Ring refreshes its basic battery-powered doorbell with improved video

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• August 21, 2024

Smart doorbell company Ring has launched an updated basic model in its battery-powered line. The Ring Battery Doorbell includes feature upgrades to match some of the company’s other products at a lower price point.

Longevity is critical for a product with ‘battery’ right there in the name. The Ring Battery Doorbell promises a 23% improvement in battery life over its previous iteration. It also comes with a new pin-push mount intended to make installation easier as well as simple detachment for recharging.

The Ring Battery Doorbell has been updated with the company’s Head-to-Toe HD video, offering vertical visibility in line with the more expensive Ring Battery Doorbell Plus and Ring Battery Doorbell Pro models. The device also offers color night vision. It comes with the same motion-detection and real-time alerts of other Ring products, and can be linked to Alexa-compatible devices. And of course, Ring also sells a subscription package to provide customers with smart alerts and more detailed notifications.

Preorders for the Ring Battery Doorbell begin today direct from the company and on Amazon for $100, and shipments will go out starting September 4.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ring-refreshes-its-basic-battery-powered-doorbell-with-improved-video-203832129.html?src=rss

Microsoft’s revised Recall AI feature will roll out to beta testers in October

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• August 21, 2024

Microsoft’s Windows Recall feature, which stores a timeline of activity snapshots on your PC, has a new release date for Windows Insiders. Microsoft unveiled the feature to much fanfare in May, only to delay it indefinitely (after blowback from security researchers) a few weeks later. After taking time to recalibrate, the company said on Wednesday it will roll out Recall to beta testers using Copilot+ PCs in October.

Windows Recall stores snapshots of everything you do on your PC. Designed as a “photographic memory” for your PC activity, it lets you revisit things like products, emails, documents or chats shown on your screen. The feature’s perks are easy to see, especially for those who spend long hours on their PC (or those with foggy memories).

But if that also sounds like a privacy nightmare, security researchers thought so, too. Despite safety assurances from Microsoft during its announcement at Build 2024, cybersecurity and privacy experts sounded the alarm. The fundamental problem was that intruders wouldn’t only get goodies from your traditional file system if they accessed your PC. In addition, they could see anything you’ve done on your computer from the moment you activated Recall to the present. That’s because Microsoft — for reasons we can’t quite comprehend (other than put AI in all the things as quickly as possible) — left Recall’s data unencrypted.

As security expert Kevin Beaumont detailed, Recall didn’t hide sensitive information like passwords or banking details. Sure, your timeline was theoretically safe as long as nobody could access your PC. But if you accidentally installed malware or let an intruder in through other means, they would find a motherlode of sensitive — unencrypted — data.

Microsoft

In response to the blowback, Microsoft added some common-sense security features that left us wondering why they weren’t there in the first place. Again, it’s hard to decipher the company’s motives for that omission when the feature was announced — other than speculating that it wanted to prioritize a seamless user experience over tight security.

These security changes included making the feature opt-in instead of enabled by default when setting up a Copilot+ PC. In addition, Microsoft said the feature would require Windows Hello — a face or fingerprint scan — and deploy “just in time” decryption (only unlocked through Hello). That means if a hacker gains access to your computer, your screenshot timeline should remain encrypted unless you lend your face or finger to unlock it (or they somehow find a way around Hello’s encryption).

Microsoft says it will publish a new blog post when the feature is available in October through the Windows 11 Insider Program. The feature will require a CoPilot+ PC (the first of which launched in June) with a compatible chip. That chip list includes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite, although Intel may have its first CoPilot+ chips out in the wild when the feature finally arrives in preview.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/microsofts-revised-recall-ai-feature-will-roll-out-to-beta-testers-in-october-200400450.html?src=rss

Stadiums Are Embracing Face Recognition. Privacy Advocates Say They Should Stick to Sports

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• August 21, 2024

Protesters took to Citi Field Wednesday to raise awareness of the facial recognition systems that have become common at major league sporting venues.

At Nintendo’s New Museum, Classic Games Get Reinvented for Today

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• August 21, 2024

The Nintendo Museum, which opens in Kyoto in October, lets visitors play decades-old games using new controllers, smartphone cameras, and image recognition tech.

Microsoft’s latest accessible controllers include the Xbox Adaptive Joystick

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• August 21, 2024

Xbox continues to impress with its accessibility accommodations for gamers with disabilities. Alongside some updates to the Xbox console lineup, Microsoft unveiled several new controllers on Wednesday to help more people experience the joy of frictionless gaming.

The Xbox Adaptive Joystick fills what Microsoft called a widely expressed “need for an affordable, singular joystick” to use with other Xbox controllers. Designed for people with limited mobility, it has four customizable button inputs on the front, a standard thumbstick and two more mappable bumper and trigger-style buttons.

You can plug the wired stick into the Xbox Adaptive Controller or the console. Alternatively, you can link it with a standard Xbox gamepad using Xbox Controller Assist (solo or couch co-op). The Xbox Adaptive Joystick also has a quarter-inch thread for mounting, adding to its versatility.

The joystick will only cost $30 when it arrives in early 2025.

Microsoft is also rolling out 3D-printable files for adaptive thumbstick toppers, designed for those who have trouble gripping the standard Xbox sticks. You can print adapters in the shapes of a plate, dome, narrow stick, “pull” (a deep, bowl-shaped surface), sphere and a custom base for adding materials like clay or moldable plastic.

Of course, you’ll need to own a 3D printer, use a friend’s or find a professional service to print them. The printable files are free from Xbox Design Lab.

In partnership with 8BitDo, the Lite SE 2.4G Wireless Controller is a gamepad with all inputs on its top surface. It has low-resistance buttons and “highly sensitive” Hall effect joysticks. It even includes a non-slip silicone mat to keep things steady. As a bonus, it includes 8BitDo’s coveted Super Buttons, first packaged with the Nintendo-inspired mechanical keyboard.

The 8BitDo Lite SE 2.4G is available starting today for $60.

Finally, the ByoWave Proteus Controller, revealed earlier this year for Global Accessibility Awareness Day, is now available to order. The innovative, modular gamepad has “snap and play” parts that offer over 100 million combinations tailored to your needs. The Proteus is available for $299 in the US, EU, UK and Canada.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/microsofts-latest-accessible-controllers-include-the-xbox-adaptive-joystick-184800659.html?src=rss

Lego’s first Mario Kart sets start throwing out shells on January 1

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• August 21, 2024

Back when Lego first announced that Mario Kart sets would be arriving in 2025, we didn’t expect them to release on the very first day of the year. However, the company just announced availability for these sets starting on January 1. It’s a New Year’s miracle.

Lego’s Mario Kart collection includes new buildable versions of iconic characters, like Yoshi, Peach, Baby Mario and Donkey Kong. Of course, there are several kart designs pulled from recent games, complete with paragliding sails, and motorcycles. Incidentally, these karts will actually shoot green or red shells in real life, which is a nice touch. Some figures also play sounds and music from the iconic kart racing series.

All told, there are six sets to choose from. These include the 133-piece blue Yoshi set, which comes with a Yoshi-themed motorcycle, and a 174-piece iconic Mario set, complete with a red kart and Toad dressed as a member of the pit crew.

The most impressive of the bunch is the 832-piece Grand Prix set. This one comes with a starting gate, three karts and four characters. The prices range from $15 for something like the aforementioned Yoshi set to $80 for the Grand Prix set.

Lego

Lego has really been building out its portfolio of gaming-related combo packs. In addition to Mario Kart, the company just announced a few Animal Crossing sets. These also release on January 1. In recent years, there have been traditional Mario sets, comprehensive Zelda kits and Fortnite collections, among many others.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/legos-first-mario-kart-sets-start-throwing-out-shells-on-january-1-183551717.html?src=rss

Starfield update offers a new vehicle and improved framerates for Xbox Series S

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• August 21, 2024

A new Starfield update from Bethesda adds an off-road vehicle called the REV-8 to your garage and higher frame rates for players with a Xbox Series S. Bethesda announced the new features for Starfield on its X page and a new trailer on YouTube.

The REV-8 is a four wheeled, all-terrain beast with all sorts of interesting features for your universe-exploring needs. The new vehicle includes a mounted turret to blow away hostile enemies and a thick layer of armor to keep you safe from unfriendly fire. The REV-8 also has rear boosters for those moments when you need to flee the scene fast and undercarriage boosters to help you glide across chasms and canyons. There’s even a place for Vasco to sit so it can conveniently remind you when you’re driving too fast.

You can pick up your REV-8 from the ship technician. It will also appear near your ship after landing once you’ve purchased it.

The new Starfield update also comes with a bunch of display tweaks for players on the Xbox Series S console. There’s new options for your frame rate target at 30, 40, 60 or “uncapped” fps. If you don’t have a variable refresh rate (VRR) display that can run 120kz, the 30 and 60 fps options are still usable.

The update also allows you to choose between prioritizing visuals and performance in your game while maintaining your selected frame rate. Bethesda recommends making “performance” the priority if you're running 60 fps or higher.

The new graphics update also lets you toggle vertical synchronization (Vsync) on and off in your game. Vsync prevents screen tearing from occurring during the game by syncing the frame of the graphic cards with the refresh rate of the monitor. So if you turn off, you run the risk of screen tearing but it won’t limit your frame rate.

These same features were added to the Xbox Series X version of Starfield back in May. The May update also delivered a new design for surface maps to increase legibility across all of the game’s platforms.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/starfield-update-offers-a-new-vehicle-and-improved-framerates-for-xbox-series-s-182216898.html?src=rss

REI Sneaker Sales August 2024: Take up to 30% Off Editor-Favorite Trainers

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• August 21, 2024

From Nike to Hoka, we found the best deals.

You can pre-order the all-digital Xbox Series X starting today

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• August 21, 2024

Today is the first day to pre-order the new 2024 Xbox consoles. The new batch includes the all-digital Xbox Series X, a Special Edition Xbox Series X with 2TB of storage and a white Xbox Series S. They begin shipping to US customers on October 15.

Announced in June, the all-digital Xbox Series X is the first iteration of that model without a disc drive. Shipping in “robot white,” the new console includes 1TB of storage and costs $450. That’s only a $50 discount over the standard model, so it’s worth thinking about whether the disc-free tradeoff pays off for you. You can sometimes find the standard model on sale for that price, and Microsoft’s refurbished store has it for $450 right now.

In addition, the all-digital Xbox is the same size as the standard version with a disc drive. So, unlike the equivalent PS5, the new disc-less model won’t save space in your entertainment center.

If you’re on the opposite end of the spectrum and are down to spend more on an Xbox, Microsoft is also launching a 2TB special edition of Series X in “galaxy black” with a groovy space design. That variant, retailing for $600, includes the standard disc drive.

Meanwhile, the Xbox Series S has a new white model with 1TB to store more games in a new colorway. It follows the black version with the same storage that arrived in 2023.

Microsoft says the new consoles will arrive in most regions where Xbox hardware is currently supported, except Argentina, Brazil, Chile, India, Israel, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey and UAE. The consoles land in the US on October 15, with “select countries” pushed back a couple of weeks to October 29.

Meanwhile, Microsoft also announced a host of new accessible controllers which you can read about here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/you-can-pre-order-the-all-digital-xbox-series-x-starting-today-172827418.html?src=rss

The Best Google Pixel Phones of 2024, Tested and Reviewed: Which Model to Buy, Cases and Accessories, Feature Drops

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• August 21, 2024

Here’s a guide to all the models—plus Pixel case recommendations and smart software tricks to try.