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OpenAI's long-rumored browser has a name, and you can try it out today - provided you're an Apple user. ChatGPT Atlas is available to download on macOS, with the company promising to bring it to Windows, Android and iOS soon. Atlas integrates ChatGPT directly within the browser interface, allowing users to engage with the chatbot while they're surfing the web - no need to jump between different tabs or copy and paste content.When you select a text field, an icon will appear that allows you to prompt ChatGPT. OpenAI demoed this feature in Gmail where an employee asked the chatbot to polish an email he was writing to a colleague. Naturally, a prompt bar will also appear when you open a new tab, and you can open a sidebar where you can converse with ChatGPT at any time.The more you use Atlas, the more ChatGPT will "remember" about your preferences. One of the benefits of this is that you'll be able to more easily filter through your search history. For instance, you can write "re-open the shoes I looked at yesterday," and ChatGPT will know the specific website you want to look at again. Browser memories are optional, and if you decide to enable the feature, you can manage them through the settings menu, and just like any other browser, you can delete your history or go surf the web using an incognito mode. OpenAI also says it won't use the content users browse to train its future models.Atlas also includes an agent mode where ChatGPT can surf the web for you and complete tasks. The feature builds on the Operator tech debuted at the start of the year, and is currently available as a preview within the browser that Plus, Pro and Business accounts can try out. "It can help you book reservations or flights or even just edit a document that you're working on," said Adam Fry, product lead for ChatGPT Search, during the livestream where OpenAI announced Atlas."Tabs are great but we haven't seen a lot of browser innovation since then," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at the start of the livestream. This is just a great browser all-around - it's smooth, it's quick, it's really nice to use."Rumors that OpenAI was working on its own web browser first surfaced in July. With today's announcement, the company joins an already competitive market. A number of companies, including Opera and Perplexity, released their own "agentic" browsers earlier this year. Of course, then there's also Google, which plans to integrate its Gemini AI assistant more deeply into Chrome, the world's most popular browser, over the coming months.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-ai-powered-browser-chatgpt-atlas-launches-on-macos-today-170735742.html?src=rss

Google just announced several updates for its digital telecom provider, Google Fi. It's introducing AI-enhanced audio for better sound quality during calls. The company says this will ensure "optimized audio quality for every call, so you can confidently take calls from a windy park or busy cafe." This feature rolls out sometime in November.Google Fi is getting HD/HD+ calling, which should also improve the overall audio quality. The service will soon automatically connect to Wi-Fi when available, with the company touting "seamless, secure switching." As for security, each call and text goes through a VPN. There's no extra cost for this service and it doesn't count against the pre-existing data allocation.The platform will also soon let users make calls and send texts from any web browser. This is coming in December and will feature a new interface with full RCS support, allowing folks to add hi-res photos and videos to message threads.Finally, Google is integrating Gemini into the platform to create an AI-powered billing summary. The company says this offers "simple, easy explanations of all your billing statements." The feature has been in a beta for a while and Google says users have given it "high positive sentiment."These tools are accompanied by a limited-time promo for new subscribers, amounting to 50 percent off for 15 months when bringing in a phone. The discount is only available for the Unlimited Premium and Unlimited Standard plans.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/google-fi-will-start-using-ai-to-make-calls-sound-better-170025805.html?src=rss

There was no massive event announcing the M5 MacBook Pro, not even a short promotional video for social media. Instead, Apple dumped all of its new M5 devices on us with a few press releases, a clear sign that there's not much to celebrate this year. But while the new 14-inch MacBook Pro appears to be more of the same on the surface, it also features an impressive graphics upgrade that makes it a decent choice for gaming. And it retains everything I already love about the MacBook Pros: It's still a well-designed machine that's sturdy, fast and offers tons of battery life. What's new in the M5 MacBook Pro The star of the show is Apple's new M5 chip, which sports a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU and 16 Neural Engine cores. While the company claims it's 20 percent faster than the M4 for multi-threaded applications, the biggest upgrade is the GPU, which is up to 60 percent faster when it comes to games and professional apps. The M4 was no slouch when it came to gaming and media rendering, but the M5 is a more tempting upgrade for anyone using an M1 MacBook Pro or older. Otherwise, it's like I said: more of the same. There's the 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display which offers up to 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness and 1,600 nits of HDR, as well as ProMotion's smooth 120Hz refresh rate. (Unfortunately, we'll likely have to wait until next year for an OLED option.) The aluminum case is still rock solid, and the excellent keyboard and trackpad haven't changed a bit. Last year's 12MP Center Stage webcam also makes a return, along with the superb six-speaker sound system. The port situation is also solid. On top of the MagSafe 3 charging connection, there are three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, a full-sized SDXC card reader, HDMI and a headphone jack. (It would be nice to see a gigabit Ethernet port though. That's the one accessory I still regularly connect to almost every laptop.) Devindra Hardawar for Engadget In use: The best gets even better Before I get to the benchmarks and other performance metrics, it's worth pointing out just how pleasant the 14-inch MacBook is to use. Its aluminum frame is smooth to the touch, its screen is bright enough to use in direct sunlight and it always feels blazing fast. While its 3.4-pound frame is noticeably heavier than the 2.7-pound MacBook Air, it's still easy to travel with. And you can certainly tell that the additional weight translates into raw power, especially as you start to stress the MacBook Pro and hear its fans gently spin up. While the MacBook Air is built to be as thin as possible, the MacBook Pro is built to get work done (and look good while doing so). Based on my testing with popular benchmarks and a few games, the M5 MacBook Pro is noticeably faster than the M4 model in tasks that rely on the GPU and NPU. Otherwise, though, it's hard to tell a difference when it comes to basic tasks like booting into macOS, browsing the web and dealing with email. My review unit was equipped with 32GB of RAM, so it had a bit more breathing room than the base model with 16GB of memory. (Pro tip: If you're planning to keep the MacBook Pro for four years or more, it makes sense to get at least 32GB of RAM. You can't upgrade the memory down the line like older laptops, since it's baked directly into the M5 chip.) Computer Geekbench 6 Geekbench 6 GPU Cinebench 2024 Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5, 2025) 4,310/18,003 48,840 197/1,034 | GPU: 6,143 Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024) 3,797/14,571 37,869 172/979 GPU: 3,770 Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) 3,925/22,456 70,197 178/1,689 GPU 9,295 Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max, 2024) 3,202/21,312 92,344 143/1,686 GPU 13,182 In Geekbench 6, the M5 MacBook Pro was around 500 points faster than the M4 model in single-threaded tasks, and nearly 3,500 points faster for complex multi-threaded work like video rendering. Thanks to the M5's new graphics hardware, it also tested far better in the Geekbench 6 GPU test, reaching around 11,00 points faster than the M4. I noticed a similar result in Cinebench 2024: The M5 MacBook Pro's CPU scores were slightly better than before, but the GPU score was nearly twice as fast as the M4. For real-world gaming performance, I turned to Lies of P, which also surprised me with some major leaps. With the M4 MacBook Pro, I could only get a steady 60 fps with the highest graphics settings in 1080p. With this M5 model, I was able to play at the highest resolution (3024 by 1890) between 70 and 75 fps. It was even smoother as I scaled down the resolution: The MacBook Pro hit 85 to 95 fps in 1,440p and up to 140 fps in 1080p. Those results are in line with what I'd expect from a gaming notebook that costs well over $2,000, which is in line with the $2,200 retail cost of our review unit. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget I still wouldn't recommend a MacBook Pro for anyone who wants to play tons of games, but it's heartening to see Apple making progress on that front. There are more new AAA games hitting the app store, and the M-series chips are fast enough to run most of them well. But the M5 is the first time I'd consider Apple's hardware equivalent to a PC running a video card like NVIDIA's RTX 5070. The M5 MacBook Pro retains the impressive battery life from the previous model, reaching 34 hours and 30 minutes while looping an HD video. I could also use it for more than two full days of work with nothing much stressing the GPU. And once again, the MacBook Pro never feels very hot, even under an intensive workload. The fans are audible, but they don't get as annoying as the helicopter-like fans from the old Intel MacBook Pros. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Should you buy the M5 MacBook Pro? If you're looking for a powerful laptop that can handle most heavy-duty workloads, the MacBook Pro will certainly suit your needs. But the difficult choice now is deciding between this 14-inch M5 model, the existing M4 Pro and Max systems, or waiting a few months for the upcoming M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. If you're rendering video and 3D content all day, you're likely better off working with Pro and Max chips, but you'll have to wait several months to see the new M5 options. If you absolutely need a workhorse MacBook Pro today, you'll have to settle for the M4 Pro and M4 Max (which are still far faster than the base M5 chip). But for most creatives, the M5 MacBook Pro offers an impressive balance of power and portability.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apple-macbook-pro-m5-14-inch-review-a-huge-graphics-upgrade-for-creators-and-gamers-170009179.html?src=rss

Aura just announced the Ink, a 13-inch color e-ink photo frame. The company says it's the "thinnest e-paper frame available" that is "designed to join a gallery wall or stand alone." Aura isn't kidding here. This thing is just 0.6-inches thick. One of the primary pain points of traditional digital photo frames is that many require constant power via an outlet. This creates an aesthetic problem, as one has to figure out a place to tuck away a power cord. Some modern frames operate via battery, but they don't last all that long. The Aura Ink, however, features a rechargeable battery that powers the device for three full months. That's a really good metric and is likely due to the decreased power demands of e-ink. There's another problem that Aura looks to have solved here. Color e-paper has a limited palette with access to just six different hues. That's just the nature of the technology. This doesn't always make for the most pristine images. The company is getting around this limitation via a proprietary dithering algorithm that "expands the appearance of the display's six-color ink system into millions of tones, creating the illusion of full-color photographs." I haven't gotten a look at this frame in real life, but the marketing images look gorgeous. Aura There's also an integrated front light that highlights photos. The company says this light has been designed to boost contract and automatically adjusts to ambient conditions. It also shuts off at night because the opposite would be kind of creepy. The Aura Ink ships with a wall-mount and a tabletop stand. Now onto the bad news. This is high-end technology with a high-end price tag. The frame costs $500. Aura is a reputable company, however, as its Carver Mat model topped our list of the best digital picture frames. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/aura-just-announced-an-incredibly-thin-color-e-ink-photo-frame-163734237.html?src=rss

It felt like half of the internet was dealing with a severe hangover on October 20. A severe Amazon Web Services outage took out many, many websites, apps, games and other services that rely on Amazon's cloud division to stay up and running. That included a long list of popular software like Venmo, Snapchat, Canva and Fortnite. Even Amazon's own assistant Alexa stuttered, and if you were wondering why the internet seemed to be against you - you weren't imagining it. The good news is that, Amazon announced by 6:53PM ET on October 20 that it resolved the "increased error rates and latencies for AWS Services."The company said it "identified the trigger of the event as DNS resolution issues for the regional DynamoDB service endpoints." It ran into more problems as it tried to solve the outage, but it was eventually able to fix everything. "By 3:01 PM [PT], all AWS services returned to normal operations," it said.At about 4:30PM ET on October 20, things seemed to be returning back to normal. Apps like Venmo and Lyft, which were either slow to respond or completely nonresponsive before, were appearing to behave smoothly.As of 1:15PM ET on October 20, multiple services were unavailable, including asking Alexa for the weather or to turn off lights in your home. The Lyft app was also slower to respond than usual, and Venmo transactions were not completing.According to the AWS service health page at the time, Amazon was looking into "increased error rates and latencies for multiple AWS services" in the US-EAST-1 region (i.e. data centers in Northern Virginia) as of 3:11AM ET on Monday. By 5:01AM, AWS had figured out that a DNS resolution issue with its DynamoDB API was the cause of the outage. DynamoDB is a database that holds info for AWS clients.At about 12:08PM ET, the company posted a small statement that reiterated the above and added that the "underlying DNS issue was fully mitigated at 2:24 AM PDT." According to the notice, some Amazon "customers still continue to experience increased error rates with AWS services in the N. Virginia (us-east-1) Region due to issues with launching new EC2 instances." Amazon also said Amazon.com and Amazon subsidiaries, as well as AWS customer service support operations have been impacted.Amazon had the data safely stored, but nobody else could find it for several hours, leaving apps temporarily separated from their data," Mike Chapple, a teaching professor of IT, analytics and operations at University of Notre Dame, told CNN. It's as if large portions of the internet suffered temporary amnesia."As of 6:35AM, AWS said it had fully mitigated the DNS issue and that "most AWS Service operations are succeeding normally now." However, the knock-on effect caused issues with other AWS services, including EC2, a virtual machine service on which many companies build online applications.At 8:48AM, AWS said it was "making progress on resolving the issue with new EC2 instance launches in the US-EAST-1 Region." It recommended that clients not tie new deployments to specific Availability Zones (i.e. one or more data centers in a given region) "so that EC2 has flexibility" in picking a zone that may be a better option.At 9:42AM, Amazon noted on the status page that although it had applied "multiple mitigations" across several Availability Zones in US-EAST-1, it was "still experiencing elevated errors for new EC2 instance launches." As such, AWS was "rate limiting new instance launches to aid recovery." The company added at 10:14AM that it was seeing "significant API errors and connectivity issues across multiple services in the US-EAST-1 Region." Even once all the issues are resolved, AWS will have a significant backlog of requests and other factors to process, so it'll take some time for everything to recover.Many, many, many companies use US-EAST-1 for their AWS deployments, which is why it felt like half of the internet was knocked offline on Monday morning. As of mid-morning, tons of websites and other services were sluggish or offering up error messages. Outage reports for a broad swathe of services spiked on Down Detector. Along with Amazon's own services, users reported issues with the likes of banks, airlines, Disney+, Snapchat, Reddit, Lyft, Apple Music, Pinterest, Fortnite, Roblox and The New York Times - sorry to anyone whose Wordle streaks may be at risk.Sites like Reddit have posted their own status updates, and though they don't explicitly mention AWS, it's possible that the services' paths may cross somewhere in the pipelines.AWS offers a lot of useful features to clients, such as the ability for websites and apps to automatically scale compute and server capacity up and down as needed to handle ebbs and flows in traffic. It also has data centers around the world. That kind of infrastructure is attractive to companies that serve a global audience and need to stay online around the clock. As of mid-2025, it was estimated that AWS' share of the worldwide cloud infrastructure market was 30 percent. But incidents such as this highlight that relying on just a few providers to be the backbone of much of the internet is a bit of a problem.Websites affected by Amazon Web Services outageSites and services that were affected by the AWS outage include:

Nintendo has another livestream planned for the upcoming Switch 2 exclusive Kirby Air Riders. This one takes place on October 23 at 9AM ET. That's less than a month before the game will be available for purchase.The company also says the stream will be a full hour, which is a heck of a long time to spend on just one game a few weeks before launch. It's worth noting, however, that Kirby Air Riders is a Masahiro Sakurai title.

Amazon is reportedly moving towards an era of unprecedented automation that would put half a million jobs in the US at risk. According to a series of interviews and internal documents referenced in an extensive report from The New York Times, Amazon executives expect to sell twice as many products by 2033. But by scaling up its robotics operations believe it could avoid the 600,000 hires it would otherwise have to make to keep up with the demand.According to the report, documents show that the ultimate aim of Amazon's in-house robotics department is to automate 75 percent of all operations, and if it is successful in making 160,000 fewer hires by 2027, the company would reportedly save 30 cents on each item it packs and delivers to customers in the US. Amazon recently celebrated deploying its 1 millionth robot, a fleet it has been adding to since unveiling its first fully autonomous mobile robot in 2022.Despite already pushing ahead with building warehouses that employ few humans, the NYT report claims that Amazon is planning for the eventual impact on affected communities and the potential backlash by participating in local events to establish a reputation as a "good corporate citizen." The internal documents also discuss the avoidance of terms such as "automation" and "AI" in relation to robotics, suggesting instead that executives use terms like advanced technology" instead. They even consider replacing using "cobot" instead of "robot" as the former implies a collaborative relationship with humans.In a statement to the NYT, Amazon called the plans it cited incomplete and not reflective of its overall hiring strategy. It denied that its community efforts were related to its automation plans and said it's not insisting that its executives refrain from using certain terms. The company added that it planned to hire 250,000 people for the imminent holiday season, but wouldn't say how many of these would be permanent hires.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/new-report-leaks-amazons-proposed-mass-automation-plans-144822790.html?src=rss

Yet another streaming platform is asking people to dig deeper into their wallets and pay more to keep using the service. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has jacked up the prices of all HBO Max plans, 16 months after the last increase to the ad-free offerings.The entry-level, ad-supported plan is now $11 per month (an extra $1) or $110 per year ($10 more). HBO Max Standard will run you an extra $1.50 per month at $18.49 or $15 per year at $185 for the annual plan. As for the HBO Max Premium option, subscribers will now have to pay $23 per month (up by $2) or $230 for an annual plan (an increase of $20).The new prices kick in immediately for newcomers. Existing monthly subscribers will start paying more as of November 20 (whenever their next billing cycle starts on or after that date). Yearly subscribers will be notified about the price changes 30 days before their plan renews.WBD CEO David Zaslav suggested in September that price increases were on the way, along with a stricter crackdown on password sharing. "The fact that this is quality - and that's true across our company, motion picture, TV production and streaming quality - we all think that gives us a chance to raise prices," Zaslav said. "We think we're way underpriced."The company announced the price increases on the same day that Disney is making several Disney+ plans more expensive. As it happens, some of the Disney+ bundles that are going up in price include HBO Max.News of the price hikes comes just as WBD sticks a For Sale sign out on its lawn. It was reported this month that the company turned down an acquisition offer from Paramount Skydance for being too low. WBD has now confirmed that "multiple parties" have expressed interest in buying some or all of the company, and that it's now conducting "a review of strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value."In June, WBD announced plans to split into two companies. As things stand, Warner Bros. will retain the namesake film, TV and game studios, as well as New Line Cinema, DC Studios, HBO and HBO Max. Discovery Global will have all of the other live cable channels, such as CNN, HGTV, Cartoon Network, Discovery and TLC (it will also be saddled with the lion's share of WBD's debt). That split is slated to take place by mid-2026, but WBD said on Tuesday it would consider other options."The Warner Bros. Discovery Board will evaluate a broad range of strategic options, which will include continuing to advance the company's planned separation to completion by mid-2026, a transaction for the entire company or separate transactions for its Warner Bros. and/or Discovery Global businesses," WBD said in a press release. "As part of the review, the company will also consider an alternative separation structure that would enable a merger of Warner Bros. and spin-off of Discovery Global to our shareholders."WBD hasn't set a deadline or timetable for completing this review. But given the whole HBO Max naming debacle, it might take the board quite a while to make its mind up.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/hbo-max-is-getting-even-more-expensive-starting-today-143939446.html?src=rss

Samsung is partnering with Perplexity to bring the startup's AI Search engine to its smart TVs. If you own a 2025 Samsung TV, you can start using the app today. The company will bring the software to older 2024 and 2023 sets later this year via an OTA update. As part of today's announcement, Perplexity is also offering free 12-month subscriptions to its Pro plan. To redeem the offer, you'll need to scan the QR code that appears within the new app.As mentioned, Perplexity is an AI search engine. Before OpenAI, Anthropic and others added similar capabilities to their chatbots, Perplexity's offering was novel, giving users a way to search the web more deeply than even Google allowed at the time. Things have gotten even more competitive in recent months, with Google going all in on AI Mode in Search. Still, if you want to try different, it's worth seeing what Perplexity has to offer. The company's Samsung TV app allows users to both type and use their voice to ask questions.No matter how you slice it, this is a curious partnership. Perplexity doesn't have a great reputation, even when you consider the broader AI industry. In August, Cloudflare accused the company of scraping websites it wasn't supposed to be. Later that same month, two of Japan's largest media companies sued the company for copyright infringement, alleging it not only stole information from them but also attributed falsehoods to them. And just last month, Merriam-Webster sued Perplexity as well, again alleging copyright infringement.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/perplexity-made-a-tv-app-and-its-coming-to-samsung-sets-143000479.html?src=rss

Apple is back with the latest version of the iPad Pro, and like the iPad Air earlier this year the surface-level changes are minimal. Like that iPad Air, there's a new chip on board here. It's the M5, which was also added to the 14-inch MacBook Pro and Vision Pro. There are new Apple-designed networking chips: the N1 handles Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, while the C1X handles 5G connectivity. Both of those chips debuted in the iPhone Air last month, so this is the first time they're in an iPad. Finally, the iPad Pro supports fast charging for the first time; you can get to a 50 percent charge in about 30 minutes using a 60W power adaptor. Compared to the redesign Apple introduced with the M4 iPad Pro in 2024, this is very much a minor spec bump. It makes sense for Apple to ensure the iPad Pro has its most performant chips as soon as they are released. If you're charging customers upwards of $1,000 for an iPad Pro, it had better be on the bleeding edge. (The 13-inch iPad Pro I'm testing with 1TB of storage and 5G connectivity costs $2,099, plus the $349 Magic Keyboard.) As such, the iPad Pro M5 is fairly easy to understand. Want a new iPad Pro? You're now getting exactly what Apple offered a week ago, plus some impressive performance gains for specific tasks. Almost no one who bought an M4 iPad Pro should upgrade to this one, but anyone using an older model will find a ton to appreciate here. And while the hardware hasn't radically changed, iPadOS has. The recent iPadOS 26 release introduced an entirely new multitasking system, a significantly improved Files app and more support for background processes, to name just a few of the highlights. Those things are best appreciated on a powerful device with a large screen like the 13-inch iPad Pro M5 I'm reviewing here. For years, the question that has dogged the iPad Pro is when its software would match up to its undeniably impressive hardware. I think the combo of iPadOS 26 paired with this hardware is a winner, but as always the price is going to be a sticking point. M5 As mentioned, the M5 chip is the big change for the iPad Pro, and if you're coming from a device older than last year's M4 model you can expect a big performance increase when you start pushing the envelope of what you can do. Before getting into the nitty gritty, here's a rundown of what's different from last year. Probably the most significant change is that the M5's GPU now includes a neural accelerator" on each of its 10 cores, an architectural tweak that'll unsurprisingly give the chip more muscle when using the GPU for AI-related tasks. Beyond the neural accelerators, the GPU is also up to 30 percent faster in graphics performance, and the third-generation ray-tracing engine here is up to 45 percent faster in apps using ray tracing. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget The standard CPU cores (four performance, six efficiency) are also faster than last year's model, though less dramatically so. That's not a surprise, as each successive M-series chip has gotten similar modest performance gains over the years. (Note that the iPad Pros with 256GB or 512GB of storage only get three performance cores. They also come with 12GB of RAM compared to the 16GB in configurations with more storage, but that's more than the 8GB of RAM in the last generation's equivalent options.) The Neural Engine has been upgraded, as well. Apple is also promising big gains in memory bandwidth, which now hits 153GB/s (nearly 30 percent higher than on the M4). Finally, read/write speeds to storage are up to two times faster than in last year's model. Doing some benchmarking with the Geekbench 6 and Geekbench AI apps show the expected major gains for GPU and AI performance. Single-core and multi-core CPU tests with Geekbench 6 come in at about 15 percent and 10 percent better than the iPad Pro M4, but GPU performance has increased more than 32 percent. Things are more dramatic when you look specifically at the Geekbench AI results. The app offers three scores (single precision, half precision and quantized) and can be run on three different chip backends (CPU, GPU and Neural Engine). When running the CPU- and Neural Engine-based benchmarks, the M5 only bested the M4 by single-digit percentages. But when using the GPU, the M5's single-precision score was 22.4 percent better than the M4. Half precision and quantized performance was even more impressive - the M5 scored 85 percent and 101 percent better than the M4, respectively. The story this tells is that unless you're hitting your GPU hard with AI tasks, the M5 isn't massively better than the M4. Not a huge surprise, and most people who shelled out for an iPad Pro in the last 18 months should still be plenty happy with their purchases. But those GPU scores show off exactly where the M5 can stretch its wings compared to its predecessor. As I've only had the iPad Pro M5 for less than a week, I'm still comparing the M4 to M5 iPad Pro on specific AI-focused tasks and in certain apps and will update this review with more details later this week. The caveat with all of this is that while the M5 is incredibly powerful, it's also overkill for most things that people are going to use an iPad for. An iPad Pro with the M2 chip from 2022 still feels plenty responsive for most standard tasks that don't require exceptional speed or power. Yes, there are definitely people buying an iPad Pro and maxing out its impressive capabilities, and those who do so will appreciate the performance here. But for everyone else, the M5 alone isn't going to change how you use the iPad Pro on a day-to-day basis. Apple's 13-inch iPad Pro M5 is on the left; the 11-inch iPad Pro M4 is on the right. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Hardware and display are still stunning Anyone upgrading from an iPad Pro older than last year's M4 model is in for a treat far beyond sheer performance. The iPad Pro M5 is physically identical to the prior one, but that doesn't matter because I think this is still the single most impressive device Apple makes. I went deep into the many changes Apple made last year in my review of the iPad Pro M4, and everything I said there still applies. But to recap, the iPad Pro is extremely portable despite its performance chops. Apple made it about 20 percent thinner and about a quarter-pound lighter than the iPad Pro models Apple sold from 2018 through 2023. This radically improves the experience of using it. If you're holding it like a tablet, the 13-inch model is now light and thin enough to be comfortable for extended use without having to put it down. Doing anything with the on-screen keyboard while holding it is still pretty awkward and the 11-inch option still feels like the best size for hand-held tasks. But the 13-inch iPad Pro I'm reviewing is noticeably easier to hold than the iPad Air because of its reduced weight and slimmer profile. The only complaint I might have about that thinness is it prevents Apple from shoving a bigger battery in here. The iPad Pro M5 gets the same 10-hour battery life rating (for surfing the web or watching videos) that every iPad has gotten since the tablet was released in 2010. But in recent years, Apple has, to some degree, stopped focusing on making every device as thin as possible at the potential expense of things like performance or battery life. Clearly, performance isn't an issue here. But the same people who value extended battery life in a thicker device when using things like the MacBook Pro might feel the same here. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget That's a valid opinion, but a tablet is meant to be held in your hands and carried around with you even more so than a laptop, so I understand why Apple values portability over extending the iPad Pro's battery life. Plus, the iPad Pro M5's fast-charging capabilities make it pretty easy to extend its life. Using Apple's new 40W Dynamic Charger that can automatically step up to 60W, I got from 23 percent to 70 percent in 35 minutes. That's a tad slower than the 50 percent charge in 30 minutes Apple claims, but we're well within the close enough" range. One thing I didn't get to test last year with the iPad Pro M4 was its durability. The tablet's extremely thin design reminded people of past Apple devices that had had some issues with flexing. After over a year with the previous iPad Pro, I'm not at all worried about this one. I've taken an iPad Pro M4 all around the US and internationally with no issues. Granted, it's usually in its keyboard case, but I've also traveled with it in the basic Smart Folio Apple sells and have seen no evidence of bending. I also don't remember seeing any reports about durability issues from owners over the last 18 months, so I wouldn't worry about its long-term durability. I don't have a great read on how long the iPad Pro M5 lasts away from its charger just yet - in the first few days with a new device it's often downloading a lot of data from backups and doing some optimizing, thus not giving you a great feel for how long it'll usually last. But so far, performance seems similar to the iPad Air M3 and iPad Pro M4 I've reviewed recently. I was getting between seven and eight hours while using the Magic Keyboard, and I'm guessing that I'll blow past the 10-hour estimate when watching locally-stored video. More details on that to come. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Performance, check. Design, check. The third thing that continues to impress me about the iPad Pro is its screen. It quite simply has the nicest display I have ever seen on a portable device, be it a laptop, phone or tablet. Apple's tandem OLED display (two OLED panels layered on top of each other) is the same in all respects as it was last year. That means the 13-inch screen has a 2,752 x 2,064 resolution (264 ppi) and standard brightness that can hit 1,000 nits, or up to 1,600 nits peak for HDR content. Aside from the OLED display, the only display improvements the iPad Pro has that the iPad Air doesn't is ProMotion support for 120Hz refresh rates as well as a nano-texture glass option for the 1TB and 2TB models. To be clear, though, the iPad Pro's screen is in a completely different ballpark than the one on the iPad Air. Between the much faster refresh rate, high brightness levels, completely dark blacks and wonderful contrast, there's no question this screen far surpasses what you'll find on any other iPad. Professionals who do detailed work in video, photography, drawing with the Apple Pencil Pro or graphic design will appreciate all of these features. But it also makes something like kicking back on a plane to watch a movie more enjoyable. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget iPadOS 26 In last year's iPad Pro M4 review, I wrote: Apple has shown no indication it's going to make iPadOS more like a Mac." As such, I recommended people not buy an iPad Pro unless they were happy with the limitations that have been inherent to iPadOS for a long time. It took Apple until this summer, but its latest updates rendered my earlier words invalid. With iPadOS 26, Apple pretty much said screw it" and addressed nearly every big software complaint users have had. As a quick refresher: apps still open in full screen by default, but you can now grab the corner and resize it to any shape you see fit; you can then stack up as many windows as you want in that view. Apps are also much better at remembering their size and position on your screen than ever before. If you swipe up and dismiss all the apps you're working with and then re-open one, it's right in the same place you left it. If you want to throw something back in full-screen, the familiar stoplight" controls from the Mac are available for easy window management. You can swipe up and hold for a second from the bottom of the screen to enter Expose, which shows every open window in your view. Swiping right shows all the full-screen apps you have open. If you have an app in full screen, you can switch back to a windowed app that'll just float on top of what you're working in. There's also a menu bar at the top of the screen that makes it easy to access advanced controls for whatever you're using. As I said when I first started testing out iPadOS 26 in the summer, the end result of all these changes is that your iPad (no matter which kind) will feel significantly more capable with this software update. And there are other features that power users will appreciate, like a significantly improved Files app. Since it's easier to have multiple windows, moving things around or dragging and dropping things into apps is a lot simpler. And there are improved sorting options as well, while PDFs finally open in the new Preview app rather than within Files . Background task capabilities have also been significantly expanded. For example, Final Cut Pro can now render video in the background, whereas before, switching to a different app would put the lengthy and intensive process on pause. And developers can tap into this API to use it for their own apps, too. I can't say for sure that this will answer all the complaints of various iPad Pro owners out there, but I think Apple has gotten about as close as it can without just putting macOS on the device and calling it a day. Even with the big updates to iPadOS, an iPad Pro isn't for everyone. Plenty of people will still choose a traditional laptop. But the iPad has always offered a pretty unique blend of power and portability, and with better software it's a more viable option than ever. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Wrap-up My viewpoint on the iPad Pro hasn't changed since last year. I still find it a wildly impressive device that is unlike much else you can buy. Just like the last model, it has Apple's newest chip, the best display Apple has made (aside from its $5,000 Pro XDR monitor) and a physical design that feels almost impossible given how much technology is crammed inside. It's truly delightful, and it's even more capable than before thanks to the combination of iPadOS 26 and the M5 chip. However, I still can't stomach that price. $1,299 for a 13-inch iPad with 256GB of storage, no 5G connectivity and no Magic Keyboard is a lot of money, even if it is as capable as a similarly-priced laptop. Given the incredible technology inside of the iPad Pro, I can understand why it's so expensive. And it's powerful enough that some buyers will be able to use it for three, four, even five years before they feel the need to update, which makes the up-front investment a little less burdensome. It's not the kind of device you need to replace annually, that's for sure. But unless you are going to use it as your main computer -all day, every day -and know exactly what benefits you'll get from the iPad over a more traditional laptop, you're probably better off buying an iPad Air and saving yourself a lot of money.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipad-pro-m5-review-speed-boost-130046249.html?src=rss

Meta is launching new tools aimed at trying to protect Messenger and WhatsApp users from potential scams. The company says its teams have "detected and disrupted" nearly 8 million accounts associated with scam centers in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates and the Philippines since the beginning of 2025. It has also taken action on over 21,000 Pages on Facebook pretending to be customer support services of legitimate companies. But much still needs to be done to squash scams, specifically those targeting the elderly who may not be as tech-savvy or may not be aware of the scammers' latest schemes.On WhatsApp, the company will start showing users warning notices if they attempt to share their screen with someone not on their contacts list during a video call. Scammers sometimes get their targets to share their screens in order to steal sensitive information. In the warning window pictured below, Meta tells users outright to only share their screens with people they trust, since they will be able to see anything displayed on their phones, including their banking info.MetaThe company is also testing advanced scam detection tools in Messenger chats for mobile. When a user receives a potentially scammy message, a warning notice will pop up, telling them the message is suspicious and that they can forward it to Meta for an AI review. If Meta AI detects a potential scam, it will show the user a list of common scam signs, such as job offers in exchange for money, job offers promising fast cash and work from home offers for jobs that can't possibly be done remotely. It also reminds users not to wire transfer money or send gift cards, which are very common methods scammers use to steal money from their victims. At the bottom of the page, users will have the option to report and block the account that sent them the message.Meta didn't say when the new Messenger warning tool will roll out widely. For now, it's encouraging users to set up passkeys for quick identity verification and to run Security Checkup to review their security settings and get recommendations, including updating their passwords.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-will-warn-whatsapp-and-messenger-users-against-scams-120048067.html?src=rss

If you're not a big fan of the, well, glass in iOS 26's Liquid Glass interface, Apple has apparently heard you. The latest iOS 26.1 Beta 4 has a new toggle that lets you apply a "tinted" setting to boost the opacity of elements and add contrast, making them stand out better against the background, MacRumors reported. "Choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass. Clear is more transparent, revealing the content beneath. Tinted increases opacity and adds more contrast," the description states.The new toggle (Settings > Display and Brightness on iPhone or iPad and System Settings > Appearance macOS) is a rare instance of Apple altering course on a design based on user input. The company said the setting was added as many beta users desired a more opaque option for Liquid Glass. That's putting it mildly, as you may have noticed on social media or Reddit.AppleThe setting is more noticeable on some areas of iOS than others. Toggling it from clear to tinted changes everything throughout iOS and affects apps and lock screen notifications as well. Other new changes in the latest beta include a Camera swipe toggle, a new slide-to-stop feature for alarms and timers, Settings updates, new Apple Intelligence languages and a new Apple TV app icon. If you're in the beta program, you can download the latest version now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/ios-261-beta-4-lets-you-make-liquid-glass-frosted-110021700.html?src=rss

A decent-sized chunk of the internet stopped working after a fairly massive Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage. This included Venmo, Snapchat, Canva and Fortnite - even Amazon's own products went on the fritz. Your humble narrator's Ring Chimes started turning their night lights on and off entirely at random, with no prompting from yours truly.The company has already fixed the DNS issue that caused the outage, but a failure like this, which knocks out so damn much of the internet, should serve as a reminder. After all, having so many critical systems in the same basket means that when something goes wrong, a lot of the internet stops working. All at once.- Dan CooperGet Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The news you might have missed

AI is the star of Yelp's fall product update. The review site has updated Yelp Assistant, its chatbot to answer users' questions, rolling the tool out for all business categories. Its responses will draw on information from the business' website as well as posts by other Yelp users. The chatbot will also remember past queries and preferences when it's used for finding services. Saved information can be managed in the Yelp app under Yelp Assistant memory settings.Yelp has been pushing more artificial intelligence into its platform, adding Review Insights in December and announcing calling features in April. The AI-powered calling is rolling out in the company's fall update as Yelp Host and Yelp Receptionist. Yelp Host is specifically for table-service restaurants, and promises the ability to take reservations, change bookings and capture special requests. It is available now starting at $149 a month, or $99 a month for customers with a Yelp Guest Manager plan. Yelp Receptionist can manage calls for any "eligible local businesses." Subscriptions to this AI-powered service start at $99 a month and will begin rolling out this week.There are several other updates from Yelp, but one of the more interesting ones is Menu Vision. With this resource, pointing your camera at a restaurant's menu will show photos of the dish in question along with reviews about that particular item. Menu Vision will arrive on the iOS and Android apps this week.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/yelp-is-getting-more-ai-including-an-upgraded-chatbot-110051320.html?src=rss

Whether you're into adventure sports or just want to log your day-to-day activities, an action camera is the way to go. On top of regular models from the likes of GoPro, DJI and Insta360, you can film your adventures with 360-degree models and a new class of tiny cams that can even be attached to kids or pets. In other words, there are more options than ever for types of action shooting or vlogging.

Home products company Kohler is launching a new Kohler Health division, and its first product is a $599 camera for your toilet. The item, dubbed Dekoda, is equipped with sensors that analyze whatever liquid or solid waste goes into the toilet bowl with "validated machine learning algorithms." The data, which can offer insights on hydration and gut health as well as detecting the presence of blood, then goes to Kohler Health's iPhone app, although Android support is in the works. It comes with a magnetic charging pad and a wall-mounted remote that can optionally use Bluetooth fingerprint authorization so that you don't learn way more than you want to about your guests.I must salute the PR person who came up with this gem from the release: "By turning the bathroom into a connected, data-informed health and wellness hub, Kohler Health empowers individuals to turn ordinary routines into proactive, personalized experiences." Because who doesn't want to be proactive about pee? Health data is great, no arguments here. But this seems like a pretty extreme and expensive way to figure out if you're drinking enough water. Maybe I'm in the minority with my skepticism, however, because this isn't the first instance we've seen of toilet-bowl tech for better health. Withings introduced a monitor a few years back for analyzing urine streams, which you can buy for a mere $500.If you're just that passionate about tracking your biometrics, Dekoda products are expected to ship starting tomorrow. You'll also need to sign up for a Kohler Health subscription on top of the product cost, and there are individual and family plan options.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kohlers-dekoda-is-600-camera-for-your-toilet-225942144.html?src=rss

X is finally following through on its long-rumored plans to sell old user handles, and some of the most sought-after usernames could fetch millions of dollars. The company shared more details about and opened a waitlist for its "handle marketplace," that will enable paying subscribers to request and buy "inactive" handles.According to the company, X will make two types of "inactive' handles available: "priority" usernames that may include "full names, multi-word phrases, or alphanumeric combinations" and "rare" handles that consist of "short, generic, or culturally significant names." Subscribers to X's Premium+ and Premium Business tiers will eventually be able to request some "priority" handles as part of their subscription. The company says @PizzaEater and @GabrielJones are possible examples of such handles. Notably, this process requires what essentially amounts to an indefinite subscription to X Premium, as the company says it will revoke priority handles if an account's subscription lapses.

Bed bugs: the nightmare of any city dweller, frequent traveler, and now Google employee. The team at the company's Chelsea campus were notified on Sunday that a possible bed bug infestation had been discovered in the building and were told to remain at home so the location could be treated. As if working over the weekend wasn't enough of a bummer. Fortunately, exterminators collected their bug bounty, and employees were allowed to return to the building on Monday morning.Google told employees to file a report if they had symptoms of bed bug bites or saw evidence of bed bugs on site, according to an email sent by the company and obtained by Wired. They were also told to contact professional exterminators if they accidentally brought bed bugs home; hopefully Google foots the bill for those unlucky people.According to Wired's sources, the infestation may have been caused by "a number of large stuffed animals" in the Google office, but the publication wasn't able to confirm that. It's always the ones you least suspect.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/one-of-googles-new-york-offices-needs-literal-debugging-194029103.html?src=rss

You'll get access to Windows 10 a little longer by doing this. (Getty Images)Are you still using Windows 10 on your desktop or laptop? If so, you need to know this: As of October 14, Microsoft moved the software to its "end of life" phase. What that means is that while Windows 10 PCs will continue to work, they'll stop getting important security updates by default. That leaves you with three options to make sure your computer remains secure:

Five years after the release of the Galaxy S20 FE, Samsung has settled into a predictable pattern with its "Fan Edition" line of phones. Each new phone doesn't offer much new or different from its immediate predecessor, with the company opting to offer iterative updates instead. That might have been fine before, but with the arrival of the Nothing Phone 3a Pro and Pixel 10 - devices that changed the value proposition in their respective categories - the S25 FE feels woefully out of touch with a market that's changing to meet people's demands. There's not much here that makes the new Galaxy S25 FE stand out, and any "upgrades" aren't substantive. Hardware and display Igor Bonifacic for Engadget When I first took the S25 FE out of the box, I thought Samsung had played a cruel trick on me. The phone looks identical to its predecessor, sporting the same brushed aluminum frame that's been the company's go-to for years now. I had to dig the S24 FE out of my gadgets drawer to compare the two phones before I confirmed they were in fact different devices. The physical differences are minor. Samsung has tweaked the dimensions of the new phone, making it slightly shorter, wider and thinner. Specifically, the S25 FE measures in at 6.35 x 3.02 x 0.29 inches, while its predecessor was 6.38 x 3.04 x 0.31 inches. The new phone is also protected by Samsung's "enhanced Armor" aluminum frame. More noticeable is that the S25 FE is lighter than last year's model, coming in at 6.7 ounces, down from 7.51 ounces. This is despite the fact the new device has a higher-capacity 4,900mAh battery. Together, these changes don't make the S25 FE easier to hold if you have small hands (just ask my girlfriend), but it does feel better balanced than its predecessor. One issue with the size of the S25 FE is the placement of the in-display fingerprint sensor. It's right at the bottom of the screen. I found this made it awkward to unlock the phone with my thumb - and I'm someone with big hands. Another slight difference is the finish on the back of the phone. This time around, Samsung has gone with a matte coating, instead of the glossy finish it used on the S24 FE. It's a welcome change since it makes the new model less prone to smudging and attracting fingerprints. I just wish Samsung had decided to offer the S25 FE in more fun colors. At release, it's available in four colorways: white, icy blue, jet black and navy (pictured). So, if you don't like blue, I'm sorry. Amid the slight design tweaks, Samsung has gone with the same screen it did last year. The S25 FE has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, with a panel that offers a 120Hz refresh rate and 1080p resolution. The S24 FE's vibrant screen was one of the best parts of last year's model, and it's the same with S25 FE. It's easy to see the screen in bright sunlight, thanks to the fact it can push 1,900 nits of peak brightness. It's also vibrant, and with HDR10 support included, great for watching videos on YouTube, Netflix and elsewhere. Cameras Igor Bonifacic for Engadget Samsung made a single tweak to the Galaxy S25 FE's camera hardware. Like last year's model, the new phone has a 50-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a fast f/1.8 aperture lens. Once again, it also has an 8MP telephoto camera with a 3x optical zoom and a 12MP ultrawide angle that offers a 123-degree field of view. The one addition is a higher resolution 12MP front-facing camera with a faster f/2.2 aperture lens. For selfies, the S24 FE made do with a 10MP sensor and f/2.4 lens. If the new front-facing camera included phase detection autofocus (PDAF), it would be the same one that's available on the Galaxy S25. Unfortunately, it doesn't and that's a shame because PDAF greatly increases the likelihood your photos will come out sharp and in focus. It's also a shame Samsung decided not to update the FE's telephoto camera. Before the Nothing 3a Pro, that was one of the features that made the S24 FE stand out in its price range. In 2025, however, the S25 FE's telephoto feels outdated. It doesn't offer the 5x optical zoom of the Pixel 10 nor the 50MP of resolution and periscope zoom you get with the 3a Pro. Coming from the former, the FE's telephoto camera felt limiting. With only 8MP of resolution, trying to snap a photo at anything beyond 5x zoom was pointless; it would just turn out a blurry mess. As for FE's other cameras, they're decent if uninspiring. The 50MP camera is the best of the bunch, capable of capturing detailed, good-looking photos even in low light. The ultrawide, meanwhile, is mostly forgettable. It does an okay job of capturing big scenes, but it's lacking in dynamic range and detail. The selfie camera is a noticeable upgrade from the one that came with last year's model, and produces pleasing photos that are on par with what you can expect from the S25's front-facing camera. Otherwise, snapping pictures with the S25 FE feels like using a flagship phone from a few years ago. The one thing that saves it from being a complete blast from the past is the inclusion of Samsung's generative photo editing software, which you can use to remove distracting objects from photos. Of the AI photo apps I've tested, Samsung's is among the best at editing out objects without smearing the background. You can also use the generative edit to add things to a photo, but as you might expect, this doesn't work as well as removing them. Performance and battery life Igor Bonifacic for Engadget On paper, the S25 FE should offer better performance than its predecessor, thanks to Samsung's decision to equip the phone with its Exynos 2400 chipset over the cut-down Exynos 2400e it used on last year's model. In practice the two are about on par with one another. On Geekbench's processor test, the Exynos 2400 delivered a 2,144 single-core score and a 7,059 multi-core score. That's not much better than the 2,140 and 6,690 I recorded last fall on the S24 FE. Still, it's a more impressive showing than either the Pixel 9a and Nothing 3a Pro had when my colleague Sam Rutherford and I put their Tensor G4 and Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chips through Geekbench earlier this year. For comparison, the former delivered a modest 1,665 on single-core performance and 4,294 on multi-core performance. The latter scored an even less impressive 1,115 and 3,082 respectively. In real-world use, the Exynos 2400 feels snappy. Scrolling is fast and fluid, as is opening apps and switching between them. Gaming performance is also impressive, with the chip able to handle the 60 fps modes in graphically demanding games like Diablo Immortal and League of Legends: Wild Rift without dropping frames. Last year, Samsung said it redesigned the S24 FE's vapor chamber to make it bigger and improve cooling. With the S25 FE, that component is an additional 10 percent larger. However, if the new vapor chamber made a difference to the phone's thermals, I had a hard time telling. Both the S25 FE and S24 FE got warm after about 15 to 20 minutes of gaming. The new phone never got hot to the point I couldn't hold it anymore, but it also didn't feel noticeably cooler than the S24 FE running the same games. As mentioned at the top, the S25 FE has a larger 4,900mAh battery. That's about four percent more capacity than the S24 FE offered. As a result, any difference in battery life is minimal. I'm sure there are some scenarios the S25 FE may last longer than its predecessor, but in my testing the two phones were equal in terms of longevity. With three to four hours of active screentime, I managed to get a full day of battery life from the S25 FE, with enough power left over to get the phone through the night before charging it in the morning. That's similar to the experience I had last year. Speaking of charging, the S24 FE, with a 25 watt wired limit, was painfully slow at it. Going into this review, my hope was the S25 FE would do better and I had good reason to be hopeful. Samsung lists the new phone as capable of charging at 45 watts. However, in my testing the S25 FE was only slightly faster than its predecessor. Plugged into a 130 watt Razer GaN charger, it took the phone about an hour and 14 minutes to charge to full from a battery at 10 percent life. When I replicated that same test with a 25 watt charger, it took the S25 FE just over an hour-and-a-half to charge back up. Either way, if battery life is important to you, the Nothing 3a Pro and Pixel 9a are better bets. Both come with bigger batteries (5,000 and 5,100mAh, respectively), and with the former, you also get 50 watt charging. Software Igor Bonifacic for Engadget The S25 FE ships with Android 16 and Samsung's One UI 8 out of the box. Samsung has promised to support the phone with at least seven generations of platform updates, so it should stay current with Google's yearly release schedule up until at least Android 23 in 2032. Notably, this means the S25 FE may end up on a more recent version of Android than the S25, S25 Edge and S25 Ultra, all of which released with Android 15. With One UI 8, the S25 FE has access to all of the latest AI features from both Samsung and Google. Some of these tools are useful; others replicate functionality that has been present in Android for a long time. For example, Google's Circle to Search is great. It makes it easy to do a visual search of anything on the phone's screen. On the other hand, I could do without Samsung's Now Brief, which offers much of the same utility you'll find on Android's Discover page (a feature that comes standard on every Android phone). Each S25 FE also comes with six months of free access to Google AI Pro. Normally priced at $20 per month, the service gives you access to some of the company's best models, including Gemini 2.5 Pro, inside of the Gemini app. Within Flow, Google's AI filmmaking app, you also get limited access to Veo 3.1, Google's latest video generation system. Some other perks include 2TB of cloud storage and higher rate limits when using NotebookLM. Wrap-up Igor Bonifacic for Engadget With changes that amount to window dressing, I can't recommend anyone buy the S25 FE at full price. There's just enough here to justify spending $650 on a phone that is barely an upgrade over its predecessor. If you're a Samsung fan, I'm sure the S25 FE will be frequently discounted, but why reward the company for a lazy effort? Besides, the S25, following a $200 discount for Prime Day, was only $10 more than the FE earlier this month. Over the past few years, Google and Nothing have shown midrange phones don't need to be boring, iterative affairs. For Samsung, I think it's time to rethink its FE strategy. If these phones offered something different - say actual fan favorite features like a headphone jack - there could be compelling reasons to recommend them. But as things stand, there's just no reason to buy a new FE phone when the company's flagships see steep price discounts within months of their release.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s25-fe-review-iterative-to-a-fault-183026577.html?src=rss

At the end of February, Anthropic announced Claude Code. In the eight months since then, the coding agent has arguably become the company's most important product, helping it carve out a niche for itself in the highly competitive AI market. Now, Anthropic is making it easier for developers to use Claude Code in more places with a new web interface for accessing the agent.To get started, you'll need connect Claude to your GitHub repositories. From there, the process of using the agent is the same as if it had direct terminal access. Describe what you need from it, and the agent will take it from there. Claude will provide progress updates while it works, and you can even steer it in real-time with additional prompts. Through the web interface, it's also possible to assign Claude multiple coding tasks to run in parallel."Every Claude Code task runs in an isolated sandbox environment with network and filesystem restrictions. Git interactions are handled through a secure proxy service that ensures Claude can only access authorized repositories - helping keep your code and credentials protected throughout the entire workflow," said Anthropic.In addition to making Claude Code available on the web, Anthropic is releasing a preview of the agent inside of its iOS app. The company warns the integration is early, and that it hopes "to quickly refine the mobile experience based on your feedback."Pro and Max users can start using Claude Code on the web today. Anthropic notes any cloud sessions share the same rate limits with all other Claude Code usage.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-brings-claude-code-to-ios-and-the-web-180023611.html?src=rss

The Sims Mobileis going away as EA will shut it down on January 20, nearly eight years after its debut in March 2018. An update that went live on Monday is the final one and the company is delisting the game on October 21. Since the game requires online servers (game progress is stored there), it'll no longer be possible to play The Sims Mobile in three months' time."The Sims Mobile and The Sims community as a whole are full of creativity, kindness, and imagination," EA said in a blog post. "You've amazed us with your stories, builds, and Sims. We're proud to have shared this journey with you, and as a token of our appreciation, we've prepared a few surprises as we head into TSM's final chapter."EA will run 14 events, including limited-time quests and treasure hunts, in The Sims Mobile over the next few months. It's no longer possible to spend any real money in the game, though players can use their existing in-game currency. As of today, players also have unlimited energy, which "should make it easier to complete projects and enjoy the last few months of play," EA said. On January 6, EA will unlock all of the Build Mode and Create A Sim items so players can fully customize their homes and sims' looks for a couple of weeks before the grim reaper shows up for The Sims Mobile.Back in 2022, EA and Sims studio Maxis announced Project Rene, a game that will run across multiple platforms, including mobile. So it's maybe not too surprising that the company wants to focus its Sims mobile efforts there.In any case, the shutdown stinks, especially for those who have spent money on The Sims Mobile as well as for the sake of game preservation. The decision to scuttle the game won't exactly allay concerns that fans of the series, which has a significant LGBTQ+ fanbase, have about the future of The Sims if and when the planned sale of EA to a group that includes Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund goes through.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ea-will-shut-down-the-sims-mobile-in-january-173958279.html?src=rss

There's a lot to like about NordVPN, as I covered in my full NordVPN review. It's one of the fastest among the best VPNs, and it's got a bunch of cool, specialized servers for various VPN tasks. But the apps can be frustrating, and beyond that, no VPN is perfect for everyone. If you've decided NordVPN isn't for you, here's how to cancel your subscription and get your money back.How to turn off auto-renewal on NordVPNEven though you've decided to part ways with NordVPN, you may want to keep your subscription active while you pick out a replacement service. If that's the case, you can simply cancel automatic renewal and let your subscription expire at the end of the billing period. If you change your mind before then, you can turn auto-renew back on. Here's how to do it.

Oura has redesigned its official app with a refreshed visual interface and new health-tracking insights. The company boasts that the app refresh offers "modern visual language with deeper personalization."To that end, there are now three main and easily identifiable tabs. The "Today" tab includes only the most relevant data to help inform daily decisions. The "Vitals" tab offers "at-a-glance views of core health pillars." This includes data on sleep, stress and cardiovascular trends. Colors change based on various biometric indicators to offer quick visual cues.The "My Health" tab is more interested in long-term health, offering cumulative data on a user's strengths, traits and opportunities for proactive care. This tab also includes a section about habits and routines to link "daily behaviors to measurable outcomes."The new Oura app also offers some increased health-tracking capabilities. The previous version of the app included a view that showed a month of data regarding menstrual cycles and fertility window predictions. This has been increased to a full year. Members also now get personalized cycle phase data from a single night of sleep instead of having to wait two months like before.The app is launching "in the coming weeks," but there's a spot of bad news. It'll only be available for the Oura Ring Gen3 and the Ring 4. The Ring 4 recently got a hardware update, with an option for a durable ceramic coatingThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/ouras-new-app-brings-enhanced-health-insights-and-longer-fertility-window-predictions-171329174.html?src=rss

Spotify just introduced a feature that lets users follow their favorite concert venues. This will provide people with updates and details about upcoming concerts.Once a venue is selected as a favorite, it gets saved in a user's library. Browsing each venue provides information on scheduled concerts, general announcements and other stuff. Folks can even filter upcoming shows by genre. Clicking on a specific spot will also pull up "tailored suggestions for other venues" in the vicinity.Spotify's new venue-tracking platform will offer links to each location's "official ticketing partner" to make it easier to scoop up some tickets. The company says it currently tracks over 20,000 venues throughout the globe, from "iconic arenas to beloved independent clubs."Spotify also announced a change to its live event feed. This will now update daily instead of weekly. For the uninitiated, this tool tracks when artists are touring and lists nearby live events.The platform recently added yet another tool for concert discovery in the form of custom playlists that highlight artists with upcoming shows in the area. These playlists update every week and include 30 songs.These are welcome tools, as artists don't get paid a whole lot from streaming platforms, instead relying on live ticket sales. The features could also help stem some of the bad press that's been coming Spotify's way lately, thanks to CEO Daniel Ek's involvement with a weapons manufacturing company and the platform going running recruitment ads for controversial government entities like ICE.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/spotify-now-lets-people-follow-venues-to-find-out-about-concerts-153836816.html?src=rss

It's official: Microsoft has officially ended support for Windows 10. Thankfully, there's a free and easy way to get another year's worth of Extended Security Updates (which will take you to mid-October 2026). But even if your computer meets the minimum system requirements for a free Windows 11 upgrade, anything older than a year won't be ableto take advantage of Microsoft's Copilot+ AI PC features, like Windows Recall or Studio Effects for video chats. So if you've already been feeling that your current aging PC is on the verge of dying - slow performance, whining fans, batteries that barely keep a charge - it's probably time to consider replacing it with a new system.We've already done the legwork of researching and selecting new hardware in our best laptop and best Windows notebook guides (we've also covered more powerful gaming and schoolwork systems), but here are some suggestions if you're just looking to snap up something quickly.The best Windows 10 laptop replacementsSurface Laptop 13.8-inchIn many ways, the Snapdragon-powered Surface Laptop is emblematic of where Windows PCs are headed. It's incredibly light, surprisingly powerful for something with a mobile chip and its battery lasted over 17-and-a-half hours in our testing. While you may run into some compatibility issues if you're running ancient Windows programs, for most people the Surface Laptop is one of the best PC experiences they can have today. If you're looking for something smaller and cheaper, there's also a $700 13-inch model, and the $1,200 15-inch version is worth it if you need a bigger screen. (Check out our full review of the Surface Laptop 13.8-inch.) Dell 14 Premium laptop Sam Rutherford for Engadget Dell 14 PremiumWe loved last year's XPS 14, and now that it's been renamed as the Dell 14 Premium, it's still a fantastic machine. It looks and feels luxurious, and it has one of the best screens around. You may just need some time getting used to its invisible trackpad (which is blended into the palm rest), and its capacitive function key row. (Check out our full Editor's Choice review of the Dell 14 Premium.)ASUS ZenBook S 14The ZenBook S14 wowed us with its powerful hardware, excellent battery life (of over 16 hours) and solid construction. It's a sign of how far ASUS has come from simply copying Apple. The S14 is also lighter than the MacBook Air, and it includes more useful ports (two USB-C, one USB-A, HDMI and a headphone jack). Its Ceraluminum case (a unique ceramic material) also feels surprisingly polished, and its OLED screen looks simply amazing. (Check out our full review of the ASUS ZenBook S 14.)Apple MacBook AirDon't yell at me - Apple's new computers are so good that Windows users should seriously consider jumping ship to Macs. While the software may take some getting used to, it's worth the struggle for the speed and incredible battery life from Apple's M-series chips. The MacBook Air remains one of the best computers around, with an incredibly thin and fan-less case and far more power than you'd think. And if you're an iPhone user, you'll also have access to features like phone mirroring that are tough to replicate on Windows. (Check out our full review of the M4 MacBook Air.) Dell Slim Desktop Dell The best Windows 10 desktop replacementsDell Slim desktopIf you're just looking for a basic desktop replacement, it's hard to go wrong with the Dell Slim. While we haven't reviewed this specific model, the specs on even the entry-level configuration have all of the power you need for basic computing, despite housing everything in a frame that's notably smaller than older tower PCs. And if you need a bit more performance, consider the slightly more expensive Dell Pro, which can squeeze in up to 32GB of RAM and a handful of dedicated graphics cards.Apple Mac MiniApple's Mac mini is one of the most powerful mini-desktops around, it's adorably small and it starts at just $599 (look for the frequent sales that drop the price by as much as $100). Just as I argued above for the MacBook Air, it's worth considering the jump to MacOS simply because Apple's hardware is so impressive now. And don't worry, you can connect any monitor to it, and you won't have to replace your existing PC keyboard and mouse.Geekom A6 MiniWhile I haven't tested the Geekom A6 Mini yet, it's widely considered one of the best Windows mini-desktops around $400 to $500. The A6 Mini features a very capable AMD Ryzen 7 6800H processor with a bit of gaming power, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. You honestly don't need much more for basic productivity work.Frequently Asked QuestionsDo I need to upgrade to a new computer if my current Windows 10 PC still works fine for me?Your computer will still continue to run following the Microsoft's termination of default support for Windows 10 on October 15, 2025, but that's not a wise longterm strategy. The free Extended Security Updates will buy you another year, but that's effectively a limited life support: After that, Windows 10 PCs won't receive security updates or any sort of improvements, so they'll be vulnerable to hacking and malware. And if you've still got an old Windows 10 machine, there's a good chance that its components may wear out soon. If you choose to continue using a Windows 10 PC, be sure to back up your important data and try not to rely on it for critical tasks.Can a Mac run native Windows software?Virtualization software like VMWare and Parallels can let you run Windows apps inside of macOS, but be aware that also involves buying a copy of Windows and dedicating a large chunk of disk space for it. These days, most major apps are available across both platforms, so be sure to check if there's a Mac version of your favorite Windows app.Can a Chromebook or iPad replace a Windows 10 PC?Chromebooks and iPads both have very specific purposes: Chromebooks are great budget-friendly machines for accessing the web and running online apps. iPads are a handy way to upgrade your mobile internet experiences, since their large screens are better for browsing the web, running apps and watching media. But neither are ideal replacements for a Windows 10 PC, which can access the full breadth of Windows software in addition to the web. If either one works for you, great; but we think the options listed above are better full-service PC replacements.I have a ton of PC games. What's my best upgrade option?It's easy to find a decent gaming desktop from a reliable computer maker these days, just make sure you're equipped with at least 32GB of RAM (new titles can be pretty memory intensive), and an NVIDIA RTX 40-series or AMD Radeon RX 9000-series GPU.As for CPUs, I'd recommend sticking with Intel's 13th-gen chips or AMD's Ryzen 8000-series processors at a minimum. Don't count out gaming laptops either, as they've come a long way over the last decade. It's not hard to find a gaming notebook that's powerful, portable and useful for multimedia and productivity work as well.Update, October 20 2025, 9:30AM ET: This story has been updated to reflect that the Windows 10 end of support date has now passed, and we've included a link to an explainer on how to extend support for another year for free.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-best-new-computers-to-replace-your-old-windows-10-pc-134500000.html?src=rss

There's yet another streaming bundle in town, and it will be ideal for fans of Ted Lasso and The Office. Apple and Peacock have teamed up to provide both of their streaming services together in a bundle starting at $15 per month. The new Apple TV + Peacock bundle is officially available now for $15 monthly for the ad-supported tier. This is a mighty fine deal, given that Apple TV recently changed both its name and price. The platform costs $13 per month now on its own. Peacock starts at $11 per month. In other words, this is a discount of around $9 each month. In this economy, we'll take any savings we can get. As mentioned previously, the only caveat is that the base tier includes ads. The subscription shoots up to $20 per month for an ad-free version. However, a standalone subscription to ad-free Peacock is $17 on its own. Additionally, Apple One subscribers will get a 35 percent discount on Peacock Premium Plus plans. It's always nice when two lonely corporations find friendship, isn't it? For the uninitiated, Apple TV is the company's big-wig streaming platform. It's primarily known for sci-fi like Severance, For All Mankind and the upcoming Pluribus. The platform is also host to plenty of comedy, like The Studio, Shrinking and Ted Lasso. Peacock is NBC's streaming service. It streams old-school network programming like The Office, Grimm and Superstore. The service features a stable of original programming like Poker Face, Twisted Metal and the underrated Mrs. Davis. The platform also recently premiered a little show called The Paper, which is a spinoff of The Office. Against all odds, this is actually a great little sitcom and a worthy successor to the original. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-new-apple-tv-and-peacock-streaming-bundle-is-officially-available-170403587.html?src=rss

Beats devices have been the more colorful, full-of-personality complements to Apple's clean-and-minimal gear ever since Apple bought the company back in 2014. Beats earbuds and speakers are the more flexible alternatives to things like AirPods and HomePods, and the new Beats Powerbeats Fit keep that tradition alive. Some six months after the Powerbeats Pro 2 debuted earlier this year, Beats now has an updated version of the Fit Pro to offer folks looking for many of the conveniences of an Apple device in something with slightly more character and versatility. Rather than reinventing the wheel, Beats made small changes on the Powerbeats Fit that ultimately make for a more polished version of its predecessor. What's new If you're familiar with the Beats Fit Pro, you'll be familiar with the Powerbeats Fit. Beats kept much of what worked with its previous $200 earbuds here (including the price), making very minor changes to improve the comfort and the overall design. The new buds have 20 percent more flexible wingtips and the charging case is 17 percent more compact than that of the Beats Fit Pro. More on the wingtips in a moment, but first I have to commend Beats for making the charging case feel ever so slightly more premium this time around - and since it's smaller than before, it's less cumbersome to tuck in your back pocket. The buds also fit snugly into the charging case with a satisfying snap every time; they always align properly to recharge, something I cannot say about past pairs of the AirPods Pro I've owned. When it comes to the wingtips on the Powerbeats Fit, they appear to be a hair shorter than those on the Beats Fit Pro, and certainly more malleable. I felt the biggest difference in flexibility at the base of the wingtip where it meets the earbud - those on the Powerbeats Fit have a bit more give than those on its predecessor. These small changes make it easy to pop the Powerbeats Fit into your ears and really not fuss with the wingtips at all. They're present just to provide a more secure fit during intense workouts, and they do just that. I wore them during strength training, 5K runs and leisurely walks and I didn't have to adjust them at all once I popped them in. When Beats announced these new buds, the company claimed its design tweaks would also make the Powerbeats Fit more comfortable to wear all day long, not just during workouts. I'll admit that I didn't find the previous Beats Fit Pro uncomfortable to wear when not at the gym or on the trail. Yes, the Powerbeats Fit are marginally more comfortable now and the wingtips are more supple, but the change is subtle. If you jibe with the wingtip design to begin with, you'll safely be able to use the Powerbeats Fit as daily drivers in addition to workout companions. Notably, the Powerbeats Fit come with one extra pair of eartips in the box (four instead of the previous three), so once you find the eartips that are your best fit, you'll be off to the races. There are also two new bold colors to choose from, orange and pink, in addition to gray and black. Valentina Palladino for Engadget What's the same Thankfully, Beats didn't mess with all of the good things about the Fit Pro when developing the Powerbeats Fit. The new buds have an IPX4 water resistance rating, which isn't the highest level of protection out there, but more than enough to withstand your sweatiest training sessions. Onboard controls in the form of physical buttons remain the same, although I didn't accidentally trigger the buttons on the Powerbeats Fit nearly as much as I did with the Fit Pro. That might be because all the small changes Beats made in the design paid off - I didn't fuss with the new buds in my ears as much as before, therefore I didn't accidentally press the buttons as much. The Powerbeats Fit also have Apple's H1 chip inside, which enables features like hands-free Siri, automatic switching between devices, Adaptive EQ, Audio Sharing and Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. Transparency mode returns here as well, and it remains one of the standout features of any Apple-associated wireless earbuds. And if you do decide to wear the Powerbeats Fit all day long, you'll likely make even more use of transparency mode as you need to jump in and out of conversations happening around you. In addition, you can keep track of the new earbuds in Apple's Find My app. Beats didn't bill any improvements in sound quality on the Powerbeats Fit, and after listening to them alongside the Beats Fit Pro, I can say they sound almost identical. While listening to some tracks with the Powerbeats Fit, I noticed an almost imperceptible increase in the clarity of vocals, but that's about it. Bass remains punchy and strong, and the buds get decently loud. Active noise cancellation (ANC) is also the same on the new buds: strong enough to block out ambient noise around you and people's voices. While running outside, I still heard the loudest disturbances like passing trucks and oddly sonorous cackling of nearby wildlife, but that's arguably for the best. If you're exercising outside, be it in a park or on city streets, you should be at least somewhat aware of your surroundings. Valentina Palladino for Engadget Battery life is consistent here as well, with Beats promising up to seven hours on a single charge (or six with ANC turned on) and up to 30 hours total when employing the Powerbeats Fit charging case. Anecdotally, after a week of using the Powerbeats Fit for an average of one hour each day, the charging case still had 75 percent battery left. If you're using these all day, every day, you'll obviously need to power it up more frequently. But if these are primarily your workout companions, you could get a week or two before needing to plug them in. Wrap-up The Powerbeats Fit are a fitting update to the Beats Fit Pro. The latter was one of the best devices in the Beats lineup to begin with, and the latest model only improves upon the winning formula. They offer a solid balance of a comfortable, secure design, good sound quality and ANC and handy additional features at a decent price. The latter is arguably just as important as the buds' ability to withstand a sweaty training session: folks looking for many of the conveniences found in AirPods will find them here in an alternative design, and in a pair of buds that also works just as well with Android devices. If you're willing to pay more, you could shell out $250 for either the Powerbeats Pro 2 to get that full over-ear hook style, or AirPods Pro 3 - both of which have built-in heart rate tracking But that feature in particular will be more of a nice-to-have than a necessity for most.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/beats-powerbeats-fit-review-deja-vu-in-a-good-way-120058332.html?src=rss

You might already have a good idea of which smartphone you want to be your next one. But there are more solid options available now than ever before, making the decision not as cut-and-dry as it used to be. While the decision is a bit easier if you know you want an iPhone, there's even enough variation between those new models that you may have to think about it longer than you anticipated. If you're an Android person, you have even more options to choose from - including foldables - and more questions to answer before you spend any money.

Links have proven to be a tricky thing when it comes to social media engagement. On platforms like Threads, data suggests that people often don't click the links in posts, and creators on X have complained that posts including links don't get as much visibility. X is now trying to solve that. Head of product Nikita Bier shared that the platform is "testing a new link experience" that lets people open a link without leaving the original post entirely, so they can still view the Like, Repost and other buttons. The test is rolling out to iOS users first.

As political tensions between the two global superpowers grow, China's State Security Ministry accused the US' National Security Agency of a cyberattack operation that took place between 2023 and 2024. As first reported by Reuters, the Chinese agency posted on WeChat that the NSA targeted the country's National Time Service Center. As part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the center is tasked with generating, maintaining and transmitting its national standard of time, which is provided to important sectors across the country, including communications, defense and finance.The state ministry said the operation used around 42 types of "special cyberattack weapons" to infiltrate the National Time Service Center which could have led to the disruption of network communications, financial systems and power supply. The WeChat post also claimed that the NSA exploited vulnerabilities in a foreign mobile phone brand's messaging system to steal sensitive info from staff devices, without naming the brand.The NSA has yet to respond to the accusation. On the other hand, the US Treasury Department said it was targeted by a "China state-sponsored actor" in a December cyberattack.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/china-claims-the-nsa-conducted-cyberattacks-on-its-national-time-center-201852066.html?src=rss

We still have a few months to wait before the next Cult of the Lamb DLC, Woolhaven, arrives, but the Massive Monster team just shared a closer look at one of the new experiences the expansion will bring and, oh boy, I cannot wait to play this. In addition to adding a new mountain area with two new dungeons, Woolhaven will introduce ranching, so you can raise animals - the regular, non-anthropomorphic kind - to keep as pets, shear for wool or slaughter for meat (you know, if you have no heart).Based on the overview video, we'll get to raise cows(ish), goats and sheep as well as some more unexpected critters like crabs, snails, spiders and turtles. I, personally, am very excited about the snails. You'll be able to form bonds with and name the animals, and you'll have to tend to their wellbeing, feeding them healthy foods and cleaning them. Followers will also be able to bond with the animals and have their own pets. As wholesome as that all sounds, this is Cult of the Lamb we're talking about, so I'm already bracing myself for the inevitable heartbreak of when some unruly follower kills my favorite animals at some point. The video notes that you'll have to keep them safe from predators.Woolhaven will be a paid expansion, but we don't know yet how much it will cost or when exactly it drops. The team has so far only said early 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/this-is-how-the-new-ranching-system-will-work-in-cult-of-the-lamb-woolhaven-194324041.html?src=rss

Violent video games have found themselves in the crosshairs of politicians yet again, but this time with Mexico's government. Earlier this week, Mexico's Chamber of Deputies approved a comprehensive financial package that includes an eight percent tax on video games with mature content. As first reported by Insider Gaming, the proposed tax covers games that have a C or D rating under Mexico's video game age classification system, which is similar to ESRB in the US. The C rating is for players who are at least 18 years old and allows for extreme violence, bloodshed and moderate graphic sexual content, while the D rating is reserved for adults only and allows for prolonged scenes that include similar content.The proposed law was first introduced in September, when the country's Treasury Department claimed that "recent studies have found a relationship between the use of violent video games and higher levels of aggression among adolescents, as well as negative social and psychological effects such as isolation and anxiety." The report cited a study from 2012 in a footnote, which also observed some positive associations with video games, including motor learning and building resilience.The current interpretation of the proposal that's been approved by the Chamber of Deputies would apply to digital and physical copies of affected games, as well as any in-game purchases or microtransactions. The proposal still has to go through Mexico's other congressional chamber, the Senate, where it will be debated before a November 15 deadline to submit a budget proposal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/mexico-is-considering-slapping-an-eight-percent-tax-on-violent-video-games-184101628.html?src=rss

Nearly four years after the release of Halo: Infinite, the sixth installment in the franchise has failed to live up to its name. Instead, the studio behind the sci-fi series may be working on a "live service, long-term updating multiplayer" Halo game that could do just that. According to YouTuber Rebs Gaming, a source claimed that Halo Studios, previously known as 343 Industries, is working on a multiplayer Halo title that could borrow Fortnite's model of constantly pushing out content updates. The report also noted that there aren't any mentions of Fortnite's battle royale style for the upcoming game.While live service games are becoming the norm, veterans of the Halo franchise may not have much faith in Halo Studios after failing to deliver on Halo: Infinite's longevity. Back in March, another report revealed that Halo: Infinite was meant to be supported with a 10-year plan of consistent updates, but this roadmap was scrapped following leadership issues and a switch to Unreal Engine. While Halo: Infinite's multiplayer mode has received notable updates since its initial release, the game still sits at a Mixed rating on Steam.Along with this upcoming live service Halo title, the report claimed that the studio is working on a remake of the first game in the series, Halo: Combat Evolved. According to John Junyszek, the senior community manager at Halo Studios, we could hear more about either project during the Halo World Championship that takes place from October 24 to 26.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/the-next-game-in-the-halo-franchise-could-be-live-service-multiplayer-171036206.html?src=rss

Techtober is a busy time for our reviews team as a deluge of new devices arrive before the holiday season. We've been hard at work conducting our in-depth testing, but it's understandable if you missed a review or two over the last few weeks. Read on to catch up all the reviews you might've missed, including the latest trio of Google Pixel devices. Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2a Earlier this month, a trio of new Pixel devices arrived for us to put through their paces. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold headlines the group, but the Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2a are also highly capable devices in their own categories. Senior reviews writer Sam Rutherford wrote that Google has removed one of the last remaining issues with foldable phones: durability. The addition of proper dust and water resistance on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold has removed one of the last two shortcomings of modern foldables, which is no mean feat," he said. However, at $1,799, the price barrier is still hard to overcome for most folks." Meta Ray-Ban Display The second-gen Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses may be the best option for most people right now, but the Meta Ray-Ban Display is the more exciting product for many. If you can get past the chunky look and in-progress features, you still have to contend with limited availability and a $800 price tag. The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, on the other hand, still look very much like a first-gen product," senior reporter Karissa Bell wrote. There are some really compelling use cases for the display, but its functionality is limited." ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X Microsoft's collaboration with ASUS has produced a compelling gaming handheld that's decidedly Xbox. The combination of familiar controls and a full-screen Xbox experience give this device an advantage over its Windows-based competition. While Microsoft's first real foray into PC gaming handhelds isn't upending the status quo and it's way too early to say if this gadget will save Xbox as a whole, it is bringing some notable advancements," Sam said. The new full-screen experience makes launching and playing games on Windows-based devices so much more seamless that it's kind of wild it took so long to get here." Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd gen) Bose never leave the top few spots on our best noise canceling headphones list, but its refresh of the QC Ultra Headphones put the company firmly back in first place. Updates to active noise cancellation, sound performance, battery life and power management are enough to recommend this model over the previous version and the Sony WH-1000XM6. Similar to the second-gen QC Ultra Earbuds over the summer, Bose didn't make huge upgrades for the updated version of the QC Ultra Headphones," I explained. But what you do get here is a decent improvement over its predecessor." Razer Blade 18 (2025) Razer's massive 18-inch gaming laptop has impressive performance, but it's size and limited battery life don't offer a lot of convenience. Personally, if I had to choose between Razer's current lineup, I'd go with the Blade 16 so that I could actually carry it around and occasionally use it as a productivity machine," senior reviews editor Devindra Hardawar wrote. Not so with the Blade 18 - its short two hour and 17 minute battery life (in PCMark 10's battery benchmark) means you'll always need to lug around its beefy power adapter."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-new-pixel-devices-meta-ray-ban-display-asus-rog-xbox-ally-x-and-more-130000215.html?src=rss

Here are some recently released titles to add to your reading list. This week, we read Near Flesh, a collection of short stories by the late Katherine Dunn, and 30 Days of Night: Falling Sun, the revival of the hit horror series. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/what-to-read-this-weekend-near-flesh-and-the-return-of-30-days-of-night-215141747.html?src=rss

NVIDIA has taken a big step towards strengthening its domestic chip manufacturing, revealing the first Blackwell wafer made in the US. The hardware company assembled the wafer, which is the base material for NVIDIA's AI chips, in TSMC's semiconductor manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona.NVIDIA revealed its Blackwell platform last year, boasting a goal of revolutionizing the AI industry through tech giants like Amazon, Google, OpenAI and others who already committed to adopting the next-gen architecture. NVIDIA said the latest platform was more powerful and translated to 25x less cost and energy consumption compared to its predecessor. Now that Blackwell wafers can be made at the TSMC plant, NVIDIA can better insulate itself from the ever-evolving tariff situation and geopolitical tensions."It's the very first time in recent American history that the single most important chip is being manufactured here in the United States by the most advanced fab, by TSMC, here in the United States," Jensen Huang, NVIDIA's founder and CEO, said at the celebration event.With NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture ready for the volume production stage, the company is still working on expanding its manufacturing footprint across the US. Earlier this year, NVIDIA said it had plans to funnel half a trillion dollars towards building AI infrastructure in the US through partnerships with TSMC, Foxconn and other companies.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/nvidia-shows-off-its-first-blackwell-wafer-manufactured-in-the-us-192836249.html?src=rss

It's been 40 years to the day since the Nintendo Entertainment System made its US debut, and to celebrate, gaming accessory maker 8BitDo has unveiled a line of NES-themed products. The NES40 collection includes a limited edition version of the company's Ultimate 2 controller that comes with an NES Retro Receiver, so it can be used with the classic console. There's also the NES-inspired Retro Cube 2 speaker and Retro 68 Keyboard, the latter of which sports a full aluminum alloy build and an eye-watering $500 price tag. All are available for pre-order now. The Ultimate 2 controller is one of our favorite controllers for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, and the NES40 version comes with all the same features, including TMR joysticks, Hall Effect triggers with mode switching and lots of customization options. But with this one, you also get the NES Retro Receiver (a transparent black version that's exclusive to this drop), four custom joystick caps and a robot keychain that pays homage to Nintendo's R.O.B. toy robot. The controller set costs $80 and will ship November 18. It's compatible with Switch 1, 2 and Windows, as well as the original NES using the receiver accessory. The Retro 68 Keyboard is 8BitDo's first 68-key keyboard, and it's made entirely of aluminum alloy. That includes the shell, keycaps and buttons, according to the company. It uses Kailh Box Ice Cream Pro Max switches. The keyboard features the NES colorway (like its similar, much less expensive Retro Mechanical Keyboard) and comes with programmable wireless dual Super Buttons. 8BitDo says it gets up to 300 usage hours on a charge thanks to its 6500mAh battery. It's compatible with Windows and Android, and is expected to ship in January 2026. The Retro Cube 2 speaker isn't just a cosmetic update to the original Cube Speaker, but brings some improvements in battery life and functionality too. The dual-speaker system has three connection modes - Bluetooth, 2.4G wireless and wired USB - and comes with a charging dock. It has a 2000mAh battery that gets up to 30 hours of use between charges. Like the earlier version, it has D-pad controls for volume, playback and pairing. The $50 speaker ships on December 12. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/8bitdo-drops-an-nes-inspired-collection-for-the-consoles-40th-anniversary-183932844.html?src=rss

To meet its massive energy demand for its AI and cloud services, Amazon is investing in nuclear power as a cleaner option. After signing agreements to help build nuclear energy projects last year, the tech giant revealed plans for an upcoming small modular reactor, or SMR, in Richland, Washington. Amazon is working with Energy Northwest, Washington state's utilities agency, and X-energy, an SMR developer, to build the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility.The SMR has a smaller footprint than traditional nuclear reactors, but will still offer a modular design that can pump out up to 960 megawatts of power. Amazon is planning to help develop four SMRs in the first phase of the Cascade facility that will provide an initial power capacity of 320 megawatts. After that, the facility has the option to expand to 12 units for the maximum energy output. According to Amazon, construction on the project will start sometime before the end of the decade, while operations are expected to start in the 2030s.Amazon isn't the only big tech company to lean into nuclear energy to power its AI operations. In October of last year, Google partnered with a nuclear energy company called Kairos Power to construct seven SMRs across the US. A month later, Meta was also looking to build an AI data center powered by nuclear energy, but reportedly ran into a discovery of a rare bee species that held up plans.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-reveals-what-one-of-the-us-first-modular-nuclear-reactors-will-look-like-180721637.html?src=rss

Texas could have a serious legal battle on its hands thanks to an age verification law for app stores that it recently enacted. In response to the Texas App Store Accountability Act, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) filed a lawsuit that argues the new order goes against First Amendment rights. The not-for-profit trade association has Amazon, Apple and Google amongst its members.The law goes into effect on New Year's Day and requires app store users to verify their age before downloading apps or making in-app purchases. If underage, users have to get parental consent each time they want to download an app or make another in-app purchase. Along with those stipulations, the suit claims that there's an additional burden on developers, who have to "age-rate" their apps for different age groups."This Texas law violates the First Amendment by restricting app stores from offering lawful content, preventing users from seeing that content, and compelling app developers to speak of their offerings in a way pleasing to the state," Stephanie Joyce, senior vice president and chief of staff for the CCIA, said in a press release.Along with CCIA, a student advocacy group called Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) filed a similar lawsuit objecting to Texas' upcoming app store requirements. Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, the firm representing SEAT and the two high school students named in the lawsuit, said the law "violates the First Amendment by imposing sweeping restrictions on access to protected speech and information." The law firm also noted the potential dangers associated with collecting personal information, like government IDs, when it comes to verifying identity.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/texas-hit-with-a-pair-of-lawsuits-for-its-app-store-age-verification-requirements-164940290.html?src=rss

US District Judge Phyllis Hamilton has reduced the damages Meta is getting from the NSO Group from $167 million to $4 million, but she has also ordered the Israeli spyware maker to stop targeting WhatsApp. If you'll recall, Meta sued the NSO Group in 2019 over its Pegasus spyware, which it said was used to spy on 1,400 people from 20 countries, including journalists and human rights activists. Meta said at the time that Pegasus can infect targets' devices even without their participation by sending text messages with malicious codes to WhatsApp. Even a missed call is enough to infect somebody's device.According to Courthouse News Service, Hamilton reduced the damages because they would need to follow a legal framework designed to proportionate damages. However, she has also handed down a permanent injunction on the NSO Group's efforts to break into WhatsApp. In her decision, she took note of statements made by NSO's lawyers and its own CEO revealing that it hasn't stopped collecting WhatsApp messages and trying to get around the messaging app's security measures. The defendants previously said that the injunction Meta was requesting would "put NSO's entire enterprise at risk" and "force NSO out of business," since WhatsApp is one of the Pegasus spyware's main ways to infect targets' devices."Today's ruling bans spyware maker NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp and our global users again," said Will Cathcart, Head of WhatsApp. "We applaud this decision that comes after six years of litigation to hold NSO accountable for targeting members of civil society. It sets an important precedent that there are serious consequences to attacking an American company."Hamilton wrote that the proposed injunction requires the Israeli company to delete and destroy computer code related to Meta's platforms, and that she concluded that the provision is "necessary to prevent future violations, especially given the undetectable nature of defendants' technology." It's not quite clear how Meta will ensure that the NSO Group doesn't use WhatsApp to infect its users' devices again. Notably, the NSO Group was recently acquired by an American investment group that invested tens of millions of dollars into it to take controlling ownership.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/court-reduces-damages-meta-will-get-from-spyware-maker-nso-group-but-bans-it-from-whatsapp-163016648.html?src=rss

Google's Privacy Sandbox is officially dead. In an update on the project's website, Google Vice President Anthony Chavez has announced that the company was sunsetting the remaining technologies developed for Sandbox due to their "low levels of adoption." A spokesperson has confirmed to AdWeek that Google isn't just killing those technologies, it's retiring the whole initiative altogether. "We will be continuing our work to improve privacy across Chrome, Android and the web, but moving away from the Privacy Sandbox branding," the spokesperson said. "We're grateful to everyone who contributed to this initiative, and will continue to collaborate with the industry to develop and advance platform technologies that help support a healthy and thriving web."The company launched Privacy Sandbox in 2019 as a future replacement to third-party cookies. It's a set of open standards that are supposed to enable personalized ads without divulging identifying data. Over the years, Google's plans to deprecate third-party cookies got pushed back again and again due to a series of delays and regulatory hurdles. Specifically, both the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the US Department of Justice looked into the Privacy Sandbox out of concerns that it could harm smaller advertisers.In 2024, Google ultimately decided not to kill third-party cookies in Chrome and instead chose to roll out "a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing." Just this April, Google announced that it wasn't going to make any to changes to how third-party cookies work on the Chrome browser at all, and that it was going to "maintain [its] current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome." At the time, the company said that it was going to keep the Privacy Sandbox initiative alive, but things have clearly changed since then. Chavez wrote in the latest update that Google will "continue to utilize learnings from the retired Privacy Sandbox technologies."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/google-has-killed-privacy-sandbox-130029899.html?src=rss

Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. I've reluctantly paused Ball x Pit for long enough to share some neat new releases and more details on upcoming games - some of which are arriving very soon. We've got a notable update for a classic as well.Steam Next Fest is taking place at the minute, and you still have until Monday to join in by checking out some of the many, many demos that have gone live for the event. Thanks partially (okay, almost entirely) to being unable to escape Ball x Pit, I've only tried a fewm Next Fest demos so far.I'm a fan of Aerial_Knight's Never Yield and after last year's sequel, it's cool to see solo developer Neil Jones (aka Aerial_Knight) trying something totally different. Aerial_Knight's DropShot is a skydiving first-person shooter with finger guns and dragons. It's a single-player game in which the aim is to take out your opponents and reach the ground first. Like Jones' previous games, it's stylish and fast-paced. I'm planning to check out the full game when it arrives down the line.It certainly helps to be a fast, accurate typer when you put words together for a living, but I wasn't quick or precise enough to win any rounds in the Final Sentence demo. This is a battle royale for up to 100 players in which you're at a typewriter and have to bash out sentences (or other strings of letters, numbers and symbols) in a race to the finish. If you run out of time, make too many mistakes or don't win, it's lights out, courtesy of the masked figure with a revolver who's standing in front of you.There are some nice touches here. Having to type out the rules in the first few rounds is a clever idea on the part of developer Button Mash. I haven't won a round myself yet (I finished in second place a couple of times), but watched some streamers play. It's very funny when the winning player flips the bird at the guy holding a revolver in front of them.Final Sentence is coming to Steam later this year. Maybe I'll have learned how to spell "sphinx" by then.There are a few other Next Fest demos I'd like to try this weekend, namely:

SpaceX may be violating international telecommunication standards by allowing its Starshield satellites to transmit to Earth on frequencies it's not supposed to use, NPR reports. Starshield is a classified version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite network offered on contract to government agencies "to support national security efforts," according to the company's website.The report is based on findings from amateur satellite tracker Scott Tilley, who observed what appeared to be Starshield satellites broadcasting on frequencies normally dedicated to "uplink" transmissions from the Earth to satellites in orbit. Using the frequencies that way violates standards set by the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency dedicated to coordinating the use of radio spectrum across the world.Standards around which frequencies are used for uplink and downlink broadcasts to satellites were created to avoid interference, among other technical issues. "Nearby satellites could receive radio-frequency interference and could perhaps not respond properly to commands - or ignore commands - from Earth," Tilley told NPR. It's not clear yet whether SpaceX ignoring these rules is causing any issues with satellite communication, but should problems arise, there's now a possible cause.SpaceX's first major Starshield project was a $70 million contract with US Space Force in 2023. More recently in 2024, there were reports that SpaceX's Starshield division had been tasked with building out a network of spy satellites to gather imagery of Earth for the Department of Defense's National Reconnaissance Office.

A Facebook feature that scans your phone's photo library to make AI collages and edits is now available in North America. Meta tested it earlier this year. It's an opt-in feature, but the company may train its models on your media if you use its AI editing or share the results.From a user experience perspective, the idea is to help you find "hidden gems" in your library and turn them into something shareable. After scanning your photo library (with your permission), it will cough up suggestions. For example, it might recommend a collage based on a vacation, a recap of a graduation party or simply spruce up some photos with AI. For better or worse, it's another step in the direction of automating creativity and skill.Zooming out to Meta's business motives, it's easy to imagine this is a move for more AI training data. The company says it won't train its AI on your camera roll "unless you choose to edit this media with our AI tools, or share." If you find it useful enough to use, your media may help train Meta's AI models.The company says the feature's suggestions are private to you until you choose to share them. Its permissions state, "To create ideas for you, we'll select media from your camera roll and upload it to our cloud on an ongoing basis, based on info like time, location or themes." However, Meta says your media won't be used for ad targeting.Fortunately, it's opt-in, so you can safely ignore this altogether without privacy worries. If you grant it permission, you'll see its suggestions (visible only to you) in Stories and Feed. And should you activate it but change your mind later, you can turn it back off through Facebook's camera roll settings.The feature is available now in the US and Canada. Meta says it will soon begin testing it in other countries.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/facebooks-latest-ai-feature-can-scan-your-phones-camera-roll-200056906.html?src=rss

Amazon's Ring brand is entering into a new partnership with surveillance company Flock Safety to make it possible for law enforcement to request footage from smart doorbell owners. The move is part of a pivot back to collaborating with police, after Ring spent several years distancing itself and its products from law enforcement agencies.As part of the partnership, "public safety agencies" using Flock's Nova platform or FlockOS will be able to use Ring's previously announced "Community Requests" program to receive footage captured by the camera of a Ring customer. Agencies investigating an event that might have been captured on camera will have to provide details like the "specific location and timeframe of the incident, a unique investigation code, and details about what is being investigated" before the request is passed on to relevant users. Throughout the process, the identity of Ring users is kept anonymous, as is whether they agree to share footage. The entire process is also entirely optional.Amazon and Ring's approach to working with law enforcement has varied over the years. While Ring reportedly removed the ability for police to make warrantless video requests in 2024, there were documented cases of the company providing access to law enforcement in years prior. This pivot back towards a more police-friendly stance might have been prompted by Ring founder Jamie Siminoff returning to the Amazon-subsidiary in April 2025. Now Amazon is reportedly pitching its cloud and AI services to law enforcement agencies and Ring is looking to work with Flock and other surveillance companies.That might not bother the average Ring customer who already planned to opt out of sharing, but there's reasons to be concerned that Amazon is budding up with Flock. 404 Media reports the company's surveillance tools have been used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to find and detain people, without a formal contract. Navy and Secret Service employees also reportedly had access to Flock's network. That doesn't implicate Ring in anything, but it does make the connection between the two camera networks feel more fraught.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/rings-latest-partnership-allows-police-to-access-camera-footage-through-flock-194609879.html?src=rss

I've been wearing the $800 Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses daily for ten days and I'm still a bit conflicted. On one hand, I'm still not entirely comfortable with how they look. I've worn them on the bus, at the office, on walks around my neighborhood and during hangouts with friends. Each time, I'm very aware that I probably look a bit strange.On the other hand, there's a lot I really like about using these glasses. The built-in display has helped me look at my phone less throughout the day. The neural band feels more innovative than any wrist-based device I've tried. Together, it feels like a significant milestone for smart glasses overall. But it's also very much a first-generation device with some issues that still need to be worked out.Chunky statement glasses or hideously nerdy?To once again state the obvious: The frames are extremely chunky and too wide for my face. The dark black frames I tried for this review unfortunately accentuate the extra thickness. I won't pretend it's my best look and I did feel a bit self-conscious at times wearing these in public. Meta also makes a light brown "sand" color that I tried at the Connect event, and I think that color is a bit more flattering, even if the frames are just as oversized. (Sidenote: Smart glasses companies, please, please make your frames available in something other than black!)But, everyone has a different face shape, skin tone and general ability to "pull off" what one of my friends charitably described as "chunky statement glasses." What looks not-great on my face, may look good on someone else. I really wish Meta could have squeezed this tech into slightly smaller frames, but I did get more used to the look the more I wore them. Overall, I do think the size is a reasonable tradeoff for a first-generation product that's pretty clearly aimed at early adopters. Here's how they look in the lighter "sand" color. Karissa Bell for Engadget The reason the glasses are so thick compared with Meta's other frames is because there are a lot of extra components to power the display, including a mini projector and waveguide. And, at 69 grams, the display glasses are noticeably heavier. I didn't find it particularly uncomfortable at first, but there is a noticeable pressure after six or seven hours of wear. Plus, the extra weight and width also made them consistently slide down my nose. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable wearing these on a bike ride or a jog as I'd worry about them falling off.While I tested these, I was very interested to get reactions from friends and family. I didn't get many positive comments about how they looked on my face, though a few particularly generous colleagues assured me I was "pulling them off." But seeing people's reactions as soon as the display activated was another matter. Almost everyone has had the same initial reaction: "whoa."Quality display with some limitationsAs I discussed in my initial impressions, these glasses have a monocular display on the right side, so it doesn't offer the kind of immersive AR I experienced with the Orion prototype last year. You have to look slightly up and to the right to focus on the full-color display. It's impressively bright and clear, but doesn't overtake your vision.At 20 degrees, the field of view is small, but it never felt like a limitation. Because the content you see isn't meant to be immersive, it never feels like what's on the display is being cut off or like you have to adjust where you're looking to properly see it. The display itself has three main menus: an app launcher, a kind of home screen where you can access Meta AI and view notifications and a settings page for adjusting brightness, volume and other preferences. The display is in the right lens. Karissa Bell for Engadget For now, there are only a handful of Meta-created "apps" available. You can check your Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger inboxes and chat with Meta AI. There's also a simple maps app for walking navigation, a music/audio player, camera and live translation and captioning features. There's also a mini puzzle game called "Hypertrail."One of my favorite integrations was the ability to check Instagram DMs. Not only can you quickly read and respond to messages, you can watch Reels sent by your friends. While the video quality isn't as high as what you'd see on your phone, there's something very cool about quickly watching a clip without having to pull out your phone. Meta is also working on a standalone Reels experience that I'm very much looking forward to.I also enjoyed being able to view media sent in my family group chats on WhatsApp. I often would end up revisiting the photos on videos once I pulled out my phone, but being able to instantly see these messages as they came in tickled whatever part of my brain responds to instant gratification. There's some impressive tech inside those thick frames. Karissa Bell for Engadget The display also solves one of my biggest complaints with Meta's other smart glasses: that it's really difficult to frame photos. When you open the camera app on the display model, you can see a preview of the photo and even use a gesture to zoom in to properly frame your shot. Similarly, if you're on a WhatsApp video call you can see both the other person's video as well as a small preview of your own like you would on your phone's screen. It's a cool trick but the small display felt too cramped for a proper video call. People I used this with also told me that my video feed had some quality issues despite being on Wi-Fi.The glasses' live captioning and translation features are probably the best examples of Meta bringing its existing AI features into the display. I've written before about how Meta AI's translation abilities are one of my favorite features of the Ray-Ban smart glasses. Live translation on the display is even better, because it delivers a real-time text feed of what the person in front of you is saying. I tried it out with my husband, a native Spanish speaker, and it was even more natural than the non-display glasses because I didn't have to pause and wait for the audio to relay what he was saying. It still wasn't an exactly perfect translation, and there were still a few occasions when it didn't catch everything he said, but it made the process so much simpler overall.Likewise, live captions transcribes conversations in real-time into a similar text feed. I've found that it's a cool way to demo these glasses' capabilities, but I haven't yet found an occasion to use this in anything other than a demo. However, I still think it could be useful as an accessibility aid for anyone who has trouble hearing or processing audio.Another feature that's useful for travel is walking navigation. Dictate an address or location (you can say something like "take me to the closest Starbucks") and the glasses' display will guide you on your route. The first time I tried this was the roughly 10-minute walk from my bus stop to Yahoo's San Francisco office. The route only required two turns, but it didn't quite work. My glasses confidently navigated me to an alleyway behind the office building rather than the entrance. These kinds of mishaps happen with lots of mapping tools - Meta's maps rely on data from OpenStreetMap and Overture - but it was a good reminder that it's still early days for this product.I don't use Meta AI a ton on any of my smart glasses, but having a bit of visual feedback for these interactions was a nice change. I retain information much better from reading than listening, so seeing text-based output to my queries felt a lot more helpful. It's also nice that for longer responses from the assistant, you can stop the audio playback and swipe through informational cards instead. Meta AI on the glasses' display delivers information in a card-like interface. Meta While cooking dinner one night, I asked for a quick recipe for teriyaki salmon and Meta AI supplied what seemed like a passable recipe onto the display. The only drawback was the display goes to sleep pretty quickly unless you continue to interact with the content you're seeing, so the recipe I liked disappeared before I could actually attempt it. (You can view your Meta AI history in the Meta AI app if you really want to revisit something.)My main complaint is that I want to be able to do much more with the display. Messaging app integrations are nice, but I wish the display worked with more of the apps on my phone. When it worked best, I was happy to be able to view and dismiss messaging notifications without having to touch my phone; I just wish it worked with all my phone's notifications.There are also some frustrating limitations on sending and receiving texts. For example, there's no simple way to take a photo on your glasses and text it to a friend with the glasses. You have to wait for the glasses to send a "preview" of your message to your phone and then manually send the text. Or, you can opt in to Meta's cloud services and send the photo immediately as a link, but I'm not sure many of my friends would readily open a "media.meta.com" URL.The glasses also don't really support non-WhatsApp group chats, at least on iOS. You can receive messages sent in group chats, but there's no indication the message originated in a group thread. And, it's impossible to reply in the same thread; instead, replies are sent directly to the person who texted, which can get confusing if you're not checking your phone. It was also a little annoying that reading and even replying to texts from my glasses wouldn't mark the text as read in my phone's inbox. Meta blames all this on Apple's iOS restrictions, and says it's hoping to work with the company to improve the experience.The company tells me that group messaging should work normally for people with Android devices and that there is also a dedicated inbox for checking texts on the glasses. I haven't tested this out yet.The band + battery lifeThe glasses are controlled using Meta's Neural Band, which can translate subtle gestures like finger taps into actions on the display. Because the band relies on electromyography (EMG), you do need a fairly snug fit for it to work properly. I didn't find it uncomfortable, but, like the glasses, I don't love how it looks as a daily accessory. It also requires daily charging if you wear the glasses all day.But the band does work surprisingly well. In more than a week, it almost never missed a gesture, and it never falsely registered a gesture, despite my efforts to confuse it by fidgeting or rubbing my fingers together. The gestures themselves are also pretty intuitive and don't take long to get used to: double tapping your thumb and middle fingers wakes up or puts the display to sleep, single taps of your index and middle fingers allow you to select an item or go back, and swiping your thumb along the side of your index finger lets you navigate around the display. There are a few others, but those are the ones I used most often. The Meta Neural Band requires a snug fit to work properly. Karissa Bell for Engadget Each time you make a gesture, the band emits a small vibration so you get a bit of haptic feedback letting you know it registered. I've used hand tracking-based navigation in various VR, AR and mixed reality devices and I've always felt a bit goofy waving my hands around. But the neural band gestures work when your hand is by your side or in your pocket.The other major drawback of these glasses is that heavy use of the display drains the battery pretty quickly. Meta says the Ray-Ban Display's battery can go about six hours on a single charge, but it really depends on how much you're using the display. With very limited use, l was able to stretch the battery to about seven hours, but if you're doing display-intensive tasks like video calling or live translation, it will die much, much more quickly. The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, charging case and neural band. Karissa Bell for Engadget The glasses do come with a charging case that can deliver a few extra charges on-the-go, but I was a bit surprised at how often I had to recharge the case. With my normal Ray-Ban Meta glasses I can go several days without topping up the charging case, but with the Meta Ray-Ban Display case, I'm charging it at least every other day.Privacy and safetyWhenever I write or post on social media about a pair of Meta-branded glasses, I inevitably hear from people concerned about the privacy implications of these devices. As I wrote in my recent review of Meta's second-gen Ray-Ban glasses, I share a lot of these concerns. Meta has made subtle but meaningful changes to its glasses' privacy policy over the last year, and its track record suggests these devices will inevitably scoop up more of our data over time.In terms of privacy implications of the display-enabled glasses, there isn't a meaningful difference compared to their counterparts. Meta's policies are the same for all its wearables. I suppose you could use live translation to surreptitiously eavesdrop on a conversation you wouldn't typically understand, though that's technically possible with Meta's other glasses too. And the addition of a wrist-based controller means taking photos is a bit less obvious, but there's still an LED indicator that lights up when the camera is on. The neural band allows you to snap photos without touching the capture button or using a voice command. Karissa Bell for Engadget I have been surprised at how many people have asked me if these glasses have some kind of facial recognition abilities. I'm not sure if that's a sign of people's general distrust of Meta, or an assumption based on seeing similar glasses in sci-fi flicks, but I do think it's telling. (They don't, to be clear. Meta currently only uses facial recognition for two safety-related features on Facebook and Instagram.) Meta hasn't done much to earn people's trust when it comes to privacy, and I wish the company would use its growing wearables business to try to prove otherwise.On a more practical level, I have some safety concerns. The display didn't hinder my situational awareness while walking, but I could see how it might for others. And I'm definitely not comfortable using the display while driving. Meta does have an audio-only "driving detection" setting that can automatically kick in when you're traveling in a car, but the feature is optional, which seems potentially problematic.Should you buy these?In short: probably not. As much as I've been genuinely impressed with Meta's display tech, I don't think these glasses make sense for most people right now. And, at $800, the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are more than twice as much as the company's very good second-generation Ray-Ban glasses, which come in a wide range of much more normal-looking frame styles and colors.The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, on the other hand, still look very much like a first-gen product. There are some really compelling use cases for the display, but its functionality is limited. The glasses are also too thick and bulky for what's meant to be an everyday accessory. At the end of the day, most people want glasses that make them look good. There's also the fact that right now, these glasses are somewhat difficult to actually buy. They are only available at a handful of physical retailers, which currently have a very limited supply, Meta is also requiring would-be buyers to schedule demo appointments in order to buy, though some stores - like the LensCrafters where I bought my pair - aren't enforcing this.Still, there's a lot to be excited about. Watching people's reactions to trying these has been almost as much fun as using them myself. Meta also has a solid lineup of new features already in the works, including a standalone Reels app, a teleprompter and gesture-based handwriting for message replies. If you're already all-in on smart glasses or, like me, you've been patiently waiting for glasses with a high quality, usable display, then the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are worth the investment now - as long as you can accept the thick frames.Update, October 17, 2025, 3:42PM PT: Added more information about group text functionality on Android.

The US and Saudi Arabia have managed to derail negotiations regarding a landmark deal to cut global shipping emissions, according to a report by the BBC. The deal had already been approved and would have made shipping the world's first industry to adopt internationally mandated emissions guidelines.Representatives from more than 100 countries had gathered in London to formally approve the so-called global carbon tax, after nearly ten years of negotiations. However, the US government had been pressuring countries to vote "no" on the measure, threatening tariffs if met with noncompliance.The US also threatened other sanctions, including blocking vessels from ports and visa restrictions. President Trump has called it a "global green new scam." The country withdrew from talks back in April, just before the plan was approved.Saudi Arabia instituted a plan to derail negotiations. The country tabled a motion to adjourn talks for a year, at a time when most countries were set to vote on it. That passed by just a handful of votes, with approving votes coming from both the US and Russia.This essentially destroys the plan, despite technically being just a delay, as timelines will have to be renegotiated. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared the outcome a "huge win" for Trump.Even the shipping industry was on-board with the plan, as it offered consistent global standards that don't currently exist. Industries like certainty. Thomas Kazakos, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping, said that the organization is "disappointed that member states have not been able to agree a way forward at this meeting." He also said that the "industry needs clarity to be able to make the investments."

The 10th TwitchCon is underway. The weekend's opening keynote covered new features for streamers and some enforcement changes. As for the latter, Twitch is, in most cases, moving away from blanket bans and toward targeted enforcement. So, a chat violation may not affect an account's ability to stream, or vice versa.Dual-format streaming, which lets you go live in vertical and horizontal views at once, is getting a beta rollout. Twitch tested the feature with a small number of accounts beginning in August. The wider beta kicks off next week.Of course, AI made an appearance at the keynote. First, Auto Clips is a new feature that automates highlight creation for streamers. Twitch also mentioned that Meta's AI glasses will soon support Twitch live-streaming. (We first learned that feature was coming at Meta Connect in September.) An update to the Twitch mobile app will add that support within "the next few months."Streamers will be happy to learn that Twitch is adding ways for them to make money. It plans to increase the number of sponsorship deals on the platform. The company said this was due to growing advertiser enthusiasm for Twitch streamers. Twitch will begin rolling out the new offers to all monetizing streamers (including affiliates) in the coming months.TwitchCon runs through this Sunday in San Diego.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/twitch-rule-breakers-rejoice-targeted-enforcement-will-replace-blanket-bans-183046229.html?src=rss

Blizzard developers working on Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble have formed a new union, the latest in a series of labor wins at the Microsoft-owned studio. The over 100-person unit is represented by the Communication Workers of America (CWA), and counts "software engineers, designers, artists, quality assurance testers and producers" among its members.Inspiration to form the new union came from the successful organizing efforts of Blizzard's World of Warcraft workers last year. The staff behind the classic MMO formed the Warcraft Gamemakers Guild last year, and were followed by similar unions representing developers working on Diablo and Overwatch earlier in 2025. According to the CWA, over 1,900 workers at Blizzard are now represented by the organization.The new union is arriving at a critical time. Blizzard's parent company Microsoft made major cuts across its gaming division this summer, including layoffs that reportedly led to Blizzard winding down development on Warcraft Rumble. Union membership has flourished across Microsoft's studios because of neutrality agreements the company signed with CWA respecting its workers' right to organize at Activision Blizzard in 2022 and ZeniMax in 2024, but the environment is on the brink of possible change.Aftermath reports that the neutrality agreement covering Activision Blizzard workers expires in October 2025, which could make forming future unions more difficult. Microsoft signed its first neutrality agreement to reassure regulators about its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, but now that the deal is done and dusted, the company has less of a reason to play nice.