James Patterson Once Spotted A Woman Stealing One Of His Books

The bestselling author told Seth Meyers he almost embraced the woman before witnessing the theft.

TikTok adds new screen time controls to remind users to take breaks

TikTok is rolling out more screen time controls to help users manage how much time they are spending in the app. With the change, the company is adding a new in-app dashboard that will more closely track how long people are spending in the app.

The dashboard will show statistics like how much time you spend in the app, when you sue the app most and how often it’s opened. Additionally, TikTok users will now be able to set screen time limits for how long they can use the app in any one sitting.

Previously, the the app has offered screen time controls that time out after a designated daily limit. But with the new setting users can, for example, opt to have the app remind them to “take a break” if they have had it open for an extended period of time.

TikTok is adding a well-being guide aimed at teens.
TikTok

The changes come as TikTok and its peers have faced questions about their apps’ impact on teens. Earlier this year, lawmakers in the Senate introduced a bill that would increase the study of social media addiction in an effort to put up more “guardrails” to protect younger users.

Notably, TikTok now says it’s introducing additional screen time restrictions for teens between the ages of 13 and 17. Teens will now see weekly “digital well-being prompts” and get additional screen time reminders when they have spent more than 100 minutes in the app on a single day.

NFL Coach Apologizes After Attempting To Redefine Jan. 6 With Whataboutism

The defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders questioned why the U.S. Capitol attack was a “major deal.”

Biden Jokes With Jimmy Kimmel About Republican Rule-Breakers: ‘You Gotta Send ‘Em To Jail’

“If we do the same thing they do, our democracy will literally be in jeopardy,” the president told the late-night host in an interview.

Panasonic's GH6 camera will soon support ProRes RAW at 4K 120 fps

Panasonic recently launched the GH6 with internal ProRes recording and other nice pro features, but one thing missing was any RAW video recording. However, its next firmware version 2.0 upgrade coming on July 5th will address that with external ProRes RAW output, the company announced. You’ll be able to record 12-bit 5.7K RAW video at up to 60 fps and C4K (4,096 x 2,160) at an impressive 120 fps to Atomos Ninja V/V+ recorders.

It’ll also support RAW 5.8K and 4.4K 4:3 anamorphic resolutions at up to 30 fps and 60 fps, respectively. If you’re recording V-Log video, you’ll be able to download a lookup table to install on the Ninja V/V+ to better preview footage.

All of that is enabled by the GH6’s HDMI 2.1 port that supports higher resolutions and frame rates than previous models. Atomos has also gradually updated the Ninja V to support higher resolutions and speeds, while the Ninja V+ supported up to 8K ProRes RAW from launch. 

Panasonic bringing 4K 120fps external ProRes RAW to the GH6 camera
Panasonic

Along with the ProRes RAW external recording, the update will introduce a raft of new internal recording formats. Right now the GH6 can only record 5.7K 30p ProRes/ProRes HQ video, but the upgrade will allow for C4K and Full HD ProRes and ProRes HQ video at up to 60 fps. As before, all ProRes video must be recorded to the CFexpress card slot. There’s no sign of UHD ProRes internal recording (3,840 x 2,160), so hopefully that’ll come at a later time. 

With CFexpress, Panasonic might have been able to support RAW video recording internally. However, it may have been dissuaded by RED’s patent on the technology — RED recently sued Nikon over its use of internal RAW recording on the Z9, for example. Atomos, however, has already partnered with RED to license it’s technology. 

GOP Candidate Claims He ‘Didn’t Remember’ Posting Conspiracy Theory On Facebook

Carl Paladino, a congressional candidate from Buffalo, New York shared a conspiracy theory mentioning the mass shooting in his hometown.

Apple Watch Series 7 falls to a new all-time low of $300

Amazon is having a big sale on Apple Series 7 Watches right now, with the highlight being a new low price of $300 on the 41mm green aluminum model with a clover sports band ($99 off). Other available colors (starlight, midnight, blue and red) are also on sale at the previous all-time-low price of $329, while the 45mm models are marked down to $359 ($70 off) in multiple colors. 

Buy Apple Watch Series 7 at Amazon

The Series 7 wasn’t a massive update from the Series 6, but there are some nice improvements. Chief among those is a larger screen that makes it easier to see notifications, messages and other information displayed in complications. It’s also the first IP6X dust resistant Apple Watch, so it’s more durable than past models. And it supports fast charging, allowing you to get 10 percent power in just 10 minutes and a full charge in under an hour. 

Other capabilities carry over from the Series 6, like the always-on display, built-in GPS, ECG and blood oxygen measurement capabilities, fall detection, trackable workout support and more. The biggest drawback with the current model is mediocre sleep tracking — it only tells you how long you slept, which is a lot less information than you get from rival Fitbit or Garmin devices. It’s also not a great idea for Android users, but if you’re on iPhone, Apple Watch is still the best wearable out there, by far. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Jimmy Kimmel Taunts ‘Fox News Hypocrites’ Who Are Upset About His Biden Interview

The late-night show host unearthed some of Fox News’ “tough questions” for former President Donald Trump.

The newest Roku Ultra drops to a record low of $80

If you’d like to upgrade your dad’s TV setup for Father’s Day, you can snag Roku’s latest set-top box at its best price yet. The 2022 Roku Ultra is 20 percent off ahead of Father’s Day, dropping it down to $80. That’s a solid deal for the streamer that just came out just last month and includes a new voice remote, among other improvements. It’s also worth noting that the Roku Streambar remains on sale for $99, which is one of the best prices we’ve seen.

Buy Roku Ultra at Amazon – $80Buy Roku Streambar at Amazon – $99

Roku didn’t mess with the Ultra’s box this time around, but rather it focused on adding features to the new Voice Remote Pro. The accessory comes bundled with the Ultra and includes a 3.5mm headphone jack for private listening, two programmable shortcut buttons and a mic-disable button. The latter refers to the remote’s hands-free voice control feature, which allows you to say “Hey Roku” to initiate a command. You can then ask the device to show you horror movies, sitcoms or pull up the latest episode of Stranger Things. You can even say “Hey Roku, find my remote,” and it’ll force the remote to play a sound so you can locate it more easily. We also appreciate that the Voice Remote Pro is rechargeable via microUSB, which means you won’t have to scramble to get new disposable batteries when it starts running low.

As for the set-top box itself, it’s remains largely unchanged from the 2020 Ultra. It still has 4K HDR10+ streaming capabilities and supports both Dolby Vision and Atmos. It also has AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth support, plus a handy selection of ports: a power jack, an HDMI out port, an Ethernet jack and one USB port. While the 2022 Ultra has up to 50 percent better WiFi range, some will appreciate the Ethernet jack since it will allow you to hardware the device and get the best signal possible.

While the Roku Ultra is the company’s most powerful streaming device, the Roku Streambar is a good option if you want 4K streaming abilities along with a sound upgrade. We gave it a score of 86 for its compact size, solid audio quality and Dolby Audio support. It sounds leaps and bounds better than most built-in TV speakers, making it a good option for those that want a a streaming device that does a bit more than just play Netflix and Disney+.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

The best camera and photography gift ideas for dad

When your dad decides to take his photography game to a new level, a smartphone may no longer be enough. Some may want a sports camera to capture their adventures while others may need a mirrorless camera for better family photos, films or artistic shots. Thanks to the rapidly advancing technology, they keep getting better with faster shooting speeds, sharper video and incredible autofocus. We found five of the best models for budgets ranging from $350 to $2,500, along with some accessories to complement the gear your old man already owns.

GoPro Hero10 Black

GoPro Hero10 Black
GoPro

If your dad would rather star in his own sports adventures than watch them on TV, the Hero10 Black is the camera he needs. It has all of the stellar features its predecessor did, plus a new GP2 processor that brings faster performance and a boost in frame rates. We were impressed by its speedy user interface, the improved image quality and the new “hydrophobic” lens coating that makes the camera a bit more water-resistant than previous models. (We would still recommend dad being careful with it, though.) Best off, it can be yours for $350 with one-year GoPro subscription — a discount of $200 off the regular price without a subscription.

Buy Hero10 Black bundle at GoPro – $350

Canon EOS M200

An item from the Engadget 2021 Father's Day gift guide: Canon EOS M200
Canon

So your dad is taking up photography? An entry-level camera is a good way to start out, and the best one out there is Canon’s EOS M200. With a 24-megapixel sensor and Canon’s skin-friendly colors, it delivers great photos. They’re also easy to capture thanks to an intuitive smartphone-like interface, fast autofocus speeds and great eye-detection performance. He’ll also be able to shoot 4K 24p video (albeit with a 1.6 times crop), along with full-sensor 1080p at 60 fps. And it’s available for significantly less than most other mirrorless cameras at $549, complete with an EF-M 15-45mm kit lens.

Buy Canon EOS M200 at B&H Photo – $549

Sony A6100

An item from the Engadget 2021 Father's Day gift guide: Sony A6100
Sony

Sony cameras generally make great gifts and the best value right now is the A6100. It features class-leading autofocus and eye-tracking performance for humans and animals, ensuring your sharp shots, even with fast moving subjects. Sony has also improved the color science and low-light capabilities, so family photos will be sharp and color accurate, even in dimly lit environments. The drawbacks are bad rolling shutter that can cause video wobble and a low-resolution electronic viewfinder. Still, for $748 (body only) the A6100 is the best mirrorless camera in its price range.

Buy Sony A6100 at B&H Photo – $748

Fujifilm X-T4

An item from the Engadget 2021 Father's Day gift guide: Fujifilm X-T4
Fujifilm

Fujifilm’s X-T4 is the best crop-sensor camera on the market, making it a desirable gift for any lucky father. It’s notably improved over the X-T3 with the addition of in-body stabilization and a fully articulating screen. At the same time, it has the best video features for an APS-C camera, with sharp 4K video at up to 60 fps, along with 1080p at 240 fps. Both photo and video quality are outstanding, with great skin tones second only to Canon’s models. But the autofocus, with tracking and eye-detection, is good but not quite up to Sony’s standards. And while the generous manual controls deliver great handling, it’s less compact than before. It’s not cheap at $1,700, but it can hold its own against far more expensive full-frame cameras.

Buy Fujifilm X-T4 at B&H Photo – $1,699

Canon EOS R6

An item from the Engadget 2021 Father's Day gift guide: Canon EOS R6
Canon

For dads who can’t decide between photos and video, Canon’s EOS R6 does both things well. The 20-megapixel sensor lacks resolution compared to rivals, but it offers killer specs like in-body stabilization and Canon’s fast and accurate Dual Pixel autofocus for video and photos, along with sharp 4K video at up to 60 fps. Other features include a flip-out display, relatively compact size and skin tones that will flatter your dad’s subjects (you, possibly). It does suffer from overheating issues with video, but that’s only likely to affect pros who shoot for long stretches at a time. Overall, it’s currently our best pick for under $2,500.

Buy Canon EOS R6 at Amazon – $2,499

DJI OM5

DJI OM5
Engadget

Smartphone stabilizers are fine, but nothing tops a gimbal for tracking shots. The best deal out there for mobile devices is DJI’s OM5, ideal for your dad if he’s tired of jerky tracking shots. This model rocks a magnetic mount system that makes attaching your phone faster and easier, plus a smaller design with a built-in extension rod. It also has features like “dynamic zoom” and “spin shot” that will give your dad a new repertoire of moves. As with other DJI gimbals, it delivers smooth, reliable performance and has a solid app that’s easy to use. It’s also relatively affordable: You can grab one now with a grip and tripod for $159.

Buy DJI OM5 at Amazon – $159

Peak Design Everyday Messenger

An item from the Engadget 2021 Father's Day gift guide: Peak Everyday Messenger
Peak

With its rugged, practical design, Peak Design’s Everyday Messenger Bag is an ideal gift for adventurous or photo-shooting dads. It’s built with a lightweight yet durable 100-percent waterproof recycled 400D shell with the ingenious Flexfold dividers in the main storage area. It also offers a pair of zipped pockets, two elastic side pockets and a compartment big enough for a 13- to 15-inch laptop. I own one myself and find it practical both for work and daily activities, letting me fit a camera, lens and laptop along with my wallet and keys. At $230 it’s not the cheapest bag out there, but your dad won’t have to buy another for a good while.

Buy Everyday Messenger at Peak Design – $230

Magnus VT-4000 tripod

An item from the Engadget 2021 Father's Day gift guide: Magnus VT-4000
Magnus

For dads serious about video, the Magnus VT 4000 is the best budget tripod option. It’s stout enough to handle a mirrorless camera and accessories weighing up to 8.8 pounds, more than the eight-pound weight of the tripod itself. That lack of heft makes it practical for travel, while the fluid head helps you tilt and pan smoothly. Other features include a middle spreader to keep things steady and legs that extend up to 64 inches so you can match the eyeline of your subjects. All of these features come for $199, a relative steal considering the quality.

Buy Magnus VT-4000 at B&H Photo – $199

Joby GorillaPod 3K mini tripod

An item from the Engadget 2021 Father's Day gift guide: Jobo Gorillapod
Joby

The most useful accessories out there for vlogging dads are Joby’s famous mini-tripods, and the best one for the money is the GorillaPod 3K. Attaching your camera couldn’t be easier thanks to the secure clip-in mounting plate with a built-in level. The flexible also lets let you set your camera anywhere to shoot, or even wrap it around a tree or other object. And, of course, you can bend them out for the ideal vlogging angle and steady out your shooting, to boot. It’s $57 at Amazon right now, a bargain for such a versatile tool.

Buy Joby GorillaPod 3K at Amazon – $57

SanDisk Extreme Pro SD card

An item from the Engadget 2021 Father's Day gift guide: SanDisk Extreme Pro
SanDisk

Camera-loving dads can never get enough memory cards, but they can be a pretty pricey gift. One of the best budget options is SanDisk’s ExtremePro UHS-I SD cards. While they don’t offer the top 300 MB/s speeds of UHS-II cards, they’re far cheaper, and the 90 MB/s read/write speeds are fast enough for most types of photography and video. What’s more, you can transfer files at speeds up to 170 MB/s with a compatible reader, and SanDisk is known for producing reliable cards. SanDisk has models for all budgets, with the 256GB version in the sweet spot at $100. If that’s too much, the 128GB version is $45 and the 64GB model a mere $25.

Buy SanDisk Extreme Pro (64GB) card at Amazon – $25