The FCC has proposed the largest fine yet under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and the subjects are two robocallers Law & Crime describes as "hard-right hoaxers." John M. Burkman and Jacob Alexander Wohl are facing a $5,134,500 fine for allegedly making 1,141 unlawful pre-recorded calls to mobile phones without the recipients' prior consent. The calls' content? Fake information designed to discourage people from voting by mail. 

According to the commission's Enforcement Bureau, the calls were made on August 26th and September 14th, 2020, prior to last year's Presidential elections in the US. The robocalls told potential voters that if they vote by mail, their personal information will be added to a public database law enforcement can use to track down old warrants. Credit card companies will also be able to access the database to collect outstanding debts, the calls said, and the CDC can issue mandatory vaccines on the people in the list. Law & Crime says the calls primarily targeted Black and Latino populations in New York, Ohio and Michigan.

The FCC started investigating the calls after receiving complaints from consumers and a non-profit organization. Its Enforcement Bureau then worked with the Ohio Attorney General's Office to identify the dialing service providers Burkman and Wojl used. The providers turned over subpoenaed call records to identify Burkman and Wohl by name, along with information on the zip codes they wanted to target. Both individuals also admitted under oath that they were involved in the creation and distribution of those particular robocalls.

In addition to facing a $5 million fine from the FCC, the pair also face a $2.75 million lawsuit from the New York Attorney General's office. Back in May, a federal judge gave the NY AG the go-ahead to join a lawsuit accusing the pair of violating the Ku Klux Klan Act, which protects Americans from political intimidation. As for the FCC fine, Burkman and Wohl will be given an opportunity to submit evidence and legal arguments before the commission takes any more step towards a resolution.

Don't unlock your new Samsung Galaxy Fold 3's bootloader if you don't know what you're getting into, or you may just regret it. According to XDA-Developers, the foldable device shows a warning when you attempt to unlock its bootloader, telling you that doing so "will cause the camera to be disabled and may cause your phones and apps to stop working correctly." Indeed, that's exactly what happens when you do go through with the process to gain root access and modify the device's software.

After unlocking the bootloader, you'll notice that the stock camera app will fail to operate. You'll no longer be able to fire it up to take photos, and the apps on your phone that use the camera won't be able to access it, as well. Those apps — yes, including third-party camera apps — just remain dark or time out after a while, so there's no workaround. In fact, all camera-related features will cease to function, including facial recognition. 

We've reached out to Samsung for a statement and were told that the company has nothing to share right now. As the publication notes, Samsung has always made it difficult to root its phones: Modifying the device's software already voids your warranty and kills Samsung Pay. This is next level protection, though — and perhaps a most effective one — considering most people at this point in time frequently use their phones as cameras. XDA says re-locking the bootloader will also re-enable the Galaxy Fold 3's camera, so all won't be lost if you do decide to try it out and poke around for a solution yourself.

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has expanded the scope of its sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit against Activision Blizzard to include temporary workers. As first reported by Axios, the watchdog filed an amended complaint on Monday to redefine the group it plans to represent in the suit. The complaint now consistently references “workers” instead of “employees,” noting protections the state of California has in place to protect individuals from harassment and sexual discrimintation “exist for employees and contingent or temporary workers.”

The amended suit also alleges Activision Blizzard has used non-disclosure agreements to directly interfere with DFEH’s ability to investigate, prosecute and remedy the workplace violations that occurred at the company. Additionally, "documents related to investigations and complaints were shredded by human resource personnel," according to the agency.

We’ve reached out to Activision Blizzard for comment.

Following a two-year investigation into the company, DFEH last month accused Activision Blizzard executives of fostering a “frat boy” workplace culture. According to the agency, only 20 percent of all employees at the studio are women, and they’re consistently paid less, overlooked for promotions and fired faster than their male counterparts. Activision executives initially dismissed the lawsuit, claiming it included “distorted, and in many cases false descriptions of Blizzard’s past.”

Employees were quick to condemn the company’s response, calling it “abhorrent,” and they went on to stage a walkout at the end of July. Following the protest, Blizzard studio president J. Allen Brack, one of the executives named in the DFEH suit, stepped down, as did several other senior designers.

When Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick eventually pledged to take “swift action” to create a safe workplace, the company’s decision to bring in WilmerHale, a law firm that has a history of representing management on matters relating to unionizing, made many doubt the sincerity of his statements.

Since the release of iOS 14, Apple Maps has included a built-in rating system that allows you to review select businesses, restaurants and other points of interest. Before Monday, that feature was only available in countries like Australia and Japan, but as MacRumors points out, you can now access it in the US and Canada.

The feature works for most locations. It uses a simple thumbs up or down system. When you tap one of the icons, a secondary interface will appear, prompting you to share how you feel about certain aspects of that business or restaurant. For instance, in the latter case, you can also rate the food, customer service and atmosphere. That same pane also allows you to upload your own photo to a listing.

An Apple spokesperson told The Verge Maps will suggest you add contributions based on your device history, in addition to photos you have in your camera roll. Your name won’t appear alongside any ratings you leave, and any recommendations you get suggesting you add to a listing will come from analysis Maps does on-device.

At the moment, you can’t leave a written review, meaning there’s still a place for the existing integrations Maps has with services like Yelp and Tripadvisor. Apple could be laying the groundwork here for a more robust review system to match the likes of what Google Maps offers, but that will have to come at a later date.

OK, we'll be honest: The 2021 Xbox Gamescom show was fluffy. It was a 90-minute live YouTube event populated by drawn-out developer interviews, a mini-documentary on the trebuchet and slightly exciting updates to mid-tier titles, but there were also a few bright spots. Xbox cloud gaming is heading to Xbox Series X, Series S and Xbox One this holiday season; Psychonauts 2 got a shiny new launch trailer, and we got a closer look at Microsoft Flight Simulator and Forza Horizon 5. Competitive multiplayer is heading to Microsoft Flight Simulator this fall, while Forza Horizon 5's cover cars look truly spectacular. 

See it all for yourself in our 11-minute cutdown.

Chinese electronics manufacturer Xiaomi recently passed Apple to become the world’s second-largest phone maker. It’s now banking on the fact its products are recognizable enough they don’t need additional branding. As first reported by XDA Developers, the company will phase out its “Mi” branding over the coming months, with new products slated to carry the Xiaomi name instead.

“Starting in 2021 Q3, Xiaomi's product series ‘Mi’ will be renamed to ‘Xiaomi,’” a spokesperson for the company told Engadget. “This change will unify our global brand presence and close the perception gap between the brand and its products.” The Mi branding isn’t going completely away. The company’s Mi Home stores will continue to carry the name. Xiaomi will also continue selling Redmi devices, with those targeted at consumers who want to save money on their next phone purchase.

In fact, it sounds like we’ll see the Redmi branding appear on more devices before too long. “The product series naming convention — Xiaomi and Redmi — will also be applied to our ecosystem and IoT products over time,” the spokesperson said. The possibility that Xiaomi was planning to retire the Mi name came out earlier this month when the company’s new Mix 4 phone didn’t feature the branding.

I missed one of my best friend’s birthdays this week – but belated best wishes are better than nothing. So, to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, my favorite console of all time, which arrived in the US on August 23rd, 1991, I wish you many happy returns.

The SNES wasn’t my first console. Like many kids of the ‘80s, I started with the venerable NES. But that system never quite felt like mine. I played it at friends’ houses for years before my parents relented and got me one for Christmas in 1989. While I don’t want to downplay my excitement, I had already played many of the platform’s classic games. So while it was a huge deal to have my own NES, I wasn’t exactly coming to it fresh.

But the Super NES, that console was mine. I didn’t get it on launch day, but I had been eagerly devouring details about it in Nintendo Power. I started saving my allowance, doing extra chores and monitoring weekly sales flyers for price drops. Finally, at some point in 1992, I brought it home – the console, two outstanding controllers whose design has stood the test of time and Super Mario World. (Remember how generous game companies used to be with the pack-ins?)

Obviously, one does not buy a console to ogle the hardware. It’s all about the games, and Super Mario World was an outstanding introduction to the system. I was plenty familiar with Mario at this point, but the sheer scope this time around was stunning. Individual levels were massive and crammed with secrets, and you could re-enter and play them again for the first time to find everything. New additions like Yoshi and the cape power-up offered new ways to navigate and explore these levels.

And, of course, the game both looked and sounded fantastic. Super Mario Bros. 3 pushed the NES about as far as it could go, but Super Mario World underscored how much more capable the new system was. Mario and some familiar enemies looked more vibrant and detailed than ever, and the system’s power was also evident in those sprawling levels and environments. It was the first Mario game with a save feature, and with good reason. There was no way to take in even half of what the game offered in just one sitting.

This underlines how video game development was changing with 16-bit consoles. Many NES games were ports of arcade mainstays, perhaps modified to make them more suitable for extended play sessions. But they were still games meant to be finished in one session, once you got good enough. RPGs like Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior, not to mention Nintendo’s own adventure game The Legend of Zelda bucked that trend with a bigger focus on exploration and a save feature so you could proceed at your own pace. But with the Super NES, developers were thinking bigger, regardless of genre.

For me, the finest example of this is The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. It was the second game I bought for the system, despite having never played the earlier NES Zelda games — the buzz around it was just too enticing. It was a smart choice, because it’s still on the short list of my favorite games ever. Its art style remains gorgeous 30 years later, the soundtrack is fantastic, and the freedom of exploration, combined with all the puzzles to unravel, was unlike anything I had played before. 

The story’s twists and turns made me always want to keep pushing forward, but I also was happy to go off the path and search for secrets I hadn’t found. And there are still a handful of show-stopping moments that rank among the most memorable game experiences I’ve had. Striding out of the Sanctuary after the first hour or so of gameplay with the booming main theme behind me, getting the Master Sword and the final showdown with Ganon after months of play leading up to it are just a few  parts of the game that I’ll never forget.

Besides these bigger titles, the SNES still had plenty of arcade ports – they were just much better than in the NES era. The SNES was far more capable of replicating the arcade experience, and games like Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat 2 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time were outstanding ways for me to get my arcade fix.

Broadly speaking, the SNES enjoyed strong third-party developer support from companies like Capcom, Konami, Tecmo, Square and Enix. And while I spent tons of hours on those aforementioned arcade games and other excellent titles like Capcom’s Mega Man X, the SNES allowed Nintendo to flex its muscles as one of the best game developers around.

The list of all-time classics that Nintendo published during the system’s lifespan is impressive. Aside from Super Mario World, games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country (and its sequels), Super Metroid, Yoshi’s Island, EarthBound and Super Mario Kart were critically acclaimed, hugely popular or both. Launch titles F-Zero and Pilotwings didn't hit those heights, but they still provided the SNES with a strong and varied lineup from day one.

All these games and many more have kept me coming back to the SNES over the many years since it launched. I played it throughout high school and when I came home from college; at some point I lost track of that console and all the games I had, though. It was a tough pill to swallow, but since I (like many Nintendo fans) have re-bought favorite games on the systems like the Wii and the Switch, not to mention the tiny SNES Classic Edition. Of course, you can’t be the real thing, so I picked up a used SNES about 10 years ago, too. I don’t play it often, but I’m happier knowing I can when I want to.

It’s not just for nostalgia, either. Somehow, I have never played Super Metroid – and with Metroid Dread coming out soon, I think it’s high time I finally try another of the system’s all-time greats. I never would have expected that I’d be playing the Super NES 30 years after it arrived in the US, but I won’t be surprised if I still go back to these games 30 years from now.

You're never really too young to start gaming, but some kids might struggle to get to grips with standard arcade machines. With that in mind, Arcade1Up is hoping to bring the joy of arcades to a new generation with its latest lineup of cabinets.

The first two machines in the Arcade1Up Jr. line are centered around the Pac-Man and PAW Patrol franchises. The former includes a trio of arcade classics: Pac-Man, Galaga and Dig Dug. The PAW Patrol system also features three games: Chase is in a Race, PAW Patrol Off Duty and PAW Patrol Pups on the Go!

The cabinets are aimed at kids aged four to eight. They're three feet tall and have oversized buttons to make things easier for youngsters. The games include a way to slow down the action and other features (such as unlimited lives) to help burgeoning gamers learn the ropes. Each machine has an eight-inch monitor and it's ready to play right out of the box.

Arcade1Up has been around for few years. It aims to bring the arcade experience to gamers' homes by re-releasing classic cabinets such as NBA Jam, The Simpsons and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The Pac-Man system will be available starting on October 15th and the PAW Patrol version will go on sale on November 15th. You'll be able to buy the arcade machines, which start at $280, from a variety of retailers.

It's been a long, bumpy journey for Double Fine in its efforts to make a sequel to its very first game, but Psychonauts 2 is almost here. Just ahead of the release, the developer and Xbox Game Studios shone the spotlight on the hotly anticipated game during the Gamescom 2021 Xbox Stream.

The story picks up right where the VR game Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin left off. The launch trailer shows more of the colorful, action-packed platforming fans have come to expect from the series. You play as Raz, a Psychonaut who can explore other characters' minds and use psychic powers like telekinesis and levitation. Raz, who grew up in the circus, also has several acrobatic moves at his disposal as he takes on enemies based on emotions.

The original Psychonauts was released in 2005. After several aborted attempts to make a sequel, Double Fine ran a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2015 to covering some of the development costs. Xbox Game Studios bought Double Fine in 2019, and help the developer finish Psychonauts 2 as intended. 

Psychonauts 2 will finally hit PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S (with optimizations for the latter consoles) on August 25th. Naturally, it's included with Xbox Game Pass for PC and console. On top of that, Microsoft is once again in the unusual position of publishing a game on PlayStation 4.

Following its announcement late last month, Facebook’s new 128GB model of the Oculus Quest 2 is now available to buy. You can purchase the VR headset from the company’s website for the same $299 price as the previous 64GB base model. “Long story short? We’ve created this 128GB model so that players can easily store and access more games and apps on a single device,” Facebook says of the new variant.

Facebook announced the 128GB model at the same time it issued a voluntary recall of the Quest 2 to address an issue with the original face insert that came with the headset. The company temporarily stopped selling the Quest 2 for about a month so that it could add a new silicone face cover inside the box of each new unit. If you’re a current Quest 2 owner, you can request Facebook send you the new silicone cover by visiting the My Devices section of the account settings. The new 128GB model also comes with the silicone cover inside the box.