WSJ: Justice Department 'preparing' Google antitrust investigation

Late Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported, based on it anonymous sources, that the Department of Justice is preparing an antitrust probe of Google. The company has faced several similar investigations from EU officials, as well as investigations in the US from the FTC -- that concluded in a settlement where the company promised to change its policies -- but this may be the first time the DoJ takes the lead. There aren't many details about what may be scrutinized, beyond search and other businesses.

What's particularly notable now, however is that it comes amid growing calls from politicians and others to break up big tech companies. We don't know if that could be on the table for giants like Google and Facebook (which is still in the middle of its own negotiations with the FTC), but this is only the beginning.

Source: Wall Street Journal

via engadget.com

Paul Allen's Stratolaunch is reportedly shutting down

Paul Allen's space company, Stratolaunch Systems Corporation, is reportedly closing down its operations. According to Reuters, the company is shutting up shop, but it's also exploring the possibility of selling its assets and intellectual property. A spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied the report, telling Engadget that "Stratolaunch remains operational" and that it "will provide an update when there is news to share."

Stratolaunch was founded by Paul Allen in 2011 in an effort to develop an air launch to orbit system. It started showing signs of trouble in January this year, a few months after Allen passed away, when it announced that it was scaling back its operations. The company decided not to push through with its plans to create a new type of rocket engine and a family of launch vehicles, including a space plane. In a statement, it said it chose to focus on developing the world's largest aircraft and to work on its demo launch for the Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket. Around 50 employees were reportedly laid off as part of that decision, leaving only 20 people to continue working on the plane.

Despite the setback, Stratolaunch was still able to fly the world's largest aircraft for the first time in April. The massive plane, which has a 385-foot wingspan, was designed to ferry rockets to an altitude of 35,000 feet before dropping them mid-air so they can make their way to space. If it's true that Stratolaunch is saying farewell and that it's looking to sell its IPs, then we might still see the aircraft dropping rockets under a different banner in the future.

Source: Reuters

via engadget.com

Save 60% on this charging dock for your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods

Wireless charging has been around since the late 19th century (shoutout to Nikola Tesla!), but it's only until recently that the biggest tech companies hopped on the bandwagon and started integrating the technology into their products.

Now, almost every phone and tablet are capable of charging without cords, essentially signaling an imminent wireless revolution. Before you know it, the world will be free of pesky wires that always turn into cable spaghetti.

You can take advantage of the convenience wireless charging brings by using a power hub like the AirBase 3-in-1 fast charging dock, which is capable of refueling three Qi-enabled devices all at once. You can pick it up on sale for 66% off. Read more...

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Future-proof your career in tech with this comprehensive training bundle

The thing about working in tech is you have to actively keep expanding your skill set and knowledge base to be competitive. With the way in which technology is evolving, remaining stagnant will only cost you bigger and more lucrative career opportunities.

To keep up with the fast-paced industry, you need to constantly learn something new. But that doesn't mean you have to splurge on expensive university courses just to stay ahead of the curve.

The Future-Proof Tech Skills Mastery Bundle will help keep you up to date on what you need to know and give you in-depth knowledge on web development, database management, DevOps, cloud management, and more. Read more...

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'Kids' is a mesmerizing iOS art game about the human collective

Who are we, when we're together? 

Oddly we're more comfortable facing the question of who we are as individuals — we're more afraid to reckon with how the collective defines most of who we are or how we act.

But the short hand-drawn game Kids — recently released by Michael Frei and Mario von Rickenbach, the award-winning German duo known for Plug & Play — immerses you in the nature of group dynamics. That doesn't even begin to cover the scope of what Kids captures, though. With a minimalist yet celestial aesthetic, the 15-30 minutes it takes to play feel like a free fall through universal human experiences. Read more...

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Meizu 16Xs will make you question $1,000 flagships

Chinese phone maker Meizu has a new phone out, and it's one of those devices that makes you wonder whether you've overpaid for your current phone. 

The Meizu 16Xs got a 6.2-inch, notchless AMOLED screen with an in-display fingerprint sensor and reasonably sized, symmetrical bezels on top and bottom. On the back, there's a triple, 48/8/5-megapixel camera. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 chip and has a beefy, 4,000mAh battery. 

Most importantly, it all costs just $245 for the 6GB/64GB variant, and $289 for the 6GB/128GB variant. 

SEE ALSO: TikTok owner reportedly planning its own smartphone Read more...

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Gigabyte's next-gen SSD shows the incredible potential of PCIe 4.0

When AMD launched its third-gen Zen 2-based Ryzen processors, it also introduced the next generation PCIe 4.0 controllers. Now, Gigabyte has launched one of the first PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs that shows the incredible speed potential of the new tech. The AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD can hit up to 5,000MB/s read speeds and 4,400 MB/s write performance. That's about 56 percent faster read and over double the write speeds of Samsung's 970 EVO, currently one of the fastest NVMe SSDs on the market.

Gigabyte isn't the only company to launch a PCI 4.0 SSD, as Corsair also unveiled the MP600 NVMe SSD with very similar performance. Both products use the Phison PS5016-E16 controller and 3D TLC (triple-level cell) NAND flash memory chips (from Toshiba, in the case of the AORUS).

The AURUS NVMe Gen4 SSD has a full body copper heat spreader, indicating that things might get pretty hot when it hits those top speeds. Gigabyte claims that the heatsink reduces temperatures by about 14 percent.

The drive will come in 1TB and 2TB sizes and the only way to get the most out of it, for now, will be to buy Gigabyte's X570 motherboard and one of the new Ryzen processors. Everything, including the AORUS SSD, motherboard and Ryzen chips will arrive sometime in July. There's no price, but given that this is a bleeding edge product, expect to be one of the more expensive NVMe SSDs available.

Via: Hot Hardware

Source: Gigabyte

via engadget.com

Maine passes bill requiring ISPs to ask permission before selling data

The current federal government might not be keen on privacy rules for internet providers, but Maine certainly is. The state's Senate has passed a bill that requires consent before ISPs can sell or offer access to their customers' private data, paralleling an earlier approval in the state House. It just needs Governor Mills' approval to become law.

On top of the data transfer restrictions, the measure bars ISPs from using a lack of consent as an excuse to charge users extra or deny them service. There are exceptions for either selling the ISP's own products or honoring a court order.

The bill echoes similar efforts in places like Seattle, and effectively restores key protections enacted by the FCC in 2016 and overturned by Congress in 2017. It's not clear if this will affect ISPs' strategies on a national level, but it could serve as a reference for other states that want to enact their own data privacy laws.

Source: ACLU

via engadget.com

Tesla opens Model 3 orders in Australia, Japan and a few other places

Tesla is finally accepting Model 3 orders from buyers in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Ireland and Macau. It's been a long wait for some of those locations: In Australia, for instance, reservations opened as far back as three years ago when Model 3 was first launched.

We *do not* want to alarm anyone, but Model 3 is now available to order in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Ireland and Macau at https://t.co/8uVlhvzpu5.

You know what to do: https://t.co/8rUJ8umwU4

— Tesla (@Tesla) May 31, 2019

Prices and variant availability vary per region, like usual. Interested buyers will have to check out the Model 3 design portal to see what their options are. Deliveries for Ireland will begin as soon as July, while orders in Australia and New Zealand will follow in August. The Tesla website is a bit more vague when it comes to the timeline for Hong Kong, Macau and Japan orders, only noting that it will start deliveries in those regions sometime in the third quarter.

In addition to announcing the vehicle's expanded availability, Tesla has also revealed the prices for its China-made Model 3 vehicles. Prices for the EVs begin at $47,529, which costs a bit more than the most basic build in the US but is around 13 percent less than what a buyer would pay for an import. The company has started taking pre-orders for the China-made version of the vehicle today for a downpayment of $3,000. Buyers can expect to get their vehicles in six to 10 months' time.

Source: Tesla (Twitter)

via engadget.com

Amazon is reportedly interested in buying Boost Mobile

If helping to create a competitor is a necessary condition to get the Sprint/T-Mobile deal done, then perhaps Amazon can help. A report from Reuters suggests the retailer is interested in buying Boost Mobile from the combo, particularly because it would come with the ability to use T-Mobile's network for six years. The unnamed sources also claimed the company could be interested in spectrum the newly-merged pair would have to divest.

Amazon has tried to get into the mobile business before -- remember the Fire Phone? -- and it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see it add wireless to the suite of services it offers. Yesterday's report pointed to the possibility of a cable company trying to rise up as the fourth major mobile operator, but if Amazon can pass regulatory scrutiny, maybe Prime will cover one more thing pretty soon.

Source: Reuters

via engadget.com

Netflix buys 'Power of the Dog' Western starring Moss, Cumberbatch

Netflix has bought global rights to The Power of the Dog, a feature film directed by Jane Campion (The Piano, The Portrait of a Lady) and starring Elisabeth Moss and Benedict Cumberbatch. The streaming giant plans to release the film in 2021, both on the platform and in theatres, making it eligible for Oscars consideration.

Based on the 1967 novel by Thomas Savage, The Power of the Dog is the story of two wealthy brothers who own the biggest ranch in Montana. The siblings are polar opposites; Phil, portrayed by Cumberbatch, is brilliant but cruel and George is gentle and fastidious. When George unexpectedly marries a young widow (played by Moss), Phil starts a relentless campaign to destroy her.

The film is being produced by See-Saw Films and Big Shell Films/Max Films Production, in association with Brightstar and BBC Films. It's expected to go into pre-production at the end of the year. Campion, who adapted the book for the screen, said she couldn't get the story out of her head. "The Power of the Dog is a sublime novel that deserves a life on the big screen. I couldn't stop thinking about the story, it really haunted me. The themes of masculinity, nostalgia and betrayal are an intoxicating mix," said Campion to Variety.

Source: Variety

via engadget.com

Cadillac reveals performance sedans with hands-free SuperCruise

Over 15 years ago Cadillac unveiled the V-Series. A luxury Caddy with an engine and handling meant to compete with BMW's M-Series and Mercedes' AMG lineup. Now the automaker is expanding the performance brand beyond the CT6, CTS and ATS line with the new CT4-V and CT5-V.

But instead of just putting turbo-charged engines and stiffening the suspension in the new cars and calling it a day, Cadillac also made available its impressive drivers' assistant tech, SuperCruise. While the automaker has been slow to expand the tech beyond the CT6, it now seems determined to make sure it's in a wider range of vehicles. It's already announced it'll be available in the regular CT5.

The technology is great, but when you're not stuck in traffic or on a long boring stretch of highway, the CT5-V and CT4-V are fitted with drivetrains worthy of the V-Series pedigree and 50/50 weight distribution for optimized handling.

The 2020 CT5-V ships with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that pumps out 355 horsepower and 400 pounds of torque. The slightly smaller 2020 CT4-V will have a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that outputs 320 horsepower and 369 pounds of torque.

Both will be fitted with a 10-speed automatic transmission and Magnetic ride control to give the vehicles a Cadillac-level of comfort while still delivering tight handling. The vehicles will be available in rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and they'll have the new V-Mode feature that allows the driver to fine-tune the driving experience to their liking.

While we don't have any information on pricing or how much of a premium the SuperCruise option will cost, we do know that the new V-Series sedans will be available in 2020.

via engadget.com

Uber's first post-IPO earnings report shows another $1 billion lost

Uber's first earnings report as a public company shows that while its revenue is higher than last year; the company is still hemorrhaging money. Still, there's no doubt that the company is getting bigger. The company earned $3.1 billion in revenue for the first quarter of 2019, a 20 percent increase from the same period last year. But its losses were considerable; the company reported a net loss of $1.1 billion.

Uber Eats showed substantial growth in 2019, generating over $536 million in the first quarter and an 89 percent jump year-over-year. The growing popularity of Uber Eats is a mixed blessing for the company, which ends up paying restaurants and drivers more than it earns from users. As for Uber's ridesharing business, growth was more modest. Adjusted net revenue for rideshare grew 10 percent from this time last year.

The rideshare company saw growth in all regions of the world except for Latin America, where it took a 13 percent hit in revenue from last quarter. Uber is in nine countries in the region, including Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Colombia, and Costa Rica. The company is facing fierce competition from Chinese-owned Didi in Mexico and locally-owned 99Taxis in Brazil, as well as a number of other regional apps.

Source: Uber

via engadget.com

'Apex Legends' will keep players busy with daily and weekly challenges

Respawn has a straightforward way to keep its hordes of Apex Legends players coming back: it's borrowing a page from other battle royale shooters. The studio has teased Season 2 Battle Pass plans that will include daily and weekly challenges to speed up your progression. While there aren't specifics of what they'll entail, Respawn is trying to avoid "wacky" challenges that force you to play in odd ways. And don't panic if you have to skip Apex while on vacation -- you can finish earlier weekly challenges when you get back.

The second season should also "significantly" reduce the overall grind to get to Battle Pass level 100. You'll find more Legendary items throughout the reward path, enough crafting metal to make a Legendary item and new categories to replace badge and stat tracker rewards. There will be more carrots to keep you playing, in essence.

You'll hear more about the new season at EA's Play event on June 8th. In the meantime, there's a two-week Legendary Hunt event starting June 4th that will include an Elite queue for top five players, unique rewards, bonus experience points and skins available both in the store and through the Battle Pass. Respawn is going into the next phase of Apex having learned a lot from the first season, it seems -- it knows that many players want a steady string of perks.

Source: EA

via engadget.com

Google unveils new privacy rules for Chrome extensions and Drive

Google announced new rules that will restrict access to user data for third-party add-ons in Chrome and Drive. From now on, Chrome extension developers must request the least amount of user data their app requires to function. Apps that connect with Google Drive -- such as Pixlr and many popular document signing apps -- will be barred from accessing the entirety of the user's files. The changes are a result of Project Strobe, an audit Google launched in October to study how third-party services handle user data.

Notably, Google will require browser extensions that handle user-provided content and personal communications to post a privacy policy. In the past, Google only required a small number of Chrome plug-ins -- those that handle sensitive user data -- to actually post a privacy policy. While this rules change will add more apps to that list, it doesn't apply to all of the 180,000 options in the Chrome Web Store. Roughly 85 percent of Chrome extensions don't have a privacy policy listed, according to a recent survey of developers. Given that you can't violate a privacy policy without having a privacy policy, this relieves a great number of third-party Chrome developers of liability.

Google Drive apps are being asked to move to a "per-file" user consent model. In short, apps will have to ask for permission each time they need access to an individual file.

While the new privacy rules are promising, they'll take some time to go into effect. Google is making developers aware of the updated policy today, but the rules won't be enforced until this fall. For Google Drive developers, enforcement won't start until early next year.

Source: Google

via engadget.com

'Beyond Good and Evil 2' won't be at E3

The highly anticipated Beyond Good and Evil 2 won't be making an appearance at E3 this year, but fans will get more information about the game's status before the major gaming conference. Ubisoft announced today that it will be holding a livestream to provide an update on the game's development on June 5th at 12PM ET/9AM PT.

The livestream will be the fifth installment of what Ubisoft has dubbed the "Space Monkey Report," which the company has used to provide new information about Beyond Good and Evil 2. Details on the upcoming update are sparse. In the last update, which aired in December, the developers did a walkthrough of a pre-alpha demo of the game. Ubisoft seemed to suggest that there will be no new gameplay footage in the upcoming stream, saying it would share that "when the time is right."

Fans of the original Beyond Good and Evil have been waiting for the sequel for a decade and a half now. While it seemed like the game may never come, Ubisoft made the follow-up official in 2017. From what is known about the game so far, it has proved to be considerably more ambitious than just a continuation of the original story. Developers have ditched Jade, the main character from the first game, in favor of a character creator and are building out a detailed universe to explore.

Source: Ubisoft

via engadget.com

Eight kids just broke the 2019 National Spelling Bee

In an incredible finale, 2019 National Spelling Bee ended with not one but eight co-champions.

At the end of the 17th round, three hours into the Scripps-sponsored competition, longtime announcer Jacques Bailly made a startling declaration: All remaining spellers at end of the final's 20th round would be named a co-champion.

"We are now in uncharted territory. We do have plenty of words remaining on our list, but we'll soon run out of words that could possibly challenge you," Bailly said. "We're throwing the dictionary at you, and you’re showing the dictionary who’s boss."

It became a three-round playoff against the eight remaining spellers, who would each take home a $50,000 prize if they survived at the end of the final, which took place on Thursday. Read more...

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Pixar drops trailer for forthcoming suburban fantasy 'Onward'

After Toy Story 4, get set for Onward.

The trailer for Pixar's upcoming animated film, which debuted during the first game of the NBA Finals on Thursday, is a "suburban fantasy" which features the voices of Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Octavia Spencer.

Onward "introduces two teenage elf brothers who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there." 

It was first teased back in 2017 by director Dan Scanlon, who described the world of Onward as "a mix of the fantastic and the everyday." 

"There are mushroom houses that line the streets with satellite dishes sticking out the top of them and a minivan parked in front of each one," he added. "There are no humans... but there are unicorns everywhere. They’re basically rodents, possums eating all the trash out of your bins." Read more...

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Facebook shareholders try and fail to limit Mark Zuckerberg's power

Calls for Mark Zuckerberg's power to be reined in continue to grow louder – not that it matters. 

That much was clear during Facebook's annual shareholders meeting on Thursday, where Zuckerberg faced numerous calls for his power to be checked. On the agenda were four shareholder proposals that called for new checks on Zuckerberg's power: 

• A proposal calling for more shareholder a power

• A proposal calling for an independent board chair (not Zuck)

• A proposal which compared Zuckerberg's control of the company to a "dictatorship," for shareholder input in elections to the board of directors

• A proposal to explore "strategic alternatives," including breaking up Facebook into separate companies Read more...

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Ben & Jerry's wants to hop on the CBD bandwagon

Ben & Jerry's, known for creating gloriously chunky ice cream flavors and rarely backing down from taking a stance on social justice issues, wants to start selling CBD-infused ice cream.

The brand announced the upcoming flavor in an Instagram post on Thursday. Although it seems like a dumb marketing ploy following the recent influx of CBD products in recent months, the campaign seems to be more of a political move. 

"Currently, the FDA prohibits adding CBD to food and beverages," Ben & Jerry's said in a statement. "But change is on the horizon: They've set a public hearing on the legalization of CBD-infused foods and beverages for May 31, and we've submitted a comment to them in support of legalization." Read more...

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'Blood & Truth' is the best and worst of VR gaming in one package

Who doesn't love that badass blockbuster moment when our hero leaps off an exploding building, grabs the lip of a dangling freight container on the way down, and pulls himself to safety?

But... wait. Why is his hand seemingly holding on to thin air a few feet to the left of the freight container, and also twitching wildly? That's a real thing I wondered while I was playing Blood & Truth for PlayStation VR.

This is the blessing and the curse of virtual reality gaming in 2019. Strapping on a headset and whisking yourself directly into a virtual space is immensely thrilling. But this is still a very young technology, and the most popular hardware out there — like PSVR — isn't always up to the task of maintaining an effective VR illusion. Read more...

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