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Mozilla is working on a new tool for Firefox called AI Window. This will be an opt-in space for chatting with an AI assistant and getting help from it while browsing. The goal with this project appears to be giving users more control over when and how they choose to interact with AI. AI Window will be another option for users alongside the standard Firefox window and the Private Window, which will continue to offer more privacy protections. The feature is still in development, so interested users can sign up in Mozilla's blog post to be among the first users and provide feedback.AI built into browsers is one of the current hot issues among tech companies. Every browser provider and AI operation appears to be engaged in an arms race to offer the best integrated solution. Mozilla isn't immune to that push; it also introduced an iOS tool for Firefox earlier this year where you can shake your phone to get an AI-generated summary of a web page.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/mozilla-will-add-an-ai-window-to-firefox-225032453.html?src=rss

Apple has introduced a new plan for developers who offer mini-apps that could see the commission rate cut in half. Under the App Store Mini Apps Partner Program, devs would pay a reduced rate of 15 percent, compared to the current 30 percent, on qualifying in-app purchases. Apple has a bunch of more detailed explanations and an FAQ about how the partner program will work and what mini apps are eligible.Mini apps are "self-contained experiences" - often web-based games - that live within a larger "host" app. Apple has allowed developers to offer these experiences for years, but only allowed mini app developers to support in-app purchases of their own last year.In order to participate in the Mini Apps Partner Program, developers will need to meet a few additional requirements. To start, developers will need to support both iOS and iPadsOS functionality. They're also required to implement Apple's Advanced Commerce API, as well as the Declared Age Range API. The latter requirement would prevent underage users from circumventing parental controls by accessing a mini app with a higher age rating than the host app.Apple's fee structure has been an ongoing subject of debate, and the company has faced global pressure from regulators to change its commission policies to prove it isn't engaged in monopolistic, anti-competitive practices. We've already seen some changes at Apple this year, as its legal saga with Epic Games wound towards a conclusion and some of the App Store guidelines were changed to allow for external payment options.Update, November 13, 2025, 2PM PT: Added additional details about the Mini Apps Partner Program.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-halves-app-store-fees-for-mini-apps-190251153.html?src=rss

Amazon is making its satellite communication network a bit more official with a rebrand. The company has announced that Project Kuiper will now be called "Amazon Leo," a nod to the fact that its network is composed of satellites in low Earth orbit.Project Kuiper's journey to becoming a proper Amazon brand has been a long one. The company introduced the project in 2019 with the goal of offering internet in regions without a reliable connection, through a proposed constellation of over 3,000 satellites that could blanket 95 percent of the global population in high-speed internet. That constellation has yet to fully take shape, however. In the years following the Project Kuiper reveal, Amazon launched prototype satellites, detailed plans for a space laser mesh network and showed off the antennas customers will use to connect to its network, but it didn't actually launch the first 27 satellites in its constellation until April 2025.In comparison, its competitor Starlink has had a much faster expansion. SpaceX launched the Starlink satellite internet service in beta in 2020, and has rapidly expanded it since then. Now SpaceX has a deal with T-Mobile for satellite-enabled texting, and has struck up partnerships with airlines to test or offer internet connection on flights. Rebranding Project Kuiper to Leo suggests Amazon is finally ready to think about its satellite network as a product in its own right, but the company still has some catching up to do.Amazon hasn't shared a date for when its satellite internet service will be widely available for personal and commercial use, but you can sign-up on the Amazon Leo website to receive updates as the company works towards launch.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/amazon-rebrands-its-starlink-competitor-to-amazon-leo-214453569.html?src=rss

The Wall Street Journal reported that Verizon plans to cut about 15,000 jobs over the next week. Sources told the publication that Verizon is attempting to reduce costs as it faces more competition for wireless service and home internet customers. At the reported scope, this would be the largest reduction in history for the telecom company.Verizon leadership indicated that a sea change was coming in its third-quarter financial report last month, although many of the figures for the period were positive. The company's net income reached $5.1 billion and most other metrics showed year-on-year growth. However, Verizon did a marked drop in postpaid wireless customers, losing 7,000 customers in that segment compared with a gain of 18,000 in Q3 2024. "We are going to take bold and fiscally responsible action to redefine Verizon's trajectory at this critical inflection point for our company," CEO Dan Schulman said. "These will not be incremental changes."According to WSJ, most of the coming cuts will take the form of layoffs, but Verizon may also look to reduce employee count by turning about 200 stores into franchise locations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/verizon-may-cut-15000-jobs-next-week-214143406.html?src=rss

Black Friday (which is now basically all of November) is one of the best times of the year to pick up things for yourself and for other people. But to say money is tight is an understatement this year. If Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days was any indicator, folks are spending more on essentials than anything else during these big sales. That, combined with the rising trend of holding on to big tech purchases for longer means that you may not have gadgets at the top of your to-buy list this year. Even if that's the case, I'd recommend not overlooking tech entirely this Black Friday. After all, all of us have essential tech that we use every day, and more often than not, you can avoid paying full price for most of those gadgets (and all of the rest of the best tech of the year) if you're looking to add to your repertoire or you need a replacement. Personally, I'm not eyeing a new smartphone or laptop this holiday shopping season, but there are a few tech purchases I'd like to make if the prices are right. This is the tech I'm hoping to save on this year during Black Friday. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-black-friday-deals-i-hope-to-see-in-2025-100014091.html?src=rss

Apple will not be granted a preliminary option for appealing a landmark antitrust ruling in the UK. In October, the country's Competition Appeal Tribunal determined that Apple benefited from "near absolute market power" over app distribution and in-app payments and was "abusing its dominant position by charging excessive and unfair prices" as developer commission. At the time, Apple was reportedly planning to appeal, but today, the Tribunal refused to give the company permission to challenge its decision.That means Apple's next recourse, if it wants to not pony up more than 1 billion in damages, is to take its case directly to the UK Court of Appeal. The company has requested 21 days to file any application with that judicial body.It has been a busy year for Apple as it faces more regulatory pressure over its rules for the App Store and fees charged to mobile developers. Earlier today, Apple announced a new partner program that would halve the commissions it charges for mini-app transactions.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-suffers-setback-in-uk-app-store-fee-lawsuit-204627286.html?src=rss

Tesla may finally be capitulating to the calls of iPhone users wanting what practically every other major automaker offers them, Apple CarPlay. Bloomberg is reporting that the EV giant is working to add Apple's car infotainment integration to its vehicles, according to the outlet's sources. The feature has reportedly begun internal testing and could be ready for release in the coming months. Of course, development and testing of the feature is not a guarantee that it sees the light of day.An about-face of this magnitude would be truly surprising given Tesla's years of steadfast commitment to its own infotainment solution, which doesn't require connecting a smartphone. In the past, there has been a somewhat frosty relationship between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and the iPhone maker. Musk once said that he offered to sell Tesla to Apple when the Model 3 program almost bankrupted the company, but said Tim Cook refused to take the meeting. Apple had also previously poached key Tesla employees for its failed Apple Car project.Tesla will reportedly be including CarPlay in a separate window within its existing software interface, ensuring it won't be fully replacing the existing Tesla system. Bloomberg also reported that Tesla would be using the standard version of CarPlay, as opposed to the newer CarPlay Ultra that integrates with the vehicle's instrument cluster.This would be an interesting time to jump on the bandwagon as Apple CarPlay may be just past its peak. GM recently announced it would be phasing out support for both CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of a system built around Gemini, which seems to go directly against the popularity of the platform. Ford's CEO recently expressed disappointment in Apple's latest beefed up version of the tool. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment on the report, and at the time of publication Elon Musk has not commented either.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-is-reportedly-testing-apple-carplay-in-its-vehicles-192505635.html?src=rss

Red Dead Redemption will finally be available on mobile devices, but only for Netflix subscribers. This was discovered by prolific news source and deals curator Wario64, who also revealed a release date of December 4. The game will be free to play on both iOS and Android devices and will include the zombie-centric DLC Undead Nightmare.

During my many hours playing Vampire Survivors I often wondered what it would feel like to have the absolutely insane bullet hell action extremely close to my eyeballs. Now my dream is being fulfilled, as there's a VR port for Meta Quest headsets.The appropriately-named Vampire Survivors VR costs $10 and is available for the Meta Quest 2, 3, 3S and Pro. This isn't a game that puts you in the middle of the action, as you won't have to duck and weave around the living room to avoid incoming hordes. Rather, it gives you a top-down view of the stage and you use a controller to navigate as you would on any other platform. This kind of tactic has worked in the past with VR titles like Demeo.It can be played seated or standing, which isn't true of all VR games. Also, this is a standalone version and there's no cross-buy with other platforms. That means that save files don't carry over. That's a bummer, but I guess it makes sense given the uniqueness of VR. Developer Poncle has not revealed if this version will feature online co-op, which was recently announced as coming soon to the PC and console builds.As for DLC, Vampire Survivors VR includes the base game and the Legacy of the Moonspell and Tides of the Foscari expansions. We don't have any information regarding the status of other expansions like the cool Castlevania one or the utterly bizarre Balatro tie-in.Vampire Survivors VR is available right now, for those willing to risk a massive headache and perhaps a spot of nausea. Poncle currently has no plans to develop it for other VR platforms, like Steam VR or Pico.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/vampire-survivors-vr-asks-what-if-the-bullet-hell-was-on-your-face-190749256.html?src=rss

It's been clear for some time that all is not well at Ubisoft. Between games not meeting the company's sales expectations, studio closures, downsizing elsewhere and sexual misconduct issues, it's been a rocky past several years for the company.But now it seems something else may be going on at the publisher. Just before it was set to hold a call with investors on Thursday, Ubisoft said it was delaying its half-year earnings report and halting trading of its shares. It has asked Euronext - the European stock market on which its shares are listed - to halt trading from November 14 until it publishes its earnings results "in the coming days."This could mean any number of things. Other companies have delayed earnings reports due to things like accounting issues. But halting trading of the company's shares could portend major news, such as a sale or Ubisoft becoming a private entity again. Engadget has contacted Ubisoft for comment.It was reported late last year that the founders of Ubisoft were looking to take the company private with the help of Tencent. That hasn't transpired as yet, but Ubisoft (with the help of a Tencent investment) did this year form a new subsidiary called Vantage Studios. That is now overseeing Assassin's Creed, Far Cry and Rainbow Six - three of Ubisoft's most important franchises.

TikTok introduced a new "bulletin board" feature for creators that allows them to blast out updates directly to their followers' inboxes. The idea is similar to broadcast channels on Instagram or Telegram's one-way messaging feature.People who opt to join a creator's bulletin board will receive updates in their TikTok inbox. Updates can include text, links, polls or photos; as well as other TikTok posts or lives. Followers who join a board can react to messages but won't be able to comment or reply like a typical DM or post. According to TikTok, the feature could be especially useful for musicians and artists, as it allows them to share new songs and give fans a way to "pre-save" an upcoming release.For creators with a large following, having a bulletin board could help streamline their ability to interact with fans without having to wade through an overloaded inbox or post separate video updates. It also gives them a way to get their work (including links to non-TikTok content) in front of their biggest fans without relying on the whims of the app's recommendation algorithm.Bulletin Board is available now to all creators over the age of 18 with 50,000 or more followers. TikTok users can find and join bulletin boards on creators' profiles.

Don't forget to claim your $20 credit from YouTube. (Getty Images)NurPhoto via Getty ImagesIf you're a YouTube TV subscriber who relies on ESPN for football games, or maybe you never miss an episode of Dancing with the Stars (which airs on ABC), you're probably getting frustrated with the ongoing Disney feud. The two channels, along with other Disney-owned channels like Freeform and FX, have been off air since October 30, which is just over two weeks.While no resolution has been reached yet, the two large streaming companies are still negotiating the new pricing terms. One analyst has estimated that Disney is losing upwards of $4 million per day while the holdout continues. "We're ready to go as long as they want to," said Disney's CFO Hugh Johnston on CNBC while discussing the company's quarterly earnings. Disney, of course, is trying to maximize the fees it gets for its channels, while YouTube claims Disney is "proposing costly economic terms," which could result in higher subscription prices.But there's good news: YouTube has made good on its promise to offer a $20 credit to subscribers - you should've received an email from YouTube about it. However, it's not automatic so you'll need to claim it first - here's how to do it.How to get your $20 credit from YouTube TVYouTube TV already costs you at least $83 a month, so take advantage of the $20 credit while you can. Here's what you need to do.

Drones have evolved from hobbyist gadgets into everyday tools for creators and explorers. They're smaller, easier to fly and packed with smart features that make aerial photography more accessible than ever. Whether you want to film sweeping landscapes or just learn to pilot your first quadcopter, there's a drone built to match your needs.

At the end of 2024, Google was one of the first companies to start offering a Deep Research tool through its AI chatbot. Now, nearly a full year later, the company is bringing that same capability to NotebookLM. Like its Gemini counterpart, the tool allows you to task the app with generating an extensive report on a single topic. When you queue a Deep Research task, NotebookLM will browse hundreds of websites on your behalf before it starts writing up its findings.The entire process can take a few minutes, but at the end you'll have a multi-page report to read. As the model works in the background, you can instruct it to seek out specific online sources. NotebookLM will also recommend articles, papers and websites that might be relevant to your query. Once its findings are ready, you can use any of NotebookLM's capabilities to generate insights on the content.With today's update, Google is also adding to the variety of sources NotebookLM can access. Now the app can pull data from Google Sheets, Microsoft Word documents and PDFs you've uploaded to Google Drive. It's now also possible to add Google Drive files just by copying over the URL.Google says all of today's enhancements should roll out to users within a week. The timing of the update is fortuitous given the company recently gave NotebookLM the capability to generate flashcards and quizzes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-adds-deep-research-capabilities-to-notebooklm-170000817.html?src=rss

Meta is revamping Facebook Marketplace in an effort to make it more appealing to "young adults" on the platform. The updates includes new collaborative shopping features, as well as AI-generated suggestions and "insights" about specific listings.Now, would-be buyers can create Pinterest-like "collections" of Marketplace listings and invite friends to join. These collections can then be shared elsewhere on Facebook or on WhatsApp and Messenger. People will also be able to invite their Facebook friends to join messages with sellers, which Meta says will make it "easier to coordinate pickup, negotiate prices, and get answers to your questions." Facebook is also making Marketplace listings themselves more social, with the ability to add comments and reactions. And while I'm not sure many Facebook users are clamoring for this, it seems like it could seriously up the meme potential for accounts like @insanefbmarketplace.Meta will provide AI-generated insights about vehicles listed on Marketplace.MetaAnd, because it's 2025 and AI is in just about every other part of Facebook, the company is also adding "AI insights" to listings. This will allow Meta AI to offer up suggestions for questions to ask sellers about the items they've listed. (Importantly, though, it looks like the default first-message suggestion is still a variation of "is this still available," which I've always found to be one of the more annoying quirks of using Marketplace.) The company is also experimenting with vehicle-specific "insights" from Meta AI as car shopping is apparently one of the most popular use cases for Marketplace among younger adults.All of the updates are part of Meta's years-long mission to make Facebook cool - or, at least, useful - for "young adults." And the company has long touted Marketplace as one of the more popular features among that demographic. The company has also experimented with local events, a friends-only feed and bringing back the Facebook "poke."

Valve's second attempt at a console-like gaming PC for your living room is hopefully going to be a triumph worthy of plenty of cake, with or without fun accessories. But if you really want to make the Steam Machine feel extra special when it arrives in early 2026, you're going to want to dress it up in Dbrand's Companion Cube skin.A tribute to the iconic Weighted Companion Cube from Valve's beloved Portal series, it's such a fitting design that I sort of wonder if the company is kicking itself for not making something similar for its cube-shaped compact PC. Of course, putting your Steam Machine inside this will ensure it stands out from the other consoles occupying your TV unit, which is the opposite effect that the standard design is going to have. While it does have a customizable front plate and an LED light strip, the default all-black colorway could hardly be less attention-grabbing.In case you missed yesterday's announcement, the Steam Machine is a Linux-based mini PC that runs SteamOS and is designed to be plugged into your TV, like a console. Valve says it's roughly six times more powerful than a Steam Deck and is capable of supporting 4K/60fps gaming with FSR. You can also use it to stream VR games to the new Stream Frame headset, while the Steam Controller, with its distinctive trackpads, allows you to play your Steam games wirelessly.Given that we don't yet have a release date or price for the Steam Machine, Dbrand's accessory doesn't have either of those yet either, but it is coming in 2026. And I'm fairly confident that isn't a lie...This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/dbrands-companion-cube-is-the-perfect-partner-for-your-future-steam-machine-161634417.html?src=rss

In case you missed it, Valve announced a load of new hardware this week, including a second stab at the Steam Machine, a Steam controller, and a long-rumored new VR headset called the Steam Frame. But in with the new often means out with the old, and perhaps inevitably, the company has confirmed that its previous headset, the Valve Index, is no more.Valve's Lawrence Yang told The Vergethat it's "no longer manufacturing" the Index, which we called "the best desktop VR yet" when it launched in 2019. The Index arrived around the same time as the Oculus Quest and its promise of an affordable all-in-one future for VR. By contrast, the Valve Index was very much still a high-end tethered device for the hardcore enthusiasts, with a price tag that reflected that.We don't know how much the Steam Frame will cost yet, but it definitely sounds like Valve is making a play for the more casual VR crowd here too, as well as those who want to play demanding 3D titles. You can stream flatscreen and VR games from your PC or Steam Machine using a wireless adapter, but the Steam Frame is also a standalone device like the Meta Quest 3, backed by a built-in Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and 16GB of RAM. Valve is supporting Android games too, seemingly a move to entice VR developers to bring their Quest games over to Steam.In order to track your movements in virtual space, the Valve Index relied on external lighthouse base stations, which meant you had to go through a more than a little laborious setup process to play roomscale VR games. Consumer VR has moved towards built-in sensors since then, and it sounds like Valve wants to leave its lighthouses in the past too, with the company confirming to The Verge that they won't be supported on the Steam Frame. The new headset instead has four high-res monochrome cameras for inside-out tracking, as well as infrared LEDs on the outside that help with tracking in darker environments.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/valve-confirms-that-it-has-stopped-making-the-index-vr-headset-150324456.html?src=rss

OnePlus has launched its latest flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 15, today in a live event. It's supposed to mark the availability of the phone outside of China, where it came out in October, but the US government shutdown apparently put a damper on the manufacturer's plans. As is the case with every smartphone manufacturer, the United States' Federal Communications Commission certifies OnePlus devices before they are sold in the US," said Spenser Blank, OnePlus North America's Head of Marketing & Communications, in a statement. As a result of the government shutdown, device certifications have been delayed." That means the US release of the model has been postponed until the FCC approves its certifications.The company explained that the OnePlus 15 has already gone through all the required tests from labs recognized by the government agency. It is also done submitting formal application for the certifications, and it's just a matter of waiting for approvals at this point. We are hopeful that approvals can be generated quickly and as a result, we can bring the OnePlus 15 to our customers in the US expeditiously," Blank said.OnePlus 15 is the first phone to ship with OxygenOS 16, the company's take on Android 16. The OS combines Android's new customization options with smoother animations and AI-enabled features. OnePlus 15 will be available in Canada today, as planned. Those in the US can visit the company's page for US customers, where they can type in their contact details to be notified when they can purchase the device. The variant with 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage will set buyers in the US back $900, while the one with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage will cost them $1,000.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-us-government-shutdown-claims-an-unexpected-victim-oneplus-15-143000307.html?src=rss

If you're reading this review, there's a chance you've come to it with some confusion. Didn't OnePlus already release a new flagship phone this year, and wasn't it called the OnePlus 13? The answer is yes to both those questions. So, what gives? Well, over the last few years, OnePlus has been working to shorten the gap between when its phones debut in China and when they're available in the rest of the world. This year, the OnePlus 15 arrives in North America just a few short weeks after its initial October 27 release. And like it did with the jump between the OP3 and OP5, OnePlus is skipping the OP14 because of the number four and its unlucky association in Chinese culture.With that cleared up, you might think the OnePlus 15 suffers from following too soon after its predecessor. I'm happy to report it offers some clear upgrades over the OP13, including a faster processor and an absurdly big battery. What it doesn't do, however, is change the OnePlus formula - for better and worse.Pricing and availabilityDue to the federal government shutdown, the OnePlus 15 does not have a US release date yet. The company had hoped to begin selling the phone starting today, November 13, but the phone has yet to obtain the necessary clearance."As is the case with every smartphone manufacturer, the United States' Federal Communications Commission certifies OnePlus devices before they are sold in the US. As a result of the government shutdown, device certifications have been delayed," Spenser Blank, OnePlus North America's head of marketing and communications, told Engadget."Subsequently, US sales for the OnePlus 15 will be postponed until they have been secured. The OnePlus 15 has already finished all the required tests from the FCC's recognized labs and the certification application has been formally submitted. We are hopeful that approvals can be generated quickly and as a result, we can bring the OnePlus 15 to our customers in the U.S. expeditiously."There's also some uncertainty around pricing. On release, OnePlus plans to offer two versions of the OnePlus 15. The base model, with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, will cost $900. The company will also sell a 16GB/512GB variant that will cost $1,000. However, OnePlus warns the price of both models is "subject to change due to current market conditions."Hardware and display The OnePlus 15 offers a big, vibrant AMOLED display. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget The OnePlus 15 is a great phone with a boring, derivative design. It borrows its visual identity from the OnePlus 13s and 13T, a pair of smaller, 6.32-inch phones OnePlus released in India and China this past spring. There's no two ways about it, in making its new flagship look more like those devices, OnePlus has at the same time made it look more like last year's iPhone 16 Pro.It's a shame. The design of the OnePlus 13 was one of the things my co-worker Sam Rutherford praised that phone for, and it's something I liked about it too. The 15 just looks generic, even if there are a few nice touches. For example, the sand storm color has a nice, ceramic-like feel to it. One other impressive aspect of the design is how thin OnePlus has managed to keep the 15 while adding a massive 7,300mAh battery. At 0.31 inches thick, the sand storm variant is only slightly fatter than the 0.29-inch thick Galaxy S25 FE I recently reviewed, which has a more modest 4,900mAh battery (the two other OP15 colorways, infinite black and ultra violet, are listed as slightly thicker at 0.32 inches).Now, if you're a longtime OnePlus fan, I need to mention the 15 doesn't have the signature Alert Slider found on the company's previous phones. I know what you're thinking, did OnePlus do away with a fan favorite feature to add an AI button? The answer is both yes and no. The first time you tap the Plus Key, OxygenOS will prompt you to make it a shortcut for one of eight functions. Naturally, the default option is to use the button in conjunction with the company's newish Mind Space AI hub, but you also can bind other functions to the Plus Key, including the old Alert Slider functionality. Even if it's another thing that's derivative of the iPhone, I like the flexibility the Plus Key gives.Separately, OnePlus has gone with a different screen this time around. The OP15 offers a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 1,272 x 2,772 resolution. The new screen is both smaller and less dense than the one found on the OnePlus 13, which was 6.82 inches big and had a 1,440 x 3,168 resolution. It's also faster, offering a 165Hz refresh rate in select games, up from 120Hz on the earlier model. OnePlus told me it went with the lower resolution display because there's no OLED manufacturer making QHD panels that fast yet. I'll have more to say about the display in the performance section, but for now I'll say the OP15's screen is one of the best parts of using the phone. It's dense enough to make text and images look sharp, and with up to 1,800 nits of brightness available, it's easy to see and use even in harsh sunlight.Cameras The OnePlus 15's cameras are a half step behind the competition. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget OnePlus and Hasselblad ended their partnership in September, and the OP15 marks the debut of the company's new DetailMax imaging engine. I'll get to the software in a moment. First, OnePlus has once again gone with a main camera system built around three 50-megapixel sensors. What's different this time around are the lenses. Two of them are slightly slower than their counterparts on the OnePlus 13. The main camera now has an f/1.8 aperture lens, down from the f/1.6 glass found on last year's model. At the same time, OnePlus has gone with an f/2.8 lens for the telephoto camera. For comparison, the OP13 had an f/2.6 lens for distant shots. The good news is both cameras still come with optical image stabilization (OIS).Broadly, the OP15 suffers from the same problem its predecessor did. Most photos look good - sometimes great even - but they don't come out as nice as what you might snap with the latest phones from Apple, Google or Samsung. The difference is most noticeable in nighttime and low-light photos where the OP15 can sometimes struggle to eke out shadow detail. It will also completely miss a shot because it used too slow of a shutter speed. I sometimes saw similar results in daytime photos in situations where the company's high dynamic range algorithm would get tripped up by harsh lighting. Specifically, the shots had overly lifted shadows and unnatural highlights, resulting in photos that look flat with poor contrast.I also wish the OP15 had a better telephoto camera. It's not bad by any means, but after seeing what the Pixel 10 Pro can do with its 5x zoom, any phone with a 3x telephoto doesn't feel special. The limitations of the OP15's hardware is especially noticeable when you try to push the camera beyond its maximum optical zoom. OnePlus says the camera offers 7x lossless zoom, but in my testing, I found there was a subtle drop in picture quality above 6x. At 10x and beyond, there's very noticeable pixel smearing.There are two areas where the OP15's cameras impress. Across both stills and video, it does a great job of measuring color temperature and ensuring images come out true to life. Even more impressive is the phone's ability to capture a burst of photos at 10 fps, up from 6 fps on the OP13. If you've read one of my reviews before, you've probably noticed I enjoy photographing the cats in my neighborhood, and no phone has made that task as easy as the OP15.As it's already wintery in Toronto, I wasn't able to test the OP15 new underwater camera mode. But if you live in a warmer climate, the feature is designed to make it easier to snap photos in the water by temporarily turning the OP15's physical buttons into camera controls. This is also as good as any time to mention that OnePlus has shored up the OP15's waterproofing. The phone is now rated IP68 against water and dust, and carries IP69 and IP69K protection against pressurized water at up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit.Performance and battery life In North America, the OP15's SUPERVOOC adapter can charge the phone at 80W. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget The OP15 is the first phone in North America to ship with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and as you can probably guess, it's a performance powerhouse. In Geekbench's processor suite, the OP15 put up a single-core score of 3,696 and a multi-core mark of 11,187. That puts it in select company with the iPhone Air and its A19 Pro chipset, which in our testing had a slight edge in single-core performance but didn't perform nearly as well in the multi-core suite (likely due to thermal limitations). In real-world use, I tried my best to find a game or application that could trip up the OP15, but between its new Snapdragon chipset and the 16GB of RAM that came in my unit, the phone handled everything with ease.It's hard to describe how smooth the OnePlus 15 feels relative to other phones I've used recently. Every swipe and scroll feels nearly instantaneous. I suspect that's a byproduct of the OP15's dedicated touch response chip, which samples the screen at 3,200Hz. Speaking of the display, that 165Hz refresh rate I mentioned at the top is more of a forward-looking feature right now. As things stand, there are only seven games that can render at 165 fps. One of those, PUBG, does so through frame interpolation. So unless you're an avid Call of Duty Mobile or Clash of Clans player, you won't notice that benefit of the OP15's screen, yet. Things could change in time, especially as more OEMs bring 165Hz displays to their phones. For now, the OP15 is still a great gaming phone, but it has yet to live up to its true potential.As much performance as the OnePlus 15 offers, what's more impressive is its 7,300mAh battery. It's the result of a new technology the company calls Silicon NanoStack. It allowed OnePlus to make a denser battery and one it claims will age more gracefully over time, thanks to a design that retains more than 80 percent of its health after four years. Obviously, I haven't had the OP15 long enough to test that claim, but what I can say is that it offers tremendous battery life out of the box. On our local video rundown test, it posted a time of 38 hours and 30 minutes, which is eight hours longer than the OnePlus 13, the previous record holder. The Aramid case is one of three cases OnePlus offers alongside the OP15. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget Just as impressive is how quickly the OP15 can charge. With the included 80W SUPERVOOC adapter, the battery can go from dead to full in about 40 minutes. The one downside of how OnePlus has approached charging is that the phone doesn't support the Qi2 standard. It can wirelessly charge at 50W, but you'll need to buy the company's proprietary AIRVOOC magnetic puck.Software Two screenshots showing off the OnePlus Mind Space app. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget When he reviewed the OnePlus 13 in February, Engadget's Sam Rutherford praised OnePlus for its restrained AI approach. Unfortunately, no company appears immune to the technology's pull at this point, and in the months since, OnePlus has begun integrating more AI features into OxygenOS. Thankfully, many of those are either easy to ignore or situationally useful.First, there's Mind Space, which is functionally similar to Nothing's Essential Space. You can either tap the Plus Key (if it's configured for use with Mind Space) or swipe up on the touchscreen with three fingers to save a screenshot to the hub. From there, the OP15's built-in LLM will summarize the image, and you can ask the model questions about it. It's also possible to save voice memos to the hub, and OnePlus offers a few other AI tools there, including one for scanning documents. All of these work well, and like I said, if they're not your thing, they're easy to ignore. The OnePlus 15's volume rocker and power button are located on the right side of the phone. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget It's been a few years since I've used OxygenOS, so it was a pleasant surprise to learn it remains one of the more attractive and tasteful Android skins on the market. A standout is some of the custom animations OnePlus has baked into the OS to accentuate the speed of the phone. I also find OnePlus has one of the best organized quick settings menus. There are just enough customization options there to make it feel powerful, but not enough to overwhelm.One area where OnePlus could do better is software support. The company has pledged to provide the OP15 with four years of software updates and six years of security patches. That's worse than both Google and Samsung, which have committed to supporting their latest phones for seven years.Wrap-up The OnePlus 15 sits on a set of icy concrete steps. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget In using the OnePlus 15, I was frequently reminded of the last OnePlus phone I reviewed, the OnePlus 7 Pro. At the time, it was the company's most expensive device ever, coming in at the same $750 price as the iPhone XR and Galaxy S10e. The appeal of that phone was its speedy Snapdragon 855 processor and the fact it was one of the first smartphones with a 90Hz AMOLED screen. It was also the first OnePlus phone with a camera that was more than just serviceable.All these years later, the appeal of the OP15 feels similar. It's a phone for those who value speed over everything else. The tricky thing about this phone is judging its value when its price could change tomorrow. As I mentioned earlier, in the US the OP15 will start at $900, with OnePlus warning pricing for both models could change due to current market conditions." At $1,000, the 16GB model is a compelling alternative to the Pixel 10 Pro XL, offering a newer processor, more storage and a significantly bigger battery.Here's the thing: Google has already aggressively discounted the entire Pixel 10 lineup, and until Black Friday, you can get the Pro XL for $899 - $100 less than the 16GB OnePlus 15. For most people, I think that's the play, given both the Pro and Pro XL have the better telephoto camera and Google has promised to support all of its latest phones for seven years. That said, if you're okay with a worse camera overall, the OP15 has a lot going for it, and provided OnePlus can successfully navigate an uncertain tariff regime, it will end up not just one of the best phones of 2025 but much of 2026 too.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/oneplus-15-review-a-great-phone-if-photography-isnt-a-priority-143000489.html?src=rss

DoorDash is bringing its robot delivery service to Miami, following an initial rollout in Los Angeles and Chicago earlier this year with over 600 participating merchants. The company continues to work with Coco Robotics as part of its push towards a "muliti-modal system" that allows it to make human, robot and drone deliveries at scale.As well as adding a third city to the initiative, DoorDash also now takes orders from DashMart, its delivery-only convenience store chain for groceries and household items. This means customers will receive robot deliveries from national grocers and retailers as well as restaurants.DoorDash has a dedicated robotics and automation division called DoorDash Labs, which is focused on forging new partnerships that allow it to meet increased demand with more environmentally friendly methods of delivery. Earlier this year it began operating drone deliveries in Charlotte with Wing, and as well as using Coco's self-driving robots, DoorDash recently introduced its own in-house developed delivery robot called Dot.Decidedly cuter than its Coco colleague, Dot is designed for quick neighborhood trips and is able to navigate roads, as well as bike lanes and sidewalks. Dot is currently being piloted in Arizona, and when rolled out more widely is expected to fulfill cheaper deliveries, with DoorDash ensuring its human staff that the robot will complement, rather than replace them.With fully autonomous technology still in its infancy, lower-risk hyper-local deliveries are being explored by a number of food delivery companies that have traditionally relied on gig workers to fulfill orders. At the beginning of this year, GrubHub partnered with the autonomous robot delivery company Avride to scale up the latter's existing robot delivery offering on college campuses including the Ohio State University.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/doordash-customers-in-miami-can-now-receive-their-food-orders-from-robots-140017928.html?src=rss

Google has announced a trio of new AI-powered shopping features. The tech company is rolling out more conversational search capabilities for shopping in AI Mode, so that buyers can make more specific and descriptive queries to find exactly what they're looking for. The AI Mode results will also be formatted to match the type of search, delivering shoppable images for prompts with a more visual angle or side-by-side comparisons of different traits for shoppers considering several options of what to buy.There are also two new agentic shopping features. First is an agentic checkout for finding and buying an item at a particular price. Shoppers can use Google's price-tracking feature to set the sale price they want to pay for a particular product, and can opt to allow Google's AI to purchase the item when it hits the desired discount. Users will have to confirm the purchase and shipping info before the agentic checkout purchase is completed via Google Pay. For now, agentic checkout is limited to US shoppers at select online retailers including Wayfair, Chewy, Quince and certain Shopify stores; Google said it plans to support more sellers in the future.(Presumably Amazon will not be one of them.)Finally, once you know what you want to purchase, Gemini can call local businesses to ask about product availability. The agentic AI can gather information about prices, stock and current promotions, ask relevant follow-up questions, then will email the results to the user. The first wave of categories that will support AI phone calling are toys, health and beauty, and electronics, and it will be available to US Search users.Google has been rapidly expanding its shopping tools to include AI integrations, with new resources such as virtual clothing try-ons and shoe shopping.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-adds-agentic-ai-checkout-to-shopping-140000930.html?src=rss

Hideo Kojima has unveiled Death Stranding Isolations (working title), an original anime series based on his franchise, coming to Disney+ in 2027. The gaming legend made the announcement at a Disney+ event in Hong Kong alongside series director Sano Takayuki. It will be the first Kojima Productions' partnership with a global streaming platform, with Kojima serving as an executive producer.The series will tell a new story set within the Death Stranding universe and not draw from any of the games' narratives. All we know so far is that it "will follow a young man and woman as they set out on an adventure" and that traditional hand-drawn 2D animation will be used. Concept art displayed at the event was created by Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 character designer, Ilya Kuvshinov.Death Stranding (the game) originally launched in 2019 starring Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen and Lea Seydou. The franchise finally got a sequel earlier this year with Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.In 2023, Kojima revealed that production company A24 was collaborating with Kojima Productions on a Death Stranding live action film project. At the time, he said that "I aim to present a new dimension of cinematic adaptation that goes beyond merely turning a game into a live-action movie." That film will be directed by Michael Sarnoski (A Quiet Place: Day One).Live action series and movies based on games seem to be everywhere of late, but the number of animated productions is also growing. Many of those are on Netflix, including Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, Arcane, Castlevania and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. Death Stranding Isolations (working title), appears to be the first gaming IP-based animation series for Disney+.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/a-new-death-stranding-series-is-coming-to-disney-in-2027-133018605.html?src=rss

Spotify is testing a new feature that could make it easier to pick up an audiobook that you've ignored a little too long. The streaming service is rolling out recaps for audiobooks that can summarize the story up to where a user stopped listening. Recaps will be available once a user has gotten 15 to 20 minutes into the audiobook and will be updated to reflect the point the listener has reached without spoiling anything yet to come. It could help listeners to finish audiobooks they haven't revisited in awhile without needed to restart from the beginning, and it might be handy just to refresh your memory on the plot.This is an AI-powered feature, but Spotify noted that it will not be training any large language models on authors' content or developing voice generation from narrators' performances. For now, recaps are only available on Spotify's iOS app for a select number of English-language titles. The company said it plans to add recaps for more content in the future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/spotify-is-adding-recaps-for-audiobooks-133000324.html?src=rss

In anticipation of what's expected to be a more hectic than usual season of holiday travel, Uber is adding a collection of new gifting and ridesharing features to its app. The most convenient of the new features is "Send a Ride," a way to purchase Uber rides for someone else.Send a Ride lets you cover the cost of a ride directly from the Uber app, making it possible to pay for something like an airport pickup in advance. Uber says you'll be able to set a number of rides and a spending limit in the app (like two rides for up to $50 each) and then the app will generate a link that you can share with whomever you want to receive the rides. When they click the link, credit will automatically be added to their account and applied to their next trip.For anyone whose winter travel includes skiing and snowboarding, Uber Ski is a new seasonal ride option Uber is adding that lets you book a ride to and from "nearly 40 of the top mountains across North America and Europe." When you select Uber Ski in the app, you can reserve an UberXL for up to two guests with gear or an UberXXL for up to four guests with gear. Uber also says it will sell the Epic Pass, a ticket that gets you access to Vail Resorts, directly through the Uber app.If you're figuring out your own ride home from the airport, Uber is also expanding its Uber Share for Airports option that lets you split a ride home with people heading in the same general direction. Uber Share is now available at over 50 airports worldwide, including new additions John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia AirPort and Orlando International Airport.Finally, starting in December, Uber will let you add a free video message from stars like Megan Thee Stallion, the Jonas Brothers or Tracee Ellis Ross to any Uber Eats order you send as a gift. The videos don't sound like they'll be personalized like a video from Cameo, but whoever you send the gift to will be able to choose their own delivery time so they're available when their gift arrives.

In August, Google announced that it will implement a new safety feature that would require developers to verify their identities if they want Android users to be able to sideload their apps. Now, the company has started inviting developers that distribute exclusively outside of the Play Store to the early access of the identity verification feature in Android Developer Console. Google has also revealed in the same announcement that despite its new rule, it will give experienced users the option to sideload even unverified apps on their Android devices.The company said it received feedback from developers and power users who want to retain the ability to download unverified apps. That is why it's now building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified." Google didn't delve into how it designed the feature and how it will determine if someone is a power user," but it's already gathering feedback about it and will share more details in the coming months. It did say that it designed the flow to ensure users aren't duped into bypassing safety checks by scammers, including showing them clear warnings about the risks involved.As Google explained in its announcement, one common attack in Asia involves scammers calling victims and making them download malware disguised as legitimate applications. They pretend to be employees from a bank, warning victims that their account has been compromised and instructing them to sideload an app to secure their funds. The scammers would also pressure their targets to ignore security warnings while they're sideloading the application. The malware in the bad actors' app will then steal the victim's login and intercept two-factor codes needed to access their bank account.While we have advanced safeguards and protections to detect and take down bad apps, without verification, bad actors can spin up new harmful apps instantly," Google said. It becomes an endless game of whack-a-mole. Verification changes the math by forcing them to use a real identity to distribute malware, making attacks significantly harder and more costly to scale." It's still early days for Google's developer verification requirement, however, and it won't be rolling out widely until late 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-will-allow-experienced-users-to-sideload-unverified-android-apps-130000130.html?src=rss

Even with its US future in limbo, DJI keeps releasing impressive drones. Its latest is the Neo 2, an inexpensive, lightweight model aimed at creators and hobbyists. It's an upgraded version of the Neo, an immensely popular drone both in the US and elsewhere. The new model is equally safe and easy to fly thanks to the shrouded props, palm takeoff and voice control. DJI didn't just tack on a number and call it a day, though. The Neo 2 is loaded with new features like LiDAR obstacle detection, improved video quality and longer battery life - all at only a slightly higher price. In fact, a couple of the new features can't even be found on high-end DJI drones. The original Neo wasn't perfect; the propellers on that model emitted a banshee-like scream. The lack of obstacle detection and short battery life also wasn't ideal. Has the company solved these problems on the new model? Mostly, yes - and it's now a nearly perfect personal drone. Design Though the Neo 2 has the same 6.5-inch square size and friendly appearance as before, there are some important differences. A new LiDAR sensor beside the camera is designed to detect forward obstacles, and is a surprising inclusion for such an affordable drone. On the left front is a small display - a first for a DJI drone - that shows the current shot mode (follow, dronie, etc.). The gimbal has also been upgraded and can now rotate instead of just tilt. That means the camera will stay level when the drone banks, with no ugly cropping or reduced resolution that I occasionally saw when doing extreme maneuvers with the Neo. The Neo 2 has three buttons on the side (rather than just one on top as before), along with two new omnidirectional sensors. On top of helping the Neo 2 avoid obstacles, these improve stability in featureless or non-GPS environments like indoors and over water. Finally, if you buy a Neo 2 with the optional RC-2 or RC-N3 controller, it includes a removable Digital Transceiver with a pair of antennae. Those components give it a butterfly-like appearance and could affect long term durability. However, making them an add-on gave DJI a way to make the basic (non-controller) version as inexpensive as possible. With all those changes, the Neo 2 is a bit heavier at 5.6 ounces (160 grams) with the Digital Transceiver, compared to 4.8 ounces (135 grams) for the Neo. That's still easily small enough to slide in a bag and light enough (under 250 grams) that you won't need to register your drone with the authorities. Features Gesture control is a major new Neo 2 feature not found on other DJI drones. It lets you fly with surprising precision, if you don't mind looking a little silly. To do so, wave a hand up, down or sideways to climb and bank, move two hands apart or together to make it approach or move away (think pinch-to-zoom in the air), clench a fist to stop it and hold out your palm to land. Gestures can be used in combination with other fly modes so you get the exact shot you want. Steve Dent for Engadget Along with the ability to wave your hands, the Neo 2 offers other ways to fly like palm takeoff. After selecting the flight mode (shown on the new display and audibly announced), you can launch the Neo 2 from your hand by pressing the takeoff button or using voice control. It will then execute the chosen mode, fly back to you and land on your outstretched palm. Smartphone control (not seen on other DJI drones) is available for manual flight. Wi-Fi range has been extended by ten times to 546 yards, compared to 55 yards for the Neo. However, for that range you need a clear signal path with no obstacles between you and the drone. For more precise flight and longer range (up to 6 miles), the Neo 2 supports RC-N2, RC-N3 or RC-2 controllers. And FPV (first person) flying is still an option when using DJI's Goggles N3 or Goggles 3, paired with the RC Motion 3 or FPV Remote Controller 3. The Neo 3's Quickshots repertoire has also been updated. A fun new mode is the Hitchcock zoom." When activated, the drone backs away while zooming in at the same time, creating a trippy perspective effect you might've seen in Vertigo and Jaws. Again, this feature is unique to the Neo 2 in DJI's lineup. Other key functions include compatibility with DJI's microphones, including the Mic 2, Mic 3 and Mic Mini. Since the Neo 2 is quieter than the Neo (more on that shortly), noise cancelling requirements are reduced so audio quality is improved. Onboard storage has also been upgraded to 49GB (up from 22GB), letting you record up to 175 minutes of 4K video. At the same time, DJI more than doubled the Wi-Fi transfer speed to 80MB/s. Performance The Neo 2 now has omni sensors and LiDAR for obstacle protectoin Steve Dent for Engadget The Neo 2 retains the Neo's toughness and protection, but it can now fly around obstacles instead of just plowing through them thanks to the LiDAR and sensors. To test that, I used it to follow subjects around trees, buildings and other obstacles. The aim was to see not only how well it avoided crashes in all directions, but to observe how smoothly it tracked while doing so. To start, I engaged the ActiveTrack follow feature and used the Trace mode steering wheel' to follow subjects from the front, sides and back. When flying forward, the Neo 2 avoided most obstacles using its LiDAR, while swooping cinematically around trees and branches. It occasionally failed to detect small twigs and leaves, but unlike open-prop DJI drones, it usually flew through them without incident. With just two omni sensors, the Neo 2 is less adept at avoiding obstacles to the sides and rear, however. So if you're using it to vlog while walking or biking, it's best to make sure there's nothing in the way. With a top speed of just 18 mph, the original Neo was so slow that it could barely track a bike. Luckily, the Neo 2 is much faster with speeds up to 27 mph in follow mode and even has a special Bicycle Tracking" mode. I tested that on an e-bike and the drone easily kept up with me while easily avoiding obstacles in the forward direction. Again, you need to be extra careful when it's flying backwards or sideways. The Neo 2 is as agile as ever, so the extra velocity makes it a better FPV drone as well. While wearing the Goggles N3, I was able to enjoy that sensation of extra speed as it swooped around obstacles. That, plus the low price, makes it a good first drone for anyone looking to get into FPV flying. I likened the Neo's prop noise to a banshee howl, but the Neo 2 is maybe a... banshee purr. Both the decibel level and pitch are now tolerable, even indoors. I flew it around at a fairly loud party and hardly anyone noticed; it also didn't draw much attention in a public park. The only negative is it's a high-pitched sound, a noise that carries even across high altitudes. Video quality DJI's Neo 2 now offers 4K at up to 100 fps Steve Dent for Engadget With a new 12MP, 1/2-inch sensor camera, video quality is excellent for this price range. The Neo 2 now supports 4K at up to 60 fps or 100 fps in slo-mo mode. On the previous model, it was just 30 fps. The Neo 2 also has an f/2.0 iris to let in more light compared to the previous f/2.8. With those updates, the drone offers sharper and more color-accurate video and photos than the Neo. There are of course some sacrifices at this price. The small sensor means the Neo 2 has mediocre low-light capability, with pronounced grain at the maximum ISO 12,800 rating that's even noticeable at ISO 3,200. Unlike the $400 Flip, the Neo 2 has no 10-bit D-LogM capability, so over- or underexposed video is hard to correct. With those issues, video and photos from the Neo 2 aren't quite good enough for professional work. However, it's excellent for social media users, hobbyists and content creators, delivering smartphone-quality aerial shots. Wrap-up DJI has yet to reveal availability or pricing of the Neo 2 in the US (or whether it will come here at all) due to a looming December 23 ban. If it does arrive, it will effectively have no competition at its price point, which I expect to be around $250. The HoverAir X1 is the only name brand alternative, but costs twice as much. That model offers solid follow-me capabilities for activities like biking and hiking. Feature-wise, though, it pales in comparison to the Neo 2, with inferior video quality, battery life, range and obstacle detection. DJI's Neo 2 is not just the best personal drone; it's the best tech product I've seen in a while, period. It retains everything I liked about the Neo, especially the ease of use and safety features. On top of that, it adds a host of useful functions like obstacle protection and, thank goodness, lower noise levels. With all that, the Neo 2 performs that rare trick of doing much more than I expected - for a lot less money.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-neo-2-review-the-best-budget-drone-is-now-even-better-120026045.html?src=rss

Withings announced that its multi-function medical device BeamO has received clearance from the FDA. BeamO contains sensors to perform an electrocardiogram, a stethoscope and a thermometer. The company claims all three tests can be completed in less than a minute.It is now available for purchase and will retail for $250.The company unveiled BeamO at CES 2024. It's being positioned as a tool for telehealth, with a companion app that can send results to medical professionals. Withings is also offering a Cardio Check-Up service as part of its health subscription, where results from BeamO can be reviewed remotely by cardiologists who will deliver a cardiac health assessment to the device owner within 24 hours.Withings is the name behind several intriguing (and occasionally strange) home health and smart tech items, including a smartwatch, a highly futuristic bathroom scale and a toilet-mounted computer for urine analysis.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/withings-has-received-fda-clearance-for-medical-multiscopebeamo-110000186.html?src=rss

Justified or not, Apple's AirPods have become the default choice for most iPhone owners in the market for new wireless earbuds. If you're shopping for an Android phone, however, the top picks aren't so obvious. That's where we can help: We've tested dozens of wireless earbuds over the years, so we've broken down our top recommendations for Android users below. Whether you want powerful noise cancellation, a pair that'll survive in the gym or just something that works particularly well with a Galaxy or Pixel phone, here are our favorite AirPods alternatives for Android. Table of contents

Sometimes, the best features in a new operating system aren't the flashy ones that get broadcast during a keynote. They're subtle improvements that naturally fit into how you use your device and just make the experience better. One of those appears to be coming in the next macOS update. The dev beta of Tahoe 26.2 includes a feature that essentially lets your computer screen function as a ring light during a video call.It's called Edge Light and it illuminates a rectangular band around the edge of the screen. Apple's Neural Engine will also position the light based on where it detects your face in the video frame. There are some controls for making the light warmer or cooler, and it can be set to turn on automatically once the brightness in your environment dims. Edge Light doesn't cover the top menu bar, and it will also move out of the way if the cursor hovers over it so that you can still use your laptop normally while on a call.Edge Light will only be available on MacBooks from after 2024 that are running on Apple's Silicon. It may not be a true replacement for a ring light, but it's probably a step up from opening a bunch of blank Google Docs to try and illuminate yourself for a last-minute meeting.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-next-macos-update-can-turn-your-screen-into-a-ring-light-234410504.html?src=rss

IBM has introduced two different quantum chips that it believes could help demonstrate "quantum advantage," or the ability for a quantum computer to solve a problem faster than a classical computer, by the end of 2026. The new chips, Nighthawk and Loon, should help do that by taking different approaches to connecting qubits in a quantum computer, producing fewer errors and supporting more complex computations.Of the two new chips, IBM Quantum Nighthawk is the one the company believes it can iterate on to produce quantum advantage. By the end of 2025, the version of Nighthawk IBM will provide to its partners will have "120 qubits linked together with 218 next-generation tunable couplers" arranged in a square lattice to connect with their neighbors. IBM claims this will allow Nighthawk to "execute circuits with 30 percent more complexity" while maintaining lower error rates. It'll also let it handle more demanding computational problems "that require up to 5,000 two-qubit gates," the company says.The IBM Quantum Loon chip.IBMIBM Quantum Loon is the more experimental of the two chips, connecting qubits not just horizontally on the chip, but vertically, too, New Scientist writes. Whichever chip proves to be more useful, the added connectivity options allows for fewer errors and more complex computations, which could lead to new real-world applications for quantum computers.To pair with its new chips, IBM says it's also contributing to a new community-led quantum advantage tracker backed by Algorithmiq, researchers from the Flatiron Institute and BlueQubit. The tracker "supports three experiments for quantum advantage across observable estimation, variational problems, and problems with efficient classical verification," IBM says, and the company has invited the wider research community to contribute to it.As New Scientist notes, IBM's approach is different from competitors like Google because it's focused on connecting qubits together in smaller groups. Google introduced its Willow chip in 2024 as being theoretically capable of demonstrating quantum advantage. A year later in 2025, the company announced its "Quantum Echoes" algorithm for Willow, "the first-ever verifiable quantum advantage running the out-of-order time correlator (OTOC) algorithm."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/ibm-announces-nighthawk-and-loon-quantum-chips-213603769.html?src=rss

The Rogue Prince of Persia is coming to Switch and Switch 2 consoles on December 16. The game was in early access for around a year before being officially released for PC and consoles back in August.This version has been "optimized for handheld and hybrid play" and includes all content from the original release. That means players will be able access a wide variety of biomes, weapons and secrets.This is a unique take on the Prince of Persia franchise, bringing parkour-style movement and combat to the roguelike genre. It's a fun and frenetic experience that calls to mind another sidescrolling roguelike, Dead Cells. This game was actually co-developed by Evil Empire, the company behind Dead Cells.This is a digital release, but collectors have something to look forward to. The Rogue Prince of Persia is getting a deluxe physical release on April 10 for Switch, Switch 2 and PS5.This physical version ships with a game key card, a double-sided poster and a set of cards depicting scenes from the game. When flipped, the cards join together to make up a portion of the title's world map. Incidentally, there's no physical version coming for Xbox Series X/S, despite already being available to download.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-rogue-prince-of-persia-hits-switch-and-switch-2-on-december-16-194828522.html?src=rss

Sony has revealed the list of November additions to its PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for those on the Extra and Premium tiers of the subscription service. It's a pretty darn good slate of games this time around, headlined by the return of the PS4 and PS5 versions of Grand Theft Auto V to the service.It's at least the third time GTA V has been part of the Game Catalog - it was in the lineup twice last year. Developer Rockstar Games, which is currently facing accusations of union busting, is set to release Grand Theft Auto VI in November 2026. If you have yet to play GTA V or haven't dipped in since the PS3/Xbox 360 era, this could be a decent way for you to pass some time until the next entry arrives.Pacific Drive (PS5) joined the Game Pass library when it hit Xbox last month and it's headed to Sony's subscription service as well. This is a nifty looking run-based survival game that sees you driving around a post-apocalyptic version of the Pacific Northwest in search of parts to upgrade your station wagon.Still Wakes the Deep (PS5), a narrative horror game from Dear Esther studio The Chinese Room, is also coming to the PS Plus catalog this month. It pits you against terrifying creatures while you're trapped on an oil rig in the North Sea. Engadget senior editor Jessica Conditt called this one a modern horror classic."The tremendously silly and rude Thank Goodness You're Here!, tactical multiplayer shooter Insurgency: Sandstorm and racing games Monster Jam Showdown and MotoGP 25 will be available to PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers on both PS4 and PS5 later this month. First-person puzzle game The Talos Principle II will only be on PS5.PS Plus Premium members get one extra game this month. An emulated version of PS2 game Tomb Raider: Anniversary will be playable on PS4 and PS5 for the first time.All of these will join the PS Plus Game Catalog on November 18. In the meantime, all PS Plus members can claim the monthly games for November, which are Stray, EA Sports WRC 24 and Totally Accurate Battle Simulator. You have until December 1 to add those to your backlog library.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/ps-plus-game-catalog-additions-for-november-include-gta-5-pacific-drive-and-still-wakes-the-deep-194029093.html?src=rss

Valve is making another run at offering a console-style experience in your living room. The company has announced a new Steam Machine and Steam Controller that let you play PC games on your TV in the same way the Steam Deck lets you play them on the go. Better yet, it's planning to release them both in early 2026.The Steam Machine works like a console, but is technically a compact PC running Linux-based SteamOS. The boxy device features a customizable front plate and LED light strip, with a USB-A port and a microSD card slot available up front, and DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0 and ethernet ports on the back. Inside, the Steam Machine is powered by what Valve describes as a semi-custom AMD Zen 4" CPU and a semi-Custom AMD RDNA3 " GPU with 16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM" and either 512GB or 2TB of SSD storage.Valve says the Steam Machine has roughly six times the horsepower" of the Steam Deck, and is capable of supporting 4K gaming at 60 FPS with FSR. Interestingly, Valve is also pitching the device as a way to stream more demanding games to your Steam Deck, the Steam Frame VR headset the company also announced today or any device running Steam Link.Someone holding the new Steam Controller, with trackpads visible.ValveWhile you could use the Steam Machine with a traditional Bluetooth controller, Valve has created its own solution. The new Steam Controller puts all of the various control methods of the Steam Deck into a wireless controller. That includes sticks, face buttons, grip buttons, triggers and bumpers, but also trackpads for mouse controls and gyro controls, too. The Steam Controller works over both Bluetooth or a wired connection, and Valve is also including a charging dongle that doubles as a wireless transmitter for the fastest possible connection.Like the original Steam Controller, your input method can be individually customized for each game, and profiles can be shared. Valve also says the new controller will work with any device that runs Steam, including the Steam Deck, Steam Machine and Steam Frame.

Valve made a triumphant return to the hardware market with the Steam Deck and its OLED-toting counterpart, and now it's having another crack at virtual reality with the Steam Frame. The Steam Frame is the long-rumored headset from Valve that had previously been codenamed "Deckard."The company also announced a new Steam controller and PC called the Steam Machine. All three devices are coming in early 2026. Valve is holding off on announcing pricing and exact availability of the new hardware. There are Steam Frame dev kits available for developers.Valve says the Steam Frame is a wireless, "streaming-first" headset and you can hop into your games as soon as you pop it on. It supports both VR and flatscreen games. The company made a plug-and-play 6GHz wireless adapter that you slot into your PC (or Steam Machine). It has a dual-radio setup to help minimize interference, with one radio dedicated to streaming audio and visuals to the headset, and the other for Wi-Fi.A standalone VR headsetBut you don't need a PC to play games on the Steam Frame. As with Meta Quest headsets, it can run games as a standalone device.The headset has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of built-in UFS storage. There's a microSD card slot, along with support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3. Of course, the headset is powered by SteamOS. As with the Steam Deck and Steam Machine, there'll be a Steam Frame verified program, so you can see at a glance which games will run on the Steam Frame in standalone mode.What's more, the Steam Frame will support Android games. It seems Valve is hoping that developers who made games and VR experiences for Android-based headsets (such as the Meta Quest lineup) will bring them to Steam.The Steam Frame runs on a rechargeable 21.6Wh Li-ion battery. There's one USB-C 2.0 port at the back that you'll use for both charging and data transfers. You can recharge the battery at a rate of up to 45W. It's unclear how long the Steam Frame's battery will run on a charge.The battery is positioned on the rear of the headstrap. So you won't necessarily need to have an external battery pack that's attached to the system by an annoying cable. It'll be possible to swap the standard headstrap (into which the audio drivers are integrated) for a different option, perhaps one with a larger battery.Even with the battery built into the headstrap, Valve says the Steam Frame weighs just under a pound at 440 grams. The core module - the front part - is 185 grams (6.5oz) and the headstrap weighs 245 grams (8.6 ounces).Image optimization techThe Steam Frame has an optimization feature called Foveated Streaming. Valve says this uses low-latency eye-tracking (powered by two internal cameras) to optimize the detail in the image wherever your eyes are looking. The company claims it can offer a "10x improvement in image quality and effective bandwidth." Foveated Streaming is said to work for every game in your Steam library.The headset has dual 2160 x 2160 LCD panels with refresh rates of up to 144Hz, a field of view of up to 110 degrees and an IPD target range of 60mm to 70mm. Valve added that "thin and light custom pancake lenses provide edge-to-edge sharpness and a large eye box." The company says the maximum width for eye glasses is 140mm.As for audio, the Steam Frame has dual stereo speakers on each side with support for high-fidelity audio. Valve says the speakers on each side are "oriented in opposite directions to cancel out vibrations," which can impact the tracking system.Speaking of which, the headset has four high-res monochrome cameras for controller and headset tracking - the Steam Frame uses inside-out tracking. Valve says there are infrared LEDs on the outside of the device that can help support tracking in dark environments. There's monochrome passthrough support too.ValveSteam Frame controllersNaturally, you'll need a way to play all of the games, so the headset comes with a pair of Steam Frame controllers. The headset tracks the positions of the controllers for VR games, with full 6-DOF tracking and IMU support. They have a split gamepad format with a D-pad, thumbsticks, ABXY buttons, triggers and bumpers. They're designed to work with your entire Steam library, and they certainly look a bit more intuitive than the PlayStation VR2 controllers.Rather than going down the Hall effect route, Valve opted for magnetic thumbsticks, which support capacitive finger tracking. Each controller is said to run for around 40 hours before you'll have to swap out the AA battery that powers it. If you'd rather play games on the Steam Frame with the new Steam Controller, you'll absolutely be able to do that.The Steam Frame is far from Valve's first VR headset. It released the Valve Index in 2019, and previously worked with HTC on its Vive headsets, which were initially consumer VR products before HTC shifted its focus to business and enterprise.While none of Valve's previous PC-focused headsets had the mainstream impact of Meta's Quest lineup or arguably even PlayStation VR (which by all accounts is still an active platform, not that Sony's release calendar backs it up), the company is responsible for what is probably the medium's greatest-ever game in Half-Life: Alyx. And with SteamOS on the Steam Deck being such a hit that other companies are practically begging Valve to let them put it in their own rival handhelds, it's easy to imagine the Steam Frame becoming a serious rival to the Meta Quest.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/valves-steam-frame-vr-headset-is-finally-official-and-its-coming-in-2026-181909387.html?src=rss

Apple Arcade has a fairly stacked winter, as the platform is adding some standout titles on December 4. Arcade titles are playable on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro.First up, there's Cult of the Lamb Arcade Edition. This is a port of the incredibly addictive roguelike/town sim hybrid thingamajig, with some new features exclusive to Arcade subscribers. This version includes new follower forms, decorations and outfits. It also includes all existing content updates, though Apple hasn't announced if it would be getting forthcoming content updates.For the uninitiated, Cult of the Lamb is two games in one. There's a top-down action component and a base builder, with each mechanic interacting in unique and often hilarious ways. Yes, you can feed your cult members poop, if that's your bag.The iconic PowerWash Simulator also releases for Apple Arcade next month. This game seems like a great fit for Apple's service, given the zen-like mechanic of washing down grime. The sequel came out last month for other platforms. If you're a clean freak, this is the game for you.Apple is dropping a sequel to SpongeBob Patty Pursuit. The Arcade original SpongeBob Patty Pursuit 2 casts players as both the titular SpongeBob and Plankton in a sidescrolling adventure. The first one was fairly well-reviewed.Subway Surfers+ and Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm+ will also be available on December 4. Finally, a new Apple Vision Pro game is coming to Arcade this week. Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss will be available on the platform from November 13. This is an AR-based tactics RPG.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/apple-arcade-is-adding-powerwash-simulator-and-cult-of-the-lamb-next-month-190647480.html?src=rss

Apple is rolling out a new feature that lets users store US passports in the official Wallet app. This will allow travelers to present this digital ID as a valid form of identification at TSA checkout lines at airports.In other words, folks with a passport who have yet to upgrade a driver's license to a Real ID will be able to board a plane without bringing a physical copy of that passport to the airport. This whole Real ID thing has been a source of frustration to many, so I appreciate any effort to make traveling a bit easier.This ID will be visible on both iPhones and the Apple Watch and Apple says the service is being implemented at TSA checkpoints across more than 250 US-based airports. It's only used for ID on domestic flights; if you're planning to travel internationally you'll still need a physical passport.Also, not all TSA readers have been implemented with the technology to scan these digital IDs just yet, according to TechCrunch. You might want to bring along a paper passport for the time being to let the TSA and Apple get their ducks in a row.Apple The company has plans to expand this feature beyond air travel. Apple says businesses will eventually be able to accept these IDs for the purposes of age verification. This Digital ID feature was first announced as part of iOS 26 and also adds passports to the list of existing government IDs supported in Apple Wallet.Adding a passport seems simple enough. Just head to the Wallet app and follow the prompts. Users will have to pose for a selfie and complete a series of facial and head movements for security.The wallet platform also accepts driver's licences and state IDs, but only in 12 states and Puerto Rico. These won't be valid for flying, however, as neither is a Real ID or passport.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-introduces-a-new-digital-id-feature-to-make-boarding-flights-easier-175130213.html?src=rss

It's been four years since the wonderful Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and, especially given the rate at which developer Insomniac churns out great games, I had hoped we wouldn't have to wait too much longer for another installment of the long-running action platformer series. As it turns out, there is a new Ratchet & Clank game coming soon, just not on PS5.Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble is a fast-paced" multiplayer arena shooter that's coming to iOS and Android soon. In fact, according to the game's website, it's already available in select countries. Folks in other locales who are interested can pre-register.Mobile developer Oh BiBi took the reins from Insomniac for this one. There are still platforming elements in Ranger Rumble. It looks quite colorful and you'll have a variety of weapons, abilities and characters at your disposal. There are several game modes, including a soccer-style one. Ranger Rumble is free-to-play, though it will likely have microtransactions. For what it's worth, you'll be able to customize your characters.This isn't the first time that the Ratchet & Clank series has made its way to mobile. Ratchet & Clank: Going Mobile debuted in 2005, before the arrival of iPhone and Android devices. Endless runner Before the Nexus arrived eight years later.A sequel to Going Mobile called Ratchet & Clank: Clone Home was originally slated to hit Java phones in 2006 before it was canceled. However, dedicated fans found a phone that had a copy of the game on it, then cracked the device's encryption and last month made Clone Home available for anyone to download.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/a-ratchet-and-clank-multiplayer-game-is-coming-to-ios-and-android-soon-172634125.html?src=rss

Waymo is bringing its driverless cars to freeways in three major US cities and the surrounding environs. These areas include San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles.The platform didn't say how many of these vehicles have been greenlit to take to the freeway, other than noting that "a growing number of public riders" will be given access. At the very least, families will be able to play a new road trip game in which they point out cars with weird spinning LiDAR units on the roof.The Google-owned ridesharing company says that these freeway rides can be used for daily commutes, traveling to various airports or just joyriding from, say, downtown LA to Culver City. The San Francisco service area is particularly large, stretching across the entire peninsula. The newly-expanded service goes all the way down to San Jose, including the San Jose Mineta International Airport.WaymoThis is just the beginning of this freeway expansion, assuming everything goes well in these early phases. To that end, the platform says its vehicles have already logged "millions of miles" on freeways and that they are adept at "skillfully handling highway dynamics."Waymo notes that it's planning something similar for Austin, Atlanta and other unannounced regions. It's also bringing its driverless cars to San Diego, Detroit and Las Vegas next year, but those won't be going on freeways just yet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymos-driverless-cars-will-start-driving-on-freeways-in-three-us-cities-171654775.html?src=rss

It's not always easy to find gifts for dads, especially for those who are often quick to snap up whatever they need on their own. But even the geekiest and most well-informed dads have blind spots - the trick is to find something they've never heard of, but could actually make their lives useful. We've collected some of our favorite dadcore gift ideas, which would suit everyone from a complete gadgetphobe to a total techie. Best gifts for dads Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-11-best-gifts-for-dads-for-2025-170014823.html?src=rss

Backbone just released a new Pro version of its Xbox controller. The Backbone Pro Xbox Edition looks like an improvement over the pre-existing One controller in nearly every way.It's still a USB-C shell that wraps around a phone or related device, but the actual controller is now more in league with an actual Xbox gamepad. It features full-size control sticks, hall effect triggers and two customizable back buttons. Most of the inputs can be remapped. This should make plowing through that Game Pass library an absolute breeze.To that end, this controller has Bluetooth. This means you won't have to rely on a smartphone or whatever device can physically attach to the gamepad. Game Pass has become available on all kinds of platforms in recent years, from PCs and smart TVs to Meta Quest VR headsets. This opens up all of that. The company promises a simplified "tap and play" experience.BackboneThis Bluetooth mode does offer 40 hours of battery life per charge. The smartphone powers it when using it in a wired configuration, so it'll last as long as the phone does. The controllers pair with a proprietary app that allows for the aforementioned remapping and other customization options.The controller is available right now at brick and mortar locations like Best Buy and digital storefronts such as Amazon. It costs $180 and ships with a free month of Game Pass Ultimate. The only potential downside here is Game Pass itself. The price keeps going up.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/backbone-launches-pro-xbox-edition-controller-with-bluetooth-and-an-updated-design-170018809.html?src=rss

The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) has issued formal legal claims against Rockstar Games, which it has accused of union busting. The Grand Theft Auto VI developer last month fired dozens of employees who were organizing.The IWGB said in a statement it made several attempts to meet with Rockstar with the aim of resolving the situation through negotiations, but claimed the studio rebuffed the union. It's now looking to take the matter before a court. We have now issued formal legal claims against Rockstar on behalf of the claimants," the IWGB said. It added that it believed the firings amount to victimization and collective dismissal linked to trade union activity." The union previously said that all of those who Rockstar fired were members of the members of an IWGB Game Workers Union Discord server.Alex Marshall, the president of IWGB pledged that the union will mount a full legal defense with our expert group of caseworkers, legal officers and barristers. Employers like Rockstar would do well to understand that private spaces such as trade union Discord servers have protections, and that their company's contractual clauses do not supersede UK law." Marshall added that the union will not be intimidated."Rockstar claimed that it fired the more than 30 workers in question for gross misconduct, and for no other reason" and it accused them of distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum." Engadget has asked the company, which last week delayed GTA VI by a further six months, to comment on IWGB issuing legal claims against it.People Make Games reported this week that a collective of workers called the Rockstar Games Workers' Union had recruited just over 10 percent of the company's UK workforce to join. That's one of the benchmarks needed to apply for statutory recognition in the country. If that were granted, the government would be able to force Rockstar to recognize the union. The Rockstar Games Workers' Union was said to be just weeks away from formally announcing its existence before Rockstar allegedly fired a majority of the organizing committee.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/union-files-legal-claims-against-rockstar-games-following-alleged-union-busting-165033747.html?src=rss

Airbnb is testing a service in which guests can order groceries through Instacart, as reported by Bloomberg. This may not sound like a big deal at first, because guests can already use any grocery app during their stay to stock the house up with snacks. However, this service can be accessed by customers before their stay.This means that folks can prepare for, say, a barbecue or similar event ahead of time. I can see this being pretty dang useful around certain holidays. This duty falls to the hosts, who will have to actually put the groceries away.Airbnb will give hosts $25 for every completed order, so long as they tuck the food away before the guests arrive. Guests can, of course, order groceries through Instacart during their stay, though they'll have to put them away on their own. Customers will be allowed to place an Instacart order up to three weeks before their stay.This pilot program begins on January 5 and Airbnb will be testing it for three months to see how guests and hosts react. It'll be open to "select hosts" throughout the US in areas like Phoenix, Orlando and Los Angeles.This is just the latest unique integration for Airbnb. The platform teamed up with ChargePoint last year to offer hosts discounts on EV chargers. This is an effort to entice hosts to install chargers on the premises.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/airbnb-tests-letting-users-order-groceries-through-instacart-161340408.html?src=rss

Plenty of companies have promised to produce a gaming laptop that could be upgraded over time. If we're honest, nobody has managed to properly deliver on that pledge until now, as Framework launches a meaningful CPU and GPU upgrade for the Laptop 16. Almost two years after the machine first went on sale, you can now swap out its discrete Radeon RX 7700S for NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5070. If the company deserves a standing ovation for that feat, then it gets an extra prize for bringing an NVIDIA GPU to AMD's hinterland.HardwareFramework's late-2025 upgrade for the laptop is arguably more important than every product it's released since its very first. It's the first chance for users (of any laptop, really) to swap out or add a discrete GPU to an existing machine. If you bought the first-generation model, you could have relied on the integrated graphics, or equipped it with a discrete Radeon RX 7700S. Now, you get the option to buy NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5070 with 8GB DDR7 RAM which you can add to the chassis yourself. The company has also repackaged the existing Radeon RX 7700S with the promise of less fan noise and better thermal performance than the previous model.The new GPU pulls some of the focus away from the new mainboards, which are equipped with a choice of AMD's Ryzen AI 7 350 or Ryzen AI 9 HZ 370, both of which promise to deliver 45W TDP. As before, you can equip the board with up to 86GB RAM, one or two SSDs, and your pick of ports via the six expansion card slots housed in the chassis.If you're buying the laptop new, you'll get a raft of smaller upgrades, starting with a new 165Hz, 2,560 x 1,600 panel which supports NVIDIA G-Sync. Plus, a new top cover, improved keyboard, number pad, webcam, Wi-Fi 7 support and an upgraded 240W power adapter. Sadly, I can't talk about these as I was testing the upgrade from the 2024 model which just included the new mainboard and GPU module.Framework did listen to gripes about that rear-slung USB-C port which previously didn't support charging. It was an omission that severely vexed my colleague Devindra Hardawar in his review of the original machine. But now, if you splurge for the RTX 5070, you can now use the rear port in the way that most people would intend. (If you're unfamiliar, the Laptop 16's discrete GPUs are packaged in self-contained Expansion Modules" that go into the back of the chassis. The Radeon version could only be used for accessories and/or connecting additional displays.)Rounding out the changes is Framework's continual promise that it's improved the cooling situation. The thermal paste has been switched out for Honeywell PTM, there's a new, redesigned fan geometry and tweaked pipes for better airflow. And, look, I don't want to ding Framework for failing to deliver on one promise when it's kept so many others. But if you've followed the company for any length of time, you already know what I'm gonna say in the In-use section.The obligatory AMD port compromise Graphic showing which ports work with which cards with an AMD mainboard. Framework As is custom whenever discussing an AMD-toting Framework machine, you'll need to memorize the diagram of which expansion card slots will work with which devices. We're not going to ding Framework for an issue present in all AMD hardware, and the only reason it's noticeable here is that you have the choice of which ports to use for what. You don't have the sort of universal port flexibility that you might otherwise be expecting.InstallationLaptop 16 is bigger and more complex than its smaller siblings, but that doesn't mean it's any harder to maintain. The company's iFixit-style guides hold your hand so well that popping the mid plate off should feel as natural as breathing. And you get a real sense of how well the components are laid out when you're asked to take them all apart and put them back together. The company says replacing the mainboard and graphics module should take you an hour, which is far too generous. It took me about 22 minutes to get everything swapped in and set up, to the point where I think installing the new drivers was more laborious than this.I can't stress enough how much of a feat it is to have a modular, upgradeable gaming laptop that offers you the chance to leap a generation. Being able to pull out a two-year-old Radeon to swap in a fresh RTX is the stuff of dreams (for some people, at least). Imagine how long it'll be possible to keep this machine going if this type of bi-annual upgrade cycle continues. This isn't a particularly difficult process, making it easy enough for those folks who would otherwise blanch at the idea.In-use Image of the 2025 mainboard and expansion modules for the Framework Laptop 16. Daniel Cooper for Engadget Of course, strapping such a powerful chip and graphics [INAUDIBLE DUE TO FAN NOISE] lead to issues. As discrete components, both the mainboard and expansion module need their own self-contained cooling. That's never going to be as efficient as a holistically designed laptop. When you're not taxing the machine, it's not an issue at all, it's only when you use it for its intended purpose that it becomes a serious problem. If you want to play games with this thing, get headphones or put the subtitles on, and don't even think about using this in public. Did... did you hear that? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I SAID... AS DISCRETE COMPONENTS...And that's before we get to the heat that this thing kicks out. I've got my unit on a stand with about four inches of clearance from the desk. I put my hand underneath the chassis to feel how warm it was getting and it was enough to make me never want to put this on my lap, ever.It's a shame the noise and heat is such a bear as it's a machine with sufficient grunt to impress many a jaded enthusiast. I set Cyberpunk 2077 to the highest settings I could (Ray Tracing: Overdrive) on 1080p, and it was able to comfortably produce 140 fps. Setting it to the defaults (Ray Tracing: Low, but the resolution set to the display's maximum) it was able to crank out 182 fps.You'll find similarly-impressive performance if you use the Laptop 16 more for productivity than gaming. It compressed a 38GB 4K video file down to an 8GB HD mp4 in 28 minutes and 29 seconds. Using LM Studio, I was able to run Google's Gemma 3 27B model with what I'd call fairly decent performance. Certainly, the chatbot wasn't responding as quickly as Gemini would online, but it was hardly stuttering. I'd say that the performance here is more or less what you'd expect from the specs, with the one downside being that godawful fan noise.PricingIf you buy a new Laptop 16 pre-built from Framework, the Ryzen AI 7 configuration starts at $1,500, the AI 9 at $1,800. Add in the RTX 5070 and you can add another $699 to that price, which is the same cost as if you buy the GPU standalone as an upgrade. Or, if money's tight, you could buy the new machine now and then add in the 5070 whenever you'd like - that's the benefit of modularity.It should be obvious you can get laptops with these sorts of components for less if you look elsewhere. In the run-up to the holiday season, I've seen machines - such as HP's Omen Max - offer a Ryzen AI 7 and an RTX 5070 Ti for under $2,000. But here you're not just buying a laptop, you're buying into Framework's broader ethos. You'll get the fastest machine it can sell you right now, plus the ability to cheaply swap out to the next big thing in a couple years' time without the cost of buying a new machine.As I said back when reviewing the Ryzen AI 300 upgrades for the Laptop 13 earlier this year, Framework is well placed to take advantage of the world's political situation. If the price of a whole new laptop skyrockets, then you can at least make a saving by just replacing what you need.Wrap-upI wonder if Should you get one?" is the best question to ask and answer given the singular furrow Framework is ploughing. If you want a powerful laptop where every part can be replaced or upgraded, you don't really have a serious alternative. Laptop 16's natural target market is professionals and enthusiasts who value modularity and longevity over everything else. These new components give you enough power to play games, run AI models locally and whatever other demanding tasks you'll throw at it.As for everyone else, it's a question of how willing you are to accept the heat, the noise and the slightly agricultural aesthetics. After all, this machine isn't the sort of gadget you'll be looking to move on in a few years' time, it'll be one you're committing to for a long while.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/framework-laptop-16-2025-upgrade-review-the-rtx-5070-is-the-star-160000464.html?src=rss

The Analogue 3D is finally set to ship to buyers. After several delays, Analogue is set to start sending out its 4K remake of the Nintendo 64 on November 18, as spotted by - appropriately enough - Wario64. If you haven't already locked in a pre-order, however, you face a longer wait, as both the black and white variants of the $250 system are out of stock.Unless there's a last-minute hitch, the company behind the Analogue Pocket will stick to the promise it made in August to ship the 3D in the last quarter of 2025. Analogue previously delayed the 3D in March and then again in July.As with other Analogue systems, the console uses an FPGA (field programmable gate array) chip to emulate Nintendo's original hardware. FPGA-based systems are more accurate than software emulation options and tend to have lower input lag.Analogue claims the 3D will support every N64 cartridge - both PAL and NTSC variants - without any inaccuracies or slowdowns. I'm interested to see how well that promise will hold up in a four-player round of Perfect Dark.The 3D delivers 4K output and supports variable refresh rate. You'll be able to use "original display mode" filters to replicate the look of playing on a CRT or PVM. There's still always the option of picking up an N64, but Analogue's approach to scaling might make the 3D the best way to play N64 games (using original cartridges) on modern TVs.The 3D has four ports into which you can plug original N64 controllers. It also has a USB-C power port, two USB ports for accessories (such as third-party controllers) and an HDMI port. In addition, the console has a Wi-Fi chip that can be used for operating system updates. The Analogue 3D only officially runs games from N64 cartridges. I'm 100 percent sure that no one will jailbreak the system to boot ROMs from the SD card slot. Nope, no way.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/analogues-4k-remake-of-the-n64-will-at-long-last-ship-on-november-18-151854397.html?src=rss

A lot of people think the original Google Glass failed because of subpar tech. But the larger issue was that they were so ugly that people simply didn't want to wear them. And when it's a device that sits on your face, that's kind of important. Thankfully, that's a lesson Even Realities seemingly took to heart when it made the G1, which combined the stylishness of proper eyewear with built-in waveguide displays. Now the company is back with its second-gen smart glasses - the G2 - which offer even better optics, an updated UI and a companion ring (the R1) to their expanded list of features.While the design of the Even G2 hasn't changed a ton from its predecessor, that's not a bad thing as there wasn't much to fix. Compared to every other pair of smart glasses on sale today, these look the most like normal eyewear. Meanwhile, thanks to a titanium and magnesium alloy design and the company's very intentional decision not to include onboard cameras or speakers, the new model only weighs 36 grams, so they're also super comfortable. You even get two styles to choose from (panto or rectangular) along with a few different finishes (gray, brown and green), so chances are there's a combination that will work with your wardrobe. The Even G2 also features an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, so you don't need to worry about wearing them in adverse conditions.The G2's battery life can last up to two days, while its case has juice for up to seven additional charges. Sam Rutherford for EngadgetThe G2's optics are based on the company's new Even HAO 2.0 (Holistic Adaptive Optics) that use custom-designed dual waveguides to produce a green heads-up display. It's not only brighter and sharper than before but also features a wider field of view. Now admittedly, that's not quite as impressive as the single RGB display in something like the Ray-Ban Meta Display. But considering that the Even G2 is way less chunky and sports significantly longer battery life (up to two days plus seven full recharges from its included case), that feels like a worthy trade-off to deliver increased usability.However, the biggest upgrade for the G2 is an expanded roster of smart features. In addition to showing notifications, turn-by-turn directions and the teleprompter functionality available on the previous model, Even has developed a much more robust UI that lets you read the news, track stock prices and create lists using your voice. There is now an onboard AI assistant and LLM that can translate speech on the fly or pick out key words during a conversation to give more background and context about unfamiliar terms. This means the glasses can handle a lot of tasks you'd normally need your phone for, which is great if you're walking around, or similarly indisposed, and would rather keep your hands free.In addition to basic health and fitness tracking, the R1 ring also has a tiny built-in touchpad (denoted by the four dots) to make it easier to navigate the G2's new UI and menus. Sam Rutherford for EngadgetWhile you can access most of these features using voice controls, the icing on the cake is the R1 companion ring that makes better use of the new UI. Not only does it track some basic health and fitness data (steps, heart rate, sleep, SpO2 and more), it also serves as a tiny touchpad so you can check notifications, revisit your notes and more without anyone nearby knowing what you're up to. All told, the G2 glasses and the R1 ring create a very stylish and discreet package that allows you to stay connected and keep your phone in your pocket.That said, you might want to wait before throwing money down on these. I've been testing the G2 and R1 over the past few days, and even though I really like the hardware, the company's software just isn't ready yet. It's important to note that I've been using a beta version of the Even Realties app, so encountering some bugs was not entirely unexpected. But even so, the touch controls on the ring feel imprecise and occasionally erratic. Many of the fitness metrics aren't being properly recorded and both devices have had a difficult time staying paired to the app. Even little things, like the auto brightness settings (which don't work at the moment) or ability to add more sources to the glasses' news feed, feel janky. The only outlet I've been able to successfully use is ABC.While the tech and features of the G2 are very interesting, I've run into a number of software issues while using a beta version of the app. Sam Rutherford for EngadgetGranted, some of the G2 and R1's issues that I've run into, like wonky touch input and the unfinished health tracking, are known problems that are currently being worked on by Even Realities. Still, this feels like a situation where the launch of these devices should have been delayed until the company could smooth out these hiccups.But if you are undeterred, the Even G2 Display Smart Glasses and Even R1 Smart Ring go on sale today for $599 and $249, respectively. For everyone else, I'm hoping to check back in on these devices after the company pushes out some software updates. I'm eager to see if they can eventually live up to their potential as an interesting alternative to bigger, chunkier and more intrusive smartglass alternatives like the Ray-Ban Meta Displays.

Even Realities is releasing the next version of its lightweight smart glasses, and this time it's pairing them with an entirely new device that will act as both a controller and health tracker. The Even G2 Display Smart Glasses are a more refined version of the G1 smart glasses, and you'll be able to interact with them without having to touch the frames or uses voice commands thanks to the new Even R1 Smart Ring.The G2 features an updated version of the Even Realities' HAO optical engine (a combination of micro-LED projectors, waveguides and digitally surfaced lenses), that still displays text in bright green, but now with added depth and sharpness. For example, Even Realities says the new glasses can display pop-ups like AI prompts and notifications at a different depth from the glasses' normal interface, so you don't lose the context of whatever you're reading. The G2 also supports a wider range of prescription lenses (from -12 to +12 diopters), making them more accessible to people who already wear glasses.In comparison to the G1, Even Realities says the G2 has 54 percent slimmer temples and, in a first for the company, is IP67-rated for dust and water resistance. The G2 also gets two days of battery life in comparison to the G1's one and a half days, and its charging case can provide up to seven full charges.A ceramic and titanium R1 smart ring with a flat side.Even RealitiesWhile the G2 glasses can still be controlled by tapping a built-in touchpad or using voice commands, the R1 Smart Ring will let you interact with the smart glasses without moving your arm. The R1 is made from ceramic and medical-grade stainless steel, and features a flat touchpad surface for activating the G2's interface. Besides a touch sensor for navigation, the R1 also includes an optical heart rate sensor and accelerometer for tracking your heart rate and steps, which can be viewed on the G2. While less technically advanced than the Neural Band Meta included with the Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses, Even Realities ring seems like it can make controlling its glasses similarly discrete, while being useful in its own right as a health tracker.Even Realities is also adding a new AI skill alongside its glasses and ring. The G2 supports the same translation, notifications and teleprompter features as the company's last model, but this time includes a feature called "Conversate" that attempts to offer AI-generated information during conversations. Even Realities says Conversate can provide explanations, context and follow-up questions during a conversation, and then generate a summary and key points once you're finished talking. The whole thing sounds a bit distracting, but might be something you have to demo to understand.A pair of Even G2 Display Smart Glasses in a charging case.Even RealitiesThat extra layer of complication seems inherent to the pitch for both the G2 glasses and the R1 ring. While Even Realities has made its smart glasses more convenient, and they're definitely not trying to be a phone replacement in the same way Meta's glasses are, they do seem like they'll have more of a learning curve than the last generation.The Even G2 Display Smart Glasses and Even R1 Smart Ring are available to order today, November 12, for $599 and $249, respectively. Even Realities says that anyone who purchases the G2 will be able to receive the R1 and other accessories for 50 percent off for a limited time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/even-realities-g2-smart-glasses-can-be-controlled-with-a-smart-ring-151500125.html?src=rss

The Alien franchise has been decidedly hit and miss since the near-universally beloved first two movies, but it's in a very good place at the moment. 2024's Alien: Romulus was a magnificent return to form, and this year that good run of form continued in the series' first TV show, Alien: Earth, which has been renewed for a second season.The first season wrapped up in September and ended on a pretty dramatic cliffhanger, so while it seemed pretty obvious that more episodes would be coming, it's good to have it confirmed. Noah Hawley is once again heading up the project, and according to The Hollywood Reporterthe Fargo creator has signed a multi-year deal with Disney that will see him work on the ever-expanding entertainment empire's other channels and services, including ABC and Hulu Originals, as well as continuing to produce shows for FX.Variety reports that season two of Alien: Earth will start production in London in 2026, a pretty significant change from the debut season, which was shot in Thailand. Presumably that means we'll be heading to some new locations in the show too, but we'll have to wait for a trailer to find that out.Set two years before the original Alien, Alien: Earth sees a retro-futuristic shipping vessel carrying some ominously familiar-looking extra-terrestrial cargo crash-land on Earth, where we meet a terminally ill girl who becomes the first human-synthetic hybrid. The season one cast includes Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant, Essie Davis, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, David Rysdahl, Adrian Edmondson, Adarsh Gourav, Jonathan Ajayi, Erana James, Lily Newmark, Diem Camille, and Moe Bar-El.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/alien-earth-has-been-renewed-for-a-second-season-144124743.html?src=rss

Following a teaser in September that confirmed the movie's title, Nintendo and animation studio Illumination unleashed the first proper trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in a dedicated Nintendo Direct. The sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the highest-grossing movie based on video games, will hit theaters in the US on April 3.The trailer opens with Bowser engaging in a little art therapy, which, honestly, could be really great for him. Mario can't help put put down Bowser's artwork, though. What a jerk. From there, the action riffs on Super Mario Galaxy as Peach and Toad use launch stars to travel to a different planet. I don't want to give away everything that happens, so just watch the trailer. The visuals, as you'd expect from Illumination, look terrific.The trailer also confirms the addition of two fan-favorite characters this time around: Rosalina (who takes out a giant robot with her abilities) and Bowser Jr, who is taking his father's place as the sequel's villain. Rosalina is played by Brie Larson, while Benny Safdie voice Bowser Jr.An extra clip after the trailer shows Rosalina reading a story about Princess Peach to a group of Lumas. Another features Bowser Jr. promising that the Bowser name shall be feared once more." Ominous!However, the Direct didn't include any indication of Yoshi appearing in the film. An Easter egg at the end of the first movie showed Yoshi's egg cracking. Plus, a Pillsbury cookie box - of all things - all but confirmed Yoshi would be in the movie, while hinting at the inclusion of Princess Rosalina and Bowser Jr. We'll perhaps have to wait until the next trailer to get a glimpse of Mario's dino pal, who'll probably be green even though everyone knows in their heart blue Yoshi is the best Yoshi.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-trailer-confirms-rosalina-and-bowser-jr-are-in-the-sequel-142815627.html?src=rss

At this point, the streaming music landscape feels pretty well settled. Giants like Spotify, Amazon, Apple and YouTube duke it out at the top, while plenty of other players like Qobuz, Tidal, Deezer try their best to stand out from the pack. Somewhat surprisingly, though, a new player emerged in September. Coda Music used the recent backlash around Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek as a way to differentiate itself from the number one streamer, calling out Ek's controversial funding of defense technology firm Helsing earlier in the year. (Spotify's refusal to stop airing ICE recruitment ads certainly hasn't helped the platform, either.)Today, the fledgling service is announcing a new feature that feels designed to answer another of the recent Spotify controversies: AI slop music flooding the platform. In response, Coda Music is launching AI identification tools with the purpose of finding and labeling songs that weren't composed by actual humans.There are a few prongs to Coda's approach. For starters, any artist added to Coda will be reviewed for AI origins, and their profile will be labeled AI Artist" so that listeners know what they're getting into. Coda is also letting users flag profiles of artists if they suspect the music is AI-generated; the company will then review them and label them if necessary.Finally, there's a toggle in settings that just lets you turn off AI artists entirely. Obviously, how useful this setting is will depend on how good Coda gets at labeling AI-created music as such, but I can definitely see the appeal in just flipping that to off" and avoiding as much slop as possible.Besides its stance on AI and the assurance that the company does not invest in war," there are a few other differentiators about Coda Music. The company says that it currently paying the highest per-stream rate" in the industry -while at the same time, it acknowledges that no one is paying enough to artists. The real problem isn't how much is paid per stream, it's that streaming alone doesn't pay enough," the company's website says. And minor improvements to a fundamentally flawed per stream model will not help."To that end, the company also lets users pick an independent or qualifying artist" who gets $1 of their monthly subscription fee. Sure, it's only a dollar, but it's the kind of thing that sweetens the pot at least a little bit for musicians.And Coda has good reason to want to make itself visible to users and artists alike. The last major differentiator for Coda is the company's ambitions to turn its app into a social, music-sharing feed where you get recommendations from humans rather than algorithms. To that end, users can share anything from the app in their feed, and it also allows you to share external links and photos as well (go ahead and post your blurry images from that NIN concert!).The app's home page prominently features fan-made playlists and recommended users to follow in addition to the usual suggestions based on what you're listening to already. And there's a social tab where you can see posts from people you follow; share songs, artists or albums; and see posts from artists you follow. That last part is key, as Coda wants artists interacting and sharing as well as just end users.It reminds me a little bit of the Fan Groups feature that Amazon Music just announced - and as with that feature, the problem facing Coda is getting people to start contributing to a new network rather than just posting things on whatever app they're already using. Fortunately, music nerds love a community, so it'll be interesting to see if this takes off at all.As for the new features for reporting and filtering out AI music, Coda says they're available as of today in its iOS and Android apps. The company doesn't have a web interface yet, but says it is coming soon. If ducking AI-generated tunes is something that catches your attention, Coda currently costs $11 a month, or $17 per month for a family plan with up to four listeners.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/new-streaming-app-coda-music-is-rolling-out-tools-for-labeling-and-blocking-ai-generated-tunes-140000530.html?src=rss