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Google first teased some enticing upgrades for its Pixel Buds Pro 2 during the Made by Google event in August. More than a month later, Google is finally rolling out the update that makes its wireless earbuds earn the Pro label.The Pixel Buds Pro 2 now get an Adaptive Audio feature in the Active Noise Control section of the Pixel Buds app. This ANC mode automatically adjusts the volume depending on your surrounding environment, balancing between hearing your music or podcasts and the world around you. If you want to drown out the outside world a little more, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 now also have the Loud Noise Protection feature, which can detect and reduce any sudden loud noises, like a passing ambulance siren or construction work. While these two features are already found in Apple's AirPods Pro 3, they're a welcome addition to the more affordable Pixel Buds Pro 2.For anyone who frequently uses Gemini Live, you'll notice that the AI assistant will be able to hear you better in noisy environments thanks to advanced audio processing that prioritizes your voice and eliminates background noise. For a truly hands-free experience, the update even adds gesture controls that let Pixel Buds Pro 2 users nod their head to answer a call or start dictation for a text reply and shake their head to decline a call or dismiss a text. Google is rolling out its 4.467 update to its users gradually, which takes about 10 minutes to download and another 10 minutes to install.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/pixel-buds-pro-2-get-adaptive-audio-gesture-controls-and-more-in-latest-update-155116813.html?src=rss

Electronic Arts is close to reaching a $50 billion deal that will turn it into a privately held company, according to The Wall Street Journal. The video game company filed for an IPO way back in 1990 and has been public ever since, but now a group of investors are in talks with the company to take it private. Those investors reportedly include private equity firm Silver Lake, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners, whose largest source of funding is also Saudi's PIF.It's worth noting that EA's shares are already tied to major financial organizations, even though it's publicly traded, with Saudi's PIF owning almost 10 percent of the company. As Reuters notes, analysts believe Saudi is interested in buying out EA due to its annual release of popular sports titles, including Madden and NHL, which makes for predictable earnings.Saudi has made several major investments in the video gaming industry overall as part of its efforts to prepare for a post-oil economy. In addition to its investment in EA, it also purchased stakes in Take-Two Interactive, Activision Blizzard, Nintendo and the Embracer Group. In March, Pokemon Go maker Niantic sold its gaming division to a Saudi-owned company, as well. Unlike PIF and Kushner's Affinity Partners, Silver Lake doesn't have a huge stake in EA at the moment and doesn't have notable gaming investments other than its stake in Unity.Bloomberg and The Financial Times report that the company could announce the buyout as soon as next week, but details could change since nothing has been finalized yet. If the $50 billion deal does push through, it'll become the biggest leveraged buyout of all time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ea-reportedly-plans-to-go-private-with-help-from-silver-lake-and-saudi-arabia-123011751.html?src=rss

Setting your PlayStation 5 as your primary console ensures other users on that system can access your digital games and PlayStation Plus benefits. This includes offline access to your library and shared access for other local profiles on the same device.This guide explains how to enable Console Sharing and Offline Play on your PS5, along with tips to manage your account and avoid common issues. After all, sharing is caring, and this can be a great way for your squad at home to experience a stack of games at no extra cost, while claiming all the trophies (and the glory) for their own profiles.What Console Sharing and Offline Play doConsole Sharing and Offline Play is the PS5 equivalent of designating a primary" console. When enabled on your PlayStation 5, it provides the following perks:

Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. It's been a packed week, with tons of new releases worth highlighting and Tokyo Game Show taking place.Before we get started, make sure to check out our recap of Kojima Productions' 10th anniversary showcase if you need to catch up. I can't quite get my head around how a literal walking sim from Hideo Kojima might work. Sony had a bunch of things to show off during its PlayStation State of Play this week, including a few tasty-looking indies like Chronoscript: The Endless End. So too did Xbox in its Tokyo Game Show stream - Double Dragon Revive looks neat, as does Rhythm Doctor.Also, the developers and publishers of several of this week's arrivals delayed them to get some breathing space from Hollow Knight: Silksong... only to run right into Hades 2. That's extremely unfortunate. But the teams behind some newcomers - Baby Steps, CloverPit, Aethermancer, Star Birds and Deadly Days: Roadtrip - are doing something about that. They've teamed up for a special Steam sale and bundle of their games. Love to see indie developers supporting each other.New releasesHades 2 is finally out of early access on PC. The full game is now available on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 as well.Reviews have been pretty stellar for Supergiant's sequel. I played a little of it in early access last year, but decided to hold off getting in too deep until the full version arrived. And, of course, I now have a ton of other games to play. I'll absolutely spend some time with Hades 2 eventually. But there's another roguelite that's soaking up a lot of my time right now...I feel grimy when I'm playing CloverPit. I'm imprisoned in a tiny, rusty, metallic room that wouldn't look out of place in Silent Hill's Otherworld. I have a debt to pay and deadlines to meet, with some coins, lucky charms and a slot machine to help me reach my goals and hopefully escape. Failure means plunging into a dark abyss.Whenever I haven't been playing EA Sports FC 26 in my free time, I willingly keep returning to this disgusting cell. I try desperately to find synergies between the lucky charms to break the slot machine and make sure I earn enough coins to resolve the arrears. Offers made by telephone, almost Deal or No Deal-style, can help while perhaps adding a greater risk of losing all my coins.Panik Arcade has stressed that this is a horror game, not a gambling simulator. The whole idea is to bend the rules in your favor.I haven't yet had a successful run. I did pretty well a few times with builds focused on cherries and diamonds, though deadline 11 has remained out of reach for me thus far. No spoilers here, but there's a big jump from the 10th deadline's debt level.The game is incredibly sticky, and I can see myself sinking many, many more hours into CloverPit. (I won't be alone there. I just watched a video of someone who put 155 hours into the demo.)CloverPit, which is published by Future Friends Games, is out now on Steam.I had fun with the Baby Steps demo this summer, but after looking forward to this literal walking simulator for a couple of years, I realize that I'm more likely to watch a YouTube video of someone playing it than try to beat it myself. I'd probably do that on a treadmill so I can get my own steps in at the same time.This is the latest game from Bennett Foddy (QWOP, Getting Over It), Gabe Cuzzillo and Maxi Boch, who previously made Ape Out together. It sees "an unemployed failson" being forced to get up off his rear end and make it to the peak of a mountain. To take Nate there, you'll need to pick up one foot and move it onto (hopefully) stable ground before moving his other leg, taking one clumsy step at a time to reach his destination.Baby Steps is supposed to be as funny as it is frustrating. You will fall. A lot. Sometimes in a way that erases much of your progress. But as with working out, progress is the point. If only Nate would actually use his damn arms for stability as well. Then you might really start to see some results.Baby Steps is out now on Steam and PS5.I've had my eye on Bloodthief for a while. It's a vampiric, medieval take on fast-paced dungeon running in the vein of Ghostrunner with Ultrakill-style murdering. A solo developer who goes by Blargis is behind this game, which hit Steam this week.Giving so much of my attention to CloverPit and don't-call-it-FIFA (and a few others we'll get to momentarily) means I haven't much time to check out Bloodthief yet. Still, I look forward to being as terrible at it as I am at Ghostrunner 2.One of the highlights of Playdate Season 2 is Blippo+, a parody of cable TV. The FMV experience from Yacht, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot and publisher Panic has moved into the color TV age, as it's now available on Nintendo Switch and Steam.As you channel surf the otherworldly broadcasts and observe the offbeat alien TV personalities doing their thing, you might start to piece together a deeper story that's playing out across the shows and news programs. Blippo+ is such a strange, wonderful thing. I'm glad it exists and that more people have the chance to enjoy it.Consume Me is a coming-of-age life sim about a student who is entering her last year of high school and dealing with the stress and complexity of that painful time. For Jenny, that means managing chores (such as laundry and walking the dog), her studies, dates with her boyfriend and an eating disorder. Time management is a key factor, and you'll try to stay on top of everything by playing minigames.Consume Me, which is based in part on co-developer Jenny Jiao Hsia's own experiences as a teenager, won the Seamus McNally Grand Prize at this year's Independent Games Festival. AP Thomson, Jie En Lee, Violet W-P and Ken "coda" Snyder are the other developers of the game, which Hexecutable published. Consume Me is out now on Steam for PC and Mac.Hotel Barcelona brought together two famed game directors, Swery (Hidetaka Suehiro), of Deadly Premonition fame and No More Heroes creator Suda51 (Goichi Suda). The latter came up with the concept for this game, which Swery announced all the way back in 2019. So the roguelite had been in the works for quite some time before it checked in to PC and consoles this week.Here, you'll fight your way through a hotel that serial killers have overrun. You can rope in a couple of friends to help you thanks to multiplayer support. In the style of many FromSoftware titles, you'll also have the option to invade other players' games and play spoiler by taking them out and undoing their progress. That seems really mean, though.I don't know why anyone would do that.Hotel Barcelona, from Swery's White Owls Inc. and publisher Cult Games, is out now on Steam, Xbox Series X/S and PS5.UpcomingAnnapurna Interactive is always a publisher worth paying attention to given its strong track record. This week, it revealed three upcoming adventure games during a showcase at Tokyo Game Show. I checked out demos for a couple of them, and I've already added all three to my wishlist.D-topia is set in an apparent utopia run by artificial intelligence. You play as a maintenance worker who tries to keep things humming along by solving logic puzzles in the factory and helping out others with their problems. Your choices decide how the story plays out and, shock horror, things might not be going entirely smoothly behind the scenes.I dig the very clean look here. It reminds me a bit of Mirror's Edge. The dialogue in the demo is fun too. Expect to see this narrative-driven puzzler from Marumittu Games land on Steam, Epic Games Store, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC via the Xbox App in 2026.Also coming to Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC via the Xbox App next year is People of Note by Iridium Studios. This is billed as a "musical narrative adventure" that sees pop singer Cadence seeking stardom with the help of other musicians who specialize in other genres. You'll need to time your attacks to the beat to make them more effective, while genres play a role in making battles more dynamic.Turn-based combat generally isn't my bag and I didn't enjoy it in this demo either. However, Iridium wants people to be able to play the game their way. People of Note will include the option to disable things like turn-based combat and environmental puzzles. That immediately makes the game more appealing to me, especially because I like what I've seen of the world, story and characters. The promise of "full-length cinematic musical sequences" sure sounds good to me too.The third game Annapurna showed off is Demi and the Fractured Dream. I haven't had a chance to try the demo for this one as yet, but it looks like a Zelda-esque action adventure with environmental puzzles, platforming and plenty of hacking and slashing. As Demi, a cursed hero who is trying to save the world by slaying a trio of Accursed Beasts, you'll have a variety of tools and spells at your disposal. Time your dodges just right, and you'll power up your next set of attacks.This game from Yarn Owl is coming to Steam, Epic Games Store, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC via the Xbox App in 2026.This week's State of Play included a gameplay trailer for Halloween, from IllFonic and co-publisher Gun Interactive. We also got a release date for it. The horror game is coming to PlayStation, Xbox, Steam and Epic Games Store on September 8, 2026. Why it's not dropping in late October is beyond me.This is an asymmetric multiplayer game in the vein of Friday the 13th: The Game (also from IllFonic and Gun) and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which Gun published. Three teammates will play as civilians who are trying to save the intended NPC victims of Jason Voorhees. If you'd rather go it alone, though, you can terrorize Haddonfield, Illinois as the legendary killer in a single-player mode.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hades-2-slot-machine-horror-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110000884.html?src=rss

Assuming it can turn its Project Orion augmented reality glasses into a real product people can buy, Meta apparently wants to get into robots next. That's according to Sources' Alex Heath, who spoke to Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth and reports that much like Apple, Google and Tesla, Meta is researching robotics.Unlike those other companies, though, Meta apparently isn't all that focused on competing in hardware. It has a "Metabot" in the works, but its real goal is to create software that other companies can license, much like Google does with Android. "Software is the bottleneck," according to Bosworth, and the hope is that the combined powers of Meta's robotics team - led by Marc Whitten, the former CEO of Cruise - and its highly publicized Superintelligence Labs can produce a solution.That work apparently starts with the development of a "world model" that can help a robot "do the software simulation required to animate a dexterous hand," but will presumably extend to more complicated movements and tasks down the road. In February 2025, Meta was reportedly looking at building a robot that could handle household chores like cleaning or folding laundry. Given how early everything sounds, that's likely a long way off.Meta isn't alone in pursuing robotics. Apple is reportedly working on its own home robots, starting with a table-mounted arm with a display. Tesla has regularly demoed versions of its Optimus robot to the public, though often in highly-controlled scenarios. Meta has yet to realize its goal of usurping the smartphone with AR glasses. Whether or not it does, it sounds like robots will be the thing it burns money on next.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-wants-to-become-the-android-of-robotics-220701800.html?src=rss

Google is expanding access to YouTube Premium features like faster playback speeds and high-quality audio to more types of devices. Most people subscribe to YouTube Premium to remove ads from YouTube and access to YouTube Music, but Google also includes a variety of "power-user" features that give subscribers more granular control over their viewing or listening experience. Now those features will be available in more places.YouTube Premium's faster playback speeds (in 0.5x increments from 1x to 4x speed) are now available on Android, iOS and the web, after initially only being available in the mobile YouTube app. The ability to have YouTube automatically download Shorts to view offline or watch Shorts in a picture-in-picture window is now also available on both iOS and Android, after originally launching on Android. Google says Premium's Jump Ahead feature for skipping to "key moments" of a video is now also available on smart TVs and game consoles.In terms of the music side of the house, the big change has to do with audio quality. When you're watching a music video, Google says you'll now be able to select "High" from the audio settings and listen at a 256kbps bitrate. This change applies to "Art Tracks" as well, which are videos of songs available on the wider YouTube platform that don't have an official music video. The "High" quality option was originally only available in the YouTube Music app, but now Google says you can access it across the Android and iOS version of both YouTube Music and YouTube.None of these updates change what the main benefit of a $13.99-per-month YouTube Premium subscription is, of course, but for the price, it's good Google is trying to unify the experience across devices.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-premium-adds-high-quality-audio-and-4x-playback-for-ios-android-and-desktop-212214797.html?src=rss

It's been nearly a year since DJI sued the Department of Defense over its designation as a "Chinese military company." On Friday, a judge ruled against the drone maker. US District Judge Paul Friedman said the DoD presented enough evidence that DJI contributes to the Chinese military."Indeed, DJI acknowledges that its technology can and is used in military conflict but asserts that its policies prohibit such use," Friedman wrote in his opinion. "Whether or not DJI's policies prohibit military use is irrelevant. That does not change the fact that DJI's technology has both substantial theoretical and actual military application."DJI challenged the designation in October 2024. It told the court it is "neither owned nor controlled by the Chinese military." The company claimed in its filing that it suffered "ongoing financial and reputational harm" as a result of the inclusion. The designation can prevent companies from accessing grants, contracts, loans and other programs.The drone maker has a contentious history with the US government. The Department of Commerce added it and 77 other companies to its Entity List in 2020, effectively blocking US businesses from dealing with them. A year later, the Treasury Department included DJI on its "Chinese military-industrial complex companies" list. That designation was for its alleged involvement in the surveillance of Uyghur Muslim people in China. Last year, US customs began holding up DJI's consumer drones at the border.The company now faces a potential import ban in the US by the end of this year. The ban was initially scheduled for 2024. But a clause in the $895 billion US Defense Bill gave it a year to prove that its products don't pose a national security risk. In March, DJI pleaded with five national security agencies (DHS, DoD, FBI, NSA, and ODNI) to begin evaluating its products "right away."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/dji-loses-lawsuit-over-pentagons-chinese-military-company-list-204804617.html?src=rss

In the pursuit of actually releasing the updated version of Siri the company promised way back at WWDC 2024, Apple is taking a page out of OpenAI's book. According to Bloomberg, the company has created a ChatGPT-inspired app to test Siri's new capabilities ahead of the release of the improved voice assistant next year.This new app, called "Veritas" internally, will likely never make its way to the public in its current form, but offers Apple employees a faster way to test Siri's new skills. That includes letting users search through personal data stored on their phone, like their emails and messages, or taking action in apps, like editing photos. The new app is apparently also a way for Apple to "gather feedback on whether the chatbot format has value," Bloomberg writes.While an internal app doesn't make it any clearer how useful Apple's updated Siri will be, it does suggest the project is in a more advanced stage than before. Given the difficulty the company's faced actually releasing its various AI products - including publicly delaying the Siri update back in March 2025 - that's meaningful.Apple's original promise for Apple Intelligence was that it could offer a curated selection of AI-powered features with a level of privacy and polish that its competitors couldn't muster. The reality is that Apple shipped a collection of so-so features that worked, but couldn't pull off its truly impressive demo: a Siri informed on the context of your life and with the ability to actually do things on your phone.Apple is only realizing that vision in 2026, Bloomberg reports, through a combination of its own AI models, and at least one third-party model from its competitors. In June, the company was reportedly considering using a model from either OpenAI or Anthropic, but as of August, the company is now apparently circling a partnership with Google.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-reportedly-made-a-chatgpt-clone-to-test-siris-new-capabilities-194902560.html?src=rss

The long-awaited sequel to The Social Network will hit theaters next fall, according to a report by Deadline. The official release date is set for October 9, 2026, which is just about 16 years after the first film dropped.We also have plenty of other information, including the full cast and the actual name of the movie. The official name is The Social Reckoning, which makes sense as the movie follows recent events in which Facebook got into legal and political trouble when a whistleblower alleged that the company knew the platform was harming society but did nothing about it.The cast is being led by Jeremy Strong from Succession, who takes over Zuckerberg duties from actor Jesse Eisenberg. Mikey Madison is playing the aforementioned whistle blower Frances Haugen and The Bear's Jeremy Allen White portrays Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horowitz.Bill Burr is also appearing in this flick, though we don't know in what capacity. The Hollywood Reporter has suggested he will play a fictional character invented for the film that will be an amalgamation of several people. Aaron Sorkin is both writing and directing this one. He wrote the first movie, but David Fincher directed it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-social-network-2-is-coming-next-fall-and-stars-jeremy-strong-as-mark-zuckerberg-191021848.html?src=rss

Microsoft has finally revealed how much the ROG Xbox Ally handheld consoles will cost you, now that they're available for preorder. The ROG Xbox Ally X, which the company describes as the "ultimate high-performance handheld" that's "built for the most demanding players," will set you back $1,000. Meanwhile, the ROG Xbox Ally is "for everyone from the casual player to the avid enthusiast." That model costs a more palatable $600. ASUS + Xbox Microsoft unveiled the devices during the Xbox Games Showcase at Summer Game Fest in June, with the promise that they'd be available by this year's holiday shopping season. It was revealed a couple of months later that the consoles will be on store shelves by October 16. However, they hadn't announced their prices until now. Microsoft teamed up with ASUS' ROG division to develop the handhelds. They're powered by Windows 11 and lets you play any Xbox game you've purchased, whether you bought it on your console or your computer, as well as PC games from any store that you install directly on the device. You can use it to stream Xbox games from your console anywhere in your home or from the Xbox Cloud Gaming service. And yes, you'll be able to continue where you left off when you jump from one device to another. At launch, Xbox will mark thousands of games as Handheld Optimized or Mostly Compatible to indicate if they play well on handhelds. Specs Digging into their specs accentuates those differences. The ROG Xbox Ally uses an AMD Ryzen Z2 A chip, while the ROG Xbox Ally X has a more powerful AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme. The standard model has 16GB RAM (6,400 MT/s), while the premium version has 24GB (8,000 MT/s). The ROG Xbox Ally has a 512GB SSD; the ROG Xbox Ally X boosts that to 1TB. However, they each have a microSD slot to help you store more games. (And they both use upgrade-friendly M.2 2280 SSDs.) The premium model has a larger battery, measuring 80 Wh. The entry-level version has a 60 Wh one. But that doesn't necessarily mean longer battery life. We'll have to wait for extended testing to know that. Each variant has two USB-C ports, but (again) you get a higher-end version in the higher-end model. The Xbox ROG Ally includes two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports. The Xbox ROG Ally X has one of those, along with a USB 4 Type-C port. The latter is more versatile, supporting Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort 2.1 and eGPUs. Each model has a seven-inch 1080p, 16:9 display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness. They're anti-reflective, use Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and support FreeSync Premium. How to pre-order The standard ROG Xbox Ally is more readily available. In the US, you can pre-order it from Xbox, Microsoft Store, Asus, Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart. Meanwhile, the ROG Xbox Ally X is only available from Microsoft ("sold out" at the time of publication), Asus and Best Buy. Both handhelds are more expensive than their non-Xbox counterparts, which range between $500 and $800. A SanDisk microSD card designed specifically for the handhelds and a SeaGate SSD that supports Microsoft DirectStorage are now also available for preorder. The devices are also available around the world. You can also preorder the consoles in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Slovenia, South Africa, Thailand and Ukraine. All these markets, including the US, are getting the console on October 16. The handhelds will also be available in additional markets in the future. These will include Brazil, China, India, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Philippines and Switzerland. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/the-rog-xbox-ally-x-handheld-gaming-device-will-cost-you-1000-120029250.html?src=rss

Microsoft has a fix for long shader compilation wait times. The system is called Advanced Shader Delivery, and it's being first introduced for ASUS ROG Xbox Ally handhelds and games listed on the Xbox app.Just about every PC gamer knows the feeling of booting up a highly anticipated new AAA title, excited to explore its sprawling environments or open world, only to be hit with "compiling shaders" and a progress bar that seems to move at a snail's pace. Depending on what specs you're rocking and what game you've just installed, the wait could be as much as one to two hours for those with slower CPUs and older systems.While it seems increasingly common that huge games are using these shader compilation screens before even getting to the main menu (looking at you Hogwarts Legacy), games that choose not to use them still need to load and compile shaders. If they aren't done ahead of time, then they must be done during gameplay, which can lead to in-game stuttering that many gamers are also familiar with.Advanced Shader Delivery would preempt this by doing the entire compilation process ahead of time and storing those compiled shaders in the cloud. The catch is that shader compilation is hardware-specific, and since there are myriad GPU and driver combos, it would take a few dozen sets of compiled shaders to cover all the most common setups, and that's per game. Extrapolate that out even just to all the AAA titles released yearly, and you've got yourself a massive database.This is similar to how shader compilation works on consoles, but you're talking about at most two or three versions per console, or even fewer in the case of the Nintendo Switch. In fact, that's precisely why Microsoft is starting with the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, which comprises only two hardware configurations.Microsoft's Agility SDK for game developers now supports Advanced Shader Delivery, meaning devs could start building it into new games already. In practice, it can take years to fully capitalize on new technologies like this.That's exactly what we've seen with Direct Storage, another Microsoft technology meant to reduce asset load times. Three years after its release, we still see only a handful of big titles incorporating Direct Storage. It might be a long time before we see Advanced Shader Delivery incorporated into most popular games and available on different store fronts like Steam.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/microsofts-fix-for-pc-shader-compilation-stutter-could-take-years-to-fully-implement-183904449.html?src=rss

YouTube just announced YouTube Labs, which is being described as a "new way for users to take our cutting edge AI experiments for a test drive." This looks like a YouTube-centric version of the pre-existing Google Labs, which is another place for folks to test out experimental AI tools.There's already something new to play with here. YouTube Labs is testing AI hosts for its Music app. These hosts are designed to deepen a listening experience by providing "relevant stories, fan trivia and fun commentary about your favorite music." This is just the latest music-streaming platform to introduce AI hosts, as Spotify introduced an AI DJ earlier this year.YouTube Labs is only available for Premium members. Sign-ups are open right now, but just for a "limited number of US-based participants." We don't have any data as to how many people will get accepted to join the AI tomfoolery.Regular YouTube users have probably noticed the proliferation of AI slop on the platform these past several months. It's becoming a whole thing. While the prospect of virtual music hosts is rather innocuous, it will likely lead to even more AI being forced on the platform.YouTube recently added a boatload of AI tools for creators, including the ability to turn spoken dialogue into a slop-filled song. It's also handing over age verification to AI and is testing its own version of Google's famous (or infamous) AI overviews.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-music-is-testing-ai-hosts-that-present-relevant-stories-trivia-and-commentary-174042191.html?src=rss

The long-awaited sidescroller Possessor(s) will be available on November 11 for PC and PS5. It's a horror-tinged action game with Metroidvania elements. It also happens to look extremely beautiful.The game was developed by Heart Machine, which is the same company behind Hyper Light Drifter and its prequel Hyper Light Breaker. Publishing duties fall to Devolver, which has had a hand in a boatload of recent indie hits from Enter the Gungeon to Cult of the Lamb. The developer just dropped a launch date trailer for Possessor(s) and it's filled with both gameplay and story elements.As for that story, the game's set in a quarantined metropolis that's been invaded by ghostly forces. Exploration will slowly unravel what happened to the city. There's an open-ended narrative with multiple paths and plenty of characters to meet.The combat looks really slick, with lots of melee using found objects. The protagonist can also slide down long corridors and swing from a grappling hook. Weapons can be upgraded and there looks to be a skill tree of some kind.We only have around five weeks until we can get our hands on this one. Pre-orders on both platforms are up right now, but there's no price yet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/horror-tinged-sidescroller-possessors-hits-pc-and-ps5-on-november-11-152851427.html?src=rss

Facebook and Instagram users in the UK will soon be offered paid subscriptions that remove ads. In the coming weeks, those over the age of 18 can pay 3 ($4) per month on the web, or 4 ($5) per month when using Meta's iOS or Android apps. If you're wondering why the mobile version is more expensive, Meta blames that on fees levied by Apple and Google in their respective app stores.A no-ads subscription will apply to any Facebook and Instagram account added to a Meta Accounts Center, which is what Meta uses to let users connect various Meta logins on its different platforms. Any additional account listed in a user's Accounts Center will automatically gain their own subscription for an extra 2 ($3) per month on the web or 3 ($4) per month for iOS and Android. Anyone who chooses to decline Meta's offer will continue to see ads on its free platforms as normal, and can still use Ad Preferences to choose which ads they would prefer to see more or less of.Meta says the change is a response to new regulatory "consent or pay" guidance from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), whereby users are given the choice between consenting to an organization using their data to personalize ads, or paying to avoid it. Meta previously introduced a similar change for its EU users, offering an ad-free subscription option for 10 ($11), but was fined 200 million by the European Commission for allegedly failing to comply with its stricter Digital Markets Act (DMA) laws. The company later offered a revised, cheaper, ad-free plan that was still being assessed by the EC earlier this year.Meta praised the ICO for its "constructive approach" to personalised ads, which it insists provide the best experience for both its users and businesses, and criticised EU regulators for continuing to "overreach" with its privacy regulations. As reported by Bloomberg, digital advertising accounted for around 97 percent of Meta's revenue in 2024.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-announces-paid-subscriptions-for-both-instagram-and-facebook-in-the-uk-140913304.html?src=rss

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a new requirement for all working adults in the country to carry a digital identification called the Brit Card. In practice, the Brit Card will be based on the One Login infrastructure already used by the UK government.Supporters of the plan say digital ID cards can ensure that people have the right to work in the UK, and thus could help crack down on illegal immigration and exploitative employment schemes. "It will send a clear message that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to work, deterring people from making these dangerous journeys," Starmer's office wrote bluntly in the announcement. The UK government also plans to have an "outreach programme, including face-to-face support" for those "who aren't able to use a smartphone" or those who "aren't as experienced with the digital world, like the homeless and older people."The announcement claims the scheme will use "state-of-the-art encryption and authentication technology" and that "digital credentials will be stored directly on people's own device." However, critics say the IDs may infringe on civil liberties by requiring citizens to give the government additional personal information. They also raise concerns about how the administration plans to protect all those sensitive details from misuse or theft."No system is immune to failure, and we have seen time and again governments and tech giants fail to protect people's personal data," said David Davis, a Conservative MP and former cabinet minister. "If world-leading companies cannot protect our data, I have little faith that Whitehall would be able to do better."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/uk-announces-plans-for-digital-id-cards-133833359.html?src=rss

You can save big today on a new Roomba. The flagship Roomba Max 705 + AutoEmpty dock, which launched in April, is available for $320 off. The robovac, which typically costs $899, is on sale for $579. Enter our exclusive code ENG320 at checkout to snag the deal. iRobot says the Roomba Max 705 offers 180 times the suction power of its budget Roomba 600. The high-end model has dual multi-surface rubber brushes with an anti-tangle design. That could be especially handy for pet owners. The robovac includes an edge-sweeping brush to handle corners and edges. There's also a feature called Carpet Boost that automatically increases suction when it reaches carpet. And it uses LiDAR for precision navigation and obstacle avoidance. The AutoEmpty dock lives up to its name, allowing the vacuum to dump its own debris automatically. iRobot says it can do that for up to 75 days before you need to manually empty the dock. This model doesn't mop, which may be harder for some to justify at its typical $899. But for $579, a high-powered vacuum with an auto-emptying dock starts to look more sensible. Just remember that code: ENG320. Roomba Plus 405 Combo iRobot If you're looking for something more affordable (but with a different feature set), there's the Roomba Plus 405 Combo. Although its suction isn't as powerful as the aforementioned 705 model, this one does mop. Its AutoWash dock supports up to 45 days of auto-emptying and four weeks of mopping and pad washing before requiring your attention. The iRobot Roomba Plus 405 Combo robot + AutoWash dock typically retails for $799. With our code ENG320, you can have it for $479. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/roomba-robot-vacuums-are-more-than-300-off-right-now-130043860.html?src=rss

One thing I need to make clear right from the start: this is a review of Norton VPN (formerly Norton Secure VPN, and briefly Norton Ultra VPN) as a standalone app, not of the VPN feature in the Norton 360 package. They're similar, but Norton VPN has a few more features, including the ability to choose cities as server locations in countries with more than one option. I'll state my opinion up front. Norton VPN isn't a bad service, but it's not good enough to get ahead of its direct competitors. ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN and NordVPN are all either faster, more feature-rich, more secure, more affordable or some combination of the four. There's no reason to go with Norton as your VPN unless you're getting it as part of another Norton 360 bundle. For this review, I ran rigorous tests that highlighted Norton VPN's strengths (well-designed user interfaces, a verified privacy policy) along with its weaknesses (holes in its security, renewals that double the price, weak customer support). Norton's history of focusing on Windows means that app is by far the most complete; if you're on any other platform, expect to miss out on the best VPN protocols and the complete feature set. Editor's note (9/26/25): We've overhauled our VPN coverage to provide more detailed, actionable buying advice. Going forward, we'll continue to update both our best VPN list and individual reviews (like this one) as circumstances change. Most recently, we added official scores to all of our VPN reviews.Check out how we test VPNs to learn more about the new standards we're using. Table of contents

Buying a car in America is usually a hellish experience involving pushy salespeople, mysterious fees, and hours-long financing negotiations. That's something Carvana aimed to solve with its online used car marketplace when it launched 13 years ago. In this episode, Devindra chats with Carvana Chief Product Officer Dan Gill about how the company moved beyond the flashy marketing of its early car vending machines, and how it's still trying to perfect the online car buying experience. We also dive into some of the issues the company has faced - including delayed registrations and vehicle issues - and how it's trying to learn from them.Subscribe!

Monitors are more than screens to plug into your PC - they shape how you work, play and create. Whether you need the best monitor for gaming, video editing or everyday tasks, there are plenty of options that balance price, performance and design.

We all want to protect our phones from the inevitable drops, scratches and tumbles of daily life, but what if your cell phone case could protect more than just your device? The best eco-friendly phone cases offer a great blend of durability and sustainability, helping to reduce plastic waste and better the planet.

Forget smart glasses, autofocus lenses have the potential to help far more people by offering a high-tech alternative to clunky bifocal and varifocal eyewear. Those traditional solutions involve looking at specific portions of glasses for near and far objects. While that's more convenient than swapping frames constantly, it requires retraining your eyes a bit and can also lead to eye strain.Finnish startup IXI's autofocus glasses aim to go one step further: It has developed eyewear with built-in eye tracking and LCDs that can automatically focus on whatever you're looking at, just like fixed frame glasses. Even better, they look just like regular eyewear, even more-so than Meta's thick-framed Ray-Ban smart glasses. While IXI isn't yet ready to start shipping its hardware yet, the company announced today that it's one step closer to production by acquiring the lens manufacturing company Finnsusp and entering into a "long-term strategic partnership" with OptiSwiss.IXI's autofocus frames with built-in LCDIXIWhile IXI isn't the only company working on autofocus frames -- we covered ViXion01's Star Trek-esque glasses at CES last year -- it's the closest to bringing the technology to normal-looking spectacles. Sure, they're not as flashy as Meta's Ray-Ban lineup, and they don't exactly scream high-tech, but IXI's reserved approach could make its glasses more compelling to older audiences. Not everyone wants to look like a trendy supergeek, after all, but the idea of having glasses that could make your eyes feel decades younger practically is a huge draw.IXI has developed "the world's lowest power eye-tracking" to make its glasses possible, CEO and co-founder Niko Eiden told Engadget in an interview. The company stuffed tiny batteries into the thin frames of its glasses, which Eiden claims can last for a day of usage. The assumption is that you'll charge them overnight by connecting a cable to their temple area (unfortunately, that also makes them too unwieldy to power up while you're wearing them). If they do completely lose power, they'll function purely as far-sighted spectacles.With the Finnsusp acquisition, IXI will be able to begin low-volume production of its glasses for in-house testing, while the OptiSwiss partnership will eventually help it to scale for the mass market. Eiden says the company isn't announcing pricing or availability yet, but he expects it to be in the high end of existing glasses." More so than Meta's hyped-up smart glasses, IXI's products are targeted at people who are already wearing glasses and who could quickly see the value of in autofocus lenses. Eye degradation comes for us all eventually.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/ixis-autofocus-glasses-are-one-step-closer-to-reality-060000152.html?src=rss

Neon is an call-recording app that pays users for access to the audio, which the app in turn sells to AI companies for training their models. Since its launch last week, it quickly rose in popularity, but the service was taken offline today. TechCrunch reported that it found a security flaw that allowed any logged-in user to access other accounts' phone numbers, the phone numbers called, call recordings and transcripts.TechCrunch said that it contacted Neon founder Alex Kiam about the issue. "Kiam told TechCrunch later Thursday that he took down the app's servers and began notifying users about pausing the app, but fell short of informing his users about the security lapse," the publication reported. The app went dark soon after" TC contacted Kiam. Neon does not appear to have a timeline about if or when the service will resume or what additional security protections it may add.The full report from TechCrunch is here and certainly worth reading if you've used Neon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/call-recording-app-neon-goes-offline-after-security-flaw-uncovered-223425297.html?src=rss

Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America's President and Chief Operating Officer, is stepping down on December 31, 2025, according to Nintendo. Bowser's leadership responsibilities will now be split between two executives: Devon Pritchard, NoA's Executive Vice President of Revenue, Marketing and Consumer Experience, will take over as President, and Satoru Shibata, the current Corporate Director and Managing Executive Director, will act as the company's CEO.Bowser first joined Nintendo in 2015 as Vice President of Sales and Marketing, before replacing long-time President Reggie Fils-Aime in 2019. In comparison to some of the company's other leaders, Bowser was much less of a public-facing presence, but he still guided Nintendo of America through a transformative portion of the company's history. Nintendo not only opened a theme park while Bowser was in charge, but also had a major Hollywood release in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and a successful console launch with the release of the Switch 2 earlier this year. Bowser also weathered his fair share of controversies, including reports that Nintendo of America was failing to address issues of gender discrimination among its employees."Leading Nintendo of America has been the honor of a lifetime, and I am proud of what our team has accomplished in both business results and the experiences we've created for consumers," Bowser said in a statement. "Now, it's time for the next generation of leadership and Devon's track record speaks for itself," Bowser continued. She is an exceptional leader, and her promotion is a testament to her strong performance and strategic contributions to the company's growth."According to Nintendo, "Pritchard plans to build on the many experiences that allow consumers to connect with Nintendo's characters and worlds, from video games to entertainment to retail experiences." The company might be too big and successful now to feature someone with as much personality as Fils-Aime, but if Pritchard plans to stick with business-as-usual, maybe Shibata could become the public face Nintendo has been missing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/bowser-is-leaving-nintendo-of-america-221650389.html?src=rss

The Meta AI app - you know, the one where people publicly shared their private conversations with the chatbot by accident - now has a dedicated feed for AI slop. The Vibes feed is a home for AI-generated short-form videos in the Meta AI app and website. Users can scroll the creations of other people, or can make their own clips, either by building from scratch or adapting other videos from the feed. The videos people make can also be shared via DM or cross-posted to Instagram or Facebook.The company said it plans to add more features for AI-generated creation in the future. According to a Threads post by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Vibes is "an early look at some of the new product directions we're exploring." He added that Meta Superintelligence Labs will work with Midjourney and Black Forest Labs on upcoming AI projects.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-now-has-a-feed-for-ai-slop-205751808.html?src=rss

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order finalizing some of the terms of a deal to bring TikTok's US business under American control. The new TikTok entity will be owned by a group of US-based investors, while ByteDance will maintain a smaller stake in the new company and keep the app's algorithm.TikTok has faced more than a year of uncertainty about its future in the United States since former President Joe Biden signed a law last year requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban. In January, the Supreme Court upheld the law and TikTok briefly went dark just as Trump took office. Trump promptly signed an executive order extending the ban deadline for the app. (He signed off on a fourth extension last week.) Today's order declares that the plan to split off a US entity from the ByteDance-owned company will meet the requirements of the ban order.The executive order comes after a flurry of interest in TikTok from US companies and investors. Microsoft, Amazon, Perplexity AI, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian and YouTuber MrBeast were all reportedly among those vying for the business.Under the new arrangement, US investors will have a large stake in the US entity. CNBC reported that Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX would be part of a core group of investors that own 45 percent of the business. Trump confirmed Oracle's involvement, and also mentioned Michael Dell and Rupert Murdoch as investors as part of the deal. ByteDance, TikTok's current owner, will have a 19.9 percent stake and the rest will go to a group of investors that includes ByteDance's previous investors. Vice President JD Vance said the new company would be valued at around $14 billion.Oracle, which has previously partnered with the company on data security, will continue in its role overseeing the app's algorithm and security. The fate of the TikTok algorithm has been a major question. Some lawmakers have questioned the decision to license the algorithm from ByteDance. Earlier this week, both the Republican chair and Democratic ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party expressed concerns about any arrangement that doesn't put the algorithm squarely in American hands.Answering questions after Trump signed the order, Vance said to reporters that the deal ensures that US investors will have "control over how the algorithm pushes content toward users." In reponse to a question about whether the algorithm would prefer MAGA content, Trump lamented that although he would love for the platform to be 100 percent MAGA, it would in fact treat "everyone fairly." Trump described China as "fully on board" with the deal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/trump-signs-executive-order-saying-his-tiktok-deal-is-legal-204607521.html?src=rss

Google is asking the Supreme Court to step in and pause the ruling the company received in its lawsuit with Epic Games, according to a filing the company shared with Engadget. The company is making its request following a major legal loss to Epic Games in October 2024, which required it to open the Google Play Store to third-party app stores for a period of three years.Google is asking the justices to intervene by October 17, three days before the injunction Epic won starts to go into effect. The company hopes that after offering a stay, the Court will take up the case for a full review. Asking the Supreme Court for relief wouldn't have even entered the picture if Google's appeal hadn't already been denied by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The company's filing includes multiple technical reasons why the Ninth Circuit Court's ruling should be overturned. It also offers several examples why the original injunction Epic won is bad for Google, developers and consumers.Google believes the injunction "[creates] enormous security and safety risks by enabling stores that stock malicious, deceptive or pirated content to proliferate," and that it burdens developers with "constantly monitoring dozens or hundreds of stores that might suddenly carry their apps without their knowledge." The company also notes that the injunction will make it "substantially easier for developers to avoid compensating Google," for Play Store services that have nothing to do with payments.On the losing end of its four-year legal battle with Fortnite developer Epic, Google wasn't just ordered to open up the Play Store to third-party app stores, it's also no longer allowed to make deals around pre-installing the Play Store on phones or force developers to use its billing system. In contrast to Epic's case with Apple, where the developer only won a small, if meaningful concession, Google's loss gave Epic nearly everything it asked for.When both Apple and Google asked the Supreme Court to review their case last year, the court denied their requests without explanation. It's not clear if Google will get what it wants, but given the much larger changes it'll be forced to make if the injunction moves forward, it's possible the court could respond differently. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-asks-supreme-court-to-rescue-it-from-its-epic-lawsuit-195555490.html?src=rss

Elon Musk's xAI is suing OpenAI, alleging that the ChatGPT maker has stolen its trade secrets. The lawsuit comes after the company recently sued a former employee, Xuechen Li, for allegedly stealing confidential information from the company before taking a job at OpenAI.In its latest lawsuit, which was reported by Sherwood, xAI says that Li's alleged actions are part of "a broader and deeply troubling pattern of trade secret misappropriation, unfair competition, and intentional interference with economic relationships by OpenAI." According to xAI's lawyers, OpenAI also hired two other xAI employees who stole proprietary information from Musk's company."Another early xAI engineer-Jimmy Fraiture-was also harvesting xAI's source code and airdropping it to his personal devices to take to OpenAI, where he now works," the lawsuit states. "Meanwhile, a senior finance executive brought another piece of the puzzle to OpenAI-xAI's 'secret sauce' of rapid data center deployment-with no intention to abide by his legal obligations to xAI.""This new lawsuit is the latest chapter in Mr Musk's ongoing harassment. We have no tolerance for any breaches of confidentiality, nor any interest in trade secrets from other labs," OpenAI said in a statement the company shared with Engadget.Musk, of course, has a complicated history with the ChatGPT maker, and this isn't the first time his rival AI company has sued OpenAI. Last month, xAI filed lawsuits against OpenAI and Apple over Grok's placement on App Store charts. Musk alleged that ChatGPT rank in the top spot represented an "unequivocal antitrust violation." Musk has also filed numerous lawsuits against OpenAI over its relationship with Microsoft and its move to become a for-profit company.Update 2:49 PM ET: Added comment from OpenAI.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/xai-accuses-openai-of-stealing-its-trade-secrets-in-new-lawsuit-152926944.html?src=rss

Anker has opened up pre-orders for the Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro home theater system after teasing the product at IFA. This is being done via the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter and prices start at $3,000, which is an early bird discount from the eventual $5,000 price tag.The Nebula X1 Pro is something of an all-in-one home theater system, as it includes a 4K projector, a soundbar, a subwoofer and satellite speakers. It boasts a unique design, with the subwoofer floating inside a spring-type assembly system to avoid transferring vibrations. The soundbar speakers fold out to the left and right of the projector and two wireless satellite speakers allow for surround sound.The system supports Dolby Atmos and offers IP43 protection from light rain and dust. This makes it a great projector for outdoor get togethers, which is assisted by a retractable power cable, a telescopic handle and rolling wheels on the bottom.The motorized lens allows for an easy setup and the speakers can be used to stream audio without any accompanying video. It even comes with a pair of wireless microphones for getting the crowd pumped up before movie night. In other words, this is a portable party machine.This is a refinement of the pre-existing Nebula X1 projector, which we absolutely loved. We said that it offers "the clearest, most vivid image quality" that we ever experienced with a projector. That also costs $3,000, but features a less expansive speaker system. The audio quality with the original projector was "very respectable" but will likely pale in comparison to a full Dolby Atmos system with satellite speakers and the like.The Nebula X1 Pro has already sailed past its funding goal, so it's definitely coming. Deliveries are expected to go out this December.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/anker-opens-pre-orders-for-its-nebula-x1-pro-projector-system-184635440.html?src=rss

Nintendo recently announced that the next mainline Fire Emblem game is coming in 2026, and it looks like the company has another take on the popular strategy series to tide you over while you wait. Fire Emblem Shadows is a new mobile spin-off that combines the series' tactics gameplay with some of the social dedication mechanics popularized by games like Among Us, and it's available to download now.Shadows follows groups of heroes - the typical collection of royals, rogues and anime archetypes - navigating an underground labyrinth. "Players choose to take on the role of either a disciple of light, aiming to find their way through the labyrinth, or a disciple of shadow," Nintendo writes."After the initial battle, players vote to determine who they believe is the treacherous disciple of shadow. The outcome of the vote affects whether the next battle is more favorable or more challenging."Unlike a typical Fire Emblem match, though, you don't have direct control over your characters during battles. Instead, you can see the path they'll take through a map and are tasked with deploying spells that hurt enemies, heal heroes or offer other buffs while they move. The gameplay-style makes the whole thing feel hands-off and even a little boring in early battles, but it's possible that could change with more difficult foes. You also earn upgrades as you play, and Nintendo is selling a season pass that unlocks premium rewards while you work your way through either of Fire Emblem Shadows' two plots.While Nintendo's push into mobile games has slowed in recent years, the company has fairly consistently updated its original spin-off,Fire Emblem Heroes, since it was released in 2017. That game offered a take on the series' gameplay that hewed closer to the original, just with a gacha-style lottery system for unlocking new characters. If it proves popular, it seems likely Fire Emblem Shadows will see the same level of support.Fire Emblem Shadows is available to download for free on iOS and Android.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/fire-emblem-shadows-mixes-in-a-little-social-deduction-with-its-tactics-182907183.html?src=rss

ChatGPT already tries to answer all your questions. Now it's trying to answer questions before you ask them. OpenAI's new feature for its AI chatbot is ChatGPT Pulse, a summary of personalized updates. The blog post explaining Pulse positions it as a bulletin to start the day based on asynchronous research done by ChatGPT.Users can direct Pulse toward or away from particular topics, and the summaries will also draw on chat history and, if connected, your Gmail and Google Calendar.The examples OpenAI gave for what Pulse recommendations might look like were "follow-ups on topics you discuss often, ideas for quick, healthy dinner to make at home that evening, or next steps toward a longer-term goal such as training for a triathlon."For now, ChatGPT Pulse is available for Pro tier subscribers to test. However, OpenAI aims to eventually roll the feature out to all users.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/openai-introduces-personalized-daily-summaries-with-chatgpt-pulse-181532935.html?src=rss

The European Union has summarily rejected calls from Apple to repeal and replace its Digital Markets Act (DMA), the law that governs much about how giant tech companies must operate within the 27-nation bloc. As first reported by France 24, EU digital affairs spokesperson Thomas Regnier responded to Apple's open letter regarding the DMA's effect on users in the EU."Apple has simply contested every little bit of the DMA since its entry into application," said Regnier. He added that the Commission had "absolutely no intention" of dismantling the DMA. The landmark legislation was passed in 2022 in an effort to rein in the ever-growing reach and power of big tech and to level the playing field for smaller would-be competitors.Since then, Apple has found itself in hot water in the EU over its App Store rules, cross-device interoperability and its browser options. Earlier this year, the Commission fined Apple approximately $570 million for anti-competitive activities, which the company is appealing.This summer, the Commission opened a period of public consultation for the DMA with a deadline for submission of September 24. Apple submitted an official response, while also taking the time to publicly decry the DMA through a blog post.In the post, Apple says "it's become clear that the DMA is leading to a worse experience for Apple users in the EU." The company says it is "urging regulators to take a closer look at how the law is affecting the EU citizens who use Apple products every day," alleging that the implementation of these laws is opening users to higher risks of scams, exposure to harmful apps and weakened security surrounding user data.The back-and-forth over the DMA and the hefty fines being levied against big tech companies has become part of the political discourse amid trade negotiations between the US and the EU. President Donald Trump expressed his ire at American companies facing such heavy fines, and The Wall Street Journal alleged that the EU was using these fines in part as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/eu-tells-apple-it-has-no-intention-of-repealing-the-digital-markets-act-175950691.html?src=rss

Amazon will pay a record civil penalty to settle a case with the Federal Trade Commission. The agency accused Amazon of tricking consumers into signing up for a Prime membership without their consent and making it hard for customers to cancel in a lawsuit filed in 2023.To settle the charges, Amazon has agreed to pay a $1 billion civil penalty and $1.5 billion to refund customers. The company also agreed to "ease unlawful enrollment and cancellation practices for Prime," per the FTC.The agency says the civil penalty is the largest ever for a case involving a breach of its rules - it had accused Amazon of violating the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act. The $1.5 billion in consumer redress will provide "full relief for the estimated 35 million consumers impacted by unwanted Prime enrollment or deferred cancellation," the FTC said. It added that this is the second-highest restitution award it has ever obtained.Moreover, Amazon will be prohibited from using some of the dark patterns (i.e. deceptive design practices) it has employed to dissuade customers from canceling Prime memberships. For instance, the settlement precludes it from displaying a button that reads, "No, I don't want Free Shipping" during the cancellation flow. Instead, it will have to show a "a clear and conspicuous button for customers to decline Prime," per the terms of the settlement, which does not include an admission of guilt on Amazon's part.The company will also have to provide clearer information about a Prime subscription to consumers during the sign-up process. This will include details about the price, whether the subscription auto-renews and how to cancel."Amazon and our executives have always followed the law and this settlement allows us to move forward and focus on innovating for customers," Amazon spokesperson Mark Blafkin said in a statement provided to Engadget. "We work incredibly hard to make it clear and simple for customers to both sign up or cancel their Prime membership, and to offer substantial value for our many millions of loyal Prime members around the world. We will continue to do so, and look forward to what we'll deliver for Prime members in the coming years."Update September 25, 1:47PM ET: Added Amazon's statement and clarified that the settlement doesn't include an admission of guilt.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-is-paying-25-billion-to-settle-ftc-claims-it-duped-customers-into-signing-up-for-prime-160641347.html?src=rss

Microsoft has ended access to its data centers for a unit of the Israeli military that helped power a massive surveillance operation against Palestinian civilians, according to a report by The Guardian. The company says that the country's spy agency has violated its terms of service.This surveillance system collected millions of phone calls made by Palestinian civilians every day in Gaza and the West Bank. The massive trove of data has been stored via Microsoft's Azure cloud platform, but the company just informed Israel's spy agency that this practice will no longer be acceptable.Microsoft's vice-chair and president, Brad Smith, alerted staff of the move in an email, writing that the company had ceased and disabled a set of services to a unit within the Israel ministry of defense." He went to suggest that this included cutting off access to cloud storage and some AI services.We do not provide technology to facilitate mass surveillance of civilians," he continued. "We have applied this principle in every country around the world, and we have insisted on it repeatedly for more than two decades."Microsoft came to this decision after conducting an external inquiry to review the spy agency's use of its Azure cloud platform. It also comes amid pressure from both employees and investors for the company to examine its relationship with Israel as it relates to the military offensive in Gaza.This reportedly started back in 2021, when Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella allegedly okayed the storage effort personally after meeting with a commander from Israel's elite military surveillance corps, Unit 8200. Nadella reportedly gave the country a customized and segregated area within the Azure platform to store these phone calls, all without knowledge or consent from Palestinians.While conflict has existed between Israel and Palestinian groups for decades, these platforms were built out a full two years before the the most recent escalation in violence, beginning October 7, 2023. The mantra when building out the project was to record "a million calls an hour."Leaked Microsoft files suggested that the lion's share of this data was being stored in Azure facilities in the Netherlands, but Israel allegedly moved it after Microsoft started its initial investigation. The Guardian has reported that Unit 8200 planned on transferring the data to the Amazon Web Services cloud platform. We have contacted Amazon to ask if it has accepted this gigantic trove of personal data.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/microsoft-blocks-israels-use-of-its-data-centers-for-mass-surveillance-of-palestinians-170107061.html?src=rss

Nintendo will open an official pop-up store in London this fall, its first-ever in the UK. The store will be open from October 22 to November 16 on the ground floor of the Westfield London shopping mall in Shepherd's Bush.The Japanese gaming giant operates official stores in Tokyo and Kyoto, as well as permanent locations in New York and (20 years later) San Francisco. The pop-up store in London will feature an extensive collection of Nintendo merchandise across the brand's most iconic titles including Super Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing and more. Fans can pick up all sorts of apparel and collectible accessories like keyrings, pins and bags.Entry to the pop-up during its first week will be by reservation only, with tickets going live on October 7. Guests will be able to reserve a date and time slot to enter between October 22 and 26. From October 27, store entry will operate via a first-come, first-served system, though don't be surprised to see a line out the door.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-is-opening-a-pop-up-store-in-london-this-fall-164549021.html?src=rss

Score another win for EU consumers. On Wednesday, Microsoft backtracked on the strings it had attached to Windows 10's Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. However, it only did so in the European Economic Area (EEA) following complaints from an advocacy group. The elephant in the room? The EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) safeguards against unlawful bundling and restricting consumer choice. Had the company not relented, those regulations could have spawned investigations and hefty fines."In the European Economic Area, we're making updates to the enrollment process to ensure it meets local expectations and delivers a secure, streamlined experience," a Microsoft spokesperson told Windows Central. "Our goal is to support customers and provide them with options as they transition to Windows 11, with uninterrupted access to critical security updates."The move stems from Microsoft's decisions regarding the future of Windows 10. In early 2023, the company said it would only support crucial security updates for the operating system until October 2025.MicrosoftSince then, the company launched the ESU program. It allows consumers to pay $30 to add a one-year extension on security updates. The Windows maker also added a couple of "free" options. The first one is to enable Windows cloud backup using a Microsoft account. However, that uses OneDrive. And once you surpass 5GB of free storage, you'll need to pay for more. (If you have a lot of big files to back up, that would likely apply.) The other option is to spend 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, which not everyone has lying around.The advocacy org Euroconsumers called out Microsoft in June. "Limiting security means limiting product life," the nonprofit wrote. It described Microsoft's Windows 10 requirements as "planned obsolescence." That's the practice of deliberately designing products with limited lifespans. Conveniently for Big Tech, that tends to boost sales. Inconveniently for consumers, it's an added cost.Planned obsolescence is also a term that could have drawn the ire of EU regulators. Tech titans like Microsoft found to violate the DMA can be forced to pay up to 10 percent of their global annual turnover.Euroconsumers said Microsoft was steering consumers toward two options. "Buy a new device before you're ready or stick with your current one and face increased security risks," it wrote. The group noted that 22 percent of EU PC owners still run a Windows device from 2017 or earlier. 2018 is often considered a rough baseline for Windows 11 eligibility, given the software's technical requirements.While PC users in the EEA now have an extra year, the rest of the world isn't so lucky. If you're still running Windows 10, you only have until October 14 to do one of three things: upgrade to Windows 11 (Microsoft's preferred choice), pay $30, turn on Windows backup, or fork over reward points. Choose wisely.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/microsoft-pressured-to-extend-free-windows-10-security-updates-in-most-of-europe-164533056.html?src=rss

Despite Elon Musk and Donald Trump's very public spats and seemingly still ongoing feud, the White House has remained committed to supporting the former's AI ambitions. And today, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced that it has reached an agreement with xAI that will allow it to buy Musk's Grok AI models for $0.42 per organization.As part of the Trump administration's OneGov procurement initiative, the deal with xAI will allow federal agencies access to the Grok 4 and Grok 4 Fast advanced reasoning models. The 18-month contract is the longest OneGov AI procurement agreement to date. xAI announced its Grok for Government strategy earlier in the summer, which signalled its intention to provide the government with a suite of AI products, including custom models for national security, science and healthcare purposes.As well as opening its models for government use, xAI is also providing dedicated engineers to speed up the implementation of its AI tools for participating agencies, and will offer an "upgrade path" for expanded features and higher rate limits. Such access is a crucial part of Trump's AI Action Plan, designed to position the US as the global leader in AI. And his administration doesn't appear to have been put off by Grok's bizarre behavior in recent months, such as its preoccupation with far-right conspiracy theories regarding "white genocide" in South Africa, or its brief but enthusiastic turn towards antisemitism.xAI is the latest in a line of AI companies to strike deals with the GSA. Back in August, Anthropic began offering its Claude AI model to three branches of the US government for $1, following Gemini and xAI's arch rival OpenAI joining a list of approved vendors.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/elon-musks-grok-is-cleared-for-federal-government-use-162407911.html?src=rss

Nothing is spinning off its budget brand CMF into an independent subsidiary, according to a report by TechCrunch. India will serve as the newly-formed company's headquarters for manufacturing and R&D, thanks to a partnership with one of the country's telecom operators. Nothing says this venture will create over 1,800 jobs in the country.India is actually a good choice for the HQ. The country is Nothing's strongest market overall, with over a 2 percent market share in smartphones. It's the fastest-growing brand in the region, with an 85 percent growth in shipments year over year. CMF also specializes in budget-friendly handsets under $200 and this is the dominant category in India, according to the IDC.

Spotify has announced a set of policy changes surrounding AI-generated music and spam on its streaming platform. The company is helping to develop an industry standard for AI disclosure in music credits, alongside DDEX. It will be strengthening its approach to AI-assisted spam, such as unauthorized vocal clones, as well as uploaded music that fraudulently delivers music to another artist's profile.The new disclosures will encourage artists to share what aspect, if any, of their production was created with the assistance of AI. Instead of a song simply being marked as "is AI" or "no AI," artists can specify whether they used AI-generated vocals, instrumentation or post-production.The streamer will also debut a new impersonation policy, making it clearer how the platform deals with AI voice clones. The policy promises to give artists stronger protections against this sort of spam, and clearer recourse should any appear."...the pace of recent advances in generative AI technology has felt quick and at times unsettling, especially for creatives. At its best, AI is unlocking incredible new ways for artists to create music and for listeners to discover it. At its worst, AI can be used by bad actors and content farms to confuse or deceive listeners, push 'slop' into the ecosystem, and interfere with authentic artists working to build their careers," Spotify said in its announcement.These aren't the only tactics that bad actors use to divert royalties and deceive listeners. Spotify shared that other types of spam "such as mass uploads, duplicates, SEO hacks, artificially short track abuse, and other forms of slop" have become easier to create and deploy as AI tools substantially lower the barrier of entry to creating this type of content.To address these, the streamer is launching a new spam filter this fall that will identify uploads and tracks that engage in these types of spam, tag them on the platform, and stop recommending them to users. Spotify said that over the past 12 months it has already removed more than 75 million "spammy" tracks.Spotify says that this sort of spam can dilute the royalty pool and take attention away from real artists trying to earn a living, even in part on the platform. The company says its goal is to achieve more transparency for listeners and protect artist identity through these new policies.These new policies don't address AI-generated projects like The Velvet Sundown, which remains on the platform despite all its lyrics, vocals, and imagery being entirely AI-generated. Spotify doesn't directly acknowledge the AI band, but says "we support artists' freedom to use AI creatively while actively combating its misuse by content farms and bad actors."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/spotify-is-doing-more-to-address-ai-slop-on-its-platform-151102801.html?src=rss

Microsoft has officially unveiled the next Forza Horizon game, confirming months of rumors that the latest entry in its consistently excellent open-world racing series will be set in Japan. Announced, rather fittingly, at Tokyo Game Show in an Xbox briefing, Forza Horizon 6 has a 2026 release date and will launch first on Xbox and PC. A few years ago it would have stayed on those platforms, but after Forza Horizon 5 made its way to PS5 earlier this year, all bets are off on Microsoft exclusivity in the future.As one of Xbox's most important series, it's a bit disappointing that we didn't get any gameplay in the TGS teaser trailer. Instead, the camera pans across what looks like a workbench, with license plates and trinkets from countries featured in previous entries hung on the wall behind it. Eventually we get to Japan, and the camera moves up to reveal Mount Fuji in the distance, with the obligatory cherry blossom in the corners of the frame.What the announcement lacked in gameplay, though, it somewhat made up for with the accompanying Xbox Wirepost, which sheds some light on Playground Games' decision to choose the Land of the Rising Sun as the location for Forza Horizon 6. According to the game's Art Director, Don Arceta, the "unique culture" of Japan - from its cars, to its music and fashion - was a driving factor, and added that with five Horizon games already under its belt, the studio feels it can build an "authentic representation" of the country that does it justice.Playground Games is keeping its cards close to its chest where real-life locations featured in the game are concerned, but unsurprisingly confirmed that Tokyo is one of them, as well as some of the country's rural and mountain areas. The studio isn't saying much about cars yet, either, but promised that Japanese car culture will be reflected. It also confirmed that seasons will once again be a big part of the experience.Forza Horizon 5 came out in 2021 and turned Engadget's "not much of a car guy" Nathan Ingraham into a racing game fan with its incredibly detailed Mexico setting, approachable driving and accessible open-world design.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/forza-horizon-6-takes-the-arcade-racing-series-to-japan-in-2026-142253601.html?src=rss

Apple has long opposed the Digital Markets Act, which is pretty much expected for a Big Tech company. Now, a bit over a year after it came into force, Apple has asked the European Commission to repeal it, according to the Financial Times and Bloomberg. "The DMA should be repealed while a more appropriate fit for purpose legislative instrument is put in place," the company has told the commission in its first public consultation to review the legislation. The EU's Digital Markets Act, which was signed into law in 2022, aims to rein in Big Tech's power and to improve competition for smaller players. If a company is found to have violated DMA's rules, it could pay between 10 to 20 percent of its global revenue.In a blog post separate to the feedback it submitted to the Commission, Apple detailed how DMA affects its users in the EU. The company said that because the law requires it to make sure certain features work on non-Apple products, feature rollouts get delayed in the region. Its team has not found a way to securely bring iPhone Mirroring to non-Apple devices, for instance, because it requires a lot of engineering work. As a result, Apple has yet to release that feature, along with Live Translation via AirPods, as well as Visited Places and Preferred Routes on Maps, in the European Union.Apple also said that since the DMA requires it to allow sideloading, other app marketplaces and alternative payment systems, users in the region are exposed to more risks. They're more exposed to things like fake banking apps and disguised malware, and they could also come across third-party payment systems that wouldn't allow refunds. If you'll recall, the European Commission slapped Apple with a $587 million fine in April for preventing developers from informing customers about sales and other offers outside the App Store. Apple called the penalty "unprecedented" and filed an appeal."Regulators claimed the DMA would promote competition and give European consumers more choices," Apple wrote in its post. "But the law is not living up to those promises... That's why we're urging regulators to take a closer look at how the law is affecting the EU citizens who use Apple products every day." Even though the company is clearly against the DMA, it said it's dedicating "thousands of hours" to bring features to the EU. A spokesperson for the Commission told the Times that it's normal for companies to "need more time to make their products compliant" and that the Commission is helping them get there. "[C]ompliance is not optional, it's an obligation," the spokesperson added.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-repeats-its-long-held-criticism-of-the-eus-digital-markets-act-130058440.html?src=rss

Meta is starting to move more teens on Facebook and Messenger into dedicated "teen accounts" that have added parental controls and other protections for younger users. The expansion comes as the company says that "hundreds of millions" of teens are already using the accounts across Instagram, Facebook and Messenger.Meta first brought teen accounts to Instagram a year ago and began rolling them out to teens in the US, Canada, UK and Australia on Facebook and Messenger earlier this year. Now, the specialized accounts will be available to teens globally. The company has made the accounts mandatory for all teens, and requires younger teens (13 -15-year-olds) to get their parent's permission to change safety-related settings. Meta uses AI to detect teens that may be lying about their age. The accounts allow parents to supervise how their children use Meta's apps, including features for monitoring screen time and the ability to view who their kids are messaging with. Teen accounts also come with more restrictive privacy and safety settings meant to limit their contact with adults they don't know.Instagram is also expanding its program that allows US middle schools and high schools to expedite reports of bullying and other problematic behavior. Up to now, the company has been piloting the "school partnership program," with a handful of middle schools and high schools. Meta says that it's "heard positive feedback from participating schools" and that any US-based school can sign up to join.The social media company has spent the last few years ramping up parental control features and attempting to close some of the more obvious gaps in its safety features. The company is currently facing numerous lawsuits and investigations into its track record on child safety.Update, September 25, 2025, 9:03 AM ET: Clarified the age range for teen accounts.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-rolls-out-teen-accounts-for-facebook-and-messenger-across-the-world-120000352.html?src=rss

There I was, sitting on the couch in a nondescript suburban cafe, typing away on a MacBook Pro while staring off into the distance with what looked to be oversized glasses (which also were conspicuously plugged into the computer). To most people, I probably looked a bit silly. Nobody actually commented on my setup, or maybe I was just too focused to notice. From my perspective, I was looking at a massive 222-inch virtual display through Xreal's One Pro smart glasses, which was mirroring my laptop screen. Like a visual version of noise canceling, the glasses blotted out the chaos of the cafe so that I could actually concentrate on writing this review. I could also darken the frames a bit to serve as pseudo-sunglasses, further removing distractions. This work session in particular made the idea of smart glasses seem more compelling than anything in Meta's failure-prone demo for the Ray-Ban Display. With the One Pro, Xreal is close to making the dream of versatile smart glasses a reality. It's not trying to be something you wear all day, an aspiration Meta is desperately chasing - instead, it's meant for specific purposes. Plug the One Pro into your laptop and you can use it as a virtual monitor nobody else can see. Connect it to your phone or tablet and you've got your very own personal theater wherever you go. You can even hook it up to some portable game consoles (but not the Switch 2, unfortunately) to play on the move. The Xreal One Pro smart glasses look very similar to oversized sunglasses. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Sure, the Xreal One Pro still looks clunky, with its oversized frames, thick arms and annoying USB-C cable. But at $650, it's also significantly less expensive than the Apple Vision Pro and easier to travel with than any VR headset. And at this point, it's vastly more useful than the Ray-Ban Display, since its displays work across both of your eyes and can easily mimic a full-sized TV or monitor. Meta's smart glasses can only show you a very limited amount of information in its single screen. To be clear, that lines up with the different use case for each product: The Xreal One Pro is more of a monitor you wear on your face while stationary, whereas the Ran-Ban Display glasses aim to overlay your real-time point of view with basic phone notifications and services. Those frames are also meant to be more independent, allowing you to listen to music, take calls and capture photos and videos at a whim. But after seeing Mark Zuckerberg and his team try (and mostly fail) to demonstrate the Ray-Ban Display at its Connect developer conference, I also think the camera-less Xreal One Pro avoids ethical dilemmas inherent in most smart glasses. Should we normalize wearable devices that can covertly record us at all times? And on a practical level, do we really want to walk around with virtual notifications in our faces all day? Personally, I think we're better off with specialized tools that leave us in control, and don't upend our entire social structure. Xreal One Pro smart glasses Devindra Hardawar for Engadget At the most basic level, Xreal's One Pro smart glasses are just virtual displays you can wear anywhere. You can unlock more augmented reality capabilities with the $99 Xreal Eye camera accessory, but it's not exactly necessary. The One Pro features dual 0.55-inch Sony Micro-OLED screens running at 1080p with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 57-degree field of view (FOV), the widest we've seen yet from Xreal. Modern VR headsets like the Quest 3 typically offer a much more expansive 110-degree FOV, but they also trap you in a dark void. The One Pro, and all of Xreal's frames, still let you see the real world outside of its AR screens, and they don't block out ambient light. But there are also several shades you can use to darken the glasses themselves, which make the virtual display appear brighter and more distinct. At the darkest level, the One Pro can appear almost entirely black, something that's great for movies. There's also a helpful auto transparency mode that undims the displays when you look away from your virtual screen. Xreal One Pro smart glasses Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Bose mini-speakers are built into the arms of the glasses, as well as buttons for managing brightness and settings. A single USB-C port sits at the end of the left arm. I figured the cable would be a pain during extended sessions, but most of the time I quickly forgot it was there. Consequently, there's no wireless support - something I'm totally fine with, since that would inevitably require batteries and additional weight on the glasses. At 87 grams, the One Pro weighs about the same as a deck of playing guards. It sat on my face comfortably, thanks to its sturdy nose pads, and I was able to wear it for hours without much issue. Since the Xreal One Pro is fashioned after sunglasses, they can't sit atop normal eyewear like the Quest 3 and other VR headsets. If you have a glasses prescription, you'll need to buy inserts from HonsVR, which start at $50. They're a bit annoying to install, but otherwise they did a fine job of letting me see the One Pro's displays clearly. They do make sharing the glasses annoying, though, since the inserts will need to be removed every time you do so. I'd also be worried about something getting bent or broken with constant removals. I mostly used the Xreal One Pro as a virtual display while working on laptops, but I also found them incredibly helpful for watching movies and videos when away from home. On the many occasions where I was stuck waiting for my family in the hellscape of a suburban parking lot, all I had to do was put on the Xreal One Pro, plug it into my phone and I could be watching anything on a massive virtual screen. It was even more helpful while traveling. I could never muster the bravery to wear an Apple Vision Pro on a flight, or justify stuffing it into a bookbag. But that wasn't a problem at all with the Xreal One Pro, as its bulbous traveling case can fit almost anywhere. Having a portable virtual display you can deploy instantly honestly feels like a superpower. Xreal One Pro smart glasses Devindra Hardawar for Engadget As someone who's picky about displays, I was surprised how bold and colorful the glasses were when I cranked up the brightness and background shade settings. I'd definitely love to see what sharper 4K screens could look like, but even at 1080p per eye, the Xreal One Pro delivered decently clear text and detailed imagery. Its built-in Bose speakers were also surprisingly clear while watching videos or playing some background tunes. (I would always use my AirPods Pro if I really wanted to immerse myself in the movies I was watching, though.) In a pinch, the Xreal One Pro were helpful gaming accessories too. At home, I'd rather be staring at my 4K Alienware computer monitor, or the Steam Deck OLED's native screen. But for slower-paced titles, it was nice to game on a large virtual screen just by plugging the glasses into my Steam Deck. Getting the device connected to the original Nintendo Switch takes some work though, as it only works when connected to a dock and using an accessory like the Xreal Hub. Unfortunately, the Switch 2 doesn't work with the One Pro at all right now (unless you start daisy chaining USB-C and HDMI adapters). Xreal says its upcoming Neo accessory will offer video pass-through for the Switch 2, but there's no word on when that will arrive. The more I used the Xreal One Pro, the more impressed I was by its sheer versatility. Its only major downsides are its $650 price (up from $600 originally), as well as the fact that you'll never look cool wearing it. And no, you won't be walking around while wearing the One Pro, like you could with Meta's Ray-Ban Display. But hey, that also means you won't have to worry about people calling you a pervert for wearing spy glasses.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/xreals-one-pro-intrigues-me-in-ways-metas-smart-glasses-dont-120000554.html?src=rss

If you use Proton Mail on your phone, things are about to pick up. The company is rolling out new apps for Android and iOS. The updated mobile applications are rebuilt from the ground up with a "cleaner, faster and more private experience." Proton first announced in April that it was working on the revamp.The company says the new Proton Mail lets you scroll, archive and reply twice as fast as before. It also now supports an offline mode, allowing you to read, write and organize messages while away from the internet. A redesigned interface aims for simpler navigation, with areas like the composer button now sitting within easier reach.The iOS and Android apps, while still native to their respective platforms, now share a common codebase. Proton says they share 80 percent of their code. This should enable faster development and near-simultaneous future updates.ProtonProduct lead Anant Vijay Singh credited the update to Proton's community and business model. "The new Proton Mail mobile apps reflect this feedback and show what is possible if you build an email app without the constraints imposed by trying to monetize user data, allowing for a cleaner, faster, and more private experience," he said.Proton has had a full plate lately. The company is working on an upcoming overhaul of Proton Calendar with similar user experience upgrades. This summer, it even joined the chatbot fracas with Lumo, which it believes can carve a niche as a more ethical AI assistant.The Proton Mail updates begin rolling out today in the App Store and Play Store.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/proton-mails-redesigned-mobile-app-is-built-for-speed-100042054.html?src=rss

Instant cameras are popular for one simple reason: they're fun. You can bring one to a party or event and capture a spontaneous moment, then after a couple of minutes, everyone can enjoy a physical photo instead of staring at a phone screen. The quality isn't perfect, but those snaps have a nostalgic quality that people love.

Qualcomm has unveiled its new Snapdragon X Series chips for laptops, in addition to its new system-on-a-chip for flagship phones. The Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chip meant for "ultra-premium" Windows 11 laptops are designed to handle "complex, expert-level workloads" and to enable fast AI processing, as well as a multi-day battery life. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon X2 Elite chips come in two variants, one with 18 total cores and one with 12. Qualcomm claims that these processors are the "fastest, most powerful and efficient processors for Windows PCs."The company launched the first Snapdragon X Elite chip in 2023 as its successor to the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 line of laptop processors. Qualcomm changed its name back then to reflect the huge leap in performance. Microsoft released a lineup of Copilot+ PCs with the new Snapdragon chip in 2024. And then earlier this year, at CES, Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon X for Copilot+ PCs priced $600 and under.Qualcomm says that the new Elite Extreme chip can power laptops for scientists and professional creators who handle "computationally intense data analytics, professional media editing and scientific research." It features the company's third-gen Oryon CPU that can apparently run at up to 75 percent faster than competitors. The chip also comes equipped with Qualcomm's Hexagon NPU, which it says is the "fastest NPU for laptops," to enable simultaneous AI tools and experiences on Copilot+ PCs.The lower tier Elite chips can still run at up to 31 percent faster and use 43 percent less energy than the previous generation. While they're obviously meant for users who don't handle more resource-intensive workloads, Qualcomm says they also enable simultaneous AI experiences. The first laptops powered by the Snapdragon X2 Elite processors will be available in the first half of 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/qualcomm-says-its-new-snapdragon-chips-are-the-fastest-and-most-efficient-for-windows-pcs-084535090.html?src=rss

Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which the company claims is the "world's faster mobile system-on-a-chip." It was designed for flagship devices for manufacturers and smartphone brands that don't make their own mobile platforms, with the first devices equipped with the SoC launching in the coming days. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is powered by the company's third-generation Oryon CPU, which Qualcomm says "improves performance by 20 percent and CPU power efficiency by 35 percent." Overall, the company is claiming that the platform has a 16 percent lower power draw, making it more efficient and enabling longer "sustained performance."QualcommThe new platform promises "lightning-fast" app launches and app switching for better multitasking. Qualcomm's AI Engine allows on-device AI processing, as well, made possible by the company's upgraded Hexagon NPU that's apparently 37 percent faster. "With Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, you are at the center of your mobile experience," said Chris Patrick, the SVP and generation manager for mobile at Qualcomm. "It enables personalized AI agents to see what you see, hear what you hear and think with you in real time."In addition, Qualcomm says the new SoC is the first mobile platform to enable recording in Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec, giving creators the ability to film on their phones for professional-level productions. Several smartphone brands have already committed to using the new platform for their flagship devices, including Samsung, OnePlus, OPPO, Honor, iQOO, Nubia, POCO, realme, REDMI, RedMagic, ROG, Sony, vivo, Xiaomi and ZTE.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/qualcomms-new-flagship-mobile-platform-is-the-snapdragon-8-elite-gen-5-060427445.html?src=rss

One of the surprise announcements during Sony's State of Play presentation today was the debut of a literary-themed game titled Chronoscript: The Endless End. It's an action-adventure game with a very cool hand-drawn art aesthetic. Players will navigate the 3-dimensional world of a mysterious manor as well as the 2-dimensional world of illustrated manuscript pages.The trailer mostly focused on those 2D sections, showing combat and platforming and seriously did I mention the very cool hand-drawn art? I would have been interested in this for the visuals alone, but throw in a story about writers and editors and I'm hooked.Perhaps fittingly for this writerly endeavor, the game's publisher is Shueisha, which is a heavyweight in publishing manga, including the popular Shonen Jump. The developer is DeskWorks, and the studio's last project also boasted a lovely, illustrative style. We'll have a little longer to wait before we can dive into the inky world of Chronoscript, however, because this game isn't expected to arrive on the PlayStation 5 until some time in 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/check-out-the-intricate-inky-world-of-ps5-game-chronoscript-the-endless-end-221820822.html?src=rss

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: