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

Amazon's Blade Runner limited series finally has a release window. Deadline reports that the upcoming sequel show, Blade Runner 2099, is slated for a 2026 release on Prime Video. The story at this point remains a mystery, though the title suggests it'll take place 50 years after the events of Blade Runner 2049. Ridley Scott is said to be involved in the production.It was revealed last year that Michelle Yeoh will star in the series, and according to Deadline, she'll be joined by Hunter Schafer, Dimitri Abold, Lewis Gribben, Katelyn Rose Downey and Daniel Rigby. We first heard about the possibility of Blade Runner 2099 back in 2022, when it was reported that Amazon Studios was developing a live-action series set in that universe, but there have been few updates since. The release window was noted in an internal memo obtained by Deadline, which reports that the series is now in post-production.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/blade-runner-2099-will-reportedly-be-released-next-year-on-prime-video-210513272.html?src=rss

Overwatch 2 console players will officially be able to use a keyboard and mouse starting with the release of Season 18. In patch notes posted ahead of the new season, the Overwatch 2 team says matchmaking pools will be tweaked slightly so players are sorted into a Mouse and Keyboard Pool and a Controller Pool. Those playing on a console using keyboard and mouse (KBM) inputs will be paired with PC players and other KBM console players, while the Controller Pool will be reserved only for console players using a controller. Season 18 arrives on August 26.For players who switch to the Mouse and Keyboard Pool, "your internal MMR, skill ratings and ranks for all game modes will be separate from your statistics in the Controller Pool," according to the patch notes. This group won't have access to aim assist, as has been the case and will continue to be for PC players using a controller. KBM players will have to accept the prompt to switch to that pool in order to play, or manually switch in the Gameplay Options menu.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/overwatch-2-will-allow-kbm-on-console-but-youll-be-up-against-pc-players-200034777.html?src=rss

Apple is going after another one of its previous employees for allegedly sharing trade secrets with a new employer. Apple's lawsuit listed Chen Shi, a former employee who worked on the Apple Watch team, along with Oppo, as defendants, claiming they "conspired to steal Apple's trade secrets."According to the lawsuit, Shi worked as a Sensor System Architect for the Apple Watch from January 2020 to June 2025, but was seeking employment with Oppo as early as April 2025. Apple claimed that its former employee didn't disclose that he was leaving to join Oppo and instead said he was going back to China to look after his elderly parents and didn't have any plans to find a new job. However, the lawsuit said that Shi "set up and attended dozens of one-on-one meetings" with Apple Watch team members to learn about their work on "optical sensors, temperature sensors, and ECG sensors."In the lawsuit, Shi allegedly downloaded 63 files from one of Apple's protected folders and transferred the material to a USB drive before searching the internet for "how to wipe out [a] macbook" and "can somebody see if I've opened a file on a shared drive?" Along with these claims, Apple said in the lawsuit that Shi sent a message to his future Oppo employers that he would "collect as much information as possible" about Apple's health-sensing technologies.Oppo has since provided a statement to MacRumors about Apple's lawsuit, claiming that it has "found no evidence establishing any connection between these allegations and the employee's conduct during his employment at OPPO." The company statement also said that OPPO has not "misappropriated Apple's trade secrets."It's not the first time that Apple has taken legal action against one of its former employees. Earlier this summer, the company sued a design engineer, alleging that he stole trade secrets about the Vision Pro and shared them with his new employer, Snap.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-claims-an-ex-employee-stole-apple-watch-trade-secrets-for-oppo-182636187.html?src=rss

The Assassin's Creed fanbase may be waiting for the first DLC for Assassin's Creed Shadows, but Ubisoft instead confirmed new content for its previous title, Assassin's Creed Mirage. The studio announced on the official Assassin's Creed X account that there will be a new story chapter and missions for protagonist Basim, who will venture into ninth-century alUla. More importantly, the DLC will be free.According to the post, Ubisoft will bring gameplay improvements to both the new content and the base game, which revisits the franchise's roots that emphasize open-world design and stealth combat. The announcement from Ubisoft comes after a Les Echos report earlier in the year said that new content for Assassin's Creed Mirage was created thanks to a partnership between Ubisoft and Savvy Games Group, a gaming and esports company that has backing from the Saudi Arabian government.The upcoming DLC sheds more light on what Stephane Boudon, one of the Ubisoft developers for Assassin's Creed Mirage, teased during a Reddit AMA following the game's release in October 2023. In the thread, Boudon said the game was designed "as a standalone experience without any DLC plan," only adding that the team had "ideas of how we could extend the story of Basim." Ubisoft didn't specify exactly when the DLC would drop, only revealing that it would be "later this year." In the meantime, Microsoft updated its included games for the Xbox Game Pass for August, which include Assassin's Creed Mirage.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/assassins-creed-mirage-will-get-fresh-content-later-this-year-and-itll-be-completely-free-163728673.html?src=rss

Waymo can now test its self-driving cars in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams has announced. Local authorities have granted the company the permit needed to be able to test autonomous vehicles in parts of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. It's the first-ever permit for the "testing deployment" of AVs the city has granted. Waymo will be able to deploy a fleet with up to eight vehicles in the city until late September 2025. For now, though, the permit only allows Waymo to test its AVs with drivers behind the wheel.The company announced earlier this year that it was going to test its driverless system in 10 new cities in 2025. In June, it filed a request for permission to test its AVs in New York City in hopes that it can someday bring its autonomous ride-hailing service to the Big Apple. To note, while Adams said the city granted Waymo the first permit of its kind, the company deployed its vehicles to map some parts of NYC back in 2021.Under the permit, Waymo will be required to regularly report the data gathered from its testing to the Department of Transportation to certify that it's "adhering to the industry's best practices related to cybersecurity." Waymo will be given the opportunity to apply for an extension after its pilot testing period ends in September. It may have to continue testing them with human operators for a while, though: New York state law prohibits the operation of vehicles without a driver behind the wheel, but Waymo told Forbesthat it's lobbying to change the regulation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymo-can-now-test-its-self-driving-vehicles-in-new-york-city-150015938.html?src=rss

Even though the Switch 2 basically just came out, we're already starting to see discounts on some of its accessories. One of the more charming peripherals, the HORI Piranha Plant camera, is on sale right now for only $40. That's $20 off and a record-low price. It's a good deal for anyone who wants to take advantage of the Switch 2's camera functionality in games like Mario Kart World and that recently-released campfire sim. This was designed specifically for Nintendo's new console, so it's a plug-and-play affair. It's actually cheaper than the official Switch 2 camera with this sale and it looks a whole lot cooler. It's a Piranha Plant from the Mario franchise. We called it a "work of art" upon encountering the device and that holds true today. This thing is not only stylish, resembling an Amiibo more than a camera, but it's downright useful. The pot the Piranha Plant sits in functions as both a stand and USB extension for the device. The plant itself detaches from the pot, so the camera can be used in portable mode by popping it into the USB port at the top of the console. There's also a built-in privacy shutter. Just close the plant's mouth to obscure the lens. The actual camera specs here aren't going to win any awards, with a frame rate of 30FPS and a resolution of 640 x 480p. However, that's more than enough to capture footage of your floating head to accompany your kart as it races through the Mushroom Kingdom. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/horis-piranha-plant-camera-for-nintendo-switch-2-is-33-percent-off-right-now-145031014.html?src=rss

Users with Mississippi IP addresses can no longer access the Bluesky app. The decentralized social media network has explained in a post that Mississippi's new age verification law for social networks "would fundamentally change" how it operates, and it wouldn't be possible to comply with its small team and limited resources.Bluesky says that while it does follow the UK's Online Safety Act, it works very differently from Mississippi's approach to age verification. In the UK, it's only required to check for a user's age if they're accessing certain content and features. In Mississippi, however, it cannot allow anyone to access its service at all, unless they hand over sensitive data proving how old they are. Further, the platform will be required to keep track of which users are children under 18, and it will be responsible for making sure those users won't be able to access "harmful materials." Earlier this month, the Supreme Court decided not to intervene with the legislation, allowing it to go into effect.The service says that it doesn't have the significant resources needed to be able to build the required "verification systems, parental consent workflows and compliance infrastructure." In addition, it could be penalized with up $10,000 per user if the government finds it to be non-compliant. Because only big tech companies can afford the costs associated with those requirements, Bluesky says the "dynamic entrenches existing big tech platforms while stifling the innovation and competition that benefits users."Bluesky will now show a note to any user accessing the service from Mississippi, telling them why it's no longer available in the state.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/bluesky-blocks-mississippi-due-to-its-new-age-verification-law-133049512.html?src=rss

Meta has signed a partnership with Midjourney, an AI service that can generate images and videos from text prompts. According to Alexandr Wang, Meta's Chief AI Officer, Meta is licensing Midjourney's "aesthetic technology" for its future models and products. "To ensure Meta is able to deliver the best possible products for people it will require taking an all-of-the-above approach. This means world-class talent, ambitious compute roadmap, and working with the best players across the industry," Wang added.

Welcome to our latest recap of what's going on in the indie game space. It's been a very busy week in that realm, thanks to Gamescom. Before we jam through a few of this week's new releases and some of the many, many Gamescom reveals, there's one game that has risen high above the din to the point where it's drowning out many of the smaller announcements.Yes, Hollow Knight: Silksong has a release date, and it's very, very soon. September 4, in fact. I feel for all the developers who have games coming out around the same time, such as Cronos: The New Dawn, Hell is Us, Baby Steps and even NBA 2K26. Sure, Silksong may primarily be for a different audience than the latest edition of a massive basketball franchise, but it's going to take up much of the oxygen in the gaming space for a while. As such, some developers are delaying their games to give Silksong a wide berth.CloverPit was scheduled to drop on September 3, but it's getting the hell out of Silksong's way. The grimy, slot machine-based roguelike is now going to arrive on September 26. "We like a gamble, but this one is too risky lol," developer Panik Arcade said. "We want to give ourselves and our fans some time to enjoy Silksong, so we're launching a few weeks later and will use the time to polish CloverPit even further." Meanwhile, Talegames is pushing back the 1.0 release of its adventure RPG Faeland and Aeternum Game Studios is delaying a Metroidvania called Aeterna Lucis from September into 2026.There's no doubt that Silksong's arrival is a big deal. It's been the most wishlisted game on Steam for yonks, was a focus of Microsoft's Xbox Ally handheld reveal and is a sequel to an indie blockbuster that has now sold more than 15 million copies. In any case, we'll soon find out if that very, very long wait was worthwhile. Years of Silksong memes sure were. I'm going to need some other long-awaited game to joke about before every showcase now.New releasesI have no earthly idea why it took me so long to try this, but I tested my PlayStation Portal by my building's pool for the first time this week and it turned out that the Wi-Fi was, in fact, strong enough there for me to use the handheld. It was a fitting place to check out Sword of the Sea, which hit PS5 (including on PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium) and PC this week.I'm only an hour or so into this $30 game from Giant Squid, but I'm enjoying the relaxed approach to exploration here. As you'd might expect from developers who have worked on The Pathless, Abzu and Journey, the movement in Sword of the Sea is delightful. You'll take off from wavy dunes and pull off tricks like you're in an SSX game as you surf across sand and water on a sword in the aim of restoring life to the barren landscape. Sword of the Sea is a looker, and I'll surely be getting lost in it some more over the coming days.Speaking of games that have an eye-catching aesthetic, Herdling is another exploration and adventure title that dropped this week. This one's from Okomotive (Far: Changing Tides, Far: Lone Sails) and publisher Panic.Here, you'll be guiding a ragtag herd of beasts across hilly terrain toward the summit of a mountain. You'll have to solve some "light" environmental puzzles and even endure some stampedes along the way. Herdling typically costs $25, but there's a 25 percent launch discount. It's available on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. It's on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass too.With Ball x Pit on the horizon, I figured we were all taken care of for the foreseeable future as far as Breakout-esque roguelites go. Not so fast, said the team behind Vampire Survivors.Poncle has spun up its own publishing arm and the second game it's releasing (after Berserk or Die) is Kill the Brickman from Doonutsaur. Poncle released the game on Steam and Xbox without prior warning this week, and it costs five bucks.You'll collect and augment various bullets that you use to destroy bricks from outer space. There's a lot going on in the minute-long trailer, but I particularly love how some of the bricks "cry" when a bullet smacks into them.Discounty is a life sim about managing a supermarket in a small town. Hopefully, you'll be a more magnanimous proprietor than the operators of the JoJa Mart in Stardew Valley, but you'll still have to deal with some folks who are none too pleased about the effect of the business on their town.Developer Crinkle Cut Games and publisher PQube suggest there are some secrets to discover in Discounty, which is out now on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Steam and Epic Games Store. It's coming to GOG as well at a later date. The game typically costs $20, though there's a 20 percent launch discount on PC.UpcomingEngadget senior reporter Igor Bonifacic spent a few hours with Absolum, a fantasy beat-'em-up with a roguelite spin from co-developers Guard Crush Games and Supamonk and publisher Dotemu (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, Streets of Rage 4). I highly recommend reading his write up for the full lowdown as Absolum sounds like a real treat.The demo for this slipped through the cracks for me during the early June chaos of Summer Game Fest and Steam Next Fest, but it's still available and I'll absolutely be checking it out to get a taste of Absolum before it arrives on October 4. It's coming to Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PS5.As I mentioned in our liveblog for Gamescom Opening Night Live this week, any new Ron Gilbert game is worth getting excited about. He's the director of the first two Monkey Island games and Return to Monkey Island, as well as a developer and producer of so many other projects over the years. Death by Scrolling. is something completely different for Gilbert.It's a vertical-scrolling, action-heavy roguelite in which you need to stay alive and earn enough gold to pay a toll to a ferryman to escape from the afterlife. The look is very heavily reminiscent of Stardew, so if plundering the mines in that game was more your jam than farming and fishing, this might be up your alley.There's no release date as yet for Death by Scrolling, which Gilbert started working on back in 2019, but it's said to be coming this year. In the meantime, you can read updates about the game's development on Gilbert's terrific blog.It's fun that we had mentions of two John Carpenter-related projects at Gamescom this week. Not only was there another look at John Carpenter's Toxic Commando during Opening Night Live, there was the reveal of Halloween the Game from IllFonic and co-publisher Gun Interactive.Set to arrive in 2026, Halloween the Game follows the likes of Friday the 13th: The Game (from the same teams) and the Gun-published The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It has a 1 vs. 4 asynchronous multiplayer mode in which the quartet will have to use anything at their disposal - from wielding weapons to calling the cops - to survive the threat of the unkillable Michael Myers. There's going to be a single-player aspect to this game as well, as you'll be able to control the legendary mass killer in an adaptation of the original film's story. Halloween the Game is coming to PlayStation, Xbox, Steam and Epic Games Store.A game about a guy with a brown backpack who scours ruined, overgrown suburban homes in search of valuable resources that can help him survive a bunch of zombies in the post-apocalypse? It has to be Long Gone, of course! What other game could you possibly be thinking of?This is a linear pixel-art narrative adventure from Hillfort Games and co-publisher Outersloth (Among Us studio Innersloth's publishing wing). The developers seem to have been influenced by a little game you might have heard of called... Gone Home, as you'll look through the belongings of people who used to live in this world and learn the truth about what happened. There's no combat here. Instead, zombie encounters require puzzle solving. There's no release window as yet for this point-and-click game, which is coming to Steam.Fittingly enough, I've had my eye on Militsoner for some time, so I was delighted to hear that there's a two-week playtest on Steam that's open to everyone. This is an immersive sim in which you'll try to escape a town, but that may not be too easy as there's an enormous policeman watching your every move. The playtest is limited to a slice of the town, but I'm really looking forward to getting in there and finding out what this is all about.I have to hold my hands up here and admit I'm not familiar with puzzle game maker Rusty Lake. But when the trailer for their next game popped up this week, it had me utterly captivated, because Servant of the Lake looks very, very pretty.This is a point-and-click puzzle adventure that will see you carrying out tasks as seemingly innocuous as straightening picture frames to helping with experiments and cleaning up afterward. You'll play as a housekeeper of an estate, but it's not entirely clear whether you'll be able to survive the weekend... Servant of the Lake is coming to Steam, Itch.io, iOS and Android in Spring 2026.BPM: Bullets Per Minute developer Awe Interactive is back with another rhythm-based shooter, albeit one that has a top-down perspective instead of a first-person one. BPM Bitcrushed (which is being published by Kwalee) is a roguelite, pixel art dungeon crawler that syncs shooting, jumping and dodging to the beat. The dungeons are procedurally generated and there's a "wide variety of powerful weapons, unique items and rhythm-based abilities" to discover.What's most interesting to me here though is that, along with the game's own soundtrack, you can load in your own tunes via the custom music feature. Perhaps setting the action to some slow-tempo sludge metal will make things a bit easier.Couch Planes is an arcade plane racer from Skylab Interactive that's coming to Steam, Epic Games Store and consoles next year. There are a few different modes, 15 maps with environmental hazards and collectable power ups including homing rockets, mines and speed boosts. There's support for four-person local multiplayer and 12-player online action.From Starfox and Grand Theft Auto V to The Falconeer and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, I've never been much good at flying in games. But hey, Couch Planes looks like it could be a fun time with friends.Let's close out this bumper post-Gamescom edition of our indie games roundup with something that might not be for me, but could be for you. Canvas City is the first project from Disc 2 Games, which is self-publishing the game with help from Dredge studio Black Salt Games.Turn-based tactics games aren't typically my jam, but I'm always going to have at least some interest in one that's about a group of upstarts rebelling against an oppressive force. In this case, you'll take charge of skaters and street artists who are fighting back in a "vibrant yet suppressed urban world" (which sounds a little similar to Unbeatable, which this week got a November 6 release date).What caught my attention here is that fluid movement is a key part of the game. When it's your turn, you can use rails, ramps and other parts of the environment to pull off combinations of tricks and attacks. These chained actions can also earn you Style Points that can enhance your abilities.Disc 2 hasn't revealed a release window for Canvas City as yet. It's in development for Steam and Nintendo Switch.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/surfing-sand-and-sea-herding-beasts-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110053175.html?src=rss

President Donald Trump says the US government is taking a 10 percent stake in chip maker Intel. Trump shared the news during a press conference on Friday, though an official announcement is still forthcoming, Reuters reports. News of a plan to convert Intel's previously promised CHIPS Act funding into equity in the company was first reported earlier in August.A meeting between Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan and Trump following the President's call for Tan to resign seems to be the source of the deal. "He walked in wanting to keep his job and he ended up giving us 10 billion dollars for the United States. So we picked up 10 billion," Trump shared during the press conference.Intel later announced more details on the investment. The company said in a press release that the government will "make an $8.9 billion investment in Intel common stock." It adds that the equity stake will be funded by $5.7 billion previously earmarked for Intel as part of the CHIPS act, and $3.2 billion awarded as part of the Secure Enclave program. Intel had previously recieved $2.2 billion in CHIPS grants, bringing the government's total spend on the chipmaker to $11.1 billion. The government paid $20.47 per share, so the $8.9 billion investment is equivalent to a 9.9 percent stake in the company.It's important to note that the government investing in Intel is not the same thing as receiving free money, it's the exact opposite. Despite earlier comments from US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggesting the stake would be non-voting, common stock does come with voting rights. Intel does note that the investment will be passive, with no board representation, and that the government has agreed to vote with its board of directors "on matters requiring shareholder approval, with limited exceptions."Intel was supposed to receive up to $10.86 billion in federal funding to expand its chip manufacturing business in the US as part of the CHIPS Act. By agreeing to this deal, Tan is likely trying to make sure that funding still goes through, one of several drastic moves to keep Intel afloat. Tan assumed the title of CEO following Pat Gelsinger's sudden retirement in 2024. Since taking over, he's already committed to cutting Intel's workforce by 20 percent. Even with lower costs and guaranteed investment, the company's future is still uncertain: Intel is reportedly struggling to make its next-gen Panther Lake chips at scale.The Trump administration says it won't seek similar equity deals with other recipients of CHIPS act funding. That hasn't stopped them from making other equally unprecedented financial arrangements. NVIDIA and AMD reportedly struck a deal with the US government that gives the companies the ability to export products to China in exchange for 15 percent of their profits.Update, August 22, 6:20PM ET: This story was updated after publish with more information on the deal from Intel, and the headline was changed to the dollar figure, rather than the previously stated "10 percent" amount. A section quoting US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick saying that the stake was non-voting was also ammended to reflect the final details of the deal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-us-government-is-taking-an-89-billion-stake-in-intel-205047795.html?src=rss

As the handheld PC boom has taken off, companies have tried to push the boundaries of the Steam Deck form factor Valve helped popularize. Lenovo tried detachable controllers. Acer is trying an 11-inch screen. And Abxylute is apparently combining them both (and then some) into the Abxylute 3D One, which The Verge reports features an 11-inch, glasses-free 3D display and detachable controllers, all for "under $1,700."The Abxylute 3D One is based on a hardware prototype co-developed by Intel and Tencent that the companies demoed at CES 2025. The prototype, dubbed the "Sunday Dragon 3D One," featured a display that used eye-tracking to achieve its 3D effect. The version Abxylute is selling seems to be offering more or less the same features, with an Intel Lunar Lake chip, 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM, an 120Hz display and a built-in kickstand.The Abxylute 3D One's controllers can detach like Joy-Cons, which leaves it looking like a chunky Surface Pro.Abxylute"Abxylute claims the product's specifically optimized to deliver 3D for 50 of the top Steam games," The Verge writes, though it can also be used for more than gaming if you're desperate. The Abxylute 3D One will include software for converting 2D photos and video to 3D, and a detachable keyboard accessory complete with a trackpad.No part of what Abxylute is offering here seems particularly practical, but if you like 3D and are into the company's maximalist approach, you could be getting a deal. Acer's 11-inch handheld, the Acer Nitro Blaze 11, starts at $1,100. A 3D laptop like the ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 starts at $2,000. The Abxylute 3D One could approximate the features of both for a fairly reasonable price in the middle.That might not make up for the fact that it seems too heavy to hold for more than 30 minutes at a time, but you can put that to the test yourself when the Abxylute 3D One goes on sale in "late September or early October."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/abxylute-will-sell-an-absurd-3d-handheld-from-intel-and-tencent-games-for-under-1700-220556583.html?src=rss

Last week, Samsung announced the world's first Micro RGB TV and while it sounded fantastic on paper, you can never really get a good sense of what a fresh display looks like until you see it in person. But after going to Samsung's new headquarters in New Jersey, I can attest that it is truly a sight to behold.Now, before we get to the TV itself, it's probably a good idea to dive into what's going on with Samsung's latest panel tech. In many ways, Micro RGB is a step up from current Mini LED screens. On a technical level, the Micro LEDs and the self-emissive pixels of Samsung's The Wall probably remain the more sophisticated end goal for next-gen TVs.At its core, Micro RGB is still based on LCD tech, the difference is that instead of using blue or white backlighting like a lot of sets today, it features individually controlled red, green and blue Micro LEDs (hence the name Micro RGB) to produce an even wider range of colors. The result is that Samsung claims this is the first TV to cover 100 percent of the BT.2020 standard. For context, that covers more than 75 percent of the visible spectrum and has an even wider color range than what you get from DCI-P3, which is one of the most commonly used high-end standards for modern filmmaking.In person, that means the TV can produce stunningly rich and vivid colors that put Samsung's other top-tier TVs to shame, including the new Neo QLED QN90F which starts at a whopping $26,999. Like its sibling, Samsung's Micro RGB TV is only available in one size (115 inches) and has a similar design, while its panel features a 144Hz refresh rate and a matte glare-free coating. But that's kind of where the similarities end, because this new flagship model features four times the number of dimming zones. Furthermore, because the Micro RGB LEDs require more computing power to manage all those pixels, Samsung had to create a new RGB Engine AI processor to properly control everything.In short, this is a lot of words to describe what might be the best-looking TV I've ever seen. While I only got to view some demo footage (which admittedly is designed to make the set look its best), I couldn't help but appreciate the sheer intensity of the hues and shades on display. When the video loop shifted to primarily blue and green scenes, the TV's color depth was almost overwhelming. That said, due to the immense size of the panel, when you get up close, it's easy to see individual pixels. However, when you're sitting in its sweet spot (about 11.5 feet from the display), everything looks ridiculously sharp and overflows with detail. And even for those off-center, there appeared to be no falloff in brightness or saturation.While Samsung's $26,999 Neo QLED QN90F boasts a price tag that's nearly as expensive as the $29,999 Micro RGB TV, there's still a very obvious difference in color.Sam Rutherford for EngadgetNow, of course, the major downside of Samsung's new Micro RGB TV is that at $29,999, it makes everything but The Wall (which starts at a cool $40,000) seem cheap. But the funny thing is that when compared to the Neo QLED QN90F, which Samsung also had on display in a nearby room, the difference in quality and color was immediately obvious. This sort of makes me wonder why anyone with super deep pockets would even consider the latter just to save a few thousand dollars, because when you see them in person, there's no doubt which set is superior.Unfortunately, the Micro RGB's full glory doesn't translate across the internet due to the much more limited specs of the web. It's one of those things you need to see for yourself to fully grasp. But if you're the kind of person with enough money that you don't need to care about price tags, Samsung's latest flagship should be an immediate contender as the centerpiece in your mansion.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsungs-new-29999-micro-rgb-tv-looks-ridiculously-good-194629549.html?src=rss

Apple might use Gemini to power its revamped version of Siri, Bloomberg reports. The companies are in the early stages of exploring a partnership, with Google training a version of its Gemini model that can run on Apple's servers. The iPhone maker was previously reported to be considering similar partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic."The company is simultaneously developing two versions of the new Siri: one dubbed Linwood that is powered by its models and another code-named Glenwood that runs on outside technology, " Bloomberg writes. A final decision has yet to be made on what AI model Apple will ultimately use, but it's entirely possible it sticks with its internally-developed models.While seceding a potentially key technology to a competitor seems decidedly un-Apple, it's a testament to how much difficulty the company has had rolling out Apple Intelligence. Apple included the majority of its new AI features in the release of iOS 18, but failed to ship an updated version of Siri that can draw on personal data to take action in apps. Apple ultimately admitted the Siri update was delayed in March, with the new launch now expected sometime in 2026.The turmoil caused by the delay reportedly led to Apple's various AI projects changing hands internally, and the company's decision to consider using a third-party AI model. As of the launch of the Pixel 10, Gemini now offers a similar set of capabilities to what Apple promised with the new Siri. It could presumably do the same things on iOS with the right changes. Using a version of Gemini that runs on Apple's hardware and servers - the company calls this Private Cloud Compute - could also add an additional layer of security.Apple was reportedly planning to offer Gemini as an alternative to ChatGPT in Apple Intelligence, but the option has yet to ship. Having Gemini power some of its AI features would put Apple in a similar position to Samsung, who's Galaxy AI relies on a mix of custom models and Gemini.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-is-reportedly-considering-using-gemini-to-power-the-new-siri-184528449.html?src=rss

On Friday, Ubisoft announced... something. The company describes The Division 2: Survivors as "an updated take on the survival extraction experience." Is it DLC? Is it a new game mode? We have no idea. But Ubisoft said it will "strive for transparency during its development." Unfortunately, that didn't apply to its announcement.Ubisoft said Survivors is in its early stages, which may explain the lack of detail. Other media outlets have reported that it will come in 2026. But the company's franchise roadmap places its release date under "TBA.""The Division 2: Survivors is as much your baby as it is ours, and we strive for transparency during its development," Executive Producer Julian Gerighty wrote in the announcement blog post. "Clear communication and community involvement are a focus as we build the new experience, and we will be closely involving you as we move forward on the development journey."UbisoftUbisoft also confirmed that its free-to-play mobile game is still in the pipeline. The Division Resurgence is expected this year. The company announced a delay last summer.A Redditor who played a beta version in 2023 described it in less than appealing terms. "Overall, Resurgence is a console clone of The Division, where you can team up and play with clunky, small mobile controls." To be fair, much could have changed in its development since then. Regardless, you can sign up for the closed beta on Ubisoft's website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-division-2-survivors-will-bring-survival-extraction-to-the-series-171948909.html?src=rss

Google held its annual Made by Google showcase this week, during which it unveiled the latest Pixel phones and various new AI features. What it didn't announce is a Gemini-powered smart home speaker, but it might have snuck one into the presentation as an easter egg.As spotted by The Verge, about 15 minutes into the stream, on a table next to F1 driver Lando Norris during a Gemini demonstration, you can clearly see what looks a lot like a smart speaker. The fabric-wrapped device we see in the video is white with a light around its base, and it looks more like an upside down HomePod mini than any of Google's other speakers. According to Android Headlines, it's called the Google Home Speaker, and is unsurprisingly powered by Gemini.Android Headlines claims to have seen more images of the as-yet unannounced smart speaker, which it says will also be available in red, light green and black. It adds that Google's Gemini Live AI assistant will be a baked-in feature for voice conversations, though without a screen or camera there's no visual element here. There could also be new natural voice options on the speaker, as well as standard features like media control and smart home automations. It can reportedly also detect unusual sounds like breaking glass or smoke alarms and can send an alert to your phone or tablet if this happens.According to the Android Headlines report, the Home Speaker can pair with a Google TV Streamer and double as an additional surround sound speaker, much like the HomePod does with Apple TV. It functions as a smart hub too, with support for Matter. Google announced Gemini for Home this week, which will gradually replace Google Assistant on the company's existing smart devices, with free and paid tiers offered to users.What the leak doesn't contain is a launch date for this mysterious speaker. But given that Google was seemingly happy enough to have one sitting there in its most important keynote of the year, the smart money would be on an official reveal pretty soon. Engadget reached out to Google for comment, but the company said it had nothing to share at this time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/googles-first-gemini-smart-speaker-detailed-in-leak-164227031.html?src=rss

Ubisoft still isn't giving us a new Splinter Cell game, but Sam Fisher fans are at least getting an animated TV adaptation very soon. At this week's Anime NYC convention, Netflix revealed a new teaser trailer for the upcoming Splinter Cell: Deathwatch and confirmed that the series will come to the service on October 14.Written by John Wick creator Derek Kolstad and starring Liev Schreiber as an older - but still decidedly badass - Sam Fisher, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch was first announced back in 2020, but we hadn't learned much more until now. In the brief trailer, we see the National Security Agency's most reliable stealth operative doing a fair bit of his trademark sneaking around in the shadows, after returning to the field for what he calls a "personal" mission. I also quite like how liberally the iconic Splinter Cell night vision goggles sound is used in the trailer.The voice cast also includes The Sandman's Kirby Howell-Baptise as Zinnia McKenna, an original character, and Janet Garvey as Anna Grimsdottir, a fellow agent who provided tech support to Fisher in the Splinter Cell games. The trailer itself doesn't give much away about the plot, but we do see the grave of Douglas Shetland, a close friend of Fisher who he was ordered to eliminate in fan favorite game entry, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.Ubisoft is doing some interesting things in the adult animation space. The completely bonkers Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix reimagined Rayman as a foul-mouthed TV host and is littered with deep cut Ubisoft references. And somewhat inevitably, an animated Assassin's Creed show is also currently in development, though we don't have a date for that one yet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflixs-splinter-cell-deathwatch-animated-series-arrives-on-october-14-145632934.html?src=rss

Google is now offering a way to edit videos right in Drive via Google Vids in a compatible browser. Whenever you're previewing a video in Google Drive, you may see an "Open" button in the top right of the screen. Clicking this opens the clip in Google Vids, where you can trim the video, add text and music and make other changes. Veo is available in the app too.After you open a file in Vids, a new file is created, and you'll have to save or export that if need be. Google for Education has a free course detailing how to use Vids.Google In general, it seems like a useful way to edit videos that you've already uploaded to Drive, but there are some caveats here. For one thing, it's restricted to paid users, including those on various Workspace business and enterprise plans, nonprofits and those with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-ons. Google AI Pro and Ultra users will get access as well. So too will anyone who bought the Gemini Business and Enterprise add-ons before Google discontinued them earlier this year. Vids will be enabled for supported organizations by default unless they've opted to block access to Google Docs.This Google Vids feature works on the latest couple of versions of Chrome, Firefox and Microsoft Edge (Windows only). Compatibility on other browsers may vary. MP4, Quicktime, OGG and WebM videos are supported, with individual clips having limits of 35 minutes of runtime and a file size of 4GB.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-drive-now-offers-in-browser-video-editing-143417668.html?src=rss

The Trump administration is forming a "National Design Studio," with the aim of improving government websites and the efficiency of digital services at federal agencies. Trump has already signed an executive order to create the studio. According to Reuters, the president will appoint Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia as the head of the new organization, which one of its sources described as a stripped-down version of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).DOGE, which was once led by Elon Musk, aimed to cut wasteful government spending and modernize its IT systems. It facilitated mass layoffs of hundreds of thousands of federal workers and even dismantled whole agencies. As Reuters has noted, though, its activities have greatly slowed down after Musk left the organization and his role as Trump's advisor altogether. The White House did not respond to Reuters' request for comment, and it's unclear if DOGE will continue operating once the studio has been formed.Gebbia will be apparently be named as the studio's the Chief Design Officer and will lead its efforts to upgrade the "usability and aesthetics" of federal digital services. The news organization says the studio will standardize design for websites meant to allow people to interact with the government and will advise agencies on how to reduce costs on duplicative designs. Based on Trump's executive order, the studio will shut down in three years before he steps down from office. While Gebbia will be the Chief Design Officer, an administrator will run the studio and will be in charge of reporting to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trump-is-forming-a-national-design-studio-to-spruce-up-government-websites-140053273.html?src=rss

NVIDIA has reportedly asked its suppliers to halt production related to its H20 AI chips for the Chinese market. According to The Information, the company told Arizona-based Amkor Technology and Samsung Electronics to put a pause on their work for the H20. Amkor produces advanced packaging for the H20 chips, while Samsung supplies memory for NVIDIA. Reuters has also reported that NVIDIA asked Foxconn, which is in charge of backend processing for the chip, to suspend its work. "We constantly manage our supply chain to address market condition," the company told CNBC in a statement when asked to comment about the supposed production pause.The US government had blocked NVIDIA from selling the H20 in China back in April, out of concerns that the country could use it to develop AI tech for its military. It allowed the company to resume selling the chip in China by July, reportedly after closing a deal that would give it 15 percent of the sales. But China didn't welcome the H20 with open arms. Local regulators instructed the biggest Chinese tech companies, including ByteDance and Alibaba to stop new orders for H20 chips, citing security concerns. The Cyberspace Administration of China talked to NVIDIA, claiming that AI experts had revealed that the chips could be tracked and controlled remotely. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang had admitted that Chinese regulators asked him about the supposed "backdoor" and said that he made it clear it didn't exist. "Hopefully the response that we've given to the Chinese government will be sufficient," Huang said.A recent report by the Financial Times, however, claimed that Chinese authorities didn't issue warnings against using NVIDIA chips just because of security concerns. Apparently, they found certain remarks by US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick "insulting." When the US allowed shipments of the H20 to China again, Lutnick said during an interview: "We don't sell them our best stuff, not our second best stuff, not even our third best. The fourth one down, we want to keep China using it... You want to sell the Chinese enough that their developers get addicted to the American technology stack."The H20 is currently the most advanced AI chip NVIDIA can sell in the Chinese market, but the company is reportedly developing a more powerful product. It will be based on the company's Blackwell architecture, Reuters previously reported, and will be capable of half the computing power of NVIDIA's Blackwell Ultra GPUs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/nvidia-reportedly-stops-production-of-h20-ai-chips-133020132.html?src=rss

The Made By Google event was not only a showcase of Google's latest Pixel hardware, but a launchpad for many new AI features. I'm typically skeptical of the current generation of AI, but as I checked out the new software across various demo sessions, I found myself more and more intrigued. It seems like Google, along with Apple and Samsung, has been working on making these AI-powered updates more helpful in a way that might actually make our lives easier or simply more fun.There wasn't enough time to write up every single one of them, so I've put a few of my favorites in this story to give you a better sense of what to expect when the Pixel 10 series hits retail shelves later this month. Spoiler alert: Many of these have to do with voice and calls - an area Google has historically excelled at.The Recorder app can generate backing musicI have long been enamored with Google's Recorder app. It started with the on-device transcription that made getting quotes from my interviews easy and relatively secure. But when Apple introduced a multi-track recording function to its Voice Memos app, I quickly jumped ship. While the iOS recorder has inferior transcription in terms of accuracy and readability, the fact that I could basically record a duet with myself seriously appealed to the musical theater geek in me. I played both Elphaba and Glinda, crooning their parts from For Good" into my iPhone.But when Google's senior director of product management for Pixel software Shenaz Zack told me the Pixel 10's recorder app would add AI-generated music to your singing, I went silent in slight disbelief. I spent much of my youth ripping karaoke tracks from YouTube videos, looking up minus one" or backing tracks" or instrumentals only" on various download platforms. My friends and I were aspiring performers, looking to mix our own covers of popular songs, and a tool that would generate backing music to our voice tracks would have been a dream come true. Honestly it kind of still is.Zack walked me through the process twice - on my first try I sang a verse and part of the chorus of Golden" from the Kpop Demon Hunters soundtrack. I giggled self-consciously at the end, before Zack hit stop. As it recorded, the app actually showed a tag that indicated it knew I was singing, and when we selected the recording after, a chip appeared saying Create and add music."Tapping that brought up a panel titled Choose a vibe to create music" with two sections: Featured vibes and Your vibes. Under the first one, the options were Chill beats," Cozy," Dance party," Rainy day blues," Romantic" and Surprise me." On my second attempt, when I rushed through a rendition of the all-time banger Mary Had a Little Lamb,"the app displayed a warning at the bottom that said The beat might not match well if the recording is short."I chose Dance Party, hit next, and waited a minute or so while Recorder went to work. The animation at the top said the system was analyzing the audio, identifying the rhythm, locking onto the beat and harmonizing the track before delivering the result.I don't quite know what I was expecting, but I can say that those who were at all concerned about digital rights management have nothing to worry about. The music that Google generated for Golden" sounded nothing like the original, and while it did make my voice sound less lonely and made for a more complete track, I felt like I needed a few more adjustments to feel satisfied with it. As for Mary Had a Little Lamb," the result was as generic as expected for an AI-generated soundtrack to a very basic nursery rhyme.To Google's credit, what came out seemed to be in the right key and rhythm, and I certainly will need much more time playing around with this to see if tweaking the settings will help. I also wanted to point out that the generated music also stopped as my singing stopped, so the giggling I mentioned earlier was not scored.Although this feature did not live up to my (admittedly unrealistic) fantasy, I do think it's a fun use of AI and seems harmless. It's not going to be a mainstay of most people's daily routines, although Zack did say that a large percent of people actually used Recorder for singing. This update could certainly make for a nice little dose of musical creativity.

Last week, the Trump administration said it might take a stake in Intel in exchange for the $10.86 billion in federal grants the company is receiving from the Chips and Science (CHIPS) Act. However, not all companies receiving funds under the same program will need to give up equity, The Wall Street Journal has reported. Companies like TSMC and Micron that increased their US investments won't have any additional obligations, according to a government official familiar with the matter.Ealier, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick appeared to royally screw NVIDIA with comments about the company's H20 AI chips, and may have also rubbed chip giant TSMC the wrong way. "The Biden administration literally was giving Intel [money] for free, and giving TSMC money for free, and all these companies, just giving them money for free," he told CNBCon Tuesday. "Donald Trump turns that into saying, 'Hey, we want equity for the money. If we're going to give you the money, we want a piece of the action.'"However, TSMC may have noticed the Intel equity kerfuffle and executives reportedly held preliminary discussions about handing back subsidies if the US government asks to become a shareholder, according to the WSJ's sources. TSMC was awarded $6.6 billion for its Arizona plant that started producing chips late last year for Apple and others. However, the company recently said it would invest another $100 billion over the next four years to build three more fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities and a major research and development center.Because of that extra investment, the Trump administration won't ask for a piece of TSMC or Micron (which also expanded its US facilities in Idaho, New York and Virginia). "The Commerce Department is not looking to take equity from TSMC and Micron," an unnamed official said.In any case, attempts by the US government to take equity in companies will likely face legal challenges due to language in the contracts. Companies are already required to share revenue with the US government if profits rise above a certain amount.In another development, the US government may divert up to $2 billion in CHIPS Act funding toward critical minerals projects in the US, Reuters reported. The move aims to reduce US dependence on China for key minerals extensively used in the electronics and defense industries. "The administration is creatively trying to find ways to fund the critical minerals sector," Reuters' source said, adding that those plans could change.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trump-administration-official-says-some-chips-act-companies-wont-need-to-give-up-equity-130041299.html?src=rss

This week, Google unveiled its full suite of Pixel 10 devices during an event hosted by Jimmy Fallon, of all people. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Sam Rutherford dive into all of the new phone models and try to determine if Google has finally cracked the code on premium smartphones. Also, they chat about a few announcements from Gamescom 2025.Topics

Whether you're working in a noisy office, commuting on a packed train or just trying to focus at home, a good pair of noise-canceling headphones can make all the difference. The best noise-canceling headphones block out distractions and let you enjoy your music, podcasts or calls in peace - all while delivering great sound quality and all-day comfort. From models with plush cushions to wireless cans with loads of extra features, there's something here for every style and budget. Table of contents

Since it was announced in June, Trump Mobile has committed to an increasingly-surreal smoke-and-mirrors approach to its promised T1 smartphone. Despite the initial claims that the phone would be made in the United States, it seemed highly unlikely from the start that it was accurate. The "Made in USA" claims were quietly removed from the Trump Mobile website at a later date. AppleInsider spotted the latest bizarre wrinkle to this story, which is that the actual phone still does not exist.The publication noticed that promotional images for T1 all show different smartphones that appear to be tweaked in a photo editor to look gold. While the website shows a badly edited image of what appears to be a Revvl 7 Pro 5G phone, an Instagram ad seems to depict an iPhone 16 Pro Max, again with the company's branding overlaid. A third confusing image edit was posted on X earlier this week:That photo shows a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra equipped with a case made by Spigen. The South Korean accessory company's logo can be seen behind the render of an American flag. Spigen's response sums our reaction up pretty succinctly: "??? bro what."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/trump-mobile-is-promoting-its-smartphone-with-terribly-edited-photos-of-other-brands-products-222940375.html?src=rss

Bungie CEO Pete Parsons has announced that he's leaving the Halo developer after working at the studio for more than two decades. In Parsons' place, Justin Truman, a general manager on Destiny 2 and Bungie's chief development officer, is taking over as studio head."After more than two decades of helping build this incredible studio, establishing the Bungie Foundation and growing inspiring communities around our work, I have decided to pass the torch," Parsons shared in a statement on Bungie's website. "Today marks the right time for a new beginning. The future of Bungie will be in the hands of a new generation of leaders, and I am thrilled to announce that Justin Truman will be stepping into leadership as Bungie's new studio head."Parsons oversaw Bungie during a consequential period in the studio's history. Bungie started publishing its own games under his leadership, ending a longterm publishing deal with Activision that helped get Destiny released. Parsons also played a role in the studio's $3.6 million acquisition by Sony, which placed Bungie at the center of plans to develop live-service games for the PlayStation - a move that hasn't really paid off so far.Bungie has faced notable difficulties since coming under Sony ownership. The studio's relative independence did nothing to spare it from having to lay off 220 employees in 2024. Developing Bungie's next game, Marathon, has also seemed like an uphill battle. The game was delayed indefinitely earlier this year following the discovery that the alpha version of Marathon used stolen art assets.Truman's new leadership role suggests Destiny 2 will remain a going concern for Bungie. It might also signal a new relationship with Sony and PlayStation Studios. During a recent earnings call, Sony CFO Lin Tao said Bungie would be less independent in the future, and eventually "become part of PlayStation Studios," PC Gamer reports.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/bungies-veteran-ceo-pete-parsons-is-leaving-the-company-213626001.html?src=rss

Germany-based search engine and browser nonprofit Ecosia is the latest party to make an offer for Google's Chrome. Questions about Chrome's fate have been swirling since the news that the Department of Justice would push for Google to sell the browser after the ruling that the company's search engine business constituted a monopoly. Although Google is planning to appeal the decision, that hasn't stopped other big tech businesses from pitching themselves as potential owners of Chrome.Ecosia's proposal is different. Rather than selling off the valuable browser for an upfront windfall, this plan would see Google transforming Chrome into a foundation. Ecosia would assume operational responsibility for the browser for ten years, but Google would retain the ownership and intellectual property rights. Under the arrangement, Ecosia would devote about 60 percent of Chrome's profits toward climate and environmental projects. It wouldn't pay a cent upfront for the stewardship role, but the remaining 40 percent of Chrome's profits would be given back to Google. Considering Ecosia is projecting Chrome to generate $1 trillion over the next decade, that's no small potatoes.On the surface, this idea is pretty far-out. However, going the stewardship route would deepen an existing relationship between Google and Ecosia. Google already powers the environmentally-focused benefit corporation's search engine, and the two parties have an established revenue-sharing agreement. Putting Chrome in the hands of a nonprofit rather than a for-profit rival may actually be a positive for Google, both financially and in public opinion.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/nonprofit-search-engine-ecosia-offers-0-for-control-of-chrome-212158739.html?src=rss

Spotify and Instagram are cozying up for more seamless music sharing. Two new features make it easier for Spotify's nearly 700 million users to share their favorite tunes.When sharing a Spotify track to Instagram Stories, a short snippet of the song will now be included. When people view the story, they'll have an option to open the track in Spotify. They can do that by tapping the music sticker on your post.SpotifyAlong similar lines, Instagram Notes now lets you show your friends what you're jamming out to. When creating a note, tap the music note symbol. Then, in the audio browser, choose "Share from Spotify." The note will auto-update to show what you're listening to at that point. (Or, if you're not, it will display the next song you play within 30 minutes, so choose wisely.) Friends can tap your note to add the track to their Spotify likes.Inversely, Instagram integration is easier in the Spotify app. When sharing a currently playing track from there, a new Notes icon will appear next to other Instagram sharing options.The new features are available now (globally) on iOS and Android.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-adds-spotify-integration-to-stories-and-notes-195705816.html?src=rss

Google has announced plans to sell a custom version of its Gemini AI models for government agencies. "Gemini for Government" includes access to existing tools like NotebookLM, and "Google-quality enterprise search, video and image generation capabilities." The AI platform is in direct competition with similar offerings from OpenAI, Anthropic and xAI.A big focus of Google's pitch for Gemini for Government is the idea of automating administrative tasks with AI agents. The company touts pre-built Deep Research and Idea Generation agents that will be available to government agencies from the jump, but anyone who invests in the new AI platform will also get the ability to build custom agents of their own. Gemini for Government will also offer threat protection and data privacy features, and will be compliant with cloud security standards like Sec4 and FedRAMP.Google's offering its AI platform for $0.50 per year for government agencies, with the option to pay more for extra security features. The low price is as much an enticement as it is a jab at OpenAI and Anthropic, who both announced $1 government AI deals in the last few months.These attempts to become government AI contractors are happening in the shadow of the AI Action Plan President Donald Trump announced in July. The Trump administration's stated goal is to spur development, turn AI into an American export and remove "idealogical bias" from AI models, but the specifics of the plan are concerningly open to interpretation. Trump's proposal asks federal agencies to withhold "AI-related" funding from states with "burdensome" AI regulations. It also directs the Federal Communications Commission to assume a role in regulating AI, placing even more theoretical power in the executive branch.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-is-selling-a-version-of-gemini-for-government-agencies-194221616.html?src=rss

Jay Blahnik is Apple's vice president of fitness technologies and responsible for leading a team of about 100 people. After a lengthy period consulting for Nike, he joined the company in 2013 to help with the launch of the Apple Watch and programs such as Apple Fitness+. Today, The New York Times reported on allegations that Blahnik created a toxic workplace environment, with his behaviors described as "verbally abusive, manipulative and inappropriate."He and Apple are currently being sued by one former employee, and the company has already settled a separate complaint against Blahnik that accused him of sexual harassment. In addition, sources told the Times that about a tenth of Blahnik's reports have sought extended health or medical leave since 2022. Apple reportedly conducted an internal investigation into Blahnik but found no evidence of wrongdoing. Employees told the publication that they felt the company was more committed to protecting a notable executive than addressing workers' concerns."We strongly disagree with the premise of this story, and there are many inaccurate claims and mischaracterizations," Lance Lin, a spokesperson from Apple, told the Times in response to the paper's report. He declined to provide specifics on those inaccuracies and said the company did not discuss matters involving individual employees for privacy concerns. "We will continue to share the facts through the legal process."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-fitness-exec-accused-of-creating-toxic-workplace-environment-185556474.html?src=rss

The latest and greatest of the foldable phone world. (Google, Sam Rutherford/Engadget)Last month, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 was released and immediately became the de facto king of the foldable phone hill. But now a new challenger has arrived: The Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The full details are now available in the wake of Google's splashy launch event, which debuted the Fold alongside the full new Pixel 10 line, a new Pixel smartwatch and two new earbuds, too (see everything Google announced). But the Pixel 10 Pro Fold was the star of the show, and it's vying with the Z Fold 7 for the title of best foldable - both offer very similar designs, but each bringing something unique to the table.Samsung launched its first foldable phone in 2019, so it's had quite a bit of time to refine the Galaxy Fold over the years. Google on the other hand just released its first Pixel Fold a couple years ago - but has already largely evened the match. And, of course, with enhanced Gemini AI software integration front and center, you'll have access to Google's impressive artificial intelligence features at nearly every turn.We'll break down how the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 7 stack up to one another. You can also check out our comparison of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Galaxy Fold 6 to see how much has changed in a year.PriceFirst things first, how much will one of these high-tech folding phones cost you? That is the make-or-break question, after all. The newest Pixel foldable is still less expensive than this year's Z Fold: it starts at $1,799 while the Galaxy smartphone starts at $2,000.You don't have any other real choices for "book-style" foldables in the US market. The OnePlus Open can be had for $1,499, but it's almost two years old. And Apple's most expensive phone is currently the $1,599 1TB iPhone 16 Pro Max - but as a non-foldable model with just a single screen, it's hardly a straight comparison. If the rumor mill is to be believed, Apple may finally bow a foldable iPhone in 2026.Dimensions and displayIt's a race for the largest display and Samsung won this time - but not by much. The Galaxy Z Fold is just a hair bigger than the Pixel Pro Fold. Both phones' inner displays are 8 inches across when fully opened, while Samsung comes out ahead on the outer display with 6.5 inches (the Pixel is 6.4 inches).As for height, the new foldable Pixel phone is 6.1 inches and the Galaxy Z is 6.2 inches - not a huge difference there. When unfolded, the Samsung wins on size efficiency, packing the identically sized 8-inch internal display into an area that's 0.3 inches smaller - 5.6 inches versus the Pixel's 5.9.This year, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold's displays have been upgraded to a Super Actua Flex OLED display with ultra-thin glass. Both the front screen and back cover come equipped with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.As for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, it has a Dynamic AMOLED display (inner and outer) and comes with the Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the front and the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the backside. The glass is ultra-thin, yet it's 50 percent thicker than before.While slightly bigger, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is still lighter than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The Samsung model weighs only 7.6 ounces - down nearly an ounce from its 2024 model - while its Google competition comes in at 9.1 ounces (the same as last year's model).The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 (left) compared to the new Pixel 10 Pro Fold (right). (Sam Rutherford/Engadget)Processor, RAM, storage and batteryThe Pixel 10 Fold Pro runs the Tensor G5 chip - Google says its CPU features 34 percent better performance compared to the Tensor G4 chip.The Z Fold 7 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. "Everything feels fast and snappy," Engadget's Sam Rutherford said of the Snapdragon 8 Elite performance on the Z Fold 7. (Sam also has first impressions of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but speed tests will happen a bit later.)Both phones offer the choice of 256GB, 512GB or 1TB storage. On the RAM front, the Pixel Fold delivers 16GB across the line, while the Samsung model reserves that level for the top 1TB storage tier; the small models get 12GB instead. The Galaxy phone will cost you $2,419 if you decide you need the maximum amount of storage, whereas the Pixel Fold tops out at $2,149.When it comes to battery life, Samsung's foldable lasts up to 24 hours with a 4,400mAh battery. The Pixel lasts up to 30 hours thanks to a more capacious 5,015mAh battery rating. Furthermore, the Pixel Fold is certified for Qi2 wireless charging, which Google is branding as "Pixelsnap" across its 2025 Pixel line for the first time.CamerasFor many shoppers, a phone is only as good as its cameras, and both of these phones bring a strong lens game. Each has three rear cameras, though they're different aesthetically. You'll notice the Pixel has a larger camera bump with two rows, while the Galaxy has a thinner vertical line of cameras.The Pixel 10 Pro Fold's rear camera array consists of a 48MP wide sensor, a 10.5MP ultrawide and a 10.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom. All three offer "Super Res Zoom" up to 20x with optical and electronic image stabilization. Per our own Sam Rutherford, the potential drawback here is that Google played it safe: "The biggest potential shortcoming of the P10PF is that its camera hardware is largely staying the same. Granted, that's not a huge deal because the previous model had the best photo quality of any foldable phone."By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 rear camera trio includes the same 200MP wide-angle camera as the company's Galaxy S25 Ultra, but carries over the 12MP ultrawide and 10MP telephone from the Z Fold 6. Zoom levels are 3x optical and 30x digital.While we have yet to put the Pixel 10 Pro Fold cameras through their paces, Sam was still liking last year's Pixel Fold versus the Galaxy Z Fold 7 when he reviewed the latter: "At night, the Fold 7's shots remained surprisingly sharp. I still prefer the Pixel 9 Pro Fold due to its more accurate white balance and often sharper focus, though Samsung's phone isn't far behind." And the entire Pixel line's cameras are (of course) supercharged with some new Google Gemini AI niceties, like the Camera Coach feature that enables voice-controlled photo editing.Both the Pixel and Galaxy offer similar 10MP specs on their front and inner selfie cameras.Color optionsIf you like having multiple colors to choose from, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is winning in this category. It comes in Mint, Jetblack, Blue Shadow and Silver Shadow. Mint is only available if you buy your phone online - you won't be seeing that one in stores.As for the Pixel 10 Fold Pro, your options are Moonstone and Jade.Full specs comparisonGoogle Pixel 10 Pro FoldSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 7Starting price$1,799$2,000DimensionsFolded: 6.1 x 3.0 x 0.4 inches (155.2 x 76.3 x 10.8mm)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) just announced an investigation into Tesla regarding its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) systems, according to a report by Electrek. The road safety regulator says the probe involves inconsistencies with how the company reports crashes regarding the aforementioned systems.The NHTSA requires automakers to report crashes involving autonomous and driver assistance systems within five days of being notified of them. The agency claims that Tesla has sometimes waited months to report these crashes. It's worth remembering that the company's vehicles are outfitted with technology that automatically records and sends out data regarding a collision within minutes of an accident.Tesla has acknowledged the issue but says this is all due to an error in its systems, which has since been fixed. However, the agency will continue the investigation, citing that it will "assess whether any reports of prior incidents remain outstanding and whether the reports that were submitted include all of the required and available data."The NHTSA has good reason to not accept Tesla's explanation at face value. It currently has other open investigations into the company. There's one involving its remote parking feature that has allegedly caused a number of crashes and another looking into the efficacy of a recent software fix that followed a massive recall.NHTSATesla also recently lost a wrongful death case involving an Autopilot crash in which it was revealed in testimony that the company lied and misled police and plaintiffs to hide pertinent data. The company leads other auto manufacturers by a country mile when it comes to crashes involving driver assistance systems. Tesla vehicles were involved in the vast majority of total incidents reported to the NHTSA from 2021 to 2024. That translates to over 2,300 crashes, compared to 55 for second-place GM.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/feds-investigate-tesla-over-inaccurate-autopilot-and-fsd-crash-reports-175837772.html?src=rss

We learned in July that Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl would come to PlayStation later this year. On Thursday, developer GSC Gameworld gave us a specific release date: November 20. That's exactly a year after its PC and Xbox launch.The PS5 version will support adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, gyro aiming and more. Meanwhile, PS5 Pro users will see upgraded resolution, shadows and reflections (among other enhancements). The game will be available in a $60 standard edition, an $80 deluxe one and a $110 ultimate edition.GSC GameworldThe game had quite a development process: It lasted 14 years. (Amusingly, "Stalker 2 sneaking up on a 2012 launch" was our first headline about the game.) GSC Gameworld was plagued by funding issues, a near shutdown and a transition to a new game engine. Then, Russia threw another wrench in the Ukrainian studio's plans, with its 2022 invasion. Sadly, the company even lost a team member in the war.When the game finally launched in 2024, it still had plenty of bugs. However, the team has worked hard to patch those ever since. Hopefully, the PlayStation version will benefit from the extra clean-up time and offer a polished experience from day one.You can pre-order Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl today from the PlayStation Store.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/stalker-2-heart-of-chornobyl-is-coming-to-ps5-on-november-20-162656051.html?src=rss

Google's seemingly unrelenting quest to infuse AI into every aspect of your online life just got a lot more global in scope, with the company expanding its AI Mode in Search to over 180 new countries. AI Mode has previously only been available in the US, India and the UK, and while English remains the only supported language right now, Google says it'll add more soon.Google is also expanding its AI Mode's agentic capabilities, so you can now use natural language to find restaurant reservations. Google says you can ask about getting a dinner reservation with conditions such as group size, date, location and your preference of cuisine, all of which be taken into consideration when AI Mode pulls in its results from across the web. Suggestions will be presented in list form with the available reservation slots. It'll also provide a link to the booking page you need. Google also plans to add local service appointments and event ticketing capabilities soon, with Ticketmaster and StubHub among its partners.AI Mode leverages Google's web-browsing AI agent Project Mariner' its direct partners on Search and resources like Knowledge Graph and Google Maps when prompted to find you somewhere to eat. It has partnered with the likes of OpenTable, Resy and Tock to incorporate as many restaurants as possible and streamline the booking process. Right now, this feature is exclusive to those subscribed to the wildly expensive Google AI Ultra plan in the US, and can be accessed through its Labs platform. If you opt into the AI Mode experiment it can also remember your previous conversations and searches to give you results that more closely match your preferences.Finally, if your AI-powered conversations are simply too interesting to keep to yourself, Google will now let you bring others in when you tap the "Share" button on a response. This allows your chosen contact to join the conversation at that point and ask their own follow-up questions. Google uses planning trips or parties as examples of when you might want to collaborate with someone else on an AI-assisted task. The original sender can delete shared links whenever they like.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-ai-mode-is-expanding-to-180-countries-and-adding-an-agentic-restaurant-finder-154833417.html?src=rss

Apple is once again raising the price of its streaming service. Apple TV+ is shooting up to $13 per month, from $10 per month. This is effective immediately.Current subscribers will see the price change 30 days after the next renewal date. There's one spot of good news here. The pricing for the yearly subscription remains unchanged, as does the cost of an Apple One bundle.Many platforms start cheap before slowly turning the heat up, using the drug dealer method of salesmanship. However, Apple really did a speed run here. The platform isn't very old and cost $7 per month as recently as 2023. Now it's nearly twice that amount. In a recent earnings call, the company said that overall Apple TV+ viewership rose "strong double digits year over year."The platform has been generating mainstream buzz. Severance has proven to be a gigantic hit and The Studio scooped up plenty of Emmy nominations this year. The platform's also a sci-fi powerhouse, releasing shows like For All Mankind, Invasion, Foundation, Murderbot, Silo and Dark Matter, among others.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/apple-tv-subscriptions-just-rose-to-13-a-month-150516370.html?src=rss

In July, Proton, the company behind Proton Mail, released Lumo, a privacy-focused AI chatbot. Now, just under a month later, Proton has begun rolling out Lumo 1.1 to both free and paying users, and according to the company, the updated assistant "performs significantly better across the board" relative to its predecessor.Just how much better is the new version of Lumo? Proton claims it offers a 170 percent improvement in context understanding, meaning the chatbot is able to more accurately answer questions based on documents and data users share with it. It's also 40 percent better at generating working code, and 200 percent better at working through multi-step problems, as well as using the right tools to tackle tricky prompts.ProtonOne area where the original release felt like it wasn't up to the level of the competition was when it came to providing answers about current events. Thanks to a better web search tool, Proton says Lumo 1.1 should provide more accurate answers while suffering from fewer hallucinations.Proton doesn't say how it measured those improvements, but the company did share a handful of screenshots that compare the responses generated by Lumo 1.1 and 1.0. If nothing else, the new chatbot does a better job of formatting its answers in a way that's easy to follow.As before, any conversations you have with Lumo are encrypted, with no logs shared with Proton or any other company. Proton is also releasing the code for Lumo's iOS and Android apps so the open source community can verify the company's security credentials.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-first-update-for-protons-privacy-focused-chatbot-offers-major-performance-improvements-145255425.html?src=rss

Hollow Knight: Silksong has a release date of September 4. You heard right, people. This is not a drill. One more time for those in the back, Hollow Knight: Silksong is now scheduled to be available in just a few weeks. The news dropped as part of a "special announcement" YouTube stream, and it'll be playable at Gamescom. For those of you at the event in Cologne, the game will be availabe at both Nintendo and Xbox's booths. Expect very, very long lines.The original Hollow Knight game was a huge debut hit for indie studio Team Cherry in 2017, and the popularity of the moody metroidvania has created quite the fervor around the DLC-turned-full-sequel. The project was delayed in 2023 and fans have been hoping for a Silksong launch announcement at just about every major gaming event since.The development process has taken a long enough time for Silksong's existence to become a bit of a gaming meme. There were trustworthy-sounding claims from a Nintendo Direct in April that the title would launch this year, which gave fresh hope (and fresh patience) to the punishing platformer's players. Even with a launch date now provided, though, there's always the chance for it to be postponed again. So let's keep the mood at "cautiously optimistic." Just in case.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/hollow-knight-silksong-will-be-out-on-september-4-143856097.html?src=rss

Sony's WH-1000XM5 once topped our lists of best noise-canceling headphones and best wireless headphones, and were only usurped by the follow-up XM6. This line of headphones is consistently impressive and the WH-1000XM is truly in a league of its own. So we get excited when one of the all-around best headphones out there goes on an aggressive sale. You can pick up a pair of XM5s right now for just $274, which is 32 percent off its normal retail price of $400. In our review of the XM5 we awarded a score of 95 out of 100, impressed with just about every aspect of the set with the notable exception of its price, which makes a sale like this all the more exciting. The XM5s are supremely comfortable, thanks to a slim cushioned headband and soft earcups. In our review, we had no problem wearing them for hours at a time and never felt uncomfortable pressure on the ears or head. 30mm carbon-fiber drivers deliver excellent audio, delivering a wide and immersive soundstage. The XM5 carries eight total microphones as part of its active noise-canceling system, up from four on the previous model, and delivers top-of-class ANC. The battery life on these headphones is best in class, with around 30 hours of listening per charge. Touch controls on the outside panel of the right ear cup help you control your music with ease, allowing you to play, pause, skip tracks and adjust the volume right from the headphones. The only real downside at this point is you're buying a pair of headphones that are three years old; the XM6 offers some noteworthy improvements. But, of course, it'll cost you. If you've been thinking about upgrading your headphones, or picking up your first pair of real high-quality cans, then take advantage of these savings. The sale price of $274 applies to the black model only, though the other colors are 18 percent off, selling for $328. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonys-wh-1000xm5-headphones-are-32-percent-off-ahead-of-labor-day-143447083.html?src=rss

Sennheiser's most expensive Ambeo soundbar is getting a substantial update. The company announced that the Ambeo Soundbar Max, a $2,000 beast of a living room speaker, will gain two features it calls Customizable Immersion and Voice Enhancement Mode. Plus, the company is adding lossless audio support on top of Dolby Atmos Music. The firmware update will equip the Max with Ambeo OS2 and is available via free download through the Sennheiser Smart Control app for iOS and Android.With Customizable Immersion, Sennheiser will give users the ability to adjust volume levels for side, top and center channel virtualization. The company says this will allow customers to tailor the immersion to their preferences or to the content they're watching. As you might expect, Voice Enhancement Mode boosts dialogue to ensure it remains clear when sound effects or music would otherwise overpower the mix in movies, TV shows or during sports events.The Ambeo Soundbar Max already offered support for spatial audio for tunes via Dolby Atmos Music, but now the living room speaker will allow you to play lossless audio too. Sennheiser says you can expect up to 24-bit/96kHz through Google Cast and up to 24-bit/192kHz from Tidal Connect.The Ambeo Soundbar Max originally arrived in 2019 as the Ambeo Soundbar. Sennheiser changed the name when it expanded the Ambeo Soundbar lineup, which now includes the mid-sized Plus and compact Mini options. The Max was $2,500 at launch before rising to $3,000, but the company is now selling it's biggest home theater unit for $2,000. That may seem like a lot for one piece of your setup, but Sennheiser promises the combination of bass performance and Ambeo tech means you won't need a separate subwoofer or rear satellite speakers. Those claims held up during my review of the soundbar back when it debuted.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/sennheiser-updates-the-ambeo-max-soundbar-with-lossless-audio-customizable-immersion-and-more-134707400.html?src=rss

Masimo, the medical technology company whose lawsuit led to the temporary sales pause of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, has sued the US Customs and Border Protection days after Apple released its redesigned blood oxygen monitoring feature. This is just the latest update in the lengthy legal saga between Masimo and Apple, which started when the former sued the iPhonemaker in 2021, accusing it of infringing on several of its light-based blood oxygen monitoring patents. After a court sided with Masimo in 2023, Apple was forced to stop selling the Watch Series 9 and the Ultra 2 in the US for a few weeks.In order to circumvent the import ban for the devices, Apple removed the Blood Oxygen app for the watch models sold in the US. Just a few days ago, however, the company introduced a "redesigned Blood Oxygen feature" for the Watch Series 9, Series 10 and Watch Ultra 2 models. The feature works by measuring and calculating data from the watches' sensors on their paired iPhones instead. Users will then be able to view their blood oxygen data in the Respiratory section of the Health app.Apple said the update was "enabled by a recent US Customs ruling." But Masimo said in its complaint (via Bloomberg Law) that it only heard about the ruling, which was handed down on August 1, when Apple made the announcement. It argued that the agency typically requires both sides to be heard before making such decisions and that Customs "exceeded its authority." Masimo is now asking the court to put an injunction on UCBP's decision and, ultimately, to only allow imports of the devices if their blood oxygen-tracking function is disabled."Each passing day that this unlawful ruling remains in effect irreparably deprives Masimo of its right to be free from unfair trade practices and to preserve its competitive standing in the US marketplace," Masimo said.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/masimo-files-lawsuit-over-apples-redesigned-blood-oxygen-monitoring-feature-130054895.html?src=rss

Chinese action camera (and now drone) company Insta360 has unveiled a premium addition to its lineup of compact cameras. The Insta360 GO Ultra is being billed as a new, more powerful product line in the GO series, instead of a replacement for the GO 3S.This next generation represents a substantial step up in performance, powered by a new 5nm AI chip, which is a big jump from the 14nm chip found on the GO 3S. It also benefits from a larger 1/1.28-inch sensor, roughly twice the size of the one in the 3S. All of this unlocks better image quality with support for HDR, 4K capture at 60 fps and double the frame rate of the 3S. The Ultra also offers PureVideo, an enhancement that uses AI-powered algorithms to reduce noise and increase brightness in low-light captures.The form factor for the Ultra is largely the same as the 3S, with a compact camera body that can be optionally housed in an Action Pod that offers additional battery life and a 2.5-inch flip touchscreen for live camera view. The Ultra weighs 53 grams (around 1.9 ounces), 14 grams more than the 3S, and sports a square body, as opposed to the pill-like shape of the 3S.The slightly larger body means a 70-minute standalone battery life, which is just over 80 percent more than the 38 minutes on the 3S. The Action Pod extends this to 200 minutes. The Ultra also offers removable storage, expandable up to 2TB.Like most Insta360 cameras, much of the design is geared toward action shots for the more adventurous among us. The GO Ultra's IPX8 rating means it's waterproof down to 33 feet underwater. A magnetic clip system makes it easy to attach the GO Ultra to a piece of clothing or equipment and start capturing your adventure in 4K.The Insta360 GO Ultra is available now worldwide for $450.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/insta360-launches-new-action-camera-with-removable-storage-130019177.html?src=rss

Chinese regulators reportedly dissuaded local companies from purchasing NVIDIA's H20 chips, because they found certain statements by US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick "insulting." According to the Financial Times, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) teamed up to intensify their efforts to push the use of homegrown chips following Lutnick's remarks in an interview with CNBC.The US, if you'll recall, blocked NVIDIA from selling its H20 chips to China back in April out of concern that the Chinese military would use them to develop AI technology. When the US government reversed its decision in July and allowed the company to start shipping its chips to China, Lutnick told CNBC: "We don't sell them our best stuff, not our second best stuff, not even our third best. The fourth one down, we want to keep China using it... The idea is the Chinese are more than capable of building their own. You want to keep one step ahead of what they can build, so they keep buying our chips. You want to sell the Chinese enough that their developers get addicted to the American technology stack. That's the thinking." To note, a previous Times report stated that the government allowed NVIDIA to ship its products to China again after agreeing to hand over 15 percent of its profits.As a response to Lutnick's remarks, the Times says Chinese authorities sought ways to prevent local companies from buying H20 chips. CAC issued an informal notice instructing China's biggest tech firms, such as ByteDance and Alibaba, to stop new orders for H20 chips until the government is done conducting a national security review. The companies are compelled to comply, because they could face substantial fines from the CAC if they don't. Meanwhile, NDRC also issued an informal notice, asking local tech companies not to purchase any NVIDIA chip.Reuters recently reported that NVIDIA is developing a new chip for the Chinese market that's more powerful than the H20, perhaps driven in part by China's move to discourage its purchase. It will be based on the company's Blackwell architecture, but will only be capable of half the computing power of NVIDIA's Blackwell Ultra GPUs. Their regulatory and export approval aren't guaranteed, but the president previously implied that he was aware of the project and said he expects NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang to talk to him about it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/china-reportedly-discouraged-purchase-of-nvidia-ai-chips-due-to-insulting-lutnick-statements-123055120.html?src=rss

In-flight internet is crappy, but more and more airlines think that Starlink is the solution. The latest company to sign with the SpaceX affiliate is Alaska Air Group, which announced that it will start offering Starlink Wi-Fi next year and expand the service to its entire fleet by 2027. "With Starlink already live on [Alaska Air Group subsidiary] Hawaiian Airlines, we're proud that we'll offer... gate-to-gate connectivity on nearly every aircraft across both airlines," CEO Ben Minicucci said in a statement.The company noted in a separate announcement that it will offer the perk for free to members of its new loyalty program called Atmos Rewards. T-Mobile, a partner with Alaska, will also offer a "seamless, ad-free Wi-Fi log-on" to the in-flight Starlink service, with more details to be announced later this year. Alaska Air touted the benefits of "ultra-fast speeds... up to 7x faster than the geostationary satellite-based Wi-Fi systems that most airlines use today."Other airlines may jump on board soon, too. British Airways is also on the verge of announcing a Starlink deal, Bloomberg reported, and SpaceX has also reportedly been in conversation with Dubai's Emirates. Both of those are flagship carriers in their respective nations, so winning the business would be a large coup for Starlink against legacy operators like Viasat and Echostar.Switching to Starlink isn't necessarily cheap, though. It reportedly costs around $300,000 to equip a 737 and around half a million to install the system on a 787 Dreamliner. On top of that, airlines pay around $120 monthly per seat, plus another $120 for live TV, according to Bloomberg's sources. (None of the airlines in negotiations have confirmed any details.)Despite those costs, carriers see reliable in-flight internet as a potential game-changer, as it would allow customers to work, communicate and stream videos or live TV. If the latter can be done reliably, it might even allow airlines to get rid of heavy and expensive on-demand entertainment systems.The main downside for potential customers is SpaceX's owner, Elon Musk. Some may view his fractured relationship with US president Donald Trump as a negative, while end-users may be turned off by his political affiliations - something that has seemingly affected sales of his Tesla EVs of late.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/alaska-air-will-offer-starlink-in-flight-internet-starting-next-year-120023852.html?src=rss

Microsoft announced Wednesday during Gamescom 2025 that not only will its Xbox Ally handhelds be released on October 16, but the company is spinning up a new initiative to support optimized gaming on these devices called the Handheld Compatibility Program.The initiative seems to be similar to Valve's Steam Deck Verified, where Xbox will test games to ensure their compatibility with the new Xbox Ally handhelds. "We have worked with game studios to test, optimize, and verify thousands of games for handheld compatibility, allowing you to jump into the game without having to tweak settings, or requiring only minor adjustments," said Roanne Sones, CVP of Gaming Devices and Ecosystem at Xbox.The program will be available on release day and users will be able to see handheld compatibility directly in their game libraries. Games will be badged as "Handheld Optimized," indicating games with default controller inputs, appropriate resolution for full-screen play and more. Games badged as "Mostly Compatible" may require minor in-game setting adjustments for an optimal experience on the Xbox Ally handheld.Microsoft says it will continue to partner with developers to submit their titles for handheld compatibility testing.In addition to the "Handheld Optimized" badge, games will also be given a Windows Performance Fit indicator of either "Should play great" or "Should play well." In a statement to Engadget, a Microsoft spokesperson said "Windows Performance Fit predicts how well a game will run on a specific device using telemetry-based performance data, such as expected frame rates. For example, games that carry the 'Should play great' designation should average 60FPS or better on this device, while games that carry 'Should play well' label should average 30FPS or better on this device."Update, August 20, 6:20 PM ET: This story has been updated after publish with further explanation from Microsoft about Performance Fit.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-unveils-its-handheld-compatibility-program-162635781.html?src=rss

Welcome to Video Games Weekly on Engadget. Expect a new story every Monday or Tuesday (or Wednesday, whatever), broken into two parts. The first is a space for short essays and ramblings about video game trends and related topics from me, Jess Conditt, a reporter who's covered the industry for more than 13 years. The second contains the video game stories from the past week that you need to know about, including some headlines from outside of Engadget.Please enjoy - and I'll see you next week.

We've heard a lot this year about AI enabling new scams, from celebrity deepfakes on Facebook to hackers impersonating government officials. However, a new report suggests that AI also poses a fraud risk from the other direction - easily falling for scams that human users are much more likely to catch.The report, titled "Scamlexity," comes from a cybersecurity startup called Guardio, which produces a browser extension designed to catch scams in real time. Its findings are concerned with so-called "agentic AI" browsers like Opera Neon, which browse the internet for you and come back with results. Agentic AI claims to be able to work on complex tasks, like building a website or planning a trip, while users kick back.There's a huge problem here from a security perspective: while humans are not always great at sorting fraud from reality, AI is even worse. A seemingly simple task like summarizing your emails or buying you something online comes with myriad opportunities to slip up. Lacking common sense, agentic AI may be prone to bumbling into obvious traps.The researchers at Guardio tested this hypothesis using Perplexity's Comet AI browser, currently the only widely available agentic browser. Using a different AI, they spun up a fake website pretending to be Walmart, then navigated to it and told Comet to buy them an Apple Watch. Ignoring several clues that the site wasn't legit, including an obviously wonky logo and URL, Comet completed the purchase, handing over financial details in the process.In another test, the study authors sent themselves an email pretending to be from Wells Fargo, containing a real phishing URL. Comet opened the link without raising any alarms and blithely dumped a bank username and password into the phishing site. A third test proved Comet susceptible to a prompt injection scam, in which a text box concealed in a phishing page ordered the AI to download a file.It's just one set of tests, but the implications are sobering. Not only are agentic AI browsers susceptible to new types of scam, they may also be uniquely vulnerable to the oldest scams in the book. AI is built to do whatever its prompter wants, so if a human user doesn't notice the signs of a scam the first time they look, the AI won't serve as a guardrail.This warning comes as every leader in the field bets big on agentic AI. Microsoft is adding Copilot to Edge, OpenAI debuted its Operator tool in January, and Google's Project Mariner has been in the works since last year. If developers don't start building better scam detection into their browsers, agentic AI risks becoming a massive blind spot at best - and a new attack vector at worst.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/ai-browsers-may-be-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-scammers-220315936.html?src=rss

If you tried the demo for upcoming climbing game Cairn and somehow found it too easy, you're in for a treat. Developer The Game Bakers announced at the latest Future Games Show that Cairn will include a "Free Solo" mode that lets you tackle the game's already difficult climbs without pitons or a rope.A typical climb in Cairn - and most rock climbing games for that matter - tasks you with managing rope, and the pitons you use to anchor it to a rock face. You add pitons as you climb so that in the event you slip, you only fall to your last piton rather than all the way to the ground. In Free Solo mode, you don't have that safety net, turning each climb into more of a roguelike run.In the real life rock climbing world, "Free Solo" climbing is when you tackle a climb without a partner or traditional equipment. The term rose to mainstream relevance after the release of the documentary Free Solo, which followed climber Alex Honnold as he trained for and ultimately ascended El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.Adding a dangerous style of climbing to what's already a difficult game feels appropriate in this case. On top of a climbing mechanic that makes you move each limb individually, Cairn also requires you to manage your hunger, thirst and an inventory of supplies. At least based on its demo, the game is far more demanding then something like Jusant, which was much more concerned with making its traversal fun and expressive rather than realistically difficult.If you're itching for punishment, the Cairn demo is available to download now on PS5 and PC. The game will be released on both platforms on November 5, 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/climbing-game-cairn-will-have-a-free-solo-mode-with-no-rope-213450638.html?src=rss

Bloomberg has published a deep dive into operations at Oracle, chronicling the software giant's rise in cloud computing and current push into powering artificial intelligence projects. The publication reported that Oracle has promised to develop tens of billions of dollars in data centers, which have become a hot business. Notably, Oracle landed a deal to back operations at OpenAI, in a partnership that will give the AI company 4.5 gigawatts of computing power. According to Bloomberg, that's enough energy to power "millions of American homes."So far, Oracle has seemed willing to throw money at its AI data center projects, no matter how expensive or irresponsible the needs might be. For instance, a source said the company plans to spend more than $1 billion a year powering a single data center in Texas with gas generators rather than waiting for a utility connection to be built. When completed, this data center is expected to be one of the largest known sites, with computing power of 1.4 gigawatts.In addition to the huge monetary cost, such a project can also have negative human and environmental impact. The Elon Musk-owned xAI is under fire after a supercomputer for its artificial intelligence operations became a primary source of air pollution in Memphis thanks to methane-powered turbines. Other majors, including Google, Microsoft and Meta, have chosen to try nuclear power for their data center projects, which comes with its own potential complications and risks.Purely on the financial side, Oracle's decision to invest so much so quickly meant the company reported its first negative annual cash flow since 1990. Should the current rates of AI investment turn out to be a bubble, it could be very bad news to have many billions of dollars on the line.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/oracle-will-reportedly-power-a-giant-data-center-with-gas-generators-211658314.html?src=rss

Analogue's 4K take on the Nintendo 64 is... still not quite here. The company announced its third delay to the Analogue 3D on Wednesday, pushing the retro system back to Q4 2025. However, it said that's an intentionally conservative estimate, so this probably isn't a huge concern.The postponement follows previous ones in March and July. (The last time was due to tariffs.) Analogue acknowledged the frustration pre-order customers must be feeling. "We know this sucks," the Pocket maker wrote. "Another delay, announced late, after months of patience. We feel it too."The Analogue 3D uses an FPGA (field programmable gate array) chip to emulate N64 hardware. The company promises it will work with every official N64 cartridge ever released without any slowdowns or inaccuracies.AnalogueSo, why bother with the $250 console when you can grab a used Nintendo 64 for under $100? Well, Analogue's take supports 4K output, variable refresh rate displays and both PAL and NTSC carts. It's also adding "original display mode" filters to simulate old-school TVs. (They're similar to those you find on the company's highly rated Analogue Pocket handheld console.)Analogue says the system is 99 percent done - including hardware, system and packaging. "The last 1% is where we're focused," the company wrote. It says it wants every detail to meet its high standards. Nonetheless, pre-orderers who wish to bail can do so by contacting support.Frustrations aside, delays are indeed better than shipping incomplete products - even if only by one percent. "We're pushing without pause and appreciate everyone's patience and trust," the company wrote in an email to customers. "Analogue will always deliver - delays or not, it's a commitment to our standard of care."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/analogue-delays-its-n64-remake-console-yet-again-205343467.html?src=rss

The Qi2 wireless charging spec was originally announced back in early 2023. However, Android phone makers haven't exactly been rushing to add Qi2 support to their latest devices since then. That's made finding a compatible handset rather difficult, which is a bummer for anyone who has seen the wealth of accessories and power banks that iPhone owners have had access to for several generations.On top of faster charging speeds (up to 25 watts or higher in later revisions), Qi2 dictates the inclusion of embedded magnets designed to make aligning and attaching peripherals a cinch.But what makes the slow rollout a bit more frustrating is that Apple is a member of the Wireless Power Consortium (the governing body in charge of Qi2) and its MagSafe tech was used to help define the spec and ensure that compliant add-ons work seamlessly with Qi2, so it's not like there's a lack of compatible peripherals.Regardless, to help you figure out which Android phones officially come with Qi2, we've compiled a list of supported devices. (Note: Due to the complexities of the Chinese market, this list is primarily focused on gadgets available in North America and the EU.)Android phones with Qi2: