Blake Lemoine, an engineer who’s spent the last seven years with Google, has been fired, reports Alex Kantrowitz of the Big Technology newsletter. The news was allegedly broken by Lemoine himself during a taping of the podcast of the same name, though the episode is not yet public. Google confirmed the firing to Engadget. Lemoine,… Continue reading Google fires researcher who claimed LaMDA AI was sentient
Author: Engadget Online News
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ trailer hints at Sauron’s return
Amazon is determined to generate buzz for its blockbuster series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and that includes a large new trailer to kick off San Diego Comic-Con. The three-minute clip sheds considerably more light on the story and, to no one’s surprise, sets the stage for Sauron’s appearance. While the… Continue reading ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ trailer hints at Sauron’s return
LeBron James, Rick and Morty are coming to fighting game ‘MultiVersus’
Warner Bros. Games’ MultiVersus is a fun take on platform fighters like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Brawlhalla. It’s soon going into open beta with a roster packed with characters from across a wide range of WB franchises. Developer Player First Games is about to add one more to the mix: Space Jam: A New… Continue reading LeBron James, Rick and Morty are coming to fighting game ‘MultiVersus’
VW chairman Herbert Diess will leave the company in August
Volkswagen is shaking up its leadership. The automaker has announced that group chairman Herbert Diess will leave at the end of August. Porsche chairman Oliver Blume will take over the role (while preserving his existing position) as of September 1st. The company didn’t explain Diess’ exit, but said the move was the result of a… Continue reading VW chairman Herbert Diess will leave the company in August
Cadillac reveals its $300,000 Celestiq EV
If you have a spare $300,000 burning a hole in your pocket but don’t mind waiting a couple of years for a luxury electric vehicle, Cadillac’s Celestiq might be of interest. The automaker pulled back the curtain to properly reveal the EV for the first time. Given the expected price, it’s not surprising that Cadillac… Continue reading Cadillac reveals its $300,000 Celestiq EV
DHS begins criminal investigation over deleted Secret Service texts from January 6th
The Secret Service may face serious legal repercussions over deleted text messages relating to the January 6th, 2021 Capitol attack. NBC News sources said the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General has opened a criminal investigation into the deletion of texts from the days surrounding the riot. The Secret Service has been ordered to stop… Continue reading DHS begins criminal investigation over deleted Secret Service texts from January 6th
‘As Dusk Falls’ review: A sluggish small-town soap opera
As Dusk Falls is an ambitious narrative adventure game that fails to execute its grandest ideas, hemorrhaging tension along the way. It attempts to tell a mature, action-packed tale about family and loss, but repeated missteps in logic and emotion strip the story of its power. From the mechanics to the branching narrative itself, As… Continue reading ‘As Dusk Falls’ review: A sluggish small-town soap opera
The 2021 Apple TV 4K drops to $130, plus the rest of the week’s best tech deals
This week brought back some of our favorite tech deals we’ve seen all year. A four pack of Apple’s AirTags is back on sale for $89, while the Apple TV 4K has dropped to $130. While neither of those are all-time lows, they’re very close and great deals on a couple of the most popular… Continue reading The 2021 Apple TV 4K drops to $130, plus the rest of the week’s best tech deals
Instagram adds templates and tools to make it easier to create Reels
Meta has introduced new tools to expand the ways you can collaborate with others using Reels, as part of its strategy to be able to better compete with TikTok. To start with, you can now remix not just videos, but also photos on Instagram, giving you more material to use. The company has added more… Continue reading Instagram adds templates and tools to make it easier to create Reels
Zoom brings end-to-end encryption to its cloud phone service
Zoom is bolstering its privacy and security protections by expanding end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to more of its services. First up is Zoom Phone, its cloud phone system. Users of that service will be able to switch on E2EE during one-on-one calls. When it’s on, E2EE will ensure calls are secure with cryptographic keys that only… Continue reading Zoom brings end-to-end encryption to its cloud phone service