Governments are paying more attention to the rise and rise of cryptocurrencies – and their tax implications – whether it’s the major players like Bitcoin and Ethereum or newcomers looking to pick up users, investors and headlines.

In Spain, influencers and other advertisers with more than 100,000 followers will soon have to notify the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) at least 10 days before plugging crypto assets. They'll face fines of up to €300,000 (around $342,000) for breaching the rules.

And it’s already happening. Some influencers who have plugged crypto-assets and related products have found themselves in hot water. In July 2021, French authorities fined a reality TV star €20,000 ($22,800) for “misleading commercial practices” over a Bitcoin trading site ad on Snapchat. More recently, Kim Kardashian and Floyd Mayweather were named defendants in a class-action lawsuit that accuses them of taking part in a "pump and dump" scheme earlier this month.

— Mat Smith

Apple may have dropped built-in noise cancellation on the iPhone 13

It's been a long-running accessibility feature on past iPhones.

Engadget

Apple's Noise Cancellation accessibility feature has been a staple on past iPhones but may have been permanently removed from the iPhone 13 series. The feature "reduces ambient noise on phone calls when you are holding the receiver to your ear," a feature that can help make calls easier to hear.

"Phone Noise Cancellation is not available on iPhone 13 models, which is why you do not see this option in [the Accessibility] settings," Apple support told one of 9to5Mac's readers. When the reader asked for clarification, the support team confirmed the feature is "not supported."

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Even Walmart might be getting into cryptocurrency and NFTs

Patents have been filed.

CNBC is reporting that Walmart filed several trademark applications with the US patent office in late December for selling virtual goods. Meanwhile, in another filing, it said it would provide cryptocurrency and NFTs. While the documents don't necessarily guarantee action, they’re surprisingly detailed.

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That time France tried to make decimal time a thing

Days were divided into ten parts.

pjjones via Getty Images

The French Revolution of 1789 set its sights on more than simply toppling the monarchy. Revolutionaries sought to break the nation free of its past, reframing how time itself was measured. In short, it tried to make decimal time happen. Senior Editor Andrew Tarantola explains the attempt.

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Samsung's new mobile processor uses an AMD ray-tracing GPU

It's likely to appear in the upcoming Galaxy S22.

Samsung’s first mobile processor with an AMD RDNA 2-powered GPU will allow ray-tracing and other gaming features. The system-on-chip (SoC) will likely appear in Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S22, rumored to be launching at an Unpacked event on February 8th.

AMD and Samsung announced a collaboration back in 2019, with the expectation that AMD's graphics tech would be used in Exynos smartphone processors. Rumors early last year suggested that AMD-powered Samsung processors were coming soon, and at Computex, AMD subsequently confirmed an upcoming Exynos mobile system-on-chip would feature its RDNA 2 graphics tech.

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The biggest news stories you might have missed

Awesome Games Done Quick raised a record $3.4 million for charity

US airlines warn C-Band 5G could cause 'catastrophic disruption'

Samsung's 14-inch Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra may offer equally massive specs

The next iPad Pro will reportedly offer MagSafe charging and a 'brand new chip'

Samsung has revealed the Exynos 2200, its first mobile processor with an AMD RDNA 2-powered GPU that will allow ray-tracing and other gaming features. The system-on-chip (SoC) will likely feature in Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S22, rumored to be launching at an Unpacked event on February 8th. 

The Exynos 2200 with AMD's "Xclipse" GPU will be manufactured on Samsung's 4-nanometer EUV process. "Samsung’s Xclipse GPU is the first result of multiple planned generations of AMD RDNA graphics in Exynos SoCs,” said AMD Senior VP David Wang.

The CPU, meanwhile, will use one high-powered Cortex-X2 "flagship core" along with three performance and efficiency balanced Cortex-A710 big-cores and four power-efficient Cortex-A510 little-cores. The image processor is designed to support camera sensors up to 200 megapixels like the Isocell HP1 Samsung revealed last September. 

Evan Blass

AMD and Samsung announced a collaboration in 2019, with the expectation that AMD's graphics tech would be used in Exynos smartphone processors. Rumors early in 2021 suggested that AMD-powered Samsung processors were coming soon, and at Computex, AMD confirmed that an upcoming Exynos mobile system-on-chip would feature RDNA 2 graphics technology. 

The Exynos 2200 was supposed to be launched earlier, but Samsung mysteriously no-showed its own launch event originally scheduled for January 11th. Normally, Exynos processors are earmarked for regions outside North America, while the US gets Qualcomm's Snapdragon mobile processors. That would mean the you wouldn't see the AMD GPU and its ray tracing features stateside, but we'll have to wait for the Galaxy S22 launch to confirm that. 

If you’ve been patiently waiting to pick up the new iMac, now is your chance to do so at a discount. Amazon has reduced the cost of the 8-core GPU model to $1,399, down from $1,499. That’s a price that matches the previous all-time low the retailer established for Apple’s latest all-in-one computer back in December.

We like the new 24-inch iMac a lot. We awarded it a score of 89 when we reviewed it last year. Featuring the same M1 chip that’s found in the 2020 MacBook Air, the 2021 iMac is fit for most computing tasks, including photo and video editing. It’s also 50 percent quieter than its Intel predecessor thanks to a more efficient thermal design. The 24-inch model also comes with an excellent 4.5K display that covers the entire DCI-P3 color gamut. Another handy upgrade is the included 1080p FaceTime camera. It makes use of AI software to enhance the color and exposure of your footage.

Some of the few drawbacks to note are that the display isn’t HDR-capable and the included Magic Mouse and Keyboard aren’t for everyone. Specific to this promotion, Amazon has only discounted the green and silver models. 

If you want to save as much money as possible, Amazon has had the base model discounted to $1249 for a couple of weeks. That said, we think the 8-core GPU model is a better value. In addition to a more capable GPU, it comes with two extra USB-A ports (its more affordable sibling only has USB-C connectivity), Gigabit Ethernet and a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. Those might seem like small additions, but they add a lot to the useability of the machine.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

If you've been waiting for a sale to buy one of Amazon's Fire HD tablets, today might be the day. You can currently pick up some key products on sale, with the best deals on the Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 8 Plus, available at all-time low discounts of 50 percent. The Fire 7 is also back to its Black Friday pricing, and kids tablets have big discounts as well. 

We gave the 2020 Fire HD 8 a decent 81 score in our Engadget review, thanks to the new design, switch to USB-C charging, long battery life and solid performance. The Fire HD 8 Plus, however, offers a bit more RAM (3GB instead of 2GB), along with a faster processor and wireless charging support. Both models have 32GB of storage that's expandable via microSD.

The Fire 7 is more of a budget option that comes with a 7-inch IPS display, 2MP front- and rear-cameras and hands-free Alexa controls. It also offers roughly seven hours of battery life, depending on what you're doing. The biggest drawback is the lack of Google apps, but at $35, it's great as a couch device for reading, checking social media and browsing the web. 

If you're shopping for the younger set, meanwhile, the Fire 7 Kids Pro tablet is on sale for $50, or half off the regular $100 price. That price makes it an excellent budget kids option, thanks to the decent specs (a quad-core processor, dual cameras and expandable storage), along with the Kids+ content that includes educational content from National Geographic, Rabbids Coding, LEGO and others.

Finally, the Fire HD 8 Kids Pro Tablet, with similar features to the Fire HD 7 Kids Pro but a slightly larger screen, is available for $80, for a savings of 43 percent from the regular $140 price. Finally, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet comes with a 10.1-inch 1080p display, dual cameras, USB-C and 3GB of RAM. That model is available for $140 instead of $200, a discount of $60 or 30 percent. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Apple's "Noise Cancellation" accessibility feature has been a staple on past iPhones, but may have been permanently removed from the iPhone 13 series, 9to5Mac has reported. The feature is designed to "reduce ambient noise on phone calls when you are holding the receiver to your ear," a feature that can help make calls easier to hear. 

"Phone Noise Cancellation is not available on iPhone 13 models, which is why you do not see this option in [the Accessibility] settings," Apple support told one of 9to5Mac's readers. When the reader asked for clarification, the support team confirmed that the feature is "not supported."

Questions about noise cancellation came up on Reddit and Apple support pages shortly after the phone went on sale, with readers noticing that it was no longer available on the Accessibility page. The feature is still available with iOS 15 on past iPhone models, but is nowhere to be found on the iPhone 13. 

"Noise Cancellation" normally uses an iPhone's camera microphone to detect and remove ambient noise around you, so you can more easily hear the other person on a phone or FaceTime call — something that can be valuable for the hard of hearing. The issue only applies if you use the handset by itself without, say, Apple's AirPods noise-cancelling earphones. (It does not affect what others hear; for that, Apple introduced the Voice Isolation feature with iOS 15.)  

Apple has yet to officially confirm that the feature has been permanently removed on iPhone 13 devices; so far, the only word about it has come indirectly from Apple Support. As such, Engadget has reached out to Apple for further clarification. 

Apple device users appear to be vulnerable to a significant browser privacy flaw. According to 9to5Mac, FingerprintJS has disclosed an exploit that lets attackers obtain your recent browser history, and even some Google account info, from Safari 15 across all supported platforms as well as third-party browsers on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. The IndexedDB framework (used to store data on many browsers) is violating the "same-origin" policy that prevents documents and scripts from one location (such as a domain or protocol) from interacting with content from another, letting appropriately coded websites deduce Google info from signed-in users as well as histories from open tabs and windows.

The flaw only compromises the names of the databases rather than the content itself. However, this would still be enough for a malicious site owner to grab your Google username, discover your profile picture and otherwise learn more about you. The history could also be used to piece together a rudimentary profile of the sites you like. Private browsing won't defeat the exploit, FingerprintJS said.

We've asked Apple for comment. FingerprintJS said it reported the issue on November 28th, however, and that Apple hadn't yet addressed it with security patches honoring same-origin policy. Until then, the only solution may be to either use a third-party browser on Macs or block all JavaScript, neither of which is necessarily an option.

Samsung's long-rumored 14-inch Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra might be close to launch — and could have more to offer than its screen size. WinFuture has obtained what it says are leaked official images and specs for the Ultra (pictured above) and its more modestly-sized counterparts. The Ultra would unsurprisingly revolve around its 14.6-inch, 2,960 x 1,848 AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and S-Pen support, but it would come with as much as 16GB of RAM and 512GB of expandable storage. If you don't mind the display notch built to hold dual 12MP front cameras, this might be the ultimate Android tablet.

All Galaxy Tab S8 models would reportedly have Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, dual rear cameras (13MP main, 6MP ultra wide), Dolby Atmos-capable quad speakers and optional 5G. The differences would mostly come down to screens, memory and storage. The 12.7-inch Tab S8+ would carry a 120Hz, 2,800 x 1,752 AMOLED panel, one 12MP front camera, 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of expandable storage. The 11-inch regular Tab S8 would 'just' include a 120Hz 2,560 x 1,600 LCD but otherwise offer features similar to the mid-tier model.

The release date and pricing weren't mentioned in the Galaxy Tab S8 leak. However, WinFuture expects Samsung to introduce the range at its rumored February 8th Unpacked event. If so, the presentation could be one of Samsung's most important to date when the Galaxy S22 is also expected to make an appearance.

Apple's digital car key feature might soon be useful for unlocking more than a handful of BMW models. In his latest newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed Hyundai and its upscale Genesis badge will support Apple CarKey "by the summer." It's not certain which models would provide the option, but it's notable that some trim levels of the Ioniq 5 and other Hyundai cars include NFC for a (currently proprietary) digital key.

While remote lock controls have been available through smartphones for a while, CarKey (and its Android equivalent) treats the phone more like a physical key. You just have to bring your phone or Apple Watch to the door handle to unlock it, and you can even place your phone in a given area to start the car. People with ultra-wideband iPhones (such as the iPhone 11 and newer) can even leave their phone in their pocket when opening and starting the vehicle.

If the leak is accurate, Apple's move could significantly expand the audience for digital car keys — you wouldn't need to shop from one high-end marque to even consider it. A deal would also suggest the tussle over a possible EV collaboration wasn't enough to deter Apple and Hyundai from exploring a CarKey team-up.

Now is a good opportunity to buy one of the best no-frills e-readers available. Amazon is selling the latest generation of its standard Kindle reader for just $50 during a one-day sale, or $70 for a version without ads. Those are the lowest prices we've seen since Black Friday, and make them easy picks if you don't need water resistance or other extras. There's also a Goldbox sale on Kindle e-books if you need some reading material.

The base Kindle may be from 2019, but it's still a very competitive e-reader in 2022. The touchscreen, front illumination, high-contrast display and compact design make it easy to use and read in many situations, whether you're in bed or at the beach. More importantly, you're getting full access to the Kindle book ecosystem for a low price — if you don't care for what the Paperwhite offers, why pay more?

There are limits you should consider. The lack of waterproofing will prevent you from reading by the pool, and the 4GB of storage may prove limiting if you either want a large on-device library or tend to read visually intensive books that chew up storage. For most people, though, the regular Kindle is plenty.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

The murmurs of an iPad Pro with wireless charging are growing louder. 9to5Macsources claim Apple is moving forward with an update to its pro tablet that would include MagSafe wireless charging, but not necessarily how you'd expect. Rather than using a previously reported all-glass back (like most recent iPhones), the new iPad Pro could instead charge through an enlarged glass Apple logo built into a metal back. It would charge more quickly than an iPhone (expected given the iPad's added power draw) and carry stronger magnets to keep the charger in place.

The refreshed iPad Pro would include some more universal improvements, including a larger battery and an iPhone 13-style camera array. There would also be a "brand new chip" 9to5 presumed would be the M2 also expected for a new MacBook Air. Earlier rumors suggested the M2 would have eight cores like the M1, but would run them faster and tout more graphics cores.

There was no mention of a specific timeframe for the iPad Pro update. While talk has circulated of a spring event, there are no guarantees Apple will launch any new iPads in that time frame. Don't be shocked if there is a new Pro, though. The M1-based iPad Pro was as much a chance for Apple to flex its silicon prowess as it was a functional upgrade — an M2 sequel would keep that momentum going, and MagSafe support would help tie the Pro into Apple's wider ecosystem.