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Sony isn’t just upgrading its wireless earbuds with eco-friendly plastic. The company now promises that its LinkBuds, LinkBuds S and WF-1000XM4 models will receive multipoint audio support this fall. As with some rival buds, this lets you juggle the audio between two Bluetooth devices. You can switch to a call on your phone while you’re watching video on your tablet, for instance.

The improvement requires new firmware available through Sony’s Headphones Connect app. The LinkBuds family will get the multipoint update by November, while the WF-1000XM4 should make the leap sometime this winter.

As The Vergepointed out, the WF-1000XM4 upgrade is somewhat unexpected. Sony started selling that model in mid-2021, and hadn’t even teased the prospect of a multipoint update. While the news still won’t be much consolation if you own budget buds like the WF-C500, this at least ensures that you won’t feel left out if you splurged on wireless audio in the past year.

The upgrade gives Sony an edge over some of the competition, at least. While you’ll get seamless audio switching on challengers like Apple’s AirPods lineup, you’re frequently limited to one brand’s ecosystem. Sony’s multipoint functionality could make more sense if you don’t want to be tied to certain platforms or products just to avoid wading through Bluetooth device menus.

 

NASA previously announced that it would create a panel to study “unidentified aerial phenomena” (UAP), aka UFOs — while saying it doesn’t believe they’re “extraterrestrial in origin.” (Sure, NASA.)

Now, the space agency has unveiled the 16-member panel that will focus on these unclassified sightings, chaired by David Spergel, former head of astrophysics at Princeton University. Other members include Anamaria Berea, a research affiliate at the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Life) Institute in California; retired NASA astronaut and test pilot Scott Kelly; and astrophysicists, science journalists and more.

The US government is effectively running two tracks of UFO probes. There’s also a Pentagon group looking into UAPs reported by military pilots and investigated by US defense and intelligence officials.

– 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.

The biggest stories you might have missed

The Age of Empires series is finally coming to Xbox consoles and cloud gaming

Google will end Chrome support on Windows 7 and 8.1 in early 2023

WhatsApp briefly went down for users worldwide

A store that sells Nothing will open in London this year

Amazon now lets you pay using Venmo

Google finally lets you view its latest Nest cameras on the web

Apple SVP confirms a USB-C iPhone is coming

But is it only coming to Europe?

When the European Parliament voted in favor of making USB-C the common charging standard in the region, it was obvious Apple was going to be the company most affected by the mandate. While the tech giant already has iPad models with USB-C ports, its iPhones still require a lightning connector. Now, in an interview at The Wall Street Journal‘s Tech Live event, Apple’s SVP of worldwide marketing Greg Joswiak has confirmed that the tech giant will be transitioning to USB-C connectors to comply with the EU’s regulation. “We have no choice as we do around the world but to comply to local laws,” Joswiak said. However, he didn’t say whether Apple is only making a different variant for the European market while continuing to sell phones with lightning connectors elsewhere.

Continue reading.

Future ‘Doctor Who’ seasons will air on Disney+

It’ll remain on BBC in the UK and Ireland.

The BBC and Disney have announced future seasons of Doctor Who will stream on Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland. Back in July, Bloomberg reported that Disney was looking for “established” brands to bolster its streaming platform. Now it has the world’s longest-running science-fantasy series.

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‘Bayonetta 3’ turns witchy weirdness into an art form

It’s still weird, it’s still chaotic.

Bayonetta 3 is full of classic Bayonetta madness, all of it amped up by one degree. The stakes are higher than they’ve ever been, the enemies are absolutely massive, Bayonetta’s magic is incredibly powerful, her outfits are outstanding and the fights don’t stop coming. She’s still a witch with gun shoes, but new abilities mean she can transform into demon hybrids, adding even more dimensions to the epic fights. It’s still all very silly, very meme-able and for now, it’s a Nintendo Switch exclusive. Read on for our full review.

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Watch Ken Block’s first electric Gymkhana featuring a one-of-a-kind Audi EV

The S1 Hoonitron is kind(er) to the planet.

Rally driver Ken Block has released his first Gymkhana video with an electric car — and this time, the vehicle is almost as important as the hooning. The “Electrikhana” sees Block drift around Las Vegas landmarks in a one-of-a-kind Audi S1 Hoonitron. It borrows design cues from the well-known Sport Quattro S1 while using a dual-motor system. Think of it as a souped-up cousin of the E-tron GT. With drifting and tire smoke, it’s a different kind of sales pitch for electric cars. Initially associated with eco-conscious drivers, they’re becoming the machines of choice for performance-minded enthusiasts thanks to their instant torque and supercar-beating low-end acceleration.

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Shutterstock and OpenAI will team up to sell AI-generated stock images

DALL-E artwork could soon be widespread online.

Shutterstock has widened its deal with OpenAI, and will start selling stock images built using the DALL-E 2 AI generator. The approach will offer “direct access” to DALL-E through the Shutterstock website, and compensate creators whose pictures played a role in developing the technology through a new Contributor Fund. The company also plans to pay royalties to artists when the AI uses their work. The deal represents one of the first practical uses of the tech.

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Sony made some wireless earbuds using recycled water bottles

The new Earth Blue variant is available now.

Sony’s original LinkBuds S were already being made with recycled plastics from automobile parts, but the company has now announced an Earth Blue variant made from even more reclaimed materials. The company says the body and case for this version of the LinkBuds S are made from “factory-recovered plastic and reclaimed water bottles.” The recycled materials are what give the exterior surfaces a marble pattern. The new Earth Blue variant will be available at the end of October.

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The Starlink service for RVs gives you a way to stay connected online even while you’re off the grid, but it comes with one big limitation: It can’t be used while in motion. Now, SpaceX has launched a new variant of Starlink for RVs called “Flat High Performance” that you can use on moving vehicles. You just have to be willing to pay almost five times as much for the dish needed to be able to access the service. 

The Flat High Performance Starlink for RVs was designed for in-motion use, with a bigger rectangular terminal that can see 35 percent more sky than its standard counterpart. It also has enhanced GPS capabilities, giving the dish the power to connect to more satellites, which enables connection to the Starlink internet even while a vehicle is on the move. The terminal features improved weather resistance and better performance in both hot weather and snow, as well. Unlike the standard version that can be placed on the ground, though, the Flat High Performance dish must be permanently installed on top of your RV.

SpaceX is already taking pre-orders for Flat High Performance in select markets and will start deliveries in December. Take note that its hardware kit, which includes its dish and mount, will set you back $2,500. The standard Starlink for RVs only requires an upfront payment of $599 for its kit. The service itself costs $135 a month just like the standard version, which is $25 more than a regular Starlink connection. You can pause (and un-pause) the service anytime, though, so you won’t have to pay for those months when you don’t use it. 

 

OM System has launched its first camera that doesn’t carry the Olympus name, the $1,200 OM-5 — and it looks a lot like the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III, other than a few tweaks. It has the same sensor and video specs, but wears a new weatherproof body and updated processor that delivers improved autofocus and other features.

Other than the new body, the OM-5 looks nigh-on identical to the past model. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the E-M5 III has good handling with a generous complement of mechanical controls in a relatively light body. But it’s also three years old, so a bigger grip would have been welcome, for instance. On the plus side, OM System has given it IP53 dustproof and splashproof protection, so you can use it in more extreme conditions. 

It also carries the same 20.1-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, 121-point hybrid phase and contrast-detect AF system and 2.36 million-dot electronic viewfinder. The rear 1.05 million dot fully articulating display, battery and single card slot are also identical to the last model. Shooting speeds match the previous model at 6fps/10fps in mechanical/electronic shutter modes with autofocus enabled — somewhat anemic compared to the competition. 

However, the updated TruePic IX processor and better IBIS unit gives the OM-5 updated image processing, with image stabilization now up to 7.5 stops compared to 6.5 before. OM System also introduced a 50-megapixel handheld high-res shot mode, live ND mode and “Starry Sky” AF. Plus, you get improved face and eye detection for more distant subjects, but it lacks the new AI subject detection smarts of the OM-1. 

On the video side, it still shoots 4K 30p video as before, but can now handle super-slow-mo 1080p at 120 fps. It also adds the OM-Log400 Profile for improved dynamic range. OM System got rid of the 30 minute recording limit, so you can now shoot video for as long as your card or battery will hold out.

Overall, it’s a pretty tame upgrade for a three-year-old camera and is in tough against rivals like Canon’s $960 EOS R10, which has a bigger sensor, better shooting speeds and superior video specs. Still, if you’re set on mid-range Micro Four Thirds camera, it arrives in November for $1,200 (body only) or $1,600 with the 12-45mm F4 PRO lens. 

 

At WWDC 2022 earlier this year, Apple announced a bunch of gaming improvements rolling out with iOS 16, including support for Nintendo’s Joy-Con and Pro controllers. Now, you’ll also be able to use Nintendo’s modernized retro gamepads with your iPhones, iPads, Mac computers and even Apple TVs. Developer Steven Troughton-Smith has discovered that iOS 16.1 and tvOS 16.1 supports Nintendo’s SNES-style Switch controllers, a modern version of their classic counterparts with wireless connection and a USB-C port for charging. 

In his tweet with a video demonstrating the capability, Troughton-Smith said he believes that the Apple platforms now support the N64 and NES controllers for the Switch, as well. MacStories ran its own tests and confirmed that the SNES-style controllers also work with the iPad OS 16.1 and macOS Ventura. In addition, the publication was able to use the modern N64 controller with Apple’s devices. The gamepads show up in Bluetooth settings when they’re pairing mode like any other device. 

The Apple App Store doesn’t support video game emulators, so you’ll still have to fire up your Switch to play your games for the console and its subscription service. But as AppleInsider notes, you can use these gamepads for the Apple Arcade and other supported titles in the App Store. 

 

Spotify launched its audiobook business just last month with 300,000 titles, but is now saying that Apple is engaging in “anticompetitive” behavior that is impinging the new business, the company wrote in a blog post. It said that Apple rejected its audiobook purchasing system three times due to a violation of its rules. To comply, it had to hide the price of the audiobooks and do sales outside of the main app via an email link.

All of that makes it harder for Spotify to compete, as users can’t easily compare prices. “[This] harms not only consumers, but, this time, also authors and publishers who now find themselves under Apple’s thumb.” It’s also highly inconvenient for buyers used to simply clicking on a link to buy an audiobook.

Spotify’s audiobooks could have easily been accepted if the company had followed the App Store rules, Apple told The New York Times. “We provided them with clear guidance on how to resolve the issue, and approved their app after they made changes that brought it into compliance,” an Apple spokesperson said.

Spotify could also have sold its audiobooks through the App Store’s purchasing system, but Apple would then take a 30 percent cut — putting Spotify’s audiobooks at a considerable disadvantage against Apple Books. “With our Audiobooks launch, Apple has once again proven just how brazen it is willing to be with its App Store rules, constantly shifting the goalposts to disadvantage their competitors,” said Spotify CEO Daniel Ek.

Spotify is already in a battle with Apple over music subscriptions, having said that its 30 percent commission harms consumers. The European Commission issued Apple with a Statement of Objections after concluding that Apple was in possible breach of EU laws, but has yet to reveal a final verdict. “Almost four years. That’s how long it’s been since Spotify filed a complaint against Apple with the European Commission, and we are still waiting on a decision,” said Ek. 

 

When the European Parliament voted in favor of making USB-C the common charging standard in the region, it was pretty obvious which company was going to be the most affected by the mandate. Apple, of course. While the tech giant already has iPad models with USB-C ports, its iPhones still require a lightning connector. Now, in an interview at Wall Street Journal’sTech Live event, Apple’s SVP of worldwide marketing Greg Joswiak has confirmed that the tech giant will be transitioning to USB-C connectors to comply with the EU’s regulation. 

“Obviously, we’ll have to comply.” Joswiak responded when asked by WSJ’s Senior Personal Technology Columnist, Joanna Stern, whether Apple is moving to USB-C. But not before talking about the company’s history with regulation compliance, such as making its phones compatible with hearing aids and how it had to come up with its own solution because existing technology at the time didn’t work. 

Joswiak also talked about how the EU has been pushing for the adoption of micro-USB 10 years ago. Since part of the EU’s concern was that people had to have several adapters with different connectors, Apple made cables detachable so that people can easily switch them out. The executive said the move allowed over a billion people to continue using their lightning cables instead of throwing them out and giving rise to a “bunch of e-waste.”

“We have no choice as we do around the world but to comply to local laws,” Joswiak said. However, he didn’t say whether Apple is only making a different variant for the European market while continuing to sell phones with lightning connectors elsewhere. He also that Apple thinks the approach would have been better environmentally and better for its customers to “not have a government be that prescriptive.” 

Apple also previously cited environmental concerns for not selling power adapters with new devices. The tech giant said that doing so will save 861,000 tons of metal and will also save fuel, since more iPhones can fit in shipping containers. Not everyone was convinced with the company’s explanation, though, and Apple has gotten fined several times in Brazil for removing adapters from iPhone packages. 

Under the new EU mandate, Apple will have to ship iPhones and iPads with USB-C ports in the region by the end of 2024.

 

Gaming creators and streamers will already be familiar with Rode. The company’s microphones and podcastingproducts make good options for those plugging into OBS, YouTube, Twitch and anywhere else you might “go live.” But as of today, there’s a whole new sub brand specifically catering to their needs: Rode X.

The first three products under the new mark include two microphones and a comprehensive desktop app for stream routing and mixing. The mics will look eerily familiar to fans of Rode products, but the company assures us they have been “redesigned internally for optimal performance for streaming and gaming.”

The new mics are the XDM-100 ($249) and XCM-50 ($150). The clue to the difference between them is in the name – D for dynamic, C for condenser (you can read about the difference here). The XDM-100, at least physically, looks like Rode’s Podcaster with a dash of red at the top. The XCM-50 is a condenser microphone that appears to be built on the same platform as the NT-USB Mini and features a distinct red button on the front.

Both microphones are USB only (no XLR), which means you won’t need an audio interface to use them, and they have built-in headphone ports for latency-free monitoring. Which of the two might interest you most will depend on both your preferences and the room where you stream from.

The XCM-50 has a bright sound that will work well for those in acoustically treated, or “softer” rooms. When tested side by side with its NT-USB Mini doppelganger, they do sound incredibly close, but to my ears the XCM-50 is a tiny bit brighter sounding. The NT-USB Mini sounds a shade “closer” by comparison.

The XDM-100 has a more classic “dynamic” microphone sound. While perhaps not quite as well rounded as something like the Shure SM7B or even Rode’s own Podmic, it feels cleaner than the Podcaster that it shares its physical appearance with. If you want a good USB dynamic option, this feels like a competitive choice for the price. Especially once coupled with the new Unify software.

The one thing that a lot of gamers and streamers really need isn’t so much a microphone – there are many options for that – it’s a reliable tool to route all the sounds in your stream, usually some mix of game sounds, chat, music and effects. With Unify, you have a simple software solution that is similar to the routing matrices you find with the GoXLR, the BEACN Mix Create or Elgato’s Wave Link.

Unify creates a couple of virtual audio interfaces on your PC and you can then control which app uses what, and where that sound goes. For example, you probably want your intro music to go out on the stream, but maybe you don’t want it in your headphones? Or maybe you want your audience to hear a YouTube video you’re playing, but not the music you’re streaming. With Unify, you can pipe most things to most places, and then change the levels, or “mix” for each destination also.

Rode has added the ability to record all your audio directly within the app, too. This makes it appealing to more than just streamers. For example, you could use it to record both sides of a Zoom call and be able to feed audio into that call that would otherwise be tricky. The fact that Unify has sound pads for intros and effects means it also works quite well as a software “Rodecaster Pro.”

Unify looks most similar to Wave Link but offers much more fine-grained control. The app isn’t quite as simple as BEACN’s, which lets you access each mix matrix at all times and has a slightly clearer UI. BEACN also benefits from the hardware mixer, too, but there’s no option to record within that app or trigger sound effects.

Where Unify differs from most of its rivals is that you don’t have to buy the company’s hardware to use it. If you just wanted the software features you can pay $5 a month or $45 a year for the app alone. This means you can easily use it with any microphone you have, you’re not beholden to using a Rode (unlike, Wave Link that requires an Elgato mic). If you do buy a Rode X mic, then the software is free. Sadly, if you already own a Rode USB mic, it won’t unlock the software, you’ll be paying like everybody else.

 

Back in July, Samsung began testing a new privacy feature on Galaxy S21 phones in Korea. Dubbed Maintenance Mode, the tool allowed users to secure their personal information – including photos, messages and contacts – when sending their device in for repair. Now Samsung says the feature is ready for primetime.

Starting today, the company has begun rolling out Maintenance Mode to Galaxy devices with One UI 5 installed. Broader availability will follow in 2023. In other words, Galaxy S22 users will receive access to the feature first.

Once Maintenance Mode arrives on your phone, you’ll find the option to enable it within the “Battery and device care” section of the Settings menu. It will create a separate account on your phone for a technician to use while working on your device. In addition to protecting your personal information, Maintenance Mode prevents a technician from seeing what apps you have installed. They can use the Galaxy Store to download any diagnostic software they need, but once they’re done, your phone will automatically wipe any new data and apps. When your phone is back in your possession, you can disable Maintenance Mode by authenticating your identity.

 

It took a while, but you no longer need to use an app just to check on your home through a current-gen Nest camera. As The Vergeexplains, Google has introduced a home.google.com portal in preview that offers web viewing for the latest Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell models. You can’t watch recorded video, but you can catch the live feed, zoom in and turn cameras on or off.

The functionality is rolling out within the next week for battery-powered and wired Nest Cam models (including floodlight, Indoor, Outdoor and IQ variants) as well as the battery-based Nest Doorbell and its two wired counterparts (the Nest Hello and Doorbell second-gen). You can wake any battery devices.

Google already offered a web view for Nest cameras, but that support didn’t carry over to the products released in 2021. General Manager Rishi Chandra told customers a web view would be available this year. It’s not certain what prevented these newer models from simply using the old home.nest.com portal, but it’s safe to say this was frustrating when numerous competing cameras had web support.

Whatever the reason, the web viewer makes recent Nest cameras and doorbells more useful. You can check on the front door or a pet rom your work computer rather than pulling out your phone. Google also stresses that it will continue to add “more popular camera features” over time, so you might not need the mobile app as much going forward.