Commodore’s Amiga 500 was one of the most popular home computers in the era just before the PC swallowed the world. Now, thirty years and change since its heyday, Retro Games is making a “mini” version of the computer and games console. Much like Retro Games’ last machine, a “mini” version of the Commodore 64 that can’t use the Commodore name, this will be branded as THEA500 Mini.

Retro Games has said that the console will include 25 titles from the vast (and excellent) Amiga library including Another World, Worms, Simon the Sorcerer and The Chaos Engine. The full list of titles hasn’t been released, but if Bart vs. The Space Mutants and Dalek Attack aren’t on there, I will cry.

Much like pretty much every other retro console, a glossy software layer will smooth out the rougher edges of this software. Users will be able to save and resume titles part-way through play, and you’ll be able to side-load titles you (ahem) own over the included USB port.

Rather than simply emulating the vanilla Amiga 500, the hardware will also run the Enhanced Chip Set (ECS) layers found in the Amiga 500 Plus, a short-lived revision released in 1991. You’ll also be able to harness the advanced graphics architecture (AGA) of the much-pricier flagship model, the Amiga 1200.

Hardware-wise, it’s likely to be a similar sort of moulded-plastic-around-a-mini-board situation as found in THEC64 Mini. But on the accessories front, it’ll ship with the Amiga’s famous two-button mouse, and a joypad that, to my eyes, seems to be based on the Amiga CD32’s gamepad rather than the 500’s (which, to be fair, was more famously a joystick-led machine).

THEA500 Mini will launch at some point in early 2022, and is expected to cost $140 (£120, €130) when it arrives. The only misgivings I have at this point is that Retro Games’ previous work with the THEC64 Mini made that a hard product to love in several ways. Hopefully, however, many of those issues have been resolved for the new model, which was the object of lust for many people soon be knocking on 40.

Oh, and here’s the greatest advert for a computer ever made:

Source: Engadget – Retro Games is making a mini version of the Amiga 500

Google has announced changes to YouTube, Search and its other apps designed to make them safer for kids. The latest updates will make YouTube videos created by kids private by default, allow minors or their parents to request the removal of their images from Google Image results, turn SafeSearch on by default and more. The move is part of a recent push by Google to protect kids and give parents more control over what they see.

Many of the updates are dedicated to YouTube and YouTube Kids. The key change is aimed at young creators aged 13 to 17, changing the default upload setting to the most private option available. That means by default, the video can only be seen by select users unless the creator changes it to public. “We want to help younger users… make an intentional choice if they’d like to make their content public,” Google wrote. 

Google is also expanding its so-called digital well-being tools for YouTube. It’ll turn on break and bedtime reminders by default for all kids aged 13 to 17 while turning off autoplay by default. At the same time, it’s adding an autoplay option on YouTube Kids while, at the same time, turning it off by default in the app. Parents will also be able to choose a “locked” default autoplay setting.  

Knowing the accurate age of our users across multiple products and surfaces, while at the same time respecting their privacy and ensuring that our services remain accessible, is a complex challenge.

Finally, Google said it will be removing “overly commercial content” from YouTube Kids, like a video that “only focuses on product packaging or directly encourages children to spend money.” It also updated the disclosures that appear on “made for kids” content when a creator identifies a video as containing paid promotions.

On Search, Google promised to give minors “more control over their digital footprint.” To that end, it’s introducing a new policy allowing anyone under 18, or their parents or guardians, to request the removal of their images from Google Image search results. That change is designed to “help give young people more control of their image online,” Google wrote. It will also turn SafeSearch on for all existing users under 18 and make it the default for teens setting up new accounts. Currently, it’s just turned on for teen accounts managed by Family Link.

In other apps, Google will disable location history for all users under 18 without the ability to turn it on. It’s launching a safety section in Play that will show parents which apps follow Google’s Families policies and disclose how they use the data they collect in greater detail. On the advertising side, it will “block ad targeting based on the age, gender, or interests of people under 18,” the company wrote. 

Google stressed that it wants to work with “kids and teens, parents, governments, industry leaders, and experts in the fields of privacy, child safety, wellbeing and education to design better, safer products for kids and teens.” Taken as a whole, the new changes should help prevent young people from seeing harmful content while blocking exploitive ads. In practice, however, it may take some time to shake out any bugs and ensure that advertisers are following the rules — so as always, it’s best to keep a close eye on your kids’ digital habits. 

Source: Engadget – Google’s new safety measures are designed to protect kids on YouTube, Search and more

HP has announced another batch of Chrome OS devices. Perhaps the most notable addition to the lineup is the latest Chromebook x2. The keyboard is detachable, so you can use the system as a tablet. HP says it’s the first detachable Chromebook to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7c chipset. There aren’t too many Snapdragon 7c-powered Chromebooks around in any case. Acer has releaseda few Chrome OS laptops with the chipset, but they’re still relatively rare.

The Chromebook x2 11 is Universal Stylus Input-compatible. It’ll work with any pen that supports that standard, though the HP Wireless Rechargeable USI Certified Pen is bundled in.

This Chromebook has an 11-inch, 2K-resolution screen, with a 3:2 aspect ratio and 400 nits of brightness. The Adreno 618 GPU supports a maximum resolution of 2560×1440 on an external display with a 60Hz refresh rate. The system has a 5MP front-facing, wide-vision camera and an 8MP real-facing camera, as well as Bang & Olufsen speakers.

On the connectivity front, there’s an optional 4G LTE module (which supports AT&T and T-Mobile in the US), as well as WiFi 5 compatibility and two SuperSpeed USB-C ports. HP claims you’ll get up to 11 hours of use from a single charge.

The device weighs 2.57 lb. It comes with 8GB of LPDDR4x-2133 MHz RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. There are microSD and fingerprint readers, as well as a kickstand that allows for 170-degree positioning.

The HP Chromebook x2 11 and USI pen bundle starts at $600. It should be available sometime this month from Best Buy. All going well, HP will start selling it directly through its website in October.

Alongside the Chromebook, HP revealed its Chromebase 21.5 inch All-in-One, a Chrome OS-powered desktop. It has a rotating full HD display that can tilt 20 degrees upwards and switch from horizontal to vertical orientation. The system uses Intel Core processors with up to 256GB of SSD storage and up to 16GB of DRAM memory. It includes dual 5W speakers from B&O and a five-megapixel camera with a privacy switch, which also turns off the microphone.

The Chromebase desktop starts at $600. It should be available this month from HP’s website and other retailers.

In addition, HP has added another monitor to its lineup. The M24fd can connect to and power any compatible laptop over USB-C, though it was designed with Chromebooks in mind. The 23.8-inch, full HD display also harnesses HP’s Eye Ease with Eyesafe tech, which aims to reduce blue light without impacting color accuracy. The $250 monitor should be available in October.

Source: Engadget – HP’s latest detachable Chromebook uses the Snapdragon 7c chipset

While the Apple TV 4K tends to get all of the attention, the standard Apple TV remains a solid option if you want a set-top box that plays nicely with the rest of your iPhone, iPad and other devices. It’ll normally set you back $150, but Amazon is having a sale right now that knocks $20 off the Apple TV HD, bringing it down to $130. That’s the best price we’ve seen since the streamer came out a few months ago, plus it includes the updated Siri remote — arguably our favorite thing about the Apple TV experience as of late.

Buy Apple TV HD at Amazon – $130

Despite recent updates, the Apple TV looks familiar. It’s still a little black box capable of streaming 1080p video from a variety of sources including Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney+ and others. It runs on Apple’s A8 processor, comes with 32GB of onboard storage and the back edge houses a power port, one USB-C port, one HDMI connector and an Ethernet port. These specs make it a good basic set-top box, but it has some Apple-ecosystem features that set it apart. It supports AirPlay and HomeKit-enabled viewing of camera feeds, plus you’ll be able to listen privately using AirPods.

The update earlier this year brought the latest Siri remote to the Apple TV HD. This is a big deal because the previous Siri remote just wasn’t that great to use, and Apple finally fixed some of its major problems. The new remote is larger and has a revamped directional pad that makes controlling the set-top box much easier. The pad is also touch-sensitive, making scrolling through carousels of content much smoother. There’s even a power button on the remote now that lets you turn on and off your TV.

While a slick new remote probably isn’t enough to warrant buying a whole new streaming device, the new Siri remote certainly sweetens this deal on the Apple TV HD. If you can live without 4K HDR streaming and want a cheaper way to get tvOS onto your tube, this sale on the standard Apple TV is one to consider.

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

Source: Engadget – The latest Apple TV HD drops to a record low of 0 at Amazon

The next iPhone will be able to record video in Portrait Mode and shoot in ProRes, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Reporter Mark Gurman claims that the next model, which nobody is expecting to be called the iPhone 13 for obvious reasons, will also offer better filters for improving images after shooting.

Gurman’s sources also suggest that this phone will be more of an evolution compared to the revolution that was the iPhone 12. The design language, display sizes and model line up are likely to stay the same, with only the chip (A15) and screen technology changing. Gurman said that there will be a smaller notch for the FaceID cameras, and that the display will have a faster refresh rate.

Some of this lines up with a leak from February, when leaker Max Weinbach claimed that the new handset would get a low-power, 120Hz LTPO always-on display. As did analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, and Weinbach added that the handset would be able to shoot live video in Portrait Mode, too. The fact that many of these leaks more or less corroborate each other gives weight to what we can expect to see in the next month or so.

Source: Engadget – Leak suggests the next iPhone will have an always-on display

Twitter is now in compliance with India’s new rules which govern IT companies, government lawyers have reportedly told a New Delhi Court. The move, as reported by TechCrunch, may bring to an end a months long battle between the government there and the messaging platform. This has seen the company hire a domestic compliance officer and an executive who can handle grievances from the authorities. The new rules are, broadly, designed to get social media platforms to delete content that officials deem unlawful within 36 hours of being reported and to aid in any subsequent police investigations.

India and Twitter’s relationship has been strained for much of this year, after Twitter refused to block critics of the Modi government. In April, the government threatened to jail Twitter employees unless they removed so-called inflammatory content around the so-called Farmer’s Protests. Shortly after, India successfully got the company to suppress tweets that criticized the company’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Things got worse in May when, as reported by The New York Times, a spokesperson for India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tweeted an image purporting to be a leaked document from (rival party) the Indian National Congress. This image, which depicted a plan for opposition leaders to destabilize the government, was widely-retweeted by major political figures. Of course, the image was a fake, and Twitter added a label to the original tweet saying that contained “manipulated media.”

In June, India threatened Twitter with the loss of its legal immunity (similar to Section 230 in the US) from being responsible for the content its users post. In July, those protections were finally withdrawn and Indian officials were quick to file lawsuits — in one example, targeting Twitter’s Indian head, Manish Maheswari, over publication of a map that displayed the disputed territory of Kashmir as a separate country.

Source: Engadget – Twitter is now said to be complying with India’s new IT laws