The new wave of Lord of the Rings games isn't stopping with this month's Gollum and Heroes of Middle-earth. Amazon has struck a deal with Embracer Group to release a massively multiplayer online (MMO) title based on the stories of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit. Development is in the "early stages" at New World studio Amazon Games Orange County, which will ship the game for PCs and consoles at an unspecified date.

The move isn't surprising when Amazon is also behind The Rings of Power TV series. However, Amazon stresses that the show is set in Middle-earth's Second Age and is "unrelated" to the MMO. The synchronicity is certainly convenient, but there's no direct tie-in other than the underlying universe.

Amazon's in-house game development has had its share of problems. New World faced multiple delays, and its active user base is well below the launch-era peak. and the company shelved Crucible just a few months after the online shooter's debut. The tech giant has had more success in publishing, with deals to release Lost Ark and the upcoming Tomb Raider game.

The announcement comes as Amazon is refocusing its overall gaming strategy. It recently cut over 100 game-related jobs that included its San Diego studio, and is now concentrating on its teams in Orange County and Montreal. It's now clear why Amazon is committed to expanding that first studio — an online RPG in a major fantasy franchise is bound to get attention.

One of the unpleasant technological reminders of the pandemic is fading away. States have turned off COVID-19 exposure notifications on iPhones across the US now that the public emergency has expired. At least some states also appear to be shutting down notifications for Android users. You won't get alerts if you approach someone who tested positive and reported their results. No personal data traded hands, as the system relied on anonymized Bluetooth exchanges rather than GPS.

California and other states chalk up the decision to a combination of vaccines, wide immunity and effective treatments. The risks of serious illness have declined, according to officials. Omicron variants have also been less severe than early strains. Simply put, there isn't as much need for exposure alerts.

The technology was first announced in April 2020 as Apple and Google raced to create a common approach to exposure notification in the early days of the pandemic. The initial notifications came through states' individual apps beginning in August that year, but OS updates in September brought an Exposure Notifications Express feature to many Android and iOS devices. This theoretically reduced infections by getting people to stay home in the event of possible contact.

That's not how the exposure notifications worked in practice, however. Researchers determined that the rollout was fragmented. As there wasn't a nationwide protocol early on, states either implemented their own COVID-19 alerts or delayed launches. A user from one state might not get an exposure warning if they came close to someone from another state. Only 26 states released apps to make full use of notifications, and just 36 million Americans had either installed an app or enabled Exposure Notifications Express as of May 2021. While there's evidence the tech prevented cases (Washington State's app may have prevented 5,500 cases in its first four months), most of the population wasn't sharing data.

That's not to say the exercise was pointless. California's Department of Public Health says it's still studying the benefits of the state's app, and the findings from the COVID-19 response could help deal with future diseases. Don't be surprised if health agencies and tech companies are better prepared going forward.

Google is still taking a financial hit over allegations it misled customers with Pixel 4 ads. The company has agreed to pay Texas $8 million to settle claims it paid radio hosts for "deceptive" testimonials about the Pixel 4 even though the DJs couldn't use the phone beforehand. The ads continued even though Google was aware it was breaking the law, according to state Attorney General Ken Paxton's office.

The tech giant already reached a $9 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and six other states. Paxton argued the state settlement was important as Google has "significant influence," and no large company should expect "special treatment."

We've asked Google for comment. In a statement to Reuters, spokesperson José Castañeda said the company took advertising laws seriously and was "pleased to resolve" the dispute.

The high value of a separate Texas settlement isn't surprising. The state is already pursuing multiple legal actions against Google, including an antitrust case over advertising tech dominance and another lawsuit over face data collection practices. Texas is determined to limit Google's influence as an industry heavyweight wherever possible, including radio commercials.

Google isn't the only phone maker to be accused of trying to trick customers. Huawei and Samsung have both been caught passing off DSLR photos as phone camera samples. The Pixel 4 ad campaign may have been more problematic, however. Between the FTC and state claims, Google is accused of deliberately setting out to mislead listeners and continuing even when confronted over its behavior.

Tesla's latest large-scale recall effectively covers its entire output for one nation. China's market regulator has ordered a recall of over 1.1 million Tesla cars, or nearly all the vehicles it has sold in the country, over a reported flaw in the regenerative braking system. As drivers can't set the intensity of regenerative braking or receive alerts with a sustained press of the accelerator, officials believe there's a risk owners might misuse the pedals (as they can't hear a revving engine) and crash.

The EV maker will fix the issue through a software update that both tweaks the default regenerative braking level and lets users customize the system's strength. Tesla will also notify drivers who press the accelerator for a long time. The recall covers Model 3 and Model Y cars made in China between January 2019 and April this year, as well as some imported Model 3, Model S and Model X examples.

Tesla has disbanded its PR team and hasn't commented on the recall. Bloombergpoints out that Chinese drivers have complained multiple times about acceleration and braking issues. One driver used the 2021 Shanghai auto show to highlight a serious crash where her father nearly died after the brakes failed. Tesla apologized, but didn't acknowledge a glitch and noted the high speed before the collision.

As with most Tesla recalls, the software update won't significantly disrupt the company's business in the short term. However, it's not a good look for a brand that has had numerous recalls in recent years, including 80,000 in China last fall for software and seat belt problems. Tesla depends heavily on China for revenue — it's home to the giant Gigafactory Shanghai, which currently produces more than half of the firm's cars each year. Tesla can't afford to alienate either customers or officials.

Now's the time to go shopping if you've been tempted by Bose's QuietComfort Earbuds II but were put off by the high initial price. As part of a broader sale on Bose products, Amazon is selling the premium wireless earbuds for $249, or $50 off. That's the best price we've seen all year, and puts them into more direct competition with the AirPods Pro and similar rivals. If you prefer over-ear headphones, the QuietComfort 45 headphones are down to $279.

The QuietComfort Earbuds II are a good choice if you value active noise cancellation (ANC) first and foremost. It's strong enough that you can block even loud noises — ideal for a flight or train ride. The buds have a more dynamic and open sound than their predecessors, and they're more comfortable than before. If you mainly listen to music to escape the pressures of everyday life, they're worth considering.

There are caveats. You won't find multipoint connectivity or wireless charging like you do with other wireless earbuds in this class. Call quality is mediocre, too. It's still hard to top the ANC performance, though, and the sale price eliminates our main objection to Bose's offering.

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Elon Musk is making good on his promise to step down as Twitter CEO following a poll. The entrepreneur has announced that a replacement chief executive will start in roughly six weeks. While he hasn't identified the new leader by name, it will be a woman. Musk will stay on as executive chairman and chief technical officer covering "product, software and sysops."

Developing...

Say goodbye to another high-profile Apple Watch app. As MacRumorsnotes, Meta is telling Facebook Messenger users that the Apple Watch version will be unavailable after May 31st. While you'll still get message notifications beyond that point, you won't have the option to respond. Meta didn't provide an explanation in a statement to Engadget. Instead, it pointed users to Messenger on "iPhone, desktop and the web."

Meta (then Facebook) introduced Messenger for the Apple Watch in 2015. The app couldn't offer text responses, but you could send audio clips, stickers and similar smartwatch-friendly responses from your wrist. That made it helpful for quickly acknowledging a message without reaching for your iPhone.

There are a few factors that may play a role. To start, the limited interaction hurt the app's appeal. That may have affected its potential audience. Meta is also laying off roughly 10,000 employees and refocusing its efforts in a bid to cut costs. That means cutting less essential projects, and it's safe to presume Messenger for Apple Watch wasn't a top priority.

Numerous well-known companies have dropped their Apple Watch apps over the years. Meta scrapped its wrist-worn Instagram app in 2018. Slack, Twitter, Uber and others have also ditched their wearable clients. In many cases, developers left due to either a lack of demand or a lack of necessity — there's not much point to a native smartwatch app if you'll likely pick up your phone regardless.

Apple may be aware of this. Rumors suggest watchOS 10 may be redesigned around widgets. Apps might stick around, but the emphasis could be on quick-glance information rather than navigating apps on a tiny screen. Even if you use Messenger for Apple Watch now, there might not be as much incentive to use it going forward.

ASUS has finally priced the ROG Ally in the US, and it might be more affordable than you think — if you're willing to wait. The handheld gaming PC is now known to start at $600 for a base version with an AMD Z1 processor and 512GB of storage. At present, though, Best Buy is only taking pre-orders for a $700 version with a Z1 Extreme chip. That model should be available on June 13th.

Both configurations include a 7-inch, 120Hz 1080p touchscreen, 16GB of RAM and a microSD card slot. And if the built-in graphics aren't powerful enough, they can also connect to ASUS' external GPUs.

The ROG Ally is ASUS' response to Valve's Steam Deck, not to mention offerings from Ayaneo and GPD. It's supposed to be up to twice as powerful as the Steam Deck while delivering a higher-quality display. And since it's running Windows 11 rather than Valve's custom Linux interface, it can run games from a range of stores without a compatibility layer that might limit performance. Theoretically, you're only missing touchpads and more advanced analog sticks.

There are still unknowns, such as real-world battery life across a wide range of games. With that said, this might be the handheld to get if you're frustrated by the Steam Deck's limitations but want the support that comes from a major brand like ASUS.

New York State is taking companies to task for flooding the FCC with bogus comments supporting the repeal of net neutrality. Attorney General Letitia James has obtained a total $615,000 from lead generating firms Ifficient, LCX and Lead ID for providing millions of fake comments in an attempt to skew the FCC's 2017 proceedings.

The broadband industry allegedly asked the trio to attract anti-neutrality input through ads and giveaways, but they instead manufactured fraudulent comments using real identities without permission. LCX and Lead ID directly faked responses for 1.5 million people, James says, while Ifficient served as a go-between that gathered 840,000 false comments from other lead generators. Several of the companies involved in the astroturfing (that is, fake grassroots) campaign had been involved in other attempts to influence regulators and politicians.

LCX and principals will pay $400,000 to New York and $100,000 to the San Diego District Attorney's Office. Lead ID and its principal will pay $30,000 to New York, while Ifficiient will pay $63,750 to New York and $21,250 to Colorado. This is the second batch of agreements New York has secured with companies sending fake comments to the FCC.

The fines come after a 2021 Attorney General report that found over 18 million of the 22 million comments on the net neutrality repeal were fake. While there were signs of trouble at the time, the FCC under then-Chairman Ajit Pai fought attempts to investigate and address the spam. Pai had long been an outspoken opponent of net neutrality and generally sided with telecoms on key issues.

The penalties are relatively tiny, and they won't undo the 2017 decision. Legislators haven't fared much better. A Senate bill that would have restored net neutrality hasn't gone anywhere, and California's neutrality law doesn't do much to help users in other states. The Attorney General's effort is more of a warning to would-be violators: don't expect to emerge completely unscathed.

Cuphead isn't the only game banking on vintage animation to catch your eye. Fumi Games has unveiledMouse, a first-person shooter that mimics the "rubber hose" drawing style of 1930s cartoons from Disney and other studios. You play a private detective who has to blast his way through waves of mobster mice as he unravels a "web of deceit and murder." The result is equally charming and disturbing — crooks' heads pop like balloons, and explosions reduce your opponents to ash.

Fumi isn't leaning solely on nostalgia. Mouse will offer flexibility in how you play. You can charge in guns blazing, but you can also dodge around or meticulously plan your approach. A "Fantastic-o-Matic" upgrade system lets you boost preferred abilities and weapons through Bioshock-like vending machines. You can also expect activities like safecracking.

There's clearly a lot of work left. Fumi hasn't shared a release date, and the early footage shows barebones maps and gameplay mechanics. Still, Mouse shows some promise. Like Cuphead, the artwork is a refreshing break from what you're used to in its genre — it's neither striving for realism nor replicating the modern cartoon look of Fortnite or Valorant. It's just a question of whether or not the gameplay is strong enough to keep you invested after the novelty wears off.