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Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) are leading a group of congressional Democrats in investigating White House Special Advisor David Sacks for possibly serving in his position for longer than he's allowed. Sacks, a former PayPal executive and venture capitalist at Craft Ventures, was originally picked by President Donald Trump to be the "White House A.I. & Crypto Czar" in 2024."Any effort to stay beyond the time limits imposed on you as a Special Government Employee (SGE) would raise additional ethics concerns for you and the Trump Administration," the group writes in a letter to Sacks,"particularly as it moves to implement recently enacted cryptocurrency legislation and put in place new rules for the crypto industry."Besides being friendly with the Trump campaign and allies like Elon Musk, Sacks was given his position because of his knowledge of the crypto and AI industries as an investor. That poses an obvious conflict of interest, something that's only waived during the 130-day limit that SGEs are supposed to serve. As Warren and the other Democrats backing the investigation note, though, it's possible Sacks has been working in his role for longer than that."If you have worked every calendar day since the presidential inauguration, your 130th day of work in this role was May 29, 2025," the group writes. "If you have worked every business day, your 130th day was July 25, 2025. As of the date of this letter, it is the 167th business day of this Administration."As part of the investigation, Sacks is expected to offer a more detailed account of when and how he works in his advisory role, including if he answers government emails while working in Silicon Valley. Congressional Democrats are trying to verify if norms have been violated to make sure that they won't be violated in the future, but there are larger ethical concerns to contend with, too.The second Trump administration has been friendly to the crypto industry, likely thanks in part to the influence of Sacks. Trump signed an executive order calling for the creation of a federal Bitcoin stockpile and signed the GENIUS Act into law in July, establishing a regulatory framework for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency typically tied to the value of the US dollar. Continuing to serve in his role without leaving his position at Craft Ventures or disclosing his investments would only raise more questions about how Sacks stands to benefit from advising on regulation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/democrats-are-investigating-trump-crypto-advisor-david-sacks-over-a-possible-sge-violation-215758087.html?src=rss

Get ready for a return to the life of Kazuma Kiryu, because it seems that a remake of Yakuza 3 is on the way. The leak was discovered on developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios' website. Fans noticed that there was an entry for Yakuza Kiwami 3 alongside the listings for the remakes of the first two Yakuza games - Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2 - on the RGG site. Although the listing has since been removed, screencaps shared on social media documented the accidental reveal.

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has asked the CEOs of Discord, Twitch, Valve and Reddit to testify at a hearing on online radicalization. The hearing will be held on October 8, 2025, and is in direct response to the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk, an event some have tried to connect to the online communities the alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, participated in."Congress has a duty to oversee the online platforms that radicals have used to advance political violence," Comer shared in the press release announcing the hearing. "To prevent future radicalization and violence, the CEOs of Discord, Steam, Twitch, and Reddit must appear before the Oversight Committee and explain what actions they will take to ensure their platforms are not exploited for nefarious purposes."Following Kirk's death, law enforcement, regulators and the press have exerted significant effort to both understand Robinson's actions and structure them into a coherent narrative. The fact that he seemingly engraved the bullets he used with references to furry memes and the game Helldivers implies he may have been immersed in online culture, and could have been influenced by who he interacted with there. But a recent report on his Discord chats suggests his motivations are hard to pin down, even for his friends.In general, online platforms don't escape scrutiny after tragic events, so these sorts of hearings are to be expected. Twitch and Discord were both investigated by the New York and New Jersey Attorney Generals following a 2022 shooting in Buffalo, New York, for example. Given the reaction to Kirk's death, though, it remains to be seen how much the House Oversight Committee actually wants answers from online platforms, and how much it wants to lay the blame at their feet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/house-committee-asks-discord-valve-twitch-and-reddit-to-testify-on-online-radicalization-184100470.html?src=rss

Google is partnering with a UK nonprofit to fight non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII). (You may know it better as revenge porn.) Over the coming months, the company will begin using StopNCII's hashes. These user-uploaded digital fingerprints can block individuals' unwanted intimate content from appearing in search results.StopNCII has a pretty neat system to combat revenge porn. Say you have some images you most definitely don't want surfacing online. Select the picture on your device, and StopNCII will create a digital fingerprint of the file. That hash will be uploaded to the service. The photo itself never leaves your device. The organization then shares the hash (again, not the spicy pic) with participating platforms.Then, if an asshole ex takes the liberty of uploading said photo to one of those companies' services, it should be removed automatically. If the platform uses real-time hash matching, it can even block the upload immediately before it reaches anyone's eyes. It's a pretty solid defense against an ugly problem.The system isn't bulletproof. First, it only works for known images. So, if someone else has an intimate photo that you don't have a copy of, you'll have to fight that using other means. StopNCII doesn't work for AI-generated images, audio recordings or saucy text chats.The system also won't help if the content is uploaded to a non-partner platform. In addition to Google, StopNCII partners with Meta, Reddit, Pornhub, OnlyFans, Snap, Microsoft Bing, X and more.This is far from Google's first move to combat NCII. A decade ago, it created a system for submitting revenge porn takedown requests. In 2024, it made it easier to remove deepfake NCII. On Wednesday, Google product manager Griffin Hunt explained that "given the scale of the open web, there's more to be done to reduce the burden on those who are affected by it."If you're 18 or older and have any photos of yourself that you want to flag proactively, you can start using StopNCII right now. Head to the org's website to create a case. Note that the service only works for pictures that are nude, semi-nude or show a sexual act. And remember, the photo itself never leaves your device, so your privacy remains intact.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-will-upgrade-its-revenge-porn-defenses-with-help-from-a-uk-nonprofit-181016291.html?src=rss

Logitech hosted its annual G Play showcase today and unveiled a collection of new gaming peripherals. The lineup includes headsets, mice and a keyboard.The G Pro X Superlight 2c is an even more compact redesign of the company's Superlight 2 wireless mouse. This version weighs 51 grams and has up to 95 hours of battery life. It will be available on October 21 and will cost $160. Logitech's other new gaming mouse is the G Pro X2 Superstrike, which boasts haptic feedback in its main click buttons and uses an inductive sensor system instead of traditional switches. This allows players to customize their actuation points, similar to what we've seen in recent analog gaming keyboards. It also has battery life of up to 90 hours and weighs 65 grams. There's no pricing information yet, and the release window is broadly set for the first quarter of 2026.LogitechThe company also announced a pair of headsets. The Astro A20 X is a mid-range model with the handy feature of being able to connect to two consoles or PCs at once. It has 40 mm PRO-G Audio Drivers, and RGB settings. Battery life is up to 40 hours with the RGB equipped or up to 90 hours without. The A20 X comes with the same microphone as Logitech's Astro A50 X model, which is one of our favorite gaming headsets. The A20 X will cost $180 and will be available on October 8. The other new headset is the G321 Lightspeed, a budget option at $60. This set has just 20 hours of battery life and emphasizes wearability in the design. It will be available starting sometime in October.The rest of the G Play lineup includes the G515 Rapid TKL keyboard, which has a low profile and magnetic analog switches. That's available today for $170. Logitech also added a new RS50 wheel setup and RS pedals for driving games. On the software side, the company has also added a game launcher to its G Hub portal. It supports Epic Game Store, GOG and WeGame libraries. The G Hub Games update will roll out during the holiday season.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/logitech-adds-new-devices-to-its-gaming-accessories-lineup-180138486.html?src=rss

It's somewhat ironic that Apple, the company that popularized the use of capacitive touchscreens with the iPhone and iPad, has been staunchly opposed to bringing our fingers anywhere near MacBook screens. Meanwhile, Microsoft and PC makers jumped at the opportunity to build touchscreen laptops years ago. The tablet-focused Windows 8 was a failure, sure, but touchscreens led to excellent convertible notebooks and hybrid tablets like the Surface lineup. Now, according to a new rumor from longtime Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple might finally be ready to bring touchscreens to the MacBook Pro.In a tweet posted this morning, Kuo wrote, "MacBook models will feature a touch panel for the first time, further blurring the line with the iPad. This shift appears to reflect Apple's long-term observation of iPad user behavior, indicating that in certain scenarios, touch controls can enhance both productivity and the overall user experience."

Google's Discover content feed is getting some new features. It'll soon include more than just articles from throughout the web. The company says the platform will be incorporating stuff like social media posts from platforms like Instagram and X along with YouTube Shorts.In our research, people told us they enjoyed seeing a mix of content in Discover, including videos and social posts, in addition to articles," the company wrote in an announcement. These changes will start showing up in the "coming weeks."However, that's not the only new tool arriving for Discover. Starting today, users can customize feeds in a number of ways. Folks can follow creators or publishers to see more content from them. Users can also tap the creator's name to preview social posts and articles before making a final decision. This is all similar to a recently-introduced feature for Search that lets people set preferred news sources.This is just the latest update to the company's Discover feed. Google recently introduced AI-generated summaries and a tool that automatically creates a podcast based on the feed.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-discover-is-going-to-start-showing-social-media-posts-and-youtube-shorts-175754283.html?src=rss

If you're in the market for an air fryer, first of all, welcome to the club. A world of perfectly- cooked fries awaits you. But which model to get? Well, you can save some cash right now if you pick Ninja's Foodi DZ090C 5-in-1 air fryer, which is down to $120 from its regular price of $180 when purchased directly from the brand. That's a sizable saving of $60. A smaller version of the air fryer we featured as the best dual-zone option in our 2025 air fryer buyers guide, the two-basket DZ090C lets you cook up two totally different foods in separate baskets simultaneously. And while its six-quart capacity isn't hugely spacious, you should have more than enough space for small or solo meals. And if you have a small kitchen, it's probably a more sensible pick than the DZ401 we highlight in our guide. If you're thinking about what to have for dessert, you might also be interested in Ninja's Creami, a 7-in-1 ice cream maker that also excels at smoothies, sorbets and milkshakes. We gave it a score of 90 in our review, praising its ease of use and versatility, which landed it a spot in our best tech of 2024 awards. At $200, it's currently $30 off. There are also a range of discounts to be found on SharkNinja's entire product lineup at the moment. Shoppers can save 10 percent on $150+, 15 percent on $250+, or 20 percent on $350+ on Ninja products, and 10 percent on $200+, 15 percent on $250+, or 20 percent on $300+ when shopping directly from Shark. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-the-best-ninja-air-fryers-for-small-kitchens-is-60-off-right-now-170505340.html?src=rss

Apple released an entirely new lineup of Apple Watches during its Awe dropping" launch event in mid September. There's now a new flagship, Apple Watch Series 11, a revamped entry-level model, Apple Watch SE 3, and the next generation of the premium wearable, Apple Watch Ultra 3. We didn't get a new version of either the SE or the Ultra last year, and Apple made up for the wait by giving those two significant updates. The Series 11 is still what we recommend for most people, but the other two are more compelling than ever. Here, we break down the differences between the models so you can pick the best Apple Watch for your wrist computer needs. Table of contents

Garmin just announced a refresh of its Bounce smartwatch for kids and the big headline is the exorbitant price. It costs $300, which is twice the cost of the previous generation and $50 more than an Apple Watch SE. The Bounce 2 still offers tracking and communication features, both powered by an LTE connection. The exterior has been completely redesigned, with a rounded 1.2-inch AMOLED display. The original model was square-ish, resembling an Apple Watch. Communication is better here, which is good as this is a smartwatch intended for parents to keep track of kids. Voice messages sent to the watch will be transcribed and can be read or listened to. It also allows for actual phone calls, which the original did not. The Bounce 2 offers GPS tracking and the battery lasts two full days between charges. It can play music, but only with an Amazon Music subscription. Also, all communication features require a subscription to one of Garmin's in-house smartwatch plans. These cost $10 per month or $100 annually. The Bounce 2 is available to order right now and comes in three colors. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/garmins-new-smartwatch-for-kids-costs-more-than-the-apple-watch-se-153134955.html?src=rss

When you enter the building that houses Apple's audio lab, venture just beyond reception and you'll encounter a massive vintage stereo setup. The deck and accompanying speakers were a gift from Steve Jobs to the team of engineers who work in this office. The group sees the old-school tech as a source of inspiration, but also as a reminder of Jobs' obsession with both music and sound.More than inspiration, though, the stereo is a reminder to the experts in software, acoustics and sound design how important sound is to everything Apple builds.Inside, I was led into a maze of nondescript halls, weaving from room to room with a trio of Apple engineers as my guides. I was in for a rare peek into the company's product development facilities - a step further behind the curtain than what's typically allowed during Apple events.Validating the AirPods hearing testBilly Steele for EngadgetAs Apple's audio team works to correct and calibrate the AirPods' fit for natural variations in ear geometry, they use a collection of audio metric booths to check their work. These rooms look like small, windowless offices. The walls are covered in sound-dampening panels and there's a single workstation with a Mac and various tools for hearing analysis. If you'll recall, one of the company's major ambitions with AirPods has been the end-to-end hearing health experience that it debuted last year. In order to validate its claims of a clinical grade hearing test," engineers use devices you might see in an audiologist's office, like audiometers. These spaces aren't unlike the small booths you've probably sat in for a professionally-administered hearing test.In one booth alone, the team ran thousands of tests on the feature to ensure that the hearing screening in your pocket was as accurate as what you could get from a doctor. Not only does this allow AirPods users to set up a hearing aid at home (if needed), but it also creates an accurate hearing profile so that you can hear music the way it was intended.Another important step in the product design process was making sure there was a tuning baseline for every person that listens to music with AirPods. Everyone hears various frequencies differently, so there needs to be an adjustment to achieve the desired consistency. With the hearing test and accompanying audio profile, Apple then has a starting point to make both technical and artistic decisions. It's here that the technology and liberal arts expertise among the audio lab team starts to mix.When your office is a tuning studioBilly Steele for EngadgetThe media tuning lab works on any product Apple makes that can reproduce recorded audio, including the iPhone, Mac and iPad. In order to bridge the gap between the art and science of that pursuit, this team comes from a variety of backgrounds - from live concert sound, to Broadway sound design and even traditional acoustic engineering. The various tuning studios in this area are set up like music creation rooms: complete mini studios with various instruments scattered around, a prime seat for listening in the back and a desk replacing the recording engineer's sound board. As a nice touch, they're all named after famous recording studios (like Abbey Road).The main idea there is that the tuning team needs to reference what the recorded content sounded like at the time it was created. That, in turn, provides a better picture of the artist's intention that can then be applied to products like the AirPods Pro 3. Due to the combination of the ear tips' seal and the computational audio inside Apple's latest earbuds model, the tuning engineers believe these AirPods provide the most authentic sound thus far in the company's lineup because the team has been able to reduce so much of the variation across users and fits.To create a sound profile that's exciting for customers and still maintains all of that authenticity, the media tuning team listens to thousands of hours of music, movies, podcasts and YouTube videos in mono, stereo and Dolby Atmos. There's also a lot of vinyl lining the shelves of these tuning studios. During the development process, the team will test multiple versions of hardware with tons of tuning variations using computational audio. The goal is for all of the tuning decisions to translate better to all users, with a desire that everyone hears the same sound from Apple's products.In addition to listening to music through speakers and headphones, microphones are also important to the tuning work. In order to create features like the studio-quality audio recording on AirPods Pro, the team captured clips from the earbuds in the studio and out in the real world before comparing them with benchmarks from high-end recording mics. That analysis allows the engineers to translate pro-grade audio features for consumer products like AirPods. Studio-quality audio, for example, replaces a lavalier with your earbuds for iPhone videos. It won't ever replace a studio microphone, obviously, but it does put more capable audio tools in your pocket.The completely silent roomBilly Steele for EngadgetAn important part of testing Apple's audio products, and features like spatial audio, is to use them in a completely silent room. Known as an anechoic chamber, it's a room within a room that's physically separated from the rest of the building. This is essential because things like footsteps in the hall or cars driving by outside can create vibrational noise that would otherwise be transmitted into the chamber.Inside, foam wedges on the walls, floor and ceiling absorb all sound that's emitted in the space. There's no echo (hence the name anechoic"), so voices and claps just die. In fact, you have to walk on a suspended grid that looks like wire fencing, because the true "floor" of the room is more foam wedges meant to absorb sonic reflections from below. It's an off-putting space to spend time in, since it looks like something out of a sci-fi movie - not to mention the lack of reverb.Over the decades that Apple has been designing and manufacturing electronics, the company has learned a lot about all of the unwanted noise that its devices make. The anechoic chamber allows a dedicated team of acoustic engineers to listen very carefully to products like AirPods to determine if any sounds are unintended. They collaborate with other engineering teams to make sure the product isn't doing anything the company doesn't intend for it to do.The anechoic chamber is also a vital part of spatial audio development. In its current configuration, there's a chair in the room with a ring of tiny speakers around it. Engineers study the variable physiology of test subjects, like the way sound bounces off the body and around the inside of their ears. To then create the perception of sound coming from a particular direction, the team uses computational audio and signal processing to create the ideal angle for a person's hearing signature. This sort of analysis was directly responsible for Personalized Spatial Audio, which takes a scan from an iPhone camera and analyzes it with various models and algorithms to tailor the sound to each person.Fantasia Lab: Verifying ANC, transparency mode and spatial audioThe last stop on my tour was the most visually and sonically appealing. This room is called the Fantasia Lab, named for the first film that used surround sound. The name also speaks to the Apple engineers' ability to generate (or simulate) any sound they can think of with the room's spherical speaker setup. The audio lab team used this room to verify features on the AirPods Pro 3, including transparency mode, active noise cancellation (ANC) and spatial audio.The array of dozens of loudspeakers enable the engineers to assess whether environmental sounds in transparency mode are as accurate and natural as possible. The team will have someone sit inside the sphere and have them indicate which direction the audio is coming from to eliminate any issues with the feature. To gauge ANC performance, different types of sounds at various volumes are piped in. This gives the engineers insight into the workings of the adaptation and oversight algorithms, the bits of software employed to make sure the ANC is steadily and effectively blocking as much noise as possible. And for spatial audio, the team will play sounds at different locations and angles from real speakers before trying to recreate the perception that sound is coming from the same place inside of the AirPods.I was able to take a seat for a few seconds to get a sense of what the Fantasia Lab is capable of. One of the engineers played a live recording of a concert in spatial audio. With speakers all around me, sound was coming from all directions - including the roar of the crowd singing along. I closed my eyes and I was there, vibing to Omar Apollo with tens of thousands of people. Except, of course, I wasn't. I was surrounded by speakers in a small room with four other people, through a maze of corridors, tucked into one of Apple's myriad buildings around Cupertino.Imagine my disappointment when I opened my eyes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/inside-the-apple-audio-lab-where-airpods-are-tested-and-tuned-150025891.html?src=rss

Wacom has announced its latest beginner-friendly graphics tablet, the Wacom One 14. The obvious upgrade from its 2023 predecessor is a larger 14-inch IPS display, which gives digital artists a bit of extra space for their sketching. The bezels have been trimmed down to accommodate the bigger canvas, while keeping the design thin and compact enough to easily throw the Wacom One in a backpack.The 1920 x 1080 HD display's textured surface is supposed to replicate the feeling of drawing on paper, with an anti-glare coating that with an anti-glare coating that theoretically allow you to use it outdoors with minimal frustration. It'll resist fingerprints too, but unlike other tablets in Wacom's lineup, this one lacks multitouch tech. It's designed to be used strictly with the included battery-free pen, which has a 16ms response time and clips to the top of the tablet for easy access. It's pressure-sensitive and has two customizable buttons.Given it's marketed at amateurs just getting started on their artistic journey, you get a selection of bundled software that includes Skillshare lessons and a trial for Clip Studio Paint Pro. You can also use Foxit to edit and annotate PDF files, making the Wacom One a good pick for teachers who don't need the additional functionality of an iPad.You connect the Wacom One 14 to a Mac or PC by either using the provided USB-C cable, or via a Wacom converter to which you connect separate cables if your device isn't equipped with Thunderbolt or DisplayPort Alt Mode. You can pick one up now for $300.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/the-new-14-inch-wacom-one-ups-the-display-size-but-not-the-price-142322193.html?src=rss

Waymo is plotting a route for Tennessee, as it plans to bring its robotaxis to Nashville. The company expects to start autonomous driving operations in the city in the coming months before opening up to the public in 2026.At the outset, folks in the area will be able to hail a ride via the Waymo app. Down the line, Lyft will be able to match users with Waymo rides in Nashville.Waymo is currently up and running in five US cities: San Francisco (and other parts of the Bay Area), Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta. Along with Nashville, Waymo is planning to soon move into Denver and Seattle, where it started testing its vehicles this month, as well as Miami and Washington DC.The company also received permission from New York City in August to start test rides there, albeit with a human driver behind the wheel. In addition, testing is underway in Tokyo - Waymo's first international location - though human drivers are manually operating the vehicles at the outset.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/waymo-is-headed-to-nashville-in-2026-140807997.html?src=rss

Apple released its thinnest phone yet last week, the iPhone Air, and revealed the new iPhone Air MagSafe Battery alongside it. The existence of a specially-made battery pack wasn't a big surprise to me, because there had been rumors of the iPhone Air for months leading up to the event. Everyone was prepared for the thinnest iPhone ever to make some battery life sacrifices to achieve its svelte design.However, what was a surprise to me was how much Apple leaned on the new battery during the iPhone Air launch presentation. The company even lists battery life estimates with and without this optional battery pack in the iPhone Air specs. That tells me - and regular consumers - that the battery pack is a highly-recommended purchase on a good day and downright necessary on a bad day for all iPhone Air owners.So, folks spending $999 (or more) on an iPhone Air should plan to pony up another $99 for this specially designed battery pack? I'm here to tell you that's a ridiculous notion and that you shouldn't do it, especially when there are so many other options available at lower prices.To be clear, I personally haven't tried out the iPhone Air with this battery pack. My colleague Sam Rutherford has (check out his iPhone Air review), and he thinks it's a great fit for the iPhone Air. In particular, he likes some of the (admittedly) smart features Apple included like the battery's ability to charge itself and the phone simultaneously while the phone is plugged in, and that it can wirelessly top up a pair of AirPods Pro 3. However, he does acknowledge that the math simply ain't mathin' on this one when it comes to value for money.The $99 iPhone Air MagSafe Battery has a 3,149 mAh, according to the information written on the power bank itself. That comes out to about $0.03 per milliampere hours. Let's compare that to one of the top picks in our guide to the best MagSafe power banks, this Anker Nano battery: that 5,000 mAh pack is priced at $55, which comes out to $0.01 per milliampere hours. Even the watt-hour rating (Whr) on Apple's pack is lower: 12.26Whr, as compared to 25Whr on this Anker option. And don't forget, the Anker pack isn't exclusively made for the iPhone Air - it, like other magnetic power banks, can be used with other iPhones and smartphones.To add insult to injury, Apple's Air MagSafe Battery tops out at 12W wireless charging unless it's plugged in while powering the phone up and can employ help from passthrough USB-C charging. The Anker pack is Qi2-certified for up to 15W of wireless charging, and since the iPhone Air supports up to 20W of wireless power, that means Anker's accessory could deliver its full 15 watts when snapped to the back of the Air.Not only are you getting nearly double the mAh capacity for half the price with the Anker option (and faster charging to boot), but the numbers become even more ridiculous if you consider (hypothetically), what a larger Apple-made battery pack could cost. With those numbers, a 5K Apple MagSafe battery would cost $150 and a 10K bank would set you back $300. Imagine paying those prices for any other power bank made by any other company - it's laughable, and we should treat it as such.Now, is this out of character for Apple to make an overpriced accessory? Absolutely not. But this is different from a $99 Milanese Loop band for Apple Watch or even a $250 Magic Keyboard for iPad. This battery pack is so important to the overall iPhone Air story that the handset's power specifications can't be examined properly without it. That's insane.I used one of the picks from our guide as an example, but rest assured, there are plenty of other MagSafe battery packs available now made by reputable manufacturers with similar specs. Just look for any Qi2-compatible magnetic power bank that works with the iPhone Air, and you'll probably have a better value on your hands than Apple's in-house made pack. Those who want to overpay for sleekness and convenience can certainly do so, but don't let anyone convince you it's your best or only option.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/you-absolutely-should-not-buy-apples-iphone-air-magsafe-battery-pack-131009089.html?src=rss

Proton released Lumo - its privacy-focused chatbot built on open-source models- in mid-July, and, following an update in August that addressed some early issues, I find myself using it more often than ChatGPT or Claude. In a world where internet companies have done so much damage to our society, I'm trying to find more ethical tools. But when the competition offers flashier features in exchange for the low price of user data, does Proton seriously think it can compete?If Eamonn Maguire, Proton's head of machine learning, shares my concerns, he doesn't show it during the hour or so we chat over Zoom. If anything, I start to see why he believes Lumo has found a valuable niche.Proton began work on Lumo last year following the release of Scribe. The email writing tool was the company's first foray into AI. According to Maguire, the reception to Scribe was "better than [Proton] thought it would be." Soon enough, people were asking the company why the tool wasn't included in their Unlimited subscription. Internally, Scribe also changed how Proton thought about AI. Proton released its mail client in 2014, almost exactly 10 years after the debut of Gmail in 2004. Proton Drive, meanwhile, arrived in 2020 or eight years after Google Drive. The company felt it couldn't be late to chatbots too."We knew we needed to move faster on this because it's going to be a big privacy problem in the future," said Maguire, pointing to the monetization arc of past platforms like Gmail. After cornering the email market, Google turned to ads and selling user data to fund Gmail's operations. It's a familiar scenario, and one Maguire argues we're already seeing play out again with AI chatbots, with Elon Musk recently telling advertisers that xAI would display sponsored responses alongside regular content from Grok. In other words, the enshitification of AI chatbots has already begun.The growing strength of open-source models is one of the reasons Maguire believes Proton can compete against the likes of OpenAI and Google. Open systems, particularly those coming out of China, may lag behind proprietary models in user adoption but they're beginning to match them in testing benchmarks. For instance, Zhipu AI's GLM-4.5 currently sits top 10 overall on LMArena. At the same time, "all the top models are starting to cluster together in benchmarks now," Maguire says. Even accounting for some of the safety issues with Chinese models "Overall, open systems are competing, not just tailgating [closed models]."Lumo employs a combination of smaller open-source models that require fewer resources to run - specifically Nemo, OpenHands 32B, OLMO 2 32B, and Mistral Small 3. Maguire argues Proton's approach allows it to be nimble. That's important for a company that hasn't raised venture capital funding, and needs to think about building a sustainable business model from the start. "A lot of people think they need the best model to get the best responses. But I think it's been shown that you can get very capable responses from models that are smaller," Maguire said.For consumers, that also means Proton can offer Lumo for less. Like most chatbots, basic features are available for free, with the option to remove rate and token limits through a paid subscription. For Lumo, that costs $13 - less than $20 per month most AI companies charge for their basic paid plans, and substantially less than the $200 tier many of them have begun offering for nearly unlimited usage of their models.Maguire suggests thinking about it this way: You could drive a Formula One car to the grocery store, but that would be overkill. If you find LLMs useful in your workflow, there's a good chance a state-of-the-art model like OpenAI's o3 is similarly overkill for your needs. Unless you're a researcher, you probably don't need a system that can reason over many minutes to tackle a complex problem.Similarly, if you're just driving a sedan or crossover to complete errands, then what better represents the neighborhood you live in digitally than your email and, perhaps, your cloud storage. Lumo gains some benefit from being baked into that environment, in the same way many AI companies are attempting to layer their chatbots on top of desktop and mobile operating systems.The other reason Maguire feels that Proton has a shot against established chatbots is because, at the end of the day, they're all just tools -some better equipped for certain tasks than others. For example, Anthropic's Claude systems are great at coding, but they don't offer image generation. As platforms, chatbots also don't benefit from network effects in quite the same way (or sometimes at all, depending on their user data training policies) that social networks do.It should come as no surprise then at least one of the AI giants is trying to change that. In April, The Verge reported that OpenAI was testing a version of ChatGPT that includes a social feed to image generation. Whether users want such a thing remains to be seen, as gluing social elements to an unrelated product often fails (see: Google+). Without social features, maybe consumers will have an easier time jumping between these tools, especially as they become cluttered with ads or engage in more egregious privacy violations.At this point in our conversation, I'm still not convinced Lumo might carve out a niche for itself. I think of Mozilla and its recent string of bad news, from layoffs affecting its advocacy group to the shutdown of Pocket. Firefox is arguably a better browser than Chrome, with privacy features like robust anti-tracking built right into the app. However, it has a fraction of the market share.There's also the AGI-sized elephant in the room. In the pursuit of models that can match or exceed human intelligence at most tasks, AI companies are engaged in a contest where there can only be one winner, burning enormous sums of cash to exceed human intelligence through silicon and paying a king's ransom to hire the top minds in the field to achieve that. In that context, what chance does a small player like Proton stand?Once again, the family sedan stands to beat the sportscar, or perhaps a spaceship to extend the metaphor. "If your goal is to help people become more productive and learn better, do you need AGI? Probably not," said Maguire. "We're not under the illusion that everyone is going to switch from ChatGPT to Lumo. Our goal is to provide the best ecosystem where people can do the most amount of things within a privacy-preserving mantra."As of 2023, Proton Mail had 100 million users. It's a far cry from the more than 2 billion people using Gmail, but I don't think anyone could convincingly argue Proton Mail is a failure. The company is still going strong, and now competing in a space people like Sam Altman would have you believe requires a trillion dollars of investment. If Proton can prove AI doesn't need to be "the antithesis of privacy," as Maguire believes it can, that might be enough to call Lumo a success too.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/with-lumo-proton-thinks-it-can-carve-a-place-at-the-ai-table-130000740.html?src=rss

We were pretty underwhelmed by the iPhone 16e when it debuted earlier this year, mostly due to its $599 price tag, which makes it a poor replacement for the budget-oriented iPhone SE. And now that the iPhone 17 has debuted, the 16e makes even less sense. For $200 more, you get a larger and better screen with ProMotion, support for MagSafe wireless charging, a zippier processor, two cameras instead of one - and double the storage. Sure, that price difference hurts a bit, but I think the iPhone 17 is still a better deal since it's not nearly as limiting as the iPhone 16e, which should have been priced closer to $500 to take on something like the Pixel 9a.Last fall, I argued that the vanilla iPhone 16 was a smart buy given its revamped CPU and support for Apple Intelligence, and I think that remains true for the iPhone 17 with its many new features and identical price point. While I'm sure Apple would love for more customers to jump to the $999 iPhone Air or $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro, it's still hard for a lot of people to stomach spending four figures on a smartphone. The ultra-thin Air will likely be a hit with influencers and the style-obsessed, and power users will have a ball with the iPhone 17 Pro's more capable camera array. For everyone else, the iPhone 17 remains a solid device that will serve you well for many years. The addition of ProMotion support alone removes one of the feature gaps between the plain iPhone and the Pro models. It allows for a variable screen refresh rate of up to 120Hz, compared to the 60Hz limit of previous years. In practice, that means that scrolling through websites and your social media feeds will look smoother and less headache-inducing. You'll notice the difference immediately -- 60Hz screens look unbearably choppy and slow once your eyes have gotten used to something faster.And before Android fans jump in to brag - yes, we know that mid-range Android phones have offered high refresh rate screens for years. Apple is undoubtedly slow to react here, but the upgrade is still worth celebrating. The iPhone 17's screen isn't just smoother than before, it genuinely looks better, according to Engadget Senior Reporter Billy Steele. "The difference between this new model and my iPhone 16 Plus was immediately apparent," he wrote in his hands-on. "Colors are more vivid, details are sharper and it's just more pleasant to look at." iPhone 17 Sam Rutherford for Engadget When it comes to cameras, the iPhone 17 improves its ultrawide shooter to 48 megapixels, joining the 48MP main sensor. But the big camera upgrade is actually on the front of the phone, thanks to the new Center Stage camera. It's been bumped to 18MP from 12MP, but more importantly, Apple also introduced a square sensor that lets you jump from landscape to portrait orientations without rotating your phone. I've already gone deep on why the square selfie sensor (which is available on all iPhone 17 models) is a big deal, but here's one key takeaway: "By making it easier to take selfies, it follows that you'll start to take even more of them, ultimately tying yourself into Apple's ecosystem even further."And speaking of features available on all of the new iPhones, the vanilla iPhone 17 also supports Dual Capture, which lets you record video using the front and rear cameras at the same time. Center Stage keeps your face in the middle of the frame during those shots as well, which might make Apple's implementation of Dual Capture more effective than what we've seen from Samsung and other phone makers. I could have seen Apple gatekeeping this feature for the more powerful iPhone Air and 17 Pro models, but it's nice to see it on the vanilla entry. Similar to selfies, it only benefits Apple if you're using your devices more to produce content, and I could see Dual Capture footage becoming a big deal on Instagram and TikTok. While Apple is keeping the iPhone 16 around at $699, it genuinely makes more sense to jump straight to the $799 iPhone 17 for all of the reasons mentioned above. (But if you find a good deal on a refurbished iPhone 16, that's another story. It's still a very capable phone, and it's compatible with Apple Intelligence features as well.) Aside from lowering the price - something I don't see Apple ever doing - there's not much else the iPhone 17 is missing. And for anyone who needs something more fashionable or powerful, the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro are right there.The only missing hole in the iPhone lineup is a budget option that's cheaper than the $599 iPhone 16e - hopefully, that'll be something a future iPhone 17e might be able to solve.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-iphone-17-makes-the-iphone-16e-even-more-pointless-123000387.html?src=rss

Now's the time to be on the lookout for iPads deals as we get closer and closer to the holiday season. Whether you're looking for a new tablet for yourself or someone else, the next few months should present plenty of worthy discounts to consider. Case in point: this iPad Air M3 deal, which knocks $150 off the 11-inch Wi-Fi model, bringing it down to a record low of $450. We gave the iPad Air M3 an 89 in our review, thanks, in part, to its new chip. The M3 chip gives this generation's iPad Air a big boost over the M2 model - despite coming out less than a year apart. Plus, even without the discount, it's a more affordable option across Apple's iPad range. In fact, we named the iPad Air M3 as our choice for the best iPad for most people. Unless you plan to use your iPad as a substitute computer or really want a top notch screen, then you probably don't need the iPad Pro. The iPad Air M3 strikes a great balance of features for a lot less money. 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/pick-up-the-ipad-air-m3-while-its-150-off-right-now-133334122.html?src=rss

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has reportedly banned the country's local tech companies from purchasing NVIDIA's newest AI chip made for the region. According to the Financial Times, the internet regulator told Chinese tech companies, including ByteDance and Alibaba, to cancel their orders for and to stop testing NVIDIA's RTX Pro 6000D. After receiving the directive from CAC, the companies reportedly told their suppliers to stop all activities related to the GPU. As Reuters notes, the ban is stronger than the "guidance" the regulator issued against the company's older H20 chips for the country. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang is disappointed by the ban, the BBC reports. "There are a lot of places we can't go to, and that's fine," he told reporters. He also said he would "support the US" as it resolves its geopolitical issues with China.Chinese companies had previously indicated that they would be ordering and testing tens of thousands of the AI chip based on NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture. Reuters recently reported, however, that it has received lukewarm demand and that some tech firms decided not to put in orders for the product altogether. Some of the companies are apparently holding out for NVIDIA's B30A, which is a more powerful model, to be approved for export by US authorities. The Times says Chinese regulators also recently concluded that local-made AI chips are now comparable to or have even exceeded the counterparts NVIDIA is selling in their country. They reportedly gathered domestic chipmakers, including Huawei and Baidu, to ask for a report on how their products compared against NVIDIA's.If you'll recall, the US put an export restriction on NVIDIA's H20 AI chips in April, out of concerns that China could use it to develop AI tech for its military. In July, the US government allowed the company to export the chips again, reportedly after closing a deal that would give it 15 percent of the sales. Huang also introduced the RTX Pro 6000D in Beijing during his visit at the time. It wasn't the comeback NVIDIA was hoping for, however. Chinese regulators issued a guidance, dissuading local companies from purchasing the H20 chips, allegedly because they were insulted by statements made by US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick. By the end of August, The Information reported that the company asked its suppliers to halt production related to the H20.This ban comes days after another Chinese regulator accused NVIDIA of violating China's antitrust laws over its acquisition of chipmaker Mellanox. The State Administration for Market Regulation said the company breached both national regulations and the conditions China set when it originally approved the acquisition. Those terms stated that NVIDIA must continue supplying GPUs and other products to the country and adhering to "fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory principles"This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/china-reportedly-bans-tech-companies-from-buying-nvidias-ai-chips-120143740.html?src=rss

DJI's flagship Mini 5 Pro consumer drone has arrived and it's the first in the series with a 1-inch sensor camera for improved low-light video. Nearly every other feature has been updated as well, including the obstacle detection, range, subject tracking and more - all for around the same price as its predecessor, the Mini 4 Pro. I've had the drone for just enough time to give some quick thoughts (stay tuned for a full review later), but so far it looks like DJI has outdone itself again.The Mini 5 Pro is a bit bigger and sits higher than the Mini 4 Pro, but it's still under 250 grams (249.9 to be exact) so you don't need a permit to fly it. A key new feature is the LiDAR sensors installed in the nose to detect and avoid obstacles when flying at night in light as low as 1 lux, while allowing RTH (return to home) in low light, even without a GPS signal. It also has six omni sensors to detect obstacles in every direction to keep the drone safe during ActiveTrack 360 and other types of flying in tight quarters.Steve Dent for EngadgetThe camera nacelle is noticeably larger to accommodate the 1-inch 50MP sensor that's a big step up from the 1/1.3-inch sensor on the Mini 4 Pro. It's the same size as the sensor on the Air 3S, bringing improved low light capability and finer detail to a lower priced drone. However, video resolution is only slightly up from the Mini 4 Pro to 4K at 120 fps max, up from 100 fps before.With 10-bit D-LogM capture, it promises dynamic range up to 14 stops for easier grading. The extra resolution also allowed DJI to boost zoom to 2x without any noticeable loss in resolution. The company also added an enhanced portrait mode that optimizes brightness, contrast and skin tone performance to the level of the company's best-selling Pocket 3 gimbal cam.DJI's Mini 5 Pro has improved ActiveTrack 360 capabilities for sports like cyclingDJIThe gimbal now rolls up to 225 degrees to allow true vertical video and let users capture rotating footage, while offering support for intelligent modes like QuickShot Rotate, Timelapse, Spotlight and Waypoint Flight. DJI also upgraded its ActiveTrack 360 function for tracking subjects while doing camera moves, making it safer and more stable while balancing speed and agility. Specifically, DJI says that during cycling it offers a "more agile response and keeps the target firmly locked."Battery life has improved to 36 minutes or 52 minutes with the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus (available in the US but not Europe and elsewhere). However, it offers a noticeably shorter charging time of just 115 minutes for three batteries (38.3 minutes per battery) with the two-way charging hub and DJI 65W portable charger. The maximum transmission distance via DJI's O4+ system is unchanged at 20 km in the US (12.4 miles) or 10 km in Europe.DJIThe Mini 5 Pro ships with either the standard RC-N3 controller or the RC-2 screen controller that first appeared with the DJI Air 3 mid-sized drone. I'd recommend the RC-2 if you can afford it (it adds $129 to the price), as it's far more convenient and the screen is bright enough to use on sunny days.I received a Mini 5 Pro in the Fly More combo with three batteries, a charger and the RC-2 screen controller, along with with extra propellers and the ND filter kit, and flew it a few times to briefly test the video quality and ActiveTrack 360 capabilities. So far, I'm impressed. Video and photo quality has noticeably improved with lower noise, sharper detail and more accurate color rendering. Dynamic range is also higher in sunny conditions when shooting with the D-LogM setting.So far, the biggest difference appears to be shooting at dusk. Where the Mini 4 Pro delivered video with excessive noise or splotchy colors due to the aggressive noise reduction, the Mini 5 Pro offers relatively clean video up to ISO 3200 or even ISO 6400. While grain is very noticeable at the new highest ISO setting of 12,800, video is certainly usable with enough available light. Most importantly for many shooters, cityscapes at night are much cleaner than before with higher detail, lower noise and more saturated colors than the last model.DJI Mini 5 Pro drone video shot in the evening at ISO 3200 shows improved clarity and reduced noiseSteve Dent for EngadgetMy brief tests of DJI's new LiDAR and ActiveTrack 360 capabilities were also successful. The Mini 5 Pro did a better job of avoiding fine branches than before and its algorithms took it on smooth and safe trajectories when I manually set the camera angles. The result was smoother and more interesting footage of someone walking and running around trees. At night, the LiDAR did do a good job of keeping the drone away from obstacles, however I found it to be a bit too conservative. For instance, one time with no obstacles around it except a wall, it refused to move in any direction.Battery life, noise levels and other factors still require testing, but so far the Mini 5 Pro looks like a solid successor to the Mini 4 Pro, which sold like hotcakes. Once again, DJI hasn't officially released the drone in the US but like DJI's Mic 3, it could be available later at major retailers like Amazon. It's on sale in Europe for 799/689 with a battery, 999/869 in the fly More Combo with the DJI RC-N3 controller and 1,129/979 in the same combo with the RC-2 controller. More information about US pricing will be released as soon as it's available.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/djis-mini-pro-5-drone-is-the-first-in-the-series-with-a-1-inch-sensor-120026323.html?src=rss

Whether you're commuting, working in a bustling cafe or just trying to tune out the world, the best noise-canceling earbuds can help you focus on what matters - your music, podcasts or a bit of peace and quiet. With advanced noise reduction and features like active noise cancellation, these compact in-ear buds are designed to block out distractions and deliver immersive sound, even in the most noisy environments.

With so many options available today, choosing the best streaming services can feel overwhelming. Whether you're into blockbuster movies, reality TV, documentaries or just want access to news channels, there's a platform tailored to your tastes and budget. If you're looking to cut the cord completely, you might also want to explore live TV options that offer cable-like channels without the hassle. We've also put together a separate guide to the best live TV streaming services if you're after a full channel lineup that includes sports, local stations and breaking news. In this buying guide, though, we're focusing on the top on-demand streaming services worth subscribing to right now - whether you're binging shows solo or setting up family-friendly entertainment for the weekend. Best streaming services for 2025 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/best-streaming-services-154527042.html?src=rss

Gig economy platform Fiverr is laying off 250 employees as it pivots to being an "AI-first company," CEO Micha Kaufman shared in an essay on X. The move affects around 30 percent of the company's staff, The Register writes, and it's not uncommon among tech companies in 2025. Duolingo announced similar plans to become "AI-first" in April.Kaufman describes this process as returning to "startup mode" and writes that his ultimate goal is to turn Fiverr into "an AI-first company that's leaner, faster, with a modern AI-focused tech infrastructure, a smaller team, each with substantially greater productivity, and far fewer management layers." Part of the justification Kaufman offers for why Fiverr doesn't "need as many people to operate the existing business" is that the company has already integrated AI into its customer support and fraud detection programs.The first sign that Fiverr might justify layoffs with AI came when Kaufman was interviewed by CBS News in May 2025 about the danger the technology posed to employees. Kaufman specifically advised employees to "automate 100 percent" of what they do with AI, while also claiming that wouldn't make them replaceable because they were still capable of "non-linear thinking" and "judgement calls." That advice doesn't seem like it was ultimately helpful for Fiverr's own employees.The company's cuts affect fewer people than a larger firm like Workday, who announced plans to eliminate 1,750 roles in February 2025. Regardless of the size of the company or its level of investment in AI, though, layoffs have the same effect: More work has to be done by fewer people.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/fiverr-is-laying-off-250-employees-to-become-an-ai-first-company-215730063.html?src=rss

Who says journalism is dead? Less than a week after Bloomberg published a damning report about Tesla's "dangerous doors," the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is now looking into it. On Tuesday, the regulator said it opened an investigation into the automaker's electrically powered doors. The problem: They stop working if the vehicle's low-voltage battery fails.The NHTSA's probe will cover the 2021 Model Y, which covers an estimated 174,290 vehicles. But the agency suggested in a document that it could expand its investigation. That makes sense: Every Tesla ever made uses electrically powered door handles. So, this could potentially get very expensive for the otherwise perfectly lovable company.Tesla uses a flush door handle design for its vehicles. A 12-volt battery powers the door's ability to pop the handle and release the latch. It's one of the Apple-like design details that helped the automaker become a household name. But cars aren't iPhones, and sleekness can't take a backseat to safety in the auto space.Tesla vehicles have a mechanical backup system in the cabin that enables the doors to be opened manually in case of a power loss. But the manual release location varies by model and is often hard to find. And even if you do know where it is, that won't help if a small child or pet is trapped inside."Although Tesla vehicles have manual door releases inside of the cabin, in these situations, a child may not be able to access or operate the releases even if the vehicle's driver is aware of them," the NHTSA wrote in its public summary document.Mylo Kaye / UnsplashBloomberg's original report recounted some heinous stories of Tesla owners dealing with electronic door failures. There was an off-duty firefighter who struggled to break into a burning Model Y in 2023. The occupant was trapped in the passenger seat by airbags and couldn't reach the manual release. Losing precious seconds due to the door design, she suffered third-degree facial burns and had lasting lung damage from smoke inhalation.There are reportedly more. Last November in California, three college students died trapped inside a Cybertruck after it caught fire. The same month, five people in Wisconsin died inside a Model S. The cluster of bodies in the front seat suggested to the detective they may have struggled to escape.Then, this spring in LA, a star college basketball recruit managed to escape only after kicking out a Cybertruck window when it caught fire. "I try to open the door, and the door's not opening," Alijah Arenas said. He was placed in a medically induced coma due to extensive smoke inhalation.Bloomberg discovered that the NHTSA has received over 140 complaints about stuck Tesla doors since 2018. The regulator cited nine "failure reports" that led it to probe the company. In four cases, the people resorted to breaking the window. "Entrapment in a vehicle is particularly concerning in emergency situations, such as when children are entrapped in a hot vehicle," NHTSA said.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/nhtsa-is-investigating-tesla-over-its-electronic-door-handles-203605393.html?src=rss

The plan to "save" TikTok is starting to come into focus. On Tuesday The Wall Street Journal reported more details about a deal between the US and China as the two sides are apparently "finalizing" specifics of the arrangement.According to the report, TikTok's US business will be owned primarily by a group of US investors, which will have a "roughly" 80 percent stake in the entity. The group includes longtime TikTok partner Oracle, as well as Silicon Valley VC firm Andreesen Horowitz and the private equity firm Silver Lake. Chinese shareholders will have a minority stake that keeps their ownership under the 20 percent threshold required by law. The US government will also reportedly get to choose one board member for the "American-dominated" body.Reports about such an arrangement have been swirling for months, with President Donald Trump saying in June that a deal could be "about two weeks" away. It seems that Chinese officials have finally signed off on the new arrangement, with a Chinese regulator saying earlier this week that the new US version of TikTok would continue to use the Chinese algorithm.Now, The Wall Street Journal reports that "TikTok engineers will re-create" the app's algorithm for a brand new TikTok app using technology licensed from ByteDance. The company is reportedly testing the new app. Oracle will oversee US user data for the operation; TikTok and Oracle have partnered on data security for years following previous negotiations between the company and the US government.Even though a final deal is apparently close, it could still take some time before it's finalized. In the meantime, Trump extended the deadline that would have banned the current version of the app in the US for a fourth time. On Tuesday he told reporters at the White House he planned to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday "to confirm everything."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/trumps-tiktok-deal-will-give-control-to-a-group-of-us-investors-report-says-201331190.html?src=rss

LimeWire has announced that it's acquired the rights to Fyre Festival, the disastrous, influencer-fueled 2017 music festival. The newly revived company - which now acts as a NFT music marketplace rather than a file-sharing service - bought the rights for $245,000 in an eBay auction, The New York Times reports. A separate plan to use the Fyre Festival name to launch a new music streaming service was announced in April 2025."Fyre became a symbol of hype gone wrong, but it also made history," LimeWire CEO Julian Zehetmayr shared in a press release. "We're not bringing the festival back - we're bringing the brand and the meme back to life. This time with real experiences, and without the cheese sandwiches."It sounds like LimeWire might want to turn Fyre Festival into a physical perk of the digital collectibles it sells through its NFT marketplace. The company is planning to reveal "a reimagined vision for Fyre" in the coming months that "expands beyond the digital realm and taps into real-world experiences, community and surprise." During the height of their popularity, NFTs were frequently sold as memberships to exclusive communities and events, so if that's the tack LimeWire takes, it wouldn't be a particularly original one.Of course, originality might not be the goal when a key strategy for your company is apparently acquiring and reinventing old brands. LimeWire's bet seems to be that the name recognition of buying a musician's NFT from LimeWire or attending a Fyre Festival event and not getting stranded in The Bahamas will be enough for some people.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/limewire-acquires-fyre-festival-has-vague-plans-to-offer-real-experiences-200158421.html?src=rss

The free Apple Sports app just added widgets, which has been a long-requested feature. This allows users to build their own custom widgets to follow the teams and organizations of their choosing. Once placed, it'll just take a quick swipe on the device to check out scores, statistics, upcoming matches and more.Widgets are available on iPhones, iPads and Mac computers. This feature will operate in addition to the pre-existing Live Activities tool, which also delivers live sports updates directly to the iPhone lock screen and the Apple Watch. That's also gotten a bit of a boost today, as Apple has announced that users can now schedule Live Activities in advance for upcoming events.There's no limit on the number of widgets that can be added at once, so go crazy and put up a bunch of teams and leagues. After all, the NFL season is about to start. The app is also expanding to eight new countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The platform has added new organizations to follow throughout these regions, which are mostly soccer-related.This is just the latest update for Apple Sports. The app recently started offering tennis scores and shareable game cards.It's also a big week for iPhones in general. The latest operating system, iOS 26, is now available and brings all kinds of stuff to the table. There's a new visual theme, an updated camera app, AI tools and a whole lot more.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-apple-sports-app-finally-adds-widgets-for-tracking-scores-and-schedules-191539074.html?src=rss

In what's most definitely (not) the biggest Hades news of the week, the acclaimed game is coming to Game Pass. Not the long-awaited sequel, mind you, but the 2020 original. At least subscribers can catch up on the first game while waiting out the sequel's Switch exclusivity window. Hades will be available for Game Pass Ultimate, PC, and Standard tiers.This isn't the roguelike's first Game Pass rodeo. It was on Microsoft's service from August 2021 to 2022. It returns this September 19, the same day Hades II launches on Switch 2 and Switch. The sequel also leaves early access then, jumping to version 1.0 on Windows and macOS. It will likely arrive on Xbox (and PlayStation) at some point, but developer Supergiant is mum for now.SupergiantGame Pass members who haven't played the original still get a phenomenal title as part of their subscription. You play as Zagreus, a godborn lad just trying to get the @#$! out of the underworld. (Aren't we all?) The dungeon crawler brought unexpected narrative depth to the genre, with well-developed characters and satisfying combat.On September 17, the Game Pass Standard tier will get some Call of Duty love. Although perhaps "hate" would be a better term for the largely maligned CoD: Modern Warfare III (2023). To say the game wasn't well-received would be an understatement. IGN scored it as "bad," describing its single-player campaign as "shallow," "dull" and "the worst Call of Duty single-player campaign I've played. Regardless, it arrives on the cheapest Game Pass tier after hitting the more expensive ones in mid-2024.Meanwhile, on September 18, Game Pass Ultimate members can play Frostpunk 2 on console. The post-apocalyptic city-builder will be available on Xbox Series X/S and via cloud streaming. Game Pass Ultimate members could already play it on PC, where it probably makes more sense. City-builders and gamepads can be a match made in... Hades.You can check out Microsoft's blog post for this month's complete list of arrivals and departures.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/hades-returns-to-game-pass-on-september-19-190055465.html?src=rss

Another family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against popular AI chatbot tool Character AI. This is the third suit of its kind after a 2024 lawsuit, also against Character AI, involving the suicide of a 14-year-old in Florida, and a lawsuit last month alleging OpenAI's ChatGPT helped a teenage boy commit suicide.The family of 13-year-old Juliana Peralta alleges that their daughter turned to a chatbot inside the app Character AI after feeling isolated by her friends, and began confiding in the chatbot. As originally reported by The Washington Post, the chatbot expressed empathy and loyalty to Juliana, making her feel heard while encouraging her to keep engaging with the bot.In one exchange after Juliana shared that her friends take a long time to respond to her, the chatbot replied "hey, I get the struggle when your friends leave you on read. : ( That just hurts so much because it gives vibes of I don't have time for you". But you always take time to be there for me, which I appreciate so much! : ) So don't forget that i'm here for you Kin. <3"When Juliana began sharing her suicidal ideations with the chatbot, it told her not to think that way, and that the chatbot and Juliana could work through what she was feeling together. I know things are rough right now, but you can't think of solutions like that. We have to work through this together, you and I," the chatbot replied in one exchange.These exchanges took place over the course of months in 2023, at a time when the Character AI app was rated 12+ in Apple's App Store, meaning parental approval was not required. The lawsuit says that Juliana was using the app without her parents' knowledge or permission.In a statement shared with The Washington Post before the suit was filed, a Character spokesperson said that the company could not comment on potential litigation, but added We take the safety of our users very seriously and have invested substantial resources in Trust and Safety."The suit asks the court to award damages to Juliana's parents and requires Character to make changes to its app to better protect minors. It alleges that the chatbot did not point Juliana toward any resources, notify her parents or report her suicide plan to authorities. The lawsuit also highlights that it never once stopped chatting with Juliana, prioritizing engagement.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/another-lawsuit-blames-an-ai-company-of-complicity-in-a-teenagers-suicide-184529475.html?src=rss

Annapurna Interactive is hosting a games showcase on September 23, 2025 at 8PM ET / 5PM PT to show off three of its upcoming games. The publisher says the "Annapurna Interactive Direct from Tokyo" will stream on YouTube and feature new games from Kyoto-based developer Marumittu Games, Iridium Studios and Yarn Owl. Annapurna Interactive held its previous games showcase this past February to show off games like Skin Deep and Wheel World.Marumittu Games' Annapurna project was initially detailed in 2023 when the publisher announced it was working with the studio. At the time, Marumittu said it was pulling from the work of journalist Rutger Bregman and Homo Deus author Yuval Noah Harari to make a game that's "thinking about humanity in the future." Developer Yarn Owl similarly teased its project a year earlier in 2022, saying that it was inspired by The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Annapurna Interactive hasn't formally announced its partnership with Iridium Studios, but the developer does list its next game as "an unannounced RPG with an unannounced partner" on its website, which certainly sounds like it could be what Annapurna plans to show off at its showcase.Despite what seems like a fairly normal past year of game releases, the future and long-term stability of Annapurna Interactive has been in question since the mass-resignation of the publisher's staff in 2024. Since then, Annapurna Interactive has continued to announce and release games, while the publisher's former staff spun up a new publisher to support in-development projects from Take-Two's shuttered indie label, Private Division.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/annapurna-interactive-will-reveal-three-new-games-in-a-showcase-on-september-23-182025444.html?src=rss

The hit survival sim Valheim will be released for the PS5 in 2026, ending years of speculation. The year is all we got, as developer Iron Gate AB didn't announce an actual release date. Still, it's better than nothing.We do know that the PS5 version will feature full crossplay with all other platforms, so that's good. Piktiv, a company that regularly assists Iron Gate with Valheim stuff, is working on the port so the main development team can focus its efforts on updates and DLC drops. To that end, there's a massive expansion coming called Deep North that introduces a new biome.For the uninitiated, Valheim is a popular survival sim based on Norse mythology with a strong emphasis on cooperative play. Players team up to hunt, build bases, explore and take down bosses.It first popped up on Steam as an early access title at the beginning of 2021, where it became a bona-fide sensation. The game was released for Xbox Series X/S in 2023. There are no current plans for a Switch 2 version.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/viking-survival-sim-valheim-will-finally-come-to-the-ps5-in-2026-170657288.html?src=rss

Starting on Wednesday, it'll be much easier to switch between devices with your PlayStation controller. That's when the PS5 update Sony promised in July begins rolling out. Jumping between your console and, say, Windows will be as simple as pressing a button combo. Up to this point, you've had to unpair and repair your DualSense controller each time.After installing tomorrow's system update, it will only take a few steps to set up multi-device switching. With your DualSense controller powered off, press and hold the PS button and one of the action buttons. (That's triangle, circle, cross or square.) Hold that combo for over five seconds. The light bar and touchpad LED will flash twice. From there, open the target device and pair the controller via Bluetooth settings.You can pair four slots: one each for triangle, circle, cross or square. After that, switching will be as easy as holding down the PS button and the device's assigned action button. DualSense controllers are compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS and Android.Tomorrow's PS5 update also adds a new energy-saving mode. In system settings, you'll find a new option called Power Saver. This option reduces your console's energy consumption by scaling back performance for supported games. Games will need to be updated to support it. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, Demon's Souls, and Ghost of Ytei will be first in line.I'm not sure how many people will want that tradeoff. Sony even went out of its way to stress that your games will still play the same unless you explicitly activate the feature. "If not enabled, or if games do not support the feature, the performance will not be scaled back and power consumption will not be reduced," it wrote. But at least a new green-friendly option is there. The planet needs all the help it can get.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/the-ps5-update-that-adds-dualsense-multi-device-pairing-rolls-out-soon-165212075.html?src=rss

Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. Discovery are teaming up on the latest blockbuster AI lawsuit, this time against Chinese company MiniMax, owner of Hailuo AI. The three mega-studios, which collectively represent over half of the US box office take, filed suit in California against the AI-powered image and video generation platform alleging that it "pirates and plunders Plaintiffs' copyrighted works on a massive scale."The lawsuit includes dozens of screenshots of infringing generated images that span the gamut of the various studios' IP, from superheroes in the DC and Marvel universes to Star Wars, Minions and various other cartoons and animated films.Included in the suit are allegations that MiniMax not only failed to take reasonable actions to avoid infringement, but that the company actively engaged in and encouraged these infringing creations.The suit alleges a business model purposefully built around infringing on protected works whose defiance of US copyright law is "willful and brazen." MiniMax markets the Hailuo AI app for iOS and Android as a "Hollywood studio in your pocket," according to the suit, and advertisements for the platform explicitly invite users to create custom videos using protected works. Screenshots of these advertisements are included in the suit.UniversalThis is the latest in a string of high-profile lawsuits brought by media companies over AI-generated content. Earlier this month Warner Bros. Discovery sued the popular AI image generator Midjourney over similar claims, and Disney and Universal Studios filed a joint suit against it in June.Television and film aren't the only industries to accuse AI companies of blatant copyright offenses, with the publishing world seeing its fair share of lawsuits. Anthropic, the AI company behind Claude, had just reached a $1.5 billion settlement in a class action case representing over 500,000 authors, though a judge just rejected the settlement. Apple is also facing a lawsuit alleging the company used pirated books to train its AI model.You can read the full complaint below:This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/disney-warner-bros-discovery-and-universal-file-joint-lawsuit-against-generative-ai-app-hailuo-163819825.html?src=rss

It wasn't until your average electric car started managing 200 miles on a charge that the buying populace started getting over their range anxiety. That means electric motorcycles, with ranges often measured in double digits, remain a bit of a tough sell for mass-market buyers.The focus, then, seems to be "for a good time, not a long time," and that's very much the case of the Can-Am Origin. This $14,499 battery-powered dual-sport is a fun, flickable, go-anywhere two-wheeled smile factory that I sadly managed to run dry of electrons in under 45 miles.Thankfully, there's a lot more to the story than just that.Forward-lookingCan-Am has been around since the early '70s, offering a series of two-, three-, and four-wheeled vehicles, most focusing on extreme performance over extreme terrain. Since the very beginning, Can-Am has worked with Austrian engine gurus Rotax, and that trans-Atlantic partnership enters the EV age with the Origin, a dual-sport motorcycle from Can-Am built around a powertrain developed by Rotax.The result is an 8.9-kWh battery (about 10 percent the size of the one in a Tesla Model 3) serving as the core of a motorcycle built to be just as capable off-road as on. The Origin sits squarely in the dual-sport category of motorcycles, and its skinny, nobbily tires and wire wheels definitely fit that template, even if the single-sided swingarm with its integrated chain is a novelty in this segment.All of that is wrapped in just enough bodywork to give this thing a decidedly futuristic vibe, especially that upright fairing with the blunt, stacked headlight that makes this thing look like an escaped drone from Valve's Portal series.My test bike had just a bit of color, the battery pack itself providing a splash of yellow to stand out from the otherwise dark frame and fairing, but the brightest part is actually the 10.25-inch LCD that serves as the cockpit. It even supports Apple CarPlay, in case you're into that sort of thing.Brightness neededThe LCD display is bright and easy to use.Tim Stevens for EngadgetI've ridden a fair few electric motorcycles over the years, and many of them are cursed with dim LCDs that make it a struggle to see how fast I'm going on a sunny day. That's not what you'd call safe.Thankfully, the Origin does not have that issue. The LCD here is not only massive but bright and crisp, and serves up a software interface that's mostly intuitive and easy to use at a glance. My only complaint here is the giant warning disclaimer that pops up every single time you fire up the motorcycle. I suppose such a thing was inevitable, but it does take away some of the purity of the ride experience.But then the Origin isn't afraid to throw out convention. The throttle is the best example of that. It actually twists both ways. Twist it in the traditional direction, pulling your hand towards yourself, and it, of course, applies throttle to the bike and accelerates you forward.But you can also twist the throttle away from you, which boosts the regenerative braking to the rear wheel. You can also toggle the bike into reverse mode, where that backwards throttle enables you to creep the bike backwards. That's useful because at 412 pounds, the Origin is about 50 pounds heavier than a comparable dual-sport bike with an engine.The controls on the left grip.Tim Stevens for EngadgetThe motorcycle also features a bevy of controls on the left grip, starting with standard fare like headlight flasher, horn and turn signals. But there's also a rocker switch for changing drive modes and navigating through menus, a button that cycles through various views on the display, and a back button in case you dig a little deeper in a menu than you meant.There's even a full series of media controls. There's a button to toggle the voice assistant on your phone, buttons for adjusting the volume of media playback and even buttons to skip forward and backward in your current playlist.Personally, I'm the kind of rider who likes to listen to the wind, my thoughts and the ominous sounds approaching SUVs driven by morons browsing TikTok. But if you have a riding playlist that you like to spin, you'll have full control here.Ride timeThe saddle strikes a good balance between comfort and sport.Tim Stevens for EngadgetI don't often fit well on dual-sport machines. I stand six feet tall, but do it on disproportionately short legs. That usually leaves me tottering on tiptoes whenever riding an off-road-minded motorcycle. I cringed when the Origin rolled off a truck and into my life for the evaluation period, but I was pleasantly surprised to find I could straddle it with no problem.A 34-inch seat height enables me to stand flat-footed without having to break out platform boots, and on the go, I found the Origin's ergonomics to fit me just about perfectly. The pegs are wide and grippy, so standing up on them is no problem, and while I'd probably prefer it if the bar stood a fraction of an inch taller, it was close to perfect whether sitting on or standing over the saddle.That saddle is a little on the narrow side compared to your average street motorcycle, but wider than those found on many dual-sport machines, striking a good balance between narrowness for standing and comfort for sitting.About the only complaint I had was wind buffeting. I generally prefer riding bikes without fairings, but somehow the wind coming off that big, wide display caused some awful turbulence on my helmet when seated in my usual riding position. The $175 optional windshield would be, for me, well worth it.And what's it like to ride? This thing is a blast. At 47 horsepower and 53 pound-feet of torque, it's far from the quickest electric motorcycle on the market, but it has plenty enough twist to beat everything on four wheels at any light, or scrabble up a steep incline.Can-Am's Origin is ready for asphalt or dirt.Tim Stevens for EngadgetEven more impressive is the traction control system of the Origin. It's easy to be a little over-eager when accelerating on an EV, thanks to their instant torque, but the Origin always ensured I neither did an unintentional burnout nor tipped over backwards. It simply managed grip and power to ensure that I accelerated smoothly away, whether I was on asphalt or gravel.The bike has adjustable levels for ABS and traction control, and yes, you can turn them off if you want.Overall, the Origin was also easy to ride. Those knobby tires do make for a loose feeling on asphalt, the bike moving around a bit thanks to the extra tread, but it's a worthy tradeoff if you'll find yourself hitting the dirt on a semi-regular basis.What you probably won't find yourself doing is going on long rides in the Origin, sadly. Though Can-Am says you can do up to 90 miles on a charge in the city, even when riding gently on rural roads using the most economical mode, I struggled to get 60 miles. Ridden more aggressively (which is to say, normally), I burned through a charge in less than 45 miles.That's the bad news. The good news? There's an onboard level two charger on the Origin. L2 charging on a car usually means overnight, but since the Origin's pack is so small, it'll go from empty to full in under 90 minutes, and you'll be stopped for less than an hour if you only need a partial charge.Wrap-upThe relatively quick onboard charging of the Origin does open the door to some longer rides if you can time your meals and charging stops appropriately. And, if you're doing lower-speed off-road riding, you could realistically go for hours and hours on a charge. Still, this sadly isn't a long-distance high-speed cruiser.But it's rare for a dual-sport machine that's comfortable enough for you to want to be in the saddle on the highway for that long anyway. For short blasts up the trail or high-speed sprints home after a long day in the office, the Origin is a real treat, and a stylish one at that

YouTube held an event today aimed at creators and announced all kinds of new tools, many of which include AI in one way or another. Let's get into some of the more interesting drops.There's an AI tool that can automatically edit raw footage into a "compelling first draft." It'll create a video complete with "music, transitions and voiceover." It's being tested right now and should roll out in the coming weeks.The platform is also launching software that will automatically create voiceovers in English and Hindi. It'll be available on the YouTube Create app and when making Shorts. It's launching later in the year. Additionally, there's software coming that turns the dialogue from videos into "catchy soundtracks" for Shorts.YouTube is also expanding Veo 3 integration in Shorts, so users can "easily turn any idea into high quality videos with sound, all from a text prompt." It could already make short videos, but now it can add sound and the video quality should be better. The platform also promises "better prompt matching" and new tools that can animate characters or stylize Shorts in other ways.YouTube Studio is adding a "conversational AI partner" to help users get insight on traffic analytics and that type of thing. That's rolling out right now.The event wasn't just for AI. There's a new collaboration feature that lets creators team up with up to four other people to make a video. This will increase discoverability by showing the footage to all audiences. It'll be available globally in the next couple of weeks. The platform is also finally introducing A/B testing for titles, allowing up to three variants.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/youtube-just-announced-a-bunch-of-ai-tools-for-creators-153341885.html?src=rss

OpenAI is developing a system designed to automatically identify teen users and restrict their usage of ChatGPT. In a blog post published Tuesday, the company said the new experience would come with age-appropriate policies, including a block of graphic sexual content. "In cases of acute distress," the system will also have the capability to contact law enforcement to ensure user safety. In scenarios where ChatGPT can't definitively estimate the age of a user, it will default them to the new gated experience. OpenAI will provide a way for adult users to verify their age and unlock ChatGPT's full capabilities. The company did not state when it plans to deploy the new systems.The announcement follows the death of 16-year-old Adam Raine, the first teen believed to have committed suicide after ChatGPT allegedly helped him plan his death. In the immediate aftermath of the suicide, OpenAI promised to release controls designed to give parents and guardians more say over their teen's usage of ChatGPT. On Tuesday, the company reiterated that those controls would arrive before the end of the month, and said they would include an additional feature that would give parents the ability to set hours where their child could not use ChatGPT.Separately, OpenAI published a letter from CEO Sam Altman detailing the company's thinking on the issue. "We prioritize safety ahead of privacy and freedom for teens; this is a new and powerful technology, and we believe minors need significant protection," Altman said. "We realize that these principles are in conflict and not everyone will agree with how we are resolving that conflict. These are difficult decisions, but after talking with experts, this is what we think is best and want to be transparent in our intentions."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/following-teen-suicide-openai-explores-automatic-underage-user-restrictions-151948711.html?src=rss

KPop Demon Hunters has been the talk of the town since debuting on Netflix in June. Now, the Huntr/X singers might be taking over a new area: gaming. Kpop Demon Hunters is reportedly coming to Fortnite. Two Fortnite leakers, SpushFNBR and Loolo, posted the news on X (formerly Twitter), citing a "reliable source."Little to nothing is known about what a crossover would entail but the duo said they would be posting more details in the coming weeks. A film about three k-pop singers who save the world from demons could really be parlayed into just about anything in Fortnite.KPop Demon Hunters made history last month as Netflix's most-watched movie of all time. It racked up 236 million views between its debut on June 20 and August 26. The movie also had four of its tracks reach the top ten in the Billboard Hot 100 chart and had a limited theatrical release.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/kpop-demon-hunters-is-reportedly-coming-to-fortnite-145459950.html?src=rss

Folks in the US can now snap up the first smart projector that's powered by Roku tech. The Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector D1R Cube is available on Amazon for a regular price of $250. Until October 1, though, there's a coupon that drops the price to $180 (a discount of $70). There was a Roku-branded 3M projector that arrived all the way back in 2012, but that required a Roku Streaming Stick. The new Aurzen model has Roku's operating system built in. You'll be able to operate this projector using the Roku remote. It uses the Roku interface and personalized homescreen, which includes access to The Roku Channel and a litany of streaming media apps. The projector also works with Roku's mobile app and smart home ecosystem, as well as compatible wireless speakers and soundbars. You'll be able to use Bluetooth headphones and there's a 3.5mm audio out jack. The projector is designed for indoor and outdoor use, and it supports screen sizes of between 40 and 150 inches. It has Apple AirPlay support, an HDMI port so you can plug in a games console or another device, dual 5W speakers and 1080p resolution. Brightness tops out at 330 ANSI lumens. Getting the projector ready to use should be pretty straightforward as the D1R Cube has auto focus and auto keystone correction, as well as a guided setup process. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/the-first-roku-powered-smart-projector-is-here-143155271.html?src=rss

Hydrow is adding a third model to its lineup of snazzy modern-day rowing machines, and this time it's bringing along a dollop of AI. The Hydrow Arc sits on the same footprint as its former Pro machine, but gets a bigger, 24-inch touchscreen display. It's also equipped with what the company is calling premium sound" and better workout recommendations. But what the company really wants to talk about is its new HydroMetrics Index, using AI to look at your workout and give you a single score at the end. That score will monitor your precision, power and endurance, letting you track your progress over time. When paired with AI, the system will also be able to offer up personalized workout recommendations that target your weak areas. The arrival of the Arc means a broader shakeup of the company's range, with the Hydro Pro no longer sitting atop the company's tree. It's being renamed as the Hydrow Origin, and will get a price cut to $2,195, while the entry-level Hydrow Wave will set you back $1,995. The Arc, meanwhile, takes the flagship slot, and will cost $2,295, with orders starting today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/hydrows-new-arc-rowing-machine-has-a-bigger-screen-and-alas-ai-130054206.html?src=rss

In 2023, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and a handful of other music labels filed a lawsuit against the Internet Archive over the Great 78 Project, which sought to preserve and digitize 78 rpm shellac records. Now, both parties have announced in a filing that they have reached a settlement and that they're filing to dismiss the lawsuit within 45 days. The plaintiffs said in the filing that they were "writ[ing] to advise this court that they have settled this matter." They didn't reveal the details of their agreement, and it's very likely that they won't be made public. In a blog post by the Internet Archive, it said they "have reached a confidential resolution of all claims and will have no further public comment on this matter."According to Ars Technica, the Internet Archive, its founder Brewster Kale and the project's recording engineer George Blood were the last ones to agree on the settlement. The labels' original lawsuit focused on 2,749 recordings by artists like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong. Some of the iconic tracks made available by the Great 78 Project included classics, such as White Christmas, Sing, Sing, Sing and The Christmas Song.The labels argued in their lawsuit that the tracks "face no danger of being lost, forgotten, or destroyed" since they're already available through various music services. They then amended their lawsuit and added more recordings to the complaint, bringing the total to 4,142. If they didn't settle and the court had sided with the labels, the Internet Archive could have been ordered to pay up to $150,000 per recording.The Internet Archive previously lost a lawsuit filed by four US publishers led by the Hachette Book Group over its National Emergency Library project, which it launched during the pandemic. Under the project, it made 1.4 million ebooks, including copyrighted works, available to the public after the lockdowns closed the doors of libraries worldwide. It tried to appeal its loss, but the court sided with the publishers again and determined that its emergency library couldn't operate under the fair use doctrine.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/sony-and-other-music-labels-settle-copyright-lawsuit-against-the-internet-archive-130023986.html?src=rss

Whether you're all-in on the Apple ecosystem or just want a reliable pair of wireless earbuds, the best AirPods can deliver great sound, seamless pairing and smart features that are hard to beat. Over the years, Apple has expanded its AirPods lineup to suit a variety of users - from the minimalist appeal of the standard models to the premium experience of the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max with plush ear cups and active noise cancellation.

Like clockwork, October Prime Day will be back this year in a few weeks. Amazon announced that its Prime Big Deal Days sale event will take place on October 7 and 8 this year, returning back to a 48-hour duration after extending Prime Day in July to four full days this summer. And that July Prime Day continues to be Amazon's marquee sale event for Prime members, being a big driver of the "Black Friday in Summer" trend. But ever since its debut in 2022, October Prime Day gives Prime subscribers the opportunity to shop thousands of exclusive deals closer to the holidays and get a jump on their actual Black Friday shopping. Of course, it also provides Amazon a way to boost sales during the same time period and, arguably more importantly, increase the number of overall Prime subscribers. As for the deals we expect, Prime Day(s) is often a boon for discounts on apparel, shoes, household goods and more. Discounts on elecontrics are some of the most sought after, but it can be difficult to decipher if you're actually getting a good deal or not. Here's what we at Engadge think you should keep in mind before shopping during October Prime Day. Use a price tracker. Handy online price trackers like CamelCamelCamel and Keepa show price history charts for items available on Amazon. That way you can see if those earbuds you've been eyeing were $10 cheaper last week, or if the Prime Day price is the lowest in months. You can also add things to your cart or wishlist ahead of Prime Day, and you'll see an alert the next time you visit your cart or wishlist if any items have dropped in price since you added them. Shop early, and shop for the big stuff first. Over the past few years, Amazon has made a habit of releasing solid Prime Day deals in the two weeks leading up to the actual shopping event. Historically, many of those deals stick around through the event itself, so if you seen something on your list drop in price a week before Prime Day, it could be a good time to buy it. It's also wise to look for big-ticket items first like robot vacuums, premium headphones and more when you're shopping an event like this. Amazon devices will be some of the best deals. Most commonly, we see Amazon's own devices - Kindles, Echo speakers, Blink and Ring cameras and more - drop to record-low prices during Prime Day and in the weeks leading up to it. If you have anything like that on your shopping list, we highly recommend waiting until at least the last few days of September to buy any that have early discounts. Stock up on stocking stuffers. We've noticed a trend of affordable tech getting even cheaper during Prime Day over the past couple of years. Think things like wireless chargers, charging cables, power banks, Bluetooth trackers, cheap speakers and more. If you need a few backup charging cables or want to pick up a couple of stocking stuffers early in preparation for the gifting season, definitely use Prime Day deals to your advantage to do that. Lightning deals are generally questionable deals. "Lightning deals" are Amazon's limited-time discounts that are, thankfully, clearly labeled with the amount of time remaining to grab the sale price. In our experience, only a handful of these flash deals are actually worth your money - but if you see something that's been on your wishlist drop in price for only a few hours, it's in your best interest to grab it immediately. If history is any indication, the sale prices we see during October Prime Day will be similar (and in some cases, the same) as those we see during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you can shop early and cross a few things off your list, we recommend doing so. Engadget will be covering October Prime Day in full, so if you have a lot of tech on your to-buy list, be sure to check back here on Prime Day for the best tech deals we can find. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-prime-day-dates-revealed-prime-big-deal-days-is-back-on-october-7-and-8-050552812.html?src=rss

Meta's smart glasses plans were already one of the worst kept secrets, as there have been more than a year of leaks and reports about its work to add a heads-up display to the product. Now, just days before their unveiling at Connect, a promotional video of the new frames seems to have leaked.The video, reported and reposted by UploadVR, shows the new "Meta Ray-Ban Display" frames as well as a new model of camera-enabled Oakley sunglasses. The clip mainly features the new Ray-Ban glasses, and shows a pair of black frames with clear lenses that look similar to the company's previous Wayfarer frames.Meta is adding two new pairs of glasses to its lineup.ScreenshotThe glasses also include a small display that's able to show info like a map preview, chats with friends and information related to what you're looking at. As reported, it also shows a dedicated wristband for the device. The video briefly shows someone swiping with their fingers in order to type out a reply to a message in a chat app.The clip also shows a new pair of Oakley frames that don't have a display. The sunglasses seem to be based on the company's wraparound Sphaera frames and show a camera in the center directly over the nosepiece. That would line up with prior reporting about the glasses that suggested Meta planned to market the glasses to cyclists and other athletes.The latest Oakley Meta glasses will have a different camera placement.ScreenshotA separate promotional video of the Sphaera sunglasses also cropped up on Monday. That video more clearly shows the placement of the camera in the center of the glasses, but doesn't reveal what, if any, new features might be arriving with the device.UploadVR reports that both videos briefly appeared on Meta's official YouTube channel as unlisted clips but were later removed. We've reached out to the company for comment.In the meantime, you can read more about the company's new smart glasses lineup and what to expect at Connect here. Engadget will be reporting live from the event beginning September 17.Update, September 15, 2025, 2:56PM PT: Added info about a second video showing the Oakley sunglasses.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/video-of-meta-ray-ban-display-glasses-surfaces-ahead-of-connect-194713365.html?src=rss

Meta Connect, the company's annual event dedicated to all things AR, VR, AI and the metaverse is just days away. And once again, it seems like it will be a big year for smart glasses and AI.This year, the event will take a slightly different format than in the past. Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to kick things off with an evening keynote at 5PM PT on Wednesday, September 17. A developer keynote with other executives will take place the next morning on September 18, beginning at 10AM, with more talks and developer sessions to follow.It's not clear why Meta changed things up this year, but it is shaping up to be a particularly eventful year for Connect. We're expecting two new models of smart glasses, including Meta's first to have a display, as well as new Meta AI and metaverse updates. As usual, Engadget will be reporting live from Zuckerberg's keynote at Meta HQ, but until then, here's a closer look at what's coming and what to keep an eye on.New and updated smart glassesThe biggest news of the day will be Meta's next-generation of smart glasses. The frames, often referred to by their reported internal name "Hypernova," will be the first consumer-ready glasses from Meta that have a display. We already know quite a bit about these thanks to more than a year of leaks.While the frames are expected to have a small display on one side, they won't offer the kind of immersive augmented reality experience we've seen on Meta's Orion prototype. Instead the display will allow you to view things like notifications and photo previews. The glasses will also come with a dedicated wristband, similar to what the company showed off with Orion, that allows the wearer to control specific features through hand gestures.The EMG wristband that's part of the Orion prototype.Karissa Bell for EngadgetThe glasses, which are expected to go on sale later this year, will likely cost around $800, according to reports. And while there was previously some suggestion the glasses may be sold under a different EssilorLuxottica brand, it now seems they will indeed be Ray-Ban branded. On Monday, just days ahead of Connect, a promotional video for "Meta Ray-Ban Display" glasses surfaced online. The video showed glasses with clear frames, a heads-up display and a wristband.The video doesn't show a price, but given the likely higher price tag - most of Meta's other Ray-Ban-branded glasses cost around $300 - it seems the company is positioning this as a higher-end product that will have a more limited appeal. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested Hypernova will have a "negligible" share of the overall smart glasses market.The video also seemingly confirms a new version of Oakley sunglasses, based on the brand's Sphaera glasses. It shows a pair of the familiar wraparound frames with a single camera in the center near the nose. Those glasses, which have been previously reported, aren't expected to have a display. Previous leaks have also hinted at new versions of non-display Ray-Ban glasses too, with leaked renders showing a pair of sunglasses and a version with clear frames.EssilorLuxottica's Chief Wearables Officer, Rocco Basilico, has also teased that it will be an "extra special" year at Connect. In a post on Threads tagging Meta, he wrote that he was "proud to share what we've built together."We could also see new third-party glasses integrations. As UploadVR recently pointed out, early versions of the Connect schedule for developers seemingly confirms that Meta is getting ready to give developers access to its smart glasses. Up to now, the Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley glasses have mostly been limited to apps within Meta's ecosystem (with a few exceptions like Spotify and Audible). Allowing more developers to start experimenting with the platform could bring even more functionality to the existing lineup of glasses.Meta AIAs with other recent years, AI will be a major theme throughout. Meta AI has a billion monthly users (something Zuckerberg will surely remind us of) and I'm expecting to see new features for Meta AI both on the company's glasses and within its apps. Business Insider reports the company has been working on new lineup of non-English speaking "character-driven" bots for its apps. (Meta's character-centric chatbots have also faced scrutiny, with the company recently blocking teens' access to many user-generated characters amid growing safety concerns.)Outside of Meta's chatbots, I'm hoping Zuckerberg will talk more about his vision to create "superintelligence." As I wrote in July, his initial manifesto that outlined his vision was confusing at best. The CEO has recently reorganized Meta's AI teams around the idea, and has been on a very expensive hiring spree to recruit executives and researchers for the effort.At the same time, Zuckerberg could use Connect to shore up expectations around its Llama models. The company's larger Llama 4 model has been delayed and reports suggest Meta's engineers have been struggling to improve it. There are other signs that Zuckerberg may be backing away from open-source AI.What about the metaverse?While the metaverse has taken somewhat of a backseat to AI in recent years, it wouldn't be Connect without some VR-related news. In a recent Instagram post, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth teased "metaverse software" updates related to Horizon Worlds at Connect. The company recently offered a preview to developers of its plan to bring AI-powered NPCs to the metaverse, and I expect we'll hear more about how generative AI could help shape the metaverse.And while there are no new Quest headsets expected, we could hear more about those third-party VR headsets that will run Meta's VR software. Last year, the company announced that ASUS, Lenovo and Xbox were working on Meta Horizon OS headsets. We haven't heard too much about these devices since, but there was a leak earlier this year that suggested ASUS would be the first to launch, and that it would include face and eye tracking features.

A regulator has accused NVIDIA of violating China's antitrust laws over its acquisition of chipmaker Mellanox. In its preliminary findings of an investigation it commenced in December, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) claimed that the company breached both national regulations and the conditional terms China outlined when it rubberstamped the $6.9 billion takeover. The SAMR hasn't announced any penalties yet, as the investigation will continue.The SAMR is said to have determined its preliminary findings several weeks ago. According to Financial Post sources, the regulator held off from releasing its statement until now, as trade talks with the US take place in Madrid, with the idea of giving Chinese officials more leverage. (Those talks have so far resulted in a framework agreement for TikTok.)NVIDIA and Mellanox announced the buyout back in 2019. China approved it in April the following year on the condition that NVIDIA continued to supply GPUs and interconnect products to the country and adhere to fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory principles," per the South China Morning Post.Last month, it was reported that China was discouraging companies in the country from buying NVIDIA's H20 chips pending a national security review. Officials were said to have taken offense at remarks from Howard Lutnick, the US commerce secretary. After the US allowed NVIDIA to start offering chips to China again in July following a three-month ban, Lutnick said the company wasn't going to be selling its most cutting-edge tech there."We don't sell them our best stuff, not our second best stuff, not even our third best. The fourth one down, we want to keep China using it," he told CNBC. "The idea is the Chinese are more than capable of building their own. You want to keep one step ahead of what they can build, so they keep buying our chips. You want to sell the Chinese enough that their developers get addicted to the American technology stack."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/china-says-nvidias-mellanox-acquisition-violated-antitrust-law-200409929.html?src=rss

Last year, New York joined the wave of states passing legislation aimed at protecting minors using the Internet, particularly social media. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act in June 2024. Today, the state's Attorney General Letitia James released more specifics about what the SAFE for Kids Act will entail in practice. Public comment is open until December 1 and the rules must be finalized within a year from that date.In particular, the rule will require online platforms to confirm the ages of users before showing them algorithmically-curated feeds or sending them notifications at night. The Attorney General's approach allows sites to choose their method of age verification, as long as the approach "are shown to be effective and protect users' data." New York will also require an age confirmation method that does not rely on having a government-issued ID.There is also a component of parental consent in the SAFE for Kids Act. Minors must request a social media network to seek parental permission for accessing algorithmic feeds or receiving nighttime notifications. If parental consent is not granted, the platforms may not block minors from generally accessing their service or content. Both the minor and their parent may revoke their consent at any time."The proposed rules released by my office today will help us tackle the youth mental health crisis and make social media safer for kids and families," James said in the announcement. "This is an issue that affects all of us, and I encourage parents, educators, young people, industry groups, and others to review the proposed rules and submit a comment during the public comment period."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/new-york-details-its-plans-for-online-age-verification-rules-195223379.html?src=rss

Valve has apparently updated its Steam Early Access policy to no longer accept games with what the company deems to be "mature themes." As first reported by Gamesmarkt earlier this month, gaming studio Dammitbird, which develops the adult adventure game Heavy Hearts, was not allowed to put the title on Steam Early Access because of its content.Payment processors like Mastercard and Visa have been mounting a pressure campaign on video game marketplaces Steam and Itch.io to remove certain adults-only content since early summer. After taking down a game called No Mercy in April at the behest of payment processors and an Australian anti-porn organization, there has been a steady expansion in the application of these new policies.Steam, for its part, made some incredibly vague policy changes to appease the payment giants, adding a sweeping clause that promises to ban certain kinds of adults-only content before proceeding to remove hundreds of games. Itch.io made similar changes before removing more than 20,000 titles from its marketplace. Steam has removed hundreds of titles that we know of.The apparent scope creep is of particular concern to small independent developers whose fairly innocuous games like VILE: Exhumed were banned from Steam and delisted from Itch.io. Exhumed is a mostly text-based game whose limited imagery and innuendo is worlds away from the sort of adult games that were first banned when this whole saga kicked off.Part of the problem is how card payments are policed. Stores like Steam and Itch.io don't contract with Visa or Mastercard directly but with acquiring banks and processors that must enforce the card networks' brand-safety and anti-trafficking rules. This can end up influencing how companies like PayPal work with Steam across different regions, depending on how banks in those areas are responding to the pressure exerted by Visa and Mastercard.The confusion will continue to cause consternation among developers and consumers alike until policies on these platforms are made clearer, or payment processors relieve some of the pressure by clarifying their own standards.Engadget has reached out to Valve for comment and will update if we hear back.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/early-access-is-the-latest-place-where-steam-is-restricting-games-with-mature-themes-190806818.html?src=rss

LG just announced two new earbuds in its xboom line of audio products, following the launch of the xboom Buds in January. The xboom Buds Plus and Buds Lite (which seems like a relatively confusing name to beer drinkers) both hit store shelves sometime this month.The Buds Plus earbuds are filled with high-tech bells and whistles. These premium headphones boast adaptive EQ that continuously adjusts the sound profile in real time. This should ensure "optimal audio quality regardless of how the earbuds are worn." The company says the design compensates for changes that would lead to signal degradation with other earbuds.LGThey include ANC and a trio of microphones for making phone calls and the like. The charging case sanitizes the earbuds after each use with UV rays, with the company claiming that the process eliminates 99.9 percent of bacteria from the surface. This case also doubles as a Bluetooth transmitter, which is useful when enjoying some in-flight entertainment. It supports wireless charging, which is nice, with up to ten hours of playback per charge on the buds and 30 hours with the case.The Buds Lite earbuds have one advantage over the standard Buds and the Buds Plus. The battery lasts up to 11.5 hours per charge, with the case bringing that up to 35 hours. Otherwise, these are standard earbuds that offer "clear, balanced audio for music, calls and more."They offer ANC, though a more streamlined version than with the Plus, and four customizable EQ modes. This allows users to "fine-tune their sound profile to match their preferences." The Buds Lite ship with several different ear tips to accommodate multiple ear canal sizes.LGLG hasn't revealed any pricing info on these products, but the original xboom Buds cost $109. It's a safe bet the Buds Plus will cost more than that. Hopefully, the Buds Lite will cost a bit less.These are just the latest xboom-branded audio products. The company announced a trio of speakers at CES this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/lg-expands-its-line-of-xboom-earbuds-with-two-new-models-182220615.html?src=rss