Technology

VanMoof, maker of some of our favorite electric bikes, just announced the PowerBank, a range extender that also charges the internal battery of the company’s S3 and X3 models. Not only does the emotional-support battery promise to ease range anxiety by extending VanMoof e-bike commutes by a claimed 45 to 100 km (28 to 62 miles), it also addresses VanMoof’s biggest limitation: non-removable batteries that enable a sleek look, but could necessitate hauling the 19-kg (42-pound) bikes indoors to be charged. I’ve had a new VanMoof S3, improved for 2021 (more on that later), with the PowerBank since Friday. After 3 hours in the saddle on two 90-minute rides, I can attest to the extended range and more convenient charging. It’s not cheap and it’s not perfect and I didn’t go quite as far as VanMoo...

The gaming audio company EPOS has debuted a new wired gaming headset called the H3. It’s not as exciting as its GTW 270 truly wireless earbuds for gaming, and depending on your needs, its short list of features might not be worth its $119 price. But a few things stick out in the H3’s favor after spending a few days with it. EPOS has a knack for using a rotating dial for volume controls on its headsets, and if you read my review of Microsoft’s excellent Xbox Wireless Headset, you know I’m all about dials. On the outside of the H3’s right earcup, there’s a dial controlling the volume that’s easy to adjust with two fingers. Opposite that, on the left earcup, there’s an articulating boom microphone that can be muted when it’s in the up position. Any time it’s lowered, the mic will be on, unles...

Samsung is giving owners of its foldable phones some free dessert. Specifically, an order of “Chef Daniel Boulud’s signature Madeleines and Canelé,” designed by the chef exclusively for Samsung’s Galaxy Z Premier program, which offers Galazy Z Fold and Flip owners free perks in exchange for having bought the luxury-styled phones. The new perk is being offered in partnership with the Michelin Guide through Boulud’s restaurant, Daniel (which itself has two Michelin stars). Samsung’s announcement claims that the dessert in question is valued at $75, which seems like a lot for French pastries, but if you already own a Galaxy foldable, the price tag isn’t something you’ll need to worry about, given that it’s free. Who doesn’t like free French pastries? The company has been offering additional p...

Love, Death and Robots is heading back to Netflix for “Volume 2” on May 14th, according to a new trailer the company released today. The science fiction anthology series originally debuted in 2019 and was renewed for more episodes that same year. Now, Netflix is showing off a new bundle of episodes and teasing more for 2022. The joy of a good animation anthology is the grab bag quality of it — experiencing a variety of stories, made in a variety of different styles. The original trailer for Love, Death and Robots played up the frenetic, over-stimulating feeling that sometimes gets associated with “the future,” but it seems like Volume 2 is taking a different tack, focusing on the drama and gravity of these new episodes’ stories and scoring the trailer with a track from the horror film Here...

YouTube has stopped running ads on James Charles’ channel after the creator was accused of sending sexual messages to minors. Charles apologized on April 1st and acknowledged the accusations. YouTube now says that Charles has violated its “creator responsibility policy,” resulting in the temporary demonetization of his channel. Insider first reported the action and YouTube verified the report with The Verge. The company didn’t clarify how long Charles’ channel would be demonetized. The policy is essentially a catchall that YouTube uses to crack down on creators when their behavior leads to widespread negative attention, even if they haven’t explicitly violated YouTube’s rules. Charles is one of YouTube’s biggest creators with 25.5 million subscribers, putting him just above Eminem and Katy...

Sony and Guerrilla Games’ PS4 hit Horizon Zero Dawn is now available, free of charge, to PS4 and PS5 owners. PlayStation owners on both consoles can redeem a free digital copy of the game until May 14th at 8PM PT / 11PM ET. The free copy Sony is offering is the Complete Edition, meaning you get not only the base game but some extras, including the Frozen Wilds expansion and a digital artbook. Unlike the PS Plus free games, which require an active subscription to the service, Sony is giving away the game for free, no strings attached. The promotion is part of Sony’s Play at Home initiative Horizon Zero Dawn was originally released in 2017 as a PS4 exclusive. Players control a young hunter named Aloy who roams a post-apocalyptic world dominated by machines while searching for clues about her...

Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury brand, has revealed its first all-electric car. It’s called the Electrified G80 because, well, Genesis took the existing G80 sedan and is refitting it to run on electricity. The carmaker claims it will travel about 427 kilometers (roughly 265 miles) on a full battery. It’s a very straightforward idea that pales in comparison to some of the truly exciting concept cars Genesis has shown off over the years, many of which are purported to be electric. Basically none of those progressive styling choices and daring ideas are coming across in the Electrified G80. It’s also not mold-breaking like Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 sedan or Kia’s EV6, both of which are built on the parent company’s new e-GMP electric vehicle platform. Grid View That’s obviously by design, as Genesis will t...

Insurance company Geico suffered a data breach earlier this year that exposed customers’ driver’s license numbers for more than a month, according to a data breach notice filed with the attorney general of California. First reported by TechCrunch, Geico says in the notice that it has fixed the security issue that led to the breach. “We recently determined that between January 21, 2021 and March 1, 2021, fraudsters used information about you – which they acquired elsewhere – to obtain unauthorized access to your driver’s license number through the online sales system on our website,” the notice reads. “We have reason to believe that this information could be used to fraudulently apply for unemployment benefits in your name.” The notice does not indicate how many customers may have been affe...

Oatly is going public, so out of prurient interest, I picked up their registration statement. Did you know: a risk factor to Oatly’s business? Climate change. In 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission provided guidance about how to apply climate change disclosures — since it might be required in the risk factor section, among other places. And according to the SEC, investor demand for climate change disclosures has “grown dramatically.” The SEC is mulling over whether existing disclosures are good enough, and it has requested feedback from the public. Oatly’s registration provides a nice demonstration of that interest: the risks of climate change laid out bluntly by a corporation. “Our ability to ensure a continuing supply of high-quality oats and other raw materials for our products...

The embattled social network Parler is slated to reappear on iOS on the week of April 26th, following its re-acceptance into Apple’s App Store earlier today. However, the iOS app will block some content that’s available on the Android and web versions of Parler — a compromise that apparently satisfies Apple’s developer guidelines. Parler announced the news in a press release. Interim CEO Mark Meckler said the company had “worked to put in place systems that will better detect unlawful speech and allow users to filter content undesirable to them, while maintaining our strict prohibition against content moderation based on viewpoint.” Apple reversed its ban earlier today Apple reaccepted Parler after a months-long ban under pressure from lawmakers, two days before a hearing on Apple’s App St...

There’s new video of the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars, captured by the Perseverance rover’s cameras and posted to Twitter by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The copter had its first flight earlier today, lifting 10 feet off the Martian surface for 39 seconds and marking the first flight of a powered craft on another planet. The video shows the tissue box-sized craft zipping up and hovering in place before gracefully landing back on the surface. The video was shot at a 34mm focal length at 6.7 frames per second and is a sequence of about 1,400 frames, according to Perseverance imaging scientist Justin Maki. A “full-zoom version” at 110mm is coming in the next few days, along with photos from Ingenuity’s 13-megapixel horizon-facing camera. A black-and-white photo of its shadow, taken with ...

The developer of indie hits Celeste and Towerfall has unveiled its next game: Earthblade. There aren’t many details about the game just yet, but Extremely OK Games billed Monday’s news as a “vibe reveal,” taking the wraps off the game’s title, a poster, and a song from the game. You can see the poster and the game’s logo (designed by Pedro Medeiros) and hear the song (composed by Lena Raine) in a teaser video posted on Twitter. Earthblade Vibe reveal! ( sound on!) A 2D explor-action game in a seamless pixel art world. The next release from the Celeste team, coming 20XX. pic.twitter.com/ceAM80PEaG — Extremely OK Games (@exok_games) April 19, 2021 We might be waiting a while for the actual release of the game. Extremely OK Games has only officially listed a vague “20XX” release date, and the...