Meta is once again holding a VR gaming event, and it won't be hard to tune in. The company has announced a 40-minute Quest Gaming Showcase streaming June 1st at 1PM Eastern through Facebook, Horizon Worlds, Twitch and YouTube. You can expect the usual batches of new games and gameplay footage, but this year's presentation will include a pre-show (starting at 12:45PM ET) featuring title updates and "debut" trailers. After the fact, there will be "deep-dive" talks with developers.
The tech firm is unsurprisingly quiet on specifics. However, we wouldn't count on new hardware. Meta previously noted that its next mainstream Quest headset will arrive later this year. If so, the virtual event may represent a swan song for the Quest 2 that highlights its last big games before its successor arrives.
The showcase comes at an important time for Meta. It recently completed its buyout of Within, the developer of the VR fitness game Supernatural. The industry heavyweight is still struggling to pivot to the metaverse, too. Its Reality Labs unit is still losing billions of dollars each quarter, and it recently cut the price of the Quest Pro by a third to $999 to spur adoption. The gaming event isn't likely to turn things around, but it may sustain interest in Meta's VR platform ahead of new headsets.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-next-quest-games-showcase-is-june-1st-165019399.html?src=rss
The Apple Pencil has dropped back down to $89 at Amazon and Best Buy, which is a 31 percent savings over the usual $129 list price. It's the lowest the stylus has sold for since its debut, though we've seen it drop this low a few timesbefore. It's also on sale at Target, but you'll pay about a dollar more if you get it there. We think the Apple Pencil is one of the best accessories for your iPad and it's compatible with most late-model iPad Airs, minis and Pros.
The second-generation Apple Pencil stores and charges magnetically at the side of your tablet, so you don't need to keep track of cables. A double tap function lets you change tools quickly and the low-lag makes it responsive for drawing and note taking. Features like pressure sensitivity and tilt capabilities make the stylus feel more like a real drawing tool, particularly when paired with a textured screen protector. I particularly enjoy using the pencil to write in text fields, a process that's surprisingly accurate and faster than tapping out words with the on-screen keyboard.
The usual MSRP of $130 makes it an expensive accessory, so it's nice to see it drop to a more reasonable price. The only other caveat is compatibility. The latest generation standard iPad is still tied to the first-generation Pencil, which is on sale at Amazon for $79 and at Target for $80. So if you have that tablet, you can still save on a stylus that will work with it.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-second-gen-apple-pencil-returns-to-its-lowest-price-ever-163705136.html?src=rss
For better or worse, video calls have become an integral part of our lives. Whether you're chatting with a loved one who's oceans away, or collaborating with teammates across timezones, sitting in front of a webcam or holding up your phone is an inescapable reality. That's why many companies have developed products meant to make video calls feel more natural — like NVIDIA's Broadcast tool to make it look like you're maintaining eye contact even if you aren't and Google's experimental 3D telepresence or holographic booths. But Logitech is introducing something that uses dead simple technology to make video chats more like the real-world experience. The company announced Project Ghost in January, and recently invited us to check out a functioning version in New York.
The premise is straightforward. Instead of futzing around with holograms or algorithms that make your pupils look like you're staring at a camera, Logitech simply embedded its existing Rally Plus video conferencing system into a booth it teamed up with furniture maker Steelcase to create. The result is a booth that's like a larger business class seat (but not quite first class), with walls about 5 feet 10 inches tall. Light brown wooden slats line the exterior, matching the panels inside. On one side sits a hollow wall that's almost two feet thick, with a screen inside it and a mirror below that, placed at a perpendicular angle. Facing the TV is a light pink couch, a side table with a touchscreen control panel on it and some green plants behind that.
With its warm colors, soft curves, pink couch and greenery, the booth felt very inviting. I quickly collapsed onto the sofa and was slightly surprised to see a woman staring back at me. She appeared life-sized and it felt as if our eyes met, even though she was sitting in a similar booth all the way in Boston. Since the camera is embedded behind the display, it was easy for me to peer into her face and on the other end of the call it would look like I was staring right at her.
Though Logitech executives at the demo told me the video quality was capped at 1080p and was more likely streaming at 720p or lower, I initially thought the woman I was calling was rendered in 4K. But the clarity and realism that I had assumed was a result of high resolution was more likely because I wasn't used to talking to someone on such a large screen. Normally, I take my calls on a 13-inch laptop, and even when I'm in a meeting room with my colleagues' faces plastered on a 40-inch TV, I didn't get the sense that they were right in front of me.
The only time I felt like there was some distortion was when I heard feedback of my voice during parts of the demo. I couldn't tell where the speakers and mics were embedded in the space, so I didn't get to adjust or learn how to move to avoid the echoes. But for the most part, the meeting was smooth, and when the company's executives finally left the space for me to be alone with the caller, I was able to relax. Though I was only looking at the person's upper body, I was able to note small changes in body language like posture. It's not a perfect replacement for a real-world conversation, but possibly because I wasn't on my laptop, I was a lot more focused than I normally am on calls.
Much of that sense of realism and privacy might have to do with the setup of the booth. Behind the couch is a black wall, while above the TV box is a horizontal light with a filtered effect, and together they make the caller look well lit and in focus. The fact that both me and the person I'm talking to are staring at our upper bodies and heads with nothing else in the background removes any distraction.
Logitech
Of course, you could achieve something similar by investing in a tripod, a backdrop, a dedicated camera and spend a lot less money, but this product isn't meant for the average consumer. Logitech said it received a lot of interest from companies wanting to order the booths for their office spaces, and that it was looking into iterating on the design to make them more suitable for different scenarios.
In addition to bigger setups for multiple people (the current couch is designed for one person), Logitech said it could also come up with something people could buy for home use. I could see Ghost being incredibly useful for calls with my therapist, telehealth appointments or even just as a dedicated livestreaming station. But considering Logitech estimates selling each unit for about $15,000 to $20,000 depending on the size or style, this is probably something I can only look at in envy. If you have that sort of money to spare, the company said it would be ready to sell these in the fall.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/logitech-made-googles-project-starline-video-conferencing-booth--minus-holograms-163058592.html?src=rss
Amazon has announced it's making over 100 Prime Video original series and movies available on Freevee, its free streaming service. It seems to be a natural part of the lifespan for exclusive video content these days: In April, HBO and Warner Brothers made a bunch of their shows available for free on Roku, some of which originally aired on TV.
The full list of Prime original content expanding to Freevee isn't available yet, but titles will include The Summer I Turned Pretty, The Wheel of Time, Late Night, Troop Zero and Reacher. The 100-plus titles won't all arrive at once, as Amazon reports that new series and movies will become available on Freevee throughout the year.
It appears that Amazon is dedicated to using Freevee to capture the free-streaming market. Last year, it rebranded IMDB TV into Freevee in a move it said reflected the streaming service's free access — other names reportedly in consideration included "Zon" and "Free TV." Ads are likely a small inconvenience for many people when Amazon Prime starts at $14.99 a month or $139 a year for individuals. You can access Freevee through Amazon and its Fire TV stick or as an independent app on iOS, Android, Xbox, most smart TVs and other systems.
Freevee already produces a range of original content, like America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation and Judy Justice. The streamer also offers titles outside the Amazon production family, including Schitt's Creek, John Wick and Bones.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-is-making-over-100-prime-video-originals-available-for-free-160032958.html?src=rss
One of the pioneers of artificial intelligence has made a high-profile exit. Geoffrey Hinton, nicknamed the "godfather of AI," tellsThe New York Times he resigned as Google VP and engineering fellow in April to freely warn of the risks associated with the technology. The researcher is concerned that Google is giving up its previous restraint on public AI releases in a bid to compete with ChatGPT, Bing Chat and similar models, opening the door to multiple ethical problems.
In the near term, Hinton is worried that generative AI could lead to a wave of misinformation. You might "not be able to know what is true anymore," he says. He's also concerned it might not just eliminate "drudge work," but outright replace some jobs. Going forward, the scientist is concerned about both the possibility of fully autonomous weapons and the tendency of AI models to learn odd behavior from training data. While some of these issues are theoretical, Hinton fears an escalation that won't be checked without regulations or the development of effective controls.
Hinton says his stance began changing last year, when Google, OpenAI and others began creating AI systems that he believes are sometimes superior to human intelligence. AI has developed rapidly in just the past five years — it's "scary" what could happen in the next five, the researcher suggests.
In a statement to Engadget, Google's chief scientist Jeff Dean says his firm is still dedicated to a "responsible approach" and on guard for "emerging risks." The search giant recently released a rough version of its Bard chatbot in March following months of rumors the company is worried about the competitive threat of generative AI. Before then, it refused to publicly release AI models like its art-oriented Imagen over the potential for toxic content and copyright violations.
Hinton has devoted his career to studying the neural networks that are often key to AI, but is best known for developing an object recognition system in 2012. His breakthrough neural net could use training images to help recognize common objects. Google bought Hinton's DNNresearch startup in 2013, and the underlying concept of his invention helped foster a surge of development that led to today's generative tech.
Hinton isn't alone. A number of influential academics and tech luminaries, including Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak, recently signed an open letter calling for a six-month pause on AI development to address ethical and safety problems. As one of the most prominent figures in the industry, though, Hinton's word carries significant weight.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/godfather-of-ai-leaves-google-amid-ethical-concerns-152451800.html?src=rss
Air fryers are all the rage and those who've been on the fence about adding one to their kitchen might be interested in checking out a deal on a model from Ninja. The 10-quart DZ550 DualZone, which Ninja released last year, has dropped to $200 at Amazon. That's $50 off the regular price. While it's not the lowest price we've seen for this model, this might be the biggest discount that you'll find for a while.
This is a more recent version of one of our favorite air fryers, Ninja's DZ401. The main upgrade is the addition of an integrated food thermometer. This should help you monitor the internal temperatures of foods, especially proteins, with more accuracy.
As with other dual-zone fryers, the DZ550 has two independent, nonstick baskets, allowing you to cook two foods simultaneously, such as a main and a side. You can have different settings for each basket or match the settings across both — a handy option if you're cooking two batches of the same thing. The Smart Finish feature, meanwhile, is designed to make sure the food in each basket is ready at the same time.
The DZ550 has six functions: air frying, air broiling, roasting, baking, reheating and dehydrating. There's also a wide temperature range that runs from 105 to 450 degrees. Additionally, Ninja claims its air fryer can cook food faster than a traditional oven. It says the DZ550 can cook two six-pound chickens 30 percent faster than a regular oven and make frozen food crispy in 30 minutes.
You'll need to set aside plenty of counter space for the DZ550: it's 17 inches wide and 14 inches deep. It weighs just under 20 pounds as well. Still, if you have the room for the DZ550, it could prove a helpful addition to your kitchen, and the lower price makes it that much more appealing.
You don't have to buy a whole new router if your existing WiFi network coverage isn't quite cutting it. Amazon is running a sale on TP-Link WiFi extenders. The steepest discount is on the WiFi 6-based RE500X, which now sells for $55 (39 percent off), but you can also buy our favorite budget extender, the WiFi 5-capable RE315, for just $32 (normally $50). That's the best price we've seen for the entry model all year, and makes it an easy choice if you're comfortable with your existing router's peak speed.
All of the WiFi extenders add up to 1,500 square feet of additional coverage. That's enough to make your network usable in the basement, a far-off bedroom or the backyard. They support OneMesh networking to easily grow your network if you have a compatible TP-Link router. And if you need a physical link (such as for a console or printer), they include Ethernet jacks to either plug in wired devices or create a wireless access point.
Your main concern may be future-proofing. The WiFi 6 models including the RE600X, now at $68) may be a better long-term value if you expect to upgrade to the more recent wireless standard in the near future. You won't have to replace your extender if you buy a more advanced router. And if you're looking to upgrade your overall performance, you may want to consider a WiFi 6E system instead. For many people, though, TP-Link's offerings are an affordable way to boost signal quality.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tp-link-wifi-extenders-are-up-to-39-percent-off-at-amazon-133050880.html?src=rss
In a Twitter audio chat on Saturday, SpaceX's founder, Elon Musk, shared more details about what went awry during the first fully integrated Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster launch in April. One of the biggest revelations: The self-destruct setting took 40 seconds to work — a seemingly short time, except when you're uncertain if the massive rocket you just launched will blow up before hitting land. To recap the day's events, the rocket and booster cleared the launch pad before being unable to separate from each other, flipping and, finally, blowing up. The automated command should have immediately caused an explosion, but tumbled around for a bit first, The New York Times reported.
In one of many spins on the day's failures, Musk claimed it was because "the vehicle’s structural margins appear to be better than we expected." While SpaceX previously said the only goal was that initial takeoff, a lot clearly went wrong.
The delayed self-destruction wasn't the only issue following the launch from SpaceX's facility in Boca Chica, Texas. After the eventual explosion, debris fell across about 385 acres of land made up of the SpaceX facility and Boca Chica State Park. The latter resulted in a 3.5-acre fire. Musk's response? "To the best of our knowledge there has not been any meaningful damage to the environment that we’re aware of."
The FAA has already announced it's investigating the events and will ground Starship until "determining that any system, process or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety." Even with all of that, Musk went so far as to call the launch "successful" and "maybe slightly exceeding my expectations."
In this case, success was clearing the launch pad and, apparently, learning lessons along the way. "The goal of these missions is just information," Musk said. "Like, we don’t have any payload or anything — it’s just to learn as much as possible."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spacexs-starship-didnt-immediately-respond-to-a-self-destruct-command-120010127.html?src=rss
After more than three years of litigation, Apple has quietly dropped its lawsuit against Gerard Williams III, a former chip executive the company accused of poaching employees. After over a decade at the company, in 2019, Williams left Apple to co-found Nuvia, a chip design firm later acquired by Qualcomm in 2021. When the tech giant first sued Williams, it accused him of “secretly” starting Nuvia and recruiting talent for his startup while he was still an Apple employee. Williams disputed Apple’s claims and accused the company of spying on his text messages. The case was dismissed, mired in a lot of legalese and multiple court documents.
Apple requested to dismiss the suit against Williams earlier this week. The request does not state the company’s reason for dropping the case, but in March, Apple wanted the recusal of Judge Sunil Kulkarni, because its legal team added lawyers from a company that Judge Kulkarni had previously worked at. So, conflicts of interest, initiated by Apple recruiting more legal firepower. Apple and Qualcomm, Williams' current employer, did not immediately respond to Engadget's request for comment.
– Mat Smith
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On Saturday, a federal appeals court in Brazil lifted the country-wide ban on messaging app Telegram. Brazilian authorities wanted the app suspended after Telegram failed to hand over a full set of data on a pair of neo-Nazi groups on the app accused of inciting violence against schools. According to Reuters, judge Flávio Lucas ruled that a complete suspension of the messaging app was “unreasonable” given that thousands of people in Brazil rely on the platform. At the same time, he upheld the daily $200,000 fine on Telegram for failing to provide local authorities with the data they requested. This isn’t the first time Telegram has been briefly banned in Brazil. In 2022, the country’s highest court suspended the app for failing to freeze accounts accused of spreading disinformation ahead of the country’s recent presidential election. Similarly, that ban was lifted just days later.
On paper, the 2023 edition of Sony’s midrange headphones should continue the company’s reputation for solid headphones – and a viable alternative to the pricey flagship WH-1000XM5. The WH-CH720N has the same V1 chip as the M5, which powers both active noise cancellation (ANC) and overall sound quality. There’s also an updated design and a lower price ($130), following another early cut. The noise cancellation does a decent job, but it’s not the best, and you’ll have to make do without automatic pausing. Still, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option at this price.
What, you don’t remember the 1995 PlayStation game?
After those sweet Super Mario Bros. Movie box office numbers, more companies want a piece. Streaming service Peacock is joining the video game adaptation wars with a live-action comedy based on the PS1-era vehicular warfare simulator Twisted Metal, and it just dropped the first trailer. The franchise arguably reached its pinnacle in 1996 with Twisted Metal 2, but when have clowns and car explosions not been cool?
Yes, the addictive hit game Vampire Survivors is getting the animated TV show treatment.. Developer Luca Galante said in a (hopefully) cheeky tone, “The most important thing in Vampire Survivors is the story.” (Note: There really isn’t much of one.) Media company Story Kitchen will partner with Galante (founder of developer poncle), to make the series.
The Razer Blade 16 is one of the most unique laptops we’ve ever seen. It can handle 4K gaming just as well as high-speed 1080p gameplay, thanks to a dual-mode screen. And it’s one of the fastest notebooks around, featuring Intel’s latest CPUs and NVIDIA’s newest GPUs. And notably, it can be configured with an RTX 4090. But it’s noticeably heavier than the Blade 15, and you’ll have to pay at least $3,300 to own one with the dual-mode display. It’s an additional cost that Razer devices didn’t need.
Walmart is using a chatbot from Pactum AI to automatically negotiate some of its supplier deals. The technology saves an average of three percent on contracts and is even preferable to the vendors. Walmart says three out of four suppliers prefer haggling with the AI over a human. Pactum's system simply asks Walmart to set its budget and requirements, such as discounts and payment terms. It compares a supplier's demands with trends, commodity values and competitors' costs. After that, the AI can strike a deal in a matter of days, rather than the weeks or months of conventional talks.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-apple-drops-lawsuit-against-former-exec-who-accused-the-company-of-spying-111833313.html?src=rss
Over nine million people watched The Super Mario Bros. Movie over the weekend — on Twitter, The Verge reported. On Friday, a Twitter user uploaded the entire movie to the platform, and it remained there, openly violating copyright laws, until Sunday. The movie was removed and the user suspended from Twitter — again, shy of ten million people already seeing it.
Sure, copyrighted movies have repeatedly spent a few days on Twitter since Elon Musk took over (firing most your safety and compliance staff will do that for you). But, previous posts, like The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift or Avatar, were shared in two minute increments across lengthy threads. The Super Mario Bros. Movie required only two posts, one with the first hour of the movie and another with the final 32 minutes.
Why hasn’t this happened before now? Well, Twitter Blue subscribers can upload videos up to 60 minutes long. It's only available on Twitter’s website though, with app users limited to 10-minute videos.
Regardless of mainstream illegal streaming, The Super Mario Bros. Movie has crushed at the box office, making over $1 billion globally, and holding the number one spot four weekends in a row across the US and Canada. If it has come and gone in your area, don't worry, it will probably be back on Twitter soon.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/someone-posted-entire-super-mario-100017148.html?src=rss
