Red Rocks Amphitheater will no longer use Amazon’s palm-scanning tech

Red Rocks Amphitheater, one of the most recognizable concert venues in the US, no longer plans to use Amazon’s palm scanning technology for ticketless entry. Activists and artists including Fight for the Future, Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) and Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill) pressured Denver Arts and Venues to refrain from using Amazon One at the venues it manages.

“We haven’t been in contact with Amazon in several months and this isn’t a planned activation at Red Rocks,” Denver Arts and Venues marketing and communications director Brian Kitts wrote in an email cited by Fight for the Future. “I’m not sure what the future of this technology is, but at this point it doesn’t involve our venues.”

Amazon announced in September that it was expanding the tech beyond its stores for the first time at Red Rocks and other venues, including sports stadiums. Hundreds of artists, activists and human rights groups called on Red Rocks, its ticketing provider AXS and AXS parent AEG to drop the technology and to ban all biometric surveillance at their venues.

Those who signed an open letter cited concerns about Amazon sharing palmprint data with government agencies that seek to track marginalized people and activists. They also expressed worry that palm data could be stolen from the cloud by hackers. They’re hoping the letter will convince other live entertainment companies and venues across the US to avoid using systems that collect biometric data.

“Red Rocks’ decision to abandon Amazon palm scanning puts the venue on the right side of history, as a defender of human rights and the privacy of music fans,” Fight for the Future campaigner Leila Nashashibi said. “Other venues should similarly listen to the hundreds of artists, organizations and fans who don’t see this technology as “convenient” but recognize it as a tool of corporate surveillance and super-charged state violence.”

Engadget has contacted Amazon and Denver Arts and Venues for comment.

Samsung adds performance throttling controls to the Galaxy S22

Samsung doesn’t seem to have wasted any time delivering its promised performance throttling update. XDAreports users on Samsung’s Korean community forums are receiving an update for the Galaxy S22 series that adds a “Game Performance Management Mode” to Game Booster. The release should let users override throttling and wring more speed out of the flagship phones, at least so long as they’re willing to accept reduced battery life and more heat.

We’ve asked Samsung for more details, including timing for the update in the US and other countries. It’s also unclear if or when older Galaxy models will see updates. Releases like this won’t necessarily take long, but they may be staggered by region and device.

Whether or not this fully addresses concerns is another matter. Users have accused Samsung of throttling non-game apps like Netflix and TikTok. Samsung has denied slowing those titles and pins any limitations on its Game Optimizing Service, but Galaxy phone owners might still be frustrated if they feel some of their apps are being held back.

As it stands, the update might be necessary for Samsung to regain some trust. Those same users criticized Samsung for throttling games while letting benchmarks run at full speed. That led Geekbench to delist four years of high-end Galaxy phones from its benchmark list over concerns the tests didn’t represent real-world capabilities. The new software could help Samsung reclaim its place on that list and improve its standing among enthusiasts.

Google’s big Android update offers voice pay for parking and offline live transcriptions

Google has released a bunch of new features and updates for several of its products, including the ability to pay for parking using your voice. You can now simply say “Hey Google, pay for parking” in ParkMobile street parking zones and then follow Assistant’s prompts. After you complete the transaction using Google Pay, you can ask Assistant to check your parking status or to extend your time anytime you want. 

The tech giant has also rolled out grammar check for Gboard on all Android devices. It was originally a Pixel 6 exclusive before making its way to other Pixel models earlier this year. Now all Gboard users will be able to use it to detect errors and suggest corrections while typing. Google says the feature works entirely on-device to ensure your privacy. 

The Android Live Transcribe app has been updated, as well, and now has an offline mode that you can use to generate real-time speech-to-text captions without an internet connection. It will give you a way to access its capabilities while on a plane, in the subway or in other areas where you don’t have access to mobile data or WiFi.

When you fire up Google TV, you’ll now see a Highlights tab containing a feed of entertainment news and reviews based on the movies and shows you watch. The articles link to the shows or movies they’re based on, and you can simply tap them to start watching. Meanwhile, an update for Nearby Share makes it easier to share photos, videos and other kinds of files to several people by letting you add multiple recipients during a transfer. This particular feature is rolling out to all devices running Android 6 or higher. 

If you’re trying to curb the time you spend on your phone, you may find Android’s new screen time widget useful. The widget itself shows a glimpse of the three apps you use most each day. You can also click through to set daily timers for you apps, set a focus mode to pause distracting apps at certain times and set a bedtime mode that silences your device and changes its screen to black and white. 

Finally, you’ll soon be able to use Portrait Blur on more subjects if you own a Pixel or have a Google One subscription. The editing tool blurs the background on photos of people after you’ve already taken them, but when the update goes out, it can also be used on photos of other subjects like pets, food and plants. You’ll even be able to retroactively apply the effect on old photos taken without the feature enabled. Unfortunately, Google didn’t say when the update will be available, but here’s a video showing how the feature works:

Google’s latest Android Messages updates include iOS reactions and YouTube previews

Chatting with an iPhone user has always been frustrating for Android device owners, because iMessage emojis appear as text on Google Messages. As it previewed last month in a beta, Google has started rolling out a feature for Messages that translates iMessaging “Tapbacks” as emojis. It will first arrive to Android devices set to English, “with additional languages to follow,” Google wrote in a blog post. 

Until now, a “thumbs up” to a text that says “see you in ten?” sent from an iPhone would be translated to “liked ‘see you in ten?'”, for example. With the new feature, Android users receive emojis instead, though they may not match exactly what was sent — a “heart” reaction yields the “face with the heart eyes,” for instance. To make that clear to the user, they’ll also see “translated from iOS.”

Apple iMessage emojis arrive to all Google Message users
Google

That’s not the only feature that will make inter-device communication easier. Taking the opportunity to slam iOS’s lack of RCS messaging, Google pointed out that photos and videos can look blurry when shared with Apple devices. However, it’s sort of fixing that by bringing Google Photos into Messages. “You can send your videos as Google Photos links right inside the conversation, preserving their clarity,” it said. A similar feature for photos is “coming soon.”

Google also launched other features within Messages to help keep you on top of things. Organized Inbox sorts your messages into personal and business tabs, much as Gmail can do. It’ll also automatically delete one-time password text messages after 24 hours to further reduce clutter, if you want. And if you forget to reply to a message, “gentle nudges can remind you to reply to messages you may have missed or need to follow up on,” Google said. 

Other new features include birthday reminder nudges if you’ve saved someone’s birthday in your contacts app. It also launched new emoji functions, letting you “create the perfect emoji if you have Gboard set as your keyboard in Messages.” It added that Emoji Kitchen now has “over 2000 new emoji mashups available as stickers, letting you replace heart eyes with pretzels or rain disco balls,” it cited as examples. And finally, Google revealed that YouTube videos will now appear directly in conversations if you send a link. 

DJI’s Mavic Air 2 Fly More combo pack is 20 percent off today only

As the weather gets warmer and spring approaches, many of us will be spending more time outside. If you’re looking for a new gadget that you can bring with you on family outings, DJI’s Mavic Air 2 could be a good option — especially now that it’s on sale at Amazon. The online retailer has knocked 20 percent off the Fly More combo pack, which includes a bunch of extra things in addition to the drone, bringing the whole thing down to $789. The discount is only good for today, but it allows you to get a plethora of handy accessories essentially for free, since the drone on its own costs $799.

Buy Mavic Air 2 Fly More combo at Amazon – $789

Here’s what you’re getting in the combo pack: the Mavic Air 2 drone, a remote control, three flight batteries, extra low-noise propellers, RC cables, a battery charger and charging hub, a shoulder bag and a few additional accessories. Ultimately, you’re getting everything you’d need to take the drone with you on your next trip and, if you plan correctly, enough battery power to keep it in the sky for a long time.

DJI came out with the Mavic Air 2 in 2020 as a follow-up to the original Mavic Air of 2018. It has a lot of updates when compared to its predecessor, key among them being its extended flight time of 34 minutes. DJI achieved that by outfitting the drone with electronic speed controllers, a new battery and a refined design. The Mavic Air 2’s camera uses a 1/2-inch Quad Bayer sensor and can shoot up to 48-megapixel images and 4K video at 60fps.

In addition to new safety features, the Mavic Air 2 has a number of fun features that both newbie and experienced drone pilots will enjoy experimenting with. The “scene recognition” feature can detect sunset, blue skies, snow, grass and trees and automatically adjust camera settings to shoot the best photos and videos possible. FocusTrack has a number of improvements, too, including better a Point of Interest 3.0 feature that has better surface recognition and dynamic tracking. While nearly $800 is still a lot of money to drop on a high-tech toy, it’s a great deal if you want a solid DJI drone with as many useful accessories as possible.

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

The Morning After: President Biden tackles cryptocurrency

He’s a little late to the party, but President Biden has detailed the country’s first “whole-of-government” strategy for exploring cryptocurrency and other digital assets. Officials at multiple bureaus will explore the risks and potential advantages of crypto.

US regulators have been chasing improved legal clarity on crypto since last year. The Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) previously shared a roadmap focused on the legal status of stablecoin releases and crypto being logged on company balance sheets.

According to Biden’s executive order, the Treasury Department will recommend policies to protect people and businesses, as well as regulations to protect against “systemic financial risks.” The most intriguing part of the order may be the possibility of a central bank-backed digital currency. It’s still early days for now.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

‘Mar10 Day’ sales knock up to 83 percent off Nintendo Switch titles

‘Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle’ is a mere $10.

Nintendo’s favorite day for gaming discounts is back, and Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, one of our recent all-time faves for the Nintendo Switch, is only $40. Also up for grabs at the same price are the must-have Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, 2019’s Luigi’s Mansion 3, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury and Yoshi’s Crafted World. That’s a lot of Mario. Mamma mia. (I regret nothing.)

Continue reading.

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz EV: The hippie bus reborn

VW’s newest electric vehicle will seat five people.

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VW

Nearly 75 years since the first Volkswagen Type 2 rolled off its assembly line and into the annals of Americana as an icon of 1960’s counterculture, VW is re-releasing the emblematic vehicle — this time as a full EV.

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LimeWire is back!

…. but as an NFT marketplace.

In May, LimeWire is relaunching as a “mainstream-ready, digital collectibles marketplace for art and entertainment, initially focusing on music.” Its backers believe it’ll be a place for artists and fans to create and sell digital trinkets without the “technical hurdles of the current NFT landscape.” If you remember LimeWire, from the era before Spotify, iTunes and the rest, you’ll know this new direction has nothing to do with what the network once was — an often-not-legal filesharing service.

Continue reading.

Patient dies two months after groundbreaking pig heart transplant

It’s unclear if his body rejected the organ.

David Bennett, the first human to successfully undergo a heart transplant involving a genetically modified pig heart, has died, aged 57. It’s unclear if his body rejected the organ doctors implanted in January. “There was no obvious cause identified at the time of his death,” a spokesperson for the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Even if doctors determine the cause of death was organ rejection, it remains a groundbreaking milestone. Stephanie Fae Beauclair, one of the most famous patients to undergo a xenotransplantation procedure, survived 21 days before her body rejected her adopted baboon heart. 

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Finally, watch the ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ teaser trailer

The Disney+ series debuts May 25th.

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Disney

Disney+ has released an Obi-Wan Kenobi teaser trailer that documents the Jedi’s life on Tatooine as he avoids the Empire and protects a young Luke Skywalker.

Watch here.

Elon Musk wants to reverse his $20 million SEC settlement

The Tesla chief claims the SEC is overstepping.

Musk has asked a federal court to terminate his 2018 $20 million settlement with the SEC over claims the regulator both pressured him into an agreement and overstepped its limits. Musk felt “forced” to sign the consent decree at a time when Tesla’s financial health was at risk, according to the memorandum of law sent to the court.

Continue reading. 

EU tells Google to delist Russian state media websites from search

The European Commission has sent Google a request to remove Russian state media results for searches performed in countries within the EU. As The Washington Post reports, Google has uploaded a letter from EU officials to a database of government requests. In it, the officials explain how the commission’s official order to ban the broadcast of RT and Sputnik in the European Union also applies to search engines and internet companies in general.

If you’ll recall, the commission issued a ban on the state media outlets a few days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said back then that by doing so, the outlets “will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin’s war.” While it wasn’t quite clear how the order applies to internet companies, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok promptly restricted access to RT and Sputnik across Europe. Google also announced its own restrictions, but only for the outlets’ YouTube channels.

In the letter Google has uploaded, officials explained that search engines play a major role in disseminating content and that if the company doesn’t delist the outlets, it would facilitate the public’s access to them. Part of the letter reads:

“The activity of search engines plays a decisive role in the overall dissemination of content in that it renders the latter accessible to any internet user making a search on the basis of the content indication or related terms, including to internet users who otherwise would not have found the web page on which that content is published…Consequently, if search engines such as Google did not delist RT and Sputnik, they would facilitate the public’s access to the content of RT and Sputnik, or contribute to such access. 

It follows from the foregoing that by virtue of the Regulation, providers of Internet search services must make sure that i) any link to the Internet sites of RT and Sputnik and ii) any content of RT and Sputnik, including short textual descriptions, visual elements and links to the corresponding websites do not appear in the search results delivered to users located in the EU.”

Google didn’t return The Post’s request for comment, but the publication says a search conducted within the EU didn’t bring up links for “Russia Today.” RT links still showed up for us, however, when we conducted searches using Google Austria and France. 

The letter also said that the order applies to “posts made by individuals that reproduce the content of RT and Sputnik” — for example, screenshots of articles from those outlets — and that social networks must delete those posts if they get published. That could create a deluge of additional work for social media websites already struggling to moderate content posted by their users. According to The Post, though, the actual sanctions law doesn’t define the order in the way that’s written in the letter, so the officials’ interpretation could be challenged in court. 

‘Valkyrie Elysium’ is an action-RPG sequel to PS1’s ‘Valkyrie Profile’

Square Enix is dipping into its back catalog with the launch of Valkyrie Elysium, a new instalment in the Valkyrie Profile series that first appeared on the original PlayStation in 1999. Announced during Sony’s latest State of Play livestream yesterday, the action-RPG is set to arrive in 2022 on the PlayStation 4, PS5 and Windows PCs. 

“You play as a Valkyrie who is entrusted with the fate of this world by the All-Father — the highest among gods and the ruler of all creation,” the description states. “Descending to the land below, you must battle powerful foes, and uncover the secrets behind the impending ruin.”

The game will feature “fast-paced combat using a variety of weapons,” along with magic abilities. It will use aspects from past Valkyrie games like finishing moves and combos, along with a “brand new real-time action combat system that rewards both fast reactions and strategic thinking,” Square Enix said. 

The developer is Soleil Ltd (Samurai Jack), with music from composer Motoi Sakuraba (Dark Souls) and character design courtesy of Yuya Nagai from CyDesignation (NieR Re[in]carnation). The most recent game in the series is Valkyrie Anatomia: The Origin, a mobile title from 2016. Other sequels include Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria for PS2 and Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume on DS.

TikTok’s SoundOn platform lets musicians directly share their own tracks

TikTok now has its own music distribution platform. The social network has launched SoundOn, which allows artists to upload their music directly to TikTok and to distribute it to various music streaming services. ByteDance, the app’s parent company, won’t be charging artists any distribution or transaction fees. Artists will get 100 percent of their royalties for an unlimited time when TikTok creators use their music for their videos, as well as for whatever they earn on ByteDance’s music streaming service Resso.

For other streaming services that include Apple Music, Spotify and Pandora, artists will get 100 percent of their royalties in the first year and then 90 percent in the years after that. As TechCrunch reports, other similar music distribution platforms charge subscription fees or charge for distribution while paying out 100 percent in royalties to artists. 

SoundOn users will be able to choose which streaming services they want to upload their music to. They’ll also get access to audience insights, advice from the SoundOn marketing team and promotional support from TikTok. They’ll get verified on TikTok, as well, and other users will see their profile under the song page for their tracks. As noted on SoundOn’s FAQ page, artists will get to keep all the rights to their music, and they’re not expected to use the platform exclusively.

TikTok already has a massive effect on the music industry, thanks to viral videos on the app that tend to use the same catchy tunes. The SoundOn platform, which could potentially expand TikTok’s influence even further on today’s music landscape, is now live in the US, UK, Brazil and Indonesia, and musicians in those regions can visit its website to register.