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X CEO Linda Yaccarino called a report from a watchdog group that led to a large-scale advertiser pullout “misleading and manipulated” in a note she sent to X employees on Sunday night.

“While some advertisers may have temporarily paused investments because of a misleading article, the data will tell the real story,” Yaccarino wrote in the note, which was first published by The Hollywood Reporter, and which Engadget has seen a copy of. “Because for all of us who work at X, we’ve been extremely clear about our efforts to combat antisemitism and discrimination, as there’s no place for it anywhere in the world.” Yaccarino’s note was titled “Our Work is Meaningful”.

She also framed the situation as a free speech issue, writing that “no critic will ever deter us from our mission to protect free speech.” In doing so, she aligned herself with X owner Elon Musk’s repeated claims that free speech on the platform is paramount. Musk has repeatedly dismissed concerns of hate speech increasing on X ever since he bought the service last year.

Major advertisers including IBM, Apple, Disney, Lionsgate, Warner Brothers Discovery, Paramount Global, and NBCUniversal, whose advertising division Yaccarino previously headed, pulled their ads from X last week after a report from watchdog group Media Matters for America found that ads from some of these brands ran next to pro-Nazi content on the website. The move also came days after Musk publicly endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory as a response to a far-right X user. Musk’s comment drew widespread criticism, including a statement from the White House, which called his post an “abhorrent promotion of Antisemitic and racist hate” that “runs against our core values as Americans.”

On Friday, Musk said that the company would file “a thermonuclear lawsuit against Media Matters and ALL those who colluded in this fraudulent attack on our company” when court opens on Monday. As of Monday afternoon, there was no sign of a lawsuit.

Yaccarino was already under pressure to resign as X CEO from advertisers who are questioning her decision to risk her reputation to protect Musk, Forbes reported. In a post on X on Monday morning, Yaccarino doubled down on her criticism of Media Matters. “When you’re this consequential, there will be detractors and fabricated distractions, but we’re unwavering in our mission,” she wrote. “Thank you for standing with us!”

An X spokesperson sent a link to Yaccarino’s X post in response to Engadget’s request for comment.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-ceo-calls-article-that-led-to-latest-brand-exodus-misleading-and-manipulated-204025411.html?src=rss 

In 2022 Polyend announced the Play, a fascinating sample-based groovebox and MIDI sequencer that was pretty much universally beloved by anyone who could get their hands on one. The pandemic fueled chip shortage made them pretty hard to come by, at least initially. But my, how things have changed in a little over a year. In just around 18 months, the company has managed to bring the cost of the Play down from $799 to just $499. More exciting though, is the availability of the Polyend Play+. 

The updated version is dramatically more powerful than the original. It still has eight tracks of sample playback and eight tracks of polyphonic MIDI sequencing. But, it now supports stereo sample playback and there are four built-in synth engines that can be controlled by the dedicated MIDI tracks. There’s also support for audio over USB-C. And impressively, it’s multitrack with 14 individual stereo tracks available for each of the eight sample channels, the three synth slots, the reverb and delay sends, plus a master audio out.

The synths are limited to eight voices collectively, but you can divide them up over three tracks however you see fit. So you can have a monophonic bass, a duophonic lead and then have a five note polyphonic track for chords. The four different engines are ACD, FAT, VAP and WTFM. The first three are different flavors of virtual analog synths, with ACD delivering simple single oscillator not unlike Roland’s famed SH-101. While FAT and VAP are more complicated, with the former delivering thick three-oscillator tones, and the latter having a pretty extensive modulation matrix for evolving pads. WTFM, is a two operator FM synth that, at least based on the samples posted on Polyend’s site, is far more capable and versatile than you’d expect.

While you can do some menu diving and customize the synth patches to your liking. There are plenty of presets, each with macro controls for quickly dialing in something pleasing. That is the big selling point of the Play in general, its immediacy. There’s still the semi-generative pattern filling options, and that includes being able to auto-generate bass and chord progressions using the synth engines. 

One of the more intriguing things, however, is that Polyend is allowing owners of the original Play to trade theirs in for the Play+ for $399. This gives people who shelled out for a unit an upgrade path to the new more powerful hardware, but also reduces waste (and potentially saves Polyend some money) by allowing it to sell those returned units as refurbished down the road. 

The Polyend Play+ is available now for $799. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/polyends-799-play-has-a-shot-a-being-the-ultimate-groovebox-210001667.html?src=rss 

Amazon has cut Ember smart mug prices to record lows for Black Friday. The high-tech mugs have built-in heating that can keep your coffee, tea or other hot drink at your ideal preset temperature, allowing you to take your time sipping it without worrying about a lukewarm beverage. Usually $130, you can pick up the 10 oz Ember Smart Mug 2 starting at $90.

One of Engadget’s recommended gifts for teachers, the Ember Smart Mug 2 can keep your mug heated to anywhere between 120 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you find your perfect temp, you can set the mug’s companion app (available for iOS and Android) to it and forget about it. The mug will remember your setting, automatically heat when it detects liquid and stop when it’s empty. The mug lasts up to 80 minutes on a full charge, and if you leave it on its bundled charging coaster (except, of course, when picking it up to sip), it essentially lasts all day.

At the time of publication, the white, black and red variants of the 10 oz. Mug 2 are available and marked down on Amazon. However, the black and red options cost a (still heavily discounted) $100, requiring an extra $10 over the white model.

Amazon also has the standard 14 oz. Ember Smart Mug 2 for $40 off. The larger model includes the same features, temperature controls and estimated battery life as the 10 oz. one. This variant ships in white and black for $109.46 (usually $150) and you can grab the copper version for $130 (typically $180).

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ember-smart-mugs-are-at-record-low-prices-in-amazons-black-friday-sale-185030627.html?src=rss