Engadget

Apples satellite features were originally designed for emergencies, allowing iPhone users to contact emergency services when cellular and Wi-Fi coverage is unavailable. With recent versions of iOS, Apple has expanded those capabilities to include sending and receiving messages via satellite. This makes it possible to stay in touch with friends and family from remote locations where traditional networks do not reach, such as hiking trails, rural areas or offshore locations. Messaging via satellit

The Closing Ceremony for the 2026 Winter Games is this Sunday. (Li Jing/Xinhua via Getty Images) Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images The 2026 Winter Olympics come to an end this weekend. This year's Closing Ceremony theme is Beauty in Action. The event will feature appearances from musician and DJ Gabry Ponte, actress Benedetta Porcaroli, and ballet dancer Roberto Bolle. Alfredo Accatino, the ceremony's artistic director, has promised the ceremony will begin with lots of colors and end with a pa

The Stop Killing Games campaign is evolving into more than just a movement. In a YouTube video , the campaign's creator, Ross Scott, explained that organizers are planning to establish two non-governmental organizations, one for the European Union and another for the US. According to Scott, these NGOs would allow for long-term counter lobbying when publishers end support for certain video games. Let me start off by saying I think we're going to win this, namely the problem of publishers destroyi

The government agency that sends its corps members abroad to volunteer in foreign countries launched its latest initiative called Tech Corps . The Peace Corps' latest proposal will recruit STEM graduates or those with professional experience in the artificial intelligence sector and send them to participating host countries. According to the press release, volunteers will be placed in Peace Corps countries that are part of the American AI Exports Program, which was created last year from an exec

Tesla is still on the hook for $243 million after a US judge rejected the EV maker's bid to overturn a jury verdict from last year. On Friday, US District Judge Beth Bloom upheld the jury's decision to hold Tesla partially responsible for a deadly crash that happened in 2019 and involved the self-driving Autopilot feature. The judge added that there was enough evidence to support the jury's verdict, which was delivered in August 2025 and ordered Tesla to pay millions in compensatory and punitive

Gather round, its time to catch up on the latest batch of Engadget reviews . Whether you missed our in-depth testing of Sonys latest flagship earbuds or a truly unique ASUS laptop, Ive compiled our recent reviews so you can get up to speed quickly. Read on for the list that also includes a love letter to a tiny camera and another VPN option that worth considering. Sony WF-1000XM6 Sonys 1000X earbuds have always been the top pick in our best wireless earbuds guide. With the M6 though, the company

Apples AirTag is designed to help people keep track of personal belongings like keys, bags and luggage. But because AirTags and other Bluetooth trackers are small and discreet, concerns about unwanted tracking are understandable. Apple has spent years building safeguards into the AirTag and the Find My network to reduce the risk of misuse and to alert people if a tracker they dont own appears to be moving with them. If youre worried about whether an AirTag or similar tracker might be following y

Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. As a reminder, the latest edition of Steam Next Fest runs from February 23 until March 2, during which you'll be able to check out demos for hundreds of upcoming games. A bunch are available already, including one for Denshattack! , which I definitely recommend checking out . As it turns out, doing Tony Hawk Pro Skater-style tricks with a high-speed Japanese train absolutely rips. On Thursday, there were four showcases hig

Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, is retiring, Satya Nadella has announced . Asha Sharma, the President of Microsoft's CoreAI division is taking over Spencer's role, while Sarah Bond, the current President of Xbox, is resigning. I am long on gaming and its role at the center of our consumer ambition, and as we look ahead, Im excited to share that Asha Sharma will become Executive Vice President and CEO, Microsoft Gaming, reporting to me, Nadella says. Over the last two years at Microsoft, a

Indie publisher and developer Finji has accused TikTok of using generative AI to alter the ads for its games on the platform without its knowledge or permission. Finji, which published indie darlings like Night in the Woods and Tunic , said it only became aware of the seemingly modified ads after being alerted to them by followers of its official TikTok account. As reported by IGN , Finji alleges that one ad that went out on the platform was modified so it displayed a racist, sexualized represe

OpenAI is reportedly hard at work developing a series of AI-powered devices, including smart glasses, a smart speaker and a smart lamp. According to reporting by The Information , the AI company has a team of over 200 employees dedicated to the project. The first product scheduled to be released is reported to be a smart speaker that would include a camera, allowing it to better absorb information about its users and surroundings. According to a person familiar with the project, this would exten

A recent Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage that lasted 13 hours was reportedly caused by one of its own AI tools, according to reporting by Financial Times . This happened in December after engineers deployed the Kiro AI coding tool to make certain changes, say four people familiar with the matter. Kiro is an agentic tool, meaning it can take autonomous actions on behalf of users. In this case, the bot reportedly determined that it needed to delete and recreate the environment. This is what alleg

The Artemis 2 launch is edging closer as NASA has now set a target date for the 10-day mission to get underway. The agency is aiming to launch as soon as March 6 following a successful wet dress rehearsal on Thursday. The first attempt, which took place in early February, failed due to a hydrogen leak . During Thursday's rehearsal, NASA was able to fuel the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with more than 700,000 gallons of liquid propellant and complete two runs of terminal count the final step

It has already been a depressingly busy year for layoffs at Ubisoft, and the French publishers Toronto studio is the latest workforce to be hit. Around 40 jobs have been cut at the studio, which is one of Ubisofts largest and has previously worked on games including Watch Dogs: Legion and Far Cry 6 . This decision was not taken lightly and does not in any way reflect the talent, dedication, or contributions of the individuals affected, Ubisoft said in a statement to Mobile Syrup , which first re

This week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a landmark social media trial , claiming the company only wanted to make Instagram useful and not addictive. In this episode, we chat about Zuck's testimony and the potential implications of this trial for social media companies. Also, we dive into the latest effects of the RAMaggedon RAM shortage, including a potential PlayStation 6 delay and a dire future for practically every consumer electronics company. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts

The US State Department is building a web portal, where Europeans and anyone else can see online content banned by their governments, according to Reuters . It was supposed to be launched at Munich Security Conference last month, but some state department officials reportedly voiced their concerns about the project. The portal will be hosted on freedom.gov , which currently just shows the image above. Freedom is Coming, the homepage reads. Information is power. Reclaim your human right to free e

Los Angeles County has sued Roblox for unfair and deceptive business practices, claiming the platform's moderation and age-verification systems are inadequate. Roblox portrays its platform as a safe and appropriate place for children to play, the complaint states. In reality, and as Roblox well knows, the design of its platform makes children easy prey for pedophiles. Representatives accused Roblox of failing to implement adequate platform safety features to prevent child endangerment. Specifica

Its a big month for Pokmon , with February 27 marking 30 years since the worlds highest-grossing media franchise first introduced itself in the shape of two Game Boy games. Pocket Monsters Red and Pocket Monsters Green , which later arrived in the West as Pokmon Red and Pokmon Blue , kicked off a craze in Japan that would soon spread worldwide. And to mark the series 30th anniversary, the little turn-based RPGs that started it all are being re-released on Nintendo Switch. Well, sort of. The vers

Apple has lined up its first event of the year. Already! Its taking place in New York City on March 4 at 9AM ET, but the company hasnt confirmed if it will stream the media event. It seems likely the event will be mainly iPads and MacBooks so business as usual. However, it could include new entry-level MacBooks in a fresh array of colors. I think thats what everyones reading into the lemon-and-lime tinged invitation. Im very much up for a return of the colorful Mac. The first Mac I ever used wa

Google has announced that with the help of AI, it blocked 1.75 million apps that violated its policies in 2025, significantly down from 2.36 million in 2024. The lower numbers this year, it said, are because its AI-powered, multi-layer protections are deterring bad actors from even trying to publish bad apps. Google said it now runs more than 10,000 safety checks on every app and continues to recheck them after they're published. Its use of the latest generative AI models helps human reviewers d

Streaming has become the default way most of us watch TV and movies, but the sheer number of services now available can make choosing what to subscribe to feel like a chore. Each platform leans into something different, from original shows and blockbuster films to comfort rewatches and niche libraries, and not all of them earn a permanent spot in your monthly budget. This guide focuses on the on-demand streaming services that are the most worthwhile to live with day to day. Whether youre lining

Getting a solid Android phone doesnt necessitate spending a small fortune. The best budget models strike a great balance between price and performance, giving you smooth everyday use without cutting too many corners. Whether youre scrolling social media, streaming your favorite shows or snapping photos of a night out, theres an affordable Android phone that can handle it all. Cheaper phones have come a long way in recent years. Many now feature bright, fast displays, reliable cameras and battery

Formula 1 has been receiving star treatment from Apple for awhile, and now the racing series will literally be getting even bigger. Apple is partnering with IMAX to show five races from the 2026 season. The Miami Grand Prix on May 3, the Monaco Grand Prix on June 7, the British Grand Prix on July 5, the Italian Grand Prix on September 6 and the United States Grand Prix on October 25 will be aired live at select IMAX theaters in the US. Apple landed a five-year deal for the US broadcast rights to

Meta is formally sectioning off Horizon Worlds, the closest thing it has to a metaverse, from its Quest VR platform, according to a new blog post from Samantha Ryan, Meta's VP of Content, Reality Labs. While the decision runs counter to Meta's original plan to own an immersive virtual world that could serve as the future home for all online interaction, it fits with the recent cuts it made to its costly Reality Labs division, and Mark Zuckerberg's public commitment to focus the company on AI har

Slay the Spire 2 will launch in early access next month. This sequel to the hugely popular 2019 roguelike deckbuilder hits early access on Steam beginning March 5, 2026. Along with releasing the teaser trailer above, developer Mega Crit shared some details about its goals for this phase ahead of the game's official release. Slay the Spire requires a lot of player feedback so we can balance content, add quality of life features, and make sure the game runs without issues, the developers explaine

Sony is closing Bluepoint Games, the studio behind the Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls remakes, Bloomberg reports . Bluepoint's last major project was God of War: Ragnarok from 2022, which it co-developed with Sony Santa Monica. According to Bloomberg , Sony decided to shut down the studio following a recent business review. Around 70 employees will lose their jobs as part of the studio closure, which will officially happen in March. Bluepoint Games is an incredibly talented team and th

Meta is shutting down the standalone Messenger website, according to a company help page . The website will disappear in April, though web users will still be able to send and receive messages within Facebook. After messenger.com goes away, you will be automatically redirected to use facebook.com/messages for messaging on a computer, the help page reads. You can continue your conversations there or on the Messenger mobile app. Users will be able to restore their chat history after switching to t

Toy Fair 2026 just wrapped earlier this week and while I would have liked to spend even more time there, I have my own kids (and all their toys and trinkets) to look after. That said, there were a ton of cool new products on display at the Javits Center in New York City that set the stage for the rest of the year, so here's a quick look at some of the most interesting releases from the largest toy show in the Western Hemisphere. Transformers: The Movie 40th anniversary figures ($28 to $60) To ce

Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff has indicated that the company's controversial Search Party feature might not always be just for lost dogs, according to emails obtained by 404 Media . A creepy surveillance tool being used to surveil. Who could have predicted that ? I believe that the foundation we created with Search Party, first for finding dogs, will end up becoming one of the most important pieces of tech and innovation to truly unlock the impact of our mission, Siminoff wrote in an email to staffers

YouTube's Ask button is making its way to the living room. The Gemini-powered feature is now rolling out as an experiment on smart TVs, gaming consoles and streaming devices. 9to5Google first spotted a Google support page announcing the change. Like on mobile devices and desktop, the feature is essentially a Gemini chatbot trained on each video's content. Selecting that Ask button will bring up a series of canned prompts related to the content. Alternatively, you can use your microphone to ask q

At the start of the month, Elon Musk announced that two of his companies SpaceX and xAI were merging , and would jointly launch a constellation of 1 million satellites to operate as orbital data centers. Musk's reputation might suggest otherwise, but according to experts, such a plan isn't a complete fantasy. However, if executed at the scale suggested, some of them believe it would have devastating effects on the environment and the sustainability of low Earth Earth orbit. Musk and others arg

The office of the Attorney General for West Virginia announced Thursday that it has filed a lawsuit against Apple alleging that the company had knowingly allowed its iCloud platform to be used as a vehicle for distributing and storing child sexual abuse material. The state alleges this went on for years but drew no action from the tech giant under the guise of user privacy. In the lawsuit, the state repeatedly cites a text from Apple executive Eric Friedman, in which he calls iCloud the greatest

Last years Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition was significant for a few reasons. It was the final major first-party Switch game ahead of the Switch 2s arrival in June, and the last doomed Wii U game to be granted a second life on Nintendos infinitely more successful console. Nearly a year on, a Switch 2 update for one of the most technically impressive games Nintendo has ever published has finally arrived. Somewhat hilariously titled Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition - Nintendo

Proton VPN is running a solid deal right now, dropping its two-year Proton VPN Plus plan to $2.99 per month. That works out to $72 billed upfront for the first 24 months, which represents a 70 percent discount compared to its regular pricing. Weve rated Proton VPN highly thanks to its strong privacy credentials, transparent nonprofit backing and consistently fast performance. Its one of the services we recommend in our guide to the best VPNs , and this deal also shows up alongside other standout

We found the iPhone Air to have a pretty decent battery life for such a thin-and-light phone, somewhere in the region of 27 hours if youre continuously streaming video. But it's still a phone, arguably your most used device on a daily basis, so you may need to top it up during the day if you're using it constantly. Thats where Apples iPhone Air MagSafe battery pack comes in, and its currently on sale for $79. This accessory only works with the iPhone Air, but much like the phone it attaches to,

Anker rolled out a bunch of new chargers and other gear at CES 2026 , including a cute one that's already on sale. The new Nano charger with smart display, which is an upgrade to the existing Nano charger in Anker's lineup, is on sale for $30 right now for Prime members. That's $10 off the regular price. The 45W charger includes a smart display that shows real-time data like power flow, temperature and charging status. It also features fun animations to keep things cheerful. Anker says it can re

A decision to ban Telegram on home soil may have backfired on the Kremlin. Last week, Russia went on a blocking spree , banning a number of Western apps in an effort to push domestic users towards Max, an unencrypted state-owned app. One of the restricted apps was WhatsApp (which was also blocked) rival Telegram, a move that drew rare internal criticism from soldiers and pro-war bloggers, with the army being heavily reliant on the cloud-based messaging service for communications. As reported by

Good deals on Apple products arent as frequent as wed like them to be, but if theres one of the companys products that does seem to enjoy pretty regular price cuts, its the AirTag . Right now you can pick up a four-pack of Apples diminutive first-generation Bluetooth trackers for $64, which translates to 35 percent off and a near record low price. Bear in mind that this deal brings the price per AirTag down to about $16 if you were to buy them individually, and when not on sale they usually cost

If you're an iPhone user who likes to keep tabs on where your stuff is, you can't go far wrong with an AirTag . The second-gen model that Apple just released outpaces the original in every way (aside from the galling lack of a keyring hole, that is). While it's easy enough to replace the battery in both versions of the AirTag, you might not want to have to worry about the device's battery life for a very long time. Enter Elevation Lab's extended battery case for the AirTag, which is currently on

Meta is reportedly gearing up to enter another segment of the wearables market. According to The Information , the company is planning to release its first smartwatch sometime this year. Meta has revived its smartwatch initiative internally called Malibu 2, The Information says, which will come with Meta AI and health tracking. The same publication reported back in 2021 that Meta was working on a smartwatch powered by an open-source version of Android. Over the next year, more details of its pos

Portable Bluetooth speakers have become an easy default for listening away from your desk or living room. Theyre the kind of tech you grab without thinking, whether youre heading outside, cleaning the house or packing for a weekend away. The best portable options manage to sound bigger than they look, delivering clear audio without weighing down your bag. Battery life and durability matter just as much as sound quality now. Many modern speakers are built to survive splashes, dust and the occasio