Destiny 2 developer Bungie has been on a legal spree recently: It sued one user over cheating and threats against its employees, as well as a YouTuber who issued nearly 100 false DMCA claims against other creators. But after suing the cheat developer AimJunkies last year, Bungie is now facing a countersuit. AimJunkies claims the developer illegally hacked an associate's computer, reports TorrentFreak(via Kotaku). Additionally, they allege Bungie also violated the DMCA by breaking through that machine's security.
Bungie's current Limited Software License Agreement (LSLA) gives the company's BattleEye software permission to scan computers for anti-cheat tools, but that wasn't true back in 2019, when the alleged hack began. According to AimJunkie's counter-suit, Bungie accessed a computer owned by its associate James May several times throughout 2019 and 2021. It goes on to allege that Bungie used information from those hacks to gather information about other potential suspects.
Phoenix Digital, the company behind AimJunkies, didn't stop there. It also claims the Bungie violated its Terms of Service by buying AimJunkies' software and reverse-engineering its source code. If this all sounds a bit ironic, that's because Bungie accused the company of similar tactics in its original suit. James May and Phoenix Digital are demanding damages, as well as an end to any future hacks and DMCA breaches. We've asked Bungie for comment, and will update if we hear back.
Chinese EV maker XPeng is no stranger to boundary-pushing car tech. In 2020, it unveiled the P7 sedan, which featured 200 more miles of EV range than the Tesla Model 3. Today, it's targeting charging speed with its G9 SUV. The new flagship model can charge at up to 480 kW, allowing it to go from a 10 percent charge to 80 percent in 15 minutes (or 124 miles in 5 minutes). In the US, we're limited to 350 kW fast chargers at best (and even then, you'll need a fairly new or premium EV to support that speed).
Of course, to see that fast charging rate, you'll need to use one of the company's chargers in China. XPeng plans to bring the G9 to European markets though, so perhaps 480 kW chargers will follow.
Beyond its charging tech, the G9 also appears to have just about everything you'd want in a premium mid-size electric SUV. Its design and leather-filled interior evokes luxury car brands, while its dual-motor 4WD models can reach up to a whopping 551 hp. Powered by two NVIDIA Orin chips, the G9 also offers advanced driver assistance with 31 sensors and dual-LiDAR sensors, as well as automatic driving and parking assistance.
Can you believe it's been almost a year since Windows 11 launched? Back then, I was surprised that Microsoft was practically rushing a new version of Windows out the door. But, as I noted in my review, Windows 11 ended up refining Microsoft's desktop formula fairly well. My opinion hasn't changed much since then (and yes, I'm still frustrated by the cleaner but less usable taskbar). Today, Microsoft will start rolling out the Windows 11 2022 update, the operating system's first major revision, which brings better security, accessibility and a handful of gaming improvements. Mostly, though, it'll make it easier for you to get future updates more quickly.
How do I get the Windows 11 2022 Update?
No surprise here: Head over to Windows Update in your Settings app and see if your computer is eligible for an upgrade. As usual, Microsoft says it's taking a "measured and phased" approach, which means there's a chance you won't see the update immediately. The company will also highlight potential conflicts on your system — e.g., an incompatible app, an out of date driver — that will prevent you from getting the refreshed OS. This advice applies to both Windows 11 and Windows 10 users, though the latter should double-check their computer with thePC Health Check app to ensure their hardware is compatible. (Check out our Windows 11 review for more details on upgrading from Windows 10.)
What's this about faster updates?
Panos Panay, Microsoft's Chief Product Officer,said in February that the company was aiming to deliver "continuous innovation" and more frequent Windows 11 updates outside of the major annual release. That begins with the 2022 update. The company has "significantly reduced" the size of updates (around 450MB for many folks), as well as reduced their installation time, John Cable, the head of Windows Servicing and Delivery, said in a blog post.
The Windows 11 2022 update will also be more carbon aware, allowing you to schedule installations for times when your local grid is relying on cleaner energy sources like wind, hydro and solar. This functionality won't be available everywhere, and we're still waiting to hear more about how Microsoft will keep track of electric grid statistics. But theoretically, it's a smart way to cut down on extraneous carbon emissions (and it's something I'd love to see on phones, tablets and other devices).
Microsoft
So where are the new features?
At first glance, it'll be difficult to tell you're running the new update. It doesn't bring any major UI changes, though Microsoft says it'll be adding tabs to File Explorer in October. I've been using an early build of that feature, and it's definitely helped to reduce my window clutter when moving between SD cards, OneDrive and my downloads folder. (Don't worry, you can still fill your screen with multiple Explorer windows if you prefer.)
You'll also be able to tweak the Start Menu further by either adding more pinned apps, or more recommendations. Additionally, Microsoft is bundling the Clipchamp video editor, which looks like a huge improvement over the existing Windows tool (and certainly lightyears ahead of Movie Maker).
Microsoft
Much like the improved Windows Update experience, the vast majority of new features in the 2022 update are under the hood. Those include a slew of accessibility upgrades thatMicrosoft unveiled earlier this year: system-wide live captions, which will initially appear at the top of your screen to help you feel engaged during video chats; natural sounding voices for the Narrator screen reader; as well as a preview of improved voice commands for using your PC and transcription.
More so than most tech companies, Microsoft has beenpushing to make its hardware and software more accessible over the last decade. That includes launching theSurface Adaptive Kit, setting up aDisability Answer Desk, and announcing a five-year commitment toward bridging the "Disability Divide." The features debuting in this Windows 11 update are all driven by members of the Windows Accessibility team, giving them all a personal touch.
The new Focus Sessions experience, for example, is spearheaded by Alexis Kane, a product manager who has ADHD. She noticed how notifications were giving her more anxiety and disrupting her workflow, so she helped to create a way to minimize them without disabling notifications entirely. Focused Sessions reduces the noise of those alerts, but it also disables Task Bar badges and lets you time work sprints with the clock app.
A better gaming experience
Say goodbye to the Xbox Game Bar, and hello to the new Windows Controller bar. Now when you hit the Xbox button on an Xbox (or third-party) controller, you'll see a simple pop-up to let you get back to a recent game or launcher. Even better for gamers, you'll be able to enjoy titles with better latency, Auto HDR and VRR in windowed mode. In the past, you could only access those features while a game was being run in full-screen mode.
There's also better support for HDR in general. A new calibration app will let you fine-tune the color and brightness levels of your HDR screens. And there's also more support for Auto HDR, which maps improved lighting onto games that don't offer HDR on their own.
Microsoft
Other features
In addition to tabbed File Explorer windows, Microsoft also has a handful of other new features coming in October:
Better picture management with an improved Photos app. It will also let you back up pics directly to OneDrive, and it’ll help you revisit experiences with a new “Memories” feature. (That sounds similar to what Apple and Google do with their respective photo offerings.)
An overflow menu in the task bar, which will hold extra apps instead of crowding the bottom of your screen.
More suggested options when copying data. Selecting a phone number, for example, could prompt you to make a Teams call.
The Windows 11 2022 update is launching today, and while it's a mostly behind-the-scenes update for most PCs, gamers have a few new features to look forward to. First up, Microsoft is adding support for Auto HDR, VRR (variable refresh rates) and better latency for windowed games. Previously, those were only features you could use in full-screen mode. The change should be a boon to streamers and anyone who wants to multitask while clearing their Halo Infinite dailies.
Microsoft
And speaking of HDR, you can now tweak your monitor's settings more easily with an improved HDR calibration tool. Auto HDR is also headed to more titles, which should be great news if you (literally) want to see older games in a new light. Less significantly, the Xbox Game Bar is being transformed into a new Windows Controller Bar, which will show your recently played games and launchers. You can access that by hitting the Xbox button on an Xbox controller (or a third-party equivalent).
While none of these are ground-breaking changes, they all go towards making Windows 11 a better environment for PC gamers. (Let's just hope we get a more flexible way to install games from the Microsoft Store eventually.)
Portal 3 may never happen, but at least we've got a new way to experience the original teleporting puzzle shooter. Today during his GTC keynote, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang announced Portal with RTX, a mod that adds support for real-time ray tracing and DLSS 3. Judging from the the short trailer, it looks like the Portal we all know and love, except now the lighting around portals bleeds into their surroundings, and just about every surface is deliciously reflective.
Similar to what we saw with Minecraft RTX, Portal's ray tracing mod adds a tremendous amount of depth to a very familiar game. And thanks to DLSS 3, the latest version of NVIDIA's super sampling technology, it also performs smoothly with plenty of RTX bells and whistles turned on. This footage likely came from the obscenely powerful RTX 4090, but it'll be interesting to see how well Portal with RTX performs on NVIDIA's older 2000-series cards. Current Portal owners will be able to play the RTX mod in November.
NVIDIA
Huang says the company developed the RTX mod inside of its Omniverse environment. To take that concept further, NVIDIA is also launching RTX Remix, an application that will let you capture existing game scenes and tweak their objects and environments with high resolution textures and realistic lighting. The company's AI tools can automatically give materials "physically accurate" properties—a ceiling in Morrowind, for example, becomes reflective after going through RTX Remix. You'll be able to export remixed scenes as mods, and other players will be able to play them through the RTX renderer.
Once upon a time, desktop computer speakers actually mattered. That was more than a decade ago, long before gaming headsets filled the land and wireless Bluetooth headphones were any good. In the early 2000's, more people also had actual desktops computers chained to desks, so it was worth investing a bit in decent audio. SteelSeries' new Arena 9 surround sound PC speakers reminds me of that era, a time when I eagerly strung cables throughout my dorm room to connect Logitech's legendary Z-680 surround sound speakers. (Apologies for anyone who lived near me. I tried to keep things civil, I swear!)
Luckily, it's not as tough to go surround sound today – though it will still cost you a ton. The $550 Arena 9 connect over USB, so you don't have to worry about a specialized sound card, and they feature wireless rear satellites, which only need to be connected to power and each other. There's no need to string anything to the front speakers. That solves a huge pain point, and it makes the Arena 9 a far more viable option for the cable-averse. But is setting up a surround sound system worth it when gaming headphones are cheaper, more immersive and kinder to your neighbors? You'll have to decide that for yourself.
Assuming you do want to fill your room with speakers, the Arena 9 are notable for existing at all. There aren't many PC alternatives today, and they're mostly several years old, like Logitech's Z906 (released in 2011). You could, of course, set up an amplifier and connect whatever speakers you'd like, but anyone doing that probably isn't in the market for a self-contained kit. SteelSeries is striking a delicate balance between complexity and convenience – for the most part, I think the Arena 9 is a success.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
In the box, you'll find two front speakers (both equipped with RGB lighting along their base and rears), two wireless rear satellites, a center channel, a control module, and a 6.5-inch downward-firing subwoofer. The two-way speakers don't exactly feel high-end, but their matte plastic casing should blend in with your keyboards and other PC components. They're also far lighter than I expected, which is rarely a good sign with audio gear. My biggest gripe, though, comes down to the cabling. The front and center speakers are hard-wired to the rear of the subwoofer. From what I can tell, there's no easy way to replace those cables, so you're stuck chucking the entire speaker if something goes wrong (or getting very familiar with soldering). I'd much rather have removable cables instead of superfluous RGB lighting.
SteelSeries
I can understand why SteelSeries chose to include all of its audio inputs behind the subwoofer. It gets more cables away from your desk, and it's a smart place to house the amplifier and power components. But that's also the only place with an aux connection, so you'll need to string a long 3.5mm cable if you want to plug in any other devices. Thankfully, there's also Bluetooth support, which gives you an easy way to wirelessly stream tunes when your computer is off. For devices with digital audio, like the PlayStation 5, you can connect them via an optical cable (there's also optical output port to pass sound to other gear).
Unfortunately, the PS5 can only output 2.1 sound (two front speakers and the subwoofer) over optical or USB. You could upmix that audio across all of your speakers via the control pod, but that would still just be simulated surround. That's a shame for anyone who wants a system that can seamlessly work across their gaming systems and computers. It's also doubly disappointing since the Logitech Z-680 handled Dolby Digital and DTS surround processing from consoles and other devices all the way back in 2003 for just $400. For the price, I'm surprised the Arena 9 can't handle their own decoding.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
At least SteelSeries isn't trying to push the Arena 9 as an ideal surround sound system for your home theater. What's notable is that it's the first 5.1 gaming speakers that work over a single USB connection. Typically, PC speakers either rely on three 3.5mm jacks or a digital connection like optical or coaxial. Since it's relying on USB, setup is simple – even for laptop users, who would typically have to get some sort of external sound card to use a 5.1 system.
It only took a few minutes to get the Arena 9's front and center speakers hooked up to the subwoofer, while the rears found homes on bookshelves behind my desk chair. Those took a bit more effort, since I had to find a nearby outlet to power the right rear speaker, as well as string a cable across the floor to the left one. (If you've got a large space, you can also use an extra long RCA cable to connect those speakers.) On my desk, the Arena 9 looks cleaner than the huge KEF Q150 bookshelves I typically use.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
I'll be honest, though, I care far more about sound quality than aesthetics when it comes to speakers. Despite their relatively small size and average build quality, the Arena 9 sounds fantastic across games and movies. The opening monster attack in Netflix's The Sea Beast rocked my office with explosions, the sounds of giant waves and the rumble of a pissed off monster. While playing Halo Infinite, I felt fully immersed in every firefight, so much so that I could clearly hear enemies creeping up behind me on the rear speakers. One Halo Infinite match, which equipped everyone with rocket launchers and skewers, sounded like I was front row in a 15-minute long fireworks show.
The Arena 9s are best when you can crank the volume as much as possible – making them ill-suited for apartments and smaller homes. (Do as I say, not as I did.) They’re peppy and energetic enough for games and films with large soundscapes. I would have liked to see a larger subwoofer, though. A 6.5-inch ported unit for a system this expensive just feels limiting. I had to push the subwoofer's volume dial almost to its maximum to get a satisfying amount of low-end punch. A larger sub wouldn't need to work so hard.
Unfortunately, the Arena 9s aren't as well-suited to music, something that seems to be the case for most gaming speakers. They handled some of my typical speaker and headphone testing tracks just fine, like Clint Mansell's "Death is the Road to Awe" from The Fountain, as well as George Benson's “White Rabbit.” But the sound felt trapped by the small front boxes, and the sub was far too boomy for my tastes. Maybe my ears have been spoiled by my KEF speakers, but I would have liked a larger sense of presence from the Arena 9. Flipping on the simulated surround sound, which plays music across all of the speakers, just made the limitations of the entire system all the more clear.
I’ll admit, the Arena 9 have a bit more depth than the Logitech Z-680s, but they can’t touch Klipsch’s classic ProMedia 2.1 speakers when it comes to music. That system is legendary at this point – it was originally released in 2000 (which is when I bought it for college), but the same exact hardware is still being sold today. These complaints won’t matter much if you're focused on gaming, but discerning audiophiles would be better off with a bigger set that's better suited to tunes.
As much as I love great gaming headsets, like SteelSeries’ own Arctis Pro and Nova Pro, there’s something more visceral about having speakers moving the air around you. If you’re a gamer looking for something a bit different, and you have the money and space to spare, the Arena 9 could help you appreciate your favorite titles in entirely new ways. But if you don’t have the freedom to blast your nightly Halo Infinite runs at full volume, it doesn’t make sense to spend $550 on PC surround sound speakers. Get a decent 2.1 system for music, and stick with your headphones for gaming.
So after all the hype last week, are the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro any good? And are the Apple Watch SE and Series 8 worth an upgrade? This week, Cherlynn chats with Devindra about her furious rush to review all of Apple’s latest gear. It turns out the iPhone 14 Pro is a pretty big step forward, but the same can’t be said for the plain 14. Also, they discuss the wider impact of removing SIM cards from this iPhone lineup, as well as the value of the Pro’s new 48MP camera.
Listen above, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
How does the iPhone 14 series stack up against this year’s other phones? – 45:07
Apple Watch SE and Series 8 reviews – 48:26
A few thoughts on iOS 16 – 54:25
Northeastern University VR lab targeted by mail bomb – 56:47
Period tracking app Flo gets anonymous mode – 59:22
We finally got a trailer for the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – 1:01:11
What we’re working on – 1:03:07
Pop culture picks – 1:07:31
Livestream
Credits Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos Graphic artists: Luke Brooks and Brian Oh
Discord, the social messaging service that helped to displace old-school internet forums, now wants to bring them back. Today, the company announced Forum Channels, which are exactly what you'd imagine: A dedicated space to have conversations without the worry of a fast-paced chat feed. You'll find them right below your usual Discord channels. When creating a forum, you'll be able to restrict posting permissions and set guidelines for the conversation. Crucially, they'll also be compatible with Discord's AutoMod, which can help to clean up discussions. (Moderation was always the downfall of a poorly-run forum.)
Discord
While it's nice to have the concept returning, it's funny to see Discord explaining the concept of forums to younger users. Yes kids, back in our day, we had to furiously refresh web pages to discover the latest reply to our Halo lore theories. Discord has often been framed as a return to the messaging blitz of IRC, paired together with real-time voice chat. So it only makes sense that it'll be responsible for helping us relive the glory days of forums.
It’s Apple week, everyone! Editor-in-chief Dana Wollman joins Devindra to chat about everything Apple announced, including the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro, as well as all of the Apple Watches. Sure, they’re faster and have many more features, but did you know they could potentially save your life? At least, that’s the idea Apple is trying to sell.
We’re still not quite sold on the Apple Watch Ultra, but it’s sure to become the next over-priced wrist accessory for tech bros. Also, Dana discusses Apple’s new ovulation tracking feature in the Apple Watch Series 8/Ultra, which is a big step forward from its previous efforts.
Listen above, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
Apple’s Far Out event: overview and what we didn’t see – 1:23
iPhone 14 Pro – 16:39
iPhone 14 – 22:18
Apple Watch Ultra and Series 8 – 34:11
Apple Watch SE – 41:09
Pop culture picks – 50:27
Livestream
Credits Hosts: Dana Wollman and Devindra Hardawar Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos Graphic artists: Luke Brooks and Brian Oh
The iPhone 14 Pro is here, and it's one of Apple's most significant upgrades in years. We're used to seeing better camera and screen technology in Apple's "Pro" lineup, but this time around it's a dramatic departure from the standard iPhone 14. For one, Apple has done away with the notch, which first arrived with the iPhone X way back in 2017.
Developing...
Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.
