News gatherers in the US may soon have safeguards against government attempts to comb through their data. Bipartisan House and Senate groups have reintroduced legislation, the PRESS Act (Protect Reporters from Exploitive State Spying), that limits the government's ability to compel data disclosures that might identify journalists' sources. The Senate bill, would extend disclosure exemptions and standards to cover email, phone records, and other info third parties hold.

The PRESS Act would also require that the federal government gives journalists a chance to respond to data requests. Courts could still demand disclosure if it's necessary to prevent terrorism, identify terrorists or prevent serious "imminent" violence. The Senate bill is the work of Richard Durbin, Mike Lee and Ron Wyden, while the House equivalent comes from representatives Kevin Kiley and Jamie Raskin.

Sponsors characterize the bill as vital to protecting First Amendment press freedoms. Anonymous source leaks help keep the government accountable, Wyden says. He adds that surveillance like this can deter reporters and sources worried about retaliation. Lee, meanwhile, says the Act will also maintain the public's "right to access information" and help it participate in a representative democracy.

The senators point to instances from both Democratic and Republican administrations where law enforcement subpoenaed data in a bid to catch sources. Most notably, the Justice Department under Trump is known to have seized call records and email logs from major media outlets like CNN and The New York Times following an April 2017 report on how former FBI director James Comey handled investigations during the 2016 presidential election.

Journalist shield laws exist in 48 states and the District of Columbia, but there's no federal law. That void lets the Justice Department and other government bodies quietly grab data from telecoms and other providers. The PRESS Act theoretically patches that hole and minimizes the chances of abuse.

There's no guarantee the PRESS Act will reach President Biden's desk and become law. However, both Congress camps are betting that bipartisan support will help. The House version passed "unanimously" in the previous session of Congress, Wyden's office says.

You'll soon have a way to revisit Rocksteady's best-known games on a Nintendo handheld. Warner Bros. Games has revealed that Batman: Arkham Trilogy will release on the Switch sometime this fall. The bundle will include Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Knight as well as all the previously-released DLC for the trio. There's no mention of Switch-specific features, but Turn Me Up Games (involved in Switch ports for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 and It Takes Two) is responsible for the adaptation.

Arkham Asylum revolves around Batman's fight against The Joker and allies as they take over the game's namesake asylum. Arkham City expands the battle to Gotham and includes more classic villains, such as Mr. Freeze and The Penguin. Arkham Knight adds its titular supervillain and introduces more open-world gameplay that includes a drivable Batmobile.

For the most part, all three games earned a reputation for an engaging story and varied gameplay that included combat, stealth and puzzle solving. The brawls were a particular highlight — you were rewarded for performing seamless combos while dodging opponents that can come from multiple directions at once. The series arguably popularized a fight formula that has surfaced in games ranging from Spider-Man to Shadow of Mordor. Throw in the animated Batman' series voice cast (such as Mark Hamill and the late Kevin Conroy) and it's easy to see the appeal for fans of the caped hero.

This won't thrill Switch fans who were hoping for a version of Rocksteady's upcoming Suicide Squad game. This is more a bid to reach an untapped audience than to set the stage for the studio's first new game in nearly eight years. Still, you might not mind if you're either new to the franchise or want to revisit the series. If nothing else, it may serve as a palate cleanser for those who thought Gotham Knights missed the mark.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) isn't done with Amazon despite two recentsettlements. The agency has sued Amazon over claims the company fooled customers into signing up for Prime while simultaneously thwarting attempts to cancel. The online retailer allegedly violated the FTC Act and Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act through misleading designs that got users to register for Prime without true consent. Leaders even "slowed or rejected" design changes that would have made it easier to cancel Prime, the FTC argues.

We've asked Amazon for comment. In a statement, FTC chair Lina Khan maintains that Amazon "tricked and trapped" customers. This both angered users and cost them "significant money," she says. The FTC also asserts that Amazon made multiple attempts to "delay and hinder" the investigation. 

As CNBCnotes, the FTC has been investigating Amazon Prime sign-up and cancel systems since March 2021. The investigation deepened in 2022 after Insider said it obtained internal documents purportedly showing that Amazon was aware of customer objections as early as 2017. Shoppers were encouraged to sign up for a 30-day trial with a single click during checkout, but had to wade through multiple pages to cancel service before the trial ended. Amazon even used the term "Iliad" to describe the cancellation process, alluding to the sheer length of Homer's epic poem.

The FTC under Khan has closely scrutinized Amazon's practices. Officials have examined the internet giant's acquisitions of MGM and One Medical as well as privacy issues with Alexa and Ring doorbells. Khan was a notable critic of Big Tech before her nomination as FTC chair, and Amazon even called for her recusal in antitrust cases over claimed bias.

The concept of deceptive design, also known as "dark patterns," isn't new. In 2020, the European Union said that many websites made it unnecessarily difficult to reject tracking cookies. However, the lawsuit against Amazon represents a significant test of those patterns' legality in the US.

Apple is widening its Self Service Repair program to cover its more recent devices, and it's reducing some of the hassles in the process. As of June 21st, you can get the parts, tools and manuals needed to fix the iPhone 14 range as well as the M2-based versions of the 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. You can also fix the TrueDepth camera and top speaker on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models in the US, UK and seven European countries. M1-based desktops like the iMac are also included, Apple says.

Crucially, you won't have to call Apple to finish your repairs. The System Configuration tool, which verifies and authenticates fixes with official parts, now works simply by putting a device into Diagnostics mode and following instructions. While staff will still be on hand if needed, they're now strictly optional. The tool is vital for a fully functional device as it not only calibrates parts, but ties biometrics (such as Face ID and Touch ID) to the Secure Enclave.

The program effectively gives users many of the repair resources previously limited to Apple technicians. You can buy necessary components and either buy or rent necessary tools. While it's potentially expensive, it may be more viable than conventional support if you're comfortable with fixing electronics and don't want to send your hardware to someone else. This may be particularly helpful if you don't live close to an Apple-certified repair shop.

As before, Self Service Repair isn't an entirely altruistic gesture. The company is facing increasing pressure from national and state governments that are passing Right to Repair laws and regulations. The European Union wants to mandate replaceable batteries, for instance. Apple's program potentially heads off legal trouble alongside efforts that include easier-to-repair devices.

Apple isn't alone. Samsung, Google and others have similar initiatives either in-house or through alliances with do-it-yourself companies like iFixit. Although self-repair isn't practical for many people, the option is now relatively commonplace.

You no longer have to hop between apps just to perform some common tasks in Chrome on your iPhone. Google is updating Chrome for iOS with the option to see Maps addresses, create Calendar events and translate specific text without switching to the relevant app. You can find the location of a restaurant, remind yourself to visit that restaurant and decipher the menu all from one place.

A future upgrade will also make Google Lens considerably more useful. You'll have the option of searching with your camera, whether to take new pictures or draw from your camera roll. As on Android, this might be helpful if you spot a flower or must-have jacket and want to identify it on the spot. The functionality will be available in the "coming months."

You'll still need to use Google's dedicated apps for more advanced functions, such as driving directions in Maps or managing the rest of your itinerary. However, the additions should make Chrome more of a do-it-all app that saves time (and battery life) versus running multiple apps at once. That, in turn, may make Chrome more alluring than Safari as your iPhone's default browser.

The expansion comes soon after Google introduced Chrome Actions, or text-based shortcuts for popular browser tasks like clearing your browsing data and checking settings. Google has even been experimenting with using its own web engine in Chrome for iOS if and when Apple loosens its app policies. Simply put, the company is making Chrome more of a power user's tool.

You no longer need to be at a fixed address if you're craving pizza. Domino's is introducing a Pinpoint Delivery feature in the US that, as the name implies, will send pies to a GPS pin you drop on the map. You can get pizza at the beach, or feed the soccer team without leaving the field. The company tells Engadget that deliveries are available anywhere a restaurant serves, so long as the driver can safely pull over. You won't get a pie while you're at the top of a mountain during a hike, then, but you could have Domino's bring the pie to the trailhead when you've returned to your car.

You'll have to pre-pay for your order online and agree to text updates on your driver's status. You can track the delivery person's GPS location as you would with regular deliveries. Sorry, you can’t pay cash once the driver arrives. Once they do, you can turn on a "visual signal" on your phone (like you do with some ride-hailing services) to flag them and complete the pickup.

The company claims it's the first "quick-service" restaurant chain in the US to offer GPS pin-based deliveries. That's a narrow category, and some delivery apps like Instacart at least offer the option to modify your location once you pick an address. Still, it's clear the company is betting that a rideshare-style approach to delivery could help it win business. You're theoretically more likely to pick Domino's if you know you can get it virtually anywhere, not just at your home or office.

Domino's frequently uses technology as a marketing hook. You can already order pizza from your car, or fetch your food from a self-driving delivery vehicle. In that sense, Pinpoint Delivery is just a logical extension of the company's strategy — it's a way to reel in tech enthusiasts who may order from whichever restaurant is the most convenient or novel.

Sennheiser is the next big brand to offer over-the-counter hearing aids, and it's clearly aiming at people who are already fans of its personal audio hardware. The newly introduced All-Day Clear (shown below) and All-Day Clear Slim (above) both include a charging case that behaves much like those you'd get with the Momentum True Wireless line or other Bluetooth earbuds. While the aids last up to 16 hours on a charge, this should save you hassles when it's time to top up.

Not surprisingly, Sennheiser claims strong audio quality with smart scene detection that optimizes voices based on the environment. You can customize the sound for your hearing levels through a mobile app within five minutes, the company says. And if you're ready to tune others out, you can listen to music like you would with regular wireless earbuds.

Sennheiser

Your choice mainly comes down to dimensions and price. The hearing aids will be available in mid-July starting at $1,400 for the standard All-Day Clear, and $1,500 for the All-Day Clear Slim. An In-Clinic Care Package will also be available if you'd still like professional help.

These aren't the most affordable or compact over-the-counter hearing aids. Sony's CRE-C10, for instance, is billed as one of the smallest options on the market and delivers up to 70 hours of battery life. Lexie's Bose-powered B1 currently costs $849. Sennheiser's devices are still far less expensive than prescription models (typically $1,000 or more per ear), mind you, and may be worth the extra outlay if the quality matches the brand's reputation.

The launch isn't surprising, at least. Sennheiser sold its consumer audio business to Sonova, a hearing aid specialist, in 2021. This was meant to expand Sonova's audience to a younger crowd while giving Sennheiser the chance to focus on its pro products. From now on, the two companies are working together — products like the All-Day Clear can theoretically benefit from the expertise of both firms.

This is a good moment to get an Apple smartwatch if you're more concerned about price than anything else. Amazon is once more selling the Apple Watch Series 8 with a 41mm case and GPS for $329, or a steep $70 discount that's very nearly a record low. This applies to all but the Product Red color, and you'll also see bargains for cellular and 45mm models.

The Apple Watch Series 8 may be an iterative update, but it remains our favorite overall smartwatch. You can expect brisk performance, an exceptional display, solid fitness tracking and robust health features that include ECGs, blood oxygen monitoring, crash detection and a temperature sensor for sleep and reproductive cycle tracking. More importantly, there's a strong ecosystem that includes a wide range of third-party apps as well as tight integration with other Apple products. You can seamlessly switch AirPods between your iPhone and watch, or unlock your Mac.

The catch, aside from the iPhone requirement, is simply that Series 8 is several months old. We won't be surprised if there's an Apple Watch Series 9 in September. The current generation is much easier to justify at $329, though, and it will easily handle watchOS 10 when the software upgrade arrives later this year. And right now, this is arguably the best value in the lineup. While the second-generation Apple Watch SE is priced lower at $249, the gap is small enough that it may be worth the extra money for the 8's always-on display and more advanced health sensors.

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Netflix is finally offering a peek at its Squid Game reality show. The streaming service has shared a teaser trailer for Squid Game: The Challenge, a competition series now set to premiere this November. The clip doesn't reveal much of how contestants will participate, but it's evident that Netflix is trying to recreate as much of the original production's atmosphere as possible — right down to the giant "red light, green light" doll. Without the bloodshed, of course.

The 10-episode run has 456 people competing in events both "inspired" by Squid Game and new for the show. The winner receives a large $4.56 million prize, so there's a strong incentive to stick through to the end. Netflix filmed the series earlier this year.

There's no mystery behind the existence of The Challenge: it's a bid to capitalize on the success of Squid Game. The Korean drama remains Netflix's most popular TV show of all time, with over 1.6 billion viewing hours as of June (even Stranger Things season 4 has 'just' over 1.3 billion). Given that Netflix is fond of spinoffs for popular shows, it may have just been a matter of time before the company built on demand for its best-known series.

There isn't as much pressure to release Squid Game: The Challenge as there was upon its announcement in 2022, when Netflix dealt with rare subscriber losses. The company is in a stronger position as of mid-2023 — it added nearly 1.8 million subscribers in the first quarter, and appears to be reaping the rewards of a password sharing crackdown. The firm still faces stiff opposition from rivals like Amazon, Disney and Paramount, however, and a series like this could be key to growing viewership alongside expected blockbusters like 3 Body Problem and the next seasons of Bridgerton and The Witcher.

Meta is expanding the audience for Quest headsets by inviting preteens into the fold. The Facebook owner is lowering the age for Quest 2 and 3 accounts from 13 to 10 later this year by introducing parent-controlled accounts. Kids will need their parents' approval to set up accounts, download apps and block access to already-present software. Those adults can set time limits.

The company says it's implementing strict privacy controls. Meta will provide "age-appropriate" app store experiences like recommendations if parents volunteer their child's age. It won't serve ads to kids, however, and parents will have the choice of whether or not data is used to refine the experience. These younger users' Meta Horizon profiles are private by default and will require approval for follows and active status updates. Horizon Worlds will still require that users are 13 and older.

Meta portrays this as a boon for education. This could give kids virtual science lessons and a raft of educational games, the company says. Most educational titles on the store are rated for ages 10 and older, so there shouldn't be a shortage of material.

Whether or not there's a trouble-free launch is another matter. Meta's policies theoretically comply with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act), which bars collecting personal data from kids under 13 without parental consent. The New York Timessources claim Meta is already discussing its plans with regulators. However, there are concerns about safety. VR apps, particularly social ones, are sometimes prone to creeps, harassment and similar abuse. Meta can't necessarily shield young users against what happens inside third-party apps.

There's also the question of whether or not it's healthy for children to use VR headsets in the first place. As Duke University optometrist Dr. Nathan Cheung explains to ZDNet, these wearables can introduce eye and neck strain that may be particularly problematic for kids with smaller bodies and developing eyes. There's also a lack of definitive research on how VR can affect depth perception and focusing. The technology isn't definitively dangerous for kids, but it's not guaranteed to be safe, either.