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Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxi service arrives in Beijing

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Baidu launched its Apollo Go robotaxi service in the Chinese cities of Changsha and Cangzhou back in August, shortly after announcing that its autonomous driving computer is ready for use on the streets. Now, Apollo Go has also made its way to Beijing, making it the first autonomous car service operating in the nation’s capital. Apollo Go’s service area in Beijing encompasses 435 miles of road with 100 pick-up and drop-off stations across several residential and business areas. Baidu says it has the longest road network for a manned autonomous driving test in China.

The tech giant will start operations with 40 autonomous vehicles in the capital. They’ll still have human drivers behind the wheel, though of course the ultimate goal is providing a truly driverless taxi experience. Passengers will be able to hail one of the service’s robotaxis by signing up on Baidu Maps or on the Apollo website. While the company didn’t mention it this time around, it noted that Apollo Go rides were free when they launched in Cangzhou.

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Apple will let Epic Games users ‘sign in with Apple’ for a bit longer

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A day before Apple was set to shut down the “sign in with Apple” prompt for Epic Games users, the company has retreated on its threat. Apple issued an indefinite extension on the matter, meaning for now, Epic Games players can still use “sign in with Apple,” but there’s no telling how long this ability will last. Epic recommends users still prepare for the method to be removed.

Two days ago, Epic warned that Apple would remove its proprietary sign-in option for Epic Games accounts on September 11th. It was the latest move in an ongoing legal battle between the two companies, largely being fought over the 30 percent revenue cut that Apple takes from most sales on the App Store.

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‘AGOS: A Game of Space’ is Ubisoft’s interstellar VR adventure

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With reveals like Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake and Immortals Fenyx Rising, a lot of Ubisoft’s Forward event on Thursday touched on stuff we’ve seen from the publisher before. But the company also had a couple of surprises up its sleeve. One of those was AGOS: A Game of Space.

It’s a new VR space exploration title where you’ll play as an AI guiding survivors trying to find a new home away from Earth. Based on the trailer Ubisoft shared, much of the game involves piloting a probe. Think: SpaceX Crew Dragon simulator but in VR. Along the way, you’ll be able to equip your probe with different components as you scavenge resources and find new technologies. It’s all set to music and cinematography that will remind you of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar.

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Dozens of Amazon Basics products could pose a safety risk, report says

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The affected products include USB charging cables, battery chargers, office equipment and other inexpensive accessories. One particularly problematic product, according to CNN, was a voice-enabled microwave that “began sparking and smoking” as soon as it was turned on by researchers tapped by CNN to investigate the product. 

CNN notes that in some cases the product in question wasn’t even being used when it caught fire or appeared to overheat. The source of the issues wasn’t immediately clear. But for some products the problems were widespread enough that they were reported by dozens of people who bought the same item.

Amazon has since discontinued some of the products identified by CNN, but continues to sell other items named in the report — even after multiple customers say the product melted, sparked or otherwise posed a safety hazard. 

In a statement, an Amazon spokesperson said “safety is a top priority,” and the company is “confident that the AmazonBasics Microwave is safe to use.” “The appliance continues to meet or exceed all certification requirements established by the FDA, UL, FCC, Prop 65, and others for safety and functionality,” the spokesperson said. Amazon also pointed to a recent blog post about the safety of Amazon Basics.

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Twitter bans far-right extremist group the Oath Keepers

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Twitter has banned the accounts of far-right extremist group the Oath Keepers and its founder, Stewart Rhodes. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the group is one of the US’s largest anti-government movements. It claims to have tens of thousands of members, many of whom identify as former law enforcement and military. The group recently tweeted there would be “open warfare against the Marxist insurrectionists (its shorthand for Black Lives Matter activists) by election night.”

A spokesperson for Twitter told Engadget it banned accounts associated with the Oath Keepers for violating its policies on violent extremist groups. “There is no place on Twitter for terrorist organizations or violent extremist groups and individuals who affiliate with and promote their illicit activities,” the company says on the policy page. “We examine a group’s activities both on and off Twitter to determine whether they engage in and/or promote violence against civilians to advance a political, religious and/or social cause.”



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AirTV Anywhere allows you to watch and record local channels remotely

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Sling TV has introduced a way for you to easily watch Netflix and local news on the same device, even when you’re away from home. The company updated one of its distinct products, AirTV, to allow you to view and record local over-the-air (OTA) channels on your TV or streaming devices. AirTV Anywhere is a WiFi-enabled network hub that is the company’s latest effort encouraging you to “cut the cord” on your cable subscription.

Once you connect your smartphone or tablet to an AirTV Anywhere antenna, you can use the free Sling TV app to watch and record local channels from anywhere in the US, according to a Sling TV statement. This unique setup also eliminates the need to wire multiple rooms with antennas to view OTA channels. A built-in hard drive and Quad tuners allow you to watch or record up to four streams simultaneously, including outside the home on streaming devices.

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‘Riders Republic’ is an extreme sports MMO from the studio behind ‘Steep’

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Ubisoft is working on a new sports action game called Riders Republic. Set in the heartland of the US, the upcoming multiplayer title allows up to 50 players to race one another on bike, skis, snowboard and wingsuit across an open world that takes inspiration from US National Parks.

The studio that’s working on Riders Republic is Ubisoft Annecy. That’s the same development team that gave us 2016’s Steep. While not a direct sequel, Riders Republic builds on many of the ideas the studio explored with Steep. As you play the game, you’ll also be able to get new equipment for your character and compete in X Games-style competitions.

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Apple’s 10.2-inch iPad drops to $279 at Amazon and Walmart

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First and foremost, not every model of the 10.2-inch iPad is on sale. The $279 price appears to only apply to silver 32GB WiFi models. Stock is particularly volatile on Amazon (the rose gold and space gray models are currently not available), so we recommend taking advantage of this deal soon if you’ve had your eye on this tablet. While not as good of a deal, it’s worth noting that the 128GB silver model is also on sale for $30 off at Amazon only, bringing the price down to $399.

We gave the 10.2-inch iPad a score of 86 because it offers a lot for the money, even at its normal $329 starting price. It has a lovely screen that’s even better now that it’s 10.2-inches (rather than the old 9.7-inch size) and it runs iPadOS fairly smoothly with Apple’s A10 Bionic chip. We appreciate its long 11-hour battery life and the fact that it supports first-generation Apple Pencil input. It doesn’t have FaceID, a feature that many might take for granted as standard on Apple devices as of late, but some have always preferred TouchID and those users will like the mainstay physical Home button on this iPad.

This is a great deal on the 7th-generation iPad, especially for those who have yearned for a solid, affordable tablet. Apple’s next hardware event is scheduled for September 15, and it’s still unclear what we’ll see come out of it. There are rumors that an updated iPad Air could be on the docket, but we have yet to hear anything about a new version of the 10.2-inch iPad.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.



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The ‘Scott Pilgrim’ game returns this holiday in a ‘Complete Edition’

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Ten years after its launch on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Scott Pilgrim vs the World: The Game is coming back in a Complete Edition for current-gen consoles. Scott Pilgrim vs the World: The Game Complete Edition lands this holiday season for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Switch, Stadia and PC. It includes the full game, plus the Knives Chau and Wallace Wells add-on packs.

Like all off-shoots of the Scott Pilgrim franchise so far, the game is fairly fantastic. It’s a 2D sidescroller beat-em-up featuring the relatable, ridiculous, nerdy characters from Brian Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series, with plenty of musical mini games and evil exes to destroy.

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‘Immortals Fenyx Rising’ is Ubisoft’s love letter to ‘Breath of the Wild’

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You play as Fenyx, a human who ends up wielding the power of the gods to save the world from an evil curse. During a brief remote play session, I didn’t get much of a backstory — but honestly I didn’t really need one. She’s a powerful warrior who can glide and float with the wings of Daidalos, fight using swords and axes, and go toe-to-toe with giant mythical monsters. What else do you need to know?

The Breath of the Wild influences are clear from the start: Fenyx can climb and glide anywhere, but she’s limited by a stamina meter. Ubisoft can’t help but overstuff its open world map with a ton of icons, but there are also a fair amount of visual cues to guide you to your destinations within the world. And there are also plenty of dungeons with puzzles to solve strewn throughout the world.

There’s so much Zelda in Immortals: Fenyx Rising it’s almost embarrassing. Still, I also found myself enjoying it throughout my session. Traversing the fantastical Greek island is a blast, no matter if you’re on foot, riding your (seemingly magical) steed or flying through the air. And the combat feels more akin to something like Devil May Cry than Assassin’s Creed. I dove into battles head-first, balancing my weapons skills with an assortment of godly powers. (And sure, you can stealth attack some enemies if you miss sneaking about.)

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