Engadget

It's an awkward time to be a PC player. The platform has more games covering more genres than ever, and even standard PC hardware can deliver pristine, photorealistic graphics. At the same time, some of the biggest titles in recent memory have been absolute messes on PC at launch, like Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Redfall, the Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 remakes, and The Last of Us Part I. Unfortunately, it looks like we can add Cities: Skylines II to this list — which means I'm eagerly looking forward to the day when we can look back and say, "Man, remember when this game was broken? I'm glad Colossal Order fixed everything and appropriately apologized to its community." At least, I hope that's what we'll say.

This week's stories Microsoft, macro layoffs 

Three months after closing its purchase of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft fired 1,900 people in its Xbox, ZeniMax and Activision Blizzard divisions. This follows a rash of layoffs in video games in recent months — last year, around 9,000 people in the industry were fired, and already in January nearly 6,000 jobs have been lost. It’s a legitimate crisis. Alongside the layoffs, Microsoft officially canceled Odyssey, the survival game that Blizzard had been working on for six years.

Palworld is the zeitgeist

So far, 2024 is the year of Palworld. The game comes from a small, rookie team and it’s been billed as “Pokémon with guns,” though it’s really more like Ark in terms of gameplay. Whatever reference you pick, Palworld is so popular that it’s No. 2 on the Steam charts for all-time concurrent players, right behind PUBG. With all of this attention, it was only a matter of time before Nintendo stepped in — the Pokemon publisher is investigating Palworld for potential copyright infringement, and we’ll see how that plays out in the coming weeks.

Cities: Skylines II and toxicity

The original Cities: Skylines came out in 2015 and ate up the audience that was left behind by EA’s SimCity, which landed in 2013 and was a busted mess. Cities: Skylines scratched that urban-planning itch, and over the years, developers at Colossal Order worked closely with players to foster a thriving mod community on Steam Workshop. Mods, custom assets and let’s play videos have been a critical aspect of Cities: Skylines’ long-term success.

Last October, after months of marketing collaborations with content creators like Biffa and City Planner Plays, Cities: Skylines II came out — and it was a disappointment to many players. The game was originally pitched as a simultaneous PC and console release, but it’s only available on PC and there’s no concrete timeline for when the other versions will come out. There’s been no word on a Mac or Linux launch. There’s also no official mod support for Cities: Skylines II, and when this feature does land, it will be through the game’s publisher, Paradox, rather than Steam Workshop. On top of all this, Colossal Order raised the game’s minimum and recommended PC specs just a month before release, and the new requirements made it unplayable for a large chunk of players. Even with a capable rig, Cities: Skylines II is riddled with visual and mechanical bugs. Simply put, it feels like Colossal Order pulled a SimCity.

The studio has been steadily rolling out updates, and CEO Mariina Hallikainen acknowledged that the game is missing some promised and highly publicized features, like mod support. But in a recent note to the community, she said the conversation with players was becoming toxic and she called for civility. Hallikainen told Engadget she'd witnessed a surge in personal attacks on developers and other players in forums and on social media.

Community members like Philip, the man behind the YouTube channel City Planner Plays, were surprised to hear the word “toxicity.” He told Engadget he's witnessed an increase in negativity and frustration from players, but not toxicity. For Philip and many other dedicated Cities: Skylines players, the feedback has been justified. They want Colossal Order to take accountability for the state of the release, say they’re sorry, and provide a plan to fix things going forward. Maybe throw in some free in-game perks, too.

Collaboration with the community is what made the original game so successful, and the sequel could certainly benefit from crowdsourced improvements. Hallikainen told Engadget that working with content creators and modders has helped direct the updates to Cities: Skylines II post-launch, and the studio still loves working with these players.

This is only the beginning for Cities: Skylines II. Colossal Order intends to support and expand the game over the next 10 years. The original Cities: Skylines didn’t have all of the bells, whistles and mods when it first came out in 2015, and the sequel is starting in a similar position. Colossal Order sees Cities: Skylines II as a fresh foundation, but its core community expected a more complete experience from the jump — especially people who paid $90 for the Ultimate Edition.

We’ve seen titles like No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 overcome rough launches to become beloved games down the line, and Colossal Order has a solid track record when it comes to long-term support. However, options like early access and paid betas exist for a reason. At the very least, players should know whether they’re spending money to play a new game, or to help finish it.

Now playing

I’ve been playing Persona 3 Reload, and now that embargo has lifted, I can say it's great. Otherwise, my quest to hit Grandmaster in Overwatch 2 continues unabated.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cities-skylines-ii-toxicity-and-more-layoffs--this-weeks-gaming-news-150133540.html?src=rss

Yamaha has a new audio mixer for gamers and streamers. Nearly three years after the launch of the company’s first gaming-specific soundboard, the company’s new ZG02 adds a dedicated USB-C port for gaming consoles, a more streamlined profile and a lower price ($200 compared to the ZG01’s $300).

Yamaha wants to establish its ZG line as more straightforward and accessible than offerings from rival audio companies with gazes similarly fixed on the Twitch and Discord sets (Rode and Roland also court gamers and streamers). “While other game mixing solutions can be cumbersome and complex, the ZG02 offers a more tactile, compact and intuitive mixing experience with customizable effects controls,” Yamaha consumer audio director Alex Sadeghian wrote in a press release.

In addition to its on-the-fly sound, chat and voice adjustments, the Yamaha ZG02 includes competitive gaming “focus” modes and 3D surround sound. It has software-based mic settings and voice effects, including compression, limiter, reverb, pitch and a radio voice filter. In addition, you can assign your favorite shortcuts to its physical buttons in the (free) companion app for Windows and macOS.

The mixer supports gaming headsets with built-in or dedicated mics through an XLR / TRS combo jack on its rear (and has 48V of phantom power for condenser mics). It includes a “versatile USB interface” for Windows and macOS computers, and its console-specific USB-C port works with PS5 / PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

The ZG01 includes a USB driver that lets you route audio to two different apps (for example, Discord and OBS / Streamlabs). Yamaha also touts compatibility with the Elgato Stream Deck lineup. The $200 ZG02 is available starting today in the US at Yamaha’s website.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/yamahas-new-audio-mixer-for-gamers-has-a-simpler-interface-and-cheaper-price-140024235.html?src=rss

MIT biotech researcher Lauren “Ren” Ramlan has run the iconic computer game Doom using gut bacteria. It’s not doing the running of the game, per se, but it is running (barely) on a display inside a cell wall made entirely of E. coli bacteria.

The researcher dosed the bacteria with fluorescent proteins to ensure they lit up like digital pixels, reaching a heady 32x48 resolution. In their paper, Ramlan says “To run Doom, all one needs is a screen and willpower,” mentioning Doom running on the digital display for a pregnancy test.

However, this is not playable. It takes 70 minutes for the bacteria to illuminate one frame of the game and another eight hours to return to its starting state. So, nearly nine hours per frame. Your Switch doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?

— Mat Smith

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The biggest stories you might have missed

OM System’s OM-1 Mark II offers improved autofocus and stabilization

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Microsoft’s gaming revenue was up 49 percent in Q2 Mostly thanks to the Activision deal.

It’s earnings season, so we’re trawling through reports and press releases and suffering earnings calls to eke out what it all means. For Microsoft, it was a boost in gaming revenue, having finally adopted Activision Blizzard. The entire company reported revenues of $62 billion (up 18 percent on last year) and profits of $21.9 billion (a 33 percent increase). Microsoft says its overall gaming revenue increased by 49 percent, 44 points of which came from the “net impact” of the Activision deal. Xbox hardware sales were up only three percent.

Continue reading.

Samsung’s annual profits continue to decline The company is banking on the Galaxy S24.

Samsung still hasn’t recovered from its 2022 decline in profit. In its latest earnings report, it revealed KRW 258.94 trillion ($194 billion) in annual revenue and KRW 6.57 trillion ($4.9 billion) in operating profit for the fiscal year of 2023. That’s markedly less than last year. The company says its memory business — often a money maker — showed signs of recovery but not enough to stop it from incurring KRW 2.18 trillion ($1.63 billion) in operating losses for Q4 2023. Samsung has high hopes for the Galaxy S24 series and believes the devices’ AI capabilities can help its mobile business achieve double-digit growth in 2024. Here’s what we thought of the flagship S24 Ultra.

Continue reading.

The best gaming handhelds for 2024 From portable PC powerhouses to mobile emulation machines. Engadget

There are enough of them now to warrant a guide. Yes, handheld gaming PCs are having a moment and, depending on what you want to play, the right handheld could range from a solid $100 emulation machine to a $700 portable PC more powerful than your existing laptop. My one tip: consider battery life.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-this-is-doom-running-on-e-coli-bacteria-121421476.html?src=rss

Universal Music Group (UMG) is threatening to pull all of its music from TikTok today following a breakdown in negotiations over royalties, the company wrote in an open letter. That would mean TikTok creators would lose access to songs from stars including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, the Weeknd, Drake and others. 

With UMG's deal with TikTok set to expire, the sides have reportedly been in negotiations for the past year. Such deals are worth billions annually to music publishing firms and are typically negotiated every few years. Universal is the world's largest record label, and if does pull it's music from TikTok, it would be the first time this has happened in recent memory.

Universal said TikTok wanted to pay a "fraction" of the rate paid by other social media sites. "As our negotiations continued, TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth." 

In its own post, TikTok said that it serves as a valuable marketing tool for artists and publishers. "Despite Universal's false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent."

TikTok also benefits greatly from access to Universal's catalog and being cut off from access to ultra-popular artists like Taylor Swift would be a blow to creators and users. TikTok's Chinese parent ByteDance has more than 3 billion monthly active users and made $29 billion in revenue in a single quarter ending June 2023, according to The Financial Times. Warner Bros. Music, the number three record label behind Sony Music and UMG, recently struck a deal with TikTok. 

Universal said it does "not underestimate what this will mean for artists and their fans" but that it will not shirk its responsibilities. "TikTok’s tactics are obvious: use its platform power to hurt vulnerable artists and try to intimidate us into conceding to a bad deal that undervalues music and shortchanges artists and songwriters as well as their fans." The company added that payments from TikTok amount to "only about 1 percent of our total revenue."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/universal-music-threatens-to-pull-songs-from-tiktok-over-payment-terms-101528365.html?src=rss

Samsung has failed to recover from the sharp decline in profit it experienced in 2022. In its latest earnings report, the Korean company has reported KRW 258.94 trillion ($194 billion) in annual revenue and KRW 6.57 trillion ($4.9 billion) in operating profit for the fiscal year of 2023. Those are markedly smaller numbers than the previous fiscal year's, especially the latter's — Samsung posted an operating profit of KRW 43.38 trillion ($35 billion) for 2022, which was already $6.9 billion smaller than the year before due to the weak demand for its chips and smartphones. According to The Wall Street Journal, these numbers represent Samsung's weakest earnings in over a decade. 

The company says its memory business showed signs of recovery, but not enough to stop it from incurring KRW 2.18 trillion ($1.63 billion) in operating losses for the fourth quarter of 2023. According to Nikkei, this is the semiconductor division's first annual loss in 15 years since the 2008 global financial crisis, and it's the biggest one yet. Samsung's visual display and digital appliances division also posted KRW 0.05 trillion ($37.5 million) in operating losses despite TV sales doing well in the fourth quarter due to the holiday season. Samsung's mobile business showed a a decline in sales and profit quarter-on-quarter, as well, due to lower smartphone sales and "the fading of new-product effects" from previous flagship models. 

For the first quarter of 2024, Samsung's game plan is to improve its profits "by increasing sales of high value-added products," such as components meant for generative AI products. It expects stronger demand for its chips in the PC and mobile sectors this year, but it admits that its earnings may not significantly recover soon because its customers are still downsizing their inventories. Samsung has high hopes for the Galaxy S24 series, though, and believes the devices' AI capabilities can help its mobile business achieve a a double-digit growth in 2024. The Galaxy S24 phones have already started shipping with prices starting at $800 for the most basic version and at $1,300 for the S24 Ultra. 

Update, January 31, 2024, 6:44AM ET: Added information about the semiconductor division's historic losses.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-annual-profits-continued-to-decline-in-2023-090500640.html?src=rss

In 2018, Tesla awarded Elon Musk a $56 billion pay package that helped propel him to the top of world's richest lists. Now, a judge in Delaware has rendered the deal between the company and the CEO to be invalid and called the compensation an "unfathomable sum" that's unfair to shareholders. As initially seen and reported by Chancery Daily on Threads, the court of Chancery in Delaware has released its decision on the lawsuit filed by Richard Tornetta. The Tesla shareholder accused the automaker of breaching its fiduciary duty by approving a package that unjustly enriches its chief executive.

Judge Kathaleen McCormick wrote in the decision that Musk "enjoyed thick ties" with the directors who were in charge of negotiating his pay package on behalf of Tesla, which means there "was no meaningful negotiation over any of the terms of the plan." The judge also talked about how Musk owned 21.9 percent of the automaker when the package was negotiated. That gave him "every incentive to push Tesla to levels of transformative growth," because he stood to gain $10 billion for every $50 billion in market capitalization increase. 

"Swept up by the rhetoric of 'all upside,' or perhaps starry eyed by Musk’s superstar appeal, the board never asked the $55.8 billion question: Was the plan even necessary for Tesla to retain Musk and achieve its goals?" the judge wrote in the court document. As The Washington Post notes, she ruled that Tornetta is entitled to a "rescission" and has ordered Tesla and its shareholders to carry out her decision and undo the deal. Musk's camp, however, can still appeal her ruling. 

Musk has sold some of his Tesla stocks to help pay for his acquisition of Twitter, now X, from the time his pay package was approved. At the moment, he owns around 13 percent of Tesla, though he recently said that he wants 25 percent control over the company before he's comfortable growing it to be a leader in AI and robotics. 

In response to the court's decision, Musk tweeted: "Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware." He also posted a poll asking followers whether Tesla should change its state of incorporation to Texas, where its physical headquarters are located. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/elon-musks-56-billion-tesla-pay-package-has-been-tossed-out-by-the-court-074235803.html?src=rss

Microsoft posted another blowout earnings report for Q2 of the 2024 fiscal year, with revenues of $62 billion (up 18 percent from last year) and profits of $21.9 billion (a 33 percent increase). But really, the most interesting thing about this quarter is that we finally get to see how the $68.7 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition affects the $3 trillion company. While Microsoft isn't breaking out specific numbers, it says that its overall gaming revenue increased by 49 percent, 44 points of which came from the "net impact" of the Activision deal.

The rosy news is a bit surprising, considering that Microsoft announced last week that it was laying off 1,900 people across Xbox and Activision Blizzard. Those layoffs include the rest of Blizzard's esports division, according to reports, following 50 layoffs and a restructuring last summer.  

Microsoft's More Personal Computing division, which includes Xbox, Surface and Windows, was up 19 percent ($16.9 billion) since last year. The company says the Activision deal accounted for 15 points of that increase. It's a huge change for a division that's been severely impacted by dwindling PC sales (which affects Windows licenses and Surfaces) and struggling Xbox consoles. PC device revenues were down 9 percent for the quarter, while Xbox hardware sales were up 3 percent.

Xbox content and services revenue is also up 61 percent since last year, 55 points of which comes from Activision. It'll be interesting to see if Microsoft can actually leverage that acquisition to help Xbox sales, or at the very least, spur on more interest in Game Pass subscriptions. (Unfortunately, we don't have any updates on how that service is doing.)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-gaming-revenue-is-up-49-percent-in-q2-mostly-thanks-to-the-activision-deal-222502444.html?src=rss

A Microsoft manager claims OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 has security vulnerabilities that could allow users to generate violent or explicit images (similar to those that recently targeted Taylor Swift). GeekWire reported Tuesday the company’s legal team blocked Microsoft engineering leader Shane Jones’ attempts to alert the public about the exploit. The self-described whistleblower is now taking his message to Capitol Hill.

“I reached the conclusion that DALL·E 3 posed a public safety risk and should be removed from public use until OpenAI could address the risks associated with this model,” Jones wrote to US Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA 9th District), and Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D). GeekWire published Jones’ full letter.

Jones claims he discovered an exploit allowing him to bypass DALL-E 3’s security guardrails in early December. He says he reported the issue to his superiors at Microsoft, who instructed him to “personally report the issue directly to OpenAI.” After doing so, he claims he learned that the flaw could allow the generation of “violent and disturbing harmful images.”

Jones then attempted to take his cause public in a LinkedIn post. “On the morning of December 14, 2023 I publicly published a letter on LinkedIn to OpenAI’s non-profit board of directors urging them to suspend the availability of DALL·E 3),” Jones wrote. “Because Microsoft is a board observer at OpenAI and I had previously shared my concerns with my leadership team, I promptly made Microsoft aware of the letter I had posted.”

A sample image (a storm in a teacup) generated by DALL-E 3OpenAI

Microsoft’s response was allegedly to demand he remove his post. “Shortly after disclosing the letter to my leadership team, my manager contacted me and told me that Microsoft’s legal department had demanded that I delete the post,” he wrote in his letter. “He told me that Microsoft’s legal department would follow up with their specific justification for the takedown request via email very soon, and that I needed to delete it immediately without waiting for the email from legal.”

Jones complied, but he says the more fine-grained response from Microsoft’s legal team never arrived. “I never received an explanation or justification from them,” he wrote. He says further attempts to learn more from the company’s legal department were ignored. “Microsoft’s legal department has still not responded or communicated directly with me,” he wrote.

An OpenAI spokesperson wrote to Engadget in an email, “We immediately investigated the Microsoft employee’s report when we received it on December 1 and confirmed that the technique he shared does not bypass our safety systems. Safety is our priority and we take a multi-pronged approach. In the underlying DALL-E 3 model, we’ve worked to filter the most explicit content from its training data including graphic sexual and violent content, and have developed robust image classifiers that steer the model away from generating harmful images.

“We’ve also implemented additional safeguards for our products, ChatGPT and the DALL-E API – including declining requests that ask for a public figure by name,” the OpenAI spokesperson continued. “We identify and refuse messages that violate our policies and filter all generated images before they are shown to the user. We use external expert red teaming to test for misuse and strengthen our safeguards.”

Meanwhile, a Microsoft spokesperson wrote to Engadget, “We are committed to addressing any and all concerns employees have in accordance with our company policies, and appreciate the employee’s effort in studying and testing our latest technology to further enhance its safety. When it comes to safety bypasses or concerns that could have a potential impact on our services or our partners, we have established robust internal reporting channels to properly investigate and remediate any issues, which we recommended that the employee utilize so we could appropriately validate and test his concerns before escalating it publicly.”

“Since his report concerned an OpenAI product, we encouraged him to report through OpenAI’s standard reporting channels and one of our senior product leaders shared the employee’s feedback with OpenAI, who investigated the matter right away,” wrote the Microsoft spokesperson. “At the same time, our teams investigated and confirmed that the techniques reported did not bypass our safety filters in any of our AI-powered image generation solutions. Employee feedback is a critical part of our culture, and we are connecting with this colleague to address any remaining concerns he may have.”

Microsoft added that its Office of Responsible AI has established an internal reporting tool for employees to report and escalate concerns about AI models.

The whistleblower says the pornographic deepfakes of Taylor Swift that circulated on X last week are one illustration of what similar vulnerabilities could produce if left unchecked. 404 Media reported Monday that Microsoft Designer, which uses DALL-E 3 as a backend, was part of the deepfakers’ toolset that made the video. The publication claims Microsoft, after being notified, patched that particular loophole.

“Microsoft was aware of these vulnerabilities and the potential for abuse,” Jones concluded. It isn’t clear if the exploits used to make the Swift deepfake were directly related to those Jones reported in December.

Jones urges his representatives in Washington, DC, to take action. He suggests the US government create a system for reporting and tracking specific AI vulnerabilities — while protecting employees like him who speak out. “We need to hold companies accountable for the safety of their products and their responsibility to disclose known risks to the public,” he wrote. “Concerned employees, like myself, should not be intimidated into staying silent.”

Update, January 30, 2024, 8:41 PM ET: This story has been updated to add statements to Engadget from OpenAI and Microsoft.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-legal-department-allegedly-silenced-an-engineer-who-raised-concerns-about-dall-e-3-215953212.html?src=rss

PayPal is laying off nine percent of its workforce, the company’s CEO Alex Chriss told staff in a letter on Tuesday that PayPal made public hours later. The decision will impact about 2,500 employees, who will find out their fate between today and the end of the week, Bloomberg reported earlier. PayPal's layoffs come almost exactly a year after the company fired more than 2,000 workers to keep costs down. 

Despite thousands of job cuts in 2023, layoffs at tech companies have continued into 2024. On the same day as PayPal's latest layoffs, Jack Dorsey's Block, the company that owns Cash App, Foundational, and Square, conducted its second round of layoffs in two months, cutting nearly a thousand people. Earlier this month, Google laid off more than a thousand workers in its Assisstant and hardware divisions, with CEO Sundar Pichai warning employees to brace for more cuts through the year. Discord, eBay, Riot Games, TikTok, Microsoft, iRobot, Amazon, Unity, and Duolingo, among others, have collectively cut thousands of jobs in January

PayPal was one of the earliest companies in online payments industry, but in recent years, rivals like Zelle and tech companies with deep pockets like Apple, have entered the space. The competition in the payments industry is putting pressure on PayPal. Bloomberg noted that four analysts have downgraded the company’s stock this month. The company will "continue to invest in areas of the business we believe will create and accelerate growth," Chriss said in the letter. 

PayPal's layoffs are happening despite the company's strong growth throughout 2023. The company's revenue as of September 2023 was $7.42 billion, an increase of more than eight percent compared to its revenue a year before. It beat earnings expectations and reported a "double digit growth" in the number of transactions that happened over its platform. The Information noted that Chriss, who took over as the company's CEO in September 2023, said in PayPal's last earnings call in November 2023 that its costs were "too high" and were "slowing us down."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/paypal-is-laying-off-2500-employees-214628203.html?src=rss

The CEOs of five social media companies are headed to Washington to testify in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about child safety. The hearing will feature Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, TikTok CEO Shou Chew, Discord CEO Jason Citron and X CEO Linda Yaccarino.

The group will face off with lawmakers over their record on child exploitation and their efforts to protect teens using their services. The hearing will be live streamed beginning at 10 AM ET on Wednesday, January 31.

Though there have been previous hearings dedicated to teen safety, Wednesday’s event will be the first time Congress has heard directly from Spiegel, Yaccarino and Citron. It’s also only the second appearance for TikTok’s Chew, who was grilled by lawmakers about the app’s safety record and ties to China last year.

Zuckerberg, of course, is well-practiced at these hearings by now. But he will likely face particular pressure from lawmakers following a number of allegations about Meta’s safety practices that have come out in recent months as the result of a lawsuit from 41 state attorneys general. Court documents from the suit allege that Meta turned a blind eye to children under 13 using its service, did little to stop adults from sexually harassing teens on Facebook and that Zuckerberg personally intervened to stop an effort to ban plastic surgery filters on Instagram.

As with previous hearings with tech CEOs, it’s unclear what meaningful policy changes might come from their testimony. Lawmakers have proposed a number of bills dealing with online safety and child exploitation, though none have been passed into law. However, there is growing bipartisan support for measures that would shield teens from algorithms and data gathering and implement parental consent requirements.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-the-ceos-of-meta-tiktok-discord-snap-and-x-testify-about-child-safety-214210385.html?src=rss

Block is the latest notable tech company to lay off hundreds of workers, according to reports. CEO Jack Dorsey is said to have informed employees that the company is firing a "large number" of them, with Cash App, Square and the foundational (i.e. operations) teams bearing the brunt of the impact. According to a Business Insider source, Block is letting go nearly 1,000 people.

Dorsey reportedly wrote in his memo that the company is becoming leaner. It laid off around 40 people from the Tidal team in December. Last year, Block said it planned to limit its headcount to around 12,000 workers, a reduction from the around 13,000 it had in late 2023. Engadget has contacted Block for confirmation of the layoffs.

While it was initially expected that the layoffs would take place over a period of months, executives reportedly opted against that in favor carrying them out at the same time. "Why is so much happening in one single day? All of these teams were confident in the direction they're taking, and were ready to take action within the same 2-3 weeks," Dorsey is said to have written in his memo. "We decided it would be better to do [it] at once rather than arbitrarily space them out, which didn't seem fair to the individuals or to the company. When we know we need to take an action, we want to take it immediately, rather than let things linger on forever."

The tech industry has shed tens of thousands of workers over the last year or so, including thousands this month alone across companies including Unity, Twitch, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, eBay and Google. It also emerged on Tuesday that PayPal is firing around 2,500 people. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/block-is-reportedly-laying-off-around-1000-workers-205319045.html?src=rss

OM System (formerly Olympus) has unveiled the OM-1 Mark II with largely the same specs as its predecessor, but several significant upgrades. Those include improved autofocus, particularly on the AI side, along with other quality-of-life improvements to stabilization, handling and more. 

The company has completed its OM System branding change, as there's no trace of the Olympus logo as seen on the OM-1. That said, the cameras are much the same inside. As before, it comes with a 20-megapixel (MP) stacked Micro Four Thirds sensor and TruePix X processor that allows for very fast burst shooting up to 50fps with continuous autofocus.

Those speeds haven't changed, but OM System boosted the camera's onboard RAM, allowing for some new features. The autofocus can now has a "Human detection" option that goes beyond just faces and eyes as before. The company says AF is also faster and more accurate (with and without subject detection), making it better for sports, wildlife and more.

OM System

It also features a deeper buffer, meaning you can shoot 256 RAW frames at 50fps before it fills, around double the OM-1 — ideal for action shooting. And while the previous model allowed for blackout-free shooting at the highest frame rates, it now works at slower speeds as well (12.5fps and 16fps) for photographers who prefer to work that way. 

The company has also used updated algorithms to boost in-body image stabilization up to 8.5 stops with supported lenses, better than any other camera on the market (Canon's latest models boast 8 stops of stabilization). And it now supports 14-bit RAW for multishot high-res mode, both in the 80MP tripod and the 50MP handheld modes, to improve dynamic range. 

One new function is called Graduated Neutral Density (GND) that builds on the previous model's Live ND (LND) mode. The latter isn't a true ND filter, but blends multiple short shots to simulate one. The graduated version lets you shoot a gradient exposure at any angle, while also controlling the mid-point and whether it has a soft, medium or hard edge.

Olympus

The body and control layout is much the same as before, but OM System has rubberized the command dials so they have a more tactile feel and work better when using gloves. That should be helpful, since the OM-1 is popular for bird and wildlife photography in all kinds of weather conditions.

Beyond that, specs and features are largely the same. You still shoot 4K video at up to 60 fps, in either 8-bit or 10-bit modes (1080p at 240 fps). And the OM-1 can output 12-bit Apple ProRes RAW video at up to 60 fps to an Atomos Ninja V or Ninja V+ external recorder without any pixel binning.

It comes with a 5.76-million dot 120Hz OLED viewfinder as before, along with a fully articulating display. There are dual SD UHS II card slots, but no CFexpress option. The battery delivers a solid 500 shots per charge, but that jumps to 1010 in "Quick Sleep" mode. Finally, you still get a small FL LM3 flash, designed mostly for fill or use with external flash units.

The OM-1 Mark II is arriving in late February for $2,400 (body only) and $3,000 in a kit with the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 zoom lens (24-80mm full-frame equivalent). 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/om-systems-om-1-mark-ii-offers-improved-autofocus-and-stabilization-201810603.html?src=rss

We finally know for certain who will face off in Super Bowl 2024: The Kansas City Chiefs will play against the San Francisco 49ers in the biggest annual sporting event in the US. The game will take place in Las Vegas at the $1.9 billion Allegiant Stadium, with kick off at 3:30pm Pacific or 6:30pm Eastern on Sunday, February 11. The game will air on CBS, which means it’ll also be streaming live on Paramount+ since both are owned by Paramount Global. You can also watch it on cable, with a live TV streaming service and with the NFL's app on mobile. That’s all to say that you have plenty of options to watch, stream and otherwise enjoy the big game this year. Here are all the ways to watch Super Bowl LVIII in 2024.

How to watch Super Bowl 58

This year, the rights to air the biggest annual sporting event in the US goes to CBS… and Nickelodeon. Yep, the kids channel is hosting a live, family-friendly version of the event, complete with helpful thematic graphics and the cast of SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer hosting, providing commentary and explaining the rules to the youngest NFL fans. If you don’t need sideline reports from Sandy Cheeks, regular versions of the game will appear on CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and on the NFL+ mobile app.

How to watch the Super Bowl with cable or satellite TV

Cable and satellite subscribers can tune into their local CBS station. If your plan includes CBS Sports Network (or Nickelodeon), you can go that route, too. Here’s a list of local CBS stations and affiliates so you can find your channel.

How to stream Super Bowl 2024

Last year, the Super Bowl was a little more complicated to stream since the broadcaster (Fox) didn’t have an over-the-top streaming app. It’s easier this year: the standalone Paramount+ app lets subscribers watch the game live. Plans start at $6 per month and there’s currently a free seven-day trial, but there’s no telling if that deal will still be live right before the big event. Of course, most live TV streaming services will also have the game, either on your local CBS station or via CBSSN. Here are the providers that will show Super Bowl LVIII:

• YouTube with Live TV - $73 per month

• Hulu with Live TV - $77 per month

• Fubo - $80 per month

• DirecTV Stream (CBS and Nickelodeon) - $80 per month

• Philo (Nickelodeon only) - $25 per month

If you’re willing to pay, Paramount+ is the cheapest way to stream the Super Bowl this year, plus you’ll get other shows to watch when the game’s over.

Can I watch the 2024 Super Bowl for free?

Almost. If you buy an indoor digital antenna, which hooks up to the coaxial port on your TV set, you can grab the game broadcast from your local CBS affiliate at no extra cost. It’ll let you watch your local NBC, ABC, PBS and FOX networks, too.

Can I watch the 2024 Super Bowl on mobile?

The NFL+ mobile app is airing the Super Bowl, but only on your smartphone or tablet (PC access and casting isn’t supported for primetime games, which includes the Super Bowl). So if you’re watching solo, this could be a good option. A subscription goes for $7 per month and it also provides NFL Network content with 24/7 football news.

Who is performing at the Super Bowl 2024 halftime show?

For some, the action in between the two halves of the game is what really matters. Mega stars have headlined the halftime show for decades now, with performances by Rihanna, Shakira, Lady Gaga, Prince, The Rolling Stones and Beyonce garnering almost as many headlines as the game itself. This year, Usher, who's timing the release of his latest album to drop just two days before the game, will light up the stadium with a set. Before the game, Reba McEntire will sing the national anthem and Post Malone will follow that up with a rendition of "America the Beautiful."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-super-bowl-2024-133039872.html?src=rss

Volvo's EX30 EV was a hit from the get-go thanks in part to the use of technology, along with the relatively low $35,000 price tag. However, its reliance on that tech is apparently catching up to it (much as it has for other recent vehicles), as the automaker has delayed deliveries in Europe due to software bugs, Automotive News has reported. 

"We confirm that Volvo is working tirelessly to resolve the problem," the company told Automotive News Europe. "Important progress has been made but the software version 1.2 does not yet meet all the requirements necessary to be released." The problem apparently couldn't fixed over the air, so updates needed to be done at dealerships.

Volvo didn't explain exactly what the error was, but customer correspondence stated that the 1.2 software "contains, among other things, some Google certifications and key updates." I encountered several glitches (Google Maps stopped working, for instance) when testing a pre-production model in Barcelona.

Steve Dent for Engadget

The vehicle has experienced multiple delays that have lasted around two weeks. Volvo has apparently resolved the issues and the EVs are ready to be driven off dealers' lots as soon as they're fixed, according to Automotive News. "We want the best possible experience for our EX30 customers," Volvo said in a statement.

The EX30 generated a lot of interest thanks to a charming design, low starting price, solid performance, decent range and use of eco-friendly materials. All models sold to start with will be built in China, so the vehicle isn't eligible for federal US tax credits. 

As the company subsequently announced, though, some models will be be built later on in Volvo's Ghent, Belgium plant. The EX30 is key to Volvo's plans to boost sales by 69 percent and sell 1.2 million cars as early as next year. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/volvo-pauses-deliveries-of-its-ex30-due-to-software-issues-132019346.html?src=rss

Apple recently announced the changes it's making to the App Store in order to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) that goes into full effect on March 7. The company's critics quickly denounced its plans and requirements for alternative app stores, with Spotify calling the changes a "total farce." Microsoft's Xbox is one of the latest companies to call out Apple's compliance plans. In response to a post on X by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek talking about the changes at Apple, Xbox president Sarah Bond said the company's new policy is "a step in the wrong direction" and that she hopes it listens to feedback to create a "more inclusive future for all."

We believe constructive conversations drive change and progress towards open platforms and greater competition. Apple's new policy is a step in the wrong direction. We hope they listen to feedback on their proposed plan and work towards a more inclusive future for all. https://t.co/mDRI5KPJf6

— BondSarahBond (@BondSarah_Bond) January 29, 2024

Under DMA rules, platform owners like Apple and Google have to open up their systems to competing app stores. Apple, however, requires these alternative app stores to have stringent rules and moderation tools comparable to its own. Their operators will also need to be able to prove that they have access to a minimum amount of around $1.1 million in credit that they can use to pay developers. Apple has a new rule for developers, as well, requiring them to pay a Core Technology Fee of €0.50 (around 54 cents) per install after an app reaches a 1 million download threshold for the year. That rule applies whether the app is distributed through Apple's App Store or through an alternative marketplace. 

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said Apple's plan "is a devious new instance of Malicious Compliance." He added that Apple is essentially forcing developers to choose between App Store exclusivity and a new "also-illegal anticompetitive scheme rife with new Junk Fees on downloads," as well as new taxes on payments the company doesn't process itself. The App Store is a massive business for Apple, which takes a 15 to 30 percent commission from developers' earnings. For the fiscal year of 2022, for instance, Apple said the App Store ecosystem "facilitated $1.1 trillion in developer billings and sales." 

Epic pulled Fortnite from the App Store in 2020 after violating its rules on purpose and offering discounts to players making purchases outside of Apple's ecosystem. The developer recently announced that it's bringing Fortnite back to the iPhone and iPad in Europe this year after the DMA takes effect and that it's launching its own store for iOS. Spotify, which has also been a vocal critic of Apple, plans to launch its own in-app payment system for iOS users in Europe, as well. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-president-thinks-apples-eu-app-store-plan-is-a-step-in-the-wrong-direction-130551604.html?src=rss

Samsung’s 2024 flagship has landed. The S24 Ultra has a new titanium frame, improved telephoto cameras and is jam-packed with new AI smarts and features. It’s also more expensive than ever.

It’s the AI features not hardware that mark this year’s S23 series, though. AI tools range across text and translation, photography and search. A lot of these AI abilities are already available from other services, like ChatGPT and Bard, but this is crammed into the S24 series at the base level, so from the Notes app you can summarize, auto-format, spellcheck or translate your missives, on the go. (Transcription is also, apparently, very impressive, but that might be the journalist in me getting excited.)

Engadget

Factor in a much faster chip, a brighter display and even longer battery life and the S24 Ultra makes a case for upgrading. It’s just a pricey one.

— Mat Smith

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Amazon abandons billion-dollar deal to buy Roomba maker, iRobot It was due to the EU’s anti-competitive concerns.

Amazon and iRobot, maker of the Roomba vacuum line, just announced they are dropping their proposed merger. They announced the potential acquisition back in August 2022, and in November, the European Commission raised formal concerns over the potential impact on competition. The companies didn’t mention the formal investigation in the announcement. Now the deal isn’t going through, iRobot says it’s laying off about 350 employees, which represents 31 percent of the company’s workforce. Colin Angle, founder, CEO and chair of the iRobot board of directors is also stepping down as chair and CEO.

Continue reading.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League bug beats the game for you It was pulled offline an hour after launch. Rocksteady

Rocksteady’s new third-person action shooter Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was pulled offline just one hour after launch after players encountered a bizarre bug that immediately beats the game. It locked players out of all story missions, including tutorials, in a race to reach the end credits. It also makes it impossible to receive trophies and achievements, but the biggest issue may be the inability to play any of the $70 game. The developer says it’s working on a fix.

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Japan’s SLIM lunar probe returns to life The solar panels recharged after the sun’s orientation shifted.

Japan’s lunar lander has regained power, nine days after it landed on the Moon’s surface nearly upside down and switched off. JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) said a change in the sun’s position allowed the solar panels to receive light and charge the probe’s battery, so JAXA could reestablish communication. In any case, the mission was deemed a success, as the primary goal was a precision landing. It did just that, hitting a spot just 55 meters (180 feet) of its target. Just... the wrong way up.

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Japan will no longer require floppy disks for submitting some official documents Yes, it’s 2024. Why do you ask? Reuters

Back on Earth, and in 2022, Japan’s Minister of Digital Affairs Taro Kono urged various branches of the government to stop requiring businesses to submit information on outdated forms of physical media. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is one of the first to make the switch. Kono’s staff identified some 1,900 protocols across several government departments that still require floppy disks, CD-ROMs and even (!) MiniDiscs.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-the-verdict-on-samsungs-galaxy-s24-ultra-121505918.html?src=rss

Yelp just released a substantial app update with more than 20 new features, and several of these tools are packed with, wait for it, AI. The biggest news for regular users is the addition of summaries of business automatically written by AI, which Yelp says will help people find the perfect restaurant or service to meet their needs.

There’s also new visuals for the home feed and revamped search experience, which the company says will also help users find that perfect dinner spot. This home feed incorporates AI to provide more relevant content to users and will also display images from nearby restaurants that match previous user queries, in addition to videos posted by local businesses.

The AI tomfoolery extends to business users. The app now offers business owners “AI-powered smart budgets” to optimize ad spending. There’s also new data insights available for business owners that deliver “valuable market and competitive” information.

Yelp

Yelp’s expanding the Recognitions feature to encourage user engagement. Now, users can earn official kudos by regularly reviewing certain types of foods. You can nab one of these coveted digital trophies by reviewing three restaurants that offer the same type of cuisine in one year. You’ll find these credentials in the Achievements section on the app.

The update’s only available on iOS for now, but Yelp says an Android version will be released in the coming months. This isn’t the first time the service has dipped its toes into the wading pool of AI. Back in April, the company announced it was integrating AI and natural language models to improve search.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/yelps-new-ai-features-include-auto-generated-business-summaries-among-other-updates-120010725.html?src=rss

Apple's latest Watch Series 9 is back down to its lowest price ever, just in time to help you keep going with those January fitness goals. You can grab the 41mm Pink model with the light pink sport loop for just $309, for a savings of 23 percent ($90) off the list price. If you're looking for another color, the Midnight and Silver models are on sale for $329, still saving you a substantial 18 percent ($70) off the regular price. 

The Apple Watch Series 9 is a solid addition to the lineup, scoring an excellent 92 in our review thanks to new features like Raise To Speak and Double Tap. Raise to Speak allows you to lift your wrist to activate Siri, with requests now processed right on the watch instead of going through another device. In other words, you can still use Siri when offline or away from your phone.

Double Tap is a more interactive feature, letting you tap your index finger and thumb together (the ones on the same side as the watch) twice to complete specific actions. You can use it to answer or end calls or reply with dictation, among other commands — meaning you'll need to touch your watch face less often.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is also powerful for health and fitness — for one, it monitors your heart rate and will send a notification if it notices any irregularities. It also tracks your sleep stages and overall well-being through features like temperature sensing. Plus, it's water-resistant, so you needn't worry about sweat.

There is one downside, as you might be aware. Apple was forced to disable a key new feature, the blood oxygen monitor, due to a patent dispute with a medical company. That issue has now been resolved, though, and you probably won't miss the feature much — especially at those prices. 

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/apple-watch-series-9-falls-back-to-a-low-of-309-115531352.html?src=rss

Gogoro is best known for its battery swapping tech, but its new scooter may be one of the quickest and highest-tech models available. The flagship Pulse can accelerate from 0 to 32MPH in just 3.05 seconds thanks to the company's "Hypercore" tech that delivers 378nm of torque to the back wheel. At the same time, it's fitted with a 10.25 HD touch display that offers turn-by-turn navigation and more. 

The first thing that stands out with the Pulse is the new angular and modern design that differs from past models that were more on the retro side. It also has the benefit of reducing non-essential drag and using airflow to cool the electric motor, according to Gogoro. 

The new 9kW Hyper Drive powertrain features a new hybrid water and air dual-cooling system, allowing the H1 motor to hit up to 11,000 RPM. And while it boosts performance, it's also supposed to reduce energy consumption, the company wrote. 

Gogoro

It uses an active-matrix lighting system with 13 separate LED units. Each of those actively switch on to adapt to the rider's speed, turns and even weather conditions, presumably to improve visibility in traffic. As you drive it faster, the active-matrix headlights also extend further down the road and the active-corner lighting "provides wider bands of light aimed in the direction of each turn," Gogoro says. 

The 10.25-inch panoramic touch display is something you don't see on too many scooters. Along with the turn-by-turn navigation with real-time traffic information, it comes with a new iQ Touch HD system that display battery swap locations, speeds, power levels and more, while letting you select from different ride modes. Gogoro claims it's the first two-wheeled vehicle to be powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon QWM2290 digital chassis. 

Riders will be able to unlock and start the Pulse using their iPhone by adding the scooter key to their Apple Wallet. You'll also be able to use Apple's Find My feature to locate the scooter if it's stolen or lost. 

Gogoro is based in Taiwan, and now operates in nine markets including India, The Philippines, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Israel. The company has yet to announce a price for the Pulse, but it'll start shipping in Taiwan in late Q2 2024. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gogoros-new-flagship-pulse-is-a-sporty-high-tech-scooter-102014298.html?src=rss

You will soon find a kid-friendly section inside OpenAI's newly opened store for custom GPTs. The company has joined forces with Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that rates media and technology based on their suitability for children, to minimize the risks of AI use by teenagers. Together, they intend to create AI guidelines and educational materials for young people, their parents and their educators. The two organizations will also curate a collection of family-friendly GPTs in OpenAI's GPT store based on Common Sense's ratings, making it easy to see which ones are suitable for younger users. 

"Together, Common Sense and OpenAI will work to make sure that AI has a positive impact on all teens and families," James P. Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, said in a statement. "Our guides and curation will be designed to educate families and educators about safe, responsible use of ChatGPT, so that we can collectively avoid any unintended consequences of this emerging technology."

According to Axios, the partnership was announced at Common Sense's kids and family summit in San Francisco, where OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shot down the idea that AI is bad for kids and should be kept out of schools. "Humans are tool users and we better teach people to use the tools that are going to be out in the world," he reportedly said. "To not teach people to use those would be a mistake." The CEO also said that future high school seniors would be able to operate at a higher level of abstraction and could achieve more that their predecessors with the help of artificial intelligence. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/openai-and-commonsense-media-team-up-to-curate-family-friendly-gpts-074228457.html?src=rss