Amazon has brought its checkout-free "Just Walk Out" technology to airports, grocery stores and other shops, but now it's coming to a particularly useful place for sports fans: the ballpark. The Houston Astros have teamed up with Amazon to install Just Walk Out systems at two concession stores in Minute Maid Park. Visit 19th Hole or Market and you can buy snacks or souvenirs between innings by inserting your credit card at the entry gate, grabbing things off the shelf, and leaving when you're done.
There will be staff to greet you and offer help as necessary, and you'll still have to show ID if you're buying alcohol. However, you otherwise won't have to talk to a cashier or use a self-checkout system. As you might guess, that could be extremely helpful given the crowds and lineups that frequently slow you down in stadiums.
The Astros' stadium is the first in Major League Baseball to adopt Just Walk Out, and they're using the same slightly modified system Amazon is offering to other retailers. The tech uses computer vision and other forms of AI to track shoppers as they enter and take (or put back) items. Amazon's own stores just rely on the company's Go mobile app instead of credit cards.
Amazon didn't mention whether or not other MLB teams would embrace the zero-checkout offering, but it won't be surprising if they (and other sports leagues) do. Stadium operators depend heavily on both merch sales and a swift traffic flow to turn a profit — the cost of Just Walk Out could easily be worthwhile if increases the chances you'll buy an expensive hot dog or replica jersey.
Don't expect to make a fortune from digital items sold in Meta's virtual world. Meta has confirmed to CNBC that it will take a total 47.5 percent cut from digital asset sales in Horizon Worlds, including 30 percent through the Meta Quest Store and 17.5 percent through Horizon Worlds itself. Creators may need to charge a premium to ensure healthy income for themselves, then.
In a statement to The Verge, Meta's Horizon VP Vivek Sharma argued the company's cut was a "pretty competitive rate." However, that's not necessarily true for some content. CNBC pointed out that the NFT marketplace OpenSea takes just a 2.5 percent share of transactions. There's also a degree of irony when Meta blasted Apple's 30 percent slice of in-app purchases and said it would change subscriptions to help creators keep more revenue.
Meta is promising "goal-oriented" bonuses to virtual developers whose worlds are particularly active. Nonetheless, the rate isn't exactly pleasing to digital product makers. It's steeper than at many other online services, and may make it difficult for some creators to operate in Horizon Worlds when it might be practical elsewhere.
No Man’s Sky is already an enormous game and yet Hello Games isn’t exactly out of ideas about how to expand the universe. The developer has released the Outlaws update, which adds the game’s first new starship in two years, smuggling and much more.
Solar ships are a new class of starships. These are dotted across the universe and have unique tech and procedurally generated variations. Each ship has solar-powered sail and engine tech. You can now own up to nine starships in total (an increase of three), each of which can be outfitted with a high-capacity cargo inventory.
The smuggling mechanic ties into the update's core theme: the fact you can now play as a space pirate. You can buy illicit goods in outlaw systems and sell them for a hefty profit in a regulated space, as long as you're able to smuggle them in. Sentinel drones will be on the lookout for illegal wares, however. You might be able to fend them off with a Cargo Probe Deflector.
Hello Games
In outlaw systems, where rebel forces are in control and piracy prevails, there are outlaw stations. Here, you'll find specialized technology merchants, mission agents and more. There won't be any Sentinel interceptors as these parts of the universe are unpoliced.
Hello Games says it has also revamped space combat with a focus on speed, challenge and flow. There's an option that'll let you automatically lock onto and track enemy ships, for instance. You'll be able to recruit pilots to join your squadron and help you out in ship-to-ship combat. You can call them in at any time and they'll appear automatically during space combat.
Elsewhere, there's a new expedition on the way soon with an array of rewards up for grabs. You can also expect to see revamped explosion and combat effects, forged passports and pirate raids on settlements and buildings. The update includes a slew of bug fixes and optimizations as well.
This is the second big content update this year, following February's Sentinel patch. The Outlaws update is out now on PlayStation, Xbox and PC. It’ll also give Nintendo Switch players more to look forward to when No Man’s Skyhits that platform this summer.
The Kia Niro has long been a staff-favorite here at Engadget. On Wednesday, the Korean automaker took to the NYIAS 2022 stage to show off its latest iterations of the popular compact sport utility, one for every kind of driver.
Hyundai Motor Group
The second-generation, 2023 Niro will arrive in dealer showrooms in all 50 states later this summer, available as either as a hybrid-electric (HEV), plug-in hybrid, or battery electric vehicle. The HEV version pairs a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with a 32kW permanent magnet synchronous e-motor producing a total 139 horsepower and 195 lb ft of torque with 53 mpg combined and an estimated 588-mile range. The PHEV doubles the size of the companion e-motor to 62kW, outputting a total of 180 HP and 195 lb ft of torque. Its 11.1 kWh battery refills completely in under 3 hours on a level 2 (home) charger and can propel the vehicle up to 33 miles on its own (a 25 percent improvement over last year's model).
The full EV (which qualifies for the federal $7,500 tax rebate) will offer a 64.8 kWh battery powering a 150kW (201 HP) motor with a range of 253 miles. On a level 3 (DC fast charge) connection, it can replenish 10 to 80 percent in under 45 minutes, but only at a rate of 85 kW. On a level 2 charger, that same operation will take just under 7 hours.
Hyundai Motor Group
For this model year, Kia is introducing a new drive mode as well. In addition to the standard Sport and Eco modes, the Green Zone setting automatically switches the HEV and PHEV into all electric mode when in residential areas or nearby schools and hospitals. Also new for this year, the Niro will feature the same V2L bidirectional charging found on the EV6.
Hyundai Motor Group
The Niro is also growing. It's wheelbase is longer in 2023, measuring 107 inches, with a total vehicle length of 174 inches. This translates into additional cargo space behind the rear seats — "8 more cubic feet of passenger cabin room and 50 percent more cargo room than the Tesla Model 3," according to the company. The cabin is designed with sustainability in mind with a headliner composed of recycled wallpaper, seats covered with bio polyurethane and Tencel made from eucalyptus leaves, and BTX-free paint on the exterior door panels. And despite its larger size, the Niro boasts a .29 drag coefficient.
Hyundai Motor Group
Similar to the EV6's interior, the 2023 Niro offers "a tech-focused environment in all configurations and trims," including dual 10.5-inch infotainment/instrument displays, an optional Head-Up Display, Apple CarPlay / Android Auto support, and all the ADAS features we've come to expect like forward collision warnings, lane keeping assist, and a menagerie of random warning alarms. An eight-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system is optional.
Sony and Nintendo are following Microsoft in halting payments for unused gaming subscriptions in the UK. The country's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has obtained an agreement with Sony that will wind down unused PlayStation Plus accounts. Sony will remind inactive subscribers how to end payments and, if there's still no activity, stop taking payments altogether. Nintendo, meanwhile, no longer auto-renews Switch Online subscriptions by default.
Microsoft said in January it would cancel dormant Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass subscriptions in the UK, and eventually worldwide. Like Sony, it will first notify customers (albeit after a full year of inactivity) and, one year later, halt payments. Microsoft also said it would provide more immediate information about memberships to customers, such as auto-renewal details and refunds.
The changes have led the CMA to end an investigation into online gaming services that began in 2019. The probe focused not only on auto-renewals, but on the difficulty of obtaining refunds and on potentially unfair subscription terms. While it's not yet clear if the CMA has resolved every problem, the core issue appears to have been addressed — you're less likely to get a bill for a service you stopped using a long time ago.
Hyundai will manufacture EVs in the US starting in December this year with the electrified Genesis GV70 crossover model, the company announced at the NY Automotive Forum in a video seen by Automotive News. It's part of a grand plan to invest $7.4 billion in the US by 2025 to develop a family of EVs and smart mobility technology.
Hyundai will start electrified production at its Montgomery, Alabama plant in October with the Santa Fe Hybrid, the company announced at a ceremony with Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. It'll invest $300 million to start with, creating 200 new jobs at the plant (its only manufacturing facility in the US). The company currently builds the Elantra sedan, Santa Fe and Tucson SUVs and Santa Cruz sport adventure vehicle on the Montgomery assembly line.
Genesis
The Genesis GV70 EV was quietly revealed late last year at the Guangzhou Auto Show in China. The company has yet to announce US specs, which may be why it didn't mention the GV70 EV at all in its press release. However, the Korean version will come with an 800 volt charging system and 77.4 kWh battery good for about 400 km (247 miles) of range according to the Korean testing cycle.
It also features two electric motors that produce 482 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, considerably more than the ICE version of the GV70. According to photos, the luxury and tech-adorned interior will be similar to the one on the current gas-powered GV70.
It's taken Hyundai awhile to establish US EV production dates, and follows recent, similar announcements by Toyota and Volkswagen. All three companies, which operate non-union plants in the US, opposed the Biden administration's plan to provide extra tax incentives to unionized automakers. At the same time, Hyundai's unionized workers in Korea want the company to boost domestic EV production rather than investing abroad. It has to balance all that with US vehicle import tariffs, set at 2.5 percent for cars and 25 percent for pickups and SUVs.
Back in January, Samsung launched a portable projector called Freestyle at CES. We thought the product was a solid choice for the product category, seeing it only weighs 1.83 pounds and has auto focus and auto leveling features to help align whatever it is you're watching. However, at $900, it was quite a bit more expensive than similar portable projectors like Anker's. If you've keeping an eye out for deals on the device, you my want to head over to Woot: You can get the Samsung Freestyle for only $650, $250 off its regular price, from the website.
The Freestyle has a stand that can rotate almost 180 degrees, so you can position your image wherever you want, whether it's the ceiling or the wall. If you use a base accessory, it can connect to a standard E26 lightbulb socket, as well. The device can project images with a 1080p resolution as small as 30 inches or as big as 100 inches — plus, it supports HDR content and has 360-degree audio. It also comes with built-in Alexa, Google Assistant and Bixby, so you can turn up the volume and issue other voice commands to control the projector.
You can only get the Freestyle from Woot at that price for a limited time (less than 20 hours, as of this writing) or until stocks last. If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can get it shipped for free upon purchase. Just take note that Woot has a different return policy than its parent company.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Still waiting on a new Tesla with its higher-capacity batteries? Perhaps, once the company’s employees have got theirs, you’ll also be able to grab a Model Y with longer range. Electrek reports Tesla is selling the Model Y in a new Standard Range AWD variant that uses 4680 cells to offer 279 miles of range and five-second 0-60MPH for $59,990, which is $3,000 less than the Long Range AWD.
These 4680 cells are actually twice as large as Tesla's existing units — with five times the capacity. It means the company can choose to extend the range of its vehicles or use fewer batteries, which would shrink costs while maintaining range parity.
Reportedly, we muggles should be able to pick up the cheaper Model Y in the coming weeks, at a time when all the carmakers are finally ready to offer us a lot more EV options. We have news about Toyota’s late-to-the-party electric car below, and Honda plans to launch 30 EV models by 2030.
The new 2023 bZ4X will go on sale later this spring.
Talking of EVs, Toyota is almost, finally, ready to unleash its first (true) EV. The bZ4X SUV will start at $42,000 for the base front-wheel-drive model, with 252 miles of range on a single charge. Meanwhile, the Limited package (which starts at $46,700) adds more luxurious satin and soft-touch finishes and upgraded seats, with Toyota offering optional FWD and X-MODE AWD drive to both.
When it comes to recharging, the bZ4X will have a 6.6kW adapter that could get the car from low to full in about nine hours when connected to a Level 2 charger. Select dealers will sell the ChargePoint Home Flex charger direct to owners.
Balloons are the cheaper version of space tourism, thanks to gentler, longer-lasting trips that don't require training, and now it's clearer what you'll get if you take one of those rides. Space Perspective has previewed the interior of Spaceship Neptune, its giant balloon that will take tourists to 100,000 feet (technically the stratosphere) for around two hours. It’s $125,000 per ticket with a $1,000 refundable deposit. So, $62,500 per hour.
GoPro has unveiled the Hero 10 Black Bones, a lightweight version of the Hero 10 Black designed for FPV and Cinewhoop drones that have taken off in popularity. Light enough to mount on three-inch sized drones, it still packs in GoPro features like HyperSmooth 4.0 and 5.3K video.
The Hero 10 Black Bones is cheaper with GoPro's one-year subscription, which is free the first year. It costs $400 with a new subscription and $500 without, meaning GoPro thinks you're going to like the subscription benefits enough to renew. Or at least forget to cancel. Those benefits include no-questions-asked camera replacement, discounts on accessories and unlimited cloud backup.
Therabody, best known as the maker of Theragun percussive recovery devices, is launching its first product for your face. The company unveiled the $399 TheraFace Pro, which has percussive, light and microcurrent therapies. It can also provide cryothermal treatment, which the company said can help reduce tension, relax muscles and “[address] discomfort related to migraines, headaches, and jaw pain.”
FIFA+ is an ad-supported service with originals and live streams.
FIFA, the global governing body for world soccer, is launching its own streaming service. FIFA+ will livestream men's and women’s matches and broadcast a raft of original series and documentaries. The platform will also host a vast archive of older games from previous World Cups. FIFA says it’ll show the “equivalent of 40,000 live games per year.” At launch, we’ll see around 1,400 matches a month, with that figure “rising rapidly” until we get closer to 4,000 a month. Which is great, but I really don’t want a streaming service for every single sport.
If you are looking for an inexpensive, accurate, easy-to-use temperature sensor, then LM35 is an excellent choice. It has an accuracy of ±¼°C at room temperature and ±¾°C over a full −55°C to 150°C temperature range. It does not require any external trimming, although the main drawback of this sensor is that it outputs data in analog format, making it very prone to external noise and interference.
Robosen Robotics' Optimus Prime robot can automatically transform into a truck just like the movie/cartoon versions, but the breathtaking $900 price makes it more a toy for collectors than children. Now, Hasbro and Robosen have launched a companion Trailer and Roller set for Optimus Prime with equally cool auto-conversion features and an equally steep $750 price.
Based on the G1 design, the trailer measures an impressive three feet (1 meter) in length, fully extended. Using Robosen's clever robotics, it automatically unfolds and tilts vertically into a nearly flat rectangular shield, complete with an integrated, articulating sentry blaster. In truck mode, it houses the Roller vehicle and human sidekick Spike "who is ready to jump into action or enjoy the ride." The blaster can also be mounted for "further firepower and support," according to Robosen.
You can open the Trailer's rear swing doors with a voice command, or control the truck and Roller car using an app. It auto-converts in seconds, and you can, of course, tow it with Optimus Prime, "exposing the sentry weapons to fire on the Decepticons during the chase."
The trailer and Optimus Prime robotic are expensive, but unlike other collectibles, the price appears to be justified. The company promises "meticulous" craftsmanship, high-grade metal allow parts and cutting-edge robotics tech. It uses 18 of Robosen's proprietary servo motors and 60 microchips, with over 2,000 components in total.
Robosen
Pre-orders are now open for the $750 Trailer and Roller Set, though deliveries won't start until around November 2022. The package includes a protective storage case with handle for easy transportation, along with a collectible pack including an individualized serial number, Autobot magnetic car badge, metal challenge coin and sticker pack.
Hasbro and Robosen also released a limited number of Flagship Optimus Prime robots selling for $750, though that deal already seems to be gone. Despite all the cool features, the combined $1,500 price means it's likely that many of these items will stay in their collectible protective cases, never to transform into anything but cash.
