I don’t know about you, but when Elon Musk took Twitter over last fall, the last thing I had on my bingo card was a Doge takeover of the website. Yet here we are. As of Monday afternoon, if you open the Twitter web client, the loading screen and main interface will display an icon depicting Kabosu, the Shiba Inu who inspired the Doge meme, instead of the company’s trademark blue bird.

Other than to share a not-so-funny meme, Musk has yet to explain what’s going on with the $20 billion website he paid $44 billion to buy. The Twitter press email, meanwhile, returned a poop emoji when Engadget sent a comment request. If this is an April Fool’s Day joke, I will point out it’s April 3rd. Perhaps Musk is trying to troll the investors suing him for $258 billion over accusations of running a Dogecoin pyramid scheme, but that would be a strange legal strategy, particularly given that the value of Dogecoin just shot up to a recent high of 10 cents due to this stunt. At any rate, we’ll probably have to wait until the next internal comms leak to learn how this particular situation came to pass.

Sony’s upcoming WF-C700N earbuds have leaked courtesy of Best Buy. In a listing spotted by WinFuture’s Roland Quandt, the retailer revealed the true wireless buds will go on sale on April 21st for $120. That’s $20 more than the WF-C500 model they’re expected to replace.

According to Android Police, which saw the listing before it was removed by Best Buy, the WF-C700N will offer active noise cancellation, thanks to the inclusion of Sony’s “Noise Sensor Technology.” Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity means the earbuds will also support two simultaneous connections. Additionally, the WF-C700N will carry over a few features from the WF-C500. Expect the inclusion of Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine for restoring lost detail in Bluetooth audio and IPX4-certified splash protection.

MySmartPrice

Battery life reportedly comes in at 15 hours total with the included charging case. It’s unclear if that takes ANC use into account. For comparison, you can get up to 20 hours of total playtime from the WF-C500, but then they don’t feature noise cancelation. One thing Best Buy didn’t reveal is what Bluetooth codecs the WF-C700N will come with out of the box. It would be nice to see aptX and LDAC support, but given that the WF-C500 limit you to SBC and AAC, that may be hoping for too much. Provided the listing is accurate, we’ll get clarity on those details soon enough.

About an hour into my time with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Cal Kestis, the game’s protagonist, reunites with Greez Dritus, the cranky pilot from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The two embrace after five years apart, one of Greez's four arms now replaced by a robotic prosthetic. It's a moment that encapsulates how I felt playing the upcoming game at a recent preview event Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment held in Los Angeles. Playing Jedi: Survivor feels like reuniting with a friend you haven’t seen in a few years. 

Right from the start, Jedi: Survivor feels like a more refined Jedi:Fallen Order. The preview began on Koboh, one of the first planets players will visit when they get their hands on the game later this month. Exploring Koboh is immediately compelling since Cal has all the abilities he rediscovered by the end of Jedi:Fallen Order, plus a new grappling hook for quickly traversing across some gaps. Cal also feels more satisfying to control, as there’s more weight and precision to his movements. When he jumps, he doesn’t float the way he did in Jedi:Fallen Order. In combat, Cal feels more deadly and proficient with his lightsaber.

“Cal has a bit of swagger now, and that was intentional. We wanted the player to feel that,” Game Director Stig Asmussen tells me during a break from the preview. “Keep in mind [Jedi:Fallen Order] was the first time for us,” he says. Before Jedi: Fallen Order, those who worked at the studio were best known for creating first-person shooters like Titanfall and Call of Duty. “We were learning while we were making that game – we’re still learning – but as we were building it, we got better at building it.”

Respawn Entertainment / EA

Asmussen and his team have also hit a comfortable stride in executing the specific demands of the series they’re building. Take Koboh, for instance. I can safely say it is larger and more intricate than Zeffo, Jedi:Fallen Order’s most fully realized planet. Asmussen recommended those of us at the event stick to the game’s critical path to see as much as the preview had to offer, but I couldn’t help but get sidetracked by all the optional content I found on Koboh. One of my favorite discoveries involved an ancient ruin with a particularly devious puzzle inside that had me stumped for a few minutes. Another highlight involved investigating an abandoned mine that it turned out was home to a deadly rancor.

Koboh also does something surprising for the series. Early in his first visit to the planet, Cal comes across a small settlement of people trying to eke out an existence away from both the Empire and a local gang of raiders. The game offers a few options here. Cal can talk with the townsfolk, take on a side quest to explore the aforementioned mine and trade with a merchant who will give you cosmetics in exchange for crystals you can find throughout the game. Cal can also visit a canteen full of colorful characters, including a smooth-talking droid bartender named MXNK-6. The inclusion of a hub world might not be mechanically groundbreaking, but it goes a long way to making Koboh feel less like a level in a video game and more like a place that could actually exist in a galaxy far, far away.

“We’ve gotten better as storytellers,” Asmussen says. "There were very important decisions we had to nail down while making the first game – like how high could Cal jump – before we could have conversations about how to decorate this corner to make it feel like an authentic, lived-in space.”

I didn’t progress far enough in the game to unlock some of Cal’s more exciting new tools, including the crossguard lightsaber and blaster pistol, but at the end of the preview, I did get to see a Respawn developer put those weapons to use. In combination with his Force powers, Cal’s new armaments allow for more creative ways to approach combat. At one point in the showcase, the dev lifted all of the scout troopers in front of him, and then proceeded to shoot them all out of the air with a series of rapid blaster bolts. It wasn’t a very Jedi way of dispatching Cal’s enemies, but I would be lying if I told you it didn’t look cool.

One other thing the dev did was use Cal’s entire move set, including all five of his available combat stances, without resting at a meditation circle to switch between them. In the preview, I could only map two of Cal’s available stances to the d-pad. The combat showcase was the last thing Respawn showed during the preview, so I didn’t get a chance to ask questions about what I saw. But if I had to take a guess, you can eventually freely switch between all of Cal’s combat styles.

Respawn Entertainment / EA

If that sounds intimidating, you’re free to play Jedi:Survivor like an RPG. Cal’s progression occurs across multiple skill trees, with each one dedicated to a different aspect of his kit. Additionally, there’s a new perk system that allows you to further augment Cal’s combat abilities. Asmussen said it’s possible to earn enough skill points to unlock all of Cal’s skills, but you can also choose to specialize in the combat abilities that fit your playstyle. On that note, there are also more options for customizing Cal’s appearance. The clothing system is more robust, allowing you to change individual parts of Cal’s outfit. You can also give him different haircuts and beards.

At the end of the preview, I left even more excited to play Star Wars Jedi: Survivor than when I first arrived at the event. I will say it does feel like a safe sequel. I didn’t get to see some of the game’s more interesting new mechanics, including Cal’s newfound ability to tame mounts and fight with NPC companions, but I doubt those additions will transform the series into something it wasn’t before. If Jedi:Fallen Order didn’t do it for you, Jedi:Survivor is unlikely to change your mind. For everyone else, I think what you can expect is a bigger and better realization of Respawn’s original vision. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on April 28th.

While its next-generation rocket has yet to fly, that’s not stopping SpaceX from booking Starship flights. On Friday, a startup named Astrolab revealed that it had recently signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s private space firm to reserve a spot on an uncrewed Starship cargo mission that could launch as early as mid-2026. “This is SpaceX’s first commercial cargo contract to the lunar surface,” Jaret Matthews, CEO of Astrolab, told The New York Times, adding his company was one of a few customers involved in the flight.

Astrolab is building a vehicle it hopes will one day carry equipment, supplies and people across the lunar surface. The Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover is about the size of a Jeep Wrangler, making it a bit bigger than NASA’s Perseverance rover on Mars. It also features a robotic arm for assisting with cargo and can travel up to 15 miles per hour. Oh, and FLEX can carry up to two astronauts. 

Once it lands on the Moon, Astrolab claims FLEX will become the largest rover to travel the lunar surface. Matthews told The Times Astrolab already has customers waiting to use the rover to carry cargo during the 2026 Starship mission. Looking further to the future, Matthews said FLEX could assist with building a permanent human presence on the Moon and beyond. “Ultimately our goal is to have a fleet of rovers both on the Moon and Mars,” he said. “And I really think I see these vehicles as the catalysts ultimately for the off-Earth economy.”

Echo smart displays and speakers aren’t the only devices on sale on Amazon this weekend, the retailer has also discounted Ring doorbells, cameras and alarm systems. Nearly every product Ring offers is part of the promotion, including the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2. Thanks to a 30 percent discount, you can get the smart doorbell for $175, instead of $250 at its usual price. Other notable discounts include a $40 price drop on both the plug-in and battery models of Ring Spotlight Cam Plus. You can also save $40 on Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro, in either black and white.

Although it’s a few years old now, the Ring Doorbell Pro 2 is still one of the best smart home doorbells you can buy. Ring refreshed the Pro 2 in 2021, equipping the device with a 1,536p video camera and a new fish eye lens. Thanks to those features, the Pro 2 offers a 150-degree field of view, allowing you to see when parcels arrive on your porch. The addition of a radar sensor means the Pro 2 offers more accurate motion detection. As with other Ring devices, you’ll get the most out of the Pro 2 if you already invested in the Alexa ecosystem. For those who prefer Google Assistant, Nest offerings like the Nest Doorbell can be a better choice.

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Tesla has shared its first production and delivery report of 2023. And in a repeat of its Q4 2022 results, the automaker set a new record for deliveries but fell short of Wall Street estimates. Tesla announced on Sunday it delivered 422,875 EVs during the first three months of the year. It produced 440,808 vehicles during that same period, another record for the company.

Going into the weekend, independent analyst Troy Teslike predicted the company was on track to deliver 427,000 vehicles in the first quarter of the year. The company’s final tally represents a 36 percent increase from the 310,048 deliveries it announced during this time last year. It’s also a four percent increase from the 405,278 deliveries it reported in the final quarter of 2022.

Unsurprisingly, the Model 3 and Model Y made up the bulk of Tesla’s deliveries in the first quarter of 2023, with 412,180 of those vehicles making their way to customers before the end of March. Comparatively, Tesla's more expensive Model S and Model X cars accounted for a modest 10,695 deliveries over the same time frame. That's a drop from the 17,147 Model S and Model X vehicles it delivered last quarter.

It will be interesting to see how Tesla’s latest delivery numbers affect the company’s bottom line. The first three months of the year saw Tesla aggressively cut pricing across most of its lineup. In January, for instance, the five-seat Model Y went from costing $65,990 to $52,990, and then $54,990 less than a month later. More recently, the automaker slashed the price of Model S and X vehicles by up to $10,000. Tesla will publish its full Q1 results on April 19th

The Echo Show 8 is one of Engadget’s favorite smart displays, and it’s on sale right now. At $75 after a $55 discount, the smart display is only $5 more than it was during Black Friday last year. Amazon has also discounted the Echo Show 15 by $55. You can get the company’s largest smart display for just under $225 at the moment. Separately, Amazon is offering up to 35 percent off on Echo speakers. One of the highlights here is the chance to pick up a 5th-generation Echo Dot for just $35.

Engadget Senior Editor Nicole Lee awarded the Echo Show 8 a score of 87 in 2021. Despite being a few years old now, the Echo Show 8 is the best smart display for most people. Its 8-inch, 1,280 x 800 resolution display is large enough to make viewing photos and participating in video calls comfortable. At the same, the Echo Show 8’s display isn’t so large it will look out of place in a kitchen or bedroom. Moreover, the Show 8's built-in speakers are also powerful enough to fill a small room, and the device features enough processing power not to feel sluggish. If you’re concerned about your privacy, the Show 8 comes with a physical camera shutter and a mic mute button.

Like all of Amazon’s Echo devices, the Show 8 works best if you already own other Alexa-compatible devices. If you’re not in the Amazon ecosystem, the 2nd-gen Google Nest Hub could be a better purchase, particularly if you depend on services like Gmail and GCal. The Nest Hub also doesn’t come with a camera for video calls, which might not be a downside if you value your privacy.

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Japan is officially moving forward with restrictions aimed at limiting China’s access to advanced chipmaking machinery. As CNN reports, the country announced Friday it would tighten export controls on 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Once the new rules take effect in July, companies like Nikon and Tokyo Electron will need to obtain approval from Japan’s trade ministry if they want to sell their tools in some 160 territories across the world. A Japanese government spokesperson told CNN the restrictions aren’t designed to target a specific nation. However, Japan’s east asian rival is among the nations on the restricted list.

“We will fulfill our responsibilities in the international community as a technology-owning country and contribute to maintaining international peace and security,” Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan’s minister of economy, trade and industry, told reporters.

The restrictions follow the US and Netherlands enacting similar export controls. At the start of the year, the three countries reportedly reached an agreement to limit China’s access to western-made lithography machines. In March, the Netherlands made good on the deal, announcing it would restrict overseas sales of semiconductor technology in the interest of its national security. Those restrictions will affect ASML. As of last year, the Dutch firm was the only company in the world producing the extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machines chipmakers need to make the 5nm and 3nm semiconductors that power the latest phones and computers.

China has homegrown firms capable of making up some of the shortfall the country’s tech industry will experience from the lack of access to western-made lithography equipment. However, it may take some time before those companies match the capacity of their American, Japanese and European rivals. According to research from Reuters, Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (SMEE), China’s only producer of lithography equipment, makes machines capable of printing 90nm node semiconductors. More promising is the work of SMIC, the country’s leading semiconductor manufacturer. Last summer, it began volume production of 14nm chips and began making 7nm chips without access to foreign-made equipment.

Elon Musk broke US labor law in 2018 when he tweeted Tesla factory workers would forgo stock options if they chose to unionize, according to a federal appeals court. On Friday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a decision spotted by Business Insider, upheld a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling that found Musk made unlawful threats around employee compensation.

In May 2018, a Twitter user asked Musk about his stance on unions. “Nothing stopping Tesla team at our car plant from voting union. Could do so tmrw if they wanted,” he tweeted in response. “But why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing? Our safety record is 2X better than when plant was UAW & everybody already gets healthcare.”

The tweet immediately drew the attention of labor activists, and in 2021, the NLRB, responding to a complaint from the United Auto Workers union, found Musk had threatened employees. Tesla has argued the tweet was Musk’s way of pointing out that workers at other automakers don’t receive stock options. NLRB chair Wilma Liebman saw it differently. "The employee is going to hear it as, 'If I vote to unionize, stock options will no longer be an option,'" she told Bloomberg in 2018.

After reviewing the decision, the Fifth Circuit Court sided with the NLRB. "Because stock options are part of Tesla's employees' compensation, and nothing in the tweet suggested that Tesla would be forced to end stock options or that the UAW would be the cause of giving up stock options, substantial evidence supports the NLRB's conclusion that the tweet is as an implied threat to end stock options as retaliation for unionization," the panel wrote.

The court ordered Musk to delete the tweet. As of the writing of this article, the message is still live. The Fifth Circuit Court also upheld an order from the NLRB that Tesla reinstates Richard Ortiz, a worker the automaker fired for organizing employees at its Fremont factory in California.

If you’re in the market for a new ultraportable laptop, one of the best you can buy is on sale right now. While supplies last, you can get the base model M2 MacBook Air – in either Silver or Space Grey – for $1,000. That’s $200 off the MacBook Air’s current $1,200 starting price. It’s also an all-time low for the 2022 model. If interested in the new MacBook Air, we recommend acting fast on this deal.

Engadget Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar awarded the M2 MacBook Air a score of 96 last year. Since then, the ultraportable has sat atop our best laptops list, and for good reason. The M2 Air offers a compelling mix of performance, portability and ease of use. It also has a lovely 13.6-inch display and a powerful set of four speakers. What’s more, it’s possible to regularly get more than 16 hours of battery life out of the Air. Many will also appreciate that it only weighs 2.7 pounds and is less than 12 millimeters thick. Outside of a web camera that could be better and a modest 256GB of storage on the base model, there’s very little about the M2 Air that’s not compelling.

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