China might put further limits on kids’ smartphone use. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has proposed draft rules that would cap the phone time of children under 18 to a maximum of two hours per day. That’s only for 16- and 17-year-olds, too. Youth between eight and 15 would be limited to one hour per day, while those under eight would have 40 minutes.
The draft would also bar any use between 10PM and 6AM. Phones would need to have an easy-to-access mode that lets parents restrict what kids see and permit internet providers to show age-appropriate content. Children under three would be limited to songs and other forms of audio, while those 12 and up can see educational and news material. There would be exceptions for regulated educational content and emergency services.
As with previous measures, the proposal is meant to curb addictive behaviour in children. The Chinese government is concerned prolonged use of mobile devices, games and services may be detrimental to kids’ development. The country already limits young people to three hours of online video game time per week, and then only on weekends and public holidays.
The draft is still open to public consultation and isn’t guaranteed to pass. There are also questions about implementation. CNBCnotes it isn’t clear whether hardware manufacturers or operating system developers are responsible for implementing the kids mode. While Apple would have to change the iPhone’s parental controls in China regardless of this distinction, involving the OS developer might require that Google make changes, not just vendors like Oppo or Xiaomi.
The rules would also have a significant effect for Chinese app developers like ByteDance (responsible for TikTok and its China-native counterpart Douyin) and Tencent (the maker of WeChat and many games). They may have to design apps and tailor content around these time limits.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/china-considers-limiting-kids-smartphone-time-to-two-hours-per-day-134708060.html?src=rss
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Tesla following a dozen reports about 2023 model year Model 3 and Model Y vehicles encountering steering issues. The agency opened a preliminary evaluation (PE) after drivers claimed they were either unable to steer their vehicle or that they suffered a loss of power steering.
“Five reports indicate an inability to steer the vehicle. Seven additional reports cite loss of power steering resulting in increased effort to control the vehicle,” the NHTSA said. “A PE has been opened to assess the scope, frequency, manufacturing processes and severity associated with this condition.”
No deaths or injuries were reported in connection with these incidents, as Electrek notes, but one led to a crash or fire. Some 280,000 vehicles are included in the scope of the investigation, which could result in a recall. Tesla doesn’t have a communications department that can be reached for comment.
This is hardly the first time that the NHTSA has looked into Tesla safety issues. In March, the agency opened a separate investigation following reports of Tesla steering wheels falling off while Model Y vehicles were on the road. The company has also caught the attention of the Department of Justice. In January, Tesla confirmed that the DOJ requested documents related to Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features.
Meanwhile, last month, Tesla issued a voluntary recall for more than 1,300 Model S, X and Y vehicles it built this year due to misaligned cameras. The company said the issue “may cause certain active safety features to be unavailable, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning and lane keeping assist, without alerting the driver to their unavailability.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/us-regulators-are-investigating-tesla-over-model-3-and-model-y-steering-issues-154015361.html?src=rss
Twitter—which Elon Musk has desperately tried to convince users is now called “X”—wants users to display their $8 a month blue checkmark prominently on their page. Unfortunately for those who pay up, that checkmark has become a kind of Scarlet Letter analog that many app denizens use to denote a Musk bootlicker, or…
Less than a year after launching the Action 3, DJI has unveiled the Osmo Action 4 with an improved camera that makes it better in low light. It now packs a larger 1/1.3-inch sensor (the same one on the Mavic 3 Pro, the Mini 3 Pro and Air 3 drones), compared to a 1/1.7-inch sensor on the previous model and the 1/1.9-inch sensor found on the GoPro Hero 11. It also introduces D-Log M, improving dynamic range significantly over the Action 3.
Not much else on the Action 4 has changed . It has the same 155-degree field of view and f/2.8 aperture. Video tops out at 4K 120p (10-bit HDR) in normal shooting mode. Photo resolution is actually lower than the previous model (3,648 x 2,736 compared to 4,000 x 3,000) and max 4:3 video quality is also down (3,840 x 2,880 instead of 4,096 x 3,072). Meanwhile, the GoPro Hero 11 can shoot 5.3K video at up to 60 fps, 4K at 120 fps and 2.7K at up to 240 fps.
The Action 4’s design is also identical to the Action 3, with a record button on top and power button on the side. The battery compartment/micro SD slot is on the right side and the USB-C port on the left (looking from the front). The battery is the same 1770 mWh model as before, with 150 minutes of recording time — and just 18 minutes of charging time to get the battery to 80 percent. A microSD card is required as the Action 4 has no internal storage.
It uses DJI’s nifty magnetic locking system introduced with the last model that eliminates the need for a case to attach accessories. And as before, the Action 4 supports any accessories compatible with a GoPro mount. DJI has a number of its own accessories as well now, including the chest strap mount, helmet chin mount, 60m waterproof case, bike seat rail mount, neck mount, mini handlebar mount, the Osmo Action 360° Wrist Strap and a new a wrist-worn remote to control the Action 4.
Steve Dent for Engadget
It’s now waterproof down to 18m or 59 feet (2m more than before) or 60m (208 feet) with the waterproof case. As before, it comes with a 1.4-inch 320×320 front screen and 2.25-inch 360×640 rear display. Both top out at 750 nits, plenty bright even on sunny days. It comes with three mics and advanced wind noise reduction software that allows for impressive audio recording for such a small device.
It offers the latest version of DJI’s stabilization, Rocksteady 3.0 and Rocksteady 3.0+ to eliminate camera shake in all directions up to the maximum 4K/60fps. It also supports HorizonSteady, which keeps the Horizon level no matter how much you rotate the camera (2.7K max). Meanwhile, HorizonBalancing corrects tilt horizontally within ±45° and allows for stabilized recording at 4K/60fps.
To use the Action 4, you have to first activate it using DJI’s smartphone app, so keep that in mind if you buy one and have a deadline. The app also lets you view and transfer footage, or livestream via WiFi.
So why did DJI release a camera so similar to the last model, less than a year later? Many reviews, including my own, docked the Action 3 for poor low-light image quality, with noticeable artifacts in situations like a forest on a cloudy day— something the GoPro 11 can handle with ease. I also noted that while the stabilization is good, it’s not up to GoPro’s standards, and DJI has updated that function as well.
The Action 4 offers some quality-of-life features like quick-switching between five custom modes, voice prompts that let you know about the current mode, voice control, an upgraded InvisiStick that digitally hides the selfie stick, external mic support and more. DJI also offers the The LightCut app that connects wirelessly to Action 4 via Wi-Fi, allowing for quick previews and auto-editing without the need to transfer footage from the camera.
Steve Dent for Engadget
I had the Action 4 in my hands for a short while, mainly to test image quality with the new sensor. There’s certainly a big improvement there — where the Action 3 showed pixelation and blocky artifacts in low light, the Action 4 largely eliminates those. That means it performs better in situations like cloudy mountain bike rides or underwater footage. Low-light capability is good overall, with noise well controlled for such a relatively small sensor. In that area, it now edges the GoPro Hero 11.
The RockSteady stabilization still leaves a bit to be desired compared to the Hero 11 and even the Insta360 X3 action camera, however. In a quick test with a mountain bike on a trail, it didn’t provide the on-rails level of smoothness I’ve seen on rival models. If you don’t mind slightly more zoom, though, RockSteady+ gets very close to those levels.
As before, the Action 4 could be a good option for content creators looking for high-quality footage, or folks who want to match their video with DJI’s drones and other products. The price has gone up considerably over the $329 Action 3, though — it’s now available for $399. That makes it a tough sell against the GoPro Hero 11, which now carries the same price.
If you’re starting from scratch, the Adventure Combo (above) is a far better deal at $499, giving you the camera plus three batteries, the Horizontal-Vertical ProtectiveFrame, a quick-release adapter mount, a mini quick-release mount, a curved adhesive base, two locking screws, a USB-C cable, the multifunction battery case, a 1.5 extension rod, an action lens hood and an anti-slip pad.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/djis-osmo-action-4-camera-comes-with-a-larger-sensor-and-a-higher-price-130027897.html?src=rss
When Samsung released the original Galaxy Fold, it was about as durable as a Fabergé egg. But over the years, the company has made a number of changes to reduce the fragility of its flagship foldable phone. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 featured a redesigned hinge that prevented dirt from getting inside, while the Z Fold 3 added IPX8 water resistance and a stronger Armor Aluminum Chassis. And last year, the Z Fold 4 brought a more durable main screen and a new adhesive designed to keep its factory-installed screen protector more firmly in place.
That last one is a biggie because after owning a Z Fold 2 and a Z Fold 3, I found that the screen protectors on both phones started bubbling after six to eight months. This weakness is a concern for anyone thinking about buying an $1,800 foldable phone – especially when you consider that Samsung recommends that any repairs are done by an authorized service center. But as some who really likes foldable phones, I bought my own Z Fold 4 anyways and used it for a year. Here’s how well it held up.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
I should mention that I’ve never put the phone in a case or used any other protective accessories like skins or sleeves. Despite being naked the whole time, the phone has done a decent job of withstanding typical daily abuse. Sure, there are some scratches and bare spots where paint has flaked off and a few dents from the phone being dropped or falling out of a pocket. But that’s sort of expected for a phone with no additional protection and both the front and back glass still look great.
More importantly, its flexible main screen looks practically as good as the day I got it. The screen protector is still sitting flat, there are no dead pixels or other blemishes and the hinge feels as sturdy as ever. All told, I’m pretty impressed considering some of the problems I encountered with previous generations. That said, while the pre-installed screen protector hasn’t started bubbling, there is one tiny spot along the top edge at the crease where you can see that it has started to (ever so slightly) separate from the display. So far, this hasn’t caused any issues. However, if past experience is any indication, this could cause the screen protector to start bubbling down the line.
Still, after claiming it switched to a new, more sticky adhesive to the Z Fold 4’s factory-installed screen protector in place, at least on my phone, Samsung’s tweak seems to have had at least some effect. Is the problem completely solved? No, not quite. Remember, this is just a single example, and it’s hard to account for things like the milder winter we’ve had this year, and chillier weather sometimes caused issues for Z Fold and Z Flip owners.
Also, while my Z Fold 4 has aged rather nicely, the screen protector on Engadget’s executive editor Aaron Souppouris’ Z Flip 4 has not fared nearly as well. He says the screen on his device was basically pristine for the first nine months. But after that, bubbles began to form and grew larger and larger until he removed the protector entirely and began using the phone with its naked flexible display.
It’s important to mention that Samsung instructs Z Flip and Z Fold owners not to use their devices without a screen protector. If you do remove it, you’re supposed to get it replaced as soon as possible. If you’re lucky, that can be as simple as finding a local Best Buy or uBreakiFix location and spending half an hour without your phone, and thankfully, Samsung offers one free screen protector replacement on both the Z Flip and Z Fold lines. Unfortunately, if you live in a remote area or just don’t have a nearby service center, you may need to rely on a mail-in repair, potentially leaving you without a phone for a couple of weeks or more. And for a lot of people, that’s not a reasonable option.
However, after talking to a number of Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold owners who have removed their screen protectors, that seems to be merely a precaution. It’s totally possible to use a foldable phone without a screen protector just like you can on a regular handset. But given the more delicate nature of flexible displays (which are largely made of plastic instead of glass), the risk factor is higher. And with flexible screens costing a lot more to replace – up to $599 depending on the specific model – you don’t need a galaxy brain-sized noggin to understand why you might want to heed Samsung’s warnings. The counterpoint to that is because a foldable phone’s screen is protected by the rest of the device when closed, it’s only really vulnerable when you’re using it, as opposed to when it’s simply resting in a pocket or bag.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
So what’s the big takeaway? I think Samsung’s new adhesive has made a bit of a difference because, even in the case of Aaron’s Z Flip, it lasted longer than both of my previous Z Folds before the screen protector started bubbling. Even so, the screen protectors on Samsung’s foldable still require a bit more babying than a standard glass brick. This sort of fragility may be a deal-breaker for some, and understandably so. Thankfully, I live near multiple repair centers and I’m prepared to use my foldable without a screen protector – even though that’s not advised.
For me, the ability to have a screen that expands when I want to watch a movie or multitask is worth the slightly reduced durability. But either way, this is something you need to consider before buying a foldable phone. In some ways, it’s like owning a car with a convertible roof, because while they’re a bit more delicate and costly to repair, there’s nothing like driving around with the top off – or in this case a phone that can transform into a small tablet at a moment’s notice.
Just remember to do the sensible thing and put your expensive foldable phone in a case.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-4-durability-report-has-samsung-finally-fixed-its-foldable-phones-biggest-weakness-133015335.html?src=rss
YouTube has released several creation tools for Shorts, such as ones that give users the ability to remix most videos and add voiceovers, ever since it was launched in an effort to make it a more veritable TikTok rival. Now, the video-hosting platform is in the process of expanding its arsenal of creation tools even further. The first addition is Collab, which lets users record short-form videos in a split screen format with other Shorts or regular clips.
All users have to do to create a Collab video from an eligible Short or YouTube content is to hit Remix and then choose the new format. TikTok, of course has long had a split-screen effect that lets people divide the screen into multiple frames. Well, YouTube’s Collab is rolling out today and will continue making its way to users coming weeks to challenge TikTok’s version. iOS users are getting the format first, but Android users will follow.
The platform is also adding a tool that lets users quickly build off of and remix existing Shorts. They only have to tap the Remix button and select “use sound” in the Shorts player to automatically surface the audio and effect used in the clip they just watched. Users can then apply both sound and effect to their own post. In addition, YouTube will start testing a new recomposition tool in the coming weeks designed to simplify transforming horizontal videos into vertical Shorts. The tool will give creators a way to adjust the layout, zoom and crop of the segment they want to use after they’ve chosen a video to remix, giving them an easy way to reshare old footage in a new format. They can also choose to use the new split screen effect for the video they’re recomposing.
Aside from these new creator tools, YouTube is testing a new mobile-first vertical live experience for viewers, as well. Audiences will be able to see previews of vertical live videos in the Shorts feed with this new experience, and if they tap to expand it, they’ll find a scrollable feed of more live videos. YouTube is hoping this could boost discoverability for creators and calls it is a great opportunity to make money for those who recently joined its Partner Program. The new mobile-first experience will make its way to more and more viewers over the coming months.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtube-is-adding-more-creator-tools-to-shorts-to-help-it-take-on-tiktok-160023789.html?src=rss
One of the main selling points for Twitter Blue — now “X Blue” — when the service was first launched was that anybody on the platform willing to pay for it can get the once-coveted blue checkmark. Over the past months, though, subscribers have been getting shamed for paying $8 a month or $84 a year for the service. Now as TechCrunch has noticed, the company has updated its support page for X Blue with a new feature for members: The ability to hide the verified checkmark on their account.
Under the “Profile customization” section in account settings, subscribers will now find a new “Hide your blue checkmark” option that they can tick. By activating the feature, the badge will no longer show up on their profiles and next to their usernames on posts. However, the company warned that it could still show up in some places and that some features may not be available to them while their checkmark is hidden. It didn’t say which features will become inaccessible, but Twitter has rolled out a number of changes made specifically for paying users since Elon Musk took over.
It has increased paid users’ post limit to 25,000 characters and is even working on new tools to publish long-form content. The website has also expanded their video limit to 3 hours. Meanwhile, the social network has become less and less attractive for free users. It announced in July that it will limit the number of DMs non-paying users can send in an effort to limit spam, and it previously put a strict cap on how many tweets a day a user can see due to “extreme levels of data scraping.” While the restriction was temporary, unverified accounts were initially limited to 600 posts daily.
App developer Alessandro Paluzzi first spotted the capability to hide checkmarks in March. Based on the screenshots Paluzzi shared, the verification process will remain the same, with users being required to submit a government ID to authenticate their identities. It now simply won’t be obvious at first glance that someone’s paying for X Blue.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-blue-formerly-twitter-blue-subscribers-can-now-hide-their-checkmarks-110229428.html?src=rss
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