Tag Archives: Arts & Entertainment

Waymo’s driverless cars in LA County are now available to everyone

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Waymo has announced expanded availability of its driverless rideshare service throughout Los Angeles. That’s right. Waymo One is now available to all customers anywhere in LA county, which is 80 square miles. The company has dropped the waitlist for area residents. Now LA residents will get to experience sitting in endless traffic with a series of cameras and navigational algos leading the way instead of a person.

This expanded service starts today and it offers “fully autonomous rides” at any time of the day or night. Let’s hear it for some drunken late night bonding with an algorithm. Waymo also says it’ll further expand the service area in the future. After all, Los Angeles comprises five counties. 

It’s been offering driverless rides to LA customers for a while now, but with a mandatory waitlist. Waymo One also started small in San Francisco and Phoenix before announcing similar expansions. The service will be coming to Austin and Atlanta in the near future.

All told, the company says over 300,000 Los Angeles residents have joined the waitlist for the service and Waymo One has completed “hundreds of thousands of paid trips across the city.” Waymo says these driverless rides are also highly rated, with an average rating of 4.7 stars out of five. A recent survey indicated that 98 percent of customers are satisfied with the service.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymos-driverless-cars-in-la-county-are-now-available-to-everyone-173237519.html?src=rss

Netflix’s ad tier has attracted more than 70 million subscribers

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Netflix is crowing that its ad-supported tier now boasts 70 million users throughout the globe, as reported by Variety. The company announced 40 million users back in May, so this is some real growth. The streamer has been slowly ramping up its ad tier, going all the way back to 2022.

Amy Reinhard, president of advertising at Netflix, says that the company continues “to see steady progress across all countries’ member bases.” She also noted that over 50 percent of new Netflix sign-ups are for these ad-supported plans. The transformation of streaming into regular TV is nearly complete.

There’s one major potential caveat. The company released the aforementioned data regarding new sign-ups, which is impressive, but there isn’t any information regarding pre-existing customers. It’s highly possible a whole lot of people downgraded from a premium tier to an ad-supported tier.

I’m one of them. I don’t mind watching an ad or two as I mindlessly stuff food down my gullet while pseudo-watching an episode of The Diplomat or The Circle. In other words, there’s an argument to be made that the ad-supported tier could be eating into the more expensive offerings.

There’s also an argument to be made that this year’s growth spurt for the ad-supported tier could attract companies with deeper ad-spending budgets, thus making up the difference. Netflix is airing live NFL broadcasts on Christmas Day, and it says it has already sold out all available commercial inventory. The streamer is actually betting big on live streams, with wrestling events, cooking shows and talk shows all airing in the near future. The company’s recent forays into audience measurement and the ad-tech space should help entice sponsors for these events.

Netflix even has plans for “themed” advertisements with certain shows. The next season of Squid Game will include a three-part linked commercial by Kia. Nothing makes me want to buy a car more than a deadly dystopian bloodsport that seems closer and closer to the real world by the day.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/netflixs-ad-tier-has-attracted-more-than-70-million-subscribers-162011582.html?src=rss

A Wicked 4DX ad is now playing in select theaters

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As someone who gets motion sick easily and doesn't love unexpected things coming at me, 4DX has never been my cup of tea. However, as a long time fan of Wicked, that could change as Xfinity has released a new 4DX ad ahead of Wicked the movie's November 22 release date. 

The ad is a short film titled Stay Connected to Your Dreams and was directed by Alice Brooks, Wicked's director of photography. It centers on Wicked's leads Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who play Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. The short film shows viewers Erivo and Grande's childhoods and their love of Wicked, Grande's decade and a half old tweet wishing she'd one day play Glinda and the calls when each actor learned they'd been cast in the movie. 

According to Xfinity, the 4DX film will allow the audience to "feel the magic of Oz" and includes synchronized motion seats, wind, lightning and, of course, bubbles (IYKYK). The company also claims it's the first 4DX spot to be played nationwide. While we've not always been fans of 4DX, Wicked lovers might enjoy the slightly more immersive experience. 

You can experience the short film in select 4DX Regal theaters before the movie premieres or sans-4DX here. The second part of Wicked should arrive next year, on November 21, 2025. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a-wicked-4dx-ad-is-now-playing-in-select-theaters-134004270.html?src=rss

A TV show about EA Sports’ Madden games hits Prime Video on November 26

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Madden NFL has been around for almost 40 years (really) so it’s high time the gaming franchise got the documentary treatment. Prime Video has got you covered. The platform just announced that It’s in the Game: Madden NFL will stream on November 26, which is just ahead of Thanksgiving.

The four-part docuseries will explore “one of the biggest video games of all time” that “became a worldwide phenomenon, spanning generations.” The show will explore Madden’s “archaic 8-bit origins to its success as an annual must have.” Prime Video says EA Sports has given it access to the vaults, so there should be plenty of new footage for diehard fans.

As the story goes, EA founder Trip Hawkins approached commentator John Madden back in 1984 for his endorsement and expertise, but the game took four long years of development before coming out in 1988. This extended development time was allegedly due to Madden himself, who demanded a realistic football experience. I’m sure the documentary will get into all of that.

Formerly known as John Madden Football, the franchise became an annual event in 1990 and changed its name to Madden NFL in 1993. These games have sold over 130 million copies worldwide since 1988. The latest iteration, Madden NFL 25, released back in August to fairly middling reviews.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a-tv-show-about-ea-sports-madden-games-hits-prime-video-on-november-26-194833398.html?src=rss

The Beatles are nominated for two Grammys thanks to AI

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While reading through the list of Grammy nominees earlier I came across quite a surprise. There, competing for record of the year alongside the likes of Beyoncé's Texas Hold 'Em and Chappell Roan's Good Luck Babe, was Now and Then by The Beatles. No, to my dismay, this isn't a time travel situation, but the result of AI. 

So, here's the story of how The Beatles got nominated for two Grammys — they also snagged a best rock performance nod — 50 years after formally breaking up. It starts with a demo John Lennon recorded in the 1970s that was given to Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison for inclusion on the The Beatles Anthology, released in 1995. While other tracks like Free as a Bird and Real Love made it on, technology wasn't advanced enough to separate Lennon's vocals and piano without reducing the recording's quality. 

But, last year McCartney and Starr used modern machine learning technology to pull Lennon's vocals for a new track. Now and Then, released in November 2023, includes McCartney on bass, Starr on the drums, Lennon's vocals and a guitar in Harrison's style (a 1995 recording of him makes up some of the background rhythm guitar. You can watch a documentary about making the track here. 

Unsurprisingly, the song is said to be the last from the Beatles. We'll have to wait until the awards show in February to see whether or not AI will help them win another Grammy. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-beatles-are-nominated-for-two-grammys-thanks-to-ai-150004467.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Nintendo sues pirated software streamer for millions

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Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against a streamer called EveryGameGuru, accused of streaming gameplays of pirated games before they were even released — and of providing viewers access to piracy tools and illegal copies of the games.

EveryGameGuru allegedly streamed Mario & Luigi: Brothership across five days, weeks before its official release on November 7. After Nintendo had the videos taken down from various platforms, including YouTube, they continued live streaming on Loco and even included a QR code for their CashApp handle.

Nintendo said EveryGameGuru sent the company an email, saying it has “a thousand burner channels” and “can do this all day.”

Don’t anger the house of Mario! The company is asking for $150,000 in damages per violation of its copyright. 404media did the math: That could add up to millions, seeing as the suit cites at least 10 games, streamed on at least 50 occasions.

— Mat Smith

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Engadget

Sure, it’s not for most of us. The Vive Focus Vision isn’t for the same people as the PSVR2 or Meta Quest 3. This is meant to be high-end VR for businesses and creators: a cross between the Focus 3 and last year’s goggle-like XR Elite. The build quality is excellent, but it’s running on aging hardware. Worse, it’s riddled with software issues and is rather expensive compared to the Meta Quest 3.

Continue reading.

If you’re aged 30 and up, you know the voice of Elwood Edwards, realize it or not. He recorded the phrase, “You’ve got mail!” and three other lines for Quantum Computer Services in 1989. That company became America Online (AOL), Meg Ryan made the movie with Tom Hanks and everything else. (AOL is currently owned by Yahoo, Engadget’s parent company.)

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Sony

The latest patch for the PS5 version of God of War Ragnarok adds the option first seen in the PC port to tone down the boy’s excessive and unsolicited hints when Kratos is contemplating the game’s many puzzles. Enough, Atreus! (The patch also includes PS5 Pro upgrades, for smooth 60 fps and better visuals. But that’s not as funny.)

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-nintendo-sues-pirated-software-streamer-for-millions-121630229.html?src=rss

Andor season two will hit Disney+ in April

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Star Wars fans have been waiting quite some time to find out when they'll be able to watch the second and final season of Andor. At the D23 Brazil fan expo, Lucasfilm revealed that the Rogue One prequel series will debut on Disney+ on April 22, 2025. That's almost three years since the first season premiered in August 2022, and just after next year's edition of Star Wars Celebration.

The show focuses on Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in the years leading up to the events of Rogue One. It details how he came to work against the Empire as an important operative for the Rebel Alliance. Andor has been widely hailed as one of the best pieces of Star Wars media over the last few years, and now you know when you can enjoy more of the rebel spy's story.

In the meantime, Star Wars fans will be able to check out the seemingly Goonies-esque Skeleton Key. The series stars Jude Law and focuses on a group of kids discovering a spaceship and going on an adventure. The first two episodes will hit Disney+ on December 3. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/andor-season-two-will-hit-disney-in-april-213658057.html?src=rss

Andor season two will hit Disney+ in April

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Star Wars fans have been waiting quite some time to find out when they'll be able to watch the second and final season of Andor. At the D23 Brazil fan expo, Lucasfilm revealed that the Rogue One prequel series will debut on Disney+ on April 22, 2025. That's almost three years since the first season premiered in August 2022, and just after next year's edition of Star Wars Celebration.

The show focuses on Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in the years leading up to the events of Rogue One. It details how he came to work against the Empire as an important operative for the Rebel Alliance. Andor has been widely hailed as one of the best pieces of Star Wars media over the last few years, and now you know when you can enjoy more of the rebel spy's story.

In the meantime, Star Wars fans will be able to check out the seemingly Goonies-esque Skeleton Crew. The series stars Jude Law and focuses on a group of kids discovering a spaceship and going on an adventure. The first two episodes will hit Disney+ on December 3. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/andor-season-two-will-hit-disney-in-april-213658057.html?src=rss

Nintendo is suing a streamer of pirated software for millions of dollars

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Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against a streamer called EveryGameGuru, whom it's accusing of streaming gameplays of pirated games before they were even released and of providing viewers access to illegal ROM copies and piracy tools. In its lawsuit, the company said the defendant livestreams himself playing games on YouTube, Discord, Twitch, TikTok, Trovo, Kick, Vaughn, Dlive, Picarto, Nimo, Facebook and Loco, often with very little commentary. Apparently, EveryGameGuru streamed gameplays of at least 10 different titles before their official release date in at least 50 occasions since 2022. 

EveryGameGuru allegedly steamed Mario & Luigi: Brothership on October 22, 23, 24, 25 and 29, way before its official release on November 7. After Nintendo got the videos taken down from various platforms, including YouTube, he continued livestreaming on Loco and even included a QR code for his CashApp handle. He would also create new accounts after his old ones get disabled, and Nintendo said he sent the company an email, telling it that it has "a thousand burner channels" and that he "can do this all day." We found a user with the same name on Loco, with streams of Super Mario Jamboree before it officially became available on October 17 this year. 

In addition to those two games, Nintendo listed the other games that the defendant played on video before their release dates, including The Legends of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Super Mario RPG, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Pikmin 4, Splatoon 3 and Mario Strikers: Battle League. Nintendo has also included screenshots of EveryGameGuru linking people to piracy tools in its lawsuit. One screenshot showed a post wherein he wrote a step-by-step guide on how to play illegally downloaded ROMs. He included links to the Ryujinx, Yuzu, Suyu and Sudachi Nintendo Switch emulators, links to websites that distribute game ROMs and a link to a website where people can get Switch decryption keys necessary to be able to play the console's games. "Capitalism is cancer," he wrote in the post in all caps. "My channel is being deleted for sharing gameplay videos! This is your reward!"

The company is asking for $150,000 in damages per violation of its copyright. As 404media notes, that could add up to millions, seeing as Nintendo is accusing the defendant of streaming at least 10 games illegally in at least 50 occasions.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-is-suing-a-streamer-of-pirated-software-for-millions-of-dollars-150052133.html?src=rss

Nintendo is suing a streamer of pirated software for millions of dollars

Posted on by

Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against a streamer called EveryGameGuru, whom it's accusing of streaming gameplays of pirated games before they were even released and of providing viewers access to illegal ROM copies and piracy tools. In its lawsuit, the company said the defendant livestreams himself playing games on YouTube, Discord, Twitch, TikTok, Trovo, Kick, Vaughn, Dlive, Picarto, Nimo, Facebook and Loco, often with very little commentary. Apparently, EveryGameGuru streamed gameplays of at least 10 different titles before their official release date in at least 50 occasions since 2022. 

EveryGameGuru allegedly steamed Mario & Luigi: Brothership on October 22, 23, 24, 25 and 29, way before its official release on November 7. After Nintendo got the videos taken down from various platforms, including YouTube, he continued livestreaming on Loco and even included a QR code for his CashApp handle. He would also create new accounts after his old ones get disabled, and Nintendo said he sent the company an email, telling it that it has "a thousand burner channels" and that he "can do this all day." We found a user with the same name on Loco, with streams of Super Mario Jamboree before it officially became available on October 17 this year. 

In addition to those two games, Nintendo listed the other games that the defendant played on video before their release dates, including The Legends of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Super Mario RPG, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Pikmin 4, Splatoon 3 and Mario Strikers: Battle League. Nintendo has also included screenshots of EveryGameGuru linking people to piracy tools in its lawsuit. One screenshot showed a post wherein he wrote a step-by-step guide on how to play illegally downloaded ROMs. He included links to the Ryujinx, Yuzu, Suyu and Sudachi Nintendo Switch emulators, links to websites that distribute game ROMs and a link to a website where people can get Switch decryption keys necessary to be able to play the console's games. "Capitalism is cancer," he wrote in the post in all caps. "My channel is being deleted for sharing gameplay videos! This is your reward!"

The company is asking for $150,000 in damages per violation of its copyright. As 404media notes, that could add up to millions, seeing as Nintendo is accusing the defendant of streaming at least 10 games illegally in at least 50 occasions.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-is-suing-a-streamer-of-pirated-software-for-millions-of-dollars-150052133.html?src=rss