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Amazon is reportedly developing smart glasses for its delivery drivers, according to sources who spoke to Reuters. These glasses are intended to cut seconds" from each delivery because, well, productivity or whatever. Sources say that they are an extension of the pre-existing Echo Frames smart glasses and are known by the internal code Amelia.These seconds will be shaved off in a couple of ways. First of all, the glasses reportedly include an embedded display to guide delivery drivers around and within buildings. They will allegedly also provide drivers with turn-by-turn navigation" instructions while driving. Finally, wearing AR glasses means that drivers won't have to carry a handheld GPS device. You know what that means. They'll be able to carry more packages at once. It's a real mitzvah.I'm being snarky, and for good reason, but there could be some actual benefit here. I've been a delivery driver before and often the biggest time-sink is wandering around labyrinthine building complexes like a lost puppy. I wouldn't have minded a device that told me where the elevator was. However, I would not have liked being forced to wear cumbersome AR glasses to make that happen.To that end, the sources tell Reuters that this project is not an absolute certainty. The glasses could be shelved if they don't live up to the initial promise or if they're too expensive to manufacture. Even if things go smoothly, it'll likely be years before Amazon drivers are mandated to wear the glasses. The company is reportedly having trouble integrating a battery that can last a full eight-hour shift and settling on a design that doesn't cause fatigue during use. There's also the matter of collecting all of that building and neighborhood data, which is no small feat.Amazon told Reuters that it is continuously innovating to create an even safer and better delivery experience for drivers" but refused to comment on the existence of these AR glasses. "We otherwise don't comment on our product roadmap," a spokesperson said.The Echo Frames have turned out to be a pretty big misfire for Amazon. The same report indicates that the company has sold only 10,000 units since the third-gen glasses came out last year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-reportedly-wants-drivers-to-wear-ar-glasses-for-improved-efficiency-until-robots-can-take-over-174910167.html?src=rss

For the first time in over two years, Overwatch 2 players will be able to group up in teams of six. A three-week event featuring that format starts tomorrow, November 12. But there's a twist: you won't be able to select Kiriko or Sombra, or battle it out with an additional player on each side on Push maps just yet. That's because in Overwatch 2's first real taste of 6v6, Blizzard is taking us all the way back to the beginning with a limited-time mode called Overwatch: Classic.You will be able to experience Overwatch almost exactly as it was upon its May 2016 debut. That means you can choose from the first 21 heroes, who all have their original kits and abilities. That means Hanzo loses his Lunge jump but regains his dreaded Scatter Arrow, Bastion and Torbjorn are vastly different than they are now and Cassidy's Flashbang once again stun locks enemies for a moment.Symmetra reverts to being a support who can teleport allies almost anywhere on the map from the spawn room, while Mercy can will once again bring five dead teammates back to life. Ultimate abilities will charge up faster too.In addition, just like in Overwatch for a brief period at the very beginning, there are initially no limits on hero selection. So if you and your teammates want to run with a composition of four Winstons and two Lucios, have at it. However, this will only apply for the first few days, after which Blizzard will apply the single hero limit rule for the rest of the event. Games will take place under the Quick Play ruleset, rather than the Competitive format.The original 12 maps will be available too - including the assault maps that Blizzard retired from the main modes during the transition to Overwatch 2. While assault maps are still available in the Arcade and custom games, you'll once again be dealing with the notorious choke points of the otherwise gorgeous Hanamura, Temple of Anubis and Volskaya Industries.Blizzard EntertainmentThings won't be exactly as they were in May 2016, however. Original maps that have seen major reworks over the years - Dorado, Numbani, Route 66 and Watchpoint: Gibraltar - will appear as they are in the current game. You'll only be able to use the original default Overwatch skins and no, there are no loot boxes. The user interface remains the same too, which hopefully means the ping system will still be in place.Blizzard doesn't plan for this to be a one-and-done deal. There will be other Overwatch: Classic events in the future, focusing on various moments in the game's history, like the infamous triple-tank, triple-support GOATS meta. This limited-time mode is also separate from the other 6v6 tests Blizzard plans to run in the coming months as it looks to measure players' interest in that format and garner feedback.There's a good chance that this limited-time mode will bring some lapsed players back into the mix, even just for a sip of nostalgia. I first played Overwatch several months after its debut, so it'll be fun to see roughly how the game felt at the very beginning. I will be instalocking Mei every match so I can remember what it's like to freeze an opponent before giving them a cheeky wave and firing an icicle into their skull. Ah, memories...This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/an-overwatch-classic-event-will-take-fans-all-the-way-back-to-the-beginning-171538261.html?src=rss

The popular Shin Megami Tensei video game series is getting a physical board game. A Japanese company called Icrea is behind the effort and is launching a Kickstarter on November 12 to raise funds for the project.SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI THE BOARD GAME (the company asked us to use all caps) is a full-scale board game project" complete with 72 high quality and detailed demon figures." Collecting demons and adding them to your party is a major part of the game, so these figurines should help with immersion. It'll also help with getting random demon figurines lost in the couch.Icrea/AtlusThere's a board with various locations from the franchise and plenty of series-specific cards to rifle through. The company says a game should take anywhere from three to four hours. The title has already generated a fair amount of excitement at both Gen Con and the most recent Tokyo Game Show.We don't know exactly when this will be available for purchase. You know how Kickstarter timelines work. There are going to be a bunch of stretch goals, however, should the company reach the initial financial threshold. It's a Shin Megami Tensei board game with dozens of cool-looking demon figurines. It shouldn't have any trouble finding financial backers.For the uninitiated, Shin Megami Tensei first came out in 1992 for the Super Famicom in Japan. There have been plenty of sequels throughout the years. Shin Megami Tensei V came out back in 2021, but has since received a full-featured refresh called Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance.The Persona series is also a spinoff of the franchise. This leads to a very serious question. Persona board game when? I want to wander around a fake high school and eat ramen with a motley crew of characters.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/this-shin-megami-tensei-board-game-features-72-intricate-demon-figurines-163242838.html?src=rss

Elon Musk's xAI launched its AI chatbot, Grok, at the end of 2023 and it has remained exclusively available to X (formerly Twitter) premium users since. Now, one year later, Grok is seemingly coming to free X users in select areas, TechCrunch reports.The news comes from multiple reports on X by researchers and users who spotted updates to Grok. According to X user Swak, there are stipulations to who can access Grok for free and how much they can use it. For starters, accounts need to be at least seven days old and have a phone number attached to them. Free users are also reportedly limited by how many things they can do in two hours. They can ask the Grok-2 model 10 questions and the Grok-2 mini model 20 questions within that time frame. Furthermore, free users only get three image analyses each day.The Grok-2 and the Grok-2 mini models are relatively new, releasing late summer of this year. Grok-2 is xAI's most advanced AI chatbot to date and pulls real-time information right from X, while the company claims the mini version "offers a balance between speed and answer quality."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/xais-grok-2-might-be-available-for-free-on-x-soon-150004395.html?src=rss

While reading through the list of Grammy nominees earlier I came across quite a surprise. There, competing for record of the year alongside the likes of Beyonce's Texas Hold 'Em and Chappell Roan's Good Luck Babe, was Now and Then by The Beatles. No, to my dismay, this isn't a time travel situation, but the result of AI.So, here's the story of how The Beatles got nominated for two Grammys - they also snagged a best rock performance nod - 50 years after formally breaking up. It starts with a demo John Lennon recorded in the 1970s that was given to Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison for inclusion on the The Beatles Anthology,released in 1995. While other tracks like Free as a Bird and Real Love made it on, technology wasn't advanced enough to separate Lennon's vocals and piano without reducing the recording's quality.But, last year McCartney and Starr used modern machine learning technology to pull Lennon's vocals for a new track. Now and Then, released in November 2023, includes McCartney on bass, Starr on the drums, Lennon's vocals and a guitar in Harrison's style (a 1995 recording of him makes up some of the background rhythm guitar. You can watch a documentary about making the track here.Unsurprisingly, the song is said to be the last from the Beatles. We'll have to wait until the awards show in February to see whether or not AI will help them win another Grammy.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-beatles-are-nominated-for-two-grammys-thanks-to-ai-150004467.html?src=rss

It's no secret that most technology nowadays isn't exactly built to last forever, with new product models regularly on sale on replace malfunctioning items. However, Apple, which famously announces new products each September, is taking new steps to let people repair their own devices. Apple has launched parts and tools for the iPhone 16, including the Plus, Pro and Pro Max.Now, if you have an iPhone 16 model that's acting up, you can go to Apple's self service repair store and - possibly - get what you need to fix it. Choose the product type and model then pick from the iPhone 16's choices of back glass, battery, camera, top speaker, TrueDepth camera, SIM tray and more. Apple's iPhone 16 should be easier to fix than its predecessor, receiving a 7/10 on the iFixit repairability scale, compared to a 4/10 for the iPhone 15.You can either get kits or just the necessary part with prices varying based on your phone model. For example, a battery and screw kit for the iPhone 16 Pro Max is $119, but its $99 for the regular iPhone 16. You can get quite a lot of money back on the kit prices if you return the replaced piece afterward. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, for instance, goes down to $61.88 after you send back the old battery.Apple created its self-service program in 2022, giving its customers access to actual Apple parts when something in their device failed. However, Apple states that the service "is intended for individuals with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices. If you are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices." So, repairs might not be as accessible if you or someone you know isn't savvy in making the swaps.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-now-has-replacement-parts-for-the-iphone-16-series-143100070.html?src=rss

As the world turns, so do the console generations. The Nintendo Switch is over seven years old, so it's due for a refresh. Nintendo Switch 2 rumors have been swirling for years, but now they are really heating up. A sequel to Nintendo's most successful home console ever is coming and it's likely coming sooner rather than later.Will it be a straight up sequel to the Switch with updated specs while retaining the same hybrid functionality or will Nintendo get weird with it? Will it even be called the Switch 2, or will the company go with something like the Super Switch or even the New Nintendo Switch? You can never tell with Nintendo. Heck, maybe it'll call the thing the Switch U.In any event, recent weeks have brought feverish speculation regarding all aspects of the forthcoming gaming console. It's important to note, however, that very little information has been confirmed by Nintendo. The company operates on its own timetable. With that said, here are all of the rumors that are most likely to come true, given industry analysis.When will the Nintendo Switch 2 be announced?As previously mentioned, Nintendo marches to the beat of its own drum. We don't exactly know when it'll hold an event to reveal the console. It likely won't be in 2024, as the tech year is winding down and it's rare to get announcements of new harder in late November and December.Even Nintendo has trouble keeping the lid on a major console release, so we could learn something before the official reveal. There are parts that have to be sourced and shipments that have to be made. A senior analyst at MST Financial noted a spike in production equipment spending by Nintendo assembler Hosiden.When will the Nintendo Switch 2 come out?Once again, this is more or less a mystery. We aren't totally in the dark, but it's mostly rumor and speculation. One thing we know for sure is that Nintendo will announce the Nintendo Switch 2 (or whatever it chooses to call it) by March 2025, as the company confirmed back in May. Some are saying there will be a March release date, which makes sense given the OG Switch came out on March 17, 2017. However, other reports put the console's release window later in 2025.We can infer a lot from the announcement date. If the console is announced this year, March would be a safe bet, given that the original Switch was officially confirmed in October of 2016. However, the console likely won't be announced until next year, at this point, so expect a late 2025 release.Will it even be a proper Switch sequel?Nintendo has a weird track record here. The baffling Wii U followed the massive success of the Wii. The Wii itself followed the more traditional GameCube. In other words, it's possible it'll be something out of left field and not exactly a true sequel to the Switch. However, this is unlikely this time around. As much as I would love to see wacky VR glasses or a completely bonkers console concept, all points indicate a more traditional approach.

Nintendo is set to show off the Donkey Kong Country expansion of its Super Nintendo World theme park today (Monday, November 11) at 5PM ET, the company revealed in a post on X. That means the new Universal Studios Japan area might finally open soon, after being delayed from the previously announced launch window of Spring 2024.The new park attraction featuring Mario's barrel-throwing nemesis was first revealed in 2021. The centerpiece is a ride called Mine Cart Madness, named after the best level in the 1994 SNES game Donkey Kong Country. After being blasted out of a barrel cannon, you'll take a mine cart ride through the jungle that includes a "leap across a collapsed track" as Nintendo showed in a render earlier this year.

2024 has been a rough year for Sonos. The company's would-be triumphant entry into the crowded headphones market was overshadowed by a disastrous app redesign. In the fallout of the botched software update, the company decided to delay products that were ready to be shipped to give itself more time to right the course. Consumer trust eroded, and people who already owned Sonos gear were living in a cycle of constant frustration. Thanks to a number of rumors, we already knew that one of the pending product releases was the Arc Ultra ($999). A few weeks ago the company decided not to wait any longer to reveal it. While the design is mostly unchanged from the Arc that debuted in 2020, there are several key changes on the inside that make this a better all-in-one solution for people who don't want to add more speakers to their living room setup. Sonos is promising better bass performance thanks to new speaker tech that's debuting in the Arc Ultra, but just how good can it be? Design The refined design of the original Arc was a massive upgrade from that of the Playbar, and showed a progression from Sonos' compact Beam soundbar. Honestly, the aesthetic is pretty timeless, in my opinion, and it's a look that should age well for years to come. That said, it makes sense that Sonos would keep the design for the Arc Ultra, only making some minor changes to the exterior. The Arc Ultra still comes in both black and white options, allowing you to choose what looks best in your living room or home theater. Sonos updated the controls to mirror what's available on the newer Era 100 and Era 300 speakers, moving them to a top-facing bar at the back. There's a volume slider on the right with play/pause and skip controls in the center. On the left side, Sonos gives you a microphone control so you can mute the built-in mics as needed. And that's really it in terms of design changes that you can see. The Arc Ultra is slightly shorter height-wise than the Arc, and it's a little wider than its predecessor. Neither of which make a huge difference, and they won't drastically change how you position the speaker beneath your TV. Sonos' new sound motion woofer is situated on the right side of the soundbar Sonos Inside, Sonos has re-engineered the Arc Ultra to improve audio performance. The biggest piece of this overhaul is the new Sound Motion woofer that enables better bass performance before you add a standalone wireless sub. The achievement here, thanks to the acquisition of audio company Mayht, is that the new component lays flat, taking up less room than a traditional cone-shaped woofer. The Sound Motion driver also helps deliver increased clarity and depth, on top of doubling the bass output of the original Arc. Sonos redesigned the entire acoustic architecture of the Arc Ultra during the process of adding the Sound Motion woofer. The soundbar now houses three more drivers than the arc, a list that includes seven tweeters (two of which are upfiring), six mid-range drivers (midwoofers, as Sonos calls them) and the aforementioned woofer for a total of 14. The company also employs 15 Class-D digital amplifiers along with far-field mics for tuning and voice control. There's still only a single HDMI (eARC) port, which allows most modern TVs the ability to control the soundbar's volume and mute options from your TV remote. Moreover, the Arc Ultra is compatible with Wi-Fi 6 and newly-added Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity allows you to stream from any device. And of course, AirPlay 2 is still on the spec sheet. One last thing I'll mention here is that the Arc Ultra doesn't ship with an optical adapter if you prefer that connection. The company will sell you one for $25. Software and features Since the Arc Ultra is a Sonos product, there are a lot of core features that are the same as they are on the company's other devices. You can use the soundbar as part of a multiroom setup and Trueplay tuning is here to adjust the audio to the acoustics of the room. There's still an adjustable EQ with options for bass, treble and loudness and a Night Sound mode makes things less boomy when someone in your house may be trying to work or sleep. While Trueplay will give you the best sound customization for the sonic characteristics of your living room, Sonos is enabling a Quick Tune feature for the first time on the Arc Ultra. Here, the soundbar will use its internal mics, as opposed to your phone, to offer a certain degree of improvement. The company says it wanted to give people the option of something quicker than Trueplay, although the full-fledged tuning process doesn't take very long at all. Speech Enhancement has been a handy feature on Sonos soundbars for a while, giving you the ability to improve dialog clarity as needed. Before now, it was an all-or-nothing feature, but on the Arc Ultra, the company introduced three levels of speech boost to give you more options to better suit your needs. This means the soundbar can help you hear clearly over background noise or simply follow along better by elevating dialog above the rest of the soundtrack mix. Sonos moved the controls to a bar along the back Billy Steele for Engadget The trademark feature of Sonos' Ace headphones is the ability to beam the audio from a compatible soundbar to the cans for a private home theater. That TV Audio Swap tool is available on the Arc Ultra, so you can instantly send the sound to the headphones with the press of a button. In fact, Sonos bundles the Arc Ultra and Ace headphones in a $1,373 set. What's more, the Ace supports spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, so you can count on immersive sound even when you're employing it on an individual basis. Despite all of the problems that Sonos has had with its app, some of which it's still working to resolve, I didn't encounter any issues during my testing. The software crashed on me once when the Trueplay tuning process completed, but everything had already run its course and I didn't have to repeat it. Other than that, the app has worked reliably over the last week while I've been putting the Arc Ultra through its paces. Most importantly, the software is stable and the full suite of controls for the new soundbar is available at launch. Sound performance The original Arc already sounded great, so Sonos really had its work cut out for it to further improve the audio quality for the Arc Ultra. Thanks to the improved bass of the Sound Motion tech, a change that also takes up less space, the company says it had the ability to then overhaul the mid-range and high-frequency components as well. By using multiple sizes of mid-range drivers and tweeters, Sonos was able to tweak the speaker positioning inside of the soundbar for improved projection and more immersive sound. In addition to the enhanced bass performance, the second thing that was immediately apparent on the Arc Ultra was those improvements to the dimensional sound. Whether it was a quidditch match in a Harry Potter movie or zooming F1 cars in Drive to Survive, the soundbar now has better directional, immersive sound than its predecessor. Sonos says the Arc Ultra now renders Dolby Atmos content in a 9.1.4-channel setup, versus 5.0.2 with the Arc, which further contributes to the enveloping audio. Interestingly, I haven't seen any of the competition claim four up-firing channels from the soundbar like Sonos does here (those that do are usually accounting for up-firing drivers in the rear speakers). You can really hear the difference from the second you fire up the Arc Ultra, and the effect is consistent across content sources. There's still just one HDMI port, but Bluetooth connectivity is now included Billy Steele for Engadget The increased bass performance makes the Arc Ultra a much better speaker for music without a separate subwoofer. You won't get the bombastic low-end tone the newly updated Sonos Sub 4 can produce, but there's enough from the soundbar to give Kaytranada's Timeless, Phantogram's Memory of a Day and Bilmuri's American Motor Sports plenty of booming backbone when a track demands it. There's also still the trademark Sonos clarity I've come to expect over the years, which means finer details like the texture of synths, layered guitars and the nuance of acoustic instruments cut through the mix cleanly. And speaking of clarity, the company's new Speech Enhancement settings are also a big improvement. Being able to select how much of a boost this feature offered depending on either my needs right then or based on the overall tuning of the content is really nice. It allowed me to max out the dialog when watching movies after my toddler was asleep so that speech didn't suffer when sound effects were louder during intense scenes of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The competition There's no doubt the Arc Ultra packs in deeper, more immersive sound than its predecessor, but some people will still want a more robust setup to wring every ounce of audio out of a Sonos living room setup. The high-end choice for this is what Sonos calls the Ultimate Immersive Set, which includes the Arc Ultra, two Era 300s and the Sub 4. Right now, that will cost you $2,561. For something less expensive, you can get the Arc Ultra and the new Sub 4 (normally $799) for $1,708 (Premium Entertainment Set). And therein lies the biggest problem with Sonos soundbars: expanding your living room setup to get the most immersive experience gets very pricey very quickly when the centerpiece is already $999. If you can live without all the conveniences of Sonos products, you can get an all-in-one package from Samsung for $1,500. With the Q990D, you'll get the soundbar, two rear speakers and a wireless subwoofer in the same box. The setup offers 11.1.4 audio for excellent Atmos sound, thanks in part to up-firing drivers in the rear speakers. Samsung offers a host of handy features, from Q-Symphony audio with TV speakers, SpaceFit Sound Pro room calibration, Adaptive Sound audio enhancement, a dedicated gaming mode and more. The Q990D remains my top pick for the best soundbars for a lot of reasons, a key one being everything you could need comes in one all-inclusive package. Wrap-up The Arc Ultra is an obvious improvement over the Arc in the sonic department. New technology delivers on its promise to boost bass, clarity and immersive before you start adding extra components. Expanded features like Speech Enhancements and a quick-tune option offer new tools for dialing in the sound, while the stock Sonos experience remains intact. And thankfully, that includes an app that's more stable than it was a few months ago. The Arc Ultra is still pricey at $999, but it exhibits a lot more sonic prowess than its predecessor for only $100 more.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/sonos-arc-ultra-review-new-tech-powers-a-big-audio-upgrade-130011149.html?src=rss

Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against a streamer called EveryGameGuru, accused of streaming gameplays of pirated games before they were even released - and of providing viewers access to piracy tools and illegal copies of the games.EveryGameGuru allegedly streamed Mario & Luigi: Brothership across five days, weeks before its official release on November 7. After Nintendo had the videos taken down from various platforms, including YouTube, they continued live streaming on Loco and even included a QR code for their CashApp handle.Nintendo said EveryGameGuru sent the company an email, saying it has a thousand burner channels" and can do this all day."Don't anger the house of Mario! The company is asking for $150,000 in damages per violation of its copyright. 404media did the math: That could add up to millions, seeing as the suit cites at least 10 games, streamed on at least 50 occasions.- Mat SmithThe biggest tech stories you missedEngadget review recap: Two new Macs, the PS5 Pro and moreSony has sold 65 million PS5sAndor season two will hit Disney+ in AprilGet this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!HTC Vive Focus Vision reviewAn average-performing premium VR headset.EngadgetSure, it's not for most of us. The Vive Focus Vision isn't for the same people as the PSVR2 or Meta Quest 3. This is meant to be high-end VR for businesses and creators: a cross between the Focus 3 and last year's goggle-like XR Elite. The build quality is excellent, but it's running on aging hardware. Worse, it's riddled with software issues and is rather expensive compared to the Meta Quest 3.Continue reading.The voice of AOL's You've got mail! dies aged 74He recorded four phrases for $200 in 1989.If you're aged 30 and up, you know the voice of Elwood Edwards, realize it or not. He recorded the phrase, You've got mail!" and three other lines for Quantum Computer Services in 1989. That company became America Online (AOL), Meg Ryan made the movie with Tom Hanks and everything else. (AOL is currently owned by Yahoo, Engadget's parent company.)Continue reading.Latest God of War Ragnarok patch tells the son to be quietIt reduces all the hints from Kratos' offspring.SonyThe latest patch for the PS5 version of God of War Ragnarok adds the option first seen in the PC port to tone down the boy's excessive and unsolicited hints when Kratos is contemplating the game's many puzzles. Enough, Atreus! (The patch also includes PS5 Pro upgrades, for smooth 60 fps and better visuals. But that's not as funny.)Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-nintendo-sues-pirated-software-streamer-for-millions-121630229.html?src=rss

Sony will soon stop offering the free adapter that allows gamers to connect the PlayStation Camera to their PS5. The camera (which was released for the PS4) is required to use the original PlayStation VR on the company's current console, as the headset has a light-based tracking method. The PS5's own HD camera accessory isn't compatible with PS VR."As of November 26, 2024, or until supplies last, the PlayStation Camera adapter will no longer be available," Sony says on a support page. In the meantime, you may be able to request an adapter via a form. Alternatively, as Wario64 points out, you may have to call Sony support at 1-800-345-7669. You'll need the serial number from the PS VR's processing unit to claim an adapter.If you miss out on grabbing the accessory from Sony, there are third-party options available. Still, this one's free and it's the official Sony adapter.As a reminder, PS VR games do not run on PS VR2, in part because the headsets use different tracking methods. Some games have been ported to the latest headset, as well as other VR platforms. However, many are still only available on the original PS VR, including several first-party titles. So if you want to play the likes of Astro Bot Rescue Mission or Everybody's Golf VR via your PS5, you'll need a PS Camera adapter.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-is-discontinuing-its-free-ps5-playstation-camera-adapter-for-ps-vr-171350519.html?src=rss

Star Wars fans have been waiting quite some time to find out when they'll be able to watch the second and final season of Andor. At the D23 Brazil fan expo, Lucasfilm revealed that the Rogue One prequel series will debut on Disney+ on April 22, 2025. That's almost three years since the first season premiered in August 2022, and just after next year's edition of Star Wars Celebration.The show focuses on Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in the years leading up to the events of Rogue One. It details how he came to work against the Empire as an important operative for the Rebel Alliance. Andor has been widely hailed as one of the best pieces of Star Wars media over the last few years, and now you know when you can enjoy more of the rebel spy's story.

The ex-head of NetEase's esports division and NetEase Games' former general manager are said to have been arrested on money laundering and bribery charges. Alongside ex-executives Xiang Liang and Jin Yuchen, several other people who worked at the company were reportedly arrested over alleged corruption.As noted by Game Developer, Chinese outlet Leifeng reported that the former employees in question allegedly laundered in the region of 800 million to 1 billion yuan ($111 million to $139 million). NetEase confirmed to Bloomberg Law only that police were investigating possible corruption. The company is said to have dismissed nine staff members for alleged bribery.Several external individuals were also implicated, according to Yicai Global. The outlet noted that, per an internal memo, NetEase will refuse to do business with 27 companies that have been connected to the alleged fraud and corruption.NetEase is behind the likes of Diablo Immortal and Naraka: Bladepoint (the latter of which averages more than 109,000 players on Steam at any given time). It has two free-to-play shooters on the way based on major franchises, namely Marvel Rivals and Destiny: Rising.White collar crimes aren't quite a rarity in the games industry. Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator Yuji Naka was last year handed a suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay just over $1.1 million after admitting to insider trading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netease-executives-and-workers-were-reportedly-arrested-amid-a-corruption-investigation-180055502.html?src=rss

A lot of people tried to use OpenAI's DALL-E image generator during the election season, but the company said that it was able to stop them from using it as a tool to create deepfakes. ChatGPT rejected over 250,000 requests to generate images with President Biden, President-elect Trump, Vice President Harris, Vice President-elect Vance and Governor Walz, OpenAI said in a new report. The company explained that it's a direct result of a safety measure it previously implemented so that ChatGPT would refuse to generate images with real people, including politicians.OpenAI has been preparing for the US presidential elections since the beginning of the year. It laid out a strategy that was meant to prevent its tools from being used to help spread misinformation and made sure that people asking ChatGPT about voting in the US are directed to CanIVote.org. OpenAI said 1 million ChatGPT responses directed people to the website in the month leading up to election day. The chatbot also generated 2 million responses on election day and the day after, telling people who ask it for the results to check Associated Press, Reuters and other news sources. OpenAI made sure that ChatGPT's responses "did not express political preferences or recommend candidates even when asked explicitly," as well.Of course, DALL-E isn't the only AI image generator out there, and there are plenty of election-related deepfakes going around social media. One such deepfake featured Kamala Harris in a campaign video altered so that she'd say things she didn't actually say, such as "I was selected because I am the ultimate diversity hire."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-rejected-250000-election-deepfake-requests-170037063.html?src=rss

Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against a streamer called EveryGameGuru, whom it's accusing of streaming gameplays of pirated games before they were even released and of providing viewers access to illegal ROM copies and piracy tools. In its lawsuit, the company said the defendant livestreams himself playing games on YouTube, Discord, Twitch, TikTok, Trovo, Kick, Vaughn, Dlive, Picarto, Nimo, Facebook and Loco, often with very little commentary. Apparently, EveryGameGuru streamed gameplays of at least 10 different titles before their official release date in at least 50 occasions since 2022.EveryGameGuru allegedly steamed Mario & Luigi: Brothership on October 22, 23, 24, 25 and 29, way before its official release on November 7. After Nintendo got the videos taken down from various platforms, including YouTube, he continued livestreaming on Loco and even included a QR code for his CashApp handle. He would also create new accounts after his old ones get disabled, and Nintendo said he sent the company an email, telling it that it has "a thousand burner channels" and that he "can do this all day." We found a user with the same name on Loco, with streams of Super Mario Jamboree before it officially became available on October 17 this year.In addition to those two games, Nintendo listed the other games that the defendant played on video before their release dates, including The Legends of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Super Mario RPG, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Pikmin 4, Splatoon 3 and Mario Strikers: Battle League. Nintendo has also included screenshots of EveryGameGuru linking people to piracy tools in its lawsuit. One screenshot showed a post wherein he wrote a step-by-step guide on how to play illegally downloaded ROMs. He included links to the Ryujinx, Yuzu, Suyu and Sudachi Nintendo Switch emulators, links to websites that distribute game ROMs and a link to a website where people can get Switch decryption keys necessary to be able to play the console's games. "Capitalism is cancer," he wrote in the post in all caps. "My channel is being deleted for sharing gameplay videos! This is your reward!"The company is asking for $150,000 in damages per violation of its copyright. As 404media notes, that could add up to millions, seeing as Nintendo is accusing the defendant of streaming at least 10 games illegally in at least 50 occasions.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-is-suing-a-streamer-of-pirated-software-for-millions-of-dollars-150052133.html?src=rss

Techtober rolled straight into November this year. The first week of the month was a busy one at Engadget HQ as we published a number of high-profile reviews over the last few days. There's the MacBook Pro and Mac mini from Apple alongside the beastly (and expensive) PS5 Pro. Plus, we've got yet another VR headset and more ereaders for the bookworms. Read on to catch up on all of this week's reviews and for a tease of what's coming next. Apple MacBook Pro (2024) review Our Mac expert Devindra Hardawar had a busy week. Publishing four reviews in total, he primarily focused on an Apple double dip. He put the new M4-powered MacBook Pro through its paces in both 14- and 16-inch sizes. Unsurprisingly, the new chips offer a speed boost, but there are also updates to the display, webcam and battery life. Spec upgrades remain pricey, but if you opt for a machine with M4 Pro or M4 Max power, you'll also gain Thunderbolt 5 support. "If you're running an M1 MacBook Pro, or still trucking along with an Intel model, you'll definitely see some notable performance gains from these machines," he explained. "But if you've got an M2 or M3 MacBook Pro, the M4 hardware is less of a qualitative leap." Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro, 2024) review The second part of Devindra's double-header was the new Mac mini, which is also now powered by Apple's M4 chips. You'll notice the biggest speed boost with the M4 Pro here and 16GB RAM is now standard. Of course, a key change is the smaller size, and the front-mounted USB-C and headphone ports will come in handy. "The Mac mini was the fastest computer I've reviewed this year, at least when it comes to CPU benchmarks," he wrote. "I've grown used to being impressed by Apple Silicon, but the M4 Pro in our review unit (which was also equipped with 48GB of RAM) was still a bigger leap ahead than I expected." Sony PlayStation 5 Pro review Devindra also assisted senior gaming reporter Jessica Conditt with the highly anticipated PlayStation 5 Pro review this week. It's no surprise the duo confirmed that the PS5 Pro is the most powerful console ever, powered by a faster GPU that unlocks 4K/60 fps action. There are new ray tracing features too, and the console comes with a 2TB SSD. But, you'll pay a high price for this one, and not every game has Pro-level enhancements for you to enjoy. "There's no doubt that the PS5 Pro is a niche product, not an upgrade targeted at all PS5 owners," they said. "It's meant for the Sony devotees who want the absolute best PlayStation experience, and who will never upgrade to a gaming PC." HTC Vive Focus Vision review Devindra finished up his marathon week with latest HTC Vive VR headset. Unfortunately, great design is hampered by a high price, limited gaming library and older components. Simply put, "it still delivers decent standalone VR, despite using an aging CPU and lenses," he explained. "But for a $999 headset, it's a shame HTC Vive didn't try harder to make the Focus Vision stand out." Kindle Paperwhite Signature (2024) review Commerce editor Amy Skorheim reviewed both the new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and the new standard Kindle this week, pitting them against each other in a direct face off. While the OG is still a workhorse, the more premium option offers more features. But, as Amy found, you might not need them. "It comes down to whether you think a heightened experience will make you read more," she said. "If so, then it's probably worth the price jump in the long run. But if you're just looking for a no-frills way to read books, go for the base Kindle." The next round of reviews I know I teased the Sonos Arc Ultra review for this week, but our audio expert (hi!) needed a little more testing time with the soundbar. I doubly promise that one is coming early next week for your Veterans Day reading. We still have one new Mac on the horizon, and we're expecting to wrap up the iMac (2024) review next week too. And there's yet another Amazon review coming soon with the updated Fire HD 8.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-two-new-macs-the-ps5-pro-and-more-150004732.html?src=rss

DJI's Neo is shockingly capable for a tiny drone, but it did have a couple of weaknesses - namely, the lack of vertical video and relatively slow flying speeds in tracking mode. The company has now addressed both of those issues with a new firmware update, adding vertical video and increasing the Neo's tracking speeds, among other things. Considering that the Neo is designed and priced for creators, the lack of vertical video was a big miss. It can now handle that, albeit it only at 1080p 60 fps 9:16 and not 4K. That lower resolution is due to the fact that the camera gimbal doesn't actually rotate 90 degrees like on the Mini 4 Pro; instead, it shoots 4K horizontal resolution then crops off the sides. DJI Speed-wise, the Neo can now hit up to 20 mph in tracking mode, up from around 12 mph before. That's actually faster than the 18 mph sport mode top speed, though still a lot slower than the Neo's maximum 36 mph speed in the full manual setting (which requires the FPV remote controller 3). Nevertheless, it's now up to the job of tracking slow moving vehicles, particularly bicycles. Other new features include Goggles N3 support, liveview stabilization with Goggles N3 or Goggles 3 and improved noise reduction with the Mic 2. Unfortunately, there's not much DJI can do about the annoying propeller noise. To get the update, you'll need to connect your Neo to DJI's Fly app on Android or iOS, then update both the drone and the app. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-neo-drone-firmware-update-adds-more-speed-and-vertical-video-130037149.html?src=rss

If you weren't able to buy Apple's latest iMac in time to get it on its release day on November 8, here's your chance to get a discount on the all-in-one computer. The company is already selling it for $85 off at Amazon before the Black Friday frenzy even begins. Apple's refreshed computer has a list price of $1,299, but you can now get its silver version for just $1,214. Meanwhile, the blue and the green versions will set you back $1,249. Nothing huge, but it's always nice to get a brand new device for almost $100 off its original price. The 2024 iMac model is powered by the company's M4 chip, its latest silicon that enables the computer to run up to 1.7 times faster for daily tasks and up to 2.1 faster for more demanding activities, such as gaming, than the M1-powered model. It has 16GB of RAM, compared to its predecessor's 8GB, and you can choose to upgrade it to 24GB or 32GB. When it comes to storage, you have quite a few options. You can get the base model with a 256GB SSD or any of the upgraded ones with 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage. It's the base unit that's currently on sale, with 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU. The computer has an aluminum unibody design with a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display and a 12MP Center Stage camera. You'll also have access to two Thunderbolt USB-C ports on the base model, and you'll get a Magic Keyboard with Lock Key, as well as a Magic Mouse, with the iMac itself. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m4-imac-is-already-on-sale-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-110029171.html?src=rss

If you're at least in your mid-30s (give or take), you know the voice of Elwood Edwards, realize it or not. He recorded the phrase, You've got mail!" and three other lines for Quantum Computer Services in 1989. That company later rebranded to America Online, and the rest is early internet history. Edwards died on Tuesday.WKYC first reported (via Variety) that Edwards passed away one day before what would have been his 75th birthday. He was a longtime off-camera presence at the Cleveland TV station, working as a graphic designer, camera operator and jack-of-all-trades employee.His wife, Karen Edwards, worked at Quantum when she heard the company's then-CEO talking about needing a voice for the software that would soon bombard mailboxes across the US. So, she volunteered my voice," Edwards said in a 2012 video. And on a cassette deck in my living room, I recorded the phrases that you've come to know."He was paid a grand total of $200 for his voiceover work.The new-message catchphrase, recorded in Edwards' calm and welcoming voice, became a cultural phenomenon in AOL's 90s and early 2000s heyday. Of course, that included inspiring the 1998 Nora Ephron rom-com's title.Edwards also contributed three (lesser known but still remembered by many) AOL sayings: Welcome," File's done" and Goodbye." In the 2012 video, he's depicted getting hounded by various employees, prompting him to say the thing. (AOL is currently owned by Yahoo, Engadget's parent company.)So, that's the story behind the catchphrase," he said in the clip, which, well, I have a certain amount of trouble trying to escape."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-voice-of-aols-youve-got-mail-has-died-at-74-214247947.html?src=rss

It's almost time again for Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ), the zany speedrun-fest for a good cause. The hook for this year's event is a run of the Dreamcast classic Crazy Taxi with a live backing band. Funds raised from this year's showcase will benefit the nonprofit Prevent Cancer Foundation. AGDQ 2025 runs from January 5 to 12 in Pittsburgh.The live instrumental band rocking out during a Crazy Taxi run sounds like a fun centerpiece. You can check out a preview in the video below, which showed the same band rocking out to a recorded run of the game at Summer Games Done Quick (SGDC) 2024. On Saturday, January 11 at 4:48PM ET, you can catch a fully live version.Other highlights on the agenda include a run of the instant PlayStation classic Astro Bot on Sunday, January 5 at 6:30PM ET, a speedrun of Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire for 3DS on January 11 at 8:18AM ET and a play-through of the Wii port of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the same day at 4PM ET. You can check out the full schedule for more.Last year's AGDQ (also in Pittsburgh) raised $2.5 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Among its best bits were a no-hit run of Resident Evil 2 (2019), Super Mario 64 completed on an electric drum kit and a pup named Peanut Butter lending a paw to help his person beat the NES classic Gyromite. The Games Done Quick Organization has raised $51.8 million for various charities throughout its 15 years.You can stream AGDQ 2025 on Twitch. Or, if you want to attend live at the Wyndham Grand in downtown Pittsburgh, you can register now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/awesome-games-done-quick-2025-will-include-crazy-taxi-with-a-live-backing-band-203426032.html?src=rss

There's a new portable gaming console in town, joining an ever-crowded field. The Ayaneo 3 is the manufacturer's latest portable device, following last year's Ayaneo 2S. This Windows-based handheld looks to be an improvement in nearly every major way over its predecessors.The Ayaneo 3 will be available in a few different versions. Purchasers can choose between two processors, an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 or Ryzen 7 8840U. The HX 370 is the more powerful option, offering an extraordinary handheld gaming experience with AI support." It's worth noting that the 8840U should still be able to run plenty of modern games, as the company says it's a good choice for gamers who prefer classic powerful performance."Folks can also select between two display options. There's a model with a serviceable 7-inch LCD screen and another with a 7-inch OLED. Portable devices really pop with OLED screens.AyaneoEvery model boasts a new back button design, to provide for a richer button combination experience." The company says the design has been ergonomically optimized" so human fingers can easily reach those back buttons. There's also a trigger lock feature, to offer enhanced control in both popular and retro games." Otherwise, the front-facing buttons and slanted joystick layout are familiar.The front-facing speakers have received a refresh here, with Ayaneo promising immersive audio beyond expectations." It says they were designed in deep collaboration with sound specialists" and will offer low rumble" and depth and clarity."That's about all we know for now. Ayaneo says it'll release more information soon, including new features and more control innovations." There's no price yet and no release date.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-ayaneo-3-looks-to-be-an-improvement-in-nearly-every-way-193511618.html?src=rss

Ghosts of Sparta rejoice, for you can now think in peace without your smart-ass son reminding you how slow-witted you are. The latest patch for the PS5 version of God of War Ragnarok adds the option first seen in the PC port to tone down the boy's excessive and unsolicited hints when Kratos is contemplating the game's many puzzles. Stick a sock in it, Atreus. Game Version 06.00 for PlayStation 5 adds the reduced puzzle hints" feature. Although Atreus isn't the title's only overly helpful companion, he's Kratos' most frequent comrade in the award-winning game and therefore the most notorious culprit. Activating the option will pipe down all of your partners' excessive hints throughout the game, a feature players would've loved to have had when Ragnarok arrived two years ago. The update also includes PS5 Pro enhancements, like a new mode that enables Favor Quality" while keeping things running at a smooth 60 fps. The patch also lets owners of the new console unlock the framerate when running on variable refresh rate monitors, and the Favor Performance mode gets boosted to match the PS5 Pro's boosted specs. Finally, it adds support for the AI-fueled PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution as an upscaling option. On both PS5 tiers, the update also adds a new accessibility option with audio descriptions for all the game's cinematic scenes. You'll also find the requisite bug fixes, including remedies for Brok losing his way to the shop in Freyr's camp (dumbass) and problems related to crafting hilts. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/god-of-war-ragnarok-for-ps5-finally-lets-kratos-solve-puzzles-in-peace-190806687.html?src=rss

Black people throughout the country, in more than 20 states, have been getting racist text messages that order them to report to a plantation for slave labor, according to reporting by CNN and numerous other outlets. The texts reference slave catchers" and picking cotton," in addition to warning the recipients that they will be searched upon arrival.

Thanksgiving is a few weeks away, but there are some killer early Black Friday deals around already. For instance, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 have dropped back down to $170. That's $80 or 32 percent off the list price. It's not quite a record low, as the AirPods Pro 2 have been on sale for $169 in the past, but it's not far off at all. The AirPods Pro 2 are our pick for the best wireless earbuds for iPhone. We also gave them a score of 88 in our review back in 2022. We feel that the transparency mode, which is powered by Apple's H2 chip, is excellent. It sounds far more natural here than on any other earphones we've tested. Apple has built on this by recently enabling hearing health features on the AirPods Pro 2. These include an FDA-approved hearing aid function and hearing test. The earphones may also be used to help protect your hearing in loud environments, such as concerts, without muffling the audio. Other useful features include fast pairing and ease of switching between Apple devices, spatial audio, hands-free Siri and solid active noise cancellation. The earphones are IPX4-rated for water resistance too. On the downside, the touch gestures take a little getting used to. The AirPods Pro 2 ran for about six hours and 15 minutes on a single charge during our testing. The charging case (the battery of which you can top up wirelessly or via USB-C) adds up to three extra charges. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-2-are-back-on-sale-for-170-ahead-of-black-friday-150737558.html?src=rss

Let's get this straight up front: The Vive Focus Vision isn't a competitor to the Meta Quest 3, or the recently released Quest 3S. At $999, how could it be? Instead, it's another stab at the high-end VR market for HTC Vive, an audience it's cultivated since the launch of the first Vive headset in 2016. While Meta has leaned more towards cheaper and more mainstream VR headsets over the last decade, HTC Vive has done practically the opposite, aiming for VR gearheads and enterprise customers with PC headsets like the Vive Pro 2 and feature-rich standalone models like the Focus 3. You can think of the Vive Focus Vision as a cross between the Focus 3 and last year's goggle-like XR Elite. It's a standalone headset with two 16MP color cameras for mixed reality, built-in eye tracking and automatic interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment. It could also be appealing to PC gamers with its $149 DisplayPort wired streaming kit, which gives you an uncompressed view of high-end VR experiences like Half-Life: Alyx. Hardware: An aging CPU As intriguing as its new features are, though, the more I tested the Focus Vision, the more it felt like a missed opportunity for HTC's Vive VR platform. For one, it's running the same Snapdragon XR2 chip as the Focus 3 and Quest 2. That chip originally debuted in 2020, and it simply seems inexcusable in a high-end headset today. Both the $300 Quest 3S and $500 Quest 3 sport the XR2 Gen 2 processor, which is 2.5 times faster than the original chip and also has up to eight times faster AI processing. For a high-end headset at the tail-end of 2024, I would have expected HTC to at least match the power of far cheaper competitors, or - even better - to include Qualcomm's newer XR2+ Gen 2 chip. The Focus Vision is also still using older Fresnel lens optics, which are prone to artifacts and light bleeding, instead of the sharper pancake lenses in the Quest 3. At least HTC shoved in 12GB of RAM this time around, compared to the 8GB found on the Focus 3 and Quest 3. And the company still has a resolution advantage over the Quest 3: The Focus Vision delivers 2,448 by 2,448 pixels per eye, compared to Meta's 2,064 by 2,208 pixels per eye. HTC Vive's 120-degree field of view also delivers a greater sense of immersion than the 110-degree FOV in the Quest 3. The Focus Vision shines best when it comes to overall build quality and comfort. Even though it's made of plastic like the Quest 3, it's a sturdy device that clearly looks more high-end than Meta's offerings. Ample cushioning helps the Focus Vision rest comfortably on your forehead and behind your noggin. And its halo-like head strap, together with the ability to flip up the visor, makes it easy to slip on over large glasses. Best of all, the Focus Vision features a removable battery at the back of its headstrap. That provides a helpful counterweight to the bulky front-end, and it could conceivably let you stay in wireless VR all day if you've got enough spare batteries. The headset also has a small built-in battery, which allows you to stay in your VR session even when you're swapping out the larger rear power cell. This is the sort of thing we'll probably never see in a consumer Quest headset, as it's simply too expensive to implement, and Meta isn't building for enterprise customers who demand continuous wireless. (And to be fair, it's also easy to just plug the Quest 3 into a USB battery pack.) Devindra Hardawar for Engadget In use Using the Focus Vision doesn't feel much different than the Focus - a headset I liked when I reviewed in 2021, but as a business-focused device I warned that no consumer should actually buy it. That's not too surprising, I suppose, since both headsets share the same basic design, displays and CPU. In standalone VR mode, playing the Maestro demo genuinely made me feel like I was conducting an orchestra (an experience I also had on the Quest 3S), and I enjoyed hopping around a few virtual worlds in VR Chat. Other experiences, like the classic underwater VR short theBlu, felt just as immersive as they did on clunkier tethered headsets. While I could tell the Focus Vision didn't have the best lenses around, and I wished it had more graphical horsepower, it still delivered a thrill as I stood in the middle of a sunken shipwreck, waiting for an enormous blue whale to pass by. It was also nice to see the Vive app storefront a bit more populated than it was in 2021. Still, it pales in comparison to Meta's Quest library, which has far more titles and plenty of compelling exclusives (including Star Wars titles like the Vader Immortal series and Tales from the Galaxy's Edge). Devindra Hardawar for Engadget We already knew that HTC Vive could build a decent headset - the Focus Vision's controllers and speakers are just as capable as they were on the previous model - but what about the Focus Vision's new features, like mixed reality and eye tracking? Unfortunately, there's not much to say just yet. There are a handful of mixed reality experiences available, like the creation app Figmin XR and the shooter Yuki, but they're not exactly mind blowing. The Focus Vision's 16MP mixed reality cameras deliver a fuzzy view of the real world (similar to the Quest 3 and 3S), so it's not nearly as immersive as something like the far pricier Apple Vision Pro. The Focus Vision's eye tracking feature also refused to work for me entirely, even after I tried to calibrate it without glasses multiple times. That didn't seem like a huge loss though, as there are only a handful of games in the Vive store that support it (like Capsule Critters and Mare). It's a feature that seems more useful for developers who want to build their own eye tracking experiences, than it is for people who just want to play games with eye tracking. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Solid stand-alone VR A better selling point for the Focus Vision is its ability to stream uncompressed desktop VR experiences - but only when you invest in the $149 DisplayPort streaming kit. While Meta's Quest's headsets have been able to connect to PCs for years, first via USB-C cables then wirelessly, they also deliver a heavily compressed view of desktop VR. By going straight to the DisplayPort connection on your video card, HTC Vive aims to deliver something closer to what we saw with the Vive Pro 2 and other dedicated PC headsets. After playing half an hour of Half-Life: Alyx, I can confirm that the Focus Vision delivers a solid desktop VR experience, especially for a standalone headset. But given that it already costs $999 and requires an additional $149 accessory to get there, it's hard to tell who will find this compelling. True VR heads have likely already invested in serious desktop setups like the Valve Index, or the recent Bigscreen Beyond (which uses absurdly clear microLED screens like the Vision Pro). The beauty of connecting standalone headsets to PCs has always been about value. It was a huge bonus when the $300 Quest 2 could deliver adequate desktop VR. But that just isn't the case for the Focus Vision. I suppose if you're a developer who wants a single device for testing both standalone VR and complex desktop experiences, or working for a business that needs multi-use VR headsets, the Focus Vision could fill some sort of need. But either way, that seems like a fairly niche use case. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget The Focus Vision's auto-IPD adjustment, which scans your eyes and physically moves the lenses to be in the ideal position, was also hit-or-miss for me. Sometimes it worked just fine and landed near my prescribed IPD of 66. But sometimes the automatic process would land on an IPD of around 72, which made everything look a bit blurry. And occasionally the feature just wouldn't work at all. Auto adjustment is helpful if you're sharing a headset with other people, but otherwise manually choosing your preferred IPD is far more useful. During my typical standalone usage, the Focus Vision lasted for around one hour and 45 minutes, close to the two-hour estimate from HTC Vive. That's less than what I typically see on the Quest 3 and 3S, but at least you can purchase additional batteries and easily swap them. The built-in battery, which enables hot swapping, lasts for about twenty minutes, but it's also not something you'll typically be stressing. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Should you buy the Vive Focus Vision? Despite my issues, the Focus Vision still sits in an interesting position in the world of VR - especially since Meta gave up on the Quest Pro, which would have been a close competitor. It still delivers decent standalone VR, despite using an aging CPU and lenses. And if you don't want the clutter of SteamVR sensors in your office, it's a smart way to tap into powerful PCs for more immersive VR experiences (so long as you buy the $149 DisplayPort kit). But for a $999 headset, it's a shame HTC Vive didn't try harder to make the Focus Vision stand out.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/htc-vive-focus-vision-review-a-premium-vr-headset-with-average-performance-150029763.html?src=rss

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has suspended the production of advanced AI chips for Chinese companies, according to the Financial Times. The Taiwanese semiconductor chip manufacturer has reportedly notified its clients from China that it will stop producing AI chips for them, particularly models 7 nanometers and smaller, starting this Monday. If a Chinese company orders products that fall within that category, they'll have to go through an approval process that'll likely involve the US government.The manufacturer's new policy could be a direct result of its discovery that Huawei had used its chips in AI accelerators without its knowledge. A Canadian research firm called TechInsights was the one that notified the company that it discovered the presence of TSMC-manufactured products in Huawei's hardware. It was a violation of the trade sanctions the US Commerce Department had imposed against Huawei way back in 2020 that prevented it from acquiring chips made by foreign firms. More recently, it revoked its licenses that allowed Intel and Qualcomm to manufacture chips for its devices.TSMC reported TechInsights' findings to the US Commerce Department, which is now investigating how it had happened. The company denied any working relationship with Huawei and also stopped selling its chips to the client it believes had been illegally forwarding them to the Chinese brand. The Times' sources said that TSMC made the decision to suspend the production of AI chips for Chinese clients altogether, because it wants to show the US government that it's "not acting against US interests." Its new policy could have a big impact on the AI efforts of its Chinese clients. Baidu, for instance, had plans to build hardware for its AI business powered by a series of chips made by TSMC.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/tsmc-will-reportedly-stop-making-advanced-ai-chips-for-chinese-companies-143029506.html?src=rss

If you want your home cleaned by a robot that leaves you as little work as possible, Wellbots has a deal for you. The iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max Robot + AutoWash Dock has an unwieldy name but a robust feature set. The do-it-all cleaning machine vacuums, mops, self-empties dirt, refills its mopping solution and washes and dries its mopping pad. You can take $425 off the robovac with coupon code ENGBF425. Unveiled this summer, the (deep breath) Roomba Combo 10 Max Robot + AutoWash Dock is iRobot's most advanced (and expensive) robot vacuum to date. Although its $1,399 MSRP prices it out of most homes, this deal makes it more reasonable for folks who don't mind splurging for a cutting-edge cleaner that lets you spend your time doing something fun. Its dock can hold dirt and debris for up to 60 days, and its mopping pad and self-cleaning tank store water for up to seven. It seamlessly transitions from vacuuming to mopping, automatically retreating its mopping system and turbo-charging its suction on carpets. On hard floors, it can vacuum and mop simultaneously. In addition to its other sensors, the Roomba has a camera to locate dirt - and it can spot the dirtiest areas up to eight times more frequently than other models. The robot can map your home (like many of today's models), but iRobot says it does so seven times faster while automatically labeling room types. Its software uses past cleaning data to predict each room's cleanliness, adjusting its suction accordingly. Use Engadget's exclusive code ENGBF425 to lower that price to a more manageable $974. iRobot You can also save at Wellbots on the Roomba J9+. The vacuum-only model has a three-stage cleaning system, multi-surface rubber brushes and high-end suction power. (And it looks pretty dang stylish!) Usually $899, our code ENGBF325 brings it down to $574. For a more affordable vacuum / mop system, the Roomba Combo j7+ gives you a rock-solid wet-dry cleaner without all the cutting-edge bells and whistles in the highest-end model. This model has a 96.4 percent debris removal rating, obstacle avoidance and a four-stage cleaning system. Included are an edge-sweeping brush, dual multi-surface rubber brushes and power-lifting suction. It can empty its contents without intervention for up to 60 days. Usually retailing for a daunting $999, this model is on sale for $675 with coupon code ENGBF325. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/early-black-friday-deals-include-up-to-425-off-roomba-robot-vacuums-140100100.html?src=rss

Just after launching the PlayStation 5 Pro, Sony revealed that it has sold 65.5 million PlayStation 5s as of the end of Q2 2024. While sales of the console dropped 1.1 million units from the same period last year (and are down 2 million units total in 2024), this was more than offset by game sales of 77.7 million units, up 14.9 percent from Q2 2023. Sony's monthly active PlayStation Network users remained at 116 million despite a big price bump late last year.The net result? Revenue climbed by 9 percent and operating profit rose by a stellar 73 percent to 445.1 billion yen ($2.91 billion). Given those profits and the fact that the company has a new, more expensive (and probably more profitable) console ready for Christmas, Sony was bullish on the rest of its year, boosting its revenue forecast slightly.A big part of Sony's game sales story is the success of the action RPG Black Myth: Wukong, which reportedly sold 20 million units in Q2 (including the PC version). Another high performer was the first party Astro Bot title, showing the power of hit games to sway sales.Sony still has two quarters left in its fiscal year, which ends March 31. Upcoming first party titles expected prior to that include Assassin's Creed Shadow and Monster Hunter Wilds, both set for February 2025. However, Sony's fiscal 2025 starting in April could be a blockbuster with highly anticipated games like Ghost of Yotei, Death Stranding 2, DOOM: The Dark Ages and Grand Theft Auto VI arriving later next year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-has-sold-65-million-ps5s-140019860.html?src=rss

A lawsuit from a researcher who tried to develop a browser extension for Facebook called Unfollow Everything 2.0" has been dismissed for now, The New York Times reported. Ethan Zuckerman from the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University attempted to use the Section 230 tech shield law in a novel way to force Meta to allow him to develop the tool that would wipe a Facebook user's feed clean.For background, Zuckerman was inspired by a 2021 project called "Unfollow Everything" that would have allowed people to use Facebook without the News Feed, or curate it to only show posts from specific people. However, Facebook sued the UK man who created that extension and permanently disabled his account.To avoid a similar fate, Zuckerman turned to Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. While that's mostly designed as a shield to protect tech platforms from illegal user activity, there's a separate clause protecting developers of third-party tools "that allow people to... block content they consider objectionable." He asked the court to recognize that clause and allow him to create the Unfollow Everything 2.0 browser extension without repercussions from Meta.However, the court granted Meta's filing to dismiss the lawsuit, adding that the researcher could file it at a later date. "We're disappointed the court believes Professor Zuckerman needs to code the tool before the court resolves the case," Zuckerman's lawyer said. "We continue to believe that Section 230 protects user-empowering tools, and look forward to the court considering that argument at a later time." A Meta spokesperson said the lawsuit was "baseless."Meta has shut down researchers before, disabling the Facebook accounts of an NYU team trying to study political ad targeting in 2021. Conversely, in 2022 Meta helped itself to 48 million science papers to train an AI system called Galactica, which was shut down after just two days for spewing misinformation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/researchers-unfollow-everything-lawsuit-against-meta-gets-dismissed-133051131.html?src=rss

OpenAI is facing multiple lawsuits over its use of several publications' and books' content to train its large language models without explicit permission or proper compensation. A judge has just dismissed one of them. New York federal judge Colleen McMahon has dismissed the lawsuit filed by Raw Story and AlterNet, which accused the company of using their materials for AI training without consent. As VentureBeat notes, though, their complaint didn't argue that OpenAI infringed on their copyright like other publications' lawsuits do. Instead, it focused on the DMCA provision that protects "copyright management information."The publications argued that OpenAI removed the author names, titles and other metadata identifying their copyright from the articles it used to train its LLMs. McMahon explained that the plaintiffs failed to show that they suffered "a cognizable injury" from those actions and that the harm they had cited was "not the type of harm that has been elevated" to warrant a lawsuit. The judge also said that "the likelihood that ChatGPT would output plagiarized content from one of [their] articles seems remote." She added that the plaintiffs are truly seeking redress for the use of their articles "to develop ChatGPT without compensation" and not for the removal of their copyright management information.Raw Story and AlterNet don't intend to back down, based on what their lawyer told Reuters. Matt Topic, their attorney, said they're "certain [they] can address the concerns the court identified through an amended complaint."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-wins-first-round-against-raw-story-and-alternet-copyright-case-130027681.html?src=rss

Apple's even tinier Mac mini is here - with M4 power. It's also more affordable than ever and better value. It won't shock you to hear the M4 Pro is very fast, but the Mac mini comes with 16 gigs of RAM as standard too.EngadgetThe base Mac mini has an M4 chip sports a 10-core CPU (four high-performance cores and six high efficiency), a 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. For $1,399, you can bump up to the dramatically more powerful M4 Pro chip (like our review unit), featuring a 14-core CPU (10 high-performance and four high efficiency) and 20-core GPU. (But that's a pricey upgrade.)Its Geekbench 6 and Cinebench scores still beat most of the computers we've tested this year, and its GPU is fast enough for solid 1080p 60 fps gameplay. And it's that small!- Mat SmithThe biggest tech stories you missed

In this episode, Devindra and producer Ben Ellman recover from the election by discussing our final thoughts on the PlayStation 5 Pro, as well as Apple's M4 Mac mini (so cute, so powerful!) and new MacBook Pros. The M4 chip is a solid upgrade, but the M4 Pro is shockingly fast (so much so that it outscored every other system we reviewed this year in Geekbench).Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!Subscribe!

I'm a longtime lover of pen and paper, so E Ink tablets have been intriguing to me ever since they started becoming more widely available. After having hundreds of half-filled notebooks over the years, I, at some point, turned to digital tools instead because it was just easier to store everything on my phone or laptop so I always had my most important information at my fingertips.

Oftentimes, the best gaming headset doesn't need to be a gaming headset" at all. Although these devices can be viewed as niche within the headphone market, they're ultimately still headphones. And though we've found more and more gaming headsets that impress in terms of audio quality, those tend to cost more than a comparable set of wired headphones (which, yes, still exist). If you need to chat with friends, it's always possible to buy an external microphone and get superior sound there as well. That said, we know many people just want the convenience of a headset with a mic built right in. So after testing dozens of pairs over the past 18 months, we've rounded up a few quality gaming headsets and headphones for gaming, which aren't quite the same thing. Whichever way you go, all of our recommendations should make your play time more enjoyable, no matter your budget or preferred gaming platform. What to look for in good gaming headphones The HyperX Cloud Stinger 2. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Evaluating headphones is a particularly subjective exercise, so calling one pair the absolute best" is something of a fool's errand. At a certain point, whether you're an audiophile or not, everything becomes a matter of taste. For most, a headphone with a wide soundscape and strong imaging performance - i.e., the ability to position sounds correctly, so you can more precisely tell where footsteps and other game effects are coming from - will provide the most immersive gaming experience, the kind that makes you feel like your head is within a given scene. For that, you want a high-quality pair of open-back headphones. That is to say, an over-ear pair whose ear cups do not completely seal off the ear from air and outside noise. These are inherently terrible at isolating you from external sound and preventing others from hearing what you're playing, so if you often play games in a noisy environment, their benefits will be blunted. But in a quiet room, the best open-back pairs sound significantly wider and more precise than more common closed-back models. More up for debate is how a good gaming headphone should sound. If you want something that'll help you in competitive multiplayer games, you may prefer a headphone with a flatter sound signature, which'll keep a game's mix from being overly boosted in one direction and is less likely to mask the smaller details of what's happening around you. A slightly brighter sound, one that pushes the upper frequencies a tad, may also work. Open-back headphones almost never have huge sub-bass, so you rarely have to worry about low-end sounds muddying up the rest of the signature. In this light, the fact that an overwhelming amount of gaming headsets are closed-back and bass-heavy seems counterintuitive. Lots of people love bass, though. And if you don't really care about competitive play, some extra low-end can add a touch of excitement to action scenes or rousing soundtracks. You still don't want a pair that boosts the low-end too hard - as many gaming headsets do - but the point is that what makes a pair immersive" to one person may sound dull to another. Other gaming headsets we tested The Corsair Virtuoso Pro. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Note: This is a selection of noteworthy gaming headsets and headphones we've put through their paces, not a comprehensive list of everything we've ever tried. Corsair Virtuoso Pro The $200 Corsair Virtuoso Pro is another one of the few dedicated gaming headsets with an open-back design. It has a relatively dark sound with mostly underemphasized treble and elevated upper-bass, though the highs are clearer here than they are on the Astro A40, and it still delivers a wider soundstage than most gaming headsets. We preferred this signature over Astro's pair with some games, though in others it felt less balanced. The Virtuoso Pro's mic is decidedly less muffled than the A40's but still sounds fairly thin, so it's merely decent compared to the wider headset market. Its headband adjustment mechanism feels cheap, too, and you can't detach the mic without swapping cables out entirely. Its round, breathable ear cups and manageable weight do make it easy to wear, though, and it comes with a sturdy travel case for protection. Ultimately, it's a decent buy, but it's hard to justify over the more featured and easier-sounding Atlas Air. HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless can last well over 300 hours at moderate volumes, which is remarkable and by far the best of any wireless model we've tested. It's light and not too snug on the head, and its powerful bass lends a real sense of excitement to in-game action. But it blunts more detail than the Atlas Air, Maxwell and A50 X, and its mic isn't as good. Several users have also reported latency issues when using the headset with HyperX's Ngenuity software, and there's no Xbox, Bluetooth or wired audio support. Still, if battery life is paramount, you may be able to look past all of that. Logitech G Pro X 2 Lightspeed If the Audeze Maxwell is out of stock, the Logitech G Pro X 2 Lightspeed is another quality wireless headset worth considering. It sounds better than the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless, with satisfying but more controlled bass and more accurate mids, and it's lighter on the head than the Maxwell. Logitech rates its battery life at 50 hours, but we found it to last much longer at moderate volumes. However, similar to the Astro A50 X, a dip in the treble makes it sound darker and more veiled than the Maxwell, and it doesn't have any HDMI-switching tricks to fall back on. Its mic also sounds less natural than those of the Maxwell, A50 X and Cloud Alpha Wireless. Plus, while it can connect over a USB dongle, Bluetooth or a 3.5mm cable, it can't pair to two devices at once like Audeze's and Astro's pairs. Our biggest issue is the price: Value-wise, it's in something of a no man's land at its MSRP of $250. It's a fine choice if it dips below $200, though. The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Razer BlackShark V2 Pro The wireless Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is tremendously comfortable and has a good mic, but its boomy sound is less refined and detailed than the Audeze Maxwell. As a closed-back headset, it also lacks the width of the Atlas Air. There's no support for wired audio either. Logitech G535 Lightspeed The Logitech G535 is an impressively light (0.52 pounds) and comfy wireless headset that's often available for $100 or less. It has a relatively neutral sound signature: not flat, but not beholden to big, thumping bass. It can make details in the mids sound thin, and if anything it could use a little more sub-bass, but it's an agreeable listen overall. However, its mic isn't especially full, and its 35-or-so-hour battery life is a significant drop from our top recommendations. It doesn't work with Xbox's wireless protocol or Bluetooth either, and it forces you to crank the volume to reach a listenable level. But if you don't want to spend a ton on a wireless headset, it's a fine value. SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X Xbox owners who want a more affordable wireless headset than the Audeze Maxwell could do worse than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X. It's another bass-forward pair, and its mic is comparable to that of the Cloud Alpha Wireless. It offers multiple connectivity options, including Bluetooth and a 3.5mm cable. While it's marketed for Xbox, it can also connect to PCs and PS5s. Its 30-ish-hour battery life is well short of the Maxwell and Cloud Alpha Wireless, however, and its uneven treble can cause things like in-game dialogue to sound masked in certain titles. HyperX Cloud Alpha The wired HyperX Cloud Alpha often goes for $80 or less, and at that price it's a decent middle ground between the Cloud Stinger 2 and Astro A40 if you really want a closed-back gaming headset. It's old, but its plush earpads and headband are comfy, and its detachable mic, while not superb, is still better than the one on the A40. Its treble is underemphasized, however, and again it sounds more in your head" than Astro's pair. The Beyerdynamic MMX 200 (left) and HyperX Cloud III Wireless (right). Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is comfortable and has a noticeably clearer mic than the Astro A40. It also comes with a useful DAC that makes it easy to adjust the headset's EQ and game-to-chat mix on the fly. However, its closed-back design can't provide the same enveloping sense of width, and its default sound can sound piercing in the treble. Like the Virtuoso Pro, it's also a bit too pricey, typically hovering in the $200 to $220 range. SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is largely similar to its wired counterpart but adds a passable level of active noise cancellation. Being able to hot-swap battery packs and connect to multiple devices at once is also nice. It's not as convenient for multi-console play as the Astro A50 X, though, and it usually costs more than the Audeze Maxwell, which sounds better, has a superior mic and lasts longer on a charge. Beyerdynamic MMX 200 The wireless Beyerdynamic MMX 200 locates in-game effects accurately, feels sturdy and has a great boom mic, but it sounds less articulate than the Audeze Maxwell, with heavily exaggerated bass and recessed lower-mids. There's no game-to-chat mix or custom EQ tools, which is tough for a $250 headset, and its 35-hour battery life is unremarkable. We also found its sweat-inducing ear cushions and headband to clamp down too tight for comfort. However, the built-in transparency mode is nice and the tight fit does a good job of isolating outside noise. HyperX Cloud III Wireless The HyperX Cloud III Wireless is comfy and can last up to 120 hours per charge but sounds less dynamic than the older Cloud Alpha Wireless, with weaker bass response. Like that pair, it also lacks a 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth audio support and Xbox compatibility. The Cloud Alpha Wireless still gets nearly three times the battery life, too, so it remains a better buy if you want a wireless headset for PC or PS5 in the $150 range. Sennheiser HD 490 Pro The Sennheiser HD 490 Pro are studio-focused open-back headphones that also work well for gaming. They come with two sets of ear pads, one that slightly elevates the bass and another that bumps the midrange, though they deliver impressive width and detail either way without pushing too hard in one direction. They're a pleasure to wear over long stretches, both lighter than the DT 900 Pro X and less stiff than the HD 560S. That said, they cost $400 and their sound profile is more of a nice alternative to our top picks than something clearly more natural or resolving. Most people don't need to pay the premium. Recent updates November 2024: We've updated this guide with a new recommendation for the best dedicated gaming headset, the Turtle Beach Atlas Air, and reorganized our picks accordingly. We've also added notes on other gaming-friendly headphones we've tested, including the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro and Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, and removed a couple of write-ups on headsets that are no longer available.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-gaming-headset-130006477.html?src=rss

We're in a new age of AI now. Google has an AI video maker available on select Workspace editions.Google Vids runs on Google's AI model Gemini to create workplace and marketing videos from Google Drive files and descriptions. You can either start a video from scratch or use a pre-made template to get a first draft going. There's even a Help me create" option in which Gemini can suggest scripts to get you started on your video.You aren't just limited to what's in the templates. Google Vids allows you to use your own photos and videos. It also has a virtual recording studio so you can add your own photos and videos, record videos of yourself or just make audio tracks of your voice to accompany your video.Google announced its new AI video making feature in April using the Gemini AI model. Google Vids doesn't make videos from the ground up like Runway's Gen-2 or OpenAI's Sora that created one hell of a creepy Toys R Us origin story movie. Google Vids creates a slideshow of sorts using different types of media and compiles them based on the content of the source documents or the suggestion you type into it. As Google Vids is part of Google Workspace, you can collaborate on a video project in real time with other team members.Google Vids is coming to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Essentials, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus members.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-vids-ai-video-maker-is-rolling-out-to-most-workspace-tiers-223647949.html?src=rss

Voice assistants have a reputation for finicky activation, such as responding to their prompts that are spoken in an ad. Apple may have a fix for that in the works. 9to5Mac spotted this element in the tvOS 18.2 beta. A part of code called AdBlocker appears to use the Shazam API to match audio captured by a device's microphones against audio fingerprints downloaded from Apple. When there's a match, the usual Siri trigger command is disabled. In theory, this means Apple could have devices not react to the "Hey Siri" prompt when it's spoken as part of the company's keynote presentations or TV advertisements.The publication only found this feature in the current developer beta of tvOS, which it suggests means that HomePod smart speaker will be the first device to potentially ignore those "Hey Siri" commands. However, iOS 18.2 is also in developer beta and is bringing more Apple Intelligence features to Apple's smartphones, as well as possibly integrating ChatGPT subscriptions with Siri.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/siri-might-ignore-commands-spoken-in-apple-commercials-soon-220855324.html?src=rss

The November update for Google Pixel devices running Android 15 is rolling out now. This batch doesn't include exciting new features, like the AI-powered theft protection in the October update, but it has bug fixes and the latest security patches to tighten things up.The new software includes fixes for known intermittent issues with Bluetooth range, camera tilt when zooming between cameras and unexpected flashing or flickering of white dots or screen brightness. It also has fixes for adaptive brightness not activating, the keyboard dismiss button not working correctly and the performance and stability of some UI transitions and animations.Android 15 arrived last month for Pixel devices, following the Pixel 9 lineup's debut in August. The annual software jump focuses on security and privacy, like AI-powered theft detection lock and extra authentication requirements for removing SIMs and deactivating Find My Device.Google says the November Pixel update is rolling out today and will continue in phases over the next week. You should see a notification when it's ready for your device and carrier.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/googles-november-pixel-update-is-rolling-out-212243796.html?src=rss

While Activision has been striving to shrink its notoriously huge Call of Duty games so they take up less storage space, you may still need more room on your console. That's true even if you have the new Xbox Series X with 2TB of built-in storage. Games can quickly fill an internal SSD and if you're an Xbox Series X/S gamer, Seagate's expansion card is perhaps the way to go. The 2TB variant is on sale at the minute. It has dropped to an all-time low of $200. That's $160 off the regular price. Look, proprietary storage stinks, but the choice for Series X/S owners looking for more space is largely between Seagate's Storage Expansion Card and WD's Black C50. It's possible to store Series X/S games on a regular external drive, but you'll need to move them to internal storage or an expansion card anyway to actually play them. If you don't want to deal with shifting large files around and waiting for transfers to complete, or you don't want to delete and download games more than is necessary, an expansion card is the way to go. Seagate's version is one of our picks for the best Xbox Series X/S accessories. The 2TB version should give you ample space - at least until you start filling it up with all of the huge Call of Duty games that have started hitting Game Pass. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/seagates-2tb-xbox-expansion-card-is-down-to-a-record-low-price-ahead-of-black-friday-210647959.html?src=rss

Accessory maker 8BitDo has unveiled its second new product in two weeks. After showcasing a latch-on gaming controller for Android phones, the company now has a new version of its Retro Mechanical Keyboard that adds a numpad and new shortcuts. And yes, the $120 accessory still includes those begging-to-be-mashed Super Buttons. Like its predecessor, the 8BitDo Retro 108 Mechanical Keyboard is inspired by Nintendo's NES and Famicom consoles. The two variants almost perfectly match the colors of these 1980s gaming machines: white, dark gray and black for the NES-inspired flavor and white and crimson for the Famicom one. Appropriately, the latter has Japanese markings under its English characters. The keyboard is 22 percent wider than the standard version to accommodate the integrated numpad and other extras. The extended area also includes Windows shortcuts, Calculator, Function Lock and Screen Lock buttons. Otherwise, the new keyboard retains the features of the 87-key original. That includes using it in wired or wireless modes (including Bluetooth or wireless 2.4G), custom key mapping through 8BitDo Ultimate Software V2 (Windows only), N-key rollover and hot-swappable keys. 8BitDo The new model includes the same pair of Super Buttons you'll get with the smaller variant. These programmable macro keys look like giant-sized versions of the A and B buttons on the NES and Famicom. They connect to the keyboard directly via a 3.5mm jack, and you can string up to four sets together. You can also order Super Buttons (in red, blue or yellow) for $30.24 apiece. Officially, 8BitDo says the keyboard is only supported for Windows and Android, likely because its customization software is only available for the former. But you can still use it with macOS; you'd just miss out on customizing its keys and macros and receiving software updates. The 8BitDo Retro 108 Mechanical Keyboard will be available in NES and Famicom variants on December 12. You can pre-order it now for $120 through Amazon. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/8bitdo-has-a-new-version-of-the-retro-mechanical-keyboard-with-a-built-in-numpad-201051915.html?src=rss

TikTok is all about the tunes, and the social network has added integrations to directly post audio from streaming services. Share to TikTok is a new feature that will let listeners in Apple Music and Spotify share music to the video platform. The tool can post a track, album, playlist or other content to the TikTok Feed, either in FYP or Stories. Streaming audio material can also be shared via a TikTok DM.Even though TikTok has become a popular place to discover and share audio, the company recently announced that its TikTok Music platform would be shutting down later this month; the service never launched in the US. The business has also faced scrutiny for encouraging addictive behavior in its users, as well as posing a possible security threat. The US has considered banning the app, and Canada recently ordered TikTok to shut down its domestic operations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/you-can-now-post-tracks-to-tiktok-from-spotify-and-apple-music-195521948.html?src=rss

Today's the day. Those with an extra $700 can go pick up a shiny new PS5 Pro. There are already over 50 enhanced games to coincide with the console's launch, and one of them is the exquisitely delightful Baldur's Gate 3. Developer Larian Studios just announced all of the various features available for those who are on the fence about Sony's latest gadget.The Quality and Performance modes have both been tweaked to achieve crisp console visuals without sacrificing smooth performance." Quality mode can now run at native 4K at 30 fps while Performance mode upscales 1440p to 2160p at 60 fps, thanks to Sony's proprietary PSSR upscaling technology.The company has also massively improved the split screen multiplayer experience, which might be worth the price of admission for some. Split screen mode will now allow players to choose from 30 fps or 60 fps, depending on if Quality or Performance mode is engaged.This update for the PS5 Pro even includes some minor tweaks for the regular PS5 version of the game. For instance, Larian has fixed an issue that prevents people from downloading or subscribing to mods when loading into another player's multiplayer game with mods enabled.For the uninitiated, Baldur's Gate 3 is a fantastic RPG that prioritizes player choice above all else. It's as close a video game has ever come to duplicating the feeling of sitting at a table playing Dungeons and Dragons. Also, you can have sex with a bear.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/here-are-all-of-the-enhancements-for-baldurs-gate-on-ps5-pro-194530443.html?src=rss

Japanese automaker Nissan is taking a big ax to its workforce.Reuters reports that the company plans to make some steep cuts to its operation, including 9,000 jobs and 20 percent of its global manufacturing capacity.The cuts won't just affect workers on the assembly lines. The New York Times reports that Nissan Chief Executive Officer Makoto Uchida is taking a 50 percent pay cut from his monthly compensation.Japan's third-largest automaker has to cut $2.6 billion in costs this fiscal year. Nissan revised its annual profit outlook by a whopping 70 percent as its struggles to sell cars in places like China and the US where it lacks a credible line-up of hybrid cars." Nissan's global sales fell by 3.8 percent for the first half of the fiscal year, witha 14.3 percent drop in China and 3 percent drop in the US.Nissan says in a press release that it's taking urgent measures to turnaround its performance" beyond just making cuts to its labor force. The automaker says its planning to introduce new energy efficient vehicles to China and plug-in hybrids and e-POWER vehicles in the US. So far, the only EVs in Nissan's garage include the Leaf and the Ariya fleet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/nissan-is-laying-off-9000-workers-and-giving-its-ceo-a-pay-cut-193050069.html?src=rss

For many homes, a single router just won't cut it. Unless the device is in a prime position at the center of your home and there are few walls and other obstacles for the signal to deal with, your Wi-Fi network may not reach the outer limits of your house or property. As such, a mesh network might be what you need. A three-pack of Google's Nest Wi-Fi Pro 6E is worth considering, especially because it has dropped to its lowest price to date. You can pick up this bundle for $279 at both Amazon and the Google Store. The three-pack normally retails for $400. This is our pick for the best mesh Wi-Fi system for folks who are using the tech for the first time. There isn't a great deal of customization here and there are more powerful options out there. But the Nest mesh system is easy to set up and then just let it do its thing. Together, these three nodes provide up to 6,600 sq. ft. of Wi-Fi coverage and speeds of up to 2,402 Mbps. That's more than enough for most people. Though if you're gaming, you'll probably want to connect to Ethernet if possible to minimize lag. As you might expect, the Wi-Fi Pro 6E integrates with other Google services. It's compatible with the Matter and Thread smart home standards too. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/googles-nest-wi-fi-pro-6e-is-cheaper-than-ever-in-this-early-black-friday-deal-191945827.html?src=rss

BioWare had told Mass Effect fans to expect a quiet N7 day without any updates on the new game in the works, but there is still some exciting news for the franchise today. Variety reports that Amazon MGM Studios is developing a TV series based on the sci-fi universe. Rumors first emerged about the tech company's interest in a Mass Effect show back in 2021, but now it's official.Daniel Casey will be the series' writer and executive producer. He has action credits on the screenplay for F9: The Fast Saga and made contributions to sci-fi films Kin and 10 Cloverfield Lane. Variety noted some of the other executive producers, but there have been no details shared yet about the cast or plot of the project. Since a large part of the original Mass Effect games' appeal was players making their own choices about Commander Shepard's moral compass and love life, it seems likely that a show would want to tell an original story within that universe rather than retreading the same path as the trilogy.Amazon had a huge win with its TV adaptation of Fallout earlier this year, and it seems the company is going to continue mining video games for source material. After some stumbles, Amazon is also reviving its plans for a live-action God of War show.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/amazon-is-making-a-mass-effect-television-show-185111285.html?src=rss

Max, the other major platform that ruined years of brand recognition with a bizarre name change, is about to get serious about password-sharing, according to reporting by The Verge. Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery said during a Q3 earnings call that it will begin cracking down on the practice over the next few months, along with some very soft messaging" to encourage people to pony up.Chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels said the aforementioned gentle messaging will ramp up in 2025, indicating an eventual mandate. He suggested that folks who share passwords make the subscription costs rise for everyone, as it's like asking members who have not signed up, or multi-household members to pay a little bit more."The company also announced nearly ten billion dollars in revenue last quarter, along with 7.2 million new Max subscribers. This is the biggest jump in subscribers in the platform's history. There's more juice to squeeze out of that lemon, however, as some of those 7.2 million people likely gave a password to a grandkid or something.Wiedenfels also didn't rule out the possibility of yet another price increase. He said that the premium nature" of Max gives the platform a fair amount of room to continue to push a price we've been judicious about." As for judiciousness, the subscription cost shot up in June of this year and again back in 2023. So, what, price increases are like yearly Madden installments now or something?Max is merely the latest streamer to put the kibosh on password sharing. Netflix makes people pay to share passwords and Disney+ just started its crackdown back in September.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/max-is-about-to-crack-down-on-password-sharing-174549440.html?src=rss

Apple has been forced to ditch the Lightning port and switch to USB-C for charging across its products. But there's another way to top up the battery of recent iPhones thanks to MagSafe. The company recently released a new, more powerful MagSafe charger, the price of which has fallen in an early Black Friday deal. It has dropped from $39 to $25. The latest MagSafe charger was introduced alongside the iPhone 16 lineup this fall. When it's used with an adaptor that supports 30W of power or more, the charger reaches speeds of up to 25W with an iPhone 16 (the charging speed still maxes out at 15W on older iPhones). As you might imagine, the charger can juice up an iPhone 16 more quickly than previous versions. According to Apple, when used with a 30W USBC power adapter, it can charge an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro up to a level of 50 percent in 30 minutes. Meanwhile, since the charger is Qi compatible, it can charge an iPhone 8 or later as well as AirPods with a wireless charging case. The MagSafe charger is one of the handiest iPhone accessories to have around. This version has a 1m (3.3 ft) cable. The other model, which has a 2m (6.6 ft) cable, is also on sale. It has dropped from $49 to $34. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-latest-magsafe-charger-drops-to-25-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-173636146.html?src=rss

Sega is delisting a bunch of its classic games for modern devices. The company posted an FAQ on its website (via Eurogamer), breaking down the Sega Classics games each platform will lose next month. The collection includes some of the publisher's golden oldies, like Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Golden Axe and Altered Beast.Over 60 Sega Classics games will be delisted on Steam, Xbox, Switch and PlayStation on December 7 at 2:59PM ET. In addition to the above-mentioned titles, departing ones include (among many others) Virtua Fighter 2, Streets of Rage, the Golden Axe trilogy, Ecco the Dolphin and the most '90s game ever, Toejam and Earl.SegaThe Sega Genesis Classics bundle will also be delisted on Switch and PlayStation on the same day. However, the FAQ notes that select individual classic titles" will still be playable with a Switch Online membership. And if you own any outgoing games (or snag them before the cutoff date), they'll remain playable in your library. But don't expect any bug fixes or other software updates moving forward.Sega hasn't stated a reason for delisting the games. But it's a strange choice, given that the company is rebooting Crazy Taxi (as a multiplayer AAA game), Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage. Keeping their nostalgic forerunners available to spark memories for older players and introduce the franchises to younger gamers seems like a marketing opportunity that would have outweighed the potential confusion of listing multiple games with similar or identical titles.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sega-will-delist-a-bunch-of-its-classic-games-from-major-storefronts-next-month-172823328.html?src=rss