Your iPhone could soon be useful for more in a car than answering calls and spicing up the music selection. Bloombergsources claim Apple is developing a technology codenamed "IronHeart" that would let you use your iPhone to control the climate system, radio, seats and even the instrument clusters. You wouldn't have to switch between CarPlay and your car's (likely clunky) infotainment software just to turn up the heat.

IronHeart is still early in development, according to the tipsters, and would require partnerships with car brands. Apple has declined to comment.

An initiative like this could extend Apple's presence in cars far beyond limited technologies like CarPlay or its more recent CarKey feature. While it's not necessarily part of the company's long-rumored electric car strategy, it could give the company experience with more aspects of cars and help with any in-house vehicle development.

Whether or not automakers embrace the concept is another matter. Apple would effectively bypass a car's native interface for many common tasks. It's easy to see manufacturers balking after pouring extensive work into their own car interfaces and companion apps, particularly if they have any services that compete with Apple offerings. If IronHeart ships, it may be limited to a handful of makes and models unless there's an enthusiastic response from car buyers.

Valve has long been a proponent of open hardware and software, but its latest video makes a case to the contrary for the upcoming Steam Deck. The game company has posted a Steam Deck teardown video that shows how to pry open the handheld console while simultaneously urging you to keep the system shut. It's certainly possible to get in — it's just that you might just cause more problems than you solve.

As Valve explains, the Steam Deck is tightly packed with highly customized parts, including the thumbsticks. While the company is promising replacements for various parts in the "coming months," there are chances you'll damage the system on your way in through static electricity or other mishaps. There can also be consequences to using off-the-shelf parts. A stock SSD might interfere with the handheld's thermals, for instance. You might even compromise the integrity of the console just by opening it, according to Valve.

This likely won't deter you if you insist on fixing your Steam Deck yourself. Valve clearly expects at least some unofficial repair attempts given its parts plan. However, it's evident the Half-Life maker wants you to rely on Valve's own technicians, or at least third-party pros, in the event the Deck breaks. This machine isn't the poster child for right to repair advocates, even if it's easier to fix than other devices.

Telecoms have long been accused of trying to skew politics, but a new report suggests AT&T might have gone further than most. According to The Verge, Reutersreports that AT&T is a major backer for One America News Network (OAN), a right-wing media outlet YouTube temporarily banned last November for spreading misinformation. While multiple TV providers carry the channel, an OAN accountant testified in 2020 that 90 percent of OAN parent Herring Networks' revenue, tens of millions of dollars, came through deals with AT&T-owned platforms that included DirecTV.

OAN founder Robert Herring separately testified that AT&T executives inspired him to launch the network in 2013 after looking at a media landscape with relatively few conservative outlets. Court documents also indicated that AT&T offered to buy a 5 percent equity stake in OAN and Herring's lifestyle channel AWE, although the two ended up choosing a different agreement.

OAN even claimed that one AT&T executive, Aaron Slator, offered to put the channel on DirecTV in return for help lobbying for the satellite broadcaster's 2014 merger. The Herring family also supposedly met FCC officials to talk about the merger and speak well of AT&T in news stories. AT&T has denied making the offer linked to Slator, and an OAN lawsuit alleging a breach of that deal supposedly led to AT&T adding OAN to DirecTV's selection.

AT&T rejected claims of undue influence in responses to Reuters and The Verge. The carrier maintained that DirecTV "does not dictate" channel programming, and that DirecTV merger support was "never a condition of or part of" any content carriage agreement. In a Twitter statement, AT&T maintained it "never had a financial interest" in OAN and that the decision to carry the network was now in DirecTV's hands.

The concern, as you might imagine, is that AT&T may have contributed to the spread of misinformation without being held to account like online providers and other companies. On top of YouTube suspending OAN following a violation of COVID-19 misinformation rules, voting machine maker Dominion sued the network in August this year over unproven claims of election fraud. If the report is accurate, there could easily be pressure on AT&T to distance itself from OAN and focus more on its core services than politics.

Regional governments are still eager to court Amazon's business despite uncertain economies and Amazon's own practices. According to the Financial Times, the economic watchdog Good Jobs First has determined that Amazon has so far received about $650 million in local and state tax incentives in 2021 to build out its next-day and same-day delivery operations. That's a record for the company, and comes close to the $750 million Amazon received to build its second headquarters.

The largest incentive was a $322 million, 12-year property tax abatement pending in Markham, Illinois, followed by a nearly $151 million, 15-year tax exemption package in Monroe County, New York. Good Jobs First said this was likely a cautious estimate as some of the deals involve undisclosed tax deals and grants.

The payouts came despite an uncertain economy and complaints about Amazon's working conditions, including modest pay, strict monitoring and high injury rates. Officials may attract more jobs to their area, but they won't necessarily be high-quality jobs that grow the economy. It's also unclear if there's a net job benefit — FT cited an Economic Policy Institute study showing that an Amazon warehouse attracted workers from other companies rather than expanding the overall workforce.

Amazon has justified the incentives through overall job creation and economic investment. In a statement, the company said it created over 400,000 jobs in 2020 alongside a $150 billion investment. It added that it was often taking incentives available to any company settling into a given location, not just Amazon.

Even if there is an overall employment increase, though, the question is whether or not Amazon should be accepting tax incentives in the first place. The company made more profit in the first year of the pandemic than it did in the previous three years, raking in $26.9 billion. The firm doesn't exactly need those tax breaks to survive, and the money could be used to improve communities and working conditions.

JLab is best known for its very low-cost wireless earbuds, but it's determined to make a name for itself in the office as well. The brand has introduced a $79 JBuds Work headset that promises quite a few perks despite the budget price. The over-ear audio boasts a removable earcup (important for listening to colleagues, a simultaneous two-device connection and a claimed 60-hour "worktime" battery life — you could theoretically use this through an entire five-day work week without plugging in, even if there's some overtime.

The JBuds Work also offer noise cancellation (albeit with a total of just two mics), a wired option and automatic answering and hang-ups when you flip the mic boom. You can flip the equalizer between music and voice modes for those moments when you're more interested in tuning out than taking calls.

The headset is available to order now. Whether or not it lives up to the battery life claims, the price is difficult to ignore — it's easy to pay significantly more for headsets with similar or fewer features.

Add SteelSeries to the ranks of gaming hardware brands selling themselves to larger tech firms. Jabra's owner GN is acquiring SteelSeries in a deal worth about $1.24 billion. The move is meant to give GN an edge in the "upscale gaming gear" space while providing room to grow and achieve "revenue synergies." The deal is expected to close in early 2022.

SteelSeries stressed that it would maintain the same leadership. The GN deal would help "accelerate" already healthy growth, according to company chief Ehtisham Rabbani. GN keenly pointed out that SteelSeries has been gaining market share in the past few years and has itself snapped up smaller companies like KontrolFreek.

The purchase could help GN make a concerted push into gaming, both in headsets and non-audio hardware like mice, keyboards and mousepads. Simply put, this might help GN become a general technology brand after years of focusing on personal audio. 

SteelSeries, meanwhile, might not have had as much choice as it would like. Brands like Astro, Elgato and Roccat have already sold themselves to larger companies to both ensure their survival and foster growth. While SteelSeries' future was likely to be bright without GN, the team-up could help it thrive in a competitive landscape where rivals often have plenty of support.

Now might be a good time to buy Apple's AirTags if you need more than one or two. Woot is selling a four-pack of the item trackers for $95, a rare dip below the usual $100 price. That breaks down to $23.75 per tag, and could make this tempting if you have multiple items you can't afford to lose. Just remember that Woot's return policy is stricter than Amazon's.

AirTags are only useful in the Apple ecosystem, but promise a few advantages over trackers from Tile and other rivals. On top of fast setup, ultra-wideband support offers precision finding (with iPhone 11 and newer) when you're close — you'll know just which couch cushion is hiding your keys. You'll also have an item-locating network that spans virtually all Apple device users, increasing the chances of finding a missing bag or wallet.

There are catches, of course. Android users need not apply, and the lack of a hole means you'll be buying an accessory to clip the AirTag to a keychain or backpack. The year-long battery life will also require that you keep a load of watch batteries on hand. If you don't see yourself leaving the Apple ecosystem any time soon, though, AirTags are a reasonably safe bet.

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A cornerstone of text messaging has been vulnerable for half a decade. Ars Technicareports that Syniverse, which routes billions of SMS chats for hundreds of carriers in the US and abroad, has used an SEC filing to disclose a hack that lasted for five years.

The company discovered in May 2021 that someone had "unauthorized access" to its operational and IT systems since May 2016, and during that time had "several" opportunities to access network databases. The intruders compromised logins for Syniverse's Electronic Data Transfer environment for about 235 carriers, according to the company.

The routing firm wouldn't say if the attackers obtained messages or otherwise violated users' privacy. In a statement to Ars, Syniverse generally kept to what it revealed in the SEC filing. The company said it hadn't found evidence of an "intent to disrupt" operations, and there was "no attempt to monetize" activity. The company couldn't rule out future discoveries, however, and a Motherboardsource said the EDT space included call record information. The intruders could have obtained text message content, the source added.

We've asked AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon (Engadget's former parent company) if the attackers could have compromised texts passing through their networks. Syniverse said it fixed the security flaws and notified all customers when legally required, but that "no additional action" was necessary at this stage.

While that response suggests the practical damage might be limited, there's still cause for concern here — the attackers might have had access to massive volumes of sensitive messages while an important custodian was unaware. If nothing else, this is a reminder that mobile security depends as much on partner companies as it does carriers and phone makers.

Google is making its search engine more useful for the eco-friendly crowd. The internet giant is updating its search to provide information on more sustainable shopping and travel options. Look for energy-intensive appliances like hot water heaters or dishwashers, for instance, and you'll see suggestions for more sustainable (and frequently more cost-effective) products. A future update will also make it easier to cross-shop electric and hybrid cars, complete with identifying tags and a view of nearby compatible charging stations.

Google Flights, meanwhile, will show the estimated CO2 emissions for "nearly every" flight, right down to the seat level. An economy seat on a new aircraft could be much kinder than a first class berth aboard an older airliner.

Even stocks will see an improvement. Google Finance is launching sustainability scores for stock portfolios, giving you an overall sense of how Earth-conscious your investment companies are. Google will source info from the Climate Disclosure Project.

Search will also improve if you're simply trying to investigate climate change. Google is promising a dedicated results page with in-depth data, including related info from the UN and other authorities. Ideally, the data panels will help you better understand climate change and the fight to minimize it.

You'll have to wait a while to see all of Google's planned changes. The shopping and travel changes will arrive this week, but you'll have to wait until later in October for climate change info panels. The stock portfolio scores are merely "coming soon," and you'll have to wait until early 2022 to see EV and hybrid tags.

This is far from guaranteed to have a tangible effect on the environment. Just because you've seen an environmentally-savvy search link doesn't mean you'll click on it or even consider it. Even if that's the case, it signals a shift in attitude at Google. Tthe tech firm no longer considers reductions in behind-the-scenes resources to be enough — it's educating web users directly.

Sony may be keeping the PS3 and Vita stores alive, but that doesn't mean it will be easy to shop. Kotakunoticed that Sony is shutting down credit card, debit card and PayPal store payments for its older consoles on October 27th. From then on, you'll have to either load your virtual wallet (through the web or another console) or rely on gift cards — you can't just buy games directly.

The company didn't explain the decision in a notice to customers. We've asked Sony for comment.

Whatever the reasoning, the reduced payment options send a not-so-subtle signal: Sony would really, really like you to stop buying games for older consoles and move on to a PS4 or PS5. That's unsurprising when the PS3 is 15 years old and has the aging store infrastructure to match, but it's not very reassuring if you're hanging on to a PS3 or Vita to play classic games.