Activision Blizzard will let studios decide their own COVID vaccine policy

Activision Blizzard’s studios will have the power to determine their own return-to-office policies despite the company leaders’ decision to drop its vaccine mandate. That’s what Activision Blizzard executive Brian Bulatao said in a follow-up email after the company caught flak following the leak of his first one. In that first missive, Bulatao announced that the the company is lifting its vaccine mandate prior to US employees’ return to office in the coming months. Not everyone’s happy with the change, as you’d expect, and a group of workers scheduled a walkout for April 4th. 

The ABK Workers Alliance, a group that formed after California’s fair employment agency filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the gaming titan, is staging a walkout to demand the “immediate reversal to lifting the vaccine requirement.” It also wants the company to offer remote work as a permanent solution and to give each employee the freedom to decide whether to work remotely or in the office. An ABK Workers Alliance rep told Polygon that previous meetings with the company all ended with the decision to continue the vaccine mandate for workers returning to office. “This recent change was not run by any employees before being announced,” they said. 

Bulatao sent out his second email following the walkout’s announcement, telling employees that the company’s individual studios can “determine the processes and policies that work best for their employees and locations based on local conditions and risk.” Also, returning to office remains a voluntary decision at this time. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, Blizzard Entertainment president Mike Ybarra told staff in an email that the developer will continue its vaccine requirements “for at least the next few months.” Ybarra also revealed that at least 80 percent of Blizzard personnel has already uploaded proof of vaccination. 

In a statement Activision Blizzard sent to Polygon, it didn’t say whether its workers’ reaction to dropping the vaccine mandate influenced Bulatao’s follow-up email. It did say, however, that it will not retaliate against workers who participate in the walkout:

“The health and safety of our employees is at the absolute forefront of everything we do, including our return to office policy. While Activision Blizzard’s U.S. vaccine mandate has been lifted, for the majority of our employees, we are still operating under a voluntary return to office opportunity. In addition, employees who are not comfortable returning to the office are encouraged to work with their manager and our HR team to explore options for working arrangements that suit their individual situations. We will continue to monitor conditions and make adjustments to the policy as needed.

We recognize some employees may be participating in a walkout to express their views. The company supports our employees’ right to express their opinions in a safe and nonthreatening way, and will not retaliate for any decision to participate in this walkout. The company also hopes that those who walk out will conduct themselves in a legal, safe, and nonviolent manner.”

Google ‘unfairly’ blocked rival payments, India’s antitrust regulator says

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Friday released early findings of an investigation into Google’s app store and its payment system, Google Pay. As Bloombergreported, it found that Google’s Play Store billing system for app developers is “unfair and discriminatory”. 

Back in 2020, Google decided to delay enforcing its 30% commission for app developers in India following an outcry from the country’s startup community. The tech giant agreed to defer the policy until this month. But in the interim, Indian developers lobbied the nation’s government to stop Google from enacting what they felt was an unfairly high fee. Developers also believed that since Android phones are preloaded with the Play Store, it gave Google an unfair advantage over rival payment systems.

Of particular concern in India is whether Google Pay will undercut rival United Payments Interface (or UPI) apps, which allow users to directly debit payments from their bank accounts using just a virtual address. UPI payment apps like Google Pay, PhonePe and Paytm are currently the most popular way for Indians to make payments online. Critics have alleged that Google’s control of the Play Store and the Android operating system gives it an unfair amount of control over India’s digital payment ecosystem.

India’s antitrust regulator echoed similar concerns over Google Pay. “Google’s conduct is also resulting in a denial of market access to competing UPI apps since the market for UPI enabled digital payment apps is multi-sided, and the network effects will lead to a situation where Google Pay’s competitors will be completely excluded from the market in the long run,” wrote CCI in documents viewed by Bloomberg.

India’s antitrust agency has yet to finish its investigation into Google. Upon its conclusion, the tech giant may be forced to pay fines or change its policies. 

The search giant has come under fire in India, both for its developer’s fees and the potential threat Google Pay poses to domestic payment platforms. Last year Google announced that all Play Store developers would have to integrate with Google’s payment system by October 2022.

The follow-up to ‘Hyper Light Drifter’ is a full 3D co-op slasher

Hyper Light Drifter‘s retro style and relentless action have prompted a spiritual successor and even an animated series, but what about a follow-up? Don’t worry, it’s coming. Eurogamernotes Heart Machine has unveiledHyper Light Breaker, a game set in the Hyper Light universe but with very different mechanics. Gone is the Zelda-like 2D view and solo-only gameplay — instead, you’re slashing through your way through waves of enemies in a full 3D environment with optional co-op play.

The title isn’t a sequel, either. Instead, you’re fighting through a new land (the “Overgrowth”) as you aim to topple the Abyss King and grapple with mysterious Crowns. You’ll have access to tools that make use of the extra dimension, including a glider, hoverboard and wall dashes. While the fast pace and some “threads” from Drifter will carry over, Breaker is its own game.

Hyper Light Breaker is expected to launch on Steam in spring 2023. This might be disappointing if you were hoping for a straightforward continuation of the Drifter experience. At the same time, it’s not often you see game developers leap from nostalgic 2D to a significantly different 3D experience — it might be refreshing if you wanted more than just a retread.

Twitch halts paid stream boosts after viewers abuse them to push porn

Twitch is halting a feature that lets viewers pay to promote their favorite streamers after bad actors used it to push porn and other NSFW content onto its homepage. First spotted by PC Gamer, a number of Twitch users on Twitter this week noticed that streams of porn videos were on the homepage, all featuring the caption “Promoted by the streamer’s community.” It appeared that a number of unidentified users were taking advantage of the platform’s “Boost Train” program, which boosts streamers if enough fans create a “hype train” by purchasing subscriptions and bits.

Since Twitch only rolled out the Boost Train feature to partners and affiliates, only a limited number of streamers have it enabled. It’s still unclear how the bad actors were able to access Boost Train-enabled accounts.

In an email to Engadget, a Twitch spokesperson said the Boost Train feature was paused “due to safety reasons.” Twitch would not comment on whether it identified the users who were behind pushing the offending content, or whether it had plans to bring Boost Train back. 

While sexually explicit content is against Twitch’s terms of service, some critics say the platform has been inconsistent about the kind of NSFW content it bans. The platform relies on a mix of community reports and AI to identify sexually explicit streams. Dot Esports this week reported that Twitch is considering a “mature label”, which would allow streamers to experiment with more R-rated content — though it’s still drawing a hard line on broadcasting masturbation or sexual intercouse.

Boost Train debuted just this month, replacing a widely-scorned “Paid Boosts” program that let fans pay Twitch directly to boost their favorite streamers. Boost Train, on the other hand, was aimed at rewarding smaller streamers with a growing fanbase.

The first episode of ‘Halo’ is free to watch on YouTube for one week

You don’t have to start a Paramount+ trial just to figure out whether or not the Halo TV series is worth your time. The streaming service has made the first episode of the game-inspired show free to watch on YouTube for a week starting March 31st (sorry!). The freebie is only viewable in the US, but it’s worth a look if you want to see Hollywood’s take on Master Chief and the Covenant.

There’s no mystery behind the strategy. Paramount+ is clearly hoping to build Halo‘s viewer base (and thus the subscriber base) as quickly as possible, and a free sample might help when trailers aren’t enough. The provider has used this approach before with releases like Star Trek: Picard.

It might also be a question of seizing on early success. Paramount+ was confident enough in Halo to renew it before the premiere, and that support was apparently well-founded. Deadlinereported that the series broke the service’s one-day premiere viewership record, ousting the Yellowstone prequel 1883. While Paramount+ is still small compared to heavyweights like Amazon and Netflix, sustained interest in Halo could help the streamer grow and reduce its dependence on Star Trek.

Magnetic slime ‘robot’ could help recover swallowed objects

Soft robots may soon be more flexible than ever… and a tad creepy. As The Guardianreports, researchers have developed a magnetic slime “robot” that can shift into different shapes to grab objects. It can encircle a group of pellets, for instance, and even stretch out in multiple directions to grab items on opposite sides. It’s self-healing, too. The result might induce some nightmares for the squeamish and is more than a little reminiscent of Spider-Man‘s symbiotic Venom, but it’s surprisingly effective.

The slime is made from the blend of polyvinyl alcohol (a polymer), borax and neodymium magnet particles. The result is a non-Newtonian fluid that behaves like a liquid or solid depending on force, and can be controlled using external magnets. There are no robotics inside the slime at present, but you can steer it like a robot— and the “ultimate goal” is to use it like one, according to researcher and co-creator Li Zhang.

There are numerous problems left to solve. On top of fitting robotics into such a soft design, the scientists also want to prevent the toxic neodymium particles from seeping out. A layer of silica in this current slime helps, but safety inside a living being might depend on limiting contact. If the technology becomes sufficiently safe and effective, though, it could help doctors recover swallowed objects and otherwise squeeze robots into places where they were previously impractical.

Amazon warehouse workers vote to unionize in Staten Island (updated)

There should be at least one unionized Amazon warehouse in the US. CNBCreports Workers at the company’s JFK8 facility in Staten Island have voted 2,350-1,912 in favor of joining a union in a late March election. While the official count isn’t yet available, the remaining uncounted and challenged ballots aren’t expected to sway the outcome.

The decision came after numerous challenges. Workers had to file a second petition with the National Labor Relations Board after they didn’t get enough signatures last fall. The NLRB has also accused Amazon of interfering with unionization efforts at JFK8, including firing pro-union workers and intimidating them through surveillance and questioning.

The Amazon Labor Union at the heart of the vote has made multiple demands. Its requests include higher pay, “more reasonable” productivity targets and additional time off. Amazon has faced multiple claims it relies on unrealistic quotas and discourages time away from work stations.

We’ve asked Amazon for comment. It’s likely to be unhappy with the results, though. Amazon spent $4.3 million on anti-union consultants just in 2021, and the internet shopping giant was accused of interference elsewhere. The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union even claimed Amazon interfered with a second unionization vote in Bessemer, Alabama that the NLRB deemed necessary due to obstruction during the first election.

Provided the election results hold, the vote would make JFK8 the first Amazon warehouse with a union. There’s no guarantee this will lead to other warehouses following suit. The second Bessemer vote was close enough that it will likely be decided by challenged ballots, to start. A second Staten Island location is due to vote April 25th, though, and this initial win for the pro-union camp might just influence other votes.

Update 4/1 1:50PM ET: In a statement, Amazon said it was “disappointed” with the Staten Island vote and was considering options that included filing objections to the alleged “inappropriate and undue influence” from the NLRB. It cited support from private business groups including the Chamber of Commerce and the National Retail Federation.

Apple’s new iPad Air is $30 off, plus the rest of the week’s best tech deals

While many of this week’s deals only lasted for a limited time, some of them are still available. Apple’s new iPad Air is $29 off and down to $570, while the iPad mini is $40 cheaper than usual and down to $459. Amazon’s much-improved Echo Buds are 58 percent off and down to only $50, and you can still grab 8BitDo’s Pro 2 controller for just over $40. Here are the best tech deals this week that you can still get today.

iPad Air (2022)

The latest iPad Air is $30 off right now, bringing the 64GB model down to $570 and the 256GB version down to $720. The new M1-powered iPad earned a score of 90 from us for its super-fast performance, long battery life and improved front camera.

Buy iPad Air (2022) at Amazon – $570

iPad mini

Apple’s latest iPad mini is on sale for $459, which is $40 off its normal price. We gave the small tablet a score of 89 for its lovely display, refined design and excellent battery life.

Buy iPad mini at Amazon – $459

Amazon Echo Buds (2nd gen)

Amazon Echo Buds (2nd gen) review
Billy Steele/Engadget

Amazon’s latest Echo Buds are a whopping 58 percent off, bringing them down to only $50. These were already solid, affordable earbuds at their regular $120 price, but they’re an even better option at this price. We gave them a score of 80 for their improved sound quality, good ANC and smaller size.

Buy Echo Buds (2nd gen) at Amazon – $50

8BitDo Pro 2

8Bitdo Pro 2 controller
Mat Smith, Engadget

8BitDo’s excellent Pro 2 controller is 15 percent off and down to $42.50. In addition to being compatible with Nintendo Switch, Windows, macOS, Android and Raspberry Pi, the Pro 2 has a familiar layout plus two back buttons, and all of its inputs are customizable using the companion apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. The Pro 2 is included in a wider gaming accessories sale on Amazon, which includes other peripherals like the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma controller for $127.50.

Buy 8BitDo Pro 2 at Amazon – $42.50Buy Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma at Amazon – $127.50Shop gaming sale at Amazon

Bose QuietComfort 45

The Bose QC45 headphones are on sale for $279, which is their all-time-low price that we saw last Black Friday. We gave the cans a score of 86 for their excellent sound quality, strong ANC and comfortable fit.

Buy QC45 at Amazon – $279

Samsung Galaxy S22

Samsung's Galaxy S22 and S22+ are the company's new mainstream flagship phones for 2022.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Amazon has knocked $100 off Samsung’s Galaxy S22 smartphone, bringing the handset down to $700 for the 128GB model and $750 for the 256GB version. We gave the flagship phone a score of 87 for its slick design, strong performance and excellent camera array.

Buy Galaxy S22 (128GB) at Amazon – $700Buy Galaxy S22 (256GB) at Amazon – $750

Samsung T7 Touch (1TB)

The T7 Touch portable SSD in 1TB is on sale for $140 right now. This palm-sized drive works with most devices thanks to the duo of cables it comes with, and it supports 1,050 MB/s read speeds, 1,000 MB/s write speeds, AES 256-bit encryption and Dynamic Thermal Guard.

Buy T7 Touch (1TB) at Amazon – $140

New tech deals

Xbox Stereo Headset 20th Anniversary Special Edition

You can pick up this special edition Xbox headset for $50, which is 29 percent off its normal price and a record low. This is a wired headset that has green accents and support for Windows Sonic spatial sound.

Buy Xbox Stereo Headset at Amazon – $50

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller (Xbox)

PowerA’s Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox is 32 percent off and down to only $26. It’s a good option if you want another controller for your console but don’t want to pay the premium attached to the first-party options. This one has a familiar, ergonomic design, dual rumble motors and mappable buttons.

Buy Enhanced Wired Controller at Amazon – $26

65-inch Samsung The Frame smart TV

Samsung’s 65-inch The Frame smart TV is $300 less than usual on Amazon right now, so you can grab it for $1,500. In addition to Quantum Dot technology and built-in Alexa, The Frame series has Art Mode, which shows artwork on the screen when you’re not watching TV.

Buy 65-inch The Frame at Amazon – $1,500

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