Volkswagen investors sue for another $9 billion in damages
It’s been exactly one year since news of Volkswagen’s emissions testing scandal broke wide, and the lawsuits keep on coming. Already on the hook for $14.7 billion in one of the largest class-action settlements in US history, another 1,400 of VW’s investors are now suing the company for grand total of $9.1 billion (8.2 billion euros) in damages.
As Reuters reports today, the automaker had to bring in extra staff just to process all of the paperwork, which was filed in a regional court in Braunschweig, Germany near the Volkswagen headquarters in Wolfsburg. Over half of those lawsuits arrived on Monday, reportedly because VW shareholders believed September 18th was the deadline to file.
The majority of the plaintiffs claim that Volkswagen didn’t act fast enough to alert shareholders to the fact that its software was cheating the emissions testing system. Earlier this month a veteran Volkswagen engineer pled guilty in a US federal court to charges of conspiring to defraud American consumers and regulatory agencies.
The biggest of the new shareholder lawsuits amounts to about $3.6 billion (3.3 billion euros) and was filed on behalf of the big-money institutional investors. Also named among the plaintiffs were a number of German state pension funds, which took a hit when VW stock tanked a year ago. Volkswagen has already set aside more then $18 billion to cover the US settlement and the cost of buyback and retrofit programs, but analysts believe that figure will continue to rise as more lawsuits and regulatory penalties trickle in. Looking a little further down the road, however, the company is still banking on an ambitious lineup of electric vehicles to help steer it back on track.
Source: Reuters
Some Lenovo PCs can’t run Linux
Lenovo just can’t seem to avoid troubles with its PC firmware. Linux users are worried that some of Lenovo’s PCs, such as variants of the Yoga 710 and Yoga 900, aren’t allowing them to install their preferred operating system. They note that the systems’ solid-state drives use a RAID mode that Linux doesn’t understand. That’s unpleasant enough, but Lenovo’s initial handling of complaints didn’t help. Its staff locked support forum threads discussing the topic, and a Lenovo Product Expert on Best Buy claims that a Yoga 900’s use of a pure, Signature Edition take on Windows 10 Home meant that it was “locked per our agreement with Microsoft.” If that was true, it’d be pretty damning — it’d suggest that at least some Signature Edition systems are purposefully set up to exclude non-Windows platforms.
But are they? Not so fast. In both a subsequent Best Buy comment and a statement to The Register, Lenovo says it “does not intentionally block” Linux or other operating systems on its computers. Linux compatibility is a matter of updating the OS kernel and drivers to recognize the SSD RAID configuration, the company says. This won’t be much comfort if you really, really want to run Ubuntu on your convertible PC, but it at least suggests that Lenovo isn’t trying to ruin your day.
We’ve asked both Lenovo and Microsoft for further takes on the situation, including whether or not there’s anything in the Signature Edition program that would make PC vendors clamp down. In response, Lenovo elaborated on its position in a new statement (below): it says the Yoga line demands “very specific, complex and unique drivers,” and not just the storage controller. Other features “would likely not work” with Linux, too. We’ll let you know if Microsoft has something to add about Signature Edition PCs, but it doesn’t look like any of its policies would change the reality for Lenovo buyers.
[Thanks, Dylan]
“As the world’s number 1 PC company, we continue to focus on bringing value to the PC user, and creating unique and innovative form factors such as Yoga. Our consumer Windows PCs are specifically designed for and extensively tested on Windows 10. Yoga 900 / 900S with their 360 degree hinges are specifically designed to maximise the touch functionality of Windows 10. Our Yoga design requires very specific, complex and unique drivers that require even greater amounts of testing, to ensure class-leading performance with Windows 10. To support our Yoga products and our industry-leading 360-hinge design in the best way possible we have used a storage controller mode that is unfortunately not supported by Linux and as a result, does not allow Linux to be installed. Beyond the controller setup limitation, other advanced capabilities of the Yoga design would likely not work with current Linux offerings.
“Lenovo does not intentionally block customers using other operating systems such as Linux on Yoga or any of its devices and is fully committed to providing Linux certifications and installation guidance on a wide range of suitable products. These products are listed on our support page:
Via: The Register
Source: Best Buy, Reddit, Imgur, Lenovo
Gawker Media has been renamed ‘Gizmodo Media Group’
It’s been about a month since Gawker.com shut down, and now the last traces of the site’s heritage have been effectively erased. Parent company Univision, which purchased Gawker Media’s assets after it filed for bankruptcy (thanks to Hulk Hogan and retaliatory lawsuit aficionado Peter Thiel) just named Raju Narisetti as new CEO of Gizmodo Media Group. There’s not a word to been seen here of Gawker’s heritage, and with the flagship site on ice, there’s nothing left for the Gawker brand.
Renaming the group as Gizmodo Media Group makes sense, as Gizmodo was the first blog that founder Nick Denton created under what would become the Gawker Media Group. Still it’s undoubtably the end of an era for a site that was notorious for both stirring up trouble as well as doing some undeniably excellent reporting.
What’ll ultimately happen to Gawker’s years of content remains to be seen. The site is still live, but with no word from Univision as to what’ll happen to it, it wouldn’t surprise us if it was purged from the internet entirely at some point. First, though, Univision will likely have to get to the bottom of the Gawker / Hogan lawsuit before it can remove Gawker from the internet entirely.
Source: Univision
Fitbit Charge 2 review – CNET
The Good Swappable bands. A multi-line OLED display that can show time and fitness data. Always-on heart rate. A great companion app. Affordable price. Five-day battery life.
The Bad Not water-resistant for swims or showers. Lacks GPS. Phone notifications on the Charge 2 display are limited and hard to read.
The Bottom Line If you don’t need water resistance and GPS, the Fitbit Charge 2 is the best overall fitness tracker you can buy.
Lots of things track steps now. Tons of trackers and watches — and even phones — do a good enough job.
In 2016, you buy a fitness band for its app and software. Fitbit does what it does so well and so simply, and across enough platforms and phones and social networks, that it wins out as a platform of choice.
And the best overall Fitbit hardware you can get right now? That’s the new Charge 2, which costs $150 in the US, £130 in the UK, AU$250 in Australia. (A slightly pricier special edition at $180, £150 or AU$290 with a different band finish.) It’s the follow-up to our previous favorite (an no longer available), the Charge HR. The Charge 2 is a slight redesign, with a few new features. I still don’t think anything else nails the combination of app, feature set and functional, affordable design like it does.
If you’re a dedicated long-distance away-from-your-phone runner, or want to swim, or want a fully-connected smartwatch, go with other choices. But the Charge 2 is a do-everything band for the average person. I’ve worn one for about a month now and it’s won me over. It’s the easy answer to “which fitness tracker should the average person buy?”
Just don’t swim with it.
Compact design, larger display.
Sarah Tew/CNET
It’s a Fitbit Charge HR with extras
As I said, the Charge 2 is a similar band to the Charge HR, replacing that older model in Fitbit’s lineup at the identical price. It still has five-day battery and always-on heart rate tracking, but adds a much larger OLED display that shows all the data I wanted it to in the first place. And its design, while still a bit bulky, is sharper: a steel body, glass-covered screen and swappable leather or rubber bands. It isn’t the most jaw-dropping design of all time, but its watch-style buckle fit me securely (it comes in two sizes).
If you’re looking for a small snug band, this might be too bulky for you. Consider the Fitbit Flex 2, a less expensive no-screen waterproof tracker that lacks heart rate.
Multi-line display, at last.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Bigger screen is better
The Charge 2’s new selection of watch faces and the larger vertical LED display mean I can see time, steps and heart rate all at once.
Its screen is not always on, but a lift-to-look gesture works fine, or you can tap the display, or you can press the side button. That side button shifts between modes on the tracker, while tapping on the display brings up extra data (estimated calorie burn, or pace, or resting heart rate).
Onboard features include a stopwatch, exercise tracking mode, heart rate and a new “Relax” mindfulness app. Notifications pop up in a limited way — texts, calendar appointments and phone calls, which scroll slowly across the bottom of the vertical screen. Not great, and you can’t respond to anything, of course, but it’s better than nothing.
Trying to calm down.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Relax = a little mini-mindfulness, sorta
Fitbit’s one small step into the expanding mindfulness wearable tech world is Relax, which only lives on the Charge 2: much like the Apple Watch‘s Breathe app, it is a focused timed breathing exercise that aims to encourage relaxation. It doesn’t sync back any data to the Fitbit app. It gathers a simulated respiration rate from heart rate data, and encourages timed inhale-exhales over 2 or 5 minutes, showing your heart rate afterwards. That’s it.
OK, it got me to focus. But it’s not anything that a regular meditation exercise couldn’t also do. I don’t use it much, but as a freebie bonus, it’s not bad. I just didn’t know what to do with it, and I wasn’t encouraged by my Fitbit to ever go back and use it on a daily basis.
Fitbit’s new trail-based challenges are kinda fun.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Better software, better features
Fitbit’s own app has gotten pretty comprehensive. It’s great. It’s easy to use, and tracks everything you’d need: standing, stair climbing, weight loss, nutrition, water intake, heart rate, exercise, sleep…and oh yeah, steps. And unlike the Apple Watch — twice as expensive or more — it also tracks stair climbing and sleep.
The easy-glance dashboard design has won me over, and I can pair enough other things into the experience, such as hooking in a Withings scale to sync weigh-ins via the cloud, that I never feel like it lacks anything I need.
I also like Fitbit’s tweaks to its other measurements, especially its reminders to move. Unlike many other bands, Fitbit makes you walk 250 steps to “earn the hour.” It made me want to walk more, instead of just standing.
Erato Apollo 7 review – CNET
The Good The Erato Apollo 7 is a lightweight, totally wireless set of earphones that delivers mostly hiccup-free operation. They sound good, are sweat-resistant (they can be used for running), and a charging case with an integrated battery supplies multiple charges on the go.
The Bad They’re expensive, the battery life is only 3 hours and the firmware isn’t upgradable.
The Bottom Line Although it’s a bit too pricey, the Erato Apollo 7 is one of the first truly wireless headphones that works well and delivers decent sound.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
Erato, a Taiwanese startup, bills its Apollo 7 as the world’s most compact true wireless earphones — that emerging category of Bluetooth headphones with separate left and right standalone earbuds with no connecting cable in between. Apple might dispute that claim now that it’s unveiled its AirPods, but the Apollo 7s certainly are very small, lightweight and among the best of this new breed of headphone.
The key to all these truly wireless earphones is that the wireless Bluetooth connection between both your phone (the audio source) and the two buds needs to be rock solid. Or close to it anyway. And that’s what’s impressive about the Apollo 7s: they worked just like a standard in-ear Bluetooth headphones, with minimal hiccups and dropouts. It’s also worth noting that after I paired them with my phone once, I had no trouble pairing them again.
The earphones in their included charging case.
Sarah Tew/CNET
How it works is that you pair one of the buds (I chose the right one) with your phone or another Bluetooth-enabled device, then you turn the other bud on and it pairs automatically to the first bud to form a stereo connection. If you want to use only one bud as a headset, you can do that.
During the nearly three weeks I used the Apollo 7, operation wasn’t totally flawless. There were a few minor glitches. For instance, the headphone locked up once and wouldn’t produce sound, even though it was paired to the phone. Solution: I powered off my phone, restarted it and the issue resolved itself.
I thought the Apollo 7 sounded quite good for Bluetooth earbuds, with a reasonable amount clarity and decent bass. Included in the box are various silicone and foam tips. Using one of the larger silicone tips I managed to get a secure fit and that tight seal really helps improve sound quality (if you don’t like having eartips jammed in your ears, this isn’t the headphone for you).
Each earbud has a single universal control button.
Sarah Tew/CNET
That said, like a lot of Bluetooth headphones, the Apollo 7’s performance can be somewhat uneven. By that I mean that they sound very good with some tracks and not as great with others.
They’re a touch bright in the treble and a bit forward in the midrange. For instance, with Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie — Live, BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, London 2007” I had to ratchet back the volume because her voice had a little bit of a harsh edge to it at higher volumes. The headphone will also distort with certain tracks at higher volumes, so it’s best to use it at around 60-75 percent volume. (It does play loud enough, however.)
A good wired in-ear headphone, such as the $150 Bose SoundTrue Ultra, which both CNET contributor Steve Guttenberg and I like a lot, easily bests this headphone, with smoother, richer sound. Bose’s SoundSport Wireless also sounds a little better than the Apollo 7 for about half the price. But the SoundTrue is a wired headphone, and the SoundSport is wireless with a wire connecting the left and right earpieces. The Apollo 7, by comparison, has absolutely no wires. Given that stipulation, they they sound relatively impressive, especially compared to the bulk of the current competition. It also helps that that they maintain a good connection.
Comparisons to rival full wireless ‘phones
For comparison in that fully wireless realm, I pitted the Apollo 7 against the Bragi Dash and Earin, the latter of which also lays claim to being the world’s smallest completely wireless earphones.
Of the three, the Apollo 7 had the most reliable connection by a long shot. Although I like the Bragi Dash and Earin — both fit me well — they had frequent hiccups, which made it it difficult to listen to them on the go (I ran with the Dash).
The Earin, which actually weighs less (3.5 grams) than the Apollo 7 (4 grams), is well designed and sounds good but is missing a microphone for making calls (its price has come down to $200 from $280).
Google Pixel Phone Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Google
Every year since 2010, Google has launched a “Nexus” phone into the marketplace — a device made by a third-party manufacturer, with the distinction of being the first one kissed with that year’s version of Google’s Android operating system. Nexus has since become synonymous with higher-end features in a package that’s cheaper than Apple and Samsung’s top phones.
This year, things are probably going to be a little different. Here’s what we know so far, and what’s rumored, about the next Google-branded phone.
There will be two and their names shall be Pixel (maybe)
The word on the web is that Google is doing away with the Nexus brand and plumping for Pixel instead. Why? We don’t know for sure, and it’s only a rumor for now, but Google already has a Pixel C tablet, so the designation at least makes sense. If the rumors are true, we’ll have two phones, the Pixel and Pixel XL. That would work out, too. Last year we saw double Nexus phones as well, the Nexus 6P (made by Huawei) and smaller, lighter-featured Nexus 5X (made by LG).
You could be looking at the Google Pixel and Pixel XL.
Android Police
I don’t have any insider information here, but if I were to guess, I’d say Google might want to start fresh because the Nexus numbering is getting out of hand. Phones named 6P and 5X don’t seem to belong to the same generation (but they did), and with the iPhone 7 phones, four Samsung Galaxy “7” phones and the ZTE Axon 7, another “7” phone would feel played out. There’s also the matter of an existing Nexus 7 and Nexus 9; Google may be running short on names. This would also be a good opportunity to give the phones a new philosophy or price range.
October 4 launch date set
We can’t say for sure that Google will definitely unveil its next phone, but something rectangular is being unmasked on October 4 in San Francisco. Google’s site for the launch, its invitation to journalists, giant billboards and new TV commercials all show a phone-shaped rectangle accompanied by a Google “G” (and various morphing animations from the Google search bar, on the video versions).
We’ll be on the ground covering the event live.
What else do we know about the phones?
Again, we don’t know anything for sure, but we’ve heard plenty of rumors and leaks about phones that may or may not be called the Pixel and Pixel XL. The smaller phone might have a 5-inch screen; the larger one a 5.5-inch display. They could be made by HTC and start at $650 (that converts to about £500 and AU$860), with the Pixel XL costing more. There may also be a financing plan you can buy from Google and an extended warranty, similar to Apple Care.
The back may have an unusual glass panel.
@OnLeaks, Android Authority
The phones could come in three colors, according to Android Police: aluminum, black and bright blue colors. In the US, it’s possible they’ll sell through Google’s Store and Verizon.
The possible specs, pieced together from leaks all over the internet, from Business Insider, Android Authority and Android Police are listed below.
Rumored Google Pixel specs
- 5-inch display with 1,920×1,080-pixel resolution
- 12- or 13-megapixel rear camera
- 8-megapixel front-facing camera
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
- 32GB, 128GB storage options
- 4GB RAM
- 2,770 mAh battery
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- Google Daydream-ready
Rumored Google Pixel XL specs
- 5.5-inch display with 2,560×1,440-pixel resolution
- 12- or 13-megapixel rear camera
- 8-megapixel front-facing camera
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
- 32GB, 128GB storage options
- 4GB RAM
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- Google Daydream-ready
Will we see any other hardware?
Don’t hold your breath for the Project Ara modular phone with swappable parts; that’s stalled so much that Google has finally pulled it off the table, for now.
But here’s what we do expect:
- Google Home: The voice-activated, AI-using challenger to Amazon’s Echo.
- Daydream View VR headset: The hardware that goes with Google’s forthcoming virtual reality platform.
- New Pixel tablet: Last year’s excellent Pixel C is due for an upgrade.
- 4K Chromecast: The next version of Google’s phone-focused media-streaming puck could welcome 4K streaming on board, and be called the Chromecast Plus or Chromecast Ultra, Android Police reports.
More to come
Rumors and leaks will hit a fever pitch as the October 4 event approaches. We’ll update this story with the best nuggets we find, and we’ll be sure to bring you all the goods from Google’s big event.
Frigidaire FGGF3058RF review – CNET
The Good The $1,150 Frigidaire FGGF3058RF gas range includes some extra cook settings and features, such as a pizza button and a heating element built around the oven’s convection fan. It also boils water quicker than comparable gas ranges.
The Bad The gas range slowly broils burgers, and the oven controls are counterintuitive.
The Bottom Line The Frigidaire FGGF3058RF attempts to offer higher-end features to distinguish itself from similarly priced ranges. But when you dig deeper, this range isn’t much different than the competition.
Chris Monroe/CNET
At first glance, it seems like the Frigidaire FGGF3058RF is a feature-rich appliance available for a reasonable price: $1,150. There’s a heating element built around the oven’s convection fan for more even cooking. It has specialty cooking modes, such as convection roast and a simple button that just says “pizza” for your favorite frozen or fresh pie. And there’s a probe that you plug into the oven wall that tracks the internal temperature of dishes you’re cooking, a feature we usually see on more expensive ovens.
But when you dig a little deeper into this oven’s extras and basic functions, you realize that Frigidaire has created an appliance that is on par with other gas ranges in the less-than-$1,200 price range. The oven takes its sweet time broiling burgers, and it doesn’t bake multiple racks of biscuits as evenly you’d hope, especially with that “true convection.” And the pizza button? It works, but it’s so simple that it almost seems like an unnecessary part of the oven.
Overall, the Frigidaire FGGF3058RF is a decent range. It just doesn’t have enough bells, whistles or cooking prowess to make it any more special than other ranges. Consider the $1,000 GE JGB700SEJSS, a cheaper gas range with fewer bonus features, but an equally good performance.
11
Frigidaire goes big in bid to go home with you
Another day, another stainless-steel range
The Frigidaire FGGF3058RF does little to set itself apart aesthetically from other gas, freestanding ranges. Fortunately, this now-standard design is inoffensive and won’t be an eyesore in your kitchen. The Frigidaire is a 30-inch wide freestanding range coated in stainless steel that’s supposed to be resistant to smudges and fingerprints (it was indeed resistant, but not impervious, so keep stainless-steel wipes handy). Continuous cast-iron grates cover the five gas burners on the cooktop. The range comes with the nice addition of an option of a griddle you can swap over the middle, oblong burner for foods like pancakes or grilled cheese.
The touch panel buttons often control more than one cooking option.
Chris Monroe/CNET
The touchpad controls can be difficult to get the hang of because one button can access multiple features. For example, there isn’t a separate button between convection bake and convection roast; you use the same button to access each cooking mode. And if you’re using the temperature probe, you can decide whether you want the oven to continue cooking after your desired temperature has been reached or if you want it to stop. This is a smart option to give users, but it’s hard to remember exactly how to get to that selection. You need to make sure you hold onto this oven’s user manual so you can keep all the controls straight.
Down in the oven, Frigidaire gives you 5 cubic feet of baking space, which is a bit on the small end for a freestanding gas oven. But in practice, there is plenty of room for large baking sheets and roasts. A convection fan is built into the back wall of the oven to improve the circulation of hot air. As I mentioned earlier, there’s a heating element around the convection fan (in addition to traditional heating elements on the top and bottom of the oven) to heat the air while it’s circulating.
Blizzard is ditching the Battle.net name
Battle.net has been synonymous with Blizzard for most of the game studio’s history, and for good reason: from Diablo onward, the online service helped usher in the concept of free, fully-integrated multiplayer matchmaking. Times have changed, however, and Blizzard is putting the Battle.net name to rest. The underlying technology will remain, but you’ll see it referred to simply as Blizzard technology. The Battle.net label is outdated in an era where native multiplayer support is “more of a normal expectation” than a novelty, the developer says. Moreover, the branding is sometimes confusing and redundant. Why does Blizzard have to treat its own service as a separate beast?
The transition should take place over the “next several months.”
It’s a sad day for longstanding Blizzard fans, but you could also say that it’s overdue. The Battle.net name is a holdover from the days when GameSpy, TEN and other third-party services were virtually necessary to join online games for those players not intimately familiar with IP addresses. They lost their main reason for being when many games started treating multiplayer as a central feature, and broadband internet access made it almost trivially easy to find and join matches.
Via: Kotaku
Source: Blizzard
Adidas shows off the first shoe made at its robot factory
Last last year, Adidas began rolling out its plans for Speedfactory, a set of robot-staffed manufacturing facilities located in Germany and, soon, the US. Today, the sportswear giant revealed the first silhouette developed through this new project, known as Futurecraft M.F.G. It’s a sleek running shoe that features Adidas’ trademark Primeknit upper and Boost midsole, similar to what you see on popular models like Kanye West’s Yeezy 350s.
While there is some human assistance during the assembly process, as shown in the video below, the majority of the crafting is done by the machines. What’s more, the design itself relies heavily on data from ARAMIS, a motion capture technology that maps an individual’s skin, bone and muscle to create a more comfortable shoe.
Adidas says the M.F.G. (aka “Made for Germany”) is only the beginning, with more products expected to come over the next few months. The company has been pushing the envelope with its Futurecraft line recently, which also includes sneakers made partially with 3D-printed materials.
Don’t hold your breath if you want a pair of Futurecraft M.F.G., though, since only 500 pairs will be available for an undisclosed price.
Listen to Monday Night Football in noisy bars – CNET
Of all of the crises faced by this great nation — and there are many — few rival the aggravation caused when you can’t hear the TV!
Suppose, for example, you’re trying to watch football at the local wings-and-beer joint, but there’s too much noise; you can’t hear the commentary, can’t hear the instant-replay results of that controversial call.
Suppose crazy Uncle Mike (who’s also mostly deaf) wants to watch his political-punditry shows at full volume while the rest of you are trying to each a peaceful (and non-political) dinner.
Let Tunity do a quick-scan of any TV at the gym, then it’ll pipe the audio right to your headphones. Handy!
Tunity
Or suppose you just want to watch TV in bed, but your spouse just wants to sleep.
For those and other situations, you need a way to hear TV audio without disturbing — or being disturbed by — others. App to the rescue!
Tunity streams TV audio to your smartphone. Available for Android and iOS, it’s a free and (mostly) effective solution.
It works like this: You simply point your phone’s camera at the TV and let the Tunity app “scan” the screen. Although the actual scanning happens very quickly, it can take a full 10 to 20 seconds for the audio to kick in. So it’s not ideal for channel-hoppers.
But it’s definitely ideal for football fans: According to the developer, Tunity will support over 95 percent of NFL games this season and all national Division I college football games.
In my tests (Comcast + iPhone 6s Plus), the app worked as advertised on major networks like A&E, ESPN, Food Network and TNT (it supports a whopping 100 channels, way more than it used to). But it had trouble with the local cable channel that airs my Detroit Tigers games.
Also, Tunity works only with live broadcasts, meaning you can’t use it with shows you’ve recorded. Even if you just hit pause on your DVR, the audio will continue, effectively leaving you out of sync until you “catch up” to the live stream.
If and when the audio lands out of sync, you can tap the fine-tune controls to adjust it.
Owners of certain Roku models know the joys of plugging a pair of headphones into the remote for silent listening. Tunity affords the same thing for live TV, but costs nothing except some of your smartphone’s juice.
This probably isn’t something you’d use every day, but when you need it? Wow, is it handy.
AIVAnet 