WhatsApp users will soon be able to join a call by tapping a link

It’ll soon be easier for WhatsApp users to invite other folks to join a call. Meta is rolling out the option to share Call Links. If you see one of these links, you’ll be able to join a call with a single tap. You’ll need the latest version of WhatsApp to use Call Links. From the app’s Calls tab, you can select the Call Links option. You can then generate a link for a voice or video call to share with family and friends.

It’s a handy feature, and one that we’ve already seen Apple adopt. Last year, the company started offering sharable FaceTime links that allow others to join calls from Android devices and Windows PCs. While Apple enables people to schedule calls ahead of time using links, WhatsApp will not offer a similar feature, a spokesperson confirmed to Engadget.

In addition, WhatsApp has started testing encrypted group video calls for up to 32 people, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. The company will share more details on that front soon.

Update 9/26 11:53AM ET: Added clarification that WhatsApp will not allow users to schedule calls. 

Screenshots of the WhatsApp feature Call Links, which allows users to join a call by tapping a link.
Meta

NASA will roll Artemis 1 back to shelter it from Hurricane Ian

With the Artemis 1 launch site in the predicted path of Hurricane Ian, NASA has decided not to take any chances with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft. The agency will roll them back to the safety of the Vehicle Assembly Building, starting at around 11PM ET this evening. You’ll be able to watch the rollback on NASA’s ongoing Artemis 1 livestream below.

“Managers met Monday morning and made the decision based on the latest weather predictions associated with Hurricane Ian, after additional data gathered overnight did not show improving expected conditions for the Kennedy Space Center area,” NASA said in a statement. “The decision allows time for employees to address the needs of their families and protect the integrated rocket and spacecraft system.”

Although an SLS fueling test that took place last week was successful, NASA was forced to scrub a planned September 27th launch due to the threat of the hurricane. If the agency is unable to launch Artemis 1 before October 3rd (which seems unlikely at this point), it won’t be able to make another attempt until the next window opens on October 17th.

Lego unveils a 6,187-piece Mandalorian ‘Razor Crest’ set

Lego has pulled back the curtain on its latest Star Wars set, and it’s one that will keep you occupied for a while. It’s a 72 cm-long version of the Razor Crest from the Disney+ show The Mandalorian. While there was already a 1,000-piece version of Din Djarin’s ship, this one has 6,187 pieces.

The set, which is part of the Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series, features removable engines, along with a cockpit, escape pod and a carbon-freezing chamber that’s just the right size for a minifigure. Speaking of which, minifigures of Grogu, the Mandalorian, Mythrol and Kuiil (who can be placed on a buildable Blurrg model) come with the set. You can display the figures on a stand that includes an information plaque.

Lego Star Wars The Mandalorian Razor Crest set
Lego

The model, which is 50 cm wide and 24 cm tall, costs $600. Lego VIP members can snap it up on October 3rd. Everyone else will have a shot at buying the Razor Crest set on October 7th at Lego’s website and stores.

Building the set could help fans of The Mandalorian pass some time until the show returns. The third season is slated to hit Disney+ in February 2023.

Watch Netflix’s Tudum fan event here at 1PM ET

Netflix will host the second installment of its Tudum global fan event today. The stream will feature news, trailers and clips from more than 120 shows, movies, specials, documentaries and games. You’ll be able to watch the event, which starts at 1PM ET, below. Netflix will also stream the event on its Twitter, Twitch and Facebook channels, as well as its YouTube channels around the world.

Among many, many other projects, Tudum will feature an update on season three of The Witcher, details on prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin, an appearance from the Squid Game cast and a Stranger Things blooper reel. In addition, Tudum will include news on The Crown, trailers for new seasons of Outer Banks and Manifest, a first peek at Jennifer Lopez’s movie The Mother and an exclusive clip from Rian Johnson’s follow-up to Knives Out, Glass Onion. There will also be a look at the Netflix version of Oxenfree — the company bought developer Night School Studio last year. 

This could be an important event for Netflix, which has had a fairly rough year. Its subscriber numbers dropped for the first time — it lost around 1.2 million subscribers in the first six months of 2022. Netflix has raised prices in several territories in recent months and it has a cheaper, ad-supported tier on the way. To both keep current subscribers on board and bring in newcomers, Netflix has to get folks excited about what it has to offer. Events like Tudum can help with that.

Mercedes’ F1 team used biofuel to cut freight carbon emissions by 89 percent

Formula 1 isn’t exactly the most environmentally friendly organization, but it’s trying to become much greener. F1 is targeting net zero carbon emissions by the end of the decade and engine makers have been testing sustainable fuels over the last few years. F1 leaders are aiming to only use sustainable fuels in F1 cars by 2026. Race cars are only a small piece of the puzzle, though. Holding two dozen grands prix around the world requires shifting cars, parts and other materials between circuits, which generate more carbon emissions.

The Mercedes-AMG F1 team, however, has experimented with a way to reduce freight emissions. It used hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO 100) biofuel in 16 trucks as it moved operations between Spa, Zandvoort and Monza for the final three European grands prix of the season. Since those circuits are relatively close to each other, Mercedes didn’t need to rely on, say, air freight to ship cars and components. That gave the team a good opportunity to test the biofuel, given a total driving distance of around 1,400 kilometers (870 miles). However, the team noted it needed to use diesel fuel for the last 20km (just over 12 miles) due to supply issues.

An analysis found that using HVO 100 reduced freight emissions by 89 percent. Overall, Mercedes saved 44,091kg (97,204 pounds) of carbon dioxide emissions, compared with solely using diesel for both journeys. It noted HVO 100 is derived from vegetable oils, waste oils and fats and that it’s entirely free of fossil fuels. The fuel also produces less Nox and particulate emissions.

“Sustainability is at the heart of our operations. Trialing the use of biofuels for our land freight is another example of our commitment to embed sustainability in every decision we make and action we take,” Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff said. “We aim to be on the cutting edge of change and hope we can make the adoption of sustainable technology possible as we are all in the race towards a sustainable tomorrow.”

Other biofuels are being tested for use in Formula 1. Teams started using E10 biofuels (which contain 10 percent renewable ethanol) in F1 cars this season as part of the transition to fully sustainable fuels. While that’s some distance away from employing fully sustainable fuels, the use of E10 and HVO 100 are positive steps toward making motorsport much healthier for the environment.

Boeing to pay $200 million to settle charges over ‘misleading’ crash statements

Boeing has agreed to pay $200 million to settle charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The agency found that Boeing made “materially misleading public statements” related to crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft. The company’s former CEO Dennis Muilenburg will also pay $1 million to settle charges. The SEC alleged that Boeing and Muilenburg violated the antifraud provisions of federal securities laws. They neither admitted to nor denied the agency’s findings.

The SEC alleged that, after the first crash in October 2018, which caused the death of 189 people, Boeing and Muilenburg were aware that the anti-stall Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) posed an ongoing safety concern. However, the company told the public that the 737 Max was “as safe as any airplane that has ever flown the skies.” 

After a second crash in March 2019, in which 157 people died, the company and Muilenburg claimed “there were no slips or gaps in the certification process with respect to MCAS, despite being aware of contrary information,” the SEC said in a statement. Following the crashes, all 737 Max planes were grounded for over 18 months.

“There are no words to describe the tragic loss of life brought about by these two airplane crashes,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler said. “In times of crisis and tragedy, it is especially important that public companies and executives provide full, fair and truthful disclosures to the markets. The Boeing Company and its former CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, failed in this most basic obligation. They misled investors by providing assurances about the safety of the 737 Max, despite knowing about serious safety concerns.”

The settlement “fully resolves the SEC’s previously disclosed inquiry into matters relating to the 737 Max accidents,” Boeing told CNN. “Today’s settlement is part of the company’s broader effort to responsibly resolve outstanding legal matters related to the 737 Max accidents in a manner that serves the best interests of our shareholders, employees, and other stakeholders.”

Boeing previously reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the Department of Justice to avoid criminal charges. Last year, a grand jury indicted Boeing’s former chief technical pilot, Mark A. Forkner, on fraud charges. Forkner, the only Boeing employee who has faced a criminal indictment in relation to the crashes, was accused of deceiving the FAA’s Aircraft Evaluation Group during evaluation and certification of the 737 Max. Following a four-day trial earlier this year, a jury found Forkner not guilty.

Mercedes says the electric G-Class will arrive in 2024

Mercedes-Benz has revealed when you might be able to get behind the wheel of its electric G-Class. The automaker’s CEO Ola Källenius told members of the media that the vehicle will arrive by the end of 2024, according to Autoblog.

The company announced a zero-emission electric version of the SUV back in 2019 and we got a close-up look at an EQG concept last year. Last fall, Källenius put a prototype of the EV through its paces at Mercedes’ testing grounds in Graz, Austria — that’s where the company typically evaluates the internal combustion version of the G-Class. He seemingly had a positive experience. “From now on, going off-road is electric,” Källenius told reporters.

Making an electric version of the G-Class work was essential for the SUV to stick around for the long haul. Mercedes plans to have an all-electric vehicle lineup by 2030.

UK police arrest alleged ‘GTA VI’ hacker

Police in the UK have arrested a 17-year-old suspected hacker. Reports suggest the arrest is connected to the Rockstar Games hack that led to a major Grand Theft Auto VI leak. The individual may have been involved with an intrusion on Uber as well.

According to journalist Matthew Keys’ sources, the arrest is the result of an investigation involving the City of London Police, the UK’s National Cyber Crime Unit and the FBI. Keys noted that the police and/or the FBI will reveal more details about the arrest later today. The City of London Police told Engadget it had “no further information to share at this stage.”

The GTA VI leak is unquestionably one of the biggest in video game history. Last weekend, the hacker shared a trove of footage from a test build of the game, which is one of the most hotly anticipated titles around. Rockstar, which tends to keep a tight lid on its development process, confirmed on Monday that the leak was legitimate. It said the incident won’t impact work on the game and that it will “properly introduce” fans to the next title in the blockbuster series once it’s ready.

Uber was also subject to a cybersecurity incident this month. The company said this week that the hacker in question didn’t access user accounts but, as of Monday, it was still trying to determine the impact of the intrusion. Uber also noted reports suggesting that the same person or group might have been responsible for the Rockstar hack. In addition, it said the perpetrator may be connected to the Lapsus$ hacking group.

The 17-year-old was arrested in Oxfordshire, where one of the leaders of Lapsus$ is said to live. In March, BBC News reported that a 16-year-old from Oxford (who may have had a birthday since then) had been identified by researchers and hackers as having ties to the group. That same month, City of London Police arrested seven teenagers with alleged ties to Lapsus$, but it wasn’t confirmed if the Oxford teen was among them. Lapsus$ has also targeted the likes of Microsoft, Okta and T-Mobile.

NVIDIA’s new AI model quickly generates objects and characters for virtual worlds

NVIDIA is looking to take the sting out of creating virtual 3D worlds with a new artificial intelligence model. GET3D can generate characters, buildings, vehicles and other types of 3D objects, NVIDIA says. The model should be able to whip up shapes quickly too. The company notes that GET3D can generate around 20 objects per second using a single GPU.

Researchers trained the model using synthetic 2D images of 3D shapes taken from multiple angles. NVIDIA says it took just two days to feed around 1 million images into GET3D using A100 Tensor Core GPUs.

The model can create objects with “high-fidelity textures and complex geometric details,” NVIDIA’s Isha Salian wrote in a blog post. The shapes GET3D makes “are in the form of a triangle mesh, like a papier-mâché model, covered with a textured material,” Salian added.

Users should be able to swiftly import the objects into game engines, 3D modelers and film renderers for editing, as GET3D will create them in compatible formats. That means it could be much easier for developers to create dense virtual worlds for games and the metaverse. NVIDIA cited robotics and architecture as other use cases.

The company said that, based on a training dataset of car images, GET3D was able to generate sedans, trucks, race cars and vans. It can also churn out foxes, rhinos, horses and bears after being trained on animal images. As you might expect, NVIDIA notes that the larger and more diverse the training set that’s fed into GET3D, “the more varied and detailed the output.”

With the help of another NVIDIA AI tool, StyleGAN-NADA, it’s possible to apply various styles to an object with text-based prompts. You might apply a burned-out look to a car, convert a model of a home into a haunted house or, as a video showing off the tech suggests, apply tiger stripes to any animal.

The NVIDIA Research team that created GET3D believes future versions could be trained on real-world images instead of synthetic data. It may also be possible to train the model on various types of 3D shapes at once, rather than having to focus on one object category at a given time.

Meta ordered to pay $175 million in patent infringement case

Meta is facing a hefty bill after losing a patent infringement lawsuit. A federal judge in Texas has ordered the company to pay Voxer, the developer of app called Walkie Talkie, nearly $175 million as an ongoing royalty. Voxer accused Meta of infringing its patents and incorporating that tech in Instagram Live and Facebook Live.

In 2006, Tom Katis, the founder of Voxer, started working on a way to resolve communications problems he faced while serving in the US Army in Afghanistan, as TechCrunch notes. Katis and his team developed tech that allows for live voice and video transmissions, which led to Voxer debuting the Walkie Talkie app in 2011.

According to the lawsuit, soon after Voxer released the app, Meta (then known as Facebook) approached the company about a collaboration. Voxer is said to have revealed its proprietary technology as well as its patent portfolio to Meta, but the two sides didn’t reach an agreement. Voxer claims that even though Meta didn’t have live video or voice services back then, it identified the Walkie Talkie developer as a competitor and shut down access to Facebook features such as the “Find Friends” tool.

Meta debuted Facebook Live in 2015. Katis claims to have had a chance meeting with a Facebook Live product manager in early 2016 to discuss the alleged infringements of Voxer’s patents in that product, but Meta declined to reach a deal with the company. The latter released Instagram Live later that year. “Both products incorporate Voxer’s technologies and infringe its patents,” Voxer claimed in the lawsuit.

Meta denied Voxer’s claims in a statement to TechCrunch. It plans to fight the ruling. “We believe the evidence at trial demonstrated that Meta did not infringe Voxer’s patents,” a spokesperson said. “We intend to seek further relief, including filing an appeal.”