Electric cars tend to need extra bulk for their gigantic battery packs, and that's raising eyebrows at the National Transportation Safety Board. In a keynote speech, NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said she was worried the size and weight of modern EVs could increase the risk of serious injuries and death. A Hummer EV is over 9,000lbs, the board leader said, while electrified versions of vehicles like the Ford F-150 and Volvo XC40 are far heavier than their gas engine equivalents.

Homendy stressed that she supported the Biden administration's environmental goals, and that transportation represented the largest contributor to American greenhouse gas emissions. She just felt that automakers had to be wary of creating "unintended consequences," such as more road fatalities.

There is some data to suggest that EVs' added weight may pose a danger. Green Car Congresspointed to a 2021 commentary in Nature where researchers calculated that the mortality costs of the F-150 Lightning's extra 700kg (1,543lbs) over the gas model 'rival' its zero-emissions benefits. The chances of passengers dying in a collision increase 12 percent with every 500kg (1,102lbs) of weight difference, the research team said. While those issues might diminish as more EVs reach the market, they could remain a problem as long as combustion engine and electric cars have to share the road.

Technical solutions might help. Scientists are already developing lighter batteries, and the first EVs with denser solid-state batteries (which can achieve similar range with smaller packs) are only a few years away. While EVs with this technology are still likely to be heavier than their fossil fuel-burning counterparts, the weight reduction could improve safety in addition to range.

You now have an easy way to record movies with surround sound using your phone, provided you're immersed in the right ecosystem. Samsung is releasing an update for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro that enables 360-degree audio capture while you're recording video. While this won't match professional surround (you're using a mic on each earbud), it could present a truer impression of what you heard during a concert or hike.

Only a handful of people will get to try this feature at first. The update is initially rolling out to Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 users, and it will be included with the "upcoming Galaxy smartphones" (read: Galaxy S23 series). You're out of luck if you own an S22 or other older hardware.

You'll have more success with an impending upgrade for Samsung's smartwatches. An update arriving in February will bring zoom to the Camera Controller app on Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 models. Make a pinch gesture or rotate the bezel and you can remotely steer your phone's camera zoom from your wrist. You won't have to return to your handset (or move closer) just to properly frame a group photo.

The new functionality will only be immediately useful if you're a fierce Samsung devotee. However, the company is undoubtedly hoping that the tighter integration will give you an incentive to buy more than just its latest phones. There will be perks you might not get from rivals, at least not for a while.

It's no secret that the conditions were ripe for a steep drop in PC demand this holiday, but now it's clear just how bad that plunge really was. Gartner and IDC estimate PC shipments fell by more than 28 percent year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2022. That's the steepest quarterly decline Gartner has ever recorded — no mean feat when it began tracking the computer market in the 1990s. Both analyst groups also saw yearly shipments fall by more than 16 percent in 2022 compared to the year earlier.

Some manufacturers suffered more of a blow than others. The top three brands, Lenovo, HP and Dell, saw their shipments tumble between 29 percent and 37 percent in late 2022 compared to a year earlier. Acer took a staggering 41 percent hit, according to Gartner. Fourth-place Apple took a relatively light blow, although that still meant its shipments dropped by as much as 10 percent.

Gartner and IDC share the same explanation. PC sales soared in 2021 as people continued to work from home during the pandemic, but that interest tanked as people gradually returned to the office. Moreover, a worsening global economy left people with less money to spend on upgrades. Would-be customers either had a recent PC or had trouble affording a new one, to put it simply.

IDC is quick to put the seeming freefall into context. While the quarterly and yearly drops were sharp, shipments in 2022 were still "well above" pre-pandemic figures, according to researchers. While demand still looks grim, the market was still stronger than before.

Just don't expect the PC's heyday to return for a while. Neither analyst group expects the market to recover in earnest until 2024, and IDC only sees "pockets of opportunity" in 2023. Whether they like it or not, PC makers may have to brace themselves and hope that a combination of new designs and price cuts will sustain interest for the next year.

The Guardian has confirmed that it was the victim of a ransomware attack, and that the damage is more serious than first thought. In an update to staff, Guardian group chief Anna Bateson and newspaper editor-in-chief Katharine Viner said the December attack was "highly sophisticated" and accessed the personal data of UK employees. There was no evidence of the data being exposed online, or that the intruders had breached data for readers or non-UK editions.

Bateson and Viner understood that this was a "criminal" ransomware campaign, and that the perpetrators hadn't targeted The Guardian as a media outlet. The paper has alerted both police as well as the UK's Information Commissioner's Office. The leaders didn't identify the suspected culprits.

The fallout from the cyberattack has worsened. While The Guardian now expects some vital systems to return within two weeks, workers now won't return to the office until early February. That will give the IT team more time to restore infrastructure, the outlet said. Staff have largely been working from home since the attack was spotted on December 20th, but were originally told only to stay away from the office for the remainder of that week.

The company has continued to run its online and print publications in the weeks since. Even so, the confirmation still makes this one of the more serious online security incidents for the press in recent memory. Fast Company was knocked offline for eight days early last fall, while The New York Postfell prey to a rogue employee weeks later. The Guardian is still dealing with the consequences of the ransomware over three weeks later, and won't return to normality for a while yet.

Apple Maps still isn't likely to replace Google Maps for some users (it only got multi-stop routes last year), but Apple thinks it has another way to shrink the feature gap: give stores more control over what you see. The company has launched a free Apple Business Connect tool that lets any firm customize its location cards in apps like Maps, Messages, Siri and Wallet. They can add their own imagery, invite actions in other apps (such as booking a restaurant through OpenTable) or showcase the latest promos.

Apple will verify businesses before it gives control over a location card, but shops only have to use an Apple ID to sign up. Business Connect is available worldwide, although showcases will only be available in the US at first. They'll reach other countries in the "coming months," the company says.

The expansion comes as Apple is rumored to be finding ways to profit from Maps. The iPhone creator is reportedly preparing to bring search ads to Maps as soon as this year. If that's true, custom store info could help Apple's bottom line — a business might be more likely to pay for ads if it knows they'll lead to more sales.

Whatever Apple's motivations, the custom cards still promise to improve the Maps experience for everyday users. You should see more accurate and polished info for local businesses, and have an easier time with everyday tasks like booking a hotel or ordering groceries. It may be more helpful when you share locations with friends in Messages, too. Apple is arguably overdue on this front (businesses have had control over their Google Maps profiles for years), but you may well notice the difference.

The sleep mode on modern consoles lets them wake up quickly, but it also consumes a significant amount of energy as the system never really shuts off. Microsoft thinks it can offer a compromise, however. It's releasing an Insider test that gives Xbox Series X, Series S and One owners an "active hours" sleep option. Choose that and your console will shut down at times when you aren't likely to use it, cutting your energy use. You can manually schedule the hours if you know when you play, but an automatic option is available if you want the console to adapt to your habits.

The feature will be automatically enabled and scheduled on Xbox Series X/S systems. The Xbox One will default to always active, and you'll have to configure the hours yourself.

The company is also introducing a "shutdown (energy saving)" option that reportedly uses up to 20 times less power than sleep while still allowing overnight updates to your Xbox and its games. If you don't mind the longer startup times and the absence of remote wake, you can reduce your energy footprint and potentially shrink your bills. The update will be automatic for Xbox Series X/S users in the Insider program, and it should be available as early as today for One models.

The Xbox is also borrowing "carbon aware" downloads from Windows 11. If carbon intensity data is available in your region, the machine will schedule OS and game updates for those times when it's most likely to rely on local renewable energy, rather than simply grabbing files in the early morning. Insiders will have this perk right away if the Xbox Series X/S is configured for automatic updates, while the One will have multiple test options to help with feedback.

It's unclear how much energy these features might save in the real world. Microsoft estimates that two Xbox consoles using the eco-friendly shutdown feature will save carbon equivalent to that a tree removes in a decade, but that also assumes your device is powered down for 20 hours per day. Carbon aware downloads only matter if renewables have a significant presence in your area, we'd add. Combined with Apple's Clean Energy Charging, though, it's evident tech brands now see software as a way to advance their environmental goals.

Microsoft's dual-screen Android phones have been less than successful, to put it mildly, and there are now hints the company is shaking up its mobile strategy. Windows Centralsources claim Microsoft has cancelled a twin-screen Surface Duo 3, which was reportedly slated for release late this year, and will instead focus on a "true" foldable phone. The new device's specs and name aren't known, but it would have a 180-degree hinge with an outside cover display akin to the Vivo X Fold.

The cancelled Surface Duo 3 was "finalized," according to the sources. It would have supposedly addressed some of its predecessor's shortcomings with narrower edge-to-edge screens and wireless charging. Microsoft isn't said to have settled on a release window for the foldable, suggesting that the product is unlikely to arrive in 2023.

The purported insiders also say Microsoft is planning to expand its Android phone offerings. It's apparently "exploring" other form factors, including prototypes of more conventional smartphones. A software initiative, "Perfect Together," would also provide tighter integration between Surface phones and Windows, much like the iPhone's close ties to the Mac.

We've asked Microsoft for comment and will let you know if we hear back. The Surface Duo series has struggled in the market between its high prices (up to $1,500), unreliable software and performance that frequently trails the latest Android flagships. While the dual-screen design has offered some clever multitasking features, it's been a tough sell when rivals like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold line have generally been more powerful and trustworthy.

A foldable Surface phone would put Microsoft into more direct competition with brands like Samsung and Vivo. There's no guarantee it will stand out in a growing field. If the rumored pivot is real, however, it also indicates that Microsoft is still committed to Android devices — it's not giving up just because its first forays failed to gain traction.

If you're eager to use ChatGPT for work, you might soon have the option. OpenAI has shared a waitlist for a experimental ChatGPT Professional service that, for a fee, would effectively remove the limits on the popular chatbot. The AI tool would always be available, with no throttling and as many messages as necessary. The startup hasn't said when the pilot program might launch, and it's asking would-be participants for feedback on pricing.

OpenAI isn't shy about the reasoning behind its pro offering. As TechCrunchnotes, the company said on its Discord server that it's "starting to think" about how it will make money from ChatGPT and keep the technology viable in the "long-term." CEO Sam Altman recently pointed out that ChatGPT costs OpenAI a few cents for every chat, making it impractical to keep the bot completely free. While Reuterssources say OpenAI anticipates making $200 million in revenue this year, it also reportedly wants to earn $1 billion in 2024 — subscriptions might play an important role in that growth.

Whether there's a sizable audience for ChatGPT Professional is unclear. The existing version had more than one million users as of early last month, but it's uncertain how many of those are 'serious' users versus enthusiasts and curious onlookers. Schools and even AI conferences have banned the bot. Microsoft (a major OpenAI backer) is rumored to be integrating ChatGPT into its Bing search engine as soon as March, however, and investors have even tried using the technology as part of their workflows. The pilot could be crucial for gauging real-world demand, not to mention setting the prices needed to turn a profit.

The rumors were true, apparently. Samsung has announced that its first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2023 will take place February 1st at 1PM Eastern. And unlike last year's events, the company is comfortable with an in-person presentation — it's inviting the media to The Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco. You can still watch a livestream on Samsung's website, of course.

Samsung hasn't said what to expect, but it's not-so-subtly teasing a Galaxy S23 launch between a likely triple-camera teaser in the invitation (above) and the nature of its pre-order plans. Americans can reserve the future Galaxy devices on February 1st. Those who sign up for the reserve system by that day will get $50 in Samsung Credit if they pre-order one device, or $100 if they snap up two.

As for what the Galaxy S23 will entail? Leaks have suggested Samsung will drop the Exynos chips it frequently uses in some markets in favor of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The S23 Ultra might also pack a 200-megapixel main camera in place of the 108MP sensor from last year's model, while the regular S23 and S23+ models might have 50MP cams. While the design might not change much, you could see improved selfie cameras, emergency satellite messaging and possibly a flat display on the Ultra variant. It's safe to say we'll be at the event to see the new hardware for ourselves.

Yet more video game veterans are forming a new studio after leaving an industry heavyweight. Key leaders from Forza Horizon creator Playground Games have established Maverick Games, a Leamington Spak, UK development house devoted to 'AAA' titles. Gamesindustry.biznotes the studio is headed by former Horizon creative director Mike Brown, while executive producer Tom Butcher, technical chief Matt Craven, content director Gareth Harwood and audio lead Fraser Strachan.

The 10-person team's art director is Ben Penrose, who most recently worked at Vampire the Masquerade: Blood Hunt developer Sharkmob but also has experience at Playground. Former EA experience director Elly Marshall is in charge of experience and interface development. Sega and Sumo veteran Harinder Sangha is the operations chief.

Maverick hasn't shared much about its first project, but does say it will be an open-world title for consoles and PCs. Brown suggests the game will be a response to how people entertain themselves in the modern era — think subscription services and TikTok. That means games that are continuously involving without being repetitive, Brown explains.

As with similar launches, Maverick is hoping to veer away from 'safe' projects. Brown tells GI.biz he wants to encourage "creative risks," but also wants to keep out "toxic" egos that can damage the team. Sangha hopes the company can help improve diversity in the game industry. This is about shaking up the existing formula which, while reliable, doesn't allow for much variety.

Brown and Sangha stressed that they left their respective former employers on good terms. However, they and Maverick are part of a broader trend of high-profile game devs going independent after dealing with creative frustration (or simply boredom) at major studios. Simply speaking, big-name brands can't assume their top talent will stick around.