The creator of a popular Nintendo Switch emulator, Yuzu, appears to have agreed to settle Nintendo’s lawsuit against it, less than a week since the games company accused the emulator’s creator of “piracy at a colossal scale.”

A joint final judgment and permanent injunction filed Tuesday says developer Tropic Haze will pay the games company $2.4 million — along with a long list of concessions. The people behind Tropic Haze must halt all “activities related to offering, marketing, distributing or trafficking in Yuzu emulator or any similar software that circumvents Nintendo’s technical protection measures.” No more emulating, then. It must even surrender the emulator’s web domain (including any variants) to Nintendo. The website is still live at time of writing.

In recent years, Nintendo has increased its efforts to quash popular emulators and game piracy sites. It sued ROM-sharing website RomUniverse for $2 million and helped send hacker Gary Bowser to prison. Will this latest lawsuit stop people trying to emulate Nintendo consoles and games? No. But it’ll likely deter anyone trying to make a buck out of it.

We also take a look back at how Steam reshaped video games in the past two decades.

— Mat Smith

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Shure’s first wireless lapel mic can connect to your phone without a receiver

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Apple announces new MacBook Airs with M3 chips

This is the same CPU that powers the latest MacBook Pro laptops.

Apple

As predicted yesterday, Apple revealed new MacBooks. This time, it’s MacBook Air laptops housing the company’s latest Apple Silicone: M3 chips. No Pro or Max options, but it’s also ‘just’ a MacBook Air — the company’s entry-level laptop. Expect performance increases of 17 percent in single-core tasks and 21 percent in multi-core tasks, according to Apple’s estimates. As before, both computers max out at 24GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. There is now support for up to two external displays when the laptop is closed, as well as Wi-Fi 6E.

The 13-inch M3 MacBook Air is $1,099, while the 15-inch model starts at $1,299. The M2 13-inch model will remain at $999 — now mighty tempting at that price. Both of the new MacBook Air models are available to pre-order today.

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Twitter’s former CEO and other execs are suing X for $128 million in unpaid severance

The group says Musk “made up a fake cause” for their firing.

A group of former Twitter executives, including former CEO Parag Agrawal, is suing Elon Musk and X over millions of dollars in unpaid severance benefits. The claims date back to the chaos surrounding Musk’s takeover of the company in October 2022. The lawsuit cites Musk biographer Walter Isaacson’s account of the events, which explains Musk rushed to close the Twitter deal a day early to fire the executives “for cause” just before their final stock options were set to vest.

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Instagram finally lets you edit DMs

If you’re quick.

Meta just rolled out a software update for Instagram that finally allows DM edits. However, you have to do it within 15 minutes of sending the message. It seems the messages won’t be tagged as ‘edited,’ like Apple’s Messages or WhatsApp, either.

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On Tuesday, Shure unveiled its better-late-than-never entry into the creator-focused wireless consumer lapel mic space. The audio company’s MoveMic system — available in single-channel (the $249 MoveMic One) and dual-channel (the $349 MoveMic Two) models — joins an increasingly crowded space of wireless lavalier mics alongside three tiers of Rode’s Wireless Go system and two iterations of DJI’s Mic.

Most products in this space require a receiver for your phone, but Shure offers direct-to-phone wireless transmission — including for two mics in the dual-channel model. But the catch is that it only works when using Shure’s MOTIV apps (available on iOS and Android), which won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

For more versatile recording (including with cameras, computers and third-party phone apps), you’ll have to use the MoveMic Receiver. It’s available as a standalone $199 purchase or as part of a $499 bundle with two dual-channel mics.

Shure

The mic has subtle styling, with most of its body designed to tuck away behind clothing. Each mic weighs 8.2g and measures 46 x 22mm, and it has an IPX4 rating for resistance to at least light splashes and sprays of water (including rain).

The MoveMic has a 50Hz to 20kHZ frequency range with a tolerance of +/-1dB. Its range covers up to 100ft away (direct line) from the paired device. Shure estimates eight hours of recording per mic, plus another two full charges when using its bundled charging case.

Shure

Shure’s entry into this space isn’t cheap. The single-channel MoveMic One costs $249, the dual-channel model (including two mics) jumps to $349 and a bundle with a pair of mics with a receiver runs $499.

By comparison, the Rode Wireless Go II costs $299 for a bundle with a pair of dual-channel mics and a receiver, and the DJI Mic 2’s equivalent package is $349. (And that isn’t including those companies’ budget models.) Shure is banking on its industry reputation and the MoveMic’s more subtle appearance to justify the extra cost. Still, creators and video journalists will want to ask themselves whether those warrant the premium before taking the plunge.

Apple revealed some new M3 MacBook Air laptops today and one of the marquee features is that they can drive two external displays while the lid is closed. It’s pretty weird when the Air line gets a feature missing from the beefier MacBook Pro line, but Apple’s on top of it. The company just announced that this feature is also coming to standard M3 MacBook Pro laptops via a software update, as reported by 9to5Mac.

There’s no details as to which software update would include the new tool, though macOS Sonoma 14.4 is in active development, so that’s a possibility. The feature should work exactly how it does with the forthcoming M3 MacBook Air, as the two lines share a processor and a similar architecture.

This update is going to be for 14-inch MacBook Pro laptops with the standard M3 chip. The more powerful versions with the M3 Pro and Max chips can already do this, so the 16-inch model doesn’t require a software update. Prior to this, you could only use the regular M3 MacBook Pro to drive a single external monitor with the lid closed. 

Apple Silicon MacBook Pros have been able to drive multiple external displays all the way back to the M1 Pro chip, but never with standard M-series chips. Apple hasn’t offered up a reason as to why this took so long to get going on chips without Pro or Max in the name. In any event, this is going to be huge for current M3 MacBook Pro owners looking for more screen real estate. 

Google just announced that some Pixel phones are getting next-gen call screening. This improves on the pre-existing Call Screen feature by implementing a new Hello button. Once tapped, the system will deploy Google Assistant to speak on your behalf.

The digital assistant will ask the caller why they’re trying to reach you, and you’ll be able to hear the response in real-time. If it sounds important, you can interrupt and begin the call. If not, you can kick them to the curb and go back to watching TV.

Google Assistant already worked to screen calls in a similar way, but the Hello button gives the user ultimate control as to when to begin the screening process. There’s even an option to tell the caller to wait a little bit, if you can't get to the phone quite yet. In addition to the real-time element, the tool still captures transcripts of these screenings to peruse at your leisure. The new Call Screen update is only available for the Pixel Fold and Pixel 6 phones and newer.

This is part of a larger March features drop for Pixel phones. Google’s smartphones will now be able to share 10-bit HDR videos directly to Instagram, with no processing required. This is similar to the approach Samsung recently took with its Galaxy S24 native camera update.

The features drop also expands the company’s recently-launched Circle to Search tool to Pixel 7 smartphones. As the name suggests, this lets people search for stuff by simply drawing a circle around the object. The tool was previously only available for Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 users.

Google is releasing new features for the first-gen Pixel Watch, and they include the health-monitoring capabilities that launched with its successor. The older wearables will now be able to detect whether you're working out and can automatically start tracking your activity and then stop when you're done. In particular, it works for running, walking, elliptical training, spinning, outdoor biking and rowing. 

You'll also be able to track the time you spend in different heart rate zones, which could help you optimize your workouts. Plus, you'll be able to set a goal pace for your exercise sessions to get a notification for when you're not performing up to par. In case you want your first-gen Pixel Watch to help you feel more relaxed instead, simply fire up the Fitbit Relax App on the device to guide you through some breathing exercises. 

For travelers, though, Google's most exciting update for watches isn't just for its Pixel line. The company has rolled out public transit directions for devices running Wear OS 3 and above, which means you can check what kind of public transportation you can take right on your wrist — it will even display your public transit options' real-time departure schedules. You'll now also be able to navigate an unfamiliar location without taking out your phone through a compass-enabled map view on your watch. 

The company is releasing features for different devices under its Pixel line, as well. Pixel phones will now be able to share 10-bit HDR videos directly to Instagram Reels and will be able to upload Ultra HDR Photos to the app. In addition, the Pixel 8's "Circle to Search" feature is coming to Pixel 7 and Pixel Pro phones, giving you a quick way to do Search queries without having to switch apps. All you have to do is draw a circle around or highlight an image, a video or a piece of text to look up the information you need. Finally, a "Call Screen" feature will give you access to a "hello" chip you can tap while a call is being screened. Google Assistant can ask the caller to speak, so you can get an idea of why they're calling, and it can also ask them to wait a bit longer if you can't pick up their call just yet. 

Instagram launched direct messaging tools way back in 2013, but there hasn’t been a way to edit them after the fact. That changes today. Meta just rolled out a software update for the Instagram app that finally allows for DM edits, with one major caveat. You only have 15 minutes to make any changes.

Here’s how it works. Once you send a direct message and realize you made a huge blunder, like “accidentally” professing your love to an old college buddy, just press and hold on the sent message. This will create a dropdown menu. Look for “edit” and make the required changes. Nobody will ever be the wiser, as long as you got there within 15 minutes.

Meta

This isn’t the only change to DMs found with today’s update. You can also pin up to three of your favorite direct messages on top of the feed, which is useful in the case of ongoing conversations. This can be done with standard one-on-one chats and group chats. Just hold on the conversation tab, look for the dropdown and tap “pin” to make the move.

The update also makes it easier to toggle read receipts on and off, depending on personal preference. The rest of today’s new features are cosmetic. There are new DM themes, and some include unique animations. Finally, the update features a way to save your favorite stickers in your DMs for easy access. Just hold on the sticker and it’ll be there next time you want it.

Meta’s constantly making changes to Instagram. Back in January, it began testing a feature that lets users access a secondary photo grid that only close friends can see. Late last year, the app got customizable story templates.

Microsoft has announced its second games showcase of 2024 and this one is all about projects from its third-party partners. The second Partner Preview stream is set for March 6 at 1PM ET. It will run for around 30 minutes and feature more than a dozen new trailers from publishers including Capcom, Nexon and EA.

Three games have been confirmed for the showcase. We'll find out details about traversal and combat in Tales of Kenzera: Zau, an EA-published 2D Metroidvania game that's set to arrive next month. Abubakar Salim, who voiced Bayek in Assassin's Creed Origins, is the game's creative lead and will narrate the Partner Preview trailer.

In addition, we'll see gameplay from Capcom's strategy-action game Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess and The First Berserker: Khazan, an action RPG from Nexon. Microsoft is also promising details on more titles that are bound for Xbox, PC and Game Pass. This is a common refrain every time one of these streams takes place, but since we know it's coming to Game Pass on its release day, perhaps this will finally be when we learn more about Hollow Knight: Silksong.

You'll be able to watch the stream on Xbox channels on YouTube and Twitch (YouTube streams will be available in 4K, but Twitch is limited to 1080p). Microsoft says it will make the showcase available in more than 40 languages, including American Sign Language, British Sign Language and English Audio Descriptions. For the first time, Microsoft will offer versions of an Xbox stream in Bengali, Māori, Punjabi (Gurmukhi), Swahili, Tamil, Urdu and Zulu.

Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad is 40 percent off right now via Amazon. That brings the price down to $180, which is a savings of around $120. It’s not the lowest price we’ve ever seen for the 11-inch keyboard, but it’s certainly close. Typical sales drop it to around $250 or so, so this is still one heck of a deal.

This is the perfect keyboard to turn your 11-inch iPad Pro or Air into a standalone workstation. There’s a reason, after all, why it ended up on our list of the best iPad accessories. It magnetically attaches to the tablet, with a hinge that keeps the screen floating above the keyboard. In other words, it basically turns your iPad into a laptop.

We praised Apple’s Magic Keyboard for its emphasis on comfort and the precise trackpad. There are dozens upon dozens of competing third-party products out there, but none of them get the job done quite like this luxury keyboard. The major issue here is the price, which this sale somewhat alleviates.

There is one other potential issue on the horizon. There are rumors circulating that Apple is about to announce a new range of iPads, which may or may not work with this keyboard. If you’re buying a keyboard for an iPad you already own, that’s no big deal. If you want to buy both at once, however, you should wait for an official announcement.

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Both Amazon and Best Buy have kicked off new sales on Samsung's Galaxy S24 lineup, taking up to $150 off the unlocked versions of the recently released smartphones. The 6.8-inch Galaxy S24 Ultra and the 6.7-inch Galaxy S24 Plus are each $150 off at $1,150 and $850, respectively, while the 6.2-inch Galaxy S24 is $100 off at $700. We've seen a handful of trade-in and gift card offers for the phones since they were released in late January, but these are their largest cash discounts to date. As a reminder, the S24 Ultra and S24 Plus start with 256GB of storage, while the base S24 starts with 128GB. If you need more space, higher-capacity models are also discounted. The deals apply to multiple color options, too.

Google's Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro remain the top picks in our guide to the best Android phones: They take better photos, generally provide a cleaner software experience and typically cost less. That said, we note Galaxy S24 Ultra as a good alternative for those who're willing to pay for more premium hardware. It runs on a faster chip (Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), has a gorgeous OLED display and gets longer battery life. Its titanium frame should be a bit more durable long-term, plus it comes with Samsung's S Pen stylus. Samsung did jack up the price by $100 over last year's model, though this deal neuters that hike at least a little bit. We gave the Galaxy S24 Ultra a score of 89 in our review earlier this year.

The smaller Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus aren't quite as high-end but may still be worthwhile if you want to avoid a Pixel. Both earned a score of 87 in our review. They still get you a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a rich 120Hz OLED display and seven years of software updates. That software includes the same suite of hit-or-miss AI features, including a live language translation tool. The S24 Plus lasts longer on a charge, but the base S24 may appeal to those who want something more compact. The S24 Ultra has a more advanced camera array, though, with a sharper main lens and an extra telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. These two also use aluminum frames instead of titanium. We'll inevitably see larger discounts on each of these phones in the months ahead, but if you've been sitting on an older Galaxy device and want to upgrade today, this is a decent chance to save.

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Prime members can access a bunch of perks for their monthly subscription fee, from the likes of Prime Video and ad-free Amazon Music to delivery and games at no extra cost. They’re also eligible for discounts on certain products, such as Blink security cameras. A five-pack of Blink Outdoor 4 cameras has dropped by half to $200. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen for this particular bundle.

If you’re in the market for a single security camera, it’s worth noting that you can buy one Blink Outdoor 4 unit for $65 if you’re a Prime member. That’s 46 percent off and also a record low.

The Blink Outdoor 4 is our pick for the best wireless outdoor security camera. Compared with previous models, it has a wider field of view (at 143 degrees on the diagonal), enhanced motion detection and, according to Amazon, better image quality and low light functionality. There's also person detection available to those who take out the Blink Subscription Plan, which includes features such as cloud storage for video clips. Otherwise, you can save video locally by buying a Sync Module 2 separately and connecting a USB storage drive.

Despite the product's name, the Blink Outdoor 4 is suitable for indoor use too. It runs on a pair of AA batteries and the cells will last for up to two years before you need to replace them. The cameras are also weather resistant and support night vision, motion detection and two-way audio. It's worth bearing in mind that the only voice assistant Blink supports is Alexa, which makes sense since Amazon owns the brand.

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