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Iconic synth manufacturer Moog has been acquired by super conglomerate inMusic, joining other brands snatched up by the company like Alesis, Akai, M-Audio and, well, a bunch more. In a statement, Moog president Joe Richardson says the acquisition could help the company overcome “ongoing challenges”, citing global distribution supply chain concerns.

To that end, chip shortages and various supply chain issues have plagued the company since early Covid, leading to stark price increases for some of its flagship instruments, as originally reported by Synth Anatomy and others. Moog has managed to stay an independent brand for decades, since the 1960s, so this is something of a shock for the synthesizer world.

Moog says it’ll still be developing synthesizers at its Asheville, North Carolina headquarters but makes no mention about the manufacturing process. To this day, many of the iconic instruments under the company’s umbrella are manufactured in the USA, so we’ll keep an eye on if that changes. Alesis, also owned by inMusic, designs its products in America but manufactures them in China.

There’s also the idea of brand cross-pollination. In the announcement letter, Richardson says the acquisition will allow Moog to “enhance the capabilities of inMusic and its exclusive brands.” Does this suggest a future Moog synth with actual Akai MPC pads or a budget-friendly Alesis synthesizer that takes advantage of Moog’s audio-shaping expertise? We shall see. In the meantime, Moog just celebrated its 70th anniversary with a Model D-inspired web app and recently released the Moog One, its most ambitious (and expensive) instrument ever.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/moog-acquired-by-conglomerate-inmusic-joining-akai-and-alesis-164536639.html?src=rss 

Google just added a bunch of new features for Pixel smartphone owners in a system update. First of all, there’s a major improvement to the car crash detection feature, as it now not only contacts emergency services but automatically shares real-time location information with emergency contacts. To that end, the update also makes it easier to start emergency sharing or schedule a safety check by allowing for voice controls.

The recording feature got a major update here, with a new ability to export transcripts into Google Docs and generate labels based on who’s speaking so you can easily find the clip you want later. The photo timer also got a refresh, letting you initiate self-timed photos by raising your palm to start a countdown. This only works for Pixel 6 phones and newer.

If you have the well-reviewed Pixel 7 Pro, there’s an update to macro focus as the feature can now handle both still photography and video for detailed footage of a beetle climbing a flower or whatever. For all Pixel phone owners, Google Assistant is getting a glow up, with an array of new voice options and new language options. It also wouldn’t be a system update without some kind of emoji tomfoolery, so there’s new emoji wallpapers that let you mix and match images with patterns and colors to create unique backgrounds. The update brings even more wallpaper goodness via dynamic cinematic (3D) options. 

Pixel Watch owners were not left out in the cold here, as there’s a new heart rate tool that tracks the upper and lower limits of your threshold, an auto-pause tool and the long-awaited blood oxygen tracker. These features are dropping now but it could take a few days, or weeks, before the update reaches your device.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pixel-phones-receive-a-slew-of-new-features-like-improved-car-crash-detection-170045659.html?src=rss 

Google’s Pixel Watch is a relatively new addition to the market compared to its competitors, so it has some catching up to do features-wise. To that end, Google has announced a new update for the Pixel Watch that will allow for blood oxygen tracking. While you sleep, your watch will monitor your nighttime oxygen saturation and notify you of any changes. The Samsung Galaxy Watch, Apple Watch and Google-owned Fitbit trackers all offer blood oxygen tracking. 

Some of Fitbit’s features were integrated into the Pixel Watch at launch — though not always smoothly. In Engadget’s original review of the Pixel Watch, we noticed a regular delay (between hours and days) in the availability of recent health data, like walks and sleep time. It’s unclear if the same issue will persist with this latest feature. 

The addition of blood oxygen tracking comes alongside a series of new updates for the Pixel Watch and Pixel Phone. On the health side of things, the Pixel Watch will also monitor your heart rate and send you alerts if it becomes abnormal. The Pixel Watch will also have Google Assistant available in a greater number of languages and locations, three new Spotify tiles and the option to purchase Brushed Silver or Matte Black Metal Link Bands — each $200. New features for Google Pixel Phones include improved emergency sharing, emoji wallpapers and the option to export recordings to Google Docs. 

All updates should be available now, except the new Metal Link Band colors, which will roll out in the next few days. If the rumors are true, the Google Pixel Watch 2 will launch this fall — hopefully bringing even more new features.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-pixel-watch-now-offers-overnight-blood-oxygen-tracking-170050532.html?src=rss 

A Swedish regulator has fined Spotify SEK 58 million ($5.4 million) after determining that the company had violated the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The issue concerns how Spotify handles users’ personal data and its customers’ access to the information.

Advocacy group Noyb, which is led by privacy campaigner Max Schrems, filed a complaint against Spotify and other major tech companies in early 2019. In the complaint, Noyb asserted that, among other issues, Spotify didn’t provide all personal data to users upon request and that it didn’t disclose the reasons for processing such information.

The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY) found that while Spotify gives users personal data that it processes upon request, it “does not inform clearly enough about how this data is used by the company.” It said that Spotify should be more transparent “about how and for what purposes individuals’ personal data is handled.” The lack of clarity meant that “it has been difficult for individuals to understand how their personal data is processed and to check whether the handling of their personal data is lawful,” the IMY added.

The regulator said it considered the issues to be “a low level of seriousness” and noted Spotify, has taken steps to resolve them. The IMY determined the fine based on those factors along with Spotify’s revenue and number of users. It noted that it made the decision with the help of other EU data protection authorities, given that Spotify has users in many countries.

“Spotify offers all users comprehensive information about how personal data is processed,” the company, which is based in Sweden, told TechCrunch in a statement. It said the regulator “found only minor areas of our process they believe need improvement. However, we don’t agree with the decision and plan to file an appeal.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-has-been-fined-54-million-for-violating-gdpr-data-rules-172036418.html?src=rss 

If you’re in the market for a new SSD, Amazon is holding a sale on Crucial drives. The company might not have the brand recognition that Samsung and SanDisk do, but rest assured, Crucial’s products are known for their reliability. The highlight of the sale is the company’s P5 Plus NVMe drive. If your PC features a Gen4 M.2 connection, the P5 Plus offers sequential read speeds of up to 6,600MB/s. It’s also worth noting the P5 Plus is fully compatible with the PlayStation 5; in fact, it’s one of Engadget’s top picks for the best storage you can get for Sony’s latest console. The 1TB model is 24 percent off, making it $65 at the moment.

If you don’t have an M.2 slot on your PC but still want to upgrade your storage, consider the MX500. After a 48 percent discount, the 1TB model is $52. The MX500 is Engadget’s pick for the best 2.5-inch SATA drive you can buy. It hits the perfect balance of price, performance and reliability. If you won’t take our word for it, consider that the MX500 holds a five-star Amazon rating on more than 90,000 reviews.

For those looking for a portable drive, you can get Crucial’s X6 1TB SSD for $60, or 45 percent off its usual $110 price. I haven’t tested the X6, but it has a solid spec sheet, offering transfer speeds of up to 800MB/s and USB 3.2 connectivity. Crucial claims the X6’s enclosure is also shock- and vibration-proof, so that should offer some peace of mind. For what it’s worth, the X6 carries a four-and-a-half star rating on more than 8,000 reviews.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/crucial-ssds-are-up-to-48-percent-off-right-now-154804697.html?src=rss 

It’s been a packed few days of game announcements, but Summer Game Fest isn’t done yet. Microsoft will host the awkwardly named Xbox Games Showcase Extended at 1PM ET and you can watch it below.

The stream perhaps won’t be quite as newsworthy as the main Xbox showcase that took place on Sunday, but it seems like it’ll have some juicy details. Microsoft says this presentation will include deeper dives into several of the first-party projects it showed off at the weekend, including Avowed, Towerborne, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom and the Dune expansion for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

This showcase will include gameplay walkthroughs, interviews and some behind-the-scenes features. We’ll also get a look at some games from Microsoft’s third-party partners, and some “special guests” will make appearances.

There are two more Summer Game Fest events taking place today after the Xbox affair. At 4PM ET, you’ll be able to check out Dames 4 Games. This will feature “interviews with women who work in the industry, women who love gaming and those who aspire to make a change.” The stream will include looks at several indie games.

At 6PM, you can tune into the Black Voices in Gaming stream. This will focus on projects from Black developers, games with Black protagonists and interviews with Black creators. You can catch both the Dames 4 Games and Black Voices in Gaming events on Guerrilla Collective’s YouTube and Twitch channels.

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-the-xbox-games-showcase-extended-here-at-1pm-et-160311431.html?src=rss 

General Motors and Samsung SDI have chosen Indiana for their joint EV battery plant. The state’s governor, Eric Holcomb, announced today that the companies will build the $3 billion facility in St. Joseph County, scheduled to open in 2026. The factory, designed to help GM meet rising EV demand, is expected to bring 1,700 new manufacturing jobs to the Hoosier State.

The plant will manufacture nickel-rich prismatic and cylindrical cells. GM and Samsung SDI expect the completed factory to have “more than 30 GWh of capacity.” The automaker currently runs five plants in Indiana, employing more than 5,700 people, and it is now the second-largest EV maker in the US, behind Tesla. GM aims to produce more than one million EVs annually by 2025 and “accelerate from there,” completing its transition to electric-only vehicles by 2035.

GM and Samsung SDI announced the joint venture in April without naming the location. It follows GM’s three previous US factory partnerships with LG Energy Solution, including a 900-worker plant in Warren, OH and upcoming Spring Hill, TN and Lansing, MI facilities.

The companies plan to begin construction within the next year, creating over 1,000 jobs during that period. “This joint venture and the 1,700 people there will help supply cells for millions of all-electric vehicles for customers across North America,” said Mary Barra, GM’s Chair and CEO. “The strong support of local and state leaders in Indiana and the combined resources and expertise of GM and Samsung SDI will help us move faster than we could on our own.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gm-and-samsung-sdi-are-building-a-3-billion-ev-battery-cell-plant-in-indiana-162424130.html?src=rss