STMicroelectronics has introduced 18nm FD-SOI microcontrollers, representing a significant advancement in embedded processing technology, developed in collaboration with Samsung Foundry.
This spring, clean your gadgets. Clean your tech. Be less gross in 2024. It's one of my aims. Alongside our anniversary stories this month, we’re also in a spring-cleaning frame of mind. We’re cleaning AirPods and digitally decluttering the PC. (And if you’re physically decluttering, how about making a bit of money simultaneously?)
This week, we explain how to clean all your screens without damaging them. And, if we really stretch the spring-cleaning theme to include hygiene and then stretch again to sleep hygiene, here’s some technology to help you get a better rest, too.
After all that cleaning.
— Mat Smith
YouTube created the creator economy
Lotus’s secret weapon is EVs with personality
Glassdoor reportedly attaches real names to anonymous accounts
You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!
Elon Musk announced the first human patient had received a Neuralink brain implant as part of the company’s first clinical trial earlier this year. And yesterday, the company briefly live streamed a demo on X of 29-year-old Nolan Arbaugh, who is paralyzed from the neck down, demonstrating the implant by moving a cursor around the screen of a laptop and pausing an on-screen music player. Arbaugh said the implant has allowed him to play chess and Civilization VI.
All those big names have joined Epic Games in protesting Apple’s decision to charge a fee for iOS payments made outside of the App Store. The company takes up to a 30 percent cut of App Store purchases. When developers process purchases outside of the App Store, Apple will charge a fee of up to 27 percent. That’s really not much different.
The four companies supporting Epic’s petition claim Apple’s fee on external payments effectively maintains the previous rules. “The Apple Plan comports with neither the letter nor the spirit of this Court’s mandate,” their brief states.
Peacock will host more than 5,000 hours of live coverage across the two weeks, including each of the 329 medal events. That’s far more than anyone could possibly watch during the Games, so to help you keep track of several events at once, Peacock is offering several multiview options. On TVs, tablets and desktop browsers (but not phones, sadly), you’ll be able to watch four matches at the same time. With the multiview modes, you can move the screens around, choose the audio track you want to listen to and click through to watch an event in full screen. Another feature, Peacock Live Actions, will help you follow the events you’re most interested in, so you can continue watching the sport on screen even after NBC’s broadcast switches elsewhere.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-our-guide-to-spring-cleaning-your-tech-111507476.html?src=rssAt the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, LG officially unveiled a curious little box-like projector that comes with a handle that kinda looked like a crank. Well that model, called the CineBeam Q, is now available for pre-order for $1,299 and will come with some extras and freebies if you make your purchase on or before April 7. LG called the CineBeam Q "one of the smallest projectors available" and one that was designed to be portable so that you could easily take it outdoors or indoors, depending on where you want to hold your projector watch party. As long as there's a power source, of course, since it does need to be plugged in.
Its display has a 4K UHD resolution, can go as big as 120 inches and has an RGB laser light source. The model comes with LG's webOS software, which means you can easily stream movies and shows from Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video and Disney+. You can also use it to play media from your other devices, since it's compatible with Apple AirPlay 2 and screen share, as well as Miracast. And when you're not watching anything, you can activate its Light Drawing function to project images on your walls.
If you pre-order from LG's website, you'll get a CineBeam Q Case and the company's new $200 XBOOM XO2T wireless speaker along with your projector. Just make sure you also add the speaker to your cart before you check out. You can also get a $200 Virtual Mastercard Prepaid Card, though you must submit a claim for it by May 31. LG will start shipping pre-orders for the CineBeam Q on April 8.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lgs-cinebeam-q-4k-projector-with-a-crank-like-handle-will-cost-you-1299-090018016.html?src=rssLast year, at the IAA show in Berlin, BMW gave us a first look at what it calls the Neue Klasse, a "new class" of sedan that would not only drive BMW into its electric future, but also create a platform with greater efficiency and driving dynamics than we've yet seen from the German brand.
Now, the company is showing us an evolution of that concept. A taller one at that, to see just how that same idea for future electrification would apply to an SUV. In keeping with BMW's naming conventions, this one's called the Neue Klasse X. The styling is somewhat predictable in that regard, since it is a taller version of what we saw in the Neue Klasse sedan.
What's more interesting is what we can see on the inside, with a more-functional interior that gives us a look at BMW's Panoramic Vision, a heads-up display that spans the entire windscreen. That, plus cool ambient lighting and other interesting features, including the large language model voice assistant they demoed at CES. We're about a year away from seeing this at dealerships, but you can take an early sneak peek with us from a preview event right now.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bmws-vision-neue-klasse-x-concept-gives-us-a-peek-at-bmws-future-suv-081517652.html?src=rssSTMicroelectronics has introduced the new STM32U0 energy-conscious and cost-effective microcontrollers (MCUs) that can reduce energy consumption by up to 50% compared to previous product generations. This enables less frequent battery replacements, minimizes the impact of discarded batteries, and allows more designs to go battery-freerunning solely from an energy-harvesting system such as a small photovoltaic cell.
The House of Representatives approved a measure targeting data brokers’ ability to sell Americans’ personal data to “adversary” countries, like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. The Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act passed with a unanimous 414 - 0 vote.
The bill, which was introduced alongside a measure that could force a ban or sale of TikTok, would prohibit data brokers from selling Americans’ “sensitive” data to people or entities in “adversary” countries. Much like a recent executive order from President Joe Biden targeting data brokers, the bill specifically covers geolocation, financial, health, and biometric data, as well as other private information like text logs and phone call history.
If passed — the bill will need Senate approval before landing on Biden's desk — it would represent a significant check on the relatively unregulated data broker industry. US officials have previously warned that China and other geopolitical rivals of the United States have already acquired vast troves of Americans’ information from brokers and privacy advocates have long urged lawmakers to regulate the multibillion-dollar industry.
The bill is the second major piece of bipartisan legislation to come out of the House Energy and Commerce this month. The committee previously introduced the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” which would require TikTok to divest itself from parent company ByteDance or face a ban in the US. In a statement, Representatives Frank Pallone and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, said that the latest bill “builds” on their work to pass the measure targeting TikTok. “Today’s overwhelming vote sends a clear message that we will not allow our adversaries to undermine American national security and individual privacy by purchasing people’s personally identifiable sensitive information from data brokers,” they said.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/house-passes-bill-that-would-bar-data-brokers-from-selling-americans-personal-information-to-adversary-countries-004735748.html?src=rssEarlier this year, Elon Musk announced that the first human patient had received a Neuralink brain implant as part of the company’s first clinical trial. Now, the company has shared a brief public demo of the brain-computer interface (BCI) in action.
The company briefly live streamed a demo on X with a 29-year-old man named Nolan Arbaugh, who said he was paralyzed from the neck down after a diving accident eight years ago. In the video, Arbaugh explains that after receiving the implant — he said the surgery was “super easy” — he had to learn how to differentiate “imagined movement versus attempted movement” in order to learn to control a cursor on a screen.
“A lot of what we started out with was attempting to move,” Arbaugh said. “I would attempt to move, say, my right hand left, right forward, back. And from there, I think it just became intuitive for me to start imagining the cursor moving.”
— Neuralink (@neuralink) March 20, 2024
In the clip, which also features a Neuralink engineer, Arbaugh demonstrates the BCI by moving a cursor around the screen of a laptop, and pausing an on-screen music player. He said the implant has allowed him to play chess and Civilization VI. He noted that he has previously used other assistive devices like mouthsticks, but that the Neuralink implant has enabled longer gaming sessions, as well as online play. He said that he can get about eight hours of use before the implant needs to recharge (it’s not clear how charging works).
Arbaugh became the first human patient to receive the implant in January after Neuralink began recruiting patients last year. The company previously tested the BCI in animals, including chimps, and some of its animal testing practices have been the subject of federal investigations.
In the video, Arbaugh indicated his experience with the brain implant has so far been positive, despite some initial issues. “It's not perfect, I would say that we have run into some issues,” he said. “I don't want people to think that this is the end of the journey. There's a lot of work to be done, but it has already changed my life.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/heres-a-video-of-the-first-human-neuralink-patient-controlling-a-computer-with-his-thoughts-235659486.html?src=rssThe Amazon Spring Sale is here and if you’re interested in tech deals, you’ve come to the right place. However, don't mistake this for a spring Prime Day — unlike Amazon's bigger, traditional sale events, this one doesn't revolve around Prime-exclusive discounts. And that's a good thing; that means anyone who shops on Amazon can take advantage of the deals. Given the seasonal nature of this event, it's not a boon for discounts on laptops, tablets, wearables and the like. However, we were able to find a number of decent discounts worth your time and money. While most of these Amazon deal prices are not the same as those we saw around Black Friday last year, some get pretty close (as a general rule of thumb, a good price in March isn’t necessarily the same thing as a good price in November). Here are the best Amazon Big Spring Sale deals on tech we love that you can get right now.
Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon’s Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog’s car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-amazon-spring-sale-2024-tech-deals-we-could-find-on-headphones-speakers-robot-vacuums-and-more-132004611.html?src=rssSeveral notable names have joined Epic Games in taking a stance against Apple's decision to charge a fee for iOS payments made outside of the App Store. Meta, Microsoft, X and Match Group filed an amicus brief in the case, as The Wall Street Journal reports. That lends some heavyweight backing to Epic's cause.
Apple was forced to enable third-party payments on iOS due to the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) and a court ruling in the US. It also has to allow alternative app marketplaces on iOS in the EU. The company takes up to a 30 percent cut of App Store purchases. Perhaps fearing that it was about to lose out on a significant chunk of commission, Apple said it would charge a fee of up to 27 percent when developers process purchases outside of the App Store.
Epic this month filed a petition asking District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to enforce a permanent injunction she issued against Apple in 2021 as part of her ruling in the case between the two companies. The decision compelled Apple to allow developers to direct users to alternative payment systems.
Most of Rogers' ruling was in Apple's favor, however, and both companies appealed the decision all the way up to the Supreme Court. However, in January, the highest court in the US declined to hear the appeals. That means Rogers' permanent injunction against Apple stood, but Epic was not happy about the way Apple implemented the third-party payment changes.
The four companies supporting Epic's petition claim that the fee Apple is charging on external payments effectively leaves the previous rules in place. "The Apple Plan comports with neither the letter nor the spirit of this Court's mandate," their brief states.
As X put it, the 27 percent fee doesn't give developers much incentive to link to external payment methods. Microsoft, which has been working on its own mobile game store, noted that Apple's latest policy limits its ability to offer users subscriptions and discounts. Match Group argued that Apple's decision will affect many developers and users, and that it stymies the court's attempt to offer consumers competition on pricing.
Meta, meanwhile, charges more for its ad-free plans and boosted posts on its iOS apps than it does on the web. (The ad-free subscription is also more expensive in the company's Android apps, as Google takes a cut of in-app payments too). Meta states in the amicus brief that it ought to be able to direct users to other payment options for boosted posts.
Apple claims to have complied with the court order. According to the Journal, the company (which is reportedly facing a Justice Department antitrust case) says its current external link policies are important to protect user privacy and security. Apple has also been dinged over its compliance with the DMA, with critics suggesting the company might be adhering to the letter of the law, but not its spirit.
For what it's worth, Meta, Microsoft, X and Match Group filed their petition one day after the EU's antitrust chief warned Apple over new fees it's charging developers (and Meta over its ad-free subscription). Margrethe Vestager told Reuters that feedback from developers would play an important factor in whether the bloc investages Apple, Meta or any other company subject to the DMA's rules. She noted that she had received "quite a lot" of comments from third parties.
Meanwhile, Epic is gearing up to debut its game store on both iOS and Android later this year. The company said at the Game Developer Conference that the store would be cross-platform between mobile, PC and macOS. The company plans to charge developers of mobile games the same 12 percent cut it takes from PC game sales.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-microsoft-x-and-match-group-come-out-swinging-against-apples-third-party-payment-rules-200705867.html?src=rssThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled its final pollution emissions standards for the auto industry on Wednesday. The regulations, which include a looser timeframe than those proposed last year, mandate that by 2032, most new passenger car and light truck sales in the US must be electric or hybrid.
Earth is on a disastrous trajectory with climate change, and no amount of baseless conspiracy theories or talking points from the oil and gas industry, Donald Trump or anyone else will change that. Only phasing out fossil fuels and emissions will beat back its worst effects. The Biden Administration’s EPA is trying to do that — while throwing a bone to stakeholders like unions and automakers to navigate the landmines of today’s political realities.
The final rules present a timeline to wind down gas-powered vehicle purchases, making most US auto sales fully electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid or advanced gasoline by 2032. The transition begins in 2027 but moderates the pace until after 2030. That’s a key change from last April’s proposed standards, which called for EVs to make up two-thirds of vehicle sales by 2032.
The shift was an election-year compromise for Biden, who has to balance the crucial battle against climate change with 2024 auto union endorsements. Labor unions had pushed for the more relaxed pace out of fears that a more aggressive transition, like the EPA proposed last year, would lead to job losses. EVs typically require fewer assembly workers than traditional gas-powered vehicles.
Last year, United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain withheld support for Biden’s reelection due to concerns about the EV transition. But (perhaps after hearing assurances about the revised rules) the UAW endorsed his reelection bid in January.
“The EPA has made significant progress on its final greenhouse gas emissions rule for light-duty vehicles,” the UAW wrote in a statement about the new rules published by the EPA. “By taking seriously the concerns of workers and communities, the EPA has come a long way to create a more feasible emissions rule that protects workers building ICE vehicles, while providing a path forward for automakers to implement the full range of automotive technologies to reduce emissions.”
Contrary to what online misinformation or your uncle may tell you, the rules — aimed at the auto industry and not consumers — don't make gas-powered cars and trucks illegal. Instead, they require automakers to meet specific emissions standards throughout their product lines. The rules apply to new vehicle sales, not used ones.
The EPA says the final rule will lead to $99 billion in benefits and save the average American driver $6,000 in fuel and maintenance over the life of their vehicles. Other advantages include avoiding 7.2 billion additional tons of CO2 emissions through 2055 and offering “nearly $100 billion of annual net benefits to society.” The reduction in fine particulate matter and ozone will allegedly prevent up to 2,500 premature deaths in 2055 while reducing associated health problems like heart attacks, asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
“Three years ago, I set an ambitious target: that half of all new cars and trucks sold in 2030 would be zero-emission,” President Biden wrote in a statement supplied by The White House to Engadget. “I brought together American automakers. I brought together American autoworkers. Together, we’ve made historic progress. Hundreds of new expanded factories across the country. Hundreds of billions in private investment and thousands of good-paying union jobs. And we’ll meet my goal for 2030 and race forward in the years ahead. Today, we’re setting new pollution standards for cars and trucks. U.S. workers will lead the world on autos making clean cars and trucks, each stamped ‘Made in America.’”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-epa-reveals-final-auto-industry-regulations-to-try-to-keep-the-world-habitable-195612588.html?src=rss