The following contains spoilers for the premiere episode of ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.’Today Strange New Worlds makes its debut on Paramount+, the long-awaited third live action series in the new Kurtzman-era. But, while Discovery carried the burd…
The Morning After: Meta’s high-end VR headset described as ‘a laptop for the face’
The latest report on Meta’s VR ambitions has likened Project Cambria, its next headset beyond Quest series, to a “laptop for the face” or even a “Chromebook for the face.” Presumably with a rather different price tag.
A report from The Information suggests Meta will unveil its own VR operating system, which is based on Android. This will work with web-based tools and services, as well as some Quest apps. Technical specs are still unknown, but we can expect higher-res screens to make text easier to read — the aim could be to ensure the VR headset is usable in work situations.
We haven’t yet seen an entirely new VR device since the company rebranded, but all this suggests that, compared to the Rift and Quest devices, the use cases could be broader, or at least tap into some of that sweet enterprise segment. Companies are more likely to pay for cutting-edge VR and AR hardware — still Microsoft’s approach to the segment.
The headset will have outward-facing cameras for mixed reality functions, so it could tie together Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse ambitions in one fell swoop. For now, rumors and reports suggest Project Cambria will hit shelves around September, costing over $800.
— Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
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Meet Embracer, the biggest games publisher you’ve never heard of
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Rocket Lab captures booster in mid-air with a helicopter for the first time
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Optoma’s new projector delivers 4K output and 3,600 lumens for $1,799
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Peacock will start streaming Lionsgate movies like ‘John Wick 4’ in 2024
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Google adds some useful features for finding flights and hotels
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‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ has promise, and the usual frustrations
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Google fires another AI researcher who reportedly challenged findings
Square Enix sells the studios behind Tomb Raider and Deus Ex
Embracer just picked up some major gaming IPs.
Swedish game company Embracer Group has just made a blockbuster deal to acquire Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal and Square Enix Montréal for what seems like a bargain $300 million. Those studios represent around 1,100 employees across eight global locations, with more than 230 games in development, 30 of those being AAA titles. Alongside this acquisition news, another Deus Ex revival is incoming — powered by Unreal Engine 5.
Crystal Dynamics has already said it’s developing a new Tomb Raider game.
The best gifts for the new grads in your life
Work, rest and play.
Engadget
Whether your graduate is going after their first job or continuing their education, these gadgets can support their first professional steps — or simply help them relax during those early career challenges. We’ve even curated a guide for gifts that duck in at under $50.
EU charges Apple over NFC payment restrictions on iOS devices
It’s part of the Commission’s antitrust probe into Apple’s payment practices.
The European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager confirmed the EU has formally charged Apple over its iOS payment features. This could result in a substantial fine if it is upheld. In a statement, Vestager said the Commission had “indications that Apple restricted third-party access to key technology necessary to develop rival mobile wallet solutions on Apple’s devices.”
The Commission opened a dual review into both Apple’s in-app and NFC payment systems in June 2020, noting the company’s choice could stifle competition and reduce consumer choice.
Scientists ‘knit’ soft robotic wearables
These could eventually turn into assistive gloves for the disabled.
CSAIL
Designing and manufacturing soft robots is tricky. Now, scientists from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have come up with a new process called PneuAct, which uses computers and a special knitting process to design and digitally fabricate the soft pneumatic actuators. These actuators have conductive yarn for sensing so they can essentially “feel” or respond to what they grab.
Formula E Gen3: The world’s most efficient race car
Although some of the details have already been announced, Formula E officially unveiled its Gen3 car today ahead of this weekend’s Monaco E-Prix. Big changes are coming in terms of power and efficiency when the new cars hit the track next season, but t…
The Morning After: Apple’s repair-it-yourself iPhone service and toolkits launch in the US
Apple’s Self Service Repair program is now available in the US. If you have an iPhone 12, iPhone 13 or third-generation iPhone SE, you can buy replacement batteries, cameras and displays from a dedicated store and use the company’s official repair manuals to fix it yourself. You can even spend $49 to rent a toolkit for a week if you’d rather not buy tools.
The program will expand to other regions later this year, starting in Europe. If you’re looking to repair your Mac, you’ll have to wait a little longer. Like iPhones, currently only the very latest models — powered by Apple Silicon — will be self-repair friendly.
Conveniently, for Apple, it timed the launch alongside a new white paper, which says the company has “nearly doubled” the size of its repair network, and eight out of 10 of its American customers live within 20 minutes of an authorized repair provider. The company also outlined the rationales, again, behind its design and repair decisions, including its emphasis on using official parts — to protect your privacy and security.
It’s not a flawless repair scheme. To buy a part, you need to enter your iPhone’s serial number at checkout and get that part activated through a pairing software tool.
As iFixit points out, other parts will come with an “unable to verify” warning, which could limit (or put off) people thinking of repairing their device.
— Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
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Samsung reports steep rise in profit for the first quarter of 2022
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Dell’s XPS 13 Plus ultraportable is now available for $1,299
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Meta’s newest AI discovers stronger and greener concrete formulas
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DJI suspends sales in Russia and Ukraine to prevent its drones from being used in combat
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You can now ask Google to remove phone numbers from search results
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Charter and Comcast team up to build ‘next-generation’ streaming hardware
Sony is building a game preservation team
The revamped PlayStation Plus service will include hundreds of games from older generations.
Kim Kyung Hoon / reuters
Talking of preservation, Sony is trying to ensure games from decades ago will live on. When Sony’s expanded PlayStation Plus service starts rolling out next month, it’ll fold in PlayStation Now, which offers access to hundreds of games from older console generations. Sony has hired at least one engineer to work on a new game preservation team.
Sony has struggled to preserve games over console iterations. Many PS1 games worked on PS2, and the original PS3 models could run many PS1 and PS2 games, but you were unable to play discs from older generations on PS4.
Amazon avoids fines and other penalties in Illinois warehouse collapse
It’s still facing multiple lawsuits and a House Oversight committee probe.
CNBC reports Amazon won’t face fines and other penalties following the collapse of an Illinois warehouse that killed six workers during a tornado. However, the US Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) asked Amazon to review its procedures after discovering issues with its Emergency Action Plan. Despite tornado warnings from the National Weather Service 36 hours ahead of the event, Amazon continued to operate the Edwardsville, Illinois, warehouse. It was in the middle of a shift change when the tornado touched down with wind speeds up to 150 MPH, destroying the south side of the building.
While Amazon avoided penalties from OSHA, it’s facing a separate probe in Congress and multiple lawsuits.
Twitch is reconsidering how it pays top streamers
Because many jumped to YouTube.
Bloombergsources say Twitch is considering multiple proposals to rethink payment structures, including one that would cut top streamers’ share of subscriptions from 70 percent to the usual 50 percent. Another would establish multiple pay tiers with different requirements.
The reported proposals come after Twitch implemented multiple efforts to boost long-term profits and satisfy its parent company, Amazon. The service recently introduced a program that motivates frequent streamers to run more ads.
‘Disney Dreamlight Valley’ looks like Animal Crossing with Wall-E and Moana
You can go fishing with Goofy and help Anna and Elsa restore their memories.
Disney
Disney’s latest video game, Dreamlight Valley, appears to be a blend of a life sim and an adventure game packed with Disney and Pixar characters. In metaverse style, you’ll be able to customize your character with T-shirts, dresses, hats and other gear you design yourself. There’s also the option of kitting them out with Mickey Mouse streetwear or a ballgown inspired by a Disney princess. (Why not both?)
Disney Dreamlight Valley will be available on PC, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. It’ll formally launch in 2023 as a free-to-play game.
Dodge will reveal a Hornet plug-in hybrid in August
You won’t have to wait long to buy a small Dodge plug-in hybrid. As Autoblogexplains, Dodge chief Tim Kuniskis revealed in a Q&A that a PHEV edition of the upcoming Hornet compact car will be revealed this summer, likely during a “Speed Week” starting August 15th. The Stellantis badge executive didn’t provide other details, but plans for the regular Hornet should provide a good idea of what to expect.
No, the Hornet isn’t a revival of either AMC’s compact or the circa-2006 concept. Instead, it’s based on the Alfa Romeo Tonale (shown above) due to reach Americans in early 2023. The Hornet will likely share both the Tonale’s 1.3L turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a Naples, Italy factory. The Tonale will muster 272HP in its American version, but it’s not certain if the Hornet will provide similar output. The machine may be relatively inexpensive for a plug-in given its size.
You may have to wait a while to hear more about Dodge’s all-electric muscle car, however. Kuniskis said he hoped to show off the high-performance EV before the Hornet, but an unnamed factor “outside our industry” was preventing any firm commitments. Dodge previously said the “eMuscle” car would launch by 2024, and that it would phase out its gas-based Challenger and Charger cars on a similar timeline.
A Hornet PHEV might be necessary. Stellantis is ramping up its electrification efforts and expects half of its US passenger vehicles to be pure EVs by 2030, but Americans don’t have affordable plug-in hybrid options at the moment — they’re typically more expensive options like the Chrysler Pacifica minivan and Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe. If Stellantis can keep the Dodge Hornet’s cost relatively low, it might open the door to customers who previously had to shop competing brands to get more accessible PHEVs.
Gadgets that make great Mother’s Day gifts
Your mom might not be as up to date as you on the latest tech trends, but that doesn’t mean a carefully chosen gadget wouldn’t make her life easier. While flowers and breakfast in bed remain lovely Mother’s Day gifts, you may want to try a different tack this year and get your mom something she’ll use long after the holiday is over. To help, we’ve collected a list of some of our favorite gadgets and services that any mother, tech-savvy or not, will love.
Apple iPad mini
Valentina Palladino / Engadget
We consider the iPad mini to be the best small tablet for most people, and that includes parents who could use a slightly larger screen to watch videos, read text messages and check out photos of their children (or grandchildren) on Facebook. The 2021 model with the A15 Bionic chip runs smoothly even when using more than one app in Split View, so mom can stream her favorite show on Netflix while quickly replying to messages without any issues. We appreciate the design updates Apple made to this model, making the mini look more like a smaller iPad Air than ever before. Its compact size makes it easy to throw in a bag and take with you, and it’ll last the whole day, too, thanks to its 12-hour battery. Not to mention, its new Center Stage front-facing cameras will keep Mom in the frame as she FaceTimes for the third time today. — Valentina Palladino, Commerce Editor
Buy iPad mini at Amazon – $499
Belkin UV Sanitizer + Wireless Charger
Belkin
Your mom might have become a clean freak over the past year (who can blame her?) and Belkin’s UV sanitizer and wireless charger is a good device to give her to keep right near her doorway. It uses UV rays to get rid of 99 percent of bacteria on keys, cards, rings and other small items that your mom might bring with her wherever she goes. Yes, that also includes her smartphone and once it’s completely sanitized, your mom can set the handset on top of the lid to power up thanks to its built-in 10W wireless charging pad. The device is silent while sanitizing and as a bonus, it comes with its own cable and wall adapter so you can use it straight out of the box. — V.P.
Buy UV Sanitizer + Wireless charger at Belkin – $80
Ember Mug 2
Take your mother’s morning coffee routine up a notch with the Ember Mug, a self-heating smart mug that keeps beverages at just the right temperature for up to 1.5 hours or all day if the mug is kept on its charging coaster. It has a temperature range between 120 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit, which lets your mom dial in just how hot she wants her brew. There’s also a companion app which lets her save preset temps for her favorite drinks, track her caffeine intake, customize the color of the LED light on the front of the mug and more. The latest version comes in a pretty rose gold color as well as white, black, gold, silver and copper. — Nicole Lee, Commerce Writer
Buy Ember Mug 2 at Amazon – $130
Fitbit Inspire 2
Fitbit
After the past few years, your mom is likely excited to get out of the house more often – especially as the weather improves – and maybe she wants to take more regular walks and runs in her neighborhood. The Fitbit Inspire 2 is a low-cost and easy-to-use way to track her steps and sleep, along with other stats that indicate our overall fitness level. New users can also snag a free year of Fitbit Premium to add even more fitness guides and meditation features to the already-great app. — Kris Naudus, Commerce Writer
Buy Inspire 2 at Amazon – $100
Instant Pot Duo
Instant Pot
For busy moms who love to cook but are short on time, an Instant Pot makes for a thoughtful gift. While it can be used as a slow cooker, rice cooker or yogurt maker, it’s particularly useful as a pressure cooker. It can shave hours off the cooking time of a lot of dishes, particularly braises and stews. Also, unlike its stovetop equivalent, the Instant Pot can come to pressure and stay there without having to be babysat the whole time. A built-in timer means it turns off on its own, while a Keep Warm function does exactly what you’d expect. Thanks to the popularity of the Instant Pot line, there’s also a vast array of recipes online that your mom will be able to make with her new cooking gadget. For more on how to make the most of it, check out our Instant Pot guide. — N.L.
Buy Instant Pot Duo at Amazon – $90
Apple Watch SE
Cherlynn Low / Engadget
The Apple Watch is arguably the most sought-after accessory for iPhone users, and the Apple Watch SE is a good starter option for moms who want a more convenient way to stay in the loop. It has all of the essential features you’d expect a smartwatch to have, including smart alerts, activity and workout tracking, built-in GPS and Apple Pay. The SE’s Retina display is 30 percent larger than that of the Series 3 and, in addition to a water-resistant design, it has features like fall detection, high and low heart rate notifications and Emergency SOS. While the SE doesn’t have ECG capabilities or blood oxygen tracking like the Series 7 does, it remains a good gift for mom that will let her keep in touch with those she loves without whipping out her iPhone every second. — V.P.
Buy Apple Watch SE at Amazon – $279
Mpix photo book
Mpix
So many of us take hundreds of photos with our phones and then never do anything with them. They’re left to languish in our camera rolls, only to be uncovered when you have to scroll back months to find that one image you’re searching for. If you want to give mom a more polished way to look back at her favorite photos, an album from Mpix will do the trick. You can customize your photo book from the ground up, choosing the best images of her family and friends and laying them out on each page in a neat way. You can also pick from different types of cover options and paper weights, making the final product as premium as you want it to be. With options starting at $20 per book, it’s pretty easy to make mom a gift she’ll want to revisit long after Mother’s Day is over. – V.P.
Anker PowerCore 10,000 Redux
Anker
While it sounds like an impersonal gift, a power bank can really help your mom if her smartphone dies while she’s out. Anker’s PowerCore Redux is an improvement on the typical lipstick-sized portable batteries thanks to its slightly larger frame that houses a 10,000mAh cell. That capacity can power up an iPhone XS more than two times over, plus it can charge two devices simultaneously thanks to its USB-A and USB-C output ports. The LED light wheel will show mom how much battery power is left in the accessory and she’ll be able to throw it into any bag she owns thanks to its compact, 6.8-ounce design. – V.P.
Buy Anker PowerCore Redux at Amazon – $42
Beats Studio Buds
Billy Steele/Engadget
Your mom probably spends her day juggling a lot of responsibilities. A good pair of earbuds can make her busy days more enjoyable by letting her listen to her favorite playlists, podcasts or audiobooks while she’s getting it all done. The Beats Studio Buds are small, comfortable and stylish, plus they now work better with Android than ever before. Since Apple owns Beats, iPhone users get perks like hands-free Siri access, quick-pairing and Find My support, but now Android users also have access to the latter two features as well. That means your mom can make the most of these earbuds regardless of the smartphone she has. Plus, she’ll be able to take calls without picking up her handset by using the buds’ five built-in microphones. – V.P.
Buy Beats Studio Buds at Amazon – $150
iRobot Roomba 694
Valentina Palladino / Engadget
While a robot vacuum won’t eliminate all the cleaning your mom might already do around the house, it definitely makes one portion of it easier. The Roomba 694 is one of our favorite budget robot vacuums in part because it provides a ton of value for its $274 price. Most importantly, it does a great job cleaning both hard and carpeted floors and it runs long enough that it should get to most areas in your home before needing to recharge. It connects to WiFi so you can control it either with its companion mobile app, or using Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands. Your mom can even use the mobile app to set a cleaning schedule, so she doesn’t even have to think about the machine — it’ll scurry around the house, sucking up dirt and debris, all on its own time. — V.P.
Buy Roomba 694 at Amazon – $274
Breville Smart Oven Air
Breville
If your mom is a cook and has the counter space for it, we highly recommend getting her a toaster oven like the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. She can use it to toast bread, bake dishes or reheat food. Sure, a full-size oven can do the same thing, but firing it up can often warm up the whole house, which isn’t so great in the summer months. It’s also a lot more efficient. While a regular oven might need 20 or so minutes to preheat, a toaster oven can often get to temperature in just five or 10 minutes.
We also like this model for its 1-cubic-foot capacity. (In lay terms, it can fit a 9-by-13-inch casserole or a 14-pound turkey.) It can handle air frying (thanks to a “super convection” mode) and it comes with an air fryer basket that’s large enough to fit a dozen chicken wings. The oven also has several preset modes designed for specific functions such as toasting bagels or baking pizzas.
The Smart Oven Air is the classic model, but if your mom is extra adventurous in the kitchen (or extra tech-savvy), Breville’s latest tabletop appliance, the Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro, is a good step up. It does everything the Smart Oven Air does, but it adds WiFi connectivity so you can control the machine from your phone. Mom will get alerts when it’s time to put her dish in the oven after the preheat cycle, and when her food finished cooking to perfection. There are even recipes she can try out in the app, including some that have an “autopilot” feature, which automatically adjusts the oven’s temperature during cooking to make things like perfectly golden croissants and bread loaves. — N.L.
Buy Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro at Amazon – $350Buy Joule Oven air Fryer Pro at Breville – $500
LEGO Bouquet
LEGO
Flowers die. Sure, they’re pretty and they smell nice but in the end they wilt, which is always kind of a bummer. So why not get your mom something just as beautiful that will stay that way? This LEGO bouquet is lovely to behold but also a great way to spend an evening putting together. As a bonus, it’s cheaper than a lot of flower arrangements you’d buy around Mother’s Day, and if she ever tires of it she can take it apart and build something else with the 756 pieces. — K.N.
Buy LEGO Bouquet at Amazon – $76
Audible gift membership
Audible
If your mom loves reading but doesn’t have a ton of time to sit down and crack open a book, an Audible membership can give her a new way to enjoy reading anywhere. Gift memberships range from one month for $8 to one year for $230 and include a certain number of book credits that she can use on any title. Members also get access to exclusive sales and Audible has been experimenting with original content like podcasts recently, so there’s a ton of listening options to choose from. But the best part is being able to read anywhere at any time, be it in the car on the way to work, around the house while tidying up or at the beach on a lazy summer day. — V.P.
Buy Audible membership starting at $8/month
Nintendo Switch Lite
Engagdet
Women play games too, even if a lot of games marketing still says otherwise. In a house dominated by behemoths like the PlayStation 5 or a gigantic gaming PC, mom might appreciate having something that’s just for her, a handheld console she can sneak away with into the bedroom or yard whenever she needs some alone time. The Switch Lite is small enough to hide in a pocket or purse and, while there are plenty of great games she’d enjoy like Breath of the Wild, Untitled Goose Game and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, we recommend snagging an eShop card so she can choose her own adventures. — K.N.
Buy Switch Lite at Amazon – $200
Winc Wine Club membership
Fattyplace via Getty Images
Forget giving your mother a bottle of wine she might not even like. Instead, give her a subscription to a wine club. There are many available today, including hyper-curated boxes, all-natural boxes and even celebrity-branded ones like Martha Stewart’s club. If you’d rather take the guesswork out of choosing one, Winc is a good option. All mom has to do is fill out a short six-question survey about her tastes and then Winc chooses the wines for her. She can then rate the wines she receives, so Winc will get a better idea of what she wants, offering up more personalized selections the next time around. Winc is also great for you, the gifter, since gift subscriptions start at only $60. — N.L.
The Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 multicooker is $70 off right now
The Instant Pot may be the most popular and ubiquitous multicooker, but it’s certainly not the only option. Companies like Ninja now make their own multicookers that can hold their own against the various Instant Pot models out there, and now you can pick up one of Ninja’s most capable machines at a near record-low price. The Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 multicooker is on sale for $130, or $70 off its normal price and only $10 more than its all-time low that we saw at the end of last year.
Buy Ninja 10-in-1 multicooker at Amazon – $130
As the name suggests, this model supports 10 cooking modes, including pressure cook, slow cook, steam, dehydrates and more. Among those is an air-fry mode, which isn’t something all multicookers have, and the machine uses Ninja’s “TenderCrisp Technology” to lock in juices using pressure cooking and then crisp the outside just before finishing. This multicooker has a 6.5-quart capacity, which is big enough to make a whole meal for a mid- to large-sized family, and it can fit a whole, five-pound chicken or a six-pound roast easily.
Generally, you’ll find the best deals on these devices during the holiday shopping period, but this discount is a good one if you want to add a device like this to your kitchen immediately. And if you’re totally new to the world of multicookers, you can check out our Instant Pot guide for handy tips, tricks and recipe sources since most of them can be applied to this Ninja device, too.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Elden Ring’s most famous player immortalized in fan-made mod
Over the last week, the Elden Ring community has been entranced by Let Me Solo Her, a player whose skill at the tough-as-nails game is matched only by their fashion sense. The legend of LMSH was born when a Reddit user recently shared their experience …
VW ID.Buzz first look: An EV that makes vans cool again
We’re in the middle of an EV revolution and every day it feels like there’s a new electric car, truck or SUV hitting the road. But if you want an electric van, your options are a lot more limited, which is precisely what VW is hoping to address with the upcoming ID.Buzz.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the ID.Buzz’s official debut back at SXSW, so when I heard that it would be making another appearance at the New York International Auto Show, I made sure to stop by and check it out. Now technically, VW isn’t calling the ID.Buzz a van, so I’ll let you decide where this thing fits among other EVs. But what we do know is that it’s slated to go on sale sometime in 2024, featuring a 77-kWh battery with two rows of seats for the European model (which is what version VW had on display) or a full three rows of seats and slightly longer chassis for the US market. Other specs like its range and price are still to be determined.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
But make no mistake, unlike the countless number of Microbus concepts we’ve seen over the past 20 years, this is a production-ready car, so it’s more or less what you’ll see at dealers. And I think it looks absolutely fantastic, which is actually kind of impressive. Normally, when you think about buying a van, it feels like you’re giving up on being hip or cool in favor of practicality.
Just like the original, VW has kept the Microbus’ two-toned color scheme. Though if that’s a bit much for your taste, there will also be less flashy single-color paint jobs. Meanwhile, to bring the Microbus’ design into the 21st century, the company has gone minimalist with a lot of its details, opting for clean lines and a big VW logo in front and back, along with blacked-out pillars that makes the bus look like it’s wearing a visor.
Inside, VW continues the new styling by using the same diamond pattern seen on the front grille, and a two-toned interior featuring animal-free upholstery and vegan leather. The infotainment system is similar to what’s available in the VW ID.4, with a small display behind the steering wheel and a larger touchscreen in the center sporting icons that can be made to match the Buzz’s paint job. There’s also a thin lightstrip that runs across the base of the windshield that serves as a heads-up notification system, though I didn’t get to see it in action because it’s typically only active when the car is in motion.
My favorite thing about the ID.Buzz’s interior are all the little usability touches. I spotted no less than four USB-C ports — one in every door — and I’m willing to bet the US version will have at least one or two more for third-row passengers. VW also made it so that you can completely remove the center console between the front seats, giving passengers more room to move about. It even threw in some fun easter eggs like a smiley face behind the front passenger’s interior door handle and little ID.Buzz logos on the rear windshield and the base of the rear seats. And while VW didn’t have it on hand, there’s even an accessory that goes in the trunk to create a flat load shelf. That means you can throw a mattress in back and use the Buzz for stuff like camping, which was one of the best things about the old Microbus.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Perhaps most importantly, when you step back and look at the future van market, VW is leading the way with the ID.Buzz. Sure, Ford is working on an electric version of the Transit, and Mercedes has an EV version of Sprinter. But those are designed to be commercial vehicles, not something that the average person might buy. And that’s kind of sad, because hauling kids or animals short distances around town is the perfect use case for an electric vehicle.
So when the ID.Buzz finally arrives sometime in 2024, it’ll be well ahead of competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica, which currently only exists as a plug-in hybrid. Not only has VW made what looks to be a great reinterpretation of a classic, the ID.Buzz is a pioneering electric van. Oh, and if you just want to haul stuff around, VW is planning to make a cargo version of the ID.Buzz too.
Amazon is bringing mobile games to its Amazon Kids+ service
Amazon is bringing two mobile games to its subscription-based entertainment platform for children. Known as Amazon Kids+, the $2.99 per month service has served as sort of a one-stop shop for kid-friendly books, TV shows, movies, games and more. The fi…