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Meta thrives on ad targeting, but it may have to tone down its use of the technology in Europe. The Wall Street Journalsources claim the EU’s European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has ruled that Meta can’t require users to accept personalized ads. You could opt out of targeted ads on Facebook or Instagram if you’d rather not have the social networks track your activity. You can already decline customized ads using data from third-party apps and sites.

The board’s decision wouldn’t directly force Meta to change. Rather, it would ask Ireland’s Data Protection Commission to apply matching orders. As Meta’s European operations are officially based in Ireland, the company would have to comply.

Both data boards acknowledged that there had been decisions, but didn’t comment on what they entailed. We’ve asked Meta for comment. A spokesperson for the social media giant said it was “too early to speculate,” and that the EU might still offer legal backing for targeted ads. The company argued that it had “fully” engaged with the Data Protection Commission’s inquiries.

If the EU does restrict Meta’s personalization, it could have a significant impact on the company’s bottom line. With fewer users willing to accept targeted ads, there may be fewer people clicking those ads and encouraging advertisers to spend more on campaigns. Meta was already worried about Apple’s App Tracking Transparency, and warned that it might cost $10 billion in sales when it launched in 2021. The reported European measure could also prove costly, especially as it would affect Android and the web.

The EU might not be very sympathetic, as its officials have penalized Meta more than once for purported privacy violations. It faced a $402 million fine in September over allegedly illegal child privacy settings on Instagram, and just last month received a $277 million fine for supposedly inadequate safeguards against data scraping. That’s on top of an investigation into possible collusion with Google on display ads. Simply speaking, the Union is determined to prevent Meta’s data from trading hands without consent.

 

YouTube is rolling out Twitch-style custom global emotes for comments and live chats. Threeindependentillustrators created the first batch of emotes, which are focused on gaming, though it appears that they work on any type of channel. YouTube plans to develop emotes for other types of communities in the future.

To use the emotes, click on the smiling face icon in comments or a live chat. If you have a membership to a channel that offers its own custom emoji, you’ll see YouTube’s global emotes below those. As with Twitch’s emotes, you can start typing the name of a YouTube emote (such as :cat-orange-whistling: or :text-green-game-over:) in the chat and the autocomplete function will show the emote and emoji options. The first emotes also include a buffering icon and text reading “GG” (i.e. “good game”).

Twitch has long offered global emotes in chats. It might take a while before YouTube has emotes with the same level of cultural cachet as PogChamp, Kappa or ResidentSleeper, but it’s off to a decent start.

 

The main thing that has put me off of playing more Valorant over the last couple of years is the length of matches. Riot Games is looking to do something about that with a shorter casual mode that it’s starting to test in the game’s public build.

Matches in the core competitive and unrated (or unranked) modes typically last around 30-50 minutes. Each round can last up to two minutes or so. As such, it can take a while for one team to win 13 rounds and become the victor. Competitive matches can last even longer if the score reaches 12-12, since teams need to win by at least two rounds in overtime if they vote to keep playing.

The new Swiftplay mode has a similar ruleset to Unrated. However, the first team to win five rounds will emerge triumphant. Attackers and defenders will swap sides after four rounds and there’s a sudden-death overtime. Riot says Swiftplay matches should run for around 15 minutes.

There are some tweaks to the economy and how players earn ultimate points to make sure they can still access all the fun stuff in the shorter format. For instance, at the start of each half of a Swiftplay match, you’ll get two ultimate points for free. As such, you might be able to use the game’s most powerful abilities a bit more often.

Although Valorant has other casual modes that don’t last as long as competitive or unrated matches (such as Spike Rush and Deathmatch), Swiftplay brings the ruleset of the core modes into a more condensed format. Riot says it’s a frequently requested mode that should make it easier for folks who don’t have a ton of free time to play more Valorant. It should help other players to get more reps in too.

The Swiftstep beta is going live with today’s 5.12 patch, which also brings in a host of balance changes and tweaks how various abilities interact with each other. Swiftstep will be available on all maps used for the unrated mode and the beta will run until January 10th.

 

Many Elden Ring fans are hoping to hear news of an expansion for the blockbuster title at The Game Awards this week. Publisher Bandai Namco has jumped the gun a bit by announcing a free multiplayer-focused update, which will go live on Wednesday.

The Colosseum update will open up the titular arenas in Limgrave, Leyndell and Caelid, where players can battle it out in “duels, free-for-alls and team fights,” according to a YouTube video description. The colosseums have been in the game since launch, but were inaccessible unless players used mods or other workarounds.

Although Bandai Namco hasn’t revealed a ton of details about the update, having dedicated arenas for player-versus-player (PvP) battles should freshen things up for those who like to duke it out against other humans in Elden Ring. The trailer showed off some three vs. three combat as well. The video also includes text stating that players can “join forces to fight for the Elden Ring.” That suggests there will be more robust co-op options too, though we’ll need to wait until tomorrow for more info.

PvP is one of the main reasons players keep coming back to FromSoftware’s games long after they’ve finished the single-player story, so this update will likely come as welcome news for fans. Still, this announcement doesn’t stop From and Bandai Namco from revealing a more substantial expansion at The Game Awards. Elden Ring is nominated for seven awards at Thursday’s ceremony, including Game of the Year.

 

You don’t need Spotify or a dedicated app to try karaoke at home. Apple Music has introduced a Sing feature that lets you take over the vocals. You can not only adjust the voice levels, but use multiple lyric views depending on what you want to belt out — you can perform a duet or even handle background duties. Apple also notes that the lyric views are now cued to the beat and light up slowly, so it’s easier to know when you should draw out a verse.

The feature will be available worldwide for “tens of millions” of tracks later in December on the new Apple TV 4K as well as recent iPhones (iPhone 11 and later) and iPads (such as last year’s 9th-generation model). Android supports real-time lyrics, but won’t let you adjust vocal levels. Accordingly, Apple Music plans to share more than 50 playlists devoted to songs “optimized” for the Sing feature. Don’t be surprised if karaoke staples from Queen and other artists make the cut.

Spotify rolled out a karaoke feature in June, but with a very different focus. While Apple Music Sing is clearly aimed at parties, its Spotify counterpart is more of a gaming experience that records your voice and rates your performance. Apple tells Engadget its feature doesn’t use microphones at all, so you won’t have to worry if your version of “Islands in the Stream” needs some polish.

There’s no mystery behind the addition. Sing gives you another reason to use Apple Music in group settings — it’s not just for soundtracking your latest soirée. It could also serve as a selling point for the Apple TV, where music has rarely been a major priority. While this probably won’t replace the karaoke machine at your favorite bar, it might offer a good-enough experience for those times when you’d rather stay home.

 

The White House and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing co. (TSMC) have announced plans to build a second chip plant in Arizona, AZCentral has reported. That will boost the company’s investment in the state from $12 billion to $40 billion, while heavily reducing US reliance on semiconductor imports. 

Both TSMC factories combined will produce 600,000 wafers per year. “At scale, these two [plants] could meet the entire U.S. demand for U.S. chips when they’re completed,” the National Economic Council’s Ronnie Chatterji told CNBC. “That’s the definition of supply chain resilience. We won’t have to rely on anyone else to make the chips we need.”

The newly announced factory will produce cutting-edge 3-nanometer chips by 2026. The expansion marks one of the largest direct foreign investments in the US and the largest in Arizona. TSMC recently upgraded its plans at its first facility as well, announcing it will now manufacture 4-nanometer instead of 5-nanometer wafers. The first chips are set to be manufactured there starting in 2024, with Apple and NVIDIA reportedly among the first customers. 

The CHIPS and Science Act allotted $52.7 billion in loans and other incentives, plus billions more in tax credits, to encourage US semiconductor manufacturing investment. The legislation aims to boost private financing in chip manufacturing in the US.

President Joe Biden is set to visit the site of TSMC’s first plant later today, but the White House announced other related news yesterday. The US Department of Commerce and the European Commission are striking a deal to implement an “early warning mechanism” related to semiconductor chain disruptions following a pilot program last summer. The aim is to improve forecasting of semiconductor supply and demand to achieve a balance between the two.

At the same time, the EU and US are implementing a “transparency” mechanism around public support provided to the chip sector. In other words, one side won’t blindside the other with unexpected semiconductor subsidies that could put either at a competitive disadvantage. A similar issue came up during a recent visit by French President Macron, as EU leaders complained that the US Inflation Reduction Act was unfair to non-American companies. 

 

Whether you or someone you love is prone to losing things, or you just want the peace of mind of having a digital helper keep track of your stuff, Tile trackers are solid, inexpensive options that work with both iOS and Android devices. The company is having a holiday sale on Amazon at the moment that knocks 35 percent off a number of its 2022 trackers and bundles. You’ll find the biggest discount on the Tile Sticker, which is down to just under $20, and you can get a pack of three Tile Mates for $53 or a pack of one Tile Mate and one Tile Slim for $40.

All of the Tile devices included in this sale work similarly, but they have different designs. With the Tile Sticker, you’re getting the company’s Bluetooth tracking technology in a tiny disk with adhesive on one side that allows you to stick it to things like your TV’s remote, your eyeglass case and other important items. You can check the Tile’s last known location using its companion mobile app, and if you’re within its 250-foot Bluetooth range, you can use the app to force the device to ring so you can more easily find your stuff. That works in the other direction as well — if you have your Tile on hand, you can double-press its button to ring your phone in the event you misplace that important piece of tech.

Since most features are common throughout the entire Tile lineup, you’ll just have to decide which form-factor is right for you. The Sticker has the benefit of adhesive, while the standard Tile Mate has a keyring hole that makes it easy to attach to your keys. The Tile Slim is roughly the size of a credit card, making it ideal for keeping track of your wallet.

At this point, there are a number of other Bluetooth trackers on the market. Apple’s AirTags are arguably the most popular, and Samsung makes its own trackers for its smartphones, too. But Tile devices are convenient because they’ll work on both iOS and Android devices, so if you’re thinking of gifting the trackers for the holidays this year, you don’t have to know the type of phone your giftee has ahead of time.

Arguably the biggest downside to Tile trackers (if you’re not already put off by privacy concerns) is that most of them have three-year, non-replaceable batteries. Tile does make one model, the Tile Pro, that runs on a one-year, replaceable battery, extending the life of the device as a whole. While it doesn’t show up in Tile’s Amazon sale, it too has been discounted to $25 for the holiday shopping season. If you’re willing to shop elsewhere, you can even get a three-pack of Tile Pros with gift sleeves for $75 at QVC.

Buy Tile Pro at Amazon – $25Buy Tile Pro (3 pack) at QVC – $75

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

 

The long-running squabble between Amazon and HBO appears to be over. Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery have returned HBO Max to Prime Video Channels in the US. Pay $15 per month and you’ll have access to House of the Dragon and other shows from within Prime Video — you won’t have to manage separate apps or subscriptions. This will also provide access to the unified HBO Max and Discovery+ service (possibly called “Max”) when it goes live in 2023. Discovery+ has been on Channels since 2021.

Warner Bros. Discovery strategy chief Bruce Campbell characterized the launch as a simple matter of growth. It makes HBO Max available to “as broad an audience as possible” without compromising the company’s understanding of customer data, he said. Amazon VP Cem Sibay, meanwhile, saw this as fulfilling Prime Video’s goal of offering the “best and widest” mix of premium content.

HBO Max launched in May 2020 without support for Amazon devices due largely to differing stances on how viewers should use the service. At the time, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar wanted HBO Max to be available as a dedicated app on Fire TV devices rather than going through Prime Video Channels. This theoretically gave Warner more control over subscriber data that could improve recommendations and attract more users. Amazon unsurprisingly balked, as Channels support would both enable the largest possible viewership and give the online retailer more control over the experience.

HBO Max came to Fire TV months later, only to leave in 2021 as part of a broader exit for HBO as a whole. The decision cost WarnerMedia five million customers that quarter, and was seen as a short-term sacrifice that would ultimately pay off. HBO, HBO Max and Discovery now have a combined 94.5 million subscribers. While the return to Prime Video Channels doesn’t necessarily represent a full-fledged change in strategy, it suggests Warner Bros. Discovery is no longer afraid of losing full control over its subscriber base.

 

Google is giving its search results on desktop the “continuous scrolling” treatment over a year after launching the feature on mobile. Continuous scrolling will eliminate the need to click “Next” or the page numbers at the bottom of your search results. Instead, Google will automatically load the next batch of results on the page once you’ve scrolled to the bottom of the current list. If you use Google on mobile, the feature will feel very familiar. 

The tech giant has confirmed the rollout to Search Engine Land and told the publication that its website will automatically show up to six pages of results before you need to click a “More results” button to load the next batches. Its arrival on desktop will make the Google search experience more consistent across devices and platforms. “So starting today, we’re bringing continuous scrolling to desktop so you can continue to see more helpful search results with fewer clicks. It’s now even easier to get inspired with more information at your fingertips,” a company spokesperson said. 

Similar to the mobile version of the feature, it will initially be available for English queries in the US and will most likely make its way to more people and more regions in the future. 

 

Yelp is offering users a more refined way to keep tabs on communications with service professionals when they have a problem to fix or want to make some home improvements. Through the Projects tab in the Yelp app, you’ll be able to create, manage and organize jobs. Yelp says that you’ll be able to use the feature to request quotes from businesses, compare prices, message contractors and schedule consultations.

You’ll start a new project when you select Request A Quote. The app will organize each project by the most recent quote requests and there’ll be category-specific icons. It should be relatively easy for folks who have multiple projects on the go to see the status of each one at a glance. You’ll be able to see if you’re still awaiting quotes from some contractors and which businesses have yet to respond to a message or request.

When you get an email notification after a business owner messages you, you’ll be able to click a link in the email that will take you to the Yelp app and automatically log you in if you aren’t already so you can respond. This should remove some of the friction and mitigate some of the stress that comes with managing home projects.

The Projects tab could come in especially handy when you’re moving and are bringing in contractors for a bunch of different jobs. It should be useful for comparing quotes from different service professionals for a single job too.

Yelp is rolling out some changes for businesses as well. A revamped message center will show project titles, the location of the job, timing and message previews. Yelp suggests that this will help service professionals respond to quote and call requests more easily.