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North Korean animators may have helped create popular cartoons for Amazon Prime Video, Max and other streaming services. Researchers from the Washington-based 38 North project allegedly discovered a misconfigured cloud server on a North Korean IP address that contained thousands of animation files, as reported by Wired. US sanctions prohibit commercial activity with North Korean entities, due to human rights abuses and the advancement of its nuclear weapons program. The server included animation cells, videos and notes discussing the work, in addition to requested changes. Some images appear to be from the popular Prime Video superhero show Invincible and others from an upcoming Max childrens anime called Iyanu: Child of Wonder. The data, which was analyzed in part by the Google-owned security firm Mandiant, provides a glimpse into how North Korea likely skirts sanctions. The researchers were able to analyze incoming connections to the server and noted access from three Chinese cities, suggesting front companies of some kind. All three cities are known to have many North Koreanoperated businesses and are main centers for North Koreas IT workers who live overseas, the report indicates. Michael Barnhart, who works at Mandiant, said there was nothing in the research to indicate that Max, Amazon or any subsidiaries knew that the work was being handled by North Korean animators. It was likely subcontracted without their knowledge, as reported by Reuters. Barnhart has high confidence that the contracts were with Chinese companies who outsourced to animators who work on North Koreas behalf. In 2022, the FBI and the US Treasury issued an advisory to warn businesses about the risks of inadvertently hiring North Korean tech workers through this kind of outsourcing. A spokesperson for the US Treasury told Reuters that it has no comment on this particular allegation, but noted that North Korea's efforts to generate revenue for its weapons programs through abuses of the subcontracting system was an ongoing concern. To our fans: Skybound has been made aware of an unconfirmed report concerning a cloud storage server connected to a North Korean IP address. This server supposedly contains an Invincible animation sketch. Our official statement follows.We do not work with North Korean Skybound Entertainment (@Skybound) April 21, 2024 Amazon has directed inquiries to Skybound, the company behind Invincible. It says it has no knowledge of any North Korean entities working on its animation projects but has initiated an internal review to verify and rectify lingering issues. "We have also notified the proper authorities and are cooperating with all appropriate bodies," the Skybounds head of corporate communications Hannah Cosgrove said. Max has not responded to requests for comment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/some-amazon-and-max-cartoons-may-have-been-partially-animated-in-north-korea-160036603.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Anker's Soundcore Space A40 is the top recommendation in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, as it offers enjoyable sound and a meaty set of features for well under $100. If you're looking to buy a set on the cheap, take note: A new sale on Amazon has dropped the earbuds down to $49, which matches the lowest price we've seen. The earbuds technically have a list price of $100, but they've sold for $59 for most of 2024, so you're saving about $10 here. We last saw this discount about a month ago. In an amusing bug, Amazon's product page currently lists the earbuds as a "Gildan Unisex-adult Fleece Hoodie Sweatshirt." Why? We have no idea. The correct name appears when you add the pair to your cart, however, so this shouldn't be any cause for alarm. (Unless you really want a new hoodie.) The deal itself is sold by Anker directly and applies to the black model; the blue and white versions are also on sale for $1 more. We recommend the Space A40 because it has the kind of feature set we expect from much more expensive earbuds. Its adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) isn't quite on par with the absolute best from Sony or Bose particularly when it comes to voices and higher-pitched sounds but it's still superb for $50, and more than capable of muting the hum of an office or daily commute. The earpieces are small, comfortable and IPX4-rated, so they should hold up for all but the sweatiest gym-goers. Battery life comes in around eight hours per charge, with another 40 or so available through its case, which is easy to pocket and supports wireless charging. The pair can connect to two devices simultaneously, and there's a usable (if not superlative) transparency mode for letting in outside noise. The Space A40 has a warm sound profile out of the box, with a noticeable but not overwhelming boost in the upper-bass region. The highs are a bit underemphasized, so some tracks won't sound as crisply detailed as they might on more expensive pairs. But it should be pleasant for most, and Anker's companion app includes an EQ for tweaking the sound if needed. The main downsides here are the mediocre mic, which isn't the clearest for phone calls, and the lack of in-ear detection, which means the earbuds won't automatically pause when you take them out of your ears. If all of this sounds appealing but you'd prefer an AirPods-style shape with easy-to-grab "stems," Anker's Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is the runner up in our guide, and it's also on sale for $74.50. That's about $5 more than the pair's all-time low but $25 less than its usual going rate. This model sounds more bass-heavy by default, but it has just about all the same features, with slightly more extensive touch controls. 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/ankers-soundcore-space-a40-wireless-earbuds-are-back-down-to-49-right-now-150758191.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Grindr has been sued for allegedly sharing personal information with advertising companies without users' consent. A lawsuit filed in London claims that the data included HIV statuses and test dates, ethnicity and sexual orientation, Bloomberg reports. According to the class action-style suit, the alleged data sharing involved adtech companies Localytics and Apptimize. Grindr is said to have supplied the companies with user info before April 2018 and then between May 2018 and April 2020. Engadget has asked Grindr for comment. In April 2018, Grindr admitted it had shared HIV data with Apptimize and Localytics following an investigation by BuzzFeed News and Norwegian non-profit SINTEF. It said it would stop the practice. This isn't the only time Grindr has been accused of sharing users' personal information. A 2022 report from The Wall Street Journal indicated that precise location data on Grindr users was up for sale for at least three years. In addition, Norway's data protection agency fined Grindr $6 million in 2021 for violating the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation. The agency said Grindr had unlawfully shared "personal data with third parties for marketing purposes."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/grindr-sued-for-allegedly-sharing-users-hiv-status-and-other-info-with-ad-companies-141748725.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Embracer Group has been on a losing streak of late, having recently missed out on a $2 billion investment, laid off thousands of employees and sold one of its key properties, Gearbox, at fire-sale prices. Now, the company has announced plans to split into three separate, publicly listed entities, Bloomberg reported. The first is Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends, specializing in AAA games and and overseeing the Dead Island, Killing Floor, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Tomb Raider and The Lord of the Rings franchises. Studios under its purview include Crystal Dynamics, Dambuster Studios, Eidos-Montréal, Flying Wild Hog Studios, Tripwire, Vertigo Games, Warhorse Studios and 4A Games. This company will remain within the current listing as Embracer Group for now. The second is Asmodee, will handle the tabletop gaming segment of Embracer Group. Those titles include Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, Azul, CATAN, Dobble and Exploding Kittens. Finally, Coffee Stain & Friends is the company's indie-centric group, with properties including Deep Rock Galactic, Goat Simulator, Satisfactory, Wreckfest, Teardown and Valheim. "This move has been made with the intention to unleash the full potential of each team and provide them with their own leadership and strategic direction," said Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors. "This is the start of a new chapter, a chapter that I intend to remain part of as an active, committed, and supportive shareholder of all three new entities, with an evergreen horizon." Embracer Group went on an epic buying streak between 2019-2022 when borrowing was cheap, acquiring studios and entertainment groups including Crystal Dynamics, Gearbox Entertainment, Dark Horse Media, Middle-earth Enterprises and many, many others. Those came with gaming franchises including Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Borderlands and Saints Row. It was forced to restructure, though, when it lost out on a $2 billion partnership deal (reportedly with Savvy Games, funded by the Saudi government). It subsequently laid off 8 percent of its staff (as of February 2024), or nearly 1,400 employees. The company also sold off Borderlands developer Gearbox for $460 million, a fraction of the $1.3 billion it was valued at three years prior. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/embracer-group-is-splitting-up-its-messy-gaming-empire-into-three-different-companies-120006822.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
The US House of Representatives passed a bill on Saturday that could ban TikTok in the country or force its parent company to sell it. Under the revised version, ByteDance would have up to a year to divest, up from six months, originally. The bill now moves to the Senate, which could vote on it in just a matter of days maybe even this Tuesday. For that reason, Im keeping this intro short, because Ill probably be writing about this TikTok saga, all over again, later this week. Mat Smith The biggest stories you might have missed Biden signs bill to reauthorize FISAs warrantless surveillance program Engadget Podcast: PlayStation 5 Pro rumors and a look back at the Playdate Baldurs Gate 3 developer confirms it wont make the sequel Tesla makes its controversial Full Self-Driving software cheaper by $4,000 You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! Apples next innovation: The calculator? Its an app, apparently. Apples calculator for Macs is reportedly getting a massive update with macOS 15 to turn it into a note-taking, currency-converting hybrid app. To start with, AppleInsider said the calculator will get a design overhaul, which swaps its number boxes with round buttons. (Innovation!). There will also be a rich history feature to keep track of your calculations. Hopefully, you can still be juvenile and solve for 55378008. Continue reading. Tesla cuts Model Y, X and S prices in the US Its ending the referral program too. Another round of price cuts has shaved $2,000 off the starting prices of Teslas Model Y, Model X and Model S for buyers in the US. Teslas Model Y now starts at $42,990 for the rear-wheel drive base model, while the base Model S has dropped to $72,990 and the Model X starts at $77,990. The company will be hoping these subsequent price cuts will help with all that recent bad news. Its controversial full self-driving software update has had a discount too. Continue reading. The best Mario Kart racer, according to science Pareto principles and Princess Peach. Nintendo Data scientist Antoine Mayerowitz has tackled that age-old question: Who is the best character for Mario Kart? Objectively, the answer is a few different combinations. Mayerowitzs Pareto front analysis lets you narrow your possibilities down to the 14 most efficient. One of them, with the most ideal balance of speed, acceleration and mini-turbo, is Cat Peach driving the Teddy Buggy with roller tires and cloud glider. Yes, write that down. Or check out the projects website for other racer recommendations. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-house-votes-in-favor-of-bill-that-could-ban-tiktok-111547495.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
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