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Nintendo has shaken up how it treats your digital game purchases. It's now calling those virtual game cards, and it hopes to make it easier for you to share your games across multiple Switch systems. You can even let friends and family members borrow a game you've purchased from the eShop so they can play it on their own Switch. Getting things set up is a slightly complex process, but in most cases, you'll only need to do the tricky stuff once. In any case, we're here to help.The virtual game card system went live on the console on April 30 when Nintendo rolled out a major update. The Nintendo Switch 2 (which arrives on June 5) will support virtual game card lending and borrowing as well. Virtual game cards also include any of a game's associated DLC (i.e. extra downloadable content) that you've acquired.If you haven't tried out this way of letting your kid, partner or roommate jump into a Switch game you're not currently playing, sharing a virtual game card is a pretty simple process. We'll break down how to do that before explaining how to use virtual game cards across two of your own Switch consoles.When it comes to lending and borrowing virtual game cards, there are a number of caveats you'll need to be aware of. Sadly, a casual internet acquaintance who lives on the other side of the country won't be able to borrow a game from your Switch. The virtual game card system is designed for sharing games between friends and family - you'll need to be on the same Wi-Fi network to make the transfer.To wit, you can only lend out a virtual game card to another member of your Nintendo Account family group. Both Switch systems will also need to be connected to the same wireless network at the time a game is lent and borrowed.You can lend out a game for 14 days at a time. While a game of yours is loaned out, you won't be able to play it on your own Switch. However, if you do decide you want to hop back into that title, you can recall it at any time (which is, perhaps, a way to show a misbehaving child the consequences of their actions). Let's run through the other key virtual game card lending provisos in bullet points:

WhatsApp is expanding its Discord-like voice chat feature so that group chats of any size can talk to each other in real time. Unlike group calling, which has existed on the app for years, real-time "audio hangouts" are more of a drop-in feature that doesn't ring every member of the chat.Voice chats also offer a bit more flexibility than a traditional call because the interface doesn't take over your whole screen. That means you can still follow along in the chat for new messages or keep an eye on any incoming notifications.Meta first introduced the feature in 2023, but for some reason limited it to larger groups of 32 to 256 participants, which is likely a lot bigger than the average group thread on the app. Now, though, WhatsApp users can start an audio hangout in both smaller group chats and even larger ones. WhatsApp supports groups of up to 1,024 participants, which sounds extremely chaotic even for texting, much less audio.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/whatsapp-audio-hangouts-are-now-open-to-group-chats-of-any-size-194504841.html?src=rss

Games Workshop, maker of the popular Warhammer 40K tabletop game, held its annual Warhammer Skulls festival today, and announced a slew of new video games, remasters and DLC for its properties. I've collected some of the more exciting announcements below.First, let's start with Space Marine 2. In March, Games Workshop announced a sequel was already in development. At the time, the company said the new game was "likely years away from release," but it also reiterated post-launch support for Space Marine 2 would continue. Today we got an update on Space Marine 2's long awaited horde mode, called here Siege Mode. It will arrive as part of a free update slated for release on June 26.However, that's not all. On June 10th, GW will release Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition. It's a remaster of the 2011 original developed by Relic Entertainment. The new version features updated textures and character models, with support for 4K resolutions, modernized controls and a refreshed user interface. If you've not played Space Marine, it's worth revisiting if only to hear Mark Strong voice protagonist Captain Titus. Master Crafted Edition arrives on June 10on Xbox Series X/S and PC through Steam and GOG.Speaking of Relic, a remaster of the studio's excellent Dawn of War is also on the way. No word on an exact release date yet, but GW says Dawn of War - Definitive Edition will feature updated visuals, camera controls and a new HUD. The re-release will be compatible with mods for the existing game, and has a 64-bit code base to ensure it's playable on modern systems for years to come.For fans of boomer shooters, there's Boltgun game on the way. It will arrive in 2026, and it's coming to Steam, Xbox Series X/S and PS5. The new game will pick up right where the first game ended, with a new non-linear single player campaign that has new enemies for players to overcome. Of course, you'll also have access to new weapons with which to vanquish the Emperor's enemies in the most cartoonishly violent way possible.In the meantime, today you can download Boltgun - Words of Vengeance, a free typing action game that will have you spelling words and phrases from Warhammer lore like "thin your paints" and "Ghazghkull." You bet I'm downloading it right now.Last but not least, Owlcat, creator of the CRPG Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, is working on a sequel to the criminally underrated Rogue Trader. The new game is adaptation of GW's Dark Heresy RPG and casts the player as the leader of an Inquisition party. It looks like Owlcat has a bigger budget this time around, which is a great sign for the project. Rogue Trader had moments where it felt like if Owlcat had the time and resources that Larian did to work on Baldur's Gate 3, it would have been every bit as popular.Again, those are just some of the announcements Games Workshop made today, so be sure to check out the Warhammer Community website to get the full story.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/boltgun--words-of-vengeance-is-warhammers-grimdark-answer-to-typing-of-the-dead-193515536.html?src=rss

The United States Senate voted 51-44 mostly across party lines on Wednesday to repeal a waiver granted by the Biden administration's Environmental Protection Agency, allowing the state of California to enact its Advanced Clean Cars II Regulations. ACC II requires that 80 percent of new passenger vehicles sold in California by 2035 be zero-emission.Notably, the legitimacy of the vote itself was dubious, as the Senate parliamentarian - a nonpartisan staffer who helps the Senate understand its own rules - had warned that the waiver did not fall under the Senate's purview. The parliamentarian noted that the EPA waiver wasn't a formal rule but an administrative order. This means the waiver is not subject to the Congressional Review Act (CRA), the law Senate Republicans used to justify the vote. The CRA only became law in 1996, and had seen little use until recently - it has been used to overturn federal rules a total of 20 times, 16 of which occurred during the previous Trump administration.The measure will now go to President Trump's desk for signature, as the House already passed legislation to repeal the waiver earlier this month.The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a DC lobbying group that represents a number of automakers including GM, Toyota, Volkswagen and Hyundai, celebrated the vote. "These EV sales mandates were never achievable," said John Bozzella, president and CEO of the lobbying group. He argued, "Meeting the mandates would require diverting finite capital from the EV transition to purchase compliance credits from Tesla."While these automakers rejoiced, environmental protection advocates struck a concerned tone. "It's deeply disappointing that the Senate used the Congressional Review Act to block states from implementing air pollution standards to improve air quality. This illegitimate move poses threats to public health, the economy and states' rights." said Steven Higashide, director of the Clean Transportation Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.As reported in the L.A. Times, Will Barrett, senior director at the American Lung Association and a clean air advocate said, This is a major blow to the decades-long public health protections delivered under the Clean Air Act." Highlighting the importance of these waivers he said It is more important than ever that California and all other states that rely on Clean Air Act waivers continue to cut tailpipe pollution through homegrown, health-protective policies."This is just the latest in continued efforts by the current administration to curtail or end legislation that supports or encourages wider adoption of electric vehicles and environmental protection.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/senate-votes-to-kill-californias-gas-powered-vehicle-restrictions-191341389.html?src=rss

The US House of Representatives just narrowly passed a budget bill, which has been referred to by President Trump and others as "one big, beautiful bill." Hidden amongst the cuts to health care, debt add-ons and tax breaks for the rich is a ten-year ban of state AI laws. You read that right. States would be banned by the federal government from enforcing laws that regulate AI for the next decade.The vote fell largely along party lines, with nearly every Republican member of the House approving the bill. This marks one of the most significant federal actions on technology policy in decades and it was buried in a budget bill that has nothing to do with AI.This isn't law just yet. The budget bill has to pass through the Senate and it could have a difficult road. It's expected that Democratic lawmakers will challenge the AI regulation ban under what's called the Byrd Rule, which prohibits "extraneous" provisions to the federal budget during the reconciliation process.

Pocket, Mozilla's service for saving articles to read later, is shutting down on July 8, 2025. Mozilla says it's phasing out Pocket and Fakespot, its browser extension for vetting product reviews, in an attempt "to be intentional about where we invest our time and resources" as the company continues to support Firefox.Starting today, May 22, Pocket is no longer available to download and you can't sign up for a Pocket Premium subscription. Mozilla says existing annual and monthly subscriptions will be cancelled automatically, and annual subscribers will be fully refunded on July 8. You'll have until October 8 to export your Pocket data before Mozilla deletes it, and the Pocket API, which lets apps and devices access the articles you've saved, will be shut down on the same day.The Fakespot website, browser extension and apps will no longer be available starting on July 1, 2025 and you'll lose access to Review Checker in Firefox (a Fakespot-powered feature) even earlier on June 10. Mozilla acquired Fakespot in 2023 "to help people navigate unreliable product reviews using AI and privacy-first tech," but the company says that "while the idea resonated, it didn't fit a model we could sustain."Pocket lived an even longer life at Mozilla as one of the last OG read-it-later apps. Mozilla acquired the service in 2017, but Pocket existed for a decade before that, first launching in 2007 as a browser extension called Read It Later before it was renamed to Pocket in 2012.Like Instapaper, Pocket promised to take an article URL and convert the page into a highly-readable, ad-free document that you could access while you were away from your browser. Some modern browsers have built-in "Reader" modes that can do the same thing on-demand, but Pocket made it possible to archive it all for later, even if the page was taken down.With Pocket out of the picture, the best alternatives are Instapaper, which got a new lease on life when it bought itself from Pinterest in 2018 and Readwise Reader, which combines read-it-later features and the ability to review eBook highlights in the same app. For more instructions on how to rescue your Pocket data before its deleted, Mozilla has an online guide.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/mozilla-is-shutting-down-its-read-it-later-app-pocket-183247576.html?src=rss

The Levoit LVAC-200 cordless vacuum is on sale for $150 via Amazon as part of a Memorial Day promotion. This represents a 25 percent discount, which translates to $50. That's pretty darn close to a record low price. The LVAC-200 made our list of the best cordless vacuums, and we specifically recommended it to the budget-conscious. It's lightweight, at three pounds, and does a great job at cleaning different types of dry messes. We tried it out on both hard and carpeted floors, with exceptional results. There are three suction modes and a push-button start. It even ships with a hand-vac attachment. This vacuum doesn't come with a storage base, but it's easily disassembled. Just detach the cleaning head from the extension arm and the arm from the motor base and it can be stored just about anywhere. However, it also stands upright on its own thanks to a locking mechanism. We appreciated the five-stage filtration system, even if it's not HEPA-certified. The dustbin, however, is on the smaller side at 0.75 liters. This means the debris will have to be manually disposed of fairly regularly. We found that it was almost entirely full after one pass. Despite these drawbacks, this is still one heck of a vacuum for the money. We recommended it at the original $200 asking price, so we definitely recommend it now. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-cordless-vacuums-is-on-sale-for-150-as-a-memorial-day-promotion-170031374.html?src=rss

Anthropic kicked off its first-ever Code with Claude conference today with the announcement of a new frontier AI system. The company is calling Claude Opus 4 the best coding model in the world. According to Anthropic, Opus 4 is dramatically better at tasks that require it to complete thousands of separate steps, giving it the ability to work continuously for several hours in one go. Additionally, the new model can use multiple software tools in parallel, and it's better at following instructions more precisely.In combination, Anthropic says those capabilities make Opus 4 ideal for powering upcoming AI agents. For the unfamiliar, agentic systems are AIs that are designed to plan and carry out complicated tasks without human supervision. They represent an important step towards the promise of artificial general intelligence (AGI). In customer testing, Anthropic saw Opus 4 work on its own seven hours, or nearly a full workday. That's an important milestone for the type of agentic systems the company wants to build.AnthropicAnother reason Anthropic thinks Opus 4 is ready to enable the creation of better AI agents is because the model is 65 percent less likely to use a shortcut or loophole when completing tasks. The company says the system also demonstrates significantly better "memory capabilities," particularly when developers grant Claude local file access. To encourage devs to try Opus 4, Anthropic is making Claude Code, its AI coding agent, widely available. It has also added new integrations with Visual Studio Code and JetBrains.Even if you're not a coder, Anthropic might have something for you. That's because alongside Opus 4, the company announced a new version of its Sonnet model. Like Claude 3.7 Sonnet before it and Opus 4, the new system is a hybrid reasoning model, meaning it can execute prompts nearly instantaneously and engage in extended thinking. As a user, this gives you a best of both worlds chatbot that's better equipped to tackle complex problems when needed. It also incorporates many of the same improvements found in Opus 4, including the ability to use tools in parallel and follow instructions more faithfully.Sonnet 3.7 was so popular among users Anthropic ended up introducing a Max plan in response, which starts at $100 per month. The good news is you won't need to pay anywhere near that much to use Sonnet 4, as Anthropic is making it available to free users.AnthropicFor those who want to use Sonnet 4 for a project, API pricing is staying at $3 per one million input tokens and $15 for the same amount of output tokens. Notably, outside of all the usual places you'll find Anthropic's models, including Amazon Bedrock and Google Vertex AI, Microsoft is making Sonnet 4 the default model for the new coding agent it's offering through GitHub Copilot. Both Opus 4 and Sonnet 4 are available to use today.Today's announcement comes during what's already been a busy week in the AI industry. On Tuesday, Google kicked off its I/O 2025 conference, announcing, among other things, that it was rolling out AI Mode to all Search users in the US. A day later, OpenAI said it was spending $6.5 billion to buy Jony Ive's hardware startup.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropics-claude-opus-4-model-can-work-autonomously-for-nearly-a-full-workday-164526696.html?src=rss

Disney has taken another step into the hyper-competitive world of live sports broadcasting. According to The Guardian, the entertainment conglomerate has secured a five-year deal to broadcast live Women's Champions League soccer matches on Disney+ across multiple European broadcast territories, including the United Kingdom.From the NFL on YouTube to the Grammys on Disney+, the broadcast rights to live events have become a hot commodity as streamers look to make inroads into one of cable TV's biggest selling points. And in recent years, broadcast rights for women's sports leagues have become more competitive as the category's growth in viewership accelerates.Amazon has been streaming WNBA games since 2021, and last year Netflix secured the rights to broadcast the FIFA Women's World Cup. Disney's investment in streaming the best in European women's soccer signals an important continuation of that trend.According to the same report by The Guardian, Disney made a hugely competitive offer" for the streaming rights, and is said to be investing not only in the rights themselves, but in extensive coverage with high-caliber production. The deal was entered into in agreement with UC3, the joint venture between UEFA and the European Club Association, which means club representatives were involved in the discussions.In the United States, the broadcast rights for the Women's Champions League are held exclusively by DAZN; the platform currently streams 19 matches for free in addition to more for subscribers. YouTube had signed on as a streaming partner in the US for all games from 2021 to 2023, but didn't renew that deal when it ended.The deal reportedly includes some free-to-air coverage of the Women's Champions League in the United Kingdom, though there are no details yet on which games or how many exactly. So if you're in the UK, don't forget to renew that TV license.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/disney-will-reportedly-stream-womens-champions-league-soccer-matches-across-much-of-europe-155854592.html?src=rss

Amazon is testing a new feature that involves AI-generated hosts talking through product summaries. It looks fairly similar to Google's audio overviews, which also include AI-generated hosts that seem plucked from a middling podcast.Amazon says that these "AI shopping experts help save time by compiling research and providing product highlights for customers from product pages, reviews and insights." This leads me to an obvious question. Amazon is notorious for hosting fake reviews. Some studies suggest that fake reviews account for more than 40 percent of the sum total. Do these AI hosts pull from those reviews?Amazon reached out to Engadget to note that it has "zero tolerance" for fake reviews and that it has "robust and long-standing policies that prohibit review abuse." The company also boasts that "more than 99 percent of products viewed in our store contain only authentic reviews." It didn't say if the AI hosts include an additional layer of security to protect against fake reviews.Each audio summary will remind you that it was generated by AI, just before an introduction from the "expert" hosts. Amazon says these hosts are "like having helpful friends discuss potential purchases to make your shopping easier."You might be able to try this out right now. It's currently available to some US customers on the mobile app for certain products, like this Ninja Blender, OSEA Undaria Algae Body Oil, SHOKZ OpenRun Pro headphones and a couple of other items. Just tap the "Hear the highlights" button under the product. Amazon has stated it'll be rolling this out to more customers and more products in the near future.I can see this being a boon for those with visual impairment issues, but I listened to a couple of summaries and they certainly don't save any time. I could peruse reviews, look at product information and even conduct a web search of my own in a fraction of the time it took the friendly experts to complete their spiel.The company says this feature is useful when "multitasking or on the go" but I don't tend to mindlessly spend money in that way. Do you? This seems like another AI thingamabob that nobody really asked for, but maybe it'll find a niche somewhere. Again, this could be seriously useful for the visually impaired, but that's not how Amazon is pitching it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazon-is-testing-ai-generated-hosts-that-talk-customers-through-product-features-153112886.html?src=rss

The team behind GeoGuessr is withdrawing the location-guessing game from the Esports World Cup (EWC) after fans protested its decision to participate in the event. Community members pulled many popular custom maps from the game after it emerged the game's publisher, GeoGuessr AB, was going to hold a tournament at the EWC, which takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in July.Map creators who removed their community creations from GeoGuessr claimed that the EWC is "a sportswashing tool used by the government of Saudi Arabia to distract from and conceal its horrific human rights record." Many other prominent game franchises will be featured at the event, including Call of Duty, Overwatch, Rocket League, Street Fighter and EA Sports FC.In a statement posted on X and Reddit, GeoGuessr AB CEO and co-founder Daniel Antell said the community stated loud and clear that the decision to take part in the EWC "does not align with what GeoGuessr stands for." As such, the team is pulling out of the event.Here is Antell's full statement:

It's been a while since a company has thrown out a truly silly number of megapixels for a new phone. After all, the double-digit pixels found on most flagship handsets are just used to pixel bin the size down without harming the quality. Rejoice, then, when I tell you Honor's new midrange 400 series is shipping with a 200 megapixel sensor working hand-in glove with an AI to make use of all that data. 200 megapixels, in this economy? Apparently so.The 400 series is the latest in Honor's not-at-all-confusingly-named N" series of midrange handsets which bear numbers. Naturally, while there's also a low end version of the 400 to buy, the company's focus here (as always) was on the 400 Pro 5G and the regular 400 5G. Both models get that 200 megapixel primary camera tied to a Samsung-made 1/1.4-inch sensor with both optical and electronic image stabilization. Both are also equipped with a 12-megapixel macro/wide camera, plus a 50-megapixel front-facer.The Pro, however, also gets an additional 50-megapixel telephoto that the company claims will produce some impressive digital zoom.Of course, these handsets are less about the raw numbers and more about what they can do when the images are run through the AI. Honor says the phones will capture and enhance portraits, erase passers-by, create videos from still images and can even remove reflective glare when taking pictures through panes of glass. Plus, on-device generative expand will expand the edge of an image if you feel the original was too closely cropped when you shot it. And Honor says the phone will use AI to create film simulation models to annoy all your Fuji-owning frenemies. Honor hasn't yet been clear about how much of these AI innovations will be part of the phone and how much will require an extra subscription.As for the rest of the phone, the 400 Pro's spec list is no slouch: It's got a Snapdragon 8, Gen 3 processor, 16GB RAM and a 5,300mAh silicon carbon battery. Up front, you'll be staring into a 6.7-inch 2,800 x 1,280, 120Hz AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 5,000 nits. If you opt for the regular 400, then you'll get a Snapdragon 7, Gen 3, 8GB RAM and a 6.55-inch, 120Hz AMOLED with a similarly beefy peak brightness. Both handsets will get Honor's often-ballyhooed AI thread optimization for better sustained performance under load, such as if you're gaming on the go. And the company has tweaked the graphics engine to better handle people's massive photo libraries without stuttering.The Honor 400 series is available to buy in Europe and the UK from today, with the Pro 5G setting you back 800 / 700. The regular 400 5G can be snapped up for 500 / 400 if you want 256GB storage and 550 / 450 if you want 512GB instead. Naturally, if you're looking for a cheaper alternative, the Lite" version can be picked up for 300, but the company didn't share any specs for that particular handset. As usual, there's no word on if this handset will come to the US unless you import it yourself.What Honor has been eager to point out, is the company has committed to providing six years of Android support for these handsets. That means buyers should expect to get at least that many OS and security updates, and Android 16 will be coming to the handsets by the end of the year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/honors-midrange-400-series-pairs-a-200-megapixel-camera-with-the-usual-ai-tools-150018371.html?src=rss

At I/O 2025, nothing Google showed off felt new. Instead, we got a retread of the company's familiar obsession with its own AI prowess. For the better part of two hours, Google spent playing up products like AI Mode, generative AI apps like Jules and Flow, and a bewildering new $250 per month AI Ultra plan.During Tuesday's keynote, I thought a lot about my first visit to Mountain View in 2018. I/O 2018 was different. Between Digital Wellbeing for Android, an entirely redesigned Maps app and even Duplex, Google felt like a company that had its pulse on what people wanted from technology. In fact, later that same year, my co-worker Cherlynn Low penned a story titled How Google won software in 2018. "Companies don't often make features that are truly helpful, but in 2018, Google proved its software can change your life," she wrote at the time, referencing the Pixel 3's Call Screening and "magical" Night Sight features.What announcement from Google I/O 2025 comes even close to Night Sight, Google Photos, or, if you're being more generous to the company, Call Screening or Duplex? The only one that comes to my mind is the fact that Google is bringing live language translation to Google Meet. That's a feature that many will find useful, and Google spent all of approximately a minute talking about it.I'm sure there are people who are excited to use Jules to vibe code or Veo 3 to generate video clips, but are either of those products truly transformational? Some "AI filmmakers" may argue otherwise, but when's the last time you thought your life would be dramatically better if you could only get a computer to make you a silly, 30-second clip.By contrast, consider the impact Night Sight has had. With one feature, Google revolutionized phones by showing that software, with the help of AI, could overcome the physical limits of minuscule camera hardware. More importantly, Night Sight was a response to a real problem people had in the real world. It spurred companies like Samsung and Apple to catch up, and now any smartphone worth buying has serious low light capabilities. Night Sight changed the industry, for the better.The fact you have to pay $250 per month to use Veo 3 and Google's other frontier models as much as you want should tell everything you need to know about who the company thinks these tools are for: they're not for you and I. I/O is primarily an event for developers, but the past several I/O conferences have felt like Google flexing its AI muscles rather than using those muscles to do something useful. In the past, the company had a knack for contextualizing what it was showing off in a way that would resonate with the broader public.By 2018, machine learning was already at the forefront of nearly everything Google was doing, and, more so than any other big tech company at the time, Google was on the bleeding edge of that revolution. And yet the difference between now and then was that in 2018 it felt like much of Google's AI might was directed in the service of tools and features that would actually be useful to people. Since then, for Google, AI has gone from a means to an end to an end in and of itself, and we're all the worse for it.Even less dubious features like AI Mode offer questionable usefulness. Google debuted the chatbot earlier this year, and has since then has been making it available to more and more people. The problem with AI Mode is that it's designed to solve a problem of the company's own making. We all know the quality of Google Search results has declined dramatically over the last few years. Rather than fixing what's broken and making its system harder to game by SEO farms, Google tells us AI Mode represents the future of its search engine.The thing is, a chat bot is not a replacement for a proper search engine. I frequently use ChatGPT Search to research things I'm interested in. However, as great as it is to get a detailed and articulate response to a question, ChatGPT can and will often get things wrong. We're all familiar with the errors AI Overviews produced when Google first started rolling out the feature. AI Overviews might not be in the news anymore, but they're still prone to producing embarrassing mistakes. Just take a look at the screenshot my co-worker Kris Holt sent to me recently.Kris Holt for EngadgetI don't think it's an accident I/O 2025 ended with a showcase of Android XR, a platform that sees the company revisiting a failed concept. Let's also not forget that Android, an operating system billions of people interact with every day, was relegated to a pre-taped livestream the week before. Right now, Google feels like it's a company eager to repeat the mistakes of Google Glass. Rather than trying to meet people where they need it, Google is creating products few are actually asking for. I don't know about you, but that doesn't make me excited for the company's future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-most-powerful-ai-tools-arent-for-us-134657007.html?src=rss

The first device OpenAI is putting out with Jony Ive won't be a phone or a wearable and may not even have a screen at all, according to The Wall Street Journal. OpenAI chief Sam Altman reportedly talked about the company's plans to employees after announcing that it has purchased Ive's startup called io. The Journal said Altman told employees that they have "the chance to do the biggest thing [they've] ever done as a company."Altman and Ive gave out clues for what the company's first device could be: They said it will be fully aware of its environment and the user's activities, that it will unobtrusive and could either be carried around in one's pocket or placed on a desk. The executives also believe that it's bound to become one of people's "core" devices after a laptop and a phone. According to the Journal, it won't be a phone and that one of Ive's and Altman's goals is to wean people off screens, which means it most likely wouldn't come with a display. Altman reportedly said that it won't be a pair of glasses, and Ive wasn't keen on building a product users can wear in the first place.Whatever the device is, they intend on guarding specifics until it's time to release it in order to prevent their competitors from copying it. They're hoping to launch their new AI device late next year and are hoping to ship 100 million units "faster than any company has ever shipped 100 million of something new before." Ive's team, the Journal said, has been talking to vendors that can mass produce the device over the past four months.OpenAI apparently started working with Ive's startup a year-and-a-half ago. The original plan was to have Ive's company build a product that uses OpenAI's technology, but they realized that it could become the primary way users will interact with OpenAI's generative AI models. And that is why OpenAI ended up acquiring the startup founded by Apple's former chief design officer for $6.5 billion. We'll have to wait and see whether the combination of Ive's design and OpenAI's tech is compelling enough to convince people to buy yet another device from a new category. A company called Humane, for instance, tried and failed to get people to purchase the Ai Pin, which it marketed "as a tiny replacement for smartphones." In February, the company disconnected all the Pins it had sold, leaving customers without access to all of its features.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-first-device-with-jony-ive-reportedly-wont-be-a-phone-or-a-wearable-130024787.html?src=rss

Fujifilm has already released one unusual camera this year in the GFX100 RF medium format compact, but it's latest model may be the most offbeat yet. The $850 X Half is an 18-megapixel digital compact camera, but it uses half of a 1-inch sensor to shoot 3:4 vertical photos. To drive home the retro vibe, it has a rear screen dedicated to displaying the camera's 13 film simulation modes and can only shoot JPEG and not RAW images. The name comes from "half-frame" cameras popular in the '60s, like the famous Olympus Pen F, that use a 35mm film frame sawed in half (18mm x 24mm in size). The backside-illuminated sensor on Fujifilm's X Half is, well, half that size in both dimensions (8.8mm x 13.3mm) or a quarter the area. It's also the smallest sensor on any recent Fujifilm digital camera, as the X-series uses the APS-C format and GFX models medium format. In fact, the X Half has the same 3:4 vertical ratio as Fuji's Instax Mini instant cameras - so you can make prints using an Instax Mini printer via the new dedicated X Half smartphone app. Fujifilm The X Half naturally uses Fujifilm's film simulation and grain effect modes. Among the new ones are "light leak" for a blown-out quality that happens when film get exposed to light inadvertently, "expired film" and "halation," an effect caused by light bouncing off film emulsion layers. To really get you into that analog film mood, you can switch to the new Film Camera Mode that limits your view to the optical viewfinder, makes you pull a frame advance lever for each new shot and only lets you see the photos once they're "developed" through the X Half app. It even produces a "contact sheet" layout for 36, 54 or 72 images. Another feature is 2-in-1 images that let you combine two still images or movies into one composition in-camera for extra artistic possibilities (using the film advance lever again). That also means the X Half can shoot video as well as photos, with a vertical or square size (up to 2,160 x 2,160) that looks ideal for social media - especially with film simulations applied. Also exuding nostalgic vibes is the "Date Stamp" function that lets you imprint dates in the bottom right of images, just like on old-school Kodak-style film camera. On top of the main rear 2.40inch LCD 3:4 monitor, the X Half has an optical rather than an electronic viewfinder, adding another analog touch (and the accompanying parallax distortion errors). The camera itself is small enough to slide into a pocket and weighs just 210 grams (7.4 ounces). Other features include a built-in flash, massive 880 frame battery life and SD UHS-I card slot. The X Half looks like it could be coveted by social media users or anyone looking for a fun party or vacation camera. However, it's expensive considering that you can just get an Instax (or regular film camera and a lot of film) for a lot less. Fujifilm has definitely captured the photography zeitgeist before with models like the X100 VI, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a hit. The X Half is now on preorder for $850 (in black, charcoal silver and silver) with shipping set to start on June 12. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/fujifilms-x-half-is-an-850-digital-camera-with-an-analog-film-aesthetic-120013873.html?src=rss

It's been almost ten years since Dyson first unveiled its Supersonic hair dryer, which put its signature bladeless fan technology into a styling product. For a company that was known primarily for its vacuums at the time, this was a surprising move. Since then, Dyson has released several beauty tools like its Airwrap curling iron that have spawned countless imitations. The company also expanded into other categories like audio with its OnTrac headphones and the controversial Zone headphones-with-built-in-purifying-mask while continuing to make some of our favorite cordless vacuums. Today, Dyson is going full circle by announcing the PencilVac, which it says is the "world's slimmest vacuum cleaner." The twist? It achieves that thinness by using a motor that's basically the same as the one in the Supersonic hair dryer. What makes the PencilVac different from existing vacuum cleaners is the fact that it's basically all shaft, with some attachment options for the head. That means there is no bulge unless you use the included conical brush bar cleaner head. All the parts that would normally take up space on a conventional vacuum (like a bin, filter and motor) all fit inside the long cylinder. At the very bottom, you can attach a variety of heads designed specifically for the PencilVac, including the main one that Dyson is calling a "Fluffycones" cleaner head. The company said it has four cones in two brush bars that rotate in opposite directions, and they were designed to "strip and eject even long hair, preventing hair tangling around the brush bar." The laser-like lights at both ends of this head also help illuminate where dust particles might be so you can better see what spots you missed. Dyson Altogether, the PencilVac weighs about 3.96 pounds (1.8kg) and is meant to be easy to use in all kinds of hard-to-reach areas. Since it's got the same roughly 1.5-inch (38mm) diameter throughout, you can grip it fairly easily along its body, wherever you choose to place your hands. This should make it easier to pick up for overhead cleaning. To get the entire PencilVac to look like, well, a pencil, Dyson had to redesign quite a lot of components. This includes the new Hyperdymium 140k motor, which the company says is its "smallest (at 28mm) and fastest vacuum motor. " There's also a new dust compressing system to "maximize the bin capacity." Speaking of, the bin fits inside the cylinder itself, and it has a transparent window that allows you to not only see how full it is but also watch as debris gets sucked up. In fact, at a recent demo, I watched with a mixture of satisfaction and sadness as bits of crushed up Lotus Biscoff cookies flew to the top of the bin. Despite its small size, the Hypderdymium 140k motor seemed plenty powerful in my brief time with it, as it sucked up Cheerios, cookies and other detritus with ease. I also found the entire device mostly easy to maneuver - it didn't feel too heavy and coasted over the bumpy food waste with ease. I was slightly confused by the locking system as I had to make sure to hold it precisely straight up (and wait for a click) after I was done to make sure the stick didn't just fall to the ground. Dyson also designed a new filtration system that the company said "effectively separates dust and debris from the airflow without causing filters to clog or cleaning performance to decline." It also made a new "two-stage linear dust separation system, which captures 99.99 percent of particles down to 0.3 microns so only cleaner air is expelled back into the home." More interestingly, the PencilVac has an "air-compressing bin design" that allows the bin to contain "five times more dust and debris than its 0.08L capacity." In the few rounds of cleaning that I witnessed, the PencilVac certainly appeared to be packing in the garbage quite tightly, though whether it can actually hold 0.4L of stuff is something I didn't get to measure. Dyson When it comes time to empty the container, you can use what Dyson calls its "new hygienic syringe bin ejection system" to empty it. I didn't try this out myself, but it basically involves removing the cleaner head, aiming the bottom of the PencilVac at your trash receptacle and sort of shucking the transparent housing up and down to get the debris out. I watched a Dyson engineer do this and the process seemed straightforward, though it did look like parts of the housing trapped some crumbs. The good news is, you can detach the shell and filters to more thoroughly clean them. The PencilVac also has a swappable battery pack that can last up to 60 minutes of suction, and you can charge the machine on its magnetic charging dock. This is also Dyson's first connected cordless vacuum, meaning it works with the MyDyson app so you can see battery levels, access more settings and get maintenance alerts (like when and how to clean the filter). There's also an LCD screen at the top of the handle that shows the selected power mode as well as remaining run time (while you're cleaning). You'll largely interact with the controls via the two physical buttons here, too. Dyson hasn't shared pricing details on the PencilVac, but there's plenty of time for the company to figure that out, since it's only going to be available in the US next year. That's 2026. Meanwhile, the device will retail in other regions. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/the-dyson-pencilvac-is-the-most-stick-like-stick-vacuum-ever-020109491.html?src=rss

Encrypted messaging platform Signal is rolling out a feature called Screen Security to its Windows app. It's broadly a way to prevent a computer from logging screenshots of your messages when the app is open, but in a blog post, the company directly called out the Recall feature in Windows 11 as the reason for this new capability.Signal explained that what it essentially did was to flag its application as protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM), because content under that umbrella will not be recorded in a screenshot on a Windows device. It's the same reason that a movie streaming from Netflix will appear in screenshots as a black box. Screen Security will be on by default, but this setting can be easily disabled for cases where a user does need to be able to access the application, such as when using a screen reader."We hope that the AI teams building systems like Recall will think through these implications more carefully in the future," the company said. "Apps like Signal shouldn't have to implement 'one weird trick' in order to maintain the privacy and integrity of their services without proper developer tools."The Recall feature in Windows 11 has had a difficult and well-delayed development process. While the AI-powered tool to record everything on a PC's screen has some potential benefits for user productivity, it's also raised a lot of concerns about privacy and security. Although Microsoft has started rolling out Recall to Copilot+ PCs, not everyone is convinced that it's ready for prime time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/signal-will-block-microsoft-recall-from-snooping-on-your-texts-225853193.html?src=rss

The News/Media Alliance took aim at Google today after the tech company's announcement at its I/O showcase that AI Mode will be rolling out to all US search users. This feature more closely integrates an AI chatbot into Google search. Ostensibly, AI Mode can help people get better answers to their queries, but it also serves to keep users on a Google property rather than clicking through to get information from other publications."Links were the last redeeming quality of search that gave publishers traffic and revenue. Now Google just takes content by force and uses it with no return, the definition of theft," said News/Media Alliance President and CEO Danielle Coffey. "The DOJ remedies must address this to prevent continued domination of the internet by one company."This isn't the first time the organization has fired shots at Google; it filed an amicus brief earlier this month looking for remedy in the antitrust case about Google's monopoly control over search. The group argued that publishers should be able to opt out of letting search engines use their content for retrieval augmented generation.Google has also taken an aggressive stance toward publishers as it develops more AI-driven services. The company's recent attitude can be seen in Bloomberg's discovery of an internal document showing that the company decided not to give publishers a choice to opt out of AI training if they wanted their material to appear in search results.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/newsmedia-alliance-calls-googles-ai-mode-theft-223128521.html?src=rss

A group of GeoGuessr map creators have pulled their contributions from the game to protest its participation in the Esports World Cup 2025, calling the tournament "a sportswashing tool used by the government of Saudi Arabia to distract from and conceal its horrific human rights record." The protestors say the blackout will hold until the game's publisher, GeoGuessr AB, cancels its planned Last Chance Wildcard tournament at the EWC in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 21 to 27.GeoGuessris a browser game where players try to pinpoint locations using only Google Street View images, and it relies on community mapmakers to stay relevant. The blackout, which began on May 21, includes "dozens of creators and their maps, including a supermajority of the most popular competitively relevant world maps," according to a statement the group shared on Reddit. The removed maps have been played tens of millions of times.One of the largest GeoGuessr communities, Plonk It, has also removed its Map Directory and shared the mapping community's open letter. That statement reads in full as follows:We, the creators of a considerable share of GeoGuessr's most popular maps, have decided to make our maps unplayable in protest of GeoGuessr AB's decision to host a World Championship wildcard tourney at the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh.The EWC is a sportswashing tool used by the government of Saudi Arabia to distract from and conceal its horrific human rights record.Groups targeted by the government include women, LGBTQ people, apostates and atheists, political dissenters, migrant workers in the Kafala system, religious minorities, and many others. The subjugation of these groups is extensive and pervasive. Members of these groups are routinely subjected to discrimination, imprisonment, torture, and even public executions. These severe human rights violations are well-documented and indisputable.By participating in the EWC, GeoGuessr is contributing to that sportswashing agenda, which is designed to take attention away from Saudi Arabia's human rights violations.The GeoGuessr community is diverse and includes many members of groups that would be harshly persecuted were they to live in Saudi Arabia. In solidarity with those currently residing in Saudi Arabia while being subject to oppression, as well as members of the community who would feel and be unsafe attending the tournament in Riyadh, we have decided to black out our maps by replacing all their previous locations with random garbage locations, rendering them unplayable.This blackout includes dozens of creators and their maps, including a supermajority of the most popular competitively relevant world maps. It will continue until we see action from GeoGuessr; specifically, we demand that GeoGuessr cancels its wildcard event in Saudi Arabia and commits to not hosting any events there as long as it continues its oppressive regime.You don't play games with human rights.Thank you for reading.The GeoGuessr mapping communityWe've hit up GeoGuessr AB for a comment on the blackout and will update this story as we hear back.The EWC is a huge, multi-game event owned and operated by the Saudi government and held in the country's capital city. It's an evolution of the Gamers8 tournament and this year marks the second EWC-branded competition; it's due to take place in July and August with a total prize pool of $38 million, split among 24 games. Franchises participating in the 2025 event include Rocket League, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Overwatch, Dota 2, Valorant, Street Fighter 6, EA Sports FC and PUBG.It's difficult to compete in esports without running into Savvy Games Group, the video game arm of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Alongside hosting the EWC, Savvy has financial stakes in Nexon (10.2 percent ownership), Electronic Arts (9 percent), Embracer Group (8.3 percent), Nintendo (7.5 percent), Capcom (5 percent) and Take-Two Interactive (6.8 percent as of 2023). Savvy also runs ESL FACEIT Group, which contains the Electronic Sports League, a longstanding and significant esports event company. The New York Times reported last year that the Saudi government plans to invest $38 billion in the video game industry by 2030.Human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have long documented the abuses of the Saudi government. HRW describes Saudi Arabia's human rights record as "abysmal," and specifically calls out the PIF as a reputational whitewashing tool. Saudi authorities have been accused of sportswashing in traditional sports as well, specifically through the country's ownership of LIV Golf and Newcastle United FC.In February, Riot Games - the operator of League of Legends, Valorant and Teamfight Tactics, and arguably the largest name in esports - signed a three-year deal with the Esports World Cup Foundation for an undisclosed sum. Riot defended the partnership, arguing that the resulting financial boon for players and the esports industry outweighed other concerns."We know some of you may not feel great about our decision to partner with the EWC in this way, and we respect that," Riot's statement read.Though corporate support for the EWC remains strong, the GeoGuessr mapping community isn't alone in rejecting this year's tournament. Street Fighter 6 player Christopher Hancock, who plays as ChrisCCH for FlyQuest, recently declined his spot at EWC 2025. In a social media statement, Hancock said, "I gave this decision a lot of thought and ultimately decided that, due to the nature in which the event is funded and managed, I do not feel comfortable participating in it." He added that the partnership between the Capcom Pro Tour and the EWC effectively forced him to work with the Saudi-backed group."Choosing to not participate in any EWC qualifiers would effectively mean retirement from competing," Hancock said. "I find it regrettable that this event has become so deeply embedded in the [fighting game community], but I have not yet made a decision on whether I will stop competing in events associated to it altogether."Alongside the GeoGuessr map blackout, the community protest added one new, short challenge to the game called How to Run A Dictatorship. It takes players through five locations around Riyadh, documenting the alleged government-sanctioned torture, kidnapping, imprisonment and oppression of women, LGBTQ people, religious minorities and political dissenters occurring in these places. The challenge takes just a few minutes, so feel free to experience it yourself.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/geoguessr-community-maps-go-dark-in-protest-of-ewc-ties-to-human-rights-abuses-221037118.html?src=rss

Devices running Android 16 will pick up a new trick when the software update rolls out later this year: The ability to run a desktop-style interface while connected to an external display. An early version of the idea was spotted for phones in betas of Android 16, but as 9to5Google noticed, Google made the feature official during its developer keynote.According to the presentation, the new windowing and external display feature was created in collaboration with Samsung, "building on the foundation of Samsung DeX, to bring enhanced desktop windowing capabilities in Android 16." Prior to this official support, Samsung DeX was a custom feature Samsung built into One UI that allowed certain Samsung phones and tablets to display a desktop-style interface while connected to a display.Google's implementation seems to be aiming for the same thing, with resizable windows and a dock for your most used apps. The company also appears open to the feature working on tablets and phones, too. In a blog post touting the advantages of developing adaptive apps, Google says that Android 16 offers "a true desktop-like experience on large screens and when devices are connected to external displays." While Google's language leaves things open-ended, support for this desktop experience could still hinge on phone makers enabling it and app developers making sure their apps play nice with resizable windows.A developer beta of Android 16 is available to download on select phones and tablets right now. Assuming desktop windowing and support for external displays isn't dropping in a later update, you'll be able to try the new features for yourself when Android 16 launches in June.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/android-16-includes-a-desktop-interface-google-built-from-samsung-dex-213611668.html?src=rss

It seems fitting that Nintendo didn't reveal the Switch 2's $450 price during its Direct stream this morning - it would have just bummed everyone out. After spending an hour hearing about how the Switch 2 practically fixes almost every problem we had with the original console, and seeing teasers for exciting games like Mario Kart World, why spoil the good vibes with the harsh reality of market economics? Instead, Nintendo revealed the console's price in the lowliest of media communications: A simple press release.My first reaction was shock. $450 for a mostly portable console? That's the same retail price as the PlayStation 5, a system that's also currently on sale for $400 together with Astro-Bot. Sure, the Switch 2 is vastly superior to the original Switch, but it likely doesn't have PS5-level hardware. The price jump is also surprising since the original Switch launched at $300 in 2017. Can you imagine we thought the $350 Switch OLED was too high-priced?Unfortunately, it's not 2017. NVIDIA now has mid-range GPUs selling for upwards of $600, the cost of almost every product has gone up, and massive companies like Nintendo are bracing for the potential impact of the Trump administration's long-threatened tariffs.A $450 Switch 2 is expensive, I'm not denying that. But in the current economic landscape, I would hesitate to call it too expensive.NintendoConsider this: The Switch 2 is just $50 more than the cheapest Steam Deck, a portable PC gaming handheld with significantly slower hardware, a smaller and lower quality (7-inch, 1280 by 800, 60Hz) screen, and a much bulkier frame. The Switch 2, meanwhile, is just as thin as the original model, it has a 7.9-inch 1080p screen that can run up to 120fps with HDR, and it's powerful enough to play games at up to 4K/60fps while docked. Based on the games we've seen so far, the Switch 2 seems surprisingly powerful for its size.The Switch 2 also improves on its controls with the Joy-Con 2, which now magnetically attach to the consoles, feature larger analog sticks and can also work as mice across a variety of services. You won't be removing the Steam Deck's controls without the use of a small saw. And I've yet to see a handheld PC maker deliver removable controls that are as comfortable and easy to use as the original Switch (that means you, Lenovo). Nintendo's original Joy-Con were far from perfect, but they did the job, and I'd wager the company has learned enough to make the Joy-Con 2f even better.NintendoAnd while you can technically dock other PC gaming handhelds, they won't see the performance upgrade Nintendo is claiming with the Switch 2. The company says its new console can reach up to 4K/60fps for some titles, thanks to an additional fan in the dock. We don't know exactly what's powering the Switch 2 yet, so Nintendo could be drastically overselling its capabilities. But given how seamless docking worked on the first Switch (where it also delivered a bit of a performance upgrade, sans an additional fan), it's also something I think Nintendo has optimized more than PC companies, who are only just now dipping their toes into portable gaming.Maybe I'm just trying to justify my own purchases (I just realized I'll probably need a second Switch 2 for my kid), but I just can't get too angry about a $450 Switch 2. If we see many more $80 games like Mario Kart World, though, we should absolutely riot in the streets.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/is-the-450-nintendo-switch-2-too-expensive-195750206.html?src=rss

Microsoft says Apple's App Store rules are to blame for the continued delay of the Xbox mobile app store it announced last summer. In an amicus brief filed this week first spotted by The Verge, Microsoft expressed support for Epic Games in the company's long-running bout against Apple. The company also expressed concern that Apple could succeed in overturning the injunction that has opened the floodgates for payments outside of apps that circumvent Apple's 30 percent fee."Among its other provisions, the order challenged in this appeal would prevent Apple from requiring consumers and app developers (like Microsoft) to use Apple's in-app payment processing system as the exclusive means for the purchase of digital goods or services for use within iOS apps available for download on the Apple App Store, Microsoft said in the brief. "In part as a response to the district court's injunction issued over a year ago, Microsoft undertook significant work to prepare new consumer offerings. However, Apple's evasion of the injunction has hampered Microsoft in delivering these offerings."The offering in questions would have allowed Microsoft to direct users of its apps like the Xbox app or games like Candy Crush and Minecraft to "separate platforms for payment." That's exactly what Spotify and Amazon's Kindle app has started doing in recent weeks, letting those companies avoid Apple's standard in-app purchase fees."The district court's injunction allows Apple to maintain its in-app exclusivity but at least should have enabled Microsoft to offer consumers a workable solution by launching its own online store - accessible via link-out - for in-app items to be purchased off-app and used in games or other apps," the brief reads in part. "And that is what Microsoft wants to do. But even this solution has been stymied by Apple."Apple filed an appeal against the injunction earlier this month, and just a few days later it asked the Ninth Circuit to halt enforcement of the original ruling while it works through its appeal. Microsoft, for its part, is urging the court to enforce the injunction while the courts handle the appeal. The company points out that Apple itself has said that the policy changes it made in response to the injunction "can be undone," raising concern that without firm enforcement by the courts, Apple could pull the rug at any given moment.While things are moving quickly, with apps like Fortnite already returning to the App Store in the US, Microsoft remains in a holding pattern awaiting a firm outcome in the case. It seems they want to avoid a situation where the Xbox mobile store is released, only to be taken down should Apple win on appeal.Update, May 21, 2025, 3:42PM ET: This story has been updated with a link to the amicus brief that Microsoft filed and now includes more details from that filing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/microsoft-blames-apple-for-xbox-mobile-store-delays-162413207.html?src=rss

When Google unveiled Android XR last year, it seemed like a clear response to Apple's Vision Pro: It was a plan for a true mixed reality platform that could easily hop between AR, VR and smart glasses like Meta's Ray-Bans. At Google I/O 2025 today, Google announced the second developer preview for Android XR, and it also showed off a bit more about how it could work in headsets and smart glasses. It'll likely be a while before we see Android XR devices in action, though, as Google also revealed Samsung's Project Moohan headset will arrive later this year. Additionally, Xreal is also building Project Aura, a pair of tethered smart glasses powered by the platform.Update: Google demoed prototype Android XR smart glasses at I/O with live translation, which Engadget's Karissa Bell called "lightweight, but with a limited field of view." Google isn't planning to sell those devices, but it is partnering with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster to provide frames for future smart glasses.Basically, there really isn't much to get excited about just yet. It's clear that Google is working hard to catch up with both Apple and Meta, which actually have XR products on the shelves already. Given that Google tends to kill its ambitious projects with a swiftness - just take a look at Google Glass, Cardboard and Daydream, which were all early stabs at AR and VR - it's hard to put much faith in the future of Android XR. Is the availability of much better XR hardware enough to make the platform a success? At this point, it's just too tough to tell.For now, though, it looks like Google is aiming to deliver all of the features you'd expect with Android XR. Its second developer preview adds the ability to play 180-degree and 360-degree immersive videos, bring hand-tracking into apps and support dynamic refresh rates (which could seriously help battery life). As expected, Google is also making it easier to integrate its Gemini AI into Android XR apps, something the company promised when it first announced the platform last year.GoogleIn a series of pre-rendered videos, Google showed off the ideal ways to use Gemini in smart glasses and headsets. If your glasses have a built-in display (something Meta's Ray-Bans don't offer yet), you could see a small Google Map to give you directions, message friends while you're prepping dinner or take a picture while dancing with your partner at sunset (seriously). All I can say is: "Cool demo, bro." Get back to us when this is all working in headsets and glasses we can actually wear.Update 5/21, 2:45PM ET: This story has been updated with references to Google's XR prototype glasses.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/google-still-doesnt-have-much-to-show-for-android-xr-174529434.html?src=rss

Game Pass members can now play over 50 old-school games for free. Microsoft's Retro Classics is a library of old-school Activision and Blizzard games from the '80s and '90s, like Pitfall! and MechWarrior 2. You can play on Xbox consoles, PCs and supported cloud gaming devices.Like Nintendo's Switch Online classics, the Game Pass version includes save states. That should come in handy for some of the excruciatingly difficult ones. Although there's no online multiplayer, you can play against friends locally in titles that support it.Police QuestSierra / MicrosoftRetro Classics includes Atari-era games like the pioneering platformer Pitfall! and its sequel Pitfall II: Lost Caverns, the bomb-catching game Kaboom! and the shoot-'em-up River Raid. Fans of early adventure games also have plenty to chew on. There's the groundbreaking text adventure Zork, as well as the Sierra classics Space Quest II and Police Quest. Just remember to connect a keyboard (or play on PC) for the latter three, or you won't get far.Microsoft says it will expand the collection over time, planning to eventually pass 100 games. GameSpot published a complete list of the 58 titles available at launch.Retro Classics is available today for all Game Pass tiers. You can find the collection here or by searching for and installing it on your Xbox console or in the Xbox on PC app.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-game-pass-retro-classics-has-over-50-old-school-games-for-people-over-50-181453629.html?src=rss

The upcoming Switch 2 launch title Mario Kart World was originally intended for the OG Switch console, according to an interview with the game's developers. This was the goal until the dev team realized that the console couldn't handle it."It was difficult for us to incorporate everything we wanted, so we were always conscious of what we were giving up in return," said programming director Kenta Sato. A big sticking point seemed to be that the original Switch would have had to run the game at 30FPS. Mario Kart games have always run at 60FPS, for obvious reasons. You can't simulate speed without, uh, simulating speed.Developers pecked away at the "tough situation" until finally deciding to create more DLC for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as a way to bide time as the team figured out what to do."As we'd decided to release Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Booster Course Pass, we thought that would give us a bit more time to continue development," said producer Kosuke Yabuki. "That's when the conversation of moving it to the Nintendo Switch 2 system came up, and this suddenly opened up a bunch of possibilities on what we could do. It was truly a ray of hope."This interview also revealed that the game has been in development since 2017, which is a heck of a long time. However, it makes a certain amount of sense given that the original Mario Kart 8 came out in 2014.The upcoming racer was always set in an open world and it was never going to be called Mario Kart 9. The developers wanted to "take the series to the next level." The big, connected world seems to do just that."I felt that in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, we were able to perfect the formula that we'd been following in the series up to that point, where players race on individual courses," Yabuki continued. "That's why, this time, we wanted the gameplay to involve players driving around a large world, and we began creating a world map like this."I personally think the company made the right call by delaying this game until the Switch 2. Recent first-party Switch titles have experienced massive framerate issues, and there's no way the console could have handled races with 24 participants. In any event, we only have a couple of weeks until we get to play Mario Kart World, if you've successfully reserved the Switch 2 for the June 5 launch.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-kart-world-was-initially-planned-for-the-original-switch-174704456.html?src=rss

OpenAI is buying Jony Ive's startup, io, for $6.5 billion, as first reported by The New York Times. The company confirmed the news in a blog post on its website headlined by the photo you see above, which is apparently real and not AI generated. As part of the deal, Ive and his design studio, LoveForm, will continue to work independently of OpenAI. However, Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey and Tang Tan, who co-founded io with Ive, will become OpenAI employees, alongside about 50 other engineers, designers and researchers. In collaboration with OpenAI's existing teams, they'll work on hardware that allows people to interact with OpenAI's technologies.OpenAI has not disclosed whether the deal would be paid for in cash or stock. Per the Wall Street Journal, it's an all-equity deal. Open AI has yet to turn a profit. Moreover, according to reporting from The Information, OpenAI agreed to share 20 percent of its revenue with Microsoft until 2030 in return for the more than $13 billion the tech giant has invested into it. When asked about how it would finance the acquisition, Altman told The Times the press worries about OpenAI's funding and revenue more than the company itself. "We'll be fine," he said. "Thanks for the concern." The deal is still subject to regulatory approval.In an interview with The Times, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Ive, best known for his design work on the iPhone, said the goal of the partnership is to create "amazing products that elevate humanity." Before today, Altman was an investor in Humane, the startup behind the failed Humane AI Pin. HP bought the company earlier this year for $116 million, far less than the $1 billion Humane had reportedly sought before the sale."The io team, focused on developing products that inspire, empower and enable, will now merge with OpenAI to work more intimately with the research, engineering and product teams in San Francisco," OpenAI writes of the acquisition on its website. "As io merges with OpenAI, Jony and LoveFrom will assume deep design and creative responsibilities across OpenAI and io."According to The Times, OpenAI already had a 23 percent stake in io following an agreement the two companies made at the end of 2024. OpenAI is now paying approximately $5 billion to take full control of the startup. Whether this points towards physical OpenAI devices on the horizon, and if so what form they take, remains unclear. The description for the YouTube video you see above says, "Building a family of AI products for everyone." Whatever comes out of the acquisition could take years to hit the market, and some of what Ive and his team do may never see the light of day.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-buys-jony-ives-design-startup-for-65-billion-173356962.html?src=rss

Sony is opting out of its PlayStation Stars loyalty program. Starting today, you can no longer sign up for the program. If you're a member and cancel your membership, you won't be able to sign up again.Current members can still earn points and digital collectibles and level up their status until July 23 at 9:59 PM ET. After that, all campaigns and rewards will be kaput. The program will be entirely discontinued on November 2. But if you keep your membership until then, you can still redeem your points after that, provided they haven't expired.Sony launched PlayStation Stars in 2022. The company's first loyalty program lets you earn points by playing games and making purchases on the PlayStation Store. You can redeem points for items like PSN wallet funds and select store products.The company will now "refocus" its approach to rewards. (How, we don't know.) "We want to thank all of our players for supporting PlayStation Stars since the launch in 2022," Sony wrote on the PlayStation Blog. "As we explore new ways to evolve our loyalty program efforts for the future, we'll continue to celebrate all of our players through the various community activities we have planned."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-is-ending-its-playstation-stars-loyalty-program-164514310.html?src=rss

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is coming to PS5 this summer, though we don't have a concrete release date just yet. Ninja Theory says it will be optimized for both the standard-issue PS5 and the beefier PS5 Pro.The company also says it launches alongside a free update that'll be available for all platforms, including PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. We don't know much about this update, but the developer promises "new features." There's a trailer that discusses the update, but is also devoid of any real details.This is something of a homecoming for the franchise, as Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice was originally released for PS4 back in 2017. Ninja Theory says it's "excited to bring Senua back to where her journey began and for PlayStation players to be able to experience the next chapter in her brutal saga of survival."For the uninitiated, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is a brutal and gorgeous game that first hit the Xbox and PC in 2024. It's a third-person adventure set in Iceland during the 10th century. We called it an outstanding "interactive brutality visualizer" in our original review, going on to say it features "an extended, extremely anxious and violent vibe." Good times!The combat is decent, though not groundbreaking, and the puzzles are just average. The sheer violence, however, is epic. The protagonist Senua screams with each swing of the sword and every fight is close combat. This is for those who revel in simulated physical violence. We'll let you know when we have an actual summer release date for this gem.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/senuas-saga-hellblade-2-is-coming-to-ps5-this-summer-163539229.html?src=rss

Today is one of the most important days on the tech calendar as Google kicked off its I/O developer event with its annual keynote. As ever, the company had many updates for a wide range of products to talk about.The bulk of the Android news was revealed last week, during a special edition of The Android Show. However, Tuesday's keynote still included a ton of stuff including, of course, a pile of AI-related news. We covered the event in real-time in our live blog, which includes expert commentary (and even some jokes!) from our team.If you're on the hunt for a breakdown of everything Google announced at the I/O keynote, though, look no further. Here are all the juicy details worth knowing about:AI Mode chatbot is coming to Search for all US usersQuelle surprise, Google is continuing to shove more generative AI features into its core products. AI Mode, which is what the company is calling a new chatbot, will soon be live in Search for all US users.AI Mode is in a separate tab and it's designed to handle more complex queries than people have historically used Search for. You might use it to compare different fitness trackers or find the most affordable tickets for an upcoming event. AI Mode will soon be able to whip up custom charts and graphics related to your specific queries too. It can also handle follow-up questions.The chatbot now runs on Gemini 2.5. Google plans to bring some of its features into the core Search experience by injecting them into AI Overviews. Labs users will be the first to get access to the new features before Google rolls them out more broadly.Meanwhile, AI Mode is powering some new shopping features. You'll soon be able to upload a single picture of yourself to see what a piece of clothing might look like on a virtual version of you.Also, similar to the way in which Google Flights keeps an eye out for price drops, Google will be able to let you know when an item you want (in its specific size and color) is on sale for a price you're willing to pay. It can even complete the purchase on your behalf if you want.1.5 billion people see AI Overviews each monthAI Overviews, the Gemini-powered summaries that appear at the top of search results and have been buggy to say the least, are seen by more than 1.5 billion folks every month, according to Google. The "overwhelming majority" of people interact with these in a meaningful way, the company said - this could mean clicking on something in an overview or keeping it on their screen for a while (presumably to read through it).Still, not everyone likes the AI Overviews and would rather just have a list of links to the information they're looking for. You know, like Search used to be. As it happens, there are some easy ways to declutter the results.Another look at Google's universal AI assistantWe got our first peek at Project Astra, Google's vision for a universal AI assistant, at I/O last year and the company provided more details this time around. A demo showed Astra carrying out a number of actions to help fix a mountain bike, including diving into your emails to find out the bike's specs, researching information on the web and calling a local shop to ask about a replacement part.It already feels like a culmination of Google's work in the AI assistant and agent space, though elements of Astra (such as granting it access to Gmail) might feel too intrusive for some. In any case, Google aims to transform Gemini into a universal AI assistant that can handle everyday tasks. The Astra demo is our clearest look yet at what that might look like in action.NotebookLM mobile appOn the NotebookLM front, Google has released an iOS and Android app for the tool. The company also took the opportunity at I/O to show off what NotebookLM can do.Google put together a notebook featuring the I/O keynote video from YouTube as well as associated blog posts, press releases and product demos. You can drill down into all of this information or just ask the AI questions about I/O. Of course, you'll be able to generate audio summaries as well as a mind map to structure all the info that's in the notebook.Other AI updatesGemini 2.5 is here with (according to Google) improved functionality, upgraded security and transparency, extra control and better cost efficiency. Gemini 2.5 Pro is bolstered by a new enhanced reasoning mode called Deep Think. The model can do things like turn a grid of photos into a 3D sphere of pictures, then add narration for each image. Gemini 2.5's text-to-speech feature can also change up languages on the fly. There's much more to it than that, of course, and we've got more details in our Gemini 2.5 story.You know those smart replies in Gmail that let you quickly respond to an email with an acknowledgement? Google is now going to offer personalized versions of those so that they better match your writing style. For this to work, Gemini looks at your emails and Drive documents. Gemini will need your permission before it plunders your personal information. Subscribers will be able to use this feature in Gmail starting this summer.Google Meet is getting a real-time translation option, which should come in very useful for some folks. A demo showed Meet being able to match the speaker's tone and cadence while translating from Spanish to English.Subscribers on the Google AI Pro and Ultra (more on that momentarily) plans will be able to try out real-time translations between Spanish and English in beta starting this week. This feature will soon be available for other languages.GoogleGemini Live, a tool Google brought to Pixel phones last month, is coming to all compatible Android and iOS devices in the Gemini app (which already has more than 400 million monthly active users). This allows you to ask Gemini questions about screenshots, as well as live video that your phone's camera is capturing. Google is rolling out Gemini Live to the Gemini iOS and Android app starting today.Google Search Live is a similar-sounding feature. You'll be able to have a "conversation" with Search about what your phone's camera can see. This will be accessible through Google Lens and AI Mode.A new filmmaking app called Flow, which builds on VideoFX, includes features such as camera movement and perspective controls; options to edit and extend existing shots; and a way to fold AI video content generated with Google's Veo model into projects. Flow is available to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US starting today. Google will expand availability to other markets soon.Speaking of Veo, that's getting an update. The latest version, Veo 3, is the first iteration that can generate videos with sound (it probably can't add any soul or actual meaning to the footage, though). The company also suggests that its Imagen 4 model is better at generating photorealistic images and handling fine details like fabrics and fur than earlier versions.Handily, Google has a tool it designed to help you determine if a piece of content was generated using its AI tools. It's called SynthID Detector - naturally, it's named after the tool that applies digital watermarks to AI-generated material.According to Google, SynthID Detector can scan an image, piece of audio, video or text for the SynthID watermark and let you know which parts are likely to have a watermark. Early testers will be able to to try this out starting today. Google has opened up a waitlist for researchers and media professionals. (Gen AI companies should offer educators a version of this tech ASAP.)The new AI Ultra plan costs $250 per monthGoogleTo get access to all of its AI features, Google wants you to pay 250 American dollars every month for its new AI Ultra plan. There's really no other way to react to this other than "LOL. LMAO." I rarely use either of those acronyms, which highlights just how absurd this is. What are we even doing here? That's obscenely expensive.Anyway, this plan includes early access to the company's latest tools and unlimited use of features that are costly for Google to run, such as Deep Research. It comes with 30TB of storage across Google Photos, Drive and Gmail. You'll get YouTube Premium as well - arguably the Google product that's most worth paying for.Google is offering new subscribers 50 percent off an AI Ultra subscription for the first three months. Woohoo. In addition, the AI Premium plan is now known as Google AI Pro.A second Android XR device has been announcedAs promised during last week's edition of The Android Show, Google offered another look at Android XR. This is the platform that the company is working on in the hope of doing for augmented reality, mixed reality and virtual reality what Android did for smartphones. After the company's previous efforts in those spaces, it's now playing catchup to the likes of Meta and Apple.The initial Android XR demo at I/O didn't offer much to get too excited about for now. It showed off features like a mini Google Map that you can access on a built-in display and a way to view 360-degree immersive videos. We're still waiting for actual hardware that can run this stuff.XrealAs it happens, Google revealed the second Android XR device. Xreal is working on Project Aura, a pair of tethered smart glasses. We'll have to wait a bit longer for more details on Google's own Android XR headset, which it's collaborating with Samsung on. That's slated to arrive later this year.A second demo of Android XR was much more interesting. Google showed off a live translation feature for Android XR with a smart glasses prototype that the company built with Samsung. That seems genuinely useful, as do many of the accessibility-minded applications of AI. Gentle Monster and Warby Parker are making smart glasses with Android XR too. Just don't call it Google Glass (or do, I'm not your dad).Chrome's password manager is getting an upgradeGoogle is giving the Chrome password manager a very useful weapon against hackers. It will be able to automatically change passwords on accounts that have been compromised in data breaches. So if a website, app or company is infiltrated, user data is leaked and Google detects the breach, the password manager will let you generate a new password and update a compatible account with a single click.The main sticking point here is that it only works with websites that are participating in the program. Google's working with developers to add support for this feature. Still, making it easier for people to lock down their accounts is a definite plus. (And you should absolutely be using a password manager if you aren't already.)On the subject of Chrome, Google is stuffing Gemini into the browser as well. The AI assistant will be able to answer questions about the tabs you have open. You'll be able to access it from the taskbar and a new menu at the top of the browser window.Beam is the new name of Google's 3D video conferencing boothsIt's been a few years since we first heard about Project Starline, a 3D video conferencing project. We tried this tech out at I/O 2023 and found it to be an enjoyable experience.Now, Google is starting to sell this tech, but only to enterprise customers (i.e. big companies) for now. It's got a new name for all of this too: Google Beam. And it's probably not going to be cheap. HP will reveal more details in a few weeks.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-io-2025-recap-ai-updates-android-xr-google-beam-and-everything-else-announced-at-the-annual-keynote-175900229.html?src=rss

You've got to hand it to the Tamagotchi team for continuing to find new ways to spin a toy that is now pushing 30 years old. We've seen a Tamagotchi with a built-in camera, a Tamagotchi watch with a touchscreen so you can pet your virtual pet and another one with its own Tamaverse. Sometimes these experiments don't work out as well as we'd like them to - the flat buttons introduced with Tamagotchi Pix were kind of terrible in practice - but they keep the franchise feeling alive. And alive seems like the best way to describe the newest member of the Tamagotchi family. Tamagotchi Paradise looks like it's absolutely bustling with life.Bandai first teased the upcoming Tamagotchi Paradise in a comic for Free Comic Book Day at the beginning of May, but it's now official: we're getting a Tamagotchi that's equipped with a zoom dial feature to observe the critters up close (like, even down to the cellular level) and from afar. It'll bring back gene-mixing, too, meaning you'll be able to create unique characters through breeding. Tamagotchi Paradise will also be able to physically connect to other devices with a docking port on the top of the egg.There is a lot of information to unpack in the Tamagotchi Paradise announcement. For one, instead of starting off by hatching a Tamagotchi character from an egg, players will hatch an entire planet in an Egg Bang (get it?) event. You'll be able to view the planet from space, and zoom in to observe what's going on down at the surface. Your mission is to "enrich your planet and make its Tamagotchi population flourish." The device will come in three shell designs - Pink Land, Blue Water and Purple Sky - and whichever shell you have will determine which location you start in. It appears that you'll be able to unlock all three areas eventually no matter what device you have.BandaiAs always, you'll have to raise Tamagotchi characters from babies to adults and do all the usual caretaking tasks, like feeding them and cleaning up poop. But for once, you'll be able to put all that poop to good use by turning it into biofuel for space travel. When a Tamagotchi gets sick, you'll use the dial to "zoom in and treat them at the cellular level." There are a total of 25 different care menus according to Bandai, including shops and mini-games.Tamagotchi Paradise introduces a ton of new, more animal-like characters than we've been seeing in recent years, and they're really cute. (Don't worry, Mametchi, Mimitchi and a few other existing favorites will still be there too). There are also three secret characters that haven't yet been revealed.BandaiIt looks like it's packed with activities, which would be really nice coming off of the Tamagotchi Uni, a device I've loved in the two years since it was released but still can't help but feel like it's a bit boring compared to others. Tamagotchi Paradise goes back to AAA batteries, which should be good for longevity. And it'll be cheaper than other recent flagship Tamagotchis, at $45. Pre-orders haven't opened in the US just yet, but the device will ship on July 12 according to the Japanese Amazon listing. The wait might actually kill me.Once Tamagotchi Paradise arrives, there will be pop-up Tamagotchi Labs in some as yet unannounced stores where you'll be able to connect your device to access exclusive items and experiences. Tamagotchi Uni owners will be able to get a taste of all this ahead of the release as well if they buy the Tamagotchi Lab Tamaverse ticket, which comes out on July 3.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/tamagotchi-paradise-looks-like-the-most-exciting-virtual-pet-toy-in-years-155010892.html?src=rss

Coinbase has been betrayed from within. The cryptocurrency exchange said that cyber criminals bribed some of its support agents to share personal information about Coinbase customers. Attackers acquired data such as names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, images of government IDs, masked bank account numbers and masked sections of social security numbers. The perpetrators tricked some Coinbase users into sending them money and also demanded $20 million from the company to not publicly disclose the ill-gotten information.Coinbase has not paid the ransom and is cooperating with law enforcement to press charges. In the blog post, the company said it would offer a $20 million reward for information that could lead to arresting and convicting the remaining attackers.A Maine Attorney General filing (via TechCrunch) says the breach affected 69,461 customers. The hack began on December 26, 2024, and ran until May 11.Coinbase said that users' login credentials, two-factor authentication codes and private keys are still secure. It will reimburse customers who sent funds to the extortionists and will place additional safeguards on vulnerable accounts. According to an SEC filing, the incident is projected to cost Coinbase $180 million to $400 million.Update, May 21, 2025, 11:23 PM ET: This story has been updated with new info from the Maine Attorney General filing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/extortionists-bribed-coinbase-employees-to-give-them-customer-data-174713732.html?src=rss

This is a big month for Xbox Game Pass, as there are some real standout titles hitting the service. Upcoming games include the sublime Metaphor ReFantazio, Tales of Kenzera: Zau and The Division 2, among others.Let's get to the games. You likely heard a whole lot about Metaphor ReFantazio last year. The JRPG was a bona-fide phenomenon, and it actually grabbed a nomination for game of the year. It also easily made our list of the best games of 2024. It's developed by Atlus and the game improves on the formula behind the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei franchises in nearly every way.The characters are great. The dungeons aren't procedurally generated. The world feels alive, with quests and objectives in nearly every nook and cranny. The story is perhaps the biggest reason why the game became such a sensation. It's grounded and feels like it was plucked from today's news, despite being set in a fantasy-laden kingdom. It'll be playable on May 29.Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a Metroidvania platformer that wears its heart on its sleeve. The story is extremely emotional and engaging, particularly for this genre. The graphics are lovely and the gameplay is fluid, with plenty of nifty upgrades as you advance. What's not to like? The game arrives on May 22.Tom Clancy's The Division 2 is something of a hybrid, with plenty of both tactical shooter and RPG mechanics. The game is set in an open world version of Washington DC, which is a pretty cool location. It's online-only, so there's a deep emphasis on multiplayer. It can be played solo, but you have to be connected to the game's servers. It'll be available on May 27.Other forthcoming games include Spray Paint Simulator (May 29) and Stalker 2 (May 22.) The deckbuilding roguelike Monster Train 2 is available right now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/mays-game-pass-additions-include-the-brilliant-metaphor-refantazio-and-the-division-2-151424740.html?src=rss

Oura has rolled out activity updates for Gen3 and Ring 4 users, including a new trend view for active minutes so that they can get a better look at how active they are for the day, the week or even the whole month. They'll also be able to add their max heart rate to the activity setting, and Oura will adjust heart rate zones accordingly. Oura now allows users to add or edit activities for the past seven days manually, instead of just for that particular day, and it now displays heart rate data from activities imported from partner integrations via Apple HealthKit and Health Connect by Android. Its Automatic Activity Detection feature has also been updated to work all hours to track movements, even for activities between midnight and 4AM.In addition to those new features, Oura has upgraded its system to be able to count steps more accurately. The company uses an advanced machine-learning model to determine whether a movement is an actual step, and it says the technology slashes average daily step count error by 61 percent. It has upgraded its Active Calorie burn feature to be more accurate by taking heart rate into account during exercise, as well. Oura can now also use your phone's GPS data to show your runs and walks in more detail within its app. All these updates are now available on iOS, but the new fitness metrics and new trend view for active minutes won't be out on Android until June.Aside from announcing its upgraded features, Oura has revealed its new partnerships with third-party entities. Users can now link their smart ring with CorePower Yoga so that they can track their yoga activities, Sculpt Society, Technogym and Open, which uses a person's biometrics to create personalized recovery rituals for them.Update, May 21, 2025, 10:50AM ET: This story has been updated to clarify that the updates are available for Gen3 and Ring 4 users with Oura Membership.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/ouras-smart-ring-gets-better-at-tracking-your-activities-130012859.html?src=rss

On paper, the idea of a PC gaming tablet doesn't really make sense. Anything with a screen larger than eight to ten inches is generally too big to hold for longer sessions. Their thin chassis don't leave much room for big batteries, ports or discrete graphics. But with the second-gen ROG Flow Z13, ASUS is turning that line of thought on its head with a surprisingly powerful system that can do more than just game - as long as you don't mind paying a premium for some niche engineering. Design and display: Not exactly stealthy For better or worse, the Z Flow 13 looks like someone tweaked a Surface Pro to accommodate the stereotypical gamer aesthetic. It has cyberpunky graphics littered across its body along with a small window in the back that's complete with RGB lighting. Unlike a lot of tablets, ASUS gave the Z13 a thicker-than-normal body (0.6 inches), which left space for a surprising number of ports. Not only do you get two USB 4 Type-C ports, there's also a regular USB-A jack, full-size HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio and even a microSD card reader. This instantly elevates the tablet from something strictly meant for playing games into something that can also pull double duty as a portable video editing station. ASUS' 13.4-inch 2.5 IPS display leans into that even more thanks to a 180Hz refresh rate, strong brightness (around 500 nits) and Pantone validation. Regardless of what you're doing, colors will be both rich and accurate. Rounding out the package are some punchy speakers, so you don't have to suffer from subpar sound. But there are limitations here, as deep bass is always tough to produce on smaller systems like this. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Finally, there are some pogo pins along the bottom of its display for connecting its folding keyboard. Sadly, this is one of the system's weak points. Because the Z13 is heavier than a typical tablet PC, its keyboard has to carry a hefty load. On a table, it's fine. But if you try to use this thing on your lap (or any uneven surface), I found that the keyboard can flex so much it can result in accidental mouse clicks. It's a shame because the bounce and travel of the keys generally feels pretty good. Nothing is more of a bummer than playing a game while relaxing on the couch and then having to fight with the tablet to avoid errant clicks. Performance Instead of relying on discrete graphics, ASUS opted for AMD's Ryzen AI Max 390 or Max+ 395 APUs, which feature up to 32 cores and a whopping 128GB of unified RAM. However, our review unit came with a more modest, but still ample, 32GB. Unsurprisingly, this makes mincemeat out of basic productivity tasks while having more than enough power to quickly edit videos on the go. Sam Rutherford for Engadget But without a proper graphics card, can it actually game? Yes, and rather well, I might add. In Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p and Ultra settings, the Z13 hit an impressive 93 fps. And while numbers weren't quite as high in Control at 1080p on Epic presets, 70 fps is still very playable. The one wrinkle is that when I tested Cyberpunk 2077 a second time on Ultra with ray tracing enabled, the Flow's performance was cut in half to just 45 fps. Unless you're playing a brand new AAA title that requires RT support (of which there are a growing number), the Z13 is a shockingly good portable gaming companion for frequent travelers. You just have to be careful about how you configure its power settings. That's because if you're out in public or a quiet room, high performance (especially turbo) can result in a fair bit of fan noise, which may draw some unwanted attention. Or in my case, it got much harder to talk to someone sitting next to me on the couch. Battery life Sam Rutherford for Engadget When it comes to longevity, you'll get one of two outcomes. In normal use and on PCMark's Modern Office productivity battery life test, the Z13 fared quite well, finishing with a time of six hours and 54 minutes. That's not quite a full day's worth of work untethered, but it's good enough for most folks. You'll just want to keep its chunky power adapter nearby. However, if you plan on gaming without plugging this thing into the wall, just be prepared for the Z13 to conk out after two hours at best. When I played League of Legends' Teamfight Tactics, I only made it through two games (about 30 to 40 minutes each) before its battery got dangerously low (around 10 percent). And suffice it to say, TFT isn't a very demanding title. Wrap-up The right side of the ROG Flow Z13 features a customizable button that can be programmed to launch an app of your choice. Sam Rutherford for Engadget The Flow Z13 is a niche device that's more of an all-rounder than it might seem at first glance. This system fills an interesting gap between ASUS' gaming machines and more creatively-focused PCs from its ProArt family. In a lot of ways, slapping an ROG badge on it doesn't really do this thing justice. It's got more than enough performance to breeze through general productivity or video edits, and its built-in microSD card reader makes transferring footage to the tablet a breeze. Its screen is bright and vibrant, while also offering accurate colors and a decently high refresh rate. And even without a discrete GPU, the Z13 didn't have much trouble rendering games with lots of graphical bells and whistles turned on. However, this tablet's issues boil down to a couple of major sticking points. Its detachable keyboard is simply too flimsy, to the point where if you use it anywhere besides a table or desk, you risk fighting with it just to ensure your mouse clicks are correct. But the bigger hurdle is price. Starting at $2,100 (or around $2,300 as tested), the Flow Z13 costs the same or more as a comparable ROG Zephyrus G14 with a proper RTX 5070. Not only does it have worse performance, it's less stable too due to its tablet-style design. For people trying to get the most value out of their money, that proposition is a hard sell. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Deep down, I want to like the ROG Flow Z13. And I do, to a certain extent. It's got a funky build and unapologetically aggressive styling. But unless you have a very particular set of requirements, it doesn't fit neatly into most people's lives as an equivalent laptop. And that's before you consider how much it costs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/asus-rog-flow-z13-2025-review-when-a-traditional-gaming-laptop-just-wont-do-133510833.html?src=rss

Google used news from its I/O developer conference this year to show what NotebookLM can do. The AI-powered research and note-taking tool has been around for years, but the company has infused it with more and more features as its AI tech improved. To demonstrate those features, Google created a notebook filled with news from I/O 2025, including a YouTube video of the keynote (complete with a transcript of the whole event), press releases, blog posts and even product demonstrations. You can visit all of those one by one, since the company uploaded them as sources to the notebook, but you can also use the AI tool to digest all the information for you.You can ask NotebookLM anything you want about the event in the chat box, so that you can quickly find details for whatever it is you want to know. When I asked it what is NotebookLM, for instance, it gave me a response that aligned with what was announced during the event. "According to Google's announcements at I/O," the tool responded, "...NotebookLM becomes an 'expert' by grounding its responses in the provided material and offering creative ways to transform information."Under the Studio section of its interface, you'll be able to generate audio overviews that can give you a quick or a more comprehensive spoken summary of the information you've uploaded. You can also create a Mind Map, which visually summarizes uploaded sources, showing one main topic branching towards several smaller topics and relevant ideas. Mind Maps are meant to structure information in a way that's easier to understand and remember. Google added a reminder to its announcement, however, that "like all AI, NotebookLM can generate inaccuracies," which is something to keep in mind while using the tool.Google has released an official app for the tool in time for I/O 2025, which you can now download on Android or iOS. To see the company's I/O 2025 notebook, you'll have to be signed into a Google account.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-talks-up-notebooklm-upgrades-by-making-it-talk-up-google-io-2025-114240186.html?src=rss

Before augmented reality was ever a thing, there was Google Glass: a much hyped experiment that was ultimately a failure over issues like privacy (and just looking like a dork). At an I/O session yesterday with Deepmind CEO Demis Hassabis, Google co-founder Sergey Brin admitted that he made "mistakes" with Google Glass in several areas."I just didn't know anything about consumer electronic supply chain chains, really, and how hard it would be to build that and have it it at a reasonable price point and managing all the manufacturing and so forth," he said during the session.Brin said that he's still a believer in the form factor, though, adding that Xreal's latest device looks like "normal glasses" without "that thing in front." He noted that rather than going it alone as before, Google now has "great partners" in Samsung (the Project Moohan headset) and Xreal (Project Aura glasses) as part of the Android XR extended reality program.There was also a "technology gap" when Google Glass came along in 2013 that no longer exists, according to Brin. "Now in the AI world, the things that these glasses can do to help you out without constantly distracting you, that capability is much higher," he saidGoogle Glass wasn't a complete flop. It's easy to forget that the product soldiered on for many years after its debut, largely as an enterprise device, and was only fully discontinued in 2023. It also paved a path for future VR and AR wearables like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro. Come to think of it, though, none of those projects have exactly set the world on fire, either.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/google-co-founder-sergey-brin-admits-to-mistakes-over-google-glass-110659349.html?src=rss

Following the announcement that Gemini is coming to cars, Volvo is using I/O 2025 to announce a new expanded partnership with Google. The companies' new deal makes Volvo's cars reference hardware for future Android Automotive OS development, and means Volvo drivers will be "among the first to benefit" when Gemini fully replaces Google Assistant in cars.Volvo describes itself as Google's "lead development partner for new features and updates," making the company's cars the first to receive new updates to the Android Automotive OS. Google offers Android Auto as its CarPlay-like solution for beaming a software interface from your phone to in-car displays, but its Automotive OS is more complete, running on your vehicle locally and connected to car controls for A/C and more. You can already experience Android Automotive OS in Volvo's EX90, for example.Google's current vision for Android in cars is, perhaps unsurprisingly, focused on getting drivers to talk to Gemini. In a car with the assistant, you'll be able to ask Gemini to send a message, pull up directions, or answer the more open-ended, natural language questions that Gemini Live is designed to handle. If it works as advertised, it seems better than pecking at a screen, and Volvo notes it could "help reduce your cognitive load so that you can stay focused on driving."There's no release date for when you can expect Gemini to show up as your driving copilot, but at the very least this new partnership means it'll be in Volvos first.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/volvo-expands-its-google-partnership-to-bring-new-features-like-gemini-to-cars-sooner-070020853.html?src=rss

AMD has unveiled its 9060 XT GPU at Computex 2025. The midrange GPU will be the clear competitor to Nvidia's 5060 Ti and goes toe-to-toe with it on almost every spec. Built on AMD's 4-nanometer RDNA 4 silicon, the 9060 XT will pack 32 compute units, along with 64 dedicated AI accelerators and 32 ray-tracing cores.AMDNotably, the RX 9060 XT will ship in 8GB and 16GB GDDR6 versions, whereas Nvidia's RTX 5060 Ti uses faster 28 Gb/s GDDR7, delivering roughly 40 percent more bandwidth (448 GB/s vs. approximately 322 GB/s) on the same 128-bit bus. We'll have to wait for some side-by-side performance comparisons before drawing any strong conclusions from those specs.AMD has listed the 9060 XT's boost clock at speeds up to 3.13 GHz. The GPU boasts 821 TOPS for AI workloads and will draw a modest 150 to 182 watts from the board. The card will connect via PCIe 5.0 x16 and supports the now-standard DisplayPort 2.1a and HDMI 2.1b. Based on these initial specs, the 9060 XT should be a solid entry for games running at 1080p and a decent option for those at 1440p. Those wishing to play at 4K should still opt for the Radeon RX 9070 or 9070 XT.Pricing and exact release timelines have not yet been announced.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/amd-unveils-radeon-rx-9060-xt-at-computex-2025-030021776.html?src=rss

Not many people need a 96-core processor. But for creative professionals, engineers and AI developers who do, AMD has a new batch of chips on display at Computex 2025. The company announced its new Ryzen Threadripper 9000 series on Tuesday, with bonkers specs to power pro-level workstations and ultra-high-end prosumer desktops.At the top of the line in the series is the AMD Threadripper Pro 9995WX. This chip has a staggering 96 cores and 192 threads, matching the highest-end model from 2023's Threadripper Pro 7000 line. But the new 9000 series tops out with a higher maximum boost speed of 5.4GHz. That's up from 5.1GHz in the premiere 7000 Pro chip.AMD's new batch includes six processors in the Threadripper Pro WX series, designed for pro-level workstations. (In addition to the 96-core 9995WX, options include 12-, 16-, 24-, 32- and 64-core models.) Moving past the Pro series, the standard Threadripper 9000 line for high-end desktops maxes out with the 64-core, 128-thread 9980X.AMD hasn't yet announced pricing or specific retail models carrying the chips. But the 7000 Pro series offers a hint. The top-shelf model from that line costs a cool $10,000. (Yep, that's for the processor alone.) So, unless your work involves extremely demanding AI development, 3D modeling or ultra-high-res video editing, you can slowly step away and make your way back to the consumer aisle.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/amds-ryzen-threadripper-9000-chips-have-up-to-96-cores-just-like-the-last-bunch-030003537.html?src=rss

Fortnite is back in the US App Store. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney announced that he intended to relaunch the game in late April, following a court order that demanded Apple stop collecting a 27 percent fee on app transactions that happen outside of its in-app purchase system. The company finally amending its rules to remove that additional commission is why Epic moved forward with the relaunch.The origins of this conflict can be traced all the way back to 2020, when Epic added its own method for collecting payments for in-game items in Fortnite and encouraged players to circumvent Apple's system. Fortnite was removed from the App Store (and the Google Play Store for that matter), Epic sued and the rest is history.Epic didn't win its entire case against Apple, but it did secure a permanent injunction allowing developers to include in-app text that makes users aware of payment options other than the App Store. According to the latest court order, Apple allowed that text, but was still demanding developers pay it a fee for those non-App Store transactions. That prompted the judge overseeing the companies' case to demand Apple stop and remove even more obstacles from the payment process.

One of the biggest reveals of Google I/O was that the company is officially back in the mixed reality game with its own prototype XR smart glasses. It's been years since we've seen anything substantial from the search giant on the AR/VR/XR front, but with a swath of hardware partners to go with its XR platform it seems that's finally changing.Following the keynote, Google gave me a very short demo of the prototype device we saw onstage. I only got a few minutes with the device so my impressions are unfortunately very limited, but I was immediately impressed with how light the glasses were compared with Meta's Orion prototype and Snap's augmented reality Spectacles. While both of those are quite chunky, Google's prototype device was lightweight and felt much more like a normal pair of glasses. The frames were a bit thicker than what I typically wear, but not by a whole lot.Karissa Bell for EngadgetAt the same time, there are some notable differences between Google's XR glasses and what we've seen from Meta and Snap. Google's device only has a display on one side - the right lens, you can see it in the image at the top of this article - so the visuals are more "glanceable" than fully immersive. I noted during Google's demo onstage at I/O that the field of view looked narrow and I can confirm that it feels much more limited than even Snap's 46-degree field of view. (Google declined to share specifics on how wide the field of view is on its prototype.)Instead, the display felt a bit similar to the front display of a foldable phone. You can use it to get a quick look at the time and notifications and small snippets of info from your apps, like what music you're listening to.Gemini is meant to play a major role in the Android XR ecosystem, and Google walked me through a few demos of the AI assistant working on the smart glasses. I could look at a display of books or some art on the wall and ask Gemini questions about what I was looking at. It felt very similar to multimodal capabilities we've seen with Project Astra and elsewhere.There were some bugs, though, even in the carefully orchestrated demo. In one instance, Gemini started to tell me about what I was looking at before I had even finished my question to it, which was followed by an awkward moment where we both paused and interrupted each other.One of the more interesting use cases Google was showing was Google Maps in the glasses. You can get a heads-up view of your next turn, much like Google augmented reality walking directions, and look down to see a little section of map on the floor. However, when I asked Gemini how long it would take to drive to San Francisco from my location it wasn't able to provide an answer. (It actually said something like "tool output," and my demo ended very quickly after.)EngadgetI also really liked how Google took advantage of the glasses' onboard camera. When I snapped a photo, a preview of the image immediately popped up on the display so I could see how it turned out. I really appreciated this because framing photos from a camera on smart glasses is inherently unintuitive because the final image can vary so much depending on where the lens is placed. I've often wished for a version of this when taking photos with my Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, so it was cool to see a version of this actually in action.I honestly still have a lot of questions about Google's vision for XR and what eventual Gemini-powered smart glasses will be capable of. As with so many other mixed reality demos I've seen, it's obviously still very early days. Google was careful to emphasize that this is prototype hardware meant to show off what Android XR is capable of, not a device it's planning on selling anytime soon. So any smart glasses we get from Google or its hardware partners could look very different.What my few minutes with Android XR was able to show, though, was how Google is thinking about bringing AI and mixed reality together. It's not so different from Meta, which sees smart glasses as key to long-term adoption of its AI assistant too. But now that Gemini is coming to just about every Google product that exists, the company has a very solid foundation to actually accomplish this.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/google-xr-glasses-hands-on-lightweight-but-with-a-limited-field-of-view-213940554.html?src=rss

The Solar Energy Industries Association released an assessment of how the budget reconciliation bill currently under review in Congress would have a negative impact on the economy. The legislation cuts incentives around solar power investment and adoption, such as the Section 25D residential tax credit.The group's analysis found that the bill, as it stands, would lead to the loss of nearly 300,000 current and future jobs in the US. It also said removal of incentives could mean a loss of $220 billion in investment in the sector by 2030. It also pointed to a future energy shortage, claiming that solar was on course to be responsible for about 73 percent of the 206.5 GW of new energy capacity needed in the country by 2030.Passing this bill would create a catastrophic energy shortfall, cede AI and tech leadership to China, and damage some of the most vital sectors of the U.S. economy," SEIA President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper said.It's the type of reaction we expect to see when an industry is under threat from federal action. It's also the type of researched data that doesn't seem to have much influence on the current administration, particularly when it comes to the environment and sustainability.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/solar-trade-association-warns-of-devastating-energy-shortages-if-incentives-are-cut-214607526.html?src=rss

Google has dug back into its past and introduced its latest take on smart glasses during I/O 2025. Glasses with Android XR brings Gemini AI to smart glasses thanks to an expanded partnership between Google and Samsung. These smart glasses can sync with a smartphone to access apps, and they're equipped with speakers and an optional in-lens display for privately viewing information.And for those that remember the less-than-stylish old Google Glass frames, this iteration seems more focused on real world wearability and style. Google is also working with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker as inaugural partners for providing the frames. In an indicator of how seriously Google is taking this project, the tech giant is committing up to $150 million as part of the Warby Parker deal. Half of that is for product development and the other half is for potential equity investment into Warby Parker.The highlight of the I/O presentation of the glasses attempted to do a live translation. Shahram Izadi and Nishtha Bhatia spoke Farsi and Hindi to each other as the XR frames provided real-time translation into English. The demo fell victim to the curse of AI misbehaving during a live show, but there was a brief moment where each of their glasses did successfully work as hoped.In addition to that demo, Bhatia also showcased how the Gemini assistant could work with the XR glasses, asking it questions about images she was seeing backstage at the theater and calling up information about the cafe where she got coffee before the show.Update, May 20, 2025, 5:14PM ET: Added financial details about the Warby Parker partnership.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/google-demos-android-xr-glasses-at-io-live-translation-191510280.html?src=rss

The French government has forbidden Telegram CEO Pavel Durov from leaving the country without official authorization, according to a report from Politico. Durov was arrested in France in August 2024 and later indicted for being complicit in illegal activity that occurrs on Telegram, like money laundering and the distribution of CSAM (child sexual abuse material).Durov was attempting to travel to the US for "negotiations with investment funds," Politico writes, something that French officials decided "did not appear imperative or justified." In March, Durov received permission to travel to the United Arab Emirates, where he maintains citizenship.Following Durov's arrest, Telegram shared that it abided by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act, and that "its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving." As evidence of that constant improvement, Telegram decided it would provide user IP addresses and phone numbers in response to legal requests in September 2024, something it originally made a point of avoiding. The messaging platform later partnered with the International Watch Foundation in December 2024 to use the organization's tools to block links to CSAM in Telegram. Both moves could be seen as attempts to appease authorities who might want the messaging platform to answer for the criminal activity it's seemingly enabled.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/telegram-ceo-pavel-durov-is-banned-from-leaving-france-without-permission-following-his-arrest-210401130.html?src=rss

In the latest episode of How to Dismantle Public Services in 12 Easy Steps, a Trump executive order targeting libraries has real-world consequences. The AP reported over the weekend that libraries across the country are cutting programs that offer ebooks, audiobooks and other loan programs. These initiatives exploded in popularity following the pandemic, with over 660 million people globally borrowing them in 2023 - a 19 percent annual increase.The cuts and slashing of grants followed a Trump executive order issued on March 14 targeting the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). His appointee to helm the agency, Keith E. Sonderling, quickly signaled that he was there to do the president's bidding. He placed the IMLS's entire staff on administrative leave, sent termination notices to most of them, canceled grants and contracts and fired everyone on the National Museum and Library Services Board.Federal judges have temporarily blocked the administration from further gutting the IMLS. But while lawsuits from 21 states and the American Library Association make their way through the courts, the agency's federal funding remains frozen. And libraries are scrambling to adjust.If you've ever used your library to borrow an ebook or audiobook through an app like Libby or Hoopla, there's a good chance federal funding made that possible. Libraries purchase digital leases for ebooks and audiobooks from publishers, enabling them to lend titles to patrons. The leases typically cost much more than physical copies and must be renewed after a set period or number of checkouts.With library digital borrowing surging, those federal funds went a long way toward keeping the programs afloat. Mississippi has indefinitely suspended its Hoopla-based lending program.The IMLS was created in 1996 by a Republican-controlled US Congress. The agency has an annual budget of under $300 million, with nearly half of that amount allocated to state libraries, which, in turn, help fund local libraries' digital lending programs. "The small library systems are not able to pay for the ebooks themselves," Rebecca Wendt, California's state library director, told the AP.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/us-libraries-cut-ebook-and-audiobook-lending-programs-following-trump-executive-order-205113868.html?src=rss

The latest video game to be getting the TV show treatment is a pair of hugely popular mobile titles. Developer Supercell is partnering with Netflix for an animated series based on the world of its games Clash of Clans and Clash Royale. Fletcher Moules, who directed the original Clash of Clans animated videos on YouTube, will be the showrunner for the Netflix project and Ron Weiner, who has worked on Silicon Valley, 30 Rock, Futurama and Arrested Development, will be the head writer.Clash of Clans debuted in 2012 and the casual strategy game got a deck battler sequel in Clash Royale, which launched in 2016. According to the show announcement, the pair of games have more than 4 billion downloads and more than 180 billion gameplay hours logged by players. The Netflix show will center on the Barbarian character from this game universe as he tries to "rally a band of misfits to defend their village and navigate the comically absurd politics of war." The series is in pre-production, and no additional casting or release info has been shared at this stage.Netflix has hosted several animated shows based on video games, from Arcane to Devil May Cry.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/an-animated-clash-of-clans-series-is-coming-to-netflix-204104822.html?src=rss

Whether you're traveling for a vacation or just relaxing in the sunshine, a tablet is one of the easiest ways for you and your family to stay entertained while out and about during the summer. If you're looking for a new tablet, Amazon is selling the most recent Apple iPad (A16) for $50 off. It's an 11-inch model powered by the A16 chip. You can buy the 128GB tablet in any of the four available colors - silver, blue, pink or yellow - of the tablet for $299. If you need more storage, you can opt for the 256GB model for $399 or the 512GB version for $595. All of these discounts are for the WiFi only models and do not include any time under the Apple Care protection plan. Apple has a bunch of different iPads for sale these days, and the A16 one is our favorite budget option for this brand. That's because although the A16 chip is notably less powerful than the M3 or M4 you'll find in higher-end tablets, this model still performs well on the basic tasks that you'd use an iPad for. This iPad has a liquid Retina display with a resolution of 2360x1640. Again, it's not flashy, but plenty serviceable. One additional caveat for the A16 is that it can't run Apple Intelligence, so this isn't the iPad for you if you're looking to experiment with lots of AI tools. But for about $300, it's a great starter option if you want to have an easy way to play games, watch shows or read on a larger screen. 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-latest-ipad-is-on-sale-for-50-off-ahead-of-memorial-day-195749473.html?src=rss

Google originally launched SynthID, its digital watermark for AI-generated content, as a way to detect whether an image was created using the company's Imagen model in 2023. Now, at Google I/O 2025, the company is introducing a public-facing tool called SynthID Detector that claims to detect those watermarks in just about anything you upload.SynthID Detector will be available as a web portal where you can upload images, video, audio and text to be scanned. Once uploaded, SynthID Detector Google claims the portal can tell you whether your upload contains AI-generated material and even "highlight specific portions of the content most likely to be watermarked." For audio, the tool is supposed to be able to identify a specific portion of a track that contains the watermark, too.GoogleSynthID was designed to mark content from Google's models but Google hopes other companies will adopt the watermark for their own AI output. An open source version of SynthID is already available for text watermarking, and as part of the rollout of SynthID Detector, Google is partnering with NVIDIA to mark media its NVIDIA Cosmos model generates. SynthID Detector won't be the only tool that can spot Google's watermark, either. The company says GetReal Security will also be able to verify if media contains SynthID.Considering the sheer number of ways Google hopes people will using AI to create images, video, text and audio, from the Audio Overviews in NotebookLM to short films made with its new Flow tool, it makes sense that it would offer a way to know if any of those things are real. Until models from one company produces the vast majority of content or a digital watermark reaches widespread adoption, though, a tool like SynthID Detector can only be so useful.Journalists, researchers and developers can join a waitlist to try SynthID Detector through Google's online form.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/synthid-detector-can-check-media-to-see-if-it-was-generated-with-googles-ai-tools-194002070.html?src=rss

Google has begun rolling out AI Mode to every Search user in the US. The company announced the expansion during its I/O 2025 conference. Google first began previewing AI Mode with testers in its Labs program at the start of March. Since then, it has been gradually rolling out the feature to more people, including in recent weeks regular Search users. At its keynote today, Google shared a number of updates coming to AI Mode as well, including some new tools for shopping, as well as the ability to compare ticket prices for you and create custom charts and graphs for queries on finance and sports.For the uninitiated, AI Mode is a chatbot built directly into Google Search. It lives in a separate tab, and was designed by the company to tackle more complicated queries than people have historically used its search engine to answer. For instance, you can use AI Mode to generate a comparison between different fitness trackers. Before today, the chatbot was powered by Gemini 2.0. Now it's running a custom version of Gemini 2.5. What's more, Google plans to bring many of AI Mode's capabilities to other parts of the Search experience."AI Mode is where we'll first bring Gemini's frontier capabilities, and it's also a glimpse of what's to come," the company wrote in a blog post published during the event. "As we get feedback, we'll graduate many features and capabilities from AI Mode right into the core search experience in AI Overviews."Looking to the future, Google plans to bring Deep Search, an offshoot of its Deep Research mode, to AI Mode. Google was among the first companies to debut the tool in December. Since then, most AI companies, including OpenAI, have gone on to offer their take on Deep Research, which you can use to prompt Gemini and other chatbots to take extra time to create a comprehensive report on a subject. With today's announcement, Google is making the tool available in a place where more of its users are likely to encounter it.Another new feature that's coming to AI Mode builds on the work Google did with Project Mariner, the web-surfing AI agent the company began previewing with "trusted testers" at the end of last year. This addition gives AI Mode the ability to complete tasks for you on the web. For example, you can ask it to find two affordable tickets for the next MLB game in your city. AI Mode will compare "hundreds of potential" tickets for you and return with a few of the best options. From there, you can complete a purchase without having done the comparison work yourself."This will start with event tickets, restaurant reservations and local appointments," says Google. "And we'll be working with companies like Ticketmaster, StubHub, Resy and Vagaro to create a seamless and helpful experience."AI Mode will also soon include the ability to generate custom charts and graphics tailored to your specific queries. At the same time, AI Mode will be more personalized in the near future, with Google introducing an optional feature allowing the tool to draw their past searches. The company will also give people the option to connect their other Google apps to AI Mode, starting with Gmail, for even more granular recommendations.As mentioned above, Google is adding a suite of shopping features to AI Mode. Engadget has a separate post dedicated to the Shopping features Google announced today, but the short of it is that AI Mode will be able to narrow down products for you and complete purchases on your behalf - with your permission, of course.All of the new AI Mode features Google previewed today will be available to Labs users first before they roll out more broadly.Update, May 20 2025, 2:45PM ET: This story has been updated to preview in the intro some of the updates coming to AI Mode.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-is-rolling-out-ai-mode-to-everyone-in-the-us-174917628.html?src=rss

Google has just announced a new $250 per month AI Ultra plan for people who want unlimited access to its most advanced machine learning features. Yes, you read that right. It means the new subscription is $50 more expensive than the already pricey ChatGPT Pro and Claude Max plans from OpenAI and Anthropic.For $250, you're getting early access to new models like Veo 3, and unlimited usage of features like Flow (the new AI film-making app the company announced today) and the compute-intensive Deep Research. In the coming weeks, Google will also roll out Deep Think to AI Ultra users, which is the new enhanced reasoning mode that is part of its Gemini 2.5 Pro model. Subscribers can also look forward to access to Project Mariner, Google's web-surfing agent, and Gemini within Chrome, plus all the usual places where you can find the chatbot like Gmail and Docs.Google is partly justifying the high cost of AI Ultra by touting the inclusion of YouTube Premium and 30TB of cloud storage across Google Photos, Drive and Gmail. On its own, a YouTube Premium subscription would cost you $14 per month, and Google doesn't offer 30TB of cloud storage separately. The closest comparison would be Google One, which includes a Premium tier that comes with 2TB of storage for $10 per month. As another incentive to sign up for AI Ultra, Google is giving new subscribers 50 percent off their first three months.As of today, Google is also revamping its existing AI Premium plan. The subscription, which will be known as Google AI Pro moving forward, now includes the Flow app and early access to Gemini in Chrome. Google says the new benefits will come to US subscribers first, with availability in other countries to follow.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-wants-250-per-month-in-return-for-its-new-ai-ultra-plan-180248513.html?src=rss