Amazon is laying off hundreds of people across Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, as reported by Variety. This is for the usual reason. The company found a way to save some money and went for it. You know the drill. Amazon's entertainment chief Mike Hopkins wrote in an email to staff that it has “identified opportunities to reduce or discontinue investments in certain areas while increasing our investment and focus on content and product initiatives that deliver the most impact.”

Hopkins didn’t give an exact number, but did note that “several hundred” employees would be given walking papers and that most American workers will know by the end of the day, with global employees following suit by the end of the week. He also wrote that “it is hard to say goodbye to talented Amazonians.” 

Amazon says it’ll help laid off workers with benefit packages that will include a separation payment and external job placement support. The company promises “continued investments in programming, marketing and product," despite the layoffs.

Amazon has been in something of a layoff frenzy of late, even with over 200 million paying Prime subscribers. Most recently, it absolutely gutted Twitch with layoffs amounting to 35 percent of the service’s workforce. The company laid off nearly 200 people from its gaming division back in November, along with a few hundred people from its Alexa division. In January of last year, Amazon laid off an astounding 18,000 people from its retail and recruiting divisions. The company posted record profits in 2023.

Urtopia has tried to separate its e-bike's from the pack with copious use of technology and this year the company has outdone itself. It just showed off its flagship Fusion model for the first time in full at CES 2024 (after teasing it earlier this year) and it's fully integrated with none other than ChatGPT, the buzzy AI assistant. The Fusion follows the company's previous tech-infused Chord and original Urtopia models.

Urtopia calls the Fusion "the world's first dual battery, dual motor ebike by design visionary Hartmut Esslinger," a very specific claim. It's built with carbon fiber to reduce weight and uses a Shimano CUES derailleur on the regular model and Enviolo stepless shifter on the premium CVT version. The dual 540Wh battery allows for 120km of range (75 miles), but the 360Wh battery extender brings that up to 200km (124 miles) — enough to traverse Paris from north to south about 20 times. 

Urtopia

It can hit up to 25 km/h thanks to the 95Nm mid-drive motor and has 100mm of travel with the air suspension fork. All that, combined with the relatively light weight (23 kg) wide tires and stable frame, make it suitable for off-road, trails and city riding.  

That could be any e-bike, but the Fusion's headline feature is the tech. It's connected by 4G and uses GPS tracking to keep you informed of the bike's location even if stolen. It also comes with a movement alarm, fingerprint unlock, route tracking, navigation without a cellphone and Bluetooth music via a built-in speaker — all as with past models. 

What's new is what the company calls "Jarvis" technology enabled by a smart ring (the company didn't say which one) to power the bike on, play music or activate the other tech feature, ChatGPT. You can also converse directly with ChatGPT through the built-in speaker. You may reasonably ask what ChatGPT is doing on an e-bike — the answer is that it can help you "explore new routes, get real-time information, and even engage in entertaining conversations," according to Urtopia. 

We're not sure how useful a chat assistant is when dodging traffic at 25 km/h, but it might at least keep you company on a lonely trail. It's also a pretty solid marketing gimmick that the company is using to separate itself from the many, many other e-bikes on the market. Buyers will have to be pretty well heeled, though, as the Fusion will cost €3,999 (around $4,375) and the Fusion CVT will run a hefty €4,999 ($5,467). There's no word yet on when it'll go on sale or if it will come to the US. 

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

Valve has introduced new rules to abide by that will allow the company to add more games with AI content to its Steam gaming platform. To start with, it's updating its content survey form for developers so that they can give the company a description of how they use artificial intelligence in their games. If they used AI tools to generate art, code, sound or any other kind of content for their title, developers must ensure that they do not include anything illegal or anything that infringes on someone else's copyright. Valve says it will evaluate each game and check if the developer has submitted truthful information. 

For live-generated AI content, developers have to tell the company what kind of guardrails they've put up to prevent their games from creating anything considered illegal. And since Valve will not be able to review all content games create in real time, it's launching a new system on Steam that will allow players to easily send in a report. If a player sees anything they believe should've been caught by appropriate guardrails, they can use Steam's new in-game overlay to notify the company.

Valve said it will also be transparent with gamers when it comes with what kind of AI content a developer's title has by including their disclosure on their Steam store page. The company explained that the new rules are a result of it improving its "understanding of the landscape and risks" in the AI space. Last year, Valve admitted that it was still "working through" how to account for AI content in its review process after developers complained that the company was rejecting their submissions. It needed "some time to learn about the fast-moving and legally murky space of AI technology," Valve clarified in its new post. The company said it still can't release games with live-generated adult sexual content right now, but that it will revisit its rules as it learns more about the technology and as the legal issues surrounding it evolves. 

Sennheiser announced two very different sets of wireless earbuds at CES 2024 here in Las Vegas, extending its Momentum line with a fourth-generation flagship model and a high-tech sport version. The company's premium earbuds have offered excellent sound quality for a while now, consistently earning the best overall audio in our best wireless earbuds list. We paid Sennheiser a quick visit to see how the two new sets stack up. 

There's no need to mince words here: The audio performance on the Momentum True Wireless 4 is outstanding. I only listened to them for a few minutes, but I had a hard time walking away. The jazz demo tracks the company selected played to the earbuds' strengths with excellent clarity and pleasant, inviting tuning. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) also seems to be improved as I was able to silence a noisy hotel suite at the press of a button. Transparency mode is also better and more natural sounding, but you still don't get as much of your voice beamed back through the earbuds as you do on the AirPods Pro. 

Sennheiser clarified during my demo that its stated battery life on the Momentum True Wireless 4 of seven and a half hours is with ANC off. However, it explained that it has narrowed the gap in regards to noise cancellation impacting battery life as enabling it only reduces play time by 30 minutes. 

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

I'm also happy to report there's no discernible drop off in audio quality with the Momentum Sport. There's still crisp, clear sound that's evenly tuned despite the company's goal of "impressive bass" for workouts. There's ample low-end tone here, but it didn't seem to be cranked any higher than the Momentum True Wireless 4. The size of the Sport model makes them very comfortable to wear and the ANC seemed to do a solid job blocking the roar of CES surrounding us.

The Momentum True Wireless 4 goes on sale March 1 and the Momentum Sport will be available April 9. I'll be putting both sets of earbuds through their paces closer to their respective launch dates. 

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

The original iPhone convinced me (and many others) that typing on touchscreens was the future. So the last thing I expected to test out during CES 2024 here in Las Vegas was a mobile accessory that’s trying to bring back the physical keyboard. And, while I wanted to dismiss Clicks as a thing for people who can’t let go of yesteryear, what I found was a gadget that’s solving some modern problems by taking cues from the past.

Clicks’ design couldn’t be simpler. It’s a silicone case (Clicks’ website actually says it’s Liquid Silicon, but I think that’s a typo) with a physical keyboard bolted on the bottom. There’s a small vegan leather accent on the back, little bumps to accommodate buttons and switches, and a passthrough connector at the bottom (either Lightning or USB-C depending on your device). At launch, Clicks will be available for three devices starting at $139: the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The first problem that Clicks tries to address is giving you back your screen space, because when you don’t need to display a virtual keyboard at the bottom all the time, suddenly things feel a lot roomier. And Clicks accomplishes this with flying colors. But personally, with the increasing size of phones (especially new-fangled foldables), this has never really been an issue for me. But that doesn’t mean this isn't a problem for others so it’s nice to see Clicks providing people with alternatives to typing on glass.

Another big goal for Clicks is optimizing your device by providing tons of shortcuts, which to me is much more appealing. It almost gives your phone the type of speed and productivity you enjoy on a laptop. You can press CMD+H to go home, tap the Spacebar to scroll in Safari, hit CMD+Space to open up Spotlight search and so much more. Some commands even work in third-party apps like Instagram, which is just really handy. And after seeing Apple add a single Action key on the iPhone 15 Pro, my head is already swimming with the possibilities of having 30+ customizable shortcuts.

Finally, there’s the simple joy of having physical keys to wail away on. While you don’t get mechanical switches like on a desktop keyboard (Clicks features rubber domes), the tiny nickel-plated keycaps feel solid and offer a nice tactile bump with each press. You also get some handy backlighting so you don’t have to suffer in dark rooms. The one issue is that after years of typing on screens, I’m not entirely sure I want to go back. And that probably goes double for anyone who prefers swipe-based entry methods.

After years of typing on glass, just banging out a short text using Clicks felt lethargic. And even with their circular design which leaves ample space in between the keys, I found myself fumbling. But then old habits started coming back and I can easily see how those yearning for their old Blackberrys, Sidekicks, or Motorola Envys might be enchanted.

Now that I’ve used it, I can’t deny that there’s something endearing about Clicks. But when it comes to getting more use out of a device, I lean more towards foldable phones or simply bigger screens. Plus, there are a few other minor issues, like iPhones not being able to handle charging and data over USB-C at the same time, which could be an issue for anyone who relies on wired CarPlay while using Clicks. Also by tacking a keyboard onto the bottom of an iPhone, which already have extra long 19.5:9 aspect ratios, you may feel like you’re lugging around a stack of rulers. And if you have an Android handset, you’re just plain out of luck (at least for now). But there’s no doubt that Clicks is a charming device, especially those flashy yellow and blue/pink models.

Clicks will be available starting on February 1 for the iPhone 14 Pro with the other models following sometime later this spring.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

The US Department of Labor (DOL) published a final rule to the Federal Register on Wednesday that would increase the difficulty of classifying workers as independent contractors. If the rule survives court challenges unscathed, it will replace a business-friendly Trump-era regulation that did the opposite. It’s scheduled to go into effect on March 11.

The new rule, first proposed in 2022, could have profound implications for companies like Uber and DoorDash that rely heavily on gig workers. It would mandate that workers who are “economically dependent” on a company be considered employees.

The rule restores a pre-Trump precedent of using six factors to determine workers’ classification. These include their opportunity for profit or loss, the financial stake and nature of resources the worker has invested in the work, the work relationship’s permanence, the employer’s degree of control over the person’s work, how essential the person’s work is to the employer’s business and the worker’s skill and initiative.

In its decision to publish the new guidance, the DOL cites a “longstanding precedent” in the courts predating the Trump administration’s hard right turn. “A century of labor protections for working people is premised on the employer-employee relationship,” Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su said in a press call with Bloomberg.

“Misclassifying employees as independent contractors is a serious issue that deprives workers of basic rights and protections,” Su wrote in the announcement post. “This rule will help protect workers, especially those facing the greatest risk of exploitation, by making sure they are classified properly and that they receive the wages they’ve earned.”

Mike Kemp via Getty Images

If the rule takes effect, it’s expected to increase employer costs. The US Chamber of Commerce, a non-government lobby for business interests, unsurprisingly opposes it. “It is likely to threaten the flexibility of individuals to work when and how they want and could have significant negative impacts on our economy,” Marc Freedman, VP of the US Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement to Reuters.

DoorDash sounds optimistic that the rule wouldn’t apply to its workforce. “We are confident that Dashers are properly classified as independent contractors under the FLSA, and we do not anticipate this rule causing changes to our business,” the company wrote in a statement. “We will continue to engage with the Department of Labor, Congress, and other stakeholders to find solutions that ensure Dashers maintain their flexibility while gaining access to new benefits and protections.”

Groups with similar views are expected to mount legal challenges to the rule before it goes into effect. A previous attempt by the Biden Administration to void the Trump-era rules met such a fate when a federal judge blocked the DOL’s reversal.

Although the most prominent theoretical applications of the rule would be with gig economy apps like DoorDash, Lyft and Uber, it could stretch to sectors including healthcare, trucking and construction. “The department is seeing misclassifications in places it hasn’t seen it before,” Wage and Hour Division Administrator Jessica Looma said to Bloomberg on Monday. “Health care, construction, janitorial, and even restaurant workers who are often living paycheck to paycheck are some of the most vulnerable workers.”

My experience with smoking meat has been entirely outdoors, using a mix of grills that burn charcoal, wood or pellets. Not everyone has the space for one of those setups, but thanks to GE Appliances' latest device, you can bring the barbecue indoors. Plus, you don't even have to been there while it's cooking. At the company's CES 2024 booth in Las Vegas, I finally got a taste of that the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker is capable of cooking.

Lousiville-based chef and Food Network Chopped champion Dallas McGarity is with GE Appliances at CES this week. He explained that he's been using the Smart Indoor Smoker in his restaurant for infusing flavor in everything from spices to cheese and deviled eggs. Of course, when most people think of smoking foods, they think of meat. McGarity prepared a one-bite sampler to showcase the type of flavor we can expect from the device: beef tenderloin with a sweet and spicy rub, roasted garlic barbecue sauce, Southwest breadcrumbs and scallions. An elevated taster, for sure, but not too far from something you might prepare at home.

After just a couple of hours in the Smart Indoor Smoker, the beef had noticeable flavor from the wood pellets. McGarity was also preparing a pork butt, but it still had several hours to go before it would be ready. Given my experience with outdoor smokers, even just one bite gave me a sense of what the GE Profile model was capable of. My main concern was the amount of smoke flavor it would impart, and it was great to see that the device managed infuse an ample amount in a limited time period. That bodes well for an 8- to12-hour low-and-slow smoke session. 

One other aspect of the Smart Indoor Smoker that I was able to see in action was the Clear Smoke function. Or, I should say, I got to see what happens when you don't use it. McGarity was keeping the beef bites warm in the device and, rather than make me wait 10 minutes for the cooking chamber to clear of smoke, he opened the unit and smoke wafted up in the air. Ideally, you wouldn't want to do this in your kitchen, but he worked fast and the cloud was minimal. Even still, the Smart Indoor Smoker recovered quickly, getting back to its target temperature with visible smoke returning in seconds. 

The cooker costs $1,000 and, unlike many other gadgets launched at CES, is already available at some retailers. 

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

Taylor Swift is not giving out free Le Creuset products in social media advertisements — though deepfakes of her voice would like you to believe otherwise. A series of posts have recently surfaced on TikTok and in Meta's Ad Library claiming to show Swift offering free Le Creuset cookware sets, the New York Times reports. The ads featured clips where Swift was near Le Creuset products and used a synthetic version of her voice. The scammers used AI to have the cloned voice address her fans, "Swifties," and produce other little remarks. 

These posts led interested parties to fake versions of sites like The Food Network with made-up articles and testimonials about Le Creuset. Shoppers were then asked just to provide the $9.96 for shipping to get their free products. Unsurprisingly, no Dutch ovens arrived, and customers had additional monthly charges added to their cards. Le Creuset confirmed no such giveaway was occurring. 

Swift is hardly the only celebrity who has recently found their voice co-opted using AI. She's not even the only one used in the scam, with interior designer Joanna Gaines mimicked in ads from verified accounts or ones labeled as sponsored posts. In April 2023, the Better Business Bureau warned consumers about the high quality of ads featuring AI-manufactured versions of celebrities. Since then, scammers have used deepfakes to convince consumers that Luke Combs was selling weight loss gummies, Tom Hanks was promoting dental plans and Gayle King was selling other weight loss products, to name a few examples. 

Little regulation exists for monitoring deepfakes or punishing the people who create them. A lot of the responsibility currently falls on the platforms, with YouTube, for example, laying out new steps for reporting deepfakes. At the same time, its working with select musicians to loan their voices out and create greater interest in AI-generated versions of real people. 

Last year, two bills were introduced in Congress to address deepfakes: The No Fakes Act and the Deepfakes Accountability Act. However, the fate of both pieces of legislation is uncertain. At the moment, only select states, such as California and Florida, have any AI regulation. 

Hyundai has debuted its new air taxi concept, the S-A2, at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle is a follow-up to the S-A1 model it introduced at the same event back in 2020. Hyundai still envisions the S-A2 as an every day transportation solution for urban areas, one that could get passengers from point A to point B a lot more quickly than if they'd traveled by car or bus and had to contend with traffic.

The S-A2 has a cruising speed of 120mph upon reaching an altitude of 1,500 feet and was designed to fly short trips between 25 to 40 miles. It has eight rotors and an electric propulsion architecture that the company says can operate "as quietly as a dishwasher" unlike loud traditional helicopters. Inside, the vehicle has seats for a pilot and four passengers, and it has lighting that provides visual cues, such as where to enter and exit. For safety purposes, it has a lot of redundant components, such as its powertrain and flight controls, which can take over if the main ones malfunction. 

Hyundai's air mobility company Supernal is hoping to achieve commercial aviation safety levels and to enter the market with an eVTOL vehicle by 2028. We might see future versions of the concept in the next CES events before that year — or after, if the company has to adjust its timeline. If and when Supernal does make it to market, it intends to use Hyundai's mass production capabilities to manufacture its eVTOLs and make sure its business is cost-effective. 

Hyundai

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

It's been about three months since we first saw Tesla sell an upgraded version of the Model 3 in Europe, China and the Middle East. Now, Tesla's 2024 Model 3 is available to purchase in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The sedan is a refreshed version with some clear changes between the models.

Inside the Tesla 2024 Model 3 is a new eight-inch rear display that controls things like infotainment and climate. The front display remains the same size at 15 inches but is brighter and has a thinner bezel. The updated car also offers ventilated front seats, "softer, more sophisticated materials," and an audio system with up to 17 speakers. The entire 2024 Model 3 is outfitted with acoustic glass for a quieter drive and has customizable ambient lighting. 

The car's exterior also has some upgrades, with Tesla integrating the fog lights and indicators into the main headlights. The 2024 Model 3 also foregoes the front bump with "styling optimized for maximum aerodynamics." At the rear, the lights fully connect versus two separate pieces. Plus, there are two new color options: Ultra Red and Stealth Grey.  

The Model 3 is available in two types. The new Real Wheel Model 3's range remains at 272 miles. Notably, its alternative, the 2024 Long Range Model 3, has a slightly increased EPA estimated range of 341 miles versus its predecessor's 333 miles. This boost — albeit minor — comes at a time when Tesla is lowering many of its listed driving ranges in response to a new US government regulation testing vehicles to ensure they're providing accurate estimates. Tesla has previously manipulated the number displayed in cars to appear higher and even set up a secret team in 2022 tasked with suppressing range complaints and canceling service appointments about range limits. 

Tesla's 2024 Model 3 is now available to order with an estimated delivery of January or February. The Real Wheel Mode starts at $38,990, with the option to lease for $329 monthly. The Long Range Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive Model 3 is available for $45,990 or $439 per month if leasing.