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17.01.2025 21:30 Apple’s excellent 15-inch M3 MacBook Air is on sale in a rare promotion that features discounts on more than just a single model. Amazon has cut the price of the 512GB version by 17 percent or $250, making it $1,249 for a limited time. With all four colors — midnight, silver, space gray and starlight — included in the sale, alongside the 24GB RAM variant, there’s no need to settle for the base model either. Indeed, if your budget allows for it, this is a great opportunity to pick up the 24GB model for $1,449 or 15 percent off its usual price. As the proud owner of an M3 MacBook Air, I agree with everything my colleague Devindra Hardawar wrote in his review last year. The latest Air is a tremendous laptop, offering plenty of performance for all but the most demanding tasks. It also features a great keyboard and trackpad that make the laptop a joy to use. For those reasons and more, it's why Engadget recommends the M3 MacBook Air as the best MacBook for most people. Moreover, now that 16GB of RAM is standard on all of Apple's new laptops, it’s easier to recommend a base model without the usual caveats. My only wish is that the MacBook Air had more ports. In my mind, it’s an SD card slot away from being a perfect computer. Apple could also offer more reasonable pricing for SSD upgrades. Amazon’s current sale doesn’t address those issues, but it does make a great computer more affordable. 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/deals/the-latest-15-inch-macbook-air-is-250-off-right-now-163029482.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 21:30 As part of an ongoing investigation into X, the European Commission has requested documents from the company related to how its recommendation systems work. The European Union's regulatory arm is particularly interested in any recent changes to the algorithm. The EC said it asked X to provide the information by February 15 as it steps up the Digital Services Act probe. On top of that, regulators asked for access to certain APIs that X provides so it can conduct “direct fact-finding on content moderation and virality of accounts.” The Commission has also slapped X with a retention order. This requires the company to retain internal documents related to future changes to the algorithm through the rest of 2025 . “Today, we are taking further steps to shed light on the compliance of X's recommender systems with the obligations under the DSA,” Henna Virkkunen — the Commission’s executive vice-president for sovereignty, security and democracy — said in a statement on Friday. ”We are committed to ensuring that every platform operating in the EU respects our legislation, which aims to make the online environment fair, safe, and democratic for all European citizens.” The EC opened the investigation in December 2023 to look into potential violations of the DSA. Companies that are deemed to have breached the law face fines of up to six percent of their global annual revenue. Thierry Breton, the former European commissioner for internal market, said the bloc was looking into whether X failed to live up to its obligations regarding transparency and tackling illegal content. Possible deceptive design practices are also under the Commission's microscope. Regulators stepped up their investigation after X owner Elon Musk publicly backed the Reform party in the UK, as well as the far-right Alternative for Germany party ahead of an election in February. As Reuters notes, some European politicians have claimed that Musk is meddling in elections. He decried the criticism as an attack on free speech and democracy. To that end, the Commission is looking into whether X's algorithms shadowban certain perspectives while amplifying a single narrative. However, it said that Musk is free to speak as he wishes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-eu-wants-to-know-just-how-xs-recommendation-algorithm-works-161000963.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 21:30 If you've been waiting for a deal on Apple’s flagship AirPods Max, now is the time to buy a pair. Amazon has discounted the USB-C model to $449, or 18 percent off their suggested $549 price. The retailer doesn’t have every color available, but all those in stock — blue, midnight, orange and purple — are part of the promotion. The AirPods Max need no introduction, but it’s worth taking a moment to consider if they make sense to buy in 2025. No doubt, they sound great and offer tight integration with other Apple devices, but if you don’t count the minor refresh Apple made this past September, the AirPods Max are now more than four years old. In that time, the competition has only gotten better; in fact, the AirPods Max aren’t even on Engadget’s list of the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy in 2025. Even taking into account their current $100 discount, there are options like the Sony WH-1000XM5 that are better and cheaper. Still, there’s a case to be made for the AirPods Max, particularly for someone deeply invested in Apple’s ecosystem. As easy as Sony’s app makes pairing, the process is still nowhere near as easy and seamless as Apple’s native integration. If you’re a frequent Siri user, the AirPods Max win there too. Just keep in mind Apple is likely to release a proper update to the AirPods Max later this year. 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/deals/apples-airpods-max-with-usb-c-drop-to-their-lowest-price-yet-154204100.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 21:30 The Qi2 wireless charging spec was originally announced back in early 2023. However, Android phone makers haven’t exactly been rushing to add Qi2 support to their latest devices since then. That’s made finding a compatible handset rather difficult, which is a bummer for anyone who has seen the wealth of accessories and power banks that iPhone owners have had for several generations. On top of faster charging speeds , Qi2 dictates the inclusion of embedded magnets designed to make aligning and attaching peripherals a cinch. But what makes the slow rollout a bit more frustrating is that Apple is a member of the Wireless Power Consortium and its MagSafe tech was used to help define the spec and ensure that compliant add-ons work seamlessly with Qi2, so it’s not like there’s a lack of compatible peripherals. Regardless, to help you figure out which Android phones officially come with Qi2, we’ve compiled a list of supported devices. Android phones with Qi2: The HMD Skyline. That’s it, seriously. At least for now. However, things are looking up for 2025, as Samsung has already committed to making multiple “Android devices supporting Qi2” this year. And with its upcoming Unpacked event slated for next week, things could change very soon. Google has also seemingly pledged to throw its hat to the ring. That said, things are a bit less concrete with the company saying that it will play “a leading role in the development of the upcoming Qi v2.2 standard, which includes Google's contribution of its own high-power wireless charging technology to WPC." Looking further ahead, with Mobile World Congress 2025 starting on March 3, we’re expecting to see updates from even more major manufacturers. As new phones with Qi2 hit the market, we will try to keep this list as up-to-date as possible. Or at least until the spec becomes a much more mainstream standard.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/here-are-all-the-android-phones-that-support-qi2-150052702.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 16:00 Temperature is a crucial aspect of grilling. Whether you’re searing steaks and burgers or slow smoking brisket, you need an accurate reading of both your grill’s heat levels and the internal temperature of your food. There are tons of options, from instant-read thermometers to probe-based devices that keep tabs on your cook the entire time. Of the latter, some are wired and some are wireless, and the lack of cords criss-crossing your grates can be a real upgrade. Wireless grilling probes aren’t new, but they are for a big name in grill thermometers that only launched one this year. ThermoWorks, the company behind the popular Thermapen, finally debuted its take on wireless temperature tracking with the RFX Meat . For the sake of supreme accuracy, the company takes a different approach than many of its competitors, giving both backyard and commercial grill masters a reliable and versatile sous chef. The RFX technology ThermoWorks’ RFX series relies on sub-GHz radio frequency wireless tech instead of solely using Bluetooth. This enables 1,500 feet of line-of-sight range between the probe and the receiver, although you’ll likely want to keep the latter close to your grill just to be safe. Like previous ThermoWorks probe-based grilling thermometer sets, there are magnets on the back of the probe’s charging cradle and receiver, so they’ll stick on a cool side of your grill with ease. The RF signal is strong enough to consistently beam though the thick walls of an offset smoker or the confines of a Dutch oven even when it's inside the grill. Beyond the wireless tech, ThermoWorks offers some key features that stack up well with the wireless probe competition. For example, by charging the RFX Meat probe in its skinny charging block for just 10 minutes, you’ll get up to 52 hours of cook time. The Gateway receiver provides the necessary Wi-Fi connectivity that allows you to monitor the grill remotely from anywhere. It also can connect to up to 70 wireless probes at once, which makes it suitable for commercial environments. The RFX Meat is IP69K rated, so it’s dishwasher safe and built for deep frying and sous vide cooking. The probe can also withstand temperatures up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which means you can use it to precisely monitor steaks during a high-heat sear. Lastly, the RFX Gateway supports ThermoWorks’ Billows BBQ temperature control fan. This device turns smokers — offset, ceramic, barrel or drum — into smart grills by maintaining the desired temperature. Billows gets temperature updates from the Pro-Series Air Probe via the RFX receiver. It’s great when you prefer to use wood or charcoal for low-and-slow cooking instead of a pellet grill and still want a slightly hands-off workflow. The RFX starter kit and standalone options Since you need both the RFX Meat and the RFX Gateway to get started, the best initial option is to get one of ThermoWorks’ bundles. Dubbed the RFX Starter Kit, this package includes the Gateway receiver and the wireless probe. It also includes a Pro-Series Air Probe for ambient grill temperatures, a grate clip, charger and colored probe rings. The company gives you the choice of one, two or four-probe bundles, all of which will save you money over buying each item separately. They currently cost $159, $239 and $349 respectively, but ThermoWorks notes these are the “introductory lowest price,” so I expect everything to get slightly more expensive soon. If you really need to purchase the RFX Meat or RFX Gateway separately — if you lose one or encounter some other culinary tragedy — the wireless probe is $89 while the receiver is $79. Again, those are initial prices that I anticipate will go up. Using the RFX Meat on the grill Billy Steele for Engadget The RFX Meat is the fourth ThermoWorks product I’ve tested. I’ve used two models of the Thermapen instant-read thermometers as well as the Smoke X. The Thermapen One remains a kitchen and patio staple at my house, especially for checking the internal temperatures of meat and fish. I’m consistently amazed by how the company builds devices that are reliable, easy to use and highly accurate. All three of those traits also apply to the RFX duo. Like some of the competition, ThermoWorks put multiple sensors in the shaft of the probe. Those four components give you a more accurate reading for the internal temperature of your food within 0.9 degrees. The company opted for the separate, wired Pro-Series ambient temperature probe that plugs into the RFX Gateway receiver for keeping tabs on the grill. There are a couple of benefits to this. First, the separate probe moves the sensor away from your meat, so that the initial cool zone or evaporation around larger cuts of meat doesn’t skew your readings. Second, you have the freedom to move the probe around since it’s not attached to the main wireless device. Even if your grill has a built-in sensor inside the cooking chamber, ThermoWorks’ Pro-Series option is a good secondary sanity check because most grill companies don’t position their probes level with the cooking grates where food sits. The RFX system provided a consistent connection during my test sessions, which included an all-day, low-and-slow smoke for a pork butt and a quicker, three-hour cook for my Thanksgiving turkey. I didn’t experience any drop-outs, and in the case of that bird, I was able to keep the RFX Meat probe in place during the rest phase. This was crucial since I pulled the turkey off the grill at 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the breast, so I needed to make sure that it hit 165 with carryover cooking before I carved it up. ThermoWorks ThermoWorks’ app won’t win any design awards, but it gets the job done. Frankly, I’ll take reliability and ease of use over aesthetic polish any day. There are plenty of grilling apps that look better but don’t work as well, and when you’re trying to cook a $100 brisket, any source of uncertainty can be stressful. Similar to the competition, ThermoWorks’ app lets you set high and low alarms for any of the probes, and you can also choose how often the app updates its readings. This means that when you’re searing a steak, you can track every degree, but for longer cooks you can opt for three-degree intervals. RFX sends updates based on temperature changes, not time, so you’ll want to give this some attention. True grilling nerds will also appreciate temperature graphs and the ability to add notes as needed. The company recently added an Advanced Mode that plots temperature data for all four internal RFX Meat sensors on a graph. Each line is a different color, giving you an in-depth look at changes over time during the entire session. One of the first things I noticed about the app’s main screen is that a carousel of the company’s products and cooking tips appears by default. This was off-putting to me, taking up space in an area where I just wanted my valuable cooking data. Thankfully, you can hide that box, and I’m sure I won't be alone in desiring to do so. The competition There are a few companies that make wireless grilling probes, but the brand I’ve spent the most time with is Meater. The Traeger-owned company has several different options with the Meater Pro , formerly the Meater 2 Pro, being the best Bluetooth tool for most backyard cooks. It has multiple sensors for internal meat temperatures as well as an embedded ambient sensor on the opposite end. The Meater Pro is extremely durable and can withstand both high-heat searing and deep frying. It’s also dishwasher safe like the RFX Meat, which is a big perk. If you want Wi-Fi built in though, you’ll need to splurge for the two-probe Pro Duo, which is $100 more. Meater’s app also provides estimated completion times, which is nice to have, but the guesses are not always accurate. Wrap-up Meater 2 Plus and RFX went head-to-head on my Thanksgiving turkey. Billy Steele for Engadget ThermoWorks’ initial RFX bundle is a reliable and simple way to keep tabs on your grill without standing right in front of it. The devices ensure that you’re cooking at the correct temperature and that you achieve the exact doneness you desire. I like the separate wired ambient probe for the RFX gateway for its increased accuracy, and it’s easy enough to route the cable out of the way. Sure, the RFX starter kit is more expensive than the likes of the Meater Pro, but ThermoWorks has already confirmed that more products that work with the Gateway are coming soon. The company does need to deliver on its promise to offer an offline mode via Bluetooth quickly though, so grillers who aren’t in range of a Wi-Fi network can still use the RFX to cook. But having both is a key advantage over some of the company’s rivals. And no matter how you connect to it, the RFX starter kit is further proof why chefs and pitmasters rely on ThermoWorks’ accuracy for their cooking needs. The company simply does not miss.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/thermoworks-rfx-review-a-wireless-grilling-tool-with-unparalleled-accuracy-140056393.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 16:00 A much-awaited feature is coming to the Pokémon TCG Pocket app sometime this month: Trading. In the game, which The Pokémon Company brought to mobile late last year, players can collect cards by opening digital booster packs. They can then use the Pokémon cards they get to battle each other. When the trading feature goes live, they'll also be able to improve their decks by trading with other people, though the feature will come with a set of limitations. Players will only be able to trade cards with their friends, and the cards must be of the same rarity. Both criteria potentially limit the cards players can obtain. To note, the game has eight rarity levels, and cards from the three highest tiers — the ones most difficult to draw — cannot be traded for now. In addition, The Pokémon Company has revealed that "items must be consumed in order to trade," though it didn't specify what those items are and how many will be expended per transaction. Finally, while only certain cards from the Genetic Apex and Mythical Island booster packs can be traded at launch, the company said that it's planning to expand the pack selection players can trade from. There's no specific release date for trading yet, but the company seems to be open to suggestions when it comes to improving the feature. It's inviting everyone to try the feature and send in feedback when it becomes available, so that "the game can continue to evolve in an enjoyable way for everyone."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/card-trading-is-coming-to-the-pokemon-tcg-app-133009689.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 16:00 Sony has canceled two more live-service games, one from its remake and remaster studio Bluepoint and another from Days Gone developer Bend Studio in Oregon, the company confirmed to Bloomberg. Neither studio will be closed, though the company has yet to say if any layoffs will occur. "We are working closely with each studio to determine what are the next projects," a spokesperson said. Bluepoint is the studio that created the much-lauded remakes of Demon’s Souls and Shadow of the Colossus. The company reportedly helped with God of War Ragnarok from 2022-2022, and following that, was working on the live-service project canceled yesterday, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier said in a post on BlueSky. Bend Studio has been a first-party developer for Sony since 2000, with its most recent project being the action-adventure game Days Gone, released for PS4 in 2019. The cancelations are the latest failures for Sony in the GaaS arena, following the spectacular flameout of Concord in September 2024. While the company did have a hit with Helldivers II last year, it reportedly canceled several other live-service games in the last several years, including one based on Spider-Man. Sony Interactive Entertainment cut around 1,120 jobs in 2024 across various studios, including Bungie, Naughty Dog and Insomniac — part of an unfortunate trend in the industry. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-axes-two-more-live-service-games-130048000.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 16:00 So it looks like the TikTok ban may actually be happening, barring a last-minute Supreme Court decision. In this episode, Senior Writer Karissa Bell joins Devindra and Ben to discuss the potential finale of TikTok in America, as well as why some users are finding refuge in RedNote, a Chinese Instagram clone. They also dive into why Meta is giving up on third-party fact checkers, and how this relates to Mark Zuckerberg's descent into the right-wing world. Finally, we explore the tidbits of information from Nintendo's Switch 2 unveiling. Stay tuned to the end of this episode for Devindra’s chat with Dan Erickson, the creator of Severance, about season two of his hit show. Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News! Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics RIP TikTok, Part ??? – 2:24 Meta abandons fact checking, loosens hate speech rules on its platforms – 22:21 We finally have confirmation of the Switch 2, full unveil scheduled for April 2 – 40:57 Pop culture picks – 49:29.187 Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Karissa BellProducer: Ben EllmanMusic: Dale NorthThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/engadget-podcast-the-tiktok-ban-zucks-lost-soul-and-nintendos-switch-2-reveal-123027317.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 06:30 The Starship's seventh test flight ended in an explosion when the vehicle's upper stage "experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn" over the Atlantic Ocean. SpaceX chief Elon Musk posted a video of the event, with debris streaking across and lighting up the sky. During the company's webcast, Dan Huot from SpaceX's communications team said they "saw engines dropping out on telemetry" by the end of the ascent burn and that they ultimately lost contact with the Ship, which is what the company calls the vehicle's upper stage. SpaceX said in a tweet that it will continue reviewing data from the test to understand the explosion's root cause. Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed! ✨ pic.twitter.com/nn3PiP8XwG— Elon Musk January 16, 2025 The Federal Aviation Administration issued an advisory for pilots after the incident, warning them about falling debris in certain areas. SpaceX said before the test that it's meant to "launch a new generation ship with significant upgrades" and it was supposed to conduct Starship's first payload deployment test with the help of 10 Starlink simulators. Despite the Starship's upper stage burning up, the test was still partially a success. The Ship's Raptor engines fired up during the ascent burn before the ground team lost contact with it around 8 minutes into the flight. SpaceX was also able to retrieve the Super Heavy booster, catching the vehicle's first stage with the mechanical arms on its Starbase launch tower. Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster! pic.twitter.com/aq91TloYzY— SpaceX January 16, 2025 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/spacexs-starship-explodes-during-ascent-in-its-seventh-test-flight-034440913.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 06:30 Pre-orders are now open for four new PlayStation 5 accessories in a new colorway: Midnight Black. That's better than other types of black because it stays up past bedtime. The collection includes the DualSense Edge wireless controller, the Portal remote player and the Pulse Explore wireless earbuds — each going for $200 — and the Pulse Elite wireless headset, which is selling for $150. All four are expected to ship February 20. Sony announced the collection earlier this month and the new accessories join the already-available Midnight Black standard Dual Sense controller and PS5 console cover . Like PlayStation's 30th Anniversary collection, the Midnight Black accessories let you add a bit of personalized flair to your gaming setup, but these are far more sleek and brooding. If previous PlayStation releases are any indicator, there's a chance these new accessories will sell out before everyone gets one, so if Midnight Black feels as sexy to you as the video makes it look, you might want to start adding things to your cart. Pre-order the DualSense Edge wireless controller for $200: Compared to the standard DualSense controller, the Edge model gives you a few more features and options for customization. Buttons below the sticks change button assignments while switches adjust the triggers' pull length. It comes with two sets of rear paddles as well as extra joysticks, all magnetically swappable. A matching case is also included. Also direct from PlayStation. Pre-order the Portal remote player for $200: The Portal remote player got a lukewarm assessment from us back in 2023, but we started to come around once Sony started cloud gaming. The gateway has an 8-inch LCD screen , haptic feedback and connects to your PS5 over Wi-Fi. Pre-order the Pulse Explore wireless earbuds for $200: The earbuds connect both via Bluetooth and Sony's own PlayStation Link tech, that promises ultra-low latency connection to a PS5, PC, Mac and the Portal remote player. AI-powered noise rejection technology will make sure your banter is heard clearly. A Midnight Black charging case is included. Also direct from PlayStation. Pre-order the Pulse Elite wireless headset $150: The Elite headset comes with a headset charging stand so you can show off your new accessory properly, while making sure it's ready for next time . These have the same dual-connection tech and AI-powered noise cancellation as the earbuds. Also direct from PlayStation. Most of the accessories are limited to one per customer from Sony's site.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/heres-how-to-pre-order-the-ps5-midnight-black-accessories-012150262.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 01:20 The Federal Trade Commission has taken action against General Motors and OnStar for allegedly sharing details about drivers to third parties without their consent. The agency launched an investigation into the automotive company after The New York Times found that GM had collected data about customers' vehicle use and sold it to third-party platforms used by insurance companies. The information came from the OnStar Smart Driver program, which customers with GM vehicles were encouraged to participate in or didn't realize they had agreed to join. The program gathered data about behaviors such as hard braking, late night driving and speeding and reportedly sold the information to LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Verisk, which in turn sold that data to insurance companies. Shortly after the Times report, GM said it had stopped sharing the sensitive information with the two data brokers. Today, the FTC proposed a settlement that will see both GM and OnStar banned from disclosing consumers’ geolocation and driver behavior data to consumer reporting agencies for five years. These companies will also be ordered to take additional steps to increase the transparency and choice for customers surrounding the information they collect and share. "GM monitored and sold people’s precise geolocation data and driver behavior information, sometimes as often as every three seconds," FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said. "With this action, the FTC is safeguarding Americans’ privacy and protecting people from unchecked surveillance."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/ftc-bans-general-motors-from-selling-driver-data-for-five-years-000019615.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 01:20 With a TikTok ban seemingly imminent, TikTok users have spent the last few days fleeing to Chinese social media app “RedNote,” trying to learn Mandarin, and bidding heartfelt farewells to their “Chinese spy.” But it’s looking increasingly unlikely that TikTok will actually disappear on January 19. Most Supreme Court watchers expect the court to uphold the law that requires ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US business or face a ban on January 19. But it seems there’s little appetite to actually enforce the law that was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support last year. Incoming President Donald Trump, who formally asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban, has said he wants to “save” the app. Yesterday, The Washington Post reported that Trump was “considering” signing an executive order shortly after taking office on January 20, “that would suspend enforcement of the TikTok ban-or-sale law for 60 to 90 days.” Now, NBC News reports that unnamed “White House officials” are saying they don’t want TikTok to be banned on their watch, either. “The administration has decided to defer implementation of the law banning TikTok in the U.S. to the incoming Trump administration, the officials said, effectively not enforcing it during the final 36 hours of President Joe Biden’s term in office. “Given the timing of when it goes into effect over a holiday weekend a day before inauguration, it will be up to the next administration to implement,” a White House official said. Where does that leave TikTok? I have no idea. Under the law, Apple and Google are required to remove the app from their stores or face billions of dollars in penalties. That unnamed Biden Administration officials are now saying they won’t enforce it on their way out the door, doesn’t mean that the two, generally risk-adverse, companies would opt to ignore federal law. Particularly when the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party sent letters to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook just one month ago pointedly reminding them of their obligation to comply with that same law. Even if Apple and Google do remove the app from their stores, TikTok could still theoretically function for the millions of people who have already downloaded it. But, a report earlier this week in The Information indicated that TikTok planned to make the app inaccessible on Sunday if the Supreme Court upholds the law. Neither Apple, Google nor TikTok — all of whom are presumably waiting for the actual Supreme Court ruling — have responded to questions or publicly commented on any of these scenarios. But the desire to disappear TikTok off Americans’ phones seems to be rapidly evaporating. Senator Ed Markey, who voted in favor of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act last year, introduced a bill this week that would extend the deadline for banning the app. In a statement, he said that the “ban was rushed through without sufficient consideration of the profound consequences it would have on the 170 million Americans who use the platform.” Senators Cory Booker and Ron Wyden, who also voted for the bill last April, joined him in calling for an extension, as did Representative Rho Khanna . Should TikTok get some kind of reprieve, there have been a number of options floated for keeping the app online in the US. These include finding an American buyer, reviving Project Texas or simply getting Trump to instruct DoJ officials to just ignore the law altogether. If all that seems confusing, it’s because it is. Officials in both parties have spent months issuing dire warnings about the mostly theoretical national security threat posed by TikTok. But, now that a ban is seemingly just days away, no one wants to be blamed for being the ones to actually take it away.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/everyone-suddenly-has-cold-feet-about-banning-tiktok-232152569.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 01:20 Awesome Games Done Quick has already wrapped up for 2025 , but the philanthropic group has other programs year-round that raise money for worthy causes. Two of those are hosted by the Frame Fatales, a community for women and femmes in speedrunning under the GDQ umbrella. The group's Frost Fatales event runs from March 9-16 and will raise money for the National Women's Law Center. The schedule just dropped today and here are a few of the highlights. The event starts with a pair of my personal favorite games to watch: the punishing 2D platformer Cuphead followed by the wahoos of Super Mario Odyssey. I'm also amused that Lanaruse will run Coffee Caravan, but with the category "Any% No Coffee." That kicks of the show on March 13 at 1 PM ET. The March 14 lineup looks particularly exciting, with Jaypeg tackling Snufkin: Melody of Moomin-valley, GretaIceVixen and Corvimae showing off Pókemon Sword Shield, and Bloupeuh playing Undertale Yellow. Frost Fatales is set to close out with SawaYoshi tackling a one-handed run of Celeste, which sounds like required viewing. And if you can't wait until March to see some excellent gamer philanthropy, then be sure to tune in during Back to Black, GDQ's event highlighting Black speedrunners. This year, the showcase will be raising money for Race Forward, a racial justice nonprofit, from February 6-9. It's only a few days long, but Back to Black has a bunch of great talent in the lineup. Bobbeigh running any Castlevania game is a must-watch, and he'll play Rondo of Blood on Feb. 6 at 7:08 PM ET. Super Smash Bros. pro-turned-speedrunner Ryan Ford is on the schedule twice, with The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX on Feb. 8 at 4:05 PM ET and Super Metroid on Feb. 9 at 8:04 PM ET. Check out the full Back to Black schedule of games, runners and hosts here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/agdq-just-ended-but-theres-already-a-schedule-for-frost-fatales-and-it-owns-212907587.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 01:20 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced today that's it's ordering Block, the creator of Cash App and parent company of Square, to pay up to $120 million in "refunds and other redress to consumers" and a $55 million fine over how the company handled fraud on its payment platform. Per the CFPB, Cash App's Terms of Service at one point claimed that any bank linked to an account for transferring funds was responsible for addressing disputes around fraudulent charges, something that's not generally true under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. Block would use that claim to avoid assuming responsibility, and when it would investigate a complaint, it relied on "intentionally shoddy investigation practices to close reports of unauthorized transactions in the company’s favor," CFPB's statement explains. Accessing any kind of customer service for Cash App was a challenge, too, according to the CFPB. Block included a customer service number on Cash App cards and in the app's Terms of Service, but calling it would it ultimately lead users to "a pre-recorded message directing consumers to contact customer support through the app." And reaching out to the company through the app or physical mail often led to delayed or confusing responses. Besides the up to $175 million in fees Block owes, the CFPB is also directing the company to set up a live 24/7 customer support line. Block has agreed to comply with the order. "While we strongly disagree with the CFPB’s mischaracterizations," the company shared on its blog, "we made the decision to settle this matter in the interest of putting it behind us and focusing on what’s best for our customers and our business." The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has taken an increasingly aggressive approach towards regulating payment apps and digital wallets in the last year of the Biden Administration. The CFPB expanded its purview from just banks to wallets and payments apps in November 2024, and came after the payment app Zelle not even a month later. These attempts at regulation are facing pushback, too. NetChoice, a trade association for online companies, and TechNet, "a bipartisan network of technology CEOs," are both suing the CFPB over its efforts to clean up digital payments, with familiar claims of government overreach and that the CFPB failed to explain the risks it was addressing when it decided to regulate payment apps in the first place. Update, January 16, 5:36PM ET: This story was updated after publishing to clarify that the cost of Block's combined CFPB fine is up to $175 million, rather than $175 million.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/cfpb-fines-block-175m-over-cash-apps-lax-fraud-controls-210749768.html?src=rss

17.01.2025 01:20 Google has told the EU it will not comply with a forthcoming fact-checking law, according to a copy of a letter obtained by Axios. The company states that it will not be adding fact checks to search results or YouTube videos and will not use fact-checking data when ranking or removing content. It’s important to note that Google has never really participated in fact-checking as part of its content moderation policies. The company did, however, invest in a European fact-checking database ahead of recent EU elections. The upcoming fact-checking requirement was originally implemented by the European Commission’s new Code of Practice on Disinformation. It started as a voluntary set of “self-regulatory standards to fight disinformation” but will soon become mandatory. Google's global affairs president Kent Walker said the fact-checking integration "simply isn't appropriate or effective for our services" in a letter to the European Commission. The company also touted its current approach to content moderation, suggesting it did a bang-up job during last year’s “unprecedented cycle of global elections.” Google also points to a new feature added to YouTube last year that enables certain users to add contextual notes to videos, saying that it “has significant potential.” This program is similar to X’s Community Notes and, likely, whatever fresh hell Meta is cooking up. Walker went on to say that Google will continue to invest in current content moderation technologies, like Synth ID watermarking and AI disclosures on YouTube. We have no idea what the EU will do in response to Google once digital fact-checking practices become law. This is happening just after Meta announced it would be ending its fact-checking program in the US, so who knows if Mark Zuckerberg will comply with EU laws. X scaled back its professional fact checkers a while ago. Big tech certainly seems to have a big problem with, um, facts.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-decides-it-wont-comply-with-eu-fact-checking-law-201514781.html?src=rss