Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Have you updated your iPhone to the new iOS 26 yet or are you holding off? It's been available to download since September 15 -here's how to install it if you haven't yet. The new OS was released alongside iPadOS 26 and Apple's other operating system updates. Since then, the first beta of iOS 26.1 has already been released with some newer features.If your phone is compatible with the latest OS, you'll notice substantial changes when you install the new update. You may have already heard about "Liquid Glass," which (intentional or not) is sort of like Apple's take on the old Windows Vista design language. That's the most notable change, but we spent two weeks test-driving many of the other features included in the update - you can check out our hands-on iOS 26 preview for more impressions.Not sure if you have an eligible smartphone or tablet but also don't want to upgrade? No worries, we'll help you find out if your devices will be able to run iOS 26.While Apple didn't nix any iPhones from its eligibility list last year, that's not the case for 2025, as a few models got axed this time around. All iPhone 8 models and the iPhone X were the last to receive the boot in 2023, and this year, iPhones released in 2018 will be left behind.You can find a full list of iPhones and iPads that support iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 below. To see everything you get with the latest OS updates, you can check out our big rundown of what to expect from iOS 26. Additionally, here's everything Apple revealed at the iPhone 17 launch event, including the all-new iPhone Air. (Check out Engadget's liveblog of the event for full details.)These three iOS 18 iPhones aren't compatible with iOS 26Unlike last year, a trio of iPhones won't be eligible to download the newest iOS. These three models that were first released in 2018 won't be coming to the iOS 26 party:

The rumors of Marvel's Wolverine showing up during Sony's September State of Play turned out to be true after all. The trailer was our first decent look (well, first official one, anyway) at the game since it was announced back in 2021. Sony and Insomniac Games revealed a release window too: Marvel's Wolverine is coming to PS5 in fall 2026.A gruff-sounding Liam McIntyre (Spartacus: Vengeance, JD Fenix in Gears of War 4 and Gears 5) is taking on the mantle of Logan here. As creative director Marcus Smith reminded us, Logan is an unreliable narrator with a patchy memory, which should make for an interesting wrinkle as the story plays out.Unlike in Insomniac's Spider-Man games, bad guys aren't going to be magically webbed to the side of a tall building after you kick them off the roof. Oh, no no. Wolverine rips an enemy apart in fury with his adamantium claws within the first 30 seconds of this trailer. Not long after, he thrusts them upwards through a goon's skull. We see him slicing off limbs too. Yeah, this isn't going to be a game for younger kids.Wolverine will encounter some familiar faces on his travels, including Mystique and Omega Red. And that's not to mention a certain giant robot that shows up at the end of the trailer."We aim to deliver the ultimate Wolverine fantasy built on Insomniac staples like fast, fluid, and ferocious combat; exhilarating, action-packed set pieces; robust accessibility features; and a gripping story that taps into the core tenets of one of the most compelling comic book characters of all time," Insomniac senior community manager Aaron Jason Espinoza wrote on the PlayStation Blog. "We're breaking new ground with Wolverine, yes, but our penchant for telling stories about heroes overcoming colossal odds is as strong as ever. We're eager to explore Logan's story with you and tap into his signature spin on heroism, which is much darker and more brutal than you might expect from Insomniac."Although we're a year or so away from Marvel's Wolverine coming to PS5 and PS5 Pro, we won't have to wait quite that long for more details. Insomniac promises to reveal additional info in spring 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/marvels-wolverine-slices-his-way-onto-ps5-in-fall-2026-220250305.html?src=rss

Sony's lineup of gaming-focused audio devices is growing with the addition of the PlayStation Pulse Elevate wireless speakers. They work with PC, Mac, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation Portal, and they support Bluetooth and Sony's proprietary PlayStation Link Wireless connection scheme. The Pulse Elevate speakers come in white or black, and they're due to hit the market in 2026. There's no word on price just yet.The Pulse Elevate speakers can be set on charging stands when playing at your desk, or they can be disconnected and used in portable mode. When not docked, they have (an unspecified number of) "hours of battery life," according to Sony's hype trailer. The speakers support 3D audio, they can be tilted back, and they have planar magnetic drivers, built-in woofers and an integrated mic with noise reduction.The PlayStation Pulse Elevate speakers join Sony's Pulse Elite gaming headset and Pulse Explore earbuds. The earbuds retail for $200 and the headset goes for $150, so feel free to use these price points as the foundation of indiscriminate speculation about how much the Elevate speakers will cost when they land next year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstation-pulse-elevate-portable-speakers-are-coming-for-your-desktop-in-2026-215320963.html?src=rss

Just in time for all your Halloween gaming projects, Alan Wake 2 will be the free to play for members of the PS Plus program in October. The news was announced during Sony's State of Play presentation.The recent remake of the game showcases Remedy Entertainment's skill with tell eerie, surreal interactive stories. And the fans have responded; it's Remedy's fastest-selling game to date. If you're one of those people who hasn't already bought a copy, now might be the time to join Alan and Saga in solving their supernatural murder mystery.The new batch of PS Plus games, which also includes the compelling puzzle game Cocoon and Goat Simulator 3, will be available starting October 7. And in case you haven't gotten enough of Joel, Ellie and the gang, Sony is also adding The Last of Us Part II to the PS Plus game catalog.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/alan-wake-2-will-be-free-on-ps-plus-in-october-213539815.html?src=rss

Microsoft is bring yet another of its formerly exclusive games to PlayStation. During Sony's latest State of Play, the company announced that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is coming to PS5 on December 8, 2025.Based on the trailer showed during Sony's event, the PS5 version of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, will carry over the same graphical detail and giant commercial aircraft of the original, along with support for the PS VR 2 headset for even more immersive cockpit gameplay. Along with accurately simulating real-life airplanes, Flight Simulator also uses real geographical and weather data for its maps, making flight as peaceful or difficult as they would be in real life.Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 joins a growing collection of former Xbox and PC exclusives that Microsoft has brought to Sony's console. The company started with games like Sea of Thieves and Pentiment, but now even bigger titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle come to PS5 eventually.It's all part of Microsoft ongoing Game Pass and game streaming strategy, but it's also working for Sony, too. Helldivers 2 was originally a PS5-exclusive, but when it came to Xbox it almost immediately became one of the best-selling games on the platform.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-is-coming-to-ps5-on-december-8-213203456.html?src=rss

One thing that Sony confirmed in advance for its September State of Play stream was a first look at gameplay for Saros, the next game from Housemarque (Returnal, Resogun). This is the first completely new project from the developer since it joined PlayStation Studios in 2021, and it opened the livestream.Creative director Gregory Louden took viewers through a peek at the journey of Arjun Devraj (Rahul Kohli), who's seeking answers on a shape-shifting planet called Carcosa. The combat looks very much in the vein of Returnal, with lots of lasers, projectiles and other nasty stuff to avoid.Arjun can trigger a shield to defend himself and redirect incoming projectiles to juice up a power weapon. He also gets a second chance to survive an encounter as there's a revival ability he can use after his first death, but you'll need to unlock the option to do that as it's part of the permanent progression system. You'll be able to upgrade your combat suit and other abilities too. Unsurprisingly, it all looks extremely pretty.Along with the first glimpse at gameplay, we got a release date. Saros will hit PS5 on March 20, 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/housemarques-saros-will-hit-ps5-on-march-20-2026-211504381.html?src=rss

Following the announcement of its first smart glasses with a built-in display, Meta is opening several temporary retail locations where you'll be able to demo the Meta Ray-Ban Display, their Meta Neural Band controller and the rest of the company's Reality Labs products. These new "Meta Lab" locations will offer another way to see the company's new $799 smart glasses, which currently aren't available for purchase without an in-person demo and fitting.For the rollout of the Meta Ray-Ban Display, Meta Lab locations will be available to visit in Las Vegas starting on October 16, Los Angeles starting on October 24 and New York starting on November 13. Meta also says interested Bay Area customers will be able to demo and purchase the new smart glasses at the company's existing Meta Store location in Burlingame, which has been rebranded as a "Meta Lab."While the appeal of having the face-mounted camera and speakers of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses is easy to understand, Meta clearly believes adding a display into the mix changes that calculus. The company says interest in the new glasses is part of the reason it's opening these new retail locations. "Demand for in-person demos of Meta Ray-Ban Display and the Meta Neural Band is strong, with appointments in many major cities already booked out through mid-October," according to Meta. Interestingly, Meta also plans to test selling its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses from vending machines, not unlike Snap did with its Spectacles.These new Meta Labs join Ray-Ban, Verizon, Best Buy and LensCrafters stores as the only official places where you can try Meta's new wearable. It's hard to say if demand for demos will translate into actual sales, but clearly the positive buzz the company's Connect showing was able to drum up has caught some people's interest. You can book a demo at a Meta Lab through the company's website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/meta-lab-pop-ups-will-let-you-try-on-the-companys-new-smart-glasses-for-yourself-205756155.html?src=rss

If you've heard that Apple's new iPhone 17 Pro models are more prone to scratches than past models, the story is not as cut and dry as it might appear. Bloomberg reported on September 19 that in-store iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro were already showing scratches, including circular marks from where the phones mounted on MagSafe stands. Now Apple tells 9to5Mac those marks aren't scratches but rather "material transfer" from the stands to the body of the phone.Apple's explanation suggests that simply cleaning demo iPhone 17 Pro units and replacing old MagSafe stands will prevent those markings from happening in the future. That doesn't account for the scratches some iPhone 17 Pro owners have noticed around the phone's camera bump, though. In a recent scratch test video, YouTuber JerryRigEverythingspeculated that Apple's decision to not add a chamfer or fillet to the sides of the iPhone 17 Pro's camera bump left it more prone to damage. Through 9to5Mac, Apple says it designed the Pro's aluminum camera bump in the same way as its other aluminum products and that it's durable, but prone to "small abrasions" over time.

Waymo has unveiled a new enterprise transportation program. The Waymo for Business service offers companies access to the brand's autonomous vehicles on a larger scale than individual one-off rides, with features such as establishing commuter programs, transporting riders to events and providing other forms of corporate travel. Waymo for Business is available in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix at launch.Clients who sign up for this option can use Waymo's business portal to establish their program and manage riders, whether that's regular employees or limited-time guests. It will also have metrics for budget management and ride activity. The whole operation is still in early days, and it seems possible that Waymo for Business will adapt based on what customers most want from the autonomous vehicle company.2025 has been a busy year for Waymo. The company plans to test its fleet in ten new cities this year, rolled out a teen account option in July, and already has its sights set on Nashville in 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymos-newest-service-caters-to-businesses-194530536.html?src=rss

Valve has broadly rolled out a new Steam store menu after testing it since July. This redesign is available for the standard Steam PC client, the Steam Deck and Steam Mobile.The big news here is that the update makes it easier to find stuff you want to play, which is a good move given the clutter of the current Steam store. Everything has been streamlined, with a new search menu existing up top. This search menu includes options for top sellers, new releases, discounted games and more. These criteria were already available, but all options are now grouped together in a nice and colorful menu.The new "Categories" pull-down menu provides a more tailored feed, as it snags content from your top genres and offers suggested tags to find similar games.Valve says the pre-existing search bar has gotten some upgrades underneath the hood. It can now offer suggestions based on common searches and can bring up a list of games you've recently searched for."With these changes, we're aiming to make your experience smoother and more tailored to your needs," Steam wrote in a blog post back in July. "We've been hearing from players, and experiencing ourselves, that some of the most commonly visited areas of Steam were hard to get to."The store update is rolling out now, so check your preferred Steam client to get started. It might be time to start clearing out that long-neglected wishlist.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/valve-rolls-out-a-new-steam-store-menu-to-make-it-easier-to-find-games-190027385.html?src=rss

That report from a few weeks ago was spot-on. As The Information's sources tipped, Microsoft 365 Copilot is adding Anthropic's AI models. Microsoft announced today that Claude access is now rolling out for beta testers. For starters, it's being integrated into Copilot's Researcher and its agent development tool."Copilot will continue to be powered by OpenAI's latest models," Microsoft's announcement was quick to stress. Following that report from earlier this month, it was easy to imagine growing tensions between the two. It didn't help that the story came on the heels of reports of uneasy negotiations between the pair.Whether or not there's anything to that, OpenAI models like GPT-5 still fuel most of Copilot... for now. But Microsoft 365's Researcher now allows testers to use Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.1. Copilot's reasoning tool launched earlier this year. It's designed to help you "tackle complex, multistep research."Microsoft posted the brief video below. It shows a new "Try Claude" button in the upper-right corner of the research agent's interface.Copilot Studio, Microsoft's AI agent dev tool, offers similar functionality. There, a drop-down menu lets you choose between OpenAI's and Anthropic's models.Anthropic integration is currently rolling out through Microsoft's Frontier program. (That's its optional beta program for AI previews.) After signing up, you'll need to opt in to use Anthropic. This will all presumably roll out to the wider public later.This won't be the end of Copilot's Anthropic integration. "Anthropic models will bring even more powerful experiences to Microsoft 365 Copilot," Microsoft's Charles Lamanna teased.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsoft-adds-claude-models-to-copilot-365-185032970.html?src=rss

YouTube says it will now let viewers dismiss the popups and video suggestions that appear at the end of videos with a new "Hide" button. These end screen popups are a standard part of most YouTube videos, but the company says it received community feedback that viewers wanted to dismiss them so they "focus on the content they're watching."If end screens are bothering you before the video you're watching has finished, you can now tap or click on a new Hide button in the top right corner of YouTube's video player to dismiss them. It's worth noting, though, that the setting only applies to the current video you're watching, so you'll have to tap on the Hide button again for each new video you watch. Even with that small annoyance, giving viewers the option is a positive change. End screens might improve a channel or videos metrics, but when they get in the way of watching, you should be able to hide them.Alongside this new button, YouTube is also changing an interface element on the desktop version of the video platform. Now you'll no longer see a "Subscribe" button when you hover your mouse over a video's watermark - a feature that was already redundant because of the dedicated Subscribe button under each video.YouTube claims neither of these changes will prevent video creators from adding things like end screens or watermarks if they want to, and the tweaks themselves only have a minor effect on the views or subscriptions a channel earns. "Giving users the option to hide end screens resulted in a less than 1.5 percent decrease in views from end screens," YouTube claims. Meanwhile, "less than ~0.05 percent of all channel subscriptions come from the hover-to-subscribe functionality on the video watermark," so removing the option isn't much of a loss.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/youtube-will-finally-let-you-hide-popups-at-the-end-of-videos-183002850.html?src=rss

Bowers & Wilkins just released the Px8 S2 wireless headphones, a follow-up to the well-reviewed original Px8 cans. This new entry brings a bevy of updated features, many of which were pulled from the recently-released Px7 S3 headphones.They feature new audio drivers, a built-in digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and an improved digital signal processor (DSP.) This allows for a 24-bit/96 kHz high-resolution audio signal. The headphones can handle high-res audio from streaming services like Tidal and Qobuz, thanks to Qualcomm's aptX Lossless audio codec.The sound is aided by a five-band customizable EQ, which is accessible via a proprietary app. This app also lets users set other parameters and play audio directly from streaming platforms.The Px8 S2 headphones also include more microphones for ANC, which should allow for better noise cancellation and a more nuanced transparency mode. The battery lasts for 30 hours, which is in line with all of the other Bowers & Wilkins models.Bowers & Wilkins The overall design has been refreshed, with a slimmer form factor. The company says it's the "most considered and comfortable over-ear headphone design we've ever made." The exterior has been crafted with Nappa leather and die-cast aluminum. There are two colorways to choose from and both are extremely easy on the eyes. These headphones are also slightly lighter than the original Px8 cans.Each unit ships with a new carry case that's been designed to fit in most bags. The Px8 S2 headphones cost $800, which is $100 more than the original Px8 cost when they were released in 2023. Bowers & Wilkins does promise future software updates, including one that brings spatial audio.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/bowers--wilkins-px8-s2-headphones-have-updated-drivers-improved-anc-and-a-new-look-181913079.html?src=rss

When it comes to cooking meat, finding that all-important sweet spot between under- and over-cooked can be tricky to get right every single time. That is, unless you're using one of the ThermoWorks instant-read thermometers that we've been big proponents of for a long time. And right now our favorite one is down to a record low of $76 in select colors, as part of the brand's fall warehouse sale. Usually priced at $109, you're saving $33 if you pick one up now. The Thermapen One records accurate temperatures in an instant (specifically one second or less), which can be the difference between a perfectly medium-rare steak and one that requires a bit too much chewing. This model also has a handy auto-rotating backlit display that allows you to easily see the reading regardless of how you're holding it. It also has useful auto-wake and sleep features, which again, are useful when doneness deals in seconds. An IP67 waterproofing rating means you don't have to worry about it getting splashed. That said, the thermometer isn't suitable for dishwashers, so keep that in mind. The Thermapen One took home our best thermometer award, so this is definitely a deal we'd confidently recommend taking advantage of, but it isn't the only one available right now. ThermoWorks' sale also includes offers on its various BBQ alarm thermometers, battery banks, kitchen utensils and more. You can shop all the deals here. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-thermoworks-thermapen-one-is-30-percent-off-right-now-163043164.html?src=rss

Nearly 15 years in, Instagram has passed a new milestone: the app now reaches 3 billion monthly users, Mark Zuckerberg shared in a post on Threads. That's up from 2 billion monthly users in 2022.Meta doesn't regularly share monthly or daily user numbers for its "family" of apps, but Facebook reached 2 billion daily users in 2023; WhatsApp passed 2 billion monthly users in 2020. The company reported 3.48 billion "daily active people" across facebook, WhatsApp and Messenger last quarter.Meta shared the latest metric as it reportedly plans some significant changes to Instagram. According to Bloomberg, Meta will soon make Reels an even more prominent part of the app. Instagram exec Adam Mosseri told the publication that users will see a redesigned navigation bar that will "highlight private messaging and Reels." The company will also run a test in South Korea and India that will allow users to set Reels as the default feed for the app. (Instagram's newly-announced iPad app already makes Reels the default feed in order "to reflect how people use bigger screens today," the company has said.)It's probably no coincidence that these changes come as the United States government edges closer toward an agreement that will put the US version of TikTok largely in the hands of US-based investors. Despite more than a year of uncertainty surrounding the app's future in the United States, TikTok is still a formidable competitor to Meta more broadly and Instagram specifically.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-reaches-3-billion-monthly-users-160554420.html?src=rss

Search Live is now available for Google app users in the US, offering real-time, multimodal search, powered by AI. This feature will enable users to have real-time conversations with Google Search in AI Mode while sharing their phone's camera feed with the app. Search will be able to see and interpret what the user's camera is focused on and offer relevant links for deeper context, as well as live guidance.The new feature can be accessed from a new "Live" icon beneath the search bar in the Google app. It can also be used from Google Lens by selecting the Live option at the bottom of the screen. Camera sharing will be enabled by default here to allow for an instant back-and-forth conversation about whatever is in front of you.Search Live is available through the Google app on iOS and Android now. This wider rollout only supports English for now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-ai-search-live-is-now-available-to-all-us-app-users-151849371.html?src=rss

With the arrival of iOS 26, Apple's Live Translation feature for AirPods is now ready for use. It's available on older models of the company's earbuds, so you don't need the new AirPods Pro 3 to access it. There are some hardware and software requirements though, so let's dive into what you'll need before you can start translating conversations.Hardware requirementsLive Translation on AirPods only works on models with the H2 chip. This includes the AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3. You'll also need an iPhone that can run Apple Intelligence, which is the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max or any member of the iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 lineups.Once you have your hardware at the ready, you'll need to make sure Apple Intelligence is turned on in the Settings app on your iPhone. You'll also need to make sure that Apple's Translate app is installed as it's needed to power this whole thing. Lastly, your AirPods should be on the latest firmware, and you can check that in the AirPods settings menu on your iPhone.Step 1: Download languages for Live TranslationAppleThe first step towards using Live Translation is to download the languages you'll need. What's more, you'll have to download both the language you're speaking and the one the other person is speaking. For example, if you're translating Spanish to English, you'll need to download both the Spanish and English language packs (yes, even if your phone's system is already set to English). I'd recommend downloading all of the languages you think you'll need before traveling, that way you aren't trying to do so in the moment you need them.Once this is done, all of the processing for Live Translation will happen on your iPhone and your conversation data is private. You will also be able to use Live Translation offline, too, so you won't have to worry about finding a Wi-Fi connection or buying a local SIM card.How to complete the download process:

Following Sega's Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios accidentally leaking the game's existence last week, Yakuza Kiwami 3 has been officially announced by the developer during its RGG Summit presentation. Like Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2 before it, Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a full remake of an early entry in the long-running series, in this case 2009's Yakuza 3, which originally launched on the PlayStation 3.Yakuza Kiwami 3 is another ground-up remake from RGG, featuring modern graphics, enhanced gameplay and new cutscenes. The game continues the adventures of the (at this point in the story) middle-aged Kazuma Kiryu, who temporarily puts his criminal career on hold to help run an orphanage that will become very important in later entries in the series. Yakuza Kiwami 3 is also bundled with a free spinoff game called Dark Ties, which focuses on Kiryu's adversary, Yoshitaka Mine.Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties will be released on February 12, 2026, for PS4 and PS5, Xbox and PC (Steam), as well as the Switch 2. Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2 are both coming to Switch 2 later this year, and RGG has also announced that Yakuza 0: Director's Cut is coming to PS5, Xbox and PC on December 8. The expanded version of what many consider to be the best Yakuza game of all time has been a Switch 2 exclusive until now.This week's RGG Summit also gave us a brief update on the studio's next game, Stranger Than Heaven, which we still know very little about, other than that it's separate from the Like a Dragon and Judgement series and is set during multiple time periods in the 20th century. The game is still several years away from release, but a new behind the scenes trailer shows off snippets of in-game footage and motion capture sessions with actors.At the time of writing, we're still waiting for an announcement of the next Like a Dragon game, with the most recent entry being this year's wonderfully titled Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/yakuza-kiwami-3-is-official-and-its-out-next-year-with-a-bonus-new-spinoff-game-140315189.html?src=rss

Apple Music has a great deal going on right now for those interested in the Family Plan. New subscribers can get three free months of that plan - which, at $17 per month normally, comes out to $51 in savings for the whole period. Just note that the last day you can get the promotion is September 24. The Family Plan allows six different users to access the platform. It offers cross-device support and each user is tied to an Apple ID, so their favorite music won't mess with anyone else's algorithm. Apple Music actually topped our list of the best music streaming platforms, and for good reason. It sounds great and it's easy to use. What else is there? All music is available in CD quality or higher and there are plenty of personalized playlists and the like. The platform also operates a number of live radio stations, which is fun. The service is available for Android devices, but it really shines on Apple products. To that end, the web and Windows PC apps aren't as polished as the iOS version. It doesn't pay artists properly, but that's true of every music streaming platform. Apple Music does pay out more than Spotify, but that's an incredibly low bar. Offer for new subscribers redeeming on eligible devices. Auto-renews at $16.99/mo until cancelled. Requires Family Sharing. Terms apply. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/its-the-last-chance-to-get-three-free-months-of-the-apple-music-family-plan-151240128.html?src=rss

Logitech has launched the Signature Slim Solar+ K980, a new solar-powered keyboard that you don't need to put under the sun whenever it runs low on battery. The company says it can use "light from any light source to stay charged and ready to use" and that you can use it in complete darkness for up to four months once it's fully charged. As long as the light source reaches 200 lux in brightness, which is considered dim lighting during daytime, it can charge the keyboard. "Even the need to think about charging can be a distraction, so we designed Signature Slim Solar+ to take that off your plate completely," said Art O'Gnimh, the General Manager of Core Products Group at Logitech.You don't have to think about plugging the keyboard in or changing its battery: It's powered by a rechargeable battery that Logitech says can last up to 10 years. But if it does malfunction, the company told The Verge that you can replace it on your own, because it's encased in plastic and is sold by iFixit. The keyboard absorbs light through a strip above the keys themselves, which use a scissor-switch mechanism and are in a full-size layout with a separate number pad. It's compatible with multiple operating systems, and you can link it with up to three multi-OS devices and jump from one to the other with its Easy-Switch keys. If you use the Logi Options+ app, you can program its action key to automate simple tasks and to customize its AI launch key to instantly fire up the AI chatbot of your choice.The Signature Slim Solar+ K980 is now available for $100. Logitech is also selling a business variant with a USB-C receiver for $110 and a North America-exclusive model with a layout specifically for Mac for $110.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/logitechs-new-keyboard-can-be-recharged-by-any-kind-of-light-120019932.html?src=rss

Spotify just announced integration with popular DJ software platforms like rekordbox, Serato and djay. This will make it much easier to build out sets from playlists and to do cool stuff like blend tracks.The company says that users "will be able to access their entire library and playlists directly within desktop DJ software," with just one caveat. This is only for Premium subscribers. The integration is available in 51 global markets.It looks pretty easy to get started. Just log into a Premium account directly inside of the preferred DJ software. That's pretty much it.It's worth noting that this isn't a brand-new idea. Spotify offered something similar for years, but stopped supporting third-party DJ platforms in 2020. This was a business decision that was believed to be based on rights constraints.The platform has been busy lately. Spotify recently introduced lossless streaming and an in-app messaging feature. However, it still pays artists peanuts while making nearly $17 billion each year. It's also worth remembering that CEO Daniel Ek is heavily invested in a military AI company called Helsing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/spotify-now-directly-integrates-with-dj-software-090055300.html?src=rss

If vacuuming is your least favorite chore, employing a robot vacuum can save you time and stress while also making sure your home stays clean. While once most robo-vacs landed on the higher end of the price spectrum, that's not the case anymore. Sure, you could pick up a $1,000 cleaning behemoth with mopping features, but it would be incorrect to assume that you need to spend that much money to get a good machine.

Google's AI Mode is continuing its rapid global growth. Today, the company announced that this addition to Google Search is rolling out in Spanish. The new option is available in all countries that support AI Mode. The move will allow Spanish speakers around the world to engage with this AI chatbot in their language of choice when asking more complicated questions than a search engine can typically answer well.The proliferation of this AI enhancement to Google's traditional search has happened at a break-neck pace. AI Mode was first introduced in March and then made available across the US in May. The first language expansion came earlier this month with the addition of AI Mode in Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Brazilian Portuguese.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-ai-mode-now-speaks-spanish-223346697.html?src=rss

Apple has delayed the release of its new series The Savant just three days before it was supposed to premiere on September 26, Deadline reports. The series follows an investigator, played by Jessica Chastain, who infiltrates a domestic extremist group in the US. Apple hasn't provided a new release date for the show."After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant," the company shared in a statement to Deadline. "We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date." The timing of the sudden delay, and the lack of explanation for why the company is delaying the show, could be telling. Disney made a similar knee-jerk reaction in placing Jimmy Kimmel Live! on indefinite hiatus following a joke Kimmel made about the reaction to the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.Given that The Savant likely focuses on preventing acts of political violence, it might make you wonder who Apple is worried its show will offend. But it's also entirely possible that the company is trying to avoid people making any kind of association between its TV show and a very public assassination.Apple generally avoids rocking the boat whenever possible, particularly when it could hurt its business interests. The Problem With Jon Stewart was reportedly cancelled when Jon Stewart wanted to cover topics Apple deemed controversial, like China and artificial intelligence. Apple does business in China, so it seems likely the company was skittish about airing anything that could be viewed as criticism, even if having difficult conversations was the premise of Stewart's show. The decision to pull The Savant, even if despite reading like the company is worried about offending right-wing extremists, was likely made from a similar place of caution.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apple-tv-indefinitely-delays-its-domestic-extremism-thriller-the-savant-223044979.html?src=rss

Amazon is pivoting its grocery operations in the UK, announcing that it will close 14 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the country. The remaining five Amazon Fresh locations in the UK will be converted to the Whole Foods Market brand. Rather than the brick and mortar shops, Amazon said it will focus on online grocery deliveries within the region. In 2026, the company said it expects to add perishables to its Same-Day Delivery orders for UK customers, which was just introduced in the US last month.The move echoes a similar contraction in 2023, where Amazon said it would shutter both some Fresh supermarkets and some Go convenience stores. Many of these shops highlighted the Just Walk Out tech from Amazon, which it introduced in the US in 2018 and in the UK in 2021. Just Walk Out eliminated cashiers in those stores and instead charged customers by using a network of cameras, sensors and human observers checking video feeds to calculate the tab for a person's purchase and then charge them afterwards. However, the approach yielded concerns around cost, accuracy and privacy. Amazon stopped using Just Walk Out in its US Fresh stores last year.Update, September 23, 2025,5:55PM ET: Revised to correct a misstatement about Amazon's current use of Just Walk Out in the US.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-is-closing-all-fresh-grocery-stores-in-the-uk-195200222.html?src=rss

Next year, baseball reasons will have one less reason to rage at the umpire. Major League Baseball announced today that it will introduce the Automated Ball Strike challenge system in the 2026 season for all spring training, championship season and postseason games. In other words, next year there will be a way for the players to attempt to overturn an umpire's call about whether a pitch counts as a strike or a ball if they disagree with the initial decision.ABS uses a network of a dozen camera to record every pitch thrown. The umpire will still call the pitch a ball or strike as usual, but under the new system, the pitcher, catcher or batter can immediately challenge that decision. Coaching staff and other players cannot offer input on whether or not a challenge is initiated. If the cameras show any part of the ball touching the batter's strike zone, the pitch will be counted as a strike. All teams will begin a game with two challenge opportunities, and only lose them if they challenge unsuccessfully. For games that go into extra innings, a team will get an additional challenge if it has none remaining at the start of the additional gameplay.Baseball has taken a gradual path to introducing this tech. ABS has been tested at the Triple-A level since 2022, and it finally got a chance in the majors during spring training and in the All-Star Game this year. Other sports have also been leveraging electronics to ensure that gameplay rules and scoring are consistent. Football/soccer has implemented a video assistant referee (VAR) system in several leagues, including FIFA and the UK's Premier league. Tennis is also adopting electronic line calls at Wimbledon and other tournaments. Even the electronic systems are not infallible, but considering how much any high-level athletic endeavor can be won or lost by millimeters, having a backup for the human eye seems like a net positive.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/major-league-baseball-will-adopt-an-automated-challenge-system-in-2026-205023531.html?src=rss

Curious to see if those Forza Horizon 6 rumors are true? You may not have long to wait. Xbox's presentation at the Tokyo Game Show 2025 is fast approaching. You can watch the event live right here on September 25 at 6AM ET.Forza Horizon 6 is rumored to have a Japan setting, making this week's event a logical venue for its announcement. That's not the only thing to go on. Windows Central reported last month that it had seen official documentation suggesting the game would be announced at the Tokyo Game Show. An Xbox executive producer even posted earlier this month that it would be an event "you don't want to miss." (Am I sadistic for hoping he was hyping up something like a new Xbox dashboard feature?)The Xbox brand could use some positive mojo. Last week, Microsoft announced that it would raise console prices for the second time in less than five months. The increase, which begins on October 3, was "due to changes in the macroeconomic environment." (That sounds like a copywriter's answer to "How do you say 'tariffs' without actually saying 'tariffs?'") It's all the more reason the company would love to shift your focus to something fun.You can stream Microsoft's event below on September 25 at 6AM ET.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/how-to-watch-xboxs-tokyo-game-show-livestream-204657743.html?src=rss

With the launch of the ROG Xbox Ally only a few weeks away on October 16, the fantasy of a portable Xbox is about to be a lot more real. As a recent video from YouTuber James Channel shows, though, with a first-generation Xbox and the right components, you can make your own version of an Xbox handheld right now. Just don't expect it to be pretty.James' "portable monstrosity" strips away the original Xbox's large plastic casing and thick internal cables and preserves the bare essentials: a motherboard and the console's disk drive, with a new flash drive and a display from an iPod video accessory. All those components are precariously mounted between the left and right halves of an Xbox controller, for a complete package that seems less easy to hold than ASUS' current handheld PCs, but only marginally so. It's a quick and dirty assembly with a surprising amount of super glue - a far cry from the polished Xbox 360 handheld created by YouTuber Millomaker - but it gets the job done.You can already stream Xbox games to a multitude of screens, or play their PC versions on a growing number of handheld PCs. You don't need to turn an original Xbox into a portable device, but considering Microsoft and ASUS have yet to announce pricing for their new handhelds, maybe keep this cheaper alternative in your back pocket.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/theres-more-than-one-way-to-make-an-xbox-handheld-201503415.html?src=rss

AI is an enormous energy drain, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions at a time when the planet desperately needs progress in the opposite direction. Although most of that comes from running GPUs, cooling them is another significant overhead. So, it's worth noting when a company of Microsoft's stature claims to have achieved a breakthrough in chip cooling.Microsoft's new system is based on microfluidics, a method long pursued but hard to implement. The company claims its approach could lead to three times better cooling than current methods.Many data centers rely on cold plates to prevent GPUs from overheating. Although effective to a degree, the plates are separated from the heat source by several layers of material, which limits their performance. "If you're still relying heavily on traditional cold plate technology [in five years], you're stuck," Microsoft program manager Sashi Majety is quoted as saying in the company's announcement.In microfluidics, the coolant flows closer to the source. The liquid in Microsoft's prototype moves through thread-like channels etched onto the back of the chip. The company also used AI to more efficiently direct the coolant through those channels.MicrosoftAnother aspect separating this prototype from previous attempts is that it drew inspiration from Mother Nature. As you can see in the image above, the etchings resemble the veins in a leaf or a butterfly wing.Microsoft says the technique can reduce the maximum silicon temperature rise inside a GPU by 65 percent. (However, that number depends on the workload and chip type.) This would enable overclocking "without worrying about melting the chip down," Microsoft's Jim Kleewein said. It could allow the company to place servers closer together physically, reducing latency. It would also lead to "higher-quality" waste heat use.Although this sounds good for the environment in a general sense, Microsoft's announcement doesn't lean into that. The blog post primarily discusses the technique's potential for performance and efficiency gains. Green benefits are only alluded to briefly as "sustainability" and reduced grid stress. Let's hope that's only a case of a cynical observer overanalyzing framing. Our planet needs all the help it can get.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsoft-claims-a-breakthrough-in-ai-chip-cooling-193106705.html?src=rss

Channels once banned by YouTube for spreading false information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic or the 2020 election may soon have the opportunity to get their channels back, in a decision transparently courting "conservative voices."Alphabet, the parent company of Google and YouTube, has sent a letter via counsel to the House Judiciary Committee in which it alleges the company was pressured by the Biden administration to take down misinformation on YouTube related to the COVID-19 pandemic that did not violate the company's existing policies at the time. It now describes the Biden administration's actions as "unacceptable and wrong."It also informed the committee that YouTube would be offering a path to reinstatement for creators whose channels were banned for repeatedly violating community guidelines on election-integrity-related content, as well as for COVID-19-related content. The guidelines under which those bans were carried out were removed by the company in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Details on exactly what the path for reinstatement looks like were not shared."The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented time in which online platforms had to reach decisions about how best to balance freedom of expression with responsibility," the letter reads. "Senior Biden administration officials, including White House officials, conducted repeated and sustained outreach to Alphabet and pressed the company regarding user generated content related to the COVID-19 pandemic that did not violate its policies."Alphabet goes on to denounce any government attempts to "dictate how the Company moderates content," and says it will always "fight against those efforts on First Amendment grounds."Notable YouTube channels banned for either COVID-19 or election-integrity-related content include Steve Bannon's War Room, Co-Deputy Director of the FBI Dan Bongino's channel and the channel for Children's Health Defense, an organization previously linked with Secretary of HHS RFK Jr. "YouTube values conservative voices on its platform and recognizes that these creators have extensive reach and play an important role in civic discourse," the company wrote. In its letter, Alphabet also expresses concern that the European Union's Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act could have a chilling effect on freedom of expression.The letter was sent in response to subpoenas as part of the House Judiciary Committee's ongoing investigations into alleged government-directed content moderation. The committee recently held a hearing on "Europe's Threat to American Speech and Innovation," among others.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/youtube-may-reinstate-channels-banned-for-spreading-covid-and-election-misinformation-190257602.html?src=rss

Costco has reportedly stopped selling Xbox consoles online throughout the US and UK, according to reports by The Gamer and others. The wholesaler has removed any mention of the console and related accessories and games from its website. I checked this myself and, sure enough, the search yielded no results.The site still has dedicated sections for both Sony and Nintendo and is selling the PS5 and the Switch family of consoles, along with accessories and games for each system. It's unclear if online unavailability has extended to brick-and-mortar locations, but some Reddit usersnoticed a distinct lack of Xbox products at the retailer. We reached out to Costco to ask what's going on and will update this post when we hear back.Costco/EngadgetWe don't know why Costco would make this move, but there's a chance this is in relation to Microsoft's poor showing this console generation. The PS5 has sold nearly 80 million units, while the Xbox Series X/S has sold around 42 million units.The Xbox One also struggled during the previous generation, leading some to speculate that Microsoft has been preparing to exit the console business. The company has denied this and there have been rumors that it's actively working on the follow-up to the Series X/S. However, the company has also begun porting its games to rival consoles.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/costco-reportedly-stops-selling-xbox-consoles-online-184906670.html?src=rss

The inevitable has happened and Disney+ has once again announced that prices will be going up for its streaming service. Whether it's because of the ever-increasing costs or because of the company's recent teetering toward censorship or because you simply aren't using it, you may decide it's time to take a break. Here's everything you need to know about canceling your Disney+ subscription.How to cancel via web or mobileThe simplest way to end your Disney+ service is if you're being billed directly by the mouse. You can follow the same steps in a web or mobile browser, or within the Disney+ mobile app.

Sony is introducing a new rewards program for PlayStation owners that lets you purchase exclusive physical merchandise if you've unlocked certain in-game trophies. The company is starting with rewards for two trophies from Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima (rewards for Ghost of Yotei are in the works), and Sony will presumably offer something similar for all of its most popular game franchises.The "Ghost Rewards" you might have earned playing Ghost of Tsushima include a $25 commemorative pin shaped like a mask (unlocked for earning the game's "Living Legend" Platinum trophy) or a $30 custom t-shirt with what looks like a gold woodblock print design (unlocked for earning the "Mono No Aware" Gold trophy). In order to claim either reward you have to login to your PlayStation account on a dedicated website before December 31, 2025, and despite what the term "reward" might suggest, pay for either item to actually receive it. The reward, in this case, is access, not the merch itself.Sony's last attempt at some kind of loyalty or rewards program was the short-lived and entirely digital PlayStation Stars program. While it was running, it let you earn "Stars" for playing specific games or doing activities on your console, and then spend those Stars on what amounted to digital models of characters or items. The program always felt a bit like an NFT feature that the company had quickly reworked when blockchain tech fell out of style, and it made sense when it abandoned it.Rather than PlayStation Stars, Franchise Rewards is most similar to Bungie Rewards, the program and online store the Destiny 2 developer has run since 2018. Via Bungie Rewards you can unlock commemorative shirts, jackets and more for completing in-game activities in Destiny and Destiny 2, including the series' multi-hour raids.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstations-franchise-rewards-program-gates-merch-behind-in-game-trophies-182001158.html?src=rss

Disney might be trying to put the Jimmy Kimmel Live fiasco to bed by bringing the show back on Tuesday night (good luck with that). But the company isn't exactly putting itself back in customers' good graces. Once again, it's hiking the prices of Disney+ subscriptions in the US.Several standalone plans and bundles are getting price increases. The changes come into effect on October 21.After that date, subscribers will be paying $2 extra for the standard Disney+ plan (the one with ads) at $12 per month. The ad-free Disney+ Premium option will soon cost $19 per month, an increase of $3. For those playing along at home, that means the monthly ad-free Disney+ plan will have nearly tripled in price in the six years that the service has been around.Bundle price increases are as follows:

You know how annoying it is to click multiple edits on a photo? What's that? It's actually pretty easy to do. Well, Google says otherwise and has a solution for you: conversational editing, a feature that lets you tell Google your requested edits, rather than have to make them yourself.Google first introduced conversational editing to Pixel 10 phones, but the company is now rolling it out to Android users in the US. It should be available for any adults who have their Google account set to English, have Face Groups turned on and location estimates enabled.To use conversational editing, first click "help me edit" in the editor. Then you can say exactly what edits you want either using your voice or text. The feature uses "advanced Gemini capabilities" to make the changes. You can do things like edit strangers out of the background, lighten the colors or get rid of a glare. It will show you the original and updated photos side-by-side to compare.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-photos-conversational-editing-is-rolling-out-to-android-users-170057906.html?src=rss

Riot's long-awaited fighting game 2XKO, previously called Project L, will be released for PC as an early access title on October 7. That's just two weeks away.The company dropped a development update video that's filled with nods to the source material. 2XKO is set in the League of Legends universe and features many characters from across the franchise. Players can fight as icons like Jinx, Yasui, Braum and many more. The early access version will feature 10 playable characters, with more coming down the line.For the uninitiated, this is a 2 vs. 2 tag-based fighting game that's somewhat similar to the Marvel vs. Capcom series. Folks can play solo or recruit friends as tag partners. Riot promises the game will feature a "high level of depth and mastery."2XKO has already experienced a bit of controversy, as LoL fans have found the game's name somewhat difficult to pronounce. This led Riot to put out a social media post showing the correct pronunciation.The title will eventually be released for multiple platforms, including PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The early access build, however, is just for PC players. This is a free-to-play game.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/riots-2xko-fighting-game-hits-early-access-on-october-7-165651941.html?src=rss

The Secret Service says it thwarted a telecommunications cyber-op in New York City. On Tuesday, the agency announced that it seized a network of SIM servers. It was capable of jamming cell towers, conducting DDoS attacks and enabling encrypted communications. The discovery came ahead of world leaders gathering for the UN General Assembly this week.The network, reportedly discovered in August, was extensive and sophisticated. It included over 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites. A Secret Service official told The New York Times that it was powerful enough to send 30 million anonymous text messages per minute. Photos provided by the Secret Service (below) show racks of SIM- and antenna-laden servers."This network had the potential to disable cell phone towers and essentially shut down the cellular network in New York City," special agent Matt McCool said in a video statement. He said an early analysis points to communications between at least one foreign country and "individuals that are known to federal law enforcement," which reportedly includes cartel members.US Secret ServiceMcCool added that, due to the sensitivity and complexity of the investigation, he couldn't go into specifics. Cybersecurity researcher James A. Lewis told The New York Times that only a handful of countries were capable of pulling that off, including Russia, China and Israel. Another security expert, Anthony J. Ferrante of FTI, said the network could have also been used for eavesdropping. "My instinct is this is espionage," he told the Times.Secret Service officials told The New York Times that there was no specific information that the network posed a threat to the UN conference. Regardless, the confiscated devices were concentrated within a 35-mile radius of the assembly. The agency is responsible for security at the gathering."This is an open and active investigation, and we have no arrests to announce today," McCool said in his statement. "The Secret Service will continue to run down all leads until we fully understand the intent of the operation and identify those responsible."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/the-secret-service-seized-a-network-capable-of-shutting-down-new-york-citys-cell-service-164958013.html?src=rss

Apple is expanding its Tap to Pay on iPhone feature for merchants to five more countries in Europe. Businesses in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Monaco and Norway will now be able to accept in-person contactless payments on their iPhones.The functionality is limited to specific third-party iOS apps that vary by nation. For example, British fintech company SumUp will now support Tap to Pay on iPhone in its iOS app in four of the five new countries, since SumUp is not offered in Monaco.Norway will see the most payment platforms gain access to Apple's NFC payment tech, with over half a dozen platforms, including PayPal and Stripe, now supporting Tap to Pay on iPhone in the kingdom. Details on which merchant platforms were enabled by country can be found in Apple's announcement.Merchants using these now supported platforms will be able to accept Apple Pay as well as contactless credit and debit cards. Every transaction done using Tap to Pay on iPhone is encrypted and processed using Secure Element, a dedicated chip designed for storing sensitive information. Platforms wishing to use Apple's NFC technology when accepting payments must enter into a commercial agreement with the tech giant and pay the associated fees.Tap to Pay on iPhone is now available in 43 countries and regions worldwide. Merchants using approved platforms will not require any additional hardware to accept these payments.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-is-expanding-tap-to-pay-on-iphone-across-more-of-europe-163910943.html?src=rss

The long-running joke about Hideo Kojima is that he'd secretly rather be making movies than video games. Kojima somehow nearly got into double figures on Metal Gear games without any of them receiving the adaptation treatment (though not for the lack of trying on his part), but it's looking like a very different story for the Death Stranding series on which he's been working since departing Konami.A live-action adaptation of the post-apocalyptic walking simulator landed a writer and director back in the spring, and it was announced a few months later that an animated Death Stranding movie was also on the way, with Aaron Guzikowski (Raised by Wolves) penning the screenplay. We now know what film will be called, and there's a trailer.Death Stranding Mosquito is directed by ABC Animation's Hiroshi Miyamoto, with Kojima himself serving as a producer, and will apparently tell an original story within the "surreal and emotionally resonant" Death Stranding universe. If you've played the original game or its 2025 sequel, the teaser will look very familiar, with the film seemingly focusing on a character who definitely isn't Norman Reedus' Sam Porter Bridges, but is sporting very similar get-up.The hooded figure comes face to face with what appears to be a BT-ified doglike creature, and then has a brutal fist fight with another character. We don't get any more context than that, nor any whiff of a release date, but visually Death Stranding Mosquito looks absolutely stunning.It's been a busy few days for Kojima-related announcements. We got the first gameplay trailer for Kojima Productions' upcoming horror game, OD, and found out that Kojima is also releasing his own credit card in Japan. Yes, really.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-death-stranding-anime-now-has-a-title-and-its-first-trailer-155516913.html?src=rss

Meta is launching a national super political action committee (PAC), according to a report by Axios. This super PAC will be committed to fighting "onerous" AI regulation across the country. It's called the American Technology Excellence Project and Meta spokesperson Rachel Holland said the company is investing "tens of millions" into the effort.The goal of the PAC is to elect pro AI state candidates from both parties. It's being run by longtime Republican operative Brian Baker with an assist from Democratic consulting firm Hilltop Public Solutions.The tech-friendly federal government has no plans to regulate AI but fell short on banning states from doing so. There have been over 1,000 state-level policy proposals introduced this year, which Meta thinks could hurt America in the AI race with China."State lawmakers are uniquely positioned to ensure that America remains a global technology leader," Meta VP of public policy Brian Rice said in a statement. "This is why Meta is launching an effort to support the election of state candidates across the country who embrace AI development, champion the U.S. technology industry and defend American tech leadership at home and abroad."The company has not released any information as to which forthcoming state elections would be disrupted by the aforementioned tens of millions of dollars. We also don't know how many people the PAC will employ.

Meta put the smartglasses industry on alert when it announced the Meta Ray-Ban Displays last week. And while those might feature one of the most advanced optical engines on a device its size, after testing out one of its competitors - the Rokid Glasses - I'm convinced there's still plenty of room for competition.At $549, the Rokid Glasses are more affordable than the Meta Ray-Ban Displays, which are set to launch at $800. However, it should be noted that this difference won't last forever, as following Rokid's Kickstarter campaign, its suggested retail price will increase significantly to around $740. Also, while Kickstarter campaigns aren't always the strongest indicator of reliability, Rokid has actually been around for some time with devices dating back to before 2018.Rokid's heads-up UI looks much sharper in person. Taking pictures of smartglass displays is hard.Sam Rutherford for EngadgetBut more importantly, Rokid's eyewear has some notable design differences. Instead of a single full-color display for just your right eye, it features dual microLED waveguides that provide a true binocular view, which helps reduce eyestrain. The downside is that the Rokid glasses only support a single color - green - though that's kind of fun if you're into the classic hacker aesthetic. Text and icons are more than sharp enough to make reading the glasses' minimalist UI a cinch. And with up to 1,500 nits of brightness, its display is easy to see even outside in bright light. In the future, though, Rokid will need to upgrade to full-color components to better compete with rivals like the Meta Ray-Ban Displays.Rokid's glasses score well when it comes to overall style and wearability. The Meta Ray-Ban Displays look like someone stole the frames off Garth's head from Wayne's World and then made them thrice as thick, whereas Rokid's glasses actually look more like Wayfarers than Ray-Ban's own creation. Touch panels are hidden in each arm, and you even get real nose pads for extra comfort. Plus, weighing in at just 49 grams, Rokid claims its creation is the lightest "full-function AI and AR glasses."In everyday use, others may not notice the smartglasses' UI being projected onto its lenses. But at just the right angle, it does become visible.Sam Rutherford for EngadgetThe only major indicators that these aren't a typical set of eyewear are the small camera near your left temple and a faint outline of where the waveguides project a heads-up display onto its lenses. There are also tiny built-in speakers that play the sound from videos, music or answers from Rokid's AI helper and they are about as good as you can expect from a gadget this compact. But it probably won't come as a surprise when I say they could be a touch louder or provide better bass.Meanwhile, when it comes to recharging, there's a simple magnetic pin connector at the end of the right arm that can connect to any USB-C cable using an included adapter. Unfortunately, if you want a charging case like you get with many of its rivals, you'll have to shell out another $100. Battery life has been surprisingly solid in my experience as well. You can get up to six hours of continuous music playback over Bluetooth, though if you use more advanced features (especially ones that rely on AI), you will need to juice up sooner.Sam Rutherford for EngadgetAs for functionality, the company's standalone approach to content generation is both its biggest strength and weakness. That's because while Meta's smartglasses come with tie-ins to Facebook and Instagram which makes livestreaming what you see a breeze, Rokid doesn't offer that option. Instead, you'll have to use the onboard 12MP camera and five mics to take photos and videos before manually downloading them to your phone and then sharing them to your favorite platform. This results in a few extra steps between capture and publication (and no option for livestreaming), but at least you do get the freedom of choice.Image quality is also acceptable. You won't be dazzled by its contrast and dynamic range and darker environments can be a bit of a challenge. But as a vehicle for recording the world around you, these glasses are a decent way to take in your surroundings. Thankfully, the process of capturing content couldn't be simpler, just press once on the physical button on the right arm for a picture or press and hold for video. Or if you prefer, you can use voice commands like "Hi Rokid, record a video."Sam Rutherford for EngadgetAside from taking photos and videos, Rokid's glasses can also pair with your phone to serve up notifications, record voice memos and even offer turn-by-turn directions using AI, though I couldn't get that last feature working. There's also a teleprompter mode that allows you to upload scripts to the glasses and have text scroll down automatically as you speak.However, the biggest draw (or deterrence, depending on your opinion of machine learning) is the AI integration, which uses the device's Qualcomm AR1 chip and an onboard ChatGPT model to provide real-time translation and audio transcriptions. Just like what you get when using large LLMs on a phone or laptop, even when AI can understand most of what's coming in, there are still times when it doesn't fluently convert certain lines or phrases.Sam Rutherford for EngadgetThere's also the option to ask the glasses to create a text description of what its cameras see, though again, AI sometimes struggles with accuracy. When I held my phone up in front of the lens, it correctly identified what type of device it was, but then it got confused by a barcode on a box in the background and thought I was trying to insert a SIM card.Even considering the foibles of current AI models, the Rokid glasses are a welcome surprise in a growing sea of smartglasses. They're lighter and sleeker than anything I've tried to date while covering all the most important functions: playing music, surfacing notifications and capturing decent first-person photos and videos. Other features like live translation and live captions are a bonus. When they work, which is most of the time, it really feels like an engaging glimpse of what is poised to be the next big era for wearable computing.Sam Rutherford for EngadgetIt's way too early to pick a winner or even recommend these as a must-have for bleeding-edge enthusiasts. But to see smaller names like Rokid come up with compelling alternatives to Meta's latest makes these smartglasses worth paying attention to.The Rokid Glasses are available for pre-order now via the company's Kickstarter campaign with estimated deliveries slated for sometime in November.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/rokids-smartglasses-are-surprisingly-capable-153027590.html?src=rss

WhatsApp is now rolling out message translations on its iOS and Android apps. Starting today, Android users will be able to translate messages between six languages: English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian and Arabic. On iPhone, there's support for translation between the following languages (i.e. all of the ones supported by Apple's Translate app):

The European Union has asked Apple, Google and Microsoft to explain how they police online financial scams, stepping up enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA), as first reported by the Financial Times. Formal information requests were also sent to Booking Holdings, the owner of Booking.com, regarding how the company handles fake accommodation listings. Likewise, regulators will be probing fake banking apps in Apple's App Store and Google Play. Additionally, they will be taking a close look at fake search results in Google search and Microsoft's Bing.Speaking with the Financial Times,EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said criminal activity is increasingly moving online and platforms must do more to detect and prevent illegal content. Virkkunen said that financial losses from online fraud exceed 4 billion a year (around $4.7 billion) across the EU, and that the rise of AI has made detecting these scams more difficult.The four companies will be given the chance to respond to these information requests, but under the DSA companies can face penalties up to 6 percent of their global annual revenue for failing to adequately combat illegal content and disinformation.Earlier this year Apple and Meta were fined around $570 million and $228 million, respectively, after the European Commission found them in violation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), though both companies are appealing the fines. The DMA is a set of rules governing online platforms that was adopted alongside the DSA in 2022.European fines on American companies, particularly a recent $3.5 billion fine levied on Google for antitrust violations, have drawn the attention and ire of President Donald Trump. The president has threatened a trade probe over what he views as "discriminatory actions" against American tech companies.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-eu-wants-apple-google-and-microsoft-to-clamp-down-on-online-scams-145333226.html?src=rss

The Tokyo Game Show is taking place this week and Sony is getting in on the action with a PlayStation State of Play. The stream will start at 5PM ET on Wednesday, September 24 and run for over 35 minutes. You can watch it on YouTube (also with English subtitles or in Japanese) and Twitch. The stream will be available right here for your convenience, because we're nice like that.There will be a fresh look at Saros, the next game from Returnal studio Housemarque. We'll get our first peek at gameplay from that project, which is set to hit PS5 next year. Sony also promises that the State of Play will include "new looks at anticipated third-party and indie titles, plus updates from some of our teams at PlayStation Studios."There have been some rumblings that Sony may be about to reveal more details about Marvel's Wolverine(the next title from Insomniac, the developer of the Spider-Man games), so that seems like a decent bet. For what it's worth, this Friday is The Last of Us Day, so there's a chance we might hear something from Naughty Dog regarding that series.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/a-playstation-state-of-play-is-set-for-september-24-143526268.html?src=rss

Kojima Productions, the studio helmed by auteur and famed cardboard box enthusiast Hideo Kojima, has finally given us our first glimpse of gameplay for the horror game OD. Developed in collaboration with Get Out and Us director Jordan Peele, ODis being billed as a totally unique experience that Kojima expects to divide players. It's also going to leverage Microsoft's cloud gaming tech in ways we're not yet aware of, with Xbox Game Studios publishing the game.In the new just over three-minute trailer entitled "Knock", we see first-person gameplay footage of the player character (played by a ludicrously photorealistic Sophia Lillis) anxiously lighting a series of candles, several of which have babies on them, because Kojima. In the background we hear a very ominous knocking sound, with the trailer ending as Lillis' character is grabbed by someone (or something) who doesn't appear to be especially friendly.If you were fortunate enough to play P.T., the playable (and tragically no longer accessible) teaser for Kojima and Guillermo del Toro's cancelled Silent Hill game, you'll know that the Metal Gearcreator clearly understands how to craft terrifying horror experiences. From what we've seen so far, it looks like the spirit of P.T. at least lives on in OD.It's been a busy day for Kojima and his studio, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and has so far exclusively released Death Stranding games. At Kojima Productions' "Beyond the Strand" event it was also announced that the studio is partnering with Niantic Spatial to develop what appears to be some kind of AR experience that brings Kojima's "iconic storytelling into the real world." Whether that means you can one day expect to encounter a virtual Norman Reedus attempting to steady his wobbling backpack on your way to the grocery store remains unclear, but Kojima Productions says the collaboration represents a "bold expansion into new forms of media beyond traditional gaming."And if all of that wasn't enough, Kojima Productions is also teaming up with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group on a new credit card. It seemingly functions like a regular old credit card that can also be added to your phone, but you can accumulate reward points that can be spent on Kojima Productions merch and other items. Don't get too excited unless you live in Japan, though, as it doesn't look like the Kojima-branded credit card will be making its way to our shores when it launches next year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/hideo-kojimas-od-captures-the-spirit-of-pt-in-the-first-gameplay-trailer-142623143.html?src=rss

Meta is allowing more governments to access its suite of Llama AI models. The group includes France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and South Korea and organizations associated with the European Union and NATO, the company said in an update.The move comes after the company took similar steps last year to bring Llama to the US government and its contractors. Meta has also made its AI models available to the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand for "national security use cases."Meta notes that governments won't just be using the company's off-the-shelf models. They'll also be able to incorporate their own data and create AI applications for specific use cases. "Governments can also fine-tune Llama models using their own sensitive national security data, host them in secure environments at various levels of classification, and deploy models tailored for specific purposes on-device in the field," the company says.Meta says the open source nature of Llama makes it ideally suited for government use as "it can be securely downloaded and deployed without the need to transfer sensitive data through third-party AI providers." Recently, Mark Zuckerberg has suggested that "safety concerns" could potentially prevent Meta from open-sourcing its efforts around building "real superintelligence."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-is-making-its-llama-ai-models-available-to-more-governments-in-europe-and-asia-134621319.html?src=rss

In a break from tradition, GoPro hasn't announced a new Hero Black camera this fall. Instead, this year's flagship is the much-rumored Max 2 360 camera ($500). The Max 2 lands at a time when spherical video is having a mini renaissance, taking on Insta360's X5 ($550) and DJI's Osmo 360 ($550). Perhaps surprisingly, GoPro's Max 2 is the most affordable of the three, suggesting that the company might be looking to gain ground on its rivals and, hopefully, make the creatively warped world of 360-degree video more accessible. With a mix of pro features like Timecode, GP-Log (with LUTs) alongside mobile-focused editing, GoPro clearly hopes the Max 2 will appeal to demanding and casual users alike. The company has also focused heavily on improving the user experience rather than going for pure technological advances and after a week or so of testing, that feels like a sensible move. Design and features The Max 2 brings a decent resolution bump from its 5.6K predecessor, offering full 8K with 10-bit color. This puts it on par with the DJI Osmo 360 and Insta360 X5, but GoPro claims that Max 2 is the only one of the three with true" 8K. That's to say it doesn't count unusable pixels on the sensor or those that are used in overlapping for stitching the footage from the two lenses together. GoPro goes as far to say that this results in somewhere between 16- and 23-percent higher resolution than its rivals. You can now shoot 360 video at 8K/30 fps, 5.6K/60 fps and good ol' 4K at 90 fps in 360 mode. When you shoot in single-lens mode (aka, non-360 mode), the max resolution available is 4K60, up from 1.4K/30 on the original Max. But pure resolution isn't the only quality gain this time around, the Max 2 now joins its Hero siblings with 10-bit color and a top bit rate of 120Mbps, which can be increased to 300Mbps via GoPro's experimental Labs firmware. Other hardware updates include a gentle redesign that matches the current Hero and Hero 13 cameras with heat-sink style grooves over the front face and centrally-placed lenses (rather than in a left-right configuration as before). The physical size and shape of the Max 2 otherwise matches the OG Max. There is one new, and much appreciated change, though. With the Max 2, the lenses twist off for easy replacement. As there's a lens on both sides, it's always going to land butter-side down" when dropped. The probability of scuffing or breaking one is therefore much higher, but with Max 2, replacing them is a trivial matter and a solid quality of life improvement. The Insta360 X5 has replaceable lenses too, but DJI's Osmo 360 requires sending the camera to the company for a refresh. As for audio, the six-mic array is directional, with sound focusing on where the action is taking place. As with the Hero 12 and 13 Black, you can also connect AirPods or a Bluetooth microphone (such as DJI's Mic 3) to the GoPro directly for narration or extra-clear shrieks of fear. There's no doubt this makes the Max 2 more appealing to vloggers and social creators. There's no onboard storage here, which is true for all GoPro cameras, but worth mentioning now as DJI's Osmo 360 ships with 105GB of storage. Given the amount of times I've headed out with my camera only to find I left the memory card in my PC, I'd really love to see GoPro make it a standard addition to its cameras too. Video and photo James Trew for Engadget After years of testing action cameras, I've learned that while some models excel in one area or terrain, they can struggle in others. I live near a huge park with a variety of colors, trees and pockets of water, which makes it a perfect testing ground. The Max 2 fares well across the board, with vibrant, natural colors and generally balanced exposure. You'll notice transitions in the exposure as you move from direct sunlight to shadow, but that's fairly typical. When you review and reframe your footage, you'll instantly be reminded you're working with a 360 camera. The minute you drag your finger over a video to rotate it or zoom out for that drone-like floating" footage, you'll also introduce some warping. Sometimes it's a bit frustrating trying to find the right balance of warp and pleasant framing, other times it actually makes for a good effect. If you zoom out fully, for example, you'll end up with one of those tiny planet" videos. It's also worth talking about stitch lines. Where the two lenses overlap, you'll sometimes notice where the video is being stitched together, often via some slight wobbling or a break in a street markings and so on. Again, it's a fact of life with current 360 photography, and you will notice it with the Max 2 from time to time. Conversely, 360 video allows for extremely good stabilization, especially in single lens mode. I tried recording myself with a long selfie stick, precariously perched on my bike's handlebars (not locked in with a mount) and despite the camera moving like a fish on land as I rode over uneven ground and potholes, the footage still came out impressively smooth. In friendlier conditions - such as walking with the camera - footage is even smoother and immediately ready for sharing. New additions this year include 8K timewarps and a new (for Max) HyperView" which is a 180-degree ultrawide FOV that just uses everything the sensor captures for extra immersive footage. As with HyperView on the Hero cameras, it's a little extreme with lots of warping but it feels like you're being sucked into the image, perfect for point of view footage. Which brings us to the aforementioned Selfie Mode and POV mode; both are more about removing friction than adding any new creative tools. As you don't need to have a 360 camera facing you while shooting a selfie, the video isn't always oriented with you in frame when you open it in Quik. With Selfie/POV mode, it will load up framed correctly, so you can go right into sharing your clip. Think of it as a hybrid between 360 and single-lens mode. You will still capture everything in 360, and can move the shot around to show different things, but if your POV or your face talking to camera are the main focus, you don't need to do any reframing to get there. The camera also applies the optimal stabilization, reducing the amount of editing needed to get from camera to export. The first Max would always open videos from the front camera point of view regardless, leaving you to dig around for what you actually wanted to focus on. Photography with a 360 camera is both simple and complicated at the same time. On the one hand, you don't need to worry whether you're in shot, as you're going to capture everything, but likewise you're going to want to make sure you catch the right moment or the best angle. A new Burst mode alleviates some of that concern by taking a bunch of photos for a set period of time (one to six seconds). giving you the ability to strike a few poses or make sure you catch the best shot if the subject is moving. You can then edit and reframe in Quik as with any other media. GoPro Quik editing James Trew for Engadget Unlike a regular camera, with 360 video you can't avoid at least some editing. At minimum, you'll need to confirm framing for exporting to a flat (dewarped) video. That said, editing is where all the fun is. Being able to shoot one video and make it dynamic with panning and zooming is one of the major benefits of this type of camera. Quik is where you'll be doing most of this, and unlike DJI, which is a relative newcomer to the category, GoPro has a few years' headstart on the app side of things. The result is an editing experience that's intuitive that strikes a good balance between creative possibility and ease of use. For a simple punch out video where you set the framing and zoom amount and then export, it's just a few button clicks before you have a video you can share. You can of course go back and re-edit and export in another aspect ratio if, say, you want an Instagram Reel in portrait alongside a regular 16:9/widescreen version for YouTube. Quik also includes some filters that may or may not be to your taste. Much more useful are the preset effects, including a variety of spins, rolls and pans that are clearly aimed at action footage, but can be used creatively for any type of video. You can also track an object automatically via AI. It's perfect for keeping your kid or pet in the shot while they run around with one click and an easy way to make your video dynamic. Overall, editing in Quik feels like a solid pipeline for posting to social media, but it is still a bit cumbersome for anything longer. Desktop editing options are Adobe Premier and After Effects via the GoPro Reframe plugin. The company also recently announced a beta plugin for Davinci Resolve. Battery life The Max 2 ships with a 1,960mAh Enduro" battery, which is designed to last longer even in extreme cold. GoPro claims that it should last all day" but that of course depends what you're doing with it. When I took the camera out for a day of filming, visiting different locations and pulling the camera out when I found something interesting, the battery lasted for the whole six-hour excursion. That's not actual recording time, obviously, and I maybe grabbed about 30 minutes of actual footage. But that's me walking around with the camera on, or in standby, and hitting record sporadically over that period. In fact, there was still about 15-percent battery left when I went to export my footage the next day. That's more of a real world test with me connecting the camera to the phone and transferring files, which will yield less recording time than if you just set the camera down and press record. This is about on par with what I've experienced with regular GoPros that can usually record for about an hour and a half in a set and record" scenario. Wrap-up James Trew for Engadget A reasonable amount of time has passed between the Max 1 and Max 2, so if you were hoping for a top-to-bottom spec overhaul, you might be a little disappointed. But with 360 video, source resolution is the main upgrade and Max 2 can output 4K/60 video, which is by far the most important thing. That improved resolution has filtered down into all the important timelapse and video modes, and that makes the camera feel current and mostly complete. I do think it's about time that GoPros have onboard storage, at least as an option, as that removes a really simple pain point. The fact that DJI is doing it might well give GoPro the nudge it needs. A lot of what sets the Max 2 apart from DJI will be in the editing experience. It's simple and well thought out, with some useful tools and effects that make getting footage into something you want to share pretty straightforward. Although DJI's onboard storage and higher maximum frame rate will be tempting for many. Insta360's app is generally considered easy to use, too, so with the X5, GoPro's advantage is the price (at least for now). What really sets these cameras apart, are the videos you end up sharing, and in that regard GoPro's bet on true 8K" and the app experience might just be enough.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/gopro-max-2-review-theres-a-new-360-camera-contender-in-town-130058942.html?src=rss

Google might have found a way Gemini could be useful while you're playing games on your phone. The company is introducing a new software overlay today it calls the Play Games Sidekick that gives you access to Gemini Live while you play, alongside a host of other gaming-focused updates to Google Play that could make the app platform a better home for gamers.Sidekick exists as a small, moveable tab in games downloaded from the Play Store that you can slide over to show relevant info and tools for whatever game you're playing. By default, that's things like easy access to a screenshot button, screen recording tools and a shortcut for going live on YouTube, but you'll see achievements and other game stats in there, too.GoogleGoogle is clearly most interested in how Sidekick could serve as a delivery system for Gemini, though, so AI plays a large role in how Sidekick actually helps you while you play. That includes offering a curated selection of game tips that you can swipe through, and a big button that you can press that starts Gemini Live. Based on a demo Google ran for press, Gemini Live does seem like it could be a competent guide for navigating games. It was able to offer strategies for how to best start a game of The Battle of Polytopia and told game-specific jokes that were only funny in how awkward they were. Since Gemini can accept screen sharing as an input, it was also able to offer its guidance without a lot of context from the Google project manager running the demo. Referring to in-game items as "this" or "that" was enough to get Gemini to understand.Gemini in Sidekick won't really replace a detailed game guide written by a human, but for a quick answer it's easier than Googling. It's also similar in many ways to Microsoft's Gaming Copilot, which also places a live AI in games with you. For now, Google is taking a restrained approach to rolling out Play Games Sidekick and its AI features. You don't have to interact with the overlay at all if you don't want to (you can even dismiss it to the notification shade) and Gemini-powered features will only be available "in select games over the coming months." That includes games from "hero partners EA and NetMarble," according to Google,like "Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes, FC Mobile and Solo Leveling Arise."GoogleBeyond the Sidekick, Google views its updates to Google Play Games as a way to unify what's a pretty siloed-off gaming experience on mobile. Each game has its own profile, achievements and in-game stats, and few of them connect to each other. In an attempt to fix that, Google is introducing a "platform-level gaming profile" that tracks stats and achievements across Android and PC, and even supports AI-generated profile pictures. Like other gaming platforms, you can follow your friends and see what games they're enjoying. Google will also host forums for games available in the Play Store where you can ask questions about a game and get answers from other players.All of these tweaks come with major caveats in that they require players to use them and developers to enable them, but they do suggest Google is trying to take games seriously after bungling more ambitious projects like Stadia. And not just on Android: As part of this rollout, the PC version of Google Play Games is coming out of beta, putting the company in even more direct competition with the Steams of the world.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/google-is-turning-gemini-into-a-gaming-sidekick-with-a-new-android-overlay-130052048.html?src=rss