Spot and the rest of the Boston Dynamics family may get all the attention, but Hyundai has a robotics division separate from the firm it acquired earlier in the year. This week, the automaker unveiled the Mobile Eccentric Droid or MobED, a new mobility platform for taking on even the trickiest surfaces and uneven ground.

The company’s Robotics Lab says it developed MobED to overcome the limitations of existing indoor and service robots. Each of the robot’s wheels features independent power and steering control systems that allow it to rotate in place and move in any direction. It also has an eccentric drive system, hence the name, that allows it to independently adjust the height of each of its wheels. As you can see from the video, that means it can provide a stable platform for something as delicate as glass.  

MobED can expand its wheelbase up to about 25 inches when it needs as much stability as possible. It can also contract to about 17 inches when it finds itself in more complex environments. All told, the platform is approximately 26 inches long, 23 inches wide and 13 inches tall. A 2 kWh battery allows the robot to drive for approximately four hours on a single charge.

Outside of working as a service robot, Hyundai envisions MobED helping out in places like the movie industry where film crews could mount their equipment to the platform. It could also be used for deliveries and other purposes where stability is essential. We’ll get a chance to see more of the robot when Hyundai demos it at CES 2022 next month. However, the company hasn't said if it plans to commercialize MobED. 

It seems TikTok is getting into livestreaming from desktops. The service is testing a Windows app called TikTok Live Studio, which allows users to run broadcasts on the platform using their computer.

Users can stream directly to TikTok Live using the software. One of the most obvious use cases for the app is for livestreaming games, which could turn TikTok into a serious competitor to the likes of Twitch given the already-enormous reach of the platform. Live Studio users are able to broadcast content from their computer, phone or game console.

TikTok Live Studio seems fairly barebones for now. Creators can switch on features like gifting, comments and keyword filters. However, they're unable to set browser windows as a source for their streams, have moderators or create alerts for new followers or tips, as they can with other livestreaming software such as OBS and Streamlabs.

Still, it's worth bearing in mind these are early days for the app. TikTok told TechCrunch that only a few thousand users have access for now. If it decides to move forward with the app, the company will likely expand the Live Studio feature set over time. 

Should TikTok add all of the other necessary bells and whistles streamers want to Live Studio, it could become a viable destination for those who want to forego the likes of Twitch and YouTube or tap into an existing fanbase on the platform. Among other things, the app could give creators a way to bring their broadcasts and on-demand videos together in one place.

DirecTV may have promised no hidden fees following its spinoff from AT&T, but it's not shy about raising the prices themselves. Varietyreports the TV provider will hike the prices of most current and legacy streaming packages on January 23rd, 2022. Only "minimum service" offerings will remain untouched. Everything else is going up. Some increases are modest, such as for Optimo Mas and Choice ($4 and $5 respectively), but grandfathered users subscribed to tiers like Ultimate or Premier will pay $10 more per month.

The move raises the base pricing of DirecTV's Stream Choice to $90 per month, while Premier will cost $150 per month. Satellite customers won't be immune to increases, either. Outside of minimum service and ChineseDirect Plus, you'll see increases on January 23rd between $1 (for most Basic and Family plans) to $10 (for Max and Plus). And while some regional sports fees are dropping in price, there's now a fifth, $12 per month tier on top of the previous $10 maximum. You may see a price drop or increase depending on your ZIP code.

The firm wasn't shy about its reasoning. While hikes like these are frequently pinned on steeper programming costs, DirecTV said "higher-than normal inflation" from suppliers was also to blame. It costs more to offer service, and the company is passing on at least some of those costs to its customers.

These increases are common in the TV industry, and that includes streaming rivals. Hulu recently revealed it would raise its Live TV pricing by $5, and YouTube TV now costs $65 per month where it started at just $35. DirecTV is relatively expensive, though, and the higher prices might not help matters.

With the 2021 holiday shopping season in its final stretch, Google is adding a handful of features to Chrome to help you find last-minute deals. In the US, the Android version of the browser now includes an updated tab interface that makes it easier to see the price of something when you're switching between open web pages. The company suggests the feature will help you spot a price drop without constantly refreshing a page. Handy that.

The next time you use Chrome on your iPhone or Android device, you'll also notice a newly added Google Lens icon in the search bar. You can use it to conduct visual searches. Tap the icon and point your phone's camera at something. The company suggests Lens integration in Chrome mobile could be helpful when you're out window shopping.

As previously announced, Lens is also coming to the Mac and Windows versions of Chrome. Once it's available, you'll have the option to right-click on an image, tap "Search images with Google Lens" and draw an outline around something to see if you can find more information about what's in front of you. 

Lastly, if you're someone who tends to leave purchases incomplete, you'll see a new "Your carts" card when you open a tab. It will show you all the websites where you have open carts. The company announced this feature at I/O 2021, and now it's rolling out in the US. Google notes some of its retail partners may even offer you a discount to complete a purchase if they notice you abandoned a cart. Is it on the pushy side? Definitely, but some people could also find it helpful. All the 

TikTok is planning some key changes to the For You page (FYP), the app's home screen. It will adjust the algorithm that populates the FYP with a never-ending stream of videos to stop it from showing too much of the same kinds of content.

"As we continue to develop new strategies to interrupt repetitive patterns, we're looking at how our system can better vary the kinds of content that may be recommended in a sequence," TikTok wrote in a blog post. "That's why we're testing ways to avoid recommending a series of similar content — such as around extreme dieting or fitness, sadness or breakups — to protect against viewing too much of a content category that may be fine as a single video but problematic if viewed in clusters."

The service is also working on a way to identify when the algorithm only shows a user limited kinds of videos. It notes that, while videos about loneliness or weight loss might not violate the platform's rules, those kinds of videos could have a negative impact if they make up most of what a user sees on the For You page. So, preventing that from happening is important.

"Our goal is for each person's For You feed to feature a breadth of content, creators, and topics," TikTok said, noting that too many similar videos appearing in the feed doesn't reflect the kind of experience it wants to foster. The service is consulting with its Content Advisory Council and the community, as well as experts from the fields of medicine, clinical psychology and AI ethics.

In addition, TikTok is developing an option that will let users block videos linked to certain words or hashtags on the For You page. That will give them more control over what they see on the home screen.

The FYP recommendation algorithm is TikTok's secret sauce and one of the main reasons why the app became incredibly popular. The app's systems monitor users' engagement habits, such as how long the screen stays on a particular piece of content and the videos someone likes, to determine the kinds of videos that might keep them hooked on the FYP.

At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing in October on the effect of social media on children and teens, senators pressed representatives from TikTok, Youtube and Snap on several matters. Among them was how their algorithms might promote content about issues like eating disorders and self harm.

TikTok's latest announcement might help to soothe the lawmakers' concerns. The platform notes that it'll take some "time and iteration" to make these changes to systems and tools and to get them right.

Never mind trying to attract Twitch legends to rival services— Facebook Gaming just landed one of the world's biggest sports personalities. Soccer star Neymar Jr. has signed a deal to livestream exclusively on Facebook, with his first official broadcast starting December 17th at 2PM Eastern on his page. He'll stream games "multiple times" per month and pair with another creator once each month.

Don't expect the Paris Saint-Germain forward to play FIFA despite his real-world skills. Varietynoted Neymar previously streamed the likes of Call of Duty and Counter-Strike on Twitch, and we wouldn't rule out some Fortnite when he appeared in the game earlier this year.

The deal won't necessarily shift the balance of livestreaming away from Twitch and YouTube, and we wouldn't expect many more deals like this. There are only so many top-tier athletes who are interested enough in video games to livestream them, after all. When Neymar has over 88 million Facebook followers, though, this could easily lead to large audiences and raise Facebook Gaming's profile.

Apple has now, for the fourth time, had to adjust its return-to-office plans. Workers were slated to begin a hybrid schedule in February, though the rapid spread of the Omicron variant has thrown a wrench in those contentious plans.

Over the course of the pandemic, Apple has repeatedly attempted to set guidance for when in-person work would begin again. The initial target of September 2021 was been received poorly by some employees who formed a "remote work advocates" Slack channel and circulated a letter critical of the policy proposal. The Delta variant necessitated further delays, which were targeted to January, and then February of 2022. 

The rapid transmissibility of Omicron has brought back mask mandates for Apple stores around the country this week. Three retail locations in Annapolis, Ottawa and Miami were also closed after outbreaks of the virus.

Lyft, Uber and Google parent Alphabet have also pushed back their office returns, with the latter two, like Apple, setting no new target date. It's nearly certain that other companies with the option of remote work will follow suit in the coming days and weeks. 

Meta's Portal devices are now much more practical for the deaf and hard of hearing. The social media giant has teamed with ZP Better Together to enable Video Relay Services (VRS) on Portal hardware through apps, letting you bring an English or Spanish sign language interpreter into conversations with hearing people. You can place video calls to a far larger audience, in other words, and ZP's interpreters are available 24/7 if a chat can't wait.

The functionality works across the range of Portal products. You can also apply to receive a free Portal through ZP's website if you're deaf or hard of hearing.

The move could help Meta corner video calling for those with hearing issues, of course, but that doesn't change the vital role it could serve for some people. While smart displays have long been useful for calls between sign language users, this expansion could help the hard of hearing communicate with virtually anyone. That's particularly important during a pandemic, when in-person interpreters might not be available.

Alphabet's smart city project is winding down and Google will take over its products. Sidewalk Labs CEO Dan Doctoroff announced the news in a letter, in which he noted he is stepping down for health-related reasons. A spokesperson confirmed to Engadget that Sidewalk Labs will no longer continue as a standalone unit after the transition, though Alphabet plans to spin out Canopy Buildings as a separate company.

"Starting next year, Sidewalk products Pebble, Mesa, Delve, and Affordable Electrification will join Google, becoming core to Google’s urban sustainability product efforts," Doctoroff wrote. "These products will continue to be led by Sidewalk Labs President of Urban Products Prem Ramaswami and Chief Technology Officer Craig Nevill-Manning, both Google alumni, and the teams will continue to execute on their vision and serve customers."

Pebble is a vehicle sensor system designed to manage curb and parking space, and Delve is centered around bolstering real estate development with the help of AI. Mesa sensors are designed to help save energy, while Affordable Electrification is about managing home energy use. Canopy Buildings, meanwhile, focuses on "factory-automated mass timber construction."

Doctoroff started Sidewalk Labs within Google six years ago and it later became its own company under the wing of Alphabet. In October 2017, Sidewalk Labs announced plans to build a smart neighborhood on Toronto's waterfront. Quayside would have featured, among other things, delivery robots and an array of sensors to manage things like noise, traffic and pollution.

However, Sidewalk Labs shut down the project in May last year. Doctoroff said at the time that “unprecedented economic uncertainty” as a result of COVID-19 and other compromises it would have to make meant its vision for Quayside was no longer viable. The company also advised on development projects across North America.

Several companies were spun out of Sidewalk Labs, including Cityblock Health, which aims to reinvent health care for underserved communities; Replica, a controversial data collection project which aims to revamp transportation planning; and Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners, which Doctoroff says "pioneered new forms of tech-enabled infrastructure."

Doctoroff said he's stepping aside after doctors determined it was likely that he has ALS or Lou Gherig's Disease. He's focusing on spending more time with his family and fighting the condition. In 2010, Doctoroff started an organization focused on building a new, collaborative approach to ALS research after the deaths of his father and uncle, who had both been diagnosed with the disease.

Pixelmator Photo has been available for pros and enthusiasts who want to work with photos on their iPads, and now it's an option in their pockets. Pixelmator has released a version of Photo for the iPhone that brings the advanced image editor to smaller screens. Much like the tablet app and Pixelmator Pro, you can make a wide range of non-destructive edits to photos either from the phone (including ProRAW from some iPhones) or from 600-plus RAW formats from dedicated cameras.

You'll most likely be using some of the 30-plus color adjustments, including basics like exposure and white balance through to a wheel-based color balance system like you'd find for video grading. However, Pixelmator Photo also makes use of some helpful (if increasingly familiar) AI editing features, including object removal and upscaling for low-resolution shots. You can also expect fairly tight integration with Apple's Photos and iCloud, such as saving edits to (or opening images from) your library.

Pixelmator Photo normally sells for $8, but it's available for $4 to help spur iPhone buyers. The app is a free update for those already using the iPad version. This probably won't tear you away from Adobe Lightroom and other pro photo editing apps, but Pixelmator's classic strategy might still apply here. It's offering an affordable, pay-once alternative to Lightroom's Premium membership and other subscriptions you frequently need for this level of editing.