Posts Tagged: could

House passes bill that could ban TikTok

A bill that could force a sale or outright ban on TikTok passed the House just days after it was first introduced. The House of Representatives approved the measure Wednesday, in a vote of 352 – 65, in a rare showing of bipartisan support. It now goes to the Senate.

If passed into law, the legislation would give parent company ByteDance a six-month window to sell TikTok or face a ban from US app stores and web hosting services. While the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” is far from the first effort to force a ban or sale of TikTok, it’s been able to draw more support far more quickly than previous bills.

The measure cleared its first procedural vote in the House last week, just two days after it was introduced. The bill will now move onto the Senate, where its future is less certain. Senator Rand Paul has said he would block the bill, while other lawmakers have also been hesitant to publicly back the bill.

TikTok has called the bill unconstitutional, saying it would “strip 170 million Americans of their Constitutional right to free expression” and hurt creators and businesses that rely on the service. Last week, the company sent a wave of push notifications to users, urging them to ask their representatives to oppose the bill. Congressional staffers reported that offices were overwhelmed with calls, many of which came from confused teenagers. Lawmakers later accused the company of trying to “interfere” with the legislative process.

Free speech and digital rights groups also oppose the bill, with many noting that comprehensive privacy laws would be more effective at protecting Americans’ user data rather than a measure that primarily targets one app. Former President Donald Trump, who once also tried to force ByteDance to sell TikTok, has also said he is against the bill, claiming it would strengthen Meta.

In a letter to lawmakers, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Fight for the Future and the Center for Democracy and Technology argued that the bill would “set an alarming global precedent for excessive government control over social media platforms” and would likely “invite copycat measures by other countries … with significant consequences for free expression globally.”

If the bill were to muster enough votes to pass the Senate, President Joe Biden says he would sign the bill into law. His administration has previously pressured ByteDance to sell TikTok. Officials maintain the app poses a national security risk due to its ties to ByteDance, a Chinese company. TikTok has repeatedly refuted these claims.

If the law was passed, the company would likely mount a legal challenge like it did in Montana, which passed a statewide ban last year. A federal judge temporarily blocked the ban in November before it could go into effect.

Developing…

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/house-passes-bill-that-could-ban-tiktok-144805114.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

A new Motorola phone just leaked, and it could beat the Galaxy S24 Ultra

The Motorola Edge Plus (2024) just leaked, touting a fresh design, fast charging, and more. From what we’ve seen so far, it looks like a proper S24 Ultra rival.
Digital Trends

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 Could Have A Larger Cover Display

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is ready to distinguish itself from the previous generation with a new look, including a new aspect ratio and bigger cover display.
TalkAndroid

This Google Phone Could Solve The Wet Finger Touchscreen Issue

The Google Pixel series has always had a lot of amazing software features, but the Pixel 8 will soon be getting one that allows touch sensitivity to be automatically adjusted.
TalkAndroid

Samsung’s next folding phone could have a shocking price

Foldable phones have always carried a high price tag, which is a deterrent for a lot of people. But Samsung could debut a more affordable foldable this year.
Digital Trends

I reviewed a new Android phone that could kill the Galaxy S24 Ultra

Is the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro the best phone you can buy if you want to play games? Yes, but there’s a lot more to it than that.
Digital Trends

6 Features That Could Come To Google Bard in 2024

Google is working on a range of new features for its Bard AI product, including a paid tier.
TalkAndroid

The OnePlus 12R Could Be 2024’s Mid-Range Champion

Thanks to a new report we have news on what you can expect from the OnePlus 12. Spoiler Alert: The 12R is shaping up to be an early contender to be crowned the Mid-Range Champion of 2024.
TalkAndroid

Your Android Phone Could Soon Say It Needs A New Battery

Knowing when to replace your phone battery could be more scientific in future as Google works on adding Battery Health information to Android.
TalkAndroid

Nothing To See as Phone 2a Could Launch During MWC 2024

With two phones under its belt, the Phone 1 and Phone 2, Nothing is rumored to be developing…
TalkAndroid

Discord could ban users if they continue to deadname trans people

Discord has officially updated its hateful conduct policy to add behaviors that don't reflect its "goal to promote acceptance and inclusivity." These newly added bannable behaviors include "deadnaming or misgendering a transgender person." According to TechCrunch, Discord started internally implementing its expanded policy in 2022, but the chat app has just only made it public in an effort to provide more transparency.

"As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure Discord remains a safe and fun place for people to hang out with friends, we continually evaluate potential harms and update our policies," a spokesperson told the publication. "We often work with organization and subject matter experts to ensure our policies accurately encompass a holistic view of how these issues manifest across the internet and society."

In addition to misgendering and deadnaming trans people, Discord also considers expressing contempt or disgust towards members of protected groups, perpetuating negative stereotypes about them, repeatedly using slurs to degrade them, threatening or promoting violence against them, as well as calling for their segregation and exclusion as hateful behaviors. LGBT organization GLAAD has praised Discord in its call for social networks to update their policies to recognize deadnaming and targeted or deliberate misgendering as hate speech. 

GLAAD also points out that among the biggest social networks today, TikTok is the only one that explicitly prohibits intentional misgendering and deadnaming. Notably, X implemented a rule against the behavior in 2018 when it was still called Twitter, but it quietly removed that section in its hateful conduct policy under Elon Musk's leadership.

Discord won't be banning users who violate its hateful conduct policy after just one infraction, though. Under its warning system, users who go against its rules will receive a direct message detailing their offense, with the platform weighing each violation differently based on the "severity of harm." Users can see their account standing in their settings page. If they have one or more violation, their accounts will be marked "at risk," while they could be permanently suspended if they're marked as having "severe or repeated" violations. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/discord-could-ban-users-if-they-continue-to-deadname-trans-people-083112064.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Uber could launch a service similar to TaskRabbit

In the future, when you need someone’s help to get a task done, you might find yourself launching the Uber app on your phone. According to Bloomberg, the company is exploring the possibility of offering a new TaskRabbit-like service. Developer Steve Moser found code hidden within Uber’s iPhone app for an offering that’s reportedly codenamed “Chore.” Based on its current iteration, Chore will let you hire “taskers” and will let you specify in the app what you need help with, how long you think it would take and what time you want the tasker to arrive. 

Of course, you’ll be able to input the address of where you want the person to go before you submit your request. Uber will then compute a payment that’s commensurate with the time required to finish the task, but you will have to pay for a minimum of one hour no matter what it is. Bloomberg says the code Moser unearthed didn’t have hints on what types of help you can ask from providers, but the potential service’s rival TaskRabbit has a wide range of categories to choose from. These include cleaning, furniture assembly, electrical help, plumbing, TV mounting, packing and moving, snow removal, computer assistance, pet sitting and even senior care. 

Like any other unconfirmed feature still in development, though, Chore may not even make it to public release. If it does, it’ll be a huge new undertaking for Uber, which is known for its ride-hailing and restaurant delivery services. Over the past months, Uber rolled out Carshare, which lets users borrow cars from private owner, to more locations as part of its efforts to become a zero-emission platform by 2040. It also started testing a toll-free number — 1-833-USE-UBER (1-833-873-8237) — that you can call to schedule an immediate or a future ride.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uber-could-launch-a-service-similar-to-taskrabbit-133017852.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Motorola’s cheap Razr could change folding phones forever

The Motorola Razr (2023) may well be the first foldable flip phone to come at a reasonable midrange price, and that excites me. It should excite you too.
Digital Trends

Threads web app could arrive this week

Threads by Instagram will get a web version as soon as this week, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal. Earlier this month, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised a web version with better search functionality, and Instagram head Adam Mosseri recently said that one is in testing. Currently, a full version of Threads is only available on iOS and Android, with limited read-only functionality on browsers.

A web version is near the top of the list of most-desired features for Threads, but the company is exercising caution with the release. “It’s a little bit buggy right now, you don’t want it just yet,” Mosseri said Friday on Instagram. “As soon as it is ready we will share it with everybody else.”

Threads recently added new features to Threads like the ability to set notifications and view posts in chronological order. The company also started labeling state-controlled media outlets after some were seen posting propaganda. Another new update is the “repost” tab makes it easier to see all reposted content. (X, previously called Twitter, recently renamed “retweets” to the more generic “reposts,” ironically following Threads’ lead.) 

A web version would be coming at a good time for Threads. After a torrid launch with over 100 million users signing on in the first week, the number of daily active users (DAUs) dropped down to 80 percent by mid-August. Still, Threads is by far the most successful alternative to X, which counted around 238 million DAUs in August 2023 and 364 million monthly active users, X reported last year. 

In any case, the launch of a web version will be particularly useful for social media power users, just when Twitter has put one of its key tools for those folks, Tweetdeck, permanently behind a paywall.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/threads-web-app-could-arrive-this-week-082645402.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

AI-assisted cancer screening could cut radiologist workloads in half

A newly published study in the the Lancet Oncology journal has found that the use of AI in mammogram cancer screening can safely cut radiologist workloads nearly in half without risk of increasing false-positive results. In effect, the study found that the AI’s recommendations were on par with those of two radiologists working together.

“AI-supported mammography screening resulted in a similar cancer detection rate compared with standard double reading, with a substantially lower screen-reading workload, indicating that the use of AI in mammography screening is safe,” the study found.

The study was performed by a research team out of Lund University in Sweden and, accordingly, followed 80,033 Swedish women (average age of 54) for just over a year in 2021-2022 . Of the 39,996 patients that were randomly assigned AI-empowered breast cancer screenings, 28 percent or 244 tests returned screen-detected cancers. Of the other 40,024 patients that received conventional cancer screenings, just 25 percent, or 203 tests, returned screen-detected cancers.

Of those extra 41 cancers detected by the AI side, 19 turned out to be invasive. Both the AI-empowered and conventional screenings ran a 1.5 percent false positive rate. Most impressively, radiologists on the the AI side had to look at 36,886 fewer screen readings than their counterparts, a 44 percent reduction in their workload.

“These promising interim safety results should be used to inform new trials and program-based evaluations to address the pronounced radiologist shortage in many countries, but they are not enough on their own to confirm that AI is ready to be implemented in mammography screening," lead author, Dr Kristina Lång, warned in a release. “We still need to understand the implications on patients’ outcomes, especially whether combining radiologists’ expertise with AI can help detect interval cancers that are often missed by traditional screening, as well as the cost-effectiveness of the technology.”

Cancer detection has been an aspirational goal for computer vision researchers and AI companies for years now. I mean, who doesn’t want to be the company to build the tricorder that infallibly spots cancerous growths in their earliest stages? Machine vision systems designed for these screenings have improved steadily in recent years and in specific cases have shown to be as reliable as human clinicians, with the likes of IBM, Google, MIT and NVIDIA investing in similar cancer screening research in recent years.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai-assisted-cancer-screening-could-cut-radiologist-workloads-in-half-193427969.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

The OnePlus Open foldable could be delayed

Now that Samsung’s latest foldables are up for pre-order it’s time to look forward to the OnePlus Open (formerly known as the V Fold) making its debut in the segment. Originally thought to be scheduled for launch on August 26, we may have to wait a little while longer for the first OnePlus foldable to […]

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Water-soluble circuit boards could cut carbon footprints by 60 percent

German semiconductor maker Infineon Technologies AG announced that it’s producing a printed circuit board (PCB) that dissolves in water. Sourced from UK startup Jiva Materials, the plant-based Soluboard could provide a new avenue for the tech industry to reduce e-waste as companies scramble to meet climate goals by 2030.

Jiva’s biodegradable PCB is made from natural fibers and a halogen-free polymer with a much lower carbon footprint than traditional boards made with fiberglass composites. A 2022 study by the University of Washington College of Engineering and Microsoft Research saw the team create an Earth-friendly mouse using a Soluboard PCB as its core. The researchers found that the Soluboard dissolved in hot water in under six minutes. However, it can take several hours to break down at room temperature.

In addition to dissolving the PCB fibers, the process makes it easier to retrieve the valuable metals attached to it. “After [it dissolves], we’re left with the chips and circuit traces which we can filter out,” said UW assistant professor Vikram Iyer, who worked on the mouse project.

The video below shows the Soluboard dissolving in a frying pan with boiling water:

“Adopting a water-based recycling process could lead to higher yields in the recovery of valuable metals,” said Jonathan Swanston, CEO and co-founder of Jiva Materials. Jiva says the board has a 60 percent smaller carbon footprint than traditional PCBs — specifically, it can save 10.5 kg of carbon and 620 g of plastic per square meter of PCB.

Infineon has produced three different circuit board prototypes using the Soluboard framework. The company is currently only using the dissolvable PCB for demo and evaluation boards, and it says around 500 units are now in use. However, it’s “exploring the possibility of using the material for all boards” with an eye on expanding adoption over the next few years. Based on the results of stress tests, it also plans to “provide guidance on the reuse and recycling of power semiconductors removed from Soluboards” to lessen the chances of the salvageable parts from future production models going to waste.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/water-soluble-circuit-boards-could-cut-carbon-footprints-by-60-percent-201845709.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Twitter’s rebrand to X could worsen its legal and financial problems

Twitter’s rebrand to X is well underway. The name and iconic bird logo have been (mostly) stripped from the company’s San Francisco headquarters, and an “X” has replaced the blue bird atop twitter.com. Elon Musk has said the change is about more than just the name. He wants to turn the service formerly known as Twitter into an “everything app” that also encompasses banking and financial services.

But the rebrand could pose significant legal and financial challenges to the company, which has struggled since an advertiser exodus cut the company’s ad revenue by more than 50 percent. To start, there are hundreds of companies, including Microsoft and Meta, that own trademarks for variations of “X.” That could open the door to lawsuits and other legal headaches for Musk.

Shubha Ghosh, a law professor at Syracuse University, says that lawsuits are “quite common” when major companies rebrand and change their names and logos. “I'm kind of surprised he picked X because it's not that distinctive,” he says. “It's problematic in the sense that it's not something you can just suddenly do without anybody noticing and possibly suing.”

Trademark attorney Josh Gerben told Reuters that he counted almost 900 other companies with trademarks on “X.” And while not all of them will be able to credibly claim that the company formerly known as Twitter is interfering with their brand, it makes X an easy target.

“There is about a 100% probability that Twitter/X will be sued by both opportunistic and legitimate plaintiffs over the new name,” Gerben tweeted. “The company could easily spend tens of millions (if not $ 100+ million) in legal fees and settlement costs attempting to acquire trademark registrations for ‘X’ and in dealing with the litigation that is likely to result from the rebrand.”

For the same reasons, Twitter’s new X branding could also prove difficult to defend, especially internationally. “The chance that @elonmusk will be able to successfully register a trademark for ‘X’ for all the services he intends to provide, in every country he wants to provide them in, is very low,” Gerben wrote.

Even if Twitter is able to fend off legal challenges, there are serious business risks to doing away with a brand as globally recognizable as Twitter’s. Bloombergreported that some analysts have estimated the name change could wipe out billions of dollars in value from a brand that’s already been damaged by Musk.

Ari Lightman, a professor of digital media marketing at Carnegie Mellon University, says Twitter’s problems go far beyond potential legal headaches brought on by its rebrand. “There's a lot going on that is diminishing the value, the utility, the uniqueness, that Twitter, now X, has in the space,” he says pointing to the rise of Threads and other Twitter competitors. “Tweets are synonymous with this idea of blogging, or microblogging, it's going to be very difficult to resocialize a concept with the global population.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitters-rebrand-to-x-could-worsen-its-legal-and-financial-problems-233914973.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Apple’s first M3 Macs could arrive in October

The first batch of Apple’s M3-equipped Macs could arrive as early October, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reports there “should be another launch” after the company’s annual iPhone event in September, with a new slate of Macs likely the focus of whatever Apple has planned. “October is too early for new high-end MacBook Pros or desktops, so the first beneficiaries of the new chip should be the next iMac, 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro,” he notes.

At the start of March, Gurman reported that Apple was at “a late stage” of development on two new iMac models that would feature its next-generation M3 silicon. The new chipset likely won’t feature many more CPU and GPU cores than Apple’s current M2 SoCs, but it is expected to offer significant performance and power efficiency gains thanks to TSMC’s 3nm process. At the time, Gurman predicted the new iMac could arrive as early as the second half of 2023, and that it would feature the same colorful design of the 2021 model. Last week, he wrote that Apple is also working on a new 32-inch iMac, but warned that model won’t arrive until late 2024 at the earliest.

In the past, Apple has typically announced new iPad models alongside its latest Macs, but it sounds like that won’t be the case this time around. “I wouldn’t expect any major upgrades until the M3 iPad Pros with OLED screens arrive next year,” Gurman writes. However, he notes Apple is working on a new iPad Air with refreshed internals. The current model features the company’s aging M1 chipset.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-first-m3-macs-could-arrive-in-october-163204526.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Leaked specs list reveals the OnePlus V Fold could be the foldable beast we’ve been waiting for

As Samsung prepares to launch its new Galaxy Z Fold 5 next month, OnePlus is itself getting ready to announce its debut in the foldable segment with the V Fold which could be a high-specced beast if the latest leak is accurate. A leaked list of hardware specifications has revealed that the OnePlus V Fold […]

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Nubia’s RedMagic 8S Pro will launch on July 5th – could be the first phone with 24GB of RAM

Nubia are no strangers to packing their gaming smartphones with all the power you might desire and the upcoming RedMagic 8S Pro would appear to hold true to that tradition. Confirmed to launch on July 5th, the RedMagic 8S Pro could be the first phone to launch with a massive 24GB of RAM under the […]

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Nothing Phone (2) pre-orders could go live as soon as June 29th

As Nothing prepares to launch its follow up to the Phone (1) on July 11th, it’s being reported that pre-orders for the upcoming handset could go live as soon as June 29th. According to Indian retailer, Flipkart, fans will be able to pre-order the Phone (2) by placing a Rs 2,000 deposit (refundable) on the […]

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The Pixel 8 Pro could feature a flat display

If Google’s Pixel Pro family has had your interest for a while, but the thought of using a phone with a curved display prevented you from buying the Pixel 7 Pro or Pixel 6 Pro, the Pixel 8 Pro could be interesting. According to an Android Authority report published Saturday, Google’s next flagship will feature a flat display.

After writing last week about the camera upgrades Google has planned for the Pixel 8 family, leaker Kamila Wojciechowska says the Pixel 8 Pro will sport a 6.7-inch OLED panel sourced from Samsung with a 1,344 x 2,992 resolution and 490 PPI pixel density. If you don’t have a Pixel 7 Pro on hand, each figure is slightly smaller than the specs offered by Google’s current flagship, which features a curved 6.71-inch display with a 1,440 x 3,120 resolution and 512 PPI pixel density. However, according to Wojciechowska, the Pixel 8 Pro’s screen will get much brighter, reaching 1,600 nits of peak brightness – compared to 1,000 nits on the Pixel 7 Pro – when displaying HDR content. Additionally, the 120Hz panel will be able to transition more smoothly between refresh rates.

As for the Pixel 8, it too is slated to receive a new display. Interestingly, the device will reportedly feature a smaller screen than the one found on the Pixel 7. Android Authority claims the phone will ship with a 6.17-inch screen that has a 1,080 x 2,400 resolution. That’s the same resolution as the Pixel 7’s 6.31-inch screen, meaning the new phone will offer a higher dot pitch. Moreover, the screen reportedly offers 1,400 nits of peak brightness, up from 1,000 on its predecessor, and a 120Hz refresh rate instead of 90Hz like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7a. Speaking of Google’s latest mid-range phone, there have been rumors the 7a could be the company’s final a-Series phone, which may explain why the Pixel 8 reportedly comes with a smaller display.

Android Authority reports both the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will feature more rounded corners than Google’s current pair of high-end phones, corroborating a previous report from leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer. That change would make them easier to use with one hand. Between their new displays and the larger primary camera sensor Google reportedly plans to equip the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro with, the company’s new phones are shaping up nicely. Expect more information to come out about devices in the weeks and months leading up to their release later this year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-pixel-8-pro-could-feature-a-flat-display-200049745.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Google’s 2nd-Gen Pixel Watch could get a big chip upgrade

Alongside the Pixel 8 series we can expect Google to launch a successor to last year’s Pixel Watch which ran on an Exynos processor and was the first non-Samsung smartwatch to run Wear OS 3. The development of the Pixel Watch 2 came as something of a surprise with reports suggesting that it may launch […]

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WhatsApp could soon support multiple accounts on the same app

The days of needing dual instances of WhatsApp to manage different accounts could soon be behind us according to a report that the messaging app could soon gain multi-account support. This comes after multi-device support rolled out just a few weeks ago making it possible to use the same WhatsApp account on up to four […]

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Your iPhone could steal this Pixel Tablet feature when it gets iOS 17

Another leaked iOS 17 feature has been leaked — and it sounds awfully similar to something Google’s doing with the Pixel Tablet.
Digital Trends

Meta’s rumored Twitter competitor could launch as early as next month

Folks are spending less time on Twitter since Elon Musk bought the social media site last year, but there’s still plenty of demand for similar platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky. To that point, Meta has long been rumored to be building its own platform to rival Twitter. After months of speculation, there’s finally some details to go along with the rumors, according to digital media marketing expert Lia Haberman.

Haberman says the app is nearing completion and could launch as early as the end of June. She says that Meta has been meeting with select content creators to discuss the platform. One of these creators furnished Haberman with all kinds of info about the forthcoming app, calling it “Instagram for your thoughts.”

Instagram is the right word here, as it looks like the entire platform is built out of the popular photo-sharing social network. The decentralized app is said to work with current Instagram parameters, like usernames and passwords. So if you already have an Instagram account you should be able to sign right up and automatically sync up with your current followers. Your handle, bio and verification should all carry over from IG. Haberman says that even blocked Instagram accounts and hidden words transfer to the new platform.

This is also set to be a decentralized app that’ll integrate with other platforms like Mastodon, meaning you should be able to interact with users across multiple services without having to constantly switch between apps. The report indicates that text updates will be limited to 500 characters, which is less than an Instagram caption, but still plenty long enough to make a sarcastic comment or whatever. 

You’ll likely be able to attach links, photos and videos up to five minutes long, which of course is much shorter than Twitter's recently launched two hour video-sharing feature. Just like Twitter and similar platforms, Meta’s service will have its own versions of likes, replies and reposts. Haberman got her hands on a leaked marketing slide that shows the app in action and, well, it looks a whole lot like Twitter, Bluesky and the rest, with a dash of Instagram's design scheme. 

Back in March when these rumors first surfaced, Meta said it was indeed “exploring a standalone decentralized social network for sharing text updates.” So this is coming, it’s just a matter of what it’ll look like and if it’ll be “the one” to dethrone Twitter. There's no name for the service yet, though within Meta it has a few codenames like Barcelona and P92. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-rumored-twitter-competitor-could-launch-as-early-as-next-month-181625616.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Apple’s new Beats Studio headphones could support personalized spatial audio

It has been more than five years since Beats last refreshed its top-end Studio headphones, but a new model could be on the way. According to 9to5Mac, Apple is “about” to launch a set of Beats Studio Pro headphones. The new model reportedly features a custom Beats chip that promises improved active noise cancellation and transparency mode performance. For the first time, the Studio line may also feature personalized spatial audio. Additionally, 9to5Mac speculates the new model will come with a USB-C port for fast charging.

Visually, the headphones look similar to the current Studio3 model, though it appears Apple has done away with the “Studio” branding found on the side of those headphones. Based on codenames found by 9to5Mac in the internal files for iOS 16.5’s release candidate, Apple collaborated with fashion designer Samuel Ross, best known for starting the clothing label A-Cold-Wall, on the design of the Beats Studio Pro. Images the outlet found in those same files suggest Apple will offer the headphones in four colorways: blue, black, brown and white.

It’s unclear if Apple intends for the Beats Studio Pro to replace the $ 349 Studio3 headphones, or if the company plans to market them as a more premium offering. According to 9to5, Apple is also working on a set of Studio Buds+. They will reportedly support audio sharing, automatic device switching and Hey Siri integration. The outlet suggests both products will arrive in stores soon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-new-beats-studio-headphones-could-support-personalized-spatial-audio-200614057.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Electric airplane towing concept could mean longer zero-emission flights

Magpie Aviation announced a novel new approach to electric airplanes on Monday. Today’s battery technology (including CATL’s new, more efficient one) severely limits the practicality of zero-emission aircraft, leaving clean-energy innovators with two incomplete options: flying a plane full of batteries or one full of people — but not both. So the California-based startup wants to tie them together, extending the rear plane’s range by hundreds of miles.

Towing planes isn’t a new concept, with military use going back to World War II when aerial tows would pull smaller aircraft carrying troops and supplies. But applying it to the world of green transportation is new. Magpie Aviation’s concept uses one or more electric aircraft to act as a tractor plane towing a passenger (or cargo) aircraft using a long cable. The towed plane would have enough battery power for takeoff, landing and flying to alternate airports but not enough to fly the full distance on its own, as reported byAeroTime.

The lead plane would take on the bulk of the traction, and when its battery is depleted, it could hand off towing duties to another electric towing aircraft to extend the rear plane’s range. Magpie CEO Damon Vander Lind summarized toAviation Week, “You get towed until you’ve depleted down to your reserve in the lead aircraft, and then you swap in another tow aircraft.” Although it’s still a regional solution impractical for cross-country or international flights, Vander Lind says it could allow for a trip from San Francisco to Seattle — far beyond the sub-regional distances battery-powered passenger flights can travel on their own.

Magpie says it’s conducted successful small-scale tests using a synthetic fiber rope around 330 ft. long; the company envisions a later commercial version to use nearly mile-long cables. The startup plans to scale up its testing gradually and believes it could be implemented commercially by 2030. It expects advances in battery tech to allow it to tow single-aisle airliners eventually. Magpie suggests that the concept, mainly targeting electric planes, could also work with hybrid, hydrogen and standard aircraft in low-power modes. Additionally, the company says it’s working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with an eye toward certification.

“It sounds kind of crazy, but we kept coming back to it because we couldn’t find any reason why we couldn’t do it,” said Vander Lind. “While our modeling shows that there is an advantage to doing a custom tow aircraft like this, we get a big advantage because the more expensive and critical passenger- and cargo-carrying ‘main aircraft’ has similar requirements to today’s aircraft and so adapts well to existing in-operation and already-in-development platforms. Remember that if we want to hit a zero-carbon 2050 goal, an airliner has a 30-year life, so we’re already at the point where airlines have to think hard about the operating life of the assets that they are buying today.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/electric-airplane-towing-concept-could-mean-longer-zero-emission-flights-205023296.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Motorola’s Edge 40 Pro could be the next flagship killer of 2023

Motorola’s latest flagship is here and boy, it’s packing heat (the good kind) thanks to the excellent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, the ability to fully charge in just 23 minutes, a triple rear camera setup, and an FHD+ pOLED quad-curved display with 165Hz refresh rate. All for the rather accessible price of €899/£799 (~$ 999), […]

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iOS 17 could be a surprisingly big update — here’s what it may change

iOS 17 is coming, and it may be more exciting than we had originally thought. Here’s what could be changing.
Digital Trends

Xbox head says Microsoft’s mobile game store could arrive next year

Microsoft is preparing to launch an Xbox store on iOS and Android as early as next year, according to Phil Spencer. The head of the company’s gaming division shared the timeline in a Financial Times interview published on Monday, noting the plan is dependent on regulators approving Microsoft’s $ 68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

“We want to be in a position to offer Xbox and content from both us and our third-party partners across any screen where somebody would want to play,” Spencer told the outlet. “Today, we can’t do that on mobile devices but we want to build towards a world that we think will be coming where those devices are opened up.”

Microsoft first revealed it was working on an Xbox store for mobile devices in regulatory documents the company filed with the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) last year. At the time, the tech giant didn’t provide a timeline for the plan, noting only its proposed merger with Activision Blizzard would play a critical role. Spencer was more direct on Monday. “The Digital Markets Act that’s coming — those are the kinds of things that we are planning for,” he said. “I think it’s a huge opportunity.”

Under the Digital Markets Acts (DMA), major platforms the European Union designates as “gatekeepers” will be required to open their devices to competing app stores. Last fall, a Bloomberg report said Apple was already at work preparing to make iOS compliant with the legislation ahead of its March 2024 deadline. The EU will allow companies it labels as gatekeepers to appeal the designation, a carveout that could delay enforcement of the law. Additionally, with challenges from the Federal Trade Commission and CMA, there’s no guarantee Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard will close before the new rules apply to Apple and Google, a fact Spencer seemed to acknowledge when interviewed by the Financial Times. However, he said it would be “pretty trivial” for Microsoft to adapt its existing Xbox and Game Pass apps to sell games and subscriptions through mobile devices.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-head-says-microsofts-mobile-game-store-could-arrive-next-year-180007168.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Apple’s latest hire could mean more ads are coming to TV+

An ad-supported Apple TV+ tier is starting to look all but inevitable. According to The Information, Apple recently hired Lauren Fry, a former ad tech executive, “to help build a video advertising business” for its streaming service. Before her most recent stint at digital advertising firm Simulmedia, Fry held ad sales roles at AT&T and Comcast. 

Bringing more ads to Apple TV+ would fall in line with some of Apple’s more recent actions. Toward the end of last year, the company began displaying additional ads within the App Store, a move that could be a precursor to search ads appearing in Apple Maps and other first-party software. It’s worth noting before Fry’s hiring, Apple was already showing ads alongside Major League Baseball games. In November, Bloomberg also reported Apple was building a live tv ad network to support its 10-year deal with Major League Soccer. As The Information points out, an ad-supported tier would be the most straightforward way for Apple to bring more ads to TV+. A handful of other streaming platforms, including Netflix and Disney+, already offer such tiers to customers as they’re an easy way for those services to broaden their subscriber base.


Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

A new Mobvoi smartwatch has passed through the FCC – could it finally be the TicWatch Pro 5?

It’s been a while since it was announced that Mobvoi was developing the TicWatch Pro 5 smartwatch that would be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 chipset and run on the unified Wear OS 3.0 platform. But, it seems that progress is being made, at least if you take the recent passing through of the FCC […]

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This could be the iPhone 15 Pro, and you won’t believe the camera

Here’s a first look at what the iPhone 15 Pro could look like, based on an early CAD model rendering.
Digital Trends

Apple could limit WiFi 6E availability to iPhone 15 Pro models

The feature gap between the iPhone and iPhone Pro could widen with the 2023 models. According to a leaked antenna design document obtained by MacRumors, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will include WiFi 6E connectivity, while their more affordable siblings will not. The document, a schematic outlining the iPhone 15 line’s antenna architecture, shows iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will continue to use the older WiFi 6 standard.

Some of Apple’s latest devices, including the recently announced M2 variants of the Mac mini, MacBook Pro and iPad Pro, sport WiFi 6E connectivity, but the company has yet to roll out the feature more broadly. Provided there’s a compatible WiFi 6E router for your device to connect to, the standard promises faster connectivity speeds and lower latency than WiFi 6. The potential omission of WiFi 6E from the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus probably won’t hurt most consumers given that the majority of homes and businesses are running older WiFi 5 and WiFi 6 routers.

As MacRumors notes, in the past Apple hasn’t restricted the availability of new WiFi standards to iPhone Pro models. Before the iPhone 14 line, the differences between the Pro and standard models were fairly negligible unless you had an interest in photography. However, as of last year, only the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max came with Apple’s new A16 Bionic chip, Dynamic Island cutout and ProMotion display. It now appears the company is trying to find even more ways to differentiate its Pro models from their more mainstream counterparts. Per past reports, other features that could be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max include Apple’s upcoming A16 chipset, a titanium frame and more RAM for multitasking. The phones could also sport solid-state volume and power buttons.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Apple’s mixed reality headset could feature full-body FaceTime avatars

Apple is expected to reveal its long-anticipated mixed reality headset in the coming months. The device has been in the works for several years and it'll be Apple's first new product category since Apple Watch, which debuted in 2015. Many details about the device have emerged through the rumor mill. Although much of the information in his latest piece on the headset has already been reported, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has revealed some more details about what to expect from the product, which may be called Reality Pro.

It's said to be a standalone device with an interface similar to that of iPhone and iPad and the option to pin widgets to the home screen. Alternatively, it may be used as an external display for a connected Mac. Along with Siri voice commands, there'll be the option to use a Mac, iPhone or iPad keyboard to enter text on the so-called "xrOS" operating system, according to the report. Apple is believed to be working on a way for users to type with their hands in midair, like in many sci-fi movies, but that option likely won't be available when the headset debuts.

It's expected that there will be health-tracking features and the option to install third-party apps. Virtual reality video is said to be a focus, with the company adding support for Apple TV+ content. It's believed that Apple has held talks with Disney, Dolby and other media partners regarding VR content, and that there will be the option to watch video on virtual screens in environments like space or a desert. Users might need to wear AirPods or other supported headphones for spatial audio if they want to be fully immersed. Gaming may be an important aspect of the device as well. 

The key selling point for the headset could be Apple's approach to hand and eye tracking. It's believed that the device will have sensors that can follow wearers' eyes and several external cameras that can monitor hand movements. The idea, according to the report, is that users would be able to select an item (such as an app icon or button) by looking at it and then squeezing their thumb and index finger to carry out that action. If this approach works as expected, wearers wouldn't need to use hand controllers — rival headsets typically require those. Meanwhile, the headset may have a screen on the front that can display the wearer's eyes, which might be a little offputting for some.

The device is expected to support virtual reality and augmented reality, with the ability to switch between the two modes using a Watch-like digital crown. Meta's latest headset, the Quest Pro, offers full-color passthrough for AR use and it's expected that Apple will offer a similar function.

Apple may be keeping users who need prescription glasses in mind. Many glasses wearers have found it uncomfortable to wear VR and AR headsets. However, it's claimed that Apple will offer custom lenses that sit within the headset's enclosure, which could make it more comfortable to use.

One intriguing aspect of the headset that doesn't seem to have been reported before is how it will handle one-on-one FaceTime calls. It was previously believed that other people on a call will be displayed as an icon or Memoji. That's still likely to be the case for group calls. For one-on-one chats in which both participants are wearing a Reality Pro, the report suggests that FaceTime will render realistic versions of their face and body. Processing limitations seemingly prevent this feature from being available for group calls. Other companies, such as Meta, typically render users in a more cartoonish fashion (and don't yet include legs).

Any of these features may still yet change as the headset is months away from coming to market. However, it's believed that Reality Pro will be powered by an M2 chipset. A second chip called the "Reality Processor" is expected to handle graphics and mixed-reality experiences.

While other headset makers typically opt for a plastic body, Apple is believed to be constructing Reality Pro using aluminum, glass and cushions with a similar look to the AirPods Max headphones. However, the battery is not expected to be built into the device. According to Gurman, the battery will be in an external pack that connects to the headset via a cable and is placed in a user's pocket. That, and a cooling fan, could help avoid the headset from overheating, but it could lead to a weight imbalance. The battery life is said to be around two hours.

Apple may reveal the device this spring — before this year's Worldwide Developers Conference in June — and release it this fall. The price, though, may put off many who might otherwise be interested in Reality Pro. It's long been expected that the headset will retail for around $ 3,000. That's twice as much as the Quest Pro.

This is a gamble for Apple as it moves into a new market that hasn't yet seen mass adoption. The report suggests that Apple expects to sell around 1 million units in the first year and the company even anticipates that the first version of Reality Pro won't turn a profit. Another version that will cost around $ 1,500 is said to be in the pipeline, though that may not arrive until late 2024 or early 2025. The cheaper model may eschew the Reality Pro's 4K displays for ones with lower resolution to reduce the cost.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Why removing physical buttons could ruin the iPhone 15

Rumors have suggested that Apple may be removing physical buttons on the iPhone 15, replacing them with solid-state buttons. This could be problematic.
Digital Trends

Google’s AirTag copycat could be incredible — and that scares me

Google is reportedly working on an Apple AirTag tracker rival, but can the company overcome pervasive privacy and stalking concerns?
Digital Trends

Nothing could release its next wireless earbuds under a new brand

Nothing is reportedly preparing to release a pair of true wireless headphones under a new flanker brand. Digging through the company’s latest firmware, developer Kuba Wojciechowski (via 91mobiles) found evidence of an unreleased set of “Particles by XO” earbuds.

Particles by XO
91mobiles

Renders of the headphones showcase a unique design that’s reminiscent of a peanut or molecular chain. According to Wojciechowski, the earbuds include LHDC codec support and active noise cancelation. In other words, it looks like Nothing is preparing a product that has traits from both its Ear 1 and Ear Stick wireless buds. There are a few bits of evidence linking the earbuds to Nothing. To start, the company’s internal codename for them is “B154.” Nothing has reportedly used a similar codename, B155, for its upcoming Ear 2 headphones. On Saturday, the US Patent and Trademark Office awarded a shell company called “The Most Unknown LLC” a trademark for “Particles by XO.”

As for why Nothing, a company with only three products to its name, would establish a new brand just to launch another pair of wireless earbuds, it’s probably another marketing scheme by the company’s founder, former OnePlus executive Carl Pei.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

iOS 17 could be amazing if Apple makes these 7 changes

We expect Apple to announce iOS 17 next year during WWDC23. Here are a few things we hope to see in the next version of iOS.
Digital Trends

Amazon’s Luna could be headed down the same path as Google Stadia

We all know the sad story of the Stadia cloud gaming platform which is being laid to rest on January 18th of next year but news has broken that Amazon may be heading down the same path with its Luna service which has seen mass job cuts. How many? Around 10,000 positions have been culled […]

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These 80+ apps could be running adware on your iPhone or Android device

An adware attack that first surfaced in 2019 is back with more sophisticated fraud and evasion techniques. You should check your iOS and Android phones.
Android | Digital Trends

iPhone 15 ‘Ultra’ could replace next year’s Pro Max model

Next year’s iPhone could introduce a change to Apple’s naming convention. According to Bloombergreporter Mark Gurman, the company could call its largest and most expensive device in 2023 the iPhone 15 Ultra instead of the iPhone 15 Pro Max as you would expect given its recent track record. The shift would reportedly coincide with the most significant redesign of the iPhone since Apple released the iPhone 12 in 2019. Gurman expects the iPhone 15 to feature USB-C, among other “bigger changes.”

Apple’s smartphone line has seen a couple of branding tweaks over the years. In the early days of the iPhone, when the company released a substantial update every two years, iterative models carried an “S” designation. Since 2019 and the diversification of the line to include separate mainstream and premium variants, the company has employed “Pro” and “Pro Max” designations to market its most advanced phones. Moreover, earlier this year saw the return of the Plus branding, which Apple had not used since 2017. Dropping Pro Max in favor of Ultra would make a lot of sense since the Apple Watch line now includes an Ultra model.

The iPhone 15 rumor mill has already produced a few interesting predictions. Gurman previously reported that Apple was testing USB-C iPhones ahead of the European Union implementing a law requiring all new smartphones made after 2024 to feature the port. More recently, display analyst Ross Young said the entire iPhone 15 line would feature the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island display cutout.

Looking to the more immediate future, Gurman also wrote today that Apple might not hold another event this fall. He says the company plans to announce new Mac mini, MacBook Pro and iPad Pro models before the end of the year. However, as those will be primarily iterative updates to existing devices, Gurman suggests Apple is “more likely” to share the existence of those products with the world through a series of press releases.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Waiting for the Pixel 7 Pro? October could be the big month

Interested in buying the Google Pixel 7 or 7 Pro? A leak has given an indication when they will be available, and you should be ready for early October.
Android | Digital Trends

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 could be a smidge more expensive than predecessors

Samsung finally confirmed that it will hold an Unpacked event to launch its new devices on August 10, where it’s expected that the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 4, as well as the Galaxy Watch 5 series. While we wait for the launch day to come around, a new report points to the […]

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Optical illusions could help us build the next generation of AI

Computer vision algorithms can’t see optical illusions as we humans can — and scientists are using that quirk to their advantage
Emerging Tech | Digital Trends

Insta360’s next camera could be amazing for lowlight photography

Insta360 is teasing a new camera with apparent links to astrophotography and lowlight imaging.
Mobile | Digital Trends

The Paper Laptop could be the e-paper device you didn’t know you needed

The Modos Paper Laptop is part e-paper and part laptop, allowing users a calmer and more humane computing experience, the company says.
Mobile | Digital Trends

The Google Assistant could be to blame for the Galaxy Watch 4 suffering pairing issues and battery drain

Having been promised for months, the Google Assistant finally began rolling out to Galaxy Watch 4 smartwatches last week but it seems that the addition of the virtual assistant may be causing some issues. Galaxy Watch 4 owners are reporting that their units are experiencing battery drain and pairing issues since the Google Assistant was […]

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