Author Archives: Sarah Fielding

Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air M2 falls to a new low of $999

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If you've been holding out on buying a new MacBook, congrats, your delay has been rewarded. Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air has dropped to a new all-time low price of $999, down from $1,299. That's right, the 23 percent discount saves you $300, far from chump change. The deal is available for the 256GB 15-inch MacBook Air with an M2 chipset in either Midnight or Starlight. Keep in mind, though, that Amazon estimates these will ship in early to mid-January, so don't plan on picking one up as a last-minute Christmas gift. 

Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air with an M2 chip came on the scene in June of this year. It garnered a 96 in our review thanks to its ability to offer a large size and great performance without mirroring the Pro's exorbitant $2,000+ price tag. Despite being over a year old, the M2 chip functions great — in line with the 13-inch model. The battery life is also impressive, lasting over 18 hours on video playback alone and 12 hours during everyday use for work.

Its screen is also high-quality, with the extra two inches making a surprisingly significant difference. The 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display has a 2,880 x 1,864 resolution, 500 nits of brightness, a 60Hz refresh rate and support for the P3 wide color gamut. No, it doesn't measure up to the 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 chip in terms of display or performance quality, but it's hard to care that much for half the price. 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-15-inch-macbook-air-m2-falls-to-a-new-low-of-999-104522693.html?src=rss

Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air M2 falls to a new low of $999

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If you've been holding out on buying a new MacBook, congrats, your delay has been rewarded. Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air has dropped to a new all-time low price of $999, down from $1,299. That's right, the 23 percent discount saves you $300, far from chump change. The deal is available for the 256GB 15-inch MacBook Air with an M2 chipset in either Midnight or Starlight. Keep in mind, though, that Amazon estimates these will ship in early to mid-January, so don't plan on picking one up as a last-minute Christmas gift. 

Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air with an M2 chip came on the scene in June of this year. It garnered a 96 in our review thanks to its ability to offer a large size and great performance without mirroring the Pro's exorbitant $2,000+ price tag. Despite being over a year old, the M2 chip functions great — in line with the 13-inch model. The battery life is also impressive, lasting over 18 hours on video playback alone and 12 hours during everyday use for work.

Its screen is also high-quality, with the extra two inches making a surprisingly significant difference. The 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display has a 2,880 x 1,864 resolution, 500 nits of brightness, a 60Hz refresh rate and support for the P3 wide color gamut. No, it doesn't measure up to the 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 chip in terms of display or performance quality, but it's hard to care that much for half the price. 

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-15-inch-macbook-air-m2-falls-to-a-new-low-of-999-104522693.html?src=rss

UK Supreme Court rules AI can’t be a patent inventor, ‘must be a natural person’

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AI may or may not take people's jobs in years to come, but in the meantime, there's one thing they cannot obtain: patents. Dr. Stephen Thaler has spent years trying to get patents for two inventions created by his AI "creativity machine" DABUS. Now, the United Kingdom's Supreme Court has rejected his appeal to approve these patents when listing DABUS as the inventor, Reuters reports. 

The court's rationale stems from a provision in UK patent law that states, "an inventor must be a natural person." The ruling stipulated that the appeal was unconcerned with whether this should change in the future. "The judgment establishes that UK patent law is currently wholly unsuitable for protecting inventions generated autonomously by AI machines," Thaler's lawyers said in a statement. 

Thaler first attempt to register the patents — for a food container and a flashing light — was in 2018, as owner of the machine that invented them. However, the UK's Intellectual Property Office said he must list an actual human being on the application, and when he refused, it withdrew his application. Thaler fought the decision in the High Court and then the Court of Appeal, with Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing stating, "Only a person can have rights. A machine cannot." 

Thaler, an American, also submitted the two products to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which rejected his application. Plus, he previously sued the US Copyright Office (USCO) for not awarding him the copyright for a piece of art DABUS created. The case reached the US District Court of Columbia, with Judge Beryl Howell's ruling explaining, "Human authorship is a bedrock requirement of copyright." Thaler has argued that this provision is unconstitutional, but the US Supreme Court declined to hear his case, ending any further chances to argue his stance. While the UK and US have rejected Thaler's petitions, he has succeeded in countries such as Australia and South Africa. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uk-supreme-court-rules-ai-cant-be-a-patent-inventor-must-be-a-natural-person-131207359.html?src=rss

Apple’s Mac Mini M2 falls back to a low of $479

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Now's your chance to avoid paying full price for a Mac desktop that has plenty of processing power. Apple's Mac Mini M2 256GB model is down to $479 from $600 at Amazon and B&H. The 20 percent discount brings the Mac Mini M2 back down to its all-time low price — compared to the $500 it's frequently at. The 512GB Mac Mini M2 is also on sale, with a 17 percent price cut, bringing it to $700 from $800.

The Mac Mini 2 is an impressive add-on to any Apple computer and a serious upgrade from the first Mini's release in the early 2000s. The device builds on 2021's M1, and merited an 86 in our review thanks to features like 8GB of RAM, eight CPU cores and ten graphic cores. It's also wild with ports, offering two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, two USB-A, HDMI 2.0, a 3.5mm headphone jack and gigabit Ethernet. Plus, it supports Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E.

Apple's Mac Mini 2 also offers better airflow than its predecessor, thanks to an elevated base. The device itself is sleek, and with a width and height of 7.75 inches, it won't take up too much room on your desk. All in all, besides the fact that none of the ports face forward, there's not much to dislike about the Mac Mini M2. 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-mac-mini-m2-falls-back-to-a-low-of-479-115548138.html?src=rss

Insomniac Games hackers leak 1.3 million files after demanding $2 million ransom

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On December 12, Rhysida, a ransomware group, announced it had taken 1.67 terabytes of data — over 1.3 million files — from Sony's Insomniac Games and requested $2 million. Now, the one-week deadline for Insomniac Games to pay Rhysida has passed, and the group has made good on its threat to release the stolen information, Cyber Daily reports.

The data includes internal HR documents, screenshots of employees' Slack conversations, and more, but the main focus is the yet-to-be-released Wolverine video game. The released files contain details about level design, characters and actual screenshots from the game. There's also a signed publishing agreement between Sony and Marvel that lays out three upcoming X-Men games, the first being Wolverine, with the other two still unnamed. However, it details that Sony — which plans to spend $120 million per game — must release Wolverine by September 1, 2025, with the others due by the end of 2029 and 2033, respectively. 

Rhysida claims that it took the group only 20 to 25 minutes to get the domain administrator and that money was their sole motivation. "We knew that developers making games like this would be an easy target," a Rhysida spokesperson told Cyber Daily. "Sony has launched an investigation, but it would be better in the backyard."

Notably, Rhysida's initial ransom notice allowed anyone to bid on the data, not just Insomniac Games, and it appears some of it was bought. The ransomware group stated that any unsold data was released — but only 98 percent of stolen information is publicly available. Rhysida stipulated that any data purchased must not be resold, but who knows if the new owners will follow that rule.

Rhysida only targeted Insomniac Games within Sony, but in May, a separate attack gained access to 6,800 current and former employees' personal data. The attack, which ransomware group CLOP took credit for, became public knowledge in October.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/insomniac-games-hackers-leak-13-million-files-after-demanding-2-million-ransom-102134429.html?src=rss

Hackers release footage from upcoming Wolverine game and 1.3 million other stolen files

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On December 12, Rhysida, a ransomware group, announced it had taken 1.67 terabytes of data — over 1.3 million files — from Sony's Insomniac Games and requested $2 million. Now, the one-week deadline for Insomniac Games to pay Rhysida has passed, and the group has made good on its threat to release the stolen information, Cyber Daily reports.

The data includes internal HR documents, screenshots of employees' Slack conversations, and more, but the main focus is the yet-to-be-released Wolverine video game. The released files contain details about level design, characters and actual screenshots from the game. There's also a signed publishing agreement between Sony and Marvel that lays out three upcoming X-Men games, the first being Wolverine, with the other two still unnamed. However, it details that Sony — which plans to spend $120 million per game — must release Wolverine by September 1, 2025, with the others due by the end of 2029 and 2033, respectively. 

Rhysida claims that it took the group only 20 to 25 minutes to get the domain administrator and that money was their sole motivation. "We knew that developers making games like this would be an easy target," a Rhysida spokesperson told Cyber Daily. "Sony has launched an investigation, but it would be better in the backyard."

Notably, Rhysida's initial ransom notice allowed anyone to bid on the data, not just Insomniac Games, and it appears some of it was bought. The ransomware group stated that any unsold data was released — but only 98 percent of stolen information is publicly available. Rhysida stipulated that any data purchased must not be resold, but who knows if the new owners will follow that rule.

Rhysida only targeted Insomniac Games within Sony, but in May, a separate attack gained access to 6,800 current and former employees' personal data. The attack, which ransomware group CLOP took credit for, became public knowledge in October.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/insomniac-games-hackers-leak-13-million-files-after-demanding-2-million-ransom-102134429.html?src=rss

Insomniac Games hackers leak 1.3 million files after demanding $2 million ransom

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On December 12, Rhysida, a ransomware group, announced it had taken 1.67 terabytes of data — over 1.3 million files — from Sony's Insomniac Games and requested $2 million. Now, the one-week deadline for Insomniac Games to pay Rhysida has passed, and the group has made good on its threat to release the stolen information, Cyber Daily reports.

The data includes internal HR documents, screenshots of employees' Slack conversations, and more, but the main focus is the yet-to-be-released Wolverine video game. The released files contain details about level design, characters and actual screenshots from the game. There's also a signed publishing agreement between Sony and Marvel that lays out three upcoming X-Men games, the first being Wolverine, with the other two still unnamed. However, it details that Sony — which plans to spend $120 million per game — must release Wolverine by September 1, 2025, with the others due by the end of 2029 and 2033, respectively. 

Rhysida claims that it took the group only 20 to 25 minutes to get the domain administrator and that money was their sole motivation. "We knew that developers making games like this would be an easy target," a Rhysida spokesperson told Cyber Daily. "Sony has launched an investigation, but it would be better in the backyard."

Notably, Rhysida's initial ransom notice allowed anyone to bid on the data, not just Insomniac Games, and it appears some of it was bought. The ransomware group stated that any unsold data was released — but only 98 percent of stolen information is publicly available. Rhysida stipulated that any data purchased must not be resold, but who knows if the new owners will follow that rule.

Rhysida only targeted Insomniac Games within Sony, but in May, a separate attack gained access to 6,800 current and former employees' personal data. The attack, which ransomware group CLOP took credit for, became public knowledge in October.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/insomniac-games-hackers-leak-13-million-files-after-demanding-2-million-ransom-102134429.html?src=rss

EU takes action against X over illegal content and disinformation

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It might be ending 2023 with a new name, but X (formerly Twitter) is also capping off a year of criticism and legal action with even more condemnation. The European Commission has announced it's opening formal infringement proceedings into X's operation and potential violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Thierry Breton, the European commissioner for internal market ironically shared the news on X, detailing the platform's suspected breach of obligations to be transparent and to counter illegal content. X's potentially "deceptive design" is also being investigated. 

In its press release, the European Commission states that it will look to X's Community Notes feature to determine whether it's effective enough in "mitigating risks" to "civic discourse and electoral processes." It'll also address "suspected shortcomings" in X's decision to limit access to its data firehose, which could negatively affect researchers and other public bodies. The company's advertising platform is in the Commission's crosshairs, too, as is the "suspected deceptive design" of features like paid checkmarks.

In February 2023, all online services operating in the EU had to declare their size to determine if they were a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP). A VLOP is any platform with over 45 million users across the EU. Any company designated as a VLOP had four months to comply with the DSA. These measures include establishing a specific point of contact, transparency in advertising and content moderation and clear, user-friendly terms and conditions. It also requires identifying and mitigating risks such as illegal content, gender-based violence and protecting minors. Other logistical stipulations include permitting vetted researchers to access data that informs about systemic risks in the EU, sharing data with the Commission and having an independent audit annually.

The Commission's actions follow a risk assessment report X submitted in September, a transparency report the platform published in November and ongoing concerns about how X is handling — or mishandling, for that matter — content about the Israel-Hamas War. Breton sent a letter to Elon Musk about the platform's responsibility to moderate posts in line with the DSA. The European Union opened an investigation into X's handling shortly after.  

In a statement, Breton explained that the newly announced proceedings show "the time of big online platforms behaving like they are 'too big to care' has come to an end." He continued: "We now have clear rules, ex ante obligations, strong oversight, speedy enforcement, and deterrent sanctions and we will make full use of our toolbox to protect our citizens and democracies." This instance marks the first time the Commission has opened formal proceedings to enforce these EU regulations. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eu-opens-an-official-probe-into-x-over-illegal-content-and-disinformation-124139507.html?src=rss

Beats headphones and earbuds are up to 49 percent off right now

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The winter months are ripe with long journeys — whether through a road trip to a relative's house or a flight somewhere warm — and require good quality music to get through them. Achieving this is quite a bit cheaper right now, with the Beats Studio Buds dropping to an all-time low of $80 from $150. The 47 percent discount is available on every color, from Black to Sunset Pink. 

Beats Studio Buds are a solid option for noise-canceling earbuds and — even more so now — are much more affordable than competitors like AirPods. They have IPX4 sweat and water resistance, three soft ear tip sizes and eight hours of battery life or 24 hours with the charging case. Android users can download the Beats app to see stats and updates, while this technology is built in for iOS users. 

The Studio Buds aren't Beats' only good deal to check out right now. The Beats Fit Pro is 20 percent off, dropping to $160 from $200 in every color except Moon. The secure wing-tipped earbuds can last six hours on a single charge or 24 hours with the case and add adaptive EQ to the list of listening modes. Plus, they're also IPX4 sweat and water-resistant. 

Then there's the Beats Studio Pro headphones, available for $180, down from $350 — a 49 percent discount. The sale price increases to $205 when adding in two years of AppleCare+. The Studio Pro headphones have 40 hours of battery life and can get another four hours with just a 10-minute charge. The on-ear buttons can activate Siri, accept calls or control the music. The Beats Fit Pro and Studio Pro are both only $10 off their all-time low prices. 

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/beats-headphones-and-earbuds-are-up-to-49-percent-off-right-now-112029335.html?src=rss

Amazon boosts its satellite internet network with the help of space lasers

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Space lasers, once a mere futuristic joke, have become a real tool in building technology up there and making improvements for all of us down here. There's been NASA's use of space lasers to study plankton, plans to blast space junk and, now, a satellite network courtesy of Amazon. The company has announced that its Project Kuiper has built up its optical inter-satellite links (OISLs) capabilities to create a substantial mesh network of high-speed laser cross-links. This technology could result in faster data transmission to even the most remote places back on earth. 

In October, Amazon launched two prototype satellites and reported successful tests one month later, with the pair dispatching and retrieving data at speeds of up to 100 gigabits per second. "These tests demonstrated our ability to establish a single bi-directional link between two satellites, and initial data indicates that our design will be able to maintain cross-links between multiple satellites at once—the critical feature of a next-generation mesh network in space," the company stated. 

To successfully use OISLs, laser links had to maintain contact at a distance up to 1,616 miles while also contending with spacecrafts moving at a speed of 15,534 miles per hour. Plus, Amazon had to minimize light spreading in order to maintain the signal and account for any additional dynamics of all these moving pieces — something it says has been successfully done.

Amazon also claims the mesh network moves data about 30 percent faster than terrestrial fiber optic cables can. "Amazon's optical mesh network will provide multiple paths to route data through space, creating resiliency and redundancy for customers who need to securely transport information around the world," Ricky Freeman, vice president of Kuiper Government Solutions, explained in a statement. "This is especially important for those looking to avoid communications architectures that can be intercepted or jammed, and we look to forward to making these capabilities available to public sector customers looking to move and land data from remote locations to their desired destination." Basically, anyone from a cruise ship passenger to a multi-day hiker should be able to get a connection if this is successful. 

Project Kuiper started in 2019 but has seen a real boost in the last few months. With these successful tests completed, Amazon states that Project Kuiper is starting satellite production, with "full-scale deployment" beginning in the first half of 2024. It also predicts that early customer pilots will begin in the second half of the year. Notably, Amazon signed a deal with SpaceX to launch more Project Kuiper satellites at a faster rate. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-boosts-its-satellite-internet-network-with-the-help-of-space-lasers-123535946.html?src=rss