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A square camera sensor may sound like one of those things only nerds would appreciate, but as part of the new front-facing 18-megapixel "Center Stage" camera on the iPhone 17 lineup, it could have massive implications for Apple's users. They'll no longer need to turn their phones to take a landscape selfie, especially if they need to fit a large group of people, as that's all handled automatically by Center Stage. It's the sort of "Why didn't I think of that?" feature that other phone makers will likely copy, simply because it's immensely practical. Those square camera sensors could help make Apple a selfie pioneer, once again.We've come a long way from when the iPhone 4 and HTC Evo 4G introduced the idea of modern front-facing cameras in 2010. Earlier cellphones in Japan and Europe had low quality selfie cameras, and you could argue that the Game Boy Camera also toyed with the idea when it arrived in 1998. But in 2010, we finally had powerful phones on relatively speedy mobile connections that could easily share photos and let users hop on video chats on a whim. (It still stings that it took Apple two more years to release the LTE-capable iPhone 5, which made FaceTime much more useful.)iPhone Air selfie cameraSam Rutherford for EngadgetDuring the iPhone 17 launch event, Apple revealed that its customers took 500 billion selfies last year, a massive figure that shows just how normalized the practice has become. Selfies were often mocked when they were deemed the purview of Instagram-obsessed teenage girls, but these days it's not unusual to see everyone from seniors to a gaggle of sports bros gathering around a single phone like an object of worship. And, on a personal note, they're really the only way to get decent photos of your entire family, especially when you're juggling two rambunctious young kids.We take photos to preserve memories, but selfies feel distinctive for their intimacy. You're not just capturing where you were, but you're also documenting yourself in the moment, along with the people around you. By making it easier to take selfies, it follows that you'll start to take even more of them, ultimately tying yourself into Apple's ecosystem even further. That leads to needing an iPhone with more storage and potentially more iCloud backup space down the line. You're also not going to jump over to an Android phone if you have to turn your phone sideways for a landscape selfie, or if you lose access to all of the cherished memories in your Apple Photos library.The square camera sensor keeps you loyal.It'll also change the way iPhone users take front-facing videos. Center Stage automatically keeps you in the center of FaceTime calls, so you don't have to worry so much about framing yourself up. And while I haven't seen this particular feature in action, it should also help alleviate the headache of turning your phone during a FaceTime call to match the recipient's device. (Or maybe I'm just tired of telling my parents to flip their phones when their FaceTime chats have huge black borders.)This may be a stretch, but I could see the Center Stage front camera making it more common to record video with your front and rear cameras at the same time. While it's new to iPhone as Dual Capture," we've seen variants of it from Samsung and Nokia (remember #bothie?) Android devices, but they've never really taken off. TikTok's dual-camera live streaming mode has been more successful, and there are also vlogging apps like MixCam built around dual recording.With Dual Capture on iPhone 17, Center Stage's ability to keep you in the middle of the action with the front camera should let you focus more on getting the best shot with the rear lenses.While I'd love to see Apple cram more pixels into the 18MP Center Stage camera, moving to a square sensor will honestly be more impactful for all of the reasons above. It's easy to throw in a higher resolution sensor, it's tougher to fundamentally rethink how you can improve upon something as simple as taking a selfie.

In one of the most unexpected announcements of today's Nintendo Direct, Game Freak revealed Pokemon Pokopia, a game that is clearly inspired by the Animal Crossing series. When Pokopia is released sometime next year, you'll assume the role of a Ditto determined to make a comfortable home for their friends. This Ditto has assumed the form of a human, and as they meet new Pokemon, they'll learn abilities they can use to transform their community. In turn, this work will lead to more Pokemon coming to live in your home. The game features a beautiful tilt-shift art style that is reminiscent of Pokemon's third generation of games that debuted on the Game Boy Advance.No word yet on an exact release date, but the game will be a Switch 2 exclusive.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/pokemon-pokopia-looks-like-animal-crossing-for-pokemon-fans-and-im-here-for-it-141239467.html?src=rss

Nintendo had a truly wild surprise up its sleeve for Switch Online + Expansion Pack during its Direct event on Friday. The company is bringing back the Virtual Boy as a physical device into which you can slot your Switch or Switch 2. A plastic replica of the mid-90s tabletop system will soon be available for Switch Online members to buy. The company will sell a cardboard version of the accessory too. No need to rub your eyes in disbelief (but if history is any indication, you might have to for relief after using this thing).You'll need either accessory to play Virtual Boy games, which will start hitting Switch Online + Expansion Pack on February 17. Mario's Tennis (a pack-in game for the original system), Galactic Pinball, Teleroboxer, Space Invaders and Tetris are among the 14 stereoscopic 3D Virtual Boy games that Nintendo will bring to the subscription service over time.That means most of the Virtual Boy games that were ever released are coming to Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Nintendo only released 22 of them, since the Virtual Boy never took off. The company ended production of the device and stopped making games for it in 1996, only a year after the Virtual Boy hit shelves. Here's hoping the latest version of the accessory doesn't give players too many headaches.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-is-bringing-back-the-virtual-boy-as-a-switch-and-switch-2-accessory-140037508.html?src=rss

Donkey Kong Bananza, probably my favorite game of the year, is getting a paid expansion today called DK Island & Emerald Rush. As the title implies, you'll get to explore the island where Donkey Kong hails from and visit a whole host of his friends while you're at it. Naturally, there is more to explore and find there, but there's also a whole new set of challenges once you've finished the main game story. That's the titular Emerald Rush.The timed missions involve you running around the island smashing as much green ore as you can get. As you go, smashing fossils you find unlocks various perks, which in turn help you amass more emeralds. Some of those perks act as multipliers on how much emerald you collect; others do things like make more treasure chests (that are naturally loaded with emeralds) appear. In somewhat roguelike fashion, your perks and skill reset after every run - but the location of things like fossils and Banandium Gems stay the same. So as you learn the levels, you'll be able to further maximize your collection.Emerald Rush mode isn't limited to the new DK Island layer, either - it'll be integrated into other layers in the main game. As with everything else in Donkey Kong Bananza, it looks like a pretty delightful time. The DLC is set to go live today, but it's not up in the Nintendo eShop yet so its price remains a mystery.If you haven't played the main game yet, Nintendo also released a demo that you can try later today, as well.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/donkey-kong-bananza-is-getting-a-dlc-expansion-today-140016430.html?src=rss

Supergiant has a thing for dropping its biggest Hades news at Nintendo Directs. Five years after launching the first game during a Nintendo stream, the developer struck again. The 1.0 version of Hades II is coming on September 25, for Switch and Switch 2.Of course, Hades II isn't exactly new to PC players. It's been in early access there for 16 months. Despite being a pre-release version, it has over 63,000 Steam reviews. Its reception averages "very positive" (and "overwhelmingly positive" for those written in English). The 1.0 edition promises not only the game's console debut but its true ending.Only the Switch versions were covered in the Nintendo Direct (duh). But we already knew the PC and Mac editions were launching simultaneously with them. So, expect its Steam and Epic listings to be updated in short order. Like the original game, Hades II is likely a timed console exclusive. So, while it isn't yet official, you can expect PlayStation and Xbox versions sometime down the road.According to Supergiant, Hades II will support 120 fps when the Switch 2 is in TV mode. That drops to 60 fps for Switch 2 in 1080p, while the original Switch can handle that same refresh rate at only 720p. Both Switch version will cross-save with the Steam and Epic versions as well.The Hades sequel shifts the focus from Zagreus to his sister, Melinoe, princess of the underworld. She's up against Chronos: the Titan of Time, father of Hades and bona fide asshole. Supergiant says the roguelike runs at a smooth 60 fps on the Switch 2.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/hades-ii-is-coming-to-switch-and-switch-2-on-september-25-133511122.html?src=rss

The long-awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is coming on December 4 to both the original Switch and the recently-released Switch 2, as announced during today's Nintendo Direct livestream. The Switch 2 is getting a dedicated version with upscaled graphics and some other bells and whistles, just like the upcoming Pokemon Legends: Z-A.We already knew the next Metroid would drop sometime in 2025, but it's nice to have an actual release date. We got a nifty trailer for the first-person adventure earlier this year that showed off new power-ups for protagonist Samus Aran. The game looks very fun and certainly seems to capture the spirit of its predecessors.The plot involves Samus exploring a jungle planet and battling malevolent alien creatures which more than likely include the titular Metroids. This is a first-person game, unlike the relatively recent Metroid Dread, with an emphasis on scanning the environment and solving puzzles.The first Metroid Prime was released all the way back in 2002 for the Nintendo Gamecube. The fourth entry has experienced a rocky development cycle, with Nintendo scrapping the project entirely in 2019 to start over from scratch.The Metroid series dates back to 1986 with the NES original. The franchise represents one half of the popular Metroidvania genre, which is buzzy right now thanks to the release of Hollow Knight: Silksong. A price has not yet been announced.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/metroid-prime-4-will-be-released-on-december-4-for-switch-1-and-2-134718933.html?src=rss

Switch 2 fans have a new Mario Tennis game to look forward to early next year. During Friday's Direct presentation, Nintendo announced Mario Tennis Fever. It's the first new entry in the long-running series since the release of Mario Tennis Acesin 2018. The new game will be a Switch 2 exclusive, with Nintendo promising plenty of tweaks to an established formula. For one, there are new defensive moves your character can take, including slides and dives, to prevent your opponent from scoring a point.Then there are the fever rackets, from which the game is named after. These essentially allow you to snowball against your opponent by building a rally gauge and then executing a "fever shot." The effect of these depend on the racket you have equipped. For example, the ice racket will freeze a part of the court, while the mini mushroom racket will shrink your opponents, making it harder for them to cover their side of the court, if they're hit by its projectiles. There are 30 fever rackets to try. Mario Tennis Fever will also offer the biggest roster in series history. In all, there are 38 playable characters, including fan-favorites like Rosalina and Donkey Kong.On top of that, Fever looks to offer plenty of different ways to play, with online play offered alongside a silly story mode that sees Mario and his friends turned into babies and forced to relearn the rules of tennis. There's even a swing mode where you can use the Joy-Cons motion controls for a "more authentic experience."You won't have to wait long to play Mario Tennis Fever, with the game set to release on February 12, 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-tennis-fever-hits-the-court-on-february-12-134227490.html?src=rss

Nintendo is dropping a slew of Mario-related announcements this morning as part of the franchise's 40th anniversary, including a new game starring his dinosaur companion. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is coming out for Switch 2 in the Spring of 2026 and the brief bit of gameplay we saw plants it squarely in the cutesy yet intriguing tradition of past Yoshi platformers.The game's worlds and levels appear to be part of a book named Mr. Encyclopedia (or Mr. E for short) that Yoshi can jump into and explore. The game's main hook is traveling through those worlds and documenting the creatures you meet along the way, whose special abilities are what let you progress. For example, there's a little yellow walking flower that feels quite familiar from past Yoshi games; finding it and letting it ride on Yoshi makes other flowers bloom in the level. Presumably, that's a component to getting to where you need to go. In another level, dandelions that you can scatter will make rocks brittle so you can pound them and proceed.As with most Yoshi games, there's a cute and distinctive art style on display here -the gameplay will be recognizable to anyone who has played games going all the way back to Yoshi's Island on the SNES, but obviously with more modern tweaks. It's not the same aesthetic as the yarn- and craft-based things we've seen on games like Yoshi's Crafted World and Yoshi's Wooly World (which introduced the absolutely adorable yarn-based Yoshi) but it's in the ballpark.While Yoshi and the Mysterious World continues the kid-friendly aesthetics of those earlier games, I'm hoping it brings some of the challenge found in old-school titles like Yoshi's Island. We'll find out next year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/yoshi-and-the-mysterious-book-is-a-new-platformer-coming-to-the-switch-2-next-spring-133805615.html?src=rss

Nintendo kicked off its latest Direct on Friday with a slew of Mario-related news to mark the 40th anniversary of its mascot. One of those announcements was for a Nintendo Switch 2 version of the delightful Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which is coming next spring. It will feature fresh multiplayer modes and other new features that Nintendo will reveal later.A region called Bellabel Park will open up. You'll be able to hop into several modes with family and friends, such as one that will see you compete to collect the most coins on a course and a game of tag. There's also a Bob-omb relay race, a mini game where you'll lay out donut blocks for each other to progress through a level and a rhythm game.In addition, Nintendo is going to sell a physical version of the annoying cute talking flower from Super Mario Bros. Wonder. That's coming your way next spring too.

Nintendo just dropped a trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the sequel to the immensely popular The Super Mario Bros. Movie. This is good timing, given that tomorrow is officially the mustached plumber's 40th birthday. It hits theaters on April TK, 2026.We've known this movie was coming for a while now, and even had an approximate release date. Now we have a trailer and it's a doozy. Shared during today's Nintendo Direct livestream event, the footage shows several deep-cut characters and locations from throughout the Mushroom Kingdom (and beyond.)This is a teaser trailer, however, so we still don't know too much about the plot. We do know that many of the first film's actors are returning for the sequel, including Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach.The sequel is something of a no-brainer, given that the first film was a cultural juggernaut. It's the most financially successful video game adaptation of all time and the third highest-grossing animated film ever. All told, it banked around $1.36 billion at the box office.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-will-be-marios-next-crack-at-the-big-screen-130840015.html?src=rss

As is often the case, the tech news tide is out after Apple's iPhone 17 event. (Did we do a dedicated newsletter on all the announcements? Yes, yes we did.)Before the weekend, though, there's still more to read about. But let's start with the not-great tech news. David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, plans to make HBO more expensive and passwords a lot harder to share. These were part of his comments at a Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, which sounds awful.The main thrust of his argument was that HBO Max's content is so good that Zaslav thinks he should charge a lot more for it.- Mat SmithGet Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The news you might have missed

If you travel or sometimes work away from your desk, a laptop power bank may come in handy. These larger portable chargers pack enough power to refill a phone multiple times, a tablet a couple times over and get most laptops from near-dead to work-ready in around an hour. Over the past few years, I've tested dozens of batteries for our power banks guide and a number of them make great options for laptops. These are the best laptop power banks based on our testing, along with a bit of info on how to fly with a portable battery and what to look for in a good one. Table of contents

The best gaming keyboards bring a greater feeling of comfort and control to your PC play time, whether you're sinking into a 100-hour RPG or sweating through an online shooter. They may not always feel as premium for typing as a good custom mechanical keyboard, but they're usually a nice upgrade over the ordinary keyboards sitting around the office. To help anyone looking to upgrade, I've spent more time researching gaming keyboards than any person reasonably should, testing dozens of well-reviewed models along the way. Whether you want something mini, analog, wireless or just plain cheap, these are the best I've used. What to look for in a gaming keyboard To be clear, any keyboard can be a gaming keyboard." If you play lots of video games and have never sighed to yourself, man, this keyboard is holding me back," congratulations, you probably don't need to pay extra for a new one. Self-proclaimed gaming keyboards often come at a premium, and while the best offer high-quality designs, snazzy RGB lighting and a few genuinely worthwhile features, none of them will give you god-like skill, nor will they suddenly turn bad games into good ones. Mechanical vs non-mechanical Now that we've touched grass, I did prioritize some features while researching this guide. First, I mostly stuck to mechanical keyboards, not laptop-style membrane models. They can be loud, but they're more durable, customizable and broadly satisfying to press - all positive traits for a product you may use for hours-long gaming sessions. Size Next, I preferred tenkeyless (TKL) or smaller layouts. It's totally fine to use a full-size board if you really want a number pad, but a compact model gives you more space to flick your mouse around. It also lets you keep your mouse closer to your body, which can reduce the tension placed on your arms and shoulders. From top to bottom: A 96 percent keyboard, an 80 percent (or tenkeyless) keyboard and a 60 percent keyboard. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Switches, keycaps and build quality Linear switches, which are often branded as red," are generally favored by gamers. These give keystrokes a smooth feel from top to bottom, with no tactile bump" that could make fast, repeated presses less consistent. They usually require little force to actuate, and they tend to be quiet. However, if you prefer the feel and/or sound of a more tactile or clicky switch, get one of those instead. You might lose some speed in esports-style games, but nothing is more important than your comfort. Some gaming keyboards are based on different mechanisms entirely. Optical switches, for instance, use a beam of light to register keystrokes, while Hall effect switches use magnets. These often feel linear, but they allow for a more versatile set of gaming-friendly features, such as the ability to set custom actuation points, assign multiple commands to one key and repeat key presses faster. In general, they're faster and more durable too. The Wooting 60HE+ is one gaming keyboard that has helped popularize the use of magnetic Hall effect switches. Jeff Dunn for Engadget This analog-style functionality has become the big trend in the gaming keyboard market over the last few years. Most of the major keyboard brands now sell at least one model with Hall effect switches and, based on my testing, it's easy to see why: Many of their customizations really can give you a more granular (yet still fair) sense of control, especially in more competitive games. Consequently, many of our picks below are built with the tech. Keyboards with these kind of features usually aren't cheap, however, and they're far from essential for those who mainly play single-player games. Some of their tricks have also stirred up controversy: One known as SOCD (Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions) cleaning allows you to activate two different directional keys at the same time, making it possible to, among other things, achieve impossibly perfect strafing in shooting games. A few games such as Counter-Strike 2 have banned the feature as a result, though it can still be a fun thing to play around with in games that don't involve other people. SOCD isn't limited to magnetic switches either; some mechanical keyboards support it too. A small handful of recent keyboards have shipped with inductive switches, which promise the adjustable actuation features of Hall effect keyboards but with better battery efficiency. We haven't been able to test one of these just yet, but we'll look to do so in the future. A handful of dye-sub PBT keycaps. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Keycaps and build quality Regardless of switch type, you want a frame that doesn't flex under pressure, keys that don't wobble and stabilizers that don't rattle when you hit larger keys like the spacebar. I prefer double-shot PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) keycaps over those that use cheaper ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic, as they won't develop a greasy shine over time and their icons are less likely to fade. A hot-swappable PCB (printed circuit board) that makes it easy to change switches if the mood arises is ideal, as are dedicated media keys. For the sake of simplicity, I only considered prebuilt gaming keyboards for this guide, though many of the picks below allow for customization down the line. If you (and your bank account) really want to go wild, check out our guide to building a custom keyboard. Software, connectivity and RGB If a keyboard has companion software, it should let you program macros and custom key bindings for games without frustration. For convenience, a wired keyboard should connect through a detachable USB-C cable. A good wireless keyboard won't add serious lag, but only if it uses a USB receiver, not Bluetooth. (It'll probably cost more as well.) Some gaming keyboards advertise super-high polling rates - i.e., the speed at which a keyboard reports to a computer - to reduce latency, but unless your monitor has an especially fast refresh rate, the usual standard of 1,000Hz should be fine. And while nobody needs RGB lighting, it's fun. Consumer tech could use more of that, so the cleaner and more customizable the RGB is, the better. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget How we tested The best way to evaluate a keyboard is to just... use it, so that's what I did. To cover a variety of use cases and design styles, I've researched dozens of keyboards over the past several months that've broadly received high marks from professional reviewers and users alike. I've then used each model I've brought in as my daily driver for a few days. Since I write for a living, this gave me enough time to get a strong sense of each keyboard's typing experience. For gaming, I give special focus to each keyboard's responsiveness in fast and/or reaction-based online shooters such as Halo Infinite, Counter-Strike 2, Apex Legends, Valorant, Overwatch 2 and XDefiant, as many would-be gaming keyboard buyers get one in the hopes that it'll help with that genre in particular. I made sure each keyboard felt comfortable with other types of games, though, such as Baldur's Gate 3 (a turn-based RPG), Hi-Fi Rush (an action game with an emphasis on timing and rhythm) and Forza Horizon 5 (an arcade racing game). I used the latter to better evaluate the pressure-sensitive features of the analog keyboards I tested. If a keyboard could be configured with multiple switch types, I got the linear model. Upon receiving each keyboard, I removed several keycaps to ensure none were chipped or broken. I noted whether any keys felt wobbly, whether the case flexes under pressure, whether the texture and finish of the keycaps changes after use and whether larger keys like the spacebar felt particularly rattly or hollow. I typed on each keyboard in quick succession in a quiet room to get a sense of where they ranked in terms of noise. For wireless models, I checked whether the battery drain at 50 percent RGB brightness aligned with a manufacturer's estimate. I looked to results from sites like Rtings to ensure nothing was out of order with latency. I did my testing on a 144Hz monitor with my personal rig, which includes a 10th-gen Core i9 CPU and an RTX 3080 GPU. This helped me ensure each keyboard met a baseline of overall quality, but to reiterate, so much of this process is subjective. I can tell you if a keyboard is loud based on how I slam my keys, for instance, but you may have a lighter touch. What my tastes find comfortable," pleasing," or even useful," you may dislike. As I've written before, keyboards are like food or art in that way. So, keep an open mind. Other gaming keyboards we tested The Wooting 60HE. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Note: The following is a selection of noteworthy gaming keyboards we've put through their paces, not a comprehensive list of everything we've ever tried. Wooting 60HE+ You can consider the Wooting 60HE+ our 1A" pick, as it's essentially a more compact version of the 80HE with a 60 percent layout. It supports the same analog gaming features, has the same four-year warranty and still uses the great Wootility software. It's also $25 cheaper. If you prefer a smaller design and don't need arrow keys, you can buy it with confidence. However, more people will find the 80HE's larger layout easier to use on a day-to-day basis. Its gasket mount, updated switches and extra sound-dampening material make it more pleasant-sounding and comfier for typing out of the box. Plus, while the 60HE+ can only rest at one fixed angle, the 80HE comes with a few sets of removable feet. It's also worth noting that Wooting has announced an updated model called the 60HE V2 since our last update. That one is expected to arrive by the end of 2025, so if you're not in a rush it may be worth holding out for a few more months. Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid The Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid is a good magnetic-switch alternative to the Wooting 80HE if you must buy from one of the major keyboard brands. It's wired-only, but it looks good, with clear RGB lighting, a built-in volume roller, dedicated media keys and a sturdy metal top plate. The expected rapid trigger and adjustable actuation tricks all work fine, and Logitech's G Hub software is easier to get around than most apps from the big-name manufacturers. It can recognize when you've launched certain games, for instance, then apply any custom profiles you've made for them automatically. It's $10 cheaper than the 80HE as well. Where it falls short is the typing experience: The default switches are pretty noisy, and bottoming out the keys feels stiffer here compared to our top picks. If you want those Wooting-style features and prefer a clackier sound, however, it's a decent buy. Logitech G Pro X TKL and G Pro X 60 The wireless Logitech G Pro X TKL and G Pro X 60, which use more traditional mechanical switches, aren't as hot. They're built well, but they're too pricey to not be hot-swappable or lack the analog features of the 80HE. There isn't much sound-dampening foam in either models, too, so neither sounds great. We like that both come with a carrying case, though. The Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid. Jeff Dunn for Engadget Keychron C3 Pro The tenkeyless Keychron C3 Pro is the top budget pick in our mechanical keyboard guide, and it remains a great stand-in for the G.Skill KM250 RGB if you want to stay under $50. With its gasket mount design, internal foam and pre-lubed switches, it feels and sounds fuller to press. The base version we tested lacks hot-swappable switches and only has a red backlight, but Keychron has released a revised model that addresses that and add full RGB. That said, its ABS keycaps still feel cheaper and can develop a shine over time, plus there's no volume knob. Some may find KM250's smaller size more convenient for gaming, too. A more recent update called the C3 Pro 8K does include PBT keycaps for $55; we'll aim to test that one in the future. Keychron Q1 HE The Keychron Q1 HE is sort of an older version of the Lemokey P1 HE with the same magnetic switches and a similarly excellent aluminum chassis. Its double-gasket design, pre-lubed switches and layers of foam make it a joy for typing. But its gaming features rely on the same iffy software, while the stock keycaps are sculpted in a way that makes them trickier to press quickly. Those keycaps aren't shine-through either, and the whole thing is more expensive, so there isn't much reason to buy it over the P1 HE. The Keychron Q1 HE. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Sony Inzone KBD-H75 The Sony Inzone KBD-H75 is another one that ticks most of the boxes we're looking for. Its 75-percent frame is compact but not cramped. It looks plain, but it wouldn't be out of place in an office. The metal top comes off as substantial - though the bottom is made of plastic - while the PBT keycaps are durable, with shine-through lighting. A gasket-mount design and some quality stabilizers help the typing experience feel and sound great. Presses have a nice clack, but they're muted enough that they shouldn't annoy anyone around you. The magnetic Hall effect switches let you customize actuation points and utilize a rapid trigger mode. General latency is excellent, and Sony's Inzone Hub isn't as fussy or obtuse as many companion apps in this market. There's also a volume knob. The problem is that all of this costs $300, and that's a lot for a keyboard without wireless connectivity (or proper macOS support). Competitive gamers may not care about that, but for most others, there are better values out there. If you ever see this one on sale, however, it's well worth a look, as the stock typing feel is a bit nicer than that of the Wooting 80HE. Razer Joro The Razer Joro is a decent choice if you want a portable scissor-switch keyboard instead of a bulky mechanical one. It's essentially a gamer" take on Apple's Magic Keyboard, with a slick black finish, sturdy aluminum top plate, RGB lighting and SOCD support. The 75-percent layout is super low-profile and weighs just 0.8 pounds, so it's extremely travel-friendly. The typing experience is stable, wonderfully quiet and comfortable for what it is - put it in a laptop and it'd be a standout. It all works across Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. That said, it'll never feel as cushy as a good mechanical board over extended sessions. The design is fixed at one flat angle, which some may find uncomfortable. The ABS keycaps aren't great for something priced at $140, and while there is 2.4GHz wireless support, you need to buy a separate dongle to actually use it. Otherwise, you're playing over Bluetooth, which adds latency, or a short USB-C cable. The Joro serves its niche well enough if you're always on the road, but it's a skip if you don't game beyond your desk very often. The Razer Joro (top) and Sony Inzone KBD-H75 Jeff Dunn for Engadget Razer Huntsman V2 TKL We previously recommended the Razer Huntsman V2 TKL as a mid-priced pick thanks to its light optical switches, crisp PBT keycaps and impressively muffled tone (with the linear-switch model, at least). Its lack of analog features make it a harder sell these days, though, and its keys wobble more than those on the Keychron V3 Max. It's not hot-swappable, either. Beyond that, only the version with clicky switches - which sound uncomfortably sharp - is still in stock as of this writing. Razer Huntsman V3 Pro The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is a line of wired analog keyboards that comes in 60 percent, TKL and full-size options. They have just about all the features we like on the Wooting 80HE, but their optical switches are noisier and more hollow-feeling. The Razer Huntsman V2 TKL. Jeff Dunn for Engadget Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is Razer's top-of-the-line wireless keyboard. It's fully hot-swappable, with heavily textured PBT keycaps, a robust aluminum top case and a nifty OLED display. The tactile Razer Orange switches in our test unit consistently feel tight, the larger keys don't really rattle and the RGB backlight shines through beautifully. It's a good keyboard - but it's just not luxurious enough to warrant its $300 price tag, especially since it lacks any sort of analog-style functionality. The stock switches are a little too sharp-sounding for our liking as well. Razer Huntsman Mini The Razer Huntsman Mini is a fine choice if you want a 60 percent keyboard and don't need Wooting-style software tricks, with textured PBT keycaps, a sturdy aluminum top plate and the same fast optical switches we praised with the Huntsman V2 TKL. The 60HE+ is much more versatile, though, while the KM250 RGB is a more appealing value. The Razer BlackWidow V4 75%. Jeff Dunn for Engadget ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless The ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless (phew) is a strong alternative to the Apex Pro TKL if you want to go wireless. It's a joy to type on, with superb sound dampening, pre-lubed ROG NX switches, an impressively sturdy case and stable, PBT-coated keys. It's hot-swappable, its battery life rating is much higher than the Apex Pro TKL Wireless (90 hours with RGB on) and it has a multi-function key that puts volume, media and RGB controls in one place. At $170 or so, it's usually much cheaper than our SteelSeries pick as well. However, it doesn't have the rapid trigger or custom actuation tricks of Hall effect keyboards like the Apex Pro TKL Wireless or Lemokey P1 HE, and ASUS's Armoury Crate software is a bit of a mess. The Lemokey P1 HE's all-metal design feels higher-end, too. But if you care about typing experience more than extra gaming-friendly features, this one is still worth looking into. ASUS ROG Azoth The ASUS ROG Azoth is like a smaller version of the ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless with a few more enthusiast touches, such as a gasket-mounted design - which gives keystrokes a softer feel - a programmable OLED display and a toolkit for lubing switches in the box. It's exceptionally well-made by any standard, not just for a gaming keyboard." But its feature set still isn't as flexible as the Wooting 80HE or SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless, which makes its $275 list price a tough ask. ASUS recently released a new model called the ROG Azoth X, though that one costs $300 and has a much louder aesthetic. The ASUS ROG Azoth. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard The 75 percent Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard is much better than its bland name suggests, with high-quality PBT keycaps, smooth linear switches (which are hot-swappable), wonderfully clean RGB lighting, a steady wireless connection and a rigid yet lightweight design. But it's fairly loud, and at $200 there isn't much reason to take it over the Lemokey P1 HE, which has a higher-quality design and more capable magnetic switches, or the ASUS Strix Scope II 96 Wireless, which offers a similarly pleasing typing experience at a slightly lower price. It's worth considering if you see it on sale, though. NZXT Function 2 and Function 2 MiniTKL The full-size NZXT Function 2 and tenkeyless Function 2 MiniTKL are totally solid midrange options with fast optical switches and the ability to swap between two universal actuation points, but they're let down by mediocre stabilizers on the larger keys. The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard. Jeff Dunn for Engadget NuPhy Air75 V2 The NuPhy Air75 V2 is a stylish wireless keyboard with a low-profile design. We've recommended it in our mechanical keyboard buying guide, as it's an excellent choice if you want something that blends the flatter, compact shape of a laptop keyboard with the more tactile feel of mechanical switches. The design isn't entirely ideal for gaming, though, as the wide keys can make it a little too easy to fat-finger inputs by accident and the stock keycaps aren't shine-through. This is another one that recently received a refresh, though. NuPhy also sells a model with Hall effect switches. We'll aim to test those for a future update. Corsair K70 Max The Corsair K70 Max is another one with magnetic switches, but trying to program its more advanced features through Corsair's iCue software was a pain. The NuPhy Air75 V2. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Corsair K70 RGB TKL The Corsair K70 RGB TKL is a decent if basic midrange model, but it's also on the noisy side compared to our top picks and it's saddled with middling software. Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL The Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL is another low-profile model that generally feels comfortable and well-built, even if it's entirely made of plastic. It's a decent alternative to the NuPhy Air75 series, as it's much quieter with its GL Tactile switches and comes with shine-through keycaps by default. However, those switches aren't hot-swappable, and the board can't connect to multiple devices simultaneously over Bluetooth. The low-profile shape still isn't the best for gaming either, plus the stock keycaps aren't quite as grippy as other PBT options we've used. The Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL. Jeff Dunn for Engadget Recent updates September 2025: We've taken a sweep to make sure our picks are still accurate and added testing notes on a couple new keyboards in the Razer Joro and Sony Inzone KBD-H75. February 2025: We've overhauled this guide with new picks: The Wooting 80HE is now our top recommendation overall, the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (Gen 3) is our new "best wireless" option and the Lemokey P1 HE slots in as an honorable mention. We've also added notes on several more gaming keyboards we've tested since our last update, including Logitech's G Pro X TKL Rapid and G515 Lightspeed TKL, Razer's BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% and Alienware's Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard. Finally, we've made a few minor updates to our "What to look for in a gaming keyboard" section. June 2024: We updated this guide with a new traditional mechanical keyboard" pick, the Keychron V3 Max, plus a couple new honorable mentions and more notes on other gaming keyboards we've tried. Note that we've tested - and will continue to test - several other keyboards that aren't explicitly marketed toward gaming, but we'll direct you to our general mechanical keyboard buying guide for more info on those.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/best-gaming-keyboard-140019954.html?src=rss

Microsoft and OpenAI have issued a joint statement to say that they have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding for the "next phase" of their partnership. The companies are still finalizing the terms of agreement and haven't shared the details of what their future would look like exactly. But according to The New York Times, the deal includes hows the parties share technology and and the revenue from those technologies. The new agreement also reportedly modifies the clause in the original, which states that Microsoft cannot access OpenAI's most powerful technology if its board decides that it has reached human-like artificial general intelligence or AGI.In addition to the new deal, The Times says OpenAI is giving an equity stake worth at least $100 billion to its nonprofit arm that will continue to oversee and control the organization. As the publication notes, a change in the company's agreement paves the way for OpenAI to transition into a public benefit corporation, a type of corporation that's meant to make a positive impact on society, and for an eventual IPO. OpenAI had to reach an acceptable agreement with Microsoft first, including how much equity it's getting in the AI firm's for-profit arm. Microsoft had invested over $13 billion into OpenAI and is entitled to 49 percent of its future profits.Reports about OpenAI moving away from its complicated non-profit structure started coming out last year. After Christmas in 2024, it officially announced its plan to transform itself into a public benefit corporation with ordinary shares of stock. "It will enable us to raise the necessary capital with conventional terms like others in this space," it said at the time. In May, however, OpenAI announced that it was no longer going to remove the control of its for-profit arm from its non-profit board. "OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit, and is today overseen and controlled by that nonprofit. Going forward, it will continue to be overseen and controlled by that nonprofit," it said.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsoft-and-openai-announce-the-next-phase-of-their-partnership-035247037.html?src=rss

Google Maps suffered an outage that left the mobile version of the service unable to fully load its map or provide directions. Over 4,000 reports were filed on Downdetector since the outage started, and Google's Status Dashboard noted that the company was investigating an issue with the Maps SDK and Navigation SDK at 3:34PM ET. By 6:27PM ET, Google said the issue has been resolved and that it will publish an "analysis of this incident" once it has completed its internal investigation.At the peak of the outage, both the Android and iOS versions of Google Maps were unable to fully load a map, display listings or provide directions. In at least one case, the apps also showed an error message saying that Google Maps "Cannot reach server." Whatever caused the outage hasn't extend to the web version of the navigation service, which continues to work as normal.Ian Carlos Campbell for EngadgetGoogle's dashboard updated to say that "mitigation work is currently underway by our engineering team" and that it was "seeing indications of recovery" at around 5:22PM ET. Around 30 minutes later, the company said that the issue was partially resolved, but that it couldn't share "an ETA for full resolution at this point."In the description of the issue on Google's Status Dashboard, Google has yet to provide an explanation for the outage or detailed what it's doing to fix the issue. Engadget has contacted Google for more information and will update this article if we here back.Google's last major outage occurred in June, though it was primarily concentrated in the company's Google Cloud service. Given the number of clients who use Google Cloud, the outage impacted everything from Spotify to Snapchat for multiple hours.Update, September 11, 2025, 6:09PM ET: Updated article again to include details from Google's Status Dashboard.Update, September 11, 2025, 5:38PM ET: Updated article to include new information shared on Google's Status Dashboard.Update, September 11, 2025 9:51PM ET: Updated article to note that the issue has been resolved.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-maps-isnt-loading-in-some-regions-due-to-an-apparent-outage-204458737.html?src=rss

Welcome to Video Games Weekly on Engadget. Expect a new story every Monday or Tuesday (Or, I dunno, Thursday), broken into two parts. The first is a space for short essays and ramblings about video game trends and related topics from me, Jess Conditt, a reporter who's covered the industry for more than 13 years. The second contains the video game stories from the past week that you need to know about, including some headlines from outside of Engadget.Please enjoy - and I'll see you next week.Earlier this week, FlyQuest top laner Bwipo (Gabriel Rau) was suspended for one series of the League of Legends LTA playoffs after saying some wild stuff during a livestream about women and their ability to play esports. Here's a sampling of what he said:

Merriam-Webster and its parent company Encyclopedia Britannica are the latest to take on AI in court. The plaintiffs have sued Perplexity, claiming that AI company's "answer engine" product unlawfully copies their copyrighted materials. They are also alleging copyright infringement for instances where Perplexity's AI creates false or inaccurate hallucinations that it then wrongly attributes to Britannica or Merriam-Webster. The complaint, filed in New York federal court, is seeking unspecified monetary damages and an order that blocks Perplexity from misusing their content."Perplexity's so-called "answer engine" eliminates users' clicks on Plaintiffs' and other web publishers' websites-and, in turn, starves web publishers of revenue-by generating responses to users' queries that substitute the content from other information websites," the filing reads. "To build its substitute product, Perplexity engages in massive copying of Plaintiffs' and other web publishers' protected content without authorization or remuneration."This isn't Perplexity's first time facing allegations that it has unlawfully taken another website's content. Last year, the AI company was accused of copyright infringement by the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. Just last month a pair of Japanese media companies, Nikkei and the Asahi Shimbun, sued it on similar claims.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/perplexitys-definition-of-copyright-gets-it-sued-by-the-dictionary-213408625.html?src=rss

The US Department of Justice sued Uber on Thursday over disability discrimination... again. The lawsuit claims the company and its drivers "routinely refuse to serve individuals with disabilities." It specifically calls out its handling of passengers with service animals or stowable wheelchairs. The suit was filed in federal court in Northern California."Despite the importance of its services to people with disabilities, Uber denies people with disabilities full and equal enjoyment of its services in several critical ways," the lawsuit reads. It also accuses Uber's drivers of insulting and demeaning people with disabilities and asking them inappropriate questions.In a statement sent to Engadget, Uber contested the government's claims. "Riders who use guide dogs or other assistive devices deserve a safe, respectful, and welcoming experience on Uber - full stop," the company wrote. "We have a clear zero-tolerance policy for confirmed service denials, and we fundamentally disagree with the DOJ's allegations."Uber said all drivers must acknowledge and agree to its service animal policy before they can begin driving. "When we confirm a violation, we take decisive action, including permanent account deactivation," the company wrote. Uber noted that its community guidelines prohibit discrimination. It also added that it sent a service animal education video to all US drivers last year, explaining their vital role.UberEarlier this year, Uber added a feature that lets passengers alert drivers that they'll be traveling with service animals. The DOJ's complaint says the company introduced the feature only after being notified of the investigation. "But Uber has continued to discriminate against riders who use service animals notwithstanding the feature," the filing reads.The DOJ is seeking a jury trial, injunctive relief and monetary damages. It also wants to charge Uber a civil fine for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.If this all sounds familiar, there's a good reason. The DOJ sued Uber in 2021 over similar claims. That suit focused on "wait time" fees sent to passengers who, due to their disabilities, needed more time. The two sides settled the lawsuit in 2022. Uber agreed to pay at least $2.2 million to passengers with disabilities who were charged waiting fees. The company has also faced a string of lawsuits from passengers over serving riders with disabilities.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/the-doj-sues-uber-again-for-allegedly-discriminating-against-people-with-disabilities-195442362.html?src=rss

Paramount Skydance, apparently now in a state of permanent merger, plans to make a bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, The Wall Street Journal reports. The company was recently formed following Skydance's acquisition of Paramount for $8 billion. Newly anointed Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison was able to afford the acquisition thanks to the backing of his billionaire father, Larry Ellison.Despite Warner Bros. Discovery's public plans to split back into Warner Bros. and Discovery Global, "the bid will be for the entire company, including its cable networks and movie studio," the report says. A successful acquisition of the company will likely be very pricey. According to The Wall Street Journal, "Warner Bros.'s nearly $33 billion market cap is more than double that of Paramount Skydance."Further consolidation in the entertainment industry will likely lead to less varied and interesting film and television, but a merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery could also concentrate even more power in the hands of the federal government.Prior to the deal going through, CBS paid $16 billion to settle a lawsuit with Trump, which may have affected the President's stance towards the acquisition. Skydance's commitment to abandon DEI programs at CBS and make the television network "embody a diversity of viewpoints across the political and ideological spectrum" was also cited as justification for the FCC approving the acquisition. Following the deal, Paramount appointed Kenneth Weinstein as an Ombudsman to "review editorial questions and concerns from outside entities and employees." Weinstein previously served as an advisor to the Trump administration, Variety reports.Fusing two giant Hollywood studios obviously impacts competition. The question now is how the FCC will respond to this possible acquisition, with even more money and power on the line.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/paramount-reportedly-wants-to-acquire-warner-bros-discovery-antitrust-law-be-damned-193306141.html?src=rss

Apple's September event put the spotlight on iPhones, but the Apple Watch Series 11 quietly picked up some big quality-of-life changes. The new watch looks the same as the Series 10, but there are meaningful upgrades: 24-hour battery life (up from 18 hours), 5G connectivity on cellular models and tougher Ion-X glass on aluminum versions. The Series 11 also debuts a new health feature, hypertension notifications, which will alert you if your data shows consistent signs of high blood pressure. Importantly, Apple confirmed that this feature will also roll out to older watches, including the Series 10, Series 9 and Ultra 2 via watchOS 26. The Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $399 and keeps the same 42mm and 46mm case sizes as its predecessor. It runs watchOS 26, uses the same S10 chip and supports the full health suite with ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, temperature sensing, sleep apnea alerts and sleep scoring. As usual, the older your Apple Watch - especially Series 8 and earlier - the more tangible improvements and benefits you'll see from jumping to the Series 11. But if you already have a Series 10, is it worth upgrading? For most people, the answer depends on how much you value endurance and connectivity. Let's take a closer look at what's new and what's the same when it comes to the new Apple Watch Series 11 and last year's Series 10. Design and display At first glance, these watches are nearly identical. Both use Apple's familiar slim cases in aluminum or titanium, and feature the same Retina LTPO OLED display with always-on functionality and up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness. Physically, they are virtually indistinguishable. If you walked into an Apple Store and mixed them up on the table, you'd probably need to flip them over and check the spec sheet to tell which was which. The change is under the surface, as the Series 11 aluminum models gain Ion-X glass with a ceramic coating that Apple says is twice as scratch-resistant as the Series 10. It's not indestructible, but if you're the type who regularly introduces your watch to door frames, it might save you a few scuffs. Performance and connectivity Performance remains steady between the two generations. Both use the S10 chip introduced in 2024, which means apps launch quickly and the overall experience should feel fluid. The one major change is in connectivity. The Series 11's cellular models now support 5G, while the Series 10 remains limited to LTE. That won't matter if you always keep your iPhone nearby, but if you're the kind of person who likes to head out for a run or grab a coffee without a phone in your pocket, 5G gives you more breathing room. Health and fitness features Health and fitness tracking is robust on both models. ECG, blood oxygen, temperature sensing, sleep apnea alerts and sleep scoring are all supported on both the Series 10 and Series 11. Hypertension notifications are debuting with the Series 11, but Apple has confirmed they will also be available on the Series 10 through a software update. So you don't need to rush to upgrade if you're only interested in blood pressure alerts - Apple's giving your existing watch a boost, too. Apple Battery and charging Battery life is where the Series 11 has the most practical differences. After years of quoting the same 18-hour figure, Apple now promises up to 24 hours of use on a single charge. It's still not a full weekend away without a charger, but for the first time an Apple Watch can comfortably last through a full day and night without begging for the puck. Fast charging is still supported across both models, so even the Series 10 can be topped up quickly, but the Series 11 gives you more breathing room in everyday use. Software experience Both watches run watchOS 26 (Series 10 devices will get that in a software update), which introduces the redesigned Smart Stack, new workout modes and updated health dashboards. Apple has not tied any major new software features exclusively to the Series 11 apart from those that rely on its tougher glass or 5G hardware. In other words, the interface will feel the same whether you're on the shiny new model or last year's. Price and availability The Series 11 starts at $399, which is the same starting price the Series 10 had when it first launched. Apple typically phases out old flagship models once the latest has launched, but in the near future, you may be able to find a discounted Series 10 while retailers get rid of their stock. Both support the same case sizes and band compatibility, so existing accessories carry over. So if you've got a drawer full of straps, you don't need to worry - they'll still snap right on. Should you upgrade? If you're wondering if now's the time to step up to an Apple Watch Series 11, the decision will come down to how much you value endurance and connectivity. The Series 11 is the clear winner if you want 24-hour battery life, 5G support and tougher glass. Those changes may not sound dramatic at first, but they alter how you use the watch from day to night, especially if you rely on cellular data or wear it during workouts and sleep. If you already have a Series 10, you'll get the same health experience, the same software and the same performance. With hypertension notifications also arriving on Series 10 (and even the Series 9), the gap between them narrows even further. The Apple Watch Series 11 doesn't reinvent the formula, but its upgrades matter. The bump to 24 hours of battery life will make it more of an all-day and all-night companion, 5G makes it more reliable away from your phone and tougher glass adds peace of mind. Think of it this way: if you're after durability and freedom from the charger, Series 11 is a safe bet. If you'd rather save money and still close your rings every day, stick with the Series 10 or grab one while there's still discounted stock floating around on the internet. Full specs comparison Specs Apple Watch Series 11 Apple Watch Series 10 Chip S10 S10 Display LTPO3 always-on LTPO3 always-on Sizes 42mm, 46mm 42mm, 46mm Connectivity Wi-Fi, optional cellular with 5G Wi-Fi, optional cellular with LTE Durability IPX6, 50 meters water resistance, Io-X glass for 2x scratch resistance IPX6, 50 meters water resistance Heath features Hypertension notifications, ECG, blood oxygen, temperature sensing, sleep apnea alerts and sleep scoring Hypertension notifications (via software update), ECG, blood oxygen, temperature sensing, sleep apnea alerts and sleep scoring Battery life Up to 24 hours, fast charging supported Up to 18 hours, fast charging supported This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apple-watch-series-11-vs-apple-watch-series-10-should-you-upgrade-185552623.html?src=rss

Francoise Cadol is the voice actor for Lara Croft in the French localizations of the Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered games. She has sent a legal notice to the games' publisher, Aspyr, alleging that a recent patch used artificial intelligence to alter her performance without her consent. The news was originally reported by French publication Le Parisien and picked up by Game Developer.According to August 2025 patch notes for the remastered game collection, Tomb Raider VI was updated with some adjustments to its sound and audio. The latest update "fixed issues where various voice-overs and voicelines were too quiet, particularly in the Brazilian Portuguese localization" and "some voice-overs that were missing on the Steam build have been restored." According to Le Parisien, fans alerted Cadol that the French version of the updated game seemed to differ from her original delivery, which they suspected were the result of the game using artificial intelligence. She has now filed a formal notice against Aspyr asking for sales of the game collection to be paused so the issue can be resolved.We've reached out to Aspyr for comment and will update this story if we receive a response.Actors both on screen and behind the mic have been mobilizing to protect themselves against unapproved AI recreations as the tech gains more popularity. The SAG-AFTRA union launched a strike against several video game companies last summer in an effort to gain better protections for performers as AI use grows, and questions around AI in voicework continued to appear as the parties hammered out terms. The strike was suspended in June 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/remastered-tomb-raider-games-allegedly-used-ai-to-change-lara-crofts-french-voice-183922036.html?src=rss

The Federal Trade Commission is making a formal inquiry into companies that provide AI chatbots that can act as companions. The investigation isn't tied to any kind of regulatory action as of yet, but does aim to reveal how companies "measure, test, and monitor potentially negative impacts of this technology on children and teens."Seven companies are being asked to participate in the FTC's investigation: Google's parent company Alphabet, Character Technologies (the creator of Character.AI), Meta, its subsidiary Instagram, OpenAI, Snap and X.AI. The FTC is asking companies to provide a variety of different information, including how they develop and approve AI characters and "monetize user engagement." Data practices and how companies protect underage users are also areas the FTC hopes to learn more about, in part to see if chatbot makers "comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act Rule."The FTC doesn't provide clear motivation for its investigation, but in a separate statement, FTC Commissioner Mark Meador suggests the Commission is responding to recent reports from The New York Timesand Wall Street Journalof "chatbots amplifying suicidal ideation" and engaging in "sexually-themed discussions with underage users.""If the facts - as developed through subsequent and appropriately targeted law enforcement inquiries, if warranted - indicate that the law has been violated, the Commission should not hesitate to act to protect the most vulnerable among us," Meador writes.As the long-term productivity benefits of using AI become less and less certain, the more immediate negative privacy and health impacts have become red meat for regulators. Texas' Attorney General has already launched a separate investigation into Character. AI and Meta AI Studio over similar concerns of data privacy and chatbots claiming to be mental health professionals.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-ftc-is-investigating-companies-that-make-ai-companion-chatbots-181413615.html?src=rss

Grok has once again been caught spreading blatant misinformation on X. In several bizarre exchanges, the chatbot repeatedly claimed that Charlie Kirk was "fine" and that gruesome videos of his assassination were a "meme edit."In one exchange shortly after videos of the shooting began to spread on X, one user tagged Grok and asked if Kirk could have survived the shooting. Grok's response was nonsensical. "Charlie Kirk takes the roast in stride with a laugh- he's faced tougher crowds," it wrote. "Yes, he survives this one easily."When another user replied with "wtf are you talking about," and pointed out that Kirk has been shot in the neck, Grok insisted it was a "a meme video with edited effects to look like a dramatic 'shot'-not a real event." It doubled down when pressed again by another incredulous user. "The video is a meme edit-Charlie Kirk is debating, and effects make it look like he's 'shot' mid-sentence for comedic effect," Grok wrote. "No actual harm; he's fine and active as ever."Grok went on to make similar claims in several other exchanges on Wednesday, saying that video was "exaggerated for laughs" and contained "edited effects for humor." In another, Grok noted that multiple news outlets and President Donald Trump had confirmed Kirk's death but described it as a "meme" that appeared to be "satirical commentary on reactions to political violence." By Thursday morning, Grok seemed to understand that Kirk had indeed been shot and killed, but still referenced a "meme video" it said was "unrelated."Screenshot via XThat's not the only misinformation Grok spread in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, though. As The New York Times reports, Grok also repeated the name of a Canadian man who was erroneously identified as the shooter by users on X.Representatives for X and xAI didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.The xAI chatbot, which has been trained on X posts among other sources, has become ubiquitous on X as users frequently tag Grok in posts in an attempt to fact check or simply dunk on other users. But the chatbot has proved to be extremely unreliable at best. Previously, Grok was also caught spreading misinformation about the 2024 presidential election, falsely claiming that then Vice President Kamala Harris couldn't appear on the ballot.Other incidents have raised more serious questions about Grok. In May of this year, it seemed to become fixated on a conspiracy theory claiming there had been a "white genocide" in South Africa. xAI, the company behind Grok, later attributed it to an "unauthorized modification" but didn't fully explain how that happened. Earlier this summer, Grok repeatedly posted antisemitic tropes, praised Hitler and referred to itself as "MechaHitler." xAI apologized and blamed a faulty update.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/ai/grok-claimed-the-charlie-kirk-assassination-video-was-a-meme-edit-175640641.html?src=rss

Senators Edward J. Markey, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley sent a letter Thursday to Acting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons urging the agency to stop using Mobile Fortify," a smartphone app that uses biometric identification, including facial recognition. The lawmakers said facial recognition remains unreliable and warned that real-time surveillance could have a chilling effect on constitutionally protected activities."As studies have shown, when individuals believe they are being surveilled, they are less likely to engage in First Amendment-protected activities, such as protests or rallies - undermining the very core of our democracy," the senators wrote.They requested answers from the agency by October 2 as to who built the app, when it was deployed, whether ICE tested its accuracy, the legal basis for its use and current agency policies governing the tool's use. They also asked whether ICE would commit to ending the use of Mobile Fortify, and to explain why if they would not. The letter was also signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Chris Van Holle, Tina Smith, Bernie Sanders and Adam Schiff.Earlier this summer The Washington Post reported that the New Orleans police were secretly using facial recognition on a private camera network of over 200 live feeds. This went on for two years despite city ordinances requiring the technology only be used to search for specific suspects of violent crimes, and that the use be documented and reported to the city council. Facial recognition technology remains controversial, though a plurality of Americans support its use in both law enforcement and the workplace, with limitations.As there is still no federal regulation on the use of facial recognition, states have been left to craft their own guardrails, with states like Illinois allowing individuals to sue for damages over misuse of biometric data and requiring written consent for its use. Last year Meta paid a $1.4 billion settlement to the state of Texas (the largest financial settlement ever paid out to a single state) for allegedly collecting biometric data on millions of Texans without their consent.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/senators-demand-ice-cease-use-of-facial-recognition-app-172146833.html?src=rss

Google is rolling out an update for Gmail on mobile and the web that will make it easier to track emails for your deliveries. The most prominent change you'll see is a new Purchases tab, where Gmail will put all your delivery emails so you can view them in one place. In the app, you'll be able to access the new view via the side menu. Just click the hamburger icon in the text box at the top of the interface.Even though deliveries now have their own tab, Gmail will still show packages that are set to arrive within the day as cards at the top of your primary inbox, as you can see in the image above. Each card comes with a "See item" or a "Track Package" button that you can click or tap without having to search for the original delivery email. The new delivery tab will start showing up in your personal Gmail accounts starting today.In addition, Google is updating Gmail's Promotions tab, allowing you to sort the emails in it by "most relevant." Gmail will decide which brands and emails are most relevant for you based on what you've interacted with the most in the past. It will also send you "nudges" on upcoming deals and offers that are set to expire soon. You'll see the changes to the Promotions tab in the coming weeks.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/gmail-will-now-filter-your-purchases-into-a-new-tab-160004429.html?src=rss

The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) and MotoGP are putting the MotoE electric bike world championship on hiatus following the 2025 season. The organizations cite a lack of viewership and an electric performance motorcycle market that "has not developed as expected.""Today we announce the suspension of the FIM MotoE World Championship," FIM President Jorge Viegas said in a statement. "Despite all the best efforts to promote this innovative category together with (MotoGP rights holder) Dorna, the truth is that we haven't reached our objectives, nor has the industry associated with performance electric bikes."There are two more races remaining in the 2025 MotoE season. The indefinite hiatus begins after that. MotoGP and the FIM said they would continue monitoring the industry to suss out when electric bikes become relevant enough to once again sustain a robust event schedule.MotoE's inaugural year was in 2019, starting with just six four-round races throughout the season. It had some buzz at the beginning, as the circuit expanded to 16 eight-round races. However, this was cut back to seven rounds in 2025.Ducati provided the race bikes for all teams in the MotoE class after replacing Energica Ego Corsa in 2023. These electric bikes reached top speeds of 171 MPH and, obviously, had just enough range to complete a full race. Traditional MotoGP bikes hit speeds of up to 224 MPH.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/motoe-the-electric-bike-world-championship-is-going-on-hiatus-due-to-lack-of-interest-152652067.html?src=rss

Europe, the bloc with 24 official languages and 287 spoken in total, won't get Apple's Live Translation with AirPods feature for now. "Live Translation with AirPods is not available if you are in the EU and your Apple Account Country or Region is also in the EU," the company said on its iOS feature availability page. No reason was given, but it may have to do with the EU's strict rules around artificial intelligence and how it impacts privacy.If that's the case, Apple may be waiting for the EU to approve or examine the feature before implementing it in the region. The AI Act is most strictly applied to "high-risk use cases" involving the potential for discrimination or violation of users' privacy. To that end, the EU may want to ensure that date stored when using the app is kept securely and locally in the bloc.Apple's phrasing about availability seems to indicate that it will work for North American and other users visiting the bloc and possibly vice-versa. Only users with an Apple Europe account who are also in Europe won't be able to access the feature.Live Translation lets users with AirPods communicate naturally with speakers of other languages. If the other party also has AirPods, the conversation is translated and heard by both people. If you're speaking with someone without AirPods, speech is translated onto your phone where it can be either be read or heard by the other party.Live Translation was first introduced at WWDC as part of iOS 26 and unveiled as a key feature for the AirPods Pro 3 during Apple's "Awe Dropping" event on Tuesday. It will work on iPhone 15 and later devices running Apple Intelligence, and be available with the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 once iOS 26 arrives on September 15.Right now, Live Translation supports real-time translation between English, French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. However, Apple plans to add Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified) support later in 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/live-translation-with-airpods-wont-come-to-eu-based-apple-users-125410519.html?src=rss

Virtual reality headsets are great on their own, but the right accessories can make them more comfortable, practical and immersive. You might want a softer facial interface or a silicone face cover to keep things clean during long sessions, a battery strap to extend playtime or a USB-C cable for faster charging and data transfer. Some users also add haptic accessories that provide physical feedback for a more realistic experience. Whether you're playing games, watching videos or working in VR, small upgrades like these can make a big difference in how your setup feels and performs. Table of contents

If you've been shocked by how much you spend on streaming services lately, you're not alone. Companies like Netflix, Disney, Max and others have been consistently raising prices to the point where you may question if streaming is even worth it anymore. We at Engadget still think it is, but we also think you should be smart with your money - and that's where streaming deals come in. Yes, it is possible to get discounts on services like Peacock and Paramount+, even if those deals aren't as common as a sale on AirPods. If you're looking to save money and still stream all of the content you want, Engadget can help by laying out the best streaming deals you can get right now, how you can save with bundles and everything you should know before paying for yet another streaming service. Best streaming deals True streaming deals can be hard to come by. Most often, they'll pop up during the Black Friday shopping period. On occasion, we'll see them sparingly throughout the year and they usually take the form of a discounted monthly or annual rate for a limited period of time. Also, true streaming deals are typically on the ad-supported versions of a service, but once in a while you'll find a unicorn of a deal on a tier that has ad-free viewing. If you're able to wait for a deal before subscribing to a streaming service, we recommend doing so. You'll save money upfront and in the long run, and you also have the option to cancel your subscription before the price goes back up to the normal rate. Maybe you find you like the service so much that you're fine paying full price for it - that's the ideal situation. But if you're not compelled to keep that app on rotation in your smart TV, most streaming services make it easy for you to cancel at any time. With that said, these are the best streaming deals you can snag right now. Paramount+ Essential for $30 for one year (50 percent off): New and returning subscribers can get half off one year of Paramount+. That brings the ad-supported Essential plan down to just $30 for the year, and the Premium plan down to $60 for the year. A subscription will give you access to NFL content on CBS and UEFA Champions League, along with shows like South Park, Tulsa King, Tracker, Ghosts and more. The discount runs through September 18. Apple Music Family Plan (3 months) for $0 ($51 off): New subscribers can get three free months of the Apple Music Family Plan, which gives you and those on your family sharing account access to the entire Apple Music library. Considering the standard monthly cost is $17, you'll save over $50 with this deal. Offer for new subscribers redeeming on eligible devices. Auto-renews at $16.99/mo until cancelled. Requires Family Sharing. Terms apply. Spotify Premium Individual (3 month) for $0 ($36 off): This is our favorite music streaming service for podcasts and social features. Right now, users who have not signed up for Spotify's Premium service before are eligible to get three months for free. The Premium Individual plan lets you listen ad-free and skip songs at will. You can also organize your listening queue and download content for offline listening. Just be aware, your subscription will auto-renew at the end of the trial period. So if you don't want to be on the hook for the $12 monthly fee, set a reminder to cancel and go back to the free version. DirecTV starting at $50/month for one month ($35 off): All of DirecTV's signature packages are $35 off right now for your first month when you sign up. If you opt for the base "Entertainment" package, you'll spend $50 for the first month and get access to over 90 channels, including many local stations as well as ESPN, ESPN 2 and Fox Sports 1. You'll also be able to watch on the go with the DirecTV mobile app. DashPass Annual + HBO Max (with ads) for $96/year ($144 off): This offer includes access to HBO Max with ads for no extra cost when you sign up for a DashPass Annual plan. You can then decide to upgrade to Max Standard, which removes ads, for a discounted rate of $11 monthly if you want. Aside from the obvious streaming benefits, this deal gives you $0 deliver fees and lower service fees on some restaurant DoorDash orders, five percent DoorDash credits on pickup orders, on-demand grocery delivery and other members-only exclusives. Fubo Pro for $55/month for the first month ($30 off): Fubo has introductory discounts on most of its packages, and the Pro package is the least expensive plan currently listed. It offers access to 224 channels, unlimited cloud DVR and up to 10 simultaneous streams. It even includes regional sports content from the NHL, MLB and NBA. YouTube TV (three months) for $150 ($99 off): You can get three months of our favorite live TV streaming service for $50 per month. That should give you a decent chunk of time to see if the service is right for you while saving some cash. The discount and trial are only open to new subscribers to YouTube TV's base plan, which includes access to over 100 channels, unlimited DVR space and six household accounts with the ability to stream on three devices at once. Sling Orange for $23/month for the first month (50 percent off): New customers can get Sling Orange or Sling Blue for half off the usual price for the first month, bringing the final prices to $23/month and $25.50/month, respectively. Orange is likely best for sports fans, with eight exclusive sports and family channels, while Blue includes 19 exclusive news and entertainment channels. You can get both Orange and Blue access also for half off for one month, or $33 total. Peacock first responders discount - one year for $48 (50 percent off): Medical professionals and first responders can save 50 percent each year of Peacock. The deal requires annual verification and is open to those who work for either private or public institutions. Peacock has some great stuff to watch, including Poker Face and Killing It and more. Student discounts on streaming services HBO Max student discount - subscribe for $5/month (50 percent off): HBO Max offers their ad-supported tier to students for half off the usual rate. You'll just have to verify that you're a student through Unidays, and make note that this offer is only good for up to 12 months of service. Hulu student discount - subscribe for $2/month (75 percent off): Those with a valid student ID can get Hulu's ad-supported tier for 75 percent off the typical rate. They'll keep the same sale price for as long as they're a student as well. Spotify student discount - Premium + Hulu with ads for $6/month (72 percent off): Spotify's student offer continues to be one of the best around, giving you access to the Premium tier of the music streamer and Hulu's ad-supported plan for only $6 monthly. Purchased separately, you'd pay $22 per month for both of the services. Plus, the first month is free when you sign up. NBA League Pass student discount - one year for $120 (40 percent off): Students can get one year of League Pass for only $10 per month, which includes access to NBA TV and the ability to watch classic and archive games on-demand. On the NBA League Pass website, look for the student discount banner at the top and follow the instructions to verify your student status. Streaming bundle discounts There's more consolidation happening now than ever before in the streaming space, and that means there are more streaming bundle options. These bundles offer you access to more content with one subscription price, but those prices are typically higher than paying for a single service by itself (obviously). It may be tempting to just get the bundle, but if only one of those services in the bundle speaks to you, you'll spend less overall by just paying for the single service. Speaking of a deep love for a single streaming service: if all of your favorite shows are on Peacock or the latest releases on HBO Max consistently bring you joy, consider paying for one year upfront. Subscribing with an annual plan usually saves you money in the long term over paying on a monthly basis. Unfortunately, not all streaming services (looking at you, Netflix) have an annual subscription option. Here are some of the best streaming bundles you can get right now. Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max bundle with ads for $17/month: Ad-supported HBO Max is included here, along with full, ad-supported access to Disney+ and Hulu. You'll save 43 percent with this bundle, as opposed to paying for all three services individually. Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Premium for $20/month: Disney and Hulu offer a few different bundles, which you can view in the drop-down lists under Choose Your Plan. This bundle removes the ads from both Disney+ and Hulu (with the exception of select live and linear content) and allows you to download content for offline viewing. You'll save 42 percent with this bundle, as opposed to paying for both ad-free tiers individually. Hulu + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN+ for $96/month: This streaming bundle amalgamation is a bit confusing but it does offer a lot: you get live TV streaming via Hulu's service plus access to the following VOD services: Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+. Out of those three, only ESPN+ will have ads. Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic for $17/month: You get full access to Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ content with this package, albeit with ads across the board. This bundle price is 46 percent off the total price of all three separate subscriptions. Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium for $27/month: Similarly to the Duo bundles, the Premium version of the Trio removes ads from most content in Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, and you can download content for offline viewing. This price represents a 43-percent savings when compared to paying for all three ad-free tiers separately. Sling TV + HBO Max starting at $53/month: Sling TV and HBO Max have partnered on a discount that gives new subscribers 50 percent off their first month of Sling TV, plus $5 off monthly when you subscribe to the Sling TV + HBO Max bundle. The standard price for the Sling Blue + HBO Max duo is roughly $58/month, so you'll get a monthly discount of $5 off that. In addition, for the first month only, you'll get half off the price of the bundle. The promotion also applies to the Sling Orange & Blue + HBO Max package, which has a standard price of $73/month. Paramount+ with Showtime for $13/month or $120/year: This includes everything in Paramount+'s Essential plan, except the ads, and also provides access to Showtime content, live CBS streams and download features. Read more streaming coverage

Amazon may be muscling into the field of augmented reality glasses. According to a report by The Information, sources claimed that the company is working on AR glasses for consumers, allegedly with plans to release the product in late 2026 or early 2027.Insiders told the publication that the project, internally dubbed Jayhawk, would equip AR glasses with microphones, speakers, a camera and a full-color display in one eye. Amazon is reportedly using Chinese company Meta-Bounds for the AR tech.Amazon is also working on a separate model of AR glasses specifically for its delivery drivers under the codename Amelia. This productivity-focused option, which would reportedly shave seconds off drivers' times, could be ready by the second quarter of 2026, according to The Information's sources.If Amazon does release these AR sets, it will primarily be in competition with Meta, which already sells simpler smart glasses with Ray-Ban. The social media company is expected to launch a new product currently dubbed Hypernova at its Connect conference next week, a set that pushes more into a true augmented reality experience with a similar one-eye AR concept.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/amazon-is-reportedly-developing-separate-ar-glasses-for-customers-and-its-drivers-230826640.html?src=rss

When the video kicking off Apple's "Awe dropping" event began yesterday, I was pleased to see a HomePod in the opening shot. I hadn't given any thought to Apple's beleaguered smart home speaker in ages, so I was all set for Tim Cook and crew to deliver an actual surprise and reveal new stuff for HomePod. When the entire presentation then passed without another peep about the product, I was disappointed, but resigned.HomePod has always been behind the curve. When smart speakers first came on the scene, the sector was quickly dominated by Amazon and Google, with Sonos as the boutique third-party option. Apple announced the HomePod in June 2017, almost three years after Amazon unveiled its original Echo speaker.The HomePod arrived too slow and cost too much, and (in an echo of the company's current woes) Siri was too unhelpful, for the smart speaker to really claw back much market share from its rivals. The Mini iteration came out in late 2020, and the second-generation HomePod in February 2023 added support for Thread smart home standard. Not exactly pushing the boundaries of smart speaker innovation.And things got worse for the poor HomePod as voice-controlled AI assistants have transitioned away from being centered around dedicated speakers. AI is now being integrated ever-more tightly into our smartphones and computers, with less need for a separate intermediary device. Which brings us to the ongoing issue of Apple's shaky foothold in the AI race.Apple has been promising a big overhaul to Siri for awhile, with the new and improved version currently not due until spring 2026. To show off that new AI assistant, Apple is reportedly working on an interactive smart home hub that is expected to have HomePod-like audio capabilities baked in, but won't be ready for launch until at least 2027. What's a company to do in the interim?It makes sense for Apple to hold back on any big developments to its existing Siri-centric smart home speaker. I get it. But I could have been hyped to see a stripped down HomePod that focused more on being a speaker than on being smart. I have a Sonos that I love, and part of me assumed that I would eventually upgrade to an Apple offering. The AirPods are such a great element in the Apple ecosystem, and I use mine almost daily. Having a powerful, high-quality home speaker that delivers the easy interconnectivity that's such a big part of Apple's value proposition might have helped bridge the time gap, keeping Apple in people's minds as a player in home tech while the company works on its next, more innovative move. Take one step back to take three steps forward.In practice, though, it feels like the window for the HomePod to become a star in Apple's lineup has shrunk to almost nothing. As I now look at the recent trends in AI and home tech, I don't see an obvious space for a smart speaker. That's not limited to Apple; it's also pretty telling that both Amazon and Google haven't been giving much love to their smart speakers either. In fact, a majority of Engadget's favorite smart speakers this year are from specialist Sonos as the big tech names have put their focus on AI instead of audio. We'll still have smart speakers, but they'll be folded into multi-purpose gadgets and pitched as general smart-home aids.To be clear, there's been no indication that Apple will sunset the HomePod. But my personal prediction is that HomePod will stay on the sidelines for now and get pushed even farther away from the spotlight when the new smart home products are unveiled, receiving only occasional attention until Apple officially and quietly pulls the plug for good. And so will end the life of a star-crossed product that never got the chance to shine at its full potential. Here's hoping I'm wrong.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/as-apple-pursues-ai-spare-a-thought-for-the-poor-homepod-223250670.html?src=rss

David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, plans to make HBO more expensive, and passwords a lot harder to share, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Zaslav shared his general outlook on the state of television at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, with the main theme being that HBO Max's content is good and Zaslav thinks he should be charging a lot more for it."The fact that this is quality - and that's true across our company, motion picture, TV production and streaming quality - we all think that gives us a chance to raise prices," Zaslav said. "We think we're way underpriced." HBO Max most recently raised prices in 2024, back when it was temporarily called Max. As of right now you can get an entry-level Basic with Ads plan for $9.99 per month, while the ad-free Premium plan costs $20.99 per month. Zaslav clearly thinks he can get more, though.Warner Bros. Discovery has been more open about its plans to address password-sharing. During an earnings call in August, the company said it wanted to close all loopholes for sharing passwords by the end of the year. While it's great that people continue to be drawn to HBO content, "it's all tricky with the password sharing," Zaslav said. "We're going to begin to push on that."Price hikes and password sharing crackdowns have been thoroughly normalized by Netflix and other streamers. HBO Max following suit should be more than expected. Stating those plans so plainly doesn't improve the image of Zaslav as a Hollywood villain, but that's the least of his worries given the planned break-up of Warner Bros. Discovery.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/hbo-max-is-going-to-get-a-lot-more-expensive-ceo-promises-221656560.html?src=rss

On Wednesday, Sony rolled out its September Game Catalog additions for PS Plus subscribers. This month's entries run the gamut from turn-based tactics to survival horror and pro wrestling.Persona 5 Tactica (PS5/ PS4) may be the most critically acclaimed title in the batch. The 2023 Persona spinoff takes the mainline games' battles and shifts them into grid-based tactics. Think XCOM with Phantom Thieves.The Invincible (PS5) is an adaptation of the 1963 sci-fi novel by Stanisaw Lem. As its inspiration may suggest, this isn't an action-heavy combat-fest. Instead, the narrative adventure invites you to explore the planet Regis III, searching for lost crew members. Your decisions will shape the story, so tread carefully.2K / SonyIf exploring lost worlds as an astrobiologist isn't your thing, then maybe pile drivers and elbow drops are. (No judgment!) WWE 2K25 (PS5 / PS4) is also on this month's list, letting you step into the ring as a steroid-infused behemoth. You can take satisfaction in knowing your video game match's outcomes are less pre-determined than the scripted matches you see on TV.Other games in this month's entries include the action RPG title Fate / Samurai Remnant, the survival horror game Crow Country and the first-person survival sim Green Hell. You can check out the PlayStation Blog's announcement for all the details.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/the-ps-plus-game-catalog-additions-include-persona-5-tactica-and-wwe-2k25-211006881.html?src=rss

You can save a lot of money with a virtual private network (VPN), whether you're changing virtual locations to get more content out of one streaming service or searching around the world for discounts in online stores. That said, while it's worth investing some cash in a VPN, you never want to pay too much when the goal is to save money. VPN providers frequently sharp massive discounts to anyone willing to sign up for one or two years at a time. This is a win-in - they boost their subscriber numbers, and you get heavy price cuts on some of our favorite services. Most of the deals below follow that pattern, so before you jump into the list, make sure you're OK with a longer-term commitment. Best VPN deals NordVPN - $83.43 for a two-year subscription with three months free (77 percent off): NordVPN gets the most important parts of a VPN right. It's fast, it doesn't leak any of your data and it's great at changing your virtual location. I noted in my NordVPN review that it always connects quickly and includes a support page that makes it easy to get live help. Although I'm sad to see it shutting down Meshnet, NordVPN still includes a lot of cool features, like servers that instantly connect you to Tor. This deal gives you 77 percent off the two-year plan, which also comes with three extra months - but there's no expiration date, so you have a little time for comparison shopping. ExpressVPN Basic - $97.72 for a two-year subscription with four months free (73 percent off): This is one of the best VPNs, especially for new users, who will find its apps and website headache-free on all platforms. In tests for my ExpressVPN review, it dropped my download speeds by less than 7 percent and successfully changed my virtual location 14 out of 15 times. In short, it's an all-around excellent service that only suffers from being a little overpriced - which is why I'm so excited whenever I find it offering a decent deal. This deal, which gets you 28 months of ExpressVPN service, represents a 73 percent savings. It's the lowest I've seen ExpressVPN go in some time, though like NordVPN, it's not on a ticking clock. ExpressVPN Advanced - $125.72 for a two-year subscription with four months free (67 percent off): ExpressVPN recently split its pricing into multiple tiers, but they all still come with similar discounts for going long. In addition to top-tier VPN service, advanced users get two additional simultaneous connections (for a total of 12), the ExpressVPN Keys password manager, advanced ad and tracker blocking, ID protection features and a 50 percent discount on an AirCove router. Surfshark Starter - $53.73 for a two-year subscription with three months free (87 percent off): This is the "basic" level of Surfshark, but it includes the entire VPN; everything on Surfshark One is an extra perk. With this subscription, you'll get some of the most envelope-pushing features in the VPN world right now. Surfshark has a more closely connected server network than most VPNs, so it can rotate your IP constantly to help you evade detection - it even lets you choose your own entry and exit nodes for a double-hop connection. That all comes with a near-invisible impact on download speeds. With this year-round deal, you can save 87 percent on 27 months of Surfshark. Surfshark One - $67.23 for a two-year subscription with three months free (86 percent off): A VPN is great, but it's not enough to protect your data all on its own. Surfshark One adds several apps that boost your security beyond just VPN service, including Surfshark Antivirus (scans devices and downloads for malware), Surfshark Alert (alerts you whenever your sensitive information shows up in a data breach) and Surfshark Search (a private search engine with no ads or activity tracking). This evergreen deal gives you 87 percent off all those features. If you bump up to Surfshark One+, you'll also get data removal through Incogni, but the price jumps enough that it's not quite worthwhile in my eyes. CyberGhost - $56.94 for a two-year subscription with two months free (83 percent off): CyberGhost has some of the best automation you'll see on any VPN. With its Smart Rules system, you can determine how its apps respond to different types of Wi-Fi networks, with exceptions for specific networks you know by name. Typically, you can set it to auto-connect, disconnect or send you a message asking what to do. CyberGhost's other best feature is its streaming servers - while it's not totally clear what it does to optimize them, I've found both better video quality and more consistent unblocking when I use them on streaming sites. Currently, you can get 26 months of CyberGhost for 83 percent off the usual price. Private Internet Access - $79 for a three-year subscription with three months free (83 percent off): It's a bit hard to find (the link at the start of this paragraph includes the coupon), but Private Internet Access (PIA) is giving out the best available price right now on a VPN I'd recommend using. With this deal, you can get 39 months of PIA for a little bit over $2 per month - an 83 percent discount on its monthly price. Despite being so cheap, PIA almost never comes off as a budget VPN, coming with its own DNS servers, a built-in ad blocker and automation powers to rival CyberGhost. However, internet speeds can fluctuate while you're connected. What makes a good VPN deal Like I said in the intro, practically every VPN heavily discounts its long-term subscriptions the whole year round. The only noteworthy exception is Mullvad, the Costco hot dog of VPNs (that's a compliment, to be clear). When there's constantly a huge discount going on, it can be hard to tell when you're actually getting a good deal. The best way to squeeze out more savings is to look for seasonal deals, student discounts or exclusive sales like Proton VPN's coupon for Engadget readers. One trick VPNs often use is to add extra months onto an introductory deal, pushing the average monthly price even lower. When it comes time to renew, you usually can't get these extra months again. You often can't even renew for the same basic period of time - for example, you may only be able to renew a two-year subscription for one year. If you're planning to hold onto a VPN indefinitely, check the fine print to see how much it will cost per month after the first renewal, and ensure that fits into your budget. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/best-vpn-deals-120056041.html?src=rss

The AirPods Pro 3 Apple introduced at the iPhone 17 event yesterday have better active noise cancellation and foam-filled ear tips, but their most important new feature is a subtle one: Apple came up with even more reasons for you to never take them out.Wearing headphones while you're talking to someone or interacting in public was at one point a social faux pas, but the ubiquity of AirPods and new features Apple has added have started to change that. The AirPods Pro's Conversation Awareness feature, which can automatically duck audio while you're talking to someone, is the simplest expression of this idea, but the vast majority of the improvements the company has made to its wireless earbuds have also created reasons to keep them in.Take the hearing health features Apple debuted in 2024. Not only do they let your AirPods Pro act as a tool for checking your ear health, they can also act as a hearing aid and even hearing protection in a loud environment. With the AirPods Pro 3, you can add heart rate monitoring and live translation to the growing list of reasons to constantly wear AirPods. The Pro 3's new heart rate sensor means you can use them to track some workouts and display your health metrics on your TV during an Apple Fitness+ class, a feature usually exclusive to the Apple Watch. The Live Translation feature, meanwhile, lets your AirPods translate the world around you, and can even beam your translated voice into another pair of AirPods Pro 3. The fact the feature will also be available on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 should make keeping your headphones in even more common, too.It's hard to say how useful these new AirPods Pro 3 features will be without trying them, but they do highlight how much Apple seems to view its headphones as more than just an add-on purchase to every iPhone. Not many people are going to buy the $249 AirPods Pro 3 as a replacement for the $249 Apple Watch SE 3, but the fact the headphones can fill in for the smartwatch could be attractive to some. More importantly for Apple, it could make it easier to convince someone to subscribe to Fitness+ or buy an Apple Watch if they like the company's approach to tracking workouts.Apple has reportedly investigated going further down the path of making the AirPods Pro even more of a standalone device. Bloombergreported last year that the company has explored adding cameras to AirPods so they can be used for Apple Intelligence features and visually understand the world around you. Whether or not that ever happens, the more immediate explanation for all this feature-creep is that making AirPods an always-on wearable is good for the company's bottom line. The relationship between the AirPods and the Apple Watch could become similar to the iPad and the Mac in time. New features get added, and functionality continues to overlap, but the devices are always distinct and useful enough that many people are compelled to buy both.Maybe there's a future where your AirPods feel as essential to daily life as a smartphone does, and we're wearing them all the time. For now though, Apple seems to have decided that tiptoeing towards that wearable future is a pretty good way to sell new wireless earbuds in the present, and maybe several of its other products in the process.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/apple-is-slowly-morphing-airpods-into-an-always-on-wearable-203511552.html?src=rss

As part of a new test, Meta will let anyone rate a Community Note or request one for a post, Meta's Chief Information Security Officer Guy Rosen shared on X. After testing the feature in March, the company formally introduced Community Notes as a replacement for its fact-checking program in April of this year.You have to apply to actually write Community Notes, but Meta's new test means that anyone who sees one can rate it to signal whether it's helpful or not. They'll also be able to request a note if a post is incorrect or needs additional context. Based on the screenshot Rosen shared, Meta's rating system is a simple thumbs up or down, but the fact the company is opening the system up to more input at all is one sign of its continued expansion.

Sony is finally catching up to something Nintendo and Microsoft have had for years. The new PlayStation Family app mainly serves as a mobile extension of on-console parental controls. However, parents also get a few extra perks in the mobile version.The app includes a "thoughtfully guided" onboarding process. (I imagine many people will prefer their phone or tablet over the console for that.) Once things are set up, parents can do everything they already could on the console. This includes setting playtime limits, viewing activity reports (daily and weekly), managing spending and creating content filters. Parents can also use the app to configure privacy settings for social features.One of the mobile app's nicer perks is real-time notifications of what the child is playing. Parents can also approve or deny requests from their children for extra playtime or access to restricted games from within the app. That feature will likely get a lot of use.Although it's a welcome rollout, Sony is quite late to the party. The Xbox Family Settings app launched over five years ago. Nintendo's parental controls came even earlier, alongside the original Switch's arrival.The app starts rolling out globally starting today. If you don't see it yet, you can try the storefront links for iOS or Android.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-is-rolling-out-a-playstation-parental-controls-mobile-app-195002596.html?src=rss

The AirPods Pro 3 are a big upgrade over the AirPods Pro 2. Even though Apple has continuously added new features to those earbuds over the last three years, it hasn't changed the design or shape of the earbuds since the first model arrived in 2019. With the AirPods Pro 3, you might not notice those tweaks until you remove the new ear tips, and the most impactful upgrades are all on the inside. After my brief hands-on immediately following the iPhone 17 launch yesterday, I've since spent more time test driving all of the new features on the AirPods Pro 3 - from the improved active noise cancellation (ANC) to Live Translation and heart-rate monitoring. Stronger ANC through tech and ear tips Apple says the ANC on the AirPods Pro 3 blocks twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2 and four times as much as the original AirPods Pro. A big part of this is due to the ultra-low noise microphones and computational audio on the earbuds, but the new foam-infused ear tips are also playing a vital role. The latest ear tips are still silicone on the outside like the Pro 2's, but they're now injected with foam. This provides much better passive noise isolation to block out distractions, helping with high-frequency sounds like human voices. In fact, there were several times this week where an Apple representative had to tap me on the shoulder because with the AirPods Pro 3 on, I couldn't hear them speaking right next to me. No matter how they did it, the fact that Apple does a better job of silencing chatty co-workers on the AirPods Pro 3 is a welcome change. It's impressive when you consider much of the competition struggles to reduce the volume of human voices on their earbuds and headphones. The AirPods Pro 3 are no slouch in general noise cancellation performance either. During simulated air plane noise and recorded sounds of a bustling cafe, the earbuds did well to reduce the unwanted distraction of both. What's more, the AirPods Pro 3 silenced the busy demo area outside of the keynote, providing a welcome respite for a few seconds during an otherwise stressful day. Live Translation finally arrives Sam Rutherford for Engadget After Apple chatted up Live Translation in iOS 26 at WWDC, I was disappointed that those initial plans didn't include AirPods. I should've known the announcement for the earbuds would come with the next iteration of the AirPods Pro. Like Google's Pixel Buds, Apple's take on the feature relies on a connected iPhone to do all of the heavy lifting, powered by the Translate app. However, you don't need a prolonged interaction with a phone to turn on Live Translation. You can press and hold on both AirPods, ask Siri or set the shortcut for the Action Button to the task. As a reminder, Live Translation will be available on AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC, because they all carry the H2 chip. During a quick demo, Live Translation worked well, quickly converting the Spanish an Apple representative was speaking into English, which Siri then conveyed in the AirPods Pro 3. There's a slight delay, which is expected, since the captured audio is processed on an iPhone and then translated in the second language. That might make for some awkward pauses, but I'll have to wait for more real-world testing to know for sure. I did notice that text translations appeared in the app before they came through the earbuds, but again, that's not really a surprise since the iPhone is the brains of the operation. Plus, you'll want to use the phone as a horizontal display here, since the app provides a real-time transcription for the person you're talking to. One aspect of Live Translation that may go unnoticed until you actually use it on the AirPods is the role ANC plays in the process. After you activate the translation feature, active noise cancellation kicks in to reduce the speaker's voice so that you can clearly hear the translation from Siri in the earbuds. This happens automatically, and during my demo I never felt like I needed to manually adjust the volume so I could better hear the translated English over the speaker's Spanish. Heart-rate tracking, but only for workouts Billy Steele for Engadget Another big addition to the AirPods Pro 3 is heart-rate monitoring. Apple first debuted this capability on the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 and is using a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor to measure light absorption in blood flow. Heart rate stats are visible only in the Fitness app during workouts though, so if you're looking to keep tabs in other apps or Widgets, you're out of luck. But when it comes to activity tracking, the chorus of accelerometers, gyroscope, GPS and a new on-device AI model combine with the PPG sensor to monitor stats for 50 different workouts. This is another feature I'll need to test at home before I can properly gauge its merits, especially since my testing here in Cupertino consisted only of a three-minute walk. Sure enough, my live heart rate was displayed on the workout screen alongside distance covered, average pace, calories burned and elapsed time. Once I completed that strenuous session, I could see my average heart rate in the Workout Details summary, just above a graph of the info. Improved audio through more air flow Apple loves to discuss air flow when it comes to audio performance in AirPods and the company redesigned the venting system in the AirPods Pro 3 to improve sound quality. The company also turned the ear tip so it's beaming audio more directly into the ear. Along with Adaptive EQ, this combination provides noticeably deeper bass and a wider soundstage for more immersive spatial listening. To move all of that air around, Apple's acoustics team devised a new set of fine-tuned chambers to maximize the overall flow. And as a result, the vent system had to be larger, so now the one on top of the earbuds is nearly twice as large as the one on AirPods Pro 2. Then, to properly harness all of that available air space, Apple had to slightly redesign the driver/transducer to achieve the necessary frequencies. Adaptive EQ has also been expanded since the inward facing microphones on the AirPods Pro 3 have been moved so they're not obstructed by the sides of the ear canal as much. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Maggie Rogers' Alaska" was the test track of choice during my demo, a song I'm familiar with since I've listened to the album Heard It in a Past Life a ton. Beyond the enhancements to bass and the spatial effect, the thing that struck me about the audio upgrades was the level of detail the AirPods Pro 3 now provide. The separation of the bass drum and hand pan enhance the immersion, but there's also the texture in the sound of both that is typically lost on most earbuds and headphones. I listened to the AirPods Pro 2 on the flight out here to refresh my memory and it was immediately apparent that Apple has made some big upgrades to sound quality on this new model. The AirPods Pro 3 are available for preorder now for $249 from Apple, Amazon and other retailers. It arrives September 19 alongside the iPhone 17 family and new Apple Watches. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/a-closer-look-at-the-airpods-pro-3-anc-live-translation-and-heart-rate-tracking-193956229.html?src=rss

Lyft and May Mobility have teamed up to launch a fleet of autonomous vehicles in Atlanta. It's a pilot program, so it's currently only available to Lyft riders in the area of midtown Atlanta. The companies promise a "measured, safety-first approach" with this rollout.The fleet consists of hybrid-electric Toyota Sienna Autono-MaaS vehicles equipped with May Mobility's self-driving technology. Lyft and May Mobility announced this partnership last year, but Atlanta is the first city to get a fleet of self-driving vehicles.

Streamers, YouTubers and other content creators are eligible for the new "No Tax on Tips" policy in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4, 2024. "Digital Content Creators" are included in a preliminary list of occupations that are eligible for the new tax deduction on tips the US Treasury Department released last week. That means a podcaster could receive the same tax relief as a waiter or bartender.Under that guidance, the "Bits" received during a Twitch stream or the "Super Thanks" a YouTuber receives for a great upload could go untaxed when next year's tax season rolls around. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, though, there are limits to how much of that tipped income will be deducted - up to $25,000 per year and it's phased out for single filers who make more than $150,000 per year - and language that suggests not every tipping scenario content creators face might apply.According to the Treasury, tips won't qualify for the deduction "if they are received in the course of certain specified trades or businesses," which includes "the fields of health, performing arts, and athletics." Does that mean this is a much narrower carve out for content creators than it appears? Possibly, but these classifications will need to be finalized before anyone will be able to say for sure. Ultimately, content creators have multiple possible sources of income: direct subscriptions, ad revenue, paid partnerships, direct sales and digital tips. How much a new tax deduction changes their calculus will vary.Making tips tax deductible was one of several campaign promises Trump made leading up to his reelection in November 2024. The idea was eventually folded into the One Big Beautiful Bill, which is perhaps better known for the catastrophic cuts it made to social welfare and clean energy spending. As it turns out, the bill might also reshape the creator economy, too.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/no-tax-on-tips-apparently-also-applies-to-your-favorite-streamer-182932748.html?src=rss

With web publishers in crisis, a new open standard lets them set the ground rules for AI scrapers. (Or, at least it will try.) The new Really Simple Licensing (RSL) standard creates terms that participants expect AI companies to abide by. Although enforcement is an open question, it can't hurt that some heavy hitters back it. Among others, the list includes Reddit, Yahoo (Engadget's parent company), Medium and People Inc.RSL adds licensing terms to the robots.txt protocol, the simple file that provides instructions for web crawlers. Supported licensing options include free, attribution, subscription, pay-per-crawl and pay-per-inference. (The latter means AI companies only pay publishers when the content is used to generate a response.)Launching alongside the standard is a new managing nonprofit, the RSL Collective. It views itself as an equivalent of nonprofits like ASCAP and BMI, which manage music industry royalties. The new group says its standard can "establish fair market prices and strengthen negotiation leverage for all publishers."Participating brands include plenty of internet old-schoolers. Reddit, People Inc., Yahoo, Internet Brands, Ziff Davis, wikiHow, O'Reilly Media, Medium, The Daily Beast, Miso.AI, Raptive, Ranker and Evolve Media are all on board. Former Ask.com CEO Doug Leeds and RSS co-creator Eckart Walther lead the group."The RSL Standard gives publishers and platforms a clear, scalable way to set licensing terms in the AI era," Reddit CEO Steve Huffman wrote in a press release. "The RSL Collective offers a path to do it together. Reddit supports both as important steps toward protecting the open web and the communities that make it thrive." (It's worth noting that Reddit has licensing deals with OpenAI and Google.)It's unclear whether AI companies will honor the standard. After all, they've been known to simply ignore robots.txt instructions. But the group believes its terms will be legally enforceable.In an interview with Ars Technica, Leeds pointed to Anthropic's recent $1.5 billion settlement, suggesting "there's real money at stake" for AI companies that don't train "legitimately." (However, that settlement is up in the air after a judge rejected it.) Leeds told The Verge that the standard's collective nature could also help spread legal costs, making challenges to violations more feasible.As for technical enforcement, the RSL standard can't block bots on its own. For that, the group is partnering with the cloud company Fastly, which can act as a sort of gatekeeper. (Perhaps Cloudflare, which recently launched a pay-per-crawl system, could eventually play a part, too.) Leeds said Fastly could serve as "the bouncer at the door to the club."Leeds suggested to Ars that there are incentives for AI companies, too. Financially, it could be simpler for them than inking individual licensing deals. It could prevent a problem in AI content: using multiple sources for an answer to avoid using too much from any one. If content is legally licensed, the AI app can simply use the best source, which provides the user with a higher-quality answer and minimizes the risk of hallucinations.He also referenced complaints from AI companies that there's no effective means of licensing web-wide content. "We have listened to them, and what we've heard them say is... we need a new protocol," Leeds told Ars Technica. "With the RSL standard, AI firms get a "scalable way to get all the content" they want, while setting an incentive that they'll only have to pay for the best content that their models actually reference. If they're using it, they pay for it, and if they're not using it, they don't pay for it."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/reddit-yahoo-medium-and-more-are-adopting-a-new-licensing-standard-to-get-compensated-for-ai-scraping-180946671.html?src=rss

Since its debut in 2009, Grammarly has only been available in one language: English. Sure, you could switch between dialects, including Canadian and Indian English, but if you wrote in any other language, you were out of luck. That's changing today with Grammarly rolling out beta support for five additional languages: French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.The update is available to all Grammarly customers - whether you live in a country that speaks the language you want to write in or not - with support for the platform's signature features included. As you write in any one of the new languages, you'll see Grammarly highlight spelling and grammatical errors, as well offer suggestions for how you might rewrite certain paragraphs to refine their tone, style and flow. Additionally, with any of the six primary languages Grammarly now supports, the app offers in-line translation, with the ability to convert your text into 19 different languages."The new features are Grammarly's first step toward more comprehensive multilingual writing assistance," said Grammarly. "In the coming year, the company plans to launch more advanced clarity suggestions in the supported languages, similar to what it offers in English."If you want to start writing in French, German, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish, you don't need to tweak any settings in Grammarly. Provided you're using the Windows or Mac app or Chrome extension, you can simply start writing in one of the new languages. In addition to being available to Pro, Enterprise and Education customers, free users can also take advantage of the expanded support - though with some limitations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/grammarlys-ai-writing-assistance-tools-now-work-in-five-new-languages-180432231.html?src=rss

NASA just announced that its Perseverance rover recently found some promising signs of ancient life on Mars. The rover obtained a sample of rock formed billions of years ago from sediment and there are biomarkers indicating the potential presence of microbes once upon a time.Basically, the rocks contain minerals that typically form as a result of a chemical reaction between mud and organic matter. That doesn't necessarily mean that Mars once had life, as the minerals can form due to nonbiological processors. However, it's certainly one of the best pieces of evidence we have to point toward our neighbor planet once housing life of some kind."On Earth, reactions like these, which combine organic matter and chemical compounds in mud to form new minerals like vivianite and greigite, are often driven by the activity of microbes," said Stony Brook University planetary scientist Joel Hurowitz, who led the study published in the journal Nature. "The microbes are consuming the organic matter in these settings and producing these new minerals as a byproduct of their metabolism."Hurowitz does caution that this is just a potential biosignature and not actual proof of ancient life. Many scientists believe, however, that Mars wasn't always quite as inhospitable as it is today.The planet likely held plenty of water in its distant past. Researchers suggest that the area in which Persevere found these samples was once a river valley that led to a lake, though this was more than 3.5 billion years ago.The samples were collected last year, but researchers needed time for analysis. Perseverance has been roaming around the Martian surface since 2021. The six-wheeled rover has been collecting rock samples and regolith, using its onboard instruments for this analysis. This is also just the beginning of the research required here."Ultimately, follow-on research will provide us with a suite of testable hypotheses for how to determine whether biology is responsible for the generation of these features," Hurowitz added.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasas-perseverance-rover-finds-potential-signs-of-ancient-life-on-mars-173457976.html?src=rss

Bluesky is expanding its age verification features stateside. The service will require users in South Dakota and Wyoming to verify their ages in order to access direct messaging and adult content on the site.The update comes after both states have enacted laws requiring online platforms that host "harmful" content to verify the ages of their users. Bluesky's approach will mirror its actions in the UK, which also requires age checks following the passage of its Online Safety Act. The company has opted to use Epic Games' Kids Web Services to conduct the checks and users can choose between several methods, including ID scans or credit card checks.The service will still be available to people in the states that don't verify their age, but specific features will be restricted. In an update, the company said "we believe this approach currently strikes the right balance." Last month, the service opted to go dark in the state of Mississippi rather than comply with a more restrictive age verification law that would have required it to block anyone whose age hadn't been confirmed."To implement this change, we would have had to invest substantial resources in a solution that we believe limits free speech and disproportionately harms smaller platforms," Bluesky explains. "We chose not to offer our service there at this time while legal challenges continue."The update comes as age verification laws have been ramping up in the US. So far, 25 states have passed laws requiring some form of age verification to access adult content, and numerous others have similar legislation in the works. In its post, Bluesky notes that it expects more regulations in other states and countries in the near term.Correction, September 10, 2025, 2:03PM ET: This story has been updated to remove a reference to face scans. Bluesky enables face scanning for age verification in the UK but Epic Games' Kids Web Services doesn't currently offer the feature in the United States, We regret the error.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/bluesky-is-rolling-out-age-verification-in-south-dakota-and-wyoming-165753460.html?src=rss

The Rode Wireless Go III wireless microphone is down to $199 via Amazon. This is a record-low price and represents a discount of 30 percent, as it typically costs $285. The deal applies to all 13 colorways. This one made our list of the best mobile microphones. It strikes a good balance between features and value, which is especially true right now. The mic offers great sound, onboard storage, 32-bit float and universal compatibility with iPhones, Android, cameras and PCs. The various colorways are also nice, offering influencers and creators a way to match a channel's theme or branding. It can store up to 40 hours of footage at one time and it connects wirelessly via 2.4 GHz. It also comes with accessories like a charging hub, various connection cables, a windshield and a carry pouch. The microphone doesn't connect via Bluetooth, which could be a dealbreaker for some. The affiliated Rode Central app occasionally runs into hiccups, but nothing that will ruin the overall functionality. This is a great mic at a great price. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/rodes-wireless-go-iii-wireless-microphone-is-cheaper-than-ever-162231812.html?src=rss

Apple has offered a few different variations of Center Stage - its photo tracking and enhancement suit - over the years, but with the iPhone 17 line and iPhone Air the company has designed the feature to solve a small (albeit annoying) problem with modern smartphones. Now there's no need to change how you hold the device to shoot portrait- or landscape-oriented selfies. It's vintage Apple: a seemingly simply melding of hardware and software in a way few other companies excel at.The reason it can do this is because Apple has paired a square front-facing camera sensor with its latest machine learning-assisted image recognition software. This allows the iPhone 17 and its siblings to capture high-resolution selfies and videos in any orientation.A GIF demonstrating Center Stage in action. AppleI hope it's also the start of a new trend toward more thoughtful and useful AI features. For years, machine learning algorithms have powered many of the most significant software advancements in our phones and tablets. For instance, Apple's Photonic Engine technology wouldn't be possible without machine learning. If you need a refresher, whenever you go to snap a photo with a modern iPhone, the device will capture a burst of stills before and after you press the shutter and fuse these images to reduce noise and improve sharpness.However, as I wrote following the end of I/O 2025, sometime in the last few years machine learning and AI went from a means to an end to an end in and of themselves. With large language learning models now all the rage, most companies appear to have forgotten these technologies exist to enable new experiences (or reduce friction in existing ones). Apple, perhaps more so than any other company, has had trouble navigating this new era of tech with its usual foresight and vision, with Apple Intelligence among its most disappointing releases in recent memory. Center Stage is an example of the company remembering the best use of AI: A way to solve actual problems.It's too soon to tell if Apple will be able to build on its work with Center Stage to deliver other similarly useful AI features. After all, we're still waiting on the new, more personal Siri to arrive. In the meantime, I look forward to every Android manufacturer copying Apple's camera design. Maybe it will even inspire them to rethink their approach to AI.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/center-stage-is-a-better-vision-of-the-apple-intelligence-era-160428405.html?src=rss

Vimeo is set to get a new owner. Bending Spoons - the parent of Evernote, WeTransfer, Meetup and fellow video streaming platform Brightcove - plans to take the company into private ownership in an all-cash, $1.38 billion deal. Stockholders will receive $7.85 per share, quite a bit more than the $4.82 Vimeo closed at on Tuesday (the price jumped significantly after the announcement, of course).Vimeo's directors unanimously approved the takeover. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of the calendar year, pending shareholder approval, closing conditions and regulatory approval.Once seen as a competitor to YouTube, Vimeo has shifted focus over the two decades it's been around. It used to be a go-to hosting option for filmmakers, but these days it's more oriented toward business users. Vimeo does not permit content scraping or generative AI models to train on any video it hosts without the uploader's permission, perhaps making it an enticing video-hosting service for enterprise users. More recently, Vimeo started bringing back its TV apps, two years after killing those off in an ill-advised move.Bending Spoons, meanwhile, has a track record of gutting the companies it takes over. It bought Evernote in 2022 and laid off most of the note-taking service's workers the following year. Bending Spoons bought WeTransfer last year and a few weeks later, it announced plans to fire three-quarters of the file-sharing platform's staff.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/evernote-and-wetransfer-owner-bending-spoons-is-set-to-buy-vimeo-for-138-billion-155602681.html?src=rss

Amazon's Zoox has announced that its robotaxi service is now available on and around the Las Vegas Strip after months of testing. The autonomous rides are free and can be booked through the Zoox app for iOS and Android devices. This is the company's first official service launch after Amazon acquired the self-driving startup in 2020.The Las Vegas service will operate at select pickup and drop-off locations along the Strip, and riders will enter and exit the vehicles at each destination's ride-hail zone. Though the company didn't provide an exhaustive list of locations, Resorts World Las Vegas and AREA15 are official partner destinations. They will both feature dedicated areas just for Zoox riders, with an on-site concierge service to walk riders through the app and answer questions.The company's autonomous vehicle is an odd duck, with two bench-like seats facing each other and no steering wheel. (Tesla is working on a similar "Cybercab" with no steering wheel or pedals, which is supposed to go into production before 2027.) Its self-driving tech bears more similarity to existing vehicles though, with cameras, lidar, radar and long-wave infrared sensors.Competition in the robotaxi market has been heating up as existing players continue expanding into new markets and newer players join the space. Waymo now operates in five cities with a goal of 10 by the end of 2025.The launch of self-driving taxis hasn't been without incident though. Zoox issued a software recall in May after one of its vehicles collided with a passenger vehicle in Las Vegas. In another instance one of its taxis kept moving after a scooter-riding pedestrian ran into it. Waymo has issued a number of recalls, and was the subject of a NHTSA probe. Earlier this summer, a Tesla robotaxi made light contact with the tire of another parked vehicle before stopping. Most famously, one of Cruise's robotaxis pinned a pedestrian under its wheels, eventually leading to the program being shuttered.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/amazons-zoox-launches-its-autonomous-robotaxi-service-153750246.html?src=rss

We knew it was coming, and now it's here. The iPhone Air, as rumored, is only 5.6mm thick and has fewer features than the base iPhone 17, which is $200 cheaper. Sure, it's not the first slimline reinterpretation of a major smartphone - Samsung beat Apple to the punch with the Galaxy S25 Edge earlier this year - but the influence of Apple can't be underestimated. It's too early to tell if the iPhone Air will shake up smartphones as the MacBook Air did with laptops, but it's definitely a safer evolution. And hey, perhaps the iPhone Air is merely a pit-stop on the way to the first Apple foldable.Let's go back to 2008. With the MacBook Air, Apple ditched the optical disc drive and many ports, leading to a device that was so thin Steve Jobs pulled it out of a manila envelope when he first revealed it. The first MBA had some issues; it was underpowered, used a tiny and slow hard drive and battery life was pretty awful. But Apple refined the formula, which led to countless slimmed-down laptops and even a new category, the ultraportable.Sadly, Apple didn't figure out an equally iconic way to reveal its super slim iPhone. In fact, it dropped it in a carefully prepared marketing video, presumably in a bid to show off how confident it is with the hardiness of the iPhone Air. But it felt like Apple trying to assuage durability fears in a way that doesn't really work, since this was just part of a carefully-manicured marketing promotion.That's one of two concerns for thinner phones: durability. Apple's iPhone Air has a frame made from recycled titanium - previously an iPhone Pro feature. The Air also has the company's Ceramic Shield, which Apple says is now 3x more scratch-resistant than past versions. It feels like Apple has engineered a phone less likely to get damaged. And of course, the company is happy to offer a super-slim 1mm case for the paranoid among us.The other concern is battery life. A slimmer profile in a smartphone means less space for the battery. Apple claims that the iPhone Air's internal architecture maximizes space for the battery," but the company doesn't share specific battery capacity figures. Regardless, Apple says the iPhone Air will deliver all-day battery life," which remains hugely subjective.Apple also announced a new $99 MagSafe charging pack to ensure the iPhone Air can play back video for up to 40 hours. But that charging puck seems even thicker than the camera unit - with the two devices combined, that's no longer a superthin smartphone, it's an iPhone 17 with one camera. The fact that it exists at all should give people pause about the Air's longevity.AppleAlso: that big old camera module. Samsung's S25 Edge has a 5.8mm thick body, but if you count the camera, it's closer to 10mm. The iPhone Air is thinner than the S25 Edge, at 5.6mm. But the camera plateau" adds a significant width on top of that, although Apple hasn't said just how thick it is. Judging by images, it could be almost twice as thick as the iPhone Air's body alone.Compared to the MacBook Air, the iPhone Air is unlikely to shake up the world of smartphones. While packed with tech upgrades, there's nothing revolutionary. For example, the iPhone Air still has a USB-C port - early rumors suggested it might ditch all ports for wireless connections and charging. That single camera will probably take great photos, but the utility may be limited without a dedicated telephoto lens - a point I've been emphasizing. Samsung's S25 Edge attempted to address that with a 200-megapixel camera, allowing for substantial digital zoom by cropping in.Despite these potential pitfalls, I'm intrigued to see how the iPhone Air fares. I've often returned to Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge, simply because of the lighter, slimmer profile. The weaknesses of slimmer smartphones I've outlined here didn't result in a bad phone. Like Sam Rutherford put in his review, the S25 Edge is arguably a better phone than the S25+.Are people desperate for a thinner smartphone? The $999 iPhone Air is cleverly priced between the base iPhone 17 ($799) and the iPhone 17 Pro ($1,099), and the lack of a plus model just might push people towards the Air.I think there's a place for the iPhone Air. It's lighter, it'll fit in pockets better and it'll have all the features of iOS 26 at a time when new functionality has shifted from hardware to software. Apple has attempted to address many of the concerns with superslim phones, but the true test of battery longevity and durability will come with a few months of use.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/welcome-to-the-era-of-thin-smartphones-whether-you-want-it-or-not-150729169.html?src=rss