Apple has been steadily expanding its Self Service Repair program since spinning it up two years ago. Starting today, you can access the tools, parts and repair manuals you need to fix the latest MacBook Pros and iMacs that run on the company's M3 chips.
As of sometime next month, folks with M3 systems will be able to use Apple Diagnostics for Self Service Repair on their systems too. The web-based tool gives end users the same capabilities as the company's authorized service providers and independent repair shops to pinpoint parts that may need to be repaired, as well as to test for "optimal part functionality and performance," Apple says. The company debuted this tool for iPhone and Mac last year.
On top of that, Apple notes that it's trying to improve the Mac repair process and make it more efficient through tweaks to system configuration procedures. As of early March, you'll no longer need to contact its Self Service Repair team to carry out the final step of a repair. However, the team will still be available in case you need a hand.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-self-repair-program-now-covers-m3-powered-macbook-pros-and-imacs-165109070.html?src=rss
Apple has been steadily expanding its Self Service Repair program since spinning it up two years ago. Starting today, you can access the tools, parts and repair manuals you need to fix the latest MacBook Pros and iMacs that run on the company's M3 chips.
As of sometime next month, folks with M3 systems will be able to use Apple Diagnostics for Self Service Repair on their systems too. The web-based tool gives end users the same capabilities as the company's authorized service providers and independent repair shops to pinpoint parts that may need to be repaired, as well as to test for "optimal part functionality and performance," Apple says. The company debuted this tool for iPhone and Mac last year.
On top of that, Apple notes that it's trying to improve the Mac repair process and make it more efficient through tweaks to system configuration procedures. As of early March, you'll no longer need to contact its Self Service Repair team to carry out the final step of a repair. However, the team will still be available in case you need a hand.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-self-repair-program-now-covers-m3-powered-macbook-pros-and-imacs-165109070.html?src=rss
The White House has announced an investigation into cars built in China and other unnamed "countries of concern." The Biden administration notes that cars are "constantly connecting" with drivers' phones, other vehicles, American infrastructure and their manufacturers, and that newer models use tech such as driver assist systems.
"Connected vehicles collect large amounts of sensitive data on their drivers and passengers; regularly use their cameras and sensors to record detailed information on US infrastructure; interact directly with critical infrastructure; and can be piloted or disabled remotely," the White House said in a statement. Officials are concerned that "new vulnerabilities and threats" could arise from connected vehicles if foreign governments are able to access data from them. They are especially wary that said countries of concern could use such information in ways that put national security at risk.
The Department of Commerce will lead the investigation. "We need to understand the extent of the technology in these cars that can capture wide swaths of data or remotely disable or manipulate connected vehicles, so we are soliciting information to determine whether to take action under our ICTS [information and communications technology and services] authorities," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.
Through its advance notice of proposed rulemaking [PDF], the agency is looking for feedback from the public to help determine "the technologies and market participants that may be most appropriate for regulation." The investigation will help the Commerce Department decide whether to take action. It's the first time that the agency's Bureau of Industry and Security is carrying out an investigation under Trump-era Executive Orders "focused on protecting domestic information and communications technology and services supply chains from national security threats," the White House said.
"China is determined to dominate the future of the auto market, including by using unfair practices. China’s policies could flood our market with its vehicles, posing risks to our national security. I’m not going to let that happen on my watch," President Joe Biden said. "Connected vehicles from China could collect sensitive data about our citizens and our infrastructure and send this data back to the People’s Republic of China. These vehicles could be remotely accessed or disabled."
As The Washington Post points out, cars built in China aren't especially common on US roads as yet, but they're becoming an increasingly familiar sight in other markets, such as Europe. While many of the vehicles that are causing concerns are EVs, its cars' cameras, sensors and software that are the focus of the probe.
It's not the first time that the US has investigated Chinese companies over concerns that they pose security risks to the country's infrastructure. A few years ago, it banned the import and sale of telecom networking equipment made by Huawei and ZTE (after stopping government employees from using the companies' phones). The government also required telecoms to remove and replace Huawei and ZTE gear in existing infrastructure at great expense.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-us-will-investigate-cars-built-in-china-over-security-concerns-155037465.html?src=rss
The White House has announced an investigation into cars built in China and other unnamed "countries of concern." The Biden administration notes that cars are "constantly connecting" with drivers' phones, other vehicles, American infrastructure and their manufacturers, and that newer models use tech such as driver assist systems.
"Connected vehicles collect large amounts of sensitive data on their drivers and passengers; regularly use their cameras and sensors to record detailed information on US infrastructure; interact directly with critical infrastructure; and can be piloted or disabled remotely," the White House said in a statement. Officials are concerned that "new vulnerabilities and threats" could arise from connected vehicles if foreign governments are able to access data from them. They are especially wary that said countries of concern could use such information in ways that put national security at risk.
The Department of Commerce will lead the investigation. "We need to understand the extent of the technology in these cars that can capture wide swaths of data or remotely disable or manipulate connected vehicles, so we are soliciting information to determine whether to take action under our ICTS [information and communications technology and services] authorities," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.
Through its advance notice of proposed rulemaking [PDF], the agency is looking for feedback from the public to help determine "the technologies and market participants that may be most appropriate for regulation." The investigation will help the Commerce Department decide whether to take action. It's the first time that the agency's Bureau of Industry and Security is carrying out an investigation under Trump-era Executive Orders "focused on protecting domestic information and communications technology and services supply chains from national security threats," the White House said.
"China is determined to dominate the future of the auto market, including by using unfair practices. China’s policies could flood our market with its vehicles, posing risks to our national security. I’m not going to let that happen on my watch," President Joe Biden said. "Connected vehicles from China could collect sensitive data about our citizens and our infrastructure and send this data back to the People’s Republic of China. These vehicles could be remotely accessed or disabled."
As The Washington Post points out, cars built in China aren't especially common on US roads as yet, but they're becoming an increasingly familiar sight in other markets, such as Europe. While many of the vehicles that are causing concerns are EVs, its cars' cameras, sensors and software that are the focus of the probe.
It's not the first time that the US has investigated Chinese companies over concerns that they pose security risks to the country's infrastructure. A few years ago, it banned the import and sale of telecom networking equipment made by Huawei and ZTE (after stopping government employees from using the companies' phones). The government also required telecoms to remove and replace Huawei and ZTE gear in existing infrastructure at great expense.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-us-will-investigate-cars-built-in-china-over-security-concerns-155037465.html?src=rss
Substack newsletter writers and readers can now send direct messages to each other. The company says this was a highly requested feature and it adds to the platform's slate of social networking tools.
You'll find DMs in the Chat tab on the app and website. You can start a private conversation from that tab, someone's profile page or by selecting the Share option on a note or post. When you get a DM, Substack will let you know in the app and by email.
By default, DMs from people you're connected to will land in your inbox and those from others will drop into a Requests folder. Writers can restrict incoming DM requests to paid or founding subscribers. Free subscribers who try to message you will then see a prompt to become a paid subscriber. Writers can include a "send a message" button on their posts if they wish.
If you've blocked or banned someone, they won't be able to send you a DM. You can also turn off DMs entirely by disabling message requests in your settings. If you receive a message that breaks Substack's rules, you can report it.
Substack has added a number of social networking features over the last year or so, such as the X-like Notes function for short-form posts. It also last week updated a system that allows writers to recommend other scribes to readers.
The platform came under fire last month over its handling of pro-Nazi content. It removed five newsletters that promoted white nationalist and Nazi views. However, some prominent newsletter writers left Substack in protest over its approach to content moderation.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/substack-has-direct-messages-now-184154827.html?src=rss
Substack newsletter writers and readers can now send direct messages to each other. The company says this was a highly requested feature and it adds to the platform's slate of social networking tools.
You'll find DMs in the Chat tab on the app and website. You can start a private conversation from that tab, someone's profile page or by selecting the Share option on a note or post. When you get a DM, Substack will let you know in the app and by email.
By default, DMs from people you're connected to will land in your inbox and those from others will drop into a Requests folder. Writers can restrict incoming DM requests to paid or founding subscribers. Free subscribers who try to message you will then see a prompt to become a paid subscriber. Writers can include a "send a message" button on their posts if they wish.
If you've blocked or banned someone, they won't be able to send you a DM. You can also turn off DMs entirely by disabling message requests in your settings. If you receive a message that breaks Substack's rules, you can report it.
Substack has added a number of social networking features over the last year or so, such as the X-like Notes function for short-form posts. It also last week updated a system that allows writers to recommend other scribes to readers.
The platform came under fire last month over its handling of pro-Nazi content. It removed five newsletters that promoted white nationalist and Nazi views. However, some prominent newsletter writers left Substack in protest over its approach to content moderation.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/substack-has-direct-messages-now-184154827.html?src=rss
It's been quite some time coming, but Activision has at long last revealed when Call of Duty fans can drop into a mobile version of its battle royale spin-off Warzone. The publisher previously said the game would arrive properly this spring after a period of limited release in certain territories. In fact, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile will land on the third day of spring, March 21. That's just over two years after Activision announced the free-to-play mobile title.
Two battle royale maps will be available at the outset: original Warzone locale Verdansk and Rebirth Island. Verdansk supports up to 120 players across iOS and Android. If you get eliminated, you'll get another chance to rejoin the fray if you win a duel in the gulag. Rebirth Island is a smaller map that hosts a maximum of 48 players. Instead of heading to the gulag after dying, you'll respawn as long as one of your teammates is still alive.
Several classic CoD multiplayer modes will be available in Warzone Mobile too. You'll be able to hop into the likes of Team Deathmatch, Domination, Kill Confirmed and Search & Destroy in maps including Shipment, Shoot House and Scrapyard.
Shorter multiplayer rounds could help you level up a weapon or increase your overall level when you have a few minutes to spare. Progress is shared between Warzone Mobile and the console and PC versions of Modern Warfare IIIand Warzone, as long as you're logged into the same Activision ID. XP you earn in Warzone Mobile will be reflected in Warzone and Modern Warfare III and vice versa. The same goes for weapon leveling and battle pass progression.
Except for a small number of exclusive bundles, most of your unlocked cosmetics and equipment will be available across all three games. If you see a Connected tag on a bundle in the Warzone Mobile store, that means those items will also be available in Modern Warfare III and Warzone should you buy them.
You'll have access to a shared friends list and chat channels so you can play with your friends and stay in contact with them. Warzone Mobile supports proximity voice chat, so you can hear noisy nearby enemies. After you score an elimination, you'll be able to hear their last words through the death chat feature too.
Activision says Warzone Mobile is deeply customizable. You'll be able to move controller inputs around the screen and tweak other parts of the user interface to your liking. You can choose from several graphics modes to focus on performance, fidelity or a mix of the two. There's controller support as well.
There's clearly a ton of interest in Warzone Mobile. Activision says the game has more than 50 million pre-registrations. If you pre-register, you'll get a few bonuses, such as a Ghost operator skin, weapon blueprints and a vinyl and emblem.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/call-of-duty-warzone-mobile-will-land-on-march-21-180026387.html?src=rss
It's been quite some time coming, but Activision has at long last revealed when Call of Duty fans can drop into a mobile version of its battle royale spin-off Warzone. The publisher previously said the game would arrive properly this spring after a period of limited release in certain territories. In fact, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile will land on the third day of spring, March 21. That's just over two years after Activision announced the free-to-play mobile title.
Two battle royale maps will be available at the outset: original Warzone locale Verdansk and Rebirth Island. Verdansk supports up to 120 players across iOS and Android. If you get eliminated, you'll get another chance to rejoin the fray if you win a duel in the gulag. Rebirth Island is a smaller map that hosts a maximum of 48 players. Instead of heading to the gulag after dying, you'll respawn as long as one of your teammates is still alive.
Several classic CoD multiplayer modes will be available in Warzone Mobile too. You'll be able to hop into the likes of Team Deathmatch, Domination, Kill Confirmed and Search & Destroy in maps including Shipment, Shoot House and Scrapyard.
Shorter multiplayer rounds could help you level up a weapon or increase your overall level when you have a few minutes to spare. Progress is shared between Warzone Mobile and the console and PC versions of Modern Warfare IIIand Warzone, as long as you're logged into the same Activision ID. XP you earn in Warzone Mobile will be reflected in Warzone and Modern Warfare III and vice versa. The same goes for weapon leveling and battle pass progression.
Except for a small number of exclusive bundles, most of your unlocked cosmetics and equipment will be available across all three games. If you see a Connected tag on a bundle in the Warzone Mobile store, that means those items will also be available in Modern Warfare III and Warzone should you buy them.
You'll have access to a shared friends list and chat channels so you can play with your friends and stay in contact with them. Warzone Mobile supports proximity voice chat, so you can hear noisy nearby enemies. After you score an elimination, you'll be able to hear their last words through the death chat feature too.
Activision says Warzone Mobile is deeply customizable. You'll be able to move controller inputs around the screen and tweak other parts of the user interface to your liking. You can choose from several graphics modes to focus on performance, fidelity or a mix of the two. There's controller support as well.
There's clearly a ton of interest in Warzone Mobile. Activision says the game has more than 50 million pre-registrations. If you pre-register, you'll get a few bonuses, such as a Ghost operator skin, weapon blueprints and a vinyl and emblem.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/call-of-duty-warzone-mobile-will-land-on-march-21-180026387.html?src=rss
Those on the lookout for a good deal on a new TV could do worse than to consider Samsung's The Frame lineup. The latest versions of the smart TVs are currently on sale. The 50-inch model has dropped by $400 to $898 at Amazon and Walmart. That marks a record-low price for this size.
When you aren't watching a show or movie, a Frame TV displays artwork, making it look like a hanging picture instead of an ominous black mirror. It's likely to be a classy upgrade from an older TV you've been hanging onto, and one that's a neat party trick when unassuming guests see it switch into TV mode for the first time.
You can display your own collection of images and photos on the TV. In addition, you'll have the option to subscribe to Samsung's Art Store and access more than 1,400 artworks from emerging and well-known artists alike.
The latest models have an anti-reflective matte finish to add to the illusion, while the bezel is customizable and magnetic, so you can swap it out whenever you like. Samsung also attempted to reduce cable clutter by having a single tin wire that connects to an external receiver into which you might plug game consoles and/or a cable box.
Let's not forget that The Frame is a QLED 4K TV too. Samsung says it delivers 100 percent color volume and vivid images. The display has a 60Hz refresh rate and it supports Google Assistant and Alexa. It runs a variety of apps, including the likes of Apple TV+, Samsung TV Plus, Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, Xbox, NVIDIA GeForce Now, ESPN and Max — in other words, all the major streaming services and some cloud gaming options.
The Frame is available in a variety of formats, from 32 inches to a whopping 85 inches, so you're bound to find a size that fits your needs. Meanwhile, Walmart is running a broader flash sale on Samsung TVs, so if you're perhaps looking for an option with a higher refresh rate, you might be able to snap one up for a discount.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-latest-samsung-frame-smart-tvs-are-back-on-sale-for-record-low-prices-154155612.html?src=rss
Those on the lookout for a good deal on a new TV could do worse than to consider Samsung's The Frame lineup. The latest versions of the smart TVs are currently on sale. The 50-inch model has dropped by $400 to $898 at Amazon and Walmart. That marks a record-low price for this size.
When you aren't watching a show or movie, a Frame TV displays artwork, making it look like a hanging picture instead of an ominous black mirror. It's likely to be a classy upgrade from an older TV you've been hanging onto, and one that's a neat party trick when unassuming guests see it switch into TV mode for the first time.
You can display your own collection of images and photos on the TV. In addition, you'll have the option to subscribe to Samsung's Art Store and access more than 1,400 artworks from emerging and well-known artists alike.
The latest models have an anti-reflective matte finish to add to the illusion, while the bezel is customizable and magnetic, so you can swap it out whenever you like. Samsung also attempted to reduce cable clutter by having a single tin wire that connects to an external receiver into which you might plug game consoles and/or a cable box.
Let's not forget that The Frame is a QLED 4K TV too. Samsung says it delivers 100 percent color volume and vivid images. The display has a 60Hz refresh rate and it supports Google Assistant and Alexa. It runs a variety of apps, including the likes of Apple TV+, Samsung TV Plus, Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, Xbox, NVIDIA GeForce Now, ESPN and Max — in other words, all the major streaming services and some cloud gaming options.
The Frame is available in a variety of formats, from 32 inches to a whopping 85 inches, so you're bound to find a size that fits your needs. Meanwhile, Walmart is running a broader flash sale on Samsung TVs, so if you're perhaps looking for an option with a higher refresh rate, you might be able to snap one up for a discount.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-latest-samsung-frame-smart-tvs-are-back-on-sale-for-record-low-prices-154155612.html?src=rss