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Google has introduced a new AI model called AlphaEarth Foundations that it says can function like a "virtual satellite." The model uses a system called "embedding," which works by taking big volumes of pubic information from various sources every day, such as optical satellites, radars and climate simulations, and then combining them all together. It then divides lands and coastal waters into 10x10 meter squares, which it then analyzes and tracks over time. As Wired explains, these squares are color-coded to indicate different characteristics, such as vegetation types and material properties.The company said AlphaEarth Foundations makes its data easy to use by creating what it calls "highly compact summary" for each square of land or coastal water it monitors. These compact summaries apparently need 16 times less storage compared to those produced by comparable AI systems, thereby reducing costs needed for Earth observation.So what exactly can the model's data be used for? Google explained that scientists can use the model to create detailed maps on demand for multiple purposes, such as to monitor crop health or to track deforestation. In its announcement, the company claimed that the model excelled at a wide range of tasks over different time periods when it was tested. "AlphaEarth Foundations represents a significant step forward in understanding the state and dynamics of our changing planet," Google wrote. The company gave over 50 organizations access to the model's Satellite Embedding dataset, a collection of its annual embeddings, to test its use in real world applications over the past year. Now, it has released the dataset in Google Earth Engine so that other scientists can use it for their own research.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-virtual-satellite-ai-model-can-provide-a-near-real-time-view-of-earth-133055880.html?src=rss

Brilliant Labs is the startup behind Frame, the open-source smart glasses designed for hackers and other creative types. Today, the company is launching Halo, a new pair of glasses that, predictably for the age we live in, are being sold on the back of their AI features. Halo is a wayfarer-style pair (compared to the Panto-styled Frame) and, if you're a spectacles wearer, you'll be able to get prescription lenses in more than 100 countries thank to a partnership with SmartBuyGlasses.Brilliant is happy to brag that Halo includes a camera, microphone and bone-conduction speakers in its slender chassis. A natural pitfall of many smart glasses has been the compromises necessary to keep weight down while still offering enough functionality to be useful. Being able to keep the weight to a trim 40 grams is one hell of an achievement, especially given the glasses have a color OLED display and a battery that promises to run for 14 hours on a single charge.Unfortunately, instead of a display that overlays onto the lens, Halo "works" by projecting into your peripheral vision. I'll be honest, these displays are becoming more of an irritation the more I use them, especially compared to models that have prisms inside the lenses.Last year, Brilliant introduced Noa, its AI agent which it said was designed from the ground up to be used within the context of a pair of glasses. The company says that, when paired with Halo, Noa will be able to talk to you in a way that is natural and intuitive, as if speaking with a real person." It claims the secret sauce is in the fact Noa will be able to understand what it hears and sees within its environment and responds with contextually relevant information in real time."That's a lot of braggadocio, especially given the promises that come next about Narrative, its agentic memory system. Narrative will, so it is said, remember the name of a person you met or the details of a conversation you've had years or even decades later." This will harness the glasses' optical sensors and microphones to keep tabs on what's going on from your point of view. And since audio and video are both being constantly recorded, the system will build a private and personalized knowledge base" about you.Naturally, a pair of AI-enabled smart glasses will raise privacy hackles, and Brilliant says Noa will act as a VPN between you and the AI model behind it. Your interactions will be private by default, and users will get a lot of fine-grain privacy controls to ensure they're happy with how much data they share. Plus, you'll have voice commands to turn off the microphone, camera and the glasses themselves should you need to. Although if you're doing something you'd rather not be recorded, the smartest advice is to not wear a pair of AI glasses in the first place. Not to mention that your general concerns about having a database built of every single thing you do in a day (and your social graph) is likely to be easily de-anonymized if necessary.Brilliant also promises Halo will enable users to build custom applications for their glasses just from natural language commands. The company says that you just need to tell Noa what you need, and it'll build an app to serve your purpose within seconds."Pre-orders for Halo are opening today, but shipping isn't due to begin until late November 2025, with the price set at $299. Compatible prescription lenses will be available to purchase through SmartBuyGlasses, too. The company is also taking great pains to tell users that it will, again, be releasing a limited number of pairs and so anyone interested in owning one will need to get in the line.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/brilliant-labs-launches-its-second-generation-smart-glasses-130000032.html?src=rss

A new cybersecurity "breach" has revealed the personal information of various celebrities, and while it won't let you steal their identities, it will allow you to... judge them. The "Panama Playlists" details the Spotify song choices of notable people ranging from Vice President JD Vance to talk show host Seth Meyers to tech bros like Palmer Luckey. And technically, it wasn't a breach at all, but a possible lack of understanding around Spotify's privacy settings.Spotify has always allowed users to make playlists public or private and some even actively seek followers. On top of that, each playlist cover shows "Public Playlist" or "Private Playlist" right up top. However, the default for new playlists is "Public," so many users may not be aware that they're listening habits are available for the world to see - if someone looks hard enough.That's exactly what the unknown creator of the Panama Playlists did: simply search for famous people and find their public playlists. The results aren't really that interesting? Sure, it's kind of funny that JD Vance has I Want It That Way on his "Making Dinner" playlist, ironic that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's playlist features Aretha Franklin's Respect, and very on-the-nose that US AG Pam Bondi has Cold As Ice on her playlist.Panama PlaylistsOther standouts are Young Dumb, Broke by Khalid on Sam Bankman-Fried's "loud" playlist, James Blake's Retrograde on Pete Buttigieg's "Election Eve" playlist and Billions and Billions on venture capitalist Mark Andreesen's "Focus Alpha" list. In other words, everything is about as you'd expect given the personalities (most of whom aren't exactly in the A-list tier). As The Verge noted, one list was attributed to Kara Swisher, but she said it was inaccurate so it was removed.While a relative trifle compared to other data leaks, Panama Playlists does show Spotify's loose behavior around user privacy. For one thing, it makes all your playlists public by default. If you switch that to private in the settings, it will only affect playlists created afterwards. You then need to set each one to private individually. Playlists, followers and following also appear on your profile by default. With that in mind, think of Spotify as not just a streaming but a social media platform, and treat your privacy accordingly.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/spotifys-lax-privacy-means-anyone-can-see-the-vice-presidents-song-choices-123015427.html?src=rss

1Password is running a notable back-to-school sale in the middle of July, but the deals more than make up for the chronological discrepancy. Many subscription plans are half off until September 12. This includes the Individual and Families plans. That brings the price of the Individual plan down to $18 for a year and the Families plan down to $30 for a year. The plans are nearly identical, but the Families plan accommodates five additional people. These discounts are only available to new customers and the prices expire after the year, so set a reminder to cancel or reassess. This provider actually topped our list of the best password managers, and for good reason. We appreciated the intuitive interface and the fact that it's available on most platforms, so you'll never be left out in the cold. These include Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, macOS, iOS, Windows, Android and more. Subscriptions include industry standard encryption and a "secret key" that only you know on top of a master password. There's also two-factor authentication and the platform issues alerts when credentials have potentially been compromised. The only downside here is the one that accompanies many password managers. There is no free version. Obviously, this won't be an issue for the year, but it could once the plan runs out. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/1password-deal-get-50-percent-off-plans-for-the-back-to-school-season-150817718.html?src=rss

DJI is finally taking on rising rival Insta360 with its first panoramic action camera, the Osmo 360. The company dug into its deep engineering toolkit in an effort to one-up the competition with features like a new sensor design, up to 8K 50 fps 10-bit log recording and a smaller, lighter body. It also matches or beats its rival in other areas, with similar battery life and superior low-light capability. After testing the device in various scenarios like riding around on an e-bike, I'm impressed. Like other 360 cameras, though, the Osmo 360 sacrifices video quality for the convenience of unlimited angles. Plus, DJI's editing app still needs some work. Design and features Insta360's cameras made a splash in the action cam world because of a then-unique trait: they capture footage from all angles. That lets you reframe video in any direction so you're not stuck with a traditional camera's forward-only view. The downside is that quality is reduced from the stated resolution (from 8K to 4K, for example) when footage is "de-warped" or flattened to create the final video. DJI has so far stayed out of this category, but that's changed with the Osmo 360. Like rival models, it has a lens and sensor on each side, with a display at the back and a record and camera view button below (just like Insta360). There's also a power button on the side. Other settings and controls are operated from the screen or a smartphone via DJI's Mimo app. A key feature is the new 1-inch square sensor designed specifically for panoramic shooting. That allowed DJI to use 25 percent more of the sensor than rival models with rectangular chips, in turn boosting image quality and low-light capability. It also makes the camera more power-efficient. The Osmo 360 is a bit smaller than Insta360's latest model, the X5. Though a bit thicker and wider, the Osmo is substantially shorter at just 83mm compared to the X5 (124.5mm). It's also about 9 percent lighter at 183 grams. All that makes it slightly easier to carry and attach to your body, bikes or other things, though it's still bulkier than a regular action cam. Another bonus with the Osmo 360 is the 105GB of usable built-in storage (plus a microSD slot), compared to... zero for the competition. The battery is the same as the one in the Osmo Action 4 Pro and 5 Pro, so owners of those models already have a compatible battery. It supports up to 120 minutes of 8K 30 fps recording in endurance mode, or 100 minutes in regular mode, similar to the X5's 93/115 minutes. On top of that, battery life on the Osmo 360 can be boosted to 180 minutes with an optional battery extension rod. Video and audio DJI With its new sensor, the Osmo 360 can produce the highest quality video in the 360 category at up to 8K 50 fps, compared to 8K 30 fps on the Insta360 X5 and 6K 30 fps on the Insta360 One RS. That in turn lets creators capture high-quality flat (de-warped) video at up to 4K 50 fps. The new model also offers 10-bit D-LogM recording to boost dynamic range, which is better than the X5's 8-bit I-Log. And if you'd rather record flat video, you can do that in single-lens "Boost Video" mode at 4K 120 fps, with a field of view up to 170 degrees. The other benefit is improved low-light capability in all modes. DJI says that the native 8K pixel size is 2.4 micrometers, twice that of the X5, allowing for increased light gathering. If you want to take panoramic photos, the Osmo 360 beats the competition there as well with up to 120MP photos (compared to 72MP for the X5), or it can bin four pixels down to one for 30MP photos with lower noise in low light. After testing it in day and night conditions, I'm impressed. In good light, it was on par with Insta360's X5 in terms of sharpness and color accuracy. It was superior in tricky contrasty situations, though, with the D-LogM profile boosting dynamic range. Skies, shiny roads and other brightly lit objects showed more detail than the 8-bit I-log video shot with the X5 and shadows were also less washed out. DJI's digital RockSteady stabilization delivered impressively smooth video, even over rough cobblestone roads. And as with other DJI devices, you can let the camera bank with your movements or keep the horizon level (HorizonSteady), although that will come at the cost of some resolution. Stitching was also seamless (except occasionally with objects close to the camera), so I could choose any angle without worrying about distortion. Not all was perfect though. As with other 360 models, the Osmo 360 is clearly less sharp than DJI's Action 5 Pro after conversion to 4K flat video. And while low-light performance was indeed very good, digital stabilization became problematic when shooting at night, showing signs of pixelation and video tearing due to motion blur. However, that's a problem that's typical with all action cams since they lack optical stabilization. Like other DJI Action cams, the Osmo 360 supports the company's Mic 2 and Mic Mini wireless microphones and can record from two of those at the same time via its OsmoAudio direct connection system. You can also connect third-party wireless earbuds as I did with Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro 2, though only one set at a time. DJI's mics allow for crisp and clear audio, and add a lot of convenience. When paired with the camera, they can also record audio internally to provide a backup copy. Insta360 recently released its own microphone system with the $50 Mic Air that connects directly to the Insta360 X5 and Insta360 Ace Pro 2. However, those models can only use one mic at a time rather than two like the Osmo 360. DJI Studio editing Software is an important component of panoramic cameras. On top of editing, they help creators change camera angles and do 360-specific moves. And if you plan to output full panoramic content, it injects that metadata into the final video so that apps like Facebook and YouTube will recognize it correctly. A big reason for Insta360's success has been its excellent Studio app that helps users do all of those things. DJI's response to that is a new app of its own, which is also called Studio, but its first crack at a 360 editor doesn't quite measure up to its rival. DJI Studio does let you do basic editing, like inserting shots and trimming them. However, it's not the most intuitive process - it took me too long to figure out how to trim shots before inserting them into the timeline. It's also a bit buggy: the source display tends to show shots you haven't selected and the camera angles sometimes randomly change. It also lacks features found on Insta360 Studio like text overlays and transitions. That said, DJI Studio does a good job with its most important task. It's easy to switch to a new view using keyframes and set animations to improve smoothness. You can then export video in either flat or panoramic formats and import it into apps like Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve for the final color correction, effects and titles. All told, DJI Studio is good for a first release, but still needs work compared to its main rival. Wrap-up Steve Dent for Engadget It took DJI awhile to get a panoramic action cam into the market, but the Osmo 360 was worth the wait. It stacks up well against its main rival, Insta360's X5, by offering better video quality in low light or high-contrast situations. It's also easy to use, offers good battery life and trumps its competition with a large amount of built-in storage. The primary drawbacks are slightly lower image quality compared to regular action cams and stabilization that breaks down a bit in low light. The all-new DJI Studio app also needs some work. For a first effort, though, the Osmo 360 is a surprisingly solid rival to Insta360's X5. DJI's Osmo 360 is now available nearly everywhere but the US at 480 for the Standard Combo (around $554) which includes a single battery, protective pouch and rubber lens protector, or 630 ($728) for the Adventure Combo which adds two extra batteries, a charger, a quick release adapter mount and a 1.2m Invisible Selfie Stick. As for US availability, "it will not be available for sale immediately in the U.S. market through official DJI channels," a DJI spokesperson told Engadget. "We currently do not have an estimated timeline... but we will let you know when we do." This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-osmo-360-review-a-capable-action-cam-thats-a-real-threat-to-insta360-120019592.html?src=rss

Whether you're listening to playlists on your daily commute or zoning out with a podcast at home, wireless headphones can make your audio experience much more comfortable. With no cords to untangle or get caught on your bag, they're a great pick for anyone who wants convenience without compromising on sound quality. If comfort and immersive audio are high on your priority list, over-ear wireless headphones are often the way to go - they wrap around your ears to help block out the world and deliver rich detailed sound that earbuds can sometimes miss.

Earlier today, Mark Zuckerberg shared a rambling memo outlining his vision to build AI "superintelligence." In the memo, Zuckerberg hinted that the pursuit of more powerful AI might require the company to be more selective in what it open sources.Citing "safety concerns" he wrote that Meta would need to be "rigorous" about such decisions. The line stood out to many as Zuckerberg - who once said "fuck that" in reference to closed platforms - has made open source central to Meta's AI strategy.During Meta's second quarter earnings call, Zuckerberg further acknowledged there could be a shift, though he downplayed the significance of it. Here's what he said when asked if his thinking had changed.

Spotify is introducing new requirements to confirm the ages of users in the UK trying to access explicit content. The streaming platform is implementing a facial scan process in partnership with Yoti, which also provides its services to Instagram. UK Spotify users may be prompted to perform this age check when they try to view or listen to age-restricted content.This type of approach to checking ages can sometimes yield wrong results. If the facial scan based on a photo of the user determines their age incorrectly, the person can instead provide an ID for verification. In addition to the limits on some explicit content, Spotify may use the results of these checks to deactivate an account if the user is below the minimum required age to be on the platform. In the UK, the minimum age for Spotify users is 13. "If you cannot confirm you're old enough to use Spotify, your account will be deactivated and eventually deleted," the company said.The UK's Online Safety Act has seen companies and services including Reddit, Bluesky, Microsoft/Xbox and pornography providers now requiring some form of age verification, either within the region or for all users.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/spotify-now-requires-face-scans-to-access-age-restricted-content-in-the-uk-210738192.html?src=rss

Fable, a startup designing tools to generate animated TV shows from scratch, is launching an AI-powered streaming service this week, Variety reports. The service is called Showrunner, and it will allow subscribers to generate scenes, view content created for Fable's in-house AI-generated animated shows and even insert themselves into the animations they generate.Showrunner is launching in alpha, and based on Fable's website, you'll primarily interact with it through the company's Discord to start. Per Variety, subscribers will pay anywhere from $10 to $20 month for credits that can be exchanged for the ability to generate new animated scenes. The word "scenes" is key here. While Fable is launching with a couple of distinct animated shows, they're really more like collections of worlds and characters that subscribers can use to create new scenes.Those include Exit Valley, a Family Guy-inspired riff on the culture of Silicon Valley, and Everything is Fine, a comedy about a husband and wife who are stranded in an alternate world and trying to reunite. The company's goal is bigger than than just original content. Fable founder Edward Saatchiimagines a Disney-owned "Toy Story of AI" where subscribers could generate endless new scenes of Buzz and Woody interacting. For now, though, interested Showrunner users have to settle with knockoffs.Engadget was able to preview an earlier version of Fable's Showrunner AI models back in 2019 that capably generated new South Park episodes based on audio inputs. The startup's model was able to create a watchable copy of the show's style even back then, which might be why Amazon has invested an undisclosed amount in Fable as part of the launch of Showrunner.While creatives remain skeptical to downright antagonist towards AI, companies have started using it more publicly in production. For example, Netflix recently touted its use of generative AI in its original show The Eternaut. Even if adoption grows, though, that doesn't really clarify whether the average film or TV viewer has any desire to generate content on their own, especially if it's as rough-around-the-edgesas most AI-generated media is. Besides being a public demonstration of Fable's tech, Showrunner seems like a test to see if that desire is even there.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/showrunner-an-ai-powered-streaming-service-launches-in-alpha-this-week-204042241.html?src=rss

President Donald Trump's latest economic move is to halt the de minimis exemption, a provision that made international shipments of low-value items cheaper. When the exemption ends on August 29, shipments valued at or under $800 will be subject to duty fees when sent by any carrier other than the international postal network, no matter what country they are coming from.According to the White House's announcement of this change, shipments will either be assessed with an ad valorem duty equal to the tariff rate for the country of origin set by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act or with a limited-time specific duty between $80 and $200 per item. The specific duty will only be a available for six months, after which all shipments will be subject to an ad valorem duty. The administration claimed the de minimis exemption was harming US businesses and that the loophole was being used to ship synthetic opioids such as fentanyl into the country.The administration had already suspended de minimis exemptions for shipments from China and Hong Kong in May. A large number of those low-cost purchases originated in those regions, which are the center for several online shopping sites specializing in inexpensive goods, such as Shein and Temu and Amazon's Haul.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trump-will-end-the-de-minimis-exemption-for-low-cost-global-shipments-202707806.html?src=rss

It was easy to view Substack's 2023 Nazi controversy as a kicked can that could turn up again. Well, white supremacist content led to another headache for the company this week. User Mag reported on Tuesday that the app sent a push alert to some users promoting a Nazi newsletter. The company told Engadget the notification was an "extremely offensive and disturbing" error.The Substack newsletter in question describes itself as "a National Socialist weekly newsletter." It includes "opinions and news important to the National Socialist and White Nationalist Community." The far-right blog has a mere 757 subscribers. (That's a drop in the ocean compared to, say, Heather Cox Richardson's 2.6 million, George Saunders' 312,000 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 236,000.)Given the newsletter's offensive content and relatively paltry audience, this wouldn't seem like something to promote. According to the company, it didn't mean to. "We discovered an error that caused some people to receive push notifications they should never have received," a Substack spokesperson told Engadget."In some cases, these notifications were extremely offensive or disturbing," the statement continued. "This was a serious error, and we apologize for the distress it caused. We have taken the relevant system offline, diagnosed the issue and are making changes to ensure it doesn't happen again."Engadget asked Substack for extra details or context about how the accident happened. It didn't have further comment at the time of publication. We'll update this story if we find out more.The newsletter in questionSubstackUser Mag reports that those who clicked on the Nazi blog's profile received recommendations for a similar one. That one had a larger audience of 8,600 subscribers.One reason social users were quick to pounce on the latest incident: It provides a symbolic callback to Substack's 2023 Nazi shitstorm. That's when The Atlantic dug up "scores" of white-supremacist, neo-Confederate and Nazi newsletters on the platform. Some were monetized.Substack's policy is one of anti-censorship. "I just want to make it clear that we don't like Nazis either - we wish no one held those views," Substack cofounder Hamish McKenzie wrote in December 2023. "But some people do hold those and other extreme views. Given that, we don't think that censorship (including through demonetizing publications) makes the problem go away - in fact, it makes it worse."After weeks of negative press coverage and prominent authors leaving the platform, Substack relented... sort of. On one hand, the company removed "some" pro-Nazi publications. However, it did so without changing its policies. Instead, it said five publications violated its existing content guidelines. Specifically, they broke rules prohibiting "incitements to violence based on protected classes."Some critics didn't believe that was enough. The Platformer's Casey Newton, a prominent voice who left Substack during the episode, thought the company needed to take more responsibility. "Every platform hosts its share of racists, white nationalists and other noxious personalities," Newton wrote in early 2024. "In some very real sense, there is no escaping them online. But there ought to be ways to see them less; to recommend them less; to fund them less. Other platforms have realized this as they've grown up. Here's hoping Substack does the same."Substack has since found its footing as a haven for independent content creators. Numerous journalists looking to build an audience sans traditional media have flocked to it. (Among others, that list includes Tina Brown, Jim Acosta, Terry Moran and Jennifer Rubin.) In recent years, Substack has added a Twitter-like social feature, live video and TikTok-esque vertical video.The company said it had its biggest week during the 2024 presidential election with an 82 percent boost in paid subscriptions. It recently raised $100 million in funding.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/substack-accidentally-sent-push-alerts-promoting-a-nazi-publication-191004115.html?src=rss

Opera is filing an antitrust complaint against Microsoft in Brazil, alleging it creates an unfair environment for alternate browsers to compete with Edge. The Norway-based company claims Microsoft's deals to make Edge the exclusive pre-installed browser on Windows machines creates an unfair environment for alternate browsers to compete. Opera also argued that Microsoft uses design tactics and dark patterns to further discourage people from downloading and using rival products. It is asking Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) to pursue remedies against Microsoft."Microsoft thwarts browser competition on Windows at every turn. First, browsers like Opera are locked out of important pre-installation opportunities," Aaron McParlan, general counsel for Opera, said in a statement. "And then Microsoft frustrates users' ability to download and use alternative browsers."This isn't the first time these two companies have clashed. Opera sued Microsoft in the EU all the way back in 2007 with a similar argument that bundling Internet Explorer was anticompetitive. Last year, it also argued that Microsoft should have gatekeeper designation for the Edge browser under the EU's Digital Markets Act; that case against the European Commission is ongoing.Update, July 30, 2025, 3:05PM ET: Corrected the status of Opera's case against the European Commission.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/opera-takes-its-browser-beef-with-microsoft-to-brazil-in-antitrust-complaint-214105355.html?src=rss

LinkedIn quietly changed the language of its hateful content policy this week. The update, the company's first change in three years according to the site's own changelog, removed a line that stated the company prohibits the misgendering and deadnaming of transgender individuals.The change, which was first noted by the organization Open Terms Archive, was the only modification to the "hateful and derogatory content" policy. An archived version of the rules includes "misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals" as an example of prohibited content under the policy. That line was removed on July 28, 2025.Open Terms and other groups have interpreted the change to mean that LinkedIn is rolling back protections for transgender people.A LinkedIn spokesperson told Engadget the company's underlying policies hadn't changed despite the updated wording. The company's rules still reference "gender identity" as a protected characteristic. "We regularly update our policies," the company said in a statement. "Personal attacks or intimidation toward anyone based on their identity, including misgendering, violates our harassment policy and is not allowed on our platform." The company didn't provide an explanation for the change.Advocacy groups say they are alarmed by the move. In a statement, GLAAD denounced LinkedIn's update and suggested it was part of a broader pattern of tech platforms loosening rules meant to protect vulnerable users. LinkedIn's quiet decision to retract longstanding, best-practice hate speech protections for transgender and nonbinary people is an overt anti-LGBTQ move - and one that should alarm everyone," a spokesperson for the organization said in a statement. "Following Meta and YouTube earlier this year, yet another social media company is choosing to adopt cowardly business practices to try to appease anti-LGBTQ political ideologues at the expense of user safety."Earlier this year, Meta rewrote its rules to allow its users to claim LGBTQ people are mentally ill. The company also added a term associated with discrimination and dehumanization to its community standards and has so far declined to remove it even after its Oversight Board recommended it do so. YouTube also quietly updated its rules this year to remove a reference to "gender identity" from its hate speech policies. The platform denied that it had changed any of its rules in practice, suggesting to User Mag the move "was part of regular copy edits to the website."Have a tip for Karissa? You can reach her by email, on X, Bluesky, Threads, or send a message to @karissabe.51 to chat confidentially on Signal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/linkedin-quietly-removed-references-to-deadnaming-and-misgendering-from-its-hateful-content-policy-190031953.html?src=rss

Dropbox is saying goodbye to its password manager after five years of service. This leaves current customers in a lurch, as the company has also announced that users only have a few months to extract all of their data.This discontinuation will happen in phases, but October 28 is the day Dropbox Passwords will be entirely shuttered. On August 28, the platform will become view-only in both the mobile app and browser extension. The autofill functionality also deactivates on that date.On September 11, the mobile app will stop working, though information will still be retrievable via the browser extension. As previously mentioned, users lose access to everything on October 28 as all data will be "permanently and securely deleted."Dropbox didn't give an actual reason behind this move, only saying that it's "part of our efforts to focus on enhancing other features in our core product." That likely means it wasn't attracting many people to platform, despite being a fairly solid offering. It's been a free perk of the larger Dropbox suite since 2021, after first being offered to just Pro users.The company recommends current users transition over to 1Password, which happens to be our pick for the best password manager. However, there are plenty of other platforms out there to try out.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/dropbox-is-pulling-the-plug-on-its-password-manager-184720450.html?src=rss

Skechers just released a helicopter parent's dream shoe. Find My Skechers is a new line of children's shoes that encourages parents to hide an Apple AirTag under the heel. If tracking them on Snapchat wasn't enough and tracking their smartwatch didn't quite cut it, now you can hide an AirTag on their person.Remember running around the neighborhood with your friends and being told to be home for dinner? Or perhaps biking to and from school? You were figuring out how to navigate the world on your own and parents were learning how to let you do so just like they did when they were younger.Find My Skechers shoes are offered in sizes for children as young as one and as old as ten. This begs the question: does Skechers think we are leaving our toddlers unsupervised to the degree that we need to hide trackers in their shoes? On the other end of the spectrum, do we think a 10yearold won't figure out that their parents bought them the AirTagtracking shoe? After all, about 42 percent of 10yearolds own a smartphone and might even get alerted that an AirTag is following them. Add to this that there is research suggesting that using digital technology to track your children's whereabouts can lead to more rebellious behavior.This feature may help locate shoes left at school, camp or a sleepover. Some online commentators were also quick to point out that this shoe could help keep track of elderly loved ones who might wander.A commercial for the new line of shoes describes the "clever secure hidden compartment" where parents can hide the AirTag and notes that your child won't be able to feel it in their shoes. The shoes are machinewashable and available for sale now. An Apple AirTag is not included.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/skechers-releases-kid-shoes-with-a-hidden-airtag-compartment-181041440.html?src=rss

DJI's Amflow electric mountain bikes are now available to buy in the US, one full year after they made their way to European customers. These bikes include the company's proprietary and impressive Avinox drive system, which is built around a 1000W motor capable of producing 120Nm of max torque.This system is also light and compact, allowing for efficiently-designed bikes like the Amflow line. The Amflow PL e-bike weighs just over 40 pounds and includes a four-bar linkage structure, a rear shock co-tuned with FOX and an SRAM rear derailleur. The specs fluctuate depending on if you choose the standard model or the Pro.The Avinox system uses GaN 3x fast-charging tech, so the batteries on these bikes can go from empty to 75 percent in around 90 minutes. The system also integrates with a full-color touchscreen for control over the assist modes and to display pertinent information. Like most modern e-bikes, this system can connect to a smartphone for even more data.These bikes have the usual assortment of riding assist modes, but the Auto mode uses "multi-sensor fusion" to continuously adjust the assistance level based on real-world riding resistance. The powerful motor of the Amflow PL is great for standard riding, but excels in off-road areas.Now onto the bad news, and boy is it bad. The cheapest configuration of the Amflow PL is $7,500 and prices shoot up to $10,200 for the Pro model. Luckily, curious consumers can book a test ride in many locations. DJI has been licensing the Avinox drive system to other e-bike manufacturers, so maybe we'll get more budget-friendly offerings in the future. As of this writing, 16 international brands have announced they are building bikes built around the system.Don't worry. This foray into e-bikes shouldn't cut into DJI's drone-making operation. It recently released the Mavic 4 Pro, which we absolutely loved.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/djis-amflow-e-bikes-are-available-to-order-in-the-us-but-they-dont-come-cheap-174538774.html?src=rss

Of all the new iOS 26 features that Apple previewed at WWDC in June, AirPods updates were only briefly mentioned. Studio-quality audio recording and improved call clarity got top billing, while the addition of a camera remote control was also quickly discussed. However, when the beta software arrived last week, it turned out there were actually more features than described at the event, making this a meatier update for Apple's recent AirPods than initially indicated. I've spent some time testing all of the new tools, so here's what you can expect when you decide to use them.How to get the latest AirPods featuresAll of these updates are available for AirPods that have the H2 chip. Those include AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Pro 2. You'll have to download the public betas of both iOS 26 and the latest AirPods firmware to use these features. If you're not feeling adventurous, all of these items will arrive this fall when the final versions of Apple's OS updates roll out. That's likely to happen for iOS and AirPods in early September, around the time the new crop of iPhones debuts.Studio-quality audio recordingApple may have framed the voice quality improvements on its AirPods as a boost for creators, but I'd argue the upgrade will be a welcome change for all. Sure, people who create content will benefit considerably from what Apple calls studio-quality audio recording," but the improved performance in noisy environments is something anyone will appreciate.The company hasn't offered much detail on exactly what it did to produce higher-quality audio, only describing the change in an initial press release as the result of a mix of the AirPods' H2 chip, beamforming microphones and computational audio. That last update is likely doing the heavy lifting here, assisted by Apple's audio chip, of course. I asked Apple for more specifics, but have yet to hear back.Improved audio recording is available across iPhones, iPads and Macs, working in apps like Camera, Voice Memos, Messages (for dictation), Webex and more. Apple also says there's upgraded vocal sound quality for calls, offering more natural vocal texture and clarity" for Phone, FaceTime and other CallKit-enabled apps. As the voice upgrades are the most notable new features, I was eager to test them, and have spent the last several weeks doing just that (via the developer beta).Billy Steele for EngadgetIf you're recording in a quiet room, you'll notice that enhanced texture and clarity Apple promised. In my samples captured in Voice Memos, there's not a huge difference between new and old firmware, but there is a noticeable one. The bigger improvement came when I moved to a noisy spot. Here, Apple dialed back its noise suppression in favor of voice clarity. While you'll hear the slight roar of background noise in my audio clip, I actually sound better overall. That's a trade I'll bet many users will gladly make over the highly processed, digital-sounding results AirPods used to give us in less-than-ideal surroundings.I also noticed that both of my samples with the new software were captured with a 48kHz sample rate. This isn't new for AirPods audio recording/quality per se, but before this update some of my clips were still 24kHz - like my noisy sample with the old firmware. It seems like Apple is now defaulting to 48kHz as part of the overall sound boost, but that's currently unclear and is something else I've asked the company for more info about.Camera remoteThe less exciting, but equally handy update for AirPods that Apple announced at WWDC is the addition of a camera remote control. Since newer AirPods have either force sensors or touch controls on their stems, the company saw fit to let you use those to take a photo or start and stop video recording. All of these tasks are done with either one press or a press and hold (you select which one you prefer when you enable the camera remote function).For photos, you get a three-second countdown before your device snaps the picture. This gives you ample time to put your hand down after pressing the AirPods stem so you don't ruin the selfie. For video, there's no countdown, but there is a second or two delay before the recording starts. So, if you're quick about it, you can get your hand away from your ear before showtime. However, you'll still have to reach for an AirPod or your phone when the time comes to stop recording, so there will be some editing to do there. This all works well, but just remember you have to enable the camera remote feature as it's not activated by default after the firmware update.Sleep pausing and CarPlay switchingBilly Steele/EngadgetMost AirPods users have probably fallen asleep with one or both of the earbuds in their ears. Apple's update will add automatic pausing when you've dozed off to help you not miss much of your TV show or podcast you were watching or listening to. However, it's unclear how this works. All we know is it's a simple on-or-off switch, and it's disabled by default. Some have speculated that it uses sleep data from the Apple Watch, but that hasn't been confirmed. Since AirPods have accelerometers, it's possible the feature may rely on detecting movement, but I've asked for a firm answer on what's going on here.Another item on the list of AirPods updates is automatic switching for CarPlay. This is supposed to seamlessly transfer the audio to your car's infotainment system from the earbuds when your phone connects to your vehicle. Again, there hasn't been much discussion of this, and my attempts to trigger it were unsuccessful. That may be due to the fact that it requires wireless CarPlay, but I'm not seeing specific options for this in my AirPods settings. I'm waiting for more info from Apple on this feature too, and hopefully I'll have more details to add to my observations soon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/ios-26-updates-for-airpods-preview-enhanced-audio-recording-camera-remote-and-more-173036046.html?src=rss

YouTube will be included in Australia's social media ban for children under 16, as reported by Bloomberg. The country's Labor government said that the site will be subject to the same rules as other leading platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X when the legislation goes into effect this December.Australia had planned to exempt YouTube from the forthcoming social media ban, on the grounds that it's an educational tool. This irked other platforms, with Meta and TikTok urging the country's government to backtrack on the exclusion.This move didn't sit too well with YouTube and parent company Alphabet. A company spokesperson told CNN that this decision reverses a clear, public commitment" from the government to treat the platform as an educational tool. YouTube Kids isn't included in the ban because it doesn't allow users to upload videos or comment.The government said this reversal was largely influenced by a survey released by Australia's independent online regulator, the eSafety Commission. It found that 37 percent of children surveyed had reported seeing harmful content on YouTube. This includes stuff like dangerous online challenges, fight videos and hateful rhetoric.Communications Minister Anika Wells recently spoke to the Australian Parliament and noted that "YouTube uses the same persuasive design features as other social media platforms, like infinite scroll, like autoplay and algorithmic feed." She went on to say that she accepted the results of the aforementioned survey and that YouTube "should not be treated differently from other social media platforms."The ban originally passed at the tail-end of last year, though some of the details have yet to be ironed out. The government has until December to finalize everything. We do know that the ban puts the onus on the actual platforms to prevent children from opening up accounts, as they'll face hefty fines of up to nearly $50 million Australian dollars ($32 million USD) if they don't comply.Kids, God bless them, are going to find a way around this. Maybe they're all going to swarm on LinkedIn. We don't know," Minister Wells said. My hunch is that it'll be more VPN than LinkedIn.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/youtube-will-be-included-in-australias-social-media-ban-for-children-after-all-161707399.html?src=rss

A group of Cornell computer scientists has unveiled what they believe could be a new tool in the fight against AIgenerated video, deepfakes and doctored clips.The watermarking technique, called noisecoded illumination," hides verification data in light itself to help investigators spot doctored videos. The approach, devised by Peter Michael, Zekun Hao, Serge Belongie and assistant professor Abe Davis, was published in the June 27 issue of ACM Transactions on Graphics and will be presented by Michael at SIGGRAPH on August 10.The system adds a barely perceptible flicker to light sources in a scene. Cameras record this pseudo-random pattern even though viewers cannot detect it, and each lamp or screen that flickers carries its own unique code.As an example, imagine a press conference filmed in the White House briefing room. The studio lights would be programmed to flicker with unique codes. If a viral clip from that press conference later circulates with what appears to be an inflammatory statement, investigators can run it through a decoder, and by checking whether the recorded light codes line up, could determine whether the footage was doctored.Each watermark carries a lowfidelity, timestamped version of the unmanipulated video under slightly different lighting. We call these code videos," said Abe Davis, assistant professor of computer science at Cornell. When someone manipulates a video, the manipulated parts start to contradict what we see in these code videos, which lets us see where changes were made. And if someone tries to generate fake video with AI, the resulting code videos just look like random variations."While the scientists acknowledge that rapid motion and strong sunlight can hinder the technique's efficacy, they are bullish on its utility in settings like conferenceroom presentations, television interviews or lecturehall speeches.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/flickering-lights-could-help-fight-misinformation-155829489.html?src=rss

Mark Zuckerberg has spent the last several months and several billion dollars recruiting prominent AI researchers and executives for a new "superintelligence" team at Meta. Now, the Meta CEO has published a lengthy memo that attempts to lay out his big plan for using the company's vast resources to create "personal superintelligence."In the memo, which reads more like a manifesto than a strategic business plan, Zuckerberg explains that he's "extremely optimistic that superintelligence will help humanity accelerate our pace of progress." The technology, according to him, "has the potential to begin a new era of personal empowerment where people will have greater agency to improve the world in the directions they choose."Zuckerberg, who has previously expressed a desire to build artificial general intelligence, never defines "superintelligence." Nor does the 616-word memo explain how Meta plans to create such a technology, what it might help people accomplish or why anyone should trust the company to build it. Instead, he implies that Meta will be a better steward of this non-specifically powerful AI than "others in the industry" who expect "humanity will live on a dole of its output."

The next season of Apex Legendskicks off on August 5, and it will see the arrival of a new, permanent game mode. Respawn says it built Wildcard as a faster-paced alternative to the core battle royale mode. For instance, when you take out an enemy, they won't leave behind a death box. Instead, their loot will scatter around them, making it easier for you to spot and pick up an item you need or want.Another big difference here is legend stacking. You and your teammates will all be able to play as the same character, if you like. Respawn has retooled the Kings Canyon map for Wildcard, adding ziplines, gravity cannons and other fun stuff to the playground. Second chances will give you another opportunity to pick up the win if things don't pan out for you at first.It's highly likely that Wildcard has been in the works for quite a while, but it's a bit unfortunate for Respawn that it's debuting the mode several weeks after Epic Games added a new, faster-paced battle royale option of its own to Fortnite. Rounds of Blitz Royale - which Epic designed primarily for mobile devices - can last just a few minutes each. Still, it's probably been a couple of years since I last played Apex, and Wildcard has me intrigued enough to dive back in.There are plenty of other updates coming to Apex when the Showdown season starts, of course. Caustic will have a new ability called Field Research, while his gas canisters and grenades will deal more damage. Meanwhile, Bangalore's smoke canister will be able to breach doors and gain an EMP upgrade. In addition, Respawn is retooling the mid-to-late game with powerful passive abilities called Amps. These will allow you to unlock boosts like infinite ammo, extra armor and healing upgrades.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-new-faster-paced-game-mode-is-coming-to-apex-legends-on-august-5-150048274.html?src=rss

Google says it will sign the European Union's new AI Code of Practice, which provides a framework for compliance with the EU's AI Act. The act itself was passed in 2024, but its many provisions will take months to years to come into effect. The non-binding Code of Practice is a voluntary measure intended to help ensure that companies generally meet the obligations laid out by the Act in the meantime.In a blog post announcing Google's participation, the tech giant shared some skepticism about the AI Act's impact on the technology in the EU. The statement reads in part, "While the final version of the Code comes closer to supporting Europe's innovation and economic goals than where it began - and we appreciate the opportunity we have been provided to submit comments - we remain concerned that the AI Act and Code risk slowing Europe's development and deployment of AI."Just recently, Meta said it would not be signing the Code of Practice. The company's chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, called the Code an "over-reach." In a statement, Kaplan said, "Europe is heading down the wrong path on AI."The EU's AI Act is the first of its kind from a major regulator and is comprehensive in its approach. Meanwhile, the United States is in the earliest stages of determining its approach to AI regulation.Obligations under the EU's AI Act are being implemented in a staggered fashion, though rules governing generalpurpose AI (GPAI) models will apply on August 2, 2025. Any models brought to market before then must be fully compliant with the rules by August 2, 2027. The current implementation timeline lists assessment and enforcement steps as far out as August 2031.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-will-sign-eus-ai-code-of-practice-140741058.html?src=rss

Amazon's AI licensing deal with The New York Times is worth $20 million to $25 million per year, according to The Wall Street Journal. The two companies did not disclose the fiscal terms of the agreement back when it was announced in May. The Journal's reporting provides a rare insight into the value of a media company licensing its content for AI training.In the case of The Times, Amazon's annual payments to the publisher would amount to nearly one percent of its total revenue in 2024. In return, the agreement allows Amazon to train its AI models on content from The Times, including content from auxiliary arms of the company like The Athletic and NYT Cooking. It also allows Amazon to offer summaries and excerpts from the paper through Alexa.In light of that, $20 million to $25 million per year seems a small payout when the threat AI poses to publishers is so great, and other media companies have been able to negotiate bigger payouts. For instance, OpenAI's five-year licensing deal with News Corp, the owner of The Wall Street Journal, is reportedly worth more than $250 million.The New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft for training their models on the company's content without permission back in 2023. That case is still ongoing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-new-york-times-and-amazons-ai-licensing-deal-is-reportedly-worth-up-to-25-million-per-year-135523853.html?src=rss

It's almost time for another Nintendo Direct. A showcase of games from Nintendo's partners that are coming to the Nintendo Switch and/or Switch 2 is set for 9AM ET on July 31. The stream will run for around 25 minutes and you can watch it above when the time is right.This is a partner showcase, so you probably shouldn't expect to find out release dates for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond or Kirby Air Riders here. Instead, we'll hear about projects from third-party studios and publishers.Maybe we'll finally get some details about Call of Duty games coming to Nintendo platforms, something Microsoft said would happen when it signed a pact with the company a couple of years back. And then, of course, there's the small matter of Hollow Knight: Silksong.Yeah, yeah, we bring this game up every time one of these showcases happens. But it's far and away one of the most highly anticipated games right now. It's still slated to arrive this year and we now know it'll be playable at Xbox's booth at Gamescom next month. So maybe, maybe, maybe this Direct will, at long last, reveal that all-important Silksong release date.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/a-nintendo-direct-focused-on-third-party-games-is-taking-place-on-july-31-133158933.html?src=rss

Apple has submitted its official response to the antitrust lawsuit the Justice Department filed against it last year, which accused the company of having smartphone monopoly and criticized its "walled garden" approach to business. It said that the lawsuit threatens what sets the iPhone apart in a fiercely competitive market, reduce consumer choice, as well as erode competition. In addition, Apple warned that it could set "a dangerous precedent" in allowing the government to "take a heavy hand in designing people's technology."In its filing, as shared by 9to5Mac, Apple responded to every point made by the agency in its complaint. The DOJ said that "Apple stifles the success of 'super apps,'" or apps that offer multiple services on one platform, but the company's filing said that its "rules allow and support such apps." A multitude of them are available on the App Store today, the company added. Apple also denied the department's allegation that it blocks cloud streaming games and said that it allows game streaming over the web and in the App Store.The DOJ's allegation that it degrades third-party messaging apps is not true, the company also said, and they're widely available on the iPhone. Apple denied that it limits the functionality of third-party smartwatches and said that they can "effectively pair with iPhone," as well as "share data to and from the iPhone via a companion app." Another allegation was that Apple withholds access to iPhone hardware that's necessary for third-party digital wallets to be able to use its tap-to-pay technology. The company said it "developed and provides a mechanism that protects user security while enabling third-party developers to offer alternate payment applications.""Apple is simply not a monopolist," the company wrote in its filing. The DOJ, it said, measured its share in the smartphone market by revenue rather than unit sales. It also put smartphones and "performance smartphone" in separate categories, which "does not correspond to economic reality." Apple accused the DOJ of narrowly focusing on Apple "without fairly considering the major manufacturers like Samsung and Google that [the company] contends with in the United States, not to mention the various lower-cost manufacturers - especially from China - that Apple confronts globally."As 9to5Mac notes, the lawsuit is now heading to discovery phase, where both sides will now have to gather evidence to support their case.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-says-dojs-antitrust-lawsuit-would-reduce-consumer-choice-130045615.html?src=rss

YouTube has changed its ad guideline policy surrounding swear words, allowing creators a bit more freedom than before. In a video announcement, YouTube's head of monetization, Conor Kavanagh, said that videos containing stronger profanity such as f-bombs in the first seven seconds are now eligible for full monetization. In 2022, YouTube introduced a policy that would flag videos using profane language in the first several seconds as ineligible for advertising. It relaxed that rule a bit in 2023. Videos containing moderate profanity, such as "asshole" or "bitch," in the first seven seconds no longer faced restrictions. Those with strong profanity were only eligible to get limited ad revenue. Now, those videos can be fully monetized.In his announcement, Kavanagh explained that YouTube introduced its old rules, because advertisers wanted to distance their ads from profanity. But times have changed, and advertisers can now target content based on their desired level of profanity if they want to. He warned, however, that using strong swear words in titles and thumbnails would still limit a video's advertisements. In addition, using strong profanity too much in one video, such as making a compilation of a fictional character swearing, would still violate the platform's advertiser-friendly content guidelines. In other words, yes creators can swear in the opening of a video now, but they still have to be mindful if they want the video to earn money.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/youtube-will-no-longer-limit-ads-on-videos-that-drop-the-f-bomb-early-124519205.html?src=rss

Google's upcoming Pixel 10 may support wireless Qi2 charging natively (without a case), which would make it the first Pixel model and one of the few Android phones to do so. A new image from mega-leaker Evan Blass shows a Qi2 charger attached to the back of a naked Pixel 10 device, meaning it likely has the magnets required to support the fast-charging system.Rumors bubbled up last month that Google was working on a new lineup of "Pixelsnap" Qi2 accessories, leading to speculation that the Pixel 10 may debut that much-requested feature. Another rumor suggested that a case may be required for Qi2 charging after all, but the image of a Pixel 10 with a Qi2 charger appears to confirm that Qi2 will be native after all.Evan BlassEvan BlassOn top of faster charging speeds up to 15 watts or higher in later revisions, Qi2 requires smartphones to have embedded magnets for easy alignment of peripherals. So far, though, only recent iPhone models and just one smartphone, the HMD Skyline, have said magnets and thus offer native Qi2 support. Other popular phones like the Galaxy S25 are only "Qi2 ready," meaning they can charge wirelessly at up to 15 watts, but don't have the required magnets inside. Instead, you have to purchase a compatible case with a built-in magnetic mounting system. The same applies to OnePlus's latest phone.If the Pixel 10 does support Qi2 directly and Google introduces a new lineup of Qi2 charging accessories, that will provide a big boost to the ecosystem. The news also provides a nearly complete picture of the Pixel 10 launch, on top of information we already knew: Up to a 6.8-inch Super Actua display, Google Tensor G5 chip, a triple rear camera system, 8K video recording and up to a 100-hour battery life on the Pixel 10 Pro XL.All we need now is confirmation of all that from Google, which will likely announce that device (including a Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Fold) along with the Pixel Watch 3, Pixel Buds Pro 2 and other accessories at its Made by Google event on August 20.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/googles-pixel-10-may-get-magnetic-qi2-charging-after-all-123055066.html?src=rss

Earlier this year, Lenovo released a more streamlined and potentially affordable take on its flagship gaming handheld in the Legion Go S. Unfortunately, the Windows 11 version came first, which wasn't the one we were most excited about. Now, the Legion Go S powered by SteamOS has arrived, and oh my, what a difference an operating system can make. Not only does this model feature a UI that's much better suited for a portable gaming machine, it has faster performance as well. But the best part is that the SteamOS variant is less expensive than its Windows sibling. All of this makes for a handheld that's a welcome alternative to the Steam Deck, especially for anyone who's not a fan of Valve's hardware. Design and display: Keeping it simple Like its sibling, the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S features a very straightforward design. A big difference between the two is that this model features a dark purple body instead of the white shell on the Windows variant. Thanks to its large 8-inch 1200p display and sizable grips, it's a bit chunkier than rivals like the Steam Deck or the ROG Ally X. At 500 nits, brightness is above average compared to typical handheld PCs. However, because Lenovo uses an LCD panel, colors aren't quite as vibrant and you don't get those pure inky blacks like you do on a system with an OLED screen such as the original Legion Go. Sam Rutherford for Engadget I like that Lenovo included Hall effect sensors for its joysticks, along with a toggle that lets you adjust the pull depth of the triggers. Plus, the addition of a second USB-C port allows you to charge the device while keeping other accessories plugged in. There's also a pair of programmable paddles on the back and a handy microSD card slot for expandable storage. The biggest departures from the flagship Legion Go are that this model's joysticks and buttons cannot be detached and its built-in touchpad is significantly smaller. This means the latter is better suited to moving the cursor around SteamOS in desktop mode or to navigating menus than it is as a true alternate control scheme while playing games. You also don't get a fingerprint reader, which I think should be a standard inclusion on handheld gaming PCs at this point. Performance and software: Better with SteamOS Sam Rutherford for Engadget The Legion Go S powered by SteamOS is available in multiple configurations. Our $830 review unit features an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Unfortunately, this means I wasn't able to run true apples-to-apples performance tests with the Ryzen Z2 Go-equipped version of the Windows Legion Go S I reviewed earlier this year. But given the lackluster results from that model, I generally wouldn't recommend any handheld powered by that chip, even though that version is significantly more affordable. If budget is a concern, Valve's Steam Deck remains the better option. Even though the Go S with SteamOS features the exact same chip, I actually saw slightly better performance here compared to the original Legion Go. With both systems set to a 15-watt TDP (total device power), the Legion Go S edged out the Windows model in Cyberpunk 2077 at 800p on medium graphics by pumping out 58 fps versus 54 fps. By comparison, the Steam Deck OLED managed 53 fps. And in Control at 800p on medium, it was a similar situation, though the gap was even smaller. The Legion Go S hit 29 fps, beating out the OG Legion Go (27 fps) and the Steam Deck OLED (24 fps). Sam Rutherford for Engadget The cause of the SteamOS model's improved horsepower is hard to pinpoint - especially as performance varies from title to title - but it's generally due to Valve's platform having less overhead and system processes than Windows-based rivals. And if that wasn't enough, the SteamOS UI is better designed for a dedicated gaming machine, as turning on the system boots you right into your game library as opposed to spitting you out into Microsoft's classic desktop view. There are also some minor tweaks in Valve's OS to support features like the built-in RGB lighting on the Legion Go S - something the Steam Deck doesn't have. For fans of SteamOS, the main reason aside from price to pick a Steam Deck over the Legion Go S (or vice versa) is that each system features different performance targets. Valve's handheld has a TDP that tops out at 15 watts, and at lower power levels, it features better energy efficiency than the Legion Go S. This makes it more suitable for people who regularly play older games or less demanding 2D fare. Alternatively, Lenovo's handheld has a max TDP of 33 watts (or 40 when plugged into the wall), which makes it more adept at handling resource-intensive modern titles. So if you want higher frame rates (which you probably do), a Z1 Extreme Legion Go S with SteamOS has way more headroom to push pixels even harder. Battery life: Just a touch more efficient Sam Rutherford for Engadget Featuring a mid-size 55WHr battery, longevity on the Legion Go S when running SteamOS doesn't really stand out. However, I found that on average, it runs up to 30 minutes longer than its Windows counterpart across a number of titles. When playing Metal Slug Tactics, it lasted just shy of three hours (2:50) compared to closer to an hour and a half for the Windows 11 model (2:33). It was a similar situation in Elden Ring, where the SteamOS version was able to continue for an extra 15 minutes after its sibling conked out. Wrap-up The Legion Go S powered by SteamOS is a simple and well-built gaming handheld with an even bigger screen than Valve's portable and arguably better ergonomics. When configured with a Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, it's a better choice for playing more demanding modern games without feeling forced to switch to a Windows-based device. It also has a more optimized UI than its Microsoft-powered rivals while retaining handy features like Hall effect joysticks and dual USB-C ports. Sam Rutherford for Engadget With Z1 Extreme models starting at $830 instead of $600 for the Z2 Go configs, though, it's not quite as affordable as I thought it would be back when it was first announced at the beginning of the year. But even so, it's nice to have options. And as just one of two handhelds on the market that come with SteamOS pre-installed, the Legion Go S makes an interesting argument as a bigger and more powerful upgrade to the Steam Deck. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/legion-go-s-powered-by-steamos-review-a-purpose-built-os-makes-all-the-difference-120059561.html?src=rss

TikTok users in the United States will soon see crowd-sourced fact checks appearing alongside videos on the platform. The app is beginning to roll out Footnotes, its version of Community Notes, the company announced.TikTok announced its plan to adopt the feature back in April and since then almost 80,000 users have been approved as contributors. Footnotes works similarly to Community Notes on X. Contributors can add a note to videos with false claims, AI-generated content or that otherwise require more context. Contributors are required to cite a source for the information they provide and other contributors need to rate a footnote as helpful before it will show up broadly. Like X, TikTok will use a bridging algorithm to determine which notes have reached "a broad level of consensus."According to screenshots shared by the company, Footnotes will appear prominently underneath a video's caption. Users will be able to read the full note and view a link to its source material.While TikTok is the latest major platform to adopt the crowd sourced approach to fact checking, unlike Meta, the company is still continuing to work with professional fact checking organizations, including in the United States. The company also points out that Footnotes will be subject to the same content moderation standards as the rest of its platform, and that people can report notes that might break its rules. The presence of a note won't, however, impact whether a particular video is eligible for recommendations in the "For You" feed.For now, the company isn't making any commitments to roll out the system beyond the US. "We picked the US market because it's sufficiently large that it has a content ecosystem that can support this kind of a test," TikTok's head of integrity and authenticity product, Erica Ruzic, said during a press event. "We will be evaluating over the coming weeks and months, as we see how our US pilot is going, whether we would want to expand this to additional markets."The test of Footnotes comes at a moment when the company's future in the United States is still somewhat in limbo. President Donald Trump has delayed a potential ban three times since taking office in January as a long long-promised "deal" to create a US-owned TikTok entity has yet to materialize. Trump said a month ago that an agreement could be announced in "two weeks." Since then, there have also been reports that TikTok owner ByteDance is working on a new, US-only version of the app in anticipation of a deal. TikTok representatives declined to comment on those reports, which have suggested such an app could debut in early September.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktoks-community-notes-era-starts-today-110041152.html?src=rss

TikTok's "For You" recommendations have long been a source of mystery and fascination for creators on the platform. Even the most seasoned TikTok stars don't always understand why some videos go viral and some don't. And there's long been lots of speculation about the types of content that is and isn't acceptable to the app's recommendation algorithm.Now, the company is looking to give creators more transparency into its recommendations. TikTok is testing out a "content check" feature that will allow creators to preview whether their videos have issues that might prevent them from appearing in the coveted "For You" feed.TikTok is kicking it off with a web-based feature called "Content Check Lite" that will be available on desktop in TikTok Studio. The feature will check uploaded videos for "For You" eligibility and flag potential issues before posting. The company also says it's in the "early stages" of experimenting with a "broader" content check feature that can check "content against all our Community Guidelines before it goes live on platform," and offer specific feedback on changes that can help correct ineligible content. A "small group" of creators are currently part of the test, according to the company.TikTok has already tested a version of this for TikTok Shop sellers, and says the feature has already resulted in a 27 percent reduction in "low-quality uploads" to the app. The feature could also help the company increase trust with creators, who often speculate about "shadow bans" and why some videos don't get as many views as they expect."Ultimately, our goal is to help creators understand our rules and make sure that they can know how best to build that audience and build that thriving following on TikTok," TikTok's head of operations and trust and safety, Adam Presser, said during a press event. "We're excited to learn from the pilot, and hope to have more to share ahead in the next few months."The company is also adding several other updates for creators, including new muting and filtering controls that make it easier to weed out specific terms from comments in live streams and other posts. The app is also getting a designated "creator inbox" to make it easier to manage messaging in the app. Creators who want to have a separate space to interact with followers will also be able to take advantage of "creator chat rooms," which allows eligible accounts to make a dedicated space for chats with up to 300 followers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-content-check-tells-creators-if-their-videos-will-be-blocked-from-for-you-pages-110015168.html?src=rss

TikTok's latest answer to its addictiveness is gamified mindfulness tools. The app's new Well-being Missions let you earn badges for completing challenges related to balanced digital habits. To be clear, mindfulness and dopamine-seeking mini-games are a contradictory pair. But hey, at least it's healthier than doomscrolling.The first batch of TikTok's "short, engaging missions" focuses on the platform's existing digital well-being tools. (The company plans to test new features and expand the missions over time.) They include quizzes and flashcards, aspects the company says were well-received in early testing.TikTok says Well-being Missions focus on positive reinforcement. The idea is to form new habits through encouragement, education and a sense of progress. The gamified challenges are based on research, advice from TikTok's Youth Council and expert consultations.It's easy to draw a straight line between TikTok's mindfulness features and accusations that it knowingly harmed users' mental health. ByteDance's own research reportedly found that compulsive use of the platform correlates with "a slew of negative mental health effects." It's also associated with disruption to sleep, responsibilities, and connecting with loved ones.Some might say the answer to that would be to, oh, make the platform less addictive. But come on, now: can't interfere with profits! So, badge-earning mindfulness missions, it is. Go get 'em, champ.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-gamifies-mindfulness-with-well-being-missions-110014036.html?src=rss

Smartwatches do more than just track your steps and deliver phone alerts to your wrist. The best smartwatches go even further, giving you the ability to pay for a cup of coffee, take calls and connect to apps like Spotify all without whipping out your smartphone.

YouTube will start using machine learning to determine whether viewers should be on a teen account. The company said it plans to start using this AI application on a subset of US users in the coming weeks for a trial before rolling it out to the rest of the market. The tool will assess user behaviors including the types of videos being searched for, the categories of videos watched and how long the account has existed. When an account is deemed by machine learning to belong to a teen, YouTube will disable personalized advertising, activate digital wellbeing tools and add other safeguards for its younger users.Since introducing supervised teen accounts in 2021, YouTube has continued to add protections aimed at its younger users. The company noted that it has been using this machine learning approach "in other markets for some time, where it is working well."YouTube isn't the only service to leverage an AI tool to catch users who might be lying about their age. However, it's putting the burden of correcting false positives on its users: "If the system incorrectly estimates a user to be under 18, they will have the option to verify that they are 18 or over, such as using a credit card or a government ID." Meta has a similar tool it began rolling out across Facebook, Instagram and Messenger earlier this year, but it lets people simply change their settings if the AI tool incorrectly guesses their age.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-is-turning-over-age-verification-to-ai-185634150.html?src=rss

NotebookLM, the Google research tool that gained notoriety for its AI-generated podcasts, is introducing a feature called Video Overviews. As the name suggests, this tool automatically creates videos on requested topics and pulls data from a user's uploaded images, diagrams, quotes and documents.It's rolling out right now, but there are some caveats. These overviews are only available in English, though Google says more languages are on the way. Also, the tool doesn't make videos in a conventional sense. It creates slideshows with narration.Despite this limitation, the company says the feature is "uniquely effective for explaining data, demonstrating processes and making abstract concepts more tangible." Google also says it'll be expanding the toolset in the future, so it won't always be just a slideshow machine.Video Overviews do currently offer some handy playback options. There's the ability to skip back and forth by 10 seconds and adjust the playback speed. The company is also updating NotebookLM's Studio tab. It's getting a visual refresh, which rolls out "over the next few weeks" to all users.Google has certainly been busy iterating on the platform these past few months. It released an official NotebookLM app back in May and began offering curated "featured notebooks" earlier this month. This lets users experiment with the platform with pre-approved topics like William Shakespeare, so newbies won't have to actually upload anything. Audio-only overviews are also now available in over 50 languages.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-adds-video-overviews-to-notebooklm-181524866.html?src=rss

OpenAI is rolling out a new Study Mode the company says is designed to give students a better understanding of complex topics. Like Claude's Learning Mode, which Anthropic introduced in April, Study Mode will see ChatGPT adopt a Socratic approach to conversations. Rather than answer a question outright, the chatbot will attempt to guide the user to their own solution, starting with questions that allow the system to calibrate its responses to their objective and understanding. Conversations then unfold using a "scaffold" structure, which means ChatGPT will slowly roll out information so as not to overwhelm the user with more information than they're ready to digest.OpenAI says it developed Study Mode in collaboration with teachers, scientists and pedagogy experts. Rather than running on an entirely new model, the tool is powered by a series of custom system instructions."We chose this approach because it lets us quickly learn from real student feedback and improve the experience - even if it results in some inconsistent behavior and mistakes across conversations," said OpenAI. "We plan on training this behavior directly into our main models once we've learned what works best through iteration and student feedback."Notably, OpenAI isn't making Study Mode available only to ChatGPT Edu users. Instead, the company is first rolling out the feature to logged in Free, Plus, Pro and Team users. Edu subscribers will gain access in the "next few weeks."It will be interesting to find out how many students end up actually using Study Mode, as a toggle allows you to easily turn the feature on and off. And as a recent New York Magazinearticle vividly detailed, AI cheating is a major problem at US colleges. For its part, OpenAI says it plans to work on making Study Mode more engaging and useful to students. The company is exploring how to offer deeper personalization through the tool, as well as ways to offer goal setting and progress tracking across conversations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpts-study-mode-will-guide-students-to-an-answer-stey-by-step-180614172.html?src=rss

The Home Depot is well on its way to becoming a Spirit Halloween that also sells weed whackers. Here we are in July, and the retailer is already rolling out its Halloween product lineup. The centerpiece is the latest version of Skelly, the hardware store's viral skeleton. Meet the $279 animatronic Ultra Skelly. Given its name, you might think Ultra Skelly is even bigger than the standard 12-ft. model. But the new model is only 6.5 ft. tall. The "Ultra" part comes from app control and animatronic movements. The app lets you control its head, torso and arm movements. It includes five pre-loaded voice phrases. But the real fun comes in recording your own or speaking live through the app. (It includes voice-altering effects.) Your recordings can be up to 30 seconds long. Home Depot It also has the famously creepy LED eyes that made the original a viral hit. (You can choose from 18 eyes in the app). Its chest and mouth have lights, too. Ultra Skelly's fingers are posable but not animated. Home Depot says it takes around 45 minutes to assemble. The OG 12-ft. Skelly is returning, too, for $299. And like any centerpiece of an expanding franchise, he now has an entourage. The (standing, 7-ft.) Skelly's Dog is back for $199. It's joined by the new (5-ft.) Skelly's Sitting Dog for $249 and the (5-ft.) Skelly's Cat for $199. You can order Home Depot's Halloween collection from its website on August 4. Skelly has sold out quickly in the past. So, consider setting a reminder if you want the talking skeleton to spook your trick-or-treaters this October. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/home-depot-has-a-new-animatronic-version-of-skelly-the-skeleton-171011954.html?src=rss

Last week, social network Tea experienced a data breach that exposed personal information for its users. The dating safety app for women said at the time that "there is no evidence to suggest that current or additional user data was affected." However, 404 Media reports that the problem is bigger than originally stated. The site credits independent security researcher Kasra Rahjerdi, who found that content from the platform as recent as last week has been exposed.Additionally, this source claims that the compromised information could allow hackers to view messages between Tea users. DMs might include other sensitive information, such as personal phone numbers, discussions of cheating and experience obtaining abortions."As part of our ongoing investigation into the cybersecurity incident involving the Tea App, we have recently learned that some direct messages (DMs) were accessed as part of the initial incident," a spokesperson for the company told Engadget. "Out of an abundance of caution, we have taken the affected system offline. At this time, we have found no evidence of access to other parts of our environment." In addition, Tea said it will offer them free identity protection to users whose personal information was involved in the breach.Tea's security issues come during a surge in popularity. The app allows women to anonymously share personal stories about their dating experience, with the intended goal of letting others know if the men they are meeting might be a risk to their personal safety, were engaged in catfishing, or were already in a relationship.Update, July 29, 2025, 1:08PM ET: Added statement from Tea.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/data-breach-at-tea-reportedly-contains-images-and-dms-from-last-week-224823984.html?src=rss

After kicking off its PS Plus 15th anniversary celebrations last month, Sony has announced the PS Plus Monthly games for August. From August 5, members of all of the service's tiers will be able to add Lies of P (PS5, PS4), DayZ (PS4) and My Hero One's Justice 2 (PS4) to their libraries.The headliner is undoubtedly Lies of P, the surprisingly great Pinocchio-flavored soulslike from 2023. South Korea-based studio Neowiz's twisted take on the oft-reimagined children's novel stood out in what is now an overwhelmingly crowded genre, thanks to its stylish Belle Epoque-era setting and slick combat. There aren't many better FromSoft tribute acts around. The post-apocalyptic survival game DayZ launched on PS4 with not-exactly-glowing reviews in 2019, but is still getting fairly regular updates in 2025. Meanwhile, 3D arena fighter My Hero One's Justice 2 is worth checking out for fans of the My Hero Academia manga on which it's based.As it continues to mark 15 years of its Game Pass-rivalling subscription service, Sony has announced that from August 5, members can download a set of anniversary avatars. Themed around the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Diablo IV and God of War Ragnarok, as well as cult retro favorite Twisted Metal, these are also available to subscribers on all tiers.As for last month's games, you have until August 4 to add Diablo IV, The King of Fighters XV and Jusant to your game library.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/lies-of-p-leads-augusts-lineup-of-ps-plus-games-165600067.html?src=rss

Elgato just introduced a novel new webcam with a pro-grade feature. The Facecam 4K allows users to mount lens filters for unique effects. This is the first time a webcam has offered this functionality. The camera integrates with any 49mm lens filter, which opens up a world of potential. Folks could attach, say, a circular polarizing (CPL) filter to reduce reflections from glasses or go crazy with cinematic effects like diffusion. The unit ships with a free CPL filter to get started, as long as you buy the camera from the official Elgato store. As for traditional specs, it records in 4K at up to 60 FPS and uses Sony's Starvis 2 CMOS sensor with a f/4.0 aperture and fixed focus. It connects over USB-C and weighs just 0.26 pounds. The Facecam 4K pairs with Elgato's Camera Hub software, which offers manual control over a variety of settings. These include ISO, exposure, shutter speed, pan, tilt and zoom. It also works with the company's Prompter hardware, though that requires a replacement backplate. The company is throwing in the dedicated backplate with new Prompter purchases. For the uninitiated, the Elgato Prompter is a nifty teleprompter designed for streamers. The Facecam 4K even pairs with the Switch 2, which could make for some truly cinematic Mario Kart World reaction shots. Just update the firmware to version 2.32 or later and connect directly to the console. Elgato's latest webcam is available right now and costs $200. This unit is similar in features to the pre-existing Facecam Pro webcam, but that one costs $300 and doesn't let people swap out lenses. It does, however, include a better sensor. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/elgatos-new-webcam-can-mount-lens-filters-163656839.html?src=rss

Netgear has launched its most affordable WiFi7 mesh system yet, the Orbi370. The headline price is $350 for a router and two satellites, which is extremely competitive. A quick look at the specs, however, reveals several tradeoffs that make the lower cost possible.The company says the Orbi370 is designed for customers with moderately demanding WiFi needs," claiming the system's total bandwidth is 5Gbps. However, since it carries only a 2.5gigabit internet port, the maximum speed to a single device is limited to 2.5Gbps.The Orbi370 is strictly dualband, with only 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios - there's no 320MHz or 6GHz band options. This means the Orbi 370 is missing one of Wi-Fi 7's biggest advantages in most setups.Households with a twogig connection or less likely won't miss the extra headroom, and a mesh WiFi system remains one of the best ways to solve dead spots around your home. Netgear's flagship model, the Orbi970, offers 27Gbps total bandwidth, with a 10gig internet port and a quadband setup. That model comes with a price tag of roughly $2,000 for a router and two satellites and would likely be overkill for most households.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/netgear-launches-its-most-affordable-wi-fi-7-mesh-system-163234180.html?src=rss

Sex toy company Lovense is leaking the email addresses of its app users and allowing account takeovers without asking for a password, according to a security researcher. As reported by TechCrunch, BobDaHacker, who describes themself as an ethical hacker committed to exposing and reporting security vulnerabilities, published an extensive report in which they accuse Lovense of failing to fix a serious bug it was first made aware of in 2023.According to the hacker (and later verified by TechCrunch), Lovense allows any username to be turned into their email address with the right know-how, a flaw they initially discovered after muting someone on the app. With their access to Lovense's API, they were able to obtain the emails associated with any public username in less than a second when running the modified request process through an automated script. They noted that the vulnerable nature of these accounts is "especially bad for cam models" who use the Lovense platform for work, and may share their usernames for these purposes.The researcher also realized that with a user's email address (either one you already know or one obtained using the aforementioned disclosure bug), they could generate auth tokens that allowed them to take over the associated account without a password. This allegedly worked for the Lovense Chrome Extension and Lovense Connect app, as well as the company's Cam101 and StreamMaster software - and even admin accounts.BobDaHacker said they initially reported the bugs to Lovense with assistance from the sex tech hacking project The Internet Of Dongs in March 2025, and received $3,000 in total for flagging them via the HackerOne security platform. After a series of interactions with Lovense representatives, they were told in early June that the account takeover bug had been fixed during the previous month, which the researcher claims is not true. Regarding the email disclosure flaw, Lovense said in a statement printed by BobDaHacker that it could take up to 14 months to fix the issue, as a faster one-month fix would "require forcing all users to upgrade immediately," which it said would "disrupt support for legacy versions."The researcher went on to say that they were contacted by a Twitter user who claimed to have found the same account takeover bug as far back as 2023, and were told shortly after reporting it to Lovense that the bug had been resolved, which wasn't the case. They said a patch eventually fixed their method, which used an HTTP endpoint to convert a username into an email address, but that it wasn't rolled out until early 2025. BobDaHacker said they had requested comment from Lovense but at the time of writing had not received one.This isn't the first time Lovense users have stumbled upon privacy concern bugs. In 2017, a Redditor discovered that the Lovense app, which allows users to control their sex toys remotely, was recording audio without their consent and saving it to their phone. A commenter on the Reddit post, who claimed to be a Lovense representative, called the recordings a "minor software bug" that affected the Android version of the app and said at the time that it had been fixed in an update.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/a-lovense-security-flaw-may-be-letting-people-take-over-accounts-without-a-password-160528730.html?src=rss

Cash App has debuted a new group payment feature that allows folks who don't even use the app to contribute to a kitty. Pools enables Cash App users to invite folks to chip in for a large purchase (such as a group vacation) via Apple Pay and Google Pay. A small number of users have access to Pools at the jump, though Cash App owner Block expects to offer it to all of the service's customers in the coming months. Block told CNBC this is the first time that Cash App is opening up to external payments from Apple Pay and Google Pay.Through Pools, users can collect and track contributions from others via $Cashtags (for other Cash App users), or shareable links for Apple Pay and Google Pay. Users can start a pool through the Cash App, and set up a name and target amount. The organizer can close the pool whenever they like, move the money to their Cash balance and then use that to pay for whatever the group is planning to buy.Pools is a seemingly handy feature that could assist Cash App in competing with Venmo by helping Block expand the app's user base. It might help iOS and Android users who haven't tried it out learn more about the app and decide to check it out. However, it's perhaps worth bearing in mind that Cash App was subject to data breaches within the last few years. Block has also been fined over its handling of fraud on the platform.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/cash-app-opens-up-to-apple-pay-and-google-pay-with-a-group-payment-option-154019254.html?src=rss

If you're in the market for a new mouse that won't totally break the bank then today is your lucky day. Right now, our favorite mouse for productivity is down to a record-low price. You can pick up the Logitech MX Master 3S wireless mouse for $80, down from $120 - 33 percent discount. Logitech released the MX Master 3S in 2022, but it's still a great option. This model comes with a USB receiver, quiet clicks and lots of customization options. It also has an 8K DPI optical sensor that performs well on all surfaces. The MX Master 3S wireless mouse further benefits from its ergonomic design. It has a platform for your thumb and places controls within easy reach. Plus, Logitech claims it has 70 days worth of battery life. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/our-favorite-logitech-mouse-is-40-off-right-now-151158249.html?src=rss

I've been wondering for a while what the killer app for Joy-Con mouse controls on the Nintendo Switch 2 might be. Sure,Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is fine as a tech demo (one that should have been a pack-in rather than costing $10) and Drag x Drive looks pretty interesting. Civilization VII has its fans as well. But the best use case for the feature yet could be a 33-year-old game that just hit Nintendo Switch Online.That's right, the all-time SNES classic Mario Paint just joined the service. The game only works with mouse controls, but original Switch users won't be left out here, as they have the option to plug a compatible USB mouse into the console's dock and create some art that way.Mario Paint allows you to color in existing designs (of, say, Mario and Yoshi) or fill the segments with patterns. You'll be able to create original art and animations too. There's also a mini-game in which you can test your mouse-pointing accuracy by swatting bugs. Perhaps most importantly for many Mario Paint fans, the music creator is present. A few Mario Paint tracks have joined the library in the Nintendo Music app as well.But that's not all. The Nintendo Switch Online SNES app now offers control remapping, which is a welcome accessibility update.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-paint-comes-to-nintendo-switch-online-and-yes-it-has-mouse-controls-140724048.html?src=rss

Adobe is rolling out a series of new Photoshop tools in beta that it claims will eliminate "tedious steps, reduce friction, and make precision editing faster and more intuitive."The new features include Generative Upscale for desktop and web, allowing you to enhance images by up to 8 megapixels before losing quality. This tool can be used for things such as improving photos you want to print or updating older files. According to Adobe, this feature has been one of the most requested among its users.Then there's the updated Remove tool, courtesy of the new Adobe Firefly Image Model. It does all the tidying and erasing you would expect, but also should provide a more realistic image. As Adobe puts it, there should be "fewer artifacts" left of the thumb, background people or whatever else you removed from the photo. It's also available in beta on desktop and web.Adobe is also rolling out the Harmonize feature, first discussed as Project Perfect Blend during the company's October 2024 Max conference. Powered by the Adobe firefly Image Model, Harmonize "intelligently analyzes the surrounding context, automatically adjusting color, lighting, shadows, and visual tone to create seamless, cohesive composites." Adobe claims this will reduce the time needed for manual adjustments. On top of trying out the beta on desktop or web, it's also available in Early Access for mobile iOS users.You can now use the Gen AI Model Picker to move between the different Firefly Image Models, as they each offer something a bit different when using the tools. Plus, Photoshop is rolling out something else in beta called Projects which, well, manages your projects. It should keep all your files in one place and let you send out entire collections, rather than one version at a time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/photoshops-newest-ai-tool-makes-it-easy-to-upscale-old-photos-135942810.html?src=rss

Rugged and regal, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is on sale for a recordlow price of $650 right now. Built for endurance athletes and outdoor adventurers, the Ultra 2 pairs a rugged 49millimeter titanium case with 100meter water resistance and dive support to 40meters. If you're a fitness enthusiast and haven't yet taken the plunge on an Apple Watch, this sale might be the perfect opportunity to pick one up for $150 off. Its Retina display peaks at 3,000 nits, which is 50 percent brighter than the Apple Watch Series 10, and its battery lasts twice as long at up to 36 hours. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 features all the same health technology as the Series 10, like the ECG app, sleep tracking, the Vitals app and more. We named the Apple Watch Ultra 2 our best Apple Watch for adventurers thanks to its precision dualfrequency GPS, aerospacegrade titanium case and water resistance to 100 meters. Apple even says the Ultra 2 is rated for highspeed water sports. The sale includes only the naturalcolored case in three band styles: Alpine Loop, Trail Loop and Ocean Band. Each band is available in a variety of colors to match your taste or wardrobe. It's rumored that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be announced this fall, so aggressive sales like this may crop up again between now and then. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-ultra-2-is-150-off-right-now-134631017.html?src=rss

Apparently it's the season for great deals on Apple's MacBooks with M4 chips. First, the 13-inch MacBook Air M4 dropped to an all-time low of $799 (it's still on sale here). Now, the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 has followed in its footsteps, going on sale for its own record-low price of $1,299. The 19 percent discount means $300 in savings, compared to the model's usual $1,599 price tag. That deal will get you 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD. Though, if you're willing to spend another $200, you can get 1TB of SSD. We gave the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 a 92 in our review thanks, in large part, to the M4 chip's speed. We also named it our best MacBook for creatives due to factors like speed, brighter screens and an upgraded webcam (12MP instead of 1080p). It also has a very long battery life, lasting for over 34 hours while playing HD video. Are you looking for something a bit bigger and faster? The 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro model is also on sale, albeit less significantly. You can get 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD for $2,235, down from $2,499 - an 11 percent discount. It's only available with Apple's M4 Pro chip and 24GB of RAM. The M4 Pro chip can support Thunderbolt 5, allowing you to transfer files at 120GB per second, compared to 40GB per second in the fourth generation. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-14-inch-macbook-pro-with-m4-drops-to-a-record-low-price-130007054.html?src=rss

Prime Day has come and gone, but power bank stalwart Anker still has some compelling deals to keep your devices charged while on the go. Among these is the Anker Laptop Power Bank, which carries 25,000mAh of portable power. It features three 100W USBC ports, two of which have retractable USBC cables built in so you don't have to remember your own in order to charge your compatible devices. This particular model was our top pick for best premium power bank, but it's on sale for 30 percent off. At $95 during the sale, it's still a premium product, but this is near the lowest price we've ever seen. Anker carries a vast catalog of products, and several others are on sale right now. Among them is this highpowered 140W Anker Laptop Charger, which currently has a $20 clippable coupon on Amazon. It sports four different USB ports all with their own power outputs for different device classes, and all four can be used at once. A handy touch display shows total power output, output per port and features temperature monitoring to ensure ideal charging conditions. There's also this MagGo 3-in-1 charging station for $77, or 30 percent off its regular price. It'll be particularly handy for folks who travel often, or someone who wants a svelte place to charge their phone, watch and pair of earbuds all at once. It folds down to roughly the size of a deck of cards, and it comes with a power adapter to boot. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/pick-up-this-anker-power-bank-that-can-charge-a-laptop-while-its-30-percent-off-142805754.html?src=rss

If you're at all familiar with Meta's Ray-Ban-branded smart glasses, there won't be many surprises when it comes to its latest Oakley frames. The Oakley Meta glasses rely heavily on what's already been a successful playbook for the company: the style of a popular eyewear brand mixed with juuust enough tech to let you keep your phone in your pocket a little longer. But the Oakley Meta glasses are also the social media company's first collaboration with a non-Ray-Ban brand (though both share a parent company in EssilorLuxottica). And while Meta stays pretty close to the strategy it's used for the last four years, its latest frames offer some hints about its longterm ambitions in the space. Meta has described its Oakley-branded frames as "performance glasses," which isn't entirely surprising given Oakley's longtime association with athletes. But there are only a few actual upgrades compared to the Ray-Ban lineup. The Oakley Meta glasses have a notably longer battery life, both for the glasses themselves and the charging case. They are also able to capture higher quality video than previous versions. With a starting price of nearly $400, though, I'm not sure those upgrades are worth an extra $100 - $200. Why do they look like that? Meta's debut pair of Oakley-branded glasses are based on the brand's HSTN (pronounced how-stuhn) frames and there's really nothing subtle about the design. The first of these is a limited edition version with shiny gold lenses and bright white frames (which Meta inexplicably calls "warm grey"). Like previous Ray-Ban models, they don't look overtly techy, but I still wasn't a big fan of the design. The glasses felt just a little oversized for my face and something about the bright white paired with gold lenses reminded me a little too much of a bug. The color combo also accentuates just how thick the frames are, particularly around the awkwardly wide nosepiece. Karissa Bell for Engadget I posted a selfie on my Instagram Story and polled my friends on what they thought. And while a few politely said they thought I was "pulling them off," the majority said they looked too big for my face. A few told me they looked straight-up weird, and one summed up my feelings pretty well with "something looks off about them." Style is subjective, of course. And depending on your face shape and tolerance for contrasting colors, I could see others enjoying the design. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the HSTN collection, which is coming later this summer, and will hopefully have some more flattering color variations. Looks aside, the glasses function almost identically to the Ray-Ban glasses Meta introduced in 2023. There's a 12-megapixel POV camera over the left eye, and an indicator light over the right that lights up when you snap a photo or start recording a video via the capture button. There are open-ear speakers in the arms so you can listen to music and hear notifications. Much like the Ray-Ban glasses, the speakers here are pretty good at containing the sound so others can't hear when you're listening at lower volumes, but it's definitely noticeable at higher levels. You can control music playback and volume pretty easily, though, with a touchpad on the right side of the glasses. "Performance" upgrades The most important upgrade that comes with the Oakley glasses is the battery. Meta claims the glasses can last up to eight hours with "typical" (non-constant) use and up to 19 on standby. I was able to squeeze a little over five hours of continuous music playback out of the battery in one sitting, which is about an hour better than the Ray-Ban frames. The charging case can provide up to 48 hours of additional runtime, according to Meta. It's been well over a week and I haven't yet had to plug in the case. The charging case is, however, noticeably bigger and heavier than the Ray-Ban case. It's not a dealbreaker, but the case is too big for any of my pockets and just barely fits into my small sling bag. My other gripe with the charging case is the same complaint I had about the Ray-Ban case: there's no way to see the charge level of the case itself. There's a small LED in the front that will change from green to yellow to red based on the battery level, but it's hardly a precise indicator. Karissa Bell for Engadget The other major upgrade is the 12MP camera, which can now shoot in 3K compared to 1080p on previous models. The higher resolution video is, notably, not the default setting, but I appreciated having the option. I could see it being especially useful for creators looking to shoot POV footage, but I mostly use the glasses for still shots rather than video. San Francisco is currently having a record-breaking cold summer so most of my testing has been in fairly overcast conditions. It might be a product of the gray weather, but I found the photos I've shot with the glasses a bit overly saturated for my taste. They looked fine on an Instagram Story, though. The camera has a bit of a wide angle with a 100-degree field of view, so there's still a bit of a learning curve in terms of figuring out how best to frame the shots. Another issue is that it's very easy for a hat or a piece of hair to make it into your photos without realizing. My previous experience with the Ray-Ban Meta glasses meant I was careful to pull my hair back before snapping a picture, but I was bummed to realize after a long bike ride that the visor on my helmet was visible in the frame of every photo and video. It seems like Meta may have a plan to address this: I noticed a setting called "media quality" that's meant to alert you when something is partially obstructing the camera. The feature is apparently still testing, though, and it wasn't functional. A Meta spokesperson did confirm it would be added in a future update, though. "Media Quality Check is a feature we're working to bring to our AI glasses collection in the future that will alert users when photos are blurry or if something like your hair or a hat blocks what you capture," Meta said. The Meta AI app (formerly known as Meta View) can help fix other issues, though. It has a "smart crop" feature that can automatically straighten your pics to correct for any head tilt. It also has built in AI-powered edits for photos and video so you can restyle your clips directly in the app. And while the functionality isn't limited to clips shot with the glasses, the possibility of adding AI edits after the fact makes shooting otherwise mundane clips a bit more appealing. The ability to restyle video, however, is only "free for a limited time," according to the Meta AI app. Meta AI While the core features of Meta's smart glasses have largely stayed the same since it first introduced the Ray-Ban Stories in 2021, one of the more interesting changes is how Mark Zuckerberg and other execs have shifted from calling them "smart glasses" to "AI glasses." As the company has shifted away from the metaverse and made AI a central focus, it's not surprising those themes would play out in its wearables too. And while none of the Meta AI features are unique to the Oakley frames, Meta has added a couple of abilities since my last review that are worth mentioning. The first is live translation. The feature, which you have to enable in the Meta AI app, allows the onboard assistant to translate speech as you hear it. If both sides of a conversation have a pair of Meta glasses, then you can carry on a full conversation even if you don't speak the same language. The feature currently supports Spanish, French, Italian and English. Karissa Bell for Engadget I tried it out with my husband - a native Spanish speaker who was also wearing a pair of Meta glasses - and we were both fairly impressed. I would say something in English and Meta AI on his glasses would relay it to him in Spanish. He would then respond in Spanish and Meta AI would translate the words into English. It's not the most natural way to speak because you have to pause and wait for a translation, but it was mostly effective. There were a few bugs, though. Because we were sitting close to each other, sometimes Meta AI would overhear the translated audio from the other person's glasses and translate it back, which made the whole thing feel like a bizarre game of telephone. And over the course of a several-minute conversation, there were a handful of times when Meta AI wouldn't pick up on what was said at all, or would only begin translating halfway through a statement. We also encountered some issues with Meta AI's translations when it came to slang or regional variations of certain words. While it wasn't perfect, I could see it being useful while traveling since it's much smoother than using Google Translate. There was also something endlessly amusing about hearing my husband's words relayed back to me by the voice of AI Judi Dench (Meta tapped a bunch of celebrities last year to help voice its AI). Stills from a video of a walk through a parking lot (left), and the same image after using the "desert rave" effect in Meta AI app. Screenshots (Meta AI) The other major AI addition is something called "Live AI," which is essentially a real-time version of the glasses' multimodal powers. Once you start a Live AI session, Meta's assistant is able to "see" everything you're looking at and you can ask it questions without having to repeatedly say "hey Meta." For example, you can look at plants and ask it to identify them, or ask about landmarks or your surroundings. The feature can feel a bit gimmicky and it doesn't always work the way you want it to. For example, Meta AI can identify landmarks but it can't help you find them. While on a bike ride, I asked if it could help me navigate somewhere based on the intersection I was at and Meta AI responded that it was unable to help with navigation. It also didn't correctly identify some (admittedly exotic) plants during a walk through San Francisco's botanical gardens. But it did helpfully let me know that I may want to keep my distance from a pack of geese on the path. I'm still not entirely sure what problems these types of multimodal features are meant to solve, but I think it offers an interesting window into how Meta is positioning its smart glasses as an AI-first product. It also opens up some intriguing possibilities whenever we get a version of Meta glasses with an actual display, which the rumor mill suggests could come as soon as this year. Wrap-up While I don't love the style of the Oakley Meta HSTN frames, Meta has shown that it's been consistently able to improve its glasses. The upgrades that come with the new Oakley frames aren't major leaps, but they deliver improvements to core features. Whether those upgrades justify the price, though, depends a lot on how you plan to use the glasses. The special edition HSTN frames I tested are $499 and the other versions coming later this year will start at $399. Considering you can get several models of Meta's Ray-Ban glasses for just $299, I'm not sure the upgrades justify the added cost for most people. That's probably why Meta has positioned these as a "performance" model better suited to athletes and Oakley loyalists. But the glasses do offer a clearer picture of where Meta is going with its smart glasses. We know the company is planning to add displays and, eventually, full augmented reality capabilities - both of which will benefit from better battery life and cameras. Both are also likely to cost a whole lot more than any of the frames we've seen so far. But, if you don't want to wait, the Oakley Meta glasses are the closest you can get to that right now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/oakley-meta-glasses-review-a-familiar-formula-with-some-upgrades-120026844.html?src=rss