Tag Archives: region|US

The US has sued Adobe over early termination fees and making subscriptions hard to cancel

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The US government has sued Adobe and two senior company executives for allegedly deceiving consumers by hiding early termination fees and making them jump through hoops to cancel subscriptions to Adobe products.

The complaint filed by the Department of Justice on Monday accuses the Adobe of pushing consumers towards its “annual paid monthly” subscription plan without adequately disclosing that canceling the plan within the first year could result in an early termination fee. The complaint also alleges that Adobe’s early termination fee disclosures were buried in fine print or required consumers to hover over tiny icons to find them.

“Americans are tired of companies hiding the ball during subscription signup and then putting up roadblocks when they try to cancel,” said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in a statement. “The FTC will continue working to protect Americans from these illegal business practices.” 

Dana Rao, Adobe's general counsel and chief trust officer said that the company would fight the FTC in court. In a statement published on the company's website, Rao said: "Subscription services are convenient, flexible and cost effective to allow users to choose the plan that best fits their needs, timeline and budget. Our priority is to always ensure our customers have a positive experience. We are transparent with the terms and conditions of our subscription agreements and have a simple cancellation process. We will refute the FTC’s claims in court.”

The FTC said that it took action against Adobe after receiving complaints from consumers around the country who said that they were not aware of Adobe’s early termination fee. It noted that Adobe continued the practice despite being aware of consumers’ confusion. Any consumers who reached out to Adobe’s customer service to cancel their subscription encountered other obstacles like dropped calls and chats and being transferred to multiple representatives, the FTC’s statement adds.

The FTC’s action follows a wave of customer outrage over Adobe’s latest terms of service. Users were concerned that Adobe’s vague language suggested that the company could freely use their work to train its generative AI modes. In response to the backlash, Adobe announced updates to its terms of service to provide more detail around areas like AI and content ownership.

Update, June 17 2024, 1:39 PM ET: This story has been updated with a statement from Adobe. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-us-has-sued-adobe-for-early-termination-fees-and-making-subscriptions-hard-to-cancel-165808358.html?src=rss

US Surgeon General says that social media, like cigarettes, should come with warning labels

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The US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, says that social media should come with warning labels about its potential health impacts much like warnings on cigarettes and other tobacco products. In an op-ed in The New York Times, Murthy says that social media is an “important contributor” to the teen mental health crisis.

“It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents,” Murthy wrote. “A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe.”

It’s not the first time Murthy has raised mental health concerns surrounding social media. Last year, he issued an advisory that made similar arguments last year, saying that social media posed a “profound risk” to teen mental health. In his latest op-ed, Murthy cited a study showing that higher social media use was associated with an increased risk for anxiety and depression, as well as a survey where almost half of teens reported that “social media makes them feel worse about their bodies.”

As Murthy notes, warning labels can’t happen without cooperation from Congress. And it's unclear what kind of support he might have for such a measure, though lawmakers around the country have shown some support for things like age verification laws as they look to crack down on social media companies over teen safety issues. 

He also points out that warning labels alone wouldn’t make social media safer, but would help better inform parents, schools, doctors and others. “There is no seatbelt for parents to click, no helmet to snap in place, no assurance that trusted experts have investigated and ensured that these platforms are safe for our kids,” he wrote. “There are just parents and their children, trying to figure it out on their own, pitted against some of the best product engineers and most well-resourced companies in the world.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/us-surgeon-general-says-that-social-media-like-cigarettes-should-come-with-warning-labels-171005572.html?src=rss

YouTube’s community notes feature rips a page out of X’s playbook

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YouTube is borrowing a page from X (Twitter) and adding a community notes feature ahead of the 2024 US election. The company wants the short viewer-created blurbs to add relevant context to videos, such as pointing out misinformation or old footage passed off as new.

Notes will roll out initially as a pilot program for “a limited number of eligible contributors,” who will receive an invitation via email or Creator Studio. The invited participants will need to have an active YouTube account in good standing.

During the pilot phase, “third-party evaluators” will rate notes’ helpfulness to help train the system. YouTube says it wants to launch notes gradually to test and fine-tune the feature before making it more widely available. Look no further than YouTube’s often toxic video comments to see why that’s necessary.

Once the feature is calibrated and widely available, you’ll see them under videos “if they’re found to be broadly helpful.” Viewers will be asked to rate notes as “helpful,” “somewhat helpful” or “unhelpful” — and tell them why (for example, it cites good sources or is written clearly).

Note ratings will be determined by a bridging-based algorithm, which looks for connections among disparate groups. For example, if people who have historically rated things differently agree on a particular note’s helpfulness, that one will more likely appear. It sounds like the system could still be abused, especially considering how many online tribes today share an unflinching belief in the same debunked misinformation. But hey, we’ll reserve judgment until we see it in action.

The feature is awfully similar to one that was rolled out initially under the Jack Dorsey era of Twitter and expanded globally after Elon Musk bought the company in 2022. At the time, Musk described the feature as “a gamechanger for improving accuracy on Twitter.” X, as it’s known today, isn’t exactly known for its accuracy, but YouTube apparently saw something worth copying in the crowd-sourced context.

As for when you will see community notes, YouTube says the pilot will launch on mobile in the US first. The company anticipates mistakes during this test phase as it tweaks its algorithms. Everyone else in the US can expect to see notes appear “in the coming weeks and months.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtubes-community-notes-feature-rips-a-page-out-of-xs-playbook-162145673.html?src=rss

Neopets is back with a new storyline that’s meant to foster inclusivity

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Neopets has been trying to get back its once substantial userbase over the past year by fixing and relaunching its classic games, holding timely events and releasing new features meant to get people hooked on the virtual website again. Today, Neopets is launching a new storyline — or as the website calls it, a new "plot" — which is typically a site event that requires players to solve puzzles, fight opponents in the Battledome and do other activities in order to participate. Neopets says it spent the past three years crafting a narrative that "resonates with players from all walks of life" for the plot called "The Void Within."

The storyline will feature a new protagonist named Nyx who'll embark on a journey with players to explore "themes of community, family, inclusion, well-being and identity." Together, they'll have to find a way to banish the gray curse that's killing all the colors across the Neopets universe. As part of the event, players will get access to new items, like a range of diverse hairstyles, as well as pride and accessibility customization options, for their characters. The website has also removed outdated terms and lore used years ago, has given the Library Faerie a wheelchair and has introduced new social media mascots with accessibility items like hearing aids. 

The Void Within starts rolling out today, with more episodes coming out one by one until early 2025. Neopets is also advising old players to log in if they haven't visited in recent years, because it's removing accounts that have been inactive for a decade by October, ahead of its 25th anniversary.  

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/neopets-is-back-with-a-new-storyline-thats-meant-to-foster-inclusivity-161213313.html?src=rss

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 Pro drop to a record low of $120

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Starting with the first Galaxy Buds, Engadget's audio expert Billy Steele has reviewed every pair of buds Samsung has produced — and he calls 2022's Galaxy Buds 2 Pro the company's best effort yet. Right now, Woot is selling pairs in either white, black or the perky purple hue of our review unit for 48 percent off the standard list price. That brings them down to $120 and the lowest price we've tracked. The listing indicates the sale will stick around until Friday or when the stock runs out, whichever comes first.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are the company's latest buds (though at this point they're approaching the two-year mark). You can think of them as Samsung's answer to Apple's AirPods because they work best when paired with a phone from their own manufacturer. The Galaxy Buds will work with other Android Phones, and can work with Apple products (just with a number of missing features) but some capabilities, like 24-bit audio, are reserved for Samsung devices.

Overall, Billy gave the buds a score of 88 in his review and found himself impressed with the audio (after being underwhelmed by Samsung's previous attempts). He appreciated the punch of the bass and open sound that's both "full and filled with details and clarity." The ANC is good too, effectively blocking the sound of a coffee grinder and the improved fit — thanks to a smaller design and pressure-relieving vents — makes the buds comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. The touch inputs allow for the control of a lot of functions without reaching for a phone, but adjusting the buds in your ear can sometimes result in mistaken taps. 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-galaxy-buds-2-pro-drop-to-a-record-low-of-120-155346593.html?src=rss

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is coming to PC, PlayStation and Xbox this year

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The premise of A Quiet Place always seemed like great fodder for a game: make too much of a racket and a blind, noise-sensitive alien will most probably kill you. Six years after the original movie hit theaters, a video game spinoff is almost here. A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is coming to PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S later this year.

Developer Stormind Games (Remothered, Batora: Lost Haven) has crafted a first-person horror adventure based on the movies. You'll play as a young woman who attempts to steer clear of those terrifying creatures while dealing with her inner fears and family turmoil. All you'll have to help you survive the aliens is whatever tools you can find, such as a flashlight or homemade noise detector. But as the movies and game trailer make clear, just a single noise can spell doom.

Publisher Saber Interactive first announced a video game version of A Quiet Place in 2021 and initially planned to release it in 2022. It took an extra couple of years and perhaps a change of studio (Saber initially said iLLOGIKA and EP1T0ME were working on the project), but The Road Ahead now seems to be just a few months away.

Meanwhile, a prequel movie will hit theaters later this month. A Quiet Place: Day One stars the brilliant Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn of Stranger Things fame.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-quiet-place-the-road-ahead-is-coming-to-pc-playstation-and-xbox-this-year-150813192.html?src=rss

The next Nintendo Direct takes place on June 18

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The next Nintendo Direct is scheduled for June 18 at 10AM ET. Nintendo said during its latest earnings call that a showcase would take place sometime in June and the company has stuck by its word. The Direct is just far enough away from Summer Game Fest to let Nintendo have all of the attention to itself.

The stream will run for around 40 minutes and focus on games coming to Switch later this year. It really does feel like this is the swansong period for the Switch, as Nintendo confirmed it will finally reveal the console's successor by next April. However, the company has made it clear that there will be no discussion of the Switch 2, Super Switch or whatever the next console is called during the Nintendo Direct. 

That said, here's hoping Hollow Knight: Silksong will show up here — that highly anticipated sequel was a notable no-show during Summer Game Fest. I have my fingers crossed for a Donkey Kong platformer too. It's been too dang long since the last one.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-next-nintendo-direct-takes-place-on-june-18-141639750.html?src=rss

Nikon’s Z6 III is the first mirrorless camera with a ‘partially-stacked’ CMOS sensor

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Nikon has introduced the $2,500 Z6 III with the world's first "partially-stacked" 24.5-megapixel (MP) sensor. That allows for high speed shooting in both photo and video modes, while unlocking features like RAW video and faster autofocus — making it far more capable than its predecessor, the Z6 II.

Stacked sensors are rare so far, having only appeared on expensive models like the Sony A1 and Nikon's own Z8 and Z9. Those chips have circuits covering the entire sensor designed to read pixel data far more quickly than regular CMOS sensors. 

By contrast, Nikon's new partially-stacked sensor has circuits covering only the top and bottom parts of the sensor. Those still accelerate readout speeds to much higher levels than ordinary CMOS chips, but fall a bit short of full stacked sensors — at a lesser cost.

Nikon Z6 III with partially-stacked sensor
Nikon

That, combined with the Expeed 7 image processor used on the Z8 and Z9, provides the gift of speed. The Z6 III can shoot RAW at up to 20 fps with the electronic shutter or 14 fps with the mechanical shutter (yes, unlike the Z8 and Z9, the Z6 III does have a mechanical shutter). It also comes with a pre-release capture feature shooting at up to 120fps that operates before pressing the shutter, letting you grab fast moving subjects you might otherwise miss.

It offers autofocus (AF) that's 20 percent faster than the Z6 III, Nikon said. At the same time it works in low light down to -10 EV2, "superior even to flagship-level cameras," the company claims. Nikon also borrowed the advanced subject detection from the Z8 and Z9, allowing nine types of subject detection including people, animals and vehicles. 

The video capabilities look formidable as well. It supports up to 12-bit 6K/60fps N-RAW and 10-bit 5.4K/30fps ProRes RAW capture, along with 4K/60fps (uncropped) and 4K/120fps (1.5x crop) video, plus 1080p/240fps recording. 

Nikon's Z6 III is the first mirrorless camera with a 'partially-stacked' CMOS sensor
Nikon

Nikon is now matching Canon's EOS R5 with eight stops of shake reduction with the 5-axis in-body stabilization system. Rolling shutter should be minimal with the partially-stacked sensor, though Nikon has yet to specify the exact readout speed. 

Other features are what you'd hope for in a hybrid camera. It has a fully articulating 3.2-inch rear display, along with "the brightest EVF on any mirrorless camera" at an eye-scorching 4,000 nits (and 5.67M dots of resolution), according to Nikon. Finally, it has one CFexpress card slot for N-RAW video and fast photo burst speeds, along with an SD UHS-II slot.

It looks like a formidable alternative to the like-priced 33-megapixel Sony A7 IV, offering faster speeds but slightly less resolution. It also competes with Canon's R6 II, which is missing features like N-RAW video recording. It remains to be seen whether it can keep up with those models in the real world, but Nikon has certainly supercharged the lineup, spec-wise. It arrives in late June for $2,500 (body only), or $3,100 in a kit with the Nikkor Z 24-70mm F/4 /S lens. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nikons-z6-iii-is-the-first-mirrorless-camera-with-a-partially-stacked-cmos-sensor-140036768.html?src=rss

Anker’s magnetic charging gear is up to 50 percent off right now

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It has hit that time of year when all the rinky-dink chargers I bought have given up, and it's time to invest in some quality options. I'm personally a big fan of Anker, so it's exciting that Amazon is currently discounting some of Anker's best charging gear. Included in the sale is 30 percent off Anker's MagGo magnetic charging station, dropping its price to $70 from $100. This discount brings the Qi2-certified device to a new all-time low.

Anker's MagGo magnetic charging station is a great choice if you're looking for an all-in-one option for a range of devices. The 8-in-1 charger comes with two USB ports, two USB-C ports, three AC outlets and one magnetic pad. It offers 15W of power for wireless charging and gets faster when wired to devices — increasing to 67W for charging your MacBook through the USB-C port, for instance. Anker claims that speed can bring your laptop to 50 percent in just 26 minutes.

If you're just looking for a wireless charging pad, then you can opt for Anker's MagGo magnetic wireless charging pad instead. It's touting a 10 percent discount right now, which only saves you about $2 — it's available for $20 rather than $22 — but it's still something. The best deal of the bunch is half off Anker's 622 MagSafe power bank (5,000mAh), dropping its price to $35 from $70. It's a great option if you have a newer iPhone and want to have easy, cordless charging wherever you go.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ankers-magnetic-charging-gear-is-up-to-50-percent-off-right-now-134525337.html?src=rss

Logitech reveals a 3D stylus for Meta Quest headsets

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Logitech has unveiled a mixed reality stylus for Meta Quest headsets. The MX Ink is designed to help users craft more precise designs and illustrations. The $130 stylus, which is compatible with Quest 2 and Quest 3 headsets (but, curiously, not the Quest Pro), will be available in September.

The MX Ink will come with two spare tips, one fine and one wide, and you'll pair it using the Meta Quest App. You'll be able to adjust factors such as pressure curves and double tap timing directly from the Meta Settings.

Logitech says that you'll be able to switch between the MX Ink and Quest controllers with ease, and it's the first tracked peripheral from a third-party that Quest headsets officially support. You'll be able to write and design on 2D physical surfaces, then switch to a 3D space and back again as needed, while a pressure-sensitive tip and main button will enable "high-precision creativity," Logitech says. Six-degrees-of-freedom spatial tracking should help with that.

The MX Ink will run for up to seven hours on a single charge, according to Logitech. You can recharge it via USB-C or a dock that's available separately. An MX Mat accessory (a flat surface that Logitech describes as "a friction-free writing and drawing environment") will be available too.

The stylus will be compatible with several Quest apps out of the box, including Gravity Sketch, PaintingVR, Arkio, Engage, OpenBrush, Gesture VR and ShapesXR. As UploadVR notes, it will also work with PC apps Adobe Substance Modeler and Elucis via Quest Link or Air Link.

It's interesting to see Meta beating Apple to the punch when it comes to offering stylus support on a mixed reality headset. Apple, of course, has both the Vision Pro and the Pencil in its stable of devices. The company has reportedly tested a new version of the Apple Pencil that does work with the Vision Pro, but it's yet to see the light of day.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/logitech-reveals-a-3d-stylus-for-meta-quest-headsets-131105249.html?src=rss