You can now use your phone to bet on sports if you live in New York. CNBCreports the state has legalized mobile sports betting as of January 8th. Multiple companies are already taking bets as of 9AM Eastern, including DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook and Rush Street Interactive. Five other companies (including BetMGM and WynnBet) have licenses, but haven't yet cleared the legal requirements.

The move came after former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo changed his mind on online sports betting. He saw it as an opportunity to keep more tax revenue and make the state the largest betting market in the US. New Jersey currently dominates American online gambling, with research firm Eilers & Krejcik noting that roughly a fifth of all revenue comes from the state.

Any success might take a while, however. New York's 51 percent tax rate on gambling revenue is much steeper than New Jersey's 13 percent, and that could prevent the Empire State from claiming the lead for years. Still, this may be an important turning point— New York is clearly large and influential, and the outcome of its efforts could influence stances on mobile betting in states where the practice remains illegal.

You won't have to wait much longer to see an honest-to-goodness production version of Volkswagen's ID.Buzz minivan. VW Group chief Herbert Diess has announced that his company will debut the reincarnated microbus on March 9th. He didn't share more beyond a sketch, but VW's testing of a self-driving prototype suggests the finished van won't lose many of the design cues from the nostalgia-inspired concept.

The ID.Buzz is expected to launch in Europe later in 2022, and reach American shores in 2023. You'll have to 'settle' for the passenger-focused long-wheelbase model in the US where Europeans will get short-wheelbase and commercial models. Europe is also more likely to get a self-driving variant, too. Entry models could start with rear wheel drive models that offer up to 200HP, while the range-topper could include AWD and 300HP. You may see up to three battery capacities.

The Buzz might not be as mass market-friendly as the ID.4 and other more conventional models, but it could still be one of VW's most important EVs. Like the Beetle, VW's microbus design remains iconic. The Buzz could serve as a halo vehicle whose cachet attracts buyers to the brand's overall EV lineup, even if they ultimately settle for another model.

The late David Bowie's music is already immersive on many levels, but that's now reflected in the mixes themselves. All of Bowie's post-2000 studio albums (Heathen, Reality, The Next Day and Blackstar) plus a live album (A Reality Tour) have been remixed in Sony's 360 Reality Audio for release on Amazon Music Unlimited, Deezer and Tidal on January 21st. You can also listen to four of the A Reality Tour songs today (January 6th) at 7PM Eastern through Sony Square and YouTube, and through the Artist Connection mobile app afterward.

Importantly, longtime Bowie producer Tony Visconti was responsible for the mixes. This is as close as you'll get to a Bowie-approved mix in 2022, in other words, and it's a fitting tribute for the rock legend's imminent 75th birthday. You can use any headphones to listen in 360 Reality Audio, although Sony would clearly prefer you use its products.

This won't satisfy fans who want 360-degree mixes of full classic albums like Hunky Dory or Low (really, the album with "Sound and Vision" didn't get a rework?). You likewise won't be thrilled if you prefer services like Apple Music or Spotify. Only a handful of Bowie songs have received the spatial audio treatment to date, though — this is still a treat for enthusiasts eager for some audio bliss.

Apple's AirPods Max might finally be within reach if you were waiting for them to reach a price threshhold. Woot is selling the over-ear headphones in pink for just $400 to Amazon Prime members, or a steep $149 below their official sticker. That's the lowest price we've seen yet, and even the $460 for gray (the only other color option at Woot right now) is a solid deal. Just remember that Woot's return policy isn't the same as Amazon's.

The AirPods Max represent a considerably better value at this price. They pack a superb balanced sound, quality active noise cancellation and clever controls. In the Apple ecosystem, you'll also get perks like simple pairing and spatial audio. Throw in solid battery life and you'll likely be happy.

The caveats are familiar. Some of the advantages disappear if you use Android or Windows, and you may be better off with more universal alternatives like Sony's WH-1000XM4. Apple's included case offers little protection, too — you'll really want to buy a third-party shell if you routinely stuff the AirPods Max into your bag. If those aren't obstacles, though, you'll have few reasons to complain.

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Meta's in-house staff won't have to return to the office for months, but some of its contracted workers are only now getting a similar reprieve. BuzzFeed News has learned subcontractor Accenture has scrapped a requirement that hundreds of Facebook moderators return to in-person work in Mountain View, California on January 24th. The original plan, provided to moderators in late December, would have forced roughly 400 people to work in close proximity while COVID-19's highly infectious Omicron variant is likely to still be rampant.

The announcement led to public and private protests over the decision, including "nearly a dozen" threats to resign, BuzzFeed said. The moderators said it was impossible to maintain Accenture's social distancing requirements given tightly packed offices, closed stairwells, and poor enforcement, and that the company didn't provide exemptions for immunocompromised workers or vulnerable family members.

An Accenture spokesperson confirmed that moderators working from home "should continue to do so" based on COVID-19 health data, and claimed the company worked "collaboratively" to accommodate individuals in compliance with the law. Meta, meanwhile, said it would "continue to prioritize" the health and safety of all workers. Meta's own employees can defer returns to the office to as late as June.

These concerns aren't strictly new. Moderators accused Meta (then Facebook) in 2020 of putting lives at risk by asking some contractors to work from the office even when family members were highly vulnerable. Meta disputed some of the claims at the time, but not all. This also comes after a $52 million settlement with moderators who said they developed PTSD and other mental health issues while screening harmful material. However, this latest incident suggests Meta still hasn't shaken concerns about the welfare of its moderation teams.

Never mind cars that coddle drivers — BMW wants to give rear seat passengers the deluxe treatment. It's previewing a 31-inch, 8K "Theatre Screen" passenger option based on Fire TV for cars. Cue it up and the 32:9 screen will extend from the headliner, complete with 5G data and Bowers & Wilkins surround sound. You'll even watch the sunblinds close and listen to an opening theme from soundtrack composer Hans Zimmer.

Content from Amazon's platform will 'only' play in 4K, and few videos will make full use of the ultrawide 32:9 aspect ratio. You can tilt the screen for an ideal view, though, and two rear passengers can control the volume and the rest of the entertainment system.

BMW didn't say which vehicles would include Theatre Screen beyond "future" models, but you'll access it as part of the My Modes feature that debuted in the iX. The price and availability also weren't available, although you can presume this will get expensive. Not that cost is necessarily a concern for the target audience — this may be as much for chauffeured customers as it is parents hoping to spoil their kids during road trips.

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Many ride hailing drivers won't have to mount their phones in the near future. Google is partnering with Lyft and Kakao Mobility to bring their driver apps to Android Auto sometime this summer. If you work for either service, you'll accept and navigate rides directly from your car's touchscreen. This won't help you much if you're a passenger, of course, but it will give drivers a much clearer view of the route ahead.

It should be much easier to use wireless Android Auto if you are driving. Motorola is releasing a $90 MA1 adapter on January 30th that enables wire-free use on cars where Android Auto is already available.

The additions come alongside other car-related integrations unveiled at CES, such as starting and unlocking BMW cars, UWB car door access from your pocket and key sharing. Google Assistant car control and YouTube are also coming to compatible cars from Volvo and others. While it will take months for all of Google's plans to unfold, it's evident Android is about to play a more important role in vehicles — whether or not you're at the wheel.

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GM's electric vehicle debuts at CES 2022 involve much more than just the Chevy Silverado. The automaker has teased plans for Blazer and Equinox EVs that would respectively arrive in spring and fall 2023. The Equinox should be relatively affordable, too, with the compact SUV expected to carry a starting price around $30,000 before tax and incentives.

The company was shy about technical details, but did say the Equinox would be available in LT and RS trim levels, and sell to fleets as well as everyday customers. The design (above) isn't a radical one given Chevy's existing EV aesthetics, but it is considerably more aerodynamic than the current machine.

The two extra models make sense in light of GM's electrification strategy. If the company is going to exclusively sell EVs by 2035, it needs to make affordable rides that fulfill the roles occupied by current mainstream cars. That means augmenting or replacing its most recognizable models, not just launching ground-up designs like the Bolt or Cadillac Lyriq. While the Blazer and Equinox won't be as exciting as flagships like the Hummer EV, they could easily form the backbone of GM's lineup in the near future.

You won't need a Jeep to try Fire TV in your car. Amazon has revealed Fire TV is coming to more vehicles this year, including 2022 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Navigator SUVs. More of Stellantis' cars will also have the feature, too, including the Chrysler Pacifica and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The company didn't provide timelines for when the interface would be available.

Fire TV in cars is, effectively, a small-scale version of what you might be used to at home: passengers can watch videos, run apps and use Alexa, just with an interface optimized for seatback screens. You can save some content for offline access if you're driving through areas where internet access is spotty. The version currently in the Jeep Wagoneer includes a remote that also controls some car functions, but it's not clear if that will carry over to Ford vehicles.

Amazon clearly sees in-car Fire TV as a way to keep users in its ecosystem when they're away from home. However, it should still be helpful for entertaining kids on long trips, or simply for catching up on shows while you're in the passenger seat.

Lenovo is bombarding CES 2022 with a wave of new PCs, and it won't surprise to hear that gaming laptops play an important role. The company has introduced seventh-generation Legion 5 (shown below) and Legion 5 Pro (above) portables that are cooler and thinner while packing new AMD Ryzen 6000 and Intel 12th-gen Core CPUs. The AMD-based 5 Pro and Intel-based 5i Pro are sleeker than their predecessors, but offer the latest chips thanks to a revamped cooling system with slimmer fans, a larger exhaust area, a copper block heat sink and a more effective heat pipe layout — hopefully, the thermal issues with last year's models are no more.

You can also expect options for the latest GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs, improved WiFi 6e performance and a 16-inch 2,960 x 1,600 IPS panel with a rare 240Hz adaptive refresh rate. You'll also find up to 1TB of SSD storage, four-zone RGB lighting and up to 300W charging with a proprietary solution (135W through USB-C). The Legion 5i Pro arrives in February starting at $1,570, while the 5 Pro debuts in April for $1,430.

Lenovo

Cost-conscious gamers won't have to give up much. The non-Pro Legion 5 and 5i models also use new AMD, Intel and NVIDIA parts, but they're 15 percent thinner while boasting more powerful fan systems and larger exhaust areas. They should feel better on your lap, too, thanks to an aluminum-magnesium hybrid cover. The 15-inch, 165Hz 1440p screen won't be quite as impressive as what you'll find on the Pro models, but it still offers a speedy 165Hz refresh rate and full sRGB color space coverage. Four-zone RGB is optional.

The regular Legion 5i ships in February starting at $1,200. Wait until April and you can buy the AMD-powered Legion 5 from $1,130.

This being Lenovo, there's also a slew of peripherals on deck. The 24.5-inch Legion Y25-30 monitor (due in May for $340) mates a 240Hz refresh rate and DisplayHDR 400 support with a high-accuracy IPS panel, while 24- and 27-inch G24qe-20 and G27qe-20 monitors (both coming in March for $260 and $300) provide the basics. The Legion M600s ($85, May) is a lightweight, ambidextrous wireless gaming mouse with a 19,000DPI sensor, while the M300s wired mouse ($30, May) packs RGB lighting and an 8,000 DPI sensor.

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