After months of teasing , the legendary Rhodes piano is back, with Rhodes Music Group opening pre-orders for the new MK8 model on Wednesday. It costs an eye-watering $9,450. And that's only the price of the base model. Want the rad transparent hood? That's an extra $575. How about a walnut bottom shell? Add another $1,095. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rhodes (@rhodes.piano) With all the possible extras, you can expect to pay $12,640 for a single MK8. That's a lot when

Qualcomm is expanding its lineup of ARM-based chips for Windows and Chromebook with Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 and 7c+ Gen 3 platforms. In addition, the company aims to power handheld gaming devices using Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 chipsets. Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, which builds on last year's Gen 2 , is the first 5nm PC platform, according to Qualcomm, which designed it with ultra-slim and fanless laptops in mind. It says that moving to a 5nm process node and other optimizations allowed for improved Kryo

Payments firm Square plans to change its name to Block as cryptocurrencies and other blockchain technologies become a bigger part of its business. On Wednesday, the company announced it will move forward with the rebranding on December 10th. The name has many associated meanings for the company building blocks, neighborhood blocks and their local businesses, communities coming together at block parties full of music, a blockchain, a section of code, and obstacles to overcome, the company said i

Microsoft isn't ready to backtrack on Windows 11's major design changes yet, but at least it's testing out a few new ways to customize the OS. With the latest Windows 11 Insider build (22509), you can have the revamped Start menu show more pinned apps, or more recommended apps and files, in addition to the default mode which balances the two. That's not a return to the Windows 10 Start menu that some diehard users have been clamoring for, and really, it's unlikely Microsoft w

Meta is backing away from its longstanding (if not absolute ) ban on cryptocurrency ads . As CNBC reports , Meta has greatly loosened its ban by expanding the number of regulatory licenses it accepts from three to 27. The crypto landscape has matured and stabilized enough to justify the change of heart, the company said, including an increased amount of government regulation that sets clearer responsibilities and expectations. Advertisers still need written permission to run ads for cryptocurren

Following scrutiny from state and federal regulators , Activision Blizzard and its CEO Bobby Kotick now face pressure from an unexpected source. Per Axios , state treasurers from California, Massachusetts, Illinois, Oregon, Delaware and Nevada recently contacted the companys board of directors to discuss its response to the challenges and investment risk exposures that face Activision. In a letter dated to November 23rd, the group tells the board it would weigh a call to vote against the re-elec

Frances Haugen, the former Facebook employee turned whistleblower, testified in Congress for the second time in less than two months. Speaking to the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, Haugen once again urged Congress to act to rein in Facebook. Unlike Haugens last Congressional hearing, during which she briefed senators on Facebooks internal research, Wednesdays hearing was meant to be focused on potential reforms of social media platforms. Specifically, Section 230 of the Communications D

Since it launched last month, Battlefield 2042 has gained a reputation for being a buggy mess, instead of a return to form for the long-running shooter franchise. So it's not too surprising to see EA rush out with a slew of post-launch fixes let those problems fester too long, and they risk losing dedicated players to Call of Duty and Halo Infinite . With its third update, which arrives on December 2nd , Battlefield 2042 will get over 150 bug fixes, including some major UI improvements. Fo

Meta/Facebook is today updating the world on how its efforts to remove fake and adversarial networks from its platform are going. The social network has released a new report saying that it has successfully closed down a number of networks for Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior (CIB). But in addition to networks of fake profiles all working in tandem, the company has also shed some light on how it deals with additional threats. This includes Brigading the use of negative comments and counter-post

Barnes & Noble hasn't done as much lately to push e-readers forward as some of its rivals , but it's starting to catch up. TechCrunch notes the bookseller has launched the Nook GlowLight 4, its first entry in the mid-tier e-reader line since 2017's GlowLight 3. A lot has changed in four years, if not as much as you might think this is as much about dragging the device into the modern era as anything. The Nook GlowLight 4 is billed as sleeker than the GlowLight 3, with a smaller over

Following a trial in 2020 involving 1,700 locations across the US, CVS is expanding the availability of its Spoken Rx audio prescription labels to all 10,000 of its pharmacies nationwide. The accessibility feature is available through the CVS Pharmacy app. It uses your phone to scan Rx bottles equipped with special RFID labels that then allow the device to read the label, including any instructions related to dosage amounts, aloud in English or Spanish. Youll need to enroll in the service if you

Microsoft has unveiled Teams Essentials, a version of Teams aimed at small businesses. It's a standalone product that nestles between the free Teams plan and the features that come with a Microsoft 365 subscription. Teams Essentials costs $4 per user per month. It includes unlimited group meetings for up to 30 hours and as many as 300 participants, compared with a 60-minute time limit and a maximum of 100 participants on the free plan. Users also get 10GB of cloud storage twice as much as t

Tinder's founders just won a partial victory in their lawsuit against Match Group over alleged financial trickery. Match has agreed to settle the case by paying $441 million from its cash reserves. In return, the Tinder co-creators will dismiss the claims from both the lawsuit and linked arbitration. The court battle began in 2018, when the plaintiffs accused Tinder's parent organizations Match and IAC of manipulating financial data (including a secret merger with Match) to artificially

Over the last month, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy S21 have noticed the Amazon Appstore doesn't work with Android 12 . And we say it doesn't work, we mean it's almost entirely broken. Most people report they can't run any of the software they've downloaded from Amazon. Yet others say they don't see any apps when they visit the marketplace. An Amazon forum post spotted by The Verge succinctly captures the situation many Appstore users find themselves in after installing

A few months later than originally planned, Sony has opened pre-orders for its first drone for professionals. The company says the Airpeak S1 is the smallest drone that supports a full-size, mirrorless Alpha camera. The debut model in the Airpeak line works with several Sony cameras , including the Alpha 1, Alpha 7S series, Alpha 7R series and Alpha 9 series. The company says the S1 has proprietary technology that supports smooth movement at high speed and provides stable wind resistance in serv

Google has revealed a slew of features and updates for Android 12 . Starting today, the digital car key function that was announced at Google I/O in May is available on Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S21 for compatible BMW vehicles in select countries. You can use your phone to lock and unlock the doors, and start the engine. The feature is likely coming to other vehicles later Google has been working with other, unnamed automakers on support for digital car keys. There's now an op

Verizon (Engadget's former parent company) isn't just relying on no-frills media players to push its Stream TV platform. The carrier has unveiled the Stream TV Soundbar (shown below) and Stream TV Soundbar Pro (at top), both of which mate Android TV with Bang & Olufsen's audio know-how and some high-end features to match. All of them include Dolby Atmos surround sound and content-sensitive sound field selection it's just a question of how much B&O influence you want. The base St

Reddit is introducing a handful of new features designed to make its social network feel more interactive. Starting today, youll notice the vote and comment counts on posts and feeds will increase (as well as decrease) in real-time. Additionally, youll see new typing indicators that will tell you when two or more people are replying to a comment. Similarly, another set of real-time indicators will share when five or more people are reading the same post. Reddit In both instances, you wont know e

The perfect hybrid machine thats just as good a tablet as it is a laptop still doesnt exist. But, in 2021, companies like Microsoft, Apple and Google continued to improve their operating systems for machines that do double duty. Windows 11 has features that make it friendlier for multi-screen devices, while Android 12L is on the horizon and promises an optimized experience for larger displays. Plus, with the rise of ARM-based chips for laptops, especially Apples impressive M1 series, prospects f

Earlier this year, Nothing released a pair of relatively cheap $99 Ear 1 earbuds with a fun transparent case, wireless charging and decent sound quality. Now, the company (created by OnePlus cofounder Carl Pei) has unveiled the new Ear 1 Black Edition that retains the transparent case and funky design, but adds a smoky finish and black matte colorway. Nothing also announced that the Ear 1 is now carbon neutral, and that it will start accepting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in select countri

Epic has made acquisitions and otherwise signalled plans for a Fortnite metaverse , but its latest move is one of the most obvious yet. The developer has introduced Fortnite Party Worlds, or maps that are solely intended as social spaces to meet friends and play mini games. Unlike Hubs, these environments don't link to other islands think of them as final destinations. The company has collaborated with creators fivewalnut and TreyJTH to offer a pair of example Party Worlds (a theme park and

Niantic has acquired another company to help build out its augmented reality platforms. The company has announced that it's acquiring the team behind Lowkey, an app you can use to easily capture and share gameplay moments. While you can use any screen capture application or even your phone's built-in feature to record your games, Lowkey was designed with casual gamers or those who don't want to spend time editing their videos in mind. The app can capture videos on your computer, fo

The electrification of the bicycle has historically meant just that: A bike, but with an electric motor. You might find some other smart conveniences on higher-end models, but less is more has usually been the way. Urtopia , the latest e-bike brand from China, has other ideas. Its debut ride is, on paper, one of the most tech-heavy bikes weve seen. The spec sheet reads more like a phones than a next-gen fixie. For example, beyond the 250W hub motor with three levels of riding assist (and an esti

In early December, Spotify rolls out its Wrapped year-in-review so that users can relive their go-to artists, songs and podcasts from the last several months. Today, the service is debuting the 2021 installment with some familiar features and a number of new additions, both of which are personalized to each listener's streaming habits. Like before, you'll get all the info on your top artists, genres, songs, podcasts and total minutes listened with the ability to share those details on Sn

Lenovo found success in the Google smart display space with its tiny smart clocks thanks to the devices' simplicity and affordable prices. The company introduced the modestly updated Smart Clock 2 this year and now Walmart has one of the best deals we've seen on it since its debut. You can pick up the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 plus one of the company's smart light bulbs for only $25, which is about $45 off its normal price. This bundle doesn't come with the wireless charging base that

7-Eleven has teamed up with Nuro for autonomous vehicle deliveries in Mountain View, California. Residents can place orders through the 7Now app and an AV might bring the items to their location . Autonomous deliveries won't cost customers anything extra. They're available from 8AM until 9PM PT every day, and the companies say orders should arrive in around 30 minutes. When the AV arrives, customers collect their items from the rear. There are some limitations. You won't be able to o

Xbox video game clips are about to become much more easily shareable via unique public URLs on the Xbox mobile app, according to a tweet from Microsoft's Larry Hryb (@majornelson). Those links will also be collected into a new trending content area so you can see what others are doing. The features are now being tested in the app and will soon' roll out to all users, Hryb said. Link sharing and trending content are coming soon to the Xbox mobile app, letting you share links to your game

DJIs newest, technically impressive (and expensive) drone is here. It addresses issues with visual quality, short flight time and a simplified flying experience. Judging by Associate Editor Steve Dents review, its an incredible drone, even if some features were missing at launch. The Mavic 3 is peerless when it comes to image quality so that speaks to who its aimed at. Its definitely not for the beginner drone dilettante, like me. Read our full review here and make sure to watch our (gorgeous)

Microsoft's shareholders have forced the tech giant to write up an annual report that would detail how it handles sexual harassment cases within the company. Investors voted in favor of passing a proposal requesting the annual report at their recent meeting despite the company's recommendation that they vote against it. According to The Wall Street Journal , Microsoft has been planning to disclose how it implements sexual harassment and gender discrimination policies even before the vote

As he showed with the Flamethrower , Tesla CEO Elon Musk has a knack for selling weird gadgets that often have little to do with the company's main business. The latest example is a $50 Cyberwhistle , a collectible whistle in the form of Tesla's Cybertruck, and it's already sold out. Blow the whistle on Tesla! https://t.co/c86hLA0iQK Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 1, 2021 $50 is a lot for a whistle, though it is a nice-looking whistle that at least has some relation to Tesla unlik

HTC has rolled out a firmware update for the latest standalone Vive Focus that greatly improves its hand-tracking capabilities. The company says firmware version 3.0.999.284 significantly improves the feature's performance, stability and accuracy. HTC's Vive Focus 3 launched with hand tracking back in July, allowing users to use their hands as controllers. With this software engine upgrade, HTC says the headset will be able to track fast hand movements more easily and recognize pinch-to-

VCV Rack 2 has arrived, and it could help you figure out if modular synthesis is something you can get into before blowing a fortune on it. The original app dropped in 2017, giving you access to thousands of virtual modules that let you try Eurorack for free. This upgraded app comes with a completely redesigned user interface with a dark room mode and a much better module browser than its predecessor. VCV has a library of almost 2,700 modules, and the new browser will make them easier to sort wi

Twitch is introducing a new machine learning feature to help streamers protect their channels from people attempting to avoid bans. Dubbed Suspicious User Detection, the tool will automatically flag individuals it suspects may be likely or possible ban dodgers. In cases involving the former, Twitch will prevent any messages they send from showing up in chat. It will also identify those individuals for streamers and any mods helping them with their channel. At that point, they can decide if they

Every December for the last few years, Qualcomm has held an annual event in Hawaii to announce its latest flagship mobile chipset. This year was no different with the company taking the opportunity to unveil the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Thats right, for the second year in a row, Qualcomm is moving away from the sequential numbering scheme that has defined its processors for years. Just as the Snapdragon 865 gave way to the 888 , the company will now replace the 888 with the Gen 1. The system-on-a-chi

Metas Reality Labs unit is rolling out one last major software update for the Quest and Quest 2 before the end of the year. And its one youll want to download as soon as you can because it adds some handy features. One of them allows you to record yourself while inside a game or app. If you own a VR headset, youve probably seen videos like the one above where you can see how a game physically plays. Before today, you needed special equipment to capture footage from that mixed reality perspective

Google's classic don't be evil mantra may have been more of a philosophical statement than a practical guideline, but former staff members now want to hold the company accountable for it. NPR and The Verge say ex-engineers Paul Duke, Rebecca Rivers and Sophie Waldman have sued Google for allegedly violating the don't be evil segment of the company's code of conduct . They claim Google fired them for organizing worker opposition to controversial projects , like working with the Tr

David Marcus, the longtime Facebook executive who has overseen the companys embattled cryptocurrency plans, is leaving the company. Marcus will step down from the company at the end of 2021, he wrote in a Facebook post. The former PayPal executive first joined Facebook in 2014; he ran Messenger for four years before leaving the post to kickstart Facebooks blockchain division. Since then, hes overseen Metas long-troubled cryptocurrency plans, as well as other payments products like Facebook Pay.

The latest season of Fall Guys is underway and although there's a party vibe this time around, those on Nintendo Switch and Xbox are unfortunately unable to join the festivities. Developer Mediatonic has once again delayed the adorable battle royale on those platforms. The Switch and Xbox versions were initially supposed to arrive last summer, but they were pushed back until later this year . Now, according to an updated Xbox Wire post , Fall Guys will land on those platforms in 2022. We kno

It might soon be easy to build living robots because they'll build themselves. New Scientist reports Harvard University, Tufts University and University of Vermont researchers have learned that their frog cell-based Xenobots can self-reproduce. The custom organisms can collect hundreds of individual cells in their dishes to spontaneously assemble baby bots that grow up within a few days. As this happens over and over, you could use the reproduction to amass however robots you need to delive

In 2018, astronauts aboard the International Space Station plugged a 2mm hole in a Soyuz MS-09 vehicle that had docked with the station in June of that year. While the pressure leak never posed an immediate threat to those aboard, it set off a bizarre turn of events that saw Russia open an investigation to find out if the incident was the result of sabotage. Per an RIA Novosti article spotted by Ars Technica , the country's Roscosmos space agency recently completed its probe of the event and

Starfield is just under a year away from landing on PC and Xbox Series X/S , and Bethesda has offered another peek at what's in store with a mini documentary. The seven-minute Into the Starfield: The Endless Pursuit featurette shows a lot of concept art and brief shots of things like robots, alien worlds and a spaceport. The video is centered around the evolution of Bethesda Game Studios and the worlds it has built over the years. Given that many of the studio's games are about explorat

After a six-year stint as CEO (again), Jack Dorsey is leaving Twitter in a very different place than when he took it over in 2015. Back then, not everyone was excited about the return of the companys cofounder. Even though he initially came back temporarily, employees and investors were concerned that dual CEO roles he was, and still is, the CEO of Square would keep him from being able to tackle the companys many problems. The general feeling among Twitter employees now is trepidation, The New

The holidays can be messy, but iRobot is betting its robot vacuums will make the cleanup somewhat bearable. It's updating the Roomba J7 and J7+ with the ability to recommend a Christmas tree zone through the iRobot Home app. Accept the suggestion and your bot should clean the pine needle carnage without touching the tree skirt or presents. The upgrade might also be helpful if you're having guests over for the holidays. The J7 and J7+ can now detect loose shoes and socks. Your relatives w

Formula E has announced what it claims is the planet's most efficient race car. Teams will use the third-generation (Gen3) electric car in the 2022-23 season and can start testing it in the spring. Not only is the Gen3 lighter and smaller than the Gen2 , Formula E and the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) say that at least 40 percent of energy used in a race will be produced through regenerative braking. As such, Gen3 will be the first formula car without rear hydraulic bra

You now have a way to flaunt your NBA Top Shot NFT to house guests, provided you're willing to pay a premium for it. As The Verge notes , Dapper Labs (the company behind Top Shot) and hardware startup Infinite Objects are now offering video prints of NBA NFTs in physical display frames. Link your Dapper Wallet and you can showcase a classic basketball moment wherever it's convenient, not just from a device like your computer. A QR code and a holographic sticker will help prove it's y

DJIs Mavic 3 created early buzz when a leak suggested it would have a large 4/3 sensor and dual camera system, along with an incredible 46 minutes of range. However, potential buyers were also shocked to learn that it has a $2,200 starting price, compared to $1,449 for the Mavic 2 Pro . And that goes way up to $5,000 if you want advanced features like ProRes HQ video. Early footage shows that the camera is indeed impressive and the 50 percent extra flight time is extremely useful. Buyers have al

Twitter has expanded its private information policy to include media, banning users from sharing photos or videos of a private individual without their permission. The company notes that tweeting such images can violate someone's privacy and potentially lead to harm against them. Beginning today, we will not allow the sharing of private media, such as images or videos of private individuals without their consent. Publishing people's private info is also prohibited under the policy, as is

A patient has been fitted with a highly realistic 3D printed prosthetic eye for the first time ever, Fraunhofer Technology has announced . Patient Steve Verze received the high-tech version as a permanent replacement for his traditional prosthetic eye. It makes me feel more and more confident, he told On Demand News . If I can't spot the difference, I know other people won't spot the difference. Fraunhofer worked with British company Ocupeye Ltd on a new process that's faster and far

Don't worry if you missed out on Black Friday multicooker deals there are still big bargains available. Ninja's OS301 Foodi 10-in-1 cooker is back on sale at Amazon for $119 , or 41 percent off its usual price. As with a similar deal in October , this might be the best value-for-money sale for one of Ninja's do-everything devices. Buy OS301 Foodi 10-in-1 at Amazon - $119 This Foodi model remains an easy pick. It offers the usual multicooker features like pressure cooking, slow cooki

YouTube Gaming has been aggressively luring Twitch creators to its platform, and the latest to defect is Ludwig Ahgren. Ludwig is perhaps best known for his marathon streaming session that allowed him to break the Twitch all-time subscriber record held by Ninja, eventually hitting 283,066 all-time active subs. Ludwig broke the news in an amusing Twitter video that showed him driving with his manager Slime in a purple car that eventually explodes after they get out. He then jumps into a red model