Celebrating the Chinese New Year in fitting spirit, this limited-edition mechanical keyboard comes with both QWERTY and the Standard Chinese Script… but what we love more is the fitting red and gold color scheme, and those beautiful majestic fire-breathing beasts found on the special keys! The special keycaps sit on Drop’s CSTM80 keyboard, and are designed as a collaboration between Drop and designer Boba.Types. “Adorned with fiery reds and rich golds (a dragon’s favorite colors, we’d hazard a guess), this set is nothing if not ornate,” mention the folks at Drop.
While most keyboards are designed to be comfortable enough to use without looking at, this one makes it hard to look away. The keycaps are just gorgeous, and make for a great collector’s edition for people celebrating the Lunar New Year… or anyone with a fascination for the great “lóng” (dragon) of Chinese mythology.
The keycaps come as a base set, but also feature novelty and accent caps for adding a little more flavor to your already Sichuan-spicy keyboard. The accents come in the form of golden keys that stand out against the otherwise red keyboard, allowing you to easily spot keys you’re more likely to use frequently. The novelty keys add gorgeous mythological imagery to your keyboard, including a special numeric row that’s adorned with the 12 Chinese zodiac signs. Even special keys like the escape, shift, control, alt, etc. are jazzed up with symbolism… and while memorizing all the key types will probably be a bit of a headache, it’s absolutely worth it in the long run. Also, your friends will have a tough time figuring out how to snoop around on your computer!
The keycaps come in a special DCD profile (Drop Cylindrical Dye-Sub) developed by Drop. It’s designed to deliver a “classic feel with a unique, grit-free PBT texture for a finish as smooth—and strong—as dragons’ scales,” say the folks at Drop. The keycaps are compatible with Cherry MX switches and similar clones, and the base kit sets you back $49, while an additional $35 gets you the novelty keycap set.
It makes absolute sense. The company that has a brand built around action and adrenaline should be in the racing business… no? After all, isn’t that exactly what Red Bull is doing? Designed by Sean Gao, the GoKart imagines a world in which GoPro goes automotive. The racing cart isn’t like anything we’ve ever seen before. It sports a gorgeously modern design with sleek surfaces that blend into each other… but the kart’s secret sauce is the fact that it has multiple action cameras integrated into its design, capturing your race from multiple PoVs. Designed for thrill but also for entertainment, the kart captures multiple streams from different angles, allowing viewers (or even the driver) to enjoy the race like never before. Easily the coolest thing to happen to karting since Mario Kart.
The GoPro GoKart is a modern-day racing vehicle that brings karting into the future. Sure, you could do the rounds of a track on a gasoline-guzzling hunk of metal and fiberglass… but nothing quite beats racing around in these bad-boys. The GoPro GoKart is gorgeous to look at, sporting an uber-slick design that’s just about as gorgeous as a high-end racecar. You’ve got flowing surfaces that create the kart’s beautiful silhouette, with metal and carbon-fiber paneling that reflects light with a soft matte glow that’s subtly classy. Meanwhile, the kart comes outfitted with razor-thin headlights and taillights too, so night-time won’t stop your races.
Where the GoKart functionally differs from other karts, however, is in the inclusion of multiple wide-angle action cameras a la GoPro. These cameras can be found on the front, sides, and rear of the car, capturing multiple angles during the race. The result, breathtaking moments for both riders as well as the audience to enjoy during or even after the race. Gao proposes building an entire racing track around the kart too, with a multi-level course that are studded with cameras that add to the race feed.
The car’s cameras help capture the action right from the driving seat. A front-facing camera documents the track ahead, while a rear camera lets you see your opponents biting the dust. Cameras on the side document a much more high-stakes experience, letting you see two cars going head-to-head side by side.
The kart seats one, but aside from just a simple cockpit with a wheel and pedals, you’ve also got a dashboard with information, controls, and settings. A space underneath the steering wheel (or yoke, rather) lets you dock your smartphone, which starts the car and lets it authenticate its driver. The yoke’s central dashboard lets you see racing stats, as well as quickly toggle camera views to see what’s happening behind you. Meanwhile, video footage also gets sent to your phone, allowing you to replay your highlights after the race and share the footage with friends and fans.
Ultimately for Gao, the GoKart is a massive branding exercise for GoPro, letting it reinforce its position as the apex action-camera company. It also creates a separate channel that exists independent of the action camera business, building a sport that can be followed by dedicated fans. This helps solidify the brand, which has seen some weakening following a few corporate scandals and the rise of other companies like Insta360 and Kandao. Moreover, the karts are pretty much billboards on wheels for GoPro’s cameras, letting people experience their brilliance in the form of high-octane kart racing. If anyone at GoPro is reading this, give Sean a call…
A coalition of 20 tech companies signed an agreement Friday to help prevent AI deepfakes in the critical 2024 elections taking place in more than 40 countries. OpenAI, Google, Meta, Amazon, Adobe and X are among the businesses joining the pact to prevent and combat AI-generated content that could influence voters. However, the agreement’s vague language and lack of binding enforcement call into question whether it goes far enough.
The list of companies signing the “Tech Accord to Combat Deceptive Use of AI in 2024 Elections” includes those that create and distribute AI models, as well as social platforms where the deepfakes are most likely to pop up. The signees are Adobe, Amazon, Anthropic, Arm, ElevenLabs, Google, IBM, Inflection AI, LinkedIn, McAfee, Meta, Microsoft, Nota, OpenAI, Snap Inc., Stability AI, TikTok, Trend Micro, Truepic and X (formerly Twitter).
The group describes the agreement as “a set of commitments to deploy technology countering harmful AI-generated content meant to deceive voters.” The signees have agreed to the following eight commitments:
Developing and implementing technology to mitigate risks related to Deceptive AI Election content, including open-source tools where appropriate
Assessing models in scope of this accord to understand the risks they may present regarding Deceptive AI Election Content
Seeking to detect the distribution of this content on their platforms
Seeking to appropriately address this content detected on their platforms
Fostering cross-industry resilience to deceptive AI election content
Providing transparency to the public regarding how the company addresses it
Continuing to engage with a diverse set of global civil society organizations, academics
Supporting efforts to foster public awareness, media literacy, and all-of-society resilience
The accord will apply to AI-generated audio, video and images. It addresses content that “deceptively fake or alter the appearance, voice, or actions of political candidates, election officials, and other key stakeholders in a democratic election, or that provide false information to voters about when, where, and how they can vote.”
The signees say they will work together to create and share tools to detect and address the online distribution of deepfakes. In addition, they plan to drive educational campaigns and “provide transparency” to users.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman
FABRICE COFFRINI via Getty Images
OpenAI, one of the signees, already said last month it plans to suppress election-related misinformation worldwide. Images generated with the company’s DALL-E 3 tool will be encoded with a classifier providing a digital watermark to clarify their origin as AI-generated pictures. The ChatGPT maker said it would also work with journalists, researchers and platforms for feedback on its provenance classifier. It also plans to prevent chatbots from impersonating candidates.
“We’re committed to protecting the integrity of elections by enforcing policies that prevent abuse and improving transparency around AI-generated content,” Anna Makanju, Vice President of Global Affairs at OpenAI, wrote in the group’s joint press release. “We look forward to working with industry partners, civil society leaders and governments around the world to help safeguard elections from deceptive AI use.”
Notably absent from the list is Midjourney, the company with an AI image generator (of the same name) that currently produces some of the most convincing fake photos. However, the company said earlier this month it would consider banning political generations altogether during election season. Last year, Midjourney was used to create a viral fake image of Pope Benedict unexpectedly strutting down the street with a puffy white jacket. One of Midjourney’s closest competitors, Stability AI (makers of the open-source Stable Diffusion), did participate. Engadget contacted Midjourney for comment about its absence, and we’ll update this article if we hear back.
Only Apple is absent among Silicon Valley’s “Big Five.” However, that may be explained by the fact that the iPhone maker hasn’t yet launched any generative AI products, nor does it host a social media platform where deepfakes could be distributed. Regardless, we contacted Apple PR for clarification but hadn’t heard back at the time of publication.
Although the general principles the 20 companies agreed to sound like a promising start, it remains to be seen whether a loose set of agreements without binding enforcement will be enough to combat a nightmare scenario where the world’s bad actors use generative AI to sway public opinion and elect aggressively anti-democratic candidates — in the US and elsewhere.
“The language isn’t quite as strong as one might have expected,” Rachel Orey, senior associate director of the Elections Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center, toldThe Associated Press on Friday. “I think we should give credit where credit is due, and acknowledge that the companies do have a vested interest in their tools not being used to undermine free and fair elections. That said, it is voluntary, and we’ll be keeping an eye on whether they follow through.”
In January, New Hampshire voters were greeted with a robocall of an AI-generated impersonation of President Biden’s voice — urging them not to vote.
Anadolu via Getty Images
In January, an AI-generated deepfake of President Biden’s voice was used by two Texas-based companies to robocall New Hampshire voters, urging them not to vote in the state’s primary on January 23. The clip, generated using ElevenLabs’ voice cloning tool, reached up to 25,000 NH voters, according to the state’s attorney general. ElevenLabs is among the pact’s signees.
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) acted quickly to prevent further abuses of voice-cloning tech in fake campaign calls. Earlier this month, it voted unanimously to ban AI-generated robocalls. The (seemingly eternally deadlocked) US Congress hasn’t passed any AI legislation. In December, the European Union (EU) agreed on an expansive AI Act safety development bill that could influence other nations’ regulatory efforts.
“As society embraces the benefits of AI, we have a responsibility to help ensure these tools don’t become weaponized in elections,” Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith wrote in a press release. “AI didn’t create election deception, but we must ensure it doesn’t help deception flourish.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-openai-google-and-others-agree-to-combat-election-related-deepfakes-203942157.html?src=rss
A coalition of 20 tech companies signed an agreement Friday to help prevent AI deepfakes in the critical 2024 elections taking place in more than 40 countries. OpenAI, Google, Meta, Amazon, Adobe and X are among the businesses joining the pact to prevent and combat AI-generated content that could influence voters. However, the agreement’s vague language and lack of binding enforcement call into question whether it goes far enough.
The list of companies signing the “Tech Accord to Combat Deceptive Use of AI in 2024 Elections” includes those that create and distribute AI models, as well as social platforms where the deepfakes are most likely to pop up. The signees are Adobe, Amazon, Anthropic, Arm, ElevenLabs, Google, IBM, Inflection AI, LinkedIn, McAfee, Meta, Microsoft, Nota, OpenAI, Snap Inc., Stability AI, TikTok, Trend Micro, Truepic and X (formerly Twitter).
The group describes the agreement as “a set of commitments to deploy technology countering harmful AI-generated content meant to deceive voters.” The signees have agreed to the following eight commitments:
Developing and implementing technology to mitigate risks related to Deceptive AI Election content, including open-source tools where appropriate
Assessing models in scope of this accord to understand the risks they may present regarding Deceptive AI Election Content
Seeking to detect the distribution of this content on their platforms
Seeking to appropriately address this content detected on their platforms
Fostering cross-industry resilience to deceptive AI election content
Providing transparency to the public regarding how the company addresses it
Continuing to engage with a diverse set of global civil society organizations, academics
Supporting efforts to foster public awareness, media literacy, and all-of-society resilience
The accord will apply to AI-generated audio, video and images. It addresses content that “deceptively fake or alter the appearance, voice, or actions of political candidates, election officials, and other key stakeholders in a democratic election, or that provide false information to voters about when, where, and how they can vote.”
The signees say they will work together to create and share tools to detect and address the online distribution of deepfakes. In addition, they plan to drive educational campaigns and “provide transparency” to users.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman
FABRICE COFFRINI via Getty Images
OpenAI, one of the signees, already said last month it plans to suppress election-related misinformation worldwide. Images generated with the company’s DALL-E 3 tool will be encoded with a classifier providing a digital watermark to clarify their origin as AI-generated pictures. The ChatGPT maker said it would also work with journalists, researchers and platforms for feedback on its provenance classifier. It also plans to prevent chatbots from impersonating candidates.
“We’re committed to protecting the integrity of elections by enforcing policies that prevent abuse and improving transparency around AI-generated content,” Anna Makanju, Vice President of Global Affairs at OpenAI, wrote in the group’s joint press release. “We look forward to working with industry partners, civil society leaders and governments around the world to help safeguard elections from deceptive AI use.”
Notably absent from the list is Midjourney, the company with an AI image generator (of the same name) that currently produces some of the most convincing fake photos. However, the company said earlier this month it would consider banning political generations altogether during election season. Last year, Midjourney was used to create a viral fake image of Pope Benedict unexpectedly strutting down the street with a puffy white jacket. One of Midjourney’s closest competitors, Stability AI (makers of the open-source Stable Diffusion), did participate. Engadget contacted Midjourney for comment about its absence, and we’ll update this article if we hear back.
Only Apple is absent among Silicon Valley’s “Big Five.” However, that may be explained by the fact that the iPhone maker hasn’t yet launched any generative AI products, nor does it host a social media platform where deepfakes could be distributed. Regardless, we contacted Apple PR for clarification but hadn’t heard back at the time of publication.
Although the general principles the 20 companies agreed to sound like a promising start, it remains to be seen whether a loose set of agreements without binding enforcement will be enough to combat a nightmare scenario where the world’s bad actors use generative AI to sway public opinion and elect aggressively anti-democratic candidates — in the US and elsewhere.
“The language isn’t quite as strong as one might have expected,” Rachel Orey, senior associate director of the Elections Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center, toldThe Associated Press on Friday. “I think we should give credit where credit is due, and acknowledge that the companies do have a vested interest in their tools not being used to undermine free and fair elections. That said, it is voluntary, and we’ll be keeping an eye on whether they follow through.”
In January, New Hampshire voters were greeted with a robocall of an AI-generated impersonation of President Biden’s voice — urging them not to vote.
Anadolu via Getty Images
In January, an AI-generated deepfake of President Biden’s voice was used by two Texas-based companies to robocall New Hampshire voters, urging them not to vote in the state’s primary on January 23. The clip, generated using ElevenLabs’ voice cloning tool, reached up to 25,000 NH voters, according to the state’s attorney general. ElevenLabs is among the pact’s signees.
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) acted quickly to prevent further abuses of voice-cloning tech in fake campaign calls. Earlier this month, it voted unanimously to ban AI-generated robocalls. The (seemingly eternally deadlocked) US Congress hasn’t passed any AI legislation. In December, the European Union (EU) agreed on an expansive AI Act safety development bill that could influence other nations’ regulatory efforts.
“As society embraces the benefits of AI, we have a responsibility to help ensure these tools don’t become weaponized in elections,” Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith wrote in a press release. “AI didn’t create election deception, but we must ensure it doesn’t help deception flourish.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-openai-google-and-others-agree-to-combat-election-related-deepfakes-203942157.html?src=rss
Disney fans are definitely upset with the delayed release of Marc Webb’s upcoming remake of the 1937 classic. They had been waiting to see Rachel Zegler bite the forbidden fruit in the new Snow White movie, which is now pushed back by almost a year from its original March 22, 2024 release date to March 21, 2025. That is not a reason for LEGO to fall back and procrastinate.
The passionate brick builders have released a gorgeous, and immensely detailed, LEGO version of the Seven Dwarf’s Cottage from the iconic Disney animation. This build comprises 2228 pieces and 10 mini figurines – slated to go on sale starting March 4, 2024 for $220. If you’re a LEGO Insider, you have a chance to get early access to this set beginning March 1.
Created to allow Disney buffs bring the sweet story home in LEGO bricks; it is not a simple layout. The build is intriguing and effectively detailed to remind us of all the interesting aspects of the lore. In that breath, the LEGO Disney Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ Cottage comes complete with Snow White’s glass coffin, the Evil Queen with the forbidden red apple, all Seven Dwarfs, and the Prince to revive the Snow White out of the death bed with his kiss.
This quaint forest cottage with a straw-roofed structure is nestled in a bounty of green vegetation, close to the wishing well, and has animal friends for company. The open layout of the cottage with a removable side of the roof features other highlights like the bedroom with seven beds, dining table, and a room with a pipe organ.
The LEGO’s new Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs set – measuring 8 inches high, 14 inches wide, and 7.5 inches deep – is a pretty exciting deviation for the disappointed aficionados. And even if you are not a fan, this set for adults can be a distinctive themed gift for movie lovers in your circle!
Epic Games just announced that Apple has finally reinstated its iOS developer account in the European Union. This means that the developer plans to launch a digital storefront for iOS devices sometime this year. More importantly, this will allow users to easily download Fortnite on iPhones.
The company revealed that it would be bringing its games store and Fortnite to iOS back in January, but it wasn’t clear if Apple would grant it a developer account. This account makes it much easier for developers to distribute apps and content across Apple’s various platforms.
Fortnite will return to iOS in Europe in 2024, distributed by the upcoming @EpicGames Store for iOS. Stay tuned for details as we figure out the regulatory timeline. We'll continue to argue to the courts and regulators that Apple is breaking the law. https://t.co/MHh6EGVinC
This is all thanks to the EU’s new Digital Markets Act, which officially goes into effect on March 7. The law designates large services as "gatekeepers," like Apple's App Store, and commands them to become interoperable with competing products to remain in compliance. As far as enforcement in this case, the DMA will all developers to take payments and distribute apps on iOS from outside of official App Store. Apps sold by a third-party sales platform still need to be approved by Apple, via the company’s Notarization process, to spot and remove potentially harmful content.
There’s been a lot of bad blood between Apple and Epic ever since the latter company began using its own in-app payment option in the iOS version of Fortnite. Using it's own payment processing, the 30 percent cut of cosmetic upgrades and power-ups it sold to Fortnite players was no longer landing in Apple's pockets. This launched a lengthy legal battle in the US over whether or not Apple’s walled-garden approach was anticompetitive. Epic sued Apple and Apple banned Epic from its platform.
A judge recently issued a permanent injunction that gives developers a way to avoid the 30 percent cut of sales that Apple takes via its in-house payment system. This seemed to satisfy neither company. Apple wasn’t happy about being forced to allow third-party payment options on its platform. Epic was unhappy regarding the language of the injunction, in which it was decided that Apple did not have a monopoly on mobile gaming and did not violate antitrust law by banning competing app marketplaces.
Under what possible theory of antitrust regulation is it acceptable for a monopoly to decide what companies are allowed to compete with it, and on what terms they can compete? Apple makes a mockery of free market competition. https://t.co/BPEdXQ2htt
Apple is also allowed to arrange fee structures to dissuade developers from using a third-party payment option. It's widely expected that the ruling, as it stands, will not reduce Apple's current 30 percent cut of App Store sales in any meaningful way. Both companies appealed. California’s Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the district court’s rulings. The companies took their appeals to the US Supreme Court, but the court refused to hear them. That’s where we stand right now.
As all of this was happening on this side of the pond, the EU passed the aforementioned Digital Markets Act, which also forced Apple’s hand into allowing third-party storefronts on iOS devices. There’s no ongoing legal battle in Europe between the two companies, so EU residents will get to play Fortnite again. Americans will have to rely on Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce Now to get the popular shooter running on their Apple device.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/epic-plans-to-launch-its-own-ios-storefront-in-the-eu-this-year-192358893.html?src=rss
Epic Games just announced that Apple has finally reinstated its iOS developer account in the European Union. This means that the developer plans to launch a digital storefront for iOS devices sometime this year. More importantly, this will allow users to easily download Fortnite on iPhones.
The company revealed that it would be bringing its games store and Fortnite to iOS back in January, but it wasn’t clear if Apple would grant it a developer account. This account makes it much easier for developers to distribute apps and content across Apple’s various platforms.
Fortnite will return to iOS in Europe in 2024, distributed by the upcoming @EpicGames Store for iOS. Stay tuned for details as we figure out the regulatory timeline. We'll continue to argue to the courts and regulators that Apple is breaking the law. https://t.co/MHh6EGVinC
This is all thanks to the EU’s new Digital Markets Act, which officially goes into effect on March 7. The law designates large services as "gatekeepers," like Apple's App Store, and commands them to become interoperable with competing products to remain in compliance. As far as enforcement in this case, the DMA will all developers to take payments and distribute apps on iOS from outside of official App Store. Apps sold by a third-party sales platform still need to be approved by Apple, via the company’s Notarization process, to spot and remove potentially harmful content.
There’s been a lot of bad blood between Apple and Epic ever since the latter company began using its own in-app payment option in the iOS version of Fortnite. Using it's own payment processing, the 30 percent cut of cosmetic upgrades and power-ups it sold to Fortnite players was no longer landing in Apple's pockets. This launched a lengthy legal battle in the US over whether or not Apple’s walled-garden approach was anticompetitive. Epic sued Apple and Apple banned Epic from its platform.
A judge recently issued a permanent injunction that gives developers a way to avoid the 30 percent cut of sales that Apple takes via its in-house payment system. This seemed to satisfy neither company. Apple wasn’t happy about being forced to allow third-party payment options on its platform. Epic was unhappy regarding the language of the injunction, in which it was decided that Apple did not have a monopoly on mobile gaming and did not violate antitrust law by banning competing app marketplaces.
Under what possible theory of antitrust regulation is it acceptable for a monopoly to decide what companies are allowed to compete with it, and on what terms they can compete? Apple makes a mockery of free market competition. https://t.co/BPEdXQ2htt
Apple is also allowed to arrange fee structures to dissuade developers from using a third-party payment option. It's widely expected that the ruling, as it stands, will not reduce Apple's current 30 percent cut of App Store sales in any meaningful way. Both companies appealed. California’s Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the district court’s rulings. The companies took their appeals to the US Supreme Court, but the court refused to hear them. That’s where we stand right now.
As all of this was happening on this side of the pond, the EU passed the aforementioned Digital Markets Act, which also forced Apple’s hand into allowing third-party storefronts on iOS devices. There’s no ongoing legal battle in Europe between the two companies, so EU residents will get to play Fortnite again. Americans will have to rely on Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce Now to get the popular shooter running on their Apple device.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/epic-plans-to-launch-its-own-ios-storefront-in-the-eu-this-year-192358893.html?src=rss
Engadget has always been a scrappy team, but there are only so many news stories, reviews, reports and buying guides our staff can write in a given week. As such, we’re looking to add some reliable contributing writers to our team who know their way around the tech space and can turn around some fast, clean copy to boot. We are looking for writers across a variety of disciplines: short-form news writing, product reviews and buying guides (what some will call “best lists,” but frankly, we prefer the term guides).
You don’t have to fit all three of those boxes to apply. If you’re looking to contribute to our news desk specifically, the hours we most need help are the very long stretch from 7AM ET to 7PM ET. As such, it would probably be helpful if you were based in North America, or even the UK or Europe. For reviews, features and buying guides, it really doesn’t matter where you’re based so long as you do great work.
What we’re looking for:
You must already be a published journalist. It’s true that some of us got our start in tech blogging after switching careers, but this time at least, we feel someone who has already worked in a newsroom of some kind is going to have the best chance of success.
We strongly prefer writers who already have experience writing about consumer tech, gaming, space, science or some combination thereof.
Being fast is nice, but producing well-written, well-researched copy is paramount.
You’re generally a good colleague who’s receptive to feedback and understands that sometimes things get chaotic when news is breaking and we have to work quickly and calmly.
And a little about us:
This is not a staff position; it’s freelance work.
We pay $32 an hour for news writing. Flat rates for longer pieces vary, starting at $750 for lightly reported features.
We have several senior editors specializing in news, reviews and buying guides. Depending on your assignment, you may not work with the same editor each time.
We are a remote newsroom. For all intent and purposes, Slack is our office.
We are a friendly group, if we do say so ourselves! Many of our teammates have been here for five, 10, almost 15 years, in no small part due to the fact that this is simply a lovely place to work.
Qualified candidates should ping us at jobs@engadget.com. Please send a resume and at least three clips. Don’t bother with a cover letter; just a polite, grammatically correct email introducing yourself will do. Please note, there are several of us monitoring this inbox and reviewing resumes. We will respond to applicants who could be a good match.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-is-looking-for-experienced-writers-190906506.html?src=rss
Engadget has always been a scrappy team, but there are only so many news stories, reviews, reports and buying guides our staff can write in a given week. As such, we’re looking to add some reliable contributing writers to our team who know their way around the tech space and can turn around some fast, clean copy to boot. We are looking for writers across a variety of disciplines: short-form news writing, product reviews and buying guides (what some will call “best lists,” but frankly, we prefer the term guides).
You don’t have to fit all three of those boxes to apply. If you’re looking to contribute to our news desk specifically, the hours we most need help are the very long stretch from 7AM ET to 7PM ET. As such, it would probably be helpful if you were based in North America, or even the UK or Europe. For reviews, features and buying guides, it really doesn’t matter where you’re based so long as you do great work.
What we’re looking for:
You must already be a published journalist. It’s true that some of us got our start in tech blogging after switching careers, but this time at least, we feel someone who has already worked in a newsroom of some kind is going to have the best chance of success.
We strongly prefer writers who already have experience writing about consumer tech, gaming, space, science or some combination thereof.
Being fast is nice, but producing well-written, well-researched copy is paramount.
You’re generally a good colleague who’s receptive to feedback and understands that sometimes things get chaotic when news is breaking and we have to work quickly and calmly.
And a little about us:
This is not a staff position; it’s freelance work.
We pay $32 an hour for news writing. Flat rates for longer pieces vary, starting at $750 for lightly reported features.
We have several senior editors specializing in news, reviews and buying guides. Depending on your assignment, you may not work with the same editor each time.
We are a remote newsroom. For all intent and purposes, Slack is our office.
We are a friendly group, if we do say so ourselves! Many of our teammates have been here for five, 10, almost 15 years, in no small part due to the fact that this is simply a lovely place to work.
Qualified candidates should ping us at jobs@engadget.com. Please send a resume and at least three clips. Don’t bother with a cover letter; just a polite, grammatically correct email introducing yourself will do. Please note, there are several of us monitoring this inbox and reviewing resumes. We will respond to applicants who could be a good match.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-is-looking-for-experienced-writers-190906506.html?src=rss
The Boho Duplex is truly a one-of-a-kind tiny home, as it is actually two homes combined in one. You tend to see a lot of innovative tiny homes on the market, some that extend upwards, while some extend downwards, but Boho is the first of its kind, which combines two houses into one. It is designed by Escape and includes two separate dwellings combined in one shell, complete with separate front doors, and self-contained interiors.
Boho Duplex consists of two Vista Boho models that have been harmoniously merged together, end to end. The home is finished in cedar and has a length of 42 feet. This is quite long for a tiny home, although it is not the largest home we’ve come across. When you enter the first home, you are welcomed by a multipurpose living space. A majority of this room is occupied by a bed, integrated storage, and a wall-mounted TV. The space also includes a small sofa and a kitchen area. The kitchen area holds an induction cooktop, fridge/freezer, sink, cabinetry, and washer/dryer, as well as a drop-down desk area to work and dine in. It also includes a well-designed bathroom with a shower, a flushing toilet, and a small sink.
The other section of the tiny home can be accessed via its door. Unfortunately, there is no interior connecting door, which does seem a bit inconvenient. The layout is mirrored, perfectly reflecting the other tiny home, featuring the same multipurpose room with a bed, seating, kitchen, and a bathroom nearby. The Boho Duplex’s layout and design are truly unique and could lead to a whole new genre of tiny homes being created.
Currently, there is no information on the Boho Duplex’s overall price, but information can be gathered by contacting Escape directly. It seems like an unconventional, yet exciting option for those who want to hop onto the tiny home bandwagon, but are tired of the typical over-saturated designs on the market. The Boho Duplex could be a refreshing change, one that doesn’t sacrifice functionality, utility, and practicality.
