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Xbox has confirmed the second batch of Game Pass additions for July. There's no obvious headliner here, but there are a bunch of great additions to the catalog. These include indie hits like Wheel World and blockbusters like Robocop: Rogue City. Let's get into it.Robocop: Rogue City came as a huge surprise back in 2023. A game based on a decades-old sci-fi franchise by a relatively unknown developer? It should have been a train wreck. Instead, it's a solid 3D action title that perfectly captures the vibe of the original film. This is a must-play for children of the 1980s. It'll be available on July 17 for subscribers on all tiers.Grounded 2 looks to be a fantastic take on the "shrunken teens navigating a yard" genre, as first pioneered in the film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The first game was great and Obsidian looks to be upping the ante here in nearly every way, with a larger focus on story, a more immersive world and insects to ride around on. This is a day one Game Pass release, which happens on July 29. It'll only be playable for PC and Ultimate subscribers.The Annapurna-published Wheel World is finally heading our way on July 23, and it's a day one Game Pass release. This is an open-world bicycle sim with gorgeous cel-shaded graphics. The title promises "impressive vistas, hidden secrets and races that will test your skills." It'll be available for Ultimate and PC subscribers.Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is another day one release, with availability on July 24. This is a Souls-like action RPG set in the final days of the Ming Dynasty. The combat looks absolutely brutal. Again, only Ultimate and PC subscribers will have access to the game.Those are just the titles that caught my interest. The shooter High On Life returns to the platform today and the survival horror adventure My Friendly Neighborhood drops on July 17. The prison-based RPG Back to the Dawn will be playable on July 18 and the survival crafting title Abiotic Factor releases on July 22. As always, Game Pass remains one heck of a deal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xboxs-second-batch-of-game-pass-additions-for-july-includes-grounded-2-and-wheel-world-164450594.html?src=rss

Lucid is about to roll out its first hands-free features. On July 30, Lucid Air sedan owners with the DreamDrive Pro add-on will get automated drive assist and lane-change features. If you have a Gravity SUV you'll have to wait until later this year.The features will arrive via an OTA update for vehicles with DreamDrive Pro hardware. The optional add-on has 32 sensors, including LiDAR, radar, ultrasonic sensors and cameras. DreamDrive Pro already supports semi-autonomous features like lane change assist and curve control.The new drive assist and lane-change features take the automation further, letting you go hands-free. (Your eyes will still need to be on the road, of course). The features will only work on compatible divided highways.Lucid MotorsLucid joins a growing pack of EV makers with hands-free options. It's a list that now stretches far beyond Tesla's Autopilot and Full-Self-Driving. Rivian, GM, Ford and Nissan each have automated options.As for Lucid, it's been a rocky ride lately, reflecting the industry's broader turbulence. It had two rounds of layoffs, cutting 400 people last year after reducing its workforce by 1,300 in 2023. On the bright side, its Gravity SUV has had a positive reception. (It's rolling out now, joining the Air sedan in the lineup.) Lucid is also expanding its real estate. Earlier this year, the automaker acquired an Arizona plant previously owned by the bankrupt Nikola.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/lucid-will-add-hands-free-driving-options-later-this-month-162816263.html?src=rss

Apple just announced a commitment of $500 million over several years to buy rare earth magnets from the US-based company MP Materials. These rare earth magnets are used in a number of products, including iPhones, MacBooks and the Apple Pencil stylus. The American-made magnets will be shipped throughout the world, to help "meet increasing global demand for the material."MP Materials is the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the country. The two companies have also pledged to work together to improve upon a processing facility in Texas, building a series of manufacturing lines specifically designed for Apple products. Once finished, the factory will "support dozens of new jobs in advanced manufacturing and R&D."American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we're proud to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States."Apple and MP will also team up to create a recycling facility in California and have promised to develop "novel magnet materials and innovative processing technologies" to enhance magnet performance.This is all part of Apple's pre-existing pledge to invest $500 billion in the US over the next four years, which is a slight increase over the $430 billion pledged in 2021. Adjusted for inflation, these amounts are essentially the same.Apple basically pioneered the use of recycled rare earth elements in consumer electronics. It began using these materials back in 2019, in the Taptic Engine of the iPhone 11. The Pentagon recently became the largest shareholder of MP Materials, as rare earth materials are also key components in a range of military weapons systems.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-commits-500-million-over-several-years-to-buy-us-made-rare-earth-magnets-152930080.html?src=rss

Sony just surprised the photography world by unveiling the RX1R III, a fixed-lens 35mm full-frame compact camera. Coming nearly ten years after the RX1R II, it has a 61MP Exmor R sensor along with Sony's latest image processing technology that promises low noise and high dynamic range. Apart from all the new tech, the RX1R III is smaller and more streamlined than before and considerably lighter at 17 ounces than its main competition, Leica's Q3 and the Fujifilm GFX100RF. With that, it's designed to be a "carrying around" camera for street photographers, serious amateurs and others. That small size is due in part to the Zeiss Sonnar T 35mm f2 lens that sits partly inside the body. While more compact than before, it has the same optics as the last model and offers high levels of sharpness and color rendering, according to Sony. It comes with a macro ring that enables users to get as close as 20cm to subjects and feature's Sony's new "Step Crop Shooting" function that allows 35mm, 50mm and 70mm focal lengths by cropping into the sensor, just like the GFX100RF can do with a similar button. Sony The RX1R II has up to 15 stops of dynamic range thanks to the high-res sensor and image processing engine. It also features an anti-reflection coating and no optical low-pass filter to boost image quality, though that can cause some moire and other artifacts. Shooting speeds aren't quick at just 5 fps, though it's obviously not designed for sports. The electronic viewfinder is middling with 2.36 million dots and 0.7x magnification, though the rear display offers a decent 2.4 million dots of resolution. However, unlike the one on the previous model that tilted out and up, it's fixed in order to save weight and size. It also lacks any in-body or optical stabilization, relying solely on electronic shake reduction. With Sony's latest Bionz XR and AI processors, it promises accurate tracking of "subjects, human bodies, heads and the position of eyes," Sony said, even if their faces aren't visible. It uses 693 phase-detection AF points covering around 78 percent of the image, just like Sony's A7R V. It's not nearly as powerful as the A7R V for video, but can still handle 4K 30 fps video with 10-bit 4:2:2 color sampling, along with 1080p video at up to 120 fps. No log mode is available, but you do get the log-like S-Cinetone that boosts dynamic range a bit. Other features include a single SDXC UHS II slot, a mic input (but not headphone jack), a microHDMI port and a USB-C input. The R1XR III is much more expensive than the RX1R II was at launch. It'll go on pre-order soon for $5,100, with shipping set to start on July 31st. Sony is also offering a handful of accessories (also expensive), including a $300 (!) thumb grip, $250 body case and $200 lens hood (!!). This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/sonys-61mp-rx1r-iii-fixed-lens-compact-camera-is-finally-here-after-a-ten-year-wait-152707087.html?src=rss

Insta360 has launched a firmware upgrade and new accessories for its X5 360-degree camera as part of what it calls the Insta360 Summer Update. Key new features include "AdaptiveTone" to improve dual camera exposure, a new "Ultra Battery" for longer recording times, an ND filter set and custom-designed lenses. "It can be a struggle for dual-lens cameras like X5 to balance the exposure across both lenses," the company explained. To fix this issue it came up with AdaptiveTone, which independently records light data for both lenses in order to preserve highlight and shadow detail across the entire spherical image. Then, in automatically adjusts the exposure based on the perspective you choose, supposedly resulting in more natural-looking footage. It works with both 360 video at 8K 30 fps and 5.7K 30fps along with flat PureVideo. Another key update is for PureVideo, allowing it work single lens mode rather than just in 360 mode as before. That will allow creators to capture low-light footage with reduced noise and improved color fidelity in both flat and spherical modes. Battery life was another key target. The X5 now supports Endurance Mode in 8K, allowing nearly two hours of continuous recording while improving endurance mode at 5.7K 24 fps with a boost from 185 to 208 minutes. Should you need even more performance in that regard, Insta360 is selling a new $50 Ultra Battery that boosts runtime by up to 17 percent to just under four hours max. Mat Smith for Engadget Another new accessory is X5 ND filters that give creators more options in bright lighting conditions. The kit includes ND16, ND32 and ND64 filters, letting you reduce shutter speeds to create natural motion blur for activities like mountain biking and motorcycle footage. Plus, Insta360 is offering an X5 custom replacement lens kit with pre-made patterns, AI artwork or your own images, to swap out with the standard lenses. Motorcycle creators are getting some extra love, too. Enhancements include immersive stabilization that preserves some natural shake to enhance the feeling of speed, along with Sena headset integration that allows start/stop recording and voice commands for hands-free operation. It also introduced a GPS preview remote with a built-in mic that combines camera control, live preview, GPS data recording and a noise canceling mic. Finally, the Plate Blur feature automatically obscures your license plate in footage, saving you the trouble of doing that manually. Other updates include new diving accessories and software updates with a new Invisible Dive Case Pro and buoyancy control accessory, along with an updated AquaVision 3.0 algorithm that analyzes underwater footage and provides a selection of color adjustments to best match the shot. You can also connect the X5 to a Suunto dive computer so you can bake your diving data right into the footage. Finally, Insta360 introduced updates to its Studio editing software like improved export speeds, background exports and improvements to the AI Stitching algorithm. And now, you can preview video files in their folder on your computer without the need to open them in Studio, saving time. The software updates, along with all the new accessories, are now available on Insta360's website. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/insta360s-x5-cam-update-brings-nd-filters-a-giant-battery-and-improved-exposure-150007247.html?src=rss

Google has closed a $3 billion deal to secure 3,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power, as it looks to meet the data demands of its growing AI and cloud computing platforms by harnessing low-cost clean energy. Brookfield Asset Management's renewables division says that its deal with Google is the largest deal of its kind for hydroelectricity. The first phase of this deal will provide Google with 670MW of carbon-free electricity from Brookfield's Holtwood and Safe Harbor plants in Pennsylvania.The Hydro Framework Agreement (HFA) allows Google to upgrade or develop the existing facilities as it sees fit in an ongoing commitment to adding more power to the grid. At the outset, Google's efforts will largely be focused on the PJM, the largest grid in the US with 65 million customers, which is currently struggling to keep up with the data demands of big tech's seemingly insatiably power-hungry AI projects. In time, the new partners will have the option of expanding into other regions in the country. Google said in a statement that it was dedicated to "responsibly growing the digital infrastructure that powers daily life for people, communities and businesses."Google's latest energy deal comes in the same week that AI rival Meta said it will spend hundreds of billions of dollars on a number of gigwatt-sized data centers, as part of its quest to create better-than-human-level "superintelligence" in all of its AI domains. The new campuses will be among the largest on earth, with the first to arrive being the Ohio-based Prometheus at some point next year.A typical data center consumes around 500,000 gallons of water each day, but the emerging AI-focused complexes being built by tech giants could reportedly push this figure into the millions, as recently reported by The New York Times. When the volume of water needed to power these facilities eclipses what is readily available, local communities often bear the brunt through rising prices and potential water shortages in the future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-spends-%C2%A33-billion-on-securing-energy-for-its-data-centers-and-ai-expansion-145145966.html?src=rss

Rivian, the American EV manufacturer, is integrating Google Maps into its navigation app. The update should provide Rivian owners with more detailed information about their route, disruptions and places they're passing.These new features include updated traffic data and reroutes if another option turns out to be quicker along your journey. Drivers will also have access to real-time road disruption reports from the Google Maps community. Plus, places of interest should now be available right on the map. Rivian already used Google Maps' information for searching places, but now everything from hours to ratings should show up on the display. The newly available technology also extends to Google Maps' satellite images.Rivian's navigation app already included features such as range on arrival, charging information and charging stops along your route. The update comes with a new design that Rivian claims has better "glanceability" and "access to information."The company has faced some setbacks and concerns. In February 2024, Rivian laid off 10 percent of its salaried workforce due to a $1.5 billion loss in the fourth quarter of 2023. Then, in October, reports emerged that the EV maker's only factory received 16 initially serious violations in 21 months from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). According to Bloomberg, injuries included an amputated finger, a broken skull, and having symptoms like vomiting and dizziness after having to paint without protections. Rivian has disputed these claims.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/rivian-adds-google-maps-features-to-its-navigation-app-140033783.html?src=rss

Redditors in the UK will now have to verify their ages before they can view mature content. Just like Bluesky, which announced a few days ago that it was rolling out age verification features, Reddit had to enforce the new rule to comply with the UK Online Safety Act. The UK's new requirements are meant to prevent children from accessing age-inappropriate posts. Reddit will use a third-party company called Persona to verify a user's age. Users will either have to upload a photo of their government ID or take a selfie, with the latter option presumably enough for people who absolutely don't look like a minor anymore.In its announcement, Reddit said that that it will not have access to those photos and will only be saving their verification status, along with their birthdates. That way, users won't have to re-enter their birthdays every time they try to access restricted content. The announcement also said that Persona will only be keeping users' photos for seven days and will not be able to see their Reddit information, such as their posts and the subreddits they visit.If a user is under 18, Reddit will hide restricted content from them and will limit ads in sensitive categories, like gambling. They will no longer be able to view sexually explicit content, anything that encourages suicide and disordered eating, as well as anything that incites hatred against other people based on their race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability and gender. Reddit will also restrict anything that encourages violence and any post that depicts "real or realistic serious violence against a person, an animal, or a fictional creature" for minors. They won't be able to see posts encouraging challenges that are highly likely to result in serious injury, along with posts encouraging people to ingest harmful substances. Content that shames people's body types and other physical features will be restricted, as well.Users outside the UK will not be affected by the new rule, but Reddit said that it may need to verify the ages of people in other regions if they adopt similar laws. Reddit also said that it "would like to be able to confirm whether [users] are a human being or not" in the age of AI and will have more to announce about that later.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-begins-age-verification-checks-for-uk-users-134516723.html?src=rss

Grok, xAi's chatbot most famous for going on an antisemitic spree last week, has now added the ability to perform as a synthetic companion for your enjoyment. Elon Musk announced the new feature, available to paid subscribers, which will take the form of animated characters Ani and Rudy.Both are distinctly not safe for work, with the former operating as a digital waifu for you to, uh, romance. Rudy, on the other hand, is a red panda with a smart mouth who likes to get rude with the people he's speaking to.

The Department of Commerce has opened national security investigations into imports of drones and polysilicon, a raw material used in chips and solar panels. Among other things, officials are looking into "predatory trade practices" and the capacity of other countries to "weaponize their control over supplies" of drones, drone parts and polysilicon, as well as derivatives of each.The DoC commenced the investigations on July 1, but has only just disclosed them publicly. The probes could lead to the US imposing yet more tariffs on imports, which would drive up prices of drones and products that use polysilicon. Per notices that are being published in the Federal Register, officials will consider "whether additional measures, including tariffs or quotas, are necessary to protect national security."President Donald Trump has used the same legal process as these investigations to apply tariffs to imports of steel and aluminium (50 percent), cars and car parts (25 percent) and copper (50 percent as of August 1). There are other investigations underway into the likes of semiconductors, consumer electronics, aerospace components and pharmaceuticals. They're being conducted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.According to The Financial Times, China is the leading market for polysilicon manufacturing. Around three quarters of all commercial drones are said to be manufactured in the country too. Under the Biden administration, the US increased tariffs on solar wafers and polysilicon imports from China to 50 percent at the start of 2025. DJI also faces a potential ban in the US.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/us-probes-imports-on-drones-and-a-raw-material-used-in-chips-and-solar-panels-131546876.html?src=rss

John Wick Hex, a stylish and well-received game based on the John Wick movies, will soon no longer be available to purchase. In a statement on the title's Steam page, publisher Big Fan Games says it will be delisted from all platforms on July 17.After that date, the publisher said, those who have already acquired the tactical action game from a digital storefront will still be able to download it. Physical console copies will still work too.Big Fan didn't provide an explanation as to why John Wick Hex is being removed from storefronts, though licensing issues may be at play. Mike Bithell, creative director at developer Bithell Games, said on BlueSky he was "unable to shed any light" on the reason for the delisting."This one was a weird journey. [It] initially polarized folks, but now it's one of the consistent favourites people wanna chat with me about when I'm doing public stuff," wrote Bithell, who came to prominence with Thomas Was Alone and whose most recently released game was Tron Catalyst. "My first disappeared game, a weird feeling."It's always a shame to see a game vanish from storefronts. It's terrible for game preservation, and it means those who made the game will never be able to find a larger audience for it. You still have a couple of days to pick up John Wick Hex, however. It's on sale at Humble, where Steam keys are available for $4, or 80 percent off.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/john-wick-hex-will-be-delisted-from-all-platforms-on-july-17-123028996.html?src=rss

Your college years are typically thought of as some of the best of your life, but they can be hard to enjoy to the fullest if you're worried about paying for the essentials like food, textbooks, supplies and, if you're lucky, the occasional evening out with friends. With everything going up in price, it may seem like good discounts are few and far between, but that's not the case. Students still have excellent discounts to take advantage of across the board, be it on streaming services, shopping subscriptions, digital tools and more. We've collected the best student discounts we could find on useful services, along with some things you'll enjoy in your down time. Just keep in mind that most of these offers require you to prove your status as a student either by signing up with your .edu email address or providing a valid student ID. Shopping Streaming Tools News Engadget You shouldn't rely on social media to be your sole source of news. With foreign wars, new viruses, Supreme Court decisions and upcoming elections making headlines daily, it's important to get your news from reliable sources. Yes, it's daunting to get into the news on a regular basis, but it's crucial to know what's going on in the country and the world as a whole. Here are some reputable news organizations that offer student discounts on their monthly or annual subscription plans. The Atlantic: Starts at $50 per year for digital-only access. The New York Times: $1 per week for one year for the base subscription. The Washington Post: $1 every four weeks for digital-only access. The Wall Street Journal: Starting at $2 per week for one year for digital access.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-student-discounts-140038070.html?src=rss

NVIDIA will be able to start selling its H20 AI GPU to China again soon after gaining approval to do so from the US government, the company announced in a blog post. Earlier this year, the company was blocked from selling the H20 to China over concerns it could aid the nation's military."NVIDIA is filing applications to sell the H20 GPU again. The US government has assured NVIDIA that licenses will be granted and NVIDIA hopes to start deliveries soon," the article states. The company also announced the NVIDIA RTX Pro GPU that's "fully compliant" for the Chinese market, designed for smart factories and logistics.The US government starting blocking sales of NVIDIA's most powerful AI graphics processors, like the A100 and H200, to China back in 2022. The company subsequently developed the A800 and H800 chips for the Chinese market, but those were subsequently banned as well by the Biden administration back in 2023. NVIDIA then came up with the HGX H20 and two other chips that conformed to export rules.Sales of that chip were blocked too in April, but the US department of commerce has apparently reversed course again. That could be a tremendous help for NVIDIA financially as it's currently holding $8 billion in unshipped orders and expects up to $5 billion in additional revenue for 2025, Bloomberg reported.Yesterday, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang dismissed concerns that China's military would use the company's chips to develop AI. "They don't need NVIDIA's chips, certainly, or American tech stacks in order to build their military," he said, adding that it would be foolish of them to do so because "they simply can't rely on it." Huang has previously said that NVIDIA export bans didn't stop China from developing AI and allowed its competitors, especially Huawei, to gain ground on US technology.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/nvidia-says-it-can-resume-selling-key-ai-chips-to-china-120015817.html?src=rss

Be extra careful where you buy your used Nintendo Switch game cards. A Switch 2 owner posted on Reddit about how their account was banned after downloading patches for a few Switch game cards they'd bought from Facebook Marketplace. The Switch 2 user contacted Nintendo support and discovered they were banned, but they provided proof of purchase and were unbanned shortly after. The Redditor said the whole process was painless and fluid."NintendoNintendo attaches unique codes to its Switch game cartridges to prevent piracy. However, bad actors can copy games to a third-party device, like the MIG Flash, and resell the physical game card, meaning the code can exist twice. Once Nintendo detects two instances of the same code online at the same time, down comes the ban hammer.Nintendo continues to push back against piracy aggressively. It amended the Switch user agreement to allow it to brick a console it detects running pirated games or mods.- Mat SmithGet Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The news you might have missed

If you're looking to get fit, sleep better or just keep a closer eye on your health, a fitness wearable is a great place to start. Whether you're into intense workouts or just want to hit your step goal each day, the best fitness trackers available today can offer loads of helpful features, from sleep tracking and resting heart rate monitoring to built-in GPS and stress tracking. Some are even subtle enough to wear 24/7, like smart rings, while others double as stylish smartwatches.

It's been a little over a year since Form released its second-generation smart swim goggles into the world. Since then, the company has been working on a way to ensure its headgear is even more attractive to swimmers who like to get out in the rough. Today, it's announcing the Smart Swim 2 Pro, a modest upgrade on its predecessor with a focus on durability.The 2 Pro's lenses are now made of Gorilla Glass 3, which adds a gram or two more weight but should keep them scratch-free for far longer. Given the amount of open-water swimmers that use Form's goggles, having faith that your lenses can take nature's elbows is probably worth it.If you've ever used a pair of regular goggles for a long time, you might notice how the anti-fog coating starts to wear off. Especially if you, like me, absentmindedly commit the sin of wiping the inside of their goggles with a finger when your view is obscured. Form may be proud of its current anti-fog coating, but realized there was a better way to keep the lenses clear for longer.Consequently, the 2 Pro comes with a bottle of anti-fog spray that users need to apply before a swim. This isn't a way of squeezing more cash out of the user base, however, as the company is proud to admit it's just baby shampoo diluted with water. But Form has tested the correct ratio for optimal application and there are markings on the bottle showing you what you need to refill.At the same time, Form is rolling out new features for its premium subscribers, including more data-driven program planning and more tips on where you need to improve. The company also revealed that its premium features are paying off, with swimmers seeing 1.4 times the gains in speed compared to the users who use the hardware alone.The Form Smart Swim 2 Pro is available to buy July 15 for $329 in the US, $449 in Canada and 329 in Europe.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/form-makes-its-smart-swimming-goggles-tougher-with-gorilla-glass-lenses-060019264.html?src=rss

YouTube has clarified its rules about repetitious content and your favorite reaction video channel won't be impacted. Earlier this month, the platform said it would be changing its rules for monetization in an effort to address AI-generated materials, but didn't include many specifics, which led many to sound the alarm that reaction videos might get swept up in the new rules. The company has now provided a few tweaks and more clear delineations in its guidelines about channel monetization policies.For starters, the rule is being renamed to the inauthentic content policy. "This type of content has always been ineligible for monetization under our existing policies, where creators are rewarded for original and authentic content," a note appended to the support page states. "There is no change to our reused content policy which reviews content like commentary, clips, compilations and reaction videos."YouTube provided a few examples of material that it would deem to be mass-produced or overly repetitive, and thus ineligible to be monetized. Inauthentic content includes video "that exclusively features readings of other materials you did not originally create, like text from websites or news feeds" or "image slideshows or scrolling text with minimal or no narrative, commentary, or educational value." The company also shared examples of reused content. YouTube said those beloved reaction channels, as well as videos that contain clips for analysis, review or commentary, are unaffected by the new rules. The no-nos for reused content rules might include "Content uploaded many times by other creators" or "Content downloaded or copied from another online source without any substantive modifications."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/never-fear-reaction-videos-are-still-allowed-under-youtubes-new-inauthentic-content-policy-222401009.html?src=rss

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is reportedly working on mixed reality goggles, The Information reports. The in-development device is designed to layer digital objects over your view of the real world, and is supposed to compete directly with Meta's upcoming mixed reality products.The goggles are being built by ByteDance's virtual reality startup Pico, the creators of the Pico 4 VR headset. Pico's past products have attempted to match Meta's Quest headsets in terms of features, but these new goggles apparently represent a different approach (albeit one still positioned as an alternative to Meta). Rather than a bulky headset, the goggles are supposed to be small and light, about the size of the Bigscreen Beyond VR headset, which weighs 0.28 pounds. Pico is keeping the device lightweight by offloading most of the computing work to a puck that's connected to the goggles over a wire. Meta's prototype Orion AR glasses used a wireless puck for a similar weight-saving purpose when the company demoed them in November 2024.Pico is also reportedly working on building "specialized chips for the device that will process data from its sensors to minimize the lag or latency between what a user sees in AR and their physical movements," The Information writes.Plenty of the details are still up in the air, but the report notes that the ByteDance / Pico goggles should be very similar to Meta's next mixed reality device. Following the release of the Quest 3S, Meta reportedly postponed work on the Quest 4 in favor of developing lightweight mixed reality goggles, according to UploadVR. The company has been publicly pushing AI wearables like the newly introduced Oakley Meta HSTN glasses, and it seems like its next Quest device will be closer to smart glasses than a VR headset with controllers.It's not known when ByteDance's goggles will actually be released or where they'll be sold. Current Pico headsets aren't sold in the US, and given the concern over ByteDance's ownership of TikTok, it seems unlikely the company would be able to sell a mixed reality device without pushback.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/tiktok-owner-bytedance-is-reportedly-building-its-own-mixed-reality-goggles-212541450.html?src=rss

Meta is going after creators who rip off other users' content as part of a broader effort to fix Facebook's feed. In its latest update, the company laid out new steps it's taking to penalize accounts that lift work from others.In a blog post for creators, Meta says that accounts that "repeatedly" and "improperly" reuse other accounts' text posts, photos or videos will have their pages demonetized "for a period of time." Meta willa also throttle all of their posts, not just the ones with the offending content. The company notes that the change is meant to target "repeated reposting of content from other creators without permission or meaningful enhancements" and not content like reaction videos.Meta has previously taken similar steps to reward original content on Instagram, where the company has actively replaced reposted Reels with the original clip. The company now says it's looking into a similar move on Facebook by adding a link to the original video when it detects a duplicate.MetaThe latest crackdown comes as Meta says it's trying to reduce the amount of spammy and other undesirable posts in Facebook's feed. Earlier this year, the company said it would demonetize creators who share posts with spammy captions and go after creators that manipulate engagement on the platform. In its newest update, Meta shared that since the start of the year it penalized more than 500,000 accounts that engaged in such tactics, "applying measures ranging from demoting their comments and reducing the distribution of their content to preventing these accounts from monetizing." The company has also removed more than 10 million profiles it says impersonated "large content producers."Additionally, Meta is rolling out new in-app insights it says can help realtors understand issues affecting their reach or monetization status. The new dashboard will highlight potential problems, like unoriginal content or spammy captions, as well as issues affecting monetization.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-says-its-cracking-down-on-facebook-creators-who-steal-content-203713569.html?src=rss

Anthropic's Claude can now create and edit designs with visual studio Canva from within an AI chat. This integration is powered by a Canva server that uses Anthropic's Model Context Protocol, or MCP. Claude can use Canvas's tools to generate a design or search for materials within a user's Canva workspace. This functionality requires a paid subscription to Claude, and access also varies based on the user's Canva plan.Multiple artificial intelligence platforms have started using MCP to connect their models to applications. Anthropic unveiled its MCP in November, and earlier this month, it announced that Wiley and Panopto had created MCP servers to connect to Claude.In addition, Anthropic now has a directory of all the platforms that use its MCP tech. From that directory, users can discover and access the remote services and local apps that connect to Claude. Subscriptions are required for the remote connectors. It seems likely that the company will continue to expand its roster of supported services and get its chatbot active in more third-party platforms.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/claude-ai-now-integrates-with-canva-201808571.html?src=rss

In a world of flashy limited-edition video game consoles, the 30th anniversary PS5 hardware Sony released in September 2024 came off as remarkably refined, which might have been why it was so hard to actually buy. If you missed that original drop, you'll have another chance to order it, according to a Facebook post on the official PlayStation Facebook page. Sony is doing a limited restock of the 30th Anniversary Limited Edition DualSense controller on September 5, and you'll be able to preorder one for yourself next week.Preorders start on July 21 at 10AM ET / 7AM PT for PlayStation Plus subscribers and July 23 at 10AM ET / 7AM PT for the general public. The controller will have to be ordered directly through the PlayStation Store - Sony hasn't said if the restock will extend to other online marketplaces like Amazon or Best Buy. Based on what the company has shared, only the DualSense controller will be restocked in the US, but the PlayStation Store in the UK and Canada will also have restocks of the 30th Anniversary Limited Edition PlayStation 5 Console and the PS Portal, as well.Sony's 30th Anniversary Limited Edition hardware features the classic PS1 gray, with touches of color to represent the formerly cheery PlayStation logo and face buttons. On the DualSense in particular, the old-school red, green, yellow and blue PlayStation logo replaces the typical black one found on other PS5 controllers.Limiting one round of preorders to PS Plus subscribers should hopefully make it easier to purchase the DualSense, something Sony didn't bother to do when it first dropped the limited edition hardware last year. Managing online sales and avoiding scalpers has prompted some interesting strategies as of late. With the launch of the Switch 2, for example, Nintendo limited preorders of its new console to customers with a Nintendo Online account that was at least 12 months old and had at least 50 hours of total playtime logged.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/the-30th-anniversary-ps5-controller-will-be-available-again-for-a-limited-time-195731358.html?src=rss

Google is adding what it calls "featured notebooks" to NotebookLM as a way to demo its AI-powered software and offer interactive, high-quality resources on everything from personal advice to William Shakespeare. The company tried something similar after its developer conference in May, when it created a NotebookLM notebook trained on everything that was announced at Google I/O 2025.The new featured notebooks have their own dedicated tab on the NotebookLM homepage and were created in partnership with "respected authors, researchers, publications and nonprofits around the world," Google says. Like all NotebookLM projects, you can interact with the raw sources that make up the notebook's knowledge base, ask questions about topics in a chat interface or view an AI-generated summary, audio overview or flow chart for more ways to interact with the content.The first round of featured notebooks included a notebook on longevity advice trained on the book Super Agers, a notebook on 2025 predictions trained on The Economist'sannual "The World Ahead" report and an advice notebook trained on The Atlantic's "How to Build a Life" column, among several other options. Your mileage may vary on how useful each featured notebook is - I found the Shakespeare notebook to be the most fun to play with - but each is a good representation of the quality and volume of material that needs to be uploaded to NotebookLM for it to work well.Google introduced NotebookLM in 2023 as an experiment in building an AI tool that relies on sources you upload, rather than whatever the company managed to scrape off the internet. The idea is that chats about topics in NotebookLM would be less prone to hallucinations than what an AI Overview in Google Search spits out. Or at the very least, it would be easier to check the AI's answers because the source material is a click away.NotebookLM became really popular when Google introduced Audio Overviews in September 2024, AI-generated podcasts about the material uploaded to a NotebookLM notebook. Since then, the company has expanded the tool at a rapid clip, introducing mobile apps and the ability to share public notebooks. Clearly, Google is committed to NotebookLM and featured notebooks are a further attempt to model how the AI-powered tool can actually be useful.Google says featured notebooks are available to people using the desktop version of NotebookLM today and more featured notebooks will be added in the future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-adds-featured-notebooks-on-selected-topics-to-notebooklm-181400251.html?src=rss

If you've been hunting high and low for a Nintendo Switch 2, then get ready to visit your local Best Buy on July 17. The electronics retailer will be restocking the handheld in all of its stores to coincide with the release of Donkey Kong Bananza, the first 3D Donkey Kong game in almost 30 years.The Nintendo Switch 2 has been one of the hottest launches of the summer, and it remains in short supply due to high demand. Even the Amazon listing for the Switch 2 is available only by invitation, would-be buyers have to put in a request. This Best Buy event feels like the most substantial restock since the launch of the console last month.The Switch 2 has received a warm reception thanks to its larger 7.9-inch screen with HDR and a more polished design. The console also features significantly better performance than the first generation - so much so that Cyberpunk 2077 was released for the Switch 2.Details on whether stand-alone consoles, the Mario Kart World bundle or package deals with Donkey Kong Bananza will be available in Best Buy stores have not been shared. One thing we do know, however, is that Best Buy says that stock will be limited," so you'll probably want to show up before your store opens.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/best-buy-is-restocking-the-nintendo-switch-2-on-july-17-174637818.html?src=rss

Meta is building several gigawatt-sized data centers to power AI, as reported by Bloomberg. CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the company will spend "hundreds of billions of dollars" to accomplish this feat, with an aim of creating "superintelligence."The term typically refers to artificial general intelligence (AGI), which describes AI systems that boast human-level intelligence across multiple domains. This is something of a holy grail for Silicon Valley tech types.The first center is called Prometheus and it comes online next year. It's being built in Ohio. Next up, there's a data center called Hyperion that's almost the size of Manhattan. This one should "be able to scale up to 5GW over several years." Some of these campuses will be among the largest in the world, as most data centers can only generate hundreds of megawatts of capacity. Meta has also been staffing up its Superintelligence Labs team, recruiting folks from OpenAI, Google's DeepMind and others. Scale AI's co-founder Alexandr Wang is heading up this effort.However, these giant data centers do not exist in a vacuum. The complexes typically brush up against local communities. The centers are not only power hogs, but also water hogs. The New York Times just published a report on how Meta data centers impact local water supplies.There's a data center east of Atlanta that has damaged local wells and caused municipal water prices to soar, which could lead to a shortage and rationing by 2030. The price of water in the region is set to increase by 33 percent in the next two years.Typical data centers guzzle around 500,000 gallons of water each day, but these forthcoming AI-centric complexes will likely be even thirstier. The new centers could require millions of gallons per day, according to water permit applications reviewed by The New York Times. Mike Hopkins, the executive director of the Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority, says that applications are coming in with requests for up to six millions of water per day, which is more than the county's entire daily usage.What the data centers don't understand is that they're taking up the community wealth," he said. We just don't have the water."

Canon has released 20 cameras since launching the RF mount in 2018, but it had one gaping hole in a key market: vlogging. Now, the company has patched that with the launch of the $700 R50 V that's aimed at creators on a budget and designed to take on Sony's ZV-E10 II. The R50 V has the same 24-megapixel APS-C sensor as the R50, but adds vlogging-friendly features like 4K 60p video, C-Log3 for extra dynamic range, a livestreaming button and a side tripod socket for vertical video. It's cheaper than the $1,100 ZV-E10 II and even costs a bit less than the older ZV-E10. After some lengthy testing, however, I found that it was missing some key features compared to its Sony rivals, particularly those that make vlogging easier for beginners. Design and handling Like other vlogging cameras, the R50 V is stripped down both in terms of size and controls. It has a polycarbonate body rather than metal, which reduces toughness and weatherproofing but helps keep it light at just 323 grams. The grip is also smaller than the R50's, so it's not ideal to use with large lenses. One key feature missing from the R50 is an electronic viewfinder. That's also the case with the ZV-E10 II, but the lack of one can make it challenging to shoot in bright sunlight. On top of that, the rear display is low-res and isn't particularly bright. However, it fully articulates and flips around for vloggers. The R50 V is designed to be controlled via the touchscreen, so it has fewer manual controls than other Canon mirrorless models. It does have top, rear and back dials to set primary functions like iris and shutter speed. However, you need to use your thumb to control both of those which makes operation a bit awkward. The front rocker is designed to control zoom on supported Canon lenses like the new 14-30mm f/4-6.4 IS STM PZ, which was released at the same time as this camera. It also has livestream and color buttons dedicated to creators, plus there's a mode dial with six different video settings. Canon's EOS R50 V has decent handling designed for creators but it lacks manual controls for photography Steve Dent for Engadget The menu system is typically Canon with color-coded pages for each category (video settings, autofocus and more). However, key settings can also be adjusted from the Quick (Q) menu using the touchscreen when vlogging. Functions in that menu can of course be reprogrammed to your preferences. The R50 V has both microphone and headphone inputs along with microHDMI and USB-C ports. It uses Canon's smaller EP-17 battery that delivers an hour of video shooting or 300 shots to a charge, both far less than the ZV-E10 II (113 minutes and 600 shots). It has just a single SD card slot, but fortunately it's the faster UHS-II type. Finally, there's a very handy feature for content creators: a tripod socket on the side to make it easier for solo vloggers to shoot vertical video. Video Video and vlogging is the R50 V's primary strength compared to R50. It can shoot both supersampled 4K 30 fps and 4K 60 fps video, with C-Log3 and 10-bit quality. However, the 4K 60 fps setting requires a fat 1.56x crop, which reduces quality as well as bokeh. Sony's ZV-E10 II, by contrast, only requires a 1.1x crop for 4K 60 fps video. The Z50 V also lacks in-body stabilization. That means the R50 V relies strictly on optical lens shake reduction or electronic stabilization. To be fair, that's to be expected in this price range and the ZV-E10 II is also missing in-body stabilization. The electronic system does a good job removing jolts from handheld video and can even smooth out walking if you try to move fluidly, but it can make footage look soft if movements are excessive. The Enhanced" electronic mode, which applies a small crop, is designed to make handheld shots look locked off" like you're using a tripod. The R50 V offers good image quality and key creator features like a fully articulating screen. Steve Dent for Engadget Background blur and product showcase-type buttons are also noticeably missing compared to the ZV E10 II. That's too bad, because creators use those features often to quickly focus on objects or blur the background behind a subject - without them, you're forced to set those things manually. Rolling shutter distortion is fairly noticeable on this camera with a scan rate around 30ms, compared to just 16ms for the ZV-E10 II. This means sudden pans or jolts can result in jello effect" video. Meanwhile, video autofocus is rapid and reliable, even if your subject moves around. The AI-powered face and eye detection locks on firmly, and can also reliably track animals and vehicles. Canon took a page from Panasonic and Fujifilm with the addition of a color button on the R50 V. It lets you quickly select shooting modes like standard BT.709, C-Log, HLG and PQ. Another setting offers filmic looks with modes like Portrait, Fine Detail, Faithful and Monochrome. And the last color filter" mode allows for tinted video with shades like teal and peach, though the results looked a bit cheesy to me. With a built-in cooling fan, the R50 V is more resistant to overheating than most small cameras. When recording standard 4K at 30 fps, I was able to shoot for 60 straight minutes with no sign of overheating. The issue doesn't, er, crop up at 4K 60p either since that mode uses a reduced portion of the sensor. Overall, video quality is a strong point, with sharp detail when using the 4K 30 fps oversampled mode. Colors are rich and accurate, and skin tones pleasing with a hint of warmness that Canon is known for. The 10-bit C-Log3 footage retains extra detail in shadow and highlight areas, providing outstanding dynamic range for such an inexpensive camera. However, 4K 60p video is considerably softer, and the 1080p 120 fps ultra slo-mo setting lacks sharpness even by HD standards. Low-light capability is average for an APS-C camera, with noise clearly visible starting at ISO 3,200 or 6,400. Beyond that, it becomes intrusive and harder to get rid of using noise reduction tools. Photography Though photography isn't this camera's raison d'etre, the R50 V performs decently in that regard. It can shoot fairly quickly for a small camera, with burst speeds of 15 fps with the electronic shutter or 12 fps with mechanical shutter. However, it can't sustain those speeds for very long due to the small buffer that holds just 36 RAW images. Autofocus is again a strong point, tracking subjects with ease and keeping photos sharp. As with video, AI-powered face and eye detection is quick and reliable for people, animals and vehicles. Rolling shutter is an issue with photos as it is with video, but since the R50 V has a mechanical first-curtain shutter, you only need the electronic mode for photos when silence is required. The lack of in-body stabilization means you'll need to have a steady hand to take sharp shots at low shutter speeds, or you'll want to shop for lenses with optical stabilization if that's an issue. Photo quality is identical to the R50 since it shares the same sensor. For normal shooting, I saw color-accurate photos with skin tones leaning on the warm side, as is typical with Canon's color science. JPEGs strike a good balance between sharpening and noise reduction, while RAW files allow a decent amount of room to tweak images. As with video, low-light performance isn't amazing, so I wouldn't go past ISO 6,400 unless it's too dark to film otherwise. Wrap-up With a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor, the R50 V squares off against Sony's ZV-E10 II Steve Dent for Engadget Canon's R50 V is a pretty good first try for a vlogging camera, hitting the mark in key areas like video quality and usability. However, its rival, Sony's ZV-E10 II, beats it in nearly every area, offering even better video quality, higher photo resolution, faster autofocus, smoother electronic stabilization and neat features missing on the R50 V - like the product showcase. That said, Canon is targeting a more budget-minded buyer as the R50 V costs just $700 (body only) compared to $1,100 for the ZV-E10 II. Vloggers constrained to that budget will still get a great camera that easily beats a smartphone when it comes to the final product. If you do have an extra $400 to spend, though, I'd recommend the ZV-E10 II instead.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/canon-r50-v-review-an-affordable-vlogging-camera-that-lags-behind-its-rivals-173028892.html?src=rss

Two years in, Threads is starting to look more and more like the most viable challenger to X. It passed 350 million monthly users earlier this year and Mark Zuckerberg has predicted it could be Meta's next billion-user app.But Threads still isn't sending much traffic to other websites, which could make the platform less appealing for creators, publishers and others whose businesses depend on non-Meta owned websites. According to Similarweb, a marketing intelligence firm, outbound referral traffic from Threads climbed to 28.4 million visits in June. That's a notable jump from 15.1 million visits a year ago, but still relatively tiny considering Threads is currently averaging more than 115 million users a day on its app, according to Similarweb.Regular Threads users have long suspected that Meta deprioritizes posts with links. For most of the last two years of Threads' existence the common wisdom was that users shouldn't share links, or should only share them as replies to a primary post. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, who also oversees Threads, hasn't exactly encouraged linking either. He said last year that Threads doesn't intentionally downrank links but that "we don't place much value on" them because "people don't like and comment on links much."Meta's reluctance wasn't just about users' preferences, though. The company was also concerned about how spammers and other bad actors might abuse links on the text-based platform. More recently though, Meta has changed course, and has been taking steps to surface more "good" links in recommended posts."We've been working on making sure links are ranked properly," Mosseri said in June. "Links have been working much better for more than a month now." The company has also bolstered links on the platform by allowing users to add more links to their Threads profiles and providing link-specific analytics to its "insights" feature. "We want Threads to be a place that helps you grow your reach - even outside of Threads," Meta said in a May update.But despite these changes, Threads is still sending very little traffic to websites. Data shared by Similarweb shows that during May and June of last year - when Threads had more than 150 million monthly users - it sent just 24.8 million referrals to outside websites. During May and June of this year, that number more than doubled, rising to 51.8 million.Those numbers still suggest, though, that the majority of Threads' users are rarely, if ever, clicking on links they see on Threads. Lia Haberman, a social media marketing consultant and author of the ICYMI newsletter, said she's not surprised. "People just got trained not to look for them, not to include them, not to think about them," she tells Engadget. "You can't just flip a switch and all of a sudden expect people to embrace links."Publishers, a group that likely posts more links on Threads than anyone else, don't seem to be seeing significant traffic from Threads either. Data provided by Chartbeat, a company that provides analytics data to publishers, shows that publisher page views from Threads have nearly doubled since the start of the year, rising from 8.8 million in January to 15.1 million in June.Interestingly, according to both Similarweb and Chartbeat's data for 2025, referrals from Threads peaked in March. That month, Threads sent 28.8 million outbound referrals to websites, according to Similarweb, while Chartbeat publishers saw 25 million page views from the platform.But while the latest stats show that traffic from Threads has grown significantly over the last year, it still represents a tiny proportion of the publishers' traffic overall. According to Chartbeat, over the last year and a half Threads has consistently accounted for less than one tenth of a percent of sites' referral traffic. By comparison, Facebook referrals have hovered around 2 - 3 percent over the same period, while Google Discover has accounted for about 13 - 14 percent of referrals. Even among other "small" sources of referrals, like chatGPT, Reddit and Perplexity, Threads is only ahead of Perplexity in terms of the number of referrals it sends.Threads referrals even pale in comparison to Twitter's, which was never known as a major traffic driver even before Elon Musk's takeover of the company. In January of 2018, Twitter accounted for 3 percent of publishers' page views, according to Chartbeat data reported by the Press Gazette. By April of 2023, after Musk's takeover but before he rebranded the site to X, that number had fallen to 1.2 percent.Chartbeat's data isn't a complete picture - stats provided to Engadget were based on an analysis of 3,000 sites that have opted in to anonymized data sharing - but the slight increase in referral traffic roughly lines up with another major change Meta made this year. In January, following Mark Zuckerberg's move to end fact checking and walk back content moderation rules, Threads also ended its moratorium on recommending political content to all users.Following this change, some publishers of political news, including Newsweek, Politico and Forbes saw a spike in referrals from Threads, Digiday reported. But those gains don't seem to be universal, and it's not clear why some publishers may be benefitting more than others. "Threads is trailing significantly in traffic, subscription conversions, and overall conversion rate," compared with Bluesky and X, the Boston Globe's VP of Platforms Mark Karolian recently shared on Threads.While Threads' growth so far hasn't been hampered by its inability to drive users off-platform, it could become an increasingly important issue for Meta if it really wants to bring more creators onto the platform. The company is also getting ready to flip the switch on ads on the platform. A user base that ignores links could complicate Meta's pitch to advertisers, who are already taking a cautious approach to Threads. Meta declined to comment.Haberman says that Threads' ambivalence toward links might be symptomatic of a larger identity crisis the platform is still facing. It has a large user base, but it's not always clear who Threads is really for. It isn't known as a destination to follow breaking news, like Twitter once was, or as a place with highly-engaged subcultures, she notes. "Threads needs to have a purpose," she says. "And right now, it seems very much like a suggestion box at work where people are just filing complaints and trauma dumping."Whether smaller platforms like Threads can reliably drive traffic to websites is an increasingly urgent question. At a time when online search feels like it's getting worse, AI is rapidly replacing many searches and cannibalizing websites' search traffic. Publishers, as The Wall Street Journal recently reported, are being hit especially hard by these shifts.Threads is extremely unlikely to fill those gaps on its own, even if referral traffic vastly improves. And publishers in particular have plenty of reasons not to become too reliant on a Meta-owned platform. At the same time, there's clearly an opportunity for Threads to play a bigger role in a post-search world. That would not only benefit the creators, publishers and small business owners Meta has long courted, it could help Threads establish an identity of its own.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-users-still-barely-click-links-170139103.html?src=rss

Just days after apologizing for Grok's recent hard turn toward antisemitism, xAI has announced a suite of AI products for government use. Grok for Government brings together the company's latest commercial products, including Grok 4 and Deep Search, with special considerations given to the needs of federal, state and local agencies.To that end, xAI says it will design custom models for specific national security and research customers. It will also develop specialized AI applications for use in healthcare, fundamental science and national defense, as well as offer models that can safely be used in classified and restricted environments.

Amazon Prime Day is officially over after a record-long affair, but there are still standout deals available. You can currently snag the Apple Watch Series 10 for $279, or $120 off its usual retail price. That's tied for the lowest price we've ever seen. A deal offering 30 percent off a current-generation Apple product doesn't come around often. The cellular version is also $120 off during this sale. It's hard to believe the Apple Watch has hit its tenth generation, but this latest model remains our top overall pick among smartwatches. In our hands-on review, we loved the comprehensive health and fitness tracking features available on the Apple Watch 10. The ECG monitoring, fall detection and sleep tracking are particularly helpful in offering a fuller picture of your health, as well as peace of mind for our older loved ones. While we miss the blood oxygen monitoring app that Apple is still fighting over in the courts, the Series 10 impressed us as the sleekest Apple Watch yet. Thanks to its thinner case, the Apple Watch is finally starting to feel and look more like a normal accessory on your wrist than a somewhat bulky tech gadget. Overall, we gave the Apple Watch 10 earned a review score of 90 out of 100. If you're in the market for a new Apple Watch but are interested in a lower price point, you might consider the second-generation Apple Watch SE. This more affordable model is currently discounted to $169, saving you over 30 percent from its retail price of $249. While it lacks some of the more advanced functionality found in the Series 10, it still provides great core features like fitness and sleep tracking, crash detection, heart rate monitoring and an excellent Retina display. 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/the-apple-watch-series-10-is-still-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-151308930.html?src=rss

Amazon Prime Day may be officially over, but there are still a lot of great deals hanging around. Apple's AirPods Pro 2 remains deeply discounted at just $149. That's a full $100 off the usual retail price and the lowest price we've ever seen. The second generation of AirPods Pro earned our overall pick for best wireless earbuds for iPhone. We also rated them as the best AirPods overall. In our hands-on review, we were impressed with their Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode, allowing users to hear as much or as little of their environment as desired. We felt that this second generation brought notable audio quality improvements thanks to the upgraded amplifier, driver and transducer. Seamless switching between Apple devices was another standout feature. We still wish battery life were a bit better, with the earbuds offering just six hours per charge plus another 30 when recharging with the case. We noted that after all these years the design of the AirPod hasn't changed much, but seeing as this is an instantly recognizable product, we can understand not messing with a good thing. If you're in the market for some quality AirPods but want to spend even less, the AirPods 4 are also still on sale. At $119 for the ANC model and $89 for the standard edition, you're looking at over 30 percent off either version. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-2-are-still-on-sale-at-a-record-low-price-134541675.html?src=rss

E-scooters could be a vital tool to eliminate unnecessary car journeys, cutting emissions and journey times. Unfortunately, the UK is the last major European nation to not allow them to be ridden on most public roads. They've proliferated illegally anyway, and are now an issue the country can no longer afford to drag its heels on.The benefits of e-scooters are obvious: They're cheap to buy and maintain, cost very little to run and have a small physical and environmental footprint. In 2022, the Fraunhofer Institute found that e-scooters contributed to a drop in carbon emissions in several cities that embraced micromobility.The raw materials that go into making one EV could be used for more than one hundred e-scooters. Collective Mobility UK (CoMoUK), the body representing the shared transport industry, found that 21 percent of all shared e-scooter trips in the UK were made in place of using a car. Richard Dilks, CEO of CoMoUK said that e-scooters plumb directly into so many policy goals that [the] government has," most notably its need to reach net zero emissions by 2050: CoMoUK's research indicates more than half of all car trips could be replaced by e-bikes or scooters, eliminating one megaton of CO2 emissions per year.Unfortunately, the UK does not have a vehicle class addressing personal transportation outside the realm of bikes, motorcycles and cars. E-scooters, Segways, hoverboards," gas-powered kick scooters, u-wheels (like the OneWheel) and electric unicycles are all in this gray zone. In the UK, they're given the umbrella term of Powered Transporters," but have no strict legal definition. Consequently, they're legally defined as motor vehicles, but because they lack most of the key features of a motor vehicle - which includes both a lack of safety equipment like seatbelts and airbags as well as the owner paying road tax, having insurance and being licensed to drive one - it's illegal to use them on public roads and sidewalks. The absurdity of the situation is made worse given that e-bikes have fairly minimal regulations on speed and motor output power - and have consequently become ubiquitous.Despite this classification issue, it's legal to buy e-scooters at a number of major retailers. All a seller has to do is provide accurate information about the legal restrictions on their use" - that they're only allowed to be used on private land - and they're in the clear. Take this retail listing for the Pure Air 5, which even advises users it's good for quick trips," comfortable rides" and daily use." It's only at the very bottom of the page, hidden below the cart pop-up, that the disclaimer saying they cannot be used on public highways, is displayed. As you can imagine, technically illegal use of e-scooters on roadways is rampant.There is no accurate data on precisely how rampant, but the UK government believes more than one million privately-owned e-scooters are used on public roads. These e-scooters, not part of a sharing scheme and therefore illegal, are nevertheless used with impunity. The London Assembly believed that, in 2021, there were more than 150,000 privately-owned e-scooters in London alone. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police, the force covering greater London, seized only 1,067 e-scooters between 2021 and mid-2024. It's an all too common sight to see people riding these scooters despite the risks, which are severe. It varies between police forces, but riders caught face losing their e-scooter, a fine of up to 300 (around $400) and having at least six penalty points put on their driving licence. Easy availability and limited enforcement mean the rules on e-scooter use isn't clear in the public's mind. Last year, the UK government published data showing almost half the people polled incorrectly believed private e-scooter use on public highways was legal.Finnbarr Webster via Getty ImagesIn 2020, as part of its strategy to broaden public transit options during the COVID lockdowns, the UK authorized a series of short-term e-scooter trials. As well as offering people low-carbon ways of traveling that didn't involve sharing other people's air, the trials would inform how the government regulated e-scooters. These trials were run by sharing companies in 30 areas, which were subject to speed limits, age restrictions and were only allowed to be ridden on roads or cycle paths, rather than walkways. Many companies insisted only riders with driving licenses were allowed to participate.Two years later, the country stated its intention to classify and regulate powered transporters at the start of that legislative period. But the collapse of the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson's cabinet meant it was put on hold. Then the UK went through three Prime Ministers in the following three years, and micromobility has not been a priority for any of them so far. In fact, the only thing the government has done is repeatedly extend the deadline for the trial operations - most recently to May 2026. And that's where we're at. Late last year, transport secretary Louise Haigh said that the government "will look to legislate" at some point in the future. The earliest that could happen is at the next legislative session, which would not begin until the fall of 2025. Naturally, the passing of such a law would not be a swift process, and would likely be held up as e-scooters are their own front in the culture war.The UK's Royal Society for the Protection of Accidents (RoSPA) believes, not unsurprisingly, that the legal regime should impose strong safety standards and vehicle checks. It also advocates a system to train riders, which has to be completed before they are permitted to operate an e-scooter. Additionally, given its concern for other users, it wants to see safe and accessible parking implemented in order to prevent the issue of e-scooters dumped in the street.I myself would go further, insisting upon mandatory helmet use, a licensing system and the requirement for insurance. I'd like e-scooters to be able to share segregated routes alongside bicycles rather than forcing riders to vie with traffic. It would also be beneficial if drivers were potentially at risk of additional penalties to encourage them to further respect e-scooters. It would also, perhaps, be worth unifying the legal regime for powered transports and e-bikes since they are all similarly capable of traveling at injurious speed.The one thing I wouldn't advocate is a cap on maximum power output given the risk it may hamper e-scooter development. After all, the UK has plenty of steep hills that e-bikes, capped at 250W maximum output, simply will not climb even at full power. This is why a cap on overall speed, rather than power - for every device in this category - since it'll enable manufacturers to at least make sure their vehicles can manage elevation changes. This is a minor issue, but one that's likely to get lost in the clamoring when uninformed voices get to shout louder than the rest.The UK government doesn't know how many privately-owned e-scooters are on its roads, but it is starting to collect data about its effects. The Department for Transport published statistics through to the end of 2023, but admitted the numbers aren't entirely accurate. Still, the trends are obvious: Accident tallies spike each summer, mostly taking place between 4 and 6pm - during the evening rush hour. And young people are being injured in far greater numbers - males between the ages of 10 and 29 make up the majority of those affected. Earlier this year, BBC News reported two children, aged 16 and 9, died as a result of their e-scooter being struck by a car. In short: the lack of regulation hasn't just stunted an environmentally preferable alternative to cars, it seems to also be putting young riders at risk.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/the-uk-needs-to-deal-with-its-e-scooter-problem-133056724.html?src=rss

Discord has begun rolling out its in-app Orbs currency to everyone. In conjunction with the platform's Quest system, users can earn Orbs by watching ads on Discord. You can then use the currency to purchase exclusive drip for your profile, including badges, effects and avatars. It's also possible to exchange Orbs for three-day Nitro credits and anything else you can buy on the Discord Shop.Sometimes developers will also offer the currency in exchange for simply trying out their game, or completing a specific gameplay task. Other rewards include exclusive profile decorations you can only earn by completing an associated Quest. The fastest way to start earning Orbs is by tapping the "Discover" icon in Discord's sidebar and then selecting "Quests." There you will see any promotions Discord is currently running, along with recently completed ones. If you're keen on earning Orbs, be sure to check back often as Discord frequently rotates new Quests in and out.DiscordThe online response to Orbs has been about what you would expect. When Discord first announced the currency, most people on the Discord subreddit were either lukewarm on the idea or outright hostile to it. However, the company says users are broadly in favor of it. Discord points to a survey it conducted before it began rolling out Orbs to beta testers this past May. In September 2024, the company found 82 percent of users it surveyed said they would like to earn a virtual currency on the platform, with nearly half of survey respondents saying a virtual currency would improve their overall experience.In June, Discord CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy told Engadget the company sees Orbs as a way to give players something in return for their time and attention while aiding game studios with discoverability. In my testing, I've found the system is easy enough to ignore if you don't care about customizing your profile, and they're not necessary to access any of Discord's core functionality.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/discords-virtual-orbs-currency-is-now-available-for-everyone-to-earn-130043599.html?src=rss

Another day, another app from Jack Dorsey. The Twitter co-founder has announced an app called Sun Day just one week after releasing the peer-to-peer messaging app Bitchat.While Bitchat is an internet-free app for communicating with friends over Bluetooth, Sun Day is all about, well, the sun. The latest app tracks your UV exposure and how much Vitamin D you get. It does this using a few personal details, including your location. Sun Day also asks you to share what kind of clothing you're wearing, such as "light (shorts & t-shirt)." There's an additional space for you to share your skin type, choosing from one of six options.From there, it shows you the current UV index, high for the day, sunrise, sunset and burn limit - or the time you can be outside before your skin starts to burn. You can get your supposed vitamin D intake while outdoors by clicking "track UV exposure."

Google is taking another step toward unifying its ecosystem by merging Android and ChromeOS. Sameer Samat, the president of Google's Android ecosystem, confirmed this shift in an interview with TechRadar.Samat was curious how the publication's Lance Ulanoff manages things across several Apple devices, namely a MacBook, iPhone and Apple Watch. "I asked because we're going to be combining ChromeOS and Android into a single platform, and I am very interested in how people are using their laptops these days and what they're getting done," Samat said.It's a logical move for Google to make devices running on its operating systems (including third-party products) work more cohesively together, in a similar fashion to how Apple products function in harmony. It may have made more sense for Google to have ChromeOS and Android unified from the jump, but it's better late than never. We'll likely see more of this shift toward a unified platform in the coming months when Android XR devices start arriving.We've seen Google planting the seeds for this transition for some time. Last year, Google said that it would start basing ChromeOS more on the same tech that powers Android. In addition, ChromeOS has long been able to run Android apps, many of which also have desktop modes. Android 16 also has a Samsung DeX-style desktop interface.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/google-exec-says-the-company-will-unify-android-and-chromeos-120053895.html?src=rss

The numbers don't work out in the average college student's favor. Most are figuring out how to pay for housing, textbooks, tuition and food - at a time when they may not even be working while attending classes. So anything that can help lessen the outflow of cash is worth considering. Here at Engadget, we've tried out our fair share of apps for productivity, creativity and entertainment. The good news for college students is some of those apps are free, or at least have a suitable no-cost version of an otherwise paid service. Here, we've rounded up the best free tools and services for college students so you can get work done - and enjoy yourself afterwards - for zero dollars spent.Google DocsEngadgetYou're probably going to need a productivity suite at school. Thankfully, the days of having to buy an expensive software bundle are long gone. Google Docs can handle the document creation you'll need over a semester, whether it's writing term papers, crunching data in spreadsheets or whipping up group presentations. Automatic cloud saves can spare you the heartache of losing progress.You may want to subscribe to a Google One plan if the free 15GB of Drive storage proves too limiting. And as capable as Docs may be, there may be some classes where professors insist on paid services like Microsoft 365. If you're free to choose your work tools, however, Docs is an easy choice - particularly if you already rely on Calendar, Meet and other parts of the Google ecosystem. - Jon Fingas, Former ReporterFree scanning appsCamScannerWhether you need to digitize a paper handout from class or snap a shot of your classmate's written notes, a document scanning app will come in handy. Our previous pick for this category, Evernote Scannable, is sadly no longer free and now goes for $3 a week or $50 for the year. But there are still a couple of mobile document scanner apps that won't make you pay a monthly fee.Adobe Scan and CamScanner offer scaled down versions of their paid services and both work with Apple or Android phones. They let you convert real-world pages into digital PDFs and, of course, they also offer AI-powered features like summarizing and answering questions based on a text - but most AI features are reserved for paid subscribers.In our testing, neither free version was particularly accurate when it came to recognizing characters on the page (OCR) and converting them to digital text. CamScanner performed better and it also offers a Premium text extraction feature for paid subscribers.Turns out, the most accurate methods for turning text on paper into copy-and-pastable text were the ones you probably already have on your phone. For iPhone users, the Notes app is a simple but surprisingly accurate way to scan text into a new note. Simply create a new note, tap the Attach (paperclip) icon and select Scan text. You can also scan full documents this way.Android users can use the free version of Microsoft 365 Copilot, which has a scan function and accurate optical character recognition. The Google Drive app for both iOS and Android also has a scanning function. On the app's home page, simply tap the camera icon (Android) or the page icon (iOS) and scan the doc you need. Note that iOS users will be able to extract text on their mobile device, while Android users will need to open the PDF they created in a desktop version of Drive or Google Docs.These options may not be as feature-rich as a dedicated scanning app, but if you just need to occasionally upload some real-world text and turn it digital, these may very well be all you need. - Amy Skorheim, Senior ReporterTodoistEngadgetStudent life is defined by time management. You'll likely have to juggle multiple assignments, study sessions and a personal life (remember that?) without missing a beat. Todoist is our pick for keeping yourself on track. You can not only create the usual to-do lists, but set up task boards, set priorities and even delegate items to others - helpful if it's a roommate's turn to buy dinner.The free Todoist plan will likely be enough for school with support for five active projects, five collaborators and 5MB file uploads. You'll only want to shell out $48 per year (or $5 per month) for a Pro account if you have many on-the-go projects (up to 300), need to upload large files or want to set reminder alerts. Whatever you need, this might be key to getting it all done on time. - Jeff Dunn, Senior ReporterPhotopeaPhotopeaIt used to be that free image editors were underpowered or ungainly, and you could generally forget about web versions. That's not the case with Photopea, which is more or less an unofficial, online Photoshop clone. Can it fully replace that ultra-popular app? No, it's slower to process many tasks and it's missing some of Adobe's more advanced features. But just about all of the essentials are here, and its web-based interface should immediately feel familiar to anyone who's used Photoshop before. (It's much simpler to grok than other free alternatives like GIMP, for one.) For spot heals, crops, light and color touch-ups, background removals, adding text and graphics, layering or most other common edits you might need for a presentation or photography class, it should be enough. It's compatible with a host of file formats, too, including Photoshop's PSD, PDF, AI and various RAW camera files. The whole thing is ad-supported by default, with a $5-per-month Premium tier available to remove those and increase online storage from 0.5GB to 5GB. You can also connect to cloud storage services like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox. - J.D.Blackmagic DaVinci ResolveBlackmagicYou might not have to pay for a costly video editing package to make it through film school. Blackmagic's DaVinci Resolve provides an in-depth bundle of editing, color correction, audio and effects tools at no cost. You could make a short film for class using the same core tools used to produce Hollywood blockbusters, complete with multi-user collaboration.In fact, you'll likely have little need for paid editing products unless your coursework has very specific requirements. You'll only want to think about spending $295 for DaVinci Resolve Studio if you want to edit footage beyond 4K at 60 frames per second, work with more video formats or rely on advanced 3D, AI and HDR tools. Unless your professors demand that you use a rival tool like Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro, this should be enough to learn the fundamentals. - J.F.BlenderEngadgetIf you're creating 3D artwork for games or videos at school, you'll want a strong modeling suite - and one of the more capable packages happens to be free. Blender provides a wide range of modeling, animation and sculpting tools for 3D content, while budding movie producers can take advantage of built-in compositing, motion tracking, story art drawing and simple video editing. You might have everything you need to create a CG short film.You'll want to be sure that Blender can fulfill your class requirements, and you might want more focused software like Natron (an equally free compositing tool) to supplement your work. With that said, Blender's open source code and extensible design work in its favor. It's easy to find a bevy of free or low-cost add-ons that can meet your needs, and you can even write your own extensions if you're comfortable with scripting. - J.F.AudacityEngadgetSome courses may need an audio editor, whether it's to create a podcast, tweak game sound effects or finesse a song. If you're in that boat, Audacity can sometimes do the trick. The free, open source editor gives you the essentials for capturing and editing multi-track recordings, including support for effects and plugins.Audacity won't replace heavy-duty digital audio workstations like Audition, Logic Pro, Pro Tools or Reason. Those offer non-destructive editing, and often include a slew of effects generators and other tools aimed at music and video production. This is a good place to learn some basics, though, and may well be all you need if a class isn't particularly demanding. - J.F.SpotifyEngadgetLet's be frank: you're going to need some study music, and Spotify still provides the best free soundtrack for those lengthy learning sessions. The no-charge tier will periodically interrupt your listening with ads, but you can create playlists, follow podcasts and enjoy much of the core Spotify experience. You can stream songs on mobile and smart speakers, too, so the music won't stop when you leave your desk.You may still want to pay for service, as Spotify's mobile app makes you listen to all but a handful of playlists in shuffle mode and gives you a limited number of skips per hour unless you use the desktop app. For paid users, Apple Music is the top pick in our guide to the best music streaming services: It offers higher-quality audio (if you have a good set of headphones), a generally cleaner interface and a greater emphasis on curation, with a handful of live radio stations hosted by actual people. It's reportedly better about paying artists, too, though it'll work best if you own an iPhone. Mercifully, Apple sells a student plan for $6 per month, the same as Spotify, so you'll still get a nifty discount. - J.D.PDF CandyEngadgetThere's a distinct possibility you'll encounter PDF documents at school, whether it's a research paper or the class syllabus. You won't have to pay for apps like Adobe Acrobat to edit those files, at least. PDF Candy offers a free web-based editor. You can modify PDFs, convert to and from common formats (including Word and PowerPoint), extract images and otherwise take control. This might do the job if you need to flesh out scanned class notes or extract a quote from a scientific study.There are time and size limits for the free version (up to 500MB per task), and you should also consider the $48 yearly or $99 lifetime plans if you want faster web processing or the Windows app's offline editing. Alternatives like Acrobat are also better if you need commenting, mobile editing and other advanced features. Still, the free web tool is difficult to beat for basic utilities. - J.F.Plex (and other free video streaming services)PlexThere's no real way around it: If you want to keep up with the films and shows in the current zeitgeist, you need to pay for a streaming service or two. (Or utilize less scrupulous methods we can't recommend here.) New apps and price hikes seem to pop up every other week, which sucks for the budget-conscious. Still, there are a number of free services you can use to cobble together some decent entertainment on the cheap, including Plex, Amazon Freevee, Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Crackle, and Sling Freestream, among others.All of these force you to sit through ads, most have pretty sloppy UIs and each is absolutely loaded with trash content. But think of them like the old Blockbuster bargain bin - you may have to do some digging, but every now and then you'll find a gem.We recommend Plex in the FAST section in our guide to live TV streaming services and it stands out for its search function. Not only can you use it to hunt for shows and movies on its platform, you can also find which other platforms currently carry a particular title. You can also search by actor, genre and more. The addition of movie and show reviews from other Plex users and professional critics makes it a handy - and free - starting point for your next watch. - J.D and A.S.LibbyLibbyNot enough people, college students or otherwise, take full advantage of their local library. Libby is an easy way to change that. So long as you have a library card, this clean little app lets you check out ebooks, audiobooks and magazines to your phone, tablet, computer or ereader at no cost. It works across iOS, Android and web browsers, and you can sync your progress between multiple devices. You're still at the mercy of the selection your library actually has available, and you'll still have to finish your rentals within a set period. But if you like to read for pleasure between classes, Libby will ensure you never run out of material. - J.D.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/free-stuff-for-college-students-143051840.html?src=rss

If you're looking to get healthier without spending a fortune, the best cheap fitness trackers prove you don't need to splash out on the best smartwatches to stay on top of your goals. Whether you're counting steps, keeping track of heart rate monitoring or trying to improve your sleep patterns, these affordable wearables pack serious health tracking capabilities into wallet-friendly packages.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe made history with the closest-ever approach to the sun last December, and we're finally getting a look at some of the images it captured. The space agency released a timelapse of observations made using Parker's Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe (WISPR) while it passed through the sun's corona (the outer atmosphere) on December 25, 2024, revealing up close how solar wind acts soon after it's released. The probe captured these images at just 3.8 million miles from the solar surface. To put that into perspective, a NASA video explains, "If Earth and the sun were one foot apart, Parker Solar Probe was about half an inch from the sun."The probe got an unprecedented view of solar wind and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) during the approach, which could be invaluable for our understanding of space weather. "We are witnessing where space weather threats to Earth begin, with our eyes, not just with models," said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. After completing its December flyby, the Parker Solar Probe matched its record distance from the surface in subsequent approaches in March and June. It'll make its next pass on September 15.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/these-are-the-closest-ever-images-of-the-sun-from-parker-solar-probes-historic-flyby-215549723.html?src=rss

Just a day after the xAI team issued a comprehensive apology and explanation about why its chatbot was spreading antisemitic rhetoric, Tesla updated its software for its cars to include the supposedly fixed Grok. According to Tesla, all new vehicles delivered on or after July 12 will have Grok available in-car. There's no additional subscription cost, but Tesla is limiting Grok's availability to models in the US for now.For older models to run Grok, it requires a Tesla with an AMD processor, the latest software update of 2025.26, and either a stable Wi-Fi connection or Tesla's $9.99 Premium Connectivity subscription. It's worth noting that Grok will simply be an AI chatbot you can ask questions to, but won't be able to interface with the car itself. In other words, Grok can't help you set up directions to your destination, lower the music's volume or control the car's temperature. Instead, it can offer excruciatingly cringe-inducing responses under its "Unhinged" personality, as seen in an X post from Tesla.While Tesla has incorporated the chatbot into its newly delivered cars, the company still faces safety concerns with its Full Self-Driving system, which uses mostly cameras and AI. Tesla added that Grok may become available to more of its vehicles with over-the-air software updates in the future, but noted that "Grok availability is subject to change or end at any time." Like when Grok went "MechaHitler" only a few days ago and had to be disabled.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/great-grok-is-in-cars-now-too-202153874.html?src=rss

Another weeklong round-the-clock spree of speedrunning video games has come to a close, with Summer Games Done Quick raising $2,436,614 for Doctors Without Borders. Held in Minneapolis, the event saw 37,776 donations, with the highest contribution being a solo $61,200 donation.This year, 2,600 in-person attendees got to experience a hectic relay race pitting two teams of four against each other to complete a Super Mario Maker 2 level and a full playthrough of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat in less than an hour while using one of the most unique controllers ever made, the DK Bongos. The crowd is just as important during these speedruns, and that proved true with a particularly electric crowd during the AEW Fight Night Forever run that finished in around 40 minutes.If you didn't happen to catch it live, GamesDoneQuick's Twitch channel has every run archived so you can relive the fun. The organization's next event, Flame Fatales, will feature an all-women and femmes speedrunning showcase from September 7 to 14. After that, GamesDoneQuick will launch its brand new Games Done Queer event from October 31 to November 2.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/summer-games-done-quick-2025-raises-24-million-for-doctors-without-borders-182314037.html?src=rss

The Need for Speed franchise could be making its last laps - at least for the time being. Matthew Everingham, a photographer who frequently contributed to car culture website Speedhunters, said in social media posts that Electronic Arts has "shelved Need for Speed" and is "quietly parking" the series. Speedhunters, which was funded by EA and was last updated in April of this year, will also reportedly cease operations for now.EA hasn't released an official statement on the fate of the Need for Speed franchise, but several internal decisions point to an uncertain future. Earlier this month, the publisher announced that it would shut down online servers for the cult classic Need for Speed Rivals on October 7. Before that, the developer behind Need for Speed, Criterion Games, shifted most of its employees to focus on the Battlefield franchise, leaving only a "core group" to continue working on the racing series in 2023. However, Battlefield head Vince Zampella told EuroGamer earlier this year that the rest of that Need for Speed team would be "joining their colleagues working on Battlefield."The longstanding franchise dates back to 1994 when the first title, The Need for Speed, was released on the original PlayStation and Sega Saturn consoles. Since then, the series pumped out more than 20 games, with the most recent being Need for Speed Unbound. Released in December 2022, the latest title in the franchise is currently sitting at a Mixed rating with more than 40,000 reviews on Steam.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ea-is-reportedly-hitting-the-brakes-on-the-need-for-speed-franchise-164807626.html?src=rss

Another hot streaming deal is here to match the summer heat. This time is comes from Paramount+, which is offering a two-month subscription for only $2. Put another way, you'll pay $1 per month for your first two months - but the deal is only valid through today, July 13. The kicker for this deal is that is applies to two subscription tiers: you can either choose the ad-supported Essential plan or the ad-free Premium plan and the deal price remains the same. That means new subscribers will save $14 on the standard price of the Essential tier, or $24 on the price of the Premium plan. Paramount+ is a decent service and made our list of the best streaming platforms. It started as a home for all things Star Trek, but that particular bonus is shrinking all of the time. It was recently announced that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will end after a truncated season five, leaving just the forthcoming Starfleet Academy. The third season of Strange New Worlds premieres on July 17. It also hosts original programming like the Sonic-adjacent Knuckles TV show and the dad-friendly Tulsa King. Paramount owns CBS, so subscribers can also access much of that network's programming. This includes stuff like The Amazing Race, Blue Bloods and several CSI entries. Keep in mind that subscriptions will auto-renew if you forget to cancel. Set a reminder to kick in at the end of the second month if you want to avoid that. Check out our coverage of the best streaming deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/its-the-last-day-to-get-two-months-of-paramount-access-for-only-2-114314326.html?src=rss

We're officially getting more of the Cult of the Lamb comic expansion. Following last year's miniseries, which built on the game's existing lore and injected some real emotional depth, writer Alex Paknadel and artist Troy Little are returning to the story of the Lamb and their followers in a one-shot 48-page issue that's due out in the fall from Oni Press. Cult of the Lamb: Schism Special #1 will be available on October 29 for $8, with covers by Troy Little and Peach Momoko, alongside a foil variant for $10.Schism Special picks up after the emotional events at the end of the first story arc. Per Oni Press:

You might have to be extra careful who you buy your used Nintendo Switch game cards from if you don't want to get mistakenly banned. A Nintendo Switch 2 owner posted on Reddit that they got banned after downloading patches for a few Switch game cards that were bought off Facebook Marketplace.Reddit user dmanthey said they inserted each game into their Switch 2 to patch, but found out that their online services were restricted the day after. The Switch 2 user contacted Nintendo support and discovered they were banned, but provided proof of purchase and was unbanned shortly after. The Redditor said the "whole process was painless and fluid," but this reactionary banning protocol may be an alarming precedent for anyone looking to save a few dollars by buying used games.To understand why this happened, it's important to note that Nintendo attaches unique codes to its Switch game cartridges to prevent piracy. However, bad actors can copy games onto a third-party device, like the MIG Flash, and then resell the physical game card. Once Nintendo detects two instances of its unique code being online at the same time, it will ban any accounts using it. Anyone pirating Nintendo's software understands this is a potential consequence, but it would come as an annoying surprise to oblivious second-hand buyers. After proving they bought the Switch games, Redditor dmanthey said they were told the cartridges were fine and even able to be resold.This anti-piracy policy isn't new - Nintendo has long had a reputation for fiercely combating any type of piracy - but it has become relevant again thanks to the recently released Switch 2, which offers backwards compatibility with original Switch titles. The company even recently amended its user agreement to allow itself the power to brick a Nintendo Switch that's caught running pirated games or mods.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-reportedly-bans-switch-2-user-playing-preowned-game-cards-192452163.html?src=rss

The team behind Grok has issued a rare apology and explanation of what went wrong after X's chatbot began spewing antisemitic and pro-Nazi rhetoric earlier this week, at one point even calling itself "MechaHitler." In a statement posted on Grok's X account late Friday night, the xAI team said "we deeply apologize for the horrific behavior that many experienced" and attributed the chatbot's vile responses to a recent update that introduced "deprecated code." This code, according to the statement, made Grok "susceptible to existing X user posts; including when such posts contained extremist views."The problem came to a head on July 8 - a few days after Elon Musk touted an update that would "significantly" improve Grok's responses - as the bot churned out antisemitic replies, praise for Hitler and responses containing Nazi references even without being prompted to do so in some cases. Grok's replies were paused that evening, and Musk posted on July 9 in response to one user that the bot was being "too compliant to user prompts," opening it up to manipulation. He added that the issue was "being addressed." The Grok team now says it has "removed that deprecated code and refactored the entire system to prevent further abuse." It's also publishing the new system prompt on GitHub.In the thread, the team further explained, "On July 7, 2025 at approximately 11 PM PT, an update to an upstream code path for @grok was implemented, which our investigation later determined caused the @grok system to deviate from its intended behavior. This change undesirably altered @grok's behavior by unexpectedly incorporating a set of deprecated instructions impacting how @grok functionality interpreted X users' posts." The update was live for 16 hours before the X chatbot was disabled temporarily to fix the problem, according to the statement.Going into specifics about how, exactly, Grok went off the rails, the team explained:

If you can't get your hands on the latest Nintendo Switch 2, you might be able to keep the FOMO at bay in the meantime with a clever mod for your Switch Lite. Retro Remake's co-founder, Taki Udon, posted a video showing off a working version of the SUPER5 OLED Touch HDMI mod. As the lengthy name suggests, this third-party mod adds an OLED display, a glass touchscreen and HDMI output to the Switch Lite.The Nintendo Switch 2 is barely a month old so it's too early to expect any news on a Switch Lite successor. However, the Retro Remake's mod adds some crucial upgrades to Nintendo's handheld that was released in 2019 and gives us some idea of what a next-gen version could look like. Notably, it's a no-solder mod that mostly only requires connecting cables and can output 1080p HDMI video to a larger screen than the Switch Lite's 5.5-inch LCD touchscreen.Retro Remake previously offered a SUPER5 OLED Touch mod, which lacked the HDMI feature. Adding the extra feature proved to be a serious challenge, according to the company's co-founder, who said the project took "18 months of R&D, just as many failed revisions, and more than $200K in costs.""I can't describe how soul-crushing it was to go through so many failed revisions," Taki Udon wrote on X. "After the third failure, I was hopeful every subsequent version would be successful, but they weren't."Testing is still underway for the SUPER5 OLED Touch HDMI upgrade kit, but the latest post shows that the Switch Lite mod playing Mario Kart on a larger display. Retro Remake's HDMI upgrade kits start at $90, but are currently sold out on its website. According to an email sent out to preorder customers, the company is unsure of when it will ship these kits out.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/this-hdmi-mod-lets-you-play-nintendo-switch-lite-on-a-big-screen-164625907.html?src=rss

Meta has finalized the agreement to purchase Play AI, a startup based in California providing users with an AI voice cloning tool, according to Bloomberg. The news organization says the "entire PlayAI team" is joining Meta next week, based on the internal memo it has seen. After joining the company, the team will be working under Johan Schalkwyk, who used to oversee speech AI research for Google and who was also a recent hire from another voice AI startup.PlayAI's tool can clone a user's voice and can generate new human-like voices, which can be used on websites, apps and phones. Meta reportedly noted in its memo that the PlayAI team's work is a "great match" for its own work and roadmap across various products, including Meta AI, its AI Characters and its wearables. The company has confirmed the acquisition to Bloomberg, but it didn't reveal how much it paid for the deal.Mark Zuckerberg has been personally involved in building a team for the company's new AI Superintelligence lab over the past months with the aim of developing artificial intelligence smarter than humans. In June, Meta finalized a $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI in exchange for hiring its CEO, Alexandr Wang, who will serve as the new lab' head. Scale AI is a startup, which labels data that its clients can use for AI training.Meta has reportedly been offering $100 million bonuses to employees of rival companies to get them to jump ship. Reuters listed several employees it had poached from competitors so far, including the co-creators of OpenAI's ChatGPT and GPT-4 models, as well as people who worked on Google Gemini. Bloomberg also previously reported that Apple had lost its top AI executive in charge of developing its advanced AI features to Meta.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-reportedly-closes-deal-to-buy-ai-voice-replicator-playai-160037942.html?src=rss

Amazon Prime Day is always a great time to consider a TV upgrade (aside from Black Friday, of course). While the prices for big screen TVs have fallen quite a bit over the years, even for coveted tech like OLED, there's always room for additional discounts. July Prime Day may be over now, but we're still seeing prices slashed on Samsung, Sony and LG sets, in addition to several other manufacturers. And as usual, we've also collected a few solid deals on streaming devices and soundbars to upgrade your setup even more. Who needs to shell out for the cinema when you can get an enormous screen and bombastic sound at a huge discount? These are the best Prime Day TV deals you can still get today. Prime Day TV deals still available Hisense QD6 (55-inch) for $240 (down from $380): Hisense is on a roll delivering tons of TV features at a very low cost, and the QD6 line is a prime example of that. It has Amazon's Fire TV and Alexa support built in, and it also supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It can even handle a bit of fast gaming with a 120Hz refresh rate. TCL QM6K (55-inch) for $448 (down from $600): TCL's mid-range sets finally fall below $500 for Prime Day, and that makes the QM6K one of the higher quality options in this price range. It features a bright Mini LED panel, a 144Hz refresh rate for gaming and it even includes an Onkyo speaker setup built-in. While it's technically a budget set at this price, it certainly won't look like a low-grade TV. Roku Smart TV (65-inch) for $348 (down from $450): Roku's basic smart TVs offer most of what you need: A decent 4K screen, a large selection of apps on Roku's platform and a Roku Voice Remote for easy browsing. These sets are ideal as secondary (or tertiary) TVs in rooms where you don't demand the best quality. (There are also some great deals on larger Roku Smart TVs: the 85-inch model is just $800, and the 75-inch version is $700.) LG OLED Evo C5 (65-inch) for $1,797 (down from $2,700): LG has steadily improved its C-series over the years, and the C5 Evo is its best model yet. In addition to the usual benefits of OLED, it also sports a brightness booster that can help it work well in bright rooms, as well as LG's own Perfect Color" technology. The C5 Evo also has a fast 144Hz refresh rate for gaming, as well as support for NVIDIA's G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync variable refresh rate technology. (If you're looking for something larger, the 77-inch model has also been discounted to $2,800.) Sony Bravia 8 II (65") QD OLED for $2,998 (down from $3,500): Sony's top of the line set has everything you'd want in a high-end TV, like quantum dots for improved color and brightness, as well as the inky dark blacks and infinite contrast of a modern OLED panel. You'll always pay a bit of a premium for Sony TVs, but partially that's due to their world-class image processing - in this case, that's handled by Sony's XR chip. (You can also snag the 55-inch model for $2,500.) TCL QM6K (98-inch) QD Mini LED for $1,800 (down from $3,000 MSRP): The QM6K is one of the best deals we've seen on a 98-inch TV under $2,000, and best of all, it's not just a bargain bin screen. It has a bright Mini LED display with quantum dots for enhanced color, and it sports a fast 144Hz refresh rate for gaming. (If you don't have the wall space for a nearly 100-inch set, the 65-inch model is similarly great and is down to $550, nearly half off its $1,000 MSRP and $100 off its lowest price. The 75-inch model is also a great deal at $800.) TCL QM8K (65-inch) QD Mini LED for $998 (down from $1,800): TCL's QM8 sets feature the company's best and brightest Mini LED screens with Quantum Dots. It has an ultra-thin bezel, 144Hz refresh rate for fast gaming and one of the best contrast ratios you'll see outside of an OLED screen. Basically, it's one of the best screens you'll find that's not an OLED. While we think the 65-inch model is a great deal for most rooms, you can also step up to the 75-inch for $1,500, the 85-inch for $2,199 and the massive 98-inch set for $3,000. Sony Bravia 5 (85-inch) Mini LED for $2,298 (down from $2,800): The Bravia 5 pairs a super bright Mini LED panel with Sony's XR image processing chip. It won't reach the deep dark black levels of OLED, but Mini LED achieves something close, and it can also get much brighter than OLED panels. That makes this model, as well as any Mini LED TV, an excellent option for bright rooms. (You can also scale down to the 65-inch and 75-inch Bravia 5 for $1,300 and $1,800, respectively. And there's also the truly massive 98-inch model, which is now $1,000 off at $5,000.) Samsung The Frame Pro (65-inch) for $1,948 (down from $2,200): New for 2025, Samsung's Frame Pro sets offer brighter and higher-quality Mini LED panels for a superior TV watching experience. The 65-inch Frame Pro is a great option for most living rooms since it's large enough to deliver an immersive viewing experience, and it also comes with Samsung's wireless One Connect box for less cable clutter. Hisense S7N CanvasTV (65-inch) for $898 (down from $1,300): Hisense's spin on Samsung's Frame sets, the CanvasTV, comes in much cheaper and with a boatload of features. The S7N sports an anti-glare display and art mode, as you'd expect, but there's also 144Hz support for a bit of gaming. It also comes with a slim wall mount so you can hang it on your wall like a genuine work of art. (The 55-inch model is also a great deal at $689, and the 77-inch is down to $1,399.) Best Prime Day home entertainment deals still available Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 for $998 (down from $1,400): The Bravia Theater Bar 9 is Sony's most capable self-contained soundbar, with 13 speakers and support for virtualized surround sound with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Sony's own 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology. It's the best option if you want to enjoy your favorite movies and music loud, but also don't want to see speakers all over your living room. (The Bravia Theater 8 is also discounted to $698 and very well-equipped, with 11 speakers and the same surround sound support. ) Sony Bravia Theater Quad for $2,000 (down from $2,500): Leave it up to Sony to do something different in the world of home entertainment. The Bravia Theater Quad are a set of four flat modules, containing a total of sixteen speakers, which deliver truly enveloping surround sound. They're the ideal solution for anyone who wants a theatrical experience, but doesn't want to see gigantic tower or bookshelf speakers in their space. They support Sony's 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, as well as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Roku Ultra for $69 (down from $100): Roku's ultimate set-top box is the best streamer for home theater enthusiasts who want to avoid the more expensive Apple TV. It handles every video and audio format you'd want - including Dolby Vision, Atmos and HDR 10+ - and it also comes with Roku's rechargeable Voice Remote Pro. The Roku Ultra is the fastest device from the company, so you can expect to zip around Roku's interface and apps far quicker than the cheaper streaming sticks. Roku Streaming Stick+ for $30 (down from $40): The Roku Streaming Stick+ is the easiest way to bring Roku's robust app selection to any 4K TV. It's a great option for first-generation 4K sets that either had no streaming apps, or are way too slow by now. And it's a great gadgets to bring on trips to maintain access to all of your favorite streaming services. Roku Streaming Stick HD For $20 (down from $30): The basic HD Roku Streaming stick is a solid option for bringing streaming apps to older TVs, which likely don't support 4K or any fancy HDR standards. Sure, it's as no frills as you can get, but for $20 it's worth having a backup streaming device. (or one you won't mind losing during a trip). And if you have an older TV that's still working, it's definitely worth investing a bit to get modern apps.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-amazon-prime-day-tv-deals-from-sony-lg-samsung-and-others-still-available-today-084705105.html?src=rss

Big ticket items like TVs and iPads might get the lion's share of the attention during Amazon Prime Day, but you can often find affordable tech on sale for even less, too. Despite the sale being over for the summer, some of that budget-friendly tech is still available today and on sale. We've combed through the pages (and pages) of discounts to find the brands and gadgets that we at Engadget actually recommend. We've also linked back to our reviews and buying guides to help with your shopping decisions. Here are the best Prime Day deals under $50 you can still get today. Prime Day deals under $50 still available Anker USB-C Cable 240W Bio-Braided for $17 (11 percent off): We recommend this in our guide to iPhone accessories. It's a reliable cable that's durable and capable of fast charging (provided you have the right wall adapters). Roku Streaming Stick HD for $20 ($10 off): Roku just released two new streaming sticks this year. This standard model and the Plus model that supports 4K resolution. We recommend the latter in our guide to streaming sticks as the best way to catch free and live content, but if you don't have a 4K TV (or don't care about the resolution) you can grab this stick for 33 percent off. The Plus model is also on sale. Anker iPhone Nano Power Bank with Built-in USB-C Connector for $20 ($10 off with Prime): One of these little guys could represent the difference between a dead phone and a not-dead phone. It's the size of an oldey-timey lipstick case and delivers a partial charge to any USB-C phone. We tested it out and awarded it a spot in our guide to power banks. The current discount only applies to the black colorway, and this is a few dollars higher than the all-time low of $16 it hit for Black Friday. TP-Link AC1200 WiFi extender for $20 ($10 off): If you've got some dead spots in your home's internet coverage and aren't quite ready for a mesh setup, a Wi-Fi extender can help. This is our favorite budget option in our guide to these plug-in devices thanks to its easy setup and user-friendly app. Anker USB C Charger (Nano 65W) for $26 ($14 off with clippable coupon): This is a similar model to the travel pick in our fast charger guide. It has three ports, two USB-C that deliver up to 65 watts each and a USB-A that can output 22 watts. That should refill your laptop, tablet and maybe some earbuds while not taking up too much space. Anker Soundcore 2 for $29 (35 percent off with Prime): The Soundcore 2 is an older bluetooth speaker, but it holds up - fully waterproof, with 24 hours of battery life and bass you can hear on the other side of a pool. Roku Streaming Stick Plus for $30 ($10 off): Roku replaced the Streaming Stick 4K with this model (which also supports 4K) earlier this year. We think it's the best streaming stick for people who want to access free and live content on their TV. Roku's interface is easy to use, colorful and lets you watch thousands of hours of free stuff, through Roku's own content and more. You also get decently organized access to your paid content. HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 gaming headset for $37 ($14 off): In our guide to gaming headsets, we ultimately recommend getting an external mic along with a good pair of wired headphones for chatting. But if you really want a two-in-one, the Cloud Stinger 2 is our pick for a budget gaming headset. Lexar Professional Silver Plus (512GB) for $40 (45 percent off): We found this microSD card to be the best value of all the cards we tested. It consistently delivered faster sequential reads and writes than other models. If you need storage for your gaming handhelds, camera, drone or other devices, may as well stock up now. Leebin Electric Spin Scrubber for $40 (43 percent off with Prime): This was Deputy Editor Valentina Palladino's favorite thing she bought last year because it makes the must-detested chore of cleaning her shower less of a pain. It's an electric spin scrubber that comes with multiple cleaning heads so you can use it on your countertops, sinks, tubs and showers and more. It also has an adjustable arm so you can reach tough spots in hard-to-reach places, and it convenient recharges via USB-C. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-amazon-prime-day-deals-under-50-that-you-can-still-get-today-160028866.html?src=rss

There's a reason Apple gear is so in demand. After reviewing nearly every major device out there, our current favorite laptop, smartwatch, tablet and smartphone are all made by Apple. The only problem is, Apple gear isn't cheap. So it's sometimes wise to wait for an event like Amazon's Prime Day before you buy. Prime Day might be over now, but we're still tracking some good sale prices on Apple gear today. This guide rounds up the best Prime Day Apple deals still available, including some of the lowest prices of the year on iPads, Apple Watches, AirPods and MacBooks. We've also linked to our reviews and buying guides so you can make the most informed purchases possible. Best Prime Day AirPod deals still available AirPods 4 (with ANC) for $119 ($60 off): Apple introduced the fourth generation of its basic earbuds alongside the iPhone 16 last September. This model includes ANC - a first for Apple's regular" buds - and Billy awarded them an 86 in his review. Just note they don't have a fully closed design like the Pro models - but some may prefer the open fit, which Apple completely redesigned to fit more securely. AirPods 4 (without ANC) for $89 ($40 off): Apple introduced two models of its fourth generation basic earbuds alongside the iPhone 16 last September. This one doesn't have the extra features of ANC or Transparency Mode (which makes them cheaper). This pared down model benefits from a shape redesign - which our headphone expert, Billy Steele, found both more comfortable and more secure - as well as improved sound quality that's more immersive than before. AirPods Max (USB-C) for $399 (27 percent off): Apple's only over-ear headphones are due for an update. The company outfitted the AirPods Max with a USB-C port late last year, but the internals haven't had an overhaul since 2020. Still, we named them the best (and only) over-ear AirPods. They are comfortable and relatively lightweight, have a balanced sound and the noise cancellation is solid. Best Prime Day iPad deals still available Apple iPad Air (11-inch, M3) for $479 ($120 off): In our opinion, the iPad Air is the best iPad for most people as it strikes an ideal balance between performance, price and features. The M3 chip is almost overkill for a tablet, but it means performance should never be an issue. And upcoming productivity gains from iPadOS 26 should make the tablet even more powerful. This is the lowest price we've seen so far for this model, and it's still in stock. Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro) for $399 ($100 off): Apple's smallest iPad earned an 83 review score from us when it came out late last year. Despite its compact size, it's still a fully-featured iPad, with support for accessories and a laminated, anti-reflective screen. It's not a laptop-replacer, but rather the perfect couch companion, handling games, video, web browsing and email triage. Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M3) for $609 ($100 off): This is Apple's most affordable large-screen iPad. Engadget's Nate Ingraham awarded it a review score of 89 upon its debut this March. When you pair it with accessories like a keyboard folio and mouse, it becomes a true productivity machine - though those add-ons make it a pricey package. Good thing iPads are on sale for Prime Day. Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, M4) for $899 ($100 off): We named the iPad Pro the best tablet money can buy. The screen is one of the best we've seen and Apple somehow managed to make the Pro model lighter than Air models. If you plan on handling heavy productivity - video rendering and editing, machine learning apps and the like, this is the way to go. Best Prime Day Apple Watch deals still available Apple Watch SE for $169 (32 percent off): We wouldn't be surprised to see an update to Apple's budget smartwatch sometime soon (and we have a few suggestions on the matter). But thanks to some serious discounts, the Apple Watch SE has turned out to be the most affordable way to get an iPhone companion for your wrist. Despite the lackluster screen and limited extra features, it handles the basics well. Best Prime Day MacBook deals still available MacBook Air (M4, 15-inch) for $1,049 ($150 off): If you want a little more screen real estate, go for the 15-inch Air. Devindra found the screen more immersive than the smaller model, and only slightly less portable. The slightly larger battery gave it a few more minutes of life. Whichever size you go for, the MacBook Air will be able to handle all but the most demanding rendering tasks without breaking a sweat. MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 24GB RAM) for $1,299 ($450 off): This higher-specced version of the M3 MacBook Air from last year has a 15-inch screen and a little extra internal memory. We gave the 15-inch model a score of 90 in our review when it came out in early 2024. Outside of its older M3 chip (which is still plenty fast for everyday use), marginally improved camera and inability to power two external displays with the lid open, this MacBook is virtually identical to the M4 version. Best Prime Day Apple accessory deals still available Apple Pencil (USB-C) for $59 ($20 off): Before you buy an Apple Pencil, check this compatibility page to make sure it'll work with your model and generation of iPad. To say the least, it's confusing. This model has the widest compatibility, but note that it doesn't charge through its magnetic attachment, you'll need to use the USB-C for refilling it. Apple Pencil Pro for $99 ($30 off): Apple announced the Pro version of its pencil at the same time as the iPad Pro with the M4 chip. It adds haptic feedback, squeeze gestures and roll capabilities to the usual stylus tricks. It works with the newest iPad Pro, Air and Mini models. Apple Pencil (2nd gen) for $90 ($39 off): The Second gen Pencil both attaches and charges magnetically, supports tilt and pressure sensitivity and allows for tool changes with a tap of the flat edge. It's an older pencil and isn't compatible with the latest iPad models. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-apple-deals-on-ipads-airpods-macbooks-and-more-still-available-today-150005278.html?src=rss

Another Prime Day has come and gone, but a few deals are still lingering on the internet today. Amazon gave folks double the time to shop this year, extending Prime Day from two days to four, but we understand that life can just get in the way sometimes. Maybe you missed the event, or maybe you bought some essentials and still want to see if you can save money and grab a few extra items. Whatever camp you fall into, you can still save while shopping at Amazon today. Here are the best Prime Day deals you can still get now that the event has ended. Prime Day deals still available: Tech under $50 Anker iPhone Nano Power Bank with Built-in USB-C Connector for $20 ($10 off): One of these little guys could represent the difference between a dead phone and a not-dead phone. It's the size of an oldey-timey lipstick case and delivers a partial charge to any USB-C phone. We tested it out and awarded it a spot in our guide to power banks. Jisulife Life7 handheld fan for $26 (10 percent off): Jisulife makes handheld fans we've recommended in past gift guides and this is one of its newer models. It can be held, folded so it sits flat on a table or worn around your neck for a cool breeze wherever you're going. It has an easy-to-read display in its center that will show you the fan speed level or current battery life, and its 5,000 mAh battery can last up to 19.5 hours on a single charge when you're running the fan on its lowest setting. Lexar Professional Silver Plus for $40 (45 percent off): Our tests showed this to be the fastest microSD card on the market, beating out the whole Samsung line. Not only is it fast enough to download and upload 4K files without trying your patience, it's also waterproof, cheap and squeezes in both USB-A and USB-C ports. Meater SE smart meat thermometer for $48 (40 percent off): This lets you wirelessly monitor the temperature of your food while it's cooking, which could make it an essential tool for aspiring grillmasters. It has a Bluetooth range of 165 feet, a dishwasher-safe design and its companion mobile app lets you keep an eye on foods even if you're a few rooms away. Prime Day Apple deals still available Apple AirTags (4-pack) for $68 (31 percent off): AirTags are famous for their ability to keep track of anything you attach them to. We named them the best Bluetooth trackers for iPhone users in our guide thanks to the AirTags' almost spooky ability to locate items in the world at large. If you just need a single tag, that's on sale too. Apple Watch Series 10 for $280 ($120 off): We consider Apple's flagship wearable to be the best smartwatch you can buy, period. It's a mostly iterative update, with faster charging, a slightly slimmer design and a marginally larger display than the prior Series 9. That said, it's still a comprehensive fitness tracker, and no other smartwatch can integrate as neatly with iPhones and other Apple devices. Apple iPad Air (11-inch, M3) for $479 ($120 off): In our opinion, the iPad Air is the best iPad for most people as it strikes an ideal balance between performance, price and features. The M3 chip is almost overkill for a tablet, but it means performance should never be an issue. And upcoming productivity gains from iPadOS 26 should make the tablet even more powerful. Prime Day laptop deals still available Microsoft Surface Laptop (13.8-inch, Snapdragon X Plus) for $880 (27 percent off): In addition to running on a Snapdragon X Plus processor, this 2024 Surface Laptop has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. It's a Copilot+ PC that also has a 13.8-inch touchscreen, and it should last up to 20 hours on a single charge. Google Pixelbook Go (13-inch, Intel Core M3) for $348 (46 percent off): The Pixelbook Go is a bit old at this point, but if you're a Chrome OS lover and want a Google-made laptop, this is a solid option. It includes an Intel Core M3 processor, 8GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a 12-hour battery life. Prime Day tech deals still available Hisense S7N Canvas TV (65-inch) for $898 (31 percent off): Hisense's spin on Samsung's Frame sets, the CanvasTV, comes in much cheaper and with a boatload of features. The S7N sports an anti-glare display and art mode, as you'd expect, but there's also 144Hz support for a bit of gaming. It also comes with a slim wall mount so you can hang it on your wall like a genuine work of art. (The 55-inch model is also a great deal at $689, and the 77-inch is down to $1,399.) Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $298 (25 percent off): While the XM6 headphones are the latest and greatest, they only make small changes to the already stellar XM5. These were our top pick for the best wireless headphones for a long time before the XM6 launched earlier this year, and we still like them for their excellent sound quality, strong ANC, multi-device connectivity and good battery life. Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Maker bundle for $200 ($55 off): We said this machine makes your frozen dreams come true." It's easy to use and makes thick, dense ice cream with flavors that are more intense and textures that are smoother than rival ice cream makers. Plus most of the parts are machine washable or easily rinsed. This bundle comes with extra containers and is the lowest price we've seen in a few months, but note that the Creami by itself sold for $160 as recently as January. Levoit Core 400S air purifier for $183 ($37 off): Our top pick for the best air purifier, Levoit's Core 400S reliably improved air quality in our testing, plus it has easy to use onboard controls and replaceable filters that are not too expensive. We also found it to not be offensively loud, even on its highest setting. Ninja Dual-Zone air fryer (10 quart) for $160 ($90 off): This model is one of our favorite air fryers thanks to its dual-zone cooking system, which allows you to prepare two separate foods at different temperatures and settings. There's even a Match Cook feature that ensures both foods will be done at the same time, regardless of their cooking settings. Samsung 990 Pro for $150 (29 percent off): The whole Samsung Pro line of SSDs is excellent for gamers, with PS5s in particular seeming to run much faster with one installed. The 990 Pro can reach read speeds of up to 1,400 KB/s - and yes, that's kilobytes, not megabytes. Crucial X9 Pro 2TB for $120 ($60 off): The Crucial X9 Pro with 2TB storage space is marked down 33 percent for Prime Day. It's our top pick for the best portable SSD right now thanks to its excellent speeds, compact yet rugged design and five-year warranty. Beats Pill for $99 (34 percent off): The Beats Pill is one of the few portable bluetooth speakers we liked enough to give it a full review. Those of you who love the classic Beats bluetooth speakers will be happy to know they're back in fine form. Nobody can beat the Pill for bass, and its sound is crisp and lossless at almost any frequency and volume. For some reason, only the Kim Kardashian branded version is on sale, but it's the exact same speaker. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle for $500: We'd be remiss if we didn't mention the fact that Amazon has the Nintendo Switch 2 available to order "by invitation" now. The Mario Kart World bundle is available for the standard $500 price, so it's not a Prime Day deal per se, but considering Amazon was (supposedly) shut out of the initial Switch 2 order process earlier this year, it's notable to see the console listed on the site at all.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-amazon-prime-day-deals-you-can-still-get-today-120028748.html?src=rss

Welcome to our latest roundup of indie game news and releases. We've got some nifty stuff lined up for you this time around, including a stylish co-op shooter and a very cool Metroidvania concept. But first I'd like to bring your attention to a newish game I picked up in the Steam Summer Sale. It is absolutely breaking my brain - or perhaps it might actually improve my cognitive function.It's called Ambidextro and it's from Majorariatto, which self-published the game (the two-person studio's tagline is "Video games that ruin lives"). The gist here is that you play a wizard sent by a queen to rescue her children after a witch kidnaps them and takes them to two different places. Rather than let him try to find the princess and prince one at a time, the queen bisects the wizard and orders him to the dungeons until he learns to control both halves of his body simultaneously. That's where you come in.There are 100 single-screen levels in Ambidextro and you complete them by controlling each half of the wizard at the same time. One with the left thumbstick and the jump button of your choice, and one with the right. The aim is to bring the two halves of the wizard together. The timer doesn't leave much room for error and when one half dies, it's back to the start. Sure, you could cheat by getting a friend to control one of the wizard halves, but that defeats the purpose.I am a truly horrible multitasker, so I was curious how well I'd do at playing Ambidextro. As it turns out, I got through the first 19 levels fairly quickly, and then I was absolutely rotten at it. Granting myself more time through the accessibility settings helped a bit, but it's still a tough game. I'm going to stick with it to see if I can get better. There's no way it could be as difficult as simultaneously playing two characters in Overcooked by myself. Now, that's impossible.New releasesMycopunk is a co-op shooter from developer Pigeons at Play and publisher Devolver Digital that arrived in early access on Steam this week. With a Moebius-style look that reminds me a bit of Sable, the fantastic Rollerdrome and the Borderlands series, Mycopunk is certainly eye-catching.You can team up with three friends and play as robots that have been hired to eradicate a fungus that's infected a valuable world. Each of the robots has their own moveset and class, but (as in the Borderlands games) there's a great deal of variety and customization when it comes to the weaponry.Inscryption showed what's possible when you inject horror into a card-based game, and perhaps that was an influence for Occlude, which is out now on Steam. This is billed as a "game of occult Solitaire." Sure, you'll arrange cards by numerical rank, but it seems there's more going on here than might first meet the eye. As the title suggests, the rules are somewhat obscured in this narrative puzzle title from Tributary Games and publisher Pantaloon. Can you figure 'em out?Everdeep Aurora is an interesting-looking game from Ysbryd Games that landed on Steam and Nintendo Switch this week. This NES-inspired 2D adventure reminds me a little of Animal Well in terms of its tone and look. You play as a cat named Shell who drills down to search for her missing mother amid a meteor shower that has wrecked the planet's surface. There's a mix of platforming and exploration here. Everdeep Aurora looks rather pretty and the trailer made me smile. I'm hoping to play it at some point down the line.UpcomingI do love a side-scrolling beat-'em-up and Ra Ra Boom is absolutely one of those. This project from Gylee Games features four ninja cheerleaders from outer space who are trying to save Earth from a rogue AI. This is a co-op game for up to four players. Each of the cheerleaders has their own attacks and abilities (including ranged weapons), as well as a skill tree that you can use to unlock new ones.I've played a chunk of Ra Ra Boom and I'm enjoying it quite a bit so far. It looks and sounds nice, and the combat is just the right level of challenging for me up to this point. If you dig games like the Streets of Rage series and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, you might be interested in checking this out. A two-level demo is available on Steam now. Ra Ra Boom is coming to Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox and PS5 on August 12.Rhythm of Resistance is a Metroidvania that has a very interesting mechanic. It's a rhythm-based game (no points for guessing that after reading its title), but there's a catch - you can pick the music. For instance, you can switch to a track with a lower BPM to make a trap easier to bypass. You can find new songs that can distort reality "in strange and surprising ways" while you're on your journey in this game from NetherMoon Game Studio, which is slated to arrive on Steam next year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-stylish-shooter-occult-solitaire-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110019324.html?src=rss