Tesla has issued its second recall in as many weeks, although this may be more strategic than it is urgent. As the APnoted, The new recall covers 11,704 Tesla EVs from 2017 or newer (including the Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X) that were prone to "false-positive braking" after a buggy Full Self-Driving beta update from October 23rd led to a communications breakdown between two chips. The company fixed the issue on October 25th. The day before, it also cancelled the flawed update and disabled emergency braking on cars still using that beta release.
There were no reports of crashes or injuries, Tesla said. The automaker decided to issue a recall on October 26th.
The recall may have been meant to prevent conflicts with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency sent a letter to Tesla on October 12th asking why it didn't issue a recall when it fixed an Autopilot software issue that reportedly led to collisions with emergency vehicles. Tesla knows car manufacturers are required to issue recalls for any safety issues, the NHTSA said. It's not clear how Tesla responded to that inquiry before a November 1st deadline, but the company might now be in the habit of issuing recalls for software-related safety problems.
The notice highlights the changing nature of recalls. While recalls for hardware-only flaws haven't changed much (just ask Chevy and LG), software-related issues are another matter. Now that more and more cars accept over-the-air updates, it's possible for companies like Tesla to issue recalls for bugs they've already fixed. Brands may have to make it particularly clear when a recall demands real-world service, as that might not always be clear going forward.
Mozilla has rolled out Firefox 94 for Android and iOS, and with it comes a new homepage that makes it easier to go back to what you were doing before you had to close the app. In its announcement, the organization said it wanted to "lift that heavy mental burden of remembering to finish those halfway read articles or vacation research" until you're ready to finish them. The new homepage has an easy way to jump back into your last open tab, and it now contains your most recently saved bookmarks.
There's no need to go to the bookmarks menu or access your browsing history anymore, if you just want to access the last bookmarks you've saved or viewed. If you have a Firefox account and also use the browser on desktop, your most recently saved bookmarks on desktop will also be added to the mobile homepage. Further, you can quickly access all your bookmarks by clicking Show All.
The new homepage for Android also has the ability to group search queries by topic. Say, you're looking up things for an upcoming vacation — the browser now groups and lists the results you access instead of opening them in separate tabs. To keep things clean, those groups of information will only be available within 14 days. Speaking of keeping things clutter-free, the new Firefox will now mark tabs as "inactive" if you haven't visited them within the last 14 days. You can still go back to them after that, but they'll no longer clutter your view. Similar to topics grouping, this particular feature is only available on Android at the moment and will arrive on iOS in the coming months.
Finally, Mozilla is making Firefox's Pocket feed customizable. If you're on Android, you'll now be able to choose the topics of the stories you want to populate your feed. You'll still get Pocket stories on iOS, but the ability to customize topics isn't available for the platform yet.
Let’s be honest, it’s been a rough decade at this point, and things seem to be getting worse rather than better. Online radicalization has seen many of the world’s political systems spin out of control to the point of uselessness. Climate change is a problem facing literally all of us that few in power seem interested in addressing. And our economic situation seems to be predicated on everyone buying lots of stuff all the time, despite the fact that most of the cost of living is swallowed up by housing. It’s a lot, and things can feel generally very bleak right now.
But, as the proverb says, it is always better to light a candle than it is to curse the darkness, so we’ve brought some matches. Today is a good time to try and make a positive impact in the world by backing organizations that can make the world a little better for all of us. That includes helping to better educate future generations, making life easier for kids who need serious medical care, or are in poverty, as well as addressing the climate crisis. This could never be an exhaustive list of good causes to donate to, but we’ve tried to pick out charities and non-profits whose general aims are probably already supported by Engadget readers.
Able Gamers
Able Gamers
Able Gamers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN: 30-0533750. It has been given a 97/100 score by Charity Navigator.
Able Gamers was set up in 2004 to help people with disabilities to play video games and to make games more accessible overall. Given that video gaming can often help connect people over long distances, its use to combat isolation has never been more relevant.
As well as working with individuals, it has a large role in advocating for better game and peripheral design to help empower players. Its most notable achievement, arguably, is its involvement in creating Microsoft’s Xbox Adaptive Controller.
Bridging Tech is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN: 85-1031712. It has not yet been evaluated or given a score by Charity Navigator.
Bridging Tech was founded by a pair of Stanford students concerned that COVID-19 would exacerbate inequalities in the education system. The transition to online learning risked leaving behind a number of children who lacked access to their own computer and internet connection.
That’s where Bridging Tech comes in, receiving donated laptops, refurbishing them for educational use and taking them to children affected by homelessness. The team’s focus is getting devices in the hands of K-12 students living in shelters across many cities in the US.
It’s early days, but so far Bridging Tech has taken in 2,653 devices and has plans to expand in the near future. It works with Computers 2 Kids (C2K) which helps process and refurbish the machines ready to be handed to a child in need.
There are two ways in which you can support Bridging Tech: Either with a financial donation, or by handing over your old machine. If you are in college, meanwhile, you can sign up to help tutor a homeless child, coaching them through subjects and their SAT or ACT examinations.
Child’s Play is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN: 20-3584556. It has been given a 100/100 score by Charity Navigator.
Child’s Play is a non-profit that donates toys and games to children’s hospitals and domestic violence shelters around the world. The group also ensures that the titles on offer are relevant and appropriate for the environment and can be used as an educational or therapeutic tool.
Of course, a big part of the group’s mission is to make staying in hospital less of a traumatic experience for children. Being able to play a video game helps kids with long-term care needs to feel like they’re in a comforting, home-like environment.
You can support Child’s Play with a financial donation, as well as buying merchandise from its store. In addition, a number of hospitals have dedicated Amazon wishlists which, should you wish to support a local (or far away) facility.
Clean Air Task Force is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN: 04-3512550. It has been given a 93.72/100 score by Charity Navigator.
The Clean Air Task Force is a body that works with lawmakers to push for climate-friendly policies. It was founded in 1996 with the aim of getting old, coal-fired power plants to be held to the same emissions standards as new plants.
Since then, the group has worked to advocate for further reductions in carbon emissions from energy generation. As Vox reported last year, the CATF was lauded both by Founders Pledge and Giving Green for its success at promoting bi-partisan cooperation on emissions laws.
You can support the Clean Air Task Force with an online donation, wire transfer or even by making a gift of stocks or other securities.
Code.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN: 46-0858543. It has been given a 100/100 score by Charity Navigator.
Code.org is a non-profit organization which aims to expand access to computer science in schools. Its mission is to give every child the opportunity to study the subject and, in fact, it provides much of the K12-curriculum in a number of US schools. In addition, it offers a wide variety of courses for you to try at home at no cost, which are pitched at pretty much any age group. I’ve been letting my five-year-old have a go at some of the very basic coding tutorials and she loves them so much it’s hard to get my iPad back from her.
If you want to support Code.org, you can make a financial donation, or get involved with your local school’s program. That can be as simple as asking the school to teach computer science (using Code.org’s classroom materials) and there are materials online to teach your own kids how to code. In addition, if you are a software engineer, you can volunteer your time to be a guest speaker in a classroom or teach an “Hour of Code” session. If you can speak a different language, meanwhile, you can contribute to translating educational materials.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN: 04-3091431. It has been given a 94.9/100 score by Charity Navigator.
Obviously, any round-up of good causes to support within the tech sector starts with the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Founded in 1990, the organization has a mission to protect free expression, privacy and digital security, and uphold the rights of individuals all over the world. The body has worked to improve voting security in the US, battling frivolous lawsuits that threaten free speech and critiquing badly-written, illiberal or generally stupid legislation.
You can support the EFF with a cash donation, as well as gifts of stock, cryptocurrencies and through AmazonSmile purchases. While it has previously accepted donations of hardware, it’s not currently doing so, although you can donate your vehicle to its cause. If you want to support the body with your own skills, you can volunteer to help, with coders, translators, technologists, community organizers, attorneys, researchers and designers all required.
Girls Who Code is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN: 30-0728021. It has been given a 100/100 score by Charity Navigator.
Girls Who Code is a non-profit organization with the aim of encouraging girls to study STEM, specifically computer science, subjects. It runs a series of classes for young women as after school clubs, short courses and summer schools.
For instance, newbie coders can sign up to a Girls Who Code Club, and spend one or two hours a week learning the basics of software development. These are run for grades 3-12 in K-12 schools, as well as in 200 colleges across the US. The body says that it has already helped teach computer science to 450,000 girls, with half of that figure coming from “historically underrepresented groups.”
You can support Girls Who Code with a financial donation, via Classy.org, or they can set up a club to help train more coders locally. Would-be club leaders need access to technology and a space at a school, library or other public space for one or two hours a week, and will be required to pass a background check.
While it can be tricky to find the right smart lock for your door, August's WiFi smart lock is one of the most versatile out there since it fits over most regular deadbolts. Its easy installation process is one of the reasons why we gave it a score of 80 when we first reviewed it, but we also knocked it for its higher price tag. But now you can grab the capable smart lock for $50 less at Amazon while it's down to a record low of $180. It hasn't gone on sale like this in months, so now's the time to buy one if you've been eyeing it for a while.
August didn't mess with the good stuff when updating its WiFi smart lock. The fourth-generation device is smaller than the previous and it doesn't require a bridge thanks to its WiFi connectivity. Like most smart home devices, you'll follow a few setup videos in the companion mobile app to set the lock up, and during that process you'll have to turn on two-factor authentication. It's a necessary step and we were glad to see it as that extra layer of security is important for all connected devices — especially those that lock and unlock your home. And on top of that, the WiFi smart lock also has Bluetooth encryption plus AES 128-bit and TLS encryption.
After setting it up, August's device can be controlled from its companion app, allowing you to remotely lock and unlock your door. This lets you easily let friends and family members in when you're not home, and its Auto-Lock feature can detect when you've shut the door and automatically secure it. And your old-school keys aren't suddenly useless either — you can still use them with the WiFi smart lock installed, so if you ever forget to replace the lock's dual CR123 batteries, you can still get into your home. Before you decide to buy, check out August's support page to double check that your deadbolt is compatible with the smart lock.
In addition to its WiFi-connected pellet grills, Traeger offers a range of gear and supplies to help you complete your grilling sessions. From tools to tray liners, plus a range of rubs and sauces, the company will sell you everything you need for its grills to smoke a brisket or cook a few dozen wings. Now the company is expanding further to give you literally everything you might need for a full meal, with all of the dishes cooked directly from on its grills. Trager Provisions is a HelloFresh-like meal kit that includes the meat, sides, rubs, sauces and more needed for a complete backyard feast that will feed crowds small and large.
At launch, the meat options are Wagyu beef brisket, Poulet Rouge chicken and Berkshire St. Louis pork ribs. Traeger says portion sizes for all three will accommodate 4-8 people, depending on the protein. For the brisket, the company also offers an option for 14-16 people (half brisket vs. whole brisket). With the smaller packages, you get the choice of two sides and four come with the big brisket feast. Right now, the options include three-cheese mac and cheese, bourbon baked beans with bacon, collard greens with bacon and cornbread with spiced brown sugar. All of the side dishes come in “Traeger-ready” foil pans, so they’re good to go on the grill quickly. Prices range from $150 to $180 for the smaller packages, while the larger whole brisket box is $250. Shipping is an additional $10.
Billy Steele/Engadget
Traeger is also preparing three holiday options for Thanksgiving. These Provisions boxes are more expensive at $220-$250, but the Heritage black turkey, naked turkey breast and rolled and trussed porchetta options will feed 8-10 people according to Traeger. They come with three side dishes instead of two and there are seasonal options like green bean casserole or apricot and bacon stuffing. The two turkey packages can also be upsized for 18-20 people for another $100.
As you might expect, all of this ships frozen and packed with dry ice. To start, Traeger is shipping the boxes to Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming and Utah. Since the meat and sides will be solid when they arrive, you’ll need to add a few days into your meal planning timeline, and the company offers detailed guidance on how to do exactly that as part of its cooking directions.
In addition to advice on the thawing process, Traeger includes all of the steps to prep the meat for the grill. That includes any trimming or seasoning that needs to be completed beforehand. The printed directions also guide you through the entire cook, with details on when to wrap (if necessary) and when to put the sides on the grill. It’s basically a paper-based version of Traeger’s app that offers step-by-step instructions with tons of recipes. If you need additional help, the directions have QR codes for videos and more info on tricky steps like trimming a brisket. There’s also guidance for how to prepare and cook the sides, including cooking bacon to mix in or topping a dish with bread crumbs before putting it on the grill. Lastly, supplies like rubs, sauces, pickled veggies, “pitmaster snacks,” gloves and butcher paper are all included. You literally just have to provide the grill and a bag of pellets.
Billy Steele/Engadget
I tested out Traeger Provisions with a Wagyu beef brisket Smokehouse Box. I selected the smaller size for 7-8 people, which included a six-pound Brisket, three-cheese mac and cheese, bourbon baked beans with bacon and all of the aforementioned accoutrements. Even though I have experience with barbecue and Traeger’s recipes for its grills, I followed the Provisions directions closely, and the guidance was clear and easy for cooking on the Ironwood 650. I only deviated in an attempt to brown the breadcrumbs on the mac in the oven and popped the beans in there to keep them warm. Cooking steps helped with timing too, which can be difficult when you’re trying to have meat and sides all ready at the same time.
Obviously, the brisket was the star of the show. Mine was slightly dry as I have a tendency to over trim the extra fat, but that’s a me problem and not an issue with Traeger’s culinary tips. Still, the Wagyu beef was perfectly marbled so the fatty cuts were more forgiving to my butchering mistakes. Those remained quite moist and very tasty. Consensus among my family was that the mac and cheese was also a winner, with the herby, garlicky thick sauce serving as a great complement to the brisket. The baked beans we didn’t care for, but that’s likely because they were more what I’d call “barbeque beans” with a thinner sauce than the thick, molasses-tinged dish we’re used to in the Carolinas. I also enjoyed the “pitmaster snacks,” which included a smoked nut mix and smoked beef jerky.
The directions helped me time everything perfectly so we weren’t waiting on one thing to finish while the rest got cold. I think the portions are also accurately calculated. Eight servings would’ve been stretching it, but I could have easily gotten six or seven out of the half brisket box. The ribs option also seems okay in terms of portions, but the Poulet Rouge chicken might not. Four half chickens for 6-8 people seems like a stretch unless these are massively huge birds.
Billy Steele/Engadget
So, who are these boxes for? Most backyard cooks with some experience will likely have their go-to butcher or grocery store for proteins. They probably also have tricks for easy sides so they can focus on the meats. At $150, you’re definitely paying for convenience, in addition to high-quality beef, pork or poultry.
The ability to have everything you need in one box with detailed directions on how to prepare it can take some of the stress out of party planning. There is some lead time required though, so you can’t grab one of these on Tuesday for a cookout on Saturday. At the end of the day though, I don’t think that price is astronomical based on what Traeger is offering. Is it something you’ll do a lot? No. Will it come in handy in certain circumstances? Absolutely. I can see plenty of people being interested in having most of their Thanksgiving meal planning done with a few clicks.
I can also see Traeger Provisions serving as a great gift for new grill owners. Sure, it’s a considerable amount to spend on someone, but it would definitely help a novice get their feet wet with some step-by-step oversight. Plus, they might not have all the supplies they need yet — little things like butcher paper and gloves, for example.
Traeger is now taking orders for its Provisions boxes that will be delivered between November 10th and 14th. If you’re considering one of those Thanksgiving packages, you’ll need to order by November 14th to get it in time. Just remember: Traeger Provisions is only delivering to select states at this time.
iPhones could soon detect car crashes and auto-dial 911Blu-rays are so done. Using high-speed lasers, researchers have created new data storage tech that could write and keep 500TB of data on a CD-sized glass disc. The 5D storage tech has higher writing speeds that might make it feasible to large-scale archiving projects. Each file uses three layers of nanoscale dots. The dots' size, orientation and position within the three standard dimensions make up the five "dimensions."
This kind of optical storage isn’t new, but there were problems in the past, particularly slow writing speeds. The new technique has sped this process up substantially, to around 230 KB per second. And, yes, that sounds pretty slow, but it could provide a way to backup data, essentially forever. It's been estimated the storage medium could withstand temperatures up to 1,000 degrees C and last 13.8 billion years at room temperature without degrading.
So what is it? Well, it’s basically a tiny puck-shaped computer dedicated to remixing Kanye’s latest album. Using it, you can change the volume of different stems, or tracks, in the songs on Donda. For instance, if you’re wondering what “Off the Grid” would sound like as an instrumental, you can simply turn down the vocals. Terrence O’Brien begrudgingly tested it out.
Thanks to some early hints in iOS 15.1, Beats’ latest earbuds are hardly a surprise. The company officially debuted its latest model: the $200 Beats Fit Pro. With a similar design to the Studio Buds that arrived earlier this year, this new pair offers active noise cancellation (ANC) alongside almost all of the features from Apple’s third-generation AirPods. Its shape seals off your ear, so ANC and transparency mode are available. Bass levels are ample without overpowering for a sound profile that’s noticeably better than Beats’ previous model. Our headphones expert Billy Steele seems to like them.
Even though Black Friday is over three weeks away, some major retailers are getting in on the action early. Among them is Amazon, which has slashed prices on its own devices. One of the products you can save on at the minute is the Kindle, which is $40 off at $50. Kindle Kids, meanwhile, is on sale for $60 (usually $110).
Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) is now the crime lord of Tatooine. The trailer shows Fett and his partner, Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen, reprising her role from The Mandalorian), ruling the desert planet's underworld. The show is set to arrive at the end of December.
And you don't have to spend a fortune to buy a good one.
If you’re thinking of getting a laptop or tablet as a gift, you’ve got a wealth of options. In the latest round of hardware from Intel, Apple, AMD and NVIDIA, all of our portable devices have gotten steadily faster and more efficient. We’ve got wildcards, too, like the cheapest iPad or gaming laptops now have almost all of the power of their desktop siblings. And with the arrival of Windows 11, it's a perfect time to give someone a nifty PC upgrade. Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar, our go-to laptop guy, lays out the best options.
Apple is working on the same feature for its Watch, too.
Apple plans to unveil a feature called crash detection for both iPhones and Watches, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The feature would supposedly use sensors like the accelerometer built into Apple devices. Apple has reportedly been working on this for several years and testing it using real-world data.
Years ago, Google introduced a similar feature for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 4 via its Personal Safety app that can detect when you've been in a car crash and alert emergency services. Even GM has been offering it for years in its cars with OnStar and recently introduced crash detection to smartphones via the OnStar Guardian app.
Last week, a press release from Hertz indicated that the rental company had placed an order for 100,000 Tesla Model 3s for its rental fleet. Late yesterday, however, Elon Musk tweeted that the order is far from firm, saying that "no contract has been signed yet," Gizmodo has reported.
Hertz's announcement stated that it made "a significant investment to offer the largest EV rental fleet in North America... [which] includes an initial order of 100,000 Tesla's by the end of 2022." That release and a report from Bloomberg, combined with other good news about sales in Europe, may have motivated investors to push Tesla's value over the $1 trillion mark.
You’re welcome!
If any of this is based on Hertz, I’d like to emphasize that no contract has been signed yet.
Tesla has far more demand than production, therefore we will only sell cars to Hertz for the same margin as to consumers.
Hertz only left bankruptcy four months ago after being purchased by distressed-debt firm Knighthead Capital Management and other firms for $6 billion. As such, announcing a purchase of 100,000 EVs valued at around $4.2 billion obviously raised eyebrows.
As Gizmodo pointed out, though, Hertz technically never said it signed a contract or purchase order for the vehicles. The phrase "an initial order of 100,000 Tesla's by the end of 2022" could be taken to mean that the order itself and not the vehicle deliveries will happen at the end of 2022. Tesla itself never responded to the initial news.
Musk's tweet came in reply to Twitter user "Tesla Silicon Valley Club," which was thanking him for Tesla's recent stock price rise. He appeared to want to dampen down some of that hype, however, stating that any Hertz deal would have no impact on the company's sales and bottom line.
“Tesla has far more demand than production, therefore we will only sell cars to Hertz for the same margin as to consumers. Hertz deal has zero effect on our economics."
As part of Animal Week, Twitch has launched a new category called Animals, Aquariums and Zoos that groups animal livestreams all in one place. There, you'll find streams of furry/feathered creatures from zoos, conservation habitats and private owners that were previously spread across categories like Travel & Outdoors, Music and Pools, and even ASMR.
The new space sounds like a perfect antidote other, more stressful Twitch offerings. Some sample streams include an otter enclosure, wolf den, barn owl breeding habitat and, of course, numerous kitties, doggos, ducks and bunnies. On top of the live channels, you can see numerous videos and short highlight clips, since the otters or owls might be sleeping on the livestream — though even that can be adorable.
Some of the streams are even interactive, in that you can feed ducks or change turtle habitat lighting by donating Twitch's Bits currency. If you're okay something more direct, Twitch also launched some emotes available across channels that can also be unlocked with Bits. All of this could help get resources to conservation and other organizations that need it — it seems a fair trade for some calming, adorable and life-affirming content.
Back in 2020, Miso Robotics teamed up with White Castle to pilot a kitchen robot that can cook sliders called Flippy in select locations. Now, thanks to data and employee feedback gathered from the pilot, Miso was able to create a new version of the machine called Flippy 2, which works faster and doesn't need human intervention. Apparently, one of the main things Miso learned from the pilot was that human assistance was still needed on both sides during operation. Since basket management wasn't automated, human employees would still need to help load the uncooked product and unload the cooked food in the holding area.
Miso has designed an "AutoBin" system for the Flippy 2 that solves that problem, specifically for lower volume and specialty foods like onion rings and chicken tenders. The machine's AI vision can automatically identify the ingredients it's working with, place them in the right fry basket and then place the cooked food in the holding area. The company says the closed-loop system it creates can increase the kitchen's throughput by around 60 baskets per hour.
In addition to that upgrade, Flippy 2 also takes up less space than its predecessor. It doesn't take up as much of the kitchen aisle, is a bit shorter and has fewer overall surfaces that need to be cleaned. After its pilot with White Castle, Miso upgraded the original Flippy with more features, including the ability to adjust the queue to ensure that everything in an order finishes cooking at the same time. However, basket management hasn't been an automated process until now.
Mike Bell, CEO of Miso Robotics, said in a statement:
"Flippy 2 takes up less space in the kitchen and increases production exponentially with its new basket filling, emptying and returning capabilities. Since Flippy’s inception, our goal has always been to provide a customizable solution that can function harmoniously with any kitchen and without disruption. Flippy 2 has more than 120 configurations built into its technology and is the only robotic fry station currently being produced at scale"
A cryptocurrency inspired by Squid Game successfully enticed enough investors to see its value soar to over $2,800... before its creators cashed out and vanished. The cryptocurrency called $SQUID, which wasn't officially sanctioned by Netflix, launched in late October and rose up to 310,000 percent in value within just a few days. It was sold supposedly as a way to play an upcoming online game based on the South Korean series, in which people buried in debt are forced to play a deadly game.
At 5:40AM on Monday morning, however, the coin's value plummeted to $0, its website disappeared (you can view an archive here) and its Twitter account got blocked. As Gizmodo explained, its creators staged what's called in the crypto world as a "rug pull," wherein the coin's creators cash out for real money and disappear. The scammers may have made off with as much as $3.38 million.
There were multiple signs that the cryptocurrency was a scam from the start — people merely missed or ignored them, perhaps due to the promise of a game based on the popular Netflix show. Its website was riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, and as Gizmodo pointed out, people were able to buy coins but weren't allowed to sell them.
This isn't the first time a coin based on a pop culture phenomenon was launched, and it won't be the last. While some may be legit, those interested to invest in them will have to keep an eye out for signs of fraud. Just earlier this year, a cryptocurrency based on The Mandalorian turned out to be a scam, as well.
