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Say goodbye to Boomerang, the streaming service dedicated to classic cartoons
Warner Bros. Discovery is shuttering Boomerang, a streaming service dedicated to classic cartoons, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The platform started as a digital cable channel back in 2000 before expanding to a streaming platform in 2017.
Boomerang will officially cease operations on September 30, giving subscribers around two months to quickly binge every Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry and Scooby-Doo cartoon. However, some content will be folded into Max. The linear channel will continue to operate via cable and satellite providers, reaching an estimated 26 million homes.
Additionally, Boomerang subscribers will be grandfathered into Max’s ad-free tier “with no change” to the subscription price “until further notice,” according to an email sent to users. That’s a dang good deal, as Boomerang costs $6 per month and Max’s ad-free plan currently costs $17 per month.
Max
Max, however, is already home to much of the same programming as Boomerang. This includes Looney Tunes shorts, several Scooby-Doo shows, Tom and Jerry and The Flintstones, among others. It’s also home to the entire catalog of Cartoon Network shows and plenty of DC animated series, like Harley Quinn.
The company hasn’t specified which shows and movies would be making the move to Max, simply telling subscribers that “some Boomerang content may not be available” after September 30.
Boomerang isn’t the only cartoon-adjacent streaming platform on the chopping block. Kid-friendly Noggin shut down earlier this year after layoffs at parent company Paramount Global. On the upside, Disney+ has plenty of cartoons, given the pedigree, and the same goes for Netflix and Prime Video.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/say-goodbye-to-boomerang-the-streaming-service-dedicated-to-classic-cartoons-182127381.html?src=rss
Turkey has blocked Instagram amid a dispute over Hamas-related content
Instagram is blocked in Turkey amid a dispute over Hamas-related content on the platform. The app has been inaccessible in the country since Friday morning. Netblocks, an organization that tracks internet and social media outages, confirmed that Instagram had been restricted in the country.
Turkish regulators didn’t specify why the block was in place but, as Bloomberg reports, the crackdown on Instagram appears to be related to its handling of Hamas-related posts on the platform. On Friday, Turkey’s head of communications Fahrettin Altun, said in a post on X that Instagram “is actively preventing people from posting messages of condolences” for Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader who was killed earlier this week.
Meta hasn’t publicly commented on the block.
It’s not the first time Turkish authorities have blocked a major social media service. Twitter was briefly blocked in the country last year following a devastating earthquake that killed thousands of people. YouTube and Twitter were also blocked in 2014.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/turkey-has-blocked-instagram-amid-a-dispute-over-hamas-related-content-175934777.html?src=rss
The PlayStation 5 is $50 off, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals
It's Friday, which means it's time for another roundup of good tech deals. Our latest edition is headed up by a few notable discounts from the PlayStation Store's Summer Sale. Both the standard and digital versions of the PS5 are $50 off, for one — not a huge price drop, but still about as low as we usually see the consoles fall. The soon-to-be-improved PlayStation VR2 is down to $349, a $200 discount, while a number of our favorite PS5 games are also on sale. Beyond that, Apple's entry-level AirPods are back down to a low of $70, several Amazon Echo devices are available for the prices we saw during Prime Day and Google's Pixel 8a is at a new low ahead of the company's big Pixel hardware event later this month. Here are the best tech deals from this week you can still buy today.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-playstation-5-is-50-off-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-170024467.html?src=rss
Tesla sued over fatal Autopilot crash
Tesla is facing yet more legal action over Autopilot after the parents of a motorcyclist who was killed in a crash involving a Model 3 sued the company. The plaintiffs, who also sued the driver of the Tesla, claimed that the car's driver assistant tech and other safety measures are “defective and inadequate.”
The plaintiffs argued in the complaint, which was obtained by Reuters, that Autopilot sensors and cameras “should have identified the hazard posed by" the motorcycle. Autopilot was engaged when the Model 3 struck the back of Landon Embry's motorcycle at 75-80 miles per hour in Utah in 2022. Embry died at the scene.
His parents also claim the Model 3 driver was tired and that "a reasonably prudent driver, or adequate auto braking system, would have, and could have slowed or stopped without colliding with the motorcycle." Tesla does not have a public relations department that can be reached for comment.
This is the latest in a long line of legal and regulatory issues that Tesla has contended with over the Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features. Just this week, Washington state investigators determined that a Tesla Model S involved in a fatal crash with a motorcycle in April had Full Self-Driving engaged at the time.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-sued-over-fatal-autopilot-crash-164723952.html?src=rss
https://www.engadget.com/tesla-sued-over-fatal-autopilot-crash-164723952.html?src=rss
Watch THQ Nordic's digital showcase at 3PM ET
THQ Nordic is holding a livestream showcase event at 3PM ET and you can watch it live via the YouTube embed placed below. If YouTube isn’t your bag, the event will also stream on the company’s Twitch channel and its Steam page.
The company says the digital showcase will offer updates on a bunch of games, like Titan Quest II, Way of the Hunter, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed and the upcoming remake of Gothic 1. The press release does suggest that there will be more games spotlighted during the event, but didn’t name names. It also says there will be “new announcements.”
There’s a car-shaped elephant in the room here. The press release advertising the event is titled “The day of (W)reckoning is at hand.” This is almost certainly a reference to the company’s long-gestating racing franchise Wreckfest. Are we getting a sequel or maybe a remake? Time will tell.
Not that much time though. The stream officially starts at 3PM ET, but there’s a pre-show at 2:45 ET hosted by HandyGames. This subsidiary of THQ Nordic is responsible for titles like Lock’s Quest and Townsmen - A Kingdom Rebuilt, among others.
One final thing. If you’re into puzzles or internet-based mysteries, THQ Nordic did drop a hint about something else that would be covered during the event. The Wheel of Fortune-esque teaser simply says “_ _ e E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.” Make of that what you will.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-thq-nordics-digital-showcase-at-3pm-et-164018041.html?src=rss
https://www.engadget.com/watch-thq-nordics-digital-showcase-at-3pm-et-164018041.html?src=rss
Valorant is now out of beta on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S
After a couple of months of beta testing on consoles to iron out some bugs, Valorant is now properly available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in some regions. You can dive into the free-to-play tactical shooter on the consoles if you're in the US, Canada, Europe, Japan or Brazil. Riot plans to open up the game to console players in other regions down the line.
Riot says it optimized the gameplay for consoles, which included the addition of a new Focus shooting mode that's a bit like hipfire, but with lower sensitivity for greater precision. There won't be any support for crossplay between PC and consoles so as to maintain competitive integrity, but you will have access to all your purchased or earned cosmetics and there will be shared progression across all platforms. Riot also notes that there will be parity between all platforms in terms of balance changes and added agents, maps, premium content and other features.
"We believe there are millions of players that would love to play Valorant, but currently can’t, and we hope to change that with bringing Valorant to consoles," Valorant production designer Arnar Gylfason said in a statement. "We aim to provide them the joy of the Valorant experience and all it entails: a core tactical shooter gameplay focused on mastery and player expression, a team-based competitive environment where match quality and fairness comes first, our amazing ecosystem with a unique style, high-quality cosmetics and a thriving community that values personal and competitive identity."
This is a significant step for Riot as Valorant is its first live-service game on console — the likes of League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics remain PC-only. However, the publisher plans to bring its upcoming LoL-based fighting game 2XKO to PlayStation and Xbox as well.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/valorant-is-now-out-of-beta-on-playstation-5-and-xbox-series-xs-160016521.html?src=rss
Nintendo profits fall 55 percent as people save their cash for the Switch 2
People are so excited for the next-gen Switch, they're likely holding off on buying Nintendo's current consoles and games. At least that's what the company's latest earnings report seems to indicate. For the quarter ending on June 30, Nintendo posted a net profit of 80.9 billion Japanese Yen, which is higher than its forecast but over 50 percent lower than its net profit for the same period last fiscal year. In addition, the company said it only sold 2.1 million Switch consoles for the quarter. That means it experienced a 46.3 percent decline on unit sales year-on-year. Even its games didn't sell well, seeing as Nintendo posted a software sales figure that's 41.3 percent lower than last fiscal year's at 30.64 million units sold.
In its report, Nintendo admits that the low sales figures for games was caused by the lack of big releases, such as the previous year's The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The Super Mario Bros. Movie also helped "energize" its business back then. But since hardware sales for this quarter are similar to the previous one's, Nintendo considers its Switch sales to be stable.
Nintendo is expected to launch its "Switch 2" console soon. It was expected to come out sometime this year, but according to reports published in the previous months, it will be released in early 2025 instead. There's still very little known about the upcoming console, but rumors say it will have backwards compatibility, as well as 4K capabilities.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-profits-fall-55-percent-as-people-save-their-cash-for-the-switch-2-140019403.html?src=rss
Nintendo profits fall 55 percent as people save their cash for the Switch 2
People are so excited for the next-gen Switch, they're likely holding off on buying Nintendo's current consoles and games. At least that's what the company's latest earnings report seems to indicate. For the quarter ending on June 30, Nintendo posted a net profit of 80.9 billion Japanese Yen, which is higher than its forecast but over 50 percent lower than its net profit for the same period last fiscal year. In addition, the company said it only sold 2.1 million Switch consoles for the quarter. That means it experienced a 46.3 percent decline on unit sales year-on-year. Even its games didn't sell well, seeing as Nintendo posted a software sales figure that's 41.3 percent lower than last fiscal year's at 30.64 million units sold.
In its report, Nintendo admits that the low sales figures for games was caused by the lack of big releases, such as the previous year's The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The Super Mario Bros. Movie also helped "energize" its business back then. But since hardware sales for this quarter are similar to the previous one's, Nintendo considers its Switch sales to be stable.
Nintendo is expected to launch its "Switch 2" console soon. It was expected to come out sometime this year, but according to reports published in the previous months, it will be released in early 2025 instead. There's still very little known about the upcoming console, but rumors say it will have backwards compatibility, as well as 4K capabilities.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-profits-fall-55-percent-as-people-save-their-cash-for-the-switch-2-140019403.html?src=rss
The Google Pixel 8a drops to a new low of $399
Our pick for the best budget Android phone is looking even better right now as the Google Pixel 8a has dropped to a new all-time-low price. You can pick up the device for $399. That's 20 percent off the regular price, and it's even lower than any of the deals we saw for it during Prime Day.
The Pixel 8a has the same Tensor G3 chip as the rest of the Pixel 8 lineup, which means you get access to the same AI features that its higher-end siblings have. We're fans of the cameras, 120Hz OLED display and battery life too (it lasted 20-and-a-half hours on our video rundown test). IP67 dust and water resistance is definitely welcome as is Qi wireless charging, even if it's not the fastest at a max capacity of 7.5 watts. Add all of that up and it's little surprise that the Google Pixel 8a earned a score of 90 in our review.
But that's not all, folks. The rest of the Pixel lineup is on sale too. The standard Pixel 8 with 128GB of storage is $499, which is $200 off the regular price. We gave that model a score of 90 in our review.
The Pixel 8 Pro pipped that, however, with a score of 93. That's our pick for the best Android phone on the market right now, and you can pick up one with 128GB of storage for $699, or $300 off.
This all comes with one key caveat in that Google is set to unveil the Pixel 9 lineup later this month. Those are expected to have more fancy features (some of which will come to Pixel 8 devices eventually), a more deeply integrated Gemini AI chatbot, an upgraded chipset and a revamped camera system. If you want the latest Pixel device — which will come with an extra year of software support — it'll be worth holding off for a couple of weeks. However, if you need a new phone of the Android variety right now, you can't really go wrong with any of the above options.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-google-pixel-8a-drops-to-a-new-low-of-399-135125969.html?src=rss
https://www.engadget.com/the-google-pixel-8a-drops-to-a-new-low-of-399-135125969.html?src=rss
Intel makes good on CPU instability issues by extending warranties by two years
Intel is extending the warranties for its controversial Core 13th and 14th-gen processors by two years, it has announced in a community post. The company says it will share more details in coming days, but for now, customers just waiting for their computers to conk out can at least know that they may not have to spend money to replace their processors. Intel revealed in July that after extensive analysis, it found that elevated operating voltage was causing these particular processor models' instability issues for a lot of people.
A microcode algorithm has apparently been sending incorrect voltage requests to the processor, causing users' computers to crash. The company is working on a patch that it plans to release in mid-August, but for some people, it may be too late: As Tom's Hardware notes, the patch will not fix processors that are already crashing. An indie gaming studio called Alderon Games reported that based on its personnel's observations, the processors' failure rate is 100 percent. Even CPUs that work well deteriorate and fail in the end. That's why an extended warranty is very much welcome, especially since some models only have a year-long warranty.
"Intel is committed to making sure all customers who have or are currently experiencing instability symptoms on their 13th and/or 14th Gen desktop processors are supported in the exchange process," the company wrote in its announcement. It also admitted that "this has been a challenging issue to unravel and definitively root cause." For now, Intel advises those who purchased systems from computer manufacturers to reach out to the brand's support team. Meanwhile, people who purchased boxed CPUs for their PCs can contact Intel's customer support.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/intel-makes-good-on-cpu-instability-issues-by-extending-warranties-by-two-years-130010567.html?src=rss
Court blocks the FCC's efforts to restore net neutrality... again
The Federal Communications Commission's voted to restore net neutrality protections back in April, but the process isn't as smooth-sailing as its proponents would like. According to Reuters and Fast Company, the Sixth Circuit US Court of Appeals has temporarily blocked the rules from taking effect because the broadband providers' legal case challenging their reinstatement will likely succeed. A group of cable, telecom and mobile internet providers sued the FCC shortly after its three Democrat commissioners voted to restore net neutrality protections
Under net neutrality rules, broadband services are classified as essential communications resources. That gives the FCC the power to regulate broadband internet and to prohibit providers from offering paid prioritization, which some ISPs have been using to charge bandwidth-heavy companies like Netflix additional fees. It will also prevent ISPs from blocking or slowing down traffic to specific websites.
Net neutrality's opponents have long argued that the rules will put off investors. The group of providers that filed this recent case against the FCC said the rules' reinstatement would force them to "forego valuable new services, incur prohibitive compliance costs and pay more to obtain capital." In its decision, the court wrote that the "commission has failed to satisfy the high bar for imposing such regulations and that "net neutrality is likely a major question requiring clear congressional authorization."
The commission originally approved net neutrality rules back in 2015, though they have been in the works for years before that. Under the Trump administration, however, the FCC had voted to roll back the rules and to reclassify broadband internet services back to Title I, which means the agency would have less oversight on the industry. The rules were supposed to take effect on July 22 after the FCC voted to reinstate them, but a court blocked them from taking effect until August 5. Now, net neutrality's proponents will have to wait even longer. The appeals court has scheduled oral arguments discussing the issue for late October or early November, before or during the 2024 US presidential election.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/court-blocks-the-fccs-efforts-to-restore-net-neutrality-again-123029311.html?src=rss
Court blocks the FCC's efforts to restore net neutrality... again
The Federal Communications Commission's voted to restore net neutrality protections back in April, but the process isn't as smooth-sailing as its proponents would like. According to Reuters and Fast Company, the Sixth Circuit US Court of Appeals has temporarily blocked the rules from taking effect because the broadband providers' legal case challenging their reinstatement will likely succeed. A group of cable, telecom and mobile internet providers sued the FCC shortly after its three Democrat commissioners voted to restore net neutrality protections
Under net neutrality rules, broadband services are classified as essential communications resources. That gives the FCC the power to regulate broadband internet and to prohibit providers from offering paid prioritization, which some ISPs have been using to charge bandwidth-heavy companies like Netflix additional fees. It will also prevent ISPs from blocking or slowing down traffic to specific websites.
Net neutrality's opponents have long argued that the rules will put off investors. The group of providers that filed this recent case against the FCC said the rules' reinstatement would force them to "forego valuable new services, incur prohibitive compliance costs and pay more to obtain capital." In its decision, the court wrote that the "commission has failed to satisfy the high bar for imposing such regulations and that "net neutrality is likely a major question requiring clear congressional authorization."
The commission originally approved net neutrality rules back in 2015, though they have been in the works for years before that. Under the Trump administration, however, the FCC had voted to roll back the rules and to reclassify broadband internet services back to Title I, which means the agency would have less oversight on the industry. The rules were supposed to take effect on July 22 after the FCC voted to reinstate them, but a court blocked them from taking effect until August 5. Now, net neutrality's proponents will have to wait even longer. The appeals court has scheduled oral arguments discussing the issue for late October or early November, before or during the 2024 US presidential election.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/court-blocks-the-fccs-efforts-to-restore-net-neutrality-again-123029311.html?src=rss
PowerWash Simulator's developers accidentally gave Steam players a free update
The surprise 2022 hit PowerWash Simulator has already seen loads of extra content like a DeLorean car washing DLC and even a special edition to aid mental health research. However, the latest update gave users more than developer FuturLab bargained for, according to a recent post on X.
The company released a cruise ship DLC yesterday (Summer Seasonal 2024), but multiple users on Steam complained that they couldn't play it. While a fix was being readied, an upcoming level called "Muckingham Files 4" was somehow released for free onto Steam. Consequently, users on that platform (and no others) can now play both both levels.
Some of you may have noticed that we messed up our Summer Seasonal release a tiny bit. This is now fixed 💦
Due to this tiny little mishap, the Muckingham Files 4 released a little earlier than planned for Steam players
As this is Steam only (for now, sorry) please just pretend… pic.twitter.com/JxJpc7BMI7
— PowerWash Simulator (@PowerWashSim) August 1, 2024
The Summer Seasonal release lets you make a rusty, grubby cruise ship sparkle again. Meanwhile, Muckingham Files 4 lets users blast graffiti off the vandalized mansion of crypto enthusiast Devon King or clean the firefighting plane of Floraine Perez following a flight over "Mount Rushless."
Much like certain YouTube videos, PowerWash Simulator provides the simple but satisfying experience of blasting gunk off of different objects and... nothing else, really. Folks on Steam get to double up the fun this month, but FuturLab apparently doesn't want them to rub it in the faces of other platforms' users. "Just pretend it didn't happen," the developer advised.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/powerwash-simulators-developers-accidentally-gave-steam-players-a-free-update-120056355.html?src=rss
The Morning After: What we’re expecting at Google’s 2024 Pixel event
Thanks to a string of leaks and Google’s own teases — usually following said leaks — we know we’ll get the official reveal of the Pixel 9 lineup.
The Pixel 9 and 9 Pro will be straight-up successors to the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro but rumors suggest Google will add a Pixel 9 Pro XL, with a larger screen. All three of the phones are expected to have a redesigned, chonky camera module and possibly even a new chipset.
Engadget
Alongside all those phones, we’re expecting a lot more news on Gemini, Google’s flavor of AI powered assistant, and Android 15. Yep, we’re on no. 15 already. More leaks and rumors point to updated smartwatches and wireless buds too. And, dare I say, a new streaming box. The Made by Google event kicks off August 13 at 1PM ET. Plenty of time for more leaks, right?
— Mat Smith
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AI startup says scraping every song on the internet is ‘fair use’
Suno admitted it trained its AI model on copyrighted songs.
In June, music labels Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Group sued music AI startups Udio and Suno, claiming they trained their AI models by scraping copyrighted materials from the internet. In today’s court filing, Suno acknowledged its neural networks do, in fact, scrape copyrighted material. It argued the scraping was all part of a backend tech process to create “non infringing” new products. These don’t contain samples, so where’s the problem? Well, everywhere according to the RIAA, which represents music labels and initiated the lawsuit.
Continue reading.
There’s even a problem with the Fortnite version of the Cybertruck
A bug in the Cybertruck–Fornite crossover has now been patched out.
Fortnite
A new DLC pack for Fortnite offered players a chance to drive the Tesla Cybertruck in-game. Now, a week later, several players have posted videos of a glitch when they used the Cybertruck during a match. Art imitates life: Tesla’s real world Cybertruck is contending with issues with its windshield wiper that could reduce the driver’s visibility. Then there was the stuck accelerator pedal recall from April.
Continue reading.
The Republican National Committee loses its legal challenge to Gmail
It claimed it was disproportionately impacted by spam filtering.
A federal judge dismissed a case brought by the Republican National Committee (RNC) against Google over its Gmail service. The suit alleged that Google’s email platform labeled GOP fundraising emails as spam at a higher rate than those from the other side of the aisle. The ruling marks the second case the RNC has lost over allegations of unfair filtering by Gmail. The RNC filed a lawsuit in the same court in 2022. This dismissal with prejudice means it cannot bring the case to another court — but it can still file an appeal against Calabretta’s decision. That is unless the RNC is busy with other things, like, perhaps, a presidential election.
Continue reading.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-what-were-expecting-at-googles-2024-pixel-event-111538002.html?src=rss
The best foldable phones for 2024
Folding smartphones have come a long way since the original Samsung Galaxy Fold came out in 2019. They’re smaller, more durable and, even if they aren’t exactly the most budget-friendly phones, they’re more affordable now, too. Whereas you may not have considered a foldable phone as your daily driver five years ago, they’re much more viable options today — and you have many more to choose from. If you’ve been toying with the idea of switching to a folding phone, or you’re ready to upgrade the foldable you already have, we at Engadget can help with your decision-making process. We've spent hundreds of hours and many days testing and reviewing the best foldable phones on the market right now — here's everything you need to know before picking one up.
Note: For this guide, we’re focusing on devices that are widely available in North America and Europe. That’s because while there are even more options for people who live in Asia (especially China), they are often difficult to buy from abroad and may not support your local carriers.
How we test foldable smartphones
When evaluating foldables, we consider the same general criteria as we do when we’re judging the best smartphones. Devices need to have good battery life (at least a full day’s use), bright displays (peaks of at least 1,000 nits), sharp cameras and responsive performance. That said, foldable phones come in different shapes (and sizes); there are varying designs that may appeal to different types of people.
For those who prefer more compact and stylish devices, flip-style foldables resemble old-school namesakes but with flexible interior displays (typically six to seven inches diagonally) and smaller exterior screens. Alternatively, for power users and people who want to maximize mobile productivity, there are larger book-style foldables (with seven to eight-inch main displays) that can transform from a candy bar-style phone to essentially a small tablet when opened.
Are foldable phones worth it? A note on durability
Aside from their displays, the biggest difference between foldable phones and more traditional handsets is durability. That’s because while some models like the Pixel Fold and Samsung’s Galaxy Z line offer IPX8 water resistance (which is good for submersions of up to five feet for 30 minutes), their flexible screens – which are largely made from plastic – present some unique challenges.
Most foldables come with factory-installed screen protectors. However, unlike regular phones, users are instructed not to remove them without assistance from approved service centers. Thankfully, Samsung does offer one free screen protector replacement for its foldables, while Google charges between $29 and $129 depending on the warranty status of your device. That said, while we can’t do long-term testing for every foldable phone on the market, after personally using the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 each for a year, I’ve found that Samsung’s pre-installed screen protector tends to start bubbling nine to 12 months after purchase. So you’ll probably want to factor in that your foldable may need some sort of servicing after about a year unless you plan on removing the screen protector entirely (which is possible, but goes against most manufacturers' instructions).
Furthermore, foldable phone owners need to be mindful about keeping sharp objects away from their flexible displays, as rocks, keys or even pressing down very hard with a fingernail can leave permanent marks. In the event that you need to get a flexible screen serviced, you’re potentially facing a much higher repair bill when compared to a typical phone (up to $500 or more depending on the model and the severity of the damage). In short, while the ruggedness of foldable phones has improved a lot, they're still more delicate than traditional handsets, which is something you need to account for.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-foldable-phones-160030013.html?src=rss
https://www.engadget.com/best-foldable-phones-160030013.html?src=rss
AI startup argues scraping every song on the internet is 'fair use'
When most tech companies are challenged with a lawsuit, the expected defense is to deny wrongdoing. To give a reasonable explanation of why the business' actions were not breaking any laws. Music AI startups Udio and Suno have gone for a different approach: admit to doing exactly what you were sued for.
Udio and Suno were sued in June, with music labels Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Group claiming they trained their AI models by scraping copyrighted materials from the Internet. In a court filing today, Suno acknowledged that its neural networks do in fact scrape copyrighted material: "It is no secret that the tens of millions of recordings that Suno’s model was trained on presumably included recordings whose rights are owned by the Plaintiffs in this case." And that's because its training data "includes essentially all music files of reasonable quality that are accessible on the open internet," which likely include millions of illegal copies of songs.
But the company is taking the line that its scraping falls under the umbrella of fair use. "It is fair use under copyright law to make a copy of a protected work as part of a back-end technological process, invisible to the public, in the service of creating an ultimately non-infringing new product," the statement reads. Its argument seems to be that since the AI-generated tracks it creates don't include samples, illegally obtaining all of those tracks to train the AI model isn't a problem.
Calling the defendants' actions "evading and misleading," the RIAA, which initiated the lawsuit, had an unsurprisingly harsh response to the filing. "Their industrial scale infringement does not qualify as ‘fair use’. There’s nothing fair about stealing an artist’s life’s work, extracting its core value, and repackaging it to compete directly with the originals," a spokesperson for the organization said. "Defendants had a ready lawful path to bring their products and tools to the market – obtain consent before using their work, as many of their competitors already have. That unfair competition is directly at issue in these cases."
Whatever the next phase of this litigation entails, prepare your popcorn. It should be wild.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/ai-startup-argues-scraping-every-song-on-the-internet-is-fair-use-233132459.html?src=rss
The Cybertruck is causing Fortnite players to get Cyberstuck
Admit it. You kind of knew this was coming. Late last month, a new DLC pack called the Summer Road Trip bundle offered players a chance to drive the Tesla Cybertruck in games like Fortnite and Rocket League. Now a week later, several Fortnite players have posted videos of a glitch that occurs when they use the Cybertruck during a match.
Posts about the Cybertruck glitch appeared on Reddit and YouTube. The glitch happens when you morph a truck into Elon Musk’s boxy behemoth. A bug somewhere in the bundle renders your “Nitro Fists,” the melee weapon that’s pretty much exactly how it sounds, completely useless.
YouTube creator Tabor Hill tested out the glitch when he morphed a truck into the Cybertruck and drove it around for a few seconds. Instead of gently gliding forward into an opponent’s soft face with the Nitro Fists, the gelignite gauntlets caused his character to go into a loud, repetitive twitch.
Of course, this glitch wouldn’t be deliciously ironic if Tesla’s real world Cybertruck didn’t have more glitches than a Max Headroom monologue. Right now, Tesla’s truck is under its latest recall because of issues with a windshield wiper that could reduce the driver’s visibility. That’s on top of the infamous stuck accelerator pedal recall that happened back in April.
We reached out to an Epic Games representative by email for a chance to comment. We’ll add it to the story as soon as we receive a reply.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-cybertruck-is-causing-fortnite-players-to-get-cyberstuck-224015466.html?src=rss
Intel will cut over 15,000 jobs in a sweeping cost-cutting effort
In a crushing quarterly update, Intel disclosed that it will cut more than 15 percent of its workforce. The layoffs, which could impact over 15,000 jobs, are part of the company's $10 billion cost-reduction plan to recover financial stability. Intel posted a second-quarter net loss of $1.6 billion, plunging from the net income of $1.5 billion it reported in the same period of 2023.
CEO Pat Gelsinger addressed employees with a memo acknowledging the scope of today's announcements. "This is painful news for me to share," he said. "I know it will be even more difficult for you to read. This is an incredibly hard day for Intel as we are making some of the most consequential changes in our company’s history."
As well as the job cuts, the cost-reduction plan includes creating separate financial reporting for Intel Products and Intel Foundry. The Intel Foundry branch saw an operating loss of $2.8 billion in Q2, even more than the $1.8 billion operating loss it saw during the second quarter last year. Intel has been in the process of overhauling its foundries to make them more competitive. In the interim, it has had to rely on other companies for some production. TSMC, the same manufacturer used by Apple, Qualcomm and AMD, is producing its new Lunar Lake chips.
The company took an additional hit in the public eye when its 13th- and 14th-generation desktop CPUs began experiencing instability issues. While a fix is expected this month to prevent any further problems, any damage that the microcode errors caused to CPUs appears to be permanent.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/intel-will-cut-over-15000-jobs-in-a-sweeping-cost-cutting-effort-220951016.html?src=rss
Ohio becomes the fifth US state to recognize IDs in Apple Wallet
If you live in Ohio and constantly forget your wallet when you head out for a drive, we’ve got some good news for you: The state of Ohio became the fifth US state to accept driver’s licenses and official state IDs in the iPhone’s Apple Wallet app.
Digital identification in Apple’s wallet app can now be used across Ohio at Traffic Safety Administration (TSA) airport security checkpoints and select businesses and apps. The state is also working on implementing a free age verification app for businesses that require checking customers’ ID, according to WCPO Channel 9 in Cincinnati.
The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles has also created an instructional video that shows you how to add your license or state ID to your Apple Wallet if you’re a resident of the Buckeye State.
Ohio now joins Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland as states that accept and recognize digital licenses and IDs in the iPhone wallet app. If you’re not in one of those states, you may be joining that list soon since 24 other states and Washington DC and Puerto Rico are exploring or in the process of implementing mobile digital license regulations. Seven of those states are currently committed to implementing digital wallet access, according to 9to5Mac.
Google Wallet is also accepted in four states including Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland. Phone users with Android 8 or high can save their IDs to Google Wallet. This feature is not yet available for foldable devices, according to Google’s help section.
Apple added the ability to store driver’s licenses in the digital wallet app with iOS 15 in 2021. Apple Wallet is also recognized as an accepted form of identification or access in other societal sectors. Residents of the UK received an update last year that allows them to see their bank account totals from the Apple Wallet App. The Apple Wallet also allows hotel guests to store their room key cards in the app starting in 2021 with the Hyatt hotel chain.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ohio-becomes-the-fifth-us-state-to-recognize-ids-in-apple-wallet-211807995.html?src=rss
Google's School time feature is coming to Android smartphones
Google is adding support for its School time feature to more hardware. School time allows parents to limit functionalities on a child's devices during predetermined hours. That might be the time they are in classes or for any period where an adult wants to limit screen time. Parents will be able to use the Family Link parental controls app to set School time hours on their kids' select Android phones, tablets and Samsung Galaxy Watches. However, Google hasn't shared any further specifics about which devices in those categories will receive this update. The tool was originally launched on the Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatches in May.
School time is designed to help limit a mobile device's distractions for a young user. When enabled, it sets a dedicated home page with limited notifications. Parents can select which apps remain available, and can allow texts and calls to come through from particular individuals. This encourages focus when it's needed, while still allowing for emergency contact if needed.
Family Link, Google's portal for parents to manage their kids' mobile activity, received a redesign in 2022. And if you're looking for similar features in the Apple ecosystem, check out the Schooltime feature.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-school-time-feature-is-coming-to-android-smartphones-204621597.html?src=rss