Meta previewed some of its latest virtual reality prototypes this week, with concepts that are compelling on the specs and long on the design. Literally. The company shared some details on its Tiramisu project, dubbing it hyperrealistic VR. This set promises three times the contrast, 14 times the maximum brightness and 3.6 times the angular resolution of the Meta Quest 3. In actual stats, that's up to 1,400 nits of brightness and an angular resolution of 90 pixels per degree. One of the goals fo

The Federal Communications Commission is planning a review of the US emergency alert systems. Both the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WAS) will be subject to a re-examination by the agency. We want to ensure that these programs deliver the results that Americans want and need, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr posted on X. The announcement of this plan notes that the infrastructure underlying the EAS which includes radio, television, satellite and cable systems is 31 y

Nightdive Studios and id Software have announced a surprise remaster of fantasy shooters Heretic and Hexen . The games are now available for modern consoles in a new release, dubbed Heretic + Hexen, that includes support for co-op, cross-platform multiplayer and community-published mods. Heretic + Hexen combines Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders , Hexen: Beyond Heretic and Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel into a single bundle. On top of making the updates necessary to get the games runn

Yesterday, Meta introduced a new map feature that's almost identical to Snapchat's Snap Map. The feature has quickly sparked a backlash, though, and not just because it's yet another example of Instagram ripping off a Snapchat feature. While the map requires users to opt-in to share their location, many users were surprised and alarmed to see that their Instagram map was already populated with the locations of some accounts when it launched. That's because the map automatically pulls in location

A couple of days after announcing its first open-weight models in six years , OpenAI is releasing the long-awaited GPT-5. What's more, you can start using it today , even if you're a free user. With GPT-5, the company is touting across-the-board enhancements, claiming the model is its best yet when it comes to coding, writing, safety, accuracy and more. GPT-5 is the first time that it really feels like you're talking to an expert in any topic, said OpenAI CEO (and hypeman) Sam Altman during a pr

The upheaval continues for gaming at Microsoft. The latest victim appears to be Contraband , a planned release from Avalanche Studios with Xbox Game Studios as publisher. The co-op open-world game from the studio behind the entertaining Just Cause series was teased in a brief, mostly atmospheric trailer at E3 2021. But very little had been heard since about the project, and it seems the axe is currently hanging pretty precariously above Contraband . Active development has now stopped while we ev

Another major streaming platform is set to crack down on password sharing. JB Perrette, head of streaming and gaming at Warner Bros. Discovery, just told investors that HBO Max will begin an aggressive messaging campaign about the practice beginning next month, according to an earnings report. Beyond stricter messaging, the company is looking to close any and all loopholes that allow users to share account passwords by the end of the year. Perette said the company has been testing to determine w

The PS5 might be lacking the cadence of first-party exclusives that made its predecessor so successful, but that doesnt appear to be slowing it down. Sony has announced that the console had shifted just north of 80 million units as of June 30, 2025. This puts it just behind the Xbox 360 (84 million) and well on the way to overtaking the PS3 (around 87 million) in lifetime sales. The 80.3 million figure was confirmed in Sonys first set of quarterly results for the current financial year, during w

Instagram just announced an update with some long-requested features. The most notable is the introduction of a location-sharing tool for friends, though the long-awaited reposting tool is nothing ot sneeze at, either. Once opted into, the map shares a user's last active location with chosen contacts. The location sharing feature is turned off until selected and there are numerous customization controls. For instance, Instagram users can choose to share location data with all friends, Close Frie

Truth Social, President Trump's social media platform, is beta testing an AI search feature powered by Perplexity . Truth Search AI is launching first on the web version of Truth Social, with plans to begin a public beta for the feature on iOS and Android in the near future. We're excited to partner with Truth Social to bring powerful AI to an audience with important questions, said Dmitry Shevelenko, chief business officer at Perplexity. The controversial AI company has found itself embroiled t

The latest Apple iPad mini, which was released at the tail-end of 2024, is on sale for $399 via Amazon . That's a discount of $100 and close to a record low price. The only caveat? The deal doesn't apply to the iconic Space Gray colorway, but all other hues are on sale. The iPad mini 7 made our list of the best Apple tablets because, well, it's the only one the company makes at this size. However, the specs haven't been hobbled here. It's a real iPad, through and through. We said it was everythi

The most obvious question is Why? Framework builds modular , repairable laptops that anyone can take apart and put back together again. Its a big deal in an era where laptops are regularly sold as a single unit that, should one part break, goes in the trash. Since every part of a Framework machine can be swapped out, you can keep one going for as long as your patience, and the supply of spare parts, allows. Desktops, however, are already modular and repairable company founder Nirav Patel said

When UFO 50 , the dizzyingly ambitious fictional game compendium from the creator of Spelunky , landed on PC last year, a Switch port felt inevitable. Weve had to wait nearly 12 months for that to happen, but its finally here. Rudely shadow-dropped into a sizzle reel at the end of Nintendos (otherwise largely underwhelming) Indie World showcase this morning, UFO 50 is available on Switch (and presumably Switch 2, barring any strange compatibility issues) for $25 right now. For those who missed i

Back in June, publisher Devolver Digital decided to switch up its usual Summer Game Fest showcase format and dedicate it to a single game, Ball x Pit by indie developer Kenny Sun and a few collaborators. The demo sunk its claws into me , and I've been looking forward to the full game ever since. During Nintendo's Indie World stream on Thursday, it emerged that Ball x Pit is coming to Switch, PC , PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Game Pass on October 15. A Switch 2 version will arrive later this year. Ba

Grok's responses to users on X could include paid advertisements in the future. According to the Financial Times , X owner Elon Musk told advertisers in a live discussion that his company would let marketers pay to appear in suggestions from Grok. He said that after making Grok the smartest, most accurate AI in the world, the company is now focusing on paying for those expensive GPUs. Musk added that if a person is asking Grok to solve a specific problem, then advertising the specific solution w

Whether you need a new MacBook for the upcoming semester or you've just been itching to upgrade from an older machine, now's a good time to buy. Amazon has a sale on the latest M4 MacBook Air that knocks up to 20 percent off many configurations. The base model is where you'll get the biggest discount. The 16GB RAM/256GB SSD laptop is down to $799 from $999, which is the lowest price we've seen. You can upgrade to 512GB SSD for $999 , down from $1,199, another all-time low price, or 24GB of RAM a

Between 2017 and 2022, 400,181 Uber trips resulted in reports of sexual assault or sexual misconduct in the US, or around one every eight minutes, according to sealed documents seen by The New York Times . The company had only disclosed 12,522 accounts of serious sexual assaults during the same time period. The report is based on interviews with current a former employees, internal documents and court records under seal as part of large-scale sexual assault litigation against Uber. There is no '

A power bank with a wireless charging option is a very handy device for anyone who's typically on the go. It's probably worth having a fully charged one on hand in case of a power outage too. Anker makes some of our favorite power banks, and one with a Qi2 charging function and 10,000mAh capacity is currently on sale. You can snap it up for $60 . That's a 25 percent discount on the list price of $80. It is also the lowest price for this model so far in 2025. The power bank is currently available

Sonos plans to raise prices across its products later this year in order to minimize the impact of tariffs on its earnings, the company has revealed alongside its financial results for the third quarter of 2025. It hasn't listed the products and their new prices yet, but it said that it's evaluating any changes it might need to its promotional strategies and that it has flexibility to move production between Vietnam and Malaysia as needed. To note, the Trump administration had imposed a 20 perce

Even a few years after launch, the AirPods Pro 2 remain some of the best wireless earbuds you can get particularly if you primarily use other Apple devices on the daily. If you're looking to upgrade from an old pair or want a fresh set for the new school year, you can pick up the AirPods Pro 2 for $169 right now. That's 32 percent off their usual price and one of the best prices we've seen this year. Apples flagship AirPods were $100 off a record-low $149 during Prime Day, so we have seen the

Finding a laptop that can juggle both gaming and schoolwork isnt as tricky as it used to be. These days, you dont have to choose between a machine that can handle your homework and one that can keep up with your favorite games. Whether youre diving into an essay, editing video for a project or hopping into a round of Fortnite or Baldurs Gate 3 after class, there are plenty of laptops that strike the right balance between performance, portability and price. The key is knowing what to look for. A

Apple has announced that it's working with Samsung at its Texas plant to launch an innovative new technology for making chips. Those chips are reportedly cutting-edge image sensors for iPhones, according to The Financial Times . That in turn means that Sony may no longer be Apple's only supplier of smartphone camera sensors for its upcoming phones. The chips in question are reportedly three-layer stacked image sensors that will allow for fast smartphone camera shooting speeds and high-frame-rate

The Nintendo Switch 2 is here, and that means a whole lot more people will eventually need a new microSD card. While the new console comes with 256GB of built-in storage eight times more than the original Switch and four times more than the Switch OLED its improved performance means that some games will chew up a ton of that space. Cyberpunk 2077 is a 59GB download, for example, while Split Fiction checks in at 69GB. Other titles arent nearly as big (particularly those made by Nintendo itsel

Choosing the best laptop can be a bit of a challenge there are so many models, sizes and specs out there that its easy to feel lost in the shuffle. But the good news is that modern laptops are better than ever. Whether you're looking for a powerful AI PC, a travel-ready ultrabook or an affordable machine that can handle everyday tasks, there's something out there for everyone. Todays systems combine improved performance, longer battery life and smarter features in sleek, lightweight designs tha

Tea bills itself as a safety dating app for women, allowing users to anonymously share details about men they have met. A new app called TeaOnHer has emerged that attempts to flip the script, with men sharing information about women they date. And while Tea drew scrutiny last month after a data breach revealed user information, including potentially identifying details such as phone numbers and personal anecdotes, the copycat app seems to be suffering from the same problem. TechCrunch discovered

Apple plans to invest an additional $100 billion in the US, the company announced on Wednesday. The investment follows President Donald's Trump's previously announced plans to raise tariffs on India by an additional 25 percent (bringing the total tariff to 50 percent) for purchasing oil from Russia. Apple relies heavily on manufacturers in India to create the iPhone, so adding to its already $500 billion investment in the US is likely a way to avoid being impacted by the tariffs. Today, we're pr

RedOctane Games is back and ready to make more rhythm games. The studio announced its re-launch today and said it is already in production on its first title. Charles and Kai Huang, who co-founded the original RedOctane back in 1999 and launched the Guitar Hero franchise, will serve on a special advisory board for the new company. The first RedOctane was acquired by Activision in 2006 and shuttered in 2010. The team is small, but it has some heavy-hitters from the rhythm game world. Its head of

Last month, a Pew Research Center report shed light on Google's AI Overviews' effect on web publishing. In short, the analysis painted an abysmal outlook for anyone relying on web traffic. But on Wednesday, Google Search head Liz Reid penned a blog post that puts quite a different spin on things. The Google VP claims traffic from search to websites is relatively stable and that click quality has increased. Reid's framing boils down to everything is peachy, and AI is making things better even fo

The Game Devs of Color Expo is returning for its 10th year from September 16 to 19. The online conference both celebrates the games industry's developers of color, and acts as a showcase for new upcoming game through its companion GDoCExpo Direct showcase. This year's GDoCExpo Direct kicks off the conference on September 16 at 4PM ET / 1PM ET on the Game Devs of Color Expo YouTube channel . The direct is supposed to feature more than 30 games and it'll be paired with a Game Devs of Color Expo St

Your iPhone's operating system is getting a big upgrade this fall with the release of iOS 26. One of the better changes and also Apple's largest visual update in years is the new Liquid Glass design ( think Windows Vista , but arguably more thoughtful). We spent two weeks test-driving it you can check out our detailed hands-on iOS 26 preview , or you can try it out yourself by downloading and installing the public beta . That software is a more stable iteration of the separate developer versi

Liquid Glass is a huge new change coming to iOS 26. (Apple) The wait for upgrading your iPhone to iOS 26 keeps getting shorter, but we're still over a month out from the release, which is expected this fall. But if you want to start testing out the new features today, you can download and install Apple's public beta , which CEO Tim Cook recently said is (along with the other current beta operating systems) y far the most popular developer betas weve had, 9to5Mac reports . You can also take a lo

Wired reported on new cybersecurity research that demonstrated a hack of the Google Gemini artificial intelligence assistant. The researchers were able to control connected smart home devices through the use of indirect prompt injections in Google Calendar invites. When a user requested a summary of their calendar and thanked Gemini for the results, the malicious prompt ordered Google's Home AI agent to take actions such as opening windows or turning lights off, as demonstrated in the video abov

We already know the changes coming to our phones with iOS 26 , but we're super excited to see what Apple's newest iPhone 17 lineup will look like. That's still more than a month away assuming Apple sticks to its usual release schedule so for now we can speculate what the new phones will look like. As with most unreleased iPhone models, rumors and leaks have trickled in about the hardware side ahead of the official introduction. Here's what we're expecting and what we can reasonably assume we'l

Microsoft revealed that it was working on an AI chatbot specifically for gamers back in March, and now it's here for a test drive. The beta version of Gaming Copilot is available to Xbox Insiders on PC via the Game Bar functionality. It's also available to try on Windows-based handheld gaming devices, but the company says the functionality there is currently limited. A variant of this tool recently launched as a beta for mobile . This is kind of like an AI version of those old Nintendo phone hel

Google is updating Gemini to make it a better education tool with a new feature called Guided Learning. Like similar learning-focused updates to ChatGPT and Claude , Guided Learning tries to promote understanding by breaking down problems into step-by-step instructions, follow-up questions and interactive examples, rather than simply providing an answer. Guided Learning will be available as toggle in the prompt box of Gemini as the feature rolls out. When it's toggled on, Gemini will treat quest

Instagram just announced an update with some long-requested features. The most notable is the introduction of a location-sharing tool for friends. Once opted into, the map shares a user's last active location with chosen contacts. The location sharing feature is turned off until selected and there are numerous customization controls. For instance, Instagram users can choose to share location data with all friends, Close Friends, selected accounts or nobody at all. This data can be restricted whe

OpenAI has announced that it will be partnering with the US General Services Administration (GSA) to offer ChatGPT Enterprise practically free of charge to the entire executive-branch federal workforce for one year. The dozens of agencies under this umbrella encompass over two million civilian workers. Each agency will be able to access ChatGPT Enterprise for $1 for the year-long period. The year-long trial will also include an additional 60 days of ChatGPT's most advanced models like Deep Resea

After largely focusing Google I/O 2025 on the ways the company wants Gemini to change everything from searching the web to filmmaking , Google is finally ready to launch new hardware. The next Made by Google event is on the books for August 20 , and Google has already confirmed what at least one of its new Pixel 10 phones will look like. Google remains as leak-prone as ever, so nearly all the new hardware the company is expected to announce has all ready been reported on in one form or another.

Israel has allegedly been recording and storing millions of phone calls made by Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank as part of a large surveillance effort dating back to 2022, according to reporting by The Guardian , +972 Magazine and Local Call . The report suggests that the country has been shuttling these recordings to Microsoft Azure cloud servers. Company CEO Satya Nadella allegedly okayed the effort personally after meeting with a commander from Israels military surveillance agency, Uni

ESPNs long-awaited new standalone streaming service will launch on August 21, alongside an overhauled ESPN app that gives users a more personalized, dynamic viewing experience. Simply (and potentially confusingly) called ESPN, the new platform arrives just ahead of the new NFL season and the US Open tennis competition, as well as a number of other returning sports that ESPN broadcasts. ESPNs streaming service will be offered with a choice of two plans. The $30 per month ($300 annually) unlimited

Its almost the end of the road for Hulu as a standalone app. Now that it fully owns Hulu , Disney will entirely integrate the streaming service into Disney+. It will roll out a new, unified app next year. This doesnt necessarily mean that the price of a Disney+ subscription is going to skyrocket in 2026. A Disney spokesperson told Variety the company will still offer standalone plans for Disney+ and Hulu. Disney CEO Bob Igor said on an earnings call that having Disney+ and Hulu on the same tech

Thirteen years ago, the Curiosity rover landed on Mars, inside Gale crater in particular. It was originally sent to the red planet for a two-year mission, but it was extended indefinitely just a few months into its operations. The rover has several goals, most of which are meant to help scientists determine whether Mars could ever have supported life in the past. And while it's still very much operational and doing science, NASA has had to make adjustments and give it new capabilities to ensure

Google is rolling a fix for a bug that made some Pixel users' three-button navigation unresponsive with its monthly software update this August. As The Verge notes, after the company released Android 16 in June, Pixel users have been reporting that their buttons are being unresponsive or that it's taking up to 30 seconds for their device to register a tap. Some said they have to press the back button several times for the three-button menu to start working. Users from across Pixel models, includ

States will lose out on their share of a $42 billion broadband fund if they attempt to dictate rates that internet services providers (ISPs) charge low-income customers, according to a new FAQ from the Trump administration seen by Ars Technica . That means ISPs which are subsidized by the government in order to provide low-cost plans will be able to set such rates under the BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment) program. The new language appeared in a BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice (

Every now and then companies make truly boneheaded decisions, which is exactly what happened when Dell killed off the name of its most iconic PC line and replaced it with something generic. It's like if Ford decided to rebrand Mustang and call it The Prime Sportscar instead. It doesn't make sense. But now that XPS has become Premium, it's time to see if Dell's latest flagship 14-inch ultraportable the Dell 14 Premium (you see how dumb that sounds?) still has the DNA that made its predecessors

Your Apple Watch is already a powerful tool on your wrist, but the right accessories can make it even better whether youre looking to boost its battery life, upgrade its style or make it more convenient to use. From a stylish sport loop that keeps things comfortable during workouts to a sturdy charging stand for your bedside, there are plenty of ways to enhance your experience. If you're rocking a Watch Ultra 2 and need a rugged silicone band for outdoor adventures or have a Watch SE and just w

To find the best power bank out there, I tested around 50 portable chargers and batteries from big brands Anker, Belkin, UGreen, Mophie as well as some smaller players like Lion Energy, Nimble and Satechi. I used them to recharge a number of devices including iPhones, Galaxy phones, an iPad, a MacBook and even my ereaders and PlayStation controller. If you just want a brick that can charge anything, go for Ankers 25kmAh Laptop Power bank . It has two built-in USB-C cables, a massive capacity a

Welcome to Video Games Weekly on Engadget. Expect a new story every Monday or Tuesday, broken into two parts. The first is a space for short essays and ramblings about video game trends and related topics from me, Jess Conditt, 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. Lets all agree to stop tal

After her game was banned from sale on Steam in a baffling decision with no appeal option , solo developer Cara Cadaver has made VILE: Exhumed available as shareware under a Creative Commons license. The project can be downloaded for free, but players can opt to donate in support of the solo developer's work. Both Cara and publisher DreadXP will pay forward those donations, with 50 percent of the game's profits being given to the Toronto-based charity Red Door Family Shelter . The group aids fam

Sonos is having overheating issues with a very low number of its Roam speakers. Bloomberg reports that some users' portable Bluetooth speakers are overheating around the device's USB-C port. The company has not recalled any products as a result but it aware of the issue happening. Weve closely tracked a limited number of reports involving the USB-C charging connection on some first-generation Sonos Roam speakers, Sonos said in a statement shared with Engadget. While the overall incidence rate is