Author Archives: Sarah Fielding

Toyota unveils a three-row electric SUV for the US market

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While Toyota helped lead the hybrid charge with its Prius, the company has been less active in EV production. But that might be in the past, as Toyota has announced another $1.3 billion for its Kentucky facility, with a focus on EVs. In particular, the company is building a new three-row electric SUV that will be available for US customers. 

Toyota's Kentucky operation is its flagship facility, with nearly 9,400 employees. "Today's announcement reflects our commitment to vehicle electrification and further reinvesting in our US operations," Kerry Creech, president of Toyota Kentucky, said in a release. "Generations of our team members helped prepare for this opportunity, and we will continue leading the charge into the future by remaining true to who we are as a company and putting our people first for generations to come."

Little is known so far about the three-row electric SUV, as Toyota only mentions it briefly in relation to the investment. However, it follows the company's prior announcement of its Urban SUV concept slated to launch in Europe this year. 

The $1.3 billion investment will also go towards creating a battery pack assembly line at its Kentucky factory (a separate manufacturing plant in North Carolina produces the batteries). Toyota has big plans for its battery production, previously announcing three battery ranges focused on higher performance and low cost slated for 2026 and onward. The company is also working on its first solid-state batteries, which have the potential to charge an EV from 10 to 80 percent in 10 minutes. Toyota's bZ4X EV currently takes 32 minutes to do so. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/toyota-announces-a-three-row-electric-suv-for-us-customers-092545458.html?src=rss

Porsche’s new Taycan EVs have more range, faster acceleration and a higher price

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Porsche first debuted its first EV line, Taycan, in 2019, and now it's giving the series a revamp. The high-end car manufacturer has announced the 2025 Taycan sports sedan, Cross Turismo and Sport Turismo models, featuring "a particularly extensive update." 

The 2025 Taycan EVs have "reached new heights in terms of performance, with exceptional driving dynamics and driving pleasure," Kevin Giek, head of the Taycan model line, said in a statement. "At the same time, we were able to significantly improve efficiency, range, day-to-day usability and comfort." Updates include faster acceleration, with the rear-wheel drive Taycan sedan shooting from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds — 0.6 seconds faster than its predecessor. The Turbo S sedan makes the same jump in 2.3 seconds, an improvement of 0.3 seconds. 

In terms of power, there's 430 bhp behind the base Taycan, while the Turbo reaches 872 bhp. The top-spec Turbo S, however, hits a mighty 940 bhp (up from 750 bhp in previous models). 

Porsche also claims its 2025 Taycan line has a 35 percent better range with up to 422 miles between charges, helped by improved regeneration. Juicing up should also be quicker as it can charge using up to 320kW (that's 50kW more than previous models) via an 800-volt DC charging station. Other new standard features include adaptive air suspension, Lane Change Assist and a heated steering wheel. On the outside, Taycan models have been given a slight design refresh, which include high-resolution matrix headlights.

The 2025 Taycan line starts at $99,400 for the entry-level model and reaches $211,700 for the Turbo S Cross Turismo. Porsche adds another $1,995 to each order for delivery, processing and handling. Porsche says the new Taycan models will be available starting in the spring, and it looks like they'll hit the United States in the summer or fall. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/porsches-new-taycan-evs-have-more-range-faster-acceleration-and-a-higher-price-123514002.html?src=rss

YouTube TV gets a 1080p Enhanced option that offers better video quality

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YouTube TV users are getting a higher-quality video option for everything from binging their favorite shows to catching a live game. Google is rolling out a new setting called 1080p Enhanced for YouTube TV and Primetime Channels subscribers. The 1080p Enhanced setting improves on the existing 1080p60 resolution with its upgraded bitrate.

Google confirmed the update after a Reddit user posted about it on the platform. The 1080p Enhanced setting "delivers our highest video quality," according to the response. Reddit users who already have access to 1080p Enhanced report that the resolution is available for all of the same channels as 1080p60, such as Paramount and Syfy. The 1080p Enhanced option also follows YouTube Premium, which boosted video quality for subscribers on the company's original platform.

In this case, any YouTube TV and Primetime Channels subscribers with an updated 4K-compatible streaming device should gain access to the option by accessing video quality settings. However, Google has discovered a bug that stops users from manually choosing 1080p Enhanced. However, the company reports that the bug doesn't impact picture quality and that it is working to fix the problem. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtube-tv-gets-a-1080p-enhanced-option-that-offers-better-video-quality-100505656.html?src=rss

Apple’s third-generation AirPods fall back to $140

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Whether you're looking for a last-minute Valentine's Day gift for your special someone or a pick-me-up as winter rages, discounted AirPods are a solid option. Right now, Apple's third-generation AirPods are down from $169 to $140 – a 17 percent discount. The sale brings these earbuds down to the lowest we've seen them this year.

The third-gen Apple AirPods came on the scene in 2021 as a major upgrade to their predecessor. For starters, they have a comfier design and IPX4-level sweat and water resistance. The third-gen AirPods also offer six hours of playtime (30 overall with the case), wireless charging with a Qi‑certified wireless charger and one hour of juice in just five minutes in the case. Plus, this model has always-on Siri and more accurately detects when the AirPods are in your ear. 

Are you looking for just the basics in your AirPods purchase? The second-generation model AirPods are also on sale, with a 30 percent discount dropping the price from $129 to $90. However, they don't have wireless charging and last only five hours, or 24 hours with the case. 

If noise canceling is vital to you, then the second-gen AirPods Pro might be the right call instead. They're currently 24 percent off, dropping from $249 to $190 — not far off from the standard price for the classic third-gen AirPods. In addition to noise canceling, the second-gen AirPods Pro offer transparency mode and Adaptive Audio. They also have six hours of battery life and 30 hours with the case. Plus, both the AirPods and the MagSafe case are IP54 sweat, dust and water resistant. 

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/apples-third-generation-airpods-fall-back-to-140-122555116.html?src=rss

Nintendo believes it’ll sell more Switch consoles than first thought

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At almost seven years old, the Nintendo Switch still has life left in it — so much so that Nintendo has upped its predicted sales figures for its current fiscal year. In its third-quarter earnings release, the company announced that it was increasing Switch's projected sales from 15 million to 15.5 million. The boost follows overall third-quarter net sales that were 29.9 billion Japanese yen ($201.1 million) higher and net profits of 6.4 billion Japanese yen ($43.1 million) higher than Nintendo's projections. However, it's worth noting that despite better than expected third-quarter net sales, the figure was still six percent lower than in the same period in 2022.

A few long-standing favorites and new games are likely fueling additional Switch sales. Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. Wonder game came out in October and hit 11.96 million units sold. Then there was The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which had an April release in theaters and piqued interest in older titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and 2023 launches like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the company reported.

The Switch's improved sales forecast comes as gamers eagerly await the Switch's successor. While Nintendo hasn't released any substantial information yet, the gaming system will reportedly launch sometime this year (and will face a much more crowded market than its predecessor when it does). Developers allegedly got a peek at the Switch 2 (for lack of a concrete name) behind closed doors at Gamescom in August 2023. They were said to view a version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with a higher frame rate and resolution than the original Switch offers. The demo also reportedly showcased the Unreal Engine 5 for the upcoming Switch, ray-tracing, NVIDIA's DLSS upscaling tech, and visual quality similar to that of the PS5 and Series X.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-believes-itll-sell-more-switch-consoles-than-first-thought-095017928.html?src=rss

Yandex sells its Russian operations to local executives for $5.2 billion

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Yandex, often described as Russia’s Google, has sold its domestic businesses at a knock-down price. Bloomberg reports the search and services giant, now headquartered in the Netherlands, has handed off its Russian operations for 475 billion rubles ($5.2 billion) in cash and shares. The new owners include the management group, as well as Russia’s biggest domestic energy company, Lukoil, and Russian businessman and a former executive at Gazprom, Alexander Ryazanov, among others. Now that Yandex has cut ties with Russia, it will be able to grow and partner more freely given the sanctions affecting businesses with Russian ties following the invasion of Ukraine.

Since the war, Yandex has faced repercussions such as removal from Nasdaq. Its founder, Arkady Volozh, faced European Union sanctions in the summer of 2022 due to the company reportedly supporting Russian propaganda. The company soon sold its news aggregation service, and Volozh openly condemned the war.

Reports that Yandex would cut ties with Russia first emerged in late 2022. At the time, the company was facing sanction repercussions and was rumored to have no path forward to grow projects without Western technology. However, it took a year and a half of negotiations between Yandex and the Kremlin (a necessary step) for Yandex NV to be allowed to separate from its Russian businesses. The final deal came with at least a 50 percent discount, a customary practice when the Kremlin deems the registered country — in this case, the Netherlands — unfriendly.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/yandex-sells-its-russian-operations-to-local-executives-for-52-billion-131554719.html?src=rss

Scammers use deepfakes to steal $25.6 million from a multinational firm

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Bad actors keep using deepfakes for everything from impersonating celebrities to scamming people out of money. The latest instance is out of Hong Kong, where a finance worker for an undisclosed multinational company was tricked into remitting $200 million Hong Kong dollars ($25.6 million). 

According to Hong Kong police, scammers contacted the employee posing as the company's United Kingdom-based chief financial officer. He was initially suspicious, as the email called for secret transactions, but that's where the deepfakes came in. The worker attended a video call with the "CFO" and other recognizable members of the company. In reality, each "person" he interacted with was a deepfake — likely created using public video clips of the actual individuals. 

The deepfakes asked the employee to introduce himself and then quickly instructed him to make 15 transfers comprising the $25.6 million to five local bank accounts. They created a sense of urgency for the task, and then the call abruptly ended. A week later, the employee checked up on the request within the company, discovering the truth.

Hong Kong police have arrested six people so far in connection with such scams, according to CNN. The individuals involved stole eight identification cards and had filed 54 bank account registrations and 90 loan applications in 2023. They had also used deepfakes to trick facial recognition software in at least 20 cases. 

The widespread use of deepfakes is one of the growing concerns of evolving AI technology. In January, Taylor Swift and President Joe Biden were among those whose identities were forged with deepfakes. In Swift's case, it was nonconsensual pornographic images of her and a financial scam targeting potential Le Creuset shoppers. President Biden's voice could be heard in some robocalls to New Hampshire constituents, imploring them not to vote in their state's primary. 

Update, February 6 2024, 10:34AM ET: The Hong Kong police said in their press conference that they had arrested six people in connection with such scams, not necessarily this scam.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/scammers-use-deepfakes-to-steal-256-million-from-a-multinational-firm-034033977.html?src=rss

Apple Podcasts will automatically generate transcripts in iOS 17.4

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Catching up on a new podcast should get easier very soon. Apple has announced that it will automatically transcribe podcasts, which should allow more people to enjoy episodes. Apple Podcast will allow creators to upload their own transcript for display or opt for Apple to create one.

There are some caveats to be aware of, though. Apple Podcasts should start creating the transcription when the episode is uploaded. However, it has a "short delay" until it's available, so people eager to play their favorite podcast right away will have to wait for an unspecified amount of time (Apple tells podcasters to give it at least 24 hours after uploading an episode). It's likely that the longer the episode is, the longer the transcription will take to be ready. The transcription will also not update if parts of the recording are changed with dynamically inserted audio, and it won't display music lyrics. 

Podcasters must follow Apple's quality requirements for their episodes to get correctly transcribed. According to Apple, podcasts with people talking over each other or music might not have as good a transcription. If someone chooses to upload their own, it must be a VTT or SRT file. A podcaster can also edit a transcription for greater accuracy. 

Apple Podcasts' transcriptions should launch in the spring on iOS 17.4 in English, German, Spanish and French. The feature is available in over 170 countries and regions, with older episodes getting transcribed over time. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-podcasts-will-automatically-generate-transcripts-in-ios-174-091040750.html?src=rss

Microsoft Mesh is a virtual meeting platform on Teams

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While many organizations are pushing for their employees to return to offices, Microsoft suggests trying a new type of "hybrid" working. The company has announced the launch of Microsoft Mesh, a feature that lets employees' avatars meet in the same place, even if the actual people are spread out. The virtual connection platform is powered through Microsoft Teams. 

Microsoft has tested out Mesh on companies like consulting firm Accenture and pharmaceutical-focused Takeda. "The world of work continues to evolve at a rapid pace, but the importance of human connection has never gone away. Lunchtime conversations, hallway catch-ups, coffee chats — they often hold the key to both workplace success and employee happiness," Takeda's chief technology officer Leo Barella explained in a statement. He claims their meetings have been "more collaborative and immersive."

Mesh provides a series of pre-made spaces that companies can customize with everything from informational videos to logos — without needing to enter any code. The Mesh toolkit works through Unity, Microsoft's 2D and 3D development platform, to tailor the virtual world further. Basically, if there's a retreat an employer has always wanted to take everyone, they can create a version of it and invite everyone's avatars. 

Currently, Microsoft's Mesh is only available on desktop PCs and Meta Quest VR devices (if employees want a more immersive experience). Microsoft is offering a six-month free trial to anyone with a business or enterprise plan. Otherwise, prices range from $4 per user monthly for Microsoft Teams Essentials all the way up to $57 per user monthly for Microsoft 365 E5. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-launches-mesh-a-virtual-meeting-platform-on-teams-095018763.html?src=rss

TurboTax maker Intuit faces FTC ban on advertising ‘free’ services

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Intuit is once again facing consequences for misleading advertising that claims it offers "free" services. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is banning TurboTax's maker from claiming services are free when most customers will end up having to pay. "We find that Intuit's ads on their face, expressly or by strong implication, conveyed to reasonable consumers the message that they can file their taxes with TurboTax for free," the FTC concluded. "Respondent's claims of free filing are false for roughly two-thirds of U.S. taxpayers, who do not meet Intuit's simple tax return qualifications and are therefore ineligible to file for free with TurboTax."

The FTC further emphasized that companies can't describe a product as "free, free, free" when most people will have a "fee, fee, fee" — a warning that's just waiting to be turned into an intimidating jingle. The regulatory body stated that Intuit must clearly state percent of customers would qualify for free services. Meanwhile, Intuit is appealing the decision, stating, "We believe that when the matter ultimately returns to a neutral body we will prevail."

Intuit isn't required to pay a fee for its transgressions this time. However, the FTC's ban comes nearly two years after Intuit reached a $141 million settlement with all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The company had to refund almost 4.4 million customers "for deceiving millions of low-income Americans into paying for tax services that should have been free," New York Attorney General Letitia James announced at the time.

Intuit was found to have pulled a bait-and-switch on customers, luring them in with the promise of free tax prep and then charging them when it was time to file. It also hid its IRS Free Filing page from search engine results for a tax season (and dropped out of the Free File Alliance in 2021). Intuit didn't admit to any wrongdoing and expressed no regret in a statement about the ordeal.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/turbotax-maker-intuit-faces-ftc-ban-on-advertising-free-services-104033493.html?src=rss