Tag Archives: author_name|Lawrence Bonk

The new GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker is $300 off right now

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The recently-released GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker is $300 off right now via Amazon, bringing the price down to $700. That’s a discount of 30 percent for the indoor smoker that managed to snag $800,000 in crowdfunding before being released to the masses at CES 2024.

As a matter of fact, the kitchen gadget ruled the roost at this year’s CES. It made our list of the best devices unveiled at the event and was a regular topic of conversation. A kitchen gadget has to be pretty special to garner buzz when competing with the latest laptops, smart TVs and bunny-shaped anthropomorphic AI assistants. In other words, GE’s Profile Smart Indoor Smoker delivers.

We praised the appliance for offering home cooks a legitimate way to smoke meats indoors, which is something that was previously out of reach for apartment dwellers and the like. The GE device ditches an open flame for electric heating elements to bring low-and-slow smoking indoors.

We also liked the built-in filtration system that prevents odorous smoke from wafting throughout the entire home. As for techy components, this smoker connects to Wi-Fi for remote cooking and monitoring, a feature we admired in our official hands-on with the unit. We got our hands on some brisket prepared by the unit and it sure was delicious.

The primary downside to this device is the price. Spending $1,000 on a smoker is likely to empty bank accounts and speed along divorce proceedings. This discount to $700 makes it a more reasonable purchase option. We'll have an official review of the smoker published soon. 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-new-ge-profile-smart-indoor-smoker-is-300-off-right-now-173049256.html?src=rss

Netflix’s full Avatar: The Last Airbender trailer nails the vibe of the cartoon

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Hold onto your cabbages. Netflix just dropped a full trailer for its forthcoming live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. It actually looks pretty cool, surprising fans who have been dreading a repeat of the disastrous 2010 film adaptation. The vibe is on point, calling to mind the source material, and the casting department looks to have done a fantastic job. Just look at Sokka, as portrayed by Ian Ousley.

This is the second trailer for the show, but the first was more of a teaser. The new trailer features two and a half minutes of footage, complete with jokes, action set-pieces and plenty of appearances by the franchise’s resident cutie-pies, the air bison Appa and winged lemur Momo. They are both CGI, but look pretty good to me.

You also get a deeper glimpse into both the world itself and the show’s primary characters. Gordon Courmier and Kiawentiio Tarbell look great as Aang and Katara, respectively. The trailer also boasts a shirtless Firelord Ozai, as played by Lost’s Daniel Dae Kim. Of course, it wouldn’t be Avatar without Prince Zuko and General Iroh, both of whom are featured prominently. Iroh is played by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, fresh off his stint in a galaxy far, far away (he’s in a bunch of Star Wars shows.)

Netflix’s version of Avatar: The Last Airbender premieres with all episodes on February 22. Original series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko aren’t involved with this adaptation, but are making an animated movie to further the adventures of Aang and the gang, in addition to more projects set in the Avatar universe.

As for Netflix, this is just the latest live-action adaptation of a pre-existing cartoon. The anime One Piece got a show earlier this year, preceded by Cowboy Bebop, Death Note, Fullmetal Alchemist and several more.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflixs-full-avatar-the-last-airbender-trailer-nails-the-vibe-of-the-cartoon-195539387.html?src=rss

Samsung expands self-repair program to include home entertainment devices

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Samsung just announced that its self-repair program will now include certain home entertainment devices. The company has developed a range of step-by-step repair guides for various products in the category, in addition to providing genuine replacement parts and repair tools.

This program covers Samsung 2023 TVs, along with their remotes, and monitors released throughout the past year or so. Additionally, the self-repair program now includes the second-generation Freestyle projector and select soundbars. You can pick up replacement parts directly from the company.

Of course, the program doesn’t cover every repair issue. For TVs and monitors, the program only handles issues related to the picture, power, WiFi connection, sound and remote control. For soundbars, the program covers problems related to HDMI and optical connections, power, sound and wireless communication. According to Samsung, most of these issues can be fixed with common tools like a Phillips-head screwdriver.

The company’s been on something of a self-repair spree in recent months. Back in December, Samsung opened up the program to foldable devices, like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5. In the first part of 2023, the company added S22 and Galaxy Book devices to the program, joining pre-existing Galaxy products.

To that end, Samsung just announced a broader assortment of self-repair parts for devices already included in the program. This includes speakers, SIM trays, side keys, volume keys, display assemblies, back glass and charging ports for phones and tablets. Galaxy Book owners can also now conduct DIY repairs to fix the speakers and fan. Meanwhile, rival Apple doesn’t exactly have the best track record in the self-repair movement.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-expands-self-repair-program-to-include-home-entertainment-devices-182215562.html?src=rss

Netflix grabbed the most Oscar nominations, with stiff competition from Disney and Apple

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It’s that time of year again. Oscar nominations are in, setting off a firestorm of debate and speculation until the awards ceremony in March. This year, the streamers absolutely ruled the roost. Netflix snagged 18 nominations, including best picture, which technically puts it in first place, according to a breakdown from Variety.

I say Netflix “technically” received the most nominations because it depends on your point of view. Disney actually scored 20 nominations across various categories, but only when you don’t split up its various sub-brands. Remember, Disney owns just about everything, including 20th Century Studios, Hulu, Lucasfilm Ltd., Marvel Studios, National Geographic Documentary Films, Pixar Animation Studios and Searchlight, among others. All of them together came to 20 nominations, including a best picture nomination for Poor Things.

Apple came away with 13 nominations, including best picture nods for Napoleon and Killers of the Flower Moon, which isn’t bad for a company that just started creating original content around four years ago. Universal, an actual old-school production company, also nabbed 13 noms, including best picture for one half of the summer’s hottest cinema event, Oppenheimer.

The other half of the equation, Barbie, was also nominated for best picture. However, Greta Gerwig got snubbed for best director, which is not sitting right with denizens of the internet. Also, Margot Robbie didn’t get a best actress nomination, while Ryan Gosling got one for best supporting actor. To be fair, that best actress category is crowded with stellar performances from relative newcomers like Lily Gladstone to long-time veterans like Annette Bening.

The films with the most nominations include Oppenheimer and Poor Things, both with 13. Production company A24, however, was the only studio with multiple nominations in the best picture category, thanks to Past Lives and The Zone of Interest. A24 was also behind the Netflix limited series Beef, which took home a slew of Emmy awards last week. Inexplicably, A24 also produces the hilarious, yet decidedly low-brow, sitcom Tacoma FD. That's your useless fact for the day. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-grabbed-the-most-oscar-nominations-with-stiff-competition-from-disney-and-apple-171221880.html?src=rss

France fines Amazon $35 million over ‘intrusive’ employee surveillance

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France’s data privacy watchdog organization, the CNIL, has fined a logistics subsidiary of Amazon €32 million, or $35 million in US dollars, over the company’s use of an “overly intrusive” employee surveillance system. The CNIL says that the system employed by Amazon France Logistique “measured work interruptions with such accuracy, potentially requiring employees to justify every break or interruption.”

Of course, this system was forced on the company’s warehouse workers, as they seem to always get the short end of the Amazon stick. The CNIL says the surveillance software tracked the inactivity of employees via a mandatory barcode scanner that’s used to process orders. The system tracks idle time as interruptions in barcode scans, calling out employees for periods of downtime as low as one minute. The French organization ruled that the accuracy of this system was illegal, using Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as a legal basis for the ruling.

To that end, this isn’t being classified as a labor case, but rather a data processing case regarding excessive monitoring. “As implemented, the processing is considered to be excessively intrusive,” the CNIL wrote, noting that Amazon uses this data to assess employee performance on a weekly basis. The organization also noted that Amazon held onto this data for all employees and temporary workers.

Amazon responded with a lengthy statement on the matter, writing “we strongly disagree with the CNIL’s conclusions, which are factually incorrect, and we might appeal the decision.” Amazon went on to say that it's not the only company in the logistics industry that uses a connected warehouse system of this sort, going on to tout the system for balancing the “workload between teams so that we can keep processing orders in a safe and efficient manner.” It did say it would extend the threshold limit of its system, potentially giving employees a longer window before alerts start coming in.

Amazon did say it’s mulling an appeal, so we’ll keep an eye on this story as it develops. Over on the other side of the pond, the company has found itself practically living in hot water. Amazon was found to be responsible for more than half of warehouse worker injuries in 2022 and has been accused of unfair labor practices on several occasions. As a matter of fact, the company’s logistics division churns through employees at such a high rate that it ends up costing Amazon $8 billion each year. Maybe it needs a corporate monitoring system of some kind.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/france-fines-amazon-35-million-over-intrusive-employee-surveillance-161302822.html?src=rss

Apple releases iOS 17.3 with new Stolen Device Protection for your iPhone

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Today is a big day for Apple system updates: the company released iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3, alongside more modest watchOS 10.3 and macOS Sonoma 14.3 updates. This iOS update is a modest refresh, so don’t go looking for anything too crazy. There is, however, a new feature called Stolen Device Protection. This isn’t used to locate a stolen iPhone or iPad, but rather to keep the thieves from accessing your personal data.

The feature first popped up in the developer beta of iOS 17.3 and it’s actually pretty handy. If someone manages to steal your iPhone or iPad, and you are updated to OS 17.3, you can lock them out of the system by forcing Face ID or Touch ID access. This works even if they have your passcode, so they won’t be able to put in their own biometrics and lock you out.

The software automatically mandates a one-hour security delay before changing the passcode if the phone or tablet is recognized as being in an unfamiliar location. Stolen Device Protection won’t stop thieves from doing their thing, but it will make things harder for them. The tool’s available for both iPhones and iPads.

The update also brings collaborative playlists to Apple Music, AirPlay hotel support, optimized crash detection and new wallpapers to celebrate Black History Month. It’s not the most robust update in the world, but it’s only been like a month since iOS 17.2 was released.

How do I turn on Stolen Device Protection?

Like other iOS 17 releases, you need an iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max or iPhone XR from 2018, or any version of iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14 and iPhone 15. It also works on iPhone SE second- and third-generation models. As for iPadOS 17.3, a whole bunch of models are eligible for the update, including the iPad Mini fifth-generation and up, the standard iPad sixth-generation and up, the iPad Air third-generation and up and all iPad Pro models. Check your system settings to see if the update is available for download.

You'll find the option to turn on Stolen Device Protection in the Settings menu, under "Face ID & Passcode." It's really just as simple as scrolling down and tapping "Stolen Device Protection," and watching the "Off" label turn to "On." There is no other setup required.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-releases-ios-173-which-introduces-the-new-stolen-device-protection-tool-184654922.html?src=rss

NVIDIA’s RTX Remix tool is finally available as a free open beta

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If you love old PC games, but wish they had access to modern graphical flourishes, NVIDIA has you covered. The company just released a beta version of its long-awaited RTX Remix tool. This software is designed especially for modders and can be used to add ray-tracing and AI-upscaled textures to older games.

Remix was built on NVIDIA’s Omniverse 3D graphics collaboration platform and allows for end-to-end remastering of just about any DirectX 8 or 9 game. It consists of two basic components. There’s an application for creating new lighting scenarios and one for remastering and adding assets into a scene. The company says that the tool can already be used to fully remaster a game from start to finish, despite it being “just” a beta.

To that end, the software is available for download right now and NVIDIA hopes modders will experiment with the tool and leave feedback, which will be incorporated into future updates. It’s also free, which is always nice.

NVIDIA has released a non-comprehensive list of compatible games, which includes classics like Call of Duty 2, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Garry's Mod, Freedom Fighters, Need for Speed Underground 2, and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, among others. For more information on compatibility, check out this FAQ.

The software suite has already been used by NVIDIA to create the Portal with RTX remaster, which is a free DLC, and the modder-made Portal: Prelude RTX. Orbifold Studios is also using RTX Remix to develop Half-Life 2 RTX: An RTX Remix Project, which is a community-driven remaster of the iconic title.

Again, this is a free tool, so it’ll be really fun to see what the modding community cooks up with it. I’m personally looking forward to more Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind ray-tracing goodness.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidias-rtx-remix-tool-is-finally-available-as-a-free-open-beta-180244440.html?src=rss

Apple just dropped a mysterious trailer for its latest sci-fi series Constellation

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Apple just dropped a trailer for its forthcoming sci-fi mystery series Constellation. The series follows an astronaut, played by Noomi Rapace, after an emergency return to Earth. However, the homecoming is fraught with mysterious occurrences and plain-old sci-fi weirdness, leaving audiences wondering what happened to her up there.

We don’t exactly know what type of sci-fi this is. There are hints that it could be a multiversal story, something that draws from false memory theories like the Mandela Effect. There are also hints that Rapace is being toyed with by an alien intelligence. There are clues that point to Rapace herself being an alien intelligence. Whichever way it goes, the show premieres with three episodes on February 21, followed by new entries each Wednesday.

In addition to Rapace, Constellation stars Jonathan Banks from the Breaking Bad television universe, James D’Arcy, Julian Looman, William Catlett and Barbara Sukowa. The show was created by Peter Harness, who wrote a bunch of Doctor Who episodes, and directed by Michelle MacLaren, who has a fantastic track record in genre TV, having helmed episodes of Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Westworld and, going way back, The X-Files.

This is going to be a trippy show, according to the above footage. It’s also cool that Apple releases trailers in HDR, so they’ll really pop on that Vision Pro headset, if you have more disposable income than Scrooge McDuck on tax return day.

Apple TV+ and sci-fi go together like peanut butter and space jelly. The streamer has quietly become the de facto source for science fiction TV. There’s For All Mankind, which just ended a stellar fourth season, and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which just completed its first season. The streamer also recently put out the first season of Silo, based on the Hugh Howey books, and the second season of Invasion.

But wait, there’s more. Apple TV+ is home to the blockbuster hit Severance and a loose adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s seminal Foundation book series. Both shows have been renewed. Additionally, there’s Hello Tomorrow, Extrapolations, Dr. Brain and See. Even shows that don’t seem to be steeped in sci-fi, like Schmigadoon and The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, have otherworldly elements. Apple loves itself some sci-fi. I’m down with this. The real world is boring and dumb.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-just-dropped-a-mysterious-trailer-for-its-latest-sci-fi-series-constellation-164245481.html?src=rss

‘Pokémon with guns’ satire Palworld sells over a million copies in eight hours

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Palworld has sold a million copies in just over eight hours, according to developer Pocketpair. The game has been on our radar for a while, thanks to its unique ‘Pokémon with guns’ premise, and it looks like launch day has been an absolute success.

It’s been so successful, as a matter of fact, that the game’s servers have been buckling under the stress of millions of gun-toting PokéMasters. The developer urges patience and says it’s “working to resolve this ASAP!” The sheer number of downloads and concurrent players have made this the biggest Steam launch of the year so far, according to GamesRadar.

These figures only refer to Steam. The early access version of Palworld also launched on Game Pass, so the number of downloads is likely much higher than advertised, as there are no Xbox Series X/S numbers. It looks like many people have been jonesing for a dark and gritty take on everyone’s favorite pocket monsters.

And boy, is this game dark and gritty. Instead of releasing unwanted monsters, called Pals, back into the wild, you murder them with a cleaver. You can also sell your “Pals” into slavery, eat them and, of course, battle them to the death. One of the game’s trailers shows piles of Pal corpses stacked up, reaching into the heavens. The whole thing seems to be a satirical riff on the very nature of Pokémon, which is a game franchise in which you force your very good friends to fight just to further your own reputation.

Palworld has gotten pretty good reviews so far, and this is an early access build, so the devs will likely refine the gameplay in the coming months. In the meantime, you can pick it up on Steam for $27, until it reverts to its normal price of $30. It’s also a day-one Game Pass release, so boot up your Xbox and give it a go. Just try to keep the murder count down. Or not.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pokemon-with-guns-satire-palworld-sells-over-a-million-copies-in-eight-hours-175638179.html?src=rss

‘Pokémon with guns’ satire Palworld sells over a million copies in eight hours

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Palworld has sold a million copies in just over eight hours, according to developer Pocketpair. The game has been on our radar for a while, thanks to its unique ‘Pokémon with guns’ premise, and it looks like launch day has been an absolute success.

It’s been so successful, as a matter of fact, that the game’s servers have been buckling under the stress of millions of gun-toting PokéMasters. The developer urges patience and says it’s “working to resolve this ASAP!” The sheer number of downloads and concurrent players have made this the biggest Steam launch of the year so far, according to GamesRadar.

These figures only refer to Steam. The early access version of Palworld also launched on Game Pass, so the number of downloads is likely much higher than advertised, as there are no Xbox Series X/S numbers. It looks like many people have been jonesing for a dark and gritty take on everyone’s favorite pocket monsters.

And boy, is this game dark and gritty. Instead of releasing unwanted monsters, called Pals, back into the wild, you murder them with a cleaver. You can also sell your “Pals” into slavery, eat them and, of course, battle them to the death. One of the game’s trailers shows piles of Pal corpses stacked up, reaching into the heavens. The whole thing seems to be a satirical riff on the very nature of Pokémon, which is a game franchise in which you force your very good friends to fight just to further your own reputation.

Palworld has gotten pretty good reviews so far, and this is an early access build, so the devs will likely refine the gameplay in the coming months. In the meantime, you can pick it up on Steam for $27, until it reverts to its normal price of $30. It’s also a day-one Game Pass release, so boot up your Xbox and give it a go. Just try to keep the murder count down. Or not.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pokemon-with-guns-satire-palworld-sells-over-a-million-copies-in-eight-hours-175638179.html?src=rss