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25.07.2024 22:22 There’s no way around it: Samsung copied Apple in multiple ways on its Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro . Not only do the physical designs echo the third-gen AirPods and AirPods Pro, respectively, but Samsung also mirrored a few features, too. The Galaxy Buds offer Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation , Adaptive EQ and Voice Detect, which just happen to do the same thing as Apple's Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness. And just like Apple does with AirPods and iOS, the best features here are reserved for recent Samsung devices. If you have a newer Galaxy phone, that's the saving grace of these earbuds: They're the de facto AirPods you've probably always wanted. Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro design The Galaxy Buds 3 are the most obvious AirPods copycat of the pair, sharing a striking resemblance to the third-generation “regular” model that Apple debuted in 2021. The shape and location of the speaker and other components are but two examples of the replication on display here. Samsung’s “blade” design for the stem does offer some variation, but not a ton, and there’s a gray option for more contrast. On the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, there’s a lot of resemblance to the AirPods Pro. Once more, the angular nature of the stem and the gray color are the two biggest differentiators. Samsung’s “blade” stem accepts both swipes to adjust volume and pinches for playback and noise controls. While the sliding action works well, the pinching takes some getting used to. My tendency is to place my index finger on the flat panel opposite the back side where you pinch, but that doesn’t provide enough pressure to activate the controls. Instead, you have to wrap your finger around the blade to hold it in place. Once you figure out how to grip them securely, pressing on them is a much easier task. The case for both Galaxy Buds 3 models has a similar shape to that of the AirPods, but Samsung’s choice to go with a clear lid creates some separation, and I liked being able to see if the buds were inside without having to open it. Samsung also put the USB-C port and the Bluetooth pairing button on the bottom where Apple puts the latter component on the back of the case. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs. Apple's AirPods Pro. Billy Steele for Engadget One weird thing about the case is how the earbuds sit in it. When you take the Galaxy Buds 3 out of your ears, you have to rotate them 180 degrees to put them in the case. This doesn’t sound like a huge inconvenience until you have to do it a few times a day. Samsung did this to make the Blade Lights visible when the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are in the case, which, to me, doesn’t justify the annoyance. Speaking of the Blade Lights, let’s discuss that design choice. They’re completely unnecessary. As the user, you only see them when the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are in the case. In that position, they function as a second indicator that the earbuds are in pairing mode, which isn’t needed because the case already has its own LED for purpose on the front. You can set them to stay on when you’re wearing them, or either fade in/out or blink, but I’m not personally into drawing more attention to my earbuds. Both sets in the Galaxy Buds 3 series are IP57 rated so they’ll withstand sweaty workouts with no problems. However, the Pro version is the better option for activities as the ear tip helps keep them in place when moisture comes into play. What's more, I didn’t encounter any discomfort with either Galaxy Buds 3 model when wearing them for hours at a time. They both remained comfortable and I never felt like I was enduring some degree of pain to keep them in. Samsung is also dealing with some quality control issues on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. It’s nothing to do with functionality, but the company paused shipments due to overly fragile ear tips. This component has a tendency to tear when you remove them from the earbuds, which is a problem if you need to go back to a pair of tips you were using previously. Since the Galaxy Buds 3 don’t use these, they’re not affected. I’ve asked Samsung for an update on the ear tip saga and will update this review when there’s more info. Notable features Billy Steele for Engadget Besides design, Samsung also took a page from Apple when it comes to features on the Galaxy Buds 3 series. First, both models have Adaptive EQ and Adaptive ANC — two key tools on AirPods. These features constantly monitor sound and adjust both the tuning and the noise cancellation based on what you encounter. They mostly run in the background and the only time you might notice a change is when music or a podcast suddenly seems slightly louder because of the earbuds doing their thing. Samsung went a step further on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro with some more advanced features. Adaptive Noise Control automatically adjusts a mix of ANC and ambient sound based on your surroundings while Voice Detect will lower the volume and activate transparency mode when you start speaking. As noted above, these are basically Samsung’s take on Apple’s Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness features, respectively. There’s also a Siren Detect that does the same auto volume reduction and ambient sound thing when it hears an emergency vehicle. All of these work as described, but I would like the volume reduction and activating ambient sound to happen simultaneously. Instead, the volume lowers and then a couple seconds later transparency mode kicks in. So, once you start talking, you might feel the need to speak louder until you can hear yourself better when the full capability of Voice Detect kicks in. Additionally, I’m happy to report that Voice Detect isn’t easily triggered by coughing like comparable features on other earbuds tend to be. The Galaxy Buds 3 series voice features also accommodate simple commands without pressing any buttons or muttering a trigger word. You can just say things like "play music," "volume up" or "answer call" for basic tasks. These work well once you memorize the accepted phrases, like the fact that "stop music" works but not "pause music." The Galaxy Buds 3 series also has a Real-Time Interpreter akin to what Google offers on its Pixel Buds. In Samsung's case, the feature can read and translate other languages. When the tool is active, you can pinch and hold the stem and the setup with continue to interpret while someone is talking. The downside is this whole thing currently requires a Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Flip 6 as those are the only phones running One UI 6.1.1. Due to this, I wasn't able to test it as my companion device is an S24 Ultra. Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro sound quality Billy Steele for Engadget The Galaxy Buds 3 offer solid audio performance, mainly due to a pleasant amount of low-end tone. The bass tuning here provides a nice backbone to songs and keeps pace with the punchy highs and full mids. That said, how the Galaxy Buds 3 sit in my ears affects overall sound quality. I could make them sound a little better with a small positioning adjustment, but that’s not how they’d rest on their own. If sound quality is your primary concern though, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is the better option. Samsung’s choice to use two-way speakers and dual amplifiers creates deep sound that’s immersive and detailed. You’ll get the best performance from a recent Samsung phone where you can employ Ultra High Quality audio and 24-bit HiFi. The higher-resolution streaming is also available on the Galaxy Buds 3, but it’s better suited to the Pro model. Both models also offer 360 Audio with direct multi-channel support. However, I don’t think that particular mode sounds good on either set of earbuds. The audio is thin and favors treble, making it less balanced, zapping the oomph out of the excellent bass tone. When you deploy the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro at their maximum potential with lossless audio, you get robust, enveloping sound that rivals some of the best earbuds I’ve tested. I still prefer the tuning of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 to these, but Samsung has really flexed its muscle here. There’s beefy bass when a track like Balance and Composure’s “Cross To Bear” demands it, but the echo-y guitars and vocals cut through cleanly. Plus, there’s ample fine detail in the texture of the bass line and the crisp drum sounds. Active noise cancellation performance The Galaxy Buds 3 have ANC even though they are open-type earbuds that don’t completely seal off your ears. Samsung has done this before on previous models and I still don’t understand why. The ANC on this model is more like slight noise reduction as it barely makes a difference with any background ruckus you might encounter. I’m guessing Samsung read the reports about Apple bringing ANC to an upcoming version of its “regular” AirPods and felt like it needed to beat Apple to the punch. Either way, if you want true, helpful noise-canceling earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the better option here. You won’t find ANC performance that rivals Bose and Sony on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, but the noise-blocking ability is good enough to combat a low-to-moderate constant roar. The earbuds struggle mightily with human voices, which is a stumbling block for a lot of the competition. I will point out that transparency mode works really well, providing a natural option for ambient sound that almost rises to the level of the AirPods Pro. I think Apple still has the upper hand there, but Samsung has done well to give us something that makes calls easier and doesn’t make environmental noise sound overly muted when you actually want to hear it. Call quality Billy Steele for Engadget The quality of transparency mode on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro makes them a great option for hands-free calls. You can chat without feeling like you need to shout to hear yourself. The open nature of the Galaxy Buds 3 also makes them a solid choice for voice and video for you, the user. For the person on the other end, you’ll sound slightly better than if you were on speakerphone on both sets, which is about average for earbuds these days. It isn’t pristine, but it gets the job done in most circumstances. Battery life on the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro Both the Galaxy Buds 3 and the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro had no trouble hitting Samsung’s stated battery figures during my tests. That’s five hours for the former and six hours for the latter, and I tested them with ANC on and the volume between 50 and 75 percent. Each model gets around 20 additional hours of noise-canceling use from the case. The cases for both models support wireless charging, but Samsung doesn’t mention any expected times for full charging from zero or any quick-charge features that might be available. I’ve asked the company for more details here and I’ll update this review if there’s more to share. The competition Despite all of the comparisons to AirPods that Samsung has heaped upon itself, Apple’s earbuds aren’t the main competition for the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. That’s because Apple headphones aren’t good choices for Android users because the company reserves the best features for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Samsung used to cater to iOS users, but it took the same walled garden approach of its rival. Galaxy Buds will work with your iPhone, but without all the bells and whistles. Instead, Sony’s WF-1000XM5 is the best alternative to the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Android and iOS users both get access to the most attractive features, which include Speak-to-Chat voice recognition, DSEE Extreme audio upscaling and automatic settings adjustments based on either activity or location. iPhone users only miss out on head tracking. The 1000XM5 is more comfortable than its predecessor thanks to a smaller overall design and battery life is longer than both Samsung and Apple at eight hours with ANC on. Wrap-up I’ll be honest, when Samsung revealed two sets of earbuds that bear resemblance to two models of AirPods, I wasn’t expecting much in terms of performance. However, the company certainly surprised me. Audio quality is great on both sets of Galaxy Buds 3, though the Pro model nears spectacular in its sonic capabilities. Samsung could use some more polish on its features like Voice Detect, but the company clearly sees the value in giving its Galaxy phone customers an analogous experience to what iPhone users get with AirPods. Ultimately, though, the company’s previous earbuds were good on their own merits. Samsung would be better served by making the next version of Galaxy Buds stand out because of their own unique features, rather than just aping the AirPods across the board. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-buds-3-and-galaxy-buds-3-pro-review-airpods-clones-that-actually-deliver-171024116.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 22:22 Google is making its Gemini AI faster and more efficient across the board. You now have access to 1.5 Flash, its generative AI model designed to be able to generate responses more quickly and efficiently, even if you're not paying for Gemini Advanced. The company says you'll notice improvements in latency, as well as the tool's reasoning and image understanding, on both the web and mobile. In addition, it's expanding the AI assistant's context window, so that you can have longer conversations with it and ask it more complex questions. In the near future, Google will also give you the ability to upload files to Gemini from Google Drive or from your device. If you give it access to your notes, for instance, it will be able to create a study guide or a practice exam for you. Plus, the assistant will be able to analyze data and make it easier to digest with graphics and charts. As part of its work to reduce hallucinations, Google is now displaying links to related content if you ask it questions that require factual answers. It will display a "gray chip" at the end of a paragraph in its response that links to websites where you can read more about the topic. Those chips could even lead to your emails, if you've linked Gemini to your Gmail account. The feature is currently limited to select locations for English prompts only. The company is making Gemini more accessible overall, as well. It has started gradually rolling out Gemini in Google Messages for Android devices in the European Economic Area , the UK and Switzerland. You'll now also be able to chat with Gemini in French, Polish and Spanish within the Messages app. Finally, Google is expanding access to Gemini's mobile app to more regions and is giving more teenagers the ability to use the AI tool. As long as you meet its minimum age requirement of 13, you'll be able to chat with the assistant. Google has even introduced a teen-specific onboarding process and an AI literacy guide, so you can get an idea on how to use the tool to accomplish your tasks. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-gives-free-gemini-users-access-to-its-faster-lighter-15-flash-ai-model-160006705.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 22:22 There's nothing quite like a summer in Montreal. After several brutal winter months, the city bursts to life and its residents make the very most of the warmer weather. Été is a relaxing slice-of-life game that deftly captures the essence of Montreal at this time of year, warts and all. You play as an artist who is spending the summer in La Metropole. The first order of business is to set up an easel in your apartment, which has little else but a mattress in it, no thanks to your somewhat brusk landlord. Once you have learned the basic controls, it's time to explore your new surroundings. This version of Montreal is effectively your canvas. It's colorless at first, almost as if it's covered in snow. You can fill this world with watercolor, a little at a time. Developer Impossible pulls off a smart trick here as each object you color becomes a stamp that you can use in your paintings — your artist character is literally taking inspiration from the world around them. I spent several hours ignoring the main missions and exploring the various levels, enjoying myself as I restored color to a market, alleyway, front yard and park. Just like moving into a new city or neighborhood, the more I explored the world around me, the easier it became to navigate. And as with much of life in this city, you do things at your own pace. While the narrative is fairly paint-by-numbers, the characters of Été are surprisingly rich for such a short game . Montreal is a melting pot and the game does a deft job of reflecting that in its NPCs. The characters you encounter may be gruff, friendly or a mix of both, and you'll run into more than a few arguments. Impossible Talking to the people you encounter is a smart idea, since they'll often commission you to paint something for them with specific elements included. So if you've yet to find all the letters and symbols for an "I heart MTL" T-shirt, you'll need to hunt down and paint them first so you can use them as stamps. You have a lot of scope in how to create these commissioned pieces, as well as custom ones to hang in your apartment or sell at a cafe. You can use the money you earn to furnish your residence — something I didn't really bother with in my playthrough. My favorite aspect of Été is just the brilliant job Impossible has done of distilling recognizable aspects of life in Montreal into an abstract world. Fairmount Bagel is instantly recognizable, as is an approximation of a famous flower shop that has many, many bird cages dangling from the apartment balconies above it. You'll run into kids playing hockey in an alleyway. You'll find someone making Canada Day decorations while complaining about a neighbor who's doing the same thing for Quebec's national holiday. The cafe culture, second-hand furniture stores and wonderful farmer's markets are all present and correct. Even the city's anti-capitalist movement gets its own subplot. Impossible has nailed much of what makes the city so special. Impossible Unfortunately, there are no festivals, even though the real Montreal has a ton running simultaneously at this time of year. Old Montreal — a historic, heavily European-influenced neighborhood by the river that's like catnip for tourists — is overlooked as well. But it would be tough for the developers to factor in everything that makes the city so great. As someone who lives in Montreal, Été is a gorgeous reminder of what's right outside my doorstep. I should maybe go drink more of that in, even just to watch the world pass by from a terrasse as I paint the final few corners of this sumptuous fictional version of the same thing on my Steam Deck. Été is out now on PC.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/chill-painting-game-ete-beautifully-captures-summertime-in-montreal-152853036.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 22:22 We knew it was coming and now it’s here. Disney has entered into a partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery to offer an ad-free streaming bundle that includes Disney+, Hulu and Max. The combo pack costs $30 per month, which is a savings of $6 per month when you add it all up. A Disney+ and Hulu bundle costs $20 per month and ad-free Max costs $16 per month, so this is a pretty good deal. If you want to save even more money and don’t mind lengthy ad breaks interrupting prestige dramas that weren’t made with advertisements in mind, there’s an ad-filled version of this bundle available for $17 per month. You still get access to all of the content from the three streamers. You also get a bunch of ads. This is likely the most budget-friendly way to get your eyeballs on Game of Thrones and Star Wars content. Speaking of, Disney+ is the home to all things Star Wars, including The Acolyte, which has proven to be a pretty big hit for the platform and a great showcase for laser sword tomfoolery. The platform is also Marvel HQ, with Agatha All Along and that new Daredevil show premiering in the near future. In my humble opinion, Disney+ would be well-served by developing some decent shows outside of its two tentpole franchises, but that’s where Hulu comes in. This streamer is home to a little global phenomenon called The Bear, in addition to the cringefest Pen15, the cartoon Solar Opposites and much more. Hulu also streams TV shows the day after they air from networks like FX and ABC. That means you can use it to watch both Shōgun and Abbott Elementary. As for Max, you know the drill. It’s HBO that for some reason has been rebranded to suit some corporate mandate nobody quite understands. That means access to the iconic cable network’s entire catalog, including The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Wire and so much more. It also streams new shows like House of the Dragon and The Regime. Disney also owns ESPN, which is currently prepping a new streaming sports service by teaming up with Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox Sports. This joint operation will stream events from the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA when it launches later this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/that-disney-hulu-and-max-streaming-bundle-is-now-available-152015788.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 17:20 Pretty much every TV is a smart one these days. But perhaps you're still rocking an older model without built-in streaming functions, you don't have an external device with such capabilities or you simply don't like the interface of your smart TV. As such, a dedicated streaming device might be of interest to you. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a decent option and, best of all, it's currently 33 percent off. That brings the price down to just $40, or only $5 more than the record low it was selling for during Prime Day. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is perhaps the most capable of Amazon's streaming devices and it's pretty straightforward to use as well. You just need to plug it into a spare HDMI port on your TV or monitor to get started. As the name suggests, you can use it to stream video in 4K. The stick also has Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HLG support. Streaming apps such as Netflix, Hulu and, of course, Prime Video are available. You can use Alexa via the remote to search for shows and movies, or ask the assistant the kinds of questions you would of a smart speaker. The device has a 2GHz quad-core processor and 16GB of onboard storage, so it should offer decently fast performance and have plenty of space for your apps and games. Speaking of games, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a surprisingly adept device on that front. Engadget senior reporter Jeff Dunn found it to be a solid option for emulating retro games, such as those from the PS1, NES, SNES, Game Boy, GBA, Genesis and even old arcade machines. It supports cloud gaming too, and the Wi-Fi 6E connectivity is a big help there. Amazon Luna is one of the options that's available. Amazon and Microsoft also recently enabled Xbox Cloud Gaming support on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-is-back-on-sale-for-only-40-143827827.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 17:20 Back in March, Warner Bros. Discovery's Max announced that it's extending its exclusive US streaming rights for Studio Ghibli in a new multiyear agreement. As part of that deal, Ghibli agreed to make Hayao Miyazaki's first film in a decade, The Boy and the Heron, available on Max later this year. Now, the streaming service has revealed that the fantasy adventure film will be available to stream on Max starting on September 6. To note, Studio Ghibli first embraced streaming in 2020 when it gave Netflix and Max the rights to all its films, including Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and My Neighbor Totoro. Written and directed by Miyazaki, The Boy and the Heron revolves around a boy named Mahito who moves to his family's countryside estate after the death of his mother. It was there where he encounters a gray heron, which marks the beginning of a fantastical adventure with magic, wizards, spirits and anthropomorphic animals. Like all other Miyazaki films, The Boy and the Heron contains philosophical messages weaved into Mahito's journey as he faces the dangers of an unfamiliar world to find his ill stepmother who has disappeared into the forest. The Boy and the Heron's English dub features some of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Christian Bale voices Mahito's father Shoichi, Robert Pattinson voices the grey heron, Florence Pugh is the magical fisherwoman Kiriko while Dave Bautista voices the film's main antagonist, the Parakeet King. The cast also includes Mark Hamill, Willem Dafoe, Gemma Chan, Karen Fukuhara and Luca Padovan as Mahito. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/studio-ghiblis-the-boy-and-the-heron-arrives-on-max-in-september-140046955.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 17:20 MacBooks are great, but if you're like me, then having to hunch over one brings back and neck pain. An iMac is a perfect though costly solution, but right now, it's a bit more affordable . Apple's 2023 iMac with an M3 chip is down from $1,299 to $1,149 — a return to its record-low price. The 12 percent discount applies to the Green, Blue and Silver models with an 8-core CPU and 256GB. Apple released its latest iMac in late 2023 and garnered an 86 in our review. The big difference between this model and its 2021 predecessor is the M3 chip. The addition gives this latest iMac extreme speed and allows us to do anything from editing photographs to playing games without delays or hiccups. The 24-inch iMac has a 4.5k resolution and 500nits of brightness. It also offers Apple's TrueTone technology and support for the Wide P3 color gamut. Plus, with just an 11.5mm thickness and a weight under 10 pounds, it's easy to maneuver if you work in different places of your house or need to bring it to an office space every once in a while. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-m3-imac-is-down-to-a-record-low-price-130621105.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 17:20  It might be arriving a few months later than expected but Fallout: London is finally here. The expansion-sized mod for Fallout 4 is out now on Steam and GOG. Buying it from the latter ,means the mod will work with both the Steam and GOG versions of the base game. There are some caveats, though, as the launch version of Fallout: London is incompatible with the recent major Fallout 4 update. Developer Team Folon is working to remedy that. In the meantime, you can download a pre-patched version of Fallout 4 from GOG now . GOG and Team Folon have created a one-click installer for the mod to make it as easy as possible to jump in. Things are a bit different on Steam, as the current version of Fallout 4 is incompatible with the mod. To play Fallout: London via that storefront, you'll have to downgrade the original game manually. That'll take a little work, but you can find a step-by-step guide on Team Folon's website. Fallout: London features a fresh story and environments, fully-voiced characters and new weapons, factions and gameplay features to get to grips with. A trailer gives a decent overview of what's in store: Fallout but with a decidedly British slant on the post-apocalypse, innit. It took Team Folon — a collective of hobbyist and professional developers — over five years to craft the mod. The original plan was to release Fallout: London back in April, but Bethesda's recent patch threw a spanner in the works. In any case, the lengthy development process looks to have fallen in Team Folon's favor. There's been a major surge in interest in Fallout since the success of the TV show that debuted on Prime Video earlier this year. Bethesda and Microsoft weren't ready to capitalize on that with a new game , so Team Folon might reap the benefits.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-long-awaited-fallout-london-fan-mod-is-finally-here-130031260.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 17:20 Last month, AMD unveiled the Ryzen 9000 series Zen 5 desktop processors including the 16-core 9950 it called "the world’s most powerful desktop consumer processor." Those chips were set to be released on July 31st, but AMD SVP Jack Huynh announced on X that they'll be delayed up to two weeks "out of an abundance of caution." The company found that initial production units didn't meet quality expectations, so it plans to replace them with fresh units. "The Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X processors will now go on sale on August 8th and the Ryzen 9 9950X and Ryzen 9 9900X processors will go on-sale on August 15th," Huynh wrote. We appreciate the excitement around Ryzen 9000 series processors. During final checks, we found the initial production units that were shipped to our channel partners did not meet our full quality expectations. Out of an abundance of caution and to maintain the highest quality…— Jack Huynh July 24, 2024 There's no issue with the design of the Ryzen 9000 silicon, and specifications will not change for the processors, a spokesperson told Tom's Hardware. Rather, it's related to an issue with product testing that resulted in "a small number of products reaching the market that do not meet our quality standards," the company said. Chip buyers may be nervous about such issues right now. Reports of instability problems with 13th-gen Intel desktop CPUs started in late 2022 and persisted with 14th-gen models. Earlier this week, Intel announced that it finally found the cause and promised to roll out a fix sometime in August. However, that won't work for chips that have already degraded — those will need to be completely replaced by Intel. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amd-delays-ryzen-9000-chip-release-for-up-to-two-weeks-to-address-quality-issues-120033465.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 17:20 When Reddit said last month it would block unauthorized data scraping from its site, most of us assumed it was to tackle chatbot training. It turns out the site/service/fandom battleground also appears to be blocking search engines other than Brave and Google, the latter of which reportedly inked a deal earlier this year with Reddit worth $60 million annually. A Reddit spokesperson told Engadget the empty search results are because these engines won’t agree to the company’s requirements for AI training. The company says it’s in discussions with several of them. Bing and DuckDuckGo both appear to be affected. — Mat Smith The biggest stories you might have missed Our favorite budget webcam is on sale for only $48 right now Intel has finally figured out its long-standing desktop CPU instability issues Some police in Arizona will start using drones as first responders ​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! A Call of Duty game is coming to Xbox Game Pass But it’s Modern Warfare III. It’s been hard to accept Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass price hike, especially given its recent lackluster game offerings. In an attempt to make up for it, it is adding a Call of Duty game. Unfortunately, it’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, one of the lowest-rated games in the series. Sorry, folks. Continue reading. The Engadget guide to the best smartphones Our top phone choices aren’t all flagships. Engadget So you’re after a new phone. If you know you want an iPhone, your decision-making process is a bit easier. If you’re an Android person, you have a lot more options. At Engadget, we review phones a lot and have tested dozens over the years; so far for 2024, our top picks remain the same, with Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro and Google’s Pixel 8 Pro topping our lists. Our recent refresh includes new picks for top foldable. Continue reading. CrowdStrike tried to offer Uber Eats credit to partners, but it got flagged for fraud It was sent to those dealing with last week’s outage. Last week’s CrowdStrike outage plunged many companies into a messy world of blue death screens. The cybersecurity company tried to apologize with an Uber Eats gift card. Unfortunately, when people tried to use it, the offer had been rescinded by the issuing party. CrowdStrike said Uber had flagged it as a fraud because of high use rates. CrowdStrike blamed the global system outage on a boot loop bug that knocked out systems in banks, airports and even hospitals. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-reddit-is-blocking-ai-search-engines-that-dont-cough-up-for-access-111537431.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 12:30 Meta’s Oversight Board is urging the company to update its rules around sexually explicit deepfakes. The board made the recommendations as part of its decision in two cases involving AI-generated images of public figures. The cases stem from two user appeals over AI-generated images of public figures, though the board declined to name the individuals. One post, which originated on Instagram, depicted a nude Indian woman. The post was reported to Meta but the report was automatically closed after 48 hours, as was a subsequent user appeal. The company eventually removed the post after attention from the Oversight Board, which nonetheless overturned Meta’s original decision to leave the image up. The second post, which was shared to a Facebook group dedicated to AI art, showed “an AI-generated image of a nude woman with a man groping her breast.” Meta automatically removed the post because it had been added to an internal system that can identify images that have been previously reported to the company. The Oversight Board found that Meta was correct to have taken the post down. In both cases, the Oversight Board said the AI deepfakes violated the company’s rules barring “derogatory sexualized photoshop” images. But in its recommendations to Meta, the Oversight Board said the current language used in these rules is outdated and may make it more difficult for users to report AI-made explicit images. Instead, the board says that it should update its policies to make clear that it prohibits non-consensual explicit images that are AI-made or manipulated. “Much of the non-consensual sexualized imagery spread online today is created with generative AI models that either automatically edit existing images or create entirely new ones,” the board writes.”Meta should ensure that its prohibition on derogatory sexualized content covers this broader array of editing techniques, in a way that is clear to both users and the company’s moderators.” The board also called out Meta’s practice of automatically closing user appeals, which it said could have “significant human rights impacts” on users. However, the board said it didn’t have “sufficient information” about the practice to make a recommendation. The spread of explicit AI images has become an increasingly prominent issue as “deepfake porn” has become a more widespread form of online harassment in recent years. The board’s decision comes one day after the US Senate unanimously passed a bill cracking down on explicit deepfakes. If passed into law, the measure would allow victims to sue the creators of such images for as much as $250,000. The cases aren’t the first time the Oversight Board has pushed Meta to update its rules for AI-generated content. In another high-profile case, the board investigated a maliciously edited video of President Joe Biden. The case ultimately resulted in Meta revamping its policies around how AI-generated content is labeled.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-needs-updated-rules-for-sexually-explicit-deepfakes-oversight-board-says-100005969.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 08:00 Back when Max was still known as HBO Max, it released a redesigned app that added SharePlay for Apple devices, but only in the US. Now, the streaming service is rolling out the feature to all its users around the world. SharePlay is now available to all Max users paying for Ad-Free and Ultimate Ad-Free plans, allowing them to hold and join watch parties over FaceTime and iMessage, no matter where they are. Users can start watching with friends by hitting the "share" button either on the details section of each title or within the FaceTime app. Each session can have as many as 32 participants, but they all have to be Max subscribers. That means people from regions where Max isn't available, such as in Asian countries, won't be able to hop on and watch with their pals in the US or Europe. Warner Bros. is planning to expand Max's reach to South East Asia later this year, but it warns on its website that the timeline could still change. SharePlay for Max works on iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs and Vision Pro headsets. To initiate a watch party on iPhones, iPads and Vision Pros, users have to find the Share icon on the details page of a show or a movie, enter the contacts they want to share with and initiate a FaceTime call. If they choose Messages on their mobile devices, their friends will get a message asking them to join SharePlay. On Apple TV, users will have to open FaceTime first before clicking the SharePlay button and choosing Max from the app list. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/maxs-shareplay-feature-for-ios-is-now-available-to-all-ad-free-subscribers-040624031.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 03:10 The NBA and WNBA have inked deals for where games will be aired and streamed for the next eleven years. The NBA deals run from the 2025-2026 season through the 2035-2036 season. For the WNBA, the agreement covers the 2026 through 2036 seasons. Pro basketball has been an ESPN mainstay for years and that will continue, with the Disney-owned network remaining the primary media rights owner for both leagues. ESPN will be the exclusive home for the NBA finals for all eleven years of the new deal, as well as five out of the eleven years of the WNBA finals. The games covered by ESPN's deal will be part of the sports network's direct-to-consumer platform and a package of NBA and WNBA games will also be made available to stream on Disney+ in select international markets. While the bulk of the games will go to ESPN, basketball is going to have more of a streaming presence thanks to two new partnerships. NBC and Peacock will have access to 100 NBA national games during each regular season. About 50 games will be exclusive to the Peacock streaming platform, including national Monday night games and doubleheaders. The rest of the games go to Amazon. Prime Video will be the home for 66 regular-season NBA games and 30 regular-season WNBA games each year of the deal. Regular basketball viewers may notice that TNT Sports is not part of this lineup. The NBA's deal with that network does not appear to be getting an extension after next year, with those games mostly going to Amazon. But the situation may yet go into overtime. TNT Sports claims that it matched Amazon's offer for the games and seems to be challenging whether the NBA can switch partners. NBA's statement counters that the offer from parent company Warner Bros. Discovery did not match Amazon's, leaving them free to shop elsewhere. The long-awaited agreements for both basketball leagues aren't a complete slam dunk for fans. On the positive side, the next decade marks a notable shift toward streaming. After so long with the sport closely tied to broadcast shows, having access as part of your existing streaming plans is great. But on the negative side, multiple media partners mean that you'll have to double- and triple-check where to watch each game. Major League Baseball, for instance, has games scattered across ESPN, Fox, Apple TV+, TNT Sports, and MLB Network on any given night.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nba-tv-rights-go-to-espn-nbc-and-amazon-as-tnt-is-rejected-230811550.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 03:10 World of Warcraft artists, designers, engineers, producers, quality assurance testers and other game developers have unionized. The staff of more than 500 workers voted to unionize the Blizzard Entertainment studio with the Communications Workers of America creating the World of Warcraft Gamemakers Guild, according to an X post from the union’s official account. The Blizzard studio is the latest major game studio to form a union during uncertain times of layoffs and studio closures across the gaming industry. Bethesda Game Studios, the studio behind the Fallout and Elder Scrolls franchises, formed its union with the help of CWA last weekend that includes 241 workers. “What we’ve accomplished at World of Warcraft is just the beginning,” said Eric Lanham, a test analyst and Wow Gamemakers Guild member, in a statement released by the CWA. “My colleagues and I are embarking on a quest to secure better pay, benefits, and job security through a strong union contract. We know that when workers have a protected voice, it’s a win-win for employee standards, the studio, and World of Warcraft fans looking for the best gaming experience.” We're the World of Warcraft Gamemakers Guild: the first wall-to-wall union at Blizzard! We're thrilled to include WoW's QA, Art, Sound, Design, Engineering and Production voices for a democratized workplace. At this crucial moment in games, we stand together as one. For Azeroth! pic.twitter.com/ieewW5KFuI— WoW Gamemaker's Guild July 24, 2024 The World of Warcraft Gamemakers Guild is the largest wall-to-wall union currently under Microsoft’s umbrella. Activision unionized around 600 QA workers with the CWA in March. ZeniMax Studios also voted to unionize around 300 staffers back in January. Microsoft also made an agreement with Activision Blizzard two years ago to respect the right of its workers to form a union. The agreement was part of Microsoft’s deal to takeover Activision Blizzard. The CWA cites the start of the WoW Gamemakers Guild formation to a protest conducted by Activision Blizzard workers in 2021. The crew staged a walkout at its Irvine, California headquarters over a lawsuit filed by the state’s Civil Rights Department alleging the company was a “breeding ground for harassment and discrimination against women.” The CRD later withdrew all allegations of systemic sexual harassment, and Activision Blizzard reached a settlement of $54.8 million relating to pay and promotion disparities. The WoW studio also agreed to remove “references that are not appropriate for world” from the game. “What seemed impossible six years ago is now a reality, and this is just the beginning,” said CWA’s Senior Director of Organizing Tom Smith in a written statement. “Together, workers are redefining their industry.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/world-of-warcraft-workers-unlock-form-a-union-achievement-220148151.html?src=rss

25.07.2024 03:10 Respawn Entertainment is bringing back the option to buy Apex Legends battle passes with in-game currency. "You've spoken, and we've listened," the company said. The developer drew player outrage and a sweep of review-bombing earlier this month after it announced a new approach to the game's reward system. The original announcement was convoluted, but the gist of what frustrated the Apex community was that players would no longer be able to use in-game currency to access an upgraded version of the battle pass. People earn Apex Coins by playing, and under the original model, serious fans could easily earn enough over the course of one battle pass to pay for the next season's. Today, Respawn said it would return the option to pay 950 Apex Coins to unlock the Premium battle pass tier. And with 1,300 Apex Coins available at that tier, this segment of the battle pass experience has mostly reverted to the old model. Players will be able to unlock the premium version by completing some "simple in-game challenges" at the start of Season 22, Split 1 on August 6. After that, beginning on September 17 with the season's Split 2, the new/old model will take effect. An update on our new Battle Pass: pic.twitter.com/ga8NB8cwFB— Apex Legends July 24, 2024 However, other parts of the original announcement are still in place. New battle passes will drop at the start and halfway point of a season. Apex Legends will have a free battle pass with minimal perks, the Premium version with more rewards and unlocked by in-game currency, an Ultimate version for $10 with all the Premium content and a handful of additional instant unlocks, and finally, an Ultimate+ version for $20 with two legendary skin variants and access to all of the game's playable heroes for that split. Battle passes have become de rigueur for the games-as-a-service industry. It's proven to be one of the most successful options for generating the revenue to fund creating more content while still offering players value. But once an approach has been laid out, studios may have a hard time convincing players to adapt to changes. In fact, this isn't the first time the Apex Legends battle pass has been changed, then re-changed. But the trend toward game communities tanking review scores or directly harassing devs and creators to air their grievances at any changes means that the financial situation for many of these ongoing titles can still feel precarious.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/respawn-is-walking-back-its-unpopular-changes-to-the-apex-legends-battle-pass-215117879.html?src=rss