Category: Technology

Ever compared Cassidy to Spike Siegel or gunslinger Ashe to gun-toting Faye Valentine? Write this date down: March 12. That’s when Blizzard is launching Overwatch 2’s collaboration with legendary anime Cowboy Bebop, which will bring five skins based on the show to the game. The trailer released for the collaboration also shows the hacker Sombra dressed as her fellow hacker Ed, the Tank hero Wrecking Ball/Hammond as the data corgi Ein and the Samoan warrior Mauga as Jet Black. 

Speaking of that trailer, it certainly looks and feels like Cowboy Bebop’s opening animation — it even uses the same theme song. Clearly, this collaboration is looking to appeal to the anime’s fans, though we wish it could’ve happened sooner, say during the show’s 25th anniversary last year. Blizzard did launch an anime tie-up in 2023, but it was with Japanese superhero show One-Punch Man.

Wrecking Ball’s Ein skin will be available for free to all players, but the other skins will be sold through the Overwatch 2 shop. The collaboration will also give you access to new emotes, highlight intros and other items you can buy. Blizzard will officially introduce each skin and item on March 11, perhaps so you’d at least have an idea of how much you’re spending a day later. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/overwatch-2-will-let-you-dress-your-heroes-as-cowboy-bebop-characters-130022260.html?src=rss 

Apple’s refreshed MacBook Air laptops are finally here, and they’re toting shiny new M3 chips. This week, Cherlynn chats with Devindra about his review of the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air M3. They’re faster, as we expected, but they’re also not a huge leap over the M2 MacBook Air, which now starts at $999. (And we’re sure you’ll find some excellent refurbished and used deals soon.) No matter which one you pick, though, you’re getting one of the most stunning ultraportable notebooks around. In other news, we discuss Apple’s nearly $2 billion fine from the EU, Microsoft’s upcoming Surface AI event and the death of Android apps on Windows 11.

Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you’ve got suggestions or topics you’d like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!

Topics

Finally, the MacBook Air gets an M3 update – 0:41

EU fines Apple nearly $2 billion for “blocking” competing music apps – 15:27

iOS 17.4 brings third party app stores to the EU, podcast transcription for everyone – 20:18

Microsoft announces a Surface and AI event for later in March – 22:02

No more (Amazon App Store) Android apps in Windows – 27:49

Developer of Switch emulator Yuzu fined $2.4 million to settle suit with Nintendo – 39:19

Around Engadget: Sam Rutherford’s Nothing Phone 2 review – 46:17

Working on – 50:30

Pop culture picks – 57:47

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Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O’Brien

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-podcast-macbook-air-m3-review-133055974.html?src=rss 

The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is officially in action, and the ramifications are coming out left and right. The latest development comes from Apple, which released a DMA Compliance Report outlining the changes required of them. These include immediate and upcoming steps, such as introducing a browser choice screen.

Before we get into Apple’s changes, here’s some quick background: The Digital Markets Act identifies “gatekeepers” such as Apple, Meta, and Amazon based on earnings and users. The law prohibits these companies from favoring their own platforms or forcing users to stay within their ecosystem. In line with that — when Apple users in the EU open Safari, they’ll be prompted to choose a default browser from a list of options available in their area. Developers can also choose from different browsers — though they need to request and obtain different “entitlements.” These updates will be reflected for anyone who has downloaded iOS 17.4. 

Apple is also implementing steps to make its data more portable to outside systems, meaning an iOS user could import their data to an Android phone, for instance. “Apple is developing a solution that helps mobile operating system providers develop more user-friendly solutions to transfer data from an iPhone to a non-Apple phone,” the statement reads. “Apple is also creating a browser switching solution for exporting and importing relevant browser data into another browser on the same device.” The mobile operating system changes should go into effect by Fall 2025, while Apple aims to get the browser switches in effect by the end of 2024 or early 2025. 

Throughout the Compliance Report, Apple lays out ways in which the company believes these shifts could harm users and developers. Apple states these risks include “new avenues for malware, fraud and scams, illicit and harmful content, and other privacy and security threats. These changes also compromise Apple’s ability to detect, prevent, and take action against malicious apps on iOS and to support users impacted by issues with apps downloaded outside of the App Store.” The company has introduced steps like Notarization for iOS apps, but claims they won’t be fully effective. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-will-make-it-easier-for-eu-users-to-switch-to-android-and-delete-safari-113041250.html?src=rss 

There have been plenty of Wordle clones even before The New York Times purchased the real thing in 2022, to the point that they had become a common sight on app stores. It sounds like The Times has been trying to cull the numbers of Wordle knockoffs recently, though, and has been sending DMCA takedown notices to their developers. As 404 Media reports, the latest notice the news organization sent could take out not just the target game itself, but also thousands of other alternatives and spinoffs. 

The Times’ latest DMCA notice was filed against Chase Wackerfuss, the person behind a Wordle clone called “Reactle.” In its notice, the publication said that GitHub must delete the infringing repository and the hundreds of forked repositories based on it. Wackerfuss already took down Reactle’s GitHub page — he told 404 Media it wasn’t worth getting into a legal battle with The New York Times and just deleted his repository. According to the publication, though, it was forked 1,900 times before it was removed and was used to create versions of Wordle in dozens of different languages, as well as spinoffs with various twists. Some of those spinoffs turned Wordle into crossword puzzles and two-player games, while others transformed it into guessing games that use emoji and other symbols instead of letters and words. 

Based on the takedown request The Times sent to Reactle, the newspaper is claiming ownership of the name Wordle, as well as its mechanics. “The Times’s Wordle copyright includes the unique elements of its immensely popular game, such as the 5×6 grid, green tiles to indicate correct guesses, yellow tiles to indicate the correct letter but the wrong place within the word, and the keyboard directly beneath the grid,” the DMCA notice reportedly read. “This gameplay is copied exactly in the repository, and the owner instructs others how to knock off the game and create an identical word game.” Seeing as Wordle has a pretty simple premise, though — I was easily able to create a simpler but similar word-guessing game when I took a basic programming course — this takedown request likely won’t spell the end for its clones and alternatives. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-new-york-times-is-cracking-down-on-wordle-clones-100004668.html?src=rss 

Microsoft is deepening its ties with the Ukrainian cloud gaming company Boosteroid. Beginning today, Xbox Game Pass subscribers (PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate) with a Boosteroid membership can stream Game Pass titles along with supported titles purchased through the Microsoft Store on Windows.

Some eligible games include Deathloop, Dishonored, Dishonored 2, Dishonored: Death of The Outsider, Gears 5, Gears Tactics, Ghostwire: Tokyo and Pentiment. Xbox games on Boosteroid support cross-play and cross-save with PC and Xbox consoles.

Microsoft says it will continue adding more “hits and fan favorites.” Boosteroid first began supporting Microsoft PC game purchases last year.

Boosteroid, founded in 2016 in Kyiv, Ukraine, said last year it had over four million users globally. In May 2023, Microsoft inked a 10-year deal with the company to try to convince antitrust regulators it would handle its Activision Blizzard acquisition responsibly. Around the same time, Microsoft struck similar decade-long deals with Nintendo and NVIDIA to bring Call Of Duty games to their platforms.

To stream Game Pass (or Microsoft Store) titles, install the Boosteroid app and sign in. Then, browse to the Library tab and select Xbox as a filter. Choose the game you want, click “Play” and log into your Microsoft account with an active PC Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate membership and confirm.

Boosteroid is available on Windows, macOS, Android and ChromeOS. It also has beta apps for webOS and Android TV.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-game-pass-now-supports-boosteroid-a-third-party-game-streaming-service-194437608.html?src=rss 

The iRobot Roomba 694 is back on sale for $180 via Amazon, which is a savings of 35 percent or $95. This isn’t the lowest price ever for the well-regarded robovac, but it’s darned close. There likely won’t be a price drop this stark until Prime Day or the holidays.

The Roomba 694 isn’t one of the company’s flagship models, but it’s still a highly efficient design that excels with standard cleaning tasks. As a matter of fact, this robovac topped our list of the best budget robot vacuums. We loved the handy mobile app that helps people plan routes, schedule cleanings and perform basic maintenance tasks. We also enjoyed the powerful suction, which makes short work of pet hair, dust and debris.

The 694 will return to the charging base on its own, which is always nice, and it runs anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes on a single charge, depending on the flooring. This is a no-frills vacuum, however, so there isn’t a mopping feature or a large debris tank. It’s also somewhat larger than many of its siblings, so it could struggle to get underneath certain items of furniture.

This is part of a larger Amazon sale on iRobot devices, with discounts on just about every model the company makes. For instance, the high-end iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ is on sale for $500, a discount of $300. This machine can both vacuum and mop, and it’ll even self-empty debris into the included container.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/irobots-roomba-694-is-back-on-sale-for-180-195717774.html?src=rss 

TikTok is stepping up its efforts to fight a new bill that could force a ban of the app in the United States. The app has been alerting its millions of US users about the measure, which would force ByteDance to sell TikTok in order for the app to remain available in US app stores.

“TikTok is at risk of being shut down in the US,” the push notification says. “Call your representative now.” An in-app message then instructs users to “speak up now — before your government strips 170 million Americans of their Constitutional right to free expression.” It also provides users a shortcut to dial their representative’s office if they enter their zip code.

The push alerts are reportedly already having a dramatic effect. Politico reporter Olivia Beavers said that House staffers report their offices are being inundated with calls. One staffer said on X that “we’re getting a lot of calls from high schoolers asking what a Congressman is.”

Unfortunately for TikTok, their plan to stir up resistance to the bill may not be having the intended effect. The flood of calls may in fact be “backfiring,” according to Beavers, who says the response may be increasing support for the bill among members of Congress. In a post on X, Representative Mike Gallagher, who chairs the select committee that introduced the bill, said the push notifications were “interfering with the legislative process.” TikTok didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The alerts come amid growing support for the measure, which was introduced earlier this week by members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Committee members are expected to vote Thursday on whether to advance the bill. President Joe Biden, whose administration has also sought to force a divestiture of TikTok, is reportedly supportive of the bill. As Punchbowl News notes, previous bills to ban TikTok have not had the backing of the White House.

If passed, the bill would give TikTok about six months to separate itself from ByteDance or else an app store ban would take effect. Digital rights groups oppose the measure. The ACLU has called it “unconstitutional,” while other groups say that comprehensive privacy legislation would be a more effective way to protect Americans’ data.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-is-encouraging-its-users-to-call-their-representatives-about-attempts-to-ban-the-app-202056111.html?src=rss