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It’s an open secret that not many people actually like video calling, unless you’re meeting a baby for the first time or something. Who wants to comb their hair just to answer the phone? Meta has answered our prayers and delivered a toolset that brings cartoon avatars to the world of video conferencing.

The company frames this as a “third option” that rests between an audio-only call and a full video call. You can participate in video conversations, but it’ll be your avatar that the other participants see, leaving you free to wear a luxuriating face mask or to lay in the squalor of an unkempt apartment. The feature’s available now for Messenger and Instagram users.

Meta’s been steadily placing the focus on its avatar-creation system, recently announcing that users have made over a billion of the lil cartoon scamps. The avatar creator allows for a near-perfect digital simulacrum of your actual face and body. The system was originally created for use in VR applications but has since moved to smartphones and the like.

It’s worth noting that the avatar creator lets you attach some legs to your digital self, but these legs won’t show up when making video calls (sorry, digital foot fetishists.) Meta says it’s constantly working to improve the avatar creation system, with more realistic and textured animations coming in the future. Also, there’s no rule that says your digital avatar has to look like you, so feel free to video call your friends as a talking llama.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-now-lets-you-make-video-calls-using-a-cartoon-avatar-183821816.html?src=rss 

Tesla may have investigated CEO Elon Musk over possible improprieties. The Wall Street Journal‘s sources claim the EV maker’s board launched an investigation over concerns Musk might be using company funds to build a house near the Austin-area Gigafactory. Nicknamed “Project 42,” the initiative is believed to involve a purchase of millions of dollars in special glass — large enough that it drew attention from employees last year. Limited liability firms linked to Musk and executives are also known to have bought large volumes of land in the area.

Concepts for the house included either a “twisted hexagon” or a glass cube reminiscent of Apple’s 5th Avenue store. This appeared to be personal space as it included bedrooms, bathrooms and a kitchen, the tipsters said.

The status and results of the investigation aren’t known. Tesla disbanded its PR department years ago, and Musk hasn’t commented on the report as of this writing. However, the board reportedly wanted to learn if Musk was involved and whether worker time had been devoted to the house. Bloomberglearned of the glass order last year, but didn’t know about the board or the nature of Project 42.

Executives sometimes receive perks like jets. The policies for these rewards vary, however, and Tesla’s approach is relatively strict. The automaker requires a board committee audit for any expense above $120,000 where a related person, like the CEO, has a material interest.

This isn’t the first time a high-profile tech executive has faced scrutiny over spending. Meta investigated departing COO Sheryl Sandberg over allegations she used company resources to further personal goals, such as wedding planning or attempts to quash a news story critical of her ex-partner Bobby Kotick. Musk’s profile as a major CEO makes this case stand out, however.

The leader is no stranger to legal entanglements. He’s still embroiled in a fight with the Securities and Exchange Commission over tweeting financial data, and survived a defamation lawsuit from British cave explorer Vernon Unsworth over unsubstantiated “pedo guy” accusations.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-reportedly-suspected-musk-was-using-company-funds-to-build-a-literal-glass-house-193314854.html?src=rss 

All Netflix users can transfer a profile to an existing account starting today. That should make things a bit easier for users who are moving in with roommates or a partner and want to hang onto all their settings and recommendations while splitting the cost. The company told Engadget that this was a much-requested feature.

Since October, users have been able to set up a new account with their existing profile. That way, they’re able to retain their viewing history, saved titles in My List, game save data and other settings when they move out of their parents’ place or break up with an ex. But if you didn’t have an existing account to move your profile to, you’d have to set up a new one.

Netflix initially offered the feature before it expanded its crackdown on password sharing. In February, the company began charging users in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain extra to let friends and family who don’t live with them to keep using their account. The company expanded the account sharing charges to the US in May.

A third-party analysis suggested that account sign-ups spiked in the US shortly after Netflix started enforcing the policy in the country. We’ll soon have a clearer sense of just how well the strategy is working for the company when it posts its quarterly earnings results next week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/you-can-now-move-your-netflix-profile-to-an-existing-account-175539026.html?src=rss 

Amazon Prime Day includes a sale on Switch games from some of Nintendo’s biggest franchises. Whether you want them for yourself or to keep kids entertained during summer break, you can snag half-off titles like Super Mario Odyssey or Super Mario Bros U Deluxe, and you can shave $18 off one of this year’s most beloved games, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Usually $60, Amazon offers Super Mario Odyssey for $30 as part of its Prime Day deals. One of the Switch’s tentpole titles, it has you saving Princess Peach (surprise!) with the help of Cappy, a sentient hat that you can fling like a boomerang and throw onto some enemies to possess them. This ability lets Mario become Goombas, Chain Chomps and even an imposing T-Rex. In classic Nintendo style, it adds a new gameplay wrinkle for a fresh perspective on classic Mario gameplay. The developer also tightened up controls and responsiveness compared to its previous 3D Mario games, making for one of the most delightful all-around adventures available on Nintendo’s six-year-old console.

If 2D side-scrolling Mario is more your thing, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is also half-off: You can pick it up for $30 compared to its suggested $60. A remake of an under-appreciated Wii U title, it takes the classic gameplay from old-school (NES and SNES) Mario classics and adds new power-ups like the Flying Squirrel suit.

Other half-off Switch games include Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Golf: Super Rush. In addition, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe, the globular pink hero’s latest 2D adventure, is 25 percent off (down to $45 from its usual $60). And the “familiar but fresh” The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is nearly $20 off — for $52 compared to its $70 sticker price.

Although Switch games are the highlight of this sale, you can also take $10 off an Xbox digital gift card ($90 for a $100 card). The PS5 version of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which only launched in April, is down to $44 (with a clipped coupon) from its usual $70. Finally, you can get Elden Ring for PS4 for $40 (typically $60).

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-nintendo-switch-game-deals-for-prime-day-2023-181555437.html?src=rss