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New England sports fans now have a direct subscription streaming option for Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins games. NESN has unveiled NESN 360, a paid streaming service that enables fans to watch live and on-demand games on their computer or streaming device of their choice. Fans who are already NESN subscribers through their cable provider can access the app for free.

“We believe the direct subscription option will build on NESN’s reach in the region, and will be an excellent complement to the existing, valuable partnerships we have with TV providers to bring NESN to all homes in New England,” said Sean McGrail, NESN’s President and CEO in a statement.

One thing to note is that NESN is pricey — the monthly subscription is $29.99 per month — and fans will still need access to ESPN or other broadcast networks for nationally-syndicated games. The annual subscription is priced at $329.99 per year and also includes 8 tickets to a Red Sox’s game of your choice.

NESN 360 is only the latest move by the world of sports to further embrace streaming. Amazon’s Prime Video is exclusively streaming select New York Yankees games for in-market customers this baseball season. NESN is the first regional sports network to launch a streaming service, but it won’t be the last. Both Sinclair Broadcasting Group and NBC Universal are preparing direct-to-consumer options for the regional sports networks under their ownership, as Deadlinenoted.

NESN 360 is only available in New England, and can be downloaded on your computer, iOS, Android, Apple TV or Roku device. Both annual and monthly subscribers will be billed $1 for their first month. 

For Boston fans who live outside of New England, a better option would be to go with MLB.tv, which has the rights to out-of-market games but blackout rules still apply to your region's own games. A monthly subscription to MLB.tv is $24.99 a month, and a single team subscription will set you back $99 a year. 

Sheryl Sandberg is stepping down as COO of Meta after 14 years as one of Mark Zuckerberg's top lieutenants at the company. She will remain on the company's board, spokesperson Andy Stone said. 

It wasn't immediately clear who will replace her.

"The debate around social media has changed beyond recognition since those early days," Sandberg wrote on Facebook. "To say it hasn’t always been easy is an understatement."

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Sony is marking the launch of its revised PlayStation Plus by giving away one of its best-known games. The company has revealed that its free PS Plus games for June will include 2018's God of War — you won't need a PlayStation 5 just to play Kratos' father-and-son adventure at no extra charge. The two other freebies, Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker and Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, are clearly aimed at younger players.

All three games will be available from June 7th through July 4th. When the updated PlayStation Plus arrives (June 13th in the Americas), the titles will still be free as part of the basic PS Plus Essential tier.

While we wouldn't bet on Sony continuing to offer this kind of selection going forward, the June lineup suggests the company isn't in a rush to change its free game strategy. For now, at least, you'll only need a pricier Extra or Premium plan if you want access to a large library of downloadable and streamable releases.

General Motors has announced pricing for the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV. In a rare move, given the current climate for new vehicles, they'll actually be less expensive than the 2022 model year EVs.

The 1LT version of the 2023 Bolt EV starts at $26,595 (plus a $995 destination fee). That's $5,900 less than the 2022 starting price. The 2LT has the same discount, but it starts at $29,795.

As for the slightly longer Bolt EUV (Chevy's branding for an electric SUV), that starts at $28,195. You'll save $6,300 compared with the 2022 model. Likewise, a 2023 EUV with Premier trim starts at $32,695, down from $38,995. A new cosmetic Redline Edition package costs an extra $495.

Chevrolet says the options and content are "pretty much the same" as the 2022 editions, so it seems the company hasn't had to strip some features out for cost-saving purposes. "The new price reflects our ongoing desire to make sure Bolt EV/EUV is competitive in the marketplace and better aligns the MSRP with average transaction price, providing more price transparency to the customer," a spokesperson told CNET.

Supply chain issues and chip shortages have led to other automakersincreasing prices of their EVs. So it's notable that Chevrolet is cutting prices, particularly given that the Bolt EV and EUV were already among the more relatively affordable options.

One tradeoff is that the 2023 Bolt EV and EUV won't use GM's Ultium battery system. In 2020, the automaker recalled 68,000 Chevy Bolt EVs following reports of battery fires, which dinged the reputation of the Bolt. Dropping the price of both vehicles by around $6,000 could help Chevrolet get the Bolt back in drivers' good graces. GM expects to start production of the 2023 Bolts this summer.

After launching in 2020, the Google TV app is now available to download on iOS. If you already have the company’s previous Google Play Movies and TV software installed on your phone, this app will replace it. As with its Android counterpart, the Google TV app allows you to use your smartphone as a remote for your Google TV or Android TV OS device, making it easier, among other things, to type the titles of movies and TV shows you want to watch.

You can also use the app to aggregate content recommendations from various streaming services. Not every platform is supported – Netflix is missing, for instance – but the fact you can create a single watchlist for every service you pay for is handy. Additionally, it’s possible to create watchlists around your favorite actors. And as you rate movies and shows, the app will refine its suggestions. You’ll also find personalized feeds with links to news, reviews and more. Lastly, there’s a dedicated section for content you’ve purchased and rented from Google.

You can see most of the functionality on display in the iPhone rendering Google shared – just don’t look too closely at the notch. Download the Google TV app from the App Store.

Nathaniel Chastain, the former OpenSea product manager who resigned after he was revealed to be using privileged information to sell NFTs, has been indicted for wire fraud and money laundering, the Department of Justice announced today. This marks the first insider trading case involving digital assets, the agency said. It was originally unclear if anything would happen to Chastain, following his resignation, since the sale of NFTs isn't regulated. His plan wasn't exactly groundbreaking: He knew what NFTs were going to be featured on OpenSea's homepage, so he surreptitiously purchased and sold them for a massive profit.

“NFTs might be new, but this type of criminal scheme is not," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. "As alleged, Nathaniel Chastain betrayed OpenSea by using its confidential business information to make money for himself.  Today’s charges demonstrate the commitment of this Office to stamping out insider trading – whether it occurs on the stock market or the blockchain.”

Michael J. Driscoll, the FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge, added that the agency would "aggressively pursue" people who attempted to manipulate the market of NFTs using the "age-old scheme" of insider trading. It'll likely take a while before we see true regulation around digital currencies and NFTs, but it's clear that government agencies aren't wasting their time before cracking down on bad actors.

Following the revelation of Chastain's actions, OpenSea was quick to denounce him, saying that "this behavior does not represent our values as a team." The company, which is notably the world's largest NFT marketplace, also said it would prohibit employees from buying or selling NFTs from featured collections, or from using confidential information to do so elsewhere.

Just over six months after the James Webb Space Telescope launched, we'll get our first look at full-color images captured by the telescope. The European Space Agency says the imagery and first spectroscopic data will be unveiled on July 12th.

“The release of Webb’s first full-color images will offer a unique moment for us all to stop and marvel at a view humanity has never seen before,” Webb deputy program director Eric Smith said. “These images will be the culmination of decades of dedication, talent, and dreams — but they will also be just the beginning.”

JWST required several months of preparation before starting science work. The process included cooling the telescope to its operating temperature, calibrating instruments and aligning the mirrors. The ESA, NASA, the Canadian Space Agency and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STSci) spent over five years figuring out what Webb should capture first in order to show off what the observatory can do.

NASA has shared some images that JWST captured during the preparation phase, but it's unclear exactly what the full-color images will look like. “Of course, there are things we are expecting and hoping to see, but with a new telescope and this new high-resolution infrared data, we just won’t know until we see it,” STScI lead science visuals developer Joseph DePasquale said.

After the observatory captures its first images proper, it will start scientific observations. Astronomers will analyze data captured by the JWST's infrared sensors and publish papers on their findings.

Google is about to simplify its communication services. The company announced today it plans to merge Duo and Meet, its two disparate video calling apps, into a single platform. Starting over the next few weeks, Google will begin adding Meet features to Duo. Once that happens, you’ll be able to use the app, which up to this point was primarily designed for personal video calling, to schedule meetings. Other features that will make their way to Duo include support for virtual backgrounds, live-sharing content and in-meeting text chat.

At the same time, Google promises features Duo users know and love, such as the ability to apply filters and effects to your calls, won’t be going anywhere. Additionally, your call history, contacts and messages won’t disappear from the app. It’s all part of Google’s pledge to “carefully” integrate the two platforms and ensure it supports as many users as possible.

Once that process is complete, Google will rename the mobile versions of both apps, with Duo becoming Meet and the current Meet becoming Meet Original. The company told The Verge it plans to deprecate the latter eventually. If all that sounds confusing, there’s a good reason for Google’s approach. The company said it built a lot of sophistication into the Duo mobile app, and it sounds like Google doesn’t want to abandon that work.

As for Google’s reason for merging the two apps, the company believes that doing so will ultimately benefit users. “Over the last few years, Duo and Meet have continued to grow with the evolving needs of video calls and meetings, and now the experiences will be better together as Google Meet,” a spokesperson for the company told Engadget. Of course, the tricky part for Google will be finding a way to integrate the two apps without making the resulting service feel overwhelming. Many people love Duo for its simplicity, and a sudden influx of new features and added complexity may make them look elsewhere.

Five years later, Mercedes is finally ready to show the finished version of its hybrid hypercar. The production Mercedes-AMG One now packs a Formula 1-derived, 1,063HP hybrid powertrain with a turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engine and four electric motors, including one motor in the turbocharger and another linked to the crankcase. While the car won't rev up to F1 levels (to last longer and use commercial fuel), the result is high responsiveness across the rev range, sustained boost pressure and strong torque even at low engine speeds. The One promises the advantages of both gas and electric powerplants, to put it another way.

That unsurprisingly translates to brisk performance without guzzling too much gas. You'll reach 62MPH in 2.9 seconds (124MPH in seven seconds), but the combined fuel consumption is relatively modest at 27MPG. Mercedes SUVs like the AMG GLE 53 aren't as efficient, for context. You can drive 11.2 miles purely on electric power, and the 800-volt architecture helps you charge quickly (including from the gas engine in race mode) while minimizing weight. The custom seven-speed manual, your only transmission option, is built to keep the One's engine operating at peak performance.

The interior is just as plain as you might remember from the 2017 concept, although that still gives you a digital instrument cluster, an infotainment touchscreen and a camera-linked screen that replaces the usual interior rear mirror. Expect plenty of carbon fiber, nappa leather and microfiber cloth.

The first customers should get their Mercedes-AMG One cars in the second half of 2022. Not that you're going to buy one — all of the production models have been spoken for despite the $2.7 million price tag.

Mercedes-Benz

You're far more likely to drive the equally new GLC (shown at middle), which is built solely around hybrid power (four "mild" hybrids and three plug-in models). The PHEV variants of the updated SUV have up to 74.5 miles of pure electric driving, and will prioritize the EV mode for long urban trips and other "suitable" routes. Mercedes hasn't detailed prices at this stage, but the revamped GLC should reach European dealers in the fall.

As promised, Sonos has launched its own voice assistant. Sonos Voice Control is now available on every speaker the company has released with a built-in mic. As with most new features, you set it up via the Sonos app on your iOS or Android device, and it's a super simple process. I just added the feature to my Sonos One (the second-generation model released in 2019) and it took a scant five minutes. 

Once it is set up, you can ask Sonos Voice Control to start music from a handful of services, including Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, Deezer and Sonos Radio. Saying "Hey Sonos" activates the assistant, and from there you can ask it to play artists, albums, songs or playlists. From there, you can adjust volume, pause music, skip tracks and ask the assistant to tell you what song is playing. And as we saw in a demo last month, the assistant is voiced by actor Giancarlo Esposito — though he doesn't talk much. The assistant was designed to minimize responses and keep music playback at the forefront.

Sonos Voice Control also lets you control your entire Sonos system, whether or not the speakers have microphones. You can use it to add or remove speakers from a group, start music playback on all Sonos devices in your home, and combine these requests all in one command. (Example: Hey Sonos, start playing music in the bedroom and stop it in the living room.) Sonos made privacy a big part of its voice assistant, as well — the company says that all requests are processed locally on the speaker with nothing transmitted to the cloud or back to Sonos.

To celebrate this launch, Sonos is having a rare sale, too. The company's two portable speakers — the larger Move and the comparatively tiny Roam — will both be 20 percent off from Saturday, June 4th through Sunday, June 12th. It's not often that the company does direct discounts on its products, so it's not a bad time to check these speakers out if you're in the market for something you can take with you this summer.