Thursday, January 26, 2023
Ayaneo 2 review: A more premium (and pricier) take on the Steam Deck
Handheld PCs have been around for years, but the arrival of the Steam Deck brought renewed interest and demand to the category — much like what the Nintendo Switch did for consoles back in 2017. And while the amount of engineering and tech that went into the Steam Deck is certainly impressive, Valve's mission to make a portable and affordable PC for gaming on the go means there's plenty of room in the handheld space for something with a bit more giddyup — which brings us to the Ayaneo 2.
Design: Like a Steam Deck, but fancier
While the Ayaneo 2 doesn’t deviate too much from the Steam Deck's basic blueprint, right from the get-go it's also apparent that this thing isn't some cheap knock-off either. It features a big 7-inch 1920 x 1200 LCD display with strong brightness (just under 400 nits in our testing) that's flanked by an Xbox-style controller layout. There are also handy buttons on each side for opening menus or functioning as shortcuts, along with some more customizable controls crammed in on top that by default serve as left and right mouse clicks. Even the power button has a built-in fingerprint sensor, which is a welcome bonus not available on the Steam Deck.
One of the things that impresses me the most is Ayaneo's attention to detail. The whole setup feels well-built. The PC's case is smooth and sturdy and has a very reassuring heft. In front, there's a single sheet of glass that goes across the face of the system (with cutouts for the joysticks and buttons), which gives it a slick, streamlined appearance. The company even went out of its way to ensure that there aren't any visible screws. Though if you do want to get inside, there's an included pick you can use to pry off the little covers on each side. Just be careful so you don't mess up the finish like I did.
Among other premium upgrades compared to the Steam Deck, the Ayaneo 2 sports magnetic hall sensor joysticks and shoulder triggers that feel crisp and snappy. There’s basically no dead zone, unlike what you get with Valve’s handheld. But my favorite thing about the Ayaneo 2’s design is that its touchscreen doesn't have any bezels, and almost looks elegant.
Finally, while I don't think either machine is truly pocketable, the Ayaneo 2 is definitely the more compact of the two. The Steam Deck measures nearly a foot across (11.7-inches) versus a more manageable 10.4-inches for the Ayaneo 2.
Ports and accessories: So many options
Another quality that elevates the Ayaneo above its rivals is a wealth of ports. Not only do you have a 3.5mm audio jack and a microSD card slot for expandable storage, you also get three USB-C ports, two of which can be used for charging. That flexibility came in handy more often than I expected, because it gave me the freedom to plug in a power cable to either the top or bottom, which makes it easier to keep the cord out of the way no matter how you're holding the system.
On top of that, while Ayaneo makes a dock for its handhelds, because there are three USB-C ports along with two USB-A adapters in the box, you don't really need to buy one at all. Even without any additional dongles or hubs, you still have enough connectivity to plug in a mouse, keyboard and an external display, so it's really easy to use this thing as a standard PC in a pinch. And if that wasn't enough, Ayaneo even includes a charging brick, a couple of international power adapters, a USB-C cable and an extra set of screw covers.
Performance: Zen3 makes a big difference
The other major advantage the Ayaneo 2 holds over the Steam Deck is raw performance. While Valve worked with AMD to create a custom chip based on the company's Zen2 architecture, the Ayaneo 2 sports a newer Ryzen 7 6800U chip built on the Zen3+ platform. That's a jump in processing power that you can really feel.
In benchmarks, the Ayaneo 2 scored 4,282 on 3DMark's Wild Life Extreme test, which is comparable or slightly better than what we've seen from similarly-priced laptops like the Surface Laptop 5 (3,848) or the XPS 13 Plus (3,505). And when gaming, the Ayaneo 2 is between 25% to 40% faster than the Steam Deck depending on the title. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider on high settings at 800p, the Ayaneo 2 averaged 54 fps versus 40 fps for the Steam Deck. And when I increased the game’s resolution to take advantage of the Ayaneo 2's full HD+ screen, it still managed to pump out a playable 35 fps at 1920 x 1200 ( in SotTR), despite pushing nearly twice as many pixels. It's a similar story in Elden Ring, where the Ayaneo 2 hovered around 55 fps in 800p at medium settings, compared to 48 fps for the Steam Deck, or at 40 fps at 1200p.
In use: A more luxurious way to game on the go
Ok ok, enough about the design and specs, what is this thing actually like to use? Well, in short, the Ayaneo 2 addresses some of my biggest complaints about the Steam Deck, but in a smaller, more compact and better-performing chassis. Its screen is way brighter, more colorful and higher-res making everything look sharper too. And thanks to its Ryzen 7 6800U CPU, you can get similar framerates with the Ayaneo 2 at 1920 x 1200 versus 800p for the Steam Deck. I should also mention that, while the Valve's portable PC tops out with just 512GB of onboard storage, the Ayaneo 2 can be specced with up to a 2TB SSD, while still having a microsD card slot (with a neat protective cover) for extra room if you want it.
The Ayaneo 2's control setup is excellent too. That's because even without built-in touchpads, like you get on the Steam Deck, you can still easily navigate Windows 11 using the left stick, which doubles as a way to move your mouse cursor. Sure, that means you're probably not going to want to play Civilization 6 or an RTS on the Ayaneo 2, but even with more optimized controls, those games still feel clunky on the Steam Deck. Ayaneo's magnetic hall sensors in the analog sticks and shoulder triggers also deliver an incredibly responsive experience. And while I wouldn't call it a quiet system, when its fans spin up the whir isn't nearly as loud or annoying as what I get from my Steam Deck. (Note: For what it's worth, my Deck has the slightly whinier sounding Huaying fan.)
That said, there are still more than a few awkward aspects about the Ayaneo 2. The first is that Windows 11 is kind of annoying to use with touch controls, though simply booting into Steam's Big Picture mode lets you sidestep much of that. Second, while I appreciate the included Ayaspace app, which serves as the company's consolidated game launcher and performance monitoring tool, the user experience feels a bit unpolished.
Changing the system's resolution from the AyaQuickTool window was often hit-or-miss. On top of that, when I installed an update to the AyaSpace app, its language setting reverted back to Chinese. That’s not a huge pain to fix, but I'd rather be playing games than diving through menus repairing something that shouldn't have changed. Then there are other little quirks like its weak rumble motors and not knowing what makes the lights underneath the joysticks change colors. That’s because aside from a couple of short quick-start manuals, Ayaneo doesn’t provide much documentation for the device, so you’re kind of on your own when it comes to figuring out the system’s more hidden features. (There’s a link to a FAQ doc in the AyaSpace app, but the whole thing is in Chinese, so it's not much help for many of us in the west.)
Now I should note that the company says it’s already working on a second version of the AyaSpace app, and in the month I've had the system, there have been multiple patches, so it's clear the company is committed to improving the situation. Still, while the Ayaneo 2's specs are top-notch, some of its software still feels like a work in progress.
However, a lot of the Ayaneo 2's weak points are made up for by the fact that it runs Windows, which means almost every game just kind of works. Don't get me wrong, I have a huge appreciation for what Valve is trying to do with SteamOS and for Linux gaming as a whole, but even with thousands of games that have been verified to run on the Steam Deck, there are thousands more that aren't (and in some cases, may never run right). With the Ayaneo 2, you simply have a lot more confidence that the next game you buy won't have issues when you boot it up.
And now let me turn things over to my colleague James, who has been testing out the Ayaneo 2’s emulation capabilities.
James' retro corner
It would be decadent to recommend buying something like the Ayaneo 2 as an emulation-first device. But, it's worth talking about its performance here as it really does expand the potential library of games. Of course, if you want to rip ROMs from games you already own, you'll need to figure that side out yourself.
Obviously, with the power to run some fairly demanding PC games, the Ayaneo 2 will be more than capable of running everything up to the 5th or 6th generation of consoles without too much trouble. You'll be able to go beyond this, but with mixed results. Skate 3 on the PS3, for example, runs on the Ayaneo 2 at 60fps with almost no special configuration. The Last of Us, on the other hand, was only able to muster between 13-23fps, with the odd flicker above and below that.
Theoretically, you can almost come right up to the present day, with some industrious YouTubers getting Nintendo Switch games to run with varying levels of success. Of course, for now at least, this is the limit but if you had a library of old games and were hoping they might have a second life on the Ayaneo 2, the answer is that, unsurprisingly, it's a very capable emulator that benefits from built-in controls (which saves a surprising amount of meddling around).
Battery life: Could be better
One of the few shortcomings of the Ayaneo 2 is its battery life. That's because when compared to the Steam Deck which typically lasts three to four hours on a charge (depending on the title), the Ayaneo 2's longevity is closer to two or three. That said, you can adjust the power draw of the system if you want to improve energy efficiency, but in the end, this is the price you pay for increased performance.
Wrap-up
As I look back, I still think the Steam Deck was one of the most important gadgets of 2022. Putting premium laptop specs with great controls and surprisingly good battery life in a handheld PC that starts at just $400 is an unbeatable deal. But for people who want something a bit more premium, the Ayaneo 2 has a lot to like. It's got a cleaner, more compact design with a way better screen. Its joysticks and buttons also feel tighter and more luxurious. And on the inside, it's got a significantly more powerful chip that not only delivers solid performance at FHD+, [the decision to go] with Windows instead of Steam OS also means much wider game compatibility. Unfortunately, with the cheapest version of the Ayaneo 2 starting at around $850, you're also paying a premium for all those fancy upgrades. But if you've been searching for something that is essentially a Steam Deck Pro, the Ayaneo 2 is it.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/o9KBPpu
via IFTTT
Amazon's Blink Wired Floodlight Camera is now available for $100
One of Amazon's home security companies, Blink, unveiled its first wired floodlight camera during the e-commerce giant's fall event last year. Now, the smart security camera is finally available, and you can get it from Amazon's website for $100. While most of Blink's products are small, battery-powered devices, this one connects to your home's existing outside wiring. Its LED floodlights are also much brighter (2,600 lumens) than the lights (700 lumens) that come with the brand's older wireless model.
The camera itself provides 1080p HD live view through the Blink app, as well as two-way audio, which gives you a way to talk to people or call any pets outside your house. Blink says the model features enhanced motion detection aided by Amazon's AZ2 Neural Edge Processor, and you can choose to get notifications on your phone if it detects any movement. The device also comes with the ability to sound a 105-decibel siren if you ever need it. And, yes, Blink's wired floodlight camera works with Alexa, allowing you to access its live view and other features with voice commands.
You can save and share video clips captured by the camera, as well, but it will cost you extra. To do so locally, you'll need a Blink Sync Module with a USB drive attached, both of which are sold separately. But you can store clips in the cloud instead through the $10-a-month Blink Subscription Plan, which will also give you access to the company's new person detection feature.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/vXkpPmQ
via IFTTT
The Morning After: Donald Trump is getting his Facebook and Instagram accounts back
It's already been over two years since Meta extended former President Donald Trump's "indefinite" suspension from Facebook. Now, the company has reinstated his account. In a statement, Meta said Trump would be able to access his Facebook and Instagram accounts in the "coming weeks," but there would be "new guardrails in place to deter repeat offenses."
Trump's campaign had reportedly pushed for the former president to be allowed back on Facebook ahead of the upcoming presidential primaries. This decision from Meta comes just months after Elon Musk restored the former president's Twitter account. Trump has so far declined to restart his Twitter habit – he's been a Truth Social user since last year.
Another reason he's back could be Meta's handling of Trump's initial suspension, which it quickly extended from a 24-hour ban to an "indefinite" suspension. It was heavily criticized, even by its own Oversight Board, which chastised Meta for not following its own rules and trying to "avoid its responsibilities." Trump was initially booted from Facebook for publicly praising the rioters in the aftermath of the attack on the US Capitol on January 6th, 2021.
– Mat Smith
The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.
The biggest stories you might have missed
-
SanDisk external drives and microSD cards are up to 65 percent off
-
Tesla will spend $3.6 billion to build a Semi and battery factory in its Nevada complex
-
Bowers & Wilkins updated its Pi7 and Pi5 earbuds with better battery life
-
'Minecraft Legends' delivers blocky base-building action on April 18th
'GoldenEye 007' will hit Switch and Xbox on January 27th
If you have Switch Online's Expansion Pack or Game Pass, it's free.
One of the best-loved Nintendo 64 games is coming to Switch Online's Expansion Pack this week. You'll be able to play the game on your Nintendo Switch on January 27th. The game will be available on Xbox on the same date. It's unusual to see a licensed game arrive on Nintendo's subscription service, but GoldenEye 007 is one that many fans have been looking forward to replaying (or even playing for the first time). It remains to be seen how well Rare's classic first-person shooter will hold up almost 26 years after its debut. Xbox owners will get some updates: dual analogue stick support, 4K resolution and "a consistent refresh rate." Oddly, there's no online multiplayer on the Xbox version.
Senator Manchin tries to close battery loophole around $7,500 EV tax credit
He's trying to halt credits from being offered to foreign-sourced batteries before March.
Senator Joe Manchin, chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has introduced a new bill that squashes a small loophole around the Inflation Reduction Act's (IRA) $7,500 EV tax credit. The new credits are restricted to cars with final assembly in the US, as well as those with a certain amount of North American battery content.
"It is unacceptable that the US Treasury has failed to issue updated guidance for the 30D electric vehicle tax credits and continues to make the full $7,500 credits available without meeting all of the clear requirements included in the Inflation Reduction Act," Manchin wrote in a statement. He added: “EV tax credits were designed to grow domestic manufacturing and reduce our reliance on foreign supply chains for the critical minerals needed to produce EV batteries."
‘NBA All-World’ hands-on: Taking basketball video games back to the streets
Niantic's latest AR app might be the best use of its location-based tech yet.
Niantic, creators of Pokémon Go, is launching a new title called NBA All-World, which might be the best application of its location-based tech to date. That said, the formula appears pretty similar: You get a starter player and use the in-game map to collect items, earn cash or battle other players. The big twist for NBA All-World is you'll need to visit real-world basketball courts to earn your spot on local leaderboards.
Multiple Microsoft services, including Teams, Outlook and Xbox Live, go down across the world
It was apparently a network issue.
Multiple Microsoft 365 services went down for thousands of users worldwide, prompting the tech giant to investigate the incident affecting several of its products. In an update, Microsoft said it "isolated the problem to a networking configuration issue." By 4:26 AM ET, Microsoft "rolled back a network change" it believed was causing the outage, and it was monitoring its services as they started coming back online.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/kFsiYmo
via IFTTT
IK's iRig Stream Mic Pro is a do-it-all microphone for musicians and content creators
IK Multimedia has launched the iRig Stream Mic Pro designed to be more versatile than typical multimedia mics from Blue and others. It combines a multi-pattern condenser microphone with a 24-bit, 96 kHz audio interface for iOS, Android, Mac and PC. That lets creators do things like marry their voice with music from a phone or tablet or connect easily to a media player, keyboard or other device.
The company promises "crisp, clear and detailed" sound thanks to dual mic capsules that let you select from cardioid, figure 8, omnidirectional or stereo pickup patterns. The 24-bit, 96kHz converters allow for high quality output, which you can check through a headphone output with direct monitoring.
As for the audio interface, you can connect devices like a turntable, soundboard or keyboard directly using the stereo 3.5mm audio input. With the monitoring mix control, you can blend the director or recorded audio via the headphone output.
It also features the company's Loopback+ that lets you not only add music from a smartphone or other device, but route the mic signal to a separate app to add reverb, EQ or noise-reduction. From there, you can send the signal to an app like TikTok, allowing for easier output "on apps that don't normally allow audio processing or adding background music," IK Multimedia said in a press release.
Settings can be selected and operated with a single control knob, and levels monitored via LED level indicators. It can run in stereo or multichannel modes , and includes cables for iPhones, iPads, Android devices and Macs/PCs. It's powered by its host and is MiFi certified.
All of the features are reflected in the price. Where Blue's Yeti is $100 and there are a bunch of good streaming mics under $100, the iRig Stream Mic Pro costs $170. That could actually be cheaper than the cost of a mic and interface together, however. It ships with some free apps including iRig Recorder 3 LE for mobile devices as well as MixBox CS (iPad) and MixBox SE (Mac/PC). It's now available for $170 at IK Multimedia's online store and select retailers.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/LvlGkuR
via IFTTT
Jail threats stop AI 'robot lawyer' from making its debut in court
Joshua Browder, the CEO of New York startup DoNotPay, recently announced that his company's AI will represent a defendant fighting a traffic ticket in the courtroom on February 22nd. "[H]istory will be made," Browder wrote in his tweet. "DoNotPay A.I will whisper in someone's ear exactly what to say. We will release the results and share more after it happens," he added. We may never know how the "robot lawyer" will fare in court, though, because a few days later, Browder announced that DoNotPay is postponing its court case after he received threats of jail time from state bar prosecutors if he goes through with his plan.
The CEO told NPR that multiple state bar associations had threatened his company, and one even said he could be imprisoned for six months. He told the media organization: "Even if it wouldn't happen, the threat of criminal charges was enough to give it up. The letters have become so frequent that we thought it was just a distraction and that we should move on." While the State Bar of California refused to talk about DoNoPay's situation, it told NPR that it has a duty to investigate potential instances of unauthorized law practice.
Browder originally created DoNoPay as a free AI-powered chatbot that can help you draft letters and fill out forms for various legal matters. The company's "robot lawyer" is powered by several AI text generators, including ChatGPT and DaVinci, re-trained to know the law. A defendant using the technology in court would have worn smart glasses to record the court proceedings, as well as a headset that would give the AI a way to tell them what to say.
As CBS News said in a previous report, though, the tech isn't legal in most courtrooms. Also, in some states, all parties must consent to being recorded. That's why of the 300 cases DoNotPay looked at, only two were viable candidates. In the end, Browder decided to put off the company's court ambitions and to focus on using AI to help people with issues related to consumer rights, specifically lowering medical bills, cancelling subscriptions and disputing credit reports, among others.
NPR said, however, that the CEO is still hoping that artificial intelligence could eventually help people in the courtroom. "The truth is, most people can't afford lawyers. This could've shifted the balance and allowed people to use tools like ChatGPT in the courtroom that maybe could've helped them win cases," he told the organization.
Specifically, lowering medical bills, cancelling subscriptions, disputing credit reports, among other things, with A.l. I think it's very important for companies to stay focused. Unlike courtroom drama, these types of cases can be handled online, are simple and are underserved.
— Joshua Browder (@jbrowder1) January 25, 2023
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/gXJtEIF
via IFTTT
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
'GoldenEye 007' will hit Switch and Xbox on January 27th
One of the best-loved Nintendo 64 games is coming to Switch Online's Expansion Pack this week. Back in September, Nintendo revealed that GoldenEye 007 was coming to the service and now that day is almost upon us. You'll be able to start playing the game on your Nintendo Switch starting on January 27th. The game will be available on Xbox on the same date.
It's unusual to see a licensed game arrive on Nintendo's subscription service, but GoldenEye 007 is one that many fans have been looking forward to replaying (or even playing for the first time). It remains to be seen how well Rare's classic first-person shooter will hold up almost 26 years after it debuted on the N64. Hopefully, Rare has improved the janky controls and awful framerate from the original game.
There are some new additions to the Switch Online version, though, including a widescreen mode and online multiplayer. So, you won't necessarily need to cram around the same TV to take on your friends in a "slappers only" deathmatch.
Rare is also bringing a "recreated" version of GoldenEye 007 to Xbox consoles this Friday with dual analogue stick support, 4K resolution and "a consistent refresh rate." Oddly, there's no online multiplayer on the Xbox version, though there's still four-player splitscreen support. You'll be able to access it through Xbox Game Pass. Owners of the Rare Replay collection can download GoldenEye 007 to their Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S at no extra cost.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/GD0mFnE
via IFTTT
Published on YouTube: 12 Useful Bicycle Gadgets You Can Purchase On Amazon | Bike Gadgets
12 Useful Bicycle Gadgets You Can Purchase On Amazon | Bike Gadgets Welcome Back To World Wide Tech! If you're someone ...
via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLmgKNCdlgw WorldWideTech
The Morning After: Ticketmaster wants Congress to fix its bot problem
In November, millions of Taylor Swift fans logged on to Ticketmaster to grab tickets for her 2023 tour. However, the site crashed, rendering verified users unable to purchase. Ticketmaster's parent company, Live Nation, explained that while 1.5 million people had signed up as legit customers, over 14 million hit the site when tickets went on sale – many of which were bots.
Live Nation president and CFO Joe Berchtold told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that the company "learned valuable lessons" from the Swift debacle. Three senators shoehorned in Taylor Swift quotes into their statements and questions – which I loved.
Berchtold called for Congress to expand the BOTS Act to "increase enforcement." Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal reminded Berchtold there are already legal options for going after scalpers using bots to procure tickets. "You have unlimited power to go to court," Blumenthal said. "Your approach seems to be that everyone else is responsible here."
– Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
-
LG's latest ultra short-throw projector is a dream – if you can afford it
-
The 2024 Polestar 2 will have better range, stronger motors and a SmartZone sensor suite
NASA and DARPA will test nuclear engines for crewed missions to Mars
The agencies hope to demonstrate the tech as soon as 2027.
NASA is teaming up with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to test a nuclear thermal rocket engine in space, to use the technology for crewed missions to the red planet. The agencies hope to "demonstrate advanced nuclear thermal propulsion technology as soon as 2027," NASA administrator Bill Nelson said. "With the help of this new technology, astronauts could journey to and from deep space faster than ever – a major capability to prepare for crewed missions to Mars." There are, of course, risks involved with NTP engines, such as the possible dispersal of radioactive material in the environment should a failure occur in the atmosphere or orbit. Nevertheless, NASA says the faster transit times NTP engines can enable could lower the risk to astronauts – they could reduce travel times to Mars by up to a quarter. Nuclear thermal rockets could be at least three times more efficient than conventional chemical propulsion methods.
Amazon's RxPass offers Prime members generic medications for $5 a month
It has medications for 80 common health conditions.
Amazon has launched a new subscription service for customers in the US to get as many eligible medications as they need for $5 a month. The new service, called RxPass, is part of the e-commerce giant's Pharmacy business, which launched in 2020 as a two-day prescription drug delivery for Prime users. That makes RxPass a $5 add-on for Prime, which sets users back $139 a year or $15 a month in the US. Customers will need to pay $5 out of pocket, since the service does not take insurance, like Amazon Pharmacy does, for purchases outside of the program. People enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid and any other government healthcare program will not be able to sign up for RxPass, either.
‘Forspoken’ review: A magical world with several cracks
Fluid battles, uneven plot.
In Forspoken, you control the agile, angry Frey, slinging elemental attacks (and f-bombs) at multiple monsters before leaping off a cliff face and swinging from a molten outcrop. You keep moving, through the lands of Athia, through the adventure, because it's enjoyable and satisfying, but also because when you slow down, you start to see the cracks. Delayed twice, while the fighting system is generally solid, Forspoken has a lot of sub-quest padding, and most of it's pretty dull.
WhatsApp's native Mac app beta is now available to all
It's optimized to run fast and efficiently on Mac hardware.
Mac users now have a native version of WhatsApp. The new app is optimized for Mac hardware and built with Mac Catalyst, so it should be faster and more efficient than the current web-wrapped Electron version. You also get a new interface with three panels to easily flip between chats, calls, archived and starred messages, while seeing contacts and interactions at a glance.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/Os1d5SL
via IFTTT
Amazon workers strike in UK for the first time
Amazon union workers in the UK are striking for the first time over wages and what they call "severe" working conditions. They've rejected what they say is a "derisory" £0.50 pay raise (62 cents) and are demanding an increase to £15 ($18.48) an hour.
A 98 percent majority of GMB union workers at Amazon's Coventry fulfillment center voted in favor of the "historic" walkout and announced a strike date of January 25th earlier this year. Of 1,000 workers at the plant, 300 are unionized and expected to participate in the action.
Amazon said in a statement that the size of the strike is "only a fraction of 1 percent of our UK employees," according to CNBC. It added that pay has increased 29 percent since 2018 and that it made a one-time £500 payment to help workers with inflation.
However, two employees interviewed by the BBC said Amazon's offer last August of a small pay raise to between £10.50 and £11.45 per hour was a "smack in the mouth" considering the company's profits and high inflation. "These people had worked two years through the pandemic, that had seen Amazon's shares go through the roof, they had seen the profits just become unimaginable," Darren Westwood told the BBC.
They also decried the company's work culture, saying Amazon's warehouse robots "are treated better than us." Westwood said that employees are monitored constantly and questioned for any idle time lasting a few minutes. He also noted that some employees work 60 hours a week to make ends meet.
In April of 2022, workers at Amazon's Staten Island warehouse voted to become the first in the US to join a union, and Amazon's appeal failed last week. The company recently announced that it would eliminate 18,000 jobs, the majority from its retail and recruiting divisions. It has been frequently been accused of poor working conditions, notably after a warehouse collapsed in a tornado, and also faced criticism over anti-union activities.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/qFLlwNj
via IFTTT
Microsoft services including Teams, Outlook and Xbox Live go down across the world
Multiple Microsoft 365 services went down for thousands of users around the world, prompting the tech giant to investigate the incident affecting several of its products. In an announcement about the outage posted on January 25th 3:59 AM ET, the company said users were unable to access its services, including Microsoft Teams, Exchange Online, Outlook, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, Microsoft Graph, PowerBi and Microsoft 365 Admin Center. The tech giant admitted that the outage might not be limited to those products, however, and true enough, over a thousand users also reported having problems with accessing Xbox Live on Down Detector.
Developing...
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/3H8nsBa
via IFTTT
Bowers & Wilkins updated its Pi7 and Pi5 earbuds with better battery life
Bowers & Wilkins debuted its first true wireless earbuds in the spring of 2021. In fact, it announced two models at that time: the Pi7 and Pi5. Today, the company revealed updated versions for both which will carry the S2 label Bowers & Wilkins typically uses for retooled but not entirely brand new products. While the Pi7 S2 and Pi5 S2 aren't rebuilt from the ground up, there are still some notable upgrades to both.
The Pi7 S2 and Pi5 S2 now both offer five hours of battery life on a charge. That's up from four hours on the Pi7 and Pi5. A 15-minute quick-charge feature still gives you two hours of use and the included cases carry an additional 16 hours for the Pi7 S2 and 19 hours for the Pi5 S2. Both still have wireless charging capabilities, though the case for the Pi7 S2 is equipped with Wireless Audio Retransmission. Like it did for the Pi7, the case can connect to can external audio source — like in-flight entertainment — and wirelessly send sound to the earbuds. This isn't novel to Bowers & Wilkins earbuds, but it is a handy feature nonetheless. Bowers & Wilkins says it also updated the antenna design on the Pi7 and Pi5 to increase Bluetooth range up to 25 meters.
The key difference between the two models is audio quality. The Pi7 S2 supports aptX Adaptive with 24-bit/48kHz streaming from compatible devices and services. 9.2mm balanced armature dynamic drivers are paired with Bowers & Wilkins' digital signal processing tech for higher quality audio that what the Pi5 offers with CD-quality sound and regular aptX. The Pi7 S2 also packs one additional microphone per earbud which should make it the preferred option for calls. And while both feature active noise cancellation (ANC), the Pi7 S2 has an adaptive setup that automatically monitors your surroundings to adjust the audio as needed for "the best possible, uninterrupted listening experience."
Both the Pi7 S2 and Pi5 S2 are available starting today, replacing the Pi7 and Pi5. The $399 Pi7 S2 comes in black, white and dark blue color options while the $299 Pi5 S2 offers light grey, dark grey and purple. A green version of the Pi5 S2 is slated to arrive later this spring.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/3z0HY4d
via IFTTT
Tesla will spend $3.6 billion to build a Semi and a battery factory in its Nevada complex
Tesla has big expansion plans for its first Gigafactory near Reno, Nevada. The automaker has announced that it's investing $3.6 billion to build two new factories in the complex and hire 3,000 additional workers. That's bigger than the company's initial investment ($3.5 billion) when it made a commitment to build the facility back in 2014. One of the new Nevada factories will manufacture its 4680-type batteries, while the other will be Tesla's first factory to mass produce the Semi.
The automaker delivered its first production Semis to Pepsi in December 2022, five years after it first showed off the electric rig and following several delays. Tesla currently manufactures the truck in limited quantities only, but it has long been planning to start volume production in Nevada. The company's Semi truck uses less than 2 kWh per mile of energy and can go between 300 and 500 miles on a single charge. Tesla claims owners will enjoy an estimated fuel savings of up to $200,000 within the first three years.
While the Semi factory will finally allow Tesla to mass produce its trucks, its 4680 battery factory will help it achieve its goals of slashing battery costs by half and ramping up production to be able to sell 20 million electric vehicles by 2030. Tesla introduced the 4680 battery — named as such because its cells measure 46mm by 80mm — as a higher-capacity-but-cheaper option to power its vehicles. According to Reuters, though, the company has been having issues scaling up its production due to the dry-coating technique used to coat its cells. Tesla didn't say how it's addressing those issues, but it did say that the new factory will have the capacity to produce enough 4680 batteries for 1.5 million light duty vehicles every year.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/L0ZbOq4
via IFTTT