Month: May 2022

Enlarge / The Oppo Find N. Google's Pixel foldable is expected to have a similar aspect ratio. (credit: Oppo)

At Google's recent I/O conference, we heard about a lot of upcoming Google hardware, including the Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel Watch, and even a Pixel Tablet, which isn't due out until sometime in 2023. We didn't hear anything about a Pixel foldable, though.

Still, we know something is in the works since the Google Camera app included the detection flag "isPixel2022Foldable" alongside flags for other Pixel devices. So what's the deal?

The Elec reports that the Google foldable is delayed until 2023. This would mark the second time the foldable has been delayed, as it was originally due out late last year. It seems that the original plan was to release the product alongside Android 12L, aka 12.1, the tablet-and-foldables-focused Android release. Google often tries to develop Android builds and new hardware simultaneously, but making hardware is difficult.

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | Peter Dazeley)

Twitter has agreed to pay a $150 million penalty for targeting ads at users with phone numbers and email addresses collected from those users when they enabled two-factor authentication. Twitter agreed to the fine and "robust compliance measures to protect users' data privacy" to settle a lawsuit filed on Wednesday by the US government.

"As the complaint notes, Twitter obtained data from users on the pretext of harnessing it for security purposes but then ended up also using the data to target users with ads," Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan said. "This practice affected more than 140 million Twitter users, while boosting Twitter's primary source of revenue."

The settlement was reached with both the FTC and Department of Justice. "The $150 million penalty reflects the seriousness of the allegations against Twitter, and the substantial new compliance measures to be imposed as a result of today's proposed settlement will help prevent further misleading tactics that threaten users' privacy," DOJ Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said. The payment will go to the US Treasury, according to the settlement.

Enlarge (credit: Pansonic/YouTube)

Pansonic's rugged Toughbook line expanded this week with the Toughbook 40. The new laptop carries many of the hallmarks of its predecessor, including military-grade durability specs and swappable parts, with some upgrades in size and display.

Toughbooks have durable designs meant to withstand long drops (as long as six feet, in this case) and challenging conditions, like rain. But another standout characteristic is their modularity. The Toughbook 40 has eight parts made to be easy to repair or upgrade: the battery, RAM, storage, and keyboard, plus four expansion areas. Various types of expansion packs are available, including an optical drive, fingerprint and barcode readers, and extra I/O ports, batteries, and storage.

Modularity. (credit: Panasonic/YouTube)

In a FAQ (PDF), Panasonic said you can access most of the expansion areas with a screwdriver and some screws, while some only require you to use a slide lever. IT managers can lock down the SSD or expansion areas with a screw. According to Panasonic, there are 6,048 ways to build the Toughbook.

Produced by Adam Davis-McGee, directed by James Herron, and edited by Patrick Biesemans and JC Scruggs. Click here for the transcript. (video link)

Today, the original Gears of War is remembered fondly as one of the Xbox 360's most iconic online multiplayer shooters. But in our latest War Stories video, Gears of War gameplay designer and lead level designer Lee Perry tells Ars about how the game's multiplayer modes were almost scrapped at the last minute.

"The thing at Epic back then was it was a very small studio," Perry told us. So while the development team "knew from a very early point" that they wanted multiplayer in the game, they also felt they were "dramatically losing the battle" with games like Halo in terms of sheer workforce.

Enlarge (credit: VMWare)

Chipmaker Broadcom will be acquiring VMware for $61 billion in cash and stock, the companies announced today.

Broadcom is best known for designing and selling a wide range of wired and wireless communication chips, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips and the processors that power many routers and modems. But the company has spent billions in recent years to acquire an enterprise software portfolio—$18.9 billion for CA Technologies in 2018 and $10.7 billion for Symantec in 2019. The VMware buy is much larger than either of those purchases, but it fits the pattern of Broadcom's other software acquisitions.

Once the acquisition is completed, the Broadcom Software Group will adopt the VMware name. If approved, Broadcom expects the transaction to be complete in 2023.

Enlarge / The intrepid crew of the USS Orville. (credit: Hulu)

The Dealmaster is back with another wallet-friendly PSA: If you've been meaning to watch The Dropout, catch up on What We Do in The Shadows before season four comes out, or check out the upcoming season of The Orville, Hulu is currently offering three months of its ad-supported streaming plan for $3, or $1 per month.

The popular streaming service technically kicked off this promotion last week to celebrate "National Streaming Day"—which, no, we don't consider a real thing, either—but the offer is still active and will last through May 27. Either way, this is the kind of deal we typically see reserved for holiday season promotions; this past Black Friday, for instance, Hulu offered a full year of service for the same $1-per-month rate.

Like that deal, this offer is only for new Hulu subscribers and anyone who canceled their membership more than a month ago. So sadly, current subscribers can't take advantage. (This does mean the Dealmaster's serial canceling has paid off, however.) After the three-month promotional period, you'll be charged the plan's regular $7 per month if you choose not to cancel. This deal is for the ad-supported version of the service, which is annoying, but the ads might be a little more palatable given the discounted rate. Also note that this plan allows for up to two simultaneous streaming sessions, which is the limit for all of Hulu's plans unless you pay an extra $10 per month for unlimited screens.

Enlarge / Ram 1500 trucks are offered for sale at a dealership in Elmhurst, Illinois. (credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Stellantis, the multinational automaker that includes Fiat and Jeep among its many brands, will be the latest automaker to settle a diesel emissions lawsuit with the US government. Reuters reports that the company that was Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) will plead guilty to emissions fraud and will pay about $300 million in fines.

During the 2000s, automakers around the world looked at diesel engines as the solution to climate change. On one hand, that made sense, as diesel engines are more efficient, and diesel-powered cars and SUVs went much further on a gallon of fuel than their gasoline-powered siblings.

But CO₂ emissions aren't the only pollutant to be emitted by a car's engine, and burning diesel fuel also results in the production of particulates and nitrogen and sulfur oxides, all of which are rather deleterious to one's lungs.