Technology - Kalakshar US

Amazon Prime Video won’t offer Dolby Vision and Atmos on its ad-supported plan

On January 29, Amazon started inserting ads into the viewing experience of Prime Video subscribers. The company announced the change last year, telling customers that it will start showing “limited advertisements” with its service’s movies and shows so that it could invest “in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time.” Those who don’t want to see ads will have to pay an extra fee of $3 a month. What it didn’t say, however, is that it’s also removing subscribers’ access to Dolby features if they choose to stay on the ad-supported tier. The change was first spotted by German tech publication 4kfilme and was confirmed by Forbes.

Forbes tested it out by streaming an episode of Jack Ryan, which was encoded with Dolby Vision high dynamic range video and Dolby Atmos sound on a TV that supports the technologies. The publication found that the boxes overlaid on top of the video confirming that Dolby Vision and Atmos are enabled were missing when they used an ad-supported account. Those boxes showed up as usual when played with an ad-free account.

That means customers will have to resort to paying the additional $3 a month on top of their subscription fee if they want to keep playing videos with Dolby Vision and Atmos enabled and if they don’t want their shows and movies interrupted by commercials. To note, Forbes also found that ad-free accounts still have access to HDR10+, which is a technology comparable to Dolby Vision.

Subscribers have been unhappy with the change, as expected, enough for a proposed class action lawsuit to be filed against the company in California federal court. The complaint accuses Amazon of violating consumer protection laws and calls its change of terms “deceptive” and “unfair.” It argues that those who’ve already paid for a year-long Prime subscription are expecting to enjoy an uninterrupted viewing experience as Amazon had promised. But since they’re also affected by this recent development, Amazon is “depriving them of the reasonable expectations to which they are entitled.” The class action is seeking at least $5 million in damages and is asking the court for an injunction “prohibiting [Amazon’s] deceptive conduct.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-video-wont-offer-dolby-vision-and-atmos-on-its-ad-supported-plan-093327322.html?src=rss

Uber, Lyft and DoorDash drivers are striking on February 14

It could be a challenge hailing a ride from certain airports on Valentine’s Day this year. Thousands of rideshare and delivery drivers for Uber, Lyft and DoorDash are planning to hold a demonstration on February 14 to demand fair pay and better security measures, according to Reuters. The strike was announced last week by Justice for App Workers, a coalition representing more than 100,000 rideshare and delivery drivers across the US.

Based on the group’s page for the rally, workers participating in the demonstration won’t be taking rides to and from any airport in Austin, Chicago, Hartford, Miami, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island and Tampa. The coalition is asking drivers to join the event and “demand changes from Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and all the app companies profiting off of [their] hard work.” Meanwhile, Rideshare Drivers United, an independent union for Uber and Lyft drivers in Los Angeles, also revealed that its members are turning off their apps on February 14 to protest “the significant decrease in pay [they’ve] all felt this winter.”

While the strikes could see the participation of tens of thousands of workers, Uber believes it won’t have an impact on its business since only a small portion of its drivers typically take part in demonstrations. The company told The Hill and CBS News that a similar protest last year didn’t affect its operations and that its driver earnings remain “strong.” In the fourth quarter of 2023, “drivers in the US were making about $33 per utilized hour,” the spokesperson said.

The groups announced the strikes just a few days after Lyft promised guaranteed weekly earnings for its drivers in the country, ensuring that they’ll make at least 70 percent of what their riders had paid. DoorDash didn’t respond to the publications’ requests for comment, but it currently pays its drivers $29.93 for every active hour in states with minimum wage requirements for app-based delivery workers. It recently introduced new fees for customers in New York City and Seattle as a response to their new minimum wage regulations.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uber-lyft-and-doordash-drivers-are-striking-on-february-14-055949899.html?src=rss

Meta is testing a trending topics feature on Threads

Meta is testing a new feature that will allow Threads users to see what kinds of conversations are trending on the platform. The app has begun testing “today’s top topics” in the United States, Mark Zuckerberg shared in a post on Threads.

The feature will surface “timely topics that others are discussing” and will appear in search and interspersed between posts in the app’s For You feed, according to Meta. Specific trends will be “determined by our AI systems based on what people are engaging with right now on Threads,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri said.

Interestingly, Threads will surface trends related to politics and elections. The company said last week that it would no longer suggest political content in its recommendations unless users choose to opt-in. But Meta has confirmed that restriction won’t apply to its trending feature. “Political content can be a topic,” a Meta spokesperson told Engadget. “We will only remove political topics if they violate our Community Guidelines or other applicable integrity policies.”

The addition of trends has been a long-requested update for many Threads users hoping to make the service more usable as a source for real-time information and updates. The feature was previously spotted in an employee version of the app, but it was unclear if Meta would roll it out more broadly considering Mosseri’s desire to avoid “encouraging” conversations about “politics and hard news.”

Though AI will determine much of what is surfaced, it sounds like the Meta does plan to do some curation of what appears as a “top topic.” A team of “content specialists” will “ensure that topics do not violate our Community Guidelines or other applicable integrity guidelines, and that topics are not duplicative, nonsensical, or misleading” a Meta spokesperson said.

For now, “today’s top topics” is only a “small test” but Zuckerberg said the feature would arrive in more countries and languages “once we get it tuned up.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-is-testing-a-trending-topics-feature-on-threads-201812349.html?src=rss

Phil Spencer will address Xbox multiplatform rumors on February 15

The internet has been buzzing the last couple of weeks with rumors that Microsoft will begin publishing Xbox first-party games on competing consoles. The company promised it would soon share more details about its “vision for the future of Xbox” and that looks to be coming on February 15. Phil Spencer will appear on the Official Xbox Podcast to share “updates on the Xbox business.”

The episode drops at 3PM ET and it’ll also feature Sarah Bond, President of Xbox, and Matt Booty, the head of Xbox Game Studios. Those are three big names, so this could be a real barnburner of a podcast episode.

We don’t know what the team has in store, but there have been all kinds of rumors flooding the web, from Hi-Fi Rush coming to the Nintendo Switch to Starfield and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle showing up on the PS5. It’s somewhat unusual for one of the big three to outsource first-party titles to competing platforms, but it’s not unheard of. Sony puts many of its biggest games on Steam and there are already some former Xbox exclusives on the Switch, like Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel.

Many fans, however, have used these rumors to fuel wild speculations that Xbox is about to exit the console business entirely. This isn’t likely, even if the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles have underperformed when compared to the Switch and PS5. The company held an internal townhall last week and Spencer reportedly told employees that it has no plans to stop making consoles and that Xbox systems would continue to be a large part of its overall strategy, according to games reporter Shannon Liao.

Also, Game Pass is still a huge selling point for Xbox consoles, with a May 2023 survey indicating that 32 percent of gamers subscribe to the service. There were over 33 million subscribers back in 2022, and that number’s likely to have grown since then.

Microsoft isn’t exactly struggling, even when you factor in the games division. As a matter of fact, the company’s gaming revenue was up an impressive 49 percent for Q2 2024, due primarily to the Activision acquisition deal. A recent earnings report indicated company revenue of $62 billion (up 18 percent from last year) and profits of $21.9 billion.

Even with those numbers, however, Microsoft’s gaming division is still laying people off left and right. The company just slashed 1,900 jobs from its Xbox, Activision Blizzard and ZeniMax (aka Bethesda) teams. If it’s looking for the constant growth that modern capitalism requires, dropping some of its more popular titles onto other consoles isn’t exactly the worst idea in the world. In any event, we’ll find out Thursday afternoon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/phil-spencer-will-address-xbox-multiplatform-rumors-on-february-15-193755729.html?src=rss

You no longer have to visit an Apple Store if you forget your Vision Pro passcode

Apple has launched a Vision Pro update that solves one of its most confounding issues at launch. Starting in visionOS 1.0.3, available Monday, headset owners who forgot their passcodes can reset their device and start over with a fresh install. Previously, owners who lost their passcodes had to visit an Apple Store — or ship the device to AppleCare customer support — to use their $3,500 device again.

Today’s new software is the first visionOS update to arrive since the mixed reality headset has been available to customers. The first two came before its public launch when only reviewers and developers had it. MacRumors first reported on today’s software update.

Apple’s official release notes read, “This update provides important bug fixes and adds an option to reset your device if you’ve forgotten your passcode.” It isn’t clear why Apple launched expensive hardware with a feature that required a visit to a physical store if it only took a couple of weeks to provide a much easier workaround that more closely aligns with the rest of its products.

Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar views Apple’s $3,500 headset as a blend of fascination and frustration — better for developers or wealthy Apple fans than the general public. “That’s pretty much the Vision Pro experience in a nutshell,” Engadget’s Senior Editor wrote. “Wonder and frustration. A peek into the future that’s limited by the hardware that exists today — even if that hardware is among the best we’ve ever seen.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/you-no-longer-have-to-visit-an-apple-store-if-you-forget-your-vision-pro-passcode-194538095.html?src=rss

Intuitive Machines is taking its shot at nailing the first commercial moon landing

Houston-based space company Intuitive Machines is gearing up for an actual moonshot at the end of this month, when it’ll try to land a spacecraft named Odysseus on the lunar surface — ideally without it breaking in the process. The mission follows Astrobotic’s unsuccessful attempt in January; that company’s lander, Peregrine, never made it to the moon due to a propellant leak that cut its journey short. Peregrine’s failure means Intuitive Machines’ IM-1 mission could be the first ever commercial moon landing if it makes it there intact.

Intuitive Machines is hoping to make its landing attempt on February 22, targeting the Malapert A crater near the moon’s south pole for touchdown. This arrival date is dependent on Odysseus, one of the company’s Nova-C class landers, leaving Earth atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sometime between February 14 and February 16. The launch window opens at 12:57AM ET on Wednesday.

Odysseus is the first of three Nova-C landers Intuitive Machines plans to send to the moon this year, all of which will have commercial payloads on board and NASA instruments as contracted under the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. At 14 feet tall (4.3 meters), the lander is roughly the size of a giraffe and can carry about 280 pounds (130kg) of cargo. Its mission, if it nails a soft landing, will be a short but potentially valuable one for informing future excursions to the region, including NASA’s upcoming crewed Artemis missions. Orbiting probes have found evidence of water ice at the lunar south pole, which could be used for astronaut subsistence and even fuel, making it an area of high interest for human exploration.

NASA

The solar-powered craft and any functional equipment it’s carrying are only expected to be in working condition for about a week before the onset of lunar night, a 14-day period of frigid darkness that the company says will leave the lander inoperable. But while everything’s up and running, the various instruments will gather data at the surface. NASA awarded Intuitive Machines a $77 million contract for the delivery of its payloads back in 2019, and there are six NASA instruments now hitching a ride on Odysseus.

One, the Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA), will “function as a permanent location mark” from its position on the moon after landing to help incoming spacecraft determine their distance from the surface, according to NASA. The lander is also carrying the Navigation Doppler LIDAR for Precise Velocity and Range Sensing (NDL), a sensor that measures velocity and altitude to better guide the descent, and the Lunar Node 1 Navigation Demonstrator (LN-1) to support communication and autonomous navigation in future missions.

NASA is also sending instruments to study surface plumes — everything that gets kicked up when the lander touches down — along with radio waves and the effects of space weather. That includes the Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies (SCALPSS), which will capture images of these dust plumes, and the Radio wave Observation at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath (ROLSES) instrument.

The rest of the payloads on board Odysseus are commercial. Columbia Sportswear worked with Intuitive Machines to incorporate the brand’s Apollo-inspired Omni-Heat Infinity thermal reflective material, which is being used for this mission to help protect the cryogenic propulsion tank, according to Intuitive Machines. Students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University developed a camera system dubbed the EagleCam that will attempt to separate from the lander before it touches down and snap a picture of the moment from a third-person point of view. EagleCam is also equipped with an experimental dust-removal system.

Intuitive Machines

There are even some Jeff Koons sculptures heading to the moon, which will have physical and NFT counterparts back on Earth. In Koons’ Moon Phase piece, 125 small stainless steel sculptures of the moon at different phases are encased in a clear cube made by 4Space, with the names of important historical figures from around the world listed below each sphere. The International Lunar Observatory Association, based in Hawaii, and Canadensys Aerospace are sending a 1.3-pound dual-camera system called ILO-X, with which they’ll attempt to capture wide and narrow field images of the Milky Way from the moon.

Odysseus is also carrying small discs called “Lunagrams” from Galactic Legacy Labs that contain messages from Earth, including text, images, audio and archives from major databases such as the Arch Mission Foundation and the English-language version of Wikipedia. Similar archival materials were sent to space with Peregrine last month. The information technology company Lonestar plans to demonstrate its Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) by storing data on the lander and transmitting documents ( including the US Declaration of Independence) between Earth and the moon. It’ll follow this up with a prototype mini data center on Intuitive Machines’ next launch.

Now, the pressure is on for the Odysseus Nova-C lander to actually get to the lunar surface safely. This year started off rocky for moon missions, with the failure of Astrobotic’s Peregrine and a descent hiccup that caused JAXA’s SLIM spacecraft to faceplant into the lunar surface (though the latter was miraculously able to resume functions to some degree after a few days). Intuitive Machines will have other chances to get it right if it doesn’t this time — it has multiple missions already booked up — but only one private lander can be “first.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/intuitive-machines-is-taking-its-shot-at-nailing-the-first-commercial-moon-landing-170024349.html?src=rss

Tesla has won the EV charging wars

Stellantis is the latest manufacturer to commit to using Tesla’s NACS (North American Charging Standard). The company was the last remaining holdout among major automakers, meaning the NACS is becoming a true common standard.

According to a press release, electric vehicles from Stellantis brands (which include Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat, Ram, Jeep and Alfa Romeo) will start using the NACS connector in select models next year. The automaker will also offer an adaptor for existing vehicles, meaning drivers will be able to charge using either NACS or Combined Charging System (CCS) ports.

Stellantis says its embrace of the NACS builds on its commitment with six other automakers to build a network of more than 30,000 fast charging points on highways and in urban areas in North America by 3030. These stations will support NACS and CCS.

The automaker has joined the likes of Volkswagen, GM, Volvo, Polestar, Mercedes, Honda, BMW and Lucid in supporting the NACS. EV charging network operators ChargePoint and Electrify America also pledged to adopt the NACS after Tesla open sourced the connector in late 2022.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-has-won-the-ev-charging-wars-155726724.html?src=rss

Dell gaming laptops are up to $560 off right now

Dell gaming laptops are up to $560 off right now via a large sale on Amazon. The deals apply to both Dell-branded computers and Alienware models. The laptops here range from budget-friendly releases to more luxe high-end models.

First up, there’s the Dell G16 7630, which is on sale for $1,200 instead of $1,600. That’s a savings of $400 or 25 percent. The G16 is a sibling to our favorite budget laptop, the G15. This computer is plenty powerful, with an Intel Core i9 chip, a GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of solid-state storage.

There’s also a 16-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600) display with a 165Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. The thermal cooling system takes design cues from Alienware computers, with a large vapor chamber. In just about every way, this is a massive improvement over the G15, which we already loved.

The Alienware m18 is also on sale for $2,240 instead of $2,800, which is a significant savings of $540 and the lowest price ever for this model. The biggest news here is that glorious 18-inch screen. It may not fit in your backpack, but it’ll certainly provide for fantastic visuals. To that end, the laptop ships with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU and the 16:10 FHD display supports Dolby Vision and offers an impressive 480Hz response time.

The AMD Ryzen 9 processor can be overclocked, which is another boon for gamers, and you get 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a comprehensive cooling system that includes one of the company’s larger vapor chambers, four fans and seven heat pipes. This thing is an absolute beast.

This big Dell sale isn’t just for gaming laptops. You’ll find desktops here, along with displays, headphones, charging docks and just about everything else the company makes. It’s like Black Friday except, you know, it’s Monday and not even close to Thanksgiving.

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/dell-gaming-laptops-are-up-to-560-off-right-now-161535462.html?src=rss

Target is offering a $10 bonus credit when you buy a $100 Apple gift card

If you plan on picking up an Apple product in the near future, a new deal at Target is worth a quick PSA. Through February 17, the retailer is throwing in a $10 Target credit for no extra cost when you buy a digital Apple gift card worth $100 or more. We’ve seen this deal several times before, but if you already need a Apple Thing and often shop at Target anyway, it’s hard to complain about what is essentially free money.

As a reminder, besides retail products you can apply Apple gift card credit toward subscription services like Apple Music, Apple TV+ and iCloud+, as well as purchases in storefronts like the App Store or Apple TV app. Just note that you’ll only be able to redeem the offer once per account, according to Target’s listing, and that it may take up to four hours for the store credit to arrive via email.

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/target-is-offering-a-10-bonus-credit-when-you-buy-a-100-apple-gift-card-152932992.html?src=rss

How to use Apple Pay on your iPhone for contactless payments

Apple Pay can make it more convenient to buy things while protecting your credit card info. Launched in 2014, the payment service supports tap-to-pay in physical retail stores, online apps and websites, and person-to-person payments with Apple Cash. Here’s a step-by-step on how to use Apple Pay.

How to use Apple Pay on an iPhone or Apple Watch

Before using Apple Pay, you’ll need to add at least one credit or debit card to Apple Wallet. You can visit Engadget’s guide to setting up Apple Pay for detailed instructions.

The first thing to know about using Apple Pay in physical retail stores is only some vendors support it. For example, Walmart has long been a holdout, opting instead to push its (QR-code-based) Walmart Pay. Home Depot also doesn’t support it, even as competitor Lowe’s finally began accepting Apple Pay (in stores and its app) in late 2023.

If you aren’t sure whether a store supports it, you can look for a tap-to-pay logo (radiating waves with a hand tapping a card onto it) or the Apple Pay icon. You can also ask Siri to show you nearby locations that accept the service.

What you’ll see on the screen when completing an Apple Pay transaction on an iPhone with Face ID

Screenshot by Will Shanklin / Engadget

Once you’re at an Apple Pay-friendly terminal, do the following on your iPhone:

Double-click the side button on the right side of your iPhone.

Look at your iPhone to authenticate with Face ID (or place your finger on the Touch ID sensor if it’s an older model).

Tap the top of your phone to the card reader, usually near where you see a tap-to-pay logo. You’ll see a checkmark and hear a ding when the payment reads successfully.

Photo by Will Shanklin / Engadget

Follow these instructions if you’re paying with an Apple Watch:

Double-click the side (lower right) button on your watch.

Tap the Apple Watch to the payment terminal near its tap-to-pay logo. You’ll hear a ding and see a checkmark when the transaction goes through.

If it doesn’t work, ensure the location accepts Apple Pay and that their systems are running. If so, ask someone working there about the best spot to tap on their payment terminal.

If you want to use Apple Pay with a card other than your default one, tap the onscreen card after double-clicking the device’s side button (but before paying). You can swipe through your added cards and choose the one you want before tapping to confirm.

How to make online purchases with Apple Pay

Screenshot by Will Shanklin / Engadget

Many websites and third-party apps accept Apple Pay. This not only prevents you from having to enter your credit card info, but it also adds extra security. Apple Pay uses an encrypted one-time “virtual token” instead of your actual credit card info. So if hackers ever breached the vendor’s systems, they’d only see the encrypted token tied to your Apple Pay, which they couldn’t use for additional transactions.

You can use Apple Pay for online (web and in-app) transactions on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro:

When checking out, look for Apple Pay on a website or in an app. Choose that as your payment option in checkout.

When it prompts you for verification, use Face ID (newer iPhones and iPads), Touch ID (Mac and older iPhones and iPads) or Optic ID (Vision Pro) to approve the secure transaction. You’ll hear a ding and see an approval animation when it accepts it.

Note that if you’re using a MacBook (with its lid closed) connected to an external monitor, you can use Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Touch ID rather than opening the laptop’s lid to access its sensor.

How to use Apple Pay to send money

Screenshot by Will Shanklin / Engadget

Apple Cash lets you send, receive and request money through the Messages app. It’s designed as an alternative to services like Venmo and Cash App, allowing you to exchange funds with people you know and trust.

First, ensure you’ve set up Apple Cash. On iPhone, open the Wallet app and tap the Apple Cash card. If it prompts you, tap “Set up Apple Cash.” On iPad, Apple Watch or Vision Pro, you’ll instead head to Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay, then choose the Apple Cash card and follow the instructions to set it up.

Once you’ve activated Apple Cash, here’s how to send money:

Open the Messages app and select the chat thread for the person you want to send money to.

Tap the plus button to the left of the text input box.

Select Apple Cash from the fan menu on the left.

Enter the amount you want to send.

Tap Send.

The Apple Cash symbol will appear in a drafted message. Tap the up arrow when you’re ready to send.

Follow the security prompt to complete the transaction. That will mean Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode on iPhone or iPad. On the Apple Watch, you’ll double-tap the side button. On Vision Pro, it will use Optic ID.

How to use Apple Pay on Amazon

Unfortunately, you can’t currently use Apple Pay on Amazon’s website or mobile app. The closest you’ll get is vendors using Amazon Payment Services on their storefronts outside Amazon. The online retailer gives those sellers the option to accept Apple Pay.

If you run into a third-party site or app using Amazon Payment Services, the steps are the same as the “How to use Apple Pay online” steps above. Add the items you want to your cart, choose Apple Pay as your payment option and perform the security steps to verify and complete the transaction.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-use-apple-pay-on-your-iphone-for-contactless-payments-132050897.html?src=rss