Help with AI for latest technology : October 2022

Monday, 31 October 2022

A system that allows users to communicate with others remotely while embodying a humanoid robot #wanitaxigo

Sunday, 30 October 2022

Elon Musk considers making verification a Twitter Blue perk

With Elon Musk in charge, Twitter is planning to boost the price of its Blue subscription plan from $5 to $20 per month and make it mandatory for verified users, according to Platformer's Casey Newton and The Verge. If it launches the plan, verified users (celebrities, politicians, journalists, etc.) will have to sign up to the service within 90 days or they'll lose the blue check mark. And employees working on the project have reportedly been told they'll be fired unless they implement the changes by November 7th.

Twitter launched Blue late last year in the US for $3 per month, but boosted the price in July to $5. It offers subscribers features like top articles, custom icons and, most recently, the ability to edit tweets. The company hasn't revealed subscriber numbers, revenue or other details for Twitter Blue, but the vast majority of its revenue (89 percent) comes from advertising, according to Investopedia.

Musk telegraphed the move yesterday, tweeting that "the whole verification process is being revamped right now." As Newton pointed out, Twitter's @verified currently follows around 428,000 accounts that carry the blue check, a fraction of the site's 206 million daily actives users.

A lot of those folks have tweeted about the change, and many wouldn't pay $20 to keep their verified status. At the same time, users have pointed out that the new system could increase Twitter's bot and spam issues that Musk seems to hate. "The point of Twitter verification is that... it's useful to be able to verify their statements are coming from them," tweeted cosmologist and writer Katie Mack. "It's supposed to help combat disinformation, not be a status symbol."

Musk has been busy in the few days he's been "chief twit." He has reportedly ordered company-wide layoffs, according to The New York Times. On Saturday, the SpaceX and Tesla boss reportedly told managers to begin drawing up lists of employees to cut.

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Mopar shows off its electrified Jeep 'CJ Surge' concept at SEMA 2022

As the 2022 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show kicks off Monday in Las Vegas, Mopar — Stellantis' OEM accessory division — unveiled a trio of intriguing concept vehicles, led by an electrified Jeep CJ. Even more exciting, the battery electric technology behind it could portend a restomod revival of classic American muscle cars.

“The Jeep CJ Surge concept explores a future zero-emission propulsion system kit and supports the Jeep brand’s mission to become the leading electrified SUV brand in the world," Mark Bosanac, North America senior vice president, Mopar service, parts and customer care, said in a prepared statement Monday. "Separately, our Ram 1500 Backcountry X and TRX Gold Shot concepts showcase a truckload of innovative Mopar accessories for our award-winning full-size trucks."

The CJ Surge is what's known as a restomod (a portmanteau of "restoration" and "modification"), in that they cleaned up an late model CJ7 (the resto part) and swapped out the internal combustion engine for battery-electric propulsion (the mod part). Restomods aren't strictly electrifications — we've been doing them with crate engines for decades — but with automakers swiftly transitioning to battery power from gas, demand from the classic car community for similar capabilities has grown in recent years. In response, Ford has begun prototyping a BEV restomod system called the Eluminator. The Surge is Mopar's first steps in the same direction.

So rather than an inline-six or v-eight that the CJ7s originally came with, Mopar has dropped in a "scalable 400-volt, 200-kW Electric Drive Module" that provides four-wheel drive capabilities. That powerplant is backed by a 24-module Li-ion battery that sits in a "custom shell mounted in the rear of the passenger cabin," which you can see as the giant silver box dominating the trunk space in the image above. And rather than a traditional manual transmission, the Surge replaces the stick shift with a Wrangler JK center console and rotary shifter knob.

There's no word on performance numbers, much less when — or even if — this will ever come to market. If you want to check out the Surge for yourself, you'll need to get to the Las Vegas Convention Center before November 4th.

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NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured an image of the sun ‘smiling’

It’s been a busy week for NASA in the days leading up to Halloween. In the spirit of the season, the agency recently released a new image of the Eagle Nebula captured by the James Webb Space Telescope where the Pillars of Creation look like a ghostly hand. By coincidence, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory managed to capture a similarly spooky image of the sun.

Say cheese! 📸

Today, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory caught the Sun "smiling." Seen in ultraviolet light, these dark patches on the Sun are known as coronal holes and are regions where fast solar wind gushes out into space. pic.twitter.com/hVRXaN7Z31
— NASA Sun, Space & Scream 🎃 (@NASASun) October 26, 2022

On Wednesday, the agency shared a capture of the sun “smiling.” As The Guardian points out, more than a few Twitter users were quick to point out how the star looks like a carved pumpkin in NASA’s image. There’s a bit of interesting science behind the resemblance. “Seen in ultraviolet light, these dark patches on the sun are known as coronal holes and are regions where fast solar wind gushes out into space,” according to NASA. The sun is constantly sending out solar winds. At times, these geomagnetic storms have been known to knock power out here on Earth, as was the case in part of Canada in 1989.

This isn’t the first time the Solar Dynamics Observatory has captured an interesting image of the sun. In 2016, NASA released an animation of the sun doing a somersault. The capture was the result of a seven-hour maneuver the SDO completes once a year to take an accurate measure of the star’s edge.

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Roomba robot vacuums are up to 35 percent off at Amazon

Robot vacuums can be a godsend if vacuuming is one of your least favorite household chores. In recent years, new models from iRobot and Shark have become more intelligent, more powerful and, best of all, less expensive. Still, a robot vacuum is an investment, and it helps when they go on sale like iRobot’s models are right now on Amazon.

To start, the retailer has discounted the Roomba 694, one of our favorite budget picks. After a 35 percent discount, the robot vacuum is $179. The 694 is great if you want a no-frills option. It features WiFi connectivity, allowing you to connect to it through iRobot’s easy-to-use companion app. The software makes setup and creating a vacuuming schedule easy. Add a powerful motor and decent battery life, and you have a robot vacuum that meets the needs of most people. One of the few downsides of the 694 is that it doesn’t come with spare parts, so you’ll be forced to pay extra when you need a replacement filter or brush. But when you’re saving almost $100 off the price of the 694's usual price, that’s less of a concern.

Buy Roomba 694 at Amazon - $179

For those with a bigger budget, Amazon has also discounted the Roomba j7+ and Roomba s9+. The former is $599 after a $200 price cut, while the latter is $799, instead of $1,000, thanks to a 20 percent discount. Of the two, the j7+ is the better pick for most people. It features Roomba’s latest computer vision software, making the vacuum better at avoiding obstacles like pet poop. The more expensive s9+ isn’t as smart as its newer sibling but features 40 times the suction power of a standard Roomba. If you have a lot of carpet in your home, the s9+ will leave your floors noticeably cleaner than the company’s other vacuum robots. Both models ship with a docking station where they’ll automatically empty their canisters at the end of a cleaning session. So if that’s a feature you’re set on, you don’t need to upgrade to the s9+.

Buy Roomba j7+ at Amazon - $ 599 Buy Roomba s9+ at Amazon - $799

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Twitter was targeted by a coordinated trolling campaign following Musk takeover

Following Elon Musk’s takeover, Twitter was the target of a coordinated trolling campaign, according to Yoel Roth, the company’s head of safety and security. In a thread spotted by The Guardian, Roth said late Saturday that Twitter was working to stop an “organized effort” by trolls to make people think the company had weakened its content guidelines. “Bottom line up front: Twitter’s policies haven’t changed. Hateful conduct has no place here,” Roth said, adding the company had seen a “small number of accounts” post “a ton” of tweets that included derogatory language.

Let’s talk for a minute about slurs, hateful conduct, and trolling campaigns.

Bottom line up front: Twitter’s policies haven’t changed. Hateful conduct has no place here. And we’re taking steps to put a stop to an organized effort to make people think we have.
— Yoel Roth (@yoyoel) October 30, 2022

In one instance, Roth says the company saw just 300 accounts post more than 50,000 tweets using the same slur. “We’ve taken action to ban the users involved in this trolling campaign – and are going to continue working to address this in the days to come to make Twitter safe and welcoming for everyone,” he wrote.

The news of a coordinated trolling campaign comes after a handful of research groups found evidence of bad actors trying to test the limits of Twitter. On Friday, the Network Contagion Research Institute tracked a 500 percent increase in usage of the n-word. The nonprofit linked the increase to posts on sites like 4chan, where users were encouraging each other to post hateful content.

On Friday, Musk said Twitter would not make any major moderation decisions until the company had the chance to form a council with “widely diverse viewpoints.” Before taking control of the company, Musk had said he wanted to do away with permanent bans, noting he would “err on the side of, if in doubt, let the speech exist.” More recently, he floated the idea of allowing users to split off into different sections of the platform where they could add content ratings to their tweets.

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Apple's M2 MacBook Pros could arrive next March

Apple won’t release any more new Macs before the end of the year. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company had planned to announce new M2 versions of its 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros “as early as this fall,” but Apple now aims to introduce them in the first quarter of 2023. Gurman adds that the launch will likely coincide with the release of macOS Ventura 13.3.

“Apple has rarely launched new products in January or February during recent years, so I’d expect the new Macs to be announced by the first half of March,” he writes. “That aligns with the planned ship dates for the corresponding software, but also makes sense in light of Apple’s recent history of launching new Macs during that month, including the Mac Studio this year.”

Gurman points to Apple’s recent earnings call for supporting evidence. Earlier this week, Tim Cook told analysts the company’s product line for the holiday season was “set.” Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri provided even stronger confirmation, noting he expected Mac revenue to “decline substantially” in December in part because there are no new MacBook Pros to boost sales.

When they finally do arrive, the new MacBook Pros will feature the same design as the current 2021 models. The primary change Apple has planned is the inclusion of its new M2 Pro and M2 Max chipsets. According to Gurman, the M2 Max will feature up to 12 CPU cores and 38 GPU cores.

While Apple users shouldn’t expect any more hardware from the company before the end of the year, the company is still working on new software. Gurman says iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 should arrive by mid-December. The company is currently testing those updates among developers.

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Hitting the Books: AI could help shrink America's gender wage gap

Women have faced gender-based discrimination in the workforce throughout history, denied employment in all but a handful of subservient roles, regularly ignored for promotions and pay raises — and rarely ever compensated at the same rates as their male peers. This long and storied socioeconomic tradition of financially screwing over half the population continues largely unabated into the 21st century where women still make 84 cents on the dollar that men do. In her new book, The Equality Machine: Harnessing Digital Technology for a Brighter, More Inclusive Future, Professor of Law and founding member of the Center for Intellectual Property Law and Markets at the University of San Diego, Dr. Orly Lobel, explores how digital technologies, often maligned for their roles in exacerbating societal ills, can be harnessed to undo the damage they've caused.

This article has been excerpted from The Equality Machine: Harnessing Digital Technology for a Brighter, More Inclusive Future by Orly Lobel. Copyright © 2022. Available from PublicAffairs, an imprint of Perseus Books, LLC, a subsidiary of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

For years, the double standard was glaring: employers demanded secrecy about salaries while asking prospective employees for their salary histories. Now, we can tackle both ends of this asymmetry. Just as digitization is helping to reverse information flows to foster more transparency in the market about employees’ worth, new laws are also directing employers to not rely as much on past pay levels, which can be tainted by systemic inequality. In 2016, Massachusetts became the first state to pass a law prohibiting employers from asking job candidates about their salary histories. Since then, more than a dozen states have followed suit.

Barring employers from asking prospective job candidates about their salary histories has two goals. The first is breaking the vicious pay gap cycle, which emerges when women are paid less at a previous job and that gap is then replicated by the next employer. The second is addressing gender differences in the negotiation process Salary figures are plagued by gender disparity, and they can perpetuate and further exacerbate existing market disparities. When a woman discloses that she currently earns less than a man, she could be harming her salary trajectory — both in the applied-for position and for the rest of her career. Each time she discloses her current salary to a potential employer, that gap is likely to grow, as recruitment efforts and promotions are often offered as a percentage increase in relation to current base salary. Rather than relying on biased figures, bans on salary history inquiry induce employers to use other ways to determine a potential employee’s worth, including a shift to automated computation. Employers using market and internal data can consider merit-related characteristics when determining pay, such as experience, training, education, skill, and past performance.

And yet, as we have seen, human bias can creep into our algorithms, and an algorithm that is fed data tainted by salary bias is likely to perpetuate that bias itself. Feedback loops are digital vicious cycles that can result in self-fulfilling outcomes. Once again: bias in, bias out. The risk is that an algorithm will learn that certain types or categories of employees are on average underpaid, and then calculate that into salary offers. This is the wrong that recent policy has been designed to eliminate — and that we can program AI to avoid. Removing the anchored numerical figure encourages employers to proactively assess pay based on the company’s needs and the candidate’s fit rather than on a tainted number. At the same time, having pay scale information for a job but not having a salary history on the table can embolden women to ask for more.

What’s more, AI can also help in the future — maybe not even the distant future — by replacing some of the negotiation that takes place in unequal settings. Empirical studies on negotiation differences between men and women have repeatedly shown that women on average negotiate less, and that when they do, employers react negatively. Women don’t ask for higher salaries, better terms, promotions, or opportunities nearly as frequently as men do. In my research, I’ve called this the negotiation deficit. In one study at Carnegie Mellon University, 93 percent of female MBA students accepted an initial salary offer, while only 43 percent of men did. In another study, female participants simulating salary negotiations asked for an average of $7,000 less than male participants. Economists Andreas Leibbrandt and John List have also found that while women are much less likely to negotiate with employers over salary, this difference disappears when all job seekers are explicitly told that pay is negotiable, mitigating the pay gap. My own experimental research with behavioral psychologist and law professor Yuval Feldman, my longtime collaborator, has found that women in some work environments act less as “homo economicus” — that is, as rational economic actors — and more as altruistic social actors, such that women do not demand for themselves as much as men, and are more likely to value non-monetary benefits, such as good corporate culture.

Can these research insights offer us clues for developing new software tools that will spur women to negotiate? Digital platforms can serve employees by providing advice and information on asking for a raise or preparing for an interview. Information on pay—and especially an explicit expectation that pay can and should be negotiated—can empower applicants to negotiate higher salaries before accepting job offers. The digital platform PayScale conducts annual surveys asking thousands of job seekers whether they disclosed their pay at previous jobs during the interview process. PayScale’s 2018 survey found that women who were asked about their salary histories and refused to disclose were offered positions 1.8 percent less often than women who were asked and disclosed. By contrast, men who refused to disclose when asked about salary history received offers 1.2 percent more often than men who did disclose.

Even when women do negotiate, they are treated differently. In my research, I call this phenomenon the negotiation penalty. Women are told to “lean in” and make demands, but the reality is that for centuries, women have been universally viewed as weaker negotiators than their male counterparts. In one series of experiments, participants evaluated written accounts of candidates who did or did not initiate negotiations for higher salaries. The results in each experiment showed that participants penalized female candidates more than male candidates for initiating negotiations, deeming women who asked for more not “nice” or too “demanding.” While qualities such as assertiveness, strength, and competitiveness culturally benefit male negotiators, women who display such characteristics are often considered too aggressive. Another study looked at data from a group of Swedish job seekers and found not only that women ended up with lower salaries than equally qualified male peers, but also that they were often penalized for negotiating like them. Nick Yee and Jeremy Bailenson have shown that attractive avatars lead to more intimate behavior with a confederate in terms of self-disclosure and interpersonal distance. In a second study, they also observed that tall avatars lead to more confident behavior than short avatars in a negotiation task. They term it the Proteus Effect (the Greek god Proteus was known to have the ability to take on many self-representations). The Proteus Effect suggests that the visual characteristics and traits of an avatar are associated with correlating behavioral stereotypes and expectations, including those that affect the way we negotiate.

The eleventh annual competition for artificial intelligence that has been trained to negotiate — the Hagglebot Olympics, as it’s been termed in the popular media — was held in January 2021. Universities from Turkey and Japan won this time. In some experiments involving negotiations with bots, most people did not even realize they were talking to a bot rather than another person — the bots had learned to hold fluent conversations that completely mimicked humans. Using game theory, researchers are increasingly improving the ways bots can negotiate on behalf of humans, eliminating some of the aspects in which we humans are fallible, like trying to factor in and weigh many different aspects of the deal. AI can now predict the other side’s preferences quite fast. For example, an AI listening by microphone to the first five minutes of negotiation is learning to predict much of the eventual deal just from the negotiators’ voices. Following these speech patterns through machine learning, it turns out that when the voice of a negotiator varies a lot in volume and pitch, they are being a weak player at the negotiation table. When the negotiating sides mirror each other, it means they are closer to reaching an agreement. Using AI also has helped uncover the ways in which women are penalized at the negotiation table. A new study out of the University of Southern California used a chatbot that didn’t know the gender identities of participants to evaluate negotiation skills. The study showed that most of us — both men and women — do quite badly at negotiating salaries. Over 40 percent of participants didn’t negotiate at all, and most people left money on the table they could have received. Women valued stock options less than men did as part of their compensation package, affecting women’s likelihood to accumulate wealth over time. These advances can also help with negotiation disparities across different identities. A group of Israeli and American researchers looked at how a smart computer can negotiate with humans from different cultural backgrounds. Without telling the machine anything about the characteristics of people from three countries — Israel, Lebanon, and the United States — they let the AI learn about the patterns of cultural negotiation differences by engaging in negotiation games. They found that the computer was able to outperform people in all countries. These developments are promising. We can envision bots learning about negotiation differences and ultimately countering such differences to create more equitable exchanges, level the playing field, and achieve fair outcomes. They can be designed to tackle the specific distributive goals we have.

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Saturday, 29 October 2022

Elon Musk has reportedly ordered layoffs across Twitter

Elon Musk has ordered company-wide layoffs at Twitter, according to The New York Times. On Saturday, the SpaceX and Tesla executive reportedly told managers to begin drawing up lists of employees to cut. Twitter did not immediately respond to Engadget’s request for comment.

The Times could not determine how much of Twitter’s workforce Musk plans to let go – though some teams will be more affected than others. Before completing his $44 billion takeover of the company, Musk reportedly told investors he planned to lay off as much as 75 percent of Twitter’s 7,500-person strong workforce. In meeting with staff, Musk is said to have told employees he wouldn’t cut the company’s headcount so dramatically.

The forthcoming layoffs are likely to occur before November 1st. The timing may give Musk the opportunity to avoid paying out stock grants to outgoing workers. According to The Times, such payouts “typically represent a significant portion” of an employee’s pay. While Musk has shared some details about what moderation on the platform could look like under his watch, he's been less forthcoming about his plans for the company's workforce. On Saturday, he spent most of the day tweeting about food.

Musk has already cut part of Twitter’s leadership team, firing CEO Parag Agrawal and Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal on the day he took ownership of the company. According to The Guardian, those moves are expected to cost Musk at least $120 million in “golden parachute” payouts.

Developing...

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Netflix renews 'The Witcher,' recasts Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia

While The Witcher won't return until next year, Netflix has already renewed the show for a fourth season and announced a major change. On Saturday, the streaming giant said that Liam Hemsworth, best known for playing Gale Hawthorne in The Hunger Games film series, would replace Henry Cavill as protagonist Geralt of Rivia. The two actors posted about the casting change on social media.

"My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords," Cavill said on Instagram. "In my stead, the fantastic Mr. Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men.”

Cavill didn't share a reason for his departure. Earlier this week, the actor confirmed he would continue playing Superman following his recent cameo appearance in Black Adam. Netflix cast Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in 2018. In addition to lending his star power to the series, the actor brought a genuine love of the franchise with him that was apparent whenever he was interviewed about the role. "I really feel a connection to Geralt and who he is and his nature, especially from the books," he told Polygon in 2019. "And having played the game for many, many, many hours, it was something that I had a connection with."

Netflix did not share a release date for season four of The Witcher. Season three began filming earlier this year. At its recent Tudum fan event, the company said the show would return sometime in the summer of 2023. In the meantime, fans can look forward to watching The Witcher: Blood Origin, a prequel series starring Michelle Yeoh, starting on December 25th.

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A post shared by Liam Hemsworth (@liamhemsworth)

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Google buys an AI avatar startup to take on TikTok

Google has quietly acquired a startup that was working on using AI to generate avatars for social media users and brands. According to TechCrunch, the company recently paid about $100 million to buy Alter. The acquisition went through about two months ago without Google publicly announcing it. On Thursday, the search giant confirmed the purchase but did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. According to TechCrunch, Google bought Alter to better compete against TikTok.

Alter began life as Facemoji, offering a platform that other developers could use to add avatar creation systems to their apps and games. Alter chief co-founder and operating officer Jonathan Slimak recently took to LinkedIn to share he was starting a position “building Avatars at Google.” How Alter’s team and technology could help Google better compete against TikTok is unclear. YouTube Shorts, Google’s take on the short-form video format, is already a success for the company. Following a global rollout in the summer of 2021, Google announced this past June the platform had 1.5 billion monthly active users.

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‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II’ update fixes party-related crashes

If Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II has crashed when you’ve tried to play with a party of friends, you’ll want to download the game’s latest update as soon as possible. In a tweet spotted by Eurogamer, developer Infinity Ward said early Friday morning it was “aware of some players experiencing crashes when partied up.” Later that same day, the studio said it would deploy a “mitigation” on Saturday morning. As of 12:22PM ET, that update is now live and rolling out to Modern Warfare II players. “Players in parties should see significant improvement,” Infinity Ward said.

Thank you for your patience. We will be deploying a mitigation for party related crashes tomorrow morning (PDT). Update to follow. https://t.co/w9ab6BGk8h
— Infinity Ward (@InfinityWard) October 29, 2022

The fix comes as the studio attempts to address a handful of launch issues with Modern Warfare II. One bug, for instance, is preventing players from accessing the game’s menu while in a match. Another issue, since addressed by Infinity Ward, created an audio continuity problem on PlayStation 4. The studio was also forced to disable Modern Warfare II’s ping system after people found it was possible to exploit it to track a single enemy player for the duration of a game.

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Mark Zuckerberg will testify in the FTC’s antitrust case against Meta

The Federal Trade Commission will call on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify in its upcoming case against the company. The FTC sued the social media giant in July in an attempt to block it from buying Within Unlimited, the creator of the popular VR workout app Supernatural.

Reuters reports that the agency listed 18 witnesses, including Zuckerberg and Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, in a court document filed with California’s Northern District Court on Friday. In addition to answering questions about the potential acquisition, the FTC plans to ask Zuckerberg about Meta’s VR strategy and how the company intends to support third-party developers, according to court documents seen by Reuters.

In July, the FTC accused the company and Zuckerberg of attempting to “illegally acquire” Within. “Instead of competing on the merits, Meta is trying to buy its way to the top,” John Newman, deputy director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, said at the time.

Meta has dismissed the FTC’s lawsuit, claiming it is based on “idealogy and speculation, not evidence.” The case could be another costly setback for a company struggling to convince the public and Wall Street of its vision for the future. Earlier this week, Meta disclosed in its latest earnings report that its Reality Labs VR and AR division is losing more money than ever. In Q3 2022, the unit lost $3.7 billion. That’s a trend David Wehner, the company’s outgoing chief financial officer, told investors would continue through 2023.

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Friday, 28 October 2022

Sonos' latest sale takes 20 percent off home theater bundles

Sonos has launched a new sale that discounts various bundles of the company's smart soundbars, speakers, and subwoofers. All of the offers are still on the expensive side — the cheapest bundle starts at $678, and relatively affordable Sonos devices like the Ray soundbar or Sub Mini subwoofer aren't included. Still, discounts of any sort on Sonos speakers are uncommon, and the bundles here take roughly 20 percent off several home theater devices we recommend, including the high-end Sonos Arc and compact Sonos Beam soundbars, the latest Sonos Sub subwoofer, and the Sonos One SL surround speaker.

Shop Sonos home theater bundles at Sonos

Here's a list of the bundles on sale:

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) + 2x Sonos One SL for $678, down from $847
Sonos Arc + 2x Sonos One SL for $1,038, down from $1,297
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) + Sonos Sub (Gen 3) for $958, down from $1,198
Sonos Arc + Sonos Sub (Gen 3) for $1,318, down from $1,648
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) + Sonos Sub (Gen 3) + 2x Sonos One SL for $1,277, down from $1,596
Sonos Arc + Sonos Sub (Gen 3) + 2x Sonos One SL for $1,637, down from $2,046

The first-gen Sonos Beam is also down to $299 in white, which is a $100 discount, though that soundbar lacks Dolby Atmos support compared to the $449 second-gen model.

It's worth noting that Sonos hiked prices on most of its devices last year, and if you aren't looking for a whole-home audio setup, there are plenty other soundbars we like on both the premium and budget ends of the market that don't try to lock you into one family of devices. Port selection on Sonos devices is typically limited as well, and none of the devices on sale here support Bluetooth audio. But if you can afford the premium, Sonos speakers still have the benefit of working easily in tandem, with simple setup processes, a polished universal control app, wide streaming service support, room calibration (albeit with iOS devices only), and Apple AirPlay functionality.

We've also found the Arc, Beam, Sub, and One SL to offer quality sound for their intended audiences. We gave the top-end Arc and midrange Beam review scores of 85 and 88, respectively; both technically support Atmos, though the Arc is a bigger 5.0.2-channel bar that will better fill a large room compared to the shorter 5.0-channel Beam. The Sub is undeniably expensive but delivers powerful bass, while the One SL is just the excellent Sonos One without built-in microphones (which isn't as much of a problem for smart assistant support when paired with a mic-enabled soundbar).

With Black Friday around the corner, there's always a chance we'll see more deals before the end of the year. But if you're been thinking of jumping headfirst into a new premium home theater setup, these discounts should lighten the load at least somewhat. If any of the offers above run dry, note that many are also available at B&H and Adorama.

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Apple's MacBook Air M2 is back on sale for $1,049

Top 50 women in UK tech, IR35 Truss fiasco – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

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Twitter’s latest experiment allows users to display NFT marketplace listings

Twitter, like Facebook and Instagram, might also roll out NFT integration in the future. The now-Elon Musk-owned website has announced an experimental feature that prominently displays NFT listings when users tweet a link to them, so long as they're from one of its partner marketplaces. An NFT Tweet Tile, as the company is calling it, displays a large photo of the digital artwork, along with its title and creator. It also comes with a button that takes users straight to the marketplace listing where they can purchase it or sell their own collectibles.

At the moment, Twitter has four partners: multi-chain NFT marketplace Rarible, Solana-and-Etherium-focused marketplace Magic Eden, Dapper Labs (the team behind Top Shot) and Jump.trade, which is where people would go for digital cricket collectibles. In its announcement, Twitter said that "some" links from those four will show up as NFT Tweet Tiles for those chosen to participate in the test. As Decrypt notes, the marketplaces cover several blockchain networks that include Flow, Polygon and Tezos.

The company told the publication that it's testing the integration "with select Twitter users across iOS and web" and that it's not limited to Blue premium subscribers. Twitter previously gave paying members access to another experimental feature that allowed them to connect their crypto wallets to their accounts. After they do so, they'll be able to display an NFT as their profile photo, which will show up with an icon indicating that they're the official owner of the digital artwork.

Now testing: NFT Tweet Tiles 🚀

Some links to NFTs on @rarible, @MagicEden, @dapperlabs and @Jumptradenft will now show you a larger picture of the NFT alongside details like the title and creator. One more step in our journey to let developers impact the Tweet experience. pic.twitter.com/AkBisciB1i
— Twitter Dev (@TwitterDev) October 27, 2022

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The Morning After: Elon Musk now owns Twitter

After a months-long legal battle that has engulfed Twitter since Elon Musk first offered to buy the company for $44 billion in April, the deal is done, and Musk is already ringing in the changes. Musk, who has criticized Twitter's leadership, fired CEO Parag Agrawal and Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal, as well as several more top executives. He’s also likely to let more staff go, though he has told employees the cuts won't be as high as 75 percent.

Musk spent time in Twitter's San Francisco headquarters this week, where he met with employees. Bloomberg reported that he brought in some Tesla engineers to help "assess" Twitter's code. The new owner wants to loosen moderation rules and even make the social network “open source” so users can better understand what Twitter is recommending. Longer term, Musk has mentioned turning Twitter into “the everything app” akin to WeChat in China, and even the possibility of charging companies for tweet embeds.

– Mat Smith

The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.

The biggest stories you might have missed

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 5G (SQ3 chip) review

Not this one.

The Surface Pro 9 with 5G makes it clear that Microsoft has learned some lessons since its first tablets – the original Surface launched ten years ago. The company’s latest hybrid is impeccably designed and can tap into speedy 5G networks. Unfortunately, it also retreads some errors of the past. These boil down to the custom SQ3 ARM system-on-a-chip, which isn’t as good as the Intel silicon found in the other Surface Pro 9. According to Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar, this custom chip leads to generally slow performance, compatibility issues and disappointment. It’s also more expensive than the faster Intel model.

Continue reading.

Samsung posts a 23 percent profit decline due to weak demand

But its mobile business still had a stellar third quarter.

Samsung has reported a record consolidated revenue of 76.78 trillion Korean won ($54 billion) for the third quarter of 2022, but this included a decline in profit from the previous quarter and year-over-year. The tech giant's operating profit (KRW 10.85 trillion or $7.6 billion) has declined 23 percent from the second quarter. This was due to less demand for its component business, but the company’s phone and networks arm had a great quarter, attributed to sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4, both of which showed stronger growth than their foldable predecessors.

Continue reading.

Apple pulls gambling ads from App Store product pages following backlash

It’s paused the ads for now.

On October 25th, Apple started displaying more ads in the App Store, particularly in the "Today" tab and at the bottom of app listings. Since then, multiple developers have complained about seeingads for gambling under their listings' "You Might Also Like" section, when they have nothing to do with their applications. Apple told MacRumors that it has "paused ads related to gambling and a few other categories on App Store product pages."

Continue reading.

NASA's InSight lander detected a meteoroid impact on Mars

This may be InSight's last big accomplishment before it shuts down.

Researchers learned that a quake detected by the lander in Mars' Amazonis Planitia region on December 24th, 2021 was actually a meteoroid impact — the first time any mission has witnessed a crater forming on the planet. The meteoroid is believed to have been somewhere between 16 and 39 feet long. It would have burned up in Earth's skies, but it was large enough to survive Mars' extra-thin atmosphere.

Continue reading.

Netflix's animated Sonic series will arrive on December 15th

And our first look at 'Sonic Prime'.

Almost two years after Netflix tweeted (and deleted) about an animated Sonic the Hedgehog series that's coming to the streaming service, the show has a release date. Season one of Sonic Prime will hit the platform on December 15th. The first season will have 24 episodes. Netflix has also tweeted a teaser for the series.

Continue reading.

UN warns there's currently 'no credible pathway' to keep temperature rise under 1.5C

It says societal and infrastructure overhauls are needed.

The United Nations has issued another stark warning that, under current policies, the planet is falling far short of the Paris Agreement goal of keeping the rise in global temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius. That's the threshold scientists say we have to remain under in order to mitigate extreme, life-threatening weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts and tropical storms. The statement added there was "no credible pathway to 1.5C in place." The 13th edition of the Emissions Gap Report reiterates that major changes are required. It laid out the necessary actions across electricity supply, industry, transport and buildings, along with food and financial systems. The report noted that we'd need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a further 45 percent by 2030.

Continue reading.

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Lego is discontinuing its Mindstorms robotics kits by the end of the year

Lego's Mindstorms robotics kits have been on the market since 1998, born from a collaboration between Lego and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Now, Lego has announced it will be discontinuing Mindstorms at the end of the year and providing support for the mobile app for at least another two years beyond that, Gizmodo has reported.

Starting as the Lego Mindstorms Robotics Invention System over 24 years ago, the kits used Lego's advanced Technics pieces with gears and other robotics parts, powered by the basic "Brick" processing unit. They took a big step forward in 2006 with the introduction of the company's next generation of Mindstorms kits, dubbed NXT.

Another big jump came in 2013 with the EV3 robotics platform. This new lineup was backwards-compatible with the NXT series, offering enhancements to its sensor load and processing power. Lego also launched dedicated mobile apps, turning iOS and Android devices into remote controls for Mindstorms projects. Finally, it set up a Mindstorms community where users could share their creations and collaborate with other builders.

The last official product was the Robot Inventor lineup from 2020, but with nothing seen since, the writing seemed on the wall for Mindstorms — particularly as Lego was focusing on other educational ventures.

"Now having a number of priorities in LEGO Education and other Build & Code experiences, we have decided to focus our resources and future plans by redirecting our Mindstorms Robot Inventor team and their expertise into different areas of the business," the company said in a statement to Brick Fanatics. "This means the physical Mindstorms Robot Inventor product (51515) and its related elements (88016 and 88018) are to exit our portfolio from the end of 2022, whilst digital platforms—such as the LEGO Mindstorms Robot Inventor App—will remain live until at least the end of 2024."

It was one of the first toys to actively promote STEM learning while getting kids and adults alike interested in robotics. (Engadget collaborated with Lego on a Mindstorms robotics contest in 2014.) While it's the end of an era in robotics education, there are now plenty of kits on the market, including Lego's own Boost robotics kit for beginners. And if you happen to own a Mindstorms robot, it might soon become a collector's item.

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Thursday, 27 October 2022

UN warns there's currently 'no credible pathway' to keep temperature rise under 1.5C

The UN laid out the dire state of affairs in a report it released just a week before the start of the COP27 climate conference in Egypt. It said that pledges made by national policy makers since COP26, which was held in Glasgow last year, "make a negligible difference to predicted 2030 emissions" and that progress over the last 12 months has been "highly inadequate." In fact, the report suggests that current active policies will lead to a 2.8C rise in global temperatures by the end of the 21st century and that implementing pledges that have been made will only limit the rise to between 2.4C and 2.6C. Even that would require perfect implementation of plans, with wealthier countries helping poorer ones to enact them.

"In the best case scenario, full implementation of conditional NDCs [nationally determined contributions], plus additional net zero commitments, point to a 1.8C rise," Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, said. "However, this scenario is currently not credible."

The 13th edition of the Emissions Gap Report argues that major societal and infrastructure changes are required. It lays out the necessary actions for sectors including electricity supply, industry, transport and buildings, along with the food and financial systems. The report notes that, in order to get on course to meet the 1.5C goal, we'd need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a further 45 percent by 2030, compared with projections based on current policies. To limit the rise in temperatures to under 2C, an extra 30 percent reduction in emissions is required.

"Is it a tall order to transform our systems in just eight years? Yes. Can we reduce greenhouse gas emissions by so much in that timeframe? Perhaps not. But we must try," Andersen wrote. "Every fraction of a degree matters: to vulnerable communities, to species and ecosystems, and to every one of us."

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The best Apple Watch accessories for 2022

It didn’t take long for the Apple Watch to become perhaps the most ubiquitous wearable. Even more so than the iPhone, the Apple Watch is a device you can truly make your own with the right accessories. It is, after all, a watch, and like traditional timepieces it’s meant to reflect your personal style. While the most obvious way to customize your Apple Watch is with funky bands, there are cases, stands, wireless chargers and other accessories you can buy that can inject a bit of you into all aspects of Apple Watch ownership. We tested out a bunch of Apple Watch accessories to see which are worth your money.

Engadget's picks

Spigen Thin Fit case
Zagg InvisibleShield screen protector
Anker Nano Pro 20W charger
Apple MagSafe Duo charger
Belkin Boost Charge Pro portable fast charger
Bellroy Compact Tech Kit
Apple Watch stands
Apple Watch bands

Spigen Thin Fit case

While plenty of us use cases to protect our smartphones from drops and scrapes, you may not think to use a protective case for your smartwatch. After all, a device that’s literally strapped to your body isn’t as prone to accidental drops as a device that moves in and out of your pocket all day. Chalk it up to me being clumsy, but I’ve knocked my Apple Watch on more door frames than I’d like to admit. For less than $25, a case is a good option if you don’t want to take any chances with that $279-plus smartwatch on your wrist.

“Cases” are basically bumpers that surround the edges of the Apple Watch, and some of them even cover the screen. I personally prefer a bumper-style case because, if I’m going to cover the display, it’ll be with a dedicated screen protector. Spigen’s line of Apple Watch cases are solid and they come in two different levels of bulk. The Rugged Armor series has a shock-absorbent layer and raised bezels, making it especially well suited for those who prioritize protection over fashion. Spigen’s Thin Fit series is more my speed: It sits flush against the Watch’s display, but still gives you an extra layer of protection. You can even choose a color that matches your Watch to help it blend in. Two added perks of Spigen’s cases are that they snap on quickly and easily, and they’re quite affordable at around $14 a piece.

Buy Spigen Thin Fit at Amazon - $14

Zagg InvisibleShield screen protector

If you don’t want the extra bulk that comes with a case, a screen protector will give you at least a bit more of a safeguard than sporting a naked Watch. Zagg’s InvisibleShield line is a reliable one that provides shatter protection, clarity and enhanced touch-sensitivity. When installed properly (Zagg gives you clear instructions and all the tools you need to do so), you’ll probably forget you have a screen protector on your Watch. This accessory blends in almost seamlessly with the Watch’s hardware, and if you do accidentally ding the screen, the protector should take all of the damage.

Buy Invisible Shield screen protector at Amazon - $15

Anker Nano Pro 20W charger

The latest Apple Watches don’t come with power adapters, so you’ll have to dig one out of your drawer or get a new one to charge it up. Choosing the latter is probably best since Series 7 owners will get a new, USB-C-toting cable, so you’ll need an appropriate adapter to get all of that fast-charging goodness. Anker’s 20W Nano Pro is a good pick because it’s compact and has a few safety features built in. Inside is a dynamic temperature sensor that helps prevent overheating, plus a power tuner chip that helps adjust output based on your device. That second feature is likely more important than the first if you’re primarily using this tiny brick with your Apple Watch, but both will be handy if you ever need to use it with your iPhone. What’s more, the Nano Pro can fast charge iPhone 13s, providing a 50-percent top-up in only 25 minutes, and you can get one that matches the color of your handset if you wish.

Buy Anker Nano Pro 20W at Amazon - $18

Apple MagSafe Duo charger

Apple makes one of the more elegant solutions to charging your iPhone and Apple Watch while traveling. The $129 MagSafe Duo has spaces to wirelessly charge both devices and folds up into a neat square when not in use. The Apple Watch pad flips upward as well, allowing you to use the gadget in Nighttime mode while it’s charging. While this wireless charger does come with a USB-C to Lightning cable to provide power to the system, it does not come with an AC adapter so you will have to remember to pack your own.

Buy MagSafe Duo at Amazon - $129

Belkin Boost Charge Pro portable fast charger

Apple Watch chargers are a bit different than Lightning cables in the sense that you probably have only one of the former and many of the latter. Those who travel or commute often should consider getting a second Apple Watch charger, that way you’re not stuck if you forget to pack your one and only before a long weekend trip. Belkin’s Boost Charge Pro portable fast charger is a great option, particularly for those who have a Series 7. The square pad uses Apple’s new fast wireless-charging module, so it’ll be able to power up the Series 7 from 0 to 80 percent in roughly 45 minutes.

You can simply sit your timepiece on the module to charge, but it also flips up so you can use the Watch in Nightstand mode while it’s powering up on your bedside table. To support different Watch sizes and protective cases, the pad also has a dial on its underside that lets you adjust the height of the charging module. Plus, the attached USB-C cable that tucks away on the bottom of the pad is four feet long, giving you a bit more placement flexibility than other chargers.

The main drawback is its $60 list price, but those strapped for cash should consider Anker’s version, which is very similar to Belkins and only $43. It won’t fast-charge the Series 7, but it will power up the device just like it would a Series 6 or earlier. I also prefer how the attached USB-C cable coils up into the base on this one – it’s a bit neater than Belkin’s solution.

Buy Boost Charge Pro at Belkin - $60 Buy Anker Foldable Charging Dock at Amazon - $43

Bellroy Compact Tech Kit

You’ll likely have your Apple Watch strapped to your wrist while traveling, but it’s a good idea to have a pouch or case that can hold the gadget along with any accessories you need when you’re not wearing it. Bellroy’s Compact Tech Kit is an attractive option not only because of its minimalist design, but the multiple loops and pockets on the inside. It can easily hold your Apple Watch charging cable, an AC adapter and a few extra bands, and you’ll still have space for things like AirPods, a Lightning cable for your iPhone and even a larger power adapter for your laptop. If you don’t mind something a bit more utilitarian, Bagsmart’s small travel organizer is a good option that also costs just $22.

Buy Compact Tech Kit at Bellroy - $55 Buy Bagsmart small travel organizer at Amazon - $22

Apple Watch stands

If you want to use the Apple Watch’s handy Nightstand mode while it’s charging, I’ve found that Watch holders can make the experience much better. My Watch often topples over or rolls about when I simply trust it to sit on its side next to my bed, but that’s easily fixed with a stand. Elago’s stands may be simple, but they have a lot of personality, coming in colorful dome shapes and in the forms of retro tech. The biggest problem with them, particularly the dome stands, is that they can be prone to sliding around on your desk or nightstand if there’s any tension on your charging cable. But they hold the Apple Watch well and, at under $15, they’re affordable ways to inject more personality into your accessory game.

We previously recommended Spigen’s $12 S350 charging stand as another basic option, but we’d now opt to upgrade to the PowerArc ArcField wireless charger. Coming in at $50, this one looks almost identical to the S350 stand but it comes with an Apple Watch charging module built in, plus an attached, 6.6-foot USB-C cable. It also comes with a few rubber pads of different heights, allowing you to adjust the stand to the right height based on your Watch’s size and if you have a case protecting it. While it costs more than a standard silicone charging stand for your Apple Watch, it’s worth it for the additional charging power – plus if it does become your main home charger, that frees up the charging cable that came with the Apple Watch to be your on-the-go option.

Buy Elago dome charging stand at Amazon - $10 Buy Elago W6 charging stand (iPod) at Amazon - $15 Buy Spigen PowerArc ArcField wireless charger at Amazon - $50

Apple Watch bands

You probably made your way to this guide because you are an Apple Watch owner and want to deck it out. But if you haven’t made the purchase yet, consider using the Apple Watch Studio to customize the timepiece's watch band to your liking. Doing so will let you choose the precise band style and color you want, and there are definitely a few that are worth getting directly from Apple. Both the Sport Band and the Sport Loop are good basic strap options for everyday and exercise use, but you can find alternatives for much less elsewhere.

Apple’s Solo Loop is a good one if you just want to slip your Watch on in the morning without worrying about notches or buckles — just make sure you get the right size when you order. I’m also partial to the Nike Sport Band because its carefully placed holes make it breathable and extra comfortable for working out. But if you want that one, you’ll have to buy the Apple Watch Nike edition, which is just a regular Watch with the Nike+ Run Club app preinstalled.

But if you or your loved one already have an Apple Watch, it’s easy to find additional bands, from leather to stainless steel, across the web. When it comes to basic silicone straps, you can find packs of three to six bands for less than $20 but the quality may be questionable. Look for brands with many high ratings on Amazon if you insist on getting the best bang for your buck. You can also use FakeSpot’s Amazon integration to get an idea for how trustworthy a product’s reviews are.

A few reputable brands that make Apple Watch bands are Spigen, Elago and Casetify. Spigen’s Silicone Fit band feels the most similar to Apple’s Sport Band. The strap material is soft, comfortable and it’s a hair thinner than Apple’s watch strap. The biggest difference is that you’ll pay around $10 for one of Spigen’s bands as opposed to $50 for one of Apple’s.

Buy Apple Watch bands (5 pack) at Amazon - $20 Buy Spigen Silicone Fit band at Amazon - $7

Elago’s Sport Bands are made of fluoro-rubber material, so they’re a bit thicker and more substantial than Apple’s standard silicone watch band. They also have traditional buckle closures, giving them a style that better transitions from workouts to workplaces. They are a good option if you like the simplicity of Apple’s own bands but don’t want to shell out $50 for one.

Casetify occupies the opposite end of the spectrum, offering printed and customizable Apple Watch straps that truly stand out. They come in metal, leather, silicone and recycled plastic and you can get as specific as you want. There are plenty of solid colors to choose from as well as dozens of floral and animal prints. Casetify also has trendy collaborations with Disney, Netflix’s Squid Game and other pop-culture heavyweights, and even bands you can personalize with your recipient’s name or initials. While Casetify’s straps are on the expensive side, ranging from $40 to $72, it’s a price worth paying if you absolutely must have a band that fits your style to a tee.

Buy Elago sport band at Amazon - $19 Shop Casetify Apple Watch bands

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