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An upcoming macOS update may help your MacBook’s battery last longer

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Apple is developing a new feature designed to extend the longterm life of its laptop batteries, according to CNET. Dubbed “Battery Health Management,” the company will deploy the feature in macOS Catalina 10.15.5, which is slated to become publically available later this year.

Rather than focusing on specific app usage, the feature examines your charging patterns and the heat levels of a Macbook battery, making subtle changes along the way to reduce the rate at which your computer’s battery chemically ages over time. When you install macOS 10.15.5, the feature will be enabled by default. If you want, you’ll be able to toggle it off through Catalina’s System Preferences menu.

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Riot buys the makers of a combat-heavy ‘Minecraft’ clone

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League of Legends and Valorant developer Riot Games just shared its next big bet. On Thursday, the company said it had acquired Hypixel Studios, the creator of an upcoming role-playing game called Hytale. If you’re not familiar with the game, think Minecraft but with more of a focus on adventuring and combat. 

Riot didn’t disclose the financial terms of the acquisition. However, it doesn’t sound like Riot plans to change too much about how the studio functions. The company says Hypixel will retain its current structure, with plans to open a new office in Northern Ireland that will host additional back-office and quality assurance staff. Riot adds it will share its experience in “developing and publishing acclaimed, player-focused games” with Hypixel.

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Google displays unemployment benefit details based on your state

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As is the case in many countries, unemployment in the United States is skyrocketing as the COVID-19 pandemic forces millions out of work. Several means are available to help those in need, such as federal stimulus checks, but the measures vary by state. Google has rolled out an update to Search to help you figure out what benefits you’re eligible for.

When you search for “unemployment” in the US, Google will prominently display official guidance on what benefits are available in your state and how to claim them. The update follows other coronavirus-related information Google has added to Search, such as governmental updates about the pandemic, travel advisories and virtual healthcare options. For the last few years, Google has also offered job hunting tools in Search.



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Are Samsung’s Galaxy Buds+ an improvement over the original?

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Last August we asked you to weigh in on the Galaxy Buds — the first set of true wireless headphones tailor-made for Samsung’s flagship phones.  You had plenty of criticisms about features like the audio quality, spotty Bluetooth connection and unsatisfactory EQ presets. In February, our reviewer Billy Steele got a chance to review the updated version, the Galaxy Buds+. He found them greatly improved thanks to better sound and increased customization, all while keeping the same comfortable, discrete design. The changes were enough to give the new Buds+ a score 14 points higher than last year’s offering. 

If you took a chance on the second Galaxy Buds, we’re curious to hear what you think. Do you agree with Billy that they’re much better than the original model? Are they a comfortable fit? Did the battery last longer, and did you have better wireless range? We’d love to hear how you think the Buds+ have corrected the missteps of the earlier version in your own user review. Remember, not only does your commentary help your fellow readers make their own buying decisions, but they could get included in an upcoming user review roundup article! 

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Verizon buys video conferencing app BlueJeans

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In a classic example of trying to strike while the iron is hot, the business unit of Verizon (Engadget’s parent company) is acquiring BlueJeans. If you’re not familiar, BlueJeans is a video conferencing app like Zoom. Verizon didn’t disclose the financial terms of the deal, but it did say the founders, management and employees of BlueJeans are joining the company as part of the acquisition.   

With so many people working from home, it’s no surprise a company like Verizon wants to build a bigger presence in video conferencing. After all, those types of apps have seen explosive growth since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Zoom, for example, recently revealed it had more than 200 million active daily users in March, up from its previous high of 10 million at the end of last year.

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There’s some serious Cooking Mama drama going on right now

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Office Create then said that it’s considering legal action against Planet in order to protect its customers, intellectual property rights and the Cooking Mama series. Planet, however, seems unfazed, responding with a statement on the official Cookstar Twitter account that chalked the issue up to “creative differences” and noting that “there is no active litigation or ruling that prevents Planet from publishing the game.”

So what happens now? If Planet is correct in its assertion that it’s free to publish the game, then we may well see it back on the Switch soon — that was the company’s end goal, of course. But as the game currently stands, that’s unlikely to happen on Office Create’s watch. Unless the two can reach an agreement, the law will likely have to get involved before a final decision is made.

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Apple’s rumored over-ear headphones may offer switchable magnetic parts

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Other features, according to those familiar with the matter, will include Siri, integrated touch controls and similar wireless-pairing and noise-cancelation tech to what’s already in Apple’s AirPods Pro. No word on pricing, although the sources have suggested the headphones will compete with the likes of Bose and Sennheiser, so we’re looking at around $350 at least. The official announcement is expected to be made at some point later this year, although the ongoing COVID-19 crisis may end up pushing things back.

If these rumors are true, the new product will represent Apple’s first own-brand foray into over-ear headphones – and it’s hardly unexpected, as the company bought Beats back in 2014. Beyond the iPhone, Apple’s wearables arm is a major growth driver for the company, and AirPods — while hugely popular — aren’t to everyone’s liking, so over-ear headphones are a natural next move for the company.

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Engadget The Morning After | Engadget

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While the big news of the day is Apple’s cheap-yet-powerful new iPhone SE, I’m waiting to see how much interest there is in the other product it’s putting on sale. Apple opened pre-orders for its new iPad Pro Magic Keyboard, which makes the slate an even more powerful competitor for traditional laptops, if you’re willing to part with (11-inch) or (12.9-inch) for the peripheral that includes a trackpad for you power users.

— Richard

Apple’s new iPhone SE is surprisingly powerful for $399

Pre-orders open Friday morning at 8 AM ET, shipments start next week.

Apple

For just $50 more than the Magic Keyboard, you can buy an iPhone that packs Apple’s latest A13 Bionic chipset into a 4.7-inch frame. While it doesn’t have the same sensor seen in more expensive iPhone 11 devices and drops Night Mode capturing, the single lens 12MP setup managed to impress us at first glance. 

Also, in an increasingly face-masked world, this iPhone includes TouchID for easy unlocking. Check below for Chris Velazco’s first impressions, or go direct to spec-for-spec comparisons vs. other iPhones and other similarly priced devices.
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Disney will release a behind-the-scenes look at ‘The Mandalorian’ on Star Wars Day

That’s May 4th.

'The Mandalorian'

Disney+

Now there’ll be two things to watch on Disney+.
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Official ‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ Tamagotchis are on the way

I have some questions about the manufacturing process first.

Tamagotchi

First rumored back in December 2019, the Evangelion x Tamagotchi pairing has resulted in “Evacchi,” and they’ll be landing on June 13th.

The line-up includes three Tamagotchis, each with 20 angel variations that need to be carefully raised and trained not only to simply thrive within the Evangelion universe but also to avoid Longinus’ debilitating spear.
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Shell aims to be a net zero emissions business by 2050

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Because Shell can’t directly control scope three emissions these won’t be included in the company’s overall ambition, but it has said it will “pivot towards serving businesses and sectors that by 2050 are also net-zero emissions.” This means it has to make the products it sells, such as jet fuels and gasoline, greener. As such, its long term ambition is to reduce the net carbon footprint of the energy products it sells by 65 percent by 2050 (and by 30 percent by 2035). This, alongside Shell’s “pivot” towards supporting sectors that use its goods, should mean that scope three emissions are also offset.

Compared to Shell’s previous target — to reduce its net carbon footprint by 50 percent by 2050 — the new goals represent a new and intense focus for the company. However, beyond its assurances that it will be more energy efficient and use lower-carbon energy products, the company hasn’t given any kind of granular details on exactly how it hopes to achieve its goals. Nor has it said how it intends to finance them. Back in 2017 the company said it wanted to remain “in step” with a society working towards a sustainable future, yet last year it spent roughly just eight percent of its $24 billion budget on low-carbon energy. In a statement reported by Reuters, the company said: “Shell’s aim is that, in the future, its operating plans and budgets will change to reflect this movement towards its new net-zero emissions ambition.” 

Logistical ambiguities aside, environmentalists will no doubt be wary of Shell’s promises, given its tumultuous history with climate groups. While it’s publicly claimed to support the Paris climate accord, investigations have shown that Shell has spent millions on lobbying activities against climate policies. Internal documents also suggest the company was well aware of the consequences of climate change back in the 1980s and made a conscious decision to delay action.

However, while many will rightly or wrongly denounce Shell’s net zero goals as greenwashing, the fact remains that climate change remains one of the greatest threats to humanity, and companies must take action if they’re to remain profitable in the future. Setting ambitious targets now will help Shell sustain its bottom line in the future, whether it genuinely cares about the environment or not.

 

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GoPro lays off 200 employees as sales hit hard by coronavirus

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GoPro has announced that it will lay off 200 employees or around 20 percent of its workforce due to the coronavirus pandemic. It aims to reduce expenses by about $100 million by switching the majority of its business to a direct-to-consumer model. The company said that Q1 revenue will be less than half of what it was in 2019 and added that CEO Nicholas Woodman will not take any salary for the rest of the year.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit just as GoPro was starting to recover from its disastrous move into drones. The company saw a large jump in revenue in the final quarter of 2019 thanks to the holiday success of the Hero 8 Black. However, it expects just $119 million in sales for Q1 2020, compared to $528 million the quarter before. Its 2020 product roadmap remains unchanged.

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