

Officially, it's named the GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 and it'll start shipping in early 2024 with an MSRP of $107,000 plus dealer fees. The Sierra is built on the same Ultium battery technology as the Hummer and Silverado so GM estimates the Sierra will have 400-plus miles of range on a full charge (80 miles more than the 2024 Blazer EV announced in July), offer 574 HP/785 lb-ft torque, 22-inch rims and the ability to tow up to 9,500 pounds. 

On a DC fast charge, the Sierra should be able to tack on 100 miles of range with every ten minutes of station time — assuming you spring for the 800W electrical architecture, which is looking to be an optional feature along with four-wheel steering and crab walking capabilities. Like other Ultium vehicles, the Sierra will offer bidirectional charging, enabling it to power household appliances for up to 21 days, GM's product site reads. A subscription for GM's SuperCruise hands-free ADAS system will be included for three years as well.

The Denali is the first of three Sierra EV variants slated for release in the next few years. The standard edition Sierra EV Elevation will arrive in early 2025 with 18-inch rims. The off-road ready AT4 will arrive a year earlier in 2024 and offer two additional inches of ground clearance from the base Elevation.

Google is facing another fine for allegedly misusing its control of Android to suppress competition. CNETreports India's Competition Commission has fined Google the equivalent of $161.9 million for supposedly giving its Android apps an edge using restrictive terms. The company imposes an "unfair condition" on phone makers by requiring that they preinstall Google apps as part of agreements, according to officials. That, in turn, is said to discourage companies from developing heavily modified Android variants that rely less on Google services.

The Commission also maintains that Google is wielding its "dominant position" to squeeze out competitors in search, app stores, web browsers and video services. Historically, Google has required that phones with the Play Store installed also include apps like Chrome and YouTube, often with prominent placement on the home screen. While you can always install alternatives like Firefox and Vimeo, they're not included out of the box. Brands can use the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) if they want more flexibility, but they lose access to the Play Store in the process.

The regulator has issued a cease and desist order barring Google from requiring a "bouquet" of preinstalled apps. Companies have to be given the choice of which apps they want. Google also isn't allowed to deny access to the Play Services framework, to include "anti-fragmentation" clauses that bar Android forks, or to offer incentives in return for exclusive search deals. Third-party app stores must be allowed to distribute through the Play Store. Users, meanwhile, must have the power to choose their search engine on setup and to uninstall Google apps they don't want.

Google has declined to comment until it receives the official Commission order. The investigation began in 2019, but didn't determine that Google had abused its dominance until September 2021.

The fine is tiny for Google, which made about $257.6 billion in worldwide revenue last year. The order could force it to significantly alter its deals with Android manufacturers, however, and comes after South Korea, the European Union and others have demanded similar changes. And Google can't afford to ignore India — it's the second-largest smartphone market on Earth with about 606.6 million users. A forced withdrawal would significantly damage Google's bottom line, not to mention clout in the mobile industry.

Amazon could soon go to court over its use of the Buy Box that highlights shopping deals. The Guardianreports that lawyers are filing a class action lawsuit with the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal over claims the Buy Box "tricks" shoppers into paying more than they should. Consumer advocate Julie Hunter says the section favors either Amazon's own products or sellers who use the company's logistics, not the best price or quality of service. A better deal might be buried lower on the page or even tucked into an "obscure corner" on the site, Hunter adds.

Co-leading lawyer Lesley Hannah contends that users rely heavily on the Buy Box, with up to 90 percent of purchases going through that space. "Millions" of buyers have likely overpaid as a result. Supposedly, the practice also violates competition requirements by stifling sellers with better deals.

The lawsuit seeks damages of £900 million (about $1 billion). It covers any UK resident who has made purchases since October 2016, and doesn't require that you opt in.

Amazon tells The Guardian in a statement that it believes the lawsuit is "without merit." It maintains that it supports all the sellers in its UK marketplace, and that "more than half" of physical good sales in the country go through independent sellers. It didn't directly address the purported Buy Box manipulation. The firm has lately asked sellers to oppose antitrust legislation meant to prevent tech giants from giving their services an unfair advantage.

There's no guarantee the lawsuit will force Amazon to alter the Buy Box. However, it comes as the company faces multiple accusations that it misuses its dominant position to stifle third-party sellers. California recently sued Amazon over assertions that it punishes sellers who offer cheaper prices elsewhere, and the US Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly investigating Amazon for misusing seller data to launch competing products.

Welcome back, gentle reader, to the second installment of Hitting the Books Quarterly. This time around we’ve got a seven-layer dip of delicious literature for you, starting with a harrowing investigation into the heart of California’s firestorms, followed by some sage advice for best burning your Facebook bridges, and then a chance to wave goodbye to Earth’s billionaire class as they race off for the stars, hopefully never to return. But that’s not all, we’ve got some stellar sci-fi titles to share too, as well as The Dawn of Everything which Engadget Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar describes as “dense, but worth a read for sure.”

California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric—and What It Means for America's Power Grid - Katherine Blunt (Amazon)

California wildfires caused an estimated $80 billion in property damage in 2021 alone, they’re only getting worse, and the state’s utility company, Pacific Gas and Electric, seems to be doing anything but helping. Following years of neglected maintenance, PG&E’s infrastructure has started numerous deadly blazes in recent years, exacerbating an already existential climate crisis. In California Burning, Pulitzer-nominated WSJ journalist Katherine Blunt dives into the utility’s sordid history of putting profits over public safety. Decades of mismanagement have led California to this point, Blunt’s deeply researched narrative explains why. I had originally looked at this title for the regular excerpt column but the dang thing reads like a Grisham novel. Make sure you block off an afternoon because you won’t be able to put this one down.

James Acaster's Guide to Quitting Social Media - James Acaster (Amazon)

With the general level of suck in the world today, we could all probably do with a laugh and to get off the internet for a while — touching grass and whatnot. Comedian James Acaster’s newest book, James Acaster's Guide to Quitting Social Media, Being the Best You You Can Be and Saving Yourself from Loneliness Vol 1, does both. You will laugh (probably) and get off the internet because you will be reading a book about how he quit social media in 2019 and how you can do the same while still saving yourself from loneliness. Brilliant.

Everything I Need I Get from You - Kaitlyn Tiffany (Amazon)

Fans, stans, and boybands, oh my. Everything I Need I Get from You is a fascinating look at the superfan subculture surrounding modern pop music acts from Atlantic staff writer Kaitlyn Tiffany. Fanclubs have been around since the Roman era but the advent of social media has enabled fandom to a startlingly granular degree. Today’s superfans know what foods the Jonas brothers are allergic to, have lore and inside jokes that only other members of the BTS ARMY will understand, and routinely engage in light subterfuge to game play charts into featuring their favorite stars. Tiffany also explores the influence that these hyper-connected cadres of vivaciously like-minded people have on internet culture as a whole, like why we spent weeks looking for Becky with the good hair.

Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires - Douglas Rushkoff (Amazon)

Let’s not kid ourselves. Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk aren’t developing space flight for the good of humanity, Mark Zuckerberg isn’t pushing his vision of a metaverse for anything resembling altruistic intent. They just want a bolt hole for when things really start going downhill, argues theorist Douglas Rushkoff. In his new book, Survival of the Richest, Rushkoff examines what he dubs “the Mindset,” wherein the world’s ultra-wealthy believe that they and theirs will somehow be able to spend their way out of the coming climate crisis — we plebes be damned — as well as discusses what the rest of us can do while the people with the power to avert it are busy eying the exits.

You Sexy Thing - Cat Rambo (Amazon)

I believe in miracles and you will too with this raucous space opera from sci-fi luminary Cat Rambo. Billed as “Farscape meets The Great British Bake Off,” You Sexy Thing follows the exploits of Niko Larson, the Holy Hive Mind’s disgraced “10-Minute Admiral” as she scrambles to keep her crew of retired-soldiers-turned-kitchen-and-wait-staff safe, together, alive and out of the Hive Mind’s brain jar collective, even as space stations explode around them, sentient bio-ships kidnap them, and vicious space pirates from Larson’s past seek their revenge. Easily some of the best sci-fi I’ve read this year — tightly written with characters you can identify with and a pilot that immediately grabs you by the shorthairs and doesn’t let up. Plus, there are werelions.

Azura Ghost - Essa Hansen (Amazon)

Emma Hansen just won’t stop writing absolute bangers. Following her phenomenal 2020 debut, the heart-wrenching space opera, Nophek Gloss (which was shortlisted for a Stabby that year), Hansen returns to the Graven multiverse with Azura Ghost. Her sophomore effort catches up a decade after the events of the first book where our protagonist Caiden finds himself, and his sentient starship, still hunted across the stars by the Threi — as is wont to happen when one imprisons the the group’s leadership in an impenetrable pocket universe for 10 years. As the plot unfolds and events push his two greatest enemies into possible alliance, Caiden must reunite with family of his own, and a long-lost friend who probably shouldn’t be trusted, to make his escape.

The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity - David Graeber and David Wengrow (Amazon)

Long-held views of early civilizations as either gullible hippies or hulking brutes offer only a monochromatic and shallow understanding of history — one which arose out of an 18th century conservative backlash against brown people asking questions, no less — argue David Graeber and David Wengrow in The Dawn of Everything. They then apparently spend the next 700 or so pages laying out their exhaustive list of evidence drawn from their respective fields of archaeology and anthropology in support of this position.

In 2018, fledgling EV maker Arrival partnered with UPS to build a new generation of electric delivery vans, beginning with a pilot fleet of 35 vehicles, for use in both the US and Europe. The company quickly expanded its scope from there, working on plans for an electrified bus, an EV rideshare vehicle for Uber and an $11.5 million battery plant. However, on Thursday the company abruptly announced that it has decided to shutter its bus and automotive projects to instead "refocus its resources on the US market while further advancing its enabling technologies."

In a press release Thursday, the company stated that "scaling production in the Bicester [UK] microfactory requires significant further investment in hard tooling and working capital and the Company has determined that the benefits of such an investment would be best directed to the US market." As such, the company will restructure and focus its efforts on the Van and the underlying tech that makes it run.

Arrival cites the US EV tax credit as a major influence on its decision, noting that the Inflation Reduction Act is, "expected to offer between $7,500 to $40,000 for commercial vehicles, [a] large addressable market size, and substantially better margins." Unfortunately, the company will have to (ugh, their words) "right size" the UK workforce, as in layoffs.