The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has started a probe into Chinas semiconductor industry, looking for anti-competitive trade practices. According to a White House statement, the USTR is looking into China for acts, policies and practices that reduced or eliminated competition in the marketplace for semiconductors.
The probe is being conducted through Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974 to examine trade practices for foundational semiconductors that are used by the automotive, healthcare, infrastructure, aerospace and defense industries. The White House accused China on Monday of routinely engaging in non-market policies and practices, as well as industrial targeting, of the semiconductor industry that caused significant harm to its competition and created dangerous supply chain dependencies, according to the statement.
If action is taken as a result of the investigation, Section 301 allows the USTR to impose duties or other import restrictions, withdraw or suspend trade agreement concessions or enter into an agreement with China to either eliminate the conduct in questionor compensate the US with satisfactory trade benefits, according to the US Trade Act. Those decisions, however, will be left to President Trumps administration and incoming USTR Jamieson Greer.
A spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of Commerce said in a statement that China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the US investigation. The nation would also take all necessary measures to resolutely defend its rights and interests, according to the New York Times.
Tensions between the US and China are already high. President Biden launched an investigation in February into China and other unnamed countries over possible vulnerabilities and threats from connected vehicles. Then in May, the White House announced a significant increase in tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese imports including semiconductors.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/white-house-calls-for-investigation-into-chinas-alleged-anti-competitive-semiconductor-industry-184030356.html?src=rss
If you've found your TV to be too slow to stream its built-in apps, here's a decent deal that can help fix things on the cheap: The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is once again on sale for $29. This offer has been available for much of the holiday season, and it's not an all-time low the dongle previously fell to $25 toward the end of 2023 but it does match the largest discount we've tracked this year. For reference, Roku normally sells the device for $50, though in recent months it's often retailed for $34 at third-party retailers like Amazon. Either way, you're saving a bit more than usual.
The discount is available at several stores, including Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and Roku.com. If you're hoping to grab the device as a Christmas gift, that'll be more of a hassle: Most listings we could find say that it won't ship until after the holidays, so you'll likely have to order with in-store pickup at Walmart, Best Buy or another retailer with physical locations.
We recommend the Streaming Stick 4K in our guide to the best streaming devices. It's not as fast or fluid as a premium set-top box like the Apple TV 4K, but it's still quick to load up apps and menus, and its tiny design plugs directly into your TV's HDMI port. It supports just about all of the major HDR formats and streaming services (Twitch aside), plus it works with Apple's AirPlay 2 protocol, so you can beam content to it from an iPhone. While it can't decode Dolby Atmos audio on its own, it can pass that audio through to a compatible sound system from apps that support the tech.
Like other Roku devices, the Streaming Stick 4K is dead-simple to navigate, with a home screen made up from a basic grid of apps. Google's TV Streamer (the top pick in our guide) is much more proactive about recommending content you might like and getting you back to shows you've watched recently, but you might find Roku's interface easier to take in if you don't mind surfing for things to watch yourself.
The UI makes a host of free content easily accessible as well, and we found searching to work fine, even if it's not quite as robust as Google's OS. We also like Roku's mobile app, which lets you control the device and listen in privately with a pair of headphones. As with every other streaming player, there are ads scattered throughout the UI, though Roku is at least a little less aggressive about them than Amazon is with its Fire TV devices.
A few other Roku devices are still available for their Black Friday prices as well, including the Roku Express 4K+ (which lacks Dolby Vision HDR) for $24 and the Roku Ultra (which has a larger box design, full Atmos support and a more advanced remote) for $79. For most people looking to visit Roku City, though, the Streaming Stick 4K should be the best value.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-roku-streaming-stick-4k-is-back-on-sale-for-29-175310234.html?src=rss
A group of talented fans have made a native PC port of Star Fox 64, which they are calling Starship. Even better? Its technically legal. Harbour Masters, the team behind the project, used a tool that converts the original game ROM into PC executable code, so it doesnt actually use any proprietary Nintendo code.
This is the same method used to create the native PC port of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and that ones still available for download. Members of this crew also ported Majoras Mask and Super Mario 64 using the same conversion tool. There is one major caveat here. Youll need your own legally-sourced Star Fox 64 game ROM to play.
Star Fox 64: now on PC, thanks to an unofficial port.https://t.co/YZULlJdrqw pic.twitter.com/q684NpU49p Andy Robinson (@Andy_VGC) December 23, 2024
Just like previous ports, Starship features all kinds of modern bells and whistles to set itself apart from the 1997 original. The frame rate is higher and the port includes frame smoothing technology for better visuals. There are custom-made textures and the ability to run on widescreen monitors, as seen above.
Theres also another major benefit. This port is moddable, so who knows what well see in the future once people get their hands on it. The teams Ocarina of Time port has received plenty of love from the modding community. Some mods allow for abilities sourced from newer Zelda games and one even throws functioning Pikmin into the mix because, well, why not?
According to Redditors, the Star Fox 64 port is easy to get going on a Steam Deck, if thats your bag. It requires Proton and some light hurdle-jumping, as the code isnt Linux-based. Its been a while since weve gotten a legitimate Star Fox game from Nintendo, and it was a weird one, so this could sate that neverending urge to do barrel rolls.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/fans-made-a-native-star-fox-64-pc-port-with-some-modern-flourishes-174612229.html?src=rss
It looks like Meta is preparing to add displays to its popular line of Ray-Ban smart glasses, according to a report by Financial Times. These screens could show up in a future iteration of the device as early as next year. The likely release window is the second half of 2025.
According to folks familiar with Metas plans, the screens will be on the smaller side and will likely be used to display notifications or responses from Metas AI virtual assistant. Its highly unlikely that the company is planning on making this a full mixed-reality device just yet.
For that, Meta has the recently-unveiled Orion AR glasses, which are still several years out. The same report indicates that the positive response to the Orion glasses has likely accelerated development and possibly ensured a commercial release. It was uncertain if those glasses would remain an in-house prototype.
The Ray-Ban smart glasses have been a surprise hit for Meta, and its easy to see why. They look great and perform admirably. The current model includes in-ear speakers, cameras, microphones and access to Metas virtual assistant.
I quite enjoy the simplicity of the current design, particularly when taking photos and videos. My hope is that screens do not get in the way of that simplicity and that they dont come at the expense of, say, improvements to the camera system.
Ray-Ban Meta glasses, after all, are the perfect device for snapping quick photos of a pet. Have you ever tried to will an animal to keep still so you can dig your phone out of a bag to take a photo? Those darned cuties never do. The Ray-Bans solve that problem.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-is-reportedly-adding-displays-to-its-ray-ban-smart-glasses-162634427.html?src=rss
Honda and Nissan have officially confirmed rumors that they're pursuing a merger, the companies wrote in a joint press release. Each would continue to operate under its own brand, but with a new joint holding company as parent. If Nissan-controlled Mitsubishi also came on board, the combined group would become the world's third largest automaker by sales volume and have a net worth of up to $50 billion.
"Today marks a pivotal moment as we begin discussions on business integration that has the potential to shape our future," said Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida.
Integration talks are still preliminary, but the companies are pressing forward. "We are still at the stage of starting our review and we have not decided on a business integration yet," said Honda director Toshihiro Mibe. However, he added that the companies aim "to find a direction for the possibility of business integration by the end of January 2025." After that, they hope to have a "definitive agreement" concerning business integration by June 2025. Approval must come from each company's shareholders and is subject to Nissan executing a turnaround.
Nissan and Honda previously announced plans to work together on EV components and software development, but the joint company would be far more integrated. According to the press release, the plan includes: standardizing vehicle platforms; unifying research and development teams; and optimizing manufacturing systems and facilities. All of that is usually designed to cut costs, so it could spell significant layoffs in Japan and elsewhere.
Nissan's Titan pickup lineupNissan
Though the two companies sell comparable vehicles like Nissan's Rogue and the Honda CR-V, some synergy seems possible. Nissan sells large pickup trucks and SUVs in the US that Honda doesn't offer and also has more experience in EVs and plug-in electric vehicles. On the other side, Honda has relatively stable financials while Nissan has been struggling in the market, particularly at home.
Of course, Nissan is already in the Renault-Nissan-Misubishi Alliance. Nissan and Renault hold a 15 percent voting stake in the other, and all three sold a combined 10.6 million vehicles worldwide in 2017, more than any other light vehicle manufacturer at the time. The Alliance is also one of the largest EV makers in the world, with over 1 million units sold since 2009. If Nissan and Honda merged, it's not clear what would become of the Alliance. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/nissan-and-honda-officially-announce-plans-to-merge-143834962.html?src=rss
Infinity Nikki is my favorite new release of 2024. It's a cotton candy confection of an open-world game that offers a lot more depth and variety than I expected to find. I enjoy the fabulous wardrobe, the low-key puzzles and the charming side quests. But the most surprising thing about Infinity Nikki was something that I've been ignoring in games for years: the photo mode.
I didn't expect this to become a highlight of the Infinity Nikki experience. In fact, when it came up in the long sequence of tutorials during my first session, my initial reaction was, "Oh good, something I can forget about."
Anna Washenko / Infold Games
Photo mode has become a standard feature in single-player AAA games over the past decade. For those unfamiliar, this feature pauses the gameplay to let you pose your protagonist like an action figure, making them mug with a silly expression or hold up a peace sign. You can slap on a filter or make minute adjustments to the focus, aperture and other details to capture a striking image.
Over the years, I've seen people capture Nathan Drake, Ellie and Joel, Aloy and many others striking heroic or hilarious poses. I appreciate those images when they cross my social feeds. And as game graphics become ever more photo-realistic, it makes sense that studios want to give players tools to capture beautiful moments when they happen. But every time I've played a game with a photo mode, I've found that after I take the one picture required by the tutorial, I never open the camera again.
Anna Washenko / Infold Games
My issue isn't that these games aren't gorgeous enough to warrant documenting. It's that when I'm in the middle of playing something like The Last of Us, it doesn't occur to me to stop for a snap because I'm so focused on the other gameplay mechanics and goals. Sure, there might be some calmer moments to breathe, but running for your life in a post-apocalyptic wasteland just isn't a time for casually browsing filters. And in other games, taking pics simply doesn't feel like an activity the character would do. Come on, there's no way Kratos would ever take a selfie.
Like all its predecessors, Infinity Nikki is a beautiful game. Miraland comprises picturesque towns and charming landscapes, equally lovely in their sweeping vistas and hidden nooks. Everywhere you look are tons of carefully constructed little interactions that serve no purpose other than encouraging you to stage a cute image. You press a button to take a hot air balloon ride or to blow bubbles at a cafe table. It's a step up from most implementations, where the most you might be able to do is sit on a chair or bench.
Anna Washenko / Infold Games
What fully hooked me on becoming a shutterbug, though, is a system where players are prompted to take pictures of notable locations around Miraland. The first time I found one, it was a lush green grotto where I directed Nikki to sit on a log by an underground lake. It was a pretty spot, sure, but what most delighted me was that my outfit matched the setting perfectly. So I didn't just grab a photo and move on to a more important task. Taking the time to look great is the most important task.
There's no single style point of view in Infinity Nikki. A few special ensembles offer contextual in-game abilities, but most pieces are there just so you can look exactly how you want. Nikki can be an absurd anime character from fantasy land in tulle and sparkles. Or she can look exactly like someone you might see streaming the game on Twitch or TikTok in an oversized hoodie. Or she can pair a top hat with jean shorts and thigh-high knit boots if you want. (And yes, I did want.)
Anna Washenko / Infold Games
This game knows you're there at least partly to play dress-up. It also knows that the obvious thing to do when you play dress-up is to immortalize your best fits with a photo shoot. That's why Infinity Nikki's photo mode feels not just enjoyable, but essential. It's a core part of the game loop. When I assemble a new outfit, I want to find a good setting to snap a pic. When I stumble on a striking location, I think about which poses will best showcase it.
Most of the time, cameras and photo modes do little to enhance my love of a game. They're the metaphorical cherry on top of the sundae. With Infinity Nikki, though, the photo mode is the ice cream. And it is delicious.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/in-infinity-nikki-photo-mode-achieves-its-ultimate-form-133033817.html?src=rss
Elon Musk's X has hiked prices for its ad-free Premium+ subscription service to $22 a month, up from $16 before ($168 to $229 annually), TechCrunch reported. That represents a 37.5 percent increase, the largest since Elon Musk purchased the platform previously known as Twitter back in 2022.
One stated reason for the hike is that Premium+ is now "completely ads-free," with X claiming that it's a "significant enhancement" to the previous ad-free experience. It also promised a few other features. "Premium+ subscribers will enjoy higher priority support from @Premium, access to new features such as [X's advanced search tool] Radar, and higher limits on our most cutting-edge Grok AI models," the company wrote in a help page article. X also promised that more subscription revenue would be shared with creators.
Premium+ prices are also rising by a similar amount in Europe, the UK, Canada and Australia. Existing users on monthly subscriptions will keep their current rates until January 20th, and price for other tiers (Basic and Premium) remain unchanged.
X first introduced the Premium+ subscription tier in October 2023, promising an ad-free experience your "for you" and following timelines, along with existing Premium perks like a blue checkmark. However, users quickly noticed that ads appeared elsewhere on X (profiles, replies, Explore and elsewhere). A further update in August 2024 promised to eliminate those too, but X said that users would still see "occasional branded content in less common areas." Now, it seems, those will be vanquished too.
X has reportedly lost 2.7 million active users in the last two months, with rival Bluesky gaining nearly the same number over that period. That has likely led to some loss in advertising revenue, which the platform may be hoping to recoup by raising subscription prices. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-hikes-ad-free-premium-subscription-price-from-16-to-22-133016526.html?src=rss
Around the world, government organizations are calling out Google for monopolistic practices. The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) will reportedly announce Google is in violation of the country's antitrust laws in regards to its search engine, Chrome, and issue a cease and desist letter, Nikkei Asia reported. The watchdog started an investigation into Google's practices last October.
The JFTC reportedly accuses Google of requiring smartphone manufacturers to sign a contract stating Chrome will be not only pre-downloaded on all devices, but that it will be placed in a certain spot on the screen. The manufacturers are allegedly forced to do this in order to have the Google Play available on their devices.
In the US, federal judge Amit Mehta ruled in November that Google "is a monopolist" in the search engine industry. The Department of Justice (DoJ) then called for Google to sell Chrome as it "will permanently stop Googles control of this critical search access point and allow rival search engines the ability to access the browser that for many users is a gateway to the internet." The DoJ also called for Google to cease favoring Chrome on Android. Google recently released a proposal to appease the DoJ, but stated it will appeal the judge's ruling before a hearing scheduled for April. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-could-be-accused-of-antitrust-practices-in-japan-130039793.html?src=rss
Apple is working on the next generation of AirPods Pro, and they may have some new health features, according to Bloombergs Mark Gurman although its a rumor we heard before, back in 2021.
The company has reportedly started testing features like temperature sensing and heart rate monitoring for the earbuds. Apple has found that the Apple Watch still does the latter better, but the AirPods arent terribly far off in their readings.
The company may have also revived its idea of putting cameras into AirPods, a rumor weve heard a few times over the last year. But itll still probably be years before any camera-equipped AirPods appear.
Mat Smith
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Intel Arc B580 review
The new king of $250 GPUs (for now).
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Intels Arc B580 is a rarity: A $250 GPU that delivers solid 1080p and 1440p gaming, even with a bit of ray tracing. Faster than a Radeon 7600 and RTX 4060 from the dominant GPU players, and Intels XeSS upscaling works well, even if its not as well supported as DLSS 3. According to our review, its a clear win for Intel until we see whats new from AMD.
Continue reading.
James Bond (the movie franchise, not the spy) may be in deep jeopardy.
The Broccoli family is not happy with Amazon.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Amazon and Barbara Broccoli, the producer who inherited the franchise from her father and film producer Albert Cubby Broccoli, are in the middle of a fight thats halted production on the next Bond film. Apparently, Barbara doesnt trust Amazon with her familys famous film franchise.
Broccoli was quoted telling some of her friends that the people who run Amazons media empire are fing idiots. When Amazon purchased MGM, executives started thinking of ways to expand the Bond film franchise to other mediums like a Moneypenny spinoff series for Prime Video or a separate spy film or TV show in the Bond universe. Broccoli refused to let any of these projects go forward. She also took umbrage with Amazon entertainment executive Jennifer Salkes use of the word content to describe new James Bond projects. (I love that.)
Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121512095.html?src=rss
The shipping deadlines have passed and time has (almost) run out for us procrastinators to get gifts for our friends and family. But fear not: its never been easier to send a gift to someone, including an e-gift card to a store or for a service you know they use. If youre looking for more creative digital gift ideas, weve got you covered. But for those hard-to-shop-for folks in your life, a gift card could do the trick. These are the gift cards that are the most helpful to send as last-minute gifts this year.
Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-gifts-cards-to-give-this-holiday-season-including-best-buy-apple-amazon-and-others-110032725.html?src=rss
