All Firefox users on desktop will now be protected by the browser's Total Cookie Protection feature by default. Mozilla calls it the browser's "strongest privacy protection to date," because it confines cookies to the site where they were created. That means it keeps cookies isolated, preventing tracking companies from being able to access them to monitor your activity without your consent. Without the feature, websites can "reach into the cookie jars that don't belong to them," as Mozilla puts it. That gives them more information about you in order to serve you specific ads based on your activity.
Mozilla launched the feature in 2021 and previously enabled it by default only when users switch on Firefox's privacy mode. Now, all Firefox users on desktop can enjoy the benefits it brings without having to toggle anything on. Earlier this year, Mozilla also brought Total Cookie Protection to the Firefox Focus browser for Android devices to combat web tracking on mobile.
To note, Microsoft's Edge also has tools to block tracking cookies, but users have to manually switch to "Strict" mode to be able to prevent most cookies from tracking them across websites. DuckDuckGo's browser has a focus on privacy, but its search agreement with Microsoft prevents it from blocking certain trackers. As for Google, the tech giant pushed back its plan to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome as part of its Privacy Sandbox initiative to mid-2023.
With it's latest Lightroom release, Adobe has finally added a much-requested feature: video support. You can use the same editing controls for video that you use for photos and even copy and paste settings between the two. That'll be a big boon for creators who do both video and photography but prefer Lightroom's image editing controls and speedy workflow.
You can also use any presets, including Premium Presets and Lightroom’s AI-powered Recommended Presets on video. It also now supports basic trimming from the beginning and ending of a clip. The new feature only applies to Lightroom, not Lightroom Classic. The latter has supported limited video editing and trimming in Library mode, but doesn't support advanced editing in the Develop module.
I tested out the new feature and founded it to be fairly responsive, and it exported adjusted video reasonably quickly. Most of the main adjustment features (exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, etc.) worked normally, but several key functions like the point curve, clarity and sharpening were disabled — hopefully, Adobe will turn those on in a future update.
Adobe
Another very useful new feature for both Lightroom and Lightroom Classic is the Preset Amount Slider (above). That lets you dial up or down the amount of a preset, letting you blend it with any other editing you might have done. Adobe has also introduced Adaptive Presets that target a particularly part of the photo, specifically skies and subjects to start with.
Other new features include new Premium presets, AI-powered red eye removal, a compare view to help you pick the best photo, batch copy/paste of AI masks and more. The update is now rolling out to Lightroom and Lightroom Classic.
You might have found the right Father's Day gift if there's a literary dad in your life. Amazon is selling the basic Kindle e-reader with lock screen ads for $60, or a hefty 33 percent off. You can also buy the Kindle Kids variant for $65 (41 percent off) if the upgraded warranty, child-friendly cover and year of Kids+ service will provide some piece of mind. You can buy the regular version without ads for $75.
The standard Kindle has been around for quite some time, but for a good reason: it handles the essentials very well. The front light and contrast will help you read in bed, and the touchscreen design is both easy to use and easy to carry around. Simply speaking, you might not need much more than this to read a favorite novel.
There are limitations. The base Kindle isn't waterproof, so you won't want to bring it to the beach. And while the six-inch screen and 8GB of storage should be enough for typical reading, you might like the larger, better-lit screen of the Kindle Paperwhite or the 32GB capacity of the Paperwhite Signature Edition. If you're new to e-readers or just aren't fussy, though, Amazon's everyday model is more than enough.
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Elon Musk will attend a virtual Twitter meeting this Thursday (June 16th) to field employee questions about his potential purchase of the social network, according to a letter to workers from Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal seen by Business Insider. It'll be the first time Musk as addressed workers since he made an offer to acquire it earlier this year for $43 billion.
Twitter employees will be able to submit questions starting tomorrow, and the company's chief marketing officer and head of people, Leslie Berland, will moderate the call. Since the acquisition was announced, employees have been concerned about things like layoffs, stock grants and whether Musk will rescind the bans of people like Donald Trump.
Those points and others will reportedly be addressed by Musk during the session, with Agrawal writing that "we'll cover topics and questions that have been raised over the past few weeks." Musk previously outlined changes he wanted to make, like getting rid of spam bots and authenticating users.
The status of the purchase is currently in limbo, as Musk claimed that Twitter committed a "material breach" of the deal's terms by refusing to disclose sufficient information about bot spam and fake account data. Last week, the company said it would comply with those requests by giving him access to its full "firehose" stream of data.
A Utah resident has filed a lawsuit against Binance US and its CEO, accusing them of falsely advertising TerraUSD as a safe asset backed by fiat currency. The plaintiff named Jeffrey Lockhart alleged that because Binance isn't registered as a securities exchange with the US government, it has limited obligation to disclose information about assets traded on its platform. "Crypto exchanges made massive profits by flouting securities laws and causing real harm to real people," the law firm representing Lockhart said, according to Reuters.
A Binance spokesperson told the news organization, however, that the exchange is registered with the US Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and complies with all applicable regulations. "These assertions are without merit and we will defend ourselves vigorously," they said.
If you'll recall, TerraUSD's value collapsed in May, causing massive losses for investors who trusted its classification as a stablecoin that's supposed to maintain its value of $1 per coin. Unlike other stablecoins backed by real-world assets, though, TerraUSD is an "algorithmic" stablecoin that's not backed by fiat currency. Instead, it's backed by a cryptocurrency called Luna and has a mechanism in place to restore its value to $1 if it ever falls. Investors were enticed to invest their money into TerraUSD due to the opportunity to make money with the Anchor lending program, which promised annual yields of 20 percent for deposits of the coin. Terra's mechanism failed to protect its value, however, and it's currently being traded at less than one cent.
Lockhart is hoping for his lawsuit to be registered as a class action on behalf of all investors who purchased Terra from Binance. The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange also paused bitcoin withdrawals for a few hours yesterday due to a "stuck on-chain transaction." That came days after reports emerged, claiming that Binance had become a hub for fraudsters and drug traffickers and had helped launder $2.35 billion in illicit funds.
Sony has released two ultra-high-end Walkman MP3 players aimed squarely at audiophiles — and no-one else. The headliner, the $3,700 NW-WM1ZM2 (pictured left), combines an S-Master HX digital amp with "fine-tuned" capacitors, thick Kimber Kable (to link the amp to the headphone jack) and a 99.99 percent pure gold-plated, oxygen-free copper chassis. It’ll have 256GB of expandable storage. Sure.
A lower-cost model, the $1,400 NW-WM1AM2 (shown right), offers similar functionality to the ZM2, but in an aluminum alloy body with 'just' a low-resistance oxygen-free copper cable. You'll also have to make do with 128GB of expandable space. At that price.
The company's token has lost nearly all its value in one year.
Another big name in crypto finance is taking drastic steps in the wake of plunging currency values. Celsius Network has paused all withdrawals, inter-account transfers and Swaps in response to "extreme market conditions." Celsius has struggled like much of the cryptocurrency market. Its CEL token was worth $7 roughly a year ago but tumbled to $3 by early April and was worth just 21 cents yesterday.
Customers, meanwhile, might pay the price. Unlike a conventional bank, Celsius doesn't have FDIC insurance to protect users.
The updated control scheme in Street Fighter 6 turns button-mashing into an effective art. Senior Editor Jessica Conditt never felt so capable playing Street Fighter. The modern control type unleashes special moves by pressing a direction and a face button and simplifies behaviors like throws and the game’s new Drive moves, activating them with a single button press. When playing Ryu, it’s possible to Hadoken with just one button. This is Smash Bros.-style gameplay but, still, Street Fighter.
The service’s most-viewed show of all time is coming back.
It was never truly in doubt that Netflix would bring back its most popular show of all time back, but the company has at last officially greenlit season two of Squid Game. It hasn't revealed when the next batch of episodes will hit the streaming service.
Much has gone digital but you'll still need to kick some tires.
We’re awash with cars (276 million registered in the US as of 2020), with around 40 million used cars sold annually. Between the stiff competition, a short supply of autos (thanks COVID) and a rapidly evolving market split between online and dealer lots, car buyers face some daunting prospects. But there are still deals around, you just need to know where and how to look.
Sony published its game catalog for PS Plus' two higher-end plans. As hinted earlier, the company is offering big-name hits, classics (for Premium users) and lower-profile titles.
You can expect well-known games like Death Stranding, several Final Fantasy releases and Red Dead Redemption 2 alongside major PS4 and PS5 offerings like Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Demon's Souls, Ghost of Tsushima and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. There are some curious choices: You can play Uncharted 4 and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in the mid-priced Extra tier, but you need Premium to revisit the series' roots through the Nathan Drake Collection.
Wireless headphones have gotten better at connecting to multiple devices in recent years. But pairing can still be kind of a hassle, especially if you’re gaming on a range of devices including consoles, phones and PCs. But after testing out its new Cloud Mix Buds, it feels like HyperX has come up with a simple and elegant way of supporting wireless audio on a bunch of different gadgets, regardless of if you’re gaming or just relaxing to music.
The main thing that separates the Cloud Mix Buds from similar headphones is that in addition to Bluetooth 5.2, the earbuds also come with their own dongle that sends audio over a dedicated 2.4Ghz channel. So not only do you get lower latency compared to Bluetooth – which is extremely useful when you’re playing fast-paced games – you also get a stronger signal that’s less likely to cut out.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
The thing I like the most about the Cloud Mix Buds’ kit is that because the dongle has a USB-C connector, it worked seamlessly with every gaming system I tested including more oddball ones like the Steam Deck. And I didn’t even need to install HyperX’s free Ngenuity app either. The one exception is that, while the Cloud Mix Buds are compatible with both Android and iOS devices, PCs and consoles at large, because Microsoft uses a proprietary wireless audio protocol, the earbuds don’t work with Xboxes.
That makes switching wireless audio as easy as moving the dongle from one device to another. In my experience, the best way to take advantage of buds’ dual-mode wireless connectivity was by keeping them paired with my phone over Bluetooth (where latency isn’t as big a concern) and attaching the dongle to whatever I’m gaming on at the time. The USB-C adapter even has a handy button that you can press to mute its mics.
For gadgets that don't have a USB-C port or have ports that are hard to reach, the Cloud Mix Buds come with a handy extension adapter and a USB-C to USB-A cable.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
As an added bonus, HyperX includes a small extension adapter and a USB-C to USB-A cable with the earbuds. This allows the buds to work with an even wider range of devices like the Nintendo Switch, whose lone USB-C port is occupied when docked. So instead of plugging the dongle into the console itself, you can connect the extension adapter to the USB-A port on the Switch’s dock, and then plug the dongle into that. This also worked really well for my desktop PC, which doesn’t support Bluetooth (it has an older mobo without built-in WiFi or BT) and lacks easily accessible front-side USB-C ports.
As far as audio quality goes, the Cloud Mix Buds 12mm drivers deliver crisp sound including a bit deeper bass than what I get from Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro. And while it’s subtle, the reduced latency you get with the 2.4GHz connectivity is noticeable in shooters where reaction times really matter. Unfortunately, because I’ve been using the buds prior to their official release, I didn’t have the chance to dive deeper into the Ngenuity app’s more advanced features, which include support for virtual 7.1 surround sound, customizable EQs and adjustable touch controls.
For devices like a PS5, the size of the Cloud Mix Buds' dongle may block other nearby ports.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
The Cloud Mix Buds feature above-average battery life with around 10 hours of runtime using Bluetooth (or closer to 8 hours when using the 2.4GHz dongle), with another 20 to 22 hours in the case. HyperX also includes a protective silicone sleeve for the charging case and a choice of three different ear tips (small, medium and large). For me, the default medium tips offered a snug fit that blocked a lot of ambient noise without being too tight.
Finally, while you don’t get support for wireless charging, my favorite little design element is being able to plug the 2.4GHz dongle into the bottom of the case when traveling so you don’t lose it. For a device that’s meant to be used both at home and on-the-go, that’s a really thoughtful touch. The downside is that the dongle is so wide, it can block nearby ports like the front USB-A jack on a PS5.
When you're traveling, you can stash the Cloud Mix Buds' dongle on the bottom of its case so you don't lose it.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Now I admit getting earbuds to play nice with a lot of different gaming devices is sort of a first-world problem. But for those who have the luxury of jumping between multiple consoles or systems (sorry Xbox), HyperX’s Cloud Mix Buds makes all that a breeze, while still offering good battery life, a simple design, and solid audio quality. And with a price of $150, that’s an appealing combo for big-time gamers that appreciate the freedom of wireless sound.
Meta is introducing new parental supervision features for Quest virtual reality headsets and Instagram. The VR safety tools, which were announced in March, are rolling out worldwide.
The parental supervision process needs to be initiated on a teen's account (the minimum age to have a Facebook account is 13). A Parent Dashboard in the Oculus app will allow parents and guardians to block apps (including web browsers), see a list of apps on the teen's account and view their friends list. A teen can ask to buy an age-restricted app, then their parent can approve or deny the request. Parents can also view headset screen time, receive alerts when an app is purchased and block the Link and Air Link features to stop teens from using PC content on their headset.
On top of that, Meta is debuting a parent education hub, which includes information about the VR supervision options. The company says it worked with industry experts, teens, parents and policymakers on these controls. It will refine the tools over time.
At the start of this year, the Information Commissioner's Office in the UK said it would hold talks with Meta over how Quest 2 complies with a children's code that's designed to protect young users. These new measures could go some way toward addressing the watchdog's concerns.
Meanwhile, Instagram's parental supervision tools, which launched in the US in March, will arrive in the UK, Japan, Australia, Ireland, Canada, France and Germany this month with some expanded options. Parents can now invite teens to set up supervision tools (rather than requests solely coming from teen accounts).
Parents and guardians can limit access to Instagram at certain times by scheduling breaks. They can view more details about an account or post their teen reports, including the person in question and the type of report. They can also see which users their teen follows and who follows them. Instagram plans to roll out the tools globally later this year.
In the UK and Ireland, Instagram is testing a nudge feature. Teens will be encouraged to look at different posts if they spend too much time with the same kind of content in the Explore tab. The aim is to prompt them to be more mindful of their Instagram use. As part of a different test, teens in certain countries may see a prompt to turn on the Take a Break feature after watching Reels for a while.
Elsewhere, Instagram is adding more resources to its educational Family Center. There's a new page that provides teens with details about privacy settings for Quest, Instagram, Facebook and Messenger. Parents and guardians can access information about how to talk to kids about online safety issues.
The UK government has ended its plug-in car grant program effective immediately, it announced. The scheme first launched in 2011 with grants up to £5,000 ($6,089) or 25 percent of the cost of the car, but were gradually reduced to £1,500 ($1,827) where they sat until today. The grant ends on future sales, but will still be honored for any buyers that already applied for it.
The program had achieved its goal of kickstarting the UK's electric revolution, the Department for Transport (DfT) said in a press release. It noted that sales of EVs increased from less than 1,000 in 2011 to nearly 100,000 in the first five months of this year alone. It added that EVs now offer "significant savings" over ICE vehicles due to the high cost of gasoline and diesel, and that owners can still get tax and other incentives.
"The government has always been clear the plug-in car grant was temporary and previously confirmed funding until 2022-23," the government said. "Successive reductions in the size of the grant, and the number of models it covers, have had little effect on rapidly accelerating sales or on the continuously growing range of models being manufactured."
The Plug-in Vehicle Grant has helped successfully kickstart the electric car market, so we're now focusing support on getting even more types of electric vehicles on the road, from taxis to vans, to power the green revolution.⚡https://t.co/bgCcIToAcspic.twitter.com/PWoArc35C8
— Department for Transport (@transportgovuk) June 14, 2022
The DfT now plans to focus on charging stations, but didn't say if it planned to boost the £1.6 billion budget it had already set aside. It also pledged £300 million ($365 million) toward incentives on plug-in taxis, motorcycles, vans, trucks and wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
The UK promised to eliminate ICE vehicles by 2040 as part of its Road to Zero strategy designed to cut harmful emissions. However, some EU countries like Sweden or Ireland have more ambitious plans to hit that goal by 2030 and even earlier.
After the maximum rebate was cut from £2,500 to £1,500 just six months ago and restricted to eligible EVs to models under £32,000, the plug-in car grant program appeared to be on life support. Critics decried the reduction at the time and are likely to be scathing toward the grant's complete elimination. Potential EV buyers motivated by record gasoline prices are also likely to be unhappy about the decision.
"We need to move the market even faster... which means we should be doubling down on incentives," an industry rep told Autocar late last year. "Other global markets are already doing so whereas we are cutting, expecting the industry to subsidize the transition, and putting up prices for customers. UK drivers risk being left behind on the transition to zero-emission motoring."
The downloadable content Capcom had promised for Resident Evil Village last year now has a release date: It's called Winters' Expansion, and it will be available starting on October 28th. Capcom started developing the extra content in 2021, just a few weeks after the game was released, due "popular demand." Now Capcom producer Tsuyoshi Kanda has revealed some pertinent details about the three features included with the DLC, including the Third-Person Mode that gives you a way to play the main story in a new perspective. If you choose to play in third-person, you'll get to see Ethan as he explores the village in search of his missing daughter and shoots the undead.
Winters' Expansion also comes with The Mercenaries Additional Orders. Mercenaries Mode, an arcade-style shooting experience, unlocks after you beat the game for the first time. The DLC will add new stages to it, as well as new playable characters, including Chris Redfield and everyone's favorite nine-foot tall antagonist, Lady Dimitrescu. Finally, the expansion will show what happens to Rose, Ethan's missing daughter, 16 years after the original campaign. Rose's story will show her struggle with her "terrifying powers" and her search for a way to break free from her curse.
Aside from the DLC, Resident Evil Re:Verse — the multiplayer freebie for the game that was supposed to come out in July 2021 — will also be available on October 28th. The PS5 versions of Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 have already dropped, though, and you can get them for free if you already own copies for the PS4.
