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Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II review: Blocking out the world

Bose is no stranger to true wireless earbuds. The company’s first model debuted in 2017 and it has refined its take on the product segment multiple times in the years since. Bose made a big leap in 2020 with the QuietComfort Earbuds, bringing its active noise cancellation (ANC) expertise to an updated true wireless design. Now the company has made another big jump with a new look and a host of upgrades thanks in part to its CustomTune technology,

With the $299 QuietComfort Earbuds II (QCE II), Bose has massively improved its already great noise canceling abilities, blocking more than ever before. The company’s tech also calibrates its new buds to your ears while improving ambient sound in addition to overall audio performance. A smaller size leads to a more comfy and less awkward looking fit as Bose offers a more complete package to compete with the likes of Sony and Sennheiser.

Design

Billy Steele/Engadget

Even Bose will tell you the first QuietComfort Earbuds were too big. They looked more like a pair of Bluetooth headsets than modern true wireless devices. The company says the QCE II are a third smaller than the previous generation. They still have a bit of that headset look with a stem that points toward your jaw, somewhat like AirPods. Bose also ditched the larger fit wing for a “stability band” to help hold the earbuds in place. That and the ear tips are now separate, so you can mix and match sizes as needed.

Beyond the smaller size, the QuietComfort Earbuds II just look more refined than the first model. The 2020 version had a very plain design: a flat oval that extended from your ears in a rather unflattering manner. This new model doesn’t protrude as much and its detailed curves not only look better, but offer a more comfortable fit too. Bose retooled the charging case as well, opting for a vertical box that flips open at the top. The earbuds rest vertically inside, rather than laying flat like the original QCE.

On that slimmer outside panel, the QuietComfort Earbuds II accept a range of touch controls for music and calls. All of the basics are covered here and there’s a customizable long press action that can be configured to switch between sound modes or to summon a voice assistant. The panel will also allow you to swipe up or down for volume control, all of which work reliably. The only issue I noticed was a slight delay on the volume slider. I would regularly swipe too far in my impatience for the earbuds to accept my request, going too quiet or too loud and mumbling in frustration all the while.

Software and features

Billy Steele/Engadget

Access to all the available settings on the QuietComfort Earbuds II can be found inside the Bose Music app. Once paired, it will display battery levels for each bud above a volume slider and shortcuts to sound modes, Bluetooth connections, EQ customization, reconfiguring the long press function and product tips. The Bluetooth item is simply a list of up to seven devices as the QCE II doesn’t offer multipoint connectivity. You can dive further into the proper settings menu for things like in-ear detection and Self Voice, or how much of yourself you want to hear during calls. The app also has an ear tip fit test to check for a proper seal for noise canceling purposes.

For the sound modes, Quiet (active noise cancellation) and Aware (transparency mode) are the defaults. You can also create your own somewhere in between full ANC and full ambient sound. What’s more, you can save those as presets, with pre-selected labels like Commute, Focus, Workout and more. And thanks to CustomTune sound calibration, the QuietComfort Earbuds II are capable of blocking harsh environmental noise – even in Aware mode.

CustomTune measures the acoustics of your ears every time you insert the QuietComfort Earbuds II. The process takes less than half a second according to Bose, using an audible tone to make the calculations. Bose says CustomTune fully optimizes the sound frequency profile to the unique properties of every ear, so the sound “reaches the eardrum just as the artist intended.”

The technology also lends a hand with ANC and ambient sound. For active noise cancellation, CustomTune calibrates the noise reduction signal, which is noticeably better at blocking voices and crying babies than the previous model. For transparency mode, the QuietComfort Earbuds II can pick up harsh noises and apply a level of sound blocking so that they don’t startle you or damage your hearing. It’s an aspect of CustomTune called ActiveSense.

For Aware mode, CustomTune helps keep those wanted environmental sounds “as natural and lifelike as possible.” I don’t understand why most headphone companies are bad at transparency mode, with Apple being the lone exception. Almost always, the sound is muffled and far from “natural” as it’s obvious you still have something crammed in your ears affecting volume and quality. Bose doesn’t best Apple, but it’s a marked improvement. While you’ll still notice you have the buds in, the overall audio is clearer, which also helps you keep from shouting your cortado order at the barista.

Sound quality

Billy Steele/Engadget

The biggest leap on the QuietComfort Earbuds II is the ANC, but we’ll get to that shortly. First though, you should know that Bose has also made strides in the audio department. Since CustomTune does its thing automatically and I haven’t found a way to disable it, I don’t have a frame of reference for whether or not that fraction of a second makes a difference in overall sound quality. What I can tell you though is that the QuietComfort Earbuds II are a big improvement over the first version.

I’ve always thought the audio on Bose’s headphones was fine. It never blew me away, but it did a good enough job to complement the company’s noise blocking abilities. On the QuietComfort Earbuds II, the sound is much more dynamic and open. I notice it most in the nuance of the low-end, specifically when it comes to things like kick drums and synths. There’s texture and detail to those bassy elements – they aren’t just generic boomy thumps. This is apparent on tracks like Russian Circles’ “Tupilak,” Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” and Hardy’s “Wait In The Truck.”

There’s also an increased dimensionality to the sound on the QCE II. I talk about open sound a lot, a term I use for audio quality where things seem to exist in space rather than being a compressed mess. Here, instruments stand on their own, creating depth in addition to even-handed tuning. The drums on Boz Scaggs “Lowdown” and the thunder and sirens in the aforementioned Hardy track are good examples of this, and the effect is heightened even more when details are actually moving across channels.

When it comes to active noise cancellation, that’s where the QuietComfort Earbuds II really shine. Sure, it’s to be expected with a Bose product, but the improvements the company has made from one generation to the next are night and day. The first QuietComfort Earbuds were plenty good at reducing distractions, but version 2.0 can fully block out the world – to the point you’ll forget anyone else is around. In fact, I’d argue this is the best ANC performance you’ll find in a set of true wireless earbuds right now.

Things like vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, dryers and white noise machines are all completely canceled out. True to its promise, Bose has improved its ability to block human voices too. Even if someone is taking a call right behind you, that conversation is much less of a distraction on the QuietComfort Earbuds II. You’ll still hear them, but not nearly as much.

Call quality

For calls, Bose says microphones on the QuietComfort Earbuds II can filter environmental noise to keep the focus on your voice. Lots of companies make claims about call clarity that ultimately end up with you still sounding like you’re on speakerphone, even if the earbuds do manage to reduce the background clamor. Performance is slightly improved thanks to that Self Voice feature allowing you to adjust how much of yourself you hear during calls, your voice still sounds muffled coming through the buds, though.

Overall call quality is pretty mediocre here. You sound like you’re on speakerphone and background noise like a television or running water comes through clearly. This is another case of yes you can use these for calls, but they’re not great and you’ll want to be in a quieter spot when doing so.

Battery life

Billy Steele/Engadget

Bose promises up to six hours of battery life with ANC on, and three additional full charges via the case. It doesn’t support wireless charging though, which is a major bummer on a set of $299 earbuds. There is however a quick-charge feature that will give you up to two hours of playback in 20 minutes. During my tests, the results were just below Bose’s figures, and I managed five and a half hours before having to doc the buds in the case.

The competition

The closest alternative to the QuietComfort Earbuds II are Sony’s WF-1000XM4 that debuted last year. They too are much smaller than their predecessors with great sound quality, solid ANC, wireless charging and support for 360 Reality Audio. I wasn’t a fan of the new ear tips and the redesigned buds are still plenty big, but Sony consistently offers the most robust set of features. Plus, even at full price ($280) they’re cheaper than Bose’s latest, and we’ve seen the M4s as low as $218 which could be enough savings to sway your opinion. For all the work Bose has done on ANC, Sony’s flagship buds are still better in terms of pure sound quality.

If audio is your primary concern, Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3 should be your other consideration. The company is consistently at the top in terms of sound, with a mix of clarity and detail on top of a bassy punch that is rarely rivaled. At $250, they’re cheaper than both Bose and Sony, but you’ll have to sacrifice the best-in-class noise cancellation on the QCE II and the deep feature set of the 1000XM4.

Wrap-up

If it’s supreme noise blocking you’re looking for in your next set of true wireless earbuds, the QCE II is the choice. With the updates Bose delivers here with the help of CustomTune, not only is the ANC noticeably better than the previous model, but overall audio quality and ambient sound mode are also improved. Sure, I’d like more than six hours of battery life and conveniences like multipoint connectivity and wireless charging should be standard fare at this point. For $299, I’d expect some of those basics to be included and Bose passed on them.

Apple Watch SE preview: Basically a $400 smartwatch for $250

Apple Watches are starting to look mostly the same. The new Series 8 and Watch SE look so much like last year’s Series 7 that I struggle to tell them apart. But in fact the new models Apple unveiled last week bring some less obvious changes. The most notable of these is a new temperature sensor that’s currently being used for ovulation tracking, as well as an onboard high-g accelerometer that allows for crash detection.

The company also unveiled the Watch Ultra, which was designed specifically for outdoor adventurers. The Ultra may be the most exciting smartwatch of the three, but what the new Watch SE offers for the money makes it the more interesting device in my book. Plus, Apple shaved $30 off its price, so the SE now costs $250 even though it’s basically the same as the $400 Series 8. Honestly, this feels like the smartwatch most iOS users should consider.

In the week I’ve had the Watch SE, I’ve been wearing it alongside either my Series 7 or the Series 8, which I’m also testing. Size aside, I haven’t noticed much of a difference between the three models. The Series 8 is available with 41mm or 45mm cases; I’m using the latter. It’s a little too big for my wrist, but I do like how much easier it is to see things on that roomier screen. Meanwhile, the new SE comes in 40mm or 44mm options; I have the smaller version, which I prefer especially since it’s more comfortable to wear to bed.

The main features you’ll miss if you opt for an SE instead of a Series 8 is the Always On Display (AOD), ECG reader, blood oxygen app and the new skin temperature sensor. Like the older SE, this year’s model also charges at a slower rate than the Series 7 and 8, and doesn’t have a U1 chip for ultra wideband. It also lacks the IP6X dust resistance rating of its more premium counterparts, so if you’re likely to take this Tough Mudding or to the beach, it might be worth considering a more expensive model. Those who hate chunky bezels will also find the SE’s thicker borders off-putting, but without a side-by-side comparison I didn’t notice a big difference.

Otherwise, this year’s Watch SE actually packs the same system-in-a-package (SiP) processor as the $400 Series 8, as well as a high-g accelerometer that makes crash detection possible. In my time with it, the SE has, unsurprisingly, been just as responsive as the Series 8, starting workouts and completing heart rate scans in the same amount of time. It did tend to be slower at detecting outdoor walking workouts, but when I agreed to record a workout it usually showed the same ongoing duration as the more premium watch. It was also typically faster at recognizing when I’d stopped walking than my Series 7.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

As for the other missing features, frankly, I haven’t really used the ECG and blood oxygen readings on the Series 7 I’ve worn for a year. I’ve performed maybe three scans of each type in that time, and I definitely rely more on heart rate than blood oxygen to gauge my fitness.

I only noticed the AOD was missing from the SE when I was wearing both the SE and the Series 7, and they each buzzed with an alert. I had to wait a split second for the SE’s screen to wake, whereas the notification was ready for immediate viewing on the Series 7. Aside from that, though, the AOD didn’t greatly impact my experience with the SE.

It didn’t even affect the battery life, for better or worse. You’d think that not having an always-on display would make the SE last longer, but most days the SE and my Series 7 lasted the same amount of time, despite the latter having an AOD. Both of them hung around all day, tracking my morning workouts and frequent outdoor walks while serving up various reminders and alerts. I could usually make it to the next morning with some battery leftover, too.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

I’ve yet to test the new low power mode on the Watch SE, but I did try it on the Series 8 when I only had about 20 percent of juice one morning ahead of an 8am workout class. I activated low power mode and was able to track the entire 45-minute session and get back home with less than 10 percent left.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see the Watch SE still had 92 percent of battery after tracking my sleep overnight. I woke up to a report showing all the zones I’d undergone in my five hours of sleep, detailing the amount of time I had spent in core, deep and REM. This is a watchOS 9 feature, so if you have an older model you’ll get it when you update your software.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Compared to the last Watch SE, this year’s model features a larger screen and the new SiP and sensors that I mentioned earlier. If you’re considering upgrading from that model, the new SE will certainly feel fresh. If you’re choosing between a new SE and a Series 8, though, it’s less a question of what you can live without and more of how much spare cash you have. Those who don’t mind spending $150 more can buy the Series 8 for the assurance of having every feature Apple offers. Otherwise, most people will be satisfied with what the new Watch SE delivers for the money.

Walmart will let you use your own photos for a virtual clothing fit check

When Walmart launched its virtual fitting room back in March, it gave you 50 models with various body types and heights to choose from. It was up to you to find the model you resemble the most, so you can see what a piece of garment would look like on you. Now, the retailer is leveling up the experience by letting you virtually try clothes on your own photos.

In the company’s announcement, Apparel and Private Brands EVP Denise Incandela said its virtual fitting room can show how clothes fit in a realistic way. It doesn’t simply overlay images on your photos — when you choose an item to fit, you’ll see the parts where shadows would fall and you’ll see how the fabric would drape on your body. Theoretically, that means different sizes of the same item would look differently on your photo in the same way they’d fall differently on your body if you were trying them in real life. That’s made possible with the use of algorithms and machine learning models originally used to develop accurate topographic images.

The new virtual try-on experience is available for 270,000 items across brands on Walmart’s website, including Levi’s and Hanes, and will continue to grow. You can’t use previous photos with the feature, though: The first time you choose “yourself” as a model when you tap the “Try It On” button, you’ll be prompted to take a photo of yourself wearing something form-fitting and to input your height.

The upgraded experience is now available on Walmart’s iOS app, and iOS users be able to use the photos they take on mobile when they fire up the experience on desktop or the web “shortly.” The feature will roll out to Android users in the coming weeks, as well.

The Morning After: The verdict on the iPhone 14 Pro

It was a big day for tech reviews. Alongside the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro, there are also new action cams from both GoPro and DJI – and we’ve got detailed reviews on all of them.

Engadget

But let’s kick things off with the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. With Apple embracing higher resolution cameras, always-on displays and smaller screen cutouts – now called a Dynamic Island – there are new features, new tech and plenty to assess. The new 48-megapixel camera doesn’t translate to dramatic photography improvements (images and video are still great!), but the new implementation of the screen cut-out is a smart distraction for what was once a divisive notch. Sure, we’re still on Lightning chargers, and, yes, iPhones aren’t for everyone, but there are more tangible changes to this year’s Pro phones. Check out Cherlynn Low’s full review right here.

– Mat Smith

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Did you know you can get these reports delivered daily, direct to your inbox? Subscribe right here!

GoPro Hero 11 review

One change makes all the difference

Engadget

While the GoPro Hero 11 looks exactly the same as the 10, there are some extra shooting modes, with SuperView available right up to 5K 60 fps and 4K at 120 fps. There’s also a new 360-degree horizon-locked Linear mode and the ability to record in Full Frame. The latter is more of a tool for shooting absolutely everything and then “punching out” the aspect ratio you want. The Hero 11 Black costs the same as last year’s flagship: $399.98 with a subscription or $500 without. Check our full review from Engadget’s James Trew, who put the camera through its paces.

Continue reading.

DJI Osmo Action 3 review

More battery life and a new mount.

DJI wisely returned to an action cam form-factor for its third Osmo action camera, addressing the overheating and other complaints of users who purchased the Action 2. It also introduced features that trump the Hero 10, like the magnetic clip mount and long-lasting, fast-charging battery. However, it still doesn’t beat GoPro where it really counts: the footage. But it’s a good option for many, particularly at the $329 base price.

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Apple iPhone 14 review

Not an upgrade year for most.

Engadget

Contrary to this year’s Pro model, not much has changed for Apple’s base iPhone. Pour one out for the iPhone mini, which sadly didn’t survive longer than two years. The iPhone 14 is pretty similar to the iPhone 13, which was very similar to the iPhone 12. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad phone – it’s just less of an upgrade for anyone using an iPhone that’s only two years old. For US readers, the move from SIM cards to eSIMs is probably the biggest change. Apple may have been early in getting rid of the SIM card tray, but it could give US carriers the push they need to adopt the format. Compare it to the disappearance of the headphone socket.

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Northeastern University targeted by anti-VR bomber

The culprit reportedly had a grudge against Mark Zuckerberg.

Northeastern University has found itself the victim of an unusual technology-related bomb attack. CNN reported that someone sent a bomb-like package to the Boston university’s virtual reality lab in Holmes Hall, causing hand injuries to the man who opened the container. The unidentified attacker appears to have a grudge against VR, and Meta in particular. CNN sources claimed a “rambling” note in the package slammed Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg as well as the links between academia and VR developers.

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‘The Sims 4’ will be free to play starting next month

The base game won’t cost you a penny after October 18th.

Almost exactly eight years after first arriving on PC, The Sims 4 is going free to play. Starting on October 18th, publisher EA won’t charge you anything to download the base game on Mac, PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X. If you already paid for the original release or decide to buy it before October 17th, the company will offer some free DLC, too. However, for all the content in the existing 12 (!) DLC packs, you will have to pay.

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Samsung vows to produce net zero carbon emissions by 2050

But it expects its device experience division to get there by 2030.

Samsung has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions for the whole company by 2050 and will spend KRW 7 trillion ($5 billion) over the next seven-and-a-half years to make that happen. While its plans are likely not as aggressive as Microsoft’s, which previously promised to be carbon negative by the end of the decade, it plans to get its devices arm to net zero by 2030.

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Ethereum completes the ‘merge’ that will make its crypto transactions greener

Ethereum has completed its much-anticipated “Merge” to a far more energy efficient method of minting new coins, the cryptocurrency’s co-founder Vitalik Buterin tweeted. Ether coins will no longer be minted by “proof-of-work” that uses powerful computers to solve cryptographic tasks. Instead, they’ll be created using “proof-of-stake” methods that require users called validators to stake coins for the chance to approve transactions and earn a small reward.

Until today, mining Ethereum has required powerful banks of computers to solve difficult math problems. That not only consumed huge amounts of energy, but made Ethereum difficult to scale and costly for small transactions. It also concentrated power into the hands of a few, something that’s anathema to the decentralization ethos of crypto.

And we finalized!

Happy merge all. This is a big moment for the Ethereum ecosystem. Everyone who helped make the merge happen should feel very proud today.

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) September 15, 2022

With the new system, the more a validators stakes, the larger the chance of winning a reward. But everyone gets at least something, as all staked ether earns interest (around 5.2 percent), making it more like buying a bond or putting it in a bank (apart from the wild market volatility, of course). The minimum stake amount required to be a validator is 32 ether (around $50,000 right now), though individuals can do pooled staking with trusted third-party validators to meet that level.

The Merge got its name because the Ethereum blockchain has combined with a parallel network that’s now been running for almost two years in a proof-of-stake test, but it’s just one step in the transformation. “We still have to scale, we have to fix privacy. To me the Merge symbolizes the difference between an early stage Ethereum and the Ethereum we’ve always wanted,” said Buterin during a livestreamed Merge party.

Ether started the day going up, but has since dropped a few percent from yesterday. It remains to be seen if the the Merge will live up to its promise of transforming crypto, as there are still a lot of questions around regulation, Ethereum forks and more. There’s also the risk of scams (as usual in crypto), with the risk of transactions from the old chain being copied to the new one, among others.

Korg’s Drumlogue is an analog drum machine with a powerful digital engine

After first teasing it way back on January 2021, Korg has released the much-anticipated Drumlogue, a hybrid drum machine with a digital multi-engine and expandability via the logue SDK used in its Minilogue XD and other products. It has both analog and digital drum synths and can also play back samples, with the unique ability to add third-party plug-in effects and more — making it one of the more versatile drum machines out there.

As mentioned, the Drumlogue has three sound engines, analog and digital synthesisers as well as sample-based instruments. The analog has a kick, snare hi tom and low tom, with controls to manipulate decay, tune and more.

On the digital side, it comes with the Nano virtual analog synth plugin or, you can load a multi-engine with VPM synthesis, a noise generator, or other custom algorithms via the logue SDK (multi-engine) found on the NTS-1 and other products. It also supports third-party logue plugins using Korg’s SDK. From there, you can use the multi-fx engine to load effects including reverb, delay, equalizer, boost and compressor.

The sequencer offers 64 steps, chain functionality and other features. On the connectivity side, it comes with four assignable 6.3mm audio outputs and an audio input for routing external audio through the effects. Despite the audio input, it doesn’t work as a sampler — you can only play back samples. It’s now available on preorder for $600 at B&H Photo Video and elsewhere.

Samsung vows to produce net zero carbon emissions by 2050

Samsung has made a commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions for the whole company by 2050 and will spend KRW 7 trillion (US$5 billion) over the next seven-and-a-half years to make that happen. While its plans are likely not as aggressive as Microsoft’s, which previously promised to be carbon negative by the end of the decade, it intends to implement changes soon so that its Device eXperience (DX) Division is producing net zero carbon by 2030.

Samsung’s DX division encompasses its consumer electronics businesses, including its mobile and display manufacturing operations, and was only responsible for 10 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions in 2021. Meanwhile, the company’s chip and components business, which is often is biggest moneymaker, was responsible for 90 percent of the 17.4 million tons of greenhouses gases it emitted last year.

Clearly, there’s a lot of work to be done for its chipmaking business to be net zero. One of the things the company plans to do is develop technologies that can significantly reduce the gas byproducts of semiconductor manufacturing. Samsung also plans to install treatment facilities at its chip-making plants. In addition, the company will develop carbon capture and utilization technologies that can harness carbon emissions from its semiconductor facilities, store them and then turn them into a usable source.

The tech giant has joined RE100, the global initiative for businesses that want to use renewable energy to power their operation, as well. It will start by running the DX division and all operations outside its home country on renewable energy within the next five years before matching 100 percent of all its power needs around the world with renewable energy by 2050. Samsung has also detailed other environmental plans in its announcement, including its commitment to promote water reuse and to expand its electronic waste collection initiative to 180 countries from 50.

A spokesperson for one of its shareholders told Reuters that Samsung had delayed making a clear commitment towards reducing carbon emissions so much, it became a growing concern among long-term investors. Kim Soo-jin, Samsung’s head of ESG strategy group, explained: “We are a company that manufactures directly… so there are various, layered challenges. In the end, we are a technology company… So we will contribute positively to climate change through technology development. Since we are a large company and our products are widely used, we will make an impact through scale.”

Lawmakers press TikTok about China and user data in Senate hearing

Top executives from Meta, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok just wrapped up a three-hour hearing in front of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. The hearing, which featured Meta CPO Chris Cox, YouTube CPO Neal Mohan, TikTok COO Vanessa Pappas and Twitter’s GM of consumer product (known as “Bluebird”), was meant to be focused on how their services impact national security issues.

Notably, the hearing is only the second time representatives for TikTok and YouTube had ever appeared at such a hearing — Meta and Twitter execs have been hauled in front of Congress far more often — and the first dedicated to security. The hearing also came one day after Twitter’s former security chief turned whistleblower told a different Senate committee that the company had been previously warned by the FBI it had a Chinese spy on its payroll. Yet not one senator on the Homeland Security Committee asked Sullivan about the allegation.

To be clear, Sullivan was unlikely to have given a substantive answer. When asked about whistleblower Peiter Zatko’s claim that Twitter lied to the FTC, he would only say that “Twitter disputes the allegations.” But it was still somewhat shocking that the issue was not raised in a hearing dedicated to social media platforms’ impact on national security.

Lawmakers did, however, spend considerable time questioning Pappas on TikTok’s connections to China, which has long been a source of suspicion among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.”TikTok does not operate in China,” Pappas said more than once.

At one point, Sen. Josh Hawley got into a heated exchange with Pappas over whether the company has China-based employees who are members of the Chinese Communist Party. “We’ve said many times, Senator, that we do have Chinese engineers based in China,” Pappas said. “I don’t think there’s any platform up here that would be able to speak to what you’re talking about as it relates to the political affiliation of an individual.” She later added that the company’s leadership team is based in the United States and Singapore.

Pappas was also asked about a BuzzFeed News story that TikTok user data had been repeatedly accessed by employees based in China. She said that “those allegations were not found,” and emphasized the company’s “strict access controls” and its work with Oracle.

The TikTok COO was also questioned about the app’s use of biometric data. “We do not use any sort of a facial, voice, audio or body recognition that would identify an individual,” Pappas told Sen. Kristen Sinema. She added that facial recognition is used for augmented reality effects in creators’ videos.

There was a lot less discussion of other security-related issues, including social media companies’ handling of domestic extremism. Committee Chairman Sen. Gary Peters pressed Cox and Mohan and why Meta and YouTube didn’t crack down on QAnon more quickly. Both side-stepped the question by focusing on their current policies. Other lawmakers chose to spend their time questioning the companies about their handling of vaccine misinformation during the pandemic and other content moderation issues.

And, as with previous hearings, the executives were often reluctant to provide specific answers even to seemingly straightforward questions. Peters repeatedly asked each executive how many engineers each company had on staff — a question he said they were notified would be coming in advance — but none would give a direct answer. “I’ll be honest, I’m frustrated that chief product officers — all of you have a prominent seat at the table where these business decisions are made — were not more prepared,” Peters said. “Your companies continue to really avoid you sharing some very important information with us.”

California sues Amazon for preventing third-party sellers offering cheaper prices elsewhere

Amazon still can’t avoid lawsuits over third-party prices. The New York Timesreports California has filed an antitrust lawsuit accusing Amazon of violating both the Cartwright Act and state competition law through its pricing rules. The internet giant is stifling competition by preventing sellers from offering lower prices on other sites, according to Attorney General Rob Bonta. If they defy Amazon, they risk losing buy buttons, prominent listings or even basic access to Amazon’s marketplace.

If successful, the lawsuit would bar any contracts deemed anti-competitive and notify sellers that they’re free to reduce prices elsewhere. Amazon would also have to pay damages, return “ill-gotten gains” and appoint a court-approved overseer.

In a statement, an Amazon spokesperson said California had the situation “exactly backwards.” Third-parties still have control over prices, Amazon claimed, and inclusion in the “Buy Box” space supposedly shows that a deal is truly competitive. It further contended that the suit would raise prices. You can read the full statement below.

The case is similar to a District of Columbia lawsuit. The region’s Superior Court dismissed that case in March citing a lack of evidence, but Attorney General Karl Racine is appealing the decision.

Amazon is facing increasing government scrutiny of its practices. The Federal Trade Commission has been investigating issues ranging from major acquisitions through to withheld driver tips, while EU pressure prompted Amazon to revise its seller program and improve third parties’ chances of competing with direct sales. The tech firm has balked at these moves, and went so far as to both demand the FTC chair’s recusal as well as fight agency requests to interview executives. Don’t expect either side to back down any time soon, in other words.

“Similar to the D.C. Attorney General—whose complaint was dismissed by the courts—the California Attorney General has it exactly backwards. Sellers set their own prices for the products they offer in our store. Amazon takes pride in the fact that we offer low prices across the broadest selection, and like any store we reserve the right not to highlight offers to customers that are not priced competitively. The relief the AG seeks would force Amazon to feature higher prices to customers, oddly going against core objectives of antitrust law. We hope that the California court will reach the same conclusion as the D.C. court and dismiss this lawsuit promptly.”

Yakuza spinoffs ‘Judgment’ and ‘Lost Judgment’ finally arrive on Steam

In a surprising turn of events, Sega has released Yakuza series spinoffs Judgment and Lost Judgment on Steam. The former first arrived on PlayStation 4 in 2018 before making its way to current generation consoles and Stadia last year. Judgment casts players as Takayuki Yagami, a private detective investigating a serial murder case in a fictional part of Tokyo modeled after the city’s famous Kabukicho district. The game’s 2021 sequel, Lost Judgment, takes place three years later and has a darker tone and new gameplay elements.

The likelihood of the Judgment franchise ever making its way to PC seemed bleak before this week. According to a report published last year by Japan’s Nikkan Taishu (via Kotaku), the series was unlikely to continue due to a dispute between Sega and the talent agency representing Takuya Kimura, the actor who lent his likeness and voice to its protagonist. Kimura’s agency was reportedly against a PC release, fearing it would hurt its business model. At one point, the two sides were so far apart it seemed unlikely Sega would make another Judgment game.

But that was before and now you can buy Judgment and Lost Judgment on Steam either separately or as part of a bundle that includes the sequel’s Kaito Files expansion.