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In just few days, Apple could finally unveil a new iPhone SE. According to Bloomberg, the company will announce its latest lower-cost model as soon as next week before it goes on sale later this month. The last iPhone SE was released back in 2022, and the publication says that Apple Stores have been running low on stocks in recent weeks. A few days ago, a Twitter user who goes by "Majin Bu" posted a video of a device that's supposedly Apple's upcoming low-cost iPhone model. Unlike the current version, it no longer has a home button marking the death of a feature that once identified the company's mobile devices.The upcoming iPhone SE will reportedly have a camera notch at the top, which Apple had removed from its latest phones in favor of its Dynamic Island design. It's also expected to have a USB-C port, which will allow Apple to sell it in the European Union, where all mobile devices are required to have USB-C charging capability. Apple had to stop selling the 2022 version and the iPhone 14 in the region late last year when the rule came into effect.Bloomberg previously reported that the new iPhone SE will be the first Apple device to use the company's in-house cellular modem, replacing the Qualcomm chips it's been using up until now. The phone is also expected to have Face ID and Apple Intelligence, made possible by the company's A18 processor. The publication's sources said Apple isn't likely to hold a launch event for the device and will simply just start selling it on its website. At launch, the older version carried a retail price of $429, but that was two years ago - you can probably expect the new model with its more modern specs to cost a bit more.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-will-reportedly-announce-a-new-iphone-se-next-week-120006642.html?src=rss

UK officials have ordered Apple to create a backdoor that would allow them to see what users worldwide have saved on their iCloud accounts, according to The Washington Post. Their order reportedly demands blanket capability to view all of a user's fully encrypted material whenever they want, wherever the target is located.While only certain iCloud data is end-to-end encrypted by default, users can choose to activate Advanced Data Protection for better security. With the optional setting enabled, the majority of a user's data is protected by encryption, including their iCloud Backup, Photos and Notes. Except encryption won't do users any good if authorities in the UK decide to take a look at their iCloud content.Apple will likely stop offering encrypted storage to users in the UK, The Post's sources said, so it wouldn't have to promise them greater security knowing that authorities will be able to access their account. As the publication notes, though, it doesn't solve the issue of authorities demanding a backdoor entrance for all accounts, even for users outside the region.Authorities issued the order under the UK Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, which covers how they can get their hands on data and information for law enforcement purposes. When the UK government made changes to the Act last year, it said they were meant to "ensure the intelligence services and law enforcement have the powers they need to keep pace with a range of evolving threats from terrorists, hostile state actors, child abusers and criminal gangs." The company won't be able to confirm receiving the order, because it would be a criminal offense to do so. But it if did indeed get one, then Google, which has more users around the world, might also receive one soon if it hasn't gotten one yet.Apple received a draft of the order when those changes were being debated by government officials last year. In a written submission protesting them, it said that the planned provisions "could be used to force a company like Apple, that would never build a back door into its products, to publicly withdraw critical security features from the UK market." The Post says the company can still appeal the notice, but it can't use that appeal to put off its compliance.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/uk-officials-are-reportedly-demanding-backdoor-access-to-apple-icloud-accounts-113556534.html?src=rss

Acer just revealed two new gaming laptops at IEM Katowice, a Counter-Strike tournament in Poland. These are entries in the company's Predator Helios Neo AI line of laptops, so they are filled to the brim with both bells and whistles. The Helios Neo 16 AI and 18 AI can be outfitted with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU.Both of these computers also boast sleek, minimalist designs, with RGB logos on the lid and dynamic 4-zone" RGB keyboards. They support up to 64GB of RAM and up to 2TB of internal storage. The laptops also come with Intel Killer Ethernet and integrate with Wi-Fi 6E, so online gaming sessions should be zippy as can be. Both models support NVIDIA G-SYNC, Advanced Optimus and MUX Switch.AcerThe Neo 16 AI includes an OLED WQXGA display with a 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. The Helios Neo 18 AI features a Mini LED WQXGA panel with a 250Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. The Neo 16 is being advertised as a great option for portable gaming, while the Neo 18 is being marketed as a desktop replacement.The Predator Helios Neo 16 AI will be available in the US sometime in April, with prices starting at $1,900. The Neo 18 AI goes on sale this May, with prices starting at $2,200. Acer has been busy lately. The company announced a trio of new laptops at CES 2025, in addition to a nifty-looking (and chonky) handheld gaming machine.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/acer-just-announced-two-new-gaming-laptops-with-great-specs-and-sleek-designs-090051373.html?src=rss

Hasbro Entertainment and Legendary Entertainment have joined forces to bring Magic: The Gathering to the big and small screens. The pair have signed a licensing deal to create "a live-action feature film and television universe" inspired by the card game. First up will be a movie, with other media to follow, but that's all that's been revealed so far.Longtime MTG fans might feel skeptical about this announcement, because this isn't the first time the intellectual property has been promised some kind of film or television adaptation. The card game's Fandom wiki page lists many of the proposed movie projects over the years. First up was a plan for multiple movies with Universal all the way back in 2008, which never yielded anything. Then Hasbro made an attempt at a movie with Twentieth Century Fox in 2014, but that was also never heard from again. Netflix has also been attached to two different rumored Magic projects, but it seems like the streamer's animated TV series might really come to pass, with a post on Tudum from September 2024 promising that it's really happening and in production.Legendary Entertainment has had several projects drawing on geek culture, usually bringing a big budget and a dark edge to their work. Most recently the studio worked on Dune and Dune: Part Two, and it also was involved in Christopher Nolan's take on Batman in The Dark Knight movies as well as the Warcraft movie. MTG has a lot of lore to draw on, so there's plenty of fodder for a cinematic universe. Here's hoping the producers and talent have the understanding to turn all that potential into a good movie.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/magic-the-gathering-lands-deal-for-film-and-tv-adaptions-with-legendary-entertainment-000159168.html?src=rss

Researchers from Kaspersky have identified malware being distributed within apps on both Android and iOS mobile storefronts. Dmitry Kalinin and Sergey Puzan shared their investigation into a malware campaign, which they have dubbed SparkCat, that has likely been active since March 2024."We cannot confirm with certainty whether the infection was a result of a supply chain attack or deliberate action by the developers," the pair wrote. "Some of the apps, such as food delivery services, appeared to be legitimate, whereas others apparently had been built to lure victims." They said SparkCat is a stealthy operation that at a glance appears to be requesting normal or harmless permissions.On February 6, Kaspersky updated its report to note that the affected apps had been deleted from the App Store. Apple confirmed that it had removed the 11 apps, adding that the applications shared code with 89 apps that previously had been rejected or removed from the store.The malware in question uses optical character recognition (OCR) to review a device's photo library, seeking screenshots of recovery phrases for crypto wallets. Based on their assessment, infected Google Play apps have been downloaded more than 242,000 times. Kaspersky says "This is the first known case of an app infected with OCR spyware being found in Apple's official app marketplace."Apple often promotes the rigorous security of the App Store, and while instances of malware appearing have been rare, this discovery is a reminder that the walled garden is not impervious to attacks.Update, February 6, 2025, 5:15PM ET: Revised to note an update from the Kaspersky report about the apps being removed from the App Store, as well as additional context from Apple.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/kaspersky-researchers-find-screenshot-reading-malware-on-the-app-store-and-google-play-211011103.html?src=rss

Two US Congress members plan to introduce bipartisan legislation to ban China's DeepSeek AI chatbot from government devices. The bill's announcement came after a security expert said DeepSeek not only poses a threat to US AI stocks; it's also a national security risk. The chatbot has recently been the most downloaded app in the US.U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Darin LaHood (R-IL), each party's senior-most member on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, plan to introduce the No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act." If all of this sounds familiar, the move echoes Congress' blocking of TikTok from government devices in 2022. That was the opening salvo in a saga that culminated in the US-wide ban the app is now staring down.The alarm follows an independent analysis from Feroot Security claiming that DeepSeek's code sends user data directly to the Chinese government-owned China Mobile. We see direct links to servers and companies in China that are under control of the Chinese government," Feroot analyst Ivan Tsarynny said in an interview with ABC News. This is something we've never seen before."Our personal information is being sent to China, there is no denial, and the DeepSeek tool is collecting everything that American users connect to it," Tsarynny told the Wall Street Journal. ABC reported on Wednesday that multiple cybersecurity experts verified Feroot's findings.The US Navy and NASA have already banned DeepSeek from their employees' devices. Texas is the only state to have blocked the app from government devices. Three other countries have already beat the US to the punch in banning the app: Italy, South Korea and Australia.LaHood warned of the app's dangers. The national security threat that DeepSeek - a CCP-affiliated company - poses to the United States is alarming," the Representative wrote in a press release. DeepSeek's generative AI program acquires the data of US users and stores the information for unidentified use by the CCP. Under no circumstances can we allow a CCP company to obtain sensitive government or personal data."We must get to the bottom of DeepSeek's malign activities," Gottheimer wrote. We simply can't risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/us-lawmakers-want-deepseek-banned-from-government-devices-212230100.html?src=rss

Members of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are being forced to choose between staying at their jobs or taking a government buyout, NPR reports. The buyout program is one of several methods the current administration is deploying to shrink the federal government under the guidance of the "Department of Governmental Efficiency" (DOGE), an advisory group lead by Elon Musk.CISA was creating during the first Trump Administration in 2018 to protect key infrastructure from cyber attacks and advise the government and its partners on building more secure infrastructure in the future. The agency played an important role in investigating Salt Typhoon in 2024, the hacking group that breached US telecom companies to get at government officials. Considering cybersecurity is becoming more critical, not less, short-staffing the agency could lead to problems.The consequences of hollowing out or effectively eliminating key government agencies and departments don't seem to be a concern of DOGE or the Trump Administration, however. Along with CISA, staff at the IRS, CIA and Department of Education have also reportedly received the buyout ultimatum. The offer gives government employees until midnight on February 6 to accept a buyout and receive pay through October, or come back to work in-person, agree to new performance standards and promise to be "reliable, loyal and trustworthy," according to USA Today.The deal mirrors a similar offer Musk made to Twitter employees after he acquired the social media platform in 2022, even down to language describing it as a "Fork in the Road." A key difference between then and now is budget. The government hasn't set aside money to pay a bunch of employees to do nothing for eight months, and its not clear it plans to, because Congress ultimately controls government spending. Beyond that, a legal fight might make the whole thing moot. A US district judge in Boston has already ruled against the buyout deal, giving government employees until at least Monday to make a decision, Reuters writes, and there's the possibility of another extension still on the table.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/protecting-the-us-from-hackers-apparently-isnt-in-trumps-budget-195915036.html?src=rss

The Entertainment Software Association is making a fresh attempt to launch a gaming event. The new project is called iicon, or the "interactive innovation conference." It's not as catchy a name as E3, and sadly for the average gaming fan, it's probably not an event they'll care about as much as E3.On the positive side, most of the big businesses in games that would have hosted sprawling booths at Los Angeles Convention Center back in the day have already signed on to this new endeavor. Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, Disney, EA, Epic Games, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Take Two Interactive, Amazon Games and Warner Bros. Games are all named as participants.However, the announcements on social media promote iicon as being for "visionaries," "changemakers" and "innovators," so our best guess is that this event will swing more toward the corporate side of gaming where people might use that language unironically. If that's the case, this won't really be a replacement for the heyday of E3, when studios big and small would showcase their upcoming projects and drop internet-breaking surprises. Instead, the inaugural event in April 2026 sounds like it will focus more on moving the needle, brand alignments and synergy.Since the old ESA event's decline and eventual demise in 2023, the consumer side of gaming is mostly being served by splashy events run by Geoff Keighley: the Summer Game Fest and the Game Awards. Both have already announced their 2025 dates.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-esa-wants-to-replace-e3-with-a-bunch-of-buzzwords-191544789.html?src=rss

Amazon has shared a list of video games that Prime members can snag for free this month, and there are some real gems. It's a nice mix of AAA and indie titles. Additionally, the company revealed some new titles coming to the cloud-gaming platform Luna.BioShock Infinite Complete Edition is available right now. This version includes the full game, as originally released back in 2013, plus all of the various DLC and add-ons that came after. We called it an easy story to fall in love with" in our official review, and that certainly stands to this day.The Talos Principle: Gold Edition is also ready to play right now. Just like Bioshock, this is the full game plus all of the DLC. We loved this story-driven puzzle title upon its release in 2015, calling it mysterious and haunting, creative and beautiful." It's also super fun. Incidentally, there's a remake coming sometime this year.Other titles coming to Prime Gaming this month include Wolfenstein: Youngblood on February 20 and Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut on February 27. On the indie front, the co-op shooter AK-xolotl: Together is available right now and the pixelated roguelike western Colt Canyon drops on February 20.Prime Gaming members in many parts of the world, including the US and much of Europe, also have access to the company's cloud-gaming platform Luna. A bunch of new titles have hit the service this month, all of which are available to play right now.These include Devil May Cry 5, Batora: Lost Haven, Fallout New Vegas: Ultimate Edition and Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition. Other freshly-dropped games include the fantastic action RPG Nobody Saves the World Complete and Batora: Lost Haven.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/prime-gamings-february-freebies-include-bioshock-infinite-and-wolfenstein-youngblood-182321261.html?src=rss

Less than a year into his tenure at the company, OpenAI co-founder John Schulman is leaving Anthropic. The startup confirmed Schulman's departure after The Information, Reuters and other publications reported on the exit."We are sad to see John go but fully support his decision to pursue new opportunities and wish him all the very best," said Jared Kaplan, Anthropic's chief science officer, in a statement the company shared with Engadget. Schulman left OpenAI last August alongside Peter Deng, the company's former vice-president of consumer product. Schulman is considered one of the original architects of ChatGPT.Following his departure from OpenAI, Schulman said he was joining Anthropic to focus on AI alignment - the process of making machine learning models safe to use - and a desire to return to more hands-on technical work." Schulman hasn't publicly said why he decided to leave Anthropic, nor what he plans to do next. His X profile still says he recently joined" Anthropic.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-co-founder-john-schulman-has-left-anthropic-after-less-than-a-year-171124425.html?src=rss

Spotting AI's work can be increasingly difficult as its capabilities and subtleties continue to improve. This continued shift makes labeling AI generated work all the more critical - something that is being done in bits and pieces. The latest development to do so comes from Google, which will now use SynthID technology to mark mages edited using Reimagine in Magic Editor.Google DeepMind launched SynthID in 2023, a technology that allows for imperceptible digital watermarks within any content created with generative AI. The company has previously used it in AI-powered programs such as Lyria, Imagen and Gemini.Now, SynthID will be making its literal mark on Magic Editor. The tool allows users to reimagine their photos by moving, erasing or adding special effects to different aspects of the image. The Reimagine feature is available for anyone 18 or older and on the Pixel 9 or later. Users who click Reimagine can enter a prompt to change bits of the image. Google recommends entering specific, simple phrases, such as "autumn leaves," and then explore potential options before picking one. The only difference is now that image will have a watermark from SynthID. It's available for anyone to see by clicking "About this image."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-magic-editor-will-watermark-its-ai-tweaked-photos-170009281.html?src=rss

The release date for arguably one of the most anticipated games around has emerged, albeit in low-key fashion. According to an apparent leak on the PlayStation Store - perhaps about as official as you can get without a splashy announcement elsewhere - Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is set to arrive on August 28. It's scheduled to hit PC and Xbox Series X/S as well as PS5.Sony had scrubbed the release date from the game's store page (which now only bears a release window of 2025) by the time of publication. A trailer for the remake of Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid 3 was hosted on Sony's servers and also leaked. That featured the August 28 date too.It's not the first time that a game or its release date have come to light in exactly this way. We first received official word of The Last of Us Part 1, a remake of the first game in the series for PS5 and PC, in similar fashion a few years ago. The same thing happened with the remaster of the sequel.It's possible that Sony was preparing things behind the scenes ahead of a coordinated release date announcement for MGS Delta: Snake Eater. Given that a State of Play showcase is rumored to be taking place next week, it seems likely that the reveal was scheduled to take place then. But a release date that temporarily appeared on the PS Store - which was backed up by a trailer - is as clear an indicator as any that the remake will arrive this summer.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/metal-gear-solid-delta-snake-eater-release-date-leaks-on-the-playstation-store-153046876.html?src=rss

When you click on an early access game on Steam, you might see a new note that could give an idea whether its developer has already abandoned the project. As SteamDB first reported, Steam has started adding notes on games' official pages if they haven't been updated in a while.Steam's early access program allows you to purchase work-in-progress titles to play on your PC. Each participating title has an information box, where developers answer questions, such as how long they expect the game to be in early access. That's where you can find the new warning, which tells you when a title was last updated. Not every game has a note that tells you when its last update was rolled out, though. Valve told PCGamer that it will only add the notice for an early access game if it hasn't been updated for a year.Specifically, the note will show up if it's been 12 months since a new build has been added to the game's default branch in Steamworks, or if it's been 12 months since the developer has notified players about an "update type event," which includes major updates, regular updates and patch notes. In the end, it's still up to you whether you want to download and play a game that hasn't had a recent update. But the warning could help you avoid projects that are pretty much dead if you don't want to waste your time and money on games that may never be fully released.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/steam-will-label-early-access-games-that-havent-been-updated-in-a-year-160018685.html?src=rss

DeepSeek recent explosion in popularity continues to be a problem for the AI startup. In a notification spotted by Bloomberg, the company said it was temporarily limiting access to its application programming interface service in response to a shortage of server capacity."Due to current server resource constraints, we have temporarily suspended API service recharges to prevent any potential impact on your operations," DeepSeek said. "Existing balances can still be used for calls. We appreciate your understanding!" Separately, DeepSeek announced pricing for its chat model would increase to $0.27 per million input tokens and $1.10 per million output tokens starting February 8.DeepSeek has been dealing with overwhelming demand for its services since the debut of its R1 model on January 20. The company's emergence as a leading premier AI provider, and the fact it was able to train R1 for a fraction of the price it cost OpenAI to develop its o1 reasoning model, sent US investors into a panic. Major tech stocks, including NVIDIA, shed $1 trillion of value the Monday after DeepSeek's chatbot hit the top of the App Store. Since then, OpenAI has released its o3-mini model and Deep Research feature for ChatGPT.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/deepseek-limits-model-access-due-to-overwhelming-server-demand-151339342.html?src=rss

Fighting games fans thought it would never happen. But then the first Capcom Fighting Game Collection came out last fall with remasters for some of the most important titles from the mid to late 90s (plus one from the 2000s) - all in the same package. We're talking about absolute classics like X-Men: Children of the Atom, Marvel Super Heroes and most importantly, Marvel vs. Capcom 2. But the goodness doesn't stop there because in a few months, another anthology is due out - the Capcom Fighting Collection 2 - which features an arguably even stronger lineup of brawlers from the early 2000s. And after getting the chance to preview the game prior to its official release on May 16, this assemblage is both a tribute to fighting game history and a great way to waste time smashing buttons.Before we get in too deep, I should mention that only three out of the eight total titles were playable during my demo (Capcom vs SNK 2: Mark of the Millenium 2001, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper and Project Justice). Regardless, here is the complete lineup of games in Capcom Fighting Collection 2:

If you're constantly losing your stuff, Bluetooth trackers can help. Now's a good time to invest in some AirTags if you're an iPhone user, because you can get a four-pack of the trackers for only $70. This is a record-low price for the bundle, and represents a 29 percent discount. It also breaks down to around $17.50 per AirTag. Apple AirTags easily made our list of the best Bluetooth trackers, and this is especially true if you use an iPhone. The finding network is comprehensive and works just about anywhere. Just imagine all of those other Apple devices out there in the world helping to create this network. The end result? You'll likely find what you're looking for. These trackers can also use the ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless protocol, which gamifies finding lost objects. As long as the object is within 25 feet of your smartphone, the screen will display directional arrows and a distance meter. You use this data to zero in on the object, all without constantly ringing the AirTag. Of course, AirTags aren't perfect. They are designed to work with iPhones and other Apple products, so Android users should keep scrolling. Also, the ringer only pings for seven seconds at a time. Sometimes that's enough to find a lost item, but not always. Finally, Apple decided to not include attachment points with these trackers, so they can't connect to a keychain or a related accessory. However, there are plenty of amazing accessories for AirTags that get the job done. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/a-four-pack-of-apple-airtags-is-on-sale-for-70-161335322.html?src=rss

Volkswagen is working on an entry-level electric vehicle that will sell for a base price of 20,000 ($21,000). The company has already given its own employees a look at its initial design during a meeting in Wolfsburg, Germany, where it announced the new model. Volkswagen plans to unveil the model to the public in early March, though its production version won't be ready until sometime in 2027.The automaker has yet to reveal the upcoming model's details or specs, but it will be part of an upcoming lineup of small electric cars that includes the ID.2all. Volkswagen, which first revealed the ID.2all concept in 2023, said its production version is scheduled to reach dealerships in 2026. While the 20,000 model is slated to become Volkswagen's most affordable EV, the ID.2all will be the brand's first small all-electric car. It will have a base price of 25,000 when it becomes available. It's not quite clear if the upcoming entry-level model will be released around the world, though, since Volkswagen's Thomas Schafer called it an "affordable, high-quality, and profitable electric Volkswagen from Europe for Europe."Volkswagen has sold more than 1.35 million ID vehicles around the world since it launched the ID product family in 2019. That number includes the 500,000 ID.3 it sold last year. One of the company's latest releases is the long-awaited ID.Buzz, an electric van with a retro aesthetic that currently has a starting price of $59,995 in the US.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/volkswagen-is-unveiling-a-21000-entry-level-ev-in-march-150057140.html?src=rss

Leica is mainly known for its high-end cameras, but it also makes smartphone camera lenses. Today, the company is announcing its new LUX grip for iPhone, designed to mimic the feel of a Leica camera. It weighs 120 grams and is designed for ambidextrous use.The Leica LUX grip has a two-stage shutter for precise shots. There's a button to change between shooting modes and another to choose from frequently-used functions that you can select using the Leica LUX app. A control dial is also there to make it easier to switch between settings like zoom, aperture and shutter speed. After 1,000 shots, the Leica LUX grip's battery must be recharged via USB-C for two hours.As mentioned, the app works with the grip, which communicates with the iPhone via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). In addition to customizing the button, the app includes bokeh effects from the Summilux-M and Noctilux-M lenses, Leica Looks (preset effects that don't require post-processing) and more.The Leica LUX grip is now available for 260/300, including VAT. An additional case is available for 50. Each grip purchase includes a yearlong premium Leica LUX app subscription.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/leicas-lux-grip-is-a-pricey-way-to-add-camera-controls-to-your-iphone-140031130.html?src=rss

Lyft is partnering with Anthropic to bring the startup's AI tech to its platform. "Anthropic, known for its human-centric approach to AI, will work with Lyft to build smart, safe, and empathetic AI-powered products that put riders and drivers first," the two said in a joint press release.If you're a frequent Lyft rider, you can see the early results of that collaboration when you go through the company's customer care AI assistant, which features integration with Anthrophic's Claude chatbot. According to Lyft, the tool is already helping to resolve thousands of customer issues every day, and has reduced average resolution times by 87 percent.Moving forward, Lyft plans to integrate Anthropic's tech across its business. As part of the partnership, Lyft will get early access to the startup's products and models, and will in turn assist Anthropic with testing those capabilities. Lyft says this will allow it to integrate Anthropic's AI models in a way that aligns with the needs of its drivers and customers. Last but not least, Anthropic will provide training and education to Lyft's software engineers."Lyft is using Claude to both reimagine the future of ridesharing, and at the same time deliver tangible benefits to their community today," said Michael Gerstenhaber, vice president of product management at Anthropic. "This approach, combined with their deep collaboration with our team of experts, creates a blueprint for how companies can successfully bring AI into their business."Lyft is no stranger to working with other companies, particularly when it involves AI technology. At the end of last year, it partnered with three companies in the autonomous vehicle space - Mobileye, May Mobility and Nexar. Lyft plans to start introducing their technologies into its network starting this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/lyft-uses-anthropics-claude-chatbot-to-handle-user-complaints-140026067.html?src=rss

Workday, the HR and finance management company, is the latest tech giant to lay off a mass of employees in the name of AI. In a Wednesday announcement titled "Changes to Position Workday for the Future," the organization shared that it's eliminating 1,750 employees, about 8.5 percent of its workforce. The public statement from CEO Carl Eschenbach was initially emailed to employees.Within a series of paragraphs in which Eschenbach acted really torn up about choosing AI over people, he summed up this trend pretty clearly: "Companies everywhere are reimagining how work gets done, and the increasing demand for AI has the potential to drive a new era of growth for Workday."Eschenbach later adds that Workday will be "prioritizing innovation investments like AI and platform development, and rigorously evaluating the ROI of others across the board." Though, he claims the company will also "hire in key strategic areas and locations" this year.According to the announcement, Workday tried to meet with as many impacted employees as possible on Wednesday, so some individuals might not immediately know their fate. US-based employees will receive at least 12 weeks of pay, while employees in other countries (with potentially stronger protections for workers) will receive benefits based on local regulations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/workday-lays-off-1750-employees-citing-demand-for-ai-134922398.html?src=rss

Anker made a number of announcements at CES 2025, including new chargers and power banks. We saw a couple of them get early discounts immediately after the show, and now those sales are back. The Anker Charger (140W, 4-Port, PD 3.1) is $10 off again and down to $80 on Amazon, and the 100W Laptop Power Bank has the same discount and is down to $90. The Anker Charger has three USB-C ports and one USB-A port. Two USB-C ports can charge a 15-inch MacBook Air to 50 percent within 30 minutes. The built-in display also shows temperature, port-specific wattage and current maximum output. At less than 10 ounces, it's a brick you can take anywhere. As for the laptop power bank, it has a maximum single output of 100W and charges up to four devices at once thanks to its 25,000 mAh capacity. The retractable cables prevent the possibility of a tangled mess of wires. While capable of charging a MacBook Pro to 50 percent in 33 minutes, this power bank can be recharged to 30 percent in 20 minutes, allowing for frequent use. While those are the main Anker devices from CES on sale at the moment, the company has a slew of other discounts available. The Anker 621 5K magnetic power bank has dropped to $30, while the Anker Zolo 10K portable charger is 40 percent off and down to $16, just to name a few. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ankers-latest-charger-and-power-bank-are-back-on-sale-for-record-low-prices-151555322.html?src=rss

OM System has unveiled the OM-3 Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera, combining an old-school Olympus-style body with the latest stacked sensor technology. The new model offers buyers many of the capabilities of the company's flagship $2,300 OM-1 Mark II, including fast shooting speeds and 4K 60p video, at a slightly lower price point. The OM-3 is a brand new product line for OM System, falling between the OM-1 II and OM-5. It's quite a bit prettier than either model, though, evoking the older, coveted Olympus PEN-F camera. Like that model, it lacks a raised grip - so users must rely on the leatherette texture and thumb rest to keep hold of it. For travelers, the OM-3 is relatively light at just 17.5 ounces (496 grams) without a lens, a bit less than Fujifilm's X100 VI. OM System The body is replete with dials and switches, including a pair of shooting dials, a mode dial and another to change between shooting photos, video and S&Q. One unusual feature is a "creative dial" at the front (borrowed from the Pen-F) that lets you switch between five modes (standard, mono, color, art and color creator). Those open up screen menus that allow further customization. Inside, though, the OM-3 is effectively a mini OM-1 II. Like that model, it comes with a 20.37-megapixel stacked BSI sensor that delivers very fast 50fps shooting speeds with continuous autofocus. It also offers the same 1,053-point on-chip phase-detect autofocus system along with pre-capture shooting of up to 70 frames. And despite the small size, it comes with five-axis in-body stabilization, albeit with lower performance (6.5 stops instead of 8) compared to the OM-1 II. OM System The other major downgrade is the lower-resolution 2.36-million-dot EVF that's a bit disappointing given the price (the OM-1 II has a nice 5.76-million-dot EVF). It also comes with just a single UHS-II memory card slot. However, the OM-3 has the same 3.0-inch vari-angle display as the OM-1 II, which is nice for content creators, while also offering identical IP53 weather sealing and the same BLX-1 battery with 590 shots max in standard mode. On the video side, the OM-3 can shoot 4K video at up to 60p using the full sensor width with 10-bit log recording (though it can't shoot 10-bit video in standard mode like Panasonic's latest cameras). It also offers 1080p slow-mo at up to 240fps, albeit with a crop. If you're willing to use an external recorder, it can capture 4K RAW video at up to 60fps. Like the OM-1 II, the OM-3 has minimal rolling shutter in all video modes, so it should be great for capturing action. The OM-3 is now on pre-order for $2,000 (body only), or $2,300 in a kit with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-45mm f/4 Pro lens. Shipping is expected to begin in late February. Olympus also announced an updated, more rugged version of its 100-400mm zoom, the $1,500 M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS II, along with new weather resistant primes, the M.Zuiko Digital 17mm F2.8 II ($550) and M.Zuiko Digital 25mm F1.8 II ($500). This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/om-systems-om-3-camera-marries-vintage-style-with-a-high-tech-stacked-sensor-130020762.html?src=rss

The Zenfone 12 Ultra, announced today, is ASUS's latest flagship smartphone, and much like its competitors, it leans hard into AI.Thanks to a Snapdragon 8 Elite, the Zenfone 12 Ultra can perform AI tasks offline and online through the cloud, including transcribing audio, summarizing articles and documents and providing real-time interpretation on calls for supported languages. It can also use Circle to Search much like other Android phones. The onboard AI is powered by Meta's Llama 3 8B language model, which works without an internet connection.The Zenfone 12 Ultra's FHD+ AMOLED display measures 6.78 inches and has a standard refresh rate of up to 120Hz under normal operation, and up to 144Hz while gaming. A rear tri-camera system handles photo and video and consists of a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia 700 sensor with a six-axis gimbal stabilizer, a 32MP telephoto lens and a 12MP ultrawide lens with a field of view of 120 degrees. There's also a 32MP RGBW front camera for selfies. AI software enhancements can ensure people or pets stay at the center of videos, and can apply bokeh effects to portraits and enhance voice clarity while recording videos.A standout with this new Zenfone is its 5,500mAh battery, which promises more than 26 hours of use. It's also Qi 1.3 compatible. Additionally, the smartphone supports eSIMs, making connecting to the internet effortless. WiFi 7 support will let users take advantage of high-speed networks if available.The Zenfone 12 Ultra retails for 1,099.99, and there's a limited-time launch offer of 999.99 in Europe from February 6 to 28. It comes in three colorways: Sage Green, Ebony Black and Sakura White. US and UK launch dates haven't been announced yet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/asuss-zenfone-12-ultra-leans-heavily-into-ai-063040420.html?src=rss

Sonos is embarking on a restructuring plan that will eliminate about 200 positions at the company. Interim CEO Tom Conrad announced the news in a call with the team, then shared the news in a public statement.Conrad said the company is "reorganizing our Product organization into functional groups for Hardware, Software, Design, Quality and Operations, and away from dedicated business units devoted to individual product categories. With this simpler organization in place, cross-functional project teams will come together to improve our core experience and deliver new products."Sonos has been taking a beating financially and in the public eye after the launching a poorly received app redesign last year. The company already laid off 100 employees in August. Since then, CEO Patrick Spence and Chief Product Officer Maxime Bouvat-Merlin have also departed, and the company has altered some of its product release plans. Yesterday, rumors circulated that a new streaming box could be coming from Sonos in the coming months.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/sonos-will-cut-about-200-jobs-in-restructuring-233809885.html?src=rss

Over the past several weeks, Warner Bros. Entertainment has been uploading a selection of full movies to a playlist on YouTube. It's an odd move, considering parent Warner Bros. Discovery also owns the increasingly pricey streaming service Max. But free is free, so the company can be odd as much as it wants!It'd be easy to assume this is where the studio is putting its less prestigious back catalog, just to see if it can rake in some ad revenue from an unexpected source. And there is some impressively terrible stuff in the playlist, including a 1988 Bobcat Goldthwait vehicle that achieved the rare 0 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.But this isn't just a digital dumping ground for bad movies. Quality films such as Waiting for Guffman (from the hilarious Christopher Guest), The Science of Sleep (directed by Michel Gondry) and The Mission (starring Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons) are all currently available in full on the YouTube playlist.It's tough to gauge exactly why Warner Bros. would be taking this route, or how the company is selecting movies to release. Maybe it's a response to business debts. Maybe it's a licensing issue. Whatever the reason, the TL;DR is that there are some fascinating movies you can stream for free, and new titles are being added every week.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/warner-bros-is-sharing-select-movies-for-free-on-youtube-230005326.html?src=rss

Google is changing its tune around efforts to hire employees from historically underrepresented backgrounds, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.The company reportedly announced that it would "no longer set hiring targets to improve representation in its workforce." The first hint that things might be changing at Google was a tweak to its parent company Alphabet's annual report. A phrase that claimed Alphabet was "committed to making diversity, equity, and inclusion part of everything we do and to growing a workforce that is representative of the users we serve" featured in previous years was removed.When reached for comment, Google provided the following statement:

Reddit briefly banned dozens of subreddits without warning on Wednesday due to a bug" that affected scores of NSFW communities on the site. Redditors were told the subreddits were banned for being unmoderated" even though many were heavily moderated, according to numerous posts from confused moderators.Engadget counted more than 90 subreddits that seem to have been caught up in the unmoderated" ban. The vast majority of these have now been restored after going offline for a few hours Wednesday morning. In a post in r/ModSupport, a Reddit admin blamed the widespread bans on a bug. There was a bug with one of our tools that caused some subreddits to be banned incorrectly," they wrote. We are actively working on a fix and many of your communities are already back up and running. We appreciate that you are already busy moderating in your communities, and we will do our best to prevent this from happening again."A Reddit spokesperson told Engadget the issue was a "bug related to how we detect unmoderated communities" but didn't provide details or confirm how many subreddits were affected. But it appears the bug was widespread across the site. It affected scores of subreddits followed by millions of people.The banned subreddits included some of the most popular NSFW communities, including r/porn (3.9 million members), r/rule34 (3.6 million), r/boobs (2.5 million) and r/NSFW_gifs (2.1 million). It also affected some subreddits related to drugs, including r/drugs, r/cocaine and r/NarcoClips. Some subreddits that aren't tagged as NSFW but allow NSFW content, like r/transgender_surgeries and r/cubancigars, were also caught up in the ban.The nature of the affected subreddits has alarmed some users and moderators who worry the company may be getting ready for a bigger crackdown. In r/transgender_surgeries, where users discuss their medical care, members began to discuss ways to back up" the content of the subreddit. "The explanation given to us in r/modsupport is lacking in my opinion, and I was a bit furious and disappointed that there was no communication to us," a moderator for r/rule34 told Engadget. "So far, we have no prepared contingency in case this happens another time, but we are currently finding a way to build one, with help of other mods in and outside this subreddit."Elsewhere, concerned users pointed out this is the second time in six months that Reddit has mistakenly banned popular NSFW subreddits for supposedly being unmoderated. Redditors complained about similar bans last year. Our subreddit automation was a bit overzealous," a Reddit admin said at the time. They added to the months-old thread today, saying that the recent bans are different from what happened before," but didn't elaborate.Have a tip about Reddit or other information to share? Get in touch by email at karissa.bell [at] engadget.com or message securely on Signal at karissabe.51.Update, February 5, 2025, 8:25 Pm ET: Added additional comments from a Reddit moderator.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-blames-bug-after-banning-more-than-90-nsfw-subreddits-221908069.html?src=rss

OpenAI is showing no signs of slowing down its recent pace of updates. On Wednesday, the company announced the expanded availability of ChatGPT Search. After rolling out the tool first to paid subscribers last fall, and then making it available to all logged-in free users at the end of 2024, now anyone can use ChatGPT Search with no account or sign-in necessary."Like the logged-in experience, ChatGPT can search the web and get you fast, timely answers with links to relevant web sources directly in ChatGPT," OpenAI said.In most cases, ChatGPT will automatically search the web to source the most up-to-date information related to your question. Users can also force the chatbot to scour the internet by tapping the "Search" button below the prompt bar.

Apple's Invites app is a simple way to throw together an event invitation directly from your iPhone or web browser. The app is free to download from the App Store, and technically you don't even need an iPhone or an Apple Account to RSVP to an event.If you want to create your own invitations you will need to be an iCloud+ subscriber, but the barrier to entry is relatively low. The subscription is bundled into Apple's pricier Apple One plans (the bundle that includes things like Apple TV+, Apple Music, and Apple News+), and you can also pay for it separately starting at $0.99 per month. iCloud+ subscriptions get you extra cloud storage, a custom domain for your iCloud email, and Apple's Private Relay feature on top of your new invite-creating privileges.What is Apple Invites?Apple Invites is Apple's attempt to offer an event planning and invitation creating service like Partiful or Evite. The app lets you create and RSVP to events, and includes integrations with other Apple services, like collaborative playlists from Apple Music and shared albums from Apple Photos. Invites also supports Image Playground if you want to use AI to create an image for your invite, rather than relying on Apple's built-in options or one of your own photos.How to create an event invite with Apple InvitesTo create an event invitation with Apple Invites you'll need to head to the iCloud website or have an iPhone running iOS 18 or later with the Invites app installed. To take advantage of Invites' integration with Apple Intelligence you'll also need an iPhone that supports the feature (an iPhone 15 Pro and up).To create your event, first open the Apple Invites app. Then tap on "Create an Event" if its your first time opening the app or the small "+" in the top right corner of your screen if you already have events you've made or been invited to. You should then see an empty invite screen.Ian Carlos Campbell for EngadgetFrom here, tap on "Add Background" and select from Apple's premade background (Emoji, Photographic, and Color options) or a new photo, a picture from your photo library, or an Image Playground creation by tapping on one of the circular icons at the top of the screen.Next, you'll want to title your event by tapping on "Event Title" and typing in whatever you want to call it. Apple also lets you choose from four different font options to add some extra style. Tap on "Date and Time" to choose the day and time the event starts and ends, then tap on "Location" to search and select the location where you'll be hosting your event. You can give the location a name if you want, too. Finally, by tapping on "Add a description" you can add an event description with extra information and enter a separate host name if you'd prefer the invitation to not show your first and last name.Ian Carlos Campbell for EngadgetThose are the basics you need to fill out for an invitation, but Invites includes two other features that are specific to Apple software. By tapping on "Create Album" you can create a shared photo album that guests can add to during the event and access after. The album's name will be the name of the event, but you can enter a new name under Album Name and tap "Done" if you want to save your changes.You can also tap on "Add Playlist" to create a shared playlist that guests can add songs to before and during the event. You'll have to select an existing playlist or create a new one from scratch. If you create a playlist, it will have the name of your event by default with the option to edit it if you want.Once you're done creating your invitation, to see what it looks like to guests, tap on "Preview" in the top right hand corner and then "Next" to start inviting guests.How to invite guests to an Apple Invites eventOnce your event invite is created you can start sending it to your guests a couple of different ways. You can send the invite as a public link or invite individual people from your contact list. Inside your invitation, tap on Invite Guests to start sending your invitation.If you tap on the Messages or Mail icons you can send a link to your invitation through those respective apps. By tapping on "Share Link," you can share a link to the invite through any app in your iOS share sheet. And if you tap on "Copy Link," your invite link will be copied to your clipboard so you can paste it anywhere.Ian Carlos Campbell for EngadgetYou can also send a one time link to individual guests by tapping on "Choose a Guest." Apple Invites will ask to access your contacts and then display every contact you have saved. Tap on one to share a unique invitation link through Messages, Mail or the iOS share sheet. Unlike public links, these links can only be used once.How to send a note to guests of an Apple Invites eventIf you want to update your guests on information about your event or remind them of something they might need to bring, you can send anyone who's invited a note directly through the Apple Invites app. From inside your invitation, tap on "Send a Note" and then enter in whatever text you want to send and tap on "Send Note."How to delete an Apple Invites eventIf you need to cancel your event, you can delete it by tapping on the event, then tapping on the three-dot menu in the top right corner. Tap on "Event Settings," then scroll down and tap on "Delete Event." Confirm you want to delete the event by tapping "Delete Event."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/how-to-use-apple-invites-to-plan-your-next-event-204503849.html?src=rss

The M2 MacBook Air is on sale for just $800 via Amazon. This is a decent discount, as this model has been going for around $1,000 lately. The well-reviewed laptop is actually on sale for $950, but there's a clippable coupon worth $150. The only caveat to this sale is that the coupon doesn't work on the midnight black model, but all other colorways are fair game. The laptop easily found a spot on our list of the best MacBooks. It lacks some of the punch of last year's M3 MacBook Air but the M2 chip is no slouch. This computer is fast and should be able to handle most everything you throw at it. This particular model includes 8GB of RAM and 512GB of solid-state storage. We heaped a whole bunch of praise on Apple's M2 MacBook Air upon the initial release, calling it a near-perfect Mac." The screen is bright and colorful, the battery lasts 18 hours per charge and the computer is both thin and light. As previously mentioned, the performance is speedy, even when using software like Logic Pro X. The only downsides? This isn't Apple's latest MacBook Air and it only comes with 8GB of RAM. Most MacBooks come with 16GB nowadays. The webcam is also on the drab side. If you find yourself in a lot of Zoom meetings, look into purchasing a standalone webcam. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m2-macbook-air-drops-to-800-195140269.html?src=rss

Tubi isn't the only service touting its Super Bowl LIX presentation prowess ahead of Sunday's big game. If you have the right setup, the whistles, slamming helmets and quarterback play-calls in this year's matchup could sound a bit more immersive. Comcast said on Wednesday that it will not only offer Dolby Vision, as it did in 2023, for the big game. This year, the showdown between the Chiefs and Eagles will also add Dolby Atmos for the first time.The pairing is part of Comcast's Enhanced 4K programming for X1 customers. The feature, which debuted at last year's Paris Olympics, uses Dolby Vision HDR and Atmos surround sound for crisp quality,brighter colors and immersive audio." Enhanced 4K streams in ultra-low latency" at higher bitrates than traditional 4K.To get in on the jazzy presentation, you'll need to be an Xfinity X1 subscriber with a checklist of required hardware. That starts with a 4K TV, 4K HDR set-top box (Xfinity X1, XG1v4 or Xi6) and a 4K-capable HDMI cord. In addition, your TV, external speakers or soundbar will need to support Dolby Atmos for the virtual surround sound experience. X1 subscribers can also get Enhanced 4K through the Xfinity Stream app.Fox, which has the broadcast rights to this year's Super Bowl, will also show the game for free in 4K on Tubi, which it owns. This will be the first time the streaming service has shown the big game - quite the departure from its usual fare of ad-supported Dog the Bounty Hunter and Duck Dynasty reruns.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/the-super-bowl-is-being-broadcast-with-dolby-atmos-audio-for-the-first-time-180035421.html?src=rss

Amazon is set to show off some new stuff later this month. The company has scheduled a devices event for February 26 in New York City. The company's hardware chief, Panos Panay, and his devices and services team will be on hand. The event will start at 10AM ET.The event invitation that Amazon sent to the media doesn't give much away. It includes the date, the Amazon smile/arrow logo and a tagline that reads "See what's next." Some swoopy blue lines are in the background.It hasn't been too long since Amazon refreshed the Kindle lineup, so it seems a little unlikely that we'll see new e-readers from the company later this month. Instead, Amazon may finally be ready to spill the beans about the long-gestating next-gen Alexa, which it reportedly planned to reveal last October before a delay. The head of Amazon's artificial general intelligence said in January that the company had been dealing with technical difficulties, such as incorrect or false results that tend to be an issue for generative AIs.If, indeed, the next-gen Alexa is the focal point of the event, Amazon may have new audio gear to show off. As such, new Echo speakers and Echo Buds could be on the agenda. We might also learn just how much Amazon plans to charge for a subscription to this turbocharged version of Alexa.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/amazon-is-holding-a-devices-event-on-february-26-164421400.html?src=rss

Update, February 5, 2025, 10:02AM ET: The USPS swiftly backtracked on its suspension of Chinese packages.In an updated statement published Wednesday morning, the agency said, "Effective February 5, 2025, the Postal Service will continue accepting all international inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong Posts. The USPS and Customs and Border Protection are working closely together to implement an efficient collection mechanism for the new China tariffs to ensure the least disruption to package delivery."The original story follows...The United States Postal Service has temporarily stopped accepting inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong, and according to Wired, it's already causing huge problems with e-commerce shipments to the US. USPS posted the notice on its website, announcing that the suspension will be in place "until further notice." As Wired notes, the international parcel suspension is a direct result of the Trump administration's order to end import tax exemption for small packages shipped into the US worth less than $800. The administration also imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on goods imported from China.The "de minimis" import tax exemption rule allows e-commerce companies like Shein and Temu to sell to customers in the US while keeping prices on their platforms low. It was originally intended to make it easier to send gifts stateside, but the US government has been considering removing or altering it in recent years due to the rise of e-commerce shipments. Now, the Trump administration has removed it completely, and so quickly, that shipping companies are apparently scrambling to find a way to get packages into the US.A Canadian trucking company owner told Wired that his trucks were turned away at the border because they contained packages from China. The owner said that border control was "actually going through the trucks and randomly checking the packages." He explained that it won't be easy to sort packages to remove everything coming in from China, so this development would most likely cause delivery delays.According to US Customs, there were over 1.36 billion de minimis shipments to the US within the 2024 fiscal year. If the agency decides to hold all de minimis shipments at the border, that means they may have to process around 3.7 million packages a day to check how much import taxes and other additional fees the receiver or buyer has to pay. That could cause a massive backlog in shipments. A customs and trade management business executive told Wired that the government could choose to keep packages moving instead and to charge people for the fees retroactively. In the future, though, China's e-commerce platforms could start adding those fees, along with the 10 percent tariff now required for Chinese goods, to a customer's total amount, making it more expensive to buy from websites like Shein and Temu.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/usps-backtracks-on-suspending-packages-from-china-140013986.html?src=rss

Smart rings have been a niche inside a niche in the wearables world for more than a decade. But in the last few years, they've enjoyed a renaissance as more attention and hype brought bigger names to the category. Finnish company Oura has been around longer than most and is now the class leader despite fierce competition. At the end of last year, Oura released the Ring 4 to address the flaws of its predecessor and keep ahead of its now many imitators. It's easy to say that it remains a technological marvel, but harder to say if it's worth a decent chunk of your hard-earned to get one. Hardware Daniel Cooper for Engadget Oura put a lot of effort into nipping-and-tucking the Ring 4, like ditching the epoxy resin interior for a full titanium body. The Ring 3, especially once it moved beyond its squared-off side, already looked like a fashion ring, and the Ring 4 continues in that vein. I wear my Oura Ring on my left index finger with a Vitaly Grip ring on the right to balance the look. And nobody can tell the difference between the two, which is just how it should be. Unlike a watch strapped in place, rings have a knack of turning on your finger through the day. To combat this drift, Oura's previous rings housed their sensors in raised domes on the inside surface to maintain contact with your flesh. I never found them uncomfortable, but it was an issue for some, which is why Oura has worked to re-package the sensors to fit flush. In lieu of that, there's now an ugly-ass notch on the ring to indicate the side that should be facing your palm at all times. Since it's easy for the sensors to be out of alignment, you're constantly at risk of poor quality data or, worse, gaps. Oura upped the number of signal pathways from eight on the Ring 3 to 18 here in order to maximize data collection. Plus, a new algorithm hunts for the most efficient way to pull data from those sensors to hopefully ensure gaps are a thing of the past. The Ring 4 is available in a wider number of sizes than its predecessor, fitting fingers from size 4 to 15. With a re-engineered ring comes a re-engineered charging dock that's a lot nicer, too. Unfortunately, it's also slightly bigger and heavier, which is a burden when you're taking the ring on a trip lasting longer than seven days. If you already own an Oura Ring 3, then I'd say that while the Ring 4 is nicer, more comfortable and more useful, it's not so compelling to make you ditch an existing unit in good working order. In use Daniel Cooper for Engadget One downside of Oura's iterative update is that much of what I wrote about the Ring 3 remains true about the Ring 4. Once it's on your finger, it should very quickly fade into the background of your day, and it's plenty easy to forget. Naturally, you'll do all of your interacting with the ring via its mobile app, which is one of the best available for a smart ring. You'll get regular notifications telling you how far through your daily activity goal you are, plus advice on when to get ready for bed. It'll also send the occasional reminder to get up and move if the ring feels you've been sitting for too long. Open the app and you'll first be presented with a row of numbers showing your Readiness, Sleep, Activity, Heart Rate and Stress scores. Scroll down and you'll get panes with more information about your activity goals, stress metrics and heart rate. If there's an issue, you'll also get additional commentary about the problem and suggestions on how to improve. For instance, my resting heart rate dropped in the late evening because I'd gone to town on a very big bag of Doritos. The ring knew, and told me that if I kept eating close to my bedtime, I'd ruin the quality of my sleep. Keep scrolling and you'll find your activity timeline, based on what the ring thinks you've been up to that day. Sadly, in my experience the system will frequently assume you're exercising when it sees movement plus an elevated heart rate. It'll often accuse me of doing some form of rigorous workout when, in reality, I'm just going up and down stairs while I get my kids ready for school. If you're doing one type of activity, then it'll pick it up as such but if you're chopping and changing - for instance by doing circuits - then it'll be labeled as other." If, in fact, it gets labeled at all: I have had instances where walking to and from my gym was recognised, but nothing I was doing when I was actually working out counted. The app has a number of hidden depths, including the Explore section which hosts a small library of meditation content. There's also Oura Labs, which is where the company shares its not-ready-for-prime-time features before they're added to the platform proper. At present, the company is testing Oura Advisor, a conversational AI that gives you the same advice the app would anyway, just in a chat box format. It's also testing an AI-based food-tracking algorithm that'll discern what you're eating from a picture of your meal. We'll get into the economics of this down in the Price section, but Oura paywalls a number of key features behind its Membership program. If you don't cough up, you won't get 24/7 heart-rate tracking, temperature monitoring, menstrual cycle insights, SpO2 and VO2 Max analysis. All of these features are essential if you're looking to get even the basic use out of your Ring 4. As for battery life, I wear a size 10 ring and over the last two months I've fairly regularly wrung seven days out of the device before I'm advised to find a charger. Naturally, the bigger rings have a bigger battery, and so your mileage may vary, but the company is promising up to" eight days. Having lost a significant amount of weight in 2024, I would often find my Ring 3 sliding clean off my finger. Thankfully, if your ring is paired with your smartphone, you'll now be able to see its last-known location through the app. Unfortunately, this is just using your phone's GPS, so while you'll be able to know if it's in your home (or further afield), it's no help finding which couch cushion it fell under. Consequently, it'll still be worth picking up third-party developer Andreas Assermark's Find My Ring app, which will use the Bluetooth signal strength to help you pinpoint its location. Tracking activity, sleep and stress Daniel Cooper for Engadget I've never believed wearables, or any consumer-grade health device, can or should be held to the same standard as a clinical model. The smarter approach is to trust the trend and look for patterns rather than obsess if you did 10,000 or 10,001 steps in a day. Especially as, for most people, if you've had a rough night or you're feeling like hell, you probably already know. What Oura offers is a lot of data which, if you're not happy with a single aggregate score, you can drill down into. Thanks to a British Airways snafu, I wasn't able to get my intended flight out to CES on January 4 and was waitlisted for the following day. That was a pretty stressful time given I'd be letting the Engadget team down on a pretty crucial and busy week. Looking at the data now, I can see my resting heart rate spiked on Saturday and didn't settle for a few days. Oura also provides a metric for Daytime Stress, which aggregates your heart rate, HRV, motion and body temperature through the day. What's interesting is that even if the ring is keeping an eye on my heart rate, there are several instances where it stops collecting stress data. For instance, that stressful Saturday, my heart was racing but there's no Stress metric from 7:45 to 11:15. A few days after I had some distressing personal news and while my heart rate spiked to 158bpm, the stress metric disappeared entirely. I've already griped about the issues with automatic activity detection, even if it gets the bulk of its calls correct. I am often vexed, however, that it'll often have a delay between you starting an activity and it beginning to track it. For instance, one of my regular lunchtime walks is to a local landmark 0.8 miles away from my home and back again. But often, the ring won't notice that I'm out for a walk until I'm a way down the road, curtailing my stats, even if it has my phone's GPS to help. These are minor gripes but ones worth knowing if you're thinking about using the ring for more intensive insights. Nobody in their right mind would think about buying a smart ring in place of a smartwatch, but be aware the data you'll get is not perfect. There's one thing that I'm very intrigued by, even if I'm not in a position to test it right now, which is the recent tie-up between Oura and (Diabetes biosensor company) Dexcom. The partnership, announced November 2024, will see the two companies share data between their respective platforms. Plus, Dexcom has put $75 million behind the ring maker, pushing its valuation north of $5 billion. Price and the Competition The Oura Ring 4 is available for $349 if you opt for the default silver or black colorways. Should your taste extend to brushed silver or stealth, then you'll need to pay $399, while the gold or rose gold paint jobs are $499. Before you buy, you'll need to order a sizing kit - the existing sizing kits are not compatible with the Oura 4 - and are available in Size 4 through 15. As explained earlier, key features aren't available for use unless you pay $5.99 a month or $70 a year for Oura Membership. Oura has been charging this fee since the launch of the Ring 3 and is, for now, a key plank of its business model. Now, plenty of companies will sell you their hardware and paywall off additional features for you to subscribe for afterward. I suspect the reason the Membership rankles so many people is that the features held back aren't just nice to have, they're essential. On a pragmatic level, small hardware businesses can't survive without the lifeblood recurring revenue from existing customers brings in. $70 a year is, to be blunt, your insurance ensuring that Oura doesn't go belly-up, turning your smart ring into a dumb one. Oura has been good at regularly adding more features to its platform, and allowing users to beta test them in Labs on the way. Plus, the company has been working with academics to help refine its data collection and prove its methods are sound. But the approach of charging for what should be basic features is always likely to rankle the users. And it gives Oura's rivals, which may not be as well-equipped, an easy stick with which to beat the current market leader. Samsung's Galaxy Ring isn't as good as Oura, but it retails for $400 without any additional monthly charges. Ultrahuman, Circular and RingConn all boast they won't charge you extra to use their ring's hardware and software features. Wrap-up Daniel Cooper for Engadget The Oura Ring 4 is a stellar piece of hardware, an engineering marvel and a useful companion as you go about your day. If I sound like I've been nitpicking, it's because the overall package is so good that it's hard not to focus on the specs of dirt on the otherwise clean plate. The ring and its companion app are well-developed and muscular, offering a useful way to sum up your day. If you're looking to buy a smart ring, then there's little need to explore the wider market unless you are particularly predisposed to buying a Samsung. If there's a downside, it's that Oura remains forever constrained by the limitations a smart ring imposes. As I wrote last year, there's only so much data you can collect reliably from such a small device worn on the finger. Not to mention, they're designed to fade into the background of your life, keeping an eye on your vitals and offering some post-facto tips. If you want something more comprehensive, then it's likely a smartwatch is a better option, but for everything else, there's this.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/oura-ring-4-long-term-review-out-ahead-of-its-rivals-150047874.html?src=rss

Uber app users in Austin can now get on an interest list" for a chance to match with Waymo autonomous cabs, according to The New York Times. The rides aren't available yet, but they're coming to a 37 square miles area of the city in "early 2025" according to Bloomberg.Uber once had self-driving ambitions of its own, but sold off its "Advanced Technologies Group" to Aurora in 2020. Since then, it has slowly deepened its relationship with Waymo. Driverless cabs became available through the app to customers in Phoenix starting in 2023, and driverless deliveries spun up there in early 2024. Waymo, on the other hand, has kept some markets - like San Francisco, where driverless rides can only be booked through the Waymo One app - tightly guarded. This makes it somewhat surprising to see Waymo partnering with Uber exclusively in Austin and Atlanta.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-opens-waitlist-for-driverless-waymo-rides-in-austin-144551425.html?src=rss

There's a reason I didn't pick up my first pair of over-ear headphones until last year: they're expensive. But, that's where nice sales come in handy. And, there's a very nice sale going on right now, with the Beats Studio Pro down to $180 from $350 - a 49 percent discount. It's not as low as Black Friday's $160 deal, but the sale is available on every model except the Earth color. The Beats Studio Pro came out in mid-2023 and got an 81 in our review. We were impressed with its improved sound quality over its predecessor, good transparency mode and solid voice performance. However, they're not the most comfortable option and don't have automatic pausing. If you want over-ear headphones for even less money then check out the Beats Solo 4. They're currently half off at $100 from $200. We gave them a 79 in our review, as they offer a boost in sound quality and up to 50 hours of battery life (10 more than the Beats Studio Pro). But, they're also not the comfiest fit and again don't offer automatic pausing. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-beats-studio-pro-headphones-are-back-on-sale-for-180-142729183.html?src=rss

Microsoft's annual Build developer conference will take place in Seattle and run from May 19 to May 22, the company announced on X. There are no details on what will be announced, but you can be fairly sure it'll match or beat Build 2024 in terms of AI-related products and services.Artificial intelligence played a large part in last year's conference, featuring in areas ranging from Windows search to Copilot+ to Microsoft Paint. In fact, a day before Build 2024, Microsoft unveiled its new Surface Pro PC powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips, capable of hitting 45TOPS of neural processing power.

In recent years, the push to ban smartphones in schools has picked up, with advocates citing everything from improving focus to creating a safe environment. Now, a new study out of the UK investigates the effectiveness of these policies on social media use and overall well-being with interesting results. The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe journal, included 1,227 individuals aged 12 to 15 from 20 schools with restrictive phone policies and 10 that permitted phone use.Researchers didn't find a link between restrictive school policies and lower phone or social media use and improved well-being. Notably, individuals unable to use their phones at school still used their devices the same amount of time on weekdays as their counterparts. So, they still had the same amount of potentially negative time on their phones per day, just at a different time of the day (assuming no sneaky use at school). These results are significant for advocates of school bans to consider, though primarily demonstrate the benefits of a more holistic plan to reduce adolescents' smartphone and social media use throughout the day.The study's authors note their research didn't look at how restrictive phone policies at school can impact instances of bullying or time engaging in face-to-face interactions. It also doesn't examine the difference between varied types of restriction or how long these policies have been in place.The UK government has been a strong proponent of banning smartphones in schools, announcing guidance in February 2024. The guidance called for schools to create policies that worked best for them, but outlined a few options - including banning any smartphones on school premises. Other suggestions involved students handing in their phones upon arrival or storing them in lockers.The US, France and more countries have also taken steps to ban smartphones in schools. New York Governor Kathy Hochul and California Governor Gavin Newsom are among the proponents of smartphone restrictions in schools.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/uk-study-says-school-phone-bans-dont-affect-students-total-screen-time-130048601.html?src=rss

Sonos will start selling a streaming box in the "coming months," according to The Verge. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that the company was working on a streaming device codenamed "Pinewood" back in 2023. He said it was going to cost between $150 and $200, but sources told the publication that it would set buyers back between $200 and $400 instead. To note, the Roku Streambar costs $130, while the Apple TV 4K with Wi-Fi costs $129.During an earnings call last year, Sonos said that it was planning to launch two new products in the fourth quarter of 2024, but it had to push back their release until its app was fixed. Sonos' app broke after the company rolled out a major redesign last April that was supposed to make it easier to find and play different kinds of content. But the app was extremely buggy and was missing basic features, such as sleep timers and alarms. It's not quite clear if one of the delayed products was the streaming box, but the box, The Verge says, is "deep into development."The streaming device will reportedly have an interface that can combine content from multiple services, including Netflix, Max and Disney Plus, in a single unified software experience. It will feature integrated Sonos Voice Control, but it will also come with a physical remote control with shortcuts for popular apps. For those with an expansive home theater setup, the box will apparently have multiple HDMI ports with passthrough capability, allowing users to plug in other devices they want to pair with their TVs, such as gaming consoles.Sonos has also reportedly designed Pinewood to be able to wirelessly transmit TV audio to its own soundbars and other audio devices without lag. Plus, it will allow users to create their own surround system for TV viewing. Users will be able to designate two separate speakers as front left and right channels, for instance. For internet connectivity, The Verge says it will have both a gigabit ethernet port and Wi-Fi 7.After a disastrous few months following its botched app overhaul, Sonos laid out a plan to win back customers' trust. One of the things it promised was to implement "ambitious quality benchmarks" at the beginning of a product development cycle. It also said that it's not going to release products before those standards are met, which presumably means that Pinewood is going through rigorous testing before it becomes available.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/sonos-may-release-its-long-rumored-streaming-box-this-year-130017996.html?src=rss

Google has made one of the most substantive changes to its AI principles since first publishing them in 2018. In a change spotted by The Washington Post, the search giant edited the document to remove pledges it had made promising it would not "design or deploy" AI tools for use in weapons or surveillance technology. Previously, those guidelines included a section titled "applications we will not pursue," which is not present in the current version of the document.Instead, there's now a section titled "responsible development and deployment." There, Google says it will implement "appropriate human oversight, due diligence, and feedback mechanisms to align with user goals, social responsibility, and widely accepted principles of international law and human rights."That's a far broader commitment than the specific ones the company made as recently as the end of last month when the prior version of its AI principles was still live on its website. For instance, as it relates to weapons, the company previously said it would not design AI for use in "weapons or other technologies whose principal purpose or implementation is to cause or directly facilitate injury to people." As for AI surveillance tools, the company said it would not develop tech that violates "internationally accepted norms."GoogleWhen asked for comment, a Google spokesperson pointed Engadget to a blog post the company published on Thursday. In it, DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and James Manyika, senior vice president of research, labs, technology and society at Google, say AI's emergence as a "general-purpose technology" necessitated a policy change."We believe democracies should lead in AI development, guided by core values like freedom, equality, and respect for human rights. And we believe that companies, governments, and organizations sharing these values should work together to create AI that protects people, promotes global growth, and supports national security," the two wrote. "... Guided by our AI Principles, we will continue to focus on AI research and applications that align with our mission, our scientific focus, and our areas of expertise, and stay consistent with widely accepted principles of international law and human rights - always evaluating specific work by carefully assessing whether the benefits substantially outweigh potential risks."When Google first published its AI principles in 2018, it did so in the aftermath of Project Maven. It was a controversial government contract that, had Google decided to renew it, would have seen the company provide AI software to the Department of Defense for analyzing drone footage. Dozens of Google employees quit the company in protest of the contract, with thousands more signing a petition in opposition. When Google eventually published its new guidelines, CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly told staff his hope was they would stand "the test of time."By 2021, however, Google began pursuing military contracts again, with what was reportedly an "aggressive" bid for the Pentagon's Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability cloud contract. At the start of this year, The Washington Post reported that Google employees had repeatedly worked with Israel's Defense Ministry to expand the government's use of AI tools.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-now-thinks-its-ok-to-use-ai-for-weapons-and-surveillance-224824373.html?src=rss

Reddit has temporarily banned the subreddit r/WhitePeopleTwitter after Elon Musk complained about the community. The subreddit is currently inaccessible with a message from Reddit stating that the community has been banned for 72 hours due to a prevalence of violent content."The popular subreddit is known for posting funny tweets and memes from X. On Monday, an X account called Reddit Lies" posted screenshots from a thread on r/WhitePeopleTwitter in which users were discussing the identities of the individuals with ties to Musk who have reportedly played a key role in the takeover of technical systems within the federal government.A Reddit spokesperson pointed to the message in r/WhitePeopleTwitter notifying users about the ban, but declined to comment further. This subreddit has been temporarily banned due to a prevalence of violent content. Inciting and glorifying violence or doxing are against Reddit's platform-wide Rules. It will reopen in 72 hours, during which Reddit will support moderators and provide resources to keep Reddit a healthy place for discussion and debate." The company also permanently banned a subreddit called r/IsElonDeadYet for breaking its rules around violent content, according to a notice posted to the community.RedditMusk has used his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) to enter federal agencies and take control of their systems and install a potentially illegal server at the US Office of Personnel Management. Musk has reportedly been helped by a group of very young engineers with little work experience. Those individuals have been the subject of much speculation online amid reports that they have helped him take control of secure systems within the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Treasury Department.Musk has repeatedly accused people who post the names of his DOGE associates on X of breaking the law (to be clear: doing so absolutely is not a crime). He made a similar claim in response to the screenshots from r/WhitePeopleTwitter posted by Reddit Lies, saying they have broken the law." Engadget was unable to verify the Reddit comments posted by the account, but it included statements like time to hunt" and this nazi stooge needs to be shot."In a letter addressed to Musk, interim US Attorney Ed Martin offered his assistance in protecting the DOGE work" from threats. We will not tolerate threats against DOGE workers or law-breaking by the disgruntled," he wrote on X Monday. Any threats, confrontations, or any actions in any way that impact their work may break numerous laws," he wrote.Many Reddit users have grown increasingly frustrated with Musk, who was once a popular figure on the site. Last month, dozens of subreddits announced that they were banning links to X following Musk's speech at President Donald Trump's inauguration in which he made an apparent Nazi salute.Have a tip about Reddit or other information to share? Get in touch by email at karissa.bell [at] engadget.com or message securely on Signal at karissabe.51.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-temporarily-bans-rwhitepeopletwitter-after-elon-musk-claimed-it-had-broken-the-law-212131945.html?src=rss

Federal employees are suing to disconnect a server, reportedly operated by associates of Elon Musk, from the US Office of Personnel Management. A motion filed today as part of a class action suit and obtained by Wired claims that the new server connected to OPM systems is a violation of federal laws as well as a privacy risk for government staffers.The OPM is essentially the federal government's human resources department, and it houses sensitive personal information about current and prospective employees. The email server is reportedly harvesting information from OPM's data systems, according to the initial lawsuit that is seeking to block Musk's access to that private information. Government agencies are required to conduct privacy assessments before making substantial changes to IT systems under the 2002 E-Government Act, but today's motion alleges the OPM did not perform that assessment before the server was installed.On Friday, Reuters reported that senior officials at the OPM were locked out of the department's data systems, ostensibly by Musk's allies. "We have no visibility into what they are doing with the computer and data systems," one of the unnamed officials said. "That is creating great concern. There is no oversight. It creates real cybersecurity and hacking implications."Reuters' sources spoke anonymously with the publication out of fear of retaliation. Interim US Attorney Ed Martin has already posted his support for Musk's activities on X. "We will pursue any and all legal action against anyone who impedes your work or threatens your people," he wrote, referring to the Department of Government Efficiency, which Musk spearheads.The OPM isn't the only government agency where Musk may be installing his connections. Wired separately reported that a former employee of the South African billionaire allegedly has direct access to systems in the US Treasury Department. A group of labor unions and retiree advocates has sued the Treasury for granting DOGE permission to access those systems.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/government-workers-sue-over-potentially-illegal-doge-server-201042201.html?src=rss

Autonomous vehicle company Cruise is laying off around half of its workforce, according to reporting by TechCrunch. The cuts even extend to the CEO and other top executives. This is part of a major restructuring effort by parent company GM that will eventually see a total shutdown of operations.These layoffs are expected to impact well over 1,000 people and include CEO Marc Whitten, chief safety officer Steve Kenner and global head of public policy Rob Grant. Chief technologist Mo Elshenawy is also being laid off, but will stay on until the end of April to help with the transition. To that end, some of Cruise's workforce and resources will carry on. They are being shuffled to the Super Cruise team, which is GM's driver assistance system.These layoffs don't come as too much of a surprise, given that GM already announced it was giving up on the development of robotaxis. The company, however, hasn't stopped chasing the dream of autonomous vehicles. GM is still planning on rolling out driverless cars for personal use at some point in the future.Cruise has had a rough last couple of years. The company faced scrutiny after one of its robotaxis struck a pedestrian and dragged them 20 feet. Prior to the crash, the company's algorithm was fairly notorious for being buggy, as it repeatedly failed to recognize children.The ensuing investigation forced Cruise to stop all operations for its manned robotaxi service. GM was fined $1.5 million for omitting key details about the aforementioned crash. There were also serious layoffs. In recent months, Cruise had resumed some limited activity, though only with human drivers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/cruise-lays-off-half-its-staff-after-gm-sunsets-robitaxi-program-191417313.html?src=rss

Netflix has been revamping its games division in recent months, including making adjustments to the library of titles that it offers subscribers at no extra cost. The company has canceled release plans for six games that were previously bound for iOS and Android through its platform.As first reported by What's On Netflix, the company will no longer bring Thirsty Suitors, Compass Point: West and Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game to its library. Nor will it offer three titles from Klei Entertainment: Don't Starve Together, Lab Rat and Rotwood. A Netflix spokesperson confirmed the decision to Engadget, noting that nixing the planned additions was "just a natural part of adjusting our portfolio as we learn more about what our members like."Tales of the Shire, a cozy life sim game featuring hobbits, is still coming to Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S next month. Action RPG Thirsty Suitors received positive reviews when it debuted on PC and consoles in 2023. As for Don't Starve Together, that was a co-op expansion to Don't Starve, a hit survival game from 2013.Netflix has been retooling its games division after bringing in a new leader for the department last summer. It has removed several games from its library and it emerged in October that it had shut its AAA studio, which was dubbed Team Blue. Meanwhile, Leanne Loombe - an executive who helped bring the likes of Hades and Grand Theft Auto to Netflix's library while leading second- and third-party development and publishing efforts - recently became the head of games at Annapurna Interactive following an exodus there.Meanwhile, Netflix aims to add more high-profile mainstream games to its catalog - the WWE 2K series is on the way later this year. Other areas of focus include its well-known franchises, narrative-driven games, party and couch co-op titles and games for kids, per a recent earnings call.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflix-scuttles-plans-to-add-six-previously-announced-games-to-its-service-192946233.html?src=rss

Typically when we think of Apple and "invites," it's because the company is about to show off some new gear at a splashy product launch. But this time around, the product in question is a new invites app.The idea behind Apple Invites is that you can create and share custom invitations for any event or occasion. You can use your own photos or backgrounds in the app as an image for the invite. Image Playground is built into Invites and you can use that to generate an images for the invitation instead. Other Apple Intelligence features such as Writing Tools are baked in as well, in case you need a hand to craft the right message for your invitation.It's worth noting that only folks with a paid iCloud (aka iCloud+) plan can create an invite in the app. There are no limits on how many events you can host, but each one is limited to 100 participants. As might expect, events will appear in the Calendar app (to which Apple has made some changes in recent months, including the integration of Reminders, amid the rollout of iOS 18).Anyone can RSVP to invites in the app or on the web. You won't need an Apple Account or device to do so. You can also add photos and photos and videos from the event to a Shared Album (in case you need to feel like it's 2008 and we're all living on Facebook again). Best of all, you can help decide what to listen to during the get-together by collaborating on Apple Music playlists. There's Weather and Maps integration to provide guests with directions and a forecast on the day of the event.Privacy is a factor here. Hosts can choose whether to share their home address in the invite, while guests have control over how their details appear to others.The app seems useful and pretty fun. The Shared Albums and Apple Music collaboration features make it seem more interesting than a boring-ass Outlook invite ever could be.Update, February 4, 1:18PM ET: A previous version of this story indicated that an iPhone and Apple Invites were required to add photos and videos to the Shared Album for the event. This isn't the case, as it's possible to do so via the web on any device.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-invites-is-a-new-iphone-app-to-manage-your-social-life-162125095.html?src=rss

Xbox just announced the new titles that will be available for Game Pass this month, and it's a good list. There's a big day one release, an indie gem and, of course, a newish Madden title. Let's get to it.The big news? Avowed is a day one release for subscribers. We knew Obsidian's upcoming fantasy epic would come out on February 18, but now we know it'll be instantly available for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass users. This is a first-person action RPG from the company that brought us Fallout: New Vegas, so it's a pretty big deal. It's a spinoff of Pillars of Eternity, though set in a new land.Another Crab's Treasure is a unique soulslike that trades in the genre's typical grimdark aesthetic for a bright, cartoon-like color palette. However, it's still tough as nails. You play as a crab trying to get its shell back. The game was already available for Ultimate subscribers, but on February 5 it drops for Standard users.Madden NFL 25, not to be confused with the Madden 25 that actually came out in 2013, is EA's latest football sim. You know the drill here: It's a Madden game. The title will be available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on February 6.Far Cry New Dawn is available right now for all Game Pass tiers. This 2019 FPS fell under the radar a bit, but it's a solid entry in the franchise. It's also set after a nuclear apocalypse, which is always a fun time.There are also some more games coming to Game Pass Standard that used to be locked behind an Ultimate subscription. These include Starfield and Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on February 5.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/februarys-game-pass-additions-include-avowed-and-madden-nfl-25-164313670.html?src=rss

Verizon's myPlan wireless and myHome internet subscriptions allow users to choose from a selection of perks, which include Netflix & Max with ads, a Disney bundle, a Walmart+ membership and numerous others. Another one is joining their ranks; this time, it's a Google One AI Premium subscription for $10 monthly instead of $20.The Google One AI Premium perk functions the same as the original one aside from the 50 percent discount. It includes access to Gemini Advanced, which is capable of summarizing more information and performing Deep Research." Google says Deep Research can use Gemini to go through 1,500 pages of information and prepare a report for you within minutes. You can also now use Gemini in Google Docs and Gmail. As the cherry on top, there's 2TB of Google One cloud storage and a handful of other benefits like the ability to share that storage with your family and a recurring 10 percent back from any purchase on the Google Store.Verizon customers can select Google One AI Premium as their perk for their plans starting February 6. This applies to new and existing customers, as perks can be swapped. It's worth noting that if you don't care about Gemini, Google has long offered 2TB of Drive storage for $10 a month or $100 a year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/verizon-is-adding-google-one-ai-premium-as-a-perk-for-some-customers-153943314.html?src=rss

The tech sector's ongoing effort to force-feed generative AI features into widely used services continues with updates to WhatsApp's ChatGPT integration. There are now more ways to interact with the chatbot in the app. To use it there, you have to add 1 (800) CHAT-GPT - or 1 (800) 242-8478 - to your contacts.WhatsApp says users around the world can now upload images to the chatbot, just like they can when using ChatGPT directly. You can also send a voice message to talk to ChatGPT, which will respond using text. In addition, starting today, WhatsApp users can link to their free, Plus or Pro ChatGPT plan to get more usage out of the service in Meta's app.ChatGPT debuted in WhatsApp in December, though text was the only input option at the jump. Meta's own AI chatbot is available in the app too. Meanwhile, if you're trying to avoid that stuff as much as possible, it's not too late to convince your loved ones to switch to Signal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/whatsapp-brings-image-and-voice-inputs-to-its-chatgpt-integration-151540677.html?src=rss

Adobe has updated the Acrobat AI Assistant, giving it the ability to understand contracts and to compare them for you. The company says it can help you make sense of complex terms and spot differences between agreements, such as between old and new ones, so you can understand what you're signing. With the AI Assistant enabled, the Acrobat app will be able to recognize if a document is a contract, even if it's a scanned page. It can identify and list key terms from there, summarize the document's contents and recommend questions you can ask based on what's in it.AdobeThe feature can also compare up to 10 contracts with one another and be able to check for differences and catch discrepancies. When it's done checking, and if you're satisfied that everything's in order, you can sign the document directly or request e-signatures from your colleagues or clients. Adobe listed a few potential uses for the feature and said you can use it to check apartment leases, to verify out-of-country charges for mobile plans and to compare perks or amenities of competing services. It could be even more useful if you regularly have to take a look at multiple contracts for your work or business.Of course, you'd have to trust the AI assistant to actually be able to spot important information and catch both small and significant changes between different contracts. If it works properly, then it could be one of Acrobat AI's most useful features, seeing as users (according to Adobe itself) open billions of contracts each month on the Acrobat app. The Acrobat AI Assistant isn't free, however. It's an add-on that will cost you $5 a month whether or not you're already paying for Adobe's other services and products.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/adobes-acrobat-ai-assistant-can-now-assess-contracts-for-you-140058723.html?src=rss

If you've been waiting for a good deal on an iPad with one of Apple's M-series chips, now seems like a good time to take the plunge. The M2-powered 11-inch iPad Air has dropped back down to $500. That's $100 off the regular price and just a hair above the record low of $498. Most colorways have dropped to either $539 or $559, but you'll get the full discount when you add in the clippable coupon for each. This deal is for the base model with 128GB of storage (double the base storage from the previous gen) and no cellular connectivity, though there is Wi-Fi 6E support. You'll get 8GB of RAM as well. We gave the M2 iPad Air, which debuted less than a year ago, a score of 91 in our review. It's our pick for the best iPad for most people. It hits the sweet spot between performance, features and price - even more so considering this deal. It offers better future proofing compared with the entry-level iPad, as many features and apps only run on M-series chips and newer A-series ones. For basic tasks like web browsing and streaming video, performance shouldn't be an issue at all. The M2 iPad Air supports Apple Intelligence features, as well as demanding games like Death Stranding and the Resident Evil 4 remake. You should get about 10 hours of battery life on a single charge. There's no Face ID here, but a Touch ID fingerprint scanner is built into the power button. One other major positive is that Apple has shunted the front-facing camera to th longer side of the tablet, making FaceTime calls in landscape mode an easier proposition. The M2 iPad Air is compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro, but not the second-gen Pencil. One of our main complaints about the M2 iPad Air is that it has an LCD display with a 60Hz refresh rate. It's not as smooth or vibrant as the 120Hz OLED you'll find on the most recent iPad Pro. Still, it's a bright, sharp screen. However you slice it, the M2 iPad Air is a pretty great tablet. If you'd prefer a larger tablet, the 13-inch M2 iPad Air is on sale now, too. The space gray model is the cheapest at $689, which is more than $100 off, while most other colors are on sale for $700 when you combine their straight discounts with clippable coupons found on the product pages. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-11-inch-ipad-air-m2-is-on-sale-for-100-off-153619945.html?src=rss