Apple Card users can soon sign up for a ‘high-yield’ savings account

Your Apple Card is now more of a full-fledged banking service. Apple has introduced a “high-yield” savings account from Goldman Sachs that will soon let you grow your funds. You can have your card’s Daily Cash automatically deposited if you like, but you can also transfer money from a linked bank account or your Apple Cash balance. You can withdraw at any time, and there are no fees, balance requirements or minimum deposit amounts.

The savings account will be available to Americans sometime in the “coming months,” Apple said. We’ve asked the company about the exact yield rate and will let you know if we hear back — needless to say, this could play a major role in your decision to sign up.

If this sounds somewhat familiar, it should. Goldman Sachs already offers a “Marcus” savings account that you can quickly open online and link to other banks. It’s built for mobile users with a dedicated app, touts a relatively high 2.15 percent annual yield and doesn’t carry any fees or minimum deposits. Apple’s offering mainly stands out through its daily reward deposits and, of course, tight integration with iPhones and other Apple products.

The Apple Card savings account isn’t quite the company’s answer to Google’s defunct Plex banking service, though. Where that was ultimately a bid to modernize banking for companies that didn’t have their own apps, Apple is providing a savings account dedicated to its cardholders. This is an incentive to use your card and stick to the Apple ecosystem.

Microsoft’s HoloLens headsets are giving US Army testers nausea

Microsoft’s HoloLens headsets for the US Army have some teething troubles. Bloomberg and Insider say a recent unclassified report reveals the current Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) iteration is creating problems for soldiers in tests. Some testers suffered nausea, headaches and eyestrain while using the augmented reality goggles. Others were concerned about bulk, a limited field of view and a display glow that could reveal a soldier’s position even at long distances.

A Microsoft worker talking to Insider claimed IVAS failed four out of six elements in one test. The Defense Department’s Operational Test and Evaluation Director, Nickolas Guertin, also said there were still too many failures for essential features. Soldier acceptance is still low, according to the report.

The tests are part of a “Soldier Touch Point” program that helps the Army collect real-world feedback and help Microsoft refine the customized HoloLens gear. Ideally, the headsets will provide crucial battlefield information and night vision to infantry.

The military appears to be aware of and addressing issues. In a statement to Insider, Brigadier General Christopher Schneider said IVAS was successful in “most” criteria, but that there were areas where it “fell short” and would receive improvements. Army assistant acquisition secretary Doug Bush cleared the acceptance of an initial batch of 5,000 HoloLens units in August, but that the armed forces branch was modifying its plans to “correct deficiencies.” Microsoft told Bloomberg it still saw IVAS as a “transformational platform” and was moving ahead with delivery for the initial headsets.

The findings don’t necessarily mean the existing IVAS design is deeply flawed. However, they add to a number of difficulties stemming from the 10-year, $21.9 billion contract to supply 120,000 devices. The project created an uproar at Microsoft, where employees objected to working on ‘weapons.’ The Army also delayed the rollout late last year to allow for more development time. It may take a while longer before the technology is ready for combat.

Lawsuit accuses Meta executives of taking bribes from OnlyFans

A lawsuit accusing Meta of conspiring with OnlyFans is now known to include some serious allegations against top executives. Thanks to an accidentally unredacted court document, Gizmodo has learned that adult entertainers accused Meta global affairs President Nick Clegg, VP Nicola Mendelsohn and European safety director Cristian Perrella of taking bribes to give OnlyFans an unfair advantage over rivals. To support the allegations, the plaintiffs shared anonymously supplied wire transfers that were supposedly sent to execs through an OnlyFans subsidiary. The authenticity of the transfers hasn’t been verified.

The adult stars maintain that OnlyFans sought to hinder competitors by placing content on a terrorist database, leading to a major drop in traffic. A lawsuit from FanCentro, an alternative to OnlyFans, made similar claims.

In a statement, a spokesperson told Engadget the bribery accusations were “baseless.” You can read the full response below. The Facebook and Instagram owner already filed a motion to dismiss the suit over a lack of plausibility, and argued that it can’t be held liable even if the plaintiffs succeed. Content decisions like these are protected by both First Amendment free speech rights and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, Meta said in its motion.

OnlyFans noted in a follow-up filing that it “inadvertently” left the Meta leaders’ names unredacted. It asked the court to delete the relevant document. This comes more than a little late, of course. While the lawsuit certainly isn’t guaranteed to survive close scrutiny, it’s now clear just how serious the allegations really are.

“As we make clear in our motion to dismiss, we deny these allegations as they lack facts, merit, or anything that would make them plausible. The allegations are baseless.”

The Polestar 3 electric SUV will start at $85,300 when it arrives in late 2023

Polestar has finally taken the wraps off its first electric SUV. The newly official Polestar 3 is now set to reach customers in the fourth quarter of 2023 with a starting price of $85,300 in the US. Pre-orders are available now. While that places the EV firmly in luxury territory, there will be a few advantages that could help it stand out.

To begin, the Polestar 3 will promise solid performance. The Volvo offshoot is touting an early estimate of 379 miles of range (using WLTP testing methods) thanks to the 111kWh battery pack. We’d expect a more modest EPA rating in the US, but that still suggests the vehicle could beat the 305 miles of Mercedes’ more expensive EQS SUV. Polestar also claims a 0-62MPH time of 5 seconds from the 483HP dual motor system (4.7 seconds and 510HP with the $6,000 Performance Pack), a 130MPH top speed and 250kW fast charging support.

More importantly, there’s plenty of technology on deck. The standard Polestar 3 comes with a host of cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors to offer safety features borrowed from Volvo, including interior radar to warn when children are still in the back seats. You can also order an as yet unpriced Pilot Pack with LiDAR that lays the groundwork for self-driving features.

You’ll find significantly more processing power inside, too. The 14.5-inch infotainment display will take advantage of a “next-generation” Snapdragon Cockpit Platform, and this is Polestar’s first model to use an NVIDIA Drive computer to power driver assist features. The Plus Pack and regular Pilot Pack will be included with this initial model year, bringing features like a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system (complete with Dolby Atmos), a heads-up display and driver aids for highways and parking.

Polestar 3 interior
Polestar

The Polestar 3 may not hit its stride until mid-2024, when the brand expects to start US production in South Carolina. However, it already signifies the start of a new chapter. Polestar has been a one-EV car company until now — there was no reason to bother if you wanted anything other than a Model 3-rivalling sedan. Between this, the upscale Polestar 5 sedan and Polestar 6 convertible, the badge is targeting a considerably wider (if still well-off) audience.

The original space tourist hopes to go to the Moon with SpaceX

SpaceX’s next lunar passengers could include one of the earliest civilian spacefarers. As CBS Newsreports, original space tourist Dennis Tito and his wife Akiko have signed up as passengers on the company’s second planned Moon voyage. They aim to travel within roughly five years, joining 10 other travelers aboard Starship. Tito didn’t say how much he and Akiko would pay for the trip.

Dennis Tito built his fortune as a financial analyst, but he’s best-known for paying Russia $20 million to take him to the International Space Station in 2001, making him the first space tourist. Akiko, meanwhile, is well-suited to the trip as a jet pilot. She would be one of the first women to fly around the Moon in Starship, SpaceX said.

SpaceX intends to have the spacecraft circumnavigate the Moon, getting as close as 124 miles from the lunar surface before returning home. The first journey is linked to Shift4 founder Jared Isaacman’s Polaris Program and should include Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa alongside six to eight additional passengers.

While the news helps solidify SpaceX’s tourism plans, there are more than a few challenges. To start, Dennis Tito is 82 — while he’s stepping up his fitness regimen, he might be nearing William Shatner’s age when the Star Trek icon visited space with Blue Origin. There’s also the question of Starship’s readiness. SpaceX has struggled to get its flagship vehicle up and running. While there has been progress, even the first orbital test flight might be months away. That, in turn, could push the first commercial flights beyond 2023.

Even so, this announcement could represent an important milestone. Thus far, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic have broadly pulled ahead in space tourism. The Titos’ plans suggest SpaceX’s program is finally attracting more interest, albeit from wealthy people who won’t blink at paying a fortune for a lunar sightseeing expedition.

Microsoft’s Teams Premium service uses AI to recap your meetings

Microsoft might have a way to make Teams a more enticing option for meetings: make AI tackle the dirty work. The company is launching a Teams Premium offering for Microsoft 365 that uses AI to greatly simplify meeting management. Most notably, an “Intelligent Recap” feature automatically creates tasks, chapters and even personalized highlights. Miss a review meeting and you might know which segments to watch when catching up, not to mention what you’ll need to work on.

Premium also uses AI to translate captions in real time for 40 spoken languages, so you won’t always need to wait for after-the-fact translations to understand what happened. Meeting guides automatically set up the “right” options for a discussion, too.

Other upgrades include virtual appointment support (think doctors and consultants) as well as “high-quality” webinars. Improved protections for sensitive data add confidentiality labels and watermarks, so an unscrupulous coworker can’t steal trade secrets just by taking screenshots during presentations.

We’ve asked Microsoft for details on availability and the 365 plans needed to use Teams Premium. The service already makes the company’s strategy clear. It’s hoping to counter the likes of Google Meet and Zoom by making Teams indispensable to businesses that don’t always have the time or money to create recaps and translations. With that said, Microsoft’s rivals aren’t standing still — Premium’s extras may become necessities before long.

Apple iCloud photo libraries will soon be viewable in Windows

It should soon be much easier to access your iPhone’s photo collection on a Windows-based PC. Microsoft is updating Windows 11 with the option to directly view iCloud photo libraries in the Photos app — you won’t need your browser, just an iCloud app from Microsoft’s store. So long as your iCloud account has enough space to hold all your images, you might never need to manually transfer photos to your Windows machines.

The functionality is available today for Windows Insider participants. It should be available to all Windows 11 users sometime in November.

The news comes just as the Apple Music app launches on Xbox consoles. It reflects Microsoft’s ambition to make Windows the “most open” desktop platform with support for rival services and apps. You can use Android apps and run Linux instances, for example. While this is partly a not-so-subtle dig at Apple’s more closed ecosystem, it’s good news for users who’d rather not switch hardware just to get seamless photo syncing.

Microsoft’s Audio Dock is a hybrid speaker and laptop hub

Those rumors of a Microsoft speaker were true. Microsoft has unveiled an Audio Dock that, as the name implies, combines a speaker with a laptop hub. The design centers on a relatively powerful, omni-directional speakerphone (complete with dual mics, a 15W woofer and 5W tweeters), but also includes a 60W USB-C connection for charging your computer, two regular USB-C ports, an HDMI 2.0 jack and a lone USB-A offering. In practice, that means you can attach two monitors while still leaving room for an external drive or mouse.

As you’d imagine, the company is leaning heavily on the Audio Dock’s usefulness for meetings. You’ll find large dedicated buttons for the microphone toggle (handy for working from home) and launching Teams. Don’t worry if you aren’t a fan of Microsoft’s ecosystem — the hardware supports Macs as well as calling services like Google Meet and Zoom.

Microsoft Audio Dock ports
Microsoft

The Audio Dock will be available for $250 in some markets on October 25th. It doesn’t fill precisely the same niche as a smart speaker, but the allure is obvious. This is an easy way to streamline your desk setup, whether you’re playing music in crunch mode or participating in a brainstorming session. While the 60W charging will rule out many high-performance laptops, this might save you money versus buying separate accessories.

Amazon will knock an extra $20 off if you buy two Kindles

Kindle e-readers are already on sale for Prime Day, but the offer just got sweeter if you’re looking to buy more than one. Amazon is offering an additional $20 off if you buy two of the latest Kindle Paperwhite or Kindle Oasis devices, including variants like the Kids models. You can get a reader for a loved one at a steep discount, for instance, or start your holiday shopping early.

Buy Kindle Paperwhite – $80 each for 2

We called the Kindle Paperwhite the best e-reader you can get, and for good reason. It offers an exceptionally easy-to-read display and wireless charging in a high-quality design. You have your choice of capacities, too, while the Kids editions include a 2-year “worry-free” warranty, a cover and a year’s subscription to Kids+ content. The Kindle Oasis, meanwhile, is the higher-end model with an auto-adjusting light, page turn buttons and free cellular data for grabbing books away from WiFi.

If there’s a catch, it’s that these e-readers won’t appeal to everyone. The upcoming Kindle Scribe is the spare-no-expense option with pen support and a big 10.2-inch display. At the other end of the spectrum, the new base model is easier to carry. At sale prices, though, the Paperwhite and Oasis are easy choices if you’re eager to share your love of reading with someone else.

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‘Among Us VR’ delivers virtual backstabbing on November 10th

After a bit of a wait, Among Us VR is nearly ready. Innersloth, Schell Games and Robot Teddy have confirmed the virtual reality betrayal game will be available November 10th on Meta Quest 2 and Steam. There’s no mention of a PlayStation VR version in the announcement (we’ve asked Innersloth for comment), but this is still a big deal if you’re hoping for a fresh take on the game’s core concept.

As in the 2D version, Among Us VR asks crewmates to identify impostors before they kill the entire crew. However, the move to a first-person perspective shakes up gameplay. Impostors will now have an easier time sneaking around, and you can now use hand expressions when you accuse others or protest your innocence. If you’ve grown tired of plain Among Us, this might give you a reason to come back.

That “if” is important, of course. Among Usthrived in the early days of the pandemic, when it was one of the more entertaining ways to play and connect with your isolated friends. While it still has its audience, it’s not the cult phenomenon it was in 2020. With that said, this may be a good example of what VR gaming can do — you can socialize with your buddies while running for your virtual life.