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SAG-AFTRA has announced a new agreement that would allow actors to earn from AI copies of their voice with their informed consent. The union representing thousands of performers has struck a deal with Narrativ, which is an online platform where performers can license digital voice replicas for use in audio ads. Brands who want to use a performer’s voice will have to identify the products or services they’re promoting, and performers will be able to review offers before accepting or declining them. 
Performers will also be able to set their own prices, with SAG-AFTRA’s minimum rates being the lowest. And if they don’t want to work with Narrativ anymore, the platform is required to delete their digital voice replica and any recordings they made for its creation. When the union went on strike last year, one of the biggest issues it wanted to address was the use of artificial intelligence to create actors’ likeness without their permission (and without pay) even after they die. They were also concerned about the technology’s potential to replace performers altogether. 
When the union ended its strike in November 2023, it said it was able to secure a deal that would protect its members from the “threat of AI.” Under the terms of agreement it negotiated, performers have to provide explicit consent before replicas of them can be created. They also have to provide their consent for every additional project where their replica is used. In January, SAG-AFTRA entered an agreement with Replica Studios so performers can license their voice to game studios. However, it failed to reach a deal with several major video game publishers, prompting the union to call for another strike in July so it could protect it members’ likenesses and voices from being recreated with AI without their permission. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/sag-aftra-deal-will-let-advertisers-replicate-actors-voices-with-ai-130019844.html?src=rss

SAG-AFTRA has announced a new agreement that would allow actors to earn from AI copies of their voice with their informed consent. The union representing thousands of performers has struck a deal with Narrativ, which is an online platform where performers can license digital voice replicas for use in audio ads. Brands who want to use a performer’s voice will have to identify the products or services they’re promoting, and performers will be able to review offers before accepting or declining them. 

Performers will also be able to set their own prices, with SAG-AFTRA’s minimum rates being the lowest. And if they don’t want to work with Narrativ anymore, the platform is required to delete their digital voice replica and any recordings they made for its creation. When the union went on strike last year, one of the biggest issues it wanted to address was the use of artificial intelligence to create actors’ likeness without their permission (and without pay) even after they die. They were also concerned about the technology’s potential to replace performers altogether. 

When the union ended its strike in November 2023, it said it was able to secure a deal that would protect its members from the “threat of AI.” Under the terms of agreement it negotiated, performers have to provide explicit consent before replicas of them can be created. They also have to provide their consent for every additional project where their replica is used. In January, SAG-AFTRA entered an agreement with Replica Studios so performers can license their voice to game studios. However, it failed to reach a deal with several major video game publishers, prompting the union to call for another strike in July so it could protect it members’ likenesses and voices from being recreated with AI without their permission. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/sag-aftra-deal-will-let-advertisers-replicate-actors-voices-with-ai-130019844.html?src=rss

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Wireless food probes are some of the best grill tools you can buy. The devices allow you to keep tabs on temperatures without having to maneuver around cables when you need to flip meats or move things around. Meater is one of the popular choices when it comes to wireless probes, and the company’s Meater 2 Plus introduced better accuracy and longer range in a more durable probe construction that fully waterproof. Now the company returns with the four-probe Pro XL that uses those updated components in a WiFi-enabled cooking hub. 
Meater has gone the four-probe route before with its Meater Block. The Pro XL is the same idea with the improved probes from the Meater 2 Plus. The probes’ waterproof construction means they’re suitable for sous vide and deep frying, and when you’re done you can toss them in the dishwasher. What’s more, these probes can also withstand temperatures up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Inside, five sensors monitor the internal temperatures of foods while an ambient temp sensor on the end helps keep tabs on your grill or smoker. Using the data from all of those components, the Meater app can provide estimated completion times once you select your food and cooking method. 
Like the Meater Block, the Pro XL can work as a standalone grill monitor on its own. It can also send readings to your phone over Bluetooth so you can stay informed from your favorite chair. Lastly, the WiFi connectivity syncs with Meater Cloud so you can watch the progress on your phone from anywhere. That’s handy if you run out of wood pellets during a brisket cook and need to make a supply run, for example. The appeal of four probes is the ability to monitor four things at once. Let’s say you have friends over and everyone likes their steaks cooked to a different doneness. Two probes are also helpful for things like smoked brisket, with one in the point and one in the flat, and currently Meater doesn’t offer a double-probe option. 
Unlike the Meater 2 Plus, the Pro XL is rechargeable via USB-C instead of running on batteries. The company says fully-charged probes will last for over 24 hours, which is more than enough to get you through a long smoke session. In terms of accuracy, Meater promises your readings will be within half a degree and the system shows temps to the tenth of a degree on the Pro XL display on inside the app. 
The Meater Pro XL is available for pre-order now for $349.95. That’s $50 more than the Meater Block was at full price (currently $239.95). The Pro XL is scheduled to ship on September 12. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/meaters-pro-xl-uses-four-of-its-updated-wireless-probes-to-monitor-your-grill-with-wifi-120045916.html?src=rss

Wireless food probes are some of the best grill tools you can buy. The devices allow you to keep tabs on temperatures without having to maneuver around cables when you need to flip meats or move things around. Meater is one of the popular choices when it comes to wireless probes, and the company’s Meater 2 Plus introduced better accuracy and longer range in a more durable probe construction that fully waterproof. Now the company returns with the four-probe Pro XL that uses those updated components in a WiFi-enabled cooking hub. 

Meater has gone the four-probe route before with its Meater Block. The Pro XL is the same idea with the improved probes from the Meater 2 Plus. The probes’ waterproof construction means they’re suitable for sous vide and deep frying, and when you’re done you can toss them in the dishwasher. What’s more, these probes can also withstand temperatures up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Inside, five sensors monitor the internal temperatures of foods while an ambient temp sensor on the end helps keep tabs on your grill or smoker. Using the data from all of those components, the Meater app can provide estimated completion times once you select your food and cooking method. 

Like the Meater Block, the Pro XL can work as a standalone grill monitor on its own. It can also send readings to your phone over Bluetooth so you can stay informed from your favorite chair. Lastly, the WiFi connectivity syncs with Meater Cloud so you can watch the progress on your phone from anywhere. That’s handy if you run out of wood pellets during a brisket cook and need to make a supply run, for example. The appeal of four probes is the ability to monitor four things at once. Let’s say you have friends over and everyone likes their steaks cooked to a different doneness. Two probes are also helpful for things like smoked brisket, with one in the point and one in the flat, and currently Meater doesn’t offer a double-probe option. 

Unlike the Meater 2 Plus, the Pro XL is rechargeable via USB-C instead of running on batteries. The company says fully-charged probes will last for over 24 hours, which is more than enough to get you through a long smoke session. In terms of accuracy, Meater promises your readings will be within half a degree and the system shows temps to the tenth of a degree on the Pro XL display on inside the app. 

The Meater Pro XL is available for pre-order now for $349.95. That’s $50 more than the Meater Block was at full price (currently $239.95). The Pro XL is scheduled to ship on September 12. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/meaters-pro-xl-uses-four-of-its-updated-wireless-probes-to-monitor-your-grill-with-wifi-120045916.html?src=rss

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An iPad-like tabletop device, Apple’s reported take on Echo Show and Nest Hub-style touchscreen devices, might still happen. According to Bloomberg, it could debut as soon as 2026, with a thin robotic arm that moves around a large display. In my mind, it’ll look like a mid-00s piece of technology, like something from Portal or I, Robot.
Rumors suggest it may tilt the screen up and down using actuators and rotate 360 degrees. This suggests it could tap into Apple’s DockKit software to track users as they move around their home for video calls and more. Hundreds of Apple employees are now said to be working on the tabletop system, and it’s apparently strongly linked to Apple Intelligence tools and Siri.
However, there are (understandable) concerns about whether consumers will actually want this, especially as the price may hover around $1,000. Please, Apple: Just make it detachable like the Pixel Tablet. Please?
— Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
Everything announced at the Made by Google Pixel 2024 launch event
I like this ridiculous Playdate pizza case so much I bought a Playdate
Google announced a 45W USB-C charger that’s faster than its new Pixels can handle
​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

Why is the Sonos app so broken?
A spring redesign has caused long-term headaches for everyone. And me.
“I just want it to work with my TV”Sonos
I love that my colleague Billy Steele wrote this. I am currently wrestling with resyncing my Sonos Beam with my TV and thought I was going mad. I wasn’t. Following a major update back in the spring, the Sonos app was very broken and missing key functionality. It was missing basic features, like sleep timers and alarms. Some users also reported the inability to rearrange speakers, speakers working intermittently and trouble completing other basic tasks. Some say they can’t reliably load the app. I experienced most of this. Sonos has a clear plan for how it intends to fix this mess, but there’s no word how long that will take.
Continue reading.

Meta killed research tool CrowdTangle because what it showed was inconvenient
Even harder to understand what’s happening on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta has shut down CrowdTangle, the analytics tool that for years helped tens of thousands of researchers, journalists, and civil society groups understand how information was spreading on Facebook and Instagram. The company has introduced the Meta Content Library, but it’s much more tightly controlled than CrowdTangle. There’s a vetting process, and while tens of thousands of people had access to CrowdTangle, only “several hundred” researchers have reportedly been let into the Meta Content Library. Journalists are ineligible.
The timing couldn’t be worse; Meta shut down CrowdTangle less than three months before the US presidential election despite pressure from election groups and a letter from lawmakers requesting a delay.
Continue reading.

CIA brainwashing experiments helped make Outlast an iconic horror series
The latest game, The Outlast Trials, is a risk for the developer.

The Sleep Room in The Outlast Trials is named after a real-life space at McGill University’s Allan Memorial Institute in Montreal, where from 1957 to 1964, doctors conducted mind-control experiments on patients as part of the CIA’s MK-Ultra initiative. It included electroshock therapy, sensory deprivation and heavy doses of psychedelic drugs.
Like all of Red Barrels’ games, The Outlast Trials draws from dark and true stories. The newest game is a cooperative four-player horror experience where participants have to ‘graduate’ from therapy by completing objectives and surviving monstrous villains. The gameplay mainly involves running and hiding from prowling, deranged sadists. It’s time to get scared again, but this time with your buddies.
Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-apple-is-still-working-on-a-rotating-ipad-like-tabletop-device-111940338.html?src=rss

An iPad-like tabletop device, Apple’s reported take on Echo Show and Nest Hub-style touchscreen devices, might still happen. According to Bloomberg, it could debut as soon as 2026, with a thin robotic arm that moves around a large display. In my mind, it’ll look like a mid-00s piece of technology, like something from Portal or I, Robot.

Rumors suggest it may tilt the screen up and down using actuators and rotate 360 degrees. This suggests it could tap into Apple’s DockKit software to track users as they move around their home for video calls and more. Hundreds of Apple employees are now said to be working on the tabletop system, and it’s apparently strongly linked to Apple Intelligence tools and Siri.

However, there are (understandable) concerns about whether consumers will actually want this, especially as the price may hover around $1,000. Please, Apple: Just make it detachable like the Pixel Tablet. Please?

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

Everything announced at the Made by Google Pixel 2024 launch event

I like this ridiculous Playdate pizza case so much I bought a Playdate

Google announced a 45W USB-C charger that’s faster than its new Pixels can handle

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

Why is the Sonos app so broken?

A spring redesign has caused long-term headaches for everyone. And me.

“I just want it to work with my TV”

I love that my colleague Billy Steele wrote this. I am currently wrestling with resyncing my Sonos Beam with my TV and thought I was going mad. I wasn’t. Following a major update back in the spring, the Sonos app was very broken and missing key functionality. It was missing basic features, like sleep timers and alarms. Some users also reported the inability to rearrange speakers, speakers working intermittently and trouble completing other basic tasks. Some say they can’t reliably load the app. I experienced most of this. Sonos has a clear plan for how it intends to fix this mess, but there’s no word how long that will take.

Continue reading.

Meta killed research tool CrowdTangle because what it showed was inconvenient

Even harder to understand what’s happening on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta has shut down CrowdTangle, the analytics tool that for years helped tens of thousands of researchers, journalists, and civil society groups understand how information was spreading on Facebook and Instagram. The company has introduced the Meta Content Library, but it’s much more tightly controlled than CrowdTangle. There’s a vetting process, and while tens of thousands of people had access to CrowdTangle, only “several hundred” researchers have reportedly been let into the Meta Content Library. Journalists are ineligible.

The timing couldn’t be worse; Meta shut down CrowdTangle less than three months before the US presidential election despite pressure from election groups and a letter from lawmakers requesting a delay.

Continue reading.

CIA brainwashing experiments helped make Outlast an iconic horror series

The latest game, The Outlast Trials, is a risk for the developer.

The Sleep Room in The Outlast Trials is named after a real-life space at McGill University’s Allan Memorial Institute in Montreal, where from 1957 to 1964, doctors conducted mind-control experiments on patients as part of the CIA’s MK-Ultra initiative. It included electroshock therapy, sensory deprivation and heavy doses of psychedelic drugs.

Like all of Red Barrels’ games, The Outlast Trials draws from dark and true stories. The newest game is a cooperative four-player horror experience where participants have to ‘graduate’ from therapy by completing objectives and surviving monstrous villains. The gameplay mainly involves running and hiding from prowling, deranged sadists. It’s time to get scared again, but this time with your buddies.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-apple-is-still-working-on-a-rotating-ipad-like-tabletop-device-111940338.html?src=rss

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Steam reviews tend to be a medley of serious, helpful, jokey and meme-y, but Valve is looking to switch that vibe up a bit. The company has started publicly testing a new “helpfulness” system that will bring useful reviews to the top and effectively demote the fun ones, depending on what the user wants to see.
“User reviews that are identified as being unhelpful for potential customers, such as one-word reviews, reviews comprised of ASCII art, or reviews that are primarily playful memes and in-jokes, will be sorted behind other reviews on the game’s store page,” the company said.
Less of thisValve
The new “helpfulness” button is toggled on by default and works only when you’re in the “summary” and “most helpful” views. When enabled, you’ll see reviews with the highest scores in terms of helpfulness up top, with jokey but relatively useless reviews pushed down below. Unticking the helpfulness box will bring back Steam’s old review system. 
Comments both negative and positive are evaluated using AI algorithms, user reports and Steam’s moderators. In a FAQ, Steam said it will “take quite a while” to rate the 140 million+ existing reviews, and longer still for recently published ones. 
“That doesn’t mean players won’t ever see… humorous, but unhelpful posts, but it hopefully means that they’ll see them less frequently when trying to learn about a game,” Valve wrote. “The primary goal of Steam User Reviews is to help potential players make informed decisions about the games they are considering purchasing.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/steam-reviews-are-now-a-little-more-useful-but-a-little-less-fun-110038814.html?src=rss

Steam reviews tend to be a medley of serious, helpful, jokey and meme-y, but Valve is looking to switch that vibe up a bit. The company has started publicly testing a new “helpfulness” system that will bring useful reviews to the top and effectively demote the fun ones, depending on what the user wants to see.

“User reviews that are identified as being unhelpful for potential customers, such as one-word reviews, reviews comprised of ASCII art, or reviews that are primarily playful memes and in-jokes, will be sorted behind other reviews on the game’s store page,” the company said.

Less of this

The new “helpfulness” button is toggled on by default and works only when you’re in the “summary” and “most helpful” views. When enabled, you’ll see reviews with the highest scores in terms of helpfulness up top, with jokey but relatively useless reviews pushed down below. Unticking the helpfulness box will bring back Steam’s old review system. 

Comments both negative and positive are evaluated using AI algorithms, user reports and Steam’s moderators. In a FAQ, Steam said it will “take quite a while” to rate the 140 million+ existing reviews, and longer still for recently published ones. 

“That doesn’t mean players won’t ever see… humorous, but unhelpful posts, but it hopefully means that they’ll see them less frequently when trying to learn about a game,” Valve wrote. “The primary goal of Steam User Reviews is to help potential players make informed decisions about the games they are considering purchasing.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/steam-reviews-are-now-a-little-more-useful-but-a-little-less-fun-110038814.html?src=rss

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X announced today that it is rolling out support for passkeys on its Android app. The social media platform formerly known as Twitter introduced this security option for iOS users in the US in January, then globally in April.
Passkeys started to take off as an option from tech companies and online services last year. We have a detailed explainer, but in short, this approach to protecting an account creates a digital authentication credential. It’s a stronger alternative to passwords, which can be guessed or stolen. Even password managers have been moving to offer a passkey option for customers.
For X users, you’ll still need a password in order to create an account. But once you’re in the app, you’ll need to click through some menu options to enable a passkey. It’s listed under “Additional password protection” in the Security tab.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-adds-passkey-logins-for-android-users-231827149.html?src=rss

X announced today that it is rolling out support for passkeys on its Android app. The social media platform formerly known as Twitter introduced this security option for iOS users in the US in January, then globally in April.

Passkeys started to take off as an option from tech companies and online services last year. We have a detailed explainer, but in short, this approach to protecting an account creates a digital authentication credential. It’s a stronger alternative to passwords, which can be guessed or stolen. Even password managers have been moving to offer a passkey option for customers.

For X users, you’ll still need a password in order to create an account. But once you’re in the app, you’ll need to click through some menu options to enable a passkey. It’s listed under “Additional password protection” in the Security tab.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-adds-passkey-logins-for-android-users-231827149.html?src=rss

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Electric vehicle company Polestar has started production for the Polestar 3 in South Carolina. Polestar 3 cars from this location are intended for consumers in the US and Europe. The Volvo-owned company’s first SUV debuted in 2023, but the shift to a US production facility will help it to avoid huge tariffs for importing EVs from its facility in Chengdu, China.
“Manufacturing Polestar 3 in the USA is a crucial step for us,” Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said. “Now we offer customers in America an electric SUV that is built in America. Exporting the South Carolina produced Polestar 3 to Europe will strengthen our business on a broader scope.”
Earlier this year, the Biden administration placed a sizable increase on the costs for imports of electric vehicles from China. The White House move to quadruple the tariff on Chinese-made EVs was meant to “protect American manufacturers.” Even before that change was announced, we’d heard that Polestar 3 production would be shifted to South Carolina. The Polestar 4, on the other hand, will be manufactured at the company’s plant in South Korea when production begins in mid-2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/polestar-3-production-is-underway-in-the-us-221732000.html?src=rss

Electric vehicle company Polestar has started production for the Polestar 3 in South Carolina. Polestar 3 cars from this location are intended for consumers in the US and Europe. The Volvo-owned company’s first SUV debuted in 2023, but the shift to a US production facility will help it to avoid huge tariffs for importing EVs from its facility in Chengdu, China.

“Manufacturing Polestar 3 in the USA is a crucial step for us,” Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said. “Now we offer customers in America an electric SUV that is built in America. Exporting the South Carolina produced Polestar 3 to Europe will strengthen our business on a broader scope.”

Earlier this year, the Biden administration placed a sizable increase on the costs for imports of electric vehicles from China. The White House move to quadruple the tariff on Chinese-made EVs was meant to “protect American manufacturers.” Even before that change was announced, we’d heard that Polestar 3 production would be shifted to South Carolina. The Polestar 4, on the other hand, will be manufactured at the company’s plant in South Korea when production begins in mid-2025.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/polestar-3-production-is-underway-in-the-us-221732000.html?src=rss

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Remember when Elon Musk ordered Twitter staff two years ago to “click yes” in an email to promise to work in “extremely hardcore” mode or risk losing their jobs? One of those employees who didn’t click “yes” just won a major ruling, according to the Irish news service RTÉ.
Ireland’s Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) ruled that Gary Rooney, a former senior executive for the company known then as Twitter, was unfairly terminated when he refused to agree to Musk’s email ultimatum in 2022 after nine years with the social media company. The commission also ordered X to pay Rooney €550,000 (roughly $605,000).
WRC adjudication officer Michael MacNamee singled out Musk’s requirement to click “yes” as unfair because refusing to do so “was not capable of constituting an act of resignation.” Therefore, the company had no grounds to justify Rooney’s termination, according to the news report.
Musk sent an email to all Twitter employees in November of 2022 just a month after taking over the social media company issuing an ultimatum of commitment. The email with the subject line “A Fork in the Road” told Twitter’s then staff that they should expect to work “extremely hardcore” including “long hours at high intensity.” Musk gave his staff the opportunity to click a link in the email “If you are sure that you want to be part of the new Twitter” and gave them 24 hours to either agree to the commitment by clicking the link or refusing to do so. Those who didn’t click the link would be terminated and given three months of severance pay.
MacNamee ruled that Musk’s 24-hour deadline was not a “reasonable notice” for his staffers to consider the fate of their jobs. He also said no employee “could possibly be faulted for refusing to be compelled to give an open-ended unqualified assent to any of the proposals.” Twitter’s HR department confirmed that Rooney’s termination was due to his decision not to click the email link despite not knowing about a possible severance or the implications of staying with the company.
Rooney is far from the last of Musk’s former employees to take their former employer to court either for his behavior or what they deemed to be an unjust termination. A lawsuit filed earlier this year by a former SpaceX employee accused the company of gender discrimination and basic safeguarding failures.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/x-ordered-to-pay-600k-to-fired-employee-who-didnt-click-yes-on-email-ultimatum-220130483.html?src=rss

Remember when Elon Musk ordered Twitter staff two years ago to “click yes” in an email to promise to work in “extremely hardcore” mode or risk losing their jobs? One of those employees who didn’t click “yes” just won a major ruling, according to the Irish news service RTÉ.

Ireland’s Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) ruled that Gary Rooney, a former senior executive for the company known then as Twitter, was unfairly terminated when he refused to agree to Musk’s email ultimatum in 2022 after nine years with the social media company. The commission also ordered X to pay Rooney €550,000 (roughly $605,000).

WRC adjudication officer Michael MacNamee singled out Musk’s requirement to click “yes” as unfair because refusing to do so “was not capable of constituting an act of resignation.” Therefore, the company had no grounds to justify Rooney’s termination, according to the news report.

Musk sent an email to all Twitter employees in November of 2022 just a month after taking over the social media company issuing an ultimatum of commitment. The email with the subject line “A Fork in the Road” told Twitter’s then staff that they should expect to work “extremely hardcore” including “long hours at high intensity.” Musk gave his staff the opportunity to click a link in the email “If you are sure that you want to be part of the new Twitter” and gave them 24 hours to either agree to the commitment by clicking the link or refusing to do so. Those who didn’t click the link would be terminated and given three months of severance pay.

MacNamee ruled that Musk’s 24-hour deadline was not a “reasonable notice” for his staffers to consider the fate of their jobs. He also said no employee “could possibly be faulted for refusing to be compelled to give an open-ended unqualified assent to any of the proposals.” Twitter’s HR department confirmed that Rooney’s termination was due to his decision not to click the email link despite not knowing about a possible severance or the implications of staying with the company.

Rooney is far from the last of Musk’s former employees to take their former employer to court either for his behavior or what they deemed to be an unjust termination. A lawsuit filed earlier this year by a former SpaceX employee accused the company of gender discrimination and basic safeguarding failures.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/x-ordered-to-pay-600k-to-fired-employee-who-didnt-click-yes-on-email-ultimatum-220130483.html?src=rss

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A bunch of the Engadget crew loves the Playdate, the tiny, quirky portable console with a load of great indie games and a crank on the side. I’ve long had my eye on it, but never pulled the trigger for one reason or another. I do get Playdate emails, though, and a surprising and hilarious one caught my eye earlier today (subject line: Mamma Mia!):
Playdate
The message goes on to say that “We won’t be posting about this product on social media. We won’t be sending a press release to the media. This special limited edition cover is being shared first with you, our Playdate mailing list readers. (Thanks for subscribing.)”
Well, don’t I feel flattered!
To be clear, Playdate has sold a little purple (and more recently ocean blue) cover for the console since the beginning. It is also cute and satisfyingly wraps around the device to protect it from dings. But, it has nothing on this iconic pizza design.
The reveal of this adorable product sent the Engadget Slack channel into a frenzy — Playdate aficionado Jessica Conditt said nope, this will not make her forget about the fact we’re still waiting for the Playdate Stereo Dock (nice try, Panic). Meanwhile, I started thinking about an upcoming vacation I’m going on, and wouldn’t the Playdate be a nice companion? Particularly with that stunning cover.
A few minutes later and I had an order confirmation in my inbox. That escalated quickly — by at least one measure, the Playdate pizza cover is a success.
For the rest of you Playdate fans, don’t sleep on this one — Playdate says the cover is a limited edition that won’t stick around long. In the meantime, a full review will be forthcoming as soon as this pizza is delivered.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/i-like-this-ridiculous-playdate-pizza-case-so-much-i-bought-a-playdate-213610781.html?src=rss

A bunch of the Engadget crew loves the Playdate, the tiny, quirky portable console with a load of great indie games and a crank on the side. I’ve long had my eye on it, but never pulled the trigger for one reason or another. I do get Playdate emails, though, and a surprising and hilarious one caught my eye earlier today (subject line: Mamma Mia!):

The message goes on to say that “We won’t be posting about this product on social media. We won’t be sending a press release to the media. This special limited edition cover is being shared first with you, our Playdate mailing list readers. (Thanks for subscribing.)”

Well, don’t I feel flattered!

To be clear, Playdate has sold a little purple (and more recently ocean blue) cover for the console since the beginning. It is also cute and satisfyingly wraps around the device to protect it from dings. But, it has nothing on this iconic pizza design.

The reveal of this adorable product sent the Engadget Slack channel into a frenzy — Playdate aficionado Jessica Conditt said nope, this will not make her forget about the fact we’re still waiting for the Playdate Stereo Dock (nice try, Panic). Meanwhile, I started thinking about an upcoming vacation I’m going on, and wouldn’t the Playdate be a nice companion? Particularly with that stunning cover.

A few minutes later and I had an order confirmation in my inbox. That escalated quickly — by at least one measure, the Playdate pizza cover is a success.

For the rest of you Playdate fans, don’t sleep on this one — Playdate says the cover is a limited edition that won’t stick around long. In the meantime, a full review will be forthcoming as soon as this pizza is delivered.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/i-like-this-ridiculous-playdate-pizza-case-so-much-i-bought-a-playdate-213610781.html?src=rss

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Halide is one of the best camera alternatives for the iPhone, a lovingly-crafted app that gives users plenty of manual control over the images they take. And today they just pushed out a major update with an intriguing proposition: an “anti-intelligent” camera.
Of course, more advanced digital photographers will already be familiar with the RAW format, something Halide (and basically all digital camera makers) have offered for years now. RAW simply means you’re getting every bit of data straight from the camera’s sensor, with few modifications or enhancements. The iPhone (and, again, most other digital cameras) typically store photos in a compressed format to save space and with a variety of enhancements applied to make the image look great as soon as you click the shutter.
So Halide’s new format, which they’re referring to as “Process Zero,” is the app’s attempt to make RAW a little more user-friendly. When you open the app, you can choose from three settings: ProRAW (Apple’s custom RAW format that does apply some of the company’s image modifications), Apple Processed (which applies the same computational photography tricks that you’ll get when shooting with Apple’s default camera app) and Process Zero.
The left image is captured in Apple’s ProRAW format, while the right is captured with Halide Process Zero.Halide
Process Zero gives you a RAW file that you can then apply a quick image brightness adjustment to. One of the big benefits from shooting RAW is that you have wide latitude in brightening up a dark image, or toning down one that is blown out. After you make this adjustment, Halide saves the RAW plus brightness adjustment in a new JPEG file that you can then easily export to other apps like Instagram, VSCO, Lightroom, or whatever image editing tool you choose.
The idea here is to let photographers capture RAW images without the computational and algorithmic changes that Apple makes and then easily do something with those photos. So, when you shoot in Process Zero mode, the phone is taking just one image — unlike the Apple camera, which shoots multiple photos and combines them to make a more balanced result. So while that might lead to an image with more noise and with some darker or lighter areas, it can also be significantly sharper and capture more detail than Apple’s process. Halide posted a detailed blog with tons of info on how this all works, complete with examples, and I highly recommend you check it out if you’re curious.
The Halide team also mentioned that the company is working on a Mark III of their app. But unlike Mark II, which arrived with a ton of new features, they’re planning to early-launch some Mark III features to gather feedback; Process Zero is just the first of those. And if you’re curious to check out these RAW capture updates alongside whatever else is in the works, you can get a yearly subscription to Halide for $12 right now, down from the usual $20 price. (If you hate subscriptions, you can also buy Halide Mark II and the eventually III release outright for $60.)This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/iphone-camera-app-halide-has-an-anti-intelligent-mode-to-make-shooting-with-raw-easier-211802575.html?src=rss

Halide is one of the best camera alternatives for the iPhone, a lovingly-crafted app that gives users plenty of manual control over the images they take. And today they just pushed out a major update with an intriguing proposition: an “anti-intelligent” camera.

Of course, more advanced digital photographers will already be familiar with the RAW format, something Halide (and basically all digital camera makers) have offered for years now. RAW simply means you’re getting every bit of data straight from the camera’s sensor, with few modifications or enhancements. The iPhone (and, again, most other digital cameras) typically store photos in a compressed format to save space and with a variety of enhancements applied to make the image look great as soon as you click the shutter.

So Halide’s new format, which they’re referring to as “Process Zero,” is the app’s attempt to make RAW a little more user-friendly. When you open the app, you can choose from three settings: ProRAW (Apple’s custom RAW format that does apply some of the company’s image modifications), Apple Processed (which applies the same computational photography tricks that you’ll get when shooting with Apple’s default camera app) and Process Zero.

The left image is captured in Apple’s ProRAW format, while the right is captured with Halide Process Zero.

Process Zero gives you a RAW file that you can then apply a quick image brightness adjustment to. One of the big benefits from shooting RAW is that you have wide latitude in brightening up a dark image, or toning down one that is blown out. After you make this adjustment, Halide saves the RAW plus brightness adjustment in a new JPEG file that you can then easily export to other apps like Instagram, VSCO, Lightroom, or whatever image editing tool you choose.

The idea here is to let photographers capture RAW images without the computational and algorithmic changes that Apple makes and then easily do something with those photos. So, when you shoot in Process Zero mode, the phone is taking just one image — unlike the Apple camera, which shoots multiple photos and combines them to make a more balanced result. So while that might lead to an image with more noise and with some darker or lighter areas, it can also be significantly sharper and capture more detail than Apple’s process. Halide posted a detailed blog with tons of info on how this all works, complete with examples, and I highly recommend you check it out if you’re curious.

The Halide team also mentioned that the company is working on a Mark III of their app. But unlike Mark II, which arrived with a ton of new features, they’re planning to early-launch some Mark III features to gather feedback; Process Zero is just the first of those. And if you’re curious to check out these RAW capture updates alongside whatever else is in the works, you can get a yearly subscription to Halide for $12 right now, down from the usual $20 price. (If you hate subscriptions, you can also buy Halide Mark II and the eventually III release outright for $60.)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/iphone-camera-app-halide-has-an-anti-intelligent-mode-to-make-shooting-with-raw-easier-211802575.html?src=rss

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Sonos has laid off around 100 employees on Wednesday, according to The Verge. Workers from the company’s marketing department allegedly bore the brunt of the hit. The cuts come as Sonos tries to simultaneously sell the public on its new Ace headphones and fix the rebuilt Sonos mobile app, which CEO Patrick Spence admitted was the result of his push for development speed.
The company confirmed the layoffs to The Verge. “We made the difficult decision to say goodbye to approximately 100 team members representing 6 percent of the company,” Spence said in a statement. The company is also reportedly “winding down” some customer support offices, including one in Amsterdam scheduled for shutdown later this year. Sonos’ LinkedIn page reports 1,800 employees worldwide, and the six-percent figure quoted in the statement would put it at about 1,650 workers. The company’s last layoffs, in June 2023, slashed seven percent of its workforce.
Although Engadget’s review was largely impressed with the company’s new Ace headphones, the app complaints largely overshadowed the highly anticipated hardware launch. Designed to address “performance and reliability issues” and rebuild the developer platform with “modern programming languages that will allow us to drive more innovation faster,” the app launch has been a debacle. It’s created headaches for the company’s most loyal customers and threatened to drag down the brand as it pushes into new product categories. It even led to the delay of two new products that were otherwise ready to roll.
The new Sonos app for Android, iOS and desktop launched in May without core functionality like sleep timers and alarms. Customers reported problems rearranging speakers in different rooms, some only working intermittently and problems completing other basic tasks. Others even said they often couldn’t load the app on the first try.
Sonos
For a taste of how broken the app is, Spence laid out a timeline to repair it in a blog post late last month. July and August were dedicated to improving stability when adding new products and implementing Music Library improvements. An August and September window is reserved for improving volume responsiveness, user interface, stability and error handling. September and October will include tweaks to alarm consistency and reliability, and the restoration of editing playlists and queues. Improvements to settings will also be addressed. (Phew!)
Today’s announcement wasn’t received well by the company’s Reddit community, which has been vocal about the app’s problems since its launch. Some viewed today’s reported layoffs as targeting 100 workers when one high-profile one would’ve done the trick. “I have to say that, I didn’t have both feet in the door to fire Patrick Spence, but any CEO who leaves his employees hung out to dry and then signs the paper that lays them off is a scumbag piece of shit,” u/teryan2006 wrote.
“Since I took over as CEO, one of my particular points of emphasis has been the imperative for Sonos to move faster,” Spence said on a July earnings call. “That is what led to my promise to deliver at least two new products every year — a promise we have successfully delivered on. With the app, however, my push for speed backfired.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/sonos-still-trying-to-fix-its-broken-app-reportedly-lays-off-100-employees-203224705.html?src=rss

Sonos has laid off around 100 employees on Wednesday, according to The Verge. Workers from the company’s marketing department allegedly bore the brunt of the hit. The cuts come as Sonos tries to simultaneously sell the public on its new Ace headphones and fix the rebuilt Sonos mobile app, which CEO Patrick Spence admitted was the result of his push for development speed.

The company confirmed the layoffs to The Verge. “We made the difficult decision to say goodbye to approximately 100 team members representing 6 percent of the company,” Spence said in a statement. The company is also reportedly “winding down” some customer support offices, including one in Amsterdam scheduled for shutdown later this year. Sonos’ LinkedIn page reports 1,800 employees worldwide, and the six-percent figure quoted in the statement would put it at about 1,650 workers. The company’s last layoffs, in June 2023, slashed seven percent of its workforce.

Although Engadget’s review was largely impressed with the company’s new Ace headphones, the app complaints largely overshadowed the highly anticipated hardware launch. Designed to address “performance and reliability issues” and rebuild the developer platform with “modern programming languages that will allow us to drive more innovation faster,” the app launch has been a debacle. It’s created headaches for the company’s most loyal customers and threatened to drag down the brand as it pushes into new product categories. It even led to the delay of two new products that were otherwise ready to roll.

The new Sonos app for Android, iOS and desktop launched in May without core functionality like sleep timers and alarms. Customers reported problems rearranging speakers in different rooms, some only working intermittently and problems completing other basic tasks. Others even said they often couldn’t load the app on the first try.

For a taste of how broken the app is, Spence laid out a timeline to repair it in a blog post late last month. July and August were dedicated to improving stability when adding new products and implementing Music Library improvements. An August and September window is reserved for improving volume responsiveness, user interface, stability and error handling. September and October will include tweaks to alarm consistency and reliability, and the restoration of editing playlists and queues. Improvements to settings will also be addressed. (Phew!)

Today’s announcement wasn’t received well by the company’s Reddit community, which has been vocal about the app’s problems since its launch. Some viewed today’s reported layoffs as targeting 100 workers when one high-profile one would’ve done the trick. “I have to say that, I didn’t have both feet in the door to fire Patrick Spence, but any CEO who leaves his employees hung out to dry and then signs the paper that lays them off is a scumbag piece of shit,” u/teryan2006 wrote.

“Since I took over as CEO, one of my particular points of emphasis has been the imperative for Sonos to move faster,” Spence said on a July earnings call. “That is what led to my promise to deliver at least two new products every year — a promise we have successfully delivered on. With the app, however, my push for speed backfired.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/sonos-still-trying-to-fix-its-broken-app-reportedly-lays-off-100-employees-203224705.html?src=rss

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