Bose is reportedly laying off staff amid poor sales

Bose might not be the unassailable audio giant it once was. Boston Globesources say the company has been implementing “rolling layoffs” in recent years, with public data indicating that its headcount dropped from 9,000 in 2019 to 7,000 in 2021. Recently departed employees told the newspaper that Bose had fallen short of sales targets as new products struggled in the market, including the Frames audio glasses and SoundControl hearing aids. Competition from rivals like Apple and Sony is also believed to have hurt Bose’s bottom line.

The latest layoffs, in March, cut 245 jobs and reportedly wiped out the health division responsible for the hearing aids. The decision came despite scrapping a planned sleep headphone product, according to the insiders. CEO Lila Snyder supposedly axed the group after an outside review suggested Bose needed to drop its hearing aid work.

Spokesperson Joanne Berthiaume confirmed the most recent batch of layoffs to the Globe. She declined comment on staff counts or strategy, but characterized the latest layoffs as a question of focus. They would help Bose concentrate on the products that “matter most” to customers, she said. Berthiaume added that Bose was still hiring in other areas, with 200 available roles.

A shrinking workforce wouldn’t be surprising. While Bose is virtually synonymous with (if not always liked for) headphones and speakers, it’s competing in markets increasingly dominated by true wireless earbuds like AirPods, not to mention smart speakers like those from Amazon and Sonos. Add in the niche nature of experiments like Frames and it’s clear the company doesn’t have as many opportunities to thrive as it once did.

Wordle brought ‘tens of millions’ of users to The New York Times

The New York Times‘ purchase of Wordle appears to have paid off, at least in the near term. The newspaper has revealed that it added “tens of millions” of new users in the first quarter of 2022 thanks to Josh Wardle’s hit word game. That led to the company’s best quarter yet for subscriber additions to games, and “many” of those incoming players have remained to try other games.

The surge came alongside an otherwise strong quarter that included 387,000 new digital subscribers (including those from The Athletic). The Times reported a jump to 9.1 million subscribers, with digital revenue climbing by 26 percent. The buyouts helped slash the company’s net profit to $4.7 million versus $41.1 million a year earlier.

The surge in users isn’t exactly shocking. The paper bought a hugely popular game at the height of its success, and that demand continued throughout the quarter. The question, of course, is whether or not the deal will be worthwhile in the long run. It’s not certain if Wordle will remain the sensation it has been, and it’s no secret that the Times is still better-known for its crossword puzzle than the other games in its repertoire. With that said, the original Wordle has survived an onslaught of clones — it stands a better chance at enduring success than some viral games.

Sonos’ rumored $250 soundbar is reportedly called the Ray

More details appear to have emerged for Sonos’ rumored budget soundbar. A briefly posted listing at Colombian store KTronix suggests it will be called the Sonos Ray, and will be smaller than the already compact Beam Gen 2 at just 22 inches long (versus 25.6in), if slightly taller and thinner. Provided the accompanying images are accurate, it’s also clearer as to how Sonos will keep costs down. Pictures of the rear indicate it will only accept optical audio input, drop the built-in voice control microphones and rely on one pair each of tweeters and woofers — there’s no HDMI or Dolby Atmos support here.

The product page still promises a few mainstay Sonos features, such as Trueplay calibration that uses your phone or tablet to adjust the sound tuning to fit your room. You could also expect “crystal-clear dialogue” in your movies and TV shows. You can still connect to your home network through Ethernet if WiFi isn’t an option, and Sonos’ built-in voice assistant support should still let you use another smart speaker to control the Ray.

Sources speaking to The Verge initially obtained the Ray name and provided 3D renders based on photos. The soundbar can reportedly be used for surround sound when linked to other Sonos speakers, and you can use two Rays as rear speakers for an Atmos-capable Arc or Beam setup if you mount them vertically.

There are no new clues as to the release date, but the RAYG1US1BLK model name mentioned at KTronix has been circulating in import data for months. A previous leak hinted Sonos might release it as soon as early June. And while the Colombian price (about $323) likely won’t reflect the exact pricing for the US, it does imply that the rumored $250 sticker is at least close to the mark.

Samsung’s new dashcam memory card records non-stop for up to 16 years

Longevity reigns supreme when you’re shopping for a dashcam memory card, and Samsung thinks it might have some of the longest-lasting cards yet. The brand has introduced next-generation Pro Endurance microSD cards with up to 16 years of continuous recording for the 256GB version — there’s a good chance you’ll get a new car before the flash memory dies. Lower-capacity cards won’t last as long (the 128GB model lasts ‘just’ eight years), but this should still help you avoid frequent replacements.

For context, Samsung’s previous lineup typically peaked at five years. That’s considered better than average in a field where two to four years of non-stop recording is commonplace.

All cards can read at speeds up to 100MB/s and write at 30MB/s or better, so you shouldn’t have trouble capturing 1080p or 4K footage. Samsung also bills the cards as resistant to drops, magnets, water, extreme temperatures and X-rays.

The Pro Endurance line is available now, starting at $11 for a 32GB memory card and climbing to $55 for the range-topping 256GB model. The relatively low maximum storage might be disappointing if you want to preserve a large amount of video. However, it should be plenty for dashcams, bodycams and other cameras where reliability is absolutely vital.

GM’s vehicle data might help make roads safer

GM is the latest automaker hoping its car data will help governments improve road safety. The company partnering with Inrix on a Safety View cloud initiative that gives crash, vehicle and “vulnerable road user” (think pedestrians and construction workers) data to US transportation officials. If all goes well, local governments can both prioritize new road safety projects and gauge the effectiveness of their current efforts.

The data is tailored for the Transportation Department’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, not to mention various agencies’ Vision Zero (zero road fatalities or serious injuries) plans.

It’s no secret why GM and Inrix might want to share car info with the government. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $5 billion for the DOT’s Safe Streets program. That’s a lot of potential business from government clients that could be eager to modernize their roadways as much as possible. Whatever the motivation, it might be worthwhile if road safety improves based on real-world data that was previously difficult to obtain.

Twitter ‘Circle’ test limits tweets to close friends

You might not have to tweet to all your followers (or the public) in the future. Twitter is testing a “Circle” feature that lets you limit tweets to a group of as many as 150 people. It’s a not-so-subtle parallel to Instagram’s Close Friends — you can ask for advice or share a personal event without unwelcome commentary.

The company told Engadget Circle is already available to a “small group” of Android, iOS and web users worldwide. It’s not yet clear if or when Twitter might expand the test to a wider audience, although that will likely hinge on feedback.

Circle joins a number of features meant to control the reach of Twitter posts, including an option to restrict who can reply. It could help Twitter compete with Instagram and other services that let you be more selective about content sharing, and might help you protect your privacy without resorting to direct messages or a small follower list.

At the same time, there is a concern Circle might exacerbate echo chambers. If you frequently limit discussions to a small clique, you might be less inclined to tweet to a larger crowd or see what your more distant connections are saying. Even so, more granularity might be appreciated at a time when it’s all too easy to be overwhelmed.

Razer’s Blade 15 will be the first laptop with a 240Hz OLED screen

You normally have to choose between fast refresh rates or OLED’s vivid imagery when buying a laptop, but Razer claims it can offer both at once. The company plans to update the Blade 15 with an option for what it says is the first 240Hz OLED laptop display. You’ll get the high responsiveness that can provide an edge in multiplayer games, but you’ll still have a color-accurate 1440p panel (100 percent of the DCI-P3 space) with deep contrast. If the machine lives up to its billing, you could dominate the latest online shooter in one breath and edit video the next.

There will be a few compromises. The 240Hz panel isn’t particularly bright at 400 nits. You won’t want to work in bright sunlight, then. And while the risk of burn-in that comes with OLED isn’t as high as it used to be, this might not be your best choice if you regularly work with static content like photos.

And if you thought a 240Hz OLED had to be expensive… you guessed correctly. The Blade 15 with this panel will arrive in the fourth quarter of the year at $3,500. You’ll get 32GB of RAM, a 12th-gen Core i9-12900H processor, GeForce RTX 3070 Ti graphics and a 1TB SSD as part of the package, but it’s clear Razer is aiming this spec at well-heeled gamers who want a do-it-all screen.

Update 5/3/22 11:33PM ET: The processor model was previously listed as i9-12800H. This has since been corrected.

SoundCloud buys an AI music company to help discover hidden gems

SoundCloud wants to make it easier to find must-listen tunes buried deep in its catalog. TechCrunchnotes the company has bought Musiio, an AI music curation company. The firm’s technology uses AI to “listen” to songs, tag them and slot them into playlists. Ideally, this improves the chances of discovering tracks you like, whether they’re from an established artist or a new bedroom DJ.

The companies didn’t disclose the terms of the deal, but said Musiio would “become core” to SoundCloud’s discovery system. Musiio will still offer its technology to other companies.

The two haven’t revealed their exact plans or an integration timeline. However, it’s easy to see advantages for both SoundCloud and listeners. The company could use Musiio’s AI to spot a breakthrough artist before a label or rival service poaches them. It might also increase play counts for many songs and convince indie performers to stick around. You, meanwhile, might listen to more varied playlists and discover a breakthrough song before it reaches the charts.

Paramount+ debuts in the UK and Ireland on June 22nd

ViacomCBS has finally narrowed the timing for some of its international Paramount+ launches. As Varietyreports, Paramount Global announced during an earnings call that the streaming service will arrive in the UK and Ireland on June 22nd. South Korea will also have access sometime in June. You’ll have to wait a while longer in other parts of the world, however. Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland will can start watching in the second half of 2022, while people in India will have to wait until 2023.

In the UK, you’ll pay £7 per month or £70 per year. Sky Cinema customers will have Paramount+ included at no extra charge.

The expansion will be welcome if you’ve wanted to watch Halo and other shows that have remained exclusive to Paramount+ so far. However, this won’t thrill everyone. Until late last year, ViacomCBS made shows like Star Trek: Discovery available outside of Paramount+ coverage areas through rivals like Netflix. You’ll now have to subscribe to yet another service to follow affected shows.

Samsung’s 2022 Frame TVs get their first discount at Amazon

If you’ve been coveting Samsung’s 2022 The Frame TV lineup but felt the asking prices were a tad steep, you’ll want to take notice — Amazon has put the art-centric 4K sets on sale for the first time. The 55-inch model is the best deal of the bunch, selling for $1,298 ($200 off). The 65-inch version is also a better bargain at $1,759 (down from $1,997). The 43-inch set has dipped to $879 (normally $997) if you want a smaller model for the bedroom, while the wall-filling 75-inch panel has received a $200 discount to $2,797.

Buy Samsung 2022 The Frame TV at Amazon – starting at $879

The 2022 version of The Frame is, arguably, the one that fulfills Samsung’s vision of an art-focused TV that blends into your home decor. Its namesake customizable frame is more welcoming than the usual plastic or metal, but the centerpiece is a matte-finish display that reduces glare and helps digital paintings stand out. This is a set you’ll want to leave on around the clock, if just to bring some Van Gogh or Vermeer into your living room.

There are some compromises. This is a QLED screen, so you won’t have the extra-deep contrast of OLED or mini-LED. You’ll also need a subscription to the Art Store if you want full access to Samsung’s virtual gallery. All the same, The Frame is easy to justify if you’re tired of your TV being an imposing slab of technology when it’s not in use.

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