Even Microsoft is feeling the sting of ongoing Xbox shortages. Kotakunotes Microsoft resorted to using Xbox Series X dev kits (not pictured) to run the first big Halo Infinite tournament, the Halo Championship Series' Raleigh Major, this weekend. Simply put, the company couldn't find enough retail consoles to use — the "global supply chain shortage is real," 343 Industries' eSports lead Tahir Hasandjekic said.

The dev kits are "functionally identical" to off-the-shelf consoles and will operate in that mode, Hasandjekic added. They don't look quite the same, but competitors shouldn't notice any differences from the systems they have at home.

The irony is thick, but this also underscores the severity of console shortages over a year after the Xbox Series X made its debut. It's still difficult to buy the machine between scalpers and industry-wide chip shortages, and Microsoft doesn't necessarily have privileged access to its own hardware. With that said, the company probably doesn't want to make a habit of using developer units. We won't be surprised if Microsoft ensures future in-person HCS matchups rely on store-bought Xbox systems, if just for the sake of burnishing its public image.

The next chapter of GM's electrification strategy is officially underway. The Vergereports GM has started deliveries of the Hummer EV as promised, with its first "supertruck" (an Edition 1) rolling off the line at Factory Zero in Hamtramck, Michigan. The automaker didn't name the initial customer, but that person clearly paid for bragging rights given the Edition 1's $110,295 sticker.

You'll have to wait considerably longer for other trim levels. The $99,995 3X (which drops from 1,000HP to 'just' 830HP) doesn't arrive until fall 2022, while the $89,995 2X variant (625HP) will wait until spring 2023. The $79,995 2 trim doesn't surface until spring 2024. All but the base version deliver a claimed 300 or more miles of range, while that 'entry' model musters 250 miles per charge.

The steep prices won't leave Tesla, Hyundai and other EV competitors too worried. This is a luxury machine that will sell in limited numbers. However, popularity isn't entirely the point. This is the first consumer-oriented vehicle to ship using the Ultium battery technology that will underpin numerous GM EVs going forward, including the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevy Silverado. The Hummer is both a halo vehicle for the brand and an answer to challengers like Tesla and Rivian.

Nio's soon-to-arrive ET7 is practically tailor-made to challenge Tesla's Model S, and now the company appears to have a (partial) answer to the Model 3. Electreksays Nio has introduced the ET5, a more affordable "mid-size" electric sedan. It starts at RMB 328,000 (about $51,450), or well under the roughly $70,000 of the ET7, but offers similarly grandiose range figures. Nio claims the base 75kWh battery offers over 341 miles of range using China's test cycle, while the highest-end 150kWh "Ultralong Range" pack is supposedly good for more than 620 miles. You'll likely pay significantly more for the privilege and may not see that range in real life, but the numbers could still tempt you away from higher-end Model 3s if long-distance driving is crucial.

You can expect the usual heapings of technology. The ET5 will have built-in support for autonomous driving features as they're approved, and drivers get a "digital cockpit" thanks to Nreal-developed augmented reality glasses that can project a virtual screen equivalent to 201 inches at a 20-foot viewing distance. Nio has teamed with Nolo to make VR glasses, too, although it's safe to say you won't wear those while you're driving.

Deliveries are expected to start September 2022. That's a long way off, but Nio appears to be on track with its EV plans as it expects to deliver the ET7 on time (if only just) starting March 28th.

This launch also dovetails with Nio's tentative steps outside of China. The brand only expanded to Norway in 2021, but it aimed to begin sales in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden in 2022. You should see the badge in 25 countries and regions by 2025. While Nio still won't count as automotive heavyweight by that stage, it could easily put pressure on other EV makers within a few years.

Current Toyota drivers might not be thrilled about having to subscribe just to remotely start from their key fobs, but what about new buyers? There's mixed news. The automaker told Roadshow in a statement that remote starting won't be available on key fobs for new vehicles. You'll have to use the brand's mobile app, in other words. With that said, you might not mind the cost.

You may not ever have to pay for the feature. While it was previously clear 2018 to 2020 vehicles were limited to a three-year Connected Sevices trial, some 2020 model year and newer vehicles include a 10-year trial. There's a real possibility you'll have moved on to another car by the time the freebie expires.

This still won't please anyone who prefers the simplicity of a fob, or owners who intend to keep their vehicles for a long time. You may have to pay extra just to keep the functionality your car had for a large part of its lifespan. We wouldn't count on Toyota backtracking, mind you. Like many companies, Toyota is turning to services to provide a steadier revenue stream than it would get through sales alone. Remote starting isn't likely to represent a windfall when it will only collect $80 per year a decade from now, but it hints where Toyota's strategy is going.

Adidas' first NFT effort appears to have been a success. The Block has learned the collaboration with Bored Ape Yacht Club, Gmoney and Punks has raked in more than $23 million in Ethereum between a $15.5 million "Early Access" phase and $7.5 million in a general sale. All told, the drop minted nearly 30,000 NFTs despite a hiccup that led Adidas to pause early transactions.

The number may not sound large for such a well-known brand, but Adidas managed the equivalent of $538.4 million in profit during its latest quarter — $23 million from a limited-run digital release is significant. More sales like this could pad Adidas' bottom line while giving NFTs the hype levels previously reserved for sneakers.

There's a good chance you'll see more NFT releases as a result, not to mention greater involvement in metaverses. Not that Adidas necessarily has much choice. Nike bought RTFKT precisely to deepen its involvement with NFTs and metaverse collectibles like shoes, and Adidas risks ceding ground if it doesn't counter one of its most obvious rivals.

NVIDIA is once again reviving an old name in its graphics chip lineup, but this time it's for thoroughly modern technology. As AnandTechreports, the company has introduced an GeForce RTX 2050 laptop GPU that may sound like recycled low-end hardware, but is based on the same Ampere design found in the RTX 3050 series. The naming scheme is confusing, to put it mildly, but that does give you up-to-date ray tracing in a potentially more affordable package.

You'll have to settle for a 64-bit memory bus instead of the 3050's 128-bit pipe, and the boost clock stops at 1,477MHz versus 1,740MHz. However, you'll still get the same 2,048 CUDA cores and 4GB of GDDR6 memory, while peak power consumption drops to a much more reasonable 45W compared to the 80W of higher-end chips. This is partly meant for 'in-between' laptops that don't have the chassis space or batteries for RTX 30 GPUs.

The company has also revealed two entry-level chips, the MX550 and MX570, although it's shy on details beyond promises of more CUDA cores, faster memory and greater power efficiency than the MX450 they replace. The MX550 is based on the older Turing architecture, while the MX570 uses Ampere. Like with past MX chips, these are meant for thin-and-light portables where integrated graphics might not be good enough.

There's another issue beyond the branding: the release window. NVIDIA doesn't expect the RTX 2050 or new MX parts to reach shipping laptops until spring 2022. That's an usually long lead time, and suggests NVIDIA is announcing the GPUs now to clear the slate for CES in January. Whatever the reasoning, you'll have to be patient if you want a laptop with modern NVIDIA graphics but find RTX 3050-equipped systems beyond your reach.

Comcast subscribers in the US Northeast just got another reprieve from data caps, and this one might stick. According to Light Reading and The Verge, a Comcast spokesperson said the cable giant now had "no plans" to enforce internet data caps in the region throughout 2022. State Rep. Andy Vargas even claimed the strategy might be on indefinite hold — he understood Comcast had "no plans to reintroduce" the ceiling at any point.

The telecom first said in November 2020 that it would expand its 1.2TB cap enforcement to the Northeast in 2021, but delayed the move by a year in February 2021. The extra time was ostensibly meant to help customers "become familiar" with caps, but many have attributed the decision to pushback from politicians angry Comcast was trying to curb (or charge extra for) internet usage during a pandemic when many have no choice but to work from home.

This won't help subscribers that still have to live with caps in other states. It will help Northeastern residents breathe easier, though, and could keep their costs down if they don't want to pay for overages or unlimited data. The additional delay also casts doubt on the need for caps in the first place. If Comcast can go without enforcing caps in numerous states for two years, and rivals like AT&T can make even broader gestures, why do the caps exist? Comcast's move doesn't preclude enforcement in 2023 or later, but the company might have a tough time justifying the revival after such a long wait.

Spotify has bought another audio platform, and this time it's hoping to bring radio into the modern era. The streaming company has acquired Whooshkaa, an Australia-based firm that offers a tool to convert radio broadcasters' shows into podcasts. Spotify plans to integrate the tech into its Megaphone suite for podcasters with a clear goal — stations could further profit from shows by offering ad-supported podcast episodes.

Whooshkaa might also boost some of Spotify's other efforts. Founder Rob Loewenthal noted Whooshkaa also had speech-to-text (and text-to-speech) technology, smart home integration and "enterprise grade" podcasting tools. Neither Spotify nor Whooshkaa mentioned using this tech to auto-transcribe podcasts or otherwise augment podcasting features, but it wouldn't be surprising if some of this know-how carried over.

The appeal of the purchase is clear. If Spotify can persuade more radio networks to offer podcasts, it could expand its catalog and lure more listeners. Even if few of those shows become exclusives, Spotify could thrive as radio listening declines and more stations look for ways to supplement their usual on-air ads.

DirecTV may have promised no hidden fees following its spinoff from AT&T, but it's not shy about raising the prices themselves. Varietyreports the TV provider will hike the prices of most current and legacy streaming packages on January 23rd, 2022. Only "minimum service" offerings will remain untouched. Everything else is going up. Some increases are modest, such as for Optimo Mas and Choice ($4 and $5 respectively), but grandfathered users subscribed to tiers like Ultimate or Premier will pay $10 more per month.

The move raises the base pricing of DirecTV's Stream Choice to $90 per month, while Premier will cost $150 per month. Satellite customers won't be immune to increases, either. Outside of minimum service and ChineseDirect Plus, you'll see increases on January 23rd between $1 (for most Basic and Family plans) to $10 (for Max and Plus). And while some regional sports fees are dropping in price, there's now a fifth, $12 per month tier on top of the previous $10 maximum. You may see a price drop or increase depending on your ZIP code.

The firm wasn't shy about its reasoning. While hikes like these are frequently pinned on steeper programming costs, DirecTV said "higher-than normal inflation" from suppliers was also to blame. It costs more to offer service, and the company is passing on at least some of those costs to its customers.

These increases are common in the TV industry, and that includes streaming rivals. Hulu recently revealed it would raise its Live TV pricing by $5, and YouTube TV now costs $65 per month where it started at just $35. DirecTV is relatively expensive, though, and the higher prices might not help matters.

Never mind trying to attract Twitch legends to rival services— Facebook Gaming just landed one of the world's biggest sports personalities. Soccer star Neymar Jr. has signed a deal to livestream exclusively on Facebook, with his first official broadcast starting December 17th at 2PM Eastern on his page. He'll stream games "multiple times" per month and pair with another creator once each month.

Don't expect the Paris Saint-Germain forward to play FIFA despite his real-world skills. Varietynoted Neymar previously streamed the likes of Call of Duty and Counter-Strike on Twitch, and we wouldn't rule out some Fortnite when he appeared in the game earlier this year.

The deal won't necessarily shift the balance of livestreaming away from Twitch and YouTube, and we wouldn't expect many more deals like this. There are only so many top-tier athletes who are interested enough in video games to livestream them, after all. When Neymar has over 88 million Facebook followers, though, this could easily lead to large audiences and raise Facebook Gaming's profile.