The president’s executive order will go into action for traveling into the United States. Find out which countries have been banned.
The president’s executive order will go into action for traveling into the United States. Find out which countries have been banned.
Tesla has asked a judge to block a request for the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to disclose certain data related to crashes involving vehicles that have self-driving features, as Reuters reports. The company claimed in a filing the information is confidential, and that releasing it publicly would give competitors the ability to analyze the effectiveness of each version of the self-driving tech and potentially figure out the number of crashes that are linked to various systems.
The Washington Post last year filed a lawsuit against the NHTSA last year to obtain access to more details about crashes that happened while driver-assistance systems, such as Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD), were engaged. The agency has said the data being requested is exempt from public records laws. The Post contended that while the NHTSA does publish information regarding crashes, it “withholds critical details about the technologies in use and the circumstances and locations of the crashes.”
Tesla has argued that the company and the NHTSA should be able to keep certain information related to crashes private. This includes details about driver behavior and road conditions, as well as specific versions of driver-assistance tech that may have been in use.
However, the Post‘s lawyers claimed that information about the versions of hardware and software that may have been in use at the time of crashes isn’t confidential information, since drivers can access that through their vehicle dashboards. Tesla argued in its filing this week that, “Even where Tesla’s individual vehicle owners might know certain information about their own vehicles, such as the version of the ADAS software installed, where a safety incident occurred, the conditions of the road during the accident, and what they were doing leading up to the accident, this information is shared with Tesla with the expectation that it will be kept private.”
According to Electrek, Tesla takes advantage of NHTSA loopholes to have most data relating to crashes involving its vehicles redacted. The company contends that its “self-driving” tech doesn’t make its cars autonomous and that drivers are required to actively supervise its use. In other news, Tesla expects to start deploying its first Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, this month.
Until late May, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency. That initiative is said to have cut about 10 percent of the NHTSA’s staff at the beginning of this year — including about half of a small team that oversees the safety of autonomous vehicles.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/tesla-is-trying-to-stop-certain-self-driving-crash-data-becoming-public-150946549.html?src=rss
From Minsk to World No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka is inspiring a new generation of tennis fans. Learn more about the star player and her rise in the sport here.
From Minsk to World No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka is inspiring a new generation of tennis fans. Learn more about the star player and her rise in the sport here.
If you have an old iPad and you’re interested in externalizing some of the thousands of photos in your iCloud account, this guide’s for you. Instead of buying a new digital picture frame, you can turn your retired iPad into a dedicated photo display without much effort. You’ll need to change a few settings, download a photo frame app and decide how you want to prop up your new display — which can be as simple as using a stand or as complicated as getting out the drill and modding an analog frame. Here’s how (and why) to upcycle your old iPad into a digital picture frame.
An actual digital picture frame has a few obvious advantages: the necessary software is already there, it’s display-ready, complete with a frame and matted display, and, as a unitasker, it won’t display Gmail notifications over your photos. But the resolution for most smart frames tops out at 1,280 by 800 pixels. Even the standard iPad (9th gen) from 2021 has a resolution of 2,160 by 1,620. Plus, your old iPad is already yours. A decent digital frame will cost you around $100. And, since your iPad is certainly not a single-purpose device — it can take a FaceTime call or play an episode of Poker Face if the need arises.
I figured I’d be able to use Apple’s built-in software to do something as simple as creating a looping slideshow of images, but the experience wasn’t quite what I was looking for. Playing a slideshow within the Photos app does so as a Memory, complete with music, and there’s no way to turn that music off (though you can mute it). You can loop a Memory, but you can’t randomize the images and the interval between images is far too short (anything less than ten minutes feels like yet another screen blinking at you). So, to turn an iPad into a randomized, always-on and silent digital picture frame with a decent display length, you’ll have better luck with a third-party app.
I tried a few and my favorite is Synched Photo Frame by Re-frame ($10, lifetime access). It doesn’t pack a ton of features — no transitions, no image effects, no time and date overlay options and it’ll only access images from your Photos app — but it does the best job of making photos look good on an iPad.
It lets you set the viewing interval from 10 seconds to 24 hours and there’s a programmable sleep function so it doesn’t beam smiling pictures into the 3AM void of your living room. If your iPad is oriented differently than a photo, it shows two side-by-side images (i.e., two portrait images next to each other if your iPad is in landscape or two stacked horizontal pics if your tablet is vertical). A clean white border surrounds each split image; full-screen images go edge to edge. Images are cropped slightly to fit, which means they may lose a few details around the borders, but I think the effect is more attractive than blurred extended edges or black bars. The two-up solution is how our top pick for a digital photo frame, the Aura Carver, handles images with different aspect ratios — but you can’t set that device in portrait mode.
LiveFrame is another option and it’s actually cheaper at $5 for lifetime access. It has more features like transitions and image filters, but there’s no option for having two images up at the same time like in Re-Frame. Instead it can blur the edges, add bars or (hideously) stretch the image. I also experienced a number of glitches with the app and found the navigation a little tougher than it should be. I also tried Digital Photo Frame Slideshow but, at $30 annually, it’s too expensive for my taste and it doesn’t have a sleep function.
Most photo display apps will pull from albums you select in Photos. You probably already know how to make a new album, but there are a couple of elements to consider as you create one for a digital photo frame app on an iPad. All instructions are for iPadOS 18. If you’re working with an older version, the steps may be slightly different.
Select the Aspect Ratio Grid in the View Options menu of the Photos app so you can see which images are horizontal and which are vertical to more easily create your album.
Open Photos and tap the side bar icon in the upper left corner.
Under Albums, tap + New Album at the bottom of that list.
Name the album something memorable, as you’ll likely have to search for it within the photo frame app. Tap Create Album, then the blue plus sign.
If you want to only (or mostly) add a specific orientation (landscape or portrait), tap the up/down arrow icon at the bottom left of the pop up menu.
Tap View Options, then Aspect Ratio Grid. This will show the shape of each image so you can more easily select only the ones with the orientation you want. You can also use the View Options menu to zoom in on the thumbnails to get a better view of each picture.
Select the images you want and tap Add in the upper right.
Step two: Adjust your iPad settings
Adjusting a couple of settings will ensure your iPad keeps playing all day, interruption-free. Simply having the digital photo frame app playing should be enough to prevent your iPad from going dark, but your iPad may auto-lock when the app’s sleep mode kicks in, requiring you to unlock it in the morning to start the app back up. You’ll also want to make sure your slideshow isn’t interrupted with notifications from other apps.
Turn off Auto-Lock: Open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, tap Auto-Lock, select Never. You may get a warning that this setting will impact battery life, but since your iPad will stay plugged in, it won’t be an issue.
Turn off all Notifications: You’ll need to turn off notifications for every app on your iPad. Go to Settings> Notifications > Notification style, toggle off Allow Notifications for every app. Note: Using the Do Not Disturb Focus will enable DND on all your connected Apple devices, unless you toggle off Share Across Devices in Settings > Focus. But turning off notifications is still the better option.
Since you’ll probably want to display your new picture frame somewhere that people can see, there’s a risk of someone attempting to use your iPad. To prevent this, you can use an Accessibility feature called Guided Access. Apple designed it so parents could hand an iPad to their child without also giving them access to additional apps. We’re repurposing it for photo frame security to prevent anyone from navigating to your home screen or anywhere else. People can still tap on the screen to use the photo frame app’s controls or you can disable touch altogether.
Turn on Guided Access in the Accessibility section of the Settings app to prevent other people from accessing your iPad
Enable Guided Access: Open Settings, tap Accessibility then Guided Access. Set an unlock code, then set Display Auto-Lock to Never.
Turn on Guided Access: While the picture frame app is playing your slideshow, triple click the side button. A grey circle will appear, tap X to close it.
Enable or disable touch: If you still want to allow others to use functions within the photo frame app, toggle the Touch option on. If you want no response when the screen is touched, toggle it off. To access the Options menu, triple click the side button and enter your passcode. Tap Options in the lower left corner.
Note: Guided Access is turned on and off via the side button, so this option might not be feasible if you decide to put your iPad in a frame. One rather extreme workaround is to reset your iPad and set it up with a brand new Apple ID connected to family sharing that allows access to a shared Photos Library.
With your photo frame app open, triple click the iPad’s top button to enable Guided Access.
This can be as simple as finding a stand you like and calling it a day. An Etsy seller called Event Frame makes custom frames for iPads. They aren’t cheap, going for around $100 each, but it’s one of the only companies I’ve found that actually offers model- and generation-specific sizing. I also considered the Snap Float Folio from Moft, as I’ve been impressed with some of the brand’s other origami-inspired accessories. If you’re crafty, you can take inspiration from this person’s Instructables and make your own frame from a physical media picture frame. Personally, I just got a right-angled USB-C cable and stuck my iPad in a collapsible stand I already had. The pictures are pretty enough.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/how-to-turn-your-old-ipad-into-a-digital-picture-frame-130017314.html?src=rss
Netflix’s chilling four-part miniseries struck a cord among viewers, many of whom are wondering if ‘Adolescence’ was based on a real-life incident.
Netflix’s chilling four-part miniseries struck a cord among viewers, many of whom are wondering if ‘Adolescence’ was based on a real-life incident.
Giant Squid has announced that it’s latest game, Sword of the Sea, will come to PlayStation 5 and PC on August 19. It’ll also appear on PlayStation Plus from day one for Extra and Premium Subscribers. The fantasy adventure game marries surfing mechanics with the atmospherics of the developer’s previous games like Abzû and Journey.
Giant Squid showed off more gameplay in a new trailer as part of PlayStation’s June 4 State of Play. “At its core, Sword of the Sea is all about surfing,” the developer wrote. “You’ll be carving your way across mysterious moving waves of sand on the ancient and powerful hoversword.” Other scenarios include dreamy ice-scapes and oceans full of flying dolphins.
Giant Squid again teamed with creative director Matt Nava and composer Austin Wintory, who also worked on Abzû and Pathless. “As a surfer and snowboarder myself, I have felt the rush of movement and seen the beauty of nature in a way that only these extreme sports can deliver,” Nava wrote about Sword of the Sea.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sword-of-the-sea-launches-august-19-120037636.html?src=rss
Team Asobi is releasing five new levels for Astro Bot, and you can get all of them for free. The developer has announced that the brand new levels will drop on July 10 at 9AM Eastern time. Like the speedrun levels and the previous levels the developer released at no cost, the new ones will be part of the Vicious Void Galaxy. Four of the new levels are called Twin-Frog Trouble, Suck It Up, Handhold Havoc and High Inflation, but Team Asobi is keeping the last one a secret. Each one will come with its own Special Bot, including a “revengeful newcomer.” The developer also hinted that finishing all five levels will lead to “something really cool.”
Astro Bot is a 3D platformer, wherein you control a small robot named Astro across levels set in different galaxies and planets. It features unique and creative uses of the DualSense controller, such as having to hold down the analog triggers and physically tilting the device in order to move Astro’s spaceship. Team Asobi has released several free levels before these new ones since the game launched in late 2024, and so far, Astro Bot has over 90 levels that you can play.
In addition to announcing the freebies at PlayStation State of Play, Team Asobi has also revealed that it’s launching an updated version of the Astro Bot Limited Edition DualSense wireless controller later this year. The developer promised more details in the future, but for now, you can see that the controller will come with Astro’s smiling eyes on its touchpad.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/astro-bot-is-getting-five-new-and-free-levels-this-july-123008291.html?src=rss
Sony has just unveiled the first wireless fight stick designed by the company itself. It doesn’t have an official product name yet, but it’s currently codenamed Project Defiant. The arcade-style controller uses the PlayStation Link wireless technology to connect to the PS5 and the PC. Sony says the technology provides an ultra-low latency connection that enables “precise in-game response” to every press on its buttons and every movement on its joystick. Players can also plug the device into their PC or their console via a USB-C connection if they want to ensure that there’s no lag
The company said it custom designed its controls and used “toolless interchangeable restrictor gates (square, circle, and octagon),” as well as mechanical switches for its buttons. Sony also used the same touch pad on the fight stick as the one found on the DualSense wireless controller. In addition to being able to control the action on screen, the stick has the ability to wirelessly wake up the PS5 by pressing the PS button in the same way a DualSense controller can.
The fight stick has a storage compartment for its restrictor gates and the PS Link USB adapter. It also sounds like the device will ship with a sturdy carrying case, so you can take it safely with you when needed. Sony has yet to announce Project Defiant’s pricing and release date, but it’s planning to make the fight stick available for purchase sometime in 2026, perhaps in time for players to be able to use it to play Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls. The tag fighting game, which is also coming out next year, was developed by the studio behind the Guilty Gear franchise.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/project-defiant-is-sonys-first-wireless-fight-stick-for-ps5-and-pc-113009444.html?src=rss
Now that the Switch 2 is finally here, you may be equally as excited to kit out your new console with the right accessories as you are to dive into Mario Kart World. Not only can the right accessories make it easier and more fun to play all of the games you love, but they can also make your gaming experience better in different environments, be it on the couch, in an airplane or in the car. We’re excited to get our hands on some of the newest Switch 2 accessories (more on those below), but plenty of our favorite classics are compatible with the Switch 2 as well as older versions of the console. These are our current favorite Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, and we’ll add to this list over time as we test out new gear.
Nintendo announced a bunch of new accessories when it revealed the Switch 2 earlier this year. Key among them are a new Switch 2 Pro controller, Switch 2 camera, an all-in-one carrying case and more. Our staff will be testing out a bunch of these accessories, and we’ll keep our favorites list up to date as we do so. If you’re interested in picking any of those new Switch 2 accessories up, you can find them at a variety of retailers:
Joy-Con 2 bundle
Switch 2 Pro Controller
Switch 2 Camera
Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera
Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip
Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2)
Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case
Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/best-nintendo-switch-2-accessories-070011952.html?src=rss
Volvo has introduced a new seatbelt technology that can customize the protection it provides in real time. The “multi-adaptive safety belt” system, as the automaker is calling it, uses data input from both interior and exterior sensors to change protection settings based on various factors. It can take a person’s height, weight, body shape and seating position into account, as well as the direction and speed of the vehicle. The system can communicate all those information to the seatbelt “in the blink of an eye” so that it can optimize protection for the passenger.
If the passenger is on the larger side, for instance, they will receive a higher belt load setting to reduce the risk of a head injury in the event of a serious crash. For milder crashes, someone with a smaller frame will receive a lower belt load setting to prevent rib injuries. Volvo didn’t specifically say if the system also takes the position of a seatbelt on women into account, since it doesn’t always fit right over a woman’s chest. However, the automaker explained that the system expands the number of load-limiting profiles to 11. Load limiters control how much force a seatbelt applies on the body during a crash. Typically, seatbelts only have three load-limiting profiles, but Volvo expanding them to 11 means the system can better optimize the protection a passenger gets.
Volvo used information from five decades of safety research and from a database of over 80,000 people involved in real-life accidents to design the new safety belt. The system was also created to incorporate improvements rolled out via over the-air software updates, which the company expects to release as it gets more data and insights.
“The world first multi-adaptive safety belt is another milestone for automotive safety and a great example of how we leverage real-time data with the ambition to help save millions of more lives,” said Åsa Haglund, head of Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “This marks a major upgrade to the modern three-point safety belt, a Volvo invention introduced in 1959, estimated to have saved over a million lives.”
Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin designed the modern three-point seatbelt and made its patent available for use by other automakers. The company didn’t say whether it’ll be as generous with the multi-adaptive safety belt, but the new system will debut in the all-electric Volvo EX60 midsize SUV sometime next year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/volvo-is-introducing-the-first-multi-adaptive-seatbelt-technology-on-the-ex60-ev-070017403.html?src=rss
