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Sure, a sleek, modern device is great, but there's something so delightfully wholesome about a design that calls back to foregone times. Such is the case for 8Bitdo's Retro Mechanical Keyboard, a clickety-clackity device that looks like it belongs in another decade. Right now, the keyboard is on sale at Woot for $60, down from $100 - a 40 percent discount. You can get it for this all-time low price on Woot for the next three days or until it sells out. The 8Bitdo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is a solid choice in its own right, but its the look that really sold us. We added it to our list of best retro gaming gifts last year since it's a much more fun way to get someone that keyboard they've been needing without feeling like your gift is boring and practical. This keyboard may not be the very best option, technically (see our favorite gaming keyboards here) but it's more than just a pretty (or should we say funky?) face. The 8Bitdo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is a tenkeyless style board with bluetooth connection, 2.4Ghz wireless modes and USB connectivity. It also comes with two big red buttons that you can program to any keyboard function. Use it with Windows or Android devices and feel transported to another time as you clack away. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/8bitdos-retro-mechanical-keyboard-is-on-sale-for-60-right-now-143549835.html?src=rss

Yesterday, Adobe announced its new Firefly Video Model, a generative AI model for video editing developed by the company, along with Generative Extend, a Premiere Pro feature. Today, Adobe is teasing some experimental photo and video editing tools for PhotoShop and Premiere Pro. Since they're part of Adobe's sneaks" previews, they're still being tested and no launch dates are available.There are a total of nine features, and we'll start with Project Perfect Blend for PS, which improves natural blending and makes shadow casting more realistic, creating more lifelike images. Project Clean Machine removes photo flashes, fireworks and objects blocking the camera's view.One feature that stands out is Project In Motion, which lets users transform custom shape animations into video by entering a prompt, while Project Know How is a content authenticator tool that can search for a video file's source online.Project Turntable lets users rotate 2D vector art in 3D, thereby allowing the 2D vector art to face a direction of their choice. The generative AI model fills in any blanks to create presentable 3D vector art.Another standout tool is Project Super Sonic, which generates sound effects via prompts or clicking on objects in a video. The latter method can create sounds without typing prompts into the generative AI model. Project Super Sonic seems helpful for people looking to design the sounds they want.Adobe is also working on Microsoft Copilot integration in Project Scenic. This tool creates 3D scene layouts using Copilot prompts, and the camera and objects in the layout can be tweaked.Project Remix A Lot leverages generative AI to create images in various shapes and sizes, all fully editable. In other words, users can remix" creations into shapes they like, including unusual ones.Finally, we have Project Hi-Fi. With this tool, it's possible to transform sketches and concepts into high-quality images. These images can easily be dragged into PhotoShop for editing.If you're curious about Adobe's latest Sneaks, you can see and hear more about them all over on Adobe's YouTube page.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/adobes-latest-sneak-previews-of-upcoming-features-include-ai-sound-generation-and-image-remixing-143019039.html?src=rss

Uber Eats is adding a social element to ordering delivery tacos in the form of curated lists. Garden variety users can whip up one of these lists on the Account tab, pulling menu items from preferred local haunts.All lists are shareable by default, so users can send them to friends and family. I don't want other people to know the shameful food I gorge while endlessly watching episodes of Frasier, but maybe that's just me.This could actually prove useful for certain scenarios, such as when you're sick in bed and want someone else to handle takeout. Just point friends and family to the list. Uber Eats also said that there's a chance any particular list could end up on the home feed, turning the creator into a local food influencer for the day.Speaking of food influencers, the app will also feature curated lists by pseudo-celebrities. Uber Eats is advertising initial participation by Sam Roby of Chicago Food Authority, Ella Kahan and Emma Matarasso of Chew York City and others. It remains to be seen how this will work in smaller markets.Uber Eats has been making changes all over the place lately. The platform recently began to offer fresh produce from farmers markets in select cities. It's also been experimenting with driverless vehicles for deliveries.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/uber-eats-will-now-let-users-create-and-share-lists-of-their-favorite-meals-140052032.html?src=rss

Amazon has announced three new agreements to build small modular reactors (SMRs). These nuclear reactors are smaller than traditional ones, allowing them to be closer to the grid and be built faster. Microsoft and Google have recently announced their own investments into nuclear power.One of the agreements works towards developing four SMRs with Energy Northwest, a Washington-based consortium of state public utilities. It should initially generate about 320 megawatts, with the potential to reach 960 megawatts. The second is with X-energy, which is providing an advanced nuclear reactor design for Energy Northwest's undertaking. On the opposite coast, Amazon is working with Dominion Energy to investigate whether the development of an SMR project is possible near the utility company's existing nuclear power station in Virginia. It could bring 300 megawatts of power to the area.Amazon shared further information about these developments in a video shared to YouTube. Amazon also claims these agreements will bring new jobs, with Energy Northwest, for example, reporting the agreement will lead to 1,000 temporary construction jobs and 100 or so permanent jobs upon completion.This summer, Amazon announced it had reached its goal of matching its worldwide energy consumption with renewable energy sources seven years ahead of its 2030 goal. However, some Amazon employees and environmental experts accused the company of "distorting the truth" as the claim relies on billions of dollars in investments to solar and wind initiatives. The problem? These sources aren't exclusively used by Amazon, instead funnelling into a general power grid.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-plans-to-build-small-modular-nuclear-reactors-135335184.html?src=rss

Amazon's latest version of its popular Kindle Paperwhite has arrived, marking the sixth iteration if you're keeping score at home. The new model is the thinnest Paperwhite yet and has a refreshed 7-inch screen that's a touch larger than the previous model's 6.8-inch display. It also has the highest contrast of any Kindle thanks to the oxide thin-film transistor display tech. Amazon boosted the speed as well, promising 25 percent faster page turns. It's waterproof as before but uses a new material with a premium soft touch grip. The Kindle Paperwhite comes with 16 GB of storage and is available in three colors, Raspberry, Jade and Black. It's now available at Amazon for $160. As before, the company also released a premium version with more bells and whistles, the Paperwhite Signature Editing. Storage doubles on that model to 32 GB and it features an auto-adjusting front light along with optional wireless charging. The Paperwhite Signature Edition comes in Metallic Raspberry, Metallic Jade and Metallic Black for $200. Amazon If it's a budget reader you're after, Amazon has refreshed the entry-level Kindle, too. The new 12th-generation model comes with an updated 6-inch screen, offering a higher contrast ratio for more legible text, plus a front light that's 25 percent brighter at the maximum setting. It also gets a performance update that boosts page turning speeds. It comes in black or a new "Matcha" color and is now on sale for $110. Along with those models, Amazon also unveiled its first color Kindle, the Colorsoft, that could be ideal for graphic novels and other digital color-oriented content. It promises "rich, paper-like color" using an oxide backplane display, plus high contrast on both color and black-and-white content. It's now on pre-order for $280 with shipping set for October 30th. Finally, Amazon is releasing its second Kindle Scribe reader that doubles as a note-taking device (not unlike the reMarkable tablets). It'll arrive on December 4, but you can pre-order it now for $400. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/amazons-new-kindle-paperwhite-reader-has-a-larger-screen-and-faster-page-turns-130050515.html?src=rss

Seventeen years is an odd anniversary to call out. But at an event launching four new Kindles, Amazon's head of devices and services Panos Panay reminded a group of media that Kindle is 17 years in the making, almost to the day." Panay added that the device is currently seeing its highest sales numbers, and that 20.8 billion pages are read each month on a Kindle. But people aren't just reading on Kindles. Since the introduction of the Kindle Scribe in 2022, there has been even more development in e-paper writing tablets, with a notable recent product in the reMarkable Paper Pro. While that $580 device supports a color writing experience, Amazon's Kindle Scribe still only works in black and white. But it might offer enough by way of software updates to make up for its monochrome manner. Plus, being able to write on what's already a popular ereader makes that book-like experience even more realistic, and the Kindle Scribe represents what Panay called the fastest growing category" of Kindles. You could almost call it a 2-in-1, since it's an ereader and writing tablet at once. I have a lot of passion around 2-in-1s," Panay said at his presentation, and he used that term repeatedly to describe the Kindle Scribe. I haven't thought about it that way, but I was less worried about semantics and more about how the Kindle Scribe and its new features felt at a hand-on session yesterday. I'm the sort of person that needs to physically write out something while I plan a project. Whether it's lofty goals to get my life together or draft up a strategy for covering certain software releases at work, my hands grasp at the air for an imaginary pen and paper. For that reason, the Kindle Scribe and other writing tablets call out to me. I reviewed the original Kindle Scribe almost two years ago and since then Amazon has slowly expanded the feature set and made the device more useful. With the original Scribe, Amazon got a lot of the basics right. The latency and smoothness of the writing experience were close to feeling like pen and paper, and the device felt sturdy and slick. The new Scribe felt very similar in that sense, with little noticeable difference in the way the stylus interacted with the screen, and I didn't encounter any jarring lag in the brief time I had with it. Where the Scribe left me wanting more was software, and that's also the area Amazon appears to have focused on this year. Don't get me wrong - it's not like the company didn't tweak the hardware. There are some refinements like new white borders, a smaller grip, different color options and an updated stylus with a soft-tip top that feels more like a conventional eraser. Cherlynn Low for Engadget But inside the device lie the more intriguing changes. Most significant in my opinion is the new Active Canvas. It directly addresses one of my biggest complaints in my review, which is that the writing experience within books and publications was a little wonky. To quote myself, this was what I said in 2022: You can also take down notes when you're reading an e-book. But it's not like you can scribble directly onto the words of your e-books. You can use the floating toolbox to create a sticky note, then draw within a designated rectangle. When you close the sticky note, a small symbol appears over the word it was attached to, but otherwise, your scribbles are hidden. No annotating in the margins here." All of that has changed with the new Kindle Scribe. When you're in an e-book, you can now just start writing on the page, and a box will appear, containing your scribbles. You no longer need to first find the floating toolbox and select the sticky note tool. Just write. It's so much simpler, and in the Kindle Scribe I played with it worked almost instantly. Not only is the box embedded within the text, with the book's words rearranging and flowing to accommodate it, but you can also resize the rectangle to take up however much space you like. The rest of the page will reflow to make room as necessary. I was particularly impressed by how quickly this happened on the demo unit - it was more responsive than switching between notebooks on my existing Scribe. Plus, the box containing your note will stay in place instead of being hidden and replaced by a small symbol. It's clear that Amazon's earlier implementation was a rudimentary workaround to allow people to write on fixed format media, whereas the new approach is more deeply integrated and thought out. And unlike what I said two years ago, you can now annotate in a new collapsible margin. Tapping the top right corner brings up options to pull up the column, and you can choose from having it take up about a quarter of the width or spread out to about three quarters. Content in the margin will be scrollable, so you theoretically won't run out of space. Cherlynn Low for Engadget Now, this isn't a perfect replica of annotating on a real textbook, but it might be better since you won't have to scrawl all around the borders or write upside down just to squeeze in your thoughts. I'm not sure yet, as I really need to spend more time with it to know, but I like that Amazon clearly has taken in feedback and thought about how to add these requested features. The company also added the ability to use the Pen and directly highlight or underline within those books, and pretty much any Kindle title will support most of these features. They'd have to be content that allows for font resizing, to start, so things like PDFs, which are fixed, won't work with the Active Canvas. Word documents are compatible as well. I spend more time writing in blank notebooks than in actual books, and for those scenarios, Amazon is using generative AI in two new tools: Summarization and Refined Writing. The former is pretty straightforward. If you've handwritten 10 pages worth of brainstorming meeting notes, the system can scan all of it and collate just the highlights. You can have this be added as a page to the existing notebook as a summary, or save it as a separate document on its own. Refined Writing, meanwhile, is like Apple's Handwriting Assist on iPadOS 18 but on a larger scale. While Apple's software feels like it's about nipping and tucking stray words that are out of alignment, Amazon's takes your entire handwritten page and converts it into text in a script-like font. This works best if you tend to write in a single column with clear indentations and paragraphs. I tend to draw random boxes all over the place for breakout thoughts, and the system will not perfectly replicate that. For example, a two-column shopping list I quickly drafted on a demo Scribe was merged into one, and the checkboxes I drew were interpreted as capital letter Ds that were inserted at the start of every bullet. Amazon It might not seem immediately useful, but if you're the sort of person that's shy about their handwriting, this could save you some shame. More importantly, it can make you writing more legible in case you need to share, say, your screenplay treatment with a production partner. Or if your scrawled shopping list just isn't making sense to your partner. I also like that even after you've converted your notes into text, you can still erase them using the top of the pen and make edits. You'll have to run Refined Writing again to regenerate a neatly formatted page. Oh, and I appreciate the flexibility you get here. You'll have a few fonts and sizes to choose from, and can select the pages you want to reformat or have the entire book done up altogether. None of the notebook features are destructive, meaning you'll usually be able to retain your original written content and save the generated material as addendums. The AI work is done in the cloud, with your data being encrypted throughout the process. The Kindle Scribe also displays an animated page showing it's busy with the generative AI task, which in my experience so far took at least 10 seconds. It might be different on the original Kindle Scribe, which will also be getting these software features either later this year or, in the case of the expandable margins, in early 2025 when it arrives on the new Kindle Scribe. In its 17 years, the Kindle has done a lot to disrupt physical books, and since the introduction of the Scribe, it's been poised to do the same for notebooks. As someone who's relished being able to carry around the equivalent of a thousand books in a super thin device, the idea of replacing a bunch of notebooks with a Scribe is immensely intriguing. Amazon does find itself up against some stiff competition from reMarkable and Boox, but it has its sheer size and the power of its Kindle library in its favor. The Kindle Scribe will be available in December for a starting price of $400, and I hope to have a review unit in soon enough to see if I love or hate the new annotation and AI features. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/kindle-scribe-hands-on-you-can-scribble-on-your-books-130043335.html?src=rss

Amazon has launched its first ever ereader with a color display, in addition to the latest versions of the other models in its Kindle lineup. The company says it designed the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition to deliver "rich, paper-like color." You'll be able to see book covers, images, comics and graphic novels as authors intended on the device, and you'll be able to highlight passages in colored markers instead of in the usual gray. Since it is a Kindle, and you're mostly going to use it to read, Amazon made sure that the device has a good color and a good black-and-white experience. It promises high contrast, high resolution and high clarity whether you're looking at a full color image or a black-and-white page. Zooming in on images will not make them look pixelated, Amazon says. Based on what we'd seen at the company's event for the new ereaders, the model does deliver accurate colors. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' green skin and different-colored eye masks looked accurate in the comic book we looked at, even under direct sunlight or the orange lights in the event. The model is pretty much the new Paperwhite Signature Edition with a different display, and that one promises 25 percent faster page turns than the previous iteration. However, putting a color display on an ereader can slow it down, lessen its contrast ratio and drain its battery life faster. To make up for that, Amazon made some hardware and software changes, such as using nitrate LEDs that work with the company's algorithm to enhance color and brightness without washing out images. Its custom coding focuses the light through each pixel so that colors don't blend together on the screen. The Colorsoft is the first Kindle with a color display, but it's not the first color e-ink product. There's the reMarkable Paper Pro, for instance, which you can write on in colored digital pens. You can't write on the Colorsoft like you can on the Paper Pro (or the Kindle Scribe), but it is cheaper: It's now available for pre-order for $280 and will start shipping on October 30. Cherlynn Low / Engadget This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/amazons-kindle-colorsoft-is-its-first-color-ereader-130032884.html?src=rss

Last October, Axiom Space and Prada partnered to create a new spacesuit for NASA's Artemis III mission - it's first crewed venture to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. One year later, the pair has revealed a first look at the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit during Milan's International Astronautical Congress. The suit is white with red and gray accents that admittedly does look chicer than a typical spacesuit.The pair claims the new spacesuit's design improves on flexibility, can manage an eight hour spacewalk and will sustain two hours of the lunar south pole's coldest temperatures. "Prada's design and product development team worked alongside Axiom Space engineers on customized material recommendations and features that would both protect astronauts against the unique challenges of the lunar environment and visually inspire future space exploration," the companies said in a joint statement.The suit is almost finished, having undergone testing and simulations at Axiom Space, SpaceX and NASA facilities. It should enter a final review in 2025, following completion of the remaining evaluations. NASA initially planned to launch Artemis III in 2025 and pushed it to at least September 2026 early this year. The space agency originally awarded Axiom with the mission in 2022.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/prada-reveals-its-spacesuit-for-nasas-artemis-iii-mission-123014149.html?src=rss

Apple just announced the seventh-gen iPad mini, three years after its sixth-gen model. It has a faster A17 Pro chip, originally found in the iPhone 15 Pro, which means it'll be able to handle Apple's incoming AI features - although it's not Apple's most powerful mobile chip. There's more RAM too.Power aside, it has the same 8.3-inch screen as the previous model and an identical 2,266 x 1,488 resolution at 326 ppi. The refresh rate remains a modest 60Hz, in an era of 90Hz or higher. It's not any bigger, wider or slimmer than its predecessor either.It's been a while since a new iPad mini, so we were overdue an update. However, this is a very mild update with no design changes. Also, while the size is smaller, no M-series chip. The new iPad mini arrives on October 23, starting at $499 for 128GB storage. It'll arrive in blue, purple, starlight and space gray colors.- Mat SmithThe biggest tech stories you missedCreators getting paid to post on Threads don't understand its algorithm eitherThe next entry-level Kindle just leaked Intel and AMD team up to stem the x86 bleedingGet this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!Sonos' $999 Arc Ultra is a powerhouse soundbar in a (relatively) small packageWith the company's new Sound Motion technology.SonosDon't mention the disastrous app. Sonos announced the Arc Ultra and Sub 4, with the former replacing the $899 Arc as the company's flagship home theater product. It's the first Sonos soundbar to include its new Sound Motion technology, which apparently results in a much smaller product. The Arc Ultra can produce up to twice as much bass as its predecessor, according to Sonos. The new Sub 4 ($799) features more processing power, additional RAM, and a new Wi-Fi radio for improved connectivity. It's also more efficient, with the company claiming an almost 50 percent reduction in idle power consumption. Both will go on sale October 29, so you can upgrade your sound system just before a Halloween movie marathon, I guess.Continue reading.DJI Air 3S drone reviewA nearly faultless drone that can fly in low light.EngadgetDJI's dual-camera Air 3S drone has some cutting-edge tech in the nose: a LiDAR sensor to provide extra crash protection at night. The Air 3S also has a new main camera with a larger sensor better suited for capturing video in low light. And it now comes with the company's ActiveTrack 360, which it first introduced in the Mini 4 Pro, allowing the device to zoom all around your subject while tracking and filming them. See how those features fare in our review. (Of course, there's video too.)Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111632292.html?src=rss

John Lewis, a high-end department store chain in the UK, briefly listed a new Kindle that's not available from anybody else. It's the upcoming 12th-generation Kindle ereader that Amazon has yet to announce, though its information has leaked quite a few times before Lewis prematurely posted a listing for it. While that listing is no longer live, Good Ereader and The Verge were able to take screenshots and take note of the device's specs. Amazon called the 12th-gen basic Kindle the "lightest and most compact" one it has ever designed, with a 6-inch 300 ppi display and 16GB of storage, in the retailer's description.Its front light is 25 percent brighter at max setting than previous versions, and it has a higher contrast ratio, but you still won't be able to turn the light cooler or warmer like you could on more expensive Kindles. The device will enable faster page turns than previous Kindles, though, and has a new dark mode feature that inverts the e-ink display's colors, according to The Verge. If you prefer listening to your books, you can fire up Audible on the new Kindle and connect your headphones or speakers to it via Bluetooth, as well.In addition to the basic 12th-gen Kindle, John Lewis also posted the listing for its Kids Edition version. It's the same device, except it ships with a colorful case and comes with a free six-month subscription to Amazon Kids+. Previous Kids Edition Kindles came with a year-long free membership to the subscription service, but for this one, you'd have to pay $6 a month for continued access to curated books, videos and games for children after half a year. As for the 12th-gen Kindle itself, the John Lewis listing said it will set you back 95 ($124) or around 10 more than the previous version. Meanwhile, the Kids Edition will cost you a bit more, as the retailer listed it for 115 ($150).This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-next-entry-level-kindle-leaked-on-a-uk-store-035240220.html?src=rss

Sony announced in January that it planned to create a movie adaptation of its 2015 PlayStation game Until Dawn and the project is moving quickly through production. Earlier this month, director David F. Sandberg posted on Instagram that the film had wrapped shooting, and today Sony production house Screen Gems announced that the movie's release date will be April 25, 2025.Until Dawn became a cult favorite among the horror game fans, with a branching narrative that offers dozens of different endings based on a player's choices. If you haven't had a chance to experience the original Supermassive Games title yet, the game recently received a timely spooky season remake from Ballistic Moon. One of the big questions around creating a film from the game source is which of the many possible outcomes will the team choose for the plot? And the other big question is whether Until Dawn will follow in the footsteps of successful game adaptations like The Super Mario Bros. Movie or be an absolute trainwreck like Borderlands?So far, the signs seem promising. Director Sandberg has a solid track record in horror with Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation. The final script was written by Gary Dauberman, who worked with Sandberg on Annabelle: Creation as well as penning words for other Annabelle movies, It (2017), It Chapter Two and The Nun.The game had some notable actors involved, including Hayden Panetierre and Rami Malek. For the movie, Screen Gems tapped a cast including Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, Odessa A'zion and Maia Mitchell. Peter Stormare will also reprise his role of Dr. Hill in the film version.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/sonys-until-dawn-movie-gets-april-25-release-date-223735333.html?src=rss

The Nuio Flow is a new ergonomic keyboard and accessory system for those who don't mind trading serious cash for a sleek and thoughtful design. Co-founded by two brothers, one of whom is a former Apple designer, Nuio has an Apple-like value proposition: a split keyboard and an optional trackpad, desk pad, magnetic stands and wristpads for $400 for the keyboard alone to over $1,000 for all of components.At the center of Nuio's product lineup is the Flow split ergonomic keyboard, which (here's the Apple influence again) puts the human form at the center of every design." Nuio CEO Tom Wilson says the product's purpose is to reject legacy decisions that often dictate keyboard design. There are literally no right angles in the human body," Wilson wrote in a press release shared with Engadget. Yet we spend most of our lives hunched over rigid, rectangular keyboards and peripherals - often enduring hours of wrist pain, tech fatigue and poor posture."NuioThe company describes the keyboard's split, radial design as optimal for hand positioning. (Of course, there are plenty of ergonomic and split keyboards you can already buy for much less.) It has curved keys with a scissor-switch mechanism (like many laptops, including Apple's current models), so this model isn't for those who like mechanical keyboards.The keys and their symbols are backlit but without color customization. Each charge of the Flow keyboard is estimated at up to 28 days, but that drops to around 15 days with some backlight use." The keyboard includes a split USB-C cable that charges both halves simultaneously.The company estimates that the non-user-replaceable internal battery will last about two years, but it says you can send it to the company for a battery replacement after that. When we reached out to the company to clarify the service's cost, a Nuio spokesperson said the battery replacement is free for the first two-year window. After that, there will be a nominal replacement charge."Unlike many top-of-the-line keyboards, you can't swap out the Flow keyboard's physical keys. Nuio also doesn't appear to offer key-changing on a software level; its FAQ says it offers a limited amount of key customization" through your device's operating system.While most ergonomic keyboards have built-in stands, Nuio sells a $99 pair of magnetic ones separately. They let you tent and tilt" the keyboard along multiple axes. The company says the stands hold their position firmly after each adjustment.NuioNuio also sells a $249 wireless multitouch Flow trackpad to complement the keyboard. The company says its edge-to-edge glass surface offers precision tracking and pressure-sensing. Unlike Apple's current Magic Trackpad, it clicks mechanically, not with haptics and pressure-sensing. Nuio says its trackpad offers full gesture support but doesn't support deep-presses like Apple's. You can also buy a $59 magnetic stand for the trackpad with multi-axis tilt support.The rest of the Nuio system includes a $99 pair of supremely comfortable" wristpads. They can attach to a deskpad, available first in a travel-friendly small size for $129. The price of a large one, initially listed on the website at $179, is still in the works," according to a company spokesperson. The deskpads include magnets, too, allowing precise and flexible positioning of all NUIO components." The company says it strikes a balance between firmly holding all the system's components in place while still being easy to adjust.NuioIf you order the keyboard, trackpad, stands for each and large desk pad, you're forking over $1,084. (Cue spit take.) Like a luxury watch or car, the Nuio Flow system asks you to care enough about an elegant, modern design while typing (and perhaps have an Apple designer's salary yourself) to invest in the elegant-looking accessory ecosystem.The Nuio Flow Keyboard and its peripherals are now available to pre-order from the company's website. The keyboard in space gray with a macOS legend, small deskpad keyboard stands, trackpad stand and wristpads are expected to ship in early December. Meanwhile, if you want the keyboard with Windows / dual OS legends or in other colors (silver, gold, rose gold, blue, green and brown), you'll have to wait for early January. The large deskpad is coming soon."Update, October 15, 2024, 5:50PM ET: We updated the story to reflect more current details about the keyboard's estimated battery life and the large deskpad's pricing, according to a company spokesperson.Update, October 15, 2024, 5:00PM ET: This story has been updated to add a Nuio spokesperson's info about the battery replacement service's cost.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/the-nuio-flow-is-a-customizable-split-ergonomic-keyboard-with-magnetic-peripherals-192259319.html?src=rss

The dog-esque robots created by the likes of Boston Dynamics and MAB Robotics are already horrifying thanks to a mix of the Metalhead" episode of Black Mirror and humanity's natural apprehension for an uncertain future. This one highlighted by TechCrunch really got under my skin in an unnatural way.MAB's Honey Badger Legged Robot can walk underwater and they took it on a test run for its YouTube channel. The steps it takes on the bottom of the pool create this weird ringing noise that's just alarming as all hell. It's like the engineering team hired John Carpenter to write a score for its robot.It's even scarier when the robot walks towards the camera like it's hunting me down just before asphyxiation sets in and I drown. It sounds like they took a cue from the Skinamarink soundtrack. Someone make the horror in my head stop.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/this-underwater-dog-robot-comes-with-its-own-horror-soundtrack-215325892.html?src=rss

Apple doesn't offer many discounts for its product lineup, so seeing one of its tablet accessories on sale for a third off the usual cost is exciting. The Apple Pencil Pro is available on Amazon for just $90, the lowest price we've seen for it. This is the most recent stylus model from Apple, with a design overhaul that was just announced in May, and it quickly rose to prominence as one of our favorite accessories for an iPad. The Pencil Pro has some useful features for optimal control and navigation, such as squeeze and roll gestures. The stylus boasts pressure sensitivity; in other words, it will make darker marks if you press harder and lighter marks if you use a light touch. It delivers haptic feedback to your fingers and if you have a habit of misplacing accessories, the Pencil Pro also can be tracked down with Find My. And as with other Apple Pencils, the Pro will attach magnetically to your iPad's chassis for charging when it's not in use. There are a few downsides to the Pro model, most notably that it's still not universally supported across all iPads. We've got a rundown of all the different Apple Pencils' features and compatibilities, but the tl;dr is that this high-end version works with the M4 iPad Pro, the M2 iPad Airs and the latest model of the iPad Mini. So this may not be the right buy for every iPad owner, but it's a great tool for taking full advantage of everything those tablets can do. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-pencil-pro-is-30-percent-off-taking-it-down-to-an-all-time-low-price-210311608.html?src=rss

Like Professor X and Magneto, Intel and AMD know when to team up and take on a shared adversary. The two companies have formed a new x86 advisory group to stem the platform's bleeding from Arm's rapidly growing adoption. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, whose company is also part of the initiative, said the board will help drive software consistency and standard interfaces."Intel and AMD aim to find new ways to expand the x86 ecosystem with greater cross-platform compatibility. Arm, licensed for Apple silicon, Qualcomm chips and some Big Tech data centers, currently has a simpler and more flexible design. Compared to x86, Arm makes it easier for licensing companies to adapt the architecture to their needs.The new x86 group wants a more unified set of instructions and architectural interfaces. Intel and AMD believe greater predictability and consistency across their products will foster developer innovation and help the platform survive and thrive.In addition to the pair of chipmaking rivals, the group's founding members include Microsoft, Google, Meta, HP Inc, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Lenovo, Broadcom, Dell, Oracle and Red Hat. Epic Games' Tim Sweeney and Linux creator Linus Torvalds are also members.We are on the cusp of one of the most significant shifts in the x86 architecture and ecosystem in decades - with new levels of customization, compatibility and scalability needed to meet current and future customer needs," Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger wrote in a press release. We proudly stand together with AMD and the founding members of this advisory group, as we ignite the future of compute, and we deeply appreciate the support of so many industry leaders."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/intel-and-amd-team-up-to-stem-the-x86-bleeding-205731857.html?src=rss

Nissan is the latest carmaker to join Tesla's network of charging stations. The company announced that Nissan Ariya drivers can use the MyNissan app to find charging stations with plans to make the North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapter available to Ariya drivers.The move to Tesla's grid of Superchargers will expand Nissan's charging network to 90,000 stations across the US. Nissan's energy network also includes the Shell Recharge, ChargePoint and EVgo networks with plans to expand other networks as well. Nissan will begin offering EVs with NACS ports in the US and Canada sometime next year.Nissan Leaf drivers won't be able to use the new charging stations. Instead, they can still find NissanConnect EV and Services through the app.Tesla may not be winning the EV battle when it comes to its embittered Cybertruck that's now under its fifth recall, but it's ahead in the charging battle. Stellantis announced that EVs for brands like Dodge, Fiat and Alfa Romeo will use Tesla's NACS. General Motors started selling Tesla's NACS adapter last month after a 15-month wait. Hyundai just started adapting its EVs including its Ioniq lineup to Tesla's NACS system. At this point, nearly every major automaker has pledged to support the system, making Nissan one of the last holdouts.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/nissan-ariya-drivers-will-soon-be-able-to-use-tesla-superchargers-195026448.html?src=rss

Threads is sometimes criticized for not prioritizing real-time content in its recommendations. Now, Meta is adding status indicators that can show when a particular user is online in an apparent effort to address that need.The optional feature, called activity status," will display a green bubble alongside someone's profile photo when they're online. The indicator is meant to help users find others to engage with in real-time," according to an update from Instagram boss Adam Mosseri. We hope that knowing when your people are online makes it easier to have conversations."It's an interesting choice for a platform that still doesn't have direct messaging capabilities. Such indicators are more common in chat apps like Discord (Instagram, which does have robust DM capabilities, also has a similar feature). But Meta has said repeatedly it doesn't want to bring in-app messaging to Threads, with the app's head of product recently telling Business Insider there are no plans to add DMs to the app.The feature also doesn't exactly address many users' desire for a feed that's more oriented to real-time information and conversations. Instead, Meta is offering the status indicators as a way to seek out users who are currently active on the service as a way of encouraging conversations that are more likely to get timely replies. But without a clear way of finding people who have that green bubble alongside their profile photo, it's unclear how easy this will actually be.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-can-now-show-when-people-are-online-and-using-the-app-194041928.html?src=rss

Riot Games is cutting jobs from its League of Legends team. Marc Merrill, the studio's co-founder, co-chairman and chief product officer, announced the cuts today on X. "This isn't about reducing headcount to save money-it's about making sure we have the right expertise so that League continues to be great for another 15 years and beyond," Merrill said. A rep from Riot Games told Engadget that 32 jobs will be eliminated across the company in this move.The spin seems to be that the developer is trying to reprioritize behind the scenes, especially with Merrill's insistence that "we're not slowing down work on the game you love" and that the team "will eventually be even larger than it is today as we develop the next phase of League." He didn't add any more details about what that new focus would be or which departments will bear the brunt of the cuts.It's a bold move for Riot to make now, especially since League of Legends is right in the middle of its much-viewed World Championships. We received confirmation that the esports team would not be impacted by the cuts. The company also downsized at the start of 2024, eliminating 11 percent of its global workforce. That move mostly impacted employees "outside of core development," so the League of Legends team likely didn't see any changes at that time. The company also separately announced in January that it would shutter the Riot Forge publishing project.All these changes point toward a bigger picture of changing and narrowing focus for Riot. The company has tried a lot of new ideas since the explosive success of League of Legends; a first person team shooter, a mobile auto chess battler, a fighting game and an animated TV show, to name a few. But it seems like Riot's time for experimentation may be ending.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/riot-makes-more-cuts-this-time-to-crown-jewel-league-of-legends-192548888.html?src=rss

NBA League Pass is getting some cool new features for the 2024-25 season. This includes multiview, which is an oft-requested tool. Multiview allows basketball fans to watch up to four games at once on the same screen.The feature works on TVs, smartphones and tablets, and will likely be a mainstay of bookies everywhere. It's actually available right now to subscribers, for those keeping track of preseason developments. The season officially starts on October 22, so that'll be when multiview really starts to prove its worth.NBAThere's a new smart rewind tool that'll automatically pick out key highlights and plays to check out. Subscribers will also be able to download full games for offline viewing, which could be a boon for flights and the like. Just stay away from spoilers.NBA League Pass is an app that exists in the year 2024. That means it's getting stuffed with a whole lot of AI. There's something called NBA Insights, which features an algorithm trained on deep basketball understanding." The algo will use its knowledge to identify key narratives, player performances and notable milestones, providing fans with a continuous feed of text-based updates that go beyond the box score." Here's hoping it keeps hallucinations to a minimum.The league is also using generative AI to localize content, offering translations and automated recaps in French, Portuguese and Spanish. Finally, there's something called the Dunk Score." As the name suggests, this is an AI-calculated grade for dunks. The calculations happen in real time based on a player's jumping distance, style and force at the rim and defensive efforts from the opposing team."For the uninitiated, NBA League Pass provides access to hundreds of out-of-market games throughout the season. The premium ad-free version costs $25 per month, or $160 per season. The standard ad-filled subscription costs $17 per month or $110 per season. NBA TV, which is a more limited service to watch out-of-market games, is still available via cable providers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/nba-league-pass-gets-multiview-just-in-time-for-the-season-to-start-191016755.html?src=rss

An artist who was able to pay off credit card debt, a photographer making extra cash by replying to the most polarizing posts she can find, a food blogger trying to start interesting conversations. These are some of the creators Meta is paying to post on Threads.Meta introduced the invitation-only program in April, but has only shared limited details about how it works. Engadget spoke with half a dozen creators who have joined the program over the last few months. They described their strategies for reaching the required engagement metrics, and the sometimes confusing nature of Threads' recommendation algorithm.Creators are sorted into different tiers of the program which determines how much their bonuses can be and what kinds of metrics their posts need to hit. None of the creators who spoke with Engadget knew how or why they had been selected for the bonus program, though they all had an established following on Instagram. (One of the known requirements is a professional account on Instagram.)Audrey Woulard is a photographer with more than 25,000 followers on Instagram and about 5,500 followers on Threads. She uses her Facebook and Instagram accounts to promote her portrait photography business. But when she was invited to the Threads bonus program, she saw an opportunity to experiment with different types of content.Her strategy, she says, is all about replies. She exclusively focuses on replying to other users' posts rather than creating her own. I'm not necessarily generating content on my own," she explains. I'm kind of activating other people's content." By focusing on replies, she says she's able to reach the required 60 Threads with at least 750 views each to qualify for a $500 monthly bonus.This has helped her become particularly attuned to the types of subjects that are likely to attract a lot of views. Polarizing content, anything that keeps people talking," she explains. Specifically, she looks for topics that people tend to have strong opinions about, like marriage, parenting, aging and politics, though she tries to avoid replying to obvious engagement bait.Woulard's experience isn't unique. Threads defaults to a for you" timeline that relies heavily on recommended posts rather than posts from accounts you already follow. Meta has also said it doesn't want to encourage" users to post about news and politics. Perhaps as a consequence of this, Threads' for you" feed often feels a lot slower and less focused on current events than on X.What the algorithm does prioritize, though, is posts that get a lot of replies, even if they are about a seemingly mundane topic. This has led to a bizarrely random quality to the feed, what blogger Max Read dubbed the gas leak social network." It's not uncommon to see a recommended post from someone you're totally unconnected to talking about a trivial inconvenience, or a medical condition or some other anodyne anecdote. What these posts do have in common, though, is lots of replies.It's also created an opportunity for people looking to game the app's algorithm by posting spammy content, generic questions or polarizing takes meant to attract as many replies as possible. (Meta execs have said they're trying to fix this issue after a surge in such posts, even as they acknowledge that posts with replies are most likely to be recommended.)But for Woulard, Meta's emphasis on public conversations" has worked in her favor. She says that so far she's been able to max out three months worth of bonuses simply by replying to Threads. Woulard generates more income from her Facebook page, but enjoys the simplicity of the Threads bonus program. It's so easy for me to make this money, I can literally sit in my room and reply to a bunch in 30 minutes."For Meta, offering bonuses to Instagram creators to post on Threads is part of its strategy to use Instagram to grow the year-old service. The company has leaned heavily on Instagram to grow Threads, which has already drawn 200 million users. But there were also bound to be some growing pains, says social media consultant Matt Navarra.I think people find it harder to create for platforms like Threads," Navarra tells Engadget. Writing interesting, engaging posts for a text-based platform, like X, Twitter or Threads is a different set of skills. And I think it's slightly tricky for some sorts of creators."Josh Kirkham, an artist who specializes in Bob Ross-style painting videos, has experienced this firsthand. With nearly 800,000 followers on Instagram, he's in the highest tier of the bonus program, which makes him eligible to earn up to $5,000 a month from his posts on Threads. He's been able to max out his bonus by sharing painting videos clipped from his livestreams on Instagram and TikTok.Despite the success, he hasn't been able to detect any patterns about what types of videos are likely to take off. He has more than 150,000 followers on Threads but, like other creators in the bonus program, relies on the app's recommendation algorithm for his posts to get noticed. Initially, I was posting mountain videos, and those were doing the best compared to everything else," he says, And then a week later, every mountain video was just getting like, nothing. Some of the times the videos that I think are going to do well don't do well at all, and vice versa."Kirkham says that he almost never replies to Threads posts when he's trying to hit a bonus because he worries it will dilute his chances of getting the 5,000 views per post necessary to earn the max payout. Still, he says he's grateful for the program as a full-time artist and creator. It's enabled me to pay off my credit card debt and then raise my credit score immensely," he says. I'm hoping for at least a few more."Nearly all of the creators who spoke to Engadget also expressed some skepticism that Meta would continue the bonus program at its current level for very long. In the past, the company has offered creators generous bonuses when it's trying to boost a new format like Instagram Reels or Facebook Live only for those payments to eventually dwindle as more people join and Meta inevitably shifts its strategy - and funds for creators - somewhere else.Logan Reavis is a photographer with nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram and about 8,500 on Threads. Though she has a bigger following on Instagram, she says Threads' algorithm feels more favorable to creators. The [Threads] algorithm works entirely different, especially as a photographer," she says. I feel like it's been hard to share my photography on Instagram, but it's encouraged on Threads. I actually reach an entirely different audience."Even so, she says she's had to grapple with the quirks of the Threads algorithm and its penchant for highlighting engagement bait. Responding to threads that have a lot of comments or conversation is what brings in my bonus views more, which is frustrating too because there's a lot of clickbait," she says. Reavis so far hasn't been able to reach her maximum potential $500 monthly bonus on Threads.While creators are part of Meta's strategy to make Threads its next billion-person app, the company hasn't always been able to explain what its newest app is actually for. So it shouldn't be surprising that even the creators it's paying to post there view it as something of an experiment.I still don't think it has its own unique place in the social media ecosystem," says Navarra. It doesn't really have much of its own identity or personality, and I think that's one of its many problems at the moment."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/creators-getting-paid-to-post-on-threads-dont-understand-its-algorithm-either-065736099.html?src=rss

The Federal Communications Commission announced that it will open a renewed investigation into broadband data caps and how they impact both consumer experience and company competition. The FCC is soliciting stories from consumers about their experiences with capped broadband service. The agency also opened a formal Notice of Inquiry to collect public comment that will further inform its actions around broadband data caps."Restricting consumers' data can cut off small businesses from their customers, slap fees on low-income families and prevent people with disabilities from using the tools they rely on to communicate," FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said. "As the nation's leading agency on communications, it's our duty to dig deeper into these practices and make sure that consumers are put first."This topic has been a hot one of late, and the FCC launched another notice of inquiry about the practice of capping Internet access last year. In April 2024, the agency successfully required that ISPs offer clear information labels on their service plans, detailing additional fees, discounts, and upload and download speeds. Data caps could also come under additional fire as the FCC attempts to restore net neutrality rules, which classify broadband as an essential service. Returning net neutrality has not been a simple journey, however, as the agency faces legal challenges from broadband providers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/fcc-launches-a-formal-inquiry-into-why-broadband-data-caps-are-terrible-182129773.html?src=rss

One of the nation's largest newspapers is targeting another AI firm for reusing its content without its permission. The Wall Street Journal reported that the New York Times sent a cease and desist letter to Perplexity, the AI startup funded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The letter states that Perplexity's use of the New York Times' content to create answers and summaries with its AI portal violates copyright law. The letter states that Perplexity and its backers have been unjustly enriched by using, without authorizations, The Times' expressive, carefully written and researched, and edited journalism without a license" and gave the startup until October 30 to respond before taking legal action.Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas told the Journal that they aren't ignoring the notice. He added they are very much interested in working with every single publisher, including the New York Times."This isn't the first time an AI company has earned the wrath of the New York Times' legal team. The newspaper took OpenAI and Microsoft to court over claims that both used articles from its pages to train its AI software. The suit alleges both companies used more than 66 million records across its archives to train its AI modes representing almost a century's worth of copyrighted content."Amazon Web Services' cloud division also started an investigation over the summer into Perplexity AI. Wired reported that a machine hosted on Amazon Web Services and operated by Perplexity visited hundreds of Conde Nast publications and properties hundreds of times to scan for content to use in its response and data collections.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-new-york-times-tells-perplexity-to-stop-using-its-content-175853131.html?src=rss

Apple is reportedly going to add digital car key support in the Wallet app for some Volvo, Polestar and Audi vehicles. Currently, Apple's digital car key support list includes vehicles from Kia, BMW, Lotus and several other manufacturers.The digital car key function allows iPhone and Apple Watch owners to access, lock or start vehicles just by holding the device near the vehicle's NFC reader. The Wallet app must also run in the background or in the foreground, but it's not necessary to push any buttons.MacRumors first discovered this possible future update in the Apple Wallet app's backend. However, the publication hasn't revealed any affected models or further details.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/apple-may-be-adding-digital-car-key-support-for-specific-volvo-polestar-and-audi-vehicles-163625563.html?src=rss

Hilton has teamed up with Be My Eyes to make hotel stays more accessible for blind and low-vision guests. The free app links users with sighted volunteers and companies who can help them navigate spaces and complete tasks using video calls.By going to the app's service directory, selecting the "hotels" option then the name of the Hilton brand they're staying at, Be My Eyes users will be connected to dedicated teams at the chain. Hilton staff members can talk users through actions such as finding and adjusting the thermostat in the room, making coffee, adjusting window coverings and moving to different areas of the hotel. The partnership covers brands including Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, DoubleTree by Hilton and Hampton by Hilton, though only in the US and Canada for now.Hilton and Be My Eyes first got together last year to help train the latter's Be My AI language model, which uses GPT-4. The aim was to improve the model's ability to recognize objects in Hilton hotel rooms and how to traverse the spaces. Be My Eyes also uses AI to capture text from things like menus and toiletry bottles to help users understand what's written on them.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/hilton-and-be-my-eyes-team-up-to-make-hotels-more-accessible-for-blind-and-low-vision-users-162522626.html?src=rss

By now, most people know passkeys offer a better way to protect their online credentials than passwords. Nearly every tech company of note, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, supports the protocol. Moreover, despite a slow start, adoption has dramatically increased in the last year, with, for instance, password manager Dashlane recently noting a 400% increase in use since the beginning of 2024. Still, not everyone knows they don't need to rely on passwords to protect their online identity, and transferring your passkeys between platforms isn't as easy as it should be. That's why the FIDO Alliance, the coalition of organizations behind the technology, is working to make it easier to do just that. On Tuesday, the group published draft specifications for the Credential Exchange Protocol (CXP) and Credential Exchange Format (CXF), two standards that, once adopted by the industry, will allow you to safely and seamlessly move all your passkeys and passwords between different apps and platforms. With some of the biggest names in the industry collaborating on the effort (including Apple, Google, 1Password, Bitwarden, and Dashlane, to name a few), there's a very good chance we're looking at a future where your current password manager - particularly if you use one of the first-party ones offered by Apple or Google - won't be the reason you can't switch platforms. And that's a very good thing. It is critical that users can choose the credential management platform they prefer, and switch credential providers securely and without burden," the FIDO Alliance said. Until now, there has been no standard for the secure movement of credentials, and often the movement of passwords or other credentials has been done in the clear." The CXP and CXF standards aren't ready for prime time just yet. The FIDO Alliance plans to collect feedback before it publishes the final set of specifications and gives its members the go-ahead to implement the technology.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/youll-soon-be-able-to-safely-and-easily-move-your-passkeys-between-password-managers-161025573.html?src=rss

It's been a bit of a wait for those who snapped up a new Pixel phone immediately, but Google is now starting to roll out Android 15 across eligible devices. While Google released the source code for the open source variant last month, the retail iteration of the mobile operating system is starting to hit phones and tablets.As ever, Pixel devices are the first to get access to Android 15. The Pixel 9 lineup debuted in August and although Google typically deploys a major OS update alongside its latest flagship phones, that wasn't the case this time. Android 15 will be available on eligible devices from other manufacturers in the coming months, but some phone and tablet makers will be using forked versions of the source code.Security and privacy are major focus points for Android 15. Google says Theft Detection Lock employs AI to help protect your data. Extra layers of authentication for the likes of SIM removal and switching off Find My Device should help secure your device too. You'll be able to set up a private space in Android 15 where sensitive apps (and any others you want to chuck in there) are all but invisible to others.Other new features include an easy way to pin and unpin the taskbar on foldables and tablets for more customizable layouts and app access. An app pairing option is said to benefit multitasking. You'll be able to save combinations of apps as app icons on the home screen and open them with a tap, which should make moving files between, say, Google Drive and Gmail a cinch.Google is opening up more camera options to third-party apps, such as more granular control over the flash. You'll be able to log into apps that use passkeys with a single tap. And, perhaps most significantly of all for some folks, carrier messaging apps will be able to support messaging via satellite when you're out of range of cell and Wi-Fi networks.In addition, Google is releasing a Pixel drop today, which includes support for Theft Detection Lock on devices running Android 10 and later.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/android-15-is-starting-to-roll-out-on-pixel-devices-160039591.html?src=rss

Today's a good day to grab a spare microSD card for your Nintendo Switch, phone or tablet (some still support them!), drone, camera or home security system. Amazon has the highly-rated Samsung EVO Select card in most capacities for record-low prices. That includes a 1TB one for $80 (usually $110). The Samsung EVO Select is Engadget's pick for the best value in microSD cards - at its full price. When you slash up to $30 off, it's a can't-miss deal. If 1TB for a record-low $80 is overkill for your needs, you can save on cheaper cards, too. The 512GB EVO Select card, which usually costs $56, is on sale for a mere $40. Meanwhile, a 256GB one (typically $30) is available for $22, and the 128GB variant is only $15 (from $19). The only one not on sale is the 64GB one, so skip that one today and go with 128GB if you were eyeing the entry-level tier. The Samsung EVO Select is a U3 Class 10 card. This is the latest 2024 model that supports sequential transfer speeds of up to 160 MB/s. If you're shopping for storage for your Switch console, that's far ahead of Nintendo's recommended transfer speeds, so you're more than golden there. It's also great for high-resolution video recording. The microSD card is rated to withstand up to 72 hours in seawater. Each card includes an adapter that lets you use the microSD as a full-sized SD card. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/one-of-our-favorite-samsung-microsd-cards-drops-to-a-record-low-price-155747738.html?src=rss

Yesterday, Leapmotor and joint venture partner Stellantis revealed the B10 SUV electric vehicle at the Paris Motor Show. This new vehicle will reportedly have a starting price between $14,000 and $21,000 (though there's no word about US availability yet). This marks Chinese automaker Leapmotor's latest foray into markets outside China, and it looks like this EV could sell well globally due to its lower price tag.Xavier-Alexandre Pons/Leapmotor/StellantisThe B10 SUV is Leapmotor's first B-Series EV, and it uses the company's LEAP 3.5 architecture, promising smart features geared towards tech-savvy customers. However, before it reaches European customers, the B10 SUV will first be available in China. As reported by CnEVpost, it will be sold for RMB 100,000 ($14,110) to RMB 150,000 ($21,070).Leapmotor isn't the most famous brand outside of China, but the fact that Stellantis, the fourth largest auto manufacturer in the world, is backing it gives Leapmotor more credibility. The company first sold vehicles in the European market this September and has 200 dealers in 13 countries. It plans to increase the number of European dealers to 500 before the end of 2025, signifying the start of a push into the European market.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/leapmotor-reveals-b10-suv-ev-priced-between-14k-and-21k-155016806.html?src=rss

YouTube just announced around two-dozen tweaks and updates to the mobile app, the web player and the TV app. Many of these updates are on the insignificant side, so let's go over the ones that are likely to change how people use the service.Speed adjustments are getting much more granular. There will now be fine-tunable playback speed, with adjustments in 0.05 increments. Prior to this change, adjustment options were locked into 0.25 increments. True story. I watched YouTube exclusively at 0.75 speed for like two years and now whenever people talk at a normal speed I feel completely overwhelmed. Good times!The miniplayer on mobile is getting some new features. Viewers will be able to resize the player and move it around at will. YouTube says this is perfect for those that love to search for more videos to add to their queues while already watching a video."YouTubePlaylists are getting a modern facelift. There's a new co-op playlist feature. Users can send out a QR code or a web link to invite friends and family to help on a particular playlist. There will soon be a voting feature, to let you and your friends curate the best line-up." YouTube's even introducing custom thumbnails for these playlists.Standard YouTube users are getting access to the Sleep Timer, after the company tested the feature with Premium members earlier this year. This is exactly what it sounds like. If you're someone who likes to fall asleep to the dulcet tones of a Noam Chomsky interview from 1995, the timer will ensure that YouTube powers down at some point.YouTube TV is getting an updated UI for Shorts, which could be handy as this content doesn't always jive with television screens. Incidentally, Shorts can now run up to three minutes, so they don't exactly live up to their name anymore.Finally, the platform is bringing badges to both YouTube and YouTube Music. Gotta collect 'em all, or whatever. Most of these tools begin rolling out today, but it could be several days before your particular YouTube account gets the refresh. You know the drill.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-adds-tons-of-little-tweaks-including-fine-tunable-playback-speed-153926551.html?src=rss

Today, Instagram announced that it will let users set up profile cards," a new way to help standard users and creators alike to make new friends on Instagram." Profile cards will have two sides and may include objects like your profile pictures, links to your sites, music or a QR code for others to scan. The card background can also be an image you like.MetaThese profile cards are designed to help users share profiles without typing out their usernames. Of course, they can be a medium of creativity, too, as a unique card can attract the attention of people with similar interests. Creators can also share them with brands or other creators, offering to collaborate.This change follows the update released in late August, allowing users to add songs to their profiles. Best of all, users all around the globe can start making profile cards right now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/instagram-is-introducing-profile-cards-to-help-users-find-new-friends-150051049.html?src=rss

Sonos must feel its companion app is in good enough shape, because today the company is launching two new products just a couple of months after it delayed them to fix its software. On Tuesday, Sonos announced the Arc Ultra and Sub 4. The former replaces the $899 Arc as the company's new flagship home theater product.It's the first Sonos soundbar to include its new Sound Motion technology. The company says the tech allowed it to drastically" reduce the size of the Arc Ultra's transducer without sacrificing bass output. In fact, Arc Ultra can produce up to twice as much bass as its predecessor, according to Sonos. In all, the soundbar features 14 drivers, including a set of tweeters on both ends of the device, allowing it to deliver 9.1.4 spatial audio.Other notable features include a Speech Enhancement tool Sonos says will allow users to decide how clear they want dialogue to sound. On the connectivity front, the soundbar includes an HDMI eARC port, as well as Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 support. AirPlay 2 connectivity is also included, as is support for optical audio - though the latter requires an adapter. For the first time, Sonos will also make its handy Trueplay tunning feature available to Android users. The Arc Ultra will cost an eye-watering $999 when it arrives on October 29. For now, Sonos will continue to sell the Arc for $899.As for the Sub 4, Sonos calls it its most advanced subwoofer to date. The Sub4 features more processing power and additional RAM, as well as a new Wi-Fi radio to offer stronger connectivity. At the same time, Sonos made the device more efficient, with the company claiming an almost 50 percent reduction in idle power consumption. Like the Arc Ultra, the Sub 4 will go on sale on October 29. It will cost a slightly more palatable $799.With today's announcement, Sonos says a new software update is also on the way. The company claims the release will improve performance relative to its previous app. Expect refinements to system identification, speaker grouping and setup. For current users, the update will bring back 90% of the features the new app has been missing since it replaced the company's old software."We've worked tirelessly to resolve the most critical app issues and most requested legacy features. We have reached a level of quality that gives us the confidence to launch our extraordinary new products," said Sonos CEO Patrick Spence. "As we laid out in our commitments we will continue to improve the software regularly, and are determined to make the Sonos experience better than it's ever been."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/sonos-999-arc-ultra-is-a-bass-powerhouse-in-a-relatively-small-package-141412411.html?src=rss

Google has been using AI in its shopping tools for a bit now, letting people use generative AI to try on" clothes and see if the garments look good on them, or look for things using Google Lens. Today, Google is implementing even more AI functionality in its Shopping service, allowing Gemini to show the most relevant products."Instead of only showing an assortment of products, Google Shopping now includes an AI-generated brief that recommends other products associated with what you searched for. For example, shoppers looking for notebooks may get a brief mentioning stationery like pens and erasers. The products shown are also sourced from sources like articles and guides from across the web. You can also read these articles yourself by clicking on them.GoogleIf those briefs aren't enough for you, searches can be refined using filters. The filters include criteria like clothing size and products at shops near you. These filters also work with virtual try-ons, as mentioned above, and augmented reality (AR) shopping. AR shopping works if a product has an associated 3D asset, but it can help shoppers see" the products as if they were in a store.Google Shopping is also getting a Deals" page that shows lower prices, if any are available. The page will also be personalized based on your previous searches. When you're tired of shopping or need to run errands, you can leave Google Shopping and return, picking up where you left off. Personalized searches like these can be disabled if you don't want Google tracking your searches closely.These Google Shopping changes are available today in the US. However, not everyone will see them immediately, because Google is rolling them out over the next few weeks.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-shopping-gets-even-more-ai-powered-features-140031743.html?src=rss

Meet Apple's seventh-generation iPad mini. Arriving over three years after its predecessor, the new tablet adds a faster A17 Pro chip originally found in the iPhone 15 Pro series with support for Apple Intelligence, more entry-level storage and support for the Apple Pencil Pro. The iPad mini 7 has the same 8.3-inch screen size as the previous model and an identical 2266 x 1488 resolution at 326 ppi. Unfortunately, the refresh rate remains a modest 60Hz; from what we can tell, the display is identical to the one in its predecessor. It's dimensions remain unchanged as well. The front-facing camera is still in the portrait position, something that makes sense for a device of this size, and both the front- and back-facing cameras appear unchanged from the previous iPad mini. Without any significant design upgrades, this update is more about what's inside. The A17 Pro chip lets the new tablet use Apple Intelligence features like smarter Siri, Writing Tools, Image Playground and Genmoji. It also has more RAM and 128GB of storage in the base-level model, double that of the 2021 model. There's also a 512GB storage option for the first time. The new iPad mini arrives on October 23 and starts at $499 for 128GB storage. Update, October 15 2024, 9:40AM ET: This post originally said that the new iPad mini used the A18 chip; it has been updated to note that it uses the A17 Pro chip. We apologize for the error.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/the-ipad-mini-7-goes-big-on-apple-intelligence-130848482.html?src=rss

JLab blew me away in early 2020 when the company debuted its $29 Go Air earbuds. For the first time, I realized that I had to pay closer attention to budget earbuds because some companies manage to build impressive products for less than $50. Do they offer flagship level performance and features? No. Do they cover the basics and sound good enough for casual use? Absolutely. The company has announced several products since, including the $60 JBuds ANC (third-gen) earlier this year. It appears that JLab wasn't content with that model being its most affordable noise-canceling option. Today, the company revealed the Go Pop ANC ($30), a set of earbuds that still offer some noise-blocking abilities for half the price of the JBuds ANC. This new model is the company's most affordable noise-canceling set ever, and JLab even says it's lowest-priced set of active noise cancellation (ANC) earbuds you can buy right now at full price. JLab says you can expect over six hours of listening time on the earbuds (ANC on), maxing out at over 24 hours when you factor in the case (ANC off). Like previous JLab models, the Go Pop ANC case has an integrated USB-C cable, so there's always have a way to plug in. Additionally, a fast charge feature gives you an hour of use in 10 minutes. The IP55 rated earbuds are sweat and splash proof, offering more robust ingress protection than some flagship models that cost a 10 times as much. Bluetooth multipoint connectivity is here, as is the ability to customize the audio and more via the JLab app. Specifically, that piece of software will allow you to adjust the EQ and reconfigure the onboard controls, plus there's a safe hearing tool and dedicated modes for music and movies. To accompany the Go Pop ANC's noise-cancelling functionality, there's a Be Aware transparency mode when you need it. 10mm dynamic drivers handle the sound and the two ANC MEMS microphones enable "clear" calls. The Go Pop ANC is also Google Fast Pair compatible as well, and it's available in fuchsia and teal color options in addition to the black that's pictured. The Go Pop ANC is available now for $30. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/jlabs-30-go-pop-anc-are-its-most-affordable-noise-canceling-earbuds-ever-130047683.html?src=rss

Earlier this year, Formlabs released new 3D printers that it said can run up to five times faster than the models before them. Now, the company has launched the Form 4L and Form 4BL, which are bigger versions of those printers with the same high-speed printing capabilities. They can 3D print objects nearly five times larger than what the original Form 4 and 4B can produce, and they can generate large-scale prints within just six hours at printing speeds that reach 80mm/hour. Prior to Form 4's release, you'd have to wait the whole day just to get something usable from the company's previous models.FormlabsAbove, you can see the Form 4L and the original Form 4 models side by side. In addition to being able to print larger objects, the Form 4L and 4BL printers can also be used to print thousands of smaller parts per day due to their speed. The company's new cartridge design helps speeds things up by dispensing resin faster, in addition to reducing plastic waste by 63 percent compared to the previous design. As with the smaller machines, the "B" in Form 4BL's name stands for "biocompatible," because it can be used to print materials for medical applications. Of course, a larger form factor also means a higher price: The Form 4L sells for $9,999, whereas the original Form 4 is priced at $4,499.Formlabs has also introduced its developer platform, which will give users the ability to use any licensed material they want with no restrictions, as well as to tweak their printer's settings to their liking and connect it to any software they might need. Members will also get access to lower material pricing and to bulk pricing for big production projects.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/formlabs-faster-printers-now-come-in-a-bigger-size-130009297.html?src=rss

DJI just announced the dual-camera Air 3S drone and there's some all-new cutting-edge tech hiding in the nose. A LiDAR sensor is there to provide extra crash protection at night, a time that's often dangerous for drones. The Air 3S also has a new main camera with a larger sensor better suited for capturing video in low-light. And it now comes with the company's ActiveTrack 360, which it first introduced in the Mini 4 Pro, allowing the device to zoom all around your subject while tracking and filming them. There are a bunch of other little improvements, from storage to the new panoramic photo mode, all at the same $1,099 price as the Air 3 was at launch. To see if it lives up to DJI's hype, I tested all of its new capabilities, especially the new night-flying obstacle avoidance. Design The Air 3S looks a lot like the Air 3 and weighs just 0.1 ounces more at 1.6 pounds. Since it's over 250 grams, you need a permit to fly it in the US and elsewhere. Unlike the Avata 2 or Neo, the Air 3S is obviously not suited to fly around people, but DJI does offer propeller guards for a bit of extra safety. The Air 3S' camera module is larger as well because it holds a new 50-megapixel 1-inch sensor camera with a 24mm f/1.8 lens, up from from the previous model's 1/1.3-inch sensor. This setup supports 4K recording up to 120 fps and 1080p at 240 fps, along with D-LogM to improve dynamic range. DJI also boosted the maximum ISO to 12,800 for improved light sensitivity. The secondary 70mm (3x) zoom camera is unchanged with a 1/1.3-inch sensor, and it supports the same video specs and color modes as the primary. The Air 3S is DJI's latest drone with its ActiveTrack 360 system. Once you start tracking a subject, you can change the camera angle using an onscreen control wheel. The drone will then figure out the best way to change positions while also avoiding obstacles. It does so using six vision (camera) sensors, two downward facing infrared time-of-flight sensors and the new LiDAR. Another key change on the Air 3S is its 42GB of internal storage, up from 8GB on the Air 3 - something that'll be handy if you forget a microSD card or fill one quickly. You can transfer files to your PC either by a Wi-Fi connection or the drone's USB-C port. The wired method now works even if the drone is turned off. Steve Dent for Engadget The Air 3S can hit up to 45 mph in sport mode. That's fast and there's no obstacle detection with this setting, so you need to know what you're doing. In normal mode, which does support obstacle tracking, speeds drop down to 23 mph. You get about 12.5 miles of range in the US via DJI's latest O4 transmission system, or half that in Europe. One small change is that the Air 3S now transmits 10-bit 1080p 60p video rather than 8-bit as before, improving remote video capture quality. Battery life on the Air 3S is excellent at 45 minutes, which equates to about 38 minutes under working conditions. With the optional Fly More kit that includes three batteries and a charging hub, pilots should be able to fly most of the day. Like the Mini 4 Pro, the charging hub supports power accumulation, so you can transfer energy from the weakest batteries to the strongest for longer flights. Finally, the Air 3S appears to have the same propeller system as the Air 3 and emits about the same amount of noise. It's pretty quiet for such a large drone, and once it gets up to around 150 feet, you can barely hear it. Performance Steve Dent for Engadget I tested the ActiveTrack 360 function while walking, biking and driving a car to see how it worked at various speeds. When tracking my car at around 20 to 25 mph, it stayed locked on while easily avoiding trees and power lines. I found a bike trail among some widely spaced trees and another with denser foliage. In the first section, the drone weaved smoothly around obstacles while keeping the bike in frame. After a few minutes, I was confident it wouldn't crash and was able to focus on creating some cool shots. The drone occasionally hesitated when it encountered obstacles, which spoiled some footage. However, it never crashed or lost track of the bike. Things weren't quite as easy on the dense brush trail. When I changed the camera angle, the drone would occasionally pick a bad route, get hemmed in by branches and stop. A few times the propellers knicked leaves or branches, throwing the drone off keel. It never crashed or took any damage, but I replaced the propellers out of an abundance of caution. Steve Dent for Engadget That experience taught me that the Air 3S's sensors can miss small obstacles, so it's wise to stay away from those situations and use propeller guards if you can't avoid them. You also need to make sure the drone has enough room to maneuver when using ActiveTrack 360 to change camera angles. Later, I took the Air 3S out at night to test the LiDAR, flying it up around trees and next to buildings. Previously, this would have been very risky, but the Air 3S successfully detected and avoided all obstacles. This new low-light capability will be especially helpful when you need to bring the drone home in the dark. Keep in mind that the LiDAR only works in the forward direction, so avoid going backwards or sideways at night. Video quality Steve Dent for Engadget To test the video quality, I shot aerials with the Air 3S, at dawn, in the daylight and at night. With the larger 1-inch sensor, 4K video is more detailed than ever and the camera produces vibrant, accurate colors and nice skin tones. It also does a great job in variable light conditions when using the DLogM setting. That came in handy when I was biking in the forest with a mixture of dappled sunlight and shadows. The 4K 120 fps setting is nice for creating dramatic shots with moving subjects, and there's no discernible loss in quality compared to the 30p or 60p modes. The Air 3S promises up to 14 stops of dynamic range, DJI promises, matching high-end mirrorless cameras. That's impressive for a drone. If things are too bright, DJI includes an ND filter kit to reduce brightness and avoid high shutter speeds that can make video look choppy. Steve Dent for Engadget The secondary 70mm-equivalent telephoto camera with a 1/1.3-inch sensor is the same as before and similar to the one on the Mini 4 Pro. To that end, it's not as sharp as the main camera and not as good in low light. However, DJI tuned it to closely match the main sensor, so it's now easier to combine shots from each. This camera also supports D-LogM video to boost dynamic range. The 3-axis mechanical gimbal allows for incredibly smooth footage, which is a hallmark of DJI drones. And if you need to shoot photos, the Air 3S produces sharp and color accurate RAW images that can be manipulated in post for great results. Wrap-up Steve Dent for Engadget The $1,099 Air 3S is DJI's most technologically advanced drone yet thanks to the LiDAR sensor, updated 1-inch camera and ActiveTrack 360 subject tracking. The obstacle detection is a strong point, and though the drone isn't invulnerable, I felt very safe flying it once I figured out its limitations. As usual, DJI's main competition is itself. The Mini 4 Pro is priced at $759 but lacks rear sensors and has inferior image quality. The triple-camera Mavic 3 Pro has a larger sensor that produces a slightly more cinematic image, but it costs $2,199. And of course, you can also look at DJI's Air 3, which has now dropped a bit in price. The only real non-DJI alternative is the $2,099 Autel Evo II Pro 6K (kit), which has just a single 1-inch camera and is also a lot more expensive. I think the Air 3S is a better choice than the Mavic 3 Pro for most video creators, because video quality is outstanding and it has superior obstacle detection. If I were a content creator looking for a high-end drone right now, the Air 3S is the one I'd buy.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-air-3s-review-lidar-and-improved-image-quality-make-for-a-nearly-faultless-drone-130002876.html?src=rss

China has denied allegations by the US government and Microsoft that a state-sponsored hacking group called the Volt Typhoon has infiltrated US critical infrastructure, according to Bloomberg. The country's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center called the claims a "political farce" orchestrated by US officials in a new report. It also reportedly cited more than 50 cybersecurity experts who agreed with the agency that there's no sufficient evidence linking Volt Typhoon to the Chinese government.Moreover, the Chinese agency said that it's the US that uses "cyber warfare forces" to penetrate networks and conduct intelligence gathering. It even accused the US of using a tool called "Marble" that can insert code strings in the Chinese and Russian languages to frame China and Russia for its activities.Microsoft and the National Security Agency (NSA) first reported about Volt Typhoon back in May 2023. They said that the group installed surveillance malware in "critical" systems on the island of Guam and other parts of the US and has had access to those systems for at least the past five years. In February this year, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the NSA and the FBI issued an advisory warning critical infrastructure organizations that state-sponsored cyber actors from China "are seeking to pre-position themselves on IT networks for disruptive or destructive cyberattacks."The US agencies said Volt Typhoon had infiltrated the US Department of Energy, US Environmental Protection Agency, as well as various government agencies in Australia, the UK, Canada and New Zealand. Volt Typhoon doesn't act like other cyberattackers and espionage groups do. It hasn't used the malware it installed to attack any of its targets - at least not yet. The group is "pre-positioning" itself so that it can disrupt critical infrastructure functions when it wants to, which the US government believes is "in the event of potential geopolitical tensions and/or military conflicts" with the United States.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/china-calls-allegations-that-it-infiltrated-us-critical-infrastructure-a-political-farce-120023769.html?src=rss

Meta's latest play to get you into VR is a cheaper VR headset almost as capable as the $500 Quest 3. The Quest 3S brings some but not all of the top features of the more expensive headset. Compared to the Quest 2, it has a more capable processor, better hand and controller tracking and lets you dip your toes into mixed reality.Costs have been cut: There are lower-res screens and cheaper Fresnel lenses, but Meta has cleverly cherry picked the right specs to ensure the Quest 3S feels as capable as the more expensive option. You get the same subtle, comfortable controllers and the camera arrays to track your environment.You can also use the 3S to play Xbox titles and even connect to your PC for VR games like Half Life: Alyx. The Quest 3S starts at $300 with 128GB of storage. If you're intrigued, check out our full review.- Mat SmithThe biggest tech stories you missedNeva review: A platformer so perfect it made me cryInternet Archive's Wayback Machine is back online DJI's Osmo Mobile 6 smartphone gimbal is cheaper than ever right nowGet this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!Fujifilm's X-M5 is its first sub-$1,000 camera in yearsIt offers most of the X-T50's capabilities.FujifilmThe $799 X-M5 is for photographers on a budget or vloggers stepping up from a smartphone. Fujifilm cut a few features, like a viewfinder (EVF), to get to that price point, but it does have the company's latest 26-megapixel X-Trans 4 CMOS sensor. There are also handy vlogging features, like a portrait enhancer, background defocus and product priority, much as we've seen on Sony's vlogging Z-series cameras. It's on presale for $799.Continue reading.Google strikes deal to power its AI data centers with nuclearThe company agreed to buy energy from 7 small nuclear reactors.Google said it will partner with the startup Kairos Power to build seven small nuclear reactors in the US. The deal aims to farm 500 megawatts of nuclear power from the small modular reactors (SMRs) by the decade's end. The first is expected to be up and running by 2030, with the rest arriving through 2035. It's the first-ever corporate deal to buy nuclear power from SMRs. Small modular reactors are smaller than existing reactors. Their components are built inside a factory rather than onsite, which can help lower construction costs. It's not a dead cert: Kairos will need the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to approve the plans.Continue reading.SpaceX successfully catches its Super Heavy rocketIt's a huge milestone in making Starship and the Super Heavy rocket a fully reusable system.SpaceX's Super Heavy booster successfully returned to the pad after liftoff, caught by the launch tower's mechanical arms. It's rather incredible - you should watch it. The milestone came during the fifth flight of the company's Starship and is a huge step for the rocket's planned reusability goals. Where Falcon 9 typically lands on a drone ship in the ocean, Super Heavy returned to its launch site and had to navigate into the narrow opening between the launch tower's outstretched chopsticks." Just watch it!Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-our-verdict-on-the-meta-quest-3s-111519614.html?src=rss

NASA has launched its Europa Clipper spacecraft, the biggest one it has ever built for a mission heading to another planet, on top of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Mission controllers at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have confirmed that the Europa Clipper successfully separated from the rocket's second stage and has already deployed the two solar arrays flanking its main body. Now, the spacecraft has started its 1.8 billion-million journey Europa, one of Jupiter's moons and one of the most promising habitable worlds outside our own planet, which will take it five-and-a-half years to reach.The Europa Clipper will not be heading straight to Jupiter - it will instead fly by Mars and, in 2026, by Earth to use the planets' gravity to boost its momentum. NASA's plan is to use that momentum to slingshot the spacecraft towards the outer solar system. Europa has a thick icy shell that's estimated to be around 10 to 15 miles thick, covering a saltwater ocean that could have twice the water in our planet's oceans combined. Since scientists believe that life on our planet originated from the ocean, Europa's could also host organic compounds and contain energy sources."Scientists believe Europa has suitable conditions below its icy surface to support life. Its conditions are water, energy, chemistry and stability," said Sandra Connelly, the Deputy Associate Administrator in the NASA Science Mission Directorate.Upon reaching Europa in 2031, the Clipper will fly by the moon 49 times, coming as close as 16 miles to its surface. NASA equipped the spacecraft with nine instruments, including an ice-penetrating radar, cameras and a thermal instrument, housed inside a vault made of titanium and aluminum to protect them from the intense radiation produced by Jupiter. The Clipper will operate its instruments simultaneously every time it passes by the moon to investigate how thick Europa's outer shell truly is and how deep the ocean underneath all that ice is. It will also look for areas with warmer ice and find any plumes of water vapor that could be escaping from Europa's icy shell.

Google is turning to nuclear energy to help power its AI drive. On Monday, the company said it will partner with the startup Kairos Power to build seven small nuclear reactors in the US. The deal targets adding 500 megawatts of nuclear power from the small modular reactors (SMRs) by the decade's end. The first is expected to be up and running by 2030, with the remainder arriving through 2035.It's the first-ever corporate deal to buy nuclear power from SMRs. Small modular reactors are smaller than existing reactors. Their components are built inside a factory rather than on-site, which can help lower construction costs compared to full-scale plants.Kairos will need the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to approve design and construction permits for the plans. The startup has already received approval for a demonstration reactor in Tennessee, with an online date targeted for 2027. The company already builds test units (without nuclear-fuel components) at a development facility in Albuquerque, NM, where it assesses components, systems and its supply chain.The companies didn't announce the financial details of the arrangement. Google says the deal's structure will help to keep costs down and get the energy online sooner.By procuring electricity from multiple reactors - what experts call an orderbook' of reactors - we will help accelerate the repeated reactor deployments that are needed to lower costs and bring Kairos Power's technology to market more quickly," Michael Terrell, Google's senior director for energy and climate, wrote in a blog post. This is an important part of our approach to scale the benefits of advanced technologies to more people and communities, and builds on our previous efforts."The AI boom - and the enormous amount of data center power it requires - has led to several deals between Big Tech companies and the nuclear industry. In September, Microsoft forged an agreement with Constellation Energy to bring a unit of the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania back online. In March, Amazon bought a nuclear-powered data center from Talen Energy.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-strikes-a-deal-with-a-nuclear-startup-to-power-its-ai-data-centers-201403750.html?src=rss

There are few faster ways to improve your smartphone photo and video game than by snapping up a gimbal. This increases image stabilization, reducing hand shake to make for smoother shots and help ensure a still is framed just as you want it. DJI's Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal is an option worth considering, especially since it's on sale. This model is currently $20 off, which brings it down to a price of $119. The Osmo Mobile 6 has a larger clamp than DJI's previous models, meaning larger smartphones and ones with bulkier cases can slot in. If you attach an iPhone, the Mimo app goes into camera view when the gimbal is unfolded so you can start shooting photos and videos with it faster. The handle is said to be more comfortable to hold compared with earlier versions. DJI retained the built-in extension rod from the previous model, so you can use the Osmo Mobile 6 as a selfie stick. You can set it up as a tripod too. DJI included an array of smart features, such as timelapse, gesture control, automatic dynamic zoom, panorama and story mode. Using a side wheel, you can adjust the focal length and zoom level manually. There's a new status panel built in that displays battery levels and a button that lets you switch between various modes. DJI also upgraded its ActiveTrack feature. This supports stable tracking over longer distances and helps your phone's front camera to better track subjects as they rotate. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/djis-osmo-mobile-6-smartphone-gimbal-is-cheaper-than-ever-right-now-192859156.html?src=rss

Microsoft is bringing the latest Call of Duty game to Xbox Cloud Gaming on day one. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be available to stream for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers at 10AM PT on its launch day, October 25. Modern Warfare III and the battle royale Call of Duty: Warzone arrive on the platform on the same day.This will be the first time Call of Duty games have been playable on Microsoft's cloud gaming platform. Game Pass Ultimate members will be able to enjoy Call of Duty in more places than ever before, including on their consoles, PCs, mobile devices, select Samsung TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Meta Quest devices," Xbox VP of Gaming Experiences & Platforms Ashley McKissick wrote in a blog post. This opens up even more ways to play Black Ops 6 starting on day one at launch."Ubisoft owns the rights to streaming Activision games after Microsoft cut a 2023 deal to gain regulatory approval for its purchase of the Call of Duty maker. So, Ubisoft appears to have licensed it back to Microsoft (and could do so with other cloud platforms).Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will have a full campaign set in the early 1990s. The game will add omnimovement, the new fluid mobility option that lets you sprint, slide, and dive in any direction." Also new is Supine Prone, the ability to rotate while prone," which Activision describes as adding more freedom of movement and tactical flexibility. Its maps will span the Middle East, southern Europe, Russia and the US.Modern Warfare III is last year's installment, which came to Game Pass in July. One of the lowest-rated games in the franchise's history, it's a direct sequel to Modern Warfare II. The game follows a special operations unit tracking Russian ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makaro, who is (tsk, tsk) hatching a plot to start World War III. The game includes a single-player campaign, multiplayer and an open-world Zombies mode (just in time for Halloween).Finally, Call of Duty: Warzone is Activision's 2022 answer to the free-to-play battle royale trend. As with genre stalwarts like Fortnite, you parachute onto a shrinking game map and have at it. Locations include Urzikstan, Rebirth Island and Fortune's Keep.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/three-call-of-duty-games-arrive-on-xbox-cloud-gaming-later-this-month-175819790.html?src=rss

Here's a little something to liven up the week in gamerland: Xbox is hosting a third-party games showcase on Thursday, October 17 at 1PM ET. A 4K, 60 fps stream will be available on YouTube in English with live subtitles in 16 other languages (Xbox will add subtitles for more languages after the fact). The Xbox channel will have versions of the show with audio description and American Sign Language (ASL). A British Sign Language version will be available on the Xbox On channel. You'll also be able to watch the stream in English and ASL on Twitch, as well as on, uh, LinkedIn.The Partner Preview stream will run for around 25 minutes and it will include more than a dozen trailers from Xbox's partners. You'll get a look at the next Alan Wake 2 expansion (The Lake House), Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii gameplay and some bosses in a Soulslike called Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. Xbox is also promising some new game reveals along with release date announcements. As you'd expect, many of these titles will be coming to Game Pass in one form or another.Xbox is ending the year with a reasonably packed slate of first-party games, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle yet to come. Still, it's always nice to see platform holders shine the spotlight on games from third-party publishers and developers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-is-hosting-a-partner-showcase-on-october-17-at-1pm-et-174034491.html?src=rss

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones came out almost exactly a year ago and now Amazon is selling the Lunar Blue colorway for $329, which is $100 off the MSRP (other hues are full price). We saw this price last week for all four colors during Amazon's fall sale. Lunar Blue looks to be a limited edition, which could account for the discount, or it could just be Amazon's way of keeping the deals engines burning after the end of October Prime Day. Engadget's Billy Steele reviewed these when they came out last October, awarding them a respectable 86. The difference between this Ultra version and Bose's standard QuietComfort headphones is the integration of Bose's version of spatial audio. The design saw some changes too, with a single multifunction control instead of the three buttons to handle playback and mode functions. There's also a touch strip to adjust the volume. Some of the plastic was swapped out in favor of metal, and we found the comfort to be the same high level as with previous Bose cans - particularly for long listening sessions. And, of course, the active noise cancellation is still among the best you can get. As for the Immersive Audio (the marquee feature) it's good sometimes. It works with all content - not just content created to support it, such as Dolby Atmos in Apple Music or Sony's 360 Reality Audio. But since it's relying on signal processing instead of specially engineered sounds, the results vary. Sometimes it sounds great, other times not so much. But thankfully, Bose has improved the audio all around, so even without the new feature, the sound is warmer and clearer than on the standard QCs. In our guide to the best wireless headphones, we mention QuietComfort Ultra but point out that the $100 price jump from the standard QCs (our current ANC pick) isn't quite worth it, since the success of the spatial audio isn't consistent. But with this discount, the blue QC Ultra headphones are currently $20 cheaper than the originals. Could be a good day to go for the pricer/not pricier version. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-are-back-on-sale-at-their-lowest-price-yet-173728366.html?src=rss

The head of Xbox Game Studios Alan Hartman is set to retire at the end of November, marking an end to 30 years working at Microsoft. Appointed to succeed him is Craig Duncan, the studio head of Rare, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2002. To fill in for Duncan's eventual departure from the studio, Joe Neate and Jim Horth will take over as co-leads of Rare, as seen in an internal memo seen by The Verge:

Adobe is joining several other players in the generative AI (GAI) space by rolling out its own model. The Firefly Video Model is powering a number of features across the company's wide array of apps. At Adobe MAX, the company announced that some of those are available in beta today.Generative Extend is a Premiere Pro feature that Adobe previewed earlier this year. It enables editors to add generated footage and audio to the start or end of a clip. This can help cover a transition or edit if the required shot isn't available. All editors need to do is drag out the beginning or end of a clip. Adobe says the tool can also correct eyelines and actions that change unexpectedly in the middle of a shot.Adobe said it worked with professional video editors over the last year to better understand how GAI could help resolve some issues in their workflow. While Generative Extend might give them the footage they need, other creatives may be less enthused. It may mean that reshoots are no longer required, taking days of work (and income) away from the cast and crew.That said, Generative Extend is only intended for small tweaks. The feature is also limited to a maximum resolution of 1080p for now, so it's not exactly cinema quality.In September, Adobe previewed its text-to-video (similar to OpenAI's Sora and Meta's Movie Gen) and image-to-video features. Those are now available in the Firefly web app in beta, thought you may have to join a waitlist.Adobe says that, like with other Firefly generative models, both the Firefly Video Model and the features it powers are designed to be safe for commercial use. Its Content Credentials watermarks are applied to whatever the video model outputs.Elsewhere, Photoshop is gaining some features Adobe showed off earlier this year, with Generative Fill and Generative Expand now running on the latest Firefly Image Model (the company says this can generate images four times faster than previous versions). The Generate Similar tool is fairly self-explanatory - it can generate variants of an object in the image until you find one you prefer. Adobe released those features today.In addition, Adobe is adding a neat feature to the Remove tool, which lets you delete people and objects from an image with ease, like Google's Magic Eraser. With Distraction Removal, you can remove certain common elements with a single click. For instance, it can scrub unwanted wires and cables, and remove tourists from your travel photos.Meanwhile, Frame.io V4, said to be the biggest update to the collaborative photo and video production platform since it debuted nine years ago, is available to all users. Adobe has entirely redesigned it to, for instance, improve workflows and upgrade the video player. It also emerged that Canon, Nikon and Leica will support its Camera to Cloud (C2C) feature, which allows for direct uploads of photos and videos to Frame.io. Adobe says that means most major manufacturers are now supporting C2C.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/adobe-starts-rolling-out-generative-ai-video-tools-in-beta-163703601.html?src=rss

Bungie seems to have set its sights on the mobile games market, as Destiny: Rising, a new mobile sci-fi RPG shooter title, is coming to Android and iOS. This spinoff is being developed by NetEase Games, the same company that developed the free-to-play Diablo: Immortal. Destiny: Rising will also be free to download and play when it launches.Destiny: Rising is set in a different timeline from Destiny and Destiny 2, but NetEase promises players they'll meet some familiar faces and new ones. The narrative is focused on a time after the Dark Age. Players will get to explore Earth after The Collapse" and see how humanity tries to recover from a loss of civilization.Bungie/NetEase GamesBesides playing in a first-person perspective, NetEase Games is introducing a new third-person viewpoint, previously only limited to specific weapons and equipment. The game also supports smartphone-compatible controllers if you own them.As a Destiny 2 spinoff, Destiny: Rising will have both PvE and PvP modes, both familiar and new. Players are able to create clans and make friends, both fighting alongside or against them in challenges.Bungie/NetEase GamesSome of you may realize that since NetEase Games is developing and publishing Destiny: Rising, the game is likely to have many microtransactions. Sadly, there's no concrete info about this right now, but if we can take Diablo: Immortal as an example, these worries may come true.It's worth noting that Bungie had just laid off 220 employees this past August despite the success of its latest expansion, the Final Shape. Many Destiny 2 players may also recall that the company recently released a roadmap detailing future plans in the wake of those layoffs.NetEase Games is opening sign-ups right now for a closed alpha test taking place next month. Those interested can visit the official website to learn more. There's no official release date at this time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/destiny-rising-is-bungies-new-mobile-game-published-by-netease-games-163054704.html?src=rss

Amazon isn't a stranger to acquiring various companies and services, but it's finally taking steps to streamline its many acquisitions, as reported by The Information. PillPack, bought by Amazon in 2018, and Amazon Pharmacy, launched in 2020, are slowly being combined into one service. Amazon is also attempting to combine the online components of Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh, albeit in a different manner.PillPack is a service that sends customers medication packs containing the required pills for a single day's consumption, while Amazon Pharmacy is geared towards general purchases. One of the planned changes is to allow PillPack users to handle their orders using Amazon Pharmacy accounts. They can also use coupons and Prime discounts on their PillPack purchases. Additionally, Amazon Pharmacy will accept Medicare through PillPack in January.Although Amazon has plans to expand Amazon Pharmacy to the UK, Canada and Australia, this hasn't happened yet. The service remains US-only.Right now, both pharmacy services already ship orders from the same facilities, which is a change from the previous arrangement. PillPack previously had its own facilities, and the change will make same-day deliveries in 20 new cities possible, bringing the total available locations close to 30 from less than 10 right now.Amazon previously acquired Whole Foods in 2017, but it wasn't connected to Amazon's regular grocery deliveries or Amazon Fresh at all. Now, Amazon is placing popular items at Whole Foods and Amazon in Fresh centers in the US, UK, Italy and Spain. Shoppers can now stick to using only Amazon Fresh more often instead of buying from multiple stores at once. One driver can also deliver everything in a single order, which helps Amazon reduce costs.Additionally, Amazon is testing a mini-warehouse located in a Whole Foods store that lets customers pick up orders. This warehouse stores products like Coca-Cola and Oreos, which aren't allowed in Whole Foods stores due to policies. Amazon intends to help shoppers avoid visiting multiple stores due to a lack of products, a problem Whole Foods suffers from due to it stocking fewer brands.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-will-reportedly-merge-its-pharmacy-operations-and-some-grocery-delivery-services-160914672.html?src=rss

I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Neva. As a story, Neva is a living fairy tale that plays out in dreamlike scenes of natural beauty, starring two creatures bonded by tragedy and propelled by an intense need to protect each other - and save the world in the process. As a game, Neva offers exquisite swordplay and intuitive platforming action, with a contained suite of abilities that evolves purposefully with each new stage. As a piece of art, every frame of Neva is breathtaking. This is what a faultless game looks like. This is how it feels to play something perfect. Alba is the protagonist in Neva and she's badass. When we meet her, she's a seasoned warrior and nomad with a cloud of silver hair, dancer's limbs, and a billowing red cape that hides a slender sword. Her wolf companion, Neva, is just a cub at first, easily distracted and still learning how to navigate the forests and fields of their world. In the beginning, Neva needs Alba. By the end of the game, after seasons of growth and vicious battles, Alba also needs Neva. Nomada Studio None of these descriptors are spelled out in words, but the characters' actions and a few beautifully animated vignettes make their backstories clear, and the entire story unspools in a similar fashion. The only speech in the game comes from Alba as she calls out, Neva?" or, Neva!" or, Nevaaa," with each press of the interaction button. Her tone and level of panic shifts dynamically with Neva's position in the environment - Alba's voice is strained with worry when she and the wolf are separated, and it's soothing or playful when they're near each other. Standing next to Neva and pressing to interact lets Alba pet her (and yes, there are achievements for doing so). In a million small ways, the game's mechanics forge a deep emotional connection between Alba and Neva, until it eventually feels like they're a singular entity, fighting the darkness as one. Alba and Neva's world is stunning. It's composed of lush forests, sun-drenched valleys, soaring mountains and twisting cave systems - and all of it is being consumed by an oozing, ink-black decay spread by swarms of bulbous monsters with stark white faces. The decay acts like cordyceps, suffusing the bodies of massive animals and transforming them into zombie-like murder machines. In other areas, it takes the form of spiky brambles and skeletal vines that deal damage if you touch them. The monsters - round bodies, screaming faces and spidery limbs - appear consistently with a variety of ranged, melee, airborne and rushing attacks. It's Alba and Neva's mission to destroy the decay and the monsters, and reclaim their land. For the completionists among us, there are also glowing white flowers hidden among the levels, and finding them all unlocks something special. Nomada Studio The game is divided into four seasons, and as Neva grows, so do her abilities. Alba, meanwhile, is always strong and she only becomes more powerful as she and Neva learn how to fight together. To start, Alba can jump, double jump and dodge, and she has a basic sword attack and a downward thrust that can strike enemies and burst through weak floors from above. In the back half of the game, Neva is able to leap on invisible platforms and essentially teleport to any area she pleases, watching from high ridges as Alba climbs walls of white flowers to reach her. This is a distinct contrast to the early stages, when Alba had to coax cub-Neva to jump across small gaps, and it drives home the game's core theme of parental love. Eventually, Alba is able to throw Neva into battle like an aimed projectile, and she'll ferociously attack whatever enemy she hits. This ability is a little silly at times - like when you're trying to reach a hidden flower and you end up hurling Neva into a wall repeatedly until the angle is just right - but it quickly feels like a natural, necessary extension of Alba's arsenal. Besides, Neva doesn't seem to mind. Nomada Studio Mechanically, Neva is an incredibly light and responsive platformer. Playing on PlayStation 5, inputs never lag; Alba is able to jump, double jump and dodge with ease, and this trio of abilities resets with the lightest of touches to the terrain. Enemy hitboxes are tight, encouraging players to fight up close and dodge through dangers in between swings of Alba's sword. Health regenerates as Alba lands hits without taking damage herself, and healing cairns are sprinkled generously throughout the scenes. Mid-air levels, where Alba leaps between cliff sides and bounces off floating enemy blobs, cultivate a brilliant sense of precision, daring players to push Alba's maneuvers to their absolute limits. Neva offers subtle yet clear direction through environmental cues alone, and I never once felt lost in its platforming sauce. The levels shift with the seasons: complex navigation puzzles and delightfully tricky mirror levels are steadily added to the sidescrolling action, constantly testing Alba and Neva's capacity to work together. Alba and Neva are connected in every scene, but their bond is tangible during battles, particularly once the wolf throw becomes a reliable part of Alba's attack-dodge rhythm. This only makes it more distressing when, in some stages, Alba has to battle on her own. Neva's presence brings a fullness to Alba's abilities, and especially in the game's last few hours, my controller felt distinctly empty any time she didn't fight alongside me. Nomada Studio I don't want to say too much about the final stages of Neva. The game builds to an inevitable, emotionally intense conclusion, with pockets of deep longing and sublime reconciliation sprinkled throughout the rising action. Yes, Neva will make you cry. I definitely did, with big, ugly tears. Neva is infused with magical realism, blending the familiar with the impossible in a format that looks like a living children's book. Otherworldly terror creeps around the edges of each landscape, foreboding and exquisite, and the game's animations are anime-smooth. Neva looks incredible and it plays just as beautifully - a rare and powerful combination. Just like Alba and Neva. Neva comes out on October 15 on PC, macOS, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch, developed by Nomada Studio and published by Devolver Digital. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/neva-review-a-platformer-thats-so-perfect-it-made-me-cry-160037311.html?src=rss

The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine is back online in a read-only state, after DDoS attacks took the entire platform offline on October 9. Founder Brewster Kahle posted on Monday (via The Verge) that the service is resumed in a provisional, read-only manner" without the ability to save new pages.Security researcher Troy Hunt said last week's attacks coincided with the Internet Archive's plan to disclose a previous breach that led to the theft of over 31 million records. Hunt, who runs the Have I Been Pwned? service, believed the timing of the two attacks was likely entirely coincidental," citing the involvement of multiple parties."The hacking group Blackmeta claimed responsibility for the attacks, posting that the Internet Archive belongs to the USA." The nonprofit, founded in the early days of the web in 1996, is headquartered in San Francisco.Kahle says it's safe to resume" using the Wayback Machine, so you can resume your nostalgic trip to your favorite Geocities post-grunge tribute sites. However, the founder warns that the service may need further maintenance, so don't be shocked if it goes down again.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/internet-archives-wayback-machine-is-back-online-after-last-weeks-ddos-attacks-155820797.html?src=rss