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If you have your eye on Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 but have been waiting for a sale, Amazon has a good one right now. It's selling the 40mm model in several colors (Grey, Pink Gold and Silver) for $230, saving you $50 or 18 percent off the regular price. And if it's a larger Galaxy Watch 5 you want, the 44mm version is on sale at $260, also $50 off. 

The Galaxy Watch 5 scored a solid 85 in our Engadget review, and we once again called it "the best non-Apple smartwatch." Samsung was focused on perfecting it over the Watch 4, adding extra battery life (a runtime of up to 80 hours), greater durability with Sapphire Crystal glass and a temperature sensor.

Otherwise, it carries the same design and features as before, which is a good thing. Powered by a responsive 5-nanometer Exynos processor and running Wear OS, it uses Samsung's bezel-based navigation with a touch-sensitive ring framing the screen. That gives you access to numerous apps, along with sleep-tracking and coaching plus health and activity tracking. You can get your body composition reading using the body-impedance analysis tool, take ECG scans, reply to messages, control music playback and more.

The lightly curved underside keeps the sensors in contact with your wrist, and it's rated IP68, 5ATM and MIL-STD-810H for durability (water, dust and pressure resistance). The main downside is that battery life is considerably lower with the always-on display compared to the Apple Watch 7.

You can grab the 40mm model in gray, pink and purple/silver for $230, and pick up the 44mm version in grey, white/silver and blue for $260. The best deal is on the 44mm Golf Edition, available in black and white with a golf-themed watch face and Smart Caddie app for $260, a full $100 off the regular price.

You now have an easy way to record movies with surround sound using your phone, provided you're immersed in the right ecosystem. Samsung is releasing an update for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro that enables 360-degree audio capture while you're recording video. While this won't match professional surround (you're using a mic on each earbud), it could present a truer impression of what you heard during a concert or hike.

Only a handful of people will get to try this feature at first. The update is initially rolling out to Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 users, and it will be included with the "upcoming Galaxy smartphones" (read: Galaxy S23 series). You're out of luck if you own an S22 or other older hardware.

You'll have more success with an impending upgrade for Samsung's smartwatches. An update arriving in February will bring zoom to the Camera Controller app on Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 models. Make a pinch gesture or rotate the bezel and you can remotely steer your phone's camera zoom from your wrist. You won't have to return to your handset (or move closer) just to properly frame a group photo.

The new functionality will only be immediately useful if you're a fierce Samsung devotee. However, the company is undoubtedly hoping that the tighter integration will give you an incentive to buy more than just its latest phones. There will be perks you might not get from rivals, at least not for a while.

Apple Music and Apple TV apps have quietly arrived as preview versions on Microsoft Windows 11, according to a tweet from @ALumia_Italia seen by Thurrott. It's now possible to download the apps from the Microsoft Store, along with another preview app called Apple Devices that lets you "manage Apple devices from your Windows PC," according to the description. 

At its 2022 Surface event, Microsoft announced that the apps would be coming to Windows 11 this year, so the news isn't a huge surprise. Apple's standalone Windows media apps have been a long time coming — it was recruiting engineers to build them as far back as 2019. Those apps replaced iTunes on Mac, and the aim is to eventually replace them on Windows as well.

All the apps appear to require Windows 11 Build 22621 or higher, but they seem to function well, according to 9to5Mac. Apple TV works much like the app on Xbox or Smart TVs, giving access to Apple TV+ and Apple TV Channels, along with movies and TV shows from the iTunes Store. Apple Music is missing the lyrics feature, but is otherwise the same as the macOS version.

As for Apple Devices, it also replaces iTunes for sync and backup. It'll allow you to back up Apple devices, sync local media and restore firmware without the need for iTunes. 

When launching them for the first time, you'll be warned that iTunes for Windows will stop working (you need to uninstall the apps to continue using iTunes). That's not necessarily a bad thing, as iTunes for Windows doesn't exactly offer a terrific user experience. 

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has recorded another inaugural milestone: its first confirmed discovery of an exoplanet. LHS 475 b is just 41 light years away and has a diameter 99 percent of Earth’s. But there’s more work to be done. The JWST should be able to figure out the atmospheres of Earth-sized exoplanets. The research team is still working to determine what, if any, sort of atmosphere the rocky mass may have. However, the planet's surface appears to be around 300 Celsius, more than a little warmer than Earth, so don’t expect colonies. If they discover cloud cover, it could mean a greenhouse world climate closer to our neighboring planet Venus.

– Mat Smith

The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.

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Apple may start making its own displays for its watches by 2024

Reports suggest these displays will make their way to other mobile devices.

Engadget

Apple may start replacing its mobile devices' displays with in-house screen technology as soon as next year. The tech giant will reportedly start with its highest-end Apple Watches in late 2024 and will swap the devices' current OLED screens with its own microLED technology. Bloomberg says Apple's homegrown display tech will also make its way to its other devices, including the iPhone.

Apparently, Apple was originally working to introduce its technology in 2020, but it was hampered by development costs and technical challenges. Back then, those same concerns also prevented the company from including larger displays in its plans.

Continue reading.

FAA grounds US flights following NOTAM computer outage

It ordered airlines to pause all domestic flights until 9 AM ET.

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines to pause all domestic departures in the US, stopping all flights until 9 AM ET, because it had to restore its Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system. On early Wednesday morning, the agency issued a notice through an Air Traffic Control System Command Center Advisory that the US NOTAM system had failed. "Operations across the National Airspace System are affected," the FAA said in a tweet, then announced it was working to fix the outage. It’s the first time the US NOTAM system has failed.

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OpenAI is planning a paid ‘pro’ version of its hit ChatGPT bot

You'd have guaranteed access to the chatbot.

OpenAI has shared a waitlist for an experimental ChatGPT Professional service that, for a fee, would effectively remove limits on the advanced chatbot. The AI tool would always be available, with no throttling and as many messages as necessary. The startup hasn't said when the pilot program might launch, and it's asking would-be participants for feedback on pricing.

As TechCrunch noted, the company said on its Discord server it's "starting to think" about how it will make money from ChatGPT and keep the technology viable in the "long-term." CEO Sam Altman recently pointed out that ChatGPT costs OpenAI a few cents for every chat.

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Microsoft reportedly axes dual-screen Surface Duo 3 in favor of a 'true' foldable

You may also see more conventional smartphones.

Engadget

Windows Central sources claim Microsoft has canceled a twin-screen Surface Duo 3, which was allegedly meant to launch late this year. The company has apparently switched to focus on a "true" foldable phone. The new device's specs and name aren't known, but it would have a 180-degree hinge with an outside cover display, like the Vivo X Fold. The canceled Surface Duo 3 was "finalized," according to the sources. It would have supposedly addressed some of its predecessor's shortcomings with narrower edge-to-edge screens and wireless charging. But now, we’ll probably never know.

Continue reading.

In a 2022 report about VR fitness, The Washington Post cited a Forrester research that said 25 percent of American adults online are interested in buying a VR headset and 18 percent think they'd primarily use it for exercise. VR fitness is a growing space, and Meta has rolled out a couple of new health-related features for its Quest headset that could convince even more people to give it a try. In its latest update for the device, the company has rolled out Health Connect integration for Android users, and, as The Verge reports, the ability to pair Bluetooth heart rate monitors with it. 

A Meta spokesperson told the publication that if paired with a compatible heart rate monitor, the Meta Quest Move overlay can display a user's heart rate on any game or app, alongside minutes exercised and calories burned. At the moment, the only known compatible monitors are the Garmin HRM-Dual and the Polar H10 chest straps, but other brands and models (even smartwatches) may be able to pair with the headset. Meta just can't confirm if they'll work with the Quest as it intended. 

Meanwhile, Health Connect integration will give users the capability to automatically sync VR workouts with their Android device. Meta first made people's VR fitness stats viewable outside of their headsets when it gave iOS users the capability to sync their progress with Apple Health last year. Now, Android users can finally see their progress without having to put on the Quest, as well. 

The Health Connect API enables health and fitness data sharing across devices and between apps, such as Samsung Health and MyFitnessPal. To activate the integration, users will first have to sync their Meta Quest Move stats with the Meta Quest mobile app. They can do so by going into the Move app in VR and clicking Settings. Users will then have to toggle on "Health Connect by Android" under the Connected Apps section inside the Meta Quest mobile app.

It's unclear if these features are also making their way to the first Quest model released under the Oculus branding. A few days ago, the company sent out emails to Quest 1 owners, telling them that their devices will no longer be getting new features going forward. Meta will also only be releasing critical security and bug patches for the device until 2024. 

Google is making Meet more social with a new feature called in-meeting reactions. The idea is that users can send one of nine emoji reactions, including 💖👍 and 😂, which will appear on the recipient's window and be visible to all in the meeting. If multiple users send emojis, they'll appear as a burst on the left side of your screen. 

To use the function, you select the smile icon in the control bar, and can hover on the bar that pops up to select the skin tone of your choice for all emojis. Google calls it a "non-disruptive way to engage and participate in meetings without interrupting the speaker," with "skin tones that best represent your identity." Reactions will be on by default and can be turned off in the Admin console. The feature arrives starting on January 16th to web, Meet hardware devices and mobile, for all consumer and paid users.

Another feature arriving in the coming weeks is 360 degree backgrounds. Users on mobile will be able to insert 360 degree backgrounds that shift around based on your device's gyroscope for a more immersive experience. Backgrounds include a beach to start with, then oasis, sky city, and mountain temples to follow. It'll be available on mobile for iOS and Android, to consumers and paid users. 

Apple is working on an update to the AirPods Max headphones and developing an AirPods "lite" with a $99 target price, analyst Min-Chi Kuo wrote in a tweet spotted by 9to5Mac. The new products won't be coming anytime soon, however, with a target release date for the more affordable AirPods no earlier than the second half of 2024, according to Kuo.

With the AirPods lite (or LE, or whatever Apple decides to call them), Apple would likely be trying to claw back some market share from the many cheap wireless buds on the market. The current AirPods 2 sell for $129, while the AirPods 3 cost $169, though both are often discounted. Neither offers active noise cancellation, while rivals from companies like Oppo offer ANC for under $100. 

Apple's focus on its AR headset will lead to a "muted 2023" for other products, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, so the new audio products won't arrive soon. Kuo tweeted that the next-generation AirPods, including the less expensive model will ship starting in the second half of 2024 or first half of 2025. He didn't say what date Apple is targeting for the AirPods Max, but they haven't had an update since their launch in December of 2020. 

With the 3rd-gen 2021 AirPods , Apple introduced Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, along with an updated design, Adaptive EQ, IPX4 sweat and water resistance, longer battery life, improved speech quality and more. The main complaints with the product were around fit, sound quality and pricing. 

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Amazon has failed to convince Cornele Overstreet, a regional director with the National Labor Relations Board, to overturn JFK8 workers' vote in favor of unionization. If you'll recall, the JFK8 facility in Staten Island became the first unionized Amazon warehouse after workers voted 2,350-1,912 in favor of joining a union back in April 2022. Amazon said at the time that it was "disappointed" with the result and challenged the vote, alleging "inappropriate and undue influence" from the NLRB. The Wall Street Journal says the e-retailer also accused Amazon Labor Union organizers of threatening employees to vote in favor of unionization. 

Overstreet, however, has ruled that the company was unable to present sufficient proof of inappropriate conduct to overturn the election's results. He agreed with the labor board hearing officer who recommended in September that JFK8's union vote should be upheld. In a tweet, ALU president Christian Smalls celebrated being "certified by Region 28 NLRB." He added that the union "beat [Amazon] fair and square" and tagged Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, asking him to "come to the table" so they could sign a contract. 

As The Journal notes, ALU previously said that Amazon's appeal was a stalling tactic to delay negotiations for workers' demands. And it sounds like the company doesn't intend to back down: An Amazon spokesperson said the e-commerce giant will appeal again and take the case to the NLRB's board in Washington. As CNBC reports, Jassy previously said that the case "has a real chance to end up in federal court," because it's "probably unlikely the NLRB is going to rule against itself."

With the rapid evolution of AI chatbot systems like Chat-GPT, VALL-E, and BlenderBot 3 and their growing abilities to generate text on par with human writers, robots coming to take your writing job is becoming a viable threat. Over at CNET, it's apparently already happening. 

On Wednesday, The Byte reported that the popular tech site appears to have employed "automation technology" to produce a series of financial explainer posts beginning in November 2022 under the byline of CNET Money Staff. It is only after clicking the byline that the site reveals that "This article was generated using automation technology and thoroughly edited and fact-checked by an editor on our editorial staff."

Online marketer Gael Breton first flagged the content Wednesday on Twitter. In all, the tech site produced 73 such posts since last November on subjects such as "Should You Break an Early CD for a Better Rate?" or "What is Zelle and How Does It Work?" Since news of its activities broke at the start of the day, CNET has subsequently taken down the CNET Money Staff bio page as well as removed the "Staff" from numerous posts it had written.

Using text generators isn't currently a widespread practice throughout the journalistic sphere but outlets like the Associated Press and Washington Post have used them for various low-level copywriting tasks — the latter employing them to write about high school football and the equally unimportant 2016 Rio Olympics. But normally when an outlet makes a fundamental shift to the operations of its newsroom such as this, they typically send out a press release or make an announcement on social, anything. It does not appear that CNET has made any sort public note that this program exists beyond the dropdown explainer window. 

The quality difference between CNET's system and the AP's is a stark one. The AP system is a glorified mail merge, shoving specific pieces of data into preformatted story blanks for daily blotter posts and other highly repetitive journalistic tasks. CNET's system, on the other hand, appears to be far more capable, able to compose feature length explainer posts on complex financial concepts — a far cry from the journalistic Mad Libs the AP engages in. We've reached out to CNET for comment and will update the post when the company responds.