Arduino have released the latest version of their Integrated Development Environment (IDE), Version 2.0 and it is a big step up from the previous release, boasting plenty of new features to help you to develop your code more easily.

As the de-facto way for beginners to get into programming hardware, more experienced users have sometimes complained about what they see as the over-simplistic IDE — even lacking relatively basic features such as autocomplete. The new version provides this, and much more besides.

The press-release from Arduino offers a few clues to the main features, but the real detail is tucked away in a range of new tutorials, designed to get you up to speed with the new look.

The main screen is organised differently, to show off the new capabilities and to make development faster and easier. The new “Remote Sketchbook” has been integrated closely with the Arduino Cloud, to allow for easy switching between computers during development. V2.0 will pick up any Cloud sketches automatically, while computers using the previous versions of the IDE can still access the sketches via the Web Editor as before.

The Serial Plotter can now be used at the same time as the text Serial Monitor, rather than having to choose one or the other. In addition, there is a host of new Debug functionality for those devices that support it. This works with the usual In-Circuit Emulators (such as the Atmel ICE), but also natively with newer Arduino boards like the Arduino Zero without any additional hardware. The debugger gives you access to powerful features like Breakpoints, Step-Into and Step-Over to really understand what your code is doing.

Installation is straightforward, and will automatically pull in any libraries and sketches that you created in previous versions of the Arduino software to ease the transition.

There’s a lot to like in the new IDE, but we expect it will take a little while to discover and use all the new features effectively.  Some of them are carry-overs from the “Arduino Pro IDE” that we covered a few years ago, but it’s great to see the software evolve and improve over time.

Have you tried new new IDE yet?  What are your thoughts on how it compares to the older version, or other development environments?  Let us know in the comments.

Thanks to [cardboardBaron] for the tip.

Russia has removed all iOS apps from VK, the second largest tech company in Russia, The Verge has reported. That includes not just the VK social media app that's the fifth most popular in Russia, but others like Mail.ru and VK Music. The move was made in response to UK sanctions against the Russian government.  

VK confirmed that "some VK applications are blocked by Apple, so they are not available for download and update in the App Store," according to a (Google translated) press release. "Their core functionality will be familiar and stable... [but] there may be difficulties with notifications and payments. VK will continue to develop and support applications for iOS."

These apps are being distributed by developers majority-owned or majority-controlled by one or more parties sanctioned by the UK government. In order to comply with these sanctions, Apple terminated the developer accounts associated with these apps, and the apps cannot be downloaded from any App Store, regardless of location.

Apple confirmed that it removed the apps and shut down VK's developer accounts. "These apps are being distributed by developers majority-owned or majority-controlled by one or more parties sanctioned by the UK government," a spokesperson told The Verge. "In order to comply with these sanctions, Apple terminated the developer accounts associated with these apps, and the apps cannot be downloaded from any App Store, regardless of location. Users who have already downloaded these apps may continue to use them."

Earlier this week, the UK government imposed sanctions on Russian oligarchs over the sham referendums held in Ukraine. Included in the list are executives from Gazprombank, a Russian bank with ties to VK. "Today’s sanctions will target those behind these sham votes, as well as the individuals that continue to prop up the Russian regime’s war of aggression," said UK foreign secretary James Cleverly in a statement. 

Russia's Ministry of Digital Affairs told state media site RT that it's investigating the reasons for the removal. The apps are still available on Google Play — Engadget has reached out to Google to see if it plans to follow Apple's lead. 

Earlier this year, Apple halted sales of all its products in Russia in response to the Ukraine invasion, while also limiting Apple Pay and pulling apps from outlets like RT and Sputnik. Last year, a Russian law went into effect that required Samsung, Apple and other manufacturers to pre-install Russian apps like VK and Yandex on devices sold there. 

The Google Play Store is notorious for making it difficult to find apps optimized for non-phone devices —you've often had to guess and hope for the best. Now, however, it just involves a couple of taps. Google says it recently added Play Store home pages to its Android app with recommendations for Android Automotive, Android TV and Wear OS apps. Visit "other devices" and you can find a health tracker for your Galaxy Watch 5, or a video service for your Chromecast.

New search filters also limit results to those that support non-phone hardware. If you find something you like, you can remotely install it from your handset. Google also noted that it previously revised the Play Store website to improve navigation and features like remote installs.

Google

The move follows efforts to accommodate tablet users, and could be helpful if you can't (or just don't want to) search for apps on the device where you'll use them. That's particularly helpful for Wear OS users who might have to browse apps on a tiny screen. You might find more apps for your devices and (as Google no doubt hopes) increase your chances of sticking to the Android ecosystem.

It's also difficult to ignore the timing. Google is formally debuting the Pixel Watch at its New York City event on October 6th, and just revamped the 1080p Chromecast. The improved app discovery could help sell these products to customers wondering if their favorite app is available. Not that you'll likely mind if you prefer third-party gear — this might boost Android as a whole.

New Intel PCs will soon have a feature that Macs have offered for years: the ability to text, take calls and send files to their iPhones. That's all thanks to Intel's Unison app, which aims to keep Windows user in their workflow without being distracted by their phones. And yes, it also works with Android devices.

After acquiring the Israeli company Screenovate last year, Intel revamped its phone integration tool to suit more demanding users. With Unison, there's support for VPNs, firewalls and IT manageability. Intel also paid special attention to battery efficiency, as well as juggling wireless connections across Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular. The result is something that could be more useful than Microsoft's Your Phone app for Windows, which looks very polished but only works with Android phones.

According to Josh Newman, Intel's VP of mobile innovation, Unison will offer fast file transfers between phones and computers. (We're still waiting for more details on the actual connection speeds.) For example, you'd be able to quickly take a photo or video on your phone and throw it over to your Windows computer for additional editing. The app will also let you push files from your PC to your phone.

As a lifelong Windows user who can't help but covet the integration between Macs and iOS devices, Unison could be exactly what many PC users have been waiting for. Still, we'll need to see it in action before we make any final judgements, and its limited support could be an issue.

To start, Intel will only offer Unison a few 12th-gen Evo PCs from HP, Acer and Lenovo this fall. Newman says it'll head to future 13th-gen Evo systems next year. When asked if it could ever support earlier Intel hardware, Newman didn't rule it out, but he noted that the company wanted to see how Unison performed on a select group of systems first. There's also nothing stopping Unison from supporting AMD chips eventually, he said, but the companies would have to collaborate to make it happen.

Netflix is forming its own in-house game studio and plans to not just rely on third-party developers to bolster its game catalog. The studio, based in Helsinki, Finland, plans to create "world-class" original games without ads or in-app purchases.

Netflix’s move into gaming has involved buying multiple developers, including the creators of Oxenfree, Night School Studio. In the last 12 months or so, the company has offered some well-regarded titles, including Into the Breach and Poinpy. But it hasn't built a developer from scratch. Until now.

However, when it comes to original games, Netflix says we won't see the first fruits of this internal studio for "years." Meanwhile, UsTwo’s Desta, launching later today exclusively on Netflix, is the latest addition from the makers of Monument Valley. 

– Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• NASA will roll Artemis 1 back to shelter it from Hurricane Ian

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• Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 falls to a new low of $250

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• The newest Roomba both vacuums and mops your floors

• E3 will return to LA on June 13th, 2023

NASA successfully hurled its DART spacecraft into an asteroid

The impactor vehicle was traveling at roughly 14,000 MPH when it struck.

NASA

After nearly a year in transit, NASA's experimental Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, which sought to answer the question: "Could you potentially shove an asteroid off its planet-killing trajectory by hitting it with a specially designed satellite?" The answer seems to be … maybe. It successfully collided with the Dimorphos asteroid. Results and data from the collision are still coming in, but NASA ground control confirms that the DART impact vehicle has intercepted the target asteroid. The vending machine-sized vehicle traveled at roughly 14,000 MPH when it crossed Dimorphos' path nearly 68 million miles from Earth.

Continue reading.

Watch the first trailer for HBO’s 'The Last of Us' adaptation

98 seconds of post-apocalyptic gloom.

HBO

HBO revealed the first trailer for its highly anticipated adaptation of the hit Naughty Dog game. The clip features the leaning building from an early level and a bombastic opening outbreak sequence, as well as the unmistakable sound of a Clicker. Nightmare fuel for 2022.

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Big Audacity update makes it a much better audio production tool

It adds non-destructive editing, real-time effects and more.

Audacity is best known as a free audio app for quick edits and recording audio, but the latest update makes it more viable as a full-on production tool for your podcast ambitions. The most welcome addition is non-destructive audio capabilities that allow you to adjust effects without the changes being permanently baked into the audio file. It also supports real-time playback of effects and crossfades as you adjust them, allowing for more accurate edits. And it’s still free.

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Apple Watch Ultra teardown confirms it's rugged, but not easily repaired

You'll still have to leave repairs to the pros.

The Apple Watch Ultra is built to survive adventures outdoors, but if you push it beyond its limits, you’re going to struggle to repair it yourself. iFixit reports that the Ultra isn't significantly more repairable than its regular counterparts. While there are external screws on the back, you might wreck a waterproofing gasket if you pry the rear open. And don't even think of getting through the front – you might break the screen.

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Aphex Twin's free 'sample mashing' app feeds on your music library

Samplebrain has been on Richard James' mind for 20 years.

Aphex Twin is finally ready to offer his mutation-driven music software to the world. Samplebrain is a free "sample mashing" app that turns audio files from your computer into sample blocks you can use for projects. You can recreate a sample using tracks in your music library or craft a "303 riff" from unexpected sounds. However, you may need some technical know-how to use the app.

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Meta tests easier account switching between Facebook and Instagram

It’ll give you a view of all your notifications.

On Monday, Meta began rolling out a new interface on Android, iOS and on the web for switching between accounts on Facebook and Instagram. Provided you’ve added your credentials for both to the same Accounts Center, you can use the feature to switch between the two apps. Meta will also notify you every time you use an existing account to create a new one or you add an account to the Accounts Center.

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Meta is testing two features that integrate Facebook and Instagram more closely together. On Monday, the company began rolling out a new interface on Android, iOS and on the web for switching between accounts. Provided you’ve added your Facebook and Instagram credentials to the same Accounts Center, you can use the feature to switch between the two apps without navigating to your phone’s home screen, multitasking menu or app drawer. The interface also allows you to see a count of all your notifications in one place.

At the same time, Meta is introducing a redesigned login and onboarding experience on Android and iOS. If you’re new to the company’s social networks, you can create one account and then use it to create additional ones. For those who already have both Facebook and Instagram accounts, it’s now possible to use the login information associated with one app to access the other – though you first need to add them to the same Accounts Center.

Meta

Meta will notify you every time you use an existing account to create a new one or you add an account to the Accounts Center. Additionally, security features like two-factor authentication will still work, preventing, for instance, someone from using your Instagram credentials to access your Facebook account.

While the new features are “currently limited to Facebook and Instagram,” Meta notes it will “continue to explore how to improve connected experiences across all of our technologies.” They arrive following the debut of Meta accounts in August and a recent downturn in both revenue and user growth for the company.

Aphex Twin is finally ready to offer his mutation-driven music software to the world. Pitchforknotes Aphex Twin (aka Richard James) and engineer Dave Griffiths have released Samplebrain, a free "sample mashing" app that turns audio files from your computer into sample blocks you can use for projects. You can recreate a sample using tracks in your music library, or craft a "303 riff" from unexpected sounds.

The app is available in ready-to-use versions for Mac and Windows computers. You can build a Linux-friendly edition as well. As Pitchfork warns, you may need some technical know-how to use the app — this isn't for rookie musicians.

Samplebrain has been a long time coming, to put it mildly. James said he first envisioned the app in 2002, back when Drukqs was his latest release. He revealed that he'd hired an engineer to work on the software in 2014 (when he returned to music with Syro), but didn't say much else until now. There's a good reason for that, apparently. James and Griffiths realized the project became "slightly out of control" as they added more and more parameters, and James admitted he hasn't had much time to "explore [Samplebrain] properly." This is a bid to finally put the tool in creators' hands, even if it's in a rough form.

Audacity is best known as a free app to do quick audio edits and record audio, but the latest update makes it more viable as a full on production tool, parent Muse Group has announced. Version 3.2 now supports non-destructive editing, real-time effects and enhanced VST3 support, along with user interface improvements and faster audio sharing via a new service, audio.com.

The most welcome addition is non-destructive audio capabilities that allow creators to adjust effects without the changes being permanently baked into the audio file. It also supports real-time playback of effects and crossfades as you adjust them, allowing for more accurate edits while listening to audio. That compares to previous versions, which required that you render the effect before you could hear it.

The company has completely rewritten the code base for VST plugins to improve stability and reliability, while adding improved support for VST3. It also addressed concerns about what we've called its "ugly and a bit archaic" user interface. And it now offers a "clearer and more consistent set of visuals" in the top bar for editing, with a new "Audio Setup" option that makes it easier to change input, mic and output settings. 

Finally, the new audio.com site lets you easily share audio files by sending a link rather than the entire file. You can share files either publicly or privately, or use your account for cloud storage. (Muse Group recently updated its privacy policy, promising it wouldn't sell any of the "very limited" data it collects from users.) The new version of the app is now available as a free download. 

Apple released its latest iPhone lineup and mobile platforms earlier this month, and a couple of annoying bugs quickly made themselves known to users. The good news is that the tech giant has quickly whipped up patches to fix the issues and has now released them as part of the iOS 16.0.2 update. One of the problems the update solves is the iPhone 14 Pro's compatibility troubles with third-party apps that use its camera, such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. 

Users found that when they fire up those apps and use the device's rear cam, the camera view shakes on screen and the phone emanates grinding and rattling noises. In its patch notes, Apple said the update fixes an issue wherein the "[c]amera may vibrate and cause blurry photos when shooting with some third-party apps on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max." The company didn't elaborate on the cause behind it, but it's possible that the apps weren't meshing well with the device's optical image stabilization system, causing the rattling noises. 

Another troublesome problem the update fixes is the persistent appearance of permission prompts when trying to copy and paste content between apps. Apple senior manager Ron Huang previously admitted that it was "absolutely not expected behavior" and said the company was dealing with it. iOS 16.0.2 will get rid of other bugs, as well, including one that causes the device's display to go black during setup and another that renders the touch input on some iPhone X, iPhone XR and iPhone 11 displays to be unresponsive after they're serviced. 

Felix Krause's discovery that Meta's Facebook and Instagram apps can track iPhone owners across websites hasn't sat well with some people. Bloombergreports users have filed two proposed class action lawsuits accusing Meta of evading Apple's privacy-oriented App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature and consequently violating both federal and state laws barring unauthorized data gathering. Meta supposedly created a workaround by injecting tracking code into websites when you use its in-app browser, letting it monitor activity regardless of whether or not you gave permission to the app.

Apple introduced App Tracking Transparency as part of the iOS 14.5 update released in April 2021. The technology lets you ask apps not to track you, and requires that you explicitly opt in. Meta has been vocal in its opposition. It encouraged users to allow tracking, and warned that ATT might cost it $10 billion in ad revenue this year.

Meta rejected the allegations in a statement to Engadget. The company said both lawsuits were "without merit," and that it would defend itself "vigorously." It further claimed its in-app browsers honor privacy decisions, including for ads.

The lawsuits aren't certain to obtain class action status, which could lead to compensation for many users. Whether or not the suits are successful, they illustrate the tension between Meta, Apple and privacy advocates — Meta is determined to preserve the targeted advertising that fuels its business, even as critics and rival companies raise more objections.