Science/Tech News

Meta Ray-Ban Gen 2 AI glasses launch in India

The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) AI glasses will be available nationwide at Ray-Ban India and leading optical and eyewear retailers, starting at 39,900

OpenAI pushes to release new AI model codenamed Garlic as Googles Gemini gains users: Report

As per a new report, OpenAI plans to release a version of the new large language model by early next year

SoftBank to pare more than two-thirds stake in InMobi, its first-ever India bet

If completed, the deal would represent another liquidity event for SoftBank from an Indian company, boosting its returns portfolio, which otherwise has been a mixed bag, with significant gains from PB Fintech and Blinkit (Grofers) investment, alongside losses exceeding $500M from Paytm.

Nomad Goods Promo Codes: 25% Off

Save up to 25% on Nomad Goods accessories such as Nomad phone cases, Nomad wallets, and more this December.

Wikipedia seeks more AI licensing deals similar to Google tie-up, co-founder says

While the content of Wikipedia remains free for individuals under its license, the high-volume, automated access by for-profit entities is a different matter, Wales said

Salesforce CEO vies to overcome investors AI skepticism while touting companys quarterly numbers

Salesforce has been pummeled by a wave of investor skepticism thats intensified the pressure on its persuasive CEO Marc Benioff

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang visits Republicans as debate over intensifying AI race rages

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang met separately with U.S. President Donald Trump and Republican senators Wednesday

Indian data center operator Sify Infinit Spaces bets on AI boom but wary of bubble

The surge in artificial intelligence technologies, which require massive computing power, has spurred unprecedented growth in data centers worldwide, including India

Nvidia servers speed up AI models from China's Moonshoot AI and others tenfold

The data comes as the AI world has shifted its focus from training AI models, where Nvidia dominates the market, to putting them to use for millions of users, where Nvidia faces far more competition from rivals such as Advanced Micro Devices and Cerebras

Pine Labs is more than a POS terminal company; software services now account for 71% of revenue

Over the years, the Mumbai-based payments company's has evolved from a hardware provider to a software and services platform.

How HUFT Became Indias Go-To Online Marketplace for Everything Petcare, Powered by Cashfrees Checkout Experience

Petcare orders often come with urgency and emotion, making every failed payment a moment of stress for families. Cashfrees checkout stack helped HUFT deliver consistency at scale, strengthening its bond with pet parents everywhere.

OpenAI agrees to acquire AI startup Neptune to boost model training capabilities

The Sam Altman-led firm is already a Neptune customer, using Neptunes tracker to monitor and debug training of its GPT large language models

New unicorn Brevo raises $583M to challenge CRM giants

Brevo, a customer relationship management company headquartered in Paris, is now a unicorn.

OpenAI loses fight to keep ChatGPT logs secret in copyright case

The case, originally brought by the Times in 2023, is one of many brought by copyright owners against tech companies including OpenAI, Microsoft and Meta Platforms for using their material without permission to train their AI systems

Meta starts removing under-16s from social media in Australia

Companies face fines of Aus$49.5 million (US$32 million) if they fail to take easonable steps to comply

Year in Review: Top 10 celebrity-backed ventures of 2025

Beyond brand endorsements, celebrities in 2025 took on deeper roles as investors, partners, and co-founders. From logistics, electric mobility, spirits, grooming, and sustainable travel gear, heres what caught their attention.

Pine Labs first profit after market debut; Indias most affordable bionic hand

Lastly, a quantum-driven crypto meltdown, more AI chaos, and China creating a new global money system are among the outrageous predictions made by Danish investment bank Saxo Bank.

Day One Ventures Masha Bucher on why every founder needs to be an influencer

Tech is racing ahead while society struggles to keep up.Masha Bucher, founder and GP ofDay One Ventures, built her firm around closing that gap bycombining venture capital with hands-on PRto help portfolio companies not just raise money, butactually breakthrough the noise. Day Ones been an early backer of companies likeWorld, Superhuman, and Remote.com, with 12 []

Malaria parasites corkscrew their way deeper through skin

Malaria sporozoites injected into human skin have to cover hundreds of micrometres to find a capillary that leads them to the liver. Older geometric models had already hinted that the natural distance across which a parasite makes a turn roughly matches the radius of small blood vessels, making it easier to loop around them

Amazon hopes to jump start its AI coding tool Kiro by giving it away to startups

Can Kiro win the hearts of startup founders above the many AI coding tools they already have? Amazon hopes a free year will tempt them.

US Department of Transportation doubles down on gas, cuts fuel efficiency standards

The Department of Transportation under President Donald Trump is moving to reverse more of the climate policies that had been enacted by President Joe Biden. Under a proposed rulemaking by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks in model year 2031 will be reduced to an average of 34.5 miles per gallon, down from the standard of 50.4 miles per gallon that was part of Biden's plans to encourage more adoption of electric vehicles among US drivers. The move was expected since Trump re-took office. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered the NHTSA to review fuel efficiency standards in January a day after he assumed the title. The current administration also ended a tax credit for buying electric vehicles over the summer. In the meantime, international manufacturers are racing ahead in their progress on building better EVs, offering other markets more exciting models that wont arrive in the US thanks to tariffs . While Trump's announcement today claimed that the change would reduce the average cost of a new car by $1,000 and offer a savings of $109 billion over five years, gas prices are on track to increase if the Environmental Protection Agency does successfully repeal the finding that climate change causes human harm. Plus there's the incalculable financial and human cost of a growing number of catastrophic weather events that have been predicted if the planet continues to get warmer. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/us-department-of-transportation-doubles-down-on-gas-cuts-fuel-efficiency-standards-234542939.html?src=rss

Meta poaches Apple design exec Alan Dye

Dye led Apple's user interface team for the last decade.

Roblox banned in Russia, local media says

Russia's communications agency cited the presence of LGBTQ content on the platform as one of the reasons behind the ban.

BMW iX3 2026 Review: Price, Specs, Availability

BMWs first car on its new EV platform has finally arrived. But will a big range, thumping charging tech, and a new driving brain that aims to deliver the ultimate ride be enough to beat China?

Apple design lead Alan Dye is heading to Meta

Alan Dye, Apple's Vice President of Human Interface Design, has been poached by Meta, Bloomberg reports . The designer played a pivotal role in the look and feel of Apple's products since Jony Ive left the company in 2019 , and now hell be taking his talents to Meta. Dye will reportedly work under Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth as the head of a new studio that will oversee the design of hardware, software and AI products. The studio will also include former Apple designer Billy Sorrentino, Metas interface design lead Joshua To, an industrial design team led by Pete Bristol, and metaverse design and art teams led by Jason Rubin, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Threads . The new studio will bring together design, fashion, and technology to define the next generation of our products and experiences, Zuckerberg shared in the post. Our idea is to treat intelligence as a new design material and imagine what becomes possible when it is abundant, capable and human-centered. Apple, meanwhile, is replacing Dye with Stephen Lemay, Bloomberg reports, a senior designer at the company who's worked on all of the companys interfaces since 1999. Considering the secrecy of Apple as a company, it's hard to credit individual breakthroughs to individual designers, but Dye worked on several of Apple's major new platforms and design changes, including things like the interface of visionOS and its new Liquid Glass design language. Meta has had success with its Quest virtual reality headsets and more recently, its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses , but the company clearly hopes to release many more consumer hardware products with Dye and its new design studios help. Those will likely include future versions of the Meta Ray-Ban Display and its Neural Band accessory. Dye isn't the first designer Apple has lost to a competitor. Evans Hankey, the companys former head of industrial design, left Apple in 2022 to work with Ive. Hankey is now one of several former Apple employees building OpenAI's upcoming hardware device . Dye joining Meta is particularly interesting in this case because Apple is rumored to be working on products that will bring the company in even closer competition to the social media giant. The Vision Pro could be considered to be a high-end competitor in VR, but Apple is reportedly working on its own pair of smart glasses , too. Update, December 3, 5:54PM ET: Added information from Mark Zuckerbergs Threads post on hiring Alan Dye and Metas new design studio. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-design-lead-alan-dye-is-heading-to-meta-214449944.html?src=rss

Artist Bungie plagiarized for Marathon alpha says the issue has been resolved

Bungie and Sony Interactive Entertainment appear to have settled the plagiarism scandal that rocked Marathon before the game was indefinitely delayed in June 2025. Fern Hook, an artist who goes by the name Antireal online, posted on X that her issues with Bungie using her work without credit in Marathon have been resolved to her satisfaction. Marathon 's distinct art style is one of its charms, but as Hook claimed on X and Bungie later confirmed , a portion of the assets and textures featured in the game's alpha were lifted from Hook's work. At the time, Bungie announced that it was conducting an investigation and hoped to discuss the issue with Hook. It's not clear what kind of agreement Bungie, Sony and Hook came to, but it appears to have solved any outstanding issues. The Marathon art issue has been resolved with Bungie and Sony Interactive Entertainment to my satisfaction. N (@4nt1r34l) December 2, 2025 Bungie delayed Marathon from its original September 2025 launch date in June, and more recently ran closed playtests of an updated version of the game in October. As of Sony's November earnings report, the company now says Marathon will launch by March 2026 . Marathon is a reimagining of an older Bungie franchise, but more importantly, it's also the developer's first new game since Destiny 2 was released in 2017. Considering Sony's increased scrutiny of Bungie's performance , settling this issue and hopefully setting up Marathon for a smoother launch is definitely a good thing. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/artist-bungie-plagiarized-for-marathon-alpha-says-the-issue-has-been-resolved-223901094.html?src=rss

The Auk Mini Herb Garden Is Still Up to $30 Off (2025)

Missed out on Cyber Monday? Auk Mini's stylish herb garden makes a great gift, and its discount is still live.

Your 'dear algo' Threads posts might actually do something soon

In a lot of social media use, the algorithm is an intangible entity, silent and all-powerful in controlling what we see in our feeds. And like supplicants to a deity, sometimes we may find ourselves calling into the void, hoping to receive aid from that mighty being. Seems that for Threads users, at least, those prayers have been heard. Many people on the Threads platform have taken to writing posts with the phrase dear algo, politely asking the network algorithm to show them more of what they want or less of what they don't. According to a post today from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Threads will try out a feature where that's exactly what happens. Connor Hayes, head of Threads, also posted about this limited test, adding that it will be an AI-powered feature. When people add Dear Algo to a post, it will tell your feed what you want to see more or less of for up to three days, he wrote . If your profile is public, people can see your request, connect with you about it, or repost it. There is something satisfying about having users' feedback taken seriously, even if it started as a bit of a joke. Threads has seen rapid growth since its debut in 2023. It had 400 million monthly active users as of August 2025 and in October it reached 150 million daily active users. Update, December 3, 2025, 5:15PM ET: Added more detail from Connor Hayes about the tests. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/your-dear-algo-threads-posts-might-actually-do-something-soon-215448062.html?src=rss

Andy Jassy says Amazons Nvidia competitor chip is already a multibillion-dollar business

Can any company, big or small, really topple Nvidia's AI chip dominance? Maybe not entirely, but Amazon is already making big bucks trying.

The Age-Gated Internet Is Sweeping the US. Activists Are Fighting Back

Half of the country now requires age verification to watch porn or access harmful content. Digital rights advocates are pushing back against legislation they say will make the internet less safe.

OpenAI's new confession system teaches models to be honest about bad behaviors

OpenAI announced today that it is working on a framework that will train artificial intelligence models to acknowledge when they've engaged in undesirable behavior, an approach the team calls a confession. Since large language models are often trained to produce the response that seems to be desired, they can become increasingly likely to provide sycophancy or state hallucinations with total confidence. The new training model tries to encourage a secondary response from the model about what it did to arrive at the main answer it provides. Confessions are only judged on honesty, as opposed to the multiple factors that are used to judge main replies, such as helpfulness, accuracy and compliance. The technical writeup is available here . The researchers said their goal is to encourage the model to be forthcoming about what it did, including potentially problematic actions such as hacking a test, sandbagging or disobeying instructions. If the model honestly admits to hacking a test, sandbagging, or violating instructions, that admission increases its reward rather than decreasing it, the company said. Whether you're a fan of Catholicism, Usher or just a more transparent AI, a system like confessions could be a useful addition to LLM training. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-new-confession-system-teaches-models-to-be-honest-about-bad-behaviors-210553482.html?src=rss

Netflix is getting rid of another of its game studios by selling it back to its founders

The developer of Cozy Grove and Alphabear is leaving Netflix. Spry Fox is being sold back to its original founders, Game File reports , and will continue to work on its upcoming cooperative village life sim Spirit Crossing as an independent company. Unlike other shuttered Netflix games studios Team Blue and Boss Fight Entertainment , Netflix will remain involved with the studio as Spirit Crossing 's publisher on mobile. As part of the arrangement, Spry Fox founders David Edery and Daniel Cook will be able to shop Spirit Crossing to other publishers for console and PC releases of the game. While reverting to being an independent studio is definitely a happier version of the typical studio closure story, it might not be without issues. Game File reports that layoffs at Spry Fox are still possible and the developer will need to find additional funding to continue long-term. Spirit Crossing may also need to be altered so that Spry Fox can continue to make money from the game after players purchase it. Netflix acquired Spry Fox in 2022, a little over a year after it acquired Oxenfree developer Night School . Spry Fox released its first game for Netflix subscribers, a sequel to Cozy Grove , in 2024. The studio formally announced Spirit Crossing in March of this year, as an ambitious attempt to fuse the cozy life simulation elements of something like Animal Crossing: New Horizons with the online social experiences of MMOs like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV . That pitch apparently no longer jives with Netflix's current game strategy, which changed when Epic Games' Alain Tascan took over from ex-EA executive Mike Verdu . Whereas Netflix Games under Verdu acquired studios, funded projects and licensed an eclectic collection of mobile games for Netflix subscribers, Tascan has refocused the company's games business around titles based on Netflix IP , social party games and known quantities , Game File writes. Spirit Crossing doesn't fit neatly into any of those categories, which might be one reason Netflix is parting ways with Spry Fox. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflix-is-getting-rid-of-another-of-its-game-studios-by-selling-it-back-to-its-founders-203645232.html?src=rss

After nearly 30 years, Crucial will stop selling RAM to consumers

Micron cites AI data center demand as reason for killing DIY upgrade brand.

Tencent agrees to stop promoting its Horizon ripoff during Sony lawsuit

Tencent has agreed to stop promoting and publicly testing Light of Motiram as a lawsuit with Sony works its way through the courts, according to a report by TheGamePost . This is Tencent's game that looks suspiciously similar to Sony's Horizon franchise, so much so that Sony sued the publisher. Sony wants the court to block the game from sale entirely, but as the case continues Tencent has agreed to keep Light of Motiram out of the spotlight. The company submitted a court filing that says there will be no new promotion of public testing of the game as Sony's injunction request is argued. In return, Sony will give Tencent more time to respond to the injunction. Tencent has also issued a request to dismiss the lawsuit entirely. Both companies have jointly requested that the injunction request and the motion to dismiss be moved to the same day, which could be as early as January. For the uninitiated, Light of Motiram is an open-world hunting game that has some obvious similarities to Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel. The basic setup is similar, as is the visual appearance of the characters and marketing materials. This all caused Sony to refer to it as a slavish clone in the lawsuit. Sony To be fair, there are differences. The Horizon games are third-person adventures in the mold of Zelda, but Light of Motiram looks to be primarily a cooperative survival game. Tencent is a giant multi-tentacled company that actually owns Riot Games , Supercell and Funcom. It also has investment stakes in Epic, Ubisoft, Activision and Blizzard and Larian Studios, among many others. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/tencent-agrees-to-stop-promoting-its-horizon-ripoff-during-sony-lawsuit-193043644.html?src=rss

Crucial is a casualty of AI's hunger for RAM

Micron Technology is winding down its consumer-facing Crucial brand to focus on providing RAM and other components to the AI industry, The Wall Street Journal reports . The company plans to continue shipping Crucial RAM and storage through February 2026, and will honor warranty service and support for its existing Crucial products even after it stops selling directly to consumers. The AI-driven growth in the data center has led to a surge in demand for memory and storage. Micron has made the difficult decision to exit the Crucial consumer business in order to improve supply and support for our larger, strategic customers in faster-growing segments, Sumit Sadana, Micron Technology's EVP and Chief Business Officer said in an announcement to investors . Micron Technology didn't share how many jobs could be impacted by shuttering Crucial, but did note that it hoped to soften the blow via redeployment opportunities into existing open positions within the company. The majority of generative AI products used today are supported by a growing network of data centers that train and host large language models. The rapid buildout of servers at these data centers has been a boon to PC parts makers like NVIDIA , who provide the GPUs used to power them, but also companies like Micron, who build the memory components these computers need to run. It's not surprising the company would want to focus on where growing demand is, but it does put considerable strain on the remaining companies who continue to service both businesses and hobbyist PC-builders. There were next to no true deals on memory or pre-built PCs for Black Friday due to how costly RAM has become now that AI companies are buying it in bulk. PC maker CyberPowerPC even went as far to say that global memory (RAM) prices have surged by 500 percent and SSD prices have risen by 100 percent, forcing it to raise prices on its products. Losing another source of RAM like Crucial likely won't make things any better. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/crucial-is-a-casualty-of-ais-hunger-for-ram-185910113.html?src=rss

The best VPN deals: Up to 88 percent off ProtonVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, NordVPN and more

With a good virtual private network (VPN) , you can stream TV shows and events from all over the world, protect your information from hackers and thwart those online trackers that watch you sleep and show you weird personalized ads. Although we strongly recommend using a VPN , you shouldn't jump on just any deal a bit of comparison shopping goes a long way in this market. The pricing you see on VPN websites is often not an accurate portrayal of what you'll actually pay. Even so, there are some great bargains on the table. Most VPNs now have their Black Friday deals live, and you can save anywhere from 67 to 88 percent on annual subscriptions to the best VPNs. Most of these discounts only apply if you sign up for a year or more, but committing is not a bad idea while you pay more at the start, if you divide the cost by the months of service, it's significantly cheaper over time. Most of the deals we highlight below follow that pattern, so make sure you're comfortable with a longer commitment before you take the plunge. If you've been thinking about subscribing to a VPN service, read on for the best VPN deals we could find right now. Best VPN deals ExpressVPN Basic $68.40 for a two-year subscription with four months free (81 percent off): This is one of the best VPNs, especially for new users, who will find its apps and website headache-free on all platforms. In tests for my ExpressVPN review , it dropped my download speeds by less than 7 percent and successfully changed my virtual location 14 out of 15 times. In short, it's an all-around excellent service that only suffers from being a little overpriced which is why I'm so excited whenever I find it offering a decent deal. This Cyber Monday deal, which gets you 28 months of ExpressVPN service, represents an 81 percent savings. Be aware, though, that it'll renew at the $99.95 per year price. ExpressVPN Advanced $88 for a two-year subscription with four months free (77 percent off): ExpressVPN recently split its pricing into multiple tiers , but they all still come with similar discounts for going long. In addition to top-tier VPN service, advanced users get two additional simultaneous connections (for a total of 12), the ExpressVPN Keys password manager, advanced ad and tracker blocking, ID protection features and a 50 percent discount on an AirCove router. It's rare to see ExpressVPN doing anything for Cyber Monday, so give this deal some serious thought. As above, note that it renews at $119.95 annually. NordVPN Basic $80.73 for a two-year subscription with three months free (74 percent off): NordVPN gets the most important parts of a VPN right. It's fast, it doesn't leak any of your data and it's great at changing your virtual location. I noted in my NordVPN review that it always connects quickly and includes a support page that makes it easy to get live help. NordVPN includes a lot of cool features, like servers that instantly connect you to Tor. This early Black Friday deal gives you 74 percent off the two-year plan, which also comes with three extra months. NordVPN Plus $105.03 for a two-year subscription with three months free (74 percent off): In another early Black Friday discount, NordVPN has also taken 74 percent off its Plus subscription. For only a little more, you get a powerful ad and tracker blocker that can also catch malware downloads, plus access to the NordPass password manager. A Plus plan also adds a data breach scanner that checks the dark web for your sensitive information. Surfshark Starter $53.73 for a two-year subscription with three months free (87 percent off): This is the asic level of Surfshark , but it includes the entire VPN; everything on Surfshark One is an extra perk. With this subscription, you'll get some of the most envelope-pushing features in the VPN world right now. Surfshark can rotate your IP constantly to help you evade detection it even lets you choose your own entry and exit nodes for a double-hop connection. That all comes with a near-invisible impact on download speeds. With this year-round deal, you can save 87 percent on 27 months of Surfshark. Surfshark One $61.83 for a two-year subscription with three months free (88 percent off): A VPN is great, but it's not enough to protect your data all on its own. Surfshark One adds several apps that boost your security beyond just VPN service, including Surfshark Antivirus (scans devices and downloads for malware) and Surfshark Alert (alerts you whenever your sensitive information shows up in a data breach), plus Surfshark Search and Alternative ID from the tier below. This extra-low deal gives you 88 percent off all those features. If you bump up to Surfshark One+, you'll also get data removal through Incogni, but the price jumps enough that it's not quite worthwhile in my eyes. CyberGhost $56.94 for a two-year subscription with two months free (83 percent off): CyberGhost has some of the best automation you'll see on any VPN. With its Smart Rules system, you can determine how its apps respond to different types of Wi-Fi networks, with exceptions for specific networks you know by name. Typically, you can set it to auto-connect, disconnect or send you a message asking what to do. CyberGhost's other best feature is its streaming servers I've found both better video quality and more consistent unblocking when I use them on streaming sites. Currently, you can get 26 months of CyberGhost for 83 percent off the usual price. hide.me $69.95 for a two-year subscription with four months free (75 percent off): Hide.me is an excellent free VPN in fact, it's my favorite on the market, even with EventVPN and the free version of Proton VPN as competition. If you do want to upgrade to its paid plan, though, the two-year subscription offers great savings. Hide.me works well as a no-frills beginner VPN, with apps and a server network it should frankly be charging more for. Private Internet Access $79 for a three-year subscription with four months free (83 percent off): With this deal, you can get 40 months of Private Internet Access (PIA) for a little bit under $2 per month an 83 percent discount on its monthly price. Despite being so cheap, PIA has plenty of features, coming with its own DNS servers, a built-in ad blocker and automation powers to rival CyberGhost. However, internet speeds can fluctuate while you're connected. What makes a good VPN deal Practically every VPN heavily discounts its long-term subscriptions year-round, with even sharper discounts around occasions like Black Friday/Cyber Monday. The only noteworthy exception is Mullvad, the Costco hot dog of VPNs (that's a compliment, to be clear). When there's constantly a huge discount going on, it can be hard to tell when you're actually getting a good deal. The best way to squeeze out more savings is to look for seasonal deals, student discounts or exclusive sales like Proton VPN's coupon for Engadget readers . One trick VPNs often use is to add extra months onto an introductory deal, pushing the average monthly price even lower. When it comes time to renew, you usually can't get these extra months again. You often can't even renew for the same basic period of time for example, you may only be able to renew a two-year subscription for one year. If you're planning to hold onto a VPN indefinitely, check the fine print to see how much it will cost per month after the first renewal, and ensure that fits into your budget. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-vpn-deals-up-to-88-percent-off-protonvpn-surfshark-expressvpn-nordvpn-and-more-120056445.html?src=rss

Rare win for renewable energy: Trump admin funds geothermal network expansion

A first-in-the-nation heating and cooling network in Massachusetts is set to double in size.

Microsoft drops AI sales targets in half after salespeople miss their quotas

Report: Microsoft declared he era of AI agents in May, but enterprise customers aren't buying.

Russia blocks Roblox, citing 'LGBT propaganda' as a reason

Russia has blocked the popular gaming platform Roblox , according to a report by Reuters . The country's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor accused the developers of distributing extremist materials and LGBT propaganda. The agency went on to say that Roblox is rife with inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children. This is just the latest move the country has taken against what it calls the international LGBT movement. It recently pressured the language-learning app Duolingo into deleting references to what the country calls non-traditional sexual relations. Russian courts regularly issue fines to organizations that violate its LGBT propaganda law, which criminalizes the promotion of same-sex relationships. President Vladimir Putin has called the protection of gay and transgender rights a move towards open satanism. An update on our safety initiatives. https://t.co/fyJ9mHtWnY pic.twitter.com/uDGlu1EqiM Roblox (@Roblox) December 3, 2025 Roblox doesn't have a LGBT propaganda problem because there's no such thing, but the platform does have plenty of issues that Russia doesn't seem all that concerned about. It's a noted haven for child predators , which has caused other countries like Iraq and Turkey to ban the platform. To its credit, the company has begun cracking down on user-generated content and added new age-based restrictions. Roblox is still one of the more popular entertainment platforms in the world. It averaged over 151 million daily active users in the third quarter of this year alone. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/russia-blocks-roblox-citing-lgbt-propaganda-as-a-reason-180757267.html?src=rss

You can get three months of Amazon Music Unlimited for free right now

Amazons Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales might be over, but the company is still running a deal on its premium music streaming service. Right now, you can get three months of Amazon Music Unlimited for free if youre a new subscriber. As with most offers of this nature, your subscription will auto-renew for the full price of $12 per month (or $11 for Prime members) after your three months are up. But you can cancel whenever you like and wont be charged a penny if you do so before the trial ends. Amazon Music Unlimited offers lossless streaming and podcasts, and as youd expect, it works best with Amazons ever-swelling army of Alexa devices. Its a bit clunky compared to the likes of Apple Music and Spotify, and not as good for music discovery and curation, but the app has made strides over the years. It even has its own Spotify Wrapped-alike now. If you do take advantage of this deal, bear in mind that Amazon Music Unlimited is more expensive than Apple Music, YouTube Music and Tidal without a Prime subscription, after Amazon put its prices up earlier this year. A paid Spotify Premium Individual plan costs the same as Amazons service (sans Prime), and you can also try that for free right now, with the company offering four months without payment provided youve never been a Premium subscriber in the past. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/you-can-get-three-months-of-amazon-music-unlimited-for-free-right-now-175508803.html?src=rss

FCC boss Brendan Carr claims another victory over DEI as AT&T drops programs

AT&T accused of financial play to curry favor with Trump administration.

Epic bans indie game Horses from its storefront 24 hours before release

Indie studio Santa Ragione is facing more strife after claiming its latest game has been blocked on another major storefront. The developer previously said it was at risk of closure after Valve banned Horses from Steam, noting that it would be very difficult to recoup its investment without access to the worlds largest PC gaming storefront. The situation became more dire this week after Epic Games blocked Horses as well. Santa Ragione said Epic notified the studio of its decision just 24 hours before the game was released on Tuesday, despite approving Horses for sale on the Epic Games Store weeks earlier. Once again, no specific indication of problematic content in the game was given, only broad and demonstrably incorrect claims that it violated their content guidelines, the studio wrote in an FAQ . Our appeal was denied twelve hours later without further explanation. According to an email from Epic that Santa Ragione shared, the company banned Horses from its store due to violations of its inappropriate content and hateful or abusive content policies, the latter of which prohibits content that promotes abuse and animal abuse. It also determined that Horses had received an adults-only rating, and such games arent allowed on its store. Engadget has contacted Epic for comment. Horses is a horror game about a college student who works on a farm during the summer. The farms so-called horses are actually nude human adults who wear equine masks and live as horses. Santa Ragione said that, in its appeal to Epic, it pointed out that Horses is a strong critique of violence and abuse in general and that it doesnt promote any kind of abuse. It claimed that there are no explicit or frequent depictions of sexual behavior, as nudity is pixelated and although the three-hour game has four sexual sequences, these are brief and censored, with two mainly taking place off-camera. However, Santa Ragione said Epic stuck by its decision to block the game from its store. With Horses being banned from Steam and the Epic Games Store, that leaves GOG (where its currently at the top of the bestsellers chart) and Itch .io as the only storefronts on which the $5 game is available as Santa Ragione tries to recoup the $100,000 or so it spent on development. Horses was supposed to have been available via the Humble Store as well but, as Gamespot notes, the URL for the list ing now redirects to the stores homepage. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/epic-bans-indie-game-horses-from-its-storefront-24-hours-before-release-173500417.html?src=rss

India will no longer require smartphone makers to preinstall its state-run 'cybersecurity' app

India will no longer require smartphone makers to preinstall the Sanchar Saathi security app . After blowback from Apple, Samsung and opposition leaders, the Modi government issued a statement saying it has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers. The app is still available as a voluntary download. India's Ministry of Communications framed the U-turn as a result of strong voluntary adoption. The nation said 14 million users (around 1 percent of the nations population) have downloaded the app. The number of users has been increasing rapidly, and the mandate to install the app was meant to accelerate this process and make the app available to less aware citizens easily, the statement read. The country had previously given smartphone makers 90 days to preinstall the Sanchar Saathi app on all new phones. They were also required to deliver it to existing devices via software updates. India claims its app exists solely for cybersecurity purposes. It includes tools allowing users to report and lock lost or stolen devices. But privacy advocates warned that it could be used as a government backdoor for mass surveillance. According to the BBC , the apps privacy policy allows it to make and manage calls and send messages. It can access call and message histories, files, photos and the camera. Reuters reports that industry experts cited Russia as the only known precedent for such a requirement. In August, Vladimir Putin's regime ordered the messenger app MAX to be preinstalled on all mobile devices in the country. Like with India's example, experts warned that it could be used for surveillance. On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Apple would not comply with India's order , citing privacy and security concerns. Samsung reportedly followed. Opposition leaders in the Indian government also joined the fray. Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala called on the Modi government to clarify its legal authority for mandating a non-removable app. Despite India's framing, it seems likely that the two companies' stances, along with domestic political pressure, played no small role in the reversal. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/india-will-no-longer-require-smartphone-makers-to-preinstall-its-state-run-cybersecurity-app-171500923.html?src=rss

Flipkart strengthens board, appoints former Meta executive Dan Neary

In November last year, Flipkart appointed Dan Bartlett, Head of Corporate Affairs and Executive Vice President, Walmart, to its board.

The best Christmas gifts to give everyone on your 2025 holiday shopping list

This time of year has a lot of merry and bright things to be excited about, but it can be stressful if youre stumped on what to get your mom, dad, best friend, coworker or kids teacher as a holiday gift. Whether you enjoy or dread buying gifts for people, its safe to say we all want to give our loved ones things they will enjoy and appreciate. But theres a lot of noise, junk and bad deals disguised as good deals to sift through as we get closer and closer to the holidays. Allow us at Engadget to help you through it. Here, youll find all of our holiday gift guides collected in one place, so you can more easily find the best Christmas gifts you need this year. Are you looking for white elephant gift ideas? Are you struggling to come up with a good gift for the father figure in your life? Are you just looking for a good board game to pick up for your own family? Weve got you covered with gift ideas for all of those scenarios and more. Best white elephant gift ideas According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make your recipient feel (slightly) burdened. Read more: The best white elephant gift ideas Best Secret Santa gifts Secret Santa gift exchanges are supposed to be fun, but its easy to overthink it. You want a gift that feels thoughtful without being awkward, useful without being boring, and most importantly, affordable. The sweet spot is under $50, which is plenty to find something that fits your recipients personality. Whether youre buying for a co-worker you only chat with at the coffee machine, a friend who already has everything or a cousin who never gives you ideas, there are clever options that will make them smile. Read more: The best Secret Santa gift ideas Best tech gifts and gadgets Trying to find the right gift for an unabashed gadget lover during the holidays can be difficult, especially if you dont keep up with tech industry news yourself. Fortunately, youre reading Engadget.com, a site entirely staffed by people who spend all day figuring out what new stuff is and isnt actually good. So allow us to help. Weve rounded up some of our favorite gadgets and gear that just might satisfy the avid geek in your life. Read more: The best tech gifts and gadgets Best board game gifts We could all use more time away from screens of all types and sizes, and board games are a fun way to do that and bond with friends and family. You can find plenty of unique sets out there now, from word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life. From games with giant monsters to those with haunted mansions, were sure at least one of our suggestions will be a hit with you and your loved ones. Read more: The best board games to gift this season Best gifts for $25 or less So you want to give someone a gift but you dont have a ton of cash to spare. Dont fret because first, youre not alone, and second, there are tons of options to choose from. Especially if youre looking in the tech space, it can feel especially daunting to find a gadget thats affordable but also worth gifting in other words, not a piece of junk that will eventually take up residence at the bottom of a drawer. But you dont have to drain your wallet to get someone a cool gadget that will both be useful and make their lives easier. Weve collected our favorite pieces of tech under $25 that make great gifts and help you to stick to a budget. Read more: The best gifts for $25 or less Best gifts under $50 We wouldnt blame you if you try to do all of your tech shopping around the holidays. Thats when you can typically get the best sales, both on relatively affordable gear and (more importantly) on big-ticket items. But it would be wrong to think that only the most expensive tech is worth gifting. Since we at Engadget test a plethora of gadgets every year, we know that there are some hidden (and not so hidden) tech gems at lower price ranges you just have to know where to find them. Read more: The best gifts under $50 that make great stocking stuffers Best gifts under $100 Finding a gift for the tech nerd on your list can be tough. They likely have all the tech they need and then some, but you can add to their kit with the right accessories. Apple, Samsung, Sony and other big tech companies all have affordable gear that comes in at $100 or less, you just have to know where to look. We've collected some of our favorites, but remember: you can often find alternatives that are just as good (and sometimes better) than these. However, for the people in your life for which brand names really do matter, these gifts will speak to them. Read more: The best tech gifts under $100 Best tech toys for kids We know its been a pretty crazy year thats got you wondering how exactly youre going to make the holiday season extra special, especially for the kids in your life. The good news is that the toy industry is just as creative as ever, and this years crop of hot tech toys is filled with plenty of surprise and delight, all at affordable prices. Weve picked some of our favorites under $100, ones that will not only thrill right out of the box, but keep the kids entertained for months to come. Read more: The best tech toys for kids Best gifts for remote workers There's a pretty good chance you know at least one person who works remotely in some fashion. While the WFH life has its perks nobody likes a long commute it comes with its own set of challenges, from lacking pro-level equipment to dealing with household disturbances. If youre looking to give a gift to someone who spends much of their time in their home office, weve rounded up a few techy gift ideas that should make their days a little more delightful, or at least easier to manage. Read more: The best gift ideas for the remote worker in your life Best travel gifts For as long as humans have traveled, they've carried gear with them to make long journeys easier. Airplanes may have made travel faster, but crossing states and countries can still be exhausting. If you have a friend or family member who loves exploring the world, they'll appreciate things that will save them stress when they're far from home. So let Engadget help you find the perfect gift for the person in your life with wanderlust. Read more: The best gifts for travelers Best gifts for Nintendo lovers If you're like us, Nintendo holds a special place in your heart thanks to iconic characters like Mario, Peach and Donkey Kong and multiple generations of best-selling consoles. But little did we know that outside of gaming hardware and accessories, there's an ever-growing assortment of Nintendo-themed toys, clothes and decor. And it's kind of a problem because we want all of it. So to help you figure out the best gifts for the Nintendo fan in your life, we've put together a big list of our favorite products that will give anyone a power-up this holiday season. Of course, if none of the ones on our list quite fit the bill, you can also head over to our full list of the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories for even more ideas. Read more: The best Nintendo gifts for the holiday season Best retro gaming gifts The stream of new video games never ends, but for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you dont feel like hunting through eBay and local game shops for old cartridges to add to your loved ones collection, weve picked out a few other gift ideas for the nostalgic gamer in your life from video upscalers for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork. Read more: The best retro gaming gifts for the holidays Best gifts for gamers The year may not be over, but 2025 is all but guaranteed to go down as one of the best 12 months in gaming history. Between releases like Hades 2 , Hollow Knight: Silksong and Ghost of Yotei , to name just a few, there was truly something for everyone in 2025. Of course, that abundance also means it can be tricky to find a gift for the gamers in your life, especially if you're not one yourself. Worry not Engadget is here to help. We guarantee our guide will help you find the perfect gift for your friend or loved one. Read more: The best gifts for gamers Best gifts for moms Some moms really do mean it when they say they dont need any gifts. But those same moms will probably appreciate getting something thoughtful and personal a gift that shows you put in a bit of consideration. Its tough to pin-point what that ideal gift is for any given mom, but weve got ideas to get you started. Since we spend our days testing and otherwise thinking about tech, most of the presents here have a gadget spin, but all of them are a heck of a lot more unique than a candle and a bath bomb. Read more: The best gifts for mom Best gifts for dads It's not always easy to find gifts for dads, especially for those who are often quick to snap up whatever they need on their own. But even the geekiest and most well-informed dads have blind spots the trick is to find something they've never heard of, but could actually make their lives useful. We've collected some of our favorite dadcore gift ideas, which would suit everyone from a complete gadgetphobe to a total techie. Read more: The best gifts for dads Best subscription box gifts Subscription boxes are the rare gift that keeps its charm long after the wrapping paper is gone. You make the choice once, but the surprises keep landing on their doorstep for months after that. For anyone who loves the buzz of a delivery, these are gifts that extend the season well past December. Each box on this list combines a bit of discovery with something tangible, such as gadgets, books, collectibles, snacks or clever projects. Some appeal to hardcore hobbyists, others to the curious or the comfort seekers, but all offer that same spark of delight that comes from unboxing something unexpected. Read more: The best subscription box gifts Best gifts for home cooks For home cooks, kitchen tools are the equipment that make all your favorite dishes and meals possible. And while having the fanciest gear certainly isn't a requirement, it is really nice, which makes products like the ones here such great gifts. These are the kind of things that people want but might not be able to justify buying for themselves, or essential pieces that would be handy additions to any kitchen or pantry. So if you're looking for present ideas for the chef in your life, check out our guide of tried and tested cooking tools and gadgets. Read more: The best cooking gifts Best gifts for coffee lovers When it comes to making coffee at home, us coffee nerds are constantly evolving. Whether the person youre shopping for is newly indoctrinated into the world of small-batch roasters or obsessive over every possible aspect of every brewing process, weve compiled a list of the best coffee gear for any coffee geek this holiday season. For brewing, grinding and drinking, weve got multiple options at a range of prices to help expand any java geeks horizons. And if you think the coffee aficionado on your list already has everything they need, weve got a recommendation for them too. Read more: The best gifts for coffee lovers Best gadgets for your pets We're a pet-loving staff here at Engadget, with diverse distribution of cat people, dog people, other-small-fuzzy-creature people, bird feeder enjoyers and so on (at press time, I'm unsure if we have a rat person, but I'd be surprised if we didn't). And, of course, we love getting new gadgets of all sorts for our pets as much as for ourselves. Our list, with gifts as low-tech as a blanket and as high-tech as the best $30 two-way camera you'll ever use, is for the pet lover in your life whether that's you or another favorite human. Read more: The best gadgets for your pets Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-christmas-gifts-to-give-everyone-on-your-2025-holiday-shopping-list-170018456.html?src=rss

Ancient giant that never shrank: Study shows Anacondas have been massive for 12 million years

Anacondas reached their enormous size about 12.4 million years ago and, unlike most other Miocene giants, have barely changed since. Fossils from Venezuela reveal that early anacondas were already as large as modern ones, defying climate cooling, habitat loss and new predators. Their enduring gigantism hints at remarkable resilience and ecological adaptability that future research now aims to explain.

Sony is bringing MLB The Show to iOS and Android

Sony is bringing another of its long-running game franchises to iOS and Android in the shape of MLB The Show Mobile . This is a free-to-play standalone experience built from the ground up to deliver realistic baseball gameplay on mobile devices. San Diego Studio, the developer of every MLB The Show game since the series debuted in 2006, is behind this mobile game as well. MLB The Show Mobile, which was spotted by Gematsu , doesnt feature crossplay with console games. For now, its only available in the Philippines and it went live there on Wednesday. Sony says it doesnt have a timeline in place for expanding availability to more territories, but it certainly plans to do that. Its not uncommon for mobile games to have a soft launch in select regions before theyre made available elsewhere. Sony is doing the same thing with a Ratchet and Clank multiplayer game . Sony is optimizing MLB The Show Mobile for more recent mobile devices. On the iOS side, that means iPhone 16 or comparable devices. As for Android, youll get the best experience on Samsung Galaxy S25, Sony Xperia V or a comparable device, according to the games website . MLB The Show Mobile features solo and player-vs-player modes. There are more than 1,100 cards representing baseball players in the game. Youll be able to build out an all-star roster of MLB players past and present, and upgrade their cards. San Diego Studio appears to be tapping into the Ultimate Team modes of EA Sports games, as youll be able to buy and sell cards with other players in a marketplace. Sony also notes that in-game purchases can include random items. Each of these player cards has a momentum cost. These are stat points you can use strategically to better your chances of winning. The gameplay is skill-based. Youll need to get the timing right to throw a great pitch or hit the ball out of the park. Youll have real-time control of runners as well, so you can try to steal bases. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-is-bringing-mlb-the-show-to-ios-and-android-163300468.html?src=rss

AWS doubles down on customLLMs withfeatures meant to simplify model creation

AWS is launching more capabilities in both Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker AI to make building custom models easier.

Planned satellite constellations may swamp future orbiting telescopes

Planned orbital observatories would see satellites cross nearly all of their images.

Waymo's testing AVs in four more cities, including Philly

Waymo is adding four new US cities to the gradual rollout of its robotaxi service. As reported by TechCrunch , the company said it has already started trialling self-driving cars in Philadelphia, albeit with a human safety monitor, and that it will now commence similar manual tests in Baltimore, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. After the initial supervisory and data-collecting stage, the plan is to deploy fully autonomous vehicles, as Waymo recently did in Miami , ahead of launching in five new cities across Texas and Florida in 2026. Waymo's taxis currently accept passengers in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area, and it recently announced that San Diego, Las Vegas and Detroit would soon be joining them. Also key to the companys aggressive nationwide expansion is New York City, even if a fully functioning robotaxi service is likely still some way off. New York state law currently prohibits the operation of vehicles without a driver behind the wheel, but back in August, Waymo was temporarily granted the permit needed to be able to test autonomous vehicles in parts of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. The testing phase ran until late September, marking the first time a permit for the testing deployment of AVs in the city had been signed off. Waymo has international ambitions too. Next year it will partner with Moove to launch a robotaxi service in London, which will be its first major expansion outside the US. Fully driverless cars are currently banned in the UK, but new legislation will begin a long regulatory process that starts with government-approved robotaxi pilots in the Spring. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/waymos-testing-avs-in-four-more-cities-including-philly-161709279.html?src=rss

What is Bending Spoons? Everything to know about Eventbrites acquirer

Bending Spoons remains largely unknown, even as its portfolio of products has served more than a billion people.

The Trump Administration Wants Immigrants to Self-Deport. Its a Shit Show

The Trump administration has been virtually begging immigrants in the US to self-deport, even offering money. But some immigrants say its been nearly impossible.

Another bid to block state AI regulation has failed for now

Republicans attempt to ban state AI regulations was removed from the defense bill after bipartisan opposition, underscoring tensions between tech-industry demands, consumer protection concerns, and Trumps push for sweeping federal preemption.

Google Photos 2025 Recap turns to Gemini to find your highlights

The Google Photos Recap will use Gemini's AI to find your memorable moments throughout the year, and adds new metrics, like a 'selfie' count.

Nikon ZR review: A highly capable cinema camera at a reasonable price

Video used to be an afterthought for Nikon, but since the company purchased RED last year, content creators are now high on its priority list. A perfect example of that is Nikons new $2,200 ZR : a full-frame mirrorless model that stands up against dedicated cinema cameras for a fraction of the price. Its the first consumer camera to capture video using REDs 12-bit RAW format, but unlike REDs Hollywood cameras , it has a fast and accurate autofocus system. It also comes with a huge display, pro video monitoring tools, in-body stabilization and 32-bit float internal audio recording. After shooting a short film that tested its capabilities, I can confirm that the Nikon ZR offers incredible video quality at this price. Body and handling While a bit lighter than Nikons Z6 III, the 1.19-pound (540-gram) ZR feels solid. It has a boxy design like Sonys FX2 but a much smaller grip because its designed to be rigged up for cinema shooting with cages and handles. However, unlike the FX2 which has multiple 1/4-inch mounting threads to do such rigging, the ZR unfortunately has only one of those on the bottom. The ZR also lacks an electronic viewfinder like the FX2, but it more than makes up for that with its huge 4-inch display the largest Ive ever seen on a mirrorless camera. At 1,000 nits, its bright enough to shoot on sunny days, extremely sharp (3.07 million dots) and flips out for vloggers. All of that makes it a perfect primary display for checking the image and controlling the camera. Nikon has nailed the ZRs handling, too. While its not covered with buttons and dials like some models, it does have two shooting dials to control exposure and a joystick for autofocus. Theres also a camera/video switch, two record buttons, a power switch and five customizable buttons. Many of Nikons lenses come with control rings as well, so extra manual control is available. The menu button is unusual: you press once for the quick menu and hold to see the full menu. Given the large number of settings, I would advise anyone buying this camera to learn all the important adjustments, then customize the controls to avoid wading through dense menus while shooting. Another unique feature is in the battery compartment. Theres a single fast CFexpress slot to handle RAW video, plus a microSD slot for proxies. The lack of a second CFexpress slot or fast SD card slot for backup isnt ideal for a professional camera, though. Finally, the ZR runs on the same NEL15c batteries as other Nikon mirrorless cameras. They allow 90 minutes of HD shooting on a charge, or 390 photos per CIPA standards. Thats mediocre, so if youre planning long shoots, stock up on batteries. Video Steve Dent for Engadget The Nikon ZR has the largest selection of RAW video settings Ive seen. The centerpiece is REDs RAW R3D NE light codec (designed by RED for Nikon) with REDs Log3G10 log format. It also supports Nikons N-RAW, ProRes/ProRes RAW and H.265 with resolution that ranges from 6K at up to 60 fps to 4K 120 fps and 1080p at 240 fps. Despite the smallish body, it can capture 6K RAW video continuously for 125 minutes without overheating. The 24MP sensor uses a dual ISO system with native 800 and 6,400 ISOs, providing a nice range for indoor and outdoor shooting. The company claims 15+ stops of dynamic range, which is more than just about any other mirrorless camera. Other key video features include five-axis in-body stabilization with seven stops of shake reduction, waveform and vectorscope monitoring and a false color display for manual focus. To test the cameras features and video quality, I shot a short film in a mix of indoor low light, outdoor daytime and a mix between the two. I also shot handheld (including running with it) to test the stabilization. I primarily captured in R3D RAW, as well as Nikons N-RAW at the native 800 and 6,400 ISOs to maximize dynamic range. (You can take 24MP photos with this camera, but Im focusing on video as its mainly designed for that.) In order to not see a flat log profile when shooting, youll need to apply a look-up table (LUT) designed for RED cameras, like Achromic, Bleach or Caustic. Those are only for in-camera previews and not baked into the video, but you can apply those LUTs later in Adobe Premiere or DaVinci Resolve to get the same look. Steve Dent for Engadget With such a high native ISO, I was able to shoot inside with a single studio light. Video quality was outstanding with little noise in shadow regions, even after boosting black levels in post. Meanwhile, the RED R3D codec and Log3G10 gave me extra latitude to reveal shadow detail and dial down highlights when I shot the subject against a bright window. When you use the R3D codec, exposure is strictly manual with no ability to set auto shutter speed (shutter angle) or f-stop. So, for a scene with varying light, I used Nikons N-RAW to see if it would give me the correct exposure at the beginning and end of the scene. It did a good job, with no noticeable jumps during the shot. Video in sunlight at ISO 800 was also sharp with accurate colors after downscaling to 4K from 6K in DaVinci Resolve. ISO 800 is a relatively high native setting, though, and the ZR doesnt have a built-in ND filter to reduce exposure. That means youll need to buy ND filters for outside shooting or the high shutter speeds will result in choppy video. Cinema cameras from Blackmagic Design, Arri or RED are manual-focus only. But the ZR is a Nikon camera, and it has the best AF system Ive seen on any of the companys models, consistently nailing focus even with moving subjects. You can also automatically track vehicles, birds and other animals. At the same time, the ZR handles manual focus well. Thats thanks to a built-in display thats big enough to check focus accurately and Nikons focus peaking setting with three levels of sensitivity. Steve Dent for Engadget In-body stabilization on the ZR wasnt up to par with Panasonics S1 II, however. Video was smooth for handheld shooting if I panned the camera gently, but all my running and walking shots showed noticeable camera shake. That said, the ZR at least has in-body stabilization, unlike most cinema cameras, and most filmmakers will use a gimbal for running shots, regardless of which camera they use. (Note that the rattling you hear when the ZR is turned off is the sensor, which floats by design .) Finally, I was able to capture good audio quality via an external microphone without any clipping worries thanks to the Nikon ZRs 32-bit float internal audio capture. The company also touts directional capture using its built-in mics, but as with any such system, audio quality isnt high enough for production use. Wrap-up With the ZR, Nikon has shown that its finally catching up to and even surpassing its rivals for content creation. Whether youre doing social media, YouTube, documentaries or even film production, this camera is versatile and powerful with few compromises. Video quality and ease of use even beats models that are double or triple the price. The ZRs primary competition is in the low-end cinema cameras, particularly Sonys $2,998 FX2 and the $3,899 Canon R5C . While more expensive, both come with an electronic viewfinder that the ZR lacks, and the R5C can shoot up to 8K video. Another option is Blackmagic Designs Pyxis 6K camera, but it only offers basic autofocus capabilities and lacks in-body stabilization. Compared to those options, Nikons ZR delivers better dynamic range thanks to the inclusion of REDs R3D RAW codec. It also comes with an excellent autofocus system and decent in-body stabilization. If youre a creator looking to get the best video quality for the money without losing those niceties, Id highly recommend the ZR. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/nikon-zr-review-a-highly-capable-cinema-camera-at-a-reasonable-price-152634311.html?src=rss

Amazon rolls out a find-a-scene Alexa+ feature for Prime Video

Amazon is rolling out a new Alexa+ feature on Fire TV that can take you to a specific moment in a given movie on Prime Video based on a natural language voice command. The company says that, when you describe a certain scene, quote or character action, Alexa+ can start playing that part of the film. The company previewed this feature at its Devices and Services event in September. According to Amazon, you can say something like Jump to the card scene in Love Actually or Jump to the Ozdust ballroom scene in Wicked with Glinda, to quickly get to that moment. Alexa+ can apparently figure out which movie you're referring to if you don't say the title. So if you say, for instance, Jump to the scene when John McClane says come out to the coast, well get together, have a few laughs, Prime Video will start playing that bit in Die Hard where McClane is in an air duct. To make this work, Alexa+ uses visual understanding and captions to determine what's happening in each scene so it can take you to the one you're looking for. It's all processed through the X-Ray feature in Prime Video. As with Alexa+, it's built on Amazon Bedrock and it harnesses large language models such as Amazon Nova and Anthropic Claude. Alexa+ has indexed tens of thousands of scenes across thousands of movies on Prime Video so far, including many that you can purchase or rent. Amazon plans to expand this feature to more films and scenes, as well as TV shows, in the near future. While this is pretty interesting from a tech perspective and how Amazons able to make it work, Id be interested to know how many people actually end up using it. This isnt how most people who genuinely love cinema watch movies maybe just start at the beginning of a film and take it from there? Besides, if you really want to watch a specific scene, YouTube exists. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazon-rolls-out-a-find-a-scene-alexa-feature-for-prime-video-150557530.html?src=rss

Amazon halts AI anime dub 'beta' after widespread ridicule

Amazon appears to have quietly removed its truly terrible AI-generated English dubs for several anime shows currently streaming on Prime Video, following widespread (and entirely fair) ridicule from viewers and industry professionals. AI dubs were recently added to Banana Fish , No Game , No Life and Vinland Saga , where they were labeled AI beta in the Languages section of the app. As shows that previously only offered English subtitles, the option of a dub for those who prefer it could have been seen as a win for Amazon. But it quickly became clear that the dubs were unspeakably bad, completely devoid of any emotion or convincing intonation in dramatic moments. Particularly awful clips of the AI English dub for Banana Fish soon started circulating on social media, and the National Association of Voice Actors released a statement in which it branded the dubs AI slop. In his own statement , voice actor Daman Mills called the AI-generated dub for Banana Fish a massive insult to us as performers. In a post on X, which at the time of writing has been liked 14,000 times, he said: Voice Actors deserve the same level of respect as on camera performers. Anime already pays talent very little. Dub production costs shouldnt make a dent in these companies pocket books. Using AI for a dub of a show that released nearly 8 YEARS AGO AND HAD NO RUSHED SCHEDULE just spits in our faces, has infuriated the consumer, and completely destroys the art. Amazon's AI English Dub for Banana Fish is hilariously bad at times. #BANANAFISH pic.twitter.com/CtiE47W4yh Otaku Spirit (@OtakuSpirited) November 29, 2025 Decision-makers at Amazon apparently noted the backlash, as the English dub options no longer show up, as acknowledged by Mills and others yesterday. An AI-generated Spanish dub for Vinland Saga appears to have survived the silent cull, but otherwise its back to Japanese language-only and subtitles for the other shows. The company is clearly committed to introducing more AI to Prime Video along with its various other services despite this latest public shaming. It launched an AI-aided dubbing program for Prime Video earlier this year, piloting English and Latin American Spanish dubs in 12 licensed series and movies on Prime Video in March. Last month, it also introduced video recaps that summarize shows most pertinent plot points using generative AI. The feature is currently in beta for select English language Prime Original shows in the US. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/amazon-halts-ai-anime-dub-beta-after-widespread-ridicule-141501051.html?src=rss

Superhuman (formerly Grammarly) has some AI updates for its Superhuman Mail app

Superhuman, the AI-powered mail app, is heading in a more agentic direction with its latest update. Its write with AI feature, which you could previously activate when drafting an email, now works across your inbox, calendar, and the web. This means it can now pull in information from other emails or research a topic online. The AI will think for as long as it needs before responding to a prompt and will open its Ask AI tool if it needs clarification. Ask AI now lives in a left sidebar when youre on desktop, so its always accessible should you need to draft a note, ask a question or quickly schedule a meeting without digging around in your emails. You can also now check your Ask AI history on iOS and desktop for previous conversations. Write with AI is also now available on Android, which will soon gain the other new features too. Superhuman Superhuman was acquired by Grammarly earlier this year, with the latter recently rebranding so all of its AI apps now sit under the Superhuman umbrella. The mail service is seemingly primarily targeted at business rather than consumers, with its most advanced version of Write with AI and Ask AI being included in Business and Enterprise plans. The more basic standard version of Write with AI is rolled into the Starter plan for desktop and mobile. Superman is promising further agentic updates in the near future. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/superhuman-formerly-grammarly-has-some-ai-updates-for-its-superhuman-mail-app-140017716.html?src=rss

Autolane is building air traffic control for autonomous vehicles

And the Palo Alto-based startup has raised $7.4 million to do that.

Waymo starts autonomous testing in Philadelphia

Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis join a long list of cities where the company is gearing up to offer robotaxi rides.

Pine Labs posts first profit after market debut on lower costs, margin gains

Meanwhile, revenue from operations climbed 18% year-on-year to Rs 649.90 crore from Rs 551.57 crore in the same period last year.

Vijaywada leads in startup funding under MeitY's Next Generation Incubation Scheme

The NGIS scheme, rolled out by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has deployed Rs 67.84 crore across 686 startups in 12 Tier II and III cities.

Spotify Wrapped 2025 adds its first multiplayer feature with Wrapped Party

Spotify Wrapped returns to its data-driven roots with new interactive features, deeper insights, and social experiences designed to revive its fan-favorite feel.

New Hearing Aid Company, Foretell, Brings in Steve Martin and Others as Fans

AI-powered startup Fortell has become a secret handshake for the privileged hearing-impaired crowd who swear by the product. Now, it wants to be in your ears.

Nothing looks to its community to raise $5M, wants to be IPO-ready in 3 years

The new round, which opens on December 10, will enable consumers to buy the company's shares at its Series C valuation of $1.3 billion.

Guitar amp sims have gotten astonishingly good

There has never been a better time to be a guitarist.

Founders. Partners. Builders. The couple powering Indias workspace revolution

As companies rethink how and where work happens, IndiQube has quietly emerged as the infrastructure beneath that shift. At its helm are two founders who understand both scale and nuance.

After intense backlash, India pulls mandate to pre-install government app on smartphones

On Wednesday, the Indian telecom ministry said Sanchar Saathi, an anti-theft and cybersecurity protection app, would remain voluntary, and that smartphone makers would no longer be required to preload it on devices they sell.

The AI you can search: How Elastic is helping enterprises make sense of their data

From contracts to customer interactions, enterprise data is messy, sprawling, and often hidden in plain sight. Elastic is bringing clarity to this complexity, using AI-powered search to make information actionable and help companies make smarter, faster decisions.

4 Best Smart Displays (2025): Tested By a Smart Home Addict

Looking for a smart speaker that can do more than just talk back to you? These smart displays can stream your favorite shows, join a video call, and even double as a digital photo frame.

Uber and Avride launch robotaxi service in Dallas

The robotaxis will initially have a human safety operator behind the wheel who will monitor the ride.

Govt moves to make labour codes fully operational from April 1 as draft rules near release

The new labour reforms formally bring gig and platform workers into the welfare framework, requiring digital record-keeping and contributions to dedicated worker funds.

India to Tighten Rules as Fake News Endangers Democracy: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Indias Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has warned that fake news and AI-generated deepfakes pose a direct threat

How to watch the Christmas in Rockefeller Center tree lighting special tonight

It's time for the annual Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting! The Christmas in Rockefeller Center tree lighting special will air tonight, Dec. 3 from 8-10 PM ET though coverage of the tree lighting will start an hour prior, at 7 PM ET. The Voice and Happy's Place star Reba McEntire will host and perform at the Rockefeller Tree lighting, which will also feature performances from Halle Bailey, Michael Bubl, Kristin Chenoweth, Laufey, the Radio City Rockettes and more. Heres how to tune into the 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting. When is the 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting? The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will be lit on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting time: Coverage of the 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting will start at 7 p.m. ET. The official Christmas in Rockefeller Center tree lighting special will air from 8-10 p.m ET. 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting channel: The Christmas in Rockefeller Center special will air on NBC and stream on Peacock. How to watch the 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting without cable: Who is hosting the 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting? Reba McEntire will host NBC's annual holiday special, and perform throughout the evening. 2025 Rockefeller Tree Lighting performers: Alongside Reba McEntire, the tree lighting ceremony special will feature performances from Marc Anthony, Halle Bailey, Michael Bubl, Kristin Chenoweth, Laufey, New Edition, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Gwen Stefani and the Radio City Rockettes, who are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. Ways to watch the Rockefeller Tree lighting for free: This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-watch-the-christmas-in-rockefeller-center-tree-lighting-special-tonight-111504725.html?src=rss

Bengaluru startup first Indian firm to get US-FDA Class II nod for medical air cleaners

Bengaluru-based Biomoneta has achieved a significant first, becoming the inaugural Indian healthtech firm to secure US-FDA 510(k) Class II clearance for its innovative medical air-cleaning device. This breakthrough, powered by their unique ZeBox technology, promises to revolutionize hospital infection control by effectively eliminating airborne pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, paving the way for its deployment in US healthcare facilities.

Meesho IPO fully subscribed on day 1 as retail demand surges

Meeshos Rs 3,421 crore IPO was fully subscribed, with strong retail participation driving the 277.9 million share offer to 1.16 times subscription by Wednesday afternoon.

New-age defence tech is rising, but is India ready with the talent?

A report by Quess Corp highlights that India must take war-footing measures to build a sizeable pool of defence ready talent, which is now in short supply.

The best horror games to play in 2025

Are you tired of feeling safe and happy all the time? Is your daily life overrun by feelings of security, contentment and peace? Do you want an escape from all of the oppressive niceness around you? Well, look no further these are the games for you. Here, weve collected more than a dozen of the most evocative and disturbing horror games in recent memory. These selections cover a wide range of genres and styles, but each one comes with at least a tinge of unsettling terror. So take a peek, find your game, and prepare your skeleton for some fresh air because youre about to jump out of your skin. Best horror games Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games , the best PS5 games , the best Xbox games , the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-horror-games-120029388.html?src=rss

Apraava Energy raises $92M from British International Investment and Standard Chartered

With this new development, Standard Chartered and BIIs financing will enable Apraava to install around 2 million smart meters in homes and businesses.

Mattress makers tap furniture and home dcor opportunity amid Wakefits IPO plans, Furlenco's fundraise

Sheela Foam has invested Rs 125 crore in Furlenco as both companies race to expand their reach and home products portfolios. The fundraise comes as Wakefit gears up for its IPO and intensifies its focus on high-volume furnishing categories.

Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (December 3, 2025)

YourStory presents the daily news roundup from the Indian startup ecosystem and beyond. Here's the roundup for Wednesday, December 3, 2025.

Science quiz: The natural artists called minerals

YouTube Recap, Amazon 2025 Delivered, Spotify Wrapped: Music apps turn stats into social media trend

As the year comes to an end, music streaming giants YouTube, Amazon, and Spotify are trying to woo users by presenting their annual stats in increasingly quirky and memorable ways

How to use Magnifier on a MacBook to zoom in on faraway text

One of the iPhones many accessibility features is something Apple calls Magnifier, which uses the smartphone's cameras to magnify and identify objects in the world around you. For Global Accessibility Awareness Day in May this year, Apple brought Magnifier to the Mac, opening up even more places the assistive tool can be used, like classroom or work environments where you might already have a MacBook pulled out. Magnifier requires macOS 26 Tahoe and can work with a built-in webcam, a connected third-party camera or an iPhone via Apple's Continuity feature . Provided your MacBook can run Apples latest software update, its a natural fit for zooming in on a whiteboard at the back of a large lecture hall or getting a closer look at documents on a desk in front of you. You can use the app to both capture an individual image you want to refer to later, or to analyze text in a live video feed. But where to begin? Heres how to set up and use Magnifier on your Mac. How to use Magnifier to identify and display text A MacBook using Magnifier and a connected iPhone to identify and format text from a book. Apple Magnifier's most powerful feature uses the MacBook's machine learning capabilities to identify, display and format text that your camera captures. This works with text your camera can see in the room around you, and things it captures via macOS' Desk View feature. For example, to view documents on your desk: Open Magnifier . Click on the Camera section in Magnifier's menu bar and then select your Desk View camera from the dropdown menu. Click on the Reader icon (a simple illustration of a document) near the top-right of your Magnifier window. Click on the sidebar menu icon to access settings to format text. Apple gives you options to change the color, font and background of text Magnifier identifies, among other customization options. If you'd prefer to capture faraway text, you can position a webcam or iPhone camera facing away from you and swap to it via the Camera section in Magnifier's menu bar. You can also listen to any text Magnifier has identified by clicking on the Play button in the top-right corner of Magnifier's reader mode. Clicking the Pause button will pause playback, clicking the Skip Forward or Skip Backward buttons skip through lines of text, and if you want to adjust playback speed, you can click on the 1x button and pick a speed from the dropdown menu. How to use Magnifier to zoom in on yourself Magnifier can identify text, but it also works as a way to get a zoomed in view of your own face. Ian Carlos Campbell for Engadget By default, Magnifier uses your MacBook's built-in webcam, which means you'll see a view of yourself and whatever's behind you if you don't have another camera selected. This might not be usual for seeing faraway text, but it is handy if you're applying makeup, putting in contacts or doing anything else where you need a detailed view of your face. In my tests, using Magnifier worked the best with my MacBook's built-in webcam or an iPhone. When I tried using a third-party webcam from Logitech, my live camera feed was noticeably laggy. Your mileage may vary, but if you experience any issues with your own webcam, it's worth trying your built-in webcam to see if that helps. You can swap between cameras and zoom in to your camera feed inside the Magnifier app: Open Magnifier. In the top menu bar, select Camera and then click on the camera you'd like to use in the dropdown menu. Use the slider in the top center of the Magnifier window to zoom in on yourself. You can see a live feed of your zoomed in view in Magnifier's main window. If you click on the Camera button in the bottom-left corner of the app, you can also snap a photo to review later. Any photos you capture will appear in Magnifier's left sidebar menu. Clicking on them lets you view them, zoom in on them and adjust their visual appearance (Brightness, Contrast and other visual settings) via the Image section in Magnifier's menu bar. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/how-to-use-magnifier-on-a-macbook-to-zoom-in-on-faraway-text-080100677.html?src=rss

Sanchar Saathi app row: Snooping will never happen, says Scindia in Lok Sabha

Yulus FY25 revenue surges 97% as demand for its bike rentals rise amid q-com uptick

The electric bike maker and renting platform also managed to narrow its net loss for the period by 12% despite soaring expenses during the year ended March 31, 2025.

Healthify upgrades its AI assistant Ria with real-time conversation capabilities

Healtify is adding live conversation capabilities to its AI assistant, powered by OpenAI's realtime APIs

Recruitment is broken. Can AI fix it? Hyring CEO thinks it can

At TechSparks 2025, Adithyan RK, Co-founder and CEO of Hyring, reveals how AI can cut bottlenecks, curb cheating, reduce bias, and give recruiters their time back.

30% VistaPrint Coupon & Promo Codes | December 2025

From personalized gifts to business essentials, WIRED can help you save with our selection of VistaPrint promo codes.

The AI frenzy is driving a new global supply chain crisis

Tech giants including Microsoft , Google and ByteDance are scrambling to secure supplies from memory-chip makers such as Micron, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, according to three people familiar with the discussions