Author Archives: Sarah Fielding

The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will now regulate Apple Pay, Venmo and others

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The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is no longer regulating just banks, now supervising Apple and other companies offering digital wallets and payment apps. It will focus on companies that handle over 50 million transactions per year and ensure they have "the authority to conduct proactive examinations to ensure companies are complying with the law in these and other areas," the bureau said in a statement. "Supervision also is an important tool for the CFPB to assess risks that can emerge rapidly in this market, including from outages and other issues that could lead to millions of consumers losing access to their funds."

The CFPB will supervise Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo and others in the areas of privacy and surveillance, debanking (losing access to their app without notice) and errors and fraud. This could provide more options for opting out of data collection and restricting them from misrepresenting their data protection practices, among other regulations. "Digital payments have gone from novelty to necessity and our oversight must reflect this reality. The rule will help to protect consumer privacy, guard against fraud, and prevent illegal account closures," said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. In October, the CFPB fined Apple and Goldman Sachs $89 million over misleading customers and not following through with disputed transactions on the Apple Card. 

The CFPB originally proposed this setup in November 2023, but the final policies have changed. Most notably, businesses originally had to process just five million transactions, rather than the 50 million. It also reduced the number to just count US dollars, rather than a wider scope. The supervision will go into effect 30 days following the Federal Register publication. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-us-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-will-now-regulate-apple-pay-venmo-and-others-132129928.html?src=rss

Black Friday deals bring the Echo Buds down to only $25

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Our choice for best budget open design earbuds is currently discounted for Black Friday. Right now, you can pick up the Amazon Echo Buds for just $25, down from $50 — an all-time low price that makes an affordable option that much more accessible. 

Amazon released its most recent generation of Echo Buds in 2023 and impressed us with its level of quality for an open earbud option. The semi-in-ear style allows for more ambient noise and might be more comfortable depending on your ear shape. The earbuds have some solid perks such as multi-device connectivity and a solid five hours of music playback. You can increase their life by another hour if you turn wake word off. You'll get up to 20 hours of charge with the case.

As an Amazon device, the Echo Buds are also equipped with Alexa, so you can ask the assistant to play music, call someone, set a reminder or one of the many other standard tasks. Plus, you can use the Alexa app to set tap controls for muting your mics and changing your music. Speaking of music, these earbuds have 12mm drivers and a crisp overall sound (though the open nature hurts the bass quality). Be careful, though, when working out as their low IPX2 water resistance rating means sweat could be a problem. 

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-deals-bring-the-echo-buds-down-to-only-25-161530606.html?src=rss

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are back on sale for $229 for Black Friday

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It's been over a year since Bose released its QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds but we would argue they're still the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market. Now, for Black Friday, they're also back down to their best price, dropping to $229 from $299. 

We gave the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds a 88 in our review thanks to features like — you guessed it — amazing active noise cancellation. We found these earbuds especially impressive when it came to blocking airplane noise so, if you have a long flight ahead, this is where to look. These earbuds also produced really great sound quality due to Immersive Audio and spatial audio technology. The clarity, detail and volume come together to create a natural sound that makes it feel as if you're not even wearing earbuds. 

Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds also tout an impressive battery life (though using Immersive Audio really eats into it). We did find the earbuds to be a bit large, but there are nine soft tips to choose from so hopefully one works for you. Overall, these are a very solid option — especially at the discounted price — if you want great ANC without having to wear headphones. 

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/the-bose-quietcomfort-ultra-earbuds-are-back-on-sale-for-229-for-black-friday-083025834.html?src=rss

Amazon’s Echo Dot drops to only $23 for Black Friday

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Yes, Black Friday is basically here and, though we're not sure where this year went, all the sales are softening the blow. Amazon, sure to be the home of a lot of shopping this year, has already marked down some of its most wanted products. Included in the sales is our choice for best smart speaker under $50, the fifth generation Amazon Echo Dot. Right now, you can pick up the speaker for just $23 — an all-time low price. 

The fifth-gen Amazon Echo Dot came out in 2022 and has great features, including exceptionally loud and clear audio for its sticker price (let alone the discounted one). It has all the basics and does them well: letting you set alarm clocks and timers, streaming music and podcasts from your streamer of choice and using Alexa for all your questions. 

If you're unsure about the Echo Dot then check out some of Amazon's other speakers on sale for Black Friday. There's the Echo Spot, which is back to its October Prime Day all-time low price of $45, down from $80.

Amazon originally released the Echo Spot in 2017, but discontinued it after two years. The new model launched earlier this year sans awkward bedside camera and plus a better quality display and sound. You can also pick up the Echo Pop for only $18, down from $40. This speaker is a great option if you want a solid device in a small room.  

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/amazons-echo-dot-drops-to-only-23-for-black-friday-150042813.html?src=rss

Department of Justice will reportedly push for Google to sell Chrome

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Google released Chrome in 2008 and it became synonymous with the company and its search engine. Well, that might no longer be the case if if the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has its way. The DOJ's antitrust officials reportedly plan to request a federal judge orders Google to sell off Chrome, Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the plan. 

In August, federal judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google "is a monopolist" in the search engine industry. Mehta further agreed Google used its "monopoly power by charging supracompetitive prices for general search text ads." The company takes signed-in users' data to create targeted advertising, however, Mehta ruled Google doesn't hold the same monopoly power when it comes to the general search advertising market. 

In response to the ruling, antitrust officers also reportedly plan to suggest Google changes its data licensing policies. A new proposal would have Google syndicate search results separately and sell its click and query data. These moves could aid rival search engines and AI startups. The officers reportedly considered asking Mehta to force Google to sell of Android but have moved away from that request. The DOJ submitted initial proposals in October to remedy Google's actions.

Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s vice president of regulatory affairs, stated, that the "government putting its thumb on the scale in these ways would harm consumers, developers and American technological leadership at precisely the moment it is most needed."

Mehta's August ruling stems from a 2020 lawsuit filed by the DOJ and about one-fifth of the states, including Florida, Indiana and Texas. It argued that Google spent billions of dollars annually to device manufacturers, US wireless carriers and browser developers "to secure default status for its general search engine and, in many cases, to specifically prohibit Google’s counterparties from dealing with Google’s competitors." According to testimony from Prabhakar Raghavan, Google's chief technologist, the company spent $26.3 billion in 2021 to maintain its default search engine status — a majority of which likely went to Apple. 

A two-week hearing is set for April 2025 on changes for Google to implement, with a final ruling expected by August next year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/department-of-justice-will-reportedly-push-for-google-to-sell-chrome-153612337.html?src=rss

Sony reportedly in talks to buy Elden Ring and Dark Souls developer

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Sony is reportedly in talks to purchase Japanese publisher Kadokawa, Reuters reports, citing sources familiar with the dealings. Kadokawa owns FromSoftware, which is behind incredibly difficult Soulslike games, including Elden Ring, Dark Souls and Bloodbourne. Sony already holds a 14 percent stake in FromSoftware. 

Elden Ring is the brain child of director Hidetaka Miyazaki and Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin and available on Sony's PlayStation 4 and 5, among other platforms. FromSoftware released it in early 2022 and it has since sold over 25 million units. Its expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, also sold five million copies in just three days when it came out in June. 

FromSoftware isn't the only studio Kadokawa owns. Sony would also gain ownership of Acquire, Spike Chunsoft and Gotcha Gotcha Games — bringing the developers of games like Mario & Luigi: Brothership, Shiren the Wanderer and Tenchu under its umbrella. Plus, purchasing Kadokawa would expand Sony's existing anime and manga portfolio.  

Sony is valued at about $114 billion, but it's unclear how much it's willing to fork out for Kadokawa. However, sources say a deal might go through in the next few weeks, so we should have more information then. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sony-reportedly-in-talks-to-buy-elden-ring-and-dark-souls-developer-133015041.html?src=rss

Microsoft made a $349 hardware client to connect to Cloud PCs

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Accessing and securing the cloud is a necessity for companies and Microsoft has taken another step by announcing the Windows 365 Link device. According to Microsoft, "it enables desk-based users to work securely on a familiar Windows desktop in the Microsoft Cloud with responsive, high-fidelity experiences."

Windows 365 Link is a small, lightweight device that Microsoft claims can immediately wake from sleep, boot up in seconds and locally process video conferencing solutions like Microsoft Teams. It doesn't store local data or apps, has security baseline policies enabled and doesn't allow for individuals to disable security features. Plus, logging in requires Microsoft Entra ID along with the Microsoft Authenticator app or USB security keys.

Microsoft's new device also works with dual 4K monitors, an audio port, four USB ports, an ethernet port, Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E. The Windows 365 Link is currently available in preview but should come to select areas in April 2025 for $349. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/microsoft-made-a-349-hardware-client-to-connect-to-cloud-pcs-133027364.html?src=rss

Samsung Black Friday 2024 deals: Save up to $350 on Galaxy S24 smartphones

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Black Friday deals have arrived for Samsung smartphones, and now you can get a few of our favorites for a few hundred dollars less than usual. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is currently down to $950 from $1,300. The Ultra came out in early 2024 and quickly became our choice for best premium Android phone. It scored an 89 in our review thanks to features like its long battery life — we often had over 50 percent left after 24 hours.

It has a titanium frame and a 6.8-inch OLED panel that peaks at 2,600 nits, rather than the previous 1,750 nits. Plus, it has a slew of AI tools and utilizes Samsung's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for fast performance. 

If $950 feels (understandably) a bit steep then check out the Samsung Galaxy S24+. The 256GB model is currently marked down from $1,000 to $770 — still a solid chunk of change, but a noticeable difference. The Samsung Galaxy S24+ garnered an 87 in our review, not far off from its sister device. It comes with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and features like Chat Assist and Live Translate. Its battery life impressed us, though its low-light photography performance left something to be desired. 

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/samsung-black-friday-2024-deals-save-up-to-350-on-galaxy-s24-smartphones-150043358.html?src=rss

Apple Black Friday deals: The M4 Mac mini drops to a record low of $500

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Apple's new Mac mini hasn’t been available for that long yet, but you can already grab it at a discount. The M4-powered Mac mini has dropped to an all-time low of $500 thanks to a discount and an additional, clippable coupon that will bring the final price down to $500. That’s a total of $100 of savings off the original price.

The 2024 Mac Mini is available with an M4 or M4 Pro chip, both of which give the desktop computer a real boost from its previous version. We gave the upgrade a 90 in our review, in part due to the Pro's perks (which we'll get into later), but also general features like the base level being 16GB of RAM. This generation also offers front USB-C and headphone ports, as well as a design that's less than half the size of its predecessor.

The Mac Mini with M4 chip should be plenty of power for all your basic tasks. But, if you need a bigger boost, then check out Mac Mini with an M4 Pro chip. It's currently on sale for $1,349, down from $1,399. This deal is available on the model with 24GB of unified memory and 512GB of SSD storage. It's remarkably fast and offers Thunderbolt 5 support, rather than the M4's Thunderbolt 4. Thunderbolt 5 can triple data transfer speeds to 120GB/s, up from 40GB/s. 

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/apple-black-friday-deals-the-m4-mac-mini-drops-to-a-record-low-of-500-144307243.html?src=rss

DoorDash can import grocery lists from iOS’ Reminders app

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Though I do love walking through a supermarket and picking out my own foods, I will admit that, come winter, I often turn to delivery apps to get my products. DoorDash, one of the many delivery apps on the market, has launched a new feature that could make this process even more seamless, allowing iOS users import their grocery list from Reminders into the app. 

To take advantage of this, you can go to Reminders and copy your list or import it directly in the DoorDash app. An option should appear while you're shopping inside a store that says "Got a grocery list?" in a box on the page. From there you can click import and choose which list you want to sync based on the titles and a preview of the items. DoorDash will then show you options based on your list. So, for example, if you wrote onions, then it will let you scroll through different onions for sale and below it will have your next item with other options. 

DoorDash is also unveiling other changes, such as letting you add items from multiple stores to an order before placing it. The company has offered DoubleDash since 2021 but that only allowed you to include items from close stores after placing the original order. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/doordash-can-import-grocery-lists-from-ios-reminders-app-140020164.html?src=rss