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Taiwan issues an arrest warrant for OnePlus CEO Pete Lau for allegedly illegally hiring 70+ Taiwanese engineers, as it tries to stop China from raiding workers (Li Liu/Bloomberg)

Taiwan issues an arrest warrant for OnePlus CEO Pete Lau for allegedly illegally hiring 70+ Taiwanese engineers, as it tries to stop China from raiding workers (Li Liu/Bloomberg)

Li Liu / Bloomberg : Taiwan issues an arrest warrant for OnePlus CEO Pete Lau for allegedly illegally hiring 70+ Taiwanese engineers, as it tries to stop China from raiding workers —  Prosecutors in Taiwan issued an arrest warrant for the chief executive officer of the Chinese smartphone company OnePlus …

EA delays Battlefield 6 Season 2 to February 17

EA delays Battlefield 6 Season 2 to February 17

The second season of Battlefield 6 is being pushed back based on “community feedback.” On Tuesday, EA and Battlefield Studios said Season 2 will now arrive on February 17. Season 2 of Battlefield 6 had previously been scheduled for January 20, so we're looking at a delay of almost a month. As a consolation, the team is extending Season 1 through the start of the next season. "During our ongoing development, we've continued to review community feedback and, in order to keep our promise, determined that our best path forward is to extend Season 1 and give ourselves extra time to further polish and refine Season 2," EA wrote in a blog post . The game came out of the gates hot following its October launch, selling over seven million copies over its first three days . But recent Steam reviews provide a glimpse into the "community feedback" that sparked the delay. "The Battle Pass is extremely predatory and very FOMO, while the season itself doesn't give a lot to offer," one review with over 450 “helpful” votes said. They called out the title for having "so much FOMO stuff that it becomes more stressful than fun." The Season 1 extension will include some bonus content. The Frostfire Bonus Path will give “players the chance to unlock new free and premium customization rewards, including a Weapon Package and a Soldier Skin, as well as XP Boosts, by advancing through the tiers of the Frostfire Bonus Path." The extension update arrives on January 20. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ea-delays-battlefield-6-season-2-to-february-17-180306743.html?src=rss

Apple Vision Pro could gain an Apple Pencil-like controller

Apple Vision Pro could gain an Apple Pencil-like controller

Despite Apple emphasizing that the Apple Vision Pro does not require any kind of handheld controller, it is researching how to make an Apple Pencil for it that will have virtual brush tips, seen only by the wearer. Either a very chunky Apple Pencil or someone can't draw to scale very well The Apple Pencil lineup has been accused of being confusing for consumers to pick from, but at least the whole range is similar. Apple's proposal looks like an oversized, chunky addition - but it's meant to be less a writing implement and more a handheld controller. "With one illustrative configuration... [the device] is a handheld controller having an elongated marker-shaped housing configured to be grasped within a user's fingers," says the newly-granted patent , called "Computer System with Handheld Controllers." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) review: Impressive features, great price

Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) review: Impressive features, great price

TechHive Editors Choice At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Head-to-toe field of view provides very good coverage of visitor and package zones Operates on either battery or hardwired power 2-year battery life on AA lithium batteries Simple DIY installation and flexible mounting (wireless or wired) make it ideal for first-timers Cons Cloud storage and advanced detection features require a subscription Push-to-talk audio (not full duplex) Limited local storage options (included Sync Module Core doesn’t support USB storage) No color night vision Our Verdict The Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) delivers clear video, wide coverage, reliable alerts, and a long battery life at a remarkably low price. If you don’t need advanced features like ultra-sharp resolution, or full-duplex audio, this doorbell is a true bargain. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Blink is Amazon’s budget line of smart home products. While Blink gear might not match the industrial design or advanced features of Amazon’s premium Ring products, Blink delivers essential features at a much lower price. Fewer features also mean the Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) is easier to set up and easier to use. Users get clear video, wide coverage, reliable alerts and a long battery life. For many households, especially renters or first-time smart doorbell buyers, that’s exactly the kind of device they need. If you need (or just really want) ultra-sharp resolution, pro-grade audio, or a product that has a broader smart home ecosystem, you’ll need to spend more. Installation You’ll need one or another model of a Blink Sync Module to connect a Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) to your home network. The SKU we reviewed included a Blink Sync Module Core (shown at the far right in this photo). James Barber/Foundry Blink doesn’t include much in the way of instructions in the box. The Quick Start guide suggests downloading the Blink app for iOS or Google. Once you’ve done that and fired it up, you mostly get step-by-step instructions for setting up and installing your doorbell system. Experienced smart home device users will realize that installation should start with the Sync Module, but the app doesn’t suggest that step if you start with the doorbell itself. The Blink app connects the Blink Sync Module Core to your home Wi-Fi, a step that’s usually easy. Blink cameras connect to that, and from there to your home network. The Sync Module Core is included with the doorbell, but if you want local storage, you’ll need to purchase one of the higher-end models. There’s the $50 Blink Sync Module 2, which has a USB-A port you can plug a thumb drive into (max capacity 256GB), or the $70 Blink Sync Module XR , which has a microSD socket (same capacity limit as the other model). The XR also delivers longer range for up to two Blink Outdoor 4 cameras (up to 250 feet in XR mode and up to 400 feet in XR+ mode). Both sync modules support up to 10 Blink cameras. I encountered some trouble with my setup using the Sync Module Core. After several unsuccessful tries, I deleted the Blink app and restarted my iPhone before reinstalling the app. Starting over with the installation didn’t immediately resolve the issue, but I eventually got the Sync Module Core to connect to my network. I’m just not exactly sure if I did anything to make that happen or if the issue fixed itself. Once those issues were resolved, the rest of the installation was easy. The app gave well-illustrated instructions for connecting and mounting the doorbell. I chose to use the included AA batteries instead of hardwiring the doorbell into my existing setup. Once I did that, the steps were tailored to my choice and I didn’t see any of the wired instructions in my Blink app. Blink provides a paper mounting template that makes it easy to drill pilot holes four mounting the Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) in the right locations. James Barber/Foundry I installed the doorbell in a narrow slot between my home’s brick wall and its storm door. The edge of the storm door gasket made it impossible for the mounting plate to sit flush against my door jamb, so I swapped out the included screws for slightly longer ones I had on hand. The included paper drilling template made installation far easier than pushing a pencil through the mounting plate screw holes to draw circles that mark the drill targets. I’ve installed quite a few doorbells and other home security products over the past couple of years, and this is the first one I’ve encountered that came with a template. That may seem like a trivial addition to the installation kit, but I’m now wondering why everyone doesn’t include them. If the Sync Module would have connected on the first try, the entire process would have taken less than ten minutes. Even with a frustrating delay caused by those connection issues, the entire process took less than 30 minutes. The Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) installation should be easy enough for absolute beginners even if the initial steps require a bit more patience. Video quality & coverage The Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) comes with an easy-to-use app and captures video with a 1:1 aspect ratio and 1440 x 1440 pixels. James Barber/Foundry The upgraded square aspect ratio (1:1) and expanded 150-degree field of view let you see a visitor’s face, a package on the ground or anyone standing at the door edge. Resolution is improved over the previous Blink model—1440 x 1440 pixels—but opting for that highest quality will lower the doorbell’s battery life (that’s not an issue if you’re using hardwired power). In practice, image clarity is good for the price, but not stunning. I’ve tested video doorbells with image quality suggesting a 4K movie. You might think of the Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) as DVD quality, a resolution that was once considered a miracle. In low light, you’ll notice the absence of color night vision. If you live in a location with very dim lighting, you might get shadowy footage if you don’t have a front porch light or it’s not always on at night. This is the single missing feature that might tempt users to upgrade to a pricier device, but I think the image quality was more than good enough for most users. Battery vs. hardwired installation Blink says the Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) can operate for as long as two years on three AA lithium batteries. You also have the option of hardwiring it to a transformer. James Barber/Foundry As with Blink’s Outdoor 4 camera, battery endurance is one of the big positives here. Blink claims up to two years of battery life with AA lithium in typical use with Sync Module. In real-world use, the figure will vary based on Wi-Fi strength, motion frequency, recording length, whether wired or wireless), but even a year of trouble-free battery life would be excellent. If you don’t want to worry about constant recharging or pulling new wiring, this is a big win. The wired option is still present if you have an existing doorbell circuit, giving you the benefit of using your in-home chime. Using the Blink app The Blink app is required to set up your Blink doorbell. It’s also where you can watch any live video or recorded clips or communicate with anyone standing in front of your doorbell. Blink gear is optimized to work with Alexa, and you can connect your Amazon and Alexa accounts in the app. Most of the functionality built into the Blink app is designed for Blink’s extensive line of home security cameras. If you enjoy their doorbell, Amazon hopes you’ll add a half dozen cameras and build a full Blink monitoring system that you’ll control in the app. Subscription plan options You can use the Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) in its basic mode without paying for a subscription, but you will not get its full feature set. Without a subscription, you have access to a live view, alerts on door-press/motion, two-way talk, and limited video capture (if you also purchase a Blink Sync Module 2 or Sync Module XR). If you don’t already have one of Blink’s Sync Modules, you can buy the doorbell bundled with a very basic Sync Module Core, but both the Blink Sync Module 2 and the Sync Module XR offer the option of 256GB of local storage (USB or microSD respectively). James Barber/Foundry A Basic Plan subscription ($3.99/month or $39.99/year) covers one Blink device. You get person and vehicle detection, motion event recording, up to 90 minutes of live view recording (you’re limited to 5 minutes of live viewing without a subscription), and cloud storage for up to 60 days, Blink Moments (which combines related clips across devices into one video), the ability to snooze notifications to temporarily pause alerts for up to 24 hours, and an extra 10 percent off future Blink devices on Amazon. There’s also a Plus Plan that ($11.99/month or $119.99/year) that covers an unlimited number of Blink devices in multiple locations and extends the warranty coverage on all devices for as long as the subscription is active. Unlike some competitors or prior Blink models, local/USB storage is no longer built-in via Sync Module Core. If you need video storage, you should factor the $40/year Basic Plan into your calculations. Value This Blink doorbell is a strong contender in the entry-level bracket ($60 to $80). Many other budget doorbells cost more, offer less battery life (or require hardwired power), or provide an even more limited set of features. Mid-tier models ($100 to150 range) get better analytics, color night vision, local storage, and advanced sensors, but usually require a more expensive subscription in addition to their higher cost. The Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) represents a “good enough” option for most users. Not everyone needs the most advanced features, and it’s hard to beat the Blink’s value when the doorbell on sale (it was going for as little as $30 during the recent holidays). Should you buy a Blink Video Doorbell (2 nd Gen)? Blink nails the basics with this video doorbell. If you just want to see who’s at your door and talk with them via app from the other side of the house, it’s a simple solution at a remarkable price. A $40-per-year subscription adds almost all the recording features you might want; and/or if you want local storage, consider adding one of the higher-end Blink Sync Modules. You won’t get the highest-definition video or the best quality audio, but either of those options will give you an effective record of what’s going on at your front door. Amazon’s Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) lowers the barrier to entry for home security to a place where it’s affordable for almost anyone. You get a quality product with the support of a major company that has years of success in the field and avoid the shoddy quality (and questionable security) of no-name brands available online. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best video doorbells .