1. AirPods 3 Ready to Launch and Likely to Be Announced at Apple Event Next Week, Analyst SaysMacRumors
2. The Apple TV 4K drops to $160, plus the rest of the week's best tech dealsYahoo Lifestyle
3. MacBook Pros, an “M1X” chip, and other stuff to expect at Apple’s October eventArs Technica
4. Opinion: It won’t matter what Apple calls the rumored ‘M1X’ chip in the new MacBook Pros9to5Mac
5. Quick - the AirPods Pro are in stock and on sale for $179 in early Black Friday dealTechRadar
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

1. Coldplay's world tour to use sustainable tech, but Chris Martin says 'backlash' for flying is rightCNBC
2. Coldplay Travel to Space and Redeem Humanity (Again) on ‘Music of the Spheres’Rolling Stone
3. Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres Is Completely Oblivious to Its Own PlightConsequence
4. Coldplay say they’re only going to make three more studio albumsNME
5. Coldplay ready for backlash over eco-friendly world tour - BBC NewsBBC News
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

1. Dow Jones Rallies As Bitcoin Tops $60000; 4 Tech Giants To Buy And WatchInvestor's Business Daily
2. Dow jumps 380 points Friday, posts winning week after strong start to earnings seasonCNBC
3. Stocks rally as Goldman Sachs earnings boom, retail sales surpriseFox Business
4. S&P 500 jumps the most since March, powered by better-than-expected earningsCNBC
5. Stock market news today: Dow climbs as jobless claims hit pandemic-era lowMarkets Insider
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

1. LinkedIn Social Network Is Leaving China, but Microsoft RemainsThe Wall Street Journal
2. China's tech crackdown continues, Microsoft to shut down its version of LinkedIn in ChinaCNBC Television
3. Microsoft shutting down LinkedIn in ChinaBBC News
4. Microsoft Will Suffer Far Less in LinkedIn's China Exit Than Local ProfessionalsBloomberg
5. LinkedIn tries to play down China demiseFinancial Times
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

1. Pixel Superfans invited to 90-min ‘Tech Talk’ event about the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro9to5Google
2. Hey Google, stop making us wait so long for the Pixel 6 alreadyTom's Guide
3. Why Google’s Pixel 4a Is The Perfect Phone For Your KidsForbes
4. What to expect at Google's Pixel 6 launch eventEngadget
5. Qualcomm is salty about Pixel's switch to Tensor but really shouldn't beThe Verge
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

Consumer groups have grown all-too-politely annoyed at the Biden administration's failure to pick a third Democratic Commissioner and permanent FCC boss nearly eight months into his term. After the rushed Trump appointment of unqualified Trump ally Nathan Simington to the agency (as part of that dumb and now deceased plan to have the FCC regulate social media), the agency now sits gridlocked at 2-2 commissioners under interim FCC head Jessica Rosenworcel.

While the FCC can still putter along tackling its usual work on spectrum and device management, the gridlock means it can't do much of anything controversial, like reversing Trump-era attacks on basic telecom consumer protections, media consolidation rules, or the FCC's authority to hold telecom giants accountable for much of, well, anything. If you're a telecom giant like ATT or Comcast, that's the gift that just keeps on giving.

More interesting perhaps is the fact that interim FCC boss Jessica Rosenworcel, whose term expires at the end of the year, hasn't had her term renewed either. That means there's an increasingly real chance the GOP enjoys a 2-1 voting majority at Biden's FCC in the new year:

"Biden’s delay is historic: No previous president has waited this long to name a chair of the five-member body. The closest parallels are Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon, who waited until mid-September to name their agency chiefs. But Biden has blown past that deadline, alarming Capitol Hill Democrats who have few legislative days remaining this year for confirming any nominees the president might offer."

By the time a permanent FCC boss is appointed and confirmed, it's likely a full year and a half of policy making time will have been wasted. That's a punch in the face to those who were looking for a Biden FCC to do popular things like restore net neutrality, meaningfully stand up to telecom mono/duopolies, or restore bipartisan media consolidation rules stripped away under Trump. It's also a weird contrast to the Biden administration's treatment of the FTC, which has been aggressively stocked with popular choices among folks looking for meaningful reform.

Politico, with some uncharacteristic nuance and accuracy, correctly does point out there's some hesitation about appointing current interim FCC boss Rosenworcel permanent boss because she's historically been an unreliable vote on major consumer advocacy issues. Like that time she killed an FCC attempt to bring competition to cable boxes because the cable industry (falsely) claimed it would kill copyright:

"Rosenworcel has alienated some Democrats in the past. During the Obama years, she proved a fickle deciding vote on the FCC’s Democratic majority, and progressives blamed her for spiking an attempted overhaul of the cable set-top box marketplace. Democratic Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon even briefly blocked her renomination in late 2016 over their ire."

Regardless, telecom giants and the GOP allies who love them are pleased as punch about the delay. Agency Republicans are quick to downplay the fact that the agency currently can't do anything even remotely controversial (read: all the stuff they don't like) without a functional voting majority:

"Republicans, meanwhile, see the status quo as an unexpected gift. They hope they can keep delaying partisan fights that would probably override their views, touting what they see as a productive bipartisan agenda under Rosenworcel’s 2-2 split."

I've spent months picking the brains of DC folks for a reasonable explanation of the delay, and there really aren't any. Some argue that it's just a matter of staffing and resources (which again, hasn't been a problem elsewhere like the FTC, nor is that historically ever much a problem for the GOP, which rushed to get Simington appointed in under 30 days). Some argue it's because the top picks might be unable to pass a vote in Congress because they're too consumer-centric (a case that you should probably be making to the public, not shying away from in fear).

My sense is the real culprit is two-fold. One, when the telecom industry saw antitrust buster Lina Khan appointed to the FTC and then quickly promoted to agency boss, they began pouring money and resources into trying to ensure the same thing didn't happen at the FCC. I'd also argue that the myopic focus on "big tech" continues to suck most of the policy oxygen out of the room (something also actively encouraged by telecom lobbyists), consistently shifting attention away from media and telecom policy issues that are every bit as important.

1. LinkedIn tries to play down China demiseFinancial Times
2. China's tech crackdown continues, Microsoft to shut down its version of LinkedIn in ChinaCNBC Television
3. Microsoft shutting down LinkedIn in ChinaBBC News
4. Microsoft Will Suffer Far Less in LinkedIn's China Exit Than Local ProfessionalsBloomberg
5. LinkedIn to End Service in China, Citing ‘Challenging’ EnvironmentThe New York Times
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

Yes, we know it's October, but the holiday shopping season (apparently) knows no bounds. We're already starting to see early Black Friday deals pop up across the web, so it's not too early to start crossing things off your gift list. The Apple TV 4K remains on sale for $160 while the AirPods Pro and a couple of MacBooks are also discounted. A pair of our favorite Bose earbuds are down to a record low while the Echo Show 8 is still on sale for $100. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

The latest Apple TV 4K is down to $160 on Amazon, which is close to an all-time-low price. It's the best high-end streaming device you can get and we gave it a score of 90 for its speedy performance, Dolby Vision and Atmos support and much improved Siri remote.

The AirPods Pro, Apple's best sounding wireless earbuds, are back down to $179. That's $70 off their normal price and close to a record low. These buds earned a score of 87 from us for their IPX4 design, improved audio and solid ANC.

Apple's AirPods Max are on sale for $449, or $100 off their normal price. We gave these expensive headphones a score of 84 for their stellar sound quality, good ANC and solid onboard controls.

Amazon knocked $100 off most 11-inch iPad Pro models, bringing the 256GB WiFi version down to an all-time low of $800. We gave the larger version of the tablet a score of 87 for its powerful performance, lovely display and new Center Stage feature.

The 512GB MacBook Air M1 has been discounted to $1,099. This is arguably the best Apple laptop for most people and it earned a score of 94 from us for its impressive performance, excellent battery life, lack of fan noise and good keyboard and trackpad.

Apple's Mac Mini M1 is on sale for as low as $600 right now thanks to a few automatically applied coupons. The best deal is arguably on the 512GB version, which is $150 off and down to $750. The design of the small desktop hasn't changed much, but the big improvements come from the M1 chipset inside.

The Bose QuietComfort earbuds are down to an all-time low fo $199 right now. We gave these buds a score of 87 for their stellar noise cancellation, great sound quality and good battery life.

The mid-sized Echo Show 8 smart display is down to $100, which is close to the record-low price that we saw during Prime Day in June. We gave it a score of 87 for its minimalist design, lovely display and good sound quality.

Anova's entry-level sous vide machine, the Nano, is down to $95 on Amazon right now. That's the best price we've seen on the kitchen gadget that would make a great gift for the serious home cook in your life. This model uses 750 watts of power to heat up water and it'll run for up to 3,000 hours before it needs to be recharged.

You can save up to 67 percent on a bunch of games from Activision and Blizzard at GOG.com for the next couple of days. The sale includes Caesar, Pharaoh + Cleopatra, Singularity and others.

Amazon has a high-powered configuration of the Razer Book on sale for $1,200, or $400 off its normal price. It runs on an 11th-gen Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, Intel Iris Xe graphics and a 13.4-inch FHD+ touchscreen.

If you're willing to get a refurbished model, Sonos has its Arc soundbar for $80 off right now, and only the white model is on sale and in stock at the moment. We gave the Arc a score of 85 for its excellent sound quality, Dolby Atmos support and slick design.

NordVPN, one of our favorite VPNs, is running a sale on a two-year subscription. You can sign up and pay $99 for two years, plus you'll get an extra three months free. We like NordVPN for its speed, its no-logs policy, the thousands of servers it has to choose from and that one account supports up to six connected devices.

Another one of our top VPN services, Tunnelbear, is offering a two-year subscription for $100. You'll save 58 percent if you sign up with this deal, and we think Tunnelbear is one of the easiest VPNs to use, especially for those that don't want to go crazy configuring their connections.

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

Clearview's not going to let several months of bad press derail its plans to generate even more negative press. The facial recognition tech company that relies on billions of scraped images from the web to create its product is currently being sued in multiple states, has had its claims about investigative effectiveness repeatedly debunked and, most recently, served (then rescinded) a subpoena to transparency advocacy group Open the Government demanding information on all its Clearview-related FOIA requests as well as its communications with journalists.

I don't know what Clearview is doing now. Maybe it thinks it can still win hearts and minds by not only continuing to exist but also by getting progressively worse in terms of integrity and corporate responsibility. Whatever it is that Clearview's doing to salvage its reputation looks to be, at best, counterproductive. I mean, the only way Clearview could get worse is by getting bigger, which is exactly what it's done, according to this report by Will Knight for Wired.

The company’s cofounder and CEO, Hoan Ton-That, tells WIRED that Clearview has now collected more than 10 billion images from across the web—more than three times as many as has been previously reported.

Ton-That says the larger pool of photos means users, most often law enforcement, are more likely to find a match when searching for someone. He also claims the larger data set makes the company’s tool more accurate.

That's one way of looking at it. Another way of looking at it -- and by "it," I mean Clearview's unaudited, untested facial recognition AI -- is that adding more hay increases the odds of someone grabbing some hay and thinking it's actually a needle.

Yet another way of looking at this is that Clearview's mass scraping of every bit of publicly accessible web data it can may be legal, but it certainly isn't morally acceptable. While people do largely understand that their public posts to sites can be accessed by nearly anyone, they certainly don't expect someone to collect their photos and data in bulk, package it up, and sell it to government agencies. And, in some states, this sort of activity may actually be illegal, hence the lawsuits being brought by government officials.

On top of the 10 billion images Clearview swears it will only sell to responsible adult government employees, the company is now claiming it can do some real CSI-type stuff with its tech.

Ton-That says it is developing new ways for police to find a person, including “deblur” and “mask removal” tools. The first takes a blurred image and sharpens it using machine learning to envision what a clearer picture would look like; the second tries to envision the covered part of a person’s face using machine learning models that fill in missing details of an image using a best guess based on statistical patterns found in other images.

If you feel selling government agencies a more efficient way to generate false positives and false negatives is the way to future profitability, this would be the route to take. Without a doubt, tech advances will eventually make this more accurate, but rolling out unproven machine learning on top of unproven AI is only going to compound errors. Then there's the bias problem, which has been a problem for all facial recognition software. That includes those that have been independently tested and examined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Notably, Clearview has yet to subject its AI to outside testing.

Finally, there's this statement from Clearview CEO Ton-That:

The company says it is not currently pitching the technology outside of the US or to private industry. “We're focusing on the United States, because we want to get it right here,” Ton-That says. “We never want this to be abused in any way.”

Whether or not this statement about its current potential customer list is true remains to be seen. Clearview has already pitched its product to private companies and foreign governments. And it appears to have exited one foreign market solely because its product was declared illegal following a government investigation.

And claiming that the company does not want its product "abused in any way" directly contradicts the stuff it says to entities it wants to sell its product to. Emails from the company's marketing staff encouraged potential law enforcement customers (as well as the occasional billionaire) to "experiment" with the software by running searches on friends, family members, and others who never consented to be part of multiple Clearview test drives.

Is Clearview the worst AI product out there? In terms of accuracy, who knows? It hasn't been independently reviewed. In terms of everything else, there's really nothing out there that competes with it. The company's nonchalant conversion of the open web into a surveillance tool sets it apart from the competition. Its latest "advances" aren't going to do anything to rehabilitate its reputation.

Google has shared quite a few details of the Pixel 6 series, but it hasn't revealed everything ahead of its October 19th event. Just how powerful will these phones be? Will they represent a good value? And does Google have any surprises up its sleeve? Here's what you can expect from the presentation, including a few last-minute leaks.

Unlike with past phone launches, Google has been happy to share basic details of the Pixel 6 family months in advance. Both the base Pixel 6 and the larger, brawnier Pixel 6 Pro will mark Google's return to high-end phones after the Pixel 5 'break,' with premium glass designs. They'll offer upgraded cameras with improved low-light performance (150 percent more light than in the past), and they should tout "all day" battery life despite support for battery-hungry 5G.

The centerpiece, however, will be the Tensor chip inside both Pixel 6 models. Google hasn't officially divulged full specs for Tensor as of this writing, but it's the company's first custom system-on-chip. The design uses its namesake AI processing to achieve things that were "previously impossible" on typical SoCs, such as juggling multiple AI tasks or processing live video.

However, Google hasn't said much about the exact specs of the Pixel 6 line or the range of Tensor-assisted features. Expect the company to share many more gritty technical details for the Pixel 6 at the event, although we wouldn’t count on enough info to make easy comparisons between Tensor and rival mobile chips.

You might not have to wait long to get the full scoop. Well-known leaker Evan Blass spotted Carphone Warehouse promo pages that appear to spoil much of what Google intends to announce. The standard Pixel 6 will likely compete against 'entry' flagships like the Galaxy S21 and iPhone 13 with a 6.4-inch flat 90Hz screen, a 50-megapixel main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide shooter. The Pixel 6 Pro, meanwhile, should be the definitive top-of-the-range model with a 6.7-inch curved 120Hz display and a third 48MP telephoto lens. You may also see 30W wired charging, 23W wireless charging and reverse charging to top up your earbuds or other phones.

As for Tensor? That retail listing claimed up to 80 percent better performance than the Pixel 5 (not difficult given the 5's middling Snapdragon 765G chip), but the real star may be Tensor's photographic prowess. Google reportedly plans multiple AI-driven camera tricks that include a Magic Eraser to get rid of photobombers, Face Unblur to keep people in focus and a Motion Mode for action photography. These aren't completely novel concepts (anti-photobombing has been present in Huawei and Samsung phones for a while), but they're new to Pixels and might perform better with Tensor involved.

Google might also break new ground in how it sells the Pixel 6. This is Tech Today's M. Brandon Lee obtained what he says is evidence Google will make the Pixel 6 available as a part of a "Pixel Pass" that combines monthly phone payments with an extended warranty, Google One cloud storage, Play Pass, optional Google Fi service and either YouTube Music or YouTube Premium. Effectively, Google would counter Apple One by including virtually everything you need in a single subscription, not just internet services.

You could also enjoy better software support regardless of what you pay. Those Carphone Warehouse pages echoed longstanding rumors that Google would offer "at least" five years of security updates to Pixel 6 owners. That's more than the three to four years you often find in the Android world, and roughly on par with Apple. It's not clear if you'll get full operating system updates for those five years, but you might not have to worry about patchable vulnerabilities for the practical life of your Pixel.

There's little doubt the Pixel 6 will cost more than its predecessor. Where the Pixel 5 was an upper-mid-range phone, its sequel is an upscale device. Google has even made clear the Pixel 6 Pro will be a "premium-priced product." But how much more will you have to pay?

That's a difficult call. One Reddit user spotted a German listing that mentioned a €649 (about $750) price for the base Pixel 6. A source for This is Tech Today, meanwhile, quoted a price of €899 (roughly $1,050) for the 6 Pro. We'd be cautious about these prices, as they could change and might not convert neatly even if they're accurate. Still, Google is apparently returning to top-tier pricing.

Like it or not, Google will also borrow a cost- and waste-cutting measure from its rivals: it's leaving the charger out of the box. That's not too dire an omission when there's a real chance you'll have a USB-C charger hanging around, but it could be frustrating if you're either new to USB-C devices or saddled with a slow power brick. Factor that into the price before you rush to check out.

The German listing and other leaks have pointed to a Pixel 6 release sometime the week of October 25th. We'd expect a broad international launch, for that matter. Where the Pixel 5a was limited to the US and Japan due to supply constraints, the leaks so far already hint that Google wants to make the Pixel 6 as ubiquitous as possible.

Don't expect many surprises

We wouldn't bet on Google announcing much else besides the Pixel 6 and its accompanying software. Google's marketing for the event has revolved exclusively around its new phones. It's unlikely that you'll see any other gadgets, and they'll definitely be secondary if they do appear.

That's not to completely rule out new hardware. It has been more than a year since Google debuted its higher-end Pixel Buds, and other devices like Nest WiFi haven't been updated in a while. There's just not much need for Google to revamp products beyond the Pixel line — what's there is still relevant and functional.

There's also the possibility of new or upgraded services. If Google really does introduce a Pixel Pass, it might want to sweeten the deal by offering more for the money, whether it's a brand new service or perks like more cloud storage. We haven't seen rumors to this effect so far, but Google also kept unlimited photo uploads for Pixel owners when it capped everyone else in June. The company knows that services sell hardware, and that may be crucial for the Pixel 6.

Amazon's deal of the day includes a bunch of monitors and Chromebooks on sale for up to 26 percent lower than their usual price. Dell's 27-inch QHD curved gaming monitor, for instance, will set you back $270, which is an all-time low for the product on the website. That's a $60 discount from its usual price of $330. The 27-inch monitor has a 2560 x 1440 resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate that enables fast-moving visuals and faster reaction times.

LG's 27-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) 27GL83A-B IPS display is also on sale for $300, down $80 from its usual price and only $3 more than its all-time low. It's NVIDIA G-SYNC compatible and has an adjustable stand. Likewise, the 27-inch Acer Predator XB273U IPS gaming monitor is now available for $398, or $152 less than its usual price of $550. It's a widescreen 2560 x 1440-pixel resolution display that's also NVIDIA G-SYNC compatible and has a refresh rate of 170Hz. IPS displays have wide viewing angles, exhibiting minimal image distortion when viewed from different positions. They also have great color reproduction and visibility in sunlight.

If you play competitive video games and need a monitor that can respond rapidly and make sure you don't miss anything onscreen, you can get Dell's 24.5-inch S2522HG full HD monitor instead. It has a refresh rate of 240Hz and can make fast-moving visuals more visible — it also uses IPS display tech for better viewing angles. This option will set you back $225, or $97.50 lower than its full price of $322, which is also an all-time low for the product on Amazon.

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

Those looking for a powerful laptop alternative need look no further than this year's iPad Pros. Outfitted with Apple's M1 chipset, they're the most powerful tablets the company has ever made. Now you can get an 11-inch iPad Pro for less at Amazon thanks to a $100 discount that's dropped the prices of most available models. The base 128GB version is sold out right now, but the 256GB WiFi model is down to $800, which is a record low. The sale also includes the 512GB, 1TB and 2TB iPad Pros, which are on sale for $1,000, $1,400 and $1,799, respectively.

These iPad Pros don't look very different from their predecessors because Apple focused most of the updates on the internals. Inside is the company's M1 processor, which makes the tablets run similarly to the MacBook Air M1 — which is to say, remarkably fast and smooth. When we reviewed the larger of the two Pros, we were impressed by its ability to play laborious games and piece together 4K video without breaking a sweat. The latest iPad Pros also support 5G connectivity, along with a USB-C port for charging and a new ultra-wide camera that enables Center Stage. When paired with the right accessories, these iPads are the closest things Apple has made to laptop replacements or 2-in-1 machines.

The biggest difference between the 11-inch and the 12.9-inch iPad Pros is in the screen. In addition to being larger, the 12.9-inch's display is a Liquid Retina XDR panel, which will make a difference when doing things like watching videos and editing photos. And that comes with a higher price tag — the 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,099, but it's been on sale for $999 on Amazon for a few months. You're still getting a lovely display on the 11-inch model, though — it's a 2,388 x 1668 resolution Liquid Retina display with ProMotion and True Tone technology, so don't think you're giving anything up by going with the slightly smaller tablet (and saving some money in the process).

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

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra chat about what to expect from Apple’s upcoming event (new MacBooks, baby!), as well as all of the other launch shindigs from Google, Samsung and Sony. Cherlynn also tells all about her Apple Watch Series 7 review, and why she hates testing sleep tracking gadgets. And to catch up on some big news from last week, Manda Farough from the Virtual Economy Podcast joins to dive into the massive Twitch hack.

Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!

• iTunes

• Spotify

• Pocket Casts

• Stitcher

• Google Podcasts

• There’s a new Apple event on October 18, will there be MacBooks? – 1:25

• Apple Watch Series 7 review – 9:09

• The Apple Watch still doesn’t do sleep tracking well – 13:17

• The Twitch hack: what we know a week later – 29:43

• Too many tech events next week: Apple, Google, and Samsung all in 3 days – 52:29

• What’s expected at the Google Pixel event? – 56:04

• Motorola brought back the Edge for 2021 (review) – 57:48

• Acer announced a glasses-free 3D laptop – 1:00:35

• Someone leaked HTC Vive’s new bug eye VR setup – 1:03:04

• Working on – 1:05:59

• Pop culture picks – 1:07:50

Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar
Guests: Manda Farough
Producer: Ben Ellman
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos, Luke Brooks
Graphics artists: Luke Brooks, Kyle Maack
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien

1. LinkedIn shuts down Chinese siteThe Washington Post
2. Microsoft shutting down LinkedIn in ChinaBBC News
3. China's tech crackdown continues, Microsoft to shut down its version of LinkedIn in ChinaCNBC Television
4. Microsoft Will Suffer Far Less in LinkedIn's China Exit Than Local ProfessionalsBloomberg
5. Microsoft to shut down LinkedIn website in China as internet censorship increases in the countryCNBC
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

1. Microsoft To Shut LinkedIn In China Amid ScrutinyNDTV
2. Microsoft shutting down LinkedIn in ChinaBBC News
3. China's tech crackdown continues, Microsoft to shut down its version of LinkedIn in ChinaCNBC Television
4. Microsoft to shut down LinkedIn website in China as internet censorship increases in the countryCNBC
5. LinkedIn announces exit from China due to challenging operating environmentNeowin
6. View Full Coverage on Google News