Tucked away in its blockbuster announcement that it’s buying Bethesda Softworks, id Software and Arkane Studios parent company ZeniMax Media, Microsoft revealed that Xbox Game Pass now has more than 15 million subscribers. That means it has added more than five million members in the last six months or so.
Facebook is testing a new way to let users claim ownership of images and issue takedown requests if they wish, The Verge reports. Today, Facebook revealed Rights Manager for Images, a tool that gives creators the ability to track and moderate where their images appear across Facebook and Instagram. To begin, Facebook is testing the new Rights Manager with select partners.
To use the tool, creators will upload a CSV file of their image and its metadata. They can specify where copyright applies. The manager will monitor where the image shows up, and creators can decide to leave the image up, issue a takedown or block it from certain territories.
Last fall, Amazon announced Sidewalk, a way to keep low-power, low-bandwidth IoT devices connected even when they’re far from your WiFi router. Today, Amazon revealed a few new details, including the addition of Echo and Tile devices. The company plans to launch Sidewalk “later this year.”
Sidewalk will use the 900 MHz spectrum to extend WiFi networks so that they can reach connected devices that would typically be out of range, for instance, smart lights at the end of your driveway. WiFi will pass through Sidewalk Bridge devices, like Ring Floodlight Cams, Ring Spotlight Cams and Echo products. Sidewalk-enabled devices (including Tile trackers) will be able to connect to nearby networks through those Bridge devices, and neighborhoods can join forces to create a low-power, community-wide network powered by their WiFi routers and channeled through Bridge devices.
Since 2016, OnePlus has supported all of its flagship phones with a T-branded model several months later. The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro were unveiled last April, so right on schedule, the company is preparing to launch a new device called the OnePlus 8T. Today, the smartphone maker announced that the hardware will be unveiled through a digital launch event on October 14th at 10AM ET/7AM PT. (If you want to watch along, it’ll be livestreamed at oneplus.com/launch.) The handset will include “new and improved technologies,” the company teased in a press release, and features that haven’t shipped in a Oneplus device before.
The OnePlus 8T will follow the OnePlus Nord, a phone that many have called a ‘return to the midrange.’ That device didn’t come to the US, though OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei told Wired that a Nord-branded phone will be launched in the market eventually. There have been rumours of a OnePlus Nord N10 5G, which will reportedly be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 chipset, rather than the 765G processor found in the standard Nord. If the Nord 10 5G name (what a mouthful) proves accurate, it likely has no relation to the OnePlus 8T, which we assume will be coming to multiple markets this year.
Fortunately, we had a guest room that we could transform into a temporary office. After moving some furniture around and doing a bit of redecorating, I officially “moved” my workspace upstairs. But my desk situation was still pretty dire. I actually ended up using a folding sewing table as a stopgap in the guest room because I wanted to keep the writing table downstairs. I thought I’d be okay with it since this situation was supposed to be temporary. But as weeks turned into months, I realized this was probably how it’s going to be for the long haul.
Engadget
After doing copious amounts of research, I settled on the aforementioned Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk by Fully. It has a ton of positive reviews, I liked the design and it comes in a small enough size to fit in our space. At around $600, it’s not cheap, but I found that it’s actually fairly priced compared to similar desks (the Uplift V2, for example, is around $50 more for a similar configuration). After a brief shipping delay due to a back-ordered bamboo desktop, I finally received everything a week or so after I ordered it.
But then I ran into a problem. After putting the whole thing together, I realized (to my dismay) that the desk was much too high for my 5 foot 3 stature. I had mistakenly ordered the mid-range desk frame, which has a minimum height of 29 inches, and not the extended-range desk frame, which has a minimum height of 24.5 inches. My husband was especially annoyed because he had spent nearly an hour putting the whole thing together, only to have me disappointed at the outcome.
At first, I thought I could make it work. Maybe if I piled a few extra cushions on my chair, I could have a better sitting height. Or maybe if I just committed to standing all day long it would be okay. But after a few days, parts of my body started to hurt, and I decided that the poor ergonomics were to blame. I bristled at the thought of having to dismantle the desk and return the whole thing, but I emailed the company anyway, informing them of my dilemma.
To my absolute surprise, Fully was ready and willing to exchange just the frame, which allowed me to swap out the legs while keeping the desktop and its components mostly intact. In other words, I would purchase the extended-range frame on its own, swap it out with the mid-range frame, send that back to them, and I’ll get the difference in price refunded to me (The extended-range frame is only $20 more than the mid-range option).
Engadget
In a little over a week, the extended-range frame arrived. We then took apart the desk’s existing frame as best we could, and replaced it with the new one. It took a bit of work — it’s not quite as easy as the company claims — but we got it done in under an hour. Then, since we had already thrown away the old packaging, we simply put the old frame into the box the new frame came in.
What’s more, I needn’t have worried about the hassle and cost of returning it. Fully sent FedEx to pick up the box directly from my house and covered all of the shipping expenses. I didn’t even have to print out a return label. What I thought would be a complete nightmare of a returns process was actually incredibly smooth.
Importantly, I am also now much happier with the desk, and no longer have to suffer from poor posture. When sitting, I can lower it to the point where my elbows are at the proper 90 degrees, which I wasn’t able to do before. I also opted for the advanced controller where I can assign memory presets for my desired sitting and standing heights — pressing a single button and having it automatically go up or down is fantastic (I would’ve preferred tactile buttons to the touch-sensitive OLED ones, but it’s a minor quibble). I’m finding myself standing at my desk more frequently as a result. The desk itself is also lovely, with a handsome bamboo finish and plenty of space for my laptop, keyboard, trackpad and various other knickknacks.
If Fully hadn’t made the returns process so easy, I would’ve likely had to suffer through either a troublesome exchange, or years of enduring a less-than-perfect office desk that I had spent hundreds of dollars on. Instead, I now have a desk that I am very happy with, and I have the company’s really excellent customer service to thank for it.
On Saturday, Facebook began showing users how to register to vote at the top of the Facebook, Instagram and Messenger apps. “These notifications take them to the relevant page with their state’s official website or one of our non-partisan partner organizations if online voter registration isn’t available in their state,” the company wrote. It promised to show those notifications through September 25th. (Voter registration deadlines vary widely from state to state.)
Facebook has been criticized during this election cycle for allowing lies to stand in political ads, when other sites like Twitter have banned political ads altogether. Earlier this month, however, CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed concerns about the risk of “civil unrest” after the election and vowed to take measures to slow misinformation. However, critics have noted that it continues to flourish on the site despite the company’s efforts.
Following a fraud accusation by a short firm and potential probe by the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), Nikola founder Trevor Milton is stepping down as executive chairman. “Nikola is truly in my blood and always will be, and the focus should be on the Company and its world-changing mission, not me,” Milton said in a statement (via the Financial Times). “So I made the difficult decision to approach the Board and volunteer to step aside as Executive Chairman.”
Former vice-chairman of General Motors and Nikola board member Stephen Girsky will take his place, the company said. GM recently sealed a billion-dollar deal with Nikola to supply it with batteries, fuel cells and other parts. GM will also build the “Badger” hydrogen-powered pickup truck for Nikola.
As far as design goes, the MX Anywhere 3 is almost exactly the same size as the Anywhere 2s but it has new silicone side grips and a slightly higher bump on its back that helps it fit into your palm a bit more easily. As someone who’s used to a larger mouse like the MX Master 2s, the Anywhere 3 felt small at first. However, it didn’t take long for my hand to adjust and make good use of those side buttons — not only during video chats, but also while side-scrolling. You can side-scroll with the mouse by pressing one side button and moving the MagSpeed wheel at the same time. It’s much less cumbersome than it sounds and I actually prefer it to the side wheel that adorns the MX Master 2s and its successor.
The new metal MagSpeed wheel on this mouse is essentially a smaller version of the one on the MX Master 3. It brings electromagnetic scrolling to the Anywhere 3, which is more precise and faster than the previous scrolling mechanism on the Anywhere 2s. The new mouse also has 4000 DPI Darkfield technology which helps it track on any material, even glass, and the wheel has middle-click functionality that you can customize in Logitech Options.
You can also customize scroll force in Logitech’s software, which will increase or decrease the number of lines you feel while scrolling in ratchet mode. By default, the top button switches between ratchet and hyperfast scrolling mode, but as with most buttons on MX devices, you can change the action assigned to that button in Options.
All of these features let you customize the way the Anywhere 3 feels as you’re using it, and that’s a good thing on a mouse that you’re supposed to use, well, anywhere. In the couple days I’ve spent with the Anywhere 3, I’ve used it at my desk as well as on my couch, on my kitchen countertops and briefly on a glass side table in my living room and it’s worked well in all of those environments. I also haven’t charged it once since I took it out of the box thanks to the mouse’s 70-day battery life. It charges via USB-C, too, which is a solid perk for those of us sick of seeing old microUSB ports on new devices.
The Logitech MX Anywhere 3 comes in a universal version, compatible with most operating systems including Chrome OS and Linux, and a version optimized for macOS. The former works via Bluetooth or with an included unifying USB receiver while the latter is Bluetooth-only. Both cost $79 and are available for pre-order today on Logitech’s website.
It’s no secret that some countries have spied on their citizens through innocuous-looking apps, but one effort is more extensive than usual. Check Point Research has discovered (via ZDNet) that Rampant Kitten, an Iranian hacker group that has targeted the country’s political opponents for years, has developed Android malware focused on stealing two-factor authentication codes. It isn’t just focused on any one service, either — it targets Google, Telegram, and other major internet or social services.
The attackers first use a phishing trojan to collect login details, and then try those with the real site. If the victim has two-factor authentication turned on, the newly-reported malware intercepts the incoming SMS messages and quietly sends copies to the intruders.
Twitter is learning first-hand about the challenges of eliminating racial bias in algorithms. The social network’s Liz Kelley said the company had “more analysis” to do after cryptographic engineer Tony Arcieri conducted an experiment suggesting Twitter’s algorithm was biased in prioritizing photos. When attaching photos of Barack Obama and Mitch McConnell to tweets, Twitter seemed to exclusively highlight McConnell’s face — Obama only popped up when Arcieri inverted the colors, making skin color a non-issue.
Others tried reversing photo and name orders to no avail. A higher-contrast smile did work, Intertheory’s Kim Sherrell found. Scientist Matt Blaze, meanwhile, noticed that the priority seemed to vary depending on the official Twitter app used. Tweetdeck was more neutral, for instance.
