Netflix might offer cheaper, ad-supported plans in the coming years. In the company's most recent earnings call, co-CEO Reed Hastings said the company is working on the offering, and it’ll finalize details for those plans "over the next year or two."

The service lost around 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022, a development it blamed on stiffer competition, inability to expand in some territories due to technological limitations and pesky account sharing. It also lost 700,000 subscribers in early March after its decision to suspend service in Russia.

To tackle account sharing, Netflix has tested a feature in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru that allowed subscribers to add two "sub-members," who'll get their own log-ins and profiles, for $3 — much less than the typical subscription cost. Netflix executives noted on its earning call that this model could expand to other countries. We’ve put our account-sharing parents and children on notice.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• The Obamas are reportedly leaving Spotify

• Apple Music now offers DJ mixes in spatial audio

• BMW's first all-electric 7 series starts at $120,295

• Lexus announces the RZ, its first purpose-built EV

• UK court orders US extradition of Julian Assange on espionage charges

• Okta says Lapsus$ breach affected only two clients

• UK regulators will allow drivers to watch TV in autonomous cars

• A Ghostbusters VR game is coming to Meta Quest 2

Tesla nearly doubled its revenue in Q1 despite industry-wide supply chain woes

Revenue rose to $18.76 billion in the face of rising inflation.

Tesla built 305,000 vehicles in the first "exceptionally difficult" quarter of this year, delivered 310,000 vehicles to customers and opened new factories in Berlin and Austin — all while CEO Elon Musk sought a highly publicized hostile takeover of Twitter. And just generally made headlines.

Like many companies, Tesla faces an increasingly tight supply of critical semiconductors and rising prices spurred by inflation brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It’s also currently navigating the shuttering of its Gigafactory in Shanghai, which closed due to COVID outbreaks in the region.

Continue reading.

Glorious PC Gaming Race is ditching its awful old name

The peripheral maker is now called 'Glorious.'

Glorious PC Gaming Race, the maker of the Model O gaming mouse, the GMMK Pro mechanical keyboard and other popular peripherals, is changing its name. In rebranding as Glorious, the company is hoping to leave behind a name tinged with racial overtones. “While we remain committed to serving PC gamers and not taking ourselves too seriously, we have also grown and matured significantly as a brand,” Shazim Mohammad, the founder and CEO of Glorious, said in a statement.

Continue reading.

Delta worked with SpaceX to trial Starlink's satellite internet on planes

SpaceX has wanted to put Starlink internet on planes for quite some time.

Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian has revealed in an interview that the airline held talks with SpaceX and conducted "exploratory tests" of Starlink's internet technology for its planes. According to The Wall Street Journal, Bastian declined to divulge specifics about the test, but SpaceX’s Jonathan Hofeller mentioned the company's discussions with several airlines back in mid-2021.

Continue reading.

Sonic is back again, remastered

‘Sonic Origins’ includes the first four Sonic games.

Sega

Sega has announced its Sonic Origins collection will debut June 23rd on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Switch. The $40 (£33) standard version will include remasters of Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic CD, while a $45 (£37) Digital Deluxe edition adds difficult missions, exclusive music and cosmetics. Because it’s 2022.

Continue reading.

Brave's browser can automatically bypass Google's AMP pages

‘AMP harms users' privacy, security and internet experience.’

Brave is bypassing any pages rendered with AMP and taking users directly to the original website. "Where possible, De-AMP will rewrite links and URLs to prevent users from visiting AMP pages altogether,” the company wrote in a blog post.

The faster load times you might experience with Google’s AMP pages — hard to complain about that — are undercut by the way they offer Google a much tighter grip on advertising, hosting content on its servers. A group of publishers recently announced it was moving away from AMP, and a lawsuit filed by several US states accuses Google of running a monopoly that harmed both advertising rivals and publishers.

Continue reading.

This startup’s first vehicle is part EV, part gaming PC

A user-accessible computer will be able to run full Windows apps.

Engadget

OK, I’m listening.

Continue reading.

Researchers in Japan have developed a set of electric chopsticks they claim enhance the taste of salt. The device is attached to a wristband computer. It uses electrical stimulation to transmit sodium ions from food to the eater's mouth, according to Meiji University professor Homei Miyashita, who developed the chopsticks with food and drink maker Kirin.

Reuters

Miyashita is also the person behind the lickable TV that was announced a few months ago. Japan was also where I first saw a similarly specced-out electric fork, using the same theories, but with the Western implement. It’s an unusual sensation: like air-fried food compared to actually fried food, it was a different, almost salty, kind of experience.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Amazon ordered to reinstate warehouse worker who was fired after protest

• Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay EX earbuds have an AirPods-like design

• Mercedes' EQS SUV arrives in US showrooms this year

• 'Love Death and Robots' Season 3 comes to Netflix on May 20th

• Amy Hennig's studio is making a Star Wars game

• Apple workers at New York store call for minimum wage of $30 per hour

• Sega's Super Game project already has a ‘Crazy Taxi’ reboot underway

• Apple's 14-inch MacBook Pro is back down to a record low of $1,749

Samsung's Pokémon-themed Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a delight

It comes with a Pokédex pouch.

Samsung

If this doesn’t get you into foldables, nothing will.

Continue reading.

Audi’s Urbansphere EV concept is for tomorrow's megacities

What can a car be when it has to be more than a car?

Audi

Audi is reimagining the role of the vehicle’s cabin space — from a rigid, safety-centered, face-forward setup to a more open, communal design. This is the biggest Audi concept vehicle to date. It sits on 24-inch rims and measures a whopping 18 feet in length — the same as GM’s Hummer EV; it's over 6.5 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall. And because the Urbansphere doesn’t have to account for a conventional arrangement of a combustion-powered car's components, “it prioritizes the occupants’ need to experience ample space as a distinctive comfort factor.”

Continue reading.

The best webcams you can buy

Time to upgrade from your tiny laptop cam.

Even if you’re back to taking some of your meetings in the office, chances are back-to-back Zoom calls are now a permanent part of your professional life. Once an afterthought, your computer’s webcam has become one of its most important components — and the fact remains that most built-in cameras are not able to provide consistent high-quality video chat experiences. We tested out a bunch of the latest webcams to see which are worth your money and which you can safely skip.

Continue reading.

This third-party Sony camera battery has a built-in USB-C port

Why isn't this how all rechargeable batteries work?

Nitecore's UFZ100 has a built-in USB-C port so you don’t need to use a proprietary Sony power adapter to charge it. The battery also includes a handy LED indicator to tell you when it’s below 10 percent charge. With a 2,250mAh capacity, it’s only slightly smaller than Sony’s 2,280mAh NP-FZ100 and works with many of the company’s most recent camera models, including the A6600 and A7 IV. One thing we don’t know about the UFZ100 yet is how much it’ll cost. Third-party battery manufacturers tend to price their offerings lower than Sony, Canon and Nikon, but the added USB-C port on the UFZ100 could make it more expensive.

Continue reading.

After all that waiting, Senior Editor Jessica Conditt finally got her hands on Playdate. From the makers of Firewatch and meme-friendly Untitled Goose Game, it’s a petite portable console that marries the familiarity of the GameBoy with the spirit of indie game innovation. That last bit might sound like hollow platitudes, but well, it’s true.

Engadget

This isn’t a console for FPS, teraflops or anything MMO, it’s like a pixel-filled brainstorm of delights. Having said that, if you decide to order the handheld today, you're in for a wait. "We've filled our production capacity for 2022, but we're ramping up to make even more systems," the company says on its website.

Maybe I’ll wait out for Playdate 2. I’ll always have my fishing controller, but it’s not the same.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Logitech’s Lift is a vertical mouse for the rest of us

• Apple's 10.2-inch iPad drops to an all-time low of $290

• 'Streets of Rage' movie adaptation reportedly in the works

• Hitting the Books: How American militarism and new technology may make war more likely

• Fitbit's Charge 5 tracker is on sale for $130 right now

• Recommended Reading: The rise and fall of Pebble

• iRobot's Roomba 694 is back on sale for $179

• Researchers break world record for quantum-encrypted communications

VW ID.Buzz first look

An EV that makes vans cool again.

Engadget

If you want an electric van, your options are limited, which is precisely what VW is hoping to address with the upcoming ID.Buzz. At the New York International Auto Show, we finally got to check it out.

It’s slated to go on sale sometime in 2024, featuring a 77 kWh battery and two rows of seats for the European model (which is the version VW had on display) or a full three rows of seats and slightly longer chassis for the US market. Other specs, like its range and price, are still TBD.

Take a closer look.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review

Hardly an upgrade.

Engadget

Samsung’s Galaxy A53 5G offers one of the better displays on a midrange phone, with a 2,400 by 1,080 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. But Samsung’s slow Exynos 1280 chipset struggles, even with basic tasks. If you’re set on a Samsung phone and have an extra $100 to spend, consider the Galaxy S21 FE, which has been heavily discounted since its launch last year.

Continue reading.

'Battlefield 2042' will finally get in-game voice chat on

Groundbreaking.

Battlefield 2042 will finally get in-game voice chat, but with caveats. The VoIP feature won't work across an entire team. The only channel options are for parties and squads (with a maximum of four members). Given that teams can have up to 64 players, voice chat could get messy fast with that many people talking over each other. A proximity-based option might have been helpful for callouts, though. Sigh.

Continue reading.

The Engadget Podcast

Nintendo Switch Sports and Elon Musk's ongoing Twitter affair.

This week, Cherlynn Low and guest co-host Sam Rutherford discuss the new Nintendo Switch Sports games, a coincidental week of beauty gadget coverage and the ongoing saga of Elon Musk trying to own Twitter.

Listen and subscribe here

For some reason, Nintendo’s Super Mario anime has been remastered in 4K

But we still don’t understand it.

Nintendo's first anime movie, from 1986, is back. Femboy Films has released a 4K remaster of The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach on both YouTube and the Internet Archive. You’ll get clean, color-corrected visuals based on a rare 16mm print, and new English subtitles and a fresh two-channel Dolby Surround audio capture from the VHS release. Oh, and Mario and Luigi work at a grocery store now.

It gets weirder...

Continue reading.

Don’t worry, yes, there are even more Musk machinations, but first let’s broach something a little different — and possibly lifesaving. A team of MIT engineers is developing a telerobotic system for neurosurgeons. It unveiled a robotic arm that doctors can control remotely using a modified joystick to treat stroke patients.

The arm has a magnet attached to its wrist, and surgeons can adjust its orientation to guide a magnetic wire through the patient's arteries and vessels to remove blood clots in the brain. Like in-person procedures, surgeons will have to rely on live imaging to get to the blood clot, but the machine means they don’t have to be physically with the patient.

There’s a critical time window after someone suffers a stroke to ensure the best chance of recovery. The robot could make treatment possible even if a neurosurgeon is miles away.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• How to get your grill ready for the outdoor season

• Nikon's Z9 gets 8K 60p RAW video and more via a major firmware update

• Peloton increases its subscription fees for the first time

• 'Cyberpunk 2077' expansion will arrive in 2023

• Wikipedia editors vote to block cryptocurrency donations

Elon Musk offers to buy Twitter for $43 billion

'Twitter has extraordinary potential. I will unlock it.'

Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter for $43 billion, telling the SEC in a filing that the deal would be good for free speech. "I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy," he wrote. If the deal goes through, Musk plans to take the company private.

It was another busy day for Musk: He held a TED talk where he said he wants Twitter's algorithm to be open source. And hopefully the final Twitter–Musk headline for the week: The Tesla boss is no longer the biggest shareholder of Twitter. At least, for now.

Continue reading.

Researchers create a high-efficiency cell that converts 40 percent of heat energy to electricity

More efficient than many steam turbines.

Researchers have revealed a new thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cell that converts heat to electricity with over 40 percent efficiency and performance nearly on par with traditional steam turbine power plants. The cells have the potential to be grid-scale "thermal batteries," generating energy dependably with no moving parts.

Continue reading.

Amazon hits US sellers with a 5 percent fuel and inflation surcharge

That's on top of the fees they're paying for Amazon's fulfillment services.

Amazon will charge US sellers using its fulfillment services a five percent fuel and inflation fee. It will add the fees on April 28th to what it already collects from third-party sellers using the Fulfillment by Amazon service to store, pack and ship their goods.

Continue reading.

Google's Switch to Android app helps iOS users do just that

It can import contacts, calendar, videos, photos and more.

Google has finally countered Apple's Move to iOS app by releasing Switch to Android for iOS on the App Store, confirming earlier rumors. As the name indicates, it's designed to help iPhone and iPad users import contacts, photos, calendars and video to an Android device. It also shows users how to turn off iMessage in favor of Android messaging and transfer photos/videos by connecting to iCloud. It’s a big improvement over the current system, which requires users to back up photos, video, calendar and contacts through the Google Drive iOS app.

Continue reading.

The best portable Bluetooth speakers you can buy

So many options.

Engadget

If you’re looking for a connected speaker, the options are good. And varied. You just need to figure out what you need — and how much you want to spend. We’ve separated our guide into three price ranges, from $50 up to $450 and even higher, while touching on exactly what you need to consider.

Continue reading.

US warns of malware made to attack critical infrastructure

Hackers could hijack industrial systems.

The US is still on high alert for more cyberattacks against critical infrastructure. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Energy Department, FBI and NSA have issued a warning that hackers have developed custom malware to hijack industrial control systems. Nicknamed Incontroller by Mandiant researchers, the "very likely" state-backed code breaches controllers from Omron and Schneider Electric that are frequently used in automation, across power grids, manufacturing and other industries. Mandiant said the malware's capabilities were "consistent" with Russia's past efforts and its "historical interest" in compromising industrial control systems.

Continue reading.

Moog made a Theremin for 2022

Mid-century styled Theremin, anyone?

Moog

The Theremin is how Bob Moog got his start building instruments and eventually selling kits for customers to make their own. Which makes it kind of a big deal when the company introduces a new model. The Etherwave Theremin is based on a 1996 design from Bob Moog himself and replaces its Etherwave and Etherwave Plus. It also looks much, much cooler.

Continue reading.

Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, SpaceX boss, that guy, has been Twitter’s largest shareholder for mere weeks but has packed in enough drama and turmoil to make it feel like months.

He’s now facing legal action over the handling of his latest investment. A Twitter shareholder has filed a class-action lawsuit against Musk over his 11-day delay in officially disclosing his investment in Twitter to the SEC.

It continues the bizarre ebb and flow between the Tesla CEO and Twitter. After becoming the social network’s biggest shareholder, Musk agreed to join Twitter’s board of directors. Then, the decision was reversed following several days of bizarre tweets from Musk, who polled his Twitter followers on whether the company should change its name and speculated on whether the service was “dying.”

As we noted in our report, Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal told employees it was “for the best” that Musk ultimately wouldn’t take the position on the board.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• The New York Public Library makes four banned books free nationwide on its e-reader app

• Polar revives the Pacer as a back-to-basics running watch

• Houston Astros' stadium will be the first in MLB to use Amazon's 'Just Walk Out' tech

• Samsung's portable Freestyle projector is $250 off for today only

• Kia's EV9 SUV will arrive in the US in the second half of 2023

• Amazon is rebranding IMDb TV as Freevee

• Dungeons and Dragons owner Hasbro buys up D&D Beyond

• Novation's first keyboard for FL Studio offers a lot of utility for $200

No Man’s Sky’s new update offers the life of a space pirate

Time to smuggle.

No Man's Sky

No Man’s Sky is already an enormous game, and it keeps growing. Hello Games has now launched its Outlaws update, which adds smuggling as well as the game’s first new starship in two years. You can buy illicit goods in outlaw systems and sell them for a hefty profit in a regulated system, as long as you're able to smuggle them in, helping to flesh out your very own take on Han Solo, but with derpy dinosaurs and occasional heavy resource management.

Continue reading.

Robosen's Optimus Prime Transformer robot truck gets an auto-converting trailer

Amazing, but expensive.

Hasbro

Robosen Robotics' Optimus Prime robot can automatically transform into a truck, just like the movie/cartoon versions, but it will cost you $900 for the privilege. Now, Hasbro and Robosen have launched a companion Trailer and Roller set for Optimus Prime. You just need another $750.

Continue reading.

Meta will take a 48 percent cut from sales in Horizon Worlds

Remember when the company blasted Apple’s 30 percent cut?

Meta has confirmed to CNBC that it will take a total 47.5 percent cut from digital asset sales in Horizon Worlds, including 30 percent through the Meta Quest Store and 17.5 percent through Horizon Worlds itself.

Meta is promising "goal-oriented" bonuses to virtual developers whose worlds are particularly active. Nonetheless, the rate isn't exactly pleasing to digital product makers.

Continue reading.

'The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt' next-gen update is delayed indefinitely

It’s still happening.

CD Projekt Red has delayed its Witcher 3 free next-gen upgrade "until further notice" after deciding to finish the project with an internal development team instead of Saber Interactive. The company wants to evaluate the necessary "scope of work," according to a statement.

The update was originally slated to arrive before the end of June.

Continue reading.

Meta reportedly plans to release its first AR glasses in 2024

Mark Zuckerberg apparently sees them as the company’s 'iPhone moment.'

VCG via Getty Images

Meta is going hard on its vision for augmented reality and the metaverse. According to anonymous sources talking to The Verge, the company aims to launch its first AR glasses in 2024. These would be followed by a "lighter, more advanced" model in 2026 and a third iteration in 2028. The initial model would be independent of your phone, but you would need a "phone-shaped device" to handle the computing part and rely on a wristband for controls. Are you ready for some AR accessories?

Continue reading.

Still waiting on a new Tesla with its higher-capacity batteries? Perhaps, once the company’s employees have got theirs, you’ll also be able to grab a Model Y with longer range. Electrek reports Tesla is selling the Model Y in a new Standard Range AWD variant that uses 4680 cells to offer 279 miles of range and five-second 0-60MPH for $59,990, which is $3,000 less than the Long Range AWD.

These 4680 cells are actually twice as large as Tesla's existing units — with five times the capacity. It means the company can choose to extend the range of its vehicles or use fewer batteries, which would shrink costs while maintaining range parity.

Reportedly, we muggles should be able to pick up the cheaper Model Y in the coming weeks, at a time when all the carmakers are finally ready to offer us a lot more EV options. We have news about Toyota’s late-to-the-party electric car below, and Honda plans to launch 30 EV models by 2030.

https://www.engadget.com/tesla-model-y-standard-range-awd-new-battery-152038143.html

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Acclaimed sci-fi mystery '13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim' lands on Nintendo Switch

• Beats is rolling out some handy features for Android users

• The Lectric XP Lite is a folding e-bike with a low price

• Apple's Mac Mini M1 falls back to an all-time low of $570

• What we bought: A microdermabrasion device to scrape off my skin

Toyota's first EV will start at $42,000

The new 2023 bZ4X will go on sale later this spring.

Talking of EVs, Toyota is almost, finally, ready to unleash its first (true) EV. The bZ4X SUV will start at $42,000 for the base front-wheel-drive model, with 252 miles of range on a single charge. Meanwhile, the Limited package (which starts at $46,700) adds more luxurious satin and soft-touch finishes and upgraded seats, with Toyota offering optional FWD and X-MODE AWD drive to both.

When it comes to recharging, the bZ4X will have a 6.6kW adapter that could get the car from low to full in about nine hours when connected to a Level 2 charger. Select dealers will sell the ChargePoint Home Flex charger direct to owners.

Continue reading.

This is what it looks like inside a giant space balloon for tourists

Even the restroom has a view of the horizon.

Space Perspective

Balloons are the cheaper version of space tourism, thanks to gentler, longer-lasting trips that don't require training, and now it's clearer what you'll get if you take one of those rides. Space Perspective has previewed the interior of Spaceship Neptune, its giant balloon that will take tourists to 100,000 feet (technically the stratosphere) for around two hours. It’s $125,000 per ticket with a $1,000 refundable deposit. So, $62,500 per hour.

Continue reading.

GoPro's 'Bones' is a stripped-down Hero cam for drones

It can capture 5.3K 60p video.

GoPro

GoPro has unveiled the Hero 10 Black Bones, a lightweight version of the Hero 10 Black designed for FPV and Cinewhoop drones that have taken off in popularity. Light enough to mount on three-inch sized drones, it still packs in GoPro features like HyperSmooth 4.0 and 5.3K video.

The Hero 10 Black Bones is cheaper with GoPro's one-year subscription, which is free the first year. It costs $400 with a new subscription and $500 without, meaning GoPro thinks you're going to like the subscription benefits enough to renew. Or at least forget to cancel. Those benefits include no-questions-asked camera replacement, discounts on accessories and unlimited cloud backup.

Continue reading.

There’s a Theragun for your face now

With LED, microcurrent and thermal therapies.

Therabody

Therabody, best known as the maker of Theragun percussive recovery devices, is launching its first product for your face. The company unveiled the $399 TheraFace Pro, which has percussive, light and microcurrent therapies. It can also provide cryothermal treatment, which the company said can help reduce tension, relax muscles and “[address] discomfort related to migraines, headaches, and jaw pain.”

Continue reading.

FIFA launches its own soccer streaming service

FIFA+ is an ad-supported service with originals and live streams.

FIFA, the global governing body for world soccer, is launching its own streaming service. FIFA+ will livestream men's and women’s matches and broadcast a raft of original series and documentaries. The platform will also host a vast archive of older games from previous World Cups. FIFA says it’ll show the “equivalent of 40,000 live games per year.” At launch, we’ll see around 1,400 matches a month, with that figure “rising rapidly” until we get closer to 4,000 a month. Which is great, but I really don’t want a streaming service for every single sport.

Continue reading.

The newest foldable on the scene is a China-exclusive, but it has enough to keep us interested even if we may never buy one. The Vivo X Fold, with a 6.53- or 8-inch unfolded screen, packs a Snapdragon Gen 1 processor and two ultrasonic fingerprint readers, built into, well, both screens. Sure, not a huge deal.

Vivo

I’m more interested in the zirconium alloy floating middle plate, which sounds like an Avengers McGuffin but is actually Vivo’s pitch to ameliorate that center crease on most foldable phones. This plate lifts up gently when you open the hinge, helping, hopefully, to smooth out the wrinkle. We’ll let you know once we see it for real, but for these expensive foldable devices, which often show their age through wrinkles built up over a month or two, it’s a cosmetic problem in need of a solution.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Apple TV 4K with 64GB of storage falls back to an all-time low

• GoPro's new Player + ReelSteady app adds stabilization and 360 tools

• Apple Watch Series 7 falls to a new all-time low of $314 at Amazon

• Microsoft's spring sale knocks up to $200 off the Surface Laptop Go

• Lincoln teases its first EV concept

Nintendo Switch Sports is Wii Sports but on a Switch

Definitely not a bad thing.

Nintendo

Wii Sports came out more than 15 years ago, and oddly, Nintendo never made a proper sequel, until now, after skipping the Nintendo console that should not be named. Sam Rutherford got to check out Nintendo Switch Sports ahead of its official release on April 29th, and it looks like the formula hasn’t changed too much.

Continue reading.

Some Apple Studio Display owners are unable to update firmware

Apple Support told some users to bring their monitors in for repair.

Some owners of the new Apple Studio Display have reported problems updating to the latest firmware. As MacRumors points out, after multiple failed attempts, users were told by Apple support to bring their display to an Apple Store or authorized facility for repair.

Apple is reportedly begun re-signing an older iOS 15.4 firmware version, allowing the Studio Display to resume updates.

Continue reading.

Sonos bought a startup that made a light-powered Bluetooth speaker

It could lead to smaller Sonos speakers in the future.

Sonos has acquired Mayht, a Dutch startup best known for co-creating a Bluetooth speaker powered by light. Mayht specializes in an audio technology called Heartmotion. The company claims to have reinvented “the core of speaker drivers,” so speakers can be up to 10 times more compact than other models without sacrificing sound quality or bass output.

Continue reading.

Biden administration cracks down on 3D-printed 'ghost guns'

The new rule makes dealers serialize 3D-printed firearms.

REUTERS/Kelly West

The US Justice Department has issued several measures restricting the sale and distribution of "ghost guns," including a requirement for federally licensed dealers and gunsmiths to serialize any unmarked firearm (such as a 3D-printed gun) before selling it to a customer. Those that print a gun at home would not be able to sell it to a store without some ability to trace its origins.

Continue reading.

Google and iFixit will offer parts to help you repair Pixel phones

The team-up launches later this year.

Google is the latest phone maker to join Apple and Samsung in giving you resources to fix phones yourself. It’s partnering with the tinkerer of all tinkerers, iFixit, to provide official parts for Pixel phones later this year. Notably, the initiative will cover models ranging from the Pixel 2 (from 2017) through to the Pixel 6 Pro and beyond. According to the announcement, you’ll get access to a "full range" of components, like batteries, cameras and displays, whether you buy them individually or with iFixit’s own Fix Kit tools.

It’s shaping up to be an interesting year for people willing to repair their own phones. We still haven’t had a chance to see how Apple’s iPhone repair proposal will fare in real life — how hard is it going to be? — but Google is being smart by pairing with, arguably, the go-to people for those willing to take their phone’s life into their own hands.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Elon Musk won't join Twitter's board of directors after all

• Apple Watch Series 7 models drop to $330, plus the rest of the weekend's best tech deals

• Google blocks Russian parliament YouTube channel

• 3D CT scans make even ketchup caps look cool

• 'Dancing with the Stars' will be the first live TV show on Disney+

Hummer EV first drive

An enormous electric super truck

Engadget

The Hummer has always been ostentatious. So it’s no surprise the Hummer EV is not only large but also heavy, and really not all that efficient as an EV. But what it lacks in miles per kilowatt, it makes up for in over-the-top fun.

Roberto Baldwin got to drive the larger-than-life SUV, and it proved to be a capable off-roader that showcases GM’s Ultium platform. It is still, at its core, a Hummer.

Continue reading.

iOS 16 could include upgraded health tracking features

But don't expect an UI redesign.

The next major update of iOS could include “significant enhancements,” according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman anticipates iOS 16 will include an update to notifications and an assortment of new health-tracking features.

Gurman added that the Apple Watch’s watchOS 9 may include upgrades to its activity and health-tracking features, but stopped short of sharing specifics. Boo.

Continue reading.

‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ has the best opening weekend for a video game movie

Breaking the record set by… the first Sonic movie.

Paramount

With a $71 million debut at the domestic box office, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has set a new record for the US film debut of a video game adaptation, beating the previous high watermark set by its predecessor in 2020. The sequel made $57 million during its opening weekend, and Paramount now plans to expand this success into a cinematic universe. What have you done?

Continue reading.

Police got confused trying to pull over an autonomous Cruise vehicle

‘Step outside the vehicle, please.’

Since February, GM’s Cruise self-driving unit has offered public taxi rides across San Francisco. And so far, the service hasn’t had many issues. A video from April 2nd showed San Francisco police attempting to pull over a driverless Cruise vehicle in the city’s Richmond District, only for the car to temporarily take off.

Watch for the confusion.

Watch the first trailer for ‘Kingdom Hearts IV’

Disney, Final Fantasy and a kinda-Tokyo.

Square Enix

During an event celebrating the franchise’s 20th anniversary, we got our first proper glimpse at the next Kingdom Hearts game. Kingdom Hearts IV marks the return of Sora after 2019’s Kingdom Hearts III seemingly concluded the story arc that began with the original game in 2002. The trailer showed Sora waking up in a city called Quadratum, a Tokyo-inspired city rendered in a semi-realistic way, marking a major artistic shift for the series. The city is soon attacked by a towering monster and the story-centric opening scenes seamlessly transition to gameplay… and fighting.

Continue reading.

As the interest in Wordle ebbs and flows, The New York Times is trying to keep you hooked on its recent acquisition. So how about some post-match analysis? WordleBot is an optional feature that breaks down a completed game and reveals what players could have done to play more efficiently — perfect for those of us who struggle to grab the winning word on the fifth try, take hours to finish playing or are just stumped completely. Or cheat. Not namingnames.

The bot will offer up an efficiency score, making the word game suddenly feel like something closer to a chore or work. But for those addicted to sports stats and figures, it might add a compelling twist to Wordle. Me? I’ve moved on to Heardle.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Tesla's Cybertruck will go on sale in 2023

• 'Slow Horses' makes me glad I forgot to cancel Apple TV+

• Twitter test lets you 'unmention' yourself in tweets

• Spotify's Car Thing can now take calls and control other apps

• Google is clamping down on out-of-date Android apps

• What we bought: Logitech's G Pro X Superlight isn't just for gaming

• TAG Heuer's latest golf smartwatch offers more help with your shots

• Volvo says all its new vehicles now support over-the-air updates

• Star Trek's first NFTs lean heavily on incentives

• SpaceX's Texas expansion plans derailed by environmental paperwork

• Google's Nest Hub and Nest Cam bundle is $50 off at B&H

ASUS ROG Flow Z13 review

Practicality can be overrated.

Engadget

If you’re looking for a unique portable gaming PC, ASUS ROG obliges, yet again. Putting gaming PC components in a detachable 2-in-1 design makes for an innovative system that’s both adaptable and rather travel-friendly. According to Sam Rutherford, when paired with ASUS’ optional XG Mobile Dock, it can give you desktop-level performance with way less bulk. However, the Z13’s short battery life and high price make it hard to love. Yes, that high price makes the Z13 an incredibly hard sell for most. It’s all very intriguing.

Continue reading.

Google pulls apps that may have harvested data from millions of Android devices

The apps may have taken users' precise location, email, phone numbers and more.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Google has pulled dozens of apps used by millions after finding they covertly gathered data. Researchers found weather apps, highway radar apps, QR scanners, prayer apps and others containing code that could harvest a user's precise location, email, phone numbers and more. They were traced to Measurement Systems, a company reportedly linked to a Virginia defense contractor that does cyber-intelligence and more for US national-security agencies. It denied the allegations.

Continue reading.

The FBI silently removed Russian malware to thwart global cyberattacks

Sometimes even without the network owner's knowledge.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has revealed that the United States secretly removed malware from computer networks around the world over the past few weeks to pre-empt Russian cyberattacks. The White House recently warned companies that Russia could attack critical infrastructure in the country, such as financial institutions and the power grid. Apparently, the malware the US removed would have enabled Russian military intelligence to create botnets out of the infected computer networks, which they could use in DDoS attacks, spamming networks and more.

Continue reading.

Smart reveals the production version of its compact electric SUV

The Smart #1 offers up to 273 miles of range.

Smart

Smart’s compact electric SUV has kept the distinctive design of its concept origins. The Smart #1 will still have frameless windows and a "floating halo" glass roof. Alas, the scissor doors didn’t make the… cut.

While the estimated 273 miles of maximum range isn't all that impressive, it comes from a 66kWh battery that charges quickly, taking it from a 10 percent charge to 80 percent in under 30 minutes with a 150kW DC charger. Even with a more typical 22kW AC supply, it takes less than three hours. For now, pricing and release dates are still TBC.

Continue reading.

The OpenAI consortium has unveiled the next iteration of DALL·E, a multimodal AI that could generate rudimental, low-res images from a text-based prompt. This time around, the system is capable of generating images at higher resolution and with lower latency than the original. They’re also eminently more shareable and impressive — check the AI’s Instagram account right here.

OpenAI

DALL·E 2 uses OpenAI's CLIP image recognition system and adds the ability for users to edit the results. They can now select and edit areas of existing images, add or remove elements, mash together two images into a single collage and generate further variations of an existing image. What's more, the output images are 1,024 pixel squares, up from the 256 x 256-pixel canvases generated by the original version. Unlike the first, which anybody could play with on the OpenAI website, this new version is currently limited to vetted partners who are also constrained in their uploads and creations. The consortium is trying to keep it all family-friendly, too.

Anyone interested in collaborating with DALL·E 2 can register for the waitlist here.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Xbox controllers can now switch TV input back to your console

• Technics' iconic turntable gets a seven-color makeover for its 50th anniversary

• 'Two Point Campus' offers evolution, not revolution

• Mark Zuckerberg thinks this is what a home office looks like

• Amazon Music Unlimited price is going up a dollar to $9 for Prime members

• Vevo says an 'unauthorized source' vandalized Drake, Lil Nas X and other YouTube channels

• Google Docs now offers emoji reactions

The Peloton Guide wouldn’t let me skip a single push-up

The connected camera is a simple but persistent workout monitor.

Engadget

Peloton’s Guide, a $295 movement-tracking camera that brings strength training to the company’s fitness offering, is finally available to purchase. Before you do that, check out some early first impressions. For people like me, who loathe cardio, it could be a high-tech way to add some scrutiny and guidance to your bodyweight (and weight-lifting) workouts. Expect the detailed, polished interface of a Peloton product, even if I wish the Guide could share a little more, well, guidance.

Continue reading.

Police reports suggest a larger pattern of AirTag stalking

Fifty women in eight jurisdictions called the cops about unwanted trackers.

A report from Motherboard, based on police data, suggests that bad actors are using Apple’s AirTag to track people without their consent. Motherboard received 150 reports from eight police departments and found that, in 50 cases, women called the cops after receiving notifications suggesting someone was tracking them with an AirTag or they heard the device chiming. Half of those women suspected the tags were planted in their car by a man they knew, such as a current or former romantic partner or their boss.

Continue reading.

ESPN aired last night’s Nets and Knicks game with decade-spanning classic graphics

To mark the NBA’s 75th anniversary.

On November 1st, 1946, the Toronto Huskies and New York Knicks played what is now considered the first game in NBA history. With the league celebrating its 75th birthday this season, ESPN took fans down memory lane, with ESPN2 broadcasting an alternative presentation of the game with in-game graphics from past NBA broadcasts. These spanned 1960s on ABC, the 1970s and 1980s on CBS and the 1990s on NBC, each represented during the game with graphics changing between quarters.

Continue reading.

MLB will fight cheating with an electronic pitch-calling system

PitchCom could prevent opposing teams from stealing signs.

Baseball catchers have long signaled pitches with their fingers, but that could soon become a thing of the past in the big leagues. Major League Baseball has approved a system for catchers to send directions to their pitchers electronically. The PitchCom system centers around a sleeve catchers wear on their forearm. They can press buttons to identify the pitch type and location. The pitcher hears the call through a bone-conduction listening device. The channels are encrypted and teams can program codewords to replace terms like "fastball" or "curveball." It all sounds delightfully espionage heavy. I love it.

PitchCom will be optional, and teams can still use traditional hand signals if they wish. However, according to AP, around half of MLB teams have expressed interest in using the new system.

Continue reading.

Anker says its first 3D printer is built for speed.

It’s a little different to a power bank.

The AnkerMake M5 is the company’s first 3D printer, and Anker claims the M5 should prototype creations faster, while also offering a slower, smoother finish when needed.

The AnkerMake M5 has a basic print speed of 250 mm/s² for more detailed projects that need a smooth finish. However, the printer also has a much speedier mode that hits 2,500 mm/s². The end result is rougher and less detailed, but Anker says it enables the M5 to reduce average print times by up to 70 percent compared to other printers. The company isn’t entirely on board: For now, it’s a Kickstarter project, and you can back it for an early bird price of $429. After that, you'll have to pledge at least $499 to grab the printer.

Continue reading.