Author Archives: Will Shanklin

European Commission sets its regulatory crosshairs on Temu for illegal product sales

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Temu is the latest platform the European Commission (EC) has fixed its regulatory gaze upon. Europe’s top consumer enforcement authority said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into the online retailer for enabling the sale of illegal products, including limiting the reappearance of previously suspended “rogue traders” with a history of hawking prohibited goods.

In addition to the illegal product allegation, the EC is also investigating Temu’s potentially addictive design, the platform’s systems that recommend products and data access for researchers. The alleged violations fall under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which empowers the EC to levy fines of up to six percent of Temu’s annual revenue.

In a statement to Engadget, a company spokesperson said it plans to cooperate fully. “Temu takes its obligations under the DSA seriously, continuously investing to strengthen our compliance system and safeguard consumer interests on our platform,” the Temu spokesperson wrote. “We will cooperate fully with regulators to support our shared goal of a safe, trusted marketplace for consumers.”

Temu added that it’s in discussions to join the “Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sale of counterfeit goods on the internet,” a collective of online retailers (facilitated by the EC) that collaborates to prevent fake product sales in Europe. “We can confirm that we are in discussions to join the initiative,” the Temu spokesperson told Engadget. “Counterfeiting is an industrywide challenge, and we believe that collaborative efforts are essential to advancing our shared goals of protecting consumers and rights holders.”

The EC’s formal proceedings follow a preliminary risk assessment report Temu provided the EU at the end of September, its replies to the Commission’s formal requests in June and October and info shared by third parties. As Bloomberg notes, Meta, X, AliExpress and TikTok are also facing DSA investigations. 

The US, which typically lags far behind the EU in reining in Big Tech, said in September it may investigate Temu, too. Leaders of The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) ordered staff to evaluate concerns about “deadly baby and toddler products” on the platform.

Among the EC’s concerns are whether Temu’s systems are designed to prevent the reappearance of previously suspended traders and non-compliant products. It will also look at the platform’s potentially addictive gamified reward programs and its systems to mitigate the risks from addictive design choices that could harm customers’ mental well-being. It will investigate Temu’s parameters used to recommend goods (the Commission wants at least one “easily accessible option that is not based on profiling”) and whether the company complies with the DSA’s requirement to provide researchers with publicly accessible data.

The EC doesn’t set legal deadline for completing DSA investigations. Once concluded, the Commission will decide whether to bring the hammer down, accept voluntary commitments to remedy the problems or drop the case.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/european-commission-sets-its-regulatory-crosshairs-on-temu-for-illegal-product-sales-164541327.html?src=rss

European Commission sets its regulatory crosshairs on Temu for illegal product sales

Posted on by

Temu is the latest platform the European Commission (EC) has fixed its regulatory gaze upon. Europe’s top consumer enforcement authority said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into the online retailer for enabling the sale of illegal products, including limiting the reappearance of previously suspended “rogue traders” with a history of hawking prohibited goods.

In addition to the illegal product allegation, the EC is also investigating Temu’s potentially addictive design, the platform’s systems that recommend products and data access for researchers. The alleged violations fall under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which empowers the EC to levy fines of up to six percent of Temu’s annual revenue.

In a statement to Engadget, a company spokesperson said it plans to cooperate fully. “Temu takes its obligations under the DSA seriously, continuously investing to strengthen our compliance system and safeguard consumer interests on our platform,” the Temu spokesperson wrote. “We will cooperate fully with regulators to support our shared goal of a safe, trusted marketplace for consumers.”

Temu added that it’s in discussions to join the “Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sale of counterfeit goods on the internet,” a collective of online retailers (facilitated by the EC) that collaborates to prevent fake product sales in Europe. “We can confirm that we are in discussions to join the initiative,” the Temu spokesperson told Engadget. “Counterfeiting is an industrywide challenge, and we believe that collaborative efforts are essential to advancing our shared goals of protecting consumers and rights holders.”

The EC’s formal proceedings follow a preliminary risk assessment report Temu provided the EU at the end of September, its replies to the Commission’s formal requests in June and October and info shared by third parties. As Bloomberg notes, Meta, X, AliExpress and TikTok are also facing DSA investigations. 

The US, which typically lags far behind the EU in reining in Big Tech, said in September it may investigate Temu, too. Leaders of The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) ordered staff to evaluate concerns about “deadly baby and toddler products” on the platform.

Among the EC’s concerns are whether Temu’s systems are designed to prevent the reappearance of previously suspended traders and non-compliant products. It will also look at the platform’s potentially addictive gamified reward programs and its systems to mitigate the risks from addictive design choices that could harm customers’ mental well-being. It will investigate Temu’s parameters used to recommend goods (the Commission wants at least one “easily accessible option that is not based on profiling”) and whether the company complies with the DSA’s requirement to provide researchers with publicly accessible data.

The EC doesn’t set legal deadline for completing DSA investigations. Once concluded, the Commission will decide whether to bring the hammer down, accept voluntary commitments to remedy the problems or drop the case.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/european-commission-sets-its-regulatory-crosshairs-on-temu-for-illegal-product-sales-164541327.html?src=rss

Everything Apple announced during its unofficial Mac Week

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Following the illustrious line of calendar-spanning corporate events like Lobsterfest and Shark Week, Apple tried something new this year with a celebration unofficially known as Mac Week. (Fortunately for Apple, it just so happens to coincide with its earnings call on Thursday!) The company’s three-day product rollout for desktop hardware centered around the M4 chip, built for Apple Intelligence. We recount everything Apple spit out this week, including a new iMac, Mac mini, MacBook Pro and other goodies like Apple Intelligence’s official arrival on iOS, iPadOS and macOS.

Standard product shot of the new iMac
Apple

The M4-powered iMac has the same design (apart from some new colors) but with more horsepower inside. Apple says the all-in-one desktop is 1.7 times faster for daily productivity and 2.1 times faster for more demanding tasks like gaming or photo editing. Like all new Macs announced this week, it loses the measly 8GB of RAM previously seen in the cheapest Macs, jumping to 16GB as the baseline. (Woo!)

The new iMac still has a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display encased in an aluminum unibody design. However, it adds a new nano-texture glass screen option for reduced glare and a 12MP Center Stage camera that supports Apple’s Desk View.

You can pre-order the M4 iMac now, starting at $1,299. Deliveries and in-store sales begin on November 8.

Closeup of a person's hand holding the new (tiny) Mac mini
Apple

Apple’s little Mac that could lives up to its “mini” branding more than ever. The 2024 Mac mini is a mere five-inch by five-inch box, two inches tall. (That’s only slightly bigger than the Apple TV 4K!)

The new Mac mini is available in M4 and M4 Pro configurations. Apple says the M4 variant is up to 1.8 times faster than the M1 model from four years ago. Its graphics are up to 2.2 times faster. It should also be much better for Apple Intelligence: It supports 38 TOPS (tera operations per second) of AI processing power. That dwarfs the 18 TOPS from the (only one-year-old) M3 chip. It, too, starts with 16GB of RAM.

For the first time, the machine ditches legacy USB ports. It has two USB-C ports on the front and three Thunderbolt USB-C ports on the back (along with HDMI and Ethernet).

The M4 Mac mini is available to pre-order. It starts at $599, while the souped-up M4 Pro variant starts at $1,399. It arrives on November 9.

A person sitting in a lab, using the new MacBook Pro with M4 chip.
Apple

Most of Apple’s Mac sales are in the MacBook lineup, which makes sense. Not only can you use them on the go, but you can also grab a Thunderbolt cable and hook them up to the monitor of your choice to double as a desktop. So, the climax of Mac Week was the new M4-powered MacBook Pro.

The only new Mac with three chip tiers, the MacBook Pro comes in M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max options. Apple says the M4 Pro is up to three times faster than the M1 Pro, and the M4 Max is up to 3.5 times faster than the M1 Max. The M4 variant is up to 1.8 times faster than the M1-powered 13-inch MacBook Pro for photo editing. That jumps to 3.4 times faster for demanding work like rendering scenes in Blender.

Its Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence (and other AI) is over three times as powerful as the M1. Helping out on the AI front (and for all-around performance) is the same 16GB of RAM as a baseline.

The laptop offers the same nano-texture display option as the iMac and up to 1,000 nits of brightness for SDR content. It also adopts the 12MP Center Stage camera for much better built-in video call capabilities. The device has three Thunderbolt 4 ports and an estimated 24 hours of battery life — as Apple puts it, that’s the longest ever in a Mac.

The new MacBook Pro is available in familiar 14-inch and 16-inch models. The smaller model with the M4 chip starts at $1,599, the M4 Pro variant starts at $1,999, and the ultra-high-end M4 Max will set you back at least $3,199. The 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,499 with the M4 Pro chip, while an M4 Max flavor is $3,499 and up.

Apple's Craig Federighi standing in front of a screen that reads
Apple

Apple’s first wave of on-device AI features is now in consumers’ hands, with no beta software required. This round includes writing tools like proofreading, rewiring and summaries, live call transcriptions and notification summaries.

The beginnings of a more intelligent Siri also arrived with this batch, including typed queries and an improved ability to recognize stutters or self-interruptions. You also get a neat new glowing border that announces to the world, “This ain’t the shitty Siri you’re used to!” But you’ll have to wait for the next wave of Siri upgrades for a more significant overhaul, like a better understanding of personal context.

Now, the bad news. Apple Intelligence is only available on a handful of recent devices in each of Apple’s major product categories. For the iPhone, that’s the iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max and the new iPhone 16 lineup (including non-Pro models). You’ll need a model with an M-series chip on the iPad, although the new iPad mini (with an A17 Pro chip) is an exception. As for Macs, you’ll also need a model with M-series Apple silicon, which stretches back to the last four years of models.

Apple Intelligence (round one) requires iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 or macOS Sequoia 15.1. The X.2 variants of each OS will bring the next wave of AI features, like ChatGPT integration and Image Playground.

Screen of an Apple hearing test
Apple

Not to be missed among the higher-profile announcements is a new series of hearing health tools for AirPods Pro 2 owners.

Announced at Apple’s September iPhone launch, the hearing features include a “clinically validated” hearing test, hearing protection (like for concerts) and the ability to use the device as a hearing aid if it detects mild to moderate impairment. (If severe, it will nudge you towards a professional.)

Engadget’s audio guru, Billy Steele, is the person to follow for more on these features. He’s extensively trialed them, including taking hearing tests with an Apple rep and test-driving AirPods-powered hearing protection at concerts.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/everything-apple-announced-during-its-unofficial-mac-week-210115997.html?src=rss

Children with Android phones will be able to use Google Wallet’s tap-to-pay next year

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Google Wallet for kids will roll out in 2025. “Following the positive response of tap-to-pay on Fitbit Ace LTE devices, we’re expanding tap-to-pay for kids to Google Wallet,” Google wrote in a statement to 9to5Google, which first reported on it. Parents could approve credit and debit cards added to children’s phones, and Google’s Family Link would let them view transactions and easily approve or remove cards.

The service would build on the tap-to-pay functionality in Google’s Fitbit Ace LTE kids’ activity tracker. The expansion would make the Google Wallet app available for Android phone-using children whose parents have set up Family Link and approved access.

Any of the parents’ existing payment cards in Google Wallet could be used for the kids’ spinoff. When paying, children would have to approve tap-to-pay purchases using standard authentication options (fingerprint, facial recognition, PIN or password). At launch, the service is said to support gift cards and event tickets but not online purchases, identification or health cards.

Apple already has a similar take on children’s purchases. Families in the company’s ecosystem can let their kids use Apple Pay in stores and online or send money through Messages with Apple Cash Family.

9to5Google says Google’s kids’ payments feature will roll out next year for “some Google Wallet users in several countries,” including the US. A wider rollout is expected at some point after that.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/children-with-android-phones-will-be-able-to-use-google-wallets-tap-to-pay-next-year-182650364.html?src=rss

Avride’s next-gen delivery robot ditches two wheels and adds NVIDIA AI brains

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Autonomous delivery vehicle company Avride has a fresh design — and NVIDIA AI brains. The company’s engineers have swapped out the old six-wheel configuration for a more efficient four-wheel chassis. It can make 180-degree turns almost instantly, effortlessly park on inclines and move faster without compromising safety.

Avride has been working on autonomous delivery robots since 2019. It began as part of Russian tech company Yandex’s autonomous driving wing. But the spun-off company divested its Russian assets after Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and rebranded as Avride. It’s now owned by the Netherlands-based Nebius Group (formerly Yandex N.V.), headquartered in Austin, TX and making deals with the likes of Uber.

The company’s latest delivery robot shakes up one of the few constants from previous iterations: They all had six wheels. The new four-wheel robo-buggy uses a “groundbreaking chassis design” that eliminates some of the rough spots from older generations. These included additional friction and tire wear caused by excessive braking required for turns, lower maneuverability and less precise trajectory execution. Avride says the new model dramatically improves on all of those counts.

Underbelly view of an Avride delivery robot. Its wheel is attached to a mechanical arm that lets it glide along a circular path.
Avride

The new vehicle’s wheels are mounted on movable arms attached to a pivoting axle. For turns, each wheel glides along a circular path stabilized by the central arm. “This design allows the wheels to rotate both inward and outward, reducing friction during turns,” the company wrote in its announcement blog post.

Central to the new design is ditching the traditional front and rear axles for mechanically connected wheel pairs on each side. Avride says this enables simultaneous turning angle adjustment, leading to more precise positioning and maneuvers.

Among the results of the fresh approach are almost instant 180-degree turns. Avride says this especially helps when navigating narrow sidewalks, where sudden adjustments could be necessary. Parking on slopes is also more energy efficient: It now sets its wheels in a cross pattern to park in place without careening downward. The tighter controls also let the company increase its maximum speed. “This means faster deliveries for our customers,” the company wrote. (And, presumably, more profit.)

An Avride delivery robot with triangular eyes parked by a bench.
Avride

Not only did the new generation of delivery bots get a new body, but it also got smarter. Powered by the NVIDIA Jetson Orin platform, essentially an “AI brain for robots,” the vehicles can now tap into neural networks as powerful as those in full-size autonomous cars. This lets them process “vast amounts” of sensor data like lidar inputs and camera feeds in real time.

Finally, it wouldn’t be a delivery buggy without a cargo compartment — and that got an upgrade, too. The new model has a fully detachable storage section, allowing for modular swap-outs for different purposes. Avride says its standard cargo hold is big enough to hold several large pizzas and drinks or multiple grocery bags. It also adds a sliding lid that only provides access to the correct section, helping to avoid delivering orders to the wrong customers.

Engineering and design nerds can read much more detail about the new robots in Avride’s Medium post.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/avrides-next-gen-delivery-robot-ditches-two-wheels-and-adds-nvidia-ai-brains-171053813.html?src=rss

Black Friday Proton VPN deals include up to 70 percent off plans

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Now isn’t a bad time to try our pick for the best VPN service for 2024. ProtonVPN is on sale for 70 percent off 12-month subscriptions, bringing the one-year cost down to just under $36. You can also save on Proton Unlimited, which includes VPN access along with access to all of Proton's other services like Mail and Calendar.

ProtonVPN is Engadget’s favorite VPN service of 2024. Although most services passed our tests with high marks, Proton’s service stood out for its independently audited no-logs policy, a proven record of refusing law enforcement requests, open-source code and a peer-review program that discloses potential vulnerabilities. We also liked its user-friendly interface.

The company offers a limited free plan, but ProtonVPN Plus gives you access to 6,500 servers in more than 110 countries. It also includes the company’s high-speed (10Gbps) servers, BitTorrent support, a built-in ad blocker and the option to route your connection through multiple servers.

Other Proton services are also on sale. That includes Proton Mail, the company’s fully encrypted email service that put it on the map. You can get 12 months for 60 percent off ($23.88) or 24 months for 30 percent off ($83.76). ProtonMail recently added an AI-powered writing feature to its mail service. Even if you aren’t a fan of robots putting words into your mouth, the service still gives you up to 10 email addresses (including custom domain support), smart filters and labels, one-click unsubscribe and dedicated mobile and desktop apps.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-proton-vpn-deals-include-up-to-70-percent-off-plans-192530055.html?src=rss

Netflix’s Senna showcases the rise and untimely death of the Brazilian F1 legend

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After introducing many Americans to Formula One racing with the docuseries Drive to Survive, Netflix is spotlighting one of the motorsport’s greats. Senna will show the roots, drive and tragic passing of Ayrton Senna (Gabriel Leone) as he goes from racing go-karts in São Paulo, Brazil, to international superstardom and 41-time Grands Prix winner. You can watch the trailer below a month before the limited series’ debut.

“Fascinated by cars since childhood, Brazilian racer Ayrton Senna became a sports legend — until tragedy struck, changing Formula 1 forever,” Netflix’s description reads. Showrunner Vicente Amorim (Yakuza Princess) helms the six-part series. In addition to Leone (Ferrari) in the starring role, its cast includes Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner) and Matt Mella (The Bureau).

Actor Gabriel Leone as Ayrton Senna in the Netflix series Senna. Closeup of him as he sits in an F1 car.
Netflix

The trailer below showcases Senna’s determination in the face of adversity, his uncanny ability to drive in the rain and his love of his home country. The LA Times reports that the series was produced in Brazil, filmed mainly in Portuguese and is supported by F1’s governing body.

You can stream Senna exclusively on Netflix after you wrap up your Black Friday shopping on November 29.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflixs-senna-showcases-the-rise-and-untimely-death-of-the-brazilian-f1-legend-175721183.html?src=rss

North American Polestar owners can now use the Tesla Supercharger network

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Polestar EV owners will soon have a lot more charging options. The company said on Tuesday its lineup now has access to the Tesla Supercharger network in the US and Canada. Future Polestar vehicles will adopt the NACS inlet as standard, and current owners can buy an adapter beginning today at their local Polestar Service Point.

A Polestar spokesperson told Engadget that the adapter has an MSRP of $230, so this isn’t a free upgrade. However, that accessory will add 17,800 charging stations across North America, so owners may find that’s a relatively small price to pay for extra peace of mind on their next road trip.

Tesla’s charger has quickly become the standard in the US. Since the company opened its charging tech to rival automakers, all major EV manufacturers have adopted it. This includes Ford (apart from some glitches), Honda, Volkswagen, GM, Volvo, Mercedes, BMW and Lucid. Polestar announced its plans to support the Tesla Supercharger network over a year ago, but the backend tech and adapter orders are now ready.

The Polestar 3 sitting in front of a lake surrounded by trees and hills.
Tim Stevens for Engadget

Speaking of the adapters, the $230 accessories are slated for mid-November deliveries. So, if you order now, you should have more charging options on your holiday road trip to see Grandma. Polestar says its in-car Google Maps app will be updated to show all available NACS stations.

Anders Gustafsson, Head of Polestar North America, emphasized in a press release the volume of charging options this move will add. “With the adoption of this standard, in combination with approximately 10,000 CCS DC fast chargers, current and prospective Polestar customers now have access to nearly 27,800 DC fast chargers and can feel more confident in their ability to charge on the go.”

The Polestar 3 is delivering now. Engadget’s Tim Stevens took it for a spin and was left impressed with the $73,400 (and up) electric SUV. Emphasizing how badly Polestar needed the long-delayed vehicle to dazzle as a mass-market follow-up to its more niche predecessors, he said that minus a few early software glitches, it’s “great.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/north-american-polestar-owners-can-now-use-the-tesla-supercharger-network-164046134.html?src=rss

You’ll get another chance to pre-order the retro-themed PS5 on Tuesday

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You’re about to get another shot if you missed Sony’s brief pre-order window for its 30th anniversary PS5 console. The retro-themed hardware sold out in a flash on its initial September 26 pre-order period, leaving fans fuming at Sony’s predictably frustrating order process. An alert on Sony’s product page (via Kotaku) says the second go-round will happen on Tuesday, October 29, at noon ET.

The limited-edition consoles and accessories have a throwback skin reminiscent of the OG PlayStation, which launched in Japan in 1994. That includes a sleek gray color scheme that gives the old-school Playstation logo room to really pop.

A closeup of the top of the 30th Anniversary PS5 console.
Sony

The message (“Please check back on October 29th from 9 AM PDT”) only appears on the 30th Anniversary product pages for the $500 PS5 Slim Bundle and $80 DualSense controller. Unfortunately, no such message appears on the throwback PS5 Pro bundle or PlayStation Portal product pages.

Assuming only the Slim bundle is available, this will be your second (and perhaps last) chance to get the cheaper of the two consoles. It includes the digital (no disc drive!) PS5 Slim, a standard DualSense controller (also themed for the occasion), a retro cable connector housing, PlayStation-shaped cable ties and a vertical stand. Oh, and there are some extra goodies like a sticker, poster and PlayStation paperclip, which we can only imagine will be sold for three figures on eBay after the bundle arrives on November 21.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/youll-get-another-chance-to-pre-order-the-retro-themed-ps5-on-tuesday-202504921.html?src=rss

You’ll get another chance to pre-order the retro-themed PS5 today

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You’re about to get another shot if you missed Sony’s brief pre-order window for its 30th anniversary PS5 console. The retro-themed hardware sold out in a flash on its initial September 26 pre-order period, leaving fans fuming at Sony’s predictably frustrating order process. An alert on Sony’s product page (via Kotaku) says the second go-round will happen on Tuesday, October 29, at noon ET.

The limited-edition consoles and accessories have a throwback skin reminiscent of the OG PlayStation, which launched in Japan in 1994. That includes a sleek gray color scheme that gives the old-school Playstation logo room to really pop.

A closeup of the top of the 30th Anniversary PS5 console.
Sony

The message (“Please check back on October 29th from 9 AM PDT”) only appears on the 30th Anniversary product pages for the $500 PS5 Slim Bundle and $80 DualSense controller. Unfortunately, no such message appears on the throwback PS5 Pro bundle or PlayStation Portal product pages.

Assuming only the Slim bundle is available, this will be your second (and perhaps last) chance to get the cheaper of the two consoles. It includes the digital (no disc drive!) PS5 Slim, a standard DualSense controller (also themed for the occasion), a retro cable connector housing, PlayStation-shaped cable ties and a vertical stand. Oh, and there are some extra goodies like a sticker, poster and PlayStation paperclip, which we can only imagine will be sold for three figures on eBay after the bundle arrives on November 21.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/youll-get-another-chance-to-pre-order-the-retro-themed-ps5-on-tuesday-202504921.html?src=rss