If you’re a regular Engadget reader, you probably don’t think of cheap Windows laptops when you think of daily drivers. But it would be a big mistake to ignore these devices — if not for yourself, for others you may know. There’s a reason why companies…
Discord rolls out a lower-priced Nitro subscription
Discord is making it more affordable to pay for perks if a $10 Nitro subscription or Premium Membership is beyond your budget. After testing, the company is launching a $3 per month Nitro Basic plan on October 20th that offers 50MB file uploads and enables custom emoji anywhere. You’ll miss out on regular Nitro’s 100MB uploads, HD video streaming, custom profiles, server boosts and most Activities (more on those in a moment), but this might be useful if you just want to upload short videos or flaunt emoji from a streamer’s server.
Activities (shown above) are also rolling out in earnest. Chatters can now play games, watch videos and otherwise share experiences without having to leave the app. Only Putt Party and Watch Together viewing are available for free, but regular Nitro users can invite non-subscribers to join an expanded catalog that includes games like Chess and Sketch Heads. More Activities should be available as developers build for Discord’s platform.
Apps are becoming more useful at the same time. Discord is now testing Premium App Subscriptions that let you pay to unlock features without heading elsewhere first. And if you’re running a server, there’s now an App Directory that helps you find useful add-ons.
The strategy behind Nitro Basic and the other upgrades is clear. Discord is hoping to not only reel in more subscribers, but to foster an app ecosystem that ultimately bolsters the company’s bottom line. Having said this, you might not mind if this helps you pass on a full-fledged Nitro account or participate in a viewing party.
Uber Eats now delivers cannabis in Canada
Torontonians now have another way to get cannabis without having to wait too long for it to show up, as Uber Eats is offering deliveries in the city starting today. Uber Eats has teamed up with cannabis marketplace Leafly to offer residents swift weed delivery from local, licensed retailers. Uber Eats claims this is a world first for a “a major third-party delivery platform.” Users in Ontario have been available to order weed through the app since last November, but until now items were only available for pickup.
If you’re in the city and feel the need to take the edge off, you can select the cannabis category or search for one of the retailers (Hidden Leaf Cannabis, Minerva Cannabis and Shivaa’s Rose are the first three to sign up). You’ll receive a warning that you need to be of legal age, which is 19 in Ontario, to view the products. After you place an order and the retailer confirms it, one of the retailer’s own licensed “budtenders” will deliver your items. As is the case with alcohol orders, the delivery person will verify your age and level of sobriety before handing over the goods.
Uber Eats claims the move will reduce the need for people to buy cannabis from the underground market. While the app might make it easier for people to order some cannabis, it’s already possible to do so from some retailers on Leafly’s platform. Some offer delivery within 45 minutes, but Uber Eats may be faster in many cases.
PayPal’s new rewards program includes Honey shopping discounts
PayPal is finally doing more with its Honey acquisition. The payments giant has launched a unified PayPal Rewards program that merges Honey’s cash back and discount-finding features with store offers and other PayPal-specific perks. You now have a single place to manage and use all the service’s money-saving features. This will include a range of “card products” in the future, the company said.
The Rewards program is available in the US today, and you can check it out in a dedicated section of PayPal’s mobile app. If you’ve earned Honey Gold points, they’ll become PayPal Rewards points you can access in one place by linking accounts.
PayPal bought Honey in 2019 for $4 billion, representing the company’s largest-ever acquisition at the time. Not much has changed for users, though. While there was a name change to PayPal Honey, the functionality largely remained the same — you still don’t need a PayPal account to sign up. While the new rewards program doesn’t mandate using PayPal, it at least gives you an incentive to link accounts.
The move might not have much of a practical impact if you were already taking advantage of these deals before. It might be easier to keep track of them, however. There’s also little doubt PayPal hopes you’ll try Honey or other money-saving services if you hadn’t considered them before.
The best smart home gadgets for 2022
Whether you’re just dipping your toes into the smart home space or adding new devices to your growing setup, there have never been more IoT gadgets for you to choose from. But before you dive in, we have some advice. For one, don’t try to outfit your …
Mercedes-Benz is the first to roll out Apple Music’s Spatial Audio in cars
After announcing it nearly a year ago, Mercedes-Benz is finally rolling out Apple Music’s Spatial Audio in select electric and luxury vehicles. The Dolby Atmos-powered surround sound audio already works on multiple Apple devices including the HomePod speaker, Apple TV and AirPods headphones, but it’s the first implementation in vehicles.
“Mercedes-Benz drivers who are already subscribed to Apple Music gain immediate access to an ever-growing selection of songs and albums available in Spatial Audio,” the companies said in a press release. And if you’re not an Apple Music subscriber, select Dolby Atmos content will be available from Universal Music as well.
The feature will be available in the select EQS and EQE sedans and SUVs (including the new EQE SUV), along with Mayback and S-Class vehicles. To use it, you’ll need to own a vehicle with the MBUX interface and optional 31-speaker Burmester 3D or 4D sound systems, an option that starts at $4,550 on top of the price of the vehicle (the 2023 EQE 350 sedan is expected to start at $70,000 or so). The technology will come to other models “soon,” according to Mercedes.
Apple Music’s Dolby Atmos implementation creates a 3D soundstage by spreading sounds across different channels, though the level of the effect depends on a song’s mix. In the Mercedes implementation, the spatial audio effect will come from six of the 31 speakers located above the driver. Other speakers include four near-ear speakers in the front seats, eight sound transducers (two per seat) and two amplifiers that pump out 1,750 watts of power.
The Morning After: SpaceX will keep paying for Ukraine’s access to Starlink
SpaceX recently sent a letter to the Department of Defense last month, asking the Pentagon to take over paying for Ukraine’s use of its Starlink satellite internet. According to CNN, SpaceX told the department that continued access would cost the company over $120 million for the rest of 2022 and almost $400 million over the next 12 months. “We are not in a position to further donate terminals to Ukraine or fund the existing terminals for an indefinite period of time,” the company wrote.
Now, company chief, Elon Musk, seems to have backtracked, writing on Twitter that SpaceX will “keep funding” the service in Ukraine.
The Pentagon confirmed after the letter became public that it’s been discussing payments with SpaceX, but it’s also looking into alternatives. Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary, said: “There are other entities that we can certainly partner with when it comes to providing Ukraine with what they need on the battlefield.”
– Mat Smith
The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.
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‘Dead Space’ hands-on: The return of gruesome sci-fi horror
It won’t be in time for Halloween, sadly.
EA
The original Dead Space came out 14 years ago, immersing us in ravaged corridors in the middle of space. Dead Space was a terrifying space horror. And this is what the remake has to compete with. Engadget’s Jessica Conditt thinks the new Dead Space nails it – mostly. The game hits PC, PS5 and Xbox Series consoles on January 27th, 2023.
Google Fiber will offer 5Gbps and 8Gbps internet plans in early 2023
Your cable provider’s best plan suddenly seems mediocre.
Google Fiber’s sudden revival will include a dramatic boost to internet speeds. Google has revealed it will offer 5Gbps and 8Gbps plans in early 2023 at monthly rates of $125 and $150. Both tiers will include symmetric upload and download rates, a WiFi 6 router and up to two mesh network extenders. It’s a big jump from the previous-best 2Gbps service Google introduced in 2020 and could make a big difference if you’re a gamer or thrive on cloud computing.
Razer’s cloud gaming handheld will cost $400
It’s expected to launch in January.
Razer
The Razer Edge is a handheld console for cloud gaming. (Yes, it’s a trend now.) The Edge has a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 144Hz and a Full HD+ resolution of 2,400 x 1,080. Razer claims the display has 87 percent more pixels than competitors’ devices. The Steam Deck’s screen, for instance, has a 1,280 x 800 resolution. The Edge comprises an Android 12 tablet inside the new Razer Kishi V2 Pro controller. Initially only available in the US, it will come with dedicated launchers for Epic Games, Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now pre-installed. You’ll also be able to access remote play services, such as Steam Link, Moonlight and Parsec.
Acer’s cloud gaming Chromebook is a solid laptop
Even if you don’t game.
Last week, Google and hardware partners ASUS, Acer and Lenovo announced a somewhat surprising initiative to build Chromebooks expressly for cloud gaming. (Yes, just after Google gave up on its own Stadia game service.) While many Chromebooks are a riff on the classic 13-inch laptop, the first round of these devices have large, high-resolution screens with fast refresh rates, anti-ghosting keyboards and powerful processors. Nathan Ingraham, Engadget’s Chromebook expert, is loving the premium screen and keyboard.
Kanye West is buying controversial ‘free speech’ app Parler
Last week, Kanye West (aka Ye) was locked out of his Twitter and Instagram accounts following a weekend of antisemitic posts. Now, the saga has taken a sharp turn with news that the hip-hop mogul is acquiring the controversial “free speech” social media app Parler. The deal appears to be happening quickly, with the company behind Parler (Parlement technologies) saying that the parties expect to close the transaction in the fourth quarter of 2022. The price was not revealed.
“The proposed acquisition will assure Parler a future role in creating an uncancelable ecosystem where all voices are welcome,” said Parlement Technologies CEO George Farmer. “In a world where conservative opinions are considered to be controversial we have to make sure we have the right to freely express ourselves,” Kanye added.
Shortly after his return to Twitter, West posted an antisemitic message, which was eventually pulled by the company. “The account in question has been locked due to a violation of Twitter’s policies,” a spokesperson said at the time. The rapper also shared a screenshot on Instagram with another antisemitic message, and was similarly restricted by that site.
Talked to ye today & expressed my concerns about his recent tweet, which I think he took to heart
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 11, 2022
According to the Twitter post above, potential future Twitter owner Elon Musk expressed concerns to West about his tweet, saying “I think he took [them] to heart.” Apparently, he did so by purchasing a rival service.
Meanwhile, Parler was only recently reinstated to the Google Play after being banned in January 2021 following the US Capitol insurrection. A Google spokesperson said at the time that the removal was due to the app’s lack of “moderation policies and enforcement that remove egregious content like posts that incite violence.” Apple removed the app for similar reasons, but restored it earlier in May.
As their comments suggest, Parler and West are lauding the acquisition as a boon for free speech. However, if Parler allows racist, sexist or antisemitic posts like the one that got Kanye removed from Twitter and Instagram, it could pulled again from the App Store and the Play Store.
Parler launched in 2018 but spiked in popularity after Donald Trump was banned from Twitter and Ted Cruz and others tweeted they were joining the app. Despite declaring itself to be the “free speech social network,” however, some Twitter users said they were banned after joining the app to troll conservatives. Parler also competes against Trump’s own Truth social media app.
New iPad Pro M2 models are reportedly just days away
The next-generation iPad Pro with Apple’s latest M2 processor is set to arrive in “a matter of days,” according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. It will be the first new model since May of last year, and reportedly offer a 20 percent speed boost over the M1 version. Apple will also introduce an iPad dock with an integrated speaker in 2023 and launch new Macs later this year, Gurman wrote in his newsletter.
The new iPad Pro models will keep the same form factors as the current models, with 11-inch and 12.9-inch display versions. While the performance bump isn’t enormous, 20 percent is still significant, the M2 chips should bring more efficiency to the iPads Pro. Along with the new high-end models, Apple is about to launch an entry-level iPad soon, Gurman said. It’ll reportedly have a USB-C instead of a Lightning port (in line with upcoming European rules), along with 5G support — but will use an A14 Bionic rather than an M-series chip.
Another intriguing piece of news it that Apple is working on an iPad docking accessory with a built-in speaker that’s could be announced next year. The idea is that users could attach an iPad to the device and get a full home hub/smart speaker experience. It appears to resemble the Pixel charging speaker dock that Google revealed was coming with the Pixel Tablet going on sale next year.
Along with new iPads, Apple will be launching 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models later in the year. They’ll come with more powerful versions of the M2 chip, including the M2 Pro and M2 Max. A Mac Mini with an M2 processor is also coming in the near future.
Finally, Apple is working on the next-generation Apple TV that will use an A14 chip and come with 4GB of RAM, offering a significant boost over the current A12 model. While Gurman is generally accurate about these sort of things, Apple also tends change its mind about products and launch dates — so take the rumors with some salt until they’re officially announced.
Mercedes-Benz’ EQE SUV is its first electric crossover to get the AMG treatment
As part of its ambitious electric vehicle plans, Mercedes has taken the wraps off its latest model, the EQE SUV — along with a bonus high-performance AMG version. Highlights of the new models include slippery aerodynamics, a large 90.6 kWh battery and very quick 0-62MPH times on the AMG model.
Mercedes calls the EQE SUV a “multipurpose variant of the EQE executive sedan” that launched recently. As such it looks very much like an SUV version of the EQE, though it’s actually 3.5 inches shorter than the sedan. Size-wise, it’s somewhere between the EQ-B and EQS SUVs.
Mercedes-Benz
It’s one of the more aerodynamic SUVs out there, with a very slippery 0.26 coefficient of drag — even with the running boards. Along with the large 90.6 kWh battery, that helps contribute to an expected 342 miles of WLTP range (likely less on the EPA scale). Mercedes didn’t detail power or performance on the regular EQE model, but instead talks about battery efficiency, thermal cooling, energy recovery, noise and vibration comfort and more in its extremely detailed press release.
The interior has a mix of natural and synthetic materials like NeoTex and leather. Front and center is a curved Hyperscreen that features three separate displays for the infotainment system, vehicle controls and more. The automaker said it has now integrated more streaming services (Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music) into the MBUX infotainment system. There’s also a front passenger display that’s designed to allow the front passenger to watch TV without distracting the driver.
Mercedes-Benz
The AMG version is Mercedes first performance SUV, and takes everything on the regular EQE to 11. The front and rear motors put out 617HP, or up to 677 from a boost function with the optional AMG Dynamic Plus package. The Race Start feature lets you put full power to the wheels (complete with sound emitted inside and outside the vehicle), getting from 0-62 MPH in 3.5 seconds.
Other performance features on the AMG include an AMG-adapted air suspension, lowered ride height settings for Sport and Sport+ modes, an active anti-roll bar, carbon-ceramic front brakes and rear-axle steering as standard.
Mercedes-Benz
Some exterior touches include digital headlights that project the Mercedes and AMG logos when the vehicle is shut off, large 21 and 22 inch wheels and an AMG logo on the hood in place of the usual Mercedes one. Inside, lucky buyers can choose from four interior options, with leather seating as standard. The Hyperscreen also gets custom AMG graphics, including a performance readout in the center display.
More details for the EQE like powertrain options will be announced closer to launch. Mercedes-Benz didn’t detail pricing or availability, but did say that the standard version of the EQE SUV will start production in December at its US facility in Alabama. Unlike the EQS SUV that starts at $100,000, the EQE SUV may have a shot at getting under the $80,000 threshold to quality for a $7,500 federal tax credit.