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Meta is making it a little easier for creators to avoid the dreaded “Facebook jail.” The company announced a new policy that will allow people with professional accounts to complete in-app “educational training” in order to avoid a strike on their account for first-time violations of the platform’s community standards.
In a blog post announcing the change, Meta notes that it can be frustrating for creators to navigate the company’s penalty system, which restricts Facebook accounts from certain features, including monetization tools, after multiple offenses. Under the new rules, creators who receive a warning for a first-time offense will have the option to remove the warning if they view an in-app explanation of the rule they broke.
Particularly serious offenses, “such as posting content that includes sexual exploitation, the sale of high-risk drugs, or glorification of dangerous organizations and individuals” are not able to be removed. Instead, the system is geared toward helping creators correct “unintentional mistakes,” according to the company. “We believe focusing on helping people understand why we have removed their content will be more effective at preventing re-offending, giving us not just a fairer approach, but a more effective one,” Meta explains.
It’s not the first time Meta has tried to reform its penalty system, which has been criticized by the Oversight Board and is a frequent source of frustration to users who may get strikes for mundane comments taken out of context. Last year, the company said it was trying to focus more on educating users about its rules rather than restricting their ability to post. Though the latest policy change will only affect creators with professional accounts to start, the company says it is planning to expand it “more broadly in the coming months.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/facebook-will-let-creators-remove-account-warnings-if-they-complete-educational-training-181503330.html?src=rss

Meta is making it a little easier for creators to avoid the dreaded “Facebook jail.” The company announced a new policy that will allow people with professional accounts to complete in-app “educational training” in order to avoid a strike on their account for first-time violations of the platform’s community standards.

In a blog post announcing the change, Meta notes that it can be frustrating for creators to navigate the company’s penalty system, which restricts Facebook accounts from certain features, including monetization tools, after multiple offenses. Under the new rules, creators who receive a warning for a first-time offense will have the option to remove the warning if they view an in-app explanation of the rule they broke.

Particularly serious offenses, “such as posting content that includes sexual exploitation, the sale of high-risk drugs, or glorification of dangerous organizations and individuals” are not able to be removed. Instead, the system is geared toward helping creators correct “unintentional mistakes,” according to the company. “We believe focusing on helping people understand why we have removed their content will be more effective at preventing re-offending, giving us not just a fairer approach, but a more effective one,” Meta explains.

It’s not the first time Meta has tried to reform its penalty system, which has been criticized by the Oversight Board and is a frequent source of frustration to users who may get strikes for mundane comments taken out of context. Last year, the company said it was trying to focus more on educating users about its rules rather than restricting their ability to post. Though the latest policy change will only affect creators with professional accounts to start, the company says it is planning to expand it “more broadly in the coming months.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/facebook-will-let-creators-remove-account-warnings-if-they-complete-educational-training-181503330.html?src=rss

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Fujifilm’s X-T30 II is one of my favorite cameras, as it offers many of the capabilities of the higher-end models for a lot less money. So I was particularly excited when the company launched the X-T50, which is like a miniature version of the $1,700 X-T5.
It shares many features, including a 40.2-megapixel sensor, 6K 30P video support and, in a first for the series, in-body stabilization. At the same time, it retains the small size and retro-cute styling of past models.

At $1,400 it’s not nearly as affordable as the $900 X-T30, though. To find out if it’s worth an extra half grand, I tested the X-T50 out in London with some professional photographer friends.
Body and handling
The X-T50 is all about portability and style, so it’s nice and light at 438 grams (0.96 pounds), just 50 grams more than the previous model. If you’re traveling with a compact lens, it can easily be slipped into a bag.

At the same time, the grip has been enlarged enough to make the camera easier to hang on to. Operation is largely unchanged, with two control dials, a shutter speed dial and an exposure compensation dial, along with a joystick and eight buttons. However, Fujifilm did introduce one new trick: a film simulation dial in place of the previous drive mode — more on that shortly.
All of that makes it nearly as easy to control as much larger cameras. The dedicated shutter dial is an unusual feature these days, so it does take some getting used to. The advantage is that you can see that setting just by looking down at the camera, a must for discreet street or travel shooting.
Like past models in this series, the X-T50 has a tilt-only display that doesn’t flip out, which is likely a bummer for the vloggers it’s tantalizing with its video capabilities. And rival models like the Sony A6700 and Canon R7 do have flip-out displays. The 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder isn’t super sharp, but is par for the course in this price range.
With a smallish battery like the one on the X100 VI, the X-T50 can manage just 305 shots on a charge or 390 in economy mode. That’s near the bottom in its category. By comparison, Canon’s like-priced R7 can take up to 660 photos before the battery dies.
The X-T50 has a decent array of ports, including microHDMI, USB-C and a mic jack. As before, there’s no headphone input, but you can use the USB-C slot with a 3.5mm adapter to monitor audio. It comes with a single, but fast UHS-II card slot.
Performance
If it’s pure performance you’re after, the X-T50 probably isn’t for you. Burst speeds are decent at up to 13 fps in electronic shutter mode or 8 fps with the mechanical shutter — far from the 30 fps of the Canon R7 in electronic mode. Also, the electronic shutter is only good if your subject doesn’t move too quickly, as rolling shutter distortion is very noticeable in this model.

Steve Dent for Engadget

Autofocus still isn’t a Fujifilm strong point, either. When I was shooting quick-moving subjects, it was a bit hit or miss in continuous mode, particularly when they were close to the camera. However, performance depends greatly on the lens being used.
On top of face and eye detection, Fujifilm has added subject-tracking autofocus modes for animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, airplanes and trains. This feature is completely separate from the regular eye and face detection modes, so you have to dive into the menus to switch between them, or program two separate buttons.
For the other types of photography it’s designed for, the X-T50’s autofocus works well, though it isn’t quite up to Sony, Canon or even Nikon’s standards.
A key new feature is in-body stabilization. With up to seven stops of shake reduction, you can get sharp photos down to about a quarter second. That’s the same as the 557-gram X-T5, which is quite an accomplishment given the size difference. It makes the X-T50 far more versatile, letting you blur motion to create interesting shots or shoot in dark environments.
Image quality
With the same 40MP sensor as the X-H2 and X-T5, the X-T50 offers a major boost in resolution over the 26MP X-30 II. On top of boosting sharpness, the extra pixels make it possible to crop in, something that’s handy for travel photography, wildlife shooting or anything else where you might not be able to get close to the subject.
In-camera treatment of JPEG files is handled well, with pleasant, accurate colors and just the right amount of sharpening and noise reduction. You can often share photos straight out of the camera, with no need for any post-processing — an advantage for street and other photographers who don’t like to mess around in post.
The 14-bit RAW photos offer plenty of room for fine-tuning, as they retain high amounts of detail in highlights and shadows. As such, I saw low levels of banding, noise and other artifacts at low ISOs in all image areas.

Steve Dent for Engadget

The higher resolution doesn’t hurt image quality much in low light, either. Noise is controlled well up to ISO 6,400, and you can go up to ISO 12,800 in a pinch. Considering that the X-T50 is an APS-C and not a full-frame camera, I was impressed with the lack of noise when shooting in bars and other dim environments.
And of course, the X100 VI offers Fujifilm’s full array of film simulation modes, and they’re easily accessible on the new dial. You can experiment with popular looks like Velvia, Eterna, Acros black and white and others. It also comes with Fujifilm’s new Reala Ace, based on one of the company’s old negative films. At the same time, you get a RAW backup in full color, so you’re not locked into a specific look.
Video
With excellent video specs, the X-T50 is a solid hybrid camera, as long as you keep in mind some caveats — particularly around cropping and sharpness.
Much like the X-T5, you can shoot 6.2K at 30 fps with a 1.23x crop, or 4K at up to 60 fps with line-skipping and a 1.14x crop. The cropping occurs because 6K video only requires 24 megapixels, and the sensor/processor combination isn’t up to the job of supersampling the entire sensor width.

Steve Dent for Engadget

The camera also offers sub-sampled 4K at up to 30p using the full sensor width, or high-quality 4K 30p with a 1.23x crop. For super slow-motion, Fujifilm also introduced 10-bit and F-Log2 settings for extra dynamic range.
At 6.2K and 4K HQ, rolling shutter skewing is pronounced so you’ll want to avoid excessive or sharp camera movements. Sub-sampled 4K is better in that area, but video is noticeably less sharp.
Video autofocus matches what I saw with photos, meaning it was decent but not ideal for moving subjects. The AI-powered AF did lock onto subjects, but again, couldn’t always keep up with birds, animals or vehicles.
Handheld video is now a realistic option with in-body stabilization. It works well if you don’t make abrupt movements, and the “boost” mode offers near tripod-like smoothness. Digital stabilization is also available, but isn’t supported with the 6K or HQ modes, and doesn’t reduce jolts when walking.
Video quality is solid for such a small camera, offering the same accurate colors I saw in photo modes. Shooting in 10-bit F-Log made it possible to adjust footage considerably in post or get creative. You can also shoot video using the film simulation modes if you want a specific look straight out of the camera.
Wrap-up

Steve Dent for Engadget

All told, the X-T50 is an awesome upgrade to the X-T30 II, with improvements in nearly every area — particularly resolution, stabilization and video. The film simulation button is a bit gimmicky, but it should appeal to fans of the brand, particularly those who love the X100 VI.
The problem I have with this camera is the price. The $900 X-T30 II was easy to recommend to buyers on a mid-level budget. However, at $1,400, the X-T50 is only $300 less than the superior X-T5, and at that price it has lots of stiff competition from the likes of the Canon R7 and Sony A6700, along with full-frame models like the Canon R8, Nikon Z6 II/Z5/Zfc and Panasonic S9.
Fujifilm likely figured that the X-T50 was nearly as capable as the X-T5 and that the 40-megapixel resolution beats out rivals — but it has priced a lot of potential buyers out of the market. If you’re looking for something that costs around the same as the X-T30 II, Nikon’s $1,100 Zfc is just as pretty and a lot less expensive.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/fujifilm-x-t50-review-a-big-improvement-for-a-lot-more-money-180046809.html?src=rss

Fujifilm’s X-T30 II is one of my favorite cameras, as it offers many of the capabilities of the higher-end models for a lot less money. So I was particularly excited when the company launched the X-T50, which is like a miniature version of the $1,700 X-T5.

It shares many features, including a 40.2-megapixel sensor, 6K 30P video support and, in a first for the series, in-body stabilization. At the same time, it retains the small size and retro-cute styling of past models.

At $1,400 it’s not nearly as affordable as the $900 X-T30, though. To find out if it’s worth an extra half grand, I tested the X-T50 out in London with some professional photographer friends.

Body and handling

The X-T50 is all about portability and style, so it’s nice and light at 438 grams (0.96 pounds), just 50 grams more than the previous model. If you’re traveling with a compact lens, it can easily be slipped into a bag.

At the same time, the grip has been enlarged enough to make the camera easier to hang on to. Operation is largely unchanged, with two control dials, a shutter speed dial and an exposure compensation dial, along with a joystick and eight buttons. However, Fujifilm did introduce one new trick: a film simulation dial in place of the previous drive mode — more on that shortly.

All of that makes it nearly as easy to control as much larger cameras. The dedicated shutter dial is an unusual feature these days, so it does take some getting used to. The advantage is that you can see that setting just by looking down at the camera, a must for discreet street or travel shooting.

Like past models in this series, the X-T50 has a tilt-only display that doesn’t flip out, which is likely a bummer for the vloggers it’s tantalizing with its video capabilities. And rival models like the Sony A6700 and Canon R7 do have flip-out displays. The 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder isn’t super sharp, but is par for the course in this price range.

With a smallish battery like the one on the X100 VI, the X-T50 can manage just 305 shots on a charge or 390 in economy mode. That’s near the bottom in its category. By comparison, Canon’s like-priced R7 can take up to 660 photos before the battery dies.

The X-T50 has a decent array of ports, including microHDMI, USB-C and a mic jack. As before, there’s no headphone input, but you can use the USB-C slot with a 3.5mm adapter to monitor audio. It comes with a single, but fast UHS-II card slot.

Performance

If it’s pure performance you’re after, the X-T50 probably isn’t for you. Burst speeds are decent at up to 13 fps in electronic shutter mode or 8 fps with the mechanical shutter — far from the 30 fps of the Canon R7 in electronic mode. Also, the electronic shutter is only good if your subject doesn’t move too quickly, as rolling shutter distortion is very noticeable in this model.

Autofocus still isn’t a Fujifilm strong point, either. When I was shooting quick-moving subjects, it was a bit hit or miss in continuous mode, particularly when they were close to the camera. However, performance depends greatly on the lens being used.

On top of face and eye detection, Fujifilm has added subject-tracking autofocus modes for animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, airplanes and trains. This feature is completely separate from the regular eye and face detection modes, so you have to dive into the menus to switch between them, or program two separate buttons.

For the other types of photography it’s designed for, the X-T50’s autofocus works well, though it isn’t quite up to Sony, Canon or even Nikon’s standards.

A key new feature is in-body stabilization. With up to seven stops of shake reduction, you can get sharp photos down to about a quarter second. That’s the same as the 557-gram X-T5, which is quite an accomplishment given the size difference. It makes the X-T50 far more versatile, letting you blur motion to create interesting shots or shoot in dark environments.

Image quality

With the same 40MP sensor as the X-H2 and X-T5, the X-T50 offers a major boost in resolution over the 26MP X-30 II. On top of boosting sharpness, the extra pixels make it possible to crop in, something that’s handy for travel photography, wildlife shooting or anything else where you might not be able to get close to the subject.

In-camera treatment of JPEG files is handled well, with pleasant, accurate colors and just the right amount of sharpening and noise reduction. You can often share photos straight out of the camera, with no need for any post-processing — an advantage for street and other photographers who don’t like to mess around in post.

The 14-bit RAW photos offer plenty of room for fine-tuning, as they retain high amounts of detail in highlights and shadows. As such, I saw low levels of banding, noise and other artifacts at low ISOs in all image areas.

The higher resolution doesn’t hurt image quality much in low light, either. Noise is controlled well up to ISO 6,400, and you can go up to ISO 12,800 in a pinch. Considering that the X-T50 is an APS-C and not a full-frame camera, I was impressed with the lack of noise when shooting in bars and other dim environments.

And of course, the X100 VI offers Fujifilm’s full array of film simulation modes, and they’re easily accessible on the new dial. You can experiment with popular looks like Velvia, Eterna, Acros black and white and others. It also comes with Fujifilm’s new Reala Ace, based on one of the company’s old negative films. At the same time, you get a RAW backup in full color, so you’re not locked into a specific look.

Video

With excellent video specs, the X-T50 is a solid hybrid camera, as long as you keep in mind some caveats — particularly around cropping and sharpness.

Much like the X-T5, you can shoot 6.2K at 30 fps with a 1.23x crop, or 4K at up to 60 fps with line-skipping and a 1.14x crop. The cropping occurs because 6K video only requires 24 megapixels, and the sensor/processor combination isn’t up to the job of supersampling the entire sensor width.

The camera also offers sub-sampled 4K at up to 30p using the full sensor width, or high-quality 4K 30p with a 1.23x crop. For super slow-motion, Fujifilm also introduced 10-bit and F-Log2 settings for extra dynamic range.

At 6.2K and 4K HQ, rolling shutter skewing is pronounced so you’ll want to avoid excessive or sharp camera movements. Sub-sampled 4K is better in that area, but video is noticeably less sharp.

Video autofocus matches what I saw with photos, meaning it was decent but not ideal for moving subjects. The AI-powered AF did lock onto subjects, but again, couldn’t always keep up with birds, animals or vehicles.

Handheld video is now a realistic option with in-body stabilization. It works well if you don’t make abrupt movements, and the “boost” mode offers near tripod-like smoothness. Digital stabilization is also available, but isn’t supported with the 6K or HQ modes, and doesn’t reduce jolts when walking.

Video quality is solid for such a small camera, offering the same accurate colors I saw in photo modes. Shooting in 10-bit F-Log made it possible to adjust footage considerably in post or get creative. You can also shoot video using the film simulation modes if you want a specific look straight out of the camera.

Wrap-up

All told, the X-T50 is an awesome upgrade to the X-T30 II, with improvements in nearly every area — particularly resolution, stabilization and video. The film simulation button is a bit gimmicky, but it should appeal to fans of the brand, particularly those who love the X100 VI.

The problem I have with this camera is the price. The $900 X-T30 II was easy to recommend to buyers on a mid-level budget. However, at $1,400, the X-T50 is only $300 less than the superior X-T5, and at that price it has lots of stiff competition from the likes of the Canon R7 and Sony A6700, along with full-frame models like the Canon R8, Nikon Z6 II/Z5/Zfc and Panasonic S9.

Fujifilm likely figured that the X-T50 was nearly as capable as the X-T5 and that the 40-megapixel resolution beats out rivals — but it has priced a lot of potential buyers out of the market. If you’re looking for something that costs around the same as the X-T30 II, Nikon’s $1,100 Zfc is just as pretty and a lot less expensive.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/fujifilm-x-t50-review-a-big-improvement-for-a-lot-more-money-180046809.html?src=rss

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If you miss the colorfully profane world of Succession, a show where most characters would gladly sell their souls for power and money, then you should be watching HBO Max’s Industry. While they share some similarities — both come from British creators and follow a cadre of anti-heroic characters into a world of hyperwealth — Industry is even more focused on the inhuman ambition that drives its characters.
While Succession follows a family that’s already wealthy and striving to hold onto its relevance, Industry centers on a group of twenty-somethings who are (mostly) not rich and are all desperate to prove themselves at London’s renowned investment bank Pierpoint & Co. Breaking with the rampant nepotism of the Roy family, their workplace could charitably be described as meritocratic — who you are doesn’t matter as much as the money you bring in — but it’s also an obscenely toxic world devoid of morality.

Our gateway to the world of Pierpoint is Harper Stern (Myha’la Herrold, Bodies Bodies Bodies), a genius trader with a dark secret (she never graduated college). As a young black American woman, she stands out from the sea of mostly white British men on the sales floor. Perhaps that’s why her New Yorker boss, Eric Tao (Ken Leung, Lost), sees her as a potential protege. Harper works alongside Yasmin (Marisa Abel), the daughter of a wealthy publishing family; Gus, a gay black conservative trader; and Harry (Robert Spearing), the obligatory high achiever from a working-class background.
In season three, premiering on August 11, Game of Thrones’ Kit Harrington joins the cast as Henry Muck, the wealthy CEO of Lumi, a beloved green tech energy startup on the verge of an IPO. (Not to be confused with actual companies like the design studio Lumi, the piano learning gadget Lumi, or the dead packaging firm Lumi.) But, like a cross between Theranos, Solyndra and the slew of failed Obama-era green tech startups, Lumi may not entirely live up to its eco-friendly hype. Some banks would have qualms about pushing a problematic company into the stock market, but not Pierpoint — its job is to make money on the IPO, not judge the long term viability of Lumi.
That sort of amoral viewpoint isn’t anything new for Pierpoint or its minions on Industry. From the beginning, series creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay avoided turning the series into a lecture against the investment banking world. Instead, its characters all reflect the selfish philosophy initially laid down by Wall Street’s Gordon Gekko: “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.”
Photo by Simon Ridgway/HBO
While some characters voice their concerns about Lumi, Industry explores the more cynical (and arguably realistic) outcome: Just about everyone finds a way to profit from the company’s potential failure — except, of course, for Lumi’s customers and early investors.
“We wanted to write about an energy company that had real world stakes that felt like it was scratching the heels a bit of the sort of bigger monopolistic competitors,” Down said in an interview on the Engadget Podcast. “And then also we wanted to write about the collapse of a company like that — a company which [has] really been founded to do something really good and what happens when that company goes kaput and leaves a lot of destruction in its wake.”
Industry started out as a show focused on interpersonal relationships between a small group of colleagues, their hedonistic night lives and Pierpoint’s erosion of their humanity, but now it’s scope has expanded to include the wider global economy, Britain’s role in propping up failed companies and rival trading outfits.
Photo by Simon Ridgway/HBO
“When we started off, we were very inexperienced writers,” Kay said. “We deliberately wrote about a very sealed off hermetic experience, a very universal one, which is people starting in the workplace at a certain time. [now] The stakes are higher. It’s more interested in how the training floor intersects with the wider world, politics, newspapers, media, class.”
Beyond the inner-workings of finance and the soapy romantic lives of Industry’s characters, the real draw of the show is “watching competent people be good at their jobs,” as Down says. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand all of the financial jargon the characters are spouting off in the first season. Like a cross between Margin Call and Michael Clayton, what makes Industry truly compelling is seeing smart people prove their brilliance repeatedly in a pressure cooker environment. 
For a show that seemed like a Succession clone early on, Industry has evolved into something dramatically different. Wealth and success isn’t a given for anyone in the show — it’s something they have to earn with blood, sweat and moral compromise.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/industry-tackles-the-impact-of-overhyped-tech-in-its-ambitious-third-season-170032365.html?src=rss

If you miss the colorfully profane world of Succession, a show where most characters would gladly sell their souls for power and money, then you should be watching HBO Max’s Industry. While they share some similarities — both come from British creators and follow a cadre of anti-heroic characters into a world of hyperwealth — Industry is even more focused on the inhuman ambition that drives its characters.

While Succession follows a family that’s already wealthy and striving to hold onto its relevance, Industry centers on a group of twenty-somethings who are (mostly) not rich and are all desperate to prove themselves at London’s renowned investment bank Pierpoint & Co. Breaking with the rampant nepotism of the Roy family, their workplace could charitably be described as meritocratic — who you are doesn’t matter as much as the money you bring in — but it’s also an obscenely toxic world devoid of morality.

Our gateway to the world of Pierpoint is Harper Stern (Myha’la Herrold, Bodies Bodies Bodies), a genius trader with a dark secret (she never graduated college). As a young black American woman, she stands out from the sea of mostly white British men on the sales floor. Perhaps that’s why her New Yorker boss, Eric Tao (Ken Leung, Lost), sees her as a potential protege. Harper works alongside Yasmin (Marisa Abel), the daughter of a wealthy publishing family; Gus, a gay black conservative trader; and Harry (Robert Spearing), the obligatory high achiever from a working-class background.

In season three, premiering on August 11, Game of Thrones’ Kit Harrington joins the cast as Henry Muck, the wealthy CEO of Lumi, a beloved green tech energy startup on the verge of an IPO. (Not to be confused with actual companies like the design studio Lumi, the piano learning gadget Lumi, or the dead packaging firm Lumi.) But, like a cross between Theranos, Solyndra and the slew of failed Obama-era green tech startups, Lumi may not entirely live up to its eco-friendly hype. Some banks would have qualms about pushing a problematic company into the stock market, but not Pierpoint — its job is to make money on the IPO, not judge the long term viability of Lumi.

That sort of amoral viewpoint isn’t anything new for Pierpoint or its minions on Industry. From the beginning, series creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay avoided turning the series into a lecture against the investment banking world. Instead, its characters all reflect the selfish philosophy initially laid down by Wall Street’s Gordon Gekko: “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.”

While some characters voice their concerns about Lumi, Industry explores the more cynical (and arguably realistic) outcome: Just about everyone finds a way to profit from the company’s potential failure — except, of course, for Lumi’s customers and early investors.

“We wanted to write about an energy company that had real world stakes that felt like it was scratching the heels a bit of the sort of bigger monopolistic competitors,” Down said in an interview on the Engadget Podcast. “And then also we wanted to write about the collapse of a company like that — a company which [has] really been founded to do something really good and what happens when that company goes kaput and leaves a lot of destruction in its wake.”

Industry started out as a show focused on interpersonal relationships between a small group of colleagues, their hedonistic night lives and Pierpoint’s erosion of their humanity, but now it’s scope has expanded to include the wider global economy, Britain’s role in propping up failed companies and rival trading outfits.

“When we started off, we were very inexperienced writers,” Kay said. “We deliberately wrote about a very sealed off hermetic experience, a very universal one, which is people starting in the workplace at a certain time. [now] The stakes are higher. It’s more interested in how the training floor intersects with the wider world, politics, newspapers, media, class.”

Beyond the inner-workings of finance and the soapy romantic lives of Industry’s characters, the real draw of the show is “watching competent people be good at their jobs,” as Down says. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand all of the financial jargon the characters are spouting off in the first season. Like a cross between Margin Call and Michael Clayton, what makes Industry truly compelling is seeing smart people prove their brilliance repeatedly in a pressure cooker environment. 

For a show that seemed like a Succession clone early on, Industry has evolved into something dramatically different. Wealth and success isn’t a given for anyone in the show — it’s something they have to earn with blood, sweat and moral compromise.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/industry-tackles-the-impact-of-overhyped-tech-in-its-ambitious-third-season-170032365.html?src=rss

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Balatro, the terrific card game that pushes you to break most of the rules of poker to achieve ever-higher scores, is in line for its first major gameplay update. You’ll have to wait until next year for that, but developer LocalThunk promises it will bring “new ideas and strategies to the game.” What’s more, it will be a free update “as a token of huge appreciation to the game’s brilliant and passionate community.”
This is the first of three Balatro announcements/surprises LocalThunk and publisher Playstack are revealing this summer (one of them has to be a mobile version, right?) just after the game reached two million sales. Some players might be a little nervous about the developer tinkering with a stupendously well-balanced title — which is surely going to end up on many people’s game of the year lists — but LocalThunk has probably earned most fans’ trust at this point given how exquisitely designed and tuned Balatro is already.
We’re announcing this today as we officially celebrate TWO MILLION COPIES SOLD! pic.twitter.com/oziwEqyL3a— Balatro (@BalatroGame) August 7, 2024

Meanwhile, LocalThunk this week doubled down on a promise never to let Balatro be used for gambling purposes. The developer says he’s been approached by several parties over the last few months to license the intellectual property, “presumably to make Balatro-themed gambling games like slots or video poker.” That’s something LocalThunk has firmly opposed though, to the point the developer has made clear in his will that “the Balatro IP may never be sold or licensed to any gambling company/casino.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/balatro-is-getting-its-first-big-free-gameplay-update-in-2025-161938348.html?src=rss

Balatro, the terrific card game that pushes you to break most of the rules of poker to achieve ever-higher scores, is in line for its first major gameplay update. You’ll have to wait until next year for that, but developer LocalThunk promises it will bring “new ideas and strategies to the game.” What’s more, it will be a free update “as a token of huge appreciation to the game’s brilliant and passionate community.”

This is the first of three Balatro announcements/surprises LocalThunk and publisher Playstack are revealing this summer (one of them has to be a mobile version, right?) just after the game reached two million sales. Some players might be a little nervous about the developer tinkering with a stupendously well-balanced title — which is surely going to end up on many people’s game of the year lists — but LocalThunk has probably earned most fans’ trust at this point given how exquisitely designed and tuned Balatro is already.

Meanwhile, LocalThunk this week doubled down on a promise never to let Balatro be used for gambling purposes. The developer says he’s been approached by several parties over the last few months to license the intellectual property, “presumably to make Balatro-themed gambling games like slots or video poker.” That’s something LocalThunk has firmly opposed though, to the point the developer has made clear in his will that “the Balatro IP may never be sold or licensed to any gambling company/casino.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/balatro-is-getting-its-first-big-free-gameplay-update-in-2025-161938348.html?src=rss

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The Ring Stick Up Cam is on sale for $55 via Amazon. That’s a discount of 45 percent and is the lowest price ever for the well-regarded security camera. Last time it got this low was Prime Day, but that was only available to Prime members. Now anyone can get in on the action.
This is a standard security camera, but it’s anything but bare-bones. It’s easily mountable to just about any surface and can be moved at will. It allows for two-way communication via a proprietary app or an Echo device like the Show. People can use these same methods to check in on the camera feed.

There are two versions of this security cam, and both are available with this sale. The only difference is how they are powered. One uses a removable battery pack and the other plugs into a power source. Obviously, the one with the battery pack (as seen above) is easier to mount in a variety of different locations, as there’s no worrying about a nearby outlet. The plug-in version, however, will never run out of juice.
These cameras will record footage and put it all in the cloud, but only with a Ring Protect Plan subscription. The plans range from $5 to $20 per month. On the downside, the two security cams lack some of the features found with the Pro model, so there’s no radar detection.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-ring-stick-up-cam-is-down-to-its-lowest-price-yet-152949573.html?src=rss

The Ring Stick Up Cam is on sale for $55 via Amazon. That’s a discount of 45 percent and is the lowest price ever for the well-regarded security camera. Last time it got this low was Prime Day, but that was only available to Prime members. Now anyone can get in on the action.

This is a standard security camera, but it’s anything but bare-bones. It’s easily mountable to just about any surface and can be moved at will. It allows for two-way communication via a proprietary app or an Echo device like the Show. People can use these same methods to check in on the camera feed.

There are two versions of this security cam, and both are available with this sale. The only difference is how they are powered. One uses a removable battery pack and the other plugs into a power source. Obviously, the one with the battery pack (as seen above) is easier to mount in a variety of different locations, as there’s no worrying about a nearby outlet. The plug-in version, however, will never run out of juice.

These cameras will record footage and put it all in the cloud, but only with a Ring Protect Plan subscription. The plans range from $5 to $20 per month. On the downside, the two security cams lack some of the features found with the Pro model, so there’s no radar detection.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-ring-stick-up-cam-is-down-to-its-lowest-price-yet-152949573.html?src=rss

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We don’t always need the latest and most powerful version of a device, especially when it’ll cost more money than an older one that does the trick. If you’ve been waiting for a good deal on an iPad that can handle the basics, it’s worth considering the 9th-generation iPad. A variant with 64GB of storage will run you $229, which is $100 off the regular price. The discount applies to both the silver and space gray colorways.
This model is from 2021 and Apple actually discontinued it in May, so this is effectively a fire sale as the company looks to clear out stock — quite possibly ahead of a new base iPad. This isn’t quite the lowest price that this model has dropped to (it dipped to $209 at one point), but it’s a decent offer as long as you’re not planning on video editing or playing the latest games natively.

The 10.2-inch Retina display should be plenty capable of handling much of your streaming video, web browsing and productivity needs. The iPad should be reasonably zippy as well, thanks to the A13 Bionic chip. You can even use it for sketching if you have the first-gen Apple Pencil.
The front-facing ultra-wide camera supports Apple’s Center Stage feature. As such, you should stay in the middle of the frame while you’re on FaceTime or other video calls.
One factor worth considering is that this is the last mainline iPad with a Lightning port. So that’s worth keeping in mind if you have an iPhone 15 and have been getting rid of your old Lightning cables. And while Apple’s still allowing 9th-gen iPad owners to upgrade to iPadOS 18 when it becomes available, the OS updates won’t last forever. Still, if you’re looking for an iPad on which to catch up on reading, zip through your inbox or watch the latest season of a show you dig, this is a good option.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-9th-gen-ipad-is-on-sale-for-229-right-now-151616014.html?src=rss

We don’t always need the latest and most powerful version of a device, especially when it’ll cost more money than an older one that does the trick. If you’ve been waiting for a good deal on an iPad that can handle the basics, it’s worth considering the 9th-generation iPad. A variant with 64GB of storage will run you $229, which is $100 off the regular price. The discount applies to both the silver and space gray colorways.

This model is from 2021 and Apple actually discontinued it in May, so this is effectively a fire sale as the company looks to clear out stock — quite possibly ahead of a new base iPad. This isn’t quite the lowest price that this model has dropped to (it dipped to $209 at one point), but it’s a decent offer as long as you’re not planning on video editing or playing the latest games natively.

The 10.2-inch Retina display should be plenty capable of handling much of your streaming video, web browsing and productivity needs. The iPad should be reasonably zippy as well, thanks to the A13 Bionic chip. You can even use it for sketching if you have the first-gen Apple Pencil.

The front-facing ultra-wide camera supports Apple’s Center Stage feature. As such, you should stay in the middle of the frame while you’re on FaceTime or other video calls.

One factor worth considering is that this is the last mainline iPad with a Lightning port. So that’s worth keeping in mind if you have an iPhone 15 and have been getting rid of your old Lightning cables. And while Apple’s still allowing 9th-gen iPad owners to upgrade to iPadOS 18 when it becomes available, the OS updates won’t last forever. Still, if you’re looking for an iPad on which to catch up on reading, zip through your inbox or watch the latest season of a show you dig, this is a good option.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-9th-gen-ipad-is-on-sale-for-229-right-now-151616014.html?src=rss

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Starting next year, Stranger Things fans will be able to watch its stage play spin-off on Broadway. The prequel to the popular sci-fi/horror series, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, won two Olivier Awards and several other accolades since it premiered on West End in December 2023. Its West End production will run until sometime in 2025, thanks to an extended run, but performances on Broadway will also begin on March 28, 2025. That said, the play will officially open at Marquis Theatre in New York on April 22, 2025. 
The First Shadow is set in 1959, before the events in the Netflix series. Jim/Hop, Joyce and Bob — who was played by Sean Astin — are seniors in the story who all just want to graduate and leave town. “When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach,” the play’s synopsis reads. It’s based on a story by the Duffer Brothers, the creators of Stranger Things who will also serve as the play’s creative producers, and will be directed by Tony award winner Stephen Daldry.
Casting for the production hasn’t been announced yet, but fans can already sign up to make sure they get early access to pre-sale tickets. Those who sign up on The First Shadow’s official website will be able to buy pre-sale tickets first, starting at 11AM on September 13. Everyone else will be able to purchase tickets when they go on sale to the general public a few days later on September 17. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/stranger-things-will-make-its-broadway-debut-in-march-2025-140015764.html?src=rss

Starting next year, Stranger Things fans will be able to watch its stage play spin-off on Broadway. The prequel to the popular sci-fi/horror series, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, won two Olivier Awards and several other accolades since it premiered on West End in December 2023. Its West End production will run until sometime in 2025, thanks to an extended run, but performances on Broadway will also begin on March 28, 2025. That said, the play will officially open at Marquis Theatre in New York on April 22, 2025. 

The First Shadow is set in 1959, before the events in the Netflix series. Jim/Hop, Joyce and Bob — who was played by Sean Astin — are seniors in the story who all just want to graduate and leave town. “When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach,” the play’s synopsis reads. It’s based on a story by the Duffer Brothers, the creators of Stranger Things who will also serve as the play’s creative producers, and will be directed by Tony award winner Stephen Daldry.

Casting for the production hasn’t been announced yet, but fans can already sign up to make sure they get early access to pre-sale tickets. Those who sign up on The First Shadow’s official website will be able to buy pre-sale tickets first, starting at 11AM on September 13. Everyone else will be able to purchase tickets when they go on sale to the general public a few days later on September 17. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/stranger-things-will-make-its-broadway-debut-in-march-2025-140015764.html?src=rss

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Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) is taking Elon Musk’s X to court. According to Irish broadcaster RTE, the commission has launched High Court proceedings against Twitter International over concerns on how Europeans’ public posts on X are being used to train the company’s artificial intelligence tools. The data protection watchdog is especially worried that European users’ data is being used to train the next version of Grok that Musk previously said will be released sometime this month. 
In July, X rolled out a change that automatically activated a setting for all users, allowing the website to use their public posts on the platform to train its AI chatbot further. The commission told TechCrunch that it was surprised by X’s decision, seeing as it has been in contact with the company on the matter for months. X has had a help page instructing users on how to opt out of their data being used for AI training since at least May, but it didn’t exactly tell them that it’s switching on its access to people’s data by default. 
The DPC has acknowledged that X had given people the mechanism to opt out. However, it reportedly isn’t enough for the agency, which argued that there’s still a significant number of European-based X users whose data had been processed without being afforded the protection of those mitigation measures. X’s use of people’s data to train Grok violates its obligations under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), according to the commission. Not offering users an opt-out mechanism in a timely manner also violates the GDPR, it added. 
As TechCrunch notes, there must be at least one legal basis for a European user’s data to be lawfully processed under the GDPR. If a company wants to legally process a user’s data, for instance, it must get their express consent, or it must be because the user needs to fulfill contractual obligations. There are other lawful purposes wherein a person’s data could be used, but the DPC’s complaint indicates that it doesn’t believe X has any legal basis for its actions. 
Twitter International, X’s Irish division, has also reportedly refused to stop processing users’ data and to delay the launch of the next version of Grok as the commission had requested. That’s why the DPC has decided to push through with its complaint — so that it can ask the court to suspend or completely prohibit the company from training any AI system with X users’ data. If the court determines that X has indeed violated GDPR rules, the company could be fined up to 4 percent of its annual worldwide turnover. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/x-accused-of-using-eu-user-data-to-train-grok-without-consent-133042114.html?src=rss

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) is taking Elon Musk’s X to court. According to Irish broadcaster RTE, the commission has launched High Court proceedings against Twitter International over concerns on how Europeans’ public posts on X are being used to train the company’s artificial intelligence tools. The data protection watchdog is especially worried that European users’ data is being used to train the next version of Grok that Musk previously said will be released sometime this month. 

In July, X rolled out a change that automatically activated a setting for all users, allowing the website to use their public posts on the platform to train its AI chatbot further. The commission told TechCrunch that it was surprised by X’s decision, seeing as it has been in contact with the company on the matter for months. X has had a help page instructing users on how to opt out of their data being used for AI training since at least May, but it didn’t exactly tell them that it’s switching on its access to people’s data by default. 

The DPC has acknowledged that X had given people the mechanism to opt out. However, it reportedly isn’t enough for the agency, which argued that there’s still a significant number of European-based X users whose data had been processed without being afforded the protection of those mitigation measures. X’s use of people’s data to train Grok violates its obligations under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), according to the commission. Not offering users an opt-out mechanism in a timely manner also violates the GDPR, it added. 

As TechCrunch notes, there must be at least one legal basis for a European user’s data to be lawfully processed under the GDPR. If a company wants to legally process a user’s data, for instance, it must get their express consent, or it must be because the user needs to fulfill contractual obligations. There are other lawful purposes wherein a person’s data could be used, but the DPC’s complaint indicates that it doesn’t believe X has any legal basis for its actions. 

Twitter International, X’s Irish division, has also reportedly refused to stop processing users’ data and to delay the launch of the next version of Grok as the commission had requested. That’s why the DPC has decided to push through with its complaint — so that it can ask the court to suspend or completely prohibit the company from training any AI system with X users’ data. If the court determines that X has indeed violated GDPR rules, the company could be fined up to 4 percent of its annual worldwide turnover. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/x-accused-of-using-eu-user-data-to-train-grok-without-consent-133042114.html?src=rss

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Streaming provider Roku is adding a new free channel for sports content on August 12. The ad-supported Roku Sports Channel will go live with content both owned and licensed by the company. No subscription or sign-up will be required to access the channel.
The Roku Sports Channel will offer round-the-clock programming, such as live Major League Baseball games, live Formula E car races, The Rich Eisen Show and GMFB: Overtime. Partner programming on the channel will include classic boxing matches from Top Rank, combat sports from Swerve Sports and poker content from PokerGO.
Sports viewership can be a notable revenue source for streaming services. The Disney-owned ESPN+ has a streaming subscription (and its price is going up). Max also has an add-on called the Bleacher Report (that’s no longer free). And an upcoming service called Venu could aggregate lots of games and talk content under one umbrella (and it’s expected to have a hefty price tag). Roku could stand out from the pack by taking the free, ad-supported streaming television route.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/roku-is-launching-the-roku-sports-channel-on-august-12-130041121.html?src=rss

Streaming provider Roku is adding a new free channel for sports content on August 12. The ad-supported Roku Sports Channel will go live with content both owned and licensed by the company. No subscription or sign-up will be required to access the channel.

The Roku Sports Channel will offer round-the-clock programming, such as live Major League Baseball games, live Formula E car races, The Rich Eisen Show and GMFB: Overtime. Partner programming on the channel will include classic boxing matches from Top Rank, combat sports from Swerve Sports and poker content from PokerGO.

Sports viewership can be a notable revenue source for streaming services. The Disney-owned ESPN+ has a streaming subscription (and its price is going up). Max also has an add-on called the Bleacher Report (that’s no longer free). And an upcoming service called Venu could aggregate lots of games and talk content under one umbrella (and it’s expected to have a hefty price tag). Roku could stand out from the pack by taking the free, ad-supported streaming television route.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/roku-is-launching-the-roku-sports-channel-on-august-12-130041121.html?src=rss

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SpaceX’s Crew-9 flight for NASA was supposed to take off on August 18, but the agency has just announced that its target launch date was moved to no earlier than September 24. The delay will give NASA and Boeing more time to finalize their plans for Boeing Starliner’s return, the agency said in its announcement. What it didn’t say was that while eight space ships can attach themselves to the ISS at one time, the US segment of the space station only has two docking ports that can accommodate astronaut capsules. Both of them are still occupied, since Starliner’s supposed eight-day stay has stretched on for months. 
NASA said that Starliner’s ground teams are still analyzing the results of all the testing they’ve been putting the spacecraft through, including a recent hot-fire test. They still need to confirm if it’s ready to bring back astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams back to Earth before a return flight could be scheduled. Boeing’s first crewed Starliner mission launched in June and was only slated to stay for a few days to determine whether it was ready for regular flights to the station. However, five of its thrusters failed on its approach to the ISS, and only one came back online. The helium leak that forced Boeing and NASA to push back its takeoff in the past had worsened, as well. 
In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Boeing revealed that it took another $125 million in losses due to the Starliner’s delayed return and the extensive testing that had to be conducted to ensure its readiness. The company said a few days ago, though, that it supports NASA’s requests for additional testing and that it “remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-delays-next-spacex-crew-launch-due-to-ongoing-starliner-problems-123034635.html?src=rss

SpaceX’s Crew-9 flight for NASA was supposed to take off on August 18, but the agency has just announced that its target launch date was moved to no earlier than September 24. The delay will give NASA and Boeing more time to finalize their plans for Boeing Starliner’s return, the agency said in its announcement. What it didn’t say was that while eight space ships can attach themselves to the ISS at one time, the US segment of the space station only has two docking ports that can accommodate astronaut capsules. Both of them are still occupied, since Starliner’s supposed eight-day stay has stretched on for months. 

NASA said that Starliner’s ground teams are still analyzing the results of all the testing they’ve been putting the spacecraft through, including a recent hot-fire test. They still need to confirm if it’s ready to bring back astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams back to Earth before a return flight could be scheduled. Boeing’s first crewed Starliner mission launched in June and was only slated to stay for a few days to determine whether it was ready for regular flights to the station. However, five of its thrusters failed on its approach to the ISS, and only one came back online. The helium leak that forced Boeing and NASA to push back its takeoff in the past had worsened, as well. 

In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Boeing revealed that it took another $125 million in losses due to the Starliner’s delayed return and the extensive testing that had to be conducted to ensure its readiness. The company said a few days ago, though, that it supports NASA’s requests for additional testing and that it “remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-delays-next-spacex-crew-launch-due-to-ongoing-starliner-problems-123034635.html?src=rss

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