ArduinoMania

Discord has been experimenting with embedding apps and games directly in chats for a while, via the Activities feature. Now the company is set to launch a dedicated SDK for developers to join the chat-based fun. The Embedded App SDK rolls out on March 18 and allows devs to build experiences that are embedded in an iframe within Discord.

Discord

“Plenty of Discord Developers out there have had their eyes on Activities, wondering when they could create their own,” the company wrote in a blog post. Prior to this announcement, these tools were limited to select developers. Currently, Discord users can do stuff like watch YouTube, play poker and share a whiteboard while participating in a chat. The SDK should open up the floodgates and allow for a drastic increase in the number of available shared experiences. So how long until Doom shows up?

The platform’s also bringing back app pitches. This program encourages developers to pitch app ideas and snag up to $30,000 in funding. Discord ended up funding some cool stuff last year, including a coral reef cam, a city-building sim and an art portfolio app, among others. Who knows what 2024 will bring.

Discord

Finally, Discord announced that it’s experimenting with technology to allow users to add apps to their accounts, so these experiences will follow them across servers. A beta version of this tool will launch alongside the SDK on March 18. The company says that users will begin to see apps popping up “within DMs, group chats and small servers.”

These updates come just two months after the company announced a brutal round of layoffs that impacted 17 percent of its workforce. CEO Jason Citron said the cuts were necessary to put Discord “in the best position to continue building a strong and profitable business.” To that end, the company recently unveiled a partnership program with game developers to sell themed avatars and various profile effects.

Sony's 1000XM-series headphones have topped our list of the best wireless headphones you can buy for a couple years running. The current top pick is held by the WH-1000XM5 ANC headphones and right now they're $72 off at Amazon, making them $328 instead of their $400 list price. That's not an all time low — we saw them dip to $250 just before the holidays last year and this year they've gone for $300 and $280 at different retailers. But if you don't want to wait and see if those discounts come back, $72 represents a decent savings on a pair of highly recommended over-ear speakers. The sale comes as part of a larger sale on Sony audio at Amazon. 

Even at full price, the WH-1000XM5 are a wise buy if you're looking for superior audio, excellent noise cancellation and an enduringly comfortable fit. Our audio expert, Billy Steele, said these are in a league of their own in his review. The audio is an improvement over the previous generation — which was already great — but now the bass is punchier and the clarity is even more finely tuned. They pack a long, 30-hour battery life and the noise cancellation is adept at blocking human voices, TV sounds and various other environmental noises. There are plenty of easy-to-suss out onboard controls, letting you do things like skip tracks and answer calls. There's even a feature that pauses what you're listening to when you start talking.  

While these are an improvement over the prior model, Sony's WH-100XM4 headphones, those are still a compelling option with great sound and a comfortable fit. They're on sale for a much lower $248. That's $100 off the list price and about $20 more than the all-time low they hit for Black Friday last year.  

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Epic Games has announced a new pricing structure for non-game developers to use its Unreal Engine, after teasing the change last year. The Fortnite developer will charge an annual “per seat” subscription of $1,850. The term “per seat” is tech nomenclature that effectively means “a person using the software.” These changes will go into effect with the release of Unreal Engine 5.4 in late April.

Though Unreal Engine is primarily known as a game development tool, it’s regularly used in a diverse array of industries, which is where this pricing structure comes in. Companies that make linear content, like TV shows and movies, will have to cough up that $1,850 fee, as will organizations that develop in-car infotainment platforms and immersive experiences, like theme park rides. Currently, Epic makes no money from the majority of these users, as the end products aren't, as Sweeney put it last year, "royalty-bearing."

The annual fee provides these users with access to the Unreal Engine itself, the Twinmotion real-time visualization tool and the company’s RealityCapture 3D modeling software. However, organizations can purchase standalone licenses for each. Twinmotion will cost $445 per year and RealityCapture will cost $1,250 each year.

There are some exclusions here. Companies that make less than $1 million in annual gross revenue won’t have to pay the fee. The same goes for students, educators and hobbyists. Companies that develop plug-ins for the Unreal Engine can continue to use the software for free, but Epic will take a cut via its revenue share model.

Epic’s real bread and butter, game developers, will continue to have access to Unreal Engine for free, only paying a five percent royalty on software that earns over $1 million in lifetime gross revenue. Epic extended the royalty-free cutoff from $50,000 to $1 million back in 2020. 

The non-fungible token (NFT) bubble burst quite some time ago, but the US Government has only just published a report looking into the surrounding legal framework. The study, carried out jointly by the US Copyright Office (USCO) and the Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) following a 2022 request by the Senate, determined that current intellectual property laws are robust enough to deal with copyright or trademark infringement in NFTs. The agencies also determined that although there are some benefits to the tokens, "trademark infringement and misuse is prevalent on NFT marketplaces."

As a reminder, an NFT is a digital certificate of authenticity conferring ownership of a collectible, such as an artwork or piece of music. It's effectively a verified link to a piece of media which may or may not live on the blockchain, but whoever owns the destination of an NFT's URL can change the media it points to at any time. In one notable case in 2021, Signal founder Moxie Marlinspike created an NFT that he promised would appear to be a poop emoji when someone bought it.

The offices noted that NFTs and associated smart contracts can aid trademark owners in managing, licensing and transferring IP rights. Those who weighed in on the issue in public comments pointed out that NFTs can help artists make money from future sales of their work too. That's not inherently a bad thing, even if a large swath of NFT art is butt-ugly.

However, the study noted "widespread concern that NFT buyers and sellers do not know what IP rights are implicated in the creation, marketing and transfer of NFTs and that NFTs may be used to facilitate copyright or trademark infringement."

The report notes that the decentralized nature of NFTs and blockchain networks complicates any attempts to enforce trademarks. "While some individual NFT platforms have developed protocols to help trademark owners enforce their rights, there is no centralized authority that requires all platforms to do so," the report reads. "There are also no cross-platform mechanisms to allow trademark owners to identify and take down infringing content, settle trademark-related disputes involving blockchain-based domain names, or confirm that sellers own the trademark rights associated with the assets they offer."

With all of that in mind, the offices said that educating the public about NFTs could help ensure a better understanding and awareness of the tokens and how they work. Still, they recommended in their report to Congress that the current use of NFTs doesn't require changes to current IP laws. They also noted that "incorporating NFTs into their registration and recordation practices is not necessary or advisable at this time." In other words, they don't think they should have to deal with NFTs either.

There's still time to make 2024 the year you upgrade your streaming capabilities. Doing so is currently more affordable with Elgato's Stream Deck MK.2 down to $130 from $150. The 13 percent discount brings it to just $15 more than its record-low price — but we haven't seen that deal since July Prime Day 2023. 

The Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 is one of our must-haves to game-stream like a pro this year. It comes with 15 customizable keys that can complete actions like muting a microphone, changing the lighting and controlling connected accessories. Plus, offers plugins for YouTube, Discord, Spotify, Twitch and more. 

There's also a sale on Elgato's Stream Deck +, with an 11 percent discount dropping its price to $178 from $200 — just $8 off its all-time low. The Stream Deck + has eight customizable LCD buttons for everything from changing scenes to going live. It also has four knobs to control settings such as audio and video, along with a touch bar. Like the Stream Deck MK.2, it has plugins for Twitch, Spotify and more. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Days after Apple started allowing iOS users in the EU to use third-party app stores, the company has announced more changes related to how developers can distribute their apps. Most significantly, those who meet certain criteria will be able to let users download apps from their websites.

The Web Distribution option, which will be available this spring, will effectively let developers bypass the app ecosystem entirely for their own apps. To be eligible, devs will need to opt in to new App Store rules that see them pay a fee for each user install after certain thresholds and be an Apple Developer Program member that’s been in good standing for at least two years. They’ll need to “have an app that had more than one million first annual installs on iOS in the EU in the prior calendar year” among other criteria, per a support document.

By setting certain rules for supporting downloads from the web, Apple will be hoping to minimize the risk that users will be installing sketchy apps, such as ones containing malware or those that support piracy. Still, given the criticism levied against the company for seemingly only sticking to the letter of the EU’s Digital Markets Act and not its spirit, the fact that the company is exerting control over app downloads from the web may come under scrutiny too.

In addition, as 9to5Mac notes, Apple is now allowing developers to run app marketplaces that solely contain their own apps. Previously, they were required to offer apps from other devs. As such, this means the likes of Epic Games, Xbox and Meta can have iOS app marketplaces that only include their own apps and games.

Last but not least, developers will have more flexibility over how they can direct users to an external webpage to complete a transaction for digital goods and services. Apple had provided design templates for in-app promotions, discounts and deals, but those are now optional as of today. That means the likes of Spotify and Netflix can now design links out to their websites (and potentially avoid the 30 percent cut Apple takes of subscriptions from app-based signups).

Motorola just announced a couple of new budget-friendly smartphones, which are set to be released in the near future. These are refreshes of the popular Moto G Power and the Moto 5 5G phones. The upcoming handhelds don't reinvent the wheel, as they are iterative updates, but there are some decent specs worth sharing.

The 2024 Moto G Power boasts a 6.7-inch FHD+ 120Hz display, Dolby Atmos stereo speakers and a 50MP camera system with image stabilization tech. There’s a MediaTek Dimensity 7020 chipset, 128GB of internal storage with a microSD slot, 8GB of RAM, 5G connectivity and a 5000mAh battery complete with 30W fast-charging. This will certainly get the job done when it comes to streaming media, light gaming and browsing the web.

The new Moto G Power even features a fingerprint-resistant back cover made from vegan leather, which the company says provides a “stunning, premium design and comfortable feel.” This phone is coming to Cricket first, on March 22, before an unlocked version hits traditional retailers on March 29. It’ll cost $300.

Motorola

The Moto G 5G includes a slightly smaller 6.6-inch 120Hz display, Dolby Atmos stereo speakers and a 50MP camera system complete with a macro lens. As the name suggests, this is a 5G-capable phone with a Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 processor and 4GB of RAM. Just like the G Power, there’s a 5000mAh battery with quick-charging. It ships with 128GB of internal storage, but there’s an expandable microSD slot.

The updated Moto G 5G will be available at T-Mobile and Metro on March 21, with wider availability starting on May 2. It costs just $200. Motorola also recently released a refresh of the G Play smartphone, which is priced at $150. The company sure does love its G series phones.

April is just around the corner, so if you're not stressed about filing taxes yet, it's likely coming any day now. Thanks to the lovely (read: horrible) tax lobby and the politicians who take their money, the headache taxes bring is as American as apple pie. The IRS is attempting to simplify things a bit with a Direct File tool, a free digital program that provides step-by-step guidance for taxpayers submitting their returns, The Associated Press reports. The IRS first announced this tool was on its way back in October.

To clarify, yes, even this development still requires filing your taxes and determining how much you owe (why tell us when we can just guess?), but it should be a more straightforward process and save you some money. However, it's far from open for all. The IRS pilot program is available to residents of 12 states and only those with a simple tax situation — we're talking basic W-2s and standard deductions here. Other potentially eligible reporting includes SSA-1099 Social Security income, the Child Tax Credit and student loan interest. The IRS has a complete list of eligibility requirements and a tool to check if you qualify.

Direct File is available to residents of Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, Washington, Arizona, California, Massachusetts, and New York. The last four also require state tax returns, so their residents who use Direct File will be directed to tools for filing those once they are finished. Alaska was initially in the mix but has seemingly been dropped since last year's statement.

Airbnb has announced a complete ban on indoor cameras in host properties. Hosts were allowed to have cameras in communal spaces, but they were supposed to be banned from bedrooms and bathrooms. Hosts were also supposed to disclose any cameras in the rental, which may not always have happened. The company says it established the new rules “in consultation with our guests, hosts and privacy experts” and that it’ll continue to seek feedback.

Hosts also have to disclose any outdoor cameras (that can’t point indoors or be in areas with a “greater expectation of privacy” — think showers and saunas). Because humans can be monstrous. The new rules kick in April 30.

Any hosts that violate these new policies could face having their properties banned from Airbnb — and even get their entire account removed.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

Apple’s AirPods Pro are back to a low of $190

The best smartphones to buy

Samsung’s new midrange Galaxy A55 is pretty boring

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

How to find and cancel your unused subscriptions

And make the process easier.

The FTC wants to compel companies to make cancellation processes easier but, during a hearing on the matter earlier this year, industry lobbyists argued that making things easier would be bad for business. So to make things worse for business (I joke), we’ve put together a guide with a few tips to help you find exactly what you’re paying for and how to cancel things you no longer need. Or perhaps, things that have rocketed in price.

Continue reading.

What to expect at Microsoft’s March 21 event

The company may brand its next Surface Pro and Surface Laptop as AI PCs.

Microsoft

Microsoft is holding a digital event titled Advancing the new era of work with Copilot on March 21. We’re expecting new Surface devices and — given the event’s name — a lot more about dovetailing Microsoft’s AI ambitions with its hardware and software. Rumors are all over the place: We could see a new Surface Pro with a brighter OLED screen, devices powered by either Intel Core Ultra or Snapdragon X Elite chips. And possibly even nothing for consumers and just a barrage of business- and commercial-focused devices. Boo! Engadget will cover all the notable announcements on March 21 at noon ET.

Continue reading.

NVIDIA being sued over AI copyright infringement

The company may have trained its NeMo AI on a controversial dataset.

The latest tech company immersing itself in AI and facing copyright troubles is NVIDIA. Several authors are suing the company over its AI platform NeMo, a language model that allows businesses to create and train their own chatbots. The authors claim NVIDIA trained it on a controversial dataset that illegally used their books without consent. They want a jury trial and are demanding NVIDIA pay damages and destroy all copies of the Books3 dataset used to power NeMo large language models (LLMs). They claim the dataset was copied from a shadow library called Bibliotek, consisting of 196,640 pirated books.

Continue reading.

It's getting hard to keep up with copyright lawsuits against generative AI, with a new proposed class action hitting the courts last week. This time, authors are suing NVIDIA over its AI platform NeMo, a language model that allows businesses to create and train their own chatbots, Ars Technica reported. They claim the company trained it on a controversial dataset that illegally used their books without consent.

Authors Abdi Nazemian, Brian Keene and Stewart O’Nan demanded a jury trial and asked Nvidia to pay damages and destroy all copies of the Books3 dataset used to power NeMo large language models (LLMs). They claim that dataset copied a shadow library called Bibliotek consisting of 196,640 pirated books. 

"In sum, NVIDIA has admitted training its NeMo Megatron models on a copy of The Pile dataset," the claim states. "Therefore, NVIDIA necessarily also trained its NeMo Megatron models on a copy of Books3, because Books3 is part of The Pile. Certain books written by Plaintiffs are part of Books3— including the Infringed Works—and thus NVIDIA necessarily trained its NeMo Megatron models on one or more copies of the Infringed Works, thereby directly infringing the copyrights of the Plaintiffs. 

In response, NVIDIA told The Wall Street Journal that "we respect the rights of all content creators and believe we created NeMo in full compliance with copyright law."

Last year, OpenAI and Microsoft were hit with a copyright lawsuit from nonfiction authors, claiming the companies made money off their works but refused to pay them. A similar lawsuit was launched earlier this year. That's on top of a lawsuit from news organizations like The Intercept and Raw Story, and of course, the legal action that kicked all of this off from The New York Times.