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Earlier this year, Behaviour Interactive teased a few Dead by Deadlight spinoff games. One has since been released to relative acclaim, The Casting of Frank Stone, and What the Fog kinda came and went. That leaves one game unaccounted for. Today, we can scratch that one out for good. The company just announced that the spinoff known only as Project T has been canceled.
pic.twitter.com/TfIpAk06Mm— Behaviour Interactive (@Behaviour) September 17, 2024

Project T was advertised as a third-person co-op shooter, making it one of the rare times in the franchise players would be able to fight back against enemies using guns. The game has been around in beta form for a while, as part of Behavior Interactive’s insider program. It looks like those early playtests didn’t go so well. The company said that “a number of players expressed satisfaction” but that the “outcome of this deep analysis yielded unsatisfactory overall results.”
This doesn’t mean anything for the larger franchise. The developer has leaned into experimental projects lately and it looks like Project T just didn’t make the cut. It’s unfortunate, but there’s still the mainline game and it’s many, many crossovers.
There’s also the aforementioned The Casting of Frank Stone, which is a narrative driven title by Supermassive set in the same universe. Finally, What the Fog is something of a Jumanji-like spin on the OG game. Kids get sucked into a board game. You know the drill.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-dead-by-deadlight-co-op-shooter-spinoff-has-been-officially-canceled-154312867.html?src=rss

Earlier this year, Behaviour Interactive teased a few Dead by Deadlight spinoff games. One has since been released to relative acclaim, The Casting of Frank Stone, and What the Fog kinda came and went. That leaves one game unaccounted for. Today, we can scratch that one out for good. The company just announced that the spinoff known only as Project T has been canceled.

Project T was advertised as a third-person co-op shooter, making it one of the rare times in the franchise players would be able to fight back against enemies using guns. The game has been around in beta form for a while, as part of Behavior Interactive’s insider program. It looks like those early playtests didn’t go so well. The company said that “a number of players expressed satisfaction” but that the “outcome of this deep analysis yielded unsatisfactory overall results.”

This doesn’t mean anything for the larger franchise. The developer has leaned into experimental projects lately and it looks like Project T just didn’t make the cut. It’s unfortunate, but there’s still the mainline game and it’s many, many crossovers.

There’s also the aforementioned The Casting of Frank Stone, which is a narrative driven title by Supermassive set in the same universe. Finally, What the Fog is something of a Jumanji-like spin on the OG game. Kids get sucked into a board game. You know the drill.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-dead-by-deadlight-co-op-shooter-spinoff-has-been-officially-canceled-154312867.html?src=rss

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A lawsuit on behalf of five unnamed contestants who participated in YouTuber MrBeast’s Beast Games was filed on September 16 in Los Angeles against MrBeast as well as Amazon, which plans to distribute the show. It’s also seeking class-action status.
Beast Games is the brainchild of Jimmy Donaldson, also known as MrBeast. This game show had participants go through challenges for a shot at $5 million in cash. There would only be one winner out of 1,000 participants, so the money would only go to the last person standing.
When the five contestants participated in the game show, they each wanted to win the money, but nothing prepared them for the poor conditions, mistreatment and harassment they experienced. Among the 14 complaints are failure to pay minimum wages, sexual harassment, false advertising and failure to provide uninterrupted meal and rest breaks.
The plaintiffs filed this lawsuit on behalf of all Beast Games contestants besides themselves. Much of the lawsuit’s content is hidden, including the contestants’ names and the exact details of their mistreatment. Of note were the female contestants’ experiences. The lawyers claimed that the work environment there “fostered a culture of misogyny and sexism where Production Staff did nothing.”
The contestants were considered employees under California law, but MrBeast and Amazon allegedly misclassified them to obtain a tax credit of around $2 million. They also arrived on set to discover that instead of 1,000 total competitors, there were far more people playing for the prize, thus lowering everyone’s chances of coming out a winner. According to the New York Times, the total number of contestants was about 2,000, something MrBeast said was the plan all along. The plaintiffs claimed this significantly reduced anyone’s chances of winning and was considered false advertising. Even worse, the show organizers did not grant them meal and rest breaks as required by California law. According to the lawsuit, some of the show participants developed injuries that “continue to persist and will persist from the future.”
This isn’t the first time MrBeast has been involved in a lawsuit. Last year, he sued Virtual Dining Concepts (VDC) for making subpar MrBeast Burgers, ruining his reputation. VDC countersued MrBeast, seeking $100 million in damages.
According to a report from Variety, MrBeast and Amazon have yet to comment on the lawsuit, with the former refusing to. Beast Games, slated for an Amazon Prime Video release, still has no announced release date.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/mrbeast-and-amazon-are-being-sued-by-contestants-of-their-planned-competition-show-152613641.html?src=rss

A lawsuit on behalf of five unnamed contestants who participated in YouTuber MrBeast’s Beast Games was filed on September 16 in Los Angeles against MrBeast as well as Amazon, which plans to distribute the show. It’s also seeking class-action status.

Beast Games is the brainchild of Jimmy Donaldson, also known as MrBeast. This game show had participants go through challenges for a shot at $5 million in cash. There would only be one winner out of 1,000 participants, so the money would only go to the last person standing.

When the five contestants participated in the game show, they each wanted to win the money, but nothing prepared them for the poor conditions, mistreatment and harassment they experienced. Among the 14 complaints are failure to pay minimum wages, sexual harassment, false advertising and failure to provide uninterrupted meal and rest breaks.

The plaintiffs filed this lawsuit on behalf of all Beast Games contestants besides themselves. Much of the lawsuit’s content is hidden, including the contestants’ names and the exact details of their mistreatment. Of note were the female contestants’ experiences. The lawyers claimed that the work environment there “fostered a culture of misogyny and sexism where Production Staff did nothing.”

The contestants were considered employees under California law, but MrBeast and Amazon allegedly misclassified them to obtain a tax credit of around $2 million. They also arrived on set to discover that instead of 1,000 total competitors, there were far more people playing for the prize, thus lowering everyone’s chances of coming out a winner. According to the New York Times, the total number of contestants was about 2,000, something MrBeast said was the plan all along. The plaintiffs claimed this significantly reduced anyone’s chances of winning and was considered false advertising. Even worse, the show organizers did not grant them meal and rest breaks as required by California law. According to the lawsuit, some of the show participants developed injuries that “continue to persist and will persist from the future.”

This isn’t the first time MrBeast has been involved in a lawsuit. Last year, he sued Virtual Dining Concepts (VDC) for making subpar MrBeast Burgers, ruining his reputation. VDC countersued MrBeast, seeking $100 million in damages.

According to a report from Variety, MrBeast and Amazon have yet to comment on the lawsuit, with the former refusing to. Beast Games, slated for an Amazon Prime Video release, still has no announced release date.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/mrbeast-and-amazon-are-being-sued-by-contestants-of-their-planned-competition-show-152613641.html?src=rss

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Remember when the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA went on strike for months, in great part to get protections against AI? Well, while they did get some stipulations in there, it’s not stopping AI from coming to Hollywood anyways. Lionsgate, the studio behind the John Wick and Hunger Games franchises, has struck a deal with AI startup Runway, the Wall Street Journal first reported and Runway confirmed in a press release. The arrangement will allow Runway access to Lionsgate’s content library in exchange for a fresh, custom AI model that the studio can use in production and editing.
The deal is similar to recent (and equally icky feeling) ones with publishing houses such as TIME and Dotdash Meredith, but it is the first of its kind for the film and TV industry. Vice chairman of Lionsgate Studio, Michael Burns, said that in recent months, he feared falling behind competitors without a step like this. “Runway is a visionary, best-in-class partner who will help us utilize AI to develop cutting edge, capital efficient content creation opportunities,” Burns stated. He then claimed, “Several of our filmmakers are already excited about its potential applications to their pre-production and post-production process.”
There’s also the small matter that he expects the company will save “millions and millions of dollars” through this agreement. Whether that money will come out of creatives’ paychecks is something we can only speculate about now, but it wouldn’t be surprising.
As for Lionsgate’s new bedfellow, like many AI companies, Runway has faced accusations of pilfering content to train its system. A former employee came forward in July with alleged internal spreadsheets demonstrating that Runway used YouTube videos from the likes of Disney, Netflix and popular media outlets to train its Gen-3 model. A group of artists are also suing Runway and other players like Stability AI for copyright infringement, reports Artnet. The plaintiffs garnered a win in August, with California District Judge William Orrick finding they had reasonably argued these companies had violated the artists’ rights.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/lionsgate-signs-a-deal-with-the-devil-an-ai-startup-151046341.html?src=rss

Remember when the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA went on strike for months, in great part to get protections against AI? Well, while they did get some stipulations in there, it’s not stopping AI from coming to Hollywood anyways. Lionsgate, the studio behind the John Wick and Hunger Games franchises, has struck a deal with AI startup Runway, the Wall Street Journal first reported and Runway confirmed in a press release. The arrangement will allow Runway access to Lionsgate’s content library in exchange for a fresh, custom AI model that the studio can use in production and editing.

The deal is similar to recent (and equally icky feeling) ones with publishing houses such as TIME and Dotdash Meredith, but it is the first of its kind for the film and TV industry. Vice chairman of Lionsgate Studio, Michael Burns, said that in recent months, he feared falling behind competitors without a step like this. “Runway is a visionary, best-in-class partner who will help us utilize AI to develop cutting edge, capital efficient content creation opportunities,” Burns stated. He then claimed, “Several of our filmmakers are already excited about its potential applications to their pre-production and post-production process.”

There’s also the small matter that he expects the company will save “millions and millions of dollars” through this agreement. Whether that money will come out of creatives’ paychecks is something we can only speculate about now, but it wouldn’t be surprising.

As for Lionsgate’s new bedfellow, like many AI companies, Runway has faced accusations of pilfering content to train its system. A former employee came forward in July with alleged internal spreadsheets demonstrating that Runway used YouTube videos from the likes of Disney, Netflix and popular media outlets to train its Gen-3 model. A group of artists are also suing Runway and other players like Stability AI for copyright infringement, reports Artnet. The plaintiffs garnered a win in August, with California District Judge William Orrick finding they had reasonably argued these companies had violated the artists’ rights.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/lionsgate-signs-a-deal-with-the-devil-an-ai-startup-151046341.html?src=rss

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Substack is adding a live video component to its newsletter service. In its announcement post, the company positioned this feature as providing real-time audience engagement for creators. At launch, the feature will only be available to people with Substack’s Bestsellers badges, but the company said it plans to roll it out to all users in the coming months.
Creators can begin live videos within the Substack app. As with written material on the platform, a creator can set whether the audience for a live video is everyone, all subscribers or paid subscribers. Any channel subscribers will be notified when a live video begins. There’s also an option for collaboration, inviting other Substack members into the live broadcast. For now, only iOS users can issue invitations; Android users can accept an invite for now, and are slated to receive access to the full feature “soon.” After a live broadcast finishes, a recording will be saved in post drafts so the video can be used in a future newsletter. There’s also a clipping tool for light video editing tasks.
Substack has been making a push to bring video content creators to its platform from TikTok, which doesn’t seem like an obvious competitor to the company’s existing offerings or an obvious match for the community it has cultivated. Emails are asynchronous communication that can be read whenever it’s convenient, the polar opposite of must-watch-now live videos. The option to include recordings in newsletters is useful, but adopting the live viewing as a regular part of their Substack routine may be a big ask for current users. In short: there’s no guarantee that the new feature will function well, or that most newsletter creators and readers are interested in engaging with video content.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/substack-a-newsletter-service-is-now-also-a-live-video-company-150004585.html?src=rss

Substack is adding a live video component to its newsletter service. In its announcement post, the company positioned this feature as providing real-time audience engagement for creators. At launch, the feature will only be available to people with Substack’s Bestsellers badges, but the company said it plans to roll it out to all users in the coming months.

Creators can begin live videos within the Substack app. As with written material on the platform, a creator can set whether the audience for a live video is everyone, all subscribers or paid subscribers. Any channel subscribers will be notified when a live video begins. There’s also an option for collaboration, inviting other Substack members into the live broadcast. For now, only iOS users can issue invitations; Android users can accept an invite for now, and are slated to receive access to the full feature “soon.” After a live broadcast finishes, a recording will be saved in post drafts so the video can be used in a future newsletter. There’s also a clipping tool for light video editing tasks.

Substack has been making a push to bring video content creators to its platform from TikTok, which doesn’t seem like an obvious competitor to the company’s existing offerings or an obvious match for the community it has cultivated. Emails are asynchronous communication that can be read whenever it’s convenient, the polar opposite of must-watch-now live videos. The option to include recordings in newsletters is useful, but adopting the live viewing as a regular part of their Substack routine may be a big ask for current users. In short: there’s no guarantee that the new feature will function well, or that most newsletter creators and readers are interested in engaging with video content.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/substack-a-newsletter-service-is-now-also-a-live-video-company-150004585.html?src=rss

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The rollout of Apple Intelligence will be fairly slow-paced, with Apple gradually adding new features and support for more languages over the coming months. The company has now confirmed support for several more languages as Apple Intelligence will be available in German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese and Vietnamese in 2025. That’s in addition to previously announced support for Chinese, French, Japanese and Spanish.
Apple will initially offer Apple Intelligence in the US in English with the release of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 in October. As such, you won’t have access to the tools immediately if you pick up an iPhone 16 when Apple’s latest smartphone lineup ships on Friday.
The tools will be available in localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK in December. Apple will also start rolling out the features in India and Singapore in English next year. Further language support is to be announced.
There is one key thing worth noting as part of the Apple Intelligence rollout, however. Apple is not planning to broadly offer the tools in the European Union or Chinese mainland right away. So while you’ll be able to use Apple Intelligence in Portuguese or French, you might not necessarily be able to do so while you’re in Portugal or France.
“Apple Intelligence will not currently work if you are in the EU and if your Apple ID Country/Region is also in the EU,” Apple notes in a support article. “If traveling outside of the EU, Apple Intelligence will work when your device language and Siri language are set to a supported language.”
Also, as things stand, Apple Intelligence won’t work on phones bought on the Chinese mainland. Those traveling to China with an iPhone they bought elsewhere also won’t have access to the tools if their Apple ID Country/Region is set to mainland China.
Apple is hoping to bring Apple Intelligence to the EU and China, however. The company told TechCrunch that it’s in talks with regulators in both markets over the issue. Apple is initially withholding the AI tools from the EU over concerns related to the Digital Markets Act.
Update 9/18 10:41AM ET: Added a note that Apple is in discussions with the EU and China over Apple Intelligence. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-confirms-expanded-language-support-for-apple-intelligence-in-2025-140548274.html?src=rss

The rollout of Apple Intelligence will be fairly slow-paced, with Apple gradually adding new features and support for more languages over the coming months. The company has now confirmed support for several more languages as Apple Intelligence will be available in German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese and Vietnamese in 2025. That’s in addition to previously announced support for Chinese, French, Japanese and Spanish.

Apple will initially offer Apple Intelligence in the US in English with the release of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 in October. As such, you won’t have access to the tools immediately if you pick up an iPhone 16 when Apple’s latest smartphone lineup ships on Friday.

The tools will be available in localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK in December. Apple will also start rolling out the features in India and Singapore in English next year. Further language support is to be announced.

There is one key thing worth noting as part of the Apple Intelligence rollout, however. Apple is not planning to broadly offer the tools in the European Union or Chinese mainland right away. So while you’ll be able to use Apple Intelligence in Portuguese or French, you might not necessarily be able to do so while you’re in Portugal or France.

“Apple Intelligence will not currently work if you are in the EU and if your Apple ID Country/Region is also in the EU,” Apple notes in a support article. “If traveling outside of the EU, Apple Intelligence will work when your device language and Siri language are set to a supported language.”

Also, as things stand, Apple Intelligence won’t work on phones bought on the Chinese mainland. Those traveling to China with an iPhone they bought elsewhere also won’t have access to the tools if their Apple ID Country/Region is set to mainland China.

Apple is hoping to bring Apple Intelligence to the EU and China, however. The company told TechCrunch that it’s in talks with regulators in both markets over the issue. Apple is initially withholding the AI tools from the EU over concerns related to the Digital Markets Act.

Update 9/18 10:41AM ET: Added a note that Apple is in discussions with the EU and China over Apple Intelligence. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-confirms-expanded-language-support-for-apple-intelligence-in-2025-140548274.html?src=rss

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Starting today, General Motors is starting to sell approved North American Charging Standard (NACS) DC adapters for its electric vehicles. GM originally announced it would support Tesla’s NACS connector 15 months ago, but it’s taken them until today to get adapters out to the market. Models from Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC will all be able to use this new adapter.
Previously, GM electric vehicles weren’t compatible with Tesla Superchargers, as they were outfitted with a different proprietary charging port. Those who own these EVs can purchase an adapter for $225 using your vehicle brand’s mobile app. The app can also help owners locate the closest Supercharger station.
These NACS DC adapters will first be available to US customers, while Canadian EV owners will have to wait until later this year. Moving forward, GM vehicles will now come with NACS DC adapters, meaning future owners won’t have to fork $225 over for the ability to recharge. To ensure all GM EV owners can power up their vehicles, the company is working with multiple supplies to provide enough adapters for all.
Earlier this year, Ford EV owners started being able to charge their vehicles at Tesla’s Superchargers. Subaru, Hyundai and basically every other major automaker in the US also made similar announcements last year. That GM took well over a year to release adapters could be due to Tesla firing its entire Supercharger team in April, according to a report from Forbes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/gm-electric-vehicles-can-finally-recharge-at-tesla-supercharger-stations-135228213.html?src=rss

Starting today, General Motors is starting to sell approved North American Charging Standard (NACS) DC adapters for its electric vehicles. GM originally announced it would support Tesla’s NACS connector 15 months ago, but it’s taken them until today to get adapters out to the market. Models from Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC will all be able to use this new adapter.

Previously, GM electric vehicles weren’t compatible with Tesla Superchargers, as they were outfitted with a different proprietary charging port. Those who own these EVs can purchase an adapter for $225 using your vehicle brand’s mobile app. The app can also help owners locate the closest Supercharger station.

These NACS DC adapters will first be available to US customers, while Canadian EV owners will have to wait until later this year. Moving forward, GM vehicles will now come with NACS DC adapters, meaning future owners won’t have to fork $225 over for the ability to recharge. To ensure all GM EV owners can power up their vehicles, the company is working with multiple supplies to provide enough adapters for all.

Earlier this year, Ford EV owners started being able to charge their vehicles at Tesla’s Superchargers. Subaru, Hyundai and basically every other major automaker in the US also made similar announcements last year. That GM took well over a year to release adapters could be due to Tesla firing its entire Supercharger team in April, according to a report from Forbes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/gm-electric-vehicles-can-finally-recharge-at-tesla-supercharger-stations-135228213.html?src=rss

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While I’m a MacBook gal myself, the appeal of investing in an iMac has crossed my mind now and again — all that display space is just so enticing. One of the major reasons I’ve resisted is the price of getting a new iMac, but a record-low price is giving me a change of heart. Right now, the 2023 iMac with M3 chip is down to $1,100 from $1,300 thanks to a 12 percent discount and a $49 coupon. This model offers an 8-core CPU and 256GB of storage but no AppleCare+. 
In our review, we gave the newest iMac an 86, thanks mostly to the M3 chip. In our tests, the iMac never slowed down or struggled with browsing, photo editing, or games. Overall, it gave us all the quality and speed we could need for day-to-day use. Plus, it’s great to have 24GB of RAM versus the M1’s 16GB. The display is also top-notch, and the device is super lightweight, at under 10 pounds and less than 11.5mm in thickness. 

At the same time, the 2023 iMac isn’t a big upgrade from its predecessor. As we said then, “If you’ve seen a 24-inch iMac before, you’ve seen this one.” It doesn’t have a larger option or vertical screen adjustment. Plus, that 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM still make this feel overpriced, even with the markdown. 
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m3-imac-is-down-to-a-record-low-price-ahead-of-october-prime-day-132441743.html?src=rss

While I’m a MacBook gal myself, the appeal of investing in an iMac has crossed my mind now and again — all that display space is just so enticing. One of the major reasons I’ve resisted is the price of getting a new iMac, but a record-low price is giving me a change of heart. Right now, the 2023 iMac with M3 chip is down to $1,100 from $1,300 thanks to a 12 percent discount and a $49 coupon. This model offers an 8-core CPU and 256GB of storage but no AppleCare+. 

In our review, we gave the newest iMac an 86, thanks mostly to the M3 chip. In our tests, the iMac never slowed down or struggled with browsing, photo editing, or games. Overall, it gave us all the quality and speed we could need for day-to-day use. Plus, it’s great to have 24GB of RAM versus the M1’s 16GB. The display is also top-notch, and the device is super lightweight, at under 10 pounds and less than 11.5mm in thickness. 

At the same time, the 2023 iMac isn’t a big upgrade from its predecessor. As we said then, “If you’ve seen a 24-inch iMac before, you’ve seen this one.” It doesn’t have a larger option or vertical screen adjustment. Plus, that 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM still make this feel overpriced, even with the markdown. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m3-imac-is-down-to-a-record-low-price-ahead-of-october-prime-day-132441743.html?src=rss

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So far, Bose has delivered two versions of its “regular” QuietComfort Earbuds: one in 2020 and another in 2022. The company followed up last year with the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, debuting its take on spatial audio that doesn’t rely on carefully recorded content. Now, Bose is jumping back to that “regular” model with a new version of the QuietComfort Earbuds. While it’s actually the company’s fourth set noise-canceling wireless buds, the new QC Earbuds will offer an entry-level option that’s much more affordable than the premium Ultra. 
For the new QuietComfort Earbuds, Bose says the design is meant for “everyday use.” There’s a collection of ear tips and stability bands to help you find the perfect fit, and the IPX4 rating should be enough to withstand sweaty workouts. The shape of the outer panel has been refined, looking more like older Bose earbud models than its recent efforts. 
The company says you can expect its “best-in-class” active noise cancellation (ANC) to be on display here, as well as “satisfyingly rich” sound. Each earbud is equipped with three microphones for both ANC and voice pickup, so the latest QuietComfort model should be a decent option for calls. Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint connectivity is also on the spec sheet, where Bose is promising up to 30 feet of wireless range.

Bose

Bose increased the battery life from the QC Earbuds II from six to eight and a half hours on this new version. Plus, the case holds another two and a half charges. You can get three hours of use in 20 minutes and a full charge takes 90 minutes. 
The QuietComfort Earbuds will work with the Bose QC Earbuds app for features and customization. Here, you can reconfigure the onboard tap controls on each earbud, with the ability to switch ANC settings between Quiet, Aware (transparency mode) and off right on the buds. A Voice ID tool can fine-tune the QC Earbuds for “performance and accuracy” while a five-band adjustable EQ offers some flexibility with the tuning. Bose has also included a Remote Selfie feature that allows you to use the earbuds as a remote camera trigger. Additionally, there’s a low-latency audio mode for gaming and a Battery Prediction tool to track power consumption.
The new QuietComfort Earbuds are available today for $179 in black, white and purple color options. That’s $100 less the previous two QC Earbuds models and $120 less than the QC Ultra Earbuds. This new model isn’t exactly a budget option, but the price is much more attractive than the company’s current $299 flagship set. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/boses-new-noise-canceling-quietcomfort-earbuds-are-more-affordable-at-179-130046607.html?src=rss

So far, Bose has delivered two versions of its “regular” QuietComfort Earbuds: one in 2020 and another in 2022. The company followed up last year with the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, debuting its take on spatial audio that doesn’t rely on carefully recorded content. Now, Bose is jumping back to that “regular” model with a new version of the QuietComfort Earbuds. While it’s actually the company’s fourth set noise-canceling wireless buds, the new QC Earbuds will offer an entry-level option that’s much more affordable than the premium Ultra. 

For the new QuietComfort Earbuds, Bose says the design is meant for “everyday use.” There’s a collection of ear tips and stability bands to help you find the perfect fit, and the IPX4 rating should be enough to withstand sweaty workouts. The shape of the outer panel has been refined, looking more like older Bose earbud models than its recent efforts. 

The company says you can expect its “best-in-class” active noise cancellation (ANC) to be on display here, as well as “satisfyingly rich” sound. Each earbud is equipped with three microphones for both ANC and voice pickup, so the latest QuietComfort model should be a decent option for calls. Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint connectivity is also on the spec sheet, where Bose is promising up to 30 feet of wireless range.

Bose increased the battery life from the QC Earbuds II from six to eight and a half hours on this new version. Plus, the case holds another two and a half charges. You can get three hours of use in 20 minutes and a full charge takes 90 minutes. 

The QuietComfort Earbuds will work with the Bose QC Earbuds app for features and customization. Here, you can reconfigure the onboard tap controls on each earbud, with the ability to switch ANC settings between Quiet, Aware (transparency mode) and off right on the buds. A Voice ID tool can fine-tune the QC Earbuds for “performance and accuracy” while a five-band adjustable EQ offers some flexibility with the tuning. Bose has also included a Remote Selfie feature that allows you to use the earbuds as a remote camera trigger. Additionally, there’s a low-latency audio mode for gaming and a Battery Prediction tool to track power consumption.

The new QuietComfort Earbuds are available today for $179 in black, white and purple color options. That’s $100 less the previous two QC Earbuds models and $120 less than the QC Ultra Earbuds. This new model isn’t exactly a budget option, but the price is much more attractive than the company’s current $299 flagship set. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/boses-new-noise-canceling-quietcomfort-earbuds-are-more-affordable-at-179-130046607.html?src=rss

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Bose has a new soundbar for the fall shopping season, and it includes a few neat tricks for owners of the company’s clip-on earbuds. The Bose Smart Soundbar is a “small, sleek” model with AI Dialogue Mode and a Personal Surround feature for owners of the Ultra Open Earbuds.
The Bose Smart Soundbar has five transducers, including two side-firing (racetrack-shaped) ones, a center tweeter and two up-firing transducers. This arrangement helps with Dolby Atmos content, with the side-facing ones focused on horizontally positioned audio and the upward-facing ones bouncing sound off the ceiling for an overhead illusion. The center tweeter handles dialog.
If your content doesn’t support Dolby Atmos for a spatial surround experience, the soundbar’s TrueSpace feature can mix them in real time to create a faux surround effect. Bose claims the process produces sound “just as effectively” as Dolby Atmos “with similar spaciousness.”
Bose
Owners of Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds — the $299 clip-on doodads that leave your ears uncovered — the soundbar can deliver a more personalized surround experience for one person. Designed to add dimension to content, the feature uses the earbuds as rear surround speakers. Unlike most earbuds, the Ultra Open model doesn’t obstruct your ears, allowing you to still hear the soundbar’s audio. Bose describes the combined effect as a “sonic experience of sound all around you.”
The Personal Surround Sound feature launches with this model but will arrive on the (more expensive) Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar later this fall.
The soundbar also supports the AI Dialogue Mode from the company’s Smart Ultra Soundbar. The feature uses AI to automatically adjust the audio mix in real time when it detects speech, making voices easier to hear “without losing any impact of immersive sound effects.”
The Smart Soundbar is 27 inches long, 2.2 inches high and 4.1 inches deep. It has a black matte body with a wraparound metal grille. On the connection front, it supports HDMI eARC (required for Dolby Atmos) and standard optical cables. You can set it up to work with Google Assistant and Alexa, and it works with other Bose smart speakers (including bass modules) for enhanced living room or multi-room setups.
The Bose Smart Soundbar is available on Wednesday for $499. You can order it on Bose’s website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/boses-latest-soundbar-can-use-the-ultra-open-earbuds-as-rear-speakers-130002782.html?src=rss

Bose has a new soundbar for the fall shopping season, and it includes a few neat tricks for owners of the company’s clip-on earbuds. The Bose Smart Soundbar is a “small, sleek” model with AI Dialogue Mode and a Personal Surround feature for owners of the Ultra Open Earbuds.

The Bose Smart Soundbar has five transducers, including two side-firing (racetrack-shaped) ones, a center tweeter and two up-firing transducers. This arrangement helps with Dolby Atmos content, with the side-facing ones focused on horizontally positioned audio and the upward-facing ones bouncing sound off the ceiling for an overhead illusion. The center tweeter handles dialog.

If your content doesn’t support Dolby Atmos for a spatial surround experience, the soundbar’s TrueSpace feature can mix them in real time to create a faux surround effect. Bose claims the process produces sound “just as effectively” as Dolby Atmos “with similar spaciousness.”

Owners of Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds — the $299 clip-on doodads that leave your ears uncovered — the soundbar can deliver a more personalized surround experience for one person. Designed to add dimension to content, the feature uses the earbuds as rear surround speakers. Unlike most earbuds, the Ultra Open model doesn’t obstruct your ears, allowing you to still hear the soundbar’s audio. Bose describes the combined effect as a “sonic experience of sound all around you.”

The Personal Surround Sound feature launches with this model but will arrive on the (more expensive) Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar later this fall.

The soundbar also supports the AI Dialogue Mode from the company’s Smart Ultra Soundbar. The feature uses AI to automatically adjust the audio mix in real time when it detects speech, making voices easier to hear “without losing any impact of immersive sound effects.”

The Smart Soundbar is 27 inches long, 2.2 inches high and 4.1 inches deep. It has a black matte body with a wraparound metal grille. On the connection front, it supports HDMI eARC (required for Dolby Atmos) and standard optical cables. You can set it up to work with Google Assistant and Alexa, and it works with other Bose smart speakers (including bass modules) for enhanced living room or multi-room setups.

The Bose Smart Soundbar is available on Wednesday for $499. You can order it on Bose’s website.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/boses-latest-soundbar-can-use-the-ultra-open-earbuds-as-rear-speakers-130002782.html?src=rss

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The amount of fines Google has to pay in Europe may have become just a bit smaller. It has successfully convinced the European Union’s General Court to annul the €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) penalty levied against it back in 2019 for what the European Commission described as “abusive practices in online advertising.” According to the Financial Times, the General Court agreed with the commission’s assessment that Google did block rival advertisers from its platform. However, it argued that the commission failed to take into account “all the relevant circumstances” when it assessed how long the company had implemented anti-competitive practices. 
The commission, under competition chief Margrethe Vestager, found back in 2019 that Google had prohibited publishers from placing search adverts from competitors on its search results pages from 2006 until 2009. It changed its rules slightly in 2009, but it wasn’t until 2016 that it removed the clause pertaining to the restriction in its contracts. The fine for this particular case was larger than expected, because the commission said it took into account “the duration and gravity of the infringement.”
“This case is about a very narrow subset of text-only search ads placed on a limited number of publishers’ websites,” Google said in a statement to the Financial Times. “We made changes to our contracts in 2016 to remove the relevant provisions, even before the commission’s decision. We are pleased that the court has recognized errors in the original decision and annulled the fine. We will review the full decision closely.” Meanwhile, the commission told the publication that it “will carefully study the judgment and reflect on possible next steps.” It could still appeal the court’s decision.
This is just one of the multiple antitrust fines the European Commission has slapped against Google over the past years. Earlier this month, EU’s highest court upheld a different $2.7 billion penalty against the company. The commission imposed that fine on Google back in 2017, because it found that the company, as Vestager explained, “abused its market dominance as a search engine by promoting its own comparison shopping service in its search results, and demoting those of competitors.” 
Vestager is stepping down from her role as the European Union’s commissioner for competition within the next few weeks. She has been tough on big tech companies throughout her run, and the market abuse cases she has filed over the years led to the creation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a regulation meant to prevent the largest players in the industry from abusing their market power.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-wins-appeal-against-17-billion-eu-fine-for-abusive-advertising-practices-123006698.html?src=rss

The amount of fines Google has to pay in Europe may have become just a bit smaller. It has successfully convinced the European Union’s General Court to annul the €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) penalty levied against it back in 2019 for what the European Commission described as “abusive practices in online advertising.” According to the Financial Times, the General Court agreed with the commission’s assessment that Google did block rival advertisers from its platform. However, it argued that the commission failed to take into account “all the relevant circumstances” when it assessed how long the company had implemented anti-competitive practices. 

The commission, under competition chief Margrethe Vestager, found back in 2019 that Google had prohibited publishers from placing search adverts from competitors on its search results pages from 2006 until 2009. It changed its rules slightly in 2009, but it wasn’t until 2016 that it removed the clause pertaining to the restriction in its contracts. The fine for this particular case was larger than expected, because the commission said it took into account “the duration and gravity of the infringement.”

“This case is about a very narrow subset of text-only search ads placed on a limited number of publishers’ websites,” Google said in a statement to the Financial Times. “We made changes to our contracts in 2016 to remove the relevant provisions, even before the commission’s decision. We are pleased that the court has recognized errors in the original decision and annulled the fine. We will review the full decision closely.” Meanwhile, the commission told the publication that it “will carefully study the judgment and reflect on possible next steps.” It could still appeal the court’s decision.

This is just one of the multiple antitrust fines the European Commission has slapped against Google over the past years. Earlier this month, EU’s highest court upheld a different $2.7 billion penalty against the company. The commission imposed that fine on Google back in 2017, because it found that the company, as Vestager explained, “abused its market dominance as a search engine by promoting its own comparison shopping service in its search results, and demoting those of competitors.” 

Vestager is stepping down from her role as the European Union’s commissioner for competition within the next few weeks. She has been tough on big tech companies throughout her run, and the market abuse cases she has filed over the years led to the creation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a regulation meant to prevent the largest players in the industry from abusing their market power.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-wins-appeal-against-17-billion-eu-fine-for-abusive-advertising-practices-123006698.html?src=rss

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