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Apple deals can be hard to come by, but right now you can save on one of the company's smallest (and arguably one if its most useful) gadgets. A four-pack of Apple AirTags is down to $65 right now, which is 34 percent off its usual price. That brings each AirTag in the bundle down to $16.25 each. If you're an Apple user, then the AirTag is the best Bluetooth tracker on the market for you. You can put these little discs in your wallet, in a backpack or in your luggage while you're traveling. Your AirTag's location will show up in your Find My app, powered by the vast network of iPhones, iPads and other compatible devices that receive the AirTag's Bluetooth signal. Keep in mind these only work when close enough to participating devices to be located. You can attach AirTags to just about anything thanks to an abundance of available accessories. Their built-in speakers can play a tone, triggered from your iPhone, to help you find them when the object they're affixed to is lost. On iPhone 11 and newer models, you can take advantage of the AirTag's Ultra Wideband capability and have your phone lead you right to your AirTag, complete with directional arrows on your iPhone screen.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/airtag-deal-grab-a-four-pack-of-bluetooth-trackers-for-a-record-low-price-143112388.html?src=rss

Apple only released its newest iPad in mid-October but the device is already on sale. Right now you can pick up the 11-inch iPad Pro (M5) for $949, down from $999. The five percent discount is exclusive to the 256GB Wi-Fi model with standard glass. It's also only available for the Space Black model, though the Silver version is currently listed as $983. We gave the new iPad Pro an 85 in our review, in large part because of its impressive M5 chip. It's especially powerful when you're using the iPad for GPU-powered tasks. While you'll see an improvement from the M4 model, it's a really significant boost if you have an iPad Pro with an M3 chip or older. Then there's the other bits and bobs we liked, such as its extremely thin and lightweight design. It also has Apple Intelligence and an ultra retina XDR display - the screen is really great overall. Plus, the iPad Pro finally supports fast charging, so a 60W power adaptor should get you to 50 percent in just a half hour. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-ipad-pro-m5-is-50-off-right-now-122611748.html?src=rss

Regardless of what kind of exercise you're into, if you're working out, you'll want a pair of wireless workout headphones. They allow you to be free and untethered during a serious weight-lifting session, a 5K run, an hour at the skate park and everywhere in between where you're moving and sweating a ton. There are dozens of great wireless headphones and wireless earbud options out there, but for exercise in particular, there are additional factors to consider before picking one up like water resistance, battery life and overall comfort.

According to a report from The Information, OpenAI is interested in developing a tool that could generate music from text and audio prompts, and has been working with students from The Juilliard School to help with creating training data. The company envisions something that could be used to generate guitar accompaniment for a vocal track, for example, or to add music to videos, sources with knowledge of the project told the publication.There's no word on how far into these efforts OpenAI is. According to one source that spoke to The Information, OpenAI enlisted the Juilliard students to annotate music scores, which could be used to train the AI. It wouldn't be the first time the company has explored music-generating AI, and it's something we're seeing more and more of elsewhere with other startups, like Suno and ElevenLabs, launching their own versions. AI spam is already cluttering up streaming platforms and, lest we forget, there was the whole The Velvet Sundown debacle. It's only the beginning.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/openai-is-reportedly-working-on-an-ai-music-generation-tool-204208186.html?src=rss

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) submitted a new measure that allows it to photograph any non-US citizen who enters or exits the country for facial recognition purposes. According to a filing with the government's Federal Register, CBP and the Department of Homeland Security are looking to crack down on threats of terrorism, fraudulent use of travel documents and anyone who overstays their authorized stay.The filing detailed that CBP will "implement an integrated, automated entry and exit data system to match records, including biographic data and biometrics, of aliens entering and departing the United States." The government agency already has the ability to request photos and fingerprints from anyone entering the country, but this new rule change would allow for requiring photos of anyone exiting as well. These photos would "create galleries of images associated with individuals, including photos taken by border agents, and from passports or other travel documents," according to the filing, adding that these galleries would be compared to live photos at entry and exit points.These new requirements are scheduled to go into effect on December 26, but CBP will need some time to implement a system to handle the extra demand. According to the filing, the agency said "a biometric entry-exit system can be fully implemented at all commercial airports and sea ports for both entry and exit within the next three to five years."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/cbp-will-photograph-non-citizens-entering-and-exiting-the-us-for-its-facial-recognition-database-184557905.html?src=rss

Opening Apple's Maps app just for directions may look a little different in the near future. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is planning to introduce ads to Maps as soon as next year. While it won't be as annoying as unskippable YouTube ads, Apple wants to offer better visibility on Maps to restaurants and businesses that are willing to pay.When looking for a new restaurant or relevant business, you may already be used to seeing ads on Google Maps or Yelp that highlight certain establishments. However, Gurman said that Apple is planning to lean on AI for better search results and offer a better interface than Google Maps. The introduction of ads across Apple's iOS ecosystem shouldn't be surprising since Gurman previously reported Apple's interest back in 2022. On top of that, Apple already offers ad slots within the App Store where developers can pay to appear in a more visible position for user searches. Beyond Maps, Apple could be looking at infusing ads into its News, Books, Podcasts and other apps to generate more revenue.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-is-reportedly-getting-ready-to-introduce-ads-to-its-maps-app-170654072.html?src=rss

The iterative upgrades for iPads may not be enticing enough to warrant a new purchase every year, but Apple may have a particularly cool upgrade to convince users to shell out for the next iPad Pro. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is planning to include a vapor chamber for the upcoming iPad Pro that's due to ship with the M6 chip.We've already seen the vapor chamber included in the iPhone 17 Pro models, helping to boost cooling and performance. While an iPad's larger surface area makes for greater heat dissipation than an iPhone, this cooling system should make the tablet more capable when it comes to demanding tasks, like gaming, video editing or AI apps. Gurman also predicts that Apple could market the vapor chamber cooling as another way to differentiate between the iPad models.Apple previously improved the cooling performance of iPad Pros with the M4 generation, which included a new copper heat sink. With the vapor chamber, Apple is borrowing a concept already found in other smartphones from Samsung and Google. Samsung has even included this style of liquid cooling in its Galaxy Tab S9, which came out in 2023. As for the first potential iPad Pro with a vapor chamber, Gurman said he expects Apple to follow its typical 18-month release schedule, meaning the M6 iPad Pro with improved heat performance could come out sometime in 2027.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/the-next-ipad-pro-could-be-the-first-to-get-vapor-chamber-cooling-160536540.html?src=rss

Google is rolling out out a new feature for Gemini's Canvas, the free interactive workspace inside the AI chatbot's app, meant for students and employees who need to create presentations. Gemini is now capable of generating slides with just a prompt, though users can also upload files like documents, spreadsheets and research papers if they want a presentation based on a specific source. If the source doesn't matter, users can write a prompt, such as "Upload any source to create a presentation on [a specific topic]," for instance. But if the source is essential, they can upload the file first and then ask Gemini to create the presentation for them.

Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. It's been a packed week with lots of tasty new games arriving, and news and reveals of upcoming projects. So, let's take a look at a bunch of them.Before we get started though, Engadget senior editor Jessica Conditt spoke with Maxi Boch, one of the core trio behind Baby Steps, about how the game came together. Boch offered some fascinating insights into the game's development process (which started in 2019), especially on the audio side.New releasesDispatch is a superhero workplace comedy from AdHoc Studio, a team that includes former Telltale Games developers. It adopts the narrative-heavy, dialogue-driven gameplay of Telltale's games, with your choices having a bearing on how everything plays out. Dispatch has a packed cast as well, as it includes the likes of Aaron Paul, Laura Bailey and Jeffrey Wright.I really dug the demo, so I'm hoping to carve out some time to play Dispatch soon. As with many of Telltale's games, AdHoc Studio went with an episodic approach for this one, but the developer is releasing them on a weekly basis. The first two episodes of Dispatch are out now on PS5 and Steam, and reviewers' impressions so far are generally positive.We've got a trio of titles that just hit Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass to talk about, including PowerWash Simulator 2. I don't typically listen to music or podcasts while I'm playing games. I prefer to listen to the game audio and I'm a terrible multitasker, anyway.However, I did catch up on a bunch of podcast episodes while playing the original PowerWash Simulator. I'm looking forward to doing that once again while blissfully ignoring IRL chores as I blast away virtual gunk with a pressure washer."More of the same, but better" is exactly what I wanted from PowerWash Simulator 2, so I was very glad to read some reviews indicating that's the case. As well as Xbox Series X/S, this sequel from FuturLab is also available on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2.Next up, we have a surprise Game Pass addition as Pacific Drive arrived on the Ultimate, Premium and PC tiers without prior warning this week. It wasn't available on Xbox at all until now. Pacific Drive turns the title of Netflix's F1 docuseries into an actual "drive to survive" horror game. You'll roam the Pacific Northwest in a station wagon to search for parts to upgrade your vehicle and stay alive.Ironwood Studios and publisher Kepler Interactive brought Pacific Drive to Xbox on the same day they released an expansion called Whispers in the Woods. The game (and DLC) is also available on PS5 and Steam. I've been meaning to play Pacific Drive for a while but, as always, there are too many games and not enough time to check everything out. Perhaps I'll finally try this now that it's on Game Pass, but I might just end up waiting for the TV show instead.Here's something interesting from DinoGod and publisher Annapurna Interactive. Bounty Star is a blend of mech action game, farming sim and base builder. As war veteran Clem, you'll try to become a force for good in a "post-post-apocalyptic version of the American Southwest."I'm interested to see how the core aspects of Bounty Star play off each other as you take care of your homestead and hunt down bounties in your mech (which you can customize). It's out now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Steam and Epic Games Store. Bounty Star is on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass too.Ila: A Frosty Glide is a chill, 3D platform adventure from Magic Rain Studios and publisher First Break Labs. As a young witch-in-training named Ila, you'll explore a snowy mountainous island while searching for your missing cat.My favorite thing about the game, at least based on the trailer and what I've read, is that instead of a broom, Ila uses a "skatebroom" to get around. It's a skateboard and a flying broomstick in one! I'd like one of those.As it happens, developers Italo and Yesenia met while skateboarding. They started making games with skateboarding elements a few years later. Ila: A Frosty Glide is out now on Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and Nintendo Switch.After reading one sentence of a pitch for The Bench, I was sold: "In The Bench, you played as a retired secret agent on one last mission: escaping the retirement home and unfolding a pigeon conspiracy." Wonderful stuff, there.As said pensioner, you'll amass a flock of customizable pigeons to help you during your adventure as you explore some parks. Along the way, you'll solve puzzles, play bowls and chess, doodle in your notebook, play pranks and go fishing.The Bench - from Voxel Studios and Noovola Publishing - is out now on Steam. I hope I don't have to wait until I'm retired to have time to play it.UpcomingNo More Robots unveiled two games this week, and one of them is a step in an (almost) entirely new direction for the publisher of Descenders Next and Little Rocket Lab. It's now making games internally, and the first one to see the light of day is Cruise Control. This is a cruise liner management sim in which you'll try to make your guests happy by fulfilling their needs and wants. It looks quite charming. I'm a big fan of the oversized bingo cage device.This is actually the third game No More Robots has worked on in-house, but it's the first one that the company has unveiled. The publisher noted that Cruise Control isn't quite ready. Still, playtests should start later this year ahead of an early 2026 release.The other upcoming game No More Robots showed off is Thank You For Your Application from IceLemonTea Studio. Here, you'll review job candidates' resumes and make decisions whether to bring them on board based on the hiring company's criteria.This has an air of Papers, Please and No More Robots' own Not Tonight series about it - you'll have to deal with bills, rent and otherwise managing your life too. It also seems quite timely given that the job application process is now so onerous for many people. Thank You For Your Application will arrive in 2026 and there's a demo available on Steam now.Finite Reflection Studios, the developer of last year's acclaimed Void Sols, has revealed its next game. Mouseward is another Soulslike, but it's one in the vein of '90s collectathon platformers like Banjo-Kazooie. As a reincarnated Royal Mouse Guard, you set out to save the kingdom from a curse.I love the aesthetic here. There's no release window for Mouseward as yet. It's coming to Steam and you can play an early build on Itch right now.Speaking of games inspired by '90s platformers, there's danger that Windswept could become my entire personality for a spell. It's coming to Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on November 11.Windswept - from WeatherFell and publisher Top Hat Studios - is a precision platformer which sees animal buddies Marbles (a duck) and Checkers (a turtle) trying to get back home after a storm whisks them away. The 40-plus stages are full of collectibles and have secrets for you to discover.The glimpses of levels where you have to navigate sticky walls and ceilings, thorny brambles and pirate ship masts are very reminiscent of Donkey Kong Country 2. I'm not exactly complaining though, as that's one of my favorite games of all time.We've known for a while that a beat-'em-up based on the splatterfest movie series Terrifier was on the way and now we have a release date. Unfortunately, it's not coming your way in time for Halloween, but you will be able to gingerly set foot into Terrifier: The ARTcade Game on November 21.Yes, yes, even Art the Clown is in Fortnite now, but you can also play as the brutal killer in his own game from Relevo and publisher Selecta Play. There's support for local co-op for up to four players (and you can turn on each other, if you like. Terrifier fans will probably be pleased that they can use weapons like chainsaws and cleavers to cause bloody carnage. Terrifier: The ARTcade Game is bound for Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.

The League Championship Series are history, and the final two teams have emerged: The 2025 Fall Classic will see the Los Angeles Dodgers face the Toronto Blue Jays. Game 2 of the 2025 MLB World Series begins tonight - Saturday, Oct. 25 - at 8PM ET/5PM PT, with the Blue Jays getting the initial home field advantage at Rogers Centre, Toronto for the second night in a row. Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers are aiming to win their second consecutive championship, while Vlad Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays are eyeing their first ring since 1993. Despite Toronto's victory over Los Angeles last night, the World Series odds still favor the Dodgers ahead of Game 2. Every 2025 MLB World Series game will air on Fox and Fox Deportes. Of course, Fox is a "free" over-the-air channel, so any affordable digital antenna will pull in the game if you live close enough to a local affiliate. But if that's not an option, here's a full rundown of how to watch the Dodgers vs. Blue Jays World Series, even without cable. How to watch the L.A. Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays, Game 2 You can stream Fox on any live TV streaming service that airs Fox local stations, including DirecTV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV. MLB World Series games will also be available on Fox's new streaming platform, Fox One. More ways to watch the 2025 World Series When is the Dodgers vs. Blue Jays game time? Game 1 of the Dodgers vs. Blue Jays World Series begins on Friday, Oct. 24 at 8PM ET/5PM PT. The Blue Jays are hosting the first two games of the series at Rogers Centre, Toronto. What channel is playing the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays? Every game in the 2025 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays, will air on Fox and Fox Deportes. When is the 2025 World Series? Game 1 of the World Series between the Dodgers and Blue Jays is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 24. Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays World Series schedule All times Eastern

A teaser shared at the end of the Indie Horror Showcase this week gives us a better idea of what the upcoming found footage Paranormal Activity game will be like. In the short trailer for Paranormal Activity: Threshold, we're introduced to an unfortunate couple who has purchased a home that not only needs some serious work, but is also very much haunted. Cue creepy faces appearing in doorways and around corners.While yet another installation in the Paranormal Activity franchise may not be what everyone is clamoring for, the fact that Threshold is being developed by solo dev Brian Clarke (DarkStone Digital), the creator of The Mortuary Assistant, is pretty promising. Per the game's Steam page, you'll be able to "Play in multiple timelines; hunt and communicate with entities; perform demonic rituals to alter your fate;" and "discover multiple endings and expand the story." Each playthrough will be unique, thanks to the "Paranormal Engine," it adds.As of now, there's no release date, but you can wishlist it on Steam. It was previously said the game would be released in 2026 on multiple platforms, but the Steam page only says it's coming soon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/heres-our-first-look-at-the-paranormal-activity-game-from-the-maker-of-the-mortuary-assistant-210657767.html?src=rss

The hit horror comic series Something is Killing the Children is headed to the big (and small) screen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Blumhouse is developing a live-action movie and adult animated series based on the comics. There are no details yet on the release timeline or casting.Something is Killing the Children, created by writer James Tynion IV and illustrator Werther Dell'Edera, follows monster hunter Erica Slaughter in a reality where monsters exist and only children can see them. While it was announced back in 2023 that Netflix would be developing a TV series based on the comic and helmed by Dark creators Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese (which could have been awesome, honestly), that plan was scrapped last year, according to THR.It's a big week for comics I love getting the TV/film treatment, and I am cautiously hyped (emphasis on cautious); the SIKTC news comes on the heels of the announcement that Charles Burns' Black Hole is being adapted for a Netflix series by Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw the TV Glow, We're All Going to the World's Fair). Fingers crossed that they don't suck!

The Commodore 64 is back in black, sort of. Retro Games and Plaion Replai released a limited edition redesign of the best-selling computer, called THEC64 - Black Edition. Like its name suggests, the console is a modernized version of the classic Commodore 64 in an all-black shell.THEC64 - Black Edition will come with 25 pre-installed games, but unlike the company's previous consoles, this one will feature "neo-retro" games from C64 developers who have designed new games on the old-school architecture. Once you finish all the new titles like Sam's Journey, A Pig Quest and Hessian, you can plug in your own USB drive to play custom games. According to Retro Games, the updated redesign comes with four save slots per game, plug-and-play HDMI compatibility and a USB joystick.If you want THEC64 - Black Edition to feel more like the original Commodore 64, you can plug in a keyboard through the USB port. However, Retro Games also designed a non-mini THEC64 that has a fully functional keyboard. The latest blacked-out version is now available on Amazon or Retro Games' website for $119.99.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/relive-the-commodore-64s-glory-days-with-a-slimmer-blacked-out-remake-181259874.html?src=rss

For roughly the same price as a flagship smartphone, you could instead buy an affordable humanoid robot that's meant for consumer and educational use. Noetix Robotics, a Beijing-based startup, revealed its Bumi robot that's priced at nearly 10,000 yuan, or around $1,400.Unlike higher-end robots, the inexpensive Bumi stands at around three feet tall and weighs about 26 lbs. You won't find Noetix's latest robot on assembly lines or in research labs, especially since early demos only show Bumi walking around and dancing. According to a TechNode report, Bumi will offer a programming interface that allows for learning or creative tasks. The report also noted that Noetix is planning to put the Bumi up for preorders later this year. Before the Bumi, Noetix Robotics showed off its expertise by competing in the world's first half-marathon for robots with its N2 model, which was one of four robotic competitors that completed the race.At such a low price point, Bumi beats out another relatively affordable option that was announced earlier this year. In the summer, Unitree showed off its R1 robot that starts at $5,900 and could handle complex tasks. While the Bumi sets a new price tag to beat, both Noetix and Unitree are offering more affordable options than Tesla's Optimus bot, which had an early price estimate of around $20,000.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chinese-startup-shows-off-a-dancing-humanoid-robot-that-starts-at-1400-174010960.html?src=rss

Starting soon, Neato robovac owners will no longer be able to control their devices using the app. Neato Robotics, which shut down in 2023 due to declining sales, has notified customers that "cloud services are being phased out during Q4 2025," according to an email obtained by The Verge.While Neato's parent company Vorwerk Group initially said cloud support would continue for at least five years following its closure, the email now says "cybersecurity standards, compliance obligations, and regulations have advanced in ways that make it no longer possible to safely and sustainably operate these legacy systems." This doesn't mean existing Neato products will be completely bricked - there's still the option to start them manually by pressing a button - but they won't offer all the smart home conveniences expected from a robovac that cost hundreds of dollars. Without use of the app, customers won't be able to set cleaning schedules, remotely start the vacuums or assign No-go zones.

Just like a minor upgrade in specs, Apple's latest M5 MacBook Pro gets the slightest improvement when it comes to repairability. According to iFixit's teardown, the M5 MacBook Pro is the first of its kind that lets you replace the battery without having to remove the trackpad. However, Apple's official method of replacing the battery still requires navigating an arduous process that may steer most users away.For anyone willing to tackle the DIY repair, Apple's Self Service Repair Store only offers a Top Case with Battery and Keyboard in its product parts catalog. Since the only option to replace the battery is buying this main chassis part with both the keyboard and battery pre-installed, MacBook Pro owners will also have to disassemble an irritating number of unrelated screws and hardware - except for the trackpad - just to replace a battery. However, iFixit confirmed that Apple included a slightly upgraded 72.6Wh battery with the latest MacBook Pro compared to its predecessor's 72.4Wh battery.It's minor progress for battery replacement, so iFixit still gave the M5 MacBook Pro a four out of 10 repairability score, meaning it's possible to do yourself, but it's "tougher than it needs to be." The latest score is a bump down from the M1 MacBook Pro that earned a five out of 10, but Apple has made incremental steps towards making MacBook repairs more accessible.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apple-makes-the-m5-macbook-pros-battery-ever-so-slightly-easier-to-replace-154124765.html?src=rss

Spotify recently came under fire for running recruitment ads for ICE, which ask users to "join the mission to protect America" and to "fulfill [their] mission," in the US. Despite music labels calling on the streaming service to stop serving ICE recruitment ads, Spotify doubled down. A spokesperson for the company told The Independent that the ads are "part of a broad campaign" by the US government running across different channels and that they do not violate its policies. The spokesperson advised users to just mark ads with a thumbs up or down so that the app can learn their preferences.In addition, several artists have pulled their music from Spotify recently over its CEO's, Daniel EK's, investments in European defense tech firm Helsing. The defense company builds drones, aircraft and submarines, and it also sells AI software that can analyze sensor and weapons data from battlefields. Spotify has been facing backlash for its payout rates, which artists argue are unfair and lower than what other services pay, over the past few years as well.So if you want to cancel Spotify, whether for any those reasons or another one altogether, you can follow the instructions below.How to cancel via web:1. Log into your Spotify account in your browser.2. Go to Account in the dropdown menu that shows up when you click on your Profile.3. Find Cancel Subscription under the Subscription section.4. Spotify will tell you that you'll hear ads every 15 minutes on a free account, along with the date when your premium access will end. Click "Continue to cancel" at the bottom of the screen.If you're on mobile, make sure to request the desktop site after you log into your account on your mobile browser. Take note that if you're part of a Spotify Family or Duo plan, only the plan manager will be able to cancel your subscription altogether. If you follow the same steps above as a member, you'll only remove your account from the plan, but the manager will continue paying for it.How to cancel via third-party provider:If you pay for your subscription through third-party providers, you can follow these instructions instead.Cancel via Google1. Fire up the Google Play app and tap on the icon for the account you use.2. Go to Payments & subscriptions.3. Tap on Subscriptions.4. Find Spotify among your subscriptions and tap on it.5. Tap on Cancel Subscription at the bottom of the screen, select a reason for cancellation and confirm it.Cancel via Apple1. Go to Settings in your iPhone or iPad.2. Tap on your name and go to Subscriptions.3. Find Spotify and go through the cancellation process.Cancel via carrierInstructions for this may vary, depending on your carrier. Generally, however, you can follow these steps.1. Log into your carrier account on its website.2. Find the option to manage your subscriptions under your account.3. Find Spotify and go through the cancellation process.What happens after you cancelYou'll still have access to Spotify's premium features until your next billing cycle begins. That means you still won't encounter ads and will have access to offline downloads, as well as unlimited skips and higher audio quality. You'll be able to access your Spotify library even with a free account, but if you want to find another streaming service to pay for, you can check Engadget's list of best music streaming services in 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/how-to-cancel-your-spotify-subscription-133022215.html?src=rss

If you're moving on to a new Apple Watch, selling your current one or fixing some software hiccups, you'll probably need to disconnect it from your iPhone. Apple calls this unpairing; it's the step that wipes your watch, breaks the connection to your phone and removes Activation Lock so the next person can use it. The good news is that unpairing is straightforward whether you have your iPhone nearby or not. Here's how it works, along with why you might want to disconnect your watch in the first place.How to disconnect Apple Watch using your iPhoneThe simplest way to unpair your Apple Watch is through your iPhone.

We finally have a release date for Mouse: P.I. for Hire. The delightfully animated game, which marks Troy Baker's first time playing a rodent private eye, is slated for March 19, 2026.Based on its trailers, you'd be forgiven for viewing Mouse: P.I. for Hire as Cuphead meets Doom. Although it does include FPS action, Engadget's Jessica Conditt discovered surprising depth behind its whimsical brutality. The game "has more to offer than shock-value cartoon violence," she wrote. "This is a clue-gathering, photo-snapping, girlfriend-avenging, noir detective simulator that happens to star a bunch of slick-talking mice and rats, and I'm fully into it."Baker plays Private Investigator Jack Pepper, the game's protagonist. When he isn't hunting clues or sneaking around during the game's quieter moments, he'll have a delightful arsenal on hand. This includes wacky ones like a turpentine gun that melts the inked "skin" of your foes. Fun stuff.Like Cuphead, Mouse's most obvious point of comparison, it uses hand-drawn frames to recreate that old-school style. It also deploys an original jazz soundtrack recorded by an orchestral ensemble. It's all presented in a gritty, film noir aesthetic.You can check out the release date trailer below. Mouse: P.I. for Hire will launch next March on PC, Switch 2, Switch, PS5/4, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/mouse-pi-for-hire-arrives-in-march-2026-195454228.html?src=rss

There's been another turn in Automattic and WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg's ongoing legal battle with WordPress provider WP Engine. In a counterclaim Automattic filed as part of WP Engine's lawsuit against the company, it claims investment from private equity firm Silver Lake led WP Engine to violate its trademarks and fail to contribute to the open-source WordPress project.Automattic believes that following a $250 million investment from Silver Lake, which gave the firm a controlling interest in WP Engine, the hosting provider "sought to inflate its valuation and engineer a quick, lucrative exit." It allegedly did that, per the counterclaim, by describing itself as the "WordPress Technology Company" and allowing its partners to refer to it as "WordPress Engine," violations of the WordPress trademark. Automattic claims products WP Engine released like "Core WordPress" and "Headless WordPress" further obfuscated the company's role, while WP Engine also failed to commit a promised "five percent of its resources to support the WordPress project."The counterclaim goes on to say that Automattic and Mullenweg tried to work out these issues with WP Engine by offering a "fair trademark license," but the company only "pretended to engage in licensing discussions," while actually delaying any kind of agreement because it would "impact its earnings." Keeping earnings up was important to WP Engine because Silver Lake was allegedly trying to sell WP Engine at a $2 billion valuation, and had even made "overtures to Automattic" about it.

We all have anecdotal evidence of chatbots blowing smoke up our butts, but now we have science to back it up. Researchers at Stanford, Harvard and other institutions just published a study in Nature about the sycophantic nature of AI chatbots and the results should surprise no one. Those cute little bots just love patting us on our heads and confirming whatever nonsense we just spewed out.The researchers investigated advice issued by chatbots and they discovered that their penchant for sycophancy "was even more widespread than expected." The study involved 11 chatbots, including recent versions of ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Anthropic's Claude and Meta's Llama. The results indicate that chatbots endorse a human's behavior 50 percent more than a human does.They conducted several types of tests with different groups. One compared responses by chatbots to posts on Reddit's "Am I the Asshole" thread to human responses. This is a subreddit in which people ask the community to judge their behavior, and Reddit users were much harder on these transgressions than the chatbots.

Instagram's latest feature should make it easier to resurface videos you've viewed. On Friday, Adam Mosseri revealed a new watch history for Reels. "Hopefully, now you can find that thing that you were trying to find that you couldn't find before," the Instagram CEO said.We could see the feature coming in handy. For example, when you see something interesting but lose it due to an accidental tap or app refresh.You can find it on Instagram under Settings > Your activity > Watch history. The feature lets you sort by newest to oldest or vice versa. You can also jump to a specific date or date range, and filter by the account that posted it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-adds-a-watch-history-for-reels-175555668.html?src=rss

Rivian has agreed to settle a 2022 shareholder lawsuit. The automaker will pay out $250 million to qualifying investors if the agreement is approved. The lawsuit stemmed from alleged deception surrounding a March 2022 price hike for the R1S SUV and R1T truck.The class-action lawsuit alleges that Rivian misled investors around the time of its 2021 IPO. The core accusation is that the automaker failed to disclose that the R1s and R1T were initially priced lower than their production costs. Shareholders claim this made the eventual price increases inevitable, something they (understandably) believe Rivian should have shared.Rivian raised the base price of the R1S and R1T by $12,000 in March 2022. That initially included most reservations. However, the company quickly reversed course on the last bit: Following a backlash, it allowed customers who pre-ordered before the announcement to pay the original price after all.Rivian framed the settlement as a chance to move forward. "The company denies the allegations in the suit and maintains that this agreement to settle is not an admission of fault or wrongdoing," the automaker wrote in a statement. "However, settling will enable Rivian to focus its resources on the launch of its mass market R2 vehicle in the first half of 2026."The US District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division, will still need to approve the settlement.News of the proposed agreement comes a day after Reuters reported that Rivian is laying off 4.5 percent of its workforce (over 600 workers). Last month's expiration of $7,500 tax credits and President Trump's tariffs, combined with weakened EV demand, are making profitability more of an uphill climb.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/rivian-agrees-to-settle-shareholder-lawsuit-for-250-million-171251731.html?src=rss

The federal government has released a list of all of the entities helping to pay for President Trump's lavish White House ballroom, according to reporting by Business Insider. Big tech is all over this thing, with companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft all shelling out cash to fund the 90,000-square-foot ballroom.It's not just big tech. Defense firms are also helping to pony the bill here. Companies like Lockheed Martin and Palintir are sending some cash, as are random billionaires like the Winklevoss twins and Domino Sugar magnate Jose Fanjul. The list reads like a who's who of the ultra wealthy and connected.As we all know, giant corporations and billionaires are kind and selfless, but what if just this one time they want something in return for their largesse? Columbia professor of law Richard Briffault told Time that most of these donors have done "significant" business with the federal government, raising ethical concerns."I doubt it's a literal quid-pro-quo, but it's probably more like if you give this, I will look favorably upon you.' Or maybe more like, if you don't give this, after you've been asked, I won't [look favorably upon you]," Briffault said. "It's greasing the system by making contributions, and in some ways, his leaning on them for contributions is quasi-coercive."Noah Bookbinder, CEO and President of ethics watchdog organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said the whole thing is extraordinarily unusual, deeply disturbing and does have tremendous ethics implications." He also said that "Donald Trump has made very clear over the years that he does appreciate people paying tribute to him, and he does tend to do things that benefit those people."

Stop me if you've heard this one before: YouTube TV may lose a provider's content because a deadline is approaching without a deal in place. This time, the media company is Disney. It's warning (via Variety) that its networks could soon go dark on Google's streaming service.The two sides are negotiating ahead of an October 30 midnight ET deadline. If they can't agree by then, all Disney content will disappear from YouTube TV. That includes (among others) all ESPN channels, local ABC stations, ABC News, FX, NatGeo, Disney Channel and Freeform. A YouTube spokesperson told Variety that if that should happen for "an extended period of time," subscribers will receive a $20 credit.One aspect of these battles is finger-pointing as each side tries to leverage public perception. Disney says YouTube is trying to muscle the mouse into paying below market value. Meanwhile, YouTube claims Disney is "proposing costly economic terms" that could lead to even higher subscription fees. YouTube TV launched at $35 per month in 2017 and now costs a whopping $83 monthly.If recent history is any indication, you can expect the dire warnings of content removal to continue until they strike a deal at the last second. That already happened several times this year.In February, YouTube TV and Paramount had that dance. Google's streaming network and Fox came to a renewal deal in August after repeated content-removal warnings. YouTube TV and NBCUniversal did the thing earlier this month. However, in that case, the streaming service dropped Univision and other TelevisaUnivision networks, so tidy deals aren't inevitable. Time will tell how this one plays out, but it's hard to imagine either side here wanting to play chicken past the October 30 deadline.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/disney-warns-that-youtube-tv-could-lose-its-channels-amid-fee-negotations-155347776.html?src=rss

Amazon is offering a hefty discount on the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus. The video doorbell has dropped from its regular price of $150 to $80 in a limited-time deal. That's a discount of 47 percent for this particular model. It also matches the record-low price we saw for the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus during the Prime Day event earlier this month. The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus has a more expanded field-of-view compared with earlier models, allowing for head-to-toe views of whoever's at your doorstep. There's support for color night vision, along with motion detection and the ability to set up privacy zones. Amazon says the Battery Doorbell Plus is easy to set up using the Ring app and mounting tools. The company added that there's a quick release system for the battery pack, so you can take it inside for recharging without having to unscrew a cover. Naturally, the device is connected to the Alexa smart home ecosystem, so you'll be able to receive motion alerts on compatible Echo devices or see a live view of the camera's feed on an Echo Show, Fire TV or Fire Tablet. You'll be able to chat to whoever's at the door too, via the doorbell's two-way communication system. A Ring Home subscription is required for you to receive package alerts - this feature will let you know when the doorbell's camera detects a package within a particular zone. The subscription also includes the option to save recorded videos for up to 180 days, among other features. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-battery-powered-ring-doorbell-is-back-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-154029007.html?src=rss

Netflix is reportedly closing its Boss Fight Entertainment game development studio, according to various LinkedIn posts by staffers. The streaming giant bought the company back in 2022 and it has been responsible for games like Squid Game: Unleashed and the interactive narrative Netflix Stories.This is relatively surprising, as Squid Game: Unleashed was something of a hit. It launched alongside season two of the show and has amassed over ten million downloads on the Google Play Store alone, according to reporting by Mobilegamer. It recently received a major software update coinciding with season three of the show.Boss Fight Entertainment has around 80 staffers. It's unclear if they'll be laid off or shuffled somewhere else within Netflix's gaming division. Engadget has reached out to Netflix and will update this post when we hear back.Several designers at the company have expressed regret that we won't see what it had planned for the future. "It's infuriating that the world will never see some of the stuff that was shuffled away behind the scenes," wrote design director Damion Schubert on LinkedIn.This is the second studio that Netflix has chased out the door in the past year. It shut down its AAA game studio Team Blue, which had attracted developers from Blizzard, Bungie and Sony Santa Monica. We never even got to find out what the team was working on.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflix-reportedly-shutters-studio-behind-squid-game-mobile-spinoff-151156987.html?src=rss

High-resolution audio on the go isn't very convenient. It typically involves wired headphones and a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) of some kind, plus your phone or another device to access files or a streaming service. All of this is necessary since Bluetooth compresses an audio signal by design, to allow for low-latency transmission and minimize battery draw. Simply put, wireless headphones haven't been able to meet the demands of lossless audio, but Sennheiser has come the closest to fulfilling the dream with its HDB 630 ($500). Thanks to redesigned drivers, a new acoustic platform and a dongle, the company offers up to 24-bit/96kHz audio on the HDB 630 - depending on your configuration. You also get above average active noise cancellation (ANC), a highly customizable EQ, shockingly long battery life and advanced features to fine-tune the headphones to your liking. For some, the best possible sound is still only found on pricey setups and open-back headphones. For everyone else, Sennheiser has provided a taste of the audiophile life in a much more portable package. Design Sennheiser says the HDB 630 inherited" the same chassis from its Momentum 4 headphones. That's unfortunate because my biggest complaint with that older model's redesign is how cheap it looked compared to previous entries in the Momentum line. The HDB 630 suffers the same fate, although the splash of silver on the headband and yokes helps things a bit. Simply put, these don't look like a set of $500 headphones, and since they're $150 more than their predecessor was at launch, they really should have a more premium appearance. The outside of the right ear cup is still a touch panel where you can swipe, tap and even pinch to control the HDB 630. I don't recall another set of headphones with a pinch gesture, and I'm still not convinced it's warranted. The action is used to enable an Adaptive ANC adjustment that allows you to dial in the amount of noise blocking you need. After the pinch, sliding a single finger forwards and backwards fine tunes the mix of ANC and transparency mode. It's a nice option to have on the headphones themselves, I just think a triple tap to activate it would be easier to master - and remember. The only other button on the HDB 630 is for power and Bluetooth pairing. Unless you're frequently connecting these headphones to a new device, you might not be reaching for this control very often. That's because the HDB 630 goes into standby mode when you take them off before powering down completely after 15 minutes of inactivity. You can extend that window to 30 or 60 minutes if you prefer. And if the headphones still have battery left, you can return to active mode by simply putting them back on your head. Sennheiser is betting you'll use the HDB 630 for long listening sessions, so it outfitted these headphones with soft ear pads and a well-cushioned headband. The clamping force is adequate for a proper ANC seal, but never becomes a burden. And despite being around 20 grams heavier than the Momentum 4, this model still feels balanced and doesn't weigh you down. Sound quality The HDB 630 features new drivers and a specially designed acoustic system. Billy Steele for Engadget While the overall design may be familiar, the sound platform for the HDB 630 is completely new. 42mm drivers offer what Sennheiser says is neutral sound with lifelike mids, stunning detail and a wide soundstage." In order to deliver sound quality that's as close to open-back headphones as possible, the company overhauled the entire acoustic system, from the drivers to the baffle's transparent mesh, in the name of balance and clarity. And since audiophile headphones typically require a dedicated external amplifier to achieve their full potential, Sennheiser included a BTD 700 USB-C dongle for high-resolution wireless audio transmission. When I first put the HDB 630 on, I thought the audio quality was good but not great. Listening over the standard definition SBC codec produced decent results, but it wasn't anything to write home about. Once I connected to the BTD 700 dongle and unlocked 16-bit/48kHz tunes from Apple Music, though, these headphones really started to impress. As good as they are, the HDB 630 may not be for everyone. That neutral" stock tuning places high emphasis on the midrange, so you'll likely need to make some adjustments to get the bass performance you crave from rock, electronic, hip-hop and other genres driven by low-end tone. While I concede the neutral base is a great starting point, and the HDB 630 does indeed showcase stunning detail," I'd argue Sennheiser's promise of a wide soundstage" doesn't always hold true. These headphones are at their best with more immersive content, like the TRON: Ares soundtrack from Nine Inch Nails. After a slight adjustment, the electronic score had the booming bass it needed, offering driving beats that nearly rattled my brain. All that was layered with rich synths and Trent Reznor's iconic vocals. The texture and distortion in the instruments came through in greater detail too, something that's not as apparent on other headphones and earbuds. Switch over to Thrice's Horizons/West and the HDB 630 is a different story. Transitioning from synth-heavy electronic music to a genre like rock causes these headphones to lose some of the immersive character they are capable of delivering. You still get absurd clarity and detail, particularly in Teppei Teranishi's guitar riffs, but the music sounds slightly flatter and a little less energetic. It's not bad by any means, but some genres won't envelope you as much as others do. You can also use the HDB 630 wired over USB-C for lossless-quality audio. Since a number of competitors also do this, I dedicated the bulk of my testing to see if Sennheiser's wireless dongle is meaningfully different. Of course, I did my due diligence and tested the wired configuration a few times, and it should come as no surprise that the HDB 630 sounds just as good in that setup. Software, features and accessories There's only one button on the HDB 630. Billy Steele for Engadget As I mentioned, the HDB 630 comes with Sennheiser's BTD 700 Bluetooth USB dongle. This enables higher quality streaming than you'll natively get from most devices. With the BTD 700, you can expect aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless listening up at rates to 24-bit/96kHz. The dongle also has a 30ms low-latency gaming mode, (supposedly) enhanced call performance and Auracast support for streaming to multiple headphones or speakers. The BTD 700 has a USB-C connector, but it comes with a USB-A adapter if you need it. This typically costs $60 if you buy it on its own, and since you need it to unlock the HDB 630's full potential, it's great to see it included in the box. The HDB 630's settings and features are accessible in the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app. And for this model, the company is offering a lot more customization than it does on the Accentum or Momentum headphones. First, the EQ editing options are more robust thanks to a parametric equalizer, which allows you to get a lot more detailed with your custom presets. For example, I was able to add the low-end tone I feel is missing from the stock tuning for those metal, rock and hip-hop tracks I mentioned before. And unlike a lot of headphone apps, adjusting the EQ actually improves the sound instead of just muddying things further. Another sound-related addition for the HDB 630 is Crossfeed. This allows you to blend the left and right channels so that it seems like you're listening to speakers instead of headphones. Unfortunately, you only get two options here - Low and High - but the effect certainly enhances the sonic profile of the HDB 630 at both settings. Despite the BTD 700 dongle's Mac and Windows compatibility, there's no desktop version of the Smart Control Plus app. This means you'll have to change all of your settings with the HDB 630 through your phone before you pair it with both the dongle and your computer. It would be nice if you could make EQ adjustments, create new presets and even change Crossfeed levels without having to reconnect to another device. This also means you can't be connected to the BTD 700 and both your phone and your computer, since the dongle takes one of the two available multipoint Bluetooth slots. Active noise cancellation and call quality The HDB 630 has a very basic design with lots of plastic. Billy Steele for Engadget When it comes to ANC performance, I'm not entirely sure that the HDB 630 is better than the Momentum 4. But that's okay. That previous model brought a significant improvement compared to Sennheiser's older wireless headphones and the ANC is still quite good here. In fact, it was robust enough to block my family's voices during their calls while I worked from home, and since most headphones struggle with this, that's no mean feat. Sennheiser says the BTD 700 dongle will give you improved voice performance over the headphones alone. Specifically, the accessory should provide extended range, clearer voice pickup and, according to the company, uninterrupted" calls. In my recorded samples, I think the headphones themselves sounded slightly better than when I captured my voice while connected to the BTD 700. However, I noticed a distinct lack of background noise in both clips, which is helpful in busier environments. I'll also note the overall voice quality isn't pristine, but it's clear enough to use for work calls - even if you're the main presenter. Battery life Sennheiser promises that you'll get up to 60 hours of battery life on a charge with the HDB 630. That's the same staggering figure the company claims on the Momentum 4. And yes, that's with ANC enabled, but you'll only achieve that if you're listening to standard resolution tunes. Based on my testing with a mix of noise cancellation and transparency mode while I was listening to music and taking work calls, I have no reason to believe the company's numbers don't hold true. If you choose to listen entirely via the BTD 700's higher quality output, you can expect up to 45 hours of use on a charge. That's still quite a long time considering a lot of the competition runs out at around 30 hours - and that's without high-res music. Due to all of the signal processing that helps with the acoustic performance on the HDB 630, they can only be used when they're turned on. Unlike some wireless models, you can't use these as wired headphones when the battery is spent. However, if you find yourself with a completely depleted battery, a 10-minute charge will give you up to seven hours of use. The company doesn't specify streaming resolution for that number, but I assume it's at standard definition. Still, you'll get a few hours of higher-res music in that time, which should be enough to get you through a work session, evening commute or that new album you're dying to play for the first time. The competition Incredible sound awaits, if you're okay to carry a dongle around with your headphones. Billy Steele for Engadget In the realm of flagship headphones, any company's top-of-the-line model will set you back $500 these days. I look back fondly on the time when $300-$350 got you the best Sony had to offer. While the HDB 630 is expensive, it's also in the same ballpark of what you'll pay for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones ($450), the Sony WH-1000XM6 ($458 currently) and the AirPods Max ($549). Each of those have their advantages over the rest of the competition, with the 1000XM6 offering the most complete package overall. However, when it comes to pure sound quality, neither of those three are at the top of the heap. Up until now, that title belonged to the Noble Audio FoKus Apollo. At $650, those headphones are even more expensive than the HDB 630, but their stock tuning will appeal to more listeners and the soundstage is wider and more immersive. There's also Bowers & Wilkins' Px7 S3 for a slightly cheaper $479. It delivers the company's warm, inviting sound and attention to finer details. After spending time with the HDB 630 though, these alternatives are just that - alternatives - as the new Sennheiser headphones are now my pick for best overall sound quality. Wrap-up I get it: in the current financial climate, $500 is a lot to pay for headphones (or anything else, for that matter). You can find a number of perfectly capable sets of ANC headphones for much less given how frequently things go on sale these days. However, what you won't find is an option that gives you anything close to the performance of audiophile-grade, open-back headphones. That's really what Sennheiser is doing here, and the HDB 630 slots nicely into the company's HD 600 series of high-end cans. As good as the HDB 630 is sound-wise, I can also appreciate that these aren't the best headphones for everyone. The company's Momentum 4 is still a very capable set of headphones and it's now available for about $250. If you crave the best sound quality that still offers the convenience of wireless headphones - and you're okay with a few extra steps - the HDB 630 is a worthy investment. Just don't leave home without that dongle.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/sennheiser-hdb-630-review-a-sonic-marvel-with-room-for-improvement-150000295.html?src=rss

Amazon has published a lengthy report about the outage that knocked numerous websites, services, apps and games offline on October 20. It all started with a bug in its automation software DynamoDB, where its AWS customers store their data, which then triggered more issues in its other systems that relied on the software.As Amazon explains, DynamoDB maintains hundreds of thousands of DNS records and is supposed to be able to fix any issue automatically. But on October 20, the DynamoDB DNS management system suffered from a bug that resulted in an empty DNS record for Amazon's data centers in North Virginia. DynamoDB was supposed to repair the issue on its own, but it had failed to do so, prompting Amazon to fix the problem manually. While the issue was happening, all systems that needed to connect to DynamoDB couldn't and experienced DNS failures, including the customers of its cloud computing services. It felt like half the internet wasn't working when that happened.The websites and services affected by the outage include Amazon itself, Amazon Alexa devices, Bank of America, Snapchat, Canva, Reddit, Apple Music, Apple TV, Lyft, Duolingo, Fortnite, Disney+, Venmo, Doordash, Hulu, PlayStation and even Eight Sleep, whose beds connect to the internet to adjust their temperature and incline. Some of them were slow to respond, while others were completely inaccessible."We apologize for the impact this event caused our customers. While we have a strong track record of operating our services with the highest levels of availability, we know how critical our services are to our customers, their applications and end users, and their businesses. We know this event impacted many customers in significant ways. We will do everything we can to learn from this event and use it to improve our availability even further," Amazon said in a statement.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-says-automation-bug-caused-massive-aws-outage-133028856.html?src=rss

In recent weeks, OpenAI has signed blockbuster deals with AMD and Broadcom to build vast numbers of AI chips. Much of the focus has been on the financial implications, since OpenAI will need hundreds of billions of dollars to make good on its promises. As important as it is to look at the quite implausible financials, we also need to look at the broader implications for the industry. Like, the chips themselves, what that spells for the AI industry as a whole, and the added pressure on TSMC, the only chip company that can actually build this stuff.The DealsOpenAI's deal with AMD will see the chip giant build out 6 gigawatts' (GW) worth of GPUs in the next few years. The first 1 GW deployment of AMD's Instinct MI450 silicon will start in the back end of 2026, with more to come. AMD's CFO Jean Hu believes that the partnership will deliver tens of billions of dollars in revenue" in future, justifying the complicated way the deal is funded.Meanwhile, Broadcom's deal with OpenAI will see the pair collaborate on building 10 gigawatts' worth of AI accelerators and ethernet systems that it has designed. The latter will be crucial to speed up connections between each individual system in OpenAI's planned data centers. Like the deal with AMD, the first deployments of these systems will begin in the back half of 2026 and is set to run through 2029.Phil Burr is head of product at Lumai, a British company looking to replace traditional GPUs with optical processors. He's got 30 years experience in the chip world, including a stint as a senior director at ARM. Burr explained the nitty-gritty of OpenAI's deals with both Broadcom and AMD, and what both mean for the wider world.Burr first poured water on OpenAI's claim that it would be designing" the gear produced by Broadcom. Broadcom has a wide portfolio of IP blocks and pre-designed parts of a chip," he said, it will put those together according to the specification of the customer." He went on to say that Broadcom will essentially put together a series of blocks it has already designed to suit the specification laid down by a customer, in this case OpenAI.Similarly, the AI accelerators Broadcom will build are geared toward more efficient running of models OpenAI has already trained and built - a process called inference in AI circles. It can tailor the workload and reduce power, or increase performance," said Burr, but these benefits would only work in OpenAI's favor, rather than for the wider AI industry.I asked Burr why every company in the AI space talks about gigawatts worth of chips rather than in more simple numbers. He explained that, often, it's because both parties don't yet know how many chips would be required to meet those lofty goals. But you could make a reasonable guess if you knew the power draw of a specific chip divided by the overall goal, then cut that number in half, then remove an extra 10 percent. For every watt of power you burn in the chip, you need about a watt of power to cool it as well."In terms of what OpenAI gets from these deals, Burr believes that the startup will save money on chips, since there's less margin" from making your own versus buying gear from NVIDIA. Plus, being able to produce custom silicon to tailor the work to their needs should see significant speed and performance gains on rival systems. Of course, the next biggest benefit is that OpenAI now has diversity in supply," rather than being reliant on one provider for all its needs. Nobody wants a single supplier," said Burr.The FactoryExcept, of course, OpenAI may be sourcing chips from a variety of its partners, but no matter what's stamped on the silicon, it all comes from the same place. I'd be very surprised if it wasn't TSMC," said Burr, I'm pretty sure all of the AI chips out there use TSMC." TSMC is short for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company which, over the last decade, has blown past its major rivals to become the biggest (and in many cases only) source of bleeding-edge chips for the whole technology industry. Unlike historic rivals, which designed and manufactured their own hardware, TSMC is a pure play foundry, only building chips designed by others.Interior at one of TSMC's FabsTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.Gil Luria is Managing Director at head of technology research at investment firm DA Davidson. He said that TSMC isn't just a bottleneck for the western technology industry, but in fact is the "greatest single point of failure for the entire global economy." Luria credits the company with an impressive expansion considering it has had to ramp the production of GPUs tenfold over the last three years." But said that, in a catastrophic scenario where TSMC is not able to produce in Taiwan, the disruption would be significant." And that won't just affect the AI world, but mobile handset sales as well as global car sales."TSMC supplanted Intel for a number of well-documented reasons, but the most relevant here is its embrace of Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUV). It's a technology that Intel had initially backed, but struggled to fully adopt, allowing TSMC to pick it up and run straight to the top. EUV produces the headline-grabbing chips used by pretty much everyone in the consumer electronics world. Apple, Qualcomm, NVIDIA, AMD (including the SOCs inside the PS5 and Xbox) all use TSMC chips. Even Intel has been using TSMC foundries for some consumer CPUs as it races to bridge to gulf in manufacturing between the two companies.TSMC is the current leader in advanced 3 nanometer (nm) process technologies," said University of Pennsylvania Professor Benjamin C. Lee. The company's only meaningful competitors are Intel and Samsung, neither of which pose a threat to its dominance at present. Intel has been working for a very long time to build a foundry business," he explained, but has yet to perfect its interface." Samsung is in a similar situation, but Professor Lee explained it has been unable to attract enough customers to generate a profitable manufacturing business."Professor Lee said that TSMC, by comparison, has become so successful because of how good its chips are, and how easy it is for clients to build chips with its tools. TSMC fabricates chips with high yield, which is to say more of its chips emerge from the fabrication process at expected performance and reliability." Consequently, it should be no surprise that TSMC is a money making machine. In the second quarter of 2025 alone it reported a net profit of $12.8 billion USD. And in the following three months, TSMC posted net profits of $14.76 billion.TSMC's secret sauce is its mastery of yield," explained ARPU Intelligence, an analyst group that prefers to use the group name over individual attribution. This expertise is the result of decades of accumulated process refinement [and] a deep institutional knowledge that cannot be replicated." This deep institutional knowledge and ability to deliver high quality product creates a powerful technical lock-in, since companies like Apple and NVIDIA design their chips specifically for TSMC's unique manufacturing process ... It's not as simple as sending the [chip] design to another factory," it added.The downside, at least for the wider technology industry, is that TSMC is now a bottleneck that the whole industry has come to rely upon. In the company's most recent financials, it said more than three quarters of its business comes from North American customers. And in a call with investors, Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei talked about the efforts the company has made to narrow the gap between the enormous demand and its constrained supply. While he was reticent to be specific, he did say that the company's capacity is very tight," and would likely remain that way for the foreseeable future.In fact, TSMC's capacity is so tight that it's already caused at least one major name a significant headache. Earlier this year, Reuters reported that NVIDIA canceled an order of its H20 AI chips after being informed the US would not permit them to be exported to China. Once the ban was lifted, however, NVIDIA was unable to find space in TSMC's schedule, with the next available slot at least nine months later.TSMC has no room for error," said ARPU Intelligence, any minor disruption can halt production with no spare capacity to absorb the shock." It cited the Hualien earthquake which struck Taiwan on April 3, 2024, and how it negatively impacted the number of wafers in production.Naturally, TSMC is spending big to increase its production capacity for its customers, both in Taiwan and the US. Close to its home, construction on its A14 fab is expected to begin in the very near future, with the first chips due to be produced in 2028. That facility will harness TSMC's A14 process node, producing 1.4 nm chips, which offer a speed boost over the 2nm silicon that's expected to arrive in consumer devices next year.Image of TSMC's Arizona CampusTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.Meanwhile, work continues apace on building out TSMC's sprawling facility in Arizona, which broke ground in April 2021. As Reuters reported at the time, the first facility started operating in early 2025, producing 4 nm chips. Last week, NVIDIA and TSMC showed off the first Blackwell wafer produced at the Arizona plant ahead of domestic volume production.Plans for the operation have grown over time, expanding from three facilities up to six to be built over the next decade. And while the initial outline called for the US facilities to remain several process generations behind Taiwan, that is also changing. In his recent investors call, Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei pledged to invest more in the US facility to bring it only one generation behind the Taiwanese facility.No amount of investment from TSMC or catch-up from rivals like Samsung and Intel will solve the current bottleneck swiftly. It will take many years, if not decades, for the world to reduce its reliance on Taiwan for bleeding-edge manufacturing. TSMC's island remains the industry's weak point, and should something go wrong, the consequences could be dire indeed.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/openais-recent-chip-deals-heap-more-pressure-on-tsmc-130000194.html?src=rss

Bethesda has announced that it's releasing a 10th anniversary version of Fallout 4 on November 10, similar to what it did for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition bundles the base game with Automatron, Far Harbor, Nuka-World and the Workshop expansions. The original open world game was released in 2015 and takes place in the year 2287, 210 years after the Great War. Like the other games in the franchise, it's set in a post-apocalyptic world with the aesthetics of 1940s and 1950s USA.This particular entry in the franchise revolves around the Sole Survivor of Vault 111 who was frozen in a cryogenic pod and woke up 210 years since the nuclear attack. The protagonist's constant companion in the game is a dog named Dogmeat, but they have six other possible companions: their old robot butler Codsworth, Deacon the railroad agent, the mayor of the Goodneighbor settlement named John Hancock, an artificial synth or humanoid robot named Nick Valentine, Piper Wright the reporter, and Preston Garvey, who's a member of the paramilitary force Minutemen.In addition to the base game and the expansions, the anniversary release comes with 150 pieces of content from the Creation Club, an in-game marketplace where developers can sell weapons, skins and other DLCs. The free content includes different Dogmeat breeds, like a Husky and a Dalmatian. The anniversary edition even contains an in-game Creations menu that players can use to browse downloadable content. Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition will be available digitally on the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/fallout-4-anniversary-edition-comes-out-on-november-10-123033135.html?src=rss

The European Commission has found that Meta and TikTok had violated rules under the Digital Services Act (DSA) and is now giving them the chance to comply if they don't want to be fined up to 6 percent of their total worldwide annual turnover. According to the Commission, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have "put in place burdensome procedures and tools" for researchers who want to request access to public data. This means they're stuck with incomplete or unreliable information if they want to do research on topics like how minors are exposed to illegal or harmful content online. "Allowing researchers access to platforms' data is an essential transparency obligation under the DSA," the Commission wrote.In addition, the Commission is charging Meta over the lack of a user-friendly mechanism that would allow users to easily report posts with illegal content, such as child sexual abuse materials. The Commission explained that Facebook and Instagram use mechanisms that require several steps to be able to flag posts, and they use dark interface designs that make reporting confusing and dissuading. All those factors are in breach of DSA rules that require online platforms to give EU users easy-to-use mechanisms to be able to report illegal content.Under the DSA, users must also be able to challenge social networks' decisions to remove their posts or suspend their accounts. The Commission found that neither Facebook nor Instagram allow users to explain their sides or provide evidence to substantiate their appeals, which limits the effectiveness of the appeal process.Meta and TikTok will be able to examine the Commission's investigation files and to reply in writing about its findings. They'll also have the opportunity to implement changes to comply with DSA rules, and it's only if the Commission decides they're non-compliant that they can be fined up to 6 percent of their global annual turnover. Meta disagreed that it had breached DSA rules, according to Financial Times. "In the European Union, we have introduced changes to our content reporting options, appeals process, and data access tools since the DSA came into force and are confident that these solutions match what is required under the law in the EU," it said in a statement. Meanwhile, TikTok said it was reviewing the Commission's findings but that "requirements to ease data safeguards place the DSA and GDPR in direct tension." It's asking regulators for guidance on "how these obligations should be reconciled."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/eu-charges-meta-and-tiktok-over-failures-to-tackle-illegal-content-121533180.html?src=rss

The era of AI video is upon us, and honestly it's kind of terrifying. Between OpenAI's Sora and official communications from the Trump White House, it's clear that we're not ready for an unending onslaught of AI video. In this episode, Devindra and producer Ben chat with the Washington Post's technology reporter Drew Harwell and Jeremy Carrasco (AKA "ShowtoolsAI"), a former livestream and media producer turned AI video literacy creator. Also, we chat about our final thoughts on Apple's M5 MacBook Pro and iPad Pro, with a few quick notes about the new Vision Pro.Subscribe!

A federal court ruled that Facebook parent Meta can't use attorney-client privilege to block internal documents and research related to teen harm, Bloomberg Law reported. The decision is a setback to Meta in its lawsuits against multiple states that accused the company of making its platforms addictive despite knowing they were harmful to teenagers.Judge Yvonne Williams of the Washington, DC Superior Court found that Meta's lawyers advised employees to "remove," "block," "button up" or "limit" portions of internal studies on the harm of social media to teens' mental health, in order to limit the company's legal liability. The court said that this advice appeared to be an attempt to cover up or alter information, meaning it falls under the crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege. Meta now has seven days to turn over four documents created between November 2022 and July 2023.Meta disagreed with the ruling, a spokesperson told Bloomberg in a statement. "These were routine, appropriate lawyer-client discussions and contrary to the District's misleading claim, no research findings were deleted or destroyed."The ruling is related to lawsuits filed in a California court involving dozens of US state attorneys general. Also involved are hundreds of private civil lawsuits filed by parents, teens and school boards against Meta and other platforms around social media addiction and harms. The first trials are scheduled to start in 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-lawyers-tried-to-block-internal-research-showing-teen-harm-judge-rules-120015673.html?src=rss

This week, Samsung showed off Galaxy XR, its Vision Pro-troubling headset, and you can bet we've done a deep dive. Sam Rutherford got one of these strapped to his head and has plenty of feelings about the new hardware.The headset is lighter, more comfortable and easier to live with than Apple's Vision Pro, even if it lacks many of its headline features. The software ecosystem is already pretty broad, thanks to Google making a real effort with Android XR, but dedicated apps are still a bit rare.Samsung's entry into the market might provide some much-needed impetus for this type of augmented reality headset. That it's half the price of Apple's Vision Pro may also loosen some wallets eager to get into this world.But it's hard not to see this as Samsung running down the same cul-de-sac Apple is now lurking at the end of. It has allowed other companies, like Meta, to waltz in and grab an early lead in the much more useful smart glasses market.- Dan CooperGet Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The news you might have missed

Whether you're already an avid runner or hope to be one as you start a new training regimen, you'll get more out of your exercise routine if you have some good music to accompany you. Getting into the zone during a long run with your preferred music, be it rap, classic rock or today's pop hits, can totally change your experience for the better. To do that, you have to start with a good pair of running headphones.

We've long considered Apple's iPads to be the best tablets on the market, but determining exactly which model you should buy isn't always straightforward. Do you just want a big screen for streaming and web browsing? Do you want to use it like a pseudo-laptop? Do you care about Apple Intelligence at all? If you're not sure, allow us to help. We've tested every iPad available today and broken down which ones should best fit your needs below. Table of contents

As we've seen with Toyota's Prius Prime, putting a solar panel on a car's roof is a nifty idea but can only gain you a few free miles a day due to the limited size. With a new prototype of its hyper-popular Sakura "kei" EV, Nissan has the answer: a bigger solar panel roof called the AO-Solar Extender. When fully stretched out on a sunny day, it can add about 1,864 miles of driving distance a year and power multiple accessories.The panel works whether you're driving or parked. When extended (in "solar pompadour" mode as my colleague put it), it generates 500 watts on sunny days. At the same time, it helps block sunlight from the windshield, "reducing cabin temperature and lowering the need for air conditioning power consumption," Nissan noted.NISSAN DESIGNWhen retracted in driving mode, it still pumps out 300 watts in the sun (80 watts in the rain), quite a bit more than the 185 watts max generated by the Prius Prime's solar roof. And if you're worried about aerodynamics, Nissan said the roof is designed to minimize drag and integrate well with the Sakura's design.It's not just a fun exercise, as Nissan said it's planning to launch the AO-Solar Extender commercially, with details to follow at a later date. It could be a useful accessory on the Sakura, which has been Japan's most popular EV since 2022 thanks to its "sufficient" range, cute kei looks and spacious interior. The automaker will show it off at the Japan Mobility Show starting on October 30, 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/nissan-made-a-nifty-solar-panel-system-for-its-sakura-ev-061235566.html?src=rss

Electronic Arts has announced a new partnership with Stability AI, the creator of AI image generation tool Stable Diffusion. The company will "co-develop transformative AI models, tools, and workflows" for the game developer, with the hopes of speeding up development while maintaining quality."I use the term smarter paintbrushes," Steve Kestell, Head of Technical Art for EA SPORTS said in the announcement. "We are giving our creatives the tools to express what they want." To start, the "smarter paintbrushes" EA and Stability AI are building are concentrated on generating textures and in-game assets. EA hopes to create "Physically Based Rendering materials" with new tools "that generate 2D textures that maintain exact color and light accuracy across any environment."The company also describes using AI to "pre-visualize entire 3D environments from a series of intentional prompts, allowing artists to creatively direct the generation of game content." Stability AI is most famous for its powerful Stable Diffusion image generator, but the company maintains multiple tools for generating 3D models, too, so the partnership is by no means out of place.It helps that AI is on the tip of most video game executives' tongues. Strauss Zelnick, the head of Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two, recently shared that generative AI "will not reduce employment, it will increase employment," because "technology always increases productivity, which in turn increases GDP, which in turn increases employment." Krafton, the publisher of PUBG: Battlegrounds, made its commitment to AI even more clear, announcing plans on Thursday to become an AI-first company. Companies with a direct stake in the success of the AI industry, like Microsoft, have also created gaming-focused tools and developed models for prototyping.The motivations for EA might be even simpler, though. The company is in the midst of being taken private, and will soon be saddled with billions in debt. Theoretically cutting costs with AI might be one way the company hopes to survive the transition.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ea-partners-with-the-company-behind-stable-diffusion-to-make-games-with-ai-222253069.html?src=rss

Apple will owe money to UK users after losing an App Store antitrust lawsuit there on Thursday, according to Financial Times. The Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled that the iPhone maker abused its dominant market position to inflate developer fees.The tribunal found that the company has "near absolute market power" for iOS app distribution and in-app payments. The decision declared that Apple has been "abusing its dominant position by charging excessive and unfair prices." FT reports that Apple will appeal the decision.The class action claimants said damages of about 1.5bn would be split between 36 million consumers. A subsequent hearing to determine the process for "resolving any questions relating to the calculation" of damages could come as soon as next month.Apple has an increasingly strained relationship with the tighter regulations across the Atlantic. Earlier this week, the company stepped up its attacks on the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a law designed to protect consumers from Big Tech dominance. And on Wednesday, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed that Apple has "strategic market status" in the country's equivalent of the DMA. That gives the CMA authority to "ensure that mobile platforms are open to effective competition."Apple provided the following statement in response to the ruling:"We thank the tribunal for its consideration but strongly disagree with this ruling, which takes a flawed view of the thriving and competitive app economy. The App Store has benefited businesses and consumers across the U.K., creating a dynamic marketplace where developers compete and users can choose from millions of innovative apps. This ruling overlooks how the App Store helps developers succeed and gives consumers a safe, trusted place to discover apps and securely make payments. The App Store faces vigorous competition from many other platforms - often with far fewer privacy and security protections - giving developers and consumers many options in how they build, share, and download apps. We intend to appeal."Update, October 23, 2025, 5:30PM ET: This story has been updated to include a statement from Apple on today's ruling.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-loses-uk-antitrust-lawsuit-over-app-store-fees-184515613.html?src=rss

Nike is no stranger to a unique footwear concept, be it self-lacing shoes or a "Hyperboot" that can speed up recovery. The company claims its Project Amplify and new "neuroscience-based" footwear take things a bit further, though, by actively augmenting your body and mind while you're wearing them.Developed with robotics startup Dephy, Project Amplify acts as "a second set of calf muscles" for "everyday athletes" who want to walk or run more. Nike says the first-generation model consists of a running shoe with a carbon fiber plate, a calf-mounted rechargeable battery, a motor and a drive belt. While it has the neon colors and cushioned finish of a normal pair of running shoes, the basic design of Project Amplify seems like a more polished version of the robotic Sidekick shoes Dephy is already pitching on its website.Project Amplify doesn't replace your legs' ability to walk or run, but rather makes going further and faster easier. Nike compares the experience to an e-bike, which typically don't eliminate the need for pedaling, and instead augment your pedals with power from an electric motor. Nike says Project Amplify "makes walking or running uphill feel like moving on flat ground," and in the case of some people who tested it, turned a 12-minute mile into a 10-minute mile. Dephy and the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL) worked with more than 400 different athletes to test various versions of robotic shoes, covering "over 2.4 million steps, the equivalent of roughly 12,000 laps around the NSRL's 200-meter track."The companies' approach, melding an existing fashion brand with robotics, is similar to Arc'teryx's MO/GO pants from 2024, robotic trousers developed in partnership with Skip that help hikers with balance and endurance. Project Amplify is smaller (and hopefully less expensive), but robot-assisted gadgets increasingly seem like a way robotics research could make its way into consumer products, beyond things like vacuums.The Nike Mind 001 mules and Nike Mind 002 sneakers on a white background.NikeNike's Mind 001 and Mind 002 shoes are based on the company's neuroscience research, and are strange in a different way. Created by the Nike Mind Science Department, the foam nodes in both shoes - a pair of mules and sneakers, respectively - imparts the texture of the ground underneath the wearer's feet. This process "heightens sensory awareness, which can help clear away distractions and enhance concentration," Nike says.The Nike Mind 001 and Mind 002 will go on sale in January 2026 as the first shoes in the Nike Mind line. Nike says Project Amplify, meanwhile, will receive "a broad consumer launch in the coming years."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/nike-pitches-robotic-sneakers-and-mind-altering-mules-212716340.html?src=rss

Strava's big attack on Garmin didn't last long. On Tuesday, the former filed paperwork to dismiss its patent infringement lawsuit against the latter, according to DC Rainmaker. The battle, which included a "Setting the record straight" Reddit post from Strava's chief product officer, lasted all of 21 days.The lawsuit accused Garmin of infringing on patents related to heat maps and segments. Strava asked the court to halt all sales of infringing Garmin products, which, according to its characterization, would have been, well, most of them.Strava Chief Product Officer Matt Salazar escalated the fight with an October 2 Reddit post. He said his company's legal maneuver was in response to Garmin API guidelines that "required the Garmin logo to be present on every single activity post, screen, graph, image, sharing card, etc." Salazar wrote that Garmin "wants to use Strava and every other partner as an advertising platform - they told us they care more about their marketing than your user experience."Those are fighting words, and Strava appeared to be digging in for a righteous and bitter battle against its partner. But now, it's essentially, "Eh, never mind."Why the quick reversal? We reached out to Strava for comment, and we'll update this post if we hear back. But closed-door discussions between the companies, possibly including threats from Garmin to counter-sue, seem likely. Garmin has a stacked patent library and a strong record defending them in court. Besides, DC Rainmaker says Strava's case (especially the parts related to heat map patents) didn't appear to hold much water in the first place.Strava's initial move was all the more bizarre, considering how much its business model depends on activity data from Garmin devices. The two companies have a longstanding relationship, which you can imagine isn't so healthy at the moment. Losing access to Garmin's legion of devices could have been catastrophic to the San Francisco-based Strava, which plans to file an IPO next year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/strava-pulls-the-plug-on-its-garmin-lawsuit-after-just-21-days-204255109.html?src=rss

I know there are bigger fish to fry, but I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't draw your attention to this travesty of a commercial Verizon just released. It's only 30 seconds long but may go down as one of the worst ads I've ever seen.What's so offensive, you ask? Well, the carrier (and one-time parent company of Engadget) wants to promote the fact that it will give AT&T and T-Mobile customers a better deal on their wireless plan if they bring in their monthly cellular bill. That's all well and good, but we need to talk about the cathode-ray tube TV that's at the center of the commercial.The ad opens with a woman walking into a Best Buy-coded store and handing over a 27-inch CRT TV to a nearby sales associate. "Hi, I got this old thing and the bill from the store where I got it," she tells the young salesperson while casually tossing the TV to him. "Figured you could beat it with a better deal on one of these big boys," she adds, pointing to, let's be honest, an objectively worse flat panel TV.Now, I need to know: did anyone who worked on this commercial try to lift a CRT? Look, I know it's 2025, and even the newest sets are now close to two decades old, but even if you've never seen one in real-life, surely you've heard how heavy they are? If I had to guess, the TV we see in the commercial, which looks like an RCA 27R411T, weighs close to 75 pounds. There's a reason so many Facebook Marketplace listings recommend you bring a friend with you when you come pick up the CRT they're selling; most people can't lift even a mid-sized set on their own.I hate to think how Verizon made this commercial. CRTs are a dead technology. No company is making new consumer sets anymore, and any working CRTs left out in the world are on borrowed time. If the company gutted a working set to make this commercial, it means there's one less CRT in an ever-dwindling pool. Someone could have enjoyed that TV and stopped it from entering a landfill.But as for the rest of the commercial, it's equally as bad. No big box retailer is accepting trade-ins for a CRT TV, and even if they were, trying to get rid of one that way would be a rookie move. CRTs, both TVs and monitors, are highly sought after by retro gamers. Even a relatively unknown set like the 27R411T can catch a few hundred dollars, especially if it's in pristine condition. In fact, a quick eBay search returns a seller looking for $350 for their 27R411T unit.But you know what our dear Verizon booster does? She just walks away without the CRT after the salesperson tells her the shop won't give her a better deal on a new TV. "Guess you're not as cool as Verizon" she says, uttering a thing no one in the history has ever said. Sorry, joke's on you, lady. Not only is that TV impossibly light, it's way cooler than anything Verizon has ever done.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/verizons-latest-ad-defies-crt-physics-202441012.html?src=rss

China's new five-year plan - an overarching policy proposal for the next term of Chinese Communist Party leadership - is focused on making the nation technologically self-reliant and less vulnerable to foreign pressure, Bloomberg reports. The plan has yet to be officially adopted, but is being released ahead of a summit between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping in South Korea.The main focus of the proposal is to make China's tech and science industries self-reliant and less dependent on products created by international companies. Bloomberg writes that the proposal is particularly interested in developing "fields such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence" which are currently driven in part by products from US companies like Nvidia and OpenAI. China also hopes to "bolster domestic consumption" and make the country less dependent on exporting, a business that's been thrown into chaos by a fluctuating tariff regime set by the Trump administration.Per the AP, this new five-year plan mostly builds on the previous five-year plan China set during Trump's first-term, which focused on investing in technology as part of the country's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the new plan aims to continue the growth of China's wind and solar industries and "accelerate the all-out green transformation of economic and social development."In the context of the US and China's back and forth over international trade and access to resources, the new plan, as reported by Bloomberg and the AP, seems like a response to the growing tensions between the two countries. One that could make China less burdened by the US moving forward.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/chinas-latest-five-year-plan-aims-for-technological-self-reliance-194551489.html?src=rss

The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is undergoing a major overhaul, according to a report by the affiliated publication Game Developer. The "reimagined" conference is getting a name change, as it'll now be called the GDC Festival of Gaming. It's also changing up how passes work and transitioning the shift of its focus to "meet today's broader, interconnected games industry."Let's start with the new simplified pass structure. The newly-announced Festival Pass replaces the pre-existing All-Access pass and costs 45 percent less than its predecessor. Pricing starts at $649 and offers access to all of the event's main content programming. Access to the main conference was previously segmented depending on a number of pass types.