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Earlier today, third-party app store AltStore PAL, announced that a porn app called Hot Tub was now available to iOS users in the European Union. The marketplace, which enables people in the EU to sideload apps outside of Apple's App Store, described it as the first Apple-approved porn app."Now, Apple says it's deeply concerned" about Hot Tub, which as TechCrunch noted, is the first time a porn app has been available natively for the iPhone. We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids," an Apple spokesperson said in a statement. This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem that we have worked for more than a decade to make the best in the world. Contrary to the false statements made by the marketplace developer, we certainly do not approve of this app and would never offer it in our App Store."As Apple has pointed out, its notarization guidelines state that app makers shouldn't suggest or imply that Apple is a source or supplier of the App, or that Apple endorses any particular representation regarding quality or functionality." AltStore's statements would seem to go against that guidance.An image shared on AltStore's Mastodon account.AltStoreBut in a statement to Engadget, AltStore creator Riley Testut denied making "any false statements." Hot Tub, he says, was submitted to Apple's own notarization process where it was then approved by Apple employees for distribution with alternative app marketplaces such as AltStore PAL." He said it was this approval that AltStore was referencing in its marketing. The DMA also does not require that Apple approves apps for distribution, they have chosen to do so themselves," he added, referring to the EU's Digital Markets Act.Apple has made little secret of its frustration with the DMA, which requires it to allow third-party app stores in Europe. The truth is that we are required by the European Commission to allow it to be distributed by marketplace operators like AltStore and Epic who may not share our concerns for user safety," the company said in its statement about Hot Tub on Monday.In addition to AltStore, Fortnite maker and longtime Apple foe Epic, recently announced plans to bring third-party mobile games to its Epic Games app in the EU. Though AltStore Pal and Epic aren't officially affiliated, Epic gave the alternative app store a MegaGrant" last year to help fund the core technology fees" third-party app stores are required to pay Apple.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-is-deeply-concerned-about-altstores-porn-app-005013457.html?src=rss

Update, February 3, 5:30PM ET: Following the news that Prime Minister Trudeau and President Trump have agreed to pause their tariff standoff for thirty days, Ontario premier Ford has announced on X that he is similarly pausing the province's cancelation of its Starlink contract:

The Caesars Superdome will host Super Bowl LXI on Sunday, February 9. Here's how to tune in to the big game! (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Chris Graythen via Getty Images Super Bowl LIX is less than a week away, and the big news for the 2025 game is that you can stream it for free. But let's back up a bit: The NFL's final game of the season comes together this Sunday, with the NFC champions the Philadelphia Eagles facing AFC champs - and two-time defending Super Bowl winners - the Kansas City Chiefs. If that roster sounds familiar, it's because it's a rematch of the 2023 Super Bowl, where the Chiefs edged out the Eagles 38-35. Will the Eagles get their revenge this year, or will the Chiefs go where no NFL team has gone before: an unprecedented three straight Super Bowl wins? We'll find out on Sunday, Feb. 9. The kickoff for Super Bowl LIX will be at 6:30PM ET at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA - the eighth time the venue has hosted the big game. The 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show will feature Kendrick Lamar, riding high on the five new Grammys he snagged just last Sunday, as well as SZA. The championship game will be broadcast nationally on Fox this year and will be available on platforms like DirecTV Stream and Fubo. Looking for a free way to tune in? The Super Bowl will also be livestreamed on Tubi - in 4K, no less! Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the Super Bowl. When is Super Bowl LIX? The 2025 Super Bowl will be held on Sunday, Feb. 9. What time does the Super Bowl start? Super Bowl LIX kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. How to watch the Super Bowl live Super Bowl LIX will air nationally on Fox and stream live on Tubi. How to stream the Super Bowl for free this year Tubi will be livestreaming Fox's coverage of the Super Bowl this year - the first time the free platform has done so. It will also be available in the Fox Sports app on mobile platforms. Beyond that, you can also sign up for free trials of DirecTV Stream, Fubo, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, each of which carry Fox in most locations. Two important caveats: Verify that your locality includes a Fox stream by inputting your ZIP code on their respective sites. And if you don't want to pay, make sure you cancel before the trial subscription ends - they can be as short as three days, so plan ahead. How to watch the 2025 Super Bowl without cable The Tubi option above is the easiest go-to starting point for free Super Bowl streaming - but no one knows how the service will hold up under what's certain to be its most intensive influx of concurrent users. There are plenty of worthwhile backups, each of which offer more comprehensive options for cordcutters beyond the game itself - say, watching SportsCenter on ESPN before or after the game. And most of our picks for best live TV streaming services offer free trials, so you can check them out risk-free. If you time it right, your free trial can include the Super Bowl broadcast, too. Where is the 2025 Super Bowl? The 2025 Super Bowl will be held at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The venue has been host to seven previous Super Bowl games. Who is performing in the Super Bowl 59 halftime show? Kendrick Lamar is headlining Super Bowl LIX, with a guest appearance by SZA. Who is playing in the Super Bowl 2025? AFC champions the Kansas City Chiefs will play NFC champs the Philadelphia Eagles. More ways to watch Super Bowl LIX Thanks to the wide array of streaming options detailed above, you'll be able to watch the Super Bowl on nearly any current device with a screen. There are plenty of Super Bowl TV deals ahead of the game if you need to upgrade that aging 40-inch screen with the dead pixels in the corner. Live close to a broadcast tower of a Fox station? Attach a good old-fashioned over-the-air antenna (like the Channel Master linked above), and you can get the game for free. Have a fast Internet connection but don't have access to the latest and greatest streaming apps on your TV? For as little as $40 or less, a new Roku or Fire TV device will ensure that you have all of these apps (including Tubi). See our list of best streaming devices for the full range of options. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-watch-super-bowl-2025-chiefs-vs-eagles-on-sunday-february-9-214817759.html?src=rss

Nuance Audio, new "hearing glasses" from EssilorLuxottica, have received FDA clearance and "a CE marking under the Medical Devices regulation in the EU," making them officially ready to sell in the US and Europe.The smart glasses are essentially prescription frames with an over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid built-in. Using open-ear speakers and a beamforming microphone array, Nuance Audio can raise the volume of whoever you're speaking to, while attempting to cancel out whatever noise is going on around you. You can control the glasses with a companion app or a dedicated remote.The glasses come in only two shapes, two colors and three sizes, far fewer options than EssilorLuxottica's traditional glasses brands, or the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, but the tech seems like it could be ported to new frames down the road. Engadget deputy editor Cherlynn Low was able to try on Nuance Audio during CES 2025 and found them to be very comfortable and lightweight, though she wasn't able to adequately test their capabilities as a hearing device.Cherlynn Low for EngadgetNuance Audio is just the latest in a wave of new hearing aid-like devices that have been released since the FDA introduced its ruling on OTC hearing aids in 2022. Similar to Nuance Audio, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 now offer software-enabled hearing aid functionality, along with a built-in hearing test and a hearing protection feature for loud environments. While turning every pair of AirPods Pro 2 into a hearing aids is great from a cost-saving perspective, getting a pair of Nuance Audio frames that can also double as your prescription glasses seems potentially even more convenient.EssilorLuxottica says Nuance Audio will be available in the US in Q1. "Certain European countries" will also get the glasses in the first half of 2025, starting with Italy in Q1, and then France, Germany and the UK. The company hasn't shared official pricing for the Nuance Audio.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/the-fda-and-eu-clear-nuance-audio-smart-glasses-with-built-in-hearing-aids-for-sale-211053856.html?src=rss

Uber rolled out a new set of features on Monday that could remove some friction for people with service animals. The company now lets handlers automatically notify drivers that they ride with a service animal.In a blog post, Chris Yoon, an Uber Product Manager, wrote that he joined Uber with a singular mission: to help expand accessibility in rideshare, including for those who rely on service animals." He says he and other blind travelers often message drivers in advance to let them know about their service animals. Today's new features can automate that for them if they choose.UberDrivers who consider refusing rides will have to think twice - and then some. If the driver requests a cancelation after learning about the service animal, Uber will automatically send an in-app reminder that doing so is against not only company policy but also the law. Uber says drivers refusing rides with service animals may permanently lose access to the platform."Passengers who opt into the new features will automatically receive a message after a driver cancels, asking what happened and offering additional support. Those who don't use the feature can contact the company through the app or over the phone.UberRiders can set up the feature through the Uber app. Go to Account > Settings > Accessibility, and tap Service Animal. It will then prompt you to fill out an eligibility form and pick which parts of the feature (like notifying the driver in advance) you want to turn on.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-wants-to-make-rides-easier-for-people-with-service-animals-210958456.html?src=rss

EA is ready to take the wraps off the next Battlefield early. The publisher shared a brief glimpse of footage from an alpha version of the game as part of an announcement video for Battlefield Labs, a new early access program that will give fans a taste of in-development Battlefield before it launches.Battlefield Labs is designed to let Battlefield's developers "test concepts and experiences" before the next Battlefield game is released, according to a press release announcing the program. Developers hope to collect feedback on what the release describes as a critical part of the game's development. Anyone participating in Battlefield Labs will be under NDA and will "test (almost) everything" in the game. That includes "core combat and destruction," things like "weapons, vehicles and gadgets" and "maps, modes, and squad play."EA is running a similar playtesting program for the next Skate game - appropriately dubbed "Skate Insiders" - ahead of that game's early access release in 2025.Battlefield is currently being developed by a collection of EA studios under the umbrella of "Battlefield Studios," including DICE, the creators of the franchise, Criterion, a former Need for Speed developer that was shifted to Battlefield in 2023, Ripple Effect and Motive, the developer of Star Wars Squadrons and the recent Dead Space remake.There's not a ton to go off of in the footage EA shared, but the game's developers did confirm that the next Battlefield will include a single player campaign, a notable omission from multiplayer-only Battlefield 2042.You can sign-up to participate in Battlefield Labs right now on EA's website if you're in Europe or North America. The test will be limited to "a few thousand participants" to start, but the company plans on expanding the program to other regions and players in the future. Even if you're not playing the early access version of the game, EA says you'll also be able to track Battlefield's development through "work-in-progress public updates" and the game's Discord.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ea-is-giving-fans-a-chance-to-test-the-next-battlefield-early-192527209.html?src=rss

Who hasn't sat up at night, pondering what it would be like to play a musical mobile game about peanut butter and jelly, performed in faux Shakespearean verse and animated in the style of Terry Gilliam's Monty Python shorts? Well, wonder no more: The absurdist PBJ - The Musical (first previewed at Day of the Devs '24) heads to the App Store on March 26.Kamibox's PBJ - The Musical is a collaboration between studio founder Philipp Stollenmayer and English musician and comedian Lorraine Bowen, famous for the delightfully whimsical The Crumble Song." When I saw Lorraine performing on Britain's Got Talent in 2015, getting the Golden Buzzer from David Walliams, I knew I wanted to make something with her," Stollenmayer said. The quirkiness of her songs totally resonated with the vibe of my games," which include Sometimes You Die and the thematically similar Bacon - The Game.KamiboxPBJ - The Musical borrows elements of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, blending it with musical theatre (performed mostly by children!) and animated paper landscapes from actual cutouts. (When he isn't designing deceptively zany games, Stollenmayer is also a papercraft artist.) Peanut Boy, hailing from a black and white post-war America, steps in for Romeo, while Strawberry Girl, from a colorful and sweet world that raves of royalty, tackles the game's equivalent of Juliet. You control characters through simple taps and drags as you push and pull cutout figures through the diorama.The developer says that, unlike the Bard's version, this is no tragic play culminating in dual suicides. (Or, at least, not the kind to be sad about.) Kamibox says the game's happy ending involves - surprise! - the creation of the beloved peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which a modern-day Shakespeare may have called The brightest heaven of invention" as he packed little Susanna's lunchbox.You can catch a snippet of the zany PBJ - The Musical in the trailer below. It arrives for iPhone and iPad on March 26 for $4. You can preorder it now in the App Store.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-weirdly-whimsical-pbj---the-musical-hits-the-app-store-on-march-26-175725209.html?src=rss

Super Bowl LIX is less than a week away, so it's a decent time to grab a new TV at a discount. If you're looking to make a living room upgrade before the Chiefs and Eagles go at it once again, we've searched through Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers to find a few Super Bowl 2025 TV deals that might actually be worth your time.To be candid, many of the discounts are the result of TVs naturally falling in price this time of year more than any Super Bowl-specific sales. In general, most TVs follow a similar pricing timeline: release in the spring, drop a little over the summer, receive a larger price cut around the holidays, then gradually become cheaper until being discontinued the next year. This pattern has taken shape again, and with TV makers like Samsung and LG unveiling their 2025 models during CES last month, last year's sets are likely to fall even further in the coming months.That said, if you must make a change today, a handful of well-regarded TVs from LG, Sony, Samsung, TCL and Hisense are back down to the prices we saw around Black Friday. In some cases, they're even cheaper. We've also found a few deals on other living room gadgets from Roku and Sonos. While we at Engadget do not formally review TVs, we've scoured feedback from other reviewers we trust and picked through price histories to ensure the discounts below are genuine deals.

The Apple Watch SE is on sale via Amazon for $169. This is a discount of $80, which represents a savings of over 30 percent. If you've been on the fence regarding Apple's entry-level smartwatch, this could be the perfect excuse to, uh, get off that fence. Or climb it. I'm not exactly sure how that idiom works. The Watch SE easily found a place on our list of the best Apple smartwatches. Despite being the company's bare-bones model, it still offers plenty of bang for the buck. It can do crash detection, heart rate monitoring, emergency calling and more. There's a reason why we called it the best smartwatch for the money" in our official review. It uses the same chip as the original Ultra and the Series 8, so the performance is on point. It's covered in durable Ion-X glass and offers 50 meters of water resistance. The screen isn't quite as bright as with the pricier models, but we still found the display to be crisp and easy to read." The watch is also lightweight and comfortable. There are some trade-offs here when compared to Apple's more extravagant smartwatches. The SE doesn't support the new Double Tap feature for Siri requests and it doesn't include a blood oxygen monitor or a temperature sensor. The final caveat? This watch came out in 2022, so a refresh is likely on the horizon. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-se-is-80-off-right-now-162845944.html?src=rss

The Anker Charger (140W, 4-Port, PD 3.1) launched during CES 2025 with a discount of $10 off the original $90 price, and now that discount is back again. The only difference is you don't need to enter a coupon code since Anker is tacking on the discount immediately. There's also a time-limited deal on the Anker 100W Laptop Power Bank, so you'll have to move fast if you're interested. The Anker Charger has three USB-C ports and one USB-A port. Two USB-C ports can charge a 15-inch MacBook Air to 50 percent within 30 minutes. The built-in display also shows temperature, port-specific wattage and current maximum output. At less than 10 ounces, it's a brick you can take anywhere. As for the Laptop Power Bank, it has a maximum single output of 100W and charges up to four devices at once thanks to its 25,000 mAh capacity. The retractable cables prevent the possibility of a tangled mess of wires. While capable of charging a MacBook Pro to 50 percent in 33 minutes, this power bank can be recharged to 30 percent in 20 minutes, allowing for frequent use. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ankers-newest-charger-and-power-bank-have-dropped-to-record-low-prices-151555595.html?src=rss

Middleby Outdoor added smart grilling features to its Kamado Joe ceramic grills in 2023 with the Konnected Joe. Now, the company is introducing a larger model with more cooking space. With the Big Joe Konnected Joe, you get all the features from the Konnected Joe, but with an additional 200 square inches of cooking space. And since this is still a kamado-style grill, you'll get all the benefits of the ceramic construction, including fuel efficiency and heat retention. The Big Joe Konnected Joe is the continuation of the Big Joe line. The dimensions of this new grill match the Big Joe II, but the smart model is 60 pounds lighter. Like the Big Joe II, you can expect a temperature range of 225-700 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the Big Joe Konnected Joe has a digital controller and fan to maintain your desired heat level. The cooking area is also the same as the other Big Joe models at 450 square inches. With the Kamado Joe app, the company offers the ability to monitor and control temperatures from anywhere since the grill has Wi-Fi connectivity. That software also shows food probe temperatures, displays progress graphs, sends cooking notifications and hosts a wealth of recipes. There are multiple cook modes, so you can employ Automatic when you want a hands-off session or Classic when you want to maintain the temperature the old fashioned way. There are also dedicated modes for Kamado Joe's various accessories, like the JoeTisserie. Kamado Joe The so-called Kontrol Board on the front of the Big Joe Konnected Joe houses a digital display where temperature, graphs, alerts and cook modes are viewable. The grill allows you to use up to three wired food probes simultaneously and there's a dedicated button for the Automatic Fire Start (AFS) feature. That latter tool debuted on the Konnected Joe and returns here. It's a heating element in the bottom of the grill that ignites charcoal without the need for lighter fluid or fire starters. Honestly, it's the best feature on the Konnected Joe and I have no doubt it will come in handy on this model too. Since this is a Kamado Joe product, you get a lot of the trademark features from this brand of grills. The Kontrol Tower top vent maintains the correct airflow per guidance from the on-board display and app, while the Air Lift hinge raises the lid with ease. Inside, there's a two-tier cooking setup so you can prepare foods are various temperatures at the same time. A slide-out ash drawer makes clean up a breeze and the whole thing sits on a sturdy powder-coated steel cart with four locking wheels. There are also folding shelves on both sides of the grill. The Big Joe Konnected Joe is available from retailers and the Kamado Joe website for $2,999. That's the same price at the Big Joe III and $1,300 more than the smaller Konnected Joe. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/kamado-joe-debuts-the-big-joe-konnected-joe-a-larger-smart-charcoal-grill-150013634.html?src=rss

Convenience has always been the big promise of robot vacuums. Don't clean your house yourself - instead, push a button and have a little robot putter around your home, sucking up all the dirt and debris in its path. Indeed, they are convenient, but they haven't fully replaced a manually operated cordless vacuum. Chances are, you have either a robot vacuum or a cordless vacuum in your house right now. Anker's home brand Eufy wants us to live in a world where you can have both without spending money on two separate devices that need two separate spots in your home. Announced at CES 2025, Anker's Eufy E20 is a first-of-its-kind robot vacuum that turns into a cordless stick vacuum and comes with all the necessary attachments to do so, plus a self-emptying base. It even comes in at a midrange price of $550 (or $50 less if you pre-order before it comes out on February 10), which made me believe that it has to be too good to be true. Ultimately, it succeeds at all three of its intended jobs, but really shines with only one of them. Design and setup Despite being a 3-in-1 device, the E20 sets up primarily as a robot vacuum. It comes in two main parts: the robot and the self-emptying base. There's really no assembly required - the base is fully put together in the box and only requires you to attach a transparent mat (onto which the vacuum docks) and plug the whole thing into the wall. Sit the robot vacuum on the base and it'll charge up, and it pairs quickly over Wi-Fi with the Eufy Clean mobile app. Two of the three in one" modes come as accessories included in the box. For the cordless stick vacuum, you get a retractable stick and a floor cleaner head, and for the handheld vacuum, you get a smaller, more precise brush attachment that's ideal for couches, chairs, cars and more. The only thing you don't get is a place to store those accessories; Eufy will sell a wall-mounted bracket that you can buy for an additional $30. It's great that it's such an affordable add-on but annoying that it is, in fact, a separate purchase. If you have the space, you may be better off storing the stick-vac accessories in your laundry room or a nearby closet. Yes, this is a smart" device, but all of the smart features of the E20 are limited to its robot-vaccum form. That's not entirely surprising; robovacs literally depend on features like customizable cleaning schedules, auto-docking, self-emptying and home mapping to be valuable. That's not the case for cordless vacuums, which remain manually operated devices. Some of the cordless vacuums I've tested have companion apps, but those typically just tell you when a filter needs to be cleaned and how long until the device is fully charged. Nice, but not necessary. The Eufy E20 as a robot vacuum Valentina Palladino for Engadget Since the E20's default form is robot vacuum, I tried it out as such first. This model supports smart home mapping, so the initial run included creating a map of the main floor of my home. It took around 10 minutes for the robot to scoot around the house and create an accurate map, and then it immediately got to work cleaning. Editing the map in the Eufy Clean app was a breeze, allowing me to match auto-generated rooms" to the rooms in my home, label them properly and set no-go zones around my cat's food and water bowls. Every robot vacuum app will tell you to pick up anything on your floors that shouldn't be there before starting a cleaning job, and Eufy's does this as well. I purposefully do not follow these instructions so I could test out a device's obstacle avoidance features. The E20 impressed me on this front: it avoided a bunch of small boxes on the floor of my family room, shoes in the hallway and my cat's bowls before I even set a no-go zone around them. It only got stuck and called for help (via an error message) once when it got caught on a wonky corner of the mat that sits in front of the door leading out to my deck. Extricating the robovac was easy (with no damage to either it or the mat) and the machine continued to clean after that as if nothing had happened. The E20 has four cleaning modes you can choose from in the app before you start a job: Quiet, Standard, Turbo and Max. There's also a BoostIQ setting you can turn on which will kick up the suction power when the robot vacuum is cleaning long-pile carpets. I kept this setting on at all times, even though the main level of my house has only tile and hardwood floors. Overall, as a robot vacuum, the E20 is great at cleaning and avoiding most objects in its path. It's also one of the most responsive robovacs I've tried in that, within a second of, say, telling it to go home from within the Eufy Clean app, it starts heading to the base station. During a job, it's also smart enough to know when its dustbin is getting full and it will return to its dock to auto-empty before continuing to clean. It did so about four times when it cleaned the main floor of my house, and that was consistent every time I used it. Usually at the end of a job, the E20 had about 40 percent battery left before it went home on its own. The self-emptying bin is a bit smaller than others I've used with competing robovacs, but Eufy claims it can hold up to 75 days worth of debris. The Eufy Clean app has come a long way since I first started testing Anker robot vacuums. It's still not as simple as apps like iRobot's or Shark's, but I mostly chalk that up to the fact that Eufy stuffed a lot of features into the app. You can quickly tell the robovac to start cleaning, return to its dock or change the cleaning mode with a press of a button on the main page, or tap into the device's profile to access the home map and even more settings. Two charming things this app has that most others don't are manual directional controls, so you can treat the robot almost like an RC car, and a little robot avatar that appears on the home map while it's moving, so you can see exactly where it is in your home and where it's already cleaned. Admittedly, the latter is likely more practical for most people than the former, but both are features that aren't as common in robot vacuums - even the high-end ones. The Eufy E20 as a cordless stick vacuum Valentina Palladino for Engadget It's easy to transform the E20 from a robot vacuum into a cordless stick vacuum. Just press the large red button on the robot vacuum to eject its cleaning module (which includes the filtration system, fan motor and dust cup), lift it up and out of the robot shell and attach the stick vacuum arm to its underside. The arm extends and retracts so you can use it to clean your floors with the included roller brush head or to tackle hard-to-reach spots with the precision head. There's an elegance to this that impresses me: it's so simple to do and requires very little tweaking by the user - anyone who's used a regular cordless stick vacuum with multiple attachments will be very familiar with this process. But how good is it as a cordless vacuum? The answer is: just ok. If the E20 were only a stick vacuum, it probably wouldn't be a top pick in our guide. This device is clearly a robot vacuum first, stick-and-hand vac second, and it's just not as powerful or efficient as other cordless vacuums I've tested. It does have four cleaning modes, each with different levels of suction power, and I always found myself using the strongest to get the deepest clean - both on carpets and hard floors. It didn't choke at the first sign of pet hair, though, and it actually captured a lot of my cat's fur hiding in my carpet. But it took at least two passes on carpets in particular to grab the biggest pieces of debris in its path. The E20 as a cordless stick vac does get points for being a single-button start device and having attachments that are easy to swap. While most of these machines are made mostly of plastic, the E20 feels noticeably cheap when compared to a stick vac from Tineco or Dyson. That may have to do with the fact that the overall design is quite small - the guts have to fit into a compact robot vacuum, after all - and it has a small dustbin. Valentina Palladino for Engadget Some might appreciate that, though, since it means you can more easily take it out to your car or somewhere else while it runs on battery power. It's also worth noting that, despite the small dustbin, I never received an alert that the dustbin was too full and needed to be emptied before I could continue vacuuming. I also never had to stop in the middle of a manual cleaning to recharge; most often, the vacuum had around 30 percent battery left after I cleaned all three floors of my home (which usually takes me between 20 to 30 minutes). According to Eufy, the vacuum takes only 2.5 hours to charge up from 0 to 100 percent, too. The machine also has a nifty feature that will auto-empty the dustbin after a cordless-vac cleaning job, which means you don't have to empty it yourself even when you opted to actually clean yourself. Just pop the module back into the robot vacuum and press the Home button for a few seconds and it will auto-empty just as it would if the robot did all the hard work. Wrap-up All told, the Eufy E20 is an impressive machine. While Eufy isn't a stranger to making solid robot vacuums, this device is still a first-gen product in my mind - and a solid one at that. But you have to know what you're buying upfront: an above-average robot vacuum that can turn into a just-average stick and hand vacuum. Ultimately, the convenience that comes from its 3-in-1 design may be enough to overlook the just-average performance of two of the three uses. The E20 isn't the best stick vac on the market, but honestly, I never expected it to be. It's good enough that it handily supplements the robot vacuum portion of the machine, allowing you to buy just one device that can vacuum autonomously for you most of the time and let you clean tricky spots manually when you need to. The price is also quite decent when you consider the machine's convenience mixed with its good performance. Some robot vacuums come in around $550 and provide only a self-emptying base as their main perk. Other similarly priced devices include mopping capabilities and that may be more useful for folks who have a variety of floor types in their home. Also consider this: you'd spend roughly the same amount if you got both our top budget cordless stick vacuum (the $300 Tineco Pure One S11) and our favorite budget robot vacuum (the $250 Roomba Vac), but you'd be missing a self-emptying base and you'd have to house two separate devices in your home.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/anker-eufy-e20-review-a-robot-vacuum-that-transforms-to-do-more-150005198.html?src=rss

With the help of modern machine learning technology, The Beatles were able to release their song Now and Then" in late 2023. The song contains vocals recorded from around 50 years ago and a guitar track from 1995, but technological limitations at the time prevented it from seeing the light of day without serious audio issues. Today, after being nominated in November 2024 for two Grammys, Now and Then" won one for Best Rock Performance.When the demo was first recorded, John Lennon's singing and piano were on the same audio track, and separating them was impossible. Fortunately, AI can now do that without much bleed or loss. The surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, were able to complete the song by recording new bass and drum parts and releasing it almost 30 years later.Sean Ono Lennon, the son of the late Beatle, accepted the trophy in his father's stead. Now and Then" was also nominated for Record of the Year but lost to Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/ai-won-the-beatles-a-grammy-55-years-after-they-broke-up-141743908.html?src=rss

The problem with good quality earbuds is that, of course, they don't come cheap. So, when a sale comes along that makes them more affordable, we're all over it. Right now, you can get the Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $169, down from $249 - a 32 percent discount. They fell to a record low of $154 over the holidays, but this price is the best we've seen yet in 2025. Apple's AirPods Pro 2 came out in 2022 and yet we still rate them the best wireless earbuds for iPhone. At the time, we gave them a score of 88 thanks to big improvements from their predecessor, including fantastic sound and an amazing transparency mode. They'll last you six hours at a time with ANC on or seven hours without it. Notably, Apple's newest generation of earbuds are also on sale. The AirPods 4 are down to a new all-time low price of $100, from $129, thanks to a 22 percent discount. We also gave the AirPods 4 an 88 in our review, noting their improved fit, comfort and sound quality. Their biggest drawback is the lack of ANC but, if you don't need that, then this is a great deal. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-2-are-back-on-sale-for-170-140656651.html?src=rss

Samsung's executive chairman Jay Y. Lee has been cleared of criminal charges by South Korea's second-highest court, Bloomberg reported. Earlier on Monday, the Seoul High Court upheld an earlier decision acquitting Lee of stock manipulation and accounting fraud charges over a 2015 merger. The ruling will allow Lee to focus on Samsung's mobile and chip businesses, which have seen declining profits over the past couple of years. Yee has consistently denied committing any crimes.The prosecution can still appeal to the Korea's Supreme Court, but that would be unlikely to succeed since no new arguments could be presented, experts say. "It has been a very long time in the investigation and trial of this case," said Samsung lawyer Kim You Jin in a statement. "We hope that with this verdict, the defendants can now focus on their work."Back in 2017, prosecutors accused Lee of manipulating the share price of two Samsung subsidiaries to smooth the way for a merger that allowed him to consolidate his power. In early 2024, however, the court ruled that the prosecutors failed to prove that. "It is hard to say that Lee Jae-yong [aka Jay Y. Lee]... spearheaded the merger, and that the merger was done just for the sake of Lee's succession," a judge stated in the ruling.At the time, the decision was hailed by business groups, but not everyone in the country agreed. "The ruling will free Lee of legal risks, but I am at a loss for words in terms of the country's economic justice," Park Ju-geun, head of corporate thinktank Leaders Index, told The Financial Timesin February 2024. "This goes totally against all previous court rulings on the merger."Lee was originally sentenced to five years in prison in 2017 after being found guilty of bribing public officials over the same merger, but the Supreme Court overturned that decision and ordered the case to be retried. In that retrial, Lee was sentenced to two-and-a-half years of prison time in early 2021, then paroled half a year later (Korea's former president Park Geun-hye also went to jail for her role in the same affair.) In 2022, Lee was pardoned by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was himself recently impeached and charged with insurrection over a martial law attempt.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/samsung-leader-cleared-of-fraud-charges-after-winning-appeal-130056498.html?src=rss

There's no two ways about it, there's a newfound sense of urgency at OpenAI. Two days after releasing o3-mini to the world, the company made a surprise announcement on Sunday evening, revealing Deep Research. The new feature allows ChatGPT to find, analyze and synthesize hundreds of websites and online sources to create reports at the level of a research analyst."On top of the usual text questions, users can upload files, including PDFs and spreadsheets, when prompting ChatGPT in this way. The chatbot will then take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes" to compile an answer, a side panel documenting the agent's progress and citations as it works. It accomplishes in tens of minutes what would take a human many hours," OpenAI says of the new feature.Our ultimate aspiration is a model that can uncover and discover new knowledge for itself," said Mark Chen, chief research officer at OpenAI, during the company's reveal livestream. It's core to our [artificial general intelligence] roadmap."OpenAIAs far as limitations go, OpenAI says ChatGPT can sometimes hallucinate facts or make incorrect inferences when conducting Deep Research, though at a notably lower" rate than other current models. Additionally, the agent may sometimes struggle to differentiate between authoritative information and rumors. Users may also notice some formatting errors. We expect all these issues to quickly improve with more usage and time," the company notes.If all of this sounds familiar, it's because Google's Advanced suite includes its own Deep Research feature, which not only shares the same name but broadly offers the same set of capabilities as well. One significant difference between the two is that Google offers access to Gemini Advanced through its $20 per month One AI Premium plan. By contrast, you'll need a $200 per month ChatGPT Pro plan to start using OpenAI's version of Deep Research today.Deep research in ChatGPT is currently very compute intensive," the company reasons, adding it will limit Pro users to 100 queries per month. The longer it takes to research a query, the more inference compute is required."OpenAI says it's working on a version of Deep Research powered by a smaller, more cost-effective model. In turn, that will allow the company to offer significantly higher rate limits." In the meantime, OpenAI hopes to get the tool in the hands of Plus users in about a month," following a round of safety testing. As with most of the company's other recent releases, European users will need to wait before they can try out the tool for themselves, with Deep Research not yet available to people in the UK, Switzerland and the broader European economic zone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpts-deep-research-tool-can-create-reports-from-hundreds-of-online-sources-022223298.html?src=rss

OpenAI announced on X that it's hosting a livestream from Tokyo tonight, offering no more context beyond, Deep Research." (Didn't Google already take that name for Gemini?) The stream is scheduled for 7PM ET (4PM PT/ 9AM JST). You can watch it on YouTube below.Just a few days ago, OpenAI released its new reasoning model, o3-mini. The company says it produces more accurate and clearer answers, with stronger reasoning abilities" than its predecessor, and works with search to find up-to-date answers with links to relevant web sources." CEO Sam Altman and other members of the OpenAI team held an AMA on Reddit on Friday to talk about it. And a week before that, OpenAI introduced its new Operator tool, a Computer-Using Agent" that it said can go to the web to perform tasks for you."

The long-awaited Powerbeats Pro 2 could make their official debut in little more than a week from now. In the Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman reports that sources have told him the $250 earbuds will arrive on February 11 and boast heart-rate monitoring on top of upgrades like an H2 chip and improvements to noise cancellation. We should also see some new colors, like orange, according to Gurman. Beats first teased the upcoming launch of the Powerbeats Pro 2 back in September, revealing only that they'd drop in 2025, and has since been posting photos on Instagram of athletes rocking them.Apple is also reportedly working on a new event invitation service for iCloud that sounds like it could rival the likes of Partiful and Calendly. The details are scant, but Gurman reports that the iCloud-based service code-named Confetti offers a new way to invite people to parties, functions and meetings." It could be introduced as soon as this week, he notes. Apple recently made some updates to its Calendar app with the rollout of iOS 18, like a new month overview and finally tying in Reminders. Confetti integration could add another convenient planning feature.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/this-month-may-bring-the-powerbeats-pro-2-and-a-new-party-invitation-service-for-icloud-200605528.html?src=rss

On Saturday evening, Trump signed executive orders to impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), with a White House fact sheet claiming the move is meant to hold the US' largest trading partners accountable to their promises of halting illegal immigration and stopping poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into our country." The orders put 25 percent additional tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, the one exception being that energy products from Canada will be subject to a 10 percent tariff. Imports from China will also face a 10 percent tariff.The broad tariffs are expected to take effect on Tuesday and could have ramifications not only for American businesses, but for consumers too. Mexico, Canada and China are the top suppliers of US goods imports, each accounting for hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of products coming into the country each year, data from the US Department of Commerce and the US International Trade Commission show. Those products span a wide range of categories, from agriculture to transportation/automotive, fuel, electronics, wood, furniture, alcohol and more.Mexico and Canada dominate US imports of agricultural goods, with Mexico supplying items like fruits, vegetables and nuts, and the bulk of imported animal products like beef coming from Canada, according to Trading Economics and the US Department of Agriculture. The two countries have also been our top suppliers for transportation equipment, including cars and car parts, and crude oil. Canada is responsible for almost 60 percent of US crude oil imports according to the Congressional Research Service, which noted in a report last month that the new tariffs might affect the U.S. crude oil market and consumer fuel prices."Imports of electronics have largely come from China, and Mexico follows closely behind. Trading Economics data also show machinery, toys and games, furniture and plastics among the top goods imported from China in recent years. The electronics sector could take an additional hit down the line, as Trump has said he also plans to impose tariffs on imported semiconductors, along with pharmaceuticals and steel.Leaders from Canada and Mexico have both responded to the tariffs, saying they would impose their own on US goods in retaliation. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday announced a 25 percent tariff on roughly $107 billion (155 billion Canadian dollars) worth of US goods, Reuters reports.In a statement released after the announcement of the tariffs, John Murphy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President and Head of International, warned that Trump's new tariffs could negatively affect both consumers and the supply chains. The President is right to focus on major problems like our broken border and the scourge of fentanyl, but the imposition of tariffs under IEEPA is unprecedented, won't solve these problems, and will only raise prices for American families and upend supply chains," Murphy said. The Chamber will consult with our members, including main street businesses across the countryimpacted by this move, to determine next steps to prevent economic harm to Americans."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trumps-tariffs-on-mexico-canada-and-china-could-drive-up-prices-of-cars-electronics-fuel-food-and-more-172823156.html?src=rss

Microsoft is getting rid of the VPN offered through Microsoft Defender. As spotted by Windows Latest, the company updated its support pages for privacy protection, its built-in VPN, to notify users that the service will end on February 28. The VPN was bundled with Microsoft Defender, which is available to anyone with a personal or family Microsoft 365 subscription, and it offered private browsing by routing your internet traffic through Microsoft servers," up to the monthly data limit of 50GB.In a statement about the decision posted on the support page, Microsoft said, Our goal is to ensure you, and your family remain safer online. We routinely evaluate the usage and effectiveness of our features. As such, we are removing the privacy protection feature and will invest in new areas that will better align to customer needs." Android users might still see the Microsoft Defender VPN profile in their settings after the expiration date, which they'll need to remove manually if they want it gone. Action is not required by Windows, iOS, and macOS users," Microsoft notes.The company also says this is the only feature getting killed off for now. According to Microsoft, device protection and identity theft and credit monitoring (US) features will continue."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/microsoft-defenders-vpn-feature-will-be-killed-off-at-the-end-of-february-212313322.html?src=rss

Owners of some early Apple Watch models may be eligible for payment from a $20 million class action settlement. Apple recently agreed to settle a lawsuit that claimed some first generation, Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watches had battery swelling issues that could have caused damage to the devices. The company has denied any wrongdoing and in a statement to TechCrunch said it strongly" disagrees with the claims made in the lawsuit, but nonetheless agreed to settle to avoid further litigation." The exact amount of the payments will depend on how many claimants ultimately end up being involved, but it's expected to be between $20 to $50 per eligible device.There's a full breakdown of eligibility and deadlines on the website for the class action lawsuit, but the main thing to know is that in order to receive payment, you must have reported the issue to Apple in the US between April 24, 2015, and February 6, 2024. Settlement Class Members will receive a payment without the need to submit a claim form," the website notes. You just need to submit your payment information through the settlement website (here) by April 10. Notices of eligibility will be sent out by mail and email.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-has-agreed-to-pay-20-million-to-settle-a-class-action-lawsuit-over-apple-watch-battery-swelling-175616623.html?src=rss

New releases to add to your reading list. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/what-to-read-this-weekend-engrossing-literary-horror-and-a-dark-whimsical-new-comic-series-175906806.html?src=rss

Apple was apparently developing augmented reality glasses powered by its Mac computers, but it canceled the project before the company could even announce it. According to Bloomberg, Apple scrapped the program this week because the product didn't perform well when executives tested it and the company kept on changing the features it wanted for the device. The glasses, while still powered by visionOS, weren't supposed to be the direct successor to the Vision Pro. They reportedly weren't a headset, but a pair of normal-looking glasses instead.Bloomberg says Apple originally wanted the AR glasses to be powered by the iPhone, but the smartphone didn't have the processing capacity to sustain the device's features. They also drained the iPhone's battery. The scrapped AR glasses had built-in displays that can project information, images and video into the user's field of view. They were lighter than the Vision Pro and didn't show the wearer's eyes like the headset can, but they had lenses that could change their tint to show if the user is working on a task or isn't busy and can be approached. Bloomberg compared the canceled product to XReal's One glasses and to the Orion prototype Meta revealed last year. While the Orion needs to be paired with a "wireless compute puck" to work, it doesn't need to be connected to a computer or a phone.Apple was developing the glasses as a device people can use every day. One of the issues it's reportedly facing is that people who already own the Vision Pro aren't using it as much as the company expects. However, employees part of the company's vision products group reportedly thought the project suffered from a lack of focus and clear direction. Apple is still working on a successor to the Vision Pro, though, and it's still looking to develop AR glasses in the future. It's also continuing to work on the technologies the scrapped glasses used, such as microLED-type screens, for future projects.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/apple-reportedly-shelved-a-mac-connected-ar-glasses-project-160921712.html?src=rss

The 2025 NAMM Show is over. Every year music gear manufacturers, ranging from iconic synth brands like Korg, to boutique guitar pedal makers like Walrus Audio, and even companies making fog machines and knobs descend on Anaheim to show off their latest wares. It is chaos in all the ways that you'd expect a convention to be - miles-long lines for coffee, hordes of strangers jockeying for position around new products, food options that range from barely edible to instant heart attack. But NAMM is also a special beast. If you've ever wondered what eight out-of-sync drummers, two finger tapping guitar solos, an acoustic slide blues riff and a simple ukulele ditty would all sound like simultaneously vying for your attention, well, this is the only place to experience that particular brand of hell. But, now that my legs and, more importantly, my eardrums have finally started to recover I've had a chance to reflect on some of the best things I saw on the show floor. Here are the 10 things that grabbed my attention the most.Eternal Research Demon BoxTerrence O'Brien for EngadgetEternal Research launched a successfully funded Kickstarter campaign back in September, but this was the first time I was able to see the Demon Box in person. Think of it like a supercharged version of the Soma Labs Ether featured in a handful of our gift guides. The Demon Box doesn't make any sound on its own, instead it features three pickups that turn EMFs (electromagnetic fields) into music - or at least audible noise. Run a cellphone, power drill or a tuning fork across the top and you'll get unique whines, hisses, clicks and beeps that only that device could produce. But where the Ether is basically just a microphone, the Demon Box is an instrument designed for live interaction and controlling other devices. In addition to outputting audio, it can also convert those electro magnetic fields into CV (control voltage) for controlling eurorack synths or MIDI for triggering a visual synthesizer, or all three simultaneously. There are tons of options out there if you want a buzzy sawtooth bass, but if you want to turn the invisible radiation emitted by a TV remote into a centerpiece of a multimedia performance, this is basically your only option.Circle GuitarTerrence O'Brien for EngadgetThe Circle Guitar is impractical. It costs over $12,000 (insert grimacing emoji). But it's also just insane fun. Instead of playing it with a pick or finger plucking the strings (though, you can do that if you want), the strings are strummed by movable plectrums you mount inside a spinning wheel. There are sixteen slots allowing you to design your own strumming rhythm, and then there are six sliders under the pickups for controlling the volume of each string individually. This allows you to create complex, robotic rhythms like a drum machine, but on your guitar. And, what's more, you can sync it to a DAW to make sure you're in lockstep with your backing track, even when it stutters and pauses. It's a completely unique creation that has already drawn the attention of artists like Ed O'Brien of Radiohead.Akai + Native InstrumentsOne of the biggest announcements out of NAMM wasn't really a new product, but two titans of the industry joining forces. Several of Native Instruments (NI) Play Series synths and genre-specific Expansion Pack sound kits are being ported over to Akai's new MPC 3.0 platform. While the availability of some existing soft synths on some existing hardware might not seem like a big deal at first, it greatly expands the sonic palette of the MPC and gives NI another foothold in the world of standalone music hardware after giving it go on its own with the Machine+. The selection of sounds is limited at the moment, with three synths (Analog Dreams, Cloud Supply, and Nacht) and just one expansion (Faded Reels) available. But two more synths and four more expansions will be added soon and, if all goes well, I'm sure more will follow.Korg HandyTraxx PlayTerrence O'Brien for EngadgetThe HandyTraxx Play is the first and only portable turntable that I know of with built-in effects. It has a DJ filter, a delay and even a simple looper which can, in theory, negate the need for a separate mixer and even a second turntable in some cases. While I can not scratch, I've always wanted to learn, and the all-in-one portable nature of the HandyTraxx Play, including a speaker and battery power, is pretty appealing to someone who just wants to dip their toe in and doesn't want invest a ton of money and space in a separate mixer and dual turntable setup. Plus, Korg designed the Play in conjunction with the late Toshihide Nakama, the founder of Vestax and builder of the original Handy Trax (two words, one x), an icon in the world of portablism.Donner Essential L1 SynthesizerTerrence O'Brien for EngadgetOver the last few years Chinese music gear maker Donner has started to really expand its offerings, going from mostly digital pianos and some bargain bin guitar pedals, to shockingly decent DSP effects, drum machines and even a pocketable groovebox. The L1 is the latest in its growing line of synths and it has a lot of promise. It's based in large part on the Roland SH-101, an iconic instrument from the 80s that found particular favor among artists like Aphex Twin, Orbital, Depeche Mode, KMFDM, and Boards of Canada.What makes the L1 particularly intriguing is that it's the first entry in the company's new Snap2Connect (S2C) system. The keyboard attaches to the synth magnetically, allowing you to leave it behind if you want, or use it as a separate MIDI controller with your DAW or another synth. But Donner also says it plans on adding other instruments to the S2C system, so you could buy a module based on, say, a Juno-60 one day and just slap it on to the keyboard you already own.Enjoy Electronics DeFeelTerrence O'Brien for EngadgetThe DeFeel is hard to explain. The company calls it a modular monotony degenerator," which is both extremely accurate and extremely unhelpful. Basically, you stick this thing between your sequencer and your synthesizer and it mangles the incoming CV to generate fills, stutters, and all manner of barely controlled chaos. In short, it takes that rock-solid sequence you've programmed and makes it less monotonous. It can resequence your sequence or add modulation. You can draw modulation curves using the 4.3-inch touchscreen, or even turn it into an X/Y pad for live performance. It's designed mostly with eurorack synths in mind, but it's also available as a standalone unit in a classy wooden case.Melbourne Instruments RotoControlTerrence O'Brien for EngadgetThe RotoControl might not seem like the most exciting device at first. It's a MIDI controller with eight knobs and keys on the right side, and a handful of other buttons on the left for navigating the device. But what makes it special is that those knobs are motorized - if you change a parameter in your DAW or softsynth, that is reflected physically on the controller. That might sound a little gimmicky, but it's actually incredibly useful.See, knobs on a controller or synth generally come in two flavors: pots and encoders. A pot, or potentiometer, has a beginning and end. So, if you change a preset or switch instruments, it may no longer reflect the actual setting in question. Encoders have no beginning or end. Since they don't point to a concrete position in space, there's no need to worry about a disagreement between knob position and an actual parameter value. But they're also less than ideal for live performance. Judging how far you need to turn to get that filter sweep just right is difficult, and encoders generally have a less smooth response than a pot. Melbourne solves this by just moving the pots to where they're supposed to be.Roli Piano & AirwaveTerrence O'Brien for EngadgetI've been saying for a few years that I'm going to finally learn how to play piano. But, I'm a busy dad of two, a part-time bartender and a full-time freelancer. I don't really have the time or disposable income, frankly, to treat myself to piano lessons. And the app-based or video options I've tried have been a bit underwhelming. I don't know that the Roli Piano and Airwave are for sure more effective than Melodics or Duolingo at teaching how to play, but it seems like there's more potential there. Where most music education apps are basically glorified versions of Guitar Hero, Roli uses the Airwave's camera to track your whole hand, letting you know if you're out of position, if your wrists are at the wrong angle or if you're using the wrong fingers. It's probably not as good as having a real professional teaching you the ropes, but it's probably better than a repurposed video game bolted on to some rudimentary music theory lesson.Oh, and once you feel comfortable enough with your playing, the Roli Piano and Airwave combine to create what is probably the most extensive MPE controller on the market.Entropy & Sons Recursion StudioTerrence O'Brien for EngadgetVideo synthesizers are not new, but they're also not the most common things on the planet. And the Recursion Studio from Entropy & Sons is probably one of the most capable I've ever seen. For one, this is not some simple visualizer where a basic clip of animation is manipulated, all of the visuals are generated live, algorithmically. In addition it can process incoming video, distort images and react to incoming audio, it even has multiple oscilloscope modes builtin.For those that like to get their hands dirty there are over 300 modules that can be combined to create custom visual patches. But there are also about a 1,000 presets on board so you can quickly get some visuals up immediately to go with your synth jam. And the company is constantly updating the device and adding new features.SoundToys SpaceBlenderTerrence O'Brien for EngadgetSoundToys is one of the biggest names in effect plugins out there. They're used by everyone from Radiolab's Jad Abumrad to Kenny Beats and Trent Reznor. The company's Decapitator saturation plugin is one of the best things to ever happen to drums and EchoBoy is a must have delay. But, it doesn't introduce new effects terribly often. SuperPlate was added to the roster in mid 2023, but that was the first new addition since Little Plate in November of 2017 - the company takes its time.SpaceBlender is SoundToys' take on an ambient granular reverb. It's not really a straight granular plugin, that chops up your audio and spits it back out in little bits, instead it's a bunch of delays that get combined and smeared into something ethereal. It even has an interactive envelope designer that you can manipulate to not only hone the shape of your reverb, but even has potential as a live performance tool. SpaceBlender isn't quite ready for release just yet, but even in this early sneak peek it sounded phenomenal and seemed pretty stable.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/the-10-best-things-i-saw-at-namm-140044601.html?src=rss

When Wuthering Waves launched about half a year ago on iOS, Android and Windows, there were serious issues on day one. While some can be forgiving when a game launches, especially a live-service game that will get lots of updates, the errors that many experienced were catastrophic. However, developer Kuro Games didn't give up on the title, and it has more than recovered from its launch, even becoming a nominee at The Games Awards last year.For those who aren't familiar with Wuthering Waves, it's an open-world, free-to-play action RPG similar to Genshin Impact in many ways. However, its combat is more focused on spectacular combos, perfectly-timed parries and dodge counters after avoiding attacks at the right moment. Some players say that the combat is inspired by Devil May Cry games. Heck, there's even a reference to Vergil's (modded) chair in the game.Screenshot by @deviltakoyaki on XWuthering Waves suffered from a disastrous launch. Many people had performance issues, experienced crashes and dialog text was often cut off. It wasn't uncommon to see people complaining that they couldn't play at all despite being excited about its graphics. Some also criticized the voice acting, which reminded me of ASMR-style vocals and didn't fit the usual video game voice acting direction. Fortunately, Kuro Games apologized quickly and promised to make things right.In fact, someone took a picture of Kuro Games' Guangdong, China office between 10 and 11PM. The lights were on, and the company seemed to be taking its vow to improve the game seriously.Over the next few months, Kuro Games would work hard at fixing the most pressing issues while also introducing much-needed quality-of-life fixes. The first highlight of this improvement process was giving all players another free standard banner 5-star character and 5-star standard banner weapon box. After that, they even let users get a limited 5-star character, Xiangli Yao, for free when they played an event to a certain point. The game even has 120FPS mode on PC, something all other games made by direct competitor miHoYo don't have, except Zenless Zone Zero.Plus, as of the 2.0 update, it has come to PS5. Limited character Camellya finally became playable during November, much to the delight of many after months of waiting. Wuthering Waves made it to the final rounds of The Game Awards' best mobile game category but didn't win, losing to Balatro.Kuro GamesKuro Games also released the drip marketing for a new area Rinascita early on to build hype, and many gamers were excited to visit it. Kuro Games' early efforts to fix things paid off, as even the latest character teasers looked better and even provided crucial information like character roles, playstyles and materials. These teasers allowed players to farm resources ahead of time if they wanted, instead of relying on leaks.I play the game in Mandarin Chinese dub and text, so I didn't catch this detail. But an upcoming character, Zani, actually speaks in an Italian accent (with some Spanish and Greek influence, apparently) if you choose the English dub. When the game first launched, the English voices sounded incredibly forced since some of the voice actors were British but were forced to adopt American accents. Zani's Italian accent is a major improvement in voice acting direction, and now I'm more willing to give the English dub another chance.(Zani also recommends you eat pineapple pizza, though. But don't judge me, because I like that stuff. Sorry, not sorry.)Now that the 2.0 update is out, I saw some players calling it a wonderful experience. As for me, I'm definitely enjoying the update and have been farming for my characters. I haven't finished the available story missions yet, but I do think Kuro Games has improved its writing compared to the first chapters. I noticed the tendency to show more than what I've experienced playing Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, both games that often utilize black screens with text. Wuthering Waves tends to stay away from those. I admit that the story isn't completely riveting, but I'm still having fun exploring Solaris-3. The word salad from the first chapters has been reduced, allowing me to take in the story without being overloaded by too many new terms.Kuro GamesI also play Genshin Impact and can appreciate the differences between them, as Wuthering Waves's combat system satisfies an itch Genshin Impact's doesn't. Farming is quick, and the story is improving. The events are fun, except for the Tower of Adversity endgame mode and the Pincer Maneuver event series that comes back once in a while. Maybe it's a skill issue, but I find these modes rather challenging if you don't have the latest featured character or a featured recommended element. The Depths of Illusive Realm roguelike mode needs some more variety, but I suspect that's in the works as it rotates back in soon.Despite any faults, I still play Wuthering Waves daily on Windows and look forward to future content; It's good enough that I'm taking any faults in stride. Earlier this month, Kuro Games CEO Solon Lee released a letter in Chinese thanking fans and revealing that Wuthering Waves reached its highest single-day revenue when version 2.0 was released. I felt encouraged by the letter, and I can confidently say I'm glad I gave the game a chance last year. Whatever the company has in store, I'm all for it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/im-glad-i-gave-wuthering-waves-a-chance-even-with-a-disastrous-launch-150051043.html?src=rss

We're so used to seeing virtual reality depicted nefariously in films like The Matrix, Virtuousity (a forgotten '90s classic) and The Lawnmower Man, it's genuinely surprising to see something that treats VR in a potentially positive way. In Flora Lau's Luz, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this week, there's no major downside to VR, it's just another way for humans to connect. And in the case of the film's two lonely leads, art gallery worker Ren (Sandrine Pinna) and pseudo-gangster Wei (Xiaodong Guo), VR serves as a life raft of human connection, something that could help them find peace in a world where they both feel adrift.Set in modern-day Chongqing (a city so neon-filled and futuristic it seems more sci-fi than real) and Paris, the characters in Luz live alongside technology familiar to us. Smartphones and OnlyFans-esque livestreams featuring young girls are commonplace. But the virtual reality hardware in the film - including ski mask-like goggles, pointed finger sensors that resemble a witch's nails - is both a step ahead, and slightly behind, where we are today. Luz, both the name of the film and the VR world people visit, is a fascinating artifact of the immersive reality space from several years ago. That was before we knew finger tracking could be the main input mode in a VR/AR headset like Apple's Vision Pro.Ren and Wei experience the VR world of Luz as an escape from their real-world troubles, though that ultimately proves futile. Ren tries to connect with her stepmother Sabine (the legendary Isabelle Huppert), an emotionally distant Paris gallery owner who is avoiding any help for a potentially fatal illness. Wei, meanwhile, is trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter Fa, who he can only see anonymously via that aforementioned livestream.The lead's storylines intersect during an in-game hunting expedition for a mysterious neon deer, which appears to be the closest thing to "winning" Luz. Wei and Ren reluctantly bond, and eventually they start to find ways to heal their emotional wounds. It's an intriguing concept, though we don't spend enough time with both characters hanging out in VR to truly sell their relationship.Sundance InstituteLuz doesn't attempt to deliver a fully CG VR world like Ready Player One (thank god), instead we see a hyper-stylized version of the real world with an abundance of neon lights, floating particles and characters dressed as if they're about to head to Comic-Con. Obviously, it's an easier way to convey VR, but the film is also portraying a version of the technology that's practically identical to the real world. If VR were truly so immersive, why even bother with real life connections? (Stylistically, it reminds me of Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii's forgotten Polish sci-fi film, Avalon, which also explored how people can redefine themselves in a VR simulation.)While Lau goes to great lengths to craft gorgeous VR imagery, what the film really needs is more time for its two leads to sit down and talk to each other, instead of having us infer emotion as they stare off into the distance. At just an hour and forty two minutes, there's plenty of room for more character exploration. But at least we get some intriguing conversations between Ren and Sabine, with Huppert being her typically charming self. (Perhaps the most unbelievable aspect of the film is that Sabine, a hip presence in the visual arts scene, hadn't tried VR until Ren convinced her. We've been seeing artists adopt VR for installations since 2016, so it's far from a new concept.)Luz is close to being a great film, with its strong performances and confidently composed cinematography. But through either restraint or weak screenwriting, we don't always have a sense of how the leads relate to the world, or even what they think of each other. The overall approach feels too cold and distant for a film that's ultimately about rediscovering human connection.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/sundance-premiere-luz-explores-how-vr-can-help-us-find-connection-in-the-real-world-140005020.html?src=rss

Google has given US employees in the Platforms and Devices team the option to exit voluntarily before it starts cutting jobs. The news was first reported by 9to5Google. Google's Platforms and Devices team has 25,000 employees and was formed when the company merged its Android and hardware teams last year. It's in charge of a bunch of Google products, including Android, Chrome, ChromeOS, Pixel, Nest and Fitbit. However, only employees based in the US who are directly reporting to the division's VP, Rick Osterloh, can leave voluntarily with a severance package.Osterloh reportedly told the team in a memo that the "voluntary exit plan" is for those struggling to meet the demands of their role or those unhappy with the company's hybrid work setup. People have until February 20 to sign up for the exit program, and since the memo says they'll find out if they've been accepted on March 25, some people may not be able to leave the company with the severance package it's offering. Google is scheduled to release its earnings report for the fourth quarter of 2024 in a few days, and it'll be interesting to see if it reveals a decline in revenue or any other weakness that could've led to the buyout and impending layoffs."The Platforms & Devices team is offering a voluntary exit program that provides US-based Googlers working on this team the ability to voluntarily leave the company with a severance package," Google said in a statement. "This comes after we brought two large organizations together last year. There's tremendous momentum on this team and with so much important work ahead, we want everyone to be deeply committed to our mission and focused on building great products, with speed and efficiency."According to CNBC, employees were pleased with Google's decision to offer voluntary exits with severance instead of going straight to job cuts. They were apparently aware of Google's future cost-cutting efforts and asked for voluntary buyouts as an option.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-will-let-platforms-and-devices-employees-leave-voluntarily-prior-to-layoffs-130017394.html?src=rss

TikTok may be back online, but the app's future in the United States is still far from certain. President Donald Trump's executive order delaying enforcement of the ban was only a temporary reprieve for the company.While ByteDance was once resistant to the idea of selling TikTok's US business, that seems to have changed since Trump took office. A ByteDance investor said that striking a deal to keep TikTok in the US is in everybody's interest." Officials in China have also suggested they are open" to a deal, according to The Wall Street Journal.A number of people and companies have signaled some interest in TikTok. Trump himself has said he would like to see a bidding war" for the app and that the US government should own a stake in the company. What an eventual deal may look like, though, is unclear. These are the offers we currently know about. Trump's executive order gave the company 75 days to come to an agreement.OracleNPR recently reported that Oracle was working with Trump Administration officials on a plan to save TikTok that involves tapping software company Oracle and a group of outside investors to effectively take control of the app's global operations." Under this arrangement, ByteDance would retain a minority stake in the company" but Oracle would oversee the app's algorithm, data collection and software updates."Headed up by Trump pal Larry Ellison, TikTok has an existing partnership with Oracle. The cloud company already hosts TikTok's US user data and the company was a key part of TikTok's original negotiations to remain operational in the US under a plan called Project Texas. (Those negotiations abruptly fell apart in 2022.)Trump also previously signed off on a deal for Oracle and Walmart to acquire a 20 percent stake in TikTok in 2020, when the president tried to ban the app during his first term. That deal never materialized. Now, Trump's position on Oracle is unclear. He told reporters that Oracle was not among the many people" with whom he had discussed a deal for TikTok. (Ellison, notably, has been at the White House in recent days. He joined Trump and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for the announcement of the Stargate Project.)MicrosoftMicrosoft is reportedly also interested in playing a role in TikTok's future, according to the same NPR story, which said Microsoft was among the other potential investors" involved in the talks with Oracle. Trump seemingly confirmed this. When asked directly if Microsoft was interested in buying TikTok this week, Trump responded I would say yes."As with Oracle, this isn't the first time Microsoft has attempted to acquire the social media company. Microsoft was in talks to buy TikTok in 2020 and take over its US business, but the deal abruptly fell apart. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella later described it as the strangest thing I've ever sort of worked on."Perplexity AI (and maybe the US government)Just before TikTok briefly went offline, Perplexity AI threw its hat into the ring, offering a deal to ByteDance that would create a new entity combining Perplexity, TikTok US and New Capital Partners."Since then, Perplexity has reportedly tweaked its proposal. According to the Associated Press, the AI company is now floating a plan that calls for the U.S. government to own up to half of that new structure once it makes an initial public offering of at least $300 billion." Under this plan, ByteDance would keep a minority stake in the company and would contribute TikTok's U.S. business without the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app."MrBeastYouTuber MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, joked on X about buying TikTok ahead of the initial ban. He later said that so many billionaires" had reached out to him about making an offer that he was going to try to actually pull it off.

GoPro is rolling out a software update for its entry-level Hero camera that allows users to shoot 4:3 video in 4K. This is great for the kinds of clips that populate social media sites like TikTok, as the footage is taller. The update is available for free via the company's GoPro Quik app on iOS and Android. Obviously, the new aspect ratio is intended for social media content, but shooting in 4:3 has several use case scenarios. For instance, it can be the perfect choice for capturing video from a first-person perspective. If social media isn't your bag, GoPro says that these 4:3 videos can easily be cropped to 16:9 "for a traditional widescreen look." There's another tool available with this update that adds a bit of pizzazz when converting from 4:3 to 16:9. The app's SuperView Digital Lens option adds a widening effect during the conversion process, which makes captured footage look faster, more immersive and more exciting." This app-based lens has been available for a while, but only worked with GoPro's pricier offerings. Speaking of budgets, the cute lil Hero camera is just $180 right now. It's also incredibly light, at 86 grams. The company's calling it the smallest, lightest and widest angle GoPro, ever." This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/gopro-pushes-update-to-its-entry-level-hero-camera-adding-43-video-for-social-clips-195325285.html?src=rss

OpenAI's latest machine learning mode has arrived. On Friday, the company released o3-mini and it's available to try now. What's more, for the first time OpenAI is making one of its "reasoning" models available to free users of ChatGPT. If you want to try it yourself, select the "Reason" button under the message composer to get started.According to OpenAI, o3-mini is faster and more accurate than its predecessor, o1-mini. In A/B testing, the company found o3-mini was 24 percent faster than o1 at delivering a response. Moreover, set to its "medium" reasoning effort, the new model can come close to the performance of the more expensive o1 system in some math, coding and science benchmarks. Like OpenAI's other reasoning models, o3-mini will show you how it arrived at an answer instead of simply responding to a prompt. Notably, the model works with ChatGPT Search out of box, enabling it to comb the web for the latest information and useful links. OpenAI says it's working on integrating search across all of its reasoning models."The release of OpenAI o3-mini marks another step in OpenAI's mission to push the boundaries of cost-effective intelligence. By optimizing reasoning for STEM domains while keeping costs low, we're making high-quality AI even more accessible," OpenAI said. "This model continues our track record of driving down the cost of intelligence - reducing per-token pricing by 95% since launching GPT-4 - while maintaining top-tier reasoning capabilities. As AI adoption expands, we remain committed to leading at the frontier, building models that balance intelligence, efficiency, and safety at scale."With today's announcement, o3-mini will replace o1-mini in the model picker. Additionally, OpenAI is tripling the rate limit for Plus and Team ChatGPT users from 50 messages per day with o1-mini to 150 messages per day for o3-mini. OpenAI's recently launched $200 per month Pro tier offers unlimited access to the new system.When OpenAI first previewed o3 and o3-mini at the end of last year, CEO Sam Altman said the latter would arrive around the end of January." Altman gave a more concrete timeline on January 17 when he wrote on X that OpenAI was planning to ship in a couple of weeks."Now that it's here, it's safe to say o3-mini arrives with a sense of urgency. On January 20, the same day Altman was attending Donald Trump's inauguration, China's DeepSeek quietly released its R1 chain-of-thought model. By January 27, the company's chatbot surpassed ChatGPT as the most-download free app on the US App Store after going viral. The overnight success of DeepSeek wiped $1 trillion of stock market value, and almost certainly left OpenAI blindsided.In the aftermath of last week, OpenAI said it was working with Microsoft to identify two accounts the company claims may have distilled its models. Distillation is the process of transferring the knowledge of an advanced AI system to a smaller, more efficient one. Distillation is not a controversial practice. DeepSeek has used distillation on its own R1 model to train its smaller algorithms; in fact, OpenAI's terms of service allow for distillation as long users don't train competing models on the outputs of the company's AI.OpenAI did not explicitly name DeepSeek. We know [China]-based companies - and others - are constantly trying to distill the models of leading US AI companies," an OpenAI spokesperson told The Guardian recently. However, David Sacks, President Trump's AI advisor, was more direct, claiming there was substantial evidence" that DeepSeek had "distilled the knowledge out of OpenAI's models."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-o3-mini-is-here-and-available-to-all-users-190918706.html?src=rss

It's time for another edition of Engadget's weekly deals roundup where we bring together worthwhile tech deals from the past week. If you're in the market for home entertainment gear, you're in luck thanks to Super Bowl-adjacent sales. Even if you don't care about the repeat clash between the Eagles and Chiefs, you can still save up to 25 percent on Sonos speakers and get discounts on a number of decent TV sets. You can check those out in our separate TV deals roundup or browse a few highlights below. As for non-sports-related tech deals, a bunch of Apple gear is on sale right now, including AirTags, the Apple Watch and three models of iPads (the Pro, Air and mini). Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.Sonos Era 100Sonos

WhatsApp has claimed that some users were possibly compromised" by spyware, according to a report by The Guardian. The Meta-owned messaging app went on to allege that nearly 100 journalists and activists were targeted in the attack. Additionally, the platform says it has high confidence" that the Graphite spyware came from Paragon Solutions, a company founded in Israel that was recently acquired by a US investment firm.Hacking experts allege that this was a zero-click" attack, meaning that the targeted users wouldn't have had to click on a nefarious link to get infected. This is a similar method to another large-scale WhatsApp hack, in which spyware called Pegasus infected over 1,400 devices. Once a device is infected by something like Pegasus or Graphite, the spyware operator has total access. This even includes the ability to read messages sent via encrypted applications like WhatsApp and Signal.WhatsApp says it has informed the 100 or so users of the potential attack, but has declined to disclose where they are based and who they are. It did say that it disrupted the alleged attacks back in December, though it's unclear how long the targets may have been under threat.This is the latest example of why spyware companies must be held accountable for their unlawful actions. WhatsApp will continue to protect people's ability to communicate privately," a company spokesperson said. WhatsApp has sent Paragon a cease and desist" letter and says that it's exploring legal options.As for Paragon, it recently entered into a controversial $2 million contract with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) department. Wired reports that the one-year contract tasks Paragon with providing a fully configured proprietary solution including license, hardware, warranty, maintenance and training." The company has yet to respond to the allegations from WhatsApp.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/whatsapp-claims-that-100-journalists-and-activists-were-the-targets-of-israeli-made-spyware-171701672.html?src=rss

Let's run it all the way back to 2000. EA is celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Simsby making the original game and The Sims 2 available to purchase once again. You can buy them separately - with expansion packs included - for $20 for the original game and $30 for the sequel. A 25th birthday bundle that includes both costs $40 on Steam, the Epic Games Store and the EA app on Windows. EA Play Pro subscribers also have unlimited access to the games on the EA app starting today. There's no word as yet on the re-releases coming to consoles or Mac. Rumors emerged in recent days that the two games might once again be available to buy after EA released a teaser video that included user interface elements from them. Kotaku notes that the original game was only available on a physical disc format, while support for the sequel ended over a decade ago. Since then, players have had to jump through hoops to get them to run on modern systems. Maxis says it has been working to make the re-releases more compatible with Windows 10 and 11, but notes that it had to nix one expansion pack and some original songs from The Sims 2: Legacy Collection for licensing reasons. I wish I still had the full-body scan I had captured of myself at the Millennium Dome in 2000 so I could properly play as a child version of myself in The Sims again (the avatar might still be on a floppy disc somewhere in my parents' garage). Nevertheless, I'm sure I and many others will be spamming the "rosebud" cheat to afford all the gear we want for our virtual homes, while some folks will surely be happy to send a particularly annoying Sim for a swim then delete the pool ladder, prompting an appearance from the Grim Reaper. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-sims-and-the-sims-2-are-back-on-pc-as-part-of-the-series-25th-anniversary-celebration-170535474.html?src=rss

If it's your turn to host a Super Bowl party this year, you might be looking to beef up your sound system before all of your guests turn up. Perhaps with something like that in mind, Sonos is running a sale on its speakers and soundbars on both Amazon and its own website. One of its products, the Era 100, has dropped to an all-time-low price of $199. The speaker will typically run you $249. The Era 100 is our pick for the best midrange smart speaker and we gave it a score of 88 in our review. It delivers great audio and can reach loud volumes, while Bluetooth and line-in support are certainly welcome. With the Era 100, Sonos has simplified its Trueplay tuning feature by making use of built-in microphones to optimize audio output for the room the speaker is in. On the downside, while the Era 100 works with Alexa and Sonos' own voice assistant, it doesn't support Google Assistant. Like other Sonos speakers, the Era 100 can be used as part of a whole home audio system. So you'll be able to set up units in other rooms so that even when they're away from the TV, your guests can still hear all of the action at the same time as everyone else. It's also possible to set up two Era 100 units as rear speakers in a home theater setup. If that's the route you wish to go down, you might want to have a soundbar in place too. As it happens, several of Sonos' models are on sale. The original Arc soundbar is down to $649, which is $250 off. As for the Beam Gen 2, that can be yours for $100 less than usual at $399. We reckon the Beam is the best midrange soundbar. However, the Arc Ultra, our recommendation for the best premium soundbar, isn't on sale this time, unfortunately. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonos-speakers-and-soundbars-are-up-to-250-off-right-now-155920350.html?src=rss

The rumors were true: Warner Bros.'s platform fighting game MultiVersus will shut down online services after Season 5 ends on May 30. The upcoming season, which begins February 4, promises two new characters: Aquaman and Lola Bunny. Real money can no longer be used for microtransactions as of today, but players with premium currency in-game can use it until the shutdown.The game had 20 million players less than a month after the open beta began in July 2022, but the developing studio Player First Games also took it offline for 10 months in March 2023, only fully launching on May 28, 2024. Despite the strong start, the player count dropped sharply in 2023, and the hype died instantly, as seen on Steam Charts. The open beta's promise was seemingly undermined by predatory microtransactions and a long grind to unlock content.MultiVersus will remain playable offline after Season 5 ends, though the game will be removed from Steam and other stores. While disheartening to see a once-promising platform fighter head to the landfill, Brawlhalla, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 and Fraymakers remain viable alternatives, as does the obvious poster child for the genre, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/season-5-of-multiversus-will-be-its-last-154839513.html?src=rss

The Meta Safety Advisory Council has written the company a letter about its concerns with its recent policy changes, including its decision to suspend its fact-checking program. In it, the council said that Meta's policy shift "risks prioritizing political ideologies over global safety imperatives." It highlights how Meta's position as one of the world's most influential companies gives it the power to influence not just online behavior, but also societal norms. The company risks "normalizing harmful behaviors and undermining years of social progress... by dialing back protections for protected communities," the letter reads.Facebook's Help Center describes the Meta Safety Advisory Council as a group of "independent online safety organizations and experts" from various countries. The company formed it in 2009 and consults with its members on issues revolving around public safety.Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the massive shift in the company's approach to moderation and speech earlier this year. In addition to revealing that Meta is ending its third-party fact-checking program and implementing X-style Community Notes - something, X's Lina Yaccarino had applauded - he also said that the company is killing "a bunch of restrictions on topics like immigration and gender that are just out of touch with mainstream discourse." Shortly after his announcement, Meta changed its hateful conduct policy to "allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation." It also removed removed a policy that prohibited users from referring to women as household objects or property and from calling transgender or non-binary people as "it."The council says it commends Meta's "ongoing efforts to address the most egregious and illegal harms" on its platforms, but it also stressed that addressing "ongoing hate against individuals or communities" should remain a top priority for Meta as it has ripple effects that go beyond its apps and websites. And since marginalized groups, such as women, LGBTQIA+ communities and immigrants, are targeted disproportionately online, Meta's policy changes could take away whatever made them feel safe and included on the company's platforms.Going back to Meta's decision to end its fact-checking program, the council explained that while crowd-sourced tools like Community Notes can address misinformation, independent researchers have raised concerns about their effectiveness. One report last year showed that posts with false election information on X, for instance, didn't show proposed Community Notes corrections. They even racked up billions of views. "Fact-checking serves as a vital safeguard - particularly in regions of the world where misinformation fuels offline harm and as adoption of AI grows worldwide," the council wrote. "Meta must ensure that new approaches mitigate risks globally."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-safety-advisory-council-says-the-companys-moderation-changes-prioritize-politics-over-safety-140026965.html?src=rss

Uber has filed a racketeering suit against a group of legal firms and medical professionals, claiming they staged car crashes and performed unnecessary surgeries to commit insurance fraud, Bloomberg reported. The group allegedly recruited passengers involved in purported or minor vehicle collisions and provided "medical unnecessary... [sometimes] invasive and painful surgeries like spinal fusions," according to the federal suit filed in Brooklyn yesterday.Driving the alleged racket is New York's no-fault insurance, particularly as it applies to cab and rideshare chauffeurs. The city forces those workers to carry personal injury coverage up to $200,000, four times that required for individual drivers - providing potential scammers with lucrative targets.There are other issues behind the claim. New York City's largest taxi insurer, ATIC (American Transit Insurance Co.), which insures about 60 percent of the 120,000 for-hire vehicles in the city, recently went insolvent. Uber sued ATIC last year, saying that its "unreasonable practices" spawned 23 lawsuits against Uber, forcing it to deal with the claims itself in court.On top of that, ATIC itself filed a $450 million racketeering suit in December last year, also seeking damages from doctors and others for insurance fraud. That has left New York with a big mess around the availability and pricing of for-hire insurance, so Governor Kathy Hochul recently proposed legislation to make it easier for insurance to adjust commercial car insurance rate.Uber has been pushing for insurance and tort reform in multiple states to address rising insurance costs that have hurt its business. The company recently agreed to a $328 million settlement with New York rideshare drivers who were underpaid between 2014 and 2017.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-files-racketeering-suit-against-new-york-groups-alleging-car-crash-fraud-130056714.html?src=rss

In the span of a week, the Chinese startup DeepSeek has completely disrupted the AI landscape with its free and "open source" R1 model. In this episode, Devindra, Engadget Senior Reporter Igor Bonifacic and Producer Ben Ellman dive into what makes R1 so special, and what DeepSeek is doing differently from OpenAI and other competitors. Also, we try to figure out what's up with Incention," a weird AI/blockchain project for creating new Hollywood IP, and wonder if Helion's fusion reactor is actually legit.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 podcast, Engadget News!Subscribe!

It's early 2025, the weather's still cold, so it must be time for Samsung to kick off the year's flagship smartphone race with its latest barrage of devices. This time, we've got three S25 phones, ranging from the $800 S25 through to the $1,300 S25 Ultra.Let's start with the flagship, the S25 Ultra. This year, Samsung has honed the design of the slate to closer match the rest of its family, while adding a substantially upgraded ultrawide camera sensor. There's also a powerful 3nm Snapdragon Elite for Galaxy added, a collaboration between Samsung and Qualcomm that augments its computational photography skills and more. (Not to mention incredible battery life.)And you know what? It's another great phone, capable of going toe-to-toe with the iPhones and Pixels of this world. However, it also looks very similar to last year's model, which makes the S25 Ultra a less impressive update, given its price.Then there's the Galaxy S25 - priced the same as the last few S-series base models. I spent over a week with it, and much of its hardware remains the same, with incremental improvements to the camera, courtesy of behind-the-scenes processing, and that incredible battery life. And it's Samsung, so it was always going to be a solid premium phone with a gorgeous screen. But if you were thinking of upgrading from an S24 (or S23, even S22), it's a hard pitch.- Mat SmithGet this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest tech stories you missed

Hollywood has been turning to video games for source material quite a bit in recent years. And while their success rate has been improving (mostly), it's a surprise to see a a movie adaptation announced before the game that inspired it has even been released. Clair Obsur: Expedition 33 clearly made a big impression on somebody important, because it will be turned into a live action movie from Story Kitchen. The fantasy RPG was part of Microsoft's summer showcase in August and was highlighted during last week's Xbox Developer Direct. It's slated for release on April 24."We're thrilled to collaborate with Sandfall Interactive to bring the rich, immersive world of Expedition 33 to the big screen," Story Kitchen founders Dmitri M. Johnson and Mike Goldberg told Variety. "The game's compelling narrative and complex characters provide a solid foundation for a cinematic experience that will resonate with both gamers and moviegoers alike."Story Kitchen has been assembling quite the lineup of video games to translate to the big and small screens. The outfit, which was previously called dj2 Entertainment, has been attached to a movie of It Takes Two, a Tomb Raider TV series, a film of Lovecraftian fishing sim Dredge, an animated series inspired by Vampire Survivors and a Sifu movie.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/clair-obscur-expedition-33-secures-a-movie-adaptation-before-its-even-released-000443246.html?src=rss

Yet another streaming service is raising its prices. This time, it's Amazon Music Unlimited that's getting more expensive. Prime members will pay $11 a month or $109 a year for an individual plan, up from $10 and $99, respectively. Listeners who aren't part of Prime will see their monthly rates change from $11 to $12 for the individual plan. The family plan is also seeing increased prices, from $17 to $20 per month and from $169 to $199 for a year.The new pricing structure took effect for new customer sign-ups on January 29. Current subscribers will be charged the updated rates in their next billing cycle on or after March 5.The FAQ detailing the increased costs states that the change will bring listeners "more content and features," which was the same rationale given when Amazon Music Unlimited previously raised its fees in 2023. The service has added the ability to borrow Audible audiobooks and a personalized year-in-review since then, which is nice, but possibly not as nice as paying less each month.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/amazon-music-unlimited-subscription-prices-are-rising-again-232426667.html?src=rss

Netflix's next Tudum fan event will take place on May 31 in Los Angeles. For the first time, the company will stream the event live on its own platform. Past iterations have been livestreamed on YouTube, Twitch and Netflix's social channels.Tudum, which is meant to sound like the audio effect that plays at the start of any Netflix program, is the streaming business' showcase of its content lineup. The company has used this event in previous years to share behind-the-scenes tidbits and first looks at upcoming programming. The 2023 Tudum drew 11,000 attendees in Sao Paulo, Brazil and 78 million viewers streamed it, according to the company.While there will probably be some fun announcements and reveals, the most notable takeaway is that Netflix is pushing more definitively into the live event space. A Chris Rock comedy special in 2023 was the company's first livestream. It also snapped up the rights to livestream the Screen Actors Guild awards on its platform and hosted a flashy boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul in 2024. However, the Tyson/Paul match had extensive technical issues. Airing its own event and keeping those millions of eyeballs on its own platform will be positive steps for the company's ambitions in this space. Assuming everything works.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflix-will-stream-its-2025-tudum-event-on-netflix-222604357.html?src=rss

The Video Game History Foundation has unveiled its digital library, a massive undertaking that makes the organization's own materials as well as some private collections available for anyone to read. This project was first announced in December 2023, and the collection is still in early access. The VGHF said it would continually be working to digitize and add more content to the library.Even though this will be an ongoing endeavor, there is already a whole lot to check out. The library includes out-of-print publications like Electronic Gaming Monthly and Nintendo Power alongside industry trade magazines, which casual players might never have the chance to read otherwise. There are also materials from behind the scenes of game development, such as video recordings of developer Cyan's work on the landmark game Myst and interviews with the team. You can also find press kits, promotional materials and all sorts of other ephemera. Everything is free to browse, just like a regular public library.In short, this is amazingly cool for gaming nerds.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-video-game-history-foundations-online-library-is-now-open-213118544.html?src=rss

In one of his first major acts since taking over as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr has directed the agency to open an investigation into NPR and PBS. Carr informed informed both organizations of the probe in a letter in a letter that was first reported by The New York Times.In the letter, Carr says that the public media companies may be running afoul of FCC rules regarding noncommercial educational broadcast stations or NCEs. I am concerned that NPR and PBS broadcasts could be violating federal law by airing commercials," he writes. In particular, it is possible that NPR and PBS member stations are broadcasting underwriting announcements that cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements."FCC guidelines prohibit NCEs from airing the kinds of commercials that typically appear on other TV and radio stations. Sponsors are, however, permitted to receive on-air acknowledgements," as Carr notes.In statements, both NPR and PBS said they comply with FCC regulations. NPR programming and underwriting messaging complies with federal regulations, including the FCC guidelines on underwriting messages for noncommercial educational broadcasters," NPR CEO Katherine Maher said. We are confident any review of our programming and underwriting practices will confirm NPR's adherence to these rules. We have worked for decades with the FCC in support of noncommercial educational broadcasters who provide essential information, educational programming, and emergency alerts to local communities across the United States."A spokesperson for PBS said that the organization is proud of the noncommercial educational programming we provide to all Americans through our member stations," and that we work diligently to comply with the FCC's underwriting regulations and welcome the opportunity to demonstrate that to the Commission."President Donald Trump, who named Carr FCC as chair last year, has made no secret of his disdain for PBS and NPR, which he threatened to defund during his first term in office and during his campaign last year. Likewise, Trump confidante and DOGE head Elon Musk, has also mused about eliminating funding for public media.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/trumps-fcc-is-coming-from-npr-and-pbs-now-too-205240249.html?src=rss

Forza Horizon 5 and its predecessors have long been exclusive for Xbox and PC. However, the latest installment of the driving game, which takes place in a beautifully rendered depiction of Mexico, will cross over to the PlayStation nation later this year. The exact date has not been announced yet. When it does become available, the PS5 will have cross-play support, which was already offered between Xbox and PC, and players will be able to purchase all the same Car Packs, such as the Hot Wheels and Rally Adventure expansions.Along with PlayStation support, Forza Horizon 5 will also be getting a free content update called Horizon Realms. This will include a selection of the more popular limited-time Evolving World accolades, but developer Playground Games hasn't revealed any additional details yet.Forza Horizon 5 is just the latest once-exclusive Xbox game to bridge the console divide. The game has been out since November 2021, so opening it up to a new audience could help boost sales long after they'd usually be petering out. In a similar vein, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle debuted as an Xbox exclusive in December, but will roll out to PlayStation some time this spring. Other former exclusives that have left the Microsoft silo include Sea of Thieves, Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment and Grounded.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/forza-horizon-5-will-be-cruising-onto-the-playstation-5-this-spring-201714287.html?src=rss

Choosing the best Android phone can feel overwhelming as there are so many options from so many brands, it's hard to know where to start. Unlike Apple, which sticks to its sleek lineup of iPhones, Android offers a world of variety. Whether you're eyeing the latest flagship from Samsung, a budget-friendly smartphone from Motorola or something unique with a foldable design, there's an Android device out there to suit your needs.