Google’s revamped Android Auto experience is now available

It took several months, but the Android Auto overhaul is here. Google is now rolling out its redesigned in-car experience for Android users. As mentioned at I/O, the redesigned interface streamlines navigation, communication and media playback. Maps is in a more driver-friendly position, while the split-screen view offers quick access to music and texts regardless of your car’s screen orientation. There’s finally a media progress bar, and conversation shortcuts (shown below) help you make calls and reply to messages. 

Google is expanding Android Auto’s functionality at the same time. Newer Pixel and Samsung phones will “soon” let you place WhatsApp calls, the company says. Assistant now offers smart suggestions for missed calls, arrival time sharing, music and podcasts.

Android Auto text message reply
Google

There are a few vehicular upgrades coming beyond Android Auto. Digital car key sharing is coming to Samsung phones in the near future, while Xiaomi phone owners will have the option later in 2023. The keys themselves will be available for makes other than BMW, although Google didn’t say when that might happen. HD maps are coming to the Polestar 3 and Volvo EX90 to boost their autonomous and assistance features. YouTube is also coming to cars with Google built-in, so you’ll have more to watch while you’re charging or parked.

To some extent, the Android Auto upgrade was necessary. Apple has previewed a next-gen CarPlay interface that’s not only more useful, but can take over more of a car’s infotainment system. Google’s revamp isn’t directly equivalent, but might give automakers a stronger incentive to support Android Auto in an increasingly competitive market.

New York State sues former Celsius CEO over alleged cryptocurrency fraud

Crypto lender Celsius Network is still facing the consequences of its tumultuous 2022 long after it declared bankruptcy. New York State Attorney General Letitia James has sued former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky for allegedly defrauding investors out of “billions of dollars” in cryptocurrency. The executive purportedly misled customers about Celsius’ worsening financial health, and didn’t register either as a salesperson or as a commodities and securities dealer.

The Attorney General’s office claims Mashinsky falsely boasted of low-risk investments and reliable lending partners while “routinely” exposing investors to high-risk approaches that resulted in losses the company chief hid from customers. He also made untrue statements about safety, strategies and user numbers, according to the lawsuit. Celsius’ ex-chief supposedly deceived hundreds of thousands of investors (over 26,000 in the state), some of which James says suffered “financial ruin.”

New York hopes to ban Mashinsky from doing business in the state. It also wants him to pay damages and otherwise compensate investors. In a statement to Engadget, Celsius would only reiterate that Mashinsky resigned as CEO in September and is “no longer involved” in managing the firm.

Celsius is one of the more prominent casualties of last year’s crypto crash. Its token’s value plunged from $7 in 2021 to just $3 last spring. That was particularly damaging to a company that offered loans with little collateral and promised yields as high as 18.6 percent — it didn’t have the resources needed to endure the crisis. It tried freezing withdrawals last June to stabilize its assets, but opted for bankruptcy the following month to restructure and otherwise give it a better chance to regroup.

The lawsuit isn’t likely to be the end of the fallout. Several states are investigating Celsius’ practices, and the Securities and Exchange Commission has been in touch. Celsius isn’t alone in dealing with legal repercussions. Just this week, the crypto exchange Coinbase reached a $100 million settlement with New York over alleged financial rule violations. However, it’s notable that the state is going after Mashinsky directly, not just the business he once ran.

Lenovo’s new Yoga laptops include a dual-screen OLED model

Lenovo has a long history of experimenting with its Yoga lineup, and that’s not stopping in 2023. The company has unveiled a 2023 roster headlined by the Yoga Book 9i, billed as the first “full-size” dual-screen OLED laptop. The system’s twin 13.3-inch 2.8K screens theoretically make it a multitasking champ without significant compromises on size or weight — it’s still about 0.63 inches thick, and weighs just over 3lbs. You can use it in different orientations, including a tablet mode and a presentation-friendly tent mode. A detachable Bluetooth keyboard and Smart Pen support make it more useful as a productivity machine.

This won’t be the most powerful laptop you can buy. The Yoga Book 9i runs on a low-power 13th-gen Core i7-U15 with 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of SSD storage and an 80WHr battery that offers a claimed 14 hours of video playback on one screen (10 hours with dual screens). You do get three Thunderbolt 4 ports, however, as well as creature comforts like quad-speaker Dolby Atmos audio and Windows Hello support through the 1080p webcam.

Expect to wait a while, and to pay a premium while you’re at it. The Yoga Book 9i doesn’t ship until June, and will start at a hefty $2,100 with 512GB of storage. This is for enthusiasts and pros who’d normally buy an external monitor or large-screened laptop, and aren’t fond of bulkier alternatives like ASUS’ ZenBook Duo.

Lenovo Yoga AIO 9i desktop
Lenovo

There are more conventional options, including for desktop fans. The Yoga AIO 9i (shown at middle) is an unapologetically style-oriented all-in-one that mates a 31.5-inch 4K, HDR-capable display with a reasonably powerful PC tucked behind it. You can equip the system with up to a Core i9-13900H processor and NVIDIA’s next-gen laptop graphics. If you thought the Surface Studio 2+ was behind the times, this might be the machine for you. You won’t get more than 1TB of built-in SSD storage, but you will find up to 32GB of RAM and decent expansion that includes one USB 4 port, three USB 3.2 ports (one of them USB-C) and HDMI 2.1 output. The PC arrives in the third quarter of the year, and will start at $1,800 with a Core i7-13700H, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB drive.

Other Yoga models play it safe and focus on updates to newer processors, although that’s not necessarily a problem if you’re looking for the latest specs in a familiar shape. The centerpiece, the new Slim 7 you see below, is a deluxe ultraportable with a 14-inch screen (up to a 1080p OLED or 2.8K touch LCD), an all-metal chassis and a raised camera notch that theoretically makes it easier to open. It runs on 13th-gen Core chips with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, up to 16GB of RAM and a maximum 1TB SSD. There are also refreshed Yoga Slim 7i Carbon (13-inch) and Yoga 9i (14-inch) variants with 13th-gen Core CPUs, and a 13-inch Yoga 6 update rolls in AMD’s Ryzen 7000-series chips as well as upgraded battery life.

Lenovo Slim 7 (2023)
Lenovo

The Slim 7 and Yoga 6 will both start at $730 when they ship in April. The Yoga 9i appears the same month for $1,500. The Yoga Slim 7i Carbon isn’t headed to North America, but you still won’t be hurting for choice this year.

Lenovo’s 14.5-inch Tab Extreme is a giant laptop-replacing tablet

It took a year, but Lenovo now has an answer to Samsung’s gigantic Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. The company has unveiled a 14.5-inch Tab Extreme that’s pitched as much as a laptop replacement as it is an extra-large Android media tablet. The 3,000 x 1,876, 120…

ASUS’ new Xbox controller has a tiny, customizable OLED screen

ASUS’ fondness for sticking small screens on devices now extends to gamepads. As part of its many gaming hardware introductions at CES, the company has unveiled a ROG Raikiri Pro controller with a built-in, customizable OLED screen. The 1.3-inch display on the Xbox- and Windows-ready peripheral can show useful information like the charging status, microphone mute and the active profile, but you can also use it for purely cosmetic animations, images and text. No one will forget that it’s your controller, then.

This is also the first licensed Xbox controller to offer “tri-mode” connections. You can use Bluetooth, RF or USB-C. You’ll only get to use the wireless functionality with a PC (ASUS only promises Xbox support through USB), but this is still handy if you’d like flexibility in how you connect to your gaming machines. Even the audio is slightly excessive, as the Raikiri Pro includes an ESS DAC to boost audio from the 3.5mm headset jack.

ASUS ROG Raikiri Pro Xbox controller back
ASUS

The gamepad unsurprisingly offers extensive controls. Beyond the familiar Xbox layout, you can program four rear buttons for hotkeys, sensitivity toggles and similar commands. Top buttons let you switch profiles mid-play, and trigger locks can limit the amount of travel. An app also offers control over dead zones, vibrations and other finer points.

ASUS hasn’t mentioned pricing, but you can expect the Raikiri Pro to ship sometime in the first quarter of the year. This isn’t the first controller with a display (hello, Dreamcast fans) or even the first with OLED (Hyperkin’s Xbox “Duke” revival had that). However, the technology might help it stand out in a crowded field where modular designs, wild colors and extra buttons are relatively commonplace.

Apple fined $8.5 million in France over targeted App Store ads

Apple is the second tech giant today to receive a fine over personalized ads. France’s National Commission on Informatics and Liberty (CNIL) has issued an €8 million (roughly $8.5 million) penalty over allegations Apple automatically collected identifying data from App Store visitors using iOS 14.6 without their permission, helping the company target ads. The firm was profiting from violations of data protection law, according to officials.

You could turn off the ad targeting, but it was enabled by default and couldn’t be disabled without wading through multiple menu levels, CNIL added. That reportedly made it impossible for users to give proper consent. Apple has since changed its practices, and CNIL said it conducted “several” checks between 2021 and 2022 to make sure the company was honoring data rules. France launched its investigation in March 2021.

We’ve asked Apple for comment. As 9to5Mac noted, Apple told Financial Times‘ Patrick McGee in a statement that it was “disappointed” with the decision and planned an appeal. The iPhone maker argued that its Search Ads system went “further” than any rival in offering choice over targeted ads, and didn’t track user cross third-party apps or websites.

Apple has had a contentious relationship with French regulators. In 2020, the country’s competition authority issued a fine equivalent to $1.2 billion (now down to $364.6 million) for alleged antitrust abuses in its distribution chain. The company also received a $27.3 million fine over iPhone performance throttling that same year. While the French government defended Apple’s iOS 14 anti-tracking measures against industry pressure, it’s evident that the brand remains under close scrutiny.

Meta fined $414 million in EU for requiring personalized ads

Meta is facing yet another European Union fine. As hinted last month, EU authorities are fining Meta €390 million (about $414 million) after determining that the company illegally required that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp users accept personalized ads. The social media giant allegedly violated the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by asking for permission to collect ad targeting data in its terms of service — you have to either allow personalized ads or stop using the platforms altogether, according to regulators.

The EU didn’t say how it expected Meta to obey the decision. However, the wording suggests Meta will have to let users choose whether or not they accept personalized ads. In a statement, Meta said it was “disappointed” by the ruling and felt its existing approach “respects” the GDPR. The firm plans to appeal the findings.

The resistance isn’t surprising. Meta has historically opposed attempts to decline personalized ads, and predicted that Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (which lets you ask apps not to track you) could cost it $10 billion in lost ad revenue last year. Users behind proposed class action lawsuits have even accused Meta of trying to dodge Apple’s privacy feature by inserting tracking code through the in-app web browser. If Meta loses its appeal, it risks losing a significant amount of revenue as people see fewer ads they’re likely to click.

It’s doubtful the EU will back down, however. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), which regulates Meta’s EU activity, has repeatedly fined the company in the past year and a half. The DPC slapped Meta with a €405 million ($402 million) fine over Instagram’s child privacy settings in September, and in November issued a €265 million ($277 million) penalty for reportedly failing to protect users against data scraping. Officials want Meta to change its ways, and this latest ruling only adds to the pressure.

LG’s 97-inch M3 TV can wirelessly receive 4K 120Hz video

LG isn’t quite done revealing its 2023 OLED TV lineup. The company has unveiled the 97-inch Signature OLED M3, a TV LG says is the first to support Zero Connect wireless video and audio transmissions. Plug your devices into a large external box and you can send a 4K 120Hz picture to the TV from up to 30 feet away without running ugly cables directly into the set. While the approach isn’t completely wireless, it does let you tuck your media players and game consoles out of sight.

The tech should hold up under real world use. LG claims its algorithm minimizes disruptions by people and pets moving through the room, and that appeared to hold up in our brief experience at CES. People were walking between the M3 and the Zero Connect box with no apparent impact on the signal quality. You can rotate the antenna to face the TV and use voice commands to manage it, so you shouldn’t have to worry much about placement.

As for other details? LG didn’t share much else, but the M3 has an integrated bracket that lets the TV sit virtually flush against the wall. As a 4K set, it won’t offer the same bragging rights as the 8K-ready Z3 line. However, that’s not entirely the point — this is more about creating an elegant living room setup than having the best specs.

Like LG’s other CES TV announcements, there’s no word on price or availability for the M3. Given the size and wireless video tech, though, we’d expect it to be a significant expense. This is supposed to be the centerpiece of a luxurious home theater, and it will likely be priced accordingly.

DoorDash can now drop off your packages

Never mind asking DoorDash to deliver meals or groceries — it can now take items off your hands, too. The service has introduced a Package Pickup option that has a courier grab your prepaid packages from various carriers (including FedEx, UPS and USPS) and drop them off at the appropriate mailing location. You can use a prepaid shipping label if you have one, but you can also send shipping QR codes directly to the courier and skip the printer or box.

Package Pickup is available for up to five items at a time and costs a flat $5, or $3 if you’re a DashPass subscriber. DoorDash hopes to entice early adopters by offering the first pickup for free in January. Conveniently, it’s arriving in time to return unwanted or broken holiday gifts.

This is far from a new concept. Shyp was offering similar shipping options in 2015, right down to the $5 fee. And if you’re only interested in shuttling items across town, Uber Connect has been available since 2020. However, DoorDash is obviously counting on convenience as a selling point. You can use a familiar app to ship packages when you’d rather not make the trek to the local depot.

The new feature is also part of a larger trend of expanding delivery apps beyond food. It’s now relatively easy to use DoorDash, Uber and similar services to get convenience store essentials, prescriptions and even your Facebook Marketplace purchases. The expansion is ultimately a hedge against uncertainty in the pandemic recovery period (services can make money even if food deliveries tank), but you might not mind if it saves you from lengthy trips.

Chrysler’s future car cabins will be built around partial self driving

Chrysler has yet to deliver an electric car or otherwise leap into the future, but it’s at least willing to hint at what that future will look like. The Stellantis brand is debuting a Synthesis cockpit concept at CES that previews what you can expect in next-generation electric vehicles. Most notably, the two-seat demonstrator is built around Level 3 self-driving technology — that is, it assumes you’ll have your hands off the steering wheel in limited conditions.

The 37.2 inches of infotainment display area provides the usual media and navigation controls, but is also designed to be useful when autonomous driving is active. You can participate in video calls, play games, sing karaoke or even create your own music. It’s not clear how this would integrate with a production car (there’s no steering wheel in the concept), but Chrysler is joining Mercedes, Tesla and other automakers offering in-car productivity and entertainment apps to drivers.

Chrysler Synthesis car interior concept
Stellantis

AI unsurprisingly plays a large role. A virtual assistant syncs your schedule, smart home and weather updates with the car. Synthesis can factor your calendar and charge status into your route, or turn the house lights on when you arrive home. The cockpit can learn your preferences, and recommend restaurants with good charging and parking spaces. Over-the-air updates promise easier improvements for both the cabin tech and the self-driving system.

Chrysler is also hopping on the trend of eco-friendly interiors. Both seats have vegetable-tanned covers with “upcycled” trim, while the instrument panel surface is made entirely from recycled plastics. Even the floor uses responsibly-sourced walnut, Chrysler says. The overall look was inspired by last year’s Airflow EV concept.

It’s not certain just when you’ll see elements of Synthesis in Chrysler cars. However, the company previously said it would introduce its first EV in 2025 and provide a full portfolio in 2028. This still leaves Chrysler trailing behind other vehicle badges (including fellow Stellantis marques like Maserati) that are already adopting EVs and advanced infotainment platforms. However, the American firm appears to at least be solidifying its transformation plans — it won’t lean on hybrid minivans for too much longer.