Category: Technology

Google Home no longer needs to lean solely on smart home devices like thermostats to know whether or not you’re around. Home’s optional presence sensing feature can now use interactions with Nest speakers and smart displays to help detect activity in your abode, letting it perform automated actions. If you talk to your Nest Audio or tap your Nest Hub, for instance, Google may know to turn the lights on. Second-gen Nest Hubs can also use their Soli radar sensor to tell when you’re close.

You can enable presence sensing in the Google Home app for Android and iOS by visiting the Features section in the settings. Detection is strictly opt-in, and Google stresses that ambient noise won’t trigger presence cues. Cameras, doorbells and the Nest Hub Max won’t switch devices between “home” and “away” modes.

The expansion makes presence detection considerably more useful. Until now, you needed a Nest Guard, Nest Protect, Nest Thermostat or Nest x Yale smart lock in tandem with your phone’s location. While those are frequently good indicators, they don’t always tell the full story — you might lock the door when someone is still at home. The use of speakers and displays could make Google’s smart home automation more reliable, particularly in unusual scenarios.

 

Don’t panic that you might miss out on tonight’s potentially legendary match-up between the Yankees and Red Sox just because it’s on Apple TV+ — there’s a good chance you can tune in for free. Apple is streaming the game at no charge as part of its weekly Friday Night Baseball feature, with coverage starting at 6:25PM Eastern and the action starting in earnest at 7PM. It’ll require a little bit of work and a compatible device, but you too can see if Aaron Judge will break Roger Maris’ American League home run record. Here’s how to watch.

You’ll need to either sign into or create a free Apple ID account at the Apple TV+ website or a supporting app. You may be prompted to add a credit card, but Apple won’t charge you for this or any Friday Night Baseball game. The service is available on the web for Android- and computer-based viewers. iPhone, iPad and Mac users can also try the native app.

You also have many choices for watching in the living room. On top of Apple TV boxes, you can also tune into the Yankees-Red Sox game using the app for recent smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, HiSense, Panasonic and Vizio. PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S owners can also watch, as can people with Fire TV, Google TV and Roku media players. Receivers for Comcast’s Xfinity and T-Mobile’s Magenta TV similarly offer Apple TV+ apps.

The free viewing might just head off some controversy. New York State Attorney General Letitia James has been worried enough about the TV+ exclusive to issue a statement asking Apple and the MLB to make the game available on the Yankees-oriented YES Network, calling the deal “wrong and unfair.” However, James incorrectly claimed people need to “pay extra” to watch — if you’re reading her press release or tweet (i.e. you have internet access), you can stream the potentially history-making showdown at no charge. The exclusive is only really a problem if all your devices are too old to use either the app or the web client.

 

Formula 1 isn’t exactly the most environmentally friendly organization, but it’s trying to become much greener. F1 is targeting net zero carbon emissions by the end of the decade and engine makers have been testing sustainable fuels over the last few years. F1 leaders are aiming to only use sustainable fuels in F1 cars by 2026. Race cars are only a small piece of the puzzle, though. Holding two dozen grands prix around the world requires shifting cars, parts and other materials between circuits, which generate more carbon emissions.

The Mercedes-AMG F1 team, however, has experimented with a way to reduce freight emissions. It used hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO 100) biofuel in 16 trucks as it moved operations between Spa, Zandvoort and Monza for the final three European grands prix of the season. Since those circuits are relatively close to each other, Mercedes didn’t need to rely on, say, air freight to ship cars and components. That gave the team a good opportunity to test the biofuel, given a total driving distance of around 1,400 kilometers (870 miles). However, the team noted it needed to use diesel fuel for the last 20km (just over 12 miles) due to supply issues.

An analysis found that using HVO 100 reduced freight emissions by 89 percent. Overall, Mercedes saved 44,091kg (97,204 pounds) of carbon dioxide emissions, compared with solely using diesel for both journeys. It noted HVO 100 is derived from vegetable oils, waste oils and fats and that it’s entirely free of fossil fuels. The fuel also produces less Nox and particulate emissions.

“Sustainability is at the heart of our operations. Trialing the use of biofuels for our land freight is another example of our commitment to embed sustainability in every decision we make and action we take,” Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff said. “We aim to be on the cutting edge of change and hope we can make the adoption of sustainable technology possible as we are all in the race towards a sustainable tomorrow.”

Other biofuels are being tested for use in Formula 1. Teams started using E10 biofuels (which contain 10 percent renewable ethanol) in F1 cars this season as part of the transition to fully sustainable fuels. While that’s some distance away from employing fully sustainable fuels, the use of E10 and HVO 100 are positive steps toward making motorsport much healthier for the environment.

 

Anyone who has been taking advantage of Amazon’s liberal return policy regarding e-books could soon be in for a shock. That’s because following discussions with the Authors Guild, Amazon has agreed to block automatic returns on digital books that are more than 10 percent read. 

Currently, the problem for authors on Amazon is that customers can return e-books online anytime within seven days of purchase no matter how much content has been consumed. That means if you can you read a book in less than a week, you can simply return it when you’re done for free, resulting in a loss of profits for the author. 

However, under the new policy which is scheduled to go into effect sometime before the end of the year, Amazon will begin blocking automatic returns on e-books that are more than 10 read, which will then need to be reviewed by a representative to ensure that the return is genuine. The Authors Guild says the goal is to create a deterrent for people who abuse Amazon’s current policy and to prevent people from treating Amazon’s e-book marketplace as an ersatz library. 

Issues with Amazon’s e-book return policy date back more than a decade, but had recently come under fire again after lifehacks about the company’s guidelines began circulating online. And according to NPR, in some cases, abuse of the company’s return policy even resulted in some authors having negative earnings balances, which typically happened when customers returned an e-book after the creator had been paid out by Amazon.

Thankfully, after concerns were raised by both the Authors Guild and the Society of Authors in the UK earlier this year, it seems Amazon has finally decided to update its policy, with the Authors Guild posting a statement thanking the company for “taking good faith action” against returns abuse. 

 

Boeing has agreed to pay $200 million to settle charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The agency found that Boeing made “materially misleading public statements” related to crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft. The company’s former CEO Dennis Muilenburg will also pay $1 million to settle charges. The SEC alleged that Boeing and Muilenburg violated the antifraud provisions of federal securities laws. They neither admitted to nor denied the agency’s findings.

The SEC alleged that, after the first crash in October 2018, which caused the death of 189 people, Boeing and Muilenburg were aware that the anti-stall Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) posed an ongoing safety concern. However, the company told the public that the 737 Max was “as safe as any airplane that has ever flown the skies.” 

After a second crash in March 2019, in which 157 people died, the company and Muilenburg claimed “there were no slips or gaps in the certification process with respect to MCAS, despite being aware of contrary information,” the SEC said in a statement. Following the crashes, all 737 Max planes were grounded for over 18 months.

“There are no words to describe the tragic loss of life brought about by these two airplane crashes,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler said. “In times of crisis and tragedy, it is especially important that public companies and executives provide full, fair and truthful disclosures to the markets. The Boeing Company and its former CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, failed in this most basic obligation. They misled investors by providing assurances about the safety of the 737 Max, despite knowing about serious safety concerns.”

The settlement “fully resolves the SEC’s previously disclosed inquiry into matters relating to the 737 Max accidents,” Boeing told CNN. “Today’s settlement is part of the company’s broader effort to responsibly resolve outstanding legal matters related to the 737 Max accidents in a manner that serves the best interests of our shareholders, employees, and other stakeholders.”

Boeing previously reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the Department of Justice to avoid criminal charges. Last year, a grand jury indicted Boeing’s former chief technical pilot, Mark A. Forkner, on fraud charges. Forkner, the only Boeing employee who has faced a criminal indictment in relation to the crashes, was accused of deceiving the FAA’s Aircraft Evaluation Group during evaluation and certification of the 737 Max. Following a four-day trial earlier this year, a jury found Forkner not guilty.

 

Mercedes-Benz has revealed when you might be able to get behind the wheel of its electric G-Class. The automaker’s CEO Ola Källenius told members of the media that the vehicle will arrive by the end of 2024, according to Autoblog.

The company announced a zero-emission electric version of the SUV back in 2019 and we got a close-up look at an EQG concept last year. Last fall, Källenius put a prototype of the EV through its paces at Mercedes’ testing grounds in Graz, Austria — that’s where the company typically evaluates the internal combustion version of the G-Class. He seemingly had a positive experience. “From now on, going off-road is electric,” Källenius told reporters.

Making an electric version of the G-Class work was essential for the SUV to stick around for the long haul. Mercedes plans to have an all-electric vehicle lineup by 2030.

 

If you’re an Apple or Samsung fan, you have a lot of discounted gadgets to choose from this week. Apple’s base iPad remains on sale for $280, or you can pick up the 12.9-inch iPad Pro for a record low of $900. On the Samsung side, the 1TB T7 Shield SSD is back on sale for only $100, and you can still get up to $200 off the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. And if you’re on the market for a new smart display, Amazon has discounted both its Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 5 models. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

2021 Apple TV 4K

The Apple TV 4K is down to a near record low of $120 right now. It’s our favorite high-end streaming device thanks to its support for 4K HDR content with Dolby Vision, plus its excellent, redesigned Siri remote.

Buy Apple TV 4K at Amazon – $120

10.2-inch iPad

Apple’s entry-level iPad has dropped to an all-time low of $280. We gave it a score of 86 for its solid performance, excellent battery life and improved Center Stage cameras.

Buy iPad at Amazon – $280

12.9-inch iPad Pro

The latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro remains on sale for $200 off, so you can grab one for as low as $900. We gave the tablet a score of 87 for its M1 chipset that provides incredible performance, its gorgeous screen and the new Center Stage cameras.

Buy iPad Pro (128GB) at Amazon – $900

MacBook Air M1

If you’re willing to go for an older model, the MacBook Air M1 is on sale for $850 right now, which is close to its all-time-low price. As one of Apple’s first machines with the M1 chipset, it impressed us when it first came out with its blazing fast performance, excellent keyboard and trackpad, plus its lack of fan noise.

Buy MacBook Air M1 at Amazon – $850

AirPods Max

Apple’s AirPods Max are $120 off and down to $429, which is the cheapest price we’ve seen them on Amazon. We gave the headphones a score of 84 for their excellent sound quality, comfortable fit and strong ANC.

Buy Apple AirPods Max at Amazon – $429

Amazon Echo Show 8

Amazon’s mid-sized smart display is down to a near record low of $80. We gave it a score of 87 for its improved cameras for video chatting, its solid sound quality and its minimalist design.

Buy Echo Show 8 at Amazon – $80

Amazon Echo Show 5

The Echo Show 5 is more than half off right now and down to only $40. This is one of our favorite small smart displays, in part because its size makes it a great alarm close. We like its simple design, good sound quality and its tap-to-snooze feature.

Buy Echo Show 5 at Amazon – $40

Samsung T7 Shield

The 1TB model of the Samsung T7 Shield SSD is back on sale for $100, which just about the best we’ve ever seen. This rugged drive has a tough exterior that can withstand drops from nearly 10 feet, plus an IP65 rating for dust- and water-resistance. It also has the same read/write speeds of the other T7 models and works with a bunch of devices including PC, Mac, Android and even some game consoles.

Buy T7 Shield (1TB) at Amazon – $100

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 is already $200 off at Amazon, bringing it down to $1,600. The Z Flip 4 also has a discount of $100, so you can pick that one up for as low as $900. Both of these foldables just came out and we gave the Z Fold 4 and the Z Flip 4 scores of 86 each.

Shop Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 deals at Amazon

HBO Max

HBO Max has discounted its annual plan, so you can save 30 percent if you sign up and pay for one year upfront. If you can deal with ads, the service will cost $70 for 12 months, down from the usual $100. to get an ad-free experience, you’ll pay $105, which is $45 off the usual rate.

Subscribe to HBO Max

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Children with cerebral palsy might soon use technology to gain some independence. UC Riverside researchers are developing robotic sleeves that provide arm control to kids with cerebral palsy-related mobility issues. Rather than augment the arm like an exoskeleton, the technology will use voltage sensors to detect muscle contractions and predict what the wearer wants to do, like bend the elbow. Inflatable bladders will then push the arm toward the intended destination.

Soft robotics will play an important role. Scientists are building the sleeves using elastic, nylon and other material that will not only be more comfortable, but promises to lower the costs. The creators also hope to minimize the use of electronics.

The project is still in the early stages and is expected to run for four years, with the research team holding yearly feedback meetings with patients, families and therapists. If all goes well, though, kids with cerebral palsy will perform everyday tasks like brushing their teeth without needing help from their parents or a special caretaker. Project head Jonathan Realmuto adds that the technology is “universal” — future iterations could assist anyone with mobility issues, including adults.

 

Many automakers dream of self-driving cars that are effectively lounges on wheels, but VW is taking things one step further. The brand has unveiled a Gen.Travel “design study” EV that it hopes could replace short flights. The four-person travel pod would be completely autonomous (that is, SAE Level 5) and revolve around a modular interior that can be customized for each trip. Businesspeople could work at a conference table during a ride, while red-eye travellers could use two seats that convert into beds.

The Gen.Travel could also be more comfortable than even some nicer airline seats. Dynamic lighting would not only help maintain natural sleep cycles, but reduce motion sickness. A configuration with front seats could keep children (and let’s be honest, adults) entertained with augmented reality. While the bubble-like cabin is built to maximize your view of the outdoors, it promises both safety and isolation for sleeping passengers.

VW didn’t outline performance. However, it said that a combination of AI and platooning (automated driving in convoys) could extend the range.

This is a research project meant to test driverless pods as “mobility-as-a-service” options. You probably won’t ever sit in the Gen.Travel. It’s a real prototype, though, and VW says features might find their way into production cars. We wouldn’t count on all of them reaching the self-driving machines VW expects to make from 2025 onward, but don’t be surprised if future robotaxis seem very familiar.

 

Police in the UK have arrested a 17-year-old suspected hacker. Reports suggest the arrest is connected to the Rockstar Games hack that led to a major Grand Theft Auto VI leak. The individual may have been involved with an intrusion on Uber as well.

According to journalist Matthew Keys’ sources, the arrest is the result of an investigation involving the City of London Police, the UK’s National Cyber Crime Unit and the FBI. Keys noted that the police and/or the FBI will reveal more details about the arrest later today. The City of London Police told Engadget it had “no further information to share at this stage.”

The GTA VI leak is unquestionably one of the biggest in video game history. Last weekend, the hacker shared a trove of footage from a test build of the game, which is one of the most hotly anticipated titles around. Rockstar, which tends to keep a tight lid on its development process, confirmed on Monday that the leak was legitimate. It said the incident won’t impact work on the game and that it will “properly introduce” fans to the next title in the blockbuster series once it’s ready.

Uber was also subject to a cybersecurity incident this month. The company said this week that the hacker in question didn’t access user accounts but, as of Monday, it was still trying to determine the impact of the intrusion. Uber also noted reports suggesting that the same person or group might have been responsible for the Rockstar hack. In addition, it said the perpetrator may be connected to the Lapsus$ hacking group.

The 17-year-old was arrested in Oxfordshire, where one of the leaders of Lapsus$ is said to live. In March, BBC News reported that a 16-year-old from Oxford (who may have had a birthday since then) had been identified by researchers and hackers as having ties to the group. That same month, City of London Police arrested seven teenagers with alleged ties to Lapsus$, but it wasn’t confirmed if the Oxford teen was among them. Lapsus$ has also targeted the likes of Microsoft, Okta and T-Mobile.