Category: Technology

Amazon told lawmakers it wouldn’t build storm shelters in its warehouses after a December 2021 tornado killed six employees at an Illinois location. Although the company changed its severe-weather response strategy after the incident, it essentially told the elected officials that since building storm shelters isn’t required by law, it won’t do that.

The company responded to lawmakers Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Cori Bush (D-MO), who sent a letter on December 15th, questioning the company’s lack of storm shelters or safe rooms at its warehouses. “Amazon’s apparent unwillingness to invest in a storm shelter or safe room at its Edwardsville facility is made even more concerning by the fact that installing one could be done by Amazon at relatively low cost,” the lawmakers wrote. “This cost is negligible for a company like Amazon, which brought in more than $500 billion in revenue over the 12-month period ending September 30, 2022 and clearly has the resources necessary to protect its workers should it have the will to do so.”

Company vice president of public policy Brian Huseman responded (via CNBC), “Amazon requires that its buildings follow all applicable laws and building codes. We have not identified any jurisdiction in the United States that requires storm shelters or safe rooms for these types of facilities.”

Huseman added that Amazon follows Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Weather Service guidelines and will continue using a “severe weather assembly area” for sheltering in place instead of the requested storm shelters. The six employees and contractors who died at the warehouse tried to protect themselves in a bathroom; the surviving workers took refuge in an assembly area.

OSHA investigated the incident last April and ordered Amazon to review its severe weather policies, but it fell short of penalizing the company for its response. Additionally, Amazon hired a meteorologist, launched an internal center for monitoring severe weather and created emergency cards pointing out evacuation points and assembly areas.

Amazon reportedly began rebuilding the warehouse last June. The families of two of the employees killed there have sued the company for wrongful death.

 

Razer announced its lightest gaming mouse today, the Viper Mini Signature Edition. It only weighs 49g, making it 16 percent lighter than the company’s Viper V2 Pro and one of the most lightweight mice we’ve seen from a large company.

The mouse uses a magnesium alloy exoskeleton with a semi-hollow interior (bearing a slight resemblance to the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless). “We wanted to push beyond the traditional honeycomb design, and this required a material with an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio,” said Razer’s Head of Industrial Design, Charlie Bolton. “After evaluating plastics, carbon fiber and even titanium, we ultimately chose magnesium alloy for its exceptional properties.”

Razer says the mouse uses its fastest wireless tech and will be among its best-performing wireless mice. It includes the Razer Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor, Optical Mouse Switches Gen-3 and HyperPolling Wireless with 4000Hz polling rates. Additionally, Razer says the mouse’s battery lasts up to 60 hours and can fully charge via USB-C in less than 90 minutes. It ships with a pre-paired USB dongle.

The $280 mouse will be available exclusively on Razer’s website starting February 11th.

 

Folks on the lookout for a new video doorbell or home security camera might be interested in checking out the latest sale on Arlo gear. You can snap up the devices for up to half off at the minute, with the Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell seeing the biggest drop from $200 to $100.

The doorbell, which you can plug in if you wish, offers a 180-degree wide field view and HD video with HDR. It captures video prior to motion-activated recordings, so you can see what caught the camera’s attention (such as what someone was doing right before ringing the doorbell). You can speak to whoever’s at your door from your phone thanks to two-way audio support. Alternatively, you can respond with quick reply prompts if you’re busy. Arlo says the device is durable too, so it should be able to withstand the elements.

The doorbell should play nicely with other smart home security devices, as it has Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Samsung SmartThings support. Those who take out an Arlo Secure plan, meanwhile, will receive notifications when the doorbell detects people, vehicles, and packages.

The sale also includes a wired version of the doorbell, which is 47 percent off at $80. A two-pack of the spotlight camera, which offers 1080p video capture and color night vision without the need for a hub, will run you $160 (31 percent off). Meanwhile, an indoor camera with a privacy shield is $30 off at $70.

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

 

Most electric vehicles get upgrades to boost performance or range, but Antarctica’s one and only EV has received a tune-up due to the realities of climate change. Venturi has revealed that it upgraded its Venturi Antarctica electric explorer early last year due to warmer conditions on the continent. The original machine was designed to operate in winter temperatures of -58F, but the southern polar region is now comparatively balmy at 14F — and that affected both crews and performance.

The company has added a ventilation system and air intakes to the front of the Antarctica to prevent overheating in the cockpit, while additional intakes keep the power electronics from cooking. Redesigned wheel sprockets were also necessary to maximize the tracked EV’s capabilities. The warmer snow was sticking to the sprockets, creating vibrations as it compacted and hardened. Future upgrades will help restore range lost to changing snow consistency. The Antarctica is built to cover 31 miles, but scientists have been limiting that to 25 miles.

Ars Technicanotes Venturi’s EV has been in use at Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Station since December 2021. It has two modest 80HP motors and just a 52.6kWh battery (plus an optional second pack), but raw power isn’t the point. The design lets station residents perform research without contributing to emissions or polluting a relatively pristine region.

You might not see Venturi make similar climate-related upgrades for a while. However, the refresh shows how global warming can affect transportation in subtle ways. Venturi and other manufacturers may have to design their next explorers on the assumption that Antarctica won’t be as chilly as before.

 

Meta has routinely fought data scrapers, but it also participated in that practice itself — if not necessarily for the same reasons. Bloomberg has obtained legal documents from a Meta lawsuit against a former contractor, Bright Data, indicating that the Facebook owner paid its partner to scrape other websites. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone confirmed the relationship in a discussion with Bloomberg, but said his company used Bright Data to build brand profiles, spot “harmful” sites and catch phishing campaigns, not to target competitors.

Stone added that data scraping could serve “legitimate integrity and commercial purposes” so long as it was done legally and honored sites’ terms of service. Meta terminated its arrangement with Bright Data after the contractor allegedly violated company terms when gathering and selling data from Facebook and Instagram.

Neither Bright Data nor Meta is saying which sites they scraped. Bright Data is countersuing Meta in a bid to keep scraping Facebook and Instagram, arguing that it only collects publicly available information and respects both European Union and US regulations.

Meta has spent years suing individuals and companies for scraping its platforms without permission. In some cases, it has accused companies of masking their activities and accessing sensitive details that require logins. Last year, for instance, Meta sued Octopus last year over a tool that reportedly collected sign-ins and took private information like dates of birth and phone numbers.

However, the Bright Data revelation isn’t a good look for a company that has faced numerous privacy violation accusations, including some related to scrapers. The EU fined Meta €265 million (about $277 million) last fall for allegedly failing to protect Facebook users against scraping that grabbed and exposed private information. This latest case isn’t guaranteed to create further trouble, but certainly won’t help Meta’s defense.

 

After releasing two previous models, Hasselblad seems to have finally nailed the compact medium format camera with the X2D 100C. With a 100-megapixel backside-illuminated sensor that doubles the resolution of the last model, it promises incredible image quality and a stunning design. However, it also has limited autofocus abilities, no video and a large price tag. So is this just a luxury item, or is it good for serious photographers?

My pro photographer friend Nathanael Charpentier wanted to find out. He was interested in seeing if the X2D could help him take more creative photos compared to his current Sony A1 and A9 cameras. At the same time, he was looking to use it in select situations to complement, rather than replace his existing setup.

The X2D is obviously going to work well and take great shots in a controlled studio environment, but Nathanael wanted to test it in more challenging scenarios like live events. As such, he photographed a theatrical group, several professional scenarios, musicians and an evening out – with both the Hasselblad and his Sony A1 for comparison. I also took it myself to test in low light, for landscapes and more.

Body and handling

The X2D is bound to draw comparisons to Fujifilm’s 100-megapixel GFX 100S. On the one hand, Fuji’s model has more advanced technology like eye- and face-detect AI autofocus. However, the Hasselblad offers a better industrial design, handling and build quality.

Physically, they couldn’t be more different. Where the GFX 100S looks like other Fuji mirrorless cameras but larger, the X2D is sleeker and more modern. It has nearly the same design and controls as the X1D II and X1D first introduced in 2017, with a few refinements. That’s great, as the body is both beautiful and practical. There are a few usability quirks, though.

The control layout is sparse compared to the GFX 100S and most other modern mirrorless cameras. It has front and rear dials for primary settings, along with ISO/white balance, mode, power, exposure lock, display and menu buttons. They’re generally responsive and have a high quality feel.

It’s relatively light for its category at 895 grams but still quite heavy. Luckily the big, non-slip grip is nice to hold and makes the X2D comfortable for all-day sessions. Ergonomically, it’s generally easy to use, but I missed having a joystick to move the AF point. That has to be done using either the display or the dials, which can be awkward.

The menu system is equally simple. The main settings are available on one screen, and everything else has its own category, like focus, exposure and general settings. Again, it’s easy to use, but some extra manual controls would help if you need to make adjustments on the fly.

Where the X1D II had a fixed display, the 3.6-inch, has a 2.36-million dot touchscreen. It’s the only way to change many settings, so luckily it’s bright, sharp and reactive. It does tilt up, unlike past models, but only 70 degrees which is insufficient for very low shooting angles. It’s also blocked a bit by the large protruding viewfinder (EVF) when you’re looking straight down.

Speaking of, the OLED EVF is another strong point. It has a sharp 5.76 million dot resolution with a 60 fps refresh rate and a huge 100 percent magnification. It even offers an electronic diopter adjustment for folks who wear glasses, which proved to be effective and kind of cool. Setting it is like taking an eye test, as words come into focus.

On top of the CFexpress Type B slot, the X2D has a built-in 1TB SSD, enough to hold over 3,000 RAW and JPEG shots. It’s easily fast and spacious enough to hold and transfer the enormous images. I never even used the CFexpress slot, except as a backup – but it’s also nice to have a high-speed card slot for rapid transfers.

With 420 shots, battery life is better than on past models, but still on the low end, and that figure is reasonably accurate in our experience. Luckily, it supports PD 3.0 fast charging up to 30W, so you can get a full charge in about 2 hours and run it on AC power in a studio. Still, I’d recommend extra batteries and the optional dual-battery charger, which costs $155 extra.

If you are shooting in a studio, you can use Phocus’s app (on Windows or Mac) for remote triggering and photo organization. It does offer exposure bracketing, but doesn’t have a live view or any way to change settings.

Finally, while the X2D 100C is well made, Hasselblad doesn’t say if it’s weatherproof, So for landscape shooting in bad weather, the GFX 100S might be a better choice as it’s rated by Fujifilm for dust and splash protection.

Nathanael: My first impression was around the handling. I found the ergonomy to be very good. It’s quite heavy, but it has a great grip, so you always have a good hold on it. It was easy to change key settings like ISO, shutter speed and aperture, but moving the autofocus point could be a bit awkward. Once I got used to the controls I was able to shoot pretty quickly.

Performance

With a new processor, the X2D starts up much quicker than before (2 seconds compared to 4 seconds) and is considerably faster in general over the X1D II. Hasselblad also has three new series V lenses (the 38mm f/2.5, 55mm f/2.5 and 90mm f/2.5) that are designed to focus three times faster than past models when used with the X2D’s new hybrid AF system.

Speed isn’t what the camera was built for, but it can manage about 3.3 images per second (in 14-bit mode only), which isn’t bad considering the 215 MB RAW frame size. However, photographers won’t be buying this as a sports camera and most will likely only ever use it in single-shot mode in order to get full 16-bit images.

Where past models had contrast detect autofocus only, the X2D finally has superior hybrid phase detect AF. The implementation, though, isn’t ideal. The single small AF point often wasn’t precise enough for the extremely shallow depth of field. And other than a setting to make the focus point slightly larger, there are no other AF options like area, etc.

Eye and face detection isn’t available either, though Hasselblad has indicated that it’s coming in a future update. Engadget has reached out to the company to find out when that might be happening.

In any case, Nathanael wasn’t too fussed about perfect AF and often preferred manual focus, and that works very well. Like other mirrorless cameras, it has a magnification system that kicks in when you operate the focus ring manually. However, it’s the best implementation I’ve seen – the high sensor resolution allows for a large 100 percent zoom, and it’s very clear on the high-resolution display. At the same time, the improved focus clutch on the new V lenses makes fine focus adjustments quite easy.

Hasselblad’s famous mechanical leaf shutter built into the lenses keeps noise and vibrations to a minimum and allows flash sync up to the maximum 1/2000th speed. As with Fuji’s GFX100s, the electronic shutter isn’t really usable for most moving subjects due to the extreme rolling shutter.

Finally, the X2D is equipped with a new stabilization system developed from scratch by Hasselblad for the large sensor. It allows for a claimed seven stops of blur reduction, compared to six for the GFX 100S. That allowed us to take sharp pictures at shutter speeds as low as a fifth of a second – no mean feat with such an exacting sensor.

Nathanael: I shot almost exclusively in manual focus to start with. It didn’t bother me because there are several tools to help a lot with that. When you turn the focus ring, it really zooms in, and you can clearly see the focus. Later on, I learned all the quirks of the autofocus and figured out how to make it work better, so I started using it more often. At the end, I was mostly taking sharp photos using a mix of manual and autofocus, depending on the situation.

Image Quality

The X2D’s greatest weapon is the new 100 megapixel, backside illuminated sensor – likely the same one used on Fujifilm’s GFX 100S and its own H6D-100C. For reference, the pixel size on the X2D is 3.76 micrometers, the same as Sony’s 61-megapixel A7R V. You can shoot JPEG, 10-bit HEIF or 16-bit RAW photos.

Hasselblad says that dynamic range exceeds 15 stops, which is more than any camera I’ve ever tested. The company also uses what it calls “Natural Color Science” to provide accurate and pleasing hues.

With all that, the X2D delivers the best images I’ve ever seen straight out of a camera. Color rendering is superb, and of course images have more sharpness and detail than nearly every other camera on the market. That’s aided by the new XCD V series lenses, which deliver incredible sharpness all the way to the edge of the frame.

Low-light performance is formidable for such a high-resolution camera as well. Grain is well controlled up to ISO 6400, and while it’s far more noticeable at ISO 12800, picture quality is still excellent. Beyond that, though, grain starts to become noticeable and distracting.

The 16-bit RAW files provide incredible detail and nuance. They can be pulled and stretched in post by a large amount, making them great for pros who do a lot of post-processing. Lightroom worked well for the editing I did, though you’ll need a reasonably powerful computer to handle those enormous file sizes. All that being said, you often don’t need to do much to photos as they look amazing straight out of the camera.

Nathanael: The image quality is really impressive. As soon as I took the first photos and looked at them, I said “wow!” There’s almost no need for post processing. One thing I like is contrast. With the X2D I can take contrasty photos, but they still have tons of detail. And you get incredible dynamic range in low light.

Wrap-up

The X2D is Hasselblad’s best X System camera so far, thanks to improvements across the board but especially with image quality. It now reigns supreme in that area, besting Fujifilm’s rival GFX100S by a good margin.

Yes, the X2D is expensive at $8,200 and the lenses are also sky-high at $3,700 each for the two I tested. That said, it’s not a giant leap over the $6,000 GFX100S and is relatively cheap for a Hasselblad. Plus, it’s designed mostly for pro photographers who would see it as a working tool.

More importantly, how does Nathanael feel about it?

Nathanael: In a way, it’s a return to “real photography,” where you manually control every aspect, even the focus. At the same time, I found it could handle tricky non-studio work. I would only use it in certain situations, like during pre-wedding preparations of the bride: make up, hairstyle, dressing — because those are aesthetic moments where you have more time. I’d also use it for photos of the nuptials. However, for critical live work, like the marriage itself, the A1 and A9 would remain my primary cameras.

It’s certainly an outstanding portrait camera, with gobsmacking resolution and image quality. And another thing, when you arrive to shoot with a Hasselblad, it’s noticed by astute clients. It seems like nothing, but it does give extra credibility that you don’t get with other cameras.

So that begs the question: Is it really worth it, or not? Because it’s quite the investment, $8,200 (8,700 euros) for the camera and another $8,000 or so for the lenses. But my feeling is, better equipment lets you take better photos, which helps attract a superior clientele. But that only applies if the camera truly brings something extra to the table, and the X2D really does that.

 

Fresh off the heels of news that Microsoft is making a multibillion-dollar investment into OpenAI, it’s integrating the company’s tech into more of its products and services. Microsoft has announced that Teams Premium is now broadly available. The service features large language models powered by OpenAI’s GPT-3.5, along with other tech geared toward making meetings “more intelligent, personalized and protected,” Microsoft says.

Teams Premium offers AI-generated chapters in PowerPoint Live and “personalized timeline markers for when you leave and join a meeting.” Live translations in captions are currently available too. In the coming months, Teams Premium will be able to automatically generate meeting notes with the help of GPT-3.5. Users will have access to AI-generated task and action item suggestions as well. Microsoft will likely expand the Teams Premium AI features over time.

The company previously introduced the Azure OpenAI Service for developers, along with a tool to help beginners build their own apps and a graphic design app that are both powered by OpenAI tech. Word on the street is that Microsoft is building ChatGPT, OpenAI’s astonishingly popular chatbot, into Bing (Google is said to be working on an AI chatbot for Search too.)

 

Star Wars: Visions is returning for a second ‘season,’ this time with a more international scope — including a studio you might not have expected. Disney has announced that Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 will premiere May 4th (aka Star Wars Day) with shorts from nine countries, including one from UK stop-motion legend Aardman. Details of the project (“I Am Your Mother”) aren’t available, but it’s directed by Wallace & Gromit veteran Magdalena Osinska.

Other titles come from 88 Pictures (India), Cartoon Saloon (Ireland), D’art Shtajio (Japan), El Guiri (Spain), Punkrobot (Chile), Studio La Cachette (France), Studio Mir (South Korea) and Triggerfish (South Africa). Some of the creators have illustrious credentials. El Guiri’s Rodrigo Blaas is a Pixar alumnus, for example, while Triggerfish has worked on BBC titles like The Highway Rat and Stick Man.

The first Visions focused on Japanese anime studios’ approach to the Star Wars universe, including well-known names like Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) and Trigger (Kill la Kill). Creators were given more creative freedom than those producing canonical movies and TV shows — they were free to not only pursue different art styles and themes, but to break continuity with the official storyline. That’s likely to continue with Volume 2, as series executive producer James Waugh says the anthology is about “celebratory expressions” of Star Wars that open “bold new ways” of telling stories in the space fantasy setting.

The Visions release date bolsters an increasingly packed Star Wars release schedule at Disney+. It starts with The Mandalorian season three on March 1st, but will also include Young Jedi Adventures (spring), Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew. You’ll have plenty to watch, then, even if the animated shorts aren’t to your liking.

 

TikTok is trying to make it easier for creators and others to navigate its rules, and understand what’s happening to their accounts. The company is introducing a revamped “account enforcement system,” a series of changes that includes a new strike system, as well as features that allow creators to check if their content has been blocked from the app’s recommendations.

The changes come amid a broader push from TikTok to increase transparency around how it handles content moderation and algorithmic recommendations, both of which have been subject to intense scrutiny by lawmakers, regulators and other critics.

In a blog post, the company says the new strike system is meant to address “repeat offenders” who can have an outsized impact on the platform. “Under the new system, if someone posts content that violates one of our Community Guidelines, the content will be removed and their account will accrue a strike,” the company explains. “If an account meets the threshold of strikes within either a product feature (i.e. Comments, LIVE) or policy (i.e. Bullying and Harassment), it will be permanently banned.” The company added that users may also be banned after just one strike if the violation is considered “severe.”

The change makes TikTok’s policy more in line with that of its peers. YouTube and Meta also use a strike system against accounts that break their rules, though each platform has its own criteria for determining strikes, and the penalties associated with them.

In that vein, TikTok says it will also provide creators with new tools to view if their account has racked up any strikes over the previous 90 days. The feature will live in a new “account status” section of the app’s Safety Center. The company is also adding a “reports” section, where users can follow up on any content or accounts they’ve reported.

TikTok’s also starting to test two new features that deal with recommendations. The first is a feature that will notify creators if one of their videos has been blocked from the app’s For You page. The feature, which the company says “will be testing in select markets over the coming weeks,” will “let them know why, and give them the opportunity to appeal.”

The second test is a feature that will allow users to essentially reset the recommendations that appear in For You page. According to a TikTok spokesperson, those in the test will see a “refresh” option in their For You feed, which basically gives the app’s main feed a fresh start. After the feed is “refreshed,” videos will be surfaced purely from new interactions and activity rather than what a user has historically interacted with.

The updates come at a precarious moment for TikTok. The company has spent the last two years negotiating with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) over changes to its policies and practices so it can continue to operate in the US. At the same time, scrutiny of the company has only intensified, with numerousbans and proposed bans piling up. And while the latest changes could meaningfully increase transparency for TikTok’s creators and users — who have sometimes complained that the app’s policies are unclear or unevenly enforced — the updates alone are unlikely to satisfy the company’s staunchest critics.

But TikTok isn’t only relying on product changes. The company has also been physically showing off its stated commitment to transparency by opening up tours of its freshly opened “Transparency and Accountability Center,” a space at its Los Angeles office where participants can get a firsthand glimpse of how the company handles recommendations and content moderation.

This week, TikTok offered reporters a tour of the center as part of its shifting strategy to win over critics. We’ll have more to say soon about the transparency center, and TikTok’s sweeping plan to comply with US regulators, but both seem to be aimed at tackling one of the central criticisms of TikTok head on: that the app’s recommendations algorithm is opaque and ripe for abuse.

So while changes like the ones announced today don’t come close to addressing the full scope of critics’ concerns, it does help TikTok begin to chip away at the perception that the app is an impossible-to-understand black box.

 

The next time you rent a Lyft scooter, you might find the company has a new model for you to ride. Starting today, Lyft is rolling out a “next-gen” electric scooter across its footprint. The device features a redesigned suspension system Lyft claims will result in smoother rides. The company says the new model can also travel to places its previous scooters could not, thanks to a more powerful motor and 11.5-inch airless tires.

Internally, Lyft has equipped the scooter with a swappable battery that provides up to 50 miles of range and that can be charged out in the field. Later this year, the company plans to roll out a variant of the scooter that can recharge at stations connected to local electrical grids. The scooter also features cameras and Lyft’s latest sidewalk detection and parking awareness software. When you need to park the scooter, that software will use visual cues to alert you of restrictions, including areas where you can’t leave the scooter. Last but not least, the scooter comes with a built-in phone mount to make navigating easier.

At the same time, Lyft has begun rolling out new docking infrastructure. The company has redesigned its steel bollards to make them more resistant to corrosion and rust, and, thereby, easier to maintain. It has also added solar cells to the bollards and found a way to make them more power efficient. Those are changes Lyft says should make them go longer between battery swaps. As mentioned above, the bollards can also pull power from the local power grid, a feature Lyft claims will increase vehicle availability. If you’ve run into trouble docking a Lyft scooter or e-bike before, you’ll also be happy to learn the new bollards feature a redesigned locking mechanism Lyft says requires “significantly” less physical effort to use. Additionally, they feature flip dots and speakers to make using them more accessible to first-time users.

Lyft hasn’t said when people in specific cities could expect to see its new scooters and docking infrastructure arrive, but it sounds like the rollout will take place gradually throughout the year.