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18.12.2024 20:10 The holidays are nearly here and if you’re a bit behind on your gift shopping, you’re not alone. The holidays can truly sneak up on you, and this year that’s been more true than ever. Between wrapping things up at work before some well-deserved time off and making sure you have everything you need to host family and friends, it can be hard to find the time to go to a store to pick out presents. And when you do finally get there, you may be met with half-empty shelves. But this is where the internet comes in handy: you still have time to buy holiday gifts online.USPS, UPS and FedEx have laid out their holiday shipping deadlines for 2024: Ship your items via the post office by December 18 to have them safely arrive before Christmas, while FedEx and UPS have deadlines of December 13 and December 20, respectively. At this point, we recommend picking up small, affordable gifts that will ship quickly from retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target so you have plenty of time to wrap them up nicely and make it look like you had everything well-planned from the start. Here are the best last-minute Christmas gifts you can get right now and still have in time before the holidays. Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-12-best-last-minute-christmas-gifts-for-the-2024-holiday-season-140037775.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 20:10 According to the Wall Street Journal, various US authorities are investigating TP-Link’s routers, linking them to China-backed cyberattacks. The Commerce, Justice and Defense departments each have their own investigations, and sources told the Journal the Commerce Department has subpoenaed TP-Link. These investigations may contribute to a potential ban on these routers next year. In September, the Journal reported on a wave of Chinese cyberattacks in the US that involved many TP-Link routers. The attackers targeted government organizations and Defense Department suppliers, as well as non-government organizations and think tanks. TP-Link currently holds about 65 percent of the US router market for small businesses and homes. They're also widely used by the Department of Defense and NASA. But sources told the Journal the devices often ship with security flaws, and that the company fails to address these issues or engage with the security community. “We welcome any opportunities to engage with the U.S. government to demonstrate that our security practices are fully in line with industry security standards, and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the U.S. market, U.S. consumers, and addressing U.S. national security risks,” a TP-Link spokesperson told WSJ. If TP-Link routers are banned, it would be the biggest Chinese telecom equipment extraction in the US since the 2019 Huawei ban.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/tp-link-routers-are-being-investigated-by-several-us-authorities-151552304.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 20:10 The Secret Level official X account just teased a new season for the series of short animations. For those unaware, Secret Level adapts various games and franchises like Warhammer 40,000, Pac-Man and Concord into short animated episodes. The team behind it is the same that did Love, Death and Robots on Netflix. We don’t know much more about the second season of Secret Level. So far there's no information on what games season two will adapt, or when that season will premier. You can now watch the first season of Secret Level on Amazon Prime Video now, where it recently premiered. There are currently 15 episodes based on various games. The short based on Warhammer 40,000 reminds me of the Astartes project. Additionally, the Pac-Man-based short is actually a sort of reveal for a Bandai Namco game, Shadow Labyrinth.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/were-getting-a-second-season-of-secret-level-140856980.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 15:01  After unveiling Exodus just over a year ago at The Game Awards, developer Archetype Entertainment has shown off the first gameplay for the sci-fi RPG. The trailer features a troupe of space mercenaries called Travelers, a lot of battle action and a particularly angry boss bear. It looks a lot like Mass Effect, which isn't a surprise given that the studio employs former Bioware devs, along with ex-employees from 343 and Naughty Dog. During a livestream, the team revealed that Exodus is set in a post-Earth scenario at a time when humanity has ventured into faraway star systems and created new civilizations. That doesn't mean everything is kumbaya, though, as characters create alliances and compete for resources to make a profit. The game involves genetically modified creatures like the aforementioned bear, along with a valuable element called Livestone created by "Celestials." It also uses time dilation, so when the Travelers make a short jaunt to a star system, much more time may have passed on their homeworld. Exodus stars Matthew McConaughey in his first video game role and will be published by Wizards of the Coast, Archetype's parent company. There's still no release date, and we don't yet know which character will be played by McConaughey. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/watch-the-first-exodus-gameplay-trailer-134504291.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 15:01 YouTube is teaming up with one of the world's largest talent agencies, CAA, to help its high-profile actors and athletes monitor their AI likenesses. "Through this collaboration, several of the world’s most influential figures will have access to early-stage technology designed to identify and manage AI-generated content that features their likeness, including their face, on YouTube at scale," YouTube wrote on its official blog. The video platform plans to begin testing its "likeness management technology" with unnamed award-winning actors and top NBA and NFL athletes, all clients of CAA . The system will surface AI-generated content that depicts their likeness and provide easy access to submit requests for removal through its privacy-complaint process. Through CAA and its influential client list, YouTube says it will gain insight before releasing it more widely to other creators and artists. Down the road, it will announce further testing for top YouTube creators, creative professionals and other talent agencies. CAA is an ideal first partner to test its likeness management tech, YouTube wrote. The agency has been on the forefront of AI and digital rights, via its CAAvault talent-focused serivce that scans, captures and securely stores clients' digital likeness including face, body and voice. Technology platforms like YouTube have been at odds with creators over the use of AI, particularly when it comes to training large language models on copyrighted text, artworks and the likenesses of famous people. The issue is particularly contentious in Hollywood; some stars have agreed to let AI replicate their voices under license, but many have railed against its use. Last week in a podcast interview with Armchair Expert, Friends actor Lisa Kudrow called the use of digital versions of Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in the film Here an "endorsement" of AI. "What will there be left for, forget actors, but what about up-and-coming actors? They’ll just be licensing and recycling. What work will there be for human beings?”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/youtube-is-helping-high-profile-actors-and-athletes-monetize-their-ai-likenesses-133029330.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 15:01 If you've driven a car made in the last decade, there's a good chance you've already used Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which mirrors the contents of your phone on your car's infotainment display. Both features are a major step up from Bluetooth audio, but there's one potential downside: Most of the time, you'll have to plug your phone into your car with a USB cable. Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto options exist on premium vehicles and pricier trim levels, but they're far from commonplace. So what to do if you're stuck with wired CarPlay or Android Auto? Behold, the wireless dongle. Plug one of these boxes into your car's USB port, pair your phone, and voila, you've got phone mirroring without any messy cables. While there are a slew of dongles on the market, I recently picked up the CarlinKit 5 and, for the most part, it's delivering a solid wireless CarPlay experience. It was easy to set up on my 2019 Volvo XC90: I just had to plug it in and pair my phone over Bluetooth . Now whenever I hop in my car, I never have to think about connecting a USB-C cable — CarPlay just boots up automatically and starts playing whatever I'm currently listening to. Sound quality is great, and I haven't noticed any major lag while swiping around the CarPlay interface. Siri voice commands, something I rely on a lot while driving, also work about as well as wired CarPlay . The CarLinkIt also works seamlessly with the volume and track change controls on my steering wheel. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget While I'm well aware that plugging in a USB-C cable doesn't sound like a huge annoyance, and in fact it may be the epitome of First World problems, it's an issue that's plagued me across several cars. USB-C cables bend and break easily, especially when you're trying to cram them into a car's cramped accessory compartments. Phone charging ports also accumulate debris that can make connections flaky. After having several cables fail during long drives, I simply had enough. I'm honestly surprised that my wireless CarPlay experience has led to far fewer headaches than using a simple cable. That goes directly against my typical mantra for any sort of gadget: A wired connection is usually best. In this case, though, I just haven't had to fight with the CarLinkIt 5 much. It works 90 percent of the time, and it only occasionally has connection issues if I'm tethering my phone to my kid's tablets . In those instances, unplugging and re-plugging the CarlinKit fixes the issue. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget My wife was also able to pair with the CarlinKit and it's been just as helpful to her. If we're both in the Volvo, we just have to choose the phone we want to mirror as CarPlay kicks in. I was worried about mirroring conflicts, but in general it hasn't given us much trouble. The one downside to using wireless CarPlay is that your phone isn't automatically charging when it's connected to your car. So you'll either have to use a wireless charging pad built into your car, or get some sort of accessory to handle that. I'm using iOttie’s MagSafe vent charger, and it works like a dream. I don't use it for short drives, but when I do need to juice up, I just throw my phone up and rely on the magic of magnets and wireless charging. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget The CarlinKit is one of those devices you just never really have to think about, save for the occasional unplug/replug reset. To address compatibility issues, the company releases firmware updates that you can install wirelessly over your phone. Beyond that, though, it doesn't require much babysitting. And really, isn’t that exactly what we want with every single-purpose gadget?This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/carlinkit-5-delivers-solid-wireless-carplay-most-of-the-time-130056316.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 15:01 LG has announced the 2025 refresh for its QNED evo lineup of premium LCD TVs, along with new features coming with the 40 to 100-inch models that include the capability to wirelessly receive and play 4K content. The company introduced its 4K wireless solution last year on its more expensive OLED M-series TVs, but this rollout will give more people access to its technology. Its True Wireless 4K solution requires the use of the company's Zero Connect Box, so the reality is that it's not fully wireless. But once you plug your devices into that external box, you'll be able to transmit 4K content with a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz to the TV from as far as 30 feet away without having to run cables directly into the set. The only thing that needs to be plugged into the TV itself is its power cord. In addition to the True Wireless feature, the updated QNED evo TVs also use LG's new Dynamic QNED Color Solution that enables them to produce colors closer to how they appear to the naked eye in real life. They come with AI capabilities, as well, such as the ability to upscale images more naturally and to make voices stand out more against background sounds. The new QNED evo models will ship with the new AI Magic Remote that comes with a dedicated AI button. LG says that a long press on the AI button will allow users to make personalized searches for viewing preferences and recommendations. A user can ask the remote to recommend movies for their trip to Paris, for instance, and the AI will be able to suggest films based on the European capital in genres they enjoy based on their viewing habits. LG has yet to announced the new QNED evo TVs' availability and pricing, but it will most likely showcase them and reveal more information at CES next year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/lgs-qned-evo-lcd-tv-lineup-for-2025-can-wirelessly-receive-4k-videos-130050376.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 15:01 OnePlus will launch its new flagship series, the OnePlus 13, on January 7, 2025. It’s getting increasingly difficult for smartphone makers to differentiate or push the envelope, but OnePlus is at least trying. Its new phone series will have IP68 and IP69 ratings. IP68 certification means the device has protection against submerging and dust, the usual stuff, but the IP69 rating takes water resistance a step further, promising the device can withstand high-pressure jets of water — for all those high-pressure jet moments. The OnePlus 13 might be the first mainstream smartphone to get the certification. Engadget The company likes wet phone tech. A few years ago, it introduced a Rain Water Touch feature in the OnePlus 12 and Ace 2 Pro. It used a special chip to algorithmically determine how you touched the screen while operating it in the rain or other wet conditions. The OnePlus 13 will have three colorways: Arctic Dawn, Black Eclipse and Midnight Ocean, with the latter also being the first phone to use micro-fiber vegan leather. And the Arctic Dawn edition has a new glass coating that resists finger smudges — apparently another first in the industry, according to OnePlus. — Mat Smith The biggest tech stories you missed The best tech gifts under $100 to give for Christmas from Apple, Samsung and more Elon Musk is opening a preschool Unofficial mod transforms the Playdate into a charming robot pet Get this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! Honda and Nissan reportedly open merger talks They’re Japan’s second- and third-largest automakers. Honda and Nissan are reportedly discussing a merger. The Japanese publication Nikkei said the two automakers are planning to sign a memorandum of understanding to sort out shared equity stakes in a new holding company. The potential merger would combine the assets of Japan’s second- and third-biggest automakers, giving them a better shot of competing with the nation’s market leader, Toyota. Bloomberg adds it would also put them in a better position against Tesla and Chinese EV makers. Continue reading. Seagate teases its first HAMR-based hard drive Finally, the Exos M will go on sale after years of anticipation. The Seagate website announced a new Exos M 30TM and 32TB hard disk drive , featuring 3TB per platter with three times the power efficiency per terabyte compared to other hard drives. The new hard drive is Seagate’s first HDD to use heat-assisted magnetic recording. HAMR refers to a magnetic storage process in which localized heat is applied to the disk material during writing, which allows for smaller regions and more space per platter. These and other breakthroughs could someday pave the way to a 50TB HDD. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121242613.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 15:01 It may be fashionable to spend $1,000 on the latest flagship smartphone when they first get released, but it's not necessary. You don't even have to spend $500 today to get a decent handset, whether it’s a refurbished iPhone or an affordable Android phone, as there are plenty of options as low as $160 that could fit your needs.But navigating the budget phone market can be tricky; options that look good on paper may not be in practice, and some handsets will end up costing you more when you consider many come with restrictive storage. While we at Engadget spend most of our time testing and reviewing mid- to high-end handsets, we've tested a number of the latest budget-friendly phones on the market to see which are actually worth your money. What to look for in a cheap phone For this guide, our top picks cost between $100 and $300. Anything less and you might as well go buy a dumb phone or high-end calculator instead. Since they’re meant to be more affordable than flagship phones and even midrange handsets, budget smartphones involve compromises; the cheaper a device, the lower your expectations around specs, performance and experience should be. For that reason, the best advice I can give is to spend as much as you can afford. In this price range, even $50 or $100 more can get you a dramatically better product. Second, you should know what you want most from a phone. When buying a budget smartphone, you may need to sacrifice a decent main camera for long battery life, or trade a high-resolution display for a faster CPU. That’s just what comes with the territory, but knowing your priorities will make it easier to find the right phone. It’s also worth noting some features can be hard to find on cheap handsets. For instance, you won’t need to search far for a device with all-day battery life — but if you want a great camera phone with excellent camera quality, you’re better off shelling out for one of the recommendations in our midrange smartphone guide, which all come in at $600 or less. Wireless charging and waterproofing also aren’t easy to find in this price range and forget about the fastest chipset. On the bright side, all our recommendations come with headphone jacks, so you won’t need to get wireless headphones. iOS is also off the table, since the $400 Apple iPhone SE is the most affordable iPhone in the lineup. That leaves Android OS as the only option. Thankfully today, there’s little to complain about Google’s OS – and you may even prefer it to iOS. Lastly, keep in mind most Android manufacturers typically offer far less robust software features and support for their budget devices. In some cases, your new phone may only receive one major software update and a year or two of security patches beyond that. That applies to the OnePlus and Motorola recommendations on our list. If you’d like to keep your phone for as long as possible, Samsung has the best software policy of any Android manufacturer in the budget space, offering four years of security updates on all of its devices. That said, if software support is your main focus, consider spending a bit more the $500 Google Pixel 7a, which is our favorite midrange smartphone and has planned software updates through mid-2026. Best cheap phones This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/best-cheap-phones-130017793.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 10:40 If you’ve ever tried recording audio on your phone and found it sounding muffled or full of background noise, you’re not alone. Built-in microphones are fine for quick calls, but when it comes to creating content, recording music or capturing crystal-clear audio for a podcast, you need a mobile microphone that’s up to the task. Luckily, there are plenty of options out there that can instantly upgrade your sound quality without breaking the bank.The beauty of mobile microphones is their versatility. Whether you’re recording on the go, streaming live or conducting interviews, these compact devices are designed to work seamlessly with your smartphone, tablet and laptop.The best part? Many are portable, plug-and-play and packed with features like noise reduction, directional recording, and studio-grade clarity.If you’re feeling lost in the world of mobile microphones, we’ve broken down the best mobile microphones you can buy right now, covering everything from tiny clip-ons to professional-grade gear for serious creators. Lavalier mics James Trew / Engadget The obvious benefit of a lapel microphone is size. Their small profile makes them perfect for presenting to the camera with the flexibility to move around while maintaining consistent audio quality. If you’re a budding TikTok or vlogger it’s definitely worth having one of these mini microphones in your bag. And if you don’t want to be tied down to cables, there are plenty of great wireless lavalier microphone options with convenient adapters. The main trade-off, however, is that they’re only good for recording the person they’re attached to. If you have two people talking and only one is wearing the mic, you’ll only get good audio for one half of the conversation, so for multi-person recordings you’ll need a mic for each guest and a way to record them at the same time, so costs can go up quickly. Fortunately, lapel mics have become a very competitive market with good, viable options costing as little as $14.95. For an absolute bargain with a long cord and some connectivity accessories, the Boya BY M1 is hard to argue with. But, while these budget choices are great value, if you want something that should either last longer, is more versatile or just sounds better it’s worth paying a little bit more. A word on wireless mic Recently there has been an explosion in cell phone microphone systems, but there's one wireless mic we really like. DJI's Mic 2 system provides some important upgrades from its predecessor. Notably, it can connect directly to your smartphone via Bluetooth, and it sports improved AI noise reduction and a bigger touchscreen. Adapters So we’ve already touched on this with the AI Micro, which is an adapter of sorts. One of the first things you might bump up against when dealing with mobile audio accessories is TRRS vs TRS connectors. Simply put, 3.5mm TRS is what you might know as the age-old classic headphone jack while TRRS became common for its support for headsets and inline mics. You can easily tell them apart as TRS connectors have two black bands on them while a TRRS has three. For you, the budding creator, it can be a bit of an annoyance as many 3.5mm lavaliers are going to be TRS and won’t work when plugged into your phone’s headphone adapter. Sometimes your lavalier might include what you need in the box, but otherwise, you’ll want to pick up a TRS to TRRS adapter like this. Of course, some smartphone-specific mics have TRRS connectors already – for those, you’ll want a cable that goes the other way should you want to use it with other devices like a DSLR. Shotgun mics James Trew / Engadget You may be more familiar with shotgun microphones when it comes to video recording. It’s the style of microphone most often found atop a DSLR or mirrorless camera, but they make great companions for other portable devices too, your cell phone included. The benefit of a shotgun is that they tend to be highly directional, which makes them perfect for podcasts, recording instruments, foley sounds and much, much more. For us mobile recordists, another benefit is that they tend to be light and portable, perfect for slipping into a backpack or even a laptop bag. Even better, there are some great mobile-specific options. Desktop and USB mics go mobile James Trew / Engadget Mobile-specific mics are great, but there’s nothing stopping you from using your cell phone microphone or another you might already have . You’ll definitely need to do a little dance with some adapters, but that’s half the fun. Below are a couple of recommendations for “regular” microphones that pair well with a phone and then the cables and adapters that you’ll need to get setup. There are even some wireless systems that make it easy to record on the go. A word on cables James Trew / Engadget Connecting USB microphones directly to phones is rarely as simple as just one cable, although that’s starting to become more common. In general, Android makes this simpler, but also, thanks to the wide range of manufacturers and software versions you can’t always guarantee things will work smoothly. The iPhone is a whole other situation. USB microphones have a good chance of working via the USB camera kit we mentioned earlier, but that’s still inelegant sometimes. Frustratingly, some USB-C to Lightning cables will play nice with microphones, but sadly most will not – including Apple’s own. One confirmed option is this cable from Fiio or this generic alternative. These are inexpensive enough that it’s worth having a couple around if you work with audio a lot . Other mobile microphones to consider This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-mobile-microphones-for-recording-with-a-phone-154536629.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 05:30 You can now access Apple's answer to Google Street View on the web. As 9to5Mac reports, Apple has enabled Look Around for the beta version of Apple Maps on the web, letting you literally look around and explore the cities where it's available. The company has a full list of "Look Around" locations on its website, and it includes select cities in the US, Japan and several countries in the European Union. To start exploring a place on your desktop, you only have to click on the binocular icon at the bottom left corner of the map. Like on Street View, you'll be able to virtually fly across roads and drag the screen to show more of the place with the feature's 360-degree images. Apple launched the beta version of Maps for the web in July, with a number of limitations. Access was limited to certain devices and browsers. While you could already use it to look up directions and guides, it didn't roll out with Look Around, though Apple promised to add more features in the coming months. Although Look Around's coverage is pretty limited at the moment, MacRumors previously reported finding clues in Apple Maps suggesting that the company is working on expanding its availability. Apple apparently has plans to add smaller cities and rural areas to the Look Around network, as well as to add more countries, such as Egypt, China and Mexico. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-maps-look-around-is-now-available-on-the-web-035431088.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 05:30 A new hard drive based on the long-promised heat-assisted magnetic recording technology is almost here. Tom’s Hardware reported that a new sales page popped up on the Seagate website announcing a new Exos M 30TM and 32TB hard disk drive featuring 3TB per platter with three times the power efficiency per terabyte compared to other hard drives. The new hard drive is based on Seagate’s new Mozaic 3+ platform and is its first HDD to use HAMR. HAMR refers to a magnetic storage process in which localized heat is applied to the disk material during writing, which allows for smaller regions and more space per platter. These and other breakthroughs could someday pave the way to a 50TB HDD. Here’s a video from our Upscaled series that breaks down the entire process and what it means for the future of HDD storage. There’s no official release date yet for the Exos M. You can stay up to date by email of its pending release on Seagate’s product page.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/seagate-teases-its-first-hamr-based-hard-drive-001519503.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 05:30 Wizards of the Coast is shutting down the online servers for Dungeons Dragons: Dark Alliance early next year. According to the updated store listings, the game will no longer be available for purchase and its servers will go down for good on February 24, 2025. "The base game and all DLC are still available to play in offline single player by anyone who currently owns it," the notice from the company adds. Dark Alliance launched in 2021 with a single-player mode and an option for up to four-player co-op. It marked the first time WotC had published a video game from the hugely popular D&D universe. The project was meant to follow in the lineage of the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance games that were released in the 2000s, but the title made by Tuque Games didn't receive the same high praise as those predecessors. For some context, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance has an 87 score on Metacritic and Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 has a 78. Dungeons Dragons: Dark Alliance sits down at a decidedly middling 53. At least Larian Studios' excellent Baldur's Gate 3 is still thriving and getting new patches for your D&D-inspired video game needs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/dungeons--dragons-dark-alliance-servers-will-shut-down-in-february-233454799.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 00:10 Grubhub has agreed to pay $25 million to settle charges from the Federal Trade Commission and the Illinois Attorney General. The company was accused of a laundry list of sketchy behavior, including misleading customers about delivery charges, deceiving delivery drivers about income and listing restaurants on the platform without consent. Last month, the food delivery startup Wonder bought Grubhub for one-tenth of what it was worth during the pandemic. Under the proposed settlement, Grubhub has to make changes to remedy the problems. The requirements read like a “stop doing that” list, one per charge. This includes notifying customers of full delivery costs, being honest with drivers about pay and listing restaurants only with their consent. The FTC says Grubhub, to appear more robust than it was, added as many as 325,000 unaffiliated restaurants to the platform without permission since at least 2019. Customers ordering from those businesses discovered added fees and “numerous ordering problems.” Meanwhile, the agency says the restaurants “bore the brunt of diners’ ire,” leading to damaged reputations and lost money. The company also allegedly added junk fees after advertising to customers that they’d pay a low-cost, flat rate for deliveries. The FTC says Grubhub labeled them “service fees” or “small order fees,” but they were simply delivery fees under another name. The agency quotes a former Grubhub executive as calling it a “pricing shell game.” The FTC also accused the company of blocking customers’ accounts with large gift card balances, leaving them no way to regain access. The agency said diners who complained to the company either weren’t told their accounts were blocked or weren’t given any meaningful way to contest the ban. The false pay allegations include advertising that Grubhub drivers could make up to $40 hourly in the New York area. In reality, the median driver pay in that area was around $10 hourly — and only 0.1 percent of drivers are said to have made the advertised rate. And in Chicago, an ad promised earnings of up to $26 hourly when the median was $11. Grubhub denies the allegations but says it settled to put the matter behind it. “At Grubhub, we’re committed to transparency so that every single day diners, restaurants and drivers can make well-informed choices to do business with us,” the company wrote in a statement. “While we categorically deny the allegations made by the FTC, many of which are wrong, misleading or no longer applicable to our business, we believe settling this matter is in the best interest of Grubhub and allows us to move forward.” “Our investigation found that Grubhub tricked its customers, deceived its drivers, and unfairly damaged the reputation and revenues of restaurants that did not partner with Grubhub — all in order to drive scale and accelerate growth,” FTC Chair Lina M. Khan wrote in a statement. “Today’s action holds Grubhub to account, putting an end to these illegal practices and securing nearly $25 million for the people cheated by Grubhub’s tactics. There is no ‘gig platform’ exemption to the laws on the books.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/grubhub-settles-with-the-ftc-over-adding-restaurants-without-their-consent-221006330.html?src=rss

18.12.2024 00:10 Threads is previewing yet another significant new feature before the end of the year. The app will “soon” begin testing the ability for users to schedule posts ahead of time, according to an update from Meta exec Adam Mosseri. Mosseri shared a screenshot of the upcoming feature, which shows a simple tool to set a date and time for a post to go live in Threads’ post editor. Interestingly, Mosseri said that users will only be able to schedule new posts, not replies to existing posts because the company wants to continue to prioritize “real-time conversation.” Though he didn't give any indication of when the tool may roll out more broadly, he said that the feature had been in the works “for months,” so it’s likely Meta plans on releasing it more widely at some point. The ability to schedule posts will be particularly useful for brands, creators and others who use the service to manage professional accounts. Though there are already third-party tools that enable post scheduling, many require a paid subscription. Post scheduling is the latest sign that Meta is looking to add more features geared toward brands, businesses and other social media professionals to the 300 million-user app. The service also began testing post analytics earlier this month. Both features could come in handy when Meta decides to flip the switch on advertising for the platform — a change rumored to be coming next month.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-is-working-on-scheduled-posts-215537909.html?src=rss