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Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the follow-up to 2022's Pokemon Legends: Arceus, now has a release date of October 16.Along with the release date announcement, The Pokemon Company also confirmed that a new Pokemon Presents presentation will broadcast on July 22. Presumably we'll see more of the monsters we're going to be catching and battling with in Lumiose City, including the Mega-Evolved Pokemon featured on the newly revealed box art. The last Pokemon Presents took place back in February and showcased the three starter pokemon in Z-A, as well as the new real-time combat system.Pokemon Legends: Z-A will launch on both the outgoing Nintendo Switch and its successor, with Pokemon Legends: Z-A - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition featuring "improved graphics and frame rates". You'll be able to upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition by purchasing a $10 upgrade pack on the Nintendo eShop or My Nintendo Store.An October release date for Pokemon Legends: Z-A means it's unlikely that we'll see Metroid Prime 4 in the same month, as Nintendo traditionally likes to spread out its first-party releases. Donkey Kong Bananza arrives on July 17, but beyond that we don't know a whole lot about what else Nintendo has planned for the remainder of the year. As reported by VGC, a new Nintendo Direct presentation could happen in June, where the company would likely fill in the blanks regarding its plans for what's left of 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/pokemon-legends-z-a-arrives-october-16-150835791.html?src=rss

It was only earlier this year Norway's Opera released a new browser, and now it's adding yet another offering to an already crowded field. Opera is billing Neon as a "fully agentic browser." It comes with an integrated AI that can chat with users and surf the web on their behalf. Compared to competing agents, the company says Neon is faster and more efficient at navigating the internet on its own due to the fact it parses webpages by analyzing their layout data.Building on Opera's recent preview of Browser Operator, Neon can also complete tasks for you, like filling out a form or doing some online shopping. The more you use Neon to write, the more it will learn your personal style and adapt to it. All of this happens locally, in order to ensure user data remains private.Additionally, Neon can make things for you, including websites, animations and even game prototypes, according to Opera. If you ask Neon to build something particularly complicated or time-consuming, it can continue the task even when you're offline. This part of the browser's feature set depends on a connection to Opera's servers in Europe where privacy laws are more robust than in North America."Opera Neon is the first step towards fundamentally re-imagining what a browser can be in the age of intelligent agents," the company says.If all of this sounds familiar, it's because other companies, including Google and OpenAI, have been working on similar products. In the case of Google, the search giant began previewing Project Mariner, an extension that adds a web-surfing agent to Chrome, last December. OpenAI, similarly, has been working on its own "Operator" mode since the start of the year.Neon, therefore, sees Opera attempting to position itself as an innovator in hopes of claiming market share, but the company has a difficult task ahead. According to data from StatCounter, only about 2.09 percent of internet users use Opera to access the web. Chrome, by contrast, commands a dominant 66.45 percent of the market. That's a hard hill to climb when your competitors are working on similar features.It's also worth asking if an agentic browser is something people really want. Opera suggests Neon is smart enough to book a trip for you. That sounds great in theory, but what if the agent makes an error and books the wrong connecting flight. A certain amount of friction ensures users pay attention and check things on their own.If you want to try Neon for yourself, you can join the wait list.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/operas-new-fully-agentic-browser-can-surf-the-web-for-you-145035874.html?src=rss

Apple's increasingly comprehensive Self Service Repair program now includes iPad too. Starting tomorrow, owners of various models of Apple's slate can easily acquire official parts, repair manuals, and tools that allow them to attempt their own repairs, should they feel confident enough.Apple Diagnostics troubleshooting sessions are also available. This web-based tool, launched in the US back in 2023, is able to directly test for a number of common issues that affect displays, software, audio, camera tech and Face ID, and offer a step-by-step repair process for the diagnosed problem. Previously, these diagnostic tests could only be carried out by Apple authorized service providers.For now, the supported iPad models are the iPad Air (M2 and later), iPad Pro (M4), iPad mini (A17 Pro) and the entry-level iPad (A16). Apple says it will offer components including displays, batteries, cameras and external charging ports to be used in repairs for out-of-warranty products.The Self Service Repair Program debuted in 2022 and Apple has been gradually bolstering the range of included product lines ever since. Parts for a number of iPhone and Mac models are already offered through the service, so iPad was the logical next step.As well as the Apple-endorsed Self Service Repair Store, Apple also recently launched its Genuine Parts Distributor Program, which essentially allows repair businesses and professionals without an existing service relationship with Apple to order parts and components through third-party distributors such as MobileSentrix.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/apples-self-service-repair-program-now-extends-to-ipad-134940418.html?src=rss

Spotify is adding a trio of new features to its app that should make listening to and interacting with podcasts a little easier. First, the streaming service is putting a Following feed in the main Podcasts area on the Home screen. With this toggle, you can quickly see what's new from the shows you subscribe to. The company says the goal here is to eliminate the need to search for fresh content from podcasts you follow, and it pledges it will "continue to explore new ways to make this space even better." And just below shortcuts on the Home screen, Spotify will start displaying podcast recommendations, complete with a note as to why the algorithm picked it for you.Next, Spotify plans to roll out an "In this episode" section for podcast pages. Here, you'll find links to other shows, songs, audiobooks, playlists and more than hosts mention or recommend. Creators will have the ability to link those items as they see fit, so you won't have to go looking for them later.Lastly, the company is giving podcast comments a slight refresh. Based on user feedback, Spotify is introducing threaded replies and emoji reactions for creators. This will all still be controlled via Spotify for Creators where they can also control if comments are available for their show or specific episodes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/spotify-adds-a-following-feed-and-in-this-episode-section-for-podcasts-130051850.html?src=rss

Mozilla's Firefox has joined Chrome, Edge and other browsers in offering AI-powered overviews, but this time with a twist. The latest version lets you use a keyboard shortcut to open a pop-up that previews a link's contents when you hover over it from any web page. It's a new way that AI is being integrated into browsers that may help users but hurt publishers.To try the new feature you need the latest Firefox release channel version 139.0. Within the settings under "Firefox Labs," simply turn on Link Previews. "After enabling, use the Alt+Shift keyboard shortcut when hovering over a link to see the previews in action," Mozilla writes.Once turned on, you can hover your mouse over a link on any webpage and a vertical window will pop up showing an image on top, the publisher's link and a quick summary. Below that are AI-generated "key points" that provide further information. Mozilla previously said that it uses the SmolLM2-360M language model from Hugging Face, on-device with Reader's View content to ensure privacy.Link Previews first came along last month in beta but is now widely available in some regions. Like Google's AI previews, it could risk harming publishers by reducing traffic (which is likely why neither of those features are available in France where I live). It's also not clear if Firefox is paying publishers to use their information in AI-powered summaries.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-war-on-links-escalates-with-firefoxs-experimental-ai-previews-123059735.html?src=rss

On June 5, which is also the Switch 2's launch day, Nintendo is rolling out new features for N64 games on Switch Online. If you just want to play to relax and not worry about in-game lives, the ability to rewind will perhaps sound like the most useful among the upcoming features. It will let you, well, rewind the game if you make a mistake so you can try again from that point. Failed to a get a birdie on Mario Golf? No problem. Just access the feature and choose from the panels at the bottom that show up to choose which point you'd like to start from again. That said, the function will only be accessible on the Switch 2.Another new feature coming to N64 games is the CRT filter. Yes, it will give your game that old CRT TV look by putting a pixelated texture on top of it. If you've originally played N64 titles on old TVs, it could be a fantastic throwback to your youth. Like the rewind function, though, the option will be exclusively available on the Switch 2. It's not quite clear why it won't be rolling out on Switch consoles, as well. If you're not getting the new console, the only update you're getting on June 5 is the ability to check what each controller button does on the game you're playing. You can then change what each button does to make the controls easier for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/switch-2-will-add-a-rewind-function-to-its-online-n64-games-121506171.html?src=rss

The Starship super heavy-lift launch vehicle blasted off from SpaceX's Starbase in Texas for its ninth test flight on Tuesday, 7:37 PM Eastern time. It was the first Starship flight that reused a Super Heavy booster, which was also used for the vehicle's seventh test flight. During the vehicle's seventh and eighth flights, its second stage, or the Starship spacecraft itself, exploded during ascent. This time, the stage (also known as the "Ship") completed its ascent burn and even reached space, but it was one victory in a test flight with mixed results.SpaceX's Starbase launch tower caught the Super Heavy booster after it flew back with its "chopstick" arms during the two previous flights. For this one, the company conducted tests with the booster it didn't do before, such as making it fly at a higher angle during its descent. Doing so increases the atmospheric drag on the booster, slowing it down as it descends so that it requires less propellant. As such, the company had decided to let the booster splash down into the ocean, as the testing would make it more difficult for the Starbase chopstick arms to catch it. SpaceX lost contact with the Super Heavy shortly after it started its landing burn, however, and it experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly" six minutes after launch.Meanwhile, the Ship stage was able to take on a suborbital trajectory and was supposed to deploy eight Starlink simulator satellites while it was in space. It was ultimately unable to deploy the simulator satellites, because its payload bay door got stuck and wouldn't open. The Ship also encountered an attitude control error that prevented it from getting into the position it needed to take for reentry. It started to tumble due to a leak that caused loss of main tank pressure, before SpaceX lost contact with it 46 minutes into the flight. While a controlled splashdown was impossible to achieve, the company still expects Ship's debris to fall within the planned hazard area in the Indian Ocean.SpaceX will not be getting all the data it was hoping to get from this flight, but Elon Musk said there's still a "lot of good data to review." He also said that the company will be flying the Starship over the next three flights once every three to four weeks.

Finding the best wireless earbuds can make a huge difference in your day-to-day life, whether you're commuting, working out, traveling or just zoning out with your favorite playlist. Today's earbuds aren't just about cutting the cord - they're smarter, more comfortable and packed with features like active noise cancellation, customizable sound profiles and even spatial audio support.

Anthropic is continuing to trickle down features to its free users. The latest one to make the leap out of subscriber-only mode is web search, which the company introduced to its AI chatbot Claude in March. According to Anthropic, connecting Claude to the web allows it to deliver more accurate responses based on the most up-to-date information available online. This feature is available to all Claude users starting today.In addition, Anthropic has begun beta tests for voice mode on its mobile apps. This option lets users interact with Claude in natural conversations in an expansion of the platform's existing dictation tools. There will be five voice options available to assign to Claude, and the AI assistant can provide full transcripts and voice mode summaries after a conversation.May has been a busy month for Anthropic, which just launched two new models last week. Opus 4 is a powerful coding-focused system that can use multiple tools in parallel and can run for several hours at a time, while Sonnet 4 is a hybrid reasoning model designed to move between quick queries and more complex ones. The current beta testing of voice mode will default to Sonnet 4.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-brings-web-search-to-free-claude-users-224222689.html?src=rss

Apple has bought a game studio for the first time. Digital Trends reported on Tuesday that the company has scooped up RAC7. The two-person team is behind the Apple Arcade hit Sneaky Sasquatch.For years, some investors have hoped Apple would apply its full clout to the gaming industry. Although recent years have seen the launches of Apple Arcade and Game Mode for Macs, there's still untapped potential. Another piece of news on Tuesday makes it easier to speculate that something is brewing. Bloomberg reported that the company will launch a revamped gaming app at WWDC. The new app is said to replace the oft-forgotten Game Center.However, Giovanni Colantonio of Digital Trends suggests the acquisition isn't necessarily a sign of what's to come. He notes that Apple described the RAC7 purchase as a unique situation to help the small studio grow. "We will continue to deliver a great experience for Apple Arcade players with hundreds of games from many of the best game developers in the world," Apple told the publication.Sneaky Sasquatch was a launch title for Apple Arcade in 2019. Engadget's Devindra Hardawar described it as an example of how the service can let developers "cut loose and get weird." And weird, it is. (Delightfully so!) You play as the mythic Bigfoot, tiptoeing around a forest. What starts as a quirky stealth game takes even stranger turns. As you progress, you'll learn to drive cars, disguise yourself as a human and hit the slopes.Over five years later, the quirky title is still one of Apple Arcade's tentpole games. It sits alongside favorites like Katamari Damacy Rolling Live, Skate City: New York and Threes! And we can't forget one of Engadget's all-time favorite games, Balatro. The "almost perfect" port of the deck-building game hit the service last year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/apple-buys-the-maker-of-sneaky-sasquatch-210305065.html?src=rss

The saga of Cities: Skylines II has involved a lot of frustration, and the years-long ride still doesn't appear to be over. The latest news from the developer is yet another delay, this time for the planned Bridges & Ports DLC. Colossal Order will release a small free update to the game on June 11 as planned, but the full expansion is now being pushed back to some time in Q4.A post from the team on publisher Paradox Interactive's forum explained that the delay was based on early access feedback that the DLC still needs more polish. "That left us with a difficult choice: delay the release once again to add more depth, or release it as-is, knowing players may feel it falls short," the update states. "We believe the current content is enjoyable, but we're not blind to what's missing, and to bring it to the level you deserve, we need more time."The last players heard from Colossal Order was also a delay, in that instance for the console port of the city-builder. The studio said the version wouldn't be available before summer 2025, but a more specific date hasn't been shared yet. Cities: Skylines II has had a challenging life cycle for both the players and the developers, so it's particular tough to hear that the game is still struggling.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/cities-skylines-ii-delays-bridges--ports-dlc-to-q4-200052345.html?src=rss

European regulators are investigating Pornhub. On Monday, the European Commission (EC) accused the platform of not doing enough to block underage access. Also included in the investigation are Stripchat, XNXX and XVideos.The EC suspects the porn sites have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA), which includes child safety measures. Specifically, it accused the platforms of lacking age restriction tools. All four sites let EU users watch content after clicking a single button to confirm they're over 18.In a statement to Engadget, Pornhub said it's "fully committed" to the online safety of minors. "Our sites are fully RTA compliant as rated by the Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP), and are strictly reserved for those of legal age only," the company said. It added that it believes device-level verification, rather than on the website, is "the real solution.""Children should not have access to pornographic content," EC spokesperson Thomas Regnier said at a press conference (via The Guardian). "This is why today the commission has opened [the] investigations."Next, regulators will carry out an in-depth probe. If the companies are found to be in violation, they could face fines of up to six percent of their global annual turnover. However, the EC could also accept remedies from the companies.The DSA allows the commission to regulate online platforms with over 45 million users. Those missing that mark fall under the jurisdiction of the EU's 27 member states. On that note, the commission said Stripchat no longer meets that threshold. Moving forward, it will be regulated by Cyprus, where its parent company operates. However, the new designation doesn't take effect for four months, so it remains part of the probe.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/eu-regulators-are-investigating-pornhub-and-three-other-sites-194234570.html?src=rss

Welcome to the initial installment of Video Games Weekly on Engadget. Expect a new story every Monday (yes, we realize today is Tuesday), broken into two parts. The first is a space for short essays, observations and ramblings about video game trends and related topics from me, a reporter who's covered the industry for more than 13 years. The second contains the video game stories from the past week that you need to know about, including some headlines from outside of Engadget.Please enjoy - and I'll see you next week.I've noticed a growing sentiment in some of my favorite queer gaming forums regarding Grand Theft Auto VI, and it's both making me laugh and causing me deep anxiety about the malleable nature of our shared reality. When the second trailer for GTA VI dropped on May 6, one of its protagonists, Jason, became an instant sex symbol among the gays, and the thirsty memes started rolling in. This was light-hearted and fun, but at the same time, the alt-right gaming crowd was freaking out about Jason being too gay - even though, canonically, he's clearly a straight dude. Queer players accused the neo-Nazis of projection, and the memes exalting Jason as a gay icon ramped up, until, somewhere along the way, it stopped being a joke. I started to see earnest comments suggesting the GTA franchise was a bastion of inclusion and an outspoken friend to the LGBT+ community. I saw queer players talk about GTA VI as if it were going to be a warm and welcoming space, something made for us.And I oop - that is some serious grand theft gaslighting, friends.I'm not here to burst any bubbles, and I sincerely hope that GTA VI presents well-rounded, diverse characters with thoughtful storylines. However, when it comes to queer issues, that's just not what the series does. GTA has a history of perpetuating harmful stereotypes about transgender people in particular, and GTA V specifically provided a platform for players to enact violence against trans characters.I covered this topic in-depth in 2020, and at the time I spoke with Dr. Ben Colliver, a lecturer in criminology at Birmingham City University and the author of Representation of LGBTQ Communities in the Grand Theft Auto Series." Violence against trans people in the United States has long been recognized as an epidemic, and in 2025, the situation is worse than ever - lawmakers are legalizing transphobia and shutting down access to gender-affirming care, using trans lives as a political football. It's a bad time for the LGBT+ community to have false friends, which is one reason I cringe when I see people rewriting the history of GTA.Ugly stereotypes and targeted violence are part of GTA's DNA, so the common argument here is that, actually, the series punches in all directions and that means it isn't discriminatory. But, this take doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Dr. Colliver's analysis found that straight, cis men in GTA games remain largely unscathed, and characters who represent oppressed groups are often the ones used as punchlines.Largely it is LGBT people, sex workers and women who are portrayed in a bad way," Dr. Colliver said in 2020. Typically, men in the game conform to almost these traditional masculine stereotypes that we expect of men around violence and aggression."The only subject that GTA really takes seriously is masculinity, and even then it approaches the topic from a basic lens. GTA presents mainstream straight-male power fantasies with a Michael Bay flair and a teenage sense of edginess, and GTA VI looks to be more of the same. That's even with the inclusion of a female protagonist - Lucia, who is very much involved with Jason, who is actually straight-coded despite appealing massively to gay men, which I believe was a total accident on Rockstar's part.(And because I can hear your screams from here: Yes, The Ballad of Gay Tony exists and it's a fine piece of DLC for GTA IV focused on a queer character. The thing is, it came out 16 years ago - before Rockstar built trans violence into GTA V - and even though it was incredibly well-received, the studio has yet to return to its blueprint. I find that fact more telling than anything else.)GTA is a non-subversive franchise built for basic bros, and this fact is only reinforced by the homogeneity of Rockstar Games and the complacency of its parent company, Take-Two Interactive. We don't have data about queer representation at Rockstar, but at Rockstar North in 2024, women composed less than 12 percent of employees in the highest-paid roles. Across the studio, women's average hourly pay was 43 percent lower than men's. In its annual investor report filed this month, Take-Two removed all references to diversity and inclusion, and deleted any mention of awards the company has received for supporting LGBT+ employees. These moves are intended to appease President Donald Trump, and it's the exact type of spineless, bootlicking behavior that the GTA series is supposed to mock.Personally I love doing crimes and messing with cops, and as it turns out, so do most other video game fans. This mass-appeal ethos has helped make GTA one of the industry's most enduring franchises. Please, just don't bank on GTA VI being progressive or actively inclusive from a queer standpoint. We don't need another reason to be disappointed nowadays.More than that, we can't let the alt-right reality consume our own. The people complaining about Jason being too gay are the same ones claiming that Widow's ass isn't visible enough in her Overwatch 2 Cammy skin - they are unserious people making bad-faith arguments about games as an art form. Do not absorb their messaging and do not engage with their lies. Think critically about their angles of attack and, meanwhile, play all the queer games you want to. One of my personal recent favorites is Sorry We're Closed, if you're looking for a sexy, campy place to start.The newsNight School nabs Obsidian veteran Carrie PatelAvowed director and longtime Obsidian narrative lead Carrie Patel has joined Night School, the studio behind the Oxenfree series, as a game director. This is a big get for Night School and a sign that the team has some stability in its future. Netflix acquired Night School in 2021, before the launch of Oxenfree 2 and as part of the streaming company's big push into video game development and publishing. Netflix has since closed one internal AAA studio and reduced its third-party output, but it seems Night School is secure and working on something story-heavy, if Patel's involvement tells us anything.The first video game included in CannesLili made history in May as the first video game to be included in a Cannes Festival competition, and it looks super rad. Lili is a contemporary, neo-noir interpretation of Macbeth, presented in full-motion video and set on the streets of Iran, featuring webs of government corruption and witches who work as hackers. It's a collaboration between the Royal Shakespeare Company and iNK Stories, the studio behind the award-winning game 1979 Revolution: Black Friday. Lili is already on the festival circuit but it's still in development, and it's due to be publicly available in or just after late 2025.Troubles are bubbling at Bungie around MarathonBungie only revealed Marathon in April, but the game is already enduring a rocky pre-launch period. First, the studio had to publicly apologize and review all of its Marathon assets after it was confirmed that the game's alpha included stolen artwork. Then, Forbes dropped a report documenting the current tensions at Bungie, saying morale at the studio was in free fall" across every department. The most recent rumblings around Marathon, which is due to land in September, are that its marketing plans have been scuttled completely.GeoGuessr ditches the EWC after a brief protestGeoGuessr will no longer be included in the Esports World Cup after a quick - and clearly effective - community blackout. The most prolific GeoGuessr map creators pulled their contributions from the game to protest its participation in the EWC, calling the tournament a sportswashing tool used by the government of Saudi Arabia to distract from and conceal its horrific human rights record." Less than a day after the blackout began, GeoGuessr AB responded by abandoning the event, writing, You - our community - have made it clear that this decision does not align with what GeoGuessr stands for. So, when you tell us we've got it wrong we take it seriously."FTC admits defeat against MicrosoftThe FTC was the last remaining voice rallying against Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and it's now been silenced for good. The FTC officially dismissed its case against Microsoft after losing its latest appeal earlier this month.A reminder that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a very good gameIn a cute moment of serendipity, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has sold 3.3 million copies in its first 33 days on the market. If you were waiting for a sign to start playing, this might be it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/video-games-weekly-grand-theft-auto-is-no-friend-to-the-queer-community-193059427.html?src=rss

Texas is the latest state to adopt an age-verification law for app stores. Despite lobbying from big tech, reportedly including a personal call from Apple CEO Tim Cook, Governor Greg Abbott has signed a bill that requires app stores to verify users' ages and obtain parental approval for a minor to download software or make in-app purchases.The sponsors of the Texas bill said it was intended to protect children and teens from inappropriate content. "This puts tools in the hands of parents to make decisions for their own children," said bill author Angela Paxton. The Republican state senator is married to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.Utah was the first state to enact legislation that places responsibility on app store operators to check users' ages. Similar to the Texas endeavor, Google also petitioned Utah's governor for that bill to be vetoed. Apple and Google have pushed back against these age-verification measures, arguing that they pose privacy risks for all users by creating a new infrastructure where they need to submit personal information. "We believe there are better proposals that help keep kids safe without requiring millions of people to turn over their personal information," Apple said regarding the new Texas law.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/texas-enacts-age-verification-law-for-app-stores-190603522.html?src=rss

The wait is (finally) over. There's an official WhatsApp release for Apple iPads. It only took 16 years, as WhatsApp first entered the scene all the way back in 2009. As a matter of fact, the messaging platform predates the iPad itself, which launched in 2010.The iPad offers much more screen real estate than a smartphone, and Meta seems to have made good use of the extra space. The app takes advantage of the tablet's multitasking features like Split View and Slide Over, so users can view multiple apps at once. This lets folks, for instance, browse the web as they chat with a friend.The iPad version of the app also works with Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil, which should speed up conversations. It allows for video and audio calls with up to 32 people, and integrates with both the front and rear cameras. Just like other versions of WhatsApp, chats sync across devices. WhatsApp for iPad is available right now via the App Store.One down, one to go. We are still waiting for Meta to make a dedicated Instagram app for iPad tablets. Recent reports indicate that the company is actually working on it, after a long 15 years in which we all have had to use a resized iPhone app and pretend we were enjoying ourselves.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/whatsapp-finally-launches-an-official-version-for-ipads-165608577.html?src=rss

Dolby's automatic speaker calibration tech FlexConnect finally comes to market via TCL's 2025 QD-Mini LED TVs. The company had originally announced the technology back in 2023, and was set to debut it with TCL's 2024 TV lineup.FlexConnect lets users place wireless speakers anywhere in a room without worrying about perfect configuration. The surround sound will then be optimized automatically based on the layout of the room and the position of the speakers.The first audio device to support this tech will be TCL's Z100 smart speaker, which is designed to pair with TCL's FlexConnect-enabled TVs. TCL's Precise Dimming Series, which includes the QM6K, QM7K and the newly announced QM8K, will all be FlexConnect-compatible.Users will be able to pair up to four Z100 speakers with their TCL TVs, which will work in concert with the TV's built-in speakers to deliver intelligently calibrated Dolby Atmos sound. This innovation allows for immersive spatial sound without the need for a perfectly symmetrical speaker setup.In today's joint press release, John Couling, Senior VP of Entertainment at Dolby Labs, said With Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, consumers can unlock even more flexibility and adaptability in how they design their home entertainment systems, while removing the stress of whether their speakers are in the right location to get an incredible Dolby Atmos experience."In the same release, TCL said the Z100 speakers are expected this summer. The Z100 and the TCL Precise Dimming Series represent the first FlexConnect products launched in the United States. Along with the QM8K launch, TCL also announced its first model of party speakers, as well as the Q65H, its latest Dolby Atmos soundbar.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/tcls-newest-tvs-will-automatically-calibrate-wireless-speakers-163907846.html?src=rss

The Browser Company has stopped active development of the popular Arc web browser, according to a blog post from CEO Josh Miller. There will still be updates to fix security issues and the like, but there will likely be no new features added to the product.Miller says that "for most people, Arc was simply too different, with too many new things to learn, for too little reward." He also said that the browser "lacked cohesion, in both its core features and core value."Instead, the company has shifted focus to a new product called Dia, which is an AI-powered browser of some kind. Dia was first announced at the tail-end of last year and has been described as "an entirely new environment - built on top of a web browser."Demos have shown Dia helping users write the next sentence in a paragraph, all while retrieving facts about a subject from the wider internet. It was also shown automatically grabbing Amazon links to insert in an email from a simple description and completing relatively complex actions based on user prompts. Some of this feels like an extension of what the company has already been doing with the mobile version of the Arc browser.Dia is currently being tested via an alpha build, but will open up to current Arc members in the near future. Miller says that the company has "approached Dia as an opportunity to fix what we got wrong with Arc."The Browser Company has considered selling or open-sourcing Arc, but won't be doing anything so drastic at this moment. An open-source version of the browser would make a lot of current users happy, but Miller says it'll be a challenge because it's built on top of an internal SDK which is also the core component of Dia. Open-sourcing one would basically open-source the other. "That doesn't mean it'll never happen," Miller said.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-browser-company-stops-active-development-of-arc-in-favor-of-new-ai-focused-product-153045276.html?src=rss

Summer brings sun, joy and lots of time spent outside. But, it also means a lot of tracking in dirt and debris from outdoors so, if you've been putting off getting a new vacuum, now might be the time. Currently, iRobot is running a Father's Day sale on a few of its Roomba vacuums, including the 105 Vac Robot + AutoEmpty Dock. The 105 Vac Robot is on sale for $280, down from $450 - a 37 percent discount. It's one of the newer, more basic models in Roomba's lineup and offers standard features like smart mapping. It also automatically empties debris for up to 75 days and has a schedule cleaning feature. Plus it has three cleaning stages: power-lifting suction, a multi-surface bristle brush and an edge-sweeping brush. You can compare the iRobot's 105 with other options on our list of best budget robot vacuums. Our top pick is also a Roomba, the Vac Robot Vacuum Q0120 - currently 48 percent off at Wayfair. 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-roomba-robot-vacuum-with-auto-empty-dock-is-170-off-145834328.html?src=rss

The perfect Bluetooth speaker for park hangs is here. Marshall upgraded its portable speaker lineup with the Kilburn III, which notably has an impressive playtime of at least 50 hours. Not only does it double the battery life of Marshall's previous model, the Kilburn III will far outlast the competition, like the Beats Pill or the Bang & Olufsen A1 and their 24-hour playback limits.Marshall's third iteration of the Kilburn comes roughly seven years after the Kilburn II was introduced. Beyond the massive jump in battery life, the company improved the water and dust resistance to IP54, meaning it can handle some dirt and splashes of water. Marshall preserved the signature guitar amp look of the Bluetooth speaker, while also keeping the tactile control knobs that make adjusting volume, bass and treble much easier.MarshallYou'll still get Marshall's True Stereophonic sound that makes the music sound the same no matter where you're sitting or standing. Even if you crank the speaker to 10, Marshall promises that the bass, mids and trebles will remain balanced. The Kilburn III weighs 6.7 lbs for an easier time bringing to get-togethers and can even charge your phone.The Kilburn III's upgrades are going to cost you, though, since it retails for $379.99 now. Marshall kept the black and brass colorway that comes with a velvet-lined carrying strap, but added a cream colorway for the refresh. The Kilburn III is currently available on Marshall's website, but will arrive at its retail partners on June 10.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/marshalls-latest-bluetooth-speaker-can-play-for-two-days-straight-140059345.html?src=rss

Memorial Day weekend might be over but the sales have kept coming. Current deals include an all-new low price on the Samsung Galaxy S25, which is down to $685 from $860. The 20 percent discount is available on the 256GB model in either Silver Shadow or Mint. Samsung released the Galaxy S25 smartphone early this year alongside the S25+, Edge and Ultra. We gave it an 82 in our review thanks to its improved Gemini AI experience and new high-powered processor. It also offers 28 hours of battery life, a four hour improvement from its predecessor. Our biggest quip with the Samsung Galaxy S25 is that many things mirror the specs of its predecessor. The device offers the same display and camera sensors as the Galaxy S24. It's also almost the exact same thickness, with just 0.4 millimeters shaved off. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-samsung-galaxy-s25-is-cheaper-than-ever-right-now-133851668.html?src=rss

OnePlus has revealed its artificial intelligence plans for its devices, starting with the introduction of the Plus Key, which will replace the Alert Slider. The Plus Key, like its predecessor, is a physical button that users can customize to launch the camera, to initiate translations or to start recording. More importantly, it launches the new AI Plus Mind feature, which can record and recall information found on screen. When a user wants to take note of important information such as schedules, event details, reservations or listings, for instance, they can press the Plus Key to activate AI Plus Mind and save those details. (Take note that the feature can extract details from both images and texts.) Alternatively, they can swipe up on the screen with three fingers.What AI Plus Mind does is save relevant content to a dedicated Mind Space, where users can browse various information that they've saved. Users can then search for the detail they want to find using natural language queries. Both the Plus Key and the AI Plus Mind will debut on the OnePlus 13s in Asia. AI Plus Mind will roll out to the rest of the OnePlus 13 Series devices through a future software update, while all future OnePlus phone will come with the new physical key. Notably, the new button and feature bear similarities to Nothing's physical Essential Key that can also save information inside the Essential Space app. Nothing was founded by Carl Pei who co-founded OnePlus.The company is also developing several tools for the OnePlus AI, including AI VoiceScribe that enables users to "record, summarize and translate calls and meetings directly within popular messaging, video, and online meeting applications." AI Translation will consolidate the brand's translation capabilities via text, live voice, camera and screen into one app, sort of like Google Translate. AI Search will enable natural language queries to search for local files and notes. Meanwhile, AI Best Face 2.0, which is coming this summer, can correct issues like closed eyes in group photos.OnePlusThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/oneplus-is-replacing-its-alert-slider-with-yes-an-ai-button-130026087.html?src=rss

Memorial Day brought a myriad of deals on tech products this year, and while the holiday has come and gone, you can still grab a few today. Take, for instance, the latest Ring Video Doorbell. This model will run you $55 at the moment - that's $45 off the list price and a record low. This is a battery-powered version of the doorbell, so you won't have to spend a second figuring out how to hook it up to existing wiring. It'll be easy to recharge the Video Doorbell too. When you need to top up the battery, all you'll need to do is detach the device and plug in a USB-C cable for a while. This version of the Ring Video Doorbell provides a head-to-toe view of the person who's on your doorstep, as it offers 66 percent more vertical coverage than the previous model. The live view feature delivers a real-time feed from the camera to your phone, tablet or other compatible device. There's a two-way talk function as well, so you can chat with the person at your door no matter where you are. You can receive real-time alerts on your phone whenever the Ring Video Doorbell picks up movement through its motion-detection function. However, you'll need to pony up for a Ring Home plan (starting at $5 per month) to get more detailed alerts, such as whether the motion alert was due to a person ringing your doorbell, a package delivery and so on. The subscription includes features like access to 180 days of event video history. If you opt for the $20 per month premium tier, you'll get 24/7 recording for every compatible doorbell and camera in your home. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-2024-ring-video-doorbell-is-on-sale-for-only-55-162236739.html?src=rss

Square Enix is following up last year's release of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake with the remade versions of the first two games in the franchise. In celebration of the original game's release on May 27, 1986, the company has announced that the Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Remake set is arriving on October 30 on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, the PlayStation 5, the Xbox Series X|S and the PC via Steam. Chronologically, the first two games in the franchise take place after the events in the third game. It revolves around the hero who went on a journey to complete the quest started by their father, a legendary warrior, to defeat the demon lord Baramos.Dragon Quest 1 and 2 revolve around the descendants of that hero, who received the title of "Erdrick" after the events of the third game. Both games are turn-based RPGs, wherein players can control the actions of all the members of a party. They, like the other games in the franchise, feature character designs by Akira Toriyama, who's mostly known for creating Dragon Ball. Players can expect high-definition 2D graphics, brand new major story additions, a refined battle system and other quality-of-life updates with the remake set.The digital and physical versions of the Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Remake set are now available for pre-order for $60, except for the digital Switch and Switch 2 games that will be available at a later date. Pre-orders will come with free in-game items, but the Collector's Edition will also come with digital wallpapers, six characters, a dog and two boss monsters. And for those who didn't get the third game's remake last year, Square Enix is releasing a digital-only Erdrick Trilogy Collection with all three games on the same day.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/dragon-quest-1-and-2-hd-2d-remake-arrives-on-october-30-124540701.html?src=rss

Vertical videos have been a part of most people's every day lives for years now. TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and more are all in portrait mode, as is a typical video call off a smartphone. But it's only now that PopSockets has caught up, releasing the Kick-Out Grip and Stand that can balance a phone vertically.The new model is part of PopSockets' MagSafe line but, as the name suggests, includes a kick stand that folds out of the traditional socket. All a person needs to do is flatten the grip and then pop out the top bit. It will fold down and serve as a light stand for the phone to rest on.PopSockets has launched the Kick-Out Grip and Stand in Black, Latte, Dusk and Putty, along with two Aluminum Radial options, French Navy and Silver. It retails for $40 and should work with any MagSafe compatible case, swappable PopTop or PopMount currently sold. However, it also comes with an adapter ring so it should work with almost any case.The new Kick-Out Grip and Stand feels like a small update but, if you're anything like me, it will stop water bottles, cups and other rogue phone props from constantly fall down.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/popsockets-finally-launches-a-vertical-grip-stand-123027346.html?src=rss

Memorial Day may be over, but some of the best holiday sales on tech are still lingering today, including a few solid discounts on Apple devices. Key among them is $100 off the Apple Watch Series 10, the wearable we consider to be the best smartwatch for most people. That brings it down to $299, which is a record-low price. This price is for a GPS version (meaning it doesn't support LTE) with the smaller 42mm case. At the time of writing, the $299 price applies to two color variants: a jet black aluminum case with black sport band and a rose gold aluminum case with light blush sport band. Discounts vary on other configurations. The Apple Watch Series 10 is an iterative upgrade. If you already have a Series 8 or 9, it's perhaps not worth switching to the latest model. However, if you're rocking an older Apple Watch or you're looking to pick up your first one, this is our recommendation. We gave the Apple Watch Series 10 a score of 90 in our review. The Series 10 is a little thinner and lighter than the previous model, but it has a larger OLED screen, which makes it easier to see what's on the display. Apple has improved the efficiency of the battery life as well, and it should often last longer on a single charge than the 18 hours for which it's rated. The new sleep apnea feature is very welcome, but the blood oxygen feature from older models is not available here (Apple removed that app from certain models in the US due to a patent dispute). In general, though, the Series 10 is a solid step forward for the Apple Watch. The latest model is a terrific fitness tracker that helps you keep an eye on the most important alerts and notifications you receive on your iPhone. If you're looking to spend a bit less, the Apple Watch SE is also on sale for $169. 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/pick-up-the-apple-watch-series-10-while-its-down-to-a-record-low-price-151537980.html?src=rss

Nikon has announced that it will increase prices on its photography products in the US due to tariffs, joining other camera manufacturers including Canon, Blackmagic Design and Leica in doing so. It hasn't yet shared which products will be affected, but several outlets have received word from dealers that the changes will mostly affect lenses and accessories manufactured in China."Due to the recent tariffs, a necessary price adjustment for products will take effect on June 23, 2025," the company wrote last week. "We will be carefully monitoring any tariff developments and may adjust pricing as necessary to reflect the evolving market conditions. We wish to thank our customers for their understanding and know that we are taking every possible step to minimize the impact on our community."The development comes from Trump's recent tariffs affecting electronic goods, with Nikon noting that the increase could cut its operating profit by around $68 million. Canon, the worldwide leader in camera sales, said in its earnings report last month that it would raise prices soon. Fujifilm recently paused US preorders for several models including the X-M5 and X100 VI.Other electronics companies, including Acer and DJI, also recently announced US-only price hikes. In its latest earnings report, Sony said it expects to seller fewer PS5s and expects a $700 million tariff-related revenue hit.These increases could just be the beginning. Nikon builds its products in multiple countries affected by US tariffs, including China, Thailand and its home country, Japan. Unless those nations can negotiate new tariff terms before the end of Trump's 90-day pause, they could be subject to drastically higher rates by July - which would in turn prices for Nikon and many other camera manufacturers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/nikon-joins-other-camera-manufacturers-in-raising-prices-due-to-tariffs-120011854.html?src=rss

When I got an early look at Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge, the first of a new supposed wave of thinner smartphones, it was easy to spot what I'd take issue with. But you know what? Those issues may not matter as much as I thought.Engadget's Sam Rutherford has put the device through its paces, and thankfully, the impressive battery life of the S25 series continues. Our rundown test lasted a minute shy of 26 hours. That's less than other S25 phones with bigger batteries but roughly equal to Google's Pixel 9 Pro.EngadgetAnd while there's no optical zoom, the substantial 200-megapixel main camera sensor can crop in a lot, offering some kind of zoom, even if image quality doesn't match true telephoto cameras.I've got the S25 Edge with me, and these compromises are fine. I also like it thinner. And lighter. I've suffered enough with Ultras and Pro Max phones. If anything, I wish the S25 Edge had a smaller screen, closer to the base S25, Pixel 9 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro.The biggest weakness I didn't note with the S25 Edge? The perennial curse of measuring devices in millimeters and fractions of an inch means your protective case will almost certainly add those millimeters back on.- Mat SmithGet Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The news you might have missed

Finding the best iPad accessories can seriously upgrade your tablet experience, whether you're using it to sketch, binge your favorite shows or stay productive on the go. With the right gear, you can customize your iPad setup to match your needs - from a slim folio for iPad that protects your screen to a magic keyboard case that turns it into a full-blown laptop alternative. And if you're rocking the new iPad Air 11-inch, there are even more tailored options to get the most out of your device.

Apple's AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation (ANC) just became an even more enticing proposition for those who have been on the fence about picking up a pair. They have dropped to $149, which is $30 off the regular price. That's only about $10 more than the record low and the lowest price we've seen for the AirPods 4 with ANC so far this year. If ANC isn't such a big deal for you (perhaps, like me, you tend to only wear one earbud at a time), you can snap up a set of AirPods 4 without ANC instead. Those will currently run you $119, a discount of $10. We gave the AirPods 4 with ANC a score of 86 in our review. Apple improved the audio quality compared with the previous version, and the earbuds have a better fit than the AirPods 3. We felt that the ANC was pretty effective too. However, the lack of onboard volume controls remains a disappointment. The AirPods 4 use the same H2 chip as the AirPods Pro 2, meaning they share some features with the higher-end model. They support Voice Isolation, Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, Personalized Volume and Adaptive EQ. The ANC-enabled model also has Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio and Transparency mode. In addition, the charging case that comes with the ANC version has Qi-compatible wireless charging, as well as a built-in speaker for Find My. However, the AirPods Pro 2's advanced hearing health features aren't present here. 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-airpods-4-with-anc-drop-to-149-for-memorial-day-161120128.html?src=rss

Sonos has joined in on the Memorial Day sales by discounting its portable speakers. You can get up to 25 percent off right now on items including the Sonos Move 2, which is $113 off and down to $336. The Sonos Roam 2 is also part of the sale with a $45 discount. The Sonos Move 2 was introduced in 2023 as the more expensive follow-up to the original Move, Sonos' first "portable" speaker. You can argue over it's portability - the Move 2 makes more sense as something your carry to your backyard than take on a hike - but the speaker packs a punch and lets you play music over both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. We liked the Sonos Move 2 when we originally reviewed it, but took issue with how expensive it was, so this sale helps make splurging on it more palatable. If you're looking for something even more portable and affordable, the Sonos Roam 2 is also on sale for $45 off. Like the Move 2, the speaker has the ability to connect to a smartphone over Bluetooth outside while still being able to hook into your larger Sonos sound system over Wi-Fi at home. The Sonos Roam 2 offers some key improvements to the original Roam's design, too, like new colors and easier to understand buttons, while still providing the company's signature sound profile and 10 hours of battery life. On top of the two speakers, you could also buy a bundle of a speaker and an accessory, like the Sonos Roam 2 and an OtterBox case, or a bundle of multiple speakers. You can get two Roam 2's for $268 or a Sonos Roam 2 and Sonos Move 2 for $479, for example. Sonos has faced issues in the last year ironing out software problems - the bugs and missing features were so bad the company's CEO stepped down - but the fundamentals of how the company's speakers sound have remained great. With the ship mostly righted on the software side of things, a sale is a great time to see what all of the fuss is about. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/sonos-portable-speakers-are-up-to-25-percent-off-for-memorial-day-185627273.html?src=rss

If you're on grilling duty this Memorial Day and stressing about getting the steak and veggies just right, we've got a deal for you. The MasterClass Memorial Day sale, running from May 22 to 26, offers up to 40 percent off all subscriptions to the video learning platform. Starting at $72, you can learn how to grill from legendary Texas BBQ master Aaron Franklin, then enjoy other courses for a full year. Just make sure to subscribe before the end of Memorial Day itself to take advantage of the discount. When you take a MasterClass course, one of the world's top experts guides you through a series of videos on how to approach their craft. The Memorial Day deal drops the cost of a Standard subscription to $6 per month when billed annually, which comes out to $72 in total. That gives you access to more than 200 courses for a year, though you can only watch them on a device connected to the internet. It makes an excellent gift for someone you love - or for yourself. MasterClass is also discounting its higher tiers for Memorial Day. With a Plus subscription, you can watch MasterClass courses on two devices at once, and download them to watch offline whenever you want. A Premium subscription boosts the number of devices to six. The latter also includes access to MasterClass On Call, which lets you chat with AI recreations of MasterClass experts (Although, as our review notes, that feature still needs a bit of polishing.) After you've wowed your friends and family with your new grilling skills, MasterClass has plenty of other lessons that you can explore to continue your education. Creative writers can check out the BBC Maestro course that "resurrects" Agatha Christie, using her notes, an actress and AI rendering to teach the art of crafting a killer mystery. The platform also just launched a 20-episode series on healthy skin, featuring a panel of accredited dermatologists and cosmeticians. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/masterclass-deal-get-up-to-40-percent-off-for-memorial-day-121509909.html?src=rss

It might surprise you, but Memorial Day can be a great time to shop for tech. In years past, we've seen solid Memorial Day sales on all manner of gadgets including many of our favorite tablets, headphones, charging accessories, robot vacuums and more. That's on top of all the seasonal items that usually gets discounted at this time like smart grills and grilling gear, pizza ovens and outdoor tech.

Skullcandy isn't a name that usually comes to mind when you think of premium headphones. The Utah-based company has primarily made its name in the budget space, selling more on low prices and loud, sports-heavy marketing than the promise of excellent sound quality. With the new Method 360 ANC, the audio maker is trying to change that by latching onto another brand entirely. Skullcandy proudly boasts that its latest wireless earbuds feature sound by Bose," which is to say that Bose has supplied the acoustic tuning, ear tips and overall shape of the device. In fact, the new buds look quite similar to Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds from afar. But that upscale pair retails for $299 and the Method 360 ANC only costs $130 (or as low as $100 at third-party stores of this writing). So has Skullcandy managed to capture the best of Bose at a more affordable price? Kind of. Design and features The Method 360 ANC is indeed roughly as comfortable as the QuietComfort Ultra. Each earpiece is slightly heavier and more plastic-y - and Bose's pair was already on the bulky side - but the soft ear gels and stability fins help them fit snug without creating too much pressure. I had no issues with them coming loose over several weeks of testing. The earbuds have an IPX4 water-resistance rating - not the best, but enough to survive most people's workouts. The larger frame creates more space for the side touch panels, and all the controls do work reliably, which isn't a given in the $100 range. These earbuds also come with most of the features you'd want from a modern pair. There are active noise cancellation (ANC) and ambient sound modes. Battery life is fine at eight to 11-ish hours, depending on ANC usage. They can dependably connect to two devices simultaneously, and they work with Google's Fast Pair tech on Android devices. They support wear detection, too, and there are three different sets of ear gels and fins in the box. Any settings tweaks I've made in Skullcandy's Skull-iQ app have taken effect quickly, and in general the software is easy to navigate. The only major omissions here are the lack of wireless charging and a short one-year warranty. The Method 360 ANC is almost identical to Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds in terms of design. For this review, we mainly compared the new Skullcandy buds against the QC Ultras and Anker's Soundcore Space A40, the top pick in our budget earbuds buying guide. Jeff Dunn for Engadget Sound quality Once you start listening to the Method 360 ANC, though, you start to see why it's priced under $150. The default sound signature is extremely V-shaped: The bass is massive, the treble is bright and everything in between is recessed. Bass lovers should appreciate this with hip-hop, dance music and many pop songs. A track like Kendrick Lamar's DNA" becomes particularly easy to rock to: The low-end is deep and impactful, while a giant spike around the upper midrange keeps the vocals clear throughout. In general, the Method 360 ANC is a step up from the Anker Soundcore Space A40, the longtime top pick in our guide to the best earbuds under $100. That pair is far more muffled in the treble, whereas the Skullcandy pair's crisper, more extended highs tend to make songs feel less closed-off. That said, it's very easy to see how this kind of signature could get fatiguing over time. It's consistently intense, and the recessed mids cause it to lose details in moderately intricate compositions. An indie rock track like Hop Along's The Knock" is a bit of a mess, as the bassline and crunchy rhythm guitar overwhelm the lead guitar riffs and rob the raspy vocals of air. With America's Ventura Highway," the folksy acoustic guitar comes through clearly, but the overemphasized treble makes ess" sounds a touch too sharp. The QuietComfort Ultra doesn't exactly sound neutral, but it always comes off as more balanced by comparison. Skullcandy has also omitted support for higher-quality Bluetooth codecs, so it only supports the basic SBC and AAC. All of this is still better-than-average for bassheads shopping in this price range - just don't expect it to compete very far beyond that. Thankfully, you can rein in some of the default profile's excesses with a custom EQ in Skullcandy's app. The charging case is on the larger side, to put it mildly, and uses a sliding mechanism to open and close. Jeff Dunn for Engadget ANC, ambient sound, call quality and one funky case Skullcandy's ANC is perfectly respectable for $130, and it's great you can customize the intensity of the noise-canceling effect via the app. But it's not on the level of the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or even the step-down QuietComfort Earbuds. It cuts out a fair chunk of the bassy rumble of an NYC subway train, but higher-pitched screeches and stop announcements are very much audible with music playing at moderate volumes. The Stay Aware" (ambient sound) mode, meanwhile, is passable but nothing more; it's one of those deals where you need to keep the volume somewhat low to ensure you can hear yourself clearly. Call quality isn't great, either: The mic does well to limit background noise, but it struggles with wind and makes your voice sound noticeably thin and processed. My testing partner said it made me sound like I was in an elevator. My biggest complaint, however, is with the ginormous tube of a case. It's comically large next to pairs like the QuietComfort Ultra or Space A40, so much so that I have to question just how spacious Skullcandy thinks most people's pockets are. There is a built-in clip that lets you hook the case to a bag or belt loop, but as a resident of New York City, I will never be comfortable sauntering around with anything of value dangling on my person. Actually snapping the earbuds back into the case is cumbersome as well: You have to slide the case open, then flip the earpieces upside down and insert them on opposite sides. I can understand wanting to make something unique, but this is an instance where boring would've been better. The Method 360 ANC's case has a built-in clip for attaching to bags or belt loops. Jeff Dunn for Engadget Wrap-up The Method 360 ANC has its problems, but most of them aren't too surprising for a relatively affordable pair of wireless earbuds (oversized case aside). Don't be fooled into thinking the Bose branding means you're getting a Bose-level product - the real-deal QuietComfort Earbuds are better if you're willing to pay more. But this is still a tier above most budget pairs we've tested. It has nearly all the features we're looking for (unlike, say, the Beats Solo Buds), it's comfortable and the sound signature will hit right if you're hungry for bass. At its normal $130, it's well worth considering for bassheads who can go one rung above the bargain bin. For $100 or less, it's a great value. Just make room for that case.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/skullcandy-method-360-anc-review-a-cheaper-version-of-boses-best-earbuds-with-a-few-key-sacrifices-130047025.html?src=rss

Shopping for the best cordless vacuum cleaners means finding that sweet spot between power, portability and convenience. Whether you're cleaning up after pets, tackling hardwood floors or reaching those tricky spots under the couch, cordless vacuums offer freedom and versatility that traditional canister vacuums just can't match.

The FAA last week cleared SpaceX's Starship to fly again after concluding its review of the previous flight, which ended in an explosion, and the next test could now take off as soon as Tuesday. SpaceX is eyeing May 27 for Starship's ninth flight test, with a launch window opening at 7:30PM ET (6:30PM local time for the Texas Starbase). This launch will mark the first time SpaceX reuses a Super Heavy booster; the booster for flight nine previously flew with Starship's seventh flight test earlier this year. While single-use parts have been replaced, SpaceX says it's reusing 29 of the booster's 33 Raptor engines.As always, viewers at home will be able to watch along by tuning into the livestream, starting about 30 minutes before Starship launches. That will be available on SpaceX's website and in a broadcast on its X profile.

Texas could become the next US state to lay down the law with social media platforms. A Texas bill that would ban social media use for anyone under 18 recently moved past the Senate committee and is due for a vote in front of the Texas State Senate. The bill has until the state's legislative session comes to an end on June 2, leaving roughly a week for it to be approved by both the Senate and the governor.Earlier this year, the bill passed the House committee stage and was later voted in favor of by the state's House of Representatives. If made into law, the bill would force social media platforms to verify the age of anyone setting up an account, much like how Texas passed legislation requiring websites hosting porn to implement an age verification system. On top of that, Texas' social media ban proposes to let parents delete their child's social media account, allowing the platforms 10 days to comply with the request or face a fine from the state's attorney general.Texas isn't the only governing body interested in restricting social media access. Last year, Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, signed into law a bill that outright bans anyone under 14 from using social media and requires 14- and 15-year-olds to get parental consent to make an account or use an existing account. Notably, Texas' proposed law is much stricter than that.On a larger scale, the US Senate introduced a bill to ban social media platforms for anyone under 13 in April 2024. After being stuck in the committee stage, Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) recently made comments that signal a potential second attempt at getting this passed.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/texas-is-getting-ready-to-ban-social-media-for-anyone-under-18-180202219.html?src=rss

If you've been eyeing Apple's new MacBook Air with the M4 chip, now's a good time to scoop one up. The 13-inch model (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) is over $100 off its usual starting price of $999 in a Memorial Day sale on Amazon - and a coupon available for three of the four colors brings the price down even further to $850. That applies to the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air in Midnight, Silver and Sky Blue. The Starlight variant is on sale too, but with no additional coupon, making it $899. Models with higher storage options are on sale too, also with savings of more than $100 and a coupon for certain colors. The model with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is down to around $1,050 from its usual $1,199, while the version above that (24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is around $1,250 compared to the normal $1,399 price tag. The prices are unbeatable for the laptop that's only been out for a few months, and is our pick for the best MacBook you can get in 2025. The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 was released in March and scored a 92 in our review. Engadget's Devindra Hardawar called it "a nearly flawless ultraportable," especially with a starting price that's lower than what we've seen in earlier models. It weighs just 2.7 pounds and measures 0.44 inches thick, but is a fast and capable laptop with a bright display and impressive battery life. In Engadget's tests, the 13-inch MacBook Air lasted for more than 18 hours with HD video running. Even the base model should be fine for most users, with a 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. As Devindra noted in his review, this year's 13- and 15-inch MacBook Airs are "zippy, wonderfully light and can last well beyond a full day of work." 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-13-inch-macbook-air-m4-drops-to-850-for-memorial-day-164500635.html?src=rss

Apple's long-awaited smart home hub could be available as soon as the end of this year, according to the latest report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Rumors surrounding Apple's smart home hub began circulating as early as 2022, when the product was first reportedly greenlit. However, the road to its release has been rocky since the product was expected to heavily rely on Apple Intelligence. Gurman previously reported in March that Apple had delayed the announcement of its smart home hub thanks to issues with upgrading Siri.Gurman has since updated his expected timeline for Apple's upcoming product, claiming that a lower-end version will release "by the end of this year at the earliest." Gurman also revealed that a more advanced version that can "move around a person's desk on the end of a robotic arm" should release a year or two after the basic model's launch and is a "major priority at Apple." To meet this release window, Apple will reportedly abandon some of the "bolder features" with the robotic arm model. Gurman added that those features could be pushed back to later models instead.Apple has said very little about its smart home hub, but rumors detail a design that draws from both the HomePod and iPad. It's rumored to have a seven-inch display, a new operating system called homeOS, and a dashboard that resembles the iPhone's StandBy mode. Apple will have to compete with existing smart home hubs like Amazon's Echo lineup and Google's Nest Hub, but it's rumored that the starting price for the robotic arm version could start at $1,000.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/apples-smart-home-hub-could-reportedly-make-its-debut-later-this-year-161702487.html?src=rss

No need to pass the aux anymore because Spotify is bringing its Jam feature to cars with Android Auto and Google built-in. As revealed during Google I/O, Spotify Jam will be available through any compatible car's infotainment system. It's a minor upgrade, but one that saves the driver from having to manually launch a Spotify Jam session through their smartphone that's connected to the car.Instead, the Spotify Jam can get started from the car's central display and will give your passengers a QR code to scan if they want to contribute to the playlist. Spotify revealed its Jam feature in September 2023 and it's been a hit because it allows friends to smoothly share and discover new music. The natural next step is to introduce it to Android Auto since road trips and collaborative playlists pair together like peanut butter and jelly.Spotify Jam will be available in the coming months on Android Auto and its more than 500 compatible car models, later being introduced to the dozen or so car brands that have Google built-in. Beyond that, Google is also planning on introducing streaming video and browser apps as part of its Android Auto ecosystem.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/youll-soon-be-able-to-start-a-spotify-jam-directly-in-your-car-200002411.html?src=rss

These are some recently released titles we think are worth adding to your reading list. This week, we read Mira Grant's Overgrowth, a horror sci-fi novel about an alien invasion and the girl who tried to warn everyone about it, and the vampire apocalypse mini series, Vatican City. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/what-to-read-this-weekend-an-alien-invasion-as-told-by-a-body-snatcher-183016885.html?src=rss

Spoilers for Wish World."Even the most daring artists, those that actively seek reinvention on a regular basis, will eventually wind up repeating themselves. If they're lucky and self-aware, the artist may even get the chance to rehabilitate some of the lesser works in their canon. Sadly, it's at this last hurdle that Russell T. Davies has fallen, with Wish World" not quite able to do more than become a bizarro remake of The Sound of Drums / Last of the Time Lords."James Pardon/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad WolfWe open in Bavaria, 1865, where a cloak-wearing woman on horseback rides through a forest to a remote cabin. It's classic series villain the Rani, resurrected at the end of last week's episode, who is greeted by Otto Zufall (German for coincidence"), a storybook villager-type who expected to greet a midwife to help his ailing wife, Violett. Otto is the seventh son of a seventh son, who has just welcomed his seventh son into the world. Violet lays in bed cradling the newborn, which the Rani says is - as the third-generation seventh son - gifted with unbelievable power. She plucks the newborn from her arms, killing Violet by blowing on her, turning her into a pile of violet petals. She then blows on the other six children and turns them into ducks, and Otto into a wise owl.Then, we're on Earth on May 23, 2025, where the happily married couple John Smith - the Doctor - and Belinda wake up side by side in bed. Their daughter, Poppy (from Space Babies" and The Story and the Engine") pads in from her bedroom. The trio live as a picture of domestic bliss, with a distinctly fake-looking 60s style kitchen filled with bright colors. It may be the present day, but there's little-to-no tech on show except that every room has a 14-inch CRT TV that only plays a broadcast of Conrad (from Lucky Day") who tells them the whole world is going to have great weather that day.At breakfast, the Doctor's mind wanders for a moment, and suddenly his mug (which was in the middle of the table) inexplicably smashes to the floor. Never mind, as there's a whole cupboard of matching mugs to replace the ones that fall during a slip." Each house even has a large, bright orange trash can just to get rid of the mugs that fall during a slip", including their next door neighbor, Mel. When the Doctor greets Mel, he asks what her plans are for May Day, and she says as an unmarried woman with no children, she'll just sit inside in quiet contemplation.Looming over the heart of the city, taller than any skyscraper, is a structure made out of bone that stands tall on spindly spider legs. Similarly incongruous is a series of massive, dinosaur skeletons that stomp around the landscape. We'll see later that the dinosaur skeletons don't actually interact with the world around them, phasing through the space below.The only person (for now) that doesn't seem to be affected is Ruby, who turns up at the Doctor's house. She thinks she knows the Doctor, and Belinda, but can't quite work anything out, and then blurts out that they don't have a child when she sees Poppy. That prompts Belinda to call the police, as having doubt or sowing confusion is a crime here. The Doctor heads to work in UNIT HQ, suitably redecorated as a 1950s office despite the sci-fi trappings in the periphery. Kate Stewart is an officious boss, Colonel Ibrahim is the Doctor's colleague and Susan Triad has been turned into the 60s tea-lady from The Devil's Chord."Colonel Ibrahim still has the hots for Kate, but thinks that she's so far out of his league that she'd never go out with him. The Doctor disagrees, saying that Ibrahim is a beautiful" man, which prompts Ibrahim to get very angry. After all, it would be wrong, impossible or deviant for a man to find another man beautiful, even intellectually. But the Doctor manages to avoid having him call the secret police as the staff of the office all stop to spot the Rani flying by on her hover scooter, which they believe is a sign of good luck for May Day the following day (another deliberate incongruity given May Day takes place on May 1).The Rani lands on the spider skeleton / looming tower of doom, handing Mrs. Flood some Italian meat and tells her to make Conrad a sandwich. He's up in the tower, as it's his imagination that is shaping the world, with his regular broadcasts informing the people of his choices. But he's also nervous - saying that the effort of maintaining a world is difficult since he has to run so many complex systems or else let whole nations be destroyed. It may be his imagination, but it's being powered by the nameless baby from 1865, who never cries, just smiles.Conrad, being the show's avatar of so many alt-right figures, has built a reality to reflect his worldview. Heterosexuality is compulsory and loudly and rigidly enforced, there is a secret police ready to seize anyone off the street at a moment's notice and everyone is constantly asked to inform on their family members. The culture of paranoia is rife. It also explains why Mel, as an unmarried and child-free woman, is expected to sit away and quietly contemplate her implicitly-poor choices, because naturally Conrad only values women for their utility, birthing and taking care of men, rather than as people with their own agency. Even Mrs. Flood, a Time Lady in her own right and the architect of this whole scheme, is relegated to the thankless role of mother."James Pardon/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad WolfHis regular broadcasts are even used to taunt the Doctor, reading a story about the Doctor from a book that apes the original British Harry Potter covers. It is, without a doubt, intentional that Davies' would make his alt-right villain a fan of the series in 2025.Meanwhile, Belinda remains at home looking after Poppy, and gets a visit from her mum and grandmother. They are talking about motherhood, and the fact Poppy is expected to grow up and become an obedient wife to her husband. But when Belinda's grandmother asks how long Belinda's labor took, she can't remember - prompting a small crisis of her own.There's one UNIT regular who isn't up in the office, Shirley Bingham, who is in a wheelchair begging out on the street. Conrad's worldview has no room for people with disabilities (or queer and gender non-conforming people) and so she's homeless. Ruby initially brushes her pleas for money away before stopping and realizing that she's met them before. Ruby is taken to a hidden homeless encampment where the ignored have gathered to create some sort of community. Ruby explains to them what they already know - something about all of this is wrong, and that she's lived through 2025 already (during 73 Yards") and it didn't play out like this. Shirley has a plan to bring down Conrad, and Ruby wants in, saying that if she can get face to face with him, she'll be able to remember what's locked in the back of her mind.That night, the Doctor is at home, furrowing his brow, and in the background Susan appears on his TV in a brief flash. But she quickly disappears, only to be replaced by Rogue (Jonathan Groff, from last season's Rogue") who only has time to tell the Doctor two things. First, tables don't do that," and that he loves him. Belinda wakes up to the sound of mugs smashing, as the Doctor experiments - every time he feels doubt, a mug falls through the solid wood onto the floor. Belinda can see what's going on, but is horrified enough to call the police and get them to arrest the Doctor for having doubts. But Mrs. Flood doesn't just arrest the Doctor, she hauls Belinda's mom there to look after Poppy so Belinda can be arrested too.Shirley and Ruby are camped out below the stone tower, and Shirley pulls out a UNIT tablet that's a relic from the old world. Up in the tower, the Doctor and Belinda are pushed over a threshold and into the safety of the Rani's lair. But the pair still don't have their memories, and so are confused when the Rani starts expositing at them, at length. She points out the seal of Rassilon, and asks if that jogs his memory to no avail, similarly her robot assistants that are looking for signs of doubt among the population. The Rani even dances under a disco ball to a dumbfounded Doctor, who just pleads for mercy.The Rani explains, in a way that made no sense to me at least, that all of the villains the Doctor ever faced wanted death, but her, who wants life. She somehow survived all the various destructions of Gallifrey and is now looking for a lost soul in the heretofore unknown underverse." She achieved this by, uh, blocking the Doctor's route back to Earth and instead, forcing him to criss-cross around the universe with the Vindicator. Each reading the machine took was, in fact, creating a universe-wide network of power all feeding back to the Earth. As the Doctor's memory returns, the Rani explains that being trapped in Conrad's reality was to create and foster doubt. Much in the same way a human being's doubt can damage their world, a Time Lord's doubt should be enough to crack open the universe.As the clock ticks closer to midnight, she sends Belinda back outside the bone tower to her doom. Then, the Rani locks the Doctor on the bone tower's balcony to witness as London is swallowed by a series of enormous black voids with only remnants emerging from the other side (such as the burned Black Cab at the end of The Robot Revolution"). Why? Because the lost soul, trapped in the underverse" she's desperate to reach, is Omega.The Doctor, trapped on the balcony, tries to break back into the tower and stop the Rani but it's too late. She has laid explosive charges and when they blow, the balcony tumbles down toward the void beneath. But the Doctor screams, Poppy is real! Don't you know what that means?" as he tumbles into the darkness. To. Be. Continued.Tables don't do that."James Pardon/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad WolfIf there's one thing Russell T. Davies doesn't do well, it's narrative coherence in the run-up to his big finales. Problems and solutions are equally contrived, pulled out of left field and generally don't stand up to much scrutiny. In his mind that's okay because what interests him is the emotional resonance and character moments created by that drama. Given he's one of the few name brand writers in the UK, it's not as if this approach hasn't been enormously successful.But it does make Wish World" a frustrating beast since it is, as usual, playing with so many good ideas it squanders most of them. That wouldn't be so bad, but for the episode's conclusion being handed over to incoherent technobabble. It doesn't help this is the second series in a row that hinges on the audience recognizing the significance of a villain not properly* seen on screen for more than four decades.It's worth looking at the first two thirds separate from the last, since there's so much good stuff early on. One of Davies' usual fixations is on the rise of middle-class British fascism, and the moments when we're just inhabiting Conrad's world are wonderful. This time, it's centered on the stultifying environment for the so-called respectable types," whose position and status are perpetually tenuous. The paranoia that manifests out of that means everyone is looking for signs of deviance in their own communities. Those deemed unfit, especially people with disabilities and queer folks, are rendered as un-persons, invisible, shunned and isolated.Wish World" picks up on another recurring theme in the show, which is to ask what happens after the war has ended. Conrad's utopia may have lovely weather, but everyone is dressed in uncomfortable clothes and at perpetual risk of being kidnapped off the street by police.If I have a nitpick (and I do) it's that I wish we hadn't needed to see the Rani's baby kidnapping in the opener. Starting with the Doctor and Belinda waking up as a married couple would have been a bigger shock. And it's a shame the episode can't commit hard enough to the we're trapped in a bizarro world" bit as Ruby turns up so quickly to let the audience know Things Are Awry. Imagine if the first twenty minutes had played out just from John Smith, or Belinda, or Ruby's perspective and the creeping horror as they realized what was wrong.Sadly, it's the usual problem of having maybe 30 minutes at most to gesture to those ideas rather than explore them. Because we then have to stop the episode to get Ncuti Gatwa to look perplexed while the Rani spouts nonsense at him. Her evil plan doesn't stand up to much scrutiny even as we're being told it. After all, why does she need the Doctor to leap between planets when she has her own TARDIS? And if all it takes is a Time Lord's doubt to rip open the universe, she could have easily done that herself. It's not as if the Doctor is affected by the doubt since he's able to carry on until the Rani explodes the balcony and casts him into the void.Oh, there's one thing that's good in those last moments - the scene of the Doctor realizing something about Poppy is a nice hook into the finale.James Pardon/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad WolfI don't get why the Rani would be motivated to go looking for Omega, the scientist who helped co-found Time Lord society. If Rassilon was the political mind, Omega was the engineer who created the power to make it all happen. He created the stellar manipulator that put a stable black hole at the heart of Gallifrey - the Eye of Harmony - to power its TARDISes. Omega's backstory was flimsy in his two televised appearances, essentially being an overpowered villain for the Doctor(s) to battle in two different anniversary specials, The Three Doctors" and Arc of Infinity." The rest of his backstory was filled out in the spin-off material, but he's essentially just a big name baddie trotted out when, say, the Master wouldn't cut it.There are thematic parallels between Omega and Conrad, however, since Omega's antimatter universe was sustained entirely by his will and imagination. Is that a comment on something, or just a nice way of dovetailing toward Omega. Who knows? I'm not sure I do.It's hard not to notice the extreme similarities between Wish World" and The Sound of Drums / Last of the Time Lords," including the fact both stories got started in the previous episode. For a start, there's the whole Britain-under fascism angle, with the Doctor incapacitated by the villain. Not to mention both feature a sequence in which a Gallifreyan foe taunts our hero with a high camp dancing sequence in a room hovering above the sky. If there's a shame, it's that while the runtime has been cut in half, the actual quality of the denouement seems to have gotten worse.Oh, it was nice to see the seal of the Prydonian Chapter of the Time Lords of Gallifrey Seal of Rassilon on the wall of the Rani's HQ. The bronze and red stylings looked gorgeous and while I'm never going to bang on about fan service in production design, it was lovely to see. And wasn't it nice to get a bone structure hovering over London which is an unintentional callback to The Ancestor Cell." Just a shame that you're then reminded that the book was designed to burn all the great ideas created by Lawrence Miles out of Doctor Who. After all, Miles has been at times the most interesting writer the series' leadership refused to engage with.* Yes, I know Omega and Rassilon are standing beside Tecteun in The Timeless Children."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/doctor-who-wish-world-review-the-last-of-the-time-lords-redux-183004744.html?src=rss

Whoop's new screen-less, fitness-focused Whoop MG wearable might have a major bug that can leave the device unusable, according to reports from Android Police and TechIssuesToday. Whoop launched the Whoop MG and Whoop 5.0 at the beginning of May, the company's first major hardware release since it launched the Whoop 4.0 in 2021.According to complaints on Whoop's community forums and X, after setting up a Whoop MG, the wearable can mysteriously became unresponsive hours later, refusing to connect to a smartphone even when it should be charged. "I wore it for about 20 hours or so, but then it suddenly disappeared from the app, no sensor lights on, nothing appearing in the app," one new Whoop MG owner shared on Reddit. On the company's forums, Whoop suggests trying things like charging the MG, reconnecting it to your phone or resetting the wearable to see if that fixes things. Whoop owners have also been directed to contact Whoop's Support team, and multiple faulty Whoop MG owners report that they're being sent replacement wearables.Whoop tells Engadget that reports of issues "[misrepresent] the overall performance and reliability of our new WHOOP devices." So far, problems with the new Whoop MG or Whoop 5.0 "are rare and isolated, impacting a small number of members." For members who have reported problems, Whoop says its "promptly replaced their devices. If a replacement takes more than a day to arrive, [Whoop] ensures the member is not charged for any time without a working device."Unlike other companies, Whoop doesn't expect customers to buy a fitness tracker and then pay a subscription; Whoop's subscription fee is inclusive of its hardware. With the Whoop 5.0 and Whoop MG, the company is also hoping to expand the number of metrics it tracks beyond just activity and sleep tracking to things like real-time stress monitoring and, in the case of the MG, blood pressure and ECG readings. What features you're able to access ultimately depends on both the wearable you have and the subscription you're paying for, though.Prior to this issue, Whoop was also caught denying free hardware upgrades to existing customers after previously suggesting it would send out new wearables to anyone who'd been a member for six months or more. Whoop reversed that decision a few days later.Update, May 24, 2025, 2:08PM ET: This post has been updated to include a statement from Whoop.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/one-of-whoops-new-wearables-has-a-bug-so-bad-the-company-is-issuing-replacements-201550971.html?src=rss

Writer's block is no match for Microsoft's latest AI infusion for its Notepad app. The long-neglected Notepad now has the ability to write custom content based on any prompt you feed it, so long as you have Microsoft 365 or a Copilot Pro subscription. Microsoft's updated Notepad even lets you fine-tune the generated text with follow-up prompts.This update comes several months after Microsoft added the Rewrite tool to Notepad that lets you lean on generative AI to refine an existing chunk of text. Instead of rewriting, you can now right-click where you want brand-new text and hit Write from the Copilot menu, or use the Ctrl + Q shortcut. From its humble start as a simple text editor with no spellcheck until recently, Notepad is finally getting the modern AI makeover it deserves.Notepad isn't the only app getting some love from Microsoft. The updated Paint app can tap into generative AI to make custom stickers based on user prompts. On top of that, there's an Object select feature that can isolate specific parts of an image so you can just edit that portion. These two features are only available on Copilot+ PCs, like the recently announced HP laptops.Lastly, Microsoft upgraded the Snipping Tool with the Perfect screenshot feature that automatically edits your screen captures. With the Copilot AI, the tool will automatically resize the screenshot so you don't have to spend time getting the right crop. The Perfect screenshot feature requires a Copilot+ PC, but Snipping Tool's new Color picker tool, which can provide you with the HEX, RGB or HSL values of a color you see on screen, doesn't. As usual, these AI features will roll out to Windows Insiders users first.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsoft-notepads-latest-ai-trick-churns-out-custom-text-for-you-174257053.html?src=rss

Pulsar's latest competitive gaming mouse will literally help you keep your cool during intense matches. The gaming gear company joined forces with Noctua, known for its quiet fans in its signature earthy-brown tones, for a remix of its lightweight Feinmann mouse. The two brands wanted a solution for gamers whose hands get especially sweaty, leading them to jam a 4x4 cm Noctua fan inside a Pulsar mouse.It's not the first time we've seen a computer fan inside a gaming mouse, but it will be the first one to house Noctua's premium fans that keep noise to a minimum. Looking at the updated Feinmann mouse's design, it's a match made in heaven. Pulsar's mouse already has large gaps in its shell to make for a lightweight build, but also a perfect opening for Noctua to squeeze its fans inside. Buying this mouse won't magically boost you to Radiant in Valorant, but it won't be sweaty hands holding you back.Don't forget this is a mouse made for competitive gaming, so it will share the specs from the original Feinmann that has a 32,00 DPI sensor and an ultra-fast 8,000 Hz polling rate. Considering the extra element, the Noctua collaboration will be heavier than the original at 65 grams and have a battery life of 10 to 11 hours, according to Pulsar. The mouse is still a prototype that was available to demo at Computex 2025, but it's expected to hit the market later this year. With the Feinmann retailing for $179.95, don't be surprised if the Noctua collab is more expensive than that.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/this-gaming-mouse-has-a-tiny-fan-inside-to-keep-sweaty-palms-at-bay-161723820.html?src=rss

The Amazon-owned robotaxi company Zoox has issued its second recall in a month following a collision that occurred in San Francisco. It has already submitted a voluntary software recall notice to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after an internal review of the incident and has already deployed the software update to its fleet of 270 vehicles. According to the company's announcement, an unoccupied Zoox robotaxi was struck by an electric scooter after braking at an intersection to give right-of-way to other motorists.The person on the scooter fell, and the robotaxi continued moving and only stopped after completing the turn. Zoox's robotaxi didn't hit the rider, but a company personnel met them and offered medical attention for minor injuries. The incident in San Francisco took place on May 8, shortly after the company announced a voluntary software recall following a separate incident in April wherein a Zoox robotaxi and a passenger car collided in Las Vegas.Despite the recall, Zoox said that its vehicle was stopped and wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary when it was struck. Still, it rolled out a software update to improve its vehicles' perception tracking capabilities and to prevent them from moving forward again when a road user is in a vulnerable position nearby. While the robotaxi didn't make contact with the rider after they fell on the road, the company most likely realized that it could have, which could lead to more serious accidents in the future. Zoox rolled out its autonomous vehicles for testing on the streets of San Francisco in late 2024. Only company employees can catch a ride at the moment, but Zoox is planning to start offering rides to the public sometime later this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/zoox-issues-another-software-recall-for-its-robotaxis-after-a-san-francisco-collision-160026593.html?src=rss

X is still experiencing performance issues a few days after a data center outage brought the site down, with feeds struggling to load on Saturday morning. The site went down for many users around 8AM ET, when downdetector shows a major spike in problem reports. It's since come back up, but performance remains spotty.In an update about the incident posted on Friday night, X's engineering team said, "We're still experiencing issues from yesterday's data center outage. Login and signup services are unavailable for some users, and there may be delays in notifications and Premium features. Our team is working 24/7 to resolve this."According to posts on the company's developer platform page, a "site-wide outage" began at 11AM PT on Thursday, May 22, had "been resolved" as of 10:35 AM PT Friday morning. But the developer site notes that X is still experiencing "degraded performance" of some of its login features. The company has yet to officially comment on the ongoing technical problems since an update Thursday afternoon, when the company said that a data center outage was causing "performance issues" for some users.

Against all chilly odds, we've made it to the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day. While that brings lots of barbecues and swimming, it also means a bunch of deals. Included in this years Memorial Day sales is the Apple Magic Mouse with a USB-C port. Right now, you can pick up the Apple Magic Mouse for $68, down from $79 - a 14 percent discount. The deal brings it to only $5 more than it's all-time low price. Notably, this deal is only for the white model with a USB-C port. The Apple Magic Mouse is a solid wireless and rechargeable option to go with any of your Macs. It should pair automatically with the computer. Plus, one charge should last about a month and you can recharge it with an included woven USB-C Charge Cable. In addition to the Magic Mouse, there are a handful of other Apple accessories on sale for Memorial Day. Key among them are the Apple Pencil Pro for $99 and a four-pack of AirTags for $75. 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-usb-c-magic-mouse-drops-to-68-for-memorial-day-143823705.html?src=rss

Hey there! Welcome to our weekly indie games roundup. We've got lots to get through this time, including some news before we highlight some brand-new games you can play right now.Indie journal publisher Lost in Cult is moving into physical game releases with a label called Editions. The focus here is on preservation - all of the games that it releases will be available to play offline, with no updates required. Physical game preservation team Does it Play? is playtesting each release. There are premium, limited-edition versions of each game with a slipcase cover, essay booklet, poster and more, as well as retail copies.There will be new releases every month, and the first batch includes a couple of humdingers: Immortality and Thank Goodness You're Here. The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, a point-and-click folk horror gamerounds out the trio of debut titles. Really looking forward to seeing where Editions goes from here.The latest Six One Indie showcase took place this week. I've mentioned a game or two that was featured in it below (Game Informer has a list of all the announcements), but I just want to call out a couple of things here.The score for 1000xResist, one of the best-received games of 2024, is getting a vinyl release in October. Pre-orders are open now. Also, the game that closed out the show has somehow flown under my radar. Dinobladeis an upcoming hack-and-slash action RPG that puts big blades in the jaws of big dinosaurs. Hell yeah. Meanwhile, the folks behind the showcase have set up their own publishing label, Six One Indie Publishing.We've got a ton of other gaming showcases coming up over the next few weeks as Summer Game Fest bobbles on the horizon. Fans of brainteasers may want to catch the Thinky Direct showcase from the Thinky Games community. The hour-long stream starts on May 29 at 1PM ET (just as the Cerebral Puzzle Showcase begins on Steam) It will focus on, you guessed it, puzzle games and other titles that should give your brain a workout. You'll be able to watch the stream on YouTube.Meanwhile, a fun showcase of spy games just premiered. The 25-minute video highlights games across several genres that are largely about snoopin' and sneakin'. All of them, including a bundle of the I Expect You To Die VR trilogy, are featured in the Spy Video Game Rendezvous festival on Steam.New releasesDeliver At All Costs was among this week's newcomers. It's an action game in which you play a courier in the '50s. As the name suggests, your primary goal is to deliver your cargo, no matter what. Reviews are mixed for this one but, hey, it's free on the Epic Games Store until 11AM ET on May 29. You can also get it on Steam for 10 percent off the regular price of $30 for the time being. The game is also available on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.Speaking of vehicle-oriented destruction, it can be a chore to get the first few Grand Theft Auto games running on modern hardware. I live for chaos and Maniac, from Transhuman Design and publisher Skystone Games, reminds me a bit of those early, top-down GTA entries (which were made in my hometown, fact fans). It's out now on Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, a little over a year after debuting on Steam. I can't promise it'll tide you over for a year until GTA 6 drops, but Maniac will run you just five bucks.Lynked: Banner of the Spark is a co-op action RPG that just came out of early access on Steam and landed on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. With its colorful visuals, it reminds me a bit of Hi-Fi Rush, aesthetically. There's a town-building aspect to this as well. I didn't get around to digging into the game during early access. Reviews have been pretty solid so far, though, so I'm hoping to try out Lynked (from FuzzyBot and publisher Dreamhaven) soon.A few seconds into the latest trailer for Tales of Seikyu, I spotted a centaur, which was enough to catch my attention. This yokai fantasy life sim from ACE Entertainment and Fireshine Games is out now in early access on Steam. You can morph into other forms (including a slime!) to help with navigation and combat in this one. Centaurs and slimes, what's not to love?Here's one for the turn-based strategy/history enthusiasts out there. Bonaparte - A Mechanized Revolution (the debut game from Studio Imugi) sees you take control of units like a giant commandant mech in a battle for the future of France. Expect some political intrigue from this one, which is out now on Steam early access.UpcomingChrono Odyssey has picked up plenty of momentum, as more than 400,000 people have already signed up to try it out. The horror-tinged, open-world MMORPG from Kakao Games and Chrono Studio will have a closed beta on Steam next month. It's also set to be featured at the Summer Game Fest Live showcase on June 6. The latest trailer looks deliciously creepy.Any game from Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi is worth paying attention to. Even more so when publisher Annapurna Interactive is on board. And when it's a game that has a "call unicycle" button, I'm triple sold. Life-sim To a T tells the story of a teenager whose body gets stuck in a T-pose, with their arms stuck out to the sides. Thankfully, they have a cute pup who helps them actually do things. A delightful demo is out now on Steam, and the game will hit PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on May 28. This one will be available day one on Game Pass.We've mentioned The Wandering Village a few times over the years and the game is finally coming out of early access on Steam on July 17. It'll also hit PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch on the same day. This is a city-building sim that takes place on the back of a giant creature.I do enjoy the voxel destruction of sandbox heist game Teardown. So I was happy to hear that Tuxedo Labs and Coffee Stain are set to release another expansion next month. This time, we're going to space, as all great franchises (i.e the Leprechaun movies) eventually do. The Greenwash Gambit DLC will arrive on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on June 24. It'll cost $8, but owners of the season pass and ultimate edition will get access at no extra cost.Artis Impact's pretty pixel art made an immediate impression on me during the Six One Indie showcase. It took Malaysian solo developer Mas four years to make this cozy RPG, which is "set in a decaying world ruled by rogue AI." Although the game has a main, linear main path, there are side quests, hidden interactions and random events to experience. A demo for Artis Impact is out now, and the full game is coming to Steam on August 7.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/chaotic-deliveries-colorful-co-op-action-rpgs-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-140023626.html?src=rss

Memorial Day is actually a great time to check for tech deals, especially if you're on the market for a vacuum or robovac. One of the best deals this year is on the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum, which is $200 off and down to $800 - that's a record-low price. The deal is featured on Dyson's website, Amazon and Best Buy. Even the world-famous Ginsu knife Mecca, QVC, got in on the action. Dyson says the 360 Vis Nav sucks debris as well as its cordless stick vacuums. The company claims it's twice as powerful as any of its competitors. For the technically minded, it offers 22,000 Pa/pascals of suction pressure. In short, that's a lot. Your dirty, pet-hair-infested floor won't stand a chance. The D-shaped robovac has a little actuator protruding from its sides. It's an alternative to the side sweepers on competing models. The little duct only opens when cleaning edges and corners. In addition to its suction, the vacuum's most impressive feature is its obstacle avoidance. Engadget's Valentina Palladino tested it with small objects left on the floor, but the Dyson never got stuck. Many competitors run into all sorts of obstacles on a typical run. There are a few drawbacks. The 360 Vis Nav doesn't mop. It also lacks an auto-emptying dust bin. (Although doing it manually is quick and easy.) It also lacks LiDAR. That means mapping your home can be slower and vacuuming at night won't be as smooth. What this model offers is the best suction possible and top-notch obstacle avoidance. And for $200 off its retail price, that's not too shabby. Elsewhere amongst the Dyson Memorial Day deals are a number of solid cordless stick vacuums. The V8 Absolute is $170 off and down to $350, while one of our top picks, the V15 Detect Absolute, is $150 off and down to $600. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/dyson-memorial-day-deals-include-200-off-the-360-vis-nav-robot-vacuum-162737610.html?src=rss

The biggest tech events in May and June may be software focused, but there's plenty of hardware going through the wringer here at Engadget. Over the last two weeks alone, we've put a drone, gaming display, headphones and a gaming tablet through their paces. If you missed any of that, or our latest game analysis and EV test drive, keeping scrolling to catch up on our latest reviews. DJI Mavic 4 Pro Reporter Steve Dent reviews a lot of drones at Engadget. So when he uses descriptors like "a new standard," "the most technologically advanced drone I've seen" and "the best video quality," everyone needs to take note. After his tests, Steve argued that the Mavic 4 Pro is further proof of how DJI continues to outpace its rivals. "It's an improvement over the Mavic 3 Pro in nearly every area, and as mentioned, it doesn't really have any competition in the consumer space," he said. "The closest alternative in price and capability is Autel's Evo II Pro 6K, but that drone has a single-camera system with a smaller sensor, less endurance and shorter range." Sony WH-1000XM6 Sony's latest flagship headphones were hardly a secret by the time they officially arrived last week, but thankfully, the three-year wait for the upgrade was well worth it. The company managed to improve its already great over-ear headphones yet again, with updates to sound quality, noise cancellation and overall comfort. "The only real downside is the price continues to go up: the M6 is $50 more than the M5 was at launch," I wrote. "When you combine their performance with Sony's ever-growing list of features, the 1000XM6 are the best headphones you can buy right now." ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (2025) If you're looking for a gaming tablet to replace your laptop, there are some perks to the ROG Flow Z13. However, there are also some drawbacks, mainly the flimsy keyboard that makes typing on anything other than a table or desk quite cumbersome. "It's got a funky build and unapologetically aggressive styling," senior reviews reporter Sam Rutherford explained. "But unless you have a very particular set of requirements, it doesn't fit neatly into most people's lives as an equivalent laptop." LG 27 UltraGear OLED It may have taken writing a review to get senior reviews reporter Devindra Hardwar to understand the hype around 480Hz gaming displays, but I'd argue the sacrifice was well worth it. The LG 27 UltraGear is a powerhouse, right down to the future-proof DisplayPort 2.1 connection. It's expensive though, and besides the OLED panel, it's not much of a looker. But that performance, it'll make you forget where you are. "The real world melted away - I was fully inside Rocket League's absurd soccer arena," he described. "When the match ended, it took me a few minutes to reacclimatize to reality." Driving the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and FBC: Firebreak Contributor Tim Stevens spent some time behind the wheel of Hyundai's three-row Ioniq 9 EV SUV. Pricing for the more premium trims ventures into Rivian territory, but Tim argues the Ioniq 9 is the more practical choice for the rigors of daily life over the R1S. "The Ioniq 9 has a stance more like a Volvo station wagon than a gigantic family hauler, but make no mistake, it's the latter," he said. "That's immediately evident as soon as you climb into the third row." Senior gaming editor Jessica Conditt took Remedy's co-op shooter FBC: Firebreak for a spin. While the game enticed her to keep playing after almost three hours with two strangers, it could still use some polish before next month's launch. "All of the issues I have with Firebreak can be fine-tuned before the game launches this summer, and I have faith in Remedy to do so," she observed. "Firebreak is poised to be a thoughtful and focused entry in the co-op shooter genre, and it's already an inviting extension of Remedy's darkest and silliest sensibilities.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-dji-mavic-4-pro-sony-wh-1000xm6-asus-rog-flow-z13-and-more-130033686.html?src=rss