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Anbernic, a popular retro handheld maker, has announced that its suspending shipments of its devices from China to the US because of tariffs. The company, which makes a variety of emulation-focused consoles and has appeared in Engadget's "Best gaming handhelds" list, is still selling devices it's already shipped to the US while supplies last. "Due to changes in U.S. tariff policies, we will be suspending all orders shipping from China to the United States starting today," Anbernic writes. "We strongly recommend prioritizing products shipped from our U.S. warehouse, which are currently not affected by import duties and can be purchased with confidence." Anbernic has long offered the option to choose which warehouse your device is shipped from as a way to avoid additional customs fees or a model being out of stock in specific region. Because of this policy change, though, US customers will no longer be able to order directly from China and could miss out on the company's future hardware launches. The decision to stop shipping to the US is understandable given the current chaos around tariffs. President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on most tariffs on April 9, but increased the tariffs companies would pay to import goods from China. Specific exemptions were carved out for certain electronics, but then the Trump administration later clarified that electronics would get their own separate semiconductor tariffs at some point, too. All of this flip-flopping over trade policies was also paired with the removal of the "de minimis exemption" which allows packages shipped to the US under $800 to be duty-free, a key ingredient in cheap Amazon-alternatives like Temu and the budget products Anbernic sells. Given how messy the current approach to trade is, it's possible Anbernic might be able to ship to the US again in the future. For now, though, not everyone is able to eat the costs of tariffs like Nintendo is.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/retro-handheld-maker-anbernic-stops-us-shipments-due-to-tariffs-220217833.html?src=rss
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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decide that its official stance towards AI-use in films is to take no stance at all, according to a statement the organization shared outlining changes to voting for the 98th Oscars. The issue of award-nominated films using AI was first raised in 2024 when the productions behind Best Picture nominees The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez admitted to using the tech to alter performances. "With regard to Generative Artificial Intelligence and other digital tools used in the making of the film, the tools neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination, " AMPAS writes. "The Academy and each branch will judge the achievement, taking into account the degree to which a human was at the heart of the creative authorship when choosing which movie to award." While the organization at least reaffirms that human involvement is their primary concern, they also don't seem to believe that using AI potentially trained on the ill-gotten work of their membership is an existential problem. Hollywood labor unions have historically felt differently: One of several issues raised during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023 was that AI could be used to replace the work of real people. The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez used it to modify vocal performances, but you don't have to connect too many dots to see generative AI playing an even more substantial role in the future. The Academy is more flexible than it's been in years, expanding membership, adding new award categories and alongside this AI statement, improving awards voting for the better. But it still seems like most industries are waiting for a decisive legal victory against an AI company to set a new standard before they change their tune towards the tech.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/using-generative-ai-will-neither-help-nor-harm-the-chances-of-achieving-oscar-nominations-201719890.html?src=rss
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The American Civil Liberties Union is suing to find out exactly what information the so-called Department of Government Efficiency has accessed from federal agencies. The civil rights organization submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to several goverment departments in February; it is now suing to get responses from the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The SSA denied the group's request for expedited processing and has not responded to the ACLU's appeal, while the VA did not act on the FOIA request, according to the press release announcing the lawsuit. The ACLU requested any records that would show whether DOGE members have accessed databases that contain personally identifying information about citizens. The request also seeks information about whether AI is being used to analyze government data. "The federal government cannot dodge accountability by ignoring our lawful demands for transparency," said Nathan Freed Wessler, deputy director of the Speech, Privacy and Technology Project within the ACLU. "The American people have an urgent need to know if their private financial, medical and personal records are being illegally accessed, analyzed or weaponized by Trump's unaccountable team of unvetted outsiders. This is doubly true for our seniors and veterans, who are at particular risk if their data has been accessed illegally." DOGE, a group headed by Elon Musk, has been leading the move to cut jobs across federal agencies, including those that oversee Musk's business endeavors. Although there have been other lawsuits trying to prevent people who are not civil servants from accessing sensitive government data, other reports claim DOGE members have been trying to circumvent court orders that limit their reach.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/aclu-sues-two-federal-agencies-for-transparency-around-doge-activity-195916390.html?src=rss
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