Good morning, there. I’m a little tired this morning, having stayed awake for PlayStation’s big gaming showcase last night. A lot of us thought Sony might give us a pretty innocuous tour of the PlayStation 5’s incoming UI update — perhaps a closer look at games on the horizon, like Deathloop.

Sony

We were wrong. So wrong. We got early first-looks at a new God of War game, a Spider-Man sequel and, whoa, a Wolverine game made by the same studio responsible for the web-slinger’s latest adventures, Insomniac. We got a handful of remasters — with Uncharted 4 particularly looking lovely — and, unbelievably, an actual release date for Gran Turismo 7.

It was an impressive showing for PlayStation — especially after a year of mostly limp gaming events (do you even remember the all-digital E3, Microsoft’s last Xbox showcase?)

Sony, so far, is holding its position of power for this generation of consoles. For now. Will Microsoft’s big cloud gaming push rain on its parade?

— Mat Smith

All the biggest PlayStation Showcase stories

First look at 'God of War Ragnarök'

Wolverine is getting his own PS5 game

'Marvel's Spider-Man 2' brings Venom to PlayStation 5 in 2023

'Gran Turismo 7' comes to PS4 and PS5 on March 4th, 2022

Square Enix's 'Forspoken' will hit PS5 and PC in spring 2022

'Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic' is getting a PS5 remake

If only Ray-Ban's Stories smart glasses were made by anyone but Facebook

And please, please find a new wake word.

Engadget

We’ve got two stories on Facebook’s collaboration on smart glasses with Ray-Ban, and our two writers draw similar conclusions. The glasses look stylish and the camera seems to take relatively decent video footage, but that Facebook connection….

You’ll need your phone nearby to do anything with the video and photos you capture, and there’s a small white LED that lights up when the glasses are recording. Yes, they are a bit heavier, and the cameras are noticeable up close, but from a distance, they could easily pass as any other pair of WayFarers. That’s the crux of these — they’re certainly a Facebook product, but it’s trying to hide that. There’s no Facebook logo on the frames, though there is some on the packaging, and this is because, well, a lot of us don’t have much love for the social network.

There’s a lot (a lot!) of similarities with Snapchat’s Spectacles, but Ray-Ban’s Stories do offer audio capabilities built into each arm. However, it’s still hard to disconnect love for the gadget with the company responsible for it. 

Read on for Karissa Bell’s impressions so far.

Watch ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ trailer

Neo doesn’t know who he is.

Warner Bros.

And thankfully, everything doesn’t look green and grey.

Watch here.

Upscaled: How are camera sensors still improving?

A deep dive into how cameras are still evolving.

Cameras keep getting better, but arguably, the pace of improvement has slowed. You can look at photos on decades-old DSLRs, and they look pretty good! While in some tests, sensors seem to have barely changed, there have been big advancements in noise reduction, dynamic range and how fast sensors can be read. Chris Schodt explains it all.

Watch here.

Amazon complains Elon Musk's companies don't play by the rules

SpaceX previously accused Amazon of delaying its Starlink proposals.

Amazon's response to SpaceX's FCC filing, which accused the e-commerce giant of trying to delay proposals for its Starlink internet service on purpose, is just as scathing. In an FCC filing of its own, Amazon told the regulator that SpaceX chief Elon Musk tends to ignore rules and government-imposed regulations. The company also said SpaceX often accuses any company "that dares point out its flouting of laws and regulations" as "anticompetitive."

This is the latest development in a lengthy battle with the FCC in the middle. The Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin also filed a complaint against NASA with the US Court of Federal Claims over the lunar lander contract it awarded to SpaceX.

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iRobot's latest Roomba can detect pet poop

And if it fails, you'll get a new one.

Roomba

A new robot vacuum, not a new pet.

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Nintendo and Lego team up for a foldout 'Super Mario 64' block set

The block box unfolds to reveal Peach's Castle and other levels.

Nintendo

Proving the collaboration so far must be a success, Lego and Nintendo have unveiled a new Lego Super Mario 64 block set with microscale levels including Peach's Castle along with several micro figures. The companies describe it as a "unique way for fans to rediscover the magic of Super Mario 64." The price of said magic? $170.

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Vivo's X70 Pro+ does optical stabilization on all four rear cameras

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Xbox controller update makes it easier to pair with and switch between devices

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For Polestar, the twos are anything but terrible

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Amazon, the owner of Whole Foods, is finally bringing the sort of high-tech features we were expecting to the nationwide grocery chain. Its cashierless Just Walk Out tech will soon arrive in two Whole Foods locations, after starting off in Amazon’s own Go grocery stores.

Just Walk Out uses computer vision, sensors and AI to let you walk into a store, sign in with an app, fill up your bags and leave without joining a checkout line or scanning your items.

I’ve tested out the systems at my local Amazon Fresh, and I’ll begrudgingly admit, it’s magical. It’s not my go-to grocery store, so I usually only pick up an item or two. I’m mostly shopping there to see how everything works and what Amazon’s brick-and-mortar stores were selling.

Amazon

Multiple ameras in the ceiling monitor shoppers, who check in with their Amazon account as they pass through turnstiles. Shelves have sensors to detect when shoppers take items — and it’s all pretty amazing. Except when it gets things wrong. At one point, I went in to grab a newspaper (what? I like the supplements?) and some milk. Unfortunately, it added a couple more items to my purchase, and you’re only informed of this when you’re billed after leaving the store. To Amazon’s credit, it was quick to refund me once I flagged the issue through the app. It’s early days for the tech, which is predictably being refined as each shopper passes through its stores. There’s also something convenient about packing away your shopping as you browse.

I only saw staff monitoring check-ins, as most people were confused by the conceit of the place, and filling shelves, but unions have said Amazon's cashierless tech will cost workers jobs at some point. The company says new Whole Foods locations will "employ a comparable number of team members as existing Whole Foods stores of similar sizes."

This could be just the start. Amazon signed a deal last year to license its technology to third-party retailers, so even if there’s not a Whole Foods (or Amazon Fresh or Go) near you, you might not need a check-out.

— Mat Smith

Microsoft issues warning on Windows attack that uses malicious Office files

Don't open Office files unless it's from a source you fully trust.

Microsoft is warning that some attackers are actively exploiting a remote code execution vulnerability using malicious Office files. It affects Windows Servers from version 2008 and Windows 7 through 10. What attackers are doing is sending potential victims an Office file and tricking them into opening it. That file automatically opens Internet Explorer to load the bad actor's web page, which has an ActiveX control that downloads malware to the victim's computer.

Microsoft says its Defender Antivirus and Defender for Endpoint can both detect the vulnerability and prevent infection, so users need to keep them updated and running.

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LG claims its new display material is as hard as glass

The Real Folding Window was designed to prevent fold impressions too.

LG Chem

LG Chem has designed a new type of cover window — that is, the outermost pre-installed part of displays protecting them from impact — which it says is as hard as glass and has the capability to prevent fold impressions on the connecting part of a device. That’s the curse of any foldable devices once it’s been folded and unfurled a few times.

The company calls the material Real Folding Window. It’s made of PET film with a new coating technology on both sides, and it can be folded both outwards and inwards, unlike existing foldable screen materials.

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The final Android 12 beta is here

Next stop: the official release.

Google has released the fifth and final beta for Pixel phones (including the Pixel 5a) and several third-party devices, giving you one more look before the finished version arrives.

The Material You design scheme remains the most conspicuous change in Android 12, including an overall interface refresh, more fluid animations as well as color themes that adapt to your wallpaper. The completed software is due sometime in the "weeks ahead," Google said. If history is any indication, only Pixel owners will get Android 12 first.

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DJI’s new phone gimbal is also a selfie stick

It’s also smaller than its predecessors.

DJI

DJI’s Osmo Mobile 5 has an extending arm, so you can use it as a selfie stick. The new gimbal is palm-sized when folded and is a third smaller than the last version. The OM 5 is available in two finishes, Sunset White and Athens Gray, starting today. It costs $159 and includes the magnetic clamp, tripod, wrist strap, power cable and storage pouch.

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The biggest news stories you might have missed

GOG's store adds six classic 'Star Trek' games

The Gmail app will soon make voice and video calls

Google Photos will deliver as many prints as you like to your home

Fake pro-China accounts tried to push Americans to attend anti-racism protests

Senator Warren urges Amazon to tackle COVID-19 misinformation

NASA will finally launch the James Webb Space Telescope on December 18th

Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is an ultralight laptop with an OLED display

I thought BMW’s bizarre crystal sculpture car dash was going to be the weirdest vehicle of the week, but Hyundai thought otherwise. Not only does it involve next-gen fuel cell technology — a car fuel system that’s struggled in the face of EVs — but it also introduces Trailer Drone to the world. This cab-less "hydrogen-powered container transportation system” can apparently function entirely autonomously, according to Hyundai.

Hyundai

On arrival, the trailer could automatically unload itself by lifting on to legs, yes like a real-life Transformer, while the e-Bogie driving frame below dashes off to its next task. And yet, I think betting on hydrogen fuel cell tech still seems the most outlandish part, at least right now.

— Mat Smith

It’s time for the next iPhone event

September 14th.

Apple has announced a "California Streaming" event on September 14th at 1 PM ET. The invitation doesn't offer many clues, but there are already plenty of rumors about what you can expect for the new iPhone, updated Apple Watch. Those have so far included a smaller notch, an always-on display and improved cameras across the line. We might also get new ultra-wide sensors and more camera stabilization. It would include the seemingly obligatory chip upgrade and a slightly larger battery. That last one would be music to my ears.

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Four new iPhones are on their way, according to FCC filing

Interesting.

An FCC filing for a revised MagSafe charger, spotted by MacRumors and 9to5Mac, suggests four "New Phone" items will work with it, alongside last year’s iPhone 12 family.

Unfortunately, this FCC filing doesn't identify the four "New Phone" items it used for testing, but it's very much possible they're the current generation's direct successors, meaning the iPhone mini — my favorite — gets another shot at glory.

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Impossible's plant-based nuggets are now available in select restaurants

It'll be in a few restaurants this week and in grocery stores later this month.

Impossible Foods’ plant-based “chicken” nuggets are now available to buy and gorge on. Mostly made of soy protein and sunflower oil, the Impossible Chicken Nuggets will initially be available in select restaurants across the country, and then sold in grocery stores in the frozen aisle later this month.

Notable restaurants that will be serving them include David Chang’s Fuku in New York City, Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster in Harlem and Miami, Sean Brock’s Joyland in Nashville, Tal Ronnen’s Crossroads Kitchen in Los Angeles.

Read our taste test here.

'The Matrix Resurrections' teasers keep changing with different clips from the film

It’s like a trailer, but on shuffle.

Warner Bros.

Ahead of September 9th, when the first full trailer for The Matrix Resurrections is set to appear, Warner Bros. has launched a teaser for the upcoming film. The website, whatisthematrix.com, offers a first look at Neo's latest adventure.

In a call back to the first film, you'll see a red and blue pill on the screen when you first visit the website. Each offers a different narration of several cuts from the movie. But, refresh the site and you get a different barrage of clips and cuts. Time to start sleuthing.

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Don’t you want a rideable robot unicorn?

Just like a unicorn, it doesn't exist. Yet.

Xpeng

Chinese EV maker Xpeng has teased a robot unicorn for children to ride. As SCMP notes, the quadruped will take advantage of Xpeng's experience with autonomous driving and other AI tasks to navigate multiple terrain types, recognize objects and provide "emotional interaction."

The company is shy on most other details, but the design looks and trots like a cuter, more kid-friendly version of Boston Robotics' Spot. It's about as tall as a child, which I read as meaning I won’t be able to ride it.

Continue reading.

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Bose's high-end Smart Soundbar 900 includes Dolby Atmos support

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How to make the most of that Instant Pot you just bought

The fight to study what happens on Facebook

Singapore is well known for its tough laws (and penalties for flouting them). Now it has a new ally in the fight against chewing gum, littering and bigger misdemeanors. The country has started testing a robot named Xavier. Over the next three weeks, Xavier robots will monitor the crowds of Singapore’s Toa Payoh Central to look for what the nation's authorities describe as "undesirable social behaviors" — including any group of people. The country’s current COVID-19 safety measure forbids congregations of more than five people.

Singapore Home Team Science and Technology Agency

To gauge the crowds, Xavier models have cameras that create 360-degree views. They're also capable of capturing images in dim lighting using IR and low-light cameras. An AI system also analyzes video captured for anything that may require human officers' response. The robot has sensors to avoid both stationary and moving objects — and, for the love of robots, let’s hope there aren’t any water features around.

— Mat Smith

Volkswagen's ID.Life is an urban EV arriving 2025

The front-drive hatch will slot in below VW's ID.3.

The ID.Life concept is a front-wheel-drive EV aimed at city dwellers, announced by VW at IAA Mobility 2021 in Munich. The small crossover shares the MEB platform and battery with the ID.3, and VW plans to launch it in Europe — not the US — by 2025.

Like other EVs we're seeing in Munich, the ID.Life concept is meant to show how VW can create more sustainable vehicles. It uses wood chips as a natural coloring agent in the clear-coat paint, and the air chamber textile for the roof is 100 percent recycled PET bottles. Other materials include wood in the dashboard and ArtVelours Eco seats, along with natural rubber, bio-oil and rice husks in the tires.

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'Microsoft Flight Simulator' ‘Top Gun’ expansion delayed to May 2022

It'll arrive alongside 'Top Gun: Maverick,' which Paramount pushed back once again.

Top Gun: Maverick was supposed to finally arrive in theaters in November, but Paramount has pushed back the release date again, and the sequel is now set to arrive another six months later, on May 27th, due to COVID-19. This decision has also affected the planned Top Gun expansion for Microsoft Flight Simulator, as Asobo Studio delayed that, too.

The studio wrote in a brief blog post: "As we have previously announced, the Top Gun: Maverick expansion for Microsoft Flight Simulator for Windows 10 PC, Steam, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox Game Pass will be released alongside the movie.”

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NASA says the Mars Perseverance rover has collected its first sample

The mission to get it back to Earth will be a little more challenging.

NASA

After initially struggling to capture a rock sample, NASA has confirmed that the Perseverance rover has collected a pencil-width core of rust-colored rock. It’s now safely inside the rover’s sample tube, ready to be processed and sent back to Earth.

NASA thought it had nabbed the first sample last month, but a subsequent check showed the sample tube empty. NASA eventually determined that the sample was too powdery to be collected. "The hardware performed as commanded, but the rock did not cooperate this time," engineers quipped.

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BMW's 'recyclable' i Vision Circular Concept EV has a weird crystal interface

It's the company's dream of sustainable vehicles in 2040.

BMW

It can’t be a transport show without some bizarre concept vehicles. It’s BMW’s turn, and it’s another vision of more sustainable car production materials and methods. BMW avoided using composite materials and bonded connections to make the EV easier to break down at the end of its life. Rather, it's built mostly with recycled aluminum and uses quick-release fasteners, press studs and cords, so recyclers can take it apart easily. BMW claims it’s 100 percent recyclable.

Then there’s the V-shaped dashboard, which you can see above. The central part is a 3D-printed crystal sculpture that uses lighting to simulate the vehicle "thinking," according to BMW. Ah, of course.

Continue reading.

The biggest news you might have missed

ProtonMail under fire after giving authorities an activist's IP address

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Good morning! I hope all our US readers are having a great Labor Day weekend, but you know how it is: Tech news doesn’t stop. But before we get into NASA and air taxis...

Over the weekend, a group of 11 House Republicans sent letters to the leaders of 13 tech companies, threatening legal action if they comply with a request for records related to the January 6th Capitol attack. However, the letter they sent to Yahoo (Engadget's new parent company) is addressed to Marissa Mayer, who hasn't been CEO of the company since 2017.

The ups-and-downs of Yahoo aside, it’s a reminder that Congress' general lack of tech knowledge creates problems, whether it's a letter to a long-gone CEO or law change proposals that could produce easily foreseen complications.

Note that none of the letters went to Telegram, Reddit, TikTok and other influential tech companies and platforms.

— Mat Smith

NASA starts flight testing with Joby's electric air taxi

The dry runs could help rethink the future of airspace.

NASA’s air taxi tests are moving forward with Joby Aviation's electric VTOL aircraft to help model and simulate a future that might involve flying cars. The dry run began quietly, on August 30th, and will last through September 10th. The effort includes noise checks using 50 microphones to gauge the "acoustic profile" of the air taxi throughout a flight.

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An 'Alan Wake' remaster may be coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X in October

The classic thriller won't be an Xbox console exclusive.

Remedy Entertainment

Those longstanding murmurs of an Alan Wake revival might just have some merit. Well-known sleuth Wario64 has spotted Rakuten listings for an Alan Wake Remastered title that would launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on October 5th.

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Study says Europe is 21 years behind its emissions reduction goals

The continent's largest utility wants officials to pick up the pace.

Europe’s largest utility company, Enel, doesn't think EU officials are moving quickly enough to tackle reducing emissions. Its study warns that Europe could be late on reducing greenhouse gas emissions if it continues at its "current pace." The European Union wants to reduce those emissions by 55 percent by 2030, Enel said, but it reportedly won't reach that target until 2051 without substantial changes.

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Apple is delaying its child safety features

The CSAM detection tools were supposed to arrive with iOS 15.

Apple says it's delaying the rollout of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) detection tools "to make improvements" following pushback from critics. The features include one that analyzes iCloud Photos for known CSAM, which has caused concern among privacy advocates.

Apple claimed the approach would provide "privacy benefits over existing techniques since Apple only learns about users’ photos if they have a collection of known CSAM in their iCloud Photos account." However, privacy advocates have suggested that CSAM photo scanning could lead to law enforcement or governments pushing Apple to look for other types of images to perhaps, for instance, clamp down on dissidents.

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Segway's robot mower uses GPS to stay on your lawn

There's no need to install a perimeter wire with the Navimow.

Segway

Segway is moving into the robot mower market with the Navimow — and it doesn’t need boundary wire. Instead, Navimow uses GPS and other sensors to stay within the perimeter of your lawn.

Its Exact Fusion Locating System can maintain Navimow's position accurately to within two centimeters, according to Segway. If the GPS signal ever dips, the company says the device's array of sensors and data ensure it will still work. You can tell Navimow where to mow, define the boundaries and instruct it to avoid certain parts of your garden via an app.

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Smart's Mini-like EV concept shows off its larger vehicle ambitions

It's designed by Daimler and built on Volvo-owned Geely's EV platform.

Smart

Mercedes teamed up with Volvo automaker Geely to transform Smart into an EV-only brand a few years ago, with new vehicles to arrive in 2022. We're starting to see the fruits of this collaboration with the unveiling of Smart's Concept #1.

Given Smart’s past, the Concept#1 appears relatively large. Designed by Mercedes, the four-seater has roughly the same dimensions (and kind of a similar look, to be honest) as Mini's largest vehicle, the Countryman. Smart and its Daimler/Geely parents are planning to turn this concept into a production vehicle. The aim is to make multiple versions, including a long-range model, while offering the "highest level of dynamic handling" for enthusiasts.

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Among all the themed restaurants and dining experiences in the world, Park Row, a new dining venture in London, tries to keep things a little classier than the rest. No costumed heroes for a selfie with, no lurid colors (beside the Joker-esque neon signs in the restrooms) and even a big-name executive chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Mat Smith, Engadget

While I didn’t get to experience the high-tech (and high-price) Monarch Theater 11-course spectacle, with projectors, floating plates and more, I hunted down myriad easter eggs and subtle nods to the DC Comics Universe lovingly sewn into the building. With a secret entrance dressed as Wayne Manor, a Batcave staircase and a frosty Penguin statue overseeing the restaurant, it looks the part. There are a lot of playful touches, several of which I mention in my review here, but there are some I didn’t get to squeeze in, like a secret wine list — “supplied by Bruce Wayne’s own private cellar” — aimed at big-spending drinkers.

I’m fascinated by the Park Row pitch, a premium restaurant given DC Comics’ blessing that didn’t make me cringe. Alongside the new premium (thousands-of-dollars) Star Wars experience at Walt Disney World, entertainment franchises are courting its spendiest fans.

— Mat Smith

Razer Blade 14 laptop review

Big power, small package.

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Like most 14-inch gaming laptops, the Blade 14's biggest selling point is that it's — unsurprisingly — lighter than most 15-inch notebooks. Razer's own innovations start to work against it, though. The Blade 15 currently weighs around 4.4 pounds, whereas the 14 clocks in at 3.9 pounds. The Blade 14 would have seemed more impressive when the 15-inch model was upwards of 4.6 pounds, but it's actually a bit hefty compared to competitors like the 3.5-pound ASUS Zephyrus G14. With powerful AMD CPU and NVIDIA GPU options and tons of ports, Razer has made another strong laptop, but according to Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar, the Blade 15 might be a more suitable machine for most of us.

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The best ultraportable laptops

There's no shortage of thin-and-light laptops out there.

Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

If you’re not looking for a powerful gaming laptop like the Razer Blade 14, we’ve updated our ultraportable laptop guide. Dell’s XPS 13 still rules the roost, but we also highlight the best thin-and-light MacBook as well as the best convertible machine, if that’s what you’re shopping for.

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Watch Amazon’s first 'Wheel of Time' trailer ahead of its November 19th debut

And Rosamund Pike steals the show as the magical Moiraine.

Amazon has shared the first trailer for its long-awaited adaptation of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time. If you’re a newcomer to the fantasy series, the clip sketches out the basics of the world the author created before his death in 2007. Amazon first announced it was working on a live-action adaptation of Robert Jordan’s 14-volume fantasy back in 2018.

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Twitter is building a feature to automatically archive tweets

The tool is only in the concept stage at this point.

A few years ago, Disney fired Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn over tweets he wrote between 2008 and 2012. While the company later rehired Gunn, he’s just one of many who had an old social media post come back to haunt him. In recent years, some Twitter users have turned to third-party tools to sweep away old tweets of the past.

Reported by Bloomberg, the company has plans to test its own feature for people to automatically archive tweets after a predetermined amount of time. The tool is currently in the concept phase and doesn’t have a release date, but Twitter is apparently considering a number of time options, from 30 through to 90 days.

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Apple's AR headset will reportedly rely on another device due to limited processing power

The headset's chip might not be powerful enough on its own.

Chris Velazco/Engadget

Apple's fabled AR and VR headset may have to depend heavily on another device. The Informationsources claim the headset will need to wirelessly communicate with a host device like an iPhone, iPad or computer that can handle most of the computing. The chip inside the wearable apparently won't be as powerful as Apple's in-house chips. In fact, Apple supposedly just completed "tape-out" (completed the physical design) for the main chip, display driver and image sensor, so things are still a while away.

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Samsung has made a 200-megapixel smartphone sensor

It promises images with astonishing detail and low light performance.

Samsung just announced the ISOCELL HP1, a new camera sensor it says is the first 200-megapixel image sensor (with 0.64μm pixels) made for mobile devices. It added that the silicon is already small enough to fit in mobile hardware and the promise of all of those extra pixels is to retain fidelity when pictures are cropped or resized.

The biggest innovation might not be the magical megapixel number, but ChameleonCell, which Samsung explains is variable pixel binning, depending on the environment. In very low light, the camera bins down (by a factor of 16) to a 12.5-megapixel sensor, which should result in brighter, less noisy images than other camera sensors. We’ll have to wait and see.

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There’s no Bat-signal roaming the ceiling of the cavernous Park Row, no golden lasso or tiara under a glass case, no Green Lantern cocktail heavy on the creme de menthe. For a DC Comics-endorsed restaurant, it’s light on the cringe theme-restaurant tropes.

But there’s some spectacle — and a lot of love for DC — hidden beneath all the fine trappings.

Opening earlier this month in the center of London, Park Row is pitched as a dining experience that takes you to Gotham without the need to wear a costume. In fact, the restaurant’s FAQ notes “Dress more Bruce than Batman,” and there’s actually a ban on people cosplaying inside the venue.

I’ve visited both tech-laced and themed restaurants for work and pleasure, and Park Row feels a little different, in that it seems entirely made for grown-ups. The idea is simple enough: DC universe meets fine dining, with an immersive high-tech experience inside the Monarch Theater (named after where Batman’s parents were shot) as the showstopper event. Bookable in advance, its £200 ($275) tasting menu is a barrage of 11 themed courses that guide patrons through the heroes and villains of DC.

Mat Smith, Engadget

Adding some high-tech bells and whistles to restaurants isn’t anything new. There are several restaurants and pop-ups that have played with projection mapping meant to showcase and amplify the food on the plates, dining rooms with carefully set-dressed courses and lurid surroundings.

The Monarch Theater is all of it put together in a single room. When it’s not showtime, it looks like, well, a conference room. A long, white room with a long, white table in the middle. Aside from the projectors, dotted around the ceiling, it doesn’t look like a room built for immersive superhero dining.

I can’t tell you every beat of the multi-course experience because I didn’t actually get to test it when I visited. Seating 20 customers, there are two services each day. Post-launch, the team has since expanded the Monarch Theater part for four sittings per day.

The team wants to keep some of the courses’ mystique, but I can touch on some of the showpiece parts. The glossy, plain table betrays what’s been packed inside. Park Row doesn’t use projectors for embellishing the dishes or the food. I’m told by a spokesperson that this would distract from the food itself. Instead, the projectors send diners barreling into insane asylum padded cells that vertiginously rotate, making light fittings all pile together in a corner. I’m quickly shown the same room coated in neon graffiti; then wrapped in ivy vines and a final vista high in the clouds.

Any DC Comics dilettante can assume which characters these projections point to. But it goes on from there. The unassuming conference table (ironically, Cisco was apparently involved with connecting everything together) hides more secrets. Two rails run across the center of the table, making it easier to transform the table when it comes to the Poison Ivy course, which centers around a platter of plants, which seem to be a mix of living and artificial. Within this, serving staff dress the logs and plants with drinks, mysterious edibles and things that I’d call nibbles, but I probably shouldn’t. Some of them are borderline hidden, which seems to be by design.

Below these rails, a heating element runs the length of the table. Customers are given a playing card during an earlier course, and are told to lay this on the table. As the experience progresses, the card reacts to the heat of the table, revealing a secret message to each diner.

There are other tricks that aren’t entirely revealed to me, including a floating plate trick that I’ll have to book my own reservation to see.

Mat Smith, Engadget

Outside of the Monarch Theater, Park Row is split up into several different zones, all serving the same food menu — modern European — in a different facet of a fictional Gotham dining scene. From the entrance, modeled after Wayne Manor, you descend a glowing staircase inspired by a Batcave, through a vapor-emitting door frame into Pennyfeathers, a whiskey bar named after Alfred, Bruce Wayne’s long-serving butler. Beyond that, the Iceberg Lounge has a frozen penguin statue towering the bar, while to the left, the Rogue’s Gallery is curated by Catwoman, decorated with reproductions of some of the world’s most famous stolen art pieces, each one marked by a rogue from DC’s back catalog of villains.

One of these artworks, bizarrely, doubles as a drinks decanter. Now get ready for a deep cut — it’s the same painting used in the 1989 Batman movie. DC fans can probably easily discern which villain has marked each painting, but it’s the nods like this that elevate the whole thing for fans that are able to recall everything. Ordering the fish and chips will result in a blue-tinged piece of battered fish — hinting at when the Joker poisoned Gotham Harbour. The most egregious nod might be the dessert menu. One dish is called Kiss from A Rose. A little on the nose, but only because everything else is so subtle.

There are a few molecular gastronomy tricks, too, like edible balloons and freeze-dried popcorn that billow smoke out your mouth as you crunch. It's these touches that add to the ambiance and fun of the place, and defuses the impression that Park Row may take itself a little too seriously for something based on comic book source material.

Even the restrooms are a playful tribute to the Joker and his minions, all neon signs and bright lights, while paintings around the restaurants give oblique nods to Gotham and its residents. The menus, too, have little symbols that represent DC villains. These touches are there if you look for them, but they’re not obvious — which is good for those of us that don’t want to see anything more superhero-related ever again. I think the point is you could bring a date who has zero interest in the DC universe and capes, and they’d think it’s a glossy, central London restaurant. Fortunately, the food should be good enough to stand on its own, with an executive chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant. The restaurateur behind it all is known for his work with Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck.

The food has the credentials — and prices — to ensure even if you couldn’t care less about DC, at least you’ll have a good meal and a ridiculous cocktail or two.

Locast, a company that claimed to improve access to local TV stations for people who can’t get the signal via traditional means, has been dealt a blow by a New York Court. It lost a courtroom battle with CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox, which said the company was violating copyright. Deadline reports the group’s request for summary judgment was granted, and it couldn’t use its non-profit status as a defense against further action.

The nonprofit streaming service is funded in part by AT&T Inc and Dish Network Corp, and the lawsuit said the service helped AT&T and Dish avoid paying to carry broadcast content.

It all echoes 2014 when broadcasters accused Aereo of copyright infringement. Aereo rented physical antennas that offered local channels and a cloud DVR service that streamed to smartphones, tablets and PCs. Broadcasters and the federal government claimed it was a violation of copyright law, as it technically rebroadcast content from the airwaves. Aereo was forced to pay broadcasters $950,000.

Oh, and it’s worth noting, as the lawsuit continues, that Locast’s founder, David Goodfriend, conceived the service after Aereo was forced to close.

— Mat Smith

SpaceX says Amazon is trying to delay Starlink because it can't compete

Fights in space!

PABLO COZZAGLIO via Getty Images

Yesterday, SpaceX told the FCC that Amazon is purposefully trying to delay proposals for its Starlink satellite internet service because Amazon still can't compete with its own satellite solution, Kuiper Systems. A similar complaint led NASA to put SpaceX's lunar lander contract on hold. SpaceX says Amazon is neglecting “to resolve the Commission’s concerns about [its] own non-geostationary orbit (“NGSO”) satellite system."

Amazon last week urged the FCC to reject SpaceX's proposal for Starlink, claiming it broke the agency's rules by offering two separate configurations for its satellite internet.

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Google is reportedly making its own ARM-based Chromebook processors

And they could be released in 2023.

According to a report from Nikkei Asia, the company is developing processors for Chrome OS-powered laptops and tablets in-house. The tech giant has hired chip engineers from around the world, including talent from its suppliers like Intel and Qualcomm. It also recently announced its own mobile chip, Tensor, would debut on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

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Samsung's Neo QLED 4K TVs now come in very large (and very small) sizes

You can also get an 85-inch version of The Frame.

Samsung

Samsung has introduced multiple new sizes for some of its premium sets. The Neo QLED 4K QN90A series is now available in a huge 98-inch version (85 inches was the previous peak) alongside relatively tiny 43- and 50-inch models. In short, more options at both ends of the TV size spectrum.

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Must-have gear to make traveling with kids easier

Handing over your iPad isn’t your only option.

Traveling with little ones can be stressful because they rely so much on their established routines; anything that deviates from that is going to be hard for them and you. But there are a few tricks and gadgets to help. Amber Bouman walks us through some ideas for kids and parents.

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‘No Man's Sky’ gets alien settlements you can take charge of

You can resolve disputes between residents and see what they're thinking about.

Hello Games

After a rocky start, No Man’s Sky is rolling into its fifth anniversary with its 17th major update. The space exploration game’s Frontiers update adds alien settlements you can take charge of and rule however you like. You'll be able to see the population's overall happiness level, earn income from the town and gain insight into the intentions and thoughts of residents.

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The big news you might have missed

Another major Twitch streamer to defect to YouTube

Engadget Deals: Samsung's Premiere 4K projector is $1,000 off right now

Qualcomm aptX Lossless delivers CD-quality sound over Bluetooth

Marvel's 'What If?' expands beyond its anthology beginnings

Philips Hue lights can now sync with Spotify

Microsoft has announced that Windows 11 will be available on October 5th as a free upgrade for qualifying Windows 10 systems, as well as on new PCs shipping after that date. But it isn’t for everyone; a gradual rollout will prioritize newer hardware and use "intelligence models" to determine who gets the upgrade first. Microsoft will apparently factor in reliability and device age. It could be the case that friends and family utterly disinterested in an OS update could be offered it ahead of anyone chomping at the bit for the latest edition of Windows. Check out Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar's preview on what to expect from Windows 11.

All supporting machines will get the update by mid-2022, if you can think that far ahead. For those at the head of the line, you’ll still miss out on Android app support, which won't be available on launch. Microsoft plans to introduce the feature in a Windows Insider preview build sometime in the "coming months."

— Mat Smith

Apple's rumored iPhone satellite support may be for emergency calls and messages

But the service may not be ready for the next iPhone.

A rumored satellite feature for future iPhones is reserved for emergency uses only, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. A few days ago, another report said the next iPhones will come with support for Low Earth Orbit satellite calls and messages. Other sources said, however, that Apple is reportedly developing at least two emergency-related features relying on satellite networks.

The first feature, Emergency Message via Satellite, will be added as a third protocol, alongside iMessage and SMS, to the Messages app. Apple is also reportedly working on a second satellite feature for users to report crisis situations, like plane crashes and fires.

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Best Buy is now selling e-bikes and electric scooters

It’s online only at first.

You can now visit Best Buy’s website to purchase powered bicycles, as well as electric scooters and mopeds from brands like Unagi, Bird, Segway and SWFT. In October, Best Buy will begin stocking those same EVs in select stores across the US, including Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. The company’s Geek Squad will even offer a $100 service where it comes to your house to adjust the brakes, seat height and handlebars for you.

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Polaroid's Now+ connected camera comes with five clip-on lens filters

The $150 snapper works with the redesigned Polaroid app.

Polaroid

Polaroid’s Now+ is a $150 analog camera with Bluetooth connectivity and five physical lens filters. It's the first time the company has included the latter out of the box. You can clip the filters on to the camera's lens to saturate or deepen the contrast of your photos or add new effects, like starburst, red vignette, and orange, blue and yellow colors.

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NVIDIA's latest tech makes AI voices more expressive and realistic

One new tool lets you record your own voice to train the tone of an AI voice

The voices on Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant and other AI assistants are far ahead of old-school GPS devices, but they still lack the finer qualities that make speech sound, well, human. NVIDIA has unveiled new research and tools that can capture those natural speech qualities by letting you train the AI system with your own voice.

To improve its AI voice synthesis, NVIDIA’s text-to-speech research team developed a model called RAD-TTS. The system allows an individual to train a text-to-speech model with their own voice, including the pacing, tonality, timbre and more.

(Maybe it’s time to build an AI voice so I don’t have to record Engadget’s The Morning Edition podcast each day. Don’t tell anyone, OK?)

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South Korea will force Google and Apple to allow third-party payments

The bill could have global ramifications.

South Korea has today passed a law requiring major app stores to allow alternate payment methods. The bill, due to be rubber-stamped by President Moon Jae-in, forces platform holders to open up their stores, which will affect their lucrative commissions on digital sales. Apple and Google are facing lawsuits and regulator investigations in multiple countries, many focused on how their app stores operate.

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Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones have improved ANC and a familiar design

The new model also has better battery life and a lower price.

Finally, 2017’s QuietComfort 35 II headphones have a proper replacement: the QuietComfort 45. Bose says these headphones "maintain the hallmarks of their predecessor" when it comes to audio quality, comfort, reliable controls and more. The QC45 also keeps nearly the same design as the QC35 and QC35 II except for a few subtle changes — and a longer battery life estimated to be around 24 hours. At $329.95, they'll debut at a lower price than the previous two QuietComfort models.

The QuietComfort 45 headphones will be available in black and light gray on September 23rd. Pre-orders begin today at Amazon and Bose's website.

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Jabra's new feature-packed Elite 3 true wireless earbuds are only $80

Ambient sound, customizable settings and good battery life.

When it comes to true wireless earbuds, Jabra has continued to improve design, features and technology since the Elite 65t. But there was one thing it was still missing: a low-cost model for around $100. So say hello to the Elite 3: an $80 set of true wireless earbuds with more features than we’re used to seeing at this price.

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All the big news you might have missed

Twitch streamers are taking a day off to protest hate raids

#AppleToo starts publishing employees' toxic workplace stories

Jabra promises clearer calls with its Elite 7 Pro noise-canceling earbuds

Netgear's 5G mobile hotspot router with WiFi 6 is now available for $700

Amazon's Echo Show 5s are cheaper than ever starting at $45

Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4 gets an official walkie-talkie app

Punishing platformer 'Ghostrunner' adds accessibility mode

For anyone struggling to tear kids away from consoles and phones for dinner, homework and, well, real life, spare a thought for the Chinese youth. China has announced a further crackdown on the time children can play online games, with the new limit set to just three hours per week. Platforms like Tencent can now only offer gaming to kids between 8pm and 9pm on Friday, weekends and public holidays.

Earlier this month, Tencent was forced to cut the time minors could play its hit mobile game Honor of Kings to just an hour on weeknights and two hours on the weekend. 

Further strengthening of the rules won’t come as a surprise. Earlier last month, state-owned news outlets published an editorial calling video games “spiritual opium,” outlining all the negative ways gaming could affect China’s youth.

I can already imagine parents telling their kids about the tough gaming rules in China, and how they should count their blessings. I can also imagine most kids ignoring them.

— Mat Smith

VW customers will soon have a choice for in-car 4G connectivity

Starting next month, you'll be able to choose between Verizon and T-Mobile.

Volkswagen has unveiled a new feature for its Car-Net connected vehicle service that lets you get 4G data from two major US telecoms. It offers Verizon or T-Mobile, making it relatively easy to add your vehicle to an existing mobile plan.

Starting in September, VW owners in the US will be able to access the subscription plans on VW's dedicated website or via its mobile app. From there, they can add an account to their existing mobile wireless provider (assuming it's Verizon or T-Mobile) and pair it with their existing Volkswagen Car-Net subscription.

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Jon Stewart's Apple TV+ show premieres on September 30th

New episodes of 'The Problem With Jon Stewart' will arrive every other week.

Apple TV+

Jon Stewart will soon return to a screen near you to once again dissect some of the big issues of the day. His Apple TV+ series, The Problem With Jon Stewart, will premiere on September 30th. Rather than airing on a nightly basis, like The Daily Show, or even weekly, new episodes will arrive every other week. Stewart will tackle one topic per episode (similar to the much-missed Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj), with a companion podcast — of course — set to run alongside it.

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Apple is building a classical music streaming app after buying Primephonic

The classical-only service will shut down on September 7th.

Apple is expanding its music streaming options after buying classical service Primephonic. Apple Music aims to release a dedicated classical music app next year, which will combine Primephonic’s user interface with some of Apple's own features.

Primephonic wrote in a letter to users on its website saying that “to achieve our mission, we need to partner with a leading streaming service that encompasses all music genres and also shares our love for classical music." Primephonic has closed its doors to new users, and it will shut down on September 7th.

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Cheaper 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' Blu-ray sets are on the way

Welcome news for those who missed out on the fancy Ultimate Edition.

GKids

You’ll soon get to grab the Neon Genesis Evangelion Blu-ray set in the US, without paying through the nose. While a spendy $275 Ultimate Edition has already sold out, you'll still have a chance to buy a copy of the saga on Blu-ray as there are two other options on the way from distributor GKids.

Like the Ultimate Edition, the Collector's Edition package will be released on December 8th. Lock in a pre-order and it'll set you back $175, but it'll cost $220 as of the release date. The Standard Edition arrives a month earlier, lacking the classic dub or subtitles. It costs $60 or $46 if you pre-order.

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The biggest news stories you might have missed

A power surge shut down half of NYC's subways for five hours

Apple Arcade is getting an exclusive Lego Star Wars game

Instagram will require users to share their birthday in push for teen safety

Engadget Deals: Google's Nest Audio smart speaker is on sale for $80 right now

Your tiny Xbox 360 gamerpic may finally display properly on modern consoles

Fossil's new Wear OS smartwatches have faster charging and better health tracking