“Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?”: Food, Cooking, and Eating in Video Games

Pixelated Paradise

“Are you seriously telling me that this hot mash of mushrooms and fruit is going to completely heal his wounds?” (Gilbert 2019)

It is summer 2020 and I, like many others, am sequestered indoors clutching my recently acquired Nintendo Switch playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH). In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, people around the world seemed to swarm either to their handy technological devices or towards the soothing arms of nature. Luckily for me, my technological device included encounters with some virtual greenery—the trees and flowers of my beloved tropical Animal Crossing island.

Thao and Zucker having a nighttime picnic in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Screen shot by Author)

As I planted my strategically planned flower beds and traveled from mystery island to island collecting fruits which I didn’t have, I also consulted many online forums for guidance. To my surprise, I stumbled upon PETA’s Vegan Guide to Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Within, I found several suggestions on how to play the game while supporting vegan ethics. My favourite part? The commentary on what foods within the game are vegan friendly. While nowadays it’s possible to cook a variety of dishes in ACNH (even seasonal varieties!) much of the early discourse on food in ACNH was about how powerful vegan diets are. In the game, you can literally dig up entire trees with the nourishment provided after eating a singular  luscious virtual fruit. Sadly, this spurred some backlash from players arguing about: (1) the boundaries of our onlife and offline selves, (2) the potential of video games as pedagogy, and (3) the politics of digital and virtual foods. But how is it possible to extract all of these insights, politics, ethics, and social tensions from a game mimicking  an agricultural life on a tropical waterfront property we all secretly desire during daydreams?

Terms, Theories, and Methods

In this piece I apply my concept of Digital Food Spaces (DFS) or “online communities and platforms dedicated to the sharing of food-centered ideas and media” (Dam 2023) to the realm of video-gaming. I draw from both personal experiences and the insights of fellow gamers who I recruited via Twitter. Through our conversations I apply my theory into practice by analyzing the DFS of ACNH to examine how users conceptualize and interact with food in video games. Twitter (at its peak) had the capability to house and foster dialogues of every topic without reserve—food was just one of many, and as Schneider et al. (2018) has demonstrated, contentious discussion draws activist responses in the form of digital food activism by users.

From these conversations and interdisciplinary literature review I present three arguments:

• Gaming universes can be considered DFS
• Gaming universes have the capacity to foster food exploration and learning
• Depictions of food in gaming universes have intersectoral offline applications and implications

Matt’s Animal Crossing: New Horizon character chats with Franklin, the Turkey Day chef. (Screen shot by Matt Fifield)

While there are video games whose sole focus is to highlight food and related processes like cooking and eating (e.g. Overcooked and Cooking Mama), I include all games which feature some aspect of food within its play and/or landscapes. I should clarify that even though something in a game is edible by characters,  I try to focus on what we can colloquially code as “food” through its relatability to offline counterparts. Basically, a food is a food within a video game if its origins can be traced back to a particular food or food idea which exists offline to some degree.[1] This tracing is rather open, considering video games also  feature mockeries of offline eats for several reasons. As a result, the boundaries of onlife (Van Est et al. 2014, Floridi et al. 2015) and offline in this piece are flexibly framed because they easily flow into one another and inevitably shape each other. As Floridi et al. (2015) emphasise, because  ICTS[2] shape our (1) self conceptions, (2) mutual interactions, (3) realities, and (4) our interactions with reality, there are ongoing instances of boundary blurring between reality and virtuality as well as between humans, machines, and nature. Therefore, we can easily translate insights between the different realms and apply interventions and solutions accordingly—furthering the range of intimacy that technologies have with us presently and in the future (Van Est et al. 2014).

Gaming Universes as Digital Food Spaces

Digital Food Spaces (DFS) are not limited to social media sites and platforms, considering discussions about food take place almost everywhere online. Given that gaming (in practice and interest) continues to grow in popularity across age groups, it is essential that we include video games in our examinations of onlives and their capabilities of shaping the offline. Such insights are crucial for identifying and charting the transformations of how people are perceiving, understanding, and engaging with different foods—most especially when they allude to offline counterparts and processes.

A common feature which links many games together is the association of life/health points being replenished by consumable items in-game, much of which are stylized as food items. Gone are the days of only red health-boosting and blue mana-boosting potions—we’ve got entire menus of gourmet foods to fill player stats and inventories now.

This has led to much reactionary discussions and creations both online and offline. Entire online communities dedicate themselves to the recreation of these edibles in their own kitchens. Whether it’s a Reddit thread, a Facebook post, or a multi-video series on YouTube, gamers are experimenting with ways to bring the fantastical foods they encounter in their favorite games into their offline lives. Several dining establishments have also launched with these sentiments, but take a more reflexive approach through creating dishes inspired by in-game characters, locations, and items—for example the (unofficial) League of Legends restaurant “Challenger” based in China. However, for those of us who wish to capture the magic at home, there is also a growing video game cookbook collection which can teach you how to make foods from games like Destiny, The Elder Scrolls, World of Warcraft, the Fallout franchise, Sims, Minecraft, Street Fighter, and more.

Some games simulate the food production and preparation processes. In the Harvest Moon series, you’re a farmer with both crops and animals which grow and transform across the seasons. In several games it is possible to hunt creatures and cook them.[3] The Cooking Mama series allows us to pick recipes, prepare them step-by-step, and receive reviews on the final dishes. Overall, video games allow players several opportunities to critically consider and connect with foods and associated activities. This inevitably spurs discussion and prompts the formation and articulation of food-related opinions and perspectives among players. Within the DFS paradigm, video games are like entrées—catalysts of inspiration to explore and engage with foods in ways that go beyond the virtual.

Gaming as Food Exploration and Education

Video-gaming universes are seemingly infinite, in both creativity and vastness. Within, there are places for every wacky interaction and dream in between. We create our avatars from an assortment of options, and we attempt to explore the crevices of how we see (or would like to see) ourselves and the world through these choices. When given the tools (ICTs) in video games, we test the limits of what’s possible and appropriate. This logic extends to food in games as well. Think about so-called “dubious food” in the Legend of Zelda series:

“Dubious Food” from Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Screen shot by Author)

“It’s too gross to even look at. A bizarre smell issues forth from this heap. Eating it won’t hurt you, though…probably” (In-game description, Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2017)

This food experimentation through hunting, gathering, and preparing foods often occurs in many explorational “open world” games, like The Elder Scrolls franchise and newer Pokémon games. For players, it provides a wider range of engagement and creativity with virtual foods while also providing insights into how cooking and mealtimes transform relationships between the player’s virtual body, their surroundings, and their in-game companions. VR games take this to the extreme by directly translating players’ physical movements into virtual simulations for added experiential depth. Hilariously, it is important to note that not all video game foods are helpful. Some creations also actively harm in-game health status and abilities, mirroring food poisoning experiences to some degree.

Video games easily initiate learning  through vicarious consumption (Veblen 2007). As players encounter, prepare, and consume virtual foods, they increase their familiarity and knowledge around them (Staiano 2014). In turn, it sparks further curiosity and thinking around the foods and their offline cultural and historical inspirations. Often, players find this learned food-related information applicable in offline scenarios and conversations even in the cases where the foods are entirely fictional.

“Cooking foods in virtual reality has transferred over to what I apply in the kitchen. I used to bake bread but I got to know a number of pastries and deserts like tiramisu.” (personal communication, @Zay_ZYXWV)

“The Fallout games have all the disgusting foods. But also a lot of parodies of actual American snacks I guess. I don’t get all of them because I am from Germany, but I have a sense that they are versions of actual foods.” (personal communication, @PrimoRCavallo)

“I recently played the controversial Russian game Atomic Heart. One of the primary themes is the Soviet Union, and one of the main food factors which is a completely mandatory item for traversing the game is condensed milk, alongside bottles of vodka. I thought it was an odd choice for a power up item in a game, but after spending some time looking into it it seems like those two items had some high degree of value to the survival of those geographical people due to their long shelf life and stability in indeterminate situations.” (personal communication, @TheAbeg)

Considering many games have foods which are modeled after offline ones, they are useful for learning about foods outside of one’s experiential range. In the MMORPG MapleStory, many places which pay homage to real offline locations have their own special consumables that allude to local dishes, for example: satay, ramen, chili crab, unagi, bento boxes, steamed buns, dumplings, laksa, chicken rice, tacos, and  curries.  Several tropical fruits and snacks like durian, dragon fruit, dried squid, and dango are also available in-game.

Various food items found in MapleStory SEA. (Screen shot by Author)

Beyond 8-bit: Applications and Implications

Scholars across disciplines have stressed the importance of considering interlinking implications and applications of happenings online with those offline (Boellstorff 2016, Taylor and Nichter 2022). Analysing the interactions and engagements of our onlives within the DFS of gaming universes can provide information about points of interventions (e.g. cases of digital obesogenic environments) or the range of shared interests of certain groups as they pertain to food. While video-gaming only simulates life or death, the impacts of digital obesogenic environments has yet to be thoroughly explored. Video-gaming allows for people to embrace (if not overexaggerate) and explore aspects of their individual values and varied performances of self (Goffman 1959). It is of interest to those working in diplomacy, marketing, and the food industry to pay attention to the reception of foods in video game universes and players’ concerns as starting points for improvements in initiatives of gastrodiplomacy, product design, food communication, and more. Doing so would help generate more interactive and reflective national foods branding given the diversity of  gaming communities (Ichijo et al. 2019, White et al. 2019, Dam 2023). Furthermore, there is immense potential to expand digital food studies’ research theories and methodologies in video games while also continuously challenging the boundaries of online and offline. If art does imitate life, how are we to ignore or deny the salience of how people play with and reimagine foods and foodscapes?

Notes

[1] An honorable mention for the “dubious food” available in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

[2] Information and communication technologies

[3] There is an exhaustive amount of games where you can hunt creatures and eat them, so to list them all would be…well, exhaustive.

References

Atsuko Ichijo, Venetia Johannes, and Ronald Ranta. 2019. The Emergence of National Food: The Dynamics of Food and Nationalism. Bloomsbury.

Boellstorff, Tom. 2016. “For Whom the Ontology Turns: Theorizing the Digital Real.” Current Anthropology 57(4): 387-407.

Dam, Ashley T.K., 2023. “Dining with the Diaspora: Khmerican Digital Gastrodiplomacy”. Platypus Blog. https://blog.castac.org/2023/03/dining-with-the-diaspora-khmerican-digital-gastrodiplomacy/

Gayle, Latoya. 2020. “Nintendo fans mercilessly mock PETA for claiming vegans shouldn’t play Animal Crossing because it features virtual fishing and bug catching”. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8155471/Video-game-players-mercilessly-mock-PETA-vegan-guide-Nintendos-Animal-Crossing.html

Goffman, Erving. 1959. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. New York: Anchor Books.

Lynn, Lottie. 2021. “Animal Crossing Cooking: Ingredients and how to unlock cooking in New Horizons explained”. Eurogamer. https://www.eurogamer.net/animal-crossing-cooking-ingredients-how-unlock-new-horizons-8007

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals [PETA]. 2020. “PETA’s Vegan Guide to ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons”. https://www.peta.org/features/animal-crossing-new-horizons-vegan/

Schneider, T., Eli, K., Dolan, C., & Ulijaszek, S. (Eds.). (2018). Digital Food Activism (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315109930

Staiano A. E. 2014. Learning by Playing: Video Gaming in Education-A Cheat Sheet for Games for Health Designers. Games for health journal, 3(5), 319–321. https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2014.0069

Taylor, Nicole and Mimi Nichter. 2022. A Filtered Life: Social Media on a College Campus. New York: Routledge.

Van Est, R., Rerimassie, V., van Keulen, I. & Dorren, G. 2014. Intimate technology: The battle for Our Body and Behaviour. Rathenau Instituut.

Veblen, Thorstein. 2007. The Theory of the Leisure Class. Oxford: Oxford UP.

White, Wajeana, Albert A. Barreda, and Stephanie Hein.  (2019) “Gastrodiplomacy: Captivating a Global Audience Through Cultural Cuisine-A Systematic Review of the Literature.” Journal of Tourismology 5(2), 127-144.

Walmart announces major expansion to EV charging network

Walmart just announced a major expansion to its electric vehicle charging network, with "thousands" of Walmart and Sam's Club locations getting new EV charging stations. According to the company, full implementation will be completed by 2030.

The news does not say precisely how many of the approximately 5,300 Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club locations throughout the country will be added to the network, and the company declined to share additional information with Engadget. Walmart currently operates 1,300 EV fast-charging stations located at more than 280 retail stores and affiliated facilities.

“With a store or club located within 10 miles of approximately 90% of Americans, we are uniquely positioned to deliver a convenient charging option that will help make EV ownership possible whether people live in rural, suburban or urban areas,” wrote Vishal Kapadia, Senior Vice President of Energy Transformation at Walmart. “Easy access to on-the-go charging is a game-changer for drivers who have been hesitant to purchase an EV.”

Walmart is still looking for energy suppliers, according to a report by Reuters. In the past, it has worked with providers EVgo and VW’s Electrify America. No matter the provider, Walmart has stated that each participating store will receive four chargers and that the company will keep energy prices low, though it has not provided cost estimates. 

Walmart wants to improve its overall environmental footprint in ways both large and small. In addition to this new EV charger initiative, the company stated that all supply chain vehicles will achieve "zero emissions" by 2040 and that it has already transitioned to some electric vehicles for deliveries. 

Concept of Walmart EV charging station.

Blue Origin pins last summer's NS-23 rocket failure on a faulty engine nozzle

Blue Origin now has an explanation for the booster failure that cut a New Shepard flight short last September. Jeff Bezos' company has determined that a "thermo-structural failure" in the NS-23 rocket's engine nozzle was to blame. Operational temperatures for the nozzle climbed higher than expected following cooling system design changes, creating fatigue that misaligned the thrust and activated the crew capsule's escape system.

Engineers are already taking "corrective actions" that include redesigning the combustion chamber and operating conditions. Blue Origin has also tweaked the nozzle design to improve its structural integrity. The capsule wasn't damaged and will fly again, Blue Origin says.

The company says it hopes to resume flights "soon," but hasn't provided an exact date. It intends to restart operations by re-flying the research payload from the aborted mission. The Federal Aviation Administration has to accept the incident findings before Blue Origin can move forward.

There's plenty of pressure on Blue Origin to address the issues. The company recently obtained a NASA contract to fly a science mission to Mars using its yet-to-launch New Glenn rocket, and has been pushing for a lunar lander agreement. The sooner Blue Origin can prove that its rocketry is trustworthy, the sooner it can secure customers that include governments and space tourists.

Rivals are facing problems of their own. Relativity Space's first 3D-printed rocket failed to reach orbit earlier this month. SpaceX, meanwhile, has yet to successfully fire all of Starship's engines at the same time. That's not including past problems like Rocket Lab's setbacks. Private spaceflight remains difficult, and Blue Origin is just the latest to illustrate that fact.

Blue Origin New Shepard rocket after liftoff

France bans TikTok (and Candy Crush) from government phones

It's no shock to see another country banning TikTok from government phones, but France is taking the restrictions a step further. Le Mondereports the French government is banning "recreational" apps like TikTok, Twitter, Netflix and even Candy Crush from public servants' devices. The apps represent cybersecurity risks that could jeopardize data for both the employees and the administration, according to the office of public service minister Stanislas Guerini.

The government hasn't provided an exact list of banned apps. However, Guerini said certain there could be some exceptions for the sake of necessary communication. This won't prevent a social media team from posting content, in other words. The ban takes effect immediately, but the penalties for defying the rule can be decided at the "managerial level," Guerini's office says. The approach doesn't affect personal devices.

The clampdown comes after the US federal government, dozens of states, Canada, the European Commission and the UK have banned TikTok on their workers' devices. In those cases, the rationale has been similar: officials are worried the Chinese government could collect data about important individuals, spread propaganda and compel ByteDance (TikTok's parent company) to hand over sensitive information.

TikTok has repeatedly denied collaborating with the Chinese government. In testimony before a House committee yesterday, CEO Shou Chew said ByteDance was "not an agent of China" and that American user data wouldn't be accessible to staff in other countries by the time a migration project wraps up later this year.

The French policy, however, isn't aimed at any one country or app category. Instead, it represents a general concern that entertainment apps may put government data at unnecessary risk. That's not so hot for employees hoping to watch Netflix during lunch, but it may reassure politicians worried employees might inadvertently expose info through their social media accounts.

The 75th Cannes Film Festival - Cannes, France, May 20, 2022. A woman looks at her mobile phone as she walks past an advertising poster for TikTok app displayed on the Croisette during the film festival. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier

Twitter may let you hide the fact you pay to use Twitter

Do you like the features that come with Twitter Blue, but not the image it conveys of an Elon Musk superfan? There might be a solution in the near future. As Boing Boingnotes, developer Alessandro Paluzzi claims to have spotted Twitter testing an option to hide the Blue checkmark on your profile. Unless you write a very long tweet or otherwise flaunt Blue-only features, other users might never know that you're paying for perks. You'd still need to verify your government ID to use the features.

Twitter isn't available for comment as it disbanded its communications team after Musk's purchase. The test comes as Twitter says it will start removing legacy verified checkmarks on April 1st. In November, Musk called legacy checkmarks "corrupt" and said the social network would remove them in the months ahead. 

There are reasons you might want to hide the checkmark besides humility or embarrassment, of course. You may not want to give the impression that your tweets represent the views of your employer. And if you share the same name as a celebrity, you might not want to risk confusing users.

There's no guarantee Twitter will make the checkmark-hiding option widely available. If the company presses ahead, though, this might (further) diminish the value of the blue tick by making it inconsistently visible. On top of this, Twitter now has gold and grey checkmarks for business and government accounts respectively — those are the true upper-echelon badges.

Twitter Blue checkmark

UK watchdog no longer thinks Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard merger is a threat to console competition (updated)

The UK is softening its objections to Microsoft's buyout of Activision Blizzard. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has revised its findings and determined that the merger won't lead to significantly reduced competition in the console space. While the evidence remains the same, the watchdog now finds that Microsoft's ownership of franchises like Call of Duty would "not materially affect" Sony's ability to compete with PlayStation systems. Microsoft could "degrade" the PlayStation's appeal, the CMA says, but Sony's platform has a strong-enough catalog that the damage would be limited.

The Authority also reconsidered its view that Microsoft might benefit from shutting out Call of Duty's PlayStation audience. More recent Microsoft data suggests the company could suffer substantial losses in "any plausible scenario" by making the game franchise Xbox-only or offering exclusive perks, according to the CMA. Not enough gamers would switch from PlayStation to Xbox to make that strategy work, in other words.

The CMA makes clear that the updated findings don't change its concerns about cloud gaming services. In February, the regulator said Microsoft represented up to 70 percent of the worldwide cloud gaming market, and completing the Activision Blizzard purchase could harm gamers who can't afford an expensive console or PC.

We've asked Microsoft and Sony for comment. Activision Blizzard tells Engadget in a statement that the CMA now has an "improved understanding" of the console market, and that Microsoft already has solutions in place for remaining issues. Activision maintains that Sony is only trying to "protect its dominance" by contesting the acquisition.

Sony has long opposed the deal and calls it a "threat to our industry" that could hurt the quality of Call of Duty on PlayStation. Microsoft has made a number of concessions in hopes of clinching the Activision Blizzard takeover, including 10-year multi-platform promises for Call of Duty as well as arrangements to bring games to rival cloud platforms.

The UK overseer's change of heart doesn't overcome resistance to the merger in other countries. The US Federal Trade Commission is still suing to block the union, and points out that Microsoft made future titles like Redfall Xbox-exclusive on consoles despite assurances to European Union officials. Objectors can also comment on the findings before the end of March. However, the new stance still improves Microsoft's chances of completing the acquisition — a major regulatory body just dropped its main point of contention.

Update 3/24 4:10PM ET: Microsoft President Brad Smith says his company "appreciates" the CMA's review, and believes it "underscores a growing consensus" that the Activision Blizzard pact will create more competition.  

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Twitter Blue subscriptions are now available worldwide

You no longer have to wonder whether or not the revived Twitter Blue subscription is available in your country. Twitter has confirmed that Blue is now available worldwide. Pay $8 per month ($11 if you sign up through the iOS app) and you'll get the no-longer-that-special blue checkmark as well as 4,000-character tweets, higher ranking in replies, post editing and other perks.

Organizations, meanwhile, can pursue a more useful tick next to their names. Twitter has begun accepting applications for the grey checkmarks that verify government officials and organizations, not to mention their equivalents at multilateral institutions. As you might guess, the criteria is stricter. Applicants have to use either their government ID or a valid email address, and have to describe their positions and functions. Businesses can already apply for gold checkmarks.

The new Twitter Blue launched in November, but it quickly ran into problems. As the checkmark looked the same whether you'd paid for it or were a legacy verified user, people quickly used the membership to impersonate notable figures. Twitter soon blocked brand new accounts from signing up for Blue, and had to relaunch the tier in December with gold and grey checkmarks in tow. 

A global rollout may be essential to boosting Blue's popularity. According to a leak source, the paid option reportedly had just 180,000 subscribers in the US as of mid-January. CEO Elon Musk is said to want half of Twitter's revenue to come from subscriptions, and that requires reaching a wide audience. Now, it's less a question of availability and more whether enough users will consider the extra features worth the outlay.

Twitter splash screen on Android

'Lord of the Rings: Gollum' will finally arrive on May 25th

After a particularly long incubation process, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is almost ready to ship. Daedalic has revealed that its stealth action take on JRR Tolkien's fantasy world will be available May 25th on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. A Switch version is due later in the year. While the mechanics of the game are by now familiar, this still promises to be a fresh take if you weren't enthused with the hack-and-slash of Monolith's Middle-earth games.

You play Gollum in a previously unrecorded story of his search for (what else?) the Precious during the first few chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring. He's clearly not a brawler, so he has to sneak and climb to survive. And crucially, the battle inside his corrupted mind plays a key role. You have to choose between giving into Gollum's darker impulses or hanging on to the shreds of kindness from Smeagol. While this is an original tale based on the books, you'll run into familiar characters and navigate a world heavily inspired by Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies.

To say Gollum has taken a while to finish would be an understatement. It was originally unveiled in 2019, and even then wasn't expected to arrive until 2021. That year came and went (the pandemic didn't help speed development), and even a tentative September 2022 release didn't happen after a delay that was only supposed to last "a few months" as Daedalic took extra time to polish the title.

The timing might work in the game's favor. In 2019, Amazon's Lord of the Rings TV series was still in its infancy, and the last big Tolkien game (Middle-earth: Shadow of War) was old news. Flash forward to 2023 and it's another story. Amazon's The Rings of Power show is a major success, and movie effects house Weta Workshop is making its own game set in the franchise. There's a renewed interest in hobbits and orcs, and Gollum might benefit from that demand.

Mouth of Sauron in 'The Lord of the Rings: Gollum'

TikTok whistleblower claims US data privacy efforts are seriously flawed

TikTok's efforts to address US data privacy fears may have holes. A self-proclaimed whistleblower talking to The Washington Post says the social network's plan to protect American users' data, Project Texas, has major flaws. The former Trust and Safety team member claims the $1.5 billion initiative will still let TikTok connect to parent company ByteDance's Toutiao, a well-known Chinese news app. That link could theoretically allow China to access US data. A truly secure approach would require a "complete re-engineering" of the service's infrastructure, the ex-employee says.

The staffer also claims to have met with the offices of Sen. Chuck Grassley and Sen. Mark Warner to discuss the alleged weaknesses. Representatives for both senators acknowledged that meetings had taken place.

We've asked TikTok for comment. Unnamed people at the social media giant tell The Post that the claims are "unfounded," and the Toutiao code only amounts to a "naming convention and technical relic" that doesn't tie the app to China. They also believe that the relocation of US data to Oracle servers undercuts the assertion that Toutiao could affect the US business. The whistleblower was only employed for half a year, and he supposedly left months before Project Texas was finalized. He may not know the full picture, in other words.

TikTok has repeatedly denied cooperating with the Chinese government, and there's no publicly known evidence to that effect. Douyin, the equivalent app available inside China, has completely separate content.

The timing of the purported revelation isn't good for TikTok. House and Senate bills (Warner co-sponsored the latter bill) could lead to nationwide TikTok bans if they become law, and CEO Shou Zi Chew is set to testify before the House on March 23rd to address security and child safety concerns. Politicians are worried the Chinese government may use TikTok to collect data on Americans and spread propaganda, and the report doesn't help ease those fears.

A smartphone with a displayed TikTok logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken February 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Spike in deadly strep infections linked to wave of flu, RSV in US kids

Enlarge / A microscope image of Streptococcus pyogenes, a common type of group A strep. (credit: Getty | BSIP)

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and amid a tall wave of respiratory viruses, health officials in Colorado and Minnesota documented an unusual spike in deadly, invasive infections from Streptococcus bacteria late last year, according to a study published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The spike is yet another oddity of post-pandemic disease transmission, but one that points to a simple prevention strategy: flu shots.

The infections are invasive group A strep, or iGAS for short, which is caused by the same group of bacteria that cause relatively minor diseases, such as strep throat and scarlet fever. But iGAS occurs when the bacteria spread in the body and cause severe infection, such as necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease), toxic shock syndrome, or sepsis. These conditions can occur quickly and be deadly.

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The best multi-device wireless chargers for 2023

There’s a good chance you have enough devices with wireless charging support that a single-device pad or stand just won’t cut it. However, buying a multiple-item charger can be a headache. You not only have to contend with varying levels of support, but different designs as well — the last thing you want is something that won’t fit on your nightstand. While this space can be confusing, there are plenty of options out there that are worth your money. We’ll walk you through what you need to know while shopping for a multi-device wireless charger, and recommend a few models that belong on your short list.

Future-proofing

It won’t be shocking to hear that your phone choice influences your choice in chargers. Only iPhone owners will need to consider Apple Watch compatibility. Likewise, you’ll need an Android phone if you expect to power a Galaxy Watch. Buy an iPhone 12 or newer and you can attach your phone magnetically using MagSafe, while the latest Android phones often have some form of fast wireless charging.

However, it’s not simply a question of getting the fastest charger. You should consider what you might buy in the future. Don’t buy a two-device charger if you have an iPhone and AirPods, but have been eyeing an Apple Watch. And if you think you might switch to Android (or vice versa), you’ll want to get something more generic that doesn’t lock you into any one ecosystem.

Some chargers include cradles, trays and other features that are heavily optimized for particular products, and might not even account for year-to-year changes. Some vertical stands are too tall for small phones like the iPhone 13 mini, for instance. While you can never completely guarantee that next year’s phone or watch will work, it’s worth buying something more likely to last.

Having said all this, don’t be afraid to get a charger with vendor-specific features if you’re fiercely loyal to one brand. Apple isn’t expected to ditch MagSafe any time soon, and Samsung will likely keep making Galaxy Watches for a while to come.

Where and how will you use it?

Sebastian Bednarek on Unsplash

You’re probably buying a multi-device charger with one location in mind. It might sit on your nightstand or on your desk. Not everyone buys a charger just for themselves, though; you might want to use one as a shared station for you and a partner.

If the charger will sit on your nightstand, you’ll likely want a compact, stable unit that won’t swallow all your free space or tumble to the floor. You may also prefer a lay-flat phone pad so your screen is less likely to keep you awake. The Apple Watch and some other smartwatches can double as tiny alarm clocks, so you might want a vertical charging option for any wristwear.

At a desk, however, you may want a vertical phone stand so you can check notifications. Will the charger sit on a low table? Horizontal pads may make it easier to grab your devices in a hurry. Travel chargers should fold up or otherwise protect the pads while they’re in your bag. And, yes, aesthetics count. You may want something pretty if it’s likely to sit in a posh room where guests will see it.

If it’s a shared charging station, you’ll want something with multiple generic surfaces, and you’ll probably have to forgo charging more than one watch at a time. In those cases, consider the handful of 4-in-1 chargers on the market, or models with USB ports.

Performance

It’s no secret that wireless charging is typically slower than wired, and powering multiple devices adds a new wrinkle. As these chargers often have to support a wide range of hardware, you’ll have to forget about the fastest, device-specific options from brands like Google, OnePlus and Samsung.

That’s not to say these will be slow, but there just isn’t much separating them on the speed front. As a general rule, the quickest multi-device chargers tend to top out at 15W for phones. And you’ll need a MagSafe charger if you want to get that full 15W on an iPhone.

It’s rare that you’ll find a truly slow example, mind you. Even some of the most affordable options we’ve seen will recharge your phone at a reasonable 7.5W or 10W, and the 5W for other devices is more than enough. If you’re only docking overnight or while you work, speed won’t make a huge difference. Just be sure that whatever you buy is powerful enough for a phone in a case. It’s also worth noting that fast charging for other devices is rare, although you’ll occasionally find speedier options for the Apple Watch Series 7.

Quality, box contents and small details

Melvin Thambi on Unsplash

The difference between a good charger and a great one often boils down to little details. You won’t always need to pay extra to get those, but a larger outlay may be worthwhile to avoid frustrations for years to come.

A textured surface like rubberized plastic or fabric will reduce the chances your expensive gadgets will slide off their charging points. The base should have enough grip and weight that the charger won’t easily shift out of place. Any floating or vertical stands should be sturdy — steer clear if there’s any wobble.

You’ll also want to make a note of what’s included in the box. Some chargers don’t ship with power adapters, and we've seen numerous models whose Apple Watch “stands” are merely holders for your existing charging puck.

Then there’s helpful touches like status lights for confirming correct placement, although you’ll want to make sure they dim or shut off after a certain amount of time. And while it’s still true that cradles and trays can limit compatibility, you do want your devices to stay where you put them. Shelves and lips can prevent your phone or watch from sliding. Oh, and be wary of floating smartwatch mounts, as heavier timepieces might sag.

Best premium 3-in-1 charger: Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with MagSafe

It doesn’t get much better than Belkin’s most advanced model if you’re an Apple devotee. The BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 pad offers 15W MagSafe charging for your iPhone, fast charging for the Apple Watch Series 7 and a space for AirPods or other earbuds with Qi-compatible cases. The base is weighty, covered in rubberized plastic and includes a discreet status light for your earbuds. More importantly, it supports more devices than you might think. Although the Pro pad uses MagSafe, the horizontal layout lets you charge virtually any phone at reduced speeds. We also have to give Belkin kudos for one of the most convenient Apple Watch chargers we’ve seen. It not only works horizontally and vertically, but includes a knob to adjust for different sizes and third-party cases.

This is quite large compared to some 3-in-1 chargers, so it’s not the greatest choice for a nightstand. Consider the smaller footprint of its counterpart, the BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe 15W, if you have an iPhone 12 or newer. You also won’t find USB ports, and the indented earbud pad rules out a second phone. Still, it’s easily worth the $150 asking price.

Runner-up 3-in-1: Logitech Powered 3-in-1 Dock

There are many quality high-end chargers to choose from, but Logitech’s Powered 3-in-1 Dock offers a few features that help it rise above. It consumes relatively little space, and the rubberized horizontal and vertical chargers deliver up to 10W while gripping your devices tightly, so both you and your partner can top off.

It has a few limitations, though. The vertical stand isn’t well-suited to the iPhone 13 mini and other small phones. And while the floating stand works with most Apple Watches, heavier ones tend to sag (such as this author’s steel Series 5 with a Leather Link strap) and might not charge properly. If those aren’t issues, though, your $130 will be well-spent.

Best budget 3-in-1 charger: Anker 533 Wireless Charger

You can find plenty of more affordable 3-in-1 chargers. Few, however, offer quite as much for the money as the Anker 533 Wireless Charger 3-in-1 Stand. It offers an adjustable-angle 10W vertical stand and lets you charge an Apple Watch either horizontally or vertically. There’s also a 20W USB-C power adapter in the box, so you won’t have to buy an aftermarket brick (or rely on proprietary cabling) to get started.

The limitations mostly stem from the cost-cutting measures. You probably won’t have room for a second phone. And like some chargers we’ve seen, the Apple Watch mount is a bring-your-own-cable affair that only supports older USB-A connections. The included cable with your Series 8 or SE won’t work here. At $58, though, this is a good bargain.

Another good option: Otterbox 3-in-1 Charging Station for MagSafe

If you’re willing to spend a bit more and live in Apple’s universe, the Otterbox 3-in-1 Charging Station for MagSafe is worth your attention. The extremely small footprint is ideal for nightstands. You can tuck your phone, earbuds and Apple Watch into an area normally reserved for a single device. The company supplies a surprisingly powerful 36W USB-C power adapter in the box that serves as a fast wired option in a pinch.

The caveats are clear. The floating MagSafe stand rules out Android phones and older iPhones. You’ll need to bring your own Apple Watch cable, and the USB-A port won’t work with the USB-C cables bundled with newer watches. The horizontal-only watch mount also rules out clock functionality. The overall balance of space and utility is still difficult to top for $80.

Best 2-in-1 charger: Mophie Dual Wireless Charging Pad

The 2-in-1 field is highly competitive and makes it difficult to choose an absolute winner. However, Mophie’s Dual Wireless Charging Pad hits many of the right marks. It can charge two devices at up to 10W each, making it a great pick for a two-phone household. The fabric surface with rubberized trim should keep your gadgets steady, and the status lights will confirm accurate placement. There’s even a USB-A port to plug in your watch charger or any other wired hardware.

The complaints are few. You won’t charge at 15W, and we’d rather have USB-C than USB-A. It’s nonetheless a safe choice at $80, and worth buying over less expensive options.

Runner-up 2-in-1: Samsung Super Fast Wireless Charger Duo

Multi-device chargers from phone manufacturers tend to be either compromised or highly proprietary, but Samsung’s Super Fast Wireless Charger Duo (sometimes known as the 15W Duo Fast Wireless Charger) bucks that trend. It’s compact and delivers high-speed charging for one phone and an accessory, whether it’s a Galaxy Watch or another manufacturer’s earbuds. The status lights will even dim at night, and change color to indicate when your batteries are full.

This won’t help for two-phone households, and Samsung only guarantees 15W charging for some of its own phones (the Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S20 and later). You’ll also want to be mindful of which version you buy, as there are variants with and without a power adapter in the box. Neither is cheap at respective prices of $90 and $70. This remains an elegant charger for nightstands and travel, though, and the pads are sufficiently device-agnostic.

Best charger for two people: Mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat

There are few wireless chargers built with more than one person in mind, but Mophie’s 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat is the most well-rounded of the bunch. The pad can handle up to four devices wirelessly at 10W, including two phones and two accessories. There’s also a spare USB-A port for charging earlier Apple Watch models (using the included mount and your own cable) or wired items. A fabric surface, subtle device trays and indicator lights will also take the mysteries out of charging.

This is a giant charger compared to most, and you might find it limiting if your home has more than one Apple Watch or accessories that won’t fit the smaller charging pads. Even so, Mophie is offering considerable value for $150. The 4-in-1 does more than some 3-in-1 chargers at that price, and it doesn’t suffer the compatibility issues of rivals like Nomad’s Base Station Pro.

Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad

Audi's electric mountain bike costs over $10,000

Audi is the latest automaker to dip into upscale e-bikes. The brand has introduced an electric mountain bike that takes design cues from its RS Q E-tron E2 electric Dakar Rally racer while promising high-end specs. Built by Italy's Fantic (Autoblognotes it's based on the XMF 1.7), it combines a 250W Brose motor (similar to that for Harley-Davidson's Serial 1 Bash/Mtn) with Fantic's 720Wh battery to deliver a sizeable 66ft/lb of torque.

While Audi isn't providing the top speed or range at this stage, the power pack is decidedly larger than the Bash/Mtn's 529Wh unit, which provides between 30 to 95 miles of range depending on conditions. Like other Brose-powered e-bikes, Audi's model has four levels of electric assistance ranging from a mild Eco through to the all-out Boost mode.

The aluminum frame design uses decidedly different parts than the Porsche eBike lineup beyond the motor and battery. You can expect Braking IN.CA.S disc brakes, an Öhlins fork and shock, and Sram components for the chain, shifters and derailleur. You'll also find Italian touches like the Vittoria tires and Sella Italia saddle. The Öhlins gear offers 7.1in of suspension travel versus the XMF 1.7's 6.7in.

The Audi electric mountain bike comes in three sizes, but you'll need to act quickly and carry a large bank balance. The bike is only available as a "limited run" model priced at £8,499 (about $10,200) in the UK. That puts it roughly on par with Porsche's $10,700 eBike Sport, and it's priced well above the $3,999 Bash/Mtn, the GMC Hummer e-bike (also $3,999) and the more powerful $5,499 Jeep e-bike. You're paying for the big battery, the other well-known parts and Audi's design. If you can afford one of Audi's higher-end EVs, though, its two-wheeler is likely within reach.

The Audi E-tron Electric Mountain Bike on a short set of stone stairs outside of a home. The bike is propped up with its pedal against a step.

Can a Better Technology Dethrone the Gas Stove?

Most people out there, from celebrity chefs to ordinary folks, love their gas stoves, despite the hazards and health risks. Some gas-stove enthusiasts insist that food over an open flame, atop iron grates, tastes better. Some homeowners just think they look superior, even sexy, in their kitchens. And others, apparently, would die before giving them up.

What if the majority of Americans just don’t know that there’s an alternative? Enter induction, a cooking technology that’s popular in Europe and Asia, but has captured less than 5% of the U.S. market. For Bloomberg Businessweek, Aaron Gell writes an informative and entertaining piece that explores induction’s benefits and its potential to change the way we cook. (The hero image, too, will make you laugh.)

But a home appliance that summons gorgeous blue flames with the twist of a knob still induces a bit of wonder, and people aren’t likely to give it up without a fight. “I mean, gas has the UX [user experience],” says Sam D’Amico of Impulse Labs, a Silicon Valley startup gearing up to pitch its new induction stove to the masses. “The UX is, literally, you’re turning the valve and gas is burning. That’s going to be tough to defeat.” There’s a reason that nearly all competitive cooking shows—with the notable exception of The Great British Bake Off, which uses induction—feature chefs frantically turning out dishes on commercial gas stoves. “It’s kind of sexy,” says Stacy Jones, founder and chief executive officer of product placement agency Hollywood Branded. “You see the flames licking up into the pan, and you can almost feel the heat coming off of it even though you’re on the other side of the television.”

Senators reintroduce bill to protect personal data online

Senators aren't giving up on a bill to safeguard your online data. Hawaii's Brian Schatz and 18 other senators have reintroduced the 2018-era Data Care Act to set higher standards for sensitive info. Companies will need to "reasonably secure" identifying data, including prompt customer notifications for breaches. They also can't use that data in harmful ways, and must ensure third-parties treat any shared data with the same amount of respect.

The measure gives the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the authority to fine companies that violate the rules, including third parties. States could take their own civil actions, but the FTC could step in.

The senators largely consist of Democrats, including Big Tech critics like Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar. Independents Bernie Sanders and Angus King also back the potential legislation. The original Data Care Act had the support of 15 Democrats.

There's no guarantee the revived Act will succeed. The original bill never came to a vote after its December 2018 introduction. And while Democrats control the Senate in 2023, the Republicans lead the House. If a vote on an equivalent bill is split along partisan lines in the House, it won't reach the President's desk for approval.

The conditions may be more favorable this time around, however. President Biden has been eager to rein in Big Tech, with a particular focus on limiting the collection and use of data. Meanwhile, both major parties in Congress are increasingly concerned about data privacy and security. The Data Care Act theoretically satisfies these politicians, if just by shifting more of the responsibility to businesses.

Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) speaks during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 9, 2021. Al Drago/Pool via REUTERS

Pinterest algorithms are making it easy for creeps to make boards featuring underage girls

NBC News has discovered that Pinterest's recommendation algorithms are making it easier for pedophiles to create boards full of images of underage girls. After an initial search, Pinterest will start suggesting related searches that can easily be misused. The images themselves sometimes receive sexual comments.

NBC notes that it didn't find child sexual abuse material (CSAM) during its investigation. However, the people creating the creepy boards sometimes had collections containing porn despite Pinterest's ban on that content. The social site also hasn't had direct ways to report attempts to sexualize content featuring minors. While Pinterest’s policies forbid the practice, users have had to rely on ill-fitting reporting categories (such as “nudity or pornography”) and haven’t had the option to report whole boards.

Pinterest tells Engadget that it takes this content "very seriously" and is taking multiple actions that could help. It will start rolling out a board reporting option next week, and will soon offer expanded profile reporting tools that include minor-related content. In a response to NBC, spokesperson Crystal Espinosa says the company also plans to bolster its AI moderation (it also uses human moderators) to catch some offenders automatically, and will add new age verification systems.

The revelations are significant in part because of Pinterest's aggressive stance toward moderation compared to other platforms — it's one of the few to place outright bans on misinformation. At the same time, the findings underscore shortcomings in the company's reporting tools and recommendation engine. Facebook, Instagram and TikTok all have ways to directly report content involving kids.

There's political pressure to act, too. President Biden recently called for Congress and tech giants to improve kids' online safety. The Senate's Judiciary Committee, meanwhile, held a hearing echoing those calls. Pinterest isn't in immediate danger of a regulatory crackdown (it's legal to create these collections), but it's also not guaranteed to avoid scrutiny.

Pinterest app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

US airports now have software to prevent aircraft from landing on taxiways by mistake

Pilots have to worry about more than just mid-flight crashes and bad weather — they also risk a collision if they land on the taxiway instead of the runway. Thankfully, they have now have a digital safeguard. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tellsAxios that 43 major US airports are now using ASDE-X Taxiway Arrival Prediction (ATAP), a software platform that warns air traffic controllers if an aircraft is lining up to land on a taxiway by mistake. An aviator shouldn't endanger lives on the ground simply because they're inexperienced or fatigued.

The system relies on standard radar along with other sensors. It also works regardless of aircraft size — it can flag small turboprops and large airliners. ATAP first saw use at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in 2018, and the FAA says it finished software upgrades at compatible airports last September. Some of the airports using the tech include Boston Logan, Chicago O'Hare and New York's JFK.

This is more than just a theoretical exercise. The FAA notes ATAP has caught over 50 potential taxiway landings since 2018, and there have been eight alerts so far in 2023. While accidental landings are far less common than crashes (and thus far less deadly), the software may still be helpful even if it prevents chaos from an aircraft disrupting the queue.

ATAP's rise comes as aircraft and airports increasingly rely on digital safety systems. Airbus, for instance, recently began testing a pilot assist that can automatically divert flights in emergencies, aid with taxiing and even land if the pilots are incapacitated. Full autonomy is still distant, but there may soon be many safeguards against everything from simple errors to an unconscious crew.

A Southwest passenger flight approaches to land at San Diego International Airport in San Diego, California, U.S.,  February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake

Epic lets developers self-publish on the Games Store

It's now much easier for game studios to release their work on the Epic Games Store. Epic has introduced long-awaited self-publishing tools that let anyone release games through its storefront. They'll have to pay $100 per title and meet certain requirements (more on those in a moment), but they won't have to contend with the hand-curated selection of before.

Self-published games can't have discriminatory content, porn or illegal material. Titles with online play have to support crossplay across all PC stores, and they must include Epic Games Store achievements if there are achievements in other PC stores. Releases also have to meet a baseline quality level that matches the description customers see, and they'll need (free) age ratings in countries where they're required. 

As with the Epic Games Store's usual practices, the main draw is the higher cut of revenue. Epic takes a relatively modest 12 percent cut where its main rival, Steam, can take up to 30 percent depending on sales figures. The company also doesn't demand a portion of in-app purchases if they're made using a non-Epic payment system. While it's potentially more lucrative for most developers, it's particularly beneficial for small studios that may want to reach a large audience without giving up a large chunk of their revenue.

The self-publish mechanism has taken a long tim to reach this point. Epic first started beta-testing the feature in August 2021 ahead of an expected 2022 debut. The delay is because "developing software is hard," CEO Tim Sweeney tellsThe Verge.

Whether or not developers flock to the Epic Games Store as a result isn't certain. While Epic notes that its shop has over 230 million total users, Steam had 69 million daily active users in 2021. It remains the largest multi-developer game portal on computers. Epic's requirements are also more stringent than Valve's, which only really forbid illegal content and "trolling" attempts. All the same, this dramatically lowers the barriers to reaching Epic's store — you may see a surge in its catalog before long.

Epic Games Store listings

Energy Anxiety

After more than half a century of dependence on Russian oil and gas, the war in Ukraine has forced German officials to reconsider their reliance on fossil fuels entirely.

Wing debuts a rideshare-style drone delivery network

Ridesharing is convenient in part because there's often a vehicle near you, and Alphabet's Wing wants to extend that advantage to drone delivery. The company is debuting a Wing Delivery Network platform that relies on decentralized and highly automated pickups. Drones charge and deliver in whatever locations make the most sense for the broader system. If demand surges in a given area, more drones can operate around the nearest pads.

Crucially, your local restaurant or store doesn't have to do much to take advantage of the network. An AutoLoader system lets shops simply latch a package to a curbside pickup location and walk away — the drone handles the rest. Businesses have to order drones, but they don't have to manage the fleet or make employees wait for an aircraft to arrive.

The technology is also meant to scale elegantly. It's relatively easy to add new pad locations as usage grows, and the drones can double as scouts that expand the network. The drones can even make sure they're allowed to fly in a given area.

Wing expects "elements" of the Delivery Network to deploy over the next year, with demonstrations taking place worldwide in 2023. Provided all goes according to plan, the brand wants to handle "millions" of deliveries by mid-2024, at prices that beat conventional ground-based delivery.

There are catches. Drone regulations aren't always prepared to handle autonomous deliveries, let alone for decentralized systems. Amazon's Prime Air drones have made few deliveries precisely because of regulatory requirements. Likewise, there's no guarantee businesses will be willing to invest in drones and adapt their curbside pickup spaces. Wing's approach is markedly different than seen with other networks, however, and its combination of lightweight drones and gentle deliveries (Amazon's heavy drones have to drop packages from 12 feet up) may make it more appealing to officials and stores alike.

Wing drone carrying a package

Twitch takes a harder stance against explicit deepfakes

Twitch already forbids explicit deepfake images and videos, but it's taking a tougher position against them today. The livestreaming service is updating its policy on adult nudity to include a ban on synthetic NCEI (non-consensual exploitative images), even if it's only shown briefly or to criticize its existence. It's also revising ts sexual violence and exploitation policies to make clear that intentionally making and sharing non-consensual deepfakes can lead to a ban with the first offense.

The policy changes should take effect within the next month. The company hopes the added clarity and modernized language will deter potential offenders. The company is holding a virtual Creator Camp with NCEI expert Zara Ward on March 14th to help spot and deal with malicious deepfakes. We've asked the company if it has any plans to detect deepfakes as they appear, and will let you know if we hear back.

The update comes after an incident in which well-known streamer Atrioc briefly showed a browser tab with a website selling access to deepfakes of female Twitch streamers, including some high-profile creators. Atrioc has since apologized and says he was only "morbidly curious," but that still left broadcasters and viewers angry. None of the women consented to these images.

Women on Twitch are no strangers to harassment, including brigaders who try to get them banned for allegedly violating policies forbidding sexually suggestive content. Twitch has added more tools to discourage harassment and trolling, but critics have also accused it of implementing confusing guidelines that enable abuse and force women to dress conservatively.

Deepfakes can be used for positive purposes, such as clever music videos. However, the non-consensual versions remain a problem and have prompted government crackdowns. Both states and countries like the UK are either enacting or drafting laws that criminialize sharing such deepfakes. In that regard, Twitch is just adding another mechanism to help limit the spread of this content.

Twitch app on iPhone