Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

WhatsApp is taking a new anti-spam feature for a spin. On Friday, TechCrunch reported that the trial limits the number of messages accounts can send without a reply from the recipient. The company is currently experimenting with different limits. But it's aiming for a number that only targets high-volume senders and spammers.All messages from individuals and businesses are said to count toward this cap. That includes multiple unread ones sent to the same recipient. But if the person replies, those messages are removed from the monthly tally. WhatsApp will show a warning to accounts nearing the limit.The company told TechCrunch that average users won't likely reach the limit. It's generally good form for individuals not to keep messaging people who don't reply anyway. So, the test indeed sounds tailor-made for businesses and spammers. The test will roll out in multiple countries over the coming weeks.The trial is the Meta-owned company's latest attempt to fend off its festering spam and scam problem. Last year, it added the ability to unsubscribe from businesses' marketing messages. This August, it began notifying users when someone not in their contacts adds them to a group. Alongside that announcement, WhatsApp said it banned over 6.8 million accounts linked to scam centers in the first half of 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/whatsapp-will-test-a-monthly-cap-on-messages-ignored-by-recipients-164024928.html?src=rss

Atari just revealed the Intellivision Spirit, a modern refresh of the classic Intellivision gaming console from 1980. The new console certainly looks like the original. You can practically smell the cigarette-soaked carpeting from here.Beyond aesthetics, this console includes plenty of newfangled bells and whistles. The controllers are wireless, which is a technology that didn't quite exist in the 1980s, and it connects to TVs via HDMI.It also includes 45 built-in games, reminding me of stuff like the NES Classic and the Atari 2600+. The library includes plenty of sports and strategy titles, because those genres were considered the console's biggest strength way back when. Other games include the puzzler Boulder Dash and a riff on Space Invaders called Space Armada. Each title comes with a unique overlay that gets placed on the gamepad, showing off the controls.This is an interesting bit of tech because Intellivision was once Atari's greatest rival, which was sort of like a proto-version of the classic Nintendo/Sega rivalry. Atari actually bought Intellivision last year, officially putting the decades-long struggle to bed.The Intellivision Spirit costs $150. Preorders are available right now and shipments start going out on December 5. It's good to know that this thing isn't vaporware, like Intellivision's long-gestating Amico console.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/atari-just-announced-the-intellivision-spirit-a-revamp-of-the-iconic-1980s-gaming-console-163210832.html?src=rss

Samsung's 2025 The Frame Pro QLED Mini LED Smart TV is on sale for a record-low price. The 65-inch model that normally retails for $2,200 is on sale for $1,760, which is the lowest we've ever seen it. The 1-inch-thick "art" TV uses Samsung's impressive 4K Neo QLED panel, which is a quantum dot LCD panel with a Mini LED backlight array. The Frame Pro can display lifelike art pieces when the TV isn't in use, while its sleek design means it also looks great when turned off. The Frame Pro comes with Samsung's new Wireless One Connect Box, which is supposed to help with cable management by putting the TV's inputs in a separate box that then wirelessly transmits the feed from your external device to the TV. It does require its own power supply, though, so that's one more plug needed if you are connecting a console or a streaming device. The TV also carries the NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor, which imbues the Frame Pro with AI-enhanced picture and sound. This model also comes with Samsung Vision AI, which works to upscale the image on screen, create personalized experiences and more. This 2025 model was just made available to order earlier this year, and the current sale price is surprisingly lower than it was during last week's Prime Day event, proving sometimes good things come to those who wait.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsungs-2025-frame-pro-qled-tv-is-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-155913911.html?src=rss

Newegg is selling three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $52, which is a fantastic deal. The list price is $60, but drops down to $52 by entering the code SSE2589 at checkout. The sale ends soon, so don't dilly-dally. This is a discount of $38, thanks to Microsoft mandating a price hike that brought a single month of Game Pass Ultimate up to $30. That controversial move has irked fans of the subscription service. In other words, make sure to cancel at the end of the three months to avoid getting slammed in the bank account. Despite the absolutely bonkers move to raise the price by 50 percent in one fell swoop, Game Pass Ultimate is still a fantastic service with over 400 games to choose from. It's home to plenty of standout titles, including recent hits like Clair Obscur Expedition 33 and the indie darling that's currently wrecking productivity across the world, Ball x Pit. The platform recently integrated with Ubisoft+, which offers access to dozens more games in franchises like Far Cry and Assassin's Creed. A subscription also signs up users with Fortnite Crew, which gives access to the game's battle pass, 1,000 V-Bucks each month and other perks. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-three-months-of-xbox-game-pass-ultimate-for-only-52-right-now-152331537.html?src=rss

Bose took a different approach with its new products in 2025. Instead of entirely redesigning its QuietComfort Ultra lineup, the company unveiled upgraded second-generation models of the flagship-level earbuds and headphones. Like the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds that debuted earlier this year, the new Quiet Comfort Ultra headphones ($449) don't offer a comprehensive overhaul. However, the changes provide enough performance improvements to further cement these as the best noise-canceling headphones that you can buy right now. Trust me, we're much better off with this revamped version than we would be with a year (or longer) wait for something brand new with the 2023 model. What's new on the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones? Bose debuted a few new features on the second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds in August that it carried over to these new headphones. First, the company improved its already stellar active noise cancelation (ANC) with tweaks to its ActiveSense technology. Specifically, the system can respond to sudden spikes in environmental noise by adapting more precisely. It's not something you'll notice all the time, but when you need it, you'll be glad it's there. Otherwise, the excellent ANC performance here is just as effective as it was on the previous model. More on that in a bit. The immersive Cinema Mode that Bose added to the QC Ultra Earbuds is also available on these headphones. It's a sound profile that enhances dialogue clarity while keeping the rest of the soundstage as wide and enveloping as possible. I like it best for movies and TV, as the name suggests, but per Bose's suggestion I also tried it with podcasts and audiobooks. Cinema Mode is probably overkill for those types of content, unless you're listening to shows or titles with lots of background effects. One of the biggest changes on the second-gen QC Ultra Headphones is how Bose decided to handle power management. Most importantly, the company extended battery life in all use cases. With ANC on (and Immersive Audio off), you'll get up to 30 hours of listening time. Turn off ANC and that jumps to 45 hours. When you decide to enable both ANC and Bose's spatial Immersive Audio, you can expect up to 23 hours on a charge. Compared to those on the first-generation model, all of these numbers are up by at least five hours, which is a significant boost. These headphones rotate flat and fold in for compact transport. Billy Steele for Engadget Like the previous QC Ultra Headphones, this model has an automatic disconnection feature after 10 minutes of standby . But the company went a step further on this version by adding a low-power mode that the headphones enter after 30 minutes of idle time. And if you want to disconnect them quickly, you can rotate the earcups and lay them on a flat surface. That'll make them go into a deeper standby mode that Bose says can run for months." All of this means you can effectively turn the new QuietComfort Ultra Headphones on and off by putting them on and taking them off. If you're using them regularly, you'll never have to press the power button. Sound-wise, the big upgrade on these headphones is the addition of lossless audio over USB-C. Like the AirPods Max, this model can be connected with a cable to your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop to stream or play higher-quality tunes from compatible services or your library. Bose says you can expect 16-bit 44.1kHz or 48kHz audio depending on your source. It's yet another nice-to-have feature that's becoming standard fare on premium wireless headphones. What else is good about the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones? Like most Bose over-ear headphones, the second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are supremely comfortable. Even for long periods of time, they never become a burden, and that's thanks in large part to the soft, pillowy ear pads. I could easily wear these for an entire trans-Atlantic flight with minimal discomfort and I've been wearing them for entire workdays at home. As I already mentioned, the ANC performance here is still top-tier. In fact, these QC Ultra Headphones will soon replace the first-gen model on our best noise-canceling headphones list. Both the Immersion (ANC + spatial audio) and Quiet (just ANC) modes provide robust noise blocking that surpasses those by Sony, Sennheiser and others. If you're making your buying decision based solely on ANC performance, this is the best option. You'll enjoy relief from constant ambient noise sources like fans and sound machines, plus the QC Ultra Headphones do a respectable job with human voices. Heck, I couldn't even hear my dog barking at the imminent threat from falling leaves outside. Lastly, Bose's take on spatial audio is still quite good. The company calls it Immersive Audio and the feature doesn't rely on specialized content like other headphones. Music sounds obviously fuller and slightly louder when the sound profile is active thanks to Bose's method for upscaling stereo content. There's also enhanced vocal clarity and elements like percussion and synths are less compressed than usual. The headphones lend a particularly airy feel to the tracks of Ruston Kelly's Pale, Through the Window, an acoustic-driven collection of soulful, country-tinged tunes. His vocals float atop enveloping acoustic guitars and tight, punchy drums. What's not so good about the QC Ultra Headphones? The Bose app gives you access to controls and customization. Billy Steele for Engadget The biggest issue with the second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Headphones is the price. To be clear, the likes of Sony, Apple and others charge around the same amount for their top-of-the-line models, but $449 is still a significant investment. If that's too steep for you, Bose has the highly capable QuietComfort Headphones in its arsenal for a slightly more palatable $359. My other gripe is that the only real design change Bose made for the updated QC Ultra Headphones is that the metal headband yokes now have a gloss finish. Depending on your personal preference, this might be a dealbreaker for you. It's least noticeable on the black and violet colorways, since these have a tone-on-tone look. After a few weeks with the bronze and tan Driftwood Sand hue, I'm not a fan of the more stylized aesthetic. It's flashy, for sure, but it's a tweak I could've done without. Wrap-up 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. But what you do get here is a decent improvement over its predecessor. The company devised an intuitive setup for power management and even addressed one of my main gripes with the original by adding support for lossless audio over USB-C. Plus, the extended battery life is significant in all sound modes, and not just by an hour or two here or there. To top it all off, the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones remain the best option for pure noise-blocking ability, and that's not likely to change any time soon.

Apple has secured an exclusive deal for the US broadcast rights to Formula 1 racing. Under the terms of a five-year pact with F1 parent company Liberty Media, Apple TV will air every F1 race starting in 2026.The company says subscribers to the newly rebranded Apple TV will be able to watch every Grand Prix, along with each practice, qualifying and sprint session. Non-subscribers will be able to watch "select races" for free in the Apple TV app. You won't have to pony up to watch practice sessions.Through the Apple Sports app, F1 fans can get live updates on qualifying and sprint sessions as well as Grands Prix. Expect real-time leaderboards (including for the driver and constructor championships), along with an iPhone home screen widget and Live Activities on the lock screen.Apple will bring F1-related features to its News, Music, Maps and Fitness+ apps as well. The company will reveal more about "production details, product enhancements and all the ways fans will be able to enjoy F1 content across Apple products and services" in the lead up to the 2026 season, which starts with the Australian Grand Prix in March.Formula 1 has its own dedicated streaming service and that's not going away entirely in the US, but F1 TV Premium will be exclusively available through Apple TV. In fact, F1 TV Premium (which currently costs $130 per year) will be a free perk for Apple TV subscribers in the US. You'll just need to link your F1 TV account to an Apple Account that has an active Apple TV subscription.F1 TV Premium includes access to features like multiview, driver cams and team radio chatter, along with live telemetry and tire usage data. Live F2, F3, F1 Academy and Porsche Supercup coverage is included too.The F1 deal will diversify Apple's sports offerings. The company already has a long-term pact with MLS for exclusive rights to air games from North America's top soccer league. However, the future of baseball on Apple TV is murky, with reports suggesting that Apple is set to cut ties with MLB.It was rumored in July that Apple might be looking to add the driving event to its sports programming. The company allegedly bid between $120 million and $150 million a year for access to F1, which lapped the $90 million a year offered by ESPN, which previously had the US rights. The company may also be looking to capitalize on the success of its F1 the Movie project, which Engadget's Devindra Hardawar found to be an excellent racing film, a flashy summer blockbuster and an ostentatious commercial for Apple in his review.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apple-is-the-new-home-for-f1-racing-in-the-us-starting-in-2026-133619412.html?src=rss

Wikimedia is sounding the alarm on the impact AI is having on reliable knowledge and information on the internet. In a blog post, Wikimedia's senior director of product, Marshall Miller, lays out the impact on page views that the foundation attributes to the rise of LLM chatbots and AI-generated summaries in search results."We believe that these declines reflect the impact of generative AI and social media on how people seek information, especially with search engines providing answers directly to searchers, often based on Wikipedia content," said Miller.The foundation has increasingly faced AI bot crawlers whose sophistication has made it difficult to parse human traffic from bots. After improving bot detection to yield more accurate metrics, Wikipedia's data shows an 8 percent drop in page views year over year.Miller paints a picture of an existential risk greater than that of a website's page views. He posits that if Wikipedia's traffic continues to decline, it could threaten what he calls "the only site of its scale with standards of verifiability, neutrality and transparency powering information all over the internet." He warns that fewer visits to Wikipedia would lead to fewer volunteers, less funding and ultimately less reliable content.The solution he offers is for LLMs and search results to be more intentional in giving users the opportunity to interact directly with the source for the information being presented. "For people to trust information shared on the internet, platforms should make it clear where the information is sourced from and elevate opportunities to visit and participate in those sources," Miller writes.Earlier this summer, Wikipedia floated the idea of AI-generated summaries that would appear at the top of articles. The project was ultimately dropped before it began after fierce backlash from the site's volunteer editors.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/wikimedia-says-ai-bots-and-summaries-are-hurting-wikipedias-traffic-134331033.html?src=rss

AT&T has been sending out emails to its home internet subscribers, notifying them that their plans will cost $5 more a month starting on December 1. The company has confirmed the price hike to The Verge, who noted that it already raised its prices by $5 a month in November 2024 and that it's raising prices again despite earning $4.9 billion in profit last quarter. AT&T wrote in its email that it's charging $5 more for its its home internet plans "[t]o ensure [it continues] providing the quality service and support [customers] deserve.""As we work to meet the evolving needs of our business and manage increasing operational costs, we're adjusting our internet plan rates to help maintain the high-quality service our customers expect," AT&T spokesperson Jim Kimberly told The Verge. The company is providing customers the chance to offset the additional charges, however, by giving them a $10 monthly discount if they enroll an eligible bank account in Autopay and Paperless Billing if they haven't yet. If they enroll a debit card, they will get a discount of $5 a month.It's not quite clear how long the discounts will last. And for customers who've enabled Autopay in the past, well, tough luck. The price hike will not apply to new customers who've only signed up over the past year, though, and those under AT&T's Access program for qualifying low-income households.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/atts-home-internet-is-getting-a-5-price-hike-130010486.html?src=rss

Nintendo has asked suppliers to build 25 million Switch 2 console by the end of March 2026, Bloomberg reported. According to people familiar with the matter, the company has requested the boost because it believes the console will continue its torrid sales pace through the holiday season. Nintendo could easily exceed its own forecast of 15 million Switch 2 units sold within its first fiscal year (ending March 30, 2026) and beat first year sales of the original Switch, which was the fastest selling console of all time. If sales pan out as it expects, Nintendo could sell around 20 million Switch 2 units this fiscal year, according to the report. The 25 million production goal would allow it to satisfy sales demand and have enough in inventory to start the next fiscal year. The original Switch sold 17.79 million units in its first 13 months, so the Switch 2 could exceed that over a considerably shorter time frame. As a reminder, Switch 2 pre-orders started in April 2025 and the global release was on June 5, so it only started shipping four and a half months ago. Despite fears over tariffs, Switch 2 sales in the US are way ahead of the original Switch at the same time frame, according to market researcher Circana. During its last earnings report, the company said it had also sold 8.67 million Switch 2 games along with 24.4 million games designed for the original Switch, thanks in part to the new console's backward compatibility. Game sales should get a further boost with the launch of Pokemon Legends: Z-Acoming later this month. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-reportedly-wants-to-build-25-million-switch-2s-by-march-2026-120006050.html?src=rss

OpenAI has paused video generations of Martin Luther King Jr. on Sora at the request of King Inc., the estate that manages his legacy. The company said in an announcement on X that it worked with the estate to address how his "likeness is represented in Sora generations" after people used the app to create disrespectful depictions of the American civil rights leader. It's not quite clear if OpenAI intends to restore Sora's ability to generate videos with MLK in the future, but it's wording implies it does and that it has only suspended the capability as it "strengthens guardrails for historical figures."After OpenAI launched the Sora app, users generated videos with likenesses of dead public figures, including Michael Jackson, Robin Williams and MLK. Williams' daughter, Zelda Williams, had to beg people to stop sending her AI videos of her father. "To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that's enough', just so other people can churn out horrible TikTok slop puppeteering them is maddening," she wrote on Instagram. MLK's daughter, Bernice A. King, wrote on Threads that she agreed and also asked people to stop sending her videos of her father.According to a report by The Washington Post, the Sora-made videos that were posted online included King making monkey noises while he was giving his "I Have a Dream" speech. Another video showed King wrestling with Malcolm X, whose daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, questioned why AI developers weren't acting "with the same morality, conscience, and care... that they'd want for their own families" in a statement made to The Post.OpenAI said that while there are "strong free speech interests in depicting historical figures," it believes "public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used." It also said that the estate owners of other historical figures and their representatives can ask the company for their likenesses not to be used in Sora videos, as well.

This week, Apple announced fall hardware updates across multiple devices - pretty much every major category, besides iPhones and AirPods. Don't get too excited: It's not a redesign reveal, but we're expecting a tangible performance jump for both the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro.With the new M5 chip (no Pro or Max versions so far), Apple used the same 3-nanometer fabrication process for the M5 as it did for the M4. The new chip has 10 GPU cores and 10 CPU cores, along with a 16-core Neural Engine. Apple claims the M5 has the world's fastest CPU core" with up to 20 percent faster multithreaded performance compared to the M4 chip of the previous MacBook Pro. Graphics performance also gets a significant boost too. The M5 MacBook Pro ($1,599), otherwise, has identical specs to its M4 predecessor, right down to the same dimensions, weight and 70-watt power adapter.Meanwhile, inside the iPad Pro, Apple claims it has more than four times the peak GPU compute performance of the M4. If you're looking to use the new iPad Pro for video tasks, Apple says that video transcoding is six times faster than the old M1 iPad Pro from 2021. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch model.And it seems to have a lot of M5 chips to use: The Vision Pro gets one and a seemingly more comfortable Dual Knit Band. The M5 Vision Pro should last half an hour longer than the original model, as well, according to Apple.- Mat SmithGet Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The news you might have missed

As expected, CNN has unveiled its new All Access subscription streaming service that will cost $6.99 per month or $69.99 annually. The new tier will include a "selection" of CNN's live programming along with originals and more - but it doesn't appear to offer a live CNN feed."No one covers the world like CNN," said VP of digital products Alex MacCallum. "This is an essential step in CNN's evolution, providing a comprehensive experience that meets how audiences consume news today."Along with the selection of live programming, the All Access tier will open up 1,000 hours of programming from CNN's Originals library, access to the latest CNN Original Series and CNN Films a day after they air on TV, video-on-demand programming, special features, exclusive live events and all CNN.com articles and subscriber-only content.CNN recently announced that its CNN Max 24/7 live news stream would removed from HBO Max in the United States due to the planned launch of the All Access product. It has now rebranded its existing $3.99 digital subscription as the Basic tier, which provides unlimited access to CNN.com articles and select subscriber features while excluding video content.CNN likely doesn't include the live feed in order not to upset cable TV providers, but the lack of that may deter some users from purchasing the $6.99 subscription. CNN+ was $5.99 per month and didn't include CNN live either, though it also lacked the digital content available on All Access. It was pulled just 32 days after it launched.CNN All Access launches on October 28. If you're interested, you'll pay just $41.99 for the first year provided you sign up before January 5th, 2026. The service will be free for existing pay TV subscribers, CNN said, but those users won't get the digital content (CNN.com articles and interactive features) available to All Access subscribers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/cnns-new-all-access-streaming-service-still-doesnt-seem-to-include-cnn-110013821.html?src=rss

Meta is working on new supervision controls that will allow parents to cut off their teens' access to AI chatbots on its platforms completely. While the tools can remove teens' ability to engage AI characters on one-on-one chats, they'll still be able to access the general Meta AI chatbot. If parents don't want to block their teens from being able to access AI bots altogether, they can also just block specific AI characters. In addition, parents will be able to get insights into the topics their children are discussing with Meta's AI bots. The company is currently building these controls and will start rolling them out on Instagram early next year in English in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Take note that the images above are just illustrations, and the tools' interfaces could still change.The company has been under fire since an internal Meta document was leaked a few months ago, showing that it allowed its chatbots to have "sensual" conversations with children. In one example, a Meta chatbot told a shirtless eight-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece - a treasure I cherish deeply." The US Attorneys General of 44 jurisdictions urged companies to protect children "from exploitation by predatory artificial intelligence products" after that information came out. The Senate Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, chaired by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), will investigate the company, as well.Shortly after the internal documents leaked, Meta started retraining its AI and added new protections to prevent younger users from accessing user-made AI characters that might engage in inappropriate conversations. It also introduced age-appropriate protections so that its AIs will give teens responses guided by PG-13 movie ratings. Plus, it now only allows teens to interact with a limited group of AI characters, focused on age-appropriate topics.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-is-adding-ai-chatbot-focused-parental-controls-to-instagram-100027229.html?src=rss

We've seen artificial intelligence give some pretty bizarre responses to queries as chatbots become more common. Today, Reddit Answers is in the spotlight after a moderator flagged the AI tool for providing dangerous medical advice that they were unable to disable or hide from view.The mod saw Reddit Answers suggest that people experiencing chronic pain stop taking their current prescriptions and take high-dose kratom, which is an unregulated substance that is illegal in some states. The user said they then asked Reddit Answers about other medical questions. They received potentially dangerous advice for treating neo-natal fever alongside some accurate actions as well as suggestions that heroin could be used for chronic pain relief. Several other mods, particularly from health-focused subreddits, replied to the original post adding their concerns that they have no way to turn off or flag a problem when Reddit Answers has provided inaccurate or dangerous information in their communities.A representative from Reddit told 404 Media that Reddit Answers had been updated to address some of the mods' concerns. "This update ensures that Related Answers' to sensitive topics, which may have been previously visible on the post detail page (also known as the conversation page), will no longer be displayed," the spokesperson told the publication. "This change has been implemented to enhance user experience and maintain appropriate content visibility within the platform." We've reached out to Reddit for additional comment about what topics are being excluded but have not received a reply at this time.While the rep told 404 Media that Reddit Answers "excludes content from private, quarantined and NSFW communities, as well as some mature topics," the AI tool clearly doesn't seem equipped to properly deliver medical information, much less to handle the snark, sarcasm or potential bad advice that may be given by other Redditors. Aside from the latest move to not appear on sensitive topics," it doesn't seem like Reddit plans to provide any tools to control how or when AI is being shown in subreddits, which could make the already-challenging task of moderation nearly impossible.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/moderators-call-for-ai-controls-after-reddit-answers-suggests-heroin-for-pain-relief-230749515.html?src=rss

Waymo has announced a new partnership with DoorDash that will make the company's self-driving cars a delivery option for users in Phoenix, Arizona. You can already hail a ride in Waymo's Arizona service area, but this new partnership will give the company's cars something to do when they're not transporting human cargo.To start, Waymo says that deliveries will be limited to things you can order through DashMart, DoorDash's storefront for convenience and grocery stores. Eventually, though, deliveries will "include more local Phoenix merchants and a wider variety of offerings."

The Crew 2 was updated today to include Hybrid Mode, adding an offline mode to the driving game. Online and offline modes are separate saves, so if you snag a sweet ride while playing offline, it won't be available the next time you join an online session. Players will have the option to re-export their online save to the offline one, but it will overwrite and erase all offline-only progress. Multiplayer content, user-generated content, LIVE Summits and Crew Credits purchases will not be available in the offline mode.It's a bare-bones option, but the addition of offline mode is a welcome move from Ubisoft. The company's decision to delete The Crew from players' libraries after servers for the online game shut down sparked some big debates about ownership and preservation. One of the notable voices emerging from that conversation was the Stop Killing Games movement, which is pushing for EU legislation to ensure access to games even after their devs stop supporting a project.Having a way to continue accessing The Crew 2 even if (or more likely when) the game loses online support was something the developer had promised, so it's nice to have Ubisoft follow through. "Whether you're looking to preserve your progression for the future or simply enjoy the freedom of playing without a connection, Hybrid Mode ensures The Crew 2 remains accessible for years to come," the company said in the blog post.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-crew-2-is-now-playable-offline-211629508.html?src=rss

Apple insiders are pointing to a tactile new future for the company's laptops. Last month, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that Apple would incorporate touchscreens into MacBooks some time in the next few years, "further blurring the line with the iPad." Today, Mark Gurman at Bloomberg confirmed that prediction, sharing even more specifics about the touchscreen approach for a MacBook Pro that is currently projected for release in late 2026 or early 2027.Gurman reports that the touchscreen laptops are internally known as K114 and K116, and will run on M6 chips; Apple just introduced the M5 generation of its silicon for this year's iteration of the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro. His sources also say that the laptops will have OLED screens and will boast "a reinforced hinge and screen hardware" so that the display portion doesn't move when being used. The laptops will still have a trackpad and keyboard for non-touchscreen control, and will be housed in "thinner and lighter frames." Finally, this laptop will reportedly abandon the notch housing for the MacBook Pro's camera in favor of a hole-punch design that leaves a display area around that sensor.Longtime Apple leader Steve Jobs was adamantly opposed to touchscreen computers. But most other computer companies have had touchscreen models available for about a decade, so Apple did adhere to that philosophy for a really long time. Rather than bring touch to a laptop, for a while Apple was trying to position the iPad as being capable of doing all the tasks you'd use a laptop for, as epitomized in the notorious "what's a computer?" ad. It should be interesting to see how touch MacBooks and iPads will coexist.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apples-m6-macbook-pro-generation-will-reportedly-offer-touchscreens-203029809.html?src=rss

Meta is shutting down its Messenger app for macOS and Windows and pushing users to the web. Meta confirmed over email to Engadget that the app will be fully shutdown on December 15, after which the easiest ways to access Messenger chats when you're not on your phone will be the Facebook app on Windows, or the Facebook and Messenger websites.The company hasn't provided an explanation for why it's abandoning its desktop Messenger apps, but Meta's support article does say that users will receive a notification informing them of the shutdown, and will be blocked from accessing the app after December 15.In order for your chats to be saved going forward, the company says you'll have to turn on secure storage and add a pin code to your account. To make sure your chats will be archived:

One of Google's Gemini-powered photo features is MIA in Texas and Illinois. The company confirmed to Engadget that Ask Photos is currently unavailable in the two states. It didn't say why. Google Photos' Conversational Editing is reportedly missing in those states, too."The ability to ask Photos to edit your images is not available to users in Texas and Illinois at this time," Google's statement to Engadget reads. "We are working to determine how to make Ask Photos available to more users."As for why that is, we don't have confirmation. But the Houston Chronicle, which first reported the news, pointed to a pair of lawsuit settlements as a likely culprit. In 2022, Google settled an Illinois class action suit over Google Photos data privacy concerns for $200 million. Earlier this year, it settled one with Texas for $1.4 billion over collecting user data without permission.The common theme in both settlements was biometric data collection. Lo and behold, both of the missing AI features require "face grouping" to be turned on. That Google Photos feature uses automated facial recognition to cluster pictures of the same person.The tricky part comes when state laws require informed consent for data collection. 9to5Google notes that only the photographer - and not the many subjects of their pictures - have typically agreed to Google's terms and conditions. That creates a head-spinning legal conundrum that could have easily led Google to play it safe.Ask Google Photos lets you type or speak queries about your picture library. For example, you could say, "What are all the cities I visited last year?" or "Show me the best photo from each national park I've visited." Meanwhile, Conversational Editing lets you tweak images using natural language. It launched with the Pixel 10 series in August and expanded to other Android phones in September.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-ask-photos-feature-isnt-available-in-texas-and-illinois-200536477.html?src=rss

Tesla has added another brazenly stupid new entry to its dubious safety record. The latest update to Tesla's Full Self-Driving System adds a mode called Mad Max, "which comes with higher speeds and more frequent lane changes" than the system's Hurry mode. This feature isn't new; it was part of the Autopilot mode in 2018 that pre-dated FSD. According to Electrek, the re-introduction of Mad Max mode is going exactly as well as you'd expect: "It hasn't been out for 24 hours, and it has already been spotted rolling stop signs and driving more than 15 mph (24 km/h) over the speed limit."Everything about this is a comically bad idea, or it would be comic if it wasn't so downright dangerous. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration just opened an investigation into the company's FSD system last week after receiving more than 50 reports of traffic safety violations in addition to numerous crashes. And this is just the most recent time the regulator has put FSD in its crosshairs. Choosing this moment to reintroduce an automated driving mode based on a post-apocalyptic wasteland where life is meaningless is a level of arrogance that does feel on brand for Tesla.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-reintroduces-mad-max-full-self-driving-mode-that-breaks-speed-limits-190659583.html?src=rss

OnePlus has finally shown off its take on Android 16. OxygenOS 16, first shipping on the upcoming OnePlus 15, combines the new customization options of Android, with smoother animations and a take on AI that seems directly liftedfrom Nothing OS.The centerpiece of OxygenOS 16 is a deeper integration between OnePlus' "Mind Space" app and Google Gemini. Mind Space debuted alongside the Plus Key - the replacement for OnePlus' classic Alert Slider - on some OnePlus 13 phones earlier this year. Like Nothing's Essential Space, it captures screenshots and voice memos and automatically sorts them into folders you can refer to later. The big innovation of OxygenOS 16 is that you can now ask Gemini to refer to content in Mind Space to personalize responses. The idea being that the added context will make the AI assistant's responses more helpful.New features being introduced with OxygenOS 16.OnePlusOnePlus is also hopping on the AI writing and photo editing bandwagon. AI Writer in OxygenOS 16 can convert text into mind maps and tables with a few taps, and also generate social media captions based on a photo. The usual options for proofreading and summarizing text are also built-in. For photos, OnePlus is adding what it calls AI Portrait Glow to make faces visible even in poor lighting conditions and AI Perfect Shot, which appears to combine multiple photos to generate a single image where everyone's eyes are open, like Google's Best Take feature.Beyond those AI-enabled features, OnePlus says it's also improving customization options and animations across OxygenOS. With OxygenOS 16 you'll be able to customize your lock screen with a variety different fonts and layouts, including the option to convert a still image into an animated GIF or use a video lock screen. On your home screen, OxygenOS 16 is also getting a collection of new widgets and the ability to scale app icons - another idea present in Nothing OS. Opening and moving between apps should also feel smoother thanks to new, speedier animations and an update to how the OS loads content. Essentially, with Parallel Processing 2.0, OxygenOS 16 "allows new animations to begin before previous actions complete," which is supposed to make everything feel more fluid.Those are just the highlights of OxygenOS 16, which also includes an expansion of the tablet multitasking system OnePlus uses on its OnePlus Pad tablets, and new connectivity options that let you mirror your phone screen to macOS or Windows computers.OxygenOS 16 will be released alongside the OnePlus 15, which doesn't have a release date, but is expected to launch this fall. The new OS update will also be available on recent OnePlus devices starting in November 2025, like the OnePlus 13, OnePlus Pad 3 and OnePlus Open. A full list of compatible devices is available on OnePlus' website.

EA has had quite the month, and the numbers tell its story. A few weeks ago, the company confirmed an agreement to go private in a $55 billion sale. And now we know that Battlefield 6 sold over 7 million copies in its first three days. The game also had over 172 million online matches played during the holiday weekend. On top of that, it logged 15 million hours watched on streaming services.Battlefield 6's sales numbers make it the biggest opening yet for the franchise. By comparison, 2021's Battlefield 2042 reportedly sold a relatively paltry 4.2 million copies in its first week.The quotes in EA's blog post read like awards ceremony acceptance speeches. "First and foremost, we want to thank our players," franchise General Manager Byron Beede said. "We never take moments like this for granted, so I want to express our sincere gratitude to our global Battlefield Studios and passionate community that has helped get us to this point," Executive VP Vince Zampella added.The game's launch came weeks after the company's announcement that it will go private. The gaming giant will be owned by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. On Wednesday, unionized EA staffers spoke out against the acquisition, warning that "every time private equity or billionaire investors take a studio private, workers lose visibility, transparency and power."Battlefield 6 launched on October 10. It's available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Its Season 1 content is just around the corner, arriving on October 28.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/battlefield-6-sold-over-7-million-copies-in-three-days-181826351.html?src=rss

Snap is continuing to lay the groundwork for its first consumer-ready AR glasses called Specs. While the company has still revealed few details about the device set to launch next year, it used its Lens Fest event to preview new features and apps that will work on the new hardware.At the event dedicated to AR developers and creators, Snap said it would enable Specs users to buy items directly from their glasses. Snap CTO Bobby Murphy said that new software tools called Commerce Kit would allow "select developers to accept payments directly inside lenses," either for "digital goods" or as upgrades to unlock "premium features."Snap already allows lens creators to make money off AR effects via its Lens Creator rewards program, but offering in-lens commerce could allow the company to monetize its AR platform in a new way. "This is the start of developer monetization for lenses on Specs, and we plan to continue to find ways you can build sustainable businesses on our platform," Murphy said.Whether this could turn into a meaningful business for Snap is less clear. The company has so far released two versions of its standalone AR glasses, but those devices have been aimed at Snap developers not users. That's set to change next year with its next version of glasses. CEO Evan Spiegel has promised the new glasses will be "lightweight" compared with the current bulky and awkward-looking frames, but has said little else about the design.When Specs do launch, we know there will be a solid lineup of AR features available. Snap has already released a standalone experience for watching Spotlight videos and a more powerful web browser. There's also a new translation lens that can translate and transcribe audio in real-time.There are more AR integrations in the works, according to Snap. Tripadvisor is working on an AR lens that will overlay "trusted insights" into your field-of-view as you encounter restaurants, shops and other establishments in the real world. Design platform Figma is also working on a lens, though Snap didn't share details about how these will work.The updates are a reminder of how ambitious Snap's vision for AR glasses is. The company has been nurturing an ecosystem of AR creators and developers for years; it's now getting ready to carry that work over to its nascent glasses platform. "We see Specs powering everything from classrooms to design studios, creating opportunities and work for developers in entirely new categories," Murphy said.Jim Lanzone, the CEO of Engadget's parent company Yahoo, joined the board of directors at Snap on September 12, 2024. No one outside of Engadget's editorial team has any say in our coverage of the company.

What's in a name? Apparently quite a bit, according to Amazon. The company recently announced yet another change to its Fire TV devices lineup, which just means they renamed a few things yet again. The family now includes the $35 Fire TV Stick HD, the $40 Fire TV Stick 4K Select, the $50 Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, the $60 Fire TV Stick 4K Max and the $140 Fire TV Cube.That was a pain to type out and probably a pain to read (my apologies). Two of those devices were rebranded" previously within the past year, so if you're confused, you're likely not alone. What's a humble shopper to do when you're trying to decide which is the best (and budget-friendly) option to upgrade an old TV so you can binge-watch Hunting Wives and ask Alexa about tomorrow's weather forecast?I'll make your decision quite easy: just get the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Really, if you're looking for the best streaming device, period, we recommend turning to Google for that. But if you've decided Amazon's Fire TV lineup is where you want to spend your money, the 4K Max is the best option of the bunch. Not only has it stuck around without being subject to a rebrand" for quite some time, but it also has arguably the best balance of features and price of any Fire TV streaming device.The Fire TV Stick 4K Max gives you 4K streaming capabilities with Dolby Vision and all the HDRs that matter, Dolby Atmos audio and support for Amazon Luna and Xbox Game Pass. (It has some decent retro gaming chops, too, as our Jeff Dunn has previously explained.) Aside from the lack of an onboard Ethernet port present on the Fire TV Cube, the 4K Max has the same Wi-Fi 6E support as the more expensive Cube, plus the same 16GB of storage and 2GB of memory.When compared to the other dongles in the Fire TV lineup, things get even more perplexing. The $60 4K Max and the $50 4K Plus are essentially the same stick, but the latter has less storage, only Wi-Fi 6 capabilities (not 6E), a standard Alexa Voice remote and no support for the Fire TV ambient experience, which turns your TV into an Alexa smart display when you're not actively watching anything. Step down further once more to the $40 4K Select and you miss out on Dolby Vision and extra memory, and you'll have to settle for Wi-Fi 5.If you're going to make all those compromises to save a few dollars, then you should just get the entry-level $35 Fire TV Stick HD. The biggest thing here is that it only supports 1080p streaming, but that will be ok for some people. We consider it to be the best budget streaming device on the market right now, and for folks just looking to make a cheap, basic upgrade to an aging set - go off and know your $35 was well spent (or, pro tip: wait for a sale and pick one up for less than $20).The case for the $140 Fire TV Cube isn't a strong one, but it's one that I'll admit might be attractive to some users. It adds into the mix an Ethernet port, hands-free Alexa controls (meaning you don't have to press a button on its remote to activate the virtual assistant, you can just talk to it) and it can control your other entertainment devices like a cable box and game console. It ultimately gives you more control over both the other things in your entertainment ecosystem and Alexa all in one device.That means Amazon has three strong streaming devices with very clear value propositions: the $35 Stick HD, the $60 4K Max and the $140 TV Cube. Affordable, mid-tier and high-end categories are covered and most people will find something that fits in their budget and their needs with these three. The two Sticks sandwiched in the middle do nothing but confuse consumers. Looking at a comparison chart of all the Fire TV streaming devices, you might start to ask yourself, do I really need Wi-Fi 6E over Wi-Fi 6? Will one extra gigabyte of memory make a difference? Can I live without the Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced?You shouldn't be asking yourself these questions; you have better things to do. There are only three Fire TV streaming devices worth considering, and I'd take it one step further and say most people should just get the Fire TV Stick 4K Max when it inevitably goes on sale for Black Friday for around $35. You'll spend less and get a better product.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/why-does-amazon-need-five-tv-streamers-163014576.html?src=rss

Twitch will now allow its users to buy products without dragging them away from the stream they're watching. Announced ahead of TwitchCon, which kicks off today in San Diego, Twitch is launching the live-shopping feature in partnership with e.l.f. Cosmetics, a sub-brand of e.l.f. Beauty. The tech is powered by Amazon Ads.The brand's eyes.lips.first. shoppable element will appear on its official Twitch channel, e.l.f.YOU!, which Patrick O'Keefe, the company's Chief Integrated Marketing Communications Officer, said was designed to "empower female gamers, celebrate creativity and build confidence at the intersection of makeup and the streaming culture." Twitch users can purchase e.l.f. Cosmetics products as they discover them in a stream, without being taken to a separate page.E.l.f. Launched on Twitch in 2020 and often collaborates with gaming content creators to boost brand awareness. Twitch's move into live shopping is likely at least partly inspired by TikTok, which launched the TikTok Shop back in 2023, where businesses can display their products and have affiliate videos placed in users' feeds. TikTok creators can earn commission if a product they're promoting is converted into sales.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/twitch-adds-a-new-live-shopping-feature-powered-by-amazon-ads-162554481.html?src=rss

Spotify sees the music industry's AI problem, and it's going to do... something about it. On Thursday, the company published a blog post heavy on principles, partnerships and vague plans. Unfortunately, it's practically devoid of specifics. The most explicit bit is that it's partnering with the big three music labels. Together, they'll "develop responsible AI products that empower the artists and songwriters they represent, and connect them with the fans who support them."The move follows Spotify's announcement last month that it would clean up the AI slop proliferating on its platform. The company frames today's news as a direct defense against competition from unauthorized AI music production. "If the music industry doesn't lead in this moment, AI-powered innovation will happen elsewhere, without rights, consent or compensation," the company wrote.Spotify says artists don't find that current AI tools are built to power their careers, their businesses, and their fan bases." That will inform whatever comes out of the partners' plans. "We'll develop new products for artists and fans through upfront agreements, not by asking for forgiveness later," the company wrote.Spotify laid out four principles that will guide its hazy plans for "artist-first AI music products." The first is through partnerships with labels, distributors, and publishers. (In addition to the big three of Sony, Universal and Warner, Spotify is partnering with digital rights company Merlin and the French music label Believe.) The other tenets include choice in participation, fair compensation and artist-fan connections.Although it's been forced to clean up the AI mess that grew on its platform, Spotify has adopted AI features of its own. Most notably, that includes its AI DJ. But it's also released a personalized daylist and AI Playlist features. The company differentiated its tools from unauthorized ones it's combating. It described its AI features as helping listeners to discover and connect with real artists."Our goal is to ensure the future of music innovation happens responsibly, and to invite the best minds in AI to help build it," Spotify wrote.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/spotify-partners-with-the-big-three-music-labels-on-artist-first-ai-music-products-161047159.html?src=rss

EA employees involved with the Communications Workers of America union have issued a sternly-worded statement against the recently-proposed private acquisition of the company by Saudi-backed investors, according to a report by Eurogamer. The complaints don't involve Saudi Arabia's long history of human rights violations, but rather that workers weren't represented in any negotiations for the $55 billion deal.The employees worry that any jobs lost as a result of the purchase would "be a choice, not a necessity, made to pad investors' pockets." In addition to this formal response, unionized workers have issued a petition that urges regulators to scrutinize the deal.

The FCC is moving to expel Hong Kong Telecom (HKT) from US telecom networks, citing national security concerns. The agency sent HKT an "Order to Show Cause," which directs the company to explain why the FCC should not begin revocation proceedings against it.The 30-page order outlines the agency's reasoning, including a focus on applying new certification and disclosure requirements to entities "owned by, controlled by or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary."Today's Order continues the FCC's work of ensuring that CCP-controlled entities that pose national security risks to our country cannot connect to our telecom networks," said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr in a statement announcing the move. HKT is one of the largest telecommunications companies in Hong Kong and is a subsidiary of communications giant PCCW. Roughly 18 percent of PCCW is owned by China Unicom, a state-owned telecommunications company.HKT is not the only target of the agency's ongoing effort to root out potential vulnerabilities. On October 28, the FCC will be voting on steps to further strengthen guardrails under its equipment authorization program to protect US networks and the communications supply chain against national security threats.The past month has seen ramped-up regulatory activity from both China and the United States aimed at companies that operate in or generate revenues from one another's markets. Chinese regulators have been investigating large tech acquisitions, telling local companies not to buy American AI chips and tightening export controls on rare earth minerals. Much of this comes against the backdrop of trade negotiations between the two countries.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-fcc-wants-to-expel-one-of-hong-kongs-biggest-telecom-operators-from-us-networks-155204605.html?src=rss

It's been quite a while since we've heard much about Quantic Dream's Star Wars: Eclipse. The studio revealed that project at The Game Awards back in 2021 and details have been scarce since then. As it turns out, the developer of Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human had been working on a second game this whole time. It's one that sees Quantic Dream venturing into entirely new territory, because the studio is making its first multiplayer game.Spellcasters Chronicles is a 3 vs. 3 MOBA with a third-person perspective that's akin to Marvel Rivals. Each round lasts 25 minutes, with teams summoning minions, battling to conquer territory and earning victory by destroying their opponents' lifestones. So far, so typical MOBA. But Quantic Dream has a few tricks up its sleeve that it hopes will help make Spellcasters Chronicles stand out in a highly competitive live-service market.It's a magic-based MOBA with characters that have unique abilities, personalities and backstories. Every one of these mages has the ability to fly at any time and for as long as they want. So you can freely take to the skies to get a bird's eye view of the battlefield and help you make decisions about what to do next. You can duke it out with enemies in the air too.Along with attacks, support spells and summoning armies with hundreds of creatures, players can use their magic to plunk down buildings and shore up their defenses while altering the environment. There's interplay between characters too, as you can infuse allies (including summoned creatures) with spells. One mage, for instance, might add fire to a tankier teammate's hammer, so there are synergies to discover. "Something we wanted to push is the sense of creativity," game director Greg Diaconu told reporters ahead of the reveal.Spellcasters ChroniclesQuantic DreamEventually, you'll be able to bring giant, game-changing titans into battles. Each player can summon one. Whenever a titan appears, it's an all-hands-on-deck situation for the opposing team, since these are powerful creatures that can completely change the course of a round."It was important for us to create a sense of spectacle," Diaconu said. "Something that's as fun to watch as it is to play."It all seems quite action-packed, but there's a heavy strategic element to Spellcasters Chronicles as well. Before you go into a battle, you'll select your spells and summons, including your titan - so this is a deckbuilder game too. In the thick of the action, your team will need to decide when to pressure the map and try to expand your territory while capturing altars of power, totems that will grant you resources. Speaking of which, each spell has a limited number of uses, so resource management is a factor too.Spellcasters Chronicles is free-to-play, but there are no pay-to-win concerns here. In-game purchases will be purely cosmetic. Expect battle passes full of new looks for the characters. Lots of updates are in the pipeline too, including new mages, spells and creatures.Seven years in the ovenQuantic Dream started making Spellcasters Chronicles seven years ago (so before Netease bought a stake of the company and eventually the whole shebang). Although the studio decided to keep making narrative-driven single-player games after Detroit: Become Human, it wanted to try something new as well. The idea was to take the team's experience of working on interactive storytelling to a different genre by creating a multiplayer game with a stylized look."Multiple teams are fully dedicated to crafting the next generation of great games, including something very different, a competitive multiplayer experience, born from the same spirit of curiosity and creativity that has always defined us," Quantic Dream founder David Cage wrote in a blog post on Thursday. "This new title may surprise our fans as it is very different from what we have done so far. But taking risks, challenging ourselves, exploring new ways of playing and telling stories, and attempting what seems impossible, has always been part of our DNA."In the world of Spellcasters Chronicles, gods are no more and mages who are able to harness an energy called the Source will shape the future. Quantic Dream hasn't shared too many details about the plot and characters of Spellcasters Chronicles just yet - the reveal focused on gameplay. That's perhaps in part because the studio is leaning into a community-driven narrative approach. Victories and defeats will contribute "to the evolving Tapestry of Fate, where seasonal decisions will change gameplay, lore and map meta."We shouldn't have to wait too long to see how all of that works in practice. Quantic Dream will run a closed beta for Spellcasters Chronicles on Steam later this year, and the game is set to hit consoles with cross-play support in 2026. Those who are attending TwitchCon San Diego this week can try out the MOBA there.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/for-its-next-trick-quantic-dream-is-trying-to-compete-with-league-of-legends-and-dota-150000283.html?src=rss

Buried in the press release for the upgraded Vision Pro headset that Apple announced yesterday was the news that the dedicated Apple Vision Pro app is making its way to iPad via iPadOS 26.1 later this fall. This means iPad users can browse Vision Pro content like apps and games from their tablet and queue downloads for the headset without needing to put it on each time.The Vision Pro app has been available on iPhone since the arrival of iOS 18.4 in April, and features a regularly updated selection of curated spatial content that Apple thinks Vision Pro users might want to try. Open it up today, for example, and it'll point you towards the Lungy app's audiovisual meditations, the travel show Elevated on (the recently and very confusingly rebranded) Apple TV, some recommended games and a list of education-focused apps available on Vision Pro. The Vision Pro app also includes news and tips for using the headset, as well product information and account settings. All of the same features will be offered in the iPad version of the app.In case you missed yesterday's announcement, Apple has introduced an improved Vision Pro headset powered by the same M5 chip housed in its new iPad Pro and MacBook Pro. This should represent a fairly significant jump up from the first-gen product's M2 chip. Web-browsing will be faster, as will loading apps and just generally navigating menus on your headset.The M5 chip also features a new 10-core GPU, which should significantly boost gaming performance, and without handing us any battery specs (which the company never likes to do), Apple says the upgraded Vision Pro should last a bit longer too. The M5 Vision Pro is now ready to pre-order now and still costs $3,499. Apple will start shipping the device on October 22.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-vision-pro-will-get-an-ipad-app-in-upcoming-ipados-update-142904090.html?src=rss

Ever since since 2018, the United States Mint has issued special $1 coins every year to honor American innovation and the "pioneering efforts of individuals or groups." The Mint has just revealed the designs for 2026 $1 Innovation coins, and one of them features Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs. It features a young Jobs sitting cross-legged in front of a quintessential California landscape with rolling hills and oak trees. "His posture and expression, as he is captured in a moment of reflection, show how this environment inspired his vision to transform complex technology into something as intuitive and organic as nature itself," the announcement reads.Under the project, the US Mint showcases innovations and innovators from different states, the District of Columbia and the five US territories. It works with the governor and other officials of each state or region to determine the best design to represent the people and inventions being featured. Jobs, of course, represents California, where he was born and from where he ran Apple, which became one of the biggest companies in the world under his leadership.In addition to Jobs' design, the Mint is also issuing $1 coins featuring Iowa's Dr. Norman Borlaug, who led initiatives to develop more resilient crops, and an aerial view of the Cray-1 supercomputer in Wisconsin. Finally, the design honoring mobile refrigeration, which represents Minnesota, features a 1940s-era truck with an early front-mounted refrigeration unit.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-us-mint-is-honoring-steve-jobs-by-putting-him-on-a-1-innovation-coin-130033801.html?src=rss

Pinterest is taking new steps to reduce the amount of AI slop its users are seeing. The service is adding settings that allow people to "dial down" AI-generated content in a number of categories that are "highly-prone" to such imagery, the company said in an update.While most social platforms have grappled with how to deal with the rise of AI-created content, Pinterest has been particularly inundated. Its image-board UI has proven particularly susceptible to AI slop, and users have complained about the difficulty of finding content created by humans.Now, Pinterest is offering users more control over how much AI content appears in their recommendations. The service is adding a "refine your recommendations" setting that allows you to toggle generative AI content from specific categories, including art, architecture, beauty, fashion, entertainment, health, home decor and sport. According to the company, these topics have seen an influx of AI-generated content, but users should "expect even more additions in the future."Notably, Pinterest isn't promising to root out generative AI content entirely. Rather, it says the new settings should "dial down" the amount of AI-based content they're seeing in a particular category. A spokesperson for the company says this is because not all AI-generated content on the platform is low quality and some users are in fact open to seeing AI-generated material.The setting also applies only to image pins, not video, so it likely won't do much to prevent Sora or other AI-created video clips from appearing in your feeds. For AI-created or AI-edited content that does continue to surface, Pinterest says it will label these posts more prominently. The company started experimenting with labels back in May, but has now "ramped up" its tools for identifying such content.Pinterest's new settings are available now on desktop and Android and will be available on iOS in the next few weeks.

Over a decade since Microsoft tried to make talking to Cortana on PCs a thing -- and spectacularly failed in the process -- the Windows giant is taking another swing at voice commands with its Copilot AI assistant in Windows 11. Starting today, the company is rolling out an upgrade to its existing Copilot Voice and Vision features which will let you say "Hey, Copilot" and then ask your PC a question based on what's on the screen. If you're looking at pictures of Hawaii, for example, you could ask your Windows 11 PC where exactly they were taken, have it plot you a flight plan and potentially even give you some budgeting tips to afford that island vacation.Microsoft's jaunty promotional videos for the Copilot features, set to Vampire Weekend's almost two-decade-old "A Punk," make the process look practically seamless. One user asks Copilot to show them how to stream their music in the "best possible quality," and the AI proceeds to highlight the exact location of the streaming settings in Spotify, while suggesting they choose the lossless option. Another person asks Copilot to write up a short biography based on their photo portfolio. Now Copilot isn't just about searching the web or generating novelty AI art, it's making it easy for users to perform practical tasks without much effort.Microsoft is clearly striving for the convenience of the Star Trek ship computer, a dream that also pushed Amazon to invest billions in its Echo devices and Alexa. The difference with Copilot is that you're not just talking to a faceless speaker -- Microsoft is also trying to make Windows 11 aware of what you're doing on your screen. The "Hey Copilot" feature and all of the Copilot Vision are cloud-based, so you'll have to live with image data of your desktop making its way to Microsoft's servers. That involves a level of trust the company has lost with many users, especially after the messy debut of Recall, its first flagship AI-powered feature.It doesn't help that many people are still peeved about the death of Windows 10 support this week. Unsurprisingly, the company stresses that "Hey, Copilot" is a purely opt-in feature that's buried in the Copilot app settings. (Of course, that can always change, especially if the company wants to juice AI engagement stats in a few years.)Copilot ActionsMicrosoftI suspect it'll be even harder for users to swallow where Microsoft wants to take Copilot: Giving it the ability to perform Windows tasks on its own. That's the goal of the experimental Copilot Actions feature, which initially debuted as a tool that could perform tasks on websites. Once enabled, Copilot Actions can be prompted to handle manual tasks, like resizing and straightening an a folder of photos. If any questions pop up, it can prompt you to answer them within the Copilot app. And as Copilot Actions is handling its job in the background, you're free to do anything else you'd like on your computer.Conceptually, Copilot Actions sounds similar to handing off a task to a real life assistant -- but just like a human assistant, there's always a chance something could go wrong along the way. It's also not hard to imagine the feature being coopted by nefarious malware down the line, since it's basically a Windows script in a better interface. Microsoft says it's tested Copilot Actions "extensively" internally, and it's rolling out the feature slowly to gather feedback.Just like "Hey, Copilot," it's entirely opt-in, and you can see everything Copilot Actions is doing step-by-step in the Copilot app. Microsoft says you'l be able to jump in and take control of a Copilot Action job at any point, as well as control the permissions of AI agents in Windows 11's user settings. Copilot tasks are also performed in a contained environment, according to Microsoft, which allows for even more specific permissions controls as well as runtime isolation (so Copilot can't affect the rest of your system beyond its specific task).And as if we're not already inundated with Copilot all over Windows 11 already, Microsoft also plans to add an "Ask Copilot" search function right on Windows 11's taskbar. The company claims it's part of a mission to make the taskbar "a dynamic hub" for accomplishing tasks, but personally I like to keep my taskbar clear so I can cram in more app windows. Like everything Microsoft is announcing today, the Ask Copilot bar will also be entirely opt-in.As someone who's been skeptical of Microsoft's Copilot initiatives so far, I could actually see myself using Hey Copilot" if it works as advertised. It sounds far more practical than the old Siri voice commands, which were limited by simplistic language models from a decade ago. Microsoft is also expanding AI actions built into Windows 11, including a new integration with Manus, an AI agent that can do things like turn several documents into a website, as well as Filmora, which lets you create AI videos right from the File Explorer.The new "Hey Copilot" and Copilot Vision features are available today on all Windows 11 PCs that have access to Copilot. Microsoft is also making Copilot Vision broadly available around the world today where Copilot is available. Copilot Actions and the Ask Copilot taskbar feature will "gradually" become available to Windows 11 Insiders, according to Microsoft.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/microsofts-next-windows-11-ai-gamble-just-say-hey-copilot-130000875.html?src=rss

ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs on the market, with user-friendly apps, excellent speed test scores and a strong security record. In my ExpressVPN review, I found it to live up to its positive word of mouth, especially when unblocking foreign streaming sites. But no service is perfect, and my cup of VPN tea is not everybody's. If you're looking to switch away, follow this guide to cancel ExpressVPN.How to cancel ExpressVPN on desktopNo matter where you originally signed up for ExpressVPN, you can cancel through your browser on a desktop platform. With any browser (i.e. Chrome, Safari, etc), the steps are as follows. Note that doing this will instantly cancel your ExpressVPN subscription and revoke your access to the service.

The difference in emissions between plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and gas cars is merely 19 percent and not 75 percent as lab tests show, according to a report by a group of European transport and environment NGOs. They analyzed data transmitted by the onboard fuel consumption meters of 800,000 plug-in hybrids registered in the continent between 2021 and 2023. What they found was that the real-world carbon dioxide emissions of PHEVs were 4.9 times higher than what they're supposed to emit on paper, mostly because of manufacturers' and testers' flawed assumption on the share of the vehicles' electric driving mode.Specifically, the official estimates for the share of electric driving mode are 84 percent, but the share is only as little as 27 percent in the real world. That means most of the driving done on PHEVs uses gas. In addition, even when PHEVs are in electric driving mode, they're still emitting considerable pollution. Apparently, their electric motors don't have sufficient power to operate on their own, and their combustion engines have to supply power for almost a third of the distance driven. The lack of fast charging in PHEVs also makes it less convenient to charge, leading people to just fill their tanks with gas. All these factors don't only translate to pollution, but also to additional gas expenses. The report says drivers end up paying $582 more than official estimates for fuel costs.As The Guardian notes, carmakers have been pushing for the adoption of PHEVs in Europe as a low-emissions alternative that won't give owners range anxiety, with Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW accounting for most of the sales over the past years. The researchers have noted that four major carmaker groups have avoided over $5.8 billion in fines between 2021 and 2023 due to the underestimation of PHEV emissions in the lab. These official emission numbers allowed companies to comply with the required carbon dioxide emission targets for their fleets. Based on real-world data, however, the vehicles they sold emitted 52 million tons more carbon dioxide than they were supposed to.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/plug-in-hybrids-emit-almost-as-much-pollution-as-gas-cars-report-finds-120032534.html?src=rss

In an embarrassing error, PayPal blockchain partner Paxos accidentally minted 300 trillion of the PYUSD token today. PayPal's stablecoin, which it debuted in 2023, is supposed to be redeemable at a 1:1 rate for US dollars. $300 trillion is more than double the entire world's current GDP of $117 trillion. In short, that's a really bad mistake from Paxos.At least the action did appear to be a mistake. Paxos acknowledged the issue in a post on X, assuring clients that their funds are secure and stating that it burned the excess reserves of stablecoins. The company claimed that "this was an internal technical error." Maybe so, but internal technical errors can still wreak havoc pretty quickly when it comes to finance, especially in the fantasy worlds of blockchain and crypto. Thanks to the appropriately named Web3 is Going Just Great for picking up on this story.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/paypals-blockchain-partner-accidentally-minted-300-trillion-in-stablecoins-224017538.html?src=rss

Heads up, indie game fans: 1000xResist will arrive on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 on November 4. The title, which is already out for PC and Nintendo Switch, will also be available through Xbox Game Pass on the same date. The game is also adding more localization support, bringing Brazilian Portuguese, French and Korean languages, so more players around the world can experience the story.And the story is the highlight of 1000xResist. This was an indie hit from 2024 that won a lot of fans for its innovative and branching story of a future timeline where the remaining members of humanity live underground in the aftermath of an alien invasion. The project from developer Sunset Visitor also picked up nominations for both the Hugo Awards and Nebula Awards, as well as winning a Peabody last year. Sometimes you'll want to take award winners with a grain (or a pound) of salt, but the industry and players alike have lauded the game's sci-fi storytelling chops.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/indie-darling-1000xresist-heads-to-xbox-and-playstation-on-november-4-212654512.html?src=rss

Razer is updating its lineup of creator-focused webcams with two new models, the Razer Kiyo V2 and Razer Kiyo V2 X. The webcams offer new AI-powered features and 4K streaming at a more affordable price than the company's Kiyo Pro webcams.The $100 Kiyo V2 X is capable of capturing 720p video at either 60 or 30 frames per second, 1080p video at 24, 30 or 60 frames per second and 1440p video at 60 frames per second. Like some of Razer's other webcams, the Kiyo V2 X has a wide, 83-degree field of view that can be customized with the company's Synapse software. The webcam doesn't have the AI-powered features of the V2, but you do get all the basics, like auto-focus, a privacy shutter and a built-in microphone.For about $50 more, the Kiyo V2 offers higher-quality capture and a few more automated features. The $150 webcam uses an 8.3MP Sony STARVIS image sensor and can capture true 4K HDR footage at 30 frames per second. The V2 also has a slightly wider field of view than the V2 X, at 93 degrees to the V2 X's 83 degrees. Razer is using that extra wiggle room to offer auto-framing - similar to Apple's Center Stage feature - through an integration with Reincubate's Camo Studio software. The Kiyo V2 can keep you in frame, remove your background and offer "adaptive lighting correction," all with the new software improvements Razer and Reincubate are adding.While both webcams are pitched as creator tools, the basic features Razer is offering and the prices its offering them at easily make the Kiyo V2 and V2 X worth considering. At $150, the Kiyo V2 is only slightly more expensive than Engadget's favorite webcam and should, if Razer's claims are true, offer even better video performance.Razer says you can purchase the Kiyo V2 X and Kiyo V2 today, for $100 and $150, respectively.

Tucked away in Apple's announcement of a second-generation Vision Pro was news on the controller front. First, we already knew that, with visionOS 26, Apple's headset supports PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers. But now you can get them without Sony's headset.The Apple Store will soon begin selling the PS VR2 Sense controllers for $250. (Cue spit take.) The $400 PS VR2 headset bundle was previously the only way to buy them new. Maybe when you can justify spending $3,499 on Apple's reality machine, $250 for the controllers is reasonable.The second-generation Vision ProAppleApple says Sony's controllers open the door to more immersive gameplay on the Vision Pro. They support six degrees of freedom motion tracking (any direction you move or rotate), finger touch detection and rumble support.Apple's second-gen Vision Pro is more powerful with the new M5 chip. It also includes a Dual Knit Band, which adds a top strap for increased stability and comfort. You'll be able to buy the PS VR2 Sense controllers from the Apple Store on November 11.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apple-will-sell-ps-vr2-sense-controllers-separately-for-250-next-month-203602932.html?src=rss

Device maker Honor has revealed that one of its upcoming smartphones will offer an unusual design choice. While many manufacturers push to have more numerous and powerful cameras in their products, the Chinese company will put the camera for its new phone on a pop-out mechanical arm. According to CNBC, the design of this so-called "robot phone" is meant to showcase Honor's AI capabilities as the company makes a $10 billion investment in artificial intelligence over the next five years. Honor hasn't shared too much about this product, but will likely have more details during next year's Mobile World Congress.Honor has experimented with unusual form factors before, including a surreally thin foldable smartphone and a laptop with a detachable webcam, and we've even seen a similar concept of a pop-up camera several years back in products like the OnePlus 7 Pro phone. The idea to swing out a camera could offer some interesting options for image and video capture, but it's also a prime place for mechanical failures and high manufacturing costs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/honor-is-making-a-smartphone-with-a-fold-out-camera-201555268.html?src=rss

Like clockwork, Apple has introduced a new M-series chip on updated versions of the iPad Pro, MacBook Pro and for the first time, Apple Vision Pro. The new M5 chip shares plenty of similarities with the M4 chip Apple introduced in 2024, but the biggest seems to be a focus on improving graphics and AI performance.The M5 chip is made using a new third-generation 3nm process, according to Apple, with an updated 10-core GPU architecture on all versions that offers four times the peak GPU compute performance of the M4, while carrying over support for things like hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The M5 also features a 10-core CPU, just like the M4, with six efficiency and up to four performance cores.The M5 chip configurations for the iPad Pro.AppleThat is unless you're buying an M5 iPad Pro. The 1TB and 2TB models of the Pro feature a 10-core CPU and GPU, but if you opt for a smaller storage size of 256GB or 512GB, you'll get a nine-core CPU with six efficiency cores and three performance cores. Apple says the 10-core CPU offers "up to 15 percent faster multithreaded performance" over the M4 chip, though it's not clear if that's due to the CPU or memory improvements. That's because the new chip offers an improved memory bandwidth of 153GB/s, up from the starting 120GB/s bandwidth on the M4, though less than what you can get with the M4 Pro or M4 Max. Apple will likely release M5 versions of both chips next year, but it's worth knowing what you're missing if you opt for the M5 right now.The performance gains Apple was able to squeeze out of its new GPU and improved memory bandwidth seem like the biggest changes users will actually notice from the M5. That includes "up to 30 percent faster" graphics performance than the M4 and "up to a 45 percent graphics uplift in apps using ray tracing." Apple introduced the M4 with a focus on dynamic caching and ray tracing, and it seems like the M5 makes both graphical processes more efficient. The gains are apparently even more noticeable on the M5 Vision Pro, where the headset can achieve a 120Hz refresh rate, up from the 100Hz max Apple guaranteed before, and is now able to render "10 percent more pixels."AI performance is also improved, though not necessarily thanks to the M5's 16-core Neural Engine alone, which seems to be the same Neural Engine used in the M4. Instead, Apple's taking a new approach to AI processing by including dedicated "Neural Accelerators" in each core of its GPU. This extra help has led to faster performance when devices are using Apple Intelligence skills or AI-powered features like the Vision Pro's ability to generate a Persona, according to Apple.In-depth testing and benchmarking of Apple's new M5 devices will be required to accurately capture how the M5 chip changes things, especially when it comes to general CPU performance. For now, though, Apple's chips continue to get more graphically powerful, which bodes well for anyone who uses MacBooks and iPads for creative tasks, AI or playing games.

It's that time of year when trick-or-treaters are finalizing their costumes and horror movie streaming service Shudder surely sees an uptick in usage. Yes, spooky season is upon us and Sony is getting in on the fun with its PlayStation Plus Game Catalog additions for October.Starting on October 21, Extra and Premium subscribers will be able to play the remakes of Silent Hill 2 and Until Dawn on PS5 at no extra cost. Both games were released last October, so it hasn't taken too long for them to hit PS Plus. For extra spookiness, 2023's Alan Wake 2 is one of the games that all PS Plus members can claim this month, alongside Cocoon and Goat Simulator 3.The other Game Catalog additions this time around are Yakuza: Like A Dragon (PS4 and PS5), As Dusk Falls (PS4, PS5), Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1 (PS4, PS5), Wizard with a Gun (PS5) and V Rising (PS5). Premium subscribers will also get a blast from the past in the shape of Tekken 3 (PS4, PS5), which debuted on the original PlayStation.

Roku just announced a robust software update coming to many of its devices. These are free upgrades, with search getting a major AI boost.First of all, the pre-existing voice search feature is getting "AI smarts." This means that users will be able to ask contextual questions about movies, actors and shows. It's worth noting that the bot will deliver the answers on-screen and not via a digital voice. This can be used to help find something to watch, as Roku gives examples of people asking how scary a movie is or if something is safe for children to watch.RokuA search bar is being added to the live TV page and it will scour all of the platform's free live channels to find a match. The search tool will also now give more accurate information as to which streaming platform to choose based on active subscriptions and what people are looking for.The dedicated Roku Sports page will be able to track live scores and will let viewers keep tabs on multiple games at once, thanks to matchup tiles. This can be shut off to keep things spoiler-free.RokuThe company's pre-existing Bluetooth Headphone Mode is rolling out to more devices, including the Roku Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus. This lets people connect headphones directly without having to use the dedicated app. Both of those made our list of the best streaming devices, so more functionality is always appreciated.RokuThe app is getting an overhaul, with new shortcuts and the ability to rate shows and movies directly within the app. The company has also revealed that Philips Ambilight technology is now available on Roku TVs in the US. This tech automatically changes the ambient lighting based on what's being shown on-screen. All of these software updates will be available to Roku devices in the coming months.The company also recently refreshed many of its midrange TVs with pro-level features. New Roku Plus Series TVs now allow for hands-free voice control and a feature that automatically adjusts the picture on a scene-by-scene basis.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/the-latest-roku-update-adds-ai-powered-voice-control-and-better-search-184513277.html?src=rss

For as long as I can remember, I've had trouble going to sleep. When I lay down, my mind inevitably starts racing a thousand miles an hour, thinking about anything and everything.On several recent nights, though, my pre-slumber thoughts had a singular focus. I mulled over possibilities like, "What if I fuse a ball that heals my character with one that splits into smaller balls with the same effect, and add a passive that fires a baby ball every time I'm healed?" Then I grab my PlayStation Portal and do just that until I doze off. This is the hold Ball x Pit has had over me.Kenny Sun and a small group of collaborators have cooked up a mesmerizing brick-breaking roguelite. Ball x Pit is a blend of dual-stick shoot-'em-up action, base building and about a dozen other things that keeps calling me back for one more run... and another, and another.After a cataclysmic event wipes out the city of Ballbylon and leaves an enormous pit, hunters descend into the depths in search of treasure. For our purposes, this means playing levels to collect resources in order to build structures in New Ballbylon. These buildings unlock perks, such as new characters, that help with future runs. The sickly chaos of the levels and the calmer city building aspect feed into each other smartly and combine for a satisfying loop.Base building in Ball x PitKenny Sun/Devolver DigitalThat's not the only important interplay here. Like any good roguelite, Ball x Pit is all about finding synergies for maximum impact. It's right there in the title, with the "x" denoting a relationship between two things (it's derived from shipping in fandom parlance).In the pit, you battle monsters by - surprise! - firing balls at them. Along with regular baby balls," each character has a unique ability and a special starter ball. In the vein of Vampire Survivors, you'll unlock more special balls and passive abilities when you collect enough gems to level up. One ball has a chance to freeze enemies and another is slower but deals much more damage.There are dozens of others.The real fun comes in when you start fusing these balls and their effects together, freeing up space for another weapon. It gets even better when you're able to evolve a pair of balls into something new. It's possible to fuse evolved balls, or even evolve them again. There's a strategic aspect to this, as you won't want to fuse balls that can nearly cancel each other out, such as merging an area-of-effect ball with one that disappears on impact, or leave yourself with too few balls in the face of danger.Once I unlocked the option to take two characters on a run and combine their passive abilities, that's where things went into overdrive. The possibilities became very exciting at this point, and I ended up playing Ball x Pit way past my ideal bedtime as a result.It does take a while to get to that point, though. Progression is slow at first. The repetition can get to be a little much as you need to beat each stage multiple times before moving onto the next. Also, I wish there was a bit more to the game narratively than a basic setup and some character descriptions.But there's so much to consider on each run, and that's what keeps me coming back. Each of the nine levels is set in a different biome, with its own hazards, enemies and bosses. Some late-game characters turn the game on its head by shifting playstyles in surprising ways, but I don't want to spoil those. Along with the absolute chaos and dopamine hits of slicing through enemies, discovering killer combinations between characters, special balls - especially the evolutions - and passives drives so much of the joy of this game.Whenever you do fuse or evolve a pair of balls, rather than having to click an "OK" button to get back in the action, the prompt reads "Whoa." That's on the nose, but funny. And I'll be damned if I didn't say that very thing out loud many times when I saw what a new evolved ball could do.Ball x Pit is out now on Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch for $15. It's available via Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is coming later this fall with a free upgrade from the Switch version.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ball-x-pits-deeply-satisfying-grind-keeps-me-coming-back-for-more-171000754.html?src=rss

Proton VPN currently tops my list of the best VPNs, and I gave it a glowing recommendation in my detailed Proton VPN review. It's easy to use, fast, cheap and secure, with a large server network and one of the industry's best scores at unblocking streaming sites. All that said, there's no such thing as a perfect VPN, and you may find that Proton isn't working for you. If that happens, here's how to cancel your subscription.How to cancel Proton VPN through a browserIf you initially signed up less than 30 days ago, you can cancel your subscription and request a refund by contacting tech support. See "How to get a refund from Proton VPN" below for details. If more than 30 days have passed, use the following steps to cancel your subscription.

The VSCO photo editing and sharing app has been around for nearly as long as Instagram, positioning itself as the serious photographer's choice for mobile editing. The original focus was on tasteful filters and editing tools, all of which got significantly more powerful and flexible over time; VSCO has long been doing the same sort of film emulations that have made Fujifilm's cameras so desirable in recent years. The company also built up a loyal community of photographers who share their edits far and wide, both in the VSCO app as well as on more mainstream platforms like Instagram itself.Now, the company is making an unsurprising but potentially controversial move: it is releasing its first AI-powered image editing tool. Remove," as the name suggests, lets you erase unwanted elements" from your photos without compromising the image's full resolution. At first glance, it feels quite similar to tools like Google's own Magic Eraser. You just pop open an image in the editor and highlight the portion you want to remove, and VSCO will do its best to obliterate the offending bits and fill in whatever is in the background that it deems appropriate.I haven't had a chance to test how effective this tool is yet, but VSCO is using Black Forest Lab's FLUX.1 Kontext model to do its magic, combined with its own proprietary technology specifically focused on making results that the company says look authentic. A quick look at Black Forest Lab and the FLUX.1 model show a tool that does appear to be well-suited to removing unwanted parts of an image and properly filling in the space that remains -but we'll have to see it in action to judge whether it does the job well.This new Remove tool isn't the only AI-powered editor VSCO is working on. There's also an Upscale tool in the works that the company says will enhance image resolution" while keeping color and composition unchanged. These sorts of tools will live under a new umbrella the company is calling AI Lab, making it clear this will be an ongoing initiative and not just a one-off release.On one hand, I'm not at all surprised to see VSCO jumping into AI-powered editing; it has to keep up with the rest of the industry. But on the other hand, the company has made its mark by building a community of photographers who value authenticity in their work, something that cannot help but be in conflict with AI tools, at least on the surface.VSCO's CEO Eric Wittman acknowledged that tension in a conversation with Engadget. We have a very photographer-centric, creator-first point of view," Wittman said. But where we see AI fitting in is in support of those folks, and that work, and that vision. The intention isn't to replace [that work], though - AI has a place, but it's not to replace what creators, and photographers in particular, are doing."That mindset makes sense with something like Remove, which duplicates something people have done with Photoshop for years. Rather than generating new images or radically changing the truth of a photo like you can do with some of Google's tools on the Pixel phones, Remove is a bit more subtle. You would use masks, you would manually painstakingly edit things at a pixel by pixel level," Wittman said. What a lot of Remove tools would do is basically like automate that."Wittman also cited preserving image quality as a key part of the work behind its own Remove tool. We know that many people who were attempting to use AI in the early days, especially photographers, a lot of their disappointment was just in the preservation of the integrity and the quality of the work," he said. So what we've really tried to do is continue to help automate where we can and make things easier, but also preserve the quality." To that end, VSCO is stressing that all these edits are non-destructive and the output will be in full, original resolution.As VSCO starts dabbling in more AI editing tools, Wittman emphasized that the company wants to stay on the side of helping photographers realize a creative vision rather than helping them make entirely unreal images, while also avoiding the mess of copyright issues and inauthentic content that is flooding the internet thanks to AI. When you think about things like copyright, and the incredible importance of copyright, integrity, and authenticity - we're big believers as a company in both the laws and the norms that have been around for many many years. But obviously on some platforms there are people who are maliciously manipulating things, and we don't want to be participants in that."VSCO's first AI Labs feature is available as of today in the VSCO app for iOS; it should come to Android eventually but there's no word yet on specific timing. To use it, you'll need an active VSCO Pro subscription, which runs $13 per month or $60 a year. A Pro plans contains a ton more than just AI Labs features, though -it unlocks a full editing suite on mobile and the web, professional profile and website creation, hundreds of presets and film emulation settings and a lot more.