Новости за 07.10.2022

It has been two years since EA announced it was working on a replacement for its Origin PC client, and it's now starting to roll out the new app to Windows users. The publisher claims that the EA app, which has just concluded its open beta phase, is its fastest and lightest PC client to date.

Toyota is finally back on track with production of the bZ4x, its first EV. Reutersreports the company has restarted manufacturing of the electric crossover after fixing a defect that could see wheels come loose during hard braking or sharp turns. The company also said it fixed a previously unannounced flaw with poorly installed airbags that could fail or cause injuries.

Like Instagram, Facebook and so many others, Signal is hopping aboard the Stories bandwagon. The privacy-focused messaging app started beta testing an ephemeral Stories feature this week. Users can share videos, images and text-based messages with their friends. Stories will vanish after 24 hours.

Google's latest streaming dongle is so similar to the previous one that when I first opened it up, I experienced a little deja vu. The new Chromecast with Google TV still has a puckish oval design, it comes packaged with an identical remote and even the OS powering everything is (largely) unchanged. The only major difference (at least on the outside) is updated packaging that features a label that says "HD." So instead of supporting 4K displays, this new more affordable Chromecast is aimed squarely... Читать дальше...

Months after reaching a deal, the White House has taken official steps to protect data transfers between the US and European Union. President Biden has signed an executive order directing the government's efforts to implement the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. The approach mainly requires that intelligence agencies "take into consideration" privacy and civil liberties before seeking data, and only conduct surveillance when there's a clearly defined need to address national security concerns.

Amazon's Prime Early Access Sale is coming next week and we've already started to see a number of preview deals pop up. Devices like the Echo Show 5, Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Kindle Paperwhite have been discounted ahead of the event, and we expect to see more deals on Amazon gadgets during the two-day event. You can also pick up either of Samsung's latestfoldables for hundreds of dollars less than usual, or Google's Pixel 6a for only $349. And if you're in need of a new robot vacuum, a handful of Roombas are on sale right now, too. Читать дальше...

Microsoft is holding its customary fall Surface event on October 12th, and this year's presentation may be more jam-packed than most. Rumors have swirled of not just new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models, but a long-overdue Surface Studio refresh and even a mini desktop. But how likely are those to pan out? We'll give you an idea of what to expect.

General Motors, through its GM Defense subsidiary, will build a battery pack prototype for the Department of Defense to test and analyze. The agency's Defense Innovation Unit is seeking a scalable design that can be used in electrified versions of tactical military vehicles.

In many ways the $2,059Pērkons seems like the drum machine sibling of Erica Synths’ SYNTRX. It’s not just that they share a chassis and knobs. But they’re both pricey, niche instruments that focus on having a unique character, rather than cramming in as many features as possible. But, while they’re both compelling yet impractical devices, that’s where the similarities end.

Spotify may be tempering its podcast push. A TechCrunchsource claims the streaming service is cutting 11 original podcasts from its Gimlet and Parcast studios, including How to Save a Planet, Crimes of Passion and (in the second quarter of 2023) Horoscope Today. The cancellations will also involve layoffs of "less than" 5 percent of Spotify's podcast team, with some workers moving to other podcasts.

Cinewhoop drones are all the rage right now, as they can dive and twist and speed through unreachable places to produce spectacular footage. DJI has jumped on that trend with the Avata, an FPV drone that’s far removed from the company’s speedy DJI model actually called the FPV. Instead, the Avata is more about agility and has propeller guards that make it safe to fly around people.

Acer has unveiled a new lightweight laptop that targets on-the-go professionals in a world where more and more people are choosing to work from home or away from the office. The Swift Edge is a 16-inch OLED laptop with a magnesium-aluminum chassis that's only 0.51-inch thin and only weighs 2.58 pounds. That's lighter than the 13.6-inch M2 MacBook Air that weighs 2.73 pounds or the 16-inch LG Gram that weighs 2.62 pounds. 

This week, Cherlynn, Devindra and Engadget’s Sam Rutherford dive into everything we learned at Google’s Pixel 7 event. Sure, it’s nice to have new phones, but it’s even nicer to see Google developing a cohesive design for all of its new devices. The Pixel Watch actually looks cool! And while we were ready to knock the (way too late) Pixel Tablet, its speaker base seems genuinely useful. Google may have finally figured out how to combine its software and AI smarts with well-designed hardware.

Meta is warning 1 million Facebook users that their account information may have been compromised by third-party apps from Apple or Google’s stores. In a new report, the company’s security researchers say that in the last year they’ve identified more than 400 scammy apps designed to hijack users’ Facebook account credentials.

Amazon's Scout robot, a small machine that looks like a cooler and can navigate sidewalks, won't be delivering anybody's packages anymore. The e-commerce giant has shut down field testing for the experimental machine and is "reorienting" the program. According to Bloomberg, the Scout team has been disbanded and most of its 400 members will be offered new positions within the company. Amazon spokesperson Alisa Carroll told Reuters that the company will not be abandoning the project completely.... Читать дальше...

Google started teasing its Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones, the Pixel Watch and even the Pixel Tablet months ago. Finally, we’ve got all the specs (and prices). The Engadget team even got to briefly test everything but the tablet – which is coming out next year.

Meta has sued companies doing business as "HeyMods," "Highlight Mobi" and "HeyWhatsApp" for stealing over a million accounts using unofficial WhatsApp Android apps, Bleeping Computer has reported. The malware-infested apps were available on several APK sites and even the Google Play Store, according to the complaint. 

In 2020, Apple was hit with a record €1.1 billion fine ($1.2 billion at the time) in France over antitrust practices with two wholesalers. Now, the Paris court of appeals has reduced the penalty by two thirds to just €371.6 million ($364.6 million today), Reuters has reported. The court ruled that the original fine was "disproportionate," and reduced it to an amount "sufficient to guarantee that the penalties are repressive and dissuasive."

Binance temporarily suspended fund transfers and other transactions on Thursday night after it discovered an exploit on its Smart Chain (BSC) blockchain network. Early reports said hackers stole cryptocurrency equivalent to more than $500 million, but Binance chief executive Changpeng Zhao said that the company estimates the breach's impact to be between $100 million and $110 million. A total of $7M had already been frozen.

With a solid blend of power and portability Apple's 2021 iPad Mini tablet is a popular choice — but it's not exactly an impulse buy at $500. If you've been eyeing one, the 64GB model is now on sale at Amazon for $400 (20 percent off) in three colors, matching the lowest price we've seen. 

Tesla's long-delayed semi-truck has started production, and the company will begin making deliveries as soon as December 1st, Elon Musk has announced on Twitter. When the automaker unveiled the Tesla Semi way back in 2017, it expected to start manufacturing the electric big rigs by 2019. While that obviously didn't happen, Musk told employees in an email back in early 2020 that the vehicle was already in limited production and that it was "time to go all out and bring the Tesla Semi to volume production." In April that year... Читать дальше...

The Twitter v. Elon Musk trial is now on hold as the two sides work to hammer out a deal for Musk to complete his buyout of the social media company. On Thursday, Judge Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick, Chancellor of Delaware’s Chancery Court, stayed the trial until October 28th, following a motion from Musk's lawyers to call off the trial.

The Sun might be a solitary star in our solar system, but around half of all other stars in the Milky Way are part of binary systems, in which two orbit each other. These can have incredibly fast orbital periods — scientists have found two white dwarfs that take just 5 minutes and 21 seconds to orbit each other. Another binary system is notable for a different reason: one star is feasting on the other.