Elon Musk isn't backing down in his rejuvenated campaign against the SEC. Ars Technicareports the Tesla chief has asked a federal court to terminate his $20 million settlement with the SEC in 2018 over claims the regulator both pressured him into an agreement and overstepped its limits. Musk felt "forced" to sign the consent decree at a time when Tesla's financial health was at risk, according to the memorandum of law sent to the court. The EV executive also insisted in a declaration that he told the truth in tweets at the heart of the dispute — he maintained he really had been considering taking Tesla private and had secured funding.

Musk also characterized the SEC's approach as "governmental abuse." Officials were allegedly using the agreement to police Musk's First Amendment free speech rights by requiring that he pass tweets through an approved monitor who would determine what he could say. The SEC has also made compliance "more onerous" than the settlement originally demanded, Musk's attorney argued. The Commission supposedly interpreted the consent decree as granting powers it didn't previously have, letting it issue subpoenas and otherwise conduct "never-ending investigations."

Musk further called for an order determining that a November 2021 subpoena over insider trading allegations exceeded the SEC's authority and was issued in "bad faith." The Twitter poll in question was just meant to gather input, Musk claimed, and not a disclosure of information the exec would have to report to the SEC. The Commission is investigating whether or not Musk's brother Kimbal was aware of the impending poll when he sold Tesla shares one day earlier.

The entrepreneur has routinely sparred with the SEC. He was teasing the agency mere days after announcing the 2018 settlement, and declared he could tweet what he wanted. Most recently, he and Tesla accused the SEC of mounting a "harassment campaign" to stifle his criticism of the government. The two contended the SEC couldn't issue subpoenas without requiring court approval.

Musk might not want to count on victory, however. The court rejected the previous demands, arguing they weren't specific enough. This latest effort is more focused, but it also hinges on the court accepting Musk's version of events — and that's far from guaranteed.

The House Judiciary Committee has asked the Department of Justice to investigate Amazon and some of the company's leaders over a possible criminal obstruction of Congress. In their letter, which was seen by The Wall Street Journal, committee members from both sides of the aisle say Amazon declined to provide information related to an antitrust investigation. 

The same representatives — Jerrold Nadler, David Cicilline, Ken Buck, Matt Gaetz and Pramila Jayapal — asked Amazon in October to provide evidence to back up testimony about the use of third-party seller data.

Amazon “refused to turn over business documents or communications that would either corroborate its claims or correct the record,” the committee members wrote in their most recent letter. “And it appears to have done so to conceal the truth about its use of third-party sellers’ data to advantage its private-label business and its preferencing of private-label products in search results — subjects of the Committee’s investigation.”

In 2020, Jeff Bezos, then the company's CEO, told the committee Amazon doesn't allow staff to use data from individual sellers to make competing products, but couldn't guarantee "that policy has never been violated." Executives also said in testimony that the company doesn't use seller data to copy products and then promote its versions in search results, despitereportsto the contrary.

The committee opened an antitrust investigation into Amazon, Apple, Meta and Alphabet in 2019. Of the four, the members have only accused Amazon of illegally obstructing the process.

“Amazon repeatedly endeavored to thwart the Committee’s efforts to uncover the truth about Amazon’s business practices,” they wrote. “For this, it must be held accountable.” They informed the DOJ of “potentially criminal conduct by Amazon and certain of its executives.”

"Amazon’s misconduct demonstrates the need for both accountability and change," Antitrust Subcommittee chair Cicilline wrote on Twitter. "The DOJ needs to determine whether Amazon’s conduct constitutes chargeable obstruction of Congress."

Engadget has contacted Amazon for comment.

Samsung's newest tablets have only been available for a few weeks, but they're already receiving discounts on Amazon. You can snag both the Galaxy Tab S8 and S8+ for less right now thanks to clippable coupons that knock $50 and $75 off the tablets, respectively. Just make sure to clip the coupon on the product page before checking out and you'll receive the discount. Amazon has credit codes for each as well that will give you up to $75 to use in the future. Use the code ZXDDSPWVWFRB if you're buying the Tab S8 and the code 3SQB2LND8NEE if you're buying the S8+ at checkout to get the respective credits.

We gave the Galaxy Tab S8+ the full review treatment and it earned a score of 85. It's a powerful, premium Android tablet that more than holds its own against the competition thanks to things like Dex mode and Samsung's S Pen. The slab is pretty sleek, measuring 0.22-inches thick and weighing only 1.24 pounds, and it has a gorgeous 12.4-inch OLED display that can hit 120Hz refresh rates. It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip and 8GB of RAM, and you can choose from 128GB or 256GB of storage. You may want to spring for Samsung's book cover keyboard if you want to use the tablet as a laptop replacement, but Samsung does include the S Pen in the box, which is a great perk.

Dex mode has come a long way since Samsung first debuted it, and now it's a handy feature for multitasking. It switches from the standard Android UI to one that's more desktop-like, with support for things like multiple windows and a taskbar. You'll likely spend a lot of time in Dex mode if you plan on using the Tab S8 as an on-the-go productivity machine. And if you're a fan of handwritten notes, Samsung's S Pen is better than ever on these tablets. The company reduced the input latency to only 2.8ms, making the pen an even better, smoother tool with which to take notes, doodle and more. As far as battery life goes, we got nearly 9.5 hours out of the Tab S8+, which should be enough to get you through most of a work day.

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The US government has addressed cryptocurrency in the past, but now it's taking a more comprehensive look. President Biden has signed an executive order detailing the country's first "whole-of-government" strategy for exploring cryptocurrency and other digital assets. Officials at multiple bureaus will explore the risks and potential advantages of crypto, both for individuals and the nation at large.

The Treasury Department and partners will recommend policies to protect people and businesses, including enough regulation to protect against "systemic financial risks." The Financial Stability Oversight Council, meanwhile, will help pinpoint economy-level dangers and suggest policies to match. On a broader level, government agencies will aim to "mitigate" risks of illegal activity and national security threats. The solution includes cooperation with international allies.

The strategy also sees cryptocurrency as a competitive tool, however. Biden's order will establish "urgency" in researching and possibly creating a central bank-backed digital currency, including cooperation with the Federal Reserve and "experimentation" with other countries. The Commerce Department will create a framework to help spur American leadership in digital assets, while the wider government will foster development of digital assets that maintain equitability, privacy, security and minimal environmental impact.

The Biden administration was clear on its goals. The order is meant to steer cryptocurrency and digital goods in a way that's "consistent with our democratic values," according to NEC Director Brian Deese and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. That is, it would help the US maintain a leading position in global finance without jeopardizing economic stability or worsening inequality.

The executive order promises to give the US a more unified and aggressive approach to cryptocurrency. Previously, it took a more reactive stance where regulators would crack down on illegal activity by applying existing rules to digital assets. Theoretically, this could lead to the creation of an official "digital dollar" and otherwise clear the way for crypto to further enter the mainstream.

With that said, the order is relatively short on firm policies, and doesn't establish timelines. There are no guarantees this will lead to concrete action, at least not in the near future. Still, the US government hasn't taken a holistic view of cryptocurrency before — it's a start, even if there's much more ground left to cover.

If you're on the market for a new pair of true wireless earbuds, Woot's latest electronics garage sale has a couple of compelling offers right now. The site knocked Apple's AirPods Pro with the MagSafe charging case down to $180 — not a record low, but a decent sale for this time of year — and discounted Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro to their record low of $105. As usual, be sure to check out Woot's return policy before making a purchase. Woot may be owned by Amazon, but it has a much different return policy than the online retail giant.

These are solid options for iPhone and Android users, respectively. The AirPods Pro remain Apple's best sounding earbuds, and chances are they'll fit your ears better than standard AirPods thanks to their interchangeable ear tips. We were impressed by the clarity in the sound quality, which can be attributed in part to Apple's Adaptive EQ feature, which automatically tunes more low- and mid-range frequencies to each user's ear. Active noise cancellation does a good job of blocking out environmental noise, and Transparency mode makes it easy to jump in and out of conversations when necessary. Battery life is decent, too: you can expect up to five hours of listening time and up to 24 hours total when you employ its charging case in between sessions.

Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro are a good alternative to the AirPods Pro for Android users. We gave them a score of 85 when they came out last year and called them the company's best sounding earbuds yet. They have a wider audio range than previous models along with solid active noise cancellation and improved calling features with three microphones and Wind Shield technology. We also liked their comfortable fit, five-hour battery life, wireless charging case and their IPX7-rated design, which should allow them to withstand sweaty workouts and accidental dunks in water.

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Now that people are socializing again as the pandemic (hopefully) winds down, Uber is tackling one of the most common problems of restaurant delivery apps: how to split the bill between friends. Uber Eats is relaunching group ordering with a new bill splitting feature — the first in a US delivery app, Uber claims. Once you create a group order, you just have to choose between paying for everything or asking guests to cover their share. This won't help in situations where only some people are paying, but it could save you the hassle of asking for money after the fact.

It's also easier to manage your upcoming group orders. You can set a deadline for everyone to submit their orders, and either auto-checkout at the deadline or make the purchase manually. Indecisive friends shouldn't be a problem, either, as you can set automatic reminders to nudge anyone who hasn't made a request.

Uber isn't new to the concept of divvying bills — ridesharing customers could split their fares as early as 2013. The addition is still welcome, though, and might help couples at home as much as it might friends on a night out. This might also put pressure on rivals that either don't have group orders or limit them to businesses paying from company accounts.

Mario has a lot of days worth celebrating — he made his first appearance in Donkey Kong way back in July 1981, while the first Mario Bros. title came out in July 1983 and Super Mario Bros. hit the scene in September 1985. So to make things easier Nintendo settled on March 10th as a day to celebrate all things Mario — written as “Mar10” for this now-yearly occasion. This year’s celebration is a bit of a subdued affair, but if you’re looking to save on some popular games, head on over to Amazon to order some normally $60 titles for only $40, a 33 percent discount.

Last week our deputy editor Nate Ingraham named Super Mario Bros. U Deluxeas one of his all-time faves for the Nintendo Switch, and right now you can snag it for only $40. Also for grabs at the same price are the must-have Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, 2019's Luigi’s Mansion 3,Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury and Yoshi's Crafted World.

Sports fans might also want to add Mario Tennis Aces to their collection for only $40 — unfortunately there are no deals on upcoming titles like Mario Strikers: Battle League. Another standout is Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, which usually costs $100 for a single kart set but you can grab Mario or Luigi for $60 each right now.

Titles on sale at other retailers include the delightful Mario + Rabbits Kingdom Battle for only $10 over at Nintendo.com, and you can grab Super Mario Odyssey for $48 at Walmart if you’re one of the Switch owners who doesn’t own a copy yet.

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Nothing, the brand started by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, will announce its 2022 roadmap in an event on March 23rd. While the company didn't reveal specifics other than a new community investment round that's coming this year, previous reports claimed that the company is developing its own smartphone that will be launched in April. 

It's said to feature design cues also found in the brand's wireless earbuds, specifically their element of transparency. If you haven't seen them yet, Nothing's earbuds have a see-through shell and come in a case that's mostly transparent, a design that adheres to the company's mission of making technology less obvious and more seamless. 

TechCrunch reported earlier this month that Pei showed the device to industry executives at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Famous leaker evleaks also tweeted a photo of Pei seemingly showing off a smartphone in his hand to Qualcomm chief Cristiano Amon. It was taken from a distance, however, so we'll have to wait for the official reveal — or for more detailed leaks to come out — for a clearer look. 

Considering Pei's background, it wouldn't come as a surprise if Nothing truly does release a smartphone. Pei previously told Bloomberg in an interview that the company is "building an ecosystem of smart devices" and that Nothing will build them "so these devices talk to each other." 

The Nothing (event): The Truth will take place on March 23rd at 2PM GMT/9AM EST. You can sign up to get notified when the livestream starts at Nothing's website.

Apple events can sometimes fizzle out. Besides the ceremony of a new iPhone series each year, it’s a little harder to get excited for Macs and iPads with slightly better chips and minor design tweaks. We saw a splash of color and some redesigns in the last year, but this March event was packed with devices for elements of the Apple audience that aren’t always catered for. For them, this might be an important Apple reveal.

I say this in hushed tones as a phone guy, but the Mac Studio could be the standout. It’s a pro-level desktop built to showcase Apple’s most powerful chip, the new M1 Ultra. The company says its new desktop runs up to 60 percent faster than a Mac Pro with its 28-core Intel processor. Also, counter to some of its laptops, it’s filled with ports. There are four Thunderbolt 4 connections, two USB-A ports, HDMI and 10Gbps Ethernet. Also! There’s an SD card slot and two additional USB-C connectors on the front of the computer. The bad news might be that it starts at $2,000, but it still isn’t quite the Mac Pro beast some creatives are waiting on. That's "for another day," according to Apple. Oh, and there’s a new display to go with it.

At the other end of the scale, the iPhone SE makes a return. And it’s still got a home button. This means it looks like its predecessor, mostly. However, it’s now got 5G (welcome to 2022) and an updated quad-core A15 Bionic processor — the same processor as Apple’s iPhone 13 series, but now in a phone that costs $429. Finally, Apple’s iPad Air also sticks to its 2020 redesign. It has a new front-facing camera sensor and, like the 2021 iPad Pro, features Apple’s M1 chip.

We go into finer detail below, or if you need a swift overview, we’ve pulled all the bullet points together right here.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Itch.io's $10 bundle with almost 1,000 games will benefit charities helping Ukraine

• Google is buying cybersecurity company Mandiant for $5.4 billion

• Apple discontinues the 27-inch iMac

• The new iPhone SE vs. the competition

• Apple's Mac Studio is a tiny pro-level desktop powered by M1 Ultra

• The new iPad Air gets a big performance boost with Apple’s M1 chip

• AMD vows to fix Ryzen chip stuttering issues on Windows with new update

The new iPhone SE adds 5G but keeps the home button

Apple's budget-friendly phone looks exactly like its predecessor.

Apple

As I mentioned in the intro, there are no major design shakeups here. The new iPhone SE is a more affordable version of the flagship range, now packing an A15 Bionic processor, some new camera tricks (despite the single lens) and a familiar home button. With the upgraded internals (including power efficiencies from iOS 15), Apple says we’ll see better battery life performance compared to the last model. The 4.7-inch screen is covered with what Apple calls the "toughest glass in a smartphone on both the front and back."

Continue reading.

Apple unveils its most powerful chip yet, the M1 Ultra

It's basically two M1 Max chips fused together.

Following the M1, M1 Pro and M1 Max, Apple is adding a new member to the family: the M1 Ultra. The M1 Ultra is essentially two M1 Max chips put together, making it even better for intensive creative applications like video editing and 3D rendering. Apple says the M1 Max chips feature a die-to-die interconnect, dubbed UltraFusion, and its specs are basically what happens when you sandwich two M1 Max chips: the Ultra features a 20-core CPU (16 high-performance and 4 high-efficiency cores) and a 64-core GPU. Apple says it should offer up to eight times faster graphics than the original M1 chip.

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Apple announces the 27-inch 5K Studio Display for Mac Studio

It starts at $1,599.

Apple

As expected, Apple is adding a new display to its product lineup. The Apple Studio Display is a standalone monitor with a 5K retina panel with 14.7 million pixels, 600 nits of brightness and P3 wide color gamut coverage. It’s more for work, less for gaming, topping out at a 60Hz refresh rate. We’re sure Apple thinks it’d go really nicely with a new Mac Studio desktop.

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Gogoro unveils the first swappable solid-state EV battery

Electric scooters could deliver more range without bigger batteries.

Some Apple respite. Gogoro, best known for its scooters and charging stations, has announced what it claims is the world's first swappable solid-state EV battery. Using solid-state batteries, the lithium ceramic prototype is compatible with Gogoro's current scooters but should deliver a much higher capacity — the two companies are targeting 2.5kWh versus the 1.7kWh of existing hardware. The end result is greater range and improved safety.

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Eargo 6 review: Tiny hearing aids that don't scrimp on features

It’s closing in on the incumbents.

Engadget

In the world of hearing aids, Eargo stands out. The company operates more like a technology company than a slow, plodding medical-device provider — it has a rapid annual release cycle more similar to Apple, Samsung and the rest. In version 6, it’s added customizable sound profiles, as well as sound adjustment features to help make the Eargo better fit with your own hearing levels and preferences.

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You can get a Google Nest WiFi with one or two access points at a discount right now on Best Buy, Adorama and B&H. A two-pack bundle with the Nest router itself and a single access point will set you back $189 across all those websites. That's only $10 more than its price during Google's pre-Black Friday sale last year and $80 less than its retail price of $269. 

The three-pack Google Nest WiFi is also on sale for $249 at the moment. That's $100 off for the bundle that typically costs $349, which includes the router and two access points. Google's Nest WiFi router has a range of around 2,200 square feet, and each point adds 1,600 square feet to that. You'll definitely want to grab a multipack instead of a lone router if you have a big, multi-story house.

We gave the Google Nest WiFi router a score of 84 in our review, where we praised it for being simple to install and use. It barely requires any setup, and its wireless radios are twice as powerful as the ones inside the old Google WiFi router. We also praised both the router and the access points for having unobtrusive designs that wouldn't clash with most home decor. 

The access points don't just boost the router's range, as well. They also work as speakers with built-in Google Assistant that you can use to issue voice commands. While we found that it can't quite replace a proper speaker when we tested it, its sound quality was no different from a standalone Google Home Mini. The router and its access points don't support WiFi 6, which could be a dealbreaker if you're looking for something that'll last for the next few years or so. But in all, we found the Google Nest WiFi devices fast and reliable with a painless setup process that's certainly a plus. 

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