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The State of New York will now require social media platforms to display warning labels similar to those found on cigarettes. The bill was passed by the New York Legislature in June and signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday. It will apply to any platforms that feature infinite scrolling, auto-play, like counts or algorithmic feeds. The labels will caution those on the platform about potential harm to young users' mental health. Social media companies will be required to display these wa

If streaming services year-in-review campaigns have shown us anything, its that weve spent a staggering amount of time drowning out the hum of everyday life with music, podcasts and audio series. And with some incredible new releases this year, we were really eatin good. Here are some of the Engadget teams favorite things we listened to in 2025. Spiritbox - Tsunami Sea I became aware of Spiritbox in late 2024 shortly before the band dropped its latest album, Tsunami Sea. At the time, I was in a

The best iPad accessories can make an aging tablet feel like new again, or give you additional ways to use that new slab you just bought. Whether it's a slim folio case, an Apple Pencil, a docking station or a paper-like screen protector, there are so many iPad accessories out there that can transform how you use your tablet on a regular basis and make your iPad last longer, too. We've tested a plethora of accessories over the years, and these are the best iPad accessories you can get right now

A Google support page in Hindi says the ability to change your Gmail address is on the way. The feature would allow you to replace your current @ gmail.com address with another. Your old address would remain active as an alias on the account, and all your data would stick around, unaffected. The support page (translated) says that the ability to change your Google Account email address is gradually rolling out to all users. The change was first spotted on a Google Pixel forum on Telegram and was

LG has revealed a new lineup of gaming monitors just ahead of CES . The UltraGear evo displays offer 5K visuals. Many incorporate on-device AI upscaling, taking some of the burden away from the GPU. LG says the tech will let consumers skip out on some card upgrades. This could end up being extremely beneficial because the AI boom has been impacting GPU prices . LG There are three displays in the lineup so far, with more to come down the line. There's a 39-inch OLED (39GX950B) that includes the a

This was the kind of year that felt 100 years long, so who could blame us for leaning into a bit of escapism? Some of us buried our noses in books in 2025, and thankfully, there were plenty of good reads to get lost in. Here are some of the Engadget teams top picks from the year. Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy Wild Dark Shore pulls off a magnificent balancing act of telling an intimate, personal story coupled with the backdrop of impending climate disaster. A father and two children are

LG will present a home robot named CLOiD at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. With humanoid robotics sure to feature heavily at this year's tech conference, LG has teased its home assistant before a full unveiling in January. The company says CLOiD's two articulated arms with five individually actuated fingers are designed to help with a variety of household tasks. However, LG has not yet given a specific example of a task CLOiD can handle. We're also not sure what it looks like, because aside from a coupl

Brazilian regulators have reached a settlement with Apple after a yearslong investigation into the company's App Store fee practices as well as its policies against third-party app stores. As first reported by Brazilian tech site tecnoblog , the nation's Administrative Council of Economic Defense (CADE) said it has accepted Apple's proposed agreement that will address claims of anticompetitive practices. The agreement will allow for third-party payment processing methods for in-app purchases and

Losing AirPods happens to the best of us. Theyre small, they slide into couch cushions and they love disappearing into bags or pockets when you least expect it. Luckily, Apples Find My system makes it easy to track down misplaced AirPods, whether you dropped the case somewhere or cant find one of the individual earbuds. With the right settings enabled, your iPhone can show the last place they were connected, play a sound to help you hunt them down or even guide you with on-screen directions. Her

Storage fills up fast on a PS5, especially when a single game can take up as much space as an entire last-gen library. Adding moreSSD space is the easiest way to stop playing Tetris with your installs, and once it is set up, your console loads games just as quickly as it does from the built-in drive. It is a small upgrade that makes a big difference if you jump between several titles at once. The tricky part is knowing which SSDs actually work with the PS5. You need a drive that meets Sonys spee

Xiaomi just launched its flagship 17 Ultra by Leica phone that may make you feel bad about your current device's cameras. Naturally it's a spec monster, with a 1-inch sensor 50MP f/1.67 main camera and 1/1.4-inch 200MP periscope telephoto camera. But it also offers an interesting new mechanical feature: a manual zoom ring that also activates the camera automatically when you rotate it. Both the regular Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Leica edition come with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC with up to 16GB of

If you want to expand the storage of your Nintendo Switch 2 , youll need a microSD Express card. This is not the same as the more traditional microSD cards you may have bought for the original Switch or other gaming handhelds ; Express cards are newer, faster and significantly more expensive on average. But theyre your only choice , and given how much space certain Switch 2 games chew up, youll probably have no choice but to get one eventually. Which to buy, though? If youre looking for the best

Sony's latest console may be a few years old at this point, but it's still got plenty to offer including some of the best games of this generation. Whether you just got a new PS5 or PS5 Pro, or you've had yours for a little while, you may want to give it a refresh of sorts by investing in some new accessories. Luckily, there are tons to choose from. These are the best PS5 accessories we've come across, plus some of the best games you should try out if you haven't already. Best PS5 accessories T

Setting up a PS5 for a child means you can offer an age-appropriate and safe platform for them to play. Sony made its parental control tools more comprehensive in recent years and they allow families to manage screen time, block unsuitable content, guide online interactions and approve purchases. The process is straightforward once the right menus are in view, but it helps to understand how each feature works before handing over the controller. The system uses individual accounts for each family

Upgrading to the Switch 2 is a big step forward, thanks to the larger screen, new features and improved performance. But shifting to a new console naturally raises the question of what happens to all your games and save data on the one you already have. Thankfully, Nintendo has built a clear System Transfer process that lets you move your account, digital purchases, save files and other key data from your original Switch to the Switch 2. If you prepare ahead of time, you can be back to playing y

Christmas Day famously belongs to football. This Dec. 25, there are three NFL games to watch: the Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders, the Detroit Lions vs. the Minnesota Vikings and the Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs. Here's what you need to know about Thursday's football slate, and the rest of the Week 17 schedule. How to watch the NFL Christmas Day games: Date: Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025 Start times: 1 PM ET, 4:30 PM ET, 8:15 PM ET TV channels: N/A Streaming: Netflix, Prime Video 202

One of the best things about the Switch 2 is how familiar it feels if you have used any previous Switch console. You can still move between handheld and TV play without thinking about it, and most of your favorite games come along for the ride. Nintendos compatibility page highlights the rare titles with quirks, while its transfer guide helps you bring over your data so you can pick up right where you left off. Once you are set up, the Switch 2s library opens up fast. From cozy indie adventures

Most microSD cards are fast enough for stashing photos, recording video and transferring files, but some will get you a little more bang for your buck than others. If youre looking to boost the storage of your Nintendo Switch 2 , Steam Deck , GoPro or any other device that still accepts microSD cards, we can help. Weve thoroughly researched the market and several cards through a suite of benchmark tests. Here are the best that weve tested, along with some general advice on what to look for when

Christmas Day famously belongs to football. This Dec. 25, there are three NFL games to watch: the Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders, the Detroit Lions vs. the Minnesota Vikings, and the Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs. Here's what you need to know about Thursday's football slate, and the rest of the Week 17 schedule. How to watch the NFL Christmas Day games: Date: Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025 Start times: 1 PM ET, 4:30 PM ET, 8:15 PM ET TV channels: N/A Streaming: Netflix, Prime Video 20

Starting at around 1PM ET on December 24, Steam experienced an outage that impacted users ability to access the game store and play games online. Valve didnt acknowledge the outage publicly, but SteamDBs unofficial Steam Status page reported that the Steam Store, Steam Community, and Steam Web APIs were all offline. DownDetector received over 6,000 outage reports around 1:15PM ET, and Steam is also inaccessible from Valves mobile apps. The outage appears to be affecting APIs for Valves online ga

Steam is experiencing an outage thats impacting users ability to access the game store and play games online. Valve hasnt acknowledged the outage publicly, but SteamDBs unofficial Steam Status page reports that the Steam Store, Steam Community, and Steam Web APIs are all offline. DownDetector received over 6,000 outage reports around 1:15PM ET, and Steam is also inaccessible from Valves mobile apps. The outage appears to be affecting APIs for Valves online games, like Team Fortress 2, Dota 2 and

Back in November, Sony started selling PS5 consoles at a $100 discount as part of a Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotion. The deal officially sunsets at 3AM ET, so now is a good time to bite the bullet on a gaming console given that prices aren't likely to go down anytime soon . You can pick up a regular disc-based PS5 for $450 and a digital model for $400 . The beefy PS5 Pro is available for $650 . All of these deals are active on Amazon, but also directly from Sony . If the costs here still sou

Price hikes , media consolidation and contract disputes that turn channels dark have made live TV streaming services feel a lot more like cable. But, for most people its still a better deal to cut the cord. For sports fans and news junkies, theres still no better option than one of the best live TV streaming services. We tried all the major players and currently recommend YouTube TV for most people. But we also spelled out just what you get from other providers (along with what we think about th

It's the night before Christmas, and holiday VPN deals are going strong. It's a great time to grab a last-minute subscription for yourself or a loved one. With access to a virtual private network (VPN) , you can stream TV shows and events from all over the world, protect your information from hackers and thwart online trackers. It might be cute that Santa sees you when you're sleeping and knows when you're awake, but Russian hacker collectives and the Amazon marketing department don't really sha

Creating a child-friendly iPad takes a few extra steps, but Apples tools make the process relatively straightforward. From creating a childs Apple ID to adjusting Screen Time and privacy settings, you can shape how your child uses the device and protect them from inappropriate content. The process varies slightly depending on whether the iPad is new or already in use, but the principles are the same: set up a managed account, connect it to Family Sharing and fine-tune the controls that keep your

A pro-Russian hacker group has come forward as the perpetrator of a DDoS attack on the French national postal service La Poste that took place on December 22, according to Reuters . The distributed denial-of-service attack took central computer systems at La Poste entirely offline and caused major disruptions in package deliveries just days before Christmas. Reuters reported that the cyberattack on La Poste was still not fully resolved as of Wednesday morning. While regular letters were not affe

Ive always wondered what it would be like to own a plug-in hybrid, and recently, fate handed me that opportunity. On a recent trip to Vancouver, I rented a 2024 Toyota Prius Prime for nearly two months the ideal scenario to try out North Americas most popular PHEV. My experience with the Prius Prime Previously, the words Prius and sexy were rarely used in the same sentence. However, I think the wedge-shaped Prius Prime introduced for 2023 is much sexier than its frumpy predecessors. The sleek s

Digital game codes remain one of the simplest ways to add new titles to a Nintendo library. The Nintendo Switch 2 handles code redemption in a familiar way, building on the same process used on the original Switch. You can redeem a download code directly from the eShop on the console, or through a browser on a phone or desktop. Both routes link the purchase to the same Nintendo Account so the redeemed title appears on any compatible device tied to that account. The process is quick once you know

Ahead of CES 2026, Samsung has unveiled a number of impressive gaming monitors that flaunt 3D and very high refresh rates. The headliner is the 32-inch Odyssey 3D, the world's first 6K display with glasses free 3D, according to Samsung. Along with the high resolution, it offers a 165Hz refresh rate (boosted to 330Hz through Dual Mode), along with a 1ms GtG response time. Optimized 3D effects that enhance terrain, distance and object separation beyond 2D will work with featured games like Stellar

The Trump administration has issued travel bans that prohibit five European tech researchers, including one former EU Commissioner, from entering the United States. For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose. The Trump Administration will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship, said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. That official is Thierry Breton , the former European C

If youve been shocked by how much you spend on streaming services lately, youre not alone. Companies like Netflix, Disney, HBO Max and others have been consistently raising prices to the point where you may question if streaming is even worth it anymore . We at Engadget still think it is, but we also think you should be smart with your money and thats where streaming deals come in. Yes, it is possible to get discounts on services like Peacock and Paramount+, even if those deals arent as common

With so many streaming platforms out there, it is easy to feel like you are constantly sorting through menus instead of watching something you enjoy. Every service has its own vibe, whether it is big cinematic releases, long documentary deep dives or shows you put on in the background while you unwind. Some people even swap cable for live TV streaming . Here, we are looking at the on-demand services that deliver the most value for everyday use. Whether you are settling in for a weekend binge, wa

IO Interactive's James Bond simulator 007 First Light has been delayed until May 27, 2026 . It was supposed to come out in March. The company says two-month delay is for polish and refinement, which is fine by me. I'd always rather wait a bit longer for a better end product. IO says the game is already fully playable from beginning to end but still needs a bit of attention to ensure the strongest possible version at launch. The developer promises to share more updates at the beginning of next ye

Over the past two years, the Nex Playground has carved out a niche for itself with kids and parents alike. It's a small box that sits in front of your TV and uses a camera, along with computer vision AI processing, to track your movement for interactive games. Think of it like a simplified version of Microsoft's Kinect (RIP), with a bit of the local multiplayer we see from the original Wii. In this bonus episode, we chat with David Lee, Nex's CEO and co-founder, about how he went from building a

Xbox has brought cloud gaming gaming to some Amazon Fire TV models . These include the Fire TV 4-Series and the Fire TV Omni QLED Series . This lets people play Xbox games directly on the television, without needing a bulky console or even something like a Fire TV stick. Gamers do need a couple of things. First and foremost, this service requires a subscription to Game Pass. Plans start at $10 a month and shoot all the way up to $30 per month. They'll also need a compatible wireless controller,

Investigative reporter John Carreyrou of the New York Times filed a lawsuit against xAI, Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, Meta and Perplexity on Monday for allegedly training their AI models on copyrighted books without permission. Carreyrou is perhaps best known for exposing the Theranos fraudulent blood test scandal. According to Reuters , the lawsuit was filed alongside five other writers who all claim big tech companies have been violating their intellectual property rights in the name of building

Apple is making it a little easier to use third-party devices with iPhones in order to comply with Europe's Digital Market Act (DMA), MacRumors reported. For iOS 26.3, Apple's devices will support third-party proximity pairing and notifications in Europe only, according to the latest beta notes. That will make it a bit easier to connect devices like Sony headphones or receive notifications from an iPhone on Wear OS smartwatches provided manufacturers support the new feature. The DMA creates new

This late in the game, its not possible to ship gifts to friends and family and have them arrive before the holidays. But thats ok because its never been easier to give a digital gift that will arrive basically whenever you want it to. If youre looking for more creative digital gift ideas , weve got you covered. But right now, you may just be looking for the best gift card ideas that you can buy online and digitally send to the people you love. Weve got you covered: these are the best gift cards

Want to see a dead body? I present to you the Xbox. After a subdued launch at the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020, the Xbox Series X quickly lost the fight against the PlayStation 5 . Microsoft simply couldn't deliver enough compelling games, despite some huge acquisitions , while Sony leaned on its goodwill from the PS4 era and a handful of desirable exclusives. As prices rose due to supply chain issues and the Trump administration's volatile tariff scheme, there was even less of a reason

As we hurtle towards the end of the year, the shadow of CES hovers on the horizon. Techs biggest annual conference is starting in just under two weeks, and we already know some of the products and announcements that could be in store. The CES 2026 show floor is officially open from January 6 through 9, but the fun kicks off with events on Sunday January 4 and a host of press conferences on Monday. As always, product demos, announcements and networking will be happening at the Las Vegas Conventio

As many of us hunker down for the holidays, you might want to tackle some of the best games weve seen this year : the long-time-coming Silksong , the critically acclaimed (and sumptuous) Expedition 33 and the bizarre world of Baby Steps. Engadget Not to mention the Switch 2, which is slowly building out its own exclusive library with Metroid Prime 4 and Donkey Kong Bananza. Rare for me, this year, Ive played many of the new games weve picked. Brag. Id recommend both Dispatch and Blue Prince I s

Giving a child an Apple Watch can offer extra peace of mind and tools that promote independence in a controlled way. Apples Family Setup feature makes it possible for a kid to use an Apple Watch without owning an iPhone, and the feature set has expanded thanks to recent watchOS updates. It supports communication controls, location tools, Schooltime limits and privacy protections that allow a parent or guardian to manage how the device is used throughout the day. The setup process begins with cre

Upgrading to a good SSD can make your computer feel brand new again. Apps open faster, files move in a blink and even older machines start to feel a lot more responsive. It is one of the easiest ways to breathe life into a laptop or desktop without replacing the whole system, and the performance boost is something you notice right away. There are plenty of SSDs to choose from, though, and the naming alone can be confusing if you are not already familiar with the specs. Some drives are built for

Whether you just got a Switch 2 or you've had yours for a while, you may want to grab some key accessories to make it fit your gaming style even more than it already does. Not only can the right accessories make it easier and more fun to play all of the games you love, but they can also make your gaming experience better in different environments, be it on the couch, in an airplane or in the car. We've got to try out some of the latest Switch 2 accessories, and some of our old favorites are also

The Federal Communications Commission has added foreign-made drones and their critical components to the agencys Covered List , making them prohibited to import into the US. In a public notice published by the FCC, it said several national security agencies have determined that umanned aircraft systems (UAS) and their critical components produced in foreign countries pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States. UAS and UAS critical components must be produced in the