At the start of the year, Google announced the Privacy Sandbox on Android project, a new system designed to eventually replace today's existing third-party cookie schemes and reinvent a more privacy-centered method for serving advertisements. After an initial round of alpha testing and feedback, Google announced on Thursday that the first developer's preview of the sandbox is now available as part of Android 13 beta 1.
The Privacy Sandbox is a multi-year development effort that will "limit sharing of user data with third parties and operate without cross-app identifiers, including advertising ID," Google wrote in a February announcement. "We’re also exploring technologies that reduce the potential for covert data collection, including safer ways for apps to integrate with advertising SDKs."
This preview provides developers with early looks at the sandbox's SDK Runtime and Topics API so that they can better understand how they'll fit into their apps and processes once it is officially released. We first saw Topics API back in January. It pulls data from the Chrome browser to identify the user's top five interests for the week, based on their search and browsing history. Those topics are then compared against a database of topics from the Interactive Advertising Bureau and Google's own data. Partner publishers can then ping the Topics API, see what the user is currently into, and then serve the most appropriate ads without having to know every nitty-gritty detail about their potential customer.
Developers will also have access to an early version of the Fledge API. This allows sites to run "remarket" to existing users — ie, serving users ads to remind them that they left items in their shopping cart and should just check out already. The Sandbox comes with everything that developers will need to test it, including the Android SDK and 64-bit Android Emulator. The company intends to further refine the toolset over the coming months and welcomes feedback and questions from the developer community
The public Android 13 beta is here, and it’s our first chance to look at what might be coming in Google’s OS update. We’ve already learned a bit about what the company will be focusing on improving for the next version, and a lot of it sounds like backend changes that might not make a huge impact on daily use. Android 13 is supposed to bring finer privacy controls and more themed app icons. Though, there’s probably stuff in the works that the company has yet to share – don’t forget Google I/O coming up in two weeks.
Most of the updates in Android 13 beta 1 are barely noticeable, and many of them are developer-centric. Things like more-granular permissions for media file access, better error reporting and “anticipatory audio routing” aren’t things that will immediately make an impact on how you use your phone. These are tweaks that app makers will have to implement before you’ll see a difference, as are upcoming features like themed app icons. Still, there are a few new functions that might pique your interest.
Before I go any further, I have to warn you, as usual, that installing any beta software comes with the risk of losing data. You’ll be opting into a platform that might not be stable, meaning your apps might crash or no longer work. If you’re very certain you want to give this beta a shot and are fully aware of what you’re getting into, you can enroll a supported Pixel phone on Google’s website, and a notification will appear on the device. I signed up with a Pixel 4a and downloaded the 1.79GB update with no trouble.
One of the first things I noticed after installing the beta was the refreshed media playback box. It’s taller in Android 13, compared to the one on my Pixel 6 Pro (running Android 12), and uses album art as the background. Instead of just showing pause, previous and next buttons in addition to the song title and artist, the new panel shows an animated progress bar that squiggles as the music goes on. On the card for Spotify, at least, I also got options for shuffling and liking the track.
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This box’s new layout is great. Not only does it show more information and in a more attractive way, it also lets you drag the slider to fast forward through parts of podcast episodes without having to unlock your phone or launch an app. That said, I do miss the bigger buttons for skipping a track. Plus, it’s slightly buggy and said my music was playing on the Pixel 4a instead of my Nest Audio speakers where it actually was streaming.
Android Police also spotted a new QR code scanner shortcut in the quick settings panel that launches a dedicated viewfinder. In my brief testing, this was not only super speedy, as Android Police pointed out, but it’s much easier to use. Instead of having to open your camera, aim it at a code and try to hit the tiny little Chrome bar that pops up, you can just point this new scanner in the direction of the symbol and it latches on instantly. A box pops up at the bottom with an “Open” button that’s larger and much easier to tap, and the viewfinder closes, instead showing a picture of the code you just snapped. That means you’ll no longer have to hold your phone steady to keep the code in view while using your other hand to tap the tiny, tiny link.
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This is definitely a more convenient way to scan QR codes, which have become more prevalent during the pandemic, with many businesses using them to serve up contactless menus. But I will say that, on very rare occasions where you are aiming for one particular code out of a few, this version of the scanner is trickier to handle. Since it immediately snaps a photo of the first QR code it sees, you’ll have to wrangle it a bit to get the one you actually want.
Though Android Police reports that the lock screen shortcut to access Android’s page of smart home device controls can now be accessed without unlocking your device, this wasn’t true for me. I was still asked to enter my pin when I tried to turn on my living room lights from my Pixel 4a. But this could be a bug and it might be working for other beta users.
All told, there were surprisingly more user-facing changes in Android 13 beta 1 than I had expected, and I’ll need some time to dig around for things we may have missed. But I still wouldn’t recommend anyone other than the most eager early adopter to install it — unless you scan dozens of QR codes a day. For now, it’s still too early to tell what Android 13 will look like, but it’s nice to see Google is working on some thoughtful new features at least.
In case there was any doubt that Snap is among the many platforms trying to challenge TikTok, the company just introduced a new suite of creator-friendly editing tools called “director mode.” The company showed off the new editing tools, which are rolling out “in the coming months” at the company’s Partner Summit event.
In a blog post, Snap said that director mode is meant to help people create more “polished” content than what is currently possible with Snapchat’s in-app camera. The new tools include a TikTok-like green screen feature that relies on Snapchat’s vast library of augmented reality lenses. There are also new camera controls, including the ability to record simultaneously from the front and rear-facing camera similar to the once popular app Frontback. There’s also a new “quick edit” tool to tweak multiple snaps at once, and new ways to sleep up or slow down videos.
As the name suggests, director mode is geared toward Snapchat’s growing ranks of video creators, and the new tools could help fuel fresh content for Spotlight, the app’s hub for TikTok-like short form videos. It could also help Snap Stars — the company’s term for public, verified accounts — make more interesting content for their Stories. Which could come in handy as Snap also recently introduced new revenue sharing features for Snap Stars with mid-roll ads.
Snap also teased a new partnership with LiveNation, which will allow concertgoers and festival attendees to access exclusive augmented reality features crafted specifically for the live events. These include the ability to virtually “try on” merch with AR, a “find friends” feature and other AR effects. The upcoming Electric daisy Carnival festival will be the first to take advantage of the features, though Snap says it will be available at other events this year.
The app is also further building out its augmented reality shopping features. It’s adding a new section of its app called “Dress Up” that will be exclusively dedicated to AR “try-on” experiences from brands and creators. It’s also making its AR shopping features available to other apps via its Camera Kit developer platform. The move will allow retailers and brands to add Snapchat-powered augmented reality try-on features to their existing apps.
Microsoft failed in its attempt to challenge Amazon's $10 billion NSA contract. Nextgov has learned the NSA re-awarded the "Wild and Stormy" cloud computing deal to Amazon Web Services after reviewing the decision. While the Government Accountability Office recommended a reevaluation in October following Microsoft's objections, it's clear the second look didn't substantially change the outcome.
Many details of the contract are unsurprisingly murky, but it's part of a larger Hybrid Compute Initiative that will see the NSA migrate intelligence data from in-house servers to those of a cloud provider like AWS. Wild and Stormy should help the security agency cope with growing datasets without having to manage the storage itself.
This isn't the first time Amazon and Microsoft have been at odds over a large-scale US government agreement. The two fought bitterly over the military's $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud project, with Microsoft surviving Amazon's challenge only to watch the Defense Department cancel the contract once requirements changed. Microsoft isn't down and out when it's still in the running for the $9 billion Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability deal, but this still represents a significant blow for a company that thrives on government partnerships.
You can grab the newly launched 2022 Apple iPad Air for just $559 right now. While the device dropped to as low as $550 on Amazon for a grand total of eight hours last week, this latest deal shaves $40 off its retail price of $599. That's a decent discount for a device that only became available in March. The catch is that only the purple version is on sale for $559, though you can still get the other colors for $20 less than retail at $570.
The 2022 iPad Air gets a huge performance boost over its predecessor from its M1 chip, which also powers the tech giant's Mac computers and the considerably more expensive iPad Pro. We gave it a score of 90 in our review, mostly thanks to how significantly faster it is at both single- and multi-core tasks than the previous versions of the tablet when we ran Geekbench 5 on it.
We also praised the device for having an excellent battery life despite the chip upgrade — it even lasted close to 12 hours during our test instead of just 10 like the company's claim. Apple also upgraded its front cam and gave it a 12-megapixel ultra wide angle camera that enables Center Stage. That's the tech giant's feature designed to follow you around and keep you in the frame during video calls.
The version that's currently on sale for $559 is the WiFi-only variant, but you also have the chance to grab its 5G-capable counterpart at a discount. Its purple version has been available for $700 at Amazon over the past week: That's $49 less its retail price and the lowest we've seen for the 2022 cellular Apple iPad Air so far.
Apple's Self Service Repair program is now available in the US. If you have an iPhone 12, iPhone 13 or third-generation iPhone SE, you can buy replacement batteries, cameras and displays from a dedicated store and use the company’s official repair manuals to fix it yourself. You can even spend $49 to rent a toolkit for a week if you'd rather not buy tools.
The program will expand to other regions later this year, starting in Europe. If you’re looking to repair your Mac, you’ll have to wait a little longer. Like iPhones, currently only the very latest models — powered by Apple Silicon — will be self-repair friendly.
Conveniently, for Apple, it timed the launch alongside a new white paper, which says the company has "nearly doubled" the size of its repair network, and eight out of 10 of its American customers live within 20 minutes of an authorized repair provider. The company also outlined the rationales, again, behind its design and repair decisions, including its emphasis on using official parts — to protect your privacy and security.
It’s not a flawless repair scheme. To buy a part, you need to enter your iPhone’s serial number at checkout and get that part activated through a pairing software tool.
As iFixit points out, other parts will come with an "unable to verify" warning, which could limit (or put off) people thinking of repairing their device.
Talking of preservation, Sony is trying to ensure games from decades ago will live on. When Sony's expanded PlayStation Plus service starts rolling out next month, it’ll fold in PlayStation Now, which offers access to hundreds of games from older console generations. Sony has hired at least one engineer to work on a new game preservation team.
Sony has struggled to preserve games over console iterations. Many PS1 games worked on PS2, and the original PS3 models could run many PS1 and PS2 games, but you were unable to play discs from older generations on PS4.
It's still facing multiple lawsuits and a House Oversight committee probe.
CNBC reports Amazon won't face fines and other penalties following the collapse of an Illinois warehouse that killed six workers during a tornado. However, the US Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) asked Amazon to review its procedures after discovering issues with its Emergency Action Plan. Despite tornado warnings from the National Weather Service 36 hours ahead of the event, Amazon continued to operate the Edwardsville, Illinois, warehouse. It was in the middle of a shift change when the tornado touched down with wind speeds up to 150 MPH, destroying the south side of the building.
While Amazon avoided penalties from OSHA, it's facing a separate probe in Congress and multiple lawsuits.
Bloombergsources say Twitch is considering multiple proposals to rethink payment structures, including one that would cut top streamers' share of subscriptions from 70 percent to the usual 50 percent. Another would establish multiple pay tiers with different requirements.
The reported proposals come after Twitch implemented multiple efforts to boost long-term profits and satisfy its parent company, Amazon. The service recently introduced a program that motivates frequent streamers to run more ads.
Disney’s latest video game,Dreamlight Valley, appears to be a blend of a life sim and an adventure game packed with Disney and Pixar characters. In metaverse style, you'll be able to customize your character with T-shirts, dresses, hats and other gear you design yourself. There's also the option of kitting them out with Mickey Mouse streetwear or a ballgown inspired by a Disney princess. (Why not both?)
Disney Dreamlight Valley will be available on PC, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. It’ll formally launch in 2023 as a free-to-play game.
For anyone building a PC or looking for accessories like monitors, storage or keyboards, Amazon is having a one-day sale that might be of strong interest. A host of desirable items are significantly marked down, including keyboards, headsets, power supplies, displays, cases and storage, with discounts as high as 48 percent.
There are a few standout deals, but lots of other choice as well. First on the list is the 31.5-inch 2,560 x 1,440 Acer Nitro XV322QU IPS gaming display, with features like DisplayHDR 400, AMD FreeSync, up to a 170Hz refresh rate, 0.5 millisecond lag and 90 percent DCI-P3 color accuracy. With a large size and extreme speed, it's a highly desirable model and is at or near an all-time low of $299, for a savings of 45 percent or $250.
Razer
Speaking of speed, Razer's Huntsman V2 TKS Tenkeyless gaming keyboard (above) offers that in spades, with the "fastest linear optical switches with sound dampeners and an 8,000Hz polling rate," the company says. In other words, it's fast and quiet while offering great durability thanks to the Doubleshot PBT keycaps. It's now on sale for $100, saving you $60 or 38 percent over the regular price.
Finally, you'll appreciate this deal if you're a PC builder. Corsair's HX850 platinum-certified, fully modular power supply is on sale for $120, for a savings of 35 percent of $65. That 850-watt category is the sweet spot for most enthusiasts, and the $65 savings might let you upgrade your CPU or RAM.
Dell's latest flagship ultraportable is now available for purchase. The Dell XPS 13 Plus is powered by Intel's 28-watt 12th-gen processors and features a clean, minimalist design. Its keyboard has no borders and no space in between its large keys that makes it ideal for touch-typing. The laptop's haptic touchpad blends into its palm rest and the function buttons at the top of the keyboard aren't buttons at all — they're displayed on a touch panel similar to Mac's Touch Bar.
It's a beautiful device that gives the illusion of being carved out of a single piece of metal, but it doesn't come without drawbacks. The biggest one of all? It doesn't have a headphone jack. You'd have to use Bluetooth headsets with it, and the process of connecting a pair to a Windows laptop isn't quite as seamless as connecting one to a phone. In addition, we had some trouble using the touchpad when we tested the laptop at CES earlier this year, because the lack of borders means you can't see its edges. That said, it might be something you get used to the more time you spend with the notebook.
The XPS 13 Plus will set you back at least $1,299 and comes with either an OLED touch or an LCD display. You can also get the Developer Edition, which ships pre-installed with Ubuntu instead of Windows, for at least $1,249. It's still showing on Dell's site as coming soon, but it should be available shortly.
Samsung has reported a massive rise in operating profit for the first three months of 2022, thanks in part to the robust demand for its memory chips and the strong sales of its new Galaxy flagship devices. The Korean tech giant has posted an operating profit of KRW 14.12 trillion ($11.12 billion), which is 51 percent higher than the same period last year, and a record consolidated revenue of KRW 77.78 trillion ($61.2 billion).
As usual, Samsung's memory division was a standout performer, exceeding market forecasts because memory prices didn't drop as much as analysts had expected. It posted a consolidated revenue of KRW 26.87 trillion ($21.14 billion), and while it saw a slight decline in profit due to incentives and seasonality, demand for PC and server chips remained solid. The company's foundry business also contributed to the division's performance by achieving its highest ever first quarter sales. Samsung is optimistic for the division's prospects going forward, but it also expects component shortages to persist through the second half of the year and will constantly monitor the situation.
While overall demand for mobile was down due to seasonality and "geopolitical uncertainties," Samsung posted higher profit (KRW 3.82 trillion or $3 billion) and revenue (KRW 32.37 trillion or $25.5 billion) for the division this quarter compared to the last. The strong sales of its new flagship phones, particularly the Galaxy S22 Ultra, as well as of its mass market 5G phones contributed to both profit and revenue growth. Despite the allegations that a preinstalled app on S22 phones is throttling the performance of several applications, the company previously said that demand for the flagship is 20 percent higher than of its predecessor's. Samsung expects component shortages for mobile to continue, as well, but it also expects the availability of component supplies for the S22 to improve. That's why it plans to focus on maintaining strong sales for its flagships in the next quarter.
The tech giant reports a rise in mobile display earnings due to solid demand for premium products, as well. For larger displays, it says its QD monitors were well-received. It debuted its QD-OLED technology, which differs from standard OLED in that it only uses blue organic light-emitting diodes for a brighter output, at CES earlier this year. Samsung's TV business lagged behind its other divisions, though, and saw a decline in demand following strong sales in the end of 2021 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In early March, Samsung halted its product shipments to Russia, where it has a TV plant and where it's known as the top smartphone brand.
I’ve spent plenty of time in the past DJing, throwing small parties and going to events, so that’s put me in the mindset of looking for the biggest sound systems with the least amount of hassle. There are plenty of Bluetooth options these days that would make my younger self excited. The Soundboks Go is the latest of the bunch, packing a respectable boom from this relatively small package (18 x 12 x 10 inches). This 20-pound speaker is half the size of the Soundboks Gen 3 and nearly half the price at $699. It still has a thumping bass output, clear, long-throw mids and highs and wireless TeamUP expansion, but its physical connectivity is limited to a single 3.5mm aux input.
There’s a lot to like here for people who are looking for big sound in a format you can lug around without too much effort using its integrated handle or $59 shoulder strap accessory. With Soundboks’ SKAA wireless connectivity (TeamUP), it’s also easy to expand the setup with other speakers from the brand by setting one speaker to Host and the others to Join. This would let you quickly cobble together an event PA or dancefloor, but that’s no small financial feat considering the price.
The Go and the Gen 3 have a lot in common, both in sound quality and build. Both use the same swappable BatteryBoks, include a top hat (or pole) mount and offer a big, bright output (40Hz - 20kHz) with little to no distortion at the loudest volume. These Bluetooth 5.0 speakers work with the Soundboks app so you can adjust the EQ, custom sound profiles, volume, stereo positioning, set Bluetooth signal locks and download the latest firmware updates.
The onboard controls are fairly basic, providing a volume control that doubles as the power button, alongside the manual Solo, Host and Join button. The Join indicator shows the connection status, which you can read about further in the manual. For deeper controls, you’ll have to head to the app.
Jon Turi / Engadget
As for its build, the Soundboks brand has made a name for itself making rugged portable Bluetooth speakers and the Go follows suit. It has an IP65 rating so it can handle inclement weather well, just don't dunk it in the water. On the exterior, there's a solid ABS and polycarbonate cabinet and grille with silicone bumpers and a TPE rubber handle similar to the one on the UE Hyperboom. There’s strapping with loops that run around the center, which is used for connecting the shoulder strap. While the Go is easy enough to carry around by the handle, I’d recommend going all in and getting the strap as well if you plan to walk around with it for more than a few blocks. Sometimes even 20 pounds can seem heavier after a while.
The audio design for the Go has just one 10-inch woofer (96dB), a 1-inch horn-mounted tweeter (102dB) and you’ll find the bass ports around the woofer in a front-facing position. This limits the reflectivity of the bass from that of the Gen 3, making it generally better for outdoor settings.
That’s fine, since this is a speaker that works best when unlimbered at higher volumes and provides bass you can feel even at 20 feet away (most effectively in Bass+ mode). While that’s the ideal, you can use it indoors at a lower volume (50% or less on Indoor mode) to good effect, but again the output is very directional and can seem a bit big for smaller rooms. It is marketed as an “outdoor” speaker after all.
Still, you can shuffle through the custom profiles to get the ideal output for your particular environment. Bass+ mode provides the chunkiest and thumping bass output, but will tax the battery life. Power mode is still very loud, with plenty of bass and should give you 10 hours of playtime at full volume or 40 hours at medium. Indoors mode is a much thinner sound, but won’t disturb the neighbors as much and still sounds fine. There’s also a custom setting, so you can adjust the EQ as you see fit. However, if you’re thinking of just keeping the battery plugged in and charging the whole time while you play, keep in mind that you shouldn’t go past 50 percent volume or risk damaging the device.
One big changeup with the Soundboks Go is the focus on wireless connectivity over practical wired inputs and outputs. The single 3.5mm aux input is all you get, so even though it's more portable, musicians and singers looking to amplify their craft on the road will have to try and make do — or upgrade to the Gen 3.
While the Soundboks Go is a high-end device, it can still fall victim to the capricious nature of Bluetooth signals. Using TeamUP to connect multiple speakers also has some range limitations, although raising the speakers up on top hats to maximize line-of-sight and having structures for the radio signals to bounce off of will help optimize connectivity. In my testing with the Bluetooth source being my pocketed phone and connecting a Soundboks Go and Gen 3 together via TeamUP they started to have a little bit of connection drop while about 40 feet away from each other in an area off a busy road with no walls of any sort nearby.
Having more than one speaker placed within 30 feet or less of each other or in clusters would seem to be the way to go here if you have them. If you’re planning an event, you may want to consider getting a SKAA transmitter to bridge your source and connect to the speakers for a more stable connection than Bluetooth. For the most reliable connection, you’ll want to stick with wired input, although the Soundboks Go’s 3.5mm port isn’t a standard for professional use.
Jon Turi / Engadget
Overall, the $699 Soundboks Go is definitely a more portable alternative to the $999 Gen 3 model, but loses most of the wired connections, aligning it more with the Bluetooth mainstream. If you want to use a pair as a Bluetooth loudspeaker alternative, it’s doable considering the up to 10 hour runtime at full volume in Power mode. But for larger (and louder) event applications, especially in Bass+, the runtime limit becomes an issue. As a personal standalone device, it’s powerful, portable and durable. The JBL PartyBox series (110 or 310) speakers are close competitors, but in portability, perhaps the JBL Boombox 2 is closer. That kicks out some volume, but doesn’t have the long throw like you’ll find with the Soundboks Go.
The price is a bit steep, but the audio quality doesn't disappoint, especially in its size range. It can also be a great complement to another Go or a Gen 3 speaker, but it's a less capable pro-level competitors. If you’re on the fence, there’s a 100-day return policy and a respectable two-year warranty (plus one more if you register the device). The Soundboks Go is now available to purchase for $699 on the company's website.
