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Sony has expanded its PlayStation Studios roster with teamLFG, which spun out from Bungie and is working on an “ambitious” incubation project. The studio is based in Bellevue, Washington (where Bungie’s HQ is), though some team members work remotely elsewhere in the US and Canada. The crew includes a mix of industry newcomers and veterans who have worked on the likes of Destiny, Halo, League of Legends, Fortnite and Roblox.

The focus of teamLFG will be on immersive multiplayer games. That’s perhaps not too much of a surprise given the veterans’ experience and that “LFG” stands for “looking for group,” a phrase used by players who are seeking teammates for multiplayer games.

Its first project takes place in “a lighthearted, comedic world set in [a] brand new mythic, science-fantasy universe.” The studio is taking inspiration from platformers, MOBAs, life sims, fighting games and elsewhere for its team-based action title. Since it’s an incubation project, the game is likely quite some time away from seeing the light of day.

Bungie went through a restructuring process last summer, which included 220 people being laid off as it narrowed its focus on Destiny and Marathon. To that end, the company spun out an incubation project to be housed under Sony’s umbrella, which turned out to be this.

The new studio aims to make “action games that players can learn, play and master for countless hours.” That certainly sounds like a live-service game, an area where Sony hasn’t had much luck over the last few years despite trying to focus on such titles. The company has canned several live-service games that were in development, including The Last of Us Online. And then there was the whole Concord disaster. Here’s hoping, for the sake of the workers at teamLFG, things go more smoothly this time around.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/new-playstation-studio-teamlfg-is-working-on-a-multiplayer-action-game-143020198.html?src=rss 

Tesla has started offering a cheaper configuration of its refreshed 2025 Model Y electric vehicle in the US. As first noticed by Electrek, you can now get a Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive Model Y in the US with prices starting at $37,490 if it’s with $7,500 in tax credits. Without tax credits, prices start at $44,990. The automaker was only previously offering the Long Range All-Wheel Drive version in the country for at least $48,990 without tax credits. 

The updated Model Y retains the old version’s proportions, but it has rounder edges and smaller headlights, as well as taillights bookending a redesigned lightbar. It has ambient lighting wrapping around most of the car inside, and it also comes with ventilated seats and a 15.4-inch touchscreen display in the front. Passengers in the backseat have access to a Bluetooth-enabled 8-inch display. The new rear-wheel drive model has an EPA-estimated range of 357 miles on a single charge, 30 miles longer than the all-wheel drive’s 327-mile range. They have the same top speed of 125 mph, but the all-wheel drive has a faster acceleration rate and can go from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. It will take the rear-wheel drive 5.4 seconds to reach 60 mph.

Delivery for the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive Model Y in the US starts in the next three to five weeks. As Electrek noted, the automaker has already started deliveries in China and Europe. Tesla’s sales continue to plunge across Europe, however, and have plummeted to their lowest in years for certain regions, including the UK and Germany. Elon Musk’s politics and his backing of far-right political candidates in the continent have sparked backlash and inspired protests against the company. In addition, Tesla is facing increasing competition from Chinese rivals, such as BYD, which is the best-selling EV car brand from the country. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-starts-selling-cheaper-model-y-evs-in-the-us-124506011.html?src=rss 

Sonos and IKEA are ending their partnership and phasing out existing products. The duo collaborated on the Symfonisk lineup, which included lamp speakers, picture frame speakers and bookshelf speakers. Software updates will still be available for Symfonisk products. 

Over the past eight years, we’ve had the pleasure of working closely with IKEA and are proud of what we’ve achieved,” Sonos told Engadget. “Although our work together has largely wound down and we won’t be releasing new products as partners, we’ll continue to support every existing SYMFONISK product so customers can keep enjoying great sound in their homes for many years to come.”

The Symfonisk lineup offered Sonos technology at a cheaper price point than buying its speakers outright. The cheapest speaker directly from Sonos is just under $200, with other models easily doubling or tripling that. Symfonisk speakers, however, are available for as low as $120, while a floor lamp with a speaker — and IKEA’s classic bamboo top — is the most expensive item at $300. Items could become even more discounted now that they’re being cleared out. 

Sonos has struggled recently, canceling the release of its streaming video device in March and launching a simply terrible new app in Spring 2024. The latter led to CEO Patrick Spence’s ousting and hundreds of workers being let go. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/sonos-and-ikea-end-their-partnership-130052348.html?src=rss 

Harman International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung, is purchasing the audio business of health technology company Masimo for $350 million in cash. The deal is expected to finalized by the end of 2025, though it’s still subject to regulatory approvals. Samsung purchased Harman International back in 2017 for $8 billion, though it allowed the company to operate as an independent subsidiary. Harman’s brands include JBL, Harman Kardon, AKG, Mark Levinson, Arcam and Revel. If and when the acquisition pushes through, Masimo’s audio brands under Sound United will be added to the list, including Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz and Polk Audio. 

It is unclear if the purchase will lead to layoffs, but it sounds like Harman is taking on Sound United’s employees. “Built on a shared legacy of innovation and excellence in audio technology, this combined family of brands, together with the talented employees of both companies, will deliver complementary audio products, strengthen our value proposition and offer more choices to consumers,” said Dave Rogers, the President of Harman’s Lifestyle division. 

As noted by The Verge, Samsung published a press release, where it briefly talked about the history of the brands it’s acquiring. It mentioned some of Bowers & Wilkins’ most iconic products, such as the Nautilus loudspeaker (pictured above) and its Zeppelin wireless speaker, as well as Denon’s history as an early adopter of the CD player. Harman had a 60 percent market share in portable audio devices last year, and the company is looking to maintain that position with this purchase. “By combining the audio business of Masimo, which is being acquired this time, with Harman’s lifestyle business division, the company plans to solidify its global No. 1 position in the consumer audio market,” Samsung said. Samsung also plans to apply the new brands’ audio technologies to its smartphones, TVs, wireless earphones, soundbars and other devices in the future. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/samsung-is-paying-350-million-for-audio-brands-bowers–wilkins-denon-marantz-and-polk-131514754.html?src=rss 

Amazon has deployed over 750,000 robots to its fulfillment centers over the last decade or so, but now there’s a new, shall we say, more sensitive addition. The company has announced Vulcan, its first robot with a sense of touch. It’s one in a series of new robots introduced today at Amazon’s Delivering the Future event in Germany. 

Vulcan uses force feedback sensors to monitor how much it’s pushing or holding on to an object and, ideally, not damage it. “In the past, when industrial robots have unexpected contact, they either emergency stop or smash through that contact. They often don’t even know they have hit something because they cannot sense it.” Aaron Parness, Amazon director, applied science, stated in the release. “Vulcan represents a fundamental leap forward in robotics. It’s not just seeing the world, it’s feeling it, enabling capabilities that were impossible for Amazon robots until now.” 

Of course, there’s an AI component, with Amazon training Vulcan’s AI on physical data around touch and force. Vulcan also uses algorithms to determine what it can handle, identify different products and find space in the fulfillment center. The machine has “tackled thousands” of objects and tasks, like moving electronics and picking up socks. The system can also learn from its mistakes, with Amazon stating the robot will become more capable as time goes on. 

Amazon, which has faced continual reports of endangering worker safety, also claims it’s introducing Vulcan for efficiency and worker safety. The robot should focus on inventory in the top rows of storage pods, about eight feet in the air, and just above floor level. Theoretically, this means less time employees need to spend on ladders or crouching down, and more time working with product at their level. Amazon says the robot is already in use in Spokane, Washington and Hamburg, Germany. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazons-newest-fulfillment-robot-has-a-sense-of-touch-120050449.html?src=rss