Google is making good on its promise to deliver the first Android 13 beta in April. The company has released Android 13 beta 1 for Pixel devices ranging from the 4 to the 6 and 6 Pro. The inaugural beta only includes three new features (two of them for developers), but there are now more granular permission controls for shared media files.

Beta 1 also includes all the upgrades from Android 13 Developer Preview 2, including a requirement that apps ask for permission to send notifications. You'll also find a new photo picker, Bluetooth LE audio and support for MIDI 2.0 instruments over USB.

Anyone can install the beta. As before, though, you probably won't want to load this release on a primary phone. While betas are generally more reliable, Google doesn't expect to focus on platform stability until June and won't release the finished Android 13 until sometime after July. This is meant more for developers who want apps ready by the time the operating system is available to the public.

As it is, these early Android betas don't typically include every user-facing feature. Google didn't show Android 12's Material You redesign until I/O 2021, months after the first previews arrived. While the beta is still useful, it may be worth waiting for I/O 2022 in May if you're mainly interested in top-level changes.

You no longer have to hold back if you've wanted to tip YouTube creators with a Super Thanks. YouTube has made the tipping feature available to all eligible creators in the 68 countries where the service's Partner Program exists. As a viewer, you now have the option to customize the comment that appears when you tip, whether you're watching on desktop or mobile.

Super Thanks is the latest form of YouTube's long-running efforts to get fans directly supporting video producers. You can spend between $2 to $50 to show your appreciation and get a specially-colored comment to highlight your contribution. YouTube takes a 30 percent cut, but this is theoretically easier for creators than linking a separate crowdfunding service (such as Patreon) and hoping viewers contribute.

The feature joins the livestream-oriented Super Chat. While it's still soon to say if the expanded Super Thanks will see much uptake, it could give some creatives a stronger incentive to post videos on YouTube instead of limiting themselves to TikTok, Twitch and other platforms where some form of tipping is already widely available.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will have another mission after it drops off a sample from the asteroid Bennu. The agency has extended the probe's mission to have it study the near-Earth asteroid Apophis for 18 months. The mission will be renamed OSIRIS-APEX (OSIRIS-Apophis Explorer), and the craft will maneuver toward the space rock 30 days after its September 24th, 2023 Earth fly-by. It won't gather a sample, though. Instead, it will blast the surface with thrusters to expose the subsurface for examination.

Apophis originally drew interest over fears it would strike the Earth in 2029. Researchers put that worry to rest, but it's still a highly valuable subject. It will have the closest approach of any known asteroid its size (about 1,000ft), and scientists are eager to study the effect of Earth's gravitational pull on the object. And unlike Bennu, which is tied to carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, Apophis is associated with the regular chondrite variety.

The extension won't come cheap. A visit to Apophis will add $200 million to the cost ceiling of a mission that's already expected to cost $1.16 billion. Even so, it might be worthwhile if it helps humanity better understand asteroids and the risks they may pose to Earth.

Elon Musk may be buying Twitter to loosen its content moderation, but he might not get to be quite as free-wheeling as he'd like. European Union internal market commissioner Thierry Breton told The Financial Times in an interview that Musk's Twitter will still be subject to EU regulations, including the new Digital Services Act governing efforts to fight misinformation. The Tesla chief is "welcome," but "there are rules" he still has to follow, Breton said.

The Digital Services Act requires Twitter and other internet companies to share how they're curbing false claims on their sites. It also bans ads targeting minors as well as specific ethnicities, political affiliations, religions and sexual orientations. Firms also have to share how their recommendation systems work, offer non-profiling alternatives and share data with researchers. Any company that doesn't comply risks fines of up to six percent of global turnover and, if they refuse to change, an EU ban.

It's not certain how Musk will address the warning. We've asked Twitter for comment. However, it's safe to say that Musk's self-proclaimed "absolutist" approach to free speech will clash with political realities worldwide, not just the EU. The UK punishes companies that fail to limit content deemed harmful, and it's doubtful authoritarian countries like Russia would allow Twitter without heavy censorship, if at all. Musk may have to accept that some restrictions will remain, even if they aren't quite as pronounced as they are today.

Add Jack in the Box to the list of fast food chains experimenting with robots. The company is launching a pilot program that will test Miso Robotics' Flippy 2 (frying) and Sippy (drink-prepping) robots in a San Diego restaurant. Jack in the Box wants to see how much help the automatons can offer to busy staff who may want to spend more time with customers and less time in the kitchen.

The companies didn't say how long the pilot might last. Jack in the Box said it was open to "further integration" in coming months, however.

The restauranteur joins Chipotle, Panera, White Castle and others in using Miso's technology. As with those companies, efficient meal-making isn't the only goal. The robots promise more consistent quality, so there's less risk of receiving an undercooked burger or the wrong drink.

The same perks and pitfalls remain. This could alleviate stress for workers who might be overwhelmed, particularly in an era when restaurant staff shortages are all too common. At the same time, there's a concern operators might use robots like these to automate staff out of jobs or avoid hiring more people. Miso's machines can't completely replace humans at present, though, so a larger automation crisis isn't likely in the near future.

The Pentagon is still new to wielding artificial intelligence, and it's looking to an outsider for help. Breaking Defense has learned Lyft machine learning head Craig Martell is joining the Defense Department as its Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO). He'll lead the American military's strategies for AI, analytics and data, and should play a key part in a Joint All-Domain Command and Control initiative to improve multi-force combat awareness through technology.

Martell is a partial outsider. While he directed the Naval Postgraduate School's AI-driven Natural Language Processing Lab for 11 years, he hasn't served in military leadership. Outside of Lyft, he's best-known for heading up AI work at Dropbox and LinkedIn. As CDAO, Martell said he expected to spend to spend the first three to six months identifying "marquee customers" and the systems his office will need to improve. He'll have a $600 million budget for fiscal 2023.

The office itself was only created months earlier, though. Martell also told Breaking Defense he believed someone with his private background could be "very agile" in a way an established military leader might not. The Defense Department "really needs" someone who can quickly shift strategies in AI and analytics, the new CDAO said.

The US military is relatively new to AI use as it is. The Defense Department only published its draft AI ethics guidelines in late 2019, and its use of the technology initially focused more on experiments rather than autonomy on the frontlines. Martell may play a significant role in defining the Pentagon's approach to AI for years to come, if just because many areas remain relatively unexplored.

Twitter has accepted Elon Musk's buyout offer. Musk is purchasing the social media giant for $54.20 per share, or about $44 billion. Musk is taking the company private, as expected. 

The decision comes after a flurry of activity from Musk. The Tesla CEO bought a 9.2 percent share of Twitter in early April following criticism of the social media firm's free speech policies. He argued Twitter was falling short of its duties as a "de facto public town square." Twitter quickly said Musk would join its board of directors, but the tech executive decided against the move days later. While he didn't say why he had second thoughts, the board appointment would have prevented him from owning more than 14.9 percent of the company — he couldn't have taken control during his term.

Twitter was initially cautious and adopted a "poison pill" share strategy to prevent a hostile takeover. However, it reportedly gave Musk's final offer a second look this weekend. The two sides are believed to have hashed out finer details at the last minute, such as financial guarantees if the purchase falls apart.

Musk still faces problems following this decision, including the SEC's insider trading investigation and a class action lawsuit accusing him of stiffing shareholders through the timing of his Twitter investment disclosure.

Developing...

If you thought Sony's LinkBuds let in too much of the outside world, don't worry — there may be a follow-up that helps you tune things out. As The Walkman Blognotes, established leak poster SnoopyTech recently shared purported images of WF-LSN900 wireless earbuds, possibly called the LinkBuds S. Unlike the open LinkBuds, this model would let you "seamlessly shift" from allowing ambient sounds to enabling "advanced" noise cancellation. You would also have "automatic playback" based on your habits, although it's not clear what that would entail — Sony already has some location-based audio settings.

The design appears to be a blend of the WF-1000XM4 and WF-C500, and would include an XM4-style proximity sensor as well as an outer mesh that might be used for noise cancellation features. The buds would be available in black, gold and white colors, and you could expect the obligatory charging case.

It's not certain when Sony might ship these earbuds, or how much they would cost. We also wouldn't count on the LinkBuds S naming scheme given the different design. You might not have to wait long to learn the truth, at least. Some FCC confidentiality for the WF-LSN900 is poised to expire on June 21st, suggesting Sony will formally unveil the earbuds by that date.

One of Chevy's most iconic cars will get the EV treatment. GM has confirmed that it's developing a "fully electric" Corvette, and an "electrified" (read: hybrid) version will be available as soon as 2023. The automaker didn't provide more details, and even the video attached to the teaser (below) doesn't offer any clues. Still, it's a big move — the Vette is synonymous with gas-powered American sports cars, and now it will be a poster child for electrification.

A Corvette EV isn't entirely surprising, mind you. GM plans to exclusively sell EVs by 2035, and the Vette was only going to survive that transition with an electric powerplant. Moreover, GM's electrification strategy has so far revolved around higher-priced halo vehicles like the Hummer EV. An electric version of Chevy's sports coupe may draw ire from combustion engine purists, but it could also attract customers who were otherwise uninterested in EVs or were considering rivals like the Porsche Taycan or even Ford's Mustang Mach-E GT.

As it stands, GM's electrification efforts are now extending into virtually every segment. It's courting well-heeled pickup drivers with the upcoming Silverado EV, serving luxury buyers with the Cadillac Lyriq and addressing the mainstream with its future Blazer and Equinox models. In that light, it was just a matter of time before Chevy's signature vehicle ditched conventional engines.

Apple's latest 16-inch MacBook Pro is now more affordable than it's ever been. Amazon is selling the 10-core M1 Pro variant with 512GB of storage at an all-time low price of $2,249, or $250 below the official sticker. That's $50 below the previous best, and makes this a more viable option if you've wanted a large, powerful Mac laptop but couldn't justify the usual cost.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro represents a return to form for Apple. It's speedy while delivering long battery life, low noise and — much to the relief of many — a healthy range of ports. Throw in the high-quality display, a superb keyboard and surprisingly rich speakers and it's an easy pick if you want a large-screen portable that can replace many desktops.

It's not for everyone. This larger MacBook Pro is still expensive, and it's best-suited to creative apps and general productivity — you wouldn't buy one for gaming, for instance. There's no way to expand the memory or storage, either, so you'll need to be content with the included 16GB of RAM and 512GB of space for the life of the system. If those aren't obstacles, though, you'll likely be happy.

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