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A jury in Florida has found Tesla partially liable for a 2019 crash involving the company's Autopilot self-driving feature, The Washington Post reports. As a result, the company will have to pay $43 million in compensatory damages and even more in punitive damages.Autopilot comes pre-installed on Tesla's cars and handles things like collision detection and emergency braking. Tesla has mostly avoided taking responsibility for crashes involving cars with the Autopilotenabled, but the Florida case played out differently. The jury ultimately decided that the self-driving tech enabled driver George McGee to take his eyes off the road and hit a couple, Naibel Benavides Leon and Dillon Angulo, ultimately killing one and severely injuring the other.During the case, Tesla's lawyers argued that McGee's decision to take his eyes off the road to reach for his phone was the cause of the crash, and that Autopilot shouldn't be considered. The plaintiffs, Angulo and Benevides Leon's family, argued that the way Tesla and Elon Musk talked about the feature ultimately created the illusion that Autopilot was safer than it really was. "My concept was that it would assist me should I have a failure ... or should I make a mistake," McGee said on the stand. "And in that case I feel like it failed me." The jury ultimately assigned two-thirds of the responsibility to McGee and a third to Tesla, according to NBC News.When reached for comment, Tesla said it would appeal the decision and gave the following statement:

In partnership with developers, game marketplace GOG (Good Old Games) has launched a new website called FreedomtoBuy.games that'll let you download select "adult" games for free. GOG believes the website takes a stand "against the quiet erasure of creative works from digital shelves," a response of sorts to recent decisions from Steam and Itch to delist certain violent and sexuality-explicit games from their respective platforms.GOG is currently offering 13 games for free for the next 48 hours, some with well-known scandals and others that seem to fall into the "NSFW visual novel" bucket that makes up the majority of sexually-explicit games on digital storefronts. The titles available to download are:

T-Mobile has sealed the deal on its UScellular acquisition. In exchange for $4.3 billion, T-Mobile gets UScellular's customers, stores and 30 percent of its spectrum.If you're a UScellular customer, you don't have to do anything. "UScellular customers stay on their existing plans with no changes for now," the carrier said. You can continue to manage your account through UScellular's website. You can also still turn to the T-Mobile-owned carrier for customer support.The $4.3 billion wasn't the only price T-Mobile had to pay. To gain the approval of Trump's FCC, the carrier agreed to gut its DEI programs. That followed Verizon doing the same for its Frontier acquisition. The president has used merger approvals as a cudgel to push his agenda (including getting lawsuits settled) in the private sector.UScellular will now exist only as an infrastructure company. It can now generate revenue from licensing its remaining spectrum and towers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/t-mobile-now-officially-owns-uscellular-204509780.html?src=rss

Microsoft is ending support for its ChromeOS competitor Windows 11 SE. The company will officially stop providing "software updates, technical assistance and security fixes" in October 2026, according to an updated support document spotted by NeoWin.When it was announced in 2021, Windows 11 SE was pitched as a simplified, lightweight version of Microsoft's operating system for the classroom. Chromebooks and ChromeOS devices are widely used in schools around the world, so it made sense that Microsoft would want to offer something competitive. Windows 11 SE, and the Surface Laptop SE that launched alongside it, were the company's latest attempt to do just that.Clearly the plan didn't work, as evidenced by Microsoft's decision to shutdown Windows 11 SE just five years later. The operating system was available on other low-cost devices, but it doesn't appear that it acquired nearly the same-sized audience as ChromeOS. If it had, Microsoft likely wouldn't be dumping it so unceremoniously.Windows 11 SE isn't the first time Microsoft has tried to spin-off a more efficient version of Windows, though it did seem like the most thought out. For example, the company has also tried Windows 10 S (which lives on as "S Mode" in Windows 11) and the never-launched Windows 10X, a streamlined version of Windows for dual-screen devices.While Windows 11 SE devices will work after Microsoft's October 2026 cut-off, the company recommends "transitioning to a device that supports another edition of Windows 11 to ensure continued support and security."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/microsoft-is-killing-its-failed-chromeos-competitor-windows-11-se-200050553.html?src=rss

OpenAI has removed a feature that made shared ChatGPT conversations appear in search results. The "short-lived experiment" was based on the chatbot's link creation option. After complaints, OpenAI's chief information security officer, Dane Stuckey, said the company is working to remove the chats from search engines.The public outrage stems from a Fast Company article from earlier this week (via Ars Technica). Fast Company said it found thousands of ChatGPT conversations in Google search results. The indexed chats didn't explicitly include identifying information. But in some cases, their contents reportedly contained specific details that could point to the source.To be clear, this wasn't a hack or leak. It was tied to a box users could tick when creating a shareable URL directing to a chat. In the pop-up for creating a public link, the option to "Make this chat discoverable" appeared. The more direct explanation ("allows it to be shown in web searches") appeared in a smaller, grayer font below. Users had to tick that box to make the chat indexed.You may wonder why people creating a public link to a chat would have a problem with its contents being public. But Fast Company noted that people could have made the URLs to share in messaging apps or as an easy way to revisit the chats later. Regardless, the public discoverability option is gone now.In Fast Company's report, Stuckey defended the feature's labeling as "sufficiently clear." But after the outcry grew, OpenAI relented. "Ultimately, we think this feature introduced too many opportunities for folks to accidentally share things they didn't intend to, so we're removing the option," Stuckey announced on Thursday.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-is-removing-chatgpt-conversations-from-google-194735704.html?src=rss

Google's shortened URLs are the horror movie monster of the Google Graveyard: They keep finding a way to stay alive. On Friday, the company said goo.gl links that don't show the above warning will work for the foreseeable future.In 2018, Google cut off the ability to create new shortened links. But it kept existing URLs active as a courtesy to those who relied on them. Then, a year ago, the company said its bit.ly rival would shut down completely on August 25, 2025. That appeared to be the final nail in the coffin. Not so fast.That brings us to Google's change of heart today. "We understand these links are embedded in countless documents, videos, posts and more, and we appreciate the input received," the company explained.You'll know yours is shutting down if it currently shows a warning message. ("This link will no longer work in the near future.") If it redirects to the destination without that detour, it will live to fight another day. Google says the survivors were chosen based on whether they showed activity in late 2024.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/some-googl-urls-will-live-to-fight-another-day-183508123.html?src=rss

Reddit is reversing course on its plans to put some subreddits behind a paywall, at least for now. CEO Steve Huffman said the company is "shifting resources away" from the effort as it doubles down on search.During the company's recent earnings call, Huffman said that Reddit was "deprioritizing" its work on "user economy" initiatives in order to put more resources into turning the site into a "go-to search engine." In a follow-up AMA on Reddit, he confirmed this includes pausing work on paid subreddits."To stay focused on what matters most, we're shifting resources away from a few areas, such as work on the user economy," he wrote. "This includes what some have referred to as paid subreddits." Though Huffman added that "it's still an opportunity we believe in," it's a notable departure from comments he made in February, when he said such features would be rolling out in 2025.Reddit's priorities have apparently changed considerably since then. While paid communities were meant to appeal to Reddit power users, the company still very much needs to grow its user base, according to Huffman. "The folks previously working on user economy will join our efforts to improve the core app, including onboarding and personalization," the CEO explained in another AMA response. "That gets at our most important need today, which is logged-in core user growth."While Huffman has spent the last year hinting at paid features, it's not hard to understand why Reddit would now be shifting away from that model. Advertising is still very much the most important part of the company's business, as Huffman explained. And adding more core users to the platform will be key to growing that business. To put this in perspective, during the last quarter, Reddit pulled in $465 million in ad revenue and just $35 million from "other" sources, like data licensing and Reddit premium. Even if paywalled subreddits could substantially increase that "other" number, it would still be a small fraction of what the company is making from advertisers.So while paid subreddits may still be on the company's roadmap, users shouldn't expect to see them any time soon. They can, however, probably expect to see more ads in more places on Reddit over time. For example, Huffman said that the company sees "ads on search return pages ... as a future opportunity."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-puts-its-plans-for-paid-subreddits-on-hold-181455933.html?src=rss

Nintendo has announced that the price of the original Nintendo Switch will change in the United States, citing market conditions" as the reason for its decision. The new pricing will apply from August 3, and will affect the regular Switch, the Switch Lite and the Switch OLED, as well as select accessories for the console. Amiibo and the Alarmo alarm clock will also see price increases.The Switch 2 is not affected, nor are the prices of any games or Nintendo Switch Online memberships for Switch or Switch 2. Nintendo doesn't rule out more wide-ranging price adjustments in the future, though. The company has not yet announced any of the new prices, but Target appeared to briefly update its pricing (since removed), listing the Switch at $340, the Switch Lite at $230 and the Switch OLED at $400. The original Switch is currently priced at $300, the Switch Lite at $200, and the Switch OLED at $350, so these would represent pretty significant increases all round if accurate.The news follows the Switch price increases in Canada that came into effect today. The console is now $20 CAD more expensive than it was previously, with Nintendo also blaming market conditions (that it still isn't directly attributing to tariffs in its official messaging) for that adjustment when it announced it back in June.It looks like the Switch price changes in the US at least won't be quite as severe as those Microsoft recently announced for the Xbox Series S and Series X. The consoles now start at $380 and $550, respectively, which is an $80 increase for the former and a whopping $100 bump for the flagship Series X.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-original-nintendo-switch-is-about-to-get-more-expensive-in-the-us-170646701.html?src=rss

Nintendo sold 5.82 million Switch 2s in less than four weeks and is on pace to hit its target of 15 million units by April 2026, the company said in its latest earnings report. If that pans out, the Switch 2 would easily outsell the original Switch, which took a full year to hit that same 15 million sales number - making it a rare bright spot in today's gaming world. Despite those superb sales figures, Nintendo says demand is outstripping supply in many regions and promises to boost production as soon as possible. There's some insight into Nintendo's available inventory elsewhere in the earnings report. The 5.82 million number counts sales up to June 30, and the company says that as of July 25, it had sold through "more than 6 million" consoles. That's not the clearest figure, but it definitely shows sales cratered in July despite consistent demand. Switch 2 software sales were also strong with 8.67 million units sold, thanks in large part to the company's Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle along with Donkey Kong Bananza and games from outside publishers (Nintendo also just announced a bunch of new third-party games coming soon). The company also sold 24.4 million games designed for the original Switch, largely because the new console is backwards compatible with previous Switch titles, it said. All of that meant that Nintendo had a very good quarter, more than doubling revenue over last year to 572.3 billion yen ($3.8 billion) with a 56.9 billion yen profit ($378 million). The company still expects to bring in 1.9 trillion yen ($12.6 billion) for its fiscal year. Update, July 1, 12PM ET: This story has been updated after publish. The headline and article initially mistated the period in which Nintendo sold 5.82 million Switch 2 consoles as 7 weeks. That period relates to Nintendo's claim of "more than 6 million" sales, rather than the 5.82 million figure. The headline and article now accurately reflect the sales figures, and we regret the error.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-has-sold-over-6-million-switch-2s-but-still-cant-keep-up-with-demand-120011674.html?src=rss

Apple's first-party USB-C Magic Keyboard with Touch ID is on sale for $179 right now via Amazon. That's a discount of $20, as the typical price is $199. This deal applies to both the white and black versions of this accessory. This keyboard has been specifically designed by the company to work with Apple Silicon computers. As previously mentioned, it includes a Touch ID sensor, for authentication, and an extended layout. It also has full-size arrow keys, which is great for gaming. Apple computers have been getting some big titles lately. Like most modern Apple accessories, it's wireless. The keyboard includes a replaceable battery that can go for around a month between charges. The overall design here is sleek and the keypad is responsive and comfortable. This model didn't make our list of the best keyboards, as there's one major downside: It's so very expensive. It's tough to recommend any keyboard at $199, even if it is a first-party Apple product. It's a bit easier to recommend at $179. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-usb-c-magic-keyboard-with-touch-id-is-20-off-right-now-162039291.html?src=rss

Nothing did things differently with its third generation of phones. First came the midrange Nothing Phone 3a (and 3a Pro), which combined stylish hardware with a competitive price. Now, the company has launched the Nothing Phone 3, which it's calling its first "true flagship." At $799, it's Nothing's most expensive phone yet, featuring a bigger screen, four 50-megapixel cameras and a major redesign of the company's signature Glyph interface, which has evolved into the more compact Glyph Matrix. Nothing's hardware design is what truly sets its phones apart from the established players, and the 2025 model is more elaborate and complex than ever. At this price, however, it faces stiff competition from entry-level flagships like the Galaxy S25 and iPhone 16. Beyond the innovations and occasional gimmicks, has Nothing nailed the fundamentals enough to compete? Hardware and design Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Once again, Nothing has made a phone that commands attention like no other. Everywhere I go, people are curious when they see me using the Phone 3, and the Glyph Matrix seems to both confuse and delight them. Unlike the protruding camera unit on the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, the Phone 3's three cameras are separately lodged in the back and jut out a fraction of a millimeter. The see-through exterior returns, displaying screws and hardware modules organized into three vertical rows. This time, it's more apparent that this is a design flourish rather than a genuine glimpse into the phone's components. For example, a curious semi-circle of frosted glass beneath the flash doesn't seem to have a purpose (beyond an aesthetic one). Elsewhere, a red square next to the ultrawide camera now acts as a recording light. It's another charming touch that can be disabled in the settings if you find it distracting. The off-center telephoto camera lens might also irk symmetry fans, but it's a choice that I don't particularly mind. The Phone 3 is 18 percent thinner than the Phone 2 and, without the camera bump of the 3a Pro, it looks and feels a step above its predecessors. The main attraction is the Glyph Matrix: a circular dot-matrix display made of 489 LEDs that shows simple notifications, the time and battery level. While some loyal fans might miss the bold light show of previous models, this iteration is far more useful. Instead of a barrage of flashing lights, the Matrix can tell you who is calling through unique patterns and, with future updates, custom art assigned to your contacts. Nothing continues to lean into its retro tech design inspiration, and I'll admit I'm a sucker for it. The dot-matrix text and numbers align perfectly with Nothing's Android skin, making the entire device feel cohesive. A capacitive haptic Glyph button beneath the Matrix lets you cycle through notifications and tools. Interactions are simple: a short press to switch modes or a long press to start tools like the stopwatch. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Fortunately, you can use the Phone 3's settings menu to assign Glyph Matrix tools and "toys." Most of them are playful and frivolous, like Spin The Bottle and Magic 8 Ball, and Nothing is tapping into its community to create new Matrix widgets. Hopefully, functionality will expand as more users get involved. Some tools are less useful though, like a level that uses the phone's accelerometer for a pixelated readout. It just seems a little imprecise; how much accuracy can you derive from less than 500 pixels? Others are quite slick, like a pixelated camera readout for framing selfies. With Essential Notifications, you can assign specific app notifications or contacts to a unique pattern or a pixelated photo. However, it's challenging to create anything that doesn't look like a blurry mess. The same settings menu allows you to adjust the Matrix's brightness and how long the notifications persist. The front of the Phone 3 is all display, with a 6.67-inch screen and a resolution of 2,800 x 1,260. If you prefer a large screen, this is probably its biggest advantage over the iPhone 16 and Galaxy S25. It's also Nothing's brightest phone yet, reaching up to 4,500 nits for HDR content - noticeably brighter than the Nothing Phone 3a. It supports HDR 10+ and a 120Hz refresh rate, all protected by Gorilla Glass 7. Cameras Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Nothing has the fundamentals covered with the Phone 3's cameras. The triple-camera system includes a 50-megapixel f/1.7 main sensor with optical image stabilization, a 50MP ultrawide and a new 50MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. As we noted in our Nothing Phone 3a review, telephoto cameras are rare on more affordable smartphones. On the Phone 3, there's a periscope zoom, keeping the camera unit svelte and barely protruding from the device. It's also impressive to see a 3x zoom paired with a high-resolution 50-megapixel sensor, which allows you to crop into images while retaining fidelity. Nothing even added a 6x zoom button in the camera app that crops the image further. The app also uses pixel-binning for more accurate color and better low-light pictures by default, which results in them being saved as 12-megapixel images. Overall, the camera system can be a little inconsistent. During a vacation in Amsterdam, the Phone 3 captured crisp images of wildlife and architecture. Its Action mode was particularly impressive, effortlessly adding motion blur to shots while keeping the subject sharp. However, at other times, what should have been vibrant cityscape shots and street art came out muted and grainy. For example, psychedelic cat artwork that was incredibly vibrant in person looked flat in the photos. The metadata revealed the phone had cranked up the ISO, a setting I haven't had to manually adjust on a smartphone in years.While some color variation between the three lenses is expected, images often looked as if they were taken on different phones, something that was especially evident in scenes with blue skies. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget The telephoto camera is the standout feature on the Phone 3. I love the ability to play with zoom, and the 3x optical zoom (plus the additional crop) makes this a more useful camera than those on the iPhone 16 or Pixel 9, which top out at 2x zoom. It's also an excellent macro camera, using the zoom to prevent the phone from casting a shadow on the subject. Software Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Nothing once again outfits its phone with its own distinctive Android skin. The aesthetic is all monochrome, serif fonts and dot-matrix touches. I immediately chose this skin when setting up the phone for the first time, though finding some app icons can be more challenging without their original colors. Essential Space, with its dedicated hardware button, remains Nothing's most interesting software addition. Since launching on the Nothing Phone 3a, it can now add events to your Google Calendar, remind you of tasks and summarize audio recordings. My biggest issue, however, is accidentally hitting the power button instead of the Essential Key, or vice versa. The keys need to be a different size or at least have a more distinct feel. Performance and battery life With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor, the Phone 3 performs solidly, but it's not as snappy as a device with true flagship silicon, like the Snapdragon 8 Elite or Apple A18. Some might argue that the Phone 3 isn't a "true flagship" because its processor can be found in sub-$400 devices, but the chip is still powerful enough for most tasks and games, and can even deliver ray-traced graphics. Nothing opted for a 5,150mAh silicon-carbon battery, making it one of the first phones we've tested with this new technology. It can store more lithium ions than traditional lithium-ion batteries, which Nothing claims adds a 10 percent boost in energy density compared to its predecessor. I didn't feel any notable difference of the Phone 3 running cooler, however. In our battery rundown test, the Phone 3 was able to play a video file for just over 23 hours. That falls slightly shy of the Phone 2, but that has a smaller screen. The Phone 3 also gets flagship-level charging speeds, supporting 65W wired charging that gets the device from empty to full in under an hour (with a compatible charger). It also supports 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging for earbuds. However, the lack of Qi2 support seems like an oversight for a "true flagship." Wrap-up Image by Mat Smith for Engadget How does Nothing's flagship phone stack up against similarly priced smartphones? The Phone 3 offers a big 6.67-inch screen, a large battery with fast charging and 256GB of storage - double the amount found in the base Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25. However, a less-than-flagship chipset and inconsistent camera performance detract from the appeal of an otherwise intriguing phone with slick software and a unique design. The Glyph Matrix is much more useful than the flashing lights of the Phone 3's predecessors, even if the design isn't quite as bold. I just hope the company continues to evolve the tools available on it. The Phone 3 is a much better phone than the two-year-old Nothing Phone 2, but it's also $200 more expensive, making any shortcomings more apparent. While I want Nothing to continue experimenting with its phones, it should probably prioritize shoring up the camera performance first.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/nothing-phone-3-review-143006151.html?src=rss

Digital storefront Itch.io is reindexing its free adult games, and is talking to its partnered payment processors about plans to gradually reintroduce paid NSFW content. In a new Developer Update, the company said the decision will ensure it can "confidently support the widest range of creators in the long term."Itch.io has instructed developers and creators who want their games back on the store to tick a no payments" box that sits in the pricing section of a game's edit page. It adds that any game that uses "individually priced files" will have those files converted into free content by checking the box. The company is also introducing a new content warnings system for NSFW-tagged pages, which it says all page owners are required to update accordingly before being reindexed.Itch.io says it has talked to one of its long-standing payment processors, Stripe, about its policies on explicit adult content, and said it will no longer be able to take payments for games deemed to be "designed for sexual gratification" via the platform. This is due to new restrictions enforced by Stripe's banking partners. In a statement included in the Itch.io update, Stripe said it hasn't closed the door on the possibility of being able to support adult content again in the future. In the meantime, Itch.io says it is talking to its other payment partners about accepting the card payments Stripe is currently no longer able to process.The future of adult content on Itch.io appears to be uncertain. It was only last week that all NSFW games on the platform were deindexed and hidden, following the new payment processor policies. The sudden and frustratingly vague rules Steam and Itch.io introduced to remain in compliance with those payment processors have resulted in unjust casualties. This week, solo developer Cara Cadaver told Engadget that her game, VILE: Exhumed,has been removed from and banned by Steam on the basis of it having scenes of "sexual content with depictions of real people," a description she says is not accurate. VILE: Exhumed is a mainly text-based game, and has been well received in previews, landing a spot on Six One Indie's Best of PAX East roundup back in May. Steam's decision to remove the game is not eligible for appeal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/itchio-starts-reindexing-free-nsfw-content-152431716.html?src=rss

Google AI Ultra subscribers now have access to Deep Think, Google's most advanced reasoning model yet for Gemini 2.5. The new model was first unveiled at Google I/O, and after feedback from "early trusted testers," is now being rolled out to a wider audience. For now, access is limited to the highest-tier AI subscription Google offers, which will run you a cool $250 per month.The public version of Deep Think is a variation of the model that recently achieved a gold-medal standard at the International Mathematical Olympiad. Google says the version available today would achieve a bronze-medal standard at the same competition according to internal testing, and is faster and better suited for daily use. The gold-medal model will still be tested further and is being shared with a small group of mathematicians and academics for research.Deep Think works by leveraging what Google describes as parallel thinking techniques. This approach allows Gemini to generate multiple ideas at once and consider them simultaneously. Deep Think is also multi-modal, meaning it can take in different types of data including text, images and sound.Deep Think was tested against various AI benchmarks, such as Humanity's Last Exam and LiveCodeBench and outscored OpenAI's o3, xAI's Grok 4 and Gemini 2.5 Pro, according to Google.AI Ultra subscribers can begin using Deep Think within the Gemini app today, though they will be limited to a fixed number of prompts per day. Google did not share exactly how many prompts will be allowed.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-rolls-out-its-most-powerful-gemini-model-yet-151205875.html?src=rss

Earlier this week, Mark Zuckerberg published a memo outlining his vision to build AI "superintelligence." Citing "safety concerns," he wrote that Meta would need to be "rigorous" about what it open sources and what it doesn't. The line stood out, as Zuckerberg has made open source pretty central to Meta's approach to AI.In fact, his comments differ from what he wrote almost exactly a year ago in a different memo titled "Open Source AI is the Path Forward." In that, he said that open source is crucial for both Meta and developers.The new memo is pretty meandering, and Zuckerberg followed up with comments on Meta's Q2 earnings call, saying that nothing had particularly changed. He said the company had always open-sourced some of our models and not open-sourced everything that we've done."This Friday, we've got a barrage of reviews with more coming later today. Are Meta's Oakley glasses worth the extra money? Should Insta360 be scared of DJI's new camera? Read on!- Mat SmithGet Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The news you might have missed

Google is updating AI Mode on desktop this week with the ability to process images, so you can ask it detailed questions about the pictures like you already can on mobile. In the coming weeks, the company is also adding support for PDF uploads on desktop, which could help you digest lengthy course or work materials. You can ask AI Mode to summarize the documents for you and ask follow-up questions that it will then answer by cross-referencing the materials you uploaded with information available on the web. Google says AI Mode's responses will also include links to its references that you can visit in order to dig deeper. AI Mode will support additional file types for upload, including ones straight from your Google Drive, in the coming months as well.In addition to PDF upload support, Google is also rolling out a new Canvas feature that you can access if you're enrolled in the AI Mode Labs experiment in the US. You can use Canvas to consolidate all relevant information about a specific topic or for a specific purpose in a side panel that updates as you ask AI Mode more follow-up questions. If you're traveling, for instance, you can ask AI Mode to make you an itinerary and click the Create Canvas button. You'll be able to keep refining the itinerary with more questions, and you can always leave it alone for a while and come back to it later.AI Mode's Search Live is also getting video input on mobile this week, a feature Google announced at I/O 2025, after voice input arrived in June. To be able to access video input, you'll have to open Lens in the Google app and tap the Live icon before asking questions on what the camera sees. When Google revealed the feature during its annual developers' event, it said you could point the camera at a math problem, for example, and ask Search to help you solve it or to explain a concept you're having trouble understanding.Finally, with Lens in Chrome, you'll be able to ask AI Mode what's on your desktop screen. The company will roll out an "Ask Google about this page" dropdown option in the address bar "soon." When you click on it, AI Mode will create an overview with key information on what's being shown on your screen on the side panel, whether it's a web page or a PDF. That side panel will also contain a new "Dive Deeper" button that gives you a way to ask AI Mode specific questions about you've selected on your screen with Lens on desktop.Updated August 1, 2025 5:45AM ET: This story has been updated to add information on "Dive Deeper."Update, July 29 2025, 12:29PM ET: This story has been updated, as Google shared after the article was published that the image and PDF upload features will be available wherever AI Mode is available, not just in the US. That means those uploads will come to the US, India and the UK.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-is-bringing-image-and-pdf-uploads-to-ai-mode-160050646.html?src=rss

Apple has shipped its three billionth iPhone, Tim Cook has revealed during a call for the company's third quarter earnings. The company released the first iPhone in 2007 and sold its billionth iPhone in 2016. It is believed to have shipped its two billionth sometime in 2021, and now only four years later, it has reached the new milestone. Apple's CEO said the iPhone enjoyed a double digit growth in the third quarter and that the company earned $94 billion in revenue, up 10 percent year over year. In a tweet, Apple expert Mark Gurman suggested that iPhone sales over the past quarter were driven by people who bought one out of fear that the device would be out of their reach in the future due to Trump's tariffs.

Reddit is going to be leaning even harder into search in the coming months. The company has already been working on a plan to integrate its LLM-powered search into its main search feature, but CEO Steve Huffman said he wants users to think of the site as an actual search engine.During the company's latest earnings call, Huffman said search is one of the top priorities for Reddit. "We're concentrating our resources on the areas that will drive results for our most pressing needs, improving the core product, making Reddit a go-to search engine, and expanding internationally."The idea of reddit as a search engine isn't that far-fetched. Many people are already in the habit of adding "Reddit" to traditional searches in the hopes of finding relevant threads from the site. And the company has been trying to take advantage of this with its own AI-powered search product Reddit Answers. Though that feature is still labeled as being in "beta," the company plans to eventually add it to its default search bar."Our focus right now is on unifying the Reddit search, like traditional search on Reddit, which is very widely used on Reddit, and the new Reddit answers product ... we're unifying those into a single search experience, and we're going to bring that front and center in the app," Huffman said.Huffman's comments come at a time when AI is increasingly eating search traffic for websites. It sounds like even Reddit, which has a multimillion-dollar data licensing deal with Google, isn't immune from those trends either. During the call, Huffman said that Reddit's search traffic from Google "varies week to week," but that overall "it was a headwind" during the last quarter.That may help explain why Huffman is so eager to make Reddit itself a search destination, even as the company continues to license its data to AI companies. "AI doesn't invent knowledge," he said. "It learns from us; from real people, sharing real perspectives."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-should-be-a-go-to-search-engine-steve-huffman-says-230039621.html?src=rss

Apple leadership discussed results and updates today in its third-quarter conference call, including some statements about its AI endeavors. As reported by CNBC, CEO Tim Cook said that the company is "significantly growing out investments" in artificial intelligence, which shouldn't be much of a surprise for any players in the tech space. However, Cook did acknowledge that an acquisition to boost its work in AI wasn't out of the question. "We're open to M&A that accelerates our roadmap," he said.Cook said that Apple is "not stuck on a certain size company" as a possible target for an AI-related purchase. He noted that Apple has acquired "about" seven businesses so far this year across multiple disciplines but that none were "huge in terms of dollar amount."The company also has been pretty quiet on its promised plans to overhaul the Siri voice assistant with more AI features. The news is still sparse on that subject; according to Reuters, Cook simply stated that the team is "making good progress on a personalized Siri." Despite hopes that Siri improvements would be unveiled at WWDC 2025, the latest projections are that the AI-powered update to that service might not be ready until spring 2026.Apple did announce a few Apple Intelligence iterations at WWDC, but the general consensus is that the company's AI efforts have been flagging behind other big tech businesses. That has led to speculation that it may look externally to improve its standing in the race to build the best AI features. Most recently, some execs within Apple have allegedly been eyeing up Perplexity as a potential acquisition.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-is-open-to-acquisitions-to-boost-its-ai-roadmap-221925560.html?src=rss

Fall is often first-person shooter season, and looks like this year's release calendar will include the next entry in the Battlefield series. Battlefield 6 is launching on October 10, and will be available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam, Epic Games and the EA Play app.The previous trailer for the first-person shooter only showed content from the game's single-player campaign. While there have been some solid stories in the Battlefield franchise, the main draw for many fans is the sprawling multiplayer matches, which were the focus of today's new trailer and livestreamed event. The signature Conquest, Rush and Breakthrough modes will return in Battlefield 6, as well as typical FPS fare such as Team Deathmatch, Squad Deathmatch, Domination and King of the Hill. The new game mode coming this fall is called Escalation, where teams will face off to control and hold several capture points. On the map front, there are new locations in Egypt, Gibraltar, Tajikistan and Brooklyn, plus at least one familiar one: a remake of Operation Firestorm from Battlefield 3.There will be four familiar classes for players to choose from: Assault, Support, Recon and Engineer. Other tweaks showcased in the multiplayer content unveiled today include a new Drag and Revive option, where downed teammates can be lugged to a safer spot before you rez them, and an option for wall-mounting weapons for less recoil. There will also be plenty of opportunities for high-tech environmental destruction between the tanks, rocket launchers, aerial assaults and drone-mounted explosives. Or you can keep it simple and smash stuff with a really big hammer.If you can't wait until October 10 to get into the combat, Battlefield 6 will have two open beta weekends on August 9-10 and August 14-17. It's encouraging for fans to see some solid news about the upcoming game after an investigation by Ars Technica surfaced some concerning problems with its development and with AAA gaming at large.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/battlefield-6-gets-an-october-10-release-date-200150912.html?src=rss

Google's attempt to appeal the decision in Epic v. Google has failed. In a newly released opinion, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has decided to uphold the original Epic v. Google lawsuit that found that Google's Play Store and payment systems are monopolies.The decision means that Google will have to abide by the remedies of the original lawsuit, which limits the company's ability to pay phone makers to preinstall the Play Store, prevents it from requiring developers to use its payment systems and forces it to open up Android to third-party app stores. Not only will Google have to allow third-party app stores to be downloaded from the Play Store, but it also has to give those app stores "catalog access" to all the apps currently in the Play Store so they can have a competitive offering.In October 2024, Google won an administrative stay that put a pause on some of those restrictions pending the results of this Ninth Circuit case. "The stay motion on appeal is denied as moot in light of our decision," Judge M. Margaret McKeown, who oversaw the case, writes."This decision will significantly harm user safety, limit choice, and undermine the innovation that has always been central to the Android ecosystem," Lee-Anne Mullholand, Google's Global Head of Regulatory Affairs, told Engadget. "Our top priority remains protecting our users, developers and partners, and maintaining a secure platform as we continue our appeal." Google intends to appeal the Ninth Circuit's decision to the Supreme Court.The origin of the Epic v. Google lawsuit was Epic's decision to circumvent Google's payment system via a software update to Fortnite. When Google caught wind, it removed Fortnite from the Play Store and Epic sued. Epic pulled a similar gambit with Apple and the App Store, though was far less successful in winning concessions in that case - its major judicial success there has been preventing Apple from collecting fees from developers on purchases made using third-party payment systems.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-lost-its-antitrust-case-with-epic-again-190633325.html?src=rss

Uber Eats has added a slate of AI features designed to, theoretically, help merchants earn new customers and ease the shopping experience for users.AI-enhanced food images are intended to make dishes more appealing by improving photos uploads. In the press release, Uber Eats shows an example in which pictures captured very close to the food are transformed into wider field-of-view shots of plated dishes. Because the tool creates portions of the image that were not there before, its accuracy remains to be seen.Menu descriptions will also get the AI treatment with the idea being to ensure their accuracy so that customers feel more confident in what they're ordering. It will also summarize restaurant reviews, with the goal of highlighting areas for improvement as well as strengths. Much like the generated images, the jury is still out on if these tools will be useful, or another vector for hallucinations.Uber is inviting users to send photos of delivered food for items that lack menu images. Customers in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom can earn $3 in Uber Cash for their pictures."Live order chat" will finally allow merchants to initiate conversations directly with customers once an order has been placed.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/uber-eats-is-stuffing-ai-slop-into-your-meal-174413765.html?src=rss

NVIDIA is calling time on its Maxwell, Pascal and Volta GPUs, with one last significant driver release scheduled for October. This means that all graphics cards belonging to the GeForce GTX 7-, 9- and 10-series categories will only receive quarterly security updates beyond the October cutoff, with support ending entirely three years later in 2028. While they'll still work after that, they won't be optimized for new games and are more vulnerable to technical exploits.NVIDIA described its 11-year support for the aging hardware "well beyond industry norms." If you've been rocking a GTX card for the best part of a decade and don't want to get left behind, now might be a good time to look into upgrading your GPU.The other notable bit of news from NVIDIA is that its Game Ready Driver (GRD) support for Windows 10 on all RTX GPUs will run until October 2026. This is a year after Microsoft itself officially sunsets the operating system in a bid to move the last of the reluctant upgraders onto Windows 11. Games will at least remain optimised for another year, provided you're willing to risk continuing with an OS that is no longer receiving crucial security updates.NVIDIA's latest GRD update was released today, and includes optimizations for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and the upcoming Mafia: The Old Country, as well as adding support for 62 new G-Sync compatible displays.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/nvidia-is-ending-support-for-its-gtx-10--9--and-7-series-gpus-173112051.html?src=rss

Over the past few weeks, thousands of video games have been banned, removed and delisted from Steam and Itch.io. The justifications for doing so have been almost comically vague, and at least one highly anticipated title is now unable to be sold despite containing nothing objectionable.It started in early July, when payment processors including Visa, Mastercard and PayPal established new regulations concerning the types of games they would allow to be sold on the PC gaming platforms they support. The exact details of these regulations have not been made public. What we do know is that, in response on July 16, Steam added a sweepingly vague clause to its ruleset banning certain kinds of adult only content." Hundreds of games were removed from the platform. On July 24, Itch.io rolled out its own rule change and summarily deindexed every adult and NSFW game it hosted, which amounted to more than 20,000 titles being hidden from search and browse pages. Itch.io is currently auditing this bunch and preparing to introduce new compliance measures for NSFW games.Among the games swept up in this tidal wave of censorship is VILE: Exhumed, the latest project from solo developer Cara Cadaver of Final Girl Games and publisher DreadXP.VILE: Exhumed takes place in the files and preserved BBS chatrooms of an old PC, as players hunt for clues in the disappearance of adult film actress Candy Corpse. It's an unsettling psychological experience that's mainly text-based, and it offers pixelated commentary on misogyny, sexual entitlement and parasocial relationships. VILE: Exhumed has been praised in multiple previews, even earning a place in Six One Indie's Best of PAX East lineup this May. It was slated to hit Steam on July 22.As DreadXP director Hunter Bond and his team continued preparing the game for launch, they noticed it was taking an abnormally long time for Steam to approve its page. They submitted tickets to Steam asking for a status update, but heard nothing concrete back. The day before VILE: Exhumed was supposed to come out, Cara and DreadXP were forced to announce a delay. And On July 28, Cara announced VILE: Exhumed had been removed from Steam and banned from the platform.Steam told Cara that the action was triggered by scenes of sexual content with depictions of real people," a description that she said doesn't apply to her game, since it deals in text and implication. The ban is not eligible for appeal and VILE: Exhumed can not be resubmitted to Steam. This effectively removes it from the mainstream PC gaming conversation, since Steam essentially enjoys a monopoly in the market and there isn't a competing storefront with the same audience reach in town. Losing Steam access is a huge blow for small developers especially.VILE: Exhumed is a deeply personal project for Cara, one that she worked on for years. I poured myself into this game - it was an incredibly personal story, made up of bits and pieces of my real-life experiences, my real feelings, and was reflective of that for many other people as well," Cara told Engadget. "Silencing a story about violence, entitlement and sexual expression (though the sexual content was all implied) shows the age we are living in, and I deeply worry for storytelling and art."Cara CadaverTo put it clearly: Steam removed a solo female developer's game about misogynistic violence and banned her from attempting to list it ever again, and the platform's reason for doing so doesn't make sense to anyone who knows what's actually in the game. You can decide that for yourself, too: At least one full playthrough of VILE: Exhumed lives happily on YouTube, a site not known for tolerant views on nudity or adult themes. More confusingly, the original version of Cara's game, VILE, remains available and searchable on Itch.io's storefront, even though it includes much of the same content as Exhumed.This highlights a core issue with Steam and Itchi.io's sudden and haphazard censorship plans. Vague rules against adult-only content" leave too much room for interpretation and invite overreach - especially in a society that's increasingly hostile to marginalized communities - while simultaneously doing very little to protect the audience from whatever demons the payment processors think they have identified. The rollout of the new regulations has been chaotic and already multiple games, including the horror hit Mouthwashing, have been inaccurately identified as casualties of the situation.Engadget has reached out to Visa, Mastercard and PayPal for information on what their new policies are and why they're being enacted. Only PayPal has responded with a generic statement that it does not comment on individual accounts. Valve has also not returned requests for comment. Itch.io did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.Cara CadaverThis isn't the first time Visa, Mastercard, PayPal and other major payment processors have targeted online communities for censorship. The current PC gaming bans mirror previous efforts to restrict content on PornHub, OnlyFans and Patreon, to name a few targets. This sort of financial censorship, the Electronic Frontier Foundation says, "can heavily influence what kind of speech can exist online."The International Game Developers Association has lodged its fierce opposition to the censorship campaign, and provides avenues for players to contact Visa and Mastercard directly with their concerns.We are alarmed by the vague enforcement of policies delisting and deplatforming legal, consensual, and ethically-developed games, especially from LGBTQ+ and marginalized creators," the IGDA said. Developers deserve clear rules, fair warnings, and the right to appeal."In the case of VILE: Exhumed, Steam is silencing a game that can help combat gender-based sexual violence, in the name of protecting players from being harmed by these same themes. VILE: Exhumed is uncomfortable, confronting, personal and raw - and that's the beauty of small, independent games. By all accounts, it doesn't belong in the Steam ban, and it's also likely not the only game unfairly swept up in the broad censorship campaigns hitting PC platforms, pushed by payment processors."Indie development for me has been such a beautiful opportunity to create things and tell stories that mean something to me - and I hate that that freedom of expression is being taken from myself and others," Cara said. She and DreadXP are cooking up a new distribution plan that doesn't include Steam.Have a tip for Jessica? You can reach her by email, Bluesky or send a message to @jesscon.96 to chat confidentially on Signal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/vile-exhumed-is-an-unjust-casualty-in-steams-sweeping-censorship-campaign-170203493.html?src=rss

The iconic tower defense game Plants vs. Zombies is getting an HD remaster. Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted heads to the Switch and Switch 2 on October 23, as revealed during this morning's Nintendo Direct livestream.As the name suggests, it's a remake of the very first PvZ game, going all the way back to 2009. This is the first time we're seeing a version of the original title on a Nintendo platform since the DS.This is more than just a simple HD refresh. The graphics have been upscaled, which is nice, but EA has also added new levels and plenty of secrets to uncover. The refresh will even include local co-op and PvP, which should be fun. The PSN and Xbox Live Arcade versions of the game, released in the early 2010s, had a co-op mode, but not's not true of many other iterations.Preorders are open right now, and early birds will receive a retro Peashooter skin when the game launches. It remains to be seen if the game will come to other platforms beyond Nintendo's hybrid consoles. However, it's very likely to pop up on just about everything before too long.As for the rest of today's Nintendo Direct, it was a muted affair focusing on third-party titles. Square Enix announced a new Octopath Traveler game and Atlus revealed that Persona 3 Reload is coming to Switch 2. There was also a bizarre-looking game about building a campfire.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/plants-vs-zombies-is-getting-an-hd-remaster-with-co-op-155622843.html?src=rss

Lyft has received the required regulatory clearance to finalize its acquisition of the European app-based taxi company Freenow. First announced back in April, Lyft's approximately $197 million agreement with BMW and Mercedes-Benz allows the company to expand outside of North America for the first time.Freenow's service will continue to operate as normal, but Bloombergreports that users will be prompted to download the Lyft app when travelling in the US or Canada, and vice versa for Lyft riders in one of the nine countries or 180 European cities Freenow currently operates in. Eventually you'll be able to book a taxi on either app without having to switch.According to Bloomberg, none of the roughly 600 Freenow employees' jobs are at risk, and while 50 percent of taxi bookings in Europe apparently still happen offline, the new partners believe there is a desire for that to shift more towards an online majority. In 2024, taxis accounted for 90 percent of Freenow's income and they will remain the "backbone" of its business going forward.As well as seamless app integration in the future, Freenow said in April that riders can expect more consistent pricing, faster matching and new features as a result of the Lyft acquisition. Lyft is the second-largest ride-hailing company in the US, trailing Uber, and has been looking to introduce more autonomous vehicles into its network from 2025 onwards after partnering with Mobileye and several other companies last year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/lyft-completes-its-197-million-acquisition-of-europes-freenow-152420370.html?src=rss

The well-regraded 8BitDo Ultimate 2C controller is on sale for just $18 via Amazon. This is nearly 40 percent off and a record-low price. Typically, this controller doesn't go any lower than $25, so this is one heck of a deal. There's one major caveat. The deal only applies to the pink colorway, which may not be everyone's bag. It looks pretty good, though, as you can see below. The Ultimate 2C is a good match for the Nintendo Switch, Windows PCs and Android devices. It connects via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or with a physical cable. It's compatible with devices running Windows 10 and above and Android 9.0 and above. The battery life is solid, with around 32 hours per charge on Bluetooth and 19 hours when using the wireless 2.4G adapter. As for the actual controller, it boasts Hall Effect joysticks that are precise and durable. There's an extra set of bumpers that can be remapped without additional software. It offers 6-axis control and haptic feedback, aka rumble. It's a decent little controller, particularly for the price. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/8bitdos-ultimate-2c-controller-is-on-sale-for-only-18-150801451.html?src=rss

Thursday's Nintendo Direct showcased some interesting games, but none seemed more relaxing than one called Chillin' by the Fire. This is a campfire sim from Oink Games in which you'll build and grow a fire. You'll split and stack firewood, dry out wet logs before adding them to your blaze and fan the flames by blowing on 'em. It's important not to have too little or too much wood in a fire at any given time, and you might have to deal with elemental factors like low temperatures on a snowy mountain.The main aim of Chillin' by the Fire is to build a level 10 blaze, but there are other ways to play. In survival mode, you'll have a limited stock of firewood and have to figure out how to pass the flame between logs to keep it burning. There's also a multiplayer feature called Playground, in which you can compete with friends to construct the biggest fire (messing with them is an option here) or work together.Chillin' by the Fire supports GameShare, so you only need one copy to play with up to three other people online (they'll each need a Switch 2) or locally (on separate Switch or Switch 2 systems). It supports GameChat as well, so you can have you and your buddies' heads hanging out by the fire, where you can roast marshmallows, set off fireworks or carry out the time-honored tradition of telling spooky campfire stories (Are You Afraid of the Dark?-style) as your heads hover in the air.It all seems quite lovely, in truth. These days, I like the idea of camping more than actually camping. No, thank you. Too many bugs. So, Chillin' by the Fire seems right up my alley. It's out today on Nintendo Switch 2 and it costs $15.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/chillin-by-the-fire-is-a-relaxing-co-op-campfire-sim-thats-out-today-on-nintendo-switch-2-150009762.html?src=rss

The Nintendo Switch was a great place to play Persona games, and it looks like the outgoing console has passed on the torch to its successor, with last year's Persona 3 Reload kicking things off when it comes to Switch 2 on October 23.Reload is a full remake of 2006's Persona 3 (later ported to the PSP as Persona 3 Portable), which Engadget's Mat Smith called "a gorgeous version of itself" in his review. It's both one of the most confusing and influential entries in the long-running series, and the remake's updated visuals means it sits proudly alongside Persona 5 Royal as one of the most stylish RPGs you'll ever play. It's also one of the more repetitive entries, but that didn't put off the many Persona sickos out there from experiencing the remixed game all over again.The Switch 2 version of Persona 3 Reload means the game will be playable on practically every modern platform, but the big question will be how it performs on the more powerful hardware. The Switch port of Persona 5 Royal wasn't quite as easy on the eyes as the PlayStation, Xbox and PC versions, but the portability made it the ideal platform for the game all the same.Persona 3 Reload comes to Switch 2 on October 23. At the time of writing there's no news on whether a physical version will be available at launch.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/persona-3-reload-arrives-on-switch-2-in-october-134501067.html?src=rss

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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