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Meta has filed a lawsuit against Voyager Labs, which it has accused of creating tens of thousands of fake accounts to scrape data from more than 600,000 Facebook users’ profiles. It says the surveillance company pulled information such as posts, likes, friend lists, photos, and comments, along with other details from groups and pages. Meta claims that Voyager masked its activity using its Surveillance Software, and that the company has also scraped data from Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Telegram to sell and license for profit.

In the complaint, which was obtained by Gizmodo, Meta has asked a judge to permanently ban Voyager from Facebook and Instagram. “As a direct result of Defendant’s unlawful actions, Meta has suffered and continues to suffer irreparable harm for which there is no adequate remedy at law, and which will continue unless Defendant’s actions are enjoined,” the filing reads. Meta said Voyager’s actions have caused it “to incur damages, including investigative costs, in an amount to be proven at trial.”

Meta claims that Voyager scraped data from accounts belonging to “employees of non-profit organizations, universities, news media organizations, healthcare facilities, the armed forces of the United States, and local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as full-time parents, retirees, and union members.” The company noted in a blog post it disabled accounts linked to Voyager and that filed the suit to enforce its terms and policies.

“Companies like Voyager are part of an industry that provides scraping services to anyone regardless of the users they target and for what purpose, including as a way to profile people for criminal behavior,” Jessica Romero, Meta’s director of platform enforcement and litigation, wrote. “This industry covertly collects information that people share with their community, family and friends, without oversight or accountability, and in a way that may implicate people’s civil rights.”

In 2021, The Guardian reported that the Los Angeles Police Department had tested Voyager’s social media surveillance tools in 2019. The company is said to have told the department that police could use the software to track the accounts of a suspect’s friends on social media, and that the system could predict crimes before they took place by making assumptions about a person’s activity.

According to The Guardian, Voyager has suggested factors like Instagram usernames denoting Arab pride or tweeting about Islam could indicate someone is leaning toward extremism. Other companies, such as Palantir, have worked on predictive policing tech. Critics such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation claim that tech can’t predict crime and that algorithms merely perpetuate existing biases.

Data scraping is an issue that Meta has to take seriously. In 2021, it sued an individual for allegedly scraping data on more than 178 million users. Last November, the Irish Data Protection Commission fined the company €265 million ($277 million) for failing to stop bad actors from obtaining millions of people’s phone numbers and other data, which were published elsewhere online. The regulator said Meta failed to comply with GDPR data protection rules. 

 

Drive to Survive did wonders for Formula 1. The hit Netflix series has drawn fans to the sport through its (sometimes manufactured) drama and beautiful cinematography. What you likely don’t know is that Formula E has its version, albeit with shorter episodes and massively condensed storylines. Even still, Formula E Unplugged is a great primer for the new season whether you’ll be watching the EV racing series for the first time or you’re a veteran fan.

Season two of Unplugged, which chronicles 2022’s Season 8 of Formula E, hit some broadcasters just before Christmas and all six episodes have made the rounds a few times here in the US already (CBS Sports Network). That’s a big change from season one’s 15 episodes which weren’t widely distributed and now live on the Formula E YouTube channel. The other difference with this new season is the episodes are 30 minutes with commercials, slightly longer than the 10- to 15-minute entries in the previous installment. But even with some added time, many of the narratives are condensed to the point they’re hard to follow at times.

Episode one covers Mercedes-EQ in its final season (the team was purchased by McLaren). Eventual series winner Stoffel Vandorne has to contend with the fact his teammate is the defending champion. The second episode offers a biographical look at Jaguar TCS’ Mitch Evans, including interviews with his family, his disappointing end to Season 7 and the title push in Season 8 that goes down to the very end.

In episode three, Unplugged covers two teams: TAG Heuer Porsche and ROKiT Venturi Racing. While one banked an early 1-2 finish in Season 8, the other had to contend with drama during its home race. This is the first taste of anything close to Drive to Surive drama. The fourth episode is all about the rookies as Dan Ticktum tries to put his past behind him, Antonio Giovinazzi looks to move on from F1 and American Oliver Askew tries his hand at a global series with the aid of British teammate Jake Dennis.

“Formula E Unplugged presents a realistic picture of life inside the paddock and helps fans to understand more about what makes us tick and where we are coming from,” said Ticktum, who drives for NIO 333 Racing. “I can be pretty fiery, but I think the ‘behind the scenes’ nature of Unplugged will show that sometimes there is a lot more to what drivers are going through than can be seen during races or on social media.”

More drama ensues in episode five when the series covers DS Techeetah, a team with two former Formula E champions in its garage. Things get heated on multiple occasions when both Jean-Éric Vergne and António Félix Da Costa have an equal desire to win. The final installment offers a look at the lead up to the final two rounds in South Korea. A four-way fight for the title, driver changes and a brief discussion of the Gen3 car round out the sixth episode.

There’s plenty to glean despite the compressed format. Even I learned new things as someone who follows the sport. However, Unplugged really focuses on the top four teams in the championship standings, with the exception of Porsche who looked strong at the outset and the episode about rookies. It would’ve been great to include Envision Racing’s Robin Frijns, who finished level on points in the driver’s standings with Di Grassi and Dennis. I can appreciate that Formula E likely has a limited budget for the show, which is why we only get a half dozen episodes, but it would’ve been nice to get to know the likes of Mahindra and Nissan eDAMS along the way (the latter is covered in S1). And there could’ve been an entire episode dedicated to the Gen3 car, especially when you consider how much more advanced it is (or eventually will be) over the Gen2 racer.

In the US, Formula E races are broadcast on CBS Sports Network and usually on a tape delay a few hours after the event. For example, the first race in Mexico City this weekend won’t air until 11:30PM ET Saturday night (race is at 2PM ET). Both practice sessions will stream on the Formula E YouTube channel (5:25PM ET Friday, 8:25AM ET Saturday). Qualifying, which is completed in a knockout-style format, is only viewable on CBSSports.com. If you’re outside of the States, select your country here for the broadcast info.

 

Now that Republicans have control of the House of Representatives, they’re hoping to set the agenda for crypto. Financial Services committee Chair Patrick McHenry (above) has announced a Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion that aims to set policy for technologies like cryptocurrency. Headed by Rep. French Hill, the panel hopes to establish “clear rules of the road” for federal regulators, create policies that bring financial technology to poorly served communities and bolster diversity and inclusiveness in digital assets.

In an interview with Politico, McHenry said he was creating the subcommittee to address a “big hole” in Financial Services’ approach to crypto issues. McHenry considers crypto regulation his main legislative priority, and panel chair Hill has led the GOP’s investigation of a potential central bank-backed cryptocurrency.

The move comes as regulators struggle to find common ground on crypto. While agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) agree that digital assets are subject to existing laws, there have been tussles over just who should step in and when. Senators put forward a bill that would create a clear regulatory framework, but it has been stuck in committee.

There’s pressure on the House subcommittee to act. The implosion of crypto giant FTX has underscored the risks of letting the technology go unchecked. Officials are also investigating major industry names like Celsius and Coinbase over possible rule violations. Clearer rules would theoretically improve the federal government’s responses to violations like these.

It’s uncertain how effective the House panel will be. While there are crypto proponents across both main parties, the Democrats’ expanded control of the Senate could prevent bills from becoming law if there are any substantial disagreements. Both sections of Congress have to pass and reconcile legislation before it reaches the President’s desk. The very existence of the subcommittee suggests that Congress is taking crypto more seriously, however, and there’s a chance it could accelerate bipartisan efforts to oversee digital money and tokens.

 

It’s Friday, which means it’s time for another roundup of the week’s best tech deals. Today we’re seeing good prices on Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones, a couple of all-time lows on the 10.2-inch iPad and iPad mini and a sweeping sale on Nintendo Switch games, among other discounts on gadgets and gear we like. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

We gave Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro review scores of 90 and 92, respectively, last year, calling them “the best bargain in flagship phones” along the way. Both handsets are back on sale this week, with the 6.3-inch Pixel 7 down to $499 and the 6.7-inch Pixel 7 Pro available for $749. We’ve seen the phones hit these prices multiple times over the past year, and neither represents an absolute low, but they’re still roughly $60 and $90 lower than the average street price we’ve seen in recent months. 

Either way, you’re getting top-notch cameras, pleasing build quality and a clean version of Android with regular updates, though there are faster flagships out there for more money. If you’re on a tighter budget, the 6.1-inch Pixel 6a is smaller, lacks the Pixel 7’s faster refresh rate and has a lesser camera, but it’s otherwise similar enough to remain a strong value at its current sale price of $349.

For those who aren’t totally overwhelmed by their gaming backlog, Nintendo is running a “New Year Sale” at its online store that includes a number of discounts on digital Switch games we like. Several of these deals are available at third-party retailers like Walmart and Amazon as well, if you’re buying digitally and want to snag a few extra Gold Points toward future Nintendo store purchases. Walmart in particular looks to have a handful of games available for lower than Nintendo itself. 

Many Nintendo-published games either aren’t included in the sale or not available for an all-time low — don’t expect any major Mario or Pokémon deals — but the discounts do include a few picks from our guides to the best Nintendo Switch games and best couch co-op games, among others. The 2D platformer Celeste, for one, is down to a new low of $4, while the popular Metroidvania Hollow Knight is available for $7. Elsewhere, the relaxing farming sim Stardew Valley is down to $9, the gentle adventure Chicory: A Colorful Tale is discounted to $13, and the charming puzzler Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is on sale for $25. There are many more deals beyond those, though, so it’s worth perusing through the selection if you’re looking to add to your Switch library.

Apple’s iPad mini is back down to $400 at Best Buy and Amazon, which matches the lowest price we’ve tracked. This is about $30 off the diminutive tablet’s typical price in recent months and $100 off Apple’s MSRP. We gave the mini a review score of 89 back when it launched in late 2021, and it remains the only real option if you specifically want a compact iPad, whether you have smaller hands or just want something easier to throw in a bag. It still looks and feels like a smaller iPad Air, and its A15 Bionic chip remains more than fast enough for streaming, e-book reading and web browsing. Just be aware that this SKU only comes with 64GB of storage, and that stock at Amazon has been dipping in and out for much of the week.

If you don’t want to spend as much cash on a new iPad, though, the entry-level 9th-gen model is also on sale for a new all-time low of $250 at Amazon and Best Buy. That’s $79 off Apple’s MSRP and roughly $40 below the 10.2-inch tablet’s average price on Amazon as of late. This is the budget pick in our guide to the best iPads, and our review gave it a score of 86 at launch. It has a more dated design and older A13 chip than the rest of Apple’s iPad lineup, but it’s still a massive step up over, say, Amazon’s Fire HD tablets. At this price, it’s easy to recommend if you use your tablet casually but don’t want something that feels cheap.

The entry-level version of Apple’s latest and greatest MacBook Air is once again available for $999, which is the lowest price we’ve seen. We gave the M2-powered Air a review score of 96 last year, and it’s currently the top overall pick in our guide to the best laptops. For everyday use, it still ticks nearly all the boxes in terms of design, display, battery life and performance. This specific configuration does have slower storage performance than the higher-capacity models, but that shouldn’t be a serious hindrance unless you plan on doing more involved tasks like media editing (at which point you should probably pony up for a pricier SKU anyway).

For a laptop better suited to gaming, meanwhile, Razer has discounted a number of its Blade 14 and Blade 15 notebooks. These devices come as a significant premium, and if you can wait a few months, it’s worth remembering that Razer introduced new Blade laptops at CES last week. For those with money to burn, though, the current models still pack enough power to play modern games in a slim and stylish design. 

We gave the Blade 15 a review score of 86 last year, and we currently recommend it as the “best premium” option in our guide to the best gaming laptops. A configuration with an RTX 3070 Ti GPU, a Core i7-12800H CPU, a 240Hz 1440p display, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD is down to a new “low” of $2,600, for instance, which is about $350 less than usual.

Amazon introduced a refreshed version of its Fire TV Cube back in September, but this week the media streamer received its first discount, dropping by $15 to a sale price of $125. Though it isn’t a recommendation in our guide to best streaming devices — Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K or Google’s Chromecast offer much better value for most — the Fire TV Cube is worth considering if the idea of having hands-free Alexa functionality baked into your 4K streamer sounds appealing. It’s technically the fastest of Amazon’s Fire TV streamers, too, though you still have to deal with the usual glut of ads baked into Amazon’s streaming UI, even with the higher upfront cost. 

If you’re partial to Amazon services and want something more affordable, note that the Fire TV Stick 4K Max streamer is also on sale for $40, while the 1080p Fire TV Stick Lite is down to $25. We’ve seen better deals for both of those in the past, but they’re still decent values if you need a streamer today.

A couple of wallet-friendly Bluetooth speakers we like from audio brand Tribit are even further discounted this week. The ultra-portable StormBox Micro 2, for one, is down to $51 with a 15 percent on-page coupon, while the XSound Go is available for $30 with a 20 percent coupon. Neither of these deals are all-time lows, and you shouldn’t expect any miracles in terms of audio performance either way. Still, these are good buys if you just need a travel (or shower) speaker for less than $50. The StormBox Micro 2 is a pick in our best Bluetooth speakers guide due to its fuller-than-expected sound and built-in strap that helps it connect to backpacks or bike handlebars. The XSound Go offers generally similar performance and IPX7 waterproofing, just in a more traditional pill-shaped design. 

The Beats Fit Pro is still on sale for an all-time low of $160, which is a discount we saw for much of the holiday season but still comes in about $20 below the wireless earbuds’ average street price of late.

We gave the Fit Pro a review score of 87 last year, and it’s currently the “best for workouts” pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds. It has an enjoyably bass-forward sound, and it brings many of the benefits you’d get from a set of AirPods — “Find My” tracking, hands-free Siri, simple pairing with other Apple devices, etc. — just in a smaller and sportier design. It doesn’t totally sacrifice its features when paired with an Android phone, either. That said, its ANC is merely average compared to the AirPods Pro, there’s no wireless charging and the included case is a bit chunky. Still, for those interested in new wireless workout earbuds, the Fit Pro is a fine option at this deal price.

Fitbit’s Charge 5 is back down to $100, which is within a dollar of the wearable’s all-time low. Again, this is the sale price we saw during the holidays, but it remains about $20 below the wearable’s usual street price over the last few months. The Charge 5 is the top recommendation in our guide to the best fitness trackers, and it earned a review score of 82 at launch for its reliable activity tracking, built-in GPS and full-color OLED display. Just don’t expect it to match an Apple Watch in terms of features and app support.

Sony is running a sale on the higher tier of its PlayStation Plus service, discounting 3- and 12-month subscriptions to its “Extra” and “Premium” memberships between 30 and 40 percent, depending on which subscription you choose. The catch, unfortunately, is that the deal is only available to new PS Plus subscribers. Still, if you haven’t signed up, you can get a year of PlayStation Plus Extra — which adds an on-demand library of a few hundred games to the standard Essential tier — for $60, which is a $40 discount. Given that a 12-month Essential plan normally goes for the same price, you’re effectively getting access to the game library for no extra cost. 

The 12-month Premium plan, meanwhile, is on sale for $80; that tier probably isn’t worth it to most, but if you want cloud streaming and a further selection of older games, it’s an option. Either way, Sony says this sale is set to end on Friday.

While it’s not a formal pick in any of our buying guides, Logitech’s G305 Lightspeed is a worthy choice for those in need of a quality wireless gaming mouse for less than $50. It’s on the smaller side, lacks Bluetooth and requires a AA battery for power, but its performance is smooth and consistent, and Logitech says it can get up to 250 hours of battery life per charge. It’s on sale this week for $30, which is only about $7 below its typical street price but still within $2 of its all-time low.

If you can afford to take a step up or just want something more accommodating to larger hands, Razer’s Basilisk Ultimate is also worth a shout at its current deal price of $70, which is about $30 below its usual going rate. It’s technically been replaced, and its design is for righties only, but it has a wider range of customizable buttons and RGB lighting zones, as well as a comfy thumb rest. Its performance should still yield few complaints, and it can work over an included cable in a pinch. It also comes with a charging dock.

Garmin’s Index S2 is the “best for athletes” pick in our guide to the best smart scales, and right now it’s on sale for $130 at Amazon and Garmin’s own online store. That’s a $20 discount and tied for the lowest price we’ve tracked. To be clear, most people interested in a more advanced scale do not need to spend quite this much. We wish the display on this model was a bit faster, too. But for those who train consistently, we found the Index S2 to provide a wealth of useful data without being overly complicated to use. We also enjoy its sturdy and stylish design. If you want a more affordable scale, meanwhile, Fitbit’s Aria Air is the budget pick in our guide and currently on sale for $40.

LG’s C2 OLED TV is steeply discounted as part of a wider sale at eBay, with the 48-, 55-, and 65-inch models available for $838, $1,118 and $1,438, respectively, when you use the code NEWYEARTWENTY at checkout. Depending on which size you want, this is about $180 to $200 below the sets’ typical selling price in recent months. Each listing here comes via Electronic Express, which LG lists as an authorized dealer.

LG unveiled its 2023 OLED TV lineup at CES, promising improvements to OLED’s longstanding issues with maximum brightness along the way. If you don’t place your TV in a particular bright room, though, the C2 still provides the kind of high contrast, vivid colors and wide viewing angles you’d expect from a high-end OLED panel. Do note, though, that we’re likely to see steeper discounts on other still-decent sets from last year in the coming weeks as manufacturers look to clear out inventory before launching their newest models. Sony’s well-reviewedX95K LED TV, for instance, is on sale for $200 less than usual.

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

 

NVIDIA may have a solution if you’ve ever caught yourself reading chat during a livestream, or distracted by your notes during a video presentation. The company has updated its Broadcast software with a beta Eye Contact feature that, like Apple’s FaceTime, ‘fixes’ your gaze to keep it focused on your camera. It preserves your blinks and eye color, and will even transition between digital and real eyes when you look far enough off-center.

The developers caution that Eye Contact isn’t completely ready, as there are “millions” of potential eye color and lighting scenarios they can’t test. You’re encouraged to send feedback videos if the technology misbehaves.

Broadcast also has a new vignetting effect that will darken the outer edges of the frame. Existing Blur, Replacement and Remove Virtual Background effects should also be more accurate and reliable thanks to the addition of temporal data that helps the AI make smarter choices. Errors will be subtler, too. NVIDIA is even adding some simple but heavily-requested options to mirror the camera and take screenshots of the webcam.

The tool requires at least a GeForce RTX 2060 video card (or its Quadro equivalent) and 8GB of RAM. NVIDIA recommends at least a Core i5-8600 or Ryzen 5 2600 processor. The Eye Contact function may be uncanny at times — even the best presenters tend to look away now and then, so a constant gaze might be unsettling. This could improve your connection with your audience, though, and may be particularly helpful if you’re uncomfortable staring directly at the camera.

 

Those in the market for a solid set of earbuds at a good price might want to consider the Beats Studio Buds, which are on sale at Amazon. The moon gray version of the earbuds, which usually cost $150, have dropped by 40 percent to $90. At $89.99, that’s four cents more than the actual all-time low we’ve seen for this model, but we’re splitting hairs. Other colors are on sale too, but they’ll cost you a bit more at $100 (a third off the usual price).

Buy Beats Studio Buds at Amazon – $90

We gave Beats Studio Buds a score of 84 in our 2021 review, and they should fit most people’s everyday needs. Engadget’s audio expert Billy Steele found the earbuds to be comfortable and capable of delivering solid, balanced sound despite their small size.

Since they’re Apple products, the Beats Studio Buds have the company’s H1 chipset. As such, pairing them to Apple devices is a cinch, though the earbuds support Fast Pair and Find My Device on Android too. So, they’re generally a good choice no matter which phone you’re using. On the downside, call quality could be better (we found that the microphones picked up background noise) and there’s no wireless charging support or onboard volume controls.

Hands-free Siri, some onboard controls and sweat and water resistance make the Beats Studio Buds viable for gym use. But if you’re really looking for earbuds that you can use while you work out and have some extra cash to spare, it may be worth considering the Beats Fit Pro, which are currently 20 percent off at a record low of $160.

Buy Beats Fit Pro at Amazon – $160

They have a similar look to the Studio Buds and match that model’s IPX4 sweat and water resistance. But they have secure-fit wingtips to keep them in your ears as you move around and onboard volume controls (albeit with a tradeoff). We found the Fit Pro to offer better audio quality than the Studio Buds and there’s spatial audio support as well.

 

The IT Crowd was right! You really should try turning everything off and on again to make it work. This week, Cherlynn and Devindra discuss how the FAA did just that to fix its NOTAM system, which alerts pilots of potential hazards. It turns out a database error was enough to send that system into a spiral, which forced the FAA to ground flights Wednesday morning. But of course, this was just one issue facing air travel in America – we also dive into Southwest’s holiday fiasco, as well as potential transportation alternatives.

Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you’ve got suggestions or topics you’d like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!

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Topics

FAA grounds planes after NOTAM outage – 1:34

Other News: Microsoft may have given up on the Surface Duo 3 in favor of foldables – 28:23

Biden calls for legislation on social media platforms – 35:31

NASA is funding ideas for a seaplane and faster deep space travel – 38:18

Hyundai’s new EV can “crab walk” into parallel parking spaces – 40:49

Samsung’s first Unpacked of 2023 scheduled for February 1 – 45:13

Pop culture picks – 52:47

Livestream

Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O’Brien
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos
Graphic artists: Luke Brooks

 

Sure, it may not sound like the spiciest headline, but Sam Bankman-Fried is in a weird place to be starting a Substack. He’s facing up to 115 years in prison if he’s convicted of federal fraud and conspiracy charges. And yet the embattled founder of collapsed crypto exchange FTX – who pleaded not guilty and is out on a $250 million bond while awaiting trial – figured it’d be a great idea to write about his perspective on the saga in a Substack newsletter.

In his first post, about the collapse of FTX International, Bankman-Fried (aka SBF) claims “I didn’t steal funds, and I certainly didn’t stash billions away.” SBF notes that FTX US (which serves customers in America) “remains fully solvent and should be able to return all customers’ funds.” However, he does not mention that FTX co-founder Zixiao “Gary” Wang and former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison pleaded guilty to fraud charges and are cooperating with prosecutors.

– Mat Smith

The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.

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Tesla drastically lowers EV pricing in the US and Europe

The Model Y Long Range sees a huge $20,500 drop including the Federal Tax Credit.

After steadily increasing prices over the past couple of years, Tesla has cut them drastically across its lineup in the US and Europe, in an apparent bid to boost sales. The least expensive EV, the Model 3 RWD, has dropped from $46,990 to $43,990, while the 5-seat Model Y Long Range fell 20 percent, from $65,990 to $52,990. That means, perhaps crucially, the latter model now qualifies for the $7,500 US Federal Tax credit for EVs.

Continue reading.

Apple’s new AirPods Max and $99 AirPods could launch next year

They won’t arrive until 2024 at the earliest, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple is working on an update to the AirPods Max headphones and developing an AirPods “lite” with a $99 target price, according to analyst Min-Chi Kuo. The new products won’t be coming anytime soon, however, with a target release date for the more affordable AirPods no earlier than the second half of 2024. With the AirPods lite (or LE, or whatever Apple decides to call them), Apple would likely be trying to claw back some market share from the many cheap wireless buds on the market. The current AirPods 2 sell for $129, while the AirPods 3 cost $169. Neither offers active noise cancellation, while rivals from companies like Oppo have ANC for under $100.

Continue reading.

The best tablets for 2023

We’ve got picks for every ecosystem along with some more affordable options.

Following the release of the 2022 Apple iPad Air and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 line last year, there hasn’t been much movement in the tablet world. Apple’s latest tablet is the revamped 10.9-inch iPad, but at $449, it’s more of an upgrade of, rather than an alternative for, the less expensive 10.2-inch iPad. Amazon launched revamped versions of its Fire HD 8 tablets. While the same company’s e-readers aren’t typically considered tablets, the new Kindle Scribe deserves some consideration thanks to its pen and support for handwritten notes. We break down all the options.

Continue reading.

National Transport Safety Board chair says EVs are getting too big and heavy

Bigger batteries may be dangerous in a collision.

In a keynote speech, the National Transport Safety Board NTSB (NTSBNational Transport Safety Board) chair, Jennifer Homendy, said she was worried the size and weight of modern EVs could increase the risk of serious injuries and death. A Hummer EV is over 9,000lbs, the board leader said, while electrified versions of vehicles like the Ford F-150 and Volvo XC40 are far heavier than their gas engine equivalents.

Continue reading.

 

Several third-party clients for Twitter are having issues communicating with the social network, leading to issues that prevent users from being able to log in. As TechCrunch reports, Tweetbot and Twitterific have both confirmed that they’re having problems and are trying to find the root cause of the issue. “We’ve reached out to Twitter for more details, but haven’t heard back,” Tweetbot announced. 

Fenix has also confirmed that its client for Android is experiencing problems but that its iOS app seems to be unaffected. Matteo Villa, the app’s developer, said Fenix for Android was suspended with no communication from the company. Villa tweeted a screenshot showing a notification that says Fenix “violated Twitter Rules and policies” and can no longer be accessed as a result. The developer has temporarily pulled the app from Google Play while trying to determine the cause. 

Twitpane has posted an announcement in Japanese that says users have been getting errors, such as “account authentication failed,” that prevent them from being able to access the app. Other clients that seem to be experiencing issues include Echofon, Feather and Talon. 

Twitter has yet to issue an announcement through any of its official accounts. On the Twitter Developer forum, a poster said users have been encountering a lot of bugs with the Twitter API for third party apps since December. It’s unclear what exactly has been preventing third-party apps from accessing the social network, and since Twitter no longer has a communications team, even the affected developers have yet to hear from the company directly.

 

After steadily increasing prices over the past couple of years, Tesla has cut them drastically across its lineup in the US and Europe, in an apparent bid to boost sales. The least expensive EV, the Model 3 RWD, has dropped from $46,990 to $43,990, while the 5-seat Model Y Long Range fell 20 percent from $65,990 to $52,990. That means the latter model now qualifies for the $7,500 US Federal Tax credit, so the final price drop will be $20,500 — over 30 percent. 

All other models, including the Model S and Model X (both regular and plaid versions) and the performance versions of the Model 3 and Model Y saw price cuts. However, the 7-seat option on the Model Y has increased in price by $1,000 to $4,000. While that puts the price over $55,000, it still qualifies for the Tax Credit as it’s considered to be an SUV. In Germany, Model 3 and Y prices were cut by one to 17 percent, and also dropped in Austria, Switzerland and France.

To receive the full $7,500 rebate, customers will have to order before mid-March, when it’s expected to be reduced to half that. The tax rebates apply to SUVs priced below $80,000 and cars under $55,000. The Model Y fell into both categories, depending on the number of seats, meaning certain 5-seat models weren’t eligible — something CEO Elon Musk called “messed up.” Now, all Model Y EVs except the Performance version appear to qualify.  

Late last year, it was reported that Tesla inventory was building up after years of strong sales, first with reports in China, then the US. Tesla recently cut prices in China, then later declined any compensation to customers who complained. The Model 3 now starts at 229,900 yuan ($33,425) in that nation. 

Neither Tesla nor CEO Elon Musk have weighed in on the price cuts, but potential buyers will no doubt be pleased (and recent purchasers displeased). The Model 3 was originally supposed to cost $35,000 and shipped in that configuration for a short time, but saw steady increases to the $46,990 price announced in March 2022. Last month, Musk said that “radical interest rate changes” had affected vehicle affordability and that Tesla could potentially lower prices.